Clint makes a good point!

My husband just made a fantastic point about anti-human environmentalists.  They always forget that human beings ARE part of the environment.  We didn't arrive here 100 years ago on a spaceship fleeing some other world we previously destroyed with our noxious existence.  We're from here.  We're part of the ecosystem, this planet is our natural habitat, our home(at least temporarily).  Why doesn't anyone ever throw that argument at the "people are what's wrong with our planet" people?  Just because we're the species most likely to act on and make changes to our environment, doesn't mean that we don't belong here.  Just a thought(from Clint).

The last steps...

The last few steps for this blanket are:  serving the edges(it makes a nice, lasting finish) and then clipping all the raw edges on the right side of the blanket.  The clips are made about every 1/2 to one inch, I don't try to get them all the same because I like a more natural finish.
Here's the blanket after serging:

I typically round the corners to make it easier to serge.  The clipping is done like this, with the spring loaded snips in the picture, they're easier on the hands.

The last step is the one I don't have a photo of for this blanket, and that's washing.  When you wash the blanket with it's snipped flannel squares, they fray and make a nice, soft, raggy edge that's similar to chenille.  It also makes a TON of lint, which gradually decreases with each washing.  I keep trying to do the washing step at a laundromat, but that doesn't always fit with my day.  I didn't get a final shot of this blanket because I missed one row of clipping(thanks, Katie, for fixing it), and I was running a bit behind.  Here's the effect on another blanket:

So, that's it!  Except that Gabe has asked for one from my assortment of scraps.  It's really hard to resist Gabe.

W.I.P.

This is my last blanket for an order for a friend of mine.  I'm just documenting the process.
First step is to cut out all the squares.  The squares are actually cut in pairs, but you cut both at once, so it's  not extra work to cut them out.  For this blanket, I'm using 180 squares, but I didn't know that going in so I cut out more like 200.  Here are the stacks of squares:

The next step I showed was the layout.  It takes quite awhile to get from the cutting to the layout, because each pair of squares needs to be sewn together with an X from corner to corner, like this:

Then, I lay it out.  This blanket is going to be a nine-patch, so I choose a pattern that I like and go to town:

Wait, I think that's only the top half.

After I have it the way I want, I pick up each of the blocks(groups of nine), number them, and assemble them, like this:

When all the blocks in a row are assembled, I stitch the row together.  Here are my first three rows:

There will be five rows of four blocks each.  Tomorrow I'll post the last couple of steps, and the finished blanket!

Philip's First Communion

April 15 was Philip's First Communion!  He was so excited & happy.  He even enjoyed taking up the gifts, and wearing a suit was a thrill for him.  After he came back to the pew from receiving Jesus, he prayed silently, then leaned over an whispered to me, "Mom, I feel so good right now!"  Congratulations to our Cutie Pie!

Bad Flying Karma

I feel so bad for Clint.  Something happens EVERY time he goes anywhere.  Today's adventure:  His connecting flight was bumped up 1/2 an hour, so he was rebooked on an earlier departing flight from here.  The problem is that the airline didn't bother to notify him.  So he was surprised to arrive at the airport to discover that his flight was gone.  Oops.  I hope the rest of his trip goes smoothly.

Blindsided-AGAIN

They've done it again.  One of them has finally done something that I just didn't see coming.  And this one will require a lengthy punishment and a great increase in vigilance, so it's the gift that keeps on giving.
I love them, but I'm exhausted.
Pressing on toward the goal, but a little more slowly.

Happy Easter!

Jesus Christ is risen today, Aaaaaaaleeluuuuia!
Note to self:
a three-year-old, and a three-hour-long Easter Vigil Mass don't necessarily go together just because they both have a "three" in them.  (He did great, all things considered, and I finally did get him so deeply asleep that even the incredibly enthusiastic organist couldn't wake him!)
Many blessings to all,
Suz

Confession Question

One of my darlings:  "Mom, is wishing that someone was never born the same as wishing evil on them?"
Me(with a straight face): "Yes, it is."

The Lone Ranger vs. The Magnificent Seven

As a little girl, I was very loving and very communal.  Apparently, I really did believe that strangers were just friends I hadn't met yet.
Then my life got a little strange, I withdrew into a shell of my own making and decided that who I really wanted to be was The Lone Ranger.  I can do it myself, doggone it!  (Somehow, I always seemed to forget that even he had Tonto.)  No matter what happened, I could get through it.  On my own.  I'm strong enough.  Really.
Nope.
I was reminded recently that Catholic spirituality has no room for Lone Rangers.  Even God is a community of love.  We aren't decanted from jars like the babies in Huxley's dystopia, we are born to mothers, usually in families.  And the Sacraments are all communal, they require at least one other person(the priest) and usually more: parents, godparents, spouses, etc.  We are all created for God, and because of that we are also created for each other.  And just in case we still don't get it, Jesus was born into a family.  He lived in a town.  He travelled around with his disciples.  Simon of Cyrene helped him carry his cross.  His mom, her friends(relatives?), and the beloved disciple stayed with him on Calvary.  He rose and appeared to still more people, then rejoined his disciples for awhile.  Now, he's at the right hand of the Father, and on every altar for each of us at least every Sunday.  Still feel like the Lone Ranger?
Check out The Magnificent Seven.

