Update On Previous Post

Today my bag I use for all my Primary supplies was so heavy! Between the DVD player for the kids to watch a video on the subject matter, my scriptures, the weight of all the beanbags, the box of crayons, my notebook with teaching manual, and snacks for the kids, that bag must have weighed a minimum of 15 lbs!

Anyway, if you were wondering about how successful my beanbags were. Sorry, I only had 2  little girls in my class today as the others were either sick or out of town. Of course they were two of my most reverent. I did introduce the bags to the girls and told them what we would be doing with them. One girl for some reason decided to smell the bags. Apparently she feels  the pinto beans inside stink. :-)  To get a better feeling of how my idea works, I will have to wait until next week to find out.

Inspiration - My Heart ToTheir Hands

What is this?!?!  My classroom helpers

This past week my mind has been all over the place trying to figure out what I could do to make my 4 year old Primary class more reverent. As I am sure I have mentioned before, I have had a new group of children since the first of the year. Before I had the five year old class that turned 6 during the past year. Now I have 4 year olds who are just getting use to the whole class room routine of needing to sit quietly for the majority of 45 minutes.

This is a challenge for some of them as they have what I call, 'the squirmies'. Who can blame them?!?! After all, we now are on the late schedule for Sacrament Meeting after which is Primary Sharing Time. So, by the time I get them in the classroom, they are on their 3rd hour of church....a tall order for an adult, let alone a 4 year old child. Couple this with the fact that they are getting hungry.

After talking with our Primary President about a couple of concerns, I mentioned how I noticed that one child seemed to be able to sit quieter if able to hold onto something. She told me that she had a child who was like that and they needed  what they referred to as a 'fidget'....something they could fidget with to keep them focused.

I tried to figure out what I could come up with without singling out one or two children who I thought could use some kind of 'fidget'. The idea came to me to make a beanbag for each child to hold..... then thought....one wasn't enough, they needed one for each hand. My thoughts were that  

if both hands were occupied then they couldn't be touching the child next to them or playing with the chairs while I was teaching. Sounded good....until I realized that they could still reach out their arms with them. The idea is to get the the children to sit with their hands in their laps. So, the finally step was to link the two beanbags together fairly close so that if they were truly keeping their hands in their laps with each hand on a beanbag to fidget with, they would get reminded by the pull of the cord between the beanbags that they couldn't reach out.

Maybe I am over thinking this....but we shall see how it works out tomorrow.

Wish me luck!!! :-)

My 'Helper'

Ally, the artist at work

The finished masterpiece

Ring, ring, ring......."Hello?" 

Awww, it's Andrea with Ally at her side.

 "Ally wants to know if she can come over to 'help you' tomorrow. She has early dismissal from school and would like to come over."

Grandma smiles and 'gets it'.

A few weeks ago I commented to the girls that they were getting old enough that soon I could call them to come over to do chores to earn a little extra money. So coming over to 'help' was easy to interpret.

I also know that Ally likes to be able to come over for some 'one on one time' with grandma.....without sister.

We had a fun afternoon. She ended up having dinner with us, ice cream, and candy. Between 'chores' she got to do artwork. 

I had found an art supply kit at JoAnn's for $2.97  that had colors, colored pencils, oil pastels, markers, scissors, glue, eraser, sharpener, paper clips, etc. in a case!!! Couldn't pass that one up!

Anyway, we had a good afternoon.

You ask what kind of chores did she do? She vacuumed the stairs, cleaned up and sorted through the toys I have here for all the grand kids and put some things back in their storage bins....plus she dusted the whole downstairs for me. 

She seemed happy with her earnings and I was happy for the help and company.

I think we each got a good deal.;-)

Leaves in Stitches

This is the rug in our family room

This is a quick stitch I did to pull the colors and theme up onto the wall.

I am sure that in previous pictures I have posted you have noticed the family room rug.

How could you miss it!?!? :-)

Well, every year in January I get a catalog from Herrschner's.

I usually browse it quickly then throw it away. I have never bought from the company...until this year.

