WARNING - - - BRAGGING AHEAD!!!
Well, today is Hunter Bean's last day of school. If we keep our fingers crossed, she'll get a good report card and move on to the 6th grade next fall. Actually, I want to share something that happened this morning and caught me totally off guard. I was sitting in my recliner, enjoying my second cup of coffee, and my cell phone rang. I looked at the number and recognized it as Hunter's school. My first thought was that Hunter had forgotten something and wanted me to deliver it to her. My second thought was that Hunter wanted me to get pizza and bring it to her and her friends to celebrate their last day of school. Hmmm, should I answer or ignore? (just kidding) So, I answered and was surprised that it was not Hunter, but it was Mrs. Balderama, the assistant principal.
Being a PTA volunteer, I'm used to getting calls from other PTA parents to discuss one activity or another. But, I can't recall ever getting a call from one of the principals in Hunter's 5 years at the school. If you've had kids in school, I'm sure you remember that uneasy, nauseating feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach when you feel like you're about to hear bad news. Well, I guess Mrs. Balderama could sense my alarm, and she immediately told me that her reason for calling was not bad, but in fact, it was just the opposite.
She had been visiting with some of the teachers at their end-of-school luncheon and had heard Hunter's name come up numerous times, from different teachers. Her homeroom teacher this year, Mrs. Ross, could say absolutely nothing bad about Hunter. She said Hunter was such a good student, she was intelligent and excited about learning, she was always willing to help when asked, she never needed to be disciplined, and she was excellent with all the other kids. Mrs. Balderama then went on to say that the main reason she was calling was to "thank Hunter's dad and me for our hard work and for sharing Hunter with everyone at Wayland Bonds Elementary."
Yes, as you can imagine, I was sitting there in my recliner with my mouth open, wondering what to say next. I thanked her for the call and told her how much I appreciated hearing all those kind things about my 11-year-old. I do realize that I wasn't the only parent called, but it did impress me that one of the principals would take the time to thank ME for sharing my daughter. I hung up and just sat . . . with my eyes a little misty, and reflected on that call. Although my husband and I have noticed an occasional "pre-teen attitude", overall we couldn't be more proud of Hunter and everything she's accomplished. She is a beautiful blessing to us, and she brings us more joy than she could ever imagine!
11th BIRTHDAY
HUNTER AND AUNT TAMMY
Sorry about the quality, but it was really dark inside the restaurant.
This past weekend, Hunter and I stayed at my sister's house to dog-sit. I've decided that between Tammy's dogs and my daughter, Ryanne's, dogs, who needs grandchildren? :) But, while dog-sitting, I got to crochet a little bit and made a couple of fun things.
Supposed to be a crown. I checked gauge and
everything, and I'll be lucky if it fits a newborn!
This pattern came from the same book. It was supposed to be a beanie. I made the largest size available and even went up on my hook size, but it was still squishy on Hunter's head. So, I turned it into a pillow.
My husband, JC, has been putting a lot of work into the field behind our house. Recently, he took the mower back there and made three, long and winding trails. I'm not sure of the total distance of the trails, but each one is three-mower-widths. This is a push mower, by the way, not a riding mower. Anyway, on one of his excursions to his little oasis, he discovered a huge patch of blackberry bushes. I've never made jam or jelly, but I think I'll be learning pretty soon! :)
JC AND HIS BLACKBERRIES
And, finally . . .
Remember Disney and her puppies?
Ryanne kept one of the puppies, and he
is the cutest thing ever!
NEWMAN AND MAMA DISNEY
Well, that's enough random stuff for today. Hope you all are having a super-duper day. See ya soon!!
Hi Keri! Oh my gosh, I'm so proud of the Bean!!! I know she hardly knows me from Adam, but tell her I said so!! As for the blackberries, that's like striking gold, in MY eyes! Good luck and have fun making jellies!.. LOVE that burger you crocheted!!!.. and nice to meet you Newman! What cuties BOTH he and Mama are! ~tina
ReplyDeleteI have to laugh at your initial reaction to aa call from the "principal's office." To the day I retired, I always flinched a little when I would hear, "Would Miss Gaumer [later Mrs. Tooke] call the office/report to the office."
