And it's back to the school year routine

Wow, summer flew past too quickly.  We didn't even have time to go anywhere as a family...and if we had, it would have been the week that included July 4th!  Then we were booked solid after that.

So...into the school year we go.

My eldest is in 10th grade.  On his final day of summer, we stood in line at the DMV for his learner's permit.  Where we live the line is very, very long. It took us 3 full hours, but it was worth the wait.  The eldest is now carrying a learner's permit.  Unfortunately, we've not had time to do any instruction or driving...yet!

My youngest is in 6th grade.  On his final day of summer he slept until about 1 PM!

Now we've gotten all of our school supplies, have purchased oodles of food for lunches that are packed on a daily basis and have generally gotten into the swing of the school year.  We've also instituted a weekly family meeting time, so that everyone is made aware of the week's obligations...mainly so no one can say "I didn't know."  But it did help this week.

The biggest challenge so far is the youngest's homework routine.  Middle school is a different beast than elementary.  We've got to convey that homework (from now on) will NOT be completed before dinnertime -- and that is O.K.!  He was a bit stressed this week.  I know it will all settle down soon, but boy I hope soon gets here forthwith!

I've also met w/ teachers @ middle school to explain the unique challenges of a child with sensory integration disorder and how handwriting is just an exercise in futility.  All were very open to accomodating his needs.  I have one more mtg. w/ his math teacher on Friday and then everyone should be on the same page.

Other than that I'm just busy with all of my church Sunday School responsbilities, church choir, and setting up a parenting class for parents of gifted kids that I lead every fall.  I've found the venue and must now work on fliers.

Busy busy!

Goodbye to our Chinese boys..

We've sponsored two Chinese boys again this summer.  Our church brings in 50 students and chaperones each summer for a 3 week stay.  Our boys, Robert & Bruce, leave with everyone else tomorrow morning.

They have had fun living with an American family and eating our non-spicy food!  I promise I tried to make the food spicy, but alas, I do not cook with enough chili peppers.

We did introduce the boys to Mexican food (which they didn't like) and Indian food (which they did).  I    enjoyed having them here.

Each year, the boys ask what they should call me and my husband.  We respond with two or three choices...and usually the first night they just talk to us and don't address us.  But always on the day that I pick them up from church after their first full day with the other Chinese students, they climb into the van saying, "MOM!  we had fun today" and then I'm mom for the remainder of the trip. :-)

It's really awesome to know that I can be called Mom by a total of 6 boys now.

Sad

Today my mom went to see an orthopedic doctor.  He told her that she must use a walker from now on.  That is a sobering thought.  She's only 69.

You never think your parents will ever be that old.

More Cards!

Mixed Bunch Card #1

Stamps: Mixed Bunch, Petite Pairs; 

CS/DSP: Whisper White; 

Inks:  Temp. Turquoise, Daffodil Delight, Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler; 

Other: Cherry Cobbler Baker’s Twine, 1” circle punch, Dimensionals

Mixed Bunch Card #2

Stamps: Mixed Bunch, Just Believe;

CS/DSP: Whisper White, Garden Green; 

Inks: Daffodil Delight, Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green;

Other: Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots EF, Sponges, Dimensionals, Word Window punch, ¾” circle punch

Delicate Doilies Card #1

Stamps: Delicate Doilies, Word Play;

CS/DSP: Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Whisper White; 

Inks:  Tempting Turquoise, Tangerine Tango, Old Olive; 

Markers: Basic Gray, Temping Turquoise, Tangerine Tango; 

Other: Jewels - Rhinestones

Delicate Doilies Card #2

Stamps: Delicate Whisper, Friendly Phrases;
CS/DSP: Wisteria Wonder, Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Pool Party, Crumb Cake;
Inks: Wisteria Wonder, Certainly Celery, Pool Party;

Other: Big Shot, Little Leaves Sizzlit, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch-Flower, Wisteria Wonder Ruffled Ribbon, Pearls (center of flower); Dimensionals-butterfly

Bright Blossoms Card #1

Stamps: Bright Blossoms, Friendly Phrases;
CS/DSP: Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White;
Inks: Gumball Green, Elegant Eggplant;
Markers:  Temping Turquoise, Gumball Green, Elegant Eggplant, Daffodil Delight (inside card);

Other: Simply Scored, Diagonal plate, Rhinestones, Dimensionals

Button, Button Card

Stamps: Button, Button, Word Play;

CS/DSP: Midnight Muse, Gumball Green, Whisper White;

Inks: Midnight Muse, Summer Starfruit, Gumball Green, Tangerine Tango, Real Red, Cajun Craze; Other: 3/8” Stitched Satin Ribbon in Gumball Green

Printed Petals Card

Stamps: Printed Petals, Curly Cute; 

CS/DSP: Calypso Coral, Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise; 

