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By Micaela, on May 16th, 2012 in making cute things
I mentioned a while back that I was taking Raechel Myers‘ Sewing 101 course. It was awesome! I understand my sewing machine so much better and I’m not afraid of it anymore (well, not that afraid.) I get into a lot less fights with it now too. The course was like therapy for my relationship with my sewing machine, apparently.
I won’t show you everything I made, but if you look through the outline on her Sewing 101 page, I did it all! Go me. I will, however show you the final project. I’m “handing it in” a couple of days late, but I’m still super proud of myself.
We made Portabello Pixie’s Market Bag. I bought the fabric last Thursday and didn’t look at the prices while I was picking out the fabric. “It’s just a bag, how much could that much fabric possibly cost?” is what I was thinking. Turns out, a lot. And it turns out that was the best thing I could have ever done, because I was SO CAREFUL while making the bag because of that. I was actually nervous the whole time because I didn’t want to mess up and have to start again. It’s ridiculous how many little details go into a pattern like this.
Not that it’s perfect. But I think it’s pretty darn good. I was actually working without the pattern book, just the pattern pieces (long story) so all of my instruction came straight from Raechel’s videos. She did an amazing job with them! And I only ended up with one extra pocket… hm. If anyone wants to make the bag, I have a pocket for you!
Those were some close-ups, here’s the whole thing!
Again, here’s the link to her course. Even though she’s done posting lessons, she’s leaving them all up there and if you’ve been wanting to learn to sew, Raechel is truly the best person to teach you.
By Micaela, on May 16th, 2012 in the bachelorWe are die-hard Bachelor fans in this house. Every season we each pick four favourites during the first episode – and it has to be when they’re first coming in and meeting the bachelor/bachelorette, and track how they do. It’s the only show we HAVE to watch when it’s on, others we just PVR and watch whenever we get around to them. We even watch the commercials. That’s love, if you ask me. And we never read spoilers!
Here’s the Bachelorette for the season which just started on Monday, Emily (I adore her!):
I don’t know if they did the best job of picking guys for Emily this year, but we both chose four anyways. All my picks made it through the first round, and three of Kent’s did. Here’s who we chose:
Kent’s picks:
Doug
Mike
Charlie
Randy, who got cut (I think she should have kept him.)
My picks:
Arie (I think he’ll be in the top two.)
Ryan
Nate
Alejandro
Are you watching? Who’s your pick?
By Micaela, on May 13th, 2012 in baby love | happy holidaysNot to talk this to death, but in case you thought I was crazy for not thinking that Casey’s hair is too long from the picture yesterday, here are a few pictures from today that show what it actually looks like now. I caught Hailey standing behind him springing his curls today. So cute!
Hope all my mom-readers had a great day! I woke up to Kent and Casey bringing me a surprise McDonalds for breakfast in bed. We took an early trip to the gym but sadly I quickly realized I was feeling pretty awful. I took a rest when we got back and then headed to a bridal shower for my cousin’s fiance. When I got back Kent had the house all cleaned and had made rhubarb muffins. Late in the afternoon my dad came by to help Kent cut down a huge tree that Kent has decided he wants out of the yard and then we all ate dinner outside. I put Casey to bed, Kent’s playing guitar in the basement, and I’m feeling like an early bedtime is in order. Just in case you wanted a play-by-play. I like doing that sometimes – it feels like old school blogging. I’d be happy to hear yours too!
And of course a big happy mothers day to my own wonderful mom and equally wonderful mother in law!
SO, official Casey-hair poll: Time to cut or not time to cut?
By Micaela, on May 12th, 2012 in Uncategorized
Just wanted to share some cute pictures of my babe and some day to day life stuff. Don’t be fooled by how perfectly still this little boy is sitting. He’d just learned how to climb up on to the couch himself and was SO proud of himself. His new favourite activity is running across the couches. It’s terrifying. “He’s like a wild animal,” Kent said today as we tried to get some financial stuff done with Casey in the room (impossible.) Living with this boy is pretty much how I imagine living with a monkey would be.
