Dark Lord Funk - Uptown Funk Parody

Most of you know that I am not huge on watching YouTube. I know people (including my son) who can and do spend hours on there, but it is really just not my thing. However, a friend posted this on Facebook, and it is so awesome, I absolutely have to share it. Whoever managed to weave in the John Williams "Hedwig's Theme" (what most people think of as "the Harry Potter theme") was brilliant!


Currently feeling: amazed at the cleverness of people

Wordless Wednesday - March 25, 2015

Currently feeling: building the Blue and Gold crossover bridge (which he will be crossing next year, sniff sniff)

Blue and Gold Ceremony 2015

Luke recited the Cub Scout promise in front of about 150 people at tonight's Blue and Gold Ceremony. I couldn't take pictures or video because it was right after the Pledge of Allegiance, but he did a great job! We practiced all weekend, and he didn't seem anxious at all. This picture was taken later as they built the bridge for the Crossing Over Ceremony.
Currently feeling: very proud

How to Sew on Scout Patches

Q-snaps, for all kinds of needlework! I use these for my cross stitching, but I was struggling to keep the extra fabric of the shirt out of the way while stitching the Cub Scout patches on his new shirt. Then inspiration finally struck; that's exactly what q-snaps do! They hold the fabric taught and keep the excess out of the way. It worked brilliantly!
Currently feeling: inspired

Book vs Movie - The Prisoner of Azkaban Edition

Luke finished reading it, so we watched Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban last night. He was NOT happy that they didn't explain who the authors of the Marauder's Map were (and I agree completely). Yay, my baby likes the book better than the movies!!
Currently feeling: so proud!

Wordless Wednesday - March 18, 2015

Currently feeling: almost ready to sing

Tigger's Sweet Sixteen Party

Yummy!

Doesn't that look like a fun party? I'm so sorry we didn't invite you. We kept it a small family affair. I see a few of you are confused about whose party this is. I'm not really the Hello Kitty type, and it seems a strange choice for my husband or son, right? That's because it's not a human party. This was for Tigger!

The birthday girl!

 Yes, my cat. Why are you giving me that look? EVERY girl deserves a sweet sixteen party! Even those of the feline variety. (Hey, that's old for a cat. It's the equivalent of being over 80!)

Hello Kitty for the Princess Kitty

So what's the real story? It's about 11 weeks between my birthday (late July) and Luke's (early October). In that time, all three of us celebrate our birthdays. Yep, 3 "parties" in 11 weeks. That means 41 weeks without birthday cake. For the child who LOVES cake, that's an awfully long time to wait, so I try to find some excuse to have cake in the spring (give or take) each year. In previous years, I've done Valentine's Day cupcakes or a St. Patrick's Day cake; one of these years, we'll have an unbirthday tea party, but that was beyond my time capability this year. I wanted to do something different this year, and then I realized it would be Tigger's 16th birthday. Ding ding ding!!! We have a winner!

Full room decorations

Once I got the idea in my head, all I knew was that this party had to be PINK! Preferably fru-fru and girly, but definitely pink at a minimum. (Hey, I have a boy, this is my only chance, at least until grandkids, and even then, no guarantee.) I had originally envisioned a more classic pink princess Sweet Sixteen party, but couldn't find any decorations I really liked (especially for the money). So, when I accidentally discovered the Hello Kitty party supplies were on clearance at Target, it was just too perfect.

Zebra cake

I've always wanted to try one of those zebra cakes, to see if they are as easy as they seem. It was pretty easy, other than being hugely domed in the middle, more so than just the usual puffing from baking because you pile up the batter in the middle. I would have cut off half the cake to make it flat, so I did what I could with the icing to flatten it out (see how thick it is on the far left "corner." Gee, darn, extra icing!

Will it pass inspection?

Tigger thought it smelled yummy.

Playing with fire!

Luke really wanted to light the candles, so we let him. He did a very good job! Now all that's left is to sing happy birthday:

Being held to avoid singed whiskers

Eat, and open our party favors. Luke had never had one of the chocolate eggs with a toy inside, so when I found these, I thought he might get a kick out of it.

Is it candy? Is it a toy? It's both!

I have to say, it was really fun to have a party in the middle of the week, on a school night and everything! I don't think we want to wait 11 years for Star's 16th birthday, though! LOL We might have to do another "school day party" in the future, or at least plan some other sort of fun and unusual event. We get so wrapped up in school and homework and stuff, we sometimes forget that fun is important, too. So let's party!

Currently feeling: having a little springtime fun

Happy Ultimate Pi Day!

The once in a century event is here! You'll just have to take my word for it that I took this picture at the right time.



This picture was supposed to include all of us, but it was so bad of both DH and me that I cropped it. Luke looks cute, even if the sign isn't straight and he's making the "I'm just humoring you" face. Maybe he'll appreciate it one day.

Currently feeling: geeky

Battle: A Conversation With Luke

While reviewing his homework tonight....

Me: Luke, you *know* your homework has to be answered in complete sentences.
Luke: It is.
Me: "The battle at Trenton." is not a complete sentence.
Luke: Yes it is!
Me: What is the subject?
Luke: Battle.
Me: What is the verb?
Luke (hesitantly): At?
Me: At is not a verb.
Luke: Battle.
Me: Battle is not the verb.
Luke: It is too a verb!!
Me (sighing): Battle can be either a noun or a verb. A single use of the word battle cannot be both the subject and the verb at the same time!

Currently feeling: both frustrated and amused

First Baseball Game - 4-6 League

Woohoo! Tonight was the first baseball game of the season. We've gone up a league, so it will eventually be kid pitch, but they all start with the pitching machine. Luke was at first base for the first inning. He caught the ball and tagged the base so the runner already on first was out, too. His first two-for!

Followed immediately by his first ever strikeout. (He always made contact at every at bat last season.) That did not go over well with him.
Currently feeling: ready to play

Wordless Wednesday - March 11, 2015

Currently feeling: the only picture I've taken in the last week

Tissue Review

Image courtesy of jk1991 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

After much experimentation this week, I have concluded that Puffs tissues really are softer than Kleenex, and 3-ply tissues really are softer than 2-ply. I also personally find the "cool touch" tissues more soothing than the lotion ones, even if they are Kleenex brand. I would really like to end this experiment now, please! (My alternately stuffy and runny nose says we will likely continue collecting data for a few more days.)
Currently feeling: sick and tired of being sick and tired

Wordless Wednesday - March 4, 2015

Click to biggify.

Currently feeling: time flies