Happy Halloween!

Hope all of your little ghosts and goblins have a great time tonight, trick or treating for goodies! Briley is going as a cheerleader and Bailey is going as Little Red Riding Hood. I'm not sure what kind of skanky costume Brit is planning on wearing - LOL - I'm sure it will be something that I most definitely don't approve of! (Not that Brit is going trick-or-treating, but I'm sure she'll have some party she's planning on attending.) Oh well? There could be worse things than a skanky costume!

Have a great evening, and with any luck I'll have some fun pictures to show of the girls and their costumes.

Happy Birthday Bailey!

It's official - She's finally a teenager!!!

The BIG 13!! I need prayers for ME!! I knew it was coming, I knew it was inevitable, but HOLY COW 2 drama queen teenagers in one household -I need drugs! LOL

Per the birthday girl's request, she had chocolate cake with Bavarian icing for breakfast and a big glass of milk. As far as she is concerned, chocolate should be one of the major food groups! lol

Bailey shares the same birthday as my sister and what's so weird is that even though the two of them have never really spent much time together, they have so many of the same characteristics? Go figure?

Happy Birthday Bailey-Bop!

Desperate Plea to my Blogging Girl Scout Friends

I need to find out - learn - or at the very least see a picture to teach ME how to make a paper/cardboard knife for Girl Scout Knife Training. Something possessed me to say 'yes' to helping with the Overnight Camping Skills Event that our Service Unit is putting together and I was nominated/ forced/ agreed to teach the knife safety unit. I've been able to find the techniques they want taught and how to teach it, but I just can't seem to find a picture or instructions to make a cardboard or paper knife?

I've spent the last 4 hours searching the Internet and I've come up with NOTHING... NADA... BIG ZIP! I think if I could at least see a picture of what I'm supposed to be looking for, I could just wing it.

If you have any experience with this please let me know.

Another Addiction....

I really must seek professional help! (NO COMMENTS, please!)

I LOVE quilting! I LOVE putting the blocks together and seeing it all come together. I especially love knowing that someday I will have grandchildren that can lay on and play under a quilt that I made with much love and anticipation of its' use. (Corny, yes... but it's true.) I'm addicted.

I can't say that I'm overly excited about the actual 'quilting' process of adding the batting and all that jazz, but I can't get enough of the piecing and choosing the fabrics. Sunday I had a few hours of alone time and decided to wander the aisles of the fabric store - bad, bad, very bad idea. I managed to get away without purchasing any new fabrics and only left with the new sewing machine needles that I went in to pick-up. However, I felt sooooo depressed, or sorts! I mean how could I leave all of those fabrics - they were calling out my name! The pattern books were literally jumping out at me, just begging to be loved. I think I was delusional by the time I left.

Now I'm motivated to finish my Crumbs quilt and move on to something more challenging. I really love the patterns and colors that are out right now in the Jelly Rollsand the Charm Packs, I think I'll venture into something like that. If I didn't work full time I would really be in a pickle, because I wouldn't have any money to buy new and pretty fabrics and I would just be that much more depressed, although I would certainly have the time that I so desperately want to sew more quilts!

Ahhh... so much fabric, so many pretty patterns, and so little time!

I truly understand the ladies that I've heard say, "My soul is fed by needle and thread." It's a powerful addiction.

My Friday Vent

Oh heck, I don't need it to be a Friday, I just need to VENT.

Now to the offending topic - let's talk about HOMESCHOOLING. I realize that many families have transitioned their children from public/private schools to homeschooling and are doing well. Additionally, I realize that for many families homeschooling is the only form of formal education that their children have ever been exposed to and I can totally understand and empathize with their reasoning. I'm not questioning or 'venting' about their personal choices for educating their children. (This will serve as my disclaimer.)

