Starting to get ready

With the end of the school year and having to get ready for two parties. I have alot to get done. Since the weather has turned nice I have not really done to much crafting. But since I am having a 10th birthday party for Makayla on July 10th and a graduation party for Maranda and David on July 12th plus with a big race to go to on July 11th, I really need to get working on things. Heres some of the things I have gotten done last night and today.

This fleece rag garland will be used at the concession stand for Makayla's birthday party which is a Hannah Montana drive-in party. This will also be used on the girls Christmas tree in thier room.

Post-it note holders for kids teachers for end of the year gifts and for some of the staff as remember me gifts from David, I made 12 all together tonight, most were smily faces since most of the staff calls David "Mr. Smiley" since that's all he seems todo this year. He has matured so much this year and has become a great student. I guess 6th grade has agreed with him. During Easter break the kids made polymer clay shapes.

This one is for David's main teacher, he alway's comments when she gets new shoes. He also has two aids in his classroom.

This is for Makayla's teacher

This is Kenny's teachers. She loves fishing. She has organized the 4th grade fishing derby since she started teaching many years ago. My brother had her for a 4th grade teacher about 25 years ago. She is retiring this year. I would have loved for Makayla to have her as a teacher

This is fabric that I spray bottle tye-dyed pink and purple today. I did alot of it. It will be used for Makayla's birthday banner, and goodie bags. Which I will work on tomorrow as well as her pinta, which was going to be a guitar, but I am having trouble keeping the base together so I am making a disco ball instead.

Spending the day with my not so baby boy

I learned something yesterday, my baby boy is no longer wants to be my baby. I love all my kids but for some reason Kenny has always been the one that I have a very special relationship with, he has always been my baby, my cuddle bug and a big mommy's boy. I still get hugs and once in awhile I hear mommy from him, but like Maranda and David he is starting to grow up and wants to be on his own. Yesterday I got to spend the whole day with him, when he would be around me that was. They held their 4th grade Fishing Derby and grade level picnic yesterday. He had fun fishing with his friends and this group of friends had all the girls surrounding them. It was so funny to see. His teacher was telling me that the girls all flock to this group of 5 boys. She said in her 30 years of teaching 4th grade it has been this bad. She also told me all the girls cling to Kenny like they did my brother over 20 years ago when she had him in her class. Of the group of 5 boys 4 of them play all the sports they play together. Kenny did come over to me at one point and said mom lets go find a quiet place to eat lunch. Since it was their day they could eat at any time. I went to the car to get our lunches and we found a nice place under a tree to eat lunch. We talked and ate. One of his friends came over he was eating with his dad (whom happens to be my boys baseball coach), his friend was taking a picture of Kenny on his Cell phone. Next thing I know Kenny is taking his phone out of his pocket and doing the same thing. I told Kenny he isn't supposed to have his phone at school and he said his teacher didn't care as long as they were off, during school. I guess you are someone important to be carrying a cell phone in 4th grade. Many of the kids didn't catch fish but that's alright. Many got bored with fishing and there were a few kickball and baseball games going on around the pond grounds. They had fun. They went back to school where they had ice cream sundaes supplied by a local Ice cream shop that the owners have a daughter in their grade. Which is the same girl that is just in love with my Kenny. She is the one that is always bringing him coupons for free ice cream cakes when ever she is at their shop. Her mom had me bring the kids over to have their had prints on the wall. They are having kids that come in add their hand prints to be like a boarder around the shop. When I took the kids in their daughter was there and they put their hand prints next to each other. It is cute.

Also the boy Josh that he played football with last year that is sick, can no longer attend school. My best friend has one son in 4th grade and was at the Fishing derby yesterday she called Josh and told him that Kenny was there and Josh walked down to see Kenny and fish with him. I was so proud of my baby boy, he told his other friends that he wanted to spend some time with Josh and they went and found a quiet spot to fish and talk. They talked about how he has the new tumors, and the next upcoming surgeries. How Josh felt in general. Kenny told me that Josh is really scared this time. He just thinks they are going to keep coming back. They also made plans to get together before he has the next surgery next month, Kenny promised to come see him in the hospital again. When it was time for the kids to return to school Kenny went over to Josh before he left and gave him a hug and told him he was praying for him everyday. And promised that I would take him over to see Josh soon. When I got to the school for the afternoon concert Kenny said he wanted me to sign him out after. He also told me he cried for Josh on the way back to school. He later told me the whole conversation they had. But he was happy that they had it.

