Another new critter

I am having so much fun with my crochet critters, that I decided to try out yet another new one. This one is a turtle. I really like it but still have a few tweaks to make it a bit easier to put together and have its eyes in a better position. Michael was perfectly happy with this lil guy though and claimed it as his own.

Dakota

My niece Dakota came down to visit us this weekend. We all had a very good time. I managed to take a few pictures of her though she is not too happy being in front of a camera. Why is beyond me because she is a beautiful young girl.

I got this look when she noticed me taking pictures. It may be a little blurry but you sure get the idea on her mindset when it came to seeing the camera.

I almost got a smile from her when I told her that I wanted to get a picture of her for Granny... here you are mom.

And I had to get one last picture of all the kids together. I have been doing shots like this for as long as I can remember, all of the kids on the couch. This time Piper joined in the fun. Smiles all around.

A new project

I finished up a new baby set last night and this one included a new project. Now that I have gotten the hang of making an octopus, I thought I would try my hand at my favorite, a bunny.

After a lot of trial and error, looking at several different patterns and adapting to my own, this is what I came up with. Now I just have to hope I can read my own notes and do it again. And I have to find a home for this set as well.

Another one gets a buzz

This time it is Charlie. I really do not like cutting his hair, he has the most beautiful curls but it was getting just a wee bit long. It is also a difficult process to cut his hair because he acts as though he is being scalped rather than just getting a trim. So I decided this morning that it was time... and as we watched cartoons I talked to him about cutting his hair, running my hands through his hair and making buzzing noises. Trying to get us both in the mindset that it was going to happen and taking a last chance to enjoy his curls before I removed them all.

All in all things went really well. We went slow and I talked him through the whole thing. No tears and no screaming which was a first for him.

And here he is... all adorable even without the curls.

Flowers in Bloom

My flowers are popping out all over the place. Here are some of them that were spectacular today. In the mix are Verbena, Toad Flax, Calibrachoa, Iris, Wave Petunias and Columbine.

Zoo Field Trip

Alyssa's class traveled to the Zoo for their annual 2nd Grade Field Trip. Here is Lys trying to melt into the tropical fish exhibit. The girls enjoyed watching all of the fish and most especially the sharks.

Lys and her friends at the Polar Bear exhibit. The polar bear spent the afternoon lounging in the sun but the walruses sure made a show of things, swimming gracefully around and brushing up against the glass enclosure each time they turned around. The girls were mesmerized and watched them swimming for about ten minutes.

A quick break from the animals had the girls going rock climbing. It also gave me a chance to catch my breath because when they were on the move, the only way to go was fast.

After lunch, the kids teacher sat for some pictures of the group who had lunch together. Then it was on to see the penguins. Swimming and diving in the water made for lots of ohhs and ahhs from the girls.

And at the end of the day, all of the kids sat so all of us parents could get some group shots. Overall it was a perfect day for the zoo, clouds overhead and not to hot. We were lucky that it did not rain either.

Science Field Trip

This year Zack's Science class was able to go to a local creek and release some Coho Salmon that the High School classes have been raising. In addition to releasing the fish, they did some scientific testing. Zackery got to check the temperature of the water.

Then he and his lab partner worked on testing the PH. Other groups were working on the same tests.

The kids science teacher collected samples of the water to take back to school. Under the microscope the kids found all kinds of cool things.

And finally they had fun. Here is Zack on one side of the creek with his aide, on the other. She and I had a lot of fun trying to get across without getting too wet. While she choose to jump, I played it safe and walked across. Got my feet wet but saved my dignity on a possible fall.

Sock Hop

Last week Zackery went to his 2nd dance of the year. He had so much fun. The theme for the evening was a sock hop... no shoes allowed on the dance floor.

The kids were quite creative in their choices of shoes but the best were the girls who painted on their socks.

Zackery took the camera out for a spin and one of his friends took this shot of him.

And I caught this shot of all the kids as they were posing for pictures.

A new afghan and a couple of octopuses

Things have been a little hectic here with my Mother-in-law scheduled for breast cancer surgery. My hands have been busy keeping me and my mind occupied. I finished up these projects this week.

A green and pastel baby afghan. No home for this one as of yet.

A pair of octopuses that will be headed to South Carolina for the Granddaughters of a very dear friend of mine.

Today in the Garden

Today was sunny and hot as heck. The kids spent the day in the pool and I spent the day working on another section of the garden. Got it all cleared out and just a few minutes ago I transplanted some Verbascum Milkshake there.

My strawberries are HUGE this year and in full bloom as well.

