The top shelf is fat quarters, half a yard cuts and full yards. There are also a couple of remnants I found at a local quilt shop that I fell in love with and just had to have as well as a layer cake and charm pack (strange names for packs of squares of fabric right? )! The bottom shelf is all the projects - including my Dad’s quilt, an apron for Alice, felt ornaments, fabric for a pillowcase for Jake and so much more. Several of my projects are super easy and could be done in a day - the apron and pillowcase for instance - so I plan on taking full advantage of my organization and getting my projects done!

I couldn’t resist putting al the projects into a plastic bin and look how neat it all looks! I have space for … well, just about whatever I want. I doubt I’ll use the empty space though, it looks neat the way that it is, plus it is easy to find the projects should I send one of the kids on a mission to get something for me.

Next up is my Dad’s quilt, I have to get that one done! I have everything I need to get it done and want to get it finished soon. It was supposed to be a Christmas gift so I feel bad that I didn’t finish in time, though I blame the sewing machine picking that moment to die.

I was featured on A Month of Stuff! The theme for December was crafting and there are a handful of others also featured for the month. Check out my post and if you enjoy it, please leave a comment!

Post from: me being crafty

After folding the many fat quarters I have and organizing my quilting fabric, I have two shelves worth. I do have more fabric in one large rubbermaid container in the closet, but this is the stuff that’s been out and about in the room. I spent a few hours a few days ago cleaning up and reorganizing. I know I needed it when I was stamping the perpetual calendar and not finding tools I know I had! It was frustrating trying to work when it took me just as long to find what I needed to use!

The next step is to put the various projects into large zip lock bags. I don’t have too many for now so I’m thinking zip lock bags and then the bags into a larger bin or container. I have lots of empty containers so that’s ready to go.

Has the organizing bug hit you yet this year? I also went through all the kids clothes and threw away some that were in horrible shape and got a bag full for giveaway!

Post from: me being crafty

because it looks like a quilt! I have several starquilts (sometimes called Lone Star but I’ve always just called them Star Quilts) that are this pattern!

I stamped the images first and then sponged ink around the edges of the page. I used a scrap paper to block off the dates and lines so no ink would get onto that area - but as you can see I did post a large snowflake on the lines.

Do you have a calendar you use every year? I’ve always wanted a birthday calendar which means there are no years associated with the calendar, it is just the months and days, so you can keep it longer then a year. I plan on making one for my Mom, for each of my brothers and for me. I’m not sure if I’ll make one for my Dad, we’ll just see how things go.

Post from: me being crafty

This is the perpetual calendar from Stampin Up. I’ve had four calendars for quite a while now and have wanted to get them done so I could send them to my family. Then a friend and I started talking about it and we dove right in! She made one but took it home already, I’m pretty sure she’ll post pictures on her blog so I’ll post her link when she does.

The cover is done using Berry Bliss paper, Purely Pomegranate Double Stitched Ribbon, Pretty In Pink grosgrain ribbon. You can get all of these items from a Stampin Up rep! I used a stamp for the “Birthday Wishes” and Marvy Uchida round scallop and round punches.

I love the cover and after taking the time to put it together so cute, realized you won’t even see the cover often, if at all. I haven’t finished all the months yet but will get them posted once I am done, January is first and will be up tomorrow!

Have you started - or finished! - a new project yet this year? Two days isn’t a lot of time though so no pressure.

Post from: me being crafty

Then I read this blog post about resolutions and the reason (or at least one reason) they don’t work. The concept here boils down to picking a word and striving for that throughout the year. I’ve seen this before, last spring or summer, over on Ali Edwards blog (2008 post) and loved the idea. I remember wanting to remember the idea so I could pick a word for 2009. Oh here is Ali’s 2009 blog post! Definitely check out the ‘09 post for discounts on jewelry featuring the word you pick. What a great way to remind yourself if you happen to fall off track.

Do you set general or resolutions? I did set my crafty goals and also weight loss goals. I debated doing financial goals, but want to sit and redo our budget so while I will do them, they aren’t ready yet.

I’m working on my word for the year and plan on picking one by the end of the weekend.

Post from: me being crafty

I wanted to set a few crafty goals for 2009. I don’t usually like to set resolutions and found that setting goals works out better. Plus more fun!

