First Day of School

Today is Kyleigh's first day of third grade and as usual, I asked Janice to take her picture.  I received three pictures this morning:

The "normal" one,

The excited one with three fingers for third grade,

 And a pouty one pretending to be sad that summer's over.

Her backpack is black sharks on a blue/white background and matches her skirt fairly well.

She only has a minimum day today, so I'll be picking her up early to go shopping.

Happy Birthday, Janice!

Today is my daughter, Janice's 35th birthday.  I'm pleased that we've remained close and that I'm able to spend as much time with her as  I do.   She's a fantastic mother and has a good job and a loving boyfriend.  Of course, most of the pictures I have of her include Kyleigh.

This one includes one of her coworkers, Paula (Kyleigh calls her Aunt Paula).  These pictures were taken at the company BBQ last week.

Janice took last week off to spend time with Kyleigh since SAC was closed for the week.  When she got to work this morning, she discovered this:

 It looks like someone had fun last week!

Happy Dance - Mary Mouse

 Started: 8/27/2016

Finished: 8/28/2016

Brooke's Books' Advent Animals

Yes, this is another Advent Animal.  I have one more that I'm hoping to finish this month before putting this piece aside until next month.

This whole set is being stitched on one piece of 14-count Misty Blue Aida with the called for DMC.  I had originally stitched #1-#5 on individual pieces of Light Blue 14-count Aida, but wasn't really happy with the way the white showed up; I'm much happier with the way it's showing up on this material.

Happy Dance - Pearly Pig

 Started: 8/21/2016

Finished: 8/27/2016

Brooke's Books' Advent Animals

This whole set is being stitched on one piece of 14-count Misty Blue Aida with the called for DMC.  I had originally stitched #1-#5 on individual pieces of Light Blue 14-count Aida, but wasn't really happy with the way the white showed up; I'm much happier with the way it's showing up on this material.

Safari Park

Since Kyleigh's day care was closed this week, Janice took the week off and the five of us drove down to Escondido to visit the Safari Park (San Diego Wild Animal Park).  We stayed at a Holiday Inn Express in Escondido and while there, Devin gave Janice one of her birthday presents.  It's the Lego Big Bang Theory Living Room and somehow, Grandpa and Kyleigh managed to "help" build it.

She did finish it, but I neglected to get a picture of the final product.

Tuesday, we went to the Safari Park.  David had hurt his knee earlier in the week and wasn't able to go with us though.  We saw tiger cubs playing just like big kittens.

Kyleigh got to ride the carousel and chose to ride a tiger also.

And of course, she had to mimic a tiger.

 Kyleigh and Devin each measured themselves against a full size gorilla and it looks like Kyleigh has some growing to do, Devin not so much.

Janice fed the lorikeets because Kyleigh chickened out after she'd bought the food.  Janice didn't enjoy it that much and also got pooped on.  I think she didn't expect such an enthusiastic bunch of birds.

Janice and Kyleigh (mostly Kyleigh) decided they needed a foot massage, but I'm not sure how much good it did Kyleigh since her legs weren't long enough.

Devin and Kyleigh pretended to be bats. 

And then became hanging bats.

 We took some pictures with animals.

 

 Kyleigh wore herself out pushing my wheelchair so she chilled while waiting for our lunch to be ready.

Janice took most of the pictures of the actual animals with David's camera and it hasn't been downloaded yet.  We all had a good time and will probably return in a few years.

Happy Dance - Peter Polar Bear

 Started: 8/18/2016

Finished: 8/21/2016

Brooke's Books' Advent Animals

This whole set is being stitched on one piece of 14-count Misty Blue Aida with the called for DMC.  I had originally stitched #1-#5 on individual pieces of Light Blue 14-count Aida, but wasn't really happy with the way the white showed up; I'm much happier with the way it's showing up on this material.

A Birthday Party

Kyleigh went to a birthday party at Sky Zone (a trampoline place) today and she was the only girl (other than relatives).  Janice said it didn't matter; they all played together well and she kept up with the boys.  She was the last one standing in dodge ball on her team, but some said she was hiding behind the boys.  The pictures below show that she did get her hands on the ball a few times.

 

 

Barnes and Noble Lego Build

Our local Barnes and Noble had a Lego Build event this afternoon where they put out bins of Legos and colored instruction sheets.  There were only four children in attendance (Kyleigh was the only girl), but they were all very creative and none of them used the instruction sheets. 
Kyleigh spent about an hour building a house with a roof top swimming pool and diving board. 
The inside of her house has a bed, a sink and refrigerator, a couch and a toilet (with a red flush handle).

She then added steps and a roof, a swimming pool with railings and a gate.

A closeup of the final project.  She even received a certificate as to having completed it.

Happy Dance - Hot Cocoa

Started: 8/10/2016

Finished: 8/18/2016

Cross Stitch Crazy #185

It is from the Crazy for Chocolate Motifs section and was designed by Leslie Teare.

This is stitched on 14-count white Aida with most of the called for threads.  The only exception is that I substituted 907 for the called for 3819.

