Swings, Baseball, & Service

We're having a low-key, rainy Sunday here in the Northeast today, but we desperately needed the rain so I don't even mind. It gives me an excuse to be a little lazy, I think.  =)

These are some snapshots of our week:

A cute little someone has finally mastered the fine art of pumping on the swing!

 OhMyGoodness, I just melt over this picture! That face, that smile, that wild hair!!!!!

Baseball is now in full force!

No longer rivals! Practices and games are SOOOO much easier when they're actually on the same team!

They said they didn't like "versing" each other, either. Such champion brothers!

Swimming breaks

Go, Ryder, go!

Yesterday was a great day for finishing up some sewing projects! The weather was so beautiful, and the kiddos were outside playing with friends, helping neighbors mulch flower beds, and just, well, out. Insert grin here.
I worked on some things for my Etsy shop, and everything came out so cute! I love it when that happens! There may have been a baby bonnet involved...eek! ADORABLE! I'll share those pics later...
 

Isabelle and I were very excited to make a little girl living in poverty a beautiful dress to call her own (info is on the sidebar). I just discovered this wonderful opportunity a few days ago through a sewing blog, and I'm so glad I did! Isabelle chose the style and the fabric, but I didn't have a large enough piece, so I had to mix things up a bit. This is the dress...

What do you think?
The dress is a size 6/7, so it's a tad big on my little size 5 beauty. I tried something I'm not used to because the idea of having to be so exact with all those pleats in a large {daunting} circle scared me just a little bit! So I completed the front and back as separate panels, if you will, and then stitched up the sides in one long side seam. Ironed in and stitched the yellow hem, and voila! Easy peasy!
We are going to pray over the dress before we mail it to our representative in CT. Bill and I both feel so blessed that all of our children have such sweet and tender hearts, and I know they will grow up eager to serve others. We all want to help in our own way, don't we? I think God put something in us that just makes us crave helping others in need. I've been on the giving end, but I've also been on the receiving end (and desperately so), lest I sound high and mighty here.

I was a little embarrassed in church this morning with Ethan sitting beside us because the subject matter was...Ruth and Boaz, which of course branched out into several different areas of discussion. I felt my face get all red and hot at one point, ha. I know I wasn't the only one, either! Some things are just not that easy to talk about no matter how great your relationship with your child is.  

Now, Ethan is sleeping over at my parent's house (vacation this week), so it was just the 5 of us this afternoon. 

There was dancing...

Jonah made us Brownies all by himself! He likes to pour chocolate chips on top when they come out of the oven and spread them like frosting...yummy!

I think I see a nice, relaxing evening of take-out Chinese food and Friday Night Lights {season 2} with Bill on this cool, rainy day.      :)

sharing with...
Sew Many Ways