tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69808753077759727892024-03-13T06:51:19.722-05:00My Slice of the RainbowKatyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-36404281490067852152015-01-27T13:37:00.000-06:002015-01-28T09:58:42.184-06:00Waiting... and readingThis weekend, my sweet girl went out on a limb and auditioned for summer ballet programs. While she is a good dancer, she is not the "it" girl, not the type that people trip over themselves to train, it is a 50/50 shot at best. Maybe they see potential in her. Maybe they don't. Not a darn thing I can do about it but be proud of her efforts and trust in God's plan. Easy enough....(insert eye roll here). <br />
She also has sent a painting off to an art contest with the guidance and encouragement of her art teacher. So what I am saying is that while life marches on, little bits of my baby are roaming out in the world awaiting, well, JUDGEMENT. Such a heavy word. It makes me a wreck. I love her whether she paints like Picasso or a preschooler. I love her whether she dances like a dream or like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY_DF2Af3LM" target="_blank">Elaine on Seinfeld</a>. Click it! Click it! Still the same, I am waiting..... So to silence the ifs, what ifs, and if onlys, I am trying to check things off my to do list and get extra book time in. <br />
I have 2 books to share with you. <br />
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1) <i>One Shot at Forever by Chris Ballard</i>. It is the story of a<strike> small</strike> tiny town baseball team and their run for the state championship. At the time, there weren't divisions, so it is a David and Goliath story. Their coach was unorthodox as coaches go. He thought baseball should be....wait for it......fun.<br />
"Many high school coaches try to imitate Lombardi. After all, winning is just as important on the prep level. Unfortunately, it is win or look for another job in most cases. I've often thought that prep athletics are being spoiled by this must win approach. Ruined because the fun of competing is being squeezed out of existence, replaced by relentless pressure to succeed. Then along comes L.C. Sweet, and his team without coaching, without haranguing, without discipline, is successful. Most of the coaching fraternity regard Sweet as a freak, But there is no denying that the Macon players are relaxed, having fun, having a ball instead of being uptight about losing." (Remind you that this was written in the 1970's before youth baseball and youth sports really went off the reservation with travel teams and clubs and specializing and conditioning and strength training programs for your 7 year old.) <br />
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I argue with the no coaching portion of this statement, as Sweet proved to give the boys plenty of coaching, just not baseball coaching. His ultimate message,"Treat people well, believe in them, entrust them with responsibility, lift them up." <br />
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The book gives great game summaries and delivered me to the ball park over and over in the depth of winter. It also talks about the players, their families, school politics and life in the small town. While at times, I just wanted to get back to the baseball, knowing the kids, the parents, the stories and backgrounds made the games so much more real. <br />
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It went on to discuss the boys when they were grown. How the season was carried with them for the rest of their lives. <br />
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Bottom Line: If you are a baseball lover or just love a true story, do yourself a favor and read this before Opening Day. <br />
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2) Big, Little Lies by Liane Moriarty<br />
This book is a murder mystery. Lame, right? NOT AT ALL! I loved this book. I loved it more than Gone Girl, but that isn't saying much, because I hated that book. What makes Big, Little Lies so great? The cover! That shattered lollipop is genius. I am almost sad to have read it on my kind to the eyes kindle because that cover is cool! Then you start the book, smack dab in the middle of a murder investigation. Right away you begin getting police statements from all these people you don't even know, so pay attention. Then you roll back in time to the start of the story, which centers around the real kind of crazy people that you encounter every day....school parents. Catty, witchy, bullying, pot stirrers and all this bad behavior leads up to a murder being investigated at a school fundraiser. It is rich. In fact, with all that, I think it falls firmly into realistic fiction as well as mystery. I loved that I could, without much work, put a face to the characters. I felt it a tad slow at first and kept wondering when is something going to happen. And then it did. And then something else, and something else and next thing, I am leaving dishes in the sink so I can read. (Oh wait, I do that anyway). In the end, I didn't love this book because of the cover or the great story, I loved it because it finished up. Things weren't left hanging. Little Bee anyone? Ugggh. She wrote a complete story that answered questions that I asked myself, that offered twists that I didn't see coming, made me laugh, made me wonder, and kept my interest all the way. <br />
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Favorite Smart Lines: On pasts colliding: "On one hand there was far too much to say, and on the other, there was nothing."<br />
On conversation with your Ex's new wife: "The pain could always get much, much, worse." <br />
On the noble aspirations of teenagers: "It's just that fourteen year old girls are stupid" <br />
On champagne: "Champagne is never a mistake." <br />
On using literature to escape: "Reading a novel was like returning to a once beloved holiday destination" <br />
On Parenting; " If parents had children who were good sleepers, they assumed this was due to their good parenting, not good luck." <br />
On insecurity: "Some people were so unacceptably, hurtfully beautiful it made you feel ashamed. Your inferiority was right there on display for the world to see." <br />
On things spinning out of control: "Oh Calamity!" I am going to work this into my vocabulary. <br />
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Bottom Line: Good Read. Life Changing, No. Worth it, for sure! I hope they make a movie.<br />
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And now back to waiting.........and maybe some baking. <br />
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<br />Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-44372712699489116592015-01-19T20:57:00.005-06:002015-01-19T20:57:57.365-06:00On PaceI made some goals in addition to my In Place mantra. They are selfish goals. I want to make more quilts, read more books, and write more blogs. As a mom and a wife and a woman, I often put my wants and needs last. I am sure I will still do that often, but I am going to try to do that less. <br />
I made a goal to read 40 books this year. I should not really say read though, more like experience 40 books this year. What in the world does that mean? Experience a book? Well, I have discovered the wonderful world of <a href="http://www.audible.com/" target="_blank">Audiobooks</a> and I got kind of hooked. AND THEN, my parents got me a <a href="http://www.bose.com/controller?url=/shop_online/digital_music_systems/bluetooth_speakers/soundlink_color/index.jsp&perfsourceid=K8031452&src=K8031452" target="_blank">wireless blue tooth speaker</a>. It has been nothing short of life changing! I tell you. Bubble baths will never be the same. Doing dishes, not the same. Any task that I can do while I listen to a book is simply not the same because I am getting to take in books while doing dreary stuff that has to be done. With Audible, I am mowing through books I have wanted to read. I just finished <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kite-Runner-Khaled-Hosseini/dp/159463193X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421718134&sr=1-1&keywords=the+kite+runner" target="_blank">The Kite Runner </a></i>while claiming a victory over my junk drawer. Then came <a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Shot-Forever-Unlikely-Baseball/dp/1401312667/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1B9GKBDRFGVRDE8GVKKH" target="_blank"><i>One Shot at Forever<span id="goog_508413525"></span><span id="goog_508413526"></span></i> </a>on the tail end of an exhausting road trip from South Carolina. After that, I devoured a chunk of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/American-Sniper-Movie-Tie--Autobiography/dp/0062376330/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421718243&sr=1-2&keywords=american+sniper" target="_blank">American Sniper</a></i> while taking down my Christmas decorations. I need the kids back in school tomorrow so I can finish and go see that in the movies. I am also actually reading with my eyes the more fluffy <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Big-Little-Lies-Liane-Moriarty/dp/0399167064/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421718300&sr=1-1&keywords=big+little+lies" target="_blank">Big Little Lies</a> </i>for my Read Between the Wines Book Club. I think I might have to review my books in a later post. <br />
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I also want to make more quilts this year. If I finish what I want to finish I will complete my 50th quilt this year!!! I started when I was pregnant with G in August 2006. I made 2 quilts that year. The next year, I made 3 or 4. Each year has brought more and more desire and more places I want to spread the quilty love, so each year, I have made more. This year I have 14 quilts in various stages of planning and process. 14! I am currently not on pace with that goal, but with any luck, I will get some alone time and get some work done. <br />
