Change is in the wind…all I will say is that Brian and I visited with Martin Onken this weekend in our home.  We will keep you updated when things are set in stone. 

Now for the finished product…back and front.  We ended up doing all three.  I am a pro at invisible zippers now.  I learned a lot from this experience.  By that I mean mostly sewing knowledge but also not to pay until the work is done to your satisfaction in cases such as these.

We had a decent weekend.  Things are starting to cool off much more.  Last week was pretty hot but it felt cooler this weekend.  Dwaine and Diane headed back up to Park City to do some more work and we don’t expect them back til mid week. 

I wish our house would sell for the same as the house across the street from M and D.  We would be giddy to take even half. 

As promised…These are portions of three different dresses. 

The sleeve…

The hem… notice the top part is glued up.  The glue shows through on the outside.  The bottom is serged.

Another fine hem example.  I think she just gave up at this point and started serging the whole thing.

The sleeve again, with….is that a Twinkie cream stain?

I have always thought zippers are challanging….but, come on!  At the bottom of it you will see a little dark spot on each side of the zipper.  That is glue.  There is a big hole under the zipper and she tried gluing it together. 

Here it is from a distance.  Lovely isn’t it.  This is the back.  We took off the train so you could see the puckering a little better.  So, imagine the same stuff hanging from the sleeves wraped thinly around the waist and a sheer train as well. 

Now here is something not quite as disasterous.  Serra~V~ with sweet potatoes on her eyebrow.  Her bib has seen better days as well.  She gets a little feisty at meal time on occasion.  That spoon is so interesting. 

Thought you farm boys might be interested in this.  This is Eric, Brian’s brother, with his first elk.  And below is thier youngest, Maiah.  Does she look like her Granny Anderson or what?

We can’t forget about Erica.  She is thier oldest.

Brian nearly finished the bathroom on Monday.  It’s done enough to move in and I did at 11:00 that night.  I am so glad to have it back and not have the bathroom all over the bedroom. 

I spent some time with Teresa and the dresses yesterday and I think the skirt thing will work fine.  I need to take pictures of the worst dress and then I will astound you all.  Even you non-sewers will be amazed.  I think Baby Serra could have done better. 

Thankyou, Liesl, I would like to take you up on the car seat. 

Brian is home today and working on the bathroom.  He came in to me only moments ago and asked if he had my OK to buy a saw.  See what happens, Jeff.  Bathroom needs repair, husband needs a new tool.  I said it was ok if he could make the old countertop work, off setting the cost a bit.  So he is in heaven right now.  Otherwise known as the HOME DEPOT.  I don’t expect him back for a while. 

Serra wore a new frock yesterday.  One that I made from old clothes.  Here are some pictures.  It is sort of a family picture as we are all there.  I’m in the mirror.

The hat is still a little big for her.  We found if we propped it up on her ears it stayed on really well.  She sure looked cute.  She makes all the ladies a church squeal and pinch her cheeks.  All are amazed that she will leave a hat on.  That is because I made them and I told her they were very hard to make and I would really appreciate it if she would wear them.  She is very obedient.

An obviously happy child.  She is smiling at Daddy on the left and and the picture on the ceiling on the right. 

Yesterday morning a friend of mine named Teresa called me and asked me for help.  She said she just received the bridesmaids dresses for her brothers wedding next Saturday and they are not wearable.  I asked what the problem was and she said they were too small and all bunchy everywhere.  I told her to bring them over and I would give her my opinion on what could be done. 

A little background.  It is actually her brother in law getting married and to a not very nice girl.  She has even lied to her future in law, telling them she needs their daughter to baby sit her five year old (she was previously married) so she could take her to an EMINEM concert.  She knew they wouldn’t approve so she worked up a story.  Luckily she didn’t get away with it, but not a good way to start good relations with your fiances family.  Anyway she has 11 bridesmaids including 3 from Teresa’s family.  She told everyone that she has a friend that is a really good seamstress and will sew all the dresses for $100 a piece.  They thought that was all right.  So Teresa’s mother-in-law was paying for the 3 for their family.  They were “fitted” three times.  The bride dropped them off on Saturday night and left.  They took them out to try them on and Teresa can’t even get it past her elbow.  Another dress for a bigger girl is even smaller than Teresa’s, the zippers are so bad they make S shapes down the back and are all bunchy, there are burn marks from the iron, grease from food, seam are already coming loose and she tried gluing those areas, so there are holes all over.  The hems are glued, and so uneven it is amazing (mid calf in area, below the ankle in other.  I was sick to my stomach and it’s not even my families wedding.  I can’t even list all the problems, it is one of those things you have to see.  Anyway they are not salvageable.  If worn, they will fall apart in minutes.  I recommended pulling off the bodice and making skirts if we can even undo the seams enough to make them fit.  The material was cut so unevenly that I don’t know if it will work.  Oh yeah! Some of the hems are glued, and others were just serged at the bottom. 

I don’t understand how anyone in good conscience could have accepted money for those.  They are hideous.  If they end up trying the skirt thing, I will take pictures of them for you all. 