My Craft Goals for 2009

• Start a new project each month - I may not finish a quilt if I get it started, but at least it is started!
• Refresh my crocheting skills - I tried making a round washcloth and realize I never learned how to do round! I can make a baby blanket like a pro, but round? Nope! This is needed because Alice got the Creepy Cute Crochet book for Christmas and she can make a chain but that’s it. Someone needs to remember their skills before giving a gift, Santa.


photo credit: wolf0230

• Take lots of pictures and print them out - photography is a craft right?
• Start the time travel scrapbook - I’ve been wanting to start this for ages - we’ve moved so many times I just need to do it already!
• Make new stockings for my family - Mom and I had talked about this in the past and I’ve been meaning to remind her. If we do a couple a month we will have them all done by Christmas! Maybe I should get rid of my stockings to motivate myself?

There will probably be more projects I am interested in or techniques I want to try - but these ones are very important to me and I want to be sure I get them started and finished.

My Grandma’s Memorial service will be this fall and I have several projects I need to work on for that. My Mom and I are making I think a dozen blankets/quilts and of course those have to be finished. I may also be making shawls, I’ll have to talk to Mom about that plan. I’ve been cutting material for the blankets but haven’t sewn anything yet.

• For Grandma’s Memorial - figure out how large the quilt will be and sew at a minimum one row a week. I’m sure I’ll sew more once I get going.

Do you have crafty goals? I’d also like to get organized but that’s an ongoing thing and sometimes can cause stress, I’m not interested in that! We will be moving again in 2009 so the organization is inevitable.

Post from: me being crafty

Mariska Hartigay, Olivia on Law & Order SVU

picture copyright by someone else, not me.

I love having short hair. LOVE it. I cut my hair when I was around 18 and didn’t look back. Except that time when I was pregnant with Alice, my hair was past my shoulders then, and then now. Now it’s touching my shoulders and at the point where I can’t fix it at all and it’s really annoying me.

And it’s been a few years since I’ve had highlights. I blame the military. We have to move so often, I can’t find a hair stylist, or I find one I love and then they move. Or I move and then wait months to find a new one. I finally stopped someone in a store the other day and asked where she got hers cut so I could do something with mine.

And here are the results.

Close to Mariska’s? Close’ish.

Looking back on it I wonder how I’ll feel about the highlights being *so* blond? I was thinking more of a caramel color, which is what I’ll do next time! I do love the cut, it’s short but not super short. And the wings I can see in this pic are odd, but looked so good in person! Overall I’m very happy with the cut.

Oh and the salon! The haircut was $12. You read that right. I haven’t paid $12 for a cut in, geez I can’t even remember when! The highlights were more of course but not nearly what they would have been if we lived in South Carolina or Washington still. The stylist was so great too - I definitely look forward to going back to her again!

Post from: me being crafty

Check out her site and activites. She also has other theme based activities such as for Laura Ingalls Wilder, Beatrix Potter, Earth Day, On The Farm and more. Alice has the Laura Ingalls Wilder set of books and we started reading them recently. Kids reading to you will explode their vocabulary and reading skill level. I’ve tested my kids reading level online before, as well as tested my nephews, and I stand by that even if you don’t do some kind of homeschool thing that day - ie you feel like you haven’t really homeschooled - make sure your kids read something.

Post from: me being crafty

On the way up to South Dakota for her funeral it rained most of the trip. The kids sat in the back of the mini van and played, read, and of course took naps. Alice has a small’ish teddy bear that she’s had since Chris’ first deployment and I’m not sure how (or why) it was with us in the car, but it was. I heard them talking about wearing the bear like you wear babies when they are little and heard Alice say something about her sweater having a zip so it was easy to turn it around. Jake was upset for a minute that his sweater didn’t have a zipper, but you can see it didn’t hold him back from anything.

They fell asleep with the bear in Alice’s hood. Jake got the bear once they woke up though.

Post from: me being crafty

Let’s see - so I had tickets to the Houston concert which was on a Thursday - but no one to watch my son. A friend said she would, then it turned out there was a wives dinner that night as well, and I felt bad leaving Jake with just whoever I could. After not having anyone to watch him, and Chris working late that night, I didn’t go to the concert. I did go to the dinner, which was fun so at least that.

Friday Alice and I left for the San Antonio concert early’ish - I figured we would grab something to eat in San Antonio, plus I wasn’t sure how traffic would be heading that way. Except the car decided to take that moment and have a heart attack - the engine light started blinking right when we left town and after pulling over to read that this is a bad thing, turn around and go home. Jake was with a friend and Chris was to be off work about an hour from then. So Alice and I get Jake and come home, waiting for Chris so we can get out of town!

