Day 59 - New iPod and running

My iPod has been having issues for a few weeks. It will not sync with the computer. It will play the songs that are on there, I just can't add or remove anything. Since this issue came about the same time that tax refunds come, David gave the go ahead on a new iPod. So today I went to Costco and bought a 120 GB iPod. The funny thing is that I spent $100 less than I did on my old iPod and I get four times the capacity. I went through and deleted things I don't want on the new iPod. A lot of kids stuff came off. It is all on the old iPod forever, so it is not really gone. Here is a picture of the new iPod getting synced.
I took a ballet class today. Instead of riding my bike like usual, I decided to run to the studio. It is a bit over three miles each way. The one thing about the Saturday morning class is that the teacher is intense. She pushes the students hard. I was still able to run about a mile and a half home, then I walked the rest. I did encounter one problem. I ran into a part of the sidewalk that is elevated from a tree root. I did not see it and tripped and fell. I now understand what happens when those Olympic runners wipe out. When standing or walking I can usually find balance when I trip or something. I think that since we are moving so fast while running that the brain is not able to work everything out. I have a bruise on my knee, but like those Olympic runners, I got up and continued running.
Here is a layout

This is from Chrissy W's challenge template at Elemental Scraps. I used designs by Therese K.

Day 58 - Snow and Sand

I decided we needed a change of scenery today and since it was not raining, I decided to take the boys to the beach. There is a rest stop on the top of the coast range where we usually stop, since the coffee kicks in around there. The roads are clear, but there is a lot of snow in the mountians. We were not dressed for snow, but we explored for a few minutes. It was above freezing, so it was not as cold as it looked. We did turn the heat up in when we returned to the van.

I baked a spice cake yesturday and brought some with us today. Christian ate his on the beach.



The boys had fun playing on the beach. The high point was digging a big hole and placing rocks around the edge of the hole.

I played around with the Macro setting on my camera today.

Day 57 - Barely made it

Here is a picture from Christian's Tae Kwon Do class today
I have some layouts tonight...

Template: Photo Overload 2 by Hillary Heidelberg, Kits - Corn Maize & Fall Out by Melissa Bennett, Alpha Just Da Grunge by Melissa Bennett

Credits: Forest Whispers by Lindsay Jane Designs, Word art by Jennifer Barrett
This is my layout for project 365 weeks 7 & 8

I did this layout for the Photo Book Challenge at Scrapbook Graphics, the Template is by Wendyzine, other credits here

Day 56 - Recycle & Reuse II

I took the container that the roasted chicken comes in from Costco, cleaned it and gave it to the boys to put their paint in. The one problem is that the colors get mixed so quickly. Yesturday, the boys ate the last of some cookies. I took that tray and put it in the chicken container and now we have a good paint holder.

Day 55 - More art and a layout

The boys did some art today. I put some blue and yellow on the paper for each of them and gave them a straw to try to blow the paint around to make green. The did that for a while then got bored and used the straws to paint. When they were done, I filled the kitchen sink with water and a bit of soap and let them play to get the paint off their hands.
Here is a layout...

Credits: Template - Encircled 2 by Hillary Heidelberg at Scrapbook Graphics. Papers, elements & word art from the current Digi Files

Day 54 - Layouts

Today Liam was fussy while I was trying to make lunch so set up his painting so he would be distracted. He painted a cricket. Christian was playing with his new Star Wars game.
Here are some layouts...

Credits: Template- White Space Template 1B by Hillary Heidelberg at Scrapbook Graphics, I used the charity grab bag For Anna from Scrapbook Graphics

Credits: White Space Template 1A by Hillary Heidelberg, Kit: Quirky Stuffys by Tracey Monette at Scrapbook-elements

Credits: Kit - Perfect Paws by Lindsay Jane Designs
Luna posed for some photos while I was watching the Red Carpet show before the Oscars. I guess she did not want to be out-done by the stars on TV. Here a couple more photos from the "shoot"

Day 53 - Another project

I found Liam deeply involved with this project on the back patio. I don't know if was supposed to be artistic or automotive in nature.

