The Tide Turns

Up until this point in our parenting career, I felt the children's presence continually (my husband could turn it off sometimes) or we arranged childcare occasionally.  It was not always pleasant to have responsibility for all their needs, you know? 

But I am suddenly nostalgic, because today my universe shifted.  Now, for two days a week, both our children will be away for 6 hours at school. 

Now the children are receding away from us, it seems, out into the bigger ocean where we can't always see them or hear what they say or catch them before they hurt themselves.

It's very weird.  I didn't cry, but I feel strange and clingy.

My husband and I ate two meals alone today:  lunch while the children were at school, and then dinner out to celebrate our anniversary.  A milestone day in more than one way.

 

More specifically, Ben adores preschool and riding the bus.  Genevieve is not enthusiastic, but so far there are no tears. 

The Use-What's-On-Hand Lunch Pails

The lunch pails are done.  And the only thing I purchased to make them was the pattern and piping cord.  I could feel stubbornness rising up in me as I contemplated everything I "should" buy to get my kids started off in school.  How do retailers turn every event, every feeling, every breath, into a reason to buy something?  They are geniuses.

I wanted to use dark colors for the pails because I'm not sure how washable they are (I used an old vinyl tablecloth for the inside, not oilcloth as LiEr prefers; this is the red-striped tablecloth that I used to put under the children's highchair - let's pause and contemplate the rapidity of childhood and the nostalgic touchstones that pop up).

So.  I had blue, orange and brown twill to work with.  I scoured my stash for prints that looked fun and reflected my kids' personalities, but were not too juvenile - what if these pails actually last a few years?  Plus, Genevieve wanted to help choose the fabrics for hers.

 

I had ribbon to use for Ben's drawstring, but nothing sturdy enough that looked good with Genevieve's pail.  So I made tubes and topstitched them (she requested one of each fabric which I think is a lighthearted touch).  I have done this before for pencil rolls with excellent results and many more options than my ribbon stash.

And following LiEr's excellent, clear pattern, I successfully sewed piping!  Behold.

It required the zipper foot, but nothing too taxing.

On the whole, these pails went together quickly.  LiEr included nice touches like pressing templates (which I skipped and it's obvious if you know where to look) and explanations for techniques.  I like that.  I feel like I was taught by LiEr's pattern, a new experience for me since I've only used commercial patterns before.

I'm afraid these pails leaned more towards the Grandma Weaver side of my sewing, however, because school was breathing down my neck. 

Seams don't match so I hid it under the strap; the world is still extant.

 

But they are done, and the children love them. Next I want to show you Ben's first-day-of-school shirt.

Any Way Around the Plastic in This Scenario?

My children will both be packing lunches for the school year, albeit only 2 days a week for Ben.  I've bought this lunchpail pattern after experiencing the dismal construction of the made-in-China variety.  I wonder if I'll be whipping two of these up per school year or if they'll last longer?

My real question for you:  must I pack the kids' food items in plastic?  I am avoiding plastic when feasible for environmental reasons (the world is ending!  oh sorry, didn't mean to break out the doom).  When I pack my own lunch for my job, I can use glass jars and act accordingly with my lunch box, but glass is an iffy idea for kids' lunches.

Last year, we packed Genevieve's food in whatever plastic bags and containers we had around.   I even trained her to bring the bags back home for me to wash instead of throwing them away.

Here's the kicker:  my sister, with a little eye-rolling, just invited me to a Tupperware party.  Should I buy some handy plastic containers?  Seriously, give me some green lunch-packing advice. 

Shoestring Chic #6: Kindergarten Registration

This was kindergarten registration day - looking presentable to the outside world, yet able to do my housework without needing to change.  The dark colors automatically look more urban and formal, too, even though they are everyday clothes.

You've seen this shirt before here.  My sister has told me these jeans are too big for me, and after looking at these photos, I'm inclined to agree.

The yard was bustling, so the photos were quick snaps as my husband worked on raised beds and I handed him the camera.  And the children were busily digging and messing and getting pink cheeks.  I'm so glad spring is here!

Shoestring Chic:
thrifted Gap shirt:  $1
black sweater:  gift from mother in law
thrifted jeans:  $4
black leather belt: over 10 years old!
black Dansko clogs:  $50
silver hoops - a wonderful sale: $4
total:  $59

If you did a Shoestring Chic outfit, link to this post and then put your link in the Mr. Linky below.  If you want to play along and don't have a blog, just describe your outfit in the comments.

School Morning Breakfasts

Baked Eggs (from 1954 Joy of Cooking)

6:30am  grease ramekins, break an egg in each, top with cheese, glug of cream
6:35 am  eggs in oven at 350; hop in shower
7 am dressed, showered, eggs done.  Get the children up!
7:10 am make toast and coffee
8 am hopefully everyone is fed and dressed - leave for preschool

Refrigerator Bran Muffins (I use the More with Less recipe)

Same timeframe as the baked eggs - however, you can store a giant batch of muffin batter in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.  So you get the warm house (important on nippy fall mornings before the furnace is Officially On), scent of baking muffins, and nutritious breakfast all for the price of mixing up a batch!  Thanks to PunkRizz for the idea.

  We like ours with applesauce and a slice of cheese on the side.  They're sweet enough that we eat them with no spreads and my children haven't noticed.  In fact, Ben calls them cupcakes. 

Starting Preschool

Genevieve started preschool this morning and I haven't cried yet.  But I'm planning to.  It's the first little home-string stretching and snapping, which is the ultimate goal, I know, to release strong independent young adults into the world. . .but oh my heart.

To celebrate her first day and also to indulge her recent love of skirts and dresses, I made her a first-day-of-school dress.  It's sweet calico I got from the creative reuse shop and a pattern from Mrs. R. 

And because I wanted her to be free to somersault in all modesty, I made her bloomers, just using the shorts from the pattern and putting lace and elastic in the legs.  They are great!  So pretty and practical.  I'm going to be making more if my girl keeps loving skirts.  I put a little ribbon tag in the back of the bloomers.

And off we go, walking across town to her little preschool.  She was so ready for this and had a really marvelous time.

School Shopping

Since we had Genevieve's preschool orientation (what?! it's September??  my little girl is starting preschool??!), I've gotten serious about going over the cold weather clothes.  It may be 90 degrees here, but by gum, my children are going to have winter coats and wool sweaters at ready. 

I bought a winter coat for Ben today for $10 at a consignment shop (already had the boots, snow pants, and mittens).  Genevieve needed shoes because she can't wear flip flops to preschool; I have a shoe formula I usually stick to:  everyday brown shoes and black Mary Janes for good. 

But I found these darling corduroy navy flats for $3 at a thrift store (and a bonus pair of cordovan moc croc Mary Janes for next year!).  She does have some navy Chucks to wear too, but they are cumbersome since she can't tie her own laces yet.

I also have been looking for a wool blanket for Ben's bed; last year, he was still in his crib, so I'm still gradually getting all the accoutrements for a twin bed.  I've been scoping around online with no luck, but took a swing through the bedding at the thrift store and ta da!  found this Pendleton wool blanket for $10.  I'm going to take off the nasty satin and put a big bright binding the whole way around.  And then I'm going to applique something on it! 

The rest of the thrift store loot:
a big metal tub for nursery books - $.99
six beautiful ramekins $ 3.49
linen shorts for the husband $2
2 shirts for G $2, $3

(Going through "the coats" to Narnia. . .if all goes well, I'll be sewing this fabric into curtains very soon!)