Tuesday's Top Ten

The Top Ten Things about This Tuesday

10. Buying gas in the rain with .30 cents off/ gallon. Fill 'er up baby!

9. Sewing club girls rockin' out and making their quilts.

8. Waking up a bit late but managing to pull it all together and get out of the house on time.

7. A fourth period class that made my cheeks hurt by laughing and they managed to get some work done too.

6. Cool personalized place mats as a surprise during lunch.

5. Day 1 of the school wide walking challenge is underway. Go Team D :)

4. Yummy leftovers for lunch. I made 15 bean soup in the crock pot and it was delish. I felt all thrifty using up all of the baked ham.

3. My little paparazzi taking pics- he is on a roll. Yes, birthday presents are great for shaking things up in the house.

2. Winning a Japanese pattern book. Feeling quite lucky this week. You may want to rub my belly or something ;)

1. Seeing a double rainbow after picking up N from school. He was so cute telling me that we were following the rainbow and it is trying to hide behind the clouds. I would clone him but that is generally frowned upon.

What was great about your Tuesday?

Immensely Thankful

There are so many things that I have to be grateful for- health, family and great friends. My Thanksgiving holiday was spent taking things slow and easy. I filled each moment with great times and lots of love. One highlight was enjoying my son's birthday: he made out like a bandit. Really! People were too generous. He loved opening gifts and eating cake. He loves saying he's three and trying to get his little fingers to make 3. Still have some work to do on that one. I got to sew a bit and I am working on carving me out a little designated sewing place in my bedroom. All in all, I feel so immensely thankful for this little life of mine :)

Oh and as icing on the top I won a free quilt pattern from Lella Boutique....go me!

10 for Tuesday in Pics (mostly)

 My son's lunch box. I made him the guilty Momma breakfast of grilled cheese, spiral sliced apples and chocolate chips. Trying to make up for not forcing him to get more sleep.

2. My messy desk- grade, email, Pinterest, repeat :)

 3. My work buddies who keep me sane.

 4. My quilt that my buddy helped me photograph...worked on a few glitches.

 5. These boots almost made ut the whole day but alas 7am- 8pm is too long for most shoes.

 6. A lovely Thank you from one of my students: milk chocolate goodness.

 7. Oh my love affair with Gatsby is nearly over but the narration is pretty good.

 8. My date with Carol's Daughter washes away the tired quite effectively!

9. Someone is starting the Thanksgiving yumminess and it is not me :)

10. This little boy jammin' on his new "Woofer".....awesome!!!

What I am looking forward to this week

I am so looking forward to this week. I only have to work two days- yay! Granted they are super long days, but only two days! I get to spend some time in the kitchen making some yummy food for the people who I love. Bring on the holidays :)  My sweet little boy is turning 3. YIKES, someone send the cosmos my way. Yep, skip the wine that will not cut it :( Where did the three years go? I can't believe it. He is turning into such a big boy and we will get to celebrate that this week. I get to spend more time with my hubby- he has a relaxed schedule this week too. Family, food and good times...I will take it!!!

What are you looking forward to this week? I want to smile for you too!

Admitting/Accepting Defeat

My participation in NaNoWriMo is a failure. I can't seem to meet the deadline. I am chugging along and I have certainly written more than in previous months but I simply can't dedicate the time to churning out enough words. This month has flown by with many birthdays, a wedding to attend and Thanksgiving maybe November was not the time to be writer me. Oh well. I am fine with writing at a snails pace and hopefully I will be up to the challenge at another point. I sat down to write today and quickly realized that 1) I would rather be sewing my quilt 2) I have my son's birthday plans to finalize 3) my son is ramming his car/firetruck/ insert anything on wheels into my leg (guess he wants me) and 4) I suck at deadlines. So, don't think less of me if I throw in the towel. Please and thank you.

I feel rather liberated. What have you given up to maintain some sanity?

Ten for Tuesday Miami Edition

It is late and I am settling in from my trip so I will add pics later. Ok, this post will be all about my love for my hometown Miami.

1. November and wearing flip flops...insane but AWESOME~
2. Listening to a steel drum band- the caribbean sound really gets your hips moving.
3. Blue skies, like postcard perfect blue.
4. Black beans and rice, flank steak...yummy.
5. All of the greenery- I know I am supposed to be embracing the changes that fall brings but now I see why I can't get into fall, green grass is GORGEOUS. Especially the smell of fresh cut grass.
6.Palm trees every place imaginable.
7. My folks enjoying my son.
8. Outdoor shopping.
9. Eating lunch with the water and boats as the background.
10. 80 degree temps in November!!!

Miami is my place. There are just so many things about my hometown that make me smile. What makes you smile about your hometown ?

Rave, rave, rave!

For my mother's birthday, I got her just what she wanted...FABRIC!!! She has just finished her first quilt, she is working on her second and she is planning more quilts so fabric is something that she will put to good use. And now for the rave part. Buying fabric on line can be a dicey process, you hope the fabric is good quality, looks like the picture and the seller is great. Well did I hit the jackpot (hee hee) with Julie and her business The Intrepid Thread. I first found out about her by reading her blog and entering a few contests. Let me tell you the process was easy peasy: coupon code, quick shipping and AWESOME fabric. Really I know where I will turn for my future fabric needs. No Julie does not know about this post and I am not benefitting in any way. I just know there are others like me who are hesitant to push purchase when buying fabric on line so I thought I would share.

Isn't that fabric gorgeous? Can't wait to see my Momma's finished quilt :)

WIP Wednesday

this suitcase

stares at me

empty

mocking the deadline

that has come and

gone

hope a fairy

comes and fills it with

all the goodies

we need for our trip

certainly she

won't forget the flip-flops

or will I?

10 for Tuesday

1. Super happy to be heading home in 2 days! Yay! I am definitely rockin' the flip flops as often as possible.
2. Super duper happy to be celebrating the marriage of my wonderful friend. To share so many young aspirations and to see her become someone's wife is truly a blessing.
3. Went to Target today spent less than 30 mins and less than 45 bucks, that has got to be some kind of record. Go me!!
4. My brain is fried and I have to save my energy for Nanowrimo ( my November novel writing) so 5-10 are all you guys.

So go....What observations do you have for me today?

FYI: Pinterest

Or

Either way, I should have been writing :)

WIP Wednesday

I am working on my sister's Christmas present. It is a strip quilt. These colors really spoke to me- all I still need to do is bind it. I picked out a nice hot pink fabric and of course your well wishes for my binding efforts are greatly appreciated :)

10 for Tuesday

1. Started my novel for the National Novel Writing Month and well if I put it in here it must be so :) One month 1627 ish words per day= a 50,000 word novel. No worries about revision yet.
2. I am going home next week. I am getting so excited...sunny Florida here I come!
3. Great day in sewing club. The girls are really getting into their sewing and maybe a quilt is not far off.
4. I love pop culture. It makes me happy.
5. Can you believe today is 11/1/11. Looks so crazy, huh? 11-11-11 is pretty freaky too.
6. My son's Halloween Candy has no chocolate. What is up with that? No temptations for me!
7.I have 3 vases of flowers. I feel pretty special.
8. Tomorrow is a good day at work and although I always overestimate what I can get done during my long hour of planning, I am still happy for the time.
9. Cute meals. I love making cute little dishes for my son. He loves eating them too.
10. National Novel Writing Month, YIKES!!