Scouting

We are a scout family.  All six of my husband's siblings were in scouts.   Three of the boys became Eagle scouts.   Five of the nephews are Eagle Scouts, and four more nephews should be earning their Eagle rank in the next 3 years. Charlie's parents were involved in scouting until Mr. Taylor died in 2010.  Both of Charlie's parents were awarded the Silver Beaver for their work in scouting.  Scouting has been a big part of our life since we began having children 19 years ago.

You can only scrapbook so much in life, and boxes of badges and memorabilia are not a good option.   After seeing what the scout shop sold (very expensively) as a shadow box, I decided to make my own!

So far, I have only completed the cub scout shadow box for the boys.  Only one of my 3 boys has his Eagle rank so far, and I just haven't gotten around to working on his Boy Scout memory box. 

Anyhow, I purchased these shadow boxes from Michael's with a 50% off coupon when the frames were all ready on sale.  This  made the project very affordable!  All the boys love their shadow boxes.

Here is what I came up with for my oldest with his Cub Scout shirt:

• Tiger Cub t-shirt from back in the day when they earned paw prints on the left
• Cub scout shirt
• Neckerchiefs
• Various badges
• Webelos colors with webelos pins
• Miscellaneous Scouting memorabilia

For the belt loops and pins, I did something totally different:

Here is a picture of the first one I did for my oldest.  Each of the boys' boxes looks very different from the other.

I am sure many of you are more crafty than I am and will tweek this to the umth degree!  Enjoy!

Happy Scouting!

JOSHUA'S QUILT

This is a quilt I whipped out in a couple of weeks in my spare time.  It is fast, easy, and anyone who has a rotary cutting blade and mat, a sharp pair of scissors, and can sew a straight line, can make this quilt quickly!

It is warm, it is snuggly, and it is well-loved!

You will need:

• A sewing machine with a walking foot
• Thread
• Batting - twin size is ample  (You do not use batting if you are using denim as backing.  You should, however, use batting if you are using light weight fabrics.  The picture above uses only flannel and denim.  There is no batting in that particular quilt.)
• 5/8 yard of 18 fabrics or fabric scraps to equal this amount for the front.  (I used 11 flannel shirts from Goodwill to get a nice variety.)
• 5/8 yard of denim of various shades (Again, most of mine came from Goodwill.)

* Simply clip out all the seams from the shirt, the shirt sleeves, and the denim jeans.  In this quilt, I also used the pocket area of the flannel to make what Joshua calls his "snack pockets". 

Cutting Directions:

For a 48" x 64" cut:

• 16 - 9 1/2 x 9 1/2 (EACH of front, back, and middle (if batting is used))
• 42 - 9 1/2 x 5 1/2 (EACH of front, back, and middle (if batting is used))
• 44 - 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 (EACH of front, back, and middle (if batting is used))

For a 64" x 88" cut:

• 20 - 9 1/2 x 9 1/2 (EACH of front, back, and middle (if batting is used))
• 98 - 9 1/2 x 5 1/2 (EACH of front, back, and middle (if batting is used))
• 44 - 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 (EACH of front, back, and middle (if batting is used))

Just so you know, the numbers and the color  marks mean NOTHING!

Sewing Tips:

• Don't worry about color or if stripes or plaids are straight.
• Washed, frayed edges hide the sins of cutting and sewing.
• Do NOT pre-wash fabrics or batting.
• ALL seam allowances are 3/4 inch.
• Use a walking foot whether including batting or not. 

Sewing Directions:

• Place fabric blocks WRONG SIDES TOGETHER or wrong sides together with batting inbetween.
• Sew blocks corner to corner.
• Next, sew blocks together so that seams and fringe will appear on the top.  (Flannel side if you are doing the denim and flannel quilt.) (Sewing lines of blocks together worked best for me.  Do what works for you!)
• Shorten your stitch length slightly for sewing the sandwiches together.
• At the end, stitch a seam 3/4 inches around the entire quilt edge.

Finishing Directions:

• After all seams are stitched, clip ALL seams just short of your stitching seam, about 1/2 to 3/4 inche apart.  DO NOT CLIP THROUGH STITCHING.
• If you do not have a lint trap or if you have a septic tank, you should go to a commercial laundry.  Wash and dry your quilt TWICE.  Your quilt gets softer and softer with every wash.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q and A Session

From time to time, friends and family ask questions.  I thought I would spend today's time blogging, answering in more detail some of the questions I am asked most often.

Q1.  Do  you miss home schooling?

