Crash Course in Summer

Thank you to everyone for nagging reminding me to update the blog.  Yes, I did return from my trip and yes it was fabulous.  The cardi was exactly right for the weather; in fact I could have used another!

I didn't blog at all the entire month of June.  That's because Summer showed up and chaos ensued.  I was not prepared.  I forgot that schedules need to be maintained, activities planned, and expectations communicated or somebody loses it and starts screaming like a crazed maniac.  Yeah, that statement could apply to any one of us who live here, truly.  We all had a day (or four) when our throats were a bit hoarse by bedtime.

But, I tell you all with hopeful optimism, JULY is a fresh month!  JULY we have started anew!  JULY will be blissful like summertime should be.

July also happens to be heavily scheduled and planned with lots of camps and activities.  (Yay!)

I do want to highlight the fun things that happened in June, because there was fun.  Really!

While I worked from home, the kids made piniatas!   These are so easy and fun.  Take an empty cereal box and cut the top flaps off.  Then cut down each corner about 1/3 way.  Bend the narrow side flaps in until they meet in the middle and tape them together.  Cut off the extra from the front and back of the box to make the curved top.  Then, cut tissue paper into strips and fringe it.  Glue it on in rows and taa-daa!  Piniata!  We bought a couple bags of cheap candy from the dollar store to put inside.

My daughter did a quilt-in-a-day event for kids at the library.  It was completely free;  thanks to the volunteer time of the local quilting guild, lots of donations and a grant.  This is the finished quilt she made in just four hours.

Not to be outdone, by son came home and started piecing his own lap-sized quilt top.  He likes the modern black and whites.

 They've also taken every Lego brick we own and have been diligently building out a massive Lego city.  This thing is huge.  It takes up the entire dining room.

You've seen the Mansion before, but I confess to stretching my building skillz and creating the grocery store and apartment building.  I'll get some close up pics before demo.   The kids built everything else.

 Here's a neat little tip.  Dumping the Legos on the floor results in lost pieces and angry feet when they get stepped on.  I found this cheap toddler pool at the store.  It's only 6" high and about 3' diameter, so it's perfect for keeping things contained while the city is under construction.  And it deflates for storage!


Remember this magazine picture I shared a while back?  Well, it's almost done.  Hours and hours and hours of crochet work...

...and I HATE it.  Really.  It's fits well, but the skirt flare is so much that I feel like a cross between Minnie Mouse and Alice in Wonderland wearing it.  It's not at all like the photo in the magazine.  Two hours more and this would be 100% complete, but I'm going to cut my losses now and unravel it.  The yarn will get used for something I"ll actually wear.

ick icky ick!

In other crafting news, my daughter and I are entering some things in the state fair this year.  We've never entered before.  It will be exciting just to see our stuff on display, even if we don't bring home a ribbon or two.  The deadline is a month away so I need to get busy selecting my entries.