On being in Kindergarten

Did you all know that Kindergarten is a German word? It translate to Children's Garden. I was lying down in the garden, looking up at the sky while SB was leaning down to talk with me, both of us laughing because we were being goofy when I took this photo. It isn't upside down, it really is right side up. It just looks upside down! Which is a bit how I am feeling right now... what is upside down and what is right side up? This Kindergarten thing is taking some getting used to!!!

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My son, School Boy, started Kindergarten this month. It has been a period of adjustment, for both of us.

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Thank you for all your comments about his school lunch issues. It is nice to know that other parents understand what I am going through and are facing the same issues!!! Misery loves company? Oh, I know - that sounds awful. I don't wish misery on any parent or child, it is just nice to know that I am not the only one going through all of this. No matter how old your child is, you always want the best for them. After reviewing the schedule they sent home from school, I see that they only allow 15 minutes for lunch. 15 minutes!!! And that isn't 15 minutes dedicated to eating - that is 15 minutes total. No wonder more than 1/2 his lunch is coming home, uneaten. The poor child just doesn't have time. Fortunately he doesn't have to wait in line for lunch - what do those poor kids get a chance to eat if they have to wait in line for lunch (and after paying a bizzillion dollars to boot)? On Friday he was especially hungry when he came home because he couldn't get his soup thermos open. I asked him - didn't you ask anyone to help? Well, yes he did - the other kids sitting at his table, but they couldn't open it either. Sigh. Hello! Aren't there any adults around?

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After my big post about the cost of school cookies/snacks/etc. and posting about how I would send him with the 65 cents 2X a week (50 cents for a cookie or 65 for the brownie) he came home on Friday in tears - I had sent him with the 65 cents and guess what - he didn't have enough money for a chocolate chip cookie? The cafeteria staff would only give him a small cookie and it was hard -s0 he threw it away. Friday was just an all around upsetting day in the food department - couldn't get the thermos open and then a hard cookie. I double checked the schedule. It was apple/oatmeal cookie or brownie day. 50 cents or 65. What is the deal with chocolate chip? So, off we go to the school - before they close - just to find out. As a Momma, I need to know, you know? Guess what? They sell soft chocolate chip cookies every day for 75 cents. Can you believe? And by the time he waits in line to pay for his cookie/brownie/whatever - lunch is over and he doesn't eat anything - so he brings it home! I check with the teacher - she says that I can indeed pack a brownie or cookie in his lunch, which I thought wasn't allowed. So, off we go to the grocery store to buy a brownie mix (quick and simple - I highly recommend them!!!). We spend some quality time over the weekend making brownies. And today I sent him off with a "home-made" brownie. And not a piece that is 1/2 the size of the pan either - just a nice little square brownie. He is happy. At least he won't have to throw this in the trash after paying for it!!!
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A note about brownies... do you know when they are done??? They are really cooked when you can poke a toothpick 1" from the edge of the pan and it comes out clean. Don't worry about the middle - it will somehow, magically, set while cooling. If you wait for the middle to set - then the edges will be as hard as rocks. So that is the "rule" for brownies - set 1" from the side of the pan.

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OK, the whole snack/eating issue aside... onto to getting enough fluids... he is coming home with only 1/2 of 1 cup of juice empty (remember, I send him with 2). Why? Well, guess what? There just isn't any time allowed for drinks. He is gone SIX hours a day and only has time to drink 1/2 a cup of juice? He tells me that he is always telling the teacher that he wants to drink, but apparantly it isn't on the "schedule". And drinking isn't allowed on the bus either - even though I send a "spill proof" cup. But rules are rules and I do understand about the bus thing, the bus driver already explained to him that if someone choked she wouldn't be able to help them and drive the bus at the same time. I tell you though - any working adult is entitled by LAW to have a 15 minute break after so many hours of work, plus LUNCH (and believe you me, it is more than 15 minutes!). And that is just breaks. Don't tell me that the worker bees of the world don't have a big container of water right at their work station to sip on through-out the day. EVERYONE needs fluids. Lots of them. Because let me tell you, my poor little Kindergartener will be the 1st to tell you - well let's just say bathroom issues will arise if the body isn't getting enough fluids. I could cry. Really. But there is hope. Just when I think of getting on my big white horse and riding to the rescue - he comes home today and tells me they had a water break today at school. Glory be! And maybe, just maybe they have had a water break every day at school - you never can entirely count on getting the entire story all at once - it tends to be dolled out in dribs and drabs around here. Then again, it was gym day so maybe it is part of the gym routine? But trust me, I am really making an effort to get extra fluids into him at home during school days. Which of course just interfers with him eating his supper because then he is full of liquids! But - if I break his supper down into a few snacks - then it works. Except then we don't eat a "meal" at the table together. Well, like I said - this is a learning experience for both of us and I am trying different things to see what works best for us.

