In the Works

I have a fun project in the works!  I've been busy working and taking photos.  I will have a fun tutorial/project to share very soon.  For now, I will leave you with one photo for a clue.

That's all you get for now.  My finished project will be put to use tomorrow, and I will then be able to finish my post about it.  Check back soon!

Jessica

No-Sew Refurbished Jeans

Apparently, we have a problem with jeans in this house.  Everyone currently has jeans that don't fit, have ripped knees, or have come apart at some odd seam.  It was time to take action.

Looking at my pile of clothes that needed repair, I was reminded of my grandma and her "mending pile."  Whenever she had a little time to sit, she would repair old socks, pants, shirts, and even underwear.  So I faced my mending pile head-on with her voice in my mind saying, "Use it up.  Wear it out.  Make it do, or do without."

In the boys' drawers, I found four pairs of jeans in need of attention:

Oddly enough, each pair of jeans had the right knee ripped open (and not the left).  

For my supplies, I used an old pair of Jared's jeans that he never wears anymore and a roll of Heat 'n Bond Ultrahold No-Sew Iron-on Adhesive.

I had picked up this roll of iron-on adhesive over a year ago from the clearance section at Hobby Lobby.  I have to be careful there because I can pick up any item and imagine that I can use it eventually.  I have used Wonder Under for tons of projects, and this is basically the heavy duty version of that.  

So, good news for me:  I didn't spend a penny on this project!

I started by using some stencils to choose shapes and sizes for the patches to cover each tear.  Nolan had requested a star, and I chose a rectangle, diamond, and ovals for the other pairs of jeans.

I traced my shapes onto the paper side of the Heat 'n Bond.

Then I cut the shapes apart and cut pieces of denim off Jared's old jeans.  I placed each shape with the adhesive side facing the wrong side of the denim (paper side up).  Following the manufacturer's instructions, I ironed the Heat 'n Bond shapes to the denim.

Then I trimmed each shape along the original shape line.  Then my patches were ready for their new homes.

I flipped over one of the shapes so you can see that they still had the paper backing at this point.

One at a time, I peeled off the paper backing and placed the patch over a torn knee.  Then, also following the manufacturer's instructions, I ironed each patch onto the jeans.  

And they're done!

These are Nolan's jeans:

The star is my favorite.

These are Griffin's:

I like the ones on the left because they originally had the stitching and fake patch one one knee, so the patch I added sorta fits.  The ones on the right are my least favorite.  They remind me of jackets that have elbow patches.  Not a fan.

The way I see it, these jeans were rarely worn and likely about to be thrown out.  I didn't spend any money at all, and this project took very little time.  So even if these jeans only get worn a few more times, it's still worth it!

Nora also had a pair of jeans that were missing the elastic in the waistband.  Since my kids are all tall and thin (like their daddy), they all require pants with the adjustable waistband (you know, where you pull the elastic and button it?).  

Look what I found at Walmart:

It's buttonhole elastic!  I just used a large safety pin to feed the elastic through the jeans waistband.  Then I pulled the elastic to the correct snugness and secured it on the buttons.  Done!

My grandma would be so proud, right? :)

Jessica   

Trusting God In Life's Changes

I love my church.  Love.  We just finished up our 40 Days in The Word series and then celebrated Easter.  This past Sunday our pastor started a 3-part series on Trusting God in the Hard Times.

This first part was called Trusting God in Life's Changes.  I wanted to share my notes here in case this awesome message can help any of you.  I'm not going through any major changes right now, but I do always struggle with change (big or small).  So learning these points now will help me to cope better next time change comes my way.

WHEN CHANGE COMES:

1.  Look for God

"If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me."  Jeremiah 29:13 (NLT)

2.  Ask God for Wisdom

"If you need wisdom--if you want to know what God wants you to do--ask him, and he will gladly tell you.  He will not resent you asking."  James 1:5 (NLT)

3.  Listen for God's Whisper

"Then the Lord passed by and sent a furious wind that split the hills and shattered the rocks--but the Lord was not in the wind..., and then there was an earthquake--but the Lord was not in the earthquake.  After that there was a fire--but the Lord was not in the fire.  But after the fire there was the soft whisper of a voice.  When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. The voice said to him, 'Elijah, what are you doing here?'"  1 Kings 19:11-13

4.  Don't Ask "Why?" but "What?"

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all things through him who gives me strength."  Philippians 4:12-13 (NIV) *Many people quote the last part without its context:  contentment.

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.  And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation."  Romans 5:3-4 (NLT) *Rejoice??  Really??  Well, we have to stop asking why we are going through hard times and ask God what he wants to develop in us through the trial.  And we rejoice because of God's presence.

"Give thanks IN all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV) *We don't have to give thanks for all circumstances, but in all circumstances.  For example, you don't have to thank God for your cancer, but you can thank him for daily strength, skilled doctors, friendly nurses, supportive family, etc.

