Bully Reading and Ruffle Bumps

I used to think that bullying was not a concern of mine. My image of a bully was one of a big guy on the blacktop during recess, picking on the little guy with glasses. Since there was no blacktop recess in the lives of my children, I didn't worry too much about bullying. I was so wrong.

In the last two months, I've learned quite a bit about bullying. I've learned that the more likely vehicle in my children's lives is not a basketball thrown at them, but a cell phone heavily armed with foul language and pointed mean messages. I've learned that the bully isn't necessarily a big grade school boy, but may be a teenaged girl. Not that boys are immune; they are bullies, too, and bullying is just as likely to happen at soccer practice in a pleasant suburban neighborhood with private school and homeschool boys as on the public school blacktop. Oh yes, we are learning about bullies in lots of venues and from several angles.

Most of all,  I've learned that homeschooling doesn't matter one whit when it comes to bullying. To say this surprised me is an understatement. The things I'm learning! Homeschooled kids are bullied and homeschooled kids are bullies. All of a sudden, it's very much my business.

So, I'm reading Dear Bully: Seventy Authors Tell Their Stories. It's an anthology of essays written by accomplished authors, mostly authors for teens. Every perspective is represented here: the bully, the bullied, the bystander. So far, it's an interesting read, but not something I'd hand to tweens and definitely something that I'd read with teens.

In the knitting department, I planned to knit for hours as I waited for soccer games on Sunday and finish this scarf at last. But I got stuck on picking up the wrapped stitches (can you see them there?). I have some different directions and I'm hoping to conquer them tonight and then just cruise to the end. Once the wrapped ones are all picked up, I have to knit front, back, and front again in all two hundred stitches, to give me a three hundred stitch ruffle. That's a very long stretch of ruffly happy. I'm very eager to get there.

{Good news: I think the comments are working again. Yay!}

Go visit Ginny for more reading and knitting.

First Quilting Class

Nick has been begging to make a quilt since last summer. Nicky loves numbers and order and I think he might just have a bit of a crush on fabric, too. And, then, there's the whole competition thing. He's out to prove that anything Katie can do, he can do better. 

I managed to hold him off until Deborah launched her e-course. I know Nicky. And I know me. We both need Deborah--because we want to do it right. This course will step us through it. I'm going to make a sampler quilt of nine classic quilt blocks. I fully admit to having to overcome my desire for tidy and matchy-matchy and embrace the idea of a sampler. It helped tremendously to know that I have some very delicious Kate Spain Flurry set aside for the just such an opportunity.

When I watched the first video, when Deborah introduced all nine blocks, I also knew that there is no way I'm going to relinquish control over my seams and let Nicky sew. It would make me crazy. Also, I think he'd be frustrated. So, Nicky will be sewing a Layer Cake quilt, just piecing those 10X10 squares together and then backing and binding. After we both learn how to back and bind:-). He's all into Flurry, too. Of course, this fabric choice backs us into a corner and we need to have these finished in time for Christmas decorating.

Today's homework was practicing 1/4" seams. So, Nicky and I put the new presser foot on and we pieced together a playmat for the NICU. Every year, on Sarah's birthday (or roundabouts), we go back to the NICU and give them a handmade blanket. We were so grateful for the gift of a hand-crocheted blanket the day they unexpectedly told us we could take our baby home. The seasons had changed while we were incubating in that hospital and the blanket was a blessing.

Nicky and I took Sweet Nothings fat quarters (not many left) that I'd bought to applique curtains and used them instead as blocks on a playmat. We stitched the rectangles together (all seams are /14") and then followed these instructions for sandwiching the batting and and sewing the backing. The tutorial calls for actually quilting the playmat, but I wasn't brave enough. 

My girls love a blanket that Charlotte (just visited that link--you want to click; beautiful baby) made for Sarah and Charlotte didn't quilt. It's still perfect. We just edge-stitched all around our NICU blanket.  And I do kind of love the result. Nick is pleased. All is good.

There is still room in the e-course and Deborah is taking registrations through Friday. It would be totally easy for you to catch up now. I'd love to see you there!

Details (Again)

I *am* getting your comments. I'm reading them, each and every one. And I so appreciate your kind words and suggestions. They aren't showing up here, though. Some sort of glitch. So sorry. We are working on it. The comments are at Typepad, so I expect that as soon as the glitch is worked out, they'll all light up the screen on the blog, where they belong. 

I do know that this makes the whole giveaway thing a little tricky. We'll just extend the deadline accordingly.

