Spring & Summer Wreath

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Our front door has looked rather bare the last several months so I decided to make a wreath for it.

On a recent trip to Goodwill, I found a huge bag of raffia for fifty cents – score! I bought a styrofoam ring, brought out my glue gun, and went to work.

It took a little while to wrap the entire ring but I finally got it covered. Next, I cut off all the raffia pieces which were hanging off.

At Goodwill I also found this sisal grass in a bag. Since it was fifty cents I thought it was a great deal – wrong, I will never buy this again. It’s a PAIN-IN-THE-REAR. When you pull it apart, millions of little pieces fall off. Huge mess.

I managed to get a few chunks of it to glue around the wreath.

I bought three wooden pre-painted flowers for 69 cents each and glued them onto the wreath.

Here’s the final product – I thought about adding the word “spring” to the wreath but decided this will probably be a spring/summer wreath so best to leave it blank.

Have you completed any crafty projects recently?

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Just Say No

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Never say yes to your children. Whatever it may be. Just say no.

I should have followed my own advice on Monday night.

Typically Mondays are crazy nights for us. We usually have several activities going on at the same time. Because of rain on Sunday night, our field activities were cancelled leaving about an hour of playtime we typically don’t have. The boys begged to go outside and ride bikes.

I looked at my watch, calculated there would be 45 minutes of bike time, 15 minutes for dinner, and then we would be off  to Andrew’s music class.

Before going out I placed frozen meatballs on a cookie sheet and some marinara sauce in a pot. Quick and easy meatball subs for dinner was the plan.

All 3 kids rode bikes up and down our street for 30 minutes.

Caroline and I were in the garage when Alex rode in.

“Mom, I need a styrofoam ball for school tomorrow.”

“What? Why?”

“We’re making the sun and I need to bring in the ball for my group.”

“How long have you known about this?” my voice getting loud

“Just today.”

“I don’t think so. A teacher’s not going to ask you to bring in a styrofoam ball with 1 days notice.”

“My group just decided today that we were going to make the sun.”

“What’s everyone else in the group bringing?” my voice getting louder

“Lucy is bringing paint pens and Hoyt is bringing a picture of the sun.”

“Why are you bringing the styrofoam ball? When did you plan on getting this? Why didn’t you tell me about this when you first came home from school.” my voice getting even louder

“I don’t know.”

I grab the phone and call my husband. In an extremely irritated voice I say, “Your son needs a styrofoam ball for school tomorrow. Can you go by the craft store on your way home? Here talk to him. I am so annoyed.”

They discuss the situation while I calm down.

I decided to start dinner so I gathered the kids and tell them to stay in the garage. “Get off your bikes and stand here. I just need to go in and put the tray of meatballs into the oven. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay mom.” Also known as,  “We haven’t heard a thing you’ve said. Nor do we care.”

I walked into the house, into the kitchen, grabbed the tray of meatballs, and put them in the oven. I was turning around to walk back outside, when Andrew came in running, “Mom, Caroline is crying and her chin is bleeding.”

In disbelief I say, “What? How did she get hurt?”

Alex (walking in calmly while his sister can be heard screaming in the background), “I was pushing her on her bike and she turned the handle bar quickly and fell off.”

I quickly think to myself – 1. she’s not supposed to be on a bike, and 2. you are not supposed to be pushing her!

I grab Caroline and inspect her chin. There is quit a bit of blood and I can see she’s got a gash. I quickly way the pros and cons of taking her to the hospital – on one hand the hospital visit will be expensive but on the other hand I don’t think she will especially enjoy looking like a turkey when she’s older.

I grab a bag of ice, throw everyone in the car,  and call Derek. “We’re on our way to the hospital, meet us there.”

After arriving at the hospital I must retell the story of how Caroline hurt her chin probably fifteen times. Each time I try to emphasize certain parts of the story to lessen the chances that CPS will make a visit to my house – I was inside the house when she fell off her bike BUT SHE HAD A HELMET ON. I don’t know if she hit her head on the concrete BUT SHE HAD A HELMET ON.