While browsing, I was extremely surprised to see a kit for a pillow cover that pretty much matched  our rug.

I decided to get one, not to make a pillow, but instead to stitch and make a wall hanging out of it. The rug is so busy that your eye is naturally drawn down. I decided that I wanted to balance the color and room out a bit by drawing the eye back up onto the wall.

The kit came last Wednesday and I decided to work on it right away. Since I was having such a hard time sleeping, I took advantage of the time awake to work on it and finished it over the weekend. 

I am looking forward to getting it framed and hanging it very soon.

Sleep

I remember the days when I use to be able to sleep for 10 hours straight with no problem. Even after that much sleep I would lay in bed for a while, stretch, and allow my body to wake up. Oh, how I miss those days! It is now rare for me to get a full 5 hours of sleep without waking up at least twice during that time...in fact, that is now considered a good night's sleep. People are forever asking me why I don't take a sleep aid. Well, I will tell you. Every now and then, I give in to pure exhaustion and take something; but I pay a big price. Wednesday night I got very little sleep. I went to bed late because I wasn't feeling very tired. I got about 3 1/2 hours sleep. Thursday I was feeling it, and decided I was tired enough that I was going to take a sleep med that night, which I did. I slept for 10 hours. Sounds good, right? Well, I woke up Friday morning with a headache which I usually do when I take meds., but I also felt dizzy and not able to function. I decided to lay down about 10:30am. The next thing I knew it was 3:30pm......and I was still dizzy and tired. Well, as the evening wore on...I felt better but I also knew I was in for a bad night of no sleep. I never was able to get any sleep that night...not even a mini dozing off. Yesterday I managed to survive okay. I ended up being awake for a full 27 hours before I was able to go to bed and sleep without meds. I went to bed at 7:30 and got up at 4:30 this morning. Again, sounds good, right? Nope! I still feel a bit dizzy and tired. It is probably a good thing that we have church this afternoon so I won't be tempted to take a nap and mess up any possible chance of sleeping tonight. Oh, how I long for the days when I was able to sleep a full night without waking up and enjoy feeling rested the next day.

Age

This time of year is always very reflective for me as we celebrate our childrens' birthdays which are all clumped together within a 3 week period. As I watch my children mature (all are in there 30's now) I find it amazing how time passes so quickly and how our perception of ourselves evolves. There is a part of me that has truly had a hard time accepting that my kids are the ages they are because deep down inside I don't feel old enough to have children their ages. It is easy to say I feel and think like I am still in my 30's myself....but when I really search deeper, I realize that through my adult years my mind has always tended to want to stay about 10 years younger than I am. So mentally I am holding onto my late 40's. As long as I don't stand in front mirrors too long, I am happy fooling myself. Oh, my body speaks to me with it's aches and pains of my true age, but those aches and pains soon become built in excuses for not doing some of the things I didn't like doing in the first place!:-) Though there are many things I would like to still be able to do that I was able when I was my kids' ages, it is also nice to know that I am not expected to do them any more due to the possible risks.
Aging is interesting. When I was young the thought of someday being in my fifties was very scary. Having had grandparents die in their fifties, I felt it was when your literally fell apart. Well, I do feel some deterioration, but I am still functional, and for the most part able. It helps to have a mother who is still very active at almost 80 to keep me looking ahead with determination and hope. My perception of age has changed. Fifties, old?...No way!...Just older. I tend to look at those older than myself with different eyes. I see the person, not the age. If they act old...then they are old. If they are still functioning well, alert, and are able to see, experience, and appreciate the good things in life, then they seem ageless to me. They are the ones I hope to be like...ageless by continuing to live life with optimism.

