somethin a little crafty

So last week I went to VoldeMart and bought some damask print vinyl over in their fabric section ($2.97/yd). It was the only print that I liked. I've been wanting to make a tablecloth for my kitchen table for awhile now. I'm sick of the kids using 409 on my table & taking the finish off, not to mention all the crusty oatmeal smears along the edge that mysteriously get overlooked while washing. AND it's inevitable that someone spills something during a meal, that drains into the cracks of the leaves.
So I wanted SOMETHING!
I remember my sister telling me a LONG time ago (like 8 years or something) that she wanted a tablecloth that had elastic around the edge that could stay on the table - making for easy cleanup and protection for the wood.
Which brings us back to the damask print I found at the store.
My table is 5 feet wide and about 6 feet long (7 if I add the extra leaf, but I don't). The vinyl comes in 4' wide rolls (I think) so I couldn't just get enough for the length. So I grabbed 4 yards and had the lady cut it half. I brought it home, squared it off and sewed down the long edges - making it long enough for my table. Then I laid it onto my table and just eyeballed it. I cut - leaving about 4" overhang on the sides - all the way around. Then I flipped that baby over and started pinning the edges up to make the casing for the elastic. No need for 1/4" fold and then another 1 1/2" fold, it doesn't fray. I just folded about 2" up and pinned.

Then I sewed. I left a 3" opening and sewed all the way around. Because my table is oval, the fabric overlaps during the curves. I didn't want to risk snipping and then having it tear or not catching it - so I just let the fabric fold. No one sees it anyway, it's under the table.
After I did that, I grabbed my elastic (I used 1" thick stuff that I had on hand) and had Thor hold the tip at one end of the table, Mr. Fantastic helped guide the elastic around (so that it wouldn't come off, I didn't want it stretched) and then I cut it at the other end - so that it measured half of the circumference of the table. Then using my trusty safety pin, I guided the elastic through. Once I reached the end, I safety pinned the ends together to the opening (so it wouldn't get lost) and tried it on the table.
Once I was sure that it looked right and wasn't sagging in places, I took it off, sewed the elastic together and then sewed the casing closed (and the tip of my thumb).

And that was it.

What think ye?

Time to refinish the chairs to a darker color so that it looks a little more esthetically pleasing. :)
I suppose, if you don't have a pretty vinyl that you like, you can find pretty fabric and make an actual tablecloth and then make a cover out of clear vinyl. That would be fun, too! Then you can switch it out for seasons and special birthday celebrations or something.
Thanks for stopping by today!

My meeting with the stake president

Because this is somewhat of a journal for me, I'm going to record something extremely personal that happened on Sunday. I just don't do writing things down, but this something I NEED to record so that I can come back to it periodically.

*****

Sunday, May 6, 2012
What should have been a weekend stay in Cheyenne turned into another weekend of disappointed plans at home. We were supposed to be at drill with Popeye. But there were 4 Navy funerals happening on Saturday - two of which he was a part of. And because he was a part of them, he didn't have to go to drill on Sunday. So we stayed home.
Which ended up being an answer to unspoken prayers.

At church on Sunday our stake president happened to be there. Popeye leaned over to me and whispered, "Oh good! Now we can get our temple recommends renewed." So after sacrament meeting was over I walked up to him and asked if he would be around for awhile so that we could get that taken care of. There were a couple of other people that needed them, too, so it was perfect!
I was pulled out of my gospel doctrine class to meet with the branch president. Typical chit chat ensued and the standard questions followed.
And then I went to meet with the Stake President.
I had never met him before. I've smiled at him a couple of times but he always seemed too busy to notice me.
So we sat down in a quiet room and he looked me in the eyes with a smile on his face and asked, "How are you?"
"Fine. I'm fine."
It was quiet and he continued to stare at me. I was growing uncomfortable by the minute.
Again, I repeated, "Really. I'm fine. Everything's fine."
And he said, "I don't believe you."
Ummm..... "But I am."
At that point a class came in and we were kicked out. So we found ourselves another room to finish up and he still looked at me the same way. I sat there wracking my brain trying to think of any misdeeds I hadn't taken care of.
Because I was growing increasingly agitated, I said, "Maybe I should give you some background on me. We've never met before, so let me tell you some things." I proceeded to tell him of my issues with motherhood and one child in particular but also how I'm handling things and things seem to be getting a little better.
He shared with me a little about a woman he knows and her issues with motherhood as well and that it's completely normal for me to have issues. I'm not alone in this.
And then he said something that brought tears to my eyes causing my faux lashes to lift at the corners.
He said, "The Lord approves of you. You are doing the best you can as a mother and you have a thumbs up from Him. He approves of you."
I didn't think I needed to hear it. I always knew my kids were pretty good for other people and not real troublemakers outside of our home. But inside the walls of our home it is complete chaos and lack of love and the spirit. Also, there is always doubt and double-takes on judgment calls you make with them. Should I have held my tongue a little longer? I should have been more patient. I should have done this or that or NOT done this or that... We are our worst critics. But his words spoke to me so intently that I did not doubt they came from the Lord and that he was giving me a piece of revelation that I was too busy to hear anywhere else.
I thanked him for that.
He then continued on and told me that when he was called to be a Stake President he had no prior leadership callings under his belt. But when he was called, he promised that the words he said would ALWAYS reflect what Heavenly Father wants him to say. And he promised that it wasn't him saying them but that they indeed came from above.
We spoke of other things. At one point during our conversation he told me we couldn't continue on because there was something else we needed to talk about.
I honestly had no idea what else he thought we needed to talk about. We covered a lot of ground - and I pointed that out to him. So we chit chatted a little more, dug a little deeper into some stuff (and I can honestly say I don't remember what we talked about at this point). And then he cleared his throat and said, "Okay, we can move onto the questions now."

