Fabulous Felt Food!!

So this is what I have been working on lately. Christmas gifts for Aidan and for Abbie. It has been really fun. Take a look!

A pizza making kit for Aidan. He loves pizza and has a wooden pizza making kit at school. I thought it would be fun for him to have his own set - so I made it!

Little green pepper rings, olive slices, pepperoni (with tiny spices on top!), sausage, mushrooms, and tomato slices. The cheese is separate but the sauce is sewn onto the crust. Love it!!

Abbie's food is a set of swiss cake rolls, three carrots, and five chocolate chip cookies. I have pancakes and peanut butter and jelly in the making!

They will both get their food at Christmas. Abbie's food will be from me and Rick, and Aidan's food will be from his Sissy.

I can't wait to see how they like it!!

Halloween! (and other October stuff!)

It's Halloween! We just love this time of year. Here in Lexington, the trees are beautiful with color and some are almost bare from falling leaves. I guess the change started about a week ago. I swear it was an overnight event, all of a sudden it was Fall, gorgeous!

We have been gearing up for Halloween for about a week now too. It kinda snuck up on us - seems like everything is doing that lately! I didn't get the kids costumes in order until about Wednesday. I know, terrible mothering right? I tried to make up for it with fabulous costumes though!

Olivia wanted to be the Billie Jean Michael Jackson (more on M.J. to come!), but I couldn't get that together. So, her second choice was to be a Warrior cat. She has been reading this very popular book series about warrior cats, so naturally, that's what she wanted to be. We got a leotard and leggings, I got her some fur and we made fur bracelets and anklets. We added a tail, a nose and some ears and she was looking the part!

Aidan flip flopped all month about what he wanted to be. A dragon, a knight, a spider, Batman - it was hard to keep up! But, finally he made his decision. He wanted to be a WEREWOLF!! Oh no - HOW was I going to make that costume??! Thank god for the internet. I got some great ideas and, voila! He was a werewolf - check it out!

Pretty darn cute, huh?! He got so many compliments when we went trick or treating. And some folks got the whole werewolf show from him. Growling, howling, etc. They loved it and clapped and cheered for him!!

The kids, and us, had a great time. The temp was just chilly enough, the leaves were the perfect color, and while it was UK's Homecoming and their weren't as many kids out, it kinda felt like a Disney movie in our neighborhood.

We topped the night off with Mummy Dogs (hot dogs wrapped in crescent roll dough to look like Mummy's) and homemade pizza. The kids enjoyed helping with that!

Remember how I mentioned that there would be more on Michael Jackson? Well, Livi is obsessed with him. Rick took her to see the "This Is It" movie on Weds and she loved it. So did he, said it was really well done. Hopefully, I can see it too sometime. Then, on Friday night Liv and I went to a Lexington tradition - the Thriller walk!

Every year a dance co in town opens it's doors to anyone who wants to come and learn the thriller dance. Well we couldn't get it together enough to go to the rehearsals, but we did make a date to go watch the actual event.

It was so COOL! When we got downtown, there were so many people, I couldn't believe it. The parking deck that sits on Main Street was full of people looking over the edge on all levels. The streets were packed and, there were zombie bodies laying around the sidewalks and grassy areas!! Spooky!

We found a good spot and soon, it began. Running out of the Kentucky Theatre (old movie theatre on Main) came the Michael of the evening and soon, all those zombie bodies got up and walked into the street. The music started and they were dancin!! It took about 40 minutes for the whole gang of zombies to dance their way past us. It was so fun to see! I saw a lot of my students and Livi had some friends that were in it. It was a cool thing to see together.

Now, what will they want to be next year??

It's August!

Woa. August is almost over and we have already done so much this month! Olivia and Aidan started school, I have gone back to work, Rick is on a new path . . . and so much more!

Olivia is in 5th grade! She is thrilled and we are so proud. She has started off really well, she is involved in many areas of the school. STLP (morning show), Accelerated Math, Chorus, and Battle of the Books. And those are just her school related activities. She has also started Girl Scouts and guitar lessons will kick off next week.

Aidan is in PreK-2. He loves it when he gets there, complains before he goes! He is learning fast; ABC's, counting, good behavior, fun songs, etc. Everyday he surprises me with his knowledge! He is getting taller too, finally. That little boy face is changing into a big boy face. I can't believe he is 4 and a half.

