Times They Are A Changin'

Yes indeed. As I sit here tonight I know with all my heart that it is time for me to make some changes in my life. I've come to some pretty big decisions lately and they are ones I never thought I would make. But as I contemplate them I know they are the right ones.

First, I am going to continue home schooling Aspen throughout this year, but next Fall I am putting her in public school. At first I resisted this, but I realize now that it was for many of the wrong reasons. My reasons for making this choice are mainly that #1 trying to teach her here is burning me out and isolating her. I went into this with all the best intentions to get her into groups and activities where she could make friends. That is simply not happening, and it's not likely to. I'm not exactly a social butterfly and I have a tough time getting out and about that way. I put it off and out it off. And #2 She has told me flat out that she's lonely and bored and wants to go to school. I feel like she is ready emotionally now, whereas back in the Fall I knew she was not. She was still clingy to me and wasn't anywhere near ready to spend several hours a day without me. That is changing though. She is growing and evolving. Since I made this decision and told her about it, she has been so much happier and is suddenly willing to do her work with me. I explained to her that she has to do her work here in order to be where she needs to be to start next Fall, and she is right on board. We did school yesterday with no fuss and she even said it was fun. That is a total turnaround from our prior struggles.

My second big decision is to return to work part time. I'm not 100% sure how I am going to work this out yet, but I know I need to do it. My hope is that I can get a job at the store I used to work at before we moved across town in 2008. Ashley is working there now and the manager has suggested I come back a few times jokingly, so I hope he might really rehire me when I'm ready. He's flexible so I know I could make it work.

I stopped working before because I couldn't count on my hubby to care for the children without getting impatient and snippy and dumping Aspen (then a toddler) on her older sisters. For some reason, having to care for her while I worked brought out the worst in him. To this day it is still a mystery to me. This time around I am planning to make some better arrangements, either by recruiting the older girls to help and paying them, or maybe even by finding a sitter. I know a lady at my church who cares for a little boy during the day, so I may ask her if she has openings or could recommend someone. Most likely the returning to work will not happen until Spring. Right now it would never work. Careful planning will be needed.

Even though these two decisions seem to run contrary to what I've worked for and wanted in the past, I feel that they are the right ones. I know these are changes that need to be made, and I feel good about them.

I'm still planning to build my doll business and pursue all the other things I've mentioned recently. I'll keep everyone posted on how it goes!

Playing With Baby Dolls

I've been thinking a lot about dolls and the roles they play in our lives. When I was a little girl I loved dolls and I played with them right up through my early teen years. I always preferred realistic babies and I always wanted real baby clothes, bottles etc. for them. I wish reborns had been around when I was about ten or so. I imagine I'd have loved them then even more than I do now.

I remember being in love with babies from a very young age. I loved looking at magazines and catalogs and admiring all the cute babies. As soon as I was old enough to use the scissors I would cut out the pictures of babies and toddlers and pretend they were my children. Later dolls replaced the pictures and I played away entire days feeding and rocking and caring for my babies and daydreaming of the days when I would become a real mommy to real babies.

I did become a Mom and I've beem blessed with four beautiful daughters. My love for dolls never really went away and it was rekindled in a big way back in 2002, when a coworker brought in a reborn she had made. I was instantly smitten and wanted to learn to make them. At that time my two older daughters were preteens and I thought my years of having babies in the house were over. Creating reborn dolls really filled an emotional gap for me at that time, since I still felt the desire for more children.

That desire has now been fulfilled and I've been blessed with two more sweet little girls. Aspen is 5 years old and little Abby is 16 months, and once again I am actively playing with dolls. Having little girls again gives me the perfect excuse to play dolls, but the truth is that I enjoy it as much as I always did. Having realistic reborns to cuddle and care for is the icing on the cake.

Since I've been making the dolls again the girls and I have been actively playing dolls together and this is a real treat. Here are a few shots of Aspen with my reborn twins Gavin & Grace. They are available for adoption on eBay until Friday. Check them out here.




I'd love to hear from my readers on this. Did you pay with dolls? Do you still love them?

My Daybook: November 15

It's been a really long time since I participated in The Simple Woman's Daybook so I thought I'd do one today. Hope you enjoy!

For Today...

Outside my window it's cloudy and kind of grey. It looks like it should be cold but it's really pretty mild.

I am thinking that I spend too much time on the computer, even though I haven't been blogging. Facebook is a real trap. It is a great marketing tool though! I just need to find a balance there.

I am thankful for such a nice day yesterday. (See prior post)

From the learning rooms Ugh. School work has become a battle. I don't know how we got here. I need to find a solution to this.

From the kitchen Fried chicken for dinner tonight. Hubby has promised to cook some yummy side dishes.

I am wearing Jeans, blue sweatshirt, socks and shoes.

I am creating reborn dolls. Waiting on a new kit to arrive today! So excited!

I am going nowhere except to pickup Ashley from work later. Trips out of the house have become a challenge lately with the littles.

I am reading a new tutorial on rooting hair on my dolls. Always striving to improve.

I am hoping little Abby's upset tummy will subside quickly today.

I am hearing Backyardigans and the little girls playing.

Around the house Clutter is sneaking in. I need to do a fast declutter sometime today.

One of my favorite things is Christmas shopping, which I need to get going on!

A few plans for the rest of the week:brainstorming ways to put the fun back in school, working on my next doll, decluttering. Need to figure out what I want to do for this year's Christmas card picture.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing my siblings and me somewhere around 1975. I'm the little one.

I Just Can't Seem To.....

...blog.

I want to get back to regular blogging again but I just can't seem to do it. I come here and I feel like I have nothing to write about. Many of my favorite memes (and blogs!) are no longer there, so in a way I am starting from scratch. Sometimes I think I've lost my blogging mojo, but the desire to do it is still there so I'll break another silent spell with some random stuff.

Today we celebrated my hubby's 43rd birthday. It was actually a very nice day all around. The girls and I went to church and served in the nursery, which always puts a smile on my face. I gave our nursery director one of my business cards and she showed it to several other ladies who also asked for one. I gave out all that I had with me.

We surprised Shawn with Arby's (his favorite) for lunch and then everyone had a nap. Naps are such a treat for me these days! After that my parents came over and we had cake and ice cream and present opening. I did some housework and then got my latest baby auction ready for eBay.

It was a nice, low-key day, the kind I've really come to appreciate. Now as I sit here Abby is snoozing happily in my arms and Ashley and Aspen are playing in the school room. Blogging seemed a nice way to end the day.

I am really enjoying my doll making this time. I've been doing it since 2002 but I've taken long breaks in between. This time I am enjoying every aspect of it in ways I've not before. I think this is because I'm taking it slow and easy and allowing myself to enjoy the process and not just focusing on making sales. I'm approaching it as a hobby and looking at sales as a way to fund the next project and that allows me to take my time and truly express my creativity.

Also speaking of creativity....here are my Halloween digiscrap pages for today's Sunday Scrappin'. This is what I have done so far. I hope to finish those up soon.

My TA-DAs:









I used an adorable kit called A Boo-Tiful Night. My TO-DOs for the week are just to keep working on the Halloween pages.

Speaking of TO-DOs...I need to get my Christmas shopping list done, and then the shopping! After all there are only 41 shopping days left!

Unconventional Art

If Aspen was in public school, she'd be cutting and pasting, finger painting, and coloring with crayons. Here at home she does those things too, but she and Abby also get to participate in my art as well. This was a practice doll that ended up being Aspen's own reborn and she loved participating in making him.





I hope to pass on the art and my love of lifelike dolls to both girls.