The Bartlett Family Adventure is all about the moments that take my breath away as I grow in the glory of God, and live my life to the best of my ability while raising two rowdy boys. This blog is not just about me, it also includes stories of my family's daily adventures. We home school our boys, are trying to grow our fruits and vegetables, we are all on a journey to God, we are trying to live sustainably, and most importantly love the life we lead. Sometimes we stumble, but mostly I like to think we prevail. I am blogging to keep a sort of shared journal. Our life may be messy but it is perfect.
You know what I miss? The song of the day. So today is for music. I have the radio on, and a wooden spoon (for my microphone you can use a brush if you like) ready. Today my friends I am feeling a little bit country. Let's start with a little red wine don't worry we won't run out tonight.
You and tequila make me crazy, One more is never enough (oh, yeah with a twang)
Hey girl, hey where are you going? Come back and sit back down. We could drink on it and sing a little louder!
Oh, this is my song. Okay not really but come on how can you not love Blake Shelton?
Hillbilly Bone. I think this video is hilarious. Watch it twice. I love that Blake is drinking straight out of the wine bottle.
This is when I tell you how much I love this song!
He's Mine. That one (I'll point at James or Damian) Got a wild-hair side and then some and it's no surprise what he's done.
Running through the backwood bare. Seriously we have not drank nearly enough yet.
I put put a spell on you because your mine. Oh dear I still get goosebumps when I hear that guitar solo in the middle of the song. The drums are so memerizing. I am swaying with my hands in the air. Oh yes I am singing and I point to you. I put spell on you
Someone told me long ago there's a calm before the storm. I know it's been coming for some time.
Okay I think I got lost on Youtube. I forgot how much I liked these songs!
I can be current. Oh, wait that's not country.I have no idea what the video has to do with the song. I still love it. I'm at payphone trying to phone home.
Since I found Maroon 5 I had to post my husband favorite video from them. (Cause I love him!)
Oh yeah, So scared of breaking it you won't let it bend.
The truth is I have no idea what song to end on. . .
Oh wait. Somewhere over the rainbow. Sweet dream Friends!
I hope that your day is filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends.
I have been obsessed with the idea of making my own clothes. Over the last couple of weeks (I never do anything fast) I have been making a muslin dress. The first thing that I did was buy some patterns from Hobby Lobby when they were on sale for 99 cents. The next thing that I did was buy a class from crafts.Here is the link to the class I chose http://www.craftsy.com/class/The-Couture-Dress/53 This is a Couture Dress class that takes you through the steps of following a pattern from beginning to end. You do get a pattern with the class but I am using one I already bought fabric for. I am planning on making the Vogue pattern soon (in the next year) but the class is so wonderful and incredibly helpful.
This is the pattern that I am using for my dress. I have a little confession and I hope that my mishaps will help you to avoid the same blunder. If I go to the store and buy a dress off the rack I am a size 10-12 so I bought that size pattern. Well it was way too small. So I had to buy the next size up in the pattern. Now if you are great at math and can figure out how many inches you would need to add to everything, go for it. I am not good at exact measurements and or straight lines. Here is a tip measure your bust, waist, and hips so that you can check the size you need. The good news is unless you add a tag no one knows the size of your dress and your secret is safe with me. So I am about a 14-16 in this dress pattern.
If you noticed in the first picture this pattern will make six different dress styles. This is the one I am using. It seemed like the easiest in the one fabric, and I am not overly fond of spaghetti straps.
Here is my first draft of my muslin (the dress before the dress, which after it is all fit will be used for a pattern for all of the other dresses I make like this later) on my dress form called Pinny. I have to take in the middle piece so that it is not so baggy (how great is it that I can fix the bits I don't like). Also the reason it is fitting pinny poorly is because it is inside out. Silly mistake but easy to fix.
Here is the fabric I am using. I just love the colors and the big pink flowers.
The top right side out. The black lines is the pattern lines I sewed in. So much easier to match the pattern when you see the lines clearly! Totally worth the extra time and effort. Plus I thought Pinny looked skinny here.
Repining the middle so that it looks better.