I am back to work among other things. I am ready to start directing the Middle School musical, Annie and the Upper School Play, Our Hearts Were Young and Gay. Pretty soon, I will start building and painting the set too. I have had a couple of bites on my business expanding to a couple of boutiques. Nothing is set yet, but I am excited! I am also the leader of Olivia's Girl Scout Troop so that is going to keep me busy!

Rick is doing the house husband thing in addition to teaching at Asbury and subbing for Sayre and Fayette Co. He has been exploring his cooking abilities and has made some delicious meals!

So, that's August - I wonder what Sept will bring!

More Summertime!!

It's July, I know - for like, two more days. Where the heck has the summer gone!?! We have packed so much in this summer. It's been a blast. Here is what we have done, seen, accomplished.

1. Went to VA for 3 weeks!
2. Aidan learned to swim with water wings - he is very proud of himself.
3. Went to Nags Head for a lovely time with Grandpa Saint and Mimi.
4. Farmer's Market Hopped; Williamsburg, Toano, Yorktown.
5. Started a new business, SweetBrier Blooms!
6. Spent the 4th of July in Nags Head.
7. Went to the pool with the kids and Grandy.
8. Traveled to D.C. to go to the American History Museum.
9. Rick went to NYC to direct his first NYC show!
10. I went to NYC and saw Rick and his show!
11. We saw the Little Couple in NYC!!
12. I have been teaching a Drama class at the Sayre Splash Camp.

We have certainly done more than just those things, but whew, even that is A LOT!!

School starts in two weeks, so it will be back to the grind before long. Fall is just around the corner and then, well - I will write about that later.

Summer Time!!

Well, it's June now - I can't believe it, but it is. School is out and summer has begun. Our plates have been incredibly full, as usual! So lemme break it down for ya -

1. Livi was amazing in the talent show and her chorus concert!
2. Aidan has started Pre-K1.
3. Rick has begun the process of moving his offices to a new, hip location downtown.
4. I presented some really cool student made movies to the student body at Sayre and they <3 it.
5. We have already traveled to Texas and back again (amazing trip to see the family!).
6. Had a gig last night at Cheapside Park. Played to loads of people and had a BLAST!
7. Still waiting for Livi's report card but feel certain it will be outstanding.
8. I am officially on summer vacation and loving it!
9. Olivia got her EARS PIERCED!!
10. Aidan is finally outta diapers - woot!!

Of course, that is the quickie version of the last few weeks but that's all I can muster as I am standing over a skillet of bacon right now!!!

More to come . . .

Another Funny!

Aidan is really loving to hit the baseball lately. He and Daddy, and sometimes Sissy, get out there in the front yard and practive America's favorite past time. It's fun to watch them and even hear them from the kitchen! Rick says Aidan has a good arm. Could he be a bit biased? See for yourself and enjoy the video. Oh, and don't forget to mute the sound at the bottom of the page, then you won't hear the music. :)

Party Boy!

Aidan has been partying for the last two weekends!! And he has been loving it! This seems to be the birthday time of year for the kids in his class. He has had lots of invitations. Unfortunately we haven't been able to make all of them, but for the past two Saturdays we made the time for two.

The first was for a set of twin girls in Aidan's class, Bethany and Jadyn. He adores these girls and they are sweet. They came to Aidan's party and they returned the favor by inviting him to theirs.

Their party was at the Explorium. This is Lexington's Children's Musuem. It is fun and while Aidan had been there when he was a baby, he certainly didn't remember and this trip was all brand new to him!

He LOVED it! He absolutely ate it up. He wanted to do everything! I am not even sure he had a favorite section of the museum - he did it all. He was moving so fast I could hardly keep up - upstairs, downstairs, in this room and then that room.


The party started with a craft (making a drum), then cake, then play time. He was a bit crabby at first because he just wanted to get to playtime,
but pretty soon he was enjoying making his drum and visiting with friends. It was really well done and I think we are going to have his party there next year!

This past weekend Aidan was invited to his best friend Luke's party, again at the Explorium. This time, he knew the ropes and knew exactly which parts of the museum he wanted to go to and in what order. And, of course it had to be with Luke. Those two were joined at the hip!!

