Everyday Postcards

Noah's profile

2009-12-23T10:17:00.002-06:00

Noah's profile
Originally uploaded by willow.bird

Waiting

2009-11-22T11:26:00.004-06:00

Waiting
Originally uploaded by willow.bird

Blair has waited and waited for this, and finally, the moment is here. The choir and orchestra are before him awaiting the down beat. All are ready...let's begin.

Blair did such a great job at his graduate recital. All of those hours of hard work paid off. He was wonderful!

Maternity Clothes

2009-10-17T15:37:00.003-05:00

I reached the point where I had no other choice but to order some. I've only gained one pound since the start of this pregnancy (and technically, that's all the baby, as he weighs one pound now), but my belly is way out there. So, I ordered a pair of brown dress pants, which I had to hem, a pair of corduroys which ride under the belly and have belt loops so I'm hoping I can wear them next fall, a sweater, a "cardi coat", a tank top for layering, and a long-sleeved t-shirt. I'm really hoping that these things plus the four dresses I have will get me through autumn until it gets really cold.

I'm still knitting hard on one Christmas gift in particular. I finished a sweater for Noah and embroidered a bib with an elephant at school this week. When this Christmas gift is complete, I plan on making another pea pod wrap just to use some of my stash. The yarn really has to go before we move again, which will be this summer (even if it does wind up being just across town). I stitched up 13 tissue holders to give as gifts, and I'm planning on making some more to use some fabric.

My energy level is back to normal for the most part, so I'm hoping to pop in here a little more often. We'll see...

Whew!

2009-10-01T17:24:00.002-05:00

It's been a busy past few days, but as this pregnancy progresses, I am noticing more energy! At least during the day, that is. Once I get home and sit down, it's pretty much over for me. I've been busy once I get home with working on Christmas gifts (so, no photos). The weather has cooled here, and that has me in the mood for knitting and sweaters and tights and scarves...and basically all things AUTUMN!

I'm really too tired to be doing this...

2009-09-21T17:41:00.002-05:00

But I wanted to stop in and let you all know that Blair and I are having a BOY!!! The midwife also told us that the placenta previa appears to be gone! Noah Gilliam is growing well and seems to be very healthy, so that's alot less for me to worry about.

Short

2009-09-07T13:36:00.000-05:00

I finished my socks. More to come later.

Passing as a blur

2009-08-31T16:13:00.003-05:00

That's what the past week-and-a-half has done. The first week of school went great. I've felt better than I have in the past 7 weeks. Blair and I had a great weekend. We watched football and ran errands. We bought a glider rocker for the baby which I'm very excited about. I've been knitting a pair of socks and finished the first one. I have a good start on the second sock, so I'm hoping to avoid the dreaded second sock syndrome.

The weather here was cool and gray today. I'm so ready for autumn, and today really set that in my mind. Summer is so hot and miserable that autumn is a welcome relief. I'm ready for some autumn crafting of the knitting and sewing variety. I'll post pictures of my socks when I finish the second one.

Sorry this post is short and pictureless, but that's about all my brain can manage right now. Have a great week, everyone!

A second ultrasound

2009-08-21T17:33:00.004-05:00

I went back to the doctor today for another ultrasound. This time I got to see the midwife, and she told me that my placenta previa is not complete (it's only a partial), and they are very optimistic that it will correct itself. I was able to watch the baby move alot today as measurements were taken. I got to see the heart, spine, and stomach. I go back in four weeks for an hour-long ultrasound where they will look at the baby's entire anatomy and tell us the gender.

These pictures show the legs, the head and an arm, and the whole baby.

A Busy Yesterday

2009-08-14T13:07:00.003-05:00

Blair and I ran several errands yesterday, and when we got home I was in the mood to sew. I pulled out a large remnant I purchased a while ago and the leftovers of an old sheet and got to work. I made a new knitting bag, and new notions bag, and two cases for my dpn's. I actually still have two cases left to do for my circular needles, but it was getting late, and I was tired.

The only one I used a pattern for was the square bag. I pulled the pattern from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross (which I've loved on here before). The pattern was simple to follow, but a little more time consuming than I really wanted last night. It turned out really nicely, however.

The knitting bag was made with the extra fabric that was leftover from the other items I cut out last night. I just took two rectangles and stitched them together and added handles. It worked well, though, because the square notions bag I made fits perfectly inside it.

These are the needles cases I made. I just folded the fabric into thirds, added a lining, and stitched pockets at the bottom. The circular needle cases I'm going to stitch will look very similar to these. Now, without measuring anything, I managed to make these to just the right size to fit perfectly inside my notions bag. How cool is that?!

A Lazy Summer Day

2009-08-12T13:46:00.003-05:00

I did so much work in my classroom yesterday that I decided to stay home today and enjoy a little more summer break. We've been exceptionally lazy. We've watched Harry Potter und der Feuerkelch (the fourth movie in German). I'm knitting a shrug from the book Fitted Knits by Stephanie Japel. It's the second one of these I've made, and I really love the pattern. For those of you who are knitters, I highly recommend buying the book. After the thunder storm last night, it's been a dreary day...the perfect kind for staying in and knitting. I must say that I am exceptionally ready for autumn. For crisp mornings and sunny afternoons making bread. For tea (decaf this year) early in the morning and football in the afternoons (after the bread making, of course). Lots of football. And knitting. Lots of knitting. Lots of lazy autumn Saturday afternoons with football and knitting and the smell of homemade bread. Ah, I can't wait.

Meet Baby Chadwick!

