Mice

I really don't want to admit this but we have MICE!!! I have a clean house...I don't let the kids eat anywhere but in the kitchen. (Not that they listen to me). We have set traps, bought DCon and those smart little suckers are still here!!!!! I know they are here because I see little mouse droppings underneath everywhere I look. I know we don't like to talk about it because having mice is a reflection of a clean house. Right?? I hope not! Who else has had mice and what did you do??

Block colors

Many of you are asking about block colors. Here they are. Black with cream. Cream with black or brown. Cranberry with cream and brown with cream.
 
 
 
 

Downtown Salt Lake City

As we were working on the blocks the other day, John Paul asked me if we were going to do anything fun while we were off track, besides sanding and cutting. I was feeling a little bad...so, I actually was a good Mom for a day. My Nephew Spencer came up from California for Conference Weekend with PaPa and I didn't want him to go home without doing anything. Today we went up to the Capitol and the downtown library. That library is amazing. Can't really compare with the South Jordan Library. We went to lunch at Hires and the best part was going to Backers Bakery and bying the boys a $4.00 eclair!! Backers Bakery was my Mom's (Grandma Shirley) favorite bakery in Salt Lake. So we honored her today and enjoyed a yummy treat!!

 
 
 
 

Cutting, Sanding, Painting

WOW!! Thanks to everyone for your orders!! I am overwhelmed. We have been to Home Depot more than I can count this week. I broke one miter saw and burned out 2 sanders!! Luckily Home Depot is great on their return policy like Costco and Nordstrom. Even though I went through 2 sanders, I still believe that when I pay more than $100.00 for a sander it should last longer than 48 hours!! The blocks are coming along!! I am coming up with a few tricks to make it go a little faster. With 20 sets down and 35 more to go...I have to come up with some quick tricks!!
 
 
 
 

Chatterblocks

Our son Charlie is attending the Scout Jamboree in Virginia in 2010. We have been brainstorming ideas of ways to earn money and came up with this one...
Growing up my wonderful Mom had a set of these blocks. I think she originally found them at a yard sale because we always had a hard time spelling things because of the missing letters. (Why else would they be at a yard sale?) But, we have such sweet memories of sitting in the family room spelling what we could. Last year a good friend (whom I had told this story to) found an old pattern for these blocks that I now call Chatterblocks. I made a set for all my brothers and sisters and sent them to them not telling them what they were getting. All of them told me that when they opened the box they all thought of our Mom. (For those of you who don't know, she died of breast cancer in 1995). So we all have these Chatterblocks in our homes that remind us of Grandma Shirley. So, now we are making these to earn money for Charlie to attend the Jamboree. If you would like to order a set, let me know! We would love to make one for you. If you have friends that may be interested, you can forward on the information. They are $60.00 a set. $75.00 if they need to be shipped. They are quite big and look great on the mantle place or a table. There are endless things to spell!! If you make the check to GSLC (Great Salt Lake Council) it is tax deductable!!

We have an Olympic Runner!!

 
 
 
 


The annual Fun Run was at the school today! John Paul came in 1st place against the whole 2nd grade. When he was in Kindergarten he got second place and for the whole next year he kept telling us that in 1st grade he would get 1st place. Well, he did. Then this whole past year he has been telling us that he was going to get 1st place again in 2nd grade. Well, he did. I find this quite funny because none of us are really fast runners. OK I guess I should re phrase that and tell the truth. We are NOT runners. Except for Chuck and his marathons. Let me rephrase that one more time...we are NOT FAST RUNNERS. Well he couldn't have been more proud of himself. After the Fun Run was over a boy came up to me that I had last year and said..."Can you believe that John Paul won again???" He ran the 1/2 mile in 3:05. I can't forget Charlie. He ran also and ran the mile in 7:47, which I thought was a GREAT time for him, being a lineman and all!! After school John Paul tells me...I am going to win again in 3rd grade. Guess I have to listen to that for one more year!!!

My Latest Barter

 

I really got into the fun of batering when I had my preschool. It was easy to trade services and not put out the cash. Things I have bartered for in the past...our cement extra driveway, our maltese dog Sadie, house cleaning, drywall work, baseboards in our new house and lots more...(that I can think of right now). Well, now that I don't have my preschool anymore I do have a vinyl lettering maching that I get a lot of trades out of. But here is my best trade of all!! I made a quilt for my cousin Lynde Mott and she painted me this!! It is quite large about 35X50. Our two girls Annelise and Courtney modeled for it.I chose the beach background also. I told Lynde that I got the best end of the barter and she thinks she got the best end. So if you both feel you got the best end of the deal, its a good barter!!