Happy Handmade Easter

I made the kids new outfits for Easter this year. I envisioned us all wearing light neutral tones so I went to JoAnn's and got to work. I let Clark pick out the lining for his suit. It took me three weeks to get these outfits done, but I love how they turned out. Clark's suit was probably the most technical outfit I've ever sewn. I've always been too intimidated to sew a blazer but this year I decided to try. It took me a day just to put in all the welt pockets. This dress was the first dress I've ever sewn for Lana and my first successful invisible zipper. I couldn't find the exact materials I was hoping to find at the fabric store so I cobbled the skirt together with a satin and crepe combination. It's fully lined and has a tulle underskirt (which normally doesn't show).

For Clark:
Basic Blazer pattern by Blank Slate Patterns 
Pants - Ottobre magazine modified with back welt pockets
Bow tie - Retro Pointed Bow Tie Pattern by Iammommahearmeroar

For Lana:
Caroline Party Dress by WelcomeToTheMouseHouse Creations with added bow

A lot of times I ask myself why I spend so much time sewing things I could easily purchase at a store and call it good. Maybe I have sewing disease. But there's nothing like watching my child wear something I made. I love it!

Camping at Stephen F. Austin State Park

We went camping on Friday to Stephen F. Austin State Park in San Felipe, TX with our cousins. The weather was great, the site was great, and the company was great. I guess you could say we had a great time! Lana did a fair amount of crying, but that's rather normal for her. Clark loves any opportunity to play with his cousins. 

Clark and Sam are so goofy together. They crack me up!

The S'mores were a big hit, as usual, and every kid had the marshmallow beard to prove it.

These boys spent more time on bikes than not it seemed like. Clark's bike is, well, as good as a $5 bike from Craigslist can be ("my bike is broken a little bit!") so he was happy to borrow Sam's bike. For whatever reason, Sam willingly rode Clark's. Until the chain fell off. 

On Saturday morning we had an Easter egg hunt. Clark paid no heed to the "limit 8 eggs" rule and shoved candy in his mouth as fast as he could by the fistful. Gotta love jellybeans and marshmallows. 

After bingeing on candy we went on a hike to see the Brazos River. Even after all that sugar Clark got tired after half a mile and I carried him much of the way back. It was fairly warm but he insisted on wearing his jacket. He sure loves that thing. 

Bedtime

Putting kids to be can sometimes be a mundane thing. Or quite the opposite, depending on how wound up they are. Either way, I love capturing the routine stuff we do because these kids won't be little forever! These pictures pretty much sum up our bedtime happenings. Clark loves to brush his own teeth before he gets help. He also has to be the one to get Lana's toothbrush ready and give it to her. Lana likes to brush her own teeth but readily accepts help. When you tell her to open her mouth she'll say, "ahhhhh."

Clark's bed is the official "toothbrushing station". Lana will hold her toothbrush and point to the bed or climb up herself to be in the proper place to brush her teeth next to her brother. In this frame she's also holding a shoe because she's obsessed with shoes and loves to carry them around. When the tooth brushing is over you can't take Lana's toothbrush away or she'll scream. She has to put it away herself. Below Clark is wearing his all-time favorite pajamas. He asks to wear them every night. 

There are always bedtime shenanigans that go on before anyone actually gets into bed, including but not limited to: peek-a-boo behind the door, running in circles, naked kids running away from mom/dad, and jumping on the bed.

Lana loves to give kisses before bed. She'll stand in her crib with a huge pucker on her lips to entice mom/dad back in the room to give her just one more kiss goodnight. Then she'll hold her hands out to get picked up which doesn't usually happen, so screaming ensues. Oh, Lana!

Daddy's Eyebrows

I don't know how I missed this one in the Bluebonnet post, but check out those eyebrows! He learned that expression from his daddy!

Babies in the Bluebonnets

We drove into town today to do our annual photos with the Texas Bluebonnets. You can hardly drive by a field of Bluebonnets here and not see someone taking pictures of their kids, their pets, or themselves. It's one of those Texas must-do's. So here is our version this year:

Lana was not feeling well, and thought taking pictures in Bluebonnets was a horrible idea. In fact, she thinks most pictures are a horrible idea. Clark was cooperative but he was going to town picking his fingers (his aunts know what I'm talking about!). Though I rarely get smiles for the camera I love capturing the sweet little personalities of my babies as they are.

Strawberry Picking and a New Hat

We did one of our favorite springtime things this week: strawberry picking at Froberg's Farm. This year we went with cousins and had a great time! In the past I've only been able to pick one bucket but this year I got Clark his own bucket and he turned out to be a very industrious little berry picker. Lana even got in on the action. There were so many berries that we filled our buckets in no time and had a picnic afterwards. The week before we went I tried to get the kids some new hats for the sunny summer but couldn't find one for Clark anywhere so I made one last-minute using the free Oliver + S bucket hat pattern. It turned out so cute and fits him perfectly. No sunburns for us!

A Quilt for Lana

Last week I finished a quilt for Lana that has been in the works for over a year! I designed it based off an Amy Butler fabric I was going to use in her crib bedding but changed my mind. Steve's mom helped me prepare all the shapes for applique using the freezer paper and basting method then I appliqued them all on using a blind hem stitch on my machine. When I finished the quilt top I got intimidated by the quilting part and I debated sending it off to a quilter for months, then finally one day last fall I decided to do it myself. I wanted it echo quilted but didn't quite know how to do it. I tried it first with pen and paper then sat down at my machine and figured it out as I went. It took hours but I love how it turned out. Then it sat for a few more months as we moved and got settled. Last week I finally got the binding done so now Lana has a crib blanket. 

I think she likes it!