The craft for Luke's party was a magic trick. Well, not really but the kids thought it was. It was taking certain substances and mixing them together to come up with something new. They made slime and snow. It was so funny to see them mixing it up and not following directions!! Aidan, and most of the children, ended up putting all of the ingredients together so they had blue snowy slime! It was cute!

Playtime was fun. He discovered the bubble room and the Dino games on the computer. Aidan also enjoyed all of the waterplay, and he didn't even get that wet!

So, that's the story of Aidan's big weekend fun, times two. Things are gonna slow down for him this weekend - I wonder if he will notice!?

Battle of the Books Y'all!!

"We are the champions, we are the champions, no time for losers, cause we are the champions . . . of the world!!!"

Well, at least - the city!! Olivia and her all girls team (3 girls including Liv) WON the Battle of the Books competition yesterday! It was an amazing accomplishment. I am SO proud of her and her team mates.

It all started way back in September when Olivia decided that she wanted to join the Battle of the Books. The students read 20 books in 8 months. The book list was determined last Spring by the librarians in the County school district.

Once all the books were read, the students took a test on the books content. The top 12 score holders were then subjected to a mock competition contest to see who could buzz in the fastest and who could answer with the most accuracy. Olivia made it to the top 6 and then to the top 3. The top 3 were on the team the remaining 3 were the alternates. It was kinda funny that the top three were all girls and the other three were all boys!! Go girl power!

After a few days worth of practice, the girls had their first competition. They won! It was awesome to see. The girls were so fast on the buzzer and they knew almost every answer. They KILLED!!

Yesterday was the second competition. Based on the county wide competition from the week before, we were down to four teams competing. The event was held at the County Central Office in their fancy auditorium.

It started a bit wonky. Some of the adults that were running the show did not seem too organized, but it got better as the event went on.

Cassidy seemed to be having some trouble at first. They weren't buzzing in fast enough. But, because the other teams were missing some of the questions, the girls were able to catch up and then win the first match. Yay!

So, the two bottom teams were eliminated and it was on to the final match. It was so NERVE-WRACKING!!!! The girls came out of the corner swinging. Buzzing like crazy, answering questions left and right!! The other team was almost as fast. In the end, they had to answer 5 tie breaking questions - and, CASSIDY WON!!!

I was bursting with pride. I can't even describe it. Go Livi!!

Another GS Weekend

This past weekend was the Louisville Science Center overnight trip. Me, the troop leader, and 6 girls went. It was a nice change of pace from the previous weekend's camping trip!

We arrived at the Louisville Science Center and settled in for the evening. There were 6 other troops there so it was going to be a busy night.

Our center host was a very nice lady who clearly had overseen these GS overnights many times. She knew just how to talk to us, make us quiet, and instruct us.

After an initial orientation, our girls were part of the group that got free exhibit time. So, the girls grabbed their buddies and they were off!

The center is three stories worth of science broken into sections that are called "the world . . ." fill in the blank - we create, around us, within us, etc. It's a pretty hands on center and the girls liked playing with all of the various exhibits.

After the hour of free time, the girls went into one of the classrooms for a lesson on the amazon. They talked about reptiles and trees, then they had to build a tree using brooms, hangers, boxes and tape. The girls did a good job working together to build a sturdy tree.

At about 10pm, almost all of the lights were turned out and we went on a scavenger hunt thru the museum. It was very cool and my group of girls came in third place!

The IMAX was next. We watched a movie on the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Robert Redford narrated it and it was really good - beautiful footage. Some of the girls fell asleep!

After the movie we moved to our spot for sleeping. We got the best exhibit to sleep in - THE AMAZON!! There were snakes and amazonian shacks and fish in aquariums - it was cool.

We slept okay. We were on the floor so it was a bit rough. I had to do a lot of stretching before I could get up!

We hit the road and said goodbye to Louisville. Yay, Girl Scout events!!

So Much For Good Intentions!

Well, I tried to keep up with this blog! I am gonna have to post about three recent events that have kept me away from the computer. It's been a busy month. April, who knew!?

The first post is about Olivia's Girl Scout Horse Camp that I chaperoned, by myself, a couple of weekends ago. It ended up being an okay trip but I was nervous to go it alone. Especially since I am not much of a camper!

