Memorial Weekend and Bandana Pocketbook

Hey All,

The kids are out of school!  Where oh where did the year go?  I swear they just started if time starts going by any faster than it already is there won't be any reason to get up.  Of course the boys are excited about no school and wanting the summer to stroll along slowly.  Colin is not looking forward about the 4th grade but Dale is excited about his senior year. 

Memorial Weekend was a fun filled time.  We spent the long weekend on the go and only came home long enough to eat or sleep. 

We spent Saturday afternoon at the YMCA for the first day of the season of the pool opening.  It was HOT! Colin had a blast.

Sunday afternoon we went to Riverwalk Carolinas which is a new walking trail to walk next to the river.  Sadly part of it was closed because of all the downed trees from the storm we had a few weeks ago. 

After returning home we decided to go to a friend's house at the lake. 

As you can see we weren't prepared to go swimming.  I didn't even think about taking his swim trunks I thought they were going to fish.  But there were so many boats and jet skies out that it wouldn't have done any good.  So they decided to go swimming instead.

Monday we went to Columbia and went to the zoo.  One advantage to having a large family is sometimes it's cheaper to buy a season pass for a year.  That is what we did so now we can go back whenever and it's paid for.  It was going to cost more for us to get in than a family season pass cost.  Duh!  Family pass it was. Jene` even showed up to spend the day with us and she brought one of her friends to hang out with.  It was a fun filled scorching hot day!

 Oh Dale you and your texting!   Colin, Zac, Jene` and Dale

 Oh my this was so cool!!!!!  You got to walk in with the kangaroos.  It was a blast watching them hop along with you. 

 Oh yes there is even a Botanical Garden to go through.  It was beautiful!  I can't wait to go back in late September when it's a bit cooler so we can enjoy it more.

 Crazy kid couldn't wait to sit on the elephant.  Dale won out on that one. 

 Look at the size of this turtle!  If we wasn't standing there watching it eat the grass you would have thought it was a statue because of the coloring. 

 Oh yes then it was time to sit on this little turtle.  Just look at how good they are getting along.  It was a wonderful family day! 

Today we went to a birthday party for my niece.  She has decided at the ripe old age of 7 that she is too old for baby dolls, tea parties, and anything associated with being a little kid.  So I made her a pocketbook out of a bandana and filled it with bracelets, beaded necklaces and silly bandz. 

I cut a bandana in half and folded one half together wrong side facing.  Sewed down the two sides and then turned it right side out.  I took a shoelace and cut it in half and used one to sew each end to each inside seam.  The other half I placed in the middle and sewed to attach it on the inside of both sides.  I then cut it in the middle so I could tie it to close the purse.  So with one bandana and one pair of shoelaces you can make two of these little purses.

I better go see what everyone is doing it's too quiet.

Take Care :) 



Pictures To Go Along With Previous Post

This is what happened at school.  Waiting for his mouth to heal so they can start fixing them.

Take Care :)

Child Hurt At School

Hey All,

It's been a time here.  A week ago Wednesday I get a phone call around 11:00 saying your son tripped and fell and chipped a couple teeth he may need to see a dentist.  I get to the school and his 2 front teeth are broken.  One is half broken off and the other almost half.  A third tooth is badly chipped.  I get him to the dentist they do x-rays and said there is nerve damage and sends him to an endodontist.  Both asked what happened and I told them they said they were going out to recess and he tripped and fell on the sidewalk.  BOTH said there is no way that happened.  Then endodontist starts asking Colin questions and he says I think I was pushed but I really don't know.  He looked at me and said we only see this kind of trauma in a child when they flip over handlebars of a bike and hit the pavement.  They did 2 root canals on the two front teeth.  They need to let his mouth heal before they start to restore them somehow.

