'Tis The Season

Last year, our PTA started tossing around the idea of hosting a craft fair.  We'd sell the space to vendors and let them sell their wares.  We wouldn't have to do much other than map out the space, direct and collect the money.

A couple weeks ago at our Executive Board meeting we were discussing our upcoming Secret Santa Shop event.  It's something our school does every year.  It's a fairly successful event--kids are invited in to shop for family members (even pets), we wrap their gifts and send them on their way.  

We got smart this year--we have two new moms who have run SSS at their old schools.  They had different ideas and did things differently than we normally do.  The nice thing about President K, VP V & I is that we have minimal ego issues when it comes to certain PTA events.  Such as Secret Santa.  Don't mess with how I do the Book Fair, because I will blow a gasket, but you want to change up the SSS?  Rock on with your bad self, let me know when/where I need to be & I'll write the checks to pay for the merchandise!

So, there we were in the conference room.  The four of us (Pres. K, VP V, Secretary B & myself) are a fun group, if i do say so myself.  We're all type A personalities with varying degrees of OCD.  We like to cut up & have fun.  And heaven forbid you mess with the kids of our school or the work we do for them.  Not.Cool.

We're talking about SSS & suddenly the words "hey, remember that craft fair we wanted to do?"  were hanging in the air.

And they stayed there.  Nothing was done about them.  Until two days ago when K, B & I were picking up our kids.

Next thing I knew, I was emailing our Principal to make sure we could get into the school on the 8th (it's a Saturday), emailing a local parenting group  as well as a local craft shop to see if they'd advertise that we're looking for vendors, and copying 575-ish flyers to go home to parents.   We agreed that if we could get 6-10 vendors it would be a success.
 
Yep, we're doing this.    Eleven days to put together an event.  An event that includes the public.  And if the public doesn't participate, we have no real event.

Tonight the parenting group posted our info.  Two people have contacted Secretary B for more info.  And a parent contacted her.

We might just pull this off after all!

It Must Be The Christmas Season If. . .

I'm starting a chevron scarf for Sunshine's teacher.  I started the "tradition" of knitting scarves as teacher gifts when Sunshine was 2 and in preschool.  Three years and six scarves later, the real tradition of the chevron scarf knitted with Koigu was born.  The only exception was her Kindergarten teacher at SuperWonderfulElementarySchool.  Sunshine started there after Christmas and I felt compelled to make an end of the year scarf.  Seriously, it's 90+ degrees in Georgia in May---wouldn't you want a scarf?  Anyway, I never made it until last year.  And I did deviate in that I used Noro Cash Island.  But that's somewhat of an upgrade.

I digress.

This year Sunshine's teacher is a scarf fiend.  She's always totally accessorized, colors all matchy-matchy and is truly fabulous.  And Sunshine adores her.

I've toyed with the idea of making a ruffle scarf for her but keep feeling compelled to make the chevron scarf.  Last night at knitting I got about 7 rows into her scarf when I decided that I was going to make it on the length rather than the regular top to bottom width scarf.  So, tomorrow Sunshine and I will be making a trip to YarnHouse Studios to pick up some Silk Garden.  I know, I know, not Koigu?!!  I'm worried that I'll need 3 skeins of KPPPM & won't get it in time.

We're having a low-key Thanksgiving this year which is nice.  We'll take down the Thanksgiving decorations from the mantle and put up our Christmas tree and other decorations.  And Sunshine has agreed to dismantle her Barbie Townhouse and store it up in the attic.  She's itching for Hunter to start building her AG dollhouse and honestly, I am too.  She's acquired several pieces of furniture (Julie's doll bed with another (Kit's) coming at Christmas, table & chairs, 2 wicker chairs, Kit's desk & cookstove. ) and we're going to need to go vertical to make room for all of it!

And you know Christmas is coming when Sunshine is ready for our Elf on the Shelf, Go-Go, to arrive.  She put her Barbie couch and bed for Go-Go last night, along with a little skirt and notes.  Mommy needs to find a little present for Go-Go to leave for Sunshine!  Last year it was a nutcracker (she has a small collection).  Hmmm, must look through the hidden treasure box in the armoire in our room to find something!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!  And if you're venturing out on Black Friday because you cannot possibly do without rude crowds of crazed shoppers in search of those 3 tvs on sale, please be kind to those poor souls who are working.  They'd much rather be anywhere else but waiting on rude people.

Veterans Day 2012

                                                  Sunshine & I are proud of our medic!       

PTSD: A Soldier's Perspective is a great blog written from the perspective of someone who's actually been there.  Not someone who saw battles on tv or in the movies or on a video game.  He was in it.   And he gets it.