Spring Art Projects

Blogs I read

Ok, I read a lot of blogs. Mostly creative ones that inspire me or provide ideas for day care and home.  I currently have 1000+ posts in Google Reader so obviously I don't read them all daily. There's a lot of talented people out there doing things I'd love to be if I didn't have a full time + job....  
Like these:  

• My Crazy Life: beautiful talented children, always dressed to the nines, country life, wonderful photography, style, etc.
• 39 Squares:  I haven't stitched anything since 4-H but someday I'd like to make one of these.  
• Preschool Daze:  What an awesome preschool! If I had the space I'd model mine after this.
• The Lettered Cottage:  This person has style. Love her {spring time mantle}.
• Just the babysitter:  A great point of view I can relate with!  {This post} is right on. Well mostly anyway.  Stuff has to start at home with the parents even if the kids are here the biggest part of their days.  I have been there with the trantruming toddlers, even preschoolers, at pick up time. Wow, parents just need to take control. And realize they can say "no" and it really won't hurt their child & do it. I really don't care if they scream & cry after they hear it, go for it! In fact it will do some good eventually if they're consistent and mean it.  (Or pick them up & take them out if even the kid screams every time they get near because they don't want to leave.) I've learned a few different things. Like putting up the baby gate in the hallway for the ones who want to run down the hall away from mom into my son's room and hide in the closet. Really that happened and the mom went down there and PUT THE CHILD'S SHOES ON HIM WHILE HE SAT IN THE CLOSET.  I definitely have found my backbone since those days!  I could go on & on.....  I wish I was more of the "zen" provider but in reality, I have to be very much in control of the environment at all times whether I want to or not.  Doesn't make me like me very much some days!

There's more but I better move on.  My favorite are all my friend's blogs!  Sorry if I don't comment as much as I'd like. It goes in streaks around here.

Deal of the Day

I found this desk this weekend at Goodwill. It was marked $19.99. After I used my Club Goodwill card and a discount card, it was $14. It's new - doesn't look used at all. The bottom section by the drawer was loose but all it needed was a little Gorilla Glue.  It replaced a desk and filing cabinet I already had there but this looks much better. In fact, I'd rather use this for my desk than the one in the LR but I'm not sure how that would work out. Maybe I wouldn't be on my computer so much if I move my workspace here? We'll see... If I moved the desk out I could fit a piano....{I should also paint the chair.}

I also found this shutter at Goodwill. It was a brick red color & I sprayed it (looks like a few spots need touch up -in person it looks fine).  I thought it would be cute holding pictures or cards.  I could also put hooks on the back & hang it on the wall.


Here it is all organized: Desk Organized post

Brett's Penguin

Today Brett brought home a pile of art projects including this papier-mâché penguin. I was so impressed! It turned out way cool.  We're keeping it to put out next winter.  There's even a little clay egg down by it's feet.

Little Teddy Bear

He's beautiful but he's not snotty. He's got the personality too! He's like a little teddy bear & sooo soft. As soft as he looks.  I love it in the morning when he jumps up on the bed and snuggles with me. He purrs and stretches out his paw to touch me.  Or he's playful, attacks me and nips me on the cheek or nose. Little toad! But I love him. Lots. I know it's ridiculous because he's a cat. He's done my heart good.

Love this cat

Mother's Day 2003 Pages

Probably not what I should be doing today during nap time....but I think of these pictures and am glad to finally have these pages done.

Spring Decor

Spring

Cutie Oranges

I bought some of these Cutie California Mandarin oranges last week. Brett loves them. Friday he ate 6. Two for breakfast, 1 for lunch and 3 when he came home from school {before I realized}. He wanted to eat the another but we took it away from him before he ruined his dinner.  

Me

I rarely post pictures of me because I'd rather not but here are some I like. These were taken on La PhotoCabine & I put together the ones I liked best.  Brett & I had a good time with it one Friday night.

March Ball Page

March 2010 Page

Windsocks

These are brightening up the view outside the door today.

My Lucky Charm

Calvin & Hobbes

Someone has been reading lots of Calvin & Hobbes comics and relating with him quite well...  We are so proud of Brett too getting 9/8 correct (one bonus word) on a spelling test last week.  He started "list two", the advance spelling words, and he worked hard to be prepared. When he took the pretest on Wednesday he got 1/8 correct!   The homework focuses on the reading, comprehension & writing rather than spelling so he also had to work on the spelling separate from the homework.  I made a worksheet so he could practice writing them several times and he tested on Spellingcity.com  We start again tomorrow night!

Stormy's Favorite Hangout

I cut an old rug in half and put it in his cube. Now it's his favorite spot. This morning I tried to coax him out and he just layed there and purred but I couldn't get him to come out. At least he's content to be locked in the laundry room occassionally if we want him in there.

