Mayfly

I spent my limited computer time this evening making a few site changes: new banner for the season, updated colors, cleaned-up sidebar. I was looking at my "blogroll" over there and realized it was hopelessly out of date. But adding the gazillion blogs I really read is unrealistic, so I'm taking the route of a rotating list- a few places I'm particularly enjoying right now.

We took a nice, short trip to pick apples today after school with some neighborhood/kindergarten friends. The apple picking was a tad pitiful as they tell us it wasn't the best year for apples, but I think we got enough for The Pie. J and his friend had a ball jumping around in a haystack.

Brian is out of town for a conference, so I think I'm going to have to take a break for a few days to jump to a few things myself. See you soon!

Posted by Alicia at 9:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)

Homemade Chia Pet Day One:

Something should develop with these guys soon!


Added, 3/26/08: HELLO, lovelies who arrived here via The Crafty Crow... I never posted directions for these funny fellows:

Find an old nylon stocking.
Drop a scoop of grass seed in the toe.
Stuff a handful of mulch in next.
Tie it off tightly in a knot, so it can't shift around in there.
Paint on a face. Or draw one on with a Sharpie.
After the face is dry, place the chia pet (knot side down) in a little saucer of water.
Keep him wet and in the sunlight and the grass seed will sprout up through the stocking.

I apologize for not taking an after photo- part of what makes these guys so funny is the hair is very unpredictable. It can come in in some crazy patterns.

Have fun!

Posted by Alicia at 9:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Something exciting is happening around here: J is teetering on the brink of reading! Brian always has his nose in the newspaper, and I'm a book junkie. J loves us to read to him, but for the last several months he's been itching to do it on his own. Sparking his interest even more is the fact that some of his friends at school are already reading fairly well.

He knows the letters and their basic sounds and is just beginning to pick out words by himself, but I needed some help in how to instruct him. After consulting Brian's cousin Kara, who tutors kids, and my one homeschooling friend, I ordered this book. So far the lessons are easy and short, and he's really enthusiastic about them.

I'm hoping with the reading lessons I give him and the lessons he gets at school, he'll be reading in no time flat. OK, OK. No pressure. Maybe by the end of the school year... Go, Jie. Go, Jie.

One other very exciting thing happened this morning. They fixed our curb- Ooooh, ahhhh! A few big saws + a backhoe + a little steam roller + a dump truck = spellbound children.

Have a great weekend, everyone! Enjoy the first official days of Fall. (or Spring!)

Posted by Alicia at 2:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)

dismissing early from school for teacher planning day.

walking in the rain. well, some of us scooting.

cutting through the lonely park.

lunching on toasted cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.

cuddling up on the couch for a reading lesson during the little one's nap.
(more about this tomorrow.)

watching the end of "Chicken Little" while the dough rises.

snacking on warm soft pretzels.

with dip.

still to come, dinner with good friends.

Posted by Alicia at 4:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (17)

The weather is still cooler and so enjoyable here. We are loving playing outside again. Here's a photo for A Year of Color. Looking up, the sun is bright, but the leaves stay a nice shaded, dark green underneath. These Tulip trees haven't started losing their huge leaves yet. But once they get started they do it quickly. The other photos are just because I adore these babes.

Speaking of trees, walking around the block, I've decided we might have the biggest tree in the neighborhood. The old Elm tree. She's great. If she ever gets sick or dies, we'll be crushed- emotionally and maybe financially too. I don't even want to think about it.

On an unrelated note, I'm feeling guilty for thinking badly about J's classmate. He came to the park with a bunch of us yesterday, and yes, he's a wild in class, but he's also very sweet. His mom is as well. They are having a pretty hard time. He did a great job playing with all of the kids. She said he always does much better outside, and don't we all?! Before leaving, he gave J a big hug. I can only imagine the stress they go through worrying about him and his behavior every day. Hang in there, buddy.

Posted by Alicia at 9:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)

My guys love their sports. The conversation usually goes like this:

J: "Hey Dad, wanna hit some baseballs?"

Bri: "Sure, kiddo." (Brian never has the heart to turn him down.)

J: (As they walk out the door) "And then we can play soccer, and after that we can play football, and mommy can pretend to tailgate and then we'll play catch and then..."

Thus begins the kicking, running, jumping, throwing, and inevitably the tackling, tickling and giggling. It's so sweet, you could eat them up.

