Japan Update

Crazy week!  {well, I'm sure you've already got that from the last post.  Duh!}

I suppose the insanity paid off- my district featured my students' project on our district website!

You can find it here

My students are so awesome- they worked all week sewing these bags and iPod cases for hours at a time during a block schedule because of state assessments.  Never once did they complain, get off task, or fatigue.  I am blessed!  I have more support for my students from my coworkers, Principal, and district than I could ever ask for.

You can also read about our project in more detail in our school newsletter- we are featured in the third column on the first page and have pictures on the 9th page!

As of right now, we have over $1000 worth of merchandise sewn and will begin sales this week.  I will keep you updated on how much we are able to donate!

I am off to run some errands and come home to {joyfully!} project!  Will update tomorrow =)
  Let's just say thrift stores have been very good to  me lately!

Ho-Hum

My last post went into detail about my new sewing project with my kiddos- Hope for Japan bags/iPod cases.  Guess what?!?!  As of this morning, we have $850 worth of merchandise made to sell to staff and students.  How exciting!  I'm running a mini sweat-shop/assembly line in my classroom and, at one point, spent 3 hours straight hunched over a serger sewing darts and finishing seams.  Yowza!  Between the runs to JoAnn fabric and Walmart for fabric, thread, and other supplies, it's been nuts-o.  Let's just say it's 6:45, dinner is still cooking, and I am blogging.  Go figure.

Oscar's new obsession in life is plastic Easter eggs.  He bats them around, runs around with them in his mouth, plays with them until he opens them, and ditches them.  He won't play with them until we close them back up and the cycle continues.
The dozen opened eggs strewn around the house is starting to drive me crazy.  The laundry is piling up and the dishes stay in the sink overnight- school.is.taking.over.my.life.

I have a 35 minute commute to work and, despite the gas costs, I actually enjoy it.  It gives me time to lesson plan (you heard it!!  I lesson plan in the car sometimes and get random ideas, then hurry up and run inside when I get to school and jot them down... works rather well!), think of meals to cook the next week, and reflect on things going on in life.  My drive this afternoon?  Family.

I absolutely adore my family- both sides of it.  My family is so.. well.. me {make sense?  never!}.  Perfect example:  I am the total opposite of a germ freak.  I. will. use. your. toothbrush.  Then I will leave you secret notes about how I used only after I know you have used it again.  Muuuhahahaha.  We were moving my brother into his new house and the only thing that was in their fridge to drink was a 2-liter of Root Beer, no cups.  We "took one down and passed it around" and all drank from the same 2-liter, with the exception of my husband.  Hoosiers?  Yes.
I am the middle child and have an older brother and younger sister.  We grew up in STL, Europe, and Kansas.  We love each other.  We tease, play pranks, and take embarrassing screen shots while we Skype.

A little edit-hilarious!  This is my Momma =)

I don't know who I'd be without them.  I wish we all lived together, but our visits are so sweet.
This is us!

I love my husband's family, too.  He is the oldest of 5 and I love every minute we get to spend with them.  I don't think I could have prayed for a better family to choose to be in.  I can't speak for them, but I think they love me =)  At least I hope they love me half as much as I love them.

If it looks like we have a lot of fun, you're right- we do.  I'm not sure what made me think about my family today.  Maybe it's because I miss them, maybe it's because I'm in the mood for a good laugh.  Either way, all 13 of them are the perfect cure.

I have no project today, but I do have a recipe.  My mother-in-law makes this, but I'm not sure if this is exactly her recipe.  I forgot to ask her how to make it, so I just made it up from memory.

Sveeeeeeeeedish Meatballs =)

Meatballs:
1 lb ground beef/turkey
3/4 cup bread crumbs
Salt/Pepper to taste
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Chili powder- Pinch!
Red Pepper flakes-Pinch
1 egg

Sauce:
2 cans cream of mushroom soup- I used 3 because I like a lot of sauce, and I used fat free soup.
1/4 cup fat free/low fat sour cream
1/4 cup milk
Dash of worcestershire sauce
Dash of hot sauce

• Mix all meatball ingredients together and shape into balls.  I made about 16 from this recipe.
• Bake at 375 for 20 minute or until meatballs are almost done.  You can also saute them if you are in a rush!  (I think you can cook them raw in a crockpot with the sauce, but I like to pre-cook them so I can dispose of grease)
• In a bowl, mix all sauce ingredients until blended.
• Place all meatballs into a greased 8*8 dish  and pour sauce on top.
• Bake for 40 minutes at 375.

Done!  I served it with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.  The sauce was a great gravy and was super yummy over the broccoli.  We haven't had this for a while and it was perfect.

OKAY, now off for some serious cleaning and organizing of the house.  Daniel is busy assembling our new eliptical, so I'm sure the basement is abundant with teeeee-rash.  I don't even want to look.

Here is a teaser for my next project... what do you think it will be???

P.S. Excuse the present condition of the blog.  I am addicted to change, so I keep playing the the layout and headers and I'm still working.  Don't judge!

Hope for Japan

My job is ridiculous amazing.

I teach kids how to sew (and cook healthfully and properly, but sewing is my fav!).

While you think it might seem easy, it's not.

Take a hike, sister.

I adore it, but it can be frustrating.  Constantly.  You begin to wonder if 1.  They even listen to a what you are saying and 2.  Why on earth they think the way they do.  I mean really, who thinks of these things?

But... at the same time... it's so much fun.  And rewarding.  And totally worth it all.

My students are at somewhat of a turning point in the semester- one class is well into sewing through projects and getting better with each day, and the other is about to start their first sewing project (in this class, we were previously learning about nutrition and food prep.  Such a fun class!).  I felt like we needed to change things up a little bit from last year and throw a curve-ball into the schedule.

In our in-service on Monday (ya, Monday in-service right after Spring Break.  Best. Idea. Ever.), we talked about service-learning projects and ways to serve the community while still practice the skills and curriculum we teach in good 'ole fabulous Family and Consumer Sciences (have I told you I love my job?  Seriously, can't tell you enough.  It. completes. me.).  It was fresh in my mind Tuesday morning and I thought, "Hmmmm, we should do something for Japan!" 

I called every crisis relief agency known to man in this town and no one accepts donations besides 1. CASH MONEY and 2. Care kits (basically non-sewable items like toiletries).  I talked to Cheryl, a.k.a. FACS goddess, who happens to be my partner in crime and fabulous mentor (cannot even begin to tell you how thankful I am to work with her!), and we came up with a project we could make with the students and sell, then donate the money.  This is what we came up with.

Tote bags and iPod cases (we surveyed our students to see what they would want to buy- go figure!) are being made from canvas with an ironed-on decal of our "logo".  It is the Japanese symbol for "Hope", and our campaign is conveniently called "Hope for Japan".  The idea behind the design is basic and simplistic so that the focus is on Japan, not the bag or case.

My classes will be frantically making these this week and next, then selling them April 4th through the 8th to their peers.  It's a easy-peasy pattern, but still- we're talking 13 and 14 year olds with about 2 months of sewing experience (can you say psycho?!!?).  If I don't blog for 2 weeks, this is why.

My classroom is being transformed into a sweat shop.  For bags.  For iPod cases.  For Japan.  I love it!

Here is the logo:

Here are our products.  They are crazy adorable.

Hobo Totes are $7, iPod cases are $5.  If you want one, let me know!  I will keep updating on how much we're raising- so far we have $100 in orders, and we haven't even started!  Ahhh!

I'll leave you with our "advertisement" video being shown at school to the students to encourage them to donate. It's better full screen or bigger if you can get it there, but you get the point.
And keep in mind, this is for middle schoolers.  =)