Thanksgiving Point Museum of Ancient Life

So last night we deicded we'd take the girls to the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point for a Family Home Evening Activity. When we got there, if anyone is familiar with the building, there's a huge T-Rex painted on the front of the building. We told Alicey we were going to see dinosaurs and she immediately got very nervous. She saw the big dino and said she didn't want to go in. We couldn't help laughing. After convincing her that the dinosaurs were not loose and not even alive for that matter, she consented, as long as Cesar carried her THE WHOLE TIME! Here's me with the girls looking at their first dinosaur. Notice the shirt Olivia is wearing. It's kind of hard to see, but I made it for her this week. It was originally supposed to be for Alicey, but it's kind of hard for me to get the sizing right for some patterns, since I don't really use a pattern. It's "shirred", if anyone knows what that means. The top part is sewn with elastic thread and is streachy.

Alicey enjoyed riding the baby dinosaur...

... while Olivia just wanted to kiss it!

One of Alicey's favorite parts was searching for dinosaur bones at the end of the tour. They bad brushes their for the kids to see what it's like being a dino archeologist! This museum is great for kids because it has little interactive kid stuff like this all throughout!

And Olivia enjoyed brushing the sand off the other brushes!

I really enjoyed spending some educational time with my family. Thanks Cesar for taking us!

Bows!!!

Here's my newest project. I decided Alicey needed some new hair bows, so I bought some cute ribbons and figured out how they work! I think these are a very common thing lots of women in Utah make and sell. Hmmmm... maybe I'll try it someday!

About two weeks ago I decided I wanted to start some projects at home. Why not try my luck at some sewing?! I think I started sewing when I was maybe 8 or 9. My mom had me do some small projects to teach me. And we can't forget the summer of lovin' Erin and I had when we were about 10 and we made lots of stuff, including big, funny rabbits, aprons, crooked shorts, and jumpers. Around that time I also went to a sewing class from a lady in my ward, Sister Ludlow. She wanted to teach her daughter how to sew and thought it would be more enjoyable for her in a few of her friends were involved. I can't really remember, but I probably sewed every once in a while while I was a teenager, as well. And then I took a sewing class at BYU, as well. And that was the extent of my sewing history. I probably haven't done anything for about 10 years.



So where does one start who wants to sew? I would say one needs a sewing machine! I used to have one of those. My mom gave me her old one when I got married. Then I moved to Brazil and took it with me. A few months later, I moved back and left the machine with my mother-in-law, Maria Alicey. I saw her a month ago and she kept telling me how happy she was that I had given it to her because her other one had just broken! Anyway, two weeks ago, once I decided I wanted to start sewing, I bought a machine. It's a Brother 50 Stitch Computerized Sewing Machine-Limited Edition Project Runway from Walmart. I think we've gotten along pretty well since I got it! Here it is:



And here's some of the projects I've been working on:



The first was a baby blanket for my friend's baby shower. I always loved these shaggy blankets and wanted one for my babies, so I decided to try out making one for Ruth. I thought it turned out pretty well! I'll have to make one for my girls now!


And closer...

The next one is kind of hard to see in these pictures, but I forgot my camera when they wore them for the first time. Thank you Mandy for donating these! I made Fourth of July dresses for my girls!

Then I made these butterfly room decorations last week for Olivia's room.

I made this "clutch" (that's what Mandy tells me it's called) for Summer for her birthday last week, too. I've never made a purse before and thought it was a good experience! I liked the colors. Thanks Grandma for all the scraps you gave me last week!

So how, do you ask, did I find time to make all of these things? Well, like I said, I got kind of excited about my new machine, and since daytime sewing is kind of hard with two little girls (I've tried it a little bit but not with much success), I've ended up working ofen late into the night. I downloaded some books on tape (MP3's) and listen while I sew. Don't ask me which book, I shouldn't be reading/listening to it again...

And where have I come up with these ideas? Well, I've discovered something really cool offered on a lot of web sites by a lot of people. They're called tutorials. They walk you step by step with pictures and explanations, and all for free! Here's the tutorial for the clutch I made Summer.

For the past year and a half, I think, I have been working with a wonderful lady named Ruth Rodrigues in our primary. Ruth followed me as music leader in the Brazilian ward we belong to. She also, like me, is an American married to a Brazilian, though she did not speak any Portuguese when she married her husband, Breno. When she was called as music chorister in our ward, she spoke fluent Spanish and not a lot of Portuguese. I was so impressed with her dedication to the children and her calling. She did such a wonderful job! Anyone could tell watching her with the children how much she loved them! She is moving to Missouri this week. She is also pregnant and very close to her delivery in the next month or so. Last week we had a baby shower for her. Here are some pictures: Ruth after opening her presents.

Hungry guests: Vera, Flavia, Juliana, and Tirzah.

Tirzah, Janese and her baby, and Ruth!

The shower was held at one of Ruth's nursing friends' home. That's Lindsay and her baby in the middle. Celia and Silvia showed up for the last part of the shower. They took a break from work to come. How thoughtful!

Here we have one of the games- cutting pictures out of baby magazines to see who could best come up with Ruth's baby boy...

Juliana thought she should have won this game...

We also played another funny game where everyone had to drink juice from a bottle and see who could finish first. I don't have any pictures of that one. Too bad. I don't think anyone had enough patience to finish. My mouth REALLY hurt after a minute or two!