Grand Babies

We spent Saturday and Sunday with Rayne_of_Terror and the "boys" and they are grand babies. Q is 2 months and 16 pounds of blue twisted steel, cuddly but tough. My long fingers barely meet around his expanding chest. He is a laughing cooing baby who gives his mother hell to pay at night. H was adorable and seems to have made the transition to big brother very well. It was tough at first. He imagined that any time he was not home, there was untold fun and partying going on without him, but he has finally relaxed and started to enjoy school. We made a pact with each other to have another good week at school. Since I go to school every day, too, we did a little huddle and maybe a band cheer (ala Aunt Leah). H dressed as super pumpkin and he was super cute from head to toe in his stuffed orange shirt with a pumpkin and a super S ont he front, an orange terry cape (otherwise known as the baby's towel from Israel) though it has been a super cape ever since it arrived. He wore a green kerchief and just looked adorable. See pics on Rayne's blog. DH began work on converting the tiny upstairs office/bedroom into a laundry room. It looks like heaven to me to make that room into the laundry as all the dirty clothes are made upstairs! There will be some other changes, but the most exciting one is having the laundry on the second floor. There will be a pantry style cabinet, cabinets, and counter top for folding. That still leaves 3 bedrooms. Seeing the room empty for the first time, I realized it really was big enough to have a crib, I hadn't thought it was possible. I am also thinking a pullout ironing board to touch up collars and such would be a good idea. Maybe I will get her that sewing machine I mentioned a few years ago and she can do some mending and create more fun costumes in that room, too. hmm, there's an idea.

While we were there, @Derndingle made the repairs to our beloved dell tower, simple for him, mystifying to us and we are grateful. I did get all my photos off the newer e-machine but DH and I really prefer the mighty Dell for now. I'd like to thank AccidentallyJewish for her guidance in talking me through the memory stick, she in Chicago and me way down state. SUCCESS! My big worry was losing all the new photos from my new little canonelph.

Weight Loss Check In

I have achieved a loss since February 11, 2009, of 115lbs. I am looking like my original self plus age. Yesterday I had a confusing time at an outlet mall trying to find a new pair of jeans that fit. I searched and searched, until I realized I had to leave the women's department and go to another department. I was sure it wasn't going to work, but I got a pair of no gap waistline well-fitting jeans and another plain pair that also fit well in a size I never expected to see or enter again, even with the weight loss. I feel like maybe I have 10 or 15 more pounds to lose but I am just not sure. My imagination did not go this far. Visualization did not go this far. My understanding is that you get this kind of weight loss for about a year following surgery then any more becomes the same old effort it always was. I may make my unknown goal before that year is up. In two weeks I will be 9 months out from surgery..

For Rick

The loom is foam core board with an even number of slots cut in each end. We have 14 slots in each end this time. The first time I did this we used crochet cotton for the warp, this time we used cotton thread like peaches n cream for the warp and it worked better, it is easier for 7Th grade fingers.. I buy mostly worsted weight yarns on sale and a few fun yarns so they can get some fluffy stuff going on. We weave all the way around the foam core and then we weave a flap on one side. I do a little braid and sew on a button for them. They are 7Th graders and they choose their own colors. I also have a sheet of various patterns you can do with a tabby weave. I am also sure there is a way to braid a handle through this to give a little something to hang on to, we just haven't gone there yet. Packing the weaving as tightly as possible is very important. I will put on a photo that shows how we load the warp onto the board. If you used a big enough piece of foam core you could make a decorative pillow or even a full size purse. These are perfectly sized for a phone as big as an I-phone or my canon elph camera. I am not identifying the artists, but at least half of them are mildly mentally handicapped and their projects are exactly as good as anybody else's. I did find out this time that they LOVE variegated colors so I stocked up on some of those at a sale at JoAnn Fabrics. I also have a selection of yarn that I bought with school supply money through the catalogues. It can often be a disappointment so I don't count on that. I am working on one that is all cotton Peaches N Cream brand or the walmart brand of similar cotton. This is the cotton I have knitted and crocheted dishcloths with in the past.

Pocket Weavings 7th grade

Mosaics/pocket weavings

Weight Loss or Not

Have had a week hovering at a 101 lb loss, I am pleased with my progress and don't mind hovering. I had the first mention today of losing too much, yet I am 60 lbs over my college and young bride weight. hmm. what's that about? The people who know me now in my present life have never seen me at a normal weight. I am not at a normal weight yet, but I sure am looking a heck of a lot better than I did a year ago!
Dh repaired my bicycle which had the front fork of backwards for 3 years as put together by ultra excellent bike shop. It really improves the ride! The little hills that had become challenges to me since the weight loss strangely smoothed over and got lower! My feet are no longer hit by my front tire when I turn the bike. Hard to imagine not noticing that little problem for so long! I just blamed those issues on my own body, feet, losing some strength along with weight...and it was BACKWARDS!

Last week I thought I may have lost my mind in offering my afternoon 6th graders the Oaxacan animal project. I was wrong, once we got through the horrid first day where each and every one of them was clamoring for help...I can't..I can't...I can't ringing through the air, it has been more than fine, so much better than they have been since the beginning of school. I feel like I have literally yelled at this one class 5 times in 43 minutes.(Each day) I don't much care for it when that happens, and I really don't care for raising my voice.

Because I have learned the simple task of putting pics on my blog, Thanks, daughter, I will be able to put up some photos here when the animals are finished. This project gives my kids a sculptural experience, a social studies experience, and just a lot of down right fun. I learned some techniques 3 or 4 years ago from Dan Reeder's book "Simple Screamers" that have made this project one that lasts. Little siblings say my brother still have his..maybe 4 years after making it. A child can even play with them they are so sturdy. We make the lat layer a wrap (like a mummy) of elmer's glue and strips of cotton ripped from sheets that makes them amazingly strong, and paint them with acrylics.

some editing