Hello December!!!

 Well My brother and nephew came into town for Thanksgiving, here is Charlie, my brother, Mr Aiden, and you can barely see my best friend there in the right side.  Decorating the tree!!!! 

 He was saying something!!!

 3 Dorks!!!  I loved this shot, Mr Aiden, Mr. AJ and Mr Dylan!!! 

 Here is my brother, Charlie, wearing his Chiefs sweatshirt.

 I wanted a good picture, but they kids wanted to be goofy, AJ looks oh so handsome in this picture.

 Charlie with Dylan.....I love this shot.

 3 Dorks again.  LOL

 Tree which was moved quite a few times.

Mr and Mrs Santa pants completed!!!

 

This is suppose to be a door knob hanger, but I don't really see how......I will admit I improvised the pattern a bit, and have not added the tree or reindeer yet.....the lady I am sending it to does not want them added.....she has something else she wants to add in his arms.

I also tested this pattern for a lady, this is an Evergreen Tree, and came out really cute, out of all the "tree" patterns, this one, so far, is my favorite.  Very fast and easy to make.  Here

Update!!

Mr Santa Pants here.........this is to hold Candy, I am doing it as a crochet-a-long. Very cute pattern, I need to get started on Mrs Clause!

 I just did this last night, I was testing it for Ivory, you can find her blog by clicking her name.  This owl is very cute, he covers a roll of TP.  She does a lot of these and she does a great job.  Aiden wanted this owl to have a white ear. 

 Well so far this is only the second Thanksgiving item I have done this year.  This is from the Ultimate book of Potholders.  I didn't read the pattern all the way through before starting........ did his feathers first and that took a few minutes really..........then I notice just how many separate pieces it had........I got it done in about a day..........and he came out cute. 

 The boys in front of the pumpkins we got.  we had some little ones, and one we got for a friend of ours.  They had a lot of fun carving....but I was busy with getting dinner ready since it was getting late, and we had company over.....so my friend, Melody stayed with the boys helping out.  She enjoyed that very much.  Aiden mainly wanted her help, the older boys didn't need any "help"  LOL 

 There is miss Melody helping out.

 Trick or Treat...........mask on......

 Trick or treat.........mask off!

Poor AJs pumpkin!!!  It fell apart when it was being carried, his is on the left.......Aiden is sitting on AJs pumpkin.  Oh well, they came out cute anyway.  This was AJs last year trick or treating!!  He says he will not go out again next year, but pass out candy or something.  Aiden enjoys it so much!  Most kids do! 

Happy Birthday Aiden!!

 Mr Aiden had his party Saturday, and he loved it, he loved the whole day, and his daddy being in town too.

Opening a gift!

Mr gooder, and mommy with my best friend looking on in the background.

Toy story cake

Conferences Already

Yep, my Aiden did today!!!  I have to say I am getting excited about elementary school again.  Once AJ hit middle school, I missed elementary school.  He was growing up on me so fast, and things were done differently in middle school.  I can go through it again with Aiden.  I love to hear him talk about his day.  I LOVE that he still wants a hug and a kiss from me when I drop him off and he DOESN'T care who sees!!!!  He still says, "I love you mommy" as he walks into his class!!!  I always miss him!  It is only 3 hours, but still!!!!  He is my baby.  Anyway he is doing great in school.........he can sign his name now without tracing it...........so he will graduate to signing his name without seeing it.  He can count to 100, but they are not even doing that in his class yet.....but he will count to 100 all the time at home.  He is super polite, and smart........but they wish he would talk more......he is shy at school a bit.  So that is the goal next cycle....as well as learning how to write our last name.........it is a hard one, he can say it now.........but spelling it will be a challenge.  8 letters!!!  LOL  I know he will catch on fast.  I think I want to start writing the day, month, and date for him too, so he will get use to what those words look like.  

I got his hair cut yesterday too, and he looks so handsome, I wanted to wait until it was closer to his birthday and school pictures!!  He will turn 5 tomorrow, but his party will be on Saturday.  He is so excited.  I also had AJ get his hair cut yesterday too.  He looks so handsome and much better.  Even the stylist said he looked better leaving then he did coming in.  LOL

Our temps are cooling down a bit, more so at night, time does not change until November, which I am a bit upset about, but what am I going to do?  I like when it gets dark earlier.  

 

4 New Patterns added

I hope you scroll down to see the 4 newest patterns I have added to my blog. 