I think I managed to evade a home visit but just barely.

Turns out Caroline only needed a band aid on her chin. I can’t wait to get the bill for that band aid.

While waiting to be discharged Derek mentions he got a styrofoam ball. With his hands, he   demonstrates it’s about the size of a baseball.

I look at Alex. Alex looks at me then turns to Derek, “But it has to be bigger. It’s supposed to be the sun.”

Now it’s Derek’s turn for his voice to get louder. “You didn’t tell me it had to be big.”

“Daaaaaaaaaaaaad, it’s for the sun. The sun is huge,” whines Alex.

So after taking a post hospital trip to the craft store for a $15 styrofoam ball, we went home, ate cereal, and put the kids to bed.

Oh, and I threw the bikes in the trash.

At least I wanted to.

100th Post

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Wow! Can you believe this is my 100th post? When I started writing back in November I thought my posts would focus mainly on my crafty endeavors. But overtime I realized I didn’t produce projects at a quick enough pace, and to my surprise, those weren’t the most satisfying posts to write. I also discovered I actually enjoyed writing about the everyday mundane occurrences in my life.  I never thought I would write about our drive through dinners , getting my haircut , or share my intimate thoughts… so I guess this blog has turned into a hogde podge of everything.

As you know, these past 6 months have been a bit of a roller coaster for me and I thank you all for going along on the journey. Thank you to everyone out there who reads everyday, once a week, or whenever you get a chance. I appreciate every comment, kind word, and suggestion.

THANK YOU!

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

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Just in case, anyone out there, oh, I don’t know, maybe my own family, needs some last minute Mother’s Day ideas, I have gathered a few ideas.

Lisa Leonard Necklace 

You are Loved necklace or the Single Tag necklace (not sure of wording on this)

Bossy Pants by Tina Fey
Be Kind print Hubby Arranging for a Babysitter & Date Night 
Have 3 NEW restaurant choices to choose from for a Mother’s Day meal 

 A few hours of uninterrupted craft time

Home Made Cards

 Load some music onto our Ipod 
Meal Planning & Grocery Shopping for a week

Spa Gift card

Do you have any other Mother’s Day wishes / ideas on your list?

Lego Man Cake

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Alex had a Lego party for his 9th birthday. Derek suggested making a Lego brick for the cake but I quickly dismissed that suggestion since it did not seem like a challenge. Alex provided me with this figure as inspiration for the cake. So I went for it and think it turned out all right.

Step 1: You need: 2 boxed cake mixes, frosting dye, and 5 large containers of frosting. No, I don’t even consider making my own frosting.

Step 2 – Place both cakes side by side and then carve out the general Lego man shape. Follow up with an initial layer of frosting. Place the cake in the fridge – it’s easier to put the next layer of frosting if the first layer is more solid.

Step 3 – Create the bodysuit? armor? training clothes? with orange icing. I used clear icing bags and a basic frosting tip for the rest of the icing.

Step 4 – Use gray icing for the equipment and part of helmet. I started questioning my cake decorating abilities at about this point – hmmm… 2 hours till the party, I wonder if the grocery store could make a lego brick cake in such short notice?

Step 5 – Using a wider icing tip I created the white sections of the helmet

Step 6 – The first attempt at making “Lego skin” was too pink (very bad in the eyes of a 9 year old boy) so I tried again and got a brown color. Good enough.

Step 7 – I added the black icing sections.

Step 8 – I added the red sections and called it done.

There were certain parts of the cake I wasn’t thrilled with but Alex was excited with the cake and that’s all that counts in the long run.

My Top 10 Favorite Adult Books

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Maybe I should clarify…especially for certain friends of mine. When I say adult books I mean typical regular books you would find in your local bookstore – not the adult bookstore.
 
