Space Ship Clock for Day Camp

I've learned that a lot of people don't wear a watch while at camp.  I made a fun clock to go with our outer space theme to put at a central location.  It will display the "official" camp time.

My inspiration, found on Pinterest.  I tried to find micromachines for my clock but they were way too spendy.  I think I found a pretty good substitute.

My supplies:

A clock from Value Village, silver spray paint and plastic ships from amazon.com

purchase here

Arranged around the clock.  There were enough different types of ships to repeat each one twice.

Miriam prefers the look of the clock like this, but I did one more step.

I spray painted the ships silver and glued them on with quick dry epoxy.

All I had to do was paint the space ships and glue them onto the clock.  We've been having really cold weather lately and the spray can said to paint above 50 degree temperatures or use a well ventilated area.  Since the below freezing outdoors was out, I set up in the bathroom, turned on the fan, and got to work.

One outer space clock ready to go!

Sledding Day

On Martin Luther King Day we all had the day off.  Actually, Dode had the day off for American Indian Day because his employer, the Tulalip Tribes, has renamed the holiday, but irregardless of what it's called, the main fact is that we we able to do something fun!  We took the family sledding to the sledding hill near Snoqualmie Pass.  Because the Dicksons aren't very good at doing things small, we invited all our friends at church to join us.  No one took us up on the offer but we had enough hot dogs and hot chocolate for a lot of people!

As we drove out of our driveway Monday morning, I told Dode that I was pretty surprised because I was actually excited to be going.  Most of the time, when we go on a family activity, I'm forcing myself to have fun because I realize all the work and chaos that go into doing things as a family.  Sledding takes a lot of work, outfitting 7 people to stay warm outside in the snow all day, planning for food and drink for everyone, but all that didn't matter, I just wanted to go have fun.

We'd been experiencing a long dry spell in Western Washington so the roads were dry all the way to the parking lot.  We arrived, pulling our cargo trailer with all our stuff, to an absolutely jam packed parking lot.  We went all around the parking lot once and couldn't find a single parking spot for a vehicle, much less one pulling a trailer.  On our second round, a few spots had opened up but nowhere that would accommodate our van and trailer.  We ended up parking along a snow bank in what I'm not sure was an "official" spot.  It ended up being a perfect spot because the children could exit the vehicle and head right to the snow without having to go through the parking lot.

Our area, a fine mess

We unloaded and successfully navigated through the chaos of getting all the children (including my nephew Gabriel) dressed in their warm things.  Right about the same time we were unloading, someone broke their femur on the sledding hill so it was closed while they got her off the hill.  The children were able to play in the large snow field right next to the van while we waited for the hill to re-open.  William found it fascinating to watch the three ambulances and the paramedics from a distance.

We'd been experiencing a weather inversion for a week.  What that means is we weren't getting above freezing down at sea level while up in the mountains there were in the 50's and 60's.  When we got to the mountains around 11:30, all the snow was a sheet of hard ice.  As the sun kept beating down on the hill, the ice softened up into "corn snow" and got nice and sledable.

You never know what kind of snow conditions you're going to encounter so we brought a new sled and all our inner tubes.  The sled was the best way to get down the hill.  Isaac liked to race me down the hill, me on the inner tube and he on the sled.  He'd give me a bit of a head start but would inevitably crash into me as he went down the hill.

William wore his helmet all day, sledding or not.

Dode was never really able to enjoy himself because there were so many people on the hill and he was afraid of crashing into someone.

view of the very busy hill

It was a perfect day (Dode would say the crowds made that impossible) and we had the entire time to play.  It worked out wonderfully because the teenagers got tired of sledding in the middle of the day and hung out in the van for a while.  When they decided to play again, we said, "Go for it!"  Usually it seems like once someone is ready to play again, we're saying, "Sorry, it's time to go home now."

Gabe and William take off

Gabe kept Isaac busy because he enjoyed filling his clothes with snow and then needed help getting that snow out once he got cold or it started melting.

