Typing explosion!

I've been gone for a while.  If I'm quite honest about it, a big part of that is that I didn't feel like writing.  Sometimes the mood doesn't strike me.  I'm too busy or tired for it...or just too busy watching Downton Abbey.  (Have you seen this show?  It's my new favorite! )

So this post is though explosion.  Prepare yourself!

Life has been full, but nothing short of good.  Even getting sick turned out to be good which doesn't happen often.

I was extremely ill in February for 2 weeks.  Extremely.  I missed a week of work because of it.  The "illness" went undiagnosed as some sort of mystery virus, but I literally couldn't do anything (I was soooo fatigued and had overall malaise...but no runny nose, sore throat, nausea or anything.  But there was no two buts about it...I was dog sick.)  I went to two different doctors, had my blood drawn, and nothing came back as abnormal besides my white blood cell count.  After a full 9 days of misery, I regained about 1/2 myself and went back to work.  I was still so sick, though, that I literally had a blanket and pillow in my classroom so I could rest my body between classes.  On my yoga mat.  On the floor.  And I had a chair at the front of the room that I could lean on when I was feeling dizzy.  The kids were surprisingly understanding and sweet. :)    

It was a blessing in disguise, though, because I regained a new sense of appreciation for my health and overall well-being.  And how much I need a purpose.  I have a hard time giving up control of my life, especially with things that are out of my control (like being sick)...I'm sure you NEVER have that problem...so it was good to listen to my body and let it be so.

And now I'm back.

Boom.

Miss me much? ;)  

Our church kicked off Love Week, the week of Valentine's--a mission to serve our city--with a bang.  I was well enough to work in a soup kitchen were we live.  Serving betters you every time you do it.  I truly believe that.  :)  I also discovered late last week that I made it to the top 20 in my county for teacher of the year candidates.  I was beyond stunned and completely and utterly honored.  My interview was honest, from heart and surprisingly relaxed.  It has changed nothing about who I am, or how I teach, but has reaffirmed this calling in my life.

Speaking of life...and making it...everyone I know is pregnant.  EVERYONE.  (But I'm not.  And yes, about everyone and his brother's cousin told me that my mysterious sickness is cause to take a pregnancy test.  Which is did (several times, just to be sure).  Haha.)  Anyway, a friend of mine in my community group found out that she is pregnant this week.  And not only pregnant...but 5 months pregnant, and she had no idea until she went to the doctor complaining of difficulty breathing.  Can you imagine????  We are all stunned and so happy for this blessing in her life.  She even brought us cupcakes to our small group to have us bite into to find out the gender.And in case you're wondering, she's having a boy. :)  She's about the only person I know to get to find out the gender of her baby the same day she found out she was pregnant. 

I know many of you read this blog for my house projects (and occasionally tolerate my life updates, tehe)...so this one is for you!      

House projects have taken a back-seat recently, although you wouldn't know it by reading this post, I just haven't updated it a while...so it looks like I've done a lot when I really haven't ;)

One thing I did do was finally finish the gallery wall in the hallway on the stairs.

It's looked like this since we moved it...blank and blah...

So I took some frames that I had in my closet that were mismatched and I decided to spraypaint them.  I used Rustoleum with bulit-in primer.  It was a sinch and just a few bucks.

 I also transformed this white canvas with wooden letters from Michaels.  I used a left-over paint tester from painting our living room (called Lime Light by Behr). 

I also used some extra toilet paper rolls laying around (only I would stash those like a weird-o), and I hot-glued these flowers designs inside.  Then I taped off the frame with painters tape and spray-pained the inside white.

  Here it is on the wall, spray-painted white.  Sorry I don't have a better picture.

And here is what the final product looks like with a cost breakdown:
Black spray-paint: $7
White spray-paint: $4
Printing photographs: $10
Misc. scrapbook supplies: $2
Frames and wall plates: lying around!

Total cost: $22

That's all for now.  If you read all the way through my cyber explosion, virtual high-five to you!

love like that

Even 

After 

All this time

The Sun never says 

To the Earth

"You owe me"

Look

What happens

With a love like that

It lights the

Whole

Sky.

Thank you, Charlie, for being my sun.

Toilet Paper Roll Crafts

I've been saving up toilet paper rolls for a few weeks now.  In a little bag.  In our bedroom.  Like a hoarder.  

After I had about 20, I went to Michaels, and using a coupon, bought some black paint and some super cheap flowers (It was just a couple of bucks for everything).

I cut up the rolls in and painted them black (while watching the Bachelor, hehe).  Then I laid out a design on the carpt. 

  The cut rolls really reminded me of leaves, which are pretty common in lots of metal art these days, which is why I chose the pattern I did.

And here is the final product when I added in the flowers:

I hung them using sticky tack.  They've stayed up great so far.  The paint really hardened the rolls, too.  They feel more durable to be  Here is a crappily lit pic...sorry I can't get a better one.  It's even worse during the day because it's back-lit!

Suddenly it's cool to be a....BAND NERD!

When we bought our home, my mom sent down pretty much every piece of crap item I owned because she was no longer obligated to store it.  From my memory boxes, to scrapbooks, to Barbies, to stuffed toys...to my band music.  I threw away/donated many things she sent, but for some reason, I still decided to keep ALL my band music since I was 12.  Everything.

Gathering the band up before a parade...


It's true, though.  I was a huge band nerd.  Senior pics with my flute?  Check.  Drum major?  Check.  A shoebox full of solo and ensemble medals?  Check.  Going to band camp every summer?  Double check.  (Yes, the same band camp American Pie was based off of.  I'm just that cool.) I did a lot with music, even through college, so it seems natural that I couldn't throw any of my music away.  It always seemed so... wrong.


Middle School Music!

It's fun to paw through, remember what I played and when I played it.  Some of it I don't even recognize.  My notes are all over it.  Where to breathe, what to remember.  Where my solos were :)  I still kept my Interlochen music, flute solos, sentimental pieces, and piano music, but it was this weekend that I finally decided that my Middle School Band music wasn't a necessity to hold on to anymore.  The "Blue Ribbon March" (among others) was about to make it's debut again in the awkward hallway by our bathroom...

That's a sign it's craft time.  :)

I took an old cardboard boxed and used a plate to trace a circle...

Then I taught myself how to make little rosettes.  You can find how how I did it here.

Then I started taking music, rolling it, and hot gluing it to the round piece of cardboard until I came up with this...

And then I hung it in the hallway.

And it was good.  And free :)  Thanks, Pinterest!