No Hot Glue Here!!

The blog entry is about me.....plan and simple.

Every Christmas I have ordered the Christmas American Girl pajamas for Cora and one of her dolls.  Cora is the owner of Bitty (the American Girl baby) and Kit and Chrissa (American Girls).  Because the pajama set only comes with one set of doll pjs there is a constant struggle every Christmas to decide who will wear the new Christmas pajamas.

This year.....We will have equality for all America Girls.  I decided to make Cora pajama pants and matching pajama pants for all her AG dolls.  And.....I didn't spend the insane amount of money on American Girl pajamas! 

So the weekend after Thanksgiving I bought everything I needed to make all the pajama pants which included an EASY Learn To Sew pattern!  I would venture to say that the last time I actually sewed something that required me to pin a pattern on fabric was in Independant Living (home ec) in high school!  So Learn To Sew patterns are a plus!

Now you must know a little something about me first.....I LOVE HOT GLUE!  I hot glue everything!  I have been known to hot glued patches on girl scout vests and even make halloween costumes!! 

I made this costume entirely with HOT GLUE!  And we still have it in our dress up box!!

 

I have had a sewing machine for awhile.....I asked for it one Christmas.  I just felt like everyone should have a sewing machine right?  So my mom bought me one.  I have used it.....a few times!  But I was positive that I would be able to pull off this pajama idea.  Steve always thinks that all my ideas are great.  At least that is what he says....but in his mind I am sure he was screaming, "JUST BUY THE PAJAMAS!"  He knew what would happen.  I would let the supplies sit in a bag until the week before Christmas (which is too late to actually order pajamas!) and then FREAK OUT when I messed up the pants.

Well....he was right....I did wait until a week before Christmas....and I did freak out a tiny bit when I broke a needle right off the bat.  But 2 days later.......DRUM ROLL PLEASE.....

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WE HAVE CHRISTMAS PAJAMAS......And not a drop of hot glue!

~Cora's Mom.....Bitty, Kit and Chrissa's Grandma

The Little Things......

Cora is one that notices things that no one else notices.  She is aware of what people wore: their earrings, purse that matches the outfit or even the shade of lipstick.  When she was younger I would ask about how her day was at school she would give me a run down of her teacher's outfit of that day or what color nailpolish she had on that day.  Cora loves pretty things.  She loves stores like Claires, her favorite lipgloss is Mary Kay Fancy Nancy, and her favorite nailpolish is OPI.  I used to think that because Cora was "aware" of these things that she focused too much on superficial things but this Sunday I realized it was something different.

While at church on Sunday, we were standing in line to receive communion and Cora quickly turns and taps me and points. I was of course getting ready to fuss at her, when she says, "Look at her socks!"  When I looked to my right I see a woman, my age, with a pair of Little Missmatched socks on!  I quickly acknowledged Cora's excitement but immediately focused her on being in line for communion. 

For those that really know Cora you know of her love of Little Missmatched .  The socks that this company sells come in threes.  All 3 socks are designed differently but they all coordinate so you can mix and match.  Now this woman's husband heard Cora's gasp and saw her point, but I assure you he had no idea what Cora was looking at because he probably has no idea what Little Missmatched is but to Cora this woman just became the coolest lady in church!

When we left church I thought that I could chalk that up to one more things that only Cora notices.  But then I realized....anyone can say, "You look nice today."  But Cora can say, "You had the most amazing socks on today."  Which one sounds more sincere?  I figured out then that Cora doesn't notice superficial things.....she notices details about people that no one else takes the time to appreciate.  We missed seeing that Little Missmatched woman after church.  I am sure that Cora would have made her day! 

Cora in all her Little Missmatched glory!  Even her hat is LMM (a present from JJ!)

 

 

~The Little Missmatched's Momma

In our house.....

In our house.......


Barack Obama is The President of the United States and our Commander-In-Chief. We do not use words like idiot or domestic terrorist....in fact we don't even use words like Democrat or Republican. 

In our house.....

We live respectful of the President of the United States knowing that this is the first Presidancy that our daughter is going to remember.

So today.....I took her out of school and we went to hear him speak at a rally in Virginia Beach.  Watching her.....watch him.....I will never forget it.

And whether she grows up to be a Democrat or Republican I hope that this nine year old will always remember this day.

 

 

 

We almost didn't get one.....but the nice girl in front of us gave Cora hers!

 

 

 

President Barack Obama

It seems like we were really far away but we weren't.  The camera would only zoom so far!

 

 

~Cora's Mom

 



Life is too short for play clothes!

This summer I had the absolute pleasure of going up to Annapolis and taking care of my beautiful niece for a few days before she started at daycare.  Of course I took Cora with me and she had a ball helping out with her (of course until it came time to change diapers)!  But Cora was all about taking her for walks, playing with her and feeding her. 