Olivia was super excited to go on this trip. Being outdoors and getting to ride a horse was exactly what she wanted to be doing.

We went with four other girls, Livi's friend Caroline being one of them. They stayed in a tent together (me too) and were pretty much inseparable the whole weekend.

The Camp is a little over an hour from our house and it's just up the road from Carter Caves (remember that post!?). So, basically we are talking out in the middle of almost nowhere.

Our first night there we got settled into our tents and headed to the tack house for a mini orientation. When we got there, the horses were in the outer stalls and it was really cool to see them. The girls, especially, were happy to see them! After getting introduced to the weekend plans, we went to the campfire site. Luckily, it was less than 50 feet from our set of tents. It very quickly got dark and the campfire songs began. Some old standards that even I recognized and some new ones to learn. I was looking forward to the s'mores and pretty soon the fire was ready for the marshmallows. The girls didn't really want s'mores, they just wanted to char the marshmallows! It was really fun and then it was time for bed . . . this is where it gets bad.

It was FREEZING!! We had sleeping bags and blankets and socks and p.j.'s and layers and it was SO COLD! I don't think I have ever had such a miserable sleeping experience. And, I could hear the cars on the road down the hill and all I kept thinking was that any axe wielding murderer could park their car and climb up the hill and hack us to bits!! But, morning came and we survived.

Saturday was jam packed with activities. Horsey education, Caving, more horsey stuff with breakfast lunch and dinner thrown in. It was a pretty fun day.



I think the girls really liked the caving the best. Initially, they were all looking forward to the horses but it turned out that they really just did a lot of watching instructors interact with the horses and didn't get to do as much as they had hoped themselves.


The caving was amazing. We went into Cascade cave at Carter Caves. And we went off the tourist trail. Scary!! At first, I was a bit freaked out and so were some of the girls. But, pretty soon we started to feel more comfortable and then we were actually enjoying ourselves! The trek was somewhat treacherous. Holes in the floor, very dark spaces, crawling on your belly, going thru streams - these were just some of the trials and tribulations of the cave voyage! It was also very beautiful in the cave. Cool experience for sure.

Getting back to the horse part of the camp - the rest of Saturday afternoon was spent learning about grooming, riding, and feeding a horse. Eventually, the girls got to hop up on a horse and ride in a large arena for about 30 minutes. While it was very cool, the girls felt a bit jipped as they were expecting to go ride on a trail.

The last evening, the girls did a skit for the rest of the campers. Livi came up with the idea and the group filled in the details. It was really cute!

Thankfully the temp improved greatly and the second night was much more comfortable for sleeping.

Sunday morning came and it was time to pack up and hit the road. Goodbye Camp Cardinal!

Easter Fun

Easter weekend was very busy but very fun. We had a lot going on. Everything from egg dyeing to sound checks to band performances to the bunny's arrival on Sunday morn.

After the kids checked out their bounty and hunted for eggs (out in the chilly morning air!), we got all dolled up and headed to church. It was a lovely service, great sermon too! Made it home for an afternoon nap or at least some lounging around and really slowed it down for the rest of the day. Ahhh! Relaxing.

Of course the day wouldn't be complete without some pictures to document the day. Nothing like mommy coming at you when your eyes are barely open! I just wanted to capture the Easter bunny moment, come on! Is that so wrong!?

Thankfully the kids were ready to comply by the time they were dressed and ready for church. I even got some silly shots!

Puddles!

We have had some crazy weather in the last week. Rain, snow, warm, cold - it's been a little strange! Aidan was just dying to jump in some rain puddles and he finally got his wish on a warm, raining day.

Once he got the go ahead from me, he ran in the house and got his cute little red boots. He put them on by himself and started hopping in the one puddle we had on our sidewalk!


He was loving it and before I knew it, his boots were off and he was feeling the wet water between his toes. It was so fun to see the happiness that a little rain and a little bare feet could provide!

Spring Break Adventure!

So, we have been on Spring Break. It has been sooooo nice! I really needed this break. I have gotten quite a bit done around the house and some projects that I have been wanting to accomplish.

