Two A Month!

Oh, and I forgot about this project! I'll have to make two each month to make it to Advent devotions this year.  The pattern is completely free on Ravelry, and I am predicting I have enough yarn on hand to make it!

Six Months for Others, Now Time for Me

After six months of volunteer crafting, I am ready to craft for me!  This year, so far, has been spent knitting the afghan for the women's hospital in Africa.   Just after that completion, I started crocheting the offering coin pouches.  Of course I have snuck in smaller projects that were quick.   I am now ready to craft for me or my kids.  I took about 2-3 days off of NOT touching yarn.  I am ready to go again.

Projects in the line up:
1.  Continue knitting a 2-colored scarf on the bias,  ribbon and super soft yarn purchased from the best yarn shop ever in MN, pattern included.

2.  Start knitting (again) a linen stitch scarf, purchased with super soft and brightly colored yarn purchased from another yarn shop in MN

3.  Continue sewing and crocheting my crochet-fusion blanket for my girly.  Project started from the influence of my Aunt Cindy!  I believe I have 2 strips completed.

4.  Decide on colors and start crocheting a Lego blanket for my boy.

5.  Continue crocheting a tea set for my Lil' Miss.

6.  Use some bulky yarn to make gifts for random people at holiday time.  What's nice about teachers, is you get new ones each year so similar gifts can be remade but given for the first time!

As you can see, I have enough to keep me busy as a bee, for me!!!!  Of course I can always sneak in other unplanned projects on the whimsy of an idea.  That's how it goes and sews!

Pitch

A highlight of baseball games for Norah is to play at the nearby playground.  I don't always like to, because then I am away from the game.  On Wednesday was such the occasion, and Norah went to the playground with some of the other girls and parent.  I went to join them after a bit.  On our walk back to the game a lady asked us if by chance we had seen a Mother Duck anywhere.   It's not everyday you hear that question.  She was holding a baby duckling, who happened to waddle right up to her and seemed to follow her.  She was concerned for it, and could not bring it to the forest preserve because she had to work the next day.

Now I was completely available the next day, however; I was going to be car-less the next day due to car repairs.  But I didn't let that stop me!    I decided that we had to take the duckling.  I figured we would drive Eric to work, take the duckling to the forest preserve that takes orphaned or injured animals, then return the car.  We named it Pitch.

The kids loved having a duckling overnight, they wanted it to sleep in their room; it did not.  We only gave it water.  Norah set up the bin with her doll blanket and stuffed goose.  The duckling actually climbed all over and snuggled next to the stuffed goose.  When we turned the light off and took the goose out for night, did Pitch ever squawk.  So, the light stayed on and the goose stayed in.

Eric joined us for the morning. We brought the duckling to our sitter early in the morning to show Norah's friends the duckling.  And then we took the duckling to it's new home at the forest preserve.  Norah was quite sad to say good-bye.  We learned that it would take 60 days before Pitch could be released to a natural setting.  Pitch will be taken to a forest preserve with lots of water when he/she is ready along with other ducklings.

At random times throughout the day Norah stated that she really missed Pitch.

I believe this will be a summer highlight not forgotten.

TWO HUNDRED SIX!!!!

Done!

206 offering coin pouches have been made and delivered to church (In the locked VBS cabinet).  Waiting, for Monday, to be distributed in the take home bags for all the children attending Kingdom Rock VBS.  I cannot wait to see how the children will use and enjoy them throughout the week.  A variety of colors were made, plus I put a name tag in each one to reduce the risk of loss or difficult identification.

I am glad that I had help with 80-90 of them.  I COULD NOT have finished without the help of my fellow crocheters.  I really enjoyed making all of them; except the last 20-25 were a mountain to climb.

Since one crocheter delivered her batch of 20 to church, pictured are 185 plus the offering basket to match.

Whew, and double whew that they are done before June 24th!  I hope to remember to pray over them on Monday so that God will bless the giving.

Simon and Norah are into this year's mission because they have seen me make so many pouches and now the posters.  Simon asked what our goal would be.  I said that I would love for every child to give from their heart.

VBS Missions is almost ready to go.  I just have to finish attaching some photos to poster board and paint a castle.  Kingdom Rock is looking to be a blast.

W.W.W.W.W.

