WOYWW

Thanks to Julia for hosting this blog hop (http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/)!  I'm afraid I didn't make it to many at all last week since we were [anxiously] waiting to hear when to pick up some foster kids.   I'm hoping to have more time today for blog hopping :)


Here's my work table this week.  This is the table I took over when we got a new dining room table :)  I'm working on cards for swaps now.  I've also got my postage scale (used at the moment for weigh a chinchilla that's not been feeling well), various cutting tools, the trashcan (on the table because the dog thinks of it as a buffet), and flower shaped grippers for opening jars (going to try them on the Gelli plate). 


Today is a day off.  I'm hoping to vacuum thoroughly, change the sheets in the guest/foster bedrooms, clean up the chinchilla cage, and dust.   I'd also like to blog hop, watch Star Trek on Netflix, paint, and play with the gelli plate!   We'll see what happens!

Peace and love, y'all!  Thanks for visiting!

EDIT - Noon-  It sounds like we may be getting the boys ("Luke" and "Lando") tonight.  You never know when you'll get that phone call as a foster parent. 

EDIT #2 - I turned off Google plus commenting.  It was ridiculous.

Foster Parenting: Luke and Lando

Chase and I are licensed foster parents...and we never know when we'll get a call to help a kiddo in need.   Well we were called week last week, and we went to go pick up 2 brothers (school aged) who needed a place to sleep for 2 nights.  Since Chase is still finishing up his PhD, we've only been taking respite and short term emergency placements.   We'll call the boys Luke and Lando (from Star Wars of course..).  

We got the boys on Wednesday night, and we promptly went home to inventory foods they like, make a grocery list, and head to good, ole wally-world for supplies.   At Walmart, we told the boys they could each pick 1 small Lego set each - or 1 medium sized set to share.  The boys promptly launched into a thorough examination and discussion of the pros and cons of each Lego set.  After careful consideration, they chose a Star Wars themed set (9496 Desert Skiff) with multiple Lego characters (Luke and Lando included) and that tentacled creature (the Sarlacc) that almost eats Luke.  While I'm fixing a basic dinner (fried kielbasa, wild rice, and peas), Chase and the boys assemble the legos.  I think Chase was just going to sit with them, but the boys begged and begged for Chase to help.  "You HAVE to HELP US!!  There are SOOO many pieces!!"  After the legos were assembled, and their craftmanship praised...we sat down for dinner.  We usually eat at the dinner table, but since we only had the boys for 2 nights we made an exception and ate while watching TV.  Although the boys (both less than 12 years old) begged to watch Chucky, we settled on Adam-12 (a police series from the 60s).  I calmly explained to the boys that I get terrible nightmares from scary movies, and while staying in our house...they'll have to pick less scary movies or television shows (not to mention age-appropriate).  After a couple of episodes, the boys brushed their teeth and changed into pajamas.  Chase read them bedtime stories, while I sat in a chair in listened.  The littlest one wanted 2 night lights and lamp on during the night, so the oldest trasferred his room's night light to his brother's room. 


Here are some pictures the boys took while they were here: 

Bert is wondering why we are making bright flashing lights near his cage.

The boys adored Chase and wanted a picture of him.


The second night was actually our 4th anniversary, so we decided to eat out and headed to a local Mongolian BBQ restaurant.  Let's just say we won't be taking most foster kids back.  The kids didn't understand why they picked ingredients for a chef to cook for them...and they didn't think it was fun!  We ended up taking them by McDonald's on the way home since dinner was a flop for them!  Our plans of hiding fresh vegetables in stir-fry...well I'll have to figure out another way to get kids to eat vegetables!  Once we got back to the house, Chase had to prepare chili for a potluck at his work.  The youngest boy was so happy to help.  I'd peek up from my computer to watch Chase and "Luke" cooking together.  Since Chase works with a bunch of vegetarians, he made "Texas "Thai Tofu Chili" I bet Tofu was completely new experience for the boys.  I read the boys "The Little Red Hen" as their bedtime story, and we tucked them in for the night.  Both mornings they woke up and got ready without grumbling, and made their beds with me asking.  They were such sweet gentlemen, and we just adored them.   Chase met with their mom the following day to give them back. 

We'll always remember them, and we'll always hope and pray that their lives will be blessed...that they will be safe, well-fed, and loved.   Hopefully, they will never need us again.


Peace and Love, y'all!

WOYWW

So what's on my workspaces this Wednesday?  (to play along go to The Stamping Ground with miss Julia)



Not to much going on,  I just packaged these up to mail to the swap host.  "You Deserve a Medal" mixed media swap.    The awards I made:  Most Flexible Toes, Suvivor of Firework Season, You are my Sunshine, and Biggest Flirt.  Looking back, I wished I had a made a Monday Surivor one lol... I was so clumsy on Monday!



