this year is our 7th year for our PCMC NICU project!!

I need your help with my NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit) PCMC (Primary Children's Medical Center) quilt/hat project this year. Many of you know that our precious little Landon born December 15th, 2005 spent his first Christmas in the NICU at PCMC. It was a very hard Christmas for our little family because our sweet baby boy was so sick and couldn't spend Christmas at home with his family. For the past 7 Christmas's our family and cherished friends have enjoyed playing Santa to all the babies in the NICU. I have taken quilts/blankets and knit hats for all the babies who will spend their first Christmas in the NICU just as Landon did so they know they too are loved and that Santa didn't forget them. So here is where you come in...there are 60 NICU beds at PCMC and for the past 7 years everyone of them has been occupied on Christmas Eve by a precious newborn. This year with the H1N1 virus , RSV and seasonal flu infections expected to be extremely high, I expect that every bed in the NICU will be full again this Christmas. That is a lot of hats and blankets that need to be made so I need your help!! If you are a quilter, knitter or would like to help in any other way *or know someone who is* your talents are much needed and truly wanted and there is no time like the "present" to get started!! The snow is already falling and it will be Christmas Eve before we know it.... so if you would like to help, please send me a message of how to reach you and our family and the babies in the NICU will be forever grateful... Merry Christmas!!

There are only 50 days until Christmas!!

Jackson playing Santa Christmas Eve 2006

St. Patrick's Day over the RAINBOW!!

The day started off with us finding these footprints all over the house!!

They lead us to these cute treats for the boys!!

I made the boys Rainbow waffles, they turned out so cute!! I found the simple directions HERE but instead of Bisquick I use my sister's buttermilk pancake/waffle recipe HERE with my Buttermilk Syrup HERE they were sooooo yummy and the boys just loved them!! They took a little more time than I thought they would but they were soooo worth it :)

We had a Rainbow Lunch!!

We finished our St. Patrick's with amazing Corned Beef and Cabbage for dinner, it was soo yummy and the perfect ending to our day!!

 

Borax Crystal Ornaments

Saturday we made Borax Crystal "Ornaments" The boys had so much fun coming up with shapes and watching the crystals grow.  It was so easy and they all turned out amazing!! They already want to make more so I think it was a hit :) If you want to make them, the super easy instructions are below...

What You Need
 

•Pipe cleaners in various colors
•Scissors
•Straws
•String
•Mason jars
•Water
•Borax
•Oven mitt
•Teapot or pot to boil water
•Measuring Cup

What You Do

 

1. Have your kiddos make shaped out of the pipe cleaners... av star, a heart, a spiral, a snowflake, an egg the posibilities are endless!! Make sure it fits through the opening of the jar you are using or use a lager vase or bowl for larger shapes.
2.Bring water to boil.
3.Knot one end of a length of string around the pipe cleaner shape and the other end around the straw and lower the pipe cleaner shape into the jar, then lay the straw across the rim of the jar. If the pipe cleaner touches the bottom of the jar, adjust the string so that the pipe cleaner hangs freely. Lift the pencil to remove the pipe cleaner shape from the jar and set aside.
4.Carefully pour boiling water into the jar, filling it about 3/4 full.
5.Add borax to the water, one tablespoon at a time and stir after adding each tablespoon. After about 1/4 cup has been added, check to see if the borax has begun to collect on the bottom of the jar. If not, add more borax to the jar, little by little, until there is a small amount has collected on the bottom.
6.Lower the pipe cleaner shape into the jar, laying the straw on top as before. Make sure the pipe cleaner is fully submerged in the solution and not touching the bottom or sides of the jar.
7.Using oven mitts, carefully move the jar to a safe place where it won't be disturbed.
8.The crystals will grow on the pipe cleaner as the water cools and begins to release the borax.
9.Let the jar sit for 24 hours. Check the progress of his crystals from time to time to see how they are growing. After roughly 24 hours and once the pipe cleaner is covered in crystals, remove it from the solution.
10. Hang it somewhere safe to dry and enjoy the beauty!!

