Soggy Bottoms Baby Duds

Why I Like Animals Better Than Most People I Know

2012-03-14T06:45:00.024-04:00

So I have this board on Pinterest called Why I like Animals Better Than Most People I Know. It's pretty self-explanatory. CLICK HERE if you wanna see.

In honor of Allllmost Wordless Wednesday, here are a few of my pins, along with the captions I've created. Enjoy!

They don't care what you're wearing or what you do for a living.

They understand camouflage.

They don't need to pay a lot of money to get a gorgeous long white train.

Birthday Ramble

2012-03-11T07:31:00.022-04:00

Errr, to ME, actually!
Is it sad that I'm wishing it to myself?? LOL
At least it falls on a weekend this year.

I have several orders, so I'll be sewing up a storm, and I made something ADORABLE and am hoping to get some pics up. That is actually fun for me. We did the birthday dinner thing on Friday and I'm going to make that Mexican Tater Tot Casserole that I liked so much.

AND, WALKING DEAD IS ON!!
WALK-ING DEAD!!
WALK-ING DEAD!!!!
(It's a chant.
Say it in your head.)

Yeah, she's sick alright.

Here's kind of a cool thing I happened upon yesterday.
You can actually drag and drop a picture into Google and it will give you the original source. Well, it will give you ALL the sources it can find that match.

Basically, click on a picture and save it to your computer. (Make sure you know where it went, LOL.)
Go to Google.
Click on Images (upper left).
Open your folder where you saved the pic.
Drag the pic to the search bar.
A rectangle will pop up that says
Drop Image Here.
Drop it there.
That's it! The search is incredibly fast.

Here, if you are more of a visual person, The Graphics Fairy did a tutorial...CLICK HERE.

Oh, and HEY, CLICK HERE FOR OUR GIVEAWAY! Thanks for stopping by!!

Stuff that Makes Me Mad, Part Two - Cheap Knockoffs

2012-03-10T07:17:00.060-05:00

I have a friend I've never met. (Actually, one of my very best friends is someone I've never met, and NO, she is not imaginary, LOL.)

Anyway, this particular friend's name is Jane and she has a shop on Etsy called SnoopCattyCatt (CLICK HERE to see), which I think is unbearably cute to begin with.

Jane makes cat clothes. Not clothes with cats on them. Clothes FOR cats. One would not think there would be much of a market. Till one saw some of her creations.

Like this.And this.

Isn't her model the most GORGEOUS cat?! His name is Salvador and I just love his expression, which, to me, borders on minimally-veiled disdain, LOL!! Anyway, so I was puttering around on Pinterest yesterday and happened upon a pin by a woman who also likes cats. It was SALVADOR. In fact, it was this exact tuxedo pic, with one exception - NO WATERMARK. NO CREDIT GIVEN TO JANE. Or to Salvador, for that matter.

So I immediately went to Jane's shop on Etsy and found this watermarked pic of Salvador and pinned it, asking everyone who had seen the other pic to use this one instead. Then I contacted Jane about it and this is really the point of this whole rant.

Jane says she had not originally put watermarks on her pics because...well...she hadn't seen the need. After all, she's making bow ties and "shirts" for cats and didn't think anyone would even really be interested. Then someone downloaded a Salvador pic and put it on LOLCats. From there, it went viral and is now on a BUNCH of sites, with no credit given to Jane or Salvador.

Here's the crux of the matter. Jane is 100% positive that with all the exposure her items have gotten, it's only a matter of time till someone in some factory starts cranking out cheap knockoffs. I can just picture Jane's idea made in some crappy, cheap fabric and available at your local WalMart and PetCo.

This is not limited to Jane and her adorable cat clothes. Cheap quilt knockoffs REALLY devastated the American quilt market for a while. Like the cheap quilt sets pictured below.

GUESS WHAT THE MINIMUM ORDER IS??!??
Two thousand sets.
TWO THOUSAND SETS.

There are still many people who don't know and don't care about the difference between QUALITY quilts made by HAND versus something cranked out in a factory overseas somewhere. In fact, fear of the cheap knockoffs is what has prevented me (thus far) from making quilts to sell on Etsy.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not anti-WalMart. In fact, we'll be there, shopping for groceries as soon as I hit "Publish Post". I'm not even so much anti-some-other-artist-copying-my-own-work. Like, if I post a pic of a quilt I've made and some quilter recreates it, giving it her own spin, then more power to her.

It just makes me sick, though, to think of someone's original idea being cranked out by the millions by an assembly line of machines in some factory. It makes me really sick to know that Jane herself is thinking of going into mass-production so that she at least benefits from her own ideas.

So PLEASE, if you happen to see some cheap imitation of Jane's (or any artist's) handmade work...PLEASE think of Jane and Salvador and DON'T BUY IT.

GIVEAWAY DRAWING EXTENDED!!

2012-03-09T06:46:00.022-05:00

GIVEAWAY drawing extended!

CLICK HERE!!
WOO-HOOOO, more time to enter!

If you haven't entered,
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?? LOL

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ Is It Friday Yet??

2012-03-08T06:37:00.014-05:00

THIS IS ME:

Well, not really. That could be dangerous in a kindergarten classroom. Kindergartners are like the ocean. Don't turn your back on them.

However, that IS how I feel after:
Meeting Monday night until 7 PM.
(That made for an 11-hour day.)

Meeting Wednesday night until 6 PM.
(Obviously, 10 hours.)

Parent/Teacher Conferences tonight till 7 PM.
(Today will SEEM longer than 9 hours.)

AT LEAST we get off half-day tomorrow.

I am thinking of extending the GIVEAWAY (CLICK HERE),
since I've done almost nothing to promote it.

AWWWWW Wordless Wednesday

2012-03-07T06:26:00.013-05:00

Don't forget to register for our GIVEAWAY!!
CLICK HERE!!

There are lots of these guys
serving a life sentence at the SPCA.
ADOPT, don't SHOP.

GIVEAWAY!! FREEBIES!!! YAYYY!!!!

2012-03-04T18:08:00.008-05:00

GIVEAWAY FREEBIE TIME. YAY!!!
THREE prizes, THREE winners:

Live Laugh Love Wine Sleeve
in a Soft, Mossy Green

Puzzle Ribbon (Autism Awareness)
Tooth Fairy Pillow with Red Pawprint

Pink Ribbon
Tooth Fairy Pillow with Pink Heart

FOUR WAYS TO ENTER:

Winners will be drawn by random.org
FROM THE COMMENTS ON THIS POST.

If you go do one of these things
but forget to come back to comment,
you won't be entered.

No one wants that.

Each comment MUST include what you did to get an entry, your name and WHICH PRIZE YOU WANT...Wine Sleeve, Puzzle Tooth Pillow or Pink Tooth Pillow.

1) Follow me on Pinterest AND COMMENT HERE TO LET ME KNOW. I need to know your Pinterest name. Just click the little red Pinterest button in the right column of this blog and then click Follow All. If you already follow me on Pinterest, just comment here to let me know.

(Note, you must follow ALL of my boards in order to show up under Followers on Pinterest.)

And just a side note...following someone for a giveaway and then unfollowing after the drawing is...well...it's just tacky.

2) "Like" our FB page AND COMMENT HERE TO LET ME KNOW. Again, I need to know your FB name. Just click the Follow On Facebook badge in the right column of this blog and then "Like" Soggy Bottoms Baby Duds FB page. If you already "like" me (awww, thanks!), just comment here.

And again, a side note..."liking" someone's FB page for a giveaway and then "unliking" after the drawing is both sad and tacky. I lost 13 "Likers" yesterday after I posted our Spring Sale pics. They didn't really like me to begin with and they are not my friends.

3) Follow this blog AND COMMENT HERE TO LET ME KNOW. Please comment using the same identity as you used to Follow, so I can figure it out. Just click Join This Site in the right column. If you already follow this blog, just comment here.

And again with the following/unfollowing tackiness.

4) Put me in your circle on Etsy AND COMMENT HERE TO LET ME KNOW. For this, you need to have an Etsy account and I need to know your Etsy name. If I'm already in your circle, just comment here.

And please don't circle/uncircle me. Really. That is just sad.

You can do any or all of the above. You can request a different prize for each entry, or the same prize for every entry you complete. I plan to keep drawing for a prize until random.org chooses someone who wants that particular prize. So if you REALLY want a particular prize, you'll improve your chances by listing it for each of your entries.

