Project Monkey: Aunt Flo

Euphemistically, Aunt Flo is visiting this week.

Payday is also today.

I am recognizing....(admitting, but that's not really the correct word) that I feel a spike in my level of anxiety during this time.

I will be trying to "keep it together" this week.

Let me also say, that I love my two bestest blog friends to pieces!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I never express enough my appreciation for your support even with all my stupid drama.)

BUT, and you knew this was coming................................

I can't seem to give away my friendship except to you two.  (thank you for entering!!!!!--how embarrassing is this?!)

I linked the Twi blog to Quilter's Gallery and Patchwork Times Design Wall Monday and have had over 100, probably close to 200, visitors in two weeks and not one comment!  I also linked the giveaway to HGTV's quilting forum.

I'm not feeling the love as they say.

Is it just me?  I find it hard not to have a complex.

I almost always leave a comment when I visit somewhere.  I feel like a total idiot.

Eclipse, the Review....not yet

It's 2:45 and I'm blogging about Eclipse.  Please tell me you're not surprised.

Yes, I went to a midnight showing with my friend Dawn.

We had planned to go to Chilis before the movie to hang out around 8:30 and then head next door to the movie around 10.  I'm glad Dawn is so smart.  She suggested we take a drive by the theater first to assess the situation.  I'm glad she's so smart because sure enough the line had already started and it was already snaking around the theater.  Darn!

We were hoping that 10 might be early enough--we weren't going to sit in the front section like we were forced to do for New Moon when we didn't have a clue.

The rumor was a couple people started lining up at 2, but more people showed at 4 and after.

So, no Chilis.  We ended up sitting on the sidewalk for more than two hours.  We got into the theater about 11:00.  Dawn got to hear everything, and I mean everything, that has been going on in my life since I last talked her ear off at soccer in the spring.  Hey, I couldn't just sit there quietly--it would have been torture!

We got good seats.

Dawn sprung for popcorn and a drinks for us.

I'm not ready to write about the movie and my thoughts yet.  It was good enough....

I will say that I laughed to myself at my anxiousness to see Victoria because I just finished her darned block and I had so much trouble with it.

Yeah, I'm Twilight crazy and proud of it!

Really done....??????

I couldn't live with that nose.

I don't like this one much either.

The sewing is done.  It is what it is....  I may take the face parts off and resew.  I don't like the invisible thread. 

I also monkeyed with the eyes with Paint.  I may try this with a white pen.  I think she would look less like a zombie.  LOL

Wimpy Finish

I still have to do thread work.

I wish I didn't have to do the face.  I did my best.  Oh, well!

Brace Yourself

A piece of news I forgot to share yesterday, and I don't know HOW I forgot about it, is that Z is getting braces on 7/1.

We were trying to wait until next spring, but his teeth wouldn't cooperate.  His canine tooth on the left side is coming in goofy and one of his bicuspids on that side is totally wonky and rotated.

I took him last week for an emergency orthodontic consultation.  The office had been monitoring his case and is the same one we were so happy with that did C's treatment.  The doc was like get him into braces!  The front office will work with you--I had explained our unease about M's job and that we hadn't planned enough to put money into the reimbursement account.  $5100 after the family discount!  M made arrangements so we'll make a good enough down payment and then it's $100/month for .......

The office took all new photos to update his case.  I got to see orange plaque all over his teeth in HD--he tells me he brushes, but we know better.  He also still has the thumbsucking issue that he has the torturous appliance in his mouth--truly, as it actually has spikes.  It might have to come out.

I'm hoping we're not throwing good money after bad.  We've committed to the treatment and now HE has to.

C already gave him the rundown.  They know if you don't brush even if it's just one day.  They know when you've eaten something on the banned list.  DON'T break a bracket unless you want to get yelled at.....

Holding Back

Maybe I've got too much going on that I'm too overwhelmed to write about it? Maybe I've had a change of heart and don't feel like sharing the bad, the worse, and the uglier? Maybe I'm getting lazy?

I guess it doesn't really matter.

I'm just going to play a quick game of catch-up....

Ginger, one of our dogs and M's baby, has been diagnosed with diabetes. (This is the dog that I've had evil thoughts about...the one that jumps the fence, gets into the trash, hogs the couch, etc.) She'd seen a dramatic weight loss in the past two months. M finally took her to the vet on Thursday and received the diagnosis. It's two insulin shots a day for the rest of her life. Poor baby.

M turned 45 today. He grilled steaks for us and we had his favorite ice cream cake. I will probably get him another one. I only had enough money to get him a cake from the grocery store instead of Baskin Robbins. I will get him his favorite pralines and cream cake next weekend. The kids all made him cards, including S's fabric card that we had issues about last night. I think I'm going to get him a gift card somewhere so he can buy a baseball mitt. The boys are always after him to play catch, but he doesn't have a mitt.

S is learing to sew with me as her instructor. Gulp! She was having so much trouble sewing a straight seam. I looked for tips today. She's using an old machine, but I think I'm going to bring up my other one because I lost the front container thingy of the sewing machine bed and it's an issue. She used my machine today, but she wants her "own" machine and I don't want to share either. The tip that is working is taping a drinking straw as a seam guide that is butted up the edge of the foot. It seems to be working. She started her quilt tonight.

Z wants to make a quilt, too. At this rate, I'll never have a chance to sew myself. hahahahahaha

I'm still working on the Eclipse Quilt. It would have been nice to finish it before the movie opened, but I'm not getting much help and I'm so fussy about the blocks I'm making. They have to be just right. I'm almost done with Victoria thank goodness. I still don't know how I'm going to complete her face. Our plans fell through to give it away, so it may be looking for another good home upon completion.

(She needs a face.  I don't know if I really want to continue with the "art" quilt/photo adaptation method I've been using for her face.  I'm wondering if I can paint it somehow?  Suggestions?)

This is the photo I used:

C's curfew punishment is finished today. She already has a plans to attend a birthday party tomorrow. She was pretty well behaved while being grounded. I'm hoping she breaks loose in a good way.

S is enjoying her summer school. She was afraid to go, but she can't wait to go. She only has a week left, though. She's being bribed with candy to learn her times tables. Whatever! My mom has been helping out by taking her and picking her up. I'm sorting out my feelings about her sitting in her car out in front of my house until I get home?! (11 a.m. to 3:00 or 4:00) She doesn't even try to make it into my house anymore.

Creative Giving

The Victoria block is kicking my ass. I thought I was on my way, but the *&%# block is giving me fits. I'm taking a break to gain some perspective.

I'd like to make this dress. S is also wanting to learn how to sew. We had some creative differences with each other last night. Surpisingly HERS not mine. I was very well behaved for once. I didn't fuss about her picking a saved fabric, cringe over fabric choices, or design. I only helped her cut things out. Well, she started fussing on her own. I CAN'T WIN!!!!!!!!!!!

I think she could make this little dress on with a little bit of help, but I don't know if I should even suggest it?!