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Showing posts from April, 2011

Packing Do's and Dont's

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The Mischievite is ready to go. (18 months) To my dear husband of ten years,  can I just take a few minutes to pin down some important do's and dont's for you during this packing period... please ? 1. I made these for a reason... please take advantage of them---(location is where you want the box to go when we unpack, if you are unsure, please just put what room you packed it with). 2. Don't mix and match. Stick to a room. Pack that room then move on. Please don't go searching for other things to fill the box unless it specifically applies to the box at hand . i.e. If you know that Vicbowin has books in the main room, that ought to be in her room, you can go get them. 3. Please fold all the clothes and linens before you put them in a box. 4. Towels are acceptable forms of padding, and the only thing rule #2 doesn't apply to. 5. Don't pack framed artwork unless you can ensure safe passage in the box. The best way to move them is to cut out a p

No Husbands Were Harmed in the Watching of this Wedding

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Via Cannwin's computer screen I watched the wedding. Admittedly I probably wouldn't have, but the Mischievite was beating me to a pulp with his feet and I couldn't sleep. Besides Ralexwin and I have so much in common with the couple I felt it appropriate. I mean, >she has brown hair and so do I. >She's got a sapphire on her left hand and my birth stone is sapphire. >Her new husband has a receding hairline and so does mine. >She wore white at her wedding and so did I. >I've been outside Buckingham Palace, so has she. Clearly kindred spirits. Stretching it? In  all honesty I'm a bit of a cynic about the whole thing. I'm not really convinced it's the grand love story everyone thinks it is. For instance, Prince William has opted NOT to wear a wedding ring. Really? Why not? It's too hard for a royal to wear jewels? He has too many and one little band is going to tip him over? The skeptic in me finds this suspicious. I gu

Yes I Can(nwin)!

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I saw this totally adorably blog post yesterday and thought I'd steal it. :) It's the list of things I can do (or can't). When I read the post I thought of a comment one of my bestest friends made when I told her I was making a quilt out of old Army uniforms. "You're like a pioneer!" Heh. Well, not quite. Things I can do, but would rather avoid at all costs. 1. I can drive across the country non-stop. I'm not convinced I could walk it, but given the right motivation (certain death if I don't) I'm sure I could try. 2. I can take my car into a man-zone when it needs it's oil changed, but I'd rather make someone else do it. 3. I can clean the toilet....(see title of list) 4. I can change a dirty diaper with only a little water and a paper towel. There are also those things that I just know I can't do: 1. I can't get the lug-nuts off a tire without bouncing up and down on the lug-nut remover thing. 2. I can&

So You Think You're Crafty: Interview

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As my last obligation to So You Think You're Crafty I participated in a nice little interview . Well, it probably was supposed to be a little interview, but it is me we're talking about. I have a tendency to go overboard with words. Anywho... go check it out  and be sure to comment so I feel loved. Now, as for how my day is going to go. We shall see. I haven't packed a box in several days and I'm starting to feel that shut down that comes when I'm overwhelmed. On top of everything that is planned for the last few days of living in South Dakota, I've also been asked to speak in church. I seriously considered saying no. Actually, I did say no... as it was my husband who asked me, but then, not to be deterred, the powers that be went around my husband and asked me AGAIN through another person who I just couldn't refuse and save face with. Motherhood So now, on the weekend that Ralexwin will be gone to play Army and I will have 2 days left to pac

Number Patterns

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In my profile (over on the sidebar) one of the things I say about myself is that I have a knack for number patterns. I thought that today I'd explain what that meant exactly. Well, besides the obvious. Ralexwin once told me that he couldn't believe that I struggled with math since I remembered numbers so well. It was probably one of the most flattering things he's ever said to me. I mean, I grew up in  an generation where it was believed that women were good at English and men were good at Math... so as a girl, I was told repeatedly that I couldn't be good at math. Having my husband say otherwise was like saying that it's okay for women to like Math, or better yet, that a woman could be good with numbers and still be feminine. It seems like a strange sentiment to be raised with, but that's how I grew up. Anyway, back to my point, so Ralexwin noticed that I had an ability to remember numbers. Phone numbers, addresses, pin numbers, account numbers, locker co

Pacifier Holder

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Who needs a hair-bow holder? What I need is a pacifier holder. Admit it, you've spent time under your babies crib, haven't you. Well, search no further, I have your solution. The Pacifier Holder.  Super easy to make,  super easy to use,  and  SUPER convenient.  Life just got easier ladies. Need I say more? (and because I'm a mom... I just have to share)
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 Baby gates and blankets, two of the most common items any young mother has in her house. Also two of the most worn out items in that same house. Before you decide to toss out that broken old baby-gate and soiled, torn up blanket why don't you consider upcycling them into the easiest pup-tent in existence. The Baby-Gate Tent. This project only required 4 screws and can be created using the most basic sewing (straight lines anyone?) As for how much the kids will like it? Well, I'll tell you... it took some real finesse on my part to get the tent away long enough to photograph it. Psst-- It's also super easy to move around.

