Jason’s dad, Keith, recently fulfilled a long time dream; he bought a new 2007 Harley-Davidson® Fat boy® motorcycle.
My dad used to own a Harley but still I know relatively little about them, except that they are extremely loud. For those of you who know even less about hogs than I do, here are a few facts. Harley-Davidson® motorcycles are a U.S. original. The first Harley was made in 1903 in a 10’x 15’ wooden shed that served as a “factory”. In spite of their humble beginnings, by 1920 Harley-Davidson® had become the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer.
Over the last century Harley-Davidson® has become an American icon so it’s no wonder that a Harley is the dream ride for many motorcycle enthusiasts, such as Keith.
Keith definitely deserves a little spoiling so I’m glad he finally got his fat hog.
Dad looking cool on his Harley.
BTW, for those of you who are thinking that you might like a Harley, be prepared to have that purchase set you back $7,000-20,000. And yes, you could buy a car for that much.
My niece, Madison, got an American Girl doll for Christmas. For those of you who were never little girls and do not have little girls, you may not be familiar with the American Girl dolls. The American Girl dolls are believed by many to be the epitome of what a doll should be. They are 18” tall and pricier than most dolls (about $90). You can buy just about any accessory for them imaginable; you can even buy matching outfits for your little girl and her doll. There are also several shrines to American Girls located randomly throughout the country. The closest one is in California.
Sewing AG clothes with Madison
It seems all little girls love American Girl dolls and easily get sucked into their cute miniature world. Madison has definitely been obsessed with American Girls since she got her doll, Felicity. She has now added Josephina to her collection as well.
Tiny parts to a tiny dress
Since the little outfits for these dolls run about $30 apiece, I decided to offer my sewing services to Madison. Thus far I have sewed 4 outfits for her dolls. For those of you who are thinking that sewing little doll clothes would be a cheap and simple task, let me bring you back to reality. Although the outfits I have made have virtually cost me nothing since I used scraps of fabric from other sewing projects, the time involved in making these miniature clothes is much more than you would expect.
American Girl Princess Dress
I have been sewing for many years and have undertaken numerous complicated and time intensive sewing projects, such as a civil war period dress reproduction. So I was expecting sewing these doll clothes to take very little time, a common error amongst sewing enthusiasts. However, when you are used to working with a 5/8” seam, a ¼” seam can be quite frustrating. I have learned that you have to be much more exact with doll clothes and that that precision takes time. So if you are tempted by the cheap price tag to try sewing clothes for an American Girl doll just remember to give yourself plenty of time, and don’t expect it to be an easy task.
Another AG dress
With that said, my niece loves the outfits I have made and I have promised to make a couple more before I retire from tailoring these tiny clothes.
Yet another dress
I have also learned from Madison that while clothes are nice, dolls need more than just outfits, they need somewhere to rest their heads. Last Saturday my friend Robyn, who is an expert seamstress, invited me and Madison over to her house for an American Girl party and sewing extravaganza. Madison was all over this. Robyn’s girls, Rebecca and Nicole, have all sorts of American Girl clothes, furniture, and accessories; Madison was in heaven. Another friend of mine, David, brought his two little girls and so, while Robyn and I sewed, the girls went crazy with their dolls, 8 dolls in total. The dolls even had a picnic with American Girl sized grilled cheese sandwiches and cupcakes while their larger counterparts ate their lunch.
An AG picnic with Quinci and Madison
Robyn and I were able to make mattresses, bedspreads, and pillows for each of their dolls while the girls played.
All the dolls with their beds
Those little ladies are already plotting to have another American Girl party sometime in the near future.
This Tuesday my family welcomed its newest member, Wesley Edmond Marshall. He is child number four for my sister Tonya. The little guy was two weeks overdue and was still not ready to come out, so, as with all her other deliveries, Tonya had to be induced. Even with the inducement Wesley was in no hurry to greet the world. Tonya went into the hospital Monday morning and Tuesday at 2:30 AM he finally made his appearance. He was 20 ½ inches long and weighed 8 lbs and 7 ounces.
Wesley Edmond Marshall
While Mommy and Daddy were at the hospital we all took turns watching the Marshall kids. Uncle Jason took one of the longer shifts. Since he skipped out on work to play Uncle he was trying to get as much work done on his laptop as he could while he watched them. As he was in the midst of responding to numerous emails about Testopia bugs he noticed that the kids were being unnaturally quiet so he decided he better make sure they weren’t up to something. It turns out that they were indeed up to something. He found a large pile of food hidden in the playroom. The kids had watched Over the Hedge earlier that day and had decided that because Uncle Jason was being no fun and working instead of playing with them, that he was a grumpy old bear. So naturally they needed to sneak food past the grumpy old bear, just like in the movie. They had been involved in this sneakery for quite a while before Jason caught them. He got a good laugh over it.
Wesley and Jason
Jason survived babysitting and Wesley arrived safely. So welcome sweet little boy to the clan, we’re a little crazy, but since you’ve got those genes too, I’m sure you’ll fit right in with all the nuts!
Wesley and Rae
And just so everyone knows, my sister stole the name I picked out for one of my kids-Edmond-so don’t be surprised when I name a kid Edmond anyway.
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