- Pinterest on Pause - Fishing First

Yes, this blog should be titled Pinterest Day 5 and should have some way cute crafty stuff posted on here for you.  I'll get back to that, promise, but first let's discuss the following… 

There are days when I really think I am losing it or can't seem to get/keep it together.  And recently there seem to be a lot more of them.  Brett has even told me he is concerned sometimes because I can't remember things that occurred/ we discussed the night before...

I'm attributing this to pregnancy, hormones, and lack of quality sleep because of my back/ getting up to pee 50 billion times and then having my mind race instead of just going back to sleep...

Friday was definitely one of those major, "WHAT is the deal with me today?" days, so when Brett texted around lunch asking if I wanted to go down to the coast and try our hand at some redfish, for once my way-plan-ahead self let it be and said yes.  We literally got home from work, threw clothes and food in some bags, packed up the dogs and fishing gear and headed down to port A. 

Brett catching bait

Saturday morning we cooked a big breakfast, geared up the boat, and headed out to fish.   Naturally the bite was late and we got there early so I had one bite that got off, then nothing for a few hours.  That's okay though because I laid down at the back of the boat and took one of the best naps I have had in weeks.  :)  Brett said it is because I finally got to just rest and not just lay there and worry about getting my back comfortable, or worrying that I wasn't going to get enough sleep because I couldn't get comfortable.  He had a good point…  I was awoken from that nap by Brett hollering,  "reel in the other line babe, I've got a fish on!"   

Sure enough, he had caught him a 23" redfish. :) 

About 15-30 minutes later, another pole bent over, and I reeled in a big boy who put up quite the fight.  Thank goodness I wasn't fishing with my little pink reel because this particular fish was a fighter and he would have spooled it. 

Yep, he really is that big.  29" to be exact.  We had to tag him, and had to look up where to tag a redfish since we have never caught one big enough to have to tag before.  

Isn't he pretty? 

We didn't get many more bites after that and wanted to be back before the sun went down, so in we headed with Brett saying.  "A bad day fishing is better than a good day anywhere else, except Disney World, because that's where dreams are made"   Oh, Brett, you're a keeper too. :)  Although I must note that we both agreed that it was a really good day fishing, you don't have to limit out to have fun although it would have been a nice perk. 

This beautiful shot was taken from the boat as we were coming in and reminds me that sometimes we all just need to slow it down.  Am I right? 


btw:  Us Against the World by Coldplay so sings this thought out nicely…if you like Coldplay… the hubs can't stand them, thinks they are whiney and depressed, but I love their music and think it calms me, so it all depends on you and your own music taste...

Here is Brett with the two fish back at the condo.

And here is me with my redfish and baby Tucker at 28 weeks.  :)

Pinterest Day 4

Today I decided to take on sewing with minky dot.  In case you are unfamiliar with the term, it is this super soft and snuggly fabric that is used in a ton of baby things (blankets, burp cloths, changing pads, bumpers, etc.)  It is a little pricey but worth it because it is so very cuddly and cozy, but you better know what you are doing with it so you don't waste the costly goodness.  Oh, and did I mention it is slightly stretchy and rumored to be kinda hard to sew with. Now, I am far from a pro at sewing and usually make things up as I go along/ follow tips from sewing blogs, but I found this pin which inspired me…. longhorn minky blanket

and then this one that provided me with simple directions easy for this intermediate sewer. minky how to

Since I LOVE super soft blankets and always want to be snuggled up in one, I am assuming Tucker will appreciate them too.  So, scary to work with minky, BRING IT ON! ;)   I had bought some fishing/outdoorsy flannel material awhile ago at JoAnn's with no idea of what I wanted to do with it, just knowing that I would use it for something for little guy.   I paired it with some brown minky, pinned it in like 50 billion places which is apparently the trick to sewing minky without a walking foot, and started up the machine. 

Stitch some, remove a pin, repeat again and again, trim, turn out, iron down the seams, stitch a simple topstitch, jam out to the new and super awesome Coldplay cd,

tell your husband to quit asking if you are done yet (yes like a little kid who wants to know if we are there yet), shake it out and then end up with this…. 

