Lucky Year #13!!

I'm so excited about this upcoming year!  This will be Danny & my 13th year of marriage!!  Lucky Year #13!!  I have already marked all my calendar's "29th's" {and one 28th}...we were married June 29th...so we will have a special date night on EACH 29th throughout the year!  We did that a couple years ago...and really enjoyed it!  Started to last year...but got distracted by life happenings...going to do our very very best to make sure THAT doesn't happen again!!

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Today we have our High School Co Op...which I am "teaching" {I use that term loosely...I do HOPE I'm doing an OK job.} a creative writing "class" {another word I am using loosely}.  I am following the info over on SmallWorld blog on WordSmithery...a name which I have "borrowed" for my class!   Here's the link if you'd like to take a look...

WordSmithery 

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On our way home from Co Op today...was REALLY thinking about picking up some pizza for dinner...opted against it...trying to be good about spending...knew I had some burgers & fries in the freezer...got home...started our burgers in my electric skillet...they started to heat up...then *poof*...my electric skillet died.  :/   Ugh.   Won't heat up....won't turn on.  Should have just picked up pizza.

Have my burgers is TWO frying pans on the stove instead...cooking away.  Fries will be going in the oven here in a minute.   I'm STARVED and can't wait to eat...it is all smelling SO good!! 

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Inspiration for today...well...for the year to come...

Monday Musings...

Outside my window...  well, out my back door actually.  About 36 degrees outside this rainy January morning...with some beautiful fog mixing with our big trees.  It was quite beautiful...and peaceful.

I am thinking...  about the cleaning/organizing/putting away that has to be done today.  Found out yesterday that our windows out in our mudroom {which has NO heat}froze when the temps were low...and with the warmer weather that came in, thawed out...so now we have puddles where our stuff was being stored.  {It's ALWAYS something, right!?!} Danny has declared that emptying our mudroom is TOP PRIORITY this week.

From the learning rooms... I am so proud of us!!  Last week was our 1st week doing our new "normal".  We are trying to create a new "groove" to go with our new house.  We were able to do Math most days last week...I think we only missed like 1 day!!  To me...for us...that is AWESOME!!  We also did a little reading, picked up some educational videos from the library, Frost went to work {total learning experience in and of itself!}, Arlee did her creative writing club & volunteering at the library.  I've put a TON of books away in our "library"...and picked up a bunch "new to us" books from a fellow homeschooling family who will be moving soon! 

We've been using a site called Xtra Math...EVERYONE starts off at the same point...it's for learning THE BASICS more quickly...fluently.  Here is the link if anyone else would like to check it out.   Best part??  It is FREE!!  :) 

www.xtramath.org/



I am thankful for... Hands down...for our new home!!  :)  Here is a pic that I took back in the fall when we were here for our Home Inspection.  It's kinda funny...our house is sorta like the TARDIS...it looks small when you are looking at it from the road...but it's definitely BIGGER ON THE INSIDE!!  :) 

We gained about 700 square feet moving here...the lay out is so much better!!  It has been GREAT!!  We are LOVING it!!  So excited...so blessed....so THANKFUL to my Hubby for such a beautiful home for our family!!

From the kitchen... Tonight is going to be some Sloppy Joe's....from a can...which probably won't be as good as the homemade Sloppy Joe recipe that Frost made last week!!  OoooOooooOoooH...those were YUMMY!!  Will definitely have to have him make THOSE again!!

Quote for the week....

I am reading... A book that was recommended by a friend of mine...which I am really enjoying!!  Dark Witch by Nora Roberts.

I am hoping...  to get our new couch this coming weekend!!!  FINGERS CROSSED!!!

I am creating...  Ummmmmmm....well.....let's see....nothing really.  :/   I need to change that!!  Need to get back to my knitting!!

I am hearing... Liam watching Kratt Brothers dvd he picked up at the library this week!  :)

A few plans for the rest of the week...  Our usual...CoOp on Tuesday...Frost has a dr's appt, Theater Club, and Movie Club at the library on Wednesday...Frost has work, Arlee has Creative Writing Group & Volunteer, another Movie Club at a different Library, and Liam is visiting a friend on Thursday...and a Tween/Teen Lunch get together on Friday!!

Here is a picture I wanted to share with you.. Actually, a few of them!  To show what happens when you are trying to feed your lizard...

Insert Creative, Catching, Imaginative Title Here...

