A new love -

I've never been a huge fan of sewing. I liked it; but only if the pattern wasn't very complicated. Actually, I think I don't like patterns. Now that I look back - the projects I've really enjoyed, are those that I make up, like:

Ashlynn's 2008 Zombie Bride Halloween Costume

My Jane Austen Tea-party dress, refashioned from an old potato sack style dress

(I hate the way I look in the picture - my sister click here for her blog - looks AB/FAB! - but the only thing I like about me is the cool dress I made and the fact that I've lost 25 pounds since this pic was taken in February.)

Our Apron Extravaganza last Thanksgiving
Although we used a pattern, choosing fabrics and trims allowed for a lot of creativity.


But I just made this cute little apron - patterned after ideas in my head, cutting and trimming and measuring at whim. This apron is for an auction fundraiser my sister is involved in for her son's soccer team. But I plan on making a similar styled one for me with different fabrics.

I love the wide waistband, which I reinforced with fusible interfacing so that when it's washed it hopefully won't get all bunched up and twisted. I also made wide, long ties that can tie in front or back. You can't really tell from this picture but the ruffle on bottom curves up around and meets up with the waistband in back. I wanted a sort of bustle look to it.

Things I'll change when I make mine: the apron a little shorter and more narrow as well as making the ruffle bigger. I'll let you know how it turns out.

I find aprons fun to sew because you can piece together many different fabrics, shapes and ideas to come up with something that makes cooking more fun! I've even considered making a few of these, stockpiling up and getting in on the sassy mei action.

She'll be comin' 'round the mountain

Mt. Rainier Hiking Expedition circa 1930s.

We made it to Rainier last Saturday and had a great time. We didn't go on the glaciers like the pic above, but I thought it was so cool I had to pass it along. I came across this GREAT site - and if you love old photographs, you should check it out. It's the National Park Service Historic Photograph Collection. And you can search by theme, park, year.

Saturday was a gorgeous sunny day. We started out late in the day, 1:00pm because Rich was out on a boy scout campout.

We saw this momma dear and her fawn. The fawn was too shy and kept hiding from my camera.

Usually when we go to Rainier we hike The Grove of the Patriarchs. Which I love. A beautiful hike that a one-year old who likes to walk can do. But this time we decided to venture out and try some new hikes. I'm so glad we did!

We did the Nisqually Vista trail. At about 1.5 miles, plus a little extra because the trail head wasn't where we thought it was, it was a perfect distance that we got some exercise without tiring out little Josie. There were some uphills, but it's paved the whole way, strollers would be doable, and maybe a wheelchair if you had someone really strong pushing it.

There were gorgeous flowers and meadows and then the path led down to the cliffs, where you could look out across the canyon and see the Nisqually Glacier and White River.

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It was beautiful. - We're kinda covering up the view here, but we're cute too so that's okay.

We also did 0.7 mi at the Longmire, Trail of Shadows. There is a 1920s cabin and mineral springs bubbling up from the earth. I didn't have my camera :( and we didn't have time for the museum. So I plan to go again when I can browse the museum.

We ended it all with a picnic at Longmire and a peaceful drive home because the kids all fell asleep from the warm sunny hikes.

Hi my name is Shannon....

And I'm a t.v. addict.

I luv t.v.! It's so fun to cuddle up with my hunny and watch some good shows once the kids go to bed. Here are some things I'm looking forward to:

Monday
8:00pm Heroes NBC - Premieres Sept 21

Tuesday
8:00pm SYTYCD FOX - Premieres Sept 9

Wednesday
8:00pm SYTYCD FOX - Premieres Sept 9
10:00pm Law and Order SVU NBC - Premieres Sept 23

Thursday
8:30pm Parks and Recreation NBC - Premieres Sept 17
9:00pm The Office NBC - Premieres Sept 17
9:00pm Fringe FOX - Premieres Sept 17
9:30pm 30 Rock NBC - Premieres Sept 17

Friday
8:00pm Law and Order NBC - Premieres Sept 25
9:00pm Medium CBS (moved from NBC!) - Premieres Sept 25

(This list is taken from What We Watch to Escape Our Own Reality)

School/Speech update

I am not really a get-involved-kinda-gal. But it was quite gratifying to get a call from the principal just now to discuss my concerns.

Thanks Ramona, for the tip on e-mailing the district. I didn't know who to e-mail so I copied everyone, from the superintendent to the entire board of directors. Thank heavens for e-mail! If this had been a phone or even worse, letter writing with stamp, campaign I'm not sure I would have gotten involved.

This was what I e-mailed:
I would appreciate any information you have in regards to Obama’s speech to school children, taking place on Tuesday, September 8th. I don’t feel comfortable having my children watch the speech without me. If I trusted that it would stick to back-to-school messages than it wouldn't bother me, but I don't trust that. And the classroom, especially k-6 grades, is not a proper forum for a political message.

I feel teachers who are participating in viewing the speech should offer alternative activities. Families should be notified that these are available. I know there are some, including myself, who would prefer to watch the message with their children. If there are not at-school alternatives available, my children will be staying home that day.

Here's the info I received:

My kids' school, will have alternate activities going on in the library. Every parent should be getting a call from the school, explaining what's happening on Sept. 8th - speech day. Then a form should be coming home in which they can opt out of the speech viewing and subsequent assignments regarding the speech.

So there we go. ;)

A Parent's Right

Do you know about Obama day at school?

Is it happening in your school?

Are you fine with it?

Perhaps it is not a big deal. It might not strike me as bad at all, if it were not for the fact that some schools will not allow the parents to attend. Wierd? A little off?

I think so.

I e-mailed my daughters' principal and their teachers to see if they will be participating. Just something short and simple to find out what's going on:

I am curious if our school will be viewing the message President Obama will be giving to school children on Tuesday, September 8th? If so, can I attend the viewing with my children? Also, what type of work assignments will be given to the children pertaining to the speech and can I view them first?
Thanks,
Shannon Miller

Maybe, if you believe it is a PARENT'S RIGHT to know what schools are teaching your children, you should do something similar.

In response to a friend who asked, "would you care if George W. Bush was doing it?" I said this:

I would be opposed to any president who has, in the months leading up to such a speech, reached his hands in and tried to manipulate so much of my life. Stimulus taxes, cap and trade, healthcare - if these things become law I lose control over my own life. I'm not going to approve of anyone circumventing me to teach my children whatever he/she wants. Parents can watch the puberty videos, or even sit in a reading class if a child is having a hard time - why should a president's speech be any different?