A super soft and extra cuddly blanket that is just right for Tucker.  It turned out pretty good for my first time making a blanket and using a difficult material at the same time! :)  

Happy Pinning!  Tomorrow is Friday and it is FINALLY starting to feel like fall! :)

Pinterest Day 3

It's another classroom one.  I don't think I could do a job where I didn't get to be creative and come up with new ways to teach stuff.  :)  

Here is the original idea playdough order

and here it is recreated in my classroom during math tubs today! :)  They even left out some numbers and had their partners problem solve to find the missing number.  Sometimes the easiest things are the best. 

I've been washing/drying material all evening in preparation for tomorrow's project. :) 

Pinterest Day #2

A few weeks ago I saw this on pinterest and loved it!  frame, burlap, letter

I couldn't quite figure out exactly what I wanted to do with it, but knew I wanted to incorporate it into Tucker's nursery decor somehow…


I found awesome letters in boyish colors/ fonts that matched Tuck's nursery color scheme at Hobby Lobby (50% off of course ;) )  Snatched those babies up and then laid them on the floor in his room for about a week while I figured out what to do next.  I had one wall taken care of, one is literally a wall of windows, and I knew I wanted the strip above his closet to say "I'm a keeper".  (For those non-fishers out there reading this, when you get a good fish that is regulation or bigger you say "It's a keeper!") We already think little man is pretty awesome and sure won't be throwing him back. ;)


So when I ran across this picture again, I knew what I wanted to do finally.  Too bad I wanted it in a random specific size that frames don't come in which meant we were literally starting from scratch here.  Thank goodness for a husband that is good with power tools who is very used to me showing him a picture and then describing how it looks in my mind and making it happen.


We used base boards to frame it out, wrapped plywood in burlap, mounted the letters, and then wonder undered the letters I cut out of suede onto it.

Tada! :)  

This hangs over his closet and brings the room together really well.  I keep telling Brett that I love it and it turned out better than I imagined it.  (btw, the fishing lure was his idea.  We hung it last night after working on it all weekend and once it was up, Brett said "Wait, it is missing something", disappeared into the garage and came back with one of his lures.)  I like the extra Daddy touch. ;)


Here's a close up.

Biggest pinterest undertaking ever so far, but I think it turned out awesome!

A week's worth of Pinterest - Day 1

I have been a very, very bad blogger…  
This could be attributed to things like being super busy/inspired to do new fun stuff in my classroom, scary seisures in Sako dog, lots of recent extended family gatherings for a variety of reasons, and weekend events like weddings and football games, on and on and on. Oh, and dealing with some dizziness, exhaustion, and back aches from growing a baby might be playing a role too… 


Anywho, let's not dwell on the past but rather talk about my new fun plan/ motivation to get back in the blogging grove!  


I am seriously addicted to pinterest.  It is AMAZING and has provided so much inspiration for some cool stuff.  I was putting up student made pumpkins in the hall today and when someone complimented me on them, I informed them that I got the idea from pinterest.  Not 10 minutes later, another teacher popped in and I showed her a math tub idea also gathered from pinterest and she suggested the following genius idea to get back into my blog.  


Pick a few of your favorite pinterest ideas, do them, and then share the original inspiration and the result.  I have been going through my pins and have selected a few to do and share.  (Naturally I don't have time to do one EVERY day, as I do have a full time job and a home, classroom, and family to keep up with so some I share will be ones that I did recently, aka within the past week) 


Let's begin with pinterest pick #1 (The pumpkins in the hall) 


Here is the original inspiration silly pumpkins pin

And here is how the kiddos in my class did them.  (ours are painted too, you just can't tell in this low-quality pic ;) ) 

Adorable right? 




Check back in tomorrow for pin/project #2…
 You can bet good money I will be at hobby lobby gathering supplies for the many projects after my chiropractor appointment! ;) 

Oh, and just for laughs…. This is what I found on pinterest tonight that I am STILL laughing about…. enjoy ;)  Ohhhh, so this is where peanut butter comes from!