HappyGoMommy!

Fun Summer!

2010-07-07T22:30:00.003-04:00

Yes, I stink at blogging! I think I need to quit saying I am going to write more, and just write when I can. :) Life just seems to get in the way. In a good way, of course!

We have had a great summer so far (minus the house problems!), and are glad that July isn't quite as busy as June. So far this summer we've already tackled:

two vacation Bible schools (kids)
soccer (Owen)
golf (Quinn)
camping (everyone!)
a long weekend at a friends' home (everyone!)
a softball (Brad)
a new walking class (Amy)
making strawberry jam (everyone)
(Riley hasn't been left out! She starts an art class on Friday.)

It's been fabulous!! But being home is great as well. The quiet days of playing in the sprinkler, doing laundry, and grilling out are the "lazy days of summer" and what we seem to enjoy most.

I've also been working on updating our budget (fun, fun) and following the 90-Day-Budget-Boot-Camp. The first week was a simple (for me) challenge: meal planning. Here's our meal plan for this next week - most of these recipes come from the latest issue of Taste of Home magazine . . . yum!

Wednesday: Barbecue chicken, blueberry muffins, veggies, potatoes
Thursday: Spaghetti, garlic bread, green beans, fruit
Friday: Out with my parents
Saturday: At a cookout (I'm taking Blueberry Cobbler to share!)
Sunday: At a cookout again! (This time, I'm taking Grilled Glazed Drummies)
Monday: Southern-Fried Chicken Strips, veggies, fruit
Tuesday: Pizza (busy night for us!!)
Wednesday: Marinated ribeye, corn on the cob
Thursday: Curried Chicken Shepherd's Pie, fruit
Friday: Enchilada Lasagna, french bread, veggies, fruit

I made my menu using the ingredients I already had on hand for the most part - this way I only need to buy a few remaining ingredients to make our meals complete.

Happy summer!!! :)

Mid-Week Money Tip - 90-Day Budget Challenge!

2010-06-30T22:18:00.004-04:00

How cute is this logo??!? In Good Sense is doing a 90 Day Budget Boot Camp, and I've decided to participate in their budgeting challenges for the next 90 days. Why? Well, for a couple of reasons!

1.) Our budget can always use fine-tuning.

2.) We've been spending a lot on home repair and decorating lately, and need to tighten the belt a bit.

3.) We'd love to purchase a different home in the next year (or two or three!) and need to save more money in order to do so!

And 4.) I enjoy hearing (and sharing!) about personal finance, budgeting, couponing, etc.!

Let me know if you decide to join in on their Budget Boot Camp! I'd love to know if you are participating. :)

Rough Week . . .

2010-06-24T12:39:00.004-04:00

Just keeping it real - I'm not always HappyGoMommy! It's been a rough week here and we are eagerly looking forward to a weekend. We have been dealing with a water leak/broken pipe somewhere under our foundation, and it likely it won't be covered by our homeowners' insurance. Drilling into our slab foundation and spending thousands of dollars isn't really my idea of a good week. Hoping next week will be much, much better!! See you shortly!!

Friday Fill-Ins

2010-06-18T05:00:00.001-04:00

It's been an incredibly busy (and not-so-good) week, and I am looking forward to some down time this weekend, thankfully. Also to my nephew's baptism and spending lots of quality time with my family!

1. At this time, my alarm has already gone off once and I've already hit the snooze button once(!): 6:58.
2. It was the reason, of course, that the rest of my day, I was running late!
3. Scrapbooking(!) is something I no longer feel the need to do. Don't get me wrong; I still love it! Just no longer feel the need!
4. I have another errand to run, then probably even one more errand!.
5. "No, I don't know where your 'xyz' is...just go find it."
6. What were once vices are no more? I don't really have any vices, thankfully!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to playing cards with my husband and parents, tomorrow my plans include cleaning my upstairs and going to my sweet nephew's baptism and Sunday, I want to enjoy Father's Day with my family!

Parenting Potpourri - Owen-isms

2010-06-17T05:00:00.002-04:00

At the ripe young age of three(!), Owen can completely crack us up! He is always saying funny things or doing something silly with his facial expressions. I dare you to have a staring contest with him - you'll lose!

When I leave to run errands, I usually say to him, "See you in awhile!" but I'm not quite sure he understands what that means. Because this is his reply: "See you in a pile, mommy!" I laugh every.single.time! (Which is also why he probably continues to say it this way!)

He's been at VBS this week and working on a new Bible verse each day. Monday it was, Owen-style, "I have given Your word in my heart." (Or, you know, as it says in the Bible, "I have HIDDEN your word in my heart.") Yesterday it was, Owen-style, "For God so loved the world that He gave his Son to only me." Uh, close Owen!! :)

And I'm constantly hugging on my kiddos and telling them I love them. Last week, I told Owen, "You know, I just love you to pieces!" He got a very worried look on his face and said, "You love me when I break into pieces?"

Yes, Owen, even if you break into pieces! :)

Mid-Week Money Tip - Budgeting

2010-06-16T05:00:00.005-04:00

Do you have a budget? Do you USE a budget? :) We have used a budget since the first few months of our marriage and it has really helped us!

I first started using a budget because as a new, young wife handling the majority of the shopping, I had no idea how much we **should** spend at the grocery each week, on entertainment, clothing, personal expenses, etc. I needed some kind of guideline. So, I did some research and found Crown Financial Ministries.

(I was using their book at the time (which has since been republished) . . . no website in 1998!)

They had a great, sample budget that I used and modified just a bit to fit our needs. To this day, I still use their online calculators to help set initial budgets (for our family or others). They have fantastic calculators that can help you quickly set up a basic budget. My favorite is the Spending Plan Calculator which takes your income and subtracts your tithe (if you tithe), and then gives a breakdown by percentage of what you should spend for each category. Although each family is different, this will certainly help you get started and form the 'bones' for a workable budget for your family!

Beyond that? We use the envelope system, which we were also first introduced to by Crown. Dave Ramsey also recommends using envelopes for cash. You can find more info on the envelope system here and here. These are the actual envelopes we use.

It's a bit pricey to get the binder to start with (especially if you are frugal!), but you can purchase refills for it, making the binder a one-time-only purchase.

And if you like the idea of the envelope system, but do not physically want to carry the cash, envelopes, etc. - you can always use YNAB!

YNAB (You Need A Budget) is online software that does it all for you. Budgeting, tracking, fixing "leaks" in your budget, and more. I have not personally used YNAB because we like the physical envelopes (they help us spend less, too), but I have heard great reviews about YNAB. It is also a pricey initial investment, but many people feel it is worth the expense!

Do you have any budgeting tips or tricks? What works for you? What doesn't?

Family Life - Lake Time!

2010-06-15T05:00:00.003-04:00

We were active in a homeschool gym class this past year that was wonderful! Excellent leaders, teachers, and organization made this a a great experience all the way around. We finished the year with a fun field day and picnic at a nearby lake and park a few weeks ago. We were able to canoe, use a rope swing, play games, have a picnic, and enjoy a special day of fellowship with great friends!

Owen testing out the water!

Quinn enjoyed the rope swing above the lake!

Riley was much more adventuresome on her second turn and went even higher!

Little O on the smaller rope swing (NOT over the water!!) :)

Quinn canoeing with one of his buddies

It was a great day and we had the perfect weather for it!

Menu Plan Monday - Recipe Ideas

2010-06-14T05:00:00.000-04:00

We have a crazy week at our house this week, so I'm not even bothering with a menu plan! I'll just throw together something each of the few nights we are in this week - though I do need to plan something for Friday night when we have company again. It will be something on the grill for sure; we are really enjoying our new grill and getting lots of use out of it!

I thought I would give you some ideas for where to find new recipes if you like to try new things. We try lots of new recipes around here! Here are some of my favorite places for finding new recipes:

AllRecipes - This site is fabulous! You can search for recipes based on ingredients you have on hand, but title, or just browse through the categories. My favorite things about this site are all of the recipe reviews from regular cooks, the fact that you can print the recipe in any size (to fit whatever size of recipe box you have), and that the serving sizes can easily be adjusted.

Simple & Delicious Magazine - Great, great magazine, especially if you are looking for simple, everyday ideas. Fabulous photos, great index in the back, and lots of "tips" about cooking throughout the magazine.

Local cookbooks - These can be anything from cookbooks that women in a local church have put together, to cookbooks that moms' groups have designed. They are tried & true recipes that anyone can use. I have several, and often flip to them when I need that everyone will love! You can usually pick these up at craft fairs, Christmas bazaars, fundraisers, etc.

Quick & Healthy Cookbook Vol. 2 - This is a wonderful cookbook to have if you want to make healthy meals. They are all delicious! I received this one from my mom years ago, and could make an entire month's worth of meals using just this cookbook.

And last but not least, the internet! Sometimes the fastest way to find a great recipe is to just type in what you are thinking of making with your ingredients on hand (like "oven roasted potatoes"), and just see what pops up!

And if you are looking for a fun craft project, try this cute recipe box (shown above) - love, love, love it! Where do you find new recipes that you enjoy?

Homeschooling: Cute Cartoon

2010-06-12T05:00:00.001-04:00

(click on cartoon to enlarge)

Friday Fill-Ins

2010-06-11T05:00:00.000-04:00

So glad for a weekend! Looking forward to lots of time with friends and family this weekend (and hoping the rain holds off!).

1. Snuggling with my kiddos feels great.

2. The solution is to pray about it.

3. Cuddled up next to my husband is how I like to fall asleep.

4. How about the Steelers this coming fall? Looking forward to a good season already!

5. "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" is something (a book) I highly recommend!

6. Imagine a world without M&Ms . . . so sad! :(

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to dinner with my best friend and her family, tomorrow my plans include making homemade strawberry jam all day and going out in the evening to celebrate my anniversary and Sunday, I want to spend time with my favorite husband as we celebrate 12 years!

Parenting Potpourri - Calendars

2010-06-10T05:00:00.002-04:00

We keep what looks like a fairly busy calendar, but in reality, we don't actually *do* everything on our calendar! :) My kids are always wanting to do "something," but it isn't always possible with work schedules, trying to get chores done, school finished, family events, etc. BUT . . . I do put tons of "optional" events on our calendar. That way, if we aren't busy that day, or we finish our work, we can do the fun stuff!

For example, this summer, the library and local movie theaters both have weekly events. I will write all of these (that appeal to us) on our calendar, and then we can pick & choose what we do. It also adds incentive (during the school year, at least) to finish our work as soon as possible so we can do the "extra" things! So while we may never get to everything on our calendar, we are at least aware of what is going on and we can attend if we want to!

I also add upcoming events that are in the very distant future - that way, they are already marked on our calendar as the time approaches. This includes things like yearly festivals (Grabill Country Fair in September, Christmas Bible School in December, etc.) so we don't forget about them! Even if we end up not attending these things, at least we don't forget them!

