Funny things kids say: school's end

As this school year is coming to a close, I just had to share some final funny words out the mouths of the adorable kids I work with.

The end of the year is always bitter-sweet, but I am THRILLED I get to come back next year and work with them again! Quite a relief after all the ups and downs of being told I had to transfer schools. I'm still amazed and grateful for that gracious miracle!

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While checking in for the afternoon, a 3rd grade girl hollered from line (about 5 kids away from me), "Ms. Shannon, your sunscreen smells like rotten egg salad sandwiches. Sorry. No offense."
Me: [laugh] Um, totally offended?
Her: [a little while later] "Ms. Shannon, your sunscreen doesn't smell anymore. I found out Tommy farted in line."

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3rd grade girl:
"Ms. Shannon, did your hair used to be brown? Because I can see it up there." [points to my roots that clearly need a touch up]

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3rd grade girl:
Her: I'm from Hawaii.
Me: Wow - that's neat. How long did you live there?
Her: Well, my mom and dad lived there but I never lived there cuz I wasn't invented yet.

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1st grade boy [while on the computer looking on Google Earth]
Him: I love L.A.
Me: When did you go to L.A.?
Him: Well, I've never been there, but I love it on Google Earth.

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One of the moms and I were talking about our food weaknesses, before she left with her 3rd grade daughter.
3rd grade girl's mom: My weakness is ice cream
3rd grade girl: My weaness is...wait, what's it called?
[Mom starts laughing]
Me: Weakness
Her mom: [still laughing] I hope you don't have a weaness

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A 3rd grade girl was very excited about something she brought to show me & as she was jumping up and down says:
Her: OMG! I TOTES have RCS!
Me: What is RCS?
Her: Roller Coaster Syndrome!

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Our room is getting a make-over this summer and I was talking to one of the 3rd grade girls about paint colors.
Me: I think pale yellow would be nice. It's light and cheerful.
Her: Pale yellow would totally kill the vibe in here. My room at home is pale yellow and it's a total snooze fest.

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While sitting with a small group of kids, I asked, "Would you rather be a teenager or an adult?"
One shouts: Teenager!
Another shouts: Teenager!
Another shouts: Teenager!
Another shouts: Adult! I mean teenager!
1st grade girl shrugs and says: I'd rather be a dog.

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It was in the upper 70's in Seattle and we were playing with water balloons outside. I asked a 1st grade boy if he wanted to go outside and play with the water balloons. His response to me: "I'm not in the mood for water balloons. I'm not wearing my heat wave underwear."

Love those kids! ♥
Here's to a great summer!

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Sew your own Bowl Covers

The school year hasn't even ended yet and I'm already checking off some of my summer to-do's! How's that for ambitious?

I've been meaning to sew myself a bowl cover for my Kitchen Aid for eons. Every time I looked at that shiny silver bowl on the counter I felt guilty. Must. Do. That. Later.

Lets just say "later" never came, and I got really tired of washing the dust out of the bowl every time I used it.


Making your own bowl covers comes in handy, not only for covering your Kitchen Aid bowl, but they are great for covering all sorts of things - storing food in the fridge, taking a large salad for a potluck and oh, one more - you'll never guess. You can also use it to cover your head.

Yes, this simple bowl cover pattern is basically the same as a shower cap. How's that for a two-for-one?!

Okay, lets get started.

How to Make your own Bowl Covers

MEASURE

Trace around your bowl so you have the circumference. *You will be adding 1-2 inches around your circle for your pattern or you can choose to trace a bigger bowl than the one you're covering.

CREATE YOUR PATTERN & CUT YOUR FABRIC

For your cover to fit, you'll need to add 1-2 inches to the diameter of your bowl. *You can either trace a larger bowl than the one you're making the cover for, draw in the extra room to your pattern, or add it when you cut out your fabric.

HEM THE CIRCLE

Hemming a curve or circle can be a bit tricky. I chose to use my rolled hem foot. Even with this tool it was a bit of a challenge. I found this great tutorial on How to Hem A Curve by adding some gathering stitches. I'll have to try it on my next bowl cover.

STRETCH-SEW YOUR ELASTIC

Instead of creating a band or casing to thread elastic through, I decided to stretch-sew it to the fabric circle.