Also last night was the last concert of the year. And his last string concert. After much debate and thinking he has decided hes giving up the Cello and joining band and he is also joining chorus. This past Monday they had band try outs and he was chosen to play Saxophone, his second choice was percussion but the band director saw his long fingers and didn't even let him try out for percussion. His fingers are perfect for Sax. He is happy.


Kenny after the concert

Another after the concert look at the shirt

Kenny and Marcus(one of his best friends) before the start with band in back and some of the chorus on side

Another of the boys

Kenny getting mad at me for taking too many pictures of him.

Makayla having to jump in one picture with Kenny at least I got her to stop giving him bunny ears and loser sign, but didn't realize she was sticking out her tongue in this one

The two boys share music during concerts and they had dropped it off the music stand Kenny's trying to get them back in order

Before entering the school. Shirt all nice and tucked in. He is such a cutie, especially when I get him out of the jeans and tee-shirts. The sun was in his eyes and he wanted to get inside to visit before they had to be in thier seats. That's my boy for you.

Racers are one big family

A week ago this past Saturday during practice one of the racers throttle stuck open and he crashed very hard into the wall in turn one. The walls have foam against them at the turns but when you hit the wall going 100-130mph, the car just moves the foam and your in the wall. We happen to sit at the first turn every weekend best place to sit at the track so this happened right in front of us. He hit the wall at full speed, his car flipped a couple of times. His car is trashed. He has many broken bones but still waved to the crowd as he was put the ambulance, to show he was still with us, he has had a couple of surgeries to date and still will have more and a very extended hospital stay, and after a long recovery. It was mentioned on one of the racing sites that the drivers should do a helmet pass to help with money for this driver and his long recovery. The next day it was announced from the track fan club that there would be a helmet pass inbetween heats and feature races this past Saturday. This borrowed picture from the fan club is of the drivers of the Super Modified, and Small Block Supers crossing the front of the track, for the helmet pass. There may not look like a lot of fans in the stands but this is a very small section of the stands and it is very loud under there many sit in the open stands. Also this is sometimes the only time that fans get to see the drivers that they watch and cheer for every week. As some don't venture to the pits after the races are over. My mom watched the races this past weekend from the tower so she was standing near the front pit stairs waiting for my brother to come up to give him her money. There was a boy standing near her waiting for the driver of the #23 to come into the stands. He is his favorite racer, and wanted to give just him his money. My mom told him that she would make sure he found him. The boy was amazed my mom was a raceing mom. It was very cute. He was so happy that my brother took the time to talk to him and took a picture with him. Jay invited him down to the pits to come sit in his car after the races. When he came down he got to sit in the car, get an autographed picture and some #23 tattoo's. He also got pictures taken of himself in the car. Kids love when the drivers let them sit in thier cars. I think at least one of my kids have sat in every car at the track. Anyways the fans gave a total of $4200.00 during pass the helmet for the injured driver. Which will be a great help to them.
Jay didn't do to well this week. He spun out in his heat all on his own. Bent the nose of his car. Got it fixed and during his feature got put into the inside hub by a rookie driver that shouldn't be on the track at all. He couldn't race a super stock, or SBS so we don't understand why he thinks he can race a Super. The way he hit him he knew that Jay was there, that means we went down in point standings a few positions. Plus about $3000.00 worth of damage, many hours in the garage to get the car on the track this coming weekend. But on a happy note Great Job Dave G. on three for three wins in the SBS think your going to make your years goal of track champion. Were rooting for you weekly.

Girlscouts and another racing picture

I wanted to post this picture during my last post but for some reason didn't. On May 21st our Girl Scout Service unit had thier bridgeing ceremony. Which for a Girl Scout is a big thing. I remember as a girl crossing that bridge. A few years ago Maranda did. Maranda stayed in Girl Scouts to earn her Bronze Award in Junior Girl Scouts and was no longer interested. That's ok. This year was Makayla's turn. Although she may not have the chance to be a Junior Girl Scout due to her great troop not having a leader. The leaders daughter is no longer interested in Girl Scouts. She has asked many of us to step up since we all help at the meetings. I would love to do so but with 4 kids that have me running in 4 different directions usually 7 days a week. I don't have the time do do so. We do have one mother thinking about it due to she does not want to see these 16 girls splitting up they all have become very good friends. Also she knows that all mothers will help out. Here is the only semi-good picture I got from that night. My girl crossed the bridge so fast. This is when she was being greeted by the existing Junior girl scouts of another troop. Another mother has some pictures that she has to email me when she gets a chance to.
On one of the racing sites I visit he does a thread called "What do you Say" or something like that. I loved this weeks one. So I borrowed the picture from Pinners site. The middle one is Jay. Knowing him this is what I say.

