Tuesday, March 29, 2011

real life?


There's a table in my basement right by the window where it's perfect for sketching, crafting, homeworking, playing, reading and whatever else-ing

Quite often if I want to use it I have to make room by digging my way through the piles of books my boys have read there.
I had to laugh and snap a picture this time.
  • The Far Side Gallery 
  • American Standard of Perfection 1985 edition (poultry)
  • Children's World Atlas
  • The Dangerous Book For Boys
  • a Sketch book and some markers
These books weren't there because they'd cast them aside on their way to do something else.
They were there because they had been intently studied and read!
At least my boys are well rounded?
and geniuses?

It doesn't matter!
It makes me smile!

BTW: one of these boys when he was 6 asked me, while I was driving, and I was extremely pregnant (significant because pregnancy makes it hard for me to concentrate so I was already distracted.)
Son: "Mom, why does the word matter have two definitions? One being it has no consequence and the other being the basic element everything is made of. How do those two definitions relate to each other?"

Me: thinking, what? where did this child come from? and concentrating so hard I missed the speed limit sign that said it changed from 40 to 25...ooops...

The Police Officer wasn't compassionate at all on this pregnant woman with 4 children in the car who apologized profusely and said she didn't speed intentionally, she was only distracted by this extremely intelligent question that just came out of her 6 year old's mouth as this same son asked him if he was going to arrest his mother.

No, not compassionate at all......he gave her/me a ticket!

So On my birthday (7:30 am) I went to the court house to see if I could get the judge to reduce my fine and the points on my DL. I couldn't find anyone to watch my youngest (3) and so I packed a bag with books and a few toys and waddled my 8 1/2 months pregnant self to the courthouse. 
I placed the tote bag on the conveyor belt that went through the x-ray machine and herded my little man through the metal detector and then I went through too.
On the other side the security officer was taking a close look at my bag through the x-ray machine. 
Finally he stopped and asked with a confused and amused grin, "Mam, do you happen to have an octopus in your bag?"

"I probably do." I answered as I opened the bag and pulled out a small red octopus with its legs spread wide.

The man laughed and said I couldn't figure out why you'd have a Chinese star in your diaper bag so I decided it had to be an octopus.

I laughed and said, "And I bet you've never had to ask anyone if they have an octopus in their bag before?"

"No, and I probably never will again either." he said.

When it was finally my turn to see the judge and plead for leniency my little man had HAD it and the judge did not look happy to see my little man there.  

After hearing my side of things the judge offered to take the ticket off of my record completely if I went to driving school.
I told him I'd like to but I didn't think I'd have time because I was due if a few weeks to deliver my 5th child.

He nodded his head and then it was like it finally registered in his mind what I'd just said because he stopped, his eyes got wide and he said, "Wait. What? How many kids did you just say?"

"Fifth." I answered

He shook his head and said, "Yeah, you're right, you won't have time."

I guess he took pity on me because he reduced my fine from $250 to $30 and took all of the points off of my DL record.
Happy Birthday to me!

I guess the point to all of this is ..... if your boys read like this it can be a good and a bad thing but it's definitely worth it for the amusing story.

Monday, March 28, 2011

World Domination with Applesauce

My plan to rule the WORLD!
Applesauce Facials! People will think they are an innocent way to keep their skin looking baby soft - like mine. But through the sauce they will be under my control!!!!



(Diabolical laugh) Ha-ha-ha




HEE-hee-hee-hee.....




ha.......?



Huh?.....you're not laughing?



What? You don't think it'll work? Hmmm.....





Okay......I'll just eat it then. Do you want some too? I'll share!




Saturday, March 12, 2011

Carl Bloch



We took our kids to the Carl Bloch exhibit at the art museum at BYU today.
It was amazing and what I consider to be the experience of a lifetime..
Having all of those pieces in one place is nothing short of miraculous.
If you're going to be in the Provo UT area between now and the end of May I highly recommend taking a few minutes to experience it.

Friday, March 11, 2011

I tried something new


I've always wanted to learn how to knit and so yesterday I decided it was the day!
Obviously I'm still into green so I grabbed some green cotton yarn, the laptop (youtube) and some knitting needles.


Hours later this is what I have.



As I intently attacked the unsuspecting yarn, brow cinched with beads of sweat glistening, and tongue sticking slightly out the kids innocently asked what I was making. 
I told them proudly (and maybe slightly miffed because they had to ask, they couldn't just tell what it was), "A very small dishcloth. Probably the worlds smallest."
They were not impressed.
But...
Youngest did ask me to make a blanket for the babies she will have one day. (Maybe she's slightly impressed.)
I told her I would when I get a little better at it.


It's a little discouraging because if I was crocheting I would have been able to produce a dishcloth twice this size in less than an hour.
But I have to keep reminding myself I've been crocheting for years and I've been knitting for less than 24 hours....I will get faster! I hope.....

So, If you'd like to learn to knit too here are a couple of links to some good videos on youtube.

Casting on (long tail)

I discovered I'm more comfortable with the Continental Method, which basically means I like to hold the yarn I'm working with, with my left hand.
Probably because that's what I'm used to doing when I crochet.
  
Sweet Husband is very patient with me and my whims.
He said he likes it that I'm learning to knit because it reminds him of sushi.........
The needles look like chopsticks.......
He loves sushi.......
I love him.....

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Why Hello!

Why Hello Little Miss Sunshine!
It's so nice to see you. The time has dragged on too slowly since I last saw your smiling face.
Please stay for a while and invite your friends, butter daffodil and purple tulip. Oh and don't forget cotton candy hyacinth and sweet little petite candy-tuft. We'll all have a great time together.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Feeling Crafty ----at last!

It's taken me a few months to feel crafty again.
Christmas almost killed me.
I've had this project setting in the cupboard for MONTHS!
I finally felt like taking 20 minutes and completing it.
So I did!
AND
I love it.
I think I may tackle a few more house decorating projects around here.
I took months and months off.
But I'm feeling the itch now.

I knew I had the perfect color of green in my long neglected arsenal of paints.
Unfortunately, my paints had been neglected and the color I wanted was completely dried.
Blah!

But I did have a different green.....and classic tan......so I was able to concoct my perfect green.
I decided to name my new paint color friend.
I pondered avocado for a moment but it had too negative of a color connotation
so I settled on Celery.
I'd like you to meet Celery!

Isn't she pretty?!


Like I said I've had the parts for this setting in my cupboard for months.
I ordered the vinyl last May......ukum..
Ordered it from a seller on Etsy.

The board is 8" x 8" with 3/8" holes 1 1/2" off center 1" down.

There was a floral flourish on the left bottom corner that was too big and  was going to hang off the board so I trimmed it before applying the vinyl and then added it at a different angle so it would fit better.
I don't think you can tell if you look at the bottom picture you can see there are a few more swirlies.



I have a few other boards to go in this square wreath for different holidays but I wanted one for in-between holidays.

It makes me smile.

(p.s. the square wreath is from Ben Franklin Craft)

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Happy Dog - Happy Tuesday

Rescuing this dog was one of the best things we've ever done as a family.
Look at that smile!
Even at 8 she's still just a kid.
I'm so happy we could give her a home and we're so thankful her kind heart has helped our youngest get over her insane fear of dogs.
.....um...can you see the resemblance?

  
taken 2008