GIVEAWAY

The first five people to comment on this post will get something handmade by me!Here's the fine print:
1- What I create will be just for you.
2- It'll be done this year.
3- You have no clue what it's going to be. It might be a papercraft, a fabric and thread creation, or a baked treat. We'll see how creative I get!
4- What's the catch? Oh, the catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who comment on your blog.
************Go ahead...be brave...leave a comment - it's fun to give and receive!

FINDING THE SILVER LINING

So, my husband and I have been EXTREMELY sick this last week. We really hope this starts going away VERY soon, as we have a very full weekend ahead of us and lots to do in a small amount of time. But, when you're sick, and have no business leaving the house or being around anybody, it's "OK" to ignore the dishes, laundry, and cobwebs and just exist in a kleenex and mentholatum blur. But, the silver lining in all of this is, you get bored quick and the craft projects that lost my attention suddenly took on new interest.

So, I finished up another bag. This is NOT part of the big bunch that I need to make for the kids, instead, I'm giving it to my sister to use for the Pamper Me Craft Day as a door prize.

The inside of the bag is a flag print. On the outside are denim patches, with some patriotic fabric used as patches along with buttons and some hand sewing for embellishment. I hope whoever wins this will enjoy it as much as I did creating it.

This is another project I finished last weekend. Some friends of ours here in town have a little "accident" due any day now. She works at the school as an aide and we've coached their sons in Little League . She's so sweet and I wanted to give her some things, especially since she was virtually "unprepared" for this blessing.

I made her a fleece blanket with a child safari print on one side and a blue/yellow striped fleece on the other. I also made some flannel burp rags with traditional camoflauge and construction vehicles as well as blue camoflauge and baseballs. I hope she gets some use out of them.

They are happy to be adding #3, nonetheless. We can't wait to meet the new bundle and hope all goes well for both momma and little man.

IT'S CONFIRMED!!!!

If I had known this sight was waiting for me when I walked out the door to take the girls to school, I'd have caught a better picutre and you would understand this post better. But, your imagination will have to make do.
So, I open the door and see deer, which is NOT uncommon in our tiny little backwoods town.

However, what IS uncommon is seeing a teenager walking to school, eating an apple for breakfast and as she crosses Main St. these deer came tagging along behind her. Apparently, they were hungry and her apple smelled good.

So, I've always known we were rednecks and lived in a pretty primitive area, I just didn't realize we were going to have to change the nursery rhyme songs we teach our kids to "Mary had a little deer, it followed her to school one day". Guess it's official, we really are rednecks. But, I've always said there is a difference (however small it may be) between a hillbilly and a redneck and I'll choose redneck any day.
Hope you are having a good day wherever you are and whatever you're doing.

A NEW FISH IN THE SEA

So my husband, surrounded by a wife and two girls in the home and coaching 9 grade school girls in basketball, often says he's swimming in the "estrogen ocean". So, whenever we have Shalynn spend the night, he always says we've got a new fish in the sea. These girls were wound like tops tonight....too much Valentine Candy I would imagine. But I tho't I'd share a little of the insanity we endured tonight. Kudos to my husband...he did well and didn't even go hide in his bedroom with his book like he wanted to.

But, all the silliness aside, we have a good time anytime Shalynn is in our home. She is so polite and such a sweetheart that it's a pleasure having her spend time with us. We love her to pieces and glad she came into our lives. Her dad and the girls' dad used to ride to work together when we first moved here almost 9 years ago and she and Kamille have went to school together since Kindergarten. I hope their friendship lasts many, many more years!!!

MY LATEST CRAFT PROJECT

I've been dragging on finishing the denim bags because I had to stop and make some baby things for a friend expecting a little boy anyday as well as make some rice bags and material coffee collars for a fundraiser for my graduating nephew. But, I did finish another denim bag and I'm really pleased with how it turned out. The little girl I made it for spent the night with us since there is no school tomorrow and she watched me sew it, asking the whole time if I could teach her how to sew. She fell in love with this pocket and wanted to make a small purse from it. I told her I already had plans for the pocket but I would find her something else. When I finally finished, and told her the bag was hers, she ran out on the sidewalk with it over her shoulder dancing like a crazy child, singing happily at the top of her lungs that "she had a bag and it was so cool!!!" Guess that means success.

For this bag, I used a "stray" placemat for one side, denim squares for the other, then took the buttons and button hole strip from a skirt and put that in the top to use for a closure. The strap is just the waistband of a pair of jeans and one end hooks into a button hole on the strip from the skirt and the other end with the button goes into a button on the top strip. It took me all of about 3 hours to make, with some interruptions from some silly girls. So, it was simple, but surely pleased the recipient.

Only 23 more to go........ :-(

This little gal's name is Shalynn. We would adopt her in a heartbeat if her Mom and Dad would allow us to keep her. She is on our basketball team that we coach and at 5'9" and turning 12 in a few days, she's a valuable asset to our team. I'm glad she and Kamille are friends because she's a delight to have around!!! She is so skinny, I've nicknamed her "Skinny-Minny-Shalynny"

KAMILLE'S FIRST BASKETBALL GAME

As I've mentioned previously, Steve & I are coaching the 5th grade girls basketball team this year. Since the High School teams are the Union Bobcats and LadyCats, we've dubbed ourselves the Union Babycats.We coached 4th grade co-ed last year, and the association is nice enough to let us move up as our daughter moves up a grade. Anyway, we had our first "official" game against Imbler yesterday and Friday the 13th proved to be our lucky day. We won 12-8 and our girls looked good.