There was some excitement outside our family room window!  Cleo was on it!!  She was watching...making sure nothing got TOO out of hand!  

Not sure if you can really see in these pictures, but we were visited by this big flock of birds this morning...

 OOOooo...I swear those are my mini blinds...we do NOT have bars on our windows!!  LOL!

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Yesterday we visited with some friends...some of them did a cool science experiment...Liam was REALLY excited about it!!  As you can see below...

 And here is Arlee's pretty purple one...

Then afterward...it's always nice to spend time with your brother...

Not sure if you could tell...but they are BOTH playing on tablets!!  LOL!  You know...spending QUALITY time together!  {can you hear my sarcasm??}

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As I'm sure many of you already know....WE HAVE MOVED!!!  We're all SO excited about our new home!!  We are looking forward to making MANY new memories here!  I was without my computer the whole time we were moving...so I didn't get to post much about it, and really, didn't take many pictures either...but I'm HOPING to make up for that NOW!! 

I did snap this one...this is Danny unlocking our front door for the FIRST TIME...

He looks pretty excited...right!?!? 

Dreaming of Nice Park Day Weather!!

I believe I saw my coffee giving me this same look this morning!!  Up at 8:50am...had to get Frost up to get ready for work.  When we walked out to the van this morning....HOLY COW...it was COLD OUT THERE!!!  Brrrrr!!  Today I drove by our new favorite park...favorite because it is less than 1 minute away from our new house...it was covered in frost and a small dusting of snow!!  I have told a couple of friends just this passed week about this park...it did NOT have the same allure driving by this morning!! 

I did take pictures of it back in the fall...

I can not wait until it warms back up again and we are able to go play there!!  I'm HOPING...fingers are crossed...I will find the motivation to take regular walks there.  Might help me lose some extra pound'age that I've been meaning to take off!!  I'm also HOPING...lots of homeschooling get togethers!!  Arlee is looking forward to riding her bike to the park to take advantage of their bike trail...it's not huge, but it's nice.

I'm going to get off of here for tonight...and go dream about warm weather...and park days!! 

Boys...Gotta Love'em!

Got up this morning to that oh so annoying sound of the alarm clock.  Ugh...I really really dislike that sound SO MUCH!  Even when I hear it in a movie, or ANYwhere else...my whole body just shudders.  Worst...sound...EVER.

Finally pulled myself out of bed...why is getting up so hard??  If I've said it once, I've said it a million times...I am NOT a morning person...but more so, I've come to realize, I'm just not a "getting out of bed person".  It is just who I am.  Always have been this way. 

Got Frost dropped off at work...came back home, and really really thought about climbing back into bed.  After all, one of my cute boys were snoozing in there...would have made some good snuggle time with him.  But I opted to put the coffee on...and work on finding and organizing some free resources for our learning.

When Zach woke up, I started on some breakfast for him and Liam.  Liam is NOT an easy one to get out of bed...takes after his mother, I guess.  But once I finally got them both to the table with food in front of them, we watched a story being read by Ravi from the Disney show Jessie {I always liked Ravi...he was so funny!}...Zach really enjoyed the story.  He thought it was funny, and really liked that it was Ravi reading it!  Liam was still in that "I just had to get up" kinda mood...so he said it was, "Eh".

www.storylineonline.net/

One of my new favorites that we have used 2 morning in a row now is Wonderopolis!!  It has a new "wonder" everyday!  Wednesday was about pizza, and Thursday was about toothpaste.   On Wednesday we added getting pizza for lunch, and today I added an extra youtube video...one of the "How It Was Made", all about toothpaste.  The kids seem to like it...from the youngest up to the oldest.

www.wonderopolis.org/

I've been TRYING so hard to start a new routine with the boys...I've been struggling.  I'm so NOT any good with "routines" or "schedules" or other things of the like.  So this is quite the challenge for me!  The idea is for Zach to have 20 mins playing on the Kinect...one of our dance games or the Kinect Adventures...which those keep him moving.  Then I would have some time to work on some learn-y stuff with Liam...well, this morning, Liam wasn't ready...he just wanted to play with his Bioncles...so I said, "OK"...because I wouldn't have gotten much out of him if I would have forced him.

