Sassy Priscilla

Happy Halloween from the Littlest Dementor

I know it has been ages since I've blogged. I haven't been in the mood though we had a great vacation to South Dakota that I'd like to share. I even had a few Halloween projects to write about but meh. Can't explain the lack of interest in blogging. However, I couldn't resist a Halloween post.

Aidan decided to be a dementor from Harry Potter this year. I wasn't sure how to do this. I was a little sad as he's had such cute costumes in the past. He has been a kitty, frog, cardinal, black widow, mummy and Perry the Playtpus (Agent P). However, his imagination is so fun and I didn't want to steer him in any direction. 

As usual, there is no pattern for the costumes that Aidan chooses. I modified Simplicity Pattern 5512, costume E. The fabric was a nice Kona Cotton. Since Aidan wanted his face to be covered and I wasn't willing to cover his face with the Kona cotton, I did a search for black cheesecloth. Apparently, it cannot be found anywhere. I settled for a wide weave, easy to rip "creepy cloth." It worked for his three costume wearings but by the end of trick-or-treat tonight, it had a big hole in it.

Additional modifications included sewing a layer of raggedy fabric between the bottom sleeve seams. I also left the bottom unfinished and cut a raggedy bottom. I sewed some extra creepy cloth to the outside of his costume and we added a pair of store-bought skeleton hands.

I find it a real treat to be able to make Aidan's costumes. I hope that he always wants my help. My mom and dad came this evening to join us for trick-or-treat in our great neighborhood. As his costume isn't one to be easily distinguished from other ghouls, it made me feel good when Jeff commented as Aidan was running from door-to-door that he really did resemble a dementor floating.

Seven!

I didn't realize it has been so long since I've posted. First of all, thanks for the nice comments about my rotten April and my anxiety issues.

May went better though baby Huck had a setback and was hospitalized for possible seizures. No evidence was found while in the hospital and he is home and doing well now.

Jeff and I celebrated our 9th anniversary. Nine! I can't stand it. Though I do feel that time has passed a little, it really seems hard to believe that I wed the love of my life nine years ago. I still feel giddy when I see him and we hold hands or rub feet every night. I think I am the luckiest wife on earth for getting to see Jeff every day.

Harder yet to believe is that precious Aidan is seven! Whistling, lego building, bike riding, tooth losing, snuggling, sassy pants, skipping, lover of reading, crafting, goofy, smart-alecky, freckle-faced, sugar bag, cat loving, rubber faced, butterfly watching, obsessed with water hoses, tender-hearted, sweet Aidan. He had a grand birthday that included breakfast with his Uncle Dan and cousins and then a party at my mom's house. My grandmother was there and silly Uncle Craig was visiting so that made it even more special. Uncle Craig made a cool zombie cake modeled after the game Plants vs. Zombies. Ever played it? We are addicted to it.  

I make birthday buntings for Aidan every year based upon the theme of his party. This year, he has a new room decor - space. I decided that an American flag was appropriate. I'm not sure why. I think I was thinking about the flag on the moon and the space program. Bear with me - even though the flag looks a bit more primitive than space-ish, it works well in his bedroom, hanging over his bed. 

I think I do much better sewing when I design my own pattern. This bunting is 14" x 14" with seven stripes and seven stars. I tried to design the seven, stars and the flag proportions similar to the 1776 flag. It went very well and Aidan loves it. That is all that matters.

If you want a tutorial, let me know. I'm thinking about making a flag for Independence Day and wouldn't mind sharing a tutorial.

Here's Aidan with silly string in his hair, trying a weird piece of candy that didn't go over well.

 

A Much Needed Rescue

We've been having some gorgeous weather lately. It has been a great excuse for working in the yard. 

Yesterday, as Jeff was mowing the lawn, Aidan was hurrying to rescue all the dandelions before they were cut by the mower. He came running up to me with a handful. My heart swooned.

I am so glad May is here. April was a really crummy month. Well, let me backtrack - a glorious thing happened last month. Beautiful baby Huck was born. Being an aunt again thrills me and Jeff and Aidan is tickled, too.

However, poor baby Huck has had a rough beginning. He developed viral meningitis. We are so happy he is home now and doing well (despite a soy/dairy allergy that is really inconveniencing his mommy and hurting his tummy). 

Right before all that, we lost our Toulouse. Then, my wonderful Uncle Dane had emergency quintuple bypass surgery. He is home recovering. Outside of our beloved Toulouse, we are very lucky to have had these scary things end up well.

See that closed up dandelion in the vase under the water? I've felt that way a bit. We can no longer afford for me to see my therapist for anxiety issues and I have moments where I feel like I can't get my head above water. But having seen her, I know techniques that can help me rebound but it sure seems to take a long time. I think the fact that I have blogged a few times is a good sign.

May is my favorite month. Tulips, daffodils, budding perennials, seedlings, green grass, Mother's Day, wedding anniversary, a precious boy's birthday - these all make me so happy. So May is my much needed rescue.

What Shannon Does When She Has a Day Off

Myself? I try to sleep. Nicely done, Shannon.

Merry Christmas!

 

Halloween Night : Agent P

So we had a really long week last week due to the uninvited guest. I also put off Halloween costume making until the very last possible minute. I can't blame Swine Flu as I am a known procrastinator. Swine Flu did not help. That does not mean that I didn't have all the materials ready 6 weeks ago - I did. I had the perfect color Kona Cotton for the costume.

Aidan decided to be Perry the Platypus from the Disney Channel's Phineas and Ferb. Ever seen the show? It is hilarious. Jeff and I are known to watch it when Aidan is in bed. 

Not only was Aidan Perry the Platypus, he was secret agent Perry the Platypus. This means he has a secret agent hat and his eyes aren't so wonky.

Now there are no playtpus costume sewing patterns so I had to wing it. I used Butterick 3238 for the costume and hood base. Piece of cake except they neglected a major step. Isn't there quality control at these pattern companies? I winged the tail. The bill was way hard to figure out. I ended up using two pieces and some elastic to hold it on to the middle of his face but, in retrospect, should have sewn it to the top of the costume and added Perry's eyes similar to his cardinal costume (scroll down).

To top off the costume, we used Aidan's Indiana Jones fedora with black ribbon around it.

Aidan LOVED the costume. A lot of the homes we went to didn't recognize him but a ton of kids and adults trick-or-treating did. Jeff leaned over to me last night as we were trick or treating and said "this is where you get your validation" in reference to an earlier sulky conversation we had (I was the sulky one). I brushed him off until I heard someone say "that is the coolest costume ever!"

I started off the evening crabby as we had to cancel a Halloween Open House due to SWINE FLU. The costume took longer than I expected. Aidan was a pill and had been for the week. However, my mom and dad came over which always helps. We snapped pictures of a squirrely Aidan fighting off Doofenshmirtz.

Mom passed out candy and Jeff, Dad, Aidan and I walked the neighborhood. 