Another thing I do with our calendars is add Post-It notes for the following year. For instance, at Christmas time 2009 we discussed possibly getting a real Christmas tree for the following year. So I went ahead and added a Post-It note on the following year's calendar in November to help me remember! I will stick Post-It notes in the back of my 2010 calendar now for things I want to possibly do or change for next summer, as well.

And if you haven't already guessed, I love calendars! I've even been looking at ones for 2011 already - yes, they're out in stores now! My favorite site for calendars is, of course, Lang!

Mid-Week Money Tip - Saving on Dining Out

2010-06-09T05:00:00.000-04:00

We enjoy going out to eat on a fairly regular basis, but I try to always have a coupon with me if possible! Just this week, I was able to order two $25 gift certificates to great restaurants for only $2 each (woohoo!) from Restaurant.com! They usually have sales or coupon codes you can use to buy gift certificates inexpensively.

In addition, if you join your favorite restaurant's "e-club" (or something similar), they will send you coupons, specials, free meal coupons, etc. on a regular basis. Most upscale restaurants even do this, as well. Some other tips to save on dining out? Split a meal with someone, order water for your drink, or order from the kids' menu (if they allow it) for smaller portions and a smaller bill!

Family Life - Ordinary Days

2010-06-08T05:00:00.000-04:00

Aren't ordinary days the best? Just spending time with family, hanging out with friends, reading a good book, or playing games with your favorite people? We stay busy around our house nearly all the time, but it's the quiet (and not-so-quiet!) times in our home we most enjoy! Here's a look at the ordinary things around our home (which are what make life so special):

Reading . . .

Home Repair . . .

Snuggling (he's also in a laundry basket under there!) . . .

Playing . . .

And just monkeyin' around!

Menu Plan Monday - It's All About the Grill, Baby!

2010-06-07T23:10:00.004-04:00

After realizing last week that our grill isn't holding up too well, we purchased a new one over the weekend - yay! If you ever need a grill, the week before Father's Day seems to be the time to buy! We found lots of ads, sales, etc. for all kinds of grills and finally ended up with this one:
It's fun, because it also has a side burner where we can cook something in a pot. Tonight we enjoyed burgers on the grill, and let our corn on the cob cook right alongside it outside. Definitely keeps my kitchen cooler! And less mess to clean up afterwards, too. Here's what's on our (grill!) menu this week:

Monday: Hamburgers, corn on the cob, watermelon
Tuesday: Tunisian-Spiced Chicken Breasts, grilled red potato packets, strawberries
Wednesday: Kielbasa, corn on the cob, watermelon
Thursday: Grilled Trout, couscous, blueberry muffins, broccoli, fruit
Friday: Marinated Flank Steak (company's coming!) - plus a few sides (haven't decided on these yet)
Saturday: Celebrating our 12th anniversary and going out! Any suggestions for where we should go?
Sunday: Barbecue chicken, carrots, garlic bread, strawberries

We are definitely enjoying lots of summer fruits right now, too. My kids eat soooo much fruit I can barely keep enough in my frig! Yum!

School's Out!!

2010-06-05T05:00:00.001-04:00

(Old photos of our homeschooling room - from the fall of '07.)

We finished our school year yesterday! :) We had a great year and it's hard to believe we now have a 5th grader and a 2nd grader (plus a tag-along preschooler!). The kids had a great year and became more self-sufficient with their work (in a good way). We switched to a heavy reading-intensive curriculum, Sonlight, this year, and while it was good, it wasn't my favorite curriculum. I think my favorite will likely always be Winter Promise! If we go back to homeschooling, I think I will definitely use WP again!

We planned to homeschool our children for several years and eventually send them to school. With the completion of this school year, we have been homeschooling for six fantastic years! It has flown by!

After lots of prayer, discussion, school tours, and more prayer, we decided to enroll Riley & Quinn in a private Christian school for the fall for a variety of reasons. We are excited about it, but I will really miss homeschooling them every day. We get to do a LOT of fun things together and I'm learning a lot, too!

We do believe, however, that this is the very best decision for our family for this year. We may bring them home again next year, or the following, or have some kids in school, and some home . . . who knows? What we do know is that the Lord is in control and He will have them where they are supposed to be. It's been a difficult decision but one we feel is best.

I'll still have little O at home, so although I'm leaving 4th and 1st grade behind, I'm transitioning back to preschool - bring on the crafts, alphabet magnets, glue, and lots and lots of books!!

We are looking forward to a year of change, growth, and new opportunities for the kids!

Friday Fill-Ins

2010-06-04T05:00:00.004-04:00

Today is our last day of school for the year! :) It's been a good year, but the ending is bittersweet as we are not homeschooling next year. More on that tomorrow!

This week's Friday Fill-In . . .

1. The mountains or about anywhere(!) is my favorite place to travel to.

2. When I think about my childhood, I often remember vacations with my family, riding bikes with my next-door neighbor, Sara, and my mom baking cookies after school!

3. Someone who loves you and doesn't judge you makes for a good friend.

4. The wind in the trees, the rain on my skin, get me back inside!! :)

5. Taking a vacation is so exciting! (Wish I was planning one now!)

6. My best friend knows when to talk and when I need my space.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to ccelebrating the end of school with the kids (we have plans - but if I list them here, Riley will find out the surprise early!), tomorrow my plans include Riley's end-of-the-year piano recital and packing up school books and Sunday, I want to enjoy church with my family, play outside, and work on clearing out our school room!

And I want to give a special shout out HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to my great parents who are celebrating their 40th(!!!) anniversary on Sunday, as well. Thanks for setting a great example; we love you both!! :)

Parenting Potpourri - Dry Erase Notes

2010-06-03T05:00:00.002-04:00

I love to build my kids up and encourage them as much as possible. Certainly nothing forced or fake - but encouragement when possible! One of my favorite ways of doing this is by leaving them notes where they are likely to find them (thanks to my own mom!). I'll leave notes in suitcases, backpacks, lunch boxes, beds, or on the kitchen table. But by far, my favorite place to leave a note is directly on their bathroom mirror!

It's super-easy to do - and you don't even need paper! Just grab a fun, colored dry-erase marker, and start writing directly on the mirror! Get wild & crazy and use even TWO or THREE different colors! :)

We love to leave notes this way, and they wipe right off. It's a great way to start your child's day on the right foot - especially if they have a big event coming up, haven't been feeling well, or you had an argument recently (that *never* happens in our house! HA!). Give it a try and see how your kids respond!

P.S. Works great for marriages, too. :) We do this often.

Mid-Week Money Tip - Favorite Links

2010-06-02T05:00:00.002-04:00

Really, who doesn't love saving money?? It's a fun hobby. :)

I read and enjoy several simple, fun, personal finance blogs and enjoy learning new tips and ways to save. I know I have mentioned several here before, but here's a list of some of my current favorites! My favorite sites are ones that are humorous, simple, and very practical. I don't read them to get rich(!), or to learn how to invest - just to learn simple, everyday tips that we can all use to save money.

You can also join most of their mailing lists so you can receive their emails versus always having to check their web sites. Don't be afraid to cancel once you have joined their lists, though; some sites send out WAY too many emails!

Do you have any other favorites?

The Simple Dollar

Money Saving Mom

Frugal Dad

Clipping for Cash

Get Rich Slowly

Deal Seeking Mom

I Will Teach You To Be Rich

Family Life - Beach Vacation!

2010-06-01T05:00:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the picture-heavy post, but I heard a few of you wanted more photos on my blog! ;)

We were fortunate to spend a week at the beach in late April! We had been saving some money for awhile and looking for the right time and place to go. We used a travel agent and he found us some great rates which enabled us to even FLY out of Fort Wayne directly to St. Petersburg, Florida. We had great weather, a fabulous condo across the street from the beach, and terrific family time together! We MOST enjoyed playing in the sand, the ocean, and at the pool. :) Here are some favorite photos from the week.

Our cute - and spacious - condo!

My favorite boys

Enjoying a walk on the beach

Our super-adorable daughter! :)

Cute Quinn in the light of the sunset

All three enjoying the sand and surf

My poor family being attacked by Owen's shark pincher!

Another seafood dinner outside at sunset - beautiful!

View from dinner one night at sunset

The boys loved seeing the alligators!

Miniature golf - Brad and I tied - ugh! We are so super-competitive!

The pool was fabulous and our condo had tons of toys!

Pelicans everywhere!

One of our last days at the beach - playing in the sand at sunset!

We LOVE the beach!!

Menu Plan Monday - Garlic Corn on the Cob - Yum!

2010-05-31T05:00:00.003-04:00

This week is our last week of school for this school year - yay! We are thankful for having had a great year and glad to be wrapping things up. Here's what's on our menu this week - looking forward to grilling out this summer! Speaking of . . . we need some new grill tools. Where did you purchase yours and do you like them? I don't want to spend a fortune . . .

Monday - Pool/Poker Party with friends - out of town
Tuesday - Grilled barbecue chicken, red potatoes
Wednesday - Chicken Tacos, corn, chips & salsa
Thursday - Grilled steak, garlic corn on the cob (shown here!)
Friday - Homemade pizza to celebrate the last day of school!

Thanks!

2010-05-29T12:54:00.005-04:00

Thanks for voting in my poll regarding what you'd like to see here! Starting Monday, here's what you'll find:

Mondays: Menu Plan Monday and/or Recipes

Tuesdays: Family Life/Photos

Wednesdays: Money Saving Tips/Finance Info

Thursdays: Parenting Potpourri

Fridays: Friday Fill-Ins

Saturdays: Homeschooling Info/Thoughts

Hope you'll join me and come back to visit often!

Friday Fill-Ins

2010-05-28T08:00:00.004-04:00

Time for this week's Friday Fill-In! I can't believe it is ALREADY Friday! My week has flown by - how about yours? And I'm really, really ready for a long, holiday weekend! Starting my Friday morning with a trip to the dentist is not my idea of a good start to the weekend, though! Fortunately, I don't have to go often.

1. Watermelon -- the best food to take on a picnic.
2. Summer is great - but when it ends, I am more than ready for fall!
3. I can't wear flip flops (the whole strap-between-my-toes drives me nuts!).
4. To love someone is to care for them in physical, practical, hands-on ways.
5. The walk from my old dorm freshman year to my 8:30am music class was a long hike.
6. When I crave food, it's usually something crunchy and salty.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to celebrating my mom's birthday and my husband's birthday, tomorrow my plans include absolutely nothing(!) and Sunday, I want to win when I play in a poker tournament! :)

I need your opinions!

2010-05-21T16:00:00.000-04:00

I'm starting to get back to blogging and want to follow a more regular schedule. So while I've already got a working day-by-day plan in my head, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

What do you enjoy reading on my blog? My meal-planning info? Homeschooling tips/ideas? Finance tips? Tidbits from our everyday life? Viewing photos? Please vote in my little poll in the upper right-hand corner - thanks! :)

Friday Fill-Ins

2010-05-21T15:46:00.002-04:00

1. Quinn's laughter never fails to make me smile. It's contagious!

2. I'm looking forward to the end of the school year and start of our summer activities! We'll be busy - that's for sure!

