Pencil

I have owned this mechanical pencil since college. I was in class one day and I wondered to myself (sometimes my mind wanders in classes) if I could use the same pencil for a whole school year (I also think of weird challenges sometimes). That was my senior year. I surpassed my goal and used it for both my senior year and grad school the following year. 

I also use it to plan my lessons when I teach. It usually permanently resides in my backpack, but I lent my backpack out  this winter and I haven't put it back yet. I have been nostalgically using it in the meantime. 

Hello, favorite pencil. 

Random bits of life:
* I picked 18 quarts of strawberries last night.  It was lovely.  Picking strawberries is one of my favorite activities.

* I took my parents some strawberries. My Dad gave me almost 2 pounds of asparagus and a vase full of roses and I was able to see my parents and favorite two youngest siblings.  I definitely received the better end of the deal.

* I am very proud of my siblings, all of them. Whenever I have a chance to mention how awesome they are, I usually do.  It makes me sad that other people don't seem to enjoy spending time with their family. I am very thankful for mine.

* I am glad I have a talented, smart little brother and I am glad I have multiple, beautiful sisters.

* I am playing in a soccer tournament on Saturday.  Yikes.

* I reserved my spot in Paris for June!!  In the first two weeks of June, I am working only 1 and a half days, taking 2 vacation days, 1 holiday, and being paid for 5 days in Europe.  It is going to be sweet (catching up on the work on all my teams is NOT going to be sweet, but I am not going to think about that until I come back -  ha).

* Jared is really funny.  If you have a chance you should come and see him play Felix Unger in the Odd couple in the 3rd and 4th weekends in June.   

* The longer I work, the more thankful I am for all those HORRIBLE engineering projects and teams that I was on.  It has completely and fully prepared me for the real world of terrible projects and crazy people. It is amazing to me that many of these people are in positions of authority. Moreover, it is even more incredible to me that the world works.  God must really hold the whole thing together.  I don't think that verse in Colossians just means that he holds the universe (matter) together, which I believe he does too, but also the every working of people and their stupidity. 

* I really like the new slogan on Ikea's new catalogs.  This is one more reason I love Ikea! I could not more fully agree ("A home does not have to be big, just smart").  That is how my brain sees the world.  I see spaces and I think about the most efficient use of a space.  I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to work for them!!! That is my dream engineering job.  Yes, owning my own Bed and Breakfast is still top of my list. 

I sort of want this book just for projects like this.  I know I could figure our how to make these peeps, however, I think this book would give me some fun inspiration.  If I ever see if cheap somewhere I will pick it up.  I am old fashion.  I enjoying flipping through books for inspiration so much more than searching online.  It is more comforting.

Speaking of inpiration... I love this blog.

What a great idea!  I have been really wanting to buy some dye and play around with it.  This has sealed the deal.  I am going to buy some onsies and some dye and start giving them out as showers.  I love this idea.  And I love the bold colors you can get with dye. 

PJ pants for kids tutorial.  I have made similar things with Cindy before.  PJ bottoms are some of the easiest things to sew.

Dad, I think we should make one or two of these for the garden.  You can pick your food in this basket, rinse it off, and let it dry. 

Okay, so you know I love Mason jars... if I had a front porch (or even maybe a back porch), I would make these.  So pretty.  These are solar lamps made out of mason jars.  Love love love.  

I really enjoy playing checkers. My Dad taught me when I was pretty young (5 or 6).  Sarah and I used to play on Sundays.  I would like to have one of these for my kids to play in doctor's offices or in other places where we have to wait and need something to do.

I like when stuff is off the floor in its own place.  Baskets for toys are going to be a must when I have kids.  Right now I have two baskets that I store under our table in the living room, one has my library books in it and the other has my sewing supplies.

That last tutorial came from this website that I found recently.  They have a few fun sewing ideas.

These little sandels might be a cute baby shower gift.  I wonder if they would stay on?

Neat paper lamp (Ikea hack with some cupcake holders).  

Favorite toys

These are a few toys that I still love:


Erector Set
I enjoyed playing with my Dad's old set as a child and my parents bought me my own set.  I bought another set after Christmas a few years ago to add to the collection. Almost all of their old ads talk about how these are for boys.  :(



Tinker Toys
Again, I bought 2 barrels of these after Christmas a few years ago and added them to my older set.

Fisher Price Farm
Do you realize that you to find a picture of this farm, you have to type in the word "vintage"? I am not that old. I love this set. Love love love it!  I have almost all the original pieces still and I bought some extras a while ago.



K*nex
These are some cool uses for K*nex. This guy has a working engine.  We used them in my engineering classes.
 


Lincoln Logs
We used to build towers this tall and then throw the little ones at it to knock it over... We may have scarred up the walls in my Dad's newly built addition doing this.  :)



Marble Track
I especially like these wooden ones.

Blocks
How can you go wrong?

Goemags
Confession: I like the idea of these.  I love magnets.  But Jared bought me the multicolored set and when I try to build thing I seem to have more of one color left over and I can't get it balanced and it frustrates me, thus, this set of my toys rarely is played with.  Plus, they are hard to put back in the case because they get stuck to each other.  When you succeed, is is beautiful, but otherwise, to me, it is irritating. 

Ikea Wooden Train Set

add on
When I was at Stef's house,  I built several different variations with the tracks.  I love these. I wish Ikea was closer; on rainy days I would walk around the store.

Metal Tonka Front End Loader and Dump Truck

Oh, yes. Sarah and I owned these. They were hours of fun. We used to sit in the dump truck and push each other around. But I loved digging in the dirt with the Front end loader. Classic. Now that I think about it, Dad, who buys this kind of toy for two young daughters?!?

 

 Some other Ikea toys I spotted that I like:

 

I am sure I have forgotten something.

What are some of your favorite toys?

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels...

These are a few of my favorite things:
(and for my shower or birthday or wedding you can buy any or all of these)

* (&) Ampersands (anything with them on it or in the shape of them... paper weights, bookends, pictures, cards...etc. I like them in silver the best, but other colors would be fun as well).

* Polka dots (sheets, cards, curtains, aprons ... etc.)

* Extra 5 quart bowl for my Kitchen-aid mixer (I can't seem to register for this at Target or Macys - sad sad)

* Stamp pads

* Alphabet Stamps

* Bath and Body --> Sweet Pea lotion (the stuff in the glass bottle is my favorite, but I like any of the creams) and Jared has the Pumpkin Spice wallflower (so you can buy refills if you want).

* Victoria Secret --> Love Spell is my favorite scent.

* Picture gift cards!! We want to get a lot of pictures printed out and put all over our walls. So either frames (which I have tried to register for the ones I like so you get the general idea) or gift cards to go get pictures printed out. We really want one of Annie's pictures printed on a canvas.

* Quilting material --> the plastic cutting squares, the rolling cutters, the quilting board, thread in all colors, material (or gift cards for material)... Talk to Mrs. Shelton and she could probably offer suggestions. :)

* Sewing machine :) YAY!!

* La Tolteca

* The Story of Ferdinand (the Bull) - childrens book (love)

* Robert Munch collection of books (called Munchworks I think... love)

* Pippi Longstocking Books!!! (love)

* Corduroy books (love)

* The Story of Ping (the duck - another childrens book ... love)

* Put Me in the Zoo (love)

* Harold and the Purple Crayon Books

* Any or all Dr. Suess Books

* Go Dog Go

* Jeeves and Wooster books

* Olivia books

* Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel

* Any Babar books

(I love all the childrens books that I have put on this list, but I especially love the ones that I wrote "love" next too).

I'll add to this list as time goes on.