Time, lovely time

The last week I was asked by a handful of people if it is a difficult transition from school to summer. If you worked a full time job and then for three splendid months were only asked to work half time, would that be a difficult task? Homeschooling is like a full time job, on top of being a wife, mom, daughter, and sister. I love teaching the kids, and I look back with tender fondness on our past year. So much was accomplished, so much learned, so much laughter, so many tears... I am already looking forward to our next school year and diving into new subjects... so excited! Yet, I am thankful, oh so very thankful for summer. I don't like to say that we are busy, rather, that our lives are full to the brim. That is great and wonderful, but sometimes you need to come up for air, and just hang out in your 'floatie' rather than swim laps around the pool. I looked at my calendar, and gasped, only three things on the schedule for this week!

1. Hair cut (I have to admit it has been over a year since my last hair cut!)

2. Our sectional will be delivered Friday!

3. End of school party at a friend's house.

Yeah, not a bad list of things to do! What else have I been up to? I made this darling little clutch for my mom. She picked out the fabric, isn't it fabulous?! (picture later)

I looked up Macy's Therma Tea idea over at Etsy and I immediately fell in love with a knit sleeve, but alas, I am a slow and barely decent knitter. But, I can crochet! I ran and looked in my yarn box to see what goodies might be stored, and found some wonderful chunky yarn, already started- and the perfect width! About 15 minutes later I had this, love it!:

I have a personal policy to only pin crafts to my Pinterest boards that I would make. This year in school we did lots of fun crafts and sewing projects discovered on pinterest or the web. The latest was making play-doh with jello. I know! How fun does that sound? So this morning I whipped up strawberry and raspberry jello play-doh. It smells so good, and the colors are great. Get the recipe here at Modern Parents, Messy Kids.

Another item I 'pinned' over to my Pinterest board was a diy Felt Needle Book. I have seen them in the past, think they are both pretty and useful, and had to have one. In the fall I ordered wonderful quality felt from giantdwarf.etsy.com . She is so nice, and the felt is made in the USA. I have a great assortment of beautiful colors, and after comparing two different needle book styles, got to work (while watching a movie even!) and created this. I love how it turned out, and makes me happy when I see it in my sewing kit.

Today has been a blustry June delight. Lindsey and I took advantage of the indoors by making strawberry jam. We also started going through the book, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards. I sat down with the girls and drew, too (I hear some applauding out there). It was wonderful.

This week I also read The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde. It's a short play, and oh so witty! I laughed all the way through. There are several well know quotes taken from the book like, "All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his." 

So, no, it isn't difficult to switch gears and enjoy summer. :)