5.  Focus on What Never Changes

"I have loved you with an everlasting love."  Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)

"His plans endure forever; His purposes last eternally."  Psalm 33:11 (NIV)

"The Word of God shall stand forever."  Isaiah 40:8 (NIV)

6.  Don't Face Change Alone

"Two are better than one... If one of them falls down, the other can help him up... Two men can resist an attack that would defeat one man alone."  Ecclesiastes 4:9,12

 7.  Hold On to God's Promises

 "I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."  Philippians 1:6 (NIV)

"Cast all your anxiety on Him for He cares for you!"  1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)

"The righteous man does not fear bad news, nor live in dread of what may happen.  For he is settled in his mind that God will take care of him."  Psalm 12:7 (Living Bible) *I love this verse!!

8.  Tell God That You Will Trust Him No Matter What 

"Though he slay me, yet will I trust him."  Job 13:15 (KJV)

"The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord!"  Job 1:21 (KJV)

After the sermon, we sang one of my favorite songs:  Blessed Be the Name of the Lord.  Click here to listen to the song on YouTube.

I hope you find this as helpful as I did!

Jessica

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Saturday night Jared and I stopped at a Redbox hoping to find a good movie to watch at home.  We were not disappointed!

We chose Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.

When I saw that Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock were both in this movie, I figured it had to be good.  Turns out that the little boy who plays the leading role is also a brilliant actor.

Here's a description from the movie's official website:

Adapted from the acclaimed bestseller by Jonathan Safran Foer, “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” is a story that unfolds from inside the young mind of Oskar Schell, an inventive eleven year-old New Yorker whose discovery of a key in his deceased father’s belongings sets him off on an urgent search across the city for the lock it will open. A year after his father died in the World Trade Center on what Oskar calls “The Worst Day,” he is determined to keep his vital connection to the man who playfully cajoled him into confronting his wildest fears. Now, as Oskar crosses the five New York boroughs in quest of the missing lock – encountering an eclectic assortment of people who are each survivors in their own way – he begins to uncover unseen links to the father he misses, to the mother who seems so far away from him and to the whole noisy, dangerous, discombobulating world around him.

Near the beginning of the movie, Oskar lists all the things that scare him.  As he was talking, I said to Jared, "I so get this kid."

It reminded me of the Scaredy Squirrel books.

My sister was the first person to buy my kids a Scaredy Squirrel book.  I didn't know if she was poking fun at me or if I just saw myself in this anxious squirrel.  Whatever the case, my kids enjoy the books.

Oskar, the quirky little boy in the movie, has many fears as well as interesting habits, like shaking a tambourine to calm himself.  He addressed a question in my mind when he was talking to a woman in the movie and saying a few things that weren't quite socially appropriate.  He said that he had once been tested for Asberger's.  He briefly explained the disorder and said, "The tests were inconclusive."

He is a unique kid with an incredible mind.  His amazing dad had nourished his son's mind and taught him how to be scientific and a little adventurous.  Oskar's expedition to find the lock for his dad's key was his culminating adventure to use all his dad had taught him while holding onto the last piece of his father.

This movie shows so many different sides of humanity.  It speaks to emotional connections that can be made between strangers.  It addresses what family really means, and it absolutely pulls at the heartstrings of parents.

I'm so thankful that we chose this movie, and I highly recommend it to anyone!

Jessica

Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving

Ok, so I'm not exactly flirty.  But I couldn't miss the chance to use the quote from the movie 13 Going on 30 that my precious niece used to quote all the time.

I turned 30 on Saturday.  I haven't had any apprehensions about turning 30.  No big regrets or major depression.  But I will admit I felt a little twinge of sadness on Friday when I realized it was my last day of my twenties.  

Then my birthday came, and I was one blessed girl!  My day was full of cards, gifts, phone calls, voicemails, emails, visits, and lots of pampering.  And doughnuts.  Yes, doughnuts.

Jared went out and bought a variety of delicious options, and I cut pieces off several so I could taste them all!  The kids had no trouble finishing off the partial doughnuts.

When I started dieting on January 1, my goal was to make it all the way to my birthday (April 14) maintaining my fairly strict diet and exercise regimen.  I did struggle a little with exercise the last several weeks as my energy was just depleted from being sick, but I kept my eating on track.  

I lost 35 lbs. total!

So I wanted to enjoy some delicious foods on my birthday.  Apparently even Nolan knew my plans because he wrote this in my card:

"Mommy I hope you have fun eating non diet stuff on your birthday."

And I did enjoy doughnuts for breakfast, Jimmy John's for lunch (with Cherry Coke!), and a dinner date out with my amazing husband.  There were carbs.  Covered in carbs.  It.  Was.  Awesome.

The kind, loving words that I received from my friends and family members were my favorite gift on my birthday.  I treasure all the encouraging, sweet things that were said to me.  My sister even wrote in a book about sisters.  It's not something she enjoys doing, but it's exactly the type of gift that I absolutely love.