Chris gets home and we leave - from hearing about other concerts I figured they would be on stage about 8:30. The AT&T Center was really easy to find, thank goodness, and we got there about 8:40. I said okay we just missed maybe one song and them coming on stage. But I was wrong!

Natasha Bedingfield opened for them and she was still on when we got there. We found our seats, listened to the song she was doing and then walked out to get tshirts. I got one for each of us and also a charm bracelet - I know, I know. But hey, I never got to see them in concert back in the day so I treated myself.

After we sat back down, they came onstage in about a minute - perfect timing! They were so awesome! We had great seats, second row up from the floor and Alice stood on her seat which made her as tall as me. Toward the end they moved to a circular stage at the back of the floor - so directly in front of us. It spun around and had a piano on it, they did two or three songs from there and then when they ran back to the stage they ran right in front of us. When I realized they were coming our way, I grabbed Alice and put her in front of us to put her hand out, but I didn’t tell her what I was doing so she didn’t put her hand out, she was just confused. LOL Jon was the last to run by though.

When I got home I told Chris, I don’t have any regrets in life (and I don’t, I wouldn’t be who I am today without doing or seeing or saying or whatever everything I’ve done) - but I regret not going to NKOTB in Houston.  LOL

So great, loved it, awesome show! My camera is not good at all and I only tried taking a dozen pictures or so. The ones in the post are the only two that came out decent, and even they aren’t that great! I did get a video though so I’m happy about that.

This just means I need to buy a new camera.

Post from: me being crafty

jake the Boiled Egg and Alice the Fairy!

It was Jake’s idea to be an egg and he did go back and forth as to if he was going to be boiled or a hard egg. I figured making a hard egg would be easy, but as it turned out making a boiled egg was pretty easy too. I used chicken wire, batting, a white pillow case and a white dress shirt of Chris. The B is drawn on with a fabric marker. He also has on a white stocking hat and at various times would duck down so you couldn’t see him but just see the egg.

Alice’s fairy outfit is a black shirt of Chris’ cut up (cut on the arms and bottom like tinkerbell) with glitter on it, black tights, belt from a pair of jeans she bought, fairy wings from a neighbor (which I found on clearance the other day so now Alice has her own pair!). Oh and a wand and a feather barrette. I found the wings again on clearance so bought her a pair since the Halloween night ones were loaned to us.

That night Jake said he wants to be an egg again next year, so we’ll see how he feels when the time comes around. I think it would be fun to do a family costume! I’m not sure Chris would dress up, but I do have a year to talk him into it.

Post from: me being crafty

Electing Barack Obama as President makes me feel like my kids or my grandkids could be President. And it proves yet again that you don’t need to come from a rich, powerful family to do whatever you want to do, that hard work definitely pays off.

Lakotas say Mitakuye Oyasin - We are all related.

Saying that doesn’t mean we want a socialist government like some people think President Elect Obama saying ‘we are one’ means we do. It means whatever you do affects everyone else, that in our prayers we pray for all, leaving no one out, that everyone deserves respect.

Post from: me being crafty

I voted a couple of weeks ago, via absentee ballot. Since we vote absentee I didn’t know a lot about the local things being decided on so I read the booklet that came with the ballot and got online to do some research. Voting absentee isn’t as exciting as being able to go in and show my kids voting, but we talked about it and I showed them how you vote for so many things and people all at once.

I thought about my Grandma, who as far as I know was a lifelong Republican (I’m sure someone in my family will know if I just ask), and who wanted Barack Obama to win. She died in August. Barack Obama’s Grandma died yesterday. I know they are watching to see what decision is made and I hope that they are able to see this country’s first black president. I can’t imagine the joy they would feel!

I voted for freedom, I voted for life, I voted for morality, I voted for the economy, I voted for my kids, I voted for my friends, I voted for my family, I voted for the military. I voted for so many things!

I voted against fear tactics. I voted for more then one reason. I voted for more then one idea.

Post from: me being crafty

Here is Alice’s - months and days of the week, shapes, weather, money, fractions (I’m going to take the number chart off, she doesn’t really need that), math symbols and place value. It’s fairly basic and I want to add to it and make a harder one. I figure this one can be a review for when she needs a quick reminder.

I also have plans to make her a science folder but I think I’m going to have my Aunt send me details of what to put on it - she’s an elementary school teacher and the kids were in her class for a couple of days this past spring. They loved being there so I figure she can help me with that part of it.

