Red Friday
Happy Friday! Are you wearing red for our troops?
Today it seems sunlight red has been catching my eye. A vase…
Silk flowers on the dining room table at breakfast:
A bird sunning himself on our wall:
Thanks again to Sara at Sadie Olive for hosting this Inspired Photo Event!
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Dear Daughter is officially done with junior high now!
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Here’s a peek at some red I used on her “High School Girl” banner (I’ll post the project tomorrow):
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Hope you have a WONDERFUL weekend~ I’m off to bake cupcakes!
Red, Red, Red…I Saw Red, Day Two
Summer fun and summer sun make for apple red cheeks and a desire to make multiple passes through the playground equipment!
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It’s June 2 and I’ve got moving on the brain. Today’s to-do list includes paper shredding, family-document-binder-organizing, letter writing, and blogroll tending. Add to that the daily chores of laundry, vacuuming, with a lot of playing with the toddler thrown in for good measure, and I have a full schedule. This is Dear Daughter’s last week of school- her “transition ceremony” (apparently it’s not called “graduation” here) from junior high takes place later in the week, along with her first semi-formal school dance. Dear Husband is having some mild heart attacks over it all, while I’m looking forward to seeing her gussied up again. She used to be such a girlie girl, all dresses, hair bows and pretty tights, but time has certainly marched on, and functional fashion has replaced the frillies. Volleyball, tennis and track will do that I guess! She’ll be a high schooler. Our eldest graduates in 2009, daughter in 2012, and toddler in, what….2022? Yikes!
Getting back on track~ the packers come to start filling my house with big brown boxes on June 24. We drive back to Oz around June 27 or so. The fourth of July will be spent in our new home, though I’m not sure we’ll have our household goods by then~ seems I need to add “posting-blogs-in-the-queue-just-in-case-we-don’t-have-computer-access-for-a-bit” to my to-do list.
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*Check out the latest edition of Kids Craft Weekly and of course subscribe for a summer full of wonderful, developmentally appropriate early childhood/family activities.
*Photo Jojo has me thinking of fun ways to take group photos…after all, for military formals, family get-togethers, etc., we always pose, huddling in, trying to smile sincerely, trying NOT to blink. Time for FUN to be reintroduced to my photography!
*Before you sign your children up for every sports or camp activity known for their summer “break,” read Children Deprived of Time to Play Are Deprived of the Childhood they Need and Deserve. As usual, I’ll be spending time with my children running through the sprinkler, drawing pictures in the sand with a stick, going for walks (either early in the morning or after dinner due to the daytime heat), playing board games, and letting them play by themselves, on their own.
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Have you been Seeing Red? Do tell, and check out the links to other participants at Sadie Olive!
Busy Busy Busy = Blog Lapse!
You know how it goes!
Several happy events took place this week: our daughter’s last band concert, our toddler’s third birthday, my husband’s graduation from the SGM Academy, time spent with friends, and my teaching contract arrived in the mail! Whoo hoo! Happiness all around, but at times it’s felt like we have been going bananas. Thank goodness for Martha Stewart Crafts and Target!
The toddler’s party was MONKEY themed!
Gummy bears, trail mix, and pretzels are some of his favorites, along with carrot cake cupcakes:
The tumblers and plastic plates/bowls are from Target (the tumblers, packed with gummies, were our gift favors):
The cupcake picks were part of the Monkey Birthday Kit from Martha:
Num num num!
Happy Birthday, my rowdy three year old!
Who Needs a Fairy Godmother…
… when you have Dillard’s, Monet, Sam and Libby, a set of Swarovski Crossed Pistols, and a handsome Sergeant Major to escort you to the Graduation Ball?
The dress, not a meringue in sight:
The bracelet and earrings (sparkly marcasite):
Did you think I was kidding when I mentioned pistols?
A black lace shawl, though none was needed since the temperature was in the TRIPLE DIGITS yesterday:
My new, most comfortable shoes by Sam and Libby:
Me and my dear husband, who graduates Thursday from the Sergeants’ Major Academy!
