Winterizing for Tulsa's "Blizzard"

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the impending snow fall in oklahoma drives people crazy. just as long as my electricity doesn't go out, i'll be fine. i put fresh hay in the coop as well as an extension cord so i can put a heat pad out there. i brought fire wood on the front porch, and bought disposable diapers in case i can't wash our diapers. i made tapioca pudding yesterday for the girls. i have marshmallows and hot chocolate on hand, and brownie mix ready to go. i think i will hole up and sew, cook food that is bad for me, make dinner for my family(my brother and g.f. live a block away and can walk over:), and pull out the board games. i also put a new bottle of vodka in the freezer...gotta keep my insides warm. if things get really bad i am getting in the rv and going to texas! enjoy your snow.

Twirly Skirt Tutorial

this skirt is made with one yard of fabric for any size. this one i made for popi, i am making the same skirt for bee next. you can use a coordinating fabric for the ruffle and waistband if you want, sometimes i do, sometimes i don't. the waistband you use a yard of fabric and the width is up to the size of the elastic you use. you wan to make sure when you wake your waistband there is room for the elastic to go through. the ruffle, which you can use or not, is about 2 yards.

first i made the ruffle. the width depends on how much ruffle you want. fold your yardage in half giving yourself about a half inch for sewing, and that will be your ruffle width. i wanted about a 2 inch ruffle so the width i used was about 5 inches. i folded it in half and ironed it to make it stay and sewed the opening down with the largest width stitch on my machine all the way through without any back stitch. you take your thread end and ruche the fabric down to the other end making your ruffle till you have a little over a yard ruffle.

pin your ruffle to the bottom of the skirt. again, the length of the skirt is determined by who you are making it for, hold the fabric up to your child and see where it hits and add a couple inches for edges.

see? all sewed on!

you then take the waistband fabric and sew it inside out on the edge and then you turn it right side out and iron it flat.

i had sewed the skirt together before putting the waistband on, but you don't have to. you pin the waist band on in the inside of the skirt and sew it on leaving the ends open. you can sew the skirt together now or before, just remember about the open ends.

all together.

i have a nifty elastic threading tool, but you can also put a safety pin on the end of your elastic to fish it through the waistband. just measure your child's waist to see how much elastic to use. make sure to leave a couple inches of elastic so to make it easier when you sew your elastic together. when you have fished it all through, pin the elastic together and sew. then you can hand sew the waistband ends together.

here is my finished skirt. i sewed a flower on it. i don't know if i'll keep the flower on it or not.
it looks super adorable on my popi!
i used some alexander henry fabric and joann's fabric.

Dontcha Wish Your Weekend Was Hot Like Mine

Tulsa Farmer's Urban Chicken Coop Tour

if you or someone you know has an urban chicken coop, please have them contact me. i want to do an urban chicken coop tour of tulsa this summer and start an urban farming group here in tulsa. please have them email me sachafoo@gmail.com

Three Generations

popi, poppa deano, and her poppa

Am I Becoming My Mom?

i never thought i was like my mom. i still don't, well i kinda don't. okay, let's be honest here, i was going to talk about seed catalogs and fabric. they are 2 of my addictions. then i realized i was giddy about seed catalogs and buying seeds, and planning my garden. i looked around me and saw all the booklets filled with seeds, i could be at my parent's house. then there is the whole fabric thing. where did i learn how to stalk fabric online? where did my taste for marimekko come from? this all stems from my MOM.....oh goodness. guess who i go to beekeeping with. yup, my mom.
when i was little i remember running around a back yard with a raised garden. there was always something growing at our house, if it wasn't food it was plants, bulbs, trees, flowers. when i moved out on my own it just seemed normal to have a garden. i planted tomatoes, bell peppers, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and my ex-husband always planted roses for me. i planted a tree and cannas, then dug up the cannas because they spread like wildfire. i always have something growing, now i have a bigger house and my garden has only grown bigger too. corn, okra, asparagus, peas, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, raspberries, and blackberries, i love to garden. i love to have my hands in the dirt with the sun beating down on my back. i can only assume i get this from my mom. my mom does more flowering plants now than vegetation. she knows everything about plants, she does have a degree in botony.
then there is the fabric obsession. i have to be careful. it is so easy to go out of control when buying fabric. there are so many beautiful choices out there, and for a pretty penny too. my mom sewed me dresses from when i was very little to when i was about 12, i think. she also knit me blankets; i love yarn as well. she use to drag me to fabric stores when i was little, i remember climbing in the middle of those bolt holders, hiding from her. fabric shopping with my mom was so boring, i had to do something to take up my time. the girls hate it when i tell them we are going to the fabric store, it's like i'm taking them to go get shots or something. how can i get mad at them, i can almost relate. buying fabric feels naughty to me now, like a forbidden love. but no one forbade me, i just think it is the $12 a yard price tag that comes with the decent looking fabric choices. and i can't just buy one yard, like i can't just eat one potato chip. you know what i'm talking about.
i don't know if i'm becoming my mom, or if it has always been me. but if i am becoming my mom, i'm glad it is she i am becoming, because you know what? my mom rocks.

