Fix it up, Wear it out, Make it do, Or do without.

Do you see this ironing board? It's mostly disgusting. What your eyes are beholding is 6 years of a lot of starching on shirts and fabric, the result of trying to iron things that should never be ironed-math papers, leaves, sandpaper, a grilled cheese sandwich--twice, and a whole lot more. It's just plain gross and I want a new one! Have you priced ironing board covers? The cheap ones are 8 dollars and they go all the way up to around 20 bucks. No. Thank You. I'll make a new one. And I did.

 Supplies needs:
1 2/3 yards fabric. {You'll only use 1/2 the width of fabric by the 1 2/3 yard, but you don't want a seam down the middle of the board..}
elastic {or a draw string}
Sewing machine and thread.

step 1, iron your fabric. {I forgot too and then I couldn't because the old clover was already in the trashola.
step 2, place nicely ironed fabric on the ironing board with about 3 inches over hang all around.
step 3, trace the perimeter of the ironing surface around your fabric. {You can kind of see the pencil line on my picture below.}

 step 4, lay fabric on a flat surface, darken your lines and then cut out the fabric, leaving about 3 inches all the way around. DO NOT CUT ON THE LINE--allow a 3 inch seam allowance.

 Elastic! I used 1/4 inch.

 Step 5, pin the end of the elastic to the fabric and 'hem' all the way around the perimeter of the fabric. Do not sew the elastic.

I used a zig zag stitch and did not even fold over the raw edge. Leave about an inch opening so you can cinch the elastic.

Place the new cover onto the ironing board and cinch the elastic until the cover fits snugly over the ironing board. {I forgot to take a picture--sorry.}

Once the elastic is as tight as it should be, remove the cover and sew the elastic together. Put the cover back on your board and VIOLA! Beautiful new ironing board cover. Cost - $5.50.

Awkward and Awesome

Awkward:

• A person I work with who is developmentally delayed told me I have a big butt with a baby in it. {I just laughed. Who can argue with that? It does look that way.}

Awesome:

• I have today and tomorrow off work! I'm going to finish a quilt I started a few weeks ago and I'm also going to finish the top of my 9 patch. Pics to come soon!
• My sister found a necklace I gave to my mom for Christmas the year before she died and I got it back. I'm really happy about that!
• General Conference is this weekend. Although I have to work through part of it, I will be able to watch it that evening when I get off work.
• Musicals. I just have to re-proclaim I love musicals.
• Waking up to a clean house.
• Anna can write an m and remembers what the name of the letter is. {This is huge for her.}
• Email straight my phone. Both awesome and a curse.
• My Dad's retirement party on Saturday. A lot of the family was there and it was a really good time.

Awkward and Awesome:

Source: thedailydigi.com via Dedra on Pinterest

This post might make you uncomfortable.

Here's a little something about me that you may or may not know.

I am a common denominator.

• There are people I don't get along with. More than one or two. It's because of me.
• There are people I do get along with that a lot of people don't. It too, is because of me.

I'm the same everywhere.

• My language doesn't change when I'm at church, at home, in the super market or at work.
• My personality is what it is. I am not an act.
• You get what you get and you don't throw a fit. I am who I am.

I am going to believe what you tell me.

• Lie to me. Tell me the truth. Most likely I'm going to buy it. DO NOT BE SURPRISED when I am surprised you are doing something you told me you don't do.

I love almost everyone--to a fault.

• chance after chance after chance I'm probably going to be your friend again.
• hurt me once, shame on you. hurt me twice, shame on me.
• There is a lot of shame on me.
• But I'll be your friend again.

Do you need my help? You go it.

• I won't clean your house or pack it up last minute for you to move, but if you need anything else? I'm your girl.

You want me to pick you over my family?

• I'm going to pick my family.

You're family? 

• I'll pick my husband and children over my siblings and my Dad {and Mom}. Everyday--Every time.
• I'll pick my Dad {and Mom} over my siblings. Everyday--Every time.

My best friend lives in Butler PA and I met her blog stalking. I'm a stalker. Don't be scared.

I will not lie to you. I will not sugar coat something that needs to be made very clear. Spades are black, they're shaped like shovels. That being said, I'm not out to hurt every one's feelings and offend them. Sometimes I do hurt feelings and offend people. It's typically not over something I said that needed to be said.

I am a loud mouth. 

I lack a filter. 

Sometimes I act, sometimes I react.

If you knew all the things I didn't say, you might not want to be my friend.

I take my temple covenants seriously.

