Pictures!

 Witchy Kitty by Brittercup Designs

Happy Halloween by Fresh Threads Studio

Pirate Sock Monkey by Raise the Roof Designs

All of these patterns are from the 2011 Halloween issue of Just Cross Stitch magazine.  This is the issue that helped me get my mojo back!  I've got to pull threads and then decide if I want to do Halloween Jack on regular fabric or order the perforated paper.  Logan is my destroyer, thinking perhaps I should just stitch on cloth so that it survives for more than 5 minutes. lol 

I love the fall; just wish the weather would actually mimic the season it's supposed to right now.  Today the forecast is for a high of 90 and no rain chance until after dinner.  The only good thing is that I will not have to sit in car rider line today as we have a meeting about Ryan at school.  Yeah!  As soon as the meeting is over, I'm grabbing the kids and heading home to relax in the a/c. lol

A Quickie...

to let you know I'm still alive and kicking. lol

Today is my eldest daughter's 13th birthday so in between laundry and cleaning I'm baking a cake and making her favorite snack....Rice Krispie Treats.  I am currently waiting on the coffee to cool so I can make the cake so thought I'd drop a line or two for a post. lol

I've been stitching every chance I had for the past week which feels good.  I've completed two Halloween ornaments and am almost done with the third.  I decided to make one for each of the kids this year and of course, Logan chose a difficult one which will be done next........ or next year.lol  He chose the Halloween Jack by SamSarah Designs.  I've never stitched on perforated paper before so not sure when it will get done.   No, no pictures to show of them yet as I thought I'd actually finish them before I did the pictures.....hmmmmmm maybe I'll just take pictures sometime tomorrow and upload them as I'll have Marie's BD pics too. lol

Well, washer is done so now it's time to change over...again. lol  Have I ever mentioned that I LOATHE doing laundry??? lol  yeah, that and cleaning. ROFLMBO!  At least I have a couple of fun things to look forward to today.  Baking and wrapping of the presents!

Have a great week and hope to post some pics in the very near future. :)

September

I was somewhat on a roll there for about 2 seconds with my blog posts.  I'm still doing better than I had been but I will try to improve a little more.  lol

I actually have done a little bit of stitching but have no pictures to show as it's been VERY LITTLE stitching.  The fact that I got over that mojo slump at all makes me feel good even if I don't do a lot.  I am currently stitching Witchy Kitty by Brittercup Designs out of the Halloween JCS edition.  I also finally received the Christmas Ornament issue and have been drooling over it for the past few days.  I'd say that is a good thing and must mean the mojo is back!

Kids are all doing great at school or so they tell me.   I will know for sure as soon as I sign up for the online grade review that the district has or get their interim reports whichever happens first. ;)  I need to actually go into the school to sign up and by the time I get there in the afternoon it's too late and the morning drop off is crazy.  So why don't I just do it while I'm volunteering you ask??? Well, that's easy.....because they haven't let me volunteer yet.  They started out trying to get to know Logan and then see how he does each day, then the teacher took time off to go to her daughter's wedding.  After that the kids got sick and shared with me and then I had my allergies freak out.  Hopefully by next week we can start with the one day a week to see how it goes. 

Yesterday I had a little scare.  Now I can laugh at myself but at the time I was a bit terrified. lol  I dropped the kids off, ran by Marie's school to drop off some glass baby food jars for science class then went to do some grocery and other shopping.  I got home with my coffee and sat down to relax at the computer.  I got on facebook and was trying to type something to a friend and realized my eyes were acting strange.  Rather, one eye was at least.  I had a blind spot that slowly transformed into a pulsing shape.  While slightly blind in one eye I freaked out a little, called my mom and tried to answer my husband's instant messages.  By the time the pulsing started I finally realized what the problem was and jumped up to grab some tylenol.  It's been so long since I had a migrane give me a warning that I didn't realize what it was at all. lol   Seems like for the last couple of years, those buggers just come out of left field and knock me on my butt with no warning and tons of pain.  Yesterday, it decided it felt sorry for me and gave me a warning.  Brainiac that I am, it took for the pulsing and pain to start before my brain would turn itself on. lol  I'm VERY lucky that the tylenol did the trick.  Usually I have to take a prescription pain med that makes me loopy and I HATE to take that and won't unless I'm home for the day and DH is close to or at home.    NOTE TO SELF:  spotty blindness in one eye means grab the tylenol and drink a bottle of water.  Don't think about it.....JUST DO IT!

