Queen of February

What We Are Missing!

2011-03-12T18:09:00.003-05:00

Okay, we all know about Punch and Judy, right? I didn't have any idea how old they were, though! We are talking Middle Ages old! I know, right? So, anyway, my Li'l Dude wanted to know who they were, and I found pure GOLD on You Tube:

Punch and Judy

Make sure you go to the bathroom first! Enjoy!

This is why I LOVE New Yorkers!!!!

2011-02-03T14:46:00.005-05:00

derp

2011-02-01T20:55:00.003-05:00

So, I found a new Stampin' Up demonstrator, and she lives out near Plymouth. She was having an Open House last weekend, so I made plans to go out and place my 'once a year' order. I checked my directions, gathered up my list and catalogs, and headed out. It took me about an hour, and I parked in her driveway and carefully maneuvered around the ice patches to the front door. Rang the bell, which was answered by a little girl, and I asked for her mom. She let me in, and I saw two men and a woman, casually dressed, standing in the kitchen- looking very surprised by my appearance. I stammered, "Stampin' Up?" The woman came forward and said, "The Open House was yesterday!"

Snow up the Ahhh...!

2011-01-27T17:08:00.003-05:00

We *only* got 14 inches of snow today. Our total accumulation for January is up to 52 inches...LOL!

Boiled in Oil

2011-01-20T20:39:00.004-05:00

A snapshot:

Angus! was humming. Humming one refrain of an 80's song in what can only be described as a high-pitched whine. Only it was like a record with a scratch in it. It kept repeating, repeating, repeating...
Dahtwe was jumping, upstairs, in his room. Rhythmically. Just jumping, jumping, jumping...then running up and down the stairs, through the rooms, then back upstairs to continue...jumping.
The dog barked every time I used my little hammer to put eyelets into the cards I was making. Constantly. Barking, barking, barking.

Am I in hell or just being purified, you know, boiled in oil?

A Wicked Nor'eastah...

2011-01-12T12:23:00.001-05:00

So, the kids say the snow is about 19 inches. I measured where the snow came up on the dog, and that is dead on!

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

2010-12-25T19:47:00.000-05:00

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!

2010-12-25T19:09:00.000-05:00

We had a lovely Christmas! We woke to Sean leading everyone in song this morning. Big hugs and kisses to our Colorado family!

Boo's Birthday

2010-12-25T18:12:00.001-05:00

Sigh...11 already? I have NO idea where the last year has gone.

Timmy makes a mess!

2010-12-25T17:46:00.000-05:00

Craft fair incineration...LOL

2010-12-25T17:43:00.000-05:00

So, another bust. Except for the lovely families on either side of our table. I am actually considering going back next year just to visit!

And, Boo embroidered finger puppets to sell. She did a great job!

Craft fair crash and burn...

2010-11-20T19:40:00.000-05:00

Miss T and I always have a good time hanging out and being snarky, even though the fair was a bust. You know how you should never trust a military recruiter? Yeah, well, you can't exactly trust a craft fair coordinator, either...LOL

Miss T's more than half of the table:

My Christmas card display

...at least the pigs had a great time!

Birthday Bananas

2010-11-20T19:39:00.000-05:00

Halloween

2010-11-20T19:37:00.002-05:00

This year, we missed Angus! He went and trick-r-treated w/his best friend. We had some extras, as Soph and the Spaghettios came along for our marathon run. Banana blackened Big T's beard to try and make him appear younger...LMAO
I had a record low of 14 kids this year, and my crusty crew had a record haul!

And I spent 2 days cooking up all that pumpkin. Over 4 gallons of it! Pumpkin pie...here we come! Although this guy doesn't look too happy...

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet Sixteen!

2010-11-20T19:35:00.000-05:00

Another 15 Minutes of Fame...

2010-08-04T18:53:00.000-04:00

I received an email from Tara Johnson of thedailyauburn.com. She was interested in interviewing local crafters who sell their wares online. We met at the library and had a fun time chatting. I was very excited to be promoted in this way.
Here's the link to the article: Local custom card designer opens online store.
Thanks, Tara!

God Bless America

2010-07-03T22:56:00.001-04:00

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Karate Kids

2010-07-03T19:35:00.000-04:00

Plimoth Plantation

2010-07-03T12:21:00.000-04:00

We went to Plimoth Plantation and Mayflower II yesterday for FREE, courtesy of The Highland Street Foundation. There are a bunch of places that are free on Fridays, so click the link!
Here are some of my favorite pics from our trip:

The big boys were asked to help put in a couple of planks for a fence that needed repair. They got to break out one of the rotted planks and then put in two new ones.

