Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Cookies

My son used to be a Cub Scout. This week I graduated from Cub Scouts. I used to be a Cub Scout Pack Committee Member. I used to be the Cub Scout Popcorn Kernel. Now I am the mom of a Boy Scout!

Daniel and Joshua were excited - and a little nervous. I have several photos of the boys and they all look ready to throw up or faint (maybe both?)! The crossover ceremony was great - a big thank you to Greg Arp for his work.

So now that I have a Boy Scout and have graduated, what will I do with all of my free time? As I understand it, Boy Scouts won't require as much of my time. I could put the 2+ hours a week I am getting back to good use and sleep more but most likely I will find numerous activities to fill that time slot.

On another note, I made oatmeal cookies tonight. Instead of butter I used coconut oil. The cookies were TERRIFIC! I used the Quaker Oatmeal cookie recipe and just substituted the butter. Everything else was just as the recipe called for. I highly recommend this substitution for cookies - YUM!

I am working on some lightweight signature swirl shirts tonight - look for photos on Tina's Tie Dye on Facebook. While you are there you can enter the caption contest - it closes on February 28.

Contest Winner

My friend Sharon over at Keen Inspirations sponsored a contest where the winner got a Tina's Tie Dye bag. Imagine my surprise when I learned the winner's name was also Tina! I was even MORE surprised when the other Tina turned out to be a mom at the homeschool co-op I attend.

Here we are! Congratulations Tina and thank you Sharon.

He will ALWAYS be my baby

I tried to explain to my son Daniel that he will always be my baby. He will be 11 tomorrow and he does not get it. It seems like such a simple concept to me - maybe when I was 11 I didn't get it either.

Daniel has a maternal cousin born or the same day. His cousin is also named Daniel. I wish I could say that Daniel was a long time family name and that my brother and I wanted to keep the name going but that would be a lie. I don't think we actually ever talked about baby names. Heck, I was holding out for the name Jackson. Jackson was a masculine name. It was a western name. It was the PERFECT name (in my opinion.) But my husband didn't agree so we named our son Daniel.

I will never forget calling my brother to tell him that my water had broken. My sister-in-law was past her due date and I remember him telling me that she may cry. I called early the next morning to tell him that Daniel had been born. He said, "WHAT!" I replied that we had named the baby Daniel. My brother said that Daniel was the name THEY had picked out if they had a son. I think I said good thing we live 3000 miles apart. Imagine my surprise when I got a call a little later with the news that my sister-in-law was in labor. Now imagine my surprise when I got a call saying that Daniel had been born. Now we call them the double Daniels. I think that they like that!

In our family we don't have big parties for most birthdays. Turning 11 gets you cake and ice cream and a friend overnight. Happy Birthday Daniel - Enjoy your time with Joshua!

CONTEST - Tell your friends

The poster says it all!

Go to Tina's Tie Dye on Facebook to enter. You can click the "Like" button on the sidebar on the left.

Sweetheart Festival 2011

I spent last weekend in Young Harris at the Sweetheart Festival. It was my first show of 2011 and my first indoor show. I can say up front that outdoor shows are easier to set up.

When I arrived at 7 am Saturday morning we found out that Say Yes to the Dress was filming a wedding at the resort where the show was being held. Therefore vendors had to be moved around. I was fortunate I was a luck one who got to stay. My new spot was not nearly as good as I would have liked - but all in all it was a good weekend.

We were able to drive partway up the golf path to unload the van. Thanks to my new hand truck unloading was a piece of cake!

Setting up was more difficult since I was not in a square 10x10 foot spot but had to set up in a hallway. In addition to the festival, there was an art show going on in the resort. My corner had the nicest painting! For a while there were boxes everywhere.

After we unloaded we began by setting up my brand new rack. What a blessing the rack was. I want 3 more!

Finally we got most of our tubs emptied and organized. We had to be creative. Tim fashioned a small table for socks from 4 empty tubs and a tablecloth - great thinking! Space did not allow me to display our Upcycle - maybe next show.

Looking from my hanging rack into the rest of the exhibit area was difficult since the hall was C shaped. I was on the bottom end of the C and the stairs were on the top of the C.

On my floor there was a potter, a jeweler, two candle makers (bad idea to put two vendors with the same product next to each other), a lady who sold shirt savers (adult bibs), a couple who did wood burning and basketry, and me. The main floor of the resort had about 35 other vendors.

My corner was COLD. Not chilly - but cold. I have been warmer in November at outdoor shows with snow on the ground. I figured an indoor show would be warm so I skipped wearing long johns, ski socks, and under armor. I never took off my jacket or scarf on Saturday. I dressed for outdoor temps on Sunday and was able to forgo a jacket until late in the afternoon.

I am looking forward to more shows in 2011. Next time I'll dress for cold and bring clothing to change into if it warms up! One thing I love about art festivals and craft shows is that people are HAPPY to be there. Helping someone to pick out the "perfect" shirt is fun. This is why I love to tie dye - tie dye makes people smile.

Birthdays and Prime Numbers

This year my baby is turning 11. Eleven is a prime number. It also looks nice when written and I have always loved numbers that are double (11, 22, 33, 44, . . .) So I am excited I will have an 11 year old - but kind of sad that my baby will be 11. He is almost as tall as me and I can no longer pick him up.

When I got to thinking about birthdays, I realized that I will be a prime number on my birthday - how cool is that! But the fun does not stop with me. I will have a 19 year old this spring. Pretty darn amazing if you ask me. Since ladies aren't supposed to tell their age, I found a photograph of two road signs that show how old I'll be.

