Project 365: Week 2

This one was rough.  I've got to remember to pull the camera out more often!  Also, it's turning out that most of my pictures are from my phone, which is not how I envisioned this.  I wasn't very happy when I realized that.  Then I thought, "hey, I'm not a 'photographer.'  I'm simply a mom/wife capturing moments.  I'm okay with iPhone photos if that's the best way to capture the moment before it's too late!"  Two down, 50 more to go!

Day 7:  A Christmas Story moment

Day 8:  Project 365 Failure...this is the ONLY picture I took that day!  :(
Catching sight of The Grinch on the walk home from school

Day 9:  Learning the tricks of the trade with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders

Day 10:  Candy Cane Pizza Project  aka:  Why do I do this to myself?

Day 11:  Mom's new toy

Day 12:  The Nutcracker in Seoul...year THREE!

Day 13:  I know he loves me because he menu planned this week!

Project 365: Week 1

Project 365...here goes nothin'!

Week 1  ....yes, I did start mid-month.

Project 365 faux paux?  Maybe, but if I don't get started NOW it just won't happen.

Day 1:  Another Day in Paradise?

Day 2:  Fiendette Christmas 

Day 3: The stores are closed?  Let's get some hot chocolate and call it good.

Day 4:  I changed my mind, we're going home.

Day 5:  Ready for the Christmas Party and Concert at the orphanage

Day 6:  Cleaning Day!

Day 7:  Slip Knot vs. Loose Tooth, Round One

So there you have it.  A full week complete!  Let's see how long I can keep this up.

Also, I feel like I need to make a note about "Day 4."  It doesn't look that bad, but I've decided that driving in Korea in the winter is worse than driving in Texas in the winter.  I don't know why some of the cars out there actually thought they could make it up these hills.

Roller Derby Friday!

Roller Derby Friday?  Yeah, sure.  Why not.
My thoughts on a few things "derby"

SO TRUE!  It's on my mind all the time and I have to intentionally try to talk about other things when I'm with friends who don't derby.  I'm afraid they'll kick me out of the group if I talk about it as much as I want to!  :) 
DO YOU DERBY?  DO YOU WANT TO?  WHAT SIZE SHOE DO YOU WEAR?  WANT TO TRY MY NEW SKATES?  I CAN'T WAIT TO GET TO THE POST OFFICE, I HAVE A NEW ORDER FROM WICKED ON THE WAY!  EW, SMELL THIS!  DID YOU DO YOUR SQUATS TODAY?  DO THESE SHORTS SHOW MY SWEAT MARKS?  WANT TO SEE MY NEW BRUISE?  ...yeah, that's running through my head all the time.

Seriously.  I don't know how many times I've stared at the screen, needing to send a message to someone and I can't come up with their real name to save my neck!  On multiple occasions I've had to resort to going to the facebook skater page, scroll through until I find a random post by the person I'm needing to message just so I can find out their "real" name.  Skaters, if you're reading this and you haven't already....go to your facebook settings and add your derby name as one of your alternate names...PLEASE!!! 

Well, I wouldn't go as far as to say that it "saved my soul," but it's definitely empowering.  I know it sounds cliche and you're like, "yeah, well, I run and jump and play basketball and tennis and go to spin class and finish off the day with a little kick boxing!"  But it's really not the same.  I've played other sports before, but derby is definitely different.  I feel like my whole outlook has changed since derby...in a good way. 
So, thanks Pandora for  telling me about derby a little over two years ago.  Thanks Bull Lee for working so hard to start a derby league in South Korea and thanks OH! for being so awesome! 

Project 365

It's in writing, so it will happen.  Right?
I've been inspired by my derby friend Shutter Speed (you can find her over at Girl Meets Camera, and you should!)  I definitely have the opportunity to take great pictures and document really awesome things (or things that may seem mundane at first, but I'll be happy to have years from now) daily and I don't take advantage of that opportunity.  Well, that's about to change.  I'm dusting off my little camera now.

This should also help with my "I have a blog?  Oh yeah!" problem.  Hopefully you'll be seeing much more from me.

Project 365.  Starting now.  Look for my first post soon...and feel free to bug me about it until it appears!  ;)

How-to: Pocket Warmers!

This isn't really a crafty, DYI blog, but some friends have asked me how I made the kids' pocket warmers...so here's my first "how-to" post!  I did try to take the easy way out by searching Pinterest for a ready-made blog post, but they were all getting pretty fancy with their additional felt between the layers and shapes and measuring and pinning, etc.  Oh, how I LOATHE measuring and pinning, and basically any kind of pattern and instructions in general.
So here's my simple, no measure, only use one pin example (not instructions, because you know I don't like those!)

I bought this really cute pack of fat quarters a while back and have been looking for the right project to use them.  After the cold walk to take the kiddo to school this morning, I decided THIS was it!

The quarters had been folded in such a way that when opened up (still folded in half) there were eight "back pocket sized" rectangles.  Of course, I didn't measure them, but they were about the size of my hand.  Cut out two of those rectangles, making sure to cut through both layers of fabric so you end up with two sets that are the same size...

you'll want to make two warmers, so go ahead and cut them both now.

Grab one of those sets of rectangles.  Leaving them with wrong sides together, sew around three sides of the rectangle to form a pocket.

Then, trim the fabric pretty close to your stitching all the way around.

Using something you've got handy (like your "fabric only" scissors...you've got those, right?) turn the pocket wrong side out and push your corners out.  Be careful not to push so far that you shove your tool all the way through...yes, this did happen the first time!  Remember...it doesn't have to be perfect, after all they're going to be hidden away in your pocket!

Now, with your pocket inside-out, sew around the three edges again.  Keep as close to the edge as you can without sewing through more than two layers.

Now you should have a pocket that looks like this!

