It snowed in the South

It snowed in the South this week. It has snowed TWICE since Christmas. And technically it snowed on Christmas day at my house...but I wasn't here, so I'm not counting that.

Snow in the South is like having a tornado in the Pacific Northwest. It really doesn't happen that often. In fact, it has only snowed once in the two years I have back in Mississippi. Well, up until this year. We've had a bit of a weird winter. I mean...It has snowed twice in the last month! And this last time we got nearly 5 inches! That's weird to me!

But never fear. After Wednesday's night's winter event, we have warmed back up. I mean...I still have snow in the shadows of my yard, but we've been in the 50's today. And will be in the 60's tomorrow and for the remainder of the week. Heat. That's what I'm used to in the South. Still, it was quite nice to enjoy something out of the ordinary. And...it was quite nice to miss work on two separate, random days! I always like a free day off!

Below is my "Ode to Snow" movie containing pics of the two wintry events. Its set to the music of The Civil Wars. Enjoy!

CRAFT TIME: Apron rack

Sometime last year I read in a magazine (Good Housekeeping or Better Homes and Gardens) about building your own apron rack out of wooden spoons. I thought this was a fantastic idea because I have more than your average number of aprons. I shared the idea with my sister (who was looking for a way to display some aprons that belonged to our great-grandmother), and she ended up gifting the craft project to me for my birthday.

Here's how it went...

My sister began the project by drilling holes in the wooden plaques she purchased. These wooden boards are cheap, and be purchase at craft stores such as Hobby Lobby or Michael's.

She then purchased wooden spoons and cut them off for the hooks.

I then stained the boards and a few of the spoons, and gave them a quick sanding job.


Next, it was time to assemble the pieces. I had to nail picture hangers on the back of the board so they would be anchored to the wall.

I then took wood glue, squeezed it in each hole, applied a little glue to the ends of the spoons, and place them in. I then wiped off any excess glue that came out of the hole.

I then took a flame and burned the end of a couple of the spoons in order to given them a worn, used look.

Then you have to let the glue dry for 24 hours....

Finally, I hung them on the wall in my dining area and placed my apron collection on them.

They add a very "country" feel to my kitchen/dining area. It is laid back, and lived in. The wood doesn't stand out from the brick walls as much as I had hoped, so maybe one day I'll paint them. But I think it turned out to be a pretty cute project, and really easy and cheap to do.

Why is holiday baking reserved for the holidays?

The other day I was planning out my treats for Christmas at my parents’, and the following thought occurred to me – “Why do we only prepare special candies, cookies and treats for holidays or special events?” I mean…I typically go home once a month. Why don’t I take treats home most anytime? And why do I reserve them for only Thanksgiving and Christmas?

The truth is that on occasion I do take special treats home to my family. But that is typically when it is leftover from another event. I rarely make a special treat for a trip home unless there is an occasion. Now, at Easter and birthdays, I always try to make a cake. But I do that at my mom’s house in order to involve my nephew in the baking (bowl licking) process.

Maybe in 2011 I will make an effort to make more treats for my family. It can be something as simple as cookies or brownies. It can even be as elaborate as a homemade pie. (Which is my new obsession right now.) I know my father would appreciate this. He likes desserts a lot. Maybe that’s where I get it!

Since I’m going to my parents’ house soon for the holidays, here’s a list of the treats I am taking:

• Martha Washington Balls
• Chex Mix
• Chocolate Fudge
• Royale Cookies
• Pumpkin Cookies (The ones I am taking are actually from a mix, but I made these last year and they are super fantastic.)
  

I also had plans to make buckeye balls, but I think I’m going to stop with the above. I'm thinking we'll have enough. (Remember...I still have to make melted snowman cookies with the kids!)

Come 2011, all of us will be fat and happy I guess! Maybe that's why we only reserve these treats to once or twice a year....Hmmm....

Happy cooking and merry Christmas!

More craft time: EAT

UPDATE: In my search for home office decor today, I ran across a super cute EAT sign from Pottery Barn, AND its on sale! Check it out!!!

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Have you ever seen the show Cougar Town starring Courtney Cox? Its pretty decent. I mean...weird at times, but still okay.