I went into the school the next day and wanted to know what exactly happened.  I was sent to the nurse and she said I don't know I can't fill out the injury report because I can't find out what exactly happened.  She said ... I was told he was running on the sidewalk going out to the playground and he tripped and fell on the sidewalk.  I said it couldn't have happened that way and told her what both dentist said and that Colin said he thought he was pushed.  She called the vice principal and we talked and I asked to see which playground they were going to because there are 3 of them.  We walked out a side door and he said it had to have happened in this area.  Neither teacher knew what happened because they didn't see it and were unaware that Colin was hurt until some kids ran and got one of them.  He said let's see if this was caught on video because we have cameras out here but I'm not sure if it will show this area or not.  He pulled up the day before and the time frame and it showed all the kids walking on the sidewalk no one was running and no one fell.  He said maybe it happened in this area we can't see.  He pulled up a different section and was looking at the top of the footage when something at the bottom caught my attention and I gasped and said there.  He backed it up and we watched.  Let me explain they walk down a sidewalk then across the pavement to a fenced in area once the kids get inside the fenced in area they are permitted to run it's all playground area.  The first thing in the fenced in area is a basketball court that goes all the way across and then after they cross this section there is a play area with swings and stuff.  Colin was WALKING across the basketball court area a couple kids had ran past him to get to the playing area.  Then it shows this child on a fast run and plows right into the back of Colin and sends him flying and he hits the pavement face first.  The child helps him up and he wonders over to some other kids holding his mouth and crying.  Still no teachers at this point.  He turned off the tape so I don't know when an adult did appear.  Then I found out that he was sent to the nurse's office by himself!!!  I know accidents happen but to me he should have never been sent alone.  I also aked the vice principal if the kids were not allowed to run on the sidewalk or the pavement crossing to the playground what the difference was once they got into the fenced in area with concrete to cross to get to the playing area?  He of course had no answer. 

Again I know accidents happen but I have to wonder is this a safe place for my child?  No teacher saw what happened and it took several minutes for one to reach him.  He was sent to the nurse by himself without anyone with him.  His mouth bled for 6 hours so you know there was a lot of trauma and he was in a lot of pain at the time of the accident.  Oh yeah someone did go and find the pieces of broken teeth and they handed them to be in a baggie when I picked him up. 

Of course they are all being nice and helping Colin make up all the work he missed for the 3 and 1/2 days he was out.  He is under restrictions of no recess or PE until further notice so he won't bump his mouth and cause further damage before they can be fixed.  I told them I didn't want him sitting and watching others play because it's not his fault so they have made arrangements for him to have extra library or computer time.  He can only drink out of a straw because they are afraid that a bump with a cup or bottle could cause more damage.  This weekend he will be able to try some cold foods he hasn't been able to eat anything too hot or cold.  He isn't allowed of course to bite down using the front teeth.  Oh it's been a time around here!

I'm not one to carry my phone with me everyplace I go.  I never carried it when I walk the dogs or when I go into the library.  Most of the time if I'm running errands I leave it in the car.  Now I carry it with me at all times.  When I'm cleaning I take it into whatever room I'm in.  I take a shower and it's on the counter.  I'm scared to death he is going to bump his mouth at school and need to get there fast.  I have to send him to school.  Maybe next week we will know more of when they will be able to start reconstruction of his teeth to get them fixed. 

Off to finish the laundry.

Take Care :)   

Volcano, Musical Instrument, And Some Rambling

Hey All,

A couple weeks ago we pulled out the volcano kit Colin had gotten for Christmas.  He was so excited and bugged and begged until I was finally able to help him with it.

We got everything out of the package and ready to make.  He sat there and looked at it and said... this is going to be a volcano?

We got it all mixed up and poured into the mold.  He was so excited!  Until he found out that we needed to let it set till the next day.  The next day it still wasn't dry and the day after still not dry finally on the third day it was dry.

I found some paints so he could paint it. 

Finally the next day it was ready to make eruptions.  Oh my he was so excited and he also had his sister and her boyfriend there to watch.  We put in 5 little tablets that came with it and the club soda as it called for.  Me with camera in hand waiting for it to explode with fizzy stuff.  NOTHING happened!  He said lets put in a couple more tablets maybe there isn't enough.  So we did.  And NOTHING!  Big sister went and grabbed the baking soda while I went and got the vinegar and we had the volcano erupting all over the place.  Sorry with all the delays and then excitment I had put my camera down and had forgotten all about taking pictures.  But I can tell you he was very HAPPY!   And now he has a volcano he can erupt anytime he wants.