Our neighborhood is awesome. We have our own Trick-or-Treat time (night!) and houses go all out. The moon was near full, the air was crisp, we scuffed our feet through newly fallen leaves due to major wind these last few days. Houses go all out with spooky music, bonfires, and creepy decorations. One house even passed out Brain Shots to the parents similar to this recipe except with Peach Schnapps and Bailey's. It warmed us up, lightened the mood and was pretty darn fun.

We came home and had Cuban Rolls and a bunch of candy. Aidan could hardly calm down. When he went to bed, we heard Aidan singing this song before he conked out. Melody is similar to the Lone Ranger melody:

Halloween, Trick or Treat, Halloween, Trick or Treat, HalloWEEEEEN, Trick or Treat. Trick or Treat, Trick or Treat, Trick or Treat, Trick or Treat, Trick or Treat, Trick or Treat, BOO!

Feeling Better

The crayons and stapler are out. The super thickly iced and sprinkled cookie is in hand. The jitters are gone. A wink and a thumb's up proves that we whipped the swine flu out of the little boy. See his kissing spot on his left cheek? I can't resist.

So Long Tamiflu, Don't Let the Door Hit You on the Way Out

Ah, the days of freezepops, cannons, tomatoes, Betsy's garage, sunshine, Jeff's garden wall, marigolds, and sunflowers. I wasn't even thinking ahead to the day I would be writing a letter to Tamiflu. No - it isn't a girl with a bad name. It is that wonderful medication that, when taken within the first 48 hours, stops the flu virus from replicating.

Dear Tamiflu,

Thank you for quite possibly saving Aidan's life or at least a hospitalization. Thank you for stopping the H1N1 virus from replicating. Thank you for easing my worries. However, you have been a bit rude of a houseguest. Let me point these things out for you before I throw away your last pill with Aidan's pediatrician's permission.

• My dear sweet boy has been a bundle of confusion. He says conflicting things and they are hugely important. No - I want the pillows in my blanket tent. But I want them on the couch, too. But DON"T TAKE THEM OUT OF THE TENT! Signal BAWL.
• My bundle of joy woke up at 3 AM to tell me about the three scary dreams he had. He then proceeded to talk a mile a minute in complete gibberish. I sent him to the bathroom, tucked him in and all was better. For him, at least.
• My hunny bunny has been a mouthy terror. He sasses back in the most clever of ways. Some are even unprintable. When I asked him why he wasn't getting ready for his bath for the umteenth time yesterday, he said, "because I don't WANT to. How about that?"
• My little sunshine has struggled through depressing thoughts such as "my whole family hates me" (not true!), "i'm a bad boy" (mostly not true!), and "the cats hate me" (only one - and even he has been worried about Aidan).

While I appreciate what you have done for us, please forgive me for saying that I hope to never see you again.

Love, Sassypriscilla

Entered this post on Scribbit's November Write-Away Contest.

Dear Minnesota, I'd Like You to Meet Brett Favre

 

With Love, Wisconsin

Swine Flu, Influenza Type A, H1N1... Whatever Your Stupid Name Is

Children's Hospital called this morning to confirm what we figured out at our emergency room visit last night - Aidan has the H1N1 virus. This is despite my very best efforts. He even had the vaccine 9 days ago. His doctor's office - more specifically, his nurse Tracy - was kind enough to hear a mother's fright that her son with a heart condition needed to be vaccinated and they gave him the single dose they had left from the doses they used to vaccinate their staff. 

I'm going to say that I feel in my heart that the dose he got has permitted him to be tolerating this virus better than he would have without the vaccine. It could very well have saved his life. We feel lucky if this is as bad as it is going to get.

I have many anxieties related to Aidan and his health and this is like a nightmare come true. But I feel so positive because while Jeff and I didn't have a fit night of sleeping, Aidan slept very sound. The vaccination and the Tamiflu are doing their best to help him fight this virus.

So Aidan is home with me this week. I hope to have some fun times with him so that he doesn't know he is missing his holiday party. I really hope that Jeff and I don't get sick but we are pretty much sitting ducks.

The Lemonade Barker

Ah, the end of summer. A hot day and a neighborhood rummage sale seemed like a good time to setup a lemonade stand.

Who knew Aidan would be quite the salesman? I guess new Legos were at stake. It doesn't hurt that his freckles are adorable and he NEVER GAVE UP. This picture sums up his tenacity for the sale. He brought people in like a carnival barker.

I whipped up a little bunting and Aidan brought out his vintage cash register, his adorable homemade sign and a bell. He also drank about 20 glasses of lemonade on his own.

His first customer got about 1/4" of lemonade. That really cracked the guy up and he refused any more. 50 plus glasses later (seriously), we were out of cups and lemonade so we called it quits. At 25 cents a glass, the profit wasn't huge but his lesson was learned. New Legos were purchased today along with a small gift for a boy at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin (a tradition we started when he started using his money to buy his own toys).

We fared as well at our yard sale. We sold some tough things (Aidan's crib and baby toys, my old sewing machine). But it feels good to clear up some space and the extra money will really help.

I'd like to throw out a big thanks to all the people that kindly stopped by to buy a glass of lemonade. They didn't have to do it and some bought more than one glass and some gave tips. It made a little boy's day.   

And Then I Hung My Head and Cried

Today Aidan started first grade.

I feel like I could end it at that sentence and all moms out there will know what I am feeling right now.

I have had the privilege of being a full-time mom to Aidan. We have hardly been separated - he only went to nursery school for four hours a week when he was 4 and half-day kindergarten last year. So this separation is very hard.

I knew I would dread this day after I first met him. All summer, I have had September 1st nagging at me. But lucky me, Aidan snuggled into bed with us this morning and told me he wanted to snuggle with me a little longer today because he was going to go to school full-day and was going to miss me. Even luckier, I don't think he will. He has so much to look forward to and I know he'll have a blast. But he said the right thing and as I held him closer, I knew he would be ok.

I'll be ok, too. I've spent quite a bit of time planning what I'm going to do during the school hours. My business will start back up again and I can't wait to start sewing on a regular basis. I can garden. I had to quit the gym temporarily but I can work out from home. But to do all these things without Aidan's sweet voice in the background breaks my heart.

Traitor Favre

There were some good photos to choose from but my love for The Godfather made this one the best (but what is up with all the pictures of #4 in a dress?). This year differs for us Packer fans quite a bit. Last year we were scorned and confused. This year we are pretty ticked.

He who shall not be named's true colors are wide open for everyone to see and now they are hued in purple. I look forward to October and November. He's all yours, Vikings. Enjoy the drama.

I'd like to give a shout out to Millard and Marilyn. They are the fine neighbors that gave us tickets two years ago to see a Packers pre-game. They did it again but they gave us 3 tickets and we made a family adventure out of it and had a great time this past weekend with an overnight stay and a trip to the darling Bay Beach (what other amusement park can you go to where the rides are a quarter or fifty-cents?).  Our family was in dire need of a pick-me-up (more on that later) and this gave us a respite from some of the stress. It was a true treat. Aidan was a hoot at the Packer game and lasted three quarters. He was full of the sillies and his freckled face was darling in amidst the Green and Gold. Plus, the Packers won and look good!

