tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-140647842024-03-07T17:32:50.118-06:00Lydia's Innovations and Just Plain Ordinary IdeasWell, everyone in America seems to think they have a right to be heard, even if what they say is just mindless blather.
I happen to be one of those Americans.Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.comBlogger385125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-85035002761579732172013-02-01T11:03:00.000-06:002013-02-01T11:03:32.998-06:00An Introduction to Vegan LivingSo I'm not really a vegan. I mean, I like to think I am. I try to cook that way at home, though it's not always 100% vegan.<br />
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However, my breakfast is a great vegan start to the day. It has tons of fiber, which is good for you. When I've been traveling and not eating very well, I always look forward to this morning meal.<br />
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Here it is:<br />
Fiber cereal<br />
Fruit and nuts<br />
Almond milk <br />
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The fiber cereal is a mixture of four different kinds of cereals: Uncle Sams, wheat squares, Grape Nuts, and rolled oats (non-instant). I just layer them up in a big container, then shake it up until it's all combined.<br />
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Once I pour that mixture into my bowl, I add fruit and nuts. The fruit is important because--let's face it--that batch of cereal is pretty tasteless! I always add raisins, since they're easy to keep on hand. And I like to add a banana, too, if I can. The most important point is to remember to <i>have a bit of fruit in every bite!</i> Otherwise it's not very good.<br />
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The nuts are important in the beginning, when I was learning to get used to almond milk. Almond milk tastes nutty (surprise, surprise), so I could reason with myself that the nutty flavor was coming from the walnuts (or pecans) I had in my cereal. Usually only four or five halves is enough. And now I'm used to the almond flavor, so the nuts aren't as important, but I like them, so I still use them.<br />
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Next is the almond milk. I use Blue Diamond non-sweetened vanilla, and it's really good! It did take some getting used to, I admit. It's not cow's milk. But I really like it now, and try to use it instead of cow's milk whenever I can. I especially like making hot chocolate with it!<br />
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One note about this cereal: It is very filling! I started out making a large bowl, like I always did with my Frosted Mini Wheats or whatever I was eating, but I never could finish it! So I make a small bowl, and it stays with me until lunch. <br />
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So, skeptics out there are reading this and thinking, "Wow, she has a lot of provisions to make up for the bad taste. Why doesn't she just grab a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios and call it good?"<br />
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Most of us were not raised vegan, and by the time I was 30, I had trained myself to add some sugar here, a bit of butter there, and to choose taste over health. Well, as the rate of obesity increases, as well as diabetes and heart disease, it's become more obvious to me that choosing foods because they satisfy my taste buds isn't perhaps the best idea. So, this little breakfast bowl is one way that I'm re-training my taste buds. So if right now I don't like the taste of some healthy foods...I'm adding other, tastier, healthy foods to compensate. I'm retraining my sense of taste.<br />
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Not that all healthy foods taste bad; on the contrary, I think it's mostly a matter of training ourselves out of liking healthy foods, when in fact they are quite tasty! On this little vegan journey, I have learned to enjoy foods I've never tried before, or tried and hadn't liked. Next week, I'm going to take on brussel sprouts, and am fully prepared to love them!Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-11891500571243574392012-07-13T14:06:00.000-05:002012-07-13T14:06:59.713-05:00How to Mark ButterI've gotten in the habit of marking my sticks of butter by tablespoon. Before I did that, I kept the butter paper so I would have its markings. But the paper would get messy, and it was a less than ideal solution.
So, this is what I do now. It works for me, and maybe it will work for you.
Start with your butter still in its paper, and a clean knife you pulled from the drawer.
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Using the dull side of the knife, gently press on each tablespoon marking, rolling it a little to indent the butter beneath.
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Unwrap your butter, and voila! Each tablespoon of butter is marked out nicely for you!
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Place in your butter dish (sans paper), and you're ready to bake! Mmmm...butter....
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<br />Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-10963515617279152872012-04-16T10:26:00.000-05:002012-04-16T10:26:06.225-05:00How to Build a Rain Barrel<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Problem:</span></b><br />
A garden, which requires daily watering in the summer.<br />
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A gutter that creates a waterfall to the ground, and the water has gouged an 8-inch hole in the ground.
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Solution:</b></span><br />
A rain barrel! A rain barrel will catch the falling water, and save it for when we need it.<br />
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We looked around to buy a barrel, but they're fairly expensive. We really had no idea how large a barrel we needed. We checked out YouTube for videos of how to make one ourselves. It turns out that it was a project that was fairly inexpensive and simple, so off we went to Home Depot.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Supplies:</b></span><br />
<ul>
<li>Irrigation tube: $5.41</li>
<li>32 gal. trash can: $9.88</li>
<li>3/4" spigot: $5.33</li>
<li>Auto/Marine sealant: $4.57</li>
<li>8 cement blocks: $$1.39 each, $11.12 total</li>
<li>4 cement caps: $1.09 each, $4.36 total</li>
<li>2 1" Spring Clamps: $2.09 each, $4.18 total</li>
<li>Things around the house: Knife, scissors, x-acto knife, Sharpie, length of old water hose, dirt </li>
</ul>
<b>Total Price: $44.85 </b><br />
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Let's get started!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Base:</b></span><br />
<ol>
<li>Arrange four cement blocks in a square, leaving a square hole in the middle (see the photos below)</li>
<li>We filled the spaces with dirt for extra stability</li>
<li>Start with the next layer of cement blocks. Fill with dirt.</li>
<li>Top off with the cement caps </li>
</ol>
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Tada!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Spigot:</b></span><br />
<ol>
<li>Trace around the spigot onto the side of the trash can. Cut out <i>inside</i> the traced hole. </li>
<li>Apply glue</li>
<li>More glue</li>
<li>Work the spigot into the hole</li>
</ol>
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Tada!
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Overflow Hose:</span></b><br />
<ol>
<li>Trace around the hose and cut a hole a few inches from the top of the trash can.</li>
<li>Cut the hose to length long enough to send the overflow water where you want it (Ours was just long enough to make it to the ground and a foot or so away. We already had the water pounding into the ground, so a softer flow of water onto the same place seemed like it would be fine. You could use a longer hose to direct to a flower bed or wherever.)</li>
<li>Insert the hose into the cut hole. Make sure the metal attachment is on the inside of the trash can, to help the hose stay in place</li>
<li>Glue</li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Drain Pipe:</b></span><br />
<ol>
<li>Cut slits in the rim to accommodate the larger gutter.</li>
<li>Slide over gutter and measure length to trash can.</li>
<li>Cut off excess pipe</li>
<li>Trace and cut hole in trash can lid </li>
<li>Clamp pipe to gutter, and put other end of pipe in trash can</li>
</ol>
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Tada! You're done! Now just wait for the rain! It only took one night of good rain to fill up our barrel! I'll be interested to see how much water it takes to water the garden.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Notes:</span></b><br />
<ol>
<li>If you're an observant kind of person, you'll notice that in the pictures, our rain barrel moved from directly under the window to a few feet to the right. Let's just say, test out your pipe and how it connects to the gutter before deciding where to put the base.</li>
<li>I suppose, if 32gal doesn't end up being enough, that we could add a second barrel using the same technique, only connecting it to the first barrel with the overflow hose, so it will fill up after the first is full.</li>
<li>I'm hoping that having a lid for the barrel will prevent mosquitoes, but I will definitely be checking occasionally. A friend suggesting adding Mosquito Dunkers to the water to prevent mosquitoes. They're donut-shaped things that float on the water and kill mosquito larva.</li>
</ol>
After last night's rain, it looks like we'll need to add a little more sealant around the spigot. Other than that, I'm completely satisfied with my new rain barrel. I can't wait to start using it, and I really hopes it helps with our water usage this summer! Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-52388771807267336002012-03-14T11:00:00.000-05:002012-03-14T11:12:45.194-05:00How to Cut an Angled Bob HaircutNow you have <a href="http://lmnovations.blogspot.com/2012/03/how-to-cut-bangs.html" target="_blank">cut your bangs all by yourself</a>...how about giving yourself an entire haircut?<br />
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I've cut my hair for almost ten years now. That has included long hair, pixie cuts, and everything in between. Some haircuts have been huge fails, but you know what? I've paid for haircuts that have been huge fails before, too, so it happens to the best of us, I guess. While I've had stints in this time where I've paid for my haircuts, these days I mainly stick to cutting my hair myself. I can make the decision for the cut at the spur of the moment, I don't have to make an appointment, and I don't have to make sure someone else can watch the boys. It's free, and if it goes horribly wrong, I can always go the salon if needed.<br />
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So, not to say you need to give up your weekly/monthly/bimonthly appointment, but if you're interested in trying out a haircut on yourself, here's a good one to try. The Angled (or Wedged) Bob haircut. It's like a bob, only it angles up at the back.<br />
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Start with wet hair and pull it straight back into a tight pony tail. The higher your pony tail, the more layers you will have.<br />
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Pull the pony tail out away from your head to desired length. (If you want a very short wedge, and don't pull it out at all, this method will probably not work for you. It will cut too much off.)<br />
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Now cut off all the hair beyond the pony tail! Exciting!<br />
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Pull the holder out and admire your work so far. The hair at the back of my neck is usually a bit thick, so I hold the hair in my fingers (which are perpendicular to the ground) and trim. This would have been a good time for a picture, but it didn't happen.<br />
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It's almost right, but I've found that it helps to then cut off another inch or so straight off the bottom. I'm grabbing my chip clip from when I clipped my bangs to do this task. Clip and cut!<br />
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The chip clip wouldn't hold some of the hair up front, so I just pull that down with my fingers and snip it off.<br />
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Here it is air dried. Crazy hair and all it's flippy-ness.<br />
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And now I've told it who's boss. The flat-iron, THAT's who's boss!<br />
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From the side (that chunk of hair over my right shoulder is a reflection in the mirror, NOT an overlook on my part!).<br />
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You can see at the nape of my neck where the hair is still a bit thick and could use a little more trimming, but I've got to head out, so this is what it is for today. I can mess with it later, or just let it grow out a bit and no one will notice. *wink*<br />
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Obviously you can personalize this to your own taste! Leave it longer in front where I decided to cut it. Pull the ponytail higher for more layers in the back, or lower for less. Or, for an overall layered look with no angle, pull the hair up directly on top of your head! That's how my mom did it in college, which is where I got the idea in the first place to try it with an angle.<br />
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Have fun with it, and let me know if you try it!Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-69636807949271221562012-03-11T22:21:00.001-05:002012-03-11T23:03:40.099-05:00How to Cut BangsCutting bangs has always been a bit of a hassle to me. And considering I keep my bangs pretty long, I have to cut them often to keep them out of my eyes. A while back I saw an interesting idea about cutting hair using a special tool that looked a lot like a chip clip, and I thought it would be perfect for bangs!
So...here it is! How to cut your bangs with a Pampered Chef chip clip.<br />
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The before:
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Tools Needed: comb, sharp scissors, and a swing-arm chip clip (Pampered Chef was the first place I saw this kind, but they're at Kroger and other places now)
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Use the comb to section off the hair you want to cut. I sort of part mine in a wedge (think of the opposite of a widow's peak). Then clip your bangs with the chip clip. Slide the clip down the hair to the desired length. Clip with scissors.