My angst comes with ignorant parents that are teaching their children. This is glaringly obvious when you read their own personal blogs about their home school journey and they repeatedly make grammatical errors and spelling errors. Okay people, use a dictionary or at the very least use the spell checker! I mean seriously - if you can't speak proper English or write correctly then how on Earth are you going to be able to teach little Johnny? UGH - Huge eye-rolling issue for me! (I should probably put my soap box back under the bed....:)) Really now.... learn when to use the word 'too'.... it will make me feel so much better and you won't look so stupid when you write! LOL

If a homeschooling parent has problems with basic grammar usage, just how effective to you think that same parent is going to be when their child gets to Algebra or Biology? If you as a parent never got past the 9th grade in school and were fortunate enough to pass the GED, do you honestly think you can teach your child through the 12th grade? Or at least teach them enough to help them further their education past the need to head cover, have babies and walk around pregnant for years while baking bread? (Another huge eye rolling moment for me!)

I guess for myself, being the product of an English teacher and educated parents, we were never allowed to 'get away' with speaking slang in our home and we were certainly very aware that how you speak in public helps to form others' opinions of you. As snooty as this sounds, when I am standing in line at the grocery store and I hear a mother speak in slang or just incorrect grammar, I instantly think she's an idiot -sorry - but I do! You may have all the best intentions in the world, but unless you can practice what you teach you don't have any business teaching.

The same standard should hold true for our teachers in the public school system. I had better not overhear my child's teacher saying 'aint' in the middle of the classroom or my head just might explode. LOL

So for those that don't agree with me, I really don't care. This is my blog and my opinion, for what it is worth.

The lastest on my QUILT adventure

I am in complete and total awe of how many great quilters there are out in the world wide web! The time, talent, and patience that is required to make a quilt is absolutely fascinating.... and this is my first attempt at a real quilt, or sorts.

I have made other quilts before, like rag quilts, or panel quilts and just basic big blocks, but this is the first time I have attempted to cut out tiny squares and sew... ya' know? This is the CRUMBS quilt pattern that I told you about several weeks ago. So be kind... I'm a newbie! I have absolutely loved this entire process from start to finish. I finally mastered the rotary cutter and now it all makes sense? (Finally!!!) I have such a huge admiration for my grandmother and the many many quilts she made by HAND - WOW!! Of course I am piecing this quilt using my handy dandy Bernina sewing machine, and I am going to quilt it with a rambling pattern on my same handy dandy Bernina. I'm almost finished putting the quilt top together and I still need to take some scraps up to the fabric store to pick out my backing. I probably have something in my fabric stash that I could use....but you know me.... I'm going to want something other than what I already have.

At this point I'm just tickled that 99% of my little tiny squares line up - Whew!

OH...and here's is Briley's face painting from the Texas State Fair ....TOO CUTE, If I do say so myself! What kind of blogger would I be if I didn't insert yet another picture of my cutie pie?

Stop the ride, I wanna get off!!

Okay, so maybe my life isn't quite as exciting as a carnival ride, but I would like to get 'off' of the ride for a few days. I wish I had something exciting to even tell you about, but as usual I've just been busy being the 'mom' and going about life and all that it entails. I'm very sorry that I haven't updated as frequently as I usually do - but I just don't have anything going on that is worth mentioning. Maybe that is a good thing?

I guess I can tell you about Briley's day at the State Fair with our friends? She had a blast! Rode tons of rides, had her face painted, took in all the sights and sounds including the deep fried twinkies, and petting the animals. Oh and let's not forget that she saw the 'World's Largest Pig'? I have no idea about that one, but she was impressed, so I guess that's all that really matters. Needless to say, Briley loved the State Fair and can't stop talking about it. She went on Monday when the kids were out of school and she's still tired - LOL!!! Oh well- these are the great memories that make up our childhood.... right?

Now moving along to Bailey - hmmmm???? Oh yes, her volleyball team placed THIRD in their tourny this weekend and she's ready for volleyball season to be over with. Waking up early and dragging her booty to school for practice at 6AM is not what she considers fun - and neither do I - when I'm the one doing all of the dragging! LOL Bailey had sorta been toying with the idea of playing basketball this upcoming season, but when she found out that they practice early too and more often - well???? That was that! No more basketball talk for Bailey! :) I'm not the least bit upset - 'cause I don't like basketball anyway! :)

Next up is Brit - let's just say she's still around! LOL She's still in school and she's still eating my cooking - so I guess all is well with her. I do plan on having her do some color touch-up on my hair this upcoming weekend, so maybe I can get a little return on my money that's paying for cosmetology school.

