Vacations with Teens

Last week we took advantage of some cheap flights and headed to San Francisco with our kids, ages 16 and 14.

Family vacations have always been a high priority for us.  With our varied work schedules, vacation time IS family time.  Kent and I realize that as the kids get older, there won't be as many family vacations in our future with just the four of us.  (Of course we joke that as long as we are paying and the destinations are cool, they will find the time!) 

While Kent and I have been to San Francisco several times, the kids haven't experienced a "city" vacation - no car, no hotel and no "kid" destinations (i.e. amusement park).  It was amazing.  We introduced them to Uber and a studio apartment.

We biked the Golden Gate Bridge.  We toured Alcatraz.  We shopped and ate in Chinatown and Fisherman's Wharf.  We rode the BART and the cable cars.  Yes, it was touristy, but it also was amazing.

When the kids were younger, we thought vacationing with teens would be a drag because they wouldn't want to hang with us.  We were wrong.  We have no physical limitations (they're not too little now and we're not too old yet).  We share the same interests in exploring and seeing interesting places, and the two of them stop bickering just shy of killing each other.

Best of all, by visiting "real" places, we get opportunities to talk about what it's like to be with people and in places that are very different than those they know.  While they don't have to be "of the world," they have to live "in" it. I love the fact that my kids still seek my opinion on things.  I don't know how long that will last, but like our vacations, I will enjoy it while it lasts.

Let's hope that's a good, long time.

cindy 

Potty Training and Algebra

What, might you ask, does one have to do with the other?  Oh, I think, more than you know.  First, they both cause anxiety for kids and parents.  Another is that they involve practicing step-by-step operations.  Third, they both involve crap.

Let me say up front that I don't like algebra.  I didn't like it in the 8th grade when I was expected to teach it to myself.  I didn't like it much as a freshman with Mrs. Huber and I positively hated it in college.  So when my son struggled with 8th grade algebra, I called my husband the "Mathlete" and asked him to step in.  Funny thing for my husband - when you are good at something, it's not always easy to understand another person's inability to "get it."  I now have to relearn it myself.

Potty training this particular child was also difficult.  Why doesn't he get it??  We would go through each step from sensing he had to pee to washing his hands.  It was just too many steps and a lot of bad aim.

So after failing algebra, we knew we had to do something, because as everyone knows, all math classes build from algebra.  We signed Christian up for an online summer school and braced ourselves.  My first shock was to discover that his professor was Mr. Huber.  What?! That was the name of my freshman algebra teacher!  This was going to be scary.

Now into our third week, we are progressing.  Our biggest struggle is getting him to write out the steps to solve equations.  He is good at deciphering in his head, but with multiple computations in algebraic equations, it doesn't work.  He seems determined to do it his way, and I see that obstinate little boy who can't consistently make it to the bathroom.  At least then he didn't give me the backtalk with the stubbornness.  Tonight after our nightly lesson, I asked him why he had to be so stubborn about not doing it the "right way."  He responded that he was just like me.  Ouch.

Maybe that's why I never really "got" algebra.  Maybe this time will be different for me and him.  Hey, we always used to say he would not go to college in diapers and we were right about that.

cindy

Public vs. Charter vs. Private Schools

My son has always been a challenge to educate.  He's a really good boy and very smart, but it's been hard to find a school that is the right fit for him.  We started in our "neighborhood" public school; that is, the default public school.  Kindergarten was fine, but First Grade was a nightmare - a classroom with a loose structure (i.e. group working in "centers") that wasn't suited to a kid with auditory and speech issues.  About this time we also figured out our son had ADHD.

Next step - a "traditional" public school.  A traditional school is a regular public school except the kids wear uniforms and are taught in a more traditional way - desks that face a teacher who centrally presents the lesson from a textbook.  In our case, the "traditional" public school used Saxon math and Spaulding reading methods which were very beneficial for our son.  A kid who could not memorize 15 simple spelling words without a lot of frustration and tears became a great speller because he understood the phonics of the words.  Also, the teaching method was better because it cut out distractions by having only one source of instruction - the teacher.

