Unfinished Business

Here is a brief list of things I've started over the past 5 years, and never seem to get back to:

1. Jewelry making

2. The Twofer's baby books - not to be confused with...

3. The Twofer's scrapbooks

4. Sorting, framing or otherwise storing the BEST of the Twofer's artwork

5. Stamping a collection of gift tags (so I always have one)

Notice the craft theme here. This is the short list. The list I have in my head goes on and on. For 5 years (not a coincidence the Twofer is 5) I start projects and then never find the time to get back to any of it. Until, hopefully, now.

I was talking with a few friends of mine recently and discovered I'm not the only one with this problem. In fact, I'm not the only one with a supply of beads, tools, scrapbook paper, stamps, etc. Combined, we could fill a small garage with our "collections".

Jewelry making mess

That's when we came up with the idea of picking a monthly date when we get together and DO some of this! It would give us an excuse to get together and catch up, plus we might actually feel a sense of accomplishment.

Scrapbook/photos/artwork mess

And once we've completed our own crafts, I found a great website for suggestions so we can continue these monthly meetings til the kids are in college.

Twofer Thumbs Up to Kiddio.org, a weekly collection of ideas and links from all over the web. From crafts (mini notepads that looked easy peasy to make) to cooking (make your own toaster pastries) to fun stuff to do with the kids (bubble painting) kiddio has an ever-changing list of options.

I'm looking forward to this new excuse to visit with my friends and have a glass of wine and I can't wait get my crafty on!

Now all we have to do is pick the date. Let's hope that doesn't take another 5 years.

Committed to crafting,
ScaryMom

Free answers to all those $%&* questions

There area good days, and there are bad days.

Yesterday was one of those bad days. I was woken up at 6:00 AM with a little voice asking me...a question. I mean at 6 in the morning I don't care what the freakin question is - it's annoying and way to early to be in my room!

But what makes a really bad day is when the questions continue...all...day...long.

While I'm fumbling around the kitchen getting their lunches together, "Mommy, why are some people small and some people big?" On the walk to school, "Mommy, what makes a flower smell?" On the way to riding lessons, "Mom, how do the builders make roads?"

After a day like that I feel frustrated AND dumb. But now when I'm out of answers and feel the real Scary in me coming out, I have a resource at the tip of my fingers

I no longer have to reply with 'I don't know', or 'Ask your father' or 'That's a great question for your teacher!'

I can simply go to Chacha.com or text 242242 with the question and get an answer within minutes, if not seconds! And, it's free - text charges apply of course.

Here are two questions and the answers I received in under one minute:

Q. What is the E in 'Chuck E Cheese' for?
A. "The 'E' in Chuck E. Cheese stands for entertainment. The company that owns it is CEC Entertainment."

Q. Why is the sky blue?
A. "A cloudless sky is blue because molecules in the air scatter blue light from the sun more than they scatter red light."

How do they do it? Chacha.com hires guides ...blah, blah, blah. I don't really care!
The fact that they give me a logical sounding answer and I don't have to use the brain power to even be creative and come up with one of my own is what is important here.

Try it next time you want to impress your friends, quiet your kids, or resolve that argument you've had going for years with your husband about the most economical temperature setting for your HVAC...you get the idea.

Twofer Thumbs Up to Chacha.com!
ScaryMom