Mothers Day

Mothers' Day began with my two little blessings jumping on the bed and wishing me a happy Mothers' Day.  Gifts were even dragged into the bed to immediately open.  I opened the handmade ones from school and the sitter.  Simon painted a flower pot for me, and made paper flower chore coupons.  I will enjoy his offers of raking leaves, cleaning the bathroom, doing dishes, doing laundry, and making breakfast.  Norah gave a little jar she decorated filled with fake flowers.  She also made a picture frame with crayons glued around the edges and a picture of her, with a fake flower poking through her hand.  It looks like she is really holding the flower!  So precious.

Then, I opened my gifts that Eric helped them pick out.  Norah ALWAYS wants to give me a pretty necklace for ANY gift.  So, I got another wonderful necklace and earring set. This one is silver, so I am able to wear it with anything.  I love it.  I also received some summer dishes.  Fun plastic plates, cups, and a tray to enjoy lunching and dining on the porch and for simple clean up.  

We made it to church, on time even!  It was a lovely service.  The songs and music were especially pretty and the message was touching.  And then we were off to the Art Institute of Chicago!  Simon is doing a country research project on France for his class.  We have been looking at library books on Monet, Renoir, and Seurat.  I made a comment that I would love to see his face when looking at these paintings for real in the museum.  So we went.  Saturday night, Simon declared what he wanted to do for his birthday.  He stated that he wanted to go to the Art Institute of Chicago, because a book showed a painting that was there.  I firmly told him "no".  When he asked why, I told him we were going the next day.  This was the first major museum trip with the kids, and they did great.  We enjoyed the Picasso show, the French Impressionist paintings, and the Miniature Rooms in the lower level.  Norah loved all the tiny rooms, she was so excited.

While entering the Art Institute off of Michigan Avenue is an incredible experience with the stairs and the lions, we entered through the new modern wing that has a bridge to connect with Millenium Park.  So convenient.  That is where we took this picture, at the "bean".  

We enjoyed a late lunch at 11 City Diner and then headed home, which ended up being over an hour long traffic filled ride.  Norah napped in the car and continued her nap on the couch, over 2 hours.  She was tuckered out.  Simon worked  a bit on his France project, and we ended the evening watching a few episodes of the Muppets show.  A very fun day. I love spending time with my two very special children. 

Ironically, Norah asked me last night so very sweetly:
"Mommy, did you wish for me?"

I scooped her up, whispered in her ear, "Yes, I absolutely wished for you."  And gingerly kissed her on her sweet cheek.

Today I told her that not only did I wish for her, but I prayed for her and God gave her to me!

Crochet Project Clean Water

I have signed on to plan and coordinate the missions portion of VBS this year.  I actually loved doing this last year, and am looking forward to working in this area again.  I just may have found my VBS niche.  Some of you know, I layer with meaning.  I put as much thought as possible into most things that I do and give, and I usually pour my heart and soul into all that I do.  Or so I attempt.

This year's mission project is Project Clean Water; providing water filters to children, families, and communities in Cambodia, Haiti, and rural China.  More information here.

In planning for Missions, I design and set up a display in the Narthex.  This increases awareness, educates, and displays daily totals of the offering.  I write up a blurb and add a daily total to send home in the take home bags.  I also like to include a take home item or activity each day.  Of course, budget friendly and spending as little money as possible.  It seems silly to spend money for giving money.

As a child, I loved those rubber oval shaped wallets with a slit down the middle.  You squeezed them to open them up and they were perfect for coins.  I did a search to see the cost of buying in bulk, and it is just too expensive.  Sooooo, of course I popped over to Ravelry and searched for a free pattern for a coin purse.  I found the Hundred Yen Pouch, crocheted in 13 rounds.  Remember my Lenten Project?  Well, it is done.  (AND before you ask for a photo, today is the warmest and sunniest and driest day I have had to take outdoor pictures of a knitted afghan/shawl.)  Well, I have quite a bit of left-over yarn.  And a purpose now to use it, how exciting!  I will be making, and maybe enlisting other church member crocheters, 200 of these:

Why 200? We usually have 200 children in our VBS.  These will go home in Monday's take home bag for them to use to carry their offering throughout the week.  

One down, 199 to go.  My new crochet project, for Project Clean Water.