1st: Measure and cut the elastic to the size you want (how tightly you want the bowl cover to fit). 

2nd: Pin elastic in 4ths around the circle to get it evenly distributed.

3rd: Stretch only the elastic (not the fabric) in front and behind the presser foot, as you sew it in place with a zig zag stitch. 

*The best tip is to stretch and sew little sections as a time to make sure you get the best elastic stretch.

ADMIRE YOUR HANDY WORK

Just about ready to add it to my bowl. I love the dainty ruffled edge!

USE YOUR NEW BOWL COVER

Sigh. Now every time I catch a glimpse at my Kitchen Aid, I smile. My new bowl cover fits perfectly. I can hide away my Kitchen Aid tools and won't have a dusty bowl to wash. Hip hip hooray!

Now it's time to sew a few more bowl covers...pot lucks, family dinners...left-overs...and maybe even a shower cap ;)

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Summer Meal Idea: Tortellini Salad

Quick, easy & delicious summer meal: Tortellini Salad 

We actually had some hot weather in Seattle this past week! Woohoo! Summer's on the horizon.

I opted for a quick and easy dinner that wouldn't heat up the house. From stove top and fridge to dinner table in just 15 minutes. Not too shabby.

There are countless ways to make this salad. The base is cheese tortellini and you can add whatever veggies you have on hand.

Toss it all with your favorite salad dressing, serve it with a side of french bread, and you're good to go!

Tortellini Salad Recipe

Ingredients

Frozen Cheese Tortellini

*Any of the following can be substituted with your favorite veggies

Cucumber

Tomatoes

Fresh Spinach

Carrots

Zucchini

Olives

Parmesan Cheese

Vinaigrette / Italian / or favorite Dressing

Directions

Cook frozen cheese tortellini according to directions. While tortellini is boiling, dice cucumbers and tomatoes; shred carrots and zucchini; slice olives; rise spinach and blot dry. Once tortellini is cooked, drain and rinse in cold water. 

Combine all ingredients and toss with your choice of salad dressing (I prefer this dill vinaigrette or Italian). Top with a scattering of Parmesan cheese (optional). 

Serve immediately or chill before serving. Goes well with toasted french bread.

Makes a quick, cool summer meal!

DIY Grippy Hangers: Stop shirts from sliding off hangers

It drives me nuts when shirts slide off their hangers.

You slap that baby back on the hanger, give it a good stare down to show it who's boss, and then ever so carefully return it to the closet. 

But when your shirt's too wide for the span of the hanger? It will inevitably slide off again...and again...looking quite sad, slumped and crumpled. I don't know why it irritates me so much. Grrrr.

Since I don't have any fancy hangers with that fuzzy stuff on them that makes shirts stick like a charm, I decided I must have something crafty I could use to make my own. And in fact, I did. It pays to be a girl with a glue gun.

How to Make your own Grippy Hangers
{Stop shirts from sliding!}

Supplies:

*Hot Glue Gun with glue stick
*Hanger (works on plastic, wood and wire)

Instructions:

*Heat your hot glue gun
*Squirt a line of glue across the top arm of the hanger on both sides. If your hanger has divets, don't go in them.

*Once your hot glue has been applied, it should look something like this (below).
*Wait for the hot glue to dry (usually only takes a few minutes)

*Once dry, the hot glue becomes more cloudy in appearance (below). Touch it to make sure it has completely dried. That rubbery substance is what will keep your shirts in place!

*Gently peel off any stray glue strands.

And voila! You now have a Grippy Hanger that will keep those sliding t-shirts in place!

Not bad for a 5 minute project.

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Job Update:
For those of you following the saga of my job change, I'm still in limbo. What was once an "unalterable change", is now possibly changing again. What? I can only hope that means I'll get to stay at my school, but I'm not holding my breath. After a lot of prayers and talking things through, I feel more at peace about everything. Although my number one wish is to stay with my current kids, staff and school, I know I can make a difference wherever I go, and if I'm needed elsewhere, I will be sad, but I will accept that. I'll keep you posted. xo

EDIT (same day after work): You won't believe it. I'm still having a hard time believing it myself, but the big boss changed his mind and is allowing me to stay at my current school! I am so grateful and happy. This is truly a miracle and answer to many prayers. I'm walking on sunshine! Woohoo!

