tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29801643949361277182024-03-14T02:53:03.177-05:00mommy, wife, counselor, crafteroceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.comBlogger137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-71225807517109510672016-06-08T04:42:00.002-05:002019-06-04T11:11:56.534-05:00Summer FunWhat fun things do you have planned for the summer??<br />
We will be continuing our homeschool work for at least part of the summer. I'm thinking normal schedule for the rest of June and part time only in July and August.<br />
As far as fun, here are some of OUR ideas.<br />
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Trip to one of the local springs<br />
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Pick your own blueberries<br />
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Snorkeling at the jetties (on a weekday to avoid the crowds)<br />
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Camping trip to Caverns, bonus if it's during one of the meteor showers<br />
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Make a Fairy Garden<br />
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Make a toad house<br />
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Tie dye a t shirt, pillowcase, etc <img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=mommywifecoun-20&l=li2&o=1&a=B00D32MLG8" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tulip-One-Step-Tie-Dye-Rainbow-1-62oz/dp/B00D32MLG8/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1465378845&sr=1-2&keywords=tie+dye&linkCode=li2&tag=mommywifecoun-20&linkId=37c53c7ff89da546b4e4c26ab5cd127d" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="161" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00D32MLG8&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=mommywifecoun-20" width="200" /></a><br />
Mommy and Me painting class<br />
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Pool day at local park<br />
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Build a stick raft and try it out<br />
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DIY Glow in the dark bowling with a friend<br />
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Make a butterfly feeder<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Art-Alternatives-Canvas-Panel-PACK/dp/B00251EVPW/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1465378916&sr=1-1&keywords=canvas&linkCode=li2&tag=mommywifecoun-20&linkId=38cf47fd73342bf475259fadd68756a7" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00251EVPW&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=mommywifecoun-20" width="196" /></a>Build a simple tiki hut<br />
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Nighttime walk on the beach<br />
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Water park day<br />
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Early morning shell hunt<br />
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Bake cinnamon rolls<br />
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Free movie days<br />
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Play dates with homeschool friends<br />
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Painting with nature-leaves, flowers, sticks<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=mommywifecoun-20&l=li2&o=1&a=B00251EVPW" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<br />oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-47786737866391136532015-08-31T12:50:00.000-05:002015-08-31T12:50:28.371-05:00Update to my out of date BLOG<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is going on in OUR BUSY WORLD:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* I have an 8 year old!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* We will be starting on our 2nd year of homeschooling on Monday</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* We have a lot of field trips and special events planned for the next 2 months</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* We will be using Heart of Dakota (Bigger Hearts for His Glory) for History, Bible, Geography, etc</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* We will be restarting Math U See Beta for Math</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* Homechool Co-op starts in 2 weeks, I will be an assistant for Science for 3rd and 4th</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* A friend and I are co-captains of our Relay for Life team</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* I am part of Event Leadership for Relay for Life this year</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* Trying to visit my Dad every 3 months, he is in a nursing home and wheelchair bound and has dementia</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* Still working part time in Mental Health</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* Researching and exploring work at home options (Suggestions welcomed)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* Just got chickens last week and 4 of 8 have already died :( All 4 were from the same farmer, 2 of his alive, 2 from someone else</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* My garden was a BUST this year. Lots of time, energy and $$ with ZERO (well almost zero) return</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* Going to plant a fall garden anyway</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* I need to PURGE stuff and am struggling with it</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* R reads chapter books</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* Budgeting with irregular income is HARD</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-57485953280351348782014-11-25T17:34:00.000-06:002016-06-07T01:38:27.066-05:00Disney Restaurants we tried and our experience with the Dining Plan-part 1<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We had a fabulous Disney vacation in October..planning another already :) We stayed at a Moderate Resort-Caribbean Beach, visited 3 parks (MK, AK, Epcot), and got the Disney Dining plan.