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My "to make" list has gotten very long. I have lots of orders pending and several birthday presents to make. I've chosen to avoid it all together by taking on something very simple. Do you have a pile like this? A stack of clothing that needs minor alterations or repairs- a split seam here, a stain to cover there. Maybe a strange logo to hide. It's nothing a green polka dot space shuttle won't fix. As soon as I'm done with this pile, for the love of Pete, I'm going to get started on the bigger projects. If you've ordered something from me, I haven't forgotten. It'll be done right away. Well, soon. OK, soon-ish.

Posted by Alicia at 2:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

J had his new friend over after school. They ate peanut butter sandwiches, played pirate ship outside, and painted pictures. He was so nice and polite to both his friend and me. "Mommy, can we please have more oranges?" "Mommy, can I show him my bedroom?" "G, do you want to make art?" He was perfect. Sigh.

The situation with that wild little classmate at school is not good. He's a bad influence on our good kids. It has really been bumming me out for a few days. Yesterday, J made a little girl cry when he pinched her arm. And it almost made me cry to hear a second bad report. But today's report was much better. We're talking and talking about being calm and kind, and not acting up because other kids do. All I can do is explain it to him, be consistent with his punishment here when he is mean to his sister, and give him a little extra love when I can. And hope for more good reports. The nagging nervous feeling in my stomach is easing up.

It is also helping that the weather is ab. so. lutely. perfect. (Good for taking deep breaths outside.) And I went to yoga last night. (Good for the stress.) And I just lined up three new painting jobs. (Good for the checking account!)

Here's to good weekends all around!

Posted by Alicia at 1:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)

I've been trying to give J a little extra time the last few days. We're having a few issues already at school. There is a boy in his class who is having some trouble, severely acting up, getting sent off the the principal several times a day. This boy has even kicked one student in the nose and spit all over another. The last few days, J has been talking a lot about "the mean boy" and acting up a little himself in class, which is so unlike him. After much prodding, I think I may have figured out that he is a little impressed with the attention this boy gets. The wrong kind of attention.

Back to the point, I have been trying to give him some extra attention at home. He loves to take pictures, so this afternoon I gave him my camera. Here is a shot he took of me in the yard as we waited for the Blue Angels to fly over. We heard the rumbling but never actually saw them.

He took this one of his muddy bicycle wheel. Pretty nice, kid! I have submitted it to a Year of Color for him.

His photo shoot quickly deteriorated into taking about 20 shots of cars going by, but I picked out a few for a Flickr set. I think he might get a kick out of seeing them in a slideshow.

Anyone have any ideas about a inexpensive and DURABLE digicam for kids?

Posted by Alicia at 10:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

We've gotten a little taste of Fall weather of late. Although Gary is predicting 80's by the end of the week, we're enjoying this first bit of the season. My morning coffee even tastes better when the weather takes a cooler turn.

:: cooling thunderstorms, puddles ::

:: snuggly new throw pillows for the couch ::

:: soccer games with new friends ::

:: evening trips around the block ::

:: falling leaves ::

But it won't officially be Fall until we go to the Apple Fest in Weston, MO. It's just one of my favorite days of the year.

Posted by Alicia at 9:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (18)

This is the new bathroom floor. The whole house feels like this to me right now. Half-done. A mess. I decided this morning the sun room looks great, but the rest of the house seems to be crumbling around it. My simplifying and organizing campaign was suddenly sidelined by the couch project. So I think I'll be taking a small blogging break to regroup, clean up, restock the fridge and start some new projects. I'll be back sometime next week.

But before I go, I'd to thank Teresa at Maggie Grace Creates for the sweet little package she sent. All kinds of fabric scraps, vintage buttons, tags, doo-dads, and the sweetest, tiny crocheted "granny square." Hmmm... what to do with all this great stuff?

Oh, wait. Clean first. Right. Organize. Yes.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Posted by Alicia at 8:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)

This slipcover has taken over my life, the dining room table, and sun room for two weeks. I have to add a few bits of strategically placed Velcro and a couple of ties, and it will be completely done. Here it is looking all prim and tucked in for the photograph. In reality it looks a little more frumpy and lived on, because well, it is. But it is so much better than the old upholstery. Now I can make some new cases in warm Fall colors for the throw pillows.

It took 21 yards of fabric, 4 spools of thread, and many many cuss words. Even a little blood was shed. Right now, I'm going to go open the windows, relax on this new couch, and read for my book club.

Posted by Alicia at 12:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (28)