My favorite one is Ayden's Birthday Balloon's

 

Landon's Flower
 

Ayden as 41... George H. W. Bush!!

Ayden did a President report on George H. W. Bush and did an amazing job!! For the report he had to put together a display box with facts about the President, draw a portrait, a life timeline and present a 2 minute memorized report.  He also found some original buttons from his campaigns that made it extra fun for him.  We all learned a lot about our 41st President and I personally admire him a lot and was so very proud of Ayden :)

My name is George Herbert Walker Bush and I was born March 9, 1924 in Milton, Massachusetts, to Dorothy Walker Bush and Prescott.  My father was a banker who went on to represent Connecticut in the U.S. Senate from 1952 to 1963. I grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut, and graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, in 1942.  I enlisted in the Navy on my 18^th Birthday and served the US military in World War II as a naval aviator. In less than a year, I completed flight training at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, and went on to fly TBM Avengers with VT-51. For a time, I was the youngest pilot in Naval Aviation.  On the morning of September 2, 1944 I was shot down over the Northern Pacific Ocean and parachuted safely into the water, dangerously close to the shore. Once in the water, I unleashed my inflatable yellow lifeboat, crawled in, and paddled quickly out to sea. The Japanese sent out a boat to capture me.  Circling fighter planes transmitted my situation and position to the U.S. submarine Finback that was patrolling 15 to 20 miles from the island.  A few hours after transmitting my position, Williams, then a commander, sighted me on the periscope about seven miles away from shore. He ordered the submarine to the surface. I saw this thing coming out of the water and I said to myself,”Jeez, I hope it's one of ours!”  I was taken inside Finback and the sub quickly submerged.  Later I was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross.  This was one of the most dramatic moments of his life -- an experience which gave me a "sobering understanding of war and peace."  There's no question that it broadened my horizons and helped me prioritize important things throughout my life.   On January 6, 1945, while on leave from the Navy, I married Barbara Pierce in 1925 in Rye, New York. We met as teenagers at a dance.  We later had six children: George, Robin, John (known as Jeb, Neil, Marvin and Dorothy.  After completing my military service in September 1945, I enrolled at Yale University, where he studied economics and was captain of the baseball team and was a member of Skull and Bones, an elite secret society. I graduated in 1948 then moved my family to Texas, where I began a prosperous career in the oil industry, and eventually became president of an independent offshore oil drilling company. I began my political career in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1967. During the 1970s, I held a variety of government posts, including CIA director.  I was a two-term U.S. vice president under Ronald Reagan, from 1981 to 1989. In 1988, I defeated Democratic rival Michael Dukakis to win the White House. I served as the 41st U.S. president from 1989 to 1993.  In office, I launched successful military operations against Panama and Iraq.  Sadly in 1992 I lost my bid for re-election to Bill Clinton. In 2000, My son George W. Bush was elected the 43rd U.S. president; he served until 2009.  After leaving the White House, my wife Barbara and I divided our time between homes in Houston, Texas, and Kennebunkport, Maine. In 1997, the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum opened to the public on the campus of Texas A & M University in College Station, Texas, I was honored. I worked with my successor, Bill Clinton, to raise funds for victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. I am an adventure seeker and went skydiving on my 70th, 80th and 85th birthdays.


We are sadden with the passing of George HW Bush. Ayden worked on the report for over a month and as a family gained such fondness for 41 and his family. He will be missed by many but leaves a legacy of integrity, honesty and love for all.

Published!!

I was so thrilled to be contacted by Atlanta Parent Magazine to publish my String Easter Egg craft in their March issue!! I have been making them for years with my boys, family, friends and youth groups so it was fun to share :) I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the magazine again and inspire other moms to get crafty with their kiddos and make memories that last a lifetime :)

Growing Wheatgrass for Easter

One of my favorite things to do around Easter is grow wheatgrass. In about a week you can have beautiful green grass to fill baskets and decorate with!!