3. Dave Ramsey on the radio, Lady GaGA on my ipod . . . is what I'm listening to right now.

4. Potato salad must have nothing in it! Really, I just don't like it no matter how it's made!

5. Pizza Hut pizza was the best thing I ate today.

6. Today was productive and uneventful. (That's a good thing!) :)

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching our kids' drama performance , tomorrow my plans include hanging out with my good friend, Joy (dinner, scrapbooking, talking, and just having fun together!) and Sunday, I want to play games with my family and digi scrapbook!

Mom's on the Computer

2010-04-21T21:31:00.002-04:00

This post is from Spunky Homeschooler, and I have to say, it hit me hard. Ouch. I enjoy spending time on my computer, and struggle with how much time I am online vs. spending time doing other things. I've been convicted to spend a LOT less time online, and a lot more time in touch with my family.

I purchased a CD of her recent talk entitled "iHelp for the eHome," and have been listening to it in my car. Her talk began with the words from the song below. I wonder if you can relate?

Mom's on the Computer - To the tune of Cat's in the Cradle. You can sing it in your head. :)

My computer arrived just the other day,
It came on the porch in the usual way
So many blogs to read and games to play
My child learned to walk, while I twittered away
And he was talkin’ for I knew it, as my friends list grew
He’d say "I’m gonna be like you mom,
You know I’m gonna be like you."

And mom’s lost on the computer, lettin' dinner burn
Little boy wanders, he just wants to learn
"When you getting off mom?"
"I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then,
we're gonna have a good time then."

My son turned ten just the other day
He said "Thanks for the wii, mom, come on let’s play,"
"Can you teach me how it works?" I said “Not today.”
"I got a blog to write." He said “That’s okay.”
And he walked away while the computer never dimmed
He said, “I’m gonna be like them, yeah,
You know I’m gonna be like them."

And mom’s lost on the computer lettin' dinner burn
Little boy wanders, he just wants to learn
"When you getting off mom?"
"I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then,
We're gonna have a good time then."

Well my son came home just the other day
iPod in his ears, while he texted away,
"Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and he said with a smile,
"I'd really like to Mom, but talkin's not my thing.
Check my status, for what's happening"

And mom’s lost on the computer lettin' dinner burn
Little boy wanders, he just wants to learn
"When you getting off mom?"
"I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then,
You know we’ll have a good time then."

Well my blog's retired and my Facebook out-of-date
My son texted, “Hey mom, I just can't relate"
I said, "I'd like to see you if you have some time."
He said, "I'd love to, mom, but Skype if you don't mind.
You see my website's down and my workload just grew.
But it's nice texting with you, mom.
It's been sure nice texting with you."

And as I typed “c u later” it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me,
My boy was just like me.

Seven Years . . .

2010-03-05T23:33:00.004-05:00

Happy birthday, Quinn!! Seven years ago today, Quinn was born premature and was in the NICU for a week. It was a difficult time for us, but Brad and I had AWESOME support from our family, pastors, friends, and Sunday school class. I am soooo glad I kept such a detailed scrapbook of his early life. I journaled his entire birth story back then, and I enjoy reading through it on my own each year on his birthday.

It's hard to believe that our little preemie . . .

has turned into such a handsome young man! We love you, Mighty Quinn!

100 Days of School!

2010-02-01T16:51:00.008-05:00

Today was our 100th day of school for the year! We celebrated with lots of "100" activities. We took a break from our regular 'book' work and did the following today:

Wrote about inventions that were not here 100 years ago

Did 100 jumping jacks, followed by 100 seconds of silence (my favorite part!) :)
Predicted the amount of times in 100 seconds that the kids would be able to write their first name, then compared it with their actual results
Tossed a coin 100 times, tallied the results (heads v. tails), and graphed the results

Ate 100 pieces of popcorn, writing each number as they took a bite (1, eat, 2, eat, e, eat, 4, eat, 5, eat . . . )

Closed our eyes for what we thought was 100 seconds, and then stood up when we thought it had been 100 seconds - and tried to see how close we were
Figured out what year we would turn 100!
Finished this sentence "If I had $100, I would ___________________."
Estimated what the date would be 100 days from now
Finished the sentence "One hundred years from now . . . "
Counted by 2s and 5s to 100.
Completed this sentence "I wish I had 100 ____________ because ___________."
Finally, they had to write a story incorporating any one of the following ideas: 100 pounds, 100 dollars, 100 miles, or 100 years.

Add in soccer, cheerleading, and co-op (studying critical thinking/logic this week), and we had a fun day!

Back to regular programming tomorrow, though . . . !!!

Digi Layouts

2010-01-28T14:00:00.002-05:00

This post is for Trish (thanks for asking about my layouts!). I mentioned that I would post some of my recent digital scrapbooking pages (and then forgot!), so here they are! So fun to create!

(You should be able to click on them to see them larger.)

Random Q & A!

2010-01-27T15:39:00.006-05:00

A fun (long!) Q&A post that I got from Jody's Nitty.Gritty. blog:

1. What is your current obsession?
Digital scrapbooking - so much fun! Easy, less mess, and I can tote my laptop around anywhere in the house (car, library, etc.) to work on it!

2. What are you wearing today?
My favorite jeans and a button-down black shirt. Plus my favorite necklace from Brad. :)

3. What’s for dinner?
Homemade macaroni and cheese from here, (the second of several new recipes I am trying this week!), plus steamed broccoli, bread, and fruit.

4. What’s the last thing you bought?
Shopping at Target this morning - a black ink cartridge for our printer, and a cute $5 Valentine's t-shirt for Riley.

5. What are you listening to right now?
Riley and Quinn chattering about: building a fort, their school day, and setting up a store!

6. If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
Somewhere warm and tropical - an island in the Caribbean (though if you had asked me a few years ago, I would have said a remote cabin in the mountains with lots of "woodsy" decorations!)

7. What is one thing you want to change about yourself?
I'd like to be less bossy. :)

8. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Right now, I'd love to be pampered with a full-body massage, manicure, and pedicure - but I can't get all of that in an hour!

9. Which language do you want to learn?
I know some Spanish and quite a bit of French, but I'd love to know French better!

10. What’s your favorite quote?
"I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to my death your right to say it." I STRONGLY believe in freedom of speech and allowing others to have their own opinions (even if I don't agree with them!).

11. Would you cook for me?
Yes! I love to cook and try new recipes - come over anytime!

12. What is the right way to avoid people who purposefully hurt you?
I believe the best way is to take it to God in prayer. After that, I think you should confront the issue if necessary, or just let it go if it's truly not a big deal.

13. What are you afraid of the most?
Losing any of my loved ones. Making wrong decisions.

14. Who do you want to meet right now?
I really can't think of anyone I'm itching to meet! I enjoy personal relationships with those around me more than "celebrities" or famous people.

15. What is your favorite color?
Sunny yellow. And this is my dream car. :)

16. Give us 3 styling tips that work for you.
I'm not really into style. :) Have a great hairstylist, buy clothes that flatter you, and always have an easy "go to" outfit.

17. What is your dream job?
A small business owner. Working for myself. Helping others with personal finance and budgeting. Working out of my home. Lots of computer work - spreadsheets especially. :) Hmm - sounds like a business plan already!

18. What’s your favorite magazine?
Just one??!? I LOVE magazines. These are my favorite: World, The Old Schoolhouse, Simple & Delicious, and People. Eclectic, I know!

19. If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on?
Digital scrapbooking supplies, and printing some of my scrapbook pages. Send cash!! :)

20. What do you consider a fashion faux pas?
Hmmm . . . sandals with socks.

21. Who, according to you, is the most over-rated writer?
I don't think I have one to mention!

22. What brings a smile on your face instantly?
Tickling my kiddos. My husband's jokes (most of them!).

23. What is one word that you say a lot?
Stink!

24. What kind of haircut do you prefer?
For me? Medium or long length, and straight.

25. What are you going to do after this?
Eat dinner with my family.

26. What do you do when you are feeling low or terribly depressed?
Eat (not good, I know!). Cry. Take a nap!

27. What makes you go wild?
Cranking up my iPod and dancing with the kids.

28. What are your favorite movies?
Son-In-Law, A Few Good Men, P. S. I Love You, Shawshank Redemption

29. What inspires you?
Thinking outside the box. Creativity. Bright colors.

30. What do your friends call you most commonly?
Outspoken.

31. Would you prefer coffee or tea?
Neither. I don't like either one. Maybe hot cider or hot chocolate on a really, really cold day.

32. Which other blogs do you love visiting?
Lots. See my sidebar for a few faves. Although I do need to update it with some more!

33. What is your favorite dessert/sweet?
Hands down, strawberry pie! No contest!

34. How many tabs are turned on in your browser right now?
Just one.

35. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
"Oh - I need to brush my hair!"

36. What is your favorite season?
Christmas and Valentine's Day.

37. What is one wish that you really want to see come true?
I'd love to own my dream home in the country someday.

38. What breaks your heart?
Seeing children hurt. Child abuse. Neglected kids.

39. What's one thing you really want to do in life?
Enjoy life and raise great, Godly kids. Maintain a strong marriage. Help other kids. Lead others to Christ. Other than that, see #17 & #37! :)

I Know Karate . . .

2010-01-26T21:49:00.003-05:00

"I know karate, I know kung fu . . . you mess with me, I'll mess with you!"

This silly little jingle was about all Quinn knew about karate until the past two weeks. He had the opportunity to take two preview classes of karate and he LOVED it. He is our serious kid, even though he can at times climb the walls and be all-out ornery!

But with the focus, respect and concentration that karate demands, this was an activity that completely 'fit' him! He did great with it and was so excited each week. He's currently not participating in any sports, so we may consider enrolling him in classes in the near future. He also loves golf and the focus it requires, but it's a little cold (brrrr!) for golf here right now!

Now I Know My ABCs . . .

2010-01-16T12:00:00.002-05:00

Remember I said that I am doing preschool with Owen? It's a good thing, considering that this is his ABC song! :) (And ignore the ketchup on his face; it was lunch time!)

Fortunately, this was recorded a few months ago, and he does know his song much, much better now! :)

Christmas!

2010-01-15T12:00:00.001-05:00

So it might be a little late to blog about Christmas, but one of our favorite things over the holidays was making gingerbread houses. All three of the kids got to help decorate them, and they had a great time (really, what's better for kids than making a mess and eating candy with your friends??!?). :) And of course, we thought they made masterpieces!

MIA!

2010-01-14T22:12:00.003-05:00

I realize I've been MIA for the past three months - I'm sorry! October and November were rough months health-wise, and December brought the busyness of Christmas, but I am hoping to get back to writing more often. I'm so thankful to be healthy again! :)

This photo was taken yesterday morning of our boys . . . just an ordinary day in our lives! So thankful for these normal days, and especially thankful that we aren't super-busy right now.

We are keeping busy with school and really enjoying this year. We switched curriculums to this year to Sonlight, and the kids love it.