2009-08-10T10:30:00.003-05:00

We went to the doctor today for an ultrasound, physical, and blood work. The baby was a millimeter too short, however, to do the Down Syndrome test today, so I go back next Friday for another one and my physical and all my lab work. The ultrasound showed that I have a "complication" called placenta previa, which should fix itself in the next few weeks. If it doesn't by 28 weeks, they'll do something about it then. I was told not to worry about it, but anyone who knows me in the least will know how that goes. We saw the heart beating, and it's beating at 160 bpm, which is good. The ultrasound tech held the wand still so we could see the baby move, and it's a very wiggly baby!! I got some Zofran to help with sickness, and I hope this Rx works!! Blair was enamored with the ultrasound. He leaned all the way forward in his chair like a little kid that can't get close enough to the TV! He's going to miss the appointment on the 21 because he's going home (to TN) for his ten year high school reunion. I wish I had a friend or someone to go with me, but I guess I'll make the trek alone. I was a little disappointed that they didn't go ahead with the rest of the appointment today, because I had some questions, but next Friday isn't too far away.

Eleven-and-a-half weeks...and still sick

2009-08-08T18:41:00.003-05:00

All day, all night. It doesn't stop or ease. But, I've read that the sicker you are, the more hormones you have, and that's good. We have a doctor's appointment Monday and our first ultrasound! We're both really looking forward to that, and I'm hoping they'll give me some different medicine for my queasiness. With school coming up, I'm a little concerned about getting through my mornings. Most of my start-of-school prep work is done, and I'm really excited about getting in there and getting started. I feel like this post is a little more discombobulated than usual, but that's pretty much how my brain is working right now. I have no way to end this, so I'm just going to say goodnight.

A Haircut

2009-07-20T21:44:00.003-05:00

I finally got a much-needed haircut today. I don't know if it was the pregnancy hormones or just the summer heat, but I decided a couple of weeks ago that it needed to go.

The before:

And the after:

We had such a nice day here in West Tennessee today, that Blair and I spent the morning out in the yard. He cut down a small tree for my parents, and I picked blackberries. After that we sat in the swing for a while and enjoyed the sun. I took some pictures and posted them on Flickr.

Of Summer Travels and Babies

2009-07-17T17:19:00.002-05:00

Blair and I have traveled more this summer than we have since we've been married. We went to Asheville for Memorial Day and we flew to Tennessee for my brother's wedding. Blair went to Germany for a month and I went back to Tennessee to spend two weeks with my parents. Last week, I traveled to the beach for a faculty retreat, and tomorrow morning at 5:30 we're rolling out yet again for Tennessee. We'll be gone for two weeks, and I'm thinking that will be our last trip for a while.

Several of you are probably wondering what babies have to do with our summer traveling. Well, not much, really, except that we found out we were pregnant during one of those long trips!! That's right. There's a little Chadwick growing and developing right now! We have a very big year in front of us, but we are both so excited and can't wait to go through this journey together.

A Crafty Evening

2009-07-04T07:57:00.003-05:00

I decided to spend my last Blair-less evening by vegging out in front of the TV. Not my best idea or finest moment, but in the stillness that was thoughtlessness, I had a great idea. While I was in Tennessee, I bought a bird cage at a craft store. I had played around with some ideas for it, including making some fabric birds. Last night, I decided to make and hang paper birds in it instead. I took several sets of two pieces of 5.5X3.5 paper and glued them together and let them sit for about ten minutes. Then I traced a bird pattern from The Purl Bee and cut them out. I got one big bird out of each rectangle and two small ones out of a rectangle. I used a yarn needle to put a hole in the tops of them and just used white sewing machine thread to hang them from the cage. I'm really pleased with how cute it turned out. It looks really neat when the air blows over it, because the birds look like they're flitting around. I'm knitting a nest to go in the bottom.

Learning should never stop

2009-07-02T17:39:00.002-05:00

Since returning home Monday, I have been attending new teacher training at my new school. CCS is a school that provides a classical education, which means most of this week has been very philosophical. My brain is very tired. I haven't exercised it like this since I graduated from college (and yes, I know, that was only two years ago). I'm very excited about the education this school provides, and I can't wait to start implementing some of the new ideas I've learned this week. Next week, we have a faculty retreat at...are you ready for this?...THE BEACH!!

Sewing

2009-06-19T15:37:00.005-05:00

I've done a fair amount of sewing since I got to my parents' house Monday. Today I made some wedding gifts for my mom to give. I used Last Minute Fabric Gifts by Joelle Hoverson to make these travel bags. I've made dozens of these in varying sizes, colors, and fabrics (including felt), and they always turn out nicely. They look really cute in the white eyelet.

I also made (from the scraps) these checkbook covers from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross. This is the same book from which that pajama pants pattern came.

Also from Weekend Sewing, I made the Lucy's Kimono pattern. This is a baby pattern, but can easily be enlarged for a child or adult. Blair and I have several friends who are expecting, and I thought this would make a sweet gift.

I've really enjoyed having the time to sit and sew (especially in the air conditioning), and, hopefully, I'll be able to turn out a few more items next week!

A Day Spent in Relaxation

2009-06-17T17:37:00.003-05:00

Today, the dogs and I relaxed. We got up early and had breakfast with my mom, and then our day of nothing began. While I did this

the dogs did this.

Then, I did this

and they did this.

A little while later when I had finished this part

the dogs were busy with this.

I was concentrating hard on the next section,

and the boys were working hard at...

Once I had completed the top,

I checked on the dogs.

Then I took myself to a movie. All-in-all, we had a good day!

Headed Home

2009-06-13T19:25:00.002-05:00

After getting Blair to the airport, I returned home to prepare for a trip of my own. Tomorrow morning at 6:30, I am headed home for two weeks. I've had a busy weekend of packing and a friend's wedding. I'm sure you've noticed I haven't posted any pictures on the other blog. I probably won't until Monday or Tuesday. I am taking my camera and cable with me, so there shall be new posts.