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And no reports today of bullying. Phew. Last week he was punched 2 different days (by the same kid - who incidentally, got "time-out" - big whoop, is that really going to solve the issue?) and also 1 kid sings a "I hate you" type of song to him all the time on the bus - even though he usually sits 1-2 seats back from the driver. My son is especially sensitive - being an only child from a relatively peaceful household - he is reduced to tears if you so much as even use a cross tone in your voice when speaking to him. So for these things to occur in his day - it is upsetting - to both of us. Geeze - he is only in Kindergarten afterall, I don't remember ever being teased or bullied until 5th grade and if my memory is correct - it was only for that 1 year. Guess that might date me a bit because apparantly bullying is an issue now with the younger grades. Then again, he is in a class grades K-2 so maybe part of it is the older kids? I just don't know. But after a little chat with other parents at the coffee shop - bullying is a big issue. One girls K-daughter got pushed off the top of a slide last week by a 10 year old and although no broken bones (thankfully) was pretty bruised up. I didn't even know that the older kids had recess at the same time as the little guys. Sigh.

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What else? Well, he is a child who strives to follow all the rules. I always thought that this was good. A Momma's dream come true, right? Afterall, he has always had me at his side, looking out for his best interests if need be. Well, now that he has started school and is away from Momma, I've had to talk with him about asserting himself a tiny bit - to let the teacher know that while he does respect the rules... sometimes exceptions need to be made. One day last week when his allergies were especially in full swing, I put his nice, soft cloth hankerchiefs in his backpack so he could get to them on the school bus, if need be. Turns out the kids have to leave their backpacks out in the hall on a hook. The teacher wouldn't let him go out to his backpack during the day. He had to use Kleenex and accomplished rubbing all the skin off under his nose. Ouch. And his nose continued to run and needed to be wiped all week, but now was rubbed raw. All because he couldn't go out for his hankerchief. Any self-serving adult would just go out to the hall and get the hankercheif, or at least I would. I guess you feel for your kids, want to scoop them up in your arms and make everything all better. But, they have to make their own way, learn the ropes themselves - when to go with the flow and when to wage battle. And of course, an ever watchful parent or advocate in the background willing to step in a bit if needed is always a plus. So, a little bit of neosporin under that poor nose and tucking a fresh hankie in his pocket was my solution - an extra hankie in the backpack for the bus. And off he goes. He can follow the rules AND still have his hankie. Creative solutions are a good thing.

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As adults, we have to remember how hard it is being a kid. Really.

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Not that kindergarten is all bad! It is just a learning experience and we are in the adjustment period right now. I really think that he is doing better than me, in some respects. Hey, this is all a big change for me too! He seems to delight in the structure of the classroom setting. He is learning his letters and is so excited about that!!! He already knew alot of his letters going in, but the every day review is just cementing it into his memory. Every week they get 4 different sounds - 1 letter per day with Friday being the review. They are really, really focusing on the sound of each letter with little hand motions to help him remember. He is learning how to write his letters and learning how to put sounds together to make words. It is exciting to help a beginner reader put it all together. After just a few short weeks it all seems to be coming together at a lightning fast speed now! He is signing all his work with his name, writting To:, From:, Love:, etc. He wants to know how to spell everything and is making little sentences with his frigerator magnets. Wow!!! Monday - Thursday he has homework, which is mostly a review of what they did that day, but lots of math too. Sequences, graphs, patterns, etc. His class is K, 1 and 2 and I really think that alot of his work is for the older grades, but he is absorbing it all like a little sponge! He is happy right now, so for now, it is perfect.

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He likes music, art, gym, library day (he has 2 reading buddies in 4th grade who read him a book that day) moving from class room to class room. And of course, he likes recess (even though that is when the bullys seem to work up to full steam)! He comes home full of reports about who is doing a good job with homework or not, who was sick, who got time-outs, full of frustration when the entire class is held up because of a few kids misbehaving, happy to show me his school work and wants to go over his new words/sounds over and over again in his little sound book that they send home. It is a bit amazing watching him take to this whole new life outside of the home.