Quinn is completely immersed in Greek mythology right now. Who knew?? Riley is involved in a lot of musical arts this year (choir, handbells, piano) and she enjoys it. She has quickly developed her piano skills in the past year - so proud of her and the determination she has!

Owen is our crazy little sidekick to our busy life. He just fits into whatever we are doing and definitely keeps us on our toes! I have started preschool with him, and he loves getting to have his "school" time just like the bigger kids!

Brad is staying busy with two jobs (he works so hard to provide so well for us!). He is anxious for softball season to start, though, and getting antsy being inside! It doesn't help that football season (for us!) is over already! :(

I have been spending a lot of time digital scrapbooking, and it is a lot of fun! Fast, and much less clean up than traditional scrapbooking! I've taught myself a ton, Brad has given me pointers, and I've taken some online classes. I enjoy the creative outlet. :) I'll post a page soon that I've done!

What are your favorite blogs to read? I am looking for some new things to read, and would love to hear about your favorites! Thanks for any ideas you have! :)

Happy Birthday, Little O!

2009-10-03T21:17:00.004-04:00

Today is Owen's third birthday! Unfortunately, he celebrated today by being sick. :( Poor kid! We're hoping he is feeling much better for tomorrow, because we are doing a little birthday celebration for him at dinnertime. Nothing much, but he loves Mickey Mouse right now, so we have a Mickey Mouse cake and balloons, and he will get his presents (play-doh, a cup with his name on it, and Mickey PJs) from us tomorrow, too.

His sweet Grandma Addie (Brad's mom) sent Owen a few gifts in the mail this week (thanks, Addie!), and among them was the book, "Where the Wild Things Are." This is a fabulous book, and we have never owned it! Owen has been dragging it all over the house asking us to read his "wild" book. :) He loves it!

As I snuggled him in tonight, I reminded him that tomorrow was his Mickey Mouse party. His response? "I want Scooby-Doo!" Uhh . . . too late for that, little man! Silly boy!

Owen has been an absolute blessing to our family. He has very high ups and very low downs - nothing in between for this kid! Right now, Owen, you know your alphabet song, how to count to about 20, your colors, a few shapes, a few numbers by sight, and you love to go, go, go!

You love books, but you like to read them on your own (in your own little way!). You don't like to cuddle as much as you used to, but when you do, you are super-snuggly! You like balls - throwing, catching, or kicking. And you're pretty good with them, too. You love trucks and cars, and climbing. You desperately want to do everything your big sister and brother do, and keeping up with them is a full-time job for you!

Happy birthday, O! We love you bunches!!

(Our family three years ago tonight!)

Game Time!

2009-09-10T23:02:00.004-04:00

This is my favorite time of year! Fall is almost here, school is in full swing, and football is starting!! The Steelers had a great season last year, and we are looking forward to another great year. I especially love that I can share this love with Brad - although he has much more football knowledge than I do! Riley is learning a lot already and asking lots of good questions!

If you missed my post about the Super Bowl win this past winter, you can catch it here!

Here we go, Steelers, here we go . . .!!

Set Your Sites on Money!

2009-09-02T16:29:00.004-04:00

I enjoy personal finance and finding small ways to cut back on spending. We live on less than we make, and I encourage you to do the same! I did a series called "Saving Smart!" in October that got some great feedback. If you missed it, you can catch all of my money-savings posts from that series here.

For now, I I thought I would share some of my favorite blogs and web sites with money savings tips and investing tips.

Get Rich Slowly (very sound advice, good for those who are past the initial stages of money management)

The Simple Dollar (great blog and Trent is a great guy)

Dave Ramsey (who hasn't heard of Dave Ramsey by now?!?)

Crown Financial (especially their calculators!)

I Will Teach You to Be Rich (bad name, great advice - especially good for the younger crowd)

Do you have a favorite not listed here? And what are your favorite money-themed podcasts? I would love to know what your favorites are - please feel free to share! There are LOTS of great sites out there - these are just a few of my faves!

Free Credit Report Dot Com . . .

2009-08-30T20:00:00.000-04:00

ain't got nothin' on Tim Hawkins! (I apologize now if the jingle gets stuck in your head all day!)

Our Government . . .

2009-08-29T22:00:00.000-04:00

Just because I haven't posted anything political in awhile . . .

Tim Hawkins is a Christian comedian with lots of great videos! You can view them here.

Which Book Next?

2009-08-28T23:36:00.018-04:00

I have a stack of four books currently sitting in my bedroom waiting for me to devour. :) I have read small parts of each book, just enough to know I want to read them all! I've had some of them for quite some time, too!

I took a break from non-fiction (my fave!) this summer & focused on simple mysteries & thrillers. Deep, I know! But now it's time to get serious again and start reading some better material.

I'd love your vote for which one I should read first. I'll repay you with a review of the book when I've finished it. :) Each book is listed at the top right of my blog along with the author's name. Have you read any of these? What did you think? Here are the contenders:

Bringing Up Boys (you know, 'cause I have two of 'em!)

The Strong Willed Wife (uh, self explanatory if you know me in the least!)

Parenting by The Book (that's God's Book, ya know!)

And last but not least,
Cure for the Common Life ('cause I am working on being content)

Quack, Quack!

2009-08-28T21:11:00.007-04:00

We had another good week of school with a fun field trip in the middle of our week! One of the things we most like about homeschooling is the flexibility it gives. We can take field trips almost any time, to nearly anywhere!

This week, we headed to Culver Duck Farm about 90 minutes away. Since this put us in the heart of Amish country, we made a day of it! We stopped at a cheese factory to see how cheese was made (and try many samples!), followed by lunch and shopping at Das Essenhaus (including their famous bakery!).

By far the best part of the day, however, was touring the duck farm. There are only seven duck farms in the U.S., and Culver is the second largest. We learned about how they receive their eggs, clean them, incubate them, hatch the ducks, and then raise them for their meat. Somehow our tour ended at the part just before they use them for their meat! :)

The eggs that are orange (under bright light) are eggs that for whatever reason, the embryo never developed.

The eggs stay in the incubator for 25 days . . .

After hatching . . . (everyone say "awwwww!")

We were able to hold ducks that had just hatched that day, too! The kids all got to hold one, and the ducks were so soft and warm. Enjoy the pictures from our tour!

And finally, they grow into these after just 5 weeks or so! Do you know how to tell the males and females apart? Females actually "quack," while the males do not! Who knew??

My Blog . . .

2009-08-21T19:00:00.000-04:00

Create your own here!

A Look Back . . .

2009-08-20T19:00:00.002-04:00

(ADDRESS CORRECTED--SORRY!!) I started blogging several years ago at this site: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mylittlecorner. Feel free to take a look around there if you haven't seen my old blog. There are also some cute (I'm totally biased) pictures of our kids there! :) I've completely moved over to this blog now, though, and I plan to be here for awhile!

Prayer Warrior

2009-08-19T19:00:00.000-04:00

We're blessed to have a sweet prayer warrior in our home! Quinn is always the first to want to pray at mealtime, or pray for others in times of need. At bedtime on Monday night (with a pretty decent thunderstorm rolling through), he told me he sure was glad that God gave us shelter and mentioned that he wanted to pray right then. He immediately thanked God for 'shelter,' and went on to ask God to protect him during the storm. I am so thankful for Quinn's big heart and for his big heart for others, as well! :) He's an awesome kid!

School's Started!

2009-08-18T21:51:00.005-04:00

We just started school and already I think we are all wiped out! We started all of our subjects at once (instead of easing into a few at a time like some homeschoolers do) and that, combined with all of us getting up earlier and back into a routine, has us wiped out! But in a good way!! :) I'm amazed at the kids' printing/cursive this school year - we didn't do any writing throughout the summer and yet somehow, they have both gotten markedly better!

The workboxes are working out great; they take about 20 minutes for me to prep at night (total for two kids) but have been soooo worth it during school time! The kids can easily tell what all is finished and what is left to do. They can also easily move onto another box if they see I am working with their sibling at the time.

We also started a new curriculum this year called "Sonlight." It is heavy on reading and read-alouds - which would be great if I hadn't lost (most of) my voice this week! Ugh! I've had a sore throat for about 5 days and now am losing my voice . . . which my kids seem to love! :) Thankfully, Brad has been helping with some of the reading for the first few days!

Jesus Loves Me

2009-08-16T06:00:00.002-04:00

Good Sunday mornin'! In case you can't make it to church this morning, here's Owen (2 years old) singing "Jesus Loves Me!" The last little giggle at the end is the best! :)

Our Workbox System for School . . .

2009-08-14T23:29:00.012-04:00

I think we are all ready to start school! It's been a whirlwind week of last-minute preparations for me, and I am still waiting for a few books I purchased at the last minute, but I think we are all set! The kids are ready to get back to school, too. Well, Riley is and Owen wants to 'do school,' but I think Quinn could care less! I am looking forward to using Sonlight curriculum this year for the first time, as well.

One of the things we implemented at the last minute are workboxes. I have been thinking about using these for awhile, but with trying to sell our house, I didn't know if I wanted any more large things taking up room in our school room. Brad encouraged me and said he thought it was fine to go ahead and use them, so we are! (Thanks, babe!) You can read a lot more about using workboxes for homeschooling here, or simply by googling "homeschool workboxes." I learned a lot about them just by reading other homeschoolers' blogs and viewing their photos. I especially liked Heather's boxes, so I copied her great look for ours! :) (Thanks, Heather!)

We are using these this year for several reasons: to help encourage independence for Riley & Quinn's work, to help them 'see' what they have done & what's left to be done, and to help keep them motivated! Here are our boxes before I filled them for the first day.

(You can always click on any of my photos to make them larger.)

Riley's are green and Quinn's are blue. Owen has a small separate set on the right that are red so he can play along. :) The basic premise is that all of their work for the day is in the boxes. So, box #1 might contain Bible, followed my math flashcards in #2, reading assignment in #3, and so on. Everything needed for each activity should be right in the box (pencils, paper, books, etc.). As they complete the activity in the box, they move the number to their check-in sheet which looks like this:

Each number is backed with velcro and can stick on the boxes to start with, and then adhere to the check-in sheet as they go along. When all of the boxes are complete, they are done for the day! I included things in my kids' boxes (along with their regular lessons) like: work with Owen on his colors for 10 minutes, practice your piano lesson, have a snack, read a book to mommy, etc. My hope is that these workboxes will really help us get to the fun extras we never seem to have time for, as well (like logic puzzles, art projects, playing a game, etc.).

And honestly, I think the system is originally set up to be a lot more rigid than what I have. I am just using the basics. I haven't read the workboxes book from Sue Patrick, so I'm just using what I've gathered from other homeschoolers for now. We are using it primarily to make sure we don't miss anything and to keep the kids motivated about "what comes next." Last but not least, here is a photo of the boxes filled (mostly, not done yet!) and ready for the first day!

Back to Bloggin'!

2009-08-10T12:00:00.001-04:00

I'm trying to get back to blogging, especially as the school year is quickly approaching! We have had a very full and fabulous summer! This picture was taken on just one of our many bike rides this summer; it's been so nice to all ride together! We've biked some of the River Greenway, and throughout lots of nearby neighborhoods with the kids!

We are starting school on August 17th this year, and I still have a lot to do to get ready. We are looking forward to trying a new curriculum this year, as well as some new activities. But it also means a lot of prep work ahead of time! We also just listed our home for sale a few weeks ago (anyone want to buy it??), so life is hectic!

Hectic, but good. We are so blessed with where we are in life right now, and especially with our good health and jobs in a time when so many people are struggling. We are in the middle of a great series at church right now called "Stories of the Kingdom." We have had a lot of good teachings lately, but one of the best was by Suze Fair, our communications director at church. She is a very enthusiastic teacher and her lesson was very encouraging and motivating! You can hear the full lesson here if you are interested!

Happy Birthday!

2009-08-09T23:07:00.006-04:00

Happy birthday, Riley! Today is our precious daughter, Riley's 9th birthday! We had a great day celebrating with donuts for breakfast (complete with nine candles in one donut!) and opening presents, followed by church, lunch with family, more presents and time with family, dinner at Pizza King (Riley's choice!), and lots of games with mom and dad!

Nine things Riley loves at age nine: playing with her brothers, spending time with her friends, playing the piano, reading chapter books, cooking/helping mommy cook, playing cards, making art projects (jewelry, paper crafts, etc.), shopping with her mom, and hanging out with her extended family!

The past nine years have flown by, and I can't believe she has already been in our lives for so long. In some ways, it seems like she was just born, and in others, it seems like I've known her MY whole life! Riley, your daddy and I are truly blessed to have you as our daughter! You are a joy to have in our lives and such a blessing to our family. We love you!

Father's Day!

2009-06-21T21:44:00.003-04:00

I am so blessed to have two great fathers in my life . . . my own dad--and Brad, the father of my children. Both are excellent examples of Godly men and men who love their children well. I love you both bunches & bunches! Thanks for all you do for me and for our kids. :)

Itsy Bitsy Spider . . .

2009-06-15T21:42:00.004-04:00

So I have a completely irrational (or so I'm told) fear of ANTS and going to the dentist. (Which, by the way, I have to do tomorrow . . . ugh!!!) But let it be known that spiders do NOT bother me!

Case in point:

(This is the point where you should look away if you suffer from arachnophobia!! You've been warned!)

Look! They really are as big as your palm! :)

Yes, that is really MY arm and a real, live tarantula. It started in my palm and then started crawling up my arm!! I had the privilege of holding one last week when we went to a presentation by Mark's Ark. Mark takes his small-ish animals around to libraries, birthday parties, schools, etc. so that kids (and parents) can learn about animals. Quinn also held an alligator! Mark also brought doves, frogs, rats, snakes, and more to the library program.

Not only did I get to hold a tarantula, but I also had my hair brushed by a hedgehog. :) Ahhh . . . the things we do for our kids! None of our kids volunteered to hold the animals or have their hair brushed by a hedgehog, so I volunteered! The tarantula was actually kind of cool, except that his (her?) hairs were very bristle-y. Not at all what I expected (but really, who has many expectations when holding a tarantula??).

Lest you think my ANT phobia is overrated (and it's not a fear of them in public, just in my house-ick!), tarantulas FEAR ants. Tarantulas don't even like to eat ants. If a tarantula's burrow is invaded by ants, the tarantula will leave! So see, my ant phobia isn't so overrated after all! :)

School's Out!

2009-06-08T00:13:00.006-04:00

Friday was our last day of the school year--yay!! We finished our schoolwork in the morning, and told the kids we would take them out in the evening to celebrate!

We started with a round of miniature golf at Putt-Putt . . . lots of fun! Quinn has been taking golf lessons for the past month or so, and you can really tell. He even got two holes-in-one! :) Next, we headed to Build-A-Bear to let the kids make new stuffed animals. Riley has a new dog (Lulu), Quinn chose a different dog (Coco), and Owen made a frog (Zippy). They could have stayed in
the store for hours(!), but we finally pried them away to enjoy pizza at Pizza King!

We're proud of how hard they have worked this year and how much they have learned. They both finished another year of school work and are moving up to the next grade (their sweet teacher didn't hold them back!). :)

Saturday morning the kids enjoyed dressing their Build-A-Bear animals and putting them all on display! So here they are--from left to right: Lulu, Smiley, Lovey, Zippy, Aaliyah, Coco, Brownie, Rufus, Molly, Spikey, Thomas, and Adam. And if you've ever been to Build-A-Bear, you know that there is a little "name" book the kids can look through to choose names. That, and Riley being impatient, is how she ended up naming her bunny "Aaliyah!" It was right smack-dab at the beginning of the book! :) And you can't tell in this picture, but Lulu is wearing a great Steelers cheerleading outfit! Spikey came from the Build-A-Dino store at Disney World . . . lots of fun!

But I have to say that this one (Molly!) is my personal fave because it is the first one Riley made . . . isn't she cute???

African Journey!

2009-06-06T16:05:00.009-04:00

The zoo in our city is fantastic! If you are ever in Fort Wayne, you definitely don't want to miss it! Most of it is arranged by country/continent--there is the Indonesian Rain Forest, the Australian Adventure, and now the African Journey! The African Journey opened today to the general public, but we were fortunate enjoy to enjoy a "sneak peek" on Wednesday evening!

This exhibit has been a few years in the making, and cost over $9 million dollars to create. It was well worth the wait! The zoo used to have an African area prior to this exhibit, but nothing like what there is now!! The exhibit boasts lions, zebras, wildebeests, hyenas, servals, and more. (I just wish there were African elephants, too!)

We went to the sneak peek reception as guests of my parents, who donated to the exhibit. I'm not sure, but I think they have contributed to all of the new exhibits that have been built over the past 20+ years! They are very generous, and the giving to the zoo is certainly an excellent way to give back to the community!

We enjoyed this special time at the zoo as it was not open to the public, so we had lots of space and time to roam through "Africa." We also enjoyed the free drinks and hors d'oeuvres! The kids were also able to ride the "Sky Safari" for free and make cool African bead necklaces. It was fun to spend the time with my parents and all enjoy it together.

One of the neat things about the new exhibit is that you can hand-feed the giraffes! They seemed to be very hungry for lettuce when we were there! I need to add the video of our kids feeding the giraffe--it has a LONG tongue!

All in all, it was a great evening at the zoo and we are looking forward to many return trips to the new African Journey!

Today . . .

2009-06-03T15:57:00.004-04:00

Owen was being difficult today. Eh--what's new?? He's absolutely adorable, and absolutely challenging! As I picked him up this morning (after he finishing throwing a fit), I exasperatingly said "Owen, you are a really difficult child!" He looked at me and very slowly and clearly said:

"Mommy, you are really a spider."

I kid you not! I burst out laughing and from that moment on, we had a much better day! And I'm not sure why he thinks I'm a spider? I don't have eight legs and I don't think I'm that hairy! :)

New Room!

2009-05-31T16:57:00.003-04:00

Our boys have a completely new room! Gone are the crib, changing table, and dresser . . . and now it looks like their "big boy" room! One of the best things about moving old things out and rearranging is that you can now see their gorgeous wall mural much better. We put this up in 2006 but you coudn't see it as well because there was a bed in the way. Now you can see all of the animals, which is good because I think my boys belong in a zoo! :)

Happy Birthday!

2009-05-29T22:11:00.005-04:00

Happy birthday to two great loves in my life--my mom (today!) and my husband (tomorrow!). I won't disclose their ages, but suffice it to say, they are both older than me. :)

I love you both bunches! I hope you both enjoy your special day this weekend!

New Bunks!

2009-05-28T23:11:00.004-04:00

Our boys received new bunk beds today and they are too fun (the beds and the boys!). Other than making the beds--which isn't the easiest thing--we love the new beds! It's just one more thing that reminds us that our babies are growing up. We took apart our crib and got rid of our changing table. It is finally looking like a boys room and not a baby room . . . it's a fun change! Once we have everything else moved back in the room, I will post pictures of the complete room.

We ordered the beds from my uncle who owns a furniture store in Ohio and gave us a good discount (thanks, Lynn!), and my parents also gave us some really nice furniture (desk, chair, two dressers) that complete the room (thanks, mom & dad!). It's coming together, and the boys were so excited to go to bed tonight--let's hope that keeps up! :)

God of This City

2009-05-22T15:13:00.003-04:00

Have you seen this yet?? Do you watch American Idol? How AWESOME it would have been to have heard this beautiful song on the AI stage, sung by a Christian! I have absolutely loved this song since I first heard it at our church awhile ago. I have it on my iPod and listen to it often . . . very powerful! If you haven't yet seen this video, or aren't familiar with Kris Allen--the recent winner of American Idol--I hope you will watch it. I think you will enjoy it!

Hands-On Science!

2009-05-22T14:30:00.010-04:00

We recently started a new science curriculum called "God's Design for . . ." by Answers in Genesis (yes, at nearly the end of the school year!). We are studying the human body and so far, the kids are really enjoying it & learning a lot! Some recent highlights include: writing the names of the bones on Riley, walking on our hands, checking the speed of our reflexes, and trying to write our names on paper with our toes!

School is winding down (today was scheduled to be our last day but we took too many days off during the year) and everyone has been ornery--the teacher included! It makes our days a bit sillier, but the kids are still learning--and that's all I ask!

Welcome!

2009-05-20T23:30:00.000-04:00

You've made it! Welcome to my new blog and new look! I would love to know what you think of it! I moved to Blogger for many reasons, and decided a new look was in order, too. :) Here you will find my thoughts: everything from politics to parenting, homeschooling to football. I plan to blog more regularly and am working on a more regular blog schedule. Please be sure to visit often! For now, feel free to browse around, check out my links, or visit some of my favorite blogs!

Help Protect Kids!

2009-05-19T23:28:00.000-04:00

Pardon the interruption while I delve into a not-so-happy topic! I was headed to Target this week (a frequent occurrence!) when I nearly burst into tears in my minivan. I was listening to the radio when a commercial came on that I will likely not forget. It was from an organization called "American Humane Association" and was a very realistic and emotional commercial about child abuse. The basic premise (complete with hearing a parent yell and hit and then hearing a child cry) was "What would you do if you saw or heard a child being abused?"

This is unfortunately the reality that many kids face. I love kids so, so much and cannot imagine abusing a child or even seeing a child endure this! It breaks my heart to even know it occurs in some families. I hope that I would immediately step in and say something, and yet, what do you say? How do you handle this situation? I have never been in this situation--and hope never to be--but the website from American Humane Association addresses this very thing. They have tips on what to say and how to handle this very situation. My hope and prayer is that we never encounter this--but if we do, here are some ideas on how to intervene.

Step in and be an advocate for kids! Love 'em and protect them!

Told Ya...

2009-05-13T08:53:00.001-04:00

Told ya she was beautiful! I'm completely biased, I know. :) My computer is *still* not fixed (my slaptop screen is broken and it was too expensive to fix it, so I am once again hooked up to an external monitor --ugh!), but since I have it back, here are some photos of our pretty girl! Love ya, sweetie!!

Getting her face painted at EPCOT, and helping make homemade strawberry jam last summer. She's sweeter than the strawberries were. :)

Testing Time!

2009-05-12T23:15:00.002-04:00

Riley has achievement testing for three days this week, so our schedule has been completely different! We are fortunate that our local homeschooling offers achievement testing (Stanford Achievement Tests) for kids from second grade through high school. Riley knows quite a few of the kids there, as well as some of the teachers, so she feels comfortable with it and I think she enjoys the break from our regular schoolwork. :)

Brad and I now strongly believe in having our kids take achievement tests every year or every other year for many reasons. Some of these include having a good benchmark of yearly progress (for our kids AND to see how the parent is doing) and to prepare our children for standardized tests in the future. Not all homeschool parents are fans of testing, and we certainly don't feel it should be mandated, but it works for our family!

I'm getting a lot accomplished each morning since we aren't doing normal schoolwork, as well. :) I've cleaned a lot, caught up on my laundry, and made lots of yummy recipes. :) Plus, I've spent lots of good quality time with my boys! Always important!!

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T22:38:00.000-04:00

I love Mother's Day. :) Not because I get great gifts from my kids and husband, or because I get breakfast in bed, or because I don't have to change dirty diapers . . . but because it's a day to remember that I am so blessed to have a great mom and to be a mommy. Growing up, I always knew I wanted kids. I just never knew how much I would enjoy them!

Riley is almost 9 and the time has flown by. Owen is likely our last child, and as he gets older, that is harder for me to swallow. I'd love to have lots and lots more babies. :) My kids are a lot of fun and after having worked full-time during some of their younger years, I am very blessed to be able to stay home with them full-time now. They make me laugh daily and give me more love than I ever could have imagined. Even on a 'bad' day, they still give my hugs at night and say "You're a great mom!" Melts my heart! They forgive easily and are still so innocent. I know it likely won't always be this way, so I'm soaking up as much as I can of them now!

I've been scrapbooking a lot more lately and reflecting on lots of family and childrens' photos. I have a horrible memory, so I am thankful for lots of photos and scrapbooks to remember all the details of our family and their childhoods!

I am also very thankful for my own mom, who taught me how to love well and how to be a great mom to my own kids! I love you, mom. You taught me the importance of spending time with your kids and I have fabulous memories of my childhood. I hope to be able to give my own kids the same thing!

Beautiful Riley

2009-05-05T22:39:00.000-04:00

She really is beautiful, our daughter. It's just that for some reason I don't have many photos of her on my blog; I'm not sure why.

I realized this recently when looking through my blog for some photos of our kids (since my computer is *still* being repaired). So, cute girl of mine, you will see lots of photos of yourself here shortly! I just need to get my computer back and then I will put up some recent pictures of our growing, beautiful daughter!

Menu Plan Monday

2009-05-04T22:40:00.000-04:00

It's time for Menu Plan Monday hosted my OrgJunkie! Check out her site if you haven't already--lots of great ideas!

We have gotten away (again) from planning our meals which leaves us eating out more--ugh! Yummy, but too costly and not as nutritious. So on Sunday, with the help of my great assistant, Riley (again, insert beautiful photo of Riley here since my computer is still in the shop!), we made meal plans for two weeks! She looked through all of my cookbooks and recipe magazines and suggested lots of good meals. I made the grocery listed and then we shopped together--she is a FANTASTIC assistant! Her mom must have raised her well. :)

Here is one week's worth of dinner meals (though the order may change):

Day 1: Hamburgers on the grill, corn on the cob, strawberries, ice cream sandwiches
Day 2: Sweet & Sour Crockpot Chicken (w/veggies), Rice, Watermelon, Rolls
Day 3: Taco Ring, Chips & Queso, Corn, Peaches
Day 4: Caesar Steak, Crash Potatoes, Green Beans, Applesauce
Day 5: Lemon Herb Chicken, Salad, Jello, Peas
Day 6: Blueberry Pancakes, Bacon, Applesauce
Day 7: Off - leftovers or out

Hope you have a YUMMY week! :)

Funny Little Owen

2009-05-03T22:42:00.000-04:00

{insert cute photo of Owen here - my computer is in the shop along with all of my photos!}

He totally cracks me up. His speech has improved greatly with the help of a speech therapist this past year (yay!), but his grammar is still lacking. He doesn't quite get all of the words in a sentence, he uses a wrong word, or he mixes up the order. Any which way, it is still funny! He makes us laugh constantly and always has a ready audience with the other four of us!

Today I was keeping him company while he sat on the potty before his bath. He stood there for a few minutes (he goes back & forth between sitting or standing), then turned to me and said "Can I touch you eyeballs?" I laughed out loud (a lot!) which made him only continue to repeat it . . . so there I was, with a naked two-year-old who just kept asking me if he could touch my eyeballs! I *think* he meant my eyelids, but who knows with a two-year-old??

(And for the record, NO, he wasn't allowed to touch "me eyeballs!")

Australia

2009-05-01T22:43:00.000-04:00

We've been studying Australia all week and are now off to the zoo! It's 11:30 in the morning, schoolwork is done, it's a beautiful day--so we are headed to the the Australian Adventure area of the zoo for only an hour or so. We are so blessed to have such a great children's zoo in our city!! It's a great way to wrap up our week of learning about Australia. They even have a great aquarium there to represent the Great Barrier Reef.

Enjoy your weekend! :)

Blog

2009-04-30T10:15:00.002-04:00

You can follow me on my current blog here: HappyGoMommy! I will soon begin blogging from Blogger instead. Watch for changes coming soon!

Clean Sweep!

2009-04-28T22:44:00.000-04:00

I am always, always, always trying to find something for Owen to do in the mornings while we get our schoolwork done. I've tried activity boxes, cartoons, activities with the older kids individually, etc . . . without much luck. Who knew that all it would take was a DustBuster??!
My sweet two-year-old has decided that he sees specks of dirt on the floor everywhere (he gets that from me - I love to vacuum and do it constantly). He will start with the little DustBuster at the front of the house and go all through the house using it!

It keeps him entertained for quite awhile . . . he keeps going until the battery completely dies! I love it - he is having a blast and we are able to accomplish some work (though it CAN get a little noisy!).

(Oh, and don't worry - he gets lots of other interaction on a daily basis, too! Reading, playing, walks, games, cuddling, etc! We let him do more than clean our house!)

In the picture to the left, you may not be able to tell, but he is concentrating so hard that he is sticking out his tongue - a common occurrence!

And who knows what he is doing with this face in the last photo??!?! Silly!!

School Plans

2009-04-26T22:59:00.000-04:00

If you were wondering, YES, we plan to homeschool again next year. We're just not sure what we are doing with Owen yet. :) A big thanks to those of you who continue to support our decision to homeschool. It is very discouraging when people disapprove or make offensive comments. Homeschooling is a personal choice, and it works well for us and is very rewarding.

This is the time of year we begin planning for next year, so I thought I'd share our curriculum choices for '09-'10. I know this is a subject that interests many homeschoolers, but if you don't homeschool or aren't interested in this post, please feel free to skip it! :) If you do homeschool, I would love to hear your plans for next year!

Bible: Sonlight
Geography: Sonlight
History: Sonlight
Reading: Sonlight
Readalouds: Sonlight
Science: Answers in Genesis (though we started it this the past week!)
Math: Math-U-See
Lang. Arts: Abeka
Music/Art: Co-Op, piano lessons, handbell choir, and possibly the Fort Wayne Children's Choir
For. Lang.: Not sure yet
Phys. Ed: Co-Op

We've made quite a few changes for next year, with the biggest being switching from My Father's World to Sonlight. We are changing for a variety of reasons, but primarily because my kids love reading and we aren't reading enough good books together! We are looking forward to using Sonlight (though it is very expensive!), and I am also planning an entire curriculum for Quinn, whereas before he has usually just tagged along with Riley (other than math and reading). He'll get his own, complete, curriculum next year! (Lucky guy!!)

I am thrilled, also, to have found Answers in Genesis' science curriculum. It teaches science from a creation-based perspective and is a very Biblically-sound, evidence-based, strong science curriculum. We went ahead and started it this past week as I feel our science for this year was too light. The kids have enjoyed the switch so far!

We are sticking with Math-U-See for the fourth year in a row. It is working great for our family, and Riley usually wants to start with math first every day! She is now in the Delta
book, and Quinn will begin with the Alpha book this coming fall. We are big fans of MUS and love their teaching methods!

We are also planning to be involved in a local co-op for the fourth year in a row! This year, the kids will be focusing on critical thinking, drama, health/anatomy, and music/art. Our co-op meets once a week for two hours and each parent takes a turn teaching and planning lessons every month. I get to teach with one of my favorite friends, Joy, and we are teaching health & anatomy to kids in K-2nd grade. With her physical education/teaching degree and my health sciences/athletic training degree, we are both well versed in that area and looking forward to it!

Catching Up with a Quick Recap

2009-04-25T22:59:00.000-04:00

I'm sure some of you are shocked to see a new post here!! (If you are still even checking my blog!) I realize I've been MIA for awhile now - I'm sorry!! Thanks to those of you who have emailed or called (or stopped me while I was driving - Sue!!) to let me know that you miss my blogging! I enjoy blogging and writing, but don't always get to it as often as I would like. But now I am back at it. The photo to the left is from EPCOT when we were there about a month ago. More on our trip soon....!

For now, here's a quick, brief recap of everything that's happened since I last blogged:

We celebrated Quinn's 6th birthday!
We had both cars repaired at least twice (three times for the van)...ugh!
Still plugging away at my 12-week, online scrapbooking class.
I spent a lot of time getting ready for and helping run our church's children's clothing resale. Lots of fun...a ton of work!!
Loved on my husband. :) He's a cutie. He starts softball soon and has been doing a parenting study at church on how to raise boys.
Went to South Bend for a night to celebrate a great friend's 40th birthday - love you, Chris!!!
Helped my kids with their Geography Fair projects and learned a lot about Ukraine and Madagascar. Tried lots of new foods at the Geography Fair! The kids are trying to decide now on their countries for next year already! Any suggestions??
Homeschooled my kids almost every day - we are now only 6 weeks away from the end of the school year! Riley has moved into division for math, Quinn has almost mastered learning time & money, and I am still undecided about sending O to preschool in the fall. Any thoughts on whether I should or not?
Went to Disney World with my entire family for a week - there were 11 of us - it was FABULOUS!!! Lots more on this later, but suffice to say - we had an awesome time and I loved being able to see the parks (we went to all 4) through my kids' eyes.
Enjoyed a few moms' nights outs with my girlfriends - always a good time!
Celebrated Easter with my family, parents, and grandma.
Took my kids to a "Jump with Jill" concert - lots of fun. Check out her website for video clips. If you ever have the opportunity to see her, go for it!
Made lots of food in one afternoon - only to have my entire range break that same afternoon when I was halfway through! After a week of microwave meals and eating out, it's now hot - yay!
Went to the Midwest Homeschool Convention with some girlfriends. Learned a lot, was convinced, once again, that we are doing the right thing by homeschooling our kids. Had FUN with my friends - eating out, texting each other, chatting, shopping at IKEA, and watching people ride a mechanical bull. :) (Hey Karen & Beth - it brought back great memories of Gilley's in Dallas many years ago!!)
Shopped for bunk beds for our boys - we need to get their room redone and GET RID of our crib!!!
Found a FREE piano for Riley! What an awesome blessing from God. We had been looking for a few months, and we were able to find a man donating a FREE piano to a good home. It is in great condition and Riley has been playing and practicing even more. I love to hear the sound of her playing fill our home.
Went to the Dave Ramsey live simulcast with Brad at a local church. I always enjoy hearing him speak.
Scheduled some summer activities for our family - VBS, golf, soccer, zoo camp, and possibly a vacation.
Had the outside of our home sprayed for ants so hopefully we don't get any this year (you do know I have a phobia of ants, right?!?).

So there you have it!! Lots more coming soon - as well as photos!!

Turning 6 . . .

2009-03-05T23:01:00.000-05:00

Today is Quinn's 6th birthday! Happy birthday, my little man!! Can't believe he was my preemie. Now he is such a great kid - a huge reader, full of funny one-liners, and he prays amazing prayers for his age! He loves to build forts and build anything & everything he can! He is absolutely handsome, too. We'll have to fight the girls off when he gets older. :) We have lots of nicknames for him, too - "Qty (cutie)" and "sQueaks" being two of the more common ones!

We are so proud of Quinn for becoming such a great little guy. Although he challenges me on a daily basis, I am learning lots of patience and compassion. I'm being challenged and growing a lot as a parent with him. He brings a lot of joy into our house and we are so thankful to have him in our life. Happy birthday, Quinn!

My Morning

2009-02-24T23:02:00.000-05:00

I was woken up this morning at 6:30 (ugh) by a crying toddler. I walked into his room to check on him, saw his little hands reaching up for me, and heard "Me sleep you bed." How could I resist? Somehow our little Owen still manages to be cute at 6:30am! :) Of course I pulled him into bed with me! I tried desperately for another half-hour of sleep (contrary to my family's opinion, I don't sleep in!), but unfortunately he just wanted to play. I thought he said he wanted to SLEEP in my bed!

Memories

2009-02-16T23:03:00.000-05:00

I am really enjoying my scrapbooking class. I'm been sorting through and organizing thousands (literally) of photos and look at this sweet jewel I stumbled upon today. Ah, yes....this is my sweet baby Owen at just 10 days old. Beautiful! And I'm leaving it big on my blog because I absolutely love it!

Happy Hearts Day!

2009-02-14T23:03:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day to all my favorites - you know who you are! :) Brad, Riley, Quinn, & Owen, here are just a few reasons why I love you so much:

Brad
1. I love that you are silly and crazy around me.
2. I love that we can do nothing together and still be completely happy.
3. I love that you do all of the dishes for me. :)

Riley
1. I love the AWESOME back massages you give me (you rock!!).
2. I love that you are a hard worker and that you don't give up easily.
3. I love that you are so helpful to those in need.

Quinn
1. I love all the funny things you say - you crack me up!!
2. I love your laugh - it is completely contagious!
3. I love that you can be really serious at times.

Owen
1. I love your phrases right now ("Me do," "Love I you," and "phone ringing!").
2. I love that you still snuggle with me. :)
3. I love that you will always be my baby.

I hope you have a great day with all of your loves!!

Back to Class!

2009-02-13T23:04:00.000-05:00

I've gone back to school! Well, sort of. I signed up for an online class (Library of Memories) in December about photo organization/scrapbooking and it started yesterday. I am already loving it! Yay!!

I'm enjoying doing something for myself and getting back into the groove of scrapbooking. I have years' worth of photos to get organized, but feel it will be well worth it in the end. I've already listened to my video lesson, watched my slide show presentation, and started on my homework - and it's only the first week! Why hasn't school always been this fun?!? :) I am finding time to work on it late at night when everyone else has gone to bed (my time to get things done!). I am enjoying my scrapbook room lots and am sure I will be in here even more now! It's a 16-week class, so I will have lots of time to get my scrappin' groove on!

The class is offered by Big Picture Scrapbooking and this is the first time I have taken a class with them. I have to say I am quite impressed! I received a welcome packet in the mail about a month ago, and the online class is set up extremely well (with a photo gallery, message board, lesson area, etc.). They also offer lots of other classes, so check it out if you are interested.

Now I just need to save up my money for a few more supplies I need (storage binders for my photos, category drawers for my photos, and library albums for photos)!

I Don't See It . . .

2009-02-10T23:05:00.000-05:00

I love my cutie-pie boys! They are adorable and ornery and fun! Lots of laughter fills my house all the time as they run around chasing each other like crazy! Then they fall down and collapse giggling! And Owen says "Me fall!"

I am often told how much they look alike, but I don't really see it myself. (I think I'm in the minority!) When I look at Owen, I see Riley when she was Owen's age. They have the same coloring and I think they look a lot more alike than Quinn & Owen. The boys do have similar personalities, though!

Feeling Better!

2009-02-09T23:05:00.000-05:00

Yay! I am finally feeling much better and we are getting back to a routine around our home after a hectic few weeks. It is good to get everything back to normal! We are trying to focus more on family time and not being on the go so much (though we love being on the go, too). As a family, we all like lots of different, fun(!) things, but we need to remember that we are a family first and that we need to focus on that!

We had a great day of school today and have a fun field trip planned for tomorrow. Other than that, it is a normal week leading up to a (thankfully!) fairly quiet weekend!

Sorry for missing a few days on my blog! (Photo from school this fall.)

Six!!!

2009-02-06T23:11:00.000-05:00

The Steelers won their sixth-ever Super Bowl yesterday and we are thrilled!! Fourth quarter was rough - end of game play was AWESOME!!!!!!! We had a blast at our party - thank you to everyone who came! Here are a few photos for now - more to come later this week!!

Get your game face on!!

Celebrating with the kids!

Decked out in black & gold!!

My Blog Spot

2009-02-06T23:06:00.000-05:00

My Blog Spot

This is where I usually blog from, though I can also occasionally be found in my bed or at the dining room table. :) But this was taken when we had the room decorated for our party, so please excuse the Steelers items; they are usually not there! :)

I found this "blog spot" idea from a blog I read called "What That Girl Wears." Where do you blog from? I'm tagging these people to find out - Kristy, Heather, Jenn, Beth/Susan, and Staci! Even if you aren't tagged, please feel free to do this on your blog, as well!

So here are the official rules:
(words in italics are theirs, not mine!)
Show Us Your Blog Spot!
1. Once you are tagged, post a picture of where you blog.
2. Feel free to tell us a little about your space, or explain certain items in more detail. Or not.
3. Link back to this post. (I want to see how far this goes!) (I have never visited the blog where this started until now - it is not one I read -Amy!)
4. Tag five other bloggers to show their blog spots.
5. If you are tagged and do not participate, you will become allergic to cabbage. :)

Sick Day

2009-02-05T23:11:00.000-05:00

Just over 12 hours after the Steelers won the Super Bowl(!), we headed to Pittsburgh so we could attend the victory parade on Tuesday.
We decorated our van....

did school in the car....

and were on our way! We had a great time! Everyone in the city was excited, and there were over 350,000 people downtown for the parade. Brad regretted missing the parade after their last Super Bowl win, so this time we planned ahead and knew if they won, we were headed to Pittsburgh! We also enjoyed time with Brad's mom and she was kind enough to watch the boys while the rest of us went to the parade. Thanks, Addie!

Some pictures from the day...

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (yes, in the crazy hat!)

Troy Polamalu - right before he jumped into the crowd! :)

The hard-earned Lombardi trophy

Unfortunately, standing outside all day in the 20-degree weather left me with a cold and now, strep throat. Ugh! I feel horrible and wish I felt better. Thankfully, my mom took the kids until Brad is off of work so I can rest and try to get healthy. Thanks, mom! So...I'm off to bed now!

I Think I'm Addicted . . .

2009-02-05T23:07:00.000-05:00

I have a secret little obsession. I am addicted to vacuuming. Not sure how it started or why, but I'm sure it has to do with the lines because I also love to snow blow (not "blow snow," but snow blow with our snow blower!). I haven't vacuumed since Sunday because ours is broken (this is a long time for me!) and I think I am going through withdrawal! Fortunately, we are taking it in to be fixed this week.

So yes, even though I am not feeling well, I have been back on my feet this evening trying to get our house back in order and we are borrowing a vacuum from my mom (thanks, mom!) until ours is fixed. I think a little vacuuming will probably do my soul good. :)

School's Out

2009-01-31T23:12:00.000-05:00

...for the Super Bowl! I went to school in western PA and absolutely loved it there. During my freshman year, I was astonished to hear that local kids got a day off of school for the first day of deer season! :) Now, I read this from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

City schools to have 2-hour delay day after Super Bowl

Thursday, January 29, 2009

By Joe Smydo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Pittsburgh Public Schools will operate on a two-hour delay Monday because of the Super Bowl, Superintendent Mark Roosevelt said today.

Noting that Sunday's big game means a "late night," Mr. Roosevelt said the delay should cut down on student and staff absenteeism.

He said the district operated on a two-hour delay the day after the Steelers won the Super Bowl three years ago.

I love it! (Although I'm sure my mom and others think this is crazy!!) At least Pittsburgh realizes that students and staff will likely have a late night, win or lose! And one of the reasons I love homeschooling is the flexibility that our schedule gives us. We choose not to have schools on birthdays (yay!) but we do have school on other days that most schools do not (Labor Day, MLK Day, etc.). And we never have school delays due to weather, but sometimes due to doctor's appointments, late nights the night before, etc!

Thought of the Day . . .

2009-01-29T23:21:00.000-05:00

Dinner Time!

2009-01-29T11:22:00.000-05:00

True story from this morning: My kids were folding laundry (their morning chore before we start school) and my two-year-old son, Owen, decided to help. He pulled a bib out from the laundry basket, put it on, walked into the kitchen, and proudly yelled, "Dinner time!" What a character! He is too cute. I took a video of it and will have it up later today when I have more time! :) Enjoy your morning!

Bam!

2009-01-28T23:22:00.000-05:00

While I can respect the office of the President of the United States, I am clearly and openly not an Obama suppporter. That being said, I think this story is just too good to pass up. Enjoy. :) And the "stimulus" package that was just passed? Ugh! Don't get me started. It's absolutely ridiculous and I don't think it will stimulate anything except the Democrats spending more.

Sweet (Steelers!) Lovin'!

2009-01-27T23:23:00.000-05:00

I love, love, LOVE M&Ms. They have been a staple in my home since I was a kid (thanks, dad!) and now in our family, we always have some around for munching and especially for snacking on when playing cards.

But today I found that there IS a limit to my love! I looked into ordering custom M&Ms for our Super Bowl party and these are too cool! But at over $50 (total with shipping) for only 21 ounces, I had to pass them up. Yikes! Crazy. $50?!? I love the Steelers, and I love M&Ms, but today I found that my love is limited!

Focus

2009-01-26T23:54:00.000-05:00

I am trying to narrow down the focus of my blog so I don't always post about completely random things (unless that's what my readers like!) and would love your help! Please take a second to vote (even anonymously!) on the poll to the right. Thanks for your input! Comments about what you would like to see more of are also welcome!

I Love Technology!

2009-01-25T23:54:00.000-05:00

Except when I hate technology.Arrghh!! My computer crashed several months ago (please back up all of your photos!!)and I have been missing files ever since. Although the great company I used to fix my computer (Stone Computer) was able to restore a lot of my data, I am still finding that I am missing a lot.

Take for instance, iTunes. Great program, not so great if your computer crashes. My computer failed and I lost my iTunes. No problem, I figure. I still have my iPod so I will just transfer my songs from my iPod to my computer. Heres a tip: Apple doesn't let you do that!Apparently it is to protect the company from having everyone just copy each other's iPods. I don't know - but it is really frustrating me (and Brad, who has been trying to help me!)!

There. Rant over for the evening. I tell ya, if that's all I have to complain about, I have a very, very blessed life. But if you have any iTunes/iPod transfer tips, send 'em my way!

Happy Monday tomorrow, y'all!

Africa

2009-01-24T23:55:00.000-05:00

We've been studying Africa for the school the past two weeks and while the kids have enjoyed studying it, I have really liked it! I have a huge desire to travel to Africa someday - once on a mission trip, and another time just to vacation and explore. Ah....maybe someday! Until then, I guess I will have to settle for Animal Kingdom at Disney World! Our trip is only two months away and we can't wait!

The top photo shows the African animals the kids made from homemade playdough last week - from the top left clockwise: a lion laying down, an elephant, a giraffe, and a zebra. The only thing they have left to do is paint them! Here is a photo from them working that day as well. We love to do art projects and science experiments on the bar of our countertop. There is just enough room for three barstools and three kids. :) On Monday, we begin studying Asia!

My To Do List

2009-01-22T23:56:00.000-05:00

Do you make lists? I love to! I am a list check-er and would be lost without my "to-do" lists. Here is what is on my most recent list (in no particular order!). . .hopefully all to be accomplished between Friday and Saturday!

Make snacks for Riley and Quinn's Bible quizzing practice
Fill out my kids' photo order forms for cheerleading/basketball
Call my dentist about a bill
Do some paperwork & stuffing folders for our church's upcoming children's clothing resale
Edit the invitations (via Evite) for my 15-year high school reunion
Order our Super Bowl party cake and balloons
Call Disney and make dinner reservations for our vacation

And oh yeah...school, laundry, change diapers, make meals, clean up from meals, and go to toddler gymnastics. I wouldn't trade any of it. (Okay, well...maybe the diapers!)

P.S. - Hey honey - want to take over any of these items for me?! :)

Typical

2009-01-21T23:57:00.000-05:00

We had a typical day at our house today. Not sure if that is good or bad - I guess it depends what you are looking for! Other than a few too many temper tantrums from our resident two-year-old (which I do have on video and are too funny!), all was well! (Plus we had a quick dinner with my dad today instead of at home!) Here's what a typical Wednesday looks like at HappyGoMommy's house:

I wake up at 7am and try to catch some of the morning news before jumping in the shower.
My kids wake up and hop in my bed to watch cartoons. They get ready (including making their beds and straightening up their rooms) and we eat breakfast at 8:30am.
Chores follow from 9-9:30 - anything from putting away dishes to folding towels - we all help out!
9:30 - School starts! We get out a toy bucket (we have three rotating ones) for Owen and let him play while we work on handwriting, spelling, language arts, math, science, geography, art, music, Bible, & reading. We take a 15-minute break sometime in the morning to run around and sometimes have a snack.
We eat lunch at 12:15 and then head to our weekly homeschool co-op. I teach once a month, the other weeks I catch up with my fellow homeschooling moms (you know who you are!) :) while our kids are in class. My friend, Jenn, organized this co-op a few years ago and we love it! We are very thankful for this time to be with other homeschoolers and friends. The kids have a different topic each week (science, reading, art/music, games).
3pm - We head home! Free time for the kids. Brad is usually home by then and we catch up on our days before both trying to get in some work for the day.
5pm - We start getting ready for dinner before the kids are out the door for Awana. I usually have a few helpers in my kitchen with me. :) They love to help me cook and are generally willing to help set the table as well.
5:30 - Dinner as a family. Pray, talk about our day. Try to eat and not be silly (a hard task for some in our family!!).
6pm - Either Brad or I take Riley and Quinn to Awana. It isn't too close to our home, so we usually hang out at the library while they are at Awana or run errands. Whoever doesn't go cleans up from dinner and plays with Owen in the evening at home (usually me and I LOVE this time!).
8:30 - The kids are home and we read before bed. Lights out by 9 for the kids - usually it's 8:30!

That's our day in a nutshell! Wednesdays are different because of having to leave for co-op early. I like days that are less busy better! But at least we only have one busy day like this!

Inauguration

2009-01-20T23:58:00.000-05:00

Like most Americans and others around the world, we have been watching history in the making today as Barack Obama was sworn in as our 44th President. While I certainly (absolutely!!) don't agreee with his policies, I can certainly understand and respect the significance of this day. We watched the ceremony as part of school today, and the kids asked many questions. They've decided that they want Brad or me to become President so that they can live in a house that has a bowling alley, swimming pool, and movie theater! :) Silly kids! And Riley added that she has heard "too much!" about elections, rallies, Presidents, and politics in the past few months!

And of course, what would a day be without a funny line from Quinn? We were listening to Rick Warren give the prayer and about halfway through the Lord's Prayer, Quinn said "Hey mom - that's a pass I do in basketball!"

"What are you talking about, Quinn??" I asked.

"That man just said 'chest pass ' and I do that in basketball."

I tried to keep a straight face as I told Quinn that Rick Warren had just said "trespass," not "chest pass." Though they do sound similar! :) I thought my kids knew the Lord's Prayer; I guess we still need to work on it with Quinn!

Super Bowl Bound!

2009-01-19T00:04:00.000-05:00

The Steelers are headed to the Super Bowl once again and we couldn't be more thrilled!! The game yesterday was fabulous - though nail-biting at times - and we've been been excited ever since! Brad has already designed the invitations for our Super Bowl party and we've been working on all the details - too fun!! We had a great party three years ago (our souvenir? Owen!) and are looking forward to a repeat win!

So, who's your favorite Steeler? Hines? Ben? Troy? Here's my favorite Pittsburgh Steeler! And yes, Brad knows I have a crush on him! It's Coach Tomlin - the new coach of the Steelers and he's turning out to be pretty darn good! :)

All the Way Around the World . . .

2009-01-17T00:06:00.000-05:00

There is a great Steelers game set for tomorrow at 6:30pm! The Steelers play the Ravens in the AFC Championship game and if they win, they are headed to the SuperBowl!!! YAY! As you root them on from wherever you are, check out this video (sorry I can't get it directly on my blog)!! Steelers fans are everywhere!

Toasty Tootsies!

2009-01-17T00:05:00.000-05:00

I promise I have more than just funny words from my kids, but I couldn't resist this one from Quinn tonight. :) I gave the boys baths tonight and when Quinn stepped in, he thought the water was too hot. I tried to explain to him that the water was just right when he blurted out "Okay, mom...two toasted feet comin' right up!"

Laugh Out Loud!

2009-01-16T00:06:00.000-05:00

From the mouths of babes:

Owen, today at lunchtime: "Mommy, more wok-a-woni?" His sweet, cute word for macaroni!

And another laugh out loud moment: Today I was explaining to the kids about the plane crash in the Hudson River. I told them about the birds in the engine, the plane landing in the water, etc. I explained how it was a miracle and that God protected them because no one was killed. Quinn's response? "Even the birds?" I had to tell him that I wasn't sure, but that the poor birds were likely dead. :(

And today is also our sweet nephew's 3rd birthday! Happy birthday, Ryan!! We love you bunches & bunches!!! Miss you, too!!

Overheard . . .

2009-01-15T00:07:00.000-05:00

...at our house last night from a certain five-year-old:

"Hey! When I took off my clothes tonight I found out I had on two pairs of underwear!"

Why this same child didn't realize it during the day when he used the bathroom is beyond me!

Back Again

2009-01-14T00:07:00.000-05:00

Yes, friends, I realize that it is 2009 and that my last post says "Happy Thanksgiving!" I am sorry!! Thanks for my reminder, Meghan. Love ya! ;) So in light of that, I will be posting away for the next 30 days! That's right, a post a day from yours truly from now through Valentine's Day. Just thought I'd give you something to love. . .

I have lots of photos I want to add to my blog, as well as some blog maintenance I need to work on, so for today I will just leave you with this - five random facts about my day so far!

I got to sleep in an extra 1/2 hour as I was waiting for a call from the doctor for Owen & they were late in calling. I'm not complaining; I loved the extra sleep!
I spent way too long at the pediatrician today with my is-it-bronchitis-or-is-it-pneumonia son, Owen. They're not sure, so we're trying to get him better quickly with lots of medicine. The plus side? All three of the kids were very well-behaved at the doctor's office, and I got see three sweet babies there, too (including twins!).
We've had tons of snow dumped on us today and because of that, all of the activities we had scheduled for this afternoon and evening were canceled - YIPPEE!! I got to sleep in AND we get to stay home the rest of the day? Sweet! I love days/evenings when we can stay in, watch it snow, play games, read, and snuggle!
School is going well and keeping us busy. We are studying Africa right now and learning all about the country, its animals, and its people. It's fun!
We're going to Disney World!! Just confirmed!! YAY! There will be 11 of us going, including my parents, brother, sister-in-law, niece, nephew, and our family of five. I CANNOT wait! I haven't been in years and am so excited to see it through my kids' eyes!

That's it for now! Off to watch it snow and play more games with my kids. I may even go snow-blow again - it's become my new favorite chore!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T00:09:00.000-05:00

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving wherever you are! I am very thankful for the big things in life: my family, our health, God, the freedom to homeschool, friends, my extended family, my church, and more!

But here are some random little things I am thankful for as well: cinnamon bread, my computer, warm electric blanket, two working vehicles, lipstick, books, my library card, coupons, pizza, scrapbooks, Cookie Cottage, homeschool catalogs, Facebook, my iPod, photos, vacations (big or small!), playing games with my kids, snuggles with Owen, hoodies, sunglasses, House Hunters, Sudoku, email, girls' nights out, and many, many more! What little things are you thankful for?