A rainbow behind our house what a lovely break.
I will update you when I finish the muslin. Maybe I will even be in the muslin next time to show you how it looks on me. Wish me luck.
I hope you find something you love to do and conquer the project. May your days be filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends.
I randomly started thinking about the bucket list. So I decided to make my own including the things that I have already crossed off.
Visit Paris France
Order a coffee in perfect french at a cafe over looking the Eiffel tower
Go to the top of the Eiffel Tower
Live in another country
Visit London England
Travel the world
Visit Hong Kong
See the Great Wall
Visit Egypt
See the Pyramids
Visit Italy
See the Sistine Chapel
Visit Greece
Get a college education
Fall in love
Get Married
Have children
Write a book
Get published
Retire on a farm with my husband
Visit New York, New York
See a Broadway play
Learn to sew
Make my own clothes
Learn to cook
Buy a house
Home School my children to college
Learn how to milk a cow
Raise chickens
Grow all of our food
Learn to spin wool
Learn to make cheese
Learn to make soap
Learn how to knit a sweater
Raise happy, healthy, well adjusted boys
Be more out going
Learn to dance
Read all the great classics
So far this is what I have so far. I love to travel so it is mostly travel dreams. I think this is one list that evolves with time. I hope that I get to continue my adventure with my wonderful husband. If I am honest and I really try to be most of the crossed off items on my list is because he made them come true. I love him more today than I did when we got married almost eleven years ago. Do you have a bucket list? If so what is on yours?
I hope you are having a wonderful day filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends.
Today everything was all quiet and what did I see?
Two little boys reading on the couch.
To be honest James has memorized this book and loves to read it.
So far he can recognize 15 letters on sight and the other 11 he either knows the sound once we tell him the letter, knows the letter but not the sound, or completely draws a blank. He gets a little better everyday. Because he wants to read so badly he is trying harder.
Damian trying to read the kid version of The Last of The Mohicans in 1 hour. He will probably make it and move on to The Red Badge of Honor and finish that one today as well. He wants to read his new Birthday books but he has a stack of books from the library he needs to finish first.
That is what home school looks like today in our house. In a little while there will be some crying and begging and general chaos but now it is beautiful.
I hope your day is filled with sunshine and rainbows, lots of love and laughter. Be well my friends.
I have a new recipe for you. I found it here http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/04/chocolate-mint-brownies.html. Chocolate Thin Mint Brownies. They are Divine. If you like chocolate and mint these are for you. I love the http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/ they have all kinds of wonderful ideas and at least five times a week I see a new recipe for a meal, snack or dessert. If you need some new recipes to cook up for your family I recommend you take a look here. You can pin the recipes to pinterest. Well That is important so that you can find it again later or share it with all your pintrest followers.
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Here is the recipe: Chocolate Thin Mint Brownies
Brownies:
1 1/2 cups melted butter
3/4 cup cocoa
3 cups sugar
6 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
Mint Frosting Layer:
3/4 cup butter, softened
3 Tablespoons milk
3 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
Green food coloring (optional) As you can see I did not add food coloring but I think you can really branch out away from green and use your favorite color, or your child's favorite color. Have fun with it and enjoy.
Chocolate layer:
2 1/4 cups semi-sweet OR milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup butter
Directions:
Whisk together melted butter and cocoa. Add sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt. Mix well, then stir in flour by hand. Do not over mix. Spread in greased 12x17-inch cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 25-30 min. Cool and then put in the freezer for 20 minutes. For frosting, mix butter, milk, powdered sugar and extract. If you want to add color, add your food coloring (you could also use red food coloring). Frost brownies and then put in freezer for another 20 minutes. Melt chocolate chips and butter in a double boiler (or in the microwave) and spread on top of the frosting layer. Freeze another
For the record in no way these are good for you except on special occasions when calories do not count. Any other time cut them into squares and share with all of your really skinny friends, or co-workers. Okay, okay kind of funny, sort of mean. I am sorry share with everyone or hide them and eat one everyday for a month. Up to you. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
I hope your day is filled with Love and laughter. Be well my friends.
