Lego Man

Sam loves his Lego's - this is where I will find him most days - sitting on the floor creating something. He's the chief mechanic and I'm on standby - ready with my longer (unchewed) nails to pry apart little blocks. The trick will be when sweet baby girl gets on the move and all these tiny toys must be kept out of her reach!!! Until then the floor is all his!!!
His latest creations - maybe he'll work on real airplanes someday (that industry is practically in our backyard)

Until he grows up this is the perfect occupation for a 9 year old!!!

NOT a Hit!!

Won't be making this casserole again!! :0)

Yummy!!!

So, Esther is blowing bubbles with her nose - really gross I know, but hey, I got that award that says I tell the good and the bad, so there it is - yuck :0)!!! Anyway, that means next to no sleep for Mommy and Daddy last night. I was really dragging today so sweet Ruthie decided to take over in the snack department. She made the BEST oatmeal cookies!!!
Don't they look yummy?!! (BTW there is snow on the ground again - you can just see it in the window)

Everyone loved them - especially this little man who kept insisting "Just one more Mommy - it'll be my last one!"

I knew they would go fast - she did such a good job.


Yep, good cookies!!

This sweetie also helped lots and lots today holding a fussy, drooly, sorta slimy - but still very cute baby girl while I folded lots laundry (yay!! Thanks to her I'm caught back up!!).

A Fun Game

So I'm stealing an idea from my friend Cinnamon over at Knights and Maidens Gathering. She put up this game - it's fun - so I decided to borrow her idea tonight. It's been a crazy day here and something lighthearted was in order (we've been running nonstop all day!!). So here goes:

100 Things RULES: There are 100 statements and you bold the ones you have done. Grab it and play for yourself!!*

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disney world

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Had stitches

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea - on the beach, at least

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept in an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitchhiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse (solar)

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chicken pox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a lawsuit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Read an entire book in one day

Daybook Time

A day late cause I had birthday business to put up yesterday!!

FOR TODAY January 20, 2009...

Outside my window... bright sunshine on frosty grass - very sparkly and pretty!!!

I am thinking...about chickens and the new chicken coop we're planning - brainstorming about where we can get some recycled building materials

I am thankful for...a God who is in charge in spite of big changes that are out of the control of ordinary people

From the learning rooms...continuing our unit on the War of 1812 and amphibians - we're reading Justin Morgan had a Horse

From the kitchen...smoothies with homemade yogurt, strawberries picked last summer, bananas, spinach and orange juice

I am wearing...Skirt and warm stretchy green shirt and newer slippers

I am creating...crocheting my first thread doily!! Really fun!

I am going...to take one of my boys to church for Bible study with his youth pastor

I am reading...a library book - can't remember the name of it - it's okay - clean - just something to read before I sleep at night

I am hoping...the change in the White House doesn't cause too much change :0) I'm not one for change - I like things to stay the same

I am hearing...Baby girl fussing - she's waking up from her nap

Around the house...There are toys all over the living room - the little ones are playing kitchen - I have eaten tons of play food this morning :0)!!

One of my favorite things...the kids all playing pretend together - I love listening in - they say the funniest things and I just LOVE kid giggles!!

A few plans for the rest of the week...just a regular week - with the regular running around - I like regular weeks

Here is picture thought I am sharing: The kids got out their paints and spent the afternoon painting up a storm - my refrigerator is decorated with new pictures and Daddy's office has new artwork adorning the walls

To see more fun Day book entries you can go to http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Happy Birthday!!!

This week marks my oldest child's 19th birthday. I guess I should no longer say child - his is a young man - and a fine one at that. I am so proud of him. He is a Godly young person with a great heart. I don't see much of him right now - he works over 40 hours a week and also is taking a full load of college credits. He is one busy person - but I wouldn't have it any other way - he is single minded in pursuit of his goals and dreams - he contributes to our family and our church and most of all he loves God.

Tim accomplished his Eagle Scout rank right before he graduated from high school - here are a few of his Eagle Court of Honor pictures:

His Eagle medal:

Court of Honor Ceremony

Snuggling baby sister (and doing school work - multi-tasking at it's best!)

Happy Birthday -Timothy. We love you and are incredibly proud of you!! May God bless you on your journey into independence.

Catalogs

I love seed catalogs!! I hate seed catalogs!! Actually, I really love them but they start arriving in my mailbox right after Christmas. And they are so beautiful with their colorful pictures of veggies and flowers. This is the problem - if I read them too soon then winter seems way too long - so I hang on to them until the gray rainy weather is just about to make me bananas. Then I dig in and read about Kentucky Wonder vs. Blue Lake Pole beans, Cherry Belle radishes and Amish Paste Tomatoes. I get out my graph paper and draw diagrams and make lists and in my dreams my garden provides all our needs for a family of ten for an entire year. I love it!! Oh the temptation!!! I can't read them yet. Spring is still too far off - and my favorite catalog came this week! Well, I did give in and read a little bit of my favorite. I didn't read the seed part - just the chicken part. My sweetie has said that we are fixing up our chicken coop which has sadly been empty for a time after a very naughty raccoon demolished our flock. So I have been reading about Buff Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds and Jersey Giants and dreaming about chickens and ducks the last few days!! A little while longer and I can read all the rest.

Do you think she might be teething? :0) Have a great weekend!

Blessings,

Christine