We dropped Gabriel off at my mom's on the way home and fed all the hungry children hot dogs.  Dode had to park the van a ways off because there is nowhere in her development that would accommodate our extra long vehicle.  He surprised me when he got back with some teriyaki on my seat.  I hadn't had meat in a while but it sounded good after our cold day.  As soon as I cracked the lid, children started exclaiming, "I smell teriyaki!"  Dode and I shared it on the way home.  Dode says the one thing the children will remember about our day was that mom and dad had teriyaki and refused to share.

R2D2 shoes

This year the theme for cub scout day camp is outer space.   I always like to have a fun theme based costume.  I made myself some R2D2 shoes, copying an idea I saw on Pinterest.  I went to Wal-Mart and bought a pair of white canvas shoes for $5.50 and some blue shoelaces for $2.

Then I found an image of R2D2 on google images to copy.  I used a disappearing fabric pen to trace my design and got to work coloring it in with Sharpies.  It took me about 30 minutes to do both shoes.  The worst part of the project?  Having my face so close to the permanent marker fumes!

top view

rear view

Now that I've made them, I wish I would have made one C3PO.  I guess I can always get another pair to decorate and have two pairs of Star Wars shoes!  We'll see.

Getting rid of a paint line, a quick fix

When we moved into our home almost eight years ago, the landlord let us choose paint colors for all the walls.  I selected my favorite "hot cocoa" color for the walls in the living room and a white with a warm undertone for the rest of the house.  Once everything was complete, I was dissatisfied because the living room and dining room share the same long wall.  The painter addressed the issue by simply choosing a spot to stop painting one color and going on to the next.  To me, it looked ugly and "white trash".  From my favorite spot on my favorite couch in the living room, that paint line was visible.  So, for almost eight years I looked at that line and wondered, "What can I do?"

I finally came up with a quick and inexpensive fix.  I went to Lowe's and purchased some door trim.  I cut it to length, lined it up with the step that it goes down into the living room, and used my trusty nail gun to put it in place.  Some spackle disguised the nail holes and the project was complete.  I think  it looks much better now.

William held the level while I nailed up the trim

Complete!

before and after, a small change but a big difference to me!

Polar Bear Plunge 2013

We did our annual dip into Lake Goodwin on New Year's Day.  We'd planned to jump in at noon but we pushed it back to 12:13 (for 2013) to give everyone a chance to assemble.  I'd invited everyone at the co-op plus posted it on Facebook to see if anyone would join us.  We got one taker, Karen Lindauer whose son Ivan joined us.  It was 26 degrees when we woke up that morning but it had warmed up to around 40 by the time we jumped in.  I was dreading jumping in all morning but I realize that sometimes it's tough to be a cool mom (that's what separates the cool moms from the rest, right?)   That bench above was on the dock we jumped off of.  Does it look like swimming weather?

We often joke that William has no pain receptacles. Case in point, my outfit while we waited for everyone to be ready verses William's.

Our group heading down the dock.

Everyone assembled.  I love how standing in the cold about to jump into the water puts a smile on everyone's face!

More smiles and laughter.

Dode offered $1 to the first person to jump off the dock and make it all the way to shore.  Ivan jumped right in, before his mom even made it to the end of the dock to watch him, and rushed to shore.  He played in the water at the edge for a while, then walked back through to water to the dock to retrieve his award.  That's one tough polar bear!  He still had a full body shiver going 15 minutes later while wrapped up and trying to drink hot chocolate.

Ivan on his return trip.  He's only in elementary school but he walked all over those teenagers for bravery.

Jared and Isaac take the plunge.

I held onto William so I could pull him back onto the dock after he went under.

Lainey and Elizabeth still in the "thinking about it" stage.  Elizabeth had a few false starts before she was finally brave enough to jump in, right after me.  Once I surfaced after jumping in, she hollered down to me, "Mom, wait for me."  I said, "Sorry little girl but I'm getting out!"

Allison and Anastaya head back in for their second jump!

It was Jenna's first year to take the plunge.  She took a long time deciding if she could really do it while we stood around dripping wet offering encouragement.  Dode thought it was ironic that Sheri was telling her it wouldn't be bad, while fully bundled up with no plans to jump in herself!

Isaac made a half hearted attempt to pull Jenna off the dock but let go before pulling her in.  Jenna later proudly told her mom that she is stronger than Isaac since he couldn't pull her in.  In the end, after lots of encouragement, she jumped in all on her own!