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Goodbye my little child, hello my school child! Every morning we walk down to the bus, hand and hand. When he hops on my eyes fill with tears as I smile and wave goodbye. It's ok to be a bit teary eyed and happy at the same time, right????

Floral Quilt Blocks

Remember a few posts ago - School Boy and I made a trip to Marden's and he picked out all this floral type fabric for a quilt. That LARGE floral is so not what I would have picked but that is what his little heart just loved. SB picked out all these fabrics - once he had his focus fabric in hand I told him to go ahead and pick out a few greens, blues, purples and a red to go with. After a bit of fussy cutting - I think the smaller roses are 3.5" and the bigger ones are either 6" or 6.5"... and cutting the other fabrics into 2" strips (my favorite size you know!), this is what we have so far - a bunch of 9.5" blocks. I bought 1.5 yards of that large floral to give me enough motifs to fussy cut. The other fabric was 1/2 yard pieces and it looks like I will have some left-overs... still have blocks left to go so I won't know for sure until those are made.

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I am glad that I worked fast on this one because I forgot one important thing when buying fabrics for this quilt ... ready... I didn't get enough fabric. True, true, true!!! I need extra yardage for a narrow inside border - probably that bright green and fabric for an outside border. I usually buy 2 yards for an outside border and have some left over... would rather have extra than not enough! And I even need MORE fabric than that to finish this quilt up because School Boy wants a matching pillowcase. Since the quilt will be big enough for a double bed, might as well make that 2 pillowcases! We are going back to Marden's very soon so lucky us - they probably will still have that fabric on hand. Phew.

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You all know that I just love scrappy quilts. And I do! But my scrappy quilts also include a fair amount of yardage to make it all "work" for me. It is soooo easy to go to a store and buy 1/2 yard cuts of this and that for a scrap quilt, but really, it is very important to remember to have enough background fabric on hand, or a focus fabric or something that will work for borders/sashings, etc. I am sure we all can find a bit of a scrap to fill in here or there, but when it comes to yardage - my shelf is a bit bare so it is important for me to remember what I really NEED in order to even start sewing sometimes! I know that this quilt will look just fine without borders, but I like borders so I'm going back to that border fabric!!!

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And, right next to where I was laying out blocks, School Boy was happy to spend time designing his own quilt using an odd assortment of blocks from the shelf. This is what he has so far... and he has asked me to make up some more pinwheels - in orange and turquoise. He probably is going to want a few paper pieced picture blocks too and I don't know what else. A quilt that won't win any beauty contests for sure, but gosh - he sure is proud of it!!! Looks like it might be a bit of a challenge to sew all together, but I will give it my best shot.

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All in all, it was a good way to pass part of a rainy weekend. The big hurricane that was tracking straight toward us veered off in another direction and we only got rain with a bit of wind. Yeah!

Lunch for School

School Boy goes to Kindergarten from 8:20 to 2:20 - so of course, he has snack and "lunch" at school. Lunch is a tricky issue!!! And no - his drinks don't fit in the lunch box - they go into his backpack separately.
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My grandparent's were farmers and Nana always called the noon-time meal dinner. Dinner was the big meal of the day. Supper was something lighter in the evening - maybe soup, crackers, etc. Somehow along the way I developed a way of thinking that if we sat down and ate a meal at noontime, it was dinner, if we grabbed food on the run or ate at school - it was lunch. This language works fine for me around here because everyone calls the noontime meal dinner - if they are from here. Tourists call the 6 pm meal dinner. This of course, really mixes up my husband if he answers the phone and takes a reservation for the restaurant!

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Since my husband is from Europe - he is used to having his big meal at noon. And since the restaurant is usually very busy in the evening it makes sense for all of us to sit down together as a family and have our dinner together - at 11:30. Besides the fact that I really don't like to eat something heavy in the evening. Usually SB and I will have a light supper at 4 or 4:30 before things get busy and then I put in extra baked potatoes for us and we will eat those as bedtime snacks with some vegetables. We really don't eat much junk food/snacks/sweets.

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So you see, School Boy is used to a big meal at noon. Seeing that this whole school thing is new to him, I really wanted to start him off for the school year with his familiar foods.

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We almost always have soup - so thermos for broth and a separate container for his fritatins (ok, my spelling is probably way off on this one, but they are crepes that you cut very thinly to put in your broth - a favorite Austrian soup!). When we make crepes we will make enough for a few days. They have to be added to the broth right before you eat them or else they get soggy. Sometimes I send noodle soup. But - always he gets soup. OK - got that. With soup bowl and spoon.

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2 pieces of toast with cream cheese. He likes to eat 1 piece at snack time and the other with his dinner. He likes pumpernickel or rye bread if I can get it - if not then whole wheat. He often likes cream cheese toast for "dessert" at home. Check.

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Grilled chicken. Fire up the grill first thing in the morning and get the chicken breast grilled. He eats 1/2 a grilled chicken breast. I cut it up for him. Check.

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Carrot sticks and apple chunks sprinkled with a bit of cinnamon sugar. Check.

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2 cups of juice in a spill proof/leak proof sippy cup. Check. Most of the kids bring juice boxes, but that isn't the kind of juice we buy and besides - the portion is TINY.

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Basically that is it. I mix things up a bit for him and include different things like grapes, bread sticks, goldfish crackers, sliced ham, roast chicken, hard boiled eggs, dill pickles... The small disposable condiment containers from the restaurant make GREAT mini containers for small portions. Absolutely NO NUTS are allowed at school so skip any idea of peanut butter!

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We just bought ANOTHER thermos because SB doesn't understand why I am not sending him to school with mashed potatoes and cooked vegetables. Or spaghetti. Or hot buttered bread. Hummm.

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Now - there is just no way that he has time to eat all this in the very short time period allotted to eat! We are used to sitting down and eating - but apparently they think the kids can eat super fast at school because they don't get much time. He always manages to eats his soup, toast and apples. Part of that is probably eaten at snack time. The rest he might have time to nibble at, brings it all home and is absolutely starving when he gets off the bus. He sits right down, opens up his lunch box and eats everything in there!

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So here I am all proud of myself, handling this lunch thing just fine. Following the schools instructions - they sent home a notice... NO nuts, no junk food, no chips, no chocolate bars, no soda, only good healthy food. That really isn't a problem for us!

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After 1 week the school sends home the school lunch menu for the year. The menu stays exactly the same for the entire year - week 1 and week 2. I pretty much ignore it (other than being amazed at the prices) because it doesn't really include food that he is accustomed to eating... and at $4.35 - $5.25 per meal, plus 75 cents if he wants dessert... I am not too interested. You can buy things individually too - $2.10 for the soup of the day, $1.25 for water, $1.50 for juice, $1.40 for apple slices, 90 cents for pudding, $1 for cheese stick, 65 cents for a roll, $1.60 for popcorn, yogurt tube $1 ... the list goes on and on. But really, just as an example - who is going to pay $5.25 for spaghetti & meatballs, chocolate banana mud slide, white milk. Add a roll for 65 cents, the soup for $2.10 and $1.40 for apple slices. Add an extra drink for the day... That means that the lunch I send him with would cost about $10s at school - for kindergarten and there still aren't any vegetables on the plate. Yikes! And I don't even know what quality meat they serve (I am REALLY careful about our meats), etc.

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This weekend while we are having our driving around time, School Boy proceeds to tell me that EVERYONE in his class brings money every day for a cookie. Huh? I thought they weren't allowed sweets. So, I take out that school menu list again and look - sure enough... you can buy a cookie for 50 cents or banana bread for $1.15 (keeping in mind that I can buy an entire loaf of banana bread at the farmer's market for $2.50 and it lasts us all week!). I sent him with the 50 cents yesterday and told him he can buy a cookie 1-2 times a week if he really likes it. I don't want him feeling left out if all the other kids are getting the cookie. But really, 50 cents??? In the meantime - you will find me in the kitchen today - baking banana bread!

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What do you all think? I've just never done this before, but I had no idea that school lunches were so expensive!??

A Finish Plus 9 1/2 yards

I finished adding the borders to my blue scrap quilt yesterday during Judy's Quiltathon! The photo quality isn't great because my favorite camera lens for quilts is broken, but this will give you a good idea of how it looks! I am pretty pleased with it!!!
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And on the shopping front - now you all know - I hardly EVER go fabric shopping. Would you if the fabric store was a 6 hour round trip journey?

