Summer Fun.

I am always running out of fun things to do in the summer time, so the kids spend a ton of time out in the yard. (do not get me wrong I love that they spend time in the yard and they love to spend time in the yard, I just.... well you know sometimes feel like it would be nice to do more. When I saw this over at Tatertots and Jello (great name yes?) I printed it out right away.  Now the way I like to file things away is ......... well to leave them on the printer for a LONG time, forget about them then they are new a second time:)  Well I forgot about them and today I "discovered" them again!!  So I cut them out and got them laminated.  I am in the processes of cutting them out right now (well right now I am blogging, and giving my hand a brake from cutting them out (I 1/2 a million sewing scissors I should get some general craft ones))

Here are mine: (which BTW are really hers):

Are they not the cutest things you have EVER seen?  Pop over and get your selfs a set for long summer days.

Trip photos

****BLOG WARNING ***** BLOG WARNING**** LONG BLOG LOTS OF PHOTOS*******

Now that we got the warning done with if you are still here you can look at a ton of photos (only 28 really).  I will try and keep it the stories short (you know I am not much of a story teller so that should be easy (hahahhahahhh)).

We went to Philly on the train.  (we love traveling by train!) Here is my dad and Ada making waffles (they made them almost everyday..... my dad makes GREAT waffles).

Grandma love.

Ada and me on the bus.  (I thought it was from when we where eating, but Elijah told me that those seats where wood.... how does he remember that???????)

This is at my moms community gardens.  They are soooooooo wonderful.

Right in the middle of the city is this full city block of gardens.

This bee was loving these plants, but it was hard to photograph.

Here is my mom's  plot.

She has a pond on her plot and these are lilly pads (I think).

This is a compost bin that she built (cool right?)

I love how she uses all kinds of things to make the garden wonderful.

I love these little flowers (they are tiny).

I have no idea what this plant is, but it is COOL.... do you know what it is?

This is another persons garden that I loved.

Just more wonderful flowers.

They have this HUGE fence all the way around the gardens.  Very pretty.

You will notice that I have a lot of photos of these 3 wonderful people from the back (I was slow moving and always seemed to be a little behind (but that also might have been because I was stopping to take photos;)) (quote from Elijah "Yeah you do like to take photos!")

This is Rocky's foot (well loved).

When it snows tons they sled down these stairs.

Cool stairs down to the water.

Not sure why they have these cantaloupes here, but Elijah was sure they where cannonballs.

Here is my daughter dancing before the wedding photos are even not :)  (We where sitting in this park when the wedding group came by (it was also our wedding anniversary).

Just a cool kid I found at the park:)

I love these flowers and what to get some.

Just a couple of cute kids being silly.

I love these two photos of the kids and could not pick just one.

That is it for today.  Thanks for sticking it out.

We are back

We went on a 2 week trip on the train.  I will be back tomorrow (if I still have internet ) to tell you more about it, but it was great and I have a ton of photos to show you, until then you will have to just love this one of the kids (I love the look Elijah's face , silly goose). BTW whip cream on smoothies is messy.

Good news Badish news

Last week both Elijah and I had blood draws.  His to check his allergies and me to see if FINLAY we get some clue as to what was going on with me.  I checked both results on line today.  

First the good news:  Elijah's egg numbers are DOWN again!!!!!  (insert happy dance here) This is so good!!! I am soooooooooo happy that he maybe out growing the egg allergy.  This does not mean that he can eat eggs, but it is a good sign mostly because we have been giving him baked eggs and his numbers are still down! (is that too many !!!! for one paragraph?)

Now on to the badish (I know this is not a real word) news.  My test results are all still normal.  How is this bad news you ask?  Because it means that we are still no closer to knowing what in the world is going on with me.  It bummes me out not know what is wrong with me.  I try and be patient, but sometimes I just WANT TO KNOW!!!!!!!!!  

Just smiling knowing that the world is what the world is and I can not fix change it.  Have a nice day everyone.

Teacher Gift

Two days ago I finally figured out what Elijah and I should do for his teacher (I cut that a little close right?).  I had a charm pack that was just waiting to be used and a kid who loves to sew... match made in heaven.  So E and I started sewing this cute table runner on Tuesday night and we got it done last night.  He did about 1/2 of the work.

I think it came out really cute.

