Seuss-tastic!

Truffula trees at Craft Jr....

... numbers 1-78 create the Cat in the Hat dot to dot page...

... make your own C.I.T.H. Hat using paper and a paper plate...

... oobleck!

... and Seussville itself!

"How Do You Do it All?"

                          
               (Wonder Woman "doodle" by Beck Kramer)


It's a question friends, family, colleagues, and fellow Army wives ask me, and my response is always the same:

I don't.

As busy as I stay, I don't get everything done that needs to be done.  I don't begin, try or explore everything I want, and yes, there are occasions when I come home, order pizza online and crawl into jammies, staying awake only long enough to eat with my children, bathe the pre-schooler, and kiss Dear Daughter goodnight before I head to bed to get as much sleep as I can.

It's been six months since Dear Husband left, and with him gone, I am the sole parent to a four year old and fifteen year old.  I teach full time, and this year my class includes five ADHD students, one non-English speaker, and one student with spina bifida.    Several of my students' fathers are also serving overseas this year, which means that busy and emotional stress is a palpable undercurrent for not only teacher, but students and their families as well.  We share hugs, look for ways to generate extra laughter, and I make sure to remind myself of my students' intentions before I react to their mischief, mistakes and moodiness.


Chocolate helps.  Regularly shaking our sillies out and dancing certainly lifts the spirits.  Coffee warms me up and gives me a boost.  Working in my craft nook playing with paper while the kids cuddle under blankies watching movies on the futon in front of my craft table has made snow days both fun and relaxing.  Participating in OWOH and the Heart to Heart Swap provided me the chance to make new crafty friends and refuel my creative inspiration.  Making sure I use every moment I spend at work being as productive and efficient as possible frees up my afternoons, evenings and weekends for my children.  My attitude and belief about my responsibilities and opportunities during Dear Husband's extended absence keep me from becoming a wife that wallows in loneliness, numbing her fear and stress with inappropriate behaviors and exploits.

My attempt at discipline and balance didn't impress Mother Nature however. At a recent doctor's visit, my blood pressure was abnormally high.  High enough that two nurses and my doctor asked if something was wrong.  I've cut back on the caffeine (shudder), made sure to drink more water, and have had our school nurse check my blood pressure daily.  It's gotten better, but when each Monday morning rolls around, I feel *it* in my chest, the pressure, the expectations, the responsibilities, the chores, the job, and the need to get it right.

Unreasonable?

Tomorrow is Monday.

Lesson plans are done.  My coffeepot will brew one teaspoon of regular coffee with two teaspoons of decaf.  I'll wear comfortable clothes and shoes.  I'll drink lots of water, enjoy laughter with my aide, creative constructions with my Super Stars, wrestle with the pre-schooler, help Dear Daughter with her homework...

... and let a pizza place make dinner.

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"Cheerfulness keeps up a kind of daylight in the mind, and fills it with a steady and perpetual serenity."  Joseph Addison

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."  Winston Churchill

"Happiness is an attitude.  We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong.  The amount of work is the same."  Francesca Reigler

"A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes."  Hugh Downs

*****

OWOH Winners!

Thank you thank you *~thank you~* to all of you for visiting my blog during this year's One World One Heart Magic Carpet Ride!  I myself managed to visit each and every ticket holder's post (list found on Lisa's blog, A Whimsical Bohemian), and oh my goodness, the creativity, inspiration, kindness, humor and camaraderie I found was just what I needed to lift my spirits during this extended winter.  I've subscribed to so many of your blogs and am looking forward to checking in on you regularly!

Make sure to check out Lisa's updated blog header too- she's the master of Mad Hatter chic, I tell you!

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And now... for the winners:





Comment # 170, left by Laurie of Indulge Your Shelf! (three banners)




Comment #16, left by Heidi of The Kundin Family!  (two banners, pink/brown)




Comment # 222, left by Theresa!  (two banners, purple)




Comment # 56, left by Kris Henderson of Brain Bubbles! (two banners, blue)

Winners, I have contacted you so check your email and send me your snail mail addresses a.s.a.p.!  I hope to have all of the banners mailed out by the 25th of this month.  If I do not hear from you by then, I will draw new winners.

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For those of you interested in seeing more of my banners and bunting, visit my Etsy shop and add me to your ♡ list!

Heart to Heart Swap: Valentine Goodies!

One of my New Year's resolutions was to participate in a crafty swap... nothing ~teacher related~, but something sweet, creative and fun to help keep me busy while Dear Husband is deployed.

Sarah over at Makin' Projiks hosted her fourth annual Heart to Heart Swap, giving me the opportunity to place a check mark next to that particular resolution.  My offering?  Bitty banners of course!



I received my box of valentines yesterday morning, and loved decorating my twiggy branches with them (the vintage-y valentine cards interspersed on the branches are the same designs featured on cards *I* gave out as an elementary student years ago!):



Sarah's valentine was the beaded forget-me-not flower posie with beaded bee!  Cute!

Here are some more photos of lovey-dovey-ness found around the house:









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The kids and I also had the opportunity to have our portrait done as a valentine gift for Dear Husband.  Our photographer Peter was funny, helpful, and oh-so-patient with us as he worked to take the perfect picture:

Happy Valentine's Day to all of our friends and family, especially those unable to spend this cuddly day together while their loved ones serve our great nation.

*****

My One World One Heart winners will be announced tomorrow, and another checkmark will go next to another resolution!

Help for Haiti

Valentine Cards for My Super Stars

Between doing loads of laundry, ironing clothes for the week, cleaning house and watching Mother Nature change her mind between rain and snow repeatedly today (presently I'm thinking she's decided to make it snain, or row- nothing nearly as fast or urgent as *sleet*), I had fun making valentine cards for my Super Stars!

I used cardboard colored cardstock (pre-cut to postcard size), two sheets of scrapbooking paper printed with valentine illustrations and sentiments, pinking shears, scrap paper hole-punched into heart shapes, hot glue, and white buttons:

Easy, peasy, 1, 2, 3sy!

I'll sign each card and tape a valentine pencil to the back before delivering to my Stars' valentine mailboxes this week!

(Teacher Tip: Kindergarten students love deckle scissors and hole punches too- they're perfect for making valentine cards or other craftsy items!)

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~ Heart shaped cookies, pastries, mini cakes, candies, panini sandwiches and even potato chip how-to's can be found at Celebrate Creativity in All Its Forms...

~ Little Birdie Secrets shares a crochet heart pattern...

~ Room Mothers (or Fathers!) will love Make and Takes' chocolate dipped and decorated heart treats for upcoming valentine parties...

~ The Crafts Dept. at Martha Stewart offers valentine wrapping ideas for candy-giving...

~ ... and The Long Thread shares a valentine treat idea adapting a crayon-making-tutorial originally shared at Make and Takes...

*****

Valentine, I ♡ you!