Angry Birds

The family has become obsessed with Angry Birds. I downloaded the free app without realizing what I was doing. I thought this would be something for the girls to occupy themselves with when we are somewhere and they are ready to lose it. But little did I know the obsession that would also involve my husband. We actually have bought the apps, which we never pay for apps. So that in itself is pretty amazing. The girls and Thomas are constantly asking to use my Ipod Touch in order to play the game. They are in competition with each other to get better scores. The three of them have no idea what is going on around them when they are playing Angry Birds.

Bells went off in my head when I found a tutorial for making your very own Angry Birds. I knew this was the perfect gifts to put in their stockings.

If I had more time I would have made a variety of the birds and pigs. But if you are interested there are tutorials for each of the birds and pigs.

You can find the pig and blue bird here. 

The yellow bird can be found here.

The patterns were easy to follow and I am using my junior high sewing skills. (Shout out to Mrs. Whiting for providing those skills.) I did get a free motion foot for my sewing machine and that was a whole experience learning to use it.

Now the area I had difficulty with was closing up the seam and sewing on the beak. My hand sewing skills are non-existent. I made something up and it looks okay. Of course I found a tutorial after I finished all three. So I linked up the tutorial hoping others will not have the frustration that I did.

Cleaning, Project 365, Scrapbooking, and Grandmas

Well, I did it. I went into the scrapbook room to clean. Let me just say that a layout I did on Halloween was still sitting on the table covered by a pile of stuff. It got so bad that the girls just started putting things on the floor when I asked them to put something in there.

More than one I have wanted to create something, but I didn't want to do the work necessary to make an empty spot on the table. I even had Christmas presents that I hadn't put away yet. Now the room is not organized completely, but then I honestly don't know if it ever will be.

After putting things away, I actually made a layout.

The journalling says: Why do I go so long without creating something? I love to craft, I have a space, I have lots of supplies, but I don't create. I love how I feel after i create something, but I still don't do it often enough. Why? So hopefully with this new clean space, I will actually go in there and create. Even organizing my pictures would be wonderful.

Project 365 March 1 and March 2 did not occur. I do not know what happened. I thought I had only missed one day, but it actually was two. The way I see it is that this is my project. If I miss a day, I can extend the project that much longer or I can use more than one picture from another day. Less stress that way.

I did take pictures today, but I can't decide which one of these two I would like to be my picture.

I feel blessed to have this quilt. I can remember my grandma telling me about this quilt and seeing it on her bed. All of the patterned fabric was from my grandma and her sister's clothes growing up. I am not sure who actually started the quilt. But I do know that ladies who were in the nursing home with my great-grandma helped finish the quilt. My grandma loved this quilt and wished that she could sew. In fact she wished she could sew beautiful clothes like a girl that she grew up with was able to do.

After my grandma died and my grandfather was going into assisted living, their house was put up for sale. Family members were allowed to take a few things after the auction happened. Different people wanted different things. I didn't plan on taking anything. I went so I could take pictures of my favorite parts of the house. I did get those pictures and I have scrapbooked them. While I was taking pictures, I noticed the quilt on the floor. Different people were either walking right by it or even on it. I don't think they realized what it actually was. At that point, I asked if I could have it. As you can see, I got it.

I do have plans for it. The quilt was made into a bedspread. I want to cut the ruffled sides off and bind the quilt. Now I have to figure out what fabric to use for the binding and actually complete the binding. Then I want my family to use the quilt and know where it came from. I miss my grandparents and this quilt makes me feel just a little bit closer to them.

Labor Day Pipe Dreams

I don't know about other teachers. But for me, Labor Day is viewed as a chance to get things done at home and for my classroom that I do not normally have time for. Oh picnics are nice and wonderful, but I dream of whole days getting things done because everyone else has plans and then use Monday as a day to do stuff at home that I enjoy. Now this pipe dream never comes completely into fruition. But I can always hope and dream because that always makes my day better if I keep hope alive.

Here are some example of things I would like to accomplish:

• I would like to go through Brooke's closet and dresser to pull out all of the clothes that she has completely outgrown which is most of them. She has outgrown clothes that were bought at the beginning of summer. GRRRRR stop growing so fast!!!!! (You are supposed to be my baby not my amazon girl.)
• Clean Brooke's room so that she has no excuse as to why she can't keep it clean.
• Go through Melodye's closet and dresser. Give Brooke any clothes that will fit her that Melodye still hasn't worn and has tags on it. Get any skorts that are too short for her out of her room. She thinks if there is still room in the waist they fit. But she is so skinny they never fit in the waist, her butt hangs out instead and no just because there are shorts under there does not make it okay.
• Organize Mel's room so that there is no reason why she can't keep it clean.
• Go through my clothes.
• Transfer all pictures off the cameras (I have to find the little one first). Label and order all of these pictures. Back up the pictures.
• Cut and file coupons. (I am so behind it is not funny.)
• Go through organize and label boxes for school. I had help packing last year and all of the boxes didn't get labeled.

Now that was just home stuff. For school, I would like to:

• Get Tommy to make dividers for my big book rack. The ones I have will not hold up the books.
• The boxes for school also need to be listed here.
• Make homework packets.
• Redo my lesson plan form.
• Set up my grade book.
  
• Update my grade book.
• Get some decorative things for classroom done.
• Make some center for next week. (I need to start looking further ahead to see what I need.)
• Some other stuff in my bag that I can't remember off the top of my head.

Once I get necessary stuff done. I would like to:

• Scrapbook
• Read
• Sew
• Just enjoy myself
• Go to Lopez family picnic on Sunday.
• Watch the first disc of Veronica Mars Season 1.