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As for the blogging, I was cruising along tonight and then Doug came in and asked me 45 questions about the electronic interactions kindle books and audio books. I told him I don't know. See, I don't mix my drugs. Just kidding. I just don't buy a book twice if at all possible. If I am reading, I am reading. If I am listening, I am listening. But, "I don't know" is never an acceptable answer for him. Ever. It is an invitation to ask a lot more questions which also really deserve an "I don't know". He forces me to feed him a stream of fact mixed with fiction and some total B.S. to satisfy his curiosity. I joke. I always adequately research my answers and deliver them without a sigh or an eye roll. <br />
My point in that is the second I sit at a keyboard with a purpose, some silent alarm sounds declaring it Open Season for important, life at stake interruptions such as, "Mom, come watch this replay of a play a did on Madden". Ahhhh, yes darling, I would love nothing more to watch an electronic replay of a pretend game of 2 teams I don't care about. Or, "Mom, I can't find any bobby pins" Ummmm, have you checked your bedroom floor, because I know there are no less than 20 that you tossed aside. If not there, try the car. There are enough in there for MacGyver to build a tight rope and cross the Grand Canyon. Let's not forget the dog with bowl in mouth and a sad, sad, face "Are you going to feed me?" Listen, Dog. I just filled your bowl and watched you eat. Nobody is starving here. And nobody seems to bother me when I am perusing pinterest or facebook. Oh, no. Only when I try to put coherent thought to paper. But alas, I shall try to embrace these moments and use them to fuel the fires of my passion for writing. <br />
So now 19 days in to 2015, I can say here's to reading, writing, sewing, picking up the pace, and getting things in place! It still feels good. <br />
<br />Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-19070433133182151912015-01-12T10:18:00.001-06:002015-01-12T10:18:42.665-06:002015 <span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"It may be unfair, but what happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change the course of a whole lifetime." As I read this in The Kite Runner, it hit me over the head. The latter part of 2013 and most of 2014 beat me up pretty bad. I went into a situation where I thought had nothing to lose and I lost a lot. A whole lot. I am not sure if the course of my lifetime is changed, but I am certain my outlook is. Lessons learned. Trust betrayed. Concerns flippantly dismissed. Respect diminished. Relationships dissolved. Bitter pills swallowed. Voices silenced. Doubts linger. I cried a lot and prayed a lot in 2014. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">2014 was glum and ultimately put me in my place. My place is HOME. My place is serving those who I love and care for most. My place is making the home and the life that I want my family to have. My place is behind the keyboard writing, behind the sewing machine creating, behind a book learning, in the crowd cheering. So for 2015, my resolution/goal/concept/rally cry is "IN PLACE". I am not talking just about all the stuff, but people, priorities and attitudes. 2015 will be about picking up pieces and taking out the trash. Finding balance and restoring center. Finishing things up and moving on. And celebrating the progress and loving the moment. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><b>In Place</b>. 2015. Go. </span>Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-34653188398594873352014-08-11T19:01:00.000-05:002014-08-11T19:03:56.696-05:00A Roadtrip, By the NumbersI just got back from a road trip with my little boy. I took only him and we did mostly baseball because during the year it seems I am mostly with his sister doing mostly dance. I wanted to have some boy time. So here is a breakdown of our trip in numbers and pictures.<br />
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1,234-- miles. I did not make this number up. I consulted Google maps when it was all said and done and this is the number of highway driving miles he and I chalked up in 5 states. My right foot is tired. <br />
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34.9-- top average gas mileage as calculated by my car. <br />
64-- average speed. Cheers to the interstate highway system! <br />
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480,234-- this is the number of calories we consumed. OK fine, I made this up. But the point is we did not follow any eating healthy guidelines. We wadded up my BS in Human Nutrition and chucked it out the window. We ate ballpark food and barbecue. Snowcones, pretzels, corn dogs, burgers, hot dogs, popcorn, draft beer, Dr. Pepper, lemonade, and a Krispy Kreme donut. or 2. Needless to say, today, I feel sluggish (nearly dead) and if I don't eat some vegetables stat, I am going to code. <br />
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5- Our 5th ballpark on our MLB park tour was Kauffman Staduim, Home of the Kansas City Royals. We really liked this place. Nice park, nice weather, nice people. G played catch with some boys outside the stadium while we waited to go in. G actually got cold which meant I was comfortable and very happy! George read about George Brett in the KC Hall of Fame. We sat under the fountains in hopes of hauling in a homer during BP. The Royals beat the Giants, there were fireworks, and we gave that park a thumbs up!<br />
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+10- Bonus Points for Kauffman. Shandy in a can-dy! Went down nicely after 503 miles.<br />
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42- Instead of going to Memphis to eat some of the world's best BBQ, we went to President Clinton's Library in Little Rock. I couldn't help but think, "Wow. That thing looks like a trailer!" Apparently I am not the only one, as a friend from Arkansas called it the "Presidential Mobile Home in the Sky." But in all fairness, it was nice. We both enjoyed the Chihuly Glass on display in the galleries and around the museum and the train turned pedestrian bridge across the Arkansas river. <br />
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92- degrees and 4,000% humidity as we sat on the sidewalk outside the ballpark to watch BP and warm-ups. </div>
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2 - The number of times we got to see Alex play this weekend. We know him from our town and he is playing AA ball in Arkansas. George thinks he hung the moon! He is a great kid, umm, guy, worthy of George's admiration. He fielded more questions than balls while we were there - with a smile upon his face. </div>
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33.5- Inches. Alex brought George a broken bat as a souvenir. A Maple Old Hickory still sticky with pine tar, dusted in baseball dirt and splintered just above the top of the handle. 33.5 inches of hopes, dreams, blood, sweat, and tears. Happy to be broken because it went down in the line of duty - putting a smack on that little leather ball. It is a gift I will never be able to top. Ever. Proving once again the old adage, "One man's trash is another man's treasure". It is a treasure. In the event that you are reading this, THANK YOU ALEX! </div>
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2- The Travelers have 2 mascots, Ace and Odie. Odie is the opossum being downgraded to sidekick status as the newer, tougher, more serious mascot Ace the horse comes on the scene. I found this a bit disappointing. I mean, some of the greatest mascots are scattered across the country in our <a href="http://www.milb.com/milb/info/teams.jsp" target="_blank">Minor League ball parks</a>. Rubber Ducks, Chihuahuas, Iron Pigs, Flying Squirrels are just a few.<br />
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12 - The number of inches a Batter Up Corn Dog is at Dickey Stephens park. This guy ate 'em all. He is growing because there wasn't much he didn't eat this weekend! </div>
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3- Hours. The length of the nap this guy took in the car on the way home. </div>
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All of these numbers add up to a great time. I loved getting to be with just G. No looming tasks, no practices, no chores- just fun on the agenda. I hope to make this a tradition and go even longer if his sister goes away in the summertime to camp or dance. <br />
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If you didn't click the link to the video, you should. But if you are <i>really</i> against it, I will tell you. Crash then proceeds to turn on the water sprinklers. "Oh My Goodness! We've got ourselves a natural disaster." They then partook in some boy like shenanigans of running the bases and sliding in the mud. <br />
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Sunday, as the rain and sleet and sub-freezing temperatures rolled in, I found myself thinking of this movie and desperately wanting a rain out. I must admit the emotion I felt when I saw my school district was closed was not all that different than the Durham Bulls experienced that night. I cheered! I danced! I quoted Crash's line. I needed a day at my house with a clear calendar. I needed a day where I got to focus on my kids. I needed a 3 day weekend and God delivered in the form of an ice storm. Sleet fell like manna from heaven. It was just what I needed when I needed it. <br />