Well it was a gorgeous day, no sun out, but we did get rain, thunder, and lightening!!  Talk about some really cool temps too.  My mom and I were out on the porch taking a break from cleaning and stuff, and we got chilly out there, So did Aiden.  I am really tired, and we have Best Buy coming tomorrow to get out tv that caught fire.  It is 2am and I am still up, so I am going to be one very tired lady!! 

Had a great weekend, yesterday AJ was out with some friends, so Aiden and I went to see a parade and to the Fall Festival the local fire department was having.........Aiden had a lot of fun, and I did too, visited with some friends and relaxed some.  AJ was gone today too, so just hanging out with Aiden, cleaned some of the house.......tried to pick up my hook and I think I have "crochet depression" if there is such a thing........I just can't get motivated to crochet..........I thought maybe it was because I hurt my wrist...but that was not it.  I started a little ami for Aiden, and just could not get that hook to move very much.  Aiden knew I had run out of the soft navy yarn for his blanket, so he reminded me today, and he and papa went to get me some, so I could "finish" his blanket, he really wants it done!!!  I think I will force myself to work on it later today.  Now I need some sleep. 

Crochet Pictures

 Just in time for Fall!!!  Magnets, Turkey and Pumpkin Pie

 Cat/Dog pattern I tested for Ivory, how cute is this???

 Kitty

 Dog

I made this and then had to send it off, I LOVE this dragonfly!!

I have my modem up and running.  I missed the internet.  I think we all did, especially my mom.

Yesterday our living room tv caught  on fire..............smoke was filling the living room fast, and I had my father unplug the tv.........we could not see flames, but smoke coming out..............got it unplugged..............dad said he heard a pop, and the tv went out, but then came back on, so he thought the Directv box went out, which it does a lot with satellite.  Anyway, I bought the tv from a lady who bought from Best Buy.........she bought an extended warranty on it, TV is 2 years old...........so I called them, and they said yes the warranty transfers since she bought it from them...........so they are coming out Monday which was the earliest.  I am sooo glad the warranty transferred, she said she called when I was buying the tv to find out, and the store in town said yes since it was bought from them it would be covered with the new owner as long as I had the original receipt, which I did. 

I am just so glad the fire did not get worse and we are all ok..............I am also glad I called, I was about to throw the TV out and take the hose to it....but once we unplugged it the smoke eventually stopped. 

Missing the Internet

Well I am without a modem...........I was told my ATT that I would have one on Wednesday, but it never showed up, and it took them a week to tell me that it was not ordered, and that I was basically given the run around and lied to by them........I will be looking for a new internet company, but until I do find one, I will continue to pay my att bill and get the new modem. 

Other than that things are going ok, I got a new car, but it had an issue with the radiator, but it is being fixed, it is done but needs to get some antifreeze in it.  Anyway just a quick hello here, still have a few more pattens to post on here. 

Weighty Issues

Ok well it is not Wednesday, but close enough.  I don't count the next day until I wake up.  LOL.  I did good today......if you compare today to yesterday and the day before that, and so on. 

I did really good today with my calories...........I think I got 1400 something, and burned about 300 something, which doesn't sound like a lot, but it is better than usual for me.  I used the stationary bike for 15 minutes, and that was enough, I am going to try to do that twice a day.  My knees are burning and my back is hurting, but I know I need to keep up with this. I will also try to use my exercise bands as well.  With my van still out of commission, It is hard to get to they gym, I could take a bus, but I would be on numerous bus trips and take about 2-3 hours to get there........and still have to walk a ways after the bus drops me off.  I am not ready to tackle that!!!  I think our bus system really sucks!!  

  

Anyway boys are good, Aiden brought home his "name" LOL a paper that had him trace his name 5 times, then write it on his own.......he was so proud of that, and I am too.  He was just so cute talking about his day.  AJ had pictures taken Monday, I hope they come out good, I forgot to take him to get his haircut.  So I made sure it was combed before he left the house.  Aiden has pictures the end of October I think.  The office staff asked me if I would volunteer that day to help with the pre-k class and I said sure, and they then informed me the pictures would be free.  Even better.  Although I would volunteer no matter what.  