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Linked to: http://www.bubblynaturecreations.com, http://shabbynest.blogspot.com, http://www.504main.com

Add Belt Loops to Pants Tutorial

Several weeks ago, when the warm sun made an appearance in Seattle, I reached for my capris, excited to put them on again after a long winter sabbatical.

As I clasped the front blue button, all at once I had flashbacks of previous summers, hiking them up every 5 seconds as they shimmied down my hips. Blasted hip huggers. I'm not one for peekaboo undies, thank you very much.

I needed to keep these capris nice and snug above the underwear line, without having to constantly keep pulling them up. Easy solution? Add simple belt loops to these pants to keep them right where they should be. It worked perfectly! No peekaboo's. We're all grateful for that.

How to Add Belt Loops to Pants

STEP 1: Cut your belt loops. There are generally 5 belt loops on pants. Two in the front and 3 in the back. Decide how wide and long you want your belt loops. Look at an existing pair of pants if you need help with sizing. Make sure your belt loops are long enough to fit your favorite belt. I cut 5 pieces of jean fabric 3-1/4" long x 2" wide.

STEP 2: Fold your fabric in 3rds

STEP 3: Iron or pin your belt loop fabric. Now you're ready to sew.

STEP 4: Choose your style and stitch. I decided to zig-zag stitch directly over the center of the belt loop to secure the raw edges and give it a unique finish. You can also choose to secure the edges with a zig-zag stitch, fold the edges in, and finish the outside with straight stitches on either side (as is shown above on the pair of jeans).

STEP 5: Attach the base of the 1st belt loop to the center back of the pants. Put the edge of the belt loop at the base of the waistband and stitch in place. My machine doesn't take bulk very well, so I zig-zagged the loop on the underside instead of top stitching it (as is seen in step 6).

STEP 6: Secure the top of the belt loop. Fold the raw edge under, flush with the top of the waistband, and stitch to secure. I top-stitched with a zig-zag, but you can also use a straight stitch.

STEP 7: Decide placement of your remaining belt loops and mark. Look at a pair of your favorite pants with existing belt loops to help with placement. Generally there are two belt loops in the front - mid way between your hip and fly; and three in the back - one centered and two mid-way between center and hip on either side. I measured and marked with pins.

STEP 8: Sew on the remaining belt loops. Re-read the instructions above if needed for adding your additional belt loops.

It worked perfectly! Now my pants stay up without having to constantly yank them up to my chin (wouldn't that be a sight). I used light-weight jean fabric I had on hand which didn't totally match the dark wash capris, but since I'm not a shirt-tucker, my belt loops won't ever show.

Side note: I only got to wear these capris 1 day after adding my new belt loops because the weather here in Seattle turned a bit more like fall, than spring. Boo. I'm willing the sun to come back so I can take these capris back out of hybernation!

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Job Update:

Some of you know this has been a really rough week with all that's happening with my job. I still have no answers. I haven't heard back from the program manager about my request to meet with him, so I still don't know if the next two weeks will be the last with my sweet kiddos. It's such a punch in the stomach. It's hard to keep off my mind. If I were independently wealthy I would stay right where I am, even if I didn't have a paycheck. But alas, that's not the case.

Thanks to all of you who have contacted me through twitter, facebook, email, blog, etc. and sent me your happy wishes. It means a lot.

UPDATE:
Follow updates on my job change:
First Post: Bad news (bottom of post)
Next post: When it's more than just a job
Final post: Miracles! (bottom of post)

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When it's more than just a job

It seems so ironic, with all that's happening at work, that just a week or so ago I posted this tweet:

"When you enjoy your work so much that it doesn't feel like a job, 

you know you've found your passion." #sewing #etsyshop

I didn't have enough room for one more hashtag: #workingwithkids

Yes, I love to sew. That's one of my jobs that doesn't feel like work because I enjoy it so much.

But I'm also the assistant manager for an after-school program. And that job doesn't feel like a job either. It's  much more than a job. I love what I do. I love going in to work every day. And that's a rare thing. It's where my joy comes from. It's where my heart is. When you work with kids, it can't be any other way. Unless you're an evil grinch.

