Holy Cow I'm...

ENGAGED!!!!!!

We are not announcing formally until August.  His family will be happier if we wait a little longer.

But HOLY COW!!!!!

Horrible, horrible neglect...

Have not posted recently, which is quite awful, must say.  I have been in the midst of a fierce job search.  I am looking for a job preferably in Los Angeles (downtown, mid Wilshire).  Something administrative.  I realized I spend $1100 a month on a car, and that much money would not only pay for a monthly bus pass ($80), but also a studio apartment ($650), utilities ($50), internet ($20), and food ($300), a total of $1100. 

But I REALLY like living at home.  It's nice to be with my family.

I'm going back to CBU for a master's in Public Administration.  I need something useful.  That is useful.

I also want to take photography classes and sewing classes.  And I started my children's historical novel.  I am writing it from a Christian feminist perspective.  I think Christians misunderstand feminism.  It's about not being limited in your choices by society, about being told "You can't do this," or "You must do this because you are a woman."  My book is going to empower young Christian girls.

Not Having It All

As mentioned previously, I went to the APW Book Club on Saturday.  I think the basic message of The Bitch in the House is that you can't have it all.  You can't be a full time career woman, homemaker, cook, housekeeper, and very involved mother (don't even mention homeschooling!). 

I have always thought that my main purpose in life was to raise my children to live for the Lord.*  But how can I do that if I work 40 - 50, even 60 hours a week?  Yet, I don't want to give up on children.  Another thing - childcare is freaking expensive.  I don't think we could afford to pay for childcare at all.  But I don't want to be a stay-at-home-wife-and-mother.  I don't feel like that's fair to my partner, and I just don't think I would be that great at it. 

So perhaps a part time job?  While the kids are in school?  But then what about the ages when they are not in school?  Can our parents be persuaded to watch the munchkins twice a week, six hours a day?

Perhaps the best solution is to wait five (ten) years until we can afford daycare.  (Let's face it - it would be up to me to make that much money.  Matt, just... won't.)  But it gets harder to conceive the older you get, which wouldn't be an issue in five years when I was 28, but at 33, it does become an issue.  Starting a family at 33 means the youngest wouldn't be in college until I was 55!!  There would be no time to resurrect a career.  Starting a family at 24 means I would be done by 44 or 45, with a good 25 years left to pursue a career full time. 

But that blasted daycare...


*I am not a crazy conservative Christian.  I'm extremely liberal.  This is because a) I don't think you should tell other people what they can and can not do (as long as they do no harm to others) and b) I think people should be treated equally and fairly.  Always. 

Torrid Lusts

Omigosh. 

These two dresses are just the cutest!  I don't think I could pull off #1... but #2... must have dress....

 

The Weekend

This weekend was fun!

I went to the farmer's market after Planned Parenthood.  I got some pretty strawberries.

 And some gorgeous flowers.

Had the A Practical Wedding book club meet up...




Went shopping with Trin, Matt's sister.

But then I got the flu on Sunday.  So Matt came over after church and brought me popcycles (which melted) and we watched Pride and Prejudice all afternoon.  Best. Boyfriend. Everrrrrrrrr!!!!

And that was pretty much it.

Finally Friday

TGIF!!

Just a quick update for the weekend.

Please, please, please call your senator and urge them to not cut funding for Planned Parenthood. Federal money is never to be used for abortions. It has been like that is 1976. Planned Parenthood uses federal money for mammograms, pap smears, STD tests, and birth control.

I'm going this weekend to get birth control, a pap smear, and an STD test. If it wasn't for Planned Parenthood, I would be a raging mass of imbalanced hormones. If it wasn't for planned parenthood, any STD's languishing in my body could cause irreparable damage to me, eliminating all chance of children. If it wasn't for planned parenthood, I could have cervical cancer and not know until it was too late. So please, call your Senator and tell them that you want Planned Parenthood to get money to help poor women.

More Sewing Projects!

My best friend, Gina, IM'd me today while I was at work... "I want a quilt for my birthday!"  I instantly thought of Rachel's quilt on Heart of Light.  Her quilt is here.  And here is a picture from her blog.

If I were making this for myself, I would use pastel, whimsical florals like Rachel.  But Gina wants purple fabric, so here is what I got her.  Basically, each row will alternate a light and a dark, with the other light and dark as the little squares.  Then it will repeat, but the four fabrics will switch places.  I'll use white muslin, like Rachel did, and a fleece liner.

A woman at my boyfriend's church is getting married, so I got invited to the bridal shower.  I'm going with Matt's mother - she is the pastor's wife, so she has to go.  Judy (the bride's) decorating colors are green and brown.  I don't like green and brown together.  I like teal and brown, so this is what Judy's quilt will look like.  It will be in the same style as Gina's.

Stopped by Starbucks while out... Gina needed lunch (we work VERY close together), so I dropped off a panini and latte.  The girls there were really taken by my dress today.  It's a vintage style in this fabric.  Elizabeth at Starbucks was like, "You should sell that on Etsy!!"  Aww! 

And here is my coffee, along with my messy work desk.  Oh and my morning coffee.  And my Starbucks coffee mug.  I  ♥ coffee.

Also saw this fabric, and at $2.50/yard, I got a yard to make a bag.  I've been meaning to sew a nice tote bag to use instead of a purse, and this will do nicely.  All in all, I only spent $44 at Jo-Ann's, and for stuff I needed.  Except the tote bag.  :)

Sewing Projects!!

This weekend, Jo-Ann's has Simplicity patterns on sale (missed the last one - Mom threw out the flier because "I didn't need to spend money").  BUT they have calico 30% off, and some showcase quilting fabric 50% off. 

This one will be a shift dress (Simplicity 2245), with the polka dot fabric as a trim at the neck and sleeves. 

This one is going to be a sundress (Simplicity 2209).

And I am VERY mad at Jo-Ann's for deceiving me with this gorgeous linen fabric.  It was going to be a shirtdress (Simplicity 2246).  All the linen and linen lookalike fabrics were 40% off, except Sew Classic.  Guess what kind of linen this is?  Yup, Sew Classic.  It was only $9/yard (only!), but I think I am going to return it.  (You can return fabric as long as it's unwashed and you don't cut it.) 

If I return it, I might just buy it a similar color this weekend, since I do have a 40% off coupon... I guess it's cheating, but if they can mix in the non-sale fabric with the sale fabric, I don't much care.  (OK, OK, I should have checked, but I was way more concerned about whether or not I could pull off the color!)

I bought another fabric to make a sundress for this weekend, but I forgot to take a picture of it.  Will take some tonight when I start to sew it.