to those who had no reason to help, but did

to the mother living near the corner of maple grove and franklin approx. 23 years ago,
i won't bother you with the scene that had been taking place before except he had nearly ripped off my car door.   it wouldn't close.   it wouldn't even come close to closing, i couldn't escape that way.   i had already knocked on several doors.  i sometimes heard tvs or talking behind the door, but no one answered.   i was trying not to cry but i was afraid every second that he would return and the scene would commence again.   i admit, your door was open so i knew you couldn't pretend to not be home.   at the very least, i hoped you would call the police to report a girl crying at your door begging to come in.
i tried to knock calmly on your screen door but the terror and desperation in my eyes and actions betrayed me.   you were not happy about it.   who was this person that had come begging on the porch for protection?   whatever she was afraid of might follow her to you.   i knew that.   i was sorry to do it.   i tried to control my fear in front of your little girl as she happily colored her birthday party invitations.   she was so excited to be having a birthday party!   she invited me to come.   i saw the doubt in your eyes as you handed me the phone.   i thanked your little girl for the invitation but was sure to be working that day and would have to miss it.  
i dialed 911 and we waited.    i know i was the intruder, carefully watching across the street as he came out again, looking for me.   he searched my car, and up and down the street.   i want you to know that if he had crossed the street, i would have asked for the back door and lead him away from you and your little one.   i would have done anything to protect you from him.
it seemed like hours we waited for the officer  but time means nothing in those moments.   i was grateful that your daughter seemed only to realize she had someone else to talk to.   i hope she never knew and i hope that you never regretted.

to the responding officer,
you pulled up to my abandoned car.   i met you and told my story.  a story you had heard a million times and had grown completely abhorrent of.   the victim, the abuser.   it was just another beginning of a never ending cycle.   you told me so.   you told me that you didn't expect me to stay away, you didn't expect me to press charges and if i did, i would be back for more later.   you asked all the questions, talked to him, you filed a  report.  you told me how to file for a protection order that you never believed i would get, or even if i did, you were sure i would not report violations.   you expected to see me again in the same situation. you tied my car door shut so i could drive home.
you didn't hide anything from me.   you were blunt, and impatient, and 99% of the time, you were right.    i want to tell you that this time you were wrong.   i am sure that you would be happy to know, that at least this one time, you were wrong.

to the case officer
i filed for my protection order and you were assigned to be my contact.  you told me about the same thing as the responding officer did, but more gently.   you explained everything i should do.   you nearly pleaded with me to actually call if he came around.   you said that if i stuck with it, you would be there for me.
time passed.   he called.   i called you.
nothing threatening but i had proven myself, at least a little.   you proved yourself.   you watched out for me, you watched him.   you made sure he knew that you were watching him.   you made sure that i knew.
time passed.   i moved and felt like i might be actually alive again.   then one day, i came out to find my car had been tampered with.   i called you again.    this time, i didn't have to worry about him coming back for a long time.  you took care of me.    you took time to back me up and protect me even when you weren't on duty.   i was still scared and worried, but i knew you would do everything in your power to protect me.   it made a difference.

i don't remember your faces, or your names.   i know you don't remember mine.    more than 20 years have passed and i still think about you sometimes.   i think about you more than i think about him.   i want to thank you.    i want you to know that i never went back.    i want you to know that you made a difference in my life.   you helped me make a difference in my life.

to those still there.
it wasn't the first time it happened.   it was only the first time i called for help.   i was never a victim.  i allowed it to happen.   i chose to stay.   i chose to leave.   i am still ashamed that i let it happen, but i am proud that i made it stop.   everyday, i am the only one responsible for my decisions.   no matter what anyone does to me, i choose what i do.   i choose my actions.

to everyone else.
i can't explain it.

it's not that i don't care, it's that i don't care

in response to a post about judging. 

we actually have this conversation at our house. i tell people that it's not that i don't care about them it's just that i don't care. so, i care about their health and safety but what they do is their business. (please do not mistake that for not getting a truthful answer if you ask.   be sure you really want my opinion if you ask.)

the other side is i don't care what you think. that goes farther with me than with most. i means that i do not do things to get a rise out of you, to make you think i am weird, or normal, or crazy, or funny, or serious or anything else.  i really don't care what other people think.   i am not going to do all the things i want to because it know the thought process of my area and don't want to be arrested.    not that i am wanting to do illegal things but if i went shopping in a gorilla costume, or some of the other fun things that run through my head . . .well, they just don't have a great sense of humor here.   it's misconstrued as needing medical attention.   i will still run around barefoot, which freaks a lot of people out, and play roller coaster on the sidewalks with my kids, but i do have to be aware of what will have repercussions. 

not caring about what others think has some exceptions. 

God's opinion matters to me, it's the only one i will work to conform my thoughts and actions to.

 my husband's opinion also matters to a lesser extent. more than he thinks but less than God's. 

other family and friends have some weight with me or i simply turn to them for opinions and then weigh it with my own thoughts and decide from there. please understand that not caring what others think does not mean that i do not listen to other opinions. i do, and i consider them. sometimes it affects my personal opinions to some degree, small or large, sometimes it spurrs research, sometimes it doesn't.    

not caring does not mean that i will just say what i want and do what i want even if it hurts another person's feelings.   i will try to be polite, tactful, and kind as well as really honest.   yeah, it's kind of a balance.

pretty much, i just don't have time to care about what anyone else thinks or does. like my grandma always said, "you just take care of you and you will have your hands full." (in respect to judging and not meant in regards to service and charity.)   so, you know, if i choose to grow some horns, i will.   if you choose to implant a 3rd eye, do your thing.   if you need help because you blinded yourself doing it, i will still help you get through the maze . . .i might tease you about it though, cuz i am just a good friend like that.

fiery darts!

q-tips!
have you ever thought about the amazingness of cotton on a stick?

clean your ears, nose, belly button and various body cavities with it
swab for dna
general nook and cranny cleaner
building material, nifty crafty stuff for skeletons, bunnies, sheep, stars, snowflakes, turkey tails, people, paintsticks, "what's that smell" game dosers, flowers, fireworks, and spider legs.   of all that funs stuff . . . . .

the most often used at our house- fiery dart!

ephesians 6:13-17
these scriptures talk about putting on the armor of God.   we did a family home evening about it that turned into a favorite past time.

 you need a volunteer to put on the armor -

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

if you don't know how to gird your loins, it is talking about the fact that everyone wore and still wears a robe or tunic.   there are a lot of different names for it, including dishdasha / dish dash, taub / thawbs, abaya . . .not my culture so i am not going to try and educate you on it or pretend that i know the difference between them.   i do know how to gird up your loins and the meaning though.

basically, if you need to run, work, or fight in a long skirt, you are going to trip.  ( i'll trip no matter what, but that's not the point. )   gather up your skirt, pull it forward and then pull the excess between your legs to the back.   pull the material to the sides and out about even so you can wrap it around and tie it in front . . .like a diaper.  you are girded!    
 
you can also just reach under and pull the back upü between the legs.   hoist it all up over the knees and pull the back of your skirt through the front of your belt.  this isn't going to stay as well though, this is like the quicky, "just gotta jump this fence" version

strap a pillow to your volunteer with tape and if you happen to have a nice full skirt, gird 'em up


too

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

put your shoes on!   even better, a pair of rubber boots, just cuz



16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

we used the lid to a storage bin, you can use a garbage can lid ( if it's clean) or whatever.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

slap a bowl on their head, you have a helmet

now, where are the q-tips coming in?   THEY ARE COMIN' IN A BLAZIN'!

everyone else gets a straw and some of these fancy q-tips that we colored for effect ( and so the kids know which q-tips they get to play with and which  ones need to stay in the bathroom for regular use.   they steal my clean q-tips when they run out of ammo, little stinkers! )

load up the straw and you have fiery darts in a blow gun!

this game is so dang much fun!   they don't dress up anymore but they like to have these blow gun fights all the time!   i bought them a couple of the cheapo packages to use and they have to pick them back up and keep using them until the cotton falls off.   no reason to waste good ammo.   they still snag a pack from the bathroom occasionally, but they are good about asking first.

i would be completely remiss if i didn't show you the rapid fire gun my son made from legos.   he is continually making improvements to it.   it just holds several straws together and he can blow down the line like pan pipes and fire however many one right after the other.   he thinks he is very clever!   ( he is )

that is my gratitude for the day.  i hope you never think about q-tips the same way and i even hope you have a little fiery darts war.   it's too much fun to miss!

bowl me over!

today, i am grateful for bowls. have you ever thought about how great bowls are? 
soup, rice, cereal . . . . all the sloppy stuff you wanna eat is perfect for a bowl. 
use it to mix cake, bread, cookies, dressing, paper mache glue . . .
contain jewelry, beads, legos, pins, marbles . . .all those little tiny parts that would escape otherwise.
spin a marble around it in and turn it over, make a hat, catch the leaks, soak the whites, catch a spider, make barbie a swimming pool or a skatepark, use it as a form for that paper mache, bail out your boat . . . .
i am really grateful for bowls

the hug rule

once upon a time there was a very good little boy with way too much energy.   he was kind and loving and helpful.   he got lots of attention and played with his mommy all day long.   anything she did, he did with her.   he just had a lot of energy.   that energy would sometimes sneak out of his body without him knowing it.   it would make a hand to reach out and smack someone.   if you asked him why he did it, he really would not remember doing it.   he was taken to doctors who insisted he was normal.   his mother came up with the best description that all of the doctors agreed with.   he was "a normal little boy, just exaggerated".

so, this is where i was, looking for some help but not wanting my son just medicated.

finally, i just did some mom diagnosis.   i realized that he really did just have more energy than he could control.   i realized that he no matter how much attention he was getting, it wasn't enough.   i realized that he would subconsciously do things to get some attention.   bad attention is better than no attention.   once i realized what he was doing, i could help him understand it too.   when he would "act up" i would ask him if he wanted some attention.   i would ask him if it was nice to get in trouble or if it would be better to have a hug than to get in trouble.   this is where the hug rule was created.

the hug rule -
anyone, anytime, can get a hug from anyone in the house/family.
there is some fine print to this rule of course.   if the person is on the phone, you have to be quiet when getting a hug.   if the person is busy with something, you might have to get a one arm hug but you will get acknowledgement.   the person you go to has to know about the rule, so we don't hug strangers.   if you just did get in trouble and sent to your room/time out, you have to go to time out first.

this works!

here's why it works.
there is the explanation of why they are doing things.   they don't know why, they don't understand it themselves.   this helps them to understand themselves.
they get a positive alternative to what they would normally do.


here i am on the third child, the rule still applies.   my third also has "too much energy".   i have worked with him in the same way.   of course, you have to explain things differently for each child and i had to add that last rule for this last loop hole finding child.   he is still learning to recognize his own motivations.   when he starts "acting up" i ask him why he is doing it and if he needs attention.   then i ask if he wants good attention or bad attention.   and i ask how we get good attention.   with this line of questioning the standard, he is starting to just come tell me he needs attention.   if i have to ask him about it, it takes less questions for him to understand and just come get a hug.

as my oldest has become a teen and my second is entering the teen fun.   this age has helped me find a new use for this awesome rule.   mom hugs!   i have an angry teen and i need to let them know i love them before they go stomping off to their room - anyone, anytime, gets a hug.   mom gets a hug from them!  i take the opportunity to tell them i love them and some kind of positive comment for them.   sometimes i sing something to them, which generally gets a laugh.   this is one of those picking your timing things.   some situations need singing, some just need some words of love.    either way, i love using the hug rule!

now, my kids use the hug rule on each other and i use it on my husband.   i have shared this info with teachers and they have adapted it to their classrooms.   the oldest, my original "exaggerated child", has grown quite a bit and understands his own head better than before.   we have built on the, "why are you doing this?" question over the years.   helping the kids understand what they are doing and why has been a great tool in their lives.   giving mom the opportunity to give some kind and loving words in times of anger is priceless!

that is the beauty of the hug rule!

braided bow

split the top half of the head into two sections.   briad the sections starting at the center of the head.   cross the braids and bring the ends back to the center.  i used a rubberband to hold everything together leaving the unbraided ends to hang in the center.   you will use them in a minute.   now, take a section from the center under the bow and wrap it around the center to make the center of the bow.   it's important that you wrap from front to back.   you can braid it if you want as well.    i have done this with all the hair braided but can't find the pictures . . . be watching for the update.

bring your center down and braid it in with the loose ends of the bow braids.   this holds it all in place.   you can braid all of the hair or bring several braids together for the bow.   it's open for experimentation.  

and two become one braid

this is a simple technique but adds a bit of class to a braid.   

split the hair in half and under braid bringing in hair at every turn.   you want to turn the braid to meet at the center ot the head instead of simply braiding straight down.   braid to the center of the head about half way up.   braid just s little past where there is no more loose hair to bring in and band it.   do this on both sides.   then make one overhand knot with the braided ends.    the braids should be one straight up and one straight down.   bring the braids together and carefully take the bands off.   you don't want them to come unbraided though.    keep your sections separate in your braids.   bring them together and join the sections together.   so the section from outside of the bottom braid should join into the outside section of the top braid and so on.   then just braid as normal.   

you can wrap it a few times if you want, the end is the same.   it turns out really interesting and is still pretty sturdy.  

fat fishbone

this is a basic fishbone done very loosely and with gaps.   

to fishbone, you use only two sections of hair.   this is harder to hold onto while doing it since it does not hold onto itself.   bring a piece of the left side around in under into the right side.   then bring a section of the right side up and over into the left side.   that's it.   you can bring sections into it from loose hair on the opposite side instead as well.   

in this version, i fishbone for a few inches and then bring in loose hair once from each side and then plain fishbone again.   i left the hair a bit loose to give it this larger looser look.  

to end it, you can just continue your basic fishbone.   i liked a little more finished look.  i banded the braid and then took a couple sections in opposite directions around the end, through the place between the braid and the last section of loose hair that came in and then back down and around.   i then ran the ends through the rubber band.  i used a hair tool to do that.   really handy!

bound chain braid

this is a basic technique but turns out really beautiful.   

just start your braid on one side or the other.   bring your braid over to one side and bring in hair for around 5 times.   then simple braid to a length that you can reach over to the other side and bring in hair on that side for five times or so.   repeat.   easy!

coiled snake braid

this is a swerving braid that goes back and forth across the head.   it's really easy to do.   i ended up making it an up do at the end.

start with a braid taking pieces into the braid from the front only.   then braid a couple without bringing in anything and bend the braid back towards the other side.   start snaking it.   still taking sections of heir into the braid from the front but now it will be coming into the opposite side.   continue this down to the end when you are out of loose hair to bring into the braid.

 bind the braid and twist the braid up onto itself.   you can see below where i have twisted upwards and then pulled the end through the braid on the head.   then just wrap the braided end around the braid on the head to secure it.

 to secure it, weave the end into the braid.   it gives an interesting and pretty sturdy hairstyle.

tiered waterfall braids

this is not the basic waterfall braiding technique.  even for church, my daughter is so active and her hair does not stay put so i have to use a sturdy waterfall technique.    the basic waterfall is more of a twist with a piece of hair being brought through the twist in each twist.   i do a braid, i bring in a little piece of hair from the front side.   just bring in hair from one side.   the opposite side, instead of the whole section of hair being let go through the twist, i keep a braid and only let go of half of the hair on the back side.   so, bring a section into the braid on the front side, let go of half of your whole section you are braiding on the back side.   hope that makes sense.

in order to do this hairstyle, i am using the same sections to go into and out of the sturdy waterfalls.   ok, not the same sections, but i keep bringing in the sections from the braid above and letting a little section out on the other end.

daniel from microsoft

i know you have had such calls, "hello, this is daniel from microsoft.", "your car warranty is about to expire", "through no fault of your own, your payment has been held up at the bank", "would you like to make money from home?". . . . . . .  "i'm going to help you"

yeah, sure you are.

please understand, i have been a telemarketer, legal and illegal. ( i turned in evidence on the illegal one as soon as i realized what was going on, by the way.)   i am nice to the ones who are legal.

 i have a bit of a twisted sense of humor so i do mess with some of them too.   i had one guy guy call who didn't speak english very well.   he told me my computer was "dangerous" and was going to "explode"!   i kid you not.   i did not pass up this opportunity to freak out and tell him i wasn't going anywhere near my computer if it was going to explode!   i kept this up for about 15 minutes until real life happened again and i had to take care of kids, family etc.   (i have nothing against people who do not speak the language.   i live in a foreign country and my language skills are only ok to meh.   i don't tell people i speak the language.   i tell them i kind of speak it.)
 i did lead one guy on who informed me that my auto warranty was about to expire.   i kept up with him for around 15 min. until i told him i didn't know if it was the warranty on my 1965 or 1964 car that was expiring.   i couldn't ask the dealer since i didn't know where it was bought because i wasn't born then. . . . he didn't think i was funny.

now, a friend of the family, a little old lady with a quick wit, used to ask if their mothers knew what they were doing for a living.   she gave them a "shame on you" and gave them what for.   she was just that awesome!

so, what's the point?!   ok, here it is - i have really started to think about my opportunities.   what can i do to not only amuse myself but also make the world a better place?   so, i have started a new approach to these scammers.   the last time "daniel from microsoft"called, (they are all daniel, even the ones who can't say daniel are named daniel), i told him that i knew he was not from microsoft and that he was lying to me.   i told him that he was trying to steal from me and that was wrong.   i told him that all the lies and theft he was committing every day for work was piling up on his head and he would be carrying those sins into the next life if he didn't repent in this one.  of course, he denied it and tried to get back to his script.   i was unrelenting.     stubborn is one of my strong suits and !hello!, i am a mother.   when you are busted, arguing with me is useless.   i continued telling him that what he was doing was wrong.   i told him that he was piling up sin upon his soul, he was only making his place with God worse and that he needed to repent.   he gave up and hung up on me.  weird.

ok, now stop laughing.   this was actually hard for me to do without laughing.   i had to keep reminding myself that i might actually get through to one of them.   while i have started doing this because it is just a seriously awesome way to deal with these guys, but also, because i hold out hope that i will be able to turn just one.

you may think this is impossible but let me tell you a sad but true story.   the, "google blog to make money" scam was going around.   i had had these guys call me so i did some research.   that is so my thing.   come at me, i will look it up and even the playing field.   the scam was that they would set you up in a googles blog and help you make money with it.   it would only cost you $500! . .  . by the way, this is where i started blogging.   i looked it up and started two free blogs with google just to see how it worked..   so, this guy calls me, i had some divine inspiration to start asking them if they had done it themselves.   this guy tells me that he had saved up and bought one for his wife!   at this point, i understood that he had been duped himself and he had no idea that what he was selling was a scam.   i explained to him that google blogs were free and that i had actually started two free ones just to try it out.  i explained how you made money with it the legal way.   i could hear the pain in his voice.   he suddenly had to go and thanked me for the information.   wish he had called me a week earlier, before he had put out the money.   i also explained how to contact the attorney general in his state.  i admit, most of these guys know that what they are selling is crap, some do not.   like i said, i worked for a place that was illegal.   i had no idea until they started telling me to call back and use a different name and disguise my voice.   having worked for legit places, i knew the laws and turned them in.

this route might not be for everyone, you actually have to believe in the good in people and care enough for them that you truly want them to be better.   this scripture says it all-

And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God.

might as well try. . . . and if nothing else, it's much better and more fun than just saying that you're not interested.   who knows, you might actually inspire someone to change their ways.  

the footstool

when i was 18, i met my father for the first time.   one of the first stories he told me was of the footstool.   he made me a small footstool for a necklace and i wore it for a long time.    although the necklace has been lost to moving and time, the story has stuck with me.   i prefer the memory since it is the only one of the two i can take with me.

the story goes something like this - (it has been a few years since i heard the story so the details may be off but the gist is the same) -
every night my dad would need to get up in the middle of the night.   you know how that goes.   well, he tried to not wake the house full of kids and wife, so he didn't turn on the light.   this would normally be great and not a problem.   he knew where the furniture was.  certainly a man can navigate his own home in the dark, right?
yes, unless you have kids.   the kids were pretty good about the toys, but there was this little footstool that was just the perfect height.   it was great for climbing up, sitting down, hopping over, driving cars under.   everything!  that meant that it got used a lot.   that means it was never in the same place twice.   so, as my dad would carefully and quietly make his way through the house . . .thump!  found the footstool with his toe, banged into it with his ankle or just tripped over the darn thing. . . e v e r y night.  

you would think that at some point he would turn on a light, get a flashlight, light a candle, something.   no!   this was becoming a matter of pride!   this was war!   he was bound and determined to get through the house without the stool beating him!   it's just a footstool, right?   right!

night after night, my dad stubbornly stubbed his toe.   then, he finally decided that his toe was more important than his pride.   toes tend to hurt more than pride after a while.   he turned on a light.   the funny thing is, by turning on the light, he won.   his toes won!

it has always reminded me of how silly our pride, our competition, our stubbornness makes our lives harder, sometimes even painful.   we work so hard at doing something the way we want to do it, that we miss the simple answer that will allow us to move forward.

look around, turn on the light and really look at what is causing you pain, what is it that is making your life harder than it really needs to be?   what is it that just needs a little light?  

grateful for jersey knit

i have been a total slacker lately with my gratitude.      such is life.
a few weeks ago, i made a jump rope for my tomboy princess out of jersey knit, (t-shirt material).  
http://plaidipusmound.blogspot.de/2013/10/homemade-jump-rope.html
it worked great and came back to help me this week.

my shoelaces were wearing through . . . had worn through and been tied several times.   then my little blonde curls wore my shoes, broke the lace again and lost the end so i didn't have anything left to tie.   i was in the middle of something when it happened and didn't really think about it . . .until i had to go somewhere.   stink!   ironically, i had to go pick up the blonde curls when i remembered that the blonde curls broke my laces.  option: wear the hubby's shoes (too big) , wear sandals in the cold and wet (barefoot maybe if i didn't have to go into his school but not sandals.  barefoot is ok no matter the weather for a few minutes, but sandals in the cold, no. and i was going ride my bike), so, fix it is what we have left.    yah for the jump rope experiment.
i just cut a strip off of the same sheet i used for the jump rope, and laced 'em up.   i cut the end really slanted and used a crochet hook to pull it through faster.   you could use tape on the end for an aglet if you wanted though.   it totally didn't match, not really a problem for me.   i'm not fashion conscience.   my pant legs were long enough to hide it anyway.   i just have to put in, this is not a long term fix.   i had to fix my shoe twice before remembering to go buy laces.   i did want to see how long they lasted though.   not long.

the point is not the shoe laces.   the point is doing what you can with what you have, thinking outside the box, applying past experience to present situations that may seem totally unrelated.
the point is not fencing yourself in with the easy way, the normal way, the usual way, the everyday.
the point is it may or may not work, but you tried it, you learn from your failures.   and seriously, this failure was seriously cool!

kids find secret room behind the book case update

i know many of you have read the mysterious story of the room hidden behind the book case.
http://www.viralnova.com/creepy-door/

i have done quite a bit of research since i just can't let something like this go.
i thought you might want to know what happened after the story was written.

the family spent several days living with friends and family while the police searched.   one story says the police felt the person had moved on and one says that they felt it was a child since the space was so small.   both ways, there wasn't much response.   the family took things into their own hands and began to search out the space.   they searched the house trying to figure out how the perpetrator was getting in and out.   they eventually found a window that didn't lock properly every time.   the window was replaced and an alarm system was installed. after a few months with no apparent disturbance in the little room, they began to feel more comfortable.   they tried to decide what to do with the strange little space they had found.   logically, it was useful for nothing more than storage considering the size.    after throwing some sleeping bags and camping equipment into it, the space was not given much  more thought.

after more than a year of the original occurrence, the space was nothing more than a conversation piece.   one of the sons was assigned to map the house in their math class.   they figured this should be a fun project considering their little secret room.   the first measurements and drawing was done, but wasn't matching  up.   he measured again, drew again, but still came up with things not lining up correctly.   the family helped out next, even with everyone working together, the drawing was not matching the house they could see or the measurements they were taking.    beginning to worry, the father of the family talked a friend about it who was an engineer.   the engineer took precise measurements and drafted a blueprint for the family.   even the engineer was stumped and told the family that the blue print was not entirely accurate.   no matter how many times he worked it, the plan never came out exactly the same way twice.   none of the plans drawn from anyone came out the same way twice.   the problem seemed to stem from the secret room and some of the surrounding walls.

meanwhile, as the engineer worked on the blueprints, the boys had been exploring the secret room more thoroughly.   they had actually began decided to start using a hammer to bust through walls.   before the hammer came out, mom took one last stab at the room.   she did what moms do and found the unfindable.   the space was half way up the stairs, she discovered a piece of wood that moved to the side and revealed a key hole.   yeah, guess what that key they found went to.   obviously there had to be more than one since the person was gone and the spare key was still in the room.   she used it and found a tunnel!

the police were again called.   this time they took things a bit more seriously.   the search of the tunnel revealed not only a secret entrance to the house but also more little secret spaces.   in the other spaces were more evidence of someone or something living in and under their house.   evidentiality, the loss of the smallest and highest room in their secret den was no deterrent.     the search turned up more and more strange things.
as they searched, they turned up five more rooms.   each seemed to have a specific purpose.   it was determined that the first room they discovered had been for kids, hence the dolls and candy.    they found rooms resembling kitchen and toilet usage.   whomever had been living with them had been using their water, sewer and power but obviously in very small amounts.   it seemed almost as though it was a primitive family living inside a modern house.   bizarre food stores were found.   all seemed salvaged or hunted.   mostly rodents dried or smoked into jerky.   other gathered fruits, nuts, roots were hanging or stored in the "kitchen".   little was found for cooking as such.   all of the rooms and the entrance tunnel seemed small for our standards, shorter and child sized.

now, here's the part that will have you questioning your own safe and happy home.   as they began to explore the tunnel, or i should say tunnels, they found that there were more mini homes under several more houses in the neighborhood!      there was a neighborhood under the neighborhood!   every house that had a secret entrance, was built by the same builder.  a builder who had soon after gone out a of business and left the state.   each entrance lead to a mini house like the first.   each had similar small dimensions and similar family living evidence.   they followed the main tunnel to the end where it came out between a landfill and a nuclear power plant!   now we know where the store is.   the landfill provides plenty of discarded clothing rodents to hunt, wild plants, and obviously, toys for the kids.    the garbage was providing for not only one family but several.

with so many people being supported and living under foot, why had no one seen them.   that is still a mystery.   why did the builder actually build these mini houses into the neighborhood?   again a mystery.   he must be a friend of the colony or possibly one of them, not to mention every worker that helped on the projects.   here is the question that everyone should be asking though - how many more colonies are out there?   where are they?    who is living under your feet?

to be fair, they seem to be symbiotic, other than the stolen candy, nothing seems to be missing from the houses.   assumably, a child that snuck up to get candy without parents knowing.   no one was ever harmed, no one had anything stolen or missing that they had noticed.   but maybe that's what happens to the missing socks from the laundry.   imagine, how many other colonies might be out there.   how many neighborhoods, towns, states or even countries have these underground people living under them?  what else is going on under your nose and feet that you have no idea exists?   and here is possibly the most important - if they are not harming anything, why do we care?     while  most of the residence that had these mini houses found under ground were totally freaked out and had them closed, a few said to leave them alone.  no harm, no foul, no kidding!

i know i have learned a lot and had my eyes really opened from researching this story.   i have also had a lot of fun writing this totally bogus update.   yep, made it all up.  at least the update part, the original i have no idea although it seems a bit faux to me.   my friends on facebook were discussing the story and one of them said, "I just did some research on this and it says that this was posted over a year ago and the family was found dead right after these pics were taken . . . the man that was arrested for it admitted to living in the hidden space beneath the house. . . " which seriously made my heart jump for a second and then it made me laugh.   i decided i could up the ante a bit.   oh, yes, i have a seriously twisted sense of humor.

now, think about this though.   what is happening in the world that you know nothing about so it doesn't bother you?   things that are harmless to everyone, just disturbing to think about.   do we as a society force people into a form for no other reason than our own comfort?   maybe people are better off without so much interference and form fitting.   maybe you are better off without so much trying to fit the form.   and i think everyone is better off with some seriously twisted friends!   enjoy your day and sleep well!  

what you need to know about going natural

over the last several years, i have tried to add more and more nature to my life.   you know, not like taking walks.   using more herbs and less meds.   using vinegar instead of shampoo and cleaners.   adding raw foods more than processed.   fermented foods.   that kind of thing.   trust me, i am not nature girl.   some nights, it's late, and we throw a pizza in the oven.    i am adding things a little at a time.   i am learning a bit, implementing, learning some more, and implementing more.    as i do this, here is what i have learned and what i warn people about when they ask about going natural themselves.     that's probably my first piece of advice- take it a step at a time.   do some research about the things that interest you.   look on the internet, pinterest, join facebook groups, ask your friends.   i have been really surprised which of my friends were doing various natural things.   choose one that looks the most doable and try it.   give it time, keep with  it.   once you feel comfortable with the new routine, look into another practice and on and on.   you will keep some and not others.   that's ok.   just be sure to give things a fair chance.

that brings me to my next advice.   realize that designed products force a certain outcome in a short amount of time.   nature doesn't do that.   nature takes time and nature has cycles.   we have put so much science into keeping certain standards at even levels that we have thrown our concept of healthy and natural completely out the window.   windows are actually a good place to start.   look out the window!   see that tree?   it took years.   if you cut it open, it will have rings of different sizes that reflect the difference of  it's growing conditions over the years.   it will not be even rings of the same size and shape.   point is, nature moves slowly and not nice and even and controlled.     it has ups and downs.   if you want to live a more natural life, you have to accept the ups and downs and cycles of nature.   *there will be good and not so good hair days for instance.   you will notice that they will go in cycles though.   you'll have great hair for a few weeks then it will slowly become less cooperative.   you will simply have to adapt to the cycle.*   going natural takes time and experimentation.   it will take days or weeks to adjust to some and  months and even a year or so to adjust to some changes.  *just sticking with my own hair cycles for instance - i wash with just vinegar for quite a while.  it goes great.   then, i have this not wanting to be cooperative time where i use a bit of coconut oil to tame it.   still looks fine though.  then we hit straightening it with coconut oil and a ceramic flat iron.   once or twice a year, i get a day or two where i have sort of waxy hair.   i wash it with dish soap and move forward from there.   it may seem like a fuss but my hair is more healthy, it is cheaper than what i was using and, honestly, i have more good hair days and less hot iron days than before.   plus, since it goes in cycles, i can predict what my hair will be like for the most part.      my tomboy princess's straight hair has a much longer cycle.   she rarely needs a good soap wash.   her hair is mostly braided though, that helps.   my curls are a bit more wild anyway so this is actually an improvement for me and my crazy mop.   **update - after more than i year of the vinegar for my hair, i have not had a waxy time for quite a while.   things seem to have calmed down and the cycles aren't so extreme.   things are starting to even out a bit more than at first.   it has taken time.**

*personal example for both giving it time and taking it slow - fermented foods - i started milk kefir 8 months ago.  i didn't have any trouble when i started but some people have an increase in the health problems they were trying to get rid of for a while.   it's called die off.   sounds super healthy right?   well, it is actually.   imagine all of the little bad things in your body that cause problems.    they are hiding out and burrowed in all over.   when you add the probiotics, good yeasts, good microbes, etc that are in fermented foods, they go in and dislodge the bad stuff.   when you add a little at a time, it dislodges a little at a time and your body can flush it (if you are drinking enough water).   if you jump in with both feet and start cramming in all the ferment you can, you are going to dislodge all of it at a time and that is harder for your body to deal with.   still ok, just uncomfortable at first.   go slow, get used to one thing at a time.   give your body a chance to adjust.   on the upside for us, everyone is healthier than ever before.   when i have a whole winter without being down and out in bed sick, it's a miracle!   definitely worth the little bit of time it takes to do it.  


a few last thoughts -  do try natural things, every bit of natural living that you do, positively affects your life.      don't think you have to be totally off grid to be natural.   ask yourself why you are going with natural practices and just stick with that.   do what fits your life and your expectations.     don't compare your natural path to anyone else.   you might be more or less than someone else.   it doesn't matter.  sometimes i hear competitive or even accusative statements made about not doing enough or trying it at all.   i hear both sides of it.   don't worry about it.   do what works for you.   that is what nature is after all.   nature does what works.   and lastly just enjoy it!

bound up braids

this was just a silly experiment with braids and a high on the side pony.   my tomboy princess likes the high on the side do's.   

so, pony, separate out a section to wrap around the pony.   this wrapping makes the braid higher.   

braids first, then twist the section of hair and wrap it around.  use your topsy tail to tuck the end of the twisted hair into the band holding up your pony.   i had quite a bit of end on my braid and i didn't want it just hanging so i wrapped it up into the braid and into the band as well.   tucking the end into the braid gave it a thicker look and kept it up higher.

it was just fun.

laced up locks

this is a fun technique.   it's pretty basic and really simple but gets rave reviews.
 it's useful to have a little loop to pull the ribbon through the braids.   you could probably do it without but it would be harder.

so, two braids (or more).    parallel or not. see how easy i am to get along with?

my first try was with braids on the outsides.   i started lacing from the front but spaced them too far apart.  i think the bottom looks great but wasn't pleased with the top.   i pulled the side braids together at the bottom with the ribbon and then tied the ribbon around the hair to make it more of a pony at the bottom.   that turned out really cute!

this was my next experiment with the ribbon.   

i brought one braid down from the front right to the side left across the front.   the other braid came from the right front down the right d´side and then across the back a bit.   

i laced the ribbon through every stitch in the braid this time and only went part of the way down.  i also ended both ends in the same side which was really cute as well.   

you could lace from bottom up or do paralele braids.  this could be used for anything.  i am seeing team colors or bridal/bridesmaid hair.   imagine the possibilities, i know i am.   i will be back to this post with new trials of what works and possibly what didn't.   you might as well learn from my mistakes too.

super simple car costume!

my son decided that he wanted to be acaar for halloween this year.   car?   easy!   i love an easy costume!

you can be as fancy or simple as you want, time will allow and resources will grant.  i have next  to nothing in the last two so we went with simple.

first, you're gonna need a box!

consider kid/box ratio, length, width, height, length.   

i un glued the bottom and the seam so i could lay it out flat.  i didn't to try and deal with the glossy outside and the inside is nice and clean.   plus, i want to work with it flat.   much easier. 

 give your ride a paint job.   we laid down an old shower curtain and went to work.   i used kitchen sponges since i don't have any large paint brushes here.   my 4 year old used his hands.   it all worked.   after painting the ride, we painted some wheels.   just circles with white rings.   you have to have white walls after all.   black tires blend with the pavement.

 cut the tires off the bottom side flaps.   fold the bottom front flaps up and tape.   fold the top side flaps down and tape for a little stability.   then i just taped it back together inside out.

 i used some wire to hold the wheels on.   you could glue them as well.   just make sure to secure them well.

i used wire folded in half and then splayed at the ends.   i taped over the ends so the wouldn't snag.   you should also tape them on the back of the wheel or add some stabilization to the hole in the wheel so it doesn't tear and jump off your car. you could use washer of some sort to keep it on as well.

my son and i multi-tasked on this and got it done in no time.   i got the wheels on and he installed the windows.    we are so  much faster than any garage.

 

we used tin foil for the front and back windows.   just press the tin foil over the flap so you can see the outline, fold it gently in half so it won't crease and cut a window slightly smaller than the outline.

i cut a grill out of tin foil and added some detail with paint and the original paintbrush.  

 the lights are seriously awesome!   they make the costume super sweet and super safe at the same time.   we had some of these small push lights, you could cut holes and use flash lights or glow in the dark stuff as well.  

 for the back lights, i cut up a red plastic bag and taped it in place.   all of the lights were taped on with duct tape.   i just made little tape rolls and they held fine.

 the straps were made from duct tape as well.    i had my tomboy princess be the car lift and hold the box in place while i measured.   then i just ran tape across from one side to the other.   then ran another piece on top of it so it wasn't sticky.   i went wide at the front and met in the center of the back so they wouldn't slip off the shoulders.  

 i would reinforce the flaps.   my race car driver went of roading and racing around until the front window separated from the body.  i had to steal some tape from the straps to do some on the spot body work.   i usually carry duct tape, of course, not tonight.

hope you have fun making a car for your little driver . . .or for yourself.   it's a great thing for halloween or any day really.   when is a box car not fun?!

homemade jump rope

like most tomboy princesses, mine likes to jump rope.   her school has some but they are literally rope.  no handles, just rope.   they work, as well as just rope works.   the problem with just rope is that the rope is turning but held at the pivoting point, i.e. the hand so they twist until they tangle.   she wanted a jumprope that worked, so i made her one.  no problems.  

 i found some inspiration :

http://churchfun.com/2008/09/17/how-to-make-a-durable-jump-rope/

http://proverbs31living.blogspot.de/2010/11/have-handmade-christmas-week-3.html

and then i took off on my own.   

first, i did use the t-shirt material but i have some sheets made of jersey.   it's already the length i need.  much simpler.   i had my tomboy princess mark the material at the width of a wide ruler, around two fingers or so.   it's not important that it's exact but you don't want tit too thin or it will tear and too thick makes it harder to work with.   i wouldn't go thinner.   

after marking, i cut the strips and stretched them.   be gentle and slow stretching them.   cut extras.   we broke a few.   you want them to stretch to the point that they become a stiffer "string" but not until they break.   it worked best to stretch them a couple times instead of overstretching the first time.   

this is the difference between the fresh cut and the "string"

try to pull them so they are the same length, approximately.

leave some room at the end.   my regular sheet made one too long for me and long enough for two to turn and one to jump.  knot the first end and then just use a little rubber band on the second end for now.

next, you braid. . . and braid . . and braid . . it's easier if you have help . . .

depending on the help.   my cat was super helpful.   

while you're braiding, you want to pull one string out of the others to keep them from knotting up under you.   just pull one out every 4 or 5 wraps.   obviously, the material will wear out eventually.   you could cut some rubber/plastic tubing beads to put on the middle to protect the rope and give it some weight if you want.   i just didn't have any and couldn't buy any.   maybe next time.  i'll be keeping my eye out for some used fish tank tubing wide enough to go on the ropes.   maybe some small garden hose but you don't want it too heavy either.   i am thinking just a few to protect the center that hits the ground.

next, the handles.   here is where you make a difference between a rope and jump rope.

i used an old hula hoop because it was what i had.   you could use pvc pipe anything hard for the handles.   i don't know if garden hose would work.   it would depend n how stiff it was.   the rope has to be able to freely turn inside the handle.    that is what keeps it from twisting up  

i grabbed a picture of it in the tub when i washed it.  these pictures are totally on the go.   we had several things to do including make a jump rope.   chaos as always, but you are patient with my chaotic pictures.   you're such a great audience!

if you have a cut off wheel for your dremel, you can cut the handles easy . . .i used a serrated knife without cutting myself for once.     seriously, use caution and cut carefully.   be responsible with your cutting.

we measured a bit longer than my princesses hand is wide.   you want room for them to hang on and not interfere with the end of the rope turning.

after cutting, i used sandpaper to smooth the ends.   you don't want the raw edges to cut kid's hands or the rope.   i sanded it inside and out until it was smooth.

 next, string your rope together.    this is why you leave one end with just a rubber band.   it's easier to get through the tubing and washers.
you want your washers on the ends, between the handle and the knot.   that is what lets the rope turn inside the handle.   i happened to have some washers.    (hope my husband didn't need them for anything)   i figured if i couldn't find washers, i would cut a circle out of plastic or even cut the pipe in half and make a hole for the rope to go through.  you could use large beads too.   be creative with what you have.    it just has to be able to turn freely on the end of the handle and not slip into the handle.

 this is the order you string them on.   then just tie your other end and you're done.   if you need it smaller, just tie it up higher.   no problems.   leave it a loose knot so you can make it longer again later.

you could use any color sheet but make sure it's t-shirt material.   you could use a t-shirt too if you wanted.  just cut in a spiral around the shirt from bottom to armpits.   you could use permanent markers to put some color on it as well.

you should be able to make this jump rope from what you have around the house.  with a little creativity, you can probably find all you need without shopping.   be creative and think about what it has to do instead of just looking at my list and wondering if you have what i have.

hope it works well for you.   have fun!