what a great day!

a picture of the Christmas tree. The 'popcorn' is made from packing peanuts.. but it looks pretty good I think. One of my chorus moms came in to help decorate it with me. I would have NEVER finished.. and we worked really well together... and the PE teacher kept her 4 YO busy... Everything save a few balls on the tree is from freecycle... the tree included... i heart freecycle!

The kids did such a nice job. I'm so proud of them. Santa came to visit as did the local TV station! Good PR for the music program. AND I had some free time late in the afternoon (don't ask me how that happened) so I got to work on my cowl. Santa even came to our program... and handed out candy canes. We had fun!

The ILs have landed.... and they're sleeping in my attic.... MIL brought me MUCHO lana crudo merino for spinning :D and my SIL painted a coffee mug for me that I absolutely LOVE! She also sent 3 very beautiful wooden shawl pics... how lucky am I. And for the DH and I she sent one of her colorized drawings that she made while she was here this time last year... I really miss her.

OK... hopefully tmrw I'll have another cowl to show you!

high time

that I post.

My friend Deb came to my little kid's concert at school Friday evening even though her 'baby' is a senior. She's a real advocate of the arts in our school district (we need all the supporters we can get). At any rate, she taped first grade singing The Library Song by Tom Chapin (all of their songs were about reading) The only part that's hard to hear is the part where they're using a stage whisper. It's 'sh quiet please' and then the refrain again.

I give you the Library Song by Tom Chapin


It was a beautiful evening. The seniors had prom in the park from 4 - 5:30 just across the street from the K/1 building. Our program started at 6:30. We had to have it outside because there is no place IN the building large enough to house all the kids at once. (yes, the building is newly renovated) So we used the back steps and then the parking lot as the audience seating area. Parents brought chairs and blankets and everything worked out fine! The whole evening rejuvenated me in my job and spawned my brain to come up with some new ideas. I busted my behind getting ready for it though hauling all kind of equipment and setting up the risers alone.... was my workout for the day. When P and I got home, I lasted about 20 minutes into Thomas' magic railway with him until I was dead asleep. LOL

I am working on square #9 for the Way afghan.. I need to get cracking really. June 6th is coming fast.

Haven't been to any thrift stores lately either. Must. go. soon. But I have been frogging delicious fibers. If you're on ravelry take a peak at my stash that's marked recycled. Most of that will be going in my etsy store once it's open. Still working on a name for that. Maybe I should have a contest!

We've been really busy with the end of the year activities at the school where I teach and my own children's schools: concerts, art shows, etc.

I owe you a picture from our earth day concert which was unfortunately inside due to the prognosticated weather. I have it stored elsewhere...i won't forget though.

Today my baby is sick. He woke me up at 6 with a belly ache... and of course vomited... at least in the right spot and not on me!

I think my mojo is coming back... It's been gone far too long.

whoda thunk?

My friend Heather, found this on youtube. It's of our kids spring concert from school last year. One of their classmates must have taped it.
I'm just saving it so DD can watch it more easily. Don't feel as though you have to. They had a concert of old music and their decade was 1910-1920



I'll add more to this post later.

chocolate, peppermint and nuts

So DD and I took some time out tonight to make the special area teacher gifts that they'll need to deliver on Wednesday. My school chorus concert is tonight and there's no way I'll feel like making them after the concert.

So this is what it is a mug (I know lame teacher gift, but it's just the container) with a package of hot chocolate mix and a half dozen homemade chocolate covered pretzel rods.

We dipped the rods halfway up the stick in chocolate and then added on top a complimentary flavor. The white chocolate has crushed peppermints and the milk chocolate has crushed peanuts. I haven't tried them so I hope it's good. It works in theory and they look good enough to eat as well!

We'll wrap them in clear cello and tie them with red and green raffia to be a bit fesitve. I need to make cards yet as well. I know that stamp is around this house someplace... hope I can find it tmrw night after the concert (if I don't collapse)

Although, NOAA isn't predicting great stuff for Tuesday into Wednesday, so maybe no one will be going to school on Wednesday. I could use a day off to catch up on baking and sewing. I'm wondering what the deal with be for the evening. If I will indeed get the winter concert in before winter actually begins (calendar speaking) or will it truly be a winter concert and have to wait until January.

The rehearsal today went pretty well. They are really a great group of kids. Some goofballs, but I love them. DH played for me he plays a little over half of the songs. 2 have accompanimental CDs that came with the music series, 1 is an accompanimental tape (I know can you believe it) and I'm playing for my 6th grade snow angels.... 7 girls that are singing solo/small group for 2 numbers There are 12 selections in all and about 2 dozen or more poems that will be read between numbers. I've made a power point presentation of pictures to go along with the poem and songs. And there's so much that I can't do until the very last minute it will be a miracle if it all gets accomplished. I hate that I have to do it in the gym and not be able to set up ahead of time.... the tribulations of a small school... mine is the only one in the district without a proper stage or facility... makes everything a challenge but I've been doing it for so long that way I know no differently.







Well, I have knitting to show but will save it for another day. On a sad note DH and I decided that the fabric that US5 was producing for his vest was so thick and stiff, so I ripped out down to the ribbing and I'll start over with 6's . (That was my choice to begin with but he preferred the swatch of the 5s)


My package from my Love@Knit Dishcloths exchange partner arrived today... now to not open it until the 25th. Thanks Amanda... can't wait to get at it and I absolutely adore the box... way too cute!!!!!!!!


Ummm. my ten on tuesday list will have to wait... I don't have time this morning.

2 peas in a pod

not in looks (obviously) but we really are too much alike...
One of my kid's mom took a bunch of pictures and e-mailed them to me. So here we are singing/playing ripple. Crazy isn't it? just like us!

we can make a difference

was the concert theme. Here are just a few shots from the evening. Unfortunately, I don't have one of the infamous duo performing Ripple for the boss.


This is the group shot of the chorus on the stage. It's a bit dark but you get the idea. These are all the shirts that we dyed last Monday... it's a bucketload, no?
I'm really proud of these kids. It was a huge concert. Lasted almost 60 minutes and they did it all from memory. Of course there were some moments, but that's what makes education so much fun. You never really know exactly what you'll get. These are a great group of kids though... and I love them in their own special way.

This is our presentation of the monies we raised to the American Cancer Society representative. How 'bout that check?



And the dynamic duo and their immediate bosses. What motley crüe

I'm beat... I gotta sleep

In the news again!

We're in the paper again. This time the very local paper. With a great article and picture of the kids that would fit as well as the teachers (I'm the one in the back) Here's the link

The concert is done.... I'm so relieved and exhausted. It was SRO and both big parking lots were filled with people that were parked on the grass. It was at the district's high school so the auditorium sits about 800. Of course that's the barometer of a good program to many people in the area... not me, but... and there won't be another one like it. It's crazy, insane amount of headache for one person to deal with. The kids had a great time though and that made it worthwhile.

Well Absorba the great is almost finished. Hopefully by the weekend. Wish I had more time for spinning on my lovely new spindles.... summer is coming though :-)

Happy crafting

Drop spinning, anyone?

Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers that might be reading this. Mother's Day brought me the motherlode of drop spindling! DH and DC gifted me with not one but 2 lovely drop spindles.



















The first is the Hound spindle from Greensleeves spindles in purpleheart whorl with a kingwood shaft. It's a real beauty. The picture above is the model only, not my spindle. Mine is in different woods. I'll post pictures of the spindles at a later date.



The second is from Tom Golding and is the Tree of Life whorl. Again this isn't a picture of my exact spindle but one just like it.


They both spin like a dream. Although I had very little time to play with them. My school concert is, well, tonight actually.
I am still finishing up some last minute touches, doing some laundry and getting stuff together for the AM. I'll go to school sans children tomorrow. DH is finished at the colleges, so he'll have kid duty. It'll make my day run much easier I believe. So if you're thinking of nothing at 6:30 - 8:00 PM, think of me... I'll be working my tail feathers off. I hope enough parents come out to help me push and pull the kids off the stage. Hope we have a decent audience as well.

More later on the spinning... I'm grinning really big here :-)