I know this will come as a shock to most that know me, but I have a sister. Yes, yes, I really do... I never mention her because we just aren't close at all. Basically we share the same set of parents and we look similar, but my kids wouldn't know her if they passed her on the street. She is 7 years older than I am and we've never really had any interest in each other - EVER.

Anyway, my sister has a full size bed that my mom bought for whatever reason and now my sister no longer needs it, so in keeping with the chain of command in our world, it becomes mine for taking. Yep, I am going to take it! Brit wants to redo her room and I really can't say that I blame her because Jr. High Chic is way out of style for someone as mature as she! BAHHAAAWWWAA... (that was a joke - please laugh!) But I do agree that it's time to redo and repaint and change up things a bit. Stick around, hopefully I will remember to take pictures to share with you the furniture fruit basket turnover we are about to have in our house. This should be interesting - considering I'm going to have to do a LOT of begging to get the big man --- aka... my husband --- to help.

Well, I've rambled on enough for today and I hope that you know I haven't abandoned my faithful readers, but my life is just ho-hum lately! Don't worry - the drama is bound to kick up a notch - it's a full moon tonight! LOL

How much do you really know about MARS?

Well let me tell ya' - I know more about the 4th planet from the Sun, than I ever really cared to know. Why? You ask? Because Briley-bop had a 'family project' on the solar system that was due this week. In keeping with usual form, I put this 'family project' off until the very last minute and as a result I was just simply too tired to really give a flying flip about any planet in the solar system.

Not to fear, I dug down deep into my Creative Mom Bag and she and I pulled out a project in one night. Yes, I now feel like I've been in 2nd grade 4 times - when oh when will I be done with school? I've graduated already!! My parents didn't spend hours with me around the kitchen table cutting and pasting little red planets all over a poster board? Why do I have to?

Oh well did you know that Mars was names after the Roman god of war? I do now!
Did you know that a year in Mars is 687 days? And Mars is the most Earth-like planet with seasonal changes and atmospheric characteristics. Yes, yes I know... you are completely intrigued! Please contain your enthusiasm, I haven't had my coca-cola yet this morning! LOL

All in all, I guess we did a pretty good job of telling about the planet Mars, well for a second grade project that is! This morning Briley hopped out of the car with her backpack and big white poster board in tow - whew.... another 'family project' down and only 5,468 more to go!!!

Did you know there is a RIGHT way to Doodle?

There is! If you don't believe me, just ask Briley!!!
She came home from school one afternoon just completely devastated that she couldn't draw little things, like birds or trucks, as well as some other kids in her class. Now, I realize this isn't a crisis moment for most folks, but for US it was a HUGE point of contention.... DRAMA!!!! I attended my first two semesters of college on an Art Scholarship and I love to doodle and draw - how could I have a child that can't doodle? (I'm being sarcastic - LOL)



As you can guess, I made it my immediate attention to find a book on how to draw birds or trucks or something. And I did!! I stumbled across this book on Amazon and immediately ordered it for Briley. Next Briley and I went out and bought a fresh new doodle pad and some new markers (okay, this was really more for me... I like to doodle too!!).


Moving right along - this is a great book for beginners and for young children. Briley can follow along with the directions and she is doing very well with her doodling. (That sounds so silly to me?) Here are a few examples of her... uh... uh... I mean... 'our' work.



So... now that she and I have been doodling for the past week, her confidence has really been boosted in her ability to draw and she's doodling with the best of them in the SECOND GRADE CLASSROOM! (HUGE EYE ROLLING MOMENT!) I guess it's the little things in 2nd grade that make or break ya'? LOL



Who knew there was a right or wrong way to doodle?