Ellie was an observer.

Last year Miriam wore her swimsuit and dipped a toe in.  This year she didn't even bother changing out of her PJ's.  She'd broken her toe at Grandma Sharon's house Friday night so that was her excuse for sitting with a book instead of participating.

Trying to warm up with hot chocolate after the plunge.

After the polar bear dip, we headed home where the children jumped into the hot tub to warm up. Once the water level got up to the top, we had to tell the remaining children they'd need to wait until someone got out.  Eventually everyone got a nice long warm soak, everyone but me that is!  I was busy making lunch for everyone.

Dode went for a bike ride on the Centennial Trail with his brother Randy and his wife Lisa and I stayed home with the 14 children.  All of mine, all of Randy and Lisa's and Sheri's two!  And to be honest, I was right where I wanted to be.  A house full of children having fun verses a cold bike ride?  I'll choose the children any day!  I made a big batch of spagetti and I think 13 of the 14 children actually ate it (Miriam was the one hold out).

I still believe that someday we'll have a crowd of brave souls join us for the Polar Bear Dip.  Maybe not the hundreds they get in Seattle, but there have to be dozens of people who want to start the new year off in a very refreshing way!

Christmas 2012

Christmas felt so exhausting, it's taken me a while to feel up to writing about it.  I guess the hard core preparations for Christmas started back in October when we started working on our float for the Arlington Santa Parade.  (Actually, Dode says it started even before that when he built a big metal star with LED lights on it for a tree at the church).  As soon as the parade was over, it was time for the Nativity Festival.  I spent a couple of days helping with setting up and some more taking down as well as forcing my family to help with the living nativity during the festival.

We imported my step-nephew Noah as a third shepherd at the last minute.

Looking like a dorky Mary

The nativity festival looked amazing.

(Nice job Sheri!  Sheri is in charge of all the decorations and placement of the nativities.)

This year, I told Dode that I think we have too many traditions.  He replied, "Like what, making cinnamon rolls?"  I said,"No, all the 'special' gifts".  Each year, each of the children gets a new pair of pajamas.  I try to match their interests/favorite colors to their PJ's.  Everyone gets a book.  I have to do some sleuthing to see what book to buy everyone.  Everyone gets a brain teaser in their stocking.  It's hard to find new puzzles when you buy as many a year as I do.  Everyone gets a new ornament.  The yearly ornament party where I have to come up with an ornament for myself as well as ones for the girls.  The tradition where everyone gets their favorite treat in their stocking.

The stockings... it's easy to find little things to put in the girls' stockings (lip balm, nail files, etc.) but the boys are so much harder to find things for.  Both Isaac and Elizabeth think the stocking presents are the best gifts they receive.

Elizabeth with her stocking presents

Elizabeth told me later in the day that she'd received everything she ever wanted and didn't know what would happen next year at Christmas.  I assured her that she'd have new wants by then!

We even added a new tradition this year, making Christmas cookies and delivering them while caroling. I made the doughs (sugar and gingerbread) and frostings a few days ahead of baking them and I'm so glad. Keeping up to four children who were trying to roll out sticky dough and then arrange cookies on cookie sheets kept me pretty busy. We spent a few hours baking and decorating cookies before we divided them out and arranged them on five different plates.

Armed with our cookies, we set off to carol at several friends' homes. Anastaya had it in her head that true caroling would be to go to the front door and start singing without ringing the doorbell. If they opened the door without the doorbell, she knew she'd succeeded.   It took some loud singing with our voices echoing off neighboring houses but we managed it at several houses. I was surprised at how much Miriam enjoyed our caroling. She didn't want to stop!

With six children, I can't just pick up gifts as I go, I have to plan ahead. I actually have a spreadsheet where I chart what I bought and how much I spent on each child. The goal is to spend $100 on each child. The stocking gifts, pj's and books are additional. If I'm not careful, I can spend much more than that. The spreadsheet keeps me on track. Most things come online from amazon. For the gifts, I have a special address title that amazon ships to, so the children know to leave those boxes alone.  The gifts come addressed to: "Gifts-Do Not Open".

Miriam's Christmas list this year was priceless.  She was sitting next to me on the couch and kept asking me how to spell things.  I had to chuckle when she asked me for the fourth noisy thing!