However, we took him out today and he was an angel, and also napped for a total of about five hours. That just about makes up for any heart palpitations he gives us while we save him from flying off the end of the couch.
His hair looks really long, doesn’t it? After I took that picture I asked Kent if he thought Casey needed a haircut and he thought we could wait a few more weeks. I swear in person it doesn’t look so girl-ish. However if you see him in person and think he needs a haircut, you are allowed to tell me.
By Micaela, on May 9th, 2012 in Uncategorized
- I’ve been working for the same teacher for the last week. Her job is to go around to primary classes and teach science. It’s pretty much perfect – a great school and right around the corner from Casey’s daycare. The kids are just amazing – on Monday a girl came in with posters she’d drawn for fun about the water cycle which I’d taught them about the previous week. You better believe I had her present them to the class! At the end of the day today a boy told me he was going to go home and play the science computer game that we’d played in class today. When they see me in the halls they are all “science teacher!” and hug me. Can’t I stay forever, please? It’s almost making me re-think my plans to be a high school teacher. I don’t think high school students raise their hands in the middle of class and say, “You look pretty.”
- I’ve been meaning to write a blog about returning to work and have started a few but not gotten very far. It’s been a pretty easy transition for both Casey and I. He wiggles with excitement when we walk up to his daycare. Honestly, I don’t think my attitude towards being a working mom would be anywhere near as positive as it is if I didn’t have two months off in the summer to spend with Casey. There are definitely days where I feel completely behind on everything, but I always feel like Casey and I are just as bonded as we were when I was with him all the time. Which is the main thing, of course.
- We’ve had a bit of a change of future plans in the past couple weeks. Kent will now be going to school for all of July, having three placements each a month long next year, and school again the following July. It is SO MUCH BETTER I can’t even tell you. The previous plan was for him to commute an hour and a half each day from next September to June. Right now he’s working a 9-5 job for a change. Monday night I put Casey to bed and heard him cleaning the kitchen downstairs. I mean – what? I don’t have to come downstairs to a messy from dinner kitchen every night? Is this how normal family life is supposed to be? Last night after Casey went to bed he went out and did groceries. I was kind of a single mom most nights until now – well, besides the huge point that there was a guy working and making money for our family – and now it suddenly feels like we’re so much more of a real family. It does have it’s downsides though – I really want to watch Bethenny right now but Kent beat me to the TV soooo, hockey it is.
- It’s the most wonderful time of the year – Starbucks happy hour week! Half price frappucinos! I used to swear by caramel but my current fave is Caffe Vanilla. What’s your frap of choice?
- Because a blog isn’t a blog without a picture… here’s a happy picture of Casey while I tickled him with my feet one morning. I love this shot for some reason. He’s the best. I fight not to end every post with those exact words. This time I’m not fighting it!
By Micaela, on April 25th, 2012 in Uncategorized
Someone’s been paying attention to his daddy playing guitar. He has the hand positions almost-right. Huh.
By Micaela, on April 18th, 2012 in UncategorizedI grew up in house full of girls, now I live with two boys.
And let me show you what that’s like:
Kent’s been wrestling with Casey for quite some time now. Nice to see that Casey’s picking up some moves!
It’s crazy to think now that I once thought I wanted all girls. What did I know?
The only problem with raising a boy: Today Casey excitedly pointed out a backhoe/excavator/digger thing and I didn’t know the name of it so I couldn’t tell him. Some machinery board books are needed in this house, stat.
By Micaela, on April 13th, 2012 in Uncategorized
- Most life-changing news first: Kent will be heading to school in September! On April 1st we found out that he got in to teacher’s college! He’s hoping to teach cooking in high schools and this would be awesome for our family because the hours of a chef aren’t exactly family-friendly. He’ll be a great teacher for sure. It’s only a ten-month program so while next year will be stressful (and poor), it will be more than worth it in the long run.
