More Martha

Take care,

Thanks Martha.

 I used Martha's Girl's Shirt Dress tutorial for this project.  As you can see, she loves it.  Now to make some for all the girlies in my life.

Take care,
 kendra

Seriously, no pictures.

Take care,

Score!

 Yesterday was a rough day. Lil' miss decided that she wanted salsa at 7:30 am and brought the jar into our bedroom with salsa cover slippery hands and accidently dropped it. She didn't mean to do it she just wanted a snack or so she said. The look of horror on her face was immediate. The look of horror and then anger on our faces sent her screaming down the hallway; slamming her door with her body and then slumping to the floor with a thud. A salsa bomb was delivered swiftly and effectively as it went EVERYWHERE. In the midst of our angry stomping during clean up we noticed a trail of salsa down the hallway leading straight to Kaiya's door. Upon opening the door and telling her we were coming in, she ran and took cover in her bed. Her dress and hair were casualties of the salsa bomb as were her sheets, quilt and toothbrush rug.

UGH.....


We went ahead and got everything bundled up to immediately put everything in the wash , got her showered and changed telling her in the sweetest voices we could muster ' it's okay honey we all have accidents. We know you're a big girl and sometimes even big girls need help too". Brody and I were both still furious he being much more vocal than I.

Meh... we got breakfast together and everyone dressed and discussed the events of the day.
I checked all my email entered a blog giveaway and replied to a post on my local freecycle group about fabric and craft supplies that were being put in the alley behind a house. We decided that we would stop by this  house before we went on to do the weekly grocery shopping and errands. There was nothing left except some vases and platters by the time we had gotten there as it is first come first serve in most cases, and we were on our way. Brody did score a modem though.

Shopping with my family is always an adventure, good or bad, we eventually get through it, usually leaving Brody and I exhausted. This day was no exception. Things went downhill quick. The store was mobbed leaving Brian little room to maneuver his wheelchair through the crowd without smacking my shins or sweeping the legs of a little girl nearby. He loves to help me shop now as we give him an item off the list and he races off to find said item and race back. He's gotten very good with the chair, not so much with people around his chair. He's seven and tends to forget that there is a great big world filled with people all around him so a few people got their shins hit as well. Thank goodness that  most of them gave sympathetic nods when he apologized, but some people were mad and we had to nix the racing. Brian was upset and started to get mad and curse his "stupid legs and damn chair". I shot him a look that said “um...excuse me"  and gave him a hug telling him things will work out. It's tough for him, and I feel so bad for him at times.

Kaiya decided that she no longer wanted to walk but refused to get into the cart so she hopped a ride on the back of Brian's chair with her feet resting on the stabilizer bars. Brian was fine with it and soon forgot that he wasn’t helping and they made a game out of it. It was nice to see them getting along after a morning of bickering and annoying each other just because they could.  People were enjoying the spectical my children were making of themselves, so all was right with the world at that moment. We finished up and ran the rest of our errands and needed to get them home for lunch and quiet time.  The car ride home was a nightmare.

By the time we got home were all once again cranky and annoyed with each other and just all needed our own space. We had forgotten how wrecked the house was and that there was still so much clean up from the morning salsa bomb , laundry to fold, computers to fix and fabric clean up from my folding and packing project, making all the beds up again and just general clean up that we jumped into gear as soon as we got home. The kids were fed, kissed and sent on their way to quiet time. Brody and I having been together for so long and professionally worked together in the past , that we work very well together when the kids aren't underfoot. In about an hour we had gotten most of it done, save the laundry, which honestly was going to be a two day project. We both took a break and a breath deciding to relax a bit. He immediately went to play a game and I went to check my email and goof a bit on the computer.

It seems that the woman on freecycle still had the fabric and craft supplies; but that the original person didn’t come to pick them up and did I want them? I grabbed my keys kissed Brody goodbye and went off to collect these goodies. I'm so glad I did.

Included in all of this is a sewing machine and all the accesories . This will go to  Brian ( if I can get it working)  as he is desperate to learn to sew. A  box of 30 plus floral ribbon with and equally big box filled with little silk flowers, Beads and hemp rope and instructions for macrame and lover's knot bracelets, all this fabric, spool and bobbin holders and some craft books, and sheets which were immediately cut into strips for toothbrush rugs and a lot more that I couldn't even list.  If you don't freecycle in your community I highly encourage it.  I have helped a few people and have been helped out many times including a nebulizer for the kids that my insurance company wouldn't cover and it is all free- recycling, reusing, reducing.  Thank you Susan  that which  I can't use will in turn be freecycled.   Off to play....

Good Trade Farm Friday - Flowers

http://www.goodtradefarm.com/

Take care,

52 Fridays Spin off.

I've notice some of the blogs I follow are starting a 52 week photo project that they post every Friday.  Most are doing a self portrait, or a  wardrobe refashion of some kind .  Personally I have no desire to  take pictures of myself or my clothes, but instead I am going to introduce GoodTrade Farm Fridays.

What, you ask, is that? Well it's my folks place.   It is located in Allegany County , in a small town known as Friendship. It is somewhere we go every summer and long to be at during the rest of the year. It is our "home" even though we don't live there. It is where we go when all the  shoobies are flocking to our beaches and our island for their summer vacations.  It is outdoor paradise that is different yet similar.  At the shore we go to the beach to swim and surf and fish for striped bass.  When we go to Grammy's we swim and ride the ranger while doing some bass fishing.  This year is obviously going to be different with brian's Perthes diagnosis, so it is even more important for us to get back "home".

They are getting close to retirement age and would like to pass their "dream" place to someone who would appreciate the possibilities.  The whole property is for sale, including complete woodworking shop, business and home. If I may, I'd like to share with you  a little bit of home.

It's exhausting.

Take care.

Did you wake up to this too?

This picture is facing  towards the south end of the island.    It flooded last night  as well, but this morning water was the highest since 1994, and was higher by a foot than last night's.   Being new to the south end, it was a little scary not knowing when the water would stop.  Last night I pulled the honda up into the yard and moved it out back after the water receded becase our house is the highest point  on the alley.  

Directly out front about 7:00

again towards the south end on the alley.

  so as you can see we  are our own private island today.  School was to be two hours delayed but it's been cancelled.  Brody too, is unable to go to work at least until the water receeds  A national guard truck just passed our house coming from Sea Isle so I imagine downtown got some serious flooding.  So for me and the kiddos it's crafts and sewing and snuggling under the movie blanket I finish the other day.   

We are all going to put on our boots after breakfast and walk around a bit  so have a great day, we are.

Thanks for reading.

I love my early birthday Present