I need to get the house picked up and the laundry started....why can't they design a house that will pick up after its own self????  Make the laundry do itself too while I'm dreaming big. lol  I hope to have some time to sit down and put a few more stitches in Witchy Kitty today.  It's nice to relax and stitch even if it's only for 30 minutes.  Every minute counts!

Have a great Wednesday!

Don't faint!

I am posting again within the same month, heck, almost a week later. lol

Kids all started school yesterday and it went pretty smoothly.  As expected Marie was too nervous to eat much.  She did great though as I knew she would.  She didn't get to meet any girls her age that live near us but she did get to know a boy in her grade and his sister who is a junior in high school.  Yes you got that right.  They decided to save some money (ROFLMBO) and combine some middle and high school buses.  The problems that I thought would come about from that were not as I thought, but they did find on the stop right after hers that they had underestimated how many kids would be riding.  According to the schedule there are two more stops after Marie's but they couldn't get those kids because the bus was overflowing.  (I really thought there would be bullying from the high school kids but turns out they were the nice ones it was the eighth graders who did all the bullying)  So to solve this in the afternoon, they picked up the middle schoolers and delivered them home then went back to pick up the high school kids.  Hmmmm, something tells me that this idea didn't save any money at all.  The poor HS kids were standing out in the hot sun for over an hour waiting on the bus to get to their school.  I believe today they'll wait inside an a/c building. lol

Afternoon pickup at the elementary school was jammed up big time and parents were all sorts of upset.  Here's the thing, if you expect your kids to do what they're told then perhaps you, as parents should do the same thing.  It is told and printed on anything to do with car riders that parents are to stay in their cars at all times.  DO NOT GET OUT TO GET YOUR KIDS!!   It seems that the massive hold up involved parents getting in the pick up line and then just abandoning getting out of their cars and going to get their kids.  It took us over a half hour to finally get to the pick up area and we weren't even that far back.  I believe I sweated over 10 pounds off yesterday afternoon and might possibly have suffered a little heat stroke.  Today, the cooler with water, gatorade and juice will be coming with us and if I see another parent abandon their car to go get their kids I'm going to have to do a smack down on their butts  give them a piece of my mind!!  After all that we had to wait for another minute or two while they located Ryan as he was so quiet (I suspect he fell asleep lol) that when they grabbed Logan and Katie he never budged.  'Course it did have something to do with them not sitting near each other.  I believe I've rectified that now though. lol

My father-in-law decided that he wasn't crazy wanted to try to work things out with his wife so he went back home.  We spent five days last week on the phone with him and the hospital in a city about eight hours away from where he lives because they got into a fight and he left rather than let it get really bad. I guess he figured it was better there than in our house where he'd have no room of his own and four kids around him most of the time.  There is so much more to this story that I just don't even want to go into but I did finally tell my husband that when this happens again that we aren't going to just jump right in with the offer of help without some ground rules.  He doesn't even want to speak to either of them but thankfully he's remembering that his dad is 72 years old and his only father so he's still speaking to him at least.  Personally, I'm over it all and am thankful he didn't come out. lol

Still no stitching and not sure when that mojo will find it's way back to me.  Maybe after the school routine gets settled.  I did get my volunteer ID yesterday so I'm set to start next week.  I'm actually excited about going in and staying for most of the day.  Hopefully if I am able to help them out like this in a year or two when the economy gets back on track and they can hire again I'll have my foot in the door.

Have a great week!

WOW!!!