What You Are Going to Need:

Wheatgrass seed (I got mine at Whole Foods or you can get small kits on Amazon)

Growing containers (plastic trays work great, but you can get creative)
Potting mix
Peat Moss

Paper towells
Sunlight (a window seal works great)

Azomite (A Natural Source for Minerals and Trace Elements)

First... Rinse and Soak Your Seeds

Take your seeds and rinse them off thoroughly before use. Place the seeds inside a clean container and cover them with clean water. Let the seeds soak in the water for 8-12 hours. This soaking process infuses the dry seed with moisture, and softens their shells allowing easier sprouting (next step). Bad seeds (i.e prone to mold) will typically float to the surface and should be discarded if found. A great time to soak the seeds is right before you go to bed as the seeds will be just about ready when you wake up.

Second... Placement of Seeds

After 8-12 hours, drain the water from the seeds and spread evenly over the soil of the grow tray. You want the seeds directly touching each other but not overlapping if possible. Every available spot on the tray should be covered in seed. Once accomplished spread 2-3 layers of paper towel over the seeds. The paper towels act as a protectant to the seeds locking moisture into the growing tray and keeping light off the seeds.

Third... Setup Your Grow Trays

Fill the grow trays your using with 1 1/2 - 2 inches of organic soil/potting mix.

Forth... Sprouting

Once your seeds are soaked and spread over your grow tray you're ready for sprouting. Gently shower your grow tray with water soaking the paper towels on top of the trays. The paper towels, seeds, and soil should be thoroughly soaked with water. Set the seeds in a dark location (closet, wash room, etc). You'll keep them in this state for the next two days, covered underneath paper towels and soaked in water. You want the paper towels and seed to be continually damp throughout the next 48 hours. Do not let your trays dry out!

Fifth... SUN, Let IT Grow

After 48 hours, carefully peel away the paper towels covering the grow tray. You'll see baby wheatgrass sprouting everywhere. By this point the seedlings should've attached roots to the soil and are on their way to growing. Let's get them in some sunlight. These little guys will need at least 8 hours of good sunlight or 10-12 hours of artificial light a day. Keep them in a clean area to help reduce mold. Mold sucks. Water daily or every other day depending on the environment humidity. After about a week the wheatgrass will grow to be around 7-9 inches tall.

Sixth... Have fun

You can put it in baskets, vases, pots, tins.... anything just make sure that you protect it from water damage and continue to water your grass.  If it gets to long you can trim it to desired length.  I t will last for up to 3 weeks!!

Valentine's Day

with all the snow Saturday it was the perfect day to work on the boys Valentines and Valentine boxes for school!! They turned out super cute and we had so much fun putting them together :) The boys can't wait to fill their Minions with Valentines and hand out Valentine's to their classmates!!

I got the cute Star Wars Valentine printable at cuteasafox.com and the light sabers on Amazon :)

The Crazy Straws I got at Walmart in the party section and you can download the Crazy Straw & Donut Valentine Printable here on my 4Shared :)  http://www.4shared.com/file/63TuUt1j/Crazy_Straw_Valentine.html

http://www.4shared.com/file/vYSDaJx-/Donut_Valentine.html

100 days of School!!

Landon celebrated 100 days of 1st grade on Wednesday!! I can't believe school is more than half over... bring on summer *lol* We made these cute cookie packs to celebrate using Keebler Vienna Fingers and Fudge Stripes!! His classmate loved them and they turned out super cute!!  You can download the tag here http://www.4shared.com/file/8Xt_y0yu/100_days_TAG.html :)

wanna have a playdate...

Keeping my boys busy is a big job!  They love to have play dates and hang out with school friends and sometimes getting info to a friend and parent is a chore so I came up with these cute play date "business" cards!  My boys can give them to their friends and they have all of family info on it for their parents.  It has made setting up play dates so much easier and my boys love having them handy in their backpacks!!

you can download the file here on 4shared.com :)

http://www.4shared.com/file/IalzfsVV/playdate_card.html