I've chatted with Blair a couple of times, and he's doing well. Murray misses him more than I do, I think. He's very mopey. However, once we get to MiMom's, he will be just fine.

Talk to you all in a few days!!

A Great Day

2009-06-08T18:41:00.006-05:00

Blair and I had a busy day today, despite the fact that is was my first day off. We started the day by taking pretzels and covering them in yummy, unhealthy chocolate. Then we covered these with chocolate and orange sprinkles. Then we sat down to play a game of Risk, which we didn't finish because we decided to go to the beach. I also think our washing machine has rabies, but that's a completely different story.

Yesterday afternoon I was feeling particularly crafty and sat down at the sewing machine. Forty minutes later, I had five drawstring bags.

Those bags came out of the same book as the pattern for these shorts. Weekend Sewing, by Heather Ross, is a wonderful book. Go buy it. It has several very useful, cute patterns, and they are all easy to follow. These shorts actually come from a pajama pant pattern. Memorial Day weekend, I sat down and made a cropped pant version of these and they fit like a dream! I had enough of the blue-and-white pinstripe to make a pair of shorts. I can see myself getting a lot of mileage out of this pattern.

Wait!! What is that I see? Could it be a boogie board??? Mais, non!! TWO! I finally (after nearly four years) convinced Blair to overcome his fear of dirty ocean water and buy some boogie boards. He got out into the water and had a blast! It was truly the perfect day to go to the beach. Perfect weather, perfect water, and not many people.

Finally, these videos are really for my dear mother, but feel free to view them yourself anyway.

Time for a New Beginning

2009-06-06T17:58:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was my last day at the pre-school. A day of relief and a little sadness. While my administration did not bless me, my parents did greatly. My kids walked in all morning long looking like the magi. I got bags and make-up and treats (a candy apple covered in caramel, white chocolate, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate chips), a candle, and several other goodies. Thanks to all who thought of me. Here's a little collage of my gifts.

The Wedding

2009-06-01T14:13:00.003-05:00

It was lovely (although the trip there and back was not!!). There was many much confusion at both airports. The first flight was delayed for about an hour-and-a-half. They wound up sticking us on a different plane. The ride home was worse. We got on the plane early, which was great. We started driving to the runway, got there, and stopped. And sat, and sat, and sat. After a while, they took us back to the gate where we sat and sat some more. They handed out cold compresses due to the heat and lack of air conditioning. An hour-and-a-half later, we switched terminals and planes. This tiny tiny commuter plane went up so high at one point the wings were shaking, the sky was black (at four in the afternoon), and I could see the curvature of the earth. Not a pleasant flight. Both were filled with lots of turbulence, and I have decided that I do not enjoy flying.

The wedding, however, was perfect. So beautiful and simple. We had a great time and got to visit with my dad's family. I have pictures posted to Flickr.

More Crafty Goodness

2009-05-02T16:39:00.003-05:00

Oh, my! Two posts in one day. What am I thinking? I used these scraps from my skirt to make this cute pincushion.

What I did with my Saturday

2009-05-02T15:00:00.003-05:00

I was feeling industrious and crafty, so I spent the day making a dress to wear to my brother's rehearsal dinner and a new skirt (because a girl can always use a new skirt).

A Classic Murray/Blair moment

2009-04-25T19:18:00.001-05:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah

2009-04-21T17:51:00.003-05:00

I know. Big slacker. Where have you been? Has nothing been going on? Do you have a blog or not? Blah, blah, blah. I have been here. Nothing's been going on, and yes, I do have a blog. I've just been focusing more on the photo blog of late. School is going well, my kids are hilarious. Blair's crazy busy, and the dogs are just crazy. So, for now, I'm still planning on spending most of my time at the other blog, but that doesn't mean I've quit this one.

A Wonderful Saturday

2009-03-07T19:04:00.004-06:00

Blair and I had a great and productive day today. We ran a lot of errands and got several things done at home. We planted spinach and mint, made bread, went for a walk, and assembled a new patio set just to name a few. We bought a collapsible kennel for Petey and a new leash for Murray (since he broke his yesterday). We went grocery shopping and made a trip to Lowe's. All in all, a beautiful and well-spent Saturday.

Spring Inside

2009-03-05T18:59:00.002-06:00

It might not quite be spring outside, but it definitely is inside my classroom!!

A Great Week

2009-02-21T11:51:00.004-06:00

I had a great week at school with my kids, but it still seemed like a long week. Not bad, just long. Last night Blair and I went to a Nathan Gunn concert on campus. Mr. Gunn is a very accomplished opera singer who performed for a very bad audience. I felt like that proverbial mother in the grocery store with the screaming child. People walked in and out. They clapped between all the parts of the Schubert song cycle. Someone's hearing aid was screeching, and the ladies in front of us knocked over their cane. The words were printed with the English translation, and the entire audience felt the need to follow along for the entire performance and loudly turn their pages when it was required. Forget just listening to the beautiful sound this man was producing. Forget watching his performance. Let's just follow along. Blair and I sitting among many of the Music Department faculty, and one could almost hear our collective groan when something happened.

This morning I went to my beloved Barnes and Noble and sat and read all morning and walked away with several purchases. I got two books for my kids at school (Little Critter), and The Wizard of Oz, Emma, Robinson Crusoe, and a new journal. I'm very excited about diving into one of these, I just haven't decided yet which one it will be.

When I left Barnes and Noble, I visited the buttercup field right down from our house. It isn't in full bloom yet, but it's still quite lovely.