I will draw for the three winners on Monday, March 12 at 6 PM Eastern and will announce the winners in a blog post. If you are no No Reply, I will also email you. WINNERS HAVE 24 HOURS TO CLAIM THEIR PRIZES BY EMAILING ME. Otherwise, I'll redraw on Tues, March 13.

OH, and I just found out that Blogger no longer allows numbering of comments, so I guess I'm counting by hand. Repeatedly, until I get winners who want each of the prizes. Free shipping to US and Canada. All others pay actual shipping.

I hope this all was clearer than mud. If you're confused, let me know and GOOD LUCK in advance!

CLEARANCE SALE SALE SALE!!!!!! HALF PRICE!

2012-03-03T09:22:00.018-05:00

The CLEARANCE SALE IS OPEN
and things are going FAST!

CLICK HERE TO SEE!!!

EVERYTHING IS HALF-PRICE!
MANY THINGS ARE ONE OF A KIND,
so when they're gone,
they're GONE!

Pop over to see what's up.
We'll be adding items as we go.

I'll be posting the GIVEAWAY
either today or tomorrow!

SPRING CLEANING SALE AND GIVEAWAY!!

2012-03-02T06:08:00.012-05:00

WOOO-HOOOOO!!!!
Fun times this weekend!!
We're having a SPRING CLEANING SALE
over on our Facebook page AND
we're announcing our GIVEAWAY right here!!

The SPRING CLEANING SALE will
be one-of-a-kind items
at HUGE savings!
First come, first served!
Once they're gone, they're gone!

The giveaway will be have not one, but TWO
prizes and there will be several ways to win.
Check back tomorrow!!

(And for the record, YES, I know
it's not technically spring yet.
But it sure feels like it
here in balmy VA!

Sad but TRUE

2012-02-29T06:32:00.011-05:00

And that should say,
"What my husband KNOWS I do."
He has seen the receipts, LOL.

Allllmost Wordless Wednesday!!

2012-02-29T06:11:00.011-05:00

Receipts are done:
$-45.75 to glue on hair I've pulled out!
(KIDDING. Calm down.)

Income taxes are filed:
$-113.97 for TurboTax, e-filing fees!

Feeling like I can breathe again:
PRICELESS!

RECEIPT HELL - Tax Time - FREE GIVEAWAY SOON, I PROMISE

2012-02-26T07:38:00.045-05:00

That is where I am.
EVERY YEAR, my friend Linda and I
vow to do better.
I have NOT done better
AGAIN this year, Linda.
Have you??

Maybe I need a new filing system.

Hopefully soon I can talk about fun stuff,
like the Mid-Atlantic quilt show.
And my upcoming double giveaway.

Till then, think of me...

Up Close and Personal with NICHOLSON'S Teeth!

2012-02-25T08:46:00.024-05:00

Tilt your head to the right.
It's Nicholson's teeth.
On a QUILT.

That's the rest of his mug on
Sandy Curran's award-winning quilt
at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show.
He just makes me smile.

The quilts were stunning
and I took over 300 pics.
Check back for more quilted awesomeness!!

OH, and I'm having another giveaway SOON!

Allllmost Wordless Wednesday!!

2012-02-22T06:43:00.008-05:00

OMG, click on it to enlarge!!
It's PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!

Teachers or former teachers...
TRUE OR NOT TRUE?!?

That's a PARTY!

2012-02-20T07:30:00.036-05:00

Hi, my name is Robin.
I have storage issues.

Specifically, I have a rickrack problem. When I opened the jammed container, rickrack would pop out like a nest of snakes. It was easier just to buy more than to rummage through the mess. Which is why I have yards and yards of rickrack in some colors and not a speck of the color I actually need.

Yesterday, the answer hit me!

WA-LA!!
My husband took one look and said,
"That's a PARTY!"

It's easy to use, I can tell at a glance what I have and best of all, I love looking at it. So simple - I just looped each "hank" onto a large binder ring and hung them from a cute hook.

Here it is on my studio wall,
next to one of the two ribbon racks
my husband made for me.
Don't you just LOVE it?!

Move Over, Darth Vader! And thanks for the EGO-CRUSHER, Little Dude!

2012-02-19T07:52:00.014-05:00

So at school the other morning (Valentine's Day, to be exact), I was walking across the classroom with a little box of chocolates that a colleague had given me. Here is the conversation that followed with one of my adorable kindergarten angels:

Nathan (not his real name):
"Wow! Candy!! Where did you get that?!"

Me: "My friend gave it to me."

Nathan, after a puzzled pause:
"You have FRIENDS??"

Joys of Motherhood 1

2012-02-18T18:04:00.011-05:00

"Oh NO, she found the butter!"

YAY for Abe (and grouchy George)

2012-02-17T07:22:00.016-05:00

Abraham Lincoln was apparently a great guy. He is reported to have had a great sense of humor. He told jokes and funny stories. He liked kids, even when they sent his stovepipe hat flying and his important papers blew all over the place. And he was, arguably, the first freedom fighter.

George Washington is apparently largely misunderstood. In his pictures (paintings, since the camera had not been invented), he always looks grumpy at best. From what I understand, he was in a LOT of pain - first with his rotting teeth and then with his painful dentures that were made of ivory (NOT wood). His mouth hurt and that's why he looks like that.

Thanks to those two (and the fact that school will be closed for our Presidents' Day holiday to honor them), this will be me on Monday:

I was going to say that THIS will be me, but then I thought it looked like she was going to Heaven and I didn't want to give the wrong impression. Not that I don't want to go to Heaven. Just not on Monday.

AWWWWW Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-15T07:05:00.005-05:00

I Made You Something!

2012-02-14T06:44:00.025-05:00

Okay, so I didn't really MAKE it.
Doris Day is not here at my house.
Happily, she IS still alive and kickin
at the ripe age of 89.

But I did 'photoshop' it for ya!
Here's the original pic of the
legendary actress/animal activist.

Have a great Valentine's Day and
be kind to animals.
Or else.

Thank GOD and Logitech!

2012-02-12T08:40:00.054-05:00

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you've definitely heard me whine about the fact that we don't get to see our grandkids often. Pop-Pop and I are literally stuck in the middle, geographically, about 500 miles away from everybody we love.

It's a dilemma because we feel if we move in one direction or the other, it's sorta like choosing between our kids/grandkids. Ever the teacher, I made you a visual aid to illustrate this concept. (Rachel and Travis have 3 dogs + Avery, so they've dubbed the new baby #5. That's TEMPORARY, so don't get worked up.)

So now you feel my pain.

I cried for a hundred miles
the last time we left SC.

So ANYWAY, we "visit" via our Logitech webcam a lot. Last night, Rachel and Travis called to ask if we'd like to sneak in a quick webcam before dinner. I dropped the super-secret sewing project I was working on, turned off the burner under the homemade veggie soup and we plonked ourselves down in front of the computer.

AND GUESS WHAT?!?!????
WE GOT TO WITNESS A FIRST!!!!!!!!!

As he's done hundreds of times,
Travis said, "Avery, what does the cow say?"
Before we could all chorus the answer,
Avery said, "Mmmmmmmmmmooo!"

We all sat there in stunned silence before breaking into a round of applause. Travis got him to say it over and over. Avery was so pleased with himself that he was shrieking in delight.

If you're not a grandparent, this might all seem pretty mundane. If you're a grandparent who sees your grandkids daily, it might be hard to relate. But for us, it was like witnessing a MIRACLE! Thank God (and Logitech) for our digital miracle!

Twilight Zone / Not Just No, but HELL NO / People Scare Me

2012-02-11T07:35:00.088-05:00

I couldn't decide on a title. Scroll down for a link to my Pinterest board called 'Not Just No, But HELL NO'. And this post is not about the actual Twilight Zone. It's about the fact that sometimes I feel like I'm in a bad episode.

A big goal in my life is to avoid
becoming possessed.

Another goal is to avoid
being a sucker who gets conned
into spending her money
on stupid things.

Reasonable, right?
You probably have
similar goals.

Then WHO would buy
THIS thing on Etsy?!?!!!!

Here's the actual title:

Pentagram Is Ruining My Life please only purchase if you can harness what this Thing is putting out I Am Telling You Up Front This Thing Is Possessed And Has supernatural power

THE DOLL IS NOT INCLUDED.
AND IT'S ONLY $200!!!!!!!!!!!!

CLICK HERE
to see my pin on Pinterest.
Once you're there, click the pic
and it will take you to the
actual listing on Etsy,
in case you wanna buy it.