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Today I went back feeling much better about having the energy to go the distance. I went back thankful that relief sometimes comes in unexpected ways. And I leave you today with high hopes that some well timed "rain outs" come your way.<br />
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Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-7340061206234625702014-02-27T20:38:00.002-06:002014-02-27T20:38:59.598-06:00Folsom Prison<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxXFaRqyl2ucv1FhEVrOCG2Ss5FZAiQhgFxvnbHsXjIRpT1sACxSq8ph5mlFx07JiHPXH1Bu_GFUqJw0VxFdg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
A first grade homework assignment demanded that I stroll down memory lane into the uncharted waters of my hard drive looking for pictures of the boy from each year of his existence. It was kind of depressing because I am reminded how quickly the time goes. And also, my children's childhood memories are all on a piece of technology that is likely programmed by the manufacturer to self destruct. But this gem made me smile. My little buddy was not yet 3 years old when I took this video. This was his favorite song. Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-41440554257689985432014-02-12T21:07:00.001-06:002014-02-12T21:07:33.963-06:00No Soup For YOU! (or Me) For the last two days I have gotten out of bed at 5:30 AM (in the dark before the dawn- just to be clear!) to begin preparing <a href="http://www.dessertnowdinnerlater.com/2013/11/chicken-bacon-wild-rice-soup/" target="_blank">Chicken Bacon and Wild Rice Soup</a> so my family could eat something hot, delicious and homemade for dinner. On Monday, I had the thought to put it in the crock pot to simmer into yum yum all day. I fried the bacon. I made the cream portion which is shockingly similar to making gravy--No wonder I like cream soups so much. After this, I put it in the crock pot. <b>ONLY</b> <b><span style="color: red;">I</span></b> forgot to add the chicken broth and the rice soaked up all the "gravy" and I made wild rice play dough. <br />
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So today, I got up resigned to make it on the stove. I cooked rice, made the soup gravy and mixed it into a lovely soup. Did I mention I started this process at 5:30 AM? It is worthy of reiteration. I turned off the stove and asked my husband to place it in the fridge when it wasn't boiling hot. With that, I walked. out. the. door. I could come home from work, add the rotisserie chicken and bacon, heat it up, and we would be eating good. <b>ONLY</b> <b><span style="color: blue;">HE</span></b> forgot to put it in the fridge. So instead of almost done dinner, I found 9 hour old congealed cream soup.<br />
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I wanted to fall on the floor and cry. I wanted to kick my husband in the shin. I wanted to toss the pot across the room. But, I didn't. Tears, bodily harm, and pot chunkin', while satisfying, would not bring back my soup. As I collected myself and got a handle on the death of 2 soups in 2 days, Mr. Iron Gut ACTUALLY, for real Y'all, asked "Why <i>can't</i> we eat it?" Rather than deliver a lecture (straight out of my college food bacteriology course) about temperature abuse, toxin producing staphylococcus, chills, sweats, dehydration, projectile vomiting, lethargy, abdominal pain, bloating, excessive gas and other lovely forms of gastrointestinal distress, I simply replied, "You can. Let me know what happens." <br />
He Did Not. Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-40831706745658588572014-02-06T18:34:00.000-06:002014-02-06T18:34:04.142-06:00What a Feeling! Today, in Texas, we got a dusting of snow. If you are from the South, you know the kind..Just enough to make everyone lose their minds, buy out grocery stores, and call everything off, but not enough to have any fun. As it turns out, being free on a weekday evening is a nice thing! We went to Bath and Body Works to pick up some teacher appreciation goodies. We went to Sephora and I picked out some new mascara that will hopefully stay on while the kids opened and tested all 1,683 bottles of nail polish in the store. The girl picked a glorious sparkly red and I opted to give the much raved about Dior Show a shot. <br />
After this, we arrived home at 5:00 where we finished homework, picked up a bit, cooked food in the oven and had a few minutes to sit down and blog! I would not trade the joy they get from their various activities, but there is not much in life that is more refreshing than an unexpected break. If only it were bad enough to extend through the day tomorrow!Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-52074767923330007792014-01-12T21:52:00.000-06:002014-01-12T21:52:35.925-06:00Progress and a CoasterI have gotten a lot of stuff started this week. <br />
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1. 2 solo dance costumes requiring alterations.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-72N3tXMgexc/UtNXp9fsn_I/AAAAAAAAAWg/j24n0yp1UtY/s1600/blog+jan+12+002+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-72N3tXMgexc/UtNXp9fsn_I/AAAAAAAAAWg/j24n0yp1UtY/s320/blog+jan+12+002+(3).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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2. Lola's Quilt. I am expecting a niece any day now and it dawned on me I did not make her a quilt, so I better get on it. I dug into my stash and found an Amy Butler Soul Blossom strip set. It seemed to call out LOLA! Oh, by the way, her parents have not shared her name with the family, so I took it upon myself to name her Lola. Her sister is Isla (I-la) and I like the ring of it, Isla and Lola. I cannot wait to meet her and learn the name her parents have in mind. But until then, "Her name was Lola. She was a show girl......" </div>
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3. Another baby girl quilt. Simple squares of grey and cream and navy print. It will be lovely! <br />
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4. If you are counting, this is quilt #3. <a href="http://www.fortworthfabricstudio.com/shop/product/ta_dot_FQB61/" target="_blank">Michael Miller Ta Dot- </a>quite possibly my favorite fabric line of all time. It would make a lovely gift for Valentine's, My Birthday, Mother's Day, Anniversary, Martin Luther King's birthday, President's Day, Texas Independence Day, Cinco de Mayo, Flag Day, Easter, or National Buy Your Favorite Quilter Some Polka Dot Fabric Day which is RIGHT around the corner! I also am using Gypsy Bandanna. Happy fun prints! This one has me a bit stumped, but I think I have found the solution and inspiration to go forth. Paisley and polka dots---this one may have to be pried from my grasp. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L7ROqx3GWiw/UtNXr2MnqnI/AAAAAAAAAXA/CyuadpPFVQA/s1600/blog+jan+12+002+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="72" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L7ROqx3GWiw/UtNXr2MnqnI/AAAAAAAAAXA/CyuadpPFVQA/s320/blog+jan+12+002+%25286%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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5. Handy dandy Ott Lite, Quiet and trusty Janome - I use this machine for piecing and most small projects. A pom pom that I need to hand sew back on a knit hat. A coaster. We will look at that in a moment. And a frog that my sweet girl bought me in her quarterly school auction. I like frogs and it was sweet, but I think she had ulterior motives. I was a bit miffed at her for making me dash home and get her tennis shoes for PE. I handed down a fee of a Starbucks Hot Chocolate purchased for me and a punishment of being forced to wear unfashionable tennis shoes to school ALL week. THE HORROR. Shortly after, she comes bearing gifts......I still love it though. </div>
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6. A scrap stack just out of the package from<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/freshsqueezedfabrics" target="_blank"> Fresh Squeezed Fabrics</a> so I can make color coded bins for all of my fabric scraps. </div>
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At $10-12 a yard for fabric, I admit, I hoard every usable inch of it. It is getting a bit out of hand, but with no scraps, I will never be able to make something like this <a href="http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2013/12/scrap-vortex.html" target="_blank">scrap vortex quilt</a>...........</div>
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7. A rag doll in desperate need of her yarn hair. She has been bald for about 400 days now. Poor Baby! </div>
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8. Back to that coaster. I mostly keep it rated G around here, but this jumps right over the line. It cracked me up and I had to have it. I find great humor in old fashioned photos being captioned with modern day thoughts. (Those e-cards crack me up too.) </div>
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There you have it. My kitchen table. Thank goodness for our island where we eat our meals! It may look messy to you, and also to my husband, but to me it looks like progress. </div>
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<br />Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-42777730768747110122014-01-05T15:05:00.000-06:002014-01-05T15:05:27.048-06:002014.....GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So what makes me come alive? <br />
Taking perfectly lovely fabric, cutting it to pieces, mixing it with friends and making it into something beautiful.<br />
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For Babies</div>
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For Friends</div>
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For Graduations</div>