"All we need is duct tape and zip ties and we will have this fixed in no time" "Also Jay either put on that hat of yours or get the duct tape and zipties to take care of that receiding hair line" I think this is a first pic I have seen in along time with out a hat.

Jay thinks that everything can be fixed with duct tape and zip ties. His last year racing Super Stocks (NASCAR like) by the end of the season his car was held together with duct tape and zipties. I don't think this picture was taken at our local track. I know the driver on the left but the one on the right I just don't know. Also the back ground is different, I just can't tell in the picture if the car is sporting a wing or not.

Record bowls and other random stuff

Let me first off say that this post is very picture heavy, I uploaded the last months worth of pictures this morning and there were a few I wanted to share.

My babies 10th birthday is on June 23rd, she decided she wants a Hannah Montana drive in movie theme for her birthday. Between Makayla, Kenny and myself we have came up with a great birthday party. We were looking online at different things and she said mom you can make this and that better than you get when we buy the stuff. I have been looking at record bowls for awhile now on Etsy and Ebay, those things go for $10.00 to $25.00 a piece. I have thought about buying a couple anyways since I will use them for different things. The other night I was getting ready to buy a couple and Makayla said no mom find out how to make them. So google we go. I had 9 of my old records in the garage. My mom is going to look for the rest of them. She thinks they are in the barn. I ended up making 9 record bowls in 20 mins. Here are a few of them.

Memorial weekend my parents and brothers were camping at a local campground here in town. Kenny wanted to fish these are three of the fish he caught and released. The only way my kids will fish. He was so proud of himself as was his dad. This was his last and the biggest he caught.

This was his second and when they decided to get pictures

Think that this is the same fish as above

Here is the poppet I made for my niece Kali for part of her birthday gift on the day of her party since I had already given her a cheerleading bear on her birthday.

On May 16th & 17th Maranda went on her 8th grade trip to Buffalo and Niagara Falls on the States side. Although she had fun she wished they went into Canada because it is much prettier to see the falls. They did go on the Maid of the Mist (which she hasn't done since she was 5) Went in the cave of the winds which she had never done. Buffalo Navel Yard she had never done. Buffalo Zoo which we do try to visit at least once every other year. It's a 2 1/2 hour drive for us.

This is the Navel ship they toured at the Navel Yard.

This peacock was sitting outside of the zoo, she texted me and told me it escaped from the zoo. I guess it happens alot with this fella

She took this picture from the bus. The Maid of the Mist is in the water. She said as soon as she saw the rainbow bridge she had to take a picture of it just for me. I hate bridges they scare me to death. Even our local ones when I get stuck on the middle of them. This bridge, one in Ohio and one in Florida are the worst. I really hate going into Canada on a very busy day because we are stuck on the bridge for up to 30 mins.

What we have been doing

Yep you guessed it spending time at the speedway. It's that time of year for us. Tonight was the second race of the season which was supposed to be the third. But due to first race being rain out, it didn't happen. This picture is actually from last weekends MSA race, Jay finished third which was great. He was the first Oswego regular to cross the finish line. Which was a great accomplishment. This is his third year racing this division and every time he straps a wing on his car he gets better and better. Tonight was a non wing show which most are due to something breaking in the rear of his car he was not able to compete in his heat race so he started 21 out of 22 cars his finish was 10th place, he had 9th till the last second of the race he backed off a little because he was heading into the rear of another driver. The driver next to him knew he was backing off so he went for it. He also did a great job of avoiding wrecking his car tonight. A car he couldn't pass thru out most of the race spun right in front of him, Jay's nose was heading right for the spun cars nose and he did a great job of getting his car out of that situation within inches of a terrible crash.

Makayla was supposed to end year round cheer this past Friday, but that isn't happening now. Since they have over 100 new cheerleaders signed up for regular season in all different age groups the cheer-coordinator wants the year round squad to show their stuff with their competition cheer at the parents meeting on July 30th. Regular season starts the first week of August so these girls are going to be practicing and cheering all the way until the end of October now and then all year cheer will start up again somewhere between November and January. Talk about commitment, this is it.

I have a few birthday presents to get done this coming week so will post pictures when they are done. First set has to be finished tomorrow by 1:00 and I am no where near done.

