Feeling Pretty Crafty

Remember our trip to Sonoma, CA?  While we were there, we stumbled upon a really beautiful beach with stones instead of sand.

I thought the stones were gorgeous so I made Robbie empty out his VitaminWater bottle and fill it up with some of them.  I knew I wanted to make something with them.  Folks, I am NOT crafty.  I had no idea how I was going to do this, but I knew I had to.  So, we toted the bottle filled with rocks through airport security (getting some funny glances and questions from the guards) and brought them back across the country.

When we got back, I decided I would make a picture frame.  We had a picture of us standing on the beach where we got the stones that I like a lot.  I had no idea how to start so I started scouring the internet.  It was really no help, but I didn't let that stop me.  When I finally got around to pouring the stones out of the bottle, I saw that instead of the beautiful, shiny stones that we had on the beach, we now had chalky, dull stones.  So, I scoured the internet again.  This time I learned that if I put some varnish on them, they would become shiny again.  I was happy because I at least had a place to start.

So, I headed out to Michael's and couldn't find an 8x10 unfinished picture frame which was very frustrating, but I think you'll agree soon that it was a blessing.  Instead, I found a large, flat wooden frame with a dark stain.  I decided to try it.  I found some glue for mosaic tile that dries clear and some black, sandy grout that I thought might work.

First Robbie sanded the frame a bit so it would hold the adhesive better (see, I have learned something from all that HGTV watching!).  Then, I got to work, despite not really knowing what the heck I was doing.  I glued and glued and glued.  It took me much longer to glue all the rocks on than I anticipated.  I could only do about 4 inches at a time because the glue was pretty thick stuff and it was hard to get it out of the bottle and my hands got really tired!  But I finally finished it!  After I was done, I decided that it would be better if I didn't grout it.  Since it's on the dark frame, I think that the darkness of the frame coming through the rocks looks nice.  (Plus there's an inner border of the frame that  I wasn't really sure how to cover with rocks, plus I don't really know how to grout, so the grout-less frame just kept looking better and better!)

Here is my finished product:

I'm pretty proud of it.

(Many thanks to Robbie for his help and to our babysitter/photographer, Abbie, who edited the photo for me to make it look even better in the frame!)

If she begins walking like a drunk, then call me back.

So the story ends like this . . . . Campbell's doctor telling me, "If she begins walking like a drunk, then call me back."  The funny thing is, Campbell isn't the most steady on her feet.  So how do I tell that she's walking like a drunk because she often . . .  walks like a drunk.  When I told her teacher this, "the doctor wants to know if she's walking like a drunk," she laughed.

REWIND <<<<<<

I (Robbie) picked up the girls today around mid-morning from school so I could take them to the doctor's office for their flu shots (nasal mist for Campbell).  I picked up Maggie then went to Campbell's school to get her.  Their class was outside on the playground.  They were all on the swinging bridge jumping up and down.  When Campbell spotted me, she stepped up on the bottom rail to climb over.  Her teacher told her that she needed to climb down and walk around.  Well, she slipped.  At the time, I thought she fell on her back on the metal railing.  I knelt down to help her up because I knew falling on her back would hurt.  Well, she laid there, arched across the bottom rail, not really moving.  Her mouth was open and she was stunned.  My thought was that she had the wind knocked out of her . . .  this lasted about 3 seconds or so.  I'm beginning to worry . . . her back must be really hurt and she can't catch her breath.  I carefully put my arm around her back to help her up and within a second, she went limp in my arm and eyes rolled and her eyes shut.  She rolled out of my arms onto the ground, still not moving.  This isn't good . . .  she's broken her back and moving her some how caused her to go unconscious.  Well, she laid there on the ground for what seemed like forever, but in reality wasn't more than 3 - 5 seconds.  She opened her eyes and sat up and began talking.  I'm still thinking, her back.  I look at her back and nothing seems to be broken or sticking out.  I ask her, are you okay and she said yes.  I pick her up and we walk off the playground.  Still not sure what's going on and perplexed about why she went limp and maybe unconscious. As we were walking, I'm asking her, are you okay . . . what hurts . . . where are we going.  Yes, my head, to the doctor . . . yeah, she's answering questions.  Wait . . . her head hurts?  Where Campbell?  she points to the back of her skull.  Then it clicked . . . she didn't land on her back, she fell and her her head on the bottom metal cross bar and she knocked herself out!!!!!!  

I'm happy that we're heading to the doctor's office for flu shots.  I'm also happy that she's acting normal.  Then I started thinking about my brain injury specialist course that I took and of Natasha Richardson (who died from hitting her head by falling on the bunny slope).   After calling my sister-in-law, Julie, (a doctor) and my mother-in-law (a nurse), I decided that while at the doctor for the flu shots, I'll talk with her doctor.

The above picture is of the girls in the waiting room . . .  so cute.  Anyway, we saw the doctor and he did a thorough inspection and even consulted with another doctor.  He said that she appears to be okay and that we should watch her closely over the next 24 hours.  If we notice fluid or blood in her ears or nose, or if she seems confused, or if she seems overly sleepy, or if she walks like she's drunk, then we need to give him a call back.  He also wants us to wake her up two times tonight and get her to answer simple questions.

