Super Helper

Yesterday just after lunch I decided that I needed to go out and get the back yard cleaned up. Dog likes to go out and kick up the rocks while she barks at the neighbor's dogs. Our whole back yard is rocks, so when she kicks up or digs up a spot, it is a glaring dirt hole in the middle of a sea of rocks. Plus we have Dog, and the backyard is Dog's toilet. I wanted to go even out the rocks, rake the weeds, and clean up the dog poop.

I went outside and started raking. Monkey came out to hang out with me. Bear told her that if she was going to be out there with me, that she needed to help me. Monkey picked up the child size rake that we have and started helping me rake the rocks over to cover the dirt spots. She never once complained or whined about having to clean up with me. She actually told me that it was more fun to do yard work with me than it was to clean the den alone.

I was surprised that she would rather do yard work. Cleaning up the den involves putting laundry in the hamper, trash in the trash can, and toys in the rooms. The backyard actually requires work... And yet she was perfectly happy to hang out and do the work with me without complaint. It made me happy to spend the time with her and that it was less work that I had to do. She's a good kid and she makes me proud.

My Apprentice

When I was younger I swore to myself that I would never be interested in sewing. My mom, 4 of my aunts, grandmother, and great grandmother are/were very crafty people. (HA! See what I did there?) My mom made my wedding dress when I got married 9 years ago. And over the years I have had dozens of quilts and clothing items made for myself and my family. I used to tell my mom that I never needed to learn how to sew because she could. If I ever needed anything, I could pay her to do it.

Since then I had the "ON" switch flipped in my head. I have a sewing machine, a Serger, a body mannequin, 2 Styrofoam heads, and more fabric and patterns than I know what to do with at the moment. I have made costumes for friends and simple clothes for Monkey and Bug.

Currently I am working on a cosplay robe for myself. I am not normally one to dress up, but I want to sew more than I do and therefore I started looking up fun and simple costumes. I am working on a White Mage robe from the Final Fantasy Series. It is not any one specific robe from a specific game. It is my own take on the classic. It is a white robe and it will have normal red triangles, but it will be my own.

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/White_Mage

Monkey likes to hang out with me while I am sewing. Most of the time it isnt a big deal. But sometimes I just need my own space. Because Monkey is (almost) 6, I do not let her sew yet by herself. My grandmother bought me a $2000 sewing machine with a bunch of bells and whistles and I am not okay with letting her touch it right now. Monkey is however allowed to touch the pins. Our compromise when she helps me sew is that she can set her hands (gently) on my hands to "help" me guide the fabric, and she can pull the pins out of the fabric and put them on the magnetic pin cushion that I have. She is also not allowed on my lap or near the machines at all when I am using the Serger. I am terrified that she is going to cut her own finger off, cause me to cut my finger off, or cause me to destroy whatever I am working on.

I have told Monkey that I am more than happy to help her learn how to sew, but I want to give it a couple more years. Until then she can keep helping me.

Teamwork

Bug likes to color. In fact... she likes to color ON EVERYTHING. Recently this included her white bedroom door meeting a purple crayon.

I took away her crayon and got after her about coloring on the door. I told her she made a mess and had to clean it up. I went to the kitchen and got her a scrubbie and set her to work.

Monkey came along and asked what was going on. Somehow Bug convinced her to take over the cleaning project. It reminded me of Tom Sawyer convincing other kids to whitewash the fence.

There is no way that this was fair so I went and got Bug another scrubbie and made her help her sister.

They "cleaned" for about half an hour. At the end of the day though, the only thing that is really going to make the purple go away is a fresh coat of paint. At this point... that is going to have to wait until Bug ends this habit of drawing on the walls, doors, and tiles in the house.