Today Was a Good Day

resting at home after a nice day. i got to hang out with a friend over coffee this morning. went up to my craft hideout to sew a little (i'll show you later). went to the gym. hung out with kristen for a little. picked the kids up from school. went to church. ate dinner with my Greek at rio verde. on my way to rio verde i stopped at a local chocolatier, glacier confection on brady. i bought 2 chocolates thinking i would give one to my hunni bunni. it ended up that they took a one way vacation down my gullet.

banana caramel and peanut butter and jelly
holy chocolate luvin', i need to go back there, now.

monday, i had a lunch date with my friend lorinda. we ate at mi tierra at 81st and sheridan. it is a peruvian restaurant, and guess what. i will be going back, soon. i ordered appetizers and they were awesome! if you go, don't be afraid to venture outside the box, i had a cold mashed potato chicken thingy that was phenomenal.

now popi and i are chilling in bed. i'm trying to get her to say ma-ma. she mimics me with her mouth but she's not there yet. it is nice to cuddle with her and make her eyes twinkle, i love us time!

Monday Morning Anthropologie

well folks, i'm back on the saddle. had some lovely scrambled eggs with salsa at queenies. we fed popi peas, apples, and she tried bananas today. after queenies i actually went to my bonus mother's house for a grandbaby visit. then i went to anthro for a bit. there is still quite a bit of sale stuff in there that i want, but i'm holding out; i love summer dresses!

"no wire hangers ever!"
i love the wire hangers! i really do.

silken stitches dress and the irresistible maxi dress(tracy reese)
same dress, different color, i love it! and of course tracy reese maxi...it looks better in person.

study of shapes dress
i love the halter on the dress, i love the etchiness of the design. i should go try it on.

sun shades dress
such a classic, sunny dress.

last year i vowed to learn to can, alas, my tomato crop was awash. i need this book.

and of course.....
shoes shoes shoes
have a good week!

Girlie Swap 2011

tea, coffee, champagne, wine, cupcakes, 30 girls and their clothes that don't fit or don't want anymore. that is what makes up a girlie swap. i love the yearly girlie swap with our group of girls. people bring shoes, makeup, purses, jeans, sweaters, jewelry, and anything else they do not want. we take it to someone's house, section everything off, then shop:) everything left over we donate to a charity. the goal of course is to leave with less than you came in with. it is so much fun! i got "new to me" sweaters, dresses, shoes, some blush, a couple shirts, and a workout jacket(stella mccartney for adidas). it is fun to see what other people pick out and who picks your stuff. try one out in your neck of the woods!

shoe pile

make up and body

clothes

cupcakes!