New Knitting

2009-02-03T17:31:00.003-06:00

I worked hard on my knitting in January (16 finished items) and am now working on a bamboo cowl. I'm excited about getting this finished. I'm about halfway through and hoping to complete it by the weekend.

One of my sweet girls brought her sunglasses to school today to share with me. She's so cute.

Back to School

2009-01-22T16:07:00.003-06:00

We had a three-hour delay this morning, but other than that it was back to normal today. I had two kids out, and the ones there were ready to be back. I bought eight new Little Critter books for them, and we read four today.

Most of the snow is gone now. It was pretty while it lasted, but I guess we can't have it forever.

Petey has decided he likes his sweater after all. He literally begs for it now and refuses to cooperate when the time comes to take it off.

A Second Snow Day

2009-01-21T16:31:00.004-06:00

After driving to school on the ice, we decided to cancel for the day. So I got to come home and take a two hour nap. It was lovely, as was the snow left-over from yesterday. I've updated Flickr with today's photos, so you can see the rest of them there.

The Snowy Day

2009-01-20T16:48:00.003-06:00

Here are some more photos of the day:

Tomorrow's activities are still up in the air. We have about six inches of snow right now, and it's still snowing. It's supposed to be about 18 degrees tonight, so the roads will be very icy in the morning. I'm hoping for another snow day. Today is the first time in eight years this area has had this much snow, and there's no telling when it will happen again. This is the first time my students have seen snow like this, and I really hope they get another day to enjoy it.

Snow Day!!

2009-01-20T07:26:00.004-06:00

So, after I woke up at 5:00 this morning and had Blair drive me to school at 6:20, I get there to find out my administrator has JUST canceled school. I spent the next hour making phone calls and answering more. Now that I'm home, I intend to knit, drink hot chocolate, and watch the Inauguration all day. I will post more photos to my blog and Flickr later on tonight after the snow has really started to thicken and settle in for the night. There's a possibility of no school tomorrow as well, and if that's the case, I intend to do the same as today, minus the Inauguration coverage.

New Hats

2009-01-19T08:59:00.004-06:00

Cold weather calls for a hat but why wear one that you already have? I have two new hats that I finished; one a week ago and one last night. They're both made from organic cotton, so they're really cozy, and they both also have cables. The cables make the fabric thicker so it's warmer. The lighting on these isn't the best because It's cloudy here today, so use your imagination.

I currently have a brown tweed hat on my needles for Blair. It doesn't have any cables on it, but the yarn is fantastic!

A Day for Hot Tea

2009-01-18T12:57:00.006-06:00

...and hot chocolate. It's cold and rainy outside today with the possibility of snow tonight and tomorrow night (please please).

Yesterday I went shopping because Blair was at a school event. I went to the book store and Target. Great finds at both, by the way. Then I went to Michael's, where I also picked up some fun items. When I was done at Michael's, I walked next door to PetSmart where I purchased an argyle sweater for Pete. I know, I know. I have become one of "those" dog owners. It looks really cute on him, but he was really mad at me last night after I put it on him. He laid on his pillow and glowered at me for a while and then progressed to not even looking at me at all. He ignored my attempts to make nice; he snubbed the invites to sit in my lap. I believe his anger was compounded by the fact that I bought a new tug toy for Murray. Petey gets the sweater and Murray gets the toy. I promise I will not do this to my children. Really. Petey was mad all night, but seems more used to it today (yes, I am making him wear it again). It's just so darlin' on him!

It Finally got Cold!

2009-01-16T15:16:00.003-06:00

Really Really Really cold! My kids and I talked about drinking hot chocolate and watching movies with blankets all day today. It's a great day for that!

Fun New Things

2009-01-14T17:50:00.003-06:00

I had a good day at school despite the fact that I had a three-year-old terrified of death and another throw rice at me after threatening to take away all my toys.

As promised, these are my new coats. With the rain gone, I had great lighting this afternoon to photograph them. I know I probably could have chosen better backgrounds, but this is what I have.

I really feel like Audrey Hepburn when I wear it. It's very comfortable and swingy. Not to mention the fact that I only paid $4.80 for it!!

This one is the softest wool on the planet! It feels so great, and it's light but very warm.

A Rainy Day

2009-01-13T17:15:00.003-06:00

This meant we read our rainy day book, Raindrop Plop, and sang, ALL DAY, our rainy day song. It also meant that the light wasn't good enough to take a picture of my new coat. Maybe later. As I mentioned yesterday, my photos for A Year of Photos are on the other blog. Go. See. Comment.

A Year in Photos ::January 12

2009-01-12T17:12:00.003-06:00

I've been working on this at nap time on and off for a couple of months, and I've finished up my other projects and thought I'd come back to this one. It's a seed stitch scarf done in Koigu wool.

Overall, I had a good day in the classroom with my munchkins. I put some new stuff up on the walls, which always gets them excited. It makes it look more like the classrooms of their older siblings. I'm looking forward to a good, and very cold week, at school.

When I finished tutoring today, I made the short drive to Old Navy to look around. After just a few minutes in the store, I walked out with an $80 coat for just $4.80. I was stoked!! It's a super cute swing jacket in a winter white (think Audrey Hepburn). As soon as I have good lighting (i.e. tomorrow), I will take a picture to post.

I'm also thinking about moving A Year of Photos over to my other blog. My in-laws have dial-up, and all the pictures make it impossible for them to view my blog. So, if you don't see the picture here tomorrow, check the other site.

A Year in Photos ::January 11

2009-01-11T14:19:00.002-06:00

Yes, this is a pirate. They are all over town. The whole city is Pirate-crazy. There's just no escaping them.