At least the seller does urge us not to give it to our mother-in-law. Hey, if you buy it, let me know how the exorcism went, LOL!!

Mexican Tater Tot Casserole

2012-02-10T07:02:00.008-05:00

I'm always excited when a new recipe is a "keeper"! I found this on Allrecipes.com, and changed it around to suit our taste. I'm a vegetarian, so I realize that you may be puzzled by the ingredient called "Crumbles". They're a meatless alternative that looks a lot like browned ground beef. They really just add texture and they take on the flavor of whatever you put them into. If you're interested, check them out in the frozen food section - they come in a bag that's equal to a pound of browned ground beef.I use Crumbles for everything you would put browned ground beef into- nachos, homemade veggie soup, spaghetti, chili, lasagna. One Super Bowl Sunday, I made a big pot of chili with them and Trevor's friends each scarfed down two bowls! Hmmm...maybe that's due to the bottle of beer I use in my chili, LOL.

Anyway, this is easy, fast and yummy (but it's not health food, LOL). I served it with a plop of lowfat sour cream on the side. Just thought I'd share...

Mexican Tater Tot Casserole

Ingredients

1 pound Crumbles
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 (16 ounce) bag frozen style corn
1 (12 ounce) can low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (12 ounce) bag shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 (16 ounce) package frozen tater tots
1 (12 fluid ounce) can green enchilada sauce

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Prepare a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Add the onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder, frozen corn, and black beans to the crumbles in a pan; cook and stir about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. Combine the crumbles mixture in a large bowl with about 3/4 of the Mexican cheese blend and the tater tots; stir to combine.

4. Pour about 1/3 of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Add the tater tot mixture to the baking dish; lightly pat the mixture down into a solid, even layer. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the tater tot layer.

5. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining Mexican cheese over the casserole and return to oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 minutes more.

You can sub in a pound of browned ground beef, but you really do owe it to yourself to give Crumbles a try.
YUM, I LOVE this recipe!! Need to make this again, SOON!

HUGE NEWS!!!!!!!!!

2012-02-09T07:07:00.010-05:00

LOOK TO THE LEFT!!
LOOK TO THE LEFT!!!!!!!!!!

The creepy floating
baby ticker is BACK!!!!!!!!!

Avery is going to be
a big brother!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG, Nannie and Pop Pop are so excited!!!!!

CONGRATS TO
RACH AND TRAVIS!!!!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-08T06:57:00.012-05:00

Happy Wednesday,
Cat Lovers!

NEW!! Silly MonsterTissue Holder!

2012-02-05T08:23:00.039-05:00

An itinerant preschool teacher contacted me the other day with a desperate request. She travels to people's houses to work with their preschoolers one-on-one and had FINALLY gotten tired of watching parents watch their little ones kids wipe their noses on their sleeves!

EWWWW!!!!!!!!!!

She'd seen a tissue holder on Pinterest and wondered if I could make her two, although she thought they were not as cute as our Silly Monster Coin Purses that she'd ordered. Turns out that these were a free tutorial from
Totally Tutorials, with no restrictions on making these to sell. I "cuted" them up and made two for her.

And here they are with the matching coin purses:

I think I love them!

A Little Bit Like Goldilocks

2012-02-03T06:41:00.033-05:00

So our microwave died. There's no shame in that. It originally belonged to my mother, who passed away in 1991. The light had not worked in years and it easily got overheated and shut itself off. It looked a lot like this - ugly fake wood grain and all, LOL!
I don't know about you, but I use a microwave several times a day, so it didn't take long for me to go into microwave withdrawal. However, all I really use it for is to zap frozen veggies and reheat my morning coffee to scalding. Oh, and for making popcorn, of course. I do not zap giant pans of lasagna or whole turkeys or anything. I knew I wanted a microwave with a decent amount of wattage, NOT a huge one, NOT a teensy, dorm-looking one. And not ugly.

I had to run to four different stores to find one that fit the bill. They were all either too big, too small, too weak or just plain ugly. I finally found one I could live with...of course, it was at WAL MART. It's nothing fancy...it's a medium-sized, white one with 1000 watts of power and it has a handle on the door. Works great on coffee.

Gotta run. My coffee's cold again!
Ahhh, technology!

Not So Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-01T07:19:00.010-05:00

I thought you might appreciate if
THIS picture came up
when you clicked on my blog,
instead of that creepy Sleepwalker.

Back with more soon.
I am swamped with orders,
which is a GOOD thing.

Will...Post...SOON...

2012-01-30T18:22:00.008-05:00

Hi and sorry for the long absence and creepy picture. It's called Sleepwalker.

We have been out of town, celebrating Avery's FIRST BIRTHDAY. It's just amazing to me that he is already a year old!!!!!!

Like an idiot, I forgot my camera. Hopefully I'll be emailed some great pics.

In the meantime...I'm off to bed soon. We drove all night and I got an hour's sleep before I had to go to work. Sleepwalking right now...but I don't look quite as creepy as that pic, hopefully...

Killer Ginger Salad Dressing

2012-01-22T12:05:00.036-05:00

I thought I'd share the recipe for my favorite salad dressing. With its boatload of garlic, ginger and black pepper, this is not a dressing for the faint of heart. You'll either love it or hate it and if you love sweet dressings, I'm guessing you're gonna hate this. But if you're a confirmed salt-a-holic with a passion for garlic, read on:

Ginger Dressing
3/4 C olive oil (use a decent olive oil)
1/4 C soy sauce (use Kikkoman's!! Low sodium's ok)
1 lemon, juiced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
2 squirts of honey from Mr. Bear
ground black pepper to taste

Blend in food processor. Or, if yours doesn't work because your husband finally gifted you with the food processor you'd been hinting about and when you plugged it in for the first time, it didn't work and then your husband gave you the receipt so you could exchange it and you waited so long to exchange it that by then you'd lost the receipt and now you have to pretend that you always just happen to use the food processor when he's not around - blend this dressing in your ancient blender. Pour into some sort of container (I use a Good Seasons dressing-cruet-thingy.) Refrigerate.

A couple of notes:

1) I adjust the ingredient amounts to taste each time I make it. Sometimes the garlic and ginger seem stronger or weaker, so I make it as the recipe says and then taste/adjust it before I pour it into the cruet.

2) Let the dressing sit out for a little while before you use it, because it gets gloppy and weird if you try to serve it straight from the fridge. I think the olive oil starts to set up at those cold temps.

3) Here's an easy way to deal with fresh ginger: Peel the root, put into a baggie and freeze it. To make the dressing, just grate the ginger right into the blender container. The frozen flakes look like snow and you will probably need more that 3 Tbsp that way. Plus, your hand will freeze while you're grating. But it's a small price to pay for this delicious dressing!

Another PROUD MOMMA Moment

2012-01-21T08:18:00.031-05:00

This is me after accepting the gorgeous award earned by our older son (Travis, Avery's daddy) for being inducted into his high school's inaugural class of the brand-new Dr. Ashby C. Kilgore Hall of Fame!!

I felt short.
But I still rocked the Steelers scarf.
You know I hate pics of myself,
so I blurred my face.
But you get the general idea anyway.

Travis was inducted for his outstanding baseball career at Woodside High School. He was team captain and MVP and led his baseball team to the Peninsula District Championship, the Eastern Region Championship and the State Semi-Finals in 1998. Also in 1998, Travis was named Peninsula District Player of the Year, Eastern Region Player of the Year, was a First Team All-State selection, played in the elite VHSL All-Star game and was named in the USA Today All-USA Team.

Good times.
Thanks for the GREAT memories, Travis!

Paula Doesn't Own Your Mouth

2012-01-20T06:54:00.019-05:00

It is just cracking me up. Seriously, people are OUTRAGED that Paula Deen chose not to disclose that she has diabetes and that she is now endorsing a diabetes drug.

SO?????

Have you watched her show?

Did you think
she was cooking HEALTH FOOD?
Did you think
looked like the PICTURE OF HEALTH?
Whose responsibility is it
which foods go in YOUR mouth?

Probably not Paula Deen's, LOL.

Shameless Bragging Wednesday

2012-01-18T19:25:00.035-05:00

Shameless bragging on my kid!
Please take a second to
CLICK HERE.
It will take you to the
ESPN Stats and Info blog with
INCREDIBLE graphics that our son
(Zoey's daddy) MADE FROM SCRATCH.

Using Photoshop.

He's self-taught.

And this is not even part of his
actual job at ESPN.