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Some people say the dining plan is a waste of $$$ but for us, it was great!! If you plan on many character meals then it actually saves you money and it takes the worry away about how much you will spend in food. We ate at more expensive restaurants than maybe we normally would have so the tips were kinda high in my opinion but loved all the other aspects of it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Our dining plan included 1 table service, 1 quick service, and 1 snack per night of our reservation. Each meal included an entree, dessert (except breakfast), and regular drink. We made a grocery store run for bottled water, sodas, and breakfast food. We ate breakfast in the room except for the days we had a character breakfast booked. FYI-Our room did not have a microwave but we asked for one after we checked in and they brought us one pretty quickly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Tips for using the dining plan:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1) Quick service meals are often large enough to share with a child or another adult. We shared a few meals between one adult and a child.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2) Quick service credits aren't specifically for a child or an adult. Just have an adult order.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3) If you are eating at your resort using a quick service credit and you have the refillable mug-use it for your drink and get a bottled water/juice/soda for the room or park.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4) If you don't want dessert, especially at quick service locations, ask if you can sub a fruit or side item. Sometimes they let you. AND some places have packaged fruit as a dessert choice. These are great for snacks later in the day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5) Speaking of desserts, at some resorts they have packaged "snacks" as dessert options. I brought home a few Mickey Rice krispy treats this way:)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">6) If you are late for a reservation, they will still seat you. It may take a while but they will. This was awesome to know after a very late night and an early morning Character Breakfast reservation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge-We LOVED this restaurant. It was buffet style and had a huge variety of foods. There were lots of African specialties as well as a few familiar items. The soup selection was incredible- Coconut Chicken Curry was my favorite! The famous Zebra Domes were yummy too. Take time to explore the lodge while you are there and check out the animals too.</span><br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p391fXmYVZ8/V1ZrUVPx5YI/AAAAAAAAC_k/kA_qFg0Y7jcG8zyGKHuOlzANBzG3jMLDACLcB/s1600/POLY_OHANA_7076810125.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p391fXmYVZ8/V1ZrUVPx5YI/AAAAAAAAC_k/kA_qFg0Y7jcG8zyGKHuOlzANBzG3jMLDACLcB/s200/POLY_OHANA_7076810125.jpeg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">O'hana at The Polynesian-We ate a late dinner at O'hana and watched the fireworks at MK from our table. The dumplings were really good here as well as the spicy shrimp. They bring ALL the food you could want ...protein overload. The Bread pudding was surprisingly yummy-not something I would have normally tried. The chairs are super comfy too-I wanted to curl up and take a nap after such a late dinner.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We also ate breakfast at O'hana for the Character breakfast. It was a standard family style Disney breakfast complete with Mickey Waffles. Stitch, Lilo, and Mickey Mouse all made an appearance at our table.</span><br />
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--E4a8TGzAkY/V1Zra7RiwrI/AAAAAAAAC_s/SNNU9_PVZj0xX6HFols0opCAbN-YhVOlACLcB/s1600/EPCOT_311_7074963179.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--E4a8TGzAkY/V1Zra7RiwrI/AAAAAAAAC_s/SNNU9_PVZj0xX6HFols0opCAbN-YhVOlACLcB/s320/EPCOT_311_7074963179.jpeg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Akershus in Epcot (Norway)-The Princess breakfast here was one of the highlights of R's trip. We got to meet and get photos with Belle, Aurora, Jasmine and Ariel. The princesses didn't seem rushed, interacted with my child, and posed for MANY pictures with the family. The croissants were light and fluffy, the fresh fruit was sweet, the typical Disney meats and hashbrowns were good too. This is an expensive breakfast but only 1 table service credit on the dining plan.