Happy Leap Day!

Wish I had a picture of one of these goats actually leaping...but it was as the only picture that came to mind among my 1000's that would give the idea of leaping. I'm sure that I have one of one child or another jumping...but this one was easier to find. I took this one of these goats on one of our many trips to Vanderbilt back in 2009. It has been a pretty last day of February. Some of the neighbor grandchildren took advantage of the nice day and played outdoors. The children and I had our usual Monday school day. Elijah liked the picture of a possible case for his iPod...so we got busy planning it...choosing fabric from my multitude of leftover scraps, measuring his iPod, and getting out other supplies that we will need. Abigail chose to sew during her reading time as she wanted to make another zipper pouch to give to one of her friends. She also came over this afternoon for a while and worked on it some more. Woody went to the Life Care Center this morning and had Bible study with Jeff and then visited with other friends who reside there. I sat down after lunch and finished my needlepoint piece that I had picked up to work on...one more needlework piece completed that had sat dormant in a needlework bag for many years. Another afternoon activity was to take advantage of a sale on sewing supplies that was a one-day event honoring the 29th of February...29% off my order...sounded too good to pass up when I was needing several items that they sell. I also found a supplier of zippers and ordered some to keep Abigail supplied for her bags! Abigail can't seem to get ahead on her bags...she completes a couple and then seems to find someone to give them to. The one she started today she wanted to give to a friend tonight, but there just wasn't time to complete it. She will get it finished and give it to her the next time that she sees her. Abigail has a very giving spirit...she almost always plans to give away the projects she makes in her sewing time with me. Woody walked four miles this afternoon. We have finished supper and are settling in for the evening. I'm deciding what needlework project to tackle next. Doing needlework has cut into my reading time...good thing that I am ahead, at this point in the year, of my goal of one book a week! I'm way ahead of my goal of the year of completing needlework projects...since I hadn't set a goal!!! So long to another month...I guess we will welcome March tomorrow. Wonder if March will come in like a lion or a lamb.

Happy 14th, Graham!

Where does the time go? It just seems like yesterday when I first heard Graham cry over the telephone! Graham was born in Texas so our first introduction to him was with pictures via email and hearing him over the telephone! This has been a big year for Graham as a hunter as he has killed four bucks...thus this special ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. His silly hat was made from Magformers for him by his siblings...he was a good sport and donned it for a few minutes and then it fell apart...probably much to his relief! We have had a pretty much normal day for a Saturday. Woody went to the Credit Union, WalMart, the hospital(to visit a church member), and the library. After lunch he went on a four mile walk. I passed him on his walk as I went to the library to pick up a book that they had for me. Graham will be happy as it is The Lord of the Rings. The moment that he got finished with The Hobbit, he said that he wanted this one so I put in a request for it. I have had an interesting day puttering around in the house. I was determined that I would have the dining room back in complete order...BUT...the things that I needed to do before I headed into that room didn't "let" me meet my goal. I did start out in the dining room and put back everything that had been put away...even dusted the tea cup display shelves and got them back to preChristmas order. I got the dining room table cleared off except for the table cover. I was going to roll that back onto the big cardboard tube that I store it on...but I needed a large space and decided that I would do it in the living room before I moved the love seat back to its non-Christmas spot. I needed to vacuum first and decided that I really needed to finish vacuuming upstairs before carrying it downstairs. Probably a big mistake...as I spent the rest of the time cleaning and puttering around in our bedroom. As I was moving a big basket that is next to my chair, so I could vacuum under it, I remembered that I wanted to try out a needlework gizmo that holds the hoop so my hands can be free...I hadn't used this particular contraption for quite a few years and thought the other night that it might work clipped onto the table that is next to my recliner. So I decided to get it out and give it a try...I found it...actually remembered right where it was...so that was easy...then I remembered something else that I had stored in my needlework/photography cabinet...a BIG mistake to go into that!!!! I ended up taking a couple of things out and then ended up taking everything out of that particular cubby...dusted off the shelf and straightened everything that had been on it...came across several things that I had forgotten about...one a needlepoint piece that I may work on after I complete the one I am working on. All the above to say that I chased a lot of rabbits and did quite a bit...but not a lot to show for it...and the dining room didn't get done to it what I had planned...oh, well...it will wait till I get around to it! One plus...I have been looking for my ear buds for my iPad for some time. I kept thinking that they had probably fallen down into the recliner and did turn the recliner up on end when I was vacuuming behind it and there they were hung up in the recliner parts. I will end by wishing Graham a super 14th birthday!

"Say Cheese!"

Have you ever wanted to stick your tongue out when someone asks you to "say cheese?" Our oldest granddaughter used to love to do that when she was younger. Today, for our excitement of the day, we went to church and had our photos taken for the church directory. I always dread this as I am not fond of a camera when it is pointed at me! But today's "ordeal" was quite painless. The photographer made our session short and sweet and she didn't attempt to pressure us into buying any of them...so we survived and will shortly have a free 8X10 that we could/might use to throw darts at and will be a part of FBC, Tullahoma's next church directory! Woody walked 5 miles today which included the Post Office. He got our tax forms filled out this morning and then mailed them while on his walk...good job done! I vacuumed the bathroom and got the scale, wastebasket, and hamper put back in their places and got the carpet shampooer cleaned up and put away. I also got started on vacuuming our bedroom, but got interrupted and never got back to it...perhaps tomorrow? While Woody was on his walk, I put together a pot of soup. That about sums up our day...I'm tired and ready to head to my recliner. I'm making some headway on my needlepoint piece. It's fun to be back doing needlepoint. My mother did a lot of needlepoint over her long life. I still prefer counted needlework...but enjoy doing needlepoint at times. This piece is a sampler of different stitches that I started years and years ago when I belonged to a needlework guild. (Do you remember doing a piece with nine squares, Connie?) I am doing mine in Christmas colors...as I stitch I am imagining it as a pretty pillow at Christmas. So...I'm off to work on it some more. Woody is downstairs watching TV and reading...typical evening in the Dorrell household! Woody has also been plugging away at attemptig the box puzzle in our Christmas closet...one of these days the Christmas boxes will once again be hidden behind those closet doors!

When It Rains It Pours

Today's title I am saying figuratively...though we have had our share of rain lately. But today has been "one of those days" in our house. I got underway with school at the usual time with Joseph. Then when Woody walked Joseph home, Isaac wasn't "in the mood" to come back to the house for school so Kathy ended up swapping some times and let Abigail and then Elijah come over to read to let Isaac "come around in his mood." When he did come over, all was fine. He and I got underway with his lessons but not long into them he was "ready to go back home." But I was determined to have him stay for his time...UNTIL...Woody stuck his head in the school room door and announced that one of the toilets had overflowed...WELL...that put a stop to Isaac's lessons as I had to get in there fast and grab towels and get the water absorbed before it could go through the floor to the ceiling below! As I was racing in there, Isaac stated again that he wanted to go home, so I just told him that neither of us could walk him home at that moment and he said that he could go by himself...and, at that point I decided that it was "okay" for him to head on home and we'd catch up on his school on another day! I was still absorbing water into towels when Joy came for her reading time, but she did get to read not long after she got over here. Joy brought back the tray with the empty pumpkin pudding dishes. Woody took the tray from her and put it on the counter...BUT it didn't get all the way onto the counter or it wasn't balanced or something and it came crashing to the floor. I just heard the CRASH from the bathroom upstairs and knew that it sounded like "something" breaking! When I came downstairs to investigate, Woody had already started sweeping up the broken glass. We now only have four of those bowls...in other words four broke. When I told Esther that we only had four bowls now, she was very disappointed, as she knew that wasn't enough bowls to put pumpkin pudding in for her whole family! We will be looking for more of these bowls, I'm sure! Esther got to do her long time with me, as things had calmed down by then. She, again, worked on her cross stitch project. She is getting very close to finished. She put in the last cross stitches today and is doing the outlining. After lunch, I had to get busy and do the various things that needed to be done after our two "disasters." Woody had run the vacuum in the kitchen, but I thought that I needed to mop the floor...so did that. And then I pulled out the carpet shampooer and shampooed the bathroom carpet. And, had to wash and dry two loads of towels. Anyway, we were quite busy today with unplanned cleaning projects! Woody walked to downtown Tullahoma this afternoon for a meeting. That was his walk for the day. We are settled in for the evening...Woody watching TV and reading and I'm going to go watch a show on my iPad and needlepoint...unless I fall asleep! I'm hoping that "disasters" are behind us for the time being at least!

Wet & Windy Wednesday

The temperatures dropped throughout the day today...and with the wind and rain it has felt even colder. After Joseph had his school time with me, he headed off with Goosey (Woody) to do our weekly Krogering. I had my usual school morning with the children. Abigail decided to veer a little from zipper bags for her next project. She chose to make a cover for her Kindle. She found exactly the fabric that she wanted in my stash of leftover scraps and she got underway with cutting out the pieces. She is using the same pattern as Joy used. I did get online last night and found a pattern that may work for Elijah's ipod...so he may get his wish for his next sewing project. After lunch, Woody and I headed off in separate directions. He went next door to take care of a napping Joseph while the rest of the family went to practice their juggling. Isaac stayed with him, too. I headed to the church and worked in the library for a couple of hours. Woody went for a four-mile walk after he childsat. He said that he walked in the wind, rain, and spitting snow. I was happy that we had leftover pasta for supper tonight so I didn't have to cook. Woody was peeling apples when I got home from church. He made cran-apple crisp for our dessert. We're all settled in listening to the rain on the roof...Woody reading and watching TV...and I plan to go read or maybe do a little needlepoint. It's a good night to stay in and stay warm and dry.

Yup...It's Tuesday!

Woody made pumpkin pudding early this morning. Then after Isaac had school, the two of them took it next door. I had school with my Tuesday pupils. It was Joy's turn to have her long time with me and she finished the cover for her tablet. I think that it was a hit next door when she showed them as I have heard from a couple of the others that they want to make covers for their various devices...Elijah wants one for his iPod...we will see...that will be adapting the pattern we have by quite a bit. They always have more faith in what we can accomplish without a pattern than I! After lunch, Woody headed off to the Post Office to mail a package to my sister and to check to see if they had the IRS forms that he needs. He got the package mailed, but no luck on finding the forms. Shortly after he left I headed off to get my hair cut. On my way home I stopped at WalMart to get what I forgot to get yesterday when we stopped there after voting. I came home and sat for a few minutes before I started our supper. Woody walked to the church prayer room after supper. I hope that he took an umbrella, as it is raining fairly hard now and he hasn't returned yet. I think that I am going to head to my recliner and either read or work on a needlepoint piece that I pulled out of my needlework bag. I'm feeling tired after being on the go most of the day. The sound of rain on the roof will probably put me to sleep!

Busy Monday

And, it continues...my "photo study" of barns. There are certainly many different styles, colors, etc. of barns. My favorites are red barns...but others not so colorful are very interesting, too...like the one in tonight's photo. Woody walked six miles early today...getting ahead of the rain. The children and I had a normal Monday school day. Monday is Elijah's long time with me and he finished up the bookmark that he was making. Woody went to the Life Care Center while I was having school. He had Bible study with Jeff and then went to visit several other friends who reside and/or rehab there. After lunch, Woody and I went to early vote. Then we stopped at Dairy Queen for a treat. I hadn't had one of their plain cones in a long time...always brings back childhood memories. I needed to run an errand at Walmart so Woody made a stop there for me. When we got home, Woody went next door to sit with a napping Joseph while the rest of crew went to the church for juggling practice. We have just returned from next door. We were invited over for ice cream cake to celebrate Graham's 14th birthday a bit early as they will be juggling on his birthday. Oh...over the weekend I did get the tree down and back in its box in the Christmas closet. Now...to get the rest of the boxes all packed away in that same closet...quite a puzzle...but we know that they all fit in since they all came out and I didn't add any new ones...even may have eliminated a few...but it is quite a job just getting them in. At least now I can get the living room back to "normal."