And finally today my columbine are beautiful. They are all pointing down though so I had to put the camera under them to get a nice shot of the flowers.

Science Project... Part One

Zackery is working on his end of the year science project. With help, he decided to prove that yeast is alive and that it grows. For this experiment he is using water bottles, water, yeast, sugar and a balloon. The idea is to prove that the yeast is growing in that it puts out carbon dioxide and in turn blows up the balloon.

First step is gathering his ingredients.
Next he added everything to the bottles. He is using hot tap water for these trials. He is also using 1 cup of water and equal amounts of yeast and sugar. The first bottle has 1 tablespoon of each, the second has 2 tablespoons and the third has 3 tablespoons. This is to show that the more yeast and sugar, the more it grows.

Now had tops each bottle off with a balloon.
10 minutes later he has successfully blown up balloons. The red balloon in the middle exploded at 6 1/2 minutes and the orange balloon filled up with carbon dioxide. Seeing that the blue balloon only blew up a little bit, he proved that more sugar and yeast causes more carbon dioxide to be produced.
A success!

First Jobs

I spent a good part of today looking through (read tearing apart) my desk looking for a gift card that Patrick has been saving until he has enough money to buy a video game he wants. To that end, in the past few weeks he has acquired two jobs. He will be spending a day a week mowing two of our neighbors yards and even has them set up to pay him monthly. Pretty good gig for a 14 year old. He gets to mow our yard as well and though he does not get paid for that chore in the usual sense, he knows that doing his chores here allows him to get some spending money when he asks for it to go and hang out with his friends.

I am very proud of him and as I was looking for the gift card, which I did find, I was trying to remember what were some of the first things I bought when I had my first job. Back then it was delivering newspapers. I had a foot in the door since Dad worked for the local paper and that job plus baby-sitting saw me through high school.

I am sure it was books or clothes because video games were not a big thing in our house. But I know it felt good and I am looking very forward to taking Patrick out this weekend to spend his first "paycheck" and also to open a savings account. Some of that hard earned cash is going to be put away for a car.

Buzz Cuts

Zackery has been in need of a haircut for a while now but most weekends Sunday night comes around before I know it and I have run out of time to do his hair. Not this weekend though. I took him, the stool, and the clippers attached to an extension cord outside and zapped all of his hair away.

He is so happy with his new cut. He always spends the day or two after a buzz just feeling his head. I know he loves the prickly kind of feel and it is also one of the few times that I can get away with touching his head without him squirming away. I guess he must think that since he likes how it feels so much, I must as well and he tolerates the touching. A side benefit is that I get to not worry about his hair for a month or two which is always nice.

And then when I was done with him, Jonny asked if I could buzz his hair too. His beautiful and fairly long, just starting to cover his eyes and need a trim hair. I was a little heartbroken because he has such beautiful hair but since he asked for it, off it all came. He is now sporting a matching buzz like his big brother. I have to say, having no hair covering his eyes sure makes those eyes stand out and sparkle now.


I had no other takers, just these two. Mikey said he loved his haircut he has and Charlie ran the other direction when I so much as thought about wrestling him into a place I could cut it all off and besides, I love his curls. Patrick allowed a trim but is not getting anywhere near a buzz. I am also pretty safe with Lys, she likes her hair too much.

Plants are planted...

...well at least some of them.

A couple of the tomatoes and peppers. This year I have Golden Jubilee and Habanero in the square planter and Roma and Hungarian Wax in the round one.

And the porch planter with Verbena, Toad Flax and Calibrachoa. I choose these ones because they are delicate and trailing flowers.

Things are really starting to come together in the yard. It is supposed to be nice and sunny later this week and I am hoping I can get out there and plant out the last section of the garden. I am also hoping I can get my boxes built so we can attempt some veggies using with them that the kids can tend. Things along the lines of carrots and possibly a smaller variety of watermelon or pumpkin. I also want to grow pickling cukes. We need to get them in soon so they will have time to grow.

Blue Afghan and Pink Octopus

My latest finished projects. Completed both this afternoon.

This blue and white afghan is a gift for my friends soon to be arriving grandson. I added a scalloped edge to give it a more finished look.

And this pink octopus is going to the daughter of the teacher who received the purple afghan. She fell in love with the purple octopus intended for her sister and I did not want her to feel left out.

Happy Mother's Day

For you Mom, I love you.

Another year and the holiday approaches. A time when children come together to tell their mom's that they love them. To wish them a happy day and to celebrate all that it is that their mother's have done for them throughout the years.

