Memorial Day fun

As soon as we were done with the bikes, desk, and weeding yesterday we got in the car and headed down to Six Flags. I was a little worried that it would be too crowded but it really wasn't that bad until we were leaving around 12:30 so it worked out really well. We tried to go on a few rides we hadn't done yet so the first stop was the double decker carousel. Maddy was too afraid of getting on the horses so she and I rode on a little bench.

Then we rode the hot air balloons.

When we spotted these I had to get a picture!

Abi rode these little bees. Maddy was too little. I think this picture is funny because Abi has her hand in front of her mouth. She was trying to tell us something and thought we could hear her if she did that.

Doug went to ride a scary ride so the girls and I hung out on a covered bridge for awhile listening to the music and enjoying watching Maddy dance.

Abi and I rode the log plume together and then we went into one of the kids sections. Maddy barely made it into the height requirement for the kid roller coaster so we decided to have her go on. Before it started she was excited and kept saying, "Ready, set, GO!" but during the ride when I looked back at her she had the biggest grimace on her face. I could tell she was terrified.

Because of that ride she wasn't sure she wanted to go on the boats but I had her try it. I knew as soon as she discovered the bell she would stay in the boat. Which she did. She loved this ride. She kept talking about it all day.

Then they rode the Flinstones ride. Maddy did get scared again on this but she cuddled up to Abi and Abi put her arm around her and kept kissing her head. It was so sweet.

Our last ride was the Buccaneer Battle. We all got soaking wet. Maddy was not a fan but afterward thought it was funny.

Memorial Day Projects

First thing yesterday morning we got outside to get some things on our to do lists checked off. The girls and I went out a little before 8 and while I washed a desk, the girls washed their bikes. Doug soon came out as well and weeded. It was really fun to watch the girls wash their bikes. They had a good time.

I have wanted an old fashioned school desk for a really long time that Abi could use for her homework and for the schoolwork I have her do over the summer as well as to use when I start preschool with Maddy. I finally found one a few months ago at Goodwill for $10!

It has been sitting in the garage since then but I finally got to it yesterday. I washed it first.

Here is a before picture.

Then I spray painted it with chrome and cherry red. Here is the after picture...

It isn't perfect which is very apparent up close and in person but I am happy with the results. It was my first time spray painting anything and I really had no idea how to do it so I screwed up a few times and it was windy so there are a few places where it dried funny. But it will work good and look much better in my kitchen area than it would have!

Sew Busy

I have had a few sewing projects piling up for awhile now and finally got to them this weekend. I was putting them off because my bobbin threader is broken and I have to wind the bobbin by hand, but this past week I got the machine out to make some mermaid towels (pictures to come later) and so I figured I better leave it out and get the rest of the projects done... especially since it got rainy and I couldn't get all my outdoor projects done I had been planning. 

First, Abi has had this pink shirt dress for awhile but it got a hole in the skirt part of it. So, I cut off the skirt part and sewed these three pieces together onto the bottom of the shirt to make a simple but cute dress. It also matches a twirl shirt I was fixing up for Maddy so it will be fun to see them together one of these days. ( no picture of that one.)

Then I got to this pair of jeans. They had got a big hole in one of the knees so I cut them off and added a little ruffle. I let Abi pick the fabric so she LOVES them.

Abi has outgrown her 4th of july dress so Maddy will inherit it this year. I saw a picture on Pinterest that inspired me but I wanted to add some other touches so I didn't use their tutorial. Instead I just did it my way (like I usually do which is why my stuff is never perfect.)

It started out as this shirt...

I used the dimensions from a twirl shirt I made a couple of years ago to make the skirt like blue area. Then I sewed on this ribbon. I used a piece of red fabric to extend the look of the ribbon to the back and sewed both pieces onto the shirt first. Then I put the ruffles on the back and then attached the main blue piece by tucking it under the bottom of the ribbon. I was then able to sew down the bottom of the ribbon to make it all stick.

This is how the front turned out...

and the back... It does look cuter on her. I'll show pictures of that eventually.

I also had a tutorial to turn a man's shirt into a dress but got discouraged by how many steps there were so I just used a shirt I already had for Maddy to cut the top and sleeve area off and used bias tape to make the hem and straps. It looks quite cute on Maddy but I may shorten it a little later. It's just a very casual and light dress for summer.

I can't wait to post the other projects I've been working on. It has been a very busy week and weekend... but I don't want to show them before the events happen so....

Last week in pictures

Last Tuesday I was able to visit the Milwaukee County Zoo with Abi's class. I also got to be in charge of Abi's friend Angelina again. 

We all just went off on our own with a time to meet back up at the buses. The girls and I had a great time running around. 

They were ready for lunch pretty early.

This little guy visited our table while we ate. Both girls were quickly on my side whimpering. It was kind of funny.

They both said their favorite thing was riding the train and the carousel...

Thursday Maddy and I went into Goodwill to get some glass containers of different sizes and shapes for an upcoming family activity and I found a bike! It was a toddler sized one in great condition and it was only $6!! So, I brought it home for Maddy. We decided to let Maddy inherit Abi's old helmet and Doug took her to Walmart to pick out a new helmet and some bike accessories. They came home with this awesome unicorn helmet and a horn. She was so thrilled!

Maddy is still getting the hang of pedaling. It was so much fun to take them out Friday morning and watch them both riding around together.

At one point Maddy got off her bike to honk the horn on Abi's bike and Abi took off on Maddy's bike. It was so funny because Maddy started calling out, "My bike! My bike!" It made me happy that she loves it already.

Swinging Monkeys

Saturday evening I decided to take the girls over to a park in a different neighborhood. I am really not a fan of the park in our neighborhood and we had visited this one when Abi was much younger. It was a win. The girls loved it and it had Abi's favorite thing- monkeybars!

She has got callouses and blisters constantly now because she just does the monkey bars whenever she can. This girl has major upper body strength.

Maddy watching Abi climb the rock wall...

She loved this too. She climbed over the top and then went down the other side.

Maddy enjoyed the swings...

Queen of the World

gotta love slide races!

At one point I told them they should race to a far tree and back. And off they go!

Charlotte's Web

Friday I got the chance to go with Abi's class to see Charlotte's Web the musical. While it wasn't the best performance I've ever seen it was fun to see the excitement on the faces of the kids. Well, Abi's excitement faded about 20 minutes to the end when she was whispering, "I want to go!" I was a little worried I might not be able to go because Doug ended up having another business trip all last week. But, my friend Heather saved the day and watched Maddy while I went.

I wanted to get pictures of Abi and her friend Hailey on the bus but Abi hid at first...

I waited and got her as she came back out of hiding!

Sitting in the theater....

Six Flags Surprise

After a little rest on Friday we got back in the car and went to pick up Abi at school. Usually she isn't parent pick up but this day we had a little surprise for her. It was a last minute decision so I didn't do my research but it turned out okay. We bought Six Flags season passes for the first time this year and we decided to head straight down for the first time. We got there around 4 and found out they closed at 5. Oops. We still had time to go get our picture passes and then ride the rides in one of the kid sections.

Our first ride was the airplane one.

Maddy really liked the airplane ride and went on it again later for her last ride while Abi opted to just play on the playground.

They both liked the strawberry ride. This thing goes pretty high. Or I'm just a wimp. Yeah, it's the last one.

Playing at the playground...

It was warm enough to use the misters!

We are so excited to go to Six Flags all summer long. We plan on definitely getting our money's worth and hopefully making it there at least once or twice a week.