Fast forward to 5th Grade.  In about 4th grade in our traditional public school, students were learning how to keep a "planner" - an organizer so they can track their assignments.  By the time 5th Grade rolled around, missing assignments counted as a "0" and students had approximately 5 subjects to track.  Executive skills were a must - the ability to prioritize, manage time, synthesize important points and stay organized.  Flat out - he lacked executive skills.  In a classroom with 30 kids even with his 504 accommodation, there was no way the teacher was able to work on these skills.  At the end of 5th Grade, he was failing most classes and convinced he was stupid.  Time for a change.

We made the radical decision to go to a charter school, but not just any charter.  We turned to an online charter school.  It's very close to home schooling, but with a structure of a school (curriculum, grades, lesson plans, etc).  My husband did the day-to-day teaching with the assistance of online lessons.  It was very successful - Christian had good grades and proved to himself that he could be successful in school.  Unfortunately, it was very difficult for my husband who was also trying to work full time, so we just couldn't continue.

This year we are turning to the next school choice option - private school.  Christian is attending a very small Catholic school that uses a "classical" teaching method.  So far we are very impressed with both the quality of the curriculum and the values and sense of community we definitely did not find in public school.  The small class size and the knowledge that he can do the work is motivating him to step up in both his study but also in those organizational skills.  After our experience with online school, we also recognize the importance of understanding exactly what he is learning and how to help him.

I'm so thankful we have so many choices for educating our children.  Not every kid learns the same way, but the only way to get the right education for a child is to keep pursuing what works for him or her.  I sometimes feel like a whiner for complaining about school, but I'm not sorry about advocating for what is best for my son, whether that is public, charter or private school.

Let's see what this year brings.

cindy

The Tooth Fairy and Economies of Scale

What is the going rate for a molar these days?  How about a regular tooth?  If the tooth loser doesn't put the teeth under the pillow, is the Tooth Fairy obligated for "back pay"?  I have been pondering these deep philosophical questions all evening.  I finally did some research with CBS Moneywatch which reported that as of April 2010, the going rate in Manhattan and New Jersey was $5.00 for the first tooth and then $3.00 after that.  In the boonies, the rates are more like $1.00.

My son is currently at a standstill with tooth loss at 12 years old.  It's not that he has all of his permanent teeth, it's because he hasn't lost any molars other than the ones that were pulled for braces.  On the other hand, there is a run on the Tooth Fairy based on my 10 year old daughter's teeth just popping out, including two molars in the last two week.  She hardly thinks about the Tooth Fairy anymore.  I'm not sure whether she gave up after the Tooth Fairy inadvertently left a tooth under the pillow for a day (or two), or whether the Tooth Fairy just doesn't pay enough to make it worth her while.

When I was a kid, the Tooth Fairy paid a standard rate of $0.25 per tooth.  This was an outrageous inflationary rate according to my older siblings, who were lucky to get $0.10.  Cry me a river - gas was $0.32 then too.  Now my kids are not impressed with anything less than $1.00.  Personally, I think the Tooth Fairy's payout is based on her liquidity at the time the tooth is under the pillow.

Tonight I have it on good authority that the Tooth Fairy is feeling both guilty and neglectful for teeth that were left under the pillow or not even offered for her purchase.  Based on that, I think a molar will fetch $5.00 in hard currency (but not gold or silver) this evening.  Lucky for the Tooth Fairy that this kid sleeps so soundly she could use a jack to raise up the pillow, take the tooth and leave $5.00 in singles without interrupting a single snore.

That Tooth Fairy really has a cushy assignment in our house.

cindy

Declutter Challenge - Closet Cleanup

Decluttering is one of my personal New Year's Resolutions and because more than a month of 2013 is behind us, I should be able to report some progress.  Well, it's been slow.  However, I do have some encouraging news to report.  Two recent situations resulted in some significant progress in the kids' rooms.