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Tada!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTGSf7R2ClXDjVuqEfJrUn3iajnAiUKEVV5zhoBLG7xA3BLcfYhxkCNa8G5dmlX5uKGagzJLz2cpV4mtP-XSPTNd0Lzi5S2ydWzLeZGX44SxniBM1WbLqWVCQ-PW-oYx-I_Ui/s1600/IMG_0217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTGSf7R2ClXDjVuqEfJrUn3iajnAiUKEVV5zhoBLG7xA3BLcfYhxkCNa8G5dmlX5uKGagzJLz2cpV4mtP-XSPTNd0Lzi5S2ydWzLeZGX44SxniBM1WbLqWVCQ-PW-oYx-I_Ui/s640/IMG_0217.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-39465805332588751902012-01-04T23:50:00.001-06:002012-01-04T23:54:00.549-06:00Church BannersBy the way, I had the privilege of designing Advent banners for our church this year. I kept forgetting to take a picture, but someone else did.<br />
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Initially, way back in August, I was approached to help make fabric banners. My main job was to work on the concept. It took quite awhile for us to decide on colors, fabrics, all the special bits and baubles that go onto banners, etc. Suddenly, it was November, one of the ladies bowed out of the project, and I figured out I was supposed to be sewing it all together, as well. Now, I like to sew, but it's time-consuming for things I'm familiar with. I had no idea how long it would take for something like this. There was no way it would be done in time for Advent.<br />
<br />
So, I suggested we scrap the plan.<br />
<br />
"Let me do what I'm good at. I can design the banners and have them printed. They'll look great, won't cost us any more, and best of all, will be up on the wall for the first week of Advent."<br />
<br />
The music director (the one coordinating this) was a little hesitant at first. She is very aware of the traditional nature of our church, and not having fabric banners might be a shift some people weren't ready for. Plus, she really had her heart set on fabric banners and felt she wouldn't be happy with anything else.<br />
<br />
"Just let me see what I can do. I'll give you a call when I'm ready."<br />
<br />
With that, I got busy. I really love designing. It's so much fun to choose fonts and colors, then carefully piece it all together. I enjoyed adding meaning through text in the background, for those who would care to look (verses referencing the attribute of that particular banner). And I added in some light flares reminiscent of Advent candle flames. I kept a traditional font and hoped the sunburst wouldn't be too wild for our church. <br />
<br />
When our director saw it, she loved it. She had some reservations about the initial color choices, and I immediately saw that she was right. My choices (aqua, orange, pink) were too contemporary and not related to Advent. I think I chose them because they worked well with the Advent purple background. Muting them to red, green, and gold made much more sense. After that change, it was final! I made the order, we stayed under budget, and the banners were up for the first Sunday after Thanksgiving. They were on curtain rods that were held up by Command strips!<br />
<br />
The response was great. Everyone really enjoyed the burst of color it gave our sanctuary, and many commented that we should have something similar up all the time. I had fun doing it, and it's always gratifying to be "in one's element." I'm grateful that I can use my knowledge for such purposes.Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-73112974123553405672012-01-02T21:17:00.001-06:002012-01-02T21:17:06.837-06:00It's a New YearIt's January second, and people all over the world are making resolutions...or resolving to make none. Some people have already broken their resolutions, and some will wait to March to get around to making any.<br />
<br />
My resolutions actually started a few weeks back. I have gotten into a lazy pattern at home, allowing a cycle of chaos to roll on to the point where it seems that things seem to have hit critical mass around here, and something has to change. So...resolutions.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Become an early bird.</b> James has settled into a 6am schedule. Usually I do all I can to fight it--or remain as asleep as possible while allowing him to babble next to me in bed--but when it's time to really get up (the last possible minute), it's my schedule that controls me, instead of the other way around.</li>
<ul>
<li>Set the alarm for 6am. Rise earlier if James gets up earlier. </li>
<li>Get ready for bed at 10pm</li>
<li>Take my shower at night, so I'm ready to hit the ground running </li>
</ul>
<li><b>Be in control of my house.</b><br />
</li>
<ul>
<li> Use <a href="http://www.mysimplerlife.com/decluttercalendar.htm">My Simpler Life's declutter schedule</a> as a guide through the year to help me declutter</li>
<li>Use <a href="http://time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/2010/09/home-maintenance-schedule.html">Time-Warp Wife's house cleaning schedule</a> as a guide for cleaning my house</li>
<li>Take weekly photos of my house, since I'm more aware of clutter when I see it in 2D. Weird? Maybe.</li>
<li>Have my mom and others keep me accountable and encourage me often.</li>
<li>Read two books about organizing/decluttering</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Bring my photography business to a more professional level.</b><b><br /></b></li>
<ul>
<li>Finalize design for pricing brochure, and find an inexpensive way to have it printed/folded</li>
<li>Create client information sheets and order forms </li>
<li>Attend at least one photography seminar this year</li>
<li>Research and finalize decision about new camera body, and start saving!</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Blog more</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Done!</li>
</ul>
</ul>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-18448803520005863742011-10-19T14:35:00.000-05:002011-10-19T14:35:10.853-05:00On a health kick...for three daysAwhile back, Jon and I saw the compelling documentary "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead." (Check it out on Netflix.) The premise is that our bodies have the ability to heal themselves if given the chance. However, we clog up the process with processed foods, meats, and other things. So, this guy went on a juice diet for 60 days. He ate only juiced fruits and vegetables, and his health improved dramatically. The juicing condenses the food, and makes digestion a lot easier. So, we were due a health kick, and decided this one sounded fun, so we decided to go for it. This was our daily fare.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwyX58pUOCrXhC6zxqhZCofp2jk8uM9lCg3lYXZDJEFch7AsYKOMF_tjEGJvkbRn7dRKy5XTyXTAl9RHR8FYXxcLWK8VCVBMxeqQt3mmtp6p5ZVSeO9uYGpt7QDUz7F3_dJByy/s1600/IMG_6384.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwyX58pUOCrXhC6zxqhZCofp2jk8uM9lCg3lYXZDJEFch7AsYKOMF_tjEGJvkbRn7dRKy5XTyXTAl9RHR8FYXxcLWK8VCVBMxeqQt3mmtp6p5ZVSeO9uYGpt7QDUz7F3_dJByy/s400/IMG_6384.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFN5M1-vfgwSswrHNzOnMXGCMxpVGIoatT5Rh7nisQE12Eu6ZC-oP4Xrx9xW4fnQ2j8AAEmAbPR9p2uRP9yOa75Se0enku5sGIxVGBlTfnLxsHEn9BzRLIgrCTtfvcBiFr2UQ/s1600/IMG_6394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFN5M1-vfgwSswrHNzOnMXGCMxpVGIoatT5Rh7nisQE12Eu6ZC-oP4Xrx9xW4fnQ2j8AAEmAbPR9p2uRP9yOa75Se0enku5sGIxVGBlTfnLxsHEn9BzRLIgrCTtfvcBiFr2UQ/s400/IMG_6394.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IJjaaM6GR26s-r43HS8kEoD1gUIs3uLzC05_xEA03e9ArBBQD10k9zxfAaNaZEjuXPxnuVjc9boes0nKDK-BVtsbuuvSab-khAsOYNJgowuGtUyRqAyIAk6tjqWE0NluOy5h/s1600/IMG_6398.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IJjaaM6GR26s-r43HS8kEoD1gUIs3uLzC05_xEA03e9ArBBQD10k9zxfAaNaZEjuXPxnuVjc9boes0nKDK-BVtsbuuvSab-khAsOYNJgowuGtUyRqAyIAk6tjqWE0NluOy5h/s400/IMG_6398.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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And this is how we ate it.</div>
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<br />
I gotta tell you the fruit juices were pretty great, and the "green" juices were pretty nasty. I realize a lot of it was mental, but I had to do some serious breath-holding, chugging, and chasing with water.<br />
<br />
The first couple of days were miserable. Jon and I were in a fog of hunger, and supposedly dealing with all the detoxifying that was going on. We felt gross. By day three, though, I was starting to feel a little better. Jon, however, was not. Which makes sense. I mean, he's twice my size, and consuming the same amount of calories I was (which was very little, by the way). He was actually starting to feel ill, so we called it. I said at that point, though, that I would not be going through those first few days ever again. It was an interesting experiment, but...nah....<br />
<br />
Juice fasts still intrigue me, though. From what I've read about them, the idea of flushing your system with micronutrients seems to be somewhat of a cure-all. There have been dramatic results from people with severe allergies, cancer and other illnesses. One of my friends, in fact, staved off cancer and got rid of her allergies by juicing. The theory--giving your body a break from cruddy foods, and allowing it to do its job--makes sense to me. But the practice--drinking kale from a straw--does not.<br />Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-3831649308568742372011-07-31T16:31:00.000-05:002011-07-31T16:31:44.924-05:00The Knitted SockSo I took up knitting awhile back, and I've really enjoyed it! It's very portable and usually pretty easy to stop when needed. The downside is getting a good collection of needles for all the different projects I'd like to do! When I started, I thought knitting socks would be a very economical thing to do. Cool, and economical. Well, there's nothing much economical about it. It would cost about $6 per pair, plus the hours and hours of labor. However, when you're finished, you have a great pair of wool socks that you can say you made yourself! So...not economical, but still cool in my book.<br />
<br />
Did I mention I've only made it through my first sock?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bH_YAIEjYBHGGU3dwZd8dh4sRqUTa0NJhzpiSg9flpcGzhe792PZnZmv1ZdB3UygQlyZXzZhOlTjev9ZgHjGkv41owSxIgn1WHktAC8XCO8sZj-aUl277SAacnj8NtBxvqer/s1600/IMG_6311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bH_YAIEjYBHGGU3dwZd8dh4sRqUTa0NJhzpiSg9flpcGzhe792PZnZmv1ZdB3UygQlyZXzZhOlTjev9ZgHjGkv41owSxIgn1WHktAC8XCO8sZj-aUl277SAacnj8NtBxvqer/s400/IMG_6311.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-51332896819480389052011-07-06T14:27:00.000-05:002011-07-06T14:27:25.958-05:00Lazy MemeThe instructions with this are to bold the ones you’ve done, leave the others in normal type. So here goes. (I got it <a href="http://www.harvestingtulips.com/2011/07/04/the-lazy-meme/">here</a>.)<br />
<br />
1.<strong> Started your own blog</strong> (clearly…)<br />
2. Slept under the stars<br />
<b> 3. Played in a band</b><br />
4. Visited Hawaii<br />
<b> 5. Watched a meteor shower</b><br />