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Right. I thought not. Anyway - this week School Boy and I made the trip - we just so happened to have a few business errands near Marden's. And when you know that you are going to be in the near vicinity of a store that sells fabric at $3 a yard, well - you just have to make a list so you are prepared, you know?

I did actually get 1 yard that was on the list (that blue in the top left of the photo is for binding Shakespear in the Park - since it has been back from the quilter for some time now!). The rest... well... you see - School Boy just loves flowers. I swear - that boy will invent the next great rose of all time - full of beautiful scent, bug/disease resistant and able to grow in Canada's cold climate - wouldn't that be a wonder? In the meantime, we can make rose quilts!!! So - he picked out those top 3 BIG rose prints. Not my top pick but it IS fun (and a bit of a challenge) to let him pick out the main fabrics and then go with that... With a bit of quick thinking I figure that we can cut the big prints at 6.5" square (1 yard of each - might have been 1.5 yard of the biggest print there) and add some co-ordinating prints for log cabin style strips - so 1/2 yard cuts of all the co-ordinates. That should make 3 quilts in all? Maybe. Everything else that was on my shopping "list" - I just didn't see anything that caught my eye - and very sadly they had virtually 0 selection for that extra wide backing fabric that I like to buy. So - no backings for the quilts that I have ready to send out to be quilted and no background or sashing fabrics yet for some quilts that really need them. So in other words - if SB wasn't with me I would have probably just bought the lonely 1 yard. Oh yes, nice to have someone else to point my finger at when it comes to fabric purchases, LOL!

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Oh but wait, wait, wait... they do have a super fab selection of Waverly upholstery/drapery fabrics at $3.99 a yard. Absolutely to die for!!! Since I have to go back in 3 days anyway - I didn't buy even 1 yard - I am going to go through my bag and apron patterns, plus measure a few windows in the next few days and go back with measurements in hand. Let's face it - as a quilter you just don't want these kinds of scraps - I want my measurements to be as accurate as possible!

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On the way home we stopped at a nursery and SB picked out 2 pots of orange Mums and 1 of burnt yellow for our fall flowers - to match our pumpkin on the step. Ah, yes - he is happy! And did I mention - I am tired? 6 hours of travel for 2 hours of shopping/errands - it can be a bit much. And we didn't even get him that pet fish he has been hankering after (a Japanese fighting fish)- that would have been 2 hours in the OTHER direction, sigh! Next trip! Tonight - I am going to put one of my quilts on my bed and go to bed early and have sweet quilty dreams! If I am too tired to quilt, at least I can dream about it, right?

Heart Quilt Blocks

16 of them, actually - all from stash. And you know what? Not including the cutting time - I don't think that these took much longer than 3 hours total to sew. I "needed" (sewing therapy while I mull something over!) something quick and easy so went ahead and cut these blocks for a finished size of 12". Better than sitting in a chair and biting my nails while I think!!! You can get a lot done in a short amount of time working with larger pieces! And, I still got to use 2" strips (seems to be my favorite size)! I've had this pledge fabric for a long time now and I think that the long narrow strip uses it to its full potential! Just don't look TOO closely because the words aren't perfectly straight and just maybe I might have chopped that point off, oops! ... it doesn't bother me.

The other narrow strips were cut from 2 different fat quarters and pretty much used that fabric all up. So now I need to make some star or connector blocks - will have to see what I can find for fabric that "matches". I still have plenty of white, and probably a bit less than 1/2 yard of each of the pledge and red. I am thinking that by adding some more blocks I will be able to get 2 quilts.

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The pattern is from this book - Once More Around the Block by Judy Hopkins. It is an easy block to make and I've made it in the 10" size too. You just have to be careful to off-set the triangles by a scant 1/4" so everything lines up. The directions include 6", 8", 9", 10", 12" and 14". The cutting directions are for 4 blocks at a time so it is easy to just multiply as you cut - which is how I ended up with 16 blocks. I've never seen the 1st book but hope to add it to my collection some day because I really like this 2nd book!

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Oh - and see how my cutting mat is face side down? I always flip it over when trimming up blocks. Makes my mat last longer and keeps the front just for the straight cuts on the lines.

