World's smallest drumroll please

Carolyn wins the McCray clutch, and Lindy (who was entered into both drawings) wins the other.  Hooray.  Also, it's just a fact of life that William's fingernails are never cleaner longer than 10 minutes.  The boy is a dirt magnet. And yes, the clear filter on my camera is very dirty too.  Good thing I have it.

$18 Dress

Another great tutorial.  I bought the shirt for $12 at Target.  The elastic and fabric were only $6 with my JoAnn coupons.  She likes it.  And, it looks nicer than what she's been wearing to church so I'm happy.  Also, can you tell she highlighted her hair?  It is pretty subtle and at least she changed her mind from dying it dark brown.  Not sure I'd have let her do that.  Although, I'd like to think that I'm the kind of mom who would...... I don't know.

World's smallest giveaway still open

Prize for sisters of any kind.

Prize for sisters of McCray relation.

The yellow and orange fabric was taken from Grandma's fabric pile.  I wonder what she made with it, does anyone know?  I love it.  ( I do have to admit that this is not perfectly sewn, but I did my best and gave up the idea of perfection after two times of ripping out seams.)

Also, this pattern came from here.  Look under tutorials, it's the gathered clutch.  It's pretty easy.  I suggest that you do not do the card holder and dividers.  It just bunches everything on the inside up, I couldn't make it work.

And, one more thing.  I'm changing the rules yet again.  You will get an extra entry into the drawing for posting something NEW on YOUR blog.  If you are not linked on my friends and family list then send me the address please.  Thanks.

Very late editing

I kid you not, the minute I posted my last post my router/modem whatever this internet box is BROKE.  It really bugged me that I never read or looked at the post and, I intended to do it at Eddie's office.

And then.............. a mouse died in our house.  I should say that I first tried to get the mouse with a trap.  It didn't work so I turned to poison.  I'm not sure I will ever do that again.  It's disgusting.  And smelly.  And, for four DAYS I have been going crazy cleaning out cupboards and trying to find the freaking rotting mouse.  Eddie CUT open our cupboard where I think it is.  It wasn't there, and we've determined that it's in the wall.  So, in that instance you either rip into your wall- or wait for it to DRY UP.  When Eddie said we are choosing the later option I almost tore the wall open myself.  Really.  I even went and got a tool.  This seriously has made me cry.  More than once. 

Anyways, by that gross and kind of embarrassing (why?) story I am letting you know that I haven't had time or internet to notice the fact that I did not list all my sisters.  So, therefore let me say that from this time forward any person who has a sisterly relationship to me is entered into my very small give away.  It should also be said, that I overlooked this fact before because the prize which is in mind is from Grandma McCray's fabric stash and so I think that I was thinking only of persons who would appreciate an object from my maternal grandmother.  And, so there are now TWO prizes in the world's smallest give away.  A McCray item, and another very rad but sorry, not at all meaningful (unless you count made my me) prize.  I am also extending the time to NEXT Sunday since, well.  I still haven't made them.  Ready Set Go - again.

Ready Steady Go.

I love my four friends who read this blog.  I hope you understand my sarcasm.  I was really worried that my last post was too -i don't know the word- sarcastic and that you wouldn't understand that I was really saying that mostly and all the time I feel like a big nerd.  And, that if I didn't have any chub or morals that I too, might wear a spandex dress.  Alas, I have both.  And, the only person I judge all the time is myself (stop-it-self).

Again, thanks friends.

Okay, now for my sisters.  As in Sharon, Sandy, Suze, Nurse Shirlee, and Sheila, Amie, Chelsea, and Katie  Why don't you ever comment on my blog?  This just might be the smallest give away in blogging history.  But, any of you who comment by next Sunday are entered into a drawing for something I will make.  Okay, I realize most give aways let you know what the prize is.  But, I don't.  You will like it, and you will be jealous of the winner.  Unless it is Nurse Shirlee because we are already all jealous of her nursing skills.

Oh, in order to leave a comment on a blog a person only has to click on the "comment" button and use a keypad and type words.

Judging

I sheepishly admit to you (sorry had to be punny about the throne. I was so happy to give you all either the willies, or a chuckle, or both) that I am a judger.

I couldn't help it.  I judge while I run.  It's so much easier to think about something else.  Ignore the ball of my left foot the feels like it is smashed flat.  Pay no heed to the burning fascia in my groin, that woman is running a 10 K in a dress!  A really ugly dress.  I think it was a "running" dress made of very tight spandex, but it was a dress none the less. 

After a mile of noticing all the other runners, I tried to repent and only think positive and happy things.  But, then there started to be a few spectators.  I really wanted to cheer them on as I passed.  "Good job sitting!, You look so comfortable!, Way to hold that sign!,  That shutter click was fantastic!"  It was so tempting to tease them.  But, I didn't because I'm only mean in my head. 

I was so surprised when I saw the 5 mile marker, I had no idea I was that close to the end.  I started to get happy (and faster).  It made me nicer and I wanted to tell people I passed ( yes, that happened ) to keep going.  I passed Eddie and a friend who had finished, they didn't even notice me so I nonchalantly said "hi".  That was fun to see their surprise at how close I was.

Then, I came home and saw some of the few pictures that were taken.  And, I'm really happy to tell you that I must have given some soul a distraction.  Some one out there was thinking the same thing about me as I did about the woman in the dress...... WHAT is that woman wearing?

I've always known that I'm dorkish, but come on.  I better get me a cute running dress.

My time was 1:08.  Now I'm on a mission to get under an hour.  Please don't judge my slowness.  Thanks.

Free Sheep Throne

Every now and again i check out what is free on Craigslist. 

Today someone offered this and the only payment was a paragraph explaining

how this blessed object would improve your life.

A whole paragraph?  I only need a sentence to say who doesn't want to have a sheep's nose nuzzle your neck every time you recline. And, could you imagine how stately you would look with both hands stroking the head of a sheep and you sat?  Goodness sakes alive, never been prouder to be an Idahoan.

Too bad I don't have anywhere to put it.  I would totally win.  Maybe Eddie would take it for his office.

William is Five

Will was so excited for his first "friend birthday party" he couldn't stand it.

Leah is excited too, but probably only because her finger is in her button.

I was so happy with how his pirate ship cake turned out.  However, of six boys only one ate any.  ALL of them said "I don't like chocolate",  even Will, who asked for chocolate.  Oh well.

I made the boys these pirate shirts and newspaper hats.  The shirts were only $2.50 and I think that is pretty good birthday "loot" instead of little toys that end up in the trash.  Freezer paper is fun.  Look up a tutorial for it.  Pretty much you can do anything with it.  I've had a Yoda face printed out that I keep wanting to do.  The Yoda stencil is really for a Jack o Lantern.  It will make a pretty cool shirt when I get around to it.

Oh, I also gave all the boys a moustache.  You should have seen these little men die laughing at each other with their beards and moustaches.  They would all run into the bathroom to look in the mirror and laugh all over again.  It was the funniest thing I've seen in a long time.  Who knew a dollar store eyeliner was so much fun.

At the end of the party I noticed I hadn't seen Leah in a while.  She was outside doing this.  And, it was raining.  Fantastic.

I really can't believe this little boy is five years old.  It really feels like last week that I was standing at Nathan and Carolyn's morning bus stop in labor and having contractions but acting like I wasn't because I didn't want to say anything to the other mom who was there.  Then, hours later at the hospital Eddie and I  walked the halls and acted like pros at delivering.  We'd keep passing two other moms who were very dramatic with their pain and we teased them.  Then we joked that if I would just do hurdles over the chairs lining the halls the whole thing would go a lot quicker.  William's birth was the only one of our children's birth that made Eddie cry..... He isn't a crier.  But, he sure was happy to get this little boy.