A Year in Photos ::January 10

2009-01-10T17:11:00.002-06:00

A Year in Photos ::January 9

2009-01-09T18:32:00.002-06:00

It's Done!

2009-01-08T17:06:00.001-06:00

I got the baby blanket finished today and off of the needles. There's always a wonderful feeling that comes with finishing something so large, especially when it is for someone else. I am still working on a large (and secret) project, but I do have a couple of small items to work on. I want to make another set of gloves, and I need to make a bean bag for my Sunday School class. My goal for this year is to complete at least two projects a month, and so far I'm on track.

A Great Wednesday

2009-01-07T16:14:00.003-06:00

It was truly a blustery day in North Carolina today. At one point, every raindrop in the sky was falling as fast as it could. Big splaty drops. I turned the lights out, and we stood at the window and watched the rain fall. All of that rain disappeared and turned to sun about an hour later (just in time for nap time). I did some knitting, as usual, during nap time. I'm working on a baby afghan for my assistant teacher. Here's the progress so far.

I'm almost finished with it, so hopefully tomorrow I'll get it done.

Here's my photo for AYOP:

The hand of a non-napper.

Rainy Day Boots

2009-01-06T14:04:00.001-06:00

Start to another great week

2009-01-05T16:25:00.003-06:00

I got a new student today. It's an interesting way to start the week, but a good one. I made these Memory Cards a couple of weeks ago and just got them them laminated today. They turned out great!

A Year of Photos

A Year in Photos

2009-01-04T12:28:00.003-06:00

From our trip to ECU yesterday.

Blair and I have taken on yet another responsibility...because we needed another one...We started teaching 3rd and 4th grade Sunday School today. We have a really fun group, and I think it's going to be a great semester with these kids!

January 3...A Year of Photos and Something NEW!

2009-01-03T15:02:00.006-06:00

Blair and I had a date of sorts today. We went to the ECU campus so I could take photos. While roaming around the campus I had an idea. Why not take my year of photos and develop the idea a little more? So, I started a new blog, which you can find here. This blog is for photos only, and I intend to have different themes for the photos to fall under. It's an experiment for now, and one that I'm very excited about. I hope all of you will add it to your blog lists and follow along as I try something new.

January 2...A year of Photos

2009-01-02T15:28:00.001-06:00

A New Year, New Photos

2009-01-01T13:51:00.007-06:00

This year, I would like to post a picture day on my blog. Nature, life, the good, and the not-so-good. These photos will be completely candid and completely untouched. I'm not sure I will stick to a picture a day every day, however, I will do my best to post as often as I can.

Today's picture is taken from my porch and is my first nature photo of the year. Nature photos are some of my favorite to take, so you will see many of them this year. Many will probably come from my classroom adventures as well. I have updated my Flickr page today with photos from Christmas and today.

I hope all of you have a wonderful 2009 full of new experiences and good times.

The Mouse Saga Continues

2008-12-31T14:18:00.004-06:00

When we got home from our Christmas travels, we walked into our house to find that we had been overrun by mice. The entire place. All rooms. So we got even more serious in our mouse-catching attempts. We set out traps and glue boards everywhere. We were rewarded in our efforts with the capture and killing of two mice.

Now, I enjoy going to work every morning (even those mornings when I'm 30 minutes late), mostly because I enjoy the company of my kiddos. However, there is that extra little added bonus of being in a mouse-free environment for eight hours a day. Today, that joy was stolen from me.

I was eating breakfast at the table with my kids (all three of them...big crowd), when I heard screaming erupt from the kitchen. I tend to consider my work environment to be a sane one, so this was a little more than out of the ordinary. I looked around to see none of my fellow teachers willing to leave their place of safety and investigate, so I took it upon myself to rush to the aid of my distressed coworker. Upon entering the kitchen, I saw my administrator standing in the middle of the kitchen holding a broom to the floor, screaming her head off. I vaguely heard something about "mouse" and pretended I didn't hear it. "What's wrong" I inquired as calmly as possible. "Mouse...in trap...not dead...caught under broom!" She lifted the broom minutely, and I saw it. Indeed...mouse...in trap...not dead. I bravely grabbed another broom and asked her to hold still. I shall leave the rest up to your over-active imaginations and spare you the details. After disposing of said mouse, I was informed that there was another trap in the cabinet. I bravely asked my boss to ready her broom and slowly opened the door. There, to my horror and wonder, was yet another mouse half caught in a trap. It began it's frantic and frenzied rush around the floor. I told the broom holder to "get it!" The mouse quickly met it's demise and joined it's brother in the trash.

Needless to say, I never expected such a task to fall under my teaching duties, but when faced with a challenge, I'm always ready to rise to the occasion.

Holiday Busyness

2008-12-13T16:14:00.004-06:00

Thursday night, Blair and I attended the King's Singers concert at ECU. The concert was amazing. They did mostly Christmas music, and it was all done so beautifully. There were moments of comedy, too, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Friday, we had a Christmas party in my classroom. My kids had a blast. My students and parents were very generous in their gifts and Christmas wishes. I also worked on this glove at naptime. It is now finished and in need of its mate. I'm working on that and hope to have it done in a couple of days.

This week, I need to spend the week packing and wrapping gifts. I only have four days of school this week, and then Blair, the dogs, and I will all be on the road back home. And now, I'll leave you with some images of the season.

A busy day

2008-12-04T17:10:00.003-06:00

My class of three-year-olds took their first trip today. We went to the big library in town for a field trip. Might I just say that my kids were the best.

After tutoring today, this is what I saw on the way home.

Christmas in my Classroom

2008-12-01T19:06:00.003-06:00

I apologize in advance for the poor lighting in my room. I got the place decorated for winter (it's easier than Christmas because I can leave it up until March). I started reading winter/snow/Christmas books today (Owl Moon and The Polar Express), and they are loving it!!

