Whistle while you... sleep??

Last night I fell asleep on the couch... this is not an uncommon occurrence, sadly.  I woke around 2 am and was going to head to bed.  Just as I reached the top of the stairs I heard Chase calling, "Radar!"  Brief pause, then more urgently, "Radar!!"  (Oh, in case you've forgotten, Radar is our dog. *grin*)

Radar is kenneled for the night in the room at the top of the stairs.  I could see him from where I was standing.  He was roused only slightly, and looking a bit confused as to why his name was being called in the middle of the night.

Then, suddenly, Chase whistled for the dog.  I almost fell over laughing. ;)  Talking in his sleep is quite common (nightly??) for Chase, but I have never heard him whistle.  In fact, I can honestly say that until last night I had NEVER heard anyone whistle in their sleep.

I'm so glad my kids keep my life interesting. :)

Actually, Chase isn't the only one that talks in their sleep (although he does so much more frequently than anyone else).  Sometime last week, Jericho was crying in her sleep.  This is more common for her than talking... I went to calm her and finally had to firmly (as firm as a whisper can be) say, "Jericho, it's mommy.  You need to stop or you will wake the baby!"  She stopped immediately, said "O-tay."  She then promptly rolled over and snuggled down into the blanket and said, "I wuv you," in her sleepy little whisper.  Melt my heart. :)  To top it off, the baby didn't wake, and the rest of the night was quiet.

Never quite as expected

It would seem my days/weeks never go quite as expected.  My entire week has been thrown off because of PJ's illness.  The house has suffered greatly.  Attitudes have suffered.  Schooling (for the littles) has suffered.  Sigh.

Yesterday I finally decided to take PJ to the doctor.  His fever was gone.  The rash was incidental, and didn't worry me.  The fact that he would wake from a 20 minute nap and scream - with none of the normal calming methods of any use - was another issue altogether.  It occurred to me at some point yesterday that sometimes strep is accompanied by a rash.  With the screaming, I figured he had to hurt somewhere.  Was it his throat?  Was it ears?

A trip to Express Care confirmed my suspicions.  Thankfully, he was calm and cooperative the entire time we were at the doctor.  He didn't even cry after the throat swab!  Strep came back negative.  Ears, however, were red.  Also, a tympanogram showed very little movement.  Bummer!

Normal Tympanogram

This is approximately what one of PJ's ears looked like.  The other ear was even worse!

The rash (covers his back too).

Even his face got it :(

Today he seems to be nearly normal.  The ears will get better.  The rash is dissipating.  Maybe next week will be better?  No, next week WILL be better! ;)

Have I mentioned I like sewing?

Before I start this post for real, I want to update on Phoenix.  He's feeling better.  No fever.  Still a bit cranky, though. ;)  He's feeling well enough to get into lots of mischief!  I noticed a rash this evening, so I'm certain it was a viral thing - probably roseola.  Fits the symptoms perfectly, and is really common.


Recently a friend, putting together a gift package to donate to a silent auction, asked if she could purchase one of my totes to hold the goodies she was donating.  I wasn't sure how I felt about that since I've never sold one of my totes before.  I also had no idea what to charge if I did sell one.  I did, however, agree that I could make a tote.

She let me know what she was donating, and also the color of one of the items, and I started looking at my fabrics.  I found something I thought would work... and then it all just sat in my bin, waiting.

Yesterday evening I realized I didn't know when she needed the tote!  LOL  So, I made a phone call and discovered I only had until about noon on Friday.  That got my butt in gear.  I gathered my supplies, made a plan, and started cutting.

As usual, I made an error.  And, as usual, it turned out to be just the thing the bag needed to make it special. :)

Here's what I ended up with:

It was tough letting go of this one!  It turned out really great, and I love the colors.  I hope it helps bring a good price for the gift bundle at the auction.  My friend loved the bag as well, and the colors were perfect!

Today, since Tim was off work all day, I took the opportunity to take a project out of my "project box".  The box is full of 1/2 finished projects, and hasn't been touched in well over a year.  An adorable pair of pants with a hole in the knee found new life. :)  After completing this project I thought perhaps a ruffle would have been better.  Then again, Shiloh will be the one wearing them, and ruffles aren't really her thing.  Maybe when they get passed down to Jericho I'll replace the cuff with a ruffle. ;)

(For the record, she did not wear the pants today... hopefully she'll choose different socks when she does wear them! LOL)

I saw a great idea tonight for the rest of the legs. :)  Can't wait to work on that project!  Hmm.  It seems that projects breed new projects...