Jake’s has a few of the same things - the weather, months, shapes, money. He said his is up in his bedroom on the shelf though and didn’t want pictures taken of it just yet.

There are a lot of resources out there but I mainly used the following:

• Mini Office on Squidoo
• Mini Office at Teaching Heart
• Lapbook Corner - TONS of links in this post leading to other mini office sites
• Busy Teachers Cafe

Post from: me being crafty

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwk4LL5-Mpo[/youtube]

I have had a few friends text me over the past few days (I think it was just leading up to the debate that was last night) talking about Sen McCain and Sen Obama’s policies and where they stand. One of the things that was said was along the lines of “isn’t everyone in the military for Sen McCain?” - to which I said no that’s not true, here’s why and here is a website you can visit for more information. My friends are not surprised as to who I am voting for, I am not a one issue (or even just a few issues) voter, never have been and plan on never being. I think as a voter you need to look at many issues and do the research and vote for the candidate that best supports you. Thanks to absentee voting, I voted already - I hope you get out there and vote too.

Post from: me being crafty

Then a couple of days ago I got a call from Saturn asking if I wanted a car to drive for a few days. Would I! Yes please! This afternoon Chris took the kids and I to pick up the car.

Can you see the kids in the back?

We got a Saturn Vue from Saturn of Corpus Christi. It is a 2008 with low mileage and is a really great ride. It has a moon (sun? what is the difference?) roof, seats that fold flat, OnStar, and a bunch of great tweaks like if you are in the backseat you can push a button and the cup holders magically appear (it’s magic to a five year old anyway), airbags all the way around (six total), xm radio, awesome cooling system and more.

Considering my car has been acting like a toddler that needs a nap, driving this car is so awesome! We have the car until Saturday and have already shown a few neighbors! Everyone coming to the party this weekend will also see it and of course whoever else we run into over the next few days.

Sidenote: Alice and Jake knew we had to go to the Saturn dealership right, except Alice kept insisting we had to go to Mars to get a car.

Check out my flickr account to see bigger pictures of the car. More to come!

Post from: me being crafty

For those that don’t know of him, Matthew was a young gay man beaten to death and left to die, tied to a fence in Laramie Wyoming. He was found by a couple hiking, they first mistook him for a scarecrow, and Laramie was thrust into the national news because hate crimes didn’t happen in small town America.

But really, hate crimes happen everywhere.

I had just moved to Laramie that fall to attend the Univ of Wyoming. I had a really hard time adjusting to life away from home and from my family, and thanks to my Mom calling the Minority Affairs Office and asking what resources they had available, I didn’t leave after the first class I attended. I was very, very tempted to! But instead I met other minority students and slowly started feeling comfortable. I made friends and got involved in the American Indian club and the United Multicultural Council. Having always been one to be involved, that made me feel a lot better. I thrived when I was busy with things to do.

And when Matthew died our worlds were thrown into chaos. The UMC and all the other clubs on campus wanted to help in any way we could, help people understand this was not okay, at all. It was especially hard for one of our close friends, an adviser to one of the groups on campus (or she became one anyway) because she worked with a girl who was dating one of the men involved with the crime. But we all wanted to help and show that hate is not okay, that being gay is not a crime. UMC made arm bands - yellow material with green circles painted on them. We bought up or the stores donated all the yellow material in town. We made thousands of arm bands I’m sure, they were passed out all over campus and town. National news stations crawled all over town and set up in the middle of campus. It was a hard time then. We also had protesters come to campus, you’ve heard of the ‘church’ that goes around protesting just about anything and everything, it was them. But the LGBT group on campus made huge angel wings and volunteers stood so the protesters were blocked. It was sickening to see a four year old carrying a sign saying such disgusting things. But the volunteers still stood, the entire time they were there.

I went home that weekend Matthew was found, he was found on a Friday and died on Monday, and couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of what happened. I couldn’t believe that he was killed for being gay, for being who he is as a person. It was a hate crime and brought national attention to an issue that happens everywhere. I remember a couple of family members asking if I felt safe being there.

There were speeches, rallies, and vigils held in those days and weeks. We all struggled to understand why it could have happened. Speeches and rallies happened again when the trial started as that was held in Laramie and again a year after Matthew died. I was president of UMC then and we held a small gathering on the pasture in the middle of campus. I had a hard time finalizing the speech I was supposed to give and had a few friends read it that morning, and I added a few things.