As a child this involved big breakfasts and handmade gifts in brown paper bags carefully wrapped by small hands. Cherished in that moment for the priceless gifts that they were. Clay hand prints, small plants grown in classrooms, lots of kisses and hugs. Clean rooms without complaints and a time just to be together.

It is the same for me as a mom. The kids have been bringing home the cutest things to share with me. We also have a trip planned to the local nursery for plants to adorn my garden. I will get to see their love for the rest of the season and for many to come as well. Lots of smiles for them, lots of tears for me as I see my babies all growing up.

It is a time for me to reflect on the type of parent I am and how I got to be this way.

Our house growing up was always full of love. I was not the easiest kid to raise, and looking back I know that I gave mom many moments of heart stopping fear along with pride in my accomplishments as I grew older. I can remember broken bones, car accidents, and running away from home only to return to unconditional love that showed even through the lectures and punishments. I remember pride filled smiles for soccer goals, good grades, and for all of the good choices I made back then as well as the ones now for the person I am and the parent I have become.

One memory that always makes me smile when I look back is late nights, sitting up watching TV and making a sly suggestion about how good a milk shake would taste. I really wanted the french fries but knew I could get mom to make that late night run if enticed by a McDonald's milk shake. It did not always work, but those short car rides and the conversations we had on them and the happiness shared during that time is something that sticks with me today. Knowing that the answer was not always going to be no and knowing that mom was always there for me is precious to me and has stuck with me. And now I know she can smile when I tell her that Patrick does the same thing and we often walk across the street for late night snacks and just talk about whatever on our trip there and back.

Mom, I am the wife I am now because of you, the mother I am now thanks to you and the person I am now because of the foundation that you gave me growing up. I loved you them, love you now and will love you always for being who you are.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Mother's Day Gifts

Dan and the kids took me shopping today for my Mother's Day gifts. Lots of plants and things for my garden.

Tomatoes, peppers and a clematis.

And a couple of garden stakes.

We did plant a few things today but will get more in the garden tomorrow and the rest of the week.

First Book

Jonathan is well on his way to becoming a writer and if not then at least he is having fun with it for now. He enjoys writing words and drawing pictures to go along with them. The fact that letters have become words to him this past year has shown us a huge growth in his confidence in both reading and writing. It sure is exciting to see.

Jonny has always been a story teller, in fact a lot of the time it drives us crazy because often we want to just get to the point rather than hear everything that came up to that point.

This week Jonny came home with a book he wrote at school. Here is how it reads:

STarWors
BY JON

It took me a while to figure out and Jonny had to help a bit. He told me, I messed up a little with the words. I told him that it was a great story and I will keep it forever.

Here is what he said. "Darth Vader is invading the world, Yoda is saving the world."

Of course Jonny made his big brother Patrick proud because he, too, is a Star Wars fan.

Weekend Gardening

With a sunny and warm weekend at hand, I took advantage and got outside. Between Dan and I and all of the kids, we got a lot done in the yard and garden.

Dan dug out the last of the front sections for me. The kids and I went through the big clumps and pulled out the grass. I still have some sifting to do before all of the good dirt goes back and I can plant things.

I also weeded the strawberry and iris sections and am happy to report lots of flowers on the strawberries and at least a dozen buds on the iris. This will be the first year they bloom for me. I cannot wait to see the colors that I get from the starts that my friend Patty gave to me.

I was talking with friends about all I had done and thought it would be neat to see where I started and where I am now. I originally had quite a blank slate with only the Japanese Barberry bushes and the weeping birch in place.







Two years later, I have this. Of course another comparison will be in order once there is a bunch of color in place of the green.

Purple Baby Afghan

My latest finished project is a purple and multi toned afghan. It is for one of Zack's former teachers at the kids elementary school who is expecting a girl.

I added in a matching hat and a purple octopus.

Getting Ready for College...

... ALREADY???


Yes, I should be preparing I am told by Patrick's English teacher. She thinks he has wonderful potential and the sooner we get started on looking for scholarships and getting him ready for them and everything else that comes with sending your child off to college, the easier it will be for all of us once he is there.

I was not quite ready for that though we have talked about going to college. I sure thought I had at least another year before I needed to start thinking about stuff like this but I guess it is that time now.

So where to begin, I have absolutely no idea. The first thing on my list will be an appointment with the counselor at school. A more in depth talk with his English teacher as well as the principal at the school.

On a good note, this is all stuff I am good at. The research, note taking, gathering of information. With any luck it will be a fun project for me and one that will help us to send our son to the college he wants when he graduates.