Translation:

1-Nutcracker, 2-Whistle, 3-Flute, 4-Music Box, 5-Set of Drums, 6-Whole set of ballerina clothing,

7-longer time on the computer, 8-her sickness to go away (she'd had a cough for about three months at this point), 9-to have a real reindeer, 10-jewelry box, 11- necklace with notes and hearts on it.

Somehow I manage to get everything ready with everything wrapped by the afternoon on Christmas Eve and Christmas was once again a success.

Jacob always seems to have a hard time at Christmas, this year was no exception.  He spent the present opening time like this, then retreated to his room.

Miriam sporting her new ballerina outfit while riding her new green machine.

(It was 35° out and the cold humid air was biting Dode through his coat when he took this picture.  That didn't stop our little ballerina from staying out there to play on her new toy.)

After buying the 1st green machine, I forced myself to go back and buy another to cut down on fighting.

Anastaya received a mirror and a hair curler.

Isaac gave Anastaya the mirror and she told him she loved it.  Then her dad said, "That's because it's your favorite picture!"

Anastaya read the warning label on the hair curler, "Caution, product may burn eyes."  Isaac told her, "That's because when you use it, you're so sexy you burn people's eyes!"

Warm cinnamon rolls.  

We invite all the Dicksons in the area over for Christmas brunch each year.  Cinnamon rolls are always the star of the show.

Ballerina outfit + superhero cape + flute=too  much cuteness for one girl.  When Greg heard that Miriam had a flute on her Christmas list, he had to buy her one.  She doesn't make very pretty music with it but she sure is loud!

My mom made pistachio pudding for my brother for Christmas dinner.

We had sub sandwiches with homemade rolls for dinner.  When I saw Isaac going to get ham in the other fridge, I realized that everything had been put out for the sandwiches but the three pounds of meat my mom had brought.  Oops!  Veggie sandwiches for everyone, right?

My mom made chocolate peppermint cake for dessert.

Obligatory family photo.

We celebrated with the Dicksons on the Thursday after Christmas because that was when Brent was able to come over from Spokane and join us.  Aunt Doris and Uncle Graham were also visiting from North Dakota so we had a good sized party.

Our group

Grandma and Grandpa Dickson turned our big green chair into a love seat.

We always perform the Nativity during the party.

Two cute sheep, Savannah and Miriam

Three Wise Guys, I mean Wise Men

William, Isaac, Isaac Colson

Allison was our Samuel the Lamanite

Darcy is our angel

William looking so sweet and innocent

Jenna was Mary and Jared was Joseph

After the Nativity, Sheri revealed a fun thing she'd brought, a snowman pinata.  The children took turns from youngest to oldest, each getting three whacks a turn.  Almost everyone got three times up to bat before the snow man head ripped off.  Isaac was in charge of swinging and moving the pinata, that's his foot hanging down the firepole hole.

Janice got in on the fun.

Candy for all.  Sheri said it was leftover candy from the Tulalip Parade in August!

One thing I noticed this year is how much flour we go through the week of Christmas.  How much you may ask?  A whopping 79 cups!  The breakdown: Tuesday Christmas morning cinnamon rolls: 12 cups, Christmas dinner hoagie rolls:13 1/2 cups, Thursday family party rolls: 13 1/2 cups, Friday family party rolls: 9 cups, Saturday night pizza: 12 cups, Sunday hamburger buns:  9 cups, Monday cookies: 10 cups.  And of all that flour, I threw away only one lonely overlooked roll!

I enjoy Christmas, but I'm sure glad it only comes once a year!  It's exhausting!  My mom was a great example of coming up with just the right gifts you never even knew you wanted as I was growing up and even today.  I'm trying to follow in her footsteps but they're pretty giant footsteps!  It doesn't help that we have three birthdays within the week before and week after Christmas.  It also doesn't help that Dode did not inherit the gift giving "gift" so I have to buy 100% of the gifts and am stuck wrapping 90% of them.  At least most of the children don't have Jacob's bad attitude about Christmas and felt like Christmas was a magical day of love and unexpected wonderful surprises.  Christmas is a lot of work but it truly is a labor of love.