I spoke of tolerance and how we need to not tolerate a person but accept them for who they are. I remember a friend saying “you tolerate a headache, and you take an aspirin to make it go away, how it it okay to tolerate a person?” and I agree. It may be hard to accept a person for who they are, for many reasons, but that is the only way for hate to go away. A few of us spoke that day, and I was second or third to speak. I was so nervous I didn’t remember anyone clapping, but after I talked I stood by a friend who hugged me right when I got to him. Later on he said didn’t I realize that the person who spoke before me talked of tolerance, but after I talked of acceptance people clapped and the other speakers stumbled over their words because they were prepared to talk about tolerance. It is a powerful thing to accept people for who they are because whatever God you believe in, that person was created to be who they are for a reason.

Matthew Shepard Wikipedia page

Newsweek Interview with Jim Osborn, then the group leader of the LGBT on campus and now he works for UW

I have a book of poetry written by people in remembrance of Matthew, I read it once in a while. I have a wide variety of friends and reading the book reminds me there is still work to be done. I’ve stopped talking politics online, well in one spot, because I am flat out disgusted at the turn the campaign has taken. I cannot imagine supporting a man who allows people at his rallies to shout hateful terms, who allows his supporters to spew lies about his opponent and to spread racist ideas. That his supporters who are educated and knowledgeable about what he believes in are not standing up and saying we do not agree with this is amazing to me. I’ve rarely not stood up and said what I believe in or what I feel is the right thing, I defend my beliefs though I am in the minority given my husbands job. And if people really believe what I’ve been seeing in various videos online, it is a sad day, again, in our country.

I often ask people to think of their children - if your child came to you and said Mom/Dad, I’m gay - would you not love them? If they said they loved a person of another race, would you not love them? And if your answer is no I wouldn’t love them because I don’t agree, it’s probably time you look inside and think of how you are raising your child. We often think oh that is someone elses child, someone elses brother, someone elses problem - and thinking about the issue and someone we love is hard. But life isn’t meant to be completely easy. Love should be given to your children unconditionally, and everyone out there is someone’s child.

Post from: me being crafty

~ Funny how a trip to get an oil change and to stop at the craft store to spend a gift card can turn into oil change, craft store, toy store, eating out, and three other stores. We didn’t get home until just after 10 last night. I stayed up to fold more laundry though. LOL We did find a couple of stocking stuffer gifts for the kids and I got resin at the craft store. I’m going to try making some jewelry later today, hopefully it will work!

~ Happy Birthday to one of my best pals Michelle! I’m not even sure she reads my blog, I’m going to email her so she will see my shoutout.

~ NKOTB in five days!!

~ This week is going to fly by because I have so much to do next weekend: Thursday night is the NKOTB concert, Friday night we are having people over, Saturday is the SpouseBuzz Live event in San Antonio (still not 100% sure I’m going to be able to go!), Saturday and Sunday are also Maker Faire in Austin (also not sure I can go!). I hate being so close and not being able to attend either of these events! There was a chance I would buy tickets to the NKOTB concert on Friday night, rescheduling our Friday night get together, but I can’t get good seats for that night and I already have good ones for Thursday. And I have friends lined up to watch Jake for me too, Alice is going to the concert with me and we are staying overnight. Oh I need to make our hotel reservation!

~ In a perfect world I would have Friday night tickets, stay overnight in San Antonio for SBL, and then go home that night. Sunday wake up and take the kids to Maker Faire. I’d then spend the next week resting from running all over in a short time. LOL

~ I have a lot going on and have been loving my todoodlist. I’m surprised at that because I figured just writing a list was good enough - just a slight change makes it work a little better. I was keeping lists all over the place - my tasks list and memos on the blackberry (which I still love and am so happy to have!), a notebook I carry with me, I even found a couple in the voice recorder (also on the bb) that I totally forgot about.

~ I hesitate to complain about Chris’ work stuff but dang we haven’t been getting paid right for months! It’s getting frustrating and I can only hope it gets fixed soon. We’ve never had pay issues before, though know a lot who have, and I can finally understand why they are so upset when they talk about it. What seems like it should be an easy fix just never is! I just read over on the spouse buzz blog a quote that made me feel so much better! I’m going to think that from now on - “Somehow, never in history, has anyone moved from enlisted to officer” “Somehow, never in history, has someone traveled for their job” - check out the blog for the context. It does make me feel better.

