Thursday, November 29, 2007

Christmas Crafting

Finally, I have got myself together and have started the teachers gifts. Soft trees - I found the idea on: http://littlebirds.typepad.com/little_birds_handmade/files/soft_tree_pattern.pdf check out her web site for other great ideas http://littlebirds.typepad.com/ This is a great gift to have on hand, as well.


Use the template cut your fabric and sew your any embellishments you want on at that time - remembering the seam allowance.








Fold right sides together, sew remembering seam allowance.









Sew bottom (right side in) to the now cone shape and sew leaving and inch open to put the stuffing in. Turn out then stuff. Hand sew the stuffing hole.






Here they are! Have fun and thanks to Little Birds.


What fabric did I use - an old sweater found at a yard sale (For a dollar!) made from lambs wool, which I felted.







Well Dear, that is what I have been up to today. I have to tell you about the generation gap happening right in our own home -

Me to Boys - Hey, Little House on the Prairie is on want to watch?

Jake to Me - Mom, it is Little Mosque on the Prairie, every one knows that!

Wow, I am old! I cannot believe the do not know Little House! Quick hide he records before they start playing Frisbee! I love you Dear and thanks for yesterdays gift. Have a good day everyone, remember to be good to your Dear.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Merry Christmas to Me!!!


I cannot believe it ...along comes a FedEx truck with my Christmas present from Dear. I called him on skype and he said to open it. I am the luckest woman alive!!!! An anniversary band - beautiful . Thank you, Dear, I love it!

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

A Bit of Everything

Today, I conquered the laundry pile!! All is folded and placed in appropriate rooms to be put away but due to 2 boys with violin lessons and 2 boys with hockey practice, this evening, I am afraid that is as far as it will get for today. My part here is done!

It has happened - Winter has arrived and we are getting a blast, over 30 accidents in the city and stopping at stop signs almost impossible. Today, I am thankful for getting our winter tires on last week instead of waiting! You know the whole procrastination factor.

Reflecting on the last few weeks has made me thankful for many other things - My husband loves me and (here it is Dear) I love him. I think I am very lucky for that. We are trying to raise three happy, healthy well adjusted children in light of challenging situations. Dear being away often, family members who refuse to participate (No family is perfect), and life's everyday challenges. Through it all we have each other. and are learning to live with the things we cannot change.

You know life's challenges - to lie or not to lie has been a challenge in the past few weeks for Tristen and I hope from now on he chooses not to. He had a little accident and cut his finger needing 12 stitches. He cut it on the rail of his bed, so he said. He refused the stitches ,as soon as, he saw the needle started screaming - then the Doctor refused to stitch it because of his behaviour. No hockey for a week, at least he was told and a longer healing time. I felt uneasy about the way he said he cut his finger but he has never lied to me so off I went and told people what happened to his finger (Nothing like enlisting your Mom to lie for you). On Remembrance day he refused to wear a button up shirt so I went into his closet to get him one and low and behold his multi tool was sitting opened on the dresser with blood on the blade. Seeing red, literally, would be an understatement. I made it very clear that by the end of the day he would tell m e the truth of what happened and Dear explained to him the implications of what he did. Still he lied until the end of the evening when he told me the truth but in a joking manner! Yes, cocky. So, what do you do for that? We grounded him from hockey (even though he was oked to play ) , he had to apologize to people he lied to and he had to donate 50 dollars to his hockey team. two important things to him - hockey and money. One parent told me I had punished the team by the punishment I gave him- my response NO, I punished him, he punished the team by his behaviour - How did she not see that? Oh well, He lived and is playing again - until and unless he lies again, then no hockey for the rest of the season!


Jacob and Will - they are playing hockey as well. Jacob is going to be the goalie this weekend, he is very excited about that. Will - he just wants to have fun! The pictures top highway along the way, top left Tristen, left Will in his first hockey game and right Jacob waiting to go on.



Monday, November 26, 2007

I know....Bad Blogger.....

I am an avoider, procrastinator - what ever you want to call it I am it1 I know this about myself but still I continue, it is my blog what do I have to fear? I don't know but the longer I stay away the larger the task seems until A)I just avoid it all together and never complete or B) I get my but in gear and dig in to get it
done. Fear makes you freeze, I keep telling myself but more often than not A wins but I much rather prefer the B part of me!
So what have we been up to? Dear was home for most of October and we went to New Brunswick. Some really great things came out of the the trip. We got together with my friend Lori and her family ( It was such a nice evening), Gail and her family (Thanks for dinner!) and I got to cook Thanksgiving dinner for my family. It was a great time. Pictures Left Dear and the boys, right above longest covered bridge below Montreal tunnel and bottom of the post Hopewell Rocks a few of the sites we saw!


Halloween has come and gone - we had Jason (The scary hockey mask wearer), The Tooth Fairy (Guess who) and a cowboy. The boys had a good time, our town has a haunted house and businesses give out candy. Dear and I also went, with Wills class, to a local farms annual corn maze, hay maze, pumpkin patch pick and paint and hot dog\marshmallow roast. That was fun. Will feeding the chickens right.


We rented a rink in a local community for Jacob and Tristen's birthdays, while Dear was home. For the boys who play hockey there is nothing better than skating! Yes, they are still playing hockey - 2 weekends ago there were 7 games in 2 days! Nuts...That is how I feel some days!


It hasn't been with out its difficulties, Dear being home then away again. We get through until he is home again. He and I were just talking about that very thing this morning. I believe I have it easier because the boys are with me and I am busy and able to keep to the same routine but for him everything he knows has been shaken up and he is surrounded by people he doesn't know very well. With that said...I love you Dear. Take care everyone. I will write tomorrow if B wins!