It's something extra that he does
because he enjoys the challenge of
teaching himself Photoshop skills
and applying those skills to an area
that interests him - sports.

Be sure to hover your mouse
over each player who appears to be
standing on a circle. You'll see
that player's stats pop up!

I hope you're as impressed as I am, LOL!

What a difference a few years
can make. If you're the mom of a
teenage boy, take heart.
More about THAT soon!

Thanks for stopping by.
Don't forget to click that link!

Thanks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2012-01-15T08:13:00.065-05:00

Ruby Bridges entering school
escorted by federal marshalls

Every year at this time I am charged with trying to explain to a new crop of 5-year-olds the importance of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

It's a hard job.

Every year, I smile at the irony of the situation. Because of the courage and successes of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr (and the many other freedom fighters), my students have no concept of the IMPORTANCE of these same brave people. Why would they? They have no experience with anything like this:

My students are awed by the fact that someone could go to jail just for sitting in the "wrong" seat or drinking from the "wrong" water fountain.

Or that the color of your skin would determine where you could eat, or who you could play with or where you were allowed to go to school.

This year, I just wanted to say thanks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I'm grateful that your bravery made the importance of your own life so hard to teach.

HOT (Glue) HELL

2012-01-14T08:26:00.022-05:00

Sadly, that is where I reside.
But I'm looking to relocate
REAL SOON.No, that's not my hand.
And I'm not sure you can glue
a computer circuit board.
But the glue gun looks familiar.

My old glue gun was a "hot mess",
as they say in South Carolina.
It leaked glue and produced giant blobs
which oozed out from under everything I glued.
I was almost relieved when it
finally glued itself permanently
to a paper plate.

In a fit of frustration,
I ripped off the paper plate and
donated the gun to the Goodwill.
(Buyer beware and I guess a
functional glue gun is better than none.)

So I bought this.It claims to be a "detail gun".
As in, I'm supposed to be able to
glue rickrack on things without
feeling like I'm gluing with a ladle.

Now it looks like this.Incredibly, the "precise" tip fell off.
The stand broke.
And I'm getting a sad feeling of
deja vu from the paper plate.

Anyone have a glue gun that you love?
Is it possible to get a decent glue gun
without spending a fortune??

You Mean We Are Supposed to TEACH the Kids?!

2012-01-13T07:00:00.004-05:00

I thought it was just testing, LOL.
Even in kindergarten.

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-11T06:43:00.004-05:00

Aaaallllmost wordless, because I can't shut up.

AMAZING!

Maybe It's Me

2012-01-10T06:45:00.046-05:00

I just found two new blogs that I absolutely love! If I remembered where I'd first seen them, I'd give someone credit. Anyway, it occurred to me that the two blogs couldn't be much more different than they are! Looking at pics from them, I wonder how they would appeal to the same person. Scroll down. Is it just me, or do you love them both, too?

Here's the first one I found. It's called Handmade Ryan Gosling. Truthfully, I was not sure WHO Ryan Gosling was (one of those young actors that seem to get younger every year, apparently). But now I get it. People submit pics of him with clever captions. I assume most of the people are women who sew or are at least crafters, judging by some of the captions:

Ryan Gosling not my idea of "hot".
(I prefer this

or this),but some of these captions ARE funny.
At least to me.

The other blog is all photographs taken by some genius woman named Brooke Shaden and the blog is simply titled Brooke Shaden. Her photos are eerie and beautiful and haunting...at least to me. Here's my favorite so far:

Is it just me, or do you love them both, too?

My Folk Art Pleasures

2012-01-08T09:08:00.051-05:00

As promised yesterday, here are my Folk Art Pleasures quilt blocks thus far. I apologize in advance for the poor quality of photographs. For example, the stars on A3 are actually not solid black, but are very pretty dark blue prints. I also did not bother to press these blocks before I snapped the pics. I posted the original quilt at the bottom, so you can see what I've changed.

A2

A3

A4

B1

D1

D2

D4

The original by Lori
Hope you liked them and thanks for visiting!

Lori Smith Needs to STOP!

2012-01-07T15:55:00.063-05:00

LOL, at least that's what my great friend Linda and I always say. Lori Smith (CLICK HERE) is a quilt designer/genius and she needs to be stopped, because her patterns are SO ADDICTIVE. That's a picture of her spectacular Pieces of Time quilt. We won't talk about the fact that I've completed all 31 blocks and it has STILL become a UFO, waiting quietly for me to jump in and tackle those borders. We also won't talk about the fact that I have her Heritage pattern, still untouched. But that's not really what this post is about.

So if you remember my Be Mindfuls, you may recall that I promised you a peek at a project that's near and dear to my heart. It all started with Lori again, and her wonderful Folk Art Pleasures pattern. I LOVE the pattern, but I also love Jeanne's idea (CLICK HERE to visit her Spiral blog) of redesigning some of the blocks to better fit my own life.

With apologies to Lori for muddling up her borders with letters and numbers, here is a pic of her Folk Art Pleasures (FAP) quilt.
Many of the blocks are perfect for me, just as they are. However, some will "fit" better if I change them. For example, see C4, the chicken one? I have no particular 'truck' with chickens. I never had one as a pet and I certainly don't eat them, so that's one block that I'm going to change. And there are definitely not enough (or ANY) cats in her blocks. And see B2? I'd like to be holding the hands of TWO little boys, rather than just one.

Thus far, I've only completed 7 of the 16 blocks: A2, A3, A4, B1, D1, D2 and D4. I'm working on A1, and that's my current Be Mindful project. I'll post pictures of my blocks tomorrow, even in their current, wrinkly/un-ironed state. But if you've made it this far in today's post, you deserve a reward. Here's a closeup of my version of A3 - it's FOSTER! Here he is in real life:
And here he is in a fabric tree. Check out his Mad Eye, LOL.
In real life, he doesn't go outside and he doesn't have red moons. But his eyes really do look like that when he looks at our dogs.

If you click on the Mad Eye pic, you can see some applique "warts". In particular, you can see the pencil line where his tail connects to his body. (I've since learned not to draw the bottom of that U-shape, because it's hard to turn it all under.) I guess I'm still Celebrating Imperfection. CLICK HERE to read the Warts and All post.

Check back tomorrow to see the rest of the blocks and thanks for stopping by!

Time Out for an AWWWW Moment

2012-01-04T06:27:00.018-05:00

I think I've been extremely restrained thus far.
We spent a week visiting Zoey over Christmas
and I have not posted the first picture or
even a single Proud Nannie Moment.

However, THIS I just had to share.
OMG do you love her eyes, or WHAT?Click it to get even
more wonderful Zoey-ness.

And I need to snap some pics of that project
I mentioned the other day.

That will be an easier
photography subject for me.

At least the project won't be
zipping around like Zoey does!

Be Mindfuls

2012-01-01T16:53:00.055-05:00

(No, this is not my studio
but I sure LOVE those letters!)

So this year, for the first time in as long as I can remember...I've made no resolutions for the new year. Kim of Kim's Big Quilting Adventure allows as how resolutions just set one up for failure. Thinking back to my past resolutions...she's right. They rarely last through the first month of the new year.
This year, I decided to make 'be mindfuls' instead of resolutions. I'm going to continue to be mindful to eat right and drink more water. I'm going to continue to be more mindful of my blessings than I am of my frustrations (well, at least in theory). And I'm going to be really mindful of DOING MORE OF WHAT I WANT TO DO.

I seem to spend hours each dayrushing around, doing stuff that I HAVE to do. By then, I'm usually too tired to do anything that I WANT to do...other than staring at the Jane Velez Mitchell show or the Nancy Grace show.Since I HAVE to do the things that I HAVE to do...I'm not real sure how to work in more time for fun stuff. But last night, I made an effort and dragged out a hand-sewing project that I haven't touched in forever. I really enjoyed working on it- this project is special to me and I'll post some pics of it.

What about you?
Any new year's resolutions??

Lessons Learned #3: DON'T WHINE

2012-01-01T10:25:00.009-05:00

because it could always be worse.
Definitely don't say,
'WHAT ELSE CAN GO WRONG?!"
because you are sure to find out, LOL.

I try to remind myself of this daily.
It's easy to feel sorry for yourself,
and I certainly do have
my share of solo pity parties.
Then I see something like this:

Oh my GOSH. What an inspiration she is!

HAPPY NEW YEAR.
WE ARE ALL SO BLESSED!

Lessons Learned #2: DO THE RIGHT THING

2011-12-31T08:08:00.015-05:00

Notice that I did not say
FOLLOW THE RULES.
It's not always the same thing.