Best babysitter ever!!

 



Steve came up for the weekend and that gave him and Cora the opportunity to go to a game for a daddy daughter date night.  And since my brother was working at the ballpark that night, it gave me and my sister-in-law Kimberly a chance to sit and talk.  What I found myself doing was living vicariously through her as she discovers all the cute things there are for babies especially when it comes to clothes and shoes and just being a girl!  And loving it that we share somewhat the same taste when it comes to dressing our girls.  We were sharing strategies on taking advantage of sales and coupons at our favorite stores and what size she was getting ready to buy for the next season when I found myself sharing the same advice that my friend gave me when I had Cora.  "Life is too short for play clothes."  And I dressed Cora with that philosophy in mind every day while she was growing up. Because if you wait for the "perfect occassion" to wear that sweet, perfectly pink dress.....she will be grown out of it.  Put it on her.....wear it....got a stain on it??  That is what Oxyclean is for!! 

I would like to tell you we were going somewhere but we probably weren't.  Just have to look fabulous even for a normal day!

I have been thinking about that advice alot lately.  Often after I post pictures from the summer I hear "Man you guys are always on the go." or "You guys are always going somewhere."  Often times those words are spoken by people whose family lives here in town.  We are lucky now that we are back in Virginia that we do live near one of my cousin's and his family but if we want to see our family we have to go to them during the summer.  But I am a firm believer in making experiences for your children.  I am not going to sit around and waste a summer with nothing to do.  I am always ready for that next big thing to do or that really cool place to go.  Why??  Because "Life is too short for play clothes"  I never want to say "I wish we would have done that or gone there"  We just GO!

Abraham Lincoln musuem in Springfield, IL

A friend of mine from high school Tom Needham also writes a blog which I love to read and he wrote one over the summer about calling his dad every day.  He goes into realizing that one day he knows that he is going to call and his dad isn't going to answer.  Pretty sure Tom and his dad don't have any "play clothes" either.  For I know that when that time does come that Tom will have no regrets for the time he made for his dad.

I already have another adventure/experience in the works for Cora.  I will know in the next couple of days if it is going to work out.  As her parents I firmly believe that we are charged with raising a completely well-rounded child.  And I think we are doing a pretty good job.....and doing it without "play clothes"

~Cora's Mom
"Washer of the Clothes"

Guest Blog: My first Pinterest Project by: Cora Welsh

I am going to tell you about my Barbie doll house.  My mom found it on Pinterest .  We didn't have room for a big doll house.

We used my 9 squared shelf.  We took out the toys out of 3 squares and used the empty spaces.



We went to Jo Ann fabrics and found fabric remnants.  We went to Michael's and got scrapbook paper for the walls.  We went to Lowe's and got carpet samples for the TV room. 

This room is the kitchen.

This room is the bedroom.

This is the TV room.

We had some Barbie furniture.  Mommy let me use the boxes from her jewelry boxes to make the microwave, stove, dishwasher and couch.  I look in the kitchen to draw the microwave, stove and the dishwasher.  And we put fabric on the couch.

After we did that we put them in their rooms.

I had fun playing with it.  My friend Courtney liked it too.  I put my dogs and cats from Littlest Pet Shop in there too.

Bon Appetite

So I have decided to concentrate this summer on expanding Cora's food choices.  When I make dinner there are 3 things on the plate: protein, starch, veggie/fruit.  I have never been one to make a separate meal for Cora.  When I make dinner I make sure that she will likes at least 2/3 things that are on her plate.  But still at 9 years old Cora has some food texture issues....but my philosophy....just dip it in ketchup and eat it!  I used to be very good about introducing new foods to Cora.  I would start with the tiniest bite.  Then the next night the bite got a little bigger.  The next night a little bigger.  I know I heard somewhere that a new food needs to be tried like 10 times before they like it.  But it wasn't like I was asking her to try liver! 

I used this method to get her to eat potatoes.  She didn't eat potatoes until she was probably 5 but now she could have them at every meal!  My most recent feat was raw carrots.  I slivered them into matchsticks and would start with one.....then the next night two....and so on. 

Most recently I found out Cora was ditching her banana in the trash and telling me that she ate it.  I do respect that Cora has texture issues but throwing away food is not an option.  I mean I got her to eat potatoes right??  (I will confess that getting her to eat applesauce was a huge fail!)  So I told her that it was time to start trying new fruits.

This week we are trying blueberries.  So again we started with one.  Tonight we are one 3. 

Tonight we also started with cantelope. as well.

