Feb 3, Daddy Day

Today marks one year since Earl passed away. It as been a good day. Mary and I spent the whole day together. I have decided that Mary won't ever have to go to school on February 3. She went to school the day that he died. That should earn her the privilege of taking the rest of them off.

The day started out with a giggle. I was already awake when Mary woke up. She still can not sleep in her own bed. She looks up at me and says "Happy Daddy Day" That set the tone for the rest of the day. We have looked at pictures, worked on a scrap book for him (thank you April Clausen), ate Earl's favorite foods, talked about him and just remembered all the fun things about him. It has truly been a sweet day.

For us, February 3 will forever be known as Daddy Day.

New Vest and shirt finished

This project has taken a couple of months to put together because I have been working on other things as well. I made the client a pair of brown wool trousers as well. I just forgot to take a picture of them before I shipped them.

Merry Christmas

First Christmas without Earl. We made it. Just another time for missing the things that Earl did not just that we miss him in body. Earl always did Santa. Not just in public for parties, but for Mary as well. He was the keeper of presents because I am not good at keeping them hidden. I would buy things throughout the year and they would disappear almost as soon as we got home. He would never tell me that he had put them away. He just did it. Then they would re-appear Christmas morning.

Mary received 2 American Girl dolls. She had asked for one and then someone gave me money for Mary for Christmas. I guess I should have not been so frivolous as to buy 2 expensive dolls for the same Christmas but I have watched Mary play with dolls. She gives each one an identity. Each one has their own personalities. I just thought that 2 would be more fun than one and we have been missing Earl so much. I just needed to spoil her a little more. Now I am making American Girl doll clothing so that she has more than one outfit. I just can't pay $22+ for doll clothes.

We missed not doing Santa Claus. It is so hard to do a Christmas Party with Claus family and not have Santa. The Christmas Season hasn't been near as hectic, but it hasn't been near as fun either.

Mary got to play Mary for the Primary Nativity. She cared for that baby doll as if it were a real child. We have had a chance to focus on Christ this year from making a Nativity together at Super Saturday to Mary reading Luke 2 all by herself on Christmas Eve.

First Christmas back in Lewiston. I had forgotten how truly cold it gets here. Right now it is 12:15 pm and 5 degrees! Brrr! We spent a good part of the day at my parents home.

I am really trying to get my house put together. We moved in April and it still looks like we are just moving in, or maybe we are moving out. Who can tell? I have been sorting through boxes of paper and all kinds of stuff. Throwing out a lot. My sister comes over a couple of times a week to help me carry out the garbage. I almost have my big living room looking like it is actually lived in instead of being a warehouse.

Another one of thoses things that Earl did was the housework. I am terrible at it. I would rather do almost anything than wash dishes. My laundry stacks up. Mary's room always needs picking up. And right now because I'm working through the boxes in the living room, it is looking worse instead of better. What I need is a schedule. Like the old dish towels. You know Laundry on Monday, Kitchen on Tuesday, whatever it was.

Now I'm off to take Mary for a late lunch. Merry Christmas everyone!

I have a new calling in my Ward

I am happy to announce that I will be serving in the Nursery in my ward. I love Nursery. I sort of knew it was coming because I was talking to one of the Primary Presidency the other night at the Christmas party. She asked me if I would be willing to sub for Nursery and I told her that I love Nursery. Her husband is in the Bishopric. I will be doing the lesson and the music for them. I love it!

Dress is finished

The dress I have been working on for most of the month is finally complete with the exception of the hem that I will be measuring for next week. This one has been a fun learning experience. I recently read a book called "The Dressmaker's Guide" I was able to apply lots of the information from the book into making this dress. I really learned a lot.

Now I get to make a men's outfit. Button Fly wool pants and a very fancy waistcoat (vest). I love sewing for the museum because I learn so much.

Halloween Costume

For the third year in a row, Mary wants to be a pumpkin for Halloween. The first year we used my sister's pumpkin costume. Last year we found a very cute sweat suit that had a jack-o-lantern face on the shirt. Since we moved this year, we couldn't make it to my sisters to borrow hers again and the sweat suit was too small. So I did some brain storming and one day I was walking through Micheals and they had orange t-shirts 2 for $5. Bingo! I had made my sisters pumpkin costume years ago so I knew what the construction was like. So I bought 2 shirts. One in a child Large and the other in an adult XL. I ironed on a face using double sided adhesive like Wonder Under but a different brand. I cut off the hem's and sewed the two shirts together taking tucks in the larger shirt so that it fit the smaller shirt. Cut off the sleeves so that it resembled a tank top then serged the armholes together. Stuffed in between the two shirts with nylon net to make it puffy. I made a hat out of one of the adult sleeves and viola! Pumpkin costume. Yes I am quite proud of my creativity. Usually I have to have someone's instructions to be creative, but this one I came up with all by myself!

Baptism, Ben and Friends

Seems like it has been so long since I posted. Okay it has been. So much has happened so quickly and then there are just some days that communication is just not on the list for the day.

To start off with Mary was baptized on August 29. She decided that Steve Sorensen should baptize her since he baptized Earl in 2002. Then she asked Uncle Richard to confirm her. I need to collect pictures from those who took them. I only got one of her and Steve in their white clothing.

She wanted a dress of her own design and I got it done but again, Mom took the picture and I have forgotten to take a picture when she has worn it. It is really pretty. She designed it and I sewed it.

Mary was having a hard time going to Primary by her self. She would either come to Relief Society with me or I would go to Primary with her. The RS president's dog had puppies (10) in July and they were ready for homes so she told Mary she would give her a puppy if she would go to Primary all by herself. (Jill checked with me first so it wasn't without Mom's consent) Well, that seems to have done the trick. She knows that if she stops going to Primary again, that the puppy will go away. She really anguished over a name for her puppy. She wanted a good name. In her words not a silly dog name. She finally chose the name "Ben" He is a black lab mix. He is 13 weeks old and loves to chew. He is an outside only dog. Last night really stressed Mary out because of the rain.

The Tenth Ward opened a time capsule that was sealed in 1909. We made a day of it and went to the Aquarium with the Putnam's. The kids had a great time and I had fun spending time with Marti again. And I actually got pictures. So I posted them but I don't know how to move them so they are at the top along with a picture of Gabby and Mary at the 10th Ward and Mary with Ben.