Three Children

By Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott

If you click on the cartoon it will enlarge so you can read it better.

A penny thought: I always guessed that they really do have it all figured out!

Two-fifths...

No, I'm not going to blog about a drinking binge...when I say two-fifths...it's the fraction...part versus whole...of the stomach bug traveling through our household.

Two-fifths...Taryn was first, followed by Grace. Anyone want to put bets on who is throwing up next?

There are some obvious reasons that this has not been a fun stint.

#1. Puke sucks...
#2. Puke in a toilet or bowl is better than puke on bedding.
#3. Ten year-olds make it to the toilet better than seven year-olds.
#4. Not have a washing machine and dryer in the house makes this worse.
#5. Ten year-olds don't need as much entertaining when they are sick.
#6. Seven year-olds are still really clingy when they are sick.

The up-side, I have finished a few little projects around the house...and posted 4 times in the last 24hrs. (Don't count on that becoming common place.)

I think I'll skip photos for this blog. You can thank me later.

A penny thought: Feed a cold, starve a fever...or was that feed a fever, starve a cold. Hmm...maybe a fifth of liquor isn't a bad idea...I've got a ways to go before this run is over.

My Birds and the Thief!

I am generally a fan of small furry animals, but this week I recognized some of them as true rodents!

I enjoy watching squirrels all year long:

• Teasing my dog with their chatter safe from the tree branches.
• Munching on sunflower seeds sprinkled on the ground.
• Watching as they tip-toe across the telephone lines.
• I will even screech my brakes and swerve to miss their bushy little tails as they scurry across the road.

Today was not one of those days.

I finally bought myself a really nice bird feeder, right before the snow fell. I placed it carefully in an apricot tree where I could sit comfortably in my living room to watch my little birds enjoy their treats. I selected the bird feeder with great care. I hung the bird feeder with great care. I made a HUGE mess filling the bird feeder with great care. I watched and waited (without much patience) for my little birds to come. They did not. They hadn't found their feeder yet. Maybe tomorrow morning they would find their treats.

Night comes and goes and I practically skip down the stairs to peek out at my bird feeder. What I saw did not please me. Overnight one or more bushy tailed thieves struck my new bird feeder. It was empty. My poor little birds had come. They were picking at what they could off the ground...little remnants of what the rodents had carelessly spilled!

I carefully removed my bird feeder from the apricot tree. I carefully (again with a huge mess) refilled the bird feeder. I carefully climbed a ladder, even standing on that top step that you are NEVER supposed to stand on. I carefully hung my bird feeder from my evergreen tree outside my kitchen window. I also planned for my little thieves this time. I carefully plucked any branches that would allow my bushy tailed friends to get close to the bird feed. I also used zip ties in a chain fashion to hang the feeder out of their reach! Success! Unfortunately there isn't a cozy seat for me to sit at to watch my birds. If I want to spend quality time with my birds...I have to sit IN the kitchen sink. Can you imagine that sight? Well, it has me keeping dishes out of the sink. I need a place to put my feet.

I have since enjoyed watching my sweet snow birds, finches, doves and ugly spotted birds enjoy the bird seed. I have also enjoyed watching my bushy tailed friends try to sneak up on the feeder. One almost slid down the snow covered branches to the ground below.

A penny thought: (From my one of my favorite shows Sex in the City)

You can't be friends with a squirrel! A squirrel is just a rat with a cuter outfit. -Sarah Jessica Parker

Snow Day

SNOW DAY!

I remember longing for snow days as a child. Guess what? Some things never change. I also recall my mother dreading long weekends AND snow days. I guess the teacher in me overrides my mothering instincts in this case, as this has been a wonderfully long weekend. Last week we had Monday off in observance of MLK. Kids had no school on Friday so we could do report cards. This Monday we had a rare Snow Day. Other than Taryn, who was sick in bed, we all enjoyed our day. We usually have to go to the mountains to find this much snow.

One of my favorite activities Monday was sitting in my kitchen sink watching my birds! Simple minds, simple pleasures!


My least favorite activity was monitoring the playground on Tuesday. Try enforcing the 'No Snowball' rule with third graders!

A penny thought: "I'll be back!" Words to my snow shovel. I was out there 5 x's in one day. I guess I'm the dummy for not waiting for it to quit snowing first.

January Quilt Project

One of my New Year's Resolutions was to make a project a month. I am happy to say, I completed my January project with a few days to spare. This was much in thanks to the additional snow day we were blessed with this week.

This was my first attempt at an applique quilt. I am pleased with how it turned out. I couldn't have done it without taking a class. It is so helpful to have someone walk you through a project. I also did the quilting on my machine using my new walking foot and free motion needle. It isn't perfect...but it is done!



This is a gift for 'Grandma in San Diego'. She is a dog lover...and has a habit of wearing a blue wolf t-shirt more than her kids would like her to. I guess it is a genetic thing...as my mother (one of Grandma in San Diego's daughter's) wears a certain UPS brown outfit more than I'd like!

Penny Thoughts: Measure twice cut once...(forgot that once)...the seam ripper is your friend...(needed it more than once)...be careful you WILL become your mother and YOUR children will make fun of you too(they already may)!

The Chinese Fortune Cookie

My 'fortune' this week - as found in the cookie was - "Your charm has attracted a secret admirer."

I really needed that fortune, as I was feeling a little 'kicked around' this week at school. Kids weren't happy with me, parents weren't happy with me, colleagues weren't happy with me, boss wasn't happy with me... HOWEVER...

My FAVORITE admirers this week didn't keep their admiration a secret:
They brought me lattes
They let me vent...yeah there were some &*^%$!'s flying this week
They left me colored pictures 'Your the best techer'! (Never mind the spelling)
They didn't complain
They listened without interrupting
They ate comfort food with me
They walked with me to work off the comfort food

What that fortune did for me was to change the negatives this week into some positives. I started out sarcastically imagining 'all that charm' that my adversaries found in me and tried to imagine how I could find a charm that would turn them my way. I realize with some...it won't be possible. I can change my life, my perspective, my viewpoint...I can't change others.

So I spent time planning for the Art Show. That has been my baby and I am proud that it keeps getting bigger and better each year.

I looked into a math endorsement. My HS algebra teacher would think that pigs are flying with that announcement.

I emailed an old friend.

I wrote a blog.

A Penny Thought: I do have 'charm' that attracts...and I do have 'charm' that distracts. I want to focus on developing my ability to attract secret admirers.

Super Six Sledding Party at Spout Springs

One six year-old

+

seven silly girls with

with matching hats & scarves

+

one snowman cake

+

one beautiful day

=

A Super Six Sledding Party at
Spout Springs!

A penny thought: If you want to make matching hats and scarves and don't want to stay up until 2:30 am...begin making the hats sooner than the day before the party!