I believe in doing what seems like
the right thing to do.
Not because I'll get a reward.
Not because if I DON'T do the right thing,
I'll get in trouble.
I'm talking about doing the right thing,
JUST BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING.

If you're familiar with
Lawrence Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development,
then you know I could just as easily have titled this post
STRIVE FOR LEVEL SIX.
But you might have thought I was
talking about video games.
(If you're interested in reading about Kolberg,
CLICK HERE to read Kohlberg's Heinz Dilemma.)

So anyway, DO THE RIGHT THING.You'll like yourself more.

Lessons Learned #1: TRUST NO ONE

2011-12-23T06:39:00.023-05:00

Our son Trevor sent me this text the other day:
Lessons Learned #16-
Don't give Zoey dipping sauce
if you want her to finish her lunch.

That got me thinking about lessons
I've learned in my lifetime.
So here you go with Lesson #1.
Without a doubt.

Well, maybe not NO ONE.
I'm selective.
I keep a REAL SMALL circle of people I trust.

More like DeNiro
than Mulder.
A recent debacle in my life
has reinforced this principle.
I let my guard down
and have suffered for it.
I forgot that lots of people
will smile in your face
while stabbing you in the back.

But now I remember.

TRUST NO ONE.

It's not cynicism.
It's self-preservation.

WOO HOOOO Last Day Before Break

2011-12-22T07:00:00.012-05:00

And I'm SO excited to see Zoey
and our families!!
On meds for the creepin' crud I caught.
Finished wrapping presents.Alllllmost ready for the holidays.
How about you??

MEEP

2011-12-20T06:18:00.015-05:00

So we used to have this adorable teddy bear hamster named Albie (short for Albert). He was the sweetest, silent-est little thing who really seemed to love people. The only time Albie made any noise at all was after we cleaned his cage. Hamsters are hoarders and along with his used bedding, he always had a little stash of goodies that we wound up throwing out. When we put him back into his fresh, clean cage, Albie would run all around looking for his stash and going, "MEEP!!"

We are in the process of tiling our downstairs floors, which includes my studio area (aka the dining room). All the floors are finished, except the studio. In preparation for tiling that area, we moved all my sewing and embroidery stuff into the living room. We unloaded a heavy oak storage unit so that we could move it and the contents are now in a bunch of cardboard boxes. Everything is functional, but I'm spending a lot of time wandering around, trying to figure out where things are. Albie, now I know how you felt! MEEP!!

How Cute is THIS?!

2011-12-18T07:32:00.005-05:00

Check out our little Zoey!!
Please remember that
she only turned one year old in August.
Even from the time she was a tiny infant,
she has had her own vibrant personality.LOL, she was NOT HAPPY!!
(She had been dancing around
and fell. The assembled adults
all laughed at her.)
This pose makes me think that
the "hands on the hips" thing
must be genetic in humans.
She is WAY too young to have learned it!!

I'm so excited that
we get to see her over Christmas.

Meet HARVEY!!!! Or Why I Never Want to Go to Prison

2011-12-17T07:24:00.038-05:00

Here's Harvey. If you've been reading this blog, you know we adopted him from a prison in Virginia, Lunenburg, to be exact. Let me just say...OMG, I DO NOT want to go to prison. EVER. Razor wire.Loud clanging constantly. Guards with guns walking around. Guards with guns in towers. Reinforced, razor-wire enclosed gated areas with the gates on timers...I guess if you manage to get through the first gate, they have time to shoot you before the second one clangs open??????????? And did I mention that there's a lot of razor wire????

Anyway, the handlers (inmates who train the dogs) could NOT have been more professional!!! They were extremely knowledgeable, and just really, really...professional. We felt like we had a session with two professional dog trainers.

So anyway, I'm scared straight.
And Harvey is adjusting SO well.

He has definitely been abused at some point and can be EXTREMELY fearful. Loud noises scare him (the clanging in prison had him flinching constantly. Sudden movements scare him. Wiping his muddy paws scares him. Foster scares him.And there are just so many things he's never done. We could not get him to jump into the truck to go home...think about it, he has probably never ridden in a vehicle except in a cage. He had never seen steps until the handlers (who knew we have a two-story house), started working with him on a set of 3 steps.But now ol' Harv is running up and down our steps, wrestling with Deegan and beginning to understand that petting does not equal hitting.We are so happy to give Harvey the chance at a normal life. Well, as normal as a dog's life can be when he is ruled by Foster-the-Dog-Killer...

Thanks for sharing our joy!

Time Flies...

2011-12-16T06:53:00.005-05:00

And you don't even have to be having fun!! I'm sorry I was gone so long. I actually was not gone-gone, but just didn't have anything too interesting to say. I didn't let that stop me today, LOL!

Stay tuned this weekend for news about our NEW ARRIVAL, aka HARVEY!!

As for me...I'm off to teach kindergarten all day and when I get home, start on my EIGHT TOOTH FAIRY PILLOWS AND FOUR WATER BOTTLE KOOZIES that people have ordered. OH, and I forgot about the fact that I'm supposed to be monogramming something for a friend at work.

Have I finished Christmas shopping?? NO. It's starting to really scare me, too. I'm starting to feel like I need to get a prescription. Or try that self-hypnosis that I used to do...(really, I did and it was wonderful and relaxing and I don't think I looked like that guy in the pic, but then, how would I know)...

More soon, I promise!

Sometimes You Gotta Do Something Crazy

2011-12-10T07:39:00.056-05:00

Have you ever had a time in your life when you knew you were about to do something that does not make sense, but yet it seemed 100% like the right thing to do??

Harvey is like that, because we already have some pets. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know that we have a dog named Deegan and some cats. Strictly indoor cats. Five, to be exact. Two were feral kittens we captured and one is still unapproachable.

The cats and Deegan get along fine. Well, except for Foster. Deegan is terrified of Foster.

With good reason.
You may remember this post, written by Deegan.
Foster is not his favorite thing.

The cats are not good playmates for Deegan. After all, they're CATS and they do not like Deegan licking them and trying to chew on their ears. They find him coarse and repulsive.

Deegan is almost three and he needs a friend to wrestle with.

Enter Harvey.

Harvey is 4 years old and has NEVER lived in a home. He had lived in a shelter for his entire life until he was rescued by a great organization called Fetch a Cure.

You can click the link above to read what they do, but basically, they rescue dogs that are considered unadoptable (like 4 year old dogs who have never lived in a home) and they use inmates at Virginia's correctional facilities to train them. It's great for the inmates and it's life-changing for the dogs. It's like
Cell Dogs on Animal Planet, if you ever saw that program. It's a second chance for everyone involved.

So, we are going to be Harvey's new people! I told Deegan about it, but he did not seem to understand. I told Foster about it and he is NOT HAPPY. I guess he'd better adjust. Harvey comes to stay at our house next week.

We'll be picking him up at the prison, which is 3 hours away. We'll be meeting the "handlers" (inmates). I'm not allowed to wear blue jeans or revealing clothing. (Dang, I guess I can't wear my bustier gown, which would have been perfect!))

I'M SO EXCITED, DID I SAY THAT?!
Dog fans - stay tuned to hear more about Harvey!

When ANIMALS Attack!!

2011-12-08T06:25:00.037-05:00

So I have this weird thing about rain.
I love to go out on the porch when it's raining.
I find the sound of the rain sooo relaxing.
Normally, that is.

Last night during a torrential downpour,
I went out on the porch.
My mistake was taking Deegan along.
Normally, Deeg listens pretty well.
But not last night.
He went shooting off the porch
to the other side of our driveway.
I couldn't see him because of our vehicles
but I immediately heard this
horrible, frenzied snarling.

I could not IMAGINE what on earth
he was doing. I went flying off the
porch, screaming his name, running
toward our truck. I still couldn't see
either him or his combatant.
I got within about 3 feet of our truck
and suddenly THIS CAME SNARLING OUT AT ME!!!!!!!For a split second,
I thought he was a big, gray cat.
I started to bend toward him
in the dark and the rain
before I realized what I was looking at.
I think he felt trapped, with Deegan
on the far side of the vehicle and
me bending toward him on this side.
That raccoon was definitely
in fight or flight mode
and he had chosen FIGHT.

He looked WAY madder than that.
Like this mad.
Fight or flight didn't work so well for me.
I was so petrified that
I stood rooted to the spot,
screaming as loud as I could.
Incredibly, the raccoon must have
decided I was not a threat.
He lit off across the yard,
toward a drainage ditch,
with Deegan right behind him.

