Samurai Mom Steps Out

I don't blog very often about our homeschool adventures mostly because this blog is my space where I share what is exciting to ME. It's my way of taking time for myself. Not that I don't LOVE homeschooling and think my kids are amazing, it's just that it isn't very spectacular in a way that one can see. It is a process that take time and little, tiny, agonizingly slow steps.

That will change as I have been asked to be a regular contributor to a new homeschooling blog, Latter-day Homeschooling! So saunter over there and check it out. It won't be hard to find my post, there is only one so far and it is about how I am moving. There hasn't been much blogging by Samurai Mom anywhere because I am busy yelling "Pick that up RIGHT NOW!" and obsessing over the amount of dust that accumulates in one day. Perhaps I should take this time to FOCUS on blogging?

DownEast Basics Here I Am!

Samurai Mom in "Flying down to Rio" from DownEast Basics

DownEast Basics has been having a LOT of blogger giveaways lately. From what I can gather DownEast Basics sends a blogger some clothes to try out which she ends up loving because who wouldn't love free DownEast Basics Clothes?

An awesome DownEast Basics Dress with a Lace Camisole underneath

Then the blogger holds a give away on her blog where the readers leave a comment on what they love most at DownEast Basics and other things like becoming a follower of the blog or a fan of DownEast Basics on Facebook (which I am of course.)

Samurai Mom wears a 3/4 sleeve tee in her heavy weather ensemble

Then the winners are chosen and they get something from DownEast Basics. I enter all of these contests and I haven't won yet, and believe me there are things that I want from DownEast Basics.

Samurai Mom pairs the "Swearing Skirt" with her favorite Down East Basics top. I have 2 of these in the same color I love it so much.

I don't know how DownEast Basics is choosing these bloggers. Are the bloggers coming to DownEast Basics or is DownEast Basics approaching the bloggers? Are there criteria, do the bloggers need to have a certain audience or number of readers or followers? I don't know. All I know is that I want a piece of this action.

Samurai Mom Wears a Wonder Tee to make a Modest Sundress while making pickles

I would settle for stuff from DownEast Basics, I would settle for the increase in blog traffic, heck I would even settle for a free shipping coupon at DownEast Basics.

DownEast Basics, pick me.!

Samurai Mom wears a Wonder Tee under a cardigan.

My love for DownEast Basics is undying. I have even seriously considered opening a DownEast Basics store here in the Portland area and still ponder it from time to time.

Samurai Mom uses a Wonder Tee to make her costume appropriate for the Church party

My favorite items of clothing which are not vintage or made by Samurai Mom are from DownEast Basics.

Samurai Mom Wears her second Favorite DownEast Basics Top under a cardigan and hopes DownEastBasics will bring it back because I want more, the bow is to die for

I am a minor celebrity. When I go to events like call centers people introduce me as Samurai Mom and people have sudden looks of recognition and say "Ahh" or "Oh, Yea!"

The Wonder Tee and Samurai Mom are inseparable.

My blog is Legit. I totally got a check from blogger last week, I make 12 cents a day here by blogging.

So DownEast Basics, I don't know how you choose bloggers to hold give aways but I think you should choose me to hold the next one.

P.S. I am dying for a Frosted Flowers Cardigan and one of those necklaces with the tulle flowers.

For SALE!

I'm done.

The floors are mopped, the dust bunnies vanquished, rooms have been stripped of character, 5-6 van loads of stuff has been boxed up and is in transit to the storage unit including most of my books, paint has been applied liberally and frequently, windows have been washed and flowers have been strategically planted, several trips to Home Depot have been made....I could go on and on and on.

I have worked myself to the bone, well at least through a few millimeters of fingertips. I would treat myself to a manicure but scraping paint off of linoleum ruins a girls nails so I have nothing left to manicure. I don't remember the last time I have ever worked so hard for so long, if there was ever such a time.

I am looking forward to not snapping at my kids because I am doing something as lame as cleaning. I am looking forward to not being perpetually angry with my husband. I am looking forward to reading blogs. I am looking forward to watching movies and knitting. I am looking forward to reading to my kids again.

The house was listed late Thursday night and we have an appointment for a showing today. Keep your fingers crossed and a prayer in your heart that they miraculously buy our house because we have our eye on something we do NOT want to let get away but we need to sell first.

Buy This WIndow Seat

"You should sit in your window seat." La Keira has been telling me for months. I agree, I should. When our offer on this house was accepted I spent the remaining 2 months before we moved in dreaming of the things I would do to the window seat. I dreamt of the books I would read there.

The day we got the keys I came in and sat on the window seat and realized it was really hard and there was no place to put one's back to recline, it is cold when you lean on an actual window. So, I put some pillows on it and learned that they slipped right off the window sill. I thought about making a fitted banquette cushion but the windows were too close to the seat and eventually I gave up my dream of a reading nook.
For 8 years we have used it as a place to put stuff and at one time Camrock used it as a platform from which to play Spiderman. At Christmas we decorate it and it sits there just holding stuff.
And now I have artfully arranged it so that it looks like some one could sit there and read books.

Be Mine

Moose took me to the Sweetheart Ball last night.

There was dance instruction followed by more dancing and lots of dessert. It was a wonderful evening.

