laeroport

Belated....

Sunday we made the trek to Wichita for my nephew, Trey's second birthday.  I also took his sister, Arya, her baby gift.  Just a few months late.

I bought fabric probably four or five times for this simple little blanket before I settled on one that I loved.  It passed the baby test. :)  Whew!  The batman blanket I made for her brother is here.  I'm glad it is still a favorite with him.

   

I wore my Obama Mama shirt to Farmer's Market on Saturday and everyone said, "hey, great shirt!"  So thanks, again, Amy.  It's been laundered now and it washed really well, too.

Car details are still up in the air.  I guess every day that they don't make a decision is another day I get to keep the rental car.

Back tomorrow with Trey's gift.  How was your weekend?

yes, no, yes, look! Something over there!

That's what I've been hearing this week.  Lots of conflicting information.

They said they can fix my car, now they don't know.

They finally gave me a rental.

I need to relax this weekend and quit being a worry-wart.

So here's a little distraction, that I wouldn't have posted, except Kirsten made some adorable notebooks, so I thought I'd show some I made for Eliot.  He has suddenly gotten interested in writing his letters.  This after a three week streak of map making.  And a prior two weeks of doing the hundred board.  Over. And over. And over again.  Of course, now that these are done he's back to making maps.  Oh, well.

 

Mine aren't stitched but stapled with the long arm stapler at work.  Quick and easy and ready for him to fill up.  When he gets around to it.

  

How will you fill up your weekend?

Cheers!   ~L

I have courage, confidence and character.

That title is part of the Girl Scout Mission Statement: To build Girls of Courage, Confidence and Character who make the world a better place.

Trouble is brewing in our little section of the country.  Some of the Girl Scout traditions that I hold dear are coming under fire.  Our recently merged council is facing closures, loss of camps and programs.

I am angry and sad.

And want to do SOMETHING! ANYTHING!  It is bad enough that our country is going to hell in a handbasket, but please, not my beloved Girl Scouting!

So I signed the comments on an online newspaper article and forwarded my comments to people who may blow me off completely or may do something about it.  And I'm posting it here as well.  Just to get it off my chest.  Thanks for letting me vent, my virtual and real friends.  And if this makes you angry, would you please link to it?  The more people who know....

    

My name is Lori Hanson and I have been a Girl Scout for 34 years.  In that time I have earned my Girl Scout Silver and Gold Awards and worked on the staff at Camp Daisy Hindman, National Center West (another property lost in reorganization), and Camp Winacka (San Diego Imperial Council).   

I have been a trainer since 1990 and prior to the  merger I attended an Instructor of Trainers session at Edith Macy.  Additionally, I have served on the staff of both Pax Lodge in London and Sangam World Centre in India where I was the centre’s Assistant Director/Deputy Guider-in-Charge.  

I currently lead my daughter’s Brownie Girl Scout Troop in Lawrence, Kansas. 

 My mother, Barbara Hanson, was the former Assistant Executive Director of the Girl Scouts of Kaw Valley Council, where she also held posts as the Director of Training and Development and as a Membership Manager.  Prior to her employment with the council she spent 20 years as a volunteer leader and trainer.  My father, Larry Hanson, has also spent nearly 30 years as a volunteer, trainer, and member of the Kaw Valley Properties Committee.  It is with no lack of experience with this Movement that I write to you.

  

 Since hearing the news on Saturday, just prior to marching with my Brownie Girl Scout troop in the KU Band Day Parade, I have been heartsick and angry regarding the closure of the Topeka Service Center, the resting of ToKaVaKa and the discontinuation of the horse program at Camp Daisy Hindman.

 Those of us outside of the former Mid-Continent Council have continually felt disenfranchised since the merger.  In response to today’s article in the Topeka Capitol Journal, I have posted the following response in the comments section.  I felt, however, that it did little or no good to post it there and not forward my remarks to the people who could make the right choices.  I hope you will find it in the budget to do so.

 Sincerely, Lori Hanson

  

As another lifelong Girl Scout, trainer and current Brownie leader, I cannot suppress my sadness, anger and frustration over this decision.