Christmastime is Here

2008-11-30T11:26:00.005-06:00

Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T13:33:00.006-06:00

Blair and I have had a nice Thanksgiving. It's the first one we've had with it being just us. Wednesday night, we played Risk (I actually won!). I got up at 6:00 Thursday to put in the roast, but then I went back to bed and slept late. When we got up, I got right to work on lunch. Here's what we had for lunch:

Mulled Wine

A roast with carrots and potatoes

Sweet potato casserole

Fudge

Cheese ball

and eventually, an apple crisp.

Not a fancy table, but since we don't have a dining table it worked.

Blair did all the dishes all day (what a sweetie).

Wednesday I went to Michael's and picked up some candles thinking I was splurging on two $9.00 candles. When I checked out, they rang up for $.89 a piece! They smell so wonderful, and really make it seem like a holiday inside.
We had a nice iChat video session with Matt, Karen, and my parents, and then spent the afternoon and evening studying, knitting, and watching football.

A long week

2008-11-23T15:18:00.003-06:00

My grandfather passed away Monday, and Blair and I drove all the way to Arkansas over the course of two days. Here are some shots of our LONG journey.

Finished Knits

2008-11-15T14:42:00.006-06:00

Yes, I actually finished something, and not just one project, but TWO this week! I finished the Hemlock Ring, and I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. I'm planning on making another one later on with a wool yarn. This one is done in cotton.

I also made these mittens this week. They only took two days and were so much fun to make and amazed my kiddos at school. They're made from 100% merino wool sent to me by a blogging friend (thanks Andrea!!), and they feel so great on the hands.

Blair and I went to a friend's art show today, she's a painter, and purchased a couple of lovely Christmas gifts for people. Now I just have a couple more gifts to make, and I'm all done!! I took the handmade pledge, and with the exception of a couple of eccentric gifts, I did just that.

A picture-less knitting post...

2008-11-12T14:22:00.003-06:00

I just wanted to let you know that I finished the Hemlock Ring, but have not blocked it yet. I promise pictures as soon as that's done. I'm usually pretty lazy about blocking, so don't hold your breath...

A great weekend!

2008-11-11T16:07:00.005-06:00

Blair and I went to Williamsburg again Saturday. I'm only putting up some of my favorite pictures, so if you want to see the rest, head on over to Flickr.

It was raining when we first got there, but that cleared up and turned into a pretty nice, but chilly, day.

The day started off with an unexpected (and first for me) ferry ride. We traveled a different way last time which took us under Chesapeake Bay.

It stopped raining about ten minutes after we arrived.

The autumn colors were gorgeous!

We took a tour of the Governor's Palace that we missed last time.

The ferry ride home boasted a beautiful sunset.

And here is a shot of today's sunset. Also gorgeous!

A great Autumn week!

2008-11-06T17:10:00.004-06:00

I had a great week at work. I had my first teacher evaluation, and that went really well!

Today had a great beginning that continued improving all day long. On my way to work, I saw a deer grazing on the side of the road. It was such a beautiful and elegant buck. At school, I have a child that gets there every morning at 6:45. Two more kids come at 7:15, and after that it's just us for about half an hour. This morning we enjoyed looking out the classroom window at all the changing autumn colors. We watched the wind blow leaves off a Bradford Pear and wondered at all the beauty around us. It was such a peaceful and remarkable way to begin our daily journey together, and I believe it influenced the rest of our day more than we realized.

I'm still plugging away on the Hemlock Ring. No photos...just take my word for it!

Here are some photos from this autumn afternoon.

Really? It's November?

2008-11-01T16:27:00.004-05:00

Blair and I took the dogs to the local leash-free dog park this afternoon. It was the perfect afternoon to be outside. Here's a photographic view of our time there.

Petey walks and sniffs.

Blair and Murray play.

Petey walks and sniffs.

Blair and Murray play.

Petey walks and sniffs.

It's November and time for Tomato Soup. I really love tomato soup, and this is the perfect way to enjoy it...with basil, extra sharp cheddar, and sour cream. Yum!

Here's the latest work on my Hemlock Ring Blanket.

I'm really excited about how well it's turning out!

The things I do for my kiddos

2008-10-29T16:44:00.001-05:00

Two knitting posts in one day!!

2008-10-24T19:59:00.002-05:00

Here is my FINISHED organic cotton Francis sweater. It fits like a dream, feels amazing, and looks great on me.

What to do when students skip

2008-10-24T16:42:00.001-05:00

More Self-Portraits

2008-10-22T19:41:00.001-05:00

Self-Portrait Tuesday

2008-10-21T17:08:00.003-05:00

I took these in my office this afternoon.

They look very different from some of the first self-portrait Tuesday pictures I took, and might I just say the the afternoon light in my office is spectacular. These are untouched photos in terms of color.

Here's an update on what I'm knitting.

This is my almost-finished, organic cotton Francis sweater.

This is the very start of my Hemlock ring lap throw done in cotton as well (but not organic).

Hopefully I'll be able to update in a few days with a finished object and a larger Hemlock Ring.

Images of Autumn::7

2008-10-19T16:19:00.001-05:00

Autumn's First Loaves

2008-10-18T17:35:00.002-05:00

Not exactly a post...

2008-10-15T14:14:00.002-05:00

Sorry about the lack of posts lately. I'm being consumed by my in-laws...I mean, my TIME is being consumed by my in-laws...

New Apartment, Same Problem

2008-10-10T18:05:00.001-05:00

MICE!!!

Images of a Teacher's Life:: A Busy, Busy Day

2008-10-08T14:15:00.005-05:00

An early love of reading is a great thing!!

