Bits and Pieces
Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 9:57PM Many moons ago, I bought a mosaic coaster project kit for Michaela to work on while we were studying the Byzantine Empire. We actually tried to make the coasters around the time that we first got the kit, but had a little trouble with the directions (meaning I didn't read on the packets to distinguish between the grout and the plaster so I mixed up some grout and poured it in the mold-smart). I cleaned up my mistake and by that time we had run out of time (with Eliana around it is often hard to fit in more than one mistake...) so Michaela patiently waited until the next time I thought we could try to make the coasters. Well, effort #2 was not much more successful. It too, in fact, was a total failure. I did not wait long enough to try to pop the coaster out of the mold and it split into three pieces. Maddening! And poor Michaela! This girl has the gift of patience, though (sometimes!).
Well, we made attempt #3 yesterday, mainly because I wanted that silly box with the whole kit inside of it off of my kitchen counter! Also, I love my daughter and want her to be happy and able to do fun things along with her history reading. Oh, not that reading isn't fun, we love to read. But something about the projects and activities really makes things come alive in the mind, even for me. Yes, in my mind! I do have one and it works just fine sometimes!
All of this is to say that this final attempt is going along quite well, smoothly, swimmingly, beautifully, and happily. I spent some time making the molds in the morning. Michaela helped with the drying process (in the microwave). Then she took a mallet outside with her tiles to smash them into smaller pieces. In all honesty, this was not working. One thing that drives me nuts is when I follow the directions and it doesn't work. I take full responsibility for when I don't follow instructions and whatever I'm doing doesn't turn out right. That is my fault, sure. But when I do what the directions say and the outcome isn't as it is supposed to be-grrr! Well, there we were, outside, she was wearing her protective eye goggles smashing away, only the thing was bouncing, not smashing!
I went back inside to get the regular hammer. By the time I got to it (because it was in the bottom tool container (of 3) on a high shelf, and in the bottom of that particular tool box), Christian was running through the house yelling,"Never mind, mom, she's got it!" So, I went back outside (with that dumb hammer that I worked so hard to get) and there she was smashing the tiles with the other end of the mallet, the wooden end! She said,"Christian just told me to turn it upside down and use this part-it's working great!" What a smart boy! He definitely takes after me, I'm so proud of him! Hmmm.
We moved back inside to start gluing the tiles onto the molds that had been prepared.
She is a very conscientious worker, very deliberate with something like this.
She put glue on each piece of tile and then laid it on the mold randomly.
I love watching her do this.
Such sweet hands.
Sticky work!
The coasters spent today drying and we will grout them soon. It's fun to see her work diligently to accomplish a goal and take pride in her work. I'll share the end result soon!
Michaela in Uncategorized "Deli"-cious
Friday, October 17, 2008 at 11:45PM We went on a date tonight! It was a lot of fun! I came back recharged and ready to do stuff with the kids before bed with a good attitude! This is exciting stuff!
We saw our babysitter on Sunday at church and she agreed to come over Friday so that Mike and I could go out. I was a little nervous because we have never left Eliana with a babysitter. I put her in the church nursery a couple of times and she pretty much cried the whole time, or had to be wheeled around in a stroller. Being at home with brother and sister really helped, though, and she did fine. And she wasn't mad at us for abandoning her when we finally came home, either. It was a successful experience.
Mike and I ran one errand and then had a very casual but tasty dinner at:
I got a panini and some soup and he got a stuffed potato. Now, I know I'm getting a little carried away with all this "take-a-picture-of-everything-you-do" business, but I really wish I had a picture of his potato. I'm sure some of you have seen the likes of this kind of potato. It was very large, like a foot long. I told our server that Mike wanted a bigger potato and she looked at me with really wide eyes and said,"This is pretty big." I'm not sure if she knew I was kidding or not, but saying that potato was "pretty big" is like saying Jabba the Hutt is "kind of" ugly. The potato was enormous. Then I felt pretty silly because our server told us that it was actually two potatoes cut in half and stuck together. Maybe I should have known that.
At any rate, we had good conversation and enjoyed our time together. We haven't gone out alone for quite a while. I love the kids, you know I do; there is a level of attention that you can give your spouse, however, when someone much smaller isn't vying. You know what I'm saying? "Look at my plate, mommy; I made a picture with my ketchup." "Daddy, my crayons fell on the floor." "I have to go potty." "I have to go potty, too." "I have to go potty again."
I think we ought to do it again soon.
life together in Uncategorized This is the Short Version...
Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 9:08PM Here's my to-do list...
Unload/reload the dishwasher unload done-9:31/reload done-(:59
Make chocolate cake in oven-9:47/out of oven-10:12/iced-10:31
(I feel like I'm on a reality show...)
Sweep dining room through to kitchen done-10:20
Wipe down table and counters done-10:41
Switch laundry/start new load done-9:06/new load 10:00/new load-11:20
Clean bathroom done (as it's getting tonight)-11:53
Eat cake (not all of it!) 11:24-11:34
Clean schoolroom for the most part, done-12:51 (at least she can think in there now!)
Clean living room partial, done-11:24
Clean kids room morning project-we'll call it home economics!
Put clean laundry away Ah! The bane of my existence!
Sweep front door area done 11:00
Take a shower (maybe in the morning?) Yikes, need to, but it's sooo late!
Nurse Eliana back to sleep 11:00
Switch laundry final switch-12:55
Fold laundry lump that in with A.M. home ec.!
Iron kids' bead projects (very, very important) last thing I do...good night!
Ack! It's already 9:00-quit talking to me, I've got work to do!