Magical times

Yesterday was that appointment we all look forward to all year. That time when a girl and her doctor can really bond and get to know each other. She also reminded me that I'm closing in on that extraordinary age where a boob squishing will be part of the experience. Oh, joy...

Well, at least we get that over with first, then on to some major shopping. Things I never dreamed I needed. When three girls get together to tackle their lists in a city they don't visit very often, it can be a wild ride. Craft stores, Quilt stores, Bath and Body stores, and of course, Sam's and Wal-Mart, where you really can leave half your inheritance. We normally all take our Berninas up to be serviced, too, but this time it was only Janice's. I love hearing the lady in there say, "Oh, no, you can't have that back today! There are 10 machines ahead of yours!" Of course, we've already called Al for an appointment, so it's ready in a few hours.

So Janice took us to a quilt store that was beyond belief. Although the fabrics were all quilt based (i.e... no wedding fabrics, swimwear... only quilting fabrics), there were more fabrics than I could imagine. This place had more classes than a scrapbooking store and more quilts on display than any one woman could complete in a lifetime. It was also amazing how knowledgable each of the ladies was in quilting. It seems all too often that people in a fabric store know little to nothing about fabrics or sewing. This place was incredible. Janice and I got some fabric for a kitty cat Christmas throw. It's a rag quilt, which basically means you stitch it together and clip it so it ravels and looks ragged. I was hoping for it to be a fair project for Mallory, but she thinks that's probably too much for her. After the scarf clipping experience last year, Mom thinks she may be right. Well, Mom actually paid for everything, so for all I know, I may not be included in this project either!!

We also stopped at Kohl's. It's really no different than any other department store, except that about 90% of the stuff in there is on sale. And they know sales... 50 and 60% off. Not that the prices start at anything I'd pay, but half of that is fine! They also get serious about their clearances. I got about 6 shirts for the boys for spring at $2.50 each. Great stuff. I also got Mallory her favorite panties, but I really shouldn't talk about those. HA! I'm really not looking forward to shopping in the juniors department. They just don't make anything that covers a poor girl. I mean, really, why are we showing so much skin to begin with, let alone now in fall when a girl would like to stay warm?!? Almost makes me want to go back into fashion and fix those people! Almost...

Well, anyway... I think Michael's waiting for the computer. Probably a big Texas tourney coming up. And since I really didn't have anything worthy of reporting today, I could easily close this! Off to the bakery today. Have fun and maybe I'll see ya there!

The fun of fall

I really love to make the fall cakes. This one was for our Assistant Pastor who is leaving for his own church. He's going up north of Ames, where I went to college. We're so excited for him, but it is so hard. We love them so much and got to see both of their daughters married. It's only been about seven years, but seems like forever. They are such a part of us.


Work should have started back up on the house today. It's getting too cold to paint any doors, so I may have to live with the mess until spring. I've lived through worse! This whole mess is costing us a fortune, but hopefully Joe's Great Adventure is about to be behind us. We packed up a few boxes today, with hopes the house will be ready in the near future. There were many tears over that which was packed. Just can't get through that there just isn't room for all this stuff. I'm not sure the boys believe it's going to be returned. They're just too used to the "Confiscation Boxes" of things that were taken away, not to be returned until the new house. Now that it's been 16 months, they aren't sure anything's coming back! I've had those same fears over the furniture in the apple barn! I'm just sure it's all destroyed, or that I'll wish it was! We also started up some math today. I'm just really nervous that we'll never catch up. I know we will, but I need something to be happening. Things were pretty normal. Morgan was first and couldn't wait to see his new book. The minute we opened it, I saw Matthew fly past the window with his dog. Mallory just worked on her verses until it was her turn. She wasn't feeling all that well, so I gave her some medicine. She got a lot of her math done before she threw up. Poor girl. Then she wanted to come back and finish. I thought there were better things to do for the time. Matthew assumed that meant he was done, too! The boys got her settled in on the couch, trying to take care of her like she does for them. They put in all of their Marvel Comics movies, and I'm sure that was just the ticket. After they were done sitting for a while, she put her own movies in! Hope things improve for tomorrow. But at least we have this hope of the end of homelessness!!!