I left there feeling a stronger resolve to be better. To be kinder and more patient, even though the Lord approves of how I'm doing now, I know I can do better. But just in case I fall - like I frequently do multiple times a day, I know Heavenly Father is with me saying, "It's alright, you're trying, and I'm cool with that." Better than cool with it - He approves.

So.
IF you feel like you're the worst mother in the world for yelling about spilled peanut butter on the counter or the lack of help around the house; IF you feel like your kids are going to be scarred because you fed them cold cereal 2 nights in a row because you just couldn't get it together enough to cook something; IF you feel like your kids hate you because you put restrictions on their "freedom"; Do not fear. If the Lord approves of me - he approves of you, too.
We're trying and we're trying hard. And he knows it.

And that's it. No comments necessary - but if you'd like to leave one, you may.
Have a blessed week!

This morning I took Maddie for a run. She did great - didn't try to approach any other dogs or people, stayed right with me, obeyed all "wait" commands - it was great!
And then we got to the park.
Background history here:
Maddie knows she has free reign while I run the loop at the park. I let her off her leash and while she stays "with me" - she ventures off to smell things and such.
And usually she finds a squirrel to chase.
Those squirrels taunt her like birthday cake to a person on a diet. She HAS to catch one.
A few weeks ago she almost got one but she was running so fast she flipped over herself when she caught it and it got away.
Today was a make-up day for her.
We were on the back stretch of the loop and she took off. She chased that squirrel around a bush and tripped it up a little in the process. It ran across the street and she was in hot pursuit! JUST as the squirrel got to the base of a tree, Maddie got it! She actually got it! I was a little scared because she was shaking that squirrel from side to side trying to shake the life from it (but I was a little proud, too, because that's all she seems to live for). But she was shaking it so hard (by the tail) that it flung out of her mouth. When she realized she didn't have it anymore, the squirrel had already come around and scurried (barely) up the tree.
Defeat.
I felt so sorry for her. She kept looking back to see if it was coming down. But I called her on and she continued in her morning jog.
Sad, sad day for Maddie.
Wonderfully lucky day for the squirrel.

