Dance Memories

I was cruising through Good Will the other day (my work schedule is putting a cramp in my crafting!). I didn't find much of anything...until I was heading for the door. I glanced to a small display on top of a rack of rather unfortunate looking sweaters. I knew just what to do with these!! I have used big chunks of wood to put photos on...but these can hang on the wall and have the hardware already attached.
So I dug out the spray paint, of course. Since it is winter here in the arctic, getting any spray painting done is simply impossible hard to do, so I've had to be creative. I have a cement floor in the storage/utility room in the basement...so since it's cement....no harm getting a little over spray on it.
Next, the tools...Mod Podge (of course), scrapbook paper, paper cutter, ruler, pencil and credit card (or library card or Zune gift card). I measured and cut the paper and adhered it to the boards with the Mod Podge, using the Zune gift card to flatten out any bubbles.
I just love the look of the black and white. Classy. Then I took the photos I snapped of my baby and her man as they were headed out to the Snow Ball...{((sniff)) my baby is growing up!!} I Mod Podged them to the paper with a thin coat of the sticky stuff and waited for it to dry.
And waited, and waited....I love this little memento of her first fancy dance. I never went to a dance in high school with the boys I really wanted to go with. I always settled for second best. Not my girl...she found a prince...no toads for her!
After it had dried I put a couple light layers of Mod Podge on the top. I made one for my girl and one for Prince Charming.
So this project was a true metamorphosis. From someone's junk to a nice keepsake for my girl and her date. Not too shabby. I am linking to Met Monday. I hope you will go there to find some inspiration and ideas for your next project.

A Little Thought

As a long term sub in a special needs classroom, I find myself doing all kinds of interesting things. Some things push me way outside my comfort zone. I am forced to interact with people in new situations daily. For someone who feels socially awkward and extremely shy....this can be an issue. I am in a class with 8 students right now. We have kids in grades K-4. We have 3 teachers in the room as well. If you haven't guessed, this class is filled with kids who can't function in a regular ed classroom due to behavior issues. Some are simply due to the fact that their ADHD is out of control...and others have more complicated issues. It fell upon me to take one of our more "complicated" students to his regular ed class and join them for a field trip. We took the long stinky (when you get that many 3rd graders on a bus...it smells) bus ride to the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center. I'm not sure if you all know this about me....but I hate to be cold. I know, I know...then why do I live in Northern Minnesota....right? That's a long story for another day! So now that you know I don't like to be cold...picture a beautiful sunshiny day. It is 20* and the breeze is slight...for the most part. Cold...but nothing that we aren't used to for 6 months out of the year. I wore my best warmest coat and my snugly warm snow boots and my black insulated coveralls. I got all this cold weather gear when we lived in Idaho. Jim and I love to ride 4-wheelers and the best time to ride them in Palisades is in the winter. Wearing all this gear I did find walking to be quite cumbersome. The coveralls are stiff and unyielding and the boots, while very warm, were a bugger to walk in. Most of the time that we were at PWLC we were outside...walking around. Yeah...I have been taking a group fitness class for a while now and pride myself on the fact that I have improved SO much. I can do most activities without struggling too much. But there, on our tour of the PWLC, I was not a happy camper. I will even admit to alternating between curses and prayers. Before we left for this trip I was told we would "get to" go out on the ice a frozen pond just ready to open a portal to hell and suck someone down to a watery grave. I have issues with iced over ponds...rivers...lakes...etc. I think one should have respect for Mother Nature and STAY OFF THE ICE. And I intended to do just that. What I didn't realize is that we wouldn't be given the option. ARGH!! So here we are trudging through the snow and I start to realize that it sounds different under foot. Our lovely tour guide, Molly, stops our group and in true 3rd grade fashion starts a message with the first kid. "Hey, we're on the ice....pass it on." And then we stand there ON THE ICE for what seems like hours listening. listening for what...cracking...water breaking free from it's icy prison...coming to kill us We stood there waiting for everyone to get the message before she led us to the safety of the shore. On our hike back to the barn, where we would continue the learning tour, Molly decided to lead us through some unbroken trail. Most of the cute 70 pound third graders just stayed on the top of the crusty snowy trail. Even Molly wasn't sinking in too far. I was doing pretty well...until....yeah, I somehow found a hole (most likely left by some stupid animal who doesn't have the sense to hibernate or travel south for the winter) and I sunk in up to my knee. Crap, crapcrapcrap. Not only did I sink up to my knee, but in my surprise at getting stuck...I also pitched forward and was laying in the snow...unable to free myself. I was just getting over the initial embarrassment when the panic set in. The 3rd graders shuffled passed me in their attempts to stay in line at all costs. I felt like an old dinosaur stuck in a tar pit. The more I tried to get up the more I was stuck. Lucky for me I say lucky now, but at the time I really just wanted to be swallowed up by the snow monster who had my foot tightly in his grasp one kid brought his Dad to come and join the fun. He stopped next to me and asked the stupidest question "Do you want me to help you up?" With a great deal of effort, I held back all the snarky comments (believe me, there were many and they were scathing) I wanted to hurl at him and just said "Sure." Now that I was free every thought became about staying upright. There were even a few prayers sent up for divine intervention on my behalf. The rest of our trip was relatively uneventful. No one fell, no one got lost and everyone (almost everyone) loved their visit. On the long bus ride back to the school I started to compare my day with my life in general. There have been times when I have had to walk out on that proverbial ice. I have been asked to do things so far outside my comfort zone, I thought surely I would die from the effort. I didn't realize, at the time, the benefits and opportunities for growth that come from doing things you never thought you could or would do. And of course when you become so encumbered by the things (all the worries and stresses) you are carrying around and the weight of it all crushes your will to go on....God, our Heavenly Father, sends someone to give you a hand. It might not be from an expected source, but it is help none the less. If you chose to accept that help with a cheerful attitude your burden will be lighter and you will be able to carry on. So in the coming days and months, I will try to keep my newly found cheerful attitude. I will try to find those that can use a lift out of the mire. No matter what life throws at us one thing I have learned time and time again is that we are rarely given what we want...but we are always given what we need. So, my friends, stay calm and carry on.