We have 9 on the team, 3 of them have never played basketball, 1 is a new student to our school but has played a lot of basketball and the other 5 are returns from our team last year. Kamille made 1 basket, had 4 steals, and 3 rebounds. The only unfortunate part of coaching is I don't get to run the camera. But, I did take some pictures of her after the game. I will do team pictures and single player pictures before the season is over and maybe I'll get my sister to run a camera at our next game. We have a tournament coming up next weekend that we're gearing up for. WAY TO GO BABYCATS!!!

PAMPER ME CRAFT DAY

My sister, Leasa, is putting on a full day event to help raise money for her two kids who are going to Europe this summer as Oregon Ambassadors of Music. In our little tiny town, 4 kids were chosen and 2 of them happen to be my niece and nephew. Anyway, here's the details: PAMPER ME CRAFT DAY. Bring your craft project & supplies, spend the day doing what you enjoy and we will supply everything else including BREAKFAST, LUNCH, SUPPER, SNACKS, DOOR PRIZES, and GIFTS FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES. Plus sign up for a 15 minute professional chair massage for a donation to Caleb & Britta Harmon's July 2009 OAM Europe trip. Saturday FEBRUARY 28th 8 a.m to 9 p.m. $35 per person Basement of the Cove Methodist Church Basement Space is limited, so reserve yours today! Call 541-562-1119 or 541-910-6201 (Leasa's home & cell) or you can call me at 541-562-5826 or 541-970-1972 (my home & cell) I have made a deal with my sister that if 3 of you don't mind sleeping in her bed & breakfast cottage, there is a queen bed for 2 to share and a fold out couch for one person. It won't cost you anything for lodging because I'm volunteering to do the cleanup afterward and she won't be doing any cooking for you since that's included in the craft day event. Also, we may have a couple more rooms available at Leasa's mother-in-laws in La Grande. She has a huge house and it's only her living there. So, ladies from the Boise/Ontario area, make plans, reserve a spot, and come enjoy yourselves. There is Sunday morning mtg at Leasa's mother-in-laws home for those who want to stay over. You're also welcome to come in Friday night so you're here and ready to craft by 8 in the morning. Remember, we're an hour behind you folks in the Boise/Ontario area. It's about a 3 hour drive from Boise and 2 from Ontario. The church where this is being held is only about 8 miles from Union and about 10 from La Grande. We miss all of you who we don't get to see often enough and would love to have you come have some fun with us.ALSO: for any of you who sell things such as Stampin' Up or Scrapbooking supplies, or candles, or whatever...if you want to donate a doorprize, you can get some advertising, as well as display your products for purchase during the event. WE JUST NEED PEOPLE TO RSVP, so we know how much yummy food to prepare. For those of you who came to my scrapbook event, this will be even bigger and better because my sister is a GOOD COOK and knows how to have a fun day!!! ATTN: KATIE--I'm suppose to throw out to you that Betty will be here. :-) We are working on finding a responsible adult or teenager for babysitting services for those of you who may not have a place to leave children behind as we would like to have no kids at the event itself. So, ladies, mark your calendars and come enjoy us. It doesn't matter what your craft is, bring the stuff and get lots of work done while chatting with friends!!! OH...and tell any of your friends that may not be on facebook and get this message!!!!! Susan, I know Maisie came and enjoyed the last event I had, so maybe you could tell her. Dee Anne, maybe you could pass the word on to Dawn and so on. THANKS in advance for those of you who come to help support this cause!!!!

Leasa Harmon

LIFE HAS BEEN BUSY

So, I've been a lazy blogger lately, but it's not because I've been lazy. We've been very busy with coaching the 5th grade girls basketball team which means practice twice a week as well as games or scrimmages once a week. We are also attending parenting classes on Tuesday nights. I'm really excited about these classes, not to mention the fact that they feed us (mighty well, I might add). We can take the kids with us, and after we've all eaten, they go off to another room with an adult who plays games with them while we learn what is called "Making Parenting a Pleasure". This is a 5 week course, and when it's finished, we will be starting another class is La Grande called Parenting with a Plan. I felt so good when we were headed to our first class, the girls asked where we were going. When we explained it was like school for being a better parent, the girls told us we were already good parents and we didn't need any help. Little do they know... :-) Also, we got to feed my in-laws horses for a week, while my father-in-law was sick and my mother-in-law was injured. They have 11 horses and 2 minature donkeys as well as 4 dogs and 5 cats. So, it's an involved process. The horses are mostly studs and geldings, with one lonely mare. I love doing this chore...the horses have such distinct personalities, it's a chance to be outdoors (which is nice as long as the wind isn't howling) and I get to drive the 4-wheeler and it's good physical excercise. I'm getting better...I can buck a bale of hay now with out having to have help. So, that's what we've been up to lately. This coming week is going to be busy as well, with an appointment in La Grande tomorrow morning, then ball practice tomorrow night, a trip to Walla Walla for a Dr. appt. Tuesday and rush home for our parenting class and the last home high school basketball game, then Wednesday, we have a scrimmage for the basketball team so I'll probably be wiped out by the end of the week. Thought I'd share some pictures of Steve & I feeding and the animals living at what we jokingly call the "funny farm".