Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Field Trip

They try to 'cram' way too much stuff into the last week of school...

I volunteered to chaperone a field trip for the 4th graders to the Prairie Village. In years past they have ridden the train - but Amtrak changed the schedule and we would have arrived in Rugby at about 6 AM with nothing do do for 3 hours. So we took the bus instead. I took my knitting and the 2 hour bus ride was just what my brown socks needed - I'll decrease at TKD and cast off and they'll be FO.

The Man-Cub packed a deck of cards to play with during the trip - I thought it was interesting that he was the only child without some sort of electronic device...
...so we arrived at the Prairie Village and had a snack...
...everyone wanted to climb the tower - but it was off limits...
...the Land Office...
...the fancy stove in the depot...
...inside the land office...
...cargo...
... the cook house...
...the jail - they do offer a hand-stitched quilt - but no padding...
...inside a Norwegian Church - a lot of the churches here still have the white altars - known to most pastors as 'walltars' because they can't go behind them - haha...
...a gothic window - sort of reminds of the windows in the Presbyterian Church where we were married...
...a very white church...
...the Norwegian Ten Commandments...
...a prairie school room...
...a log cabin built in 1885...
...inside the cabin...
...outside the Church...
...a covered wagon...
...we had a nice visit - and then a stop at the Pizza Hut for lunch - the kids had a really good time!

Monday, May 19, 2008

The Man-Cub WON a BIKE!!!

Saturday we went to the Bike Safety Rally - this was sponsored by the Fire and Rescue Departments. If he didn't already have a helmet they would have given him one (for free!).

We didn't realize that when you registered your bike - you were also registered to win one of 5 new bicycles they were giving away - all donated by local merchants.

He got his bicycle inspected and registered.

Then he rode through a safety course and used all of the proper hand signals.
Turns and stops...
...serpentine curves...
...concentrating...and ...staying between the lines...
...a U-turn...


We were almost ready to leave - but then someone mentioned the drawing - so of course we stayed - you had to be present to win. There was only one 24 inch bike on the stand so of course that's the one the Man-Cub wanted/needed.

So when the last draw came we held our breaths and YES - they drew the Man-Cub's name - it was so exciting!!!

This photo will be in the paper today - YAY - more for the scrapbook!!!
We got the new bike registered as well -

And the Man-Cub tried out the new bicycle - it's a little bit too tall for him yet - but he's determined to get used to it...

and a friend of ours who had driven over (we had ridden our bikes) offered to take the new bike to our house (how nice).

When we got home - the Man-Cub rode around the Church parking lot for more 'practice' before heading out on the bike path!

We were going to give him a new bicycle for his birthday - I guess we'll have to re-think...

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Another Prayer Shawl - for a man this time...

It's sort of funny that all of the prayer shawls I've made so far have been for women...

This one is for a man - I knit the body in a really simple stockinette stitch pattern - it's St St for 20 rows ending with a knit row - then knit one row - then St St for 20 rows ending with a knit row - then St St for 40 rows ending with a knit row - then St St for 40 rows ending with a knit row - then St St for 20 rows ending with a knit row and one last time St St for 20 rows ending with a knit row - the crocheted border was so that the ladies who don't knit could help - we often pass the prayer shawls around at WELCA so that everyone can participate...

Saturday, May 17, 2008

They say it's your birthday - We're gonna have a good time

Happy Birthday Sis!!!

a little giftie for your poker playing room...

Friday, May 16, 2008

The Quilts are on their way...

The Quilts were blessed on Sunday and packed up for delivery to Lutheran World Relief - here are mine in the sanctuary with the other quilts ready to be blessed...



Thursday, May 15, 2008

That Crazy Christmas Cactus...

I knew it was going to bloom of course - it had buds all over it - It bloomed for our Anniversary - which was kinda nice - so sorry it has to compete with the lovely roses 'though...

...I'm pretty sure it won't be blooming again at Christmastime now...

25 Years

You may think that's a long time - and in some ways it is - sometimes I look back and think what a long time ago 'that' was - and sometimes I look back and it seems like it was just yesterday - Time's funny like that.

We had a lovely restful Anniversary. We actually celebrated at the Church on Sunday with cake and lots of well wishers - so this was just family.

25 years = 25 roses...

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Perfect Homemade French Fries

A few years ago, my (chef) brother shared with me the secret of perfectly crispy homemade french fries.

...You partially cook them about 1-2 minutes and then take them out of the oil and let them sit (it does something to the starch in the potato)...

...the partially cooked fries can wait a while before they are finished...

...then you pop them back into the hot oil and fry them until they are golden brown...

...and you'll have lovely crisp fries to eat with your veggie burger...

I know you want to know how I made such perfectly sized potatoes...

A few years ago I was waxing poetic about a gadget that Grandma had when we were growing up that made perfect french fries - the Infamous Popeil Veg-o-matic - the Man thought it was hilarious - but I was insistent that this thing was fabulous...

...so for Christmas that very year - the Man found one (Ebay I think) - pretty much just like Grandma's...

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Giant Dice

In case you ever wondered how to make Giant Dice - here is the tutorial!

We needed some Giant Dice for a game at our year end Cub Scout Pack meeting - it's called the 'Candy-Dice Game' - so of course you need dice for that - and it was a fun project - you could also use 'regular' dice - but it's much more fun with 'Giant Dice'...

First you cut out your 'cube' - I wanted 6 inch dice so I made a template like this...

and cut two out of cardboard...

Then we taped up the sides and covered the cubes with white paper (you could use any color you wanted)...

Cut out some black dots (again you could use any color) - we used the bottom of a glass for a template...

We stuck those on with double sided tape...

Then covered the entire cube with packing tape...

Then we tried them out - they were easy to roll and didn't seem to land always on the same number - YAY...

The game was great fun - you sit in a circle and roll the dice - if you get a 1 or a 6 you can choose a piece of candy from the pile in the middle - or choose to take a piece from another player - but you have to ask for the candy specifically by name - if they don't have what you asked for then they don't have to give you anything - if you roll a 3 - you can choose to swap with another player - but you don't have to - if your stash is bigger you wouldn't...

...this scout demonstrates how to 'hide' your candy so no one knows what to ask you for...

The Man-Cub trying to decide what to do with his 6 - take from another player or from the pile...

Monday, May 12, 2008

Make your own wrapping paper...

The Man-Cub had two birthday parties to attend this weekend. So we needed some cards and wrapping paper. We used recycled newsprint sheets for the wrapping paper...

The Man-Cub used his stencils for this one - sometimes he stamps or just draws on the paper...

...it's so much fun to give presents...

...all wrapped up...

...now we need a matching card...

...one for Dylan - Happy Birthday Dylan!!!

...and one for Cole - Happy Birthday Cole!!!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Happy Mother's Day

The Mother's Day card the Man-Cub and I made for Mom...

...so here's wishing a very Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's I know...

...and another sweet bouquet...