Blue Ribbon School

This week our school earned the Blue Ribbon Award given to outstanding Michigan schools. So on Friday, when my cinnamon rolls turned out, I took up 50 rolls along with this card, signed by the kids, to congratulate the teachers and staff on their hardwork. (Pix taken at night...not too good of quality. Oh waita..it's dark and mysterious...haha)

Same card, different location for the shot:

I have loved Eric Carle's The Hungry Catterpillar my entire life. Before I knew of all those other books he wrote/illustrated. In college, I read The Grouchy Ladybug...ooh! Another fun book.

Today, Google has made the above graphic their banner today since it is the book's 40th anniversary. Go Google! I enjoy seeing what they come up with.

Continuing saga...

I have spent most of the day baking cinnamon rolls...perfect, delicious, fragrant, can't stop eating them, cinnamon rolls. In fact, between me, the neighbor and the kids, we ate nearly at a pan...and would have if Rebecca had eaten as many as we did or if I let the kids have a 4th...haha

YUMMMY!

Good things come to those that wait.

Now, to think up some way to take these to the teachers..I'm out of boxes.

No go...

I tried baking one pan of rolls...and they were almost done and smelled..."not right." C* was devastated as he watched me plop each one into the garbage. Of course, he tried to snag them too.

E* begged me to keep them. Or to start a new batch. OR to make them when he was at school tomorrow. haha I think I'll be making them tomorrow afternoon.

But the whole "plopping each one into the garbage" reminded me the part in "Little Women" when Amy, was caught with the limes, and she had to walk back and forth...from her desk to the window, dropping the precious limes to the street urchins.

It's great when events bring to mind good books.

Sad news...

Okay, actually, this was supposed to be for some good news. Our elementary school just earned Michigan's Blue Ribbon school award. We are one of only 22 who achieved it!

So I thought I would make a batch of yummy delicious cinnamon rolls to congratulate the staff. Only...

while it was rising...

I went up stairs...

got lost on the boob tube 2 (aka the computer)...

and forgot about the dough.

So...Mom says it might be vinegary...and I wouldn't want a bitter treat for the hard working teachers and staff.

I made up one pan for C b/c "rolls of cinnamon I like best" is his mantra. The rest went into the garbage...

He witnessed the act and he was mortified!!

Oh well...


(E* just saw the thrown out dough...wah, wah, wah....)

Bunny Blues

My Starving Artistamps were lonely...so I used them on a challenge card for today's Sketch Challenge. The background was so busy that I decided to keep the foreground simple.

TaDa!!

Happy St. Patty's Day

Yesterday, you know, was St. Patty's day. I saw tons of green where ever I went. At 1:30, I had to go the school to volunteer. I pull in and notice that there was a group at Moosetree, the nature center next to the elementary. At first I was impressed that the class had matching green shirts on a lot of the kids. Then it hit me...St.Patty's day!! haha



My kids came home to find that a leperchuan had left some gold next to their pillow...sprinkled in with some green glittery stuff. Of course C* hated it in his bed! E* has been counting "17 pennies" since yesterday!

My BIL has an elaborate treasure hunt each year for his own kids. My mom always baked green bread and green pancakes. In elementary school, I'd ask for tuna that day. Wasn't that sick? haha. What fun things did you do yesterday?

Fairy Fun

I was glad to be able to be around the the PMS party on Sunday. Typically I would have been at church, but E* was ill. All the same, I wasn't able to make any challenge cards for the party. Here is one that has taken me 4 days to complete. Just no time to stamp!

Boggle

After playing a game of Boggle with Ken on Saturday night, my kids are all into the game. It's a hit. Even E* will play his own version of the game...finding words but the letters do not need to touch. What a smartie! (Even if he isn't pro-academia!)



Admittedly, I probably like this song better than the poem...Please pretend that the swear word is "whited" out.

EDITED: Wanna learn more about this singer?
http://bandweblogs.com/blog/2009/03/13/british-musician-alex-valentine-hurricane-four-line-long-poem-on-youtube/

Finally! It's 5 pm...It's official!!

Yeah!!! I was asked to be on the very first Paper Makeup Stamps Design Team!!

PMS not only has adorable fairies...they sell some awesome, awesome sentiments and clever creatures! Check them out and be the first one on YOUR stamping block to get these neat images! The PMS party is in full swing...chatting, challenges and prizes!

Hippity Hop...let's blog hop with PaperMakeupStamps!

I'm pretty excited to be able to post these entries for the first PMS blog hop. I made these cards a couple of days ago and they turned out so delightful!!

I stamped the 2nd half of the sentiment on the inside. It reads: "Each time it is shared."

On this square card, the edge of this DP was lined in versamarker and embossed with gold EP. Same goes for the small hearts.