6. Given more than you can afford to charity<br />
<b> 7. Been to Disneyland/world</b><br />
<b> 8. Climbed a mountain.</b><br />
9. Held a praying mantis<br />
<b> 10. Sang a solo</b><br />
11. Bungee jumped<br />
12. Visited Paris<br />
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea<br />
<b> 14. Taught yourself an art from scratch</b><br />
15. Adopted a child<br />
16. Had food poisoning<br />
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty<br />
18. <strong>Grown your own vegetables</strong> (we had a garden as a child)<br />
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France<br />
<b> 20. Slept on an overnight train</b><br />
21.<strong> Had a pillow fight</strong><br />
22. Hitch hiked<br />
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill<br />
24. Built a snow fort<br />
25. Held a lamb<br />
26. Gone skinny dipping<br />
27. Run a Marathon<br />
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice<br />
<b> 29 Seen a total eclipse</b><br />
30. <strong>Watched a sunrise or sunset</strong><br />
31. Hit a home run<br />
<b> 32. Been on a cruise</b><br />
33 Seen Niagara Falls in person<br />
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors<br />
35. Seen an Amish community<br />
36. Taught yourself a new language<br />
<b> 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied</b><br />
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person<br />
39. Gone rock climbing<br />
40. Seen Michelangelo's David<br />
41 Sung karaoke<br />
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt<br />
43. <strong>Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant</strong><br />
<b> 44. Visited Africa</b><br />
45 <strong>Walked on a beach by moonlight</strong><br />
46. Been transported in an ambulance<br />
47. Had your portrait painted<br />
48. Gone deep sea fishing<br />
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person<br />
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris<br />
51. <strong>Gone scuba diving or snorkeling</strong><br />
52. <strong>Kissed in the rain</strong><br />
53. <strong>Played in the mud</strong><br />
54. <strong>Gone to a drive-in theater</strong><br />
55. Been in a movie<br />
56. Visited the Great Wall of China<br />
<b> 57. Started a business</b><br />
58. Taken a martial arts class<br />
59. Visited Russia<br />
60 <strong>Served at a soup kitchen</strong><br />
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies<br />
62. Gone whale watching<br />
63. <strong>Gotten flowers for no reason</strong><br />
<b> 64 Donated blood, platelets, or plasma</b><br />
65. Gone sky diving<br />
66 Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp<br />
67 Bounced a check<br />
68. Flown in a helicopter<br />
69. <strong>Saved a favorite childhood toy</strong><br />
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial<br />
71. Eaten Caviar<br />
72. Pieced a quilt<br />
73. Stood in Times Square<br />
74. Toured the Everglades<br />
75. Been fired from a job<br />
<b> 76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London</b><br />
<b> 77. Broken a bone</b><br />
<b>78. Been on a speeding motorcycle</b> (well, it was probably going the speed limit)<br />
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person<br />
80. Published a book<br />
81. Visited the Vatican <br />
82. Bought a brand new car<br />
83. Walked in Jerusalem<br />
84. <strong>Had your picture in the newspaper</strong><br />
<b> 85. Read the entire Bible</b><br />
86. <strong style="font-weight: normal;">Visited the White House</strong> (outside it)<br />
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating<br />
88. <strong>Had chickenpox</strong><br />
89. Saved someone’s life<br />
90. Sat on a jury<br />
91. Met someone famous<br />
92. Joined a book club<br />
93<strong>. Lost a loved one</strong><br />
94. <strong>Had a baby</strong><br />
95. <strong>Seen the Alamo in person</strong><br />
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake<br />
97. Been involved in a lawsuit<br />
98. <strong>Owned a cell phone</strong><br />
<b> 99. Been stung by a bee</b><br />
Your turn!Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-63141539845719116112011-05-17T13:16:00.001-05:002011-05-17T13:16:46.011-05:00Crafting GetawayWhile it seems like most things these days are focused on my kids and family in general, I've gotten some craft projects done lately that I'm really happy about. A few weekends back I got to join my mom, Karen, some friends from my town and a few other girls on a craft retreat. Most everyone was scrapbooking, but I decided to take my sewing things, and it worked out perfectly! I have had a couple projects on my mind (one for over a year), and I finally got them done!<br />
First, I made a birthday banner. I am super-excited about it because I can put it up every birthday, and it will become part of our family's traditions. Plus it's very cute with just the right colors. It just makes me happy.<br />
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The second project I had was a purse like the ones I made for the women in my family a couple years back. At the time I had bought some fabric I loved, but like most projects around my house, by the time I got around to making it for myself, I ran out of time or motivation. So this weekend was the weekend! Out came the beautiful fabric, and my purse turned out just like I had imagined. I love it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9M89BkI_SrrboTDBcd9cxRKb8YKHD_V6SgG6FpSYiqRC86gaRESxdu6rS8i-W6BzQ3hZnHt9dpKWGU8tp-nfukKlH_OxzpduJRD0qqGLgFuLndxl5j7OaG9aV7CYtNINe13Z4/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYZyJXiQw1gHvA6cqANPAOZAFUv0yJc0I9AvSJYsWjf2AkhyjGLq1XH5_MemmrMKP3muf4C62oOdY7DiWHwHwdj9eTanTl5apCs8nOpyqlTD0Etx1Q7D0HbhfYsw5bobN3YAB/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYZyJXiQw1gHvA6cqANPAOZAFUv0yJc0I9AvSJYsWjf2AkhyjGLq1XH5_MemmrMKP3muf4C62oOdY7DiWHwHwdj9eTanTl5apCs8nOpyqlTD0Etx1Q7D0HbhfYsw5bobN3YAB/s400/photo+2.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-cKdLKieA2Yzu11Ef6E2bDL1ZrUnraRsYYqXhL5VxScR_YSVP0r1A5DQrl6AEhBK9Au9Ykd021Iapl-Ryw3Wqs8Ek20yM6vjSinv6TfFjT-2oFa9NV-qI8owNg6WwEWGmDwzx/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-cKdLKieA2Yzu11Ef6E2bDL1ZrUnraRsYYqXhL5VxScR_YSVP0r1A5DQrl6AEhBK9Au9Ykd021Iapl-Ryw3Wqs8Ek20yM6vjSinv6TfFjT-2oFa9NV-qI8owNg6WwEWGmDwzx/s400/photo+3.JPG" width="300" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2bKl_-Unh1i8UT7NFB-Dz18orfNz9_Mh3ByrHiLqdjhKoTR3ZFCt4ReJ9Q7ym3x8qT3k1MBGHGM1qVcTP4hkqmdIPNJCGD8hhxCfD-ZrzaWECi_zfXXxTLrZZmtCnqurqvux/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2bKl_-Unh1i8UT7NFB-Dz18orfNz9_Mh3ByrHiLqdjhKoTR3ZFCt4ReJ9Q7ym3x8qT3k1MBGHGM1qVcTP4hkqmdIPNJCGD8hhxCfD-ZrzaWECi_zfXXxTLrZZmtCnqurqvux/s400/photo+4.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9M89BkI_SrrboTDBcd9cxRKb8YKHD_V6SgG6FpSYiqRC86gaRESxdu6rS8i-W6BzQ3hZnHt9dpKWGU8tp-nfukKlH_OxzpduJRD0qqGLgFuLndxl5j7OaG9aV7CYtNINe13Z4/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9M89BkI_SrrboTDBcd9cxRKb8YKHD_V6SgG6FpSYiqRC86gaRESxdu6rS8i-W6BzQ3hZnHt9dpKWGU8tp-nfukKlH_OxzpduJRD0qqGLgFuLndxl5j7OaG9aV7CYtNINe13Z4/s400/photo+5.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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I can't believe how much I got accomplished over the weekend. Plus my friend Adrienne and I took full advantage of the "big city" to get plenty of shopping in! It was a great time.Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-70595379536412302152011-02-14T07:08:00.000-06:002011-02-14T07:08:00.559-06:00Happy Valentine's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiCIniQJHU_Bc2lTQjbKxcGsH375rjtO5fre9ZGTzDLambY9lll94oBQ6ZGAE2VvCA8kFQO8TmyxXRSrIdU4HTMcfQGigWg43tmmc5x-tPhGHmrch92-a9m6LjQWscQusiRp-/s1600/IMG_3453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiCIniQJHU_Bc2lTQjbKxcGsH375rjtO5fre9ZGTzDLambY9lll94oBQ6ZGAE2VvCA8kFQO8TmyxXRSrIdU4HTMcfQGigWg43tmmc5x-tPhGHmrch92-a9m6LjQWscQusiRp-/s400/IMG_3453.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>Jon and I have known each other for 10 years (though we can't agree on exactly when we met). We were friends for a year, dated for 6 months or so, engaged for 10 months (9 years ago tomorrow), and married for 8 years! We've taught Sunday School together, led worship in nursing homes, gone on mission trips with groups and by ourselves, gone camping, enjoyed road trips, written letters, been silly, been serious, had fights, made up, grown up. We've had two beautiful boys together, learned that parenting is hard, leaned on each other, depended on God, prayed together, worshiped together.<br />
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Every big event that warrants a post like this, I cringe to write it. When I think of how much I love Jon, and *how much* he loves me, there are no words. I can't describe to you the daily self-sacrifice that Jon does for me, and how he shows me that he loves me every day. I can't describe to you what security he gives me, how much I lean upon his steadfastness. Besides <span style="font-size: small;">some killer eyes and that whole tall/dark/handsome combination, </span>Jon's love for the Lord is what attracted me to him in the first place, and it has never faltered.<br />
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Jon, you are my sexy man of God, and I love you! Happy Valentine's Day.Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-6050364678467811612011-02-05T15:41:00.000-06:002011-02-05T15:41:40.717-06:00ClydeI love how kitties drape their tails over their feet. Isn't Clyde handsome?<br />
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In case you're wondering, this was a photo from the archives, taken when we were packing up our old house getting ready to move here.Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-31779039375702502832010-12-05T22:48:00.000-06:002010-12-05T22:48:18.282-06:00Best FriendsMy best friend took this picture of me:<br />
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But then I got her back by taking this picture of her:<br />
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(You know, maybe these things wouldn't happen if we weren't such hams in front of the camera....)<br />
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But because I love her, I suppose I'll put this photo up of her beautiful family.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ZWE-AjEjP9BSgRz1f_Jji9YHVHs9GmSNpdH-LKmKB6aTZeUe1VvmocQ3aQ0f4qYwDytpfM4o8eOo0tgjVG2zHqxK7rd6OOtNdyZM7V7qNtw5sx2CjlvywGUseoDNx4dDKwN0/s1600/IMG_2602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ZWE-AjEjP9BSgRz1f_Jji9YHVHs9GmSNpdH-LKmKB6aTZeUe1VvmocQ3aQ0f4qYwDytpfM4o8eOo0tgjVG2zHqxK7rd6OOtNdyZM7V7qNtw5sx2CjlvywGUseoDNx4dDKwN0/s400/IMG_2602.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-36261413110225121512010-11-02T14:26:00.001-05:002010-11-02T14:26:00.331-05:00Home Tour: Guest BedroomThe final room of the house is perhaps my favorite...but how many rooms have I said that about?<br />
