Crazy summer!  I just returned from a whirlwind trip to Rochester Minnesota to Mayo Clinic.  I left a week ago today with a tumor in my head to drive there, saw the surgeon on Wednesday, he sent me for a day fill of pre-op then scheduled my surgery for Thursday, got to the hospital at 8:30am, by 6:30pm Thursday evening the tumor was out and I was in my hospital room.  We left the hospital Saturday at 6:00pm, went to LaCrosse WI to see an international garden, drove down the highway until we found a little inn to spend the night, and left there Sunday morning about 10:30 drove through the day and landed in my own bed at 1:30am.  WOW!  God is amazing...and fast!  When it's right it just is right.  The surgeon did a wonderful job, the service from every part of the hospital and clinic was so professional and efficent!!  I was going to upload my 'mummy' picture, but cox doesn't seem to be functioning well today...probably best, it's not extremely flattering (lol).

With the ending of the school year, there are always a few to thank who help me throughout the year and an inexpensive gift for my kids (21 of anything is not cheap!).  Well who would I consult for ideas but Pinterest!  I am absolutely addicted!  So many ideas, so little time...because I spend all my time looking for ideas and pinning them.---On a side note, I think I'll need to limit my pinterest time for the rest of the summer so I can produce more projects!---Anyway here are the projects made:

This was a 'Thank You' for parents who volunteered in my classroom.  (behind the design is a water)

This was my little gift for all the kids in my class.  Almost straight from Pinterest.  In fact the note was available for a free download.

The next project was for my husband to give to people he volunteers with who are behind the scenes.  This was another pinterest project with my own little twist on it.   I started with this note printed on my computer, then lined up and cut out with my cuttlebug.

I made the jars by cutting a trapdoor in the middle which would later be covered by the band.  Print the bands, mine were 2 3/4" x 8 1/2" and 3 1/4" X 8 1/2".  I printed 3 bands on one paper.  Glue printed label to background piece.  Stuff the bottle, then tape the opening shut, cover with the band around the middle of the bottle.  Tie the tag on with an assortment of ribbon.

Tips: shred paper in your shredder to stuff in the middle...lots more choice of color, not to mention less expensive!  Look for thicker bottles, these are tea bottles.  To put mints in, start by putting a layer in facing out and as many as you can until they are falling over like you are wallpapering the bottle with mints.  Add shredded paper as the 'core' of the bottle.  I went to Sam's Club and bought an enourmous jar of mints, ate several as I worked and still put 24-29 in the bottles (count them first, I made a bottle for a friend with money in it...lost track of the ones as I wallpapered the bottle with it---she got somewhere between 22 and 28???--- The bottle on the right was done haphazardly adding paper and mints with a shake give.  The left is where I purposefully placed the mints.

Hopefully lots more to come this summer after life settles down...tomorrow I'll know if it is going to settle a bit or go totally crazy!  Wish me luck...better yet keep me in your prayers!
PAM

Losing a child:(

We are not supposed to outlive our children!!!  I have a friend who has lost her son from injuries received in a wreck yesterday.  Our hearts are all breaking for her.  As mothers and fathers we can't imagine how we would ever deal with such a loss.  Give your kids an extra hug today, let them know how important they are everyday!!!  As Aibileen Clark in The Help tells children “You is kind. You is smart. You is important.”  Tell your kids today, They are kind, smart, important, and loved.

PAM

Dinner started courtesy of my sweet husband!!!!!!

The beginning and end of school is always so hectic,. and my sweet husband knowing this fixed our main course (saurkraut & weiners...a childhood favorite of mine--I know, not normal:)

This was about 3 weeks ago, when I had no time to post.  But I look at the picture and remember how it was so nice to arrive home from a busy day to have dinner started...and notice he designed it.  His quote is "The eye's feast first".  Love this man!  I hope everyone has a spouse who is so considerate!