ReplyDeleteI always found it fun to tell parents how much I enjoyed their children . . . they always seemed shocked . . and always told tales of "adolescent" behaviors that they were showing at home. Secretly, I know they were happy that the behaviors were at home . . and even more glad to hear that they were behaving in public . . just like they had been taught at home.
Congrats to you, JC and Hunter for making it through another school year.
:o} paula
Such a fun entry, Keri! You made me all misty-eyed with your Hunter story. What a good girl she is. I know you are proud of her. Sniff-sniff.
ReplyDeleteYour crocheted hamburger is crackin' me up. Looks like you did a great job on it though. You are getting really good, aren't you? Of course, I knew that already when I saw the scarf you made me. I still love it.
Make sure you wear long sleeves and thick globes when you pick those blackberries! They're thorny and will tear you up. But mmm...blackberry jelly would be yummy.
Keri my goodness! What wonderful compliments on the Bean and especially to her parents. Love your crochet projects, you're just so talented! The hubby and I planted thornless blackberry and raspberry bushes two years ago and this year will be the big harvest. (I Hope) Then we'll both be working with blackberries. We also have two plum trees and a strawberry patch. We've had 4 pickings on the strawberries so far.
ReplyDeleteHugs XX
Barbara
Keri, what a wonderful post, all kinds of great things, crocheting, the cute pups, blackberries, oh my ... but the call this morning. How wonderful. Bean, you are great!!! You go ahead and brag, its more then well deserved. Happy day to you.
ReplyDeleteI am on sensory overload. No posting from you for a while and then all of a sudden proud mommy and the amazing bean but hold on here comes the black berry treasure I thought this would just cause me to burst. But low and behold those precious faces of the dogs and well I am just content to say it made my day. What a post. Thanks for sharing. PS Tammy looks great also, even if she is a little blurry. HEHE
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice call you received from the school about your daughter. You must be so proud of her. She seems like such a nice young lady!
ReplyDeleteI tell you what, if someone picked some blueberries for me, I'd be making jam too, but as it is, I'm afraid to drapse around in that underbrush for fear of snakes and getting chewed up my mosquitoes and such (we have lots of them growing wild here too, but I'm too chicken to get them.)
Those hats came out nice, especially the hamburger "hat" pillow ... that is very unique!
And the dogs, what can I say? I just LOVE dogs...what a sweet pair they are!
Have a nice day,
Doris :-)
Awww....Disney and her baby are just precious! I love fur babies...can you tell? lol.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Hunter! I always had good comments from others on how well behaved my kids were and it gave me a good feeling too.
Hi Keri! I had to go searching for you. Those booby koozies are actually originally from Melinda Miller on Ravelry - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-boobie-koozie. I changed her design a little bit to suit me. I didn't like the way the back was open on hers. And my bikini tops are different from hers, although when I originally found her pattern she didn't have the bikini top on hers. No matter. I'm bad in that I forgot to go back and hunt up the original pattern and post it. I will do that right now! So no paying anyone for anything! It's a free download. I did see that you're on Ravelry didn't I? I can't remember crap anymore. I go through so many blogs that I can't keep it all straight anymore.
ReplyDeleteHow cool that you ride too! You have more years at it than I do. Though I do have a lot of miles under my butt, I haven't ridden hardly at all this year. For many reasons. But my bike is in the shed just waiting for me to hop on and go. I just need to make it so I can get Leo on the bike. That would be too cool. :o)
Have fun with the koozie's! I made a few and I love them. The boobs are the hardest part. I put buttons behind the nipples to keep them in. I couldn't figure out what else to do and the way Melinda did hers wasn't working for me.
Talk to ya soon!
Kat
Those little bee scrubbies are really easy to make if you want the pattern, I use the bird pattern and just convert it over to the bees, i.e. no tail, but add the antennae...and of course do the stripes.
ReplyDeleteI often use patterns and then customize them and change them around to fit my needs. I posted the bird pattern on my post with the bluebird and you're welcome to try (since you do such lovely work) or if you want to buy a couple from me, then I'd be more than happy to offer you a 10% discount because that's what I do for all my bloggie friends.
Also, I combine shipping.
Have a greyt day - every time I look at those Corgi dogs I want to smile. I find them so amusing, don't you?
Love,
Doris
That was alot of random stuff alright. I can't wait to see you and hunter again. hope we can do it soon. Luv u Mean it.
ReplyDeleteFAITH!!!:)