I mentioned a couple days ago that the program manager over the entire after-school program decided to shuffle staff without any notice and move me (after going on 5 years) to a different school next year with different kids, families and staff. It's been a very emotional week. I couldn't even drive up to the school without getting a lump in my throat.

The program manager seems to think these changes will improve the program overall. But my focus is on the individual child. And I know a lot of individual children who will have a very difficult time having me leave. Including myself.

We have created a safe haven. We are the ones they share almost 5 to 7 hours a day with. We're the ones who listen to their stories, watch their tricks, praise their talents, resolve their struggles, build their confidence, protect their secrets. We provide consistency through their ups and downs, and are especially important to those kids who come from homes and backgrounds that are less than perfect.

I was born with a mother's heart, but wasn't able to have my own kids. I love these kids like they were my own. They matter to me. This job matters to me. In this place. With these children. With these families. Nothing on paper can show you that.

I'm hoping to meet with the manager and ask for him to reconsider, but it seems very unlikely he will change his decision. I have a feeling he'll hear me out and simply pat me on the shoulder and tell me change is hard. I know time can heal my sadness and I can start over at a new school, love new children, and bond with new staff, but WHY break up something that is already working well to fill holes in other places?? It just doesn't make sense to me. It can all be avoided by hiring and training good people without breaking up the great teams to fill the empty spaces.

I feel drained, defeated and very sad. I don't know entirely what the end looks like, but I'm hoping it's better than it seems right now.

Thanks for listening. Send prayers that the big boss will change his mind.

{Just a few of the reasons I love these kids}

UPDATE:
Follow updates on my job change:
Next post: Still no answers (bottom of post)
Final post: Miracles (bottom of post)

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Weekend Recap + job changes

{One of my favorite places}

This Memorial Weekend I took some time for a little R&R. It never feels like quite long enough though, does it?

I spent time at one of my favorite places with some of my favorite people (family). 

My husband had to stay behind for work, so I came back early to spend some time with him Monday. 

We decided to keep it simple to avoid the crazy holiday traffic, and keep it close to home, but far enough to get out of dodge.

It was pouring rain, but we didn't let that stop us! First stop, Tolt River Suspension Bridge in Carnation, WA. It's so beautiful out there with all the lush green fields and swift rivers. There were quite a few campers, so walking over the bridge got a little more tipsy than usual, but we made it without getting too sea sick.

{Tolt River Suspension Bridge Carnation, WA}

We walked along the river trails and enjoyed the peace and quiet and deep green moss covered trees. At the end of the trail we ran across a Bat House (skinny narrow black "house" on the top of a pole). I had visions of bats swarming the area. Don't make me walk down there at night!

{Tolt River River Trails}

Turns out a Bat House (also called a nest box), is made for animals to nest in and helps maintain threatened bat species. I had no idea, but bats are a means of natural mosquito and insect control in some parts of the world. If they'll keep the mosquito's down in the area, great. Just stay out of my hair.

After grabbing a quick bite to eat, we stopped by the ever scenic Snoqualmie Falls on our way home. I love to see the falls when the water is full and roaring. Although it was still pouring rain, we managed to get a few peeks at the falls before we got back in the car. I was surprised at how many tourists ventured out in the rain. I guess if you're visiting Seattle, you can't wait for the weather to clear.

{Snoqualmie Falls - Snoqualmie, WA}

Combined with my time in eastern WA, it turned out to be a nice little getaway. Unfortunately, I had some very upsetting news from my job Sunday that has turned my life and emotions upside down, so there was a bit of a damper on my weekend, but I'm glad I could get my mind off of it for a little while anyway.

In a nutshell, they are shuffling staff around in our after-school program and decided to move me to a different school next year with a different manager and different kids to help manage their program. I'm devastated. I have developed such a strong bond with the kids I work with, as well as my manager and staff over the last 4 years. I'm so upset by this, as is my manager. We had no warning whatsoever. It may look good to them on paper, but they have no idea how it's affecting me, or the kids who have grown so close to me. Heart. Breaking. L I'll keep you posted.


UPDATE
Follow updates on my job change:
Next post: When it's more than just a job
Next post: Still no answers (bottom of post)
Final post: Miracles (bottom of post)

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