Since being home and trying to get back into the normal swing of things, I have been totally bogged down in organizing, laundry, cleaning, paying bills, WBS, etc. which leaves little time for creativity and blogging.  Hopefully things will get better soon...

One thing that I am excited about is that I am thinking of braiding a rug.  I have been thinking about it for a while now and have read about it and I think that it sounds really fun. I'll keep you posted as to my progress. On my to-do list today was to go and get the two books that the library has on braiding rugs, but Halleigh wasn't cooperating and we needed to come home and eat lunch and take a nap, so that will get pushed back until tomorrow.

In other news, I am starting to get a little stressed out about all the shuffling around that we are going to have to do to fit another kid in this house. I am thinking that if we don't start soon we are going to be in a situation like when Halleigh was born, where very little had gotten done and Miles played a lot of catch up while I was still in the hospital.

Halleigh is going to be a black cat.  I haven't started the costume... I am a slacker, I know. I just can't make myself do it. I am feeling totally uninspired to make this stupid costume. UGH!

I just had to tell someone...

Here are the next two ornaments fromt the Jesse Tree project; the tent and the ark.  Four down, twenty-one to go.

I love Christmas. As a kid we had an advent calendar for a while, and it seems like a couple years we had those cardboard ones that each day you opened the door and got a piece of chocolate out.

I have wanted to make a advent calendar for a long time, and now that Halleigh is going to start to remember traditions, I thought that it is time to start some.  I like the idea of placing the focus of Christmas more on Jesus and less on presents and Santa. What better way to do that than to celebrate the advent season daily. So that is what we are going to do... with a twist.

So, my friend and fellow blogger, Erin has wanted to make a Jesse Tree, and she suggested that I look into making one as well. I had never even heard of a Jesse Tree, so I did a little research, starting with Wikipedia, and here is what I found...

The Jesse Tree is named from Isaiah 11:1: "A shoot will spring forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots."  It is a vehicle to tell the Story of God in the Old Testament, and to connect the Advent Season with the faithfulness of God across 4,000 years of history. Basically, it ties the Old and New Testaments together. Each day there is an ornament that represents the lineage of Jesus, starting with creation, the fall (Adam), the flood (Noah), followed by Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac, etc. 

I like the idea of the advent calendar, but I LOVE the idea of the Jesse tree. Not enough importance is placed on the Old Testament telling the story of Jesus.  I want my children to understand that the Old Testament speaks to us and is as relevant to us as the New Testament. It isn't just a collection of great children's stories! And what better way to teach that than to combine the Old Testament in the preparation and celebration of Christ's birth? There is none.

Anyway, so Erin and I have started our Jesse Trees. We got the first two done, creation and the fall. Here are the pictures of our finished products...

  Lately, I have been wanting to sew more. I really like to sew, I just don't get around to doing it that often. Miles has been kicking around the idea of different ways to help him be more motivated to paint, and I am going to use his ideas to help kick start some sewing.

I am going to pick five projects and each day of the week I am going to work on one them for one hour. Everyday I will have one hour to get as much of one project done as I can. And at the end of a couple weeks, I will start to have finished projects that I am happy with.

I started today but I think that I am tweeking it a little this week and I am just going to work on my first project all week and then start the others next week. For my first project, I am making an apron, I know, how June Clever of me. But actually, I have found that I could really use an apron... the other day I was frying some won tons for supper club and I got oil all over my shirt... if I had had an apron, that would not have happened. :)

So here is to my mid-year resolution... sew more. What did I get done today? After washing and drying the fabric, I ironed, and cut out all of the pieces. Tomorrow I will start to sew and put it together. When it is done, I'll share a picture!

Other projects on tap:

1. cloth grocery bags (on my quest to be more green)
2. comfy pj type pants
3. dress for Halleigh
4. reusable lunch bag for Miles (also on the go green quest)
5. chefs jacket (to wear when I am delivering cakes)
6. ladybug blanket
7. duvet cover for our bed

Some of these are long term projects, but I hope to work through them as my time allows, and if I squeeze and hour in everyday, some of these items might actually be made.