Wow, a sick kinda month!  Projects are at a minimum at home since I'm back at school...well mostly.  After being gone for 4 months I seem to catch every bug brought my way, and it's hitting me a lot harder.  Couldn't be because I'm getting older, nah!  I did finish a card today, forgot to take a picture before I sent it off...maybe I'll get it later.  Even with catching every germ coming into my classroom, I am feeling so blessed!  God is providing all our needs in a difficult time.  We even have a group of friends from church who are having a garage sale to raise funds to help with my sons needs!  Amazing friends to donate time and stuff.  Well, hope to be back soon with bragging rights to fun stuff, in the meantime I'll just be surviving the end of school, classroom moving, respiratory illnesses, a root canal, and legal battles for my son.  All in a days work with God's help:)

Spring Break then back to teaching...wow I've been busy, and tired!  Most of my free time I've become hooked on pinterest!  I don't know about you but I can't get enough.  I find one good thing, that leads to another, and another, and another; then I see on my home page where my friends have found great stuff...until I can't look at the computer screen for another minute.  It's my new obsession, with projects to do in the future.  Now I must stop looking and start the projects!

I have finished a couple of projects I haven't shared!  I made this cowl for my daughter-in-law, but my granddaughter had to model it =)  A little bit of a camera hog (lol).  I saw this at a knit shop, sent the picture to my daughter-in-law to make sure she liked it and proceeded to pick out the yarn, until I looked at the price!!!!!!  I'd love to use some of the fun yarns they have, but really!  One small skein was $65! and this uses 3 different types of yarns.  It would have cost me $140 for the yarn.  I know it's wonderful yarn out of exotic fibers, but I made this for 10% of that cost! 

Here are knitted dishclothes I discovered the pattern online. I heard they were really good to use...I love them! After making the beige one, I made one a little larger with the brown trim, I have a 3rd in process right now.  They are made from cotton threads and scrub dishes really well!

Today I finished my first doily.  I've always loved doilies...a bit old fashioned, but there you go...I'm old:)  I'm not sure if I'm keeping this one or giving it away.  My youngest sister has laid claim to it, but then she does that to almost everything (huh, Kat?...love you!)  I found somemore patterns I'd like to try.  I remember when I was growing up all my mom, grandmothers, and all my aunts had doilies on their tables...is this too 1950's?  I don't care, I may try a tablecloth soon!

It's amazing what God pulls you through, while teaching you.  We are studying the book Trusting God, with our church community group, what timing!  God has certainly had a hand in all of the events in the last couple of weeks.  He has given me what I needed when I needed it, watched over and protected my son, and shown us what wonderful friends we have!  I am learning that an adult with a mental handicap needs lots more advocacy than the child needs (I think I had thought the advocacy would be as needed once I got him through school, WRONG!)  And as they are adults you not only fight for them, but fight him as well.  Thank you God for being in our corner, we're not there yet, but I know you have the plan!

Life has thrown this family a curve!  When your children are adults, you still worry about them, but when your child is an adult and mentally handicapped!!!! You are dealing with an adult/child...awgr-gr-gr.  Trying to convince people who are adults of normal intelligence that your adult/child who appears 'normal' is not is so absolutely FRUSTRATING!  Not only do they think I'm making excuses, but they often become condesending to me, seeming to think 'this poor lady is believin' this kid but we don't!  Come on people, mental handicaps cause problems because "newsflash" they want to fit in so they try to do what they perceive everyone else does!!!!  But you have the mind of an 8 year old influenced by television's version of life, trying to appear 'normal!!!!  Well I finished my rant, everyone say some prayers for the legal system getting some knowledge and understanding for my son.  Thank you for listening.

This last week I was obsessed with finishing as many knitted baby caps as I could...apparently that was 4.  I had just heard on Feb 8th that Cure International would be delivering knitted baby caps as part of their ministry in Alfganistan, well knitting is what I can do right now!  So I got to work making this caps, also praying for the moms and babies who would benefit from this ministry.  Got them off on Feb 15th (last day to have them postmarked)

Now back to knitting for my family.   Next up, a 3-tone cowl for my daughter-in-law, a little tougher lacy knit...but the challenge keeps me entertained sense the doctor has said I need another month to heal!