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For Raffles</div>
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For Special Teachers......</div>
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You get the idea, right? </div>
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Hand pleating miles of net to become a tutu. <br />
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My first tutu- a Halloween costume for my little girl. </div>
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Making a pair of jumbo size pants into pants that fit.<br />
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Reading. I love big books and I cannot lie. I have about 60 ready and waiting in my old school keyboard Kindle!<br />
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Writing. I enjoy putting thoughts into words onto paper. Sometimes they take me on an adventure I didn't see coming. Sometimes they give an answer I couldn't find. Sometimes they are just for fun. <br />
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Cleaning. Just seeing if you were paying attention. If you know nothing about me, you would still know that I hate cleaning! I love clean though. Weird, huh?<br />
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So this year, I am going to make 12 quilts. Yep. One a month! I made my list and I would really like to make 16 quilts, but that kind of put me in panic attack mode, so I am going to go with 12. <br />
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I am also going to read 12 books this year. It is not much, but I am making 12 quilts, so back off!<br />
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I am going to make another tutu and dive a little deeper into costuming. And I am going to take another 2 pairs of jumbo pants and make them fit. It will be my Super Bowl Sunday tradition. <br />
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Finally, this is the toughest one of all, I will clean up my sewing area to help maximize efficiency. I will also clean out one cabinet a week to purge this place of excess and help me be a little more clean. <br />
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I am going to bring JoY to the World (sing it!) one stitch at a time. That's my dream. And you are coming along and I am going to write about it all! <br />
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<br />Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-91945905914453957482014-01-04T19:11:00.000-06:002014-01-04T19:11:05.560-06:002014..... Get Set! Ahhhhhh! It is January 4 and I still have yet to firmly embrace the New Year. Maybe it is being home with the kids and the fact that not much really changed at the stroke of midnight. Maybe I am a little overwhelmed at the things I would like to do and see happen in 2014. Maybe I just need a little bit of quiet time. In search of that, I ran away from home for a little bit this afternoon. I got a pedicure. I was drawn to dark royal blue polish this time. Very uncharacteristic. RED is my signature color. You know you want to say that in a Southern Draaaaawwwwll as Julia Roberts did in Steel Magnolias only pink was her "signachuh cullah." Anyway, I picked a shiny blue polish off the shelf and looked at the name of the color....I always look at the name of the color. People get paid to name those colors and I want to see just how clever they are and I want to see if the name of the polish speaks to my mood. And the color was called Resolution by China Glaze. What!?! Even my nail polish choice was telling me to get it together. <br />
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I interrupt this post to let you know that my son is walking around the house blowing a duck call and I am not sure if I want to bust out laughing or scream. I just laughed. Now my daughter is playing jingle bells on the same duck call. 1)I hope no one has the flu. 2) HOW DO I EVER GET ANYTHING DONE?<br />
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So I have thought and thought and I have a list a mile long of this and that and little things that I want to do, but I do believe that I have distilled it all down to one goal or resolution or mantra if you may. <br />
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Drum Roll Please..................... <br />
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In 2014, I will live by this quote from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Thurman" target="_blank">Dr. Howard Thurman</a>, author and pastor. <br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i><span style="background-color: white;">"D</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px;">on’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."</span></i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></span></b>
<span style="color: #181818; line-height: 18px;">Ok, lets be honest. I found the quote on Pinterest. I had to research the source. Buuuuut, inspiration can be found anywhere. Right? </span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">And that's where I am today. Getting set! Looking at the things that make me come alive! At the present moment, post homemade spaghetti and meatballs, post shoving the last of the Christmas decorations into the attic, that is a book and a bubble bath! Excuse me while I get to livin'! </span></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></span></b>
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<br />Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-88089557723272551352014-01-02T19:05:00.003-06:002014-01-02T19:10:46.923-06:002014....On Your Mark! Oh my, how the time flies. Very cliche' saying it, but it is true. 2013 was a pretty good year, though as I try to really reflect on it, all I see is a blur. A blur from behind the steering wheel where I spent much of my year driving up and down the road to baseball and dance and back again. And believe it or not, I liked that part of my year very, very much. <br />
I learned some lessons in 2013. I learned that the only one who really has my best interest at heart is myself. I learned that the voice of God maybe is not a voice heard by my ears, but a feeling felt deep in my gut. I learned that when I put myself in a place where I am not able to use my gifts and talents, I wilt. I learned that my dad is on the short list of people who probably have my best interest at heart too. Well, I have always known this, but now I really, really GET it. I learned a whole new level of respect for our nation's educators and that I will probably purchase all my teacher gifts at Spec's from now on. At the end of the day, these people deserve a nice glass of wine. And if they don't like wine, Spec's has an INCREDIBLE selection of Gummi Bears. Who Knew?!? I learned just how much I like Gummi Bears! As I make my plans and set my goals for 2014, my #1 priority is to use these lessons to guide me and make 2014 a better year for me and my family. That will make for a HaPpy NeW YeAr! <br />
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<br />Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-38302387229359803592013-09-23T21:52:00.000-05:002013-09-23T21:52:03.273-05:00If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say.......Well, my fearless followers, I am sure you are wondering where in the world I have been? I have been with Ozzy Osborne going off the rails on the CrAzy TrAin! And it hasn't been a good crazy either. Good crazy is baseball tournament weekends. Good crazy is Nutcracker week. Good crazy is last minute Christmas shopping. This crazy has had me stressed, mad, sick, hot, cranky and generally "none fun". None fun is how my daughter used to tell me she was not enjoying something. I like it because none fun seems to have more impact than no fun. Since I had nothing nice to say, I, go ahead and finish the old saying, I said nothing at all. Because that is what my Mom taught me to do. This was more of an emotional lock down. Also, I didn't want to turn my rainbow all black and grey and dull writing rage posts. If you are in to rage posts, go check out <a href="http://www.peopleiwanttopunchinthethroat.com/" target="_blank">People I Want to Punch in the Throat</a>. She does rage well, and is funny too. She had lots of commentary on Miley at the VMA's. <br />
Anyway, as I was stewing, I gained some perspective on things. I learned I need to be more specific. When I applied for a job at the kids' school, I prayed for God to put me where he needed me most. I interviewed for a position that I wasn't even considering. I got it. The people who hired me left the school. The job turned out to be totally different from anything I expected. I cried a lot and considered quitting. I was moved to another totally different position. I am now feeling much more at peace with everything. I am not sure if God got me where he needed me the most or my principal got me where she needed me the most, but whatever the truth is, I am happy in my new position. Buuuuut, the next time I am considering making big life changes, <i>this </i>will be my prayer. "Dear God, That was one amazing train ride we had last time. Please, I beg of you, put me on a direct flight to where you need me the most. First class, if that is not too much trouble." JUST KIDDING. Maybe. <br />
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I learned that I have amazing friends. I knew this, but they stepped up their game for me over the last few weeks. Friends who let me cry. Friends who listened to my insecurities. Friends who genuinely want to see me succeed. Friends who genuinely want to see me happy. Friends with much more faith in me than I have in myself. Friends who make me laugh. Friends who make me cookies. Friends who make me better, just because I am lucky enough to know them. <br />