The whole merger with Kansas City and St. Joseph has been a fiasco, and so many things that Kaw Valley did exceptionally well have been left by the wayside in favor of going with the way Kansas City has done things, out of convenience.

I grieve over every lost staff position. The women and men who were the day to day support of thousands of KawValley volunteers have been swept aside. It was so wonderful to KNOW the people you were working with and to be able to have a one-on-one conversation with them, vs. the current situation of being a name and a number. And I fear the further you live from Kansas City, the less important your name and the smaller your number.

And yes, ..., Girl Scouting IS a worldwide movement about girls, not about buildings. And treating girls who are out of the I-435 loop as if they don't matter has led to many of the financial problems we are now facing. It is due to the disregard for the feelings and needs of those in outlying areas that our membership is down.

Girl Scouting is also about tradition. Our fine tradition of building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place is threatened when girls lack access to the out-of-doors and the character-building experiences to be had there.

My daughter's Brownie troop trekked from Lawrence this fall for an overnight at the ToKaVaKa Troop House. I wistfully looked forward to the time when she would be old enough to sleep under the stars in the upper meadow as I have done oh, so many times. Now, it looks as if that time will never come.

It's not all doom and gloom around here

Because  you know, I'm just not the doom and gloom all the time kind of gal.  First up, let me say thank you for all  of your positive vibes and comments of concern and care.  You really know how to make a girl feel blessed - if she didn't already having come out of two accidents in two days unscathed.  You're the best!

When I haven't been sewing Ren Fest costumes, I've been making birthday gifts.  Here are the last three I made:

For Madeline - Aidin's best friend:

   

The center part that I embroidered on is linen.  I really had trouble keeping it on the straight of grain.  Anyone have any suggestions for that?  

For C.J., a boy in Aidin's class:

     

I totally cobbled this one together out of super hero scraps because she was invited on Wednesday for a party on Saturday evening - and Madeline's party was earlier the same day.

And for Carson, another boy in Aidin's class: (Chris, you may want to look away)

  

I tried something new for the boys' pencil rolls, partly inspired by Cindy and her toggle method and partly inspired by the fact that I am lazy and was on a tight deadline.  So instead of ribbon for a pencil roll closure, I used a hair tie rubber band.  I just sewed the metal part into the seam and stretched the hair tie to slip over the end.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy.  I'm sure someone has done this before, but it was new for me.

And to go with the KU theme AND Aidin's friend, Madeline, here are a few pictures of Saturday's KU Band Day parade, in which our Brownie Girl Scout troop marched.

   

Geez, aren't they cute? 

Round Two: Honda vs. Durango

Just hours after posting on Friday, someone else decided to pull out in front of me.  Once again, I'm thanking my lucky stars that I walked away.  And this time, I was on my own.

But my car wasn't so lucky.

   

I'm really glad I didn't waste $10 in quarters to wash off all the Ren Fest mud.

So, anyone have any car recommendations?  I'm probably in the market. 

Look what I did!

Yesterday afternoon.  Trying to get to Aidin's last swim lesson on time.  Driving along, two kids in the back and suddenly there was a girl in a white Sentra in my lane.  All I could do was slam on the brakes and the horn and hit her.

Her car:  That tail light just hung there like an eye out of it's socket.

 

My car:  Didn't even break the headlight.

We all counted our blessings.  Thank god for seatbelts and car seats.  No one was hurt, although we were all a little shaken.  The damage is minor.  And Aidin made it to the last 5 minutes of her swim lesson. 

Count your blessings this weekend.  You never know when another car will land in your path.

Hugs! L

KCRF - the 2008 edition

It was a cold, wet, windy, muddy mess, but oh, so much fun.

I shipped the kids to Grandma's for the weekend, but then relented and let Aidin come out with me on Sunday.  I'm so glad I did.

That girl of mine.  She's pretty special.  She got in on a show (that's Michelle's daughter Maisy next to her), 

 

talked to the fairies,

  

charmed a Sultan (Prince Habib, keeper of a harem),

  

paid a raven,

and made friends all around.   

    

  

A good time, most definitely, was had by all.

