My First 2011 Scrap Pages

Now that I've finally wrapped up 2010, I got started on 2011.

I'd intended to do more before posting them, but I got derailed by a new project.

Father's Day, and Other Stuff

 We spent most of Father's Day just lazing around, because that's what Brandon wanted to do.  He did want to go out to dinner, though, and since he was in the mood for seafood, I poked around online and found a few local seafood places.  We ended up at Rose Bay here in Chesapeake.  The food was good, if a bit over-priced.

 

 Elora smiles and says "cheese" for the camera, now.  It's an hilariously awkward, fake-looking grimace, but I love it.

It was my idea to get a little dressed up, and good man that he is, Brandon humored me even though it was his day and not mine.

Cool story:  On the way to the restaurant, Elora saw one of these:

and she said "S-T-O-P, stop!"  Brandon and I looked at each other for a moment in stunned surprise, then started laughing and praising her.  I'm telling you, my girl is crazy smart. 

 As I mentioned before, I made Elora's blue dress longer than I meant to, and when she wore it on Saturday, I realized it was too long.  Yesterday, I hauled the sewing machine back out, chopped 5" from the bottom of the dress, and added a yellow ruffle.  I'm liking the results.

The ruffle doesn't exactly match the yellow ribbon I used for the belt, so I'm chalking this up as another experiment.  I'm not sure if anyone else will even notice.  Maybe I shouldn't have pointed it out?  I also wanted to show a size comparison between the dresses I made last summer, and the ones I made this year.

Both were made to fit Elora, and to fall at mid calf. The green one, made for Elora at 17 months, now fits Kaylie and falls to her ankles at 3 months.  I wonder if Kaylie will continue to grow so fast???

Another Dress, and the Christmas 2010 Series

I made another little dress for Elora!  This one came out a lot better than the other one, because I learned from the mistakes I made on it.  Overall, it's the same design.  This time, though, I included the belt in the construction of the dress instead of just tying it on her afterward, and I was a lot more careful about my hems.  (It's amazing the difference that ironing makes, and I knew that!  I have no excuse for not doing more ironing on the first one.)  I did mix up the measurements, so it's longer than I'd intended it to be, but that's no big deal.  All in all, I am thoroughly pleased with my results.

 Anyway, I also got straps put on the green dress that I made last summer. Elora didn't exactly cooperate with me when I was trying to get pictures, but Kaylie did!

 

Both girls got to wear their new dresses yesterday, as we went to another cookout hosted by one of Brandon's friends.  Sadly, I have no pictures from this event. There were a bazillion great photo opportunities, but my battery died as soon as we got there and I didn't have the charger with me.  I didn't get to take even a single picture.  I must be obsessed with taking pictures; I felt naked and incomplete without a functioning camera.

This morning, I finally got the last of my Christmas 2010 scrapbook pages done.  I got the Santa page done 3 or 4 weeks ago, but I've been putting off the rest because of the sheer volume of pictures.  In the end I decided to do a different spread for each portion of the family.  When I print the books, Bran's family will get the Gager spread...

...my mom's family will get the Wright spread...

...and my dad will get the Buckner spread.

   My book will have all 3.  If I ever get around to printing one for myself, anyway.

Locked Out

I had something of an adventure this morning...  I'd gone outside to bring the trash can in from the street, and when I tried to come back in, I found myself locked out.  I knew I hadn't locked myself out, because the knob was turning.  It seemed as if the dead bolt had been locked, but Elora isn't tall enough to reach it.  Right?
    

Reaching for airplanes.

Anyway, I couldn't get in, and I knew all the windows were locked, so I ordered myself not to panic, walked next door, and asked to use the phone.  I called Brandon first, which was pretty silly, in hind sight.  He was too far away to be able to help.  I went back and tried to get in one more time, going so far as to slam myself into the door several times in the hopes that there was only something blocking it, and that I could force it open. I still couldn't get in, but I could hear Kaylie crying, and I could see Elora's frightened face.  I repeated my order not to panic.

Back at the neighbor's, I called a lock smith, but they said I'd have to wait at least 25 minutes.  I said no thank you, and called the police.  They had an officer at my house within 5 minutes.  He couldn't get it open either, so he went to check the windows while we waited for the fire department to get there.  By some miracle, he was able to open the first window he tried.  I was a little embarrassed that it had been so easy, and that I had to climb in through the window in a skirt, but those feelings were completely eclipsed by the relief I felt at being able to get in to the girls.

Once assured that we were all ok, the neighbor and the cop left.  I called Brandon back to let him know I'd gotten in, then I shook and cried and hugged the girls.  I fed Kaylie.  I called my mom.  Eventually, I stopped shaking and calmed down.  I checked all the windows, and found that they had all been locked, but on that one, the locks hadn't engaged properly.  I never thought I'd be so grateful for an unlocked window.  Personally, I believe it was by the grace of God.  If we'd had to wait for the FD, they would have been alone longer, and there's the possibility that Elora could have been hurt in breaking down the door, and we would have had to replace the door...  I never thought I'd be so grateful for an unlocked window!

Apparently Elora is tall enough to reach the deadbolt.   At this point, I'm fairly certain that's what happened. I took her to the door to see if she could reach it, and she proceeded to turn the lock right in front of me.  I can assure you, I'll not be leaving the house without my keys any more, not even to check the mail or get the trash can.

PS:  The pictures are completely unrelated.  I just wanted to share them.

Summer Fun

On Memorial Day, we went to the pool with my friends Rebekah and Josh, and then we came back to my house to make burgers.

We had Rebekah take a picture of all four of us, but Elora didn't exactly cooperate.  (She was mad that we weren't getting back in the pool.)

This past Saturday, we went to a cook out with some of Bran's co-workers, and their families.  Brandon forgot to tell us there would be a pool, so poor Elora was wearing a borrowed floaty vest and a borrowed pair of boy's swim shorts to play in the water.  She had fun, and it didn't matter that we didn't have suits because she only wanted to play on the steps.

 

This time, Elora let us get a nice family picture, though she still didn't smile.

 Kaylie is getting so big, so ridiculously fast.  The days are just melting away, faster than I can keep up with them.  Anyway, she's already big enough to use the exersaucer, though her feet just barely touch the bottom.  So crazy!!

If you haven't already, don't forget to enter the give-away in my last post!  I've extended the deadline until Saturday!