First, Mackenzie announced she no longer has anything to wear.  While most mothers have heard this cry from their 9 year old, in this case, it's true.  I have a very hard time keeping Mackenzie in clothes.  She is somewhat hard to fit, so clothes shopping is not pleasant.  In addition, when I buy her items, she decides after she has worn it once that "it doesn't fit," "it's too long" "it's too short" "it's itchy" or "I don't like it".  ACK!  It is a huge disincentive to shopping.  You can read more about how we addressed that in my recent post "What Not to Wear".  Despite the fact she had nothing to wear, her drawers were overflowing with clothes.

At the same time, I have a friend who called to see if Christian had some clothes he could "hand down."  Yes!  Christian is exactly the opposite of Mackenzie.  She fluctuates in size about twice a year, while he hasn't grown much in 2 years.  That has been changing for him in the last year or so as he is getting taller.  Now, it seems like the pants/jeans I bought a couple of months ago are ready for the flood.  Shirts, however, stick around a LONG time.  So, it was time for a closet clean out for both of them.

I would like to say I used the opportunity to provide my children with an educational experience in purging, but I'm just not that patient, especially because there was some urgency attached with both rooms.  Also, my kids are natural pack rats (I have no idea where that came from - seriously).  So I pulled out some trash bags and went to work.

It took three full trash bags in each room, but I am happy to say they are decluttered and ready for some new clothes.  I didn't take a picture of the "before" because I needed to get it done, but you can see what it looks like when the only clothes that remain are the ones that fit, you like and are not ruined.

This experiences reminds me once again the same lesson I learn every time I declutter - you can't be sentimental or unrealistic ("I know I will use that sometime.")  If you can't or won't use it now, get rid of it.  Space in your home is valuable and you deserve to live in a clean and orderly space.  I think I'm going to stitch that saying and hang it on the wall.

One baby step at a time . . .

cindy

Contemplate - Living in the Now

Tonight I was going through the photos on our Mac and managed to do a quick trip down memory lane with pictures of my kids.  Mackenzie is now 9 (10 in a couple of weeks) and Christian is 11 (almost 12) {sigh}.  While I looked at pictures from infancy to elementary school, I remembered the times when each one was taken and what I was thinking then.

By the time Mackenzie was 2 and Christian was 4, I remember thinking that they were such big kids and I missed their "babyness".  Now I look at pictures of them at those ages and wish I could reach back in time and smack myself.  Didn't I see how adorable they were?  I also think how "busy" I was (or at least I thought I was) when I was a SAHM.  Some of the cutest pictures were taken while I was trying to take pictures of items to sell on Ebay.  I had to stop and take pictures of them because they wanted to spend time with me.

Today I look at them and still catch myself thinking how their "childhood" is almost gone.  How ridiculous is that??  They still have plenty of "kid time" and I need to enjoy it NOW.  Sure, they were cute back then, but they are still cute now.  Mackenzie asks if we will pay for college, but she doesn't want to go more than a couple of miles away :)  Christian is still creeping into our room at night every once and again.  They are still so innocent and I'm trying to stay in the present to savor every minute.  I wish I had a device to record all the funny things they say.

You know, when you try to drive while constantly looking in the rear view mirror, you are bound to crash into something in front of you - the future.

cindy

My Baby Has Discovered Social Media

As parents, we love to celebrate the milestones of each of our children.  First steps, first day of kindergarten, learning how to ride a bicycle are all scrapbook events.  But for this current generation of kids, technology is the norm and milestones as techies are more common.