Photo credit: Dave - Milwaukee

I'm Pretty Sure You Need a Brain to Blog or Am I Shigetting Something?

Today Aidan asked me if I have a brain. My delayed response was "why?" He said that I keep shigetting (his word - one of my favorites) things and he knows that we need brains to remember things.

Pretty cheeky for a kid whose 6th birthday is in 27 hours. Yes, we are counting in hours now. We have been counting down for 30 days. Aidan says, "15 days until my birthday!" I say "15 more days of sassiness!" Yesterday he suggested that we have fireworks for his birthday. You know, the kind they have at parks for the 4th of July... I kid not when I mention his sassiness. He is now working to earn back his birthday parties that were taken away. Last year my threat was to take away his super powers. That worked and still kills me that he believed it.

May has been a very long month. I was sick for 3 weeks with the Parvo virus. I thought I had the flu and then I figured I had some rare bone disease with only hours to live. Turns out I was suffering Rheumatoid Arthritis-like symptoms that makes me feel very sad for my elders. I'm getting caught up on business and housework and all the other crud I let go of while I wallowed in self-pity and could hardly move.

Yesterday I sewed a couple applique t-shirts to get ready for Aidan's birthday. Today I cut out a Spacebot pattern for a sweet present and tonight I intend to make my annual birthday bunting for him. I just finished making M&M cookies for school treats. Tomorrow I'm making Prince Cupcakes for the resident prince. I'll be bringing them to a friend's house on Saturday who is graciously hosting a small birthday party for him. In fact, I don't have to host any type of birthday party as my mom and dad are hosting his family birthday party!

Aidan is doing great! He just had his cardiologist check-up and walked on the treadmill. He walked 3 minutes longer than he did a year ago. As usual, he charmed everyone. Dr. Frommelt says he is one of her more active patients! He may need to get his fenestration closed but there is now rush. If we see him tire more frequently, then we shall proceed with it.

Aidan loves math, science, art, Legos, Lego video games, books, his daddy, his grandma, Junie B. Jones, swimming lessons, digging in dirt, baseball, talking, pushing his boundaries, every single toy he has ever owned and can't bear to part with, Star Wars, and asking questions. He loves to try new food. He likes to help his daddy. He loves to play fetch with Mucha. He loves to traipse around in flip-flops. He has freckles. He is built like his daddy and has his hair and skin coloring but looks like me. He loves to snuggle and crawls into bed with me in the morning which is fun except for the mornings where he moves NON STOP. He has lost 2 teeth. He is a smart-aleck. He argues very well. He is thoughtful, sweet, silly, smart, sassy, goofy, crafty, loving, precious and just plain fun. See Aidan - I remember some things!

This week also marks Jeff's and my 8th anniversary. I have an awesome husband, a healthy boy, great family and friends, my health, and a wonderful house and home. What more could a gal want besides tickets to Broadway?

The Most Spoiled Moth - American Dagger Moth Revealed

Remember this little critter? Well almost exactly 8 months later, she decided to take her sweet time and reveal her wings. Or should I say wing? She looks a little lopsided. But she is glorious and it is a remarkable feat of nature.

We kept her in a butterfly tent in our protective back porch over the fall and winter and much of spring. Over the last few weeks, I kept checking to see if she was ready - I would have felt terrible if she emerged only to starve. I lifted the leaf she was under and removed half of her cocoon. I was very worried that I killed her but her chrysalis looked shiny and healthy and I felt sure she was still alive.

I finally put her butterfly tent outside with the zipper open so that is she did emerge, she would not be stuck. Yesterday I checked on her and couldn't find her chrysalis. Upon further inspection, I found her at the top of the butterfly tent. I was so happy! Ask Betsy - I squealed with glee.

Today I found her the same position. Worried that she was with us for the long haul, I did a little flick and was able to get her onto the grass. A trip to school to pick up Aidan and she had found her wings.

Yay for mother nature.

Go Go Gokey - Danny Gokey's Milwaukee Visit

I'm an American Idol fan. I am not embarrassed to admit it. I was hyped up when I saw that there was a contestant from Milwaukee that was getting a lot of attention from the auditions on. I told Jeff that if Danny Gokey made it to the top 3, I was headed to the parade that Milwaukee would give him.

So Danny made it into the top 3 and came to town on Friday for Gokey Day. Our local Fox news network freaked out and entire broadcasts were devoted to this event. You would think that the Packers were in town or something. Oh yeah, they were in town and only got an inch of coverage because they were there to support DANNY GOKEY!!!!! You can see a couple of the Pack in the background of this picture, actually.

One of the things Danny was going to do was sing at the Summerfest grounds (Milwaukee has the world's largest music festival every late June/early July) which I dubbed Gokeyfest (at these grounds, Milwaukee also has several ethinic festivals during our brief summer such as Germanfest, Irishfest, Polishfest, etc). I decided I was going to take Aidan down. Then I chickened out and became depressed. Too much traffic. Too big of a crown for Aidan. No one wanted to come with us - not my mom, my sisters, nephews, or Jeff.

So I called Jeff a little sad. 20 minutes later he called me and said he was heading home and we headed downtown. It was crowded and a little warm in the sun. It was a little long for a 5-year-old. But it was totally worth the fun and hype! The Packers were there (where were you Aaron Rodgers?). Rick Springfield was there (in town to give a concert). Marvin Hamlisch was there (new Milwaukee Pops conductor). Tons of screaming girls holding Go Go Gokey signs adorned with glasses were there. Danny Gokey was there and performed great. It was a blast!

Though he may not win (is Adam a shoe-in?), he is a classy, talented guy. He is even assured by the director of Summerfest to have a headlining show next year at Summerfest. All this so I could be one degree separation from Simon Cowell.   

Muddy Daffodil

Ever have one of those periods in your life where you know you are trying to blossom, to be beautiful and perfect but you still wind up with dirt all over yourself? Ever feel like a muddy daffodil?

Once again I am in one of those funks. When I saw this creature in the yard, I knew I had to have a picture as I felt a kindred spirit.

I have been enjoying so much - baking, gardening, yoga, spring. But I'm kind of over the Internet. I don't feel like emailing, blogging, or reading blogs. I guess I don't feel like sharing. But here I am sharing...

So I am kind of non-posting posting here on my blog. I would rather be planting some overdue marigold seeds so that is what I am off to do.

Happy Easter from Wool Flower Daniel Craig Daniel

Meet Wool Flower Heart Daniel Craig Daniel. To be fair, I did not name him. Also, so you don't think my Daniel Craig love has gone too far--Aidan's middle names are Daniel Craig after uncles and his grandfather. AND I never heard of the stud actor Daniel Craig until years after Aidan was born. So there.

