Stretching Our Limits

Hair Style #12

I started this one as a "hair headband" with just one progressive ponytail across her head, but the one fountain coming off the side looked a little silly, so I made two rows. By putting a diagonal part between the two rows, the fountains are approximately the same distance from the front of the head. As I did this hairdo a couple of days before Halloween, we decorated A1's hair appropriately, but this could be decorated in any way or with no decorations at all!

top view

front view

A little tip for those of you who would like to try this: section off each row and the back of the hair (that is left hanging down) and hold it in a rubber band while you work, then do the back progressive ponytail before the front progressive ponytail (basically you're working with the middle section of hair while the two outer sections are held in rubber bands).

Hair Style #11

This hairstyle would be elegant on just about anyone. I've been seeing casual versions of it pop up on a lot of TV shows recently. I started with an off-center part, then twisted the hair toward the back, taking new bunches hair with each twist (kind of like french braiding, only it's french twisting), until I reached the back. I like to put in a flower clip to hide the rubber band.

back view

side view

top view

Hair Style #10

I love messy buns. They are the greatest thing to happen to little girls' hair for a long time. I pulled her hair up in the front in three flippies, combined those into two flippies, criss-crossed those to become two messy buns.

top view

back view

Hair Style #9

I think this is a beautiful up-do, but maybe a bit too grown up for my little girl. I started with a part off to the side on top of the head, then combined all her hair into a ponytail in the back. I then flipped the ponytail up and pinned the hair around a beautiful flower clip (of my own design!).

front view

side view

back view

Thanksgiving and Black Friday

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! We had a great holiday, spent with Uncle Gary and Aunt Debbie and some of their friends. Thank you for inviting us to spend the holiday with you.

R had to work all Thanksgiving day (darn those people who continue to need medical care on holidays; why can't they just miraculously be better just so I can have a nice time?!), so we had our own Thanksgiving on Saturday. It was wonderful, and I'm still enjoying many leftovers!

I am grateful for a fantastic family who would do anything for each other, for loving children who continue to amaze me everyday, for a wonderful husband who is working so hard just so we can have a better life in the future. I am grateful to be a part of the true gospel and to have God's influence guiding my life. We are very blessed.

Cheers and Boos for Black Friday:

Cheers for online sales! We got most of our Black Friday shopping done Thursday morning (I know - Black Friday shopping on Thursday doesn't sound right to me either).

Cheers to Best Buy for putting their doorbusters online so that I didn't have to stand in line for hours with two cranky children.

Cheers to Toys R Us, where I picked up the very last princess toy for A1 available. Or maybe that's just cheers to me for happening to see it sitting there far away from the aisle where it should have been and, therefore, no one else saw it. Either way!

Boos to Kohl's for having the most perfect skirt available in stores, but not online. It wasn't just an "in-store only" special that was full price online. They actually have no record of the perfect skirt at all online.

Overall this Black Friday was a positive experience as I didn't have to fight any crowds other than the kids yelling for my time while I was on the computer.

Creative Juices

I'm a scientist at heart, which means I'm rarely artistic (artistic, not autistic - very different things). So I'm very proud of myself for the following creations:

1) necklace and earring set made from topaz - designed by me!