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I have learned that I have amazing kids! This too is something I knew, but they proved it to me, again. They put desserts and notes in MY lunchbox the first week of school when I was overwhelmed and did not do the same for them. They made me a clip board to keep my bus list on. They made me a sign to hang on my classroom door so I wouldn't be the only one on the team without one. They have been on the ball in the morning and patient in the afternoon. They were without a doubt sent to me on a First Class ticket and I am eternally grateful. <br />
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I have learned that my dad is so wise and my mom will do just about anything in the world to help me- even post surgery, even in a cast "boot". I have learned that my husband is very patient. I have learned to walk around the baskets of laundry that need to be folded and put away. I have also accepted that they may be there for the next 12 years because there are more important things to do. I have learned that I really do miss my sewing machine. Last of all, I have learned that 9:00 is a good bedtime for me these days! Good Night! <br />
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PS- The forecast here is finally cool in the morning and below 90 in the day. This greatly increases the chance for rainbows! <br />
<br />Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-90679366098396814092013-08-11T15:26:00.000-05:002013-08-11T15:26:33.284-05:00Running Mind! I am almost fully recovered from my surgery! I have only little moments of pain, but they are different and more due to stiffness in my back. I am so much happier without constant. nagging. pain! <br />
Since I have been forced to slow down, my mind has been in overdrive. Maybe by putting my thoughts down here for your amusement, I can get some peace. <br />
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1) Texas Rangers! They took the lead in the AL West this weekend. In looking at the schedule going forth and cross comparing it with the A's, I have decided that they both have a pretty light schedule coming down the stretch. Assuming nothing ridiculous happens, it will all come down to who can win the most head to head games.<br />
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2) I got a job! I have never gotten a job and then not started for 3 months before. That part has been bad for me. It has given me lots of time to question it. Can I do it? What was I thinking? HOW am I going to pull it all off? What am I going to wear? I have been comfy (ok, probably too comfy!) for a long long time! When will I make dinner? What was I thinking? I kind of wish I could have started right away so I didn't have the chance for all these questions to enter my mind. <br />
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3) I am really excited about being at school with my kids. It will all be fine. I can do it. It will be worth it. <br />
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4) I need to get some serious sewing done. Tutu, Quilts, Halloween Costumes, Derington Christmas Gifts. <br />
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5) I need to clean my closet. Out. <br />
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6) 2-0 Rangers in the top of the 8th. <br />
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7) I need to organize recipes and plan a menu for like the WHOLE month of September. Then dinner won't be a surprise. <br />
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8) I need to clean out my daughter's drawers. She is "down stream" size wise from a couple of very fashionable and generous neighbors. We need to make room for the latest windfall! <br />
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9) I need to get the kids back to school outfits. I am not going nutty because all trends indicate they are about to grow. Also, see #8.<br />
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10) I need to back up my pictures. My poor kids are pretty much only documented in digital photographs. If my computer dies, they are gone. I think I will do that now. <br />
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11) I need to read a bunch of books. OK, I want to read a bunch of books. <br />
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12) I need to get moving again. With my doctor's approval. I think I will try some pilates classes at a dance studio down the road. I have tried running and what not, and I hated it. And I QUIT. So, I am going to get back to what I once loved, dance. When I get back some flexibility and strength, maybe I will dust off my ballet slippers! <br />
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13) I wonder, often, how does <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/" target="_blank">The Pioneer Woman</a> do it? She has double my amount of kids! She takes amazing photographs. She makes amazing meals. She home schools her kids. She writes cook books. She helps on the ranch. She watches tons of movies and tv shows. She has a TV show. AND she seems to love her sleep as much as I do. How does she do it? I hate her so much. Really, I love her so much, but sheesh, she is making this Suburb Woman feel a wee bit inadequate. <br />
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Wheeew! That feels a little bit better. I think I will haul out my recipes and begin that plan! <br />
<br />Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-107982959745327952013-07-07T14:33:00.000-05:002013-07-07T14:33:08.764-05:00Sliced So tomorrow My Slice of the Rainbow is going under the knife. Yep, I am having surgery! Over a year and a half ago I slipped on some ice. I didn't fall, but <strike>gracefully</strike> awkwardly saved myself from it. After carefully surveying the parking lot to assess who witnessed my grace, I went along my merry way. A few days later, my leg started hurting. I did not connect the dots. I thought, "It will go away. I am too tough and too busy for pain." And day after day I thought that. And it hurt and hurt. I kept on doing what I was doing and then some and it kept hurting. Finally, I decided something has to give and I saw a chiropractor. She worked and worked and I got no real relief so she sent me for a MRI. Only then did we see that the disc is all over my nerve and I should see a surgeon. And I did. So, tomorrow I am getting my disc trimmed off of my nerves and I hope like heck it fixes the pain so I can get back to where I was a year and a half ago. <br />
And I can get on with what is to come. And I can get back in shape, and pick up a tennis racket, and buy some tap shoes, and use my hula hoop, and go on walks, and sit on bleachers, and sew, and wake board, and hit infield to the boy, and be Mother Ginger, and grocery shop, and roll over in bed all without the pain and the numb foot and generally wanting to cry at the end of the day. <br />
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I hope you learn a few valuable lessons from my foolishness. In case you don't, I will spell it out for you. <br />
1) Go ahead and fall. If I would have fallen and broken a bone, I would have been better 16 months ago. 2)If it hurts, don't ignore it. Sometimes pain doesn't go away. Time does NOT heal all wounds. <br />
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<br />Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-58734206152416862102013-06-10T22:23:00.002-05:002013-06-10T22:23:37.473-05:00Times they are a changin' I am at my kids' school a lot. A whole lot. I don't think I am a helicopter parent, I just like to help out. I was there so much that I thought, maybe I should consider getting a job if one that I am qualified for became available. And about 38 seconds after I had that thought, someone asked me if I would consider working at the school. What? So I pondered it and I asked my kids about it to which they immediately begin praying that I would get a job at the school. I was not "all in" on this idea. I LOOOOOOOVE being a stay at home mom. Giving up all that time that I can devote to my babies is a little terrifying to me, so I urged them (and myself) to change their prayer. I asked them to pray that God would put me where he needed me most. <div>
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And we all did just that. <div>
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And I applied for the job. <div>
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Shortly after I put in the application, I got a call saying the position had been filled. So, I was all ready to continue on my merry way when the proverbial "but" came in. "But, we would love for you to interview for the Instructional Aide position." And in the next second, this is exactly what went through my head. "No! Heck No! I can't do that. I would be terrible at it. I am staying home. Oh, crap, wait. I have been praying that God would put me where he needed me most. Maybe that is what he is doing. Is this the answer to the prayer? If he wants me there, he will help me out, right, Moses? Was there a disconnect? Ok, I better interview. It won't hurt and it is a great compliment that they would want to interview me. I better do it. This really could be where I am needed most." </div>
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Yes, I can think and incredibly long run-on sentence in 1 second. </div>
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So I scheduled the interview. </div>
