Something Accomplished :)

I saw this craft in the Disney FamilyFun magazine.  It is a rug made out of old t-shirts!  The kids always have lots of them from all sorts of activities they are in.  The frame for this is a hoola hoop and the webbing was from an old t-shirt of mine.  This is also our second attempt.  The first time this was woven, it was too tight and could have been a very sorry excuse for a basket!  I was really disappointed, so I un-wove the whole thing and tried again.  Success!!!!  This may end up at Bry's house because it will match her kitchen perfectly (these are also the colors of her wedding!).



Have a great day and give that craft a try, you never know how good it could look!

Bren

Pictures to Share :)

Here is the snow!  Yesterday morning all the grass was showing and only a few little piles of snow - now all white again!  It is so pretty.  However, a few poor robins have returned and they must be freezing their little feathers off!!!  Fred's been out working on the driveway with the four wheeler for over 3 hours now.

Here's our cheerleader!  She just loves it! Alexa is in the middle.

Here is Alexa as Galinda from 'Wicked' ready to perform 'Popular' for our District Solo & Ensemble Festival.  The judge really liked her energy and bounce.  She is going to the State S&E Festival in May with this one!!!!

These are the cupcakes Gwen & I made for Megan's birthday party last weekend.  The butterflies are chocolate, which was interesting to get them on the cupcakes before they melted in my hot little menopausal hands.  I took Meg's group of girls cosmic bowling on Friday night - now I remember why I look forward to them getting past this age.

Life is busy, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  This weekend is the District Pinewood Derby for the Cub Scouts and our Boy Scout Troop hosts it.  Yes, busy, busy, busy.  Helping out is better than organizing, though.

Have a great week!
Love Ya,    Bren

SNOW DAY!!!!

Well, I got my wish that I made yesterday!  We got about 10 nches of snow overnight and school was cancelled today. I will post pictures when I can get a new monitor for our other computer - it died.  Or as soon as I can switch one from another computer.  Computers are great things - when they work.  Oh well, it is always something, isn't it?  OK, my age is showing - Megan just turned on the monitor and everything is fine.  :)

I am loving it to be able to stay in my jammies!  I have checked some accounts online and just relaxed.  I don't want to 'waste' the day, but I want to do things I can't ever seem to get to.  I will get Alexa's prom dress measured for length today, then next week begin the shortening process.  I will scrapbook some today, maybe an hour or two.  Baking banana bread/muffins is also on the list. As is homemade bread to go with the beef stew on the menu today. (don't let this one fool you, I have a bread machine - I couldn't make a loaf of homemade bread without help to save my life) 

One accomplishment to share . . .  Yesterday morning for my seminary class I made crepes.  I have never successfully made them before.  I tried once, but it wasn't pretty.  The girls ate them with strawberries or nutella and bananas.  They were very yummy.  I will be making them again.  They were easy, too!  I was so surprised.

Love ya,
Bren

Busy, busy weeks

Wow, has it been over a week since my last post?  Amazing!!!!  Saturday the 12th was District Solo & Ensemble festival for our band and choir students.  I was at the high school all day.  I volunteered in the morning and helped coordinate the events in one of the rooms.  My own kids, Alexa, Megan and Scott had 10 events that day.  They all did very well and I only missed seeing one event.  I am so impressed with all the students who participated - I could never have gotten up in front of others, especially a judge and been critiqued on my performance at that age - or any age!!!  Alexa's madrigal group is going on to State as is her vocal jazz group.  She performed 'Popular' from the musical Wicked and is going to State with that solo.  It was amazing!  Yes, I am a little biased, but it was really, really good.  The dress was perfect, too.

I found Megan's camera last night.  Here's the story. . .  For Christmas of 2009, she was given a digital camera.  She had it until her birthday in March 2010.  It is somewhere in the world, we just have no idea.  We do know that it is in a coat pocket, because the liner coat to the 3-in-1 Columbia coat is now lost, too.  No one has any idea where that ever went or was left.  Meg went the rest of 2010 without a camera and she was trying to save for a new one, but that's hard when you don't have a job.  Last year we sent Scott to the National Boy Scout Jamboree and Alexa gets quite a bit spent on her for cheerleading, but what does Megan have?  Not a whole lot that costs us anything.  So at Christmas-time this past winter, I bought her a new digital camera.  She didn't get it as part of Christmas, but I gave it to her the week after.  She cried and was so happy.  I let her know that it was because she was doing so well adjusting to high school, and being very good at home.  All was well until Super Bowl weekend.  The camera was not to be found.  She looked high and low, every nook and cranny in her room, the house.  She remembered what she last took pictures of, but not where she set it after that.  I called the school bus dept -not there either.  Monday evening I had a thought to look under the livingroom sofa, but it was almost 10pm - too late to mess with a vaccuum & moving furniture.  So Tuesday night Scott & I moved the furniture, one piece at a time, cleaned up the garbage and vaccuumed.  The last piece to be moved was the big sofa and ta da!!! There was the camera.  I think she cried again.  :)  Yup, I am the keeper of people, stuff and schedules.  7 weeks later, the camera is once again in her hands.  I think she will be more careful where she sets it down. She was right about the last photos taken and that it was in the house.