Anyway, in Courtney's kitchen, she has the letters E-A-T on the wall. The letters are from Anthropoligie, and I actually saw these a year or so ago and almost bought them to spell out my niece's name in her room.

I thought it was a great idea for the kitchen, but the letters cost $14.00 a piece. Hmmm...I figured I could figure out a way to do them cheaper. So, here's what I came up with.

I went to Hobby Lobby and purchased the necessary letters for about $3.50. (They were on sale half off.)

Next, I went to the fabric store and bought scrap pieces for $5.00.


I covered the letters with the cloth and secured them with hot glue. I have to say, I had to get a little creative with the different angles and cut outs. If you look up close, there are definite imperfections. But, they are hanging high on a wall so no one can really tell.

Here you can see how I covered the "legs" of the E. I did the same with the T. I then when back over this and covered with a solid piece of fabric.


I even had a little help. Or....Juliet came and sat down on top of my fabric right in the middle of the craft table.

Here is the end product. I have Fiestaware dishes, and the letters coordinate with my dishes. They also coordinate with a Mexican dish I have hanging on another wall.

The project ended up costing me less than $10.00. That's pretty good compared to the $14.00 letters I could have bougth pre-covered. Sure the Anthropologie letters are probably cuter, but I think mine look pretty good too!

Organizing my home office/guest room

I have to blog while the SEC Men's Basketball Championship game is on. My stomach is in knots, and blogging, and Internet browsing is keeping me sane right now. Big game on the line for my dawgs!

Okay, so yesterday I bought a new desk. I have been wanting a new desk for my home office/guest room since I moved in, but haven't found the right one for the right price until yesterday. So, I purchased one from Wal-Mart, believe it or not. Their Better Homes & Gardens collection actually has a lot of cute stuff.

Here's the problem. I know this bedroom is crowded. But, I need a queen bed in there for my family (who has season tickets to football games and comes to visit quite often), and I need workspace. So, I just have to make the best of the tight space.

Here's what i have right now:

I really want to keep the desk cleaned off as much as possible. I would love to have workspace for when I need to spread stuff out. I also tend to be a "stacker" when it comes to my desk. (At work, my desk is always a mess.) Installing some kind of organization system where I can temporarily "stack" mail and other papers would be awesome!

Here are a few items I have found:


I had to idea to find some cheap pails like this to hang from hooks underneath a cabinet. That way I could still have my pens, pencils, scissors, etc. handy, but they are off of the desk.

I thought this chalkboard was cute. I've always like the ideas of putting old fashioned chalkboards in offices. I have one that I could paint black and hang on the wall. I could keep lists here. I also like lists.

I like these vintage keys. Not sure why, but they just appeal to me. I don't know that I would actually put these in this room, but they kind of are serving as inspiration right now.

Also in this room, I already have a few photographs I took on a trip to England. I plan on keeping these in the room, as well as the flower above the bed. (It was a super awesome find that I bought at a local shop this summer. Got it on major, major big discount!) However, the mirror I have never really liked, and it can totally go.

SO....here's the deal. I need help with some suggestions for this room. What would you do? I want to keep the office materials in neutral colors, so I'm going to stick to black and white. The other colors are going to remain red and gold. (I'm doing this on a budget, and not changing all of these colors.)

What are your thoughts? How can I make this small space work?

An Open Letter to my Idiot Neighbor

Dear Idiot Neighbor,

Today you have almost topped you stupidest parking position ever…or in the year I have lived down the street from you. I remember one other time where you actually parked worse than you did last night, believe it or not. But today, amidst the wind and rain, you have realized your second all-time worst parking job ever.

Though, neighbor, I applaud your lack of rules and consideration for everyone who lives around you. I, for one, am a rule follower. I like to park my car in the garage, as to not block the street or obstruct the view of our street. And I do have to admit that other neighbors park along the street, and I can understand the need for more parking, however…you have no other cars and/or other inanimate objects in your driveway. One would think one could at least pull all the way in.