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Today, I was with my kids on the boat and I got a call. My daughter answered my cell phone and I hear, "She can't talk right now, she is pulling a tube in. Oh, hang on, here she is." "Hello. Yes. I am at the lake. Oh, that is great." And then another second went through my mind, "Of all the people they want me?!? I get to see my kids a whole lot more! I will be working with lots of great people! What am I thinking? I can't do this. Yes, I can." </div>
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And now I say, "God, I hope you are right." </div>
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Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-12683291709193870972013-04-15T10:33:00.000-05:002013-04-15T10:33:02.569-05:00Change of Plans....So, this weekend, we did not lift a piece of clothing in my daughter's room. Nor did we do the one thing I wanted to get done- spring pictures. Why??? What could happen to derail my whole grand scheme? Boys. That's what happened. Our boys were riding bikes home from baseball practice and my son was walking his across the street. He hit the curb with the front tire and it rebounded into his face. He busted his lip and we had to go to the ER and get stitches. So we leave my daughter at the neighbors and off we go. We went to a Children's ER and it was an excellent choice. We only had to wait a little while, though, I had the ONLY kid bleeding from his face in there, so I thought it could have been a little quicker. Everyone was nice. They took great care of my baby. <br />
All the while, we had dropped my daughter off with our neighbors. They are the kindest, most generous, sweetest people. I shove her in the door unfed and a little shaken knowing they will take great care of her. And they did. And then the Texas Rangers, no not the baseball team, the Chuck Norris kung fu hero rifle shooting law enforcement agency knocks on their door. Some one up to no good is using their address. They sort out everything they can and are finishing up when we go to get Lindsay. Sheesh. 11:30 we finally go to sleep. <br />
Saturday morning, approximately 12 hours after getting the stitches, the boy started coughing. Did I mention he started the week with pneumonia and an ear infection? Well, this coughing caused him to bust out a stitch. We were down to 1 stitch. Luckily the more important one stayed intact. When she put them in, the doctor said there was nothing we could do about it if he busted one, so we dried the tears and moved on. We went to see friends play baseball. We went to Sonic. We sat in the yard and visited with friends and did nothing productive the rest of the day. <br />
Sunday was church and nap and lunch with grandparents and hauling some furniture. It was good too, but still I couldn't regain the fortitude it takes to go into that room. <br />
So now on Monday, I am re-arranging furniture. Picking up, recovering, tidying, stapling books for Kindergarten, getting my hip worked on, Costco, grocery and back to the old routine! <br />
<br />Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-10751546063925148802013-04-12T17:01:00.004-05:002013-04-12T17:01:51.768-05:00Hoarders.....Sooooooo, I have promised my daughter I will get in the trenches with her and help her clean her room. WHY??? You ask..... It has gotten to the stage of bad it is bothering me. And I can happily sleep at night with laundry unfolded and dishes undone. It is so bad I fear her ability to flee if we had a fire. I fear more a pile falling on her in the night. I fear most a raccoon family is coexisting with her, happily hiding in her piles of clothes by day and roaming free at night. I exaggerate! I do fear I am raising a p-i-g pen though! <br />
Her room is filled with her treasure, by which I mean total crap we don't know what to do with, but simply cannot let go and 10,003 loose bobby pins. The act of inserting a hanger into a piece of clothing and then placing it on the bar is almost completely foreign to her. This was not the case when she was 3. What happened? It doesn't matter now. We HAVE to go in. Luckily it is not disgusting filthy, just a big huge overwhelming clutter mess! Maybe if we work in 30 minute increments and allow frequent breaks for wine (me) and whine (her) no one will have a full on meltdown. Maybe......<br />
And maybe when the crew from Hoarders shows up I can casually say, "Oh, I am so sorry. You must have received some bad information. We are a tidy bunch here!" <br />
<br />Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-20766568574411169812013-04-10T09:39:00.001-05:002013-04-10T09:39:10.102-05:00Crafty Projects<div>
Here's the <span style="color: red;">SHORT</span> list of items I want to complete over the next few months.....</div>
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1) Organize and arrange the toy room into my creative paradise. (On going) </div>
2) Carter's Quilt (ASAP)<div>
3) George Teacher Quilt (June 3!)</div>
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4) Lindsay Teacher Quilt (June 3!!)</div>
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5) Dyslexia Therapist Teacher Quilt (June 3!!!) </div>
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6) King Size Quilt for my bed (ASAP)</div>
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7) Nutcracker Quilt for Lindsay and Auction (Aug 1)</div>
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8) New Tutu for the Snow Queen (No, I am not making it for myself. Sept. 30)</div>
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9) Baseball Quilt for George (October 18)</div>
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10) Navy Block of the Month Quilt (Dec 20)</div>
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11) Christmas Quilt (Nov 1)</div>
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12) American Girl Doll Nutcracker Costume Set for DRB (Yes, I am serious)</div>
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13) Re-finish my kitchen cabinets (I live in a fantasy land)</div>
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14) Paint my bedroom (good luck) </div>
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If we don't do anything else, I think I can pull it off. </div>
Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-27490371304057855112013-03-14T18:06:00.000-05:002013-03-14T18:06:16.988-05:00The Storyteller by Jodi PicoultIt has been a long time since a book grabbed me by the collar and would not let go until I read it all. RIGHT! NOW! This is exactly what The Storyteller did to me. I bought the book having read <i>nothing</i> simply because I adore this author. She is a phenomenal writer. Her style consists of writing the story in first person, but as the story progresses, you see the first person point of view from all the main characters. So, you get to know all the players from inside their heads. She is also kind enough to change the typeface for each character, though the voice given to each character leaves no confusion who is telling the story at any given point. And just when it is all coming together she spins you around with something you never saw coming and you lose your breath and you are reeling and it all means so much more than you ever imagined it would. I Promise. <br />
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While fiction, Jodi's books are extremely well researched and will teach you something and they will take you into moral dilemmas that you didn't think you ever wanted to think about. In the end, you will come out knowing a little more about yourself. I cannot read two of her books in a row because they are heavy and they make me think so much, I am kind of exhausted when I finish one. Not a bad exhausted like you take the kids to Target and one has a meltdown over a Lego set and the other one wets their pants and you soon figure out they both have that stomach bug that has been going around....and you do too. Nope, it is a good exhausted. Like after a nice workout (Now, I am writing fiction because I cannot remember what that feels like!) <br />
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Anyway, The Story Teller is about a young woman named Sage grieving the loss of her mother, Sage's Jewish grandmother Minka, and Josef, who Sage meets at her grief group. Oh, Sage is a baker. There is lots of talk about bread. Lots. It will make you twitch for some carbs. Another itty bitty thing: Sage's grandma is a Holocaust survivor. Her story is amazing. It was incredibly hard to read because her character is so real, yet I could not put it down. (The last book I read and felt like this- also highly recommended by me--was Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken. It was a NON fiction about a Louis Zamperini, survivor of a Japanese POW camp in, yep, WW2.)<br />
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So the moral of this post is, GO READ THE STORYTELLER. NOW! GO! If not that one, I suggest Change of Heart, My Sister's Keeper (PLEASE don't watch the movie- it's crap), Plain Truth, or Handle With Care, just a few of my other Picoult favorites. <br />
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Happy Reading! <br />
<br />Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-29385895567853267642013-03-06T11:47:00.000-06:002013-03-06T11:47:51.742-06:00A Letter to My Dear BoyDear G,<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I just read a magazine article that mentioned paying kids
for accomplishments they make on the football field. You
had also mentioned that some of the kids on your baseball team do this too and
asked if we could do it. My knee jerk reaction was a solid maybe, and I
went so far as to say, “I will consider it, but I will also fine you for each
ball that goes between your legs.” There are always good lessons to be learned
when money is involved and I really considered it. But when I said what I said, my gut sent a
message and I began a little soul searching.
