Project Linus Blanket

I finally finished my Project Linus blanket.  In February my Daisy troop made blankets and I was working on this one at the time with plans to donate it along with the girls blankets.  However, I got a little lazy and quite bored with the pattern so I put it aside.  I also did not want to steal the thunder from the children by saying "Hey look at what I made.  Aren't I talented? "  So I left mine to be finished at a later time.  And here it is.  

The pattern is very simple and can be found here.  I really do love the pattern and knowing how I have a tendency to stick with what I know, I'm sure to make this blanket again.  I'd like to make it with more modern colors next time, maybe something like this.

It really is a very pretty blanket and I love knowing some one's little one will use it soon.  

A Sweet Visitor

We believe this is a neighbors cat. (she has a collar, but no tag)  We had never seen her before she visited us the other morning while we played outdoors.  She is as sweet as can be and let us hold her.    

We wanted to keep her, A especially.  How could you not want to keep her, with her soft gray fur and her cute as a button face???  How, I ask you??

This Moment . . .

This moment is special to me because C made the "Dinosaur Teeth" himself.  He took the inside cardboard from a brand new baseball hat and cut it with scissors, then taped it to his face and told me he was a dinosaur.  So sweet and creative, don't you think?

2010 Knitting Goals - Not Gonna Happen

Do you remember this post?  Well I have not knitted one stitch in ages, so unless I learn some magic chances are I will not achieve my knitting goals for 2010.  (Do you realize the year is half over?!)


I guess I just lost my groove and maybe needed a break.  


Anyway, I came upon this and how could it not put you in the mood to knit??  Do you agree?



I loved Fraggle Rock.  Did you?


Well I'm off to grab some needles and yarn.

Happy Father's Day!

To The Husband and all those great Dad's out there.

Around my Yard . . .

Not sure what's going on here but something is digging into the tree trunk.

The wood chips and bark from the creatures destruction.

This was the opening to the fox den.  We have seen three generations of fox since we've moved into our home.  The babies would come out every spring and sun themselves on the hill.  Very cute.  However, this year The Husband decided to start clearing some of the brush and the foxes moved away.  Now there's a groundhog (woodchuck) living in there.  Not as cute as the baby foxes, believe me.

Mr. or Mrs. Bunny.  We have always seen bunnies, they come out each dawn and dusk and eat the clover and leave us wonderful little piles of rabbit turds all over the yard.  Thank you dear rabbit.

I've scared her so she starts to move.

Now she's really trying to get away from me.

Here she is hauling a@#

And then dear friends I came upon this. . . 

What the . . . . ????????????

Less paper More trees

The last three days I have put a request to stop all catalog deliveries to my home. I have always enjoyed a good catalog, but for the past two to three years I have done nothing but throw them in a basket in my living room. Once they began to overflow to the floor I would put them in paper bags and place them out with the recycling. By stopping them, I feel that we are one less home "using" paper for no good reason. Everything you want and need can be found in a store or online. When I really think about it, I can't remember the last time I ordered something directly from a catalog.

It really is a small change, but one step in the right direction. I have dipped my toes into the water. What's next?

Plans to Live Healthier and "Greener"

I have been thinking a lot lately about the imprint I and my family are making on this planet.  I am also thinking about our health and happiness.  My thoughts have been a swirly twirly jumble of "greener" things.  I want a simpler, healthier life not only for me, but also for my family.  I truly do. 

But this thinking did not begin because I wanted to live greener but because I wanted to live healthier.  Last July my body began to rebel.  I  was not well.  And although my problems were not life threatening, I was devastated and scared and felt helpless.  As it began to get worse and no help from the four, yes four Doctors I saw, I decided to take matters into my own hands.  I thought, could this be happening because of how I treat my body?  Is my body trying to tell me something?  Is it that I live on coffee, do not drink enough water, have too many glasses of wine?  Is it because I never make myself a meal worth putting in my mouth? 

When I heard from a friend and an acquaintance that they too were suffering form the same problem, I thought could we be poisoning ourselves with processed foods, too much sugar, hormones in our meat and milk? 

I needed to take control of my health and I started by drinking lots of water during the day.  Taking a multivitamin daily.  Limiting my alcohol intake and planning better meals for myself and my family.  And lots and lots of research, which my Type A personality loves to do.  You know research leads to plans, which leads to organization, which leads to control, which makes me very, very happy!  OK, lets get back to the point shall we?

I saw a connection.  Living a healthier life means to also live in what our society now calls greener existence.

So here we go : :

As I come upon what will be one year since I started to not feel well here are my my "resolutions" and plans:  


Living healthy means being healthy and living simply means starting simply. 

I will not say I AM or I WILL do this or that because that would be putting too much pressure on me and my family.  How I have decided to look at it is this,  I will try to . . . ,
I will do more of . . . , I will do less of..., and I will give myself a break when things don't go as planned.   

I would like to work on the following::

• drink more water
• use less paper products
• use cloth napkins while eating and kitchen towels/rags for cleaning
• stop delivery of all catalogs
• use more natural/healthier cleaning products
• buy more from the farmers market (our farmers market runs from May to October)
• eat more vegetables and grains and less meat and processed foods
• make our own bread more often (have you ever had a slice of homemade bread?  if so, then you know it doesn't compare to store bought!) 
• continue to take my children outdoors (even when I don't feel like it)
• start that garden I have always dreamt of (start small and eat fresh)
• start composting for said garden

Maybe I will do them all, maybe most, maybe only a few.  Only time will tell.  