After his 20 mins of movement...he is to go take a bath {he is STILL not ready for a shower...he says it feels like the room is filling up with water...sensory issues are so much fun...yeah...NOT.}  Then I'm "suppose to" have my tablet ready to play 5 of his favorite songs while he's in the bath...well, today, my tablet was D*E*A*D.  So that part didn't work out as planned.   While Zach is in the bath...Liam is doing his own Kinect time.  He doesn't really enjoy it as much as Zach does...I should probably just send him outside to run around...he would like that much better, I think.


When Zach does get to get some movement in, sit in a tub full of calming water, and listen to his favorite songs...he says he feels "GREAT!" afterward.  Which is why I'm trying so hard to make this new routine stick for us!!  I'm also HOPING it helps with his focusing as well...over time!  :)  Fingers are crossed!!

A little while later...both the boys went outside together.  I saw THIS out my window:

They were OUTSIDE....TOGETHER...NOT FIGHTING!!  This is SUCH a wonderful thing!!  I love these rare glimpses that show that these two personalities can actually LIKE each other!   They were working on getting more leaves into the pile Arlee started the other day.  After, they came in and was just hanging out together...I was LOVING it!!  They even got on my computer and played some games...together....and took turns!! 

But, as we know...all good things must come to an end.  And the way this one ended was this evening when Zach decided he had to use the bathroom...and Liam THEN, at the EXACT same time, decided HE had to use the bathroom WORSE than Zach did...and tried to cut in front of him  {yep...we usually have a line}.  And the fighting returned. {deep sigh}.

I'm not quite sure why they fight so much with each other.  I don't like it at all.  I guess it is just their personalities...but it makes me so sad.

Monday Musings on a Tuesday...

Since it's been awhile since I last posted, I thought this might be a fun one to do...


Outside my window...  it is a very nice fall day today.  A light breeze, just enough to hear the leaves in the trees.  Look at all those leaves on the ground...they are just begging to be raked up into a pile and jumped in!

I am thinking... that my coffee tastes really good this morning!!  I was up REALLY late last night surfing around the net for new things to share with the boys that I thought they might enjoy looking into...like I didn't head to bed until after 3am!!  This is my beautiful mug that Arlee got me when she visited Washington DC with her now Boyfriend & his family!  :)

From the learning rooms... Arlee is still plugging away trying to finish up her "High School Credits".  So proud of how she gets up REALLY early in the morning and works on her lessons.  For the boys...oh, I'm not sure.  Is that not sad??  I've been at this for a long time...but finding something that really works for each of them has proved to be such a challenge.  Still searching though!!

I am thankful for... Well since this is my first...I guess I'm good to start off with my four prides & joys, right!?!?   Here are their pics from our homeschool group's Halloween Dance...they all looked AMAZING!!

 

From the kitchen...Not much going on so far today.  Guess I will have to figure out what we are having for dinner tonight.  Hmmmmm....probably some pizza pasta...nice & easy!!

I am wearing... My jammies...of course!!  :)

I am reading... well, I started a book called, "The Unnaturalists", and I picked up the book, "Nonverbal Learning Disabilities at Home:  A Parent's Guide".

I am hoping... to find more time to sit and read the books I have!!

I am creating...  still working on knitting some fingerless gloves & scarf for a Christmas present.

I am hearing... listening to my YouTube Playlist...right now it is Christina Perri, "Distance"

Around the house... there is so much that NEEDS done!!  Having Frosty's girlfriend over tomorrow...so there WILL be cleaning done TODAY!!  :)


A few plans for the rest of the week...  not much this week...have to REALLY watch the budget.  But we do still have Arlee volunteering at the library, Theater Club, Frost working, & building a  Haunted Gingerbread House at a library program.  This the older kids & Danny are trying to plan a trip to KI, too!  :)  Okay, it still sounds like A LOT, but it is REALLY a slow week this week for sure!!


Here is a picture I wanted to share with you.. 

This is from a park that our family really loves to visit...this is me & my oldest two kiddos hanging out on a swinging bench they have there...

"The Impossible"

Last Friday night, I found myself with the opportunity to be able to watch a movie by myself.  Now...some may think this as a chance of good luck...not having to agree with others on what to watch.  But Danny & I like to watch movies that fall under our favorite genres together....so that knocks out anything that would be considered: horror, sci fi, comedy, and comic-book-goes-to-the-big-screen.   That's a big chunk of the movies out there!!  Then I'm kinda picky when it comes to "chic flix".  And, on this particular night, I wasn't finding any romantic-like movies that really caught my attention.

