Braided Heabands and Family Dinners...

I found a super cute braided headband tutorial last week on...



Since I friends and family coming over for dinner, I thought it would be fun to organize a craft for all the moms and girls.  This braided headband seemed perfect. 

I had a basket full of fabric strips, scissors, needles and thread...everything we needed...ready to go when the party started.

Once the braiding was done, it was time to assemble the headband.  There aren't a lot of complicated steps, so it was fun to braid, sew and chat. 

The younger girls were having too much fun playing, and preferred to have their headbands made for them :) but Desi did all the work on hers.  This was a great "party craft" and everyone left with a fun headband.

Five Question Friday...

It's been a while since I've joined Mama M at My Little Life for...

1. What do you do when you have time to yourself?

Wow...that's a fun question...I love to work on a scrapbook, do a craft, or read a book.  

2. When you look out your kitchen window, what do you see?

We have a great fort that my husband built for the kids with swings, a climbing wall, a trapdoor ...it's great.  I love the flowers in my garden and the two new trees we planted this spring.  Beyond my yard is a great running path and I often see runners / walkers.  Beyond that is a huge open field...very pretty.

3. Who/What would you want to be reincarnated as?

My cat!  Her primary job in life is to sleep in the sun.  When she's tired of that she comes around and we play with her and snuggle with her.  Her food is always provided for her.  I would love to sleep all day in the sun!

4. What is your biggest pet peeve about other people's kids?

Bullies.  I hate being at a party or a gathering where all the parents are socializing while the kids play and one of the kids is a bully.  I just wish parents would all take responsibility for their children in large groups like that.  Usually it ends up being one or two moms who help facilitate all the kids and it's really challenging to try to discipline someone else's kid.

5. Regular or Diet soda?

Diet Coke all the way...from a fountain not a can or a bottle...with lots of ice...and a straw!  Yum!

Have a great weekend!

The Big Photo Challenge...

I love taking pictures in black and white...or converting them to black and white.  There is such lovely simplicity to the photo.  In my family room is a wall of black & white photos and I was working on new pictures of the boys when I saw this challenge.

 This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago at a soccer tournament.  Connar was playing right midfield and scored a tying goal!  I used my zoom lens on my Cannon Rebel.  The reason I bought the lens was to take soccer pictures.

 This picture of Aiden...the boy with the ball...was also taken with the zoom lens.  I took it last weekend at a football jamboree.  I love the shots I am able to get with the sports setting and the zoom lens.

Working Mommy Wednesday...

I am linking up with Julia at Work, Wife, Mom...Life! for another...

 

This week's prompt is, "The hardest part about being a mom is..."

I don't know what the hardest thing about being a mom is, but right now the hard part is going back to work.  I am a full time teacher...which I love...and right now I am in the middle of the transition from summer stay-at-home mom to school year working-mom.  The first two weeks are really hard.

Right now I am getting myself ready for work...making sure my work clothes are clean and ironed, making sure I have stuff for lunch at school, getting my space ready and meeting with the other teachers I work with to prepare for students.  I am also getting my kids ready for school...shopping for clothes and supplies, and shifting summer bedtimes to school bedtimes.  This year my kids also have different sports commitments that are challenging to our family routines.  On top of all those transitions, I have to reorganize my home routines to find time for little things like laundry and housework while still taking care of myself and spending time with my family & husband.

Even knowing the transition is hard, doesn't really help with how tiring it is to shift.  I'm really exhausted.  When I am this tired I constantly feel like I am forgetting things, letting people down and neglecting what's important.  It's really hard.  

The good thing is that I love my job and I love the advantages my family has because I have a job.  My husband is truly amazing during this transition and does all he can to keep me balanced and functioning.  My extended family helps loads with the kids.  And...I know that once I have made the transition life will be good.  But right now it's really hard!

Life Lessons...

Awhile ago, I published this post about Allowance and the strategies that work for our family.  The system was test this past weekend, when Connar bounced a check!


Ok, ok, he's 11 and doesn't really have a checking account...

Typically, when the boys want to spend their money, they need to have their wallet with them.  This way, they know how much they have and money can change hands in the moment.  I made an exception on Saturday.  We had been out all day at a Football Jamboree and were stopping at a toy store on the way home.  The boys had just done their weekly jobs and knew how much money they had.  So I made an exception.

When we got home, I asked them to pay me back before they played with the new toys.  Connar opened his wallet and had nothing.  He teared up.  He over reacted.  He cried.

When he calmed down, he remembered that he's spent some money previously.  He didn't remember putting money into savings - which surprised me.  I said, "So it looks like you bounced a check.  You promised a payment with money that you didn't have.  How would you like to solve this problem?"  I expected him to say he'd pay for it out of savings, he had plenty in his account.  After a couple I don't know's, Connar asked if he could pay me back with extra jobs and next week's allowance.  So, we went with Repossession and Repayment.  


His new toy is sitting on top of the refrigerator, and there is a sticky note on the refrigerator door.  He's already done $2.00 worth of extra jobs and he scrounged $1.48 out of his bedroom.  I declined to accept the free chalupa coupon as payment.

I wonder how long it will take him to pay back the remaining $9.15?