Baby Items We Cannot Live Without

after 3 children i have gone through a ton of baby gear. i feel like i have whittled it down some over the years, i have used things i didn't need and found the things i cannot live without. there are basics you might need and others might not. a stroller for one, i think is a need, others don't need one and carry their child around all the time. i use both, i have a nice stroller and a nice carrier i use for different situations. that leads to a carrier, one might not need one unless they know they will use it. i have an ergo now, but loved my bjorn too. a crib might be a need, but others use a family bed. i do both. i use a co-sleeper, a crib, and i sleep with my child. a car seat is a no-brainer, they won't let you leave the hospital without one. diaper bags are nice, but you can use another type of bag just as well.
these 12 items are my favorite, i can't live without them things.

my cloth diapers...i use fuzzibunz and weehuggers. the fuzzibunz have the pocket insert and the weehuggers have the tabs in the front and back that hold the trifold cloth diaper in. i use only snaps, because i think they will last longer and i hate velcro. i wash them in the washer with dye free, fragrance free detergent. i thing dreft is a marketing ploy. i then hang dry them. easy peasy.

sophie and the original rubber duck are popi's favorite chew toys. she would be perfectly happy with only those 2 things, she could give a rat's tooshie about stuffed animals, baby dolls, or blocks. don't get me wrong, she will love that stuff, but just not now. our lamb stuffed animal is not a play animal, it is a sleep noise maker, it makes wave noises, white noise, whale songs, and a heartbeat that all keep my child asleep at night. popi's amber necklace is a new one for us. teething with the girls wasn't too bad, i used teething drops and tylenol. kristen used amber teething necklaces for the twins and swears by them. so when popi got terribly drooly i made one. making one is cheaper than buying, i thought i'd give it a whirl and see what it did, if it helped it helped, if it didn't, i had a cute baby necklace. well, her drooling cut back a ton. now i'm a believer. also for little babies you will need lots and lots of blankets. you use them for everything, really.

next items....a dresser. i use my dresser here instead of a changing table. a changing table is a waste of money. the dresser does double duty and can be used way after diapers. i keep her changing pad on top, keep diaper stuff in top drawer, and clothes in the bottom drawers. a dresser can go from baby to big girl in no time flat. the next thing is my car seat cover, if you have an infant carrier during cold months this is a must, all my children were in an infant carrier through the winter and used one of these. it keeps the wind from chilling my little one. i love it! that bag i have there, it is a ditty bag for my dirty diapers, since i don't trow them away i put them in there when i am out. it might be nice too for disposables, sometimes you are out and can't throw it away. i almost have to have this bag because of cloth diapers. the last thing i love is a baby seat or swing, just something to put the baby down in. babies are best in your arms, but sometimes you have to cook or shower. the bouncy seat is a life saver, and it vibrates, she loves it....sometimes.
i know you might use other things, but really a baby doesn't need much. i am happy with what we use, don't take this post as an insult if you do something else:)

22 Weeks

she's our little stinker. she is such a good little stink too. she had such a good temperament and gets along well with others, as long as she has her sophie or rubber duckie.
this week she has had oatmeal, apples, and i gave her peas tonight. she gets so excited to eat!
she is still small for her age, i think, but we'll go to the dr soon enough.

Happy Chickens

i guess my chickens are happy being bundled up in their coop this winter. saffron, foo-fa, chocolate, suzie, blueberry, and tootsie. i found eggs in the nesting boxes this morning, but they were frozen. that is awesome! i put fresh hay in every week so they can pick through it and scratch it to dust. i never moved the tractor when it got cold so the ground would be warm where they were and dry so they can take their dust baths. i should have been out there earlier and i could have had yummy eggs for breakfast, tomorrow then.

Snow Day

the midwest got snow last night. whoo-hoo. school was out for about 2 inches of snow. i didn't even have to scrape my car windows and they let school out. the girls played indoors mostly, played outside some, had hot chocolate and pancakes for lunch, and we went to popi's grand-madame's for dinner and a movie and a martini:)

reason #5, 348 i love my Greek. he got me my very own carhart coveralls and rainbow moon boots so i could be just like him:)

my holly bushes my grandpa planted.

juni playing in her room.

bee drinking her hot chocolate.