So Cora is living proof that it is never too late to try new foods.  And I am always proud when Cora tries something new because I know how difficult it is for her.  But this wouldn't be a Chronicles of Cora if there wasn't something funny.  So tonight I tried a new recipe Fajita Burgers.  But I made her burger first before I put in all the spices and peppers in the rest of the meat.  But they were made with ground turkey.  Now I know enough to know that there was no way I could mention this before she started eating the burger because she would have never eaten it.  So after she ate about half her burger I said in conversation that they were turkey burgers and she freaked out.  She exclaims that there was no way she was eating a turkey burger.  I laughed and told her to finish her burger and she takes a bite and mutters "I think I just ate a feather." 

~Cora's Chef

It's a Mother's Day of a Feathered Kind!

For this post I have to take you back to March, 2000 when we moved into our house in Chesapeake, VA.  The front porch had two hooks meant for hanging plants.  So I bought two hanging baskets of impatiens to make the house look more "homey".  As soon as we hung the plants, a robin made a nest in the one on the right and soon after that babies were born.  The funny thing about this is that every spring following that I have hung two baskets and a robin has made a nest in one of the baskets.....always the one on the right.

We lived in SC for 6 years.  And when preparing Cora to move back here we told her of the life we knew when we lived here before.  And when winter was finally over I took her to the store to buy two hanging baskets to hang on the front porch.  And told her of the robins that had visited us before.  It was only a matter of days before a robin had begun making a nest in one of the baskets....the one on the right!  And a few days after that......

The momma robin diligently sat upon her nest until her babies were born.  Three of the 4 were born last Friday night during a terrible storm! 

And by the next evening the 4th one was born.

Of course Cora wants to check on them every morning, so we have to shoo the momma bird every now and then so we can sneak a peek.  But we did some yard work last weekend, which allowed the momma to get some worms and bugs for her babies! 

It won't be long before we won't be able to take the basket down to look at them for fear of scaring the little ones.  But we did take one more picture of them today.





Isn't nature amazing....isn't God amazing?  It was as if they were waiting for us to come back home. 

Happy Mother's Day to everyone.....even the birds!

~Cora's Mom....and head bird keeper



It's not political....it's personal

So when you look up "wear your heart on your sleeve" in the idiom dictionary, a picture of Cora Welsh should be next to it. 

 Cora is the person that is friends with everyone and truly cares about what people think about her. She cares about what is right. Which makes watching the Evening News a little tricky.  We have started having to answer a lot of questions-some political.  Which depending on which parent she asks, she will get a different answer.  But please read this and keep it close to your heart.  I do not intend for this to spark political debate.  I just merely want to put some thoughts down of a an 8 year 364 day old little girl that definitely wears her heart on her sleeve.

My first story happened last Sunday.  When it first happened I wanted to blog about it immediately but instead I decided to let it sit for awhile.  I was in the bathroom doing my hair for church and I hear Cora tell Steve that she would be right back that she had to come and ask me a question.  Her question?  "Mommy.....Why is everyone after Trayvon Martin?"  Just when I think that she isn't paying attention when the news is on....she is.  So after my initial shock was over I did have to explain what happened.  And yes I even told her that everyone is innocent until proven guilty.  I also told her that guns had the potential to be dangerous.  She is asked her momma.....and that is the answer she got.

The second story I have to tell you made me laugh.  Cora is studying presidents in social studies and while doing homework with Steve, Cora said, "Daddy....Do you know that that guy on TV told President Obama to pack his bags?"  Steve of course was totally caught off guard.  Steve did his best to explain (while biting his tongue) that there were some people that  were not happy with the job that President Obama was doing.  And that is why we have elections every 4 yrs.  Her response....she didn't think that was nice and she thought President Obama was doing a good job.  She is a lot like her momma that way.  I still remember the sweet little kindergartner that came home with her "voter registration" card.  And when asked who she voted for she replied "Orock Obama".  Regardless of which political party wins her over, I hope and pray that she will always continue to have respect for that office and always defend her country's president with the passion of an 8 year old.

9 years ago tonight I went into labor.  I was about to embark on an amazing journey of motherhood.  I never in my life dreamt that it would be like this.  But I am so thankful that she is a thinker.  I am so thankful that she is a dreamer.....a prayer.....a peacemaker.....a lover.....a hugger......  And above all, I am thankful that she is one of a kind.  I am not sure the world could handle another one of her!

Happy Birthday Cora.....just keep your heart right where it belongs.....safely on your sleeve
~Lucky to be Cora's Momma

Nothing exciting.....really??!!

I realized the other day when I told someone that I had a blog that I haven't actually blogged in awhile! It makes one think that nothing exciting happens in our house anymore.....unfortunately or fortunately that is so untrue.  I just really like to wait until something strikes me to write about.  And believe it or not.....I haven't thought about anything to write about in about a month which is how long I have been working.  So today since it is a lazy Sunday I thought I would compile a few thoughts into one blog.


1.  My daughter is almost 9 and knows more songs on the radio than I do.  I have always considered her a Top 40 girl and a big Justin Bieber follower but this morning there was nothing on tv so I had CMT top 20 on and virtually every song that came on she knew the words to.  I love listening to her sing and especially when she doesn't realize I am listening.  She loves listening to music....she is like her daddy in that regard.