I made this little guy using a pattern from Melly and Me. I got the idea from Stacy. I bought the pattern from my new favorite shop - Pink Chalk Fabrics.

You may notice a few things different about Wool Flower Heart Daniel Craig Daniel. First of all, his head is on upside down. I sewed his vintage button eyes on before placing his head on his body (button eyes are a change from the pattern). I did this twice and removed them once only to do it again. I didn't notice the second time until the cockeyed ears were on so I just left it. And you know what? I love it. He looks a little more sheep to me than cow.

What killed me about his pattern was that his coat is removable (it has a zipper) so that you can shear the sheep. Once I found that out, I had to have the pattern. Wool Flower Heart Daniel Craig Daniel's coat is made from chenille and so is his head. I'm not sure about the name of his body and hoof fabric but I got it at Patched Works in Elm Grove.

The best part of the experience (outside of the name) was just how thrilled Aidan was with him. He loves him so much. I love sewing for him. It is one of the best things in my life.

Happy Easter! 

Milwaukee Recording Studio - Magnetic Sound

Looking for a digital or analog recording studio in the Milwaukee area? Visit Magnetic Sound. Magnetic Sound is a full service analog and digital recording service in Milwaukee located within National Recording - The Record Lab Studio. In an era when MP3's are considered good quality and "basement studios" are on every block, Magnetic Sound is dedicated to high quality sound recordings.

Tom Gorichanaz started Magnetic Sound and has over ten years of studio experience and fifteen years experience playing guitar in bands. Tom's taste in music is as eclectic as the artists he works with.
 
Tom's partner, Danny Zelonky of National Recording, has over 30 years of professional experience as an artist and engineer worldwide. He also has a truly amazing collection of vintage analog keyboards and synthesizers. For this reason, the studio is highly sought after by people who want the "real thing" and not a software copy. In fact, many of his keys were used by Native Instruments Co. to model their digital synths from! Danny also founded Cosmo Elliptic, his independent record label. Cosmo Elliptic recently signed a distribution deal for 40 online digital music sites. 
 
Whether you are a band or solo artist, Magnetic Sound will help you to realize your vision of your music. A comfortable setting with a lot of cool vibe is what they are about. Check their website for updates, current and past projects, and to make an appointment to see the studio.

A Wonderful Gift from Monica : A Birth Story

Two weeks ago, an extraordinary thing happened to me. I was able to witness the birth of a baby.

My good friend, Monica, asked me if I could join her as she wanted a female companion along with her husband to help her through labor and delivery. Me?! What a thrill, an honor and I am so glad it worked out that I could be there.

When I was pregnant with Aidan, I developed pre-eclampsia. At 37 weeks, I went into the hospital to be induced. It took 2 days to get my cervix to make any sort of movement and I was sick on magnesium throughout. The magnesium and some other drug I can't remember also made me groggy and when my contractions came, I didn't know how to cope. I was given an epidural but it didn't take. Luckily for me, it went fast. In fact, my mom sent Jeff home to get some rest when they started the pitocin and we had to get him back in. Sadly, Aidan had the cord wrapped around his neck and a team from the NICU was present due to his hypoplastic right heart diagnosis in utero. Though they let me kiss Aidan, he was whisked away to the NICU. I could never nurse him and instead pumped and fed him for over a year.

I have always been a little saddened by Aidan's birth story - as he may likely be my only child, it has made me sad that his birth didn't have a little more normalcy. I regretted that I wasn't really alert until it was time to push. I was proud that I listened to my body and was able to tell my nurse I needed to push and fortunate that I didn't have a c-section but I felt as if I didn't remember my story. I used to watch A Baby Story or whatever the name of that show is on Lifetime a lot so I could try to pick out the details.

Monica's baby, her third, was a surprise. She and her husband decided to let the gender be a surprise, too. I got a call one morning two weeks ago when I was at the gym from Monica stating her water might have broken. I freaked out a little and couldn't concentrate too much on finishing my workout. I went home, packed a bag, waited for my mom to come watch Aidan, hot-rolled my hair for the baby and picked up Monica.

What a special time the next hours became. For a long time, it was just me and Monica. She couldn't have looked more lovely. She is such a beautiful person inside and out and just lovely pregnant. She has a quiet strength and confidence that allowed her to tell the doctors that perhaps they could wait to induce her because her water broke with her two other children and she had the babies within 6 hours. She was admitted to a room and we laughed and she showed me yoga poses. In fact, she made labor look pretty darn easy... for a little while.

Monica's husband showed up and the show began. We began walking the halls to help her with the discomfort. I noticed that her contractions seemed to be happening very fast. I had read two doula books and couldn't remember a darn thing about how to help her but I became suspicious that her labor was moving rapidly. When we got back to her room after a trip around the hall, Monica decided she needed an epidural. I went to tell her nurse that Monica's contractions really picked up and if the anesthesiologist needed her signature, he should get it now as she was asking for an epidural.

Things happened pretty fast after that - anesthesiologist came in and says he has another more urgent case but he'll try to fit her in. Monica says, maybe you need to check my cervix. I stand there not knowing how to help Monica. Monica is checked and is ready to push. Anesthesiologist irritatedly says he can't help hew now. We all wait for the NICU team to arrive as there is meconium in the waters. Someone hands Monica papers to sign for treatment of the baby while she is contracting. I try to help and ask them to get the signature from the father. Monica is in such intense pain and there is no relief. I don't know what to say or do. I just tell her it is almost over and she is doing a good job. Luckily her nurse grabs a leg, Otto and I hold onto the other and the winking doctor tells her to push. Three good pushes later and the baby boy arrives. He is beautiful and her biggest. This entire turn of events seems to happen all within 2 minutes but it was probably still only in 15 minutes. She pushed him out in under 5.

I get to see the placenta be delivered. I got to watch a father hold his son for the first time. I got to see a baby nurse on his mother for the first time. I am seriously impressed with this amazing process and my amazing friend.

Selfishly, I feel as I was given a huge gift from Monica. The missing memories from my own delivery seem to be filled in. I remember things, feelings, PAIN, fear, love, strength.

Here's a cool thing that happened. Monica and I share an OB. He had told her there was a picture of me and Aidan up on the mom and baby floor. I knew nothing about it. I knew there was a chance that Aidan's picture could be up there but was told that there was a budget at the hospital and they couldn't afford it a few years ago. I went up to the mom and baby floor and sure enough, an enormous picture of Aidan and me is in the gallery of pictures. He is one years old in the picture above and just beautiful. He went through so much in that single year - 3 heart surgeries - and just look at that sweet face.

Another cool thing - Monica and I are sure to be lifelong friends. I had that hunch before but now I feel it in my heart. Monica, thank you for sharing with me such an intimate, miraculous, beautiful event. I don't know if you will understand how much it has helped me. I have been so sad over not having more children and to witness this event has really helped. I hope I helped you, too, as it was really my only intent going into this. I knew I would get something out of it but not to the magnitude that I did.

