All my bags are packed!

It's that time of year again when my mom, my sister, and I celebrate the joy of motherhood by dumping the children on our husbands and locking ourselves away for a couple says of uninterrupted sewing and gabbing. My projects are all packed making me realize just how many UFO's I have. UFO's and a bunch of daydreams projects that I've saved for but haven't cut into yet. One more night and then.....creativity will come flying out if me like....like.....umm....like....well whatever. You get my point.

Things I LOVE!!

This, my friends, is an awesome find.  This is a toy, called Snap Circuits, Jr., you can get from Imagine That Toys here in Wichita.  It's a board that you can plug these electric pieces to make all kinds of different things.  For example, there are schematics for lighting up lights such as above, patterns to make sirens work, and patterns to turn the board into a gadget to check battery power. 

He came to me the other day with a big grin on his face.  He'd used one of the patterns to turn the board into an FM radio.  He was able to change stations and adjust sound.  So.  Freakin.  Cool. 

This is the base set that has the board.  You have to get this one first or you have nothing to snap the circuit pieces into.  They have two or three additional sets that have different pieces.  The sets are about $20-30 each and with those you end up with about 500 project patterns.  It is so worth it and so cool.  Have I said "cool" enough?  I'll try and find a different word. 

Next on my list of current loves:  Maddie's red boots.  Today we went swimming at the YMCA and she was wearing her pink tutu swimming suit and her red boots.  She rocked it.  And how could she not?!  My mom's friend grabbed these at some estate sale.

Next:  Whirley-Pop.  Payton got this from my mom and dad as well.  And you read that correctly, they gave it to HIM, not ME.  $24 from Ace Hardware I think.  The Spice Merchant used to have them, but I'm not sure they still carry them.  So it's the coolest pan for making popcorn. 

Add the oil and popcorn and turn the handle and you get awesome popcorn.  First thing Payton wants when he gets home, when he gets up from quiet time/nap time, when he gets done in the shop, and generally everyday between the hours of 3-4pm, is Whirley-Pop. 

Next:  Downton Abbey on PBS.  I know...it's PBS so some of you may have already fallen asleep, but wake up folks because this series is sooooooo good.  I am OBSESSED with watching it. You can watch the entire first season instantly on Netflix, but the rest are only on disk.  HOWEVER!...Target has season 1 and 2.  I know because I have.  I couldn't wait.  My damn disk didn't show up the day it was supposed to and my patience was lost.  I had to see what happened next.  Now, to be honest, part of that is because of.....

                                                               BACK OFF HE'S MINE!! 

One of the other outstanding actors that make this series so good is Maggie Smith.

She's so sarcastically, Bristishlly funny.  "At some time everyone goes down the aisle with half the story."  "Give her his name after she's out of mourning.  Nobody wants to kiss a woman in black."  She's wonderful!  Seriously, this series is worth it. 

Finally, I found this book downtown at Material Girls, but you can find all her stuff (including tutorials) at:  www.ammeesbabies.com

Anyway, she finishes off quilts and baby blankets with this super cute crotchet border.  Now, I don't crochet, but I will learn....soon.  They had samples in the shop and I couldn't get over how cute they looked!  It really put a neat twist on these blankets.  So that's it people.  That's all I have.  Until later....

OOOO....look and see what I found!!

I was still so sad last night that I didn't have pictures of some pretty major events when I realized that Tim had dumped alot of pictures off the camera before he went to....Tennessee?...maybe?  Wherever it was he went. 

Anyway, I found a crapload of PICTURES!!!  I did this quilt for Tucker, my nephew, for his 1st birthday.  The pattern was in Fons & Porter although when I first saw it, it was a lot like looking at a horridly outdated house.  The bones of it were good, but the fabric choice they picked out?  (shudder)

They put ugly animal fabric in the doors.  Now where is the imagination in that?  Where's the love?

My mom and sister let me dig through their stashes and mom gave me a whole box of different types of fabric for these guys.  The horse is super fuzzy.