Hundred Yen Pouch

Materials:

•   About 20 yards (not sure on this) worsted weight yarn

•   H (5 mm) hook

(US pattern conventions used.)

Note: do not join rounds unless indicated.

Rnd 1: Ch 2, make 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6 sc)

Rnd 2: [Sc inc] around. (12 sc)

Rnd 3: [Sc, sc inc] around. (18 sc)

Rnd 4: [Sc 2, sc inc] around. (24 sc)

Rnd 5: [Sc 3, sc inc] around. (30 sc)

Rnd 6: [Sc 4, sc inc] around. (36 sc)

Rnds 7-8: Sc around. (36 sc)

Rnd 9: [Sc 4, sc dec] around. (30 sc)

Rnds 10-11: Sc around. (30 sc)

Rnd 12: Sl st. Ch 2, dc in same sc, dc in next st. [Ch 1, sk 1 st, dc in next st] around. (30 sts) Join. 

Rnd 13: Ch 1, sc in each dc and ch-sp around. (30 sts). Join, finish off and weave in ends.

I am still figuring out Round 12, so that there are an even number of CH-1 spaces/eyelets for weaving the drawstring.

For the drawstring,  I chained 30 stitches.  Weaved through eyelets, twisted once (like the first step in tying your shoe), then tied the ends of the strings together.  This way it cinches shut but the drawstring does not pull out.  With 200 children, I need ease of use and prevention of loss.

(variation of drawstring on Ravelry)

Soggy

We are drying out nicely.  I squeegeed the basement a few times, pushing the water to the drain.  A fan is blowing to help with the drying.  The dehumidifier is running to help with the moisture in the air.  We are now the owners of 2 small pool pumps for the window wells to help pump out the water BEFORE it reaches the level it pours into the depths of the basement.

This area we have NEVER had water. 

 

You can't see the window just past the doorway and just after the washer and dryer.  The window wells fill with water and then pour in, typically, during heavy rainstorms when the ground is saturated.  The cement floor is nicely pitched and the water runs straight to the drain.  The drain is pretty much right where I am standing to take the picture.  See the squeegee leaning against the washer, that was my friend today.

 The culprit, one of the 2 troublesome window wells.  With one of our new promising pool pumps.  

The elementary schools in my district closed today, but the middle school was open.  All are closed tomorrow due to flooding, intermittent power, and no phone service.  Not really a good situation.  I was supposed to drive here for a meeting this morning.  But grateful that I did not.  Many people are soggy!

Villa Park in the news

Another Day

Here's a recap:

I was up all night helping my very sick little boy, his last stomach wringing was at 1:00 a.m.  Then Eric left help his Mom with her horrible water, after she called at 3:00 a.m.  Norah crawled into bed with me, at 4:00 a.m. Then I got up to deal with more than usual water in our basement at 5:00 a.m. Eric could barely drive the 1 mile back home due to road conditions; he described one road as a river. Long night, long day ahead. And I am not sure when my day started?

Norah's preschool closed due to weather and road conditions.  Simon's district closed today as well.  I am waiting to hear about my district.  I usually do not work on Thursday mornings, but I switched my mornings this week to be able to meet with the other SLP's in the district.  However, all surrounding schools and districts closed around the school where I am supposed to meet.  It resides in a low-lying area that often floods.  I am sure the road is closed, due to flooding, to get there.  Plus, the buses that drive students to schools parks in Villa Park, where schools have closed and flooding exists. So if my crazy district decides to have school, I may just stay home!

Eric's Mom lives 1 mile away and she has 5 inches of water in her garage and 1 inch in her ground level  first basement, with water going down her stairs to the basement.

We have more water than usual and in different places in the basement.  We have moved some things, rolled the carpet up and it's resting in the garage. Final resting place yet to be determined - the curb on Monday or dry time outside to return to the basement.  I'm sure more basement work will happen.    Reports of 4-5 inches of water already, and each storm cell could rain 1 inch per storm.  I'm just praying that power stays on so our sump pump keeps working. And that Norah does not get SImon's icky-sickies.

The radar from Texas and the Gulf is quite impressive, sure is wreaking havoc in a lot of places. A lot of people will be in need of help.