Do not accuse me of not caring about my family.

Do not mess with my children. 

Do not talk to my children about an issue you have with me. 

Obviously, I contradict myself also.

I strive everyday to be a better person. To do a good turn. To make sure my family knows I love them. I pray for each of them by name. Even siblings I haven't spoken with in over a year. Even family that won't admit to reading this blog.

Love me or hate me. Be offended or my friend.

You are free to choose.

Memory Monday Mash up

Have you ever seen Glee? It's a show on TV that actually isn't any good anymore, but when it first came out I enjoyed it. The glee club does this thing once a season where they pick two great songs and squish them together to make one even greater song. It's called a mash up.

Welcome to my Memory Monday Mash up: Awkward and Awesome:

Awkward:

• I couldn't tell my left from right until I was in 4th grade.
• I couldn't tell time either until that same magical year.
• I tried growing my bangs out 3 different times while I was a teenager. To compensate for ugly hair, I wore mismatched clothing and too much makeup. I never did succeed in growing out my bangs.
• I asked my second grade teacher {in front of the class} why she taught school. This was not a question of curiosity, it was an accusation.
• I went to a wedding reception for a friend of mine after I was married and a lady from my old home ward came up to me to visit. This was awkward for two reasons. #1, She never had spoken to me before. #2, As soon as she realized I wasn't Heather, she walked away. A.W.K.W.A.R.D. !!
• I had a hard time making friends until our family moved to Silverdale. Once I didn't have an older sister in the Young Women's program, friends came a lot easier.
• Me as a Beehive. (12-13 year old girl in our church.) Yes, I know all 12-13 year old girls are kind of awkward, but I excelled.
• Cats are girls and Dogs are boys.

Awesome:

• I won 2nd place in a hula hoop contest at the Boise State Fair in 1985--the only year I ever went to the BSF.
• I started learning how to sew when I was 12. I have loved it ever since.
• Brown has been one of my favorite colors since I was 3 or 4 years old. My mom made me this awesome shirt that was brown polyester and it was my favorite one.
• My most favorite English Classes in High School were Speech and Oral Interpretation. They were both opinion based and as long as I participated and followed all the rules, I did well. Greek Mythology? Bad Idea.
• I learned how to drive a stick shift in the lower parking lot of the Nels Nelson Building.
• My favorite music, even as a child, was Neil Diamond and Billy Joel. I also enjoyed [and still do] Elton John and Roger Miller. I didn't care then, and still don't about the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. {Comment how you will, I still don't enjoy them.]
• My first memory of my mom telling us something about her childhood was when I was 15. I'll save that story for another time.

Here's a mash up for your listening pleasure.

Merry Monday!

Anig and Recneps - Episode 4

So the other night Anig and Recneps were having a lovely dinner together. Probably cereal or pancakes or something. But it must have been delish because Recneps burped! It was kind of a loud burp. Anig looked up at Recneps, he looked around the room then back to Anig and said to her, 'It was you.'

Dear Anig, It is rude to burp at the table! Love, Arded.

I guess I should probably write about my kids...

Here's what.s going on in our neck of the woods.

Nicole:

• 8th grade
• She's doing my favorite kind of math and her least favorite.
• 2x + 5 = 21 (They are a little harder than this one, but I love them!)
• She walks to and from school with a girl from the ward.

Matthew:

• 7th grade
• He's taking 2 science classes this year {on purpose!} and he comes home and recreates the experiments he's learning at school. 
• We hid the matches from him.
• He rides his bike to school with two boys who were in his 6th grade class.

Anna:

• Kindergarten
• Everyday is the best day ever.
• She thinks she gets a two hour recess.
• She walks with a plethora of kids who live on our street and are in our ward. Like 8 of them. and she gets a ride home from my friend, Amy. I give her food as payment. It works well for both of us.

Ken: {I know he's not my kid.}

• He's taking a class at the local college.
• It's the same kind of math Nicole is learning.
• Not really. But she thinks so.
• I love him.

The end!

No Subject

 Yesterday I finished my pinwheels. I made three sets that look just like this one.

I started on my 9 patch blanket. Here's your preview:

 and I sent this text.

I love that I can take pictures of the screen on my phone--with my phone.