I also received some fantastic presents from several people, like these beautiful flowers from my hubby:

And these lovely flowers (that smell SO good!) from my friends (chosen by my little 4-year-old buddy Jaxon):

Nolan got me a new pair of earrings.  He wanted to buy me a new ring because the ring I wear on my right hand lost two tiny diamonds (I wear it anyway).  How sweet is that??  Jared redirected him toward something less expensive, and they agreed on a pair of earrings I had previously commented on at Kohl's.

Nora ripped open all my gifts from Jared before I could get to them.  He bought me an array of items that fall under the category of "My Favorite Things."  There were kitchen items (so I can tackle my Kitchen Bucket List!), a sewing magazine, a book about blogging, and a new purse (my current one is several years old, worn out, and outdated).  And on top of all that, he has been planning (with help) a birthday party for next weekend.  I am truly the luckiest girl.

 

I am in a circle of friends (5 of us altogether) who buy each other shoes for every birthday.  That means that each year on my birthday, I get four new pairs of shoes!  This year I even got five because one girl (my amazing sister) bought me two pairs.  This is one sweet deal.

 

I hit a point in the middle of the day when I felt overwhelmed and undeserving of so much loving attention and so many gifts.  

 

After the kids' nap time, we took them to Jared's mom's house.  She watched them overnight so we could go out to dinner and have a non-rushed date.  We branched out and ate at a new, nicer restaurant.  Then we did a little shopping and picked up some things on my mental list (clothes for the kids, stuff for Nolan's birthday party, one of my hard-to-find hair products, etc.).  It was fun to browse and laugh together.  And amazing to just jump in the car, drive to the next place, and go right in without unbuckling kids, grabbing the diaper bag, and corralling youngsters.  We felt light and care-free.

 

After shopping, we wanted to watch a movie, but we never have any clue about any of the movies in the theater.  So we stopped at a Redbox and picked up a movie to take home and watch in our jammies.  It turned out to be one of the best movies we have seen in a long time.  I'll write about that in a separate post. 

 

When we picked up the kids today, my mother-in-law even had presents for me.  Her loving babysitting was already gift enough!  She gave me a great Thirty-One bag with lots of pockets for organization and a super cool picture frame.  The front of the frame opens with a hinge so you can place your child's drawings inside and change them out easily.  It even holds up to 50 pages so you don't have to throw away the amateur works of art!

 

Oh, I am happy, fulfilled, and overwhelmed (in a good way!).  Thank you to my husband, friends, and family members who made me feel very special and loved on my birthday.  Who cares about crossing into another decade when it's this much fun? :)

 

Jessica 

A Beautiful Thing

Do you know what this is?

It's a thing of beauty.

This is my To-Do list.  It's a white board on the side of my fridge.  I use those colorful dry-erase markers to jot down things I need to do.  There's no rhyme or reason to the colors, although I usually use red or orange for the most urgent items.

Well, I just finished the last three items today.  I seriously think this only happens once or twice per year where the board is blank.  It won't last long.  I even used Windex to clean this well-used board to give it a fresh start.

Every day is filled with good and bad.  Today Griffin had a horrible morning (disobeying) but at lunch he cheered Nora up when she got scared by a gnat in our house (yes, a gnat).  Today I learned of a dear friend's heartache, and I felt the weariness of another precious friend.  The bank teller forgot to give us suckers when we went through the drive-up.  I woke up feeling great, but all the familiar symptoms are returning right this very moment.  

But I'm so thankful that I have wonderful friends who share their hearts with me.  And I'm so blessed to have healthy, rambunctious children.  And who needs bank suckers when we still have loads of Easter candy?

I don't care how silly it may seem, I am excited about this beautiful, pristine white board.  

And did you notice the little card on the fridge by my white board?  It's Philippians 4:6 in NLT:

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done."

See?  God has sent Philippians 4 to follow me everywhere I go.  I am thankful for all God has done for me, big and small.  I'm a work in progress, but at least we're making progress, right? :)

Jessica

My Kitchen Bucket List

Some people make lists of things they want to do before they die.  I haven't quite gotten that far, but I have made lists of things I want to bake.  I'm sure I will continue to add to this list, but for now these are the things I want to learn to make from scratch:

• Tarts and tartlets (with fruit slices arranged all artistically)
• Popovers
• Cheesecake
• Cupcakes from scratch (I always use boxed cake mix)
• Macarons
• Meringue
• Curd (lemon, orange, etc.)
• Bagels 
• Homemade pasta
• Souffles
• Taffy
• Brittle (I would like hazelnut brittle or almond and sesame seed brittle)
• Pate a choux (for making cream puffs, eclairs, etc.)

I always enjoy a new challenge, and these are some of the foods I have yet to conquer.  No lofty goals yet, like making 31 new things before my 31st birthday.  I just hope to spend some quality time in my kitchen expanding my baking and cooking skills.

What's on your list of things to try?

Jessica