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I love our guest bedroom. My grandmother made the quilt, and it so bright and cheery that it makes me smile every time I look in the room. The art on the wall is my own: the tree painting seems to finally have its rightful place on a green wall!<br />
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The side table is from my mom (as is the "vintage" lamp). The silver bowls are my other grandmother's. The books are classics from my childhood, and the glass bottles are gathered from different places--some valuable and most not. The bowls of fruit and stacks of books had been put together just right, but Caleb ransacks it every day, and I more often find grapes in his pile of toys than I do in a silver bowl.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikm_VoOm8P-YRv9br8IWDg4bpTml_6hBLzM5qL3g6xnJNmBxQV2pXzFJF0FYirUiRPMNMlsATfdYp6w11mxyLAN5U7iAH4j5m5hQpLK2UmFuUjSxsoDtbi10P9D7mSVtlpb37/s1600/IMG_0180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikm_VoOm8P-YRv9br8IWDg4bpTml_6hBLzM5qL3g6xnJNmBxQV2pXzFJF0FYirUiRPMNMlsATfdYp6w11mxyLAN5U7iAH4j5m5hQpLK2UmFuUjSxsoDtbi10P9D7mSVtlpb37/s400/IMG_0180.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
On the other side of the room is my sewing area. It is so great to always have my sewing machine out, and to have shelves full of scraps and bobbins.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjqkjgvjlP6fU1-OqYR8kQhYfLkEamGoxYeI7UAa7OyH_gnTLXDKLChfFrCG9nWgePOl8MPQrEgdGCvE_KqOKun2tWPrMzyhs4Wt67pKblYn2znzpFqHuJvWVPLgpKa4xwXcC/s1600/IMG_0182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjqkjgvjlP6fU1-OqYR8kQhYfLkEamGoxYeI7UAa7OyH_gnTLXDKLChfFrCG9nWgePOl8MPQrEgdGCvE_KqOKun2tWPrMzyhs4Wt67pKblYn2znzpFqHuJvWVPLgpKa4xwXcC/s400/IMG_0182.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
This area is meant for the guest. Don't be deceived by the snack tray...it's been repurposed as a luggage rack.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53ZQzuJYzpyQ7KmJKBTwuVzeFRnUJoQI53DMv5cUhtzjWwuIirJGUDmudYikYLnc2lf55kGxA0e10NFPe7Bgl_sGXq59km5VgitCIRNSvbeJHLbEje0Yyilp5FGCcP2wVmHly/s1600/IMG_0183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53ZQzuJYzpyQ7KmJKBTwuVzeFRnUJoQI53DMv5cUhtzjWwuIirJGUDmudYikYLnc2lf55kGxA0e10NFPe7Bgl_sGXq59km5VgitCIRNSvbeJHLbEje0Yyilp5FGCcP2wVmHly/s400/IMG_0183.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
And here's a happy guest!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgTTj0C-yXh9mmlETICnyO3D5JEc5bJrWB0BB49aHS6QZvRhaFiwC5Cn9u_po2tI6qixFDZnA5eat3Vx8ZXXTEDYonnT9_Gbk3AfXChXzIrV4AC7oYAP6Ropa-dqn2h7U1IYP/s1600/IMG_0184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgTTj0C-yXh9mmlETICnyO3D5JEc5bJrWB0BB49aHS6QZvRhaFiwC5Cn9u_po2tI6qixFDZnA5eat3Vx8ZXXTEDYonnT9_Gbk3AfXChXzIrV4AC7oYAP6Ropa-dqn2h7U1IYP/s400/IMG_0184.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-85029802063704924692010-10-31T22:50:00.001-05:002010-10-31T22:50:00.439-05:00How to Give Yourself a French PedicureThe state of my toenails is a good indicator about the state of my life.<br />
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A beautifully pedicured pair of feet means that I've had time to stop and take care of myself. Most times my feet sport the slapped-on, make-do bit of polish that covers the flaking polish from the last real, sit-down-and-enjoy pedicure. And sometimes my toes are just hideous. My life is a shambles. <br />
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I've had several pedicures in my life and have come to realize that I generally like doing them myself. It's really no fun to go to the nail place alone, the lady will inevitably cut my nails too short or cause some other trouble, and I walk away with a plain ol' paint job I could have done at home. All in all, my hands-on personality likes to have more involvement in the pedicure process. It's more fun, and it saves money!<br />
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So, back to the state of my life, here are my toenails: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnYbYSB24OH2Zkh_NyJtgDYc9HqMXzx_dmpZ1codgHlZ6uE2zxRkkfxW4TJzz2FQVW-DiVdfDox1P2mvfWje9q1hlTgyO66H6RYD-7UnWFo7471DRT6VqLr_mKbBFyKdB6eU7/s1600/IMG_9767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnYbYSB24OH2Zkh_NyJtgDYc9HqMXzx_dmpZ1codgHlZ6uE2zxRkkfxW4TJzz2FQVW-DiVdfDox1P2mvfWje9q1hlTgyO66H6RYD-7UnWFo7471DRT6VqLr_mKbBFyKdB6eU7/s400/IMG_9767.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><br />
That's one photo you don't want to "click to enlarge."<br />
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It's time for a drastic makeover. Let's pull out the drawer o' goodies and see what we can do!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FRvBd-D6nkhnJR2J8Df0nk4i2rMtbbWSpohA_aGkcgE4tssrLzR56qbXvkXMqZ1FinlycjWVLEqSrc6dID91ZivGFk2vx6uHL9dTdhoy4QVsWv4qpH7OLzlnVmDo71UN4nV7/s1600/IMG_9789.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FRvBd-D6nkhnJR2J8Df0nk4i2rMtbbWSpohA_aGkcgE4tssrLzR56qbXvkXMqZ1FinlycjWVLEqSrc6dID91ZivGFk2vx6uHL9dTdhoy4QVsWv4qpH7OLzlnVmDo71UN4nV7/s400/IMG_9789.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
1. Soak your feet. I like to use Arbonne's Sea Salt Scrub to really soften them up. I also use a pumice stone for callouses.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNRiwgxaflSk5nfBUs84HwDJ3bjdxscZzLhdu2pdPC6durDBkC5Q2HlORedUbO5V964uVXw4Zt7RFrreMy9t9EjpbxkbkNaQpfR8ID0_vMfKpaDgWKlB0K0WsO2Xa7ndNL2ah/s1600/IMG_9791.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNRiwgxaflSk5nfBUs84HwDJ3bjdxscZzLhdu2pdPC6durDBkC5Q2HlORedUbO5V964uVXw4Zt7RFrreMy9t9EjpbxkbkNaQpfR8ID0_vMfKpaDgWKlB0K0WsO2Xa7ndNL2ah/s400/IMG_9791.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Moisturize! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsWFowEom-9diB6VZD465iTH8IhAwRLSaRGzC9bFAtA-oF566ASBez3kiSDjputy4f-AbqGw-Yaebu_sQ7H71f5dWThJBLtWLTiEX0I5TXabO0zPMFfCQET80EILaf_GQ-FYS/s1600/IMG_9795.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsWFowEom-9diB6VZD465iTH8IhAwRLSaRGzC9bFAtA-oF566ASBez3kiSDjputy4f-AbqGw-Yaebu_sQ7H71f5dWThJBLtWLTiEX0I5TXabO0zPMFfCQET80EILaf_GQ-FYS/s400/IMG_9795.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Now that my feet are nice and soft, let's work on the toenails!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQaN8M49D7pCAeq1axyp2cnnKhd4jHTIFmg2h5o2mafUCWj5XGi88TZC7DLGqJaD1o5-Qmm41vSSIiJ7o6gopqGHyVyAE-7M3AiTrJFu2nZi-_bdxvMsEDOJOamYqOwnSPhqm/s1600/IMG_9768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQaN8M49D7pCAeq1axyp2cnnKhd4jHTIFmg2h5o2mafUCWj5XGi88TZC7DLGqJaD1o5-Qmm41vSSIiJ7o6gopqGHyVyAE-7M3AiTrJFu2nZi-_bdxvMsEDOJOamYqOwnSPhqm/s400/IMG_9768.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
4. Take the old polish off. This is one of my favorite steps, because it immediately gives me a clean slate. I often do this step very first, just to see an immediate difference. However, if you're inclined to do that, you need to still swipe your nails with polish remover at this step to get any moisturizer off of them (which might keep the polish from sticking). <br />
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5. Clip your nails. For a French pedicure, I like to keep them a little longer than if I were just doing a solid color. <br />
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6. File your nails. I know this sounds crazy, but treat your toes just like you treat your fingers! They deserve it! <br />
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7. Gather your nail-painting supplies: White nail polish (a bright opaque white), a transparent sparkly polish (optional), clear polish, nail polish remover, and a Qtip. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAogHfs7pxpjfWNDXb-RQvTl6mZge85QBl4WWLRMSW4P7wpxtKiAsq3C0eAg70cQJiQ7ZxbEBnG0g3IUTcFLHA5b5-V7QFPxLLumrei8jNdLjGv4u4R2It42638cnVEFZx4kC/s1600/IMG_9776.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAogHfs7pxpjfWNDXb-RQvTl6mZge85QBl4WWLRMSW4P7wpxtKiAsq3C0eAg70cQJiQ7ZxbEBnG0g3IUTcFLHA5b5-V7QFPxLLumrei8jNdLjGv4u4R2It42638cnVEFZx4kC/s400/IMG_9776.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
8. Oh, and don't forget to put those toe foam thingies on.<br />
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9. Now, start by painting a white strip at the top of each nail. Don't worry if it ain't pretty. Take time with each toe.<br />
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10. Pour out a little polish remover into the cap. Dip your Qtip into the remover and start swirling it on the unpolished area of your toe in little circular motions, only touching the edge of the polish just enough to clean it up. <br />
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See? Much better. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WoSVRIT6d_85JHWXVu2LpqP4aOmp_eX_hgVKvW90o8DIRI5zOlJ56Es1u_f47ac4sH9stwNZgC59sgCm7hOn_WPUHsQMYnXAIpxu9BZuoqWPhVBUka6Xi3b1IxCK_pL1r-di/s1600/IMG_9782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WoSVRIT6d_85JHWXVu2LpqP4aOmp_eX_hgVKvW90o8DIRI5zOlJ56Es1u_f47ac4sH9stwNZgC59sgCm7hOn_WPUHsQMYnXAIpxu9BZuoqWPhVBUka6Xi3b1IxCK_pL1r-di/s400/IMG_9782.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNRiwgxaflSk5nfBUs84HwDJ3bjdxscZzLhdu2pdPC6durDBkC5Q2HlORedUbO5V964uVXw4Zt7RFrreMy9t9EjpbxkbkNaQpfR8ID0_vMfKpaDgWKlB0K0WsO2Xa7ndNL2ah/s1600/IMG_9791.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><br />
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11. Now paint the sparkly polish all over your toenails. This is optional, and I don't do it for fingernails, but I like the little bit of extra on my toes. <br />
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12. Top with a clear topcoat and you're done! <br />
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13. Or...you could get bored and draw stuff on your feet to call attention to your beautiful pedicure. <br />
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As a side note, I got a new purple polish that Caleb thought was hilarious. The first time he saw my toes, his question was, "What happened??" And I replied with "Mama painted her toes purple!" Every time he saw my toes, he asked the same question and I gave the same answer.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnpJWuXlLZQKLP2oN1gBPXFdeZE0e5yjrYWsQg-oIJYACbnpkVP0KINVj_dD4KtHm4PPOwZDtSsqBEPf96AVXSJV_CFWlH1fDA2HMjbeq3MhU5ma0tQLM6zduR7D2CbolkLK_/s1600/IMG_0440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnpJWuXlLZQKLP2oN1gBPXFdeZE0e5yjrYWsQg-oIJYACbnpkVP0KINVj_dD4KtHm4PPOwZDtSsqBEPf96AVXSJV_CFWlH1fDA2HMjbeq3MhU5ma0tQLM6zduR7D2CbolkLK_/s400/IMG_0440.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