I don't rush to replace things that are damaged or lost.  The kids don't truly learn to take care of their belongings unless they feel the pain of the loss.  I am really glad when they're found or fixed.  Also, the really, really important things in this life are not things.  They are people and character - stuff you can't buy.  Perspective isn't something you can buy either.  Losing a 'thing' helps us see what matters most and not get caught up in 'stuff'.

May you always see what's truly important in your life. . .
Love ya,
Bren

Figured a few things out

It has been a long few weeks at work.  I work for a school district - NOT A TEACHER.  I would love to be a teacher, if the world were different.  I have seen too many of them feel entitled and act better than the rest of us.  With all the politics going on in the state I think change is a good thing.  However, working in a school district, everyone is affected and there is always an underlying current of feelings and thoughts.  It is not a hostile place by any means, but until all this is settled no one really knows what will happen and that can drive some people a little nuts.  The underlying current can wear a person down to the point that after work I cannot function some days.  People don't like uncertainty.  Well, welcome to the world everyone else lives in every day. 

I really love to be productive and get things done.  Makes me feel like I have a place in the world and that I have purpose.  So, coming home from work feeling wiped out, just isn't my best feeling.  Last Friday night I found how to deal with it.  A little bit of knowledge I learned from being a treatment foster parent years ago.  Who's problem is it?  Is it mine?  If not, I don't own it and don't have to get all wrapped up in it.  What a glorious feeling!!!!!  The uncertainty others may be feeling at work is not mine.  This week has been much better.  Yes, change is coming but change always comes whether we like it or not.  I know my job, paying bills and crunching numbers.  My comfortable little niche in the world.  Oh happy day when I get accounts to balance!!!!!

Glad that one is in its' place.  Then this is also tax season.  I don't do many people's taxes any more, but try to help a few friends and my kids get theirs done.  One child I got to give good news to.  Another one I had to tell them they owed money - heart wrenching when you make your child cry.  This is the main reason I do not have a full-time job in the tax prep business.  It is very hard to tell people they owe money, especially when you know how hard they work.  I get really fiesty when we get our taxes done.  Owning a business just means Uncle Sam can come towards you with both hands out asking for more money.  I know, I know, we need to count it a blessing that we have a job good enough that we have to pay taxes.  I do count my blessings, but taxes still suck.

On a good note, we are supposed to get snow again tomorrow.  :)  I love snow!  It makes the world so pretty and fragile looking, like if you touched it everything would break or like everything is covered in Gingerbread frosting!  It was a beautiful frosty morning today.

May you be able to make a snowman every winter!!!!

Love ya,
Bren

March already!!!!

Winter is almost done.  The temps are slow to rise here up north, though.  So many things to get done, yet again.  The 3 kids at home are busy preparing for Solo & Ensemble performances.  I am so amazed they are willing to sing in front of a judge and be critiqued.  Something I could never have done at their age.  Next Saturday is the big day with 10 events I will try to get to.  I help out in the morning, but haven't missed a performance yet when helping out.  Almost all the parents help and we all work together to see that we can watch our kids perform.  I will get to see some awesome performances.  There is definitely a lot of gifted youth in the world.  I hope they all continue to find a way to keep music in their futures.

Alexa found her dress for Prom the very first day we even looked.  It is a strapless dress, sequined and beaded bodice, the color is called ocean but it is a deep aqua blue/teal.  Ocean is the color of the waist band, which is about 5-6" wide. The skirt is just a little off-white with big ocean colored flowers all around the hem working up to the waist.  There are glittery jewels on the flowers - just a scattering, though.  The waist band laces up the back with the same ocean colored ties.  I was able to find fabric to match the off-white and made the 1 1/2" wide straps for the dress today and they are all attached and ready to go.  Next I will make a fabric piece to put behind the lacing so no bare skin is showing.  I really wish the designers would realize that parents and even the girls don't like to be so exposed.  People buy them because that's what's for sale.  Most people aren't handy enough to sew alterations, add sleeves or straps.  I did try to talk her into a little bolero jacket, but no such luck.  Anyway once I have the placket (I thnk that's what it is called) piece for behind the lacing done, the final step will be to hem it.  What I will really be doing is removing the skirt from the bodice and re-attaching it lower on the skirt.  There are so many layers to the skirt and the hem is just a finished edge that it would be very difficult to get them all even and sewn with a professional look.  There will be challenges with the process, but fewer than cutting the hem.  I did take a look at it and am hopeful that one straight stitch will do the trick; especially since we are talking at least 5 inches shorter.  I will post a picture when it is all done.

The cheerleaders performed their last stunting routine of the season on the 3rd.  It was an incredible routine. The two stunt guys on the team and extra guy helped.  They certainly do have what it takes to compete with a stunting routine at regionals.  They have lots to look forward to next year.  I am helping organize a group of the cheerleaders that want to learn tumbling for next year.  There are several cheer/gymnastic places in Green Bay.  Starting the tumbling as a beginner is really nice because at least one place has a set night for an hour, no long-term agreement, you can show up or not just a small fee for each time you show up.  A few girls are interested. It will be fun to see what the girls can do.  One of the families is going to post their routine from Thursday online and when they do, I will add it here.

Have a great week, be creative and keep cheering for all the good things in your life!!!!

Love ya,
Bren