Here is the back (I hand stitched the label on last night (did I tell you that I am LOVING hand stitching:))

We also made these cute magnets using Mod Podge Dimensional Magic.  This stuff rocks and I can not wait to try it on some jewelry this summer (you know when I have tons of time because the kids are fighting playing:)

Now for a note from Ada:

AAAAadddddddaaaaa

azxcvbnm,.,.//.,mbAAWRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAFFFDDDRHFE4THNN VV 

And just because this was such a pretty salad I had to show you.

Have a great day.

Have you ever wondered?

Who was out there reading your blog?  I often think that only my folks and close friends read my blog but today I clicked on my followers link and there where a bunch of people (ok only 3 or 4 ) that I did not know and I think may be reading.  I know that I did not have a big following and I do not need a big following (I do not want the stress of having to write all the time knowing that tons of people are reading) but it is nice to know that some people read my blog.

Anywho we are winding down the last couple of days of school (E gets out on FRIDAY) and we are really looking forward to it.  It will be fun to have him here to take care of Ada to do stuff with.  I am hoping to get more crafting done with them both here (does that sounds strange? well I know that E will help A have fun without me so maybe.....cross fingers......).  I have been doing stuff and someday I will have more photos, but for now I have this one of a shirt I did for my neighbor that just turned 2:

Sorry that the photos kinda suck I forgot to get a photo before I gave it to his mom and then I had to deal with moving 2 year old.  But I am very happy with the way it came out.  I decided to hand stitch and I think it made it better.  I am loving doing hand stitching these days.  I have been doing my sisters quilt by hand and loving it also.  (photos one day).

Gotta go move the water for the garden to the other half of the garden.  Have a nice day and stay cool if you can (our AC is out and will not be fixed until tomorrow (when the heat breaks)).

DRUMS!!!

Today I went into Elijah's class and we made drums.  The kids had a blast.  The project is easy (and a lot easier if you are only make one or two:).

I will tell you right now that I did not come up with this idea on my own.  I am by NO means telling you that this is the only way to make them I just thought it would be nice to have a tutorial that had photos.  I could not find one so I am going to make one for you.

So first you need to go get the boards I got 1 X 3 X 8' ( you get 2 drums/board).  Next  cut them down to 1 foot sections. ( I was lucky enough to have a husband to help with this part.)

Then we Mark put starter holes in 2 of the 4 sections (this helped the kids get nails started).

(no photo because he got mad at me when I was taking photos.)

Next you put 2 (one with holes and one without) at a 90 degree angle and nail 2 nails in.

Do the same with the other side (now you should have a kinda square depending on how well you held the sections while you where nailing them (one kid even nailed his wrong and made a kind of parallelogram (super cute))).

Next you let the kids decorate the frame.  (we used markers, but if you are brave you could use glitter (I know I let the kids have hammers and I was scared to let them have glitter LOL)). (this is a photo of the decorations when the drums are all done, but you get the idea.... right?)

 Theirs are so much cuter then mine!

Next you want to take the shipping tape and stretch it across the frame (we started with the nail sides to help sure it up.  You want overlap your tape and make it as very taught.  (Sorry I have no photos of this stage I hope you understand it.  If you do not I will try and take a photo when I do the next one and update here). Then you want to tape the other direction (this will make a kinda of cross pattern of tape).  The last thing that you need to do is run some tape around the outside to keep everything in place.

Good luck, let me know if you are confused, let me know if you do one (and show me photo:)

(Oh and I got a little black and blue, but other then that we all made it through with out and injury!!! It might have been the miracle for the day:)

What will:

This pile of stuff (boards 1foot long, shipping tape, nails and a hammer) and a group of 13, 1st graders (10 of which are boys) make?  Stayed tuned tomorrow (update from the hospital if I have to;) to find out and I will make a tutorial for you. (trust me it is a COOL project.)

Things I have been thinking about:

• 
  If I put on a sock and it fits and then I find out it is my sons is my foot getting smaller or are his socks to big?
• If I start talking to my dad while I am listen to a voice mail from him am I going crazy or can I blame it all on the meds?  (and no he was not here)
• Are we good parents for teaching or lazy parents for not wanting to do it if we have our kids make salad every night?  (they love salad BTW)
• If Ada will "love me until I am bones" should I be freaked out by that or just go with it?

I guess that is it for now.  I am feeling a little slow today and can not  think of all the other great things (that were so funny in my mind) right now.

We went to the International Crane Foundation a couple of weeks ago and because I know that my dad love to see photos I am including one from that day.  If you are ever in the area it is a GREAT place to see, and they do wonderful work with cranes all around the world.