Then I stumbled upon this one...."The Impossible".   I hesitated because I wasn't sure if Danny would like this kind of movie or not...well, I just went for it, and decided to go ahead and watch it myself.  It was a REALLY good movie!!  Here is a very brief description:

IN 2004, A DEVASTATING TSUNAMI HIT
SOUTHEAST ASIA.THIS IS THE AMAZING
TRUE STORY OF ONE FAMILY'S JOURNEY
OF HOPE AND SURVIVAL.

The family was vacationing when the tsunami hit.  The family is separated during the storm.  It is so hard to imagine going thru something like this. It was intense to watch.    

There are trailers for the movie on the movies official website here: 

www.theimpossible-movie.com/

And here is one I found on youtube....

Here is the link to the Parents Guide on the IMDB website....for any who would like to read thru it before watching it themselves or with their families:  www.imdb.com/title/tt1649419/parentalguide?ref_=tt_ql_7



Found a video from The View that has the REAL Maria Belon {the mom} being interviewed....if you'd like to check it out.   There are other videos, I'm sure, you could find on YouTube, as well.

I would definitely recommend this movie!  Although quite emotional...because, of course, you begin to imagine yourself, and your family in this same situation....definitely have some tissues nearby!!

1 Year Anniversary at First Job ~ Silly & Slimey Science

Our days can seem so busy these days.   Especially with the older two kiddos working.  I think it is so amazing that they have had the opportunity to have work available for them to do.  What great learning experiences for the two of them! 

Today, I am especially proud of our oldest boy, Frost.  TODAY....{well, yesterday by the time this will post...June 5th} was his 1 year anniversary working at Royal Kennels.   This is his first job...and he started it...has loved it...has stuck with it...and has worked really hard.  Pam {his boss} tells us all the time what a great worker he is...no matter what it is she needs him to do, he is always ready and willing to jump in and just get it done. 

For this entire year of him working at the Kennel, when he gets paid, he gives 1/2 of his earnings to us for his "savings"....the other 1/2 is his to save/spend however he wants.   He has bought himself his own tablet,  paintball gun, and Kings Island passes...a few bigger things that he had to save up for a while for to be able to buy them.   And of course he splurges on things like his crazy hats or spoiling his girlfriend when he can.  :)   But now that the year is up...he will receive his savings, and get to decide what he wants to do with it.   He has saved up a little over $1,000 this passed year!!  Plus, starting today...he gets to keep his whole pay!!

Pam also let him know that if he starts a savings account, which I'm hoping we can get to the bank and get it all set up for him sometime THIS month, that she will start a sort of 401K plan with him!!  She will match up to $50 a month of whatever he puts into it.   What a great learning opportunity she is giving him!!   I love it!! 

Today, Frost gets the extra treat of grooming our Black Lab, Cooper, too!! 

Frost is planning on a special lunch out with Danny tomorrow to celebrate his 1 year...you know, the two "working men" of the family!  :)


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Yesterday we went to a special library program....Silly & Slimey Science.

First off they did the "Will it Sink or Float?"   The librarian had a bucket full of different objects, and each child got to come up and pick one....guess if it would Sink or Float...then try it out in the big bowl of water.

 They also did the milk/food coloring/dish detergent experiment.   We've done this one before, and the kids really like it!! 

BE SURE THE FOOD COLORING DOES NOT MIX WHEN YOU PUT INTO THE MILK. 

When you put the Qtip into the milk BE SURE NOT TO STIR...you poke it in, and just HOLD IT STILL.

There is "science" behind it....something to do with the "fat" in the milk...but basically, the pretty colors MOVE and swirl together!!  If it works right...it creates a sort of Tye-Dye look in the milk...

Here's a YouTube Video that explains how to do it, too....AAAAAND it even explains the "Science Stuff"!! 

After they were done with the program...I let them play on the computers for a bit while I looked around and picked out some books & movies.   We had a little time to kill before we had to pick up Frost from work.  

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Talked Danny into running to pick up some S'mores Blizzards before we went to pick up Arlee from work!!  Oh My Word were they SO YUMMY!!   Highly recommend them!!  I love S'mores anything....but this was just divine!!   A *HUGE* Thank You to my Hubby for spoiling me!!  :)

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Update on Me/Our Weekend/Just Hanging Out

UPDATE ON ME:

The last few days have been WONDERFUL!!  I have been pain free since FRIDAY!!  Thank goodness!!  It has made such a HUGE difference NOT having all that joint pain & body aches.  {Deep deep sigh of relief inserted HERE!} My rash/hives/red spots are still visible, but are MUCH smoother & lighter than they were.  That swollen spot on my hand is almost all gone...no pain, just a little puffy.  I've been tired...I think my body is finally getting the help that it needs, and is able to calm itself a bit...and now is just worn out from being so out of control for the past couple weeks. 

OUR WEEKEND:

YARD SALES!!!  On Saturday, we went to go visit our friends at the Days of Wonder School since they were having a HUGE 15-Family Yard Sale to help raise funds for their school.  We found some good treasures there...along with a couple others we stopped at on our way home as well!  It was fun!  I think this was really Zach & Liam's first experience with shopping at Yard Sales.  We must learn that even though we don't find things that interest us...we need to still be patient while others are looking.  It's a work in progress!!

I found some really pretty glass bottles!  Not sure where I'm going to put them....but can't wait to put them there!  Zach & Liam, both, got new fishing poles!!   At one yard sale, the lady let each of them pick out TWO board games for $2 total!  Arlee got a big box of craft stuff & such, plus a bag of fabric.

We headed back home for some lunch.  After, while Danny started mowing the lawn, Arlee & I headed out to Goodwill to do some more shopping!  We found some good deals...and some cute clothes!  I was SO tired by the time I got back home!  Whew!!

Sunday, I had to drop off Arlee & Frost to help out at the Days of Wonder Yard Sale, so we ended up picking up even more stuff!!  Our good friend Amy was giving the boys some REALLY good deals!!  :) 

After leaving, I decided to treat the boys!!  We were all H*O*T....so some frozen yogurt sounded REALLY good!!

 

First time the boys have been here....myself, too....it was fun, and they really enjoyed it!  :)  It was YUMMY!!

Once we got back home, we cleaned up our living room, then played one of the new games that Zach got.  It is called SpaceQuest...it is from like 1986....a sort of Monopoly game with some differences.  We kinda did our own version of it....to make it easier.   They liked playing it...Liam is a Monopoly Guru, let me tell you what!!!


JUST HANGING OUT:

Monday...After dropping Arlee off at work, the boys and I ran over to Salvation Army to look around.  Found myself 3 new shirts, Frost & Zach both a shirt, a bunch of puzzles for the kids to do {Liam found a States puzzle here the other day, and has put it together like 3 times, and is interested in doing MORE!   And apparently, while at the store, Frost offered to do puzzles with him!!  Sounded good to me!!}  Frost found a couple older computer games...hoping they are compatible with our computers.  I also found this really cute old travel case...I'm looking forward to filling it up with my hair things, nail polish, and make up!!

We ended up being a little late {okay, like 40 mins late} to our next thing...TOTALLY my fault for having to try on clothes at the store!!  We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging with friends!  It was really nice.  I haven't done much of it over the last couple weeks because of all the icky sicky stuff I've been dealing with...it was really really good to see my friends and get to talk face to face with them!!  I miss them!!

Frost worked on this K'Nex Ferris Wheel...that even after like 3 hours, still couldn't get it to spin right.  :/   Liam played outside riding his bike....before deciding to come in and bug the older boys would be more fun.   Zach played on his tablet & Wii with his friends.

Around 5pm, we started to leave.   Could definitely tell we'd already had a full day {for us, I guess} because Liam was MOODY!!  Oh my!!   We were planning on a couple other stops before heading home....but by the time we were ONLY around the corner, that plan changed to JUST GOING HOME!!   Which worked out find for me...I was pretty hungry, so I'm thinking my boys were too...got home and made a quick lunch.   I think everyone felt much better after that!!

Frost started working on one of his 1000 piece puzzles he picked up today.  We have discovered that Liam likes puzzles, but apparently the pieces have to be a certain size.  He did not like the look of the small pieces of the ones we got at the store.  So he decided to go back and put together his trusted States puzzle again.  And Zach took a nap...we had to have a talk about hitting.  Found out he had hit his brother while we were out today, so he was not able to play his time on the Xbox...so what else is there to do??  Just go to sleep. 

For dinner Frost grilled out hamburgers and these Buffalo Cheese Mets I picked up from Aldi last week....THEY WERE SO GOOD!!  I made pasta salad to go along with it.   YUMMY!!

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I am so excited that I'm feeling better...I'm really looking forward to doing more stuff with the kids, getting out and doing stuff as a family, spending time with our friends....just being able to enjoy the beautiful summer weather!!