Did you know that dogs have an uncanny ability to sense spirits? Well, they do.
Friday afternoon I took the kids and went to visit my mom & sister for the weekend. A friend was getting sealed in the temple and I wanted to be there for it. So I showed up to my mom's house, walked in the door and there was my brother's dog standing there, barking wildly at me. My sister called him off but he just wouldn't let up.
We left for dinner and came back, again the dog barked at me and wanted to be anywhere but near me. I left to get my mom from work and when we arrived back, the kids were all downstairs having movie night and the dog still wouldn't come near me. (The report was he was great with the kids.)
So I put my hand down for him to smell and he bit it! Not hard, but enough for him to get his mouth flicked and sent outside.
A little bit later he was inside again, sitting in the pathway, so I went to step around him and he bit my leg!
Then a bit later my sister pulled him up onto her lap as we sat on the couch & I put my hand down for him to smell again. And again, he bit it. My sister was SO mad at him. She held his mouth closed and forced him to stay on her lap and demanded that I pet him. I wouldn't do it. It was clear he was very uncomfortable and he wanted nothing to do with me. I didn't want to cause him more discomfort than he already was encountering. I asked that he be let down away from us. She was baffled since he has never acted this way towards anyone before. Ever. I admitted that I was feeling pretty frustrated and sad and I wondered if there wasn't a spirit lurking around me causing me to feel this way.
She let the dog back in and tried to force him to sit by me - he actually whined!
I felt so sad for him.
The next morning, I got myself dressed and ready, got the kids up for the day & headed to the temple.
It was a much needed relief from the sadness I had been feeling the day before. I love the sense of peace the temple brings to me - and this time it was needed so much more than other times I had been there.
I came back to the house to find it standing, the kids happy & my sister exausted. The dog LOVED playing and trying to "herd" the kids (he's a healer mix). I went and sat with my mom for a few minutes and in walked the dog, sat his head in my lap, licked my hand, and wandered away.
So strange.
I recounted the activities to Popeye that afternoon and he said that he has felt something bad around me sometimes. It is as if it is waiting for me to snap at my kids so that it can move-in. He admitted that some nights he can't get to sleep because of that feeling.
I wonder if Maddie senses that sometimes, too. There are times she skirts by me not wanting me to do anything with her. I always chalked it up to her being abused before - and maybe it is. Maybe her previous owners had that same spirit about them when abusing her.
Now I feel so bad about it. BUT - I came away this weekend with a renewed determination to pray more, read my scriptures more, be a little more forgiving and patient.
I want to wake up in the morning and live that phrase - you know the one that says, "Live each day so that when you wake up Satan says, 'Oh crap. She's awake.'" Yep - that's the one I want to live.
So, if your dog is acting all strange around you, try praying and get those evil spirits away from you, because they are VERY real. Or go to the temple, that works, too. :)

This week is going to be CRAY-ZAY busy!
Monday - grocery shop for a baby shower that I'm throwing, make the cake & prep the food. Also need to clean the house because Popeye will be coming home from his weekend of drill and fishing.
Tuesday - finish getting the food prepared for the party, go and set up the party and host the party. My friend (the pregnant one) is due in 2 weeks with her fourth child, 3rd son. They are a cowboy family through and through. But she didn't want another cowboy themed party. So we went with camping. I've got table bunting/banners made, game pieces made, menus planned, prizes purchased & all my serving stuff nearly found. My friend invited 45 ladies to her shower. FORTY FIVE!!! And you want to know what bites? My landline died on Friday and Century Link won't come fix it until sometime on Monday. So I have NO IDEA if anyone has been trying to RSVP. I know 8 are coming, but that's a far distance from 45. So I have to guess as to how much food to make. And that stresses me out.
Anyway. It's almost over. Tuesday is the big day and it will be great. It's going to be a diaper shower - I hope she gets loads of diapering supplies - namely diapers and wipes. :)
Wednesday I have to go pick up the quilt I made from the quilter's and put the binding on it. There's also scouts that night and Popeye will be at work. And I hope to buy a new (to us) truck because Popeye doesn't think I'll be able to make my trip in his blazer.
Thursday I have to make sure that everyone's church clothes are clean for the weekend, clean the house a bit, and make sure I have all my instructions for the relief society presidency for the activity the following week.
Friday I get to pack and make sure I have everything for my trip!
Oh my trip!!! I can hardly contain my excitement!!!
I'm making a trip to Kemmerer, WY to visit my friends there. My friend just had her first (and only) daughter and I get to go spend 3 1/2 days with her! I believe she's planning a little GNO with some of my favorite girlies. I just can't wait!
Some people tend to judge me for getting excited to leave my kids and husband behind for a few days. I don't know if it's because they're secretly jealous or if they really think I shouldn't be excited to go. Either way - I don't care! That's their beef. Yes, I think it's horrible that I don't miss them when I leave. Perhaps it's because I finally feel relaxed & able to breathe. Perhaps it's because they still call and text so frequently that I don't get a chance to miss them. Whatever it is, I usually don't miss them. It's my time to refresh myself, indulge in some much needed ME time. And when I return home, I'm always ready to take on the demands of motherhood again.
So this year's trip will only be 4 days (including drive time) - much shorter than last year's trip to see Sara in Seattle. It's going to be so great!
Then, I'll come home next Tuesday to turn around and take Mr. Fantastic to Scottsbluff for a deaf/hard of hearing science day. Anyone in Sidney want to come up and hang with me in SB for the day?
It's just going to be crazy.
This past week was pretty okay, I guess. Lots of rain over the past 24 hours.
Popeye had put the idea into the kids' heads that recycling cans would make them loads of money. I mean, he did it when he was a kid and saved up for a bike. So now the kids think that they can do the same thing.
So they went around town and picked up about 10 cans. Not a whole lot of money there, but Popeye told them of the bags of cans in the basement.
Our house was rented by a group of college students before us and they REALLY liked their Miller Lite and Pepsi.
The kids brought up 27 garbage bags (10 regular size and 17 lawn & leaf size) and they consumed the entire livingroom and spilled into the dining room. We were able to load up 9 of the bags (3 large, 6 regular) and drive to Chadron to the Cash for Cans site. The kids spent about 30 minutes loading the cans into the bin and making sure they got fed in one by one into the crusher. Once it was done, the money came out of the slot. $7.43 total.
So I divied up the money depending on how hard they worked that day and we left to wash our hands.
It was seriously the grossest thing EVER. Okay, no, Maddie's poo explosion in the kitchen still takes that title. But it was gross.
But we still have 17 bags to do, maybe I'll take a load tomorrow for them. And then they'll have a little more money to save for that "Kindle Fire". They'll need a LOT more cans to get enough money for THAT. :)
Anyway. That's our business this week. Have a good one.

