January Projects

Sorry I haven't posted anything in a while. I think after everything in December and our huge school break, I just needed a break from everything except the "must do's." Homeschooling is back in full swing. We read "Romeo and Juliet" this week. So very tragic! Explaining it to my daughter and discussing it with her ever since we read it, also hard. She has a lot of questions and its a hard subject to talk about, but we forge forward.

So, what has been going on this month? Mom, Dad, MyGirl, and I all went to the largest scrapbook store in the Springs. Fun! Mom and I were each given a piece of fabric (mine is the sun, moon, and star batik, on an orangey background) at the quilt guild we belong to, and given both a color and project assignment due in May. My color assignment is analogous and the projects have to be smaller than 45" square. So I shopped for different yellows and then found this hot pink, which works with the pinkish orange that is part of the orangey batik. I think I'm going to use these fat quarters to make a log cabin something. . . still working on that, but getting ready to cut it all out this week, so I need to make that decision soon.

A week ago Saturday I went to meet with the CTMH and other company's scrapbooking ladies in town for their marathon crop. It started at 10 am and went to midnight. I was home by 5pm, but that is still a really long time. I don't like crops, in general, because of all the stuff I want to haul, but since I was focusing on LittleBuddy's scrapbook, and keeping it simple, it wasn't too bad. I focused on just creating pages and putting the pictures in, with minimal embellishments, then came home and did journaling and little more embellishing where needed. I got 21 pages done in that time. Not really great for me, but we spent about an hour all eating lunch and talking, which was fun too. Two of the ladies are retired military, one was a Marine and the other an Army medic. One of the ladies is a native of this small town, and had stories to tell about the history which was interesting. There were only a dozen of us there, so its been fun to get to know them. Two of them are going to come over this Friday night so I can show them some scrapbooking techniques and how to make pages with hidden photos. More fun.

These photos are all four years behind. So sad that Little Buddy's book has been so neglected. You know why I had to wait and do the journaling? Because I had to bring it home and look in my big album to remember what were the important details I didn't want to forget. That's why I like to stay on top of my books, it sure makes it easier when I do the kid's books.

I forgot to mention that MyMike has been working 60 hour weeks all of Jan. So hard, but the other guys on his team have gotten behind and their big project is due to the customer in April, so basically he's babysitting and checking that everything they do works. He's even had to work two Saturdays so far, and was home the day I was gone, which made me feel badly, but I had committed to coming before I knew his schedule. He was busy though, doing all his little projects and when I got home and made Shrimp Scampi he was happy. He'll be ready for some motorcycle riding again. We didn't get enough of that in last year.

Did I mention Little Buddy is growing still? He's started to come home and want meals, not just a couple of cookies for an afterschool snack. I found one leftover from when BigBuddy was here, because I'm not usually ready to make dinner at 3pm. However, I've started saving leftovers for him, and fortunately, he's not that picky. He went on another cold campout on Friday, and was warmer than before, but just as tired. Watching the Deacon's pass the Sacrament today was a little comical. They all looked like they could have slept in til noon if we hadn't had church. As it was, he came home Sat. at 3, showered, ate, put his gear away, and was asleep by 6pm for the night. So, technically he did get 13 hours of sleep, but that was barely enough to make up for the 4 1/2 hours he got the night before.

I rearranged the mantle. I placed the Willow Tree statues there, and got another one this month, the brother and sister. Now all my children are represented. There also was an accident with the largest one. A member of my family accidentally knocked it over where it had been in the dining room, and the whole back broke. I was so sad, but since the front looked perfect, placing it here you just can't tell, and so I'm happy it was saved. Honestly, if it hadn't been, I would have just bought myself an exact replica, I love it that much.

So, now the dining room credenza is simpler and I like it that way just fine.

I also went over to our photographer's house this month and we went through some of the pictures she took. This one is not one that I'll have blown up large, but I sure do love it. I love each of their smiles, but the way LittleBuddy looks is just priceless, like it was just so funny he couldn't help himself. Kids are cute, no matter their age.  Finished up the December album, and put this photo in it. I love when photography captures an unexpected moment just like this and I sure love these kiddos. Glad to have Cowgirl coming back to visit again this week. Love that many college courses are online these days and going on vacation for a week doesn't necessarily have to mean missing school. Sweet!

And, one more really wonderful thing happened this month. MyGirl earned her YW Medallion for completing the Personal Progress program. She had gotten a good start on it before we moved, and only had 2 projects and 7 value experiences left to complete, so in the past six months she really put her mind to finishing, and she did it. Sadly, she won't let me take a picture of her wearing it, but she got the silver one and its beautiful on her. Hard to believe she graduates from YW soon. This Saturday we go to a brunch for all the girls moving up this year. My babies are growing up way too quickly!!!