Of course, I won't get all of this done, but I do like to have those pipe dreams and hope that I can become a super hero and finish all of this. I also would like to start blogging again. I am missing it.

What I Learned & Fourth of July

What I have learned . . . . How to post more than five pictures!!!! Thank you to everyone that posted and explained to me how I need to just do more than one batch. That it is really only limited to five pictures in a batch. Thank you, Thank you. I haven't posted Fourth of July pictures or our vacation pictures for that matter because I didn't know how to narrow it down. But now that I know I can do more, I am finally presenting Fourth of July. Now I forgot to make sure that I put them in the order that I want. Ooooops! But that is okay. Just so you know the bottom five are from the parade and in the morning. The top five are from the picnic at my parents house in the afternoon.

Here is a picture of Brooke with her cousin Makayla. Makayla is a year older than Brooke and starting Kindergarten this year!!!! She is finally starting to get excited about it.


This is a close up of a headband that I made for Brooke. Melodye also has one, but her ribbon is blue instead of read. The pattern came from Heather Bailey.

This is my nephew Jalen. He is Makayla's younger brother. He is not sure of what to make of me. I don't see him that often. A lot of time he throws a crying fit when my sister leaves him at my parents. If I am there, I let him cry. But once he starts trying to hit his head on the ground. I tell him (in my teacher voice of course) "You can cry all you want, but you will not throw a fit." Each time he tries to stop crying, sniffles, and looks at me like I am crazy. He can think I am crazy, but he does stop that head pounding.

Here is my brother, Jason, with my youngest nephew Cody. Isn't he a doll? Brooke just loves to help Cody. He makes her feel so big.

And of course, we have my niece Maddy who has been on here before.

Now we are at the parade. I don't know what setting I had on my camera that is why the color is all funky in this picture. This is my dear, dear husband, Tommy with Brooke. Aren't they cute?

When I took this picture, I knew I would love it. Well once I put it on the computer (I never can remember if that is upload or download) I found out Melodye was giving Brooke bunny ears. I showed her and told her she shouldn't have done it. She asked why not, it's still a cute picture.

Brooke has started having a problem with loud noises. She can't even stand the toliet flushing. So Melodye was a good big sister and helped cover Brooke's ears when Brooke's hands weren't doing enough of a job.
While waiting for the parade, the girls were busy playing DS. We brought all of their games so they could have a choice. You really have to be early to get good seats for the parade. Some people start putting out their chairs and blankets the night before! But not us. We get to the parade route and hope for the best. This year we had to sit on the opposite side of the street and I am glad. The sun didn't shine in our faces as much. I think we'll try there again.

Now when we left the house Brooke's hair was down but with the headband. The girl tore it out after awhile because she got hot. She dries me crazy taking her hair things out. So after the parade, when we went home I put the headband back in and braided her hair. That hairstyle lasted the rest of the day. Side note: Brooke and Melodye got their ears pierced almost two weeks ago. Ever since Brooke has kept her hair fixed. She has also asked me to fix her hair!!!! Yes, I know that is unheard of for her. The only reason this change came about was because she wants to show off her earrings.

After we left my parents house we went to the outlet to shop their holiday sale. We got the girls some new summer clothes to start the school year with. It is always so hot when they start. At least their schools have air conditioning unlike mine. (pity party time) By the time we finished at the outlet fireworks had already started so we watched them as we were driving. We were really able to see a variety that way. Oh and we did watch the parade with Tommy's dad and Marsha, so yes we did see both sides of the family that day.

Mish Mash of Sorts

This post is going to be just a bunch of different somethings.

I finished sewing Brooke her skull apron. She was all for posing in her apron as long as she got to wear her winter skull hat. I really think she looks like a "skater girl" in this hat. Brooke also did this pose on her own. LOL


Here is a close up of the fabric. I purchased this at a local Joanns. I took the fabric up there and said give me all that you have. Luckily enough, there was enough for this apron and I might be able to do something little with the rest. I am thinking a bag or a headband for Brooke, maybe even both of them.

On Melodye's birthday (June 20), My sister-in-law, Jill came over with her kids Nonnie and Maddy. We went strawberry picking, which was my first time ever. We picked lots. I have made approximately (I am too lazy to go downstairs to count) 22 jars of Strawberry Freezer Jam and about 13 jars of Strawberry, Blueberry, Banana Freezer Jam. I didn't realize how fun, easy, quick, and tasty this was. Thanks Jill for hooking me up with the concept. Afterwards they cam over to play Wii Fit and just have fun. Melodye and Nonnie had read how to take funny pictures on the side of the Wendy's kids meal bags. So this photo is one that they begged to take. This is Nonnie with Melodye's dirty socks showing.

During the playtime with Nonnie and Maddy, Brooke couldn't hold in her excitement. The picture is very blurry, but I love it because it shows Brooke's personality and excitement to have her cousins over.

I forgot to post this picture in quite awhile. We had went to my brother, Noel, Jill, Nonnie, and Maddy's house about a month ago to help with some cleaning up in their yard. Now there are not that many times that Melodye does hard labor. (She's like her mom in that way.) So of course I had to take a picture.
Before I end I have to say Happy 9th Anniversary to my dear, adorable, cute, caring husband. These nine years have flown because you have made them so wonderful just by being you. I wouldn't trade a minute of these nine years for any kind of money.

Also, Happy 5th Birthday to my niece Makayla. We went to her birthday party, but I forgot my camera (Bad Aunt).