The Best and The Worst

We have fabulous neighbors that live across the street from us and between our 2 households we appear to have come up with a bit of a bartering system, I do all of their clothing alterations and in return we get fresh produce straight from their garden, at least that was until a couple of weeks ago when Reagan returned some shorts I had mended and she came home with a humungous bag of Kettle Corn... O.M.G, that stuff is awesome, just the right combination of sweet, salty and crunchy to satisfy the 3pm munchies and the best part, 36 calories per cup, if you do Weight Watchers that equals 1 point. So it's tasty and guilt free a win win situation all the way around, can't beat that right ?

Now for the worst, have you bought Old Navy flip flops this year ? O.M.G, could they make them more uncomfortable ? I think not. What happened to the softer rubber, the slighter thicker thong between the toes to prevent rubbing ? I don't know about you but I'd rather pay $5 for one pair and have something wearable and comfortable than go for the $2 special this past weekend and end up w/ flip flops that make you want to walk barefoot and risk the bee stings than actually subject your feet to that hard plastic mess. I'm all for a bargain but when it comes to the cost of comfort and especially in the Summer, forget it. Old Navy, please go back to your original materials and up the price a little, we really wouldn't mind. On a plus note, the kids sizes are still the original materials, last night I stuck my size 7 feet into my daughter's size 2 flip flops to walk out to the garage and they felt just right.

When life hands you fabric scraps (and cardboard)

Make bookmarks.
If you sew and are anything like me you have tons and tons of fabric scraps sitting around somewhere, they're too small for a large project but too big to just toss and so we set them aside for the day we start quilting.... yeah right. I'm also one of those sewers that is helping to keep Wrights in business by buying their Bias Binding as opposed to making my own so I have all of those little cards laying around too,but I KNEW that one day they would become useful, and that day is today. I was determined to come up w/ a project to use up fabric scraps, Reagan wanted to give her classmates gifts, she mentioned a pillow each... Hahaha, she's a funny girl, 24 kids and 5 days, I don't think so, but bookmarks to accompany their Summer reading books, perfect right ?
So without further ado I went to work, they are so easy to make I figured I'd write a quick tutorial for them, in case some of you out there are in need of quick projects too, and no worries if you don't sew , a hot glue gun works just as well.

Take your cardboard insert from a pkg of binding, or a piece of cardboard measuring 2 inches x 5 inches and a piece of fabric measuring 13 1/2 inches x 3 1/2 inches

Place cardboard in the middle of the fabric

Fold your seam allowance over the edges of the cardboard and using a hot iron, press. do this on all 4 sides.

Once completely covered

Straight stitch close to the edge (or hot glue the edges down)

Stitch around all 4 sides and then take a hole punch, find the center top of your bookmark and punch 1 hole

Take 11 inches of co ordinating ribbon

Thread through the top and voila you have a bookmark to keep or giveaway with a favorite book as a special gift.

Fads, the art of negotiation and a lesson in manners

Who knew that a simple rubber band in the shape of some tangible item that springs back to its original shape even when pulled out in all directions could possibly be the next craze in America to appeal to Kindergartners and beyond ?
I had never even heard of them until a friend mentioned that they had been banned from her child's school, then another friend in a different state mentioned that her 5 y/o was crazy about them, I had just asked what they were and in walked Ben with 2 rubber things on his wrist,immediately I knew what they had to be, he showed them to me, exclaimed how cool he thought they were and away he went, all was quiet until Reagan caught sight of them "You have Silly Bandz ? No Way !!" That weekend a 6 y/o with chore money burning a hole in her pocket was walking the aisles of TRU in hopes of finding the much sought after Silly Bandz, 5 minutes later Ben came around from another aisle all flushed looking "Reagan, I just found the last packet of Silly Bandz" Her face lit up like a Christmas tree, seriously you'd have thought it was christmas with the yips of joy, hugs and sheer excitement that started to exude from her body.
The following week at school the trading began, apparently the presence of Silly Bandz must have made it's first true appearance in our town over that one weekend. There were stories of who traded what with who, who wasn't go to be friends with another if they didn't trade a bunny for a seal, what boy was going to beat up another because his Girlfriend traded the Silly Bandz he had given her, with another... it was CRAZINESS I tell ya.
Thursday rolled around and Reagan bounced out of school with a smug look on her face, looking oh so happy with herself. I asked "What's with the big smirk" "Well" she started off, Nubanu gave Stephen a heart Silly Bandz, he didn't want it and so gave it to Zachary, he likes me and gave it to me *Giggle giggle* " At that Victoria's ears perked up, "You have a heart Silly Bandz ? Let me see" Little sister dutifully took it off and gave it to big sis "I want it" Whined Victoria (Seriously)Reagan told her she could wear it to her Graduation that night and that was it, so a deal was made. The following day the original recipient of the heart S.B decided she wanted it back, Reagan told her point blank, nope, no can do, Monday the original recipient told her more forcefully this time "I want that silly Bandz back, I'm not going to be your friend if you don't give it back." To which Reagan responded "You might want to use your manners and say please" To which original recipient said "Please *HUFF*" and the response she was given was "That's better, you can have a bunny Silly Bandz, just not the heart." and that was the end of that, I believe Victoria is still wearing the much coveted heart, Reagan has a stash that she has decided not to wear to school "Because they get annoyng" and Ben walked out the door wearing an armful this morning.
Here's my question of the day Why can't I come up with some silly invention like a Silly Bandz and cause it to become the next fad ?

She did it

I can not believe that it's possible for me to be the mother of a High School Graduate.
15 1/2 years ago, 2 1/2 year old Victoria left home for the first time to attend Pre School, in one hand she had her Barney book bag, clutched in the other was her Pooh Bear stuffed toy, last night, 18 year old Victoria walked off a stage shaking hands w/ school administration with her right hand and clutched in her left was her High School Diploma.
Makes a Momma a little teary. Congratulations Victoria, we love you !!!

What a difference 20 years makes

20 years ago I was living in England, I couldn't fathom ever being a mother,had no idea what it was like to live anywhere but the one house I'd lived in all my life, I'd never driven a car, swung a golf club or eaten sushi.
Now I'm living in the U.S, we're now in our 5th house and in State #3. I'm the proud mommy of 3 great kids and run a regular taxi service shuttling them between school, friends and work, sushi is a regular diet staple around here and today whilst out having fun and celebrating our 20th wedding Anniversary, I beat Marc for the first time at golf.. well, not really golf, it was putt putt, but hey I still beat him... he blames it on the heat and allergies, me, I'm blaming it on my wicked putting skills today :)

The last 20 years have been an adventure that's for sure, sometimes I've wondered if we'd ever reach this milestone, other times I couldn't fathom not.
So now we're onto the next 20, and will be kicking it off with our first born graduating high school tomorrow evening, hard to imagine that so much can possibly happen in such a period of time, especially when it feels that our Wedding just took place a couple of years ago.
So hun it's onward and upward, let's see where the next 20 years takes us.