The day was flawless. Temp and humidity perfectly comfortable. Only a few puffy clouds in the sky. Aaaaaaaaah, summertime!

Photo Op

2010-06-20T20:46:00.002-04:00

actress: Boo; photographer: Banana

Graduation

2010-06-20T20:46:00.001-04:00

Big T graduated high school this year. We are all very proud of him. He will be taking a couple of college courses this fall while finishing his GED. There were forty other homeschool graduates this year. The ceremony was personal and well done. There was a short bio and a message from the parents read aloud for each graduate, followed by a slide show. It really is amazing to think of all the things these kids have accomplished.
Our graduate alone has been in the church choir since he was nine. He has completed about 40 hours of volunteer work at the church each year. T has been taking karate since he was ten, and earned his Black Belt in Kenpo at thirteen. He is in an "invitation-only" leadership program at the dojo, where he is training to become an instructor. T has also been taking piano lessons since he was ten. He gets sheet music out of the library and practices popular music as well as the great masters. T attends a weekly writing class where he is working on his first novel. It is amazing to see how far our timid, anxious and easily frustrated little boy has come. Good luck, Big T!

An Etsy Promotion

2010-04-15T10:05:00.000-04:00

Miss T has a great shop on Etsy. Her shop is being featured in a Giveaway on the following blog: B.F.F.E. (Best Finds From Etsy)
You have a chance to win a beautiful handmade wooden teether. All you have to do is post a comment on the B.F.F.E. blog! Winners will be notified on Tuesday the 20th.

Sewing Expo

2010-04-11T12:06:00.000-04:00

Spent the last three days taking classes at the Sewing Expo with Miss T. It was a blast and I learned alot. Mostly, I learned that I don't know how to sew. *LOL*
I behaved myself and only bought one piece of fabric. I decided, after the 'stash game' that I really can't justify too many more of those purchases.
Besides, I felt that what I really needed are resources. Having taught myself to sew, I thought, (maybe) there might be a little information I was missing.

I bought some thread on clearance, which matched some fabric for an order perfectly. I was all excited about finding it, until I looked at the bottom of the spool and saw the words, "solar active blue/purple". What did that mean, anyway? So I took it outside, even though it was cloudy. Here's what happened:

Yikes! Glad I checked first.

Regretsy Book Cover Contest

2010-04-05T20:03:00.000-04:00

[Note: I altered one of the images for the purpose of this blog.]

Regretsy had a contest for the best book cover design. I entered, along with dozens of others, and the winning list came out today. I am not a winner; yet, in a bizarre twist of fate, I still showed up in third place! Not possible, you say? Ah, but feast your eyes on the 3rd prize winner's entry!

RED AND BLACK by Laura

Perdy and I are on the back cover, left side, near the spine of buttons!
*LOL*

Soapmaking 101

2010-04-05T11:24:00.001-04:00

Miss T and I went to a soapmaking class in Medway on March 23rd, so I am a little late with this post. Can I tell you how much fun we had? Who knew? I think I have found yet another hobby to take time away from cleaning the house! *LOL*
Apparently, up until WWII, pretty much everyone made their own soap. And it isn't hard to make, either.
We learned the cold process method, which means that you don't add any heat from an external source, ie. no cooking. We made 4 1/2 pounds of soap, which equals 15 bars. Mine are a citrus blend of pink grapefruit, lemon and lemongrass. The whole house is lightly scented with citrus. I love it!
I have to wait about 3 weeks (4/13!) to use my soap, as it takes that long to "cure" or harden. If I am impatient, and use it now, it will melt away very quickly. Patience is a virtue. (Yes, it's killing me to leave them alone!)

Dressing the little Princess

2010-04-05T08:36:00.001-04:00

I made this dress for my Princess. Isn't she beautiful? I love being an auntie, does it show?

Blessed and Happy Easter Wishes

2010-04-04T19:15:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter! Easter is my favorite holy day. At church this morning, Angus! and Boo each had a solo during the rousing hymn, "He's Not Here!". They were very nervous, but sounded great. Much thanks to Judy, our choir director.
The Easter Bunny visited after Mass, and was kind enough to pose for a picture.