And one more detail. Um. As luck would have it, right around the time I did the giveaway post and let you know all the ways you can follow the blog, someone started a 4RealLearning group on Facebook. This has caused some confusion. It's not my group and, as far as I know, it's not a way to follow my blog or get Real Learning (the book) updates. I didn't even know the group existed until yesterday. [And, now it looks like the name has been changed to 4Real Fans and Reunion. Maybe they were getting confused messages too? So, if you're searching, that's where it is. It's not mine. I really don't know anything else about it. I promise.]

To clarify, I don't have a fan page or an author page or a book page or any other page. I just have a "me" page on Facebook, where my friends from high school bump into my friends from college and teaching and they all chat with my kids. And I really like it that way. So, you can't really "follow" me or "fan" me or "like" me or "request membership to my group"  on Facebook. You can only friend me. Here, and only here. I do apologize for the confusion--just a case of bad timing.

I will extend the giveaway that's linked to all these networking opportunities until a time to be announced after the comments are fixed.

Thanks for your patience!

I'm off to play with fabric. Have awesome day of real learning with someone you love:-).

Rosy

Outside My Window

there is a flat of pansies and a bag of bulbs still waiting to go in the ground. It's happening this morning. Definitely.

I am Listening to

the sound of the shower upstairs. All else is still quiet.

 

I am Wearing

a smile, despite the fact that I'm pretty much stressed to my limit. I'm trying really hard to be a big girl. And not fooling anyone over nine.

I am so Grateful for

a really nice pediatrician. He's a good doctor, but it's the niceness I'm thankful for this week.

I'm Pondering

I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues. ~Duke Ellington.

I pouted a whole lot last week. This week, I'm going to force myself to create something good instead.

I am Reading

this pattern, over and over. I cannot figure out how to pick up those wrapped stitches. Somebody help? Please? This is my portable project and I really need it for waiting rooms and car rides and such.

I am Thinking

about nightmares. Does anybody know a cure for chronic nightmares?

I am Creating

Lots. Well, not yet, but I'm going to start very soon. I really need to buckle down in the sewing room this week. Sarah wants a birthday crown and I need to finish the quilt for the NICU before her birthday and I have curtains cut but not finished and... I'm going to start a new project:

 I am learning

to quilt! Deborah Moebes, who is teaching me to sew via her fabulous book, Stitch by Stitch, is teaching an e-course on quilting. And even though I'm super worried about time being at a premium, I'm in! Look for very frequent blog updates as we go. Update: Deborah says that registration will remain open until Friday if you'd like to join us!

 

To live the liturgy:

I have rededicated myself to praying the Hours again, so grateful for worldwide community who prays with me.

Towards a Real Education

Marisa and I have been tweaking a Family Bible Study for over a year now. I think we've finally got it right. 

 

Towards Rhythm and Beauty

I'm recording my rhythm in this beautiful planner this year. And I have to say that just the sight of it makes me smile.

I am Hoping and Praying

for my birthday girl. 

 

Around the House

Leaf dipping is going to happen tomorrow. The leaves are not as pretty this year but Mary Beth was noticing yesterday that some pockets of the neighborhood have enough for us to scoop up. So we will.

From the Kitchen 

I metnioned these awesome cookie bars on Saturday. I'm happy to report that they have skyrocketed to the top of everyone's favorite cookie list. That's pretty high praise, as there are ten cookie experts in this house and it's rare they can all agree on anything, never mind a food thing. Go make some; your whole family will love you for it. But, um, rename them, as that name as it would not be a good idea to tell your husband you thought of him when you read the recipe. Becuase it's totally the chocolate and caramel that made you think of him and not the name. 

I'm pretty sure I'm making more for Bible Study today.

 

On my iPod:

My alarm clock, which is set to sound like church bells, as opposed to Mike's alarm clock which sounds like the soundtrack to the chase scene in an action movie.

One of My Favorite Things

boys who collectively give their sister the perfect birthday gift.

 

On the Calendar for the Week

 An early doctor's appointment this morning and then some focused sewing for the rest of the week. That quilting class starts today and I'm going to try not to become instantly obsessed. At the end of the week, we're going to Charlottesville. After spending the fall touring college campuses, Patrick has his last visit down at UVa this weekend.

Worth a Thousand Words

 

 Michael's girlfriend, Kristin, came to teach some eager Cake Bosses to make fondant roses while Mary Beth was at ballet last week. I think they made her a beautiful cake!

Comments

Good morning! I have a technical glitch in the combox. If you left a comment yesterday after about mid-morning or any time since then, I did receive it via email and if it was a birthday wish for Mary Beth, I passed it along. They aren't showing on the posts, but we're working on it! I do apologize.