Brett Said

• Tonight he came home from his haircut & asked if he could have long hair like a "skateboarder dude". Then he thought maybe he could have it "polished" green or blue. I don't think so! I said I don't *ever* want you to do that. He says "Why not? We could wash it out for Sunday."
• One Wednesday night after study, we got into the car. It was windy & the snow was blowing. He was standing in the backseat & leaning forward to look out the window he said "there's a tumbleweed!"  I don't know what he saw but that was funny!
• After seeing those videos about laughing hyenas went went to do a little shopping. As we left Michael's we were talking & suddenly Brett stopped, turned around and listened. I knew exactly what he was going to say. Yep. He said "Oh! I thought that was a hyena!" 

Sunday Pictures

These aren't great pictures, but pictures of us today. Brett is wearing his new vest from Grandma Ransom. Very handsome! He liked the pockets on the front & he suggested we be a "black, white & gray family" today.

Fun with Stormy

Snuggling, almost time to sleep

Silly kitty

Too funny! Damon sneezed. Stormy wasn't sure what to think!


Playing with his remote control mouse last week

What I've Learned

With my day care kids recently:
From the book: We All Went On Safari (♥ Barefoot Books!)

Counting 1-10 in Swahili

#1 moja (mo-jah)
#2 mbili (m-bee-lee)
#3 tatu (ta-too)
#4 nne (n-nay)
#5 tano (tah-no)
#6 sita (see-tah)
#7 saba (sah-bah)
#8 nane (nah-nay)
#9 tisa (tee-sah)
#10 kumi (koo-mee)

Hyenas laugh sounds like this: hyena laugh on Soundboard
We found these amazing videos of leopards and hyenas:
Great Mommy
Video of Leopard in tree

•  A group of rhinos is called "a crash".  Cool!
• Cheetah means "spotted one" in Hindi.
• A group of goats is called "a trip".
• The platypus is one of two mammals that lay eggs (and one of the most unusual animals on earth).
• A group of foxes is called a skulk.
• Bats have four fingers and a thumb like us!  Pandas have opposable thumbs.

And all the kids' parents' names start with "M" and "D".  M for Mommy & D for Daddy!  *smile*

Baby Sally

This was from 2007 - the first time Brett started playing with this doll he named Sally. For at least 2 years he took her with us in the car on trips and slept with her tucked into his bed at night. For a while he even "fed" her a bottle before sleeping.  Monday when we cleaned up his room, I spotted her under the bed. I asked him to get everything out from under there and he put Sally in the basket of day care dolls. He said he was "done" with her. We knew the day was coming but it was kind of sad.  I'm sure there's lots of people who would say "Well he's a 7 year old boy! It's time!" Maybe but we loved to see him taking care of his baby.  He would love a brother or a sister. It's a bit pathetic - he calls the cat "his brother".  As close as he's going to get I guess.

The good & the bad

Yay for:

• The picture (above) I found for my kitchen at Home Goods over the weekend.
• 3 kinds of chocolate in my son's candy drawer this afternoon
• Sunshine!
• Yummy dinner planned - chicken & mushroom alfredo.
• Fixed oven.
• Carpets getting cleaned (on Saturday).
• Days Brett has off school.  Enjoyed Monday with him so much. 
• For meeting here tonight. I think...there's an awful lot to do yet.
• Vacation days planned for April 1 & 2. We're going to Chicago.  Camping in July.

ARGH! for:

• The picture (above) doesn't look so good exactly how it is with the shelf next to it. I need to redo that wall.
• Group of kids that just want to run in circles, yell and irritate me. Day after day, after day... in a room full of toys and activities that always needs to be cleaned up and I can never get away from.
• Baby that doesn't sleep on a consistent schedule even after having him in care for 7 months even though I've tried everything I know.
• Starting work before 7 a.m.
• Not enough sleep & feeling tired and stressed all the time lately.  Oh, I guess that's nothing new.
• Unending amount of work. I like challenges but now I'm just burned out.
• Not finding wall decor for the bathroom and spare room. 
• Sick kitty. He's had recurring respiratory problems (like a cold) probably triggered by a digestive bug he's had since we got him. Finally it's getting treated but kitty is miserable today.

Cardinals

I was excited to see a pair of cardinals in the tree this morning! I put this feeder out for them last summer. I'm sure there's not much of anything good in there but I'm glad they stopped by! Hopefully if I refill it, they'll come back.

Riding in the car

Over the weekend we went to MN to see G & G Ransom. This is about all I took for pictures. Brett and Stormy are both good travelers.  It was a quick trip but fun! We had a good time visiting and going to the Mall of America.  Thanks for the great weekend!