2.  Cora recently discovered the chocolate fountain at Golden Corral.  We went there for breakfast a few weeks ago and yes they even had it on for breakfast.  I honestly don't know of another 8 yr old that loves chocolate as much as she does.  As much as I appreciate Mrs. Obama and her nutrition efforts I think that Cora would be a great lobbyist for adding chocolate to the Food Pyramid!

3.  Cora became a big cousin to sweet Breckyn Shaw.  As much as I thought that Aunt Kimberly was having a boy Cora was BEYOND THRILLED to say "I was right.....I knew it was a girl"

4. Cora is slowly but surely "OCCUPYING" every room of this house!  She has a room.  Her TV, desk, American Girl stuff and dress up are in the Guest Room.  Yesterday I found her camped out on our bed with coloring book, crayons, snack and our tv on.  She was quickly "evicted" but seriously.....how many rooms can she be in at one time?


5. We recently were deemed "The Best Parents Ever" because of a surprise trip to Charleston to see the Stingrays play.  I video'd it for proof. 

6.  Cora has made a new friend her from her hockey team no less named Griffin.  The best thing Griffin taught her??  How to play punch bug.  I am not sure why we didn't show her how to do it before but we have enjoyed played for a few months now.  But the best is there is someone that drives a VW Bug at her school so every day we pick her up she is ready to punch bug us!

7.  Cora can eat her weight in popcorn.  Just in case you are ever asked that as a trivia question.
8.  This school year has been a huge transition for Cora.  I think not only because we moved, but I think that 3rd grade overrall requires adjusting.  We have discovered many things about Cora in the last few months but most of all I think we have realized that our perfect little girl is human with strengths and weaknesses just like everyone else.  My mother in law said when she was born that "Cora is the best of both of you".  These words could not be more true than right now. 

So in case you wondered......we are doing ok.....hangin' in there.....and anxiously waitin' on normal!

~Cora's Mom

I Wouldn't Change A Thing.....

I have always said that there are two things that I got from growing up in the Ohio Valley: A love of great food and a great work ethic.  I graduated from High School and went to College.  I got a degree in Elem. Educ. and had every intention of using it however I graduated in 1994 and did not land that full time teaching job until 1999.  At that point I was about to get married and we were purchasing our first home.  I had to have a job.  We had big plans!

But then Miss Cora came along in April of 2003.  We planned the pregnancy perfectly and I was able to take off the rest of the school year so I didn't have to go back until Sept of that year.  And I did what every good working mother does.  I solidified the best babysitter I could find.  And I cried almost every day when I dropped her off.  The next year brought a new babysitter who was equally as awesome as the first but I still felt the yearning everyday to be with Cora.  It was hard being with 20+ other kids while someone else was taking care of mine.

2005 came quickly as we were preparing for Steve to retire from the Navy.  When he took the job in SC, I knew I was going to have to resign my teaching position anyway so we decided to make it permanent.  When this decision was announced I know there was a collective gasp.  Because I was supposed to work. That is what I had been raised to do.  I had a piece of paper that said I was a teacher.  And I know that I let people down. But the decision was made and we swiftly moved to SC to start our new life.

Now make no mistake, I did have a job.  I had a thriving home based business with Pampered chef that allowed me to stay home with Cora and work in the evening.  When asked what the best part of my job was I would always say that it was the relationship that Steve and Cora developed while I was gone doing shows.  It allowed him to be a dad without me watching over him!  I am also thankful that I was able to use Pampered Chef to show my daughter that there is a way for a mom to be a mom and have a job without sacrificing her family's needs.

So now as I sit here writing this blog entry, lunches have been packed, showers have been taken and clothes are ready.  Tomorrow I am back to work.....doing what my piece of paper says I am supposed to do.  Part of me is ready.  Cora is in 3rd grade now and doesn't need me as much as she used to.  And we are on the same school schedule so it is the next best thing to being home!  But there is a part of me that earns to hold a sweet 3 yr old again......just for a minute. 

Because no matter what anyone thinks, I was a stay at home mom because that is what my family needed.  I didn't do it because I was lazy.  I didn't do it because I didn't want to work.  I did it because we were able to do it.  We made sacrifices.  We may not drive the best cars or have the most money in the bank but I wouldn't change a thing from the last 6 years.

So the one thing about this decision is that Cora is really happy for me.

I remember telling her I was going to stop Pampered Chef and she was so sad.  Probably because that is all she has ever known!  But just as I was sure she was proud of me for being a business owner, I know she is proud that her momma is a teacher again!  That makes tomorrow a little better. 

So with that....I am putting in my Stay at home mom resignation.

~Cora's Back To Work Mom