The book club with S and her friend kind of fizzled. I get so disheartened that many people in my life don't make a greater effort to foster friendships by making time for meetings, outings, and such. (I'm not speaking in generalities and I do have those that do make an effort--you know who you are!) Yes, maintaining friendships requires effort and time. An endeavor such as this one does require effort. Oh, well.....
We followed through with our plan at least to go see Ramona and Beezus. We liked it! I cried during parts. I thought it was a good adaptation. You have to remember that the books are at least 50 years old. The little actress that played the part of Ramona was very cute and totally sold the character.
We had errands to run after the movie. Money was buring a hole in my pocket. I had school supplies to buy and shopping is shopping for me even if it's for school supplies. I complain every year about the expense, but it's not been as bad last year and this because our school district is very conservative in their demands. (I remember when the kids where in Douglas County schools having to buy bandaids, cotton balls one year, and copy paper.) I took care of half of the supplies today. I wasn't going to since the kids don't need their supplies until next payday, but I was afraid that things would sell out and I wanted to take advantage of the great prices: $1 markers, $.25 glue sticks, etc. I have no idea what C is going to need. I remember using binders and spirals for my classes so I'm hoping she won't need more than that at her high school.
My MIL was wonderful in sending x4 $10 Kohls' cash to be used by today in the Kid's Department. C got a pair of Levis, Z a T-shirt, and S got two pairs of shorts. I would have preferred that she get some jeans or something, but she insisted on the shorts and I'm easy. We did very well with our free money. I only paid $12 out of pocket and "saved" between sales and the certificates over $80.
We did our shopping over in my mom's neighborhood. There was a consignment store I've been wanting to check out. (I'm not dumb enough to NOT know that "better" neighborhoods have "better" used goods at consignment stores and Goodwill.) C found another pair of "designer" jeans for $12. We'll definitely shop this store again!
I'm pretty tired from being out all day. Shopping is tiring work!
When one is spending money, it's at least nice to feel like one is spending wisely and "saving" money.
Did you know that I'm 40? Yes, I had this birthday in February.
In addition to all the other things I stress think about routinely, I also think about my life being at least half over. Lord nows I haven't taken care of myself, I don't take care of myself now, and I have family health history that will certainly affect this equation. Don't get me wrong, I'm not sitting around pondering my death and worrying unecessarily over it. But, in my down time, I think about stuff I'd like to do and accomplish....
Too morbid, well stop reading now because it only gets better.
I've been thinking about my bucket list.
The list doesn't contain anything life altering because I'm just too lazy. It also doesn't contain anything that will make me a better person or help me get into heaven. It's mostly selfish stuff.
I don't desire to be a world traveler....much. I don't want to change careers...unless a quilt shop job falls into my lap. I'm not seeking to change the world with charitable pursuits.
I have a lot of quilting-related things on my list. Quilts I've always wanted to make. Quilting trips I'd like to take, including visiting local regional shops. Skills I'd like to learn.
The kids start back to school in a couple of weeks. I feel like the summer has been long enough, but I'm always sad to see it go. I love it when it's warm and the days are longer. Life seems easier in the summer.
We received letters from S and A's school with teacher assignments. S is in a different class than her BFF. I'm hoping it works out for the better. I don't have any idea about A's teacher since last year is the first year the kids were at this school. 9:00 a.m. starts on Mondays still and I like that! Their assigned appointments for assessments are on 8/11. The first day is 8/16.
The day to complete Z's registration and pay fees, etc is 8/4. He seems to be eager to go back.
C goes to high school this year. She keeps changing her mind about Cross Country. One of her friends is participating and is pressuring her to be on the team, too. Everything in her life has social considerations!
They'll all play rec soccer this year. Four kids, practices, and games is going to be interesting! S will have a different coach since last year's coach isn't coaching after the hullabaloo with the tournament that ended last season. It really divided the team. I'm one of the bad parents. I don't think S's BFF is going to play and we relied a lot on her parents to take S to conflicting practices and games.
Next up, schedule doctor's visits for three of the four kids. Spend a fortune in school supplies..... Work out schedules with the grandparents for pick-ups and afternoon daycare.
I've avoided the Alice's Porsche block for a long time.
Keeping with my pattern, I knew I'd probably have to make the block more than once so I took the block out for a test drive.
There's a paper piecing block out there, but can't use it. I toyed with using for awhile, but I knew I was going to have to modify it if I used it. It didn't have any wheels and required you use buttons for the wheels or applique them. eeeew
I decided to use the Upside Applique method again. I'll have to do some tweaking, but here's a sample. Things were going pretty well until I cut the background fabric accidentally.
I printed the photo on photo fabric for my pattern. I need to think about this a little. It does double duty as a stabilizer, but it's difficult to cut hence my error. I also need to get my sewing order down. I sewed the windows first and I'm not sure this is right. I will probably use fusible and cut out some parts, like the headlights and mirrors, instead of upside down appliqueing them. I'm going to use a different shape for the headlights. I may satin stitch applique the yellow fabric parts. I'm happy twith the fabrics overall.