My son discovered his newest obsession - Minecraft.  He would play it 18 hours a day if you let him.  If you don't know what Minecraft is, it's a building game where the player can create homes and villages and more, with detailed features like vaulted ceilings, hot tubes and treasure chests.  The weird thing is that the graphics are very crude - all blocks with few pixels.  You can play the game in creative mode or survival mode.  Survival mode includes evil characters, but more importantly, interactive play on the internet.  Enter social media.  He has "met" other players online with very little real interaction, but he looks for his "friends."  He also has his real live friends join him remotely.  Minecraft is not my favorite activity, mostly because of the YouTube videos where older players have live screen shots but commentary that may not be appropriate for children and tweens.  However, if you can avoid YouTube and monitor Minecraft, it's not a bad activity.

When I bought my new cell phone, I had an extra one that my daughter immediately appropriated.  Although it doesn't have phone service (like she wanted), it does have Wi-fi.  Enter Instagram.  Wow - who knew that a 9 year old with a private account could have such a good time!  All her friends have Instagram accounts and they exchange some crazy pictures.  Here's one special one:

I'm relieved to see that all her friends have private accounts too.  It seems as if they can't take enough pictures, even the most mundane:

She does take some good pictures:

But best of all, she has discovered the art of using Instagram to tell the world what she's having for dinner:

I'm so proud of my children's accomplishments - they've discovered social media - in a safe and age appropriate way.

cindy

Family Wedding

Sometimes it's good to go home.  I'm getting to that middle age when you only get to see your extended family at funerals.  Last weekend we traveled to Illinois for a joyous purpose - my brother's wedding.  My four brothers and sisters, husbands and wives as well as most of their children, were there to celebrate.  We are really quite the crowd:

I didn't realize my immediate family was so big until I looked at this picture.  Not only did my immediate family attend, a good number of my cousins with their kids (and a few grandkids) showed up.  I had 23 cousins on my mother's side growing up and counting their spouses, children and grandchildren, there were 21 family members there representing the original 23.  That might not sound like a lot of family members to some people, but my cousins are scattered from Boston to Virginia, from New Orleans to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and everything in between, especially southern Illinois.  The best part?  Because of social media, I feel like I still know what my cousins are doing most of the time.  Gotta love it.

We don't get too many chances these days to gather for occasions like weddings.  My mother was one of five girls and in the last four years, 3 of them have died, including my mother.  It's wonderful to know that even as my mother's generation is waning, their children still enjoy getting together and introducing new members of their families.  How ironic that probably the last wedding of the cousins is my brother's, the oldest cousin.

My kids were very surprised to find out how many "cousins" they have.  Here are the first cousins:

My daughter kept asking how she was related to all the other family she was meeting.  I kept repeating that they were all "cousins," some just farther removed.  During her week in Illinois, she also visited with my husband's family, including "cousins."  After we returned to Arizona, she missed being so far away from her extended family on both sides.  As the unofficial family genealogist, I was thrilled to see both of my children so interested in their family roots.

My cousins used to comment that such a large family came from the five "Wilbourn girls" (my mother and her sisters).  As we get older, our families have become very extended.  My kids and their cousins will now look to the five "Hendricks kids" as their source.

Mom and Dad would be so proud.

cindy

Men's Gifts - Etsy Finds

Last week I posted some ideas for unique Christmas gifts for women you can find on Etsy.  This week I found some cool items for the man in your life - husbands, fathers, sons, even friends and co-workers. This is just a sample of some of the items, but there are many more in lots of categories.  Without further ado, here we go:

Leather Messenger Bag

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Retro-phone I-Phone Dock

                              Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Cufflinks With Swiss Watch Movement

Customized Kindle Cover

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

cindy

Back to School

You would think when you live in one of the hottest places in the United States that schools wouldn't get started until after Labor Day.  Nope.  School started yesterday - it was 114 degrees.

Ahhh, well, summer in Phoenix.  Here are my lovelies on the first day of school:

Can you tell which one is going to a brick and mortar school and which one is going to an online charter school at home?