Glad I didn't scrap those pink corduroy pants that don't fit...perfect pig!  The applique was actually really easy once I got started.  The patterns are just printed out pictures from the Internet.  Google animal color pages and select whatever you want!  I had a lot of fun making this and getting all the different textures onto these guys. 

I found so many great pictures I can't wait to share.  The last time we went to Spencer, Mo with Tim's parents I took a bunch of how the gas station is coming along and part of our day at the Apple Butter Festival.  ....more to come!  I feel so much better knowing that there is some documentation that I didn't just lock my kids in a closet last semester during nursing school. 

I'm blogging because I'm sick...

And thank goodness that I really am sick because frankly, I needed a break.  I've been cleaning puke, doping up fevers, filling and refilling humidifiers, studying, dealing with work issues, prepping for tests, labs, paperwork.....for 3 WEEKS NOW!  Not that I'm bitter, but It's MY TURN.  Somebody...Anybody...please dote on me!  Well that may not happen, but I sure can dote on myself.  I dropped Payton off at school, went to the store to refill the milk stock, ate many donuts, and snuggled with the girls while perusing Pinterest.  I've been waiting for this.  A day where the main goal is basic personal hygiene. 
I was looking through pictures on my camera and got so sad because they were all of Tim's work out in the shop. 

They all look like this.  Not that it's a bad thing, but it used to be stuffed with pictures of other things.

There are no crafts, or flowers, or beautiful pictures of my darlings.  I've been busy, I know, but it sucks when you realize how busy.  I didn't take pictures of Payton's birthday party, or Christmas.  What the heck.

I need to get it together. 

Isn't she beautiful.  I feel better already. 
So since the last blog....we had Christmas.  It was wonderful.  It was a big family get together at my sister's house with awesome food, warm cider, Scrabble, and Payton's Beyblades.  Payton got Beyblades, he got Beyblades, he likes Beyblades, do you see his Beyblades, do you want to play Beyblades....Payton likes Beyblades.  We heard Beyblades for....HOURS.  Then we went to Salina for another Christmas.  It was warm and cozy and we even got to do some sledding.  Ella shocked everyone when she told Papa she wanted to sled by herself...didn't want to ride with mom.  Big girl.  She was awesome!  Again, I don't have any pictures.  :(
Payton's birthday went really well, too, despite the fact that he was down with the croup. 
No pictures. 
I do have these though that I will leave you with.  They were the only other ones on the camera.  Tool crap, airplane crap, machinery crap...and then....this.

Maybe I'll make a pie today.

I could make a pie.

O Christmas Tree! A Return to Blogging...

So we loaded up the ol pickup with squirming children to venture out to Windy Knoll Christmas Tree Farm again this year.  We discovered this tree farm last year and we love it.  It isn't as picturesque as Prairie Pines, but the trees are really pretty, cheaper, and it's a mom and pop farm that's really friendly.  So, Off we go. 

Payton had to ignore me.  Couldn't smile for a picture...it just might kill him. 

Ella couldn't smile either because she was pouting about something or other at the time.  Maddie on the other hand....well I'm pretty sure she was smiling under her hat.  How could she not be?!  Spaz.

I turned on the radio to B98 FM hoping to add a little cheer to our trip.  It was Celine Dion.  This is how Tim felt about that.  He thought T95 was more appropriate for his Christmas cheer tank.  Sorry bud.

So off we went!  It was a cold and rainy day, but that didn't stop the kids from running around and touching each tree.  They had a whole list of pro's and con's for each tree.  It was pretty cute.

Payton's only stipulation was the tree had to be bigger than dad, because that was the true definition of "tall."  We were successful.  Tim just laughed and shook his head.  He thought I was a Clark W. Griswold tree with no room for the angel on top.  We were determined it would be just fine!  Measurements shmeshurments.

Dinner, PJ's, and finally...tree decorating!  They were more excited than they ever have been before.  It's kind of cool now that they are older, they were actually able to decorate the tree themselves.  I did have to do some relocating or all of our ornaments would've been all on the bottom 2 feet of the tree.  It's a beautiful tree.  Pretty full...lotta sap.  Next we sat them down for the annual Christmas Pics of Busy Ryan Children.
This is my favorite time of the year....