6 to Bind

6 quilts - all quilted and ready for binding! This week I was able to trim them all up - here is my pile of trimmings - lots of long strips of fabric to add to the scrap bin. Not really sure that this counts as a stash-busting report if I am adding all that into the scrap bin... but then again - these are 6 quilts almost entirely made from stash! There is no way I will use all the batting trimmings, but some of it I will use for Christmas ornaments so I set it aside for the time being.

And after awhile of all that cutting with scissors (instead of a rotary cutter), my poor thumb was getting a bit sore - so I wrapped a scrap of batting around the handle. Ah, much better!

This coming week? Well, I've got binding plans. Not sure about ALL those quilts, but the binding is all made for 1 of them - might have to buy yardage for the rest, but 1 is a start, right? I would be VERY happy to get 1 done... setting realistic goals here! First one up will be this one - lots of beautiful custom quilting on this! I love what my quilter did. More details in a future post.

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And of course, life outside of sewing continues at a fast pace... One day just seems to slip into the next - I run out of day before I get everything done. I have alot of different personal and business projects that I am working on, plus that precious boy of mine - always my #1 priority.

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Speaking of... on the gardening front... seems like just yesterday we were planting our spring flowers and now we are cutting the dead flowers, tidying up the beds and making room for the fall Mums. This was our Saturday project together yesterday - School Boy loves having his own wheelbarrow - just his size! He does just as much work, if not more than me, in the garden. He just needs a bit of guidance and enjoys having some company and he is off!

Finally Quilted!

Contrary Wife - finishes up at 82 X 99. The quilting is not done by me - I send my tops out - this quilting pattern is called Popcorn. I got the quilt pattern out of an old Quilt magazine. ALL from scraps/every dwindling stash other than the 2 border fabrics which I bought after I got the top together. I also purchased extra wide quilt backing special!

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I made this quilt 2 summers ago - July, August, September, finishing in October, adding borders in November (2006). I actually started it the summer of 2005, but then went to Austria for the winter so it got set aside. Ah well, good things take time.

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All quilted and bound now. Here is what it looks like on 2 different beds - spread out. My bed has a lovely curved footboard so I always put my quilts on my own bed sideways.

Except - can you keep a secret? I don't like a big quilt on my bed! If I sleep with a quilt I prefer a small lap sized one, flannel backed preferably! Oh sure, I will spread them out and admire them, say hello to the lovely fabrics, rotate them around from time to time during the month - but the quilt almost always comes off at night. Most times if I do have a quilt on the bed - it is back side up or under my down comforter - just to spread it out to help prevent crease lines! Of course, School Boy loves to make forts with them so that helps with the crease-line thing no doubt! Not that I don't love my quilts and seeing the fabrics and all, I just prefer a very plain bed covering. Maybe it is my subconcious way of off-setting the 2 tone paint with wall papered birds on the wall - there when we bought the place and although not my favorite - I didn't see any need to change it. See how puffy my bed is? I have a feather mattress and then a puffy flannel backed down comforter under there. It is so cold here that I sleep with that down comforter year round! SB has a matching down comforter - smaller sized of course for his wee bed. HE prefers to sleep in his sleep sack (year round) with fleece blankets and if it is cold then the down comforter on top. Not that he doesn't have his very own bedroom with a twin bed, but it is way across the house and up a flight of stairs... Helps out our electric bill a bit in the winter this way anyway - we only heat the 1 room at night. He still fits in the little bed, but at the rate he is growing, I imagine this will be the last winter. HE has a stack of quilts that fit his twin bed just fine - come the day.

A New Chapter

Introducing... SCHOOL BOY!!!