He had to make a musical instrument for a science project.  They were doing a unit on sound.  When he came home telling about this he had already a basic idea of what he wanted to do.  He went through the recycle bin and pulled out cans.  A green bean can, a soup can, a mandrin orange can and a can of canned chicken.  I washed them out so he wouldn't cut his hands and we let them dry.  Over the weekend we had some really beautiful weather and I had some spray paint left over from another project and he painted two red and two blue.  After they dried he then glued them into a shoe box lid made a sign with the name of his instrument... Drum a Phone.  He then got a wooden spoon and just put wrapped some pipe cleaner around the handle of it to give it a different look.  Then he went to town hitting the cans making music.  He discovered that each can because of it's different size made different sounds.  By accident he also discovered that the two cans that have ridges along the sides if you rub up and down on them that also makes a different sound.  These are the kinds of projects he loves to do.  I can't wait until tomorrow to see what kind of grade he got on it.

Now onto other happenings. 

Two of the kids have been sick.  Jene` had to come home she was so sick and then Dale got it.  Luckily knock on wood no one else has gotten it.  They both tested negative for both strep and the flu but they had all the syptoms.  I guess we caught it in time before it was full blown.

I haven't been crafting.  My creative juices aren't flowing.  Saturday I needed to take some books to the library and wandered around the crafting section and found a Woman's Day Crafts at Home book.  Many ideas in that book!  A picture frame table... a garden guy...  a bandanna quilt... peach & pear cross stitch... to name a few things.  I have also been browsing around the internet finding some different crochet projects.  Anyway back to this book it has this table that they used a vinegar paint recipe to paint it.  Have you heard of doing this?  It looks really nice.  Then there is a garden bench that they used Rit Liquid Dye and dyed it.  Have you ever heard of this?  I do like the look!  For now I need to go through my crafting stuff and find something on hand to start making.  Oh that does remind me I never took a picture of the cover I made for the microscope.  I will have to do that.

How much beef jerky does one man need??????  That is the question of the day.  They had london broil on sale and a friend wanted to know if we would make jerky for him.  He went and bought two london broils now we can only do one at a time.  Got it ready and started it Saturday.  Saturday night Tony comes home with two more london broils.  I said did that put you in the mood for your own?  He said.... Jamie went and bought two more he wants them all done up.  Do What????  Is he crazy?  Anyway number 3 is in the dehydrator now and number 4 is marinating.  As all I have to say is he should be jerky'd out before it's gone.  

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!!!  Does Mother Nature not listen to the Groundhog?  They are forecasting that "S" word for Thursday.  Only about an inch but still that is an inch too much!

Last week I didn't exercise yeah I know bad.  I went this evening and rode the bike worked on the seated leg press and the abdominal.  They were packed and it was hard getting a machine to work on.  I had gained and I guess that put me over the edge and I didn't workout last week.  Today I weighed in to see how much more I gained and was shocked to see that I lost 2 1/2 lbs. 

I better get to bed morning comes too early.

Take Care :)

A New Year And New Beginnings

Hey All,

Happy New Year!

It has been a wonderful start to the new year it felt like spring today.  I have been busy today destroying my house.  Ok, I didn't plan on doing that but it's the way it has ended up being.  First I started the laundry because you know there is always laundry to do.  Then I started taking down all the Christmas decorations and placing them in front of the fireplace.  This way they will all be in one spot when I get all the boxes out to start packing them.  I can't tell you how many times I have gotten everything packed up and put away to find something I had forgotten.  At that point hubby decided that he would go take apart Colin's bed to move into Jene`'s room.  That room is still a mess!  She was home for a few days over Thanksgiving and Christmas and I had asked her to go through some of that stuff and either take some of it with her or get rid of it.  I mean there are bottles of perfume and lotion.  Do you want those?  Well, they still sat there after she left.  Of course it didn't help that Colin had already taken a lot of his stuff in there already to add to the mess.  Now that bed that was just set up is piled high with STUFF.  Today I cleaned the ceiling fan and windows.  I have swept and taken a few things out that I know she doesn't want.  It might take me all week but sometime or another I will get everything done.

I am going to work in each room and get rid of a lot of clutter and get organized.  It doesn't take long for things to stack up and get disorganized.  I need to finish up some painting projects I'm spray painting a couple stands and the rods in that room black because the white looks too girly.  I am going to get 3 twin size flat sheets and make them into curtains.  I hope they turn out okay!!!  But that will be a lot cheaper than buying 3 sets of curtains. 