Finally made a poppet

I love craftster.org A member Ghille came up with a poppet pattern that she shares. There are now hundreds of poppets around. I have only had the pattern for a little less than a year now. I don't understand where my time goes that I can never do anything that I want todo when I want to. But anyways during Spring Break Makayla and I got the pattern out of my book and went to work. We did an ok job on her. Makayla loves to design clothes for her whom we have named the model. I haven't taken any pictures of her yet so can't post her yet.

We decided that poppets are going to be birthday presents this year. But I decided that I wanted 4 of my own done in things that my children love. Here is the first one. That Kenny has claimed as his own. I told him that I was going to tell all his friends that he had a doll. He doesn't care because he will show all his friends his doll. So now Boogalou Bob which is what Kenny named him has a home on Kenny's football shelf. Of course Bob is a Football player.

First picture is Bob with a picture of my football player Kenny

This is him with his helmet in his lap

Just hanging out on the couch, Hmm same number as Kenny

The back of him, I don't know how I missed his shirt was that way when I took the picture

Helmet on ready to go on the field

He is made from tan flannel, his hair is strips of brown wool felt sewn on in strips and cut. His clothes are a little big but at some point I would like to make pads to put under the clothes. I think he turned out pretty good, and I know I will get better at making them

Lets go racing

It's that time of year. Racing time. Oh how I love the smell and sound of racing. This Saturday is the first race of the year which I will be missing since Miss Makayla has her hotel night with girl scouts. Of course Mom has to go. The worst part is that I am going to be so close to the track to hear them but far enough away to not smell them. Theres just something of the smells of burning tires and menthol that gets me. And I'm not the only one in my family that thinks so. We all do. In the past 13 years racing has become a part of our lifes. Thanks to my brother Jay. First motocross, and then dirt racing, and for the past 6 years its been asphalt. For three years it was a Super Stock, now in the third year of the Supermodified. First year "Rookie of the Year" and top ten in points, Second year a couple of heat wins, also a couple of close trying to win first race, plus top 4 in points. This third year Jay's wishes are a few feature wins under his belt and top three in points. We all know he can do it. Last year he came in second place for one race and everyone kept coming up to him you would have thought he got first place. He felt like he did. That night the winner of the race was a first time race winner and it was great. Jay kept saying I just couldn't get around you. The other driver said I knew you were right there and kept telling myself he's going to get around me.

Jay good luck this season and will you get that feature win. Sick of spending my money to watch you loose. No only joking

You Rock!

Yesterday David came home from school and told me that he got another award at school. Then Kenny walked in the door and said mom I got an award at school, Makayla came in and said mom I got a hand in school today. Our school district has 4 expectations of the kids in schools. They are awarded for following these, with special days called PBIS days. There is no teaching on those day they can do different activities through out school. The favorite this year has been Rock Band in the gym. You have to earn the right to participate in these days. They start by taking away 10 mins at a time and in 10 weeks you can loose your whole day. The kids are told as well as parents are informed that your child has not earned the day. These children are to sit in the office and do work all day (although most stay home.) They also have a passport that the kids carry around school all day. If they are caught following the expectations 20 times they get a free trip to the school store. A teacher initials and puts the number of the expectation they observed. Once a month they give shout outs to the top 20 children that had the most passports filled in that month.
There expectations are:
Be Respectful
Be Responsible,
Be a Problem Solver
Be Safe

I wanted to take a picture of the award since I can't hook my scanner up to this computer, but my camera batteries got left in and are now dead and of course they were the last of my batteries. But the award says:

YOU ROCK!

This certificate is presented

in honor of your being

Respectful, Responsible,

a Problem Solver and Safe.

Lanigan Elementary

It is signed and dated by the principal

They also brought home cut out hands with their names on them. Makayla didn't understand why she didn't get the certificate because she always follows the rules and never has gotten in to trouble. But she was happy she got a hand. David has made all monthly morning shoutouts. Kenny and Makayla have made quite a few also.

But David really makes me proud. This boy has grown up so much this past year, not only at school but at home also. They have started him in regular 6th grade classes a couple of weeks ago and he is enjoying them very much. His teacher said that in her classroom 12:1:1 he has made very good friends this year as he has in the other regular 6th grade classes. She said that she picks them up from lunch or he comes back from his specials and he is always with a group of kids laughing and talking away. When I went to parent/teacher conferences last week I couldn't believe how many people told me that he has turned into a very liked, very mature, very polite young man. This from the kid that they made me have a psychological evaluation last year because he was trying to hurt him self and was suspended from school three times in the beginning of last year. But then turned around and one year ago this month he was named one of 54 Students of the Year out of the 4000 in the school district. I just hope his Jr. High and High School years are going to be as easy.

