Crafting Lately...

My sewing machine has been getting a workout lately (and has been showing its age in the process...grrrrrr). Anyway...I'm pretty proud of my two latest projects, so I thought that I would share.

First project: A Beach Robe for Lucas

We are heading to Destin with the family in a few weeks, and I wanted to have a beach robe for Lucas to wear so we didn't have to worry about keeping a towel around for him. It has also been great for the Natarorium and after baths. (So great that I might just make another one!  At least a long sleeve one for winter...)

I got the pattern for this from Dana over at MADE. Love that blog! I bought a $4 quick drying towel from Target, 2 packages of edging tape, and I was ready to go. The pattern was really easy, but my little cheap sewing machine did NOT like all that fabric. After several fights and broken needles, we made it through with flying colors. The sizing is big on Lucas right now, but I was afraid the smaller size would be tiny, so he will just have to grow into it.

Here's my little man modeling after a bath...we think he looks like a boxer about the enter the ring:

On Friday, I sat down to whip up some new covers for my living room pillows. Those things were SAD, people!  Seriously! My once cute velour pillows now have ripped seams and stuffing coming out everywhere, so this was a dire need. I found cute coordinating fabrics on sale at JoAnn's the other day, grabbed them up, and finally put them to use. My machine was much happier to be stitching this fabric, let me tell you! Anyway...they aren't perfect, but they are a major step up, and I am particularly proud of how straight I managed to get the stripes to come out. Plus, they are just slipcovers, so I can remove them and throw them in the wash if I need to!  Woohoo!!

Summer Fun With Lucas

Since it has been approximately a million degrees here in Dallas this summer, Lucas and I have had to get all the errands and other activities that involve stepping out of the air conditioning done early in the mornings. This means that we have to come up with lots of creative ideas for indoor and/or water based activities during the day. Luckily, Lucas is a pretty content and creative kid, so we haven't been too bored yet! (Although the forecast for this week is calling for highs close to 110 degrees, so we might just be pushed over the edge here pretty soon!!!)

Here are some of the fun things Lucas and I have been doing to keep cool:

Wake up, have some milk, watch some Sesame Street or Sid the Science Kid

Each some breakfast....yummm....Nutella!

Play at friends' houses...they always have cooler toys than the ones here!

Go outside to swim in the pool...uhhh...play in the dirt.

....and pick up rocks. (But isn't he cute in his hat?!?)

Play some "Duke"! (That's for you, Papa!) This isn't our house, but we have a hoop in the living room that Lucas plays for HOURS every day. He loves it. He calls basketball "Duke", which makes his mommy very proud :)

Build a fort out of blankets, pillows, and the ottoman. Which we broke...oops!

Maybe time for a nap in the fort?

 Not pictured, but still favorite activities...coloring, throwing the ball for Clara to play with, anything we get to do in the playroom upstairs, bathtub paints, Gymboree, going to the pool, and watching movies on mommy and daddy's bed.

Is it fall yet?!?

Houston

I'm a few weeks behind in posting pictures from our latest trip down to Houston to visit the Hlavaty clan. No big reason for visiting, just an excuse to hang out with the family, so it was a nice relaxing weekend. We stayed with Gary and Traci and enjoyed having the rest of the family in town for lunch on Saturday. Lucas was really super about being in the car for so long! (Here's hoping that's a good sign for our trip to Florida next month!)

Here are some fun pics of Lucas with the fam:

"We're following the leader, the leader, the leader..."

Hanging out with Momo

Cousins: Jessica, Lucas, and Krysten

Krysten's beads were pretty much the coolest thing in the house :)

Playing a racecar game ("CRASSSHHHH"...as Lucas called it) with Uncle G

Lunch With Old Friends

Yesterday, Lucas and I got to have lunch with my friend Kate and her daughter Caroline. I have probably known Kate longer than anyone other than my family. In fact, she practically IS family...I'm sure we're cousins somehow :) Kate and were born about a week apart, and she grew up down the street from my grandparents' house. So, she was my best friend and playmate whenever we went to Abilene for a visit (which was quite often).

It was so neat to see our little ones together and think that she and I have known each other since we were their size. Somewhere, there is a picture of Kate and I standing next to each other at just about this age. I am dying to find it and compare and see if our littles look anything like the two of us. Until then, here are the best shots from the slightly squirmy photoshoot:

Pages

A Toddler's Life

Here are a couple highlights from our day yesterday...

Why, yes!  Lucas DID manage to get his little hand into the "childproofed" cabinet in my bathroom and pull out my makeup bag. Mom and Dad were especially impressed by the pirate eye look he created on the right eye. I also think the snot really adds to the look.

Desperate to get Lucas to eat ANYTHING (he has been on a hunger strike during this sickness), I made him a Nutella sandwich. He LOVED it...we later found Nutella in his ear during bath time. Yum!

Still Here, I Promise!

Just a quick update for today...pics to come soon, I promise.

Mostly, we have just been spending out time hiding from the 100+ heat around here these days. We have been hanging out with friends, going to the pool, and napping :)  Lucas has been sick for the past couple of days. The doc says just allergies, but they are causing him to have a horrible cough and sore throat that is making it difficult for him to sleep and eat. So, that's been fun...

We have a big weekend ahead of us, so hopefully he will be feeling 100% by then!

Back soon with pics, I promise!