Yay for Christmas!!

Well I never got to update everyone on the showing we had this week. I was told that it went well. The people that looked at it were in the very early stages of looking at homes. They had scheduled showings from morning till night. Of all the homes they saw, ours ranked up near the top and will probably warrant a second showing. They really liked our Christmas light decorations outside...haha I guess it's the little things. The realtor said it showed well and had many if not all the things they were looking for in a home. So we'll see what happens.

I've been really excited about this Christmas. I've wanted to learn how to sew for a very long time, but I always felt it was out of reach for me. I'm still not sure I can do something complicated like a pattern for clothes....mainly because I don't know all the terminology and how to read the dumb patterns but...I've been building up my confidence on small projects like the bandana dresses, bibs and snuggle blankets. So I found quite a few cute kid projects over the last few months and I've been waiting for a time to be able to make them. I've decided on a couple for the kids Christmas presents. Mom has been so very kind to let me borrow hers....but these projects have taken a LOT of hours and I only have my nights to work on them after Alli goes to bed, so I've been biding my time to get my own machine.

This Black Friday didn't excite Ben or myself. I asked him if there was anything that we needed and should take the opportunity to get while sales were on. Ben and I agreed there wasn't anything pressing but then he looked at me and said, "why don't you go buy yourself a sewing machine?" Normally I would have said thanks but push it aside and say it wasn't a need and it could wait. But this time...I really felt like if I had my own machine I might start making more things on my own...so I gave in and began looking at the sale circulars. I found this beauty! **I LOVE BEN**I would have been very happy with a beginners machine but mom convinced me that with the sales, if we could afford it, it would be worth getting this upgraded machine so that it would last me much longer. I have to say, after working with mom's since I began, I LOVE the little upgraded features. Mom's machine was a great machine to get started...so I can't wait to see what this one can do.

I put it to use tonight to make an ADORABLE bag for Caitlin's gift!I'm so stoked about how CUTE it turned out. I was just going to make the bag but mom gave me an awesome idea to add the applique fish to the front...so it let's her know what's inside! ADORABLE! **For those of you who don't know what I'm making, its a fishing set so she can fish inside on rainy days** I can't wait to finish Noah, Eli, Alaina and Carter's gifts as well. I will probably eventually make all this same stuff for Alli but I wanted to make sure I finished the Christmas gifts first.