So You Think You're Crafty: Lament

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30 votes just wasn't enough I suppose I'm required at this point to feel some sort of sorrow and regret for the way things turned out at SYTYC . Tradition states that when someone is rejected, in any manner, they should go back through what they have done and list all the ways they could have changed things to attain that which was denied. Well, I'm not feeling it. Is it cheesy to say that I had so much fun and I'm okay with not winning? I know you probably don't believe me, but it's true. I signed up for So You Think You're Crafty on a whim. I said to myself, "I bet I can hold on for a while in a competition like that. I bet I'm that good." This process has been a way for me to prove to MYSELF that I was good at what I did. And I totally feel that. My biggest fear had been to lose in the auditions or in the first two weeks. I told myself if I could get past those periods I'd be okay. Then as the competition went on and I saw

Good Friday

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My mom, my sister Emarfar, and myself with a bad haircut. Today is Good Friday. The day that we use to commemorate the crucifixion of Christ. Interestingly, my children do not have school today. Which, of course, means they woke up earlier than they do on a school day. So, my mother and I were talking about Easter the other night and we decided something. It is strange that we celebrate the birth of Christ on the same day every year and then celebrate his death on a rotating schedule. Do you know how we decide what day Easter is on? It's very Pagan .... all about the moon and spring and such. Easter falls on the first Sunday AFTER the first full moon AFTER the vernal equinox. The reason I know this is because a few years back Easter fell really close to St. Patrick's Day (Mar. 23, 2008). I couldn't remember this ever happening before so I looked it up. Anyway, everyone is home today and grounded from all screens (for waking up and screaming at each other at

Dinosaur Man

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The other day I had the sweetest experience with my Mischievite. I hadn't thought about sharing it until last night when I was telling Ralexwin about it and he said something along the lines of how wonderful it was that I got to be a mom and share such things with my children. Ha! So, I'll tell you a tale. The Mischievite was sitting next to me in the truck, one morning, as we took the slow route past the University on our way to meet a friend for lunch. He was chatting about this or that and I was only partway listening until he announced, as all kids inevitably do, "I don't like my name." I chuckled to myself and responded appropriately. "I'm sorry, I think it's a pretty fantastic name, that's why I gave it to you." But the Mischievite was having none of that. He really didn't like his name. He really wanted a new name. "I wish my name was Dinosaur Man." "Dinosaur Man, huh?" "Yep." I tried

Culinary Thievery

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What mom? I am in a foul mood. Last night the last idea that crossed my mind is that it seemed like life was all about waking up and waiting for the day to go by. That's not what I particularly think, it was more of a 'break things down until you've seriously made the world look wretched' sort of thought, but it was the last one I had before tumbling into the dream world. Needless to say I tossed and turned all night. Then this morning I wake to discover that my two angel boys ::note thick sarcasm:: had eaten 24 Pop Tarts between themselves during the night. 24! That's 4800 calories! Not to mention that one of those boxes of Pop Tarts was branded fudge and had been purchased specifically for my own midnight indulgences (at an admittedly slower pace too). Now this is the part where a good mom would scold her kids and move on, but I honestly don't know what to do with my children. They are food hoarders and it makes me INSANE. I just can't eve

Dear Remewin Part 2

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Last time I wrote to you it was raining outside, now it is snowing. This is unusual for South Dakota in April. Typically our Springs are the best time of year.  That's mainly because of the Mosquito's. They get really bad around here, but luckily for you The Mischievite is your older brother and those darned Mosquito's seem to adore his blood and ignore everyone else's: None of us will be missing that aspect of South Dakota. One of the things I will miss is how much you adored my friend MC, or Cook as you and the Mischievite call her. When you were just a few days old and I had to go back to the hospital , Cook was the one who took care of you when your dad was with me. Since then she has been one of your favorite people. Every Sunday you sit with her and she even brings toys especially for you. I think she will miss you even more than you can imagine, though, because she will never forget your sweet smile whenever you threw yourself out of my arms and into hers.