What's better than glue? Self-sticking foam!!

And, to end the day, an image of autumn.

Images of a Teacher's Life

2008-10-07T17:33:00.003-05:00

Oh, the joys of glue!! Three-year-olds love it (but don't know how to use it). Whenever I have a down moment or things are getting a little out of hand, I pull out the glue. They don't care what they're gluing, as long as they get to use the marvelous sticky stuff. I hand it out with blank paper and confetti, I give it to the quietest people, we put it on construction paper, tissue paper, receipt paper, foam, fabric, not to mention our hands and tables. Glue, how I love thee, let me count the ways...

Images of Autumn::6

2008-10-04T11:54:00.003-05:00

Sorry about the lack of a post yesterday. Between school, tutoring, and Blair's concert I wasn't home long enough to post one.

Images of Autumn::5

2008-10-02T18:20:00.001-05:00

Images of Autumn::4

2008-10-01T15:45:00.001-05:00

Images of Autumn::Day 3

2008-09-30T16:47:00.001-05:00

Images of Autumn::Day 2

2008-09-29T14:19:00.001-05:00

Images of Autumn

2008-09-28T17:16:00.005-05:00

Lately, I've used the excuse that I've so busy with school and tutoring that I don't have time to blog. Well, for the next week, I'm going to try to break that with an autumn image a day. Here are some from the weekend.

Williamsburg

2008-09-21T17:16:00.004-05:00

Blair and I had a blast yesterday on our day trip to Williamsburg. Here are a few of the photos I took. If you want to see the rest, just head on over to flickr and check them out.

A Pictureless Post

2008-09-19T17:18:00.002-05:00

I know that posts without pictures are not nearly as interesting, but I don't have any photos to put up right now. Today was another perfect fall day. No humidity, great breeze, low temps. Perfect. Blair came to my class today and did music with the kids. They loved it! There's just something about getting to sing with a guitar that makes music time that much more fun. Tomorrow we're going up to Williamsburg for the day, and I can't wait! I've never been before (Blair has), and I'm so excited about everything there is to see. So, tomorrow night (or Sunday afternoon) I plan on having a long, picture-full post for you to enjoy! Have a great weekend!!

It really is autumn

2008-09-13T08:11:00.004-05:00

I've spent the past couple of days really settling into my classroom and making it mine. I've gotten rid of alot of things and moved some things around. I put up some fall decorations and redecorated my door.

In other news, I'm still really busy. I had a Women in the Church meeting Thursday and sold merchandise at a concert last night. I was going to go to the beach today with some friends and go out in their boat, but since gas is more than my life is worth we decided not to go. Fortunately I don't have anything extra going on at church tomorrow.

A Birthday Come and Gone

2008-09-05T15:54:00.002-05:00

Whew....yesterday was an absolutely insane day at school. It was one of the worst days teaching I have ever had. So, after that and tutoring, I was really too tired to do anything. All I wanted for supper was mashed potatoes (comfort food). Thanks to everyone who sent gifts, cards, and wishes. Right now, we're gearing up for a hurricane weekend of nothing. Thanks Hanna.

A Beautiful Labor Day (and "first" day of autumn)

2008-09-01T15:16:00.005-05:00

We had an absolutely beautiful day here today. Perfect temps and sunny skies. We've had the door open letting in the breeze. I went around and took some pictures today. Here are a few.

You can head over to Flickr to see the rest. I also did a little bit of Fall decorating. There will be more to come...I also did a small amount of sewing to quench the crave.

No More Free Time

2008-08-30T10:30:00.001-05:00

I had a fairly crazy week at school this week with all the rain we've been getting. I also took on a full-time tutoring job that starts this week. I'm tutoring learning disabled kids after schools five days a week. And so begins life with 12 hour work days...We'll see how well this goes.

My new job

2008-08-20T18:04:00.002-05:00

I started my new teaching job at a local preschool on Monday, and I am loving it! Today was a little crazy, but I have really enjoyed working with this group of children. We start a new year of curriculum in two weeks, so Friday is a work day to get our rooms ready. I will do my best to take some photos of my room once I get done. I realize this is a short post, but I don't have a whole lot going on. We had dinner with friends last night, which was very fun. We are finally meeting some new friends here and making a place for ourselves.

Happy Birthday, Blair!!

2008-08-16T09:02:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was Blair's birthday (we won't say which one). It was the first birthday we've celebrated away from home. We got up early yesterday morning and drove 45 minutes to Washington, NC. We planned to do some light hiking and just enjoy being outside at Goose Creek State Park. They have a really nice visitor center there, with a room devoted to stuffed animals located at the park. (There was a black bear seen earlier this month.) We decided to do the shorter Palmetto Boardwalk, which is a really nice boarded walk that reminded us of Reelfoot Lake back home. Once we stepped off of the boardwalk, however, I looked at Blair's pants legs. They were covered, black in places, with mosquitoes. He looked down at his feet and saw literally dozens and dozens of pin-prick sized seed ticks. Needless to say, we high-tailed it out of there. So, while we didn't stay very long, we got some great pictures and saw some deer and skinks. Here are some photos of the Goose Creek area.

The visitor's center

A screened in picnic area on the boardwalk

Some nature

An outdoor picnic area near the visitor's center

After we left Goose Creek, we decided to drive around historic downtown Washington. We saw a sign for an Estuarium and decided to stop. The center is really nice. There are several exhibits on local wildlife and also some on taking care of our planet. The center leads out back where there is an unbelievably long boardwalk aong the water. Here are some pictures of that.

There were ALOT of turtles in the water. Karen would love it!