Katie's Confirmation Photos

Here are a couple of pictures from Katie's Confirmation:
This is Katie showing off her earrings from her Godparents:

Katie and Sophia Khadivi, they received their First Holy Communion together, too.  Aren't they lovely?

Science Fair Photos

 Above Katie poses with kids from her class.





At right is Katie with her display.

Here's Eric with his display.

          Katie and Eric posing with the Science Fair sign.

Here's Eric with his special award from the EPA.

 

Here's Eric conducting part of his experiment.

Both Katie and Eric worked hard and did a great job, we are so proud!

Meet the Scientists!

Katie and Eric both participated in the Greater KC Science & Engineering Fair for the first time this year. They had fun performing their experiments and organizing their data(maybe a little less fun writing up their findings/results/conclusions).  We told them just getting everything finished and turned in on time was an accomplishment and we all went to dinner to celebrate.  Then, surprise!  Katie received a silver ribbon for her project, and almost all positive judging comments, great job, Katie!  Eric's work received a gold ribbon and a "special award."  Congratulations, Eric!  Tune in Sunday evening when I'll post more about that.  He has to go to the awards ceremony tomorrow to receive(and find out about) the award.  We are so proud of both of them!

It's Lent!

So, I'm feeling ambitious this year although I don't think I'm overdoing it.  Much.  The positives:  I'm increasing my spiritual reading this Lent, at least 30 min. a day.  I also dug up a great Lenten meditation book by Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R.  On the penitential side, I'm giving up Facebook for Lent.  This morning I was checking FB instead of grading Eric's Math test.  Time for a break.  I'm also making a blast from the past resolution and giving up candy.  This week as we've been living the Food Stamp Challenge and I've had to adhere to my grocery budget religiously I've realized how frequently and carelessly I tend to toss a bag of M&M's or a Twix bar into my cart almost every time I'm at the store.  I just don't think I need to replace my coffee habit with a chocolate one.  I think this will be harder than it was as a kid because it's much easier to get candy as an adult than it was when I was 12.
The kids and I will make a Lenten crown of thorns tomorrow, and we'll get started on our Lenten Faith folders, and we'll go to Mass and discuss their resolutions.  I am hopeful that this will be a fruitful Lent.

Rough Week

Some weeks are just beyond words.  Last week was one of them.  Let's hope for better this week.

Life Skills

A couple days this school year, I have cancelled our academic studies in favor of a "Life Skills" day.  It's pretty much what it sounds like, housework class.  Tomorrow, instead of having an entire day for Life Skills, we're going to have a one hour class in the kids' bathroom.

It's so gross, I skipped Gabe's bath just so I wouldn't have to enter it.  Since any of my extended family members will tell you that I'm not exactly the Queen of Clean, you KNOW it's bad if I won't go into it.
And, it's not just the boys making things icky.

So, I'm going to make all of them watch, work, and take notes while I teach them how to REALLY clean a bathroom.  Except Gabe, because you have to be a thorough hand washer before I'll let you clean a toilet.
I'm off to gather my supplies and place them in the hall so no one forgets like they do with piano practice. Maybe there will be photos tomorrow.

Overheard in my kitchen...

Gabe walked into the kitchen yesterday while I was fixing breakfast.
Gabe: Mommy, do you want to shoot the possum?
Me: Why, yes, Gabe, I do want to shoot it.
Gabe: I have some yellow BBs for you, Mommy, so you can shoot the possum.
Me: Where did you get them?(thinking he swiped them from Clint's dresser)
Gabe: At the store with the fish on the wall.(then he starts walking away)
Me: Where are you going, Gabe?
Gabe: To get the yellow BB's for you. Come on, Mommy.(then, he leads me to the tree, and I start cracking up. He hands me a bag, and the older boys run in, yelling GABE! NO!)
Clint: Next time, Gabe is going Christmas shopping with the GIRLS.

So, am I getting a gun, too?
P.S. My neighbor who is a hunter has informed me that our airsoft gun will only make the opossum laugh at me, so I need to explore my options.

A boy take on cake

So, Katie said at dinner that for her 14th birthday, she'd like a traditional Danish "person" cake. They eat these birthday cakes shaped like people, and the birthday person usually requests the head, and everyone says "aaaaaaauughhh" when they cut the head off, it's all very cute. Philip said that this cake should be white filled with red "barbarian cream."

My water almost came out my nose.

I love Philip.

Just a few more days

By this time in Advent in previous years, I have hated Christmas. Not really the birth of Christ, but just the overwhelming feeling of how much there was left to do, even at this late date. With the help of Clint & my friends, I don't hate it this year(well, they nipped my hate in the bud). Today, I still have quite a bit to do, but I have the sense that what must be done, can, and that I'm not stuck doing it alone.

How do you put more Merry into YOUR Christmas?

facebook

This was supposed to be fun. But every time I log on I'm bombarded with the latest liberal-leaning blathering and vilification of all opposing views from a male relative. I'm really thinking about closing my account, but for now I've "hidden" his comments from my page. That should make checking in with my other relatives more fun, and make it easier to stick to my 5 minute rule.

Spring

Spring has sprung with all it's unpredictability. We've already had a big hailstorm, a slightly typical light dusting of snow, and some days roaring into the high 70's & 80's, then dipping down into the 40's & 30's.
This spring we've added something new to our little home & school, a plot at the community garden. We're beginning the planning, and planting will be sure to follow! A concentration on veggies with some flowers for Katie for the Fair are what we know so far. More to come.