kirstencan

Nook Case {Fail?}

A couple of weeks ago I bought a new toy...

Hello, Nook!  (Nook needs a better name, because NOOKY is dumb).  Aaron bought one a month before me and I got all wanty.  I put some stickers on mine to tell them apart.  Well, let's be real, I would have done that anyway...

I wanted a little sleeve to keep it in when I throw it in my bag.  This is attempt #1.  There WILL be others, because I'm not sure this works.

At first I thought it was a total FAIL, but now it's a ...maybe fail?  Mediocre first draft?

I spent about a half hour (possibly less - late Sunday morning pre-church crafting here - oh wait, maybe that's my problem! ;) and used fabrics I had on hand (houndstooth outer, velvet inner, scraps from my applique scrap box) and this as inspiration for the pattern.  But don't click that because in comparison mine will look really dumb. ;)

The velvet is a little bunchy at the bottom, and at first it was a bit too snug of a fit, but it's getting better now.  It works.  And I totally use it because I take this thing everywhere.  LOVE.  I had no idea I'd like an eReader.  But this is pretty sweet.  And the best part is that I can check library books out on it.

No, wait, the best part is that I put some of my own photos on as a screensaver instead of goofy caricatures of authors.  Heckyeah.

Happy.

BTW, you can always see what I'm reading on my Goodreads page.

BTW2, I ultimately chose the Nook over the Nook color because of the e-ink.  It rocks.

And now the girl wants one for Christmas.  Sheesh.  Don't know about that...

The End!

Floored

This kid.

Notice something missing?

Training wheels!

I am in shock.  Seriously.  His training wheels were not touching the ground, and when I pointed this out to Aaron they were quickly removed.  And the kid barely noticed.  He rode off just fine.  Actually, if we weren't cheering for him (and maybe getting a little teary - me) he might have thought this was no big deal.

Big deal!  Woo hoo!  I honestly thought there was a chance he would never 'really' ride a bike.  He has such coordination/balance issues, and hated anything to do with it until last month.  But hey.  He rocks.

And while his sister got a certificate when she learned (SO her), he got to pick cookies to make with Dad.  Chocolate crinkles are tasty.

*Oh, and for anyone with training wheel-aged kids, we LOVE the adjustable ones!  It's what both kids had (this kind - except the girl had stupid pink ones too, after I ran over the original good ones), and you can just slowly move the wheels up and when you take them off they are good to go.  No running with them or holding on to their bike at all!  So we've moved the 'good' training wheels to Monkey's bike.  He's nearly ready, too!

Back soon

Busy doing this right now.

There are worse things. :)

A negative attitude about butterflies...

The caterpillars arrived.  We didn't have to open the jar or anything (whew).  In a few days they filled the jar with a surprising amount of what can only be poop and hung from the ceiling.

(worst photo ever, I know)

I didn't want to open that jar, but I did, and hung the paper from the lid with the cocoons to the mesh cage thingy. Sometimes I can follow directions.

And then in a few days... they were butterflies.  Kinda ugly brown ones that just looked like big bugs crawling around in there.  And they pooped red.

Seriously, it grossed me out.  When they'd open their wings and LOOK like butterflies, it was a little better.

But still, I probably released them a day or two before I had to... cuz, ew, bugs.

Well, okay, that looks kinda cool.

Midsommar

A couple weeks ago (pre-surgery) we celebrated Midsommar by decorating a maypole with birch and flowers,

carrying it in a procession (check out the redhead in the lead!),

making a birch wreath and watching the dancing,

...and dancing ourselves.

We got our faces painted...

...and explored a new-to-us park.

Not pictured:  meatballs.  They went fast.

Bike Parade!

One of the military bases I lived on when I was young had a bike parade for the kids for the fourth of July.  I LOVED decorating my bike.  I've been wanting to have one for my kiddos for years.  So I finally just went for it.

The kids got together with neighbors Saturday night to decorate their bikes (below our neighbor hung golf balls from her handlebars!).

Bikes were checked and tires pumped.

This girl killed me with her cuteness.

And then more neighbors started to arrive!

The kids rode around the circle for a while, got together for a group shot, and then headed off.

I counted 17 kids.  A few teens and adults, too.  Not bad for very little notice.  I made an email flier and sent that out, and they announced it in church yesterday, but due to the surgery, I wasn't sure I'd be able to do this, so it ended up being kinda last minute.  Very easy to plan, though.

I took the car and met them at the end - the park.

Where they dropped their bikes, grabbed a popsicle, and ran to the playground.

The kids and adults had fun, we're hoping to make this an annual event.  Wanna join us?

Happy Independence Day!

Post Op

So, surgery went fine - recovery harder and taking longer than I expected, but I think I was pretty naive going into this.  Just not one of my favorite weeks...

Spent most of the week in my bedroom - watching Gilmore Girls (again), Mary Tyler Moore (again), and North & South (again - I just read the book, so...) and generally trying not to move (ouch!).

Also flipped through all of my craft books and once again want to make everything.

My folksy flannels order arrived so I had fun pawing through that.

And while I can't quilt or anything currently, I made a stack of dishcloths to give to some people who've helped me out this week.  I have a rockstar neighborhood.  People brought in meals for us, had the kids over for playdates, took the girl to her ballet exam, and generally checked up on me.  I say this so my mom (currently visiting Ireland!  Hi, Mom!) will know I was well cared for.

For crochet you don't have to move much.  Optimal recovery craft.

This is not even all of them.  I ran out of yarn.  I even spent half an episode of G.G. untangling a cone of yarn that I expected never to untangle. I was that desperate for something I could do.

I was extremely grateful for the wireless mouse, letting me start new shows from across the room.  And I doodled a first draft of the girl's Halloween costume... also her birthday party invitations for 11 months from now (I KNOW, I'm such a dork - but I'm BORED!).

Currently still laying low and trying to decide if I want a Nook color... and planning upcoming vacations.

I have to give a shout out to my lil sis, Kari, for watching the kids while I was in the hospital and instigating the awesome Get Well banner.  Also, Aaron, who sat with me for hours in recovery at the hospital (never pretty) and pretty much did everything I usually do this week when he was home.

When he wasn't home - here's the other HUGE shout out - my girl took care of everything.  Seriously, she brought me meds and ginger ale, made me scrambled eggs, made the boys' lunches, walked them to playdates, put them in time out, cleaned up and generally took charge.  Could NOT have had done this week without her.  She got a break when Kari took her to see a Harry and the Potters concert and treat her to what she wanted at the merch table.  A perfectly timed outing for her.

But... it's been a long week for all the kiddos, and they do better with a plan, so I wrote out a list for them on Friday.  A HUGE list, with jobs mixed in with some fun stuff and tiny errands (card to the mailbox, return neighbor's bowl, etc).  They rocked it.

The only thing left on the list by dinner was 'Find L's green shoes'.  Seriously, WHERE is his other green croc?  He's getting holes and outgrowing his red ones finally.

More interesting posts coming up- I have several nearly ready, I promise!