Signs of Summer

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Dang I wanna be my kid! How sweet is it to spend you Memorial Day weekend lounging in a pool? With a drink to boot.
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I think this is the last year we'll be able to pull off this pool. Several of our friends are getting pools this year. The in-ground variety. I'm just not there with space, money or dedication to that big a home improvement project. We have these really large oaks in the back yard and we're not allowed to cut them down without a review from the permit powers that be so I'm not sure an in-ground is even feasible for us. Maybe on one side of the yard that the trees aren't on, but then again the whole money and maintenance issue comes into play. An above ground seems just as easy an answer.
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I like that we have at least this pool to burn off the energy. Summer can be a sedentary time of year. In Texas is gets so hot that people here hibernate like the midwest folks do in winter. Boys cooped up in a house with nothing to do is a recipe for disaster. At least with this distraction they can splash and I can read my current book club selection.

E
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The Bag Off My Back

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I think this might be the last I see of my latest bag. Someone at the library offered to buy it right off of me. I decided to make her another one so that I could add a cell phone pocket that is slightly larger since the pocket is made for my wee little phone. The new owner called me to tell me her friend wants to by this bag if I'm making Library Lady a new bag.

Mmmkay.

I'm a bit surprised at all the attention, but these are a labor of love. I have so much fun designing, creating and making the bags. I'm thinking about making a go of it. I must think of a name though. Besides what fun to have a business where you can deduct at least part of your habit? And if it turns even a quasi profit then more's the better.

E
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How Does My Garden Grow? I Wish!

You speaking as preschool teacher (one of my many hats) I can say I've received my share of flowers and potted plants as thank you gifts. None of them compares to this one though.
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(top view)

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Those are gift card blooms. The other room parent, J, and I for Critter's class asked all the parents to give a gift card of any amount to any place (we gave a few suggestions). Then J bought a pot and I added silk flowers to the arrangement. We presented the whole ensemble to the Critter's teacher yesterday. She loved it! Of course.

I picked up the boys early on this last day of school. The Negotiator's teacher gave me GC for being room mom. Super sweet and totally unexpected. As I was leaving Critter's classroom his teacher pulled me aside and said, "I've really enjoyed getting to know you better this year and I hope you've come to consider me more of a friend than a teacher." I busted out crying. I am SO sappy.

Summer's on.

E
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Happy Birthday, Critter!

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Critter is 6 years old today.

Nothing like a sibling birthday serenade to start off the day. Papa made the Critter's favorite breakfast of eggs, bacon and pancakes. And then Mama sent him to school. No worries though I took lunch for him and The Negotiator and they each got to bring a friend to the guest table. It's the little things that thrill my kids.
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Just a sampling of the gifts Boy 2 got for his birthday. We don't really do friend parties anymore. Just having the family over is a major event by most people's standards. You have to figure though that with Papa as one of SEVEN kids and counting step-sibs on my side we also number seven, the potential for just an immediate family gathering is pretty astounding. Besides if you're not used to a big family - particularly one of the Latino variety - it can be quite daunting. We tend to shelter our unexposed friends from the congregation of our family.
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That there is an ice cream cake and it was delish! Of course we had dinner since our kind of parties aren't about snack food, ice cream & cake. Latinos make a meal when we make a party. There is no other standard by our way of thinking.

If you're so inclined you can take a walk down memory lane from the birthday five.

E
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Mother's Day and Other Crazy Ideas

When is Mother's Day not Mother's Day? When you have a sick kid. Of course, having a sick wee one is what being a mom is all about. Poor Critter came home with a fever and a headache on Thursday and has been puny all weekend. Turns out many in his class are fighting this bug. I missed the family meal with Papa's side of the family so one of us could represent and one of us could serve as cootie master (that'd be me).

Sunday has been better all the way around. Critter seems to be fever-free and if he can stay that way he'll go to school tomorrow. He's definitely looking better and getting into trouble which is the real sign that he's on the mend.

We were able to go to my mom's house for lunch. GG - Grandpa Golf (that would be my mom's hubby and my step-dad) - made a fabulous lunch and drinks. I got to have a mango margarita, eat chips with salsa and talk to my mom. My mom asked that I make her cookies for Mom's Day.