Thursday morning pains

Wow, I must be getting old. I've always had a hard time getting up after Cubbies, but now I just plain hurt. The kids wake up so excited and ready to hit the day head on (like my mom, who is at this moment sewing up a storm), and I'm just left wondering what happened. Oh, well, I'm at the bakery at noon... this can't last forever. So these are yesterday's cakes. The fall one is for the residents and Dora Mountain is for a classmate's little gal. Janice showed me how to make the pine cones last time I was at the bakery. One of my high school teachers ordered a couple fall cakes and I tried them on that one, so then I just couldn't wait for the residents to see. There is a new activity director over there, so I guess she actually ordered this one. She tried to tell me that this was exactly what she ordered. Whatever. This is for the residents, not you... anyhoo...
So, that little Cubbie that I wrote about last week put me in my place. She had told her mom that she did NOT say she looked like a doll, she said she looked CUTE. So there you have it. I stand corrected. (And loving it!!!) No matter how much I hurt the next day, I'm always reminded why I do this!! I like to give out a prize or small candy as the Cubbies are leaving. Lots of the older kids get something in the form of a prize that they've earned, and I learned my first year at Cubbies that there are fewer tears if I just do the same! A lot of parents have caught on and bring something in, but I always have something on hand, just in case. Last night I had that huge pack of mini-Play-Doh tubs. Boy, was that a hit!! The Cubbies were thrilled and the parents always like something that's not candy, but also not something that they have to sneak to the trash after they've stepped on it for the 28th time. I even had the big kids in there begging for some! No, no, you'll have to earn your own prizes, these are for the Cubbies!

The next generation

My dad is making me post this. It's his idea of feeding his grandkids. He is so proud of his grandkids. I'm just so proud to be a trapper's daughter. Not that this deer was caught in a trap, but growing up with a scuddy, knuckledragging trapper and being dragged to all the scuddy, knuckledragging trappers' conventions across the world, I was pretty anxious to marry out of this life (see previous posts, maybe Dec last year). Mom just wants the carcasses out of her yard before they get posted again!!

Oh, those Cubbies!

Well, ya just gotta love them! I already knew we'd be short the two high school helpers because of homecoming week and their activities. Then Michael got home yesterday and was trying to fuss around about being sick. I wasn't listening. I knew I'd be going without him, but he was pretending to fight the good fight. HA. Anyway, as I was getting set up, I grabbed a gal who likes to help anywhere needed. Thing is, she's on oxygen and has to drag around the little cylinder. No problem, she says, she takes it everywhere and never lets it slow her down. As the Cubbies were starting to come in, one of the new ones steps in, drops her coat showing a little pink leopard print outfit and exclaims, "Don't I just look like a doll in this outfit?!?" She really did! As the night drew on, I was noticing that one of the other leaders didn't show up either. She probably told me about this, but that doesn't always help when you're in the thick of things and wonder where your help is!!! Well anyway, the Cubbies never notice. They had a great time, learned their verses, had their snacks and did their craft. I'm sure enjoying this year. My kids are doing very well in their groups, too. Morgan will probably be done with his book by Thanksgiving, Matthew's pulling along well and Mallory is a little behind her classmates, but is making such great progress! She didn't finish her book last year, but has her goals all set to get this one done in the next few weeks. I just love seeing her dedication. Just still wish there was a way her math skills could help her here!!
It's late, off to bed!

Passing on my best

The woodcutters are at it again. I'm supposed to be making coffee. It's brewing. They had me come out to get some pictures a while ago, and I just had to post this one. If there's anything I truly must pass on to my daughter, it's the ability to make it clearly understood when you find something irritating or unpleasant. None of this "suck it up," no, that's for the boys. It's a way of making it miserable for anyone who might try to make things miserable for me. All about me, ya know... That's what my dad says, anyway.