My feet finally unfroze and I went tearing
after them, again screaning for Deegan.
The raccoon zipped into a drainage pipe
and Deegan FINALLY stopped and looked at me.

I was still screaming at the top of my lungs.
Deegan was cowering, because I think by then
I must have looked like this.

I think that's the scaredest
I've ever been.
I shook for about an hour.
Miraculously, Deegan appeared
to be unharmed.
He was not bitten.
There was no blood.

You have to kind of wonder
what our neighbors think.
Thank goodness for noise of the rain,
because the way I was screaming,
I wouldn't have been surprised to see this.

What I'm Working On...

2011-12-05T06:35:00.006-05:00

What's been keeping me busy? Orders for:
A Tooth Fairy Pillow and letter from The Fairy

Two Owl Cardholder Keychains

Seven monogrammed wine sleeves
(NOT this fabric and with an
oval, 3-letter monogram,
but you get the idea)How about you? What's keeping you busy?

35 Years

2011-12-03T08:58:00.012-05:00

Yesterday was our anniversary.
35 years.

I was just thinking that, sadly, many young couples will not make it that long. Not because they don't love each other. But for some reason, they seem to think it should be easy. Like automatic. And if there are issues to work through, it's easier to walk away, rather than come to compromises.

Was it always easy?
No.
Were there times I wanted to
run him through with a knife?
Did we have any issues along the way?
Yes.

Is it all worth the work?
YES.

Holy Cow

2011-12-02T19:35:00.009-05:00

You know how I feel about having my picture taken, so that's why I blurred my (nonphotogenic) face. The Facebook title of this picture (written by Rach, Avery's mommy) was

Avery is well over half the height
of his Nannie - sorry, Nannie.

LOL. He just turned TEN MONTHS OLD. AND NO, I HAVE NOT SHRUNK, if that's what you were thinking. AND NO, I'M NOT STANDING IN A HOLE.

Finally Feeling a Little Better

2011-11-29T06:39:00.006-05:00

And it's a good thing, since I have an 8 AM meeting and a 6 PM PTA meeting, with an entire day of school sandwiched in between! What a strange illness this was! I had not eaten a thing in 48 hours and I am an EATER! LOL

How about you...feeling okay??

Bleaaahhhhh

2011-11-28T06:52:00.004-05:00

I have been sick since Saturday night. Have not eaten a thing since Saturday, but am still going to work today. Think of me, dealing with 20 5-year-olds and not up to snuff.

Off to drag myself into the shower...

TOOTH FAIRY SALE!

2011-11-26T10:24:00.016-05:00

Well, not the actual FAIRY, but her pillows.
Sadly, Avery and his mommy and daddy
just left.
We had to do something to cheer ourselves up.
So we're throwing a Tooth Pillow sale,
in honor of
Avery's brand-new tooth! $10 + shipping!!!

Tooth Fairy Pillows come with a free, personalized letter from the ol' Fairy herself! TONS of ribbon choices and you choose either 1-letter monogram or embroidered design on pocket.
Email us at soggybottomsbabyduds@yahoo.com if you'd like to order.
Thanks for stopping by!

Quickie Post

2011-11-25T15:17:00.010-05:00

Just popping in to say that I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, if you live where Thanksgiving is celebrated or that you're at least having a nice Thursday! My arms have been too full of baby to type much - Pop Pop and I are in our glory! Hopefully, I'll have some new pictures to post soon. In the meantime, here's a couple of cute puppies just to make you smile!

So Much to be Thankful For!

2011-11-23T21:13:00.014-05:00

Sorry for the big delay in posting! We've been bustling around for a week, getting ready for Thanksgiving 'company' - our son, daughter-in-law and GRANDSON AVERY!!!!!! We are SO excited that they're here!! Avery is just the cutest!!!!!!! Watch this video clip and see if you agree:

I hope you'll take a moment to think about all the things YOU have to be thankful for, whether or not you celebrate Thanksgiving.

OOPS, Did I Really Say That?! Part One

2011-11-17T06:32:00.049-05:00

So the NBA players are suing the NBA for...are you ready...SIX BILLION DOLLARS in damages. DAMAGES, as in, when someone gets hurt, they can sue for damages. If the players win, they get SIX BILLION DOLLARS.

Six BILLION dollars is hard to imagine. Let me put it into perspective for you:

Six BILLION dollars makes the philanthropist who donated $100 million to the Mayo Clinic for cancer research sound like a cheapskate. After all, he donated 98.4% LESS than the NBA players will get if they win.
And the philanthropist who donated $25 million to tiny Thiel college in Pennsylvania...well, that's just a drop in the bucket at FOUR-TENTHS of ONE PERCENT of what the players will receive.Virginia's education budget was cut by $550 million dollars last year - chump change for the NBA players to make up at only 9% of what they will receive...right??

So what's the OOPS quote??
Here. It's by the NBA players' attorney, David Boies.

Boies said at the players' association headquarters,

"They(the NBA owners) did a terrific job of taking a very hard line and pushing the players to make concession after concession after concession, but greed is not only a terrible thing -- it's a dangerous thing."

Wait...is Boies really calling the OWNERS greedy?! I'm glad his PLAYERS arent' greedy!!

Oh, and PS, Mr. Boies - if you win the suit, drop a bug in your players' ears about Virginia's cut in the education budget. Maybe they could donate a couple thousand dollars so that my school can replace the 12 computers in the computer lab that no longer work.
Heck...if they can't swing that much of a donation, our school will even settle for two-ply toilet paper.

Silly Monster SALE!!

2011-11-15T06:28:00.048-05:00

Now only $10 + shipping!
What a GREAT stocking stuffer!!

CLICK FOR ETSY

CLICK FOR FACEBOOK

LOOK AT ALL THESE CUTIES!

Things I Don't Understand, Part Two

2011-11-12T07:09:00.057-05:00

Hobbies where the best
you can hope for
is to not die.

This is my hobby and it's
enough excitement for me.
Usually I don't feel like I'm in
imminent danger of death.Although sometimes Foster gets tired of me moving him and he bites me.And I did actually sew through my own finger once.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE GORY DETAILS

But usually, my hobby is relaxing and fun.
And when I'm done, I have something to show for it besides being dead.

These just don't look either fun OR relaxing.

They just look like death waiting to happen.

Am I right?

The Perfect Stocking Stuffer - SALE SALE SALE

2011-11-11T06:29:00.009-05:00

I don't know about you, but TGIF!!!!!!!

Our Tooth Fairy Pillows, which come with a personalized letter from the Tooth Fairy herself (LOL) - on sale now! They're the perfect stocking stuffer for your little one. Gazillions of ribbon choices available, including camouflage, Autism awareness, girly, sports...

I don't know about you, but TGIF!!!!!!!

Things I Don't Understand, Part One

2011-11-08T17:40:00.025-05:00

Kim Kardashian's wedding

I do understand that it's her money, to do with as she sees fit. I also understand that she thinks she works hard for it. (Hmmm, try working construction or teaching kindergarten, Kim.) Maybe someone should have told her that it's not about the WEDDING...it's about the MARRIAGE (which, in her case, lasted 72 days.) But anyway, all I can say is that if I EVER had a spare 10 million dollars, I would hope to do some good with it. I would work to stop stuff like this

and this and maybe do something about thisKind of makes you understand why people in other countries
are sometimes not too fond of Americans.
But we're not all like Kim.
Some of us do stuff like thisand like this.

ATTACKED BY A POLAR BEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-11-05T12:21:00.014-04:00

These pictures were taken by an onlooker, who was powerless to stop the attack on this poor man! Fortunately, the victim is expected to make a full recovery. Prepare yourself, then scroll down to see!

Sorry, I just HAD to, LOL!
May your troubles always be smaller than you imagine.
Still no power in CT where our granddaughter Zoey is, BTW!

TGIF

2011-11-04T06:41:00.008-04:00

OMG, what a WEEK!
How about you??
Glad it's FRIDAY???

Still No Power in CT

2011-11-02T06:31:00.011-04:00

The good news: our field trip was maybe the BEST one ever!! This class was SO well-behaved and that is not just me saying that - that came directly from one of the chaperones!! I was proud - they listened well, paid attention, were respectful, followed the rules, etc!

The bad news: there is STILL no power where our daughter-in-law, Sarah, our son, Trevor and our little granddaughter, Zoey live! Thankfully, Sarah's parents were able to loan them a kerosene heater (which is scary, but necessary). And also, Sarah's parents' electricity came back on yesterday, so maybe there is hope in the offing.