- We had a great Easter with Casey. When you have a baby it’s all about all of the exciting firsts so it’s funny to me that he’s now on his second round of all of the holidays. It was even better than the first because it was so cute watching him run around outside looking for those little plastic eggs. He LOVES those eggs. I don’t get it. Must be a baby thing.
- My sister Katelyn and my cousin Lucas were the official Easter egg hunt photographers. It’s pretty sweet having two aspiring photographers in the family.
 
- I put Casey in his first tie on Easter. And then I died every time I looked at him. I asked Katelyn to take a picture of him and she took the job very seriously, which was excellent because taking a nice picture of a fifteen month old is a pretty close to impossible task. She succeeded though!
- Kent’s not the only one taking courses! I’m taking Raechel Myers’ Sewing 101 class at the moment. Although I’ve sewn a bunch of things, Raechel is taking the time to teach all of the fundamentals, which I would have never sat down and learned on my own. I would have just made a whole bunch of mistakes and learned the hard way. So if you’re wanting to learn to sew, she’s your girl. Honestly, Raechel could teach a course on how to properly boil water and I’d take it.
- Aaaannnd there goes the recess bell. Back to work!
By Micaela, on March 31st, 2012 in baby love
A few months ago I said I was going to stop doing these updates, but every month so many exciting new developments happen that I just can’t quit yet.
This month was Casey’s biggest month yet, I’d say. At the beginning of the month I was reading my sister Katelyn’s 15 month post about her daughter Hailey and so surprised by all that Hailey was doing and saying. Well I don’t know if it was because I was off work with him for a week this month or if it was just Casey being ready, but he now says so many words. Most of them don’t actually sound like what they are supposed to sound like, but my aunt, a daycare teacher, says that as long as they are trying to say it, that counts as a word. Works for me.
So these are Casey’s words (SO awesome! I’ve always been anxious for him to be able to talk to me!):
mama
dada
kitty
puppy
hi
bye
no
uh-oh
car
bus
ball
peekaboo
calculator (don’t be too impressed by the last two, they both sound like ca-ca-ca)
papa
milk
….and his all time favourite word: more!
16 words! I can’t wait to see where we are next month.
Casey is also really good at following directions now and pointing to things that we ask him to point to. He loves pointing. From the minute that I get him up in the morning to the minute he goes to bed, he’s got his arm stuck way out and his pointer finger out. Every day he amazes me with a couple of new things that he can do. The other day I handed him a folded up dirty diaper for the first time and said “put your diaper in the garbage” and he walked right over and put it in. Yesterday we were having dinner with the tv in the background. He said “bus” and I looked over and sure enough there was a school bus on the tv. Later he said “bus” and I looked outside and our neighbour wad driving out of his driveway in his truck. I guess we’ll work on truck next.
Daycare is going great – his teacher gushes over how much the other kids love him, which as a mom is so nice to see. In fact, she has a rule that no one is allowed to touch Casey in the first few minutes that he arrives, because it’s too overwhelming for the little guy – so they all just crowd around him. It’s hilarious.
He’s so cheeky too. Lauren’s eyes get really squinty when she smiles, and whenever she smiles at Casey, he smiles back, squints his eyes big time, and juts his chin out. Poor Lauren, but come on. It’s hilarious.
And the curls. He’ll get whatever he wants someday, because of them. I know that for sure. Kent will look at this blog tonight and say to me later, “Those pictures on your blog? He’s STUNNING.”
(The baby in the chair idea: I have to give Elizabeth from E Tells Tales credit for that one. Casey does not stay still ever, and I remembered E’s pictures of her baby sitting so lovely (and so cute, come on) on a chair so I tried it out and it worked like a charm. He loved it and pointed to the chair multiple times afterwards and and asked for “more!”)
By Micaela, on March 23rd, 2012 in from the blogging archivesRight now I’m reading some of my old blogs from fiveblondes.com. They go back to 2007 – whaaat! You’d think that reading them, they’d feel like a lifetime ago, considering all that has happened since then. Nope, feels like yesterday.
