Winter Trip Series: Volume 1

Along with fun sewing projects to help pass my first Chicagoland winter, I managed to fill February and March with 4 different trips to keep me busy. James and I found some great flight deals, and decided that James should go on a hiking “man trip” in February with some grad school friends in West Texas, and that I should go on a “girl trip” to meet up with the ladies in Houston. Next James and I led a Wheaton Mission Trip to Denver in early March. Then I went on a quick business trip to Geneva College in Western PA with a professor and a few students last week, got home on a Wednesday night and took off on Thursday for a college girls reunion in Kansas City.

Needless to say, I succeeded in keeping myself busy this winter! But each of these trips was a great blessing, and I want to do a little post to share each of these trips. It makes sense to go chronologically, so first up on the docket: Houston!

One of my good friends from grad school, Sara, moved back to Houston after graduation (where she is from) and is now in law school at the University of Houston. She’s a smarty pants and a super motivated chica, so after 3 years of grad school in Princeton she’s tackling another 3 years of law school. Although I have no desire to visit Houston in August when it’s smacking of heat and humidity, Houston in February sounded great: 70 degrees, sunshine, shorts with a light cardigan, yes please! So two of my other friends from Princeton, Alison and Anna, flew down form their corner of the states and I hopped down from the Midwest and we had a fabulous weekend together.

I lived in a close community with these women during our Princeton years—classes together, studying together, small groups together, partying together, spring break trips together, Thanksgivings and Easters together, and more. And when you are in grad school on a tight budget away from your families, you also spend A LOT of time together in each other’s apartments. James and I have both really missed this Princeton community since we’ve left, and getting back together with them was like a breath of fresh air. Time with these gals is guaranteed to bring great food, lots of nibbles (as Al likes to say!), vino, time spent cooking, shopping, great conversations, and plenty of laughter. This weekend was also a time of encouragement and prayer, as I faced a real disappointment in my life.

I didn’t really take any photos while I was there, so these pics are from Anna.

Sara, Anna, Al, and me, after some serious damage on Chocolate and Carrot Cake.

I really have no idea what is happening here, but I think this pic is really funny. :0)

Sun-bathing at "The Houstonian," a super swank country club where we spent a whole afternoon. Yes, having come from -20 degree weather I was THRILLED to be laying out in the sun.

Me, Al, Sara, and Anna after a great brunch in an artsy Houstonian neighborhood.

It would be A-okay with me if a February trip to Houston became an annual event! Sara, what do you think?!?

Winter Projects

This has been a LOOOOONG Winter here in Chicagoland. It has been cold, and snowy, and freezing, and grey, and living in this climate takes some adjusting for a mild Northwesterner like myself. Thus I knew that I would want some indoor projects this year to keep me busy, and I put a sewing machine at the very top of my wish-list. And what-do-you-know if 'ol St. Nick didn't deliver a Brothers Limited Edition sewing machine to my Chicagoland winter doldrums doorstep. Although my progress is slow, and I am still very much a beginner, I have LOVED doing small projects with a sewing machine. It has definitely helped pass the winter, and I am learning a skill that I have long desired to acquire.

Some of my first projects were from Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Sewing Book, which I have found very useful and would recommend for any novice sewer. The book explains all the basic terms and techniques of sewing, and has all sorts of fun projects for beginners. I decided to start with a few baby items for little Jacob Lane, an adorable baby boy that my cousin adopted a few months ago. They live on a farm, and I thought it would be fun to send a “farm theme” baby package to them. Here is what I made:

Our grandpa was a dairy farmer his whole life, and I have fond memories of riding in the John Deere tractor with him. This fabric was a special reminder to me of Grandpa Russ (Jacob’s great grandpa). I embroidered his initials on the blanket (His first name is Nathanial, middle name Jacob). And aren’t the little washcloth puppets adorable? Who doesn’t think a pig and a dog make bath-time way more fun?

I am slowly but surely working on more projects, and I’ve got some fabric ready to go for reversible place mats next. I am hoping that I can challenge myself with an article of clothing at some point in the near future. If only I lived closer to Lois, my masterful seamstress mother-in-law, I am confident I would be cranking out dresses and skirts by now! But, as usual, I’ve got to give myself some time before I become an expert. :0)