The Girlfriend Apron Tutorial

{The Girlfriend Apron}

Are you your husband's girlfriend? If you listen to Dr. Laura you know exactly what I'm talking about. Often when women call in complaining about their husbands Dr. Laura will ask them, "Are you your husband's girlfriend?" Pretty much, are you treating him like you did when you were dating or do you just nag and de-masculate him with your behavior. I think its a brilliant question.

So in honor of Dr. Laura I am naming this apron, "The Girlfriend Apron".

It is my hope that we will all make ourselves feel "cuter" in the kitchen with one of these cute reversible aprons. Then we can put on a little lip gloss and have a nice meal ready for our loving men who work so hard for us. {Notice I say WE. Heaven knows I'm writing this for myself as well!}

Okay, don't get me wrong---I am not playing down the importance of the woman at home, but I do think we should treat those we love the most the BEST! So here it is. And as you may also know, this is the final project in my Mother's Day Trifecta. What mother and/or grandmother wouldn't want a thoughtful gift {like this easy apron} made by you?!

There are a million aprons out there, but this one was SO simple to make I that I had to share it with you. Here is one I made for my friend Janeen---front, back, and the ties...

So you see the goods, now you can go for it.

{Intro}

This pattern is basically 2 main pieces of material put together with bias tape sewn all around it. Yes, that's it.

If you don't know what bias tape is, you can scroll down in this post and it might help.

Hopefully this tutorial makes sense and is easy enough for the most "rookie" of us all---like me!:)

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The Girlfriend Reversible Apron by Toad aka Emily:)

For the apron I made in the tutorial I used the following:

• 2 main pieces of complimentary fabric {20X15"} for the front and back


• 2 more pieces of complimentary fabric for the homemade "bias tape" {3X21"} on the top and bottom


• 1 inch single fold bias tape for the sides and the apron strings {at least 3 yds}

{Giveaway}

And you know it---I'm going to give this little apron away! I LOVED your last comments about your favorite blogs {it was great to find a few new fun places to visit!}. This time--in honor of Mother's Day--- I want to hear who your all-time favorite woman figure is.

So if you want to be in the drawing just leave a comment and tell me who that special lady is in your life and why you love her. {I know you could write an essay, but pick just one thing that sticks out!} Maybe we can all learn a thing or two. :)

Can't wait to hear about these inspiring women you love. Catch ya later!

"I am my kids mom"

Today I ran into an old colleague while I was out "playing" with the boys. We couldn't believe it had been 5 years since I quit my job to be at home. She asked me if I loved it. I was honest & told her how hard it was at first, but how I really loved it now. She then asked me {looking for a daycare for her little guy} if I watched other people's kids. I told her I didn't quit my job to be at home to spend time with other people's kids. She smiled.

I'm so happy that I can be at home with the boys. And I'm so grateful to say {in the words of Dr. Laura} "I am my kids mom."


"You have nothing in this world more precious than your children. When you grow old, when your hair turns white and your body grows weary, when you are prone to sit in a rocker and meditate on the things of your life, nothing will be so important as the question of how your children have turned out. It will not be the money you have made. It will not be the cars you have owned. It will not be the large house in which you live. The searing question that will cross your mind again and again will be, How well have my children done?" -Gordon B. Hinckley

{TT #2} In Praise of SAHM

For a while I've been wanting to blog about a book I am reading...its SO great.

Thanks goes again to Tanya for introducing me to Dr. Laura. Everyday that I get a chance to listen to her on the radio (& try to apply what she says) I'm a better mom and person.

Because the decision to give up my career (which I loved) and be a SAHM (stay at home mom) wasn't an easy one, I thrive on reading about the benefits of our (Bob and my) choice. This book has just reaffirmed how important it is for kids to be raised by their moms at home, and had made me even more grateful for the decision we made.

Here's a taste of what you'll get in this book...

-After being interviewed by Katie Couric she (KC) said that working and doing important things is great role modeling for children, and it gives them something about their parents to be proud of.

Dr. Laura's response was, "You don't have kids to have an approving audience. You have kids for their sakes, not your own. Children have very specific emotional and psychological needs, best met by a loving parent, not hired help...I believe a child needs to know that a mother loves him more than she loves a job, career, fame, power, money, prestige, or celebrity...No, our children are not there to be our cheerleaders; we are to be theirs.

