Rain Rain Go Away

So today we decided it would be a great day to clean out the garage since Darren was home for the day. We headed to the garage and pulled everything out (well almost everything). We were sorting and getting stuff organized for the garage sale when it started to rain. Just enough that we had to bring everything back into the garage. Ugh... what wet mess. So now the garage looks worse and even less organized that we started several hours previously!

Of course it stopped raining shortly after and so I decided not to let the day go to a complete waste. The kids and I went outside and we planted flowers in the front gardens. Each of the kids picked out their favorite flowers at the shop so we have quiet an assortment going! I also got a lovely rose bush and peony bush for Mother's Day and they needed to get planted too.

After they were all planted and mulched I decided to let the kids go for a bike ride while Kiera and I watered. I said that I knew it would probably start raining as soon as I got done watering. And sure enough as I was watering the last garden... it started sprinklin! :)

Lovely Pioneer Day

It was a rainy lazy sort of day here. I actually got a lot of laundry done today so maybe the rain is good for something! I have several posts that I really want to do soon and I am still working on the Scrabble Tile tutorial... I know some of you are waiting so patiently!

For our final "Pioneer Day" we went to the Early American Museum in Mahomet with our Classical Conversations group. We spent the morning in the one-room schoolhouse and then the museum. There was a volunteer school marm who was fabulous and totally played the part. She was so real several of the children thought they were actually in "class". I would love to do this again, but prepare the kids even more before hand. We did two preparation days (see past posts) but I think we could have done more.

About a week before the "day", I went shopping with Kiera to JoAnne's. Now, this is dangerous in the first place but with Kiera it is even worse! All patterns of a certain brand were on sale for $.99! So I thought maybe I would look at the Pioneer Dress patterns. Kiera wouldn't have anything to wear to our Pioneer Day. I found one that looked like it work for her for $.99. How could I resist??? We then went on a hunt for the right fabric in the right color. Of course - she wanted pink and more pink. We settled on a pink dress with a pink bonnet but green bloomers and a green apron. (green is my favorite color) I then went to work sewing like crazy that following week. I am not a great sewer but I stumbled along well enough. Plus, it is a costume so doesn't have to be perfect. The only problem was that it was a pretty difficult pattern - darn patterns! The wrist, waist, etc. all should have had elastic BUT... sticking to traditional pioneer fashion - they had you make a casing and run ribbon through for each area. This wasn't easy or fun but I did it! I didn't even take a good photo of her wearing everything. There is one with her and a friend but she is missing lots of her pieces.

Now I am going to attempt to make Meaghan a Civil War ball gown. We bought the pattern awhile ago at another $.99 pattern sale. (Which is totally the way to go with patterns - when you see that - stock up on those Halloween costumes you know you will end up making!) We are going to start watching for fabric deals as I think the dress alone is going to take about 7-8 yards of fabric. Anyone up for a sewing day?

Ok, enough about me. I know you are wanting photos. Here are some of our lovely Pioneer Day:

Connor's Pig Collection

Connor has collected pigs since he was about a year old and he was asked recently if he would want to put his collection in a display in the museum. He was thrilled at first but then thought about what that actually meant... a year without his pigs! He kept a favorite few but decided to go ahead with the exhibit as long as he could visit them often! That was an easy promise as we LOVE the museum!

It was a fabulous experience all in itself. Mrs. Osborne at the museum required him to do a lot of preparation for this collection. He had to choose which pigs he wanted to disply, where and how.

First he worked on three to four seperate "groups" of pigs and then he narrowed it down to three. He worked on which pigs he wanted to be together and a sort of "theme" for each group. We cut newspaper to the actual size of the shelves so that he could visualize it a bit better.



We then went to the museum and looked at what space was available and how it was all going to look. We didn't realize all of the thought that has to go into planning and displaying things. Especially in glass cases with glass shelves. A lot more thinking goes into it than we expected.

He worked and worked on his display until he got it just how he wanted. It can now be viewed at the Early American Museum in Mahomet until the end of the year.

Here is a photo of Connor and Mrs. Osborne in front of his collection. He was showing it to a group of our home school friends. Way to go Connor!

Princess Tea Party

Mahomet-Seymour High School's spring musical was Beauty and the Beast this spring. The kids and I went to see it with the Prytulski family. Their daughter, Destiny was in the show and she is the kids babysitter so it was fun for them to see someone they knew in the play. It was a WONDERFUL performance. I was very impressed with how it was done, especially since it was a high school production. We would definitely go again!

On that Saturday they had a Princess Tea Party. You paid $10 and you got to go around to different stations that the Drama dept had set up for the "princesses". I surprised Kiera, dressed her all in pink and took her. What a fabulous idea - especially for Mahomet! Mahomet is a growing town with tons of families with little kids. It was perfect!

Kiera got to do a lot of cool things and loved every minute of it! She totally loves the Princess thing and kept her eye on Belle the whole time. Belle went somewhere at one point and Kiera noticed and asked me where she was! I cannot wait to take her to Disney World again. Meg was never into the whole Princess thing so this has been a fun and different experience for me! Now, I can actually buy those cute Princess dress-up clothes!

Oh and I almost forgot to mention that they had a raffle and Kiera won! It was a huge basket filled with all sorts of great Princess stuff for her. She loved the Beauty and the Beast cast t-shirt, that was in the basket, the best and has worn it to bed several times already!

Here are some photos of our morning together:

Painting and De-cluttering

When we first moved into our home (11 years ago) I said that I wanted new carpet and I hated the wallpaper boarder in the kitchen (it was of baskets). When we moved in we painted all of the living areas country white (off-white) but it is time for a change - actually LONG past time. However, I am such a procrastinator. All of the moons have to be alligned just right for me to start a project as big as painting the whole house! Not Darren... he just jumped right in and... 11 years later Darren decided to tear that wallpaper down and he painted. I went to Peoria one day to visit my sister and came home to find everything in my kitchen torn out and the walls were being scrubbed, primed and painted. The mess was a little more than I had hoped for. I think I would have at least done the dishes in the sink first. However - it IS done and I have my lovely hubby to thank for all of his hard work. We used a dark red color in the entire kitchen, dining room area and around the fireplace. He also painted the doors to our school cupboard. Now he is working on the living room. He is painting that a golden tan color. I think the color is Boston Tea Party!

I didn't paint but boy did I clean and de-clutter. Meaghan and I went through all of the kitchen cupboards (exept for 1 - I promise to get to it soon!). We threw away tons of stuff. I also moved the hideous plastic organizer that was in my dining room into my bedroom. I hated it when I put it there but I just didn't have another spot at the time so there it sat ALL those years! I also went through all of my other piles upon piles. I must tell you. It is so liberating and refreshing to have all of the piles GONE! Although I must admit, I mainly moved and shoved everything into the garage which will need to be tackled next.

Here are some before and after photos of what has been done so far. Now I need some decorating help! I want to take the ugly kitchen light down too and replace it with something more modern.

BEFORE I didn't really take a photo of my kitchen or fireplace area before but you can see quite enough in the background of this photo. Note the "clutter" all over and the ugly border!




DURING




AFTER

Friendship

I had my Pampered Chef party yesterday and it was wonderful to have a bunch of my very best friends over. I don't tend to just invite friends over "just because". I wish I would. I wish I didn't have to have a show/party in order to feel like having friends over. I am going to try to do this more as it was so worth it. I guess I am always afraid people won't come over so I don't invite. The fear of rejection - I suppose. But honestly I think having my girlfriends over makes me a happier ME! I just felt surrounded by friendship yesterday and it was SO needed. Thanks to everyone who came - I cherish each of your friendships!

Happy May Day!

Happy May Day!

If I could go around to all of your homes and give you a May Basket on your doors I would!

Normally we make up little May Baskets and take them around to a few neighbors but I cleaned all day and so that didn't get done.

Here is how we usually make them:

Take a piece of construction paper or fancy cardstock. Fold into a cone shape.
or I have done the Woven Heart Baskets before and they turn out very nice too.

Then add a paper doily or piece of lacy fabric. Netting works very well for this.

Find or pick some fresh flowers and place them in the "basket". Sometimes I will also add a few goodies like a rosary, prayer card, piece of candy, etc.

Take and hang on the front door knob. Ring the doorbell and RUN!!