What I did on Thursday...Swing Out...part 3

Where I live, we have a special thing that our graduating seniors do every year. I don't know how far back it goes, but I did it, Spartan did it too...over 25 years ago! It is a graduation parade and we call it Swing Out. We have two High Schools here, so both marching bands play and the graduating seniors walk in their cap an gown holding a rope down the main street of town. Next to Commencement, it is one of the biggest things the seniors do. Runner walked in it. How silly of me, getting teary eyed writing about it! It is like a rite of passage though. This year it was insane how many balloons the kids were carrying. Bad me, I didn't even know I should get one (or twenty) for runner. Anyways here are some pictures:

Runner all decked out and grown up!

With his best friend

Runner and Baby Girl out to eat afterwards

Gamer trying to look maniacle!

Boy Genius hamming it up

It has taken me forever to get these loaded up, but if you are bored and want to have a look-see, here are a couple of videos. The first one is our school's marching band that Boy Genius is still a part of. The second is the craziness of the seniors walking down the street. Have a great evening all...I'm off to bed as I'm still not recovered from the day!! (oh, on a side note, yes that is my annoying voice in the videos...I can't seem to keep my mouth shut!!)

What I did on Thursday...The Flowers...part 2

While at the Detroit Zoo I had to take some picture of the beautiful flowers they had there. Some I know what they are, some I don't, but they were all very pretty!

We also went to the butterfly house, but none of my pictures turned out from there. I have to say that I think I enjoyed looking at the flowers more than the animals.

What I did on Thursday...The Animals...part 1

Thursday was a VERY busy day for me. Baby Girl and I had to get up extra early to be at the school by 8:15. We went on a field trip to the Detroit Zoo. I was responsible for two other little people. It was humid. It rained. We still had fun! The zoo doesn't seem to have as many animals as they used to and alot of the ones they did have were being camera shy. I did manage to get a few shots though.

They no longer have elephants there, but there was a statue that we could take pictures by.

White Rhino

Siberian Tiger

Seal in the Arctic Exhibit

Doesn't this guy look like a teddy bear? Of course, he'd take your head off, but he still looks cuddly!

A gorgeous peacock that was friendly.

Zebra

Three exhausted little animals chilling in the Butterfly house!

Our Memorial Day Parade...

This is part of how I spent last Monday: The Lapeer East High School Marching Band played at our little parade.

This is Boy Genius playing the Saxophone...He has three more years of this.
Here's Runner playing the clarinet in his last High School parade as he is graduating this year.
My second baby to be released out into the world. Boy does time fly.
Here's my Baby Girl listening to the speaches about our vetrans.
Isn't this just the sweetest face ever! I want to keep her like this forever!
Spartan is a vetran. My Dad's father was lost during WWII. So many good men and women from all over the world have been lost to us. I think it is so important to rember them all, no matter where they come from.

Much Ado About Nothing...

I haven't been posting much lately because, well, frankly, I haven't been completing anything.

Last weekend Spartan received his Masters Diploma from Lawrence Technological Institute. He is now officially a Structural Engineer.

Runner and Boy Genius had the last concert of the year. As soon as I get my video camera uploaded, I will show you some of the pieces the Symphony band played. These kids are absolutely amazing! One song in particular called "Traffic" was cool beyond belief! That should be up in the next day or two.

Here are pictures of what is on my hoop/sewing table/craft tables:

This is one of the blocks from Jenny over at ELEFANTZ. If you want to get the first three blocks then you better hurry! They will be coming down soon!

This is a purse that I have cut out, but haven't yet sewn together. I don't know why...

This is a table runner I am doing along with Cindy from Quilt Campus . It is English paper piecing, therefore completely hand sewn. I think I like making the hex's more than I like sewing them all together. I just love to see the rainbow of colors stacked all neatly together.

This is a baby quilt that I am making for Baby Girl's teacher who just had a baby girl (...gee...I bet you couldn't tell...being pink and all...) I had to find more material for the border. I'll post a better picture when I get it done.

Have you seen the new issue of Haute Handbags? Normally I wouldn't spend $15 on a magazine, but there are some really cute bags in here! One in particular I am pretty excited about (or as excited as I get lately) making. I just have to find the right pair of Baby Girl's old jeans to use. (Being a pack rat comes in handy sometimes!)

This is the front of the purse.


This is the back of the purse.

These are some of the goodies I am tentatively planning on using for this project.

close up.

Sorry for the crappy pictures...a photographer I'm not.

So...what's on you work table?

Friends...

Friends are funny things. They come and go throughout your life.

The friends we have as children are so important to us. They are our whole life! In elementary school if your friend decides to play with someone else on the playground...it's the end of your short life as you know it. It's completely devastating! At least until someone else comes along and asks you to play.

In highschool, you have your "buds." The people you "hang" with. Do sports/music/absolutely nothing with. The ones you know you can gossip with, but they won't gossip about you...at least until they are with their other friends.

Then you get married/attatched to someone and you have your "couple friends. You have barbeques, play cards and party with them.

When you have kids, your friends are other Mom's and Dad's. Often they are the parents of friends of your children. Again you do barbequing, play cards and do child related activities like sports, dance or band.

If you are lucky, you find yourself in a friendship with someone who you are drawn to "just because." Your are friends not because you knew each other in school, because of your children or your spouse. You are friends just because you "get each other." You may not have had similar experiences. You may have lived very different lives. You may not even be close in age...but it doesn't matter.

My best friends name is Betsy. She is 13 years younger than me. She couldn't be more different than me, yet she is oddly just like me. She gets me. She understands my akwardness in public situations. She gets my akwardness in private situations. She just gets me...doesn't judge me...knows me...and still likes me!

Why am I waxing on about my...dare I say it...yes I will...BFF. Betsy is getting married in October. She contacted me and asked if I wanted to see her dress. I jumped at it! So, I met her at the bridal shop. She is simply lovely in her dress. She will make a most beautiful bride. Her dress has simple lines and just the right amount of beadwork to enhance, but not overpower the elegance of her dress. After the fitting, we went out for a couple of drinks and lunch. We chatted for hours! We only called an end to it when other obligations intruded. It was wonderful. We all need a friend we can chat with, talk to and listen to.

It's so nice, that after such a long dry spell (years), I finally have someone to spend time with other than just my family. I have actually been very blessed in the last year. I have three wonderful women I call my friends. Betsy, a lovely lady I met at my Daughter's dance and my Husband's nephew's wife. Blessings!

Now Go Make More Friends!

p.s. Here a few really cute wedding related crafts to check out:

Clothespin Cake Topper
Paper Flowers - I love this for lots of differen uses!
Do it Yourself Bridal Veil

Mom, No Lookie...

I finally finished my Mother's Day present!

You would have thought I was a little kid (well, maybe not when you consider the language I was using). Heavy sighs, mild explatives, throwing of material, broken machine needles...stronger explatives (good thing Baby Girl was in bed :O )

At any rate, I am pleased with the final outcome. Now I wish I had written down how I did the (frustrating) tea cozy. I definately want to make one for myself that will match my tea pot! Trust me, this one will go with my Mom's!

On to the wonderfully professional pictures I always take ;P

Tea pot cozy, coasters and napkins

On another note Jenny over at Elefantz is offering a romatic, lovely BOM called Shabby Roses. That is my next project (to add to the other umpteen dozen projects). I already have my material picked out! Can't wait to get started! You can just click on the picture in my sidebar to check it out!