Tales of a Shoebox Princess

But I'm not going to list them all here. Besides, really it's just a list of years; on the other hand, those years add up to Jim. And I'm kind of partial to Jim. Yes, folks, it's make-a-cake day! And also eat-a-cake day! I'm sure you all saw pics of his cake on fb or instagram (or both) already. But here it is again: Jim never did give me any input on how to decorate the cake, so I had to come up with it on my own. I picked what I hoped was a highlight of this past year (despite the red eyes--come to think of it, I should have put a pair of red eyes on the cake somewhere). He has also been complaining about the winter. Personally, I don't know what there is to complain about; it's Minnesota, winter is SUPPOSED to be cold and snowy. But whatev. He seems to like "warm weather" or whatever it's called. Last night we went out for dinner and then he suggested a stroll around Barnes and Noble. Jim grabbed the one book he wanted and I had to ...

Yes. Always. I've been on a sewing binge lately. I shared on Facebook this past week that I spent a whole day cutting out skirts, shirts, and a dress. I have started sewing up what I cut out. So far, I have completed two of the skirts and one shirt. Gray maxi skirt.  I love maxi skirts. SO comfortable and they cover up my legs. The pattern was one I got for a dollar and the fabric was close-out priced at Mill End (sniff. I am so sad that they are closing). White pencil skirt I LOVE this fabric, which I also got at Mill End for cheap. It's got a chevron pattern on it, and it is technically a knit so there is some stretch, but it's heavier than a regular knit. The only thing I don't like about the skirt is that I put an elastic waistband. I have half a mind to undo it and sew some darts in the back and put in a zipper and a waistband.  See the lovely chevron pattern? Lavender shirt I've sewed a teal shirt out of this pattern before and re...

Matt's turn for braces. He's the fourth and last kid of ours to get braces. (OJ never got them.) So, the necessary before picture. Keep in mind, this is an uncooperative subject. He has to make a face.  And the after picture. The braces were only fitted to the top teeth to begin with. No he is not naturally cross-eyed, but he will be if he keeps on making faces while I'm trying to take close-up pictures of his face. This process will involve exposure of #11, same as Hayley had to have done. He also is missing 2 permanent teeth, but we won't be doing implants. Perhaps someday. The orthodontist is fairly sure the braces will be off before his senior year.

I'm in danger of turning my own personal Valentine's day into Christmas-like intensity. It's been that way for a few years. I don't know why I like to have so much personal satisfaction sunk into Feb 14. And it's not about what's in it for me as much as what's in it for me when I watch the kids do their treasure hunt and what's in it for me when I sit down to a heart-shapes-and-shades-of-red-infested table at dinner time. I guess I do it for love. And if that isn't a bad pun, I don't know what is. I just love to do it. I love making up puzzles. Thankfully the kids are receptive to the idea of brain teasers and tests of random knowledge based on family favorite TV shows, movies, and silliness mixed in with general knowledge. A small sampling of the puzzle clues from this year's treasure hunts for Matt and Hayley: Where souffle girl crash landed The poltergiest who fears only the Bloody Baron The message John thought he got from the f...

OMYGOSH you guys! Other Jim is HOME. Matt says he should be given credit for spotting OJ first, and I will concede. However, I spotted him loudest, as you can hear in the video clip. Jim got first hug, but I got longest (I'm so competitive) and I demanded a second one a few minutes later. He is happy to be home, but of course he is unused to "regular" life. He says it will be weird doing normal things without having to make sure he and his companion are within range. He occasionally lapses into Spanish, and couldn't remember the word Sacrament--referring to it as Santo Sena. He'll start sentences with "Pues" or "Tambien." We spent over an hour with the stake president. He asked Other Jim lots of questions about what he learned on his mission, about companions, investigators, etc, and at the end of the interview, he said, "Elder Evans, you may now remove your missionary name tags and I officially release you from your mission. You...

Has it been two years already? Two years since Jim and I parted ways with EJ at the security gate and watched him talk to a random guy all the way through the security checkpoint. EJ seemed ready and excited to go. He didn't even look back and wave; he just WENT. I wonder if he's ready and excited to leave. His very brief email yesterday said it really hasn't totally sunk in, although it started to when he had his exit interview with the mission president on Sunday. Right now (7:51 a.m. his time, 9:51 a.m. mine) he's probably still in Mexico. He and a couple other homebound missionaries most likely spent the night at the mission home, and got up this morning ready to hop in the mission van, CROSS THE BORDER back into the US for the first time in 2 years, and head for the San Diego airport. EJ's flight leaves at 12:30 p.m.-ish. And I will post pictures as soon as I am able. TODAY! They're coming to America, TODAY! (I'm sure you can guess the song an...

What Super Bowl? I spent Super Bowl working on book 2 of EJ's mission emails/pictures. I got through April 2013. His book from the first year is sitting on my coffee table, waiting for him. Yesterday at church, many people stopped me to ask, "are you excited?" One lady said, "Two weeks til EJ comes home, yes?" and she was floored to hear "no, two days." It has gone by so very fast, yes it has. Nobody told me that it would. The only slow time is on Mondays from about 1 p.m. until I get an email from the missionary. Next Monday won't be so slow. I'll still be waiting for the Peruvian to email but he usually gets his correspondence in the internet mail system before 1 p.m. Usually. Also, only a year and a half until EP gets home. Can it be that he already has 6 months? Tomorrow.