Saturday, December 17, 2011

The week flies by!

I am happy to report, and thanking the Lord, that the Christmas banners that my sister-friend and I made for our church turned out pretty good! They were hung last week and I still haven't taken a picture of them. But I will because I used my craftwell e-craft to cut the letters and it did a terrific job. I have been enjoying it a lot.

Let's see: How was my week? Well, on Monday, I took the time to help the girls clean out their rooms - good. I swept out all the corners and they sorted through it and I swept the leftovers into the trash can. On Tuesday, a big exciting day for me, I got the courage up to clean my craft room and set up a spot for the children to sew. I know, I know. Who on earth would cut their children loose on a sewing machine? me. Of course. Why not? They sew at one end of my room and I am at the other. And guess when they want to sew? As soon as I sit down at MY machine!! LOL! It has been a lesson in patience to figure out how to work with them. I need to "act" like I'm going to sew and then just plan on teaching them how to sew something. They have their own drawer with scraps to use, too. My fabric is now officially off limits. Not because I mind them using it. I really don't because a lot of my fabric I have is actually scraps too, but occasionally they have grabbed fabric for a project!! I pick it up and there is a HUGE hole in the center. OH - that reminds me of a hilarious story. (I hope my sister-friends don't read this before Tuesday because I am going to post photos of their Christmas presents! SO - if you are reading this go back to the page you were on before this one and don't read it until AFTER Tuesday afternoon!! hee hee) I was working on their Christmas presents. I am  a lefty and do everything backwards and I really have to concentrate on that too. If you know me, you'll know that this confirms one of the many reasons why they call me Lucy. When I am cutting, the children pretty much know not to interrupt me because I am not good at remembering which side of the ruler I need to cut on, nor am I good at remembering the widths or lengths I need to cut. Anyway, Beatrice came in the sewing room and started like a machine gun asking me questions, I was trying to answer and cut at the same time (bad idea), and after I cut, I realized I cut on the WRONG side of the ruler!! YES! The fabric ended up being 6" too short!! Ack. What to do? I sewed it to the original piece and recut! So, there is a seam on boths sides of the back of one of the gifts. Bleh. I don't like things like that but what can you do? It will be a memory for me and my sister-friends. And y'all guys KNOW how sentimental I am!

Monday was spent cleaning but Tuesday we went on a field trip! Did I just say that? Why yes, yes I did! I know that sounds funny, but we don't normally go on field trips. It's not because I don't like them, I really do. We can rarely find one where the age range reaches all or most of our children. This one was for 4 and up!! So I jumped on it. We went to the Cape Fear Museum (a museum about the Cape Fear region) to learn about Native Indians. Everyone enjoyed it. Even Beaker!! That's what made it even better: Beaker could come. So here is Beatrice holding up a REALLY OLD artifact. 

Doesn't Robert look like he's having fun? He is so excited about digging into the box in front of him he doesn't care about anything else. And Beaker, as usual, is interested in being a part of the fun.

Robert is on the right holding up a photo of the ocean. I forget why! HA! I learned a lot!! 

Robert wearing a WWII jacket.

The Cape Fear Museum has REALLY REALLY OLD artifacts: A TELEPHONE BOOTH!! Kristine and Beatrice LOVED this. In fact, Kristine really thought she was talking to people and was holding a conversation with the recording!! HA HA!!

She is in her practicing a teenager habit now!

Tuesday afternoon, I got the sewing room cleaned (nee, craft room) and as soon as school was over, guess who wanted to play?? On the ironing board is Lindsay's project: a bib for one of our favorite babies in the world!! She used a pattern, pinned it, cut it out, and sewed it. I helped her turn it and sew on the velcro. Our baby's mommy LOVED it!! :) Important info here: From late in the afternoon on Tuesday my health went downhill fast. I am trying to decide whether I am going to clean ever again! I did not realize how much dust I stirred up(or how little I NEED to stir up) but my allergies went into overdrive and I have been suffering ever since! AND poor Mr. Handsome has been feeling bad since Wednesday. I went to the dr on Friday and he confirmed that it was in fact my allergies. He gave me a shot that I think is finally working, switched my antihistamine, and even though I am still stuffy, and my eyes are minimally itchy, it is NOTHING like it was. On Friday, my eyes were like water faucets open full throttle!! I couldn't wipe the water away fast enough!! Mr. Handsome came home yesterday after lunch and slept from early afternoon through lunchtime today!! The dr told me what to get him over the counter to help him feel better. I am glad we didn't need an anitbiotic. 

The nursing home people gave us a Christmas present of candy corn and taffy. Beaker is wearing the bow looking so chic!! :) We had a fun day there this past week. I am so proud of the children because ALL of them got up and sang. We have two that suffer from stage fright, one who has it severely, so I try not to "force" them up there. But I asked them to go up, and both of them jumped up and sang. They did great! And our friends loved to see them up there. Our friend Mrs. Everett was not there and we were a bit concerned but Robert happened to see her coming in from an outing after the service. This Sunday I go to the actual nursing home to play. It is a lot of fun. 

Look carefully at the top slat in this blind and you will see a black spot. That, my readers, is a superball!! Never one to entertain boredom, Lindsay had to wait what I considered an interminable (is that the correct word) amount of time just to get her stitches out, and then have the PA "look" at them! I reached in my pocketbook and found a superball. We had a good deal of fun with it. Then I had to go and bounce it on the floor and it got stuck in the blind. I got it down though. I ran and jumped - NO, I'm just kidding - I pulled the cord a tad and it came down! I am sure Floor 2 was happy when we left!