All In A Day

I wake up.
A few minutes to snuggle with my honey and cuddle my little girl.
Shower and get dressed.
Eat a bowl of cereal with Norah at 6:30 a.m.
Finish getting ready in the bathroom.
Head off to work.
Work all day, watching the pouring rain and the gloomy gray skies ALL DAY!
Pick up my Norah.
Come home.
Hear about Simon's early dismissal, lunch out, and afternoon with Grandma.
They both LOVE that time together.
Lazy late afternoon watching t.v. and getting dinner ready, with the thunder and pouring rain.
Tell Simon how proud we are of him; another wonderful report card!
Eric home later than expected due to a longer commute from a meeting.  Power out at stoplights.
Simon acts all mopey sitting down to dinner.
Eats some.
Has a bad headache.
Decides to take a warm bath.
Gets out and puts on pajamas before 7:00 p.m.
Crawls into his bed.
Acts really not well, answers yes to wanting a bowl, for "just in case".
I bring him a bowl.
His dinner decides to leave his body right as I give him his bowl.
I proceed to switch beds, so Norah sleeps on the upper bed and he sleeps on the lower bed.
I go down the basement to get new batteries because the thermometer is not working.
Discover water all over the basement.
(This is a usual happening in our unfinished basement.  The window wells fill up and when it rains hard and fast, the rain pours down the windows.  And we have a crack in the basement that has a leak that runs straight to the drain in the basement. We'll be wet down there for a number of days I predict.)
Start the laundry that needs to be washed due to the water in the basement.
Continue changing the beds.
Rubbing Simon's back again.
Never did take his temperature.
Discussing with Eric who should stay home tomorrow.
(Because of course, it IS my day off, BUT I switched half-days to meet with the other SLP's in the district. We RARELY get to meet together, so while it's not an IEP or testing or seeing students, it's still hard to miss.)
And washing his bowl.
Every 20 minutes.
He is asleep on the bathroom floor.
Doesn't even make it to the toilet, just uses the bowl.
I believe his stomach should be empty by now.
I continue to get Norah to put her things away, jammies on, and up to bed in Simon's bed.
We listen to "Ferdinand the Bull" set to classical music.  A lovely time.
But clean a bowl in the middle.
She falls asleep at the end, she is tuckered out from playing her heart out.
I feel for him, I hate the throwing up that comes with no contents in the tummy.
Now to work on the laundry and watch out for him.
Tomorrow is supposed to have severe thunderstorms and rain all day.
Poor lil' guy, a stormy night ahead followed by a gloomy day.
Let the thunder begin . . .
Let's just hope it doesn't wake up the little girl, she is terrified of thunder.
It could be a long night of comforting children.

Spring Planting

Norah is most ecstatic in receiving her very own garden.  I have had this bin in the "back yard" since we have lived in this house.  Usually extra annuals get planted there or it becomes a kitchen garden, with lettuces and herbs.  It's quite shady back there and just sort of hodge podge.

Norah digs constantly for worms, planting seeds, finding wintered-over onions.  She keeps telling me "but it wasn't in THE garden".  Shen means my fenced in vegetable garden.  I am a bit tired of her digging in my perennials, and picking my spring bulbs thinking they are onions.   She was given her garden today.

She went to work right away.  We now have plenty of onions and wild flower seeds planted in the bin. We shall see what grows.  At least she has something to take care of in the dirt.  Now, just to find her a place to dig for worms.  Hmmm . . . .

Part Time For a Reason

Today is one of the reasons that I love working part time.  I am helping out in Norah's preschool classroom.  My job will be to use a hot-glue gun to help with some boat project.  I'm not exactly sure, but I know that I will be busy.  I love the projects this preschool class makes.  They collected shoe boxes, and turned them into guitars with paint sticks and rubber bands.  Norah collected jar lids, for a gear project.  They collect large laundry soap containers and other recyclables for a reason not yet discovered.  Moving to this preschool was the best decision ever! Her preschool teachers run a well-managed classroom and always keep their Mom helpers hopping.

Norah loves the idea of me coming to help today.  I am so thankful that I am able to help out at times and I get to be home sometimes.  She loves her "Mommy Days". The school year is always jam-packed for me, and I have tons to do.  My mind is often filled with responsibility and challenges, and I find myself juggling lots of hats. And I am not always a very good juggler.  I feel stretched thin and wanting to always do more in every area (home, Mothering, work, church, PTA, school volunteering).  Week after week I feel tired and so busy - working outside of the home half-time.  Then, looking at the calendar and counting my days, it looks so little.  I could not imagine working full time!