Starts off with a winner right off the bat....I was a little disappointed, but then they went back to their own usual form.

And finally we were left with Payton who was so sick of saying cheese that he gave up.  The girls were running down the hallway fighting over a book and seconds away from their own personal time-out corners.
Doesn't this picture just scream "TIS THE SEASON!"

Love her expression here.  Can't force an expression like that.  Good to know that's how she feels about her mother....

Now this pic is my favorite because it's beautiful and looks so wholesome.  This is a picture that the Hallmark company would use to sell their books.  However....although it looks like Payton is peacefully standing there listening to the story, he's actually blocking the light for Ella's book.  It's one of those pre-recorded books and it reads the story based on how much light goes into the little holes along the spine of the book.  So Ella gets into the story and Payton casually leans into the light to stop her story.  She was screaming mad at him seconds after I took this.  But at least I caught a brief 2 seconds of love and tranquility. 

My very cool study buddy...

So this is our little Blue Jay.  I don't know what's wrong with him, but for some reason, he is completely tame around us humans.  He loves the kids, he loves riding on the handle bars of their bikes, and sitting on top of the swing set while they're swinging.  He's also been a great study buddy for me.  Most days I sit in my "dumpster find" rocking chair outside and study while the kids play and he's been around giving me moral support.  I guess here he was making sure that I had the right material for the upcoming test. 

Sometimes he just sits there and provides moral support...

Sometimes he stuffs seeds and leaves into my hand for snack time.

You must keep up your strength after all.

He even tries to help me turn pages.  I think he knew I had the physical assessment stuff covered and really wanted me to focus on wounds.  Good call.

Then he'll fly off to keep an eye on the kids and help them with their sidewalk art.

He helps Maddie find the best color option for her scribbles.  Is it really any surprise he prefers the blue chalk?  Seriously.  I took so many pictures of this because it is just too cute and unbelievable.  This is Snow White Disney type stuff.

Best. Craft. Ever.

Yesterday we did our best craft yet.  The best part is that it's pretty cheap (4 ingredients...1 is water), and pretty easy to mix together.  The kids did all of it...oh yea...what did we make you ask?...SLIME!!
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/09/kids-in-the-kitchen-slime/
So that website as the recipe and instructions.  But you only need Borax (I had no idea what that was, but it's in the laundry detergent aisle.  $5 for a big box), glue (we used clear, but you can use white as well, you just won't be able to see through it), food color, and water.
Seriously, it was an awesome craft.  They were so impressed with me!
The kids were able to do each step, we just had to have a quick talk about not eating it...Maddie...

Maddie mixed the glue, water, and food color together.  This is the only step that can really stain.  Once the slime comes together the color stays put.  We had no staining what-so-ever.

So Payton poured our Borax/water mix into Maddie's glue/water/food color mix and then the coolest part happens.  It looks like you're just dipping your hands into water, but then you can pull the water up into a slime!  It blew their minds...mine too.  So pull the slime up and get rid of the extra water in the bowl.  After that it comes together and it acts a lot like Play-Doh. 

It looks like a huge mess, but you smash all together and it sticks...so you pick it up just like Play-Doh.

You can also smooth it out and when it gets thin you can see through it as clear as a window.  It is seriously wild stuff.  It had all of us, including me, mesmerized for a couple hours.

It met all of Maddie's tactile needs.  When you leave it alone, it gets smooth and glassy, it melts into itself, and when you roll it into a ball...it BOUNCES!!  So cool.

We only have two day left before the chaos of school starts.  Payton goes back on Wednesday and I start next Monday.  I'm trying to lay back and enjoy our last days, but anxiety is creeping in a bit and I'm starting to wish I could just start this so I can get it over with.  I have one more project to finish this week for my nephew's first birthday.  The countdown to Graduation shows 1 year, 8 months, 25 days, 1 hour, 50 minutes, and 29 seconds...again, providing it's a 12:00pm ceremony.  :)