PSA.  As some of you may know, I've been battling spiders in my household.  I now believe I've found and eradicated the...erm...nests of them.  I found 2 gravid female brown recluses(as well has about a half a dozen little spiders.  while cleaning my garage and spraying in there.  Hopefully I have eliminated the major source of my spider problem.  I can only imagine what a sight it was for my neighbors - I dragged every last bit of junk out of my garage.  Swept out the entire thing...as I found the nasty brown recluses...I'd smack them with the broom repeatedly...most likely yelling the whole time.   SQEEEEEE!!!   Cars kept slowing down like looking for a garage sale.   After that, I sprayed the entire garage with a pesticide.    Since the garage was cleaned and decluttered, we purchased shelves and plastic storage bins to keep it that way.   I can officially say - we very likely have the cleanest garage in the neighbor hood.  We also purchased a shop vac...so I can keep the sucker clean without moving everything out again.

PSA:  I just thought I would share how to identify a brown recluse.  The brown recluse is also called the fiddleback spider and that nickname can help you remember how to identify them.  Ok...so you see that the spider has 2 main body segments.  The head/thorax (called the cephalothorax) where the legs are attached and the abdomen.  The cphalothorax is mostly pale brown (tan) with a dark brown shape in the center of it.  The dark brown part is shaped like a violin with the neck of the violin pointing towards the abdomen.  The brown recluse also has 6 instead of 8 pairs of eyes...if you care to count them.  Anyway...here's a picture of what I presume to be a big fat female....ready to put more of the little nasties in my garage.  I snapped this picture right before I launched my broom squishing attack.  As bad as their bite is...they really aren't aggressive spiders...and usually don't bite unless pressed against skin.   That being said, I've become rather strict about making/checking beds, keeping clothes off the floor, and keeping cardboard out of my house.



Peace and Love, y'all!

WOYWW - 5Ks and Organization

Happy What's on Your Workspace Wednesday!  To play along and share your workspace with crafters around the world, visit Julia's blog.


Here's my crafting area this week.  My fabulous parents came up last weekend to visit and run a 5K (their first).   We ran on Saturday and spent some time in the historic downtown of St. Charles, Missouri.  I'm so proud of my folks for trying to exercise and for training for this race!

On Sunday, my mom and I spent the first half of the day organizing my craft room.   They brought up a huge new dining room table (seats 8 people) so I claimed the old table for my craft room.  LOL I went from a 25 year old table to a 34 year old table (but I love it!).



Here's the old dining room table.  My dad made the comment that I've now taken over 3/4 of that room. My husband just gets a corner that he shares with the chinchillas.

I have empty shelves now!  What should I fill them with?

My mom labeled all my boxes.  We also took everything out, dusted the shelves, and patched up the holes (supposed to be there for wires to run in).  My chinchillas were scurrying up the back of the armoire, going through the holes, and chewing on my watercolor paper.   Bad chinchillas!  

David, Beth, Me, my dad, and my mom before the race :)

WOYWW - Morning of art

Here's my workspace today.   I'm hoping to do some watercolor this morning....or maybe make some Moos (once I figure out what they are and what  I want to do).  Also sort on my workspace (the red couch) is a green book I'm working on.   When I've been playing with the Gelli plate, I "clean" the plate and my brayer in/on the book. 

 One of my favorite gelli prints is on the portable desk.   I don't really own a lot of stencils and stamps, but now that I've found a fun reason to own them... maybe i should go shopping.   What are your favorite sources for stamps and stencils? 

 Also on there is the wii remote (for Netflix), 2 prang sets, some source photos for painting, my cup of coffee, and some brushes.  A little list of swaps I want to make cards for is sitting off to the side.  LOL, i'll probably just blog hop all morning and not paint anything.  My poor little dog is on the floor.  She refused to go outside this morning because it was raining.   She keeps running over to the window and peering out.  She's a smart little thing...she'll probably let me know when she deems its safe to go out. 


Thank you, Julia, for hosting this fun little snoop!

Visit to my folks - WOYWW

Happy What's on Your Workspace Wednesday!   I'm posting really late because I've been traveling.   I spent the entire morning at a local art supply store trying out new stuff and visiting with family :)  Since I'm traveling, I'll have to do some blog hopping later this week :)

In a spur of the moment decision, I decided Monday to visit my family in Arkansas over the holiday.  

I wanted to see the new baby in the family, visit my folks, and more of my family at Art Outfitters. 


Art Outfitters has a  station where you can play with a Gelli plate for making prints.  We had such a fun time a bought a 8x10 one :)

The Gelli Station

 

Will and my mom practicing

All of my family at Art Outfitters :)

My mom and I are loving on the newest member of our family.    My cousins are so proud of this sweet little bundle of joy, and they are wonderful new parents.   Who knows...maybe in the next 2 years, Chase and I will decide to have our own.   All in God's timing :)


Peace and Love, y'all!