I have come to two possible conclusions about your lack of parking abilities. First, you are suffering from some uncontrollable substance addiction that impairs your ability to operate a moving vehicle properly. If that is the case, please stay off the road and seek help. I, or anyone else in our small town, would hate to meet you on a street one night and risk peril to either of us or our vehicles.

The second is that you are plainly an idiot. I’m sorry if my words seem harsh or unsympathetic, but I cannot otherwise figure out why you would choose to park so poorly nearly every night. Maybe you can’t drive. Maybe your grandfather or father never taught you how. If that’s the case, I am terribly sorry, but take driving lessons. I’m sure there are still some driver’s ed teachers at one of the high schools in the area. It shouldn’t be that hard to find someone to show you the rules of the road.

In the meantime, I will offer disapproving glances and curse words under my breath as I drive by your house. There may even be some fist shaking from time to time. But one thing is for sure, I will continue to loathe your parking methods until one day, one sweet day, you actually learn how to drive.

xoxo

Sheri, sheri, quite contrary....

How does your garden grow?

Honestly, it just grows. I fiddle with it, and sometimes good things happen. Last year (which was my first year in my house), I just did what needed to be done to stay alive. This year...I have BIG PLANS! In fact, this weekend I am going to continue the big plans. I am going to completely dig up the ugly back flower bed and start over. I've been talking about it for ages, but now that its cool, the ground is damp and loose from lots of winter rains, its a great time to dig, dig, dig.

So, what are my plans?

TA DA!


JUST kidding....

That is way too much work for one person, and there is no way I could maintain that with my busy schedule.

I plan to go simple. I would like a few flowers, some lavendar, and maybe a bush or two. And....depending on the amount of sun I get there (I am starting to observe/measure because I have no idea how much full sun that part of the yard gets during the day...), depending on the amount of sun, maybe more roses. Moving on....

Because this bed runs along the back side of my property, it gets a lot of weeds. I'm guessing due to what's on the other side of the fence. I originally thought I would remove ALL of the dirt, lay down weed control fabric, and replace with new, richer soil...but that seems like a LOT of work for one little girl! So, the plan is to dig up the existing plants and weeds, add a bit more soil, plant and mulch. Then I'll just have to do a better job of maintaining the bed this year. We'll see how that goes....

You know, its kinda funny how I live the most boring life of a single girl EVER! I mean, I spend my weekends cleaning, gardening and doing random projects around the house. One would think that I would be out mingling with other singles, dining out, going to happy hours, shopping till I drop (which I would totally do if I had an endless bank account and no mortgage), etc, etc. HOWEVER, I prefer to bake, do yard work, play tennis, and stay home watching movies and basically tending to my piece of God's earth.

I do realize this may never get me married...because I'm never "out and about" on the town. (Hmmm...) In fact, one of my younger, more "citified" girlfriends told me yesterday that all I need to do is insert husband and baby and I'm set! The days of concerts, clubs, late nights out are most likely completely over. I mean, I've been there, done that, and lived the city life in Fort Worth for several years. Now that I'm in my late 20's, almost 30's, I'm much more of a settled home body.

Yes, my less-than-wild single lifestyle may seem boring to most, but, to me, I think its maturity. You can't spend your life being young and free. With age come responsibility. And with responsibility, comes bills! Ha! I wouldn't trade my current status for a "Sex in the City" type of life anyway. I like being boring and conventional. I like being old and mature.

So...interesting how I move from gardening plans to commentary on my single life in a small town. You never know what's going to show up on here!

Craft time - Touch and feel wall

My sister had a great idea to duplicate one of the features in the Children's Museum in New Orleans. Lynn, who is not always so crafty, recruited me to help turn her idea into a reality. So, this weekend I drove down to the compound and helped assemble a touch and feel wall for my niece's room.

Step 1: Have a cute and adorable subject to build a touch and feel wall.

Step 2: By my retired, first grade teacher mother's suggestion, we drew and cut out patterns for the petals. And when I say we, I mean me.


Step 3: Lay out patterns on styrofoam board to make sure they all fit, and then trace. Lynn started at one end, I started at the other. Took all of 5 minutes.





Step 4: Cut out petals with an exacto knife or, like me, a large bread knife. I recommend doing this outside. It makes a mess. I did think of this before cutting, and didn't leave a snowy mess in my mother's living room.