Detail...acetate wings dusted with dazzling diamonds. She is so sweet!
I could not resist having Sprout hold a butterfly!! All wings are dotted with stickles! To help them fly! haha

I love how these fairies get a lot of personality from their hair colors!! haha

Now...go check out some more lovely cards by some very chatty ladies. (I love chattiness!!) BTW... there is one more fairy...just scroll past the last entry about a sick kid...to see the lovely Penelope!

Lisa Kind - http://kindcreations.blogspot.com/

Jennifer Greco - http://glitterinmyhair.blogspot.com/

Tangii Crain - http://www.tangiink.com/

Danyel Owens - http://www.psychostamper.blogspot.com/

Lisa McKinney - http://www.lisabeesponderings.blogspot.com/

Dawn Knight - http://dawnsrubberroom.blogspot.com/

Melissa Craig - http://stampitscrapitshareit.blogspot.com/

Ashley newell - http://hearthugsdesigns.blogspot.com/

Ceal Pritchett - http://simplybeautifulcreations.blogspot.com/

Tina Hale - http://woodedviews.blogspot.com/

Jamie Morris - http://www.jaymerzstamps.blogspot.com/

Shannon Bracken - http://shannonssentiments.blogspot.com/

Cheryl Penner - http://mycreativetherapy-cheryl.blogspot.com/

Tenia Nelson - http://www.jazzypaper.blogspot.com/

Nancy Bush - http://www.southernyankeecrafter.blogspot.com/

Joni Wilson - http://astickysituation.blogspot.com/

Kimberlee Doktor - http://craftingforsanity.blogspot.com/

Sara Henton - http://saracreativemind.blogspot.com/

Cassie Larson - http://www.fortheartofit.blogspot.com/

Shaela Odd - http://www.shaelaodd.blogspot.com/

Heather Lee-Reppen - http://www.inkonmyear.blogspot.com/

Kim Stewart - http://impressyourself.typepad.com/

Brandi Burns - http://sparkleshimmerandtwinkle.blogspot.com/

Christi Thorsen - http://cici510.blogspot.com/

Tina Blasdale - http://craftytina.blogspot.com/

Anita Hovey - http://hoveyhut.blogspot.com/

Danni - http://dannisdreamscrafts.blogspot.com/

Katie Cotton - http://papermakeup.blogspot.com/

Very sick...

My youngest is my "sickly child." He just gets sick...a lot. Last year, he had Scarlet Fever. Within a few hours of feeling sick, I had him take a bath. Taking off his shirt, I saw this red rash all over his torso. (Luckily I have a good friend who suggested Scarlet Fever...and she was right.) Lately, he's been low for a couple of weeks. But it got worse on Thursday night. Again, all of a sudden. We had walked to the Emerts, chatted for 15 minutes and came home...but a few minutes after that he was clutching his ears and crying that the kids were too loud. "Don't talk to me!!" Fevered, upset. He was sick. I gave him a dose of Motrin and he seemed to be okay.

Well, he went to bed at a decent time only to wake up at 2am...screaming and upset and in pain. A lot of pain. Needless to say he stayed home from school and I took him to the doctor's office on Friday. Moaning and Groaning and lethargic, he managed to get to the noon appointment. He was diagonsed with an ear infection in his right ear. Next we headed to the pharmacy which is located next door. E* moaned and groaned as we waited for the antibiotic script to be filled.

Now if you know E*, you know he was a screamer as a toddler...and is loud. VERY loud at times. And now this wasn't the Loud E*...but this E was loud enough that everyone in the pharmacy was looking at us and concerned. The pharmacist asked if it was an ear infection. When I replied to the affirmative, she suggested that he have a topical ear drop to ease the pain. The clerk called the doctor's office and walked over to pick up the needed papers. We were out the door...me carrying E*.

I took him home, administered the medicines...and yet, this boy who naps when ill (or bored), didn't nap. He'd take a short cat nap...12 minutes maybe...then wake up screaming. Crying. In pain.

He was up a lot of the night. Tossing turning in pain...or mumbling in his sleep. I'd wake him up to see if he was having a bad dream. No? Odd.

But the biggest concern was the enlarged glands. Very enlarged. And the pain in his neck. He turns his head as if he has a crick in his neck...so that his entire shoulders/upper body moves left or right. He is still feverish despite the motrin and tylenol and antibiotics.

Mostly, it's the pain. The moaning...the angony.

Again, I'm blessed with another thoughtful friend who got out her family medicine book of symptoms and suggested Mumps. And I googled it myself.

Not sure what it is. Mumps, Mono, just his immune system fighting the illness, etc. I do know he is in pain. I can't pick him up. Just brushing his neck/throat..he screams in pain at the touch.

I'm hoping that things will clear up soon. Very soon. It's 2am...and he's still restless. I'm grateful to be a mother...even when things are worrisome. And boy...so grateful that I don't live 100 plus years ago...without Meijer to buy Motrin or pharmacists who can easily recommend another medication...or constant hot water for lots of baths.