Hunting for Easter

Yes, you read that correctly. Easter Hunting. That's what Grand Duchess has been calling it for the past week. "Mom, we went Easter hunting there, remember?" She's so cute.

Friday was the beginning of Easter break (the schools here completely by-passed spring break - but whatever). So the Assisted Living home down the street hosted an easter egg hunt for kids up to 2nd grade. Mr. Fantastic and Optimus Prime had to miss out on that one. But they helped the younger ones gather some goodies and were good sports about it. Afterward, cookies and punch were handed out to EVERYONE (so they at least got some of that action). They were yummy. Yes, I had some too.

On Saturday we drove up to Chadron to do their Easter egg hunt there. They were held at the ball fields and unbeknownst to me, the age cutoff was 10. Mr. Fantastic feigned ignorance and participated anyway (against my counsel, I should note). He scored a $20 gift card to a gas station(thanks for paying for gas, Buddy) and loads of candy. He also got a coupon from the vision center for $5 off. Convenient because Popeye needs to go buy some contacts. Ha! See where disobedience gets you? I took Thor to his field and he was so cold that he went pretty slow. He got enough to make him happy, though. Popeye had Grand Duchess and he reported that when the siren from the police car sounded (to signal the "GO"), she stopped dead in her tracks and held her ears. She didn't get very much.
But that's okay because then we went down to our town and participated there. It was wonderful! Almost every single egg had a piece of paper in it with a number on it. You take that number to the gazebo and get your prize. Princess Monkey Eyes scored the best with about 15 prizes ranging from sidewalk chalk and pinwheels to coloring books and puzzles. Some of the eggs even had 50 cent pieces in it. Optimus Prime came home with an extra $4!!! (And Thor really realized what was happening and had no problem moving a little faster that time around.)
All the kids were super happy about that day. Some of them got free ice cream cones while others got free bowling games. Unfortunately, Mr. Fantastic missed out on THAT fun, too, because of his age. (I think it's lame, personally. I think if they're in elementary school, they should be able to participate. But whatever.) His siblings shared with him (with some coersion from me) and he was reminded of our own hunt that would be happening.

Sunday the kids woke up to filled Easter buckets and new church clothes. I made ties for the boys from a tutorial I pinned (found here). The ties came out great! I used coordinating fabrics from the girl's dresses, my skirt and another fabric to link us all together. This tutorial is for a little boys' tie. I should have really looked more closely at the words in the title "Little Boys Tie" because it really is for a littler boy. My older boys had really short tails in the back to keep them the length they needed to be. It was funny trying to tie them. I also made a tie for Popeye. (pinned here). This father's day tie was deceiving as well. It was WAY too short on Popeye. So, for future reference, I'll use the fathers day tie for the older boys and just buy Popeye's ties from now on. He wore an orange one he had that somewhat coordinated with the rest of us. :)
After church, Popeye took the kids for a drive while I hid prizes and eggs around the back yard. The Easter Bunny doesn't come to our house, the kids know it's me. And I'm fine with that. :) I texted Popeye to come home and then Grand Duchess got to start first. About 20 seconds later Thor took off and then the older kids after him. Princess Monkey Eyes saw some in the tree and managed to get one but spent so much time jumping and crying that she missed out on so many more. I finally realized what was going on and grabbed the other two for her. But the damage had been done, the older brothers had cleaned up the yard. :) I found a few more for her and she ended up finding a watch for her that helped lessen the blow.
The kids had a fun Easter. I should note - they weren't allowed to participate unless they could tell me why we really celebrate Easter in a private conversation. So they know. I wanted to do all of it on Saturday so we could focus on the true meaning on Sunday, but Popeye insisted that we needed to have some sort of leverage for good behavior during church. ah well...