One day, we were at a restaurant and Caleb was peering under the table. He pointed and said, "Tuss...pahpo" with a little grin on his face. I had no clue what he was telling me, and after the third attempt, he looked a little dejected that his joke was not coming across as he would have liked. I kept trying to find something under the table that could give me a hint, but all that was under there were our feet. And finally I figured it out: Toes...Purple! My little man was sharing his first inside joke with me. We had a good laugh over it, and I've decided that I'll be painting my toes purple next time, just to see what Caleb says.Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-76287758065173610302010-10-29T22:50:00.000-05:002010-10-29T22:50:06.489-05:00How to Paint Nuts and BoltsWhen I was repainting Caleb's <a href="http://norvellnewbie.blogspot.com/2010/07/big-boy-bed.html">big boy bed</a>, I really wanted to paint the nuts and bolts that held the bed together. I had in mind that I would hold them out at arm's length and give them a good spraying, but came up with a better idea. Maybe it will help you out on your next repainting project!<br />
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1. Poke the bolts through a piece of cardboard.<br />
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2. Attach the nuts to the back of the bolts. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0SeDB4WGLzc5OAbh6mU7D69Vi_fWz9IaaRKKdLfMs4jPUQrHcWvyno0er8IPESt0p37E9am8gajV1zLXA40lHCN20N2piZ5tmQd4MC3H1Nsd01ej7gC4vP1hvb1Rp8nnn9CX/s1600/IMG_0022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0SeDB4WGLzc5OAbh6mU7D69Vi_fWz9IaaRKKdLfMs4jPUQrHcWvyno0er8IPESt0p37E9am8gajV1zLXA40lHCN20N2piZ5tmQd4MC3H1Nsd01ej7gC4vP1hvb1Rp8nnn9CX/s400/IMG_0022.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
3. Set the cardboard piece into a box (I stole my cardboard piece from this box) and spray bolt tops with paint. <br />
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4. Turn the cardboard piece over and push the bolts through the holes so the nuts touch the cardboard (I didn't want to paint the threading of the bolts in case it might make it harder to screw the nuts on).<br />
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5. Spray paint the bolts. <br />
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Simple!Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-65211429691453889682010-08-10T14:20:00.001-05:002010-08-10T14:20:00.929-05:00Home Tour: Master BedroomThe master bedroom: the haven of the homeowner and yet often the most-neglected spot in the house. That is true for us, and though I enjoy our bedroom, the color scheme doesn't match the rest of the house. It was also the last room to have the packing boxes taken out and things finally put together in some sort of organization--and that happened the day before the Open House! So I really am enjoying it now.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>One thing I requested when we moved here was that I have a "mama chair" here in the bedroom to rock James and feed him. At the time, I thought the glider would remain in the boys' room. It has since moved to the family room, but I'm still enjoying the rocker in our room. It matches the "daddy chair" rocker in the living room, which means things will match in case we ever feel like moving furniture around. So now I have 3 places to rock my babies!<br />
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This bedspread should look familiar; we've had it for the entirety of our marriage! It may be the reason I think our room needs updated, but on the other hand, I really love it and haven't found a spread I like better.<br />
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And then the view from the closet back to the bathroom....<br />
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On into the master bath.... The tilework, cabinet top, and tub all used to be green--that green that was so popular in the 60s. It was all re-enameled to this pristine white before we moved in, and I have to tell you how happy that makes me. I feel that a retro green bathroom would not help me wake up in a good mood!<br />
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Oh, and did you want to see what I looked like at 34 weeks pregnant?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-IXoe9GVE-AtvuJmkak09rcbnJYtqktEr7P0kSiRa8vxvP-BfTm9oziEoykmys3XyDnR16oYL_fXHxHN6uokR2AU9_pOW8FbH76h5GRZObGPnqUg0iOvSCVOioYhD2T5-8JJ/s1600/IMG_0177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-IXoe9GVE-AtvuJmkak09rcbnJYtqktEr7P0kSiRa8vxvP-BfTm9oziEoykmys3XyDnR16oYL_fXHxHN6uokR2AU9_pOW8FbH76h5GRZObGPnqUg0iOvSCVOioYhD2T5-8JJ/s400/IMG_0177.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-18786285126155179762010-08-08T14:06:00.006-05:002010-08-08T14:06:00.466-05:00Home Tour: Hall and Guest Bath<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The hallway was one of my mom's inspirations. She has a wall of family photos (and I mean FULL of photos) at her house, and I wanted something like it. So, she put together this wall. It has lots of photos of Jon and I together (one from the day we started dating), many of Caleb, and many of our extended families.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW3Ub28RYisCQDb4Bfk6-sq-vJUFeqcN6VqAO4FAYzgCXsDQgD7mF8sn5TkeS_FiH7i6NJAiDX2jSLwaVHT2ZygTdRY2lXdX38t-RN-qt-Tbek5BqCX4KcThbjGmrJ_joWSL9f/s1600/IMG_0195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW3Ub28RYisCQDb4Bfk6-sq-vJUFeqcN6VqAO4FAYzgCXsDQgD7mF8sn5TkeS_FiH7i6NJAiDX2jSLwaVHT2ZygTdRY2lXdX38t-RN-qt-Tbek5BqCX4KcThbjGmrJ_joWSL9f/s400/IMG_0195.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Jon really loves this wall, and I do, too. I like that it tells the viewer a little about who we are, especially since people here have only known us 6 months.<br />
<br />
Here's the look down the hallway.<br />
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<br />
On the left-hand side, from closest to farthest away:<br />
Linen closet (hooray, hooray!!)<br />
Boys' room<br />
Guest bedroom<br />
<br />
On the right-hand side, from closest to farthest away:<br />
Guest bath (in the inset area)<br />
Hall closet (holds games, wrapping paper, etc.)<br />
Master bedroom<br />
<br />
I really like the guest bathroom. I think it's cheery and light, with a little bit of whimsy to it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBugpLgT3cT305DxYHsPQzEzD7nutkoydepWeYmuggkv7-iHYOnnbjA3gdJdqHtVh7gipMptcZw5mekfbaaNb28hjy0OlvILhjkAz0OPwpeL9ZFs6mNjiCWLFtoP-waX6OT_Hu/s1600/IMG_0198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBugpLgT3cT305DxYHsPQzEzD7nutkoydepWeYmuggkv7-iHYOnnbjA3gdJdqHtVh7gipMptcZw5mekfbaaNb28hjy0OlvILhjkAz0OPwpeL9ZFs6mNjiCWLFtoP-waX6OT_Hu/s400/IMG_0198.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBng6u0RgYijOlguKnc5247j2lGXWVntgYII_r38xM9Xy5aSgf4GCoLDTTNB-8WhMh11HtgUJJ8G0cBOm9ZmQEAR95NX7CgakarQP_L592lYHVQ9RqkdclpEpQcqOvQbZViVp/s1600/IMG_0199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBng6u0RgYijOlguKnc5247j2lGXWVntgYII_r38xM9Xy5aSgf4GCoLDTTNB-8WhMh11HtgUJJ8G0cBOm9ZmQEAR95NX7CgakarQP_L592lYHVQ9RqkdclpEpQcqOvQbZViVp/s400/IMG_0199.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvgEuEz6BeZfr1jDgP6W_3XO5vZENgxCxS9sGMDUwya5pH0AS1-2XwpPkoE4s5gy8JllMY0-5_Xv2HPdpM2MlAwKZ4SnmjZheXiDM0fW192EVl0o_sQMJ0K8hcLSghqkDD-h6/s1600/IMG_0200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvgEuEz6BeZfr1jDgP6W_3XO5vZENgxCxS9sGMDUwya5pH0AS1-2XwpPkoE4s5gy8JllMY0-5_Xv2HPdpM2MlAwKZ4SnmjZheXiDM0fW192EVl0o_sQMJ0K8hcLSghqkDD-h6/s400/IMG_0200.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This cat is a doodle from a San Antonio artist, given to me by my brother and fam.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-16359441843344030612010-08-06T07:47:00.002-05:002010-08-06T07:47:00.606-05:00Home Tour: Family RoomThe Family Room is where we spend most of our time at home. Our computers are here, some of Caleb's toys are here (tucked under the breakfast bar...you can't see them in these pics), the laundry gets folded here, the mail gets read here. Everything happens here! Which means it usually looks like a hurricane just blew through! But we still really enjoy it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xwZVWD5kPZAuQ_AyOTWBcd29vgDEMI9QwGrj3nIB4SAPxEuOjXpIerPN9G0x12tKrFOmmNUIMYYBXTDELWDuN-cdelX9QTFFWwUQrgjoq57DBEFQ2ppbT2WkjCEWGiYe5yE7/s1600/IMG_0206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xwZVWD5kPZAuQ_AyOTWBcd29vgDEMI9QwGrj3nIB4SAPxEuOjXpIerPN9G0x12tKrFOmmNUIMYYBXTDELWDuN-cdelX9QTFFWwUQrgjoq57DBEFQ2ppbT2WkjCEWGiYe5yE7/s400/IMG_0206.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
When we moved into this house, we decided to leave our TV behind and instead use my computer for all our media needs. We signed up for Netflix for movies, and watch TV shows on hulu.com. It helps us be a little pickier about what we watch and caters TV to our schedule, instead of the other way around. It's worked out really well for us! And it explains why the couch is facing the computers.<br />
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And I want everyone to notice the beautiful desk that Jon made for us when we moved here. It suits our needs perfectly and I love it!<br />
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<b>I love the colors.</b> It's colorful, but because it's mostly greens and almost no reds, it's not your typical primary-colored kids room. The use of orange instead of red really makes a difference, I think. And the colors are sort of muted, so it doesn't hit you in the face when you come in.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0q4P8qokjcnvHu-5Uw3yJGRvUAr2znVkpprerrhJVyI6m9YG_6NeIBc82xDcfNqC6Yv7ePSTQOXdmx4aWhzFU0_HRUEDVAqV_18k_WcX7kRurnwtAhefHN6BwJXnJwwnbERRr/s1600/IMG_0192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0q4P8qokjcnvHu-5Uw3yJGRvUAr2znVkpprerrhJVyI6m9YG_6NeIBc82xDcfNqC6Yv7ePSTQOXdmx4aWhzFU0_HRUEDVAqV_18k_WcX7kRurnwtAhefHN6BwJXnJwwnbERRr/s320/IMG_0192.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<b>I love the decor!</b> I know, maybe it's vain to say that, but it really was a mod-podge of things we already had or could rig up, and it's vintage-y feel makes it very happy, without feeling so "antique" that it's not fun to play in.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vJCylTAVISLAVxE0rUbhqaBmz2zGxmLwj8sVn6nng40aHZTXFmVzjxwceW7K5MiadXZcY7Iy2uq4aoSQStcOP9upJ_s0Cy1q2-u_N-9AXCYZs_GMz0IzIkhK9E-PIRBXGeqZ/s1600/IMG_0189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vJCylTAVISLAVxE0rUbhqaBmz2zGxmLwj8sVn6nng40aHZTXFmVzjxwceW7K5MiadXZcY7Iy2uq4aoSQStcOP9upJ_s0Cy1q2-u_N-9AXCYZs_GMz0IzIkhK9E-PIRBXGeqZ/s320/IMG_0189.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<b>It's very functional.</b> Lots of dresser drawers, shelving for books and closet shelving for storage and linens, under-crib baskets for blankets, and--my favorite--toy bins that make picking up at the end of the day a snap. Everything has its place, and nothing is too fussy or organized that it takes time to put things away. Crayons and paper back on the shelf, cars in the bins, books on the shelves, blocks back in their spot, and the inevitable clean laundry hung back in the closet, and voila! The room goes from messy to clean within the time that Jon's giving Caleb his bath.