what I'm up to

Finals are over, and I am "free," at least for the first summer term. At this point most of the classes I have left to take are only offered during regular semesters. The exception is the field course, which I'm hoping to do next summer. So I guess I have no choice but to take summers off. But I'm getting closer. I'm guessing I'll be finished in three or four more semesters.

This summer I'm hoping to work on some sewing projects and make more hair flowers and bows for Heidi. I'm making a second attempt at making some baby shoes for Heidi. I made the mistake of staying up until 2:00 last night working on them. Not only was I very tired in the morning, but it wasn't really even worth it because the shoes ended up looking really stupid. That's the only way I can describe it. The seams on the inside are bulky and too visible, and the edges don't come up around the foot enough to even cover her toes. I didn't even bother finishing the second shoe because the first one didn't work out. So my plan is either to modify the pattern by adding an inch around the pattern piece for the top of the shoe, or to scrap it and try a different pattern. This is the tutorial I tried, and I'd love for it to work out because I think the shoes are so cute, but I'm starting to think that something more like this is more realistic for a baby who is actually going to walk and crawl in the shoes because they wouldn't fall off her feet as easily. I found some leather Robeez shoes for 50 cents at a yard sale last week, and the style (very similar to the shoes in the second link) is really great for the stage Heidi is in right now. In the end the main cost is my time because baby shoes require so little fabric that I can use extra scraps that I never threw away from other projects.

I love to sew, but I think I need to just realize that not every sewing experiment is going to work out. I get an image in my mind of what something will end up looking like, and in the end if things get messed up I always get discouraged. Plus, when I sew something, I know about the little mistakes and flaws in the item that nobody else can see, and so when I look at the item I might be happy with how it turned out, but I'll also feel bothered by the hidden flaws that only I know about. I guess I need to get over that.

I've also been hoping to find some more time to work on family history. I've been a little surprised at the learning curve I'm having to go through to figure out even the basic things. I quickly got frustrated with New Family Search and decided to use Legacy Family Tree. That's working a little better, but I'm dealing with the process of figuring out a new program and also figuring out what my system is going to be. But I've really enjoyed the research process and learning about my ancestors. I'm amazed at the connection I feel to them as I look at the records and glean small tidbits about their lives and their families. I'm also amazed at how much work it is and how many people there are!

I am also working on finding new activities to try with Kevin. Pinterest has been a useful tool for finding ideas and keeping track of them. I have a Pinterest board called "to do with the kids." And while we're on this topic, it has been interesting to see what different moms do with their kids, and what different kids enjoy. I'm coming to realize that there are two types of activities to do with your kids: activities that are actually educational and fun for the kids, and activities that make you look like a fun and creative and engaged mom. (Yes, the two types can overlap sometimes.) I'm aiming for the first type. At this point the main thing I need from any activity is that it allows Kevin to explore and do things pretty freely, without me having to be constantly telling him not to be messy or not to break things--because at this point, Kevin needs to be messy and take things apart. Daily walks are going to be essential this summer. I'm still figuring out how I'm going to deal with being sweaty and hot all the time, though. I do have a new swimsuit, so going swimming is finally an option.

Summer is when Ryan gets the most research done. During the school year he usually has to be a TA for some classes, and that takes a lot of time away from working on his project. Hopefully this summer he can make some good progress.