Anyway. Easter was wonderful. I taught the lesson in Relief Society on the immortality of the spirit. I was able to touch base on our Savior's resurrection during it. I love the feeling I get when I think of the Savior and His love.
It was a wonderful weekend. The kids went back to school yesterday and now I'm just recovering by picking up hidden candy wrappers and broken plastic eggs and vacuuming up the pieces of grass.
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend as well.

My nails are incredibly soft and brittle (if those two could even be categorized together). They constantly break and chip and once they get to that pretty stage, they break again. I tried using that technique of putting a teabag over the breaking point to help strengthen it and it just didn't work. Do any of you have this problem?
Well, I FIXED my problem!!! Seriously, for a few bucks, I've enjoyed break-free nails for 2 weeks now! I'm SO HAPPY!!!
check my nails now!

Yes, my pointer finger is short - but it had broken off (below the cuticle line) just before I started using this *miracle* product. My nails NEVER get this long! I actually had to trim them 2 days ago.

This is the product.  I bought it at WalMart a couple of weeks ago. You rub it into your nails & cuticles 3 times a day (or more, if you prefer). That's it. I figured I sit at my computer at least 3 times a day, so I keep it here on my desk and rub it in.

On Friday I hit my pinky nail on something. You know when you hit it just right and your nail bends below the curve in your nail line? You know how more often than not your nail will break or chip because of that hit? Well, that happened to me. I yelled out in pain and looked down fully expecting to see my nail gone & blood in its place. But no, it wasn't gone. It wasn't even chipped!

A miracle, I tell you!

So - if you suffer from brittle nail syndrome like I did - you may just want to go and pick some of this stuff up! It smells like cherry almond (not the best scent to me, but way better than some).

On another note.

Thursday night Maddie went into heat. Lovely. So, to keep her from bleeding all over our new carpet, she's been exiled to the outdoors. She's so confused as to why she can't come inside. So yesterday Popeye put a pull-up on her and she looked utterly rediculous. I'm thinking she was rather humiliated, too.  so, she just has to stay outside. Poor thing, but the weather isn't too cold and she's got all that fur - I'm not worried. However, she DOES like to bark at things now. And dogs barking at 3 a.m. don't go over well with me or the neighbors.

So last night, I put the baby gate up in the kitchen and left her in there (blood is WAY easier to clean off of laminate than carpet) and went to bed. I woke up this morning to let her out and come to see ...

SHE HAD THE RUNS!!!

Yes, my friends, my dog pooed ALL. OVER. the kitchen floor. It was THE nastiest thing I have EVER had to clean up in my whole entire life! I don't lose my stomach to many things, but it took everything inside of me to keep it together while I cleaned.

So gross.

So she's exiled (again) to the yard. This time until her menstrual cycle is completely done (about 2 more weeks) and she's not to be allowed in for ANYTHING.  (And I'm not even sure her diarrhea and period are connected in any way - but still, I'm not going to risk it.)

If it's raining then she can go in the dog house (which she hates) or under the porch (which doesn't have too much protection from the north). It's her call. But she can't be pooing and bleeding all over my kitchen floor again. I'm not mad at her for the fact that she had the runs. It's not her fault. But she could've barked to let us know she needed out. Her bark is LOUD and i know I would've heard it during the night. But she didn't. So that's why I'm mad at her.

Oh well. Moving on.

Have you ever seen "The Passion of the Christ"?  Popeye and I saw it when it was in theaters (I know it's rated R - go ahead, judge me). We loved it. It moved me in a way that I've never been moved before (spiritually).  Well, popeye bought it a couple of weeks ago.  He wants to show it to the kids tonight for FHE. He wants them to know just how brutal Jesus' last days were.

I can't do it. I can't show that to my little babies. The older boys could PROBABLY handle it but there's no way I can show it to the rest. I have to track down the Church's resurrection video to replace that tonight. (I also want to watch the movie one more time before commiting to showing it to the older boys.) So, yeah, that's that.

Conference this weekend was awesome, no?  I can apply so many of the talks to me and my little family. I have to be better. Was there any one speaker that resonated with you? Not me.

I started Rushfit last week. It's kicking my butt. But in a majorly good way. None of that high-impact jumping stuff that Insanity brings and none of the fancy equipment that P90X needs. Strictly a set of weights and some awesome moves that seem to fly by. Check it out if you're interested. It's pretty cool stuff.

I guess that's it. Until next time... stay strong!