Post from: me being crafty

Photo by: jonl

hey, this is close to where we live

We’ve been spending the afternoons outside - the kids made fast friends with the neighbor kids and I met another neighbor. The kids and the neighbor boys are so cute together! Jake and one of them are the same age - the little boy has come over every day after he gets out of school to see if the kids can come outside, we are either already out or on our way. They ride scooters up and down the street or play tag. Last night we met another neighbor, the family has daughters, one the same age as Alice. So it seems they are sort of, kind of good here. I mean we all need friends right - and though the kids get along so great, I’m starting to be happier being here.

Not that my craft room is finished - or when I wanted to paint tshirts yesterday we had everything - and it stinks that Chris gets a one day weekend when, since it’s a holiday, so many others have a three day weekend. We are heading over to get an oil change later today and a quick stop at the craft store. I want to make jewelry for the NKOTB concert Alice and I are going to in just a few days. (YAY!!!)

Post from: me being crafty

We had a couple of events for Chris’ job that I was glad to attend since it meant meeting other wives on the ship. The officer section on a ship is called the wardroom, one of the events held regularly is called a hail/farewell. That is when someone new is ‘hailed’ (welcomed aboard) and ‘farewell’ed’ (said bye to). There are usually gift, sometimes gag, sometimes not gag, and everyone takes turns saying a few words. We went to a h/f last week and then a BBQ for a new guy that was held at his house. He’s actually not new to the ship but has been promoted and maybe shouldn’t be called “a guy” but we’ll let that go.

Turns out there are just a few wives on the ship, in the wardroom I mean, and that is taking some getting used to. I’m used to a ton of women around! But we’ll be fine. We are planning on getting together, I have a couple of the email addresses and do need to get the others - oh and figure out what to do!

One of the other wives, who just lives right around the corner from us, scrapbooks though! I need to get the craft room done (98% or so done - 2%’ish to go!) so we can hang out. I have a few projects I need to work on and just enjoy crafting with someone.

Today has been a good start to the week too - the kids packed a lot into their day and the energy kids have will probably always amaze me. We made pumpkins last night and more today, here is the pumpkin craft page.

We don’t have many Halloween decorations so are making a few to hang around the house. Guess my ‘trick or treat’ sign just isn’t going to cut it this year.

This week we don’t have nearly as many events to attend, and I’ve been able to unpack more so I finally feel like we are settling in here.

Post from: me being crafty

The Nebraska is homeported in Washington, where we used to live. We have a handful of friends who have been on the boat over the past few years, one of DH’s oldest military friends was on it when the class they were in all got out of school. They were who we hung out with during the last part of school though once we lived in the same area we didn’t keep in as close of contact. The sailor’s name has not been released yet though the cause of death has.

It is accidents like this - and it was an accident - that scare submariner wives. I can’t imagine getting a call and the other person saying “Something happened, it wasn’t your husband and I can’t tell you anymore.” I don’t know what the ombudsman said to people (an ombudsman is the connection between the wives and the boat) but those all had to have been hard calls to make.

My thoughts and prayers are with the crew of the Nebraska and the friends and family. The submarine community often feels very small as you run into someone you know just about anywhere, and certainly on the bases each of us end up transferred to. Chris’ job changed completely and we ran into someone friends of ours know! It is a small community, one that pulls together to support each other during the times the support is needed.

Post from: me being crafty

My Mom came to be with us for a week and she got to the house really late, I think midnight. She slept with me and while we talked about what could happen, what might happen, he was kicking the whole time. It was so much to handle. Going to the hospital the next day with her and having them tell me he was gone took a weight off of me. The sadness was overbearing and weighing me down, the anxiousness of what the doctors were going to tell me. I’ve always been an anxious person - I threw up the first day of middle school because I was so nervous. I always got a stomach ache when I was nervous, anxious or overwhelmed, I still do. I felt sick before we went into the doctors office - and walking out I felt okay.

Okay in the sense that I knew what happened. My son was gone but I know he didn’t suffer. And he made sure that while I, and Chris, would be overwhelmingly sad - we would be okay. He waited until my Mom showed up to leave us knowing we would need someone with us so that we could be okay.

And so it’s been a year. A year of moving three times, living with family members, spending a huge amount of time with my brothers, my nephews, my nieces, my Dad, my Grandma. A year of missing Chris because we had to be apart in order for him to get farther in his career. A year in which my Grandma passed away too.