Mid-week we went to Carter Caves. It is about an hour northeast of us and, obviously it is a cave site. There are about 20 different small cave systems there, but we only went thru the largest one. With Aidan, we had to choose the most interesting and least strenuous. So, we went into Cascade Cave. It was really three caves, one of which you had to back track to get out. We weren't quite sure what to expect. Rick hadn't been in a cave system since he was about Olivia's age, and I went to Carlsbad Caverns when I was little, but have no idea how old I really was. So, we were curious for sure.

The first cave was very large and it almost looked fake! The tour group was probably about 40 people and we easily fit inside the cave. After a little history lesson from the park ranger, we headed further into the cave. Once we rounded the corner, it opened up into a beautiful area with a small lake. This was also the area that was the coldest. A bit more info and history from the PR and we continued on. The cave systems are locked with these very heavy metal doors. Everytime we went in or out of a cave system, the PR locked the door - creepy!

So, after the lake room, we went thru a metal door and outside. We walked along a pretty little stream and into the next cave entrance. It was beautiful!

The next cave system housed a bunch of really cool stalagmites and stalagtites. We also found some sleeping bats. They were very tiny, about 2 inches long. They didn't mind us a bit. Slept right thru our visit!

The last cave was very long and had much more interesting formations and walkways. More narrow areas and dark, creepy sections that you couldn't go down. I wonder what amazing creatures were living in there!

Our final stop was the underground, 30 foot waterfall - it was gorgeous!! You had to walk single file to get to it and water dripped on your head the whole way, but it was totally worth it!

Great family outing in a part of Kentucky that we hadn't explored yet. Very cool!

Aidan's 4th Birthday Party

Aidan's first birthday party with little friends went off without a hitch! It was last Saturday, 10am to noon and it was SO much fun. I was a little worried that it would just be two hours of chaos, but it ended up that we had the whole place to ourselves for almost an hour! Oh, we were at Chuck E. Cheese btw. This was Aidan's request. He really wanted to have his party with the mouse!



All of Aidan's friends and their parents arrived by 10:15, and they just jumped right into playing games, riding rides, and climbing thru the tunnel on the ceiling. Thank goodness the parents stayed with their kids because there was no way I was gonna be able to keep up with them! They are fast!!


I knew going in that I was gonna have to just go with the flow. I am so glad I prepared myself. Sitting down to eat pizza turned out to be an up and down affair! The kids were so distracted that they just could not sit still and eat. No problem though, I kinda figured that would happen so - I just went to my happy place and let it roll! Same thing happened with the cake and ice cream eating. Some of the parents offered to help get the kids settled down, but what was the point? They were having fun and that's what it was all about. I wasn't upset at all that they were all over the place!


Aidan was so excited to open his presents. He was really looking forward to that part! He got some great stuff from his pals. The trend these days is to say no presents, but isn't that part of the birthday fun? I mean, I don't think you need to spend an arm and a leg, but no presents at all? At this age, I am not sure how I feel about that.

Anyway, it was a great time and I really enjoyed getting to know some of Aidan's preschool buddies better.

Kiddo Update . . .

Olivia and Aidan have been up to all sorts of things this week. Driving me crazy is just one of them! So here is the update . . .

Olivia has written a song. I think it is called "Fly Away" and it is definitely about a boy. She wrote it at about 2 am one night last week. The girl is already honing her rock n roll behavior! Up all night, sleep all day!! School is going well. A bit of stress over her art class. She made one of her first big academic mistakes by turning in an art assignment almost three weeks late. So, now she is paying the price and might have only a B in art. This seems a pretty harsh drop in grade to me, but there doesn't seem to be much I can do at this point. So, she is sweatin' her report card a little bit. Otherwise, she is really working hard. She is especially enjoying her Battle of the Books club. They meet on Friday mornings before school and discuss the books they are reading. She has read SO many books this school year. I love that! Girl Scouts is winding down. Cookie sales are over. Looks like she sold almost 575 boxes. Yay! She is working on her Bronze Award. Her plan is to make cookies and bring them to senior homes an children in special care. She is so kind hearted. Next week for Spring Break, we are going to take her to Carter Caves and maybe one more outing. Possibly a haunted place just she and I!! Can't wait . . .

