"The bomb diggety..."

Kris left for a short trip to Chicago on Wednesday morning - VERY EARLY.  When I got up with the kids I was surprised by a few love notes placed around the house and in the truck...

What a sweet husband I have!

I am a LUCKY girl!!!

Thank you Kris,
I love you!!!!

Gingerbread creations

Making gingerbread creations has become one of our family's favorite Christmas traditions.
Here are a few pictures of our gingerbread from 2006 through 2010.

2010

2010

2009

2009

2009

2009

2008

2008

2008

2007

2006

2006

2006

This year I took Mason and Anna to the George Eastman House not only to tour the house and learn about Mr. Eastman, but to view all of their Sweet Creations. 

Watch this little video to see some of the cool stuff we saw!
If you have never been, you should check it out!  

November 9, 2011 through December 14, 2011

Pretty Aprons

I am pretty sure most of you know that I LOVE pretty aprons.
There are lots of websites where you can buy pretty aprons:

• Flirty Aprons

• Susan & Veronica

• Girly Aprons

• Jessie Steele

Or you could try to make your own pretty apron?

Well...in the Spring I had taken a trip to Joann Fabrics to get some kind of craft supply and was distracted by an apron pattern on the shelf. Right then and there I purchased the pattern and several yards of coordinating fabrics.  I got the materials home, opened the pattern and started to read....

It did not take long to realize that I had NO IDEA what to do!

As it turned out, summer came and time flew by, and then this Sunday there was an article in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle - "Not your grandmother's apron."

This was inspiration an enough to get my head back in the game.  I mean really if I an change a tire on a tractor, change our light switched to dimmer switches and install magnetic doorstops, I should be able to follow a pattern and sew an apron!

Sunday afternoon the kids and I had plans to go over to my Mom's house to visit and have dinner. I packed up all my supplies and brought them along. Mom can sew and I NEED her help!
Mom looked over the supplies that I brought along and then she got me started.  We used some of her old fabric to "practice." Before dinner we had and apron and I had a much better understanding of the sewing vocabulary!  THANK YOU Mom!

With my new found confidence following my sewing lesson, I decided to get started STAT!  I started an apron project ON MY OWN! I even tried using bias binding, not my favorite part of the project.

Let me show you...

My very first, made by me, all by myself pretty apron!

This was a fun project and I will be making many more :)

Thanx again for the help Mom, I couldn't have done it with out you.

P.S. Anna now knows that I can sew and she has requested that I start making her some dresses and maybe a few matching ones for Chrissa, her American Girl Doll.

Fabric Mender

Who knew?  Who knew there was such a thing as Liquid Stitch - Fabric Mender?  Well, I didn't! But, I found it at Walmart.
I have a FAVORITE pair of jeans and the denim was starting to get a hole.  I did not want to put a patch on, but I did not want holey jeans either.  It looks like white glue that you spread on the tear, allow it to dry.

This stuff works AWESOME!!!

Halloween 2011 recap

The Zip Family Halloween 2011

We picked our pumpkins at Powers Farm Market this year.  Usually, I insist on picking them fresh from the patch, but time was would not allow us that this year. We headed over to the farm market to select our already picked pumpkins. We also took a look inside the Powers Farm Market tee pees, a first time for Kris, Mason and Anna.

Time to dress up for the school Halloween Parade... Anna designed her own costume this year - WAY TO GO ANNA!  Anna is dressed up as her version of Draculara from Monster High.

 

 Anna designed her own costume this year - WAY TO GO ANNA!  Anna is dressed up as her version of Draculara from Monster High.

 

Mason dressed up as a Ninja - a popular choice for boys his age this year.  Weapons stayed home from school :)

 

While Kris was hunting on Saturday morning the kids and I headed out for a little Halloween fun...Trick or Treating at Wegmans - Holt Rd and Trick or Treating in the Village of Webster for the Trick or Treat Trail.

Mason's pumpkin - inspired from designs in the tee pees.

Anna's pumpkin - Dog face - he looks like her dog Whiffer.

Kris made his pumpkin look like a grumpy old lady.

Monday, October 31 and it is FINALLY time to Trick or Treat!

Adeline, Connor, Jay, Tarra, Mason, Austin, & Anna

The Dads (Rodd, Dave, and Kris) took all the kidstrick or treating - THANK YOU!
While us Moms (Joan, Linda, and I) stayed in to hand out candy :)

Oh and after trick or treating, Kris and I played a little dress-up in Rodd's fireman suit...

Kris tried to look the part, ready with the hose to put out the blaze, while I just tried to keep all the heavy gear from falling off or pulling me down :)

Lego Robotics

This stuff is Sooooooo COOL!
Mason's school offered a program for 4th graders, but space was limited.  If you were interested in participating you had to submit an essay and if more than 20 students applied 10 boys and 10 girls would be randomly selected to participate.

Here are a few video clips from Mason's Lego Robotics!

Mason loved this so much, he is hoping to get his own Lego Robotics kit?
Are you LEGO Smart?