I’m having another busy week.
Monday I had Georgia here along with the regular childcare kids. Kelli was here sleeping as she worked overnight the night before. In the afternoon Kelli woke up and took the dogs to the vet. Her dog and my dog were both due to have their regular shots. Rosie was going to be rechecked for whatever was wrong with her last week too. She’s fine and all that went well.
Kelli ended up staying for supper. Karl came that night too. As we were eating Kalissa called. She was on her way to work. She had gotten called in and was frustrated as she had an orthodontist appointment to remove her braces the next day.
It’s really hard to commute to work an hour away, work a 12-hour shift only to have to drive back that hour commute home again. It’s even worse when she can’t sleep as she has an orthodontist appointment two hours away in the opposite direction. This is rural life…Getting to specialty places like the orthodontist is often a two-hour drive.
I’m a paranoid mom and would not let her do that driving to the orthodontist appointment. It wasn’t safe for her and wasn’t safe for the others on the road that she might meet driving along the way.
I started to think to shuffle to allow me to take her. Kelli would have taken her but she had a place she had to be and couldn’t. I ended up juggling and had a friend come and deal with childcare. I drove Kalissa.
Here is her before picture…
Here is her after picture. I never thought her teeth were crooked enough to warrant braces. We had asked a dentist and they said that some people have teeth like Kalissa’s after they had braces so we didn’t have her get them when she was young.
As she got older they got more crooked nothing terrible but Kalissa didn’t like it. She opted to get braces and WOW, I can really see a difference. She was thrilled to have them off.
She had to go back and make the two-hour trip back and forth the next day to get her retainer. I kept the boys while she did. She had gotten some sleep so I didn’t worry about her.
I did make a deal with Kalissa that if I took her to the orthodontist that I would get to make a stop at the thrift store. She was okay with that. It turns out we were running late so she went and did her Walmart grocery pick up while I checked out the thrift store.
I found a bag of fabric for $3. Here is what was in the bag… I bought the bag because there was a lot of John Deere fabric included. I keep thinking I’m going to make a John Deere quilt for a benefit. Then I used up most of the John Deere fabric I had when I made masks last year. That leaves me collecting again.
Here’s the fabric all laid out.
There was also this panel…
…and this panel. I’m keeping most of the fabric but did pick out about six that I’m passing on to the community quilters.
It was a good deal. I couldn’t have bought one panel for $3.
I got a couple of other things there but nothing of special note. It was worth stopping though.
In the middle of all of that, I got a message from Julie of Me and My Stitches. Julie has made special pendants for me that are more or less charms with my grandkids’ birthdays on the back.
Julie was being featured and asked if I might be able to take a picture of my bracelet. I didn’t see the email and then when I did, tried to scramble to get a picture for her. Being I have seven grands now, the bracelet is getting heavy. I’m hoping to find a “tree” or something like that so I could hang the charms on the tree. I just love the charms. I appreciate the extra work Julie does with these to make them personalized. Mother’s Day is coming if you need a gift idea. I’m sure Julie would do your grandkids or kids. Each of the hand-pieced pendants symbolizes the birth month of the kids. If you flip Scotty’s over, it’s a flag as he was born in July. Lucy’s is a Christmas Tree as she was born in December. So fun. I love it!!
Here is a childcare funny from this week for you…
I keep a candy drawer. If the kids eat their lunch, they get a small treat. Typically one Rollo or one mini Reeses’. The licorice that a blog reader send was in the drawer and Gannon apparently loves licorice as I do. He ate all of his food and got what we call a “champion eater” treat. Gannon usually doesn’t get one so this was a big deal.
He took his licorice and was eating it. I was busy feeding the baby. The next thing, I see he has another licorice. He was in trouble for going in the drawer without me…the little thief. UGH. I took the second licorice away from him, went to the drawer to put it back, and there in the drawer was play money.
I started to laugh. I guess he’s not a thief. He “paid” for his candy!! Hahahaha!!