I think about George daily. I think about how excited Alice and Jake were after telling them we were having another baby, about how old he would be now. I think about how many people knew he was coming and how they too are sad.

We buried George next to my Grandpa and Great Grandpa. We had a very small family service last December, attended by my parents, one of my brothers and his kids, my best friend, an Aunt and Uncle, my niece, and a few family friends. We had traditional prayers said and sang for him by long time family friends and we buried him.

We haven’t got him a headstone yet. My Mom thought of making him one, kind of how you make a garden stone, and including rocks that family members carry with them for a time. She grabbed a few rocks from my Grandma’s gravesite for us. Chris doesn’t like the idea though, because concrete doesn’t last forever and he wants something that will. Late next summer my family will get a headstone for my Grandma, so I figure by then we can figure out what we are going to do. A headstone feels so definite though. At my Grandma’s funeral one of my Mom’s oldest friends said she hadn’t got her husbands headstone yet because that is the last thing she has to do, and then that’s it, and she isn’t ready.

I think I am. But by saying I think, maybe I’m not. George changed my life, my thinking, my love for the people around me. I wanted to be closed in, to ignore everyone and just be by myself. I didn’t want to be happy, but I didn’t want to be sad all the time. I just wanted to be. I tried changing Chris’ career - the few people who I talked to said they understood, but I’m not sure you can unless you have such a sad event in your life. I wanted to close in and be alone - and luckily for me, no one really let me.

Especially with my Grandma gone now, now I want to open my arms and have my family magically close and have everyone call each other regularly and keep up with the gossip and share the news. That magic doesn’t just happen - and I have days when I try to force it and days where I just leave it alone. And days when I am really sad, and then I talk to my Mom, or Chris, or the kids come running wanting to read a book to me and I know that the impact that George had stretches farther then I figured it would. And I know we are going to be okay.

Post from: me being crafty

I haven’t gone so far as to pick up the phone and dial. Even if I did, no one would answer because my cousin who lived with her works all day. It’s strange to not be able to call. I still think oh I should call to visit, to ask, for her to remind me - and then a brief moment later realize that it isn’t possible anymore. Of course this is hard, it’s going to be hard for who knows how long.

She always ended a call or a visit by saying “okay I’ll be here” - and now she isn’t.

Post from: me being crafty

My kids do have an idea of what they want to be for Halloween but that’s all the holiday stuff we know. We invited a friend for Thanksgiving but he is going to be out of the country at the time. My Mom is planning on visiting in December/January but we haven’t made definite plans yet.

You can see why I’d be “blah” right now about the holidays.

My friend Cara is the Household Helper and she put together a Holiday Countdown - check it out and sign up, it’s free! She provides a weekly email that includes shopping and decorating tips, snack ideas and party planning tips. I’m signing up in the hopes that it will kick some holiday spirit in me! I need it.

Post from: me being crafty

my old kitchen - to the right is the sink/dishwasher

Chris eats at work a lot of the time, every day when he is there for sure and usually all three meals of the day. That’s also been hard for me because he eats *alot* of food and since he doesn’t eat at home, we are left with a lot of leftovers! I’m not used to that at all. I’d rather just have things we can snack on and grab something quick and easy for dinner. We all eat fairly healthy and rarely have junk food around - it’s just a matter of figuring out what to have. Last night we had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches along with veggies we ate either plain or with ranch. It was filling and good and I didn’t slave away at the stove for an hour.

Tiffany at Nature Moms just put out a Raw Kids Recipes book that includes recipes for No Cook Pizza, Fruit Leathers, Coconut Macaroon Cookies, Carrot-Jicama Nori Rolls, Key Lime Candy Bars, Creamy Celery Soup and Chickpea Crunchies. No cook pizza? Sold! And the key lime candy bars sound yummy! I love key lime.

I’m going to grab her recipe book and try out a few recipes. Not cooking is very appealing to me since right now Chris is gone for work, since it’s hot outside, since I don’t like the kitchen. Many reasons I know. I also think the kids could help with a lot of preparing a raw recipe - they often help with cooking anyway and this seems like it would be easier for them. Check out her book and let me know what your favorite recipe is.

Post from: me being crafty

Gang of kids - nephews and my own

I’m on course with school (in that I’ve contacted someone and need to get moving with figuring out what I need to do) and I’m on course with homeschooling (we’ve been going for a few weeks so far and it really is going so great). I could be doing better around the house but can’t everyone? I still haven’t gotten used to the small kitchen and know I need to because not only was our last house way too big but any house we’ll live in from now on will more then likely be around the size. So time to downsize or get super awesome at organizing! Probably a little bit of both.

