Let it be known...

We had our dog first.

I didn't vote for Obama, but I like him a little more today than I did yesterday.  The first family has adopted a Portuguese Water Dog for their family pet.  The chose a PWD because of their medium size and good nature.  They are also hypoallergenic.  Senator Ted Kennedy was influential in their decision--he owns two PWD's himself.  

They might name the dog Frank.  Real original.  I prefer Hooee.  Here is where that name comes from...Summer went to Head Start in Michigan.  We had to meet with her teacher about half way through the year.  She said that Summer was a great student and was a very creative story teller.  She was constantly telling stories about her dog named Hooee.  Rick and I looked at each other and laughed.  We looked back at the teacher and explained to her that we didn't have a dog.  At least not a real dog.  Our family has had an imaginary dog named Hooee for about 7 years.  I just seemed natural that when we finally got a dog his name had to be Hooee.

Pronounced...  Who-E.   

Read more here about the First Dog  

I keep finding reasons to go to Provo...

 

because there is a new bakery and it's awesome.  The cookies are Yummy.  It's next to Sam's Club.  I went in there this morning.  The girl at the counter asked if I had ever been in before.  I laughed out loud and order two of my favorite cookies.  I had the exact change before she even rang up my order.  Do you think I have a problem? 

www.thesweettoothfairy.blogspot.com

Laugh with me on this one...

The other day I was hanging out with Cole coloring in a coloring book (his new favorite past time and my old favorite past time). Cole reached up and just picked his nose.

Me: Cole, get a tissue. We DO NOT pick our nose.
Cole: But mom, I saw(ed) you do it.

Hum, better be a little better on the example I set. You have to admit it's kind of funny. We've all done it. Hopefully not at a stop light.
I just wanted you all to know that we're normal over here and we pick our noses.

quilting queen

This is my cute mom with her latest creation.

I wish you could see it up close.

I hate WINTER

We got a little spring fever and decided to create a little arrangement.  We should have used yellow tissue paper to make it look like a forsythia bush, but since we didn't have yellow we used purple.  It matches the blue couch nicely.  sort of.

It was easy.  We just went to the neighbors and helped ourselves to some of his over grown trash trees.  Tore/cut tissue paper into small pieces.  Wrapped them around the end of a pencil to make a little pointy end.  Dipped that end into glue and wrapped it around the tiny branches.

Fun.  Easy.

I think we will make one with yellow or pink.  I wonder if we could make one that looked like pussy willows?...

Anyways, just a reminder that there are 4 mailing days left until my birthday.  I have a package started.  It's gonna be awesome.  I talked with some of my super creative friends  yesterday.  I got some really good ideas.  I probably won't get anything done in time for the birthday package, but you never know...

If you don't know what I'm talking about, that's too bad.  But you can keep reading to figure it out. 

Felted Wool projects

At the first of the year Summer and I went to DI and found some wool sweaters.  We washed them in hot water and dried them and they came out the size of doll clothes.  Here are some things that we made.

They are flowers if you can't tell.  They are about 2 to 4 inches.  I made the first few with Summer.  Then we made some together.  Now she makes them by herself.  We put them on our coats, I wore one to church on my dress, and we put some on gifts packages and gave them away.  We got this idea from here: a feathered nest.  She has a few posts and tutorials using felt.  We also looked at the website of Betz White.  She pretty much rules the world of felted wool projects.  Summer has made some of the cupcake pincushions.

 They turned out cute.  And you know that if an eleven  year old can do it, anyone can!

Country Living magazine did a little piece on felted wool back in January.  They made a bag (book bag style) out of an old sweater.  It's cute.

I found an orange sweater with a big snowflake pattern on the front.  One day I might try making a pillow with it.  

So, now that winter is over, go look through your closet and clean out those wool sweaters and felt them. Spring is here and you won't need your sweaters much longer.  

One thing we learned is to not wash or dry sweaters that are too different in color at the same time.  I washed a black sweater (from banana republic--ouch, I can't believe I did that) with an off white sweater.  The off white sweater has tons of little black fibers stuck to it.    

AMARA:  You can just send Tia over here when she needs to do a project this week.  We have plenty of felted wool to go around.

Peace Toes

Peace Toes is what my dr. called my foot yesterday when I went in.  This is what he said about the whole thing.  The incision that follows down my big toe is where they did the bunionectomy.  It is healing, but not as straight as he would have liked.  He said that it may not ever bother me, but in the X-ray he can see that the end where my toe is is elevated an extra 2 millimeters.  The joint where my big toe connects is very stiff.  I have to work it and bend it at least twice  day or Hello Physical Therapy.    THEN, the spot where my peace toes are is where the nueroma was located.  It still hurts.  Like it did before surgery.  that makes me nervous.  The dr. said that they are still separated because of so much swelling (maybe because I was supposed to use crutches the entire time I had the black boot on, but I only used them for about half of the time.  oooops).  The joint of the #2 toe is rotated a little bit and almost dislocated.  Hopefully that is not permanent.  The ball of my foot is KILLING me.  The dr. said he did a lot of work in a little space and the fact that there is still pain and swelling is understandable.  You can kind of see how much swelling there is when you look at both feet together.