I can't believe I haven't posted in four months!  Oy! lol

I did stitch for a little while but then lost my mojo again.  Not sure where it went this time but hopefully I can find it again as I just got the JCS Halloween magazine and would like to stitch some of those cute patterns. 

I haven't worked since two weeks before school let out so I guess that's been since the very end of May.  We decided the difference in money with me not driving all over town every day is more than what I would have made working so it was best to just not work.  Not to mention, I started really working on Logan with the potty training.  It's only taken almost ten weeks but the boy can finally wear big boy underwear during the day now.  Still have to work on the bm's but hey, at least he goes "pee pee in the potty" now. lol  Let me tell you, that has been a very LONG time coming.  I've been working with him off/on on this for four years now.  I don't know what finally gave but whatever it was I'm very thankful!! 

Since school is starting back up next Monday we've also decided that I should volunteer in his classroom too.  It has taken so long to get him to this point in the potty training that I really didn't want any back sliding.  The thought of having to reteach this again for the millionth time makes me want to vomit. lol  I will have to see who his teacher is to see if she'll allow me in the classroom and then see about going in the second week of school.  Ryan is in kindergarten this year so he'll go the first day (Monday) and then not again until Thursday.  They like to stagger the start for the first years.  Sounds like a good plan but since the majority of the kids attended VPK the previous year I think it's kind of silly.  I sure won't mind having him to myself for two whole days but for those other parents who work for a living.......lol

Marie will be starting middle school and is terrified.  Not only will she be going to a new school but now she has to go to the school she's zoned for which is like we moved to a different state.  She may be lucky to know one or two kids but that will be it.  Katie and Ryan will now be attending the same school as Logan so they're basically in the same boat.  lol  To add to the chaos we will also be adding to the number in our house.  No we aren't adopting or having another child. lol  My father-in-law is coming to stay with us.  He thinks we're crazy for wanting him to come stay with us but I explained to him that I would rather he be here than us worrying about him on his own with no where to go on the other side of the country.  I'm looking on the bright side of all this.  Maybe I will keep my house cleaner, the children won't fight as much and I'll be more apt to not yell when the kids do fight. lol

Hey, who knows, maybe with all the extra stress/chaos I'll even find my stitching mojo again!!!!!  Either that or I'll be charging my Kindle every other day so it can read to me.... I wonder if it has a headphone jack??? lol  Headphones means no or little outside noise and being read to while I fold clothes would work, right??!!

April

 Here is the finish for March; G is for Girl from the Just Cross Stitch March/April issue.

Here is my current project; Berries, Birds, and Blooms by BRD from the March/April Just Cross Stitch issue.

Please excuse the wrinkles as I haven't ironed them yet.  I'm chomping at the bit to get the current project done so I can start the B is for Boys when it comes out in the May/June issue.

I haven't been stitching much in the past couple of days because we have had a little more excitement than usual lately.  On Wednesday while at the one school picking up little bit, my cell phone rang.  I thought, okay Marie, you had better be on the bus and not saying Oops!  I missed it so I have to stay after school anyways.  She had called me at home about 20 mins before asking to stay after to have help with her homework.  I don't know why, but I said no.  I just had a feeling that I would be really busy at the time that she would need to be picked up.  I wasn't working and only had housework and children to take care of but I didn't feel that she should stay after.  Good thing as I would have had to pick her up early anyway. 

It turned out that it was Logan's teacher on the phone.  Logan had thrown a little fit, no more than usual when he's upset or irritated when he can't communicate what he wants.  She was concerned because he had started sobbing and saying "Hurt, Hurt!" and was now holding his one arm against his body and walking funny.  I figured he'd dislocated his shoulder and that we could just take him to the doctor and have him pop it back in.  Of course, it wasn't that easy and it wasn't dislocated either.  The doctor's nurse said to take him to the ER and have an x-ray done.  I was a little irritated with her because I thought why can't he just look at him and know??  Stupid Mommy!  DH had to work late and couldn't get away, so me and all four kids headed to the hospital for what I thought would be a quick visit.  Thankfully two and a half hours later DH was able to come get the other three who were bored out of their minds!  All things considered, they acted great but I was about to pull my hair out until he got there.  Another three hours and we had the results of his x-ray, a broken right collar bone!  They can't do anything for this other than put him in a sling and have me give him tylenol or motrin for pain.  Maybe for another child that would be fine but Logan's autistic and refuses to take any meds orally anymore!!