On Thursday, we have knitting and crocheting. At this time, we ripped out seams in a skirt I made for a friend, with whom I am in hot water because I HAVE to get that skirt altered!! Then we had a Happy Birthday Jesus party with one of our favorite babies in the world and her big brother. His favorite part? The dots! He took them from everyone else and they were not happy! It was sooooo funny. When his Mom saw what he was doing, she told him to give them back, and he stuffed ALL of them in his mouth. His Mom made him spit them out, and she threw them out!! What a great Mom!! And poor little fella! The bottle on the left, just so you know we DO NOT tip the bottle, is Torani flavored syrup. We used it in our tea. It was better than honey!

See?!! Look, Robert still has his dots!! Not for long!! ha ha ahhaaaa...

Thursday was also, our last day of school before break. I can't believe I did this, but I made an error in judgment (For those of you who are NOT surprised by this, raspberries to you!! :)) in my schedule. I thought Christmas was THIS Sunday, so two weeks ago I told the children that we would be done with school on Thursday! Well, when I realized my error, I decided I wasn't going to take it back. I could have with some whining but they would have acquiesced. My goal every year is to reach Day 80 by Christmas, so we finish Day 100 by the end of January. Well, this year, we were AHEAD!! We reached day 80 on Thursday. Next week, we are going bowling and ice skating. If I am alive to tell about it, you will hear much about that I am sure! (I don't have a phobia about field trips and going out, I just don't like doing things where the children are able to roam a lot. I am really not a nervous nelly either, but when you have to keep up with five still rather young children, it's a bit nerve wracking to keep up with all of them calmly!)

Here are the presents for my sister friends. They are casserole carriers. They are really easy and fun to make. You can find the pattern here: http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/projects-ideas/bags-pillows/casserole-carrier_1.html   One thing I changed was this: For the rounded corners, I used a small dessert plate instead of a pattern. Made things a lot easier. I hope they like them. This is one of many projects (including the banners) that I had to finish before I could work on the skirt!! I just realized I forgot to pick up the giftcard for our AWANA commander and do some treasurer stuff!! I wonder if God would put a few more hours in my day?! 

Here is the final project I need to finish BEFORE the skirt! One of my longtime friends asked me to make Hello Kitty towels for her youngest daughter. I didn't "make" the towels, just the Hello Kitty. And I really didn't "make" the Hello Kitty, either. My e-craft did it for me. BOY, did that save my hand a lot of work! I satin stitched everything though. And my machine told me it is time to get tuned up. So, after THE SKIRT, I will send it to the shop. I had to fix it tonight (don't tell my Mom I did that! It was her machine and she might not like that I took it apart) and I fixed my old machine this week too. But I need to put the screws in the baseplate. I just remembered I forgot to do THAT too!! AND I was going to make something for all the kids' teachers this year for Christmas (just a snack mix sort of thingy) but I guess that won't happen now. Bleh. Oh, by teachers, I mean, their Church teachers!!

By the grace of God, there were no injuries this week. I have gone back to our "good eating habits" diet with a vengance this week too, so hopefully, by the grace of God again, everyone will stay healthy. I am working on Christmas presents for the girls using my e-craft but not sure they will be done. It is going to be a Scripture verse in vinyl put on a painted canvas. I can't decide what to put for Bea and Lindsay's room. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know! Maddie and Kristine have "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." That's Maddie's favorite verse.

Maddie and Robert had their games today. They both did great. They didn't win but I don't care. WHAT?!! Did I just say that???? Am I my Dad's child?!! Yes! I am but I am a CHANGED child!! Ha ha ha ha!! My Dad was at the game today and he shouted over everyone and I told him we don't do that here. He was pretty mad and then grumbled about how the girls didn't know what they were doing, blah, blah, blah. I am not sure I will be inviting him to their games anymore!! HA HA! I'm just kidding. He really enjoyed it. He has several nicknames, one of which is AAAArchie Bunker! And he really enjoyed seeing Maddie have a good time. I am so thankful they enjoy playing. Robert is the littlest on his team. He is so cute. He could practically run between the other teams' legs he's so small!! And Maddie is the tallest AND thinnest. She runs just like me, too! Beatrice, Kristine, and Lindsay somewhat enjoy the games but they would rather play on the bleachers! 

Tomorrow evening is the adult Christmas cantata. We are looking forward to that! I love Christmas time. I love the fun, I love the reverence, I love the lightheartedness and solemness of the season. I love Christmas morning when we get up and drrrraaggggg Mr. Handsome out of bed, he reads the Christmas story, we thank God for His Many blessings, and the children open their gifts. And of course, the ONE blessing is His only begotten Son! What a way to end a year and begin a new one! I am not very good at self-reflection but I can say without a doubt, that everyday of this Christmas season, God has shown me more and more, how blessed I am. It's not because of the things I have or the amount I have, it's because of what He's done for me, He's blessed me with my wonderful husband, our terrific children, our families, my friends, my church, my homeschool group!! But most of all, He's given me eternal life! :) What a better way to celebrate this Christmas season! Knowing I have eternal life!  I hope everyone has a blessed and Merry CHRISTmas this year!


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