A1.  Yes.  I do miss homeschooling.  The years I spent homeschooling were good for me, the children, and the family in general.  However, there is a time and season for everything.  Our time for homeschooling came to a close suddenly when I became ill.   Several months later, after I recovered, we looked at bringing the children home.  Weighing the good and the bad of our school choices, we decided the best course of action was to leave the children where they were in schools.  Our years of homeschooling came to a close just that suddenly.

You might ask if we would ever homeschool again.  The answer is absolutely YES!  If we felt called to homeschool the children again, we would do it in a heartbeat.

Q2.  What do you do with your time now that you are no longer homeschooling?

A2.  I would like to say I do nothing, but I am coming to realize I am doing just what I am supposed to be doing!  I am keeping house, running the children where they need to be, taking piano lessons, cooking new and exciting meals, managing the household finances, BLOGGING, helping with school work, quilting, sewing, gardening. 

Q3.  Why not a job?

A3.  Actually, I did have a part time job for the first year I was home.  My father became very ill the end of my first year at home and I spent much time this last  year with Mama and Daddy at doctors' offices, in hospitals, and at their home.  I enjoy the flexibility to be with my parents at this stage in my life.  I love them very much and LOVE hanging out with them.

Q4.  Will you ever write that book on parenting?

A4.  Yes.  The whole family is currently writing the book.  Will I ever seek to have it published?  Probably not.  The book is of interest to my kids, mostly.  It is how they were raised; how parenting and child rearing worked in our household.

Well, that's not a bad start for my first Q and A.   Maybe I'll do this again sometime.  Until then, be good to yourself and bless those around you!

~Beth

Getting Things Done

Funny..... I just stumbled over this title for a post I was going to publish from 2010.   Obviously, I didn't get very much done on the post that day. 

Looking Through the Windshield

One of the many joys of parenting my children is that they are learning to drive.  Joshua is doing a great job driving me around town.  I love to give him hints here or there for being a safer and better driver.  He is so good to take these observations and to apply many of them.  He's going to be a great driver.

As we were cruising down Route 60 the other day, I sat looking at spring erupting throughout the Bluegrass.  The tender green grass shoots were pushing through the dead grasses of last year.  Tiny leaves were beginning to appear on the trees, and spring flowers were pregnant with their buds.  Spring is a time of new beginnings, a time of freshness.

Joshua, on the other hand, kept looking in his rear-view mirror, trying to keep abrest of everything as we cruised along at 55 mph.  As we passed bike riders, Joshua would look in the rear view mirror at them.   Similarly, as we drove past places he knew, he watched them in the rear view mirror.

I commend Joshua on his keeping alert and watching all around as he drove, but cautioned him about spending too much time looking in the rear view mirror.  Then it hit me.   Life is like driving a car.

As I speed along the highway of life, I am realizing that most experiences come and go.   After they have passed, I no longer look through the windshield at them, but rather glance in the rear view mirror from time to time.  I am no means suggesting that I forget my past successes and failures.   I would not be who I am without those experiences.  Rather, I am suggesting that if I spend too much time looking in the rear view mirror, I will miss the beauty this season of life has to offer.  Life is beautiful.

So, here's my tip for the day.  The windshield is so much larger than the rear view mirror because one should spend most of his time looking forward.

Happy Cruising! 

Welcome Home!

Here it is, January 2012!  Where does the time go?  Here is a quick update of our comings and goings. 

• Beth went to Alaska with her parents.  (PLENTY of blog material from that trip!)
• Andy started his senior year of high school.
• Joshua is wresting for a local public high school.
• John is a fantastic chess player in his private school and is quite good at piano.
• Grace is enjoying drama club and piano playing.
• Charlie is sticking to his work....tee hee hee....(He is an engineer at a tape factory!)
• Daddy was ill this last year, very ill.
• I quit my job.....and there is more! 

I'm looking forward to blogging again.  It is always an excellent outlet for me!

Have a blessed New Year!

Beth

School's Out

I was headed back to my cooking blog to add some great summer grilling recipes, but I signed into the wrong account. I read my last post about putting the younger children in school and how I was struggling with that decision.

Look at us now!

We all survived and we all thrived this year. It was a good decision, a decision that is re-shaping our family into this beautiful new reality. We love it!

John and Grace are thriving at their private school. Joshua is at the public high school and really into the wrestling program. He's pretty good at it, too! Andy is so independent and anxious to grow up. He's on the soccer field every chance he gets, and is doing well.

I'm healthier, stronger, and honestly, a better mother and wife.

"I have great plans for you," declares the Lord.

I believe Him!

Regards,
Beth