I am soo super tired and my hands are cramping up bad, I have "pockets" of fluid sitting on top of them.  I have been crocheting too much.  I have a few new designs to add to my blog, they are being tested right now.........plus a couple of older designs to tweek and add.  I just finished designing another 12" square tonight.......I started it last night.  I also just designed two more coasters......really simple coasters..........first one didn't come out right, but not bad enough that I can't use it as a pattern.  The second one came out bigger than I wanted, but I have heard that some of us like bigger coasters.  Anyway I hope to have them all posted this week.  

Night!!

It's all about the AJs!

Well AJ has been in school about a month almost and Aiden is going on 3 weeks now.  AJ is doing really well, I received his progress report last week, and he has As, Bs, and one C and that is in pre-algebra.  He has been at a steady C in math for awhile now, and I think that will be ok for him.  Math just seems to be what he struggles in the most.  I am upset with the school, most nowadays, I have noticed that past couple of years, they have said no to backpacks, and yes to string packs........which are very flimsy!!!  I have spent a great deal of money on these string packs since he started Middle school, and have to say that I think they really messed up with this......I don't understand why they can't have backpacks.........I know his school says they want the string packs so the kids can carry most of their books with them, instead of going to their lockers after every class..........BUT.............AJ is in 8th grade now and his books are bigger and much heavier.......and you should see the blood marks on his shoulders!!!!  I can barely lift this bag!!!  and have already had to replace it twice this new school year.......in less than a month!!!!  I think I will bring this up to the principal.....this is just not right.........no wonder kids are having back issues so early in life, and AJ has complained of back pain for awhile now. 

Aiden loves school..........he is so super happy when he comes home, and has papers in his backpack.....he was also class helper and thought that was so neat.  It is exciting for me too, once AJ got into middle school...I kinda missed that elementary school time..........Aiden went to the library for the first time Friday, and got to check out a book, and he was happy, he carried that around the house all day Friday!!  He is just so cute. 

I have been letting the boys earn money by doing certain things, AJ gets 10 dollars for mowing the grass, Aiden gets 5 dollars for cleaning up the trash in the yard, which with the wind happens a lot...........I hate when trash gets blown around...........but some of it is just people not caring where their trash ends up, and some of it is from cats getting into trash bins and pulling out trash, or the wind just blowing over carts.........we got a lot of wind last week, and it would blow over full trash bins.........so he gets a little bag and picks up the trash. 

Yesterday AJ went to Lawrence for a KU game, and Aiden and I went shopping.....they had something called, "Rorys Close Closet" downtown, so I took Aiden and they had some nice clothes, some of it was brand new, in fact a lot of the stuff was brand new, and the most expensive?  $6.00 he had fun picking out stuff too............I picked out two hoodies for him, and he wanted ones with a zipper instead.  LOL.....so he knows what he wants.  I left with 3 bags of stuff, and spent only about $47, then off to Walmart and lunch.  We also stopped at the Dollar General store, hadn't been in one for awhile and I wanted to see what they had. 

Today has been a relaxing day, Aiden wants to play Toy Story Operation game soon.  He went with his brother and papa to buy some play sand for his sand box. 

Wednesdays Weighty Issues

Ok I am going to try to do this weekly........every Wednesday. I thought of making a new blog for this. I am even part of another weight loss blog, (which I will go to after this post) but why make a new blog about my weight issues, why not just use this one, and update once a week. Hopefully this will help me out. IF my day changes, I will just edit this particular post. Quick rundown.........I was always a thin person.....(haven't ya heard/spoke those words before.) Anyway I was.......I was around 125 or so before getting pregnant with AJ. 6 months into my pregnancy I was still about 130 or so.......really sick the whole time, but luckily I was put on a very strong medicine that helped me to keep food down. In the hospital before he was born, 190!! yep big difference. but after he was born, 3 days later, I weighed in at the hospital and was 154.....another huge difference. 2 weeks later? I was in size 8......didn't weigh myself, but I think it had been about 140 or so...........anyway, shortly after that, about a month.......gained 60 pounds!!! I was not eating much, and was NOT sitting on my butt like the nurse told me to stop doing........it just kept gaining on me faster and faster. How embarrassing and sad is it when your friends look at you in horror, asking you what on earth happened!!! I found out it was the Depro-vera shot........after 3 of them I stopped, and that was years ago...my excuse now? I am not lazy........but I don't get much exercise.........I have a gym membership, but barely use it. My excuse is simple.......it is me!! Though sometimes, online fitness classes at  accreditedonlineschools.org seem a better option than going to the gym. 

My daily food intake today has made me want to cry.........870 calories in that meal......