A good morning to be had for sure.  Preschool is such a happy place; she only has a short time left.

On Edge

Some of my readers may remember my Lenten project.  Well, I have finally made it to the edge!  All six strips have been knitted and slip stitched-crochet style together.  I have had somewhat of an ordeal with the border.  I kept getting an undesirable warped edge, where the blanket did not lie flat or square.  I think it was because all the strips are probably not exactly the same size.  I do careful work, but I am not EXACT.  Also, the blanket is big, knit, and well, it just stretches.

After several attempts, I figured out my border.  The first round ended up being a  green single crochet.  The second round was an extended single crochet in two stitches, skip the third.  Corners consistently were 1 stitch in the corner, chain two, and another stitch in the same corner space.  The third round I had wanted to do this awesome new border I discovered that looks like a braid.  Only I adapted it to a twist using red and blue.  I figured out the twist and was on my way, until my two yarns became completely twisted, the blanket was totally warped, and then way too hole-y.  I tried skipping stitches, chaining more or less between stitches, and different sized hooks.  I don't give up easily, but I gave up.   In the end, I chose a reverse single crochet using red and blue yarn, with a size K.  A very large hook. This way, 1 reverse single crochet and then skip the next stitch worked well.  This gave the blanket a twisted look with sort of a corded texture.  Overall I am happy with all rounds of the border.  

I am still on the edge, so my final opinion is yet to be. e So . . . very . . . close!  It's similar to reading the last 10 pages of the best book you've ever read.  You cannot wait to find out how it ends, but don't really want it to end.

Simon is pleased and likes the blanket; he has taken an interest in my progress.  Norah declared with surprise "I didn't know Mommy's blanket was so big".  She saw me knitting away, for a very long time.  I suppose she just thought I was always on the same strip!  Six strips, eight squares each.  It took me 2+ hours to complete one colored square.  Then I joined the strips.  The borders came next.  Once I am off the edge, hiding the loose yarn tails on the back is the only task left.  I know there is a way to seamlessly knit different pieces together.  I ended up slip stitching the strips together as I think that makes a stronger join.  A ridge is visibly present on the back, but that is okay with me.  This blanket will get washed a ton.

Norah's Prayer

Now I lay me down to sleep.
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
Angels guide me through the night.
And wake me with the morning light.

Dear God,
Thank you for this beautiful day.
I love you because of the fun for tomorrow.
I'm sorry for not listening and for not being good.
Please help you to love me.

Amen

My heart hurt a little that she thinks she is not good.  She has been tough lately; not always using nice words, having no filter on her mouth, and saying exactly what she thinks.  Add into that her fierce independence and a desire to keep up with her brother.  She is reprimanded or corrected a lot, and today she knew it.  The fun for tomorrow is because tomorrow is a "Mommy Day", and not a sitter day.  She looked at me as she said "Please help you to love me".  Not sure if you=Mommy or if you=God.  All I do know is that I tell both of my kids that I love them more than once every day.

I am really grateful this evening we had cuddle and giggle time on the couch when I came home from work.  Simon went to play basketball with a boy down the street, this is really good for him.  We recently had another round of discussions about friendships.  Norah and I had fun coloring together after dinner.  Overall, a really good evening.

Decadence

Cupcakes, fresh from the oven.  THESE are not just any ordinary cupcakes.  THESE are a recipe from America's Test Kitchen, seriously the very best cooking show ever.  I love it, PBS does not disappoint and any recipe I have ever tried has always worked out exactly as stated. There may be a few more ingredients than what seems necessary and always a few more steps than one could envision; BUT, the end result is totally worth it.  All the time.  Check it out, A.T.K. is awesome.

Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Filling with Mocha Frosting: frosting to be made and added later.  The only downside, if there can be one with A.T.K., is that my yield is exactly one dozen - just as predicted.  I absolutely have to wait until Easter to try one of these decadent desserts.  No sampling allowed. That is if there is enough left for me; I'll be happy if I get just a bite.

Recipe found here.