Day 52 - In the Garden

I spent a few hours today working in the front (formerly rose) garden. I dug up most of the roses a couple of years ago and left one, Queen Elizabeth. The Queen is a nice hybrid that produces pink buds that look like they came from a florist. It is the perfect rose to have for bouquets and it is fairly low maintenance. Some of the roses I dug up came back in whimpier forms. I pruned the Queen, she really got whacked (they are into that kind of thing) and dug up the returns. I also cleaned up the herbs, dug up weeds and added some compost. This bed has been fairly neglected because the front yard is not fenced in and it was hard to find time to work up there. Now that they boys are older, I want to treat it better.
While I was working, the boys did their own project under the big pine tree. When we were done we stopped for a photo op in the wagon.


I am reading Second Nature - A Garden's Education by Michael Pollan right now. I read this book a couple years go, but did not have time to spend in the garden. This is a good time of year to read it while we are in a waiting, preparing the soil pattern. The book is not an instructional manual, but his reflections are gardening. I have found it helpful for me to think about what I want from my garden.

Day 51 - Customer Service Centers Annoy Me

I took the boys to the AC Gilbert Museum in Salem today. We are all still tired from our sleep issues this week and I was having allergy problems with the early spring flowers (most likely Daphne) and the cleaning supplies they use. So the boys had some fun, but it was not as fun as I would like. We went to McDonalds afterwards. Liam was starting to have a temper-tantrum about the same time that an employee told me I needed to move my van, because the delivery truck had arrived and they needed the spot. I was there alone with the boys. I can't just leave them in the play area and go move the van. I have to take them with me. Neither had their shoes on. I had not cleared the table and Liam was having an tantrum. I think most people can see where this is going. I also have to make sure they are both in their booster seats, buckeled in before I move the van while Liam is having a tantrum. So the answer would be no, I can just go move my car. I will get out there as soon as I can, but I have kids and I am alone, so your truck is just going to have to wait.
My iPod is having an issue. I wanted to see if it was more likely a problem with my USB cord (which my cat eats through often) or the battery. The USB is a easier and cheaper fix for me and Apple, so logic says try to fix that first. I called Apple support and I just needed a human to explain my problem to and see when they think. I have to go through the whole phone tree, a computer tries to trouble shoot and I am all I am not an idiot, I know how to charge and sync my iPod, I need a human. I get a human. They make me go get the serial number off my iPod, which is very small and I am 39 years old, do the math there. He did not get it the first time so I had to squint and strain to re-read it several times. After he gets the info he tells me my warranty is expired and he can only give me limited info. I tell him I just have one simple question and if I could just ask it without going blind or insane he can move on. When I tell him of my issue, he asks me if I have the offical Apple USB cord and I say no, my cat ate through it a couple years ago and I am on my fourth or fifth cord. Then he finally tells me I probably just need a new cord and my latest replacement if probably a bad one. So much work for such a simple issue.
Here is another layout I did using Spring Awakening by Alana McCarthy at Scrpabook Graphics

Day 50 - When the going gets tough, the tough eat chocolate.

It has been very stressful around here the last couple of days. My laptop got some spyware on it Tuesday night. I stayed up until 1:00 am trying to de-bug it. I worked on it some more yesturday and by 2:00, I knew I could not fix it myself. I took it back to the computer shop. They said that I was not able to remove it, but did a good job containing it, so they would be able to fix it fairly easily and then download and install a good program to make sure it does not happen again. I will hopefully have it back in an hour or two.
I also decided to keep the boys up later yesturday, so they would sleep in this morning and be in a better place to go to our homegroup tonight. That back fired. Liam did not want to go to sleep last night and it took several trips of walking him back to his room before he gave up and went to sleep. He was up at mid-night and I was able to ask him to go back to bed and he did, then he woke up at 6:30. I was very tired this morning and Liam went from one melt down to the next. I put him in the jogging stroller and jogged to his art class. He loves that class, but just could not handle it today. When we came home, David took both boys out again and walked with them to the Library to get Liam good and tired. While they were gone, I have to confess I ate chocolate for lunch. I was kind of like my cat running to her cat dish to eat when she needs to soothe her nerves.
When David and the boys returned home, I laid down with Liam. There was some crying and fighting from him, then he fell asleep. He had a Tae Kwon Do class today, but I decided he would do a make up class on Saturday.

