Crochet wallet in 2 hours!

I made this wallet this evening by crocheting a basket weave stitch on the body and single crochet on the flap in burnt yellow. It had been at least 3 weeks since I did something crafty, and boy it felt good and relaxing ;-) And, I was quick!

I love it! I'm probably going to change the clasp, as this one is going to be cumbersome I'm assuming, but it's cool for now ;-)

On the side right here, I have sewn on a button for Ross ;-) He'd been wearing the pants without a button and with a belt for a while, and I didn't know it.
Silly! It took me no time to fix the button right on ;-)

Nailed

I painted my nails differently last night, and I'm pretty proud of 'em ;-)
Granted, they are weird, but I think they have a certain "Alice in Wonderland"/Helena Bonham Carter appeal to them ;-)
I simply used Scotch tape and two different nail colors.
Ross doesn't like it, as he says when my nails catch the light, they are an ugly green color. BUT IT'S GRAY BOY!

In the photo above, you can see my wicked OWIE!
I was cleaning under the metal tray/heating coils on the stove top, and I bumped my finger on the prong where you hook the heating coil back up. It smarted real bad.
Maybe I'll have a crescent moon scar...
Ciao for now!
Jess

Valentine's Day 2013!

Today was full of much love from students and Ross alike ;-)

1st thing, I get to school, and a sweet, sweet 7th grader, who just loves me, came in my room to give me this #1 Teacher Hershey's Kiss with a big hug:

I also got this box of chocolates (which kind of had the "toothpaste" thing going for them), and several Valentine's Day Cards, including my favorite of the day: "You BUTTER be my Valentine", featuring Paula Dean riding a stick of butter. It was from one of my kids who will graduate this year...I taught him in 8th and 9th grade.

 

Next, a kid who I am ALWAYS getting on to, decided that he would suck up a little and try to get on my good side on Valentine's Day by doing his Spelling definitions all in French. Touché!

  

I got home today, and Ross was cleaning and doing dishes in the kitchen. To my surprise, the dining table was just covered in gifts for me. It was a great surprise: Tipton Hurst exotic and colorful flowers, a Ghiradelli chocolates box, a new yellow vase, wall decals, and a shower organizer unit. Plus, he had bought a little rolly cart organizer for the living room gadgetry. He OUTDID himself. Seriously.

This is just the prettiest bouquet I have ever received! It is so unique!

 This is what I made for Ross for Valentine's Day:

 
Notice the puns ;-) I googled the Periodic Table of Elements, and made a few puzzles for Ross to put together ;-)

 This is Ross putting together his messages.

After being thoroughly Ross-spoiled, I went to check the mail, and I had a beautiful card from Jen, Cody, and Evelyn wishing me a Happy Valentine's Day! She's just the cutest, sweet little one. I love that toddler!
AND! Best friend, Thomass, had sent me a "Condolescences" card for the loss of my Gramps. He's such a thoughtful best friend! I love him.

It was a long day and an exciting day, and tomorrow, I can sleep in 1.5 extra hours because we have Professional Development all day from 9-4.
I'm thinking about just rolling outta bed ;-)

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
Love,
Jess

Post Secret / Spring!

I just love my routine of waking up every Sunday to coffee and Post Secret!

www.postsecret.com

Also, this rain might be allowing Spring to peek through!

New Haircut!!

On a more positive note than today's earlier post, I GOT A HAIRCUT!

I know. I know. Everyone gets their hair cut. BUT I don't do it that often! It's been since last May!

I love it!! And I think I've finally found a coiffeuse I wanna go back to!

On the Hunt and Thoughts of Gramps Jones

I'm on the hunt for a DIY way of displaying/storing my earrings and necklaces in the bathroom. I'm thinking cute wall knobs/sconces on which I can hang necklaces. I'm thinking a picture frame with wire or yarn to display earrings.
I'm on the hunt.
Luckily, I have a Christmas $50 gift card to Michael's, a gift of Justin and Miriam.
Oh. Yeah.
I have picture frames...I have paint. Hmmmm.

The new place is Turning out to be really nice ;-)

I promise I will finish posting my N'Orleans adventures/moving adventures/new apartment adventures.

On another note, this past Saturday, Groundhog's Day, February 2, 2013, we lost my dad's dad to cancer, which we found out about the day or two before he passed away. He was just eaten up with it. It sounds so very painful.

It was a real shock, but in retrospect, he'd been in pain for almost the whole year. Stubbornness kept him from doctors, pain kept him in silent agony, and family was there for everyone. I think he would've wanted it that way-the last part.

I'm glad that my dad was able to go up and see him before he left this life. I'm glad my dad got to do some reconnecting with his siblings. I'm glad I got to explain my love for him by telephone into his ear while in the hospital (my dad said he nodded in recognition of my voice).

The last time I saw him was July 2008, and he was the same ole Gramps. I'm kind of glad that I didn't have to see him so feeble and skinny. I know that is selfish.

I can't imagine my gramps going through cancer treatment anyway. He would've cursed every part of that process with the foulest of mouths, which is kind of a funny image ;-)
Oh Gramps.

A part of me feels like maybe he didn't want to go to the doctor because maybe he knew that he was "that" sick, and it would be a long hard battle for him to get better, if he were able to.

My dad and I were discussing how strong he must've been to go through such pain for months and months. I often have back pain (mostly from being overweight and not exercising-of which I plan on correcting now that I live on the river with a number of trails and opportunities to get off my butt), but I can not imagine having back pain that doubles me over and refusing to go see the doctor.
He must've been very strong.

I just wish in some ways that we may have found out sooner.
I'm always going to wonder why he didn't seek help, and if he knew.
I'm always going to wonder if his early stages of Alzheimer's was actually Alzheimer's, since his kidneys and liver were failing him, his blood was clotting, and he was plagued with widespread cancer. These are all common misconceptions that are overlooked when diagnosing Alzheimer's. Maybe that was what caused the forgetfulness.
I hope so.
Lord knows, he's the first in our family to have Alzheimer's (if he had it).
I pray I never get it, and that is does not run in our family.

All in all, I pray the Lord's open arms for my Gramp's Hereafter.
I'm glad he's not suffering anymore.
I'm glad all his organs are brand new, and that he is experiencing a joy we've never known.

He and Anne have got to be having a grand ole time up there ;-)