Popi's First Food

i didn't want to feed her food, but i kinda sorta needed to. the american board of pediatrics gives you this window of 4-6 months to feed your child food so there will be less allergies, weight problems, etc. she is 22 weeks old, about time i did it, huh? last week i was eating something and holding her and she kept sticking her tongue out trying to lick my food, and she was eyeballing it, crazy eyes big time. so food time it was. with the girls i gave them rice cereal and breast milk, what i did for popi was i ground up oats in my food processor, added breast milk to make a runny oatmeal, then added some applesauce i made, really just pureed apples. no sugar or salt or preservatives:) she was excited.

first bite.

of course it didn't stay in.

she was enthusiastic about it.

funny face.

that is my favorite popi face, when she bites her bottom lip, so adorable! well, now we broke the ice, there is so much more to feed her. i am so excited, i already have pureed carrots, butternut squash and white beans in the freezer. i need to do the basics and freeze them that way i always have good food for her on hand. i don't feed the kids meat or sugar for the first year. no meat, because i don't like pureed meat unless i am eating pate, it looks gross. no sugar till first birthday cake, because she doesn't need excess sugar in her diet, i can sweeten things with fruit, it also is neat when they taste their cake for the first time!

ps. the borscht yesterday was sooo good.

Tuesday

really nothing much is going on, I don't have much to think about. I'm sitting at the library with juni and popi waiting for bee's ballet to be over. juni reads so fast. she has to be at a middle school reading level, whatever that is.
I have been cooking a lot more at home lately like I mentioned before, I'm just surprised I am actually doing it. I prepped our dinner today after a vintage thrift spree with Kristen. I love shopping vintage, I have since middle school. it has been a long love affair, anywho....I prepped our dinner and now it is simmering on the stove waiting for us to get home. I made beef borscht. I love cabbage. I made a Reuben for lunch. love love love reubens, that is a whole other love affair. well, I could ramble on but I promised popi we would find a richard scarry book to browse through. have a good evening!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Misplaced Weapon

i am not exactly sure why my hot pink brass knuckles are in the kitchen cabinet. did i put them there? i don't remember this. maybe one of the kids stored them there for me....maybe the dishes are having a jet vs. sharks moment,
"When you're a Jet,
You're a Jet all the way
From your first cigarette
To your last dyin' day!"

The Weekend

we had a fun weekend. friday night we went to our favorite pizza parlor, minuteman, we love it so much we drive through two towns to get there. granted the towns are on the outskirts of tulsa, but it still is a drive! we had half sausage and half cheese and of course the yummy red cream soda. saturday we went to breakfast like normal and chilled out at the house till we went to a birthday party for our friend harry. it was so much fun; there were stormtroopers, nerf gun wars, dalek and other dr who whatnots, pizza and cupcakes. ohhh, the cupcakes. vanilla cake with white chocolate cream cheese frosting, dark chocolate cake with chocolate ganache icing, vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream, and lemon cake with lemon curd and lemon cream cheese icing. the lemon was the best.

after a full day of birthday party we had dinner with my brothers and their girlfriends, my parents, and my mom's brother and twin sister. my mom made spaghetti. it was nice and relaxing, the girls played playmobile for hours. while there, juni got her hair in her food, like usual. she has this strand that never stays put, it is always in her face or food. she and i decided we would make bangs. so when we got home, we got out the scissors and with a little snip here, a little snip there, my baby got a new do. she looks so much older and gorgeous, you can see her face now. she told me some boy named lucas would surely notice her now.....wha?

kalliope didn't know what to think about the beings from a galaxy far far away....

bee found a new friend in dalek.

my beautiful bug.

What's in My Diaper Bag

i got this idea from over at the bleubird vintage blog. since i don't carry a purse around much these days, i put everything in my skip hop diaper bag, and here is what was in it today when i cleaned it out.

1. julie & julia to read when i can
2. a hanky for my nose
3. bobby pin
4. dark chocolate granola bar
5. trash
6. date book/calender
7. coffee cozy made for me by val
8. ear buds
9. car keys
10. flip video recorder
11. pens
12. wallet
13. tylenol and baby cream
14. bee's littlest pet shop toy
15. salve, cheek stain, 2 lip gloss
16. my gorillapod
17. pina colada hand lotion
18. my gloves
19. floss

1. popi's hat
2. boogie wipes
3. infant CPR card
4. rattle and wooden rainbow dna toy
5. 3 baby blankets
6. boggie wipe!
7. skip hop changing pad
8. one ladybug shoe
9. handmade cloth rattle chew toy
10. wooden car and rattle
11. tummy medicine
12. purple rabbit mittens
13. dragonfly chew and wooden rattle
14. elephant, raspberry and ring chews