Spicy chicken sandwhich
Medium Fries

NOT couting the drink since I have only taken a few drinks, threw the rest out. I always do this, eat something unhealthy THEN get upset about it and tell myself I can't do that again......or so often..........I can say that I am proud of myself for NOT snacking at night the past 4 days. Anyway I won't say what my weight is, not ready to go there........but when I see a full body picture of me, or my reflection in the mirror? I want to cry..........I want to hide..........but I can't hide, and crying only makes me feel worse!! I always say I will start Monday, to eat better and exercise........why always Monday in my mind? Monday comes and nothing changes, and then it's Monday again..........well NOT ANYMORE.......TODAY!! Nothing is different........I just don't want to feel this way.......and NO ONE can change that for me. ONLY ME! LOL

Ok off my fat pedestal for now until next Wednesday........I might have a Sunday Sins entry, to update any "miss steps"

*Edit* Made appointments with a trainer at the gym for both AJ and I. We go next week.

Is it Fall yet?

Ok well not yet, but I can hope. It did feel like it today though, it rained this morning, and the wind blew all day, but it was sooo nice and cool outside. My little Aiden is now "Officially" a pre-K student......this was taken today right before heading out the door to school. In my van!! yes you read that right, my van........It is finally fixed, but I don't want to over due my excitement, seeing as how we have gone through the "it's fixed" stage before and it lasted not even 24 hours. We did get home from dropping Aiden off at school, got gas, came home, I turned it off and then back on again, and it would not start, it would try, but not stay running.......BUT......my dad looked at it and my air filter cover was off, only being held on with one bolt, other side was cracked and two bolts were missing. Fixed that and it started right up.

Aiden had a super fun day at school he said.....his teacher said he is very polite and is adjusting really well. I hope that as time goes on, and he gets to know her, and makes friends, that he will not "act" up......he usually doesn't, but you know how kids are when they get to know someone.

I am working on crochet swap stuff.........none are due until the end of next month, but I want to get them out early. I really need to get busy with my own stuff........I have another design to work on.......one is Christmas related and not a square! LOL......the other is amigurumi related and actually Halloween. I started on it, but it is proving to be one of those, "hair pulling moments." So just finished a Fall towel topper and fall fridgie for a swap, just started on the Fall Amigurumi swap, and then it will be time to mail it off along with some wishes.

I changed my blogger background, found another blog that offers them, and I had a very hard time choosing one.....I wanted a fall one, but thought that might be jumping the gun just a bit. Who knows you might come back and I will have a Fall background. Hmmm....when does Fall officially start? Autumn begins the 22nd of September.

1st Day Jitters for Mommy!! Crochet update too

Well my little guy went to school yesterday, which was only his "practice" day! We had to walk since my van is still broke down, it took about 15 minutes to walk in the hot sun....so when we got to the school, it was as if someone turned on a water faucet above my head.....I was sweaty!!! Anyway we sat on the stairs waiting for his teacher to open the door, and once she did, Aiden took off like a bullet!!! Bummed me out.......anyway he gets in, hangs up his backpack, get a book, a name tag and sits down.......wasn't even going to hug me, just "leans" into me and I said no mommy needs a hug!! So I finally leave and cry all the way home! LOL My father picked him up with AJ and Aiden had a super fun time, he liked it, and his teacher said he did really well. I asked him if he had anything in his backpack, and he excitedly said yes mommy, a paper!!! It was a school calendar, but it was HIS first paper from school!! How cute! He starts his "official" first day Tuesday.

This was Mr Aiden pointing to his name when we went to conferences.

This is a tree limb that fell from our tree into our neighbors......you can't really tell in this picture, but it was one very huge limb that fell, luckily no one was out back, and only our fence took damage. Insurance adjuster is coming out Monday.

I have not been very good about posting my crochet work!! LOL....I was lucky enough to test these adorable Ice Scream cones for Halloween. ANGIE designed them, and you can click her name to be taken to her blog with her patterns.

Angie also sent me the above swap stuff.......i love it!!!

I made this bell doily which was pattern of the month in my group....I did it in silver metallic thread and sent it off in a Christmas swap box.

Lady bug I did for my mom, she loved it.

How cute is this?? Milk and toast amigurumi patterns........I loved how they came out.

I have not sent these off, but they are for an ornament swap, those mittens are tiny !!! about the size of my fingernail.