-"I have never, and I mean never, in 32 years of radio, had a nanny, full-time babysitter, or day-care center worker ever tell me that after her job experiences she would ever turn her kids over to nannies, day care centers, or babysitters!"

A few other things that Dr. Laura has reminded me of...

-I did not give up my career to just cook, clean, do laundry, and maintain a house. I would have had to do all of that anyway. I'm a home to BE THERE FOR MY KIDS. This has helped me keep my focus where it should be.

-No one will treat my kids better or be more in tune to their needs than me. Not grandparents, friends, nannies, etc. I WANT to be the one to comfort, love, & be there for my kids.

-You can't get moments back, & you have to have a quantity of time to have quality experiences. "Quality time" isn't enough...You can't plan out when your kids will do something new, say something funny, or just need you to be there.

Yesterday as Bob was leaving for work, Aidan tried to say "Bye" for the 1st time. He tried to wave by wiggling his fingers , and said "BAA" at the same time. It was so sweet & I was so happy & grateful to be there to see it. So Kudos to all of you SAHM's!! And I'm so glad, like Dr. Laura, that I AM MY CHILD'S MOM. And if you'd like a good read...here you go!

Kudos to Moms

"We need to remember that the full commitment of motherhood and of putting children first can be difficult...There are moments of great joy and incredible fulfillment, but there are also moments of a sense of inadequacy, monotony, and frustration. Mothers may feel they receive little or no appreciation for the choice they have made. Sometimes even husbands seem to have no idea of the demands upon their wives...We want you to be happy and successful in your families and to have the validation and support you need and deserve." M. Russell Ballard, "Daughters of God," Ensign, May 2008, 109

A friend emailed this to me & I thought it was a great reminder. Being a "stay at home" mom is not glamourous by any means, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but with these little men. On days where I'm changing the 5th big poopy blowout, wiping pee on the seat before I sit down, or attempting to fold the room full of laundry waiting for me (because I'm sick of going through it to dress everyone) I try to remind myself that I'm not a slave, but I chose this way of life because its the best thing for our family...and especially our kids. (Not to mention where the Lord wants me now.) I'm far from perfect, but who would be better to them each day than their mom who loves them more than words can say?

So kudos to moms & especially all of you who have chosen to be at home with your sweet babes!! We may not get the praise of the world, but we are changing it by what we do.

Pulling out of postpardum

As I was leaving the gym tonight (my favorite 30 minutes to myself...never thought I'd look forward to working out like I do...the "at home" workout just isn't enough seperation for me!), I started thinking about how great it feels to be getting back to myself again. Aidan turned 5 months today & I can honestly say that I am really starting to smile & mean it, laugh & feel it, & when I cry its for a reason (well most of the time anyways!:)

Yes, I admit the postpardum rollercoaster is a crappy part of my life after having babies. Its been a rough few months for the Ashby family...even if you don't count the hours of crying, nursing problems, hiding in my "cave" for as long as I could, or the time I tried to "run away" and hit our other car parked in the driveway as I was pulling out of the garage (and then drove around for an hour bawling with no where to go (miss that Oregon coast) & returned home because I had to pump). (Oh man! At least I can smile about it now.):)

But feeling so terrible (during my pregnancy and after) has done a few good things for me...

#1 I have gained alot more empathy for those who are in chronic pain. At least I knew (or hoped) there was a light at the end of the tunnel--so many live daily with pain and have no end in sight.

#2 It made me realize (once again) that I can't do everything myself. I have been blessed with the desire to be independant so asking for help is not easy. Thanks to my Father in Heaven (typically after ASKING for it) I recieved the help I needed to "survive".

#3 It has made me so grateful for my great healthy boys. It sure isn't easy getting them here, but at least I am blessed to have them. I guess time (& of course prayer) will tell if we'll have more (Bob keeps telling me to get rid of the baby stuff):), but it was this time last year that I starting on the ZoFran(an anti-nausea drug they use for chemo patients)and I feel sick even thinking about it.

#4 Its made me appreciate Bob for working so hard for our family. I feel very blessed to be able to stay at home with my boys. I wouldn't have it any other way. The transition to a "stay at home mom" after I had Ethan was very difficult for me for a number of reasons, but I finally decided my dreams of conquering the corporate world can wait until my babies are older. (So what if I'll be a raisin...I'll be a motiviated, hip, experienced raisin with no regrets!) Thank-you Bob!

So, cheers to feeling better!