This is another square for Kyleigh's quilt.  I've been trying to stitch things that I think she'd like and that remind me of her and the things she does.  I chose this one because whenever we go out to breakfast, she orders hot chocolate.

Fantasy SAL Update #1

Started: 8/14/2016

Finished: 8/17/2016

Border - Page A-1

I finally had a chance to start the Lakeside Needlework Fantasy SAL by Durene Jones and I'm really enjoying it.

I'm stitching it with the called for DMC on 25-count Lugana in Fairy Dance from Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie.  The picture doesn't really do it justice as the fabric is lighter and the DMC brighter in real life.

Pumpkin Passport Update - August

I'm now caught up with the Pumpkin Passport SAL.  Here is the August installment which took us to India and was finished last night.

And here is both Egypt and India together.

Fun at the Fair

Janice was given free admittance and ride tickets to the Orange County Fair on Friday so she, Devin and Kyleigh went that night.  They weren't terribly excited about the food, but had fun anyway.  Kyleigh went with SAC (School Age Care) earlier this month, but was unhappy because they couldn't go on any of the rides.

Kyleigh and Devin went on the Twister, the Cyclone and the Tilt-a-Whirl.  This is the Cyclone.

They also posed for a picture as blue ribbons.

Kyleigh also got to ride a pedal tractor

 and milk a fake cow.

Pumpkin Passport Update

I finished the July installment of the Pumpkin Passport from The Frosted Pumpkin last night.  This time we went to Egypt.

There are a couple of changes, one intentional and one unintentional.  I accidentally left off the 224 in her cheeks, but I actually like it better this way.  I did intentionally leave the face off the sun, because I thought it didn't belong in this type of stitch.

Happy Dance - Santa Claus Sweater

Started: 8/4/2016

Finished: 8/7/2016

Cross Stitch Crazy Magazine (Issue Unknown)

This is stitched on a scrap of light blue 14-count Aida with DMC threads.  

It was stitched for the Christmas Ornie SAL where the August theme is Christmas clothing.

It will be sent to WOCS for their Holiday Card project next month.

Kid's Church Service Project - Week 1

It's a summer of serving at Kid's Church this summer. Today the kids colored rice which they will make into rainbow eye spy bottle games. In two weeks the children will fill water bottles with the colored rice and add small items like erasers, paper clips, beads, etc. The bottles will be donated to a hospital who will distribute them to sick children. Bed ridden children turn the bottles looking for a list of objects they can find in the bottle among the rice. (Explanation and pictures from the St. Paul's Facebook Page)

Here, they filled bags with rice and then poured in colored liquid and manipulated the bags to color the rice.

 Here are the piles of drying colored rice.

Happy Dance - Postcards (August)

Postcards from the World - August (Sydney)

Started: 8/1/2016

Finished: 8/5/2016

Clouds Factory SAL

This is being stitched on Crystal Haven 16-count Aida with mostly DMC floss, although there are three Weeks colors as well--Cactus, Marigold and Aqua.

I'm now caught up with this SAL and I have the Pumpkin Passport on the Q-Snaps.

Catch up Post - July (#2)

Janice's ex-husband's mom got married this month and Kyleigh was the flower girl.  Janice wasn't invited so I don't have pictures of the wedding, but here's Kyleigh after her dad dropped her off at my house.  I took the pictures so that Janice could see her outfit and hair.  She was wearing shoes, but they gave her blisters so they disappeared as soon as she walked into the house.

 

This was after I took the braids out before she went to bed (she spent the night with us).

Chick-fil-A had a circus night for kids and Kyleigh and Janice attended.  There was one clown who told stories,

 and balanced a pole on his hand.

 Kyleigh got in the act by balancing the pole on her hand and also on her nose.

 

 Each child made a clown collar

 and had their picture taken with the clown.

I posted earlier that Kyleigh did a Muppets diorama for her biography book report.  Janice mentioned this to a coworker who knew someone with the Muppets and Kyleigh received a nice package.

 

 

 The diorama is on her lap and below are what she received.  The card is signed by the man currently doing the voice of Kermit.

Kyleigh had her hair cut and as part of the process, they paint her fingernails and give her a fancy braid.  This is called a ladder braid.  The pictures were taken a Jo Ann Fabrics since Kyleigh decided it was time for mom to make her another dress.  This isn't the material she finally chose though.

 

Kyleigh also went to Girl Scout Camp this month for the first time.  She said she had a good time, but when asked if she wanted to go again, she said "maybe".  She later said she'd like to go to Science Camp so that she could blow things up.

Here she is already to go

Taking her stuff to the truck.

 Already to board the bus.

This is when she got home.  The bags arrived first and we couldn't find her sleeping bag anywhere until we looked in her duffel bag and found that she'd stuffed it in there. 

After picking her up, we went to Yang Ming's for lunch since none of us had eaten yet.  Janice is sitting across from Kyleigh and taking pictures while Kyleigh is hamming it up for the camera.  I'm not sure who missed who the most, but we're all glad she's home.

 

 

That's it.  I'm finally all caught up.