Happy Birthday to Me

Today is my birthday. It doesn't quite have the zing that it did when I was little or even in my 20's. The weather is glum, Aidan is home sick from school, Jeff is teaching until 9:00 tonight, and I can safely say I'm not in my mid-30's anymore.

Ah well, I am meeting my mom and sister for lunch and I'll be darned if I have to fix my own birthday dinner so since Aidan is on the upside of strep throat (and not contagious), I'm taking us out to dinner. My good friend, Monica, is taking me out for tea tomorrow. I'm hoping to maybe sew tonight. The day is looking up.

At left, Toulouse wondering when Spring is coming.

Spring : We are ready for you

I don't like it when guests arrive early and this is no exception. I adore Spring, I cannot wait for it. Even though we had a record temperature February day here this week (close to 60F!), Wisconsin is simply not ready to hand over Spring. Wisconsin has up her sleeves some more super cold days and I am betting a bunch of snow.

So bulbs, I kindly covered you with some leaves and look forward to meeting you again in April.

Here We Go Brewers, Here We Go (clap, clap, clap)

Holy Smokes! Our Brewers clinched the National League Wild Card. I'm getting all my girly 1982 thoughts of brats, Robin Yount, crisp autumn night games, and rainbow shoelaces all over again. I'm glad Aidan and I enjoyed those 4 innings at Miller Park this summer where he pretty much was all about the shoestring licorice.

Ryan Braun is pouring champagne over pitching genius CC Sabathia. Photo from Journal Sentinel online.

Our Little Champion

Saturday we walked to raise money for Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. It was a 3-mile walk and we were joined by two of Aidan's aunties, one of his uncles, four of his cousins, and a good friend. As a team, we raised over $600.

Aidan, who usually refuses to be wagon-pulled, enjoyed the royal treatment and didn't walk a single step on his own. He either rode on someone's shoulders or was pulled by any one of us walkers. He also mastered some royal type wave at all the people cheering the walkers on. The Children's Champions, geared in red, got extra attention from the supporters.

It was great fun and very special because we were joined and supported by family and friends. Seems like the least we could do for a place that saved our son's life at least 4 times.

Thank you to everyone who helped, walked, or wished us well! Donations are still accepted. I think.

A Question for My Readers

This is one of my favorite vacation pictures from Kentucky where we bought a few beautiful geodes. Very nice people but the sign is so stereotypical that it makes me wonder if the misspellings were on purpose.

I don't know how many gentle readers I have as I took a blog break this summer and haven't had too many interesting posts but if you read and have some tips for my questions, I would love to hear from you.

How do you stay organized for the week? I am a pretty non-structured person and feel like I'm always flying by the seat of my pants but I can see the beauty in structure. I know when I plan things such as our vacation, that life falls beautifully in place and we don't have to worry so much and can enjoy the journey.

What tips do you have for planning meals, exercising, paying bills and keeping your home clean? I have a few organizational tips that I plan to share this fall but I'm really trying to get it together now that Aidan has started school and I have about 2 1/2 hours a day to myself that I didn't have before. I'd like to use this time to exercise, grocery shop, clean house, pay bills, and sew. Bills I would like to pay 2 times a month. I'd like to grocery shop two times a week. I'd like to clean house once a week and straighten daily. I'd like to exercise and sew daily.

So I am asking you friends, family, and Internet - do you have so tips that have worked for you in staying organized? I'm looking for task-related ideas as well as objects that help such as bulletin boards.

Thanks!

So Long, Acorn

This summer, we've enjoyed a little friend in our only tree, the Maple Tree out front. We named him* Acorn and greeted him daily and would leave him acorn nuts when we found them on our walks.

The other day, there was quite the racket in the Maple Tree as Mucha sat in the window. I don't know if he is to blame for this incident.

My mom was over and we watched as Acorn crossed the street with something in his mouth. I guess I should say HER* mouth as I figured out that it was a baby squirrel! So darn cute.

Acorn was moving her babies to a new nest in the neighbor's tree across the street. With a baby in each nest, there was quite a ruckus. This picture is of her in the neighbor's tree carrying the second baby up to the new nest.

I guess it was squirrel week because when I walked Aidan home from school one day last week, we saw a baby underneath a tree, curled up and crying. I didn't touch the baby and went home in a bit of distress, not knowing what to do. My trusty friend, the Internet, told me to leave it alone for a while. I did just that and a check a few hours later told me that the baby's mother rescued her or that one of the gazillions of dogs in the neighborhood ate her.

In a sad epilogue to our story, when walking to pick up Aidan one day this week, I saw one of Acorn's babies in the road, a car victim. I am glad Aidan didn't see. I'm all for him learning about life and nature, but maybe not the sorrow just yet. It took him a while to recover from the death of his grandparent's dog, Scout. However, in true kid style, he is convinced we'll be skeletons in museums someday when we die and will all be together as a family, scaring people.

American Dagger Moth Caterpillar

So this American Dagger Moth caterpillar (I think)  made his or her way along Betsy's driveway while we sat outside last weekend talking. I put it in Aidan's butterfly tent that we used to hatch some Painted Ladies (or Pink Ladies, in Aidan speak) over the summer.

I wanted to look up the caterpillar on the web so we could identify it. In the time that I took to do this, the caterpillar made itself quite at home. I found that this little creature will most likely want to winter over. I really tried to get her out but she wouldn't budge so I guess she may be here to stay on our back porch for the winter.

We put a leaf in for eating and a wonderful stick for making a cocoon. She went under the leaf and made her cocoon and we can't see her at all. I'm hoping I can share a picture of her with wings in a few weeks. Otherwise, I will do so in the spring!

Please Consider Donating to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin

I thought I'd share a little information about our son, Aidan, and his journey with Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.  We are doing the Briggs Al's Run Walk this month and trying to raise pledges for Children's Hospital.

At left is a picture of Aidan when he first started his journey. At right is our healthy happy boy today.

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin is a premier, non-profit, hospital dedicated to helping children. 100% of proceeds from donations goes to Children's. They have saved Aidan's life 4 times and helped us so much more, if you can believe it. This is just our story - there are thousands more like it.

Please consider donating at Aidan's firstgiving page. Thank you!

Aidan's Story
Aidan was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Right Heart when I was 20 weeks pregnant. This means the right side of his heart is underdeveloped. It is a very serious condition and without medical intervention, he would have died.

When Aidan was born, staff from Children's Hospital was in the delivery room, ready to diagnose and treat him immediately. Their first job was a surprise to us as Aidan was delivered with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. It took a while to get him to breathe and the sounds of his first cries were a relief to us. With barely a kiss from his parents, Aidan was whisked to the NICU for diagnosis and treatment.

When Aidan was 4 days old, he had his first heart surgery. A BT shunt was put in to deliver blood from his aorta to his pulmonary arteries. His pulmonary arteries were split and had to be fixed at this time as well.