It's hard with no electricity when you have a baby! Fingers crossed it will be back on soon. This has been since Saturday.Trevor said they have police officers stationed at both ends of the local gas station - it's one of the few that has power and also has the ability to use credit/debit cards. He said that the line is several blocks long in both directions 24 hours a day! The police are keeping order...(for $132 a day, or whatever. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, check out my post from Saturday, Oct. 29).

OWL SALE, LOL!

2011-11-01T06:36:00.020-04:00

ALL OWL CARDHOLDER KEYCHAINS ON SALE!

AVAILABLE IN PRETTY MUCH ANY COLOR COMBINATION YOU WANT!

CLICK HERE TO SEE THEM ON FACEBOOK!

CLICK HERE TO SEE THEM ON ETSY!

Pumpkin Patch field trip with 20 kindergartners IN THE RAIN.
ARGGGHHHHHHH

Yikes

2011-10-31T07:04:00.007-04:00

Poor Zoey, Sarah and Trevor are without power from the big snowstorm in CT. Their house was 56 degrees yesterday afternoon, and you know it was colder once the sun went down. They can't go to Sarah's parents' house, because they are also without power. Keep them in your thoughts - no power and no heat is rough with a 1 year old in the house.Sarah liked my kindergarten-teacher-idea of painting with pudding. Looks like Zoey liked it even more!

Stuff that Makes Me Mad, Part One

2011-10-29T16:58:00.042-04:00

RIDICULOUS SALARIES

Average police officer's
annual salary: $48,210
They risk their lives daily,
to save the lives of innocent people.If you divide by 365 days in a year,
that's $132 a day.

Average elementary school teacher's
annual salary: $40,063
We teach kids to read. And write. And do math.
And, increasingly, how to be
a productive citizen
(since a lot of kids are getting
less of that at home.)Divided by 365, that's $109 a day.

Average NBA player's
annual salary: $5,150,000.
They're paid to play 82 games a year.
They're paid to play games.That's $14,109 a day.

And they're on strike because
their salary might drop by 5%.

Poor things will only be left with
$4,892,500 per year.

Only $14,000 more
per day than teachers.

How will they live on only
$59,664 per game?

Do they realize that they will still
make more for ONE of their 82 games
than a police officer or a teacher
makes for an ENTIRE YEAR?

Aren't they embarrassed to be
mad about that salary cut?

I know they have
special athletic talents
that most people don't have.I get that.

But how many lives
have they saved?

How many kids
have they taught to read?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-26T06:23:00.007-04:00

Almost wordless, because you know me!
Today is the ARL Installation Assembly.
Stresses me out!!!
130 kids on a field trip
and I had to have training
in how to administer emergency meds
to a diabetic kid and several asthmatics.
Therefore, a funny for you!

Why I Like Animals Better Than a Lot of People

2011-10-22T16:01:00.030-04:00

I guess that sounds bad. But it's true.
Here are some reasons:

They're not afraid to tell you when you look stupid.

They listen to their moms.

They're not afraid to reach for the stars.

They know how to relax. Without alcohol.

They're not afraid to be themselves.

They're loyal.

They're good listeners.

They don't need words to say thank you.
Hope my animal friends gave you a smile today.

Hi and WOW!!

2011-10-21T06:24:00.015-04:00

How did I miss AN ENTIRE WEEK???? Okay, first of all, we went to GRANDBABYLAND!!!!!!!!!! This time, it was the SC version of Grandbabyland, so we got to see Avery. I've decided to put a spin on the usual Nannie pics - I am the least photogenic person on earth, so I blurred my face in this one. But I just HAD to show you how HUGE he is!!!!
he is only 8 months old!!!!!!!!!!
We had a FABULOUS time, I can't tell you how much fun we packed into our visit!! Of course, I was uber sad when we got back.

I was also uber sad because I let my husband talk me into stepping onto a scale while we were there and O M G!!!!!!! Therefore, I've been exercising every morning before school.

And now it's ARL time. Here's a link to a post if you want to read about ARL.

This year, I have 130+ 4th and 5th grade kids to place in jobs and lots of new challenges.

So between ARL spreadsheets, ARL ID badges, ARL job lists to post, SmartBoard activities I've created for my class, in addition to exercising each morning, I have not been on the computer much. Anyway, I am BACK and will try to post again tomorrow or Sunday. I'm sorry if you've been checking, only to find NADA!

Lke Father, Like Daughter

2011-10-13T06:29:00.018-04:00

Hey, it's Zoey's FIRST WRITTEN WORD!!!!!!!!
This was sent to me by her proud daddy. Not bad for 13 months old, eh?

Oh, and PLEASE GO HERE and check out the AWESOME animation her daddy, Trevor, did for an ESPN blog!! Click that arrow and make sure your speakers are on! Nannie/Momma is just bursting with pride over her two great writers!!

Evening conferences tonight, so I need to get going early to straighten up my messy classroom. Company's coming! LOL

From the Mouths of Babes

2011-10-11T17:25:00.012-04:00

My kindergartners say the funniest things.
We've been learning about the 5 senses.
Today, a little girl told me she could 'hear' trees.
I asked how that was possible.
She said (making a swaying motion),
"When they wave."

Another child said he could smell acorns.
I said skeptically, "You could SMELL an acorn?"
He said, "Yeah, if I got close enough!"

I asked another child if he could touch a lion.
He said, "NO, it would bite me."

And when I asked a little girl if she could touch a butterfly,
she looked at me like I was crazy and said,
"NO, they fly up in the sky."

LOL

How Did This Happen?

2011-10-09T08:32:00.038-04:00

Avery's mommy requested a
monkey Halloween costume for him.
I'm making him this one,
except the felt is a gold/camel color.He will look cuter than this boy,
because, well, he's just cuter, LOL.

And here is a real tear-jerker,
at least for me it was.
Zoey is wearing this costume.

And here is her DADDY, wearing it in 1983.
(Same exact costume...with the eyes repaired.)
I made it for him.
That's my mom holding his hand.
She has been gone since 1991.
How did this happen,
that I somehow "lost" 28 years??
Where did that time go?
It's hard to comprehend how time flies...

Gotta Be Fair

2011-10-08T11:41:00.021-04:00

One of my daughters-in-law once commented that we are the most FAIR grandparents she knows. (This was part of a conversation about why Pop-Pop and I can't move to either CT or SC...otherwise, it's like we're saying, "See ya later, Avery!" or "Have a nice life, Zoey!" while we live within a few minutes of the OTHER grandchild. Does this make sense? We could fly, but there's this little thing called MONEY.
But I digress.)
Anyway, Avery is getting SO big, too!
And YOU are going to have to put up with more Proud Nannie pics!
Here he is:

And look, TOOTHIES!!Nannie loves you, Avery!

Look How BIG

2011-10-07T07:00:00.008-04:00

Zoey is getting!!
I didn't contact her little friend's mom to get permission to show his face, but I LOVE this photo and wanted to post it - hence the blurred oval.
These were taken at the Apple Harvest Festival where Zoey lives.
All I can say is thank goodness for cameras and webcams.
She is growing SO FAST!!
Nannie loves you, ZoZo!!!!

New BOY-FRIENDLY Monogrammed Tote

2011-10-04T06:55:00.030-04:00

Don't you just LOVE our new tote?
This is for Addison's little brother.
I LOVE the rickrack on the handles!!

Addison's Nana previously ordered this

and this from us

Here's the listing for our new tote. You'll have to copy and paste into your browser if you want to see it. Blogger won't let me do a live link today!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/58460801/childs-lined-tote-bag-totes-for-all

Monday

2011-10-03T07:02:00.007-04:00

My sentiments, exactly, Cat.

(I like the end, where they mock Cat.
Cat, apparently, does not.)

Silent Saturday

2011-10-01T07:06:00.015-04:00

Not really silent, because I stink at keeping my mouth shut.
But short, because I'm so excited...
we're going to the Fall Festival today!

CLICK HERE
to check out the
great food, fun folk art, cool performers...

So I'll leave you with this thought:

How I Know Ann Coulter is The Devil

2011-09-29T17:57:00.026-04:00

Okay, she does not LOOK like The Devil.
Well, I take that back,
because I just realized that
I'm not 100% sure what The Devil looks like.
Probably not like this.My husband once commented that if The Devil
walked on earth, he would probably have enough common sense
NOT to look like that.
After all, he's trying to get followers, right?