Step 5: Cut pieces of textured fabric and glue onto petals. We purchased different kinds of felt, cheneille, and linen fabric. Lynn also had some fabric scraps that we used. Also, we used a spray adhesive for the flat part of the petal, and hot glued the edges. Note to self, be careful with the hot glue gun. The sister burned her fingers a few times. Oh, and if you are not careful, the hot glue will melt the styrofoam.

Steps 6-9 (which I didn't take pictures of) - We glued then taped 2 yards of fabric on a 3 foot tall by 4 foot wide piece of plywood. Next, we hot glued the petals in a flower shape. For the center, we used plastic furniture sliders. (Another great idea by my mother.) We purchased two 8 1/2 x 11 peel and stick felt sheets for the stems and leaves.

Below is the end product. Pretty cute, huh? They are going to drill this into a wall in Maggie's room for her to...touch and feel. (Go figure?) Seriously, though, its a great "toy" to have in a baby's room as she is learning to use her sense of touch. And, it is something that will hopefully last as she grows into a toddler. All, in all, I believe the materials cost around $30. Though, we did find some items (like the plywood) around the house, which made it a cheaper project. I think it turned out pretty cute, and it was one of the neatest kid ideas the sister has ever had!!!

My foray into doing yardwork after dark.

So, I let this daylight savings time/falling back deal sneak up on me. I didn't know it was this weekend until someone reminded me on Saturday. Before I knew it, we were back to it being completely dark at 5:30 p.m. That's only 30 minutes after I supposedly get off work, and really, I usually don't get home until nearly 6 each night.

Well, this creates a problem when you let your weekends get overbooked, and you live alone, and you have lots of yard work to do. There's really no time after work to get things done outside, and Lord knows I am not one to get up even a minute before I have to in the morning. So, today I rushed out of the office at 4:45, got to Lowe's, bought a rake, and was home, changed, and outside by 5:15. Not leaving me much time, but enough where I thought I could get a good start on my leaf cleaning up duty.

After I got my 6 piles in the front yard somewhat neatly stacked, it was getting too dark to see. I had my porch, garage, and outside lights on, but it really doesn't illuminate anything but the front of the house. And since we don't street lights in my neighborhood (and everyone disconnects their gas lamps because its too expensive to run), I decided to do things the Mississippi way. (I do live here after all....)

So, what do Mississippians do when its dark and they need light? We turn our cars around and point the headlights in whatever general direction we need! I may have grown up in a city, but I spent plenty of time parked in the middle of a pasture in my younger days. (Wait, that somehow sounds bad....no shenanigans. I promise.)

I'm sure my neighbors thought I was crazy. I mean, its not like I drive some big pick-up truck. I drive a silver Infiniti QX-56. Not exactly your pasture kind of vehicle...Its kinda prissy if you think about it. (Very soccer mom-ish.) BUT...it worked. I had enough light to transfer my piles into leaf bags. And now my yard isn't covered in a quilt of dead tree matter, which should make things easier for the lawn guy tomorrow.

Anyway, I have never done yard work in the dark before. I'm really not a fan of it, and you can't really do much more than what I accomplished tonight. I probably wouldn't plant or weed my flowerbeds in the dark, but, for what needed to be done, the headlight yard excursion was productive. Now off to bake some salmon.....Living alone is fun!

Family. Fun. Football

This weekend we celebrated my mom's birthday and opening weekend of college football. Since I've returned to our little college town, my family decided to get season tickets they did when Joey and I were in college. And since the opening weekend happened to fall during my mom's birthday, the whole clan (including my dog-niece) came up for the event. (Mabel may look like a cocker spaniel, but she's really a Bulldog!)

Another milestone besides opening day and the birthday took place this weekend. We took Will to his first MSU event. I've been developing a scheme to brainwash him since birth, and it helps that Nana, two aunts and an uncle are all Bulldog alum. (His mom and dad went to MC.)

Everyone made it in time for lunch on Saturday, and about an hour prior to kickoff we headed out. Will was running around like a wild man, but since we were leaving during his normal naptime, we weren't sure how long he would last at the game. About 30 minutes into our 7 mile drive (lots of traffic), the sky started to turn black. Not a good sign.