Hope everyone has a productive week! 

PUDDIN'!

Even though it's not easy staying home alot, not driving, and no BLT's (bending, lifting and twisting), this recovery time has had it's advantages.  I love to make food from scratch, box mixes can be good, but totally home made is fantastic.  Tonight it was vanilla pudding...which was good alone, but I added banana's and vanilla wafers to it.  After pouring it into dishes, I must confess...I licked the spoon, then scraped the pan to get a spoonful.  Warm it was wonderful:)

I hope everyone has had a great 'hump' day, 2 more days until the weekend!  PAM

Pillowcases for Kids with Cancer

This is the first group sewn, washed, dried, ironed, folded, bagged and labeled

Saturday we had a small, but productive, gathering at our house.  My goal is to have a group come together once a month to make pillowcases to give to kids who are being treated for cancer and other critical illnesses.  This month the group was small, just 4 of us (plus my granddaughter and son who helped), but we made 30 pillowcases!!!!!!!  The group is called ConKerr Cancer (http://conkerrcancer.org/home/).  This organization gets donations across the United States to distribute to hospitals. 

Second set of pillowcases ready to be bagged & labeled for a total of 30!

I found it amazing that just in two hospitals in Oklahoma 600 pillowcases are needed!  In Tulsa at St. Francis, 250 times children are treated for cancer or admitted for life threatening illnesses!  These pillowcases can help the children hae a little bit of a positive experience in the negative world of these illnesses.  Kids will be kids in any situation, the 'collect' pillowcases, sometimes even trading them:) 

If we can use our time, talent, and a little money to give these children a bright spot in their day...why not!   "A cheerful heart is good medicine." Proverbs 17:22

Have a good week!  PAM

I love quilts, but don't get the time to make them too much.  Here is one of the baby quilts I made this fall.  I found the pattern almost a year ago and thought it would be so fun to make.  I hoped a little kiddo would like it...I was right!  He loved the moon and the airplanes best!  How fun!  I made a butterfly quilt also for a new baby.  But can you believe I forgot to take a picture of it!   I'll have to get one later.

Quilts of been such a big part of my life.  I can remember my grandmother having a quilt frame suspended in the attic bedroom to work on as she could.  My great aunt did hand quilting well into her 80's.  My mom is like a quilt making machine.  She specializes in applique quilts and blesses all of us with wonderful quilts for special occasions or just because.  I plan to keep making a quilts as I have time.  When I retire I can get more active

Projects Getting Finished

Had the urge to make bread, I found this recipe on Family Fun.com, 'Cheesy Rolls'.  YUM!!!

Finishing some projects feels so great!  In 3 days I have made 3 ThankYou cards, made 3 microwave potato bags, 3 microwave tortilla bags, and finished a knitted hat for my sweet daughter-in-law.  Now I've started a matching scarf for the hat and an apron for my hubby. 

Best of all, I've gotten to see my kids, visited the a crafting friend, and had friends over for a yummy dinner (chicken enchiladas, spanish rice, refried beans, and german chocolate cake...all made from scratch!).  It's so great to get back to a more normal life. 

Here are samples of a little of my work:

Thank you cards for my wonderful friends who brought food during my recooperation.

First Blog

I've thought about blogging for a while now, but wondered "who would be interested" and how would I find the time.  Well, being at home recouperating from surgery seemed to be a time to start.  With the added advantage of keeping me sitting!
I am not supposed to bend, this limits what I can do tremendously!  But with some creativity I am finding a way around it.  There is a lot more planning involved in everything I do now, plus patience...which I don't usually have a lot of.  It has actually been good for me to take time to sit and look at the birds on our deck and walking the neighborhood to get my excrcise.  I usually spend so much time rushing from project to project, this time off has given me a chance to slowly finish some of my projects.  Of course, it also gives me time to plan more:)