Honestly I think that having things written down helps preserve the memories – you think about them again while writing them, read them over and over, and eventually they’re so ingrained in there there that they’re not going anywhere.
Many (most) of the old blogs don’t deserve to see the light of day on this blog, to be honest. It sounds like I wrote them while I was running out the door. It’s so different from the way people (including myself) blog these days where everything is over-thought out. Half refreshing, half, come on Micaela, get it together. And take a breath, while you’re at it.
Oh well. I still love them. I just don’t want you to go back and read them all. Please and thank you.
This post was from December 2007. I wasn’t married or even engaged yet, I wasn’t a teacher yet, in fact at the time I was a bank teller for one (very fun, I might add) year long stint, living on my parents’ farm.
I seriously suck at this whole blogging thing!! BUT!! I am going to try. Every time I write one I stop halfway through and delete it so this is your promise that that won’t happen this time. Even if this is the most boring thing you have ever read I promise that I will keep on truckin.
So today is Tuesday otherwise known as my day off! Also my payday so it means I always do a lot of napping and shopping. This morning I went shopping with my two friends named Michelle. We finished up a bit of Christmas shopping then went out for lunch, then to Chapters for awhile. After that I took a nice long nap. Leah and I stayed up way too last last night playing guitar so it was needed. I taught her her first 3 chords! And a song! Later I will go to Kent’s house and try to set up my ipod. The instruction booklet seems to say (in picture form with no words) that I just hook it up to my computer, open up itunes and it will magically work… that did not happen. Nothing happened. So I need to figure it out.
This morning I got the weirdest call from some solicitor, who seem to call here at least 3 times a day. They said they are marketing magazines to Thorndale, Ontario (haha if they had ever been to Thorndale they would know that right away that sounds way fishy) and for free they would like to send us a subscription to Style at Home Decorating, Canadian Living, and Lulu, this new shopping magazine that I think Erica reads sometimes. That sounded great to me, and all they needed to know were some of my hobbies. After I told them some hobbies they told me that in order to get the magazines we would have to subscribe to Macleans for only $2 a week. What a stupid catch. We already get Macleans from Oma, AND Michelle P bought her dad a subscription to Macleans for a year for Christmas and it only cost $48! So basically they are charging us double for something we don’t even want in the first place. UGH… I was looking forward to that Style At Home Decorating magazine coming here every month along with the House & Home we already get that I love. So that is the story about how I almost got us three magazine subscriptions for free but then found out that I am just naive and should not have trusted them in the first place.
I am looking forward to Christmas but it will be my first Christmas Day away from home. I’m going to Kent’s family’s house because he never gets to see them ever, and I haven’t even met most of his extended family. His nana is coming up from Cape Breton so I think it’s important that I meet her. I’m really hoping the weather cooperates because the last 2 times we’ve tried to go to Toronto, there has been huge snowstorms. Kent will be sooo sad if he misses Christmas with his fam. I’m really excited for it, especially to meet his 3 aunts that he says will be obsessed with me. I’m not really sure why… but… it will be interesting anyways!
Really not too much has changed – I’m still bad at blogging from time to time, still have two friends named Michelle, still stay up way too late when Leah sleeps over (she sleeps in our bed and we make Kent sleep on the couch), still iPod (and everything i) challenged, still love shopping, still plagued by telephone solicitors (and still blog about it!), still have to make the frustrating decisions about where to spend holidays – although Kent’s family is still great, which makes the decision much easier. The only part I’m still not too sure about is is why he thought his aunts would adore me. Oh, and my guitar teaching days are long over. I’ve put the guitar down because I live with a musical prodigy and will never measure up. Sad, but true.
Hope you enjoyed!
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I'm Micaela - a twenty-eight year old teacher married to a pretty cool chef named Kent.
We live in Ontario, Canada with our one year old son Casey.
Thanks for reading!
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