Where did April go? I feel as though I was just getting excited about spring break and here we are going into May. I believe time is only going to seem to go faster over the next couple months. Every weekend in May is filled with an activity of some sort that we must attend or accomplish, then June is when my year of kindergarten comes to an end. Not too mention we'll be packing in the midst of the chaos (my classroom AND the apartment) to move us to North Carolina (yay!) by the second week of July, with a loaded trip in June as well. Following the final move in July will be a wedding the next weekend in Georgia of my good friend from high school, and the tiring hunt for jobs is continuous. By the time we get back from the wedding, elementary school will be starting in less than a month assuming I have a position - say a prayer! Oh my! It's all wonderful things that are taking place though and we are looking forward to this next step in our lives. I just have to remember to rest and take my vitamins!

My husband had a birthday this past week. We celebrated with our gift cards to Outback, complimentary b-day dessert, and gifts at home. I purchased a camping chair for him, but not just any chair. It's a Mojo 400 lb chair :) He may not be near 400 pounds, but he sure is tall and this chair is quite roomy. Now he has his own for when we camp although we won't be camping until after July according to our busy calendar. We were excited when we read in the church bulletin today that we'll be having a church picnic on the 15th of this month - it said to bring your chairs, canopies, etc. Guess he'll get to use his new chair in the near future after all. I have pictures but don't feel like going to get the card and waiting on them to download. Maybe another time.

This photo below is of these metal collapsible baskets I picked up in my Papa's shed while home on spring break. His shed is filled with "treasures" and I figured he wouldn't miss two little baskets. I asked first, of course! I've wanted hanging baskets in the kitchen for over a year now ever since we saw some at a garage sale. I thought they would look nice with fruit/veggies inside. I could've paid a dollar at the time but didn't, and now here they are free with some work. I cleaned them, Matthew painted them (he really wanted to do some sort of project one evening), and I wove ribbon around the top edges. I like it. If I set the fruit or vegetables in it just right, it doesn't look uneven like it does in the picture. :)

My other project last weekend was attempting to make strawberry jam! I had been toying with the idea for a little while and found a very informative website a few weeks prior. Once I had read enough and realized that no, I don't have to spend so many dollars on canning supplies and proper tools, I took the plunge. My husband was a great encouragement too - his words were, "Let's do it!" and he helped get the cans out of the boiling water for me. Note for next time: invest in canning tongs. My mom made strawberry jam last year and husband and I both loved it so making our own was exciting. I bought 8 small 8oz jars and 4 lbs of strawberries (I think it was 4... I sort of guessed about halfway through). Either way, it was quite the process, but enjoyable nonetheless and I felt accomplished. There's something about making your own jam, or sewing your own skirts, etc. that makes you appreciate homemade items much more. I love the idea of pursuing a simpler, efficient, old-fashioned way of life and am hoping to do more things like this in the future. It's rewarding... Speaking of rewarding, the work going into the jam was worth it. One word: Yum! We ate through one already, gave one jar away, and have 6 left. I hope to try other jams soon. Go here if you'd like to learn how: http://www.pickyourown.org/jam.htm
Check out this neat crate we found while thrifting yesterday. We love it and plan to use it as a shelf. Matthew put the pitcher and shakers in there just for fun and to keep the box out of the way until we know where we want it. Imagine these and some more in different sizes on the wall in a kitchen somewhere (or your pantry) holding glass jars, cookbooks, or vases with flowers. We're on the lookout for more! Of course, we need a house and a larger kitchen than the little one we have now :) It'd look plain silly if we put it in the one we have. One day!



Time to rest for another week of school. We should have butterflies in the classroom tomorrow - assuming they hatched out of the chrysalis this weekend. Oh, and did I mention the rodents had babies again? 4! Thankfully, the daddy and last male from the first litter are in a happy new home in a classroom down the hall. I'm hoping to be rid of all gerbils by summer...