Laura K 10K

I did it!

The 10K was this morning. I was super nervous all day yesterday and couldn't get to sleep last night, but the race was this morning and was so much fun. We started at the zoo and ran down 4th, and past the Cancer Center, and then south on Main out to Sagebrush, and then back through the zoo. It was fun to run with a group of people and I didn't get lost. :) I kept my pace with my heart rate monitor, and finished in 1:10:22 (Is that how you write it?), which was my goal. I was 75th out of 140, so not at all last. I can't believe that it was fun. I'm excited for next year.

Here are a few pictures.

Me before the race.

My fans.

Anna greeting me at the finish.

After the race they did a one mile fun run through the zoo for the kids. Anna was excited and very serious about her race, though she was easily distracted by the animals, and rode for a lot of it on her Daddy's shoulders.

It was a great day.

Happy Birthday Susu!

Happy Birthday Susan!

This is one of my favorite pictures of you.

And as a special present, here's one where you look cute and I look super dorky. Why the awful glasses, why?

Happy Happy Birthday.

Anna's fashion

Anna's been dressing herself lately. She often prefers jammies, but today when I came home from school this is how I found her. So stylish.

And then she said "Hi Mama, glad a see you! How school today? Teach little kids Spanish?"

What fun!

Up all night

Whew.

Anna's been sick tonight, 12:30, 1:30, and 2:30. I can't decide whether to go to sleep or stay up another 30 minutes to see what happens at 3:30. I've washed 3 sets of sheets, and blankie twice. This last time blankie escaped, so I don't have to stay up to get it out of the dryer, but I don't know if I'll be so patient if I've gone back to sleep. I'm glad I decided to call the subline the first time she was sick.

I'm glad I'm a night owl, and that I had a huge nap today because of allergies. I think I'm going to risk it. But I'm laying down on the couch, not back in my bed.

Night night.

**EDIT** And again at 4:45...stumbling back to couch.

Inservices

Last Spring the 2nd grade teacher called and asked if I would be on their Technology team this year, they needed a fourth person. I said OK. This Tuesday, I found out what I agreed to...a zillion meetings, a lot of work, presentations, papers, etc. Serves me right for not reading all of my school email I guess. I'm sure I got something about it before she asked me.

I'm not really upset though. It'll be busy for sure, I've got three meetings this week (and two quilting classes, but that's fun) so my week's hugely full. But I have the chance to earn some extra money, and I've been wanting to make a Spanish website for the school, so it'll be a chance to do that. It just makes me laugh that I had no idea what I said OK to.

I was thinking about inservices, and how lots of the time they're annoying, but sometimes you really do learn things that you need to learn. And sometimes they're very basic, but sometimes you need basic, etc. I got to thinking about real life inservices that I wish we could take.

I would like Matthew to take one on the difference between a bolt and a sippy cup. If he tightens the lids, I can BARELY get them off, and I usually get a little angry. Maybe someone could make up a PowerPoint presentation for him, and then they could practice.

I would like one on raising a two year old. VERY specific...These are the things that are going to wreck your baby up, these are the things that are OK.

I think Anna needs a lesson in efficiency. She's the piddliest little thing.

Any others?

AA

Hello, my name is Betsy, I live in the country, and I have a problem with Ants.

I know, it's just a part of living out here.

And I know, it's not that big of a deal.

But I am SICK of ants! Last summer, the first time we found them, I cried. I thought it meant I was a terrible housekeeper and a bad person. Now I know that ants are a part of life in the country, they can get in anywhere and they will eat anything. I've found them in my bed, on a trail to the snotty hanky under my pillow. In the mudroom, carrying back BITS OF DIRT! There is plenty of dirt outside, why don't they eat that? And of course, on the kitchen floor and on the floor by Anna's highchair, the obvious places. I'm tired of following the trail and spraying just a teensy bit of Ant Raid on the entrance spot, and then worrying about poisoning our little family. I'm tired of staring maniacally at the floor looking for moving dots. I'm tired of cleaning up ants and then feeling like I have them crawling all over me for the next hour. I'm tired of stumbling across a new path and literally getting ants in my pants.

I love living in the country, and I love creation. I can even admire them sometimes. How do they do it? I found them a few nights ago coming in by the doorway that separates the mudroom from the rest of the house. In the middle of the house! They were not in the mudroom, just coming out the floor by the door to it. It's impressive, but I still want them all dead.

Eeeeeewww.... I feel so creepy crawly all over.

BTSF

Back To School Fatigue

I always forget about how tired it makes me to go back to school. I also always forget (until Open House) how much I love this job. I love the kids, I love teaching Spanish, it's so much fun.

We're using the new curriculum this year, I taught today using the books, and it's fun. It feels like cheating, to just do what the books say to do, but I think it will be nice this year, to have a break, and still feel like the kids are learning, and really immerse myself in this curriculum, to see what it does.

I'm also training for a 10K. I've never done anything like this before, and I hesitate to mention it here, because then if I don't make it, it'll be public, but I want to do it. They're having the first annual Laura K (Kleysteuber) 10K on October 6, and I decided I wanted to do it. It's raising money for the cancer center. I've been running this summer, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I found an 8 week training program online, so this is what I've been following. Anyone want to do it with me? I'm a slow jogger, but I'd welcome the support. I'm off to bed now, I've got three miles scheduled for the morning. :)

Home again, home again

We're back from the cabin. It was a lovely week. This week we're back to work though, in every sense. No more lounging about, eating junk and letting other people take care of Anna. There's laundry up to my ears, a house to pick up, things to put away, and inservices to go to. I LOVE my job, but the first month back is a kick in the pants.

My favorite quote from the trip comes from my Dad, talking to us about how Mom was worried because we kids got there a bit later than she expected: "I don't worry, worry is not a productive emotion." Hmmm, where DO I get my attitudes about the world?

We read the last Harry Potter out loud together, driving Mom crazy in the process. But we finished, and I'd be happy to discuss it with anyone, but I don't feel like I can here-because of the spoiler issue. So just talk to me sometime.

One interesting question from the books though--What would your Patronus be? Mine, obviously, would be a flamingo. Quite intimidating. AND-the subject of much debate during the reading aloud-What is the proper pronunciation of the word Patronus?

This 'n' that

I've been working on a new quilt lately, and thinking more about the skipping steps problem. For this quilt, I went to a quilt store and chose fabric, instead of using what I already had, or someone else's scraps. I don't know if it is because this is a very special one, or because I paid more for the fabric, or what, but I'm trying hard to make this one nice. I keep calling my Mom to ask what I would do next if I were trying to do it right. I've ironed in between each step, something I NEVER did before. I'm redoing seams that aren't quite right, I'm double checking before I cut and paying attention to my seam allowances. I was thinking...maybe our Moms don't skip steps because they have more experience. The more I sew, the more I realize the importance of each step, and can see the difference in the product, and the more I think that I CAN take the extra time and do it right and still get it done. Maybe by the time Anna wants to sew, I won't skip steps either. It's been interesting to watch myself make this one.

I finished the piecing today, but the fabric I bought for the border doesn't look quite right, so I'll have to do a bit more shopping. I really like it. I hope the recipient does too. My only concern now that it's almost all put together is that it really looks like something that I would like. I tried to pick out things that she would like, but it ended up being very me. It's a good thing we're friends, I guess.

Today I looked up Over the Rhine on a whim, and they have a new CD coming out the end of August. It's playing on their record player on the website, and I love it. I've pre-ordered it. I just love the jazzy, saucy, dark room with candles and red wine feeling of it. Have a listen, maybe you'll love it too.

Book List

OK, I'll play too.

* Bold the ones you’ve read.
* Italicize the ones you want to read.
* Leave in normal text the ones that don’t interest you.
* Put in ALL CAPS those you haven’t heard of.
* Put a couple of asterisks by the ones you recommend.
* Put a ++ by the ones you started but didn't finish.


1. The DaVinci Code (Dan Brown)

2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) **

3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee) **

4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)++

5. The Lord of the Rings:Return of the King (Tolkein)

6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings (Tolkein)

7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)

8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)**

9. OUTLANDER (Diana Gabaldon)

10. A FINE BALANCE (Rohinton Mistry)

11. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Rowling)**

12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)

13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)

14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)

15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)

16. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)**

17. FALL ON YOUR KNEES (Ann-Marie MacDonald)

18. The Stand (Stephen King)

19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)**

20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)

21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)**

22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)**

23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)**

24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)

25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)++

26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)

27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)

28. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)**

29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)

30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)

31. DUNE (Frank Herbert)

32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)

33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)

34. 1984 (Orwell)**

35. THE MISTS OF AVALON (Marion Zimmer Bradley)

36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)

37. THE POWER OF ONE (Bryce Courtenay)

38. I Know This Much is True(Wally Lamb)

39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant) (Megan just gave it to me, it's on the stack)

40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)

41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)

42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)

43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)

44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)

45. The Bible ++**

46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)**

47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)

48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)

49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)

50. She's Come Undone (Wally Lamb)

51. THE POISONWOOD BIBLE (Barbara Kingsolver)

52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)**

53. Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card)

54. Great Expectations (Dickens)**

55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)**

56. THE STONE ANGEL (Margaret Laurence)

57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)

58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)

59. The Handmaid's Tale (Margaret Atwood)

60. The Time Traveler's Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)**

61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)

62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)**

63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)

64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)

65. FIFTH BUSINESS (Robertson Davies)

66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)

67. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Ann Brashares)

68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)

69. Les Miserables (Victor Hugo)**

70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)

71. Bridget Jones's Diary (Helen Fielding)**

72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)

73. Shogun (James Clavell)

74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)

75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson)**

76. THE SUMMER TREE (Guy Gavriel Kay)

77. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn (Betty Smith)

78. The World According to Garp (John Irving)

79. THE DIVINERS (Margaret Laurence)

80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)**

81. NOT WANTED ON THE VOYAGE (Timothy Findley)

82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)

83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)**

84. WIZARD'S FIRST RULE (Terry Goodkind)

85. Emma (Jane Austen)

86. Watership Down (Richard Adams)

87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)**

88. THE STONE DIARIES (Carol Shields)

89. BLINDNESS (Jose Saramago)

90. KANE AND ABEL (Jeffrey Archer)

91. IN THE SKIN OF A LION (Michael Ondaatje)

92. Lord of the Flies (William Golding)**

93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)

94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)

95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)

96. THE OUTSIDERS (S.E. Hinton)

97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)**

98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)

99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield) (We listened to it in the car once)

100. Ulysses (James Joyce)

Yum yum!

Anna and I made cookies tonight, and they are really tasty. Like little peach cobblers. Easy too! It's Martha's "Cookie of the Month"

Fresh-Peach Drop Cookies
~4 dozen

2 cups + 2T all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 large ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/4" dice
1/3 cup peach jam or preserves
2 T fine sanding sugar (I used reg. sugar)
1/8 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda.
2. Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 min. Reduce speed to low. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Add peaches and jam, and beat until just combined.
3. Using a tablespoon, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment, spacing about 2" apart. (If not baking all of the cookies at once, refrigerate dough between batches, dough can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two days.) Combine sanding sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle each cookie with 1/8 tsp. cinnamon sugar mixture.
4. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown and just set, 11-13 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, and then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

New Music

Shauna had a link to this on her blog, and I really like it. I've been waiting for years for some new Christian music to fall into my lap (I'm not much for actively seeking). I think this might be a find! You can go here and listen.

8 years?

Last night and this morning, he watched 9 episodes of Project Runway with my sisters and me.

He is still SO my favorite.

7 party!

Saturday night we had the 7 party, and it was such fun. I think that everyone had a great time. It was a little warm and breezy, but by evening it was lovely. There were kids running around everywhere, playing games and having fun. I forgot how much fun big parties are.

We had seven layer burritos, seven layer sundaes, Seven up, prizes for the seven outdoor games, and a giant seven to take pictures with.

Here's my favorite prize. A sweet baby blankie with an appliqued seven.

It warmed my heart so to see this sandbox full of kiddos.

And this pool full of wild ones who couldn't resist.

Yay Croquet!

I hope no one minds if I post some family pics. I won't identify people, for the illusion of safety.

Here's somebody awfully cute.

On to the Seven pictures!

We had some VERY distinguished guests. And some regular ones.

So thankful for all of their company. It was great fun.

Inspiration

Heath's comment on the poem set me to thinking. A year ago I wouldn't have dreamed of writing a poem. I hated doing it for school, and didn't enjoy reading poems much. Poetry was something for other people. Snooty people, mainly. (Excepting, of course, Linda)

Then last year, when browsing in The Tattered Cover with Katrina while Anna slept in her stroller, I found a book of poems that I couldn't put down. I bought it on a whim and bravely took it to the cabin with me. That's brave because I was going to show it to Dad, and he's the smartest man in the world, and also literary-so if it was stinky, he'd tell me so. But he liked them, and so I discovered a world of accessible poetry. Good Poems selected and introduced by Garrison Keillor. Susan got me Good Poems for Hard Times for Christmas, and I've also enjoyed it. You should definitely read them.

The poems in these books are more about capturing a moment or a feeling than about any other grand thing. Maybe all poetry is about capturing a moment, and I was too busy feeling bad that I couldn't find the grand something that I missed it. Regardless, these poems make me laugh and cry and make me feel like I can also write poetry. And that it's alright if my poetry is not very grand, if all it does is capture a moment or a time or a feeling. It's a way to scrapbook emotion. And you know I love to keep things.

The poem-a-longs on Linda's blog have also been great fun. I wonder if there is a way to make kids feel this way about poetry while they're in school? I don't know. There are some wonderful English teachers, but kids are hard.

Here is an example from the book. I just flipped through and picked one, there are so many good ones.

I Stop Writing the Poem--Tess Gallagher

to fold the clothes. No matter who lives
or who dies, I'm still a woman.
I'll always have plenty to do.
I bring the arms of his shirt
together. Nothing can stop
our tenderness. I'll get back
to the poem. I'll get back to being
a woman. But for now
there's a shirt, a giant shirt
in my hands, and somewhere a small girl
standing next to her mother
watching to see how it's done.

Anyhoo--Check out these books! Write poems! It's fun!

A poem

Earlier this year I wrote a poem and I liked it. Having done that, I've been waiting around for my brain to happen upon another line that I liked so that I could write another. I don't love this one quite as much, but still, writing poetry is a new fun thing that I didn't think that I could do. I *think* I welcome comments/criticism. Many thanks to Linda for inspiration--now I ought to get to work on her ghazal.

The good year

Wheat falls out of the lint trap during Harvest.
I smile.
It snowed and iced and snowed too late, and you were worried. (Farmers are always worried).
But this year everything worked.
The heads are tall and full and prices are high (!)

Before Harvest, we couched our hope in allusions.
"Don't put glass windows on the house".
Waiting for hail or grasshoppers.

Now you're cutting.
When I see you-moments when I bring lunches and suppers to the field-you're happy.
This is our good year.

One in ten, or maybe one in fifty.
I pray we harvest enough hope to sustain us;
enough that every year I can smile
When wheat falls out of the lint trap during Harvest.

A productive nap

Today during Anna's nap I got several little things done that had been sitting in my sewing basket forever. Here's a list.

1. I finished the Madgwick baby blanket. I'm glad I splurged on the super cute flannel, because I didn't do too much with this one, and it's still pretty cute because the fabric is so cute. I used the serger to finish the edges, which was a really strange choice, but I tend to learn by doing so...

2. I serged around the edges of some pueblo-y fabric that Matthew's mom gave me, making a nice tablecloth for my classroom.

3. I fixed this sweet little apron that didn't have a neck tie. I've used it for about 4 years, and FINALLY, it's finished. I bought it at an auction, so who knows how long it's really waited to be done.

4. I fixed my yellow and red bandanna--remember it? It was my staple for so long, and then it broke and now it's back! I'm excited.

5. I made a pillow for Jairus and Cephas and Silas. In the random bag of fabric I bought from ebay was this nice pieced square that kind of matches the boys room. Matthew's mom has given me lots of poly-fil lately as she cleans out her craft supplies. I put the two together and there you go!

I've fed the boys in the field, Anna's up, and we're off to town.

Looky looky!

I have amazing sisters. I didn't even have to talk them into it, I just asked and they came, and we finished the mudroom together on Saturday. We hung a pegboard and laid laminate flooring. We used power tools and no one was injured. We did a wonderful job. I'm so proud of us and thankful for them.

Here's before, during, and after.


We also installed the new TV that Dad got Matthew and me for our Anniversary. We had a dickens of a time getting the old CD player out, but sweet Matthew worked on it when he got in from Harvest, and before bed last night, we got the new one put in. I'm excited. I can have Dad DVD me cooking shows, and then cook along with them! I can watch the music DVD's that came with my CD's that I've never gotten around to! I can watch TV on DVD while doing other things! Here's a picture--I cleaned the kitchen while watching Monchy and Alexandra!


Thanks Dad!

You're it.

Linda tagged me...

5 things I dig about Jesus...

1. He cried when Lazarus died, even though He knew, more than anyone else could, that life is not all there is.

2. He liked to play with the kiddies.

3. He didn't mess around with doctrine. He said to love God and love people.

4. He told John to take care of his Mom when He was gone.

5. John 10:10 It's not just about the hereafter-He wants to make the here better too.

Doing this is an interesting way to take a snapshot of personal faith-It makes me wonder what it says about mine.

Now I'm to tag people...Sarah, Jenny, Susan, Trinket, Michele. (I'll take the girls)

A little bit of catch up

Months and months ago-there were two comment questions that I've never gotten around to answering. It's summer now, so I have time to catch up everything. I adore my job. I don't know what I would do without a summer.

Michele wanted the recipe for Spaghetti Squash with Tomato and Parmesan. This is from the Betty Crocker cookbook.

1lb Spaghetti Squash
2-4 tomatoes
clove garlic
1T olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp basil
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

*Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds and fibers. Salt and pepper, dot with butter. Place in baking dish with 1/4" water and bake @400 30-40 minutes.
*Saute tomatoes, garlic, and spices in olive oil.
*Dig out fibers of squash with fork and top with tomato mixture and Parmesan.

I loved this. It was so tasty. I'm sure the original recipe calls for onion, but I usually take that out. This is from my recipe book, so it's how I fixed it, not necessarily how Betty would. I also think there may be other ways to cook the squash-I don't know if you can cook it whole?

And Sarah asked what kinds of Spanish music I've been listening to. Here's a list of my favorites, in no particular order.

1. Ricardo Arjona: "Si el norte fuera el sur"--This is one of my very favorite favorites. I got it in college, and realized this year that I must listen to it quite a bit, because Matthew was able to sing along as he walked through the kitchen. For him to know the words, but not the language-impressive. I got it because we did a unit on "Ella y él" (#3) in my advanced conversation class. It's still one of my favorite songs ever. I haven't ever gotten any more of his CD's, I don't know why.

2. Vico C: "En honor a la verdad"--Spanish Christian Rap. It's so good. I have "Emboscada" too, and I like it. I like "En honor a la verdad" a bit more.

3. Shakira: "Dónde están los ladrones"--This is actually Linda's. I should give it back. It's a great album. I have "Pies descalzos" too, but this one is my favorite.

4. Selena: "Amor prohibido" is my favorite, but punk kids stole it at the High School, so I have "Live, the Last Concert" which is also very good, and "Ones" which we bought at the Selena Museum, which has a DVD of videos too, which is fun.

5. Intocable: "Sueños"--This is very Garden City. My favorite song is "Sueña" (#1). It's the first song I had the kids sing. I heard it more than 200 times, and I still really like it.

6. Natalia Lafourcade: "Natalia Lafourcade"--This is really funky and fun--jazzy.

7. A.B. Quintanilla y los Kumbia Kings: This is one of my favorite bands--. I love them, except when they sing in English, and then I am forced to skip songs. Again-I may be influenced by the fact that the kids loved them, and so we listened to these CD's lots in class. I would recommend any of their CD's-I especially like "Amor, familia, y respeto", "Shhh", and "4"

8. Juanes: "Un día normal" and "Mi sangre". I listen more to the first one, but I like them both. It's Pop.

9. Andy & Lucas: "Andy & Lucas"--This is cheesy pop, but the lyrics are clear and simple, so I like it for that reason.

10. Limite: "Soy así" and "Por encima de todo"--Tejano. I really love "Soy así". Incidentally-lots of their music is written by A.B. Quintanilla too, so really-I love everything he does.

11. Crystal Lewis "La colección" I had this CD in English-she's a Christian singer who I liked in High School, and when I found the CD in Spanish I was so excited.

12. Monchy & Alexandra: "Exitos y mas" This is Bachata-from the D.R. I adore this CD, but Matthew can't stand it.

I noticed in making this that most of the people that I like have put out new CD's since I quit teaching at the High School and paying attention. My Christmas and Birthday lists are taking shape nicely.

So there you go-two answers, not too late.

Purging

No, not the dangerous kind.

As in purging STUFF. The last two weeks I've been on a getting rid of things spree. Precipitated, I think, by too many people commenting on the amount of stuff in my basement. And helping clean out Grandma's house, and realizing I have WAY too much, and helping Megan and Travis move, etc, etc. I have donated/thrown away/Freecycled at least 30 bags/boxes full of stuff. It feels wonderful. I highly recommend it. It's hard to get rid of the first thing, but after that it's easy and fun. Here are a couple of pictures of completed sections. You'll remember that prior to the purge, you couldn't see the walls and the boxes went out at least 6 feet. All of the baby clothes are now in nicely labeled tubs instead of all of those copy paper boxes, and all of the boxes that I was saving because "they're such nice boxes" are broken down and ready for the next fire.

Please don't comment anything like "It's about time" That hurts my feelings.

Now I'm considering starting to finish the basement myself. Matthew suggested it yesterday (I think he was joking, but I took him seriously). I like to get things done, and I've always thought it looked like fun. We'll see what happens. I need to finish some other things first.

FYI-my favorite website- Craftster-was just redesigned and it's much easier to navigate and explore. Go have some fun there, I know you'll be inspired to make something. And making things is good for us.

I've been getting up early-before Anna-and going out for a little jog. I've read before how early morning exercise is wonderful, even for non morning people, but I didn't really believe it. Boy, I do now. I wake up feeling good! I never wake up feeling good. And the mornings are sometimes still and always beautiful. I ran with my Mp3 player today, but I think I prefer the birds.

Bowling Blankie

I wanted to post a picture of the Howard Blankie because it's really cute. It was my first attempt to use the slinky fabric, and it was slippery. It's just flannel on the front, slippy stuff on the back, with a little batting tied in to be comfy. It was quicker than a crocheted blankie, but it doesn't look as nice, but the fabric is neat, and I like the idea of having the two contrasting textures. I wish I were better at detail and working to make things right, but I like to FINISH projects.

I know it's ridiculously early to think about this--but every time I sew something I think of who will be available to teach Anna to sew. It has to be someone more careful than me, I'm always skipping steps. Megan and I were discussing the "skipping steps" tendency. My mom is a careful sewer, but I'm like a wild renegade 8 year old with the sewing machine. I don't pin, I don't measure, I don't iron, I don't redo things. And Megan--She's muchly much much more careful than me, and actually rips out seams and likes things to look perfect, but even she admits to skipping steps that her mother would not. Is it natural to do less than your mom? If that's true, then is my slap-dash attitude going to cripple Anna? Do I have to cultivate perfectionism to save her from a life of crooked seams? Or is it genetic and already too late?

Anyway-here's the blankie. I like to think that baby blankets should be imperfect so that you don't feel bad about the poo.

Save the Date!

It's been a while since we really did it up--
07/07/07
7:00
Start getting excited (and making travel plans).

Lots more information and planning to follow, but I want you to put it on your calendars now.

Yay for numbers!

Patience

Look! We did it! We went from this...


to this!


In just two years! I remember talking to Matthew about being patient, and asking how long it would take, and finding it hard to believe we would ever have a lawn. And now we do, and it makes me so happy. And it gives me lots of extra hope for the trees. Here they were a year ago, I can't even see the tree in this picture. They were tiny.

And here are the trees...

and the lilacs this year. The lilacs started out even smaller than the trees, and look how robust they are now!

Someday I'll look out and feel this way about our windbreak, and our shade trees, and our flowers and our patio (future goals)

And because I really don't have many hobbies... I planted a garden today. It's not very big, just a zucchini, yellow squash, cantaloupe, and two tomatoes. I'd like to be a big gardener, but I'm not sure I'm cut out for it. I'll start with this teensy plot, and we'll see what happens.

Happiness is found in little things.

Megan spent the day at my house and we had such fun. We made things. First we made the pincushions, but blogger doesn't work same way my brain does, so the pictures are backwards.

We made 10 bags! Some Megan had started, but these beautiful 6 were from scratch. I love making bags. Megan showed me how and it's easy peasy. I will now be one of those girls in the grocery store who brings her own bags and saves the earth from plastic and earns 5 cents a pop. We figured that's at least $12.00 a year!! Imagine!

We made adorable pincushions, but I'm impatient and so the pictures are blurry. They're so cute! Watch out, you may all get these for Christmas. Here's the inspiration.

That last one is mine. I almost want to take the time to pin things now. (almost). It says "Happiness is found in little things". My favorite kind of motto is the kind that is cutesy and accompanied by a drawing of a cute little girl. I tend to surround myself with these. I have a little platter in the kitchen that says "Every day is a happyday", with a little girl; a little wooden sign in my craft room that says "The time to be thoughtful is now", with a little girl; and three books with drawings of little girls that are filled with the same sort of cutesy sayings. But they all make me happy, so, I guess it's true--Happiness is found in little things.

Happy Mother's Day to you, and may you find happiness in little things.

I *heart* Kansas

The Kansas Sampler Festival was here this weekend. I love the Kansas Sampler Festival, and Kansas, and Kansas Explorers, and Marci Penner, and living in Garden City. We spent the past two days at the festival, talking to people from all over the state, finding out fun things to do, learning about Kansas, and getting all excited about loving where we're from.

I love it that I'm from a place that raised $1200 in 6 hours, just by putting a jar in the Greensburg booth.

I love it that this morning at the Kansas Explorers meeting, we all sang "Home on the Range" together-and I wasn't the only one who was teary.

I love it that I live in a community where I can't walk around a festival for 30 minutes without seeing 5 people that I know. At least!

I love it that I got to eat Indian food today, and watch Indian dance, and that the community response to this first offering of Indian culture was so great that they ran out of food by 1:00, and there was an enormous crowd there to watch the dancing.

I love it that on Friday night, I got to see a delightfully funny and impressive GCCC show, that Matthew got to play drums for, and that lots of my former students were in. I get to see at least one play every year, and the Garden City Symphony, and at Easter, Handel's Messiah, and band concerts in the park in the summer. All of these things are made up of people in the community. They are always wonderful, and I don't think I would enjoy anything else as much as I enjoy seeing our people perform. Even if it were a big fancy symphony, how much better could it be?

I love it that we have a Strings Professor at the college who played with a big fancy symphony for 30 years, and is now here, to play with us and start the Southwest Kansas Music Academy . Abby gets to sing with a fantastic children's choir (accompanied by the big fancy violinist), and in 2 years, if we like, we can sign Anna up for "Violin for the young child" and she'll get ridiculously early exposure to playing music.

Honestly! What a wonderful place!

Something cheery

My dad said that I don't update my blog often enough, and he's always right so I'm updating twice today! ...and I thought we ought to move back to something cheery, as this is a cheery blog.

"Overheard in the Office" and others are websites that document how awful life in the city is. Today in 2nd grade I thought about "Overheard in the Spanish Room" and how much nicer it would be. The 2nd graders were coming up to the front of the room to read a story. As they came, a few were grumbling about not getting to stay in their seats.

Girl 1: "I like it because my eyesight is not that good."

Boy 1: "My eyesight is good, my eyesight is the best in the world."

Girl 1: "No it's not"

Boy 1: "Yes it is, it is the best in the world"

Girl 1: "Your eyesight is not better than God's eyesight, He has the best eyesight in the world" Boy 2: "Your eyesight is not that good, even if there was a wolf right in front of you you would not see it."

Boy 1: "Yes I would, and I would growl at it" Boy 1 proceeds to growl.

And then we read a story.

How about some excessively domestic thoughts?

I've decided to go ahead and switch from the generic detergent to this one. It's much nicer to pick up and pour in and even though it costs more I am getting it. I feel very luxurious and a little smug every time I do the laundry.

Tonight I made a very yummy dinner. I got a Rachael Ray cookbook for my birthday, and this is the first recipe attempt. It was delicious. I used regular pork sausage, and not as much, and part skim ricotta, and the extra good for you Barilla Penne pasta, and twice as much broccoli, and just a bit of Parmesan. I think it came out to be pretty good for you, and so tasty. Anna liked it, but she likes everything. She's nice that way.

For my birthday I got new knives, and they are so fun to use, but I need to learn how to use them well. Maybe the next time Sarah comes home she can teach me a little.

I also got a beautiful bag from Matthew. He did such a nice job on my Birthday. I got new knives-something practical that I wanted. A beautiful bag-something frivolous and pretty. And he fixed the bathtub-a chore done! Perfection.

Things that break my heart

Megan and Travis and Jonas and Lucy drive away on May 25, 2007.

From hand-me-down boys overalls that are too small, with snaps that don't snap anymore, into...

An adorable dress I made myself. It only took about an hour all together, with three phone calls to my Mom. It's not perfect, but it's cute! Please comment with effusive praise. I'm so proud. I feel almost like a legitimate mother. She looks so cute in it. What fun. I want to make lots of clothes now.

VoteJez.com

Jez Luckett's gonna be on TV tomorrow morning! Go to his website for details and to find out how to vote for him.

Go Buffs!

www.votejez.com

It looks like I have a new cleaning rag

I guess Susan was right. He's just not K-State.

I'd like to call him names, but that's not K-State.