At 5 weeks of age, Aidan had a second BT shunt put in as he outgrew the first shunt. During this procedure, a shunt that was too big was put in and his lung hemorrhaged. The purpose of the shunts is a temporary fix to allow the child to grow and be better able to tolerate open-heart surgery when the babies are older.

At 5 months of age, Aidan had open-heart surgery, the Glenn. The Glenn's purpose is to connect his Superior Vena Cava to his pulmonary arteries.

At 2 years, 11 months of age, Aidan had the Fontan, another open-heart surgery that connected the Inferior Vena Cava to his pulmonary arteries. Now Aidan's body relies on venous pressure to pump blood to the lungs to get oxygen.

Throughout all this, Aidan had a few catheterizations, treatment for reflux, a dairy allergy, and a choking/swallowing problem caused by the surgery. I was also supported by the lactation consultants for over a year with encouragement and instructions for breastfeeding exclusively through pumping.

During all these surgeries and events, Jeff and I were amazed at how not only could the most talented, amazingly smart people work there but they were the most compassionate, too. The importance of our family in the involvement of Aidan's treatment was stressed. The compassion we received as parents was equal to the compassion Aidan received. We learned so much and when we go for visits, it is like seeing family.

Aidan goes twice a year for checkups. We do not know if he'll need further treatment outside of the medications he is on for life and, if so, what. We do not know what his life span is. What we do know is that we feel comfortable knowing that he has the greatest doctors at his disposal in our own back yard. Our son's life was saved 4 times and we are forever grateful.

One final thing is that this is one of thousands of stories of children treated at Children's. Our experience was so terrifying but when we were there, we would see children who had it worse. You can get overwhelmed walking around and seeing all the children in that hospital and all the families just as scared as we were.

So many have supported us and the hospital throughout this ordeal and we are asking that you join us again in any way on this day to rejoice how lucky we are to have this spirited, healthy boy who started Kindergarten this week and to help make this happiness possible for other little ones. Please consider pledging. We know that not everyone can but if you were thinking about doing so, please consider pledging today.

THANK YOU!!!

Hey Brett Favre - Where's Your Game Face?

It's kind of like watching my old boyfriend hang out with his new girl. It is going to be painful to hear of wins. I don't really wish for losses but perhaps I might feel a little vindictive, to use Brett Favre's words, and get a little glee. No matter what, I'm going to hear about it.

Brett Favre, you have put us fans through the wringer. You haven't played it cool and you did act vindictive and spoiled and like a big baby.

You've divided my family on this issue and I have swayed back and forth with my feelings. In the end, I feel sad for everyone involved. And in this picture, to quote a comment from another blog, this is the same face I make when opening a gift from my grandparents.

Good luck, Brett. I hope I can forgive you.

So Long

Why do you blog? Is it to: network, share with family, teach, learn, journal, get attention to your business, all of these?

I've really enjoyed blogging. I've met the kindest people. I've learned so much (I'm talking about blog reading here, too). I've been able to keep track of little anecdotes, my recipes, my projects.  What a great community to be a part of.

While I have found that I have many cyber friends, only two of my flesh friends probably read this and from my family, I think only Jeff, my mom and sister, Missy, check in on me. I don't know why that is. I love reading my friends' blogs. I'd be tickled if any of my family members had blogs.

Lately, I think I've blogged to pass time. More action than doing. I think it has been a means of escape. I have had a tendency to go through bouts of depression since Aidan's last surgery and my own health issues in the last year and I know when I get anxious, I empty my mind by surfing.

I had the day alone today to listen to a little Springsteen, work on some sewing projects, and to think about what I want to accomplish this summer and how I can resolve some unresolved things in my life. One of my easy answers is to spend less time on the computer. Since I can easily get caught up in anything on the Internet, I think a couple less excuses for going on it will help me with this break.

I'm sure I'll check in from time-to-time to read blogs and to blog myself, I just think that from now until Labor Day, it will be much less.

I look forward to sharing with you again soon. Until then, I will delve into my quest for good health, happiness, and peace. I wish the same for you.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Photo Contest Here I Come

Hey, I entered a photo contest. No, I do not think I am that good. However, I really enjoy photography and am trying to improve. Looking at some of the beautiful other photographs that people have submitted has made me feel silly for entering but I am still glad I did.

I did not enter the photo at left, though it was one of my choices. I had a great cicada photo but it was not quite in focus. Instead, I chose:

Garden Spider

and

Fall Bliss

I really wanted to enter a sewn something in the Wisconsin State Fair a la my blue ribbon amassing friend, Marsha, but thought of it too late. I also considered entering my Banana Dream Bundt Cake but, again, too late. Alas, my blue ribbon dreams are put off for another year.

Summer Surprises

Hello Mother Duck. This little sweetheart made a nest in our neighbor's yard. The picture isn't so hot as I didn't want to scare her anymore than I probably did.

We've had a pair of ducks in the neighborhood and didn't know where they were nesting. This is a new nest. My suspicions are their first nest was raided by those nasty raccoons as they did last year and that this is a second nest.

My big concern now is that I haven't seen Father Duck around at all. What happens if he isn't around? Can we help feed her or anything? Is it normal to not see him hanging around? They've been walking around the neighborhood together and have been inseparable but before seeing her in this nest this week, we haven't noticed them for a few weeks.

Update: According to Wikipedia, Mallards form pairs only until the female lays eggs, at which time she is left by the male. The clutch is 8–13 eggs, which are incubated for 27–28 days to hatching with 50–60 days to fledging.

Onto happier thoughts. Here are some more pictures from the yard today: clematis, primrose, butterfly bush, yarrow, and bunny-gobbled Asiatic lily.

Concrete Butterfly or Bird Bath

After posting about my butterfly garden and mentioning my beautiful butterfly bath, I recalled pictures I took last summer of my dad making the bath for me.

One thing I admire about my dad is he digs in and does things when he has an idea. I tend to contemplate my ideas for a long time before actually working on them. Don't get me wrong, dad is a real thinker and perhaps he thought about creating concrete baths for 10 years before making them but I don't think so.

Since I have a lot of pictures of the process, I made a photo album. It isn't as hard as it looks and really just takes a bit of space outside to make them.

Dad, I have a couple questions for you about this process but since it is after 2 AM, I decided not to call you with them. Here they are: 1) How long does it take for the concrete to dry? 2) How thick do you mix the concrete up? 3) What type of paint do you use on them? 4) Could you color the concrete when mixing somehow instead of painting them? 5) Um, was it OK that I used your picture?

Update from Dad: I use a combination of sand mix and vinycrete to get the definition.  You could use either and I have, the vinyl is a finer mix but is 2-3 times as expensive as a bag of sand mix when you cost it by the pound.  You could tint the mix but it would take quite a bit of it and wouldn't necessarily improve the appearance.  You can use any water-based paint and dilute it to the desired degree of tint.  The concrete mixture should be 1" to 1.5"thick  and should cure for at least 2-3 days.  (Concrete never stops curing, even under water)  The Tint dries in a day and then a coating of Thompson's Water Seal is applied.

Check out the process here.

