T-Minus 2 days to closing, 11 days to MOVING

The kids are helping me pack. I'm so totally proud of Cole - writing all by himself on the box - which contains important things like MicroMachines, a baseball trophy and a Jeff Gordon model car.

As previously mentioned, I lost my camera at the fair. I just got a new one, though - so I will post more photos as I take them!

Otherwise, there's not much to tell - work is insane - I've been in court the last two weeks, and will continue to be in court for the next 3...which is just *perfect* for when you're a single momma moving yourself and two kids into a new house across town. (Note sarcasm in previous statement...)

For the time being though, Carsie and I are cuddling up on the Couch while Cole colors in his Halloween coloring book (gifted by the AWESOME Parents of The Boyfriend!) - and watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown..." Just wanted to do a quick post and say HI to my 3 faithful readers out there. Mucho love. I'll be in touch more after the move!

FURLOUGH...ugh.

Today is a required/mandated UNPAID day off for me. I have SO much to do at work, and I'm not allowed to do a thing - and I'm not getting paid, so you know, I really just feel irritated. But, I do have a "free day" off - and I'm supposed to be cleaning out closets, taking trash to the dump/recycling center, and generally getting ready to move.

Instead, I am sitting in my pjs, at 12:30, and I just made my first pot of coffee. I HAVE done 3 loads of laundry (and put it all away!) this morning, so I figure that's something, yes?
So we went to the Coosa Valley Fair
And I lost my camera there....Sigh, sigh, sigh. I can't keep up with a camera to save my life. BUT, I do have photos to share. Here is the front of my new house - cute porch, eh?
And the very sleek kitchen. Not huge, but definitely big enough.

And, as promised, here are just a few sewing photos. I will try to take more pictures of completed projects - when I solve the missing camera dilemma.

This is the Oliver + S birthday party dress made out of $1/yard strawberry shortcake pique/seersucker type stuff that I've had for 2 years. I used some left over pink pique from a pair of pants/kimono top I made ages ago...for the lining and contrast hem and button tab. There are super cute strawberry buttons down the back and on the tab in the front.

She loves it. I made a 4, and usually, in sewing patterns a 4 is slightly larger than a 4 you'd buy in ready-made, but it fits just perfect, and I'm thinking that I'll make her and my little neice Sadie (who will be 10 months at Christmas) matching Christmas dresses from this pattern. But I'll go up to a size 5!

And this is a random playing around with quilting moment. I love quilts. I have 6-8 handmade quilts and my kids have a few each, too. I have made NONE of them. My mom makes them. I don't particularly enjoy the quilting process. I like the piecing. And I don't mind *some* of the cutting, but it takes FOREVER to cut, piece, cut again, piece again, square up, sew the rows, sew the rows together, measure, square up again, measure borders....etc etc etc. And that's just for the top! Then you have to do that whole backing/batting/top sandwich and figure out how to quilt it...

Ironically, I'm ok with the binding. It's mindless and pretty easy, but IF I ever make it to that point, I'm so darn tired of the quilt I've been working on, I give it away. Hopefully that won't be the case with this one. I LOVE these colors - it's the Tula Pink Neptune line. Yum-O.

This is just a sneak peak. IF I get any further or *gasp!* - ACTUALLY FINISH A QUILT - I will post updates. It's 9 fat quarters cut into 4" squares, then made into half-square triangle units. Flipped and turned to make a nice zig-zag pattern a-la-Ashley from Film In the Fridge...

I will say, as much as I get frustrated with the tedium that is quilting, reading Ashley's blog inspires me! Especially her "breaking-the-rules" wonky/maverick ways and the tons of nice white solid she uses...

OK - topic change - so, my kidlets are out of town. This is the second day. I took them to their dad's on Wednesday night...and I MISS THEM. Like, terribly. And, I'm not usually like this! I mean, I always miss them when they're gone....but I also always appreciate the break, and encourage the time with their dad, etc., but this time it's hard...because it's FOUR NIGHTS in a row, and that's the longest I've been away from them. I've done 4 nights before, but not in a long...long...time.

Anyway, The Boyfriend had to go to Boca Raton this week for a work thingie. Industry conference type thing, and had to make presentations, hob-nob and rub elbows with execs in his field, etc...but I MISS HIM, TOO! He's coming back tonight, so that will be nice.
TOMORROW IS THE CHILI COOK OFF! YAY! This is the weekend I met The Boyfriend for the first time last year. I met him on the day of the Chili Cookoff. Sweet, eh?

And tomorrow, sweet Saturday, my Auburn Tigers are playing at NOON!!! Can you believe they are 5-0 - go Gene Chizik. You have exceeded my expectations and I look forward to your continued butt-kicking of all other teams you face.

Tomorrow night we have a joint birthday party to attend at friends' new house. Should be gobs of fun. I'd promise photos except for that missing camera situation.