As I stated above I have begun with my own health and body now it is time to start getting my family and home involved. 


Now if I could just stop drinking soda! 

Oh Super Cute Wesley, How I love Thee . . .

I have fallen in love with an Owl!  A super cute, totally special little barn owl. 

I recently read this book, and I am so glad I did.  

It is not the best piece of literature or destined to be a classic, but it is a true story of the love we can feel for an animal and what they can teach us.

  

I fell in love with Wesley, I couldn't help it, and truly wish I could have met him.    Stacey O'Brien, a biologist working at Caltech,  begins her story with the adoption an owlet with nerve damage to his wing.  

Here is an except:

........"When Wesley opened his eyes for the first time, he stared right at me.  

"Hello, Wesley," I said.

"Screeeeeeech,"  he hoarsely and softly replied gazing deeply into  my eyes."

"Wesley's eyes were a deep, inscrutable black.  Even when they first opened, they harbored a great mystery and held my gaze.  Looking into his eyes was like looking into infinity, into something far away and cosmic.  It was a profoundly spiritual experience - I never tired of it - and I was often startled by his eyes' wildness and depth. "

This is a wonderful book that will broaden your mind and open your heart.


Here is Stacey speaking about Wesley:

You can visit Stacey's website here.


If you have read this book or plan to at some point, please let me know what you thought/think of it.  

Summer "To Do" List for Mom and Kids

This post inspired me to do the same.


The Children's Summer To Do List::

• build a fairy house
• run through the sprinkler
• go for a hike 
• go camping 
• create nature journals
• read 10 books
• go to the farmers market every week
• plant a garden
• continue to go outside everyday
• lots of arts and crafts
• go on a picnic
• go letterboxing
• go to the beach
• ride bikes
• visit the library
• go for ice cream

My Summer To Do List::

• sew a few things
• read at least one book a week including a classic
• journal daily
• stop adding to my "to do list"
• continue to blog
• go to the farmers market every week
• scrapbook weekly
• continue to meal plan
• bake cookies
• go on my "girls only" vacation
• go camping with the family
• take the kids hiking
• knit at least 2 projects
• garden
• walk every day, get back to yoga

Our lists are a lot shorter, but hey it's summer!  We want to take each day at a time and just have fun!

Please Read if You Like Donuts . . .

Click on the link:

http://thebitchywaiter.blogspot.com/2010/06/travesty-has-occured.html

This Moment . . .

My precious, creative children rewrote the words to a popular nursery rhyme.

Their song is sung to the tune of Its Raining, Its Pouring.....

Words created by J and A.

They have been singing it all week.

Please enjoy:

Its raining and its pouring the old man is pooping

He went to bed with a rash on his butt

     and forgot to flush the toilet.                                      

                                                                                                  © J and A

I am so proud.

The Egg Drop Event

There is a special event that takes place each year at our local elementary school - The Egg Drop!  This is a huge event that takes weeks to prepare for.  In each classroom the children meet with parent volunteers to brainstorm what kind of box to make, how to decorate the box, etc.  These ideas are based off of a theme which changes each year.  This year the boxes were decorated in honor of the Principal who will be retiring.  There is also a list of rules longer then your arm!!  They then meet several times with the parent volunteers to decorate the box and decide how to protect the egg from breaking once it is thrown from the top of a ladder truck!  

A few days before the event, the egg is placed inside. Each and every box is thrown from the top of the ladder at its fullest height!  Several teachers are lined up along two tables.  Someone runs out, grabs the box, and it is opened by these teachers, who by the way, are wearing rubber gloves (just imagine, these uncooked eggs have been in the boxes for days.  If one breaks - eewww!).  Once the box is opened, the teacher will let a local emcee know if the egg has broken, and then he will let the crowd know.  Then there will be cheers or awwww's.  

The sheer creativity of the boxes is quite inspiring.  The local fire truck coming each and every year with 4 to 5 fire fighters, and a local radio DJ emceeing is quite a thrill too!

Many of the children's families come to watch.  A very fun time is had by all.

The Fire Truck arrives.  Fire Fighters prepare.

The Principal goes up and up.  Normally a fire fighter goes up and throws the boxes.  But not this year!  This year, the Principal goes because she is retiring!

Each and every box is then thrown from the top of the ladder.


I could not get any closer so please click on the picture to get a better look.

Oh Creamy, Delicious SUNBUTTER, How I Love Thee. . . .

I love how even though you are made of sunflower seeds you taste just like peanut butter.  And oh how I love peanut butter.  But alas, we may not have peanut butter in our home for C is allergic.  


And not only do I love you, but the children do too.  


I want to thank the individual who created SUNBUTTER with all my heart and soul.  Thank you kind vegetarian, tree huggin, granola eating, oh I am sorry, preconceived notions aside, thank you kind sir or madame for creating something so delicious and nutritious.  


Now I must go so I can eat.

Recital Pics

A had her dance recital this past weekend.  Months and months of hard work and she has learned a ballet number.  She performed it beautifully in front of a live audience.

All done!  She did a beautiful job.  We are so proud!

Too cool for words, you see.

With her dancing pals.  A and E.  And some one's mom talking and talking and talking.

Are they cute or what?  

This Moment . . .

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. - Amanda Soule

Fun at the Carnival

This was the kids first carnival.  They had a blast!