You see, your team is new and you are off to a blazing 7 game losing
streak. The team holds a lot of
promise, but has not experienced that “Hallelujah Chorus” moment as of yet. I think you NEED something to help keep your
heads up, but I have spent the last couple of days thinking about it, and
thinking about what I want for you in this experience and have come to the
conclusion that money is not going to be
the answer. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Your reward is playing the game. See that word, playing! You are playing and it is supposed to be fun
and fun should be enough. I know how “un-fun”
losing is, but lucky for you, fun is not the only reward this experience has to
offer you. And really, even losing at baseball is a
privilege that many kids don’t have because they don’t even get to play. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You are learning perseverance. That means sticking with something. Even when it is hard. Even when it just plain sucks. Life is going to throw you some really tough
situations and the only way to get through them is by manning up and getting
through. Remember your favorite book
“The Longest Season” by Cal Ripken Jr?
The one about the 1988 Orioels’ season that began with a 21 game losing
streak? The lesson in that book is
perseverance and I think you like it so much because you are so excited for the
O’s when they make it through. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You are learning perspective and dealing with disappointment. So you lost some games? That stinks.
But the sun rose and you kept on breathing and your mom still loves you
and God still holds a great plan for you and these are the things that truly matter. Sports
are very, very important. Family, and Love, and God are even more
important. Remembering that is
perspective! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
You are learning to be a team player. You boys are all in this together and there
is nothing more rewarding than coming together, working together, and meeting a
goal together. You are going to be a part of many, many teams
in your life. Bringing your best to the
team and helping others to be able to do the same is going to serve you well
each and every day. Benny did this for
the kids at The Sandlot, and that is why he was such a great teammate. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You are learning sportsmanship. My favorite play that you have made all
season long was not a home run and was not a play in the field. This play involved you picking up the
opposing team’s catcher’s helmet and carrying it back to him when you came up
to bat. You did not have to do that, but
it made my heart explode with pride when you did. A simple gesture of helping out a fellow ball
player showed sportsmanship and respect
for your opponent. If you respect your
opponent in that way, and play with class and dignity, NO MATTER the outcome of
the game, you can walk away with your head held high. Remember on The Sandlot when the boys rode in
on their bikes and challenged Benny’s team to a game? Remember why we hated them so much? They had no respect for their opponent (and
they were beaten badly because of it). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You are learning real consequences. When you miss a ball, the consequence is that
out is not made…... maybe the runner scores……maybe you lose. When you make mistakes in the field, it makes
things easier on your opponent and harder on your team. I want you to work hard and do your best for sake
of your team, not for the sake of your personal gain. I do not expect perfection out of you. I expect effort. Solid, honest effort. I don’t expect error free outings, but I do
want excuse free ones. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You are learning to do what it takes; to give it your all. Sometimes you have to dive. Sometimes you have to get dirty. Sometimes you have to swing no matter what
the pitch looks like. Sometimes a throw
comes in that you didn’t see coming and you have to slide. Sometimes you have to keep going even with a
big grisly catcher blocking your path to home.
Sometimes you drop a ball and the very same thing comes back at you with
the very next batter. Just part of the
game, right? Yes, but it is also rising
to the challenge and facing obstacles and making the most of a second
chances. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You are learning integrity.
You call a ball, you get it. You
make a mistake, you own it. Then you work
hard to not let it happen again. You do
something fantastic, you smile and relish in that moment without bragging. Everyone will be happy for you without you
reminding them they should be. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You are learning independence. When you step on that field, you have to do
it yourself. Daddy and I cannot catch,
or throw, or hit, or think for you. We
are right there watching and cheering you on, but you have to do it on your own. I
promise there is not a better feeling than knowing “I DID THAT BY MYSELF!” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You are making friends.
We have been blessed with a wonderful group of players, coaches, and
families as a part of our team. This
should be the greatest reward of all.
Our friends and our relationships with people are the most important
thing we can have. Period. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, No, Dear Boy, there will be no cash for playing
baseball. I am not saying it is wrong. I just fear that if money gets involved you
will focus only on that and will miss all of the life lessons that the great
sport of baseball is trying to teach you.