We finally made it to our parking spot about 10 minutes before the scheduled kick-off. Not 5 minutes later the bottom dropped out of the sky. There was no hiding from it till we made it to the stadium, and we all ended up soaked to the bone. Kick-off was delayed about 30 minutes, and the storm ended up passing. We were able to make it the rest of the day with just a few light sprinkles, so it wasn't a complete disaster.

Like we assumed, Will fell asleep shortly after kick-off. Poor kid. I have no idea how he slept with all the shouting, cowbells, band music and general football noise. But he did, but was up in time to watch the end of the 2nd and the half-time shows.

When he finally woke up, he didn't know what to think. He was watching the biggest tv he had ever seen in his live, and with over 54,000 people in attendance, he had never seen anything like this before. It was a bit much for a 2-year-old to take in. However, by the time the Sonic Boom of the South took the field for their half-time performance, he was really getting into the football groove!

We went on to win the game 45-7 against fellow Mississippi school, Jackson State. It was the great start to our season, and to our new head coaches tenure as a Bulldog. I have to say that I, like Will, was almost too distracted to watch the game. There was so much excitement and energy in the air that I couldn't quite focus on the field. Its much easier for me to pay attention to a game on tv than live and in person. But, to me, going to a game is less about watching it, and more about the experience and social atmosphere.

After the game we returned home wet, tired, and ready for some dinner. My sister stayed at home with the baby and helped prepare some of the dishes while we were gone. You can read a full account of the menu on my cooking blog, and try out some of our yummy family recipes.

Needless to say, with my parents, both of my siblings, their spouses, and the niece and nephew, we had a pretty full house. The kids had to take the floor, and I slept on the pull-out sofa, but we made it work for my little 3-bed, 2 bath house. I wouldn't recommend them all visiting for a week, but a short weekend was a lot of fun. This weekend has been a great start to what I hope will be a great fall full of visits with my family, and new Bulldog memories made.

Quickest blog update ever

I haven't posted in a while because:

1. I've been traveling a lot. (I have only spent about 4 or 5 weekends in S-ville since the beginning of May. Been to Jackson, Atlanta, Kansas City, Birmingham & northern Idaho....which brings me to 2.)
2. Went to northern Idaho to visit the Sandersons. We had fun - Pics are here.
3. Work is absolutly insane. Which means...I'm working all the time....but its all good! But, when I get off, the last thing I want to do is sit down and write a blog...because I've been writing all day long.


That's enough excuses for now. This weekend shall be a ton-o-fun. Football opens against JSU. My ENTIRE family (6 adults, 2 kids & a dog-niece) are coming to visit, but just for one night. It shall be a full house folks! And we're taking Will to his first MSU football game, so that's pretty exciting!

More to come...more to come...Just not sure when...

PS - Started the red door transformation this weekend. BUT...it rained on Sunday, so I didn't get to apply the last two coats. Will post pics when I'm done.

PSS - How have I made it three months and not posted a picture of my beautiful, wonderful niece? Here she is "sunbathing" in her little GAP swimsuit I bought her! A full blown Maggie post will come soon!

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes....

Shortly after I moved to Fort Worth in 2002, my sister and her husband planned a move there as well. We were all relocating for educational reasons, and just so happened to be settling in the same city. When Lynn and Dan came from San Francisco, they wanted to buy a house in one of the older, historic neighborhoods. I remember spending hours driving around looking at all the beautiful houses that skirted the edge of downtown Fort Worth and dreaming of one day owning my own home.

Off of 8th Ave, aka McCart, aka Summit, aka Cleburne (Which eventually turns into Weatherford and Belknap because TX streets change names a lot)…right off of that multi-named road is a neighborhood called Ryan Place. One of the more affluent residences in Fort Worth, Ryan Place reeks of old oil money and southwestern charm. (Texas is, after all, southwestern, not southern. We will save that soap box for another day.) Through the large Greek style columns of the entrance, lies Elizabeth Boulevard, home to Mediterranean and Georgian style homes that are as beautiful as they are large! It is a beautiful neighborhood, and one that inspired a dream 7 years ago.