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZWTnSNsh69lmavAFynp3xhwHiYzaRDjeeIKUPehx7wtJLhtDtuvoix3kE3Baue4YAlYiNuVGah6DIlcDnSLOnMC0YpMobzAXJ4JeRoEC50tUy9j0cUGM28PxyyCfOzREHBsr/s1600/IMG_0191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZWTnSNsh69lmavAFynp3xhwHiYzaRDjeeIKUPehx7wtJLhtDtuvoix3kE3Baue4YAlYiNuVGah6DIlcDnSLOnMC0YpMobzAXJ4JeRoEC50tUy9j0cUGM28PxyyCfOzREHBsr/s320/IMG_0191.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<b>It has a play area!</b> When my mom first pulled this play area out of thin air, I was delighted! (That's an old word, isn't it? Well, it's still true. I was delighted.) I had thought for sure the room would be too small for something like that. And when we rearranged to accommodate a second bed, I was so happy to realize that removing the glider had allowed even more room for playtime. Caleb LOVES this area and spends lots of time here.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvXLg8Mn-pOgPa5ExC5OdgLaBm3iP3FlUfBLAokaJrEHvLuop099NIfI2AMC-7qvBDhIlN3n1VTcK85tYoa3BL2eP0ZdniQmT7jJ4h9nvIHW-HMa3LKDf14yM2yJJOKRA50mA/s1600/IMG_0193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvXLg8Mn-pOgPa5ExC5OdgLaBm3iP3FlUfBLAokaJrEHvLuop099NIfI2AMC-7qvBDhIlN3n1VTcK85tYoa3BL2eP0ZdniQmT7jJ4h9nvIHW-HMa3LKDf14yM2yJJOKRA50mA/s320/IMG_0193.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<b>I love the reminders.</b> Most everything in this room has been touched by some loved one's hands. The songs were put together by my mom. My dad painted the orange door for me, and Caleb loves pointing out each family member in the photos. My best friend's mother-in-law painted the bunny. My grandmother embroidered and sewed the quilt, sheets, and pillows for both beds. I painted the bed frame. Caleb's Aunt Karen painted the letters over his bed. There are memories and faces that go with almost everything!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCi6EA44LhLvPl6EFqpq3laQf230LU_lociPBhUSeMclGF50-zkUXndq3cvzy1Gz77gje75PKSx9xTWogqHbXB4qeLIdNAj3L5K5aEY0ypOJBZ7c-_Wt2iOJBW7M1WQrpFV78/s1600/IMG_0194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCi6EA44LhLvPl6EFqpq3laQf230LU_lociPBhUSeMclGF50-zkUXndq3cvzy1Gz77gje75PKSx9xTWogqHbXB4qeLIdNAj3L5K5aEY0ypOJBZ7c-_Wt2iOJBW7M1WQrpFV78/s320/IMG_0194.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBXe-iDddGlAzHC209H13r_6FzfX-Vj49auD3uc90yNGdRXoEPclsfMd44D502G4KHjHgrxrovLwb8tsyu63q5M92lc3cIly6F8MW4zExLNoKABzdS_Dg3FmsBlOsuslT5UJs/s1600/IMG_0185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBXe-iDddGlAzHC209H13r_6FzfX-Vj49auD3uc90yNGdRXoEPclsfMd44D502G4KHjHgrxrovLwb8tsyu63q5M92lc3cIly6F8MW4zExLNoKABzdS_Dg3FmsBlOsuslT5UJs/s320/IMG_0185.jpg" /></a></div>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-69035461384964865522010-08-02T07:19:00.000-05:002010-08-02T07:19:40.303-05:00Home Tour: Living and Dining RevisitedLast weekend we had an Open House for all the members of our church. Our home is 45 years old and feels brand new because of all the hard work that the church put in before we even moved here. Every day Jon and I enjoy our home (and really have trouble picking our "favorite" room) because of what the church did. I found out at the Open House that the church built the house, so the members (many of whom remember when it was built) have seen it transform as ministers come and go. As my mom put it, it's like a Tour of Homes that comes to them, instead of them having to go to it!<br />
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So, the Open House was a chance to offer our part of the Tour of Homes. It was a chance to thank our friends and say, "Now you've seen it; feel welcome to come any time!"<br />
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It was a fun day, and many people loved the yellow walls (which had been a bit of a sticking point when we first moved here). I loved showing them the many handmade things around the home, some by me and many by friends and family. There isn't much in our home that can be found at Kirklands or someplace like that. Most of our decor has a story and a face behind it, which I love.<br />
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As a bonus, I just managed to snap a few pictures of every room before the first guest arrived, so the Home Tour blog posts can continue!<br />
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Before I start on any new rooms, I wanted to update the post about the living and dining area. Since then, I have framed some of my student artwork and put it in the dining room. We've also moved our baby swing out of the boys' room. I'm not sure it'll stay where it is, but it is the most convenient spot at the moment.<br />
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Here's the update!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9u0BOf1JS4rk7qndCd8-ySKxlTtQrB_Kqh64lxi9azYA0ldEe0FzQdEo9g2iq9DXVS1zWDKk5lfuFKDkiJFzDDLOBGNIJ0stp02yYvi18WY_dTQ2FU2_HX8B62WLBUE_SFyfU/s1600/IMG_0203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9u0BOf1JS4rk7qndCd8-ySKxlTtQrB_Kqh64lxi9azYA0ldEe0FzQdEo9g2iq9DXVS1zWDKk5lfuFKDkiJFzDDLOBGNIJ0stp02yYvi18WY_dTQ2FU2_HX8B62WLBUE_SFyfU/s400/IMG_0203.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5LOaMw8JFYMP2AjMyYxtqeFnkahRerHQx3nI59L_YYvuy4oCyjxpmOYLM7yYuSHI5GZ9Q9D7OZqip8z260oCZmWXV9yJ7sHKmiWfDSPUvQFB-UP9InDWEQvVyBDLY3OxDS7ws/s1600/IMG_0213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5LOaMw8JFYMP2AjMyYxtqeFnkahRerHQx3nI59L_YYvuy4oCyjxpmOYLM7yYuSHI5GZ9Q9D7OZqip8z260oCZmWXV9yJ7sHKmiWfDSPUvQFB-UP9InDWEQvVyBDLY3OxDS7ws/s400/IMG_0213.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMY6i4lrQi3WThav9MAawwNsHQfbTfHl5RINUwNcNAZb8bMOf9d8_Rvo738H5_6XS5MjhSjZ8sGzcJM0mM2nBgHl_MZC83U0nrAjQGAIOs3mJVMSqfdgBV__3IJJIYiJE6pvZg/s1600/IMG_0215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMY6i4lrQi3WThav9MAawwNsHQfbTfHl5RINUwNcNAZb8bMOf9d8_Rvo738H5_6XS5MjhSjZ8sGzcJM0mM2nBgHl_MZC83U0nrAjQGAIOs3mJVMSqfdgBV__3IJJIYiJE6pvZg/s400/IMG_0215.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-39029527175213868322010-07-03T10:06:00.003-05:002010-07-03T10:40:37.960-05:00Home Tour: Utility RoomA utility room is one of life's little pleasures. It makes life simpler! Up until this house, our utility "room" has always been a closet with enough room for the washer and dryer only. But this house has a great utility room! It holds our washer and dryer, a really deep sink, shelves to hold pantry and laundry items, cabinets, rods for clothes, and even a place for the litterbox and cat food, finally getting those out of the main part of the house. Our utility room is just as the name implies: a room full of useful things that are utilized almost every day.<br /><br />The door into the house (the one everyone uses) is here to the right, just in front of the row of hanging bags. The bags are my purses (the one I use when Caleb's with me, and the one I use when he's not), and the reusable shopping bags I take with me for groceries. Directly across from the main door (just in front of the sink) is a little-used door to the back yard. It's the only door with a screen, so I opened it often during springtime to let the air in and so the cats could enjoy the weather. But mostly it's blocked by cat food bowls and doesn't get opened much.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkSlHcGRhl9BBJx6HYbkSSHxbJsYncssFlTtTfnIpOOybf7HlDsus-irjdLLnEeUI4FUOcvim_4YDpd6hVIPdV-WYBtjXX4biI_RkYX2wAqPuz__LpmJNUBsa2ibfRFo6xZ3A/s1600/IMG_9688.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkSlHcGRhl9BBJx6HYbkSSHxbJsYncssFlTtTfnIpOOybf7HlDsus-irjdLLnEeUI4FUOcvim_4YDpd6hVIPdV-WYBtjXX4biI_RkYX2wAqPuz__LpmJNUBsa2ibfRFo6xZ3A/s400/IMG_9688.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489698167482059426" border="0" /></a><br />The utility opens into the kitchen area.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYuEuceKWO_NGSKy6P-zYNVoZb5x64I94a9IAk5AXJsFSB4o4h0Izi2nw9YGd3j-UqFyJaqbySvViEjJLntpiMfOfxFXbp7Ms_UyOO8qeX1k_vd0dNscWmI67MNwu8stNHtR5/s1600/IMG_9690.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYuEuceKWO_NGSKy6P-zYNVoZb5x64I94a9IAk5AXJsFSB4o4h0Izi2nw9YGd3j-UqFyJaqbySvViEjJLntpiMfOfxFXbp7Ms_UyOO8qeX1k_vd0dNscWmI67MNwu8stNHtR5/s400/IMG_9690.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489698184028857346" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkSlHcGRhl9BBJx6HYbkSSHxbJsYncssFlTtTfnIpOOybf7HlDsus-irjdLLnEeUI4FUOcvim_4YDpd6hVIPdV-WYBtjXX4biI_RkYX2wAqPuz__LpmJNUBsa2ibfRFo6xZ3A/s1600/IMG_9688.jpg"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHhj1cArtBnMR9pI2urMrNMhMFI46Brsmjol-PAwKnqCE170VEfhh9AwUrVLHugU30gmzkIoyKVR9L0syF_pZbb-M-PV66SQ2FBYGrQtivApKrPGOtYgCWkolqKA9fxwsF-Lws/s1600/IMG_9689.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHhj1cArtBnMR9pI2urMrNMhMFI46Brsmjol-PAwKnqCE170VEfhh9AwUrVLHugU30gmzkIoyKVR9L0syF_pZbb-M-PV66SQ2FBYGrQtivApKrPGOtYgCWkolqKA9fxwsF-Lws/s400/IMG_9689.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489698170275520338" border="0" /></a><br />The only thing that would make me happier about this room is if I didn't have to use it so much! The never ending laundry pile puts a damper on any utility room, no matter how great!Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-82465319686941517342010-06-15T21:24:00.006-05:002010-06-15T22:00:25.683-05:00Home Tour: OutdoorsThe outdoor world we live in!<br /><br />Our garden and the view of the back neighbor's storage sheds (you can see the corner of our own shed on the left-hand side of the picture)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgor0wbUUAIE6FrBOXY_wyvShgaizvOcwa5Y-bM2ZXuGhYjymL98JgdvZj9qrzo7fEOswFYvf53w9M2kOtjWCwZgu-P35eYGVe4JAT9VOFcrCN2i6Re2x1Yy2qqTdkoa-G7KgvX/s1600/IMG_9584.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgor0wbUUAIE6FrBOXY_wyvShgaizvOcwa5Y-bM2ZXuGhYjymL98JgdvZj9qrzo7fEOswFYvf53w9M2kOtjWCwZgu-P35eYGVe4JAT9VOFcrCN2i6Re2x1Yy2qqTdkoa-G7KgvX/s400/IMG_9584.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483197132471042034" border="0" /></a><br />The great patio. Jon can even grill in the rain, and has a few times! You can see the church across the street. Caleb and I enjoy walking over there to tell everyone hi. You can also see the neighbor's large oak tree.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzxlPEg5p4eFfDd9aawqvEf0pG7dUFUMYuApzXSJpn6zzhRdzNXBXiJzKRF-sARgk4wXByM9keYdYdNLmYkTxExAeyNyLyiAdlPJyp3bRx_XxH0vt1s6XvzlcF5xMkW_Ubh2_/s1600/IMG_9583.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzxlPEg5p4eFfDd9aawqvEf0pG7dUFUMYuApzXSJpn6zzhRdzNXBXiJzKRF-sARgk4wXByM9keYdYdNLmYkTxExAeyNyLyiAdlPJyp3bRx_XxH0vt1s6XvzlcF5xMkW_Ubh2_/s400/IMG_9583.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483197125218942786" border="0" /></a><br />Jon enjoying a book. This spot has so far gotten a nice breeze, which makes the summer heat more bearable. We moved our old office desk to the back patio to house gardening things. There's also a basket of Caleb's blocks, birdseed, and various pots and things. We enjoy playing on this patio even if it's hot and sunny outside. Or wet and rainy. It gets a lot of use.