Be on the lookout for more patterns, I just designed three more that are being tested and have 4 patterns that need to be posted.

Crochet Therapy?

Crocheting under Pressure!!

Does your crochet help you feel better when you are upset about something..........are you able to think about things while you crochet?

For me when I am sad, depressed, or even angry picking up that hook and working on a project makes me feel better........sometimes just more calms me down, the "feelings" may still be there, but I am not as "hot under the collar" so to speak than I was before picking up my hook. If I am not having to count any stitches, I will definitely think about what is bothering me........

I have not particularly found a project that helps me wind down.........but on the other hand designing my squares is stressful!!! LOL Don't get me wrong, I enjoy it very much, and it is one of those things that I feel like I am denying myself if I don't work on my own designs.......I feel cheated!!! Of course getting involved in a designing process then makes me go mad.......do I just go with it and write it down later.......do I write as I do each row/round........do I draw it out first.........oh the many questions that rattle around up there....LOL. I know when I am working a pattern from a book or one I bought/found online and it has me stumped......I get stressed and can just frog it or throw it to the side somewhere and work on it later........and when I do pick it back up......and realize that it was my own mistake making the pattern go wrong........ohhhh the pressure!!! LOL.......the stress of realizing my temporary stupidity was what helped me out!!! I do feel vindicated though, if I find out the pattern has a mistake in it.....so I go all ninja on the pattern......then try to calm down and tell myself mistakes happen!!! Once you start designing your own stuff....you do realize that mistakes pop up a lot!!!! You can read over something time and time again, and never see that one typo....or that one miss placed word, or the row/round that just makes no sense at all. LOL It certainly gives you pause.

So even though Crocheting helps me to calm down, it can also stress me out......and then I have to think if it stupid on my part to let "crochet" do that to me.........to make me so upset over it........I mean it is just a material item....and aren't we suppose to NOT get upset over something so trivial? For me I agree and disagree..........I love making things for my family/friends........even strangers online.....ok most are not strangers......I may have not met them personally, but I have developed a friendship with so many that share my love of "hookin." My point I guess is that as trivial as some may think Crochet is............when you are working on something that you know your family/friends are going to love, you want it to be perfect, to be something you are proud of. Something that they are also going to be proud of, and want to show it off..........or at least display it somewhere in their house where ANYONE coming in will see it. LOL. So I guess it all comes down to that............proud of your work..........and if you love something, you are bound to be "stressed" out over it, even angry with it.......which if you think about it, you are angry with yourself......we all know that square or stuffed item is not in anyway out to get us!!! Is it??? Don't get paranoid now...........

So go with the pressure.......Crochet Therapy has advantages.....it will no doubt stress you out......but it will be there for you when you need to "de-stress"

Random Post

Here are my handsome boys getting ready to go bike riding, they rode their bikes with papa to the library to return books and check out some more. Which Aiden carries around most of the day. LOL

My little Aiden will be starting pre-kindergarten this month.....I am glad I called our local school. they told me he has to be pre-tested and pre-approved to attend...and it will be a school of the boards choice since a lot of schools fill up with pre-k fast........man I sure wish I would have known that earlier.....so I called the number, and got an appt the next morning.......took him in. They told me a letter would be mailed to me letting me know if he was approved and at what school. Anyway last week I get a call from an elementary school telling me he was approved and could I come that moment to sign some papers.........wow I never got a letter, but we got him signed up, and already have a full month of appts........they will come to our house tomorrow to officially welcome Aiden........then later this week, open house, parents conferences the next week, so he can see his classroom one on one with teacher.......then a "practice" day, and then he officially starts last week of this month, a week after AJ does. I took him to get his feet sized and bought him two pairs of shoes, you can see them barely in the picture above, He picked out the Star Wars, and I found the Toy Story ones. HE loves them, carried them all over.........I then took him to walmart and got him a few shirts, he has plenty of shorts and jeans still....but he found some dragon shirts, and buzz light year.....and promptly pointed out a thomas the tank shirt saying he doesn't play with Thomas trains anymore. LOL It was off to Dillions to mail some packages and get a few things on sale there......then home.

Today was another busy day......I had to take Aiden in for blood work, he has another echo-cardiogram Wednesday, then went to get some uniforms for AJ......lunch, then home.....it was just too hot today to do anymore. I hate this heat

I am slowing down with crochet..........didn't crochet the past 3 days, my right hand felt like something "snapped" in the top of it...and for a full day that just hurt really bad, not as bad now, but when I do some things it flares up.......but I did manage to work on some squares. I have another new flower one 6" it is being tested, then I will post it.

