Tumblebug really enjoys the opposites books by Leslie Patricelli.  We have BIG little, Yummy Yucky, and Quiet Loud. He loves to be able to point at the things he knows.  I wanted to make him more books with a personal feel.  I made a book for his classroom with photos of items in their classroom that are mostly a color.  It was a hit and I have made more copies for students that have moved to a different class.

I went through my photos and chose examples of things that are similar, but way different sizes, just like in the book BIG little.  I also took more pictures throughout the summer to add to the book.  Some examples are much better than others.

I used Photoshop to add the text to each picture but you can also use Picnik or any other photo editing software that lets you add text.  I went with the text from the book: Elephants are BIG. Mice are little.

Some of the pictures are things that are similar and some are things that go together, but they are all things Tumblebug should recognize down the road.

Once I developed all the photos I just stuck them in a cheap plastic photo album.  I used a picture of my dad and Tumblebug as the cover.  There are still empty pages, so I am going to find more BIG and little things to add.

Sunday night blues

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Today was a very long day.

This morning was rehearsal for next week’s Children’s Sunday program.  Bug and I watched the rehearsal and then ate pancakes with the girls.  It is hard to believe I have been there Sunday School teacher for 3 years.  I have known all of the girls since they were babies.  Now they are young women.  They are all so beautiful and strong.

We only stayed for the start of church.  A young friend sang the prelude (and several solos throughout the service).  As soon as the piano started Bug looked up and fought to see what was going on.  We were in the back and she was standing in the front.  I stood him up on my lap and he moved and clapped through the whole song.  I tried to keep him from yelling out, but that is like trying to catch the wind.  He gets so caught up in music.  He wiggles and dances.  He claps and tries to sing along.

We slipped out after the children’s sermon to have time to go to Wal*Mart to pick up photos and baby stuff.  Bug is teething again, but this time it actually seems to hurt him.  He is getting his bottom right 2nd tooth and probably his bottom right canine and bicuspid and something on the left.  He didn’t cry at all for the first 6 teeth (bottom two front in November and top four front in January) and now he is miserable.  I got him some chewy teething rings and numbing gel.  He hates the numbing gel to the point that he won’t even take his pacifier after because he thinks it is more yucky stuff, but the instant relief is palpable.  I also ended up buying a laminating machine for the book I am working on for his classroom.

Then it was back in the car for the 2 hour -that we thought would be 1.5- trip north to have lunch with our cousin.  She is actually our second cousin, but does it really matter? She is the oldest of our generation and my sister is the youngest.  They are 30 years apart!  She is a retired video editor from California and she only gets to Vermont once a year.  She graduated from Middlebury 40 years ago and teaches a course in video editing there every J-term.  This year she took a break from that, but came east for her reunion.  She is a fabulously brilliant woman and we always have a great time visiting with her.  Bug was smitten with her and she with him.  We had lunch at a lovely little place and the food was magnificent.  Then we just sat around and talked forever.  Soon enough it was time to head home.  Bug slept all the way home and was only awake long enough for some food and a bath.

And that is about how long I will last.

Cows on Parade

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This was the 9th year of our annual Strolling of the Heifers.  We have been to every one, except the year of the thunderstorm, even I am not dedicated enough for that.  It may sound like the silliest parade ever, but it sure is popular.  Our town fills up with locals and out-of-towners, all to see over 60 heifers, plus dozens of goats, mules, sheep, oxen, Highland Cows, tons of school kids, dance groups, bands, jump ropers, local businesses, non-profit groups, theater companies, and a man in a ballgown.  I love the small town-ness of it all.  I don’t mind the traffic and the crowd.  It is something that makes Brattleboro different.  I know there are places that use the slogan “Keep Blankity-blank Weird”, but non of these places have anything on us.

Looking up

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This month’s NaBloPoMo theme is “looking up”. Here are some things that are “looking up” in my life right now.
It is only 2 weeks until my birthday.
It is only 2 weeks until my son’s birthday.
School is nearly over for the year.
The weather is getting better.
I am feeling pretty good.
My son is starting to walk.
My house looks good, on the outside.
I am feeling very confident at work.

I am not even going to list the things that are “looking down”.