So You Think You're Crafty: Week Four

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Did anyone guess which project was mine? I'm sure my super secret model didn't give any clues at all. Once again I was smack dab in the middle of the pack. Neither the best nor the worst. I'm wondering how long a person can hang on this way? This weeks and next weeks projects I'm nervous about. Not because they are bad crafts. I think both of them are excellent ideas, I just can't deliver well. If I had the camera, the energy and the brain cells with which to advertise my product I am confident they would be fantastic. But I am a woman of limited means. :) Anywho. Go over and vote.... see if you can spot which one is mine. Here's the link-- SYTYC . My model was fantastic last week! I got some awesome pictures of her dramatic littleness that I just couldn't wait to show on my blog. Isn't she just fabulous?! Okay, so my brain cell shortage has made me exceptionally tired the last few days, so I am going to go zone out on my bed or something.

Dear Remewin

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To my dear, darling Remewin: It's a rainy drizzly day here in South Dakota and not much is stirring in the outside world. People are hunkering down and waiting for the sun to peak back out. I am trying to soak it all in. I'm going to miss having 4 distinct seasons when we move. It's not something you get on the Western edge of the Rockies where I grew up. Where you will most likely grow up as well. I'm sad that you won't remember this spectacular place. So I wanted to show you a few of the things that have a special meaning in your life. Like the doctor who helped bring you into this world. No one ever really calls her 'Doctor,' she's just MaryJo. She was very nice and very happy to see you come into the world. She also seems to have a strong fondness for bright yellow. *** This is the home we brought you too. When I was in the hospital with you I could just barely see it out my window across the park. Once, after the kids had come to visit, w

Altered Shoe Art: Ring Holder Shoe Tutorial

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This was my week two craft for So You Think You're Crafty. I placed third that week for this one. I thought you might enjoy finding out how I made it. I tried about a million different decorations before settling on one that didn't drown out my rings. I wanted them to the focal point. This is also why I went with black fabric and not something more vivid. Don't be intimidated by the lack of 101 I'm giving you. It really is a straight forward sort of project. If you know how to use a glue gun without burning yourself you can do this. Just be sure to dust off your imaginative brain space first. :) The one important thing you might be wondering is how I got the pink fabric to stick to the shoe. I really just Mod Podged it on. There are several different ways to make ring tubes that you can find online. One I saw used that colored foam paper stuff that you find in the kids craft section. I thought that might have been easier, but I had scraps o

Randomnesses

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So, I've been coming across some great one liners recently and I really want to put them all down in one spot. This means that once I start typing I'll definitely forget about half of them, but I'll try anyway. "‎Leather is a tried and tested way of establishing the masculinity of hero protagonists; when not used in excess, or the inference generally changes to ‘villain’." -Clothes on Film "Having a baby is like having a tattoo on your face. You kind of want to be committed." -Eat Pray Love "It's a long, slow, beautiful dance to the beat of a heart." -Rascal Flatts ---this makes me think of baby growing and is exactly how I feel about having a child inside of me... just so you know. "You're going to have to learn to select your thoughts the same way you select your clothes every day. Now that's a power that you can cultivate. You want to come here and you want to control your life so bad work on the mind, and I don'

Thanks To You

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(I'm sitting here trying to type and Remewin is throwing herself at me. Imagine a small under 2 year old bodily throwing herself towards the computer and me swatting her back. I'll win... I always win this game.) Okay, so... what to blog about today. I was over at Hanging by a Silver Lining this morning watching her vlog about accents and I thought I'd do one too, but then I couldn't find my camera. So I just watched all her videos she had up. At the end of one of the vlogs, Evelyn took a minute to say thanks to all her readers. It was very sweet and perhaps because I seem to be feeling a little extra female right now I very nearly almost cried. I think it's because she said, "Being a stay at home mom can be very lonely and a lot of my friends come from the blogging world." AMEN SISTA! Mothering is a very lonely job (just so you know, now Remewin has a bowl of cereal and is eating it on the floor of my bedroom) and it's a very thankless

SYTYC: Week Three Knock-Off

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Okay, so I did pretty well last week with my altered shoe, but my roommate 'M' thinks I got shafted and should have taken it. She's nice. Then, after I took all the pictures and sent my submission in, I finished decorating the other shoe and wished I'd submitted that one as well (sorry no pictures of that one). I gave it to a friend as a gift, though, and she seems pretty darn happy. As for this pink lady... she's already packed for the move. That's how it's working around here. Not only am I challenged by the themes, I have an added personal challenge of coming up with things that I'll actually want to pack and move across the country. Ha. I'm insane. So this week on So You Think You're Crafty  the theme is ' Knock Off' , and I'm really not confident in my craft. NOT because I don't think it's a good job, but I had a bunch of crafting failures on this one and that takes a toll on a persons confidence. Anyhow...