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Be Our Guest-We had lunch at BOG and had a fast pass for it. We received an email ~60 days before our arrival date for a beta test fast pass. I reserved a date and time and pre-ordered our food via a link in the email. When we got there they had a record of our FP but not our food order. There were some issues with ordering (scanned my 7 year old's band and it canceled out the whole order) but nothing major. The food was okay, not great and not bad. The grilled cheese my little girl ordered was bland but otherwise the food was acceptable. The restaurant itself is gorgeous!! There are 3 rooms to choose from and we chose the ballroom with the big chandelier. Make sure to check out the other rooms and the fabulous artwork. FYI-Lunch at BOG is a counter service credit and there are no characters.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-85540500323399329082013-09-25T13:22:00.002-05:002013-09-25T13:22:39.586-05:00Fall Wish ListTemperatures are getting cooler and I can't wait for Fall and all the fun activities. There are so many things I want to do with little R but know time, distance, and $$ will put some limits on it. BUT, girls can dream right??<br />
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<h3>
OUR Fall Wish List</h3>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Pick your own pumpkins (somewhere!)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Paint pumpkins</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Collect fall leaves</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Crafts with fall leaves</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Pumpkin craft</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Corn Maze and more at <a href="http://sweetseasonfarms.com/Corn_Maze.html">Sweet Seasons</a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Peanuts and fun at <a href="http://hollandfarmsonline.com/index.html">Holland Farms</a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Make caramel apples</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Make pinecone turkeys</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Make pinecone bird feeders</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Plant spring blooming bulbs</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Plant lettuce</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Camping at Joe Wheeler for Thanksgiving</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Bake a sweet potato casserole</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Bake pumpkin bread</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Smores by the campfire</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Fishing at <a href="http://cypresscattle.com/Fishing.html">cypress Cattle</a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Play in a pile of leaves</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Church Fall Festival</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Buy discounted costumes for dress-up </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Visit dad</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Play w/ cousins</span></span></li>
</ul>
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oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-56839039191477312013-03-07T16:02:00.002-06:002013-03-07T16:02:08.359-06:0051 thingsSaw this list over at Alphamom.com and thought it was really neat!!<br />
<a href="http://alphamom.com/family-fun/51-things-your-child-should-do-before-growing-up/">http://alphamom.com/family-fun/51-things-your-child-should-do-before-growing-up/</a><br />
<br />
so far little R has done the following:<br />
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1. Camp out in a tent<br />
2. Wear a costume as clothing-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">all the time, we've been to Walmart with wings on, dinner in a tink costume, etc</span></span><br />
3. Climb a tree-<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">yep, specifically the fig tree in our backyard</span></span><br />
4. Catch fireflies-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">at Mom and Dad's</span></span><br />
5. Fly a kite<br />
6. Plant a garden and eat what grows-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">she loves bellpeppers straight from the plant</span></span><br />
7. Go fishing<br />
8. Take care of a pet<br />
9. Build something out of gigantic cardboard box<br />
10. Ride on a ferris wheel<br />
11. Roast food over a campfire-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">did this Christmas 2011 in NC</span></span><br />
12. Have dessert for dinner-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">does Toaster Strudel count??</span></span><br />
13. Build a snowman<br />
14. Get a library card-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">done</span></span><br />
15. Go on a hayride-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">done</span></span><br />
16. Get lost in a corn maze-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">Milton 2012</span></span><br />
17. Pick the perfect horse on the carousel-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">Pier Park</span></span><br />
18. Run through the sprinkler-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">many times</span></span><br />
19. Make a slingshot<br />
20. Carve a jack o’lantern<br />
21. Make mud pies-<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and mud soup!</span></span><br />
22. Run a lemonade stand<br />
23. Play on a sports team<br />
24. Swing on a rope swing<br />
25. Build a sandcastle and stay at the beach until the tide washes it away-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">done!</span></span>!<br />
26. Roll down a big grassy hill=<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">Seaside flutterby festival but it isn't very big</span></span><br />
27. Build a gingerbread house-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">attempted w/ sissies but not so successful</span></span><br />
28. Hatch a monarch butterfly from a cocoon-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">no but we have w/ gulf fritallarries</span></span><br />
29. Make homemade ice cream<br />
30. Blow bubbles-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">yes</span></span><br />
31. Play kickball outside with neighbors<br />
32. Go on a family car trip-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">yes</span></span><br />
33. Fly on an airplane<br />
34. Paint a painting-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">lots! They make great Christmas gifts</span></span><br />
35. Have a water balloon fight<br />
36. Play miniature golf<br />
37. Make a tie dye t-shirt<br />
38. Eat lunch in a blanket fort<br />
39. Play in the rain-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">Did I mention she likes mud?</span></span><br />
40. Go to a county fair<br />
41. Ride a horse-only walked but she was on one<br />
42. Identify the constellations in the night sky-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">we have watched a meteor shower</span></span><br />
43. Play jump rope-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">trying to learn</span></span><br />
44. Learn to play a musical instrument<br />
45. Put on a puppet show<br />
46. Have a picnic-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">yep</span></span><br />
47. Learn to ice skate<br />
48. Learn to juggle<br />
49. Do a cartwheel<br />
50. Catch tadpoles and watch them change-<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">done</span></span><br />
51. Rake and jump in a giant leaf pile<br />
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Hope to add to this this Spring and Summer! oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-16032097100872269182013-02-05T14:14:00.002-06:002013-02-05T14:14:31.071-06:00As I sit here in the office trying to focus on work, my mind and heart inevitably end up with my Dad. He is back in the ER for the 2nd time in a few short days. He complains of pain in various places, is not eating much and is losing weight. Today's ER trip was due to complaints of pain when he swallows and stomach pain but when he gets there he tells them his feet/legs hurt and burn. Just a few days ago he fell and hit head (earlier ER visit). No news as to what is going on but at least this time my brother is there to keep me informed.<br />
My dad's brother has been the primary support for him with me being 300+ miles away and my brother being 100+ miles away and at times overseas. But now he is having his own health problems and has a new grandbaby he wants to visit-this leaves my brother and I trying to figure out what to do. Dad has not wanted to move every time we have addressed it in the past but now I'm thinking we must insist even if it's against his wishes. I feel like I should move him here with me but then I consider how small our house is, our need for a dedicated office (tax purposes and practicality since we are both self employed), our demanding 5 year old, and having unfamiliar people in my home for hours a day caring for him. I feel guilty and feel like I'm being selfish for thinking about those things but remind myself I have to be realistic.<br />
What to do?????????????????????????????????oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-82473024841657655892013-01-25T18:50:00.001-06:002013-01-25T18:50:50.441-06:00Christmas Fun<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">How did you spend your Christmas? We spent ours in Georgia and Ala<span style="font-size: large;">bama <span style="font-size: large;">with family. We headed to Georgi<span style="font-size: large;">a a few days bef<span style="font-size: large;">ore Christmas and visited the Georgia Aquarium (awesome) an<span style="font-size: large;">d Stone Mountain (okay, should have reserved a snow time) and spent time with the sisters<span style="font-size: large;">-hubbie's two older children. R had a fabulous time hanging out wi<span style="font-size: large;">th her sisters<span style="font-size: large;">-watching movies, pla<span style="font-size: large;">ying games, <span style="font-size: large;">going to the playground, ge<span style="font-size: large;">tting her na<span style="font-size: large;">ils painted and more. I also got t<span style="font-size: large;">o spend an afternoon with my college roomie and her sister!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">We opened <span style="font-size: large;">presents Christmas morning, spent some time with the sissies an<span style="font-size: large;">d then headed to Alabama to see <span style="font-size: large;">my <span style="font-size: large;">Dad.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">We stayed in Alabama for a few days and my nieces and their children drove down and spent the days with us and visited their Grandpa. It was nice for us all to be together, even if only for a short time. <span style="font-size: large;">AN<span style="font-size: large;">D Dad got to eat real food the day after Christmas. Technically it was mush but it was food and not through a tube!