Butterfly Garden: Check; Butterflies: We're Waiting

I've terrible about posting crafts and baking projects on my blog lately. No, I haven't become a professional movie reviewer or Daniel Craig stalker, I've been gardening!

At left, is step 8 of our process to clean up our back garden. The first steps were to clear out the ground cover. That took a lot of effort. We had a bush and some stumps removed. Jeff dug up a ton of big rocks. I've planted 40+ perennials and we have to add topsoil (oops -should have done that first but the clock was ticking on those plants), mulch, a brick wall (oops - should have done that first but see above), and some type of fence to hide the atrocious, ant-loving railroad ties that separate us from our friendly neighbors. Please humor me and enlarge to enlarge the photo at right of the evil garden we have worked hard to rid.

This isn't any old garden. It is a butterfly garden! That's right, I don't want garden spider as my only friend in this garden. In fact, garden spider could keep quite hidden this summer, please. I happen to love all the plants I have put in but my main reason is Aidan used to sing this song he made up: butterfly, butterfly but-ter-fly. So sweet, so magical. So we have planted all kinds of goodies from plants that butterflies love to plants that their caterpillars will eat. So far, I've seen a robin, evidence of a bunny or two, a dragonfly, two wasps, and some mosquitoes. Um, butterflies, please come lay your eggs in my backyard!

To help reach my plants for dead heading and weeding, I picked up 3 lannon stones from a quarry just north of here. I also placed a concrete leaf bowl full of water for the butterflies to drink and rest upon. My dad made it - isn't it cool?! It might also be a mosquito breeding pool so I intend on washing it out daily.

The back garden isn't all - we have also removed the dreaded red rock from around the front and side of the house (and some ugly shrubs) and have planted an herb bed, tomatoes and peppers. Lots of gorgeous annuals are planted as well as some shade loving plants on the other side of our house. Did I mention the Columbine? I love, love, love it. Guess what else I love? Moss! Hooray for summer!

I promise to discuss more baking and sewing projects including a sunglasses case sewing tutorial. Here is a peak of what is to come:

Father's Day Hot Shot : For Dad

Tis herself, Maureen O'Hara. Isn't she beautiful? My dad thought she was smoking hot in The Quiet Man. I enjoyed John Wayne, myself. He normally has pretty good taste in women (you should meet my mom) and is fair in his assessment in the men. However, he is dead wrong about Sean Connery being hotter than Daniel Craig.

My dad probably won't have his best Father's Day but I hope he can have some nice memories today.

My dad never missed any of my track meets. He taught me how to shoot a gun (my grandfather's .22 rifle, actually). He introduces me to the best mystery books. He is there to help anytime any of his kids need it. Dad is interested in making sure our world is safe. He likes jazz music, plays poker, is a former pipe-smoker, wine lover, tea drinker, dog and cat loving, woodworking, boy scout leading, adventure taking, pond building, sassy joke telling, mustache wearing, bungee-jumping, outdoorsy, bull-headed, sensitive, kind man.

Happy Father's Day, Dad, from your baby daughter. Now go take care of yourself.

Goodbye Sweet Scout

Yesterday was a terrible day. Aidan and I were visiting my mom when she received a phone call that her beloved Scout, who was at work with my dad, had been hit and killed by a car. Scout got outside without anyone knowing. We are grateful that the poor guy that hit her called to let us know.

It was devastating to my mom and dad who were just silly about her and heartbreaking for their family who are upset for our parents but also because we adored Scout.

Scout, nicknamed Girl Scout and Scouters, was a dear, sweet little lady. She just couldn't be a kinder dog yet on a few occurrences, she was found to be protective of Aidan, her brother cats, and of Scarlett, her little golden sister.

It was impossible to shield Aidan from the situation so there were many, many questions during the day and at bedtime that were difficult to answer. Jeff and I were honest yet soothing in our answers. We decided to end the discussion telling our favorite stories of Scout. My favorite memories are of how she would greet her visitors on the staircase by the front door. Sticking her head out between the rungs, she would measure your height and step on the appropriate step so your head and her head were the same height for the perfect greeting. I loved taking a moment to play chase outside or tug-of-war inside.

We said a prayer for Scout with hopes that she is running around, playing in a field with other dogs with that sweet grin on her face, we asked for comfort for my mom and dad, and we said thanks for getting the opportunity to know the sweet little girl.

The Beauty of Nascar : Who Knew?

Ever since I've lived in the Milwaukee area, I have always heard the cars racing at the Milwaukee Mile . We are probably 5-10 miles away but can hear their hum. I have never bothered to go see them--until today.

I have a 5-year-old son who lives and breathes the Pixar Cars movie. When I heard the tell-tale signs of the cars this morning, I looked up what was going on online and found out they were having time trials for Nascar cars. Then I saw that fans could get in free to the grandstand to watch. A snap decision was made for an unplanned trip for Aidan and me.

What a hoot. I found myself giggling everytime a car would go past. I was calling family, snapping photos. I think I'm a convert.

Something to Post About : Wisconsin Floods

We've been pretty busy here and I do have lots to blog about but I haven't been in the mood. I don't know what the deal is.

Wisconsin (and other neighboring states) got slaughtered over the last couple days with rains, wind and tornadoes.

Yesterday, Jeff and I worked in the yard and I planted a bunch of stuff and some seeds (goodbye seeds and topsoil). We decided to take Aidan on a jaunt to Toys R Us to find Ramone's House (not found) or some other Cars delectable with his birthday money.  When we left without any prize, Jeff ran into Walgreens to see if they had any. In the brief 2 minutes he was in there, the wind starting blowing like mad, rain started pouring and the tornado siren went off.

I freaked a little as we hurried home listening to the radio announcers telling us that we had exactly 15 minutes to get home before a tornado would wipe us out. It has been a long time since I've hung out in the basement for a tornado warning. We accomplished a bit of organizing, actually. Quick fact about me - my mom and I were shopping in the late 80's and when we drove home, wondered why the road was so empty until we spotted a TORNADO in a valley on our drive home. My husband is way jealous. It was just a mini tornado, though.

Jeff ran out last night and several roads were closed due to flooding. We got hit again this morning with the rain. We had minor water seeping into the basement and in our sun porch. I lost my seeds, of course and a lot of topsoil but that is all so non-important!

When the weather cleared, we drove around to see some of the damage and it was interesting to see friend's backyards covered in a pond (with ducks taking advantage) as shown in the picture above as well as soccer fields covered (with kids taking advantage).  Take a look here or here:

www.flickr.com

What is this?

This is a Flickr badge showing public items from SassyPriscilla tagged with flood. Make your own badge here.

Our Super Boy

Here's our little boy, almost 5 year's old in the cape I made him from a pattern on The Long Thread. The eye mask, inspired by The Incredibles, is my own creation.