Cake Pops, Laughter and Tears

So it is Valentines Day again. It's been 2 years since my Mom died. It's been the toughest 2 years of my life a rough 2 years. Along the way there have been people placed in my life that have made my path easier. They have lifted me up and carried me when I couldn't do it myself. Two of the most fabulous are these women, Heather and Renae. Because they knew this whole weekend would be rough for me they decided we should make something yummy together. Up until Saturday it sounded like a good idea. I was feeling pretty good....and then Saturday hit. I tried to keep it in. I tried to hide it from Jim and Jo. No good....they found me in my bed having a good cry. I didn't think I could go to Renae's house. Not with puffy eyes and a broken heart. I couldn't have been more wrong. That is just where I needed to be.
We decided quite a few weeks ago that we would make Cake Pops. We saw that Bakerella had done some stinking ca-ute ones and though we could give it a whirl. It looked pretty simple. Mix, shape and dip.....right??? Sure....let me just clue you in on some of the things we learned.
Crumbling the cake was easy....good start. The color of the cake was pink and sweet but when it was crumbled in the bowl it started to look a bit fleshy. We added the entire tub of cream cheese frosting as per the instructions. Learn #1....don't add all of the frosting right away. It was way to sticky and mushy. Start with 3/4's of the tub and go from there.
Then we rolled them into balls. Learn #2 the bigger the ball the heavier it will be....and thus mayhem could ensue.
Renae took the flower cookie cutter (as directed) and smooshed the ball in and muffined out the top....and gave it a nice flat bottom. and then we discussed the benefits of not having a flat bottom
It took a lot of cooking spray to keep the fleshy, flat bottomed, muffin topped ball from sticking to the cookie cutter.
Success!! Not bad looking, if you ask me.
Now for the dipping....In order to have optimum results you need to remember learn #3...get your candy melts really warm. The warmer it is the runnier it becomes and that much easier to dip said gooey flat bottomed smooshed out balls into. Learn #4....ALWAYS put the stick in while the chocolate (or what ever flavor candy melt you use) is warm and not set up. Trust me.
We warmed the pink candy melts until they were melted and pretty dang runny. Then spooned the pretty pinkness over the top of our cupcake cake pop.
Then added the sprinkles and a red hot for the cherry on top.
So cute!!!! I am loving the way they look!!
Wait a minute! Huston, we have a problem. Yeah...remember the weight issue, well that coupled with the fact that we didn't put the sticks in the first batch before the candy had hardened made this little private dancer slide down her pole like.....oh...yeah...so learn #5 laugh. When all else fails laugh. And we did. We laughed until our eyes leaked and our noses ran. Renae's 12 year old daughter came in and looked at us all about to collapse with the hilarity of the moment and was too stunned to even speak.
The first batch. Not so much cake pops as candy covered mini squishy centered cupcakes.
Batch 2....beautiful cake pops on wiggly sticks. We are funny girls for sure!
Beautiful and sweet....just like us!!
They don't look quite so perfect but that really wasn't the point. The point was to try something new and spend time together. And we accomplished both....beautifully.
So now that Valentine's Day is upon us....my cup has been filled and I have some light and love in reserve to face the day with a smile. Now I can use today to remember the wonderful memories I have of my Mom....all of the fun trips we took and the quite moments we had just enjoying each others company. To my girlfriends...I love you. Thanks for knowing just what I needed.
I will be putting links to their blogs as soon as they get time to post their take on the day.