So, really, now that I've had a productive blog post, I'm off to take the trash to the dump, change everyone's sheets, and do a little packing. Mucho love, peeps.

This is my new house! The living area is all open and combined...(as they say on that wacky Canadian House Hunters show on HGTV... it's "open concept"...) - this photo was taken while standing in the kitchen and looking out the back part of the house. Don't you LOVE the yellow on the walls and that awesome sunny window...ahhh....

Every closet in the place is at least this big. This one is Carson's closet. Cole's is identical (with boy stuff in it...) and the Master closet is about 3x this size!!! MADNESS! Storage rocks.

Full basement anyone? It's unfinished as of yet - but in 5-7 years, it would be great to throw up some drywall, put in another heating/cooling unit, and it's already studded for a bathroom (meaning plumbing is run, but there's no fixtures...YET!)

And...one of my faves - the BACKYARD! (That's my real estate agent at the fence. There's a small (above-ground) pool inside the fence, on a sectioned of area of pea-gravel. I'm taking the pool down...but the deck is AWESOME. Can you see the awesome *huge* umbrella? (I get to keep that ;) And one of my top requirements for a house is that it have an adequate baseball-loving backyard...and here we go!

The listing is no longer up on the MLS website because it's under contract...everything's been done - inspection, appraisal, loan documents, etc. - we're just waiting patiently until October 30.
Now...onto other things.

Today is opening day out at the Coosa Valley Fair! I am headed there with the kidlets after work, and we'll meet The Boyfriend for some awesome fun times. Look here for my Coosa Valley Fair post from last year...And, look here for pictures from last year's fair...kids are out of school this week - fall break for Cole (Carson's still at Berry College Child Development Center, so, CONVENIENTLY (and I mean that in the most sarcastic tone ever) she's out NEXT week. Lovely.

Anyway, tomorrow, we'll sleep in a bit probably, since I will have to bring Cole to the office with me, and then at some point (probably in the afternoon) I will be taking them over to see their Daddy in Alabama for the rest of the break. They'll be gone 4 nights!!! FOUR NIGHTS!!!! I have been away from them for 4 nights once before...and it was HARD. Relaxing, but lonely. I mean, I'm really glad they're going with their Daddy, and they'll get to see Uncle and Mema (grandmother), too - so it's cool cool, and I'm excited for them (as well as looking forward to some "me" time) - but FOUR NIGHTS....*sigh*

Stay tuned later this week for fair photos!!!! Peace, love, I'm outta here for the day.

I took a break...but I'm back!

OK - party people. HERE I AM.

I'm sorry it's been so terribly long, and I'm pretty sure I'll have to re-establish my readership. (All 3 of you loyals...)

Blogging is a great thing, and I love it. Anyone who IS a reader (again, all 3 of you) - will wonder why I was gone...for SO long...well, it's too complicated to explain. Just be grateful that I have returned, ok?

So - here's the 3-second rundown of my life since May.
We had a great low-key summer. We held off all organized activities for the kids so we could spend the summer as God intended: running naked through the sprinkler, eating popsicles on the backporch, and sleeping as late as we wanted (well, within reason, I do have a full-time job...)

Then, as soon as it came, it was over...boooooo....However, in it's place, we now have a KINDERGARTENER! I am so proud of my 5 year old. He is a top-reader...on a 3rd grade level already, and now has permission to check out the elusive "chapter books" from the library. Fabulocity.

Carson misses her bubby when she's at her school (Berry Child Development Center), but she is loving the independence as well.

The Boyfriend and I are still together. It'll be a year in November (GASP!)...and I have to say, I am happy. HAPPY. There is a comfort with him I've not felt before. And, I'll leave it at that and spare you the mushy lovey-dovey dialogue.

I sewed sporatically throughout the summer, but not much, really. I did make the Oliver + S "Birthday Party Dress" for Carson out of some $1/yard Strawberry Shortcake fabric (with strawberry buttons, even!) and we love it!

And...ok...here's the big news flash...

I. Bought. A. House.

Yes. I am closing on a house in Rome on October 30. There are a number of reasons that I am so very excited about this move:
1. No more living out of boxes (as I've done for the last two years...we started packing the first time in October of 2007, and I haven't been fully unpacked since then.)
2. Lower utilities/upkeep.
3. My children will have more of a sense of home/ownership.
4. I can be settled and keep both kids in the same school from here on out.
5. IT'S MINE AND NO ONE ELSE'S!
6. Neighbors
7. Smaller house = less cleaning

I will post some photos of the house soon. I promise.
Photos to come soon:
KIDS!
some minor sewing fun
the new house
progress on moving

Maybe tomorrow. Definitely by Wednesday. If you read this, one of my 3 faithful readers, please comment and let me know. It's my fault, I know, I've been gone. And blogs with photos are way more fun, so they're coming...I promise promise.