Here are two layouts...

Template: Masquade Ball 2 by Hillary Heidelberg, Other Credits Here

Credits: Spring Awakening by Alana McCarthy

Day 49 Reduce, Recycle, Reuse

Christian is learning place values in math right now. I took a pizza box and cut it out and made numbers so he could figure it out in a more tactile manner.
We also went to the Backyard Bird Shop and bought a Mason Bee House and Mason Bee Larvae. David nailed up on the side of the house by our plum tree, grape vines and rasberries. This should help increase fruit production.


I have been giving one of our compost bins special attention to ensure that we have plenty of compost ready to go in a few weeks when we get ready to start our gardens. I use yard waste, coffee grounds and add it a bit of chicken poop. I have also been adding water since we have not had much rain. We feed our table scraps to the chickens, so I assume their digestive systems help convert the food into good fertilizer. We just have to let it break down a bit before we start gardening.

Day 48 - Feeding the birds

We grabbed some pinecones from our front yard, spread peanut butter on them and rolled them in bird seed. They are drying in the garage now. We will take them outside in a couple of days and hang them from trees. We put some of the left-over bird seed in the front yard. I wonder why the cats our sitting in our bedroom where they are probably missing all of the bird action.

Day 47 - Painted Nails and layouts

During the almost four years I worked at Starbucks, I could not go to work with nail polish on. I only painted my nails a couple of times for special occasions during that time. When I decided to quit, one of the first things I wanted to do was paint my nails. We went camping a couple of days after I quit and I had a lot of broken nails, so I decided to wait a few weeks to let the nails grow back. Last night I got the nail polish and painted my nails while watching Brothers & Sisters. I need to go buy a couple of new bottles. I like this color because it is subtle.
Here are a couple of layouts.
This layout is from my unfortunate pudding incident a couple of weeks ago.

Credits: Template - Flying Solo by Hillary Heidelberg. Kit - Trouble Maker by Flergs & Get Dirty by Sweetdigiscraps
I did a January in review layout a couple of weeks ago, but Hillary Heidleberg released a cute two page template, so I decided to do a second layout. I will have to decide which I like more.

Credits: Template - Project 365 - January by Hillary Heidleberg, Kits by MGL Scraps

Day 46 - A sunny afternoon in the garden

This morning started out quite cold, but after church the sun was out. David and Liam went swimming while Christian and I worked in the back yard. We let the chickens out to free range a bit and help us prep our soil for our gardens.

Chrisitan likes to climb the apple tree


I am not sure what this is all about. They really work the soil and the eat a lot, so they are eating seeds and grubs.
Here are two layouts...

Credits: Perfect Paws & Paws Stamp Clusters by Lindsay Jane Designs

Credits: Lost is Space Add-on and Lost in Space by Tracey Monette. They are having a dollar day at Scrapbook-elements. Many of Tracey Monette's designs are in the sale today.

Day 45 - a photo shoot

It may be Valentines day, but I am not feeling too good. I am drinking some Theraflu as I type this. I decided to get an easy picture today. Bronte, who was sleeping on the food of the bed. When I started taking pictures, she liked the attention and decided to strike some poses like a model. She is very impressed with herself.

Day 44 - Flubber

We went to a homeschool families get together this morning and the boys made flubber.
The photos say it all. They had a good time.



Here is a layout I did with yesturday's cookie baking photos.

Kit: Power of Love by Lindsay Jane Designs.