Butterflies and ladybugs are so sweet for my sweet little Kaylee

A girl and her best friend her dog.

I sewed this little ladybug and butterflies outfit on my serger sewing machine. Kaylee was so excited to wear it.

The Invisible Mother

Posted on May 11, 2013 by admin

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I’m on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I’m thinking, ‘Can’t you see I’m on the phone?’

Obviously not; no one can see if I’m on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I’m invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?? 

Some days I’m not a pair of hands; I’m not even a human being. I’m a clock to ask, ‘What time is it?’ I’m a satellite guide to answer, ‘What number is the Disney Channel?’ I’m a car to order, ‘Right around 5:30, please.’

Some days I’m a crystal ball; ‘Where’s my other sock? Where’s my phone?, What’s for dinner?’

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history, music and literature -but now, they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She’s going, she’s going, and she’s gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . She had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when she turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, ‘I brought you this.’ It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn’t exactly sure why she’d given it to me until I read her inscription: ‘With admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.’

In the days ahead I would read – no, devour – the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: 1) No one can say who built the great cathedrals – we have no record of their names. 2) These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. 3) They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. 4) The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything. 

A story of legend in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, ‘Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see it And the workman replied, ‘Because God sees.’ 

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was Almost as if I heard God whispering to me, ‘I see you. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does.
No act of kindness you’ve done, no sequin you’ve sewn on, no cupcake you’ve baked, no Cub Scout meeting, no last minute errand is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can’t see right now what it will become.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree. 

When I really think about it, I don’t want my son to tell the friend he’s bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, ‘My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens for the table.’ That would mean I’d built a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, he’d say, ‘You’re gonna love it there…’ 

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we’re doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible mothers.

—Anonymous

I had to put this somewhere to remind me that God sees what we do each day even when we feel like no one is noticing especially on those really tough parenting days so I am posting it in my blog.

Do you remember Spanish

 

Can you read this page and comprehend what is being said?  I enjoyed showing my daughters a small sample of the Spanish language in this children's book.  They know a few Spanish words but couldn't understand this book.

Bikinis tops are fixed

Kaylee's bikini strap hook cracked awhile back and I am just getting around to repairing it.

Sophia's bikini top hook cracked just last week.  

Good thing they sell these swim suit bra hooks in packs of two.  I was able up repair both bikini tops with one package.  They will have tops to their swimsuits once again.

Still learning blind hems on my serger

I am teaching myself how to sew blind hem on my serger.  Unfortunately, it is taking longer that I anticipated to get the hang if it.  The stitching is still not blind but very visible in the crease here. If I can get the settings right, there will be no crease and the stitching will barely show.  Just a few more adjustments on the serger sewing machine foot and I hope to have it right.  Big sigh....I just want it to look right and I won't settle until it is. 

Purina Farms

My girls were so excited to go to Purina Farms today.  They both love animals so this was a very fun day for them.

Kaylee waving "Hi!" To the "Sicilian" Donkey.   My girls don't know they they are Sicilian Italians but I had to smile knowing this animal's ancestors came from Sicily like my family.

Peaking through the gates.

Sophia and Kaylee watching the mini horse eat hay.

"Mommy, look at the chicken."

Both girls petting the chicken.  Photo turned out blurry though.

Kaylee insisted on petting the piglet.

"Mommy baby piggy is resting," says Kaylee.

Girls petting a little rabbit.

We watched the dog show. My girls loved it. Kaylee says she wants to train our dog to do tricks.

Kaylee told me, "I teach Brandy to catch a frisbee."

dog flying through the air to catch a frisbee.

Caught mid-flight with frisbee in mouth.

Agility training includes going through tunnels and weavig in and out around the poles below.

My pictures of the diving dock dogs didn't turn out.  It was fun to see the high flying dogs jump and land in the pool.  Kaylee said she wants up teach Brandy our yellow lab how to swim.  I told her Brandy knows how to swim.  Her cute little eyes were excited when she realized what I meant. 

Sophia, Kaylee and some friends playing tractors.

A bunch is the kids from our group watching the littlest people play.

Omg!  Our whole group stood on a scale,  all together with adults and kids we weighed as much as a dairy cow.  Uh oh!

My girls looking into the Koi and goldfish pond.

Kaylee sat down to take a break and enjoy the pretty scenery.

My girls posing, well sort of, near the waterfall of the Koi pond.

Sophia and one of her best friends hanging out by the waterfall.

Kaylee running the Auger that demonstrates how dog and cat food are made.

Turn that wheel faster Kaylee.

"Look, I made it go!"

Now, we have to turn this wheel.

What a fun day we enjoyed learning about animals, their food, and how some do tricks with lots of friends.

New ideas on my serger using the beading and cord foot.

Last night I wanted to try a new technique sewing on rattail  cord with the cording foot.  This application would be useful to add a decorative cording on fabric.  However, I had something else in mind.  I had this idea in my head and I just had to try it.  Would it work? 

Of course!  It worked.  I serged rainbow variegated thread onto rattail cord, added a lobster claw, two crimp beads and two pony jump rings and suddenly I had a rainbow colored braided bracelet.  

Then, I thought let me try yellow and black for my Winghaven Wahoos swimmer Sophia. 

As a Stl Cardinal fan my whole life, I thought let me try red and white. 

The wheels inside were turning and I thought wait, I can make these even thicker.  I am going to try Pearl Crown Rayon in peacock blue and white in the loopers.  Oh yeah!  Love it.  

Next I pulled the ponytail elastic out of my hair, wondering if I could use the cording foot to cover it in peacock blue.  Well, it worked but I may have to practice ending the threads a bit.  The girls can wear it though because the slight extra threads won't be noticeable when wrapped around their hair. I am going to try trimming the threads a bit more.  I love when I make discoveries of how to make something new on my serger.  That is the  coolest part of playing with my serger.  

Sophia was excited about the bracelets this morning.

I also tried one more with metallic confetti looking thread.  Sophia insisted upon having me buy this thread for her yesterday.  Looks even better in person.

First tomato of the season container garden 2013

I am so excited.  I found the first grape tomato yesterday morning.

I washed it and ate it.  Delicious!

Later that afternoon I found five more tomatoes although they were cherry tomatoes which I had to share with my kids.   :). 

I have lots of sweet banana peppers coming ripe.  Yeah!

Jalapeno's are looking good too.