Snow Day

 

Hubs built this fort to take cover during the snowball fight

Little Guy was not going to be outdone so he decided to built his own fort

One of my friends said his shelter looked like a giant stack of marshmallows!

While hubs and Little Guy were building, Big Guy pulled out his boogie board that he takes to the beach to see how well it worked on the snow.    Worked like a dream.

Didn't take little brother long to decide to join in.

Silly boy up in the tree.

They look so innocent don't they?   This is right before they pounded me with snowballs.

 

I absolutely love this picture of Big Guy.

Little Guy LOVED the snow.   He was out at 6 in the morning and we had to drag him in at 11:30 to warm up and get lunch.    When a friend called to invite him over to play, he was back out the door.

My biggest kid!    None of my guys wanted to come in from the snow.    I just kept delivering mugs of hot chocolate to them outside.

The neighbor's cat.    

I don't know what she thought about the snow, but I am sure she wondered why in the world we were all outside when we could have been in the warm house!

Happy VALENTINE's Day

Snow in Mississippi

You may think I am kidding, but truly, snow like this is once in a lifetime for Mississippi.   

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Next post... my three boys having fun in the snow

Why I Love Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day, 1988:   Hubs called me at 9:00p.m. to ask me out for our first date.    Who calls on Valentine's night and asked someone out for a date?     He was still at work.     I was at home watching ER or some other riveting tv.   The phone rang and he asked me out.

Look at us.   So young.   So thin.   So broke.   So happy.

Valentine, 1989:    A nervous hubs took me out to supper.     It was a lovely meal.    We sat and talked like any other meal.    Following the meal, he drove us to the reservoir.      He pulled out a simple gift.    It was dark and difficult to see.   When I opened the box it was a Precious Moments figurine.    There was a little boy on his knees proposing to a little girl.     Hubs said, "That little boy is me and I want that little girl to be you.    Will you marry me?"    

Valentine, 2010:   It has been 21 Valentine's Day since that sweet day.     Every year I remind my sweet hubs that I would say "Yes!" all over again.     He is the best valentine that I could have ever prayed for... truly the man of my dreams.

 

Happy Valentine's Day, sweetheart!

You are the reason I love Valentine's Day!

Amazing in Any Language

My new photo in the header is inspired by the sign language class which Little Guy and I are taking with our homeschool co-op.    

Our classes are every Monday for one hour each class.     We cover a LOT of words in each class.   They teach the words and corresponding signs and then we drill.     We are called up front to "pop" quiz us.   Below is Little Guy in one of our most recent classes doing the sign for friend.    In that class we covered all types of professional people:  nurse, doctor, lawyer, designer, computer programmer, teacher, principal, boss, firefighter, police officer.....  

Teaching takes a lot of patience, but teaching sign takes a great deal of patience because of how important performing each sign correctly is to communicating within the deaf community.   

I took this group photo for our yearbook.   Two of our class members were absent.     Each student is doing one of the signs we learned during that class.     It is amazing to me that this group of kids (and moms) walk into the room each week and when we walk out we know a minimum of 30 new signs.   

  
Little Guy adores his sign teachers and so do I.    They don't tease me too much when I make the same mistake twice!

 

By far, our sign class is a highlight of our homeschool year!

DIY: Find It

Have you seen these precious Find It game/toys at the book and toy stores?

I am going to admit that I am a sucker for toys that double as an educational experience.     This container contains 47 items hidden in colored pellets.   You have to shake, find, twist and turn to find every item.   It is an awesome toy for riding in the car, a restaurant or in a waiting room.

The problem?   The cost.    I could never justify the price of just one of these.     And I REALLY wanted to have one for each of my sweet nieces.    

So... I decided that I would try to make my own version.

The first thing I did was start scavenging around the house for objects.    As soon as I told the boys what I was doing, they were all in for helping me look.    The picture below is just a partial list of things we found. 

We knew we were going to need a "pellet" substitution so I grabbed some rice from the cabinet and asked the boys to help me color it.    We put 1 1/2 cups of rice each into three separate ziploc bags.    We added food coloring into the bags using red, blue and yellow.      The boys mixed it really well and then we poured it into a cookie sheet.    We baked at 170 degrees for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.

Leaving our rice to cool.    We began filling our bottles with our objects.      We layered using objects, rice, objects, rice, etc...