All of this mathematical thinking made me think of math lessons. I am glad it is the weekend!

Just a reminder - I am doing a giveaway over at my friend Sharon's blog - check it out by clicking HERE! Good luck!

Giveaway at Keen Inspirations

My Friend Sharon, over at Keen Inspirations, is hosting a Tina's Tie Dye giveaway on her blog. Check it out!

Dance

Tonight I went to a ballet class with Abigail. It was mother-daughter dance night. Only one other mother came. I felt a little bad for the 12 girls without parents. Abigail and Morgan may have felt bad that their Mothers showed up.

In 1974 I took ballet. Before that I took tap dancing lessons. I was not good at either - but I liked to dance. Sometime after I started middle school I lost interest in ballet and quit, but picked it up again my freshman year in high school. I am so thankful I had the opportunity to try something and learn it was not for me.

Which brings me to my point. Daughters 1 and 2 wanted to dance but I said no. I had good reasons (I thought) - not enough time, not enough money, not a place to dance. I am glad I stopped listening to the NOTs and listened to the heart of my daughter who wanted to learn ballet.

Maybe one day Abigail will be a famous dancer (like the photo above) - you never know. What I do know is that in 30 years I won't miss the money I spent on lessons and my daughter will have fond memories of getting to try something she REALLY wanted to learn. Synergy at its best!

Homeschooling and Spelling (or why I love DSP)

I am a 17 year veteran of homeschooling my 4 children. I have a 5th grader, so I have 7 more to go. Over the years I have tried dozens (yes, really dozens) of spelling programs. Some I have liked, some I have not. 4 years ago I met the author of Daily Spelling Practice at our homeschool co-op. We were paired up to teach the journalism class. I was relieved that someone who actually knew what she was doing was going to be my helper - she was relieved that she did not have to work in the nursery. It was a perfect fit!

I was so excited to learn about Daily Spelling Practice (DSP at our house) and to try it out on Abbie, because she was very unhappy with the curriculum that I was using (and that her older sisters had liked.) You can read about the program by clicking HERE.

I love that DSP has a workbook. I am generally not a workbook lover, but I like that the daily exercises are all contained in ONE place. Just the workbook and a folder takes care of spelling now.

I wish I could say that overnight my daughter became a wonderful speller. What I did notice was that with DSP she did not regurgitate words back on a test, but was learning the whys of spelling and applying those rules to her daily work. We are now on level 4. I can say that I have seen great improvement. My children like that they can be DONE with spelling in under 10 minutes a day. I love that I can be done with spelling in under 10 minutes a day. No more word lists, no more word puzzles, and no more whining (well maybe just a little whining.)

Thanks DGP for publishing an affordable, easy to use, and efficient spelling program. I <3 DGP! Tomorrow I am going to be featured on my friend Sharon's blog - Keen Inspirations - for a giveaway. Check out her site by clicking on the link.

Today I found out that I had WON a contest with my purse cleaning blog post. Anna over at Ask Anna had a giveaway and included a bonus challenge for an extra entry. THANK YOU!!!

We are in a fight. . .

Not you and I dear reader but Walmart and I. I don't like the word, but I am going to say it - I HATE that store!

Whew, I feel better!

When my daughter Melissa was younger and got mad she would say, "We are in a fight!!" When I heard that I knew it was serious and I had better not laugh or do any of those things that mothers do and later wish they had not done. The term, "We are in a fight" has come to mean (in our house that is) - I don't like this or I am mad about. . .

So, to my least favorite store ever - we are in a fight! I know that store can save me money. I know that store has it "all" and can be a time saver - BUT by the time I am done shopping there I am mad. I rarely ever find all the items I came to buy. Usually there are not enough checkers. Heaven forbid I need to return or exchange an item (even if I have a receipt) because I will spend 30+ minutes in line to speak to a harried clerk who usually has to call a CSM for authorization.

If I ran that store things would be different!! Let's hope that never happens because I'd probably close most of them. Thank goodness for Dollar General so I can avoid Walmart most of the time! If the day ever comes where I run Walmart, my dog Zeus will be the Executive VP - he is used to being in a fight with me.

Purse cleanup challenge

I helped clean the attic, I cleaned my closet, and now I have cleaned my purse. I actually carry a Vera Bradley backpack, not a purse. I wish I could say I like the backpack for the style, but it is actually for the storage. I have a lot of stuff.

I was surprised by the weight - 4.2 pounds. WOW, it is no wonder my shoulders hurt. I could carry a backpacking pack with ease - but 4.2 pounds is a lot for a purse.

First I emptied everything out - ugh!

I have not totally emptied my purse since 2008 when I was on a cruise and wanted to WIN a contest. I change purses often, but I employ the dump method (you know when you just dump stuff from one bag tot he other). So I emptied it out looking for silly stuff. I had a lot of that! I have always felt organized because my purse has several zippered storage bags. I can find stuff (usually). My pretty storage bag holds things I may need when I am out. If I am going for a walk I will leave it in the car. This is what was in it before I cleaned it out.

After cleaning it out this is what I wanted to put back in the mini bag. One look and I knew I still had too much stuff. I got rid of some more cards and papers - YEAH!

30 minutes later I had pared down the contents of my purse to this (I fed Abbie the Snickers.)

Finally I packed it all back and here is the final project - just 3.4 pounds!

Thanks to Anna over at Ask Anna for her challenge to clean my purse!