I love Christian Weddings

Brecka got married yesterday and was just the most beautiful bride I've ever seen. Her beauty and poise were set off so much by the way they truly pledged their lives to one another. After they lit their unity candle and prayed together, they washed each other's feet, just as Jesus did for his disciples the last time they were together. It was unbelievable. I can't wait to see what they do together. They are really committed to God and it's exciting to watch kids like that.

Her husband, Matt, is from Michigan and does something for the Pistons, I'm not sure what, but he wanted the groom's cake to be Michigan Stadium. I thought this sounded fantastic, but being cake, it's oftentimes difficult at best to get what you want. If you don't look at a photo of Michigan Stadium, this is pretty good... but anyway... He loved it, especially the confetti "people" in the bleachers. It was a hit.

Brecka's cake was really pretty. Very simple, as was the whole affair. I would have loved to have Jennifer's opinion on whether I got the white cake moist enough, as I know she is quite the cake connoisseur. Comments from my chocolate are always good, but now I worry about the white! Brecka chose a confetti cake, which was fun. I treated it like a white wedding cake and left out the yolks so it would be a sharp white. I ordered the daisies and the blue flowers. They really were pretty.

This and that

So a few updates here and there... I guess I've been forgetting to take pictures of my last few cakes. The last four have been round ones: one with roses, one confetti, one Dora and one Wicked Witch of the West... for a boy. He's a funny little character. The grandson of Mom's employer. Apparently, he's everyone's best friend, but Grandma says he's a bit bossy! Dora was for his twin sister. This cake was for Michael at The Ambassador. They are without an activity director there at the nursing home right now, so by the end of the month no one had requested the monthly birthday cake that I always make for them. I had to take matters into my own hands and make one anyway. Can't skip their birthdays, ya know.

The other photo is coat 2 on the red door. I still think it's going to take several coats to get it nice and deep. I still need to take the original paint chip, as well as the colors for the living room and make sure I have a match. I have never seen a paint go on so much differently than it dries to. This is a very orange-red when it goes on, but I think it's very close to the Cherry Cobbler I picked out. As long as it blends with my living room, it's a go! News on the drywall isn't as uplifting. It's now in the hands of the insurance and could be months before they make any decisions. I think I'll call Randy and get the phone number. Maybe a daily call could cheer them up and help them make this faster.

Well, my last day with Malarie at the grocery store was interesting. She really liked the mouse-gift I gave her. She saw the tail and walked past it twice just hoping it wasn't what she thought it was. After Jenny told her it was me, I got a page on the intercom. It was surprisingly calm! Everyone else was pretty excited about the whole deal because she had been quite ornery to everyone just the day before and they were all trying to figure out how to pay her back. So I guess everyone was satisfied!

Yesterday was Grammie's birthday. We called her to sing Happy Birthday and then Michael asked if she was busy working or if she had time to talk. She mentioned that out in California it was only 6:15 and her alarm hadn't actually gone off yet. OOOOPS!! Happy Birthday!!

Tonight is AWANA and I have much to do today. We're still getting a couple more Cubbies each week and I'm trying to make some security nametags for all the leaders, so there's much left to do still. It will always be ongoing, but I'm hoping to get a major dent in it today. So, onward!!

Party, Party, Party

The kids had a really great time at Mary's party yesterday. She has 3 kids, 2 born in September and one in January. The January guy got snowed out or snowed in, so she threw one big party for 3 little kids. The theme was Pirates/Dinosaurs/Pooh, depending on which kid you asked. What fun. They had to find a treasure chest, walk a plank, grab pretzels with a hook, erupted volcanoes, had a dinosaur egg hunt, made cave paintings, and whacked an Eeyore pinata. There was even more, but the titles would take more than a line, so let's just say that they all had a fantastic time. She had even made 3 cakes. Her plan was to end the party watching "Treasure Island," but the boys must have known that if they stopped they would fall asleep, so the boys crashed around outside while Mallory followed Elena around for a while. No one remembered to tell poor Isaiah about the sleep thing, so we found him and his dad crashed on the couch. He really thought he was watching the movie!

Anyway, time to get things rolling toward church. It's donut Sunday, so at least we can skip breakfast!