Organized-Clean Garage

We decided to clean out the garage yesterday. I should of taken a before picture BUT I would of been way too embarrassed. The little stand in the middle is just holding a radio, so that is gone. We pulled the shelves out, vacuumed up the cobwebs and bugs-you could eat off the floor now. Please pray that it stays this way :)

This is Brian's work bench area and I don't think it has EVER been this clean. Luke's ball bag is sitting on top of it but that is because we need Luke to go through that tomorrow.

After a long days work, Connor and Brian enjoy a steak out on the deck.

Another Bag

This is supposed to be a mesh looking shopping bag. As you fill it, it will stretch out and you will see the mesh look. I thought it looked so cute that I didn't want to fill it up and stretch it out. It is a little smaller because I didn't have the correct yarn but I just wanted to see if I could read a pattern. I Can!!!!

Another look at the bag....can't wait to try this with my "Plarn"--I am just lovin' the crochet thing.

Busy hands have happy hearts...

We Survived

The first week of school is behind us. It isn't actually a "first week" if you ask me because they only went for 3 1/2 days. I had a Football meeting, 8th Grade Parent Meeting, and a head shaving to get through this week. Connor decided to support his friend Walt, who has cancer, and shave his head with this support symbol on the back. There are quite a few of the boys who did it and I actually LOVE Connor with a buzz!!!

He always wore his hair like this until about 3rd grade. He did make the comment that he loves getting out of the shower and just having to dry it and off he goes.

BALD is BEAUTIFUL !!

1st Day of School

Connor did not want to have anything to do with getting his picture taken before his last/first day of Middle School. He is an 8th grader this year so it is his last time he will have a first day of school there. In Connor's words "you are so gay, Mom". Yesterday we went through all the art work and what not that I have saved from preschool-to now, to minimize the boxes down to 2. We did it but it was so fun, watching Connor remember things he did and to see how little his hand was in Kindergarten BUT he couldn't understand why I kept so much......memories, I told him and again "you are so gay, Mom". My baby is growing up :(

I captured another photo without him knowing. It looks like he is moving out. That is ALOT of school supplies. The majority of that is Kleenex-5 boxes.

Then there is Luke, who is rushing me, saying "Mom, hurry up we need to get a picture with Criddle before my 1st day". This is Luke's last/first day of Elementary, he is a BIG 5th Grader this year, which makes me even more sad. He is not my baby anymore :(

My School Promise by unknown
Each day I'll do my best
And I won't do any less.
My work will always please me,
And I won't accept a mess.
I'll color very carefully,
My writing will be neat.
And I will not be happy,
Till my papers are complete.
I'll always do my homework,
And try my best on every test.
I won't forget my promise,
To do my very best!

I found this poem when we were going through Connor's school stuff, yesterday.

Another of Amy's Original's #4

This isn't a great picture but I experimented with this and crocheted a handle on to it. It is made out of Target bags, about 6-8 inches deep and very cute. I only wish I could get ahold of some colored bags-blue-red-green-WHATEVER, so if you are reading this please be on the look out.

In between my crocheting, I baked 16 dozen cookies, including oatmeal, chocolate chip, and peanut butter chocolate chip. Just to continue tooting my own horn, there was 4 loads of laundry, mixed in there somewhere plus a trip to Target for some last minute school stuff. This all was on Saturday with the morning starting off at the Doctor with Connor(nothing major) and a poster making at Connor's School.

So that leaves Sunday, in which we went to Church, and relaxed the entire day. Ha-Ha!!!

DETERMINATION

Saturday morning, I took Connor and Luke to a poster making activity for a classmate of Connor's who has cancer. The young man's name is, Walt, and he enjoys all the things Connor does, football, basketball, friends and so on........He has 42 chemo-treatments ahead of him and they will be once a week on Fridays down at the University of Iowa Hospitals. Each Friday there will be a poster put in his yard as a reminder that he has support from his classmates and families, then after 42 weeks all 42 posters will be put in his yard celebrating his final Chemotherapy treatment.

This event was held in the cafeteria at the Harding Middle School. It would of brought you to tears to see boys, who are growing into men, always out playing sports and being boys, sitting down and being creative on paper, for a cause greater than a baseball-basketball or football championship BUT to show support and to cheer on a fellow classmate during a tough time. I didn't bring my camera so you could see these posters BUT they were truly amazing. The boys laughed through this also thinking of fun times, inside jokes, and the continuous memories they will have with Walt in the future.

Please put Walt, his Family and all of his classmates in your prayers. I know Connor has had alot of questions for me concerning cancer, chemotherapy and it is the first time he has had a classmate be sick, with a tough road ahead.

"The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in determination."

Nature Walk

Luke asked if I would go on a nature walk with him in our cul-de-sac because there was alot going on with "tons of butterflies" and what not out and about. Luke is a very inquisitive kid and has millions of questions about everything stored in that little head of his.

Cool Spider

Beautiful Butterfly

Unique Plant/Flower

Buzzing Bee

Dainty little creature

Grasshopper looking for lunch :)

Grasshopper waiting for the mail

Japanese Beetles having a little party

I hope you enjoyed the walk as much as Luke and I did!!

A flower is an educated weed.

Amy's Original's #3

My 3rd Plarn bag. This one is smaller, about 12 in. wide and 14 in. tall. It's cute. I am finally getting ahold of some colored bags, I acquired a purple, red and green so far.