While we were touring this neighborhood, I noticed one reoccurring attribute almost more than I did the grandeur of the homes. A red front door. Not just on one, but home after home was adorned with this striking feature. I saw all of the houses with the red front door, and immediately fell in love. I knew ONE DAY I would own a home and I could have a red front door.

Fast forward 7 years, and I do own my own home. In fact, it’s a beautiful little three bedroom, two bath brick that is just around the 1500 sq. foot mark. (Though, some of my friends swear it is bigger. I think the interior paint and open floor plan deceives the eyes.) It’s a starter home, and it’s just for me and the two cats, but it is beautiful, and I love it. When I moved in my dad was talking about some of the things we could do to make it a little nicer. Touch up the nicks and nail holes inside, put a new coat of paint on the exterior siding and columns, new fixtures and new hardware here and there. There wasn’t much that needed to be done.

But then it struck me! This is MY house! My very own place that I pay for and can do what I want! No more white walls in every room (like my parents). No one telling me where to hang what picture and that something may or may not be too girly for their tastes. This is MY HOUSE! I want a red front door!

I have now lived in my house for 7 months. So far I haven’t done much be update the fixtures in one bathroom, decorate, and re-do the front flowerbeds. Nothing too big or drastic. But its time for a change! It’s time to finally make my home, MY HOME! So, with that in mind, I’m painting my front door red! Finally, I will have what I have always wanted, a home, my own home, with a beautiful red front door!

** On a side note, I didn’t know how much significance was behind having a red front door. I discovered this when I googled red front door looking for a photo to include with my post. But so you know….red doors are popular and significant. It’s actually Feng Shui concept that represents prosperity, fame, and love. It also represented homes that welcomed visitors during colonial times. Now…granted…in Ireland, a red door signifies the house is paid for. I still have 14 more years to go before I can claim that. But…I think the red door will suit me very well!

My first six months....

Since I have been putting off this blog entry, and since I'm confronting the past this weekend (not in a bad way), I thought I would go ahead and bite the bullet and get this over.

On June 30, I "celebrated" (?) my sixth month anniversary of returning to Mississippi. The day passed by without consequence (of course), but I did take time the following days to reflect on my decision. So, here are the top three questions I have asked myself. In no particular order, of course...

Was the decision right?

Yes, I truly believe it was. For some odd reason, the Lord turned my heart last fall. I started desperately missing home, and knew it was time to go back. Then this job opened up and fell in my lap. It was a very good career move for me, and I have been blessed immensely since arriving. I have a beautiful home, I was able to pay off all debt (except for the house...only 14 more years to go), and I am close enough that Will doesn't think Aunt Sheri lives in a computer anymore. (Skype does make the world smaller!) I know the Lord led me here and has me here for a reason. Yes, the decision was right.

Has it been easy?

Absolutely not! The job was a crazy, hectic start, but I feel as if I have settled in now. I have adjusted to not having shopping or favored dining choices nearby, but the flip side is I am saving more money than ever before, which is important because now I have all kinds of taxes and mortgages, and all that great stuff to pay. (Apartments are way cheaper...but I LOVE my home!)

The thing I struggle with most, though, is the lack of social events in my life. I had a lot of friends in Fort Worth. I really don't have many here in Mississippi, which is why I go home to Jackson most every weekend. I mean, its okay that I don't have a lot of friends, but it still kind of a bummer. I'm so used to planning parties, hosting parties, attending parties, dining out with friends, dining in with friends, and just hanging out and watching TV. Here, I do that about once a month.

Most of you old friends with say, "What? *gasp* The little social butterfly herself has nothing to do?" But, its true. Where do you meet folks when you are 29 and working? I am DEAD SET on keeping my work and personal life separate this time (long story), so nothing there. My church is small, and there really aren't many folks my age that aren't married with kids. Tennis has produced some friends, but only those I meet on the courts a couple of nights a week. So....the community aspect is slow going in my life.

Would you change the decision you made?