Relief Society Fireside

Last night the stake Relief Society had a fireside for all the women in which the theme was ' Establish a House of God'. It was taken from Doctrine and Covenants 88:119 "Organize yourselves: prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God."
The evening was wonderful! Our Stake RS Pres., Sis. McGuire began with directing her comments to how we prioritize and that we need to put eternal things...things that  keep us directed toward the the Savior and our progression as first priority. How does our home feel when we walk into it?...Is it peaceful, is it organized? Does it reflect that it is a home where the gospel is taught? How do we treat each each family member? What is the tone of the home?  Do we try to do so much that the important things get pushed aside?  There were many things mentioned that made one evaluate their own home and where there is a need for improvement.
The next speaker, the Stake RS First Counselor, Debbie Bolen, spoke about how we can receive personal revelation to help us establish a house of God and how we need to learn to listen for those promptings as we ask for direction as to how we can improve our homes. When we feel a task is too much ....he will step in, guide us, and walk us through.
The RS Second Counselor, Connie Anderson, spoke about family relationships and how they need to be molded  and refined into masterpieces of our best work otherwise they can be destroyed by lack of care or protection.
Our Stake Pres., Pres. Richardson, spoken about how we need to be aware of what is in 'our attics'. Meaning, what is stored in our homes? Do we need to 'sweep out the cobwebs ...cleanout the debris", insulate to keep the cold out? Do we need to bring in prayer, scripture study, a pure heart, knowledge and learning, clean thoughts, forgiveness, etc? We need to make room for true treasures and rid ourselves of the garbage and clutter that the world would fill our attics with.
I wish I could give justice to how wonderful the evening and talks were. The timing was prefect for me, as over the weekend I had a breakdown and needed to be uplifted and directed in my thoughts to what I needed to do to lift the burdens that were weighting me down.  Sometimes life can feel over-whelming with the daily routines and expectations (or lack of) from others or ourselves. Over time, we can lose sight of how important our work as woman, wives, mothers, grandmothers, homemakers, and daughters of a Heavenly Father who loves us can be. We need not wait to be appreciated by others as much as we need to feel the satisfaction of doing what is right and good, knowing that our Father in Heaven is well pleased when we do.
I am grateful for others who take the time to understand through their callings and inspiration what is needed in HIS house, the church, that we all need reminding of.

Seeing Double, and Double

For those of you who follow this blog, you know that Andrea made the girls the matching skirts with reverse fabric layouts for Christmas. I had planned on using the scrape fabric to make their dolls matching skirts for Christmas but as I have stated, my machine went on the blink. So, the surprise project I mentioned  two days ago was the doll skirts for the girls, which I was able to give to them today. They seemed very pleased. I have to admit that I was pleased too, as I had to wing it without having the dolls available while making them.

The girls wanted individual pictures taken, too.....so here they are.

Kaitlyn

Ally

Dolls 

The girls wore their skirts and took their dolls with them to Craft Warehouse today with Andrea and I. I heard people talking about how cute they thought they all were and they also got comments from the lady at the counter. It was a fun day of seeing double doubles. :-)

Noise

For the most part, I am a quiet person and I generally like things to be on the quiet side. This is also reflected in how I conduct my life. I am not flamboyant, a thrill seeker or overly adventurous. Give me  the sound of the surf, a breeze through the trees, a child's sweet giggle, or soft music and I am content. Those soft sweet sounds are happy and peaceful sounds for me. I have been challenged by a husband who has a hearing problem. He is deaf in one ear and doesn't do all  that well with the other ear, either. I don't fault him for him not being able to hear well, that would be unfair. But the consequences of that hearing loss does present some areas of contention. He likes and needs the television turned up about 10 numbers higher than I do. That is beyond my comfort level and blasts me out of the room. In the car, he blares the radio and drives fast (Engine noise)... I prefer a quiet steady ride. I am forced to raise my voice to talk. When he can't hear me and I have to practically yell, then I get accused of actually yelling at him after I have repeated myself at least three times. What is one suppose to do?!?!  His phone, computer, his gadgets...are all turned up high whether there is a need to hear them or not...I guess he needs noise in his life. So, even in the middle of the night I sometimes am awakened by beeps and bells and whistles....of course he can sleep through them....he doesn't hear them! Unfortunately, it doesn't end there......he snores! I am not talking about a rumbling snore...I am talking about the kind of snoring that threatens to raise the roof and throw it into the next county snoring. Thus is the reason I have been up since 1:00am. It is now almost 4:00 and he should be up before long. Today is his day off. I would like some quiet...maybe tomorrow?

