Happy Mother's Day

Happy mothers day

How many of you make your bed everyday? Me, I'm luck to make it once a week, really once a month. But when I do I feel so good. Walking past the room makes me think how clean it looks. Getting into a made bed makes me think of hotel rooms with clean fresh sheets. And I hope someone else will notice. But tonight as I climbed into bed, still appreciating my handiwork, I realize no ones gonna notice. All 3 boys are asleep. Darrell has already messed up his side as he snores on. Maggie, who might have noticed, is away on an overnight GS trip. And I feel slightly robbed. Like a kid who's brushed her teeth but didn't get the gold star for the chore chart.

Which reminded me of something my mom said to me a few years back. Everything was difficult. Darrell was gone every night on the late shift. I was forced to cook almost every meal. I was constantly cleaning up something, cooking something, doing laundry, picking up toys, vacuuming endless hairballs from the dogs, and no one noticed. No one offered me a gold star, a pay check, or even a thank you, gee the house looks great. It was depressing. I was depressed. I called mom one day after coming to see a whole new meaning of the phrase target practice with Gabe toilet training. And someone was sick, maybe a dog. Anyway, I was fried and mom suggested I write down my accomplishments each day. Things I wanted people to have noticed. Or maybe even that I'd wiped down the bathroom 5 times that day. So I did. I diet show anyone it. But I saw it and my mental gold star was brightly shining on that chart.

I hope you moms get a gold star today and if not,

Know that I'm sending one your way! Happy mothers day!

Its a tree fort.

So we promised the kids a tree fort if we got rid of the swingset. And we got rid of the swing set. So...that meant we'd better get our butts in gear and get it done. But Darrell and I aren't always the best at working together. It was a bit of a dread to both of us. But as luck would have it, Darrell's cousin Brennan was on his way to Seattle and asked to stop in. Not only did he get to watch the kids in Wizard of Oz, but he helped Darrell rip out his tree stand and rebuild it onto our tree. Here's how it began.


Boys being boys...they decided the floor boards would be put to better use as ramps for skateboards and things. It lasted for only a while.


Then the floor boards started going up and the kids started to decide they were going to climb. Darrell hung a tree climber on the tree and up they went. Here Maggie was "helping" Brennan with something like maybe handing down his water.



Darrell then added the "trusses/tresses" I forget what they're called. I'd call 'em cross braces. This really solidified the frame and started making it look more like a tree house and less like a floating floor.


Then when all this was looking good, the play was starting and the boys needed to shower while the kids and I scurried to get their costumes and makeup on. Brennan had to leave the next morning but he promised breakfast in the fort before heading out. Here are those shots.

This meant Darrell and I would have to do a few things ourselves. Could we do it? Oh sure we could. And do it we did (Get your minds outta the gutter folks!!) Tuesday morning after the kids got to school (and I got outta bed) we packed up and went to home depot. We got our 4x4 and 1x1 railing pieces and then found these cool post caps that are solar lights. Awesomeness!!!



It did take us two days to get the railings done, but they're done and now the kids can use it almost safetly. There are a few small things we've yet to do, but for now, its awesome fun!!

My spinning wheel adventures

I wanted to let people see what I'm doing with the wheel and I think this is going to be the best avenue for that. I brought the wheel home from my mom's house this Sunday. It's beautiful and I'm so glad to have it.

There was a part broken, but luckily Darrell was able to glue it together and it is holding for now.

My grandfather made it the same year I was born. So technically it isn't an antique (right??), but it isn't a new fangled expensive one either.


But I don't know the first thing about wheels or spinning. But thankfully Tracy volunteered to help me out learning all there is to know about these things. She came today and we fiddled a bit with it.

Here's a bit of spun wool on it. But when we were spinning, me first to no great result, and Tracy second to no really fabulous result either. We decided that the wood was so dry and needed some hydration. Tracy was totally impressed with the craftsmanship, but there were a few things that just weren't working as well as she was sure worked really well when it was made. There were little things that really made her excited. Like these removeable pieces that hold the wheel in place.

So she told me all the things I needed to do to get it cleaned and shiny and hydrated.
So I'm taking it apart and washing it all down with Murphy's Oil Soap. Tomorrow I will be applying the first coat of Boiled Linseed Oil. Then I'm going to put it back together and see how well it's spinning.

I filed the inside of the spools so they fit better on the wheel thingy. And I filed and steel wooled the rust off the metal pieces. I can't wait for it all to be finished.

I'm gonna have to learn the technical terms soon. I'm still refering to things as the THINGYs all the time!

Again I'm taking a cue from Kate and linking my blog to twitter and Facebook. Hopefully this will motivate me to post more often.  The snow fell and has allowed the kids to be home for 3 days in a row. Hopefully we all survive tomorrow and they'll be allowed to return Friday. Our neighbor plowed more snow onto our hill so that allowed a bit of a deprive to our day. I didn't do any of the baking I had hoped to do. Maybe tomorrow. I did get baking done.  Now to finish up my stinking socks. I don't know why any sane person knits socks more than once. Argh!!!!

Trying this again. Thanks Kate for helping me figure this out. I wasn't sure what I was looking for or even where to look. Maybe know I will post a bit more frequently having the ability to do it from my phone. What did we do before smart phones again?? Here's how cute Maggie looks in her dress. Someone suggested I make vests with the same pattern for the boys. Now I'm rethinking the shirts and leaning more toward the vests. Hmm…