I found a new way to make lists so of course the office supply geek in me was thrilled! I found todoodlist over the weekend and have written a few lists based off of it and am going to teach my kids how to use it. They are both list makers already (which makes me so happy!) - they usually write out a list of what we will do for the day, sometimes it includes the basics like getting dressed and breakfast and other times it’s what we are going to do when we leave the house. I think using this new method of writing a list will be fun for them.

It’s well know that I’m a list maker, are you?

And I always go back to thinking about babies. My feeling of my family being complete was so definite the second Jake was born. And I don’t have that anymore. I don’t know what will make me feel that way again but I’ve been desperately searching for it. I feel like I need to decide now, for a few reasons, and really just can’t. I almost just want someone to tell me what to do and their reasoning behind it. I’ve been trying this on my own - saying yes and why and then saying no and why. But I still don’t have that definite feeling I once did.

How did you decide how many kids you have?

Post from: me being crafty

Blurry bookcase (wow my camera phone isn’t that great!)

Texas doesn’t have a rule of how many days you should teach but I try to follow the typical school year, at least as far as starting and stopping. Somedays I document what we do on the weekends or over the typical school year holiday break, and sometimes we take a break too.

Since we are still unpacking a bit I’m not surprised to find more workbooks or study guides as I open new boxes. Well it’s a good thing I am still unpacking the boxes rather then letting them sit in the garage because we have way more then I thought we did! Jake is set for kindergarten and first grade that’s for sure, and Alice may need some new items in a few months time. But for now, we have more then a three shelf bookcase packed full of books. I’m only talking the workbooks and study guides or curriculum. The regular books we read are in our bookcase. I set up a homeschool area in the dining room just so it would be all in one specific spot. There is a three shelf bookcase and the desk, though most of the time we sit at the table.

I’m keeping a notebook with quick notes about what we are doing and I save everything. I need to figure out a better system because saving everything isn’t the smartest idea since we move a lot! I’m going to end up with tons of paperwork and projects that we bring from place to place!

Do you homeschool? How is your space set up?

Post from: me being crafty

I’m not exactly sure what we should be doing. We got a list today saying to have batteries, a first aid kid and food, among other things, but other then that what - pack? We went to the hardware store to find out how to cover our windows in case one gets broken. I’m worried one or more will break and the water that comes inside will ruin our things. Plus if a window breaks, that just makes it easier for people to come in and take things.

I am annoyed that *we* have to be the ones to cover the windows, we don’t own this house yet we have to pay for the supplies! Sure we have our things inside, but I still don’t agree. If the window breaks we won’t be the ones to pay for it so you would think the management company would want to take precautions.

We do have water and lots of food in the pantry, I have a huge cooler and will go get ice in case electricity goes out. I need to move a few more things around from the garage to inside the house and also figure what to take with us if we leave. I’m thinking laptop, jewelry, pictures and clothes. Everything else we have can be replaced if it comes down to it.

Really it comes down to just waiting. Wait and see when we should leave, I know we should be ready, it’s just a matter of when and were we will go.

Post from: me being crafty

Twice a month a Sheetload publication (Sheetload and Sheetload Mini) comes out with card layouts with lots of examples and instructions of how to make the card. I love when a lot of examples are shared because you can see the different color combos used, sometimes I have a hard time seeing how a card would look with really different colors.

The cards are made by guest designers and I just realized there are links to the designers blogs - so if you really love their style you can follow along with them as well. You can also advertise in them inexpensively (talk about a great targeted market to advertise to!).

Oh and these bimonthly publications? Free!

Post from: me being crafty

This move we decided to live on base in housing and depending on the place, housing can have a long wait list. But for us we had an easy time getting into housing - here they are duplexes and did you see ours? We have a fenced in yard, four bedrooms and a garage with storage. There is quite a bit of storage here and during the short time we plan on being here I am going to take our stuff from cardboard boxes or broken plastic boxes and put them in better storage.

I have a lot of Christmas decorations that may need to be pared down! I don’t have anything that I don’t love, or at least I don’t have an entire box worth so I doubt I can pare anything else down. I know I need to get rid of stuff because we’ll be moving around a lot during the next couple of years. I’d like to stay put in one spot for five years again like we did a few years ago, but I don’t think that will be happening any time soon.

Post from: me being crafty