We also some of these fun fish

Some shots of the area

When we got home it was time for supper. Last week I asked Blair what he wanted for his birthday dinner, and he said fish. So, he grilled his own birthday dinner outside. He had some salmon that he said was very good. I had corn and green beans. I made a yellow cake with chocolate icing for dessert, and we had that with ice cream while I did my very best rendition of Happy Birthday.

It was a beautiful day outside and we had alot fun.

A Good Day

2008-08-13T17:00:00.003-05:00

We had a rainy day here, but it was nice to have some gentle drizzle. I started the day with an early meeting at church, where I've taken over the 4- and 5-year-old choir. We discussed things we wanted to do with children's music. I'm really looking forward to working with the children in music.

Monday, I had my first job interview since moving here. I felt like it went really well. I applied at a pre-school, and the administrator really seemed impressed with my interview. She called me back this afternoon to let me know that I had been hired and would be a full-time, lead teacher. I'm working in the three-year-old room. I start on Monday, and I can't wait to get started!!

I have actually left the house!

2008-08-08T08:46:00.002-05:00

Tuesday night I went to craft night at church and met some people. I had a great time getting to know the ladies there. Then yesterday I went to a new friend's house and helped her tear down a wall paper border. Another girl from craft night was there as well, and Blair and I are having dinner with them next week. Then when I got home, I got a call from a day care where I put in an application. I have an interview set up for next Monday!

Blair and I don't have any plans for today because we're watching the Olympics tonight!

Weekend with Family

2008-08-03T19:29:00.003-05:00

Here are a few pics from my weekend in Asheville with my in-laws.

Ode to a Point Turner

2008-07-31T14:29:00.005-05:00

Until recently, I was using a knitting needle to poke all of those pesky little points and corners into neatness. That is, until yesterday. Yesterday while I was rummaging around in my rather sizable stash of sewing notions and odds and ends I found this.

What is this pointy, plastic contraption, you say? It is a point turner. A glorious point turner, my friend. Unlike a knitting needle that pokes holes into the corners of a beautiful, completed project, this little slice of heaven merely nudges that shy piece of rounded fabric into place.

Now, this is an experienced point turner. I believe it was my Mimi's, but even if it is only in the hands of a second generation user it has still been well-used...and loved. And since my happy discovery yesterday of this magnificent formation of plastic, it shall continue to be well-used, yes, even well-loved.

On a completely different note, I spent the entire day making items to post in my shop. If you want to purchase something you will need to set up an Etsy account which is east and quick. Go check it out!

A Sewing Kind of Afternoon

2008-07-29T16:48:00.004-05:00

This morning my mom requested a couple of stationary wraps to give as gifts, so I went ahead and made them this afternoon.

While I was feeling creative, I made this wallet. It has a plastic slip pocket on top for things like photos, and one at the bottom for cards. In the middle, I put in a zippered pouch using the zipper off of a Zip Lock bag. I really like the scallop stitching. I used the same orange corduroy and blue linen that I used in my birdie bag the other day. I must really like this fabric...

Blair and I have our first praise band rehearsal at church tonight. I can't wait!

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

2008-07-27T16:33:00.003-05:00

I made this bookmark and bag this afternoon.

More outdoor photos of summer:

A Surprisingly Busy Day...Calls for a Second Post!

2008-07-26T16:09:00.004-05:00

Days around here lately haven't had much depth to them, so we decided to make today a little different. After my outdoor photo shoot this morning, I made another bag and took some more photos.

Then we went to Lowe's and got a few small items. We got a couple of plants for the porch, and they make so much of a difference. We moved our jute rug outside (it's an outside rug, anyway), and now the porch really looks like a place to spend time all the neighborhood kids do already after all).

A very nice Spider plant

and an orchid

A great improvement, I think.

Summertime Fun

2008-07-26T11:19:00.005-05:00

I've been really busy the past two days. I went and filled out another job application and spent my time at home crafting.

I'm made new chewy-s for the dogs out of an old pair of jeans.

I also made the pillow you see Petey laying on. He loves it.

I started working on a jacket project that I'm really excited about. Since I dug out all of my fabric to organize a few weeks ago, I decided to start sewing again. I've done quite a bit lately.

I also spent last night making this bag. I love the pattern, and this fabric works really well with it. The top portion is a heavy upholstery linen and the bottom is an old piece of corduroy. I love the way the colors look together. I drew the bird on a piece of tracing paper and embroidered it on the linen. I really love this bag. I can't wait to put it into use!!

I got out this morning and took some photos around the house. In the midst of taking photos I discovered that we have fire ants.

And now, for some candids:

More Creating

2008-07-22T15:56:00.005-05:00

It's been gloomy and thunderous here today. No rain, just the threat. Due to the lack of sunshine and the high heat, I spent the day inside crafting.

A few days ago, I made a diaper bag for a friend. Today I used the leftover fabric to make two smaller bags for her two older daughters.

I made this bag and zippered pouch for crafts.

Beach Day

2008-07-21T16:14:00.003-05:00

We went back to the beach today. It has been a very hot day - the hottest since we've been here. But, it was clear skies and great breezes down on the ocean.

Great sites

Sea glass

There's something for everyone at the beach

Summertime Images

2008-07-20T21:26:00.004-05:00

I spent the afternoon making this bag for a friend who just had a baby.

Nothing Much New

2008-07-17T18:50:00.003-05:00

Things here are basically the same. I'm still looking for a job. Petey is still sniffling and sneezing. Turns out the hat I made looks cute in corduroy with a smaller brim.

My knitting is progressing slowly because I have been doing alot of reading lately.

Blair and a sleepy Murray.

A big shout out to Blair who lets me use his computer all the time AND cooked dinner tonight!