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Since I got a margarita from them I returned the favor. I cookies are rimmed in sugar crystals to look like salt. Next time I think I'll add a little bit of fresh lime to the icing just to give it a kick.

As for me I got my off the hook new iron/steam generator. One of the Hancock Fabric Stores is going out of business. Their loss is my gain. This is a $150 iron and it was marked for 70% off and the cashier gave me an extra 10%.
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The box was crushed, the machine was dusty and it had been in the back of the store for quite awhile (it was an older model). Still I plugged her in and she fired right up. I walked out the door for about $40, happier than a pig in shit. Papa cleaned her up for me and she is a honey. So that was my Mother's Day gift along with the potted begonia that is really nice. It sits outside my home office and makes me smile.
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Happy Mother's Day everyone!!

E

Trashiness

I'm making my friend, Anna's, trashy candy that she brought to Bunco awhile back. It's this concoction of Fritos, pretzels, peanut butter cups, butter and brown sugar. Rates really high on the heart-healthy foods. Lucky for me "heart" also has to do with comfort and this yumminess totally fits the bill.

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So far, so good. I found I had a hard time with the chopping the pretzels and Fritos in the food processor. I got a bunch of whole pieces combines with snack dust. I'll have to work on that one.

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I didn't have plain ol' chocolate chips so I used the caramel filled chocolate chips I had in the freezer (I'm bought them on clearance after Christmas). The carmel filled chips left the top a little more ooey-gooey than I liked. It made it harder to spread the melted chocolate so it could cool as a solid piece of chocolate. Also I think I undershot the brown sugar with melted butter ratio. It seemed that there was quite a bit of unrestrained corn chip and pretzel pieces about the pan.

This batch went to Papa's work and made a new batch with more butter, brown sugar and real chocolate chips. It was much better.

E

I Have The Mind of a 4-Year-Old

My 8-year-old son just told me not to wait to go potty.

I was on my way to take care of business when the Critter asked me a question. Being the dutiful mom I am I stopped to answer his inquiry. The Negotiator says to me, "Mom, I thought you were going to the bathroom. You really shouldn't wait until the last minute." Hmm, I wonder where he's heard that before...

Earlier today I was looking for trinkets for the treasure box in my classroom. While I was going though some boxes of donated items I found a box of mints.
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I could not stop laughing.

Being the completely mature adult that I am, I waited for my boss to go take care of his business and then I left the box of mints on his keyboard. Tee hee. I went back to my classroom to wait. And watch. I could barely contain my school-girl giggle. When he got back to his desk I saw him smile so I went to 'fess up. He said he knew it was me.

I suppose my reputation precedes me.

E

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What Happens When You Leave Your Digital Camera In The Reach Of Small Children

They take their own pictures. This one for example...



Can't figure out what this is a picture of in this shot?

How about this one?



This is a picture of "Catty". The Caterpillar. Yep, the boys went and found themselves one of God's little creatures and brought it's fuzzy ass into my house. The set up a fishing line for the insect's enjoyment and captured the moment digitally.

Want to know the VERY best part? They put the caterpillar in jar, complete with leaves, twigs and other insect accouterments, and didn't close the top securely. The next morning "Catty" was gone.

We never did find him.

E

The Butterfly Farm

We went to visit our local butterfly farm for a field trip today. Aside from the fact it raining, humid and I ticked off the owner right from the start it was a great trip. I learned a good deal about butterflies and now have come to not loathe flies. I'm sorry, but even knowing their important function in pollination that's still all the respect I can muster up the fly.

How did I tick off of the proprietors you are wondering? In all fairness she was not happy with our group from the get-go after the bus drove up too close to the farm. Apparently we were supposed to schlep through the muddy road with 100 children and leave the busses at the gate. Oopsey daisy. Then when one of the owners was unloading the lunches, she told me to stop with our wagon and, thinking she was another parent, I didn't. I was a bad, bad chaparone. Then I wouldn't allow the Negotiator to go into their education room because they have 5 cats that use that room as a bedroom. There was cat hair all over the floor, you know, where the kids sit. Since I didn't have an epipen or even a toot of Benadryl, my boy was not going inside to go into anaphylactic shock. Sorry.

In the end I did enjoy the trip, but I would have enjoyed it more on a cooler day. At least I get another shot in two years when the Critter goes on this same trip.

E