 

The full 2008 photo set is here, in addition to 2007 and 2006. 

A random assortment of stuff in my head

I'm juggling a lot, as usual.  Here are a few of the things on my mind today:

* I'm leaving shortly for this week's Brownie GS Meeting.  Our plans have been changed due to rain.  We were scheduled to have a scavenger hunt outside.  Now we're making oobleck.  We had a back-to-school, mother/daughter overnight a few weeks ago.  The biggest hit: caterpillars.  They were everywhere.

The second biggest hit: s'mores.  (Thanks, Dana, for the somewhat awful picture.)

*  I am dancing at Ren Festthis weekend.  Did I mention the rain?  It is raining.  It is supposed to rain all weekend.  I am currently consumed by thoughts of how to stay dry and what to do with my children.  And my costume is done.  Okay, nearly done.  And I made Aidin a new costume last night in the time it took Tim to make, serve and eat dinner, play a game of Go Fish, give a rudimentary chess lesson to a 7 and 4 year old, get said 7 and 4 year old into pj's and read them several chapters of The Tale of Despereaux.   And to go with the above awful picture, here is an even worse one of me dancing at the Ren Fest Media Party a few weeks ago (courtesy of the RF web site).  That night it was about 95 degrees and I was wearing velvet.  I don't know what is up with the look on my face or the crazy hem of my big purple pants.  There's Eliot in the background, acting squirrelly.

 

If you brave the weather I'll be in a blue dress, and Eliot will probably still be acting squirrelly.  We've hit that stage.  Our stage will be in the Royal Glade, by the giant knight.  Which means we'll be dancing on mud.  Yea! 

*  The looming election is ever on my mind, and will be until there is a winner.  It is causing me a great deal of stress.  I am a blue girl in a red state - and a predominantly red office.  Two of my co-workers and I have the daily report in hushed tones on what has been said and by whom and how it came off and that we feel like the American public is as dumb as a box of rocks some days.  Oh, did I say that out loud?  Anyway, in an effort to do something pro-active, I put some badges on my sidebar.  Not that my little endorsement on my little blog read by all 20 of you is going to make a bit of difference, but anyway, there it is. Thanks, Amy for the Obama Mama button.  I printed it out big and stuck it on my car with a laminating sheet.  We'll see how long it holds.  So far, so good, rain and all.  (Did I mention the rain?)

Enjoy the weekend.  I'm taking Monday off to recover, dry out and get some stuff done at home.  Chat at you on Tuesday! 

And watch out for the rain.

Politics and pretty things

On this sad anniversary for our country, let us look forward with hope for better things to come and gratitude for the power to make it so.

And in times when we need comfort, what is better than curling up with a quilt and a teddy bear?

 

Granted, they are only doll-sized, and were given to Caroline for her birthday.  Aidin made the bear 90% on her own.

  

I made the quilt with scraps from the baby quilt that I still have yet to finish.

  

It is cool and rainy here, perfect weather for remembering the past, looking ahead to a brighter future for all, and snuggling up with those you love.

 

Olympic fever

Like most Americans this August, our family was caught up in Olympic fever.  Between Michael Phelps, the women's gymnastic team and women's beach volleyball, we were pretty obsessed.  Eliot has been doing the backstroke from one place to another (disclaimer: walking backwards while swinging your arms can be hazardous) and the sofa arm vault has been popular at chez laeroport.  And Eliot spent a solid week asking me to call Misty May-Treanor to invite her to his birthday party (his birthday is not until December).  I finally made him a photo collage for his wall.  I figure he'll have girls in bikinis on his wall one day, they may as well be athletes.

My brother's family had the fever too, leading to an Olympic-themed birthday party for my niece, Caroline.  The party was complete with a torch, made by my clever brother, medals...

   

an international dinner (we were each assigned a country - big surprise, I got India)*...

  

and one heck of a cool birthday cake, made by my older nieces, Kate and Clare.

 

 

It is good to be part of such a creative family.

Tomorrow:  our creative gift.

Happy Wednesday! L    

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* I was totally reminded of the years I lived in India and all the international dinners we hosted there.