Teacher Appreciation Week

I think about this too late every year and feel rushed to make/buy something. I scoured craft blogs and found something I thought I could do easy, cheaply(not because I am cheap, but because it cost me $70 to fill up my van and money is tight!)and decent enough for their teachers. As I kept reading I found a survey done by teachers naming their best and worst gifts. In the worst column was an item similar to what I was planning to make. Eek. So I asked around and got the feeling that what I was doing was fine, but a reminder to me that I need to think about this earlier and not be so last minute!
Without further ado-my teacher gifts:

I got the basket at Target for $1, the jar for the sugar scrub for $1 at JoAnn's, gum, pen, star post it notes and then the girl's made cards for each of their teachers. Its not wonderful but I hope they like it.

Cards

My next craft was to make cards for my third daughter's upcoming birthday. I'd never used the Cricut for card making so it took me a few tries to figure sizes and wording, but she likes the finished product-so that's all that matters!

There is more on the inside of the card(first picture) but I had already filled out all the personal info so I can't show it! I had a lot of fun making them and realized they all did not need to be uniform, so each was the same colors but different variations. She is having a flower birthday party at the end of this month so we are very excited!
I also made my mom a mother's day card

and I filled the inside with lots of love ya mom stuff. ;)

Burp Rags

Babies, babies, babies!!!! Happened to be the last few months that multiple were due at the same time.  My sewing is minimal at best, but I figured to attempt some burp rags. I cannot remember which blog I got the idea or dimensions from or I'd link back, sorry! So I in no way take any credit for any part of these except for picking out fabric, buying fabric and slaving and toiling for the finished product!

I also have to add I am horrible with math so I always just bought fabric, at the moment I have multiple cotton flannel w/ batting sewn on and but no chenille because after making around 20 of these, I quit. At some point I will have to finish them, but the hardest part is done, and I love that they were fairly easy, cute and made great gifts!

Crafting!

I think this is the first time I'm sharing a craft-so I have to admit-I'm nervous. I pour through countless blogs of extremely talented people and drool with jealousy over their creations. I can't remember or find(how does that happen?) where I saw the craft I made, but it started with the Headband Holder over at A girl and a glue gun.

With 3 girls, a small house, my drawer for hair crap was over flowing and I, and especially my husband couldn't stand it anymore.

So I used some leftover wood, Josh put it all together for me, and used the staple gun to get the fabric nice and tight over the wood. I then used the headband holder tutorial and  hot glued the ribbon onto the frame. Next I added some ribbon on the top for all those hair clips we can never find in the drawer and screwed some hooks into the bottom for hair ties, bracelets, and necklaces!

This picture is of the one I did for my niece, so its slightly smaller than the one I made for my girls, and its also chalk full of girly goodies for her birthday today!

W3D1

I-almost-did it! On the second set I had a really hard time and walked for 10-15sec and went right back to it. It still hurts to do it, but I'm more determined than ever to get there and try my hardest with a better attitude about the whole thing.
Praying helps too. Prayer is a part of my everyday life, and originally I didn't even think about praying for this.. so I am. I should've done it in the first place!
He is my strength, when I am weak. I'm weak in a lot of areas. The more  I realize I need Him for everything, and realize it right away-the better I can be.

Science Project

Aubrey brought home her science project today-it will stay with us until spring break is over.

It's a meal worm and pupa.

Yea. This is gross to me. We have a small home, its in a clear tube and where do we put it? She thought it should be on the kitchen  windowsill. Where I can see it when I'm cooking?? NO!
So then I said the bathroom on the shelf, and that seems to be ok for now.

Then why can't I stop thinking about this thing in the tube?? All night, I'm thinking.. is it in there still? Is it going to get out, is it going to EAT ME in my sleep?!?!
 I hate bugs or anything ugly, creepy, crawly.. bluch.
How did I get so lucky to get this thing for a WHOLE WEEK?!

Josh and I were talking about it and I thought Aubrey was in the other room, which she was but close enough to hear even our whispered words, and she caught his.." maybe it will die and we can throw it away..."
She ran in tears streaming, starts to yell at us, sweeps the tube in her arms and covers it like she isn't going to let any harm come to this poor defenseless.. ahem... meal worm...and sobs out the whole."if I don't take care of my meal worm and pupa, feed it every day and write my observations, I'm going to get an "F" I can't let my teacher down, I can't kill this meal worm!!"
Seriously-am I having this conversation? Did she join PETA when I wasn't watching her?
You never go to school just once. You go through it again with each of your children.
Yay.
We have arranged care for this disgusting creature while we are gone for 3 days in MN, I felt ridiculous asking my mom to do this, but she agreed. Amazing!

On another note I am starting week 3 tomorrow-I feel no more excited about this than any other part of this training deal.. we'll see how it goes!

Die Hard...or Stupid?

I vote for stupid.


Headed out to jog in the cold, wind, and rain. Yick. I completed week 2 tonight and will be moving on to week 3. That's where I left off last time. Not for reasons of straight up quitting, just life got in the way and that was it. I'm figuring if I can make it to week 4.. and beyond.. that will be an accomplishment itself. I'm wondering if I'll ever get over feeling miserable during and after every stint. Even though I'm completing the assigned task, I still feel like its beating me. I'm not a competitive person normally, but...
I.want.to.win.