 

(Little Guy had just gotten home from Upward Basketball and Big Guy from taking the ACT.  You notice they didn't even take time to change or take off coats.     As soon as they realized I was doing something for our twins, they wanted to help.     Can you tell we are all smitten?)

  

See how cute they look when they are all filled?    

 

Notice we put the girl's initial in each of their bottles.   

We tried to find several things with their initials on it for each of their bottles.

The one picture I didn't take?

The girls playing with their new Find It's!!

Expressions Of Love

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Hubs and I have made chocolate covered strawberries every Valentine's Day for as long as I can remember.   It is our tradition.     We typically made a dozen, but now that the boys are here we make extras so that they can enjoy them too!

A movie

For me that means nothing with shooting or gore!   Just something we can enjoy together.

Time

Just the two of us.    We adore our boys, but having time just the two of us is pure bliss.

We both are extremely jealous of those of you who have extended family members who constantly extend offers to keep your children.    We or our sweet boys have never had that blessing.

Cook A Meal Together

Some of the best times hubs and I have had were ones when we spent time cooking together in the kitchen and then sat down to a candlelight to enjoy our meal.     Sometimes it was something we grilled, sometimes pasta and sometimes just a pizza, but always wonderful because we did it together.

Pink Gerbera Daisies

Aren't these pretty?   My hubs knows how I feel about flowers being ordered and delivered from florist.

Don't do it!    However, if he wanted to pick up a few of these

from our local grocer I wouldn't be disappointed.

Hunter's Moon

Every family has secrets. Few will go as far as the Baxters to keep them. Bestselling novelist CJ Baxter has made a career out of writing hard-hitting stories ripped from his own life. Still there's one story from his past he's never told. One secret that's remained buried for decades. Now, seventeen years after swearing he'd never return, CJ is headed back to Adelia, NY. His life in Tennessee has fallen to pieces, his grandfather is dying, and CJ can no longer run from the past. With Graham Baxter, CJ's brother, running for Senate, a black sheep digging up old family secrets is the last thing the family and campaign can afford. CJ soon discovers that blood may be thicker than water, but it's no match for power and money. There are wounds even time cannot heal.



If you would like to read the first chapter of Hunter's Moon, go HERE

Book Description

I admit it.    I judge books by their covers.    I can't help it.    A good book cover is essential to me.    The smoking gun on the cover of this book was just -- to use my teenage son's words -- epic.      And it was because of my teenage son's need for more quality books that I wanted to read this book.     So much of the fiction market today is geared towards women that I am more and more on the lookout for books that I can put on the bookshelf for my boys.       

Adelia provided a great background for the story lines that included strained family relationships, marriages in trouble, mysterious friendships and moments of self-discovery.      One of the main flaws in this book is addressing major issues, such as domestic abuse, anger, and bitterness, while not always bringing a complete resolution to these problems.     Some of the story lines seemed to be left hanging in some parts.       I am not opposed to an author leaving parts of books up to a reader's interpretation, but writing so completely throughout the entire plotline and then inadequately wrapping up the ending is unfair to the reader.

While that seems like a negative review, I did enjoy reading this book and it will go on my shelf for my boys to enjoy when they get a little older.


This book provided for review by Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Bethany House Publishing for free in exchange for an honest review.

Love and War

What the Eldredge bestsellers Wild at Heart did for men, and Captivating did for women, LOVE and WAR will do for married couples everywhere. John and Stasi Eldredge have contributed the quintessential works on Christian spirituality through the experience of men and the experience of women and now they turn their focus to the incredible dynamic between those two forces.

With refreshing openness that will grab readers from the first page, the Eldredges candidly discuss their own marriage and the insights they’ve gained from the challenges they faced. Each talks independently to the reader about what they’ve learned, giving their guidance personal immediacy and a balance between the male and female perspectives that has been absent from all previous books on this topic. They begin LOVE and WAR with an obvious but necessary acknowledgement: Marriage is fabulously hard. They advise that the sooner we get the shame and confusion off our backs, the sooner we'll find our way through.

LOVE and WAR shows couples how to fight for their love and happiness, calling men and women to step into the great adventure God has waiting for them together. Walking alongside John and Stasi Eldredge, every couple can discover how their individual journeys are growing into a story of meaning much greater than anything they could do or be on their own.



This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

 Book Review


"Honey, I love you, but sometimes I just don't like you."     Have you ever said or thought that about your spouse?        If so, you definitely understand Love and War.     If not, then you need to understand.      One of the greatest lessons of getting married is that the feeling of the wedding day won't carry through you your entire marriage.      As a new bride, I woke up about six months after getting married and rolled over to see my husband laying on the pillow beside me.      I had moments of panic.    Did I really agree to be married?    Forever?   As in the rest of my life?    How is he going to put up with me?    How am I going to put up with him?   Were we crazy?      Breathe.   Breathe.    Breathe.

Fortunately, John and Stasi Eldridge recognize that lots of people go through these exact thoughts.    They did.      They use this book to admit all that they have done -- right and wrong.     All the baggage they brought in to their marriage.    

This is such an open and in your face look at marriage.    It isn't flowery and sugar coated.     It is open and honest.    It is for people who are serious and want to be married.    Through LOVE and WAR.     Because what John and Stasi want married people to realize and admit is that every marriage is going to be a combination of both of those things.   


This book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

Linky Love: The Science of the Olympics

How does angular momentum help figure skater Rachael Flatt achieve the perfect triple toe loop? How does elastic collision allow three-time Olympic hockey player Julie Chu convert a game-winning slapshot? How do Newton’s Three Laws of Motion propel short track speed skater J.R. Celski to the finish line? These are just a few of the scientific principles explored in a special 16-part video series entitled “The Science of the Olympic Winter Games,” presented by NBC Learn, NBC Olympics and the National Science Foundation.

I know I have already posted linky love for today, but after finding such an amazing video series explaining the science behind the Olympics, I couldn't resist.  

Consider it a bonus post!!  

The Science of the Olympic Winter Games

  

Linky Love: Online Field Trips

I would love to take my boys everywhere that we study, but financially that is just impossible.    Thanks to the internet you can "visit" lots of places virutally.     This link gives you 100 incredible places -- countries, cities, famous landmarks, college campuses, ball parks, theme parks -- to visit.

100 Incredible Virtual Tours

Whether you are homeschooling or just curious, it is fun to learn more about the world around you.

Spellcheck

A restaurant in my hometown (Vicksburg) posted this on their sign out front.     A friend sent it to me because it cracked her up.   

Either they were going for something unique since everyone else was having Super Bowl parties or their food isn't very good.   

Family Bond

Little Guy is playing his heart out on the basketball court and I am completely distracted.     I am trying to concentrate on my sweet boy dribbling that ball down the court and making those shots.    But my ears keep being pulled to the mom and two girls who are sitting behind us.    

There is a battle going on.    

It started the moment they sat down.     Mom, older girl and little girl.   

Mom and older girl sat down to watch the game.    Soon they were just talking which caught the attention of little girl.    Hmmmmm.    Was older girl getting attention she wasn't?    She walks up and insists on sitting in older girl's chair.      Mom makes older girl slide down so little girl can sit.    Older girl is hurt and gets mad.   Little girl starts mocking older girl.     Mom fusses because older girl is "older" and little girl doesn't "know better".  

*pause*   I will tell you that little girl (approximately age 5) does know better and is playing mom like a fiddle.   She knows it and so does older girl.

Scenarios of this type continue on throughout the entire basketball game.      The attitude of the older girl escalates until she is punished.    The little girl becomes wilder and wilder in her attempts to keep her mom's attention.     The mom completely fails.    

Me?    I just want to cry because I know all too well that this situation is repeated over and over and over again in their home every day.    

I am not a perfect mom and my boys are far from perfect.     They definitely have their moments when they are true brothers.      However, from the moment I got pregnant with Little Guy, this was a huge matter of prayer for me.      

We have put a lot of effort into trying to teach our boys that being a family means respecting each other.    Treating each other with love.    Do we get along with each other 100% of the time?   No.    Do we all have to apologize to each other from time to time?    Yes.      But we all know that we would do anything for each other.


Today Little Guy had a really bad headache.    I quietly watched as Big Guy brought him something to drink, his Nintendo DS and some Tylenol so he could rest for a while.      I was sitting with him for a few minutes and Big Guy disappeared.      Later I went to check on him.    He had gone to clean Little Guy's room (one of his chores for the day) and change his sheets for him.

It has taken a lot of effort to create a family bond, but I am so thankful that with God as our glue it is definitely worth it.

Bequiled

In the shadows of Charleston, someone is watching her... Rylee Monroe, a dogwalker in Charleston's wealthiest neighborhood, never feared the streets at night. But now a thief is terrorizing the area and worse, someone seems to be targeting her.


Reporter Logan Woods is covering the break-ins with the hope of publishing them as a true-crime book. The more he digs, the more he realizes this beguiling dogwalker seems to be at the center of everything. As danger draws ever closer, Logan must choose: Chase the girl, the story, or plunge into the shadows after the villain who threatens everything?


If you'd like to read the first chapter of Beguiled, go HERE


Check out their video:







Book Review

Most authors have a style of writing and that is true for one of my favorite authors, Deeann Gist.    I was pleasantly surprised to see that what must be a great friendship translated into great writing between she and her co-writer, J. Mark Bertrand.    

This story of suspense is wrapped around the life of a dog walker.     Rylee lives and walks her "clients" in the historic city of Charleston.    Deeann's love of detail is evident in this book as you can literally walk through the city of Charleston while reading.    

Because this is a Christian fiction book, you would expect that their relationship with God would be at the very least an underlying theme to the book.      The few dialogs of spoken prayer that were thrown in seemed gratuitous at best.     If I had any complaints about this book, I would say that there definitely could have been a better incorporation of the relationship with God.

However, that does not mean that I did not enjoy this book immensely!      Once I started it I couldn't quit reading it.   Literally.    I stayed up until 2:00 in the morning reading.     It was just that good!

The Girls Are Back

And boy did we miss them!     How could you not miss these precious faces?

 

I don't know how excited my sister was, but we were thrilled that it was time for her to start teaching her class at the college again.    We were missing our weekly time with the sweet girls.      Both boys had bought things with their own money for the girls to play with while at our house.   They bought a little set of blocks they thought the girls would think was fun.    We pulled out spoons and bowls and showed the girls how to stir the blocks like soup.    The boys would build the blocks up into towers.    LK would knock it over, but MM would carefully remove each block one at a time.

 

MM loved this snowman painting in the window.    She would point to all the pieces and ask us to name, "nose, eyes, hands, buttons".   She kept giving it kisses.

LK is our girly girl.    She found my necklace on the luggage table and immediately said, "ooooh".    I let her wear it and she was grinning so big.   She kept picking it up to look at it.   

 

Oooh, these sweeties.    We could just eat them with a spoon!

 

You Are A Homeschooling Mom

Your children never, ever leave the “why?” stage.

You look at every room in your home to try and imagine how to squeeze in another bookshelf.

You turn your china cabinet into book shelves.  (but your husband says NO!)

You are on a first name basis with the librarian.



Even your shower curtain has been turned into a educational experience (a world map).

You ask for, and get, a copier instead of a diamond tennis bracelet for your wedding anniversary.

Your kids think reading history is best accomplished while lying on the floor with their head resting on the side of their patient dog.

Your husband can walk in at the end of a long day and tell how the science experiment went just by looking at the house.

You never have to drive your child’s forgotten lunch to school.

Your child will never suffer the embarrassment of group showers after PE.

The only debate about the school lunch program is whose turn it is to cook.

You never have to face the dilemma of whether to take your child’s side or the teacher’s side in a dispute at school.

If your child gets drugs at school, it’s probably Tylenol.

Your neighbors and family think you are insane.

Your kids learn new vocabulary from their extensive collection of “Calvin & Hobbes” books.

Your formal dining room now has a computer, copy machine, and many book shelves and there are educational posters and maps all over the walls.

You have meal worms growing in a container….on purpose.

If you get caught talking to yourself, you can claim you’re having a PTA meeting.

Talking out loud to yourself is a parent/teacher conference.

You take off for a teacher in-service day because the principal needs clean underwear.

You can’t make it through a movie without pointing out the historical inaccuracies.

You step on math manipulatives on your pre-dawn stumble to the bathroom.

The teacher gets to kiss the principal in the faculty lounge and no one gossips.


If your child claims that the dog ate his homework, you can ask the dog.

Someday your children will consider you to be a miracle-working expert and will turn to you for advice.



You can’t put your produce in your cart without asking your older student to estimate its weight and verify its accuracy.

The question, "What about socialization?" has become the funniest joke ever.

You live in a one-house schoolroom.

(Portions of this list found at heartofwisdom)