A year ago I wrote about my son's ADHD and his difficulties in school due to deficits in executive skills.  In January I wrote about how we were trying to address his issues through a 504 plan.  Those two posts basically summarized our difficult experience last year and our attempts at the beginning of the school year and the middle of the school year to find a way to deal with the problems.  It didn't work.  By the end of the year he was failing nearly every subject.  Funny thing is, based on his test scores in class, he was a B or C student.  He was failing because he couldn't turn in the homework we worked on for hours the night before.  He couldn't remember where papers were, or what he was supposed to do on assignments.  He had no organization, sense of deadlines, executive skills.  I'm sure it sounds like most boys, but for our guy it's making him think he's a failure.  If you want to understand more about what a lack of executive skills can do to a child, check out this article from WebMD.

This year we're trying a different approach.  He is starting 6th grade and we knew there was no way he would be able to handle different subjects with different teachers with different expectations and teaching styles.  By the end of the last school year, we made the difficult choice to take him out of a traditional school, opting instead for an online charter school.  It's a lot like home schooling, but with a very structured curriculum.  My husband is taking on the big task of being my son's learning coach, sitting with him every day while he goes to school.  It's a bold experiment, with the goal of getting his executive skills up to par in time to return to traditional high school.  This timeframe is not random - research shows that children with ADHD who have deficits in executive skills (also known as executive function) are usually about 3 years behind their peers in this important aspect of learning.  It poses a direct risk and obstacle to learning in a classroom environment.  In addition to the curriculum through the online charter school, we will be working on exercises and practice on learning executive skills - how to prioritize, organize, focus on a task, use notes, planners and a calendar to know what is coming and summarize what you have learned.

I hope this isn't going to be a post I have to repeat this time next year.  I do hope that by January I will be able to report some progress and a more motivated and positive kid.

cindy

Chance Encounters

A friend of mine lost her teenage son to leukemia today.  I haven't spoken to this friend - ever.  I've never met her in person.  Yet I've known her for over 9 years and have been there during many of her major life events - bankruptcy, divorce, her son's diagnosis, bone marrow transplant and now his death.  If that seems strange to you, you probably aren't a blogger.

I met my friend online over nine years ago when I was a SAHM.  We both sold children's clothes on Ebay.  There was a big group of us - women in Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, Washington and Ohio.  During Hurricane Katrina, we were online with one of our friends who was in Slidell with her two kids waiting for her husband before she evacuated and another who fled to Florida during her third trimester and returned to find nothing left of her home in Port Arthur.  There are many other stories, including my own, but you get the idea.  Blogging wasn't quite as popular then as it is now, so most of our conversations took place in a chat room format.  Eventually we created private chat rooms, especially for one particular friend, because she always seemed to draw the trolls.

It's really hard to explain to someone how you can be so involved in the lives of people you have never seen in person.  Sometimes I can hardly understand it myself.  Yet today I find myself in tears, worried about how she will make it financially.  I worry about her loss of faith during her son's illness.  I'm not sure how she can make it without leaning on God.  I'm also worried because her son was her life.  She is disabled and doesn't work outside of her home, so it's going to be a lonely place for her.

I do know that she has plenty of friends around the country, just like me, and we are all praying for her tonight.  Many of us will send her cards and a little money or a gift card to help out.  I just hope and pray she will reach out to at least one of her friends who, like me, have never met her in person.

cindy

Friday Coffee Date

If we were having coffee today . . . I'd start by ordering a Diet Coke (diet, you know)

I would tell you how excited I am to open my Etsy store, Pretty Pretty Cindy.

I would also mention how intimidating it is to join the very talented people on Etsy.

I'm worried that I will become obsessed with creating solely for stocking an online store instead of making the things that give me joy.

Creating things really does give me joy.

On another note, I might ask you whether you have any personal experience with braces, either you or your children.

My son had an expander and partial braces installed a couple of days ago.  He isn't experiencing much pain, but he is very upset thinking about how fixing his teeth will be a 4-5 year ordeal.  He cried thinking about it and neither me or my husband could make him feel better.