Now that my time is not spent working most of my waking hours, I spend time trying to save money.  Brian says I probably make up the difference in gas running to different stores to get certain items for a few cents cheaper.  I think it all adds up to big savings.  For instance, chicken breasts, 4 lb bag, $6.49.  Usually $12.00.  Point – I went to Vons today to buy chicken and outside were these tiny little cub scouts who looked about 4, selling expo tickets (jamboree equivalent) They were so darling all dudded up in their blue and gold, I just had to buy one.  Didn’t they used to be a dollar.  They were three, but I consider scouts worthy of contributions.  Anyway, a scoutmaster thanked me for my support and I was proud to inform him I came from a family with 5 brothers and a father that are eagle scouts.  He was impressed and commented that I understood what this was all about then.  Thanks boys for making me feel proud. 

Julie – always creating drama.  Like you need anymore.  Hope you are feeling better.  Please don’t try to be superwoman.  You have reason to stay still and do nothing for a while.  Read something, or better yet, CATCH UP ON YOUR SCRAPBOOKING.    I know you are very behind.  Make this whole thing work for you. 

Brian has managed to get Monday off.  Last Thursday off was not without a price.  Cary took his originally scheduled day (Saturday) off as well, even after taking 2 days off to be sick.  Leaving Brian short handed again today.  I get so mad.  Brian just doesn’t want to start any battles especially when he figures he won’t be there too much longer.  (Hopefully) 

Dwaine finally has taken a break from working on the cabin.  He has been up there for a full month.  It has been a little long and lonely up there for him.  Apparently he made friends with and named a squirrel.  Can’t think of the name right now.  He will take a week off and then head back up.  It’s taken a bit longer than the once planned week and a half. 

Serra~V~ has discovered her toes.  She plays with them while singing gleefully.  She is such a delight.  Brian and I just marvel at how cute and wonderful she is.  I think she knows it. 

It’s a miracle.  Brian dropped by Cary’s last night on the way home to drop off some keys and was told to take today off.  I don’t know how they are handling things at the branch and I don’t really care.  He gets a little break.  Hallelujah!

I know all we ever do is complain about Brian’s job, so I will start with some positives before I rip it apart again.  First off, it has given him a valuable resume filler and some needed experience for grad school.  And second, it has afforded us a home, car and baby.  Those are really nice things, especially the baby.  So, know that we are very grateful for that. ….HOWEVER…Brian is working pretty much by himself this week.  It is unlikely he will get a day off in who knows how long, as another person in their branch quit cold turkey, no notice.  Then Cary (manager), called in sick yesterday and today which leaves Brian alone.  So he has had to work with the psycho, bi-polar area manager for two days.  She cracks under pressure so Brian has an overwrought female to deal with on top of everything.  He works 7-7.  With a half hour drive at both ends.  It will never get better with Enterprise.  I never see him and when he is home at 8 in the evening he is exhausted physically, emotionally, and mentally.  He was in bed by ten last night and up again by 5:30.  He doesn’t complain either.  Makes me want to cry. 

This is from my comment on Jeff’s site:  Raise your hand if you are going to CA for Thanksgiving.  If the majority are, I think we should do our memories then.  If I am in charge (which is fine) I am going to make it so.  Some of our family slacked greatly last year and either did not make a contribution or waited until Christmas day.  (Myself included)  So here is my plan.  Since we are all of, or past dating age, memories will be of a memorable dating experience or lack of dating in my case.  Best/worst/most embarrassing.  Start thinking now and have them snail mailed or e-mailed to me by November 15th (no later). We will share on T-day.  If you can’t think of one, the default memory is best or worst day yet. 

I forgot to tell about my great shopping trip Saturday.  I went to the JCP sale and found a rack that had stuff on clearance for $2.77  I found 5 items that I needed including 2 pair of Jeans, long white pants, and 2 shirts.  With all the discounts they were each $1.30.  Yes, that is $6.50 for 5 items.  Then I splurged on 2 other shirts for $3.50 a piece.  I love clearance racks when they work for me. 

TWO TEETH…. Serra~V~ has successfully broken through another tooth, right next to the first.  This whole process does not seem to bother her in the least.  Lots of drooling, but no sickness or crankiness.   I will be cranky today though.  I have to have a filled cavity removed and replaced.  All my old ones are slowly coming out.  So, it doesn’t matter that I never get cavities anymore, the old ones come back to haunt me.

Last night at 11:30 Brian and I were trying, in vain, to sleep.  Baby V decided this was a good time to practice her singing.  She continued happily to vocalize in the dark as we tried to shush her.  I peeked over the edge of the basinet to behold a smiling face and put my hand in, only to have it grabbed and bitten.  I thought to myself, this is a strange little sharp thing in my baby’s mouth.  So as not to disturb Brian who had managed to fall asleep anyway and was quietly snoring, I took out the flashlight and much to V’s dismay, shined it right in her mouth.  It took me a minute, but I finally got the tongue out of the way long enough to see one white little tooth just barely broken through on the bottom of her tiny mouth.  This explains the blood I found on her sweater sleeve twice.  I couldn’t figure out where it was coming from.  She was probably biting her sleeve. 

The story of Ubiquitous Man is so long and interesting, I may just save it for a memory book entry.  It might be useful to break out the journal and get all the facts, etc.. just right.  Then maybe the following year I will write about Mattress Man or even the Deseret Industry Setup.  I leave you to wonder. 

We saw a commercial the other day that asked if your house was built between certain dates and move into after this date, to call a number or go to their web site.  As we fit the profile, Brian took the initiative, and it looks like our house may have been built with faulty plumbing.  NO KIDDING!  We are looking into this though.