Cheerleading

Makayla is doing year round competitive cheerleading this year. Last night was the first practice I was able to attend due to my work schedule. It was different then last year that's for sure. They were teaching the girls basket throws last night. As well as getting bases and flyers familar with each other due to some of the girls know each other and others don't because they are different age groups now. Also because each coach has a different way of coaching they have to get all the girls on the same track. My niece wants to be a flyer so bad. Last night they were going over everything while she was a flyer, I thought I had time to run to the bathroom before she was done. Well I didn't. During a drink break she comes over to me "Aunt Kimmy did you see my basket toss?" No I didn't. Makayla said they did it as soon as I walked out of the room. Oh well I know that I will see it.

This picture is from last years competition, not a good picture because we were so high up and they were on the floor. My mom has my disk that we bought that has the close up pictures of the girls. They really didn't compete because of their ages but what they do is have the non-competes in the morning and the competition in the afternoon that way the girls are used to doing it and learn rules and such. I think that is is when they were getting ready for the dance part.

This is Makayla and Kali(niece) the day before competition right before the game, it looks like they are doing coin toss. They both look so clean I know that neither was when I picked Makayla up that day because Kenny's game was away and Makayla stayed with my SIL and they went to a mud bog race at the fire department right after, their game.

Just another picture of Makayla during the first part of the game when I came to tell her that we were leaving to go to Kenny's game. It was their last regular game of the season. Both Makayla's team and Kenny's team made it to playoffs.

Mom I'm bored

Mom I'm bored is all I heard all morning yesturday. I was having a bad morning as it was. Told the kids to go outside and play. Nope didn't want too. Since there is only a couple more months of school left I thought it was time to start working on end of the year teachers gifts. So got out the poylmer clay and let the kids go to it. This is only part of what were doing but will wait until another time to finish up need to get the rest of the supplies first.

This first picture is the stuff that Kenny did I just love it. His teacher loves fishing. I think he was very creative about his stuff

Opps messed up the order of the pictures Kenny Makayla and I all love the food challenge shows we have been watching the Cake Challenge show for the past two weeks so they decided they were going to have a bake off they were timed too 10 mins to make a cake these were their favorites so we had to bake them.

These were other things that were made. The green hearts will be turned into pins for Makayla's girl scout troop. The smiley faces are going to be turned into a "remember me" gift for the school secertary from David. Very few people have made an impression on him and she is one of them. She call's him "Mr. Smiley" the reason for the smiley faces.

Just another picture of the stuff they made. Of course a football and basketball had to end up in there.

Finally the purse that I made for Makayla for Easter I finished it up this morning by lineing it with fleece. She is very into purses at the moment and does not go anywhere with out one.

Easter eggs for Makayla's Girl Scout Troop

I have a new favorite web site http://www.oneprettything.com while trying to come up with something different todo for Makayla's girl scout troop for Easter since making our string eggs turned out a desaster (we now know what we were doing wrong and will retry next year. I found this http://tinydecorblog.com/blog/2009/04/07/tutorial-easy-felt-easter-basket/ and this http://oneinchworld.com/blog/index.php/2009/04/fillable-soft-egg-tutorial/ and here is what I ended up with. The girls loved them.

Now its going to be on to their end of the year gifts. Since next month is the end of the year for them and also the end of Brownies. If Makayla is anything like Maranda these next couple of years will be her last in Girl Scouts.

This is the completed ready to go to girl scouts. Other stuff is Maranda getting ready to make dinner. As soon as she walked in the house I made her stuff the eggs with the candy for me since I was trying to sew the handle on the basket but I kept getting mad at it so said forget it. I will sew it on later for this basket will be used around Easter for other things.

Over veiw of eggs in the basket

Picture of eggs they were all done in pink and purple wool felt. I just love the stuff.

Another picture of the eggs sorry I wanted another picture there but got the wrong ones while uploading.

Just testing

Just testing to see if I can post pictures from this computer. I don't know what I keep doing but I crashed another computer so it is off being fixed when the kid that works on them for me can get to it. He is busy with getting ready for finals. No big deal when ever he gets to it. His payment is just a pan of homemade mac and cheese his request.

This picture was last year leaving the race track not sure if it was a rain out or a practice Makayla and my nefhew both have thier "kids on track" passes on so I think it was the day of the rain out when we decided to wait until it let up and the sun was shinning 20mins after they called the rain out.