I went to see my Doctor today because I have a few swollen lymph nodes behind my ear, and it is nothing but they hurt. Anyway, when the Nurse came and took me into my room, she said, "before we start the ladies up front want to know about your bag." So, before you know it I had the office ladies and two other nurses in my examining room, so I could explain my Plarn bag. Dr. Nelson, comes in and said "What is going on, is there some kind of an emergency." No, just discussing grocery bags and how to make them into plarn. When I get a few bags finished they want me to bring them in to purchase. So, I was the culprit in putting them 15 minutes behind schedule, so if you had an apt. today I apologize.

I am so amazed at the interest in this bag of mine.

I'm not messy....I'm creative !

Bug Fettish

The world is always in movement.

I was outside, on the deck today, and I came across this little critter. It was just hanging out on one of the patio chairs. So, of coarse I had to snap a few pics of it. They do have really beautiful wings, if you look at them closely.

Look at its big eyes, and its little critter paws.

Luke has been sick, with some kind of "bug", pardon the pun :) since Saturday, Connor started 8th Grade Football Camp yesterday, and is sore from that, so I have to find different ways to entertain myself. Just kidding but I do think the boys have changed my view on bugs because we have went on bug hunts since they were little.

Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.

The BIGGEST hornet EVER!!

At the picnic, last night, I ran into this little critter. It is a hornet and it was, and successfully moved this locust into its hole. These hornets build nests under ground, you can see the pile of dirt, next to where the hole is.

Locust are a good size little creature so look at this hornet compared to the locust. It is on top of it in this photo.

I was so intrigued by this Hornet and watching it move the locust that I missed half the ballgame, I think. Then before you know it the locust was gone and so was the hornet-right down the hole.

Baseball Picnic

We had Connor's end of the year baseball picnic last night. It was a beautiful night for a picnic. The picture above, is the gift that we gave to their Coach. I thought it was very cool. They had a weird season, with the flood, all of the rain, Coach's place of employment flooded, kids on the team homes being flooded, it seemed like they had more games cancelled than they actually played.

After the picnic, we had the parents against the boys, for a baseball game. It was fun, of coarse I was the official photographer :) This is a great picture because it is everyone giving high fives after Brian just cracked one out of the ball park. Jerad pitched, one ball, Brian got ahold of it and it went flying and I mean over the trees and who knows where. Connor and Luke thought their Dad was pretty cool.

Here is Luke pitching to his brother. All I heard Connor say was that he couldn't strike out, with Luke pitching. Luke wasn't feeling well all day BUT when it comes to baseball he will try to play regardless of how he feels.

This was a great way, for the Team, to end their season together.

Another-Amy's Originals

Here is the latest Plarn bag. I just finished it and it is SOLD.

Criddle, our cat, loved this bag. The entire time I was making it she would jump in it and fall asleep. The boys thought I should keep it for a bed for her. So, now I have to work on a PLARN basket for Criddle.

"Cats Leave Paw Prints On Your Heart"

Farmers Market

Went to the Farmers Market, on Saturday, with my friend Kim and my parents. It was a beautiful morning and just a fun morning to be out. I saw so many people, I knew, so it was nice chatting with everyone. I also received many compliments on my PLARN bag.

Speaking of seeing people, I had to catch this group in a photo just to post on my blog:). Karoline, who is sticking her tongue out, is a blogger, and she knows where this picture will end up. Thank you Karoline for posing:) Then there is Betty trying to cover up the tongue of her daughter, along with Karen and Kim. I was soooo excited to see Kim because I haven't seen her since our knitting days. See the stroller, there is the CUTEST baby ever, LuLu, in there. Sorry I didn't get a picture of her, I am sure she is nothing like her mother and would of smiled for the camera:)

"Summer fun creates lasting memories."

Plarning around

I told the boys that I would take them fishing, if I could sit and crochet with my Plarn.  I need to get some bags done, for people.  So, they agreed...YAH!!!  We took Matt, a friend of Luke's and then met Blake, Cole and their Dad, Mike out at Palo Lake.  This was my view as I sat and crocheted.

    Luke didn't last long fishing, he decided he was going to catch craw-dads.  He also caught a frog, so he was happy.

Here is my progress on my bag.  It was such a beautiful day to sit out by the water and crochet!!

I Love this picture where they are all sitting\standing on this dock.

Here are a few more fun pictures:)

 

"Childhood instills in us a great love of the earth."

Haircut and Color Day

I went to a different Hair Stylist today to get my hair cut, colored and highlighted. It is actually my friend Kim's daughter, Candice. She works at Posh Salon and Spa. I actually love it and I like how the back lays down so nice BUT do you think it will look like this tomorrow? Let me answer that for you-NO!!! I really dream of having my own personal hair-stylist, so everyday I would look like I do when I leave the Salon :). Is that really too much to ask for??

Here is a great quote for how I feel some mornings:

"Beautify America. Wear a hat!"

Birthday Sleepovers

""Ask the Young: they know everything!""
Luke went to a Birthday Sleepover Party on Monday night. When he arrived home on Tuesday morning, I asked Denise what time they went to bed. Reply2-3a.m. Well, we all know our children think they know everything at such a young age. I said to Luke "you will need a nap later." His reply "Mom, I will not, you don't know!!" Well, my camera caught it all. He fell asleep around 3p.m. and woke up around 6p.m. and was back to sleep by 10p.m.

Actually, I was a little surprised that Luke fell asleep because he is always on the go like the energizer bunny.

""A child is the greatest joy,the ultimate Blessing"."
Author: Emily Laughton