Next we headed out to visit Grandpa and Grandma for a delicious supper. Kudos to the chef, she never disappoints!

The kids had fun playing with their cousin, the little Princess. All in all, a very satisfying day.

And Happy Easter to those absent...Thomas and Karen, hope you enjoyed your day! Much love to our Colorado family! Love you all and miss you, too.

Good dog, Perdy!

2010-03-26T13:35:00.000-04:00

Well, the Regretsy t-shirt from Zazzle came in the mail yesterday. And I wasn't going to subject the dog to the humiliation that won me the book in the first place. So I decided to take a pic of Perdy wearing the shirt. Isn't she lovely? See how happy she is to be wearing my shirt? What a good dog!

What? She got a carrot for being so patient! Two carrots, even!

I WON ON REGRETSY!!!!!!!!!!! (PG-13)

2010-03-21T12:56:00.000-04:00

My posts are all usually G rated, but this, while being a little crass, made me laugh. And I do have 13 year old boy humor, as anyone will tell you. So, with that in mind, proceed at your own risk...

Ok. It all began with this post on Regretsy.

To summarize the post:

"So go on! Buy yourself a handsome This doesn’t belong on Regretsy T-shirt on Zazzle today! And when you get it in the mail, put it on and take a picture of you wearing it, giving a thumbs up and smiling next to your dog’s asshole. The first person to send me a picture like that will get an autographed copy of the Regretsy book and a picture of my dog’s ass."

Now, never one to pass up a challenge, I ordered the shirt. However, I was worried that I wouldn't get the shirt in time to have a chance to win the book. So, I sent the following email to Helen Killer/April Winchell:

Helen,
I ordered the t-shirt from Zazzle. But I want a pic of your dog's ass, oops, I mean a copy of your book sooooooooooooooooooooooo badly, that I couldn't wait for it to arrive. So I took this pic of myself and my dog's asshole and 'shopped the shirt. I don't know if I'll be able to get another pic w/the dog, because she feels violated and is sulking under her blanket in the kitchen. I may very well have scarred the old girl for life, I don't know. She might even need doggie-valium.
Anyway, it was all worth it if I can have a signed copy of your dog's ass. Oops, I mean your book.
Love your site,
Jennifer

This is the answer I received:

I love you.
I should have copies of the book this week. I'll send you one as soon as I get it.
xxx/a

I am so excited, I could just jump up and down and yell all day. Instead, I think I'll take all this positive energy and clean my house.

I can't express how much I am enjoying my twisted, anonymous, internet, 15 minutes of fame ! Check it out!

Bathing suit baby

2010-03-06T13:03:00.000-05:00

Ok, this is my first attempt at sewing a bathing suit. It was really...challenging. Yes, that is a good word, challenging. It looks pretty good in the photo. Just don't look too closely. I hope it doesn't come apart in the water...LOL

Roped In

2010-03-05T18:06:00.000-05:00

(con't from Share the (Teddy) Love) Somehow, I am making "softies" for a bunch of kids. It just kind of happened, I really don't know how. Maybe I was hypnotized. Anyway, I made four of them. Here is Blue, Kayla's birthday bear. Notice how well behaved she is! Miss Kittie, Snow Bunny and Scarlet Cat, on the other hand, went out when I wasn't looking.

And they got all dirty out in the back yard. Naughty, naughty. I hope Adrianna, Lydia and Sophie can keep them in line...

SC - Fourth and final week

2010-02-28T11:36:00.001-05:00

Didn't do any sewing this week! But SuzyQ came over yesterday and we made some Barbie clothes for her daughter's b'day present. Barbie modeled the dress I made for her. I hope she likes it, and isn't just smiling to be polite...

And here, the sultry Lucy was kind enough to model the furry fleece coat I made for Barb:

...although I suspect she was a wee bit jealous...

And here is a last minute item for the game. An organza skirt for Banana. It will be worn under a linen-blend skirt I have yet to make for her. No modeling tonite...even models need their beauty rest! *LOL*

SC - Week Three!!!

2010-02-16T21:33:00.001-05:00

Here is the latest in the Exclusive Banana Fashion Show!
Our model is showing off a Katrin knit blouse and stretch corduroy dress pants. You like? I like!