HOT!

snuggling with daddy

Sunday morning started out slow.  I didn't wake up until 9:45 a.m., and at that point only Levi and Victory were awake for the day.  I showered, and dressed, and by that time everyone else was up... but no where near ready to head to church!  Victory and I went alone.  It was nice!  I think she actually paid attention to the sermon. ;)

We came home and I fixed lunch.  Tim and I discussed the rest of the day and decided we would run some errands.  Phoenix went down for his nap just as we were leaving.  When we returned home about 3 1/2 hours later, he was still sleeping.  I thought it was odd since he's been taking very short naps lately (typically 45 min. to an hour - even though he could certainly stand more!).  A while later I finally sent Alex to get him out of bed.  It was nearly 6:30 at this point, and I wanted him to fall asleep for the night!

He was HOT! I took his temp, and it was about 102.5 degrees.  It was the strangest thing!  He ate his lunch fine, and hadn't shown any sign at all that he was not feeling well prior to his nap.  At that point he just wanted to snuggle.

Later, after all the other kids had gone to bed, he was still snuggling on Tim when he suddenly evicted everything he'd eaten at lunch.  We got him (and Tim!) cleaned up, and I sat in the bathroom while he sat in the empty tub with just his diaper on in case he threw up again.  About an hour later I offered him some generic pedialyte.  He took it readily!  I wanted to make sure he was well hydrated at least.  Not long after, he lost the drink along with what little was left of his lunch. :(

We cleaned everything up again, and he ended up putting himself to sleep on the floor.  We allowed him to sleep there until we went to bed.  Thankfully, after all the puking, his temp came down to about 101 degrees, and he seemed to be doing better.

[In the middle of all of this baby drama, I was making phone calls to find substitutes for myself for co-op on Monday morning.  Thankfully I was able to cover the two hours I needed too without too much difficulty -- just lots of phone calls.]

After sleeping all night, PJ woke Monday morning with a very low temp (low enough I didn't even bother checking what it was) and seemed to be feeling just fine.  I made sure he was drinking his pedialyte and after determining he was keeping that down I fed him 1/2 a banana, and later some animal crackers.  Still no issues.  Yay!  He continued to perk up all morning and by lunch time didn't even seem to have a temp.

After lunch, he again went down for his nap.  This was a more typical nap - in the neighborhood of an hour.  When he got up he was HOT again!  And cranky. =S  However, he was clearly well hydrated as evidenced by his diaper!  Got him changed, and left him in his diaper for awhile - eventually adding a onesie so he didn't get too cold.  Tim and I had our chiropractor appointment at 5 p.m., and by the time we got home PJ was REALLY HOT!  I took his temp and IMMEDIATELY gave him some Tylenol.  This time, the reading was over 105 degrees.  I don't generally treat a fever because it's the body's way of taking care of whatever is wrong, but this was just too high.

It took a while, but his temp went down with the Tylenol, and he went to bed at his normal time.  I believe it was about 9:30 when he woke up and was hungry since he hadn't eaten any supper.  We fed him some soda crackers, gave him something to drink, let him hang out and snuggle for a while and then put him back to bed.  Again, he slept the rest of the night (I think... it just occurs to me that perhaps Tim got up with him once?? lol).

This morning he was still warm, but again, is acting as if he feels better.  I guess the day will tell!  I have to admit, I'm a little worried about putting him down for his nap this afternoon!!

So, there's my novel... we would appreciate prayer that not only would Phoenix heal quickly, but also that no one else gets whatever it is he got!

Updates, and some randomness

I finished 15 bags for Craft Hope.  I plan to have them in the mail this week.  I made as many as I was able with the fabric I already had on hand.  I have plenty more fabric, but wanted these to be more "fun" because they will be used by kids.

A friend purchased fabric to make a cute little peasant dress for her daughter.  She found the pattern/tutorial free online.  She was going to have one of the grandma's make the dress, but I offered.  I figure it's a fair trade since she bathes my dog for me so I don't have to, and also clips his nails. ;)

PJ was none too pleased to be a model. ;)

I made a cute little matching headband as well out of the scraps that were left over.

The finished product on the recipient. :)  Isn't she adorable?  It was tough getting a clear shot because she wouldn't stop moving. ;)

Tim and I made our first trip to IKEA.  It will not be our last!  If nothing else, we have to go back for the swedish meatballs. ;)  We purchased a couple of bookcases... a large one for the toy room that houses my crafting supplies and fabric, and another small one for our bedroom to hold sheets and (eventually) a bit of baby stuff.  We'll be going back in the next couple of months to pick up a new crib.  Our crib is about 17 years old and has been used by ALL of our kids, as well as one of my cousin's kids.  It's a drop-side, so we won't be able to sell it, but we do have plans to repurpose it. ;)

One of my favorite purchases!  No more scattering of kids dirty clothes all over my living room!  The best part?  I don't even have to remind them to use it!! :)

For the first time in a LONG time I'm beginning to feel as though I have a handle on things as far as housekeeping goes.  I am making lists every night, and do a fairly good job of crossing everything off by the end of the next day.  All this progress is working up to making a master schedule for the entire household.  Another project I'm working on involves our meal planning/grocery shopping.  It's all a work in progress.  Check back with me in about 5 years to see if I've got it done. ;)

We once again made some modifications to school schedules/expectations.  All seems to be moving along well at this point.  Some days are easier than others.  We also see some areas that are in desperate need of improvement, but just like with my household plan, they will work out in time.  Alex and Chase will have their Peabody Tests again next month (can it possibly be that time again!?)  Tim and I will also have the opportunity to attend the Minnesota Association of Christian Home Educators (MACHE) mid-April.  We are looking forward to our first visit to the Convention, and hope to come away with even more great ideas we can implement in our own school. :)  We also hope it will be a time of relaxation and rejuvenation for us as a couple.

I've been so thankful for the mild winter.  It's allowed the kids to get outside a bit more frequently than is typically possible.  I still see the signs of "cabin fever" setting in, and will be so glad when they are able to get out even more - as will they!!

I feel as though I'd like to blog more frequently.  I guess I'm just not always certain what to blog about.  I don't want to bore my readers (all 3 of them.  lol), but I also feel like waiting too long between posts results in these longer posts that are maybe more difficult to handle?  I guess that is one of my goals for the foreseeable future - to blog more frequently, even if there are no pictures and the posts are short.  We'll see how that all goes. ;)

Leaving you with a giggle...

Actual signage in our local grocery store (Thanks, Cindy, for pointing this out *grin*).  Upon my THIRD visit I mentioned it to one of the produce guys.  I asked him just exactly what a PINE apple was.  The very next week, the sign was changed. LOL

A pine tree that produced apples might actually be nice!  Tim pointed out that it would make decorating at Christmas a lot easier... the decorations are "pre-hung", you'd just have to add lights.  ;)  If I ever see a Pine Apple Tree I'll be sure to take a picture!

Crafting for a Cause update

I've only managed to get 6 bags done so far.  However, I think they will go much more quickly now that I've made some slight changes to my process.

The first three bags are intended for boys.  Two are flannel, one is cotton woven.  The cotton woven is guitar picks, but I must have had an "off" day when choosing colors for inner and straps because it ended up looking a bit "Halloween-y".  Oh well, I'm guessing some child will love it. ;)

For my second round, I went with more girly prints (although the bag with the "bubbles" could probably be either).  These bags went together much more quickly.  I cut down the number of steps involved by making the pocket the entire width of the bag.  Also, there is only one pocket.  All bags are reversible, so depending on which way you use it, you'll either have a pocket on the outside or the inside.  (Two of the "boy" bags have pockets both in and out.)  I spent some time one evening cutting all the pieces for the bags, and the second evening I put them together.  Overall I spent about 45 min. to an hour on each bag.  If I continue to work on them I believe I may be able to cut that down to about 30 min. per bag, but we'll see.

(As always, clicking on the pictures will allow you to see a larger version if you are wanting to see more details. *grin*)

Crafting for a Cause

(**edited:  I realized after reading more closely that the cause is actually Craft Hope.  Project 16 is their most recent project.  I apologize for any confusion!**)

In the comments to my post "Pins and Needles", my friend Linda suggested I check out a great cause called "Project 16::The Littlest Warriors".  I did, and I've decided to make some bags to donate to this cause.  It just so happens, the mom that started this (a mom whose little one is battling leukemia) lives right here in MN.

So, what I'm wondering is this... are there others out there who would be willing to help me make items?  If you are local, we can fill a box (or more??) and send.  If you are not local, you could recruit your own local friends and send a box of your own.  Contact me through the comments on my blog, through email (qfmama@gmail.com), or by phone (282.4348) to let me know you are participating.

Specifically, Project 16 is asking for beanies and bags.  I'll be focusing on bags, as I am able to make those relatively quickly.  To get more details about Project 16, click on the link in the first paragraph.  Also, if you are unable to sew, but are willing to donate fabric, please contact me!

So, let's craft for a cause!

Pins & Needles

Recently I've completed several projects.  Last week I finished these two reversible bags for a friend.  Her fabric, my cutting/sewing. :)  She really likes them, so that makes me happy! I made so many modifications to each of these bags to make them work.  I made mistakes (cutting pieces the wrong size) that I couldn't "fix" because of lack of fabric.  However, I'm pleased with the final results.

I also made this bookmark after seeing a tutorial online.  It was easy, but I really didn't have the right type of interfacing.  I hope it holds up!  What better way to use up the scraps left when trimming down the pocket pieces. :)

The next project was a cute little amigurumi bunny (free pattern can be found at Lion Brand.com by logging in and searching "best bunny").  I stuffed him with yarn remnants since it was all I had on hand.  If I were to make another I would wait until I purchased some "real" stuffing.  But, he's cute.  Now I just need to figure out what I'm going to do for the eyes since I don't think I have beads that will work, and I know I don't have any black/nearly black yarn...

Yesterday was the day I really crafted up a storm!  It was the result of sorting dozens of links for tutorials and projects I'd like to make.  I just couldn't walk away!  LOL  The great thing is that every project was done with scraps left from previous projects. :)

My first project was a mini version of a bag holder.  It's much smaller than a traditional bag holder, but works perfectly near my desk where I really need a few bags, but don't want them just sitting out.  First of all, it would be unsightly.  Secondly, some small person would likely walk off with them... ;)  So, this is my solution.  Now when I'm ready to change out the bag in the garbage I can just do it!  (I'm always putting it off because it requires getting a bag from the entry closet, and I never remember to grab one when I'm out there...  Now I have no excuse!)

My second project was the little cutie shown below.  I found a tutorial for a finger pincushion, and thought it was a great idea!  So much better than holding pins in my mouth when removing them from a project I'm sewing; I can't just toss them on my work surface for fear they will end up on the floor, and then in little feet...  I didn't have all the necessary supplies to complete that particular pincushion, so I googled and found this one.  Very simple!  I did find that the finished product was a bit overstuffed to use on my pointer finger.  It does work on my ring finger or pinkie, but I'm not sure how practical that will be.  (I did make a second that you will see off to the side in following pictures. It's just slightly larger, and less stuffed than the first.  It fits perfectly!)

(A friend asked if I thought it would be hard to break the habit of putting the pins in my mouth.  I honestly don't know!   I never liked doing it, but did it out of necessity... I guess time will tell. *grin*)

Still on the pincushion kick, I made this square (about 4"x4"x2.5").  My current pincushion was a flower - cute, but collected dust like nobodies business, which drove me crazy! This may be a bit under-stuffed, but if I need to I can open up my side seam and fill it a bit more.  (And there's that second finger p.c. I made...)

The last project was a bookmark made using this tutorial.  I made this for Victory from the remnants of the first project I attempted for her which was an utter failure for lack of thorough thought.  LOL  She's happy with the end result. :)

 Now, what should I make next?? ;)  (Actually, I have another project in process, but it's taking a lot of thought - which I don't always have the brainpower for - so is moving slowly.  I will, however, be posting pictures when it's done!)

And, just for fun...

Yes, that's a QUARTER... next to a mutant strawberry!!

Contrition

Jericho (recently turned 3) is a toughie when it comes to discipline. It's often clear she knows she's done wrong, but any form of discipline - from firm reprimand to spanking (yes, we spank. *gasp*) - results in tears of either deep sadness, or extreme madness. We are often at a loss with her.

Today she was scolded for playing with something she shouldn't. I said softly, but firmly, that she wasn't to do that. She hid under my desk. Normally I wouldn't allow it (hiding/pouting), but I did. About 2 minutes later she came out, gave me a hug, and said "sorry". I nearly fell off my seat!! Maybe a few minutes to stew is just what she needs?? I guess time will tell... :)

Where there's smoke...

...there might be fire.

Especially if you leave a cookbook on the stove and turn on the wrong burner.

This is the cookbook with all my handwritten, family favorites.  Thankfully it's just the outside that's ruined.  Now I just need to find a new 3-ring binder with the same dimensions...

There wasn't an actual fire... just LOTS of smoke.  The smoke detector went off, the dog freaked out, the kids ran around griping about how badly it smelled.  I'm thankful the cover had a coated paper... had it just been paper, it would have gone up in flames for sure.

As if that wasn't bad enough, in the process of trying to clear out the smoke, I forgot to turn off the burner.  So, while I'm opening windows (which required peeling up weatherizing plastic) and doors, the remnants of the cookbook are continuing to "cook" on the stovetop.  GRR.

I am so thankful it was one of the very mild (nearly 40˚F) days we've had recently.  The house aired out nicely.

The stovetop and (barely functional) oven hood are now sparkly clean. Or, as sparkly as they can be.  This picture of the hood actually makes it look much better than it is...

Sadly, this is as good as this hood gets... it's rusty, and really doesn't work.

My kids learned first-hand why I'm always telling them to NEVER put anything on the stove (unless you're cooking *wink*).

The upside of the day... the kids got out of the house for the afternoon (before the debacle) and worked together making this snowman.  Jericho and Shiloh helped too, but both refused to be in the picture. ;)

Chase, Alex, Levi & Victory with their new pal