in my pretty garden

...my plants are growing!

These are 4 types of peppers...

 ...watermelon

 big boy tomatoes...

 yellow squash...

 cucumber...i love how they send out spirally tenticles to grab ahold of something to help it grow. i am also hoping that we have a nice bounty from they garden this year.

scouts

Last night was pack meeting for scouts. They played a fun clothes pin drop-from-your-forehead game and earned some pins and rewards. I am really liking scouts. I am looking forward to more weblos moving up to work with me.

I realized that Josh has earned so many patches that I haven't sewn on his shirt. Maybe I should be more on the ball with that.

recognition

Clyde and I had a great date last night. It was the musical revue for the show that we had been working on in the shop. Sis. D arranged everything...from complementary tickets to the show and babysitting. She is one of the nicest ole gals on the block! We arrived took our seats and thumbing through the program, Clyde spotted the above section. Sis. D and I usually get a 'Eastern Costume' nod but not our names! (of course the director gave himself full credit first...) It was way cool. It was awesome seeing my costumes from Mr. Mistofelees (which he was literally on the stage in costume for 20 seconds) to Elphaba and those awesome hats. A few of the hats were on backwards, but whatever. The yellow chiffon dress wasn't even worn. I was totally bummed about that. Afterward, Clyde and I had a peaceful dinner at the ole OG. The wardlings were in heaven with the D's. Josh amazed them with his pizza eating skills.  I know Penny is way comfortable with them because when we dropped them off at the shop, and while hiding under the desk to get away from a bunny head on the counter, she ripped a long, long fart and laughed. I just felt so good to see our hard work dancing around on stage.

ball blood

As I was getting stuff out from under the bathroom sink this morning, Jacob walks in with his pants down and says, "Mom, what's this on my balls?" Huh? Well, I'll be... there was a little bitty black tick attached to my boy's scrote. It apparently hadn't been there long because it wasn't swollen with as I like to call ball blood. It was easily removed and we were back to our usual routine. Good way to start the day. I was just glad that he looked at /felt himself today to see it.

burlington news

Something is up with blogger. I went to add the above picture to my "sick of green' post and it moved the post up. I'm not happy. The above picture is of the cast of the Wicked revue that we have been working on in the shop. I made the bad witch's costume, altered the good witches, made all the funky girls hats, embellished theboys hats and helped alter some of the green. The show is this week and I am so happy to drag Clyde with me.  Keep scrolling there are new posts. :)

i am so sick of green

This week at the shop, we have been working on an Emerald City project. A local private school is doing a revue of Phantom of the Opera, Evita, Cats, and Wicked. My job was to create some funky green hats for Wicked...19 of them to be exact. The funkier the better. The taller the better. The feathery the better. Sparkles and more sparkles. I even worked from home on one day and was successful in making 8 hats. The rest were completed yesterday. I had to add some bling and flashiness to the guy's top hats as well.

Penny was more than happy to model the few that I made from home. Josh even got in on the action but I don't think he'd like me to post him wearing the hat right now...blackmail for later. 

 The crocheted hat with the bird is my favorite. This was such a fun project and truth be told, I loved trying them on to just be sure they would stay on someone's head while dancing about. Yes, I wore them and danced about. I loved it. Totally fun.
    Today we finished up the 25 Wicked costumes which included the black Elphaba costume I made yesterday and finished up today. However, I am so sick of green! We were  a few costumes short and one trip to the Bargain Box downtown, some rit dye, and some alterations, and we are warp speed Mr. Sulu.  (which is a story for later) I think I may have to see this revue, just for the hats, I mean costumes.

father/son campout

Time again for some male bonding while doing some outdoorsy stuff. Clyde spent a few hours the night before organizing the camping gear, making lists of stuff to bring and buy, and purchasing the odds and ends needed for the trip. He even sent me out for the few things he forgot. All my men love this trip, mainly because mama isn't there to tell them to be careful. Wild things have happened on these campouts...like when the men allowed the boys to run around with burning sticks and my Jacob ended up burning a friend behind his ear. This trip was no different. Clyde arrives, sets up camp, starts the fire...

Then same ole same ole... like killing a copperhead snake that another Jacob in the crowd spotted. For years I was concerned about the machetes Clyde would take with him on these trips with little boys, but now I'm not so afraid of the machetes as I am of the gigantic snakes that are around. (Josh is holding the head of the copperhead snake that the men killed. Thanks Mike for bringing an ax with you!)

 Then back to camping with the corn eating, marshmellow lighting, and glow stick wearing.

Overall the trip was successful. The boys want to show off their camping skills by taking us girls on a camping trip. That'll be a fun adventure.

The girls and I had a fun girls night of swimsuit shopping, pals dropping by, and vomit. (Thanks Penny and thank goodness for wood floors!) Just the usual Friday night girls night.

jambu's

Penny and Jacob had to go to the dentist again today. At our last week's check-up it was determined that Jacob had one itsy tinsy cavity and Penny needed some work done. About 6 months ago she had a shiney silver crown placed on one of her back molars. She never really liked the silver tooth and occasionally would say that it hurt, like 2-3 times. Welp, at her check-up it was determined that the crowned tooth was abscessed and would need to be removed. How lovely. Antibiotics were started for the week. Today was the day of gloom and doom. Once in the chair, Jacob's itsy bitsy cavity was non-existing. Penny however, had to have a filling redone, a tooth extracted and a spacer placed in. She did awesomely for the Novocaine and injection of numbing stuff. Her nerves get to her about 3/4 of the way in and all hell breaks loose. She starts screaming, kicking, flailing her arms. not a pretty sight. It is down right ugly. (We get our own private room and sometimes, the special papoose board is needed. Fun huh?!)  Today was special because, somehow I had managed to pull some rascally muscles in my back and was in miserable pain. As the flailing began, I had to physically hold her arms and legs down so that the dentist could do her job. Oh the pain when I stood up. Thank goodness that is over.

