on the way

I may or may not have cleaned out my PayPal account buying some new fabric this morning.

Ever since Sharon showed me this Dino Dudes fabric, I've had it on my mind. I've got an idea of what I will do with some of it.

And you need a coordinating fabric to go with it, right? I knew you'd agree with me.

Isn't this one awesome? It reminds me of a jumper/dress I had when I was younger ~ but the background was olive green. Later my mom made me a book back with the same fabric. Oh and my brother had a romper out the of same fabric. We matched. I'll have to see if I can find a picture of that. Brent will be thrilled to see that on my blog! Ha!

Hedgehogs anyone?

I'm not quite sure what I'm doing with this yet. It will come to me.

More polka dots. You can't really have too many polka dots to go with all the other lovely fabrics.

the one where she knows just the right thing to say

Today, one of my students asks:


Cutie Pie: Can I go to the library? [meaning the school library]

Me: Check the schedule to see if it's ok.

Cutie Pie: It has a flower. [That means it's ok. Really, I knew it was ok, but we are practicing reading schedules and charts.]

Me: Then, yes. Try not to take forever.

Cutie Pie: I'll try not to, but there's a whole bunch of books there!


Oh, words so sweet to my jaded teacher ear. Another student has been lured by the siren call of books! My work here is not in vain.

pretty little flowers

Remember these? On my last track break I was obsessed busy burning bits of satin and organza. What for, you ask?

Such pretty little flower pins. 

So far, all the ones I have have pins on the back. But you can attach these to headbands or hair clips.

The pins are a lovely way to add a punch to your outfit. Or you can pin it onto your purse for a little extra sass.

You can find these and a few other colors in my shop. Want one on a headband or hair clip? Want a different color? Just let me know and I'll be glad to make it happen for you.

menu plan monday - may 17

I must not be hungry right now. I am trying really hard to think of wonderful things to serve my family for dinner this week and I'm just a little stuck. So I browsed the internet, looking at other menu plans. None of it sounds good. None of it sounds bad either. I'm just a little indifferent.

Here's what I finally came up with:

• steak & roasted potatoes
• fettucine alfredo with chicken
• spaghetti & meatballs - Stephanie will be glad to help with this.
• stir fry - I keep saying we're gonna make this.
• hamburgers
• beef quesadillas

What's on your menu plan this week?

See what everyone else is eating at orgjunkie.com.

Happy eating!

a little bit of library snobbery

(picture from last year)

We are planning a camping trip soon. Both kids are quite excited about the trip, but Heather is showing it more. Earlier this week before her class went to the school library she told me she planned to check out books about camping and about where we are going.

After library period I saw her and asked about what books she checked out. With a snarl she showed me her book about National Park Rangers. While interesting, I'm sure, it was not what she had in mind. Disgusted with the school library selection of camping literature, she requested a trip to the public library after school. 

Be still my beating heart! I always get a geeky rush when the girls ask to go to the library. Oh!

So we squeezed in a library trip between school and dance. She got two books about camping and two books about our destination. We also requested a few other books and a DVD from other branches. 

On the way to dance she read to us about how to make a foil meal of hamburger, potatoes, and carrots.  (She recited this same recipe by heart to Greg later in the evening when we got home.) She also read to us about how to keep our food safe from bears by hoisting it in a tree. Then she expressed her concern about getting too close to any deer just in case they attack. She did not fall asleep on the way to dance, as usual, because she was too engrossed in her new books.

All is well.

menu plan monday - may 10

We are busy this week! Besides the normal dance classes, we are going to band and orchestra concerts at the school Stephanie will attend next year so she can decide which she she wants to take. Plus, if she chooses band, there's a little workshop to help her decide which instrument is best for her. So our meals need to be quick and easy this week so Mr. B. Mac doesn't sneak into our meal plan like he did last week when I was lazy on a dance night!

Let's try this:

• BBQ chicken (crockpot)
• beef quesadillas (with leftover roast from last week)
• crescent chicken
• chicken/rice/gravy
• tostadas

For other great meal planning ideas, visit orgjunkie.com.

book review - the total tragedy of a girl named hamlet

Recently, we got some new books in the literacy room at school and the literacy specialist asked for some us to review the books. I read The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet by Erin Dionne. I don't normally share my opinion on books because I read mostly fluff with cool covers (yes, I do judge a book by it's cover, initially). Or I read teachery books. Really, you probably aren't interested in what I have to say about either of those genres.

But if you have a tween, this review is for you.

From the book cover:

Hamlet Kennedy just wants to be your average, happy, vanilla, eighth grader. But given her family -- a seven-year-old sister who is attending middle school with her, and Shakespearean scholar parents who show up like a walking, talking, Renaissance Faire -- that's basically impossible.


School gets even worse when her sister is name the new pre-algebra tutor, and even worse when the class project is announced:  It's on Shakespeare. Add it all up, and Hamlet's life (like her name) seems like a total tragedy.

This was a very cute book that fairly realistically portrays the feelings and trials of a middle school girl. In the book, Hamlet learns how to accept herself, her family, and her friends for who they are. She deals with the balancing act of fitting in at school, as well as at home.

Erin Dionne is an engaging, humorous writer and the story moves along well. For a minute, I might have even wanted to be in middle school again.

The book is written at about a 6th grade level with no questionable material. I recommend this book for any middle school student (especially girls), or those about to embark on the middle school experience.

Oh, and, this book has a pretty cool cover.

menu plan monday - may 3

Here's what's for dinner this week:

• potato cheese soup
• pizza
• BBQ chicken (crockpot)
• tacos
• roast & potatoes
• crescent chicken

Some of the same things keep showing up week after week on our menu plan ~ like pizza and BBQ chicken. It's not that I'm making everyone eat the same thing over and over. We just never get around to having it. I want to try a homemade pizza crust.  Somehow it never works its way into our schedule. The BBQ chicken? Don't know what my excuse is there. So, this week maybe we'll really eat those two items!

Check out more menu options at orgjunkie.com.