Wednesday Weigh In

No pictures today.......wow, I wonder how I managed that...........who knows.........anyway........I have been back to counting calories, which equals to........I am "trying", I am keeping a record of what I eat, but have not really been keeping track of the calories yet, I keep telling myself I can go back to my lists and record them at a later time, which again probably equals to "never." Ok but I am trying......I am not "really" snacking at night........you didn't notice that quotations right? Good....ok.....well, I am making a dent in how I use to do things with my eating....not eating like a pig, I have never been like that.......but I don't always eat that healthy. I would always have a snack at night........so that is slowly changing. I might have a cracker or something. I have not weighed myself yet, I guess I should do that. Maybe start taking pictures again like I did years ago when I started counting calories and seeing a dietician......she was so proud of me, because I was actually losing weight. I think that had more to do with her than me........I wanted to prove to her I could do it.......I didn't want a lecture, or anything. Someone to answer to means big business. LOL..maybe a bit dramatic on my end there, but oh well, it makes me feel better.......or does it?

Well I am trying...and those baby steps.....albeit newborn steps...are making a difference in my mind, and isn't that what really matters?

Off to pick up things around the house and get the boys settled early tonight.........we had a friend over last night and a good visit, but that visit didn't end until 2am........boys were all riled up......Aiden fell asleep a bit before that, but he kept me up all night with his right leg hurting him........he was crying so much, and I tried to rub it, hold him, I tried it all, before realizing he needed more than just mommy, so I finally gave him some medicine. He just kept holding me saying it hurt so much.......mommy make it stop.......oh man, does he know how to make the water works in mommy go full blast!!

Monday Mania!!

Ok you may be wondering why my dad is holding his chest while playing Hop scotch....well......Aiden got out his sidewalk chalk, and wanted AJ to help him draw boxes that you jump in....he saw this on some cartoon earlier..........so they did and it was funny watching the boys jump in each box...so I told them that is not how you play hop scotch.........so I showed them........but me being a lady with a ladies "chest" I had to hold mine so they would not go smacking me around........LOL.........well AJ doesn't get it, so he does it himself with his arms crossed, and tells me that is how I did it.....so my father had to get in on the act......they were all making fun of me!!! LOL

Well I am about ready to give up on my van, I don't even get mad anymore, I don't have it in me to get upset anymore, this has been going on for over a month now........I have put too much money it in, and it is still not getting fuel.........so I don't know anymore, I do know that I don't like riding the bus much..........a quick trip to Wal-mart is not so bad, but any farther around town, and I think I will go crazy!!!!!

That is it for my crazy Monday!!! Now I am off to crochet a pattern I am testing for a lady.

Beating the Heat!!

I featured this in my Crochet in Common group...........I thought I would post it here as well. Heat is just too much today.

Got the summer blues? How do you try to stay cool in the summer months and especially those days that are like sitting in an oven set up to 500? How much does your electric bill go up during the summer? do you keep your thermostat set to a certain temp no matter what the temp is outside? What steps do you take if you don't have air?

It seems that no matter what you do....you can't get away from the heat......turn on the tv and you will certainly hear about some state going through a massive heat wave..........then you will start hearing those so called "experts" telling us that this is the world now, and it will only get worse.........and that it is called this and that. Well in my opinion, we can't change the heat.......it will always be around for those of us who live in areas where the heat just loves to play with our heads......LOL..........I don't mind warm temps. I love to go swimming, but I don't like stepping outside in such awful heat that it feels like it is slapping you in the face and making it very hard to breathe........that is what today feels like.......the weatherman says it is about 100 degrees out here in Kansas today...but with out heat index it feels like 115 out there.......ok hello??? can you say dangerously hot out.........Excessive h eat warning out there right now.......ok so on to the links.....pass this info on to anyone you think could benefit from this.

here are a few links to hopefully make this summer more bearable.

http://www.wikihow.com/Cool-Yourself-Without-Air-Conditioning

http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Health/Beat-the-Heat-Without-Spending-a-Dime.html

http://www.modbee.com/2009/06/17/748681/question-of-the-week-how-do-you.html

http://www.bambooandtikis.com/blog/how-to-stay-cool-during-summer-heat-waves

http://www.girlslife.com/post/2010/06/25/8-keep-cool-summer-tips.aspx

http://seniorhealth.about.com/library/prevention/blheat1.htm

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Do you or someone you know run a daycare, or take care of "extra" kids during the summer months.....here is one link that will help survive these months a bit cooler.