Aidan is officially four! He enjoyed his birthday very much. Opened a few presents, ate a HUGE cupcake and played outside. It was fun. He also got a birthday haircut on Tuesday. He looks so handsome! School pictures were Weds. He was so excited to get his picture taken. Do we have a model or a ham in the making?! He smiled sweetly and posed eagerly. So cute. He is really into the letters they have been studying at preschool. He comes home ever day and talks endlessly about the letter and how to write it. He wants to know what words start with the letter, it's great. I love to see him so excited to learn. Yesterday was rough. He had his four year old check up. And, while he is totally healthy - he had to get three shots, a TB test, and a blood test. There were soooo many tears! It was awful!! Today though, he is much better and looking forward to his birthday party tomorrow at Chuck E. Cheese. He has spied the wrapped presents in the kitchen nook and stares at them wishing he could see through the paper!

(the picture is from rehearsal for "Bad Dates." The show uses lots of shoes and the kids were having fun trying them on!!)

So, that's the update on the little darlings. Love them bunches!!

So, I discovered this new thing - well, it's new to me. Dailybooth.com - it's a social networking site that is done thru the use of pictures and comments. You take a picture of yourself everyday and leave a comment as to what your day is like. I think it's based out of Britain - I say this, cuz the dude in the tour video is British! It's kinda a neat idea.

This is my picture, taken today just before my students started to come in. It's raining here so I am having a bad hair day. And, it doesn't help that I cut my hair myself last night, over conditioned it and NOW, it is sitting like a limp noodle on my head. AND, I think my nose looks really wide. AND I have on makeup but the light in here is crap so you can't really tell. I think I probably look better in person!

First Day of Spring!!

There's no denying it now, Spring is just around the corner. Thank goodness.

We have put up a teepee in the backyard (for Aidan's birthday), the front yard is raked and ready to grow and get green, and we are all ready to open up the house for some fresh air!

This Spring I have some big plans. I really want to organize some of our "not used all the time" stuff that we haven't had a chance to deal with since we moved in last August. I need to get back to scrapbooking, too. I really miss it!

Of course we will do something over Spring Break. Maybe go to the zoo or plant some flowers in the front garden in the yard? Ambitious for me, I know!

Looking forward to it all - here's to Spring!

Stop Motion Animation

So, I have decided to teach my 7th graders about stop motion animation. I know next to nothing about the subject but thought it might be fun to learn with the kids. One of them showed me this cool video so I thought I would share it. Just copy and paste the link below to check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_HXUhShhmY

It is so amazing and I am hoping we can create some videos that are similar, at least a little anyway! The students are going to have to include inanimate objects in their stories. I can't wait to see how they incorporate them and use themselves too.

Fun, fun, fun!

Back at it!

So I have made a vow to myself that I will try to post at least three times a week. This will mean that some posts will be interesting and wonderful, and some will be - well, not so much!

Soooo much has been going on lately. I just finished directing "You're A Good Man Charlie Brown," acting in "Rabbit Hole," and teaching the third term of the school year. Charlie Brown was wonderful; great cast, great audience, great design elements - see the pic. Rabbit Hole was also a wonderful experience. I LOVED my cast, they were talented and amazing the work with. I miss playing Becca. What a great role to play. School has been going well. So much of what I have been up to has been tied to the high school show. Busy, busy.

I have been tinkering with back up vocals in a band these last few months. It has been really fun and educational. I have learned so much about harmonizing, listening to the instruments, and communicating with musicians. Haven't done those things in a loooong time, if ever! Our first gig is April 11th and I can't WAIT!!

Livi and Aidan are doing great. Olivia is still playing the guitar. Everything from her own original stuff to Nirvana to Taylor Swift to Jimmy Buffet!! She just finished up a great season of UpWard basketball. See the video below:

Aidan is going to be 4 this Saturday, 4 years old!!! He is wild and sweet as ever. LOVE that kid!

Rick is busy keeping the theatre going. That is an ALL the time job! I hope the poor guy doesn't have a stroke before summer.

So, yeah - that's us. The quick version anyway!

Girl Scout Cookie Time

So, remember last year when Olivia sold almost 500 boxes of GS cookies?? Remember how into she was, and how hard she worked? I betcha think I am gonna say that she is totally blowing it off this year, right? NOPE! She is in it with a vengeance this year!! It is nuts! We have sold cookies every day since the sale has started last Friday. She has already sold 100 boxes! Her goal is 500+ boxes this year. The girl knows what she wants. Get get 'em, honey!!