Wednesday, June 22, 2011

More Summer Progress!

I purchased the fabrics for this quilt top last June and have been working on it since then. Finally it is finished! I love the brights against the black background fabrics. Now I need to figure out if I have fabric for the back and I can get it off to Chris for quilting!

Three years ago, Elizabeth left me to return to Texas. I sent her off with her own Eric Carle quilt, created with fabrics designed around his book "Brown Bear, Brown Bear". I had fabrics left over and since I will be teaching Reading next year, I decided to make my own! Here it is! I even have the backing fabric all ready to go! Nothing new purchased for this project!!

I have also created 4 tote bags from fabric left over from my Balloon Race quilt, and 3 tote bags from some canvas my mother-in-law gave me.

The stash of fabrics are slowly being used.

On the funny side: I took this sticker off a shirt this morning and stuck it on Narnia's forehead. She has left it there all day. Silly Dog!

Friday, June 17, 2011

Health Goals

As I get older, I am more aware of my aches and pains. It seems that every year I work to improve my health, but as I get older, I am less and less successful in maintaining the life style changes that are necessary.

I know that there are some of you who can relate to this and I also know that there are those of you who know me and are saying that they have heard this refrain from me in the past.

What makes this year different? Perhaps it is knowing that I have probably lived more than half my life already. Perhaps it is knowing that half of those years have been spent overweight and over tired. Perhaps it is knowing that my son will be getting married in a year. Perhaps it is all of it.

Since January, I have been working on a few health issues and those appear to be under control now.

Since school let out in May, Vince and I have been eating better and getting more exercise by working around the house.

Since school let out in May, I have lost a bit more than 12 pounds. I am not sure of the exact number as I have one of those dial scales---not a digital one! Regardless, I am seeing numbers I have not seen in a year!

I took my measurements last week and at this point, I have lost 2.5 inches. Again, making strides in the right direction.

I am aware of what I eat and drink. I make sure that my caloric intake varies from day to day and that I do not drink empty calories. I have eliminated my between meal snacking and have been much more active.

When my son gets married, I would like to be a single digit clothing size.

Short term, I would like to be a total of 20 pounds lighter by the time school begins in August.

There it is folks. My goals for this summer!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Summer Progress!

Today is another in and out day! Vince is continuing to work on the garden shed and had already advised me to be ready to assist him! (That is the OUT).
I finally repotted this plant that we brought back from my mother-in-law's house in Alabama. I can only hope that it survives!


I spent the day in my working studio, finishing up those UFO's of a variety of types! Yesterday, I finished Jena's quilt, well more accurately, Maurice's quilt. Earlier last week, I did the quilting and put the binding on. Yesterday, I put the final stitches in the binding and here it is:


I also finished 4 sets of Car Club placemats that will be door prizes for next year's Bunny Run Car Show. These were pending from Last Year! I never finished them. So, I decided they needed to be completed this summer and be available for next year's show. Here are two sets:

I was also working on using up the fleece and ribbons I had laying about. So, I put together more of ribbon blankets that I have been successful selling and using as baby gifts.

I had a lot of red and blue fleece so many of the blankets have a patriotic theme going on. The flannel I used was a yard sale rescue and left over pieces from other flannel projects. As always, I work to reuse or rescue fabric and make them into a new creation!


My goal for today was to finish these up. Yay to have met that goal!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Summer Break--what I do!



Everyone always thinks that it is wonderful that Teachers get the "ENTIRE SUMMER" off work.
Those of you who know me know that this is not actually true.
Yes, I do not have a strict schedule for work.
Yes, I can sleep in and stay up all night.

But.....

The school system schedules in-service (training) and meetings during the summer so that we can prepare for the next school year.

I clean out my classroom of items I did not use in the past two years. This year, because I am teaching a new subject, I shared a lot of my math and history items with other teachers. I also acquired a number of Language Arts items.

There is always one BIG project for my classroom, this year it involves Vince (as always), but will not be as time consuming as the prior years' projects have been.

I also work on lesson plans and activities that I have thought of and want to use next year. I also revise lesson plans that did not work out well the prior year.

This year, I am working on learning my new subjects (English and Reading--collectively called Language Arts). I am really excited about teaching Language Arts! I have been going through the lesson plans of my fellow teachers and working my own twist on them. I have been reading the stories and coordinating the grammar and writing with the standards for the 6th grade.

I located this nifty website called Web English Teacher that has lesson plans for some of my favorite authors (Dr. Seuss, Chris Van Allsburg, Patricia Polacco and more!). I love using children's storybooks to encourage my 6th graders to write. I am glad that I will now be able to do these activities and they will actually be in the subject I am teaching.
Last week, Vince and I went to Alabama to close up my MIL's house, and then I went to St. Louis to visit Rob and Izzy. So, my first week of summer break was a little work and a little relaxation!

This week, I have been working--cleaning up the house and putting away items we acquired from my MIL's House, freecycling items Rob and Izzy gave me that they did not need, and sewing. We also sold the old water heater, Vince's golf clubs and a purse I did not like. It has been a good week to get tasks accomplished and begin the annual summer PURGE!

Look for updates!