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!

Christmas 2007

This was the first Christmas we have ever hosted! What a great time it was. My mom and dad arrived on the day that school let out. Over the next few days our activities included: sledding at Spout Springs, lunch at Hamley's, dinner at The Plateau, lighting of the advent wreath at church, oh yeah, and presents! It seems that these girls still haven't experienced a slim Christmas as the packages were piled high everywhere. Santa filled the stockings with all sorts of surprises too. For me, dinner was a highlight. (Big surprise.) Marc was in charge of the meat! We had beef tenderloins, Alaskan King Crab, and Jumbo Shrimp. Mom and I made salad and artisan bread. Our pumpkin cheesecake offered a mere 800 calories per slice. UGH. Luckily our slices we ate were much smaller than the serving size they suggested.

Grandpa Mike and Grandma Vera delighted the girls with a Karaoke Machine. Once I finally convinced Marc that "Mony, mony" and "Like a Virgin" weren't the best songs for the girls, they cut loose singing their favorite Disney Channel songs. Watch for videos someday. I'm pretty sure none of us are going to make big bucks in the music industry.

Now all that remains are full tummies, happy memories, 2/3rds of a cheesecake and a HUGE mess in our house.

A penny thought: Christmas memories of family & friends last a lot longer than memories of things. I had a hard time telling my girls what my favorite Christmas present was, but instead easily recalled many special times spent with loved ones.

Sledding

To kick off a faboulous Christmas vacation, we pulled out the sleds, wrapped grandma and grandpa up in their snow gear and headed for Spout Springs. A usual sledding day takes organization, this day was not any different. Marc got the gear ready: sleds, boots, gloves, handwarmers, etc. Anne got the snacks and the kids ready. As on a typical day, we both become so focused on our tasks that we sometimes don't communicated enough. See photo with the arrow above. Those are my tennis shoes on Grace's feet. Inside those shoes are two pair of socks, two hand warmers, plastic bags and ten very cold toes.

Grandma and grandpa had fun and slept as well as the kids did that night. We were joined by Michelle and Katie Bradt...they know how to have fun too.

A penny thought: Always make sure you pack snowboots for any children who want to wear Croc's in the car on the way up to the mountain!

2007 Christmas Letter

Made & cleaned up messes doing remodeling
Accomplished a bathroom and a half so far
Re-unioned with Sokoloski Families in Montana
Coached Football at Pendleton High School


Always hauling the girls to and from activities
Neck surgery in July, partial thyroid removed
Needs more hours in the day to catch up on projects
Exciting camp adventures pulling new tent-trailer

Track star in making, ran fast, won ribbons
Acted in a children's theater production in July
Read and cried, Where the Red Fern Grows
Young entrepreneur earned profits at her lemon-aid stand
Now learning back handsrpings in gymnastics

Great time at Disneyland with mom in September
Ready to take on any adventure in the great outdoors
Always throws the ball for Jake the dog
Continues to be our pre-dawn alarm clock
Enthusiastic swimmer

Ready to take over control of her kindergarten
Emerging hip-hop dancer
Another social butterfy
Growing two new bottom teeth
Always needs her clothes to 'match'
Not afraid to speak her mind


A penny thought: Many people do not like Christmas letters. I do. From the first Christmas card in early december, until the last one received - sometimes in February- I cherish: the pictures and the funny, the corny, the too-long or too-short, once-a-year Christmas letter!

Dancing Elves...

A fun free site to check out is http://www.elfyourself.com/

Check out the girls and Jake: www.elfyourself.com/?id=1128948500