You know when my kids cry, it makes me cry too.  Does that happen to you too?

I would probably ask you to pray for my family.  My nephew and his wife lost a baby at 20 weeks.  My aunt died the other day.  She was elderly, but it's never easy losing your mother no matter how old you are. 

Gosh, I had a lot to say today.  I hope I let you get a word in edgewise.

cindy

Coffee Dates is a concept from Alissa at Rags to Stitches.  Drop by and pull up a chair every Friday - better yet, come over to Rags to Stitches and catch the whole coffee crowd.

Fabulous Fourth of July Shirts

O.K., this is a post I recycled from last year, but considering that hardly anyone read my blog then, I don't feel too bad.  Enjoy!

For the Fourth of July we had some friends over and I had this fabulous idea of making patriotic t-shirts for the whole family - me, Kentster, CJ and Kenzie.  It was such a fabulous idea I stayed up late to make them with brand new t-shirts I purchased - 2 navy blue, 1 red and 1 white.  Briana at Sweet Peas and Bumblebees was the inspiration for the project and I used the awesome digital graphics she suggested from Summertime Designs.  In fact, it was such a great idea that I also found a graphic online to use for Kentster's shirt.

First, you do need to launder the shirts before putting transfers on them.  For the transfer, I used fabric transfer paper from Avery.  They come in different versions for light colored and dark colored fabrics.  That's where I went wrong.  I didn't realize there was a difference and I had some fabric transfers left over from a previous project and I didn't bother to read that they were for light  colors.  Here's what happens when you use the wrong fabric transfer:

The picture can barely be seen.  In fact, the photograph looks better than the real thing.  So make sure you have the right kind of fabric transfer before you get started and make sure to carefully read the directions.

Another point - you need to make sure you reverse the graphic image on your computer before you print it on the transfer paper, otherwise, your shirt will have a backwards transfer which can be very problematic with words.  You also need to make sure when you place the image on the shirt you have it oriented properly, which can be a little confusing when it's backwards.  Here's what happens when you put the image on the wrong way.  The image is not backwards, it's actually upside down!  Ack!!

By this point I had ruined two new t-shirts and had two more I couldn't use because I had dark shirts and fabric transfers for light colors.  I had to improvise.  I managed to find a white shirt for CJ and a gray one for Kenzie in their drawers.  I used the graphic from Summertime Designs and added my own sayings in fonts I liked and voila! they look great!

I really enjoyed taking individual elements of the designs and putting them together!  It made me feel like a graphic designer!  This opens up all types of ideas for making fabric transfers.  You can transfer designs onto shirts, totes, aprons - pretty much any fabric.  You can find designs on the web, including individual pieces you can put together in Photoshop or other similar programs.  We have a Mac and I just put them together in Preview - SO EASY!!  Another idea is to scan scrapbook items - paper, stickers, tags, etc or use photos!  Be sure to honor copyrights where applicable (no reselling).

I know I will be doing more of these types of fabric transfers in the future.  Maybe the next vacation instead of buying the obligatory souvenir t-shirt, why not take a picture or make a scrapbook page to scan and put on a t-shirt.  It will be more meaningful and representative of your trip.  Let me know if you have any other ideas to use with fabric transfers.

A post script to this post - I have never used this technique since last year, but in rereading this post, I am determined to try it again.  In the meantime, my son is going to wear his shirt again this year.

cindy

Chance Encounters

This is Emma.

I was sitting in a local theater waiting for the show from the Do Re Mi School of the Arts.  (My son loves performing.)  I felt a little hand tap on my hand and looked over to see this adorable but serious little face standing in front of the seat next to me.  She said: "Would you mind holding my seat down while I sit?  The seat makes me nervous that I might fall on the floor."  She immediately made me smile.

She told me her name (Emma), that she is 4 years old, and was attending the performance with her sister and babysitter.  They were there to see Mary, the babysitter's sister.  "Do you know Mary?" she asked.