As I write this, she appears that she's okay.  She had a good afternoon, no fluid, doesn't seem confused, not sleepy, but walks like she's drunk (this is normal).  I even just woke her up to ask her what is her teacher's name.  She passed!

Wow, what a scary emotional day.  I think being a parent is one of the most stressful and scary jobs.  As I think about today's events I get sad thinking about her laying there and thinking that something was wrong with my Princess Campbell.  I'm feeling blessed that the outcome seems to be positive.   If you don't mind, can you please do me a favor and say a quick prayer for my girls . . . not only for their good health and safety, but for the sanity of their father.

A pretty great weekend!

We had a great weekend this weekend.  It was full of great weather, fun, and family activities!

Yesterday we met our friends, Adrienne and Rob, and their daughter, Emily, at Cherry Place Farm.  They basically have the best "Pumpkin Patch" in our area.  They have a corn maze, a little corn maze for kids, animals to pet and feed, pumpkin painting, a hay ride, and other fun farm activities (not to mention, free popcorn!).  We go every year and love it.  This year was no different!

Then this afternoon we decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and headed on a bike ride and snack picnic on a lake at the nearby golf course. Maggie was so cute propping her feet up on the back of Robbie's seat as she rode...she has the life!  Campbell is getting to be such a great bike rider.  It is hilarious to watch her go downhill though...it goes: pedal, pedal, BRAKE!  Her poor back tire is losing all of it's tread.  I guess we may not be able to pass it down to Maggie after all...  

We had a lovely time and I look forward to many more bike rides and picnics! 

5 on Friday

Here are 5 of the reasons I'm loving my girls this week:
1.  Campbell must be a fairy in training...otherwise, why wear the helmet AND the fairy wings?

 

2. Maggie is such a tease.  She will refuse to give us kisses because she knows we'll tickle  her and play with her but when we tell her to blow a kiss to her teacher at school, she'll lean in to give her a real kiss.  Stinker.

3.  You can tell we have a 3 year old in the 21st century: She was watching Dora video streaming on Netflix and it froze.  Her response?  "Uh oh daddy, it's scratched" (like a DVD). So stinking cute ....

4.  Maggie won't be left behind this century, she's already becoming quite adept at our iPad and iPhones...

5.  Robbie got to go with Campbell's class on their walking trip to a Pumpkin Patch.   It was a chilly morning and I wish I had dressed her more warmly...but she survived.  His favorite part was watching the University parking enforcement guy and local cop try to coordinate their cars to stop traffic...apparently it was quite a sight to see.  Meanwhile Campbell and her BFF, Eleanor, had a great time.

Our Little Monkeys

Maggie climbed up on the dress up box and wanted Campbell to get on with her.  I just loved these pictures and couldn't pick a favorite!

Serious

Happy

Playful

Hilarious

Still funny

Who are these big girls?  I know they're not my babies!

Maggie says "Check out this belly!"

"We are too cute and we know it."

"Let's dance!"

6 on Saturday

Here are 6 reasons I'm loving my girls this week:

1.  Earlier this week Campbell had a fever (no other symptoms).  One night she had a really tough time sleeping and was saying the funniest things!
  -When I went to tuck her in once again around midnight, she told me with a great deal of intensity: "I have 2 "L"s in my name and you have 7!"  Ummm....ok.
  -Around 5 am she ended up in bed with us.  It's darker in our room than her's.  I saw her lift up her hands towards her face and then she said very frantically: "I can't see my hands!  Wait, I do....and they are black!"
Do you see why I took her temperature again thinking it must be 105 and she was delirious?

2.  Maggie also had a fever (with a cough and runny nose) and she was pitiful for about a day.  Robbie took this picture of him holding her while she slept.  Isn't it sweet?  I also love that she's wearing her current accessory obsession: green Mardi Gras beads :)

3.  We are throwing a little Halloween Party and have been talking to Campbell about our plans.  Somehow she's gotten a little confused and thinks it will be her birthday party.  No matter what we say, we can't convince her that it won't be her birthday and she won't be turning 4.  Even though she knows her birthday is in February...

4.  When Campbell had that fever we couldn't send her to school.  Robbie brought her by my class to bring me lunch.  They ended up staying for a few minutes and she sat in on a lesson.  It was so cute to have her there.  Here she is using my Promethean Board with me and then sitting just like a student!

5.  Campbell and I had a special Mommy/Daughter date last weekend.  We went to see Disney Princesses on Ice.  She wore one of her princess costumes and looked adorable.  We rode the train there and ate a pretzel and popcorn while we watched the show.  I think her favorite part was the ending song when all the Princesses came out and skated.

6.  Ever since Campbell was potty trained and no longer wore diapers, we've noticed that she has a little problem.  Her pants have a hard time staying up!  Check out what we saw when we looked over at her the other evening when we were playing in our backyard.  Campbell was putting something on one of our trees...and her pants were around her ankles.  Even better was that she didn't notice until she tried to walk and she fell over!

Bonus:  I have been taking a technology class with my school district every Wednesday night for the past few months (I'm finally done, thank goodness!).  Robbie frequently sends me pictures of the girls which I love.  He sent this one of Maggie this past week and I just love it.  I won't post the other pictures he sent of her climbing the bathtub wall which feature her chubby bottom ;)