I hate sounding like a broken record but, homeschooling has changed our lives more dramatically then any of us would ever have thought. Yes, we've had to make sacrifices but the rewards have been so great that we barely miss it. This is better for our family then the public school they were in and It's better then the private school Ethan was in. It is by far the best way to educate OUR kids.
I really wish it hadn't taken us this long to realize it.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Wallace
| |
To have a little bit of peace and privacy when I shower! It might bug me but he sure is a cute peeping Tom!
| |
| |
Last night I had a few flashbacks while kissing on Cameron and holding him so tight....
Fall 2001 -- Mom and I.
October 2002 -- Ethan
October 2008 -- Owen
October 2012 -- Cameron
It's the end of a tradition I've held so dear..... who knows maybe it'll still be around for the next generation.
-JJ
| |
| |
Ethan, Lorali, Owen and Cameron
Okay Kiddos. Mommy has a lesson to share and I need you listening to this one. Every year I set goals. Some I accomplish, others are carried over for years and years until I actually move it to the top of the TO-DO list instead of the TO-WISH list. Quilting is one of those things for me. I have always loved and treasured your Grandma's quilts and her talent. I've loved how she's found a way to make things so beautiful and have it be stress relieving at the same time. So... I told myself that someday I'd learn.... Someday finally came around this January and I have been cranking out a quilt a month since but it isn't all about the beauty and perfect finished product. It never really is in life, is it? I've had countless frustrating moments learning how to quilt, I've given myself migraines over thinking it, or wasted a lot of fabric on accidental cuts. I've washed and shrunk when I shouldn't have and I've scorched fabric with the iron, I've tried new techniques... and really, I HAVE FAILED! I have ruined quilts I have MESSED UP! I'm not perfect and I'm the first to admit it. The thing is, I want you to realize that IT'S OKAY! No one expects perfection and really, it's not about that. It's about learning and PROGRESS and getting better a tiny bit day by day. I made this quilt in April just after Cam was born. I loved the funky colors, and wanted something really bright to go outside for our new little movie theatre area.... I also wanted it do quickly so you guys could start enjoying it as soon as the movie area was set up. So I worked on peicing the quilt top for 2 days straight... and LOVED IT. Then I figured I'd quilt it myself because the quilter I was using already had another top of mine and was working w a 4 week turn around time and besides, I had never done that before! So why not try it! I didn't have Grandma or Spring or Teri to walk me through this step so after a little online research and a few YouTube videos I thought I'd just try....
Needless to say, It didn't turn out so well...I even bound it but apparently had my measurements off.... by over an inch! The binding was just as big of a disaster. It's not pretty and it's not right I know that now.
But I tried! I even tried to talk you guys into hand picking out all my seams $1 a row I paid Lorali... her attention span only lasted about 8 bucks worth. :) I was trying to undo all my mistakes and "save" the quilt. After a few weeks of pouting over my FAILURE, I started thinking. Save my quilt? From what?! A life of imperfection? No way! This is exactly what life is all about. It' imperfect. It's beautiful and I enjoyed doing it. Will I continue to have crappy binding? or terrible quilting? NO! I will learn from it, I will grow and I will embrace the imperfections in not just my quilting but myself. In my life. Things aren't always as perfectly stitched up as Grandma's quilts... but everyday we're all getting a little better. I hope each of you will realize that yes, your life will have imperfections. Your relations might have a wrinkle here or there and you might wish you could do something that seems hard and impossible but, that's OKAY! You can grow, you can learn, you can say 'I'm sorry' and you can move on! You can iron out mistakes and wash away the stains and mend anything. Just enjoy the process of learning and growing.
I mess up at a lot of things, I'm certainly not a perfect person but I'm trying the best I can. I do have perfection in my life though, and that is you guys! YOU ARE THE BEST, MOST PERFECT THING I'VE EVER BEEN A PART OF and YOU'VE BEEN THE THING THAT BRINGS ME THE MOST JOY! Thanks for constantly forgiving me and my foibiles and for loving me....and my wonky quilts.
I love you,
Mommy
| |
Baby toes on the hardwood floor.
R2-D2 sounds coming from my phone.
(texts from Doug)
Quilting all morning.
Owen telling me potty jokes on the way to pre-school.
(why was Tigger staring into the toilet?
He was looking for Pooh)
Ethan waking up wanting to snuggle me.
My music playing all day w/ family Picts scrolling on the tv.
Afternoon Ice Cream Cones from McD's for the kids.
(best $1 I spent all day!)
| |
Recent Comments