Oh the cool thing about this new year and new beginning is we have started a family support group for exercising and getting fit.  Since we are all scattered all over the east coast it's not as if we can all get together and work out.  We started a family exercise challenge on facebook for all of us that wanted to be in it.  I was totally surprised at all the family members who wanted to join.  My beautiful daughter in-law said... I'm in and I have never exercised a day in my life.  My sister who is busy with work and her children has also decided that she needs to make more time for herself and get active.  We each have different overall goals but we will be there for each other to encourage and give a push if needed.

I have many craft projects on the list for 2011.  Of course there are many Christmas decorations I want to make that I ran out of time to make this past year.  My first project is getting Jene`'s birthday presents made.  She needs new rice pads...the child loves them!  I am also going to go over to my friend's house to make her a couple more pairs of earrings.  She loved the ones we made her for Christmas.  I love it when I make something for my kids and hear... oh mom this is awesome. 

What do all of you have planned for this New Year?

Here are a couple pictures from Christmas...

Dale, Justin, Jene` and Colin

 Kelli, Dale, Caroline, Justin, Jene`, Micah and Colin

OH MY GOSH it started snowing Christmas night! It said on the news we hadn't had snow here on Christmas since 1947.

Having fun playing in the white fluffy stuff!

I better go get the kitchen cleaned up so at least I can say I have accomplished that much for the day.

Take Care :)

2 Football Players + 2 Helmets =

Hey All,

So now if you add 2 football players + 2 helmets together what do you get?  Come on now it's easy math!!!!   Do you think you know the answer?  Have you given up?  If you guessed..........


Are you ready for the answer?  No you are still working on the problem.  Ok, I'll give you a few more minutes.


The correct answer is...  One Broken Hand!

Or atleast that is what the doctor thinks.  From the xray and the motion of use of the thumb and fingers that is most likely.  He put him in an immoblizer brace for now until the swelling goes down.  He goes back on Tuesday for another set of xray's and then maybe a cast.  Turn your hand over so you are looking at your palm.  Follow the thumb down to the meaty part of your palm.  He thnks the break there.

The good news it's his right hand and he is a lefty so he can still write.  But he thinks the good news is.... are you all ready for this.... he's a chick magnet now because he's hurt. lol   I told him oh shoot you was hurt during practice and that doesn't count. lol

Yep it's never ending around here!

Take Care :)

Sewing Machine Cover and Happening of the past couple weeks

Hey All,

The past couple weeks have been filled with one family crisis after another.  Get a phone call....  mom my car won't start...  make a trip to Columbia to find it needs a new altenator.  Get a message on facebook...  mom my phone is broke...  get another message... mom lost my debit card.  I call to cancel her card and the next day give her permission to use my upgrade to go get a phone since I was the only one that had an upgrade available.  During these couple days I also had to take one to the urologist and good news he can start going to recess and PE.  Next week he should be able to start back with Tae Kwon Do.  Took one to the orthodonist.  That day after the appointment I dropped him off at school and thought I am going to grab something from Burger King before I finish running errands.  Order my food and gave them my debit card and they said....  you need to call your bank.  I left and came home and called the bank they said you need to call this 800 number so I did.  They informed me that my card had been reported lost not my daughter's card.  No I gave them her account not mine.  I'm sorry we will order you a new one and you can go to the bank and get a temporary card until that one arrives.  I head to the bank and am told we no longer issue those and haven't for many months.  Ok ya all really need to communicate with your 800 numbers.  First they cancel the wrong card and now they give the wrong information.  So he checked the accounts and they still hadn't blocked her card so they went ahead and did that and ordered her a new card.  Then he they have already issued you a new card so we will leave it at that.  Her card came in the mail last Friday and we took it to her over the weekend but I still didn't have mine yet and called and they said give it a few days with the holiday weekend and all.  Yesterday after the mail ran I called them again still no card!!!!  They went in and said ummmm I'm sorry but one wasn't ordered.  Now they are suppose to overnight one to the bank and since it was late in the day it will be Saturday....... I'M HOPING.  Now let's back up to the day I gave her permission to use my upgrade to get a phone.  I have had my phone for 6 or 7 years.  No problems with it and I love my phone.  That night I was talking to my mom and the cat wanted in.  I went over bent down and as I was lifting the bar out of the sliding glass door my phone slipped and hit the floor and the flip top came completely off.  The next day I went and was told I'm sorry you will have to pay full price you don't have an upgrade for 2 more months.  I said you can't help me since there is only 2 months left?  No.  I've been a customer for almost 12 years and have 4 phones and 1 internet service and you can't give on 2 months of a 2 year contract?  No.  I left because I wasn't paying $160 or more for a phone.  One of Dale's friend's had a phone so I am using that one for now.  Anyway my stress level is high from all this.  But I did find some time to craft.

