Success

I need to send out to the universe of bloggers my little success.
For the last 7 months I have been a Big Sister in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. My 'little sister' is a darling and typical 15 year old girl. She has plenty to talk about and lots of things she wants to do.
I do have to say that it wasn't the easiest start. We had trouble planning which days I could come, and what to do..... but she is a great sport, helps with activity ideas, and is excited about whatever we are doing.
For 7 months I drop her off back to her house and she'd walk directly down stairs to her room. Like I wasn't even there! Never said thanks, or bye, or see ya.... just - gone.
I was left standing there like --- ooookay.

BUT!
Last week! It came!
We didn't even do anything special. We spent the 2 hours making pasta for dinner and playing rock band at my house. I drove her home and walked her inside - she walked into the next room - just like before - but as I was leaving from the kitchen she yelled BYE KIM!!

YYEEEAAAHHH!!
Success! I know it seems so small it's lame. But it's huge -let me tell you.

Now a small pitch for this. I work for this organization - and we NEED volunteers. I know it sound intimidating and time consuming - it's not. You only need to do 2 activities a month and a couple ours each time.
YOU CAN NOT TELL ME that you DO NOT have 2 hours every other week that is not just laying around. Seriously. That COULD be used for bowling, or movies, or rock band, or baking, or frisbee.... with kid! It really is fun and it really is worth it.
It takes a community to raise a child. :) What could you possibly loose???
Check out THIS and THIS video for inspiration

And the bbbsu website for detailed information.
(we take couples matches too!)


Little Sister!!

How To:

How To: Open a Tuna Fish Can When You Sent The Can Opener to Mount Pleasant With Ben



Step 1:
Hammer small holes into 1/2 the can - a small nail will work just fine.

Step 2: Drain out the water - or it will splash up into your face if you continue to hammer holes into it.
Step 3: Continue to hammer into the can with progressively larger holes -
Step 4: Once you've mutilated one slide of the lid - use the screw driver and the counter for leverage, and pry the lid up and the can open.
Clever girl.....

Step 5: Sterilize all tools cuz they are now a bio-hazard for Ben. ...

I finished it a little late but here is the 4th of July Table Runner. Mom lent me a book on quickly - all the basics and I took this 3 by 3 pattern from it and it turned out nice. :) Must remember to use walking foot next time.
You can kinda see the white is a little bunched up. Eh.
Next comes 'back to school', and halloween, and thanks giving, and christmas. All the fun ones. However I usually start on christmas presents in July. So - a little torn...

2 Years with Tally

I'm sure that every last one of you that reads my blog - and thinks i'm totally ridiculous. I'll I'd say is that my little life revolves around little pleasures.
My whole life my dad says "when you move out of the house you can get a dog". :) Today we celebrated having Little Tally for 2 years! So she's like 4 years old.
And she gets a baloney cake!

...ooooohhhh!!! When can we eat it?!



Yes - it's just a package of baloney cut into pieces. Ben made fun of me at first then thought it was cute.
Especially how excited she was about it.

Yeah! Childhood dreams come true. Throwing a birthday party for my dog. :)

There is a peacock in the back yard.

I really can't offer any explanation for a peacock in Ben's parent's back yard. It flew over the fence and perched up there for the rest on the night.
Look how big it was!


Ben tried to coax him down.
He didn't fall for it. It was crazy to see up close just how large this beast of a bird was.

...and there is this beast....