Needless to say we had a pretty horrible night with him up most of it whimpering and refusing any meds.  I was able to locate some Tylenol suppositories the next day after calling every major pharmacy in the area.  His doctor recommended trying the local grocery store's pharmacy and would you believe that is where I found some with the right dosage for him???   I couldn't believe that Target, Walmart, Walgreens and CVS didn't carry his dosage.  I know that he's 8 but still, he can't be the only child that has issues with taking meds orally...... can he????!!!  The really great thing about this find is that, they have quite a bit of it in stock and it's cheaper than the infant dosage that I was buying at Walgreens!!

Today is much better, he slept through the night and is irritated because he wants to be able to do more but can't.  Now, if I can just get the house clean, the laundy done, the dishes done, the kids picked up from school and still have enough energy to stitch tonight after dinner it will be a great day!!!

Hope everyone is having a great Friday and it continues into an even better weekend!

March Madness

I can't believe that another month is almost gone and I've not posted at all!  I have a crazy schedule with the kids and working and trying to keep up with the cleaning, washing and cooking.  I didn't realize just how crazy until it slowed down this morning.  I didn't want to get up out of the bed at all!!!  Of course, that wasn't possible as three of the four were up before me.  Thank goodness for DH!!!!  I'm up, had coffee and now here I sit not wanting to do anything!!!!  I have spring cleaning to do which I would normally put off until after the kids Spring Break but DH and I have a date "night" on Sunday afternoon so the house must be clean!!! lol

I have been stitching and have actually finished something.  No pictures of it yet but, hey, at least I finished something.  Alas, Snowflakes has been set aside.  Not sure if it's because I frogged more than I stitched or because I'm over the whole winter/christmas season. lol  I know I will get back to it but in the meantime I've started yet another project from the March/April Just Cross Stitch magazine.  I finished the G is for Girls and now am working on the Berries, Birds and Blooms sampler.  So far, I'm loving this one and have worked on it a little each night and a lot on Sunday after the cleaning is done.  I do believe this one will be framed (by me, of course) and hung up on my wall.  I recently realized I haven't "finished" anything  and hung it on the wall to show off in years.  When I say years, I mean it.  I do believe that last finished piece proudly shown off was when I was married the first time and he still has it, by the way, as it was a gift for him.  We've been divorced over 15 years now so that tells you how long it's been.  lol

Well the animals are getting restless so I'd better just bite the bullet and get to that spring cleaning.  I'm giving myself a little credit for having already starting it as yesterday we tore down the slide (of what was left of the old swingset) and hauled it out to the road.  A word to the wise, for those of you that are thinking of purchasing the really nice and somewhat expensive wooden swing/play sets for your children; be sure to constantly check for water damage.  Once it gets in to any portion you need to basically cut it out, repair and probably even get some type of water protection (like what you can do to your wooden fence or porch).  One of the steps of the ladder broke off and before we knew what had happened the whole part that had the swings just started to rot right before our eyes.  It didn't take long for the bees/wasps to then make a nest inside of the other wood and that only helped to make it rot that much faster.  We had that for a total of five years and the rotting started on the one side within two years.  We just noticed the slide side had started the last time we let Logan climb it and now it's just been hauled to the dump.  They are a great investment for your children but like everything else, a work in progress from the time you build it until you have to tear it down.

Okay, they are now getting so loud in here I can't hear myself think so that is my clue to get the hell out of dodge, I mean to get in there to make sure they don't kill each other. lol  Hope everyone is having a great end of the week and it continues into a great weekend.