Awkward and Awesome

Awkward:

• I'm not going to get 52 recipes in 2011. I don't care enough to cram in the last 51. I'm deleting that page.
• I may be the worst parent that doesn't abuse their children. On the planet.
• I sometimes chose different words when I'm typing simply because I don't know how to spell my first choice.
• I asked Ken how much he loved me {because I wanted him to go buy us a treat} and he responded that he'd love me a lot more if I'd be quiet. It's funny now.
• The other day I interrupted myself while I was talking. To myself...too many conversations going on at once.
• I need therapy.
• At work the other night I was playing blokus by myself and one of the clients told me I was sure to lose.

Awesome:

• My job. I love those people. A lot.
• Anna's Kindergarten teacher.
• The 9 patch quilt I'm building right now.
• These hats. 

• Two more to go.
• Linda McCowan. Oh how I love and miss her!
• Dear Linda, the next two are for you!
• It would be TOTALLY AWESOME to see someone lead the music in sacrament meeting only using their pointer finger. 
• It would be even AWESOMER if they kept their arms glued to their sides.
• Me

Awkward and Awesome:

• I saw this on Pinterest. HAHA!!

Source: humorsharing.com via Dedra on Pinterest

Stuff and Things and other stuff too.

• I got a great package in the mail on Monday from the great state of Pennsylvania. Included were these little lovelies:

 They will go well with these lovelies:

 I also made this not so lovely. It ended up being 5 x 7 instead of the 5 x 6 shown here, but is not anymore attractive.

 These are pretty/

 Made this too for a pregnant lady my dad works with.

Other exciting things:

• I am enjoying my job.
• The kids are doing well in school.
• I think squirrels are u.g.l.y.
• I love the colder weather.
• My little brother is joining the gallactic alliance. He's going to work along side Captain Kirk.
• My package also had two different kinds of cat fabric, a quilt sampler thingy and an awesome journal.
• Gracias Kate! 
• I'll give a present to anyone who will bring me a candy bar.  (It may or may not be cat fabric.)
• Call first. I might be working.
• No gift for you if my children eat it.
• and they will.
• My birthday party is one month from today! 10-21-11 from 9pm to 9am.
• I'll be in Bremerton/Poulsbo on Saturday for an end of Summer party with my dad and a few of my siblings' families. That is always a good time. Our band, The Headless Iguanas, always have a reunion concert. Devon kicks trash on the drums and I love the guitar.
• Anna is eating lunch at the school for the first time today.
• She was go big-cited this morning. {excited}
• That's all I can think of.
• Time to rotate the laundry.

Happy Wednesday!

Memory Monday

When I was in third and fourth grade I helped everyday in the special ed. class. There were 2 girls who I worked with. One had down syndrome and the other one I don't know her diagnosis. I loved those girls and my time with them was my favorite part of the school day.

In high school there was a girl with down syndrome in my P.E. class who was super funny and loved jumping jacks but loathed push ups.

I have a cousin with down syndrome--Vonnie. I've only met her a few times but she is the cousin on the Anderson side of my family I remember the most as a child because I just thought she was so cool.

As an adult I worked with developmentally delayed children in the school system. It was the most rewarding job I've ever had.

I started my new job last Friday. I worked with 3 women who have delays I am not unfamiliar with. All I have to say about it is I LOVE THOSE WOMEN! I won't be seeing them today because I'll be at a different house tonight, but I can't wait to see them until tomorrow.

That's all.

Happy Birthday Farrell!

Today is my brother in law, Farrell's birthday. (I know the grammar in the sentence is wrong, at least is appears wrong, but I don't know how to fix it.)

Here are 2 fun facts about Farrell:

Farrell is an awesome chiropractor. He's the only one I have ever trusted.

Farrell is super smart. When I was in college, I called him a few times and he could help me, over the phone, without having a copy of what I was doing. He just knew how to do it. GENIUS!

Happy birthday Farrell! I hope you have a great day with your famdango.

Awkward and Awesome - Special Edition

I have a friend in my ward who should have made my A&A post yesterday but I am an ingrate and forgot to add her. To make up for it, I'm devoting a whole post to her - Amy Nelson/
Awkward:

• I forgot to mention Amy in my A&A post yesterday.
• She reminded me.
• How I feel in her presence-most of the time.
• I've been a total mooch to her this week.

Awesome:

• Amy's a marathon runner.
• She will most likely qualify in 2 weeks to Run Boston next year.
• She picked Anna up from school everyday this week. (4 times!)
• She jumped my car. (so did my friend, Lanetta) {boo on my car!}
• Amy didn't add me to her awkward list.
• She's the reason I do A&A!
• She writes for Mormon Mommy Blogs.
• She subs for me on the organ.
• Amy gave Ken and I water on our walk last night-at 9:30.
• She loaned me her jumper cables. (I'll get those back to you today.)
• She writes a fitness and sometimes fashion blog. Check it out! http://amyrnelson.blogspot.com/.