She kept talking. "I have definitely been here before.  I remember those chairs and that piano."  She pointed to the props on stage.  "Yes, I've definitely been here before."  I introduced her to my daughter, who was sitting to my left.  Mackenzie was immediately charmed by this little girl.

By this time Emma was becoming more comfortable with me, and asked if I would tie the ribbon on her dress.  Then she started to get silly.

She and Mackenzie got the giggles and then she wanted to make faces.

(By this time her big sister was having fun too.)

When the show was ready to start, the lights went down and Emma put her hand on my arm. "Is this going to be really loud?"  I told her no.  "Will the lights come back on?"  I told her yes.

For the next two hours, I watched her out of the corner of my eye as she giggled, bounced in her chair and clapped for the kids onstage.  Despite the length of the show, she never fidgeted, but sat in her seat watching intently.  When "Mary" finally came onstage, she turned to me: "That's Mary!"

By the end of the show, I couldn't tell which entertained me more, the kids on the stage or the one sitting next to me.  After the show, she turned to me and said "I have to go now.  Thanks for sitting with me."

My pleasure, Emma.  My pleasure.

cindy

Craft Fail and Red Room Reveal

This one has been a long time coming.  It all started several years ago when I found these cute long curtains that fit my son's room perfectly at a garage sale.  At only $3.00, they were something I could cut up without fear.

Next I found this amazing DIY for Roman shades, something I've always wanted.  Using the existing wooden blinds, I cut them up, retaining just a few for the shade. I cut the fabric, glued it to the blinds and I was ready to hang. That process took me months, because on some level I was nervous about the whole project.  In addition, my son wanted his room RED, which I agreed to do for one wall only.
After cursing my way through the painting (the reveal coming soon), I hung my fabulous shade

Ugggh!  Where to begin? The width was too wide and the "shades" didn't work.  This is about as good as I could get it positioned.  I worked so hard, but just didn't have the heart to take it down.  So I didn't.  For months.  Meanwhile, the other window had nothing on it for the same amount of time.  (Don't worry, the room opens to the backyard, so there was no problems with anyone seeing inside.)

Finally, about a month ago I decided I needed to correct finish the job.  I took the other matching curtain and tried to make it "look" like the other by sewing in pockets.  Once again, lots of work, horrible results.  This time I didn't even have the heart to take a picture of it.  I ripped them down and the nightmare experiment crashed and burned ended.

As an alternative, I thought I wanted to have straight long curtains.  Again, I was so proud, because I found some solid navy blue and solid red sailcloth curtains at Target for about $3.50 each (big sale).  My plan was to cut them up and sew the blue and red together in bands of color on the panels.  Good plan.  I bought them and got home to find I didn't have enough length for two panels on each window.  I ended up making a long panel for each window and swag it on one side.

I hung the Diamondback canvas art I bought at Target and a garage sale (all for great prices) and FINALLY the red wall is done!  It's not perfect, but I am so relieved to have it done!

cindy

DIY Day Camp - Boys

I was recently tweeting with another mom who was dreading the summer break (hi Jenny!) and it made me remember something I did with my niece and nephew one summer.  I did a weeklong "day camp" (called it Camp Campbell).  This is a great idea to get together with other moms who can also take another week to host their own "day camp."  It's a bit fun to be a camp/activity director for 5 days, but you have to be prepared.  When I did it with my niece and nephew, I had to plan the days out ahead of time (there's nothing worse than a bunch of kids with nothing to do).  Here are some ideas of "camp" activities for boys (I'll do girls tomorrow):

