Crafty Goodness Swap = Happiness!

Today was my first official day of school. I got home after a day of teacher workshops and meetings to find swap mail. I joined the Crafty Goodness Swap over at the Magical Bean this summer. As a matter of fact, I just mailed my package out yesterday. It has a ways to travel but I'll try to post some pictures of what I sent later. When this package arrived today, I knew it was from the Crafty Goodness Swap and couldn't wait to see what was in it. Nature Girl was my official package opener. She was excited when she found this sweet owl book. It turned out to be a little cookbook with hand written recipe cards and more blank cards that can be filled out and attached to the pages in the book. Nature Girl called it as her very own since I have one she says. She was very happy and can't wait to add more recipes. Nature Girl got the recipe book but that's okay because look what I got. . . .

This amazing little quilt was made by Maria from Maria's Secret Garden. I just about screamed when I saw this! Maria chose these special photos from our blog and created this amazing keepsake quilt. I can't even begin to express how much this means to me. I immediately hung it up in the hall where I can see it and enjoy it everyday. Thank you so much Maria!! You put a lot of thought and energy into it and created something so special for us! We really LOVE it!

Of course Nature Girl got into the picture. Life wouldn't be the same without that sweet little face!

Apron Give Away

I've had a great summer with Nature Girl & my husband, but sadly summer is coming to an end. I've been a little apron crazy sewing lots of aprons this summer. As a matter of fact I made this poodle apron for the Back to the Future Swap over at the Flirty Apron Swap. At the time, I knew the theme but hadn't gotten my partner's information yet. I couldn't help myself I started sewing and created this. After getting my partner's info I've re-done the poodle apron for my partner but I still have the original. It could use a good home, so I've decided to give it away. If you'd like it please leave a comment and we'll choose at winner by the end of next week(September 3rd.)

A Pick Up & A Toy Drop

We went to NY this weekend to pick up Nature Girl. Despite the fact that she didn't want to talk on the phone to us while she was gone I think she actually missed us. We tried to wake her up when we arrived at 11:30 pm on Friday, as she had requested we do, but she was zonked out and didn't even open an eye. When she woke up Saturday morning I was treated to lots of hugs, kisses, chats and snuggles. She stuck by my side for at least the first hour, so I think even though she had a great time she did miss us just like we missed her!

On the way home from NY we decided to do a toy drop. Meet Deloris, Amy, Arnold and Aurthur. This little hedgehog family was stitched and sewn by me then stuffed by Nature Girl and three of her cousins. Here they are riding with us on a deary rainy day. We left them on a bench inside a rest stop on the VT/NH border. We didn't stick around to see if they were picked up but we hope they found a good home.

Strawberry cake - yum!

A few weeks ago Val from Yarnigras posted a recipe for a strawberry cake she likes to make for her family. Both Nature Girl and my husband love strawberries so I tucked that recipe away for later. When my in-laws came to visit last week I decided to make the cake for desert. I didn't layer my cake so it's not as pretty as Val's, but it was absolutely delicious!!! My husband loved it. Me too, I have to admit I ate a piece for breakfast one morning. Yummmy!
Nature Girl like the frosting but didn't eat much because it wasn't ice cream cake. I should have remembered this. I made birthday cakes for the first 4 years of her life decorating entire cakes with little stars of frosting to create pretty cakes. Despite getting claw hand each time from the hours of decorating she would only eat ice cream and not a single piece of cake. For her 5th birthday she got an ice cream cake and her 6th birthday was a cheesecake. It takes me a while to catch on but eventually I learn! Anyway, when I asked her if she liked it she said it was missing something. I asked what and she said it needed chocolate sauce all over it. I think it was perfect as it was and didn't last long before it was all eaten. That's a sure sign it's good! I think the frosting would be delicious on cupcakes too. Click here to see Val's post and get the recipe.

I'm Not Listening to You

Nature Girl is spending a few days with Grandma and Papa in NY. Number one I can't believe she is big enough to go off to another state without us but she is. Number two she doesn't even miss me even though I miss her terribly. I was just sitting her thinking about her and was reminded of these pictures I took a few weeks back. Here's the story behind the pictures:

I'm Not Listening to YOU!

Like any good parents we've tried to teach Nature Girl manners and to respect adults. We've taught her that she can't cover her ears with her hands when she doesn't like something we have to say, though occasionally she does try it. When her cousin E. stayed with us for a few days she got upset with him. They had been arguing and she had had enough. They're both stubborn and she wasn't making any headway with getting him to see her point of view so she didn't want to listen to him anymore. Since she couldn't put her hands over her ears she devised a new way not to listen to him. She put on the safety head phones her dad had given her. It worked but her cousin was greatly insulted!
Of course like any blogger would, I swooped in to take pictures before helping to mediate the argument. I told her to give me her best mad faces, then I used mosaic maker to put together this I'm Not Listening to You collage. We talked for a bit and agreed that there were better ways to settle arguments. They went off and happily played for a few more hours. Best part is, after a few hours of harmony her cousin E got upset with her and did the same thing to her with the headphones. She was beyond insulted. It was too funny!
So for my little Nature Girl even when you're mad, grumpy and unwilling to listen I still love you with all my heart!!! I can't wait for you to come home!

Lunches?

I've enjoyed being home all summer! Now, as much as I'm fighting it, fall is headed this way. That means school is just around the corner, in fact classes start in a week. Nature Girl will enter first grade and for the first time will attend school for a full day. This will be a big change for her. We've done our back to school shopping. She's equip with her school supplies, a new backpack and lunchbox.

A full day of school means she'll need to have lunch. I work in a school and can't imagine that the school lunch will be any better than the lunch at my school, so she'll be bringing her lunch. That said, here's the problem, I don't know what to send! She eats peanut butter sandwiches, ham sandwiches, bagels, salad, fruits, veggies(not peas or green beans,) mac n' cheese, tomato soup, grilled cheese, cheese sticks, yogurt and cereal. She's not much of a meat eater but loves fruits and veggies. But what does one send for school lunch? It has to be something that she can open and eat independently without having to heat it. We bought a reusable water bottle and a thermos for keeping things cold or hot.


Being a teacher I should know what kids bring for school lunch but I don't. At school I have bus duty not lunch room duty, so I'm lost here. What would you send to feed this sweet little face?

A Dumb But Funny Read!

This summer we've been working on getting Nature Girl to read more. She loves to be read to but doesn't really like to read herself. We're trying to change that. We've been working with lots of easy readers that she can read independently. But today I spent lots of time just reading to her instead.
As a teacher I'm always finding and buying new books to read. I bring them home to share with Nature Girl too. We both love books! Today we had a great time reading four books in The Dumb Bunnies Collection by Dav Pilkey. These bunnies certainly are dumb but they're laugh out loud silly too! We had some good laughs reading about their adventures. Dav Pilkey is the author of Captain Underpants, Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot and the Dumb Bunnies. My students at school love Captain Underpants. Though I have all of the books I haven't read them, I was avoiding the toilet humor with Nature Girl. We have enjoyed the Ricky Ricotta books and now the Dumb Bunnies. If you like goofy, silly humor, you're sure to love the Dumb Bunnies.
So what have you been reading?