http://daycare.suite101.com/article.cfm/summer_heat

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Some foods that can help you stay cool.......

http://thesoko.com/thesoko/article1465.html

http://summer-recipes.suite101.com/article.cfm/ideal_foods_for_hot_days

http://lifehacker.com/5314584/summer-foods-that-cool-you-down-and-those-that-dont

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/summer-spices/

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When our temps go up, remember the advice you hear on the news.....check on your neighbors especially those who are elderly/disabled.......In this day though some people just don't want to answer their door, try leaving some cold water, a fan, knock on the door and tell them you have something to help them cool off and you will leave it on the floor in front of their door..........leave a note telling them who you are and you can come back at a certain time to check on them. Hopefully this will help them out, and what better way to help your kids to realize what doing a good thing can feel like. Start your kids out early in life by teaching and showing them how you can help people out by doing little things........sometimes even saying hi and smiling to someone you don't know can really help you and that person feel better about their day. Try not to wait until a massive heat wave hits to ch eck in on people.

Hopefully you will find something here to help you, family, and friends out.

Stay cool!!!!!!

Some old and some New!!

Well I did this Uncle Sam coaster for a Crochet-a-long for a group I am in, and I think it is too big to be a coaster, and too "bumpy" for one too....so I made just the one, and will use him as a hanging decoration. I do think he came out cute.

I did this Whale toilet paper cover....this is Ivory's pattern, and you can click her name to go to her Etsy site. I think this is too cute, and I have another tp cover she made me in my bathroom too. Now I never thought of any kind of crochet for the bathroom, I always thought that was just not right.....but you know? I love crochet and I love decorating a room to make it look "comfortable" and when I first got my tp cover from a swap, I have to say I do like it........so I think there might be just a bit more crochet in my bathroom.

These were also for a crochet a long in the same group, and they are cute!!!

I was organizing my pictures on my computer and came across some ones from May...these are from when my father took the boys and Fernando to the River Festival. Here the boys are sitting by the river watching the boats go by.

Mr Aiden cleaning my van......he was vacuuming it out, I had to snap this shot.....my dad had been doing it, but Aiden insisted he do it. He did a great job too.

AJ and Fernando coming back from boating on the river.

Aiden tumbling down the hill.

My mom and AJ......very rare that she gets her picture taken, but I did manage to snap this.

Holiday is Over

My holiday was wet and stormy.....so we had to put table and bbq on our front porch because it is covered. Friends showed up.........but one could have just stayed home, she is not a friend, just someone I put up with because her husband is my best friend and also because of the kids.......but it never fails when she is invited, she can't drag herself away from texting or talking on her phone.......or finding a reason to bitch.........she just sits around doing nothing but looking like she has been sucking on lemons. She just ruins everything. I was cleaning up the outside porch, had a trash bag there, that was within a few inches of her, and what does the twit do??? Holds her paper plate and trash in my face waiting for me to grab it and throw it away!! I was so pissed!!! and I am really trying not to yell in front of the kids at her, so I just let it go........then her son was standing in front of me and he was throwing his stuff away, but taking the silverware off and going into the house, and she asks him what he was doing, and he said to go to the kitchen to put the silverware in the sink and she says no you can just leave it there.............OMG!!! yeah just like a kid leave your trash and dirty dishes laying around, because it is Aurora's job to pick up!!!! I could have just slapped her right there!!!!! How dare that.......ok nevermind...........anyway I get EVERYTHING picked up.......go to the kitchen to throw stuff away in there, load dishwasher, wash the dishes that didn't fit.........clean the counter tops........sweep the floor, then clean up the dining room that also had food and stuff.........all while she sat on her butt!!!! She came in twice to "stare" at me asking me if I was having fun.......I said, no it is never fun having to clean up..she walks away!!! I hate her!!! My son asked me if her son could spend the night and she says nothing.....cuz she always wants to get rid of her kids........she will let them spend days on end here........but I said no because I am tired and want a quiet house....so he asks if he could spend the night, and she doesn't even let him finish his sentence......she just gripes out a rude, "NO".........but she never says no to other people and their kids. I am threw with being nice to her.......Even my son asked why she always says no. Anyway........I talked to Scott later that night and told him she was no longer welcome in my home. I don't mind him and the kids coming, but not her, she has just done this too many times.........she comes over, has no problem drinking my stuff, eating my food, yelling at people for no reason, but can't use that same energy to help clean up after herself. I am done!!!