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With his new mini-backpack, lunch box and a slightly bewildered look on his face as he walks out the door to wait for a school bus for the very first time! Let me tell you - we had to look high and low for a small back pack that wasn't plastered with comic characters that he doesn't even watch anyway. The Children's Place didn't let us down.
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To start Kindergarten - the school sent home a little shopping list... Let's see what I can remember off the top of my head... very brand specific!!! 2 packs Crayola Washable Markers, 2 packs Croyola 24 pack crayons, 2 jumbo Elmer's glue sticks, 2 black dry erase markers, 3 Hilroy Scribblers, 12(?) Duotangs (those colorful paper folders with pockets), 2 white art erasers, 1 package of Dixon pencils, 1 box big ziplock bags, 1 box Kleenex, 1 foam squirting hand soap - unscented, 1 pair of sneakers - never worn outside for gym... I am pretty sure that there were other things on that list but seeing we did our shopping over a month ago, I can't remember! Now, I am not complaining - they certainly sent the list home early enough that I could get myself to the store to shop (keeping in mind that the nearest Wal-Mart is 3 hours away). And I have just 1 child. But do realize that about 10% of my local population uses the food bank in the winter... It would have been nice had they given me a bit of notice about needing a sweatsuit for gym... seeing that I MAKE all his pants and don't have any jersey on hand. He is so thin that it is really a complete waste of time to even go to the stores, find pants, get him to the dressing room, undress him, try the pants on and then find out they fall straight to his knees. If he really loves them than there is either great sadness or Momma has to buy them and then take off the waistband to shorten it and then take darts in on the sides. Nope - 100X easier just to make them and avoid that entire situation!!! Anyway! I sent him with a pair of shorts today and added jersey to my shopping list for next time I go shopping.
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SCHOOL BOY really was a LITTLE BOY when I first started blogging... w-a-y back in November of 2005. How time flys. But now, without a doubt - he is School Boy (SB for short) - a name I am pretty confident I can be "safe" with for awhile now - seeing he has just started Kindergarten. Here's a photo from right around the time I started blogging...






It has been a super great time, bringing up this Little Boy, all day, every day. But - the last year, well as much as he really, truly does LOVE Momma, well - it is time for him to explore a little further from the nest. And I am really hoping he likes Kindergarten - it is a mixed grade - K-2. So, it is a NEW CHAPTER for both of us! Whatever will I do with all my new "free" time???


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Guess I could always sew? This is what my blue quilt is looking like with 2 segments laid side by side. Oh, I am SURE I will find something to do, including catching up on oodles of paperwork. But it is more fun to think about sewing right? It is a long day though - he leaves at 8:30 and doesn't get home until 2:30. About 2:10 I am looking out the window for the bus - ready for him to come and tell me about his day.

August Rolls By

August rolled right on by in a blur! Summer is the busiest time of year for my business and I am usually pretty right out straight busy! The past few days there has been a bit of a lull before the schedule picks up again and I've been relaxing. I think that today was the 1st day all month that when I got out of bed in the morning I didn't have protesting pain shooting through my feet and legs. Is it no wonder that during my free time I seek out the peace of nature?

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OK, so maybe biking on our hills isn't so relaxing, but LB dearly loves a bike ride. We don't have a bike trail or even a shoulder of the road to ride on and then add in the hills... so we have this lovely tandem bike - a wonderful solution! We can go about 7 miles with 2 bum breaks for LB - I am thinking that maybe he needs a more comfy seat? We didn't go as often as I would have liked because I just didn't think I had the energy in my legs all the time, but glorious autumn days are fast approaching and my schedule won't be so busy (which also means less traffic to boot).

Bird watching is very popular in our area as we are right on a migratory route. Here is LB looking through a scope at some sort of very exciting bird to see in this region (all I know is that he was reddish and sort-ov big - I know, dismal!). That is a very well known bird guide (who travels all over the world leading bird groups) introducing LB to the wonders of bird watching with a powerful scope! Bird watching through the lens of the camera - now that I can handle - and here are a few shots. I think that yellow bird might be a yellow warbler, but don't count on it! LOL. I think that the duck shot of him landing - I can sharpen it up and fix the lighting a bit better - but when I just don't know! I just liked the 2 photos together as a series so thought I would share.

We are never too busy to stop and enjoy a beautiful vista in our travels. This is a little place that we stopped along during our trip to Hopewell Rocks area. That lighthouse is sometimes called the Traveling Lighthouse because it is thought that it has been moved 6-7 times.

The flowers of August seem a bit more subdued than July's. The poppys are going to seed and the neighboring gardeners that have poppys have shared with LB. It is amazing really - those pods dry up and the top has holes - when you can shake the pod and hear the seeds rattle around you can pour the seeds out - almost like a salt shaker (bottom right of the photo collage)! Don't laugh. I am NOT a gardener! But with help from kind gardeners in the area, I am learning. LB just delights in gardens so I really am trying to learn all I can!

Here are 2 photos of friends gardens...

I do have a funny gardening story to share, but another day...

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Sewing? Not so much. I have made bits and pieces of progress on my blue quilt. And I've knit 1 sock for LB. The mate is just started so give me a week or so....

Goodbye August. You have been alot of work, but alot of fun too. We've had fun!