Inks: Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral, Tempting Turquoise; 

Other: 1 ¼” Circle Punch, Dimensionals, Calypso Coral Ruffled Ribbon

Crosses of Hope Card

Stamps: Crosses of Hope;

CS/DSP: Pink Pirouette, Whisper White

Inks: VersaMark;

Other: Silver Embossing Powder, Big Shot, Tulip Border EF, Dimensionals

Bright Blossoms Card #2

Stamps: Bright Blossoms, Curly Cute;

CS/DSP: Island Indigo, Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade, Whisper White, Summer Smooches DSP; Markers: Island Indigo, Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade, Tangerine Tango;

Other: Designer Frame Folder- Oval, Decorative Label Punch, Lucky Limeade Ribbon, Fun Flowers Bigz L Die, Sponges, Printed Designer In-Color 

New Stampin' Up Cards!

I spent part of today with a friend making cards with active Stampin' Up stamp sets.  Here are the fruits of my labor.

Button Buddies Card w/ flower buttons.

STAMPS:  Button Buddies, Elements of Style
CS:  Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White, Wild Wasabi, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight
MARKERS:  Tangerine Tango, Wild Wasabi, Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Tempting Turquoise
OTHER:  Scallop Edge punch, Brights Buttons

An Elements of Style card.

STAMPS: Elements of Style

CS:  Pink Pirouette, Very Vanilla

INKS:  Basic Black, Basic Gray

MARKERS:  Old Olive, So Saffron, Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink (for flowers)

                       Basic Gray, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose and Melon Mambo (for hummingbird)

Button Buddies Card #2

This card uses some of the new In-Color Colors.

STAMPS: Button Buddies, Friendly Phrases

CS:  Raspberry Ripple, Whisper White

INKS:  Primrose Petals, Marina Mist, Raspberry Ripple, Daffodil Delight, Gumball Green

OTHER:  Curly Label Punch, 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon in Gumball Green

Another Elements of Style Card

STAMPS: Elements of Style

CS:  Crumb Cake, Not Quite Navy, Very Vanilla

INKS:  Not Quite Navy

OTHER:  Square Lattice EF, Big Shot, 1" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, Rhinstones

Button Buddies Pigs

 This is a silly card that I CASEd.

STAMPS: Button Buddies, Petite Pairs

CS:  Basic Black, Whisper White

INKS:  Basic Black, Pretty in Pink

OTHER:  Buttons, Beautiful Wings Embosslits, Rhinestone

Mixed Bouquet Card

STAMPS: Kindness Matters, Mixed Bouquet

CS:  Cajun Craze, So Saffron, Very Vanilla, Comfort Cafe DSP

INKS:  So Saffron, Cajun Craze

OTHER:  Stripe EF,  Big Shot, 1" circle punch, 3/4" circle punch, Modern Label Punch, Dimensionals

Banjo

I haven't blogged about our pet.  Banjo is a 16 yr old senior citizen cat.   I found him as a kitten outside my workplace many moons ago.  He'd recently been not his usual self, so off to the vet we went.

The vet was concerned about him too, so they drew blood and updated Banjo's vaccinations. Later the same day, the vet called w/ the results of the blood work and it seems that kitty B had a very high white blood cell count. The vet said Mr. B needed antibiotics -- I had a choice of liquid meds, pills to give a cat (HA!) or an injection.  I chose the injection...duh!

Mr. B is doing so much better now!  We are all happy that our kitty-boy is enjoying life again.

It's May already!?!

Where does the time go? So far this month, I've been working on my Stampin' Up Business. The retiring stamp and accessories lists are out and so I've decided to host a retirement party. To that end I've been creating cards with retiring stamps and accessories. The black science fair board is almost finished. I'll put the last dozen or so cards on it tonight and it will be ready for stamp club tomorrow night. The other thing that has taken up most of this month is my father-in-law. He is 92 yrs old and is on blood thinner. On Monday evening of last week, he tried to stop elevator doors from closing w/ his hand. He didn't have enough strength in his had to stop the doors, so they closed on his hand. The skin did not break, but a blood vessel in his hand did. He waited about 36 hours before he called my hubby to take him to the ER. Lots of tests later, they decided to admit him so he can have surgery to remove the semi-coagulated blood that is now in his fingers, hand and lower arm. Hubby said he looked like he'd had a zombie arm attached midway between shoulder and elbow. That's about the best description I've heard. So F-I-L has had two surgeries...on Thursday and again on Saturday. WIth all the swelling in his hand, the skin on the back of his hand (about the size of a 50 cent piece) has died. He will need a skin graft to fix that. So today hubby spent the day w/ his parents at the hospital, calling and visiting rehab hospitals and choosing one. He's tired from being at the hospital and I so understand that. That's the May-so-far update.