Here's a pair of monkey pj pants and a pair of blue dress pants:

Sewing Contest - Week Two

2010-02-09T21:35:00.000-05:00

Well, here we are at week 2! Two more shirts for Banana and a new cover for my "new-to-me" chair. The old cover was really gross, so I won't torture you with the 'before' pic! Suffice to say, it was brownish in color, but originally it was {cough, cough} white. Miss T told me (LOL) I needed to make 5 receiving blankets for babies in Haiti. We'll be sending them to a woman who will send them where they are needed most. Total yardage this week: 9. YAY!!!

Share the (Teddy) Love

2010-02-07T22:05:00.001-05:00

Miss T's daughter saw the bear I made at Christmastime with boots, scarf, and ear-hats. She liked it so much that she asked if I would make her one.

How could I refuse that sweet face and clasped hands? She brought Bear to an art lesson with her last week, where SuzyQ's daughter saw it.

Later that day, I received a phone call...(to be continued).

Sewing Contest - Week One

2010-02-07T20:39:00.000-05:00

Sewing Mamas is having a "stash game". Rules are to sew up as many yards of fabric as you can between Feb. 1-28. You must use fabric already in your home. Which is not too hard. Especially if you're a member of Fabric-aholics Anonymous. *LOL*

Here's what I've finished so far: a long sleeve tunic, a sweater, 2 sweatshirts and a blackout curtain. Total yardage: 8. And the models, daw-lin, aren't they lovely?

Having a Little Fun

2010-01-27T12:58:00.000-05:00

I discovered some fun stuff on etsy, thanks to Regretsy. And I bought myself a donkey. And I received some toilet paper in the mail. Not just ANY old donkey, nor is it just ANY old toilet paper.
BRONX BURRO..Bronx N.Y. County Fire Door Corp...Hang on Stinky Jimmy, We gotta 9 alarm in Donkey town...AND THIS AINT NO WEENIE ROAST...

THAT'S RIGHT....SO PULL OVER AND GET OUTTA THE WAY...BRONX FIRE FIGHTIN DONKEY IS COMING TO SAVE THE DAY...Stinky Jimmy tried packin a darn twig and a metal coat hanger, thought he'd get some weenie roastin in...Donkey's don't like fire, like most animals...SO HOSE IT ON DOWN IN DONKEY TOWN...CUZ WHEN YOU'RE HOT.......YOU'RE HOT...BUST A MOVE WITH THE DONKEY TROT!
DON'T FORGET SAINT MICHAEL ARCH ANGEL...BRONX BURRO COMES WITH STINKY JIMMY AND PEE PEE POODLE RIDIN FIRE FIGHTERS...AND SOME NIFTY VINTAGE BRONX N.Y. FIRE DOOR TAGS...

Miss T sent me this treasure:

Love it! Thanks so much!

Take this quiz! LOL!!

2010-01-18T19:57:00.001-05:00

Created by Oatmeal

Epiphany

2010-01-02T20:24:00.000-05:00

So, we all blasted the Shrek soundtrack and 'un-decorated' the tree today. I know it's not Epiphany yet, but the tree was really starting to look a little sad. I didn't realize how bad it looked until I saw it with all the ornaments, popcorn & cranberries, and lights off of it. Poor little tree...

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-29T14:40:00.000-05:00

We had a wonderful Christmas. Thank our Good God for health and for our little family. May God bless you and yours always!

Boo reaches double digits!

2009-12-29T14:30:00.000-05:00

This Christmas Eve, my little Boo turned 10. Yikes, 3 kids in double digits and counting! Where has the time gone?

Mixer Head

2009-12-27T20:21:00.001-05:00

There are no words...

Gingerbread Houses

2009-12-20T18:25:00.000-05:00

I "made" gingerbread houses this year out of graham crackers. Cheating, I know, but why waste all that good gingerbread? The children just eat the candy and throw the rest away. I asked them to save some Halloween candy for the houses this year, so I only had to buy two $1 bags of gummy bears. Saved me a bundle! *LOL*

Teddies and stuff...

2009-12-15T21:01:00.000-05:00

I made some things to donate this year, because I don't have enough to do and needed to stress myself out just a little more...heck, what's Christmas without a little stress? *LOL*

My niece's 1st birthday!

2009-12-08T14:33:00.000-05:00

My Godchild, (a.k.a. Princess), has just turned one! She had a great time, tearing paper off her presents, knocking her brother and cousins down, and taking half the frosting off the cake w/her highchair tray.

I made her this outfit. Here she is with the hat!

An Evening at the ...E.R.?!