The Dress was formal. I had to do some last minute shopping to do because while I had a gown it needed an appropriate cover up to make it modest and the best I could do was a plain red cardigan.
I went to Ross and started throwing anything red and close to my size in the cart. I came up with 5 items 3 of which were the same shirt in different sizes. I chose one and came home and grabbed a needle and thread and started gathering it to form a modified Spencer. It took about 10 minutes 5 of which were spent trying it on and taking it off over and again.

It turned out darling AND all I have to do is snip the threads and I will have a fancy t-shirt again!

Then I made a fascinator for my hair and while I was at it I made one for La Keira and for my Etsy shop. Yes, you read that right I am back in business again!I won the prize for "Sparkliest outfit!" Woot!

Uncrushable Entry

The Bettys over at The Uncrushable Jersey Dress are having a contest "Best Opening for a Faux Betty Neel's Novel" I cranked out this entry last night with only 5 Neels books under my belt. There have been requests for more and I think I can come up with a few more paragraphs, they will involve blood and a powerful motor.

Betty Neels is a Harlequin Romance Novelist. But not that kind of romance, the steamiest thing to happen to her heroines is a brisk kiss. She wrote prolificly for 60 years and each book feels like it was written the same year. There are 3 heroines, 1 Hero and a handful of plots. I feel that Betty Neels books should be read aloud in a group because they are so funny but they don't mean to be.

Read some of the other entries here and vote for me! Except there isn't any voting. You can take a stab at it too if you would like but hurry beacause the contest ends on Valentine's Day!

Buy this Breakfast Nook!

Here it is. My wonderful Visiting Teacher Kristin came over this afternoon and washed and painted my breakfast nook while I tackled the kitchen.

Dear people who will buy my house,
I am working my tushie off for you.
Hope you like it,
-Samurai Mom

The Game of Telephone

"Camrock, will you please call Keira and see if she has any drop cloths I can borrow and can she deliver then since I am covered in paint?"

I really was covered in paint. I am an abominably messy painter. I cover EVERYTHING because if it is exposed it will be painted. I am generally covered with paint from the top of my kerchief to the soles of my feet. It is like that with everything I do, I just dive right into life and get messy, painting, gardening, baking, you name it.

This is why I looked at La Keira as if she had 3 heads when she casually remarked the other day "You could paint your bedroom this afternoon."
Yeah, right, sure, I'll just paint it in one afternoon. Painting a room around here requires a full two days and complete neglect of all other duties.

So Camrock calls La Keira and says "Sister Dominguez, Mom wants you to bring some washcloths over because she is covered in paint."
La Keira: "Is it an emergency?"
Camrock: "Yes."

I can only imagine what La Keira was picturing, me incapacitated by paint, writhing in such a terrible mess that my children feel the need to call for help and washcloths.

La Keira wisely asked to speak to me for clarification.

It was not a good day to call as The Domingo has been channeling Ivan the Terrible and what with her family headed into town. I wish I could have drafted heras I hear she is a notoriously tidy painter who rarely uses drop cloths.

The Kindness of Strangers

Monday I popped into Target to deliver 24 rolls of Advantix film canisters to have the images put on a CD.
Advantix was a film fad of the early 2000s which we were a party to much like the disk camera I had as a tween which I earned by selling greeting cards door to door. I have lurking suspicion that in 10-15 years (or maybe less) no one will know how to get those images off the rolls and my son's babyhood will be lost!

They wanted $100 for the job which was not something I was going to spring for so the gal at the counter did some fancy trickery with her calculator and said she could do it for $45 but I would have to come in on her shift and she also loaned me an obscure battery so that I could get free the final roll (which includes the first moments of Boba Fett's life which have never been seen) from our broken camera. She was SO NICE. Thank you Target Lady!

On Monday, the guy in the produce section of Albertson's said that he would save me some boxes to pick up on Tuesday. On Tuesday, the guy who looks and talks like Chris Rock was there instead and knew nothing of any boxes for me. Hopelessly discouraged I went to Trader Joe's where after a preliminary "We crush our boxes as we go" they found me a dozen wine boxes which are perfect for packing books of which I have 750 so you know, boxes are important. So nice, why does anyone shop anywhere other than Trader Joe's? Thank you Trader Joe's!Today, I was having a morning where everything was going wrong, the climax was when I was rushing to the car with a piece of peanut butter and jelly toast balanced on each hand and then they toppled and landed face down on the gross garage floor.

No breakfast for us.

On the drive I hear "Goody Two Shoes" by Adam Ant on the Radio and it changed my whole attitude. Suddenly I was no longer thinkng about all the bad thing that had happened but was thinking about dancing instead. Thank You 97.1 Charlie FM!I then stumbled upon a knitting group that meets in the rec center while Nutmeg has her ballet class. They were so nice and friendly and loaned me a tapestry needle as I had forgotten to bring one. Definitely a better way to spend the day. They said I should join them. I think I will. Thank You Knitting Ladies!

The 9th Annual Moose Appreciation Days

I am a few days late in posting this but I am up to my Bumpit in boxes here. Learn about the Tradtion of Moose Appreciation Days here

Day 1:
"I love Daddy and Daddy Loves Me" -Nutmeg

I like when you bring me chocolates...and cakes...and cookies...

Day2:
I think that you going to the gym everyday is awesome and sexy!

Day 3:
I like your beard, a lot.