1.  Swimming.  This is especially great if you have them all bring a water weapon and let the water wars begin.  Marco Polo anyone?
2. Bike rides. 'Nuf said
3. Hikes. Take the boys to your favorite wooded areas or trail and set them loose.  Maybe you could do a scavenger hunt?
4. Make homemade pizza - fun and gets them through lunch!
5. Make paper airplanes.  Have contests for whose flies the best or looks the best.
6. Wiffleball game.  This is great for a backyard or park where you don't have to worry about losing a ball.
7. Video game tournament.  This can go over several days.
8. Movie afternoon in your home (or better yet, outside if you can).  Break out the popcorn and movie candy.
9. Make a movie!  If you have one or more video cameras, this will entertain them for more than a day. They come up with their own plots, dialogue, costumes etc.  At the end of the week, have a film festival!
10. Play poker.  Now I know some may object to this, but boys will be fascinated for hours.  You can play for cookies, small change or just a prize in a "tournament".

Those are just a few ideas and you could probably think of more. You can also purchase "The Dangerous Book for Boys" which may give you even more ideas.  You can also get "The Pocket Dangerous Book for Boys - Things to Do".  Don't forget - plan, plan, plan.  The best camps are ones with activities planned in advance.  You can always schedule time everyday for free play with TOYS (you remember those, right?)  The important thing is that the boys understand it's "camp" not a democracy.  They need to know they are coming to do whatever the "activity director" has planned.
Best of all, you get to have some organized fun AND if you get other moms to play along, you get a couple of weeks to yourself!

Tomorrow I'll get into the day camp for girls!

cindy

Scrapbook Sunday - Summer Splash

Here's a summer page to get you feeling warm.  I'm not sure why I didn't get a picture of the entire page when I photographed this a couple of weeks ago, but you can get an idea of the layout.  I'm not thrilled with the pictures with Christian and Kent because of the shade.  However, I wanted that interaction in the layout.

The background paper is a blue and green dot vellum over a green patterned paper.  I like the pictures to have some progression in a layout because it seems to tell a better story.  Here, Christian was giggling about getting into the water, but eventually did and even trusted his dad to float on his back.  I loved using the "tape" on the pictures - great product!  The letters are stenciled and cut (when I had time to do that type of thing!).  They are outlined and layered over blue gingham ribbon so they pop a little more.  My favorite part of this layout is Christian's expression.  I miss that baby - he is 11 tomorrow (Monday).

Happy birthday baby boy.

cindy

Scrapbook Sunday - Easter 2003

This was an easy page to put together.  It was part of a two page spread.  (My son was on one page and the rest of the family was on the other :)

This page was a combination of some really funky paper someone gave me and traditional paper cutouts.  I used foam adhesives with the cutouts for a three dimensional look.  I was surprised at how well the traditional pastel greens and blues matched the funky paper.  The pastels also coordinated with Christian's outfit, which was one of the reasons I used them.

Again, I like to focus on individual subjects (Christian was definitely that in many layouts).  I was also happy with the different sizes of pictures, with a larger picture and a couple of smaller related pictures.

Notice my son is about 2 in these pictures.  He's now almost 11.  I keep thinking that doing Scrapbook Sunday is going to get me to start scrapbooking again.  I'm still waiting for that to happen :)

cindy

Scrapbook Sunday - Superstar

I haven't done a Scrapbook Sunday for a while, mostly because I'm too tired on a Sunday night to put it together.  I swear sometime I'm going to get the pictures done during the day so I have better light.  Oh well, on with the Superstar.

This is a page I did for my guy when he was about 2 (my little dude will be 11 in April).  I like doing pages like this - a single subject without an event.  Sometimes these little opportunities come along.  Christian just found some sunglasses and beads and he just did his thing.

The page was pretty simple because I wanted to keep the focus on the subject and not a bunch of fancy stuff.  I used some paper letters and glued each one on the page.

I love mats.  I have a hard time doing a layout without them, mostly because I cut my pictures in squares or rectangles.  These mats were plain blue on green (to match the background paper).

I also used brads to attach the pictures (can you tell I also like brads?)

Sorry for the fuzzy pictures.  I miss those chubby cheeks and how serious he was about everything.  I had (have) the cutest boy!

cindy