I am a sucker when it comes to my wardlings having dental work done. Since she wasn't returning to school, I decided to walk around a bit in hopes that my back wouldn't be so tight and sore. I knew that REI was having a big sale and really there were some things on my want list, so we headed to the shopping center. I tried my best to get Penny to like some Tevas, but it was a no go. She was happy with a pair of pink sunglasses and some 2 for a dollar nail polish.

These red Jambu's were on sale today and I bought them. Mine are a bit different, with a darker leather brown strap than the one pictured. So far so good on the comfort level. The insole is made from memory foam, as in mattress memory foam and they are so comfy.  I guess you can say that these were my reward for holding my screaming, kicking, and flailing 5 year old down to have some dental work done.

mr. mistoffelees

We needed another cat to go along with our revue. Mr. Mistoffelees was the cat du jour. we used an old dress as the base and then I threaded and hand tied each strand of yarn individually to make his jacket. The director happened to stop by yesterday and loved it. if Sis. D is happy that the director is happy, then I am happy. We are hoping to add lights to his jacket to make it more like the broadway verion. I am so excited to add some lights!

new shoes for me

Clyde gave me such a sweet Keen bag 2 years ago for Valentine's day. It served me well. I could pack loads of diapers and sippie cups and star wars babies, as well as anything else I wanted. I used it when we went to DC last month. However, using it everyday for 2 years caused some rips and tears. I would just resew them, until recently when I had sewn it for the last time. The lining was coming out and things were slipping out of place into an abyss of Ashley's purse.

Thankfully Clyde purchased the Keen bag at REI. Are you and REI Member? If not, you should be. REI lets you return anything you have purchased, not matter how long ago, if the item becomes defective, or shoes rub a blister on your feet...whatever, whenever. So, I made up my mind to buy a new bag. I am in need/want a new summer bag. I returned my old friend to look for a new friend, but saw these...and fell in love. These are not cheap shoes. However, with the return of the bag, these were more in my price range.  Thank you honey for the gift that keeps on giving!  I just love new shoes!

share please

Penny had a 6 month check-up with one of her dr.s today. I do not like this particular doctor and never have really. I think he is a gremlin.  He wanted more bloodwork to be drawn and that's where I lost it on the man. The last 2 times blood has been drawn, the whole result sharing thing has been a battle.  He was smug saying that running two offices has been hard.. yadda yadda...totally not my problem, but I am his  problem when he doesn't share results. I am pretty sure that after today's appointment, we'll be finding a new doctor and I'm sure he knew it too, because he gave me his private line to call to get results in the future. On a side note, Penny was so pretty today and everyday, but today in particular.

sunny soccer saturday

Yesterday was the first nice Saturday that our wardlings have played soccer games. Jacob had 2 games, Penny had one, and Josh had 2. We were on the field from 8:45 am to 3pm. Jacob's first game was a battle. The teams were even matched and besides one argument with some redneck parents on the sidelines, it was great. Tied 3-3. Next, Penny's game. Penny gave her all for the first half of her game and then she was done. She ran around to keep up but was ready to do something else. She did have one perfect throw in, that their team scored on. It was a perfect assist!  Jacob's second game was next. He played a yellow team and won 16-2. Jacob even scored one of those points from midfield after it was tapped into play.
     Then came Josh's first game. The opposing team is a big team, big in stature that is. Josh's team doesn't have one big player, but all very strategic players. The big team had their size and Josh got the brunt end of it. A Jethro kept pushing him around.  In the end we won 3-2 simply because the other team tanked out.  They had size but we had brains and better skill  and played a smokin' second half.  Josh's second game was a doosie as well. Their goalie kept leaving the goal unprotected and we caught on to his routine and scored several times.  It was a very long Saturday, but a fun one. We should've remembered sunscreen and are paying the price now. Clyde took the boys out last night and upon their return, Josh said, "Mom you look like a raccoon from your sunglasses, but you are still beautiful." Thanks buddy!

lady cougars

Clyde got this great team shot of the Lady Cougars. We didn't have a very winning season, but Libby learned to be a team player.

make it work

I have been temporarily back at the shop for a few weeks now. We were working on a play for a local community theater last week, The Importance of Being Earnest." Lady Bracknell's character was played by a gal with a 55" waist and a 67" hip. I know this picture looks crude, but the mannequins...even the plus sized mannequins didn't help when seeing if the size was right or measuring her outseam of 33", so we had a Tim Gunn "make it work" moment.. The lady who played lady Bracknell, loved her custom-made costume.

 We are also working on another revue for a school in Elon. They needed a yellow chiffon dress and it was my job to make it. I do not like working with chiffon. It slips and moves and is impossible to get a straight cut. However, Sis. D showed me a few techniques and it sewed up rather nicely. The gal wearing this one is a 4/6 but we made the dress a 12, so that it could be altered and re-used for other things.