rolling around in my brain

My kids are running around playing tickle monster. Which apparently is a game? Or I think maybe they just made it up. My oldest told everyone that they had to pretend to be sleeping (she was the tickle monster) because if people were awake when the tickle monster showed up the parents would probably kill it . . OR put it in the zoo.

I chuckled at that.

Lately, after dinner, I have taken that time to run through math facts with my 3rd and 1st grader. Since it is in addition to homework, I try not to do it right after they get their homework done. I try to give them a few hours of a break. It's been working fabulously--they haven't complained once. But right now they are PLAYING the kind of playing that they will reminisce about as Adults.

But they need to work on math facts. The 1st grader is getting a C in math. BOOO. And I see why on her homework. It's not that she doesn't get the concept. It's that she gets distracted. She'll write a 6 when the answer is 16, because she didn't complete it. On occasion she'll add instead of subtract. She usually gets the answers right if she actually finishes the problem. As she has been randomly saying lately---oi.

I made it to the gym today. Which was good since I took a little break due to runny nosed children that are not welcome in their daycare. It felt good at first. Then I came home and cleaned a few rooms. Really cleaned them. It looked nice. Then I took a bath at 2:00, that was nice too since me muscle be hurting. But then I crashed. I called my friend to pick up the girls at the bus stop, and I crashed on the couch. But not a good nap, the kind that gets interrupted every two seconds with someone trying to sit on me, or asking for a snack, then later a drink of water. So then when I gave up and got up--I was grumpy. And I snapped, multiple times. In fact I told Josie that if she didn't like what I made for dinner she could eat dirt. And I wasn't joking. She didn't really eat it, but she didn't complain. They can see the crazy in my eyes when it shows up.

I looked for more schools today. Still didn't find anything. I really need to just resign myself to staying where we are. I think the problem is more with me. I want to be the mom that loves the creativity that some schools offer. But really I'm the one that puts achievement scores as first on my list of criteria. My friends told me I'm crazy. And they are right. But I don't know how to not be crazy.

Beck started sucking his thumb. He's 2. That is when Josie started, when she saw her new baby sister sucking her thumb and a light bulb went off. Ugh. So now I bought some nasty nail polish to nip that in the bud (is it butt or bud?--please advise). We shall see how that goes.

Oh--update on Hyrum's work. Apparently when I posted that we had a little miscommunication. The first time I talked to him he said that his supervisor said, "I need to talk to you later" but then later when I followed up with him he corrected me and told me that he said, "talk to you later" as in--later dude. Ugh. Anyhow, he ACTUALLY talked to him today and he said that there is a chance he'll be hired, but he has to interview because there are others up for the position. I think he'll get it, because he's good at what he does. But now we just have to hold out for him to pass the boards in 2 weeks.

WAiting, always waiting. That seems like my life. And his--since they are connected.

Alrighty--kids are done with tickle monster, and are finishing their adventure of boating (apparently my freshly made bed makes for a great boat).

Since I"m on the subject--does anyone know of any online places that makes Math fun? or any things like speak and math (that's what i had when I was young and I loved it)

Got it right

I love this new parody the "Keep Calm and Carry On" posters that are so popular. Buy one HERE.

No Kid-ing

Guess what I do when two kids are at school, one is down for a nap and the other at a friend's house.

What I've always wanted to do:

I starched Fabric to the wall. I learned how to do that HERE.

My laundry room is BORING. I want to paint it. But that costs money. So today I gave it a little flavor.

I used fabric I had in a box. I freehanded the heart (as you can tell). Then I attempted to do a font on my computer but I couldn't find what i wanted. So get this--I drew letters myself. If you know me at all--you know that is not my talent nor do I possess that skill. But apparently I can--if I use a ruler.

Then I pinned the paper onto the fabric.



Then I just cut the paper and fabric at the same time--worked out well.

Then I taped it to the wall to check for positioning.



Then I whipped up my starch. I halved her recipe. But really you should quarter it--because it makes a lot. So do this:

1 Tablespoon Corn Starch
2 Tablespoons Cold Water
1 C. Boiling Water

Then I just followed the rest of her tutorial. Then I took a picture for my picture a day. And here she is:



and what can i say but . . . LOVE IT.

You should try this--and if you do--show me.

MORE!

More FREE Valentines stuff. Get this one HERE.



And there are some other SUPER cute ones HERE.

More Valentine Love

Ok, I totally want to do THIS.



I found it linked from THIS GIRL's BLOG. She is super cool and has tons of super cool stuff. And on it she links to other stuff as well.

Free Valentines

Go HERE for free Valentines Printables.

Um. Please

Dear Fashion Fairy--please leave these in my closet for when I wake up.

I promise I won't peek.

You could also drop one of these dresses to go with.

And maybe a cute gold cardigan to add a pop of color?

PBS does it again

Is anyone watching Downton Abbey on PBS? It's fantastic. It is on Sunday nights. You've missed the first two episodes but you can watch them HERE.

If you love the BBC Pride and Prejudice, or any of the other shows that are similar, you will like this one.

