Author Archives: carrievoris

Crafty Tuesday

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Prepare for the whining and excuses to begin. Starting….

Now.

I can’t believe I am going to even post this photo and call it my Crafty thing for the week. And not only do I deem it “not very crafty,” it is a horrible photo as well. But it is all I have time or energy for right now. So you get what you get.

While we were at Em’s soccer game on Saturday, the other team had really cute little matching ponytail holder thingys, made with ribbons of their team colors and also some cool ribbons with little soccer balls on it. When we were shaking hands with them, I slyly checked out how they were put together (it wasn’t too hard to be sneaky, most of them were 3 1/2 feet tall, so I just looked like I was leering at the top of their heads, that is not too creepy, right?).

So Em and I went to the fabric store and got pink, black, white ribbon – but they were out of the soccer ball ribbon. Apparently there are some die-hard, crafty, soccer moms out there who thought about all of this BEFORE the season started. So I’m still searching for soccer ribbon, but Em and I attempted to make a trial one tonight.

Really should have had Em model it for the photos because it really does look cute when it is on. Only need to make 5 more before Saturday.

While we were at the fabric store the girls picked out their Halloween costumes, too. Well, the patterns for them, hopefully, God willing, we will be able to feature an Alice in Wonderland and an Ariel costume here on Crafty Tuesday some time in the next month!

I’m afraid the material around these parts is going to be very, very light again this week. I’ll try to throw up a few photos to tie you all over. It isn’t for lack of blog material, oh there is PLENTY of that around here, but I have a few big projects going on, a babysitter who is out of the country (yes, she is home trying to get a visa to get back here!), and some other big stuff going on that I just can’t get into right now. But I will be back, don’t give up on me just yet!

Maybe someone else has some true craftiness to share with all of us today?

Look who is hanging around our house ~ Best Shot Monday

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Last week while we were getting ready for school J. and Addie discovered a little visitor in our courtyard.

What the...?

Addie checked on him before school, after school, and several times throughout the day. “Mama! He’s still there!” she’d screech.

He is still there!

What was it that created such a commotion?

Praying that he won't fall off the gate

This lovely little praying mantis is my BSM for today. If you click on the photo you can get a closer look. He was really, really cool. Since then we have seen two others in our garden – well perhaps this guy again and his friend!

Stop by Tracey’s to see who else is hanging around with some BSMs.

The WonderGirls Win Big!

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Not that anyone was keeping score, or anything!

We technically aren’t supposed to keep score in the U6 league, all the kids are just out to play and have some fun. But that doesn’t stop the parents (or the players!) from keeping a mental tally. And for the record, the WonderGirls had an amazing day.

We started the day off with our regular Bagel Saturday tradition. While we were waiting for our bagels, Emma, looking very perplexed, told me – “Mama? I don’t want to be in the show.”

After a bit of discussion and reassuring that the game (not show!) was just going to be in front of the parents – like practice only they got to play against some other girls, she seemed a bit relieved. But I did notice she was very quiet through breakfast. I think that she thought it was going to be on the big football field with the full grandstands like their opening day ceremonies were. And I think she had a little bit of the butterflies.

Once she got to the field and started running around with her friends, all the nervousness was forgotten.

During the game, they all looked really good. They were just the right amount of aggressiveness, and they all ran for the entire game. I was so impressed with Emma and her effort. I tease her because she has a bit of the “lazys” in her at times. “It is too far to walk to Ad’s school!” (Three blocks!) “My feet hurt, can I ride in the stroller?” And so on.

She shoots...

But on game day she ran her little butt off. I was so proud of her. And…she scored a goal!

...she scores!

(Note: This is her scoring her goal. J. was at the other end of the field and didn’t have my long lens on the camera. He was the photographer for the event since I was trying to help “coach.” And he got tons and tons of photos — nobody can make fun of me for taking hundreds of photos in a single day anymore! I think he had close to 400. We were out there for one hour. That is a lot of clicks! I didn’t get permission to show the other girls, so I weeded the photos down to just a few!)

Look at how proud of herself she was!

Oh, yeaaah!

Getting a little strategy from coach. I think holding your braids up like that helps in concentration or something.