This is the picture of the Porsche I used from Stephenie Meyer's website.
Today was my last day of vacation. I took Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday off because my babysitter was off having fun in New Orleans. LOL Michael took the time off, too, so I probably shouldn't have. I have annoying anxiety about going back. I left things in good shape when I left, but it's hard for me to enjoy vacation because I always worry about what I'll come back to.
I didn't do much of nothin'. I'm trying to quiet that nagging voice in my head that is telling me how bad I am for not getting more done.
Heck, I didn't even do much of anything fun either so that voice can argue with the other one. Quilting would have been nice, but I did some housework instead.
You know something's up when I'd rather do housework than sew.... Not too much housework, though, The walls are still filthy. The kitchen floor didn't get mopped.
I remade Edward's Bed block with so-so results. People are so wrong when they say I'm so good or that I have too high oppinion of myself. I still screwed this block up on the third try. I would have tried again, seriously, but I was out of fabric. Yeah, idiot. The difference in me, though, is that I refuse to leave something if I know I can do a better job the second or third time around---if I have fabric. LOL
I finished watching True Blood, Season 1. Why am I putting so much emphasis on this by announcing it here? Well, the show has a lot of history for me. I tried to watch it before, but we stopped HBO in the middle of the season when we were too broke for even cable. Iris, of TQC.....%#@*, burned the season for me but I sent it back to her in my fit. The show is my guilty pleasure because it's embarrassing for me to watch with M because of all of the sex! (Yeah, something wrong with something if I can't watch a sexy show with my husband in the room.) I've read most of the books and I was annoyed the whole time, but they're a whole series and if you read one you've got to keep going. I'm known for reading crap (I grew up on Harlequins, etc.), but these books are bad crap. When I read books like these, I kick myself for not being able to come up with such a good idea. I know that writing is more than the idea and the story, but when I read stuff like this it's hard to fathom how some books get published. (Oh, yeah! People aren't like me: they don't let negativity and self-doubt stop them from doing things.) The writing is SOOOOOO bad even with a great story. How disingenious am I for saying I read them and then calling them crap? LOL I like the T.V. show, though, for the most part. I am Team Eric!
I also watched Season 1 of Bones and some of Season 2. I watch the reruns all the time, but it was nice to play the episodes all in a row. I've seen a lot of Season 2 and remember them so I've skipped a lot of those episodes.
I'm a freakin' couch potato. It's Netflix's fault.
Quilting hasn't been calling my name as I've said. I'm trying to figure out what to do? If it weren't for the Twilight stuff I probably wouldn't sew at all. I'm feeling burned out. I thought to try to make a charity quilt or something, but I haven't even felt like doing that. Deep down, I know it's because I'm being stupid. I've gotten into this habit of not being able to love what I'm doing enough because I don't feel like I'm loved for what I do. I so seriously F'ed up last fall and I don't think I'll ever recover. It's not good to do something out of anger and that's where I'm still at because you'll start hating what you love.
Since I wasn't sewing and it was my last day off, I cooked instead. I made a big batch of spaghetti sauce. I cooked Sloppy Joes for lunch. I put a rump roast in the crock pot with some picante sauce to make some shredded beef. I'll make lasagna this week. We'll have enough leftovers to get through another week of baseball practices and games. We can't eat out because M and I are both tapped for moola because of vet bills and some purchases.
We're still trying to get Ginger's, the sick dog, health situation figured out. M took her to a clinic to be altered yesterday. We're glad that the surgery was able to be done as her sugar levels and weight are still so messed up. The vet said we needed to get it done because she thinks that the diabetes is brought on or aggravated by her "cycles"--kind of like a Gestational Diabetes. She was in a Catch-22. She needed to be fixed because of the diabetes, but because of he diabetes she wasn't stable/strong enough for surgery. She seems to be doing well enough today, but I don't think M is getting accurate readings on her urine tests.
I got Linger, the second book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls Series, but I don't think I'm going to read it. I'm so strange about stuff like this. There is one more book in the series and I'm thinking that I will fare better if I can read book 2 and then book 3 right after. Book 1 wasn't so bad because it had a positive ending for me, but I've heard that Linger is very sad and ends with the obligatory cliff hanger. I have to assume that the third book will tie up loose ends, but with Maggie you never know.
I'll end with this because it makes me happy. I love this commercial and I want this car. If I can't have one, I'm going to get one for C. Forget that she doesn't drive for two more years.....
C continues to have a good time in New Orleans. They completed a service project that included collecting canned goods for a food bank and cleaning classrooms at a Lutheran school.
Her group has also been having a lot of fun and I have more pictures. They got to see an illusionist perform, take a riverboat ride, see a comedy act, and hear a Christian rock band, Stellar Kart, peform.
C is having a good time in New Orleans at the the youth conference.
She left yesterday with one other girl from church and their chaperone.
They got into New Orleans in the afternoon. They went to the Superdome for an opening ceremony with about 25,000 other youths. They had dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe.