Do it, it will suck you in.

A craft Valentines?

So something has changed and I've become a crafter. Don't know how--but it is what it is.

So, for Valentines Day I'm trying to do a crafty thing for the school Valentine instead of Candy.

Last year I did THIS




Well I was thinking of maybe tweaking this idea I did for Annabelle's birthday. I just realized I never did the tutorial. So here is a quick one. Buy the stuff in this first picture. Find a flower template and cut flowers out. Then button looking things are Scrapbook brads I got at Hobby Lobby. Then poke the brads through the center of two layered flowers. Then use felt glue to glue it on to a clip. You also need a little rectangle strip of felt to go inside the clip so the flowers glue to the clip and the felt, so the glue doesn't drip in between and make the clip stick. Does that make sense? Anyhow--I thought about doing this but with hearts instead of flowers. And possibly using THIS and maybe stiffening some cute fabric to pair with a felt heart.





Then I need something for the boys--last year the boys just got candy.

But then I saw THIS tutorial. And thought it would be fun to do a heart shaped blog of playdough, or just a blob, but red and glittery.



So that is what I have so far. Does anyone have any other great ideas? I want to get started. Link me if you do.

Valentines Download

My friend Ashley tipped me off to this one.

It's a goodie.

Go Check it out HERE.

Alcohol of sorts

I want a beer.

I don't drink, never have, never will. But I get why people do. I also get why people become addicts. Because just when you think you can't take it anymore you can take something--alcohol--pills and just for the moment things get better.

Then once you see that it is that easy, you just turn to that instead of dealing with what's in front of you. Like two kids crying a super whiny cry--for no good reason. And them both trying to sit on your lap while knocking the other one off. Then them fighting over who gets to put their hand in the cereal box. And each stealing the other's toy just to tease, which ensues more crying. That super whiny, fake, tattling cry. And also, when the only thing that makes them stop for a short while is listening to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for the trillionth time. But then one shuts it off just to make the other cry. And then they both WONT STOP TOUCHING YOU.

And when you volunteer in your kid's classroom and grade worksheets and realize that your kid is not really measuring up. Not the worst kid, but not close to the best. And you realize that some of that is your fault. A lot of it is, because you don't like to drill your kids on things like math facts, and to ask comprehension questions at the end of books. And you realize that that is not the only kid you've failed. You're 0 for 2 in the supportive academic mom department. And you realize that you have to change things--which will make them whine, which makes you want that beer again.

And then your husband tells you that his supervisor wants to "talk to him." Which you know means either "you are fantastic we want to keep you on as a nurse and pay you a nice wage", or it means "we really aren't hiring now because of this here recession thing--good luck with that". The suspension is KILLING ME. Which heightens my senses and makes the above whining even more unbearable than usual.

And then there's so much crap in your closet that it makes you want to go naked instead of heading in there to get dressed. UGH, shoes all of the floor, a box of c.d.'s that was put in there months ago--that I don't even miss, and yet I feel the need to go through, a pile of fabric I will never sew with because I hate to sew, and a sewing machine that is broken--so I couldn't sew if I wanted to. And the old computer that is broken that you don't know where to put it because it might have some secret info on it that needs to be cleaned off. And don't forget the giant box of playdough purchased a year ago at Christmas--it belongs in there . . . right?

Did I mention the load of laundry looking at me? Dumb laundry. Like the giant quilt I have to wash because Beck was gagging himself for fun last night. The parenting technique I oft turn to (ignoring) backfired on me--and he barfed. Just on a small corner of it. But it has that retched stomach bile smell. So the whole GIANT thing has to be washed. And it wasn't on my list of laundry today that i have to do between 9 and 5 because I'm on the SRP savings plan--which only saves me about $20 each year--what am I doing that for again? .. . and what was I talking about? . . oh yeah---beer.

So I get it.

So I blog, instead of beer, instead of pills, instead of locking the kids in and running away.

Ah--I'm feeling the buzz.

The Quilter not in me.

Would someone do this? Someone I know who would do this stuff for me (ahem . . Lindsay). I would trade for cool stuff. Why can't I like to sew? I hate it. For reals. Hate it. But I come up with sewing projects all the time. I do them once a year when I convince myself I don't hate it, and then I do it and remember I hate it, then I ditch my machine in the back of the closet until I forget again. It's kind of like getting pregnant-you know how you forget?

Anyhow. Check this out HERE. And follow her blog. She is one of the coolest people I don't know.

Psuedo Card

For New Years. This is the card I considered sending out instead of my Christmas one. A super rough version. I would have re-done a picture of course with all of the kids and IBC root beer. But this will suffice to get my point across. I actually made a big one, but blogger is hating me right now and won't work. You'll have to click on it to make it a bit bigger.

Some Kate

You jerks. How come not one of you told me about Kate NASh. Shame on you. You know I love Lily Allen (but can't listen to most of her music due to offensive lyrics). Kate has that same voice, but with different music. Fun, and clever. Some of her music is off limits, but she has enough child ear worthy stuff to make a playlist.

Check her: