It's NOT always sunny in Utah

I usually write posts about fun things, or pictures of the kids. Today is different. Today is not fun. And I don't think they want their pictures taken. Don't worry, we're okay. Life happens. Its just one of those days that my mood matches the gray, cloudy skies. Here's my brief post with our TOP TEN today, so far:

1. Bubba is now sick, and it looks like its probably strep. I hope the doctor will call in a prescription for us so we don't have to pay for another visit (we don't have insurance right now).
2. Peanut finished her final round of antibiotics today. She was taking them for strep. Since I was up so much with Bub last night, I didn't have the energy to get her up and ready for school and she didn't want to go anyway. She can have a lazy day.
3. Jeff has had a headache on and off for the past few days, but last night it turned into a migraine. I worry that he is getting sick as well.
4. I have almost a full load of work today, which is a good thing. But when I have all the sickies, its hard to get work done.
5. I forgot to pay our cell phone bill, so I couldn't text my sister this morning. Thankfully, I paid it online and we avoided a crisis! I would be lost if I couldn't communicate with my sis.
6. There is a kid at school who is probably the most advanced in the class. Unfortunately, he knows it and rubs it in to the other kids. Mine in particular, it seems. He's very competitive and tells them that they aren't as smart as him because they might have missed one or two math problems. Little jerk. My mean, protective side is coming out and I'd like to give him a good, hard noogie. But I won't.
7. Our house is a mess. But I don't have time to clean it right now.
8. We at least have clean underwear, but they are pretty much the only clean clothes in our house. Laundry needs to be done. I'll get there.
9. I'm really ticked off that my kids get sick because parents send their kids to school sick. The strep has been going around their class. People really need to get a clue. Think of someone besides yourself for once. This coming from the lady whining about how difficult my life is today.
10. I'm blogging instead of working on any of the million things I should be doing.


P.S. We will (hopefully) return to our regularly happy, positive programming sometime in the near future.

P.P.S. I miss my mom

So NOT a craft blog

A little over a year ago, my awesome sis-in-law Missy introduced me to the wide world of craft blogs and I have been hooked (and I mean hooked!) ever since. I can't get enough! I love to see all the different things that super-creative people make and I sometimes attempt to make something myself. I even have a wish list of stuff that I want to make. Its only about 2 pages long so far. Yeah, I'll get through that someday. I'm not an overly creative or crafty person, but I do love to try.

So even though this is so NOT a craft blog, I wanted to share what the kids and I did for Valentines Day. For the kids to pass out to their friends at school, we made heart-shaped crayons. I got the idea here: http://www.emiliehandmade.com/2010/02/make-your-own-crayons-freebie.html

It was fun, but took a lot of time! Mostly peeling the paper off of them.

Peeling the crayons:

Peanut was just getting over strep, so she's kind of pale in this picture.

Sorting - melting - in the molds - ready to be bagged:

The finished product:

And, since I get to be the room mom this year that organizes the holiday parties, I came up with an idea for all the kids to do a craft during the Valentine's party. I drew a large heart on a piece of copier paper and made a copy for each kid in the class. They first wrote a message to their teacher on the heart in crayon, like you would see on a conversation heart. They wrote things like "UR the best", "#1 Teacher", "Be Mine", "I love u", etc. Then they used watercolor paints to do a wash over the top of the message; and cut out the heart. We let them dry and then put them in this box that I made yesterday. It is a candy box just like the "Sweethearts" conversation hearts box. I made it out of a Lehi Roller Mills muffin mix box. This is the front of the box. On the back, I made an ingredient list out of all the kids' names in the class. Turned out cute, I think.

And in this corner...

Peanut told me that she had to pay one of her classmates, Bronson, a penny today. They use play pennies as behavior motivators in their class. So, this is the story of the penny. Yesterday, a few boys from her class were chasing her at recess and she didn't like it. I don't know what they planned on doing to her if they caught her. Today at school, the same group of boys were chasing her. She told the adult on recess duty about it twice, but the recess duty didn't do anything about it. Well, today they caught her. When I asked what they did to her, she said that they were grabbing her and one put his arm around her neck. She told them to stop, but they wouldn't. Now, Peanut is the sweetest, gentlest girl. And, for the most part, rather soft-spoken. So, what do you think she did?? She punched the one that was grabbing her. Socked him right in the gut! Ha! That's my girl! When they got back to class, one of the other little girls told the teacher that Peanut had punched Bronson, so Peanut had to pay him a penny. Not fair in my opinion, but I'm really proud of her for standing up for and defending herself.