I love to read and am a pretty quick reader. I tend to go in spurts with my reading, i.e. 5 books in a month and nothing for the next month. I typically favor books that tell the story of women and children and their daily struggles and triumphs – whether that takes place in the depression or the present. Those stories can be fiction, biographies, or autobiographies. You will notice I do not have any of the “classics” on my list. Several years ago I bought East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I got as far as page 3. I figure my horizons are broad enough.
 
 
I hope you enjoy my selections.
 
Naked – David SedarisThis is the funniest book! My husband and I both have enjoyed many of David Sedaris’ books. The humor is sometimes crude and controversial but so worth it. This book is filled with short stories so it’s nice to read an entire story before bed. My favorite story of his “SantaLand Diaries,” is not in this book but worth whatever you have to pay to read it. 
The Color of Water –  James McBrideI have probably read this book 20 times since it’s my favorite book. James McBrides’ mother fascinates me. She born into a white Jewish family but raised her twelve biracial children as black and married a preacher she adored. This book mixes the history of Ruth McBride with the childhood struggles of James McBride and his family.

The Help – Kathryn StockettI cannot recommend this book enough. Once I started reading I could not put the book down. This book tells the stories of a group of white woman and their black maids in Jackson, Miss. during the civivl rights movement. I am eager to see the movie version of this book this summer and hope she releases a new book soon.

 

 

 Funny in Farsi – Firoozeh DumasFunny in FarsiMy mom gave me this book after she listened to Mrs. Dumas speak at a conference. I, in turn, have given this to friends since I find it to be a laugh out loud book. Through short essays, Mrs. Dumas shares her life in California after coming from Iran at the age of seven. You will enjoy reading how her family deals with new American customs and expectations.

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate JacobsThis book focuses on a group of women who come together because of their interest in knitting. Some of die hard sitters while others come more for socializing. Moments in this book will make you smile while others will have you cry – amazing.

 

 Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

I have read Angela’s Ashes several times and each time I am struck by the perseverance of Mr. McCourt and those around him while growing up in poverty in Ireland in the 30’s and 40’s.  This book truly makes you appreciate everything you have.
Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna LandvikThis story follows the lives of five women who live on the same cul de sac in Minneapolis over three decades. Texas born Faith, antiwar activist Slip, sexpot Audrey, painfully shy Merit, and Kari the widow, all come together to take you along for an amazing read.

Good in Bed – Jennifer Weiner

This was my last selection to include in this list. Truthfully, many other books could just as easily be in this spot. I like this book because Candy is a strong character with a sense of humor while dealing with her ex-boyfriend writing about her and her “assets” in a national magazine.
 
The Other Boleyn Girl – Phillipa GregoryI am not a history buff but I am a social history buff. I love to read about the way people lived many years ago, the clothes they wore, and the activities that kept them busy. After reading this book I am thankful I didn’t grow up in the courts of England. Gregory describes them as being cutthroat and vicious – and that’s just between the siblings.
 

Tara Road by Maeve Binchy

I love Maeve Binchy books, there’s just no question about it. I immediately get drawn into the characters everyday plights and am fascinated how she connects everyone’s lives eventually. Her books, which typically take place in Ireland, always keep me up late at night reading.
 

Do you have any favorite book suggestions for me?

Towanda

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My inner Towanda almost came out last week.

Let me explain.

I picked up my 2 yr old from day care and was informed she did not take a nap. Well, I needed to remedy the situation since we had a late night ahead of us. I decided to drive around, ignoring her, while she fell asleep. I knew she was tired and just needed to be strapped down in order to rest.

For the last two weeks my daughter has insisted upon “Pop Pop” being played in the car. That’s her way of saying “Turn on the Mary Poppins soundtrack or heads will roll.” My boys have endured countless playings of “A Spoonful of Sugar,” and “Jolly Holiday.” They just may come to believe Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke are family members.