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguGrpZPk0etmm11ELyju_oYEL_al_MHrwqAiV6ZyT7ahAav7DpAoO7uuaEdlRGasjJ_0K_gx_GYAEEF_JqZSzrronSk97L_UNPAg7dqTA_RLqETTA7iBy22Hl0lgM1zCkNRtsl/s1600/IMG_9582.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguGrpZPk0etmm11ELyju_oYEL_al_MHrwqAiV6ZyT7ahAav7DpAoO7uuaEdlRGasjJ_0K_gx_GYAEEF_JqZSzrronSk97L_UNPAg7dqTA_RLqETTA7iBy22Hl0lgM1zCkNRtsl/s400/IMG_9582.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483197114484740178" border="0" /></a><br />The view from the church. You can see our storage building, the shade we get from the neighbor's beautiful oak tree, and our small plum tree that will one day actually produce plums.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsqqz75soIufu0Zb_EjtcIsOgGINGBy9svjuNRSHYPEbSJpB1knqy5lFdLVs_PApgQ-svMjcApt5Klwgkygsq5_KzoYuQTjkzcvyKSmbhsv_sicAbrUavnrHYZLFc6ezA0jam/s1600/IMG_9589.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsqqz75soIufu0Zb_EjtcIsOgGINGBy9svjuNRSHYPEbSJpB1knqy5lFdLVs_PApgQ-svMjcApt5Klwgkygsq5_KzoYuQTjkzcvyKSmbhsv_sicAbrUavnrHYZLFc6ezA0jam/s400/IMG_9589.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483196435009538162" border="0" /></a><br />Can you find Caleb in this picture?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_giqUSqCem7d4CYyCCNAXCaIBuWOdI7yp0cqdP_7zCRu6aUwHtGaA_gCw_HYy3hi6lR4XVgez4THLIxS8PNNaFzuFk7c3kHUcSVmXkwLh2TaS_W5dnRlkO0Re0cRJnrq8x8i/s1600/IMG_9588.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_giqUSqCem7d4CYyCCNAXCaIBuWOdI7yp0cqdP_7zCRu6aUwHtGaA_gCw_HYy3hi6lR4XVgez4THLIxS8PNNaFzuFk7c3kHUcSVmXkwLh2TaS_W5dnRlkO0Re0cRJnrq8x8i/s400/IMG_9588.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483196426550969202" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIaFKwvSWQx9Uklx34VjZnUu6OtAf6PE1uhPuJZKfL-0aXCtpzk0SirWL345zvOhEIFMnJP7PK0PAOsLSTzUTw6v1y31-5DLBPYqjrCGcNeEkEqUwPJcwhkWTvE0mRw-TeSHn/s1600/IMG_9587.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIaFKwvSWQx9Uklx34VjZnUu6OtAf6PE1uhPuJZKfL-0aXCtpzk0SirWL345zvOhEIFMnJP7PK0PAOsLSTzUTw6v1y31-5DLBPYqjrCGcNeEkEqUwPJcwhkWTvE0mRw-TeSHn/s400/IMG_9587.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483196345796243938" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1Ey7091z46KYMYp1mTcAyA-Bf4mXKrQOsQL-jn3_uSpjDZqaBkhPOYN86PduHHsrWGJFeS9p3XoXMsYJfoObvMWtwzps8RkKMeLzAlgmOOwyS2S_O15r1oW7crkmHyVrX1_H/s1600/IMG_9586.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1Ey7091z46KYMYp1mTcAyA-Bf4mXKrQOsQL-jn3_uSpjDZqaBkhPOYN86PduHHsrWGJFeS9p3XoXMsYJfoObvMWtwzps8RkKMeLzAlgmOOwyS2S_O15r1oW7crkmHyVrX1_H/s400/IMG_9586.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483196337589444546" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAagXNx6agzz1nnmYl7_uuJ7Bvsa5cGxvUfq4Kxtw8ntOJ8T1V0AlLRM1HBKYre3MjEF3TEraV79S04GSUEdcEjzM4Co2d9Mb4cDhLkuB78AArTFn-R9TCD7JCZ8QpmR7u6if/s1600/IMG_9585.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAagXNx6agzz1nnmYl7_uuJ7Bvsa5cGxvUfq4Kxtw8ntOJ8T1V0AlLRM1HBKYre3MjEF3TEraV79S04GSUEdcEjzM4Co2d9Mb4cDhLkuB78AArTFn-R9TCD7JCZ8QpmR7u6if/s400/IMG_9585.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483196327496078338" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoJkc4mgyjnNI-MwhkwRPoL9eXu38DbPoNMqewZDgPRJtsmakeHg0uz8JnBPn9RIvUjj4twSFAayiqBTOp0Fy3Zz8CEvuK9a6P1hJWMrJzzSkTCI045OM-fQFUzDi1w3T3imJ/s1600/IMG_9590.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoJkc4mgyjnNI-MwhkwRPoL9eXu38DbPoNMqewZDgPRJtsmakeHg0uz8JnBPn9RIvUjj4twSFAayiqBTOp0Fy3Zz8CEvuK9a6P1hJWMrJzzSkTCI045OM-fQFUzDi1w3T3imJ/s400/IMG_9590.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483194810231485714" border="0" /></a><br />The front of the house<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSh7ikbTAwv1nALDki-j80ckfn4w8djE2WCQ8gcWqC6uiCw9Ja-m4UoNyI3SQ5BNHU7Bzh9eqyfp6rZkxbJNfL_D2GPAvzTBvpNAjLKx6X3pRcX3mj3oiuDRf5a9PdZYclkj86/s1600/IMG_9610.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSh7ikbTAwv1nALDki-j80ckfn4w8djE2WCQ8gcWqC6uiCw9Ja-m4UoNyI3SQ5BNHU7Bzh9eqyfp6rZkxbJNfL_D2GPAvzTBvpNAjLKx6X3pRcX3mj3oiuDRf5a9PdZYclkj86/s400/IMG_9610.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483194800481349922" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnTmyPGiowVwW9f4eVLSdnhJkRnyJajrkFp40XoiivozUDr1nlmPrHVF7OaXauRG_FI_x88e8uqYdatHPTV3WnH9IaHluQt-T6jaOpjESHoU0L9uBpam6HYBWqhj2wOZDohPl/s1600/IMG_9611.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnTmyPGiowVwW9f4eVLSdnhJkRnyJajrkFp40XoiivozUDr1nlmPrHVF7OaXauRG_FI_x88e8uqYdatHPTV3WnH9IaHluQt-T6jaOpjESHoU0L9uBpam6HYBWqhj2wOZDohPl/s400/IMG_9611.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483194790772566002" border="0" /></a><br />The garage. It's too narrow to fit both vehicles, but has great storage areas. The bikes are on the wall of a storage closet. Our deep freeze is located right in front of the van. I'm so thankful for covered parking for our van!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGp90GxY1w16maFPSRypXtO5R13plPKMCoRm_a4IxromLAOU32PLb282NRZobRhlagFqAXl_bEL7Zyq2uegvyrxdcXb2gE1-U4aZKAw0kU2i0f0AgM4uLPd-g72SxhIM0UR_rE/s1600/IMG_9612.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGp90GxY1w16maFPSRypXtO5R13plPKMCoRm_a4IxromLAOU32PLb282NRZobRhlagFqAXl_bEL7Zyq2uegvyrxdcXb2gE1-U4aZKAw0kU2i0f0AgM4uLPd-g72SxhIM0UR_rE/s400/IMG_9612.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483194776920402418" border="0" /></a>This wall of the garage has another storage closet and a water closet, as well as the entrance to the utility room. Because there is no garage door, and the garage faces the church, this entrance is the one everyone uses to come in our house.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUylv52SUJTLE0QQKTHGrP1ayAT_LMrdPag2pWjehCbOkYLK94177mxCrfLAKOGHvXxWFqTkGFY1kpENQAhyphenhyphenNzgyuqobqHWyo-k8B1ULWYTGLnTpuPt7GHZpqpexma7sgMbOd/s1600/IMG_9613.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUylv52SUJTLE0QQKTHGrP1ayAT_LMrdPag2pWjehCbOkYLK94177mxCrfLAKOGHvXxWFqTkGFY1kpENQAhyphenhyphenNzgyuqobqHWyo-k8B1ULWYTGLnTpuPt7GHZpqpexma7sgMbOd/s400/IMG_9613.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483194775808474594" border="0" /></a>Coming up next, the utility room!Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14064784.post-39403468866551363762010-05-27T19:58:00.000-05:002010-05-27T19:58:00.304-05:00How to Hem a Pair of Pants with CuffsHere's a hypothetical situation: Your husband received a new black suit in the mail as a gift, and it is your job to find a tailor to have the suit pants hemmed to fit. Let's say, hypothetically, that you are a forgetful procrastinator. Then let's say that your husband tells you one morning, "I'm going to be speaking at the graduation ceremony tonight, and I'd really like to wear my new suit. Could you possibly hem my pants for me today?"<br /><br />Hypothetically, this is what you would do.<br /><br />First, you must do a bit of math.<br /><br />The formula:<br />Husband's normal pants inseam + 2(width of cuff) + 1/2(width of cuff) = total length of pants before hemming<br /><br />I chose a 1.5 inch cuff, and my husband has a 34" inseam in his pants. So my formula looked like this:<br />34 + 3 + 3/4 = 37.75 inches<br /><br />In theory, I should have measured down 37.75 inches from the top of the inseam, and cut off the extra fabric. I was, however, pretty uncertain in what I was doing, so I chose not to cut just yet. Which pretty much makes the above formula obsolete.<br /><br />On to the next step!<br /><br />With the pants <span style="font-style: italic;">inside out</span>, measure down the inseam to the first fold in the pants, which would be (inseam length) + (cuff width). For me, that was 35.5 inches down. Mark it with pins all the way across.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qzp0QrxZvKlm28GTADmp1I_OLQKpAhkM8eBp2MHu1lTD8V72B7vL8wejG-EJaIRvJwwqMrzHdEs6bMJx0Lx_4GXUV1RLjqxzZ3tNlG-G35V2KlG9p50LDxay-FPaNiYs8W4o/s1600/IMG_9398.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qzp0QrxZvKlm28GTADmp1I_OLQKpAhkM8eBp2MHu1lTD8V72B7vL8wejG-EJaIRvJwwqMrzHdEs6bMJx0Lx_4GXUV1RLjqxzZ3tNlG-G35V2KlG9p50LDxay-FPaNiYs8W4o/s400/IMG_9398.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475018300219738194" border="0" /></a><br />Then fold up and iron flat.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBFadcos_wh-Nw29VPWR9e7Ofy7xuXKj9TheAqbOLGje6MY5FoaDNpxxz7UYjserDb7yNoctI3LKgumsoq-gX3wB1tQDmccikjt_w0zBxpatv5wTXrQ4jiJkY6iGeAmoCMl34/s1600/IMG_9404.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBFadcos_wh-Nw29VPWR9e7Ofy7xuXKj9TheAqbOLGje6MY5FoaDNpxxz7UYjserDb7yNoctI3LKgumsoq-gX3wB1tQDmccikjt_w0zBxpatv5wTXrQ4jiJkY6iGeAmoCMl34/s400/IMG_9404.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475017717607943746" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Move the pins you had used to now keep the new fold in place.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY1YFCkb6SKiiVyQpbaQn8kOkux9CUN5KKOYj7I-ZSx6QJgZbANvoYgy5BUVuqvpOi47grZdqDGYQgbtAabpc-GIgtqF5a3KiKmR7UVhlMQEUEs1CyshO5aqd-L9YP3Y33dGY-/s1600/IMG_9399.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY1YFCkb6SKiiVyQpbaQn8kOkux9CUN5KKOYj7I-ZSx6QJgZbANvoYgy5BUVuqvpOi47grZdqDGYQgbtAabpc-GIgtqF5a3KiKmR7UVhlMQEUEs1CyshO5aqd-L9YP3Y33dGY-/s400/IMG_9399.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475018291571091042" border="0" /></a><br />Repeat with the other pant leg. Reality Check: Line up the two legs to see if they are the same length.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzwb_lmwiXXUSDJ_vgKOvwbtuMRUUoeI8jd1uOtC5Q6Iv48F0ZoE8KagbQDGqpE3KXvA6DBcBf-JvZpvH1XNXNKYOwaQhQkU8xmSUvDqqkeKq39wg2XSJn8HJvoIq497EEg3Y/s1600/IMG_9406.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzwb_lmwiXXUSDJ_vgKOvwbtuMRUUoeI8jd1uOtC5Q6Iv48F0ZoE8KagbQDGqpE3KXvA6DBcBf-JvZpvH1XNXNKYOwaQhQkU8xmSUvDqqkeKq39wg2XSJn8HJvoIq497EEg3Y/s400/IMG_9406.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475017709477747250" border="0" /></a><br /><br />For whatever reason, one of my folds bowed out a bit, so I refolded, reironed, and repinned that one.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtARlJrmCW0rNyW4UV0o1AI-5my5P-pRoy11b52n6AKDu9MJE1Jf8Ozho0aQ2bZKU5xaQfl3ryBz42SG6da27H5BvbcgNHVxYcMBFrE1qKOdLXDCRLtLdh64MIh9QdBmG_toYF/s1600/IMG_9408.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtARlJrmCW0rNyW4UV0o1AI-5my5P-pRoy11b52n6AKDu9MJE1Jf8Ozho0aQ2bZKU5xaQfl3ryBz42SG6da27H5BvbcgNHVxYcMBFrE1qKOdLXDCRLtLdh64MIh9QdBmG_toYF/s400/IMG_9408.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475017706607786578" border="0" /></a><br />There, that's better!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtARlJrmCW0rNyW4UV0o1AI-5my5P-pRoy11b52n6AKDu9MJE1Jf8Ozho0aQ2bZKU5xaQfl3ryBz42SG6da27H5BvbcgNHVxYcMBFrE1qKOdLXDCRLtLdh64MIh9QdBmG_toYF/s1600/IMG_9408.jpg"><br /></a>Now turn the pants <span style="font-style: italic;">right side out</span> and measure your cuff width (for me, 1.5 inches) up from the bottom.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-ShGJ0yHZ9jPXJJTHm9ZIrl1BqB7tKvRgiGcOZWuU51lM-g2HFZ1bQOxgXEGvzfFY4GZ0c__TuZgs4Q4g7XYS9FsLCNekeNE39TmUiA486FzvJ0vbaQlD1OpSAKMFoUpoxms/s1600/IMG_9412.