weekend happenings...

Our weekends seem to be busier than ever. Before basketball started @ the Stake and before we got the new little girls, our weekends were on our terms. We could sleep in a bit, do our chores, run to Costco, etc. Now we barely see each other on Saturday's. I'm looking forward to a break. This Saturday was no different. Dwyuler, Zoey and Madi's other grandma, called me earlier in the week to ask if I would watch Kerstin for her. Sam apparently had to work, and he had made arrangements with her. Her other daughter had a volleyball thing at the Sportsplex here in town and is somewhat competing for scholarships. Scouts from different colleges were there to see her play and so Dwyuler said that when the scouts approach her she gives her a resume of sorts for her daughter. Since she was busy with her daughter, she really couldn't keep a watchful eye on Kerstin. So she asked if Kerstin could come play with us. I picked Kerstin up around 8:45 Saturday morning. I had a few errands to run and then we came home. Clyde made a yummy breakfast. We had enough time to eat together, before he needed to leave. Josh and Jacob went to play with some friends, so Clyde dropped them off on the way to church. All girls here! Zoey and Madi were excited to see their sister. Kerstin talked about her sisters the whole time we were in the car together. As soon as she came in, she got into her past role as mother and father and started to take over with the girls. I told her that was my job and that she could go play and I'd do the rest. Kerstin was upset that the girls called me mom mom. After explaining to her that that was my name here, everybody calls me mom, I think that she kinda understood. She called me Miss Ashley and I didn't like that. I am just Ashley or she could call me Auntie Ashley, but not Miss Ashley. Is it silly to be bothered by that? We had a fun day of playing together. Erin and Libby loved playing with the little girls. They played with their hair, polished their nails, got out Barbies, played with sidewalk chalk, and just had fun with them. They were good helpers throughout the day. I was really nervous about Kerstin coming actually, because of her sister's reaction to her leaving. This is why I haven't encouraged Sam or Ed and Becki to visit. They girls would feel abandoned all over again and to be honest, I don't have the energy to start all over with everything that we have worked on. We already have weekly issues and adding more stress to it, isn't my idea of a good time. I was pleasantly surprised to how they reacted. I let them stay up way past their nap times to see their sister. Madi couldn't hang in any longer and had to sleep around 2:30. Zoey hung in until after we took Kerstin back to the Sportsplex Center @ 3pm. The only time Zoey asked about Kerstin, was during bath time that evening. I told her that she went home with Nana and that was all she needed. Madi on the other hand seemed ok, but had nightmares of sorts throughout the night. When I cam home from Claire's bridal shower, she was really upset. I reset her at least 3 times, as did Clyde. My in-laws are supposed to come this week and get the girls, all 3 of them. Sam is losing his apt. and so after the 17th won't have a place to live. He isn't my concern and has never been, in this matter. He is an adult & has been making th worst possible choices. He isn't innocent in this craziness and caudling him isn't the answer. It is the girls that have my concern. We'll have to see what happens. This is just such a mess. I have to say that I have learned alot on how NOT to parent our children.

Friday night I began another round of sewing classes. This time we are making another skirt, but the girls wanted to learn how to install a zipper. I was so excited to go to Jo-Ann's. It isn't as if I go every week, but I could go every week and not be bored with it. It just sparks creativity and I love it. My class and I went, armed with coupons to find great fabric of a skirt. We picked out our patterns, ones that I already owned, and went into the store. The first place I took them, was the clearance wall. Sewing to me, only makes sense if you save money. If you spend much more than $20 on making a skirt, you might as well buy one. I did require the girls to buy 2 yards of muslin, so that we could get the proper fit. Some patterns don't fit right, or you have to alter them to get them to fit right. The pattern makers make these skirts to go to your natural waistine, which is ribcage high. So, the majority of the patterns have to be altered to where we now wear them...@ our hips. To save the more expensive fabric, we make our first skirt out of muslin, to see where the adjustments have to be made. I don't feel bad messing up $4 worth of muslin, but I would be crushed to mess up way more expensive fabric. We had a fun time looking at the different types of fabric, denim, tweed, lined, embroidered, non embroidered, suede like fabric, silks, cottons, polyester (yuck), courderoy and it's wales, and eyelets. The girls each chose great fabric and only one bought from the floor and not the clearance wall. However, it was 30% off, so we were happy. The next class will be spent cutting out our skirt and hopefully sewing part of it. The best part of this, is that instead of payment, I am hoping that the girls are willing to barter babysitting hours. I need to have babysitters and it would be too great to have 3 of them who are willing to come and that I wouldn't have to pay.

Yesterday was no different busy-ness wise. I had sharing time. I think it went well. I'm glad that it is only once a month!! :) After church Maylee wanted to come over for us to meet her new friend who isn't her boyfriend, but a 'special friend.' We had to talk to the kids and prep them for the new friend's arrival. I think that they took it ok. Mark is a native Alaskan, who ended up in Charlotte for work, after his mission to Italy. Go Maylee!! We had a nice evening with them. (Oh yeah- he knits and crochets. He has 6 brothers and his Mom taught them all to knit. I guess I would too, if I had all boys. Not only that, he is also working on a quilt, hand sewing it, no less. He has my vote.) Raegen also stopped by for awhile to visit. After the visitors left, I ran to the Yow's house to borrow a crinolin for Claire's wedding dress. I am altering it for her, and it needs to be poofier. Once I was home, I did finish up Claire and Tyler's dishcloth. I usually make a monogrammed set for newlyweds. I didn't have much time to finish it before her shower. I just have to knit one more. I am hoping that I'll find some time soon to finish the other one. The dishcloths are going to be our wedding gift instead. Busy, busy...