That's The Way Things Go

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If you could rearrange 3 things in your life, what would they be? That's a really tough question. I've always felt like the things that have occurred in my life have all guided me to the point that I am at now. When I was in High School I had a lot of problems, emotionally and socially, and ended up moving to live with my brother in Utah for my senior year. The thing about that is that if I hadn't gone to Utah, I never would have heard of Dixie College , and if I hadn't chosen Dixie I never would have never met Ralexwin. So how do you rearrange your life when you are convinced it's all led to the point you are at? Unless of course you aren't happy with how things are currently, but I'm pretty satisfied. That's almost like the question that asks, "What would you erase from your memory?" and I really wouldn't erase many things. Even the toughest things I've had to deal with have taught me and changed me and made me into who I am.

Everything I Needed to Know I Learned In...

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Prompt: List ten things you learned in school that were not on the curriculum. Just ten? Really? And they have to be PG? I mean, if you think about it, how many things did you learn in High School that would definitely rate a PG-13 or R? Oh, is that just me? Oops. Okay, okay... listing: 1. Abstain from Oreo's when you have braces. Unless, of course, you want to look like you ate mud for the rest of the day. 2. Getting your ear cartilage pierced hurts like a (insert extremely painful experience here). 3. After participating in a fist fight in the middle of class and the principal offers to switch you to another class--let him. 4. Public schooling is a lot like the military, it's a good idea to not draw attention to oneself. Your best option is to stay in the gray. 5. When a boy is mean to you, and your friends convince you that he's really secretly in love with you. Ignore your friends, they don't know what they're talking about.  6. Gossip ruins lives

Where's My Wallet?

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April Fools Day is quite possibly my least favorite ridiculous holiday. I come from a long line of soft-skinned people, you see, and we rarely find pranks to be humorous. This is an obvious problem with kids--especially my kids. Vicbowin, who is coming into her own deviousness, had it in her mind to play all sorts of pranks on us. Well, she was really playing them on Ralexwin. She changed his cell phone's alarm to the middle of the night. She hid his wallet. She giggled in corners and concocted any number of nearly-malicious-all-in-good-fun sort of activities. I watched gratefully from the sidelines and by the end of the day had completely forgotten that it was even April 1st. Then I decided I needed to do a grocery run. Having had sick kids to manage for several days, I admit that I wasn't looking my best on that sunny April afternoon. I had sweats on (albeit brand name) and a tee-shirt (albeit stylish). My hair was pulled into a pony tail that had been slowly slippi

Going West: A Bloggers Call For Help

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The day of the move has been determined. The boxes are being packed and I officially have a little over 4 weeks to get everything in order before we head West. So, what does a blogger do when they know they will be offline for a while? (Offline? Really? Am I in the Matrix or something?)  I've been thinking about this for some time now (like a whole ten minutes) and I think I've come up with a solution. You see the most feared prospect for a habitual blogger is that on that day when you finally hit the jack pot. The day when for no discernible reason you are thrust into blogging fame... that day just happens to be the day you post something lousy--or worse you don't post at all. What happens when your window of opportunity opens and shuts and all the while you are in the lou? My conundrum is such. All right, I also don't want to dissapoint my faithful followers who are much more important than some vague and fickle crowd of unknowns. Anyhow. I have a plan.

So You Think You're Crafty: Week Two

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Well, Week One at So You Think You're Crafty is finally over and I'm not going to tell you which craft was mine. It did terribly and if you are really that interested you can take the time to go poke around and find it... but I think I'll focus on this week instead. Which is ' Thrift Store Find,' and boy is this right up my lane. I can do thrift store finds. Junk is my medium of choice and this project was by far my favorite craft I've ever done. I hope it does well this time, because if it doesn't I'm not sure I'll care anymore. :) Of course that could just be the exhaustion talking. The mom who has a mob of angry, nasty germs camped out in her home. This weekend was the worst. I had some kids on the mend (and exhausted) and some kids heading on in (and exhausted.) I was very nearly ready to run out my front door screaming and tearing out my hair like some maniac. Shall I list some of the insane, not thinking it through, decisions my kids