That is all. Thank you Amy!!

Awkward and Awesome

Awkward:

• Every time the Brown Santa (UPS) or FedEx truck pull into my cul de sac I hope they are bringing me gifts, but I never buy anything. Sad day.
• Nicole had Matthew do all her math homework. I was surprised she didn't have any corrections and she was surprised I recreated all four worksheets and made her redo them. Our home was full of surprises Tuesday night.
• I gave a stack of papers to Anna to take outside and put in the recycle bin and she filled up the mailbox instead. {She loves putting up the flag!}

Awesome:

• I am so excited for Halloween! I've always wanted our family to all dress alike and Ken has never gone for it. When I showed him minion hates, he totally agreed! Miracle of all miracles! I've ordered the hats. If you too would like a minion hat, or any kind of hat you could possible desire, please order them from Stephanie Beard, a super talented lady in our ward who sells hats to help support her famdango. What better cause is there than that! http://beeinyourbonnethats.blogspot.com/
• My friend April made me an e-invitation to invite all of you to buy me new things that I need around the house, specifically a microwave, iron, towels and a crockpot. Shop now, shop often.
• I had my CPR/First Aid training yesterday. Every time I've gone in for recertification it takes 8 hours of kill me now information that I already knew. Yesterday, it took approximately 52 minutes and I learned something new!
• lshmsfoaidmt-laughing so hard my sombrero fell off and I dropped my taco. The new and improved lol & rofl.
• Matthew sings the hymns while he's in the shower. His favorite is Brightly Beams our Father's Mercy. 

Awkward and Awesome: 

• My phone's auto correct:

Fire and a Minion x 5.

Matthew is a little gardener. He grew potatoes-4 of them. Last night while Ken and I were at the super market he decided it would be a good idea to microwave his last potato for a little snack.

It. Caught. On. Fire. 

 Looks like he nuked dog poop, doesn't it?!! HAHA

Here is what Nicole and Matthew learned from the experience:

• Nicole is not calm or collected during an emergency situation. {She gets that from her mother.}
• Matthew has a difficult time getting out of the bathroom in an emergency situation-he almost shed his shorts and ran out commando. {There was a fire!}
• We need a new fire extinguisher.
• Febreeze does not get rid of burnt potato and fire smell.
• That is all

Don't worry. It turned out alright and we know that was a tender mercy from Heavenly Father.

Have you watched Despicable Me? I LOVE that movie! Do you like this hat?

Source: etsy.com via Dedra on Pinterest

I just ordered 5 of them from a gal in our ward. The Cheney's are going to be minions for Halloween. It's going to be amazing. You want a hat too? Order from Stephanie Beard! http://beeinyourbonnethats.blogspot.com/

Good Idea - Bad Idea

Good Idea: Getting dressed after a shower.
Bad Idea: Forgetting your toonies until your Mom notices when she's helping you get your tights on.
{Anna, Bless her heart!}
ps, toonies are underwear.

Good Idea: Taking pain killers for a horrible headache.
Bad Idea: Disillusionment: Thinking you'll be able to sleep, even after taking a sleeping pill, when you have a total of 4 Excedrin's running through your veins...2 from the afternoon, 2 from the evening.

Good Idea: I got a job!
Bad Idea: There isn't really a bad idea here, I'm just nervous about how to juggle family and work. It's for a good cause though.

Today I have an orientation for my new job. I'll be working as staff support at a group home for developmentally delayed adults. I'm excited and nervous. Keep our family in your prayers. I'll be working swing shift 4-5 days a week so we can earn the money to pay for Anna's adoption. The sacrifice is worth the outcome, but the thought of not being home when my kids get here is really sad for me.

Happy Tuesday!

Memory Monday

Yesterday after Stake Conference we went over to our friends house for lunch. The missionaries were there too.

One of our conversations was about swimming. If you had to swim in peanut butter would you choose chunky or creamy? That led to swimming in Nutella. Then syrup. That brought to my mind the show Duck Tales.

Do you remember that show? I used to watch it with Garen and Adam but I never would have admitted that to my friends at the Jr. High! Scrooge McDuck had to amazing talent to swim through his money vault and he even knew if one coin was missing!