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-ShGJ0yHZ9jPXJJTHm9ZIrl1BqB7tKvRgiGcOZWuU51lM-g2HFZ1bQOxgXEGvzfFY4GZ0c__TuZgs4Q4g7XYS9FsLCNekeNE39TmUiA486FzvJ0vbaQlD1OpSAKMFoUpoxms/s400/IMG_9412.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475017024600389650" border="0" /></a><br />Mark all the way across with pins.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCZqMghZFnXt0Yf501x6RKlOyc0QD4qdZnCfwfKp4d2ArSEYwG2d1ghnZocqMxED603ZamQ787UyzJ_7IIQrG50WkrhT10zxn9gEU3Xmr3fZETWitCn5Vu6bjabmqxWqUbEp-/s1600/IMG_9413.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCZqMghZFnXt0Yf501x6RKlOyc0QD4qdZnCfwfKp4d2ArSEYwG2d1ghnZocqMxED603ZamQ787UyzJ_7IIQrG50WkrhT10zxn9gEU3Xmr3fZETWitCn5Vu6bjabmqxWqUbEp-/s400/IMG_9413.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475017018256388034" border="0" /></a><br />Fold up, iron flat, and move pins to hold the new fold in place.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHkGihTJDVswE6sggQ-4qztC6WBNlsuuK_blcRYPz0oXiVOA3umB1ou6y71lTI3fb4Rb5ymor6Hz4lOoY-mzBB8YAfGW6Jo9JzCvXtf8Ibxna46Euj8mTETt7tB_w4dGW5m68/s1600/IMG_9415.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHkGihTJDVswE6sggQ-4qztC6WBNlsuuK_blcRYPz0oXiVOA3umB1ou6y71lTI3fb4Rb5ymor6Hz4lOoY-mzBB8YAfGW6Jo9JzCvXtf8Ibxna46Euj8mTETt7tB_w4dGW5m68/s400/IMG_9415.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475017009351969506" border="0" /></a><br />Repeat with second pant leg. Reality Check: Line up the two legs again to see if they are the same length.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtof9f7R-V-8jQLqTrYqB-hzMI6nBnb2tXt2wAC584sAr0uNPjvDSmZLNdS-tWXfaIV5627dmE2lHMwlnIMN6bbIuMjBXkf3q7vIi_0WuoiGdY45jbQc84XlSXOZK7fpsCtimW/s1600/IMG_9422.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtof9f7R-V-8jQLqTrYqB-hzMI6nBnb2tXt2wAC584sAr0uNPjvDSmZLNdS-tWXfaIV5627dmE2lHMwlnIMN6bbIuMjBXkf3q7vIi_0WuoiGdY45jbQc84XlSXOZK7fpsCtimW/s400/IMG_9422.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475017003632779890" border="0" /></a><br />At this point, you're ready to begin sewing. But Jon was still at work for another 30 minutes, and I really wanted to make sure I got the length right before I made a single cut or stitch.<br /><br />So I waited.<br /><br />Caleb entertained me with his Moving Rocks from One Receptacle to the Other trick.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hyyrl0bnbSf3n2u0096GezIT3XOHM58BHXVH5oM5sJNiXSXhAZGoZuuuI1tBz3TOyIBzkAJscdoxZ-5Li3MNIqSum182t1rWRyuOHzl9UYGco0_8uqgbW27R7kXx6MeLhHGe/s1600/IMG_9441.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hyyrl0bnbSf3n2u0096GezIT3XOHM58BHXVH5oM5sJNiXSXhAZGoZuuuI1tBz3TOyIBzkAJscdoxZ-5Li3MNIqSum182t1rWRyuOHzl9UYGco0_8uqgbW27R7kXx6MeLhHGe/s400/IMG_9441.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475016995785095794" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO2bkzPfsckeKlbMLWX7X3q_CfUVZ2yj3Gd4j8l8RxCgggoybyQiOArfCftXNlleua4Tuzeklb7t4jKccOBzhp51apyuY6VxuQuKLqDP0l0NNT78BU67_UO9cFx0zWn1YMzfou/s1600/IMG_9454.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO2bkzPfsckeKlbMLWX7X3q_CfUVZ2yj3Gd4j8l8RxCgggoybyQiOArfCftXNlleua4Tuzeklb7t4jKccOBzhp51apyuY6VxuQuKLqDP0l0NNT78BU67_UO9cFx0zWn1YMzfou/s400/IMG_9454.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475016415447634722" border="0" /></a><br />Tada!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Fh4xc3L6cvSnXsczZi_MfbEMB2hbOMJqRAfIJeZSAXmp1r4mCELk4BBph2c4LY1XVgCGQMwo7oXtQdz8dfqipxIRVk0-ZYku28FlRd5Q0CJxa3AIv1hCCO26hHSeWeoe6e2o/s1600/IMG_9472.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Fh4xc3L6cvSnXsczZi_MfbEMB2hbOMJqRAfIJeZSAXmp1r4mCELk4BBph2c4LY1XVgCGQMwo7oXtQdz8dfqipxIRVk0-ZYku28FlRd5Q0CJxa3AIv1hCCO26hHSeWeoe6e2o/s400/IMG_9472.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475016425481933314" border="0" /></a><br />Jon finally arrived home and it was time to find out if I'd done everything right. If all my measuring and re-measuring had been worth it.<br /><br />Jon pulls the pants on, as well as the shoes he'll be wearing with them. At first glance, I think, "Hooray! It's an inch above the floor...perfect!"<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwBN_ZBgwYPBfULKA7kwLgTMNCXWqv27FmeeT_Uq4_IVrz2fi8I_A-WkczMvReS58ERYQipj_Aks6iRapdR4fzEJvGZN-bAleQPZjIXbw_yZzWZvCUEfJtVcGZ-IfJi9XBc5G/s1600/IMG_9475.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwBN_ZBgwYPBfULKA7kwLgTMNCXWqv27FmeeT_Uq4_IVrz2fi8I_A-WkczMvReS58ERYQipj_Aks6iRapdR4fzEJvGZN-bAleQPZjIXbw_yZzWZvCUEfJtVcGZ-IfJi9XBc5G/s400/IMG_9475.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475016433465465570" border="0" /></a><br />But then on closer inspection, I realize that the pants are pretty floppy all around the shoe, not straight at the back with a slight break at the front. They were really too long; the only reason they didn't hit the floor is that they were also fairly narrow, so they stayed higher up on the shoe.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilabqyLKE8EgctA1HZW75zQPC7zaHDFmTrMIMi-2Q_wsR16DKZRUlsyJE1wexUGV5nwj7FwLeAcwOVAwhshJsXAM7CEBUjT719kISTXUHP_W64OsDXWPWsGLyxpH_ig05QCmOY/s1600/IMG_9477.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilabqyLKE8EgctA1HZW75zQPC7zaHDFmTrMIMi-2Q_wsR16DKZRUlsyJE1wexUGV5nwj7FwLeAcwOVAwhshJsXAM7CEBUjT719kISTXUHP_W64OsDXWPWsGLyxpH_ig05QCmOY/s400/IMG_9477.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475016437698749346" border="0" /></a><br />Sigh.<br /><br />Back to the ironing board.<br /><br />Before Jon gave the pants back, I quickly cuffed the hem one more time (essentially pulling it up another 1.5 inches) and it looked much better. So, I pulled out all the pins and started all over, this time bringing them up 1.5 inches higher than I had before. Again, before making a cut or stitch, I had Jon try them on.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXkxuDY2qWdDiJkLFBtZJxbrPtZsmJZsUar7IsZjbsxqjVFGT3Nvpb_AdmjOERDfsskZ8eGQ46rwja9NqBiy8YKq-of9KnxHidOxin53aHNTy73BZqBfFt24O6C9UGUkMMEzc/s1600/IMG_9480.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXkxuDY2qWdDiJkLFBtZJxbrPtZsmJZsUar7IsZjbsxqjVFGT3Nvpb_AdmjOERDfsskZ8eGQ46rwja9NqBiy8YKq-of9KnxHidOxin53aHNTy73BZqBfFt24O6C9UGUkMMEzc/s400/IMG_9480.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475016448393667410" border="0" /></a><br />Much better! They fit much more smoothly over the shoe.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmo6nrvYtaL2sMXu0uEGimtGScxXZd5L1O6zBE0ovgvWCGq5j3yokdOywZ6bpz9pIDRuhJbOckLW3v5sa8xt0at25WAkHYg_E2ZnSOy2MnPKck-NGTuNoFrR9-msWZUCVwnFJ/s1600/IMG_9482.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmo6nrvYtaL2sMXu0uEGimtGScxXZd5L1O6zBE0ovgvWCGq5j3yokdOywZ6bpz9pIDRuhJbOckLW3v5sa8xt0at25WAkHYg_E2ZnSOy2MnPKck-NGTuNoFrR9-msWZUCVwnFJ/s400/IMG_9482.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475015742820670962" border="0" /></a><br />Now it was time to take the plunge and make the cut. Yikes.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-TlRwlczo1nNDCH50T7-df8Cqy5MlYkeZOk45HAOLxS4faHYSMqDFt8Az4oQXVfDjEJ0OxFUdsg0Fg4Z1zn3op09N71LUOJWXG7SZCbrbzy2_wsR7WEo53FV_Ss1BksGcdQyv/s1600/IMG_9484.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-TlRwlczo1nNDCH50T7-df8Cqy5MlYkeZOk45HAOLxS4faHYSMqDFt8Az4oQXVfDjEJ0OxFUdsg0Fg4Z1zn3op09N71LUOJWXG7SZCbrbzy2_wsR7WEo53FV_Ss1BksGcdQyv/s400/IMG_9484.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475015739198261682" border="0" /></a><br />I gotta say that this was nerve wracking. If you have more confidence in your measuring skills than I do, I would <span style="font-style: italic;">do this before</span> all your folding and pinning! The danger of doing it at the end is that you will inadvertently cut more than one layer of fabric, and thus render the pants absolutely unusable...except to a very short person. If you wait until the end as I did, <span style="font-style: italic;">be very careful</span>. Keep separating the layer of fabric to be cut away from the rest of the layers. Go s.l.o.w.l.y.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6ziyoGY5iqdNsJzz_kDuZSori6xk2-E7P9Ak0l7-0-5tDrDW5jPSytHHEM4M0ZP8ytRA5xKdEm1nHVjCdASbOMRjUzCNb_wx92HbJ5KnkMEbZrBFvCHksgJb5mAh_zOyjBy_/s1600/IMG_9485.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6ziyoGY5iqdNsJzz_kDuZSori6xk2-E7P9Ak0l7-0-5tDrDW5jPSytHHEM4M0ZP8ytRA5xKdEm1nHVjCdASbOMRjUzCNb_wx92HbJ5KnkMEbZrBFvCHksgJb5mAh_zOyjBy_/s400/IMG_9485.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475015724599217026" border="0" /></a><br />Now it's time to sew. I did not include enough fabric at the end to turn and hem in a finished edge. Mostly because there were already lots of layers of fabric, and I wasn't quite sure I could handle another fold-and-iron-and-pin without undoing the other layers. Besides, these are suit pants that will only get gently worn and gently dry-cleaned. If you're hemming your husband's everyday khakis, you might want the finished him. A serger would be perfect for this (and another reason to make the cut in the beginning of the process).<br /><br />I hand-sewed the stiches because I wanted to pick up all the layers except the outermost. At the seam lines, I sewed along the seam up and down the cuff and did include the outermost layer, in order to tack it down and keep it from unfolding. (The thread was hidden in the seam.) So basically I sewed all around the pant leg, but took a detour and made a few stitches up each seam and back down, perpendicular to the rest of the hem stitches. Make sense?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bG6CuwxT2fz0SDMAq2oSvRbdVsrKx-f1b9elPEJ-644ZBaqprFO4UAsXYNSLzXFawMuERp0itUk1YogGlPjKK8nywfartRYYZVMeLWZlOAaKNSfaksSsuHb_mly3_xc2Eqe7/s1600/IMG_9492.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bG6CuwxT2fz0SDMAq2oSvRbdVsrKx-f1b9elPEJ-644ZBaqprFO4UAsXYNSLzXFawMuERp0itUk1YogGlPjKK8nywfartRYYZVMeLWZlOAaKNSfaksSsuHb_mly3_xc2Eqe7/s400/IMG_9492.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475015717311115682" border="0" /></a>Turn back to right side out and iron.<br /><br />And here's the finished product, finished just as Jon was needing to rush out the door to give an address during the high school graduation ceremony.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS1C0G3jkCi_ePhzYiKtvhEDnf9mu3BGXRPiZAeWCRfDOmS5c9BpDkmRv3sgF_19n84mQuvkY9q6DKn3Z62Kp9PSqzLjS2R3v9NtSuNs9DBeb7e9C8vyAzbMPvnXjM-69vX76Z/s1600/IMG_9493.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS1C0G3jkCi_ePhzYiKtvhEDnf9mu3BGXRPiZAeWCRfDOmS5c9BpDkmRv3sgF_19n84mQuvkY9q6DKn3Z62Kp9PSqzLjS2R3v9NtSuNs9DBeb7e9C8vyAzbMPvnXjM-69vX76Z/s400/IMG_9493.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475015708245002786" border="0" /></a><br />And I was rushing back in to figure out what to wear, eat my dinner, get Caleb ready for the babysitter, and leave in the next 5 minutes so I wouldn't miss hearing my husband speak.<br /><br />Procrastination is for the birds. Someday I'll learn my lesson. In the meantime, hopefully this tutorial will help you stay out of a similar situation!Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733559271848774694noreply@blogger.com6