I cleaned out closets and there was a t-shirt of Colin's that he has worn out it won't come white anymore after a few years of wearing non stop.  It's way too small and he was still trying to wear it.  I told him let me make it into a pillow for you and then you can sleep with it everynight.

I had been surfing around for an easy project that was not in a pillow form.  Sewing and I have not worked out well in the past.  I never had it in school and was never taught anything about a sewing machine.  Since getting this little machine several years ago about the only things I make are in a pillow form.  I found a sewing machine cover over on Chez Larsson's blog.  It only took me working on it on and off a day to finally get it cut out and pinned.  The pinning part was not going well and I almost gave up on it.  Finally by 11:00 that night I had it pinned.  The next morning I got up and sewed it and it's not perfect but I did it and it fits.  This is my new cover made from a pillowcase Jene` no longer wanted.

Other happenings around here.... Dale got his number for football...

Go number 8!!!

I think Jene` has lost her room.  The room that NO brother's or animals was allowed to go into.

I see a boy, dog, and cat all in her bed.  While he was in there watching TV he had yelled out...  Hey mom I like the brown walls but this PINK stuff has to go.  She had called and was talking to him and he said... oh by the way I don't like your pink stuff so I'm going to change it.  She said you better be staying out of my room.  He said ummmm......  too late it's mine now I put my toys in there.  I could hear her yelling.... PUT MOM ON THE PHONE.  Ahhhhhhhh  the joys of being mom!

I better get this day started and get something done.

Take Care :)

What's Been Going On Here

Hey All,

It's been go go go around here.  Hopefully with school starting things will settle down now.  We have Jene` moved into her apartment and she starts her first day tomorrow.  Dale started school last Wednesday and Colin starts tomorrow.  He had surgery a week ago Friday and was thrilled to miss the first few days.  Maybe now I will have a little more time for blogging.  I've missed it and all of you.  Tonight I'm going to give a little update on the past two weeks and I do intend on finishing my summer of fun while the little ones were here in the next few days.

Here is the shelf that I posted about some time ago that I wanted to do some kind of update on.  I was tired of it the way it was and wanted to give it a boost.  I ended up painting it a dark red.  Not sure if you can see it that well.  You can find what it looked like before over here on this posting.  Just giving it some color made was all it took.

Here is the beautiful little quilt Colin got from the hospital.  I couldn't believe when they brought it in and said this is for you.  He has slept with it since.  He thinks it's the coolest thing with boats on it.

 

Just beautiful!  The wonderful people who makes these beautiful quilts for children are totally awesome!

Jene` is washing her new car a 2001 Taraus.  She saved and bought it and I'm hoping and praying that it will last for the next 4 years while she is in college.  Oh I'm not suppose to refer to it as the new car his name is Terrance.

Moving day came and I cried and cried while she was excited and couldn't wait. 

This is only part of the stuff waiting to be hauled out into the cars.  She still had the other side of the room with stuff all over and her bed covered it clothes to be taken out.

Her new home for the next 9 months.  With the exception of when she comes home on weekends and holidays.

Getting her room fixed up.

Taylor taking a break after helping haul all her stuff up a couple flights of stairs.

These were in the I don't want pile.  Wonder what I can make these old sheet sets into???  Any suggestions?

My sister gave Colin this Duck Tape kit to make a wallet. 

We got it made and he's putting his dollar in it.  There is enough tape left to make one more.

  Went to the Dollar Store and now I need to sit down and see what I can make with this stuff.

Oh shoot let me go ahead and add a few pictures of our summer of fun while Brendon and Kaylee were here.  We went to a workshop at Lowe's to build UFO's and you would have thought that was the best thing ever.  They loved it!

The cool thing was that the little red button on top you push and it lights up with flashing lights.

I better get ready for bed so I can get this child to school on time tomorrow.

Take Care :)