No. I told you I thought it was right. And the parts of Fort Worth I miss I will either just get over or they will come in time. (Like the friends thing...hopefully!) I really do love living in my little small town. Its cute, its quaint, and because it centers around the largest university in Mississippi, it actually has some culture to it. The people here are really nice, and I do really LOVE my job! I think I will make a life here, but then again, I said that about Fort Worth as well. But for now, this is my home and this is my life, and I'm happy. Which is all that really matters isn't it?

My first attempt at a homemade video

This is for my nephew, Will.





All that is missing is "OH TOODLES!"

My Weekend Project

What you need to Create a Nursing Bracelet

Strong piece of ribbon, wire or elastic. If you choose ribbon or wire, make sure it's long enough to tie around your wrist. Elastic can be stretched, but also make sure it's comfortable.

Beads you like. You can use number or letter beads of different colors, or create your own design. Some people use animal beads instead of numbers, so the bracelet seems more decorative than functional. Do what works best for you.

A clip-on charm, etc. This should be something you can easily clip on the bracelet. You'll use it as a marker, placing it at the bead representing the time of your last feeding.

How to make a Nursing Bracelet

1. Knot the ribbon, wire, or elastic to keep the beads on.

2. String a starter bead.

3. String your first number bead, or whatever you're using to represent the numbers of a clock. This is 1:00.

4. Put on three other beads. These represent 1:15, 1:30, and 1:45.

5. String the second number bead, for 2:00.

6. String three beads for 2:15, 2:30, and 2:45.

7. Continue until you're strung enough beads to reach
12:45.

8. After your 12:45 bead, string a bead like your starter bead.

9. Knot the end of the bracelet. If you're using elastic, knot the ends together in addition to making an end knot. For ribbon, knot the end, and make sure there's enough room to tie it on your wrist. And for wire, after you make the end knot, twist the ends together, and push them under your last bead, so the ends don't poke you or your baby. (Wire really shouldn't be used for nursing bracelets, but many companies and moms still use it.)

10. Put on your nursing bracelet, clip on the marker, and remember to use it!

Nursing bracelets don't have to be expensive. They're fun to make and can also be a keep-sake item for you or your baby. Some mothers use beads the color of their babies' birth stones, etc. Making a nursing bracelet is also relaxing, and what new mom doesn't need to relax?

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**Disclaimer - No, I am NOT making a nursing bracelet for myself. I am not nursing nor did I have a baby. But my sister did! I will be sure to post videos and pics of the new niece soon!

Attack of the Birds Part One: Stay Away From My Geraniums....

Yesterday, while watering my flowers, I discovered a suprise in one of my geranium hanging plants. It was a bird's nest with little blue eggs. I thought I heard something flying around last week when I was watering, but thought it might just be a bee or something. Nope...it was a bird...building a nest and laying eggs in my beautiful flowers.

Now, normally I am very much against killing birds by knocking down nests. I don't care if they are on my porch or above my door...but I really wasn't happy about the hanging plants. So, I did what I knew was wrong in the eyes of PETA, and I removed the nest and placed it on a ledge above where the plant was hanging. I know birds don't come back when they smell humans on their stuff.

Well, then I moved on to my next plant. Low and behold, another nest! No eggs in this one though. So, I removed the nest and threw it on the ground. NOT IN MY GERANIUMS, BIRDS! And finally, there was the beginning of another nest in my third hanging basket. Really? Can you please lay off my plants???? No wonder they have been looking a little puny! So all the nests were removed.

This morning I woke up to see that the little nest with the eggs had fallen on the ground. Now I really killed them. It wasn't in a secure enough location, and the wind must have blown it off. Oh well! Sorry birds! But...seriously...not in my geraniums!

After work today I decided to check on the progress of my plants. Before I went outside, I noticed a bird sitting in my window above my door....ready to attack. Must have been the mother of the babies I killed. Because it just sat there, staring at me and Josephine, trying to get in. Josephine, being the predator she is, scared it off. But not before a show! Luckily, we all servived and all is well. Birds, feel free to lay nests on the ledge of my porch, above my front door, or anyway in a tree. However, STAY AWAY FROM MY GERANIUMS!

Next episode.....The pigeons come to town!