Hopefully next holiday celebration will be better. The kids did have fun, and they got to set off the fireworks.....we had a friend from across the street come over to watch with her son........we ate watermelon, and enjoyed the show.......Nando and AJ ended up setting them all off.....with my dads help though. So it ended up being a good night.

We have been getting a lot of rain.....and yesterday it slowed down a bit, but it looks like the rain could come pouring down any minute now.

I am going to go crochet, I am working on a graduation doll for a lady who wants it for her niece, then will work on swap stuff.

Saturday

This is a pattern I tested for Alisha, an Amigurumi Beach Babe......she came out cute, I added earrings to her and some eyelashes.....I did spend a long time on her hair........I wanted to make sure it came out right. I love the pattern.
Another pattern I tested, this time for Caroline, she calls this one the "Rectangle Uglee" and it came out cute........I did a star and cirlce eye..........Aiden took this from me......it works up fast and very easy. She really gives some great advice and tips with her patterns.

This bear is a Crochet a long we had in our Crochet in common group, for the month of June.....I did this one in I love this yarn from hobby lobby, in white, and made it for Aiden, who also wanted the sweater on it........the bear also has a collar in pink camo, that Aiden requested as well. I think this bear came out cute, and I just finished a pink one for my friend, Melody. She named hers, "Lizzy Bear"

My goofy Aiden trying to be cool. LOL

We haven't had any rain in awhile, but today our 20% of showers turned into 100%, I woke up to rain rain rain.........all day........we got soaked running to walmart to get some charcoal and then to get some fireworks........I did not buy as many fireworks as I have in the past........I usually went overboard with them, and it would take us 2-3 days to set them all off, not this year......We are going to have friends over and have a bbq........on the list of dinner...

Hamburgers

Chicken tenders

Chips N Dip

Fresh Vegetables cut up

Sweet Corn on the cob

Some kind of Pork N Bean bake.....(yuck)

homemade coleslaw

homemade potato salad

I think that is it.......I will try to get pictures this time.

Decided to call my brother, which was a mistake.........he and his wife are seperated and Charlie decided a divorce would be best, she has put Dylan my nephew in harms way, but doing drugs, drinking and smoking dope a lot..........since the marriage started, it has been constant battles with her and her always trying to commit suicide......so finally my brother said no more..........anyway he told me that he is giving her primary custody of Dylan......hello???..........he complained about the money being taken out of his check for insurance..........then said Texas is a mom only state, meaning that they don't care if she is abusive, on drugs or what, they ALWAYS give custody to the mom unless they are in prison..and he doesn't have the money to fight.......so he is putting his son in harms way......he said he has a method to his madness by making her see that she can't handle it and then he will go to court saying he needs custody....she gave up her first son.......she can give charlie primary custody and have visitation.the last time they split up, she had her "new" bf shoot at her with a gun.......run her over...........and she had Dylan with her....I was furious at my brother...he was married once before and had two beautiful kids with his first wife, she cheated on charlie during the marriage and wanted a career having kids for money...........they divorced and she asked Charlie to sign the kids over to her, and she would "sell" them to this couple......and then pay for the divorce...........he agreed...........and I hated him so bad for that.......I missed out seeing them grow..........and now have no relationship with them, even though Danielle is on my facebook, but they don't know us, they don't remember us, and I feel like a stranger to them.......cody will have nothing to do with us saying we are not his family.....it hurts...........but today hearing what my brother wants to do.......is wrong........and I could not crying............I am devastated that I will lose my nephew or see him get hurt. I had to hang up on my brother..............

FLORAL HEXAGON CROCHET A LONG

Well today is the first official starting date of this crochet a long. So grab those hooks, grab the yarn you chose, and get busy!!! LOL.......you have plenty of time, so don't get too busy and tire or bore yourself out too much. LOL. I would like to see weekly updates.....so if you are following this through the blog, you can either update on your own blog and post that here in the comments section, or you can email me if you don't have a blog..........if you are in the Crochet in Common group, you can update there. I am thinking every 2 weeks for updates.

Have fun, and if you have any questions, just let me know and please refer to the ORIGINAL POST for all the info and incentive.