Then one of the Elder's asked if we could remember the theme song to DuckTales. Ken sang out, WooHoo. If you know that show, you'll get that. I YouTubed Duck Tales and we listened to the theme song. I know, that's against the rules. I repented. But, because of this experience I got to thinking about some of my favorite cartoons from my childhood.

When I was in Elementary School I watched GI Joe, She-Ra, He-Man, Dumbo {best movie ever!} Thundercats, Inspector Gadget and a few more that slipped my brain just as I started typing the list. I loved those shows, but I really loved the cartoons my little brothers and sisters watched, sans Gargoyles and Power Rangers--which I am aware is not a cartoon but man is it painful.

Welcome to my Memory Monday, Best. Cartoon. Theme. Songs. EVER.
Don't you just love YouTube?!













This last one is not a cartoon but is has special meaning to me. The summer my Mom was pregnant with Kyle, everyday after lunch and this show was over, I took Garen, Adam and Gina to the library. I would watch the book reviews on Reading Rainbow and then go find those books and read them to Gina. We spent almost 2 hours there everyday that summer. I loved it!

The theme got a lot better in the '90s, didn't they?!

ps, I'd die before I had to swim in peanut butter, Nutella or syrup.

Pinwheel Tutorial

Last night while I couldn't sleep I was thinking about pinwheels. The thought came to my mind on how to make a pinwheel super quickly and easily. {Was that proper English? don't know, don't care} I tried it this morning and it worked beautifully!

NOTE: I have never seen this technique done before, so if it has been, that means 2 things.

1. Great minds think alike.
2. I reinvented the wheel. Genius!
3. See #1.

I couldn't get all my photos to rotate...

Take 2 9" squares.

 With right sides together, sew ALL FOUR sides together using a 1/4 inch seam.

 Take your ruler and draw a line diagonally across one side of the block.

 Cut a line on the OPPOSIDE diagonal of the block.

 Line up your ruler with the penciled line you made previously and cut large triangles apart.

 Press seams towards the dark fabric. ]My iron is broken right now so I skipped that step. DO NOT skip that step!]

 See the little tails at the end of the seam on the right hand block? Cut them off. You may need to click on this picture to get a better look.

 Open all 4 blocks and place them in the pinwheel formation.

Take two blocks and sew them together. Then repeat on the other two blocks.

Before you make the final seam, it is a good idea to clip the corner of each block that you are sewing together. If you choose not to, your machine will be going through 8 pieces of fabric and the finished block may lay funny.

Finally, sew together and them iron. Finished block size is just over 10 inches. You can trim it to 10 inches, or we can when we're ready to use them.

Easy Peasy!

Are you going to participate in our quilt along/swap?

Any takers?

Is anyone interested in doing a quilt along/swap with me and my friend Kate? We want to make a pinwheel quilt and we figure if 3 or 4 (or more!) of us make blocks there will be a great assortment if pinwheels.

We are thinking 10" blocks. We don't have the quilt size chosen yet but we'll be making around 60 blocks...

Are you interested? You can do them as fancy or simple as you like.

Let me know!

10 years later...

This morning when we pulled up to the church for Stake Conference our building had 8-10 US flags up in front, lining the lawn on Ruddell Road. I should have taken a photo.

It was breath taking.

Where were you 10 years ago today? I wrote about my day 3 years ago. You can click here to read it.

Awkward and Awesome - Special Photo Edition

I love him!! Even if we are awkward and awesome!

Can you solve this?

You can use numbers 1-14 one time each. numbers 15 and 16 are given. 

Don't forget proper use of orders of operations. 

Is there are trick to solving these besides trial and error?

 If you solve it, will you teach me how? 

Do you think this is an appropriate 3rd day of school homework assignment for an 8th grade pre-algebra class? 

Me no likey.

Sew Crafty! (Update)

Okay, remember the 9 patch a day quilt along I'm doing with my friend Kate that is supposed to take up 35 days to complete? I'm done. She's getting really close. Here are my completed blocks. I did more green and red. She's doing more orange. I'm super excited about this project!!

 Here are the blocks again. I heart them mucho.

 I've completed 11 more 36 patch blocks this week. I've made a total of 15 out of the 56 I need. Does anyone have any yellow or orange fabric with small prints they'd like to donate to my cause? I only need a rectangle 16 x 8 inches. If you do, I'd be happy to compensate with cookies or homemade bread-or a fabric swap. (I'm trying not to go to the fabric store to complete this quilt.) Other colors would be accepted also. please and thank you.

Tonight is the adult session of Stake Conference. I'm excited for that.

Happy Saturday!