Now, all we have to do is Watch, Water, Weed, Wrap, and Whisper to our garden.  I love the full-of-hope feeling after planting our vegetable garden.   This year, Norah and Simon helped decide what to plant, map it out, and shop for the plants.  I had some helpers in the planting process.  My garden soil is the best it has ever been, thanks to 3 big barrels of wonderful compost tilled into the clay clumps.  This year I discovered how lovely it is to buy the lettuces already started rather than from seeds.  They pull apart into several plants.  I have never had good luck with getting lettuces and spinach from seeds. Here is what will hopefully grow for us to harvest and eat:

green onions
red onions
cilantro
basil
mini-basil
oregano
curly parsley
Italian flat leaf parsley
chives (after transplanting from kitchen window sill)
dill
red leaf lettuce
spinach
arugula
swiss chard
green beans
sugar snap peas (climbers, trellis yet to be purchased and plants wrapped onto after growth)
cucumbers (climbers wrapped on trellis against fence)
pickles (climbers wrapped on trellis against fence)
green and yellow zucchini (climbers wrapped on trellis against fence)
roma tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
carrots
celery (after transplanting from our grocery store cutting that is sprouting)
strawberries
raspberries

The kids love the garden and all the activity it brings to our backyard.   I will enjoy this hopeful feeling, at least until the next round of weeding is needed!

Rainy Day Roo and a Little Boo Hoo

It's a good day to be a roo!  This Halloween costume is still used during dress up play.  I love that she still loves being a kangaroo.  I will be a bit sad when she grows so much this does not fit. She was a kangaroo for Halloween in 2011, when she was 3 years old.

Today is Simon's last day of 2nd grade.  The first and last days of school are always difficult days for Simon.  Last night he was a bit sad and scared for his last day; he is going to miss his class and his teacher.  He had a great teacher this year, and he loved school so much.  He NEVER complained about going.  I think classrooms become such neat little communities that work like a well-oiled machine.  Sometimes it almost like a little family.  They do spend a good amount of time together Monday through Friday.   He is happy for summer, but he's not all "school's out school's out teachers let the monkeys out" ecstatic.  He gets off the bus in about 20 minutes, I shall see how my brand new 3rd grade is handling the good-bye to 2nd grade.

It's cool and rainy, so not a good park or pool day.  It really does not feel like summer.  We wore jackets and cuddled under a blanket at yesterday's baseball game.  Not quite summer feeling yet.

End of School Years

It has been an intense end of school year this year.  Excitement has not barreled in yet.  My year ended with IEP's right up to my last minute of work.  The feeling when leaving was sort of anti-climactic.  Strange, for me.  Perhaps it has something to do with Simon still in school.  He is done this Thursday.

Norah finished before me.  I feel like I have been ending school years for about a month now.  It's a bit emotional and exhausting.  We said good-bye to preschool in high excitement. A bit of sadness for me, as early childhood is coming to an end.  Norah's Kindergarten year will be fun and exciting and I'll get half days with her.  After that, it is all day school and homework and reading and just different.  Norah's two very lovely preschool teachers have yet to receive their teacher gifts.  Just have to write the nice note and card.  Since Norah's preschool has a giant frog sign, and is affectionately referred to in our house as the "Frog Preschool", we found frog planters and chose a pretty plant to grow inside.

Since our sitter is fabulous and we get to take the summer off, hold our spot for next year part-time, and not pay extra - a small "Happy Summer" gift was in order.  We found a rain gauge yard decoration and a butterfly plant stick.  A lot of time is spent in their yard chasing butterflies and experiencing outdoor play.  No picture was taken.  Norah did stamp and decorate the sheets of paper for wrapping as well as colored the brown paper sandwich bag for the glass tube of the rain gauge.  Hope they feel appreciated!

Simon did not have great ideas for his teacher's end-of-year gift.  Simon grew leaps and bounds in his reading and his love of reading does not end, even at bedtime.  I like to make a handmade gift at the end of the year, but since I am making the VBS offering coin pouches, energy and time has been minimal.  Last night I scoured Ravelry for bookmark patterns, and found 3 adorable and easy bookmarks.  That, paired with a local used bookstore gift certificate, teacher gift is set.  She can pick out her own summer reading or boost her classroom library.  Whatever she wishes.

Just have to get Simon to write a card and a few things he likes about his teacher.  Never an easy task for my tight-lipped boy.  He likes facts, not the inferences.

Not one mug, smelly lotion, candle, chocolate, or apple this year!  Planters are common, but Norah was beyond ecstatic when she found them at "her" garden store (another local business).  Whew, I think maybe we did good.