Live update

somethin from nuthin

It's official, I am addicted to crocheting. Bum wrist and all. good left wristbum right wrist, what is that bump? it hurts.

It started simple enough with a baby blanket, which led to another baby blanket, and then some pot holders that deemed too difficult (I think that was a knitting pattern) which led to some cute flowers that I intended to make a scarf with, but didn't

which led to a failed washcloth attempt and finally, to plarning scrubbies.
I think we have already pounded the fact that I am cheap into the ground, but for the sake of forgetful people let me just come out and say it. I AM CHEAP.
So, when I started this handiwork stuff it was with yarn I bought in Vermillion when I was subbing for a friend for 25 cents a skein at Pamida. When that was all gone I dug through bags of junk to find tiny balls of leftover yarn I had accumulated. Then, a few thrift store purchases of full skeins and finally plastic bags, the ultimate supreme yarn supply. Who doesn't have plastic bags lying around?

Working with real yarn is more glamorous and softer and doesn't bleed ink on your fingers,
but using up stuff you have that would just clutter your house, garage and someday a landfill makes sense to me. I am no queen of green but I strive to be a good steward of God's creation.

Move over scotch brite. I am making plarn scrubbies. I still have some work to do on this pattern. There is not supposed to be such a large hole in the center, but I needed to see what I was doing so I doubled the chain. Plarn is double thick so it's harder to see your pattern.

Hi, my name is Rani and I am addicted to plarn. That is, plastic bag yarn.

So, as I leave on a week long trip to see my aunties, cousins and great aunt in Texas. I pray for sunshine and for composure that I don't ransack my family's plastic bag storage while I am visiting...I didn't know colored bags were so hard to come by.

Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! Psalm 66:20

Spontaneous camping, aka the end of baseball season

Lewis and Clark campground was beautiful this weekend. We squeezed into a spot with Ryan's sister and enjoyed a weekend full of swimming, tubing, sand and sun. The food was a plenty, the sleep was a few. Gavin had a couple of bike incidents that left him with plenty of scrapes and a fat "Bubba" lip. No ER visits, though, knock on wood:) It's August and everyone is talking back to school. Except me, I am trying to get the parade all organized for the SpudFest this year. School will be here in no time.

Staycation and a ballgame

Building sandcastles.

Cheese.

I have no idea why everyone is screaming in this shot.

Addi throws the sand while Nora eats it.

mmmmm...campfire food is the best, garden goodies in a foil packet

Cheese.

The real reason they are smiling is because dad just told them they are swimming in cow poop.

We spent a couple of days and nights at Lake Vermillion which is just a hop skip and and a jump from our house. It was a nice tiny getaway. Good times:) The baby girls and I whimped out on night #2 and came home for our own familiar beds.
My favorite shot of the day.

Daddy.

Big brother love.

Big sister love.

What are you looking at?

Watching the warm up.
The Muckdogs lost their first game in the district tourney last night. Regardless of the game, it was a perfect night. Not too hot, no sun in our eyes. We are scheduled to play the late game on Tuesday night.

Hey, it's much better than a tent and an air mattress...

1. For 8 days, August 8, 2008 through August 15, 2008 (the Promotion Period), 800 room nights per night will be offered at a rate of $8.88 US/CAD at participating Super 8 hotels in the U.S. and Canada.

2. The promotional rate will only be offered on the Super 8 website (www.Super 8.com) from 8:00 PM EDT until 11:59 PM EDT (the Daily Offer Period) each day of the Promotion Period. Once the 800th room night is booked or the Daily Offer Period ends, whichever comes first, no more room nights will be offered at the promotional rate for that day. Only a total of 6,400 room nights will be made available during the Promotion Period.

3. To enter the promotion, participants must go to the Super 8 website (www.super8.com) and click on the promotion banner or copy which will link them to the promotion landing page. Once on the landing page, participants will be placed in a queue, and will be offered an opportunity to book a room at the promotional rate on a first come, first serve basis. If selected, the participant will be offered an opportunity to choose a Super 8 hotel using the Super 8 search engine and then to book a room night at that hotel. Exiting the queue to the Super 8 search engine or booking page does not guarantee the participant that he/she will receive the promotional rate. Only if he/she is one of the first 800 participants to actually book a room night during the Daily Offer Period will he/she receive the promotional rate. A participant will be deemed to have booked a room, if he/she completes all fields on the booking page, provides a valid credit card to pay for the room night, clicks the box to accept the terms and conditions, and clicks the Submit Reservation button, and the reservation is accepted by Super 8 Worldwide, Inc. issuing the participant a confirmation number.

4. The promotional rate is only valid for one room night, per person, per website address for hotel stays through December 30, 2008.

5. A valid credit card must be given to prepay for the reservation. Once booked, reservations cannot be canceled, changed, or transferred to another person. No refunds will be issued.

6. The sponsor is Super 8 Worldwide, Inc., 1 Sylvan Way, Parsippany, New Jersey, whose decision on all matters related to the promotion will be final.

7. The promotion is governed by New Jersey law. By entering the promotion, each participant agrees that all disputes, claims or causes of action arising out of or in connection with the promotion shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the state or federal courts located in Morris and Essex Counties, New Jersey, respectively.

8. Super 8 Worldwide, Inc. shall not be liable for any technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to, the malfunctioning of any computer, server, cable, or network; the unavailability or inaccessibility of any transmissions or any telephone or internet service; or any damage to any participant?s computer hardware or software as a result of participating in the promotion.

WW

This is MY kind of fishing! (She is chomping on yummy goldfish crackers:))

Happy Father's Day Weekend!

We knew we were in for a treat on our weekend camping trip when dh's father called and said, " when I was your age I should have fished more and played less baseball".

On Thursday the packing frenzy began and by noon we were on the road to a little campground five hours North. The weather was in the 70's when we left and when we arrived it was 20 degrees cooler and raining. We didn't pack the right clothes.

Daddy set up the campsite and before we knew it the sky was dark and it was sleepy time. The baby slept so well in the camper. It was a blessing. We had borrowed an electric heater, thank goodness, to keep us warm at night. We really needed it.

Grandma and Grandpa took us to the "point" and we fished from shore every day. Friday night the clouds got dark and a mini storm took us completely by surprise. I was holding the baby in one arm and a lawn chair in the other, another chair was between my legs so it would not blow away. The strength of the wind was pretty amazing. I am not a small woman and I thought I might go with it.

The landscape was picturesque. I could only imagine the Lord's hand forming the small rolling hills and shaping the earth for the big Missouri river. It was breathtaking. It made me want to paint. Hardly any trees and just miles and miles of grassy hills along the river and highways.

The kids both learned to cast and catch fish. They caught something everyday. There were bass and walleye to keep and red carp and silver slip jack to throw back. #1 caught the biggest out of our bunch. She proudly posed with her 21 inch walleye. Dad even measured for all you fish story tellers...check out his facial expression:) I think he was a bit surprised she could reel a big fish in all by herself.Oh, we did other things than fish, I think... I just didn't take any picture of those things. Except the 'camper slide' and #3 with her new favorite toy (it's a bobber for all you non-fishing types).

Sunday was an early morning as we packed up to leave. Dad had a father's day ballgame to get home for. He pitched and the boys gained another win. Check out the Muckdog website for stats.

We celebrated 10 years of married life in Hawaii.

I love this man.