Repeat the process for turning the pocket and pushing out the corners.

Fill your pocket about 2/3 full with rice.  Here you can see those beautiful seams you've created that will be forever hidden inside your pocket!  :)  I decided to make the seams this way because I thought it would likely keep them from fraying longer since the edge is hidden away.  Will that really work?  I have no clue, but it's easy and it sounds like a good idea!

Now, fold your fabric to the inside.  Use your best judgement for how far down to fold it.  Keep in mind that you'll need room for the presser foot when it comes time to sew this part shut and your pocket is pretty full of rice.  I folded mine down about half an inch.

Pin your pocket closed about 2/3 of the way across.  This way you won't have to worry about losing any rice while you're setting your presser foot and helping feed the pocket through.

See?  That pin is far enough back that you have some space to sew and it's still keeping all your rice from spilling everywhere!

Sew a line pretty close to the edge of your pocket.  Be sure and remove the pin as you get closer, then sew the whole side closed.

Voila!  You now have your first pocket warmer!  Don't forget to make two...you'll probably want to keep both hands warm on that cold walk! 

**Microwaving!  Depending on the size you end up with...pop these in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.  I wouldn't do more than 25 seconds if you're giving them to little hands. My kids don't like them too hot.**

Osan Roller Derby Flyer!

 

Just because it's AWESOME!

Osan Roller Derby's first flyer!

I really wanted to pin this on a pinterest board of mine, and posting it to my blog was the easiest way I knew how.   :)

Also, Roller Derby Rocks.

~Mobsta

Another Memorable TDY

Yep, that photo just about sums up the Cichowski summer.

It's been one for the record books.

And here's the rant:
Trevor went TDY to Alaska, then...
First, CJ came down with Hand, Foot and Mouth disease from playing at the play area in the food court.  The docs here tried to tell me over the phone that it was just a rash brought on by high fever, but Mommy knows best!  I decided to just take him to the ER since I couldn't actually get him in to see a doctor so I could confirm that.  Because, you know, "rashes brought on by high fever" are NOT contagious, but HF&M most certainly is!

Second, our credit card number was stolen and someone bought a round of iPads on it.  Ugh, what a hassle.  USAA is actually pretty good at taking care of things as soon as you call them, but, of course, Trevor was in Alaska.  So when our card was cancelled I had to make sure he had another way to purchase everything he needed while he was there.

Third...and this one was a doozy!  We bought a new car just before moving to Korea and it is equipped with a "smart lock system" or something like that.  It's supposed to sense when your keys are in the vehicle and not allow you to lock them in the car.  Great idea, especially with kids, right?  There's NO WAY you can accidentally lock your kids int he car!  WRONG!  Somehow, as I was trying to get the kids in the car at the BX parking lot, the lock button was pressed.  I put my purse in the car, like always, then buckle CJ into his 5-point harness car seat and close the door.  I reach to open Katie's door and it won't open.  PANIC!  My purse with my keys AND my phone are int he car and CJ'd 5-point harness won't allow for him to reach ANYTHING.  Good for when driving, very BAD for when he's locked in the car!  I tried every single button on the outside of the car that's supposed to unlock the vehicle when the key is nearby, but nothing.  Luckily, there was a gentleman standing behind his car just two spaces over and I was able to get him to call emergency services.  Which, by the way, is not a simple 911 call here.  It's a 10-digit number that I'm REALLY thankful I managed to remember in a time of crisis.  Help arrives in the form of an Ambulance with 2 EMTs, a fire truck full of firefighters in full uniform, the Fire Cheif's car arrives with a group of people who look like they just came from PT and I think we even had a police car.  It was quite the scene, if only my camera had been available and not locked in the car.  Due to the temperature and where the car was located, the hospital gave all these people 30 minutes to get the car unlocked before they needed to break a window and get him out.  Unfortunately, even with the help of numerous passers-by armed with crowbars and coat hangers and one scared New Car Sales salesman (I was furious that the "smart locks" weren't working and told him if there was ANY way into this car he'd better tell me!), the car could not be unlocked.  So one lucky fireman got to don his shiny new coat and break what was probably his very first window outside of training.  CJ was a trooper until the door was opened and the car alarm began to sound.  Then we whisked him away to the ambulance and were taken to the hospital to have his vitals checked.  Luckily, we had just finished dinner before locking him in the car and he had downed almost a whole Gatorade, so they weren't very worried about dehydration after seeing him.  His temperature was also good, so they let us leave....but not before handing me a pamphlet on "The Dangers of Children Left in Hot Vehicles."  WHAT?  I SO did NOT do this on purpose and I called you guys AS SOON AS IT HAPPENED!  Oh well, we're all good.  Also, a friend of mine happened to wander up before the window was broken and took Katie back to her house to play with her daughter.  Thank goodness!

So then I'm driving around during Monsoon Season with a duct taped window on my formerly new/now quite ghetto ride.  Thankfully, this rainy season hasn't been nearly as rainy as those before it.  Getting a window for  Jeep while living in Korea was quite difficult too.  It's really too bad we don't drive a Kia.  I was finally able to have the window replaced just yesterday.

Then, Trevor finally came home from his TDY in Alaska, YAY!  ...only to find out that he's working night's, boo.  He's home for a week and he get's a short-short-short notice TDY.  Yeah, really.  Less than 24 hours from the time I find out he has to leave to the time his plane is backing out of the gate at Gimpo International Airport in Seoul.  So Trevor's gone again for an undetermined amount of time....probably about a month or so.

And, just so this additional TDY isn't boring compared to the last one, CJ proceeded to lock himself in the bathroom yesterday and got nail polish in his eye this morning.  Fun times.  I feel like there are some other things I can add to this list, but they pale in comparison so I won't worry with trying to remember them.  Can't wait for Daddy to get back.