Aidan becomes Super Aidan and he has a long list of super powers that change constantly but the consistent ones are invisibility (while wearing the cape), jump-stomp, and running super fast. A few times when he has been a little squirrelly, I've taken away his super powers for a few hours. It works. As the mommy, my super powers override his much to his frustration. Most times we work in conjunction.

More pictures of Super Aidan here.

This post is mainly for family and friends to give an update on his health as he had his biannual cardiologist appointment. I started this as an email to a friend and realized that many of my family and friends would be interested, too. So it is lengthy and dry for those of you here to read about sewing or baking!

Get the scoop after the jump!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers. For those of you who have your mother around, give an extra hug to yours on behalf of the those of you who are no longer fortunate to have theirs.

I am one of the lucky ones to count my mom as one of my best friends. She is absolutely beautiful inside and out. You couldn't meet a sweeter person but she is also full of sass, silliness, spunk, and humor. It seems impossible that she is someone who came from a motherless environment for she has become a mother to all that come in contact with her.

My mom will drop anything if one of her kids is in need and I don't know how we would have got through Aidan's first year without her help and support. I talk to her several times a day as if she were an extension of my own thinking - allowing me to hammer out my ideas and encouraging me.

Thank you, Mom! The gift of life was enough. The mother you are was the cake and the friend you have become is the icing.

Good News from Lumpy

I figured you didn't want to see a picture of my mammogram. Even if you did, I didn't want to relive that smushing experience. So we'll exchange that picture for one of another invasive unwelcome guest. I kind of like dandelions, though.

Good news - great news - no tumor. Also, no fibroadenoma, no cyst. So what is it? They felt the lump but it isn't anything that can be put into words. That is just how I am. I'm sure my husband would agree. So, I have to watch it and if it grows, let my doctor know. I asked, "if what grows?" and they were pretty much like "it."

Now we can relax and focus on other things. Like birthday month for Aidan who expects a present on "St. Mother's Day."

Sunnier Day

Yesterday I saw my OB/GYN and he could feel my lump and we scheduled a mammogram on Friday. Good news is that he thinks it is a cyst.

What's a girl to do after a day of teeth grinding? Go to a Sieze de Mayo party (held on the 6th - get it?). A few margaritas and some good food made life that much better.

Here's Aidan doing one of the sweet things that I love about him - picking me a dandelion to wear in my hair. When I take my ponytail out at night, a limp reminder of his sweetness falls and I never want age 4 to end. But it will - 5 is just 3 weeks away.

Thank you everyone for your kind words. Sorry for my pessimism. As Jennifer says, sometimes you can be your biggest obstacle.

Happy Belated Earth Day

So I'm a bit behind in posting...

I was too embarrassed to post on Earth Day because I think I got the most plastic bags when shopping ever even though I had just packed a bunch of reusable bags in my trunk.  That might have been the day when I also sprayed the heck out of the weeds out back with Roundup.

Anyway, as a family we are trying much harder to recycle. Our billing is paperless. I try to reuse a lot of items including fabric. I'm nowhere near as cool as my friend Scott (who deserves his own post by me in sheer admiration). His family was recently featured in the Milwaukee Metroparent magazine for their green efforts. Seriously, take a look at this family website to see all that they do.

I took this picture of Aidan pondering how we are going to make our new rain barrel look a little prettier. Not sure if it is possible though it looks like we can paint it with  outdoor acrylic enamel. We bought this rain barrel from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District for $30 (recycled from cucumber barrels).  The benefits of using the 55 gallon rain barrel is to reduce storm water runoff and also save money by collecting the water and using it during the summer to water your flowers or lawn. Did you know that 1 inch of rain provides 600 gallons for every 1,000 square feet of roof (statistic found here)?  You can find out more  about using rain barrels here.

Sewing Help

Hello gorgeous. Yesterday when I was fighting with the flea market bag, I looked outside and saw this little guy watching me or perhaps my tulips.  Then I saw his girlfriend.

And then I saw some competition sneak into the picture... It is a modern day Peyton Place in our yard.

P.S. That isn't our house. Our house has its fair share of problems but crazy outside caulking is not ours yet. I don't even know if that is caulking. I did photoshop the cracks out of our driveway. I don't know why.

Hey Spring, Thanks for Making an Appearance

Last weekend we had gorgeous weather. 50s and 60s - it was so hard to believe after the crummy weather we had over the winter. This week, we've had cold and rain. The S word has been predicted for the upcoming weekend. *Sigh*

I planted crocuses in the grass the year we moved in. It is such a little surprise to find them.  Last fall, I planted tons of bulbs around the house. They are all peaking out, breaking the soil, just waiting to bloom. I haven't had a sunny day since to photograph their progress.

The bunnies are loving the crocuses, too. You'll notice the gnawed down leaves at right. Please bunnies, stay away from the tulips because I don't remember what I planted and I'm excited to see what blooms.

A Poem To Make Heather Laugh

To Make Heather Laugh

the Bed is not made
unmade
never made
I’m not your maid
I need a maid
KitchenAid
homemade
who likes handmade?
rarely paid
LiveAid
BandAid
Lemonade?

Inspired by Beth and with thoughts to Heather, I am  submitting a poem I wrote that was rejected by the New Yorker. Wait - the rejection isn't what made me think of Beth here rather it is the poetry of her postings.

And to my dear sister Heather, if you read this blog anymore, I love you and hope news is better soon. Heather is a wonderful poet and she didn't reject my poetry like the New Yorker did rather encouraged me to submit it as perhaps this is the kind of tripe they publish. OK - she didn't say that but I thought it.

The picture is Toulouse on Easter morning, doing what he does best - looking beautiful.

Happy Spring!

15+ Inches dumped in Milwaukee County on Good Friday. Jeff snow-blowed 3 times. Here is a picture of it after a bit of a melt.

What the ?

Spring storm could dump 10 to 15 inches

Remember that whopper of a storm on Feb. 6 when nearly 12 inches of snow closed the malls, schools and made for treacherous driving?

"This will be something quite similar to that form with what we are seeing right now," meteorologist Tom Zajdel said this morning of the 10 to 15 inches of snowfall predicted for southeast Wisconsin by the National Weather Service.

Son of a...

Happy St. Packer's Day!

Here is the land of Cheeseheads, we celebrate St. Packer's Day. Well, not really. Actually, we might. For sure - Aidan does. He has somehow taken our talk of Brett Favre (*sniff*) and the Packers and the discussion of another holiday and morphed it into the all-time great Wisconsin holiday. I'll have to start campaigning for it.

This year I will have to make bread and scones another day as we are busy getting ready to see Bruce Springsteen tonight! I can't believe this day finally came. Hooray for us.

Aidan's a kid who, to borrow a phrase from a great movie, expects presents on Mother's Day. So the leprechaun threw up on our carpet to leave a trail to a pot of golden Krugerand chocolate coins and a two real presidential gold dollars to boot. A couple Pixar Cars were thrown in for good measure. Isn't this Wade leprechaun adorable?

Favre, Bruce and Erin go Bragh.

Want to Sum Up Brett Favre?

Check this out.