And I believe allowing that to happen would be an "E" in my score book. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I love you! YOU are my heart’s delight! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mom<o:p></o:p></div>
Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-18460608445238345782013-02-24T22:03:00.000-06:002013-02-24T22:03:35.910-06:00BaseballEvery year when baseball season rolls around, I get an extraordinary surprise. I remember just how much I love the game. I am sure I have said it before here, but I grew up with 3 brothers who all played ball through High School. They covered the field. A 2nd baseman, a catcher, and a pitcher/right fielder. I never had a choice (that I recall) in attending a game, but once I got there, I pretty much watched and learned. It was the 80's. Aside from a Rubik's Cube, no handheld games or smart phones, so watch and learn was really the only choice I had. I enjoyed playing fast pitch softball, but when we moved to a new town, slow pitch was the only option and I found it fantastically boring. And so began my life as a spectator.<br />
A grand portion of my memories of being a kid happened at a ball park. I remember sitting under the bleachers and peeking out when the sun was too much. <br />
I remember locking my aunt's keys in her car at a ball park. <br />
I remember being diagnosed with chicken pox (which we first thought were mosquito bites) at a ball park. <br />
The earliest crush I can remember having was on a boy on my oldest brother's little league team. I was probably about 8. There is something magically handsome about a baseball uniform. (Insert "Dream Weaver" chorus here.)<br />
I remember playing ball with my older brothers and going to buy my first glove. I couldn't use a hand me down because I am a lefty. <br />
I remember the black eye I got from walking into a Louisville Slugger. A wood one. <br />
I remember watching my dad coach my little brother's teams. <br />
I remember my freshman brother getting called up to varsity and pitching a game with his senior brother behind the plate. That was amazing and gut wrenching all at one time. <br />
I remember the lowest GPA I ever brought home was Spring of my Freshman year and the only excuse I could offer was "Aggie Baseball". I had never had that many games at my disposal before. <br />
I remember the feeling of unity among the teams and their fans. A family for the season.<br />
The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.<br />
I remember Mrs. Biagini, a tiny little woman, with a much larger voice and a Minnesota accent. She would cheer and yell the most wonderful things and they sounded so great. Her best work came each time her son would come to bat. "Hey Davey, don't swing at no garbage." I use that on occasion and have over the years worked very hard to hone my accent for a perfect delivery. <br />
I remember being the coldest cold and the hottest hot at the ball park. <br />
The grime of red dirt on my skin and teeth and scalp. The sunburns. The wind burn. Sand in my eyes. Nachos with Jalapenos and a Dr. Pepper. <br />
I remember being very happy and at home at the ball park and I wouldn't trade these memories, black eye included, for anything. <br />
So each year when baseball season comes around, I feel the surprise. It really shouldn't be a surprise, but it is. Like running into an old friend. You know the kind. You can pick up where you left off, no matter how long it has been. The kind it pains you to let go and only when they return do you fully realize just how much you missed them. I spent this weekend watching my little boy and my friends' little boys play ball. It was great. I was happy. And it made me think of all these things. And it made me sigh and say, "Welcome back baseball. Come in. Stay a while." Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-42323622863630380382013-02-19T22:31:00.001-06:002013-02-19T22:31:48.031-06:00Long timeHelloooooo friends! <br />
It has been a while. Clearly, that is my fault. I have been busy sewing. I made some jumbo baseball pants fit my little pee wee ball player. It took a very, very long time. I have another pair to do because, hey, they are white baseball pants and one pair will be on and one pair will be soaking at ALL times. <br />
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I helped work on some dance costumes and got to go watch them dance. Sorry- No pictures of that. But when videos get posted, I will be putting my favorites on here. </div>
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I am still trying to organize my sewing room. </div>
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I still love Oreos. </div>
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My house has been cleaned twice. It feels amazingly wonderful to sit and write for a moment without dust induced guilt. </div>
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And last of all, I fell in love with a TV show. Visualize for me....</div>
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Puffy Heart Puffy Heart Downton Abbey Puffy Heart Puffy Heart. </div>
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I cannot write on this now because I am trying really hard to figure out a way to convince you that if you want to remain my friend, you must watch it all done while not spoiling it for you. </div>
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<br />Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-6115774438932857122013-01-27T14:49:00.000-06:002013-01-27T14:49:30.815-06:00Craft RoomIt is Sunday. I love Sunday. I take a nap every Sunday. Except when the husband is out of town. And he is. Let out a very big sigh right now. Follow that up with a very big yawn. This is how I am feeling at the moment. Sigh. Yawn. <br />
So instead of a nap, I am trying to work and clean the playroom/craft room/piano room. My kids don't really play with toys too much anymore. This gives me a very mixed feeling of sadness and relief. Sad that they are growing up so darn fast. Relief that I no longer need to devote a room of my home to toy storage. The room we use is really a formal dining room. Many years ago, my husband built a wall to close it off to be our office. We were at the time using the office as the toy room because it had doors. Then I switched the rooms and the "office" was my creative area and the toys were hidden in a concealed plastic paradise. Then we got a piano. Into the plastic paradise it went. Then I got a <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00208646/#/60208648" target="_blank">thingy</a> with 25 cubby holes. If you click the link, you shall see that it is an Ikea Expedit bookcase. It is extremely versatile and awesome. I loaded it up with my sewing stuff. And I was so pleased. Then Doug began working from home. My space was gone! Gone, I say. G-O-N-E! I was left with nothing. So I took over the kitchen table because we eat 99% of our meals at the island anyway. And I began storing stuff in our bedroom. And there was not a single room in the house that wasn't messy. I began to live in constant fear of the crew from hoarders showing up on my door step. Then we got an extremely nice, free couch. I bet you didn't know there was such a thing. But there is and it is mine now. It went into the toy room. And then, my husband left on business and I decided to paint his office and rearrange the furniture and move the craft stuff out (not to be confused with the sewing stuff. The 25 cubbies stayed) to move the couch in. The kids could now be trusted with access to markers and beads more than they could be trusted with a white couch. Also, I thought it would make his office feel nicer since he was in there all the time. It was a 3 man job. I did it alone. He was not thrilled with my decisions. Two days later as he peacefully slept on the couch in his office I crept up to his slumbering face and yelled, "I told you so!" (OK, not really, but I wanted to.) <br />
So now, I am working on the latest phase in the toy room saga as I try to minimize the kids' toys and maximize mine. When I get done, I want it to look like<a href="http://www.craftaholicsanonymous.net/my-craft-room" target="_blank"> this....</a>. But, alas, I look into it and find that she has purchased all that furniture and her sewing desk, while very cool cost $1500. Another sigh. <br />
Now I have to get creative. So I dash on over to Ana White. You don't know Ana White? Well, she is amazing. She is Bob the Builder for chicks. She builds furniture. Furniture that looks very Pottery Barn, but without the price tag. She has plans for a table like I want. <a href="http://ana-white.com/2010/09/modern-craft-table" target="_blank">See the aqua one in the middle</a>? <br />
<img alt="Modern Craft Table-Aqua" height="266" src="http://ana-white.com/sites/default/files/3154804254_1326669393.jpg" width="400" /><br />
<br />
She also has plans for the table that the sewing machine is on. It is the narrow farmhouse table. But I don't really have space for all of this, so I am left wondering what in the heck I am going to do. I really really want that table. <span style="color: red;">Hint hint handy husband.</span> Valentine, Anniversary, Birthday are all coming. Don't make me do it myself. It won't be level. I will measure twice and cut once and it will still be wrong. This is the entire reason I quit architecture. It will look awful propped up on a deck of cards trying to keep it from wobbling. And if it does wobble when I am rotary cutting, it will be a bloody mess. Bye bye finger. And I will be down to 8 because I will probably lose at least one in the process of making the wobbly table. Please. Pretty pretty please. Wow, I took you guys on a ride there. Welcome to my mind!<br />
<br />
I really want my room to match more. I am tired of living in a hodgepodge. I really want the now office to be my craft room but, that is not at all going to happen. So, now that I have spent an hour in fantasy land looking at perfect craft rooms. (which clearly aren't used, right? Where are the threads on the floor? Where are the half finished projects? I mean if you have THAT, something should be in process all the time.) <br />
I think the current answer is sort, arrange, donate, and ditch. And just maybe in this process I will find the answers, or at least a whole new set of problems! Happy Sunday Friends! Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980875307775972789.post-47747619513051351562013-01-13T17:59:00.001-06:002013-01-13T17:59:30.700-06:00The Menu PlanOk, so I said that I was going to try to do a better job of planning meals. <br />
The kids and I came up with the week's plan.<br />
<br />
Sunday-Turkey Tacos/Taco Salad<br />
Monday- Lentils and Rice. Grapes. <br />
Tuesday- Boneless Wings. Fruit<br />
Wednesday- Spaghetti and Meatballs. Caesar salad. Green Beans. <br />
Thursday- Leftovers. <br />
Friday- Doug's choice. <br />
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<br />Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01679398917517157423noreply@blogger.com1