Truth be told though, nothing annoys me more than when I realize I am singing along with “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” and I actually dropped off all 3 kids fifteen minutes earlier.

So there we were. Driving and driving. It took twenty minutes and eight replays of “Feed the Birds,” but she finally fell asleep. Not wanting to wake her up I continued listening to “Pop Pop.” I determined it was a small price to pay in exchange for the precious nap time she desperately needed.

Four minutes after Caroline’s eyes closed I came to a stoplight. I waited patiently trying to mentally map out my next 30 minutes of driving before I would need to pick up her brother.

A young man on a motorcycle pulled up next to me. I noticed his lack of a helmet and was worrying about his safety… when he turned on me. Without warning he needlessly started revving his engine. LOUDLY. Not once. Not twice. But continued to rev it for the rest of the stoplight.

What’s he planning on doing? Racing the minivan?

The moment the light turned green, the Fonz took off, screeching and roaring down the road.

And then it happened.

A loud shrieking sound from the back seat. All parents know the particular cry I’m talking about. It is the cry that says, “I wasn’t ready to wake up! I’m still tired! Now I ‘m really pissed off because I’m strapped down in this seat crying! I haaaaaaaate you!”

My inner Towanda wanted to come out.

If not for the fact that I would have had to explain to my husband why the front of my minivan was smashed in and that he needed to pick me up from jail, I just might have gone after that motorcycle.

Display Board for Kids Room

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Do you have a large frame you haven’t used in years? We have several and I decided to turn two of them into something useful for the boys’ room. Since our marathon displays have been in a closet for probably five years I decided it was time to change them up.

After taking the back off of the frames, I sprayed them with red paint. The boys have red beds in their room so I decided the frames would coordinate nicely with those.

I had some chicken wire lying around and decided to use it. Yes, I know. We do not live on a farm and I just happened to have some chicken wire lying around. Last summer I was going to make a jewelry holder using a frame and the chicken wire but I never got around to it. So, yes…I had the chicken wire just sitting around.

The frames were 22 x 26 inches so we cut out a piece of wire that was 24 x 28 inches. This gave an extra inch on each side for bending and stapling.

I declined to include pictures of our bloody hands from the wire. This was for the benefit of everyone with a weak stomach.

Derek bent the wire edges roughly 90 degrees using pliers. The bent section was the extra one inch of wire initially added on.

He then stapled the wire in place.

We hung the boards on the wall using the same wire that was originally on the frame.

The boys were able to each place their special papers (drawings of their imaginary soccer teams) and ribbons on their own board using clothespins. (We didn’t make a cork board for the boys since having the push pins around would have been dangerous for Caroline.)

If I was a true “crafter” I would have decorated the clothespins with glitter or scrapbook paper but frankly that seems like too much work to me.

The final product – I love it!

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E’sta

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Last weekend I took Caroline and Andrew to our neighborhood Easter egg hunt. Derek and Alex were off at a soccer game so they missed out. As you can see, Caroline and Andrew were deeply disappointed to miss the soccer game.

Caroline is wearing her “e-sta wabbit dess” my mom gave her and Andrew is wearing a shirt from Aunt Kelly. Thanks for the adorable clothes!

She’s wearing her summer hat since it was roughly 90 degrees and sunny.

Andrew was very willing to take a picture with the Easter Bunny. Caroline, not so much.

One of my favorite pictures shows right before the egg hunt began – Caroline and Andrew look like they’re standing at an Easter crime scene…I can see the headline now:       Massive Mob Attacks Rabbit who Placed Fruit in Easter Eggs

After the Easter egg hunt, Caroline & Andrew came home and dumped their baskets on the floor. Caroline was excited to find plastic bracelets in each of her eggs. Andrew was happy with some of his finds – little erasers, spinning tops – but not so happy with some.

I am now the proud owner of 6 pairs of stick on earrings and 2 plastic rings.