The same day when I was doing childcare Carver was playing with the other guy that’s his age who comes to my house. They were playing nicely when all of a sudden the other boy says, “That is stupid.” Carver immediately says to him, “Don’t say stupid. That is an ‘f-word’.”
Oh, these kids…they do keep me laughing.
The weather here turned cold and windy so my plans to have the kids outside didn’t happen. I didn’t get to walk with my friend as much as I hoped. The weather is supposed to be good this weekend and I’m so excited. We’re supposed to go to Buck’s for Easter and an egg hunt for the kids.
That’s a clip of this week so far…hopefully, it keeps going great.
Many apologies if you have sent an email and I didn’t get to it. I do have all of the book orders out again so at least I am caught up on that. If I didn’t answer an email, feel free to send another. Sometimes childcare and the family take up all of my time.
What is the info on the selvedge of the airplane panel, please? I would love to find one. Thanks! Love your blog.
I sent you an email Traci.
It made me smile to see the play money in the candy drawer, lol. Kalissa looks great with her new smile, good for her. I have a piece of Jewelry from Julie, its a necklace with my favorite block. Her work is gorgeous. Hope you are able to make the Easter egg hunt at Bucks, it will be fun with all those grandkids. Happy Easter Jo
I love the story about Gannon – I told dh about it – he laughed and said at least he knew how to pay for it!
Love the charm bracelet – what a great idea for moms and grandmoms!
Oh how I wish we had a thrift store like yours!
Love and prayers
Oh what a fun week you had – so far! Gannon is a smart little guy leaving money for his candy, how sweet!! Kalissa looks great and I’m sure she is glad she went through the treatment. What a fabric find at your thrift store. It seems you always have such good finds. Fun. Have a great weekend and Happy Easter. Enjoy the family and the Easter egg hunt.
Kalissa looks great with that lovely smile! The bracelet is really pretty. I have earrings from Julie and wear them often. The childcare stories are a real hoot. I got my book in the mail and love it! I can’t wait to make some of the quilts. Happy Easter.
Hi Jo – thanks for the shout out. Hope you can find a tree for your charms. I laughed out loud about Gannon paying for his licorice – too funny!
Lovely post, Jo. I’m curious, how did you handle the situation with Gannon once you saw he had paid? I have had to back track on punishments a few times once more details became evident. We adults aren’t perfect and I’m always trying to learn!
Thrift store is within walking distance of my house so I check it about 2x a month but someone gets there before me because I seldom find anything & the prices are not very low either. You had a great find !!
In our family, the saying goes, “If it ain’t red, leave it in the shed!” However, our youngest son married a John Deere gal, so it’s a friendly and peaceable competition! :) It’s funny how those two representative colors can be so territorial. We quilters aren’t like that with our sewing machines, are we?!?
I love your blogs. I have very few I follow and you are one of the few. I really love reading about your family and as my sons and wives and girlfriend are out of state and due to COVID are afraid to travel or allow me to.
You motivate me to keep busy and fill my days with fabric.
My son had braces and now he is wearing invisible braces because teeth have shifted and he did not like them. He is paying this time! He is 41.
Congrats to Kalissa on having her braces removed (and for having such cute kids!!) Both of those stories are TOO funny. I thought Gannon’s “paying” for his candy was funny, but I burst out laughing at Carver’s serious little “F-word” comment. Here’s hoping you’ll be seeing some of the grands for Easter tomorrow!
Love the fabrics you got and your children’s stories. Gannon’s 2? And has learned to pay for what he wants. And Carver has learned that some words aren’t acceptable i like how he said what he did. Not putting the other child down just letting him know what category calling someone or something is stupid.. way to go Kramer’s.
Love your children’s stories. Gannon’s 2? And has learned to pay for what he wants. And Carver has learned that some words aren’t acceptable i like how he said what he did. Not putting the other child down just letting him know what category calling someone or something is stupid.. way to go Kramer’s.