I am also linking with Met Monday. I think a good cake metamorphosis is just what they need!

A Birthday Wish

I just wanted tell you all that it is my Mom's birthday tomorrow....the 11th. She would have been 59. My birthday wish is for all of you who are lucky enough to have your Moms alive and in your life. My wish is that you will take the time today and call her. Tell your Mom how much you appreciate everything she does for you. Tell her how much you love her. Do it. Don't put it off for later. You might run out of time.

Snow Ball

Last night was Jo's first semi-formal dance. Reid's sister, Keily, came to help do hair and make-up. It was too funny watching them. They both kept in constant contact with their phones.
Jo was smiling and laughing the whole time. She was a little stressed about the dance but she was starting to relax and enjoy the moment.
Beautiful hair....beautiful girl....
Instead of worrying about fancy high heels....Jo and Reid opted for fancy schmancy matching Converse. Jo looked super cute and her feet weren't killing her at the end of the night.
Reid's Mom and Dad and Ari's Mom and I were taking a million pictures and I think Jo and Reid had almost had enough. I'm pretty sure the candid shots are my favorite.
They do make a cute couple. We have been pretty lucky with Jo's choice in boys. Reid is respectful and down to earth and asks Jo do this social type of thing that she tries to avoid!
Ari, Payton, Reid and Jo doubled for the dance. I like group dates....so does Jo. This is a good group too. They are very nice kids.
Say cheese? Jo was walking out the door whether I was finished with the pics or not.
I just love them. So cute!
And lastly, my beautiful, sweet, sassy, charming, tough, tender-hearted, take-me-as-I-am girl. I couldn't love her more. She makes this Mama proud.

Sunny Arizona

We took a really quick trip down to Arizona to visit Jim's parents. I LOVE ARIZONA IN JANUARY!! That is really all I could say....seriously....for 2 straight days. If you have ever spent an extended amount of time in Minnesota in the winter then I feel sorry for you then you know what I mean when I say....the sun does not shine for 4 months. Really, I promise....it is very depressing. For those of you "lucky" souls in Minnesota...this is what a sunrise looks like.
Of course I know you all have seen a sunrise. I just happen to know that you didn't see it in the winter. One, because it is too freakin' cold at that time of the day to be outside and two, it is so cloudy most of the time that you can't see the sun until half passed noon.

On to less depressing (and cold) topics....this little (green) gem is what the center of a Queen's Palm looks like. There were bees on some of them. I love winter in Arizona.
We went to see the Casa Grande ruins. It was fun to see a little piece of history.
Jo and Steph seemed to be having a good time. Oh wait, they have a good time where ever they go.
I do love taking them places. Their giggling can be heard 100 yards away.
Inside the little visitors center there were a few exhibits that were hands-on....right up their alley.
Our fabulous hosts. They were kind enough to put us up in their new house and let us swim in their heated (OUTDOOR) pool....(IN JANUARY!!) and fed us and kept us entertained. We had SUCH a good time!
Ocotillo...I just love the texture....and the word Ocotillo....fun to say.
Saguaro cactus...an old one, for sure. Did you know one of these babies can take up to 75 years to grow a side arm? It's true.
Prickly Pear cactus or Opuntia is edible....well....parts of it are.
Twins, Jim and Doug, hung out by the pool A LOT. Oh wait...we all did!! ARIZONA IN THE WINTER!!!
And speaking of "by the pool"....here I am, soaking up some much needed sun. I think we were a little "sun drunk". It's true. We were almost giddy sitting there IN JANUARY soaking up all that natural vitamin D. Pure joy!!
We had such a great time visiting with Jim's folks. We are so happy they love their new home and we can continue to visit in the winter. Next time instead of a couple of days...we might try for a week!!!

Wordless Wednesday