Added side note 3 hours later: I forgot to mention that I also wore earplugs to bed last night...
  Conclusion: They are highly over-rated.

Creating and Beautifying

This morning I did my first project on my new sewing machine. I kept it simple so I could get use to the machine without worrying about messing up a more complicated project. So far, I am impressed with the machine and happy with my new valance above my kitchen sink window.  I also am liking the fabric I chose.

Simple project, but complete!

Next project.....a surprise for someone.....stay tuned.  :-)

Home Is Where The Heart Is...Or Is It, The Heart Is Where The Home Is?

What is it about girls that love to build forts, castles, play with house doll houses, and create havens for themselves and those they love? When I was a young girl those were some of my favorite things to do, and now I find that I continue to have fun doing the same things with my granddaughters.
This morning I woke up thinking about how through the years it has been my experience that girls love to build secure havens and boys like to build things that are mobile...cars, trucks, spacecraft, etc. Boys seem to always want to be on the move while girls tend to want a stable foundation to call home and feel secure in its protection.
That made me think, as an adult woman, about how many times I have heard women say, "You can tell a man built this house." :-) Sorry guys, but few of you really seem to understand unless you have been married for while just exactly what a house needs in order to function well. Women dream of huge pantries, walk in closets, cabinets galore, large linen closets and a large storage area for the bulky things as well as space for each individual to have their own private space as well as a gathering place for all. They think of all the needs for everyone in the family. Guys, (until they have been married and learn otherwise :-) ), tend to just want a place to dump their stuff, have a man cave to watch a huge TV and a garage for their mobile toys and tools.
Women create homes, men build houses. Women create beautiful and functional environments; men tend to house their stuff.
Let me be the first to say...yes, I am generalizing. We all know individuals who do not fit this pattern, but for the most part, this has been my observation through life. One can usually walk into a home and see the heart of the woman there. Her personality is exhibited throughout. It is a reflection of the inner self. When you walk into a man's place. It usually looks and feels like a place they harbor their things and a resting place for when they are not on the move.
Before my three sons read this and try to disclaim my views, let me say that they generally do not fit the mold of what I have described. I am so proud! :-)

Alive and Ready to Run

Yep, I am feeling alive and mobile again after starting the new year feeling like it ran me over. I felt like it squeezed all the energy out of me while leaving me behind in the race. BANG! Go! Yep, I still have in in me. :-) Well, today I need to play catch up. I need to get the holiday decorations out of here! I am ready to get into high gear and catch up. This year I plan to take some steps to change my routine. I have a new sewing machine. I use to like to sew....that is until my old machine decided to put on the brakes. I am going to start sewing again. I have ideas for projects that I am excited to work on. I am optimistic and ready to put my foot to the petal. I am going to run those seam lines with all the energy I can muster up...and hopefully the year will be clothed with beautiful expressions of creativity. Bring it on....I am ready to run.....the sewing machine. :-)

She's melting, melting.......

Sometimes change is REALLY, REALLY GOOD!

No Bang Here

Some people start off the New Year with a... BANG! They shoot off the fireworks, beat the pots and pans and go wild. I am usually in bed trying to sleep. This year, however, I did stay awake just long enough to watch the silly ball fall in rerun for the west coast from NY. Why?...I really don't know.
Another way many start the New Year is by resolutions. In that sense they start off the year with a bang as they go gunk-ho trying to start and stick to a new regime. This year, I started with a squeaky little voice that can barely be heard. I lost my voice. Yes, I am sick with sinus problems that make my head feel like it could explode with a bang, but I silently wipe my nose and suck on honey-lemon cough-drops to soften the scratchiness of the back of my throat. The silence in my house while George is at work is almost deafening. Today, I slept most the day away trying to combat this silent war going on within my body. Maybe by the end of the week I can catch up and that 'bang' of energy will move me forward and I, too can feel and realize the BANG of renewed life with new goals and new opportunities. Until then...I quietly whisper.....shhhh, I'm sleeping!