Talking strategy

And then when the game is over the parents and spectators make this little tunnel for all the girls to run through, the girls thought that was pretty cool.

Winner's Walk

All in all, I think it was a fantastic first game. The WonderGirls at one point had scored so many goals (and the other team had scored none) that our Coach actually told the girls to “lay up” a little to let the other team get a few scores, too. And when one of the girls from the other team tripped and fell, one of our WonderGirls stopped to help her up – true sportsmanship in a little five-year old!

I could not be any prouder of our girls. And to see their faces when they were running off of the field, you could see how proud of themselves they were for getting out and playing so hard.

Makes all of the craziness that soccer adds to our week, totally worth it.

Playtime! ~ Theme Thursday

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It’s playtime over at Stacy’s for Theme Thursday today. So…

Are you ready for some football??

Emma came in over the weekend and asked if anyone wanted to play football. That was music to her Daddy’s ears, I think. He hopped up and off they went out into the yard.

Laces out!

We need a little work on the throwing and catching, but she definitely has the running and kicking down. Good thing she is going to be a soccer star.

That's a touchdown!

Addie found other stuff to play with…

Finding things to play with

Until the footballers took a break for a little swinging…

Better than a swing

And then they pondered how fun it is to have Daddy home for playtime.

Taking a break

Check out more playtime over at Stacy’s.

Crafty Tuesday

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So I cheated a little bit when I told you that I promised to show something last week if you popped over to Kimmer’s to wish her a Happy Birthday…I actually already had two birthday cards on “standby” and ready for this week. So I knew I could make that promise in good faith. I think that they should have arrived to their destinations by now – so here are a few more birthday cards…yep, same envelopes that I’ve been stuck on for months now.

First one for Kimmer – I found this cool stamp that I didn’t even know I had. (Um, a bit too much craft stuff, perhaps?) The photo is a little blurry but it reads “Of all the gifts life could send – the best is knowing you’re my friend!”  (Do you like the purple/red combo, Kimmer? Hee.)

And the second one for my brother (Happy Birthday, Ken!) whose birthday was over the weekend as well. Used the oldie-but-goodie “Happy Bird-day” stamps for it. I totally love the birds.

Apparently a lot of you were more than happy to let my baking be classified as “crafty.”
Whew! Thank goodness – because we seem to be doing a lot more baking than scrapping around here lately. And thanks for the walnuts in the freezer tip…I keep my choco chips in there, when I can keep them in the house, I will definitely remember to do that with my walnuts as soon as I restock them as well.

So what’s cooking or crafting at your house this week?

It’s a scene, man.

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I almost didn’t post this…thought it might be a little bit too risque for our “family-friendly” blog. But then every time I look at it, I crack up a little bit harder. So it is getting posted.

I promise you this photo was not staged in any way. This is honest-to-goodness, the scene I found after Emma was supposed to be “resting” in her room last week.

Party at Emma's!

When I took the photo I was laughing and wondering what exactly is going on with the two bears up there? (On top of the crate turned on its side)

As I cropped it tonight, I saw the…ahem…dogs? Over there? To the right of the bed. I’m pretty sure that should be R-rated, at the very least.

And then J. commented that Chicken Little over on the left looks like quite the “perv” watching all the bear action.

Certainly wasn’t a lot of “resting” going on up there.

Monkeying Around ~ Best Shot Monday

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All summer long. She has been trying so hard to master the monkey bars.

Hand over hand…

One hand at a time

How many more bars do I have?

I do what now?

I can do it…I can do it…

And she is off...

And finally. Last week, she made it across without any help from Mommy.
How could this not be my Best Shot of the week?

Look what I did, Ma!

You did it, kiddo. I knew those long, monkey arms and legs would come in handy.

Check out some other big achievements today at Tracey’s.

If you need me…

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…you can find me in front of the TV for the next two weeks.

I so LOVE the summer Olympics. Everything about them. Yesterday I watched fencing. It doesn’t matter what is on, I’ll watch it. But, right now I’m settling in to watch my favorite events…the swimming.

Go team USA!

And I’ll see you all when I come up for air.