Instagram

I've been Instagramming lately.

A quick run to the Home Depot for some fall plants.  BTW, for those of you who have BiLos  nearby, did you see the heirloom pumpkins they had on sale last week?  We bought 3.  That may not be enough.

And I've discovered that I'm a better Instagrammer than I am blogger.  Sometimes it's difficult to find the time to sit down to write a meaningful post on my blog.  I created this blog for 2 purposes:
1- to keep my parents and in-laws posted on what's going on with our family (and anyone else who's interested)
and
2- to keep track of things I've sewn with the hopes of using the blog to help market the High Cotton business one day.  It's a small endeavor, and one I hope to get to sooner rather than later.

Oh dear Wade, why must you grow so fast?!

I've been growing bored with the way the house looks lately and made some new curtains for the kitchen out of some old fabric from my stash.  It's a Schumacher remnant that I've hoarded for years.  I looked it up online because I'd like to order some more and found it on this website.  Apparently it sells for $124 a yard!!!  Perhaps I should have sold it on etsy to help send the kids to college?

You'd think as a stay at home mom that I'd have ample time on my hands, but the truth is our days are very very full in a wonderful, fulfilled, but challenging sort of way.  And honestly, after getting 2 little bodies bathed, diapered, and tucked in for the night (or for the next 3 hours in Wade's case), my energy is spent, and while I intend to document the memories of our sweet and tender days, blogging is the last thing that gets done around here.

We've started a Sunday evening tradition with the kids of cooking hotdogs over a bon fire.  We even roasted a few marshmellows last night.  

Here we are relaxing McCord-style!

Enter Instagram, the busy blogger's lifesaver.

McCord's girlfriend, Taylor aka "Taygee"

While it may be difficult to blog, you can bet I'll find time to post a few pics here and there on my Instagram page because it's oh so easy.  I created a sidebar on my blog of the latest things I've Instagrammed in case you're interested.  It's the usual stuff I would normally love to blog about: yard sale finds, things I've made #fromthesewingroom, arts and crafty stuff, and also the funny, sweet, and silly moments with my boys.  You can find me on Instagram @redmondsc.  Or if you don't Instagram, but you'd like to see what all the fuss is about, you can see pics online and who I follow (currently following several designers who Instagram, and I LOVE to see the things that they are posting!) at this link.  If you Instagram too and I somehow missed you, please let me know.

Bo was out of town last Saturday, so the boys and I went to Windy Hill Orchard to pick apples.  I highly recommend if you're in the area. 

You can feed them with a bottle!!!!

And switching gears.  Here's a conversation I had with McCord the other day about stay at home moms. We were driving down the road and passed the bank where Bo works.

Mc: Dada!  pointing to bank

Sara: That's right, McCord.  That's where Dada works. Do you know what Daddy does while he's at work?

Mc: silence

Sara: Dada works with money.

Mc: silence, processing what in the world this means

Sara: Do you know where Mama works?

Mc: Home!

Sara: Yes!  I do work at home!  What do I do while I'm at work, McCord?

Mc: Eat! Eat!

Apparently, McCord thinks I eat all day for my job.  Yes, please.  Someone pay me to do that!

I think it's only appropriate to end with this photo.

Thoughts on Parenting

And what is our real job as parents, if not first to nurture the beings entrusted to our care, to have faith in their inchoate processes of growing and becoming, and then to show up, again and again, for as long as we are able, to bear grateful witness to their unfolding destinies?Katrina Kenison

Bo & McCord
Litchfield 2012

Wade's first trip to beach
3 months old

Estate Sale

Sunday's paper ran an ad for an estate sale of a woman who was considered a master quilter and baker.  Estate sale + sewing + someone who loves sweets?  Yes, please.

I just had to go check out this curious adventure!

Apparently the woman had 5 children and she and her husband built their house which was secluded among the trees on 26 acres.  Her sewing room was huge and included french doors that opened up onto a second floor deck with views of the thick woods and large creek in her backyard.  Sounds romantic but the house was a complete mess!  I believe she was a bit of a hoarder!  I expected to be the only crazy person who would travel way, way, out of the way to get a bargain, but the house was packed with lots of other crazy people just like me.  What fun Wade & I had scavenging for a bargain!

Here are a few pictures of the randomness that was this estate sale.

Wrapping paper, anyone?

Vintage sewing machines

There was an impressive sale on fabric. 

Yes, that is a tree trunk in the center of the room. 

I scored two bundles of striped knit fabric. 

Several yards of charcoal gray and red velvet - thinking about making some matching Christmas outfits out of the red for Mc and Wade. 

I fell in love with this childish flannel - it has a little boy dressed as an astronaut and his dog shooting a rocket. It looks vintage, but I have no idea. 

I spun the flannel into a blanket for Mc with soft minky fabric on the reverse side. Wade's matching blanket is in the works. 

If you are as curious about this estate sale as I was, and would like to see the pictures of the merchandise before it was picked over, click here.  You won't believe your eyes.

Preschool Day Hooray!

Today was McCord's first day of Preschool and no one is more shocked than I that we made it into the classroom at drop off with no tears.  McCord, my normally shy and reserved child, may very well have been the most excited child there and was literally bouncing with excitement!

He was so proud to wear his school bus t-shirt and pants. 

Tuesday he got to meet both of his teachers, Mrs. Martha and Mrs. Helen, in his new classroom.  He had three questions about preschool: will I get a snack snack; will I get to go outside; and will I get to paint? In that order.

Matching outfits for Wade and Mc for the special occasion.

We've been doing lots of talking about preschool and what to expect, because you just never know what their little minds are thinking.  Thankfully, it all went well - and I contribute that mostly to this book that we've been reading lately.

One of my friends graciously took this just before dropping Mc off - love that Wade with his jolly self is even smiling for McCord. 

Here's Mc all tuckered out after a busy day playing and learning. Doesn't he look especially collegiate?

Not sure if this is the school's tradition, but there was a bunny in the lobby for all of the children to greet. Mc loved meeting "Shirley."  We got his monogrammed seersucker backpack from this seller on etsy. 

And what did we take home to remember the day by?  McCord's own self portrait!