The dr. said absolutely no running for 4 more weeks until I can go back and have him check it.  Yeah right, like I would try to run.  First, it hurts too bad and second, I can barely walk.  How in the world can I run?

So, I hurt.  a lot more than I thought I would.

I am nervous that this problem/pain is permanent.

I am impatient.

I am tired of winter.

storage room overhaul

I didn't think I had that much food storage until we emptied out the entire storage room.  We had the shelves torn out.  They were inefficient.  Too tall and not strong enough to hold my "stuff".  They were already starting to sag--big time.  We had tried to reinforce them, but it was clearly just a band-aid type fix.  They weren't working for us.  We had them rebuilt--closer together and much stronger.  Now I just need to get the food back on the shelves so that I can take an inventory and get busy working on my food storage again.

I hate winter reminder...

I got the cutest letter in the mail yesterday from a friend that I haven't seen in years.  It was so stinking nice.  I am putting her name in the drawing like 10 times for making me feel so good.  Thanks, you know who are.

If you don't know what I'm talking about scroll down a few entries and read about my birthday/favorite things contest. (title:  I hate WINTER)

14 days left to join the fun.

also, Summer had a sub yesterday, too.  And today was ice skating and Valentines party.  Her education is just rockin'.  I don't know what else to say about it.

soapbox alert...

are you kidding?  again?

Summer had a substitute AGAIN today.  I asked her what they did and she said, "read and play games."

I guess that was better than the last time. 

Scripture Stories

This happened a few weeks ago, but I just remembered it and wanted to get it recorded...

There was an activity at the Church and the kiddos got to go have breakfast and meet their new teachers for the new year.  They had to fill out a little information sheet so that their new teachers could get to know them a little better.  Since Cole is still learning his ABC's, I had to help him write down some of his answers, ok, all of his answers.  There were questions like favorite color, favorite food, and because it was for church, favorite scripture story.  I prompted Cole a bit about his favorite scripture story... David and Goliath, Daniel in the Lion's Den, Noah's ark... you know those larger than life type of stories that I figured would stick in a little kid's head.  He looked at me like "what are you thinking, Mom?" and said Paul Bunnion.

whoops, I forgot about that one.  It took me by such surprise that I think I actually wrote it down. hum, maybe we'll be spending a little bit more time reading scripture stories.

And BTW, this is the last time that all 3 of my kids will attend a primary activity together because in 5 short months Summer will turn 12 and she'll be outta there.

 

I hate WINTER

I'm feeling a little down.  Not like "down" on the couch, watching TV for 14 hours a day like I've been doing for the past 4 weeks.  But "down" like I'm tired of gray skies, no sunshine, nothing to do.  I went to AC yesterday.  I was in the neighborhood and I had to stop by for my fry sauce "fix".  Lanny was a little bummed.  You know, business is slow, it's that time of the year.  It's always one step forward and two steps back.  I tried to cheer him up by telling him about this AWESOME bakery in Provo (Sweet Tooth Fairy--it's by sam's club--how convenient).  He didn't really care much about the bakery.  apparently he is not motivated by oatmeal cookies like I am.

I talked to my mom yesterday, too.  She was with Brandi and they were both a little down with the weather and nothing to do.  

Kelli, down the street keeps commenting that she is feeling tired of being cooped up with sick kids, too.    

I thought it was just me with my swollen, discolored foot.  But I think it's everyone!  tired of winter.  Tired of cold.  Tired of being tired.

My hand hurts.  arthritis.  I know, I'm getting old.  Falling apart.  But when my hand is sore that means the weather is about to change.  I looked at the forecast and that darn ground hog was right.  More winter.  snow is on it's way.  I can't take it!!  

So, this is what I want to do about it...

it's my birthday in 20 days.  And I'm throwing a little party.  Not the typical party where everyone shows up with presents and we eat cake and ice cream until we're sick.   This little celebration is different.  This party is me putting together my own gift.    If you want to participate in my party this is what you have to do:

reply to this post and I will put your name in a hat one time.

OR

send me an email with a funny story.  about me. or you. or us.  whatever you want.  If you send me an email I will put your name in the hat two more times.  (3 if you can make me laugh outloud)

OR

send me a real letter.  in the mail.  with a stamp.  I LOVE to get mail--not bills.  real mail.  If I get a letter from you in my mailbox I will put your name in a hat three more times.

So, I am going to spend the next 20 days gathering up some of my favorite things and putting together my own birthday gift.  I will keep adding your names into my "hat" for each time you contact me according to the directions.  The contest ends on February 27 at midnight. On February 28 (the day AFTER my birthday) I will draw a name out of the hat.  That will be the winner of my ultimate birthday package.  I will mail it out to the winner on March 1.  

See, this is so fun.  I'm so excited.  I haven't had this much fun since I was sitting on the beach in December enjoying the sun, while it snowed in Utah.

So, don't worry if this is lame.  I know my mom will participate.  she always sends me a card for my birthday!!  I'm going to go sit by my mailbox and plan my package.

 

Good-bye pink cast, hello black boot

Note to self:  this is why it is always a good idea to keep a sharpie in your purse in case the dr. is running behind by about an hour.

 

Note to self:  this is why it is always a good idea to keep a sharpie in your purse in case the dr. is running behind by about an hour.

 

not for the weak...

here is the bionic foot: