spring break

since it is spring break, I thought I would go some where a bit more springy than my frozen north home, so I took the three youngest kids, and drove south, to visit Joanne, and her family. even though they are not on spring break.
we have had a good time, and did some scrapbooking- yay,
and some thrift shopping,
and some picture taking.
so fun.
we will head home tomorrow, and I will share some stuff then.
and hope my home is still in one piece- with those two big boys home with Dad.
crazy stuff.

good mail.

in exchange for knitting Kayli the sweet little brown set shown a couple of days ago, she made me a ton of super cute hair clips! they are adorable.

and she made me this cute little canvas. She told me she would need pictures, and secretly I was hoping this was the kind of thing she was making for me- after she showed the fun ones she made for her sister at Christmas.

thanks Kayli! I love them.

swapping is so fun!

yesterday

we went to the thrift store- and found a few great finds like: the entire set of Little house on the Prairie books. as I was holding it another lady walked by me and commented on the good find that it was!
and for only $4. I can't wait to start reading it to Sadie. it might take us a few years! but first we have to finish Before Green Gables- the story of Anne before she was Anne of Green Gables. it is a good read too.

and Maggie had her birthday money in her hand and wanted to spend it so bad- thanks Grandma! and we found this bag of felt kids with a ton of clothes for $2. she played with it all afternoon. right there it was worth the money. now I need to make the girls a big felt board to put their people on. so fun.

and I didn't find a blanket, but I did get a huge white sheet to cut up to use in future quilts, so it was a good trip to the thrift store.

13

1. our Relief Society is setting up a 5K run/walk on July 4. they gave us a training schedule to follow- to get to a point where we can run that far by then. Cory thinks it is funny and sad that we need so much help to do that. Really, he could go out and do 5K's on any given day. sadly I can not. and I think most of the ladies in our RS could not either.

anyways, my point is, I am right on schedule. and I am going to run the whole 5K on July 4th. even if it kills me. which it might.

2. is this not the cutest thing ever? I just knitted the hat and pants. Kayli did the rest of the work. so super cute!

3. last week it was like this.

then it got cold again. and snowed some more. now it is hovering just below 0, and supposed to snow more today- or tomorrow. yikes.

4. I remember back at the end of November when I was just aching for it to snow. yah. now I am wishing and hoping it will leave. and soon.

5. I saw this book at Michaels a while back. then I saw it at my library. I snatched it up. it is super cute. I just want to sew cute little animals on everything.

6. I bought this ring from hereI got it in the mail yesterday. it is perfect. I love it. it makes me happy!

go figure!

7. yesterday for supper I made pizza. I am not sure where we first had it, but now I like to make ham and pineapple pizza with alfredo sauce instead of pizza sauce. so yummy. that pizza went first.

I usually just put spagetti sauce from the jar as pizza sauce, but I had some real spagetti sauce- with meat and some onions, green peppers, and even some zucchini thrown in- much to my kid's dismay. anyways, I wondered how that would be on a pizza. well, let me tell you. it was good! I don't know if the kids thought so. maybe they were just full from all the other pizza, but I know what I am having for lunch! leftover spagetti sauce pizza. yum.

8. I also bought this card from here.

it reminds me of Peters in Calgary- all the birds that people would throw their french fries to.

They must have been very happy birds!

9. alright I have to speed this up, and get a move on.

10 on my list for today:

mail off a package

deposit some checks at the bank

hit the thrift store.- looking for a sheet for the back of another quilt, a blanket for the middle, and a fun glass jar to put some easter eggs in.

mop some floors

do some laundry- all the way to completion. no more baskets on my bedroom floor.

some more knitting- of course.

11. Cory was complaining that I never scrapbook any more. I thought that was funny. I love that he cares about it. I need to print off some pictures and get some pages done!

12. Spring break starts tomorrow! Friday off, then all next week off. I am only excited about sleeping in. the rest- not so sure. I think I need to come up with some fun stuff for us to do.

13. my computer time will be more limited with 5 other people around to share with for a week. yikes. whatever will I do!

stinker

so, the other day I was walking past my craft room door,
and Maggie told me not to go in there.
well, of course I did, because that could only mean trouble.
but at first glance I saw nothing out of the ordinary.
but that room does look like a tornado hit it,
so something could have been amiss, and I might not notice right away.
but I went in there today- to look for something.
good luck. I mean really. really, it is a big mess.
but I look down at the floor and this is what I see. that little stinker colored with pen all over my sewing machine foot pedal.
that must have taken a while. It is colored in good.
I don't know how many times I have said-
we color on paper. not skin, not furniture (or whatever else they might want to color on) we color on paper.
-I guess I need to tell her that we also do not color on sewing machine foot pedals. only on paper.

Cory and Maggie have dentist appointments this afternoon, and I will be all alone. hurray!
and guess what I am going to do?
I am going to go to the gym.
what? me?
crazy, I know.
I bought a month pass- but really don't want to pay for babysitting, so I will take advantage while I don't have Maggie!
but I think I will make it a quick workout, so I can come home and enjoy the house all alone.
and maybe clean up that craft room.
maybe.

knitting

knitting up a storm is more like it.
and what am I knitting? well. I am so glad you asked.
I have a friend who is a photographer. and she likes fun, unique props.
she wanted a knitted diaper cover.
so I found a pattern and made her one.
she liked it.
but then she wanted a hat to match.
okay. I can do that.
and then she thought if I could somehow put dots on them-
that would be fantastic.
well, okay, I think I can do that too. so I did.
and I put them on etsy.
and I got an order or two.
and that, my friends,
is what I am knitting now.
and my pointer finger is getting calloused.
yikes!

funnies

1. one sunday during church maggie said to me- I like that ladies rainbow hair- about the lady who was speaking. she had dark hair with big blonde streaks. too cute.


2. Jed went to a birthday party and got a CD of music in his treat bag. the dad of the party person is a DJ. his favorite song on the disk is Push it to the Limit, from High School Musical 3. and that drives the big boys crazy. and makes me laugh.


3. they said on the radio that one day this week there is supposed to be a high of -1 with a wind chill of -23. how is that even possible?
nasty cold winds from the arctic I guess.
go away cold and snow. I am done with you.


4. one other Sunday in Sacrament meeting, Maggie said- I wish church had a washing machine so clothes wouldn't get dirty. she must have had something on her dress. not a surprise really.


5. I only remember these things because I have a notebook in my bag that I jot down things to do, or thoughts during the meetings. I should carry it around with me all the time. that girl says some pretty funny things.


6. I was going through Sadie's t-shirt drawer, trying to help her find a certain shirt, and I think half of the shirts in the drawer were dirty. I think I have threatened them too many times for just throwing all their clothes in the dirty clothes the minute they take them off- no wait, that would be better than having clothes all over the floors. but I hate when they just put them in the laundry instead of putting them away. but I think she needs to put more in the laundry. such a fine line. haha.


7. super cute blog- v and co. will be doing posts on decorating 101 and organizing 101. her house looks so super cute- the way I want mine to be some day, and soon, she will be teaching us her secrets! check it out. she is so cute! (how many times can I use the word cute?)


8. I got to go with the cubs on a trip to the police station on Tuesday. it was great! the officer took mug shots of all the boys. I told Jed that had better be the only mug shot he ever gets.


9. my skin gets so dry with the cold. and then they get better when it is warm. and dry and cracky when it gets cold again.
right now my fingers are cracking up.
funny, huh? cracking up. get it?
but really, I am ready for warm weather. and not dry skin.

10. I think with my constant knitting all the time, that isn't helping my hands either.
in fact, it is the fingers that are constantly holding the yarn that are the dryest. hmm. interesting

11. the kids are coming home for lunch and I asked Maggie what we should have.
she said macaroni or grilled cheese.
but she says it girl cheese. just like sadie used to.
love it.
but still stuck in the lunch rut.
don't love that.

12. actually yesterday we had boiled eggs and toast.
real exciting stuff around here.
but Sadie loved it, and said I should have made her 3 eggs. wow.

13. I am out of stuff to share. and must go scrounge up something for lunch, then continue on with my knitting. have a happy thursday!

I love it!

it makes me think of spring. and although the sun is shining, there is still snow everywhere, so I will take any bits of spring that I can get!

the back is a thrifted sheet, with lots of dark pink dots with a few yellow, blue and green dots in there. so fun. and the binding is bits of another thrifted sheet that I had left over from using it as the back of another quilt!

so lucky

lucky charms and green milk- always a great start to a lucky, and happy St.Patrick's day!

today- in pictures, and a few words.

(and a bit of cleaning, of course. but just a bit.)

do we have a birthday here?

Yes, we have a birthday here!

after school yesterday I had the boys help hang some streamers and blow up some ballons. then I thought our walls really need a birthday banner.

well, the good, sweet internet helped me out again-

I followed this tutorial, and made this fun banner-

completely out of stuff I had lying around. I love that.

I think I would like to make one out of fabric- so it is a bit more permanent, but we will see how long this one can last! (it is made of newspaper! clever, eh?) I got the five monkeys done. I didn't do the hats that were with the pattern, because I know in my house they would just get lost.

they did have a good time jumping on the 'bed".I think the kids liked them. funnily enough, I think the one boy we had liked his the very most! I now know that with 4 year olds you don't need a lot of structured play. we did have 3 games that we played. I think hiding the toy banana was the hit of the party.

now I think I will get off the computer and do whatever my sweet new four year old desires.

(but I can't wait for pizza and blizzards tonight!)

Thursday. (already?)

1. tomorrow this little girl will be 4 years old! wow. how did that happen? 2. today I am taking her to the doctor, to see if he can suggest anything to help rectify her non pooping on the potty thing. no self respecting 4 year old should only poop in a diaper. right? we shall see.

3. the monkeys are almost done. and are pretty fun, if I do say so myself. 1 more skirt, a pair of shorts, and a pair of shoes for each of them, and they are ready to party!

4. apparently it is supposed to be warmer now. I certainly hope so. that was nasty cold there for a bit. nasty.

5. I am ready for drips and slush and puddles. bring it on.

6. the dentist went well. only Cory and Maggie have to go back, both for some sealants, and maggie has a tiny soft spot they want to put a little filling in. pretty good- considering how little my kids brush.

7. okay, that didn't sound very good. I tell them to brush before they go to school, and I think they do, most days, and I am fairly certain they all brush before bed, but sometimes I wonder if they really do.

8. I made a pillow cover with my scraps!

9. can someone explain twitter to me? I don't get it.

10. to do today- clean up,
finish up the laundry- folding and putting away are the worst parts of it all!
make cupcakes! yum.
finish monkeys
find some fun games to play at the party. any suggestions?

11. oh, and buy groceries. and icecream. maggie requested blizzards for her birthday- and rather than to to Dairy Queen and fork out the big bucks, I borrowed my mom's machine, and we will make our own! so fun.

12. but first I guess I had better get dressed. that would be a good start.

13. happy thursday!

spring

spring colors and
spring butterflies.
bought here-
(I thought rather than buy a punch I would not use very much, I would buy some already punched!) I think that I thought they would be bigger, so I might have to put fewer in a smaller frame- but for now this is how they are staying. they warm my heart.
when the rest of me is still so very cold!

stuff

-my parents informed me that March 9 was the coldest March 9th in these parts in their whole lives. yikes. it was cold. and is still cold today. but supposed to be warming up.
-and my seminary kids said this is supposed to be the last of the cold. nothing but warmth from now on. (I am counting anything above -10 to be warm)
-I not only taught early morning seminary this morning, but also helped the bishop out, who was helping the homestudy teacher out, and taught a it of the homestudy class today. just can't get enough of seminary!
- I am stuffing monkeys like a mad woman. 2 done 3 more to go. then I need to make them skirts, and some shorts for the boy one, and some shoes. I just hope I can finish them all by Friday.
- our whole family has dentist appointments tomorrow afternoon. should be fun. maybe I can stuff monkeys while I sit and wait!
-biggest loser is starting now, gotta go- see what happens since it was 'to be continued'!

funny

when life gives you a broken I spy bag-
pick up the pieces, and let your Strawberry Shortcake dolls
have a bubble bath! I had a good laugh when I walked in the girl's room yesterday and saw this.
I thought it was quite clever.
it still makes me chuckle.

Thursday

1. this past Tuesday was the cub car rally.
following with our family tradition, our boys did not place in the top three. they were definitely ranked among the bottom three. (some dads in our ward are very into the cars- we like to let the boys do it)
2. but it is all okay, because we console them with a slurpee.
and all is well. Jed actually wanted to lose, so he could get a slurpee.
funny boy.

3. Ben is home sick again. he has been the sickest of all my kids this year.
not good.

4. book club at my house tonight. I am thinking fresh salsa.

5. but that would require a trip to the store.

6. this is what it looks like outside today.

(those are drifts on my front steps.) it was blowing and snowing for most of the night last night.

7. so I don't really want to go outside, but I will have to if I want salsa. yikes.

8. and yesterday after school we were playing at the park with only t shirts on. it was so nice out. today, back to -15. yuck.

9. no school tomorrow. which is bad, and good. bad because I will have all the kids home. and who wants that! good because we can sleep in. and also good because it is my turn for seminary, so I get the day off tomorrow! yay.

10. Since it was so nice outside yesterday, I spent a bit of time chipping some of the packed snow off of the driveway- now I am thinking I should not have done that. now all the new snow is just going to get packed down. a vicious cycle. will it ever end?

11. alrighty, I had best be cleaning up my house,
buying some groceries- but probably should shovel a bit before I drive over that snow and pack it all down- maybe, but maybe not.

12. and I would love to do some more knitting, and sewing, of course!

13. hmm. maybe no one will come to book club tonight because of the weather. that would be okay. more salsa for me.

a letter

Dear Biggest Loser show People,
Thanks for your show.
It inspires me. For at least two hours each Tuesday night I want to eat better and exercise alot.
You have some good people on your show this season. A couple of guys with eternal wives. I love it! (Because I totally know what they mean!)
A great young man who gave away his groceries for a year to a mom with five kids. wow. seriously, I was in tears. what a great guy.
I was tired last night. but I stayed up. to the end of the show.
only to see- to be continued.
What? Do they reach their goal? Does poor Mike - with undo pressure, because really, it is not all up to him - get the group to the 77 pounds?( those little 3 pound losers are to blame if they as a group don't reach the goal. not sweet Mike.) really.
had I known that I would have gone to bed at 10:30. or maybe earlier.
I just wanted you to know.
thanks,
Kristi
ps. but I did get a bunch of knitting done, so I guess it was all good.

a question and an answer

So, Maggie is singing away, as usual,

and I grab her, and hug her and kiss her,

and ask her-

"how come you're so stinking cute?"

and her response-

"I'm not stinking."

and there you have it.

don't bother

I just entered over here
to win these fun jelly rolls, and if I post here, I can have another entry,
but this doesn't mean you should go there.
really. don't bother.
because I want them.
I really do!