2009-12-02T23:55:00.000-05:00

Life with children...always an adventure. Our current adventure started at 3 pm this afternoon. The kids were all out playing in the backyard, when my 8 yo ran into the house, visibly shaken and near hysterical. I heard words: "blood" "head" "hurt" and ran out of the house to find my youngest lying face down in the dirt. He wasn't moving, but I knew better than to pick him up. It took me a good 3 min. or so to get him to get up, and as any parent knows, that is a very long time!
I took him to the doc, who sent me to the hospital, and a scary trip to "trauma" for a CT scan and Xray.
Who knew a simple fall in the backyard would result in a broken thumb, a concussion, and, instead of stitches, the gash on his head was super-glued! Ah, the wonders of modern medicine.
And my friends all jumped in to help; with supper, rides to and from GS, taking the other kids back home, and even hanging out at the house so JP could come up to the hospital to check up on the little guy.
Thanks to everyone who helped out today! And I must say, everyone at the hospital was super good to us, and made a scary situation less stressful with their professionalism.
Oh, one more thing...God? Remember when I said I was bored? Yeah, well, I take it back...

"Stained Glass"

2009-12-01T13:39:00.000-05:00

JP and the three younger children have been busy preparing for Christmas with this project, made with black construction paper, colored tissue paper, and laminate. We are all pleased with the results...

Black Friday

2009-11-28T11:01:00.000-05:00

I love Black Friday! Left the house at 5:30 am with my BFF (Black Friday Friend). *LOL* The Boy Scouts had set up a free coffee & donuts stand, so we helped ourselves to their coffee before we set out. We had a lovely time. Hung with our crazy friends at Joanne's Fabrics for a few laughs. Yes, they know us on a first name basis!
Our fellow shoppers were all courteous, the clerks were helpful, and everyone seemed to be in a pretty good mood. We went out for breakfast at the Coffee Mug, which has the best coffee! And at the last store we went to, I opened up my checkbook to...no checks! Good thing I brought my backup...thanks T! *LOL*

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T22:37:00.000-05:00

The kids and I had some fun with Thanksgiving this year. Saw this idea on weewonderfuls, and we just had to make some. Blessings from our home to yours!

Hawkumon

2009-11-23T12:19:00.000-05:00

Angus! came up with his own version of trading cards. He asked if we could "bring one to life", so to speak.

A Five-year-old's view of the world...

2009-11-20T10:53:00.001-05:00

"Foot", a self portrait; study of "Grandpa in Chair";

photo commentary on "Brother's Dirty Foot"; and "Dueling Elbows"

Birthday Bananas

2009-11-12T07:38:00.000-05:00

My eldest daughter turned 13 yesterday. Can I say I'm stunned? How did that happen?

We were a little giddy from the ice cream and cake...

Jewels, jewels, jewels!

2009-11-10T20:28:00.000-05:00

I received my jewelry from Lia Sophia last night, after a little mishap. It was delivered to an address across the street, and I was panicking about where it went!
Ah, "all's well that ends well", so they say, and I have a "couple" new pieces to enjoy. I do appreciate the fact that the kids are old enough to not rip earrings out of my ears, or the necklace off my neck! LOL!

Jack-O-Lantern pie

2009-11-08T18:16:00.000-05:00

JP was asked to be Godfather to John, but before we headed out to CT this morning for the Baptism, I made pies...one to share, and one for me. uh, well, you get the idea.

We carve the pumpkins on Halloween. After trick-or-treating, I cut the pumpkins in half, bake @ 350 in a pan w/an inch of water for about an hour. Scoop 'em out, let drain in a colander overnight. Puree in a food processor, and the pumpkin is ready.

Mix ingredients in the order given:
2 cps pumpkin
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup sugar (brown or white)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
12oz can evap milk

Pour into (9in.) pastry shell. Bake @ 425 for 15 min., reduce temp to 350, and continue baking for 45 min., or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. I usually double these spices, since they are my favorites! Enjoy!

First day out

2009-11-07T20:38:00.000-05:00

Okay, here goes. My sibs and friends have been bugging me to join facebook, and I just can't imagine that. So, I think I'll do the next best thing. A blog! What better way to get me to spend more time on the 'puter than I already do?

Did a show, 'Homelearner's Craft Fair', in Arlington today. Attempted to sell some cards. Yeah, right. I must be crazy trying to sell greeting cards in the age of texting, facebook, and email! I sold seven. Is that good?