lajendi

Life is Crazy

Will there ever be a day I don't say that? 

Today I spent 8 hours working at my new calling. Left the house at 7:30 am (ON A SATURDAY) and got home at 2:30. It all went well, despite R being the only one from our area to go to the activity- which is sad in so many ways. 

We played a great game at the activity. You make cards with one huge letter on it then each person (6-8 people on a team) wears a letter on their front and one on their back. The referee reads out a word and the people have to line up correctly to spell the word before the other team. The kids had a great time and everyone has to participate to spell the words. You can use the most used letters in the alphabet and then look up words to go with them at this site. It's easier to use a single word and let a few people sit out each word than using strange words to incorporate every letter.

 

Tomorrow is another crazy day with the primary program followed by a 2 hour party for the kids. I have a short meeting with a leader and then drive for an hour to go to another meeting. It's a good thing I don't have a real job because I'll need Monday to recover. Things should be quiet for a week or two after that though. 

My knees have felt great this week. The physical therapist is adding weights to many of my exercises and I've upped the resistance on the bike. So all is going well. I don't take pain pills anymore and hardly ice. Miracles do happen. I just want to hit someone in the kneecaps with a hammer for not recommending an orthopedist and physical therapy 2 years ago. I do worry that I'll have to do these exercises twice a day for the rest of my life though, that is not appealing. If I think about how many times I've counted to 30 doing all my reps it makes me go insane. I wonder if I could start writing out study materials in 30 letter sequences so I could memorize and exercise at the same time. Instead of saying "1, 2, 3 ..." I could say "A-N-T-H-R-O-P-O-L-O-G-Y..."

My stomach is another story. Discontinuing the pain pills helped (most of them irritate your guts) but I continue to have those other "fun" issues and lost 2 more pounds. The ultrasound is this week, it feels like it is taking forever. I told DH that when this stomach thing is resolved I want to go out to dinner at Buca Di Beppo - something nice and spicy and filling. I miss out on a lot of good food these days. 

I have less than a week to finish Halloween costumes. What is Halloween without at least one late night sew-a-thon? That way Mom can go out as a zombie. 

Yesterday I finished reading The Help. It was good, 4 out of 5. I read it in 4 days, a very quick read for a 400+ page book. It won't go on my list of favorites of all time, but it is definitely worth reading. One reason is that for a book about the civil rights movement things turned out too rosy in the end. 

Despite it all we're all healthy and happy so don't consider any part of this post complaining.  I think I'll do thankful posts for November again this year. Crazy or not, I'm looking forward to it. It does help my attitude. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, maybe my most favorite. I love it that the world hasn't found too many ways to exploit it. 

Baby bean bags

A. decided to make bean bags for Baby's Christmas gift. At first we were going to make them with numbers. I decided that would be too much additional detail so in the end we decided shapes were the way to go.

A. went with me to the fabric store and chose flannels that were very modern cute. We cut them out in triangles, circles and squares. I sewed the edges but left a small opening. Through the opening you turn the shapes right side out and fill with beans, rice or old barley that has been around for years but you won't throw it away because that would be wasteful. Sew the opening closed while carefully containing the filling.     

Being a realist I decided that giving Baby ten of anything without a containment method was foolishness. So I made a drawstring bag out of the leftover fabric and... one of her receiving blankets I couldn't bring myself to throw away for sentimentaliy's sake. 

These homemade gifts have been a little time consuming but.. it is fun to see the kids get excited about giving gifts, keeping it secret and doing something creative. It gives me one on one time with them while hopefully developing a skill. Another worthwhile lesson to be learned is that you can do anything, if you don't know how you can learn or make it up as you go along.  

The internet is so full of wonderful ideas I bet you could find something to make for everyone on  your list. In fact these bean bags could be made last minute using whatever fabric you have layin' around. A few good sites here and here and here.

This year I might just be as excited as the kids about Christmas morning, I can't wait to see what they think of their one-of-a-kind gifts they made for each other. I'm so sure love will abound and family bliss will rule the day. HA!

thanks for... guitar hero

I'm not joking. It's great family fun, if you redress all the girl characters to cover their bodies. Oh and mess up sufficiently so the kids don't hear the curse word here and there. I tell you, totally family friendly.

Now I'm going to play more.

What?!!

I didn't buy it, DH did. It's all his fault.

summer's end

We made the most of this last weekend before the start of school. Yesturday I broke out the tent that hadn't seen the light of day in about 4 years. The kids were very excited to campout in the backyard. We even had smores.

 

It was colder than I expected for the night that August becomes September but it increased my understanding of the drooping vegetable garden. It was fun to look at the stars together, watch Harry Potter puppet pals on the iphone before we went to sleep, then cuddle and giggle with J because he woke up way too early. Only to go back to sleep and later and have a lazy wake up with R. For the record my head did feel like I slept on a rock.

nope, I wasn't crazy enough to sleep out with Baby, she slept inside with Daddy

Today was the church picnic. For the last few of these we've been sick or having a baby so it was nice to finally make it to the park. Games, good food and fun all the things you have at a great picnic.

apple bobbing

baby knows what to do now when the camera comes out, pose and watch for the light to flash

 

yes, the three legged race is always easier if eating an apple- see we are in front of some people!

this is a great relay game to keep the kids occupied for a while, it takes forever to fill a cup with a spoon!

Tomorrow is orientation day for J, the big first grader. Then R and A start on Wed.  More about that tomorrow.

HSM birthday

What is HSM? Come on doesn't everyone know High School Musical? Nope I'm not into the acronym and I have always had a major problem with turning my children into puppets for the corporate machine. Yes, as far as machines go High School Musical is great in comparison to others out there, but making my child's chest a billboard for the newest craze makes me crazy.

There, now that I've stated my opinion I'll show you all the things we will do at A.'s birthday party to further the HSM craze.

 

 

Who Said It

Before the party, write down several lines from the movie with the character that said it, on slips of paper. The players take turns selecting a slip of paper form a basket. Then, they'll say the quote aloud and see
who can guess the character from the movie that belongs to that quote.

Search for the Cell Phones

Mrs. Darbus has hidden everyone's cell phones. The kids have to find them! Before the party hide several plastic, candy filled or lip gloss cell phones. Write clues using the movie as hints. You'll find a fun quiz and
other ideas that may help on the High School Musical Website. When it's time to play, the kids will work as a team to answer all of the clues and find the cell phones. Of course everyone gets a phone to take home!

Wildcats Pennants

As an additional activity provide the supplies for making a Wildcats pennant to take home. These are made using red and white craft foam and a craft glue stick. Provide enough scissors for the kids to cut their own stars and letters, or you may want to provide pre-cut letters and shapes that you'll find at most craft stores (we find that easier). Often the shapes and letters come "sticky-backed", making this project even easier for you and the kids!

Play musical games to the soundtrack of the movie such as freeze dance, musical chairs, or hot potato.

Turn your house into a school cafeteria lunch line. Give the kids lunch trays and have them line up to choose from a selection of cafeteria favorites such as pizza slices, hamburgers, sandwiches, plates of macaroni and cheese, mini carrots, apples, and cookies. Serve little cartons of milk in both the plain and chocolate varieties. Get juice or milk in the paper boxes you can stick a straw into.

Party Favors-

Party favors might include glitter nailpolish, sweat bands, pretend microphones, and toy basketballs. Pom Pom Sets, Zippered Pencil bag filled with fun pencils, pens, erasers, stickers and a treat or two.