…For I Am the Binder Queen!
It was rainy and windy yesterday, so I took the hint and decided to update our family info binder. As we’ve moved from military post to post, we’ve driven, and have needed to carry our important papers and documentation with us. A binder with page protectors, page dividers and pencil bags has served us well- go figure!
Just call me the Binder Queen. (Recipe Binder, Inspiration Binder, Lesson Plan Binder)
My first attempt at decorating our Family Binder entailed finding colorful paper, cutting it to size, and slipping it into the cover’s sleeves. That’s it.
Fast forward three years, and I’ve built up quite a stash:
And enjoy using ribbons and brads:
Three years ago I wouldn’t have thought to put a photo of our family on the book:
(I couldn’t get the taupey-glittered “family” stickers to show up due to the cloudy day, apologies)
This update is a bit more femme than the last one…
…but we can’t miss it, which is important when it’s time to pack up the vehicles and return to Oz this summer!
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*Doug is adding to my summer reading list…
*Vicki shares an altered photo idea that I’m inspired to modify for my students in August…
*Hostess With the Mostess posts a Mississippi Mud Recipe!
*As soon as I get some quiet, self-reflection time (and I’m AWAKE during it), I’m going to write my personal mission statement, suggested by WishStudio Blogzine.
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Have a great weekend!
Magazines/May
Another reason to look forward to our new post assignment: we’ll live there long enough to make two-year magazine subscriptions worth it!
Here’s what I’ll be subscribing to:
…and the British version as well:
Just makes me all the more eager to find out what our new address will be so I can fill out all the subscription cards/forms necessary to get these treasures started on their monthly/seasonal trek to our mailbox!
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* PhotoJojo posts games you can play with your camera…
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I hope Moms everywhere enjoyed their special day yesterday! I certainly did! I have no clue why the toddler decided to sleep in (and therefore let ME sleep in) two extra hours, but it was the first of many special treats my family had in store for me! Other treats included a stash of peanut m-n-m’s (friends, family, and especially colleagues could tell you a story or two about my fixation on those candies!), a new digital photo frame, new movies (Sweeney Todd, and the new Alien/Predator movie…SPOILER ALERT... I haven’t watched Sweeney Todd but the Alien/Predator movie crossed some lines I didn’t care for, including violence against children, newborns, and mothers-to-be...honestly, THAT was the best script they could come up with? I love Sci-Fi, but am going to find it difficult to see any future films in the “Predalien” franchise thanks to this one.), a new little device for my iPod so I can enjoy tunes in our new-yet-still-old vehicle when we drive back to Oz this summer, and a very good dinner at Outback.
The rest of this month is full of celebrations: the SGM Ball, our toddler’s third birthday (Martha’s Crafts were on sale at Michael’s last week so he’ll have the monkey themed party)
and my husband’s graduation from the SGM Academy.
Whew!
Go Ahead and Giggle…LAUGH Even!
…and then *admit* you too, have some prom photos that have come back to haunt you!
In honor of my eldest son, who will be attending his first prom this weekend, here are some blasts from the past (and yet more proof that I have always loved playing “dress-up”) along with a challenge:
I *dare* my readers to dig through your photo boxes, albums and shoeboxes to find evidence of your own formal fashion “foo-paws” from yesteryear- and POST THEM, linking back here so that I can see!
In fact, I *double-dog-dare you!*
My first prom (I was thirteen) was in an Eskimo village!
Another blue gown that I also wore the year before (nope, not sharing THOSE photos!), this time shortened, for Prom #3.
Prom #4, still in Alaska, only this time outside of Squarebanks, with my dear friend Jodi. She wore lilac, I wore white…
Only to follow it up with a black lace dress for my Senior Prom. The photo doesn’t show it, but boy did I have 1987 BIG HAIR!
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Have fun Boy- I can’t wait to see your photos!
Furniture Fan…Fanatic?
The post-wide yard sale was a success yesterday, at least in our neck of the woods. We sold enough functional-but-no-longer-for-us furniture (the bookcases with glass doors, the pink wingback recliner, our daughter’s computer desk, two televisions and vcr’s… a kitchen cabinet, a dryer in need of a new heating element, the toddler’s bed, some area rugs and runners), some kitchen odds and ends (single glasses, mugs, pots with no lids, lids with no pots-heh heh heh, no, they didn’t match!- the toddler’s old plastic Playtex bottles, baby spoons), clothes (toddler, adult, teen), home decor (some of my handmade seasonal wreaths, tchotchkes I didn’t want to try to renew/refurbish), toys, books, and magazines. It was rather funny, all of my British Home and Gardens and Country Living style magazines sold while my husbands biker-type mags didn’t. Yard saling ladies know what to avoid, apparently!
I’m not sure we lightened our load significantly however. For you non-military family readers, soldiers and their families have a weight limit on their household items based on the soldier’s rank. My husband’s promotion in October added a thousand pounds to our allowance, but I’m guessing we’ll still be close. While in the Bordertown, our daughter got a new double bed and two new chests of drawers, the toddler upgraded to a twin bed, I purchased a desk and bookcase set for my cubby, and the family gave me a kitchen cart/island for Christmas. Dear Husband added a bookcase to his study and our kitchen microwave is huge compared to our old one. We’ll see.
It was very easy for me to NOT go yard saling yesterday! Though the weight limit has consistently asserted itself in the back of my mind for the past five years, I also know we’re moving back to the land of antique malls, thrift stores, and hidden treasures this summer! My husband and I have decided that we are willing to spend the next two years searching for just the right pieces for our home: “real” barrister bookcases, complete with leaded glass panes in the doors
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an overstuffed low-backed leather chair
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drop leaf tables
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a new desk for our daughter
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and various styles of storage furniture~ file drawers
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map chests
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card catalog drawers…
Yes, the weight limit will be blown off its doors when my husband retires!
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Of course, I’ll also be on the look-out for “vintage bling” so I can make photo frames like Cupid’s Charm …
Michelle at Scribbit posted a delicious sounding French Onion Soup recipe that just might become my post-furniture-shopping-trip-treat…
…and if I stumble across one of these, I will in fact NOT buy it, though I certainly will try it!
(Nes)quik to Candy Container
Dear Daughter is getting on the plane this afternoon to fly to Vegas (family wedding) and wanted a “cute candy container” to transport her pecan/rolo/pretzel nummies on board. We are a family that does reuse and recycle, though not as much as we could (moving every other year has that effect, though what we don’t take with us, we donate), but we are indeed, making an effort.
Case in point: our toddler loves “bunny milk,” and the empty containers left over each time he finishes either the chocolate or strawberry powders (sometimes we mix them!) are perfect storage containers for pens/pencils/markers or any other bits and bobs I have in my craft area. The bright yellow plastic certainly makes for cheery projects!
Here’s the clean container wrapped in pretty paper:
Floral ribbon to cover the edge of the paper:
Paper cut to fit the lid:
Chipboard letters that spell “candy”:
Some sparkle, photo corners, and the hint to “enjoy:”
Empty:
But even better FULL:
Num!
Seen on Sunday
“Wed tain Mommy, wed tain!”
“Boo-boo cykul Mommy, boo-boo cykul…” (a friend’s bike was hit by a driverless car this morning- the bike’s rear fender is toast, and the paintjob is scratched, but our friend is fine! Yes, I typed “driverless…”)
And Miss Laurie from Laurie’s Charming Designs entered me into a drawing for one of her paper flowers! It arrived just in time to join me in reading the newest Somerset Life, that just so happens to feature Laurie’s beautiful birds (pages 70-73):
Take a look at the beautiful handpainted envelope! Thanks so much Laurie, I’m enjoying reading about your “soft perches” and will find a special place for my beautiful flower!
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