True, sometimes he does slip up.
Once, he looked like this.

And once he really screwed up and looked like THIS.

So anyway, watch this clip.
You can decide for yourself, but I think
that only The Devil could spout this much venom.
And not even ACCURATE venom.

Dear Ol' Ann needs to come sit in my class.
She can watch my kindergartners,
some of whom have never even held a book
blossom into READERS.

Then she could talk to my little "challenge"
student...today that little girl came to sit
beside me. She leaned into me,
touched my arm and stated, "When
I get big, I'm gonna be a TEACHER!"

Hmmm, that little girl went from,
"I HATE SCHOOL!!!!" to
"I'm gonna be a TEACHER!" in 18 days!
I must be doing something right.

Take THAT, Ann Coulter.
How many little lives have YOU touched?

The Gorgeous Milleigh!!

2011-09-27T18:08:00.010-04:00

Wow, just look at her EYES!!
It's hard to concentrate on the Halloween tote, LOL!
Still taking orders for this year, probably through this weekend...

All the More Reason WE SHOULDN'T EAT THEM

2011-09-25T09:28:00.044-04:00

My blog. My opinion.

I say they can think
and appreciate life.

Would you still eat them if they could speak?
How about if they could rear up and applaud?

My Newest Creation!!

2011-09-24T09:14:00.013-04:00

How cute is our Halloween Twirl Skirt?!
It's made with ONLY 100% premium cotton designer fabrics!
And how cute is the adorable Kendalyn?!?

Here's the Etsy listing:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/82161126/halloween-twirl-skirt

Voila!

2011-09-19T06:27:00.021-04:00

Pulled myself out of my blahs!! YAY!!
Check out my latest Halloween Tote!
OMG, are those korker ribbons not hilarious, LOL?!
They make me happy, just looking at them!
Will have more pics for you as soon as
my little model has her photo shoot.
I'm mailing the tote to her this morning.

And I thought these turned out cute, too.I'm steering away from bibs and burpies,
but these were for a coworker.

I need to run so I can mail the tote before work...

Thanks for visiting!

Blah

2011-09-17T15:30:00.010-04:00

Did you ever get a case of the blahs? I have orders to work on and things I should be doing, but I can't get into the swing of it today. It's rainy...which I usually LOVE, but even the rain is leaving me uninspired. I did force myself to clean the house, so at least there's that...

More when I shake myself out of my funk - hopefully SOON!

Wordless Wednesday - School

2011-09-14T06:30:00.001-04:00

Unbelievable Commercial

2011-09-12T07:12:00.007-04:00

Did you happen to see this yesterday during the Steelers game?
Brought a lump to my throat and tears to my eyes.
Click the full-screen icon on the bottom right of the video to get it out of the right-hand column of the blog.

Never Forget

2011-09-11T17:24:00.012-04:00

All those people lost.
All they did was board a plane or go to work on a typical Tuesday...

Two Good Reads

2011-09-10T13:18:00.029-04:00

I'm always on the lookout for a great book. I loved this one!
But couldn't even finish this, by the same author. The protagonists were a couple of idiots who deserved their misery, since they brought it on themselves. (Same reason I could never be a social worker. Don't cause yourself huge problems and then whine to me that your life is all screwed up.)

Today, I discovered a brand-new series I love! The author's style is a little bit Evanovich-esque. I'm reading this one.
And will be excited to get my hands on her new one.What about you? Read any good books lately?

First Cute Comment of the School Year

2011-09-08T06:54:00.008-04:00

By one of my little boys, while waiting endlessly for his late bus,
"Do you think my bus is at the movies?"

LOL, NO. And I don't think the bus DRIVER is at the movies, either!
This might be faster, though!

Fan Mail for The Tooth Fairy!

2011-09-05T07:47:00.039-04:00

Don't you just love it when something unexpected makes your day!?!
You may remember that we include a personalized letter from The Tooth Fairy with every purchase of a Tooth Fairy Pillow.

Well, imagine our surprise and delight when ~~I found~~ The Tooth Fairy found this envelope in our mailbox!! This is the back of the envelope. Note the carefully-drawn hearts and triangles! Inside was a letter from the two little sisters for whom The Tooth Fairy had made the Tooth Fairy Pillows in the picture at the top.

The letter was ADORABLE! The girls wanted to know how ~~I knew~~ The Tooth Fairy knew each of their favorite colors.

They also wanted to know if ~~I like~~ The Tooth Fairy likes paper airplanes, LOL. (When The Tooth Fairy sends a personalized letter with the Tooth Pillow, she folds the letter into a triangle. Not because she likes paper airplanes, but maybe because the triangle shape reminds her of a tooth?? After all, she's a FAIRY and is pretty inexplicable in the first place.)

You know that I teach school, so you can imagine that both The Tooth Fairy and I were very happy that those children are WRITING!! We were also delighted that they took the time to decorate the envelope with hearts and, our favorite...triangles!

I have to run now. The Tooth Fairy wants me to help her write a letter in reply!

Wordless Saturday

2011-09-03T09:50:00.007-04:00

I know that is not alliterative, like Wordless Wednesday. But I'm still tired from Open House on Thursday night. I currently have 26 kindergartners on roll. That is a LOT of families to talk to, especially when you have to say the same thing over and over. Yesterday, I worked from 1 PM till 10 PM on school stuff...bus tags, bus wristbands, 7 different spreadsheets I created, etc. I've also been working on that stuff this morning. So for that reason, it's Wordless Saturday, because I'm TIRED, LOL!I just liked this prize-winning photo, for no apparent reason.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and, for those of us in the US, a great long Labor Day weekend!

Sale!

2011-08-31T07:03:00.027-04:00

Even though we did not have school again yesterday (due to the hurricane), I was there until 9:45 last night, trying to whip my room into shape. Argggh. Must. Slurp. Coffee.Our Halloween Totes are on sale through Saturday.
Lining fabrics currently available:
We have some exciting new designs available.
That's all I can manage for today. Sorry! LOL

WE HAVE POWER!!

2011-08-29T07:46:00.009-04:00

NO, THIS IS NOT OUR YARD.
This is the yard of a friend who lives a few miles away. Luckily, the tree missed both her house and their neighbor's house. My friend says the root ball is 6'-8' tall!!

Really, Irene was not nearly as bad as was predicted and not as bad as Hurricane Isabel, where there were trees down like this EVERYWHERE.

well, at least we do have power now...it came back on at 3:30 AM!!!

Thankfully, we had no damage at all, other than the loss of power since Saturday morning. And even MORE thankfully, the storm had weakened enough by the time it got to CT (where Sarah, Zoey and Trevor live) that it did no damage there...just dumped a lot of rain.

AND, school is closed for today, so maybe I can catch up on my orders.

I'll try to post more soon.
Just wanted to check in and say that we are okay!

SEVERE THREAT AREA

2011-08-26T07:05:00.010-04:00

First, it was the fire in NC's Dismal Swamp (what a name!) We are so far southeast in VA that we might as well BE in NC. The smoke blows in and it's hazy and burns your eyes...

Secondly, we had an EARTHQUAKE. Granted, I didn't feel it. But STILL. Just weird.

And now, we are in the SEVERE threat area from Hurricane Irene.

Be thinking of us and if I'm quiet for a while, it probably means we lost power. They are letting us out of school at noon today...

Fingers crossed!!!

Last Day of Freedom Sparks SALE

2011-08-24T09:18:00.014-04:00

My summer is OVER.
I report back to school at 8 AM tomorrow.
I will be resplendent in my bright lime-green shirt.
(That's not my choice. Don't ask.)
I actually bought this shirt. AND another one that's more appropriate.
I'm getting a haircut and then probably just moping around.
I put our Tooth Fairy Pillows on sale, just to cheer myself up.
20% off. Email me if you're interested. soggybottomsbabyduds[at]yahoo[dot]com
Off to mope now.

Two Posts in One Day!

2011-08-23T15:16:00.013-04:00

This is NOT our house!!
I guess there was an earthquake, but we didn't feel a thing.

Just popping in to say that although we are like an hour from the epicenter of today's earthquake in VA, we felt NOTHING where I live. Poor Trevor (our younger son)...Sarah (his wife) told him about it and he tried 6 times to call us, but Verizon was down (from call volume, not due to damage) and he just got a fast busy signal. I guess he was picturing this
Anyway, if you were aware that we live in VA and wondered if we had disappeared into a giant crack in the earth...NO, we have not. But thanks for caring!