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span> </span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-41089204912263504772012-11-17T20:30:00.000-06:002012-11-17T20:30:54.357-06:00child of an aging parentOnce again I find myself sitting in a hospital, my heart heavy and torn between being a mommy and wife and being a daughter. My daughter, husband, home and job in one state, my Dad in another. I leave tomorrow to go back home to work for a few days, take care of my little person, and spend some time with the hubby. What happens from then, I have no idea. Hubby and I are both torn about Thanksgiving. We would like to spend it with his parents but also want to take little R to see her Poppy. They don't interact alot but she brightens his day and he enjoys watching her play.<br />
My Dad has had a significant cognitive decline, a possible TIA, is unable to swallow and had a hip replacement in the past few weeks.<br />
Tomorrow's barium swallow test determines whether or not he can resume eating or has to have a feeding tube put in. Even if the test comes back positive, he may still need a tube for meds and additional nutrition. Either way, he will be moving to a nursing home in the next few days.<br />
The idea of my Dad being in a nursing home 300 miles away makes my heart ache. The thought of him possibly not being able to get up and get around, get dressed, go to the potty, etc on his own and relying on others to do these things for him makes me cry.<br />
So, I will pray for God's Will and peace and comfort for both my dad and me.<br />
oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-21183227143692080342012-10-08T21:15:00.001-05:002012-10-08T21:17:50.725-05:00Publix Savings!! and Thrifting<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So impressed with my Publix haul today.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">6 bags of Eight O'Clock whole bean coffee</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">4 boxes Toaster Strudel (little R will almost always eat these for breakfast, don't judge :) )</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2 boxes Toaster Scrambles</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2 boxes Krusteaz Heart Healthy pancake mix</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">6 cans 100% Natural Campbell Soup</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2 Hidden Valley Ranch Dressings</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2 Minute Rice steamers</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">4 boxes Quaker instant grits</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2 bags Chicken nuggets/tenders</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">all for $ 51.03 after BOGO, sale, and coupons. YAY yay YaY</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I know I could make some of these myself and save more $ and be more healthy but sometimes saving time is more valuable :)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">On another note, scored some bargains over the weekend at the thrift store in Alabama.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Yellow flowered Gap Dress for R</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Mancala game</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Skirt for me</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">~90 Wilton Cookie Cutters (box says 101 but I'm guessing some are missing)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2 new wipeable workbooks for R</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Wooden mugholder (will paint and use as bracelet holder)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Cookie tin</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Total less than $20.00</span></span>oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-35681312380613625822012-05-27T18:26:00.001-05:002012-10-08T21:18:35.998-05:00Summer Sand Pail List<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">R and I's Summer Sand Pail List</span></b></div>
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TP bird feeders<br />
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Melted bead sun catchers<br />
Play in the sprinkler<br />
Mini Golf<br />
Sunset Picnic<br />
Pick blueberries<br />
Bake cookies and send to Dad and Uncle Jim<br />
Pool at Boys and Girls Club<br />
Water gun fight<br />
Beach trip to Camp Helen<br />
Early morning seashell hunting at Crooked Island Beach<br />
Afternoon swim in the Bay<br />
Splatter painting, outside of course<br />
Star gazing<br />
Canoeing on the Econfina<br />
Fishing at the Marina<br />
Birthday party for the Cats<br />
Water bomb (sponges) fight<br />
Make Coffee filter flowers<br />
<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6868" height="266" src="http://momadvice.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Big_Girl_Room_10-400x266.jpg" title="Big_Girl_Room_10" width="400" /><br />
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<br />oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-17168242380823774712012-05-05T17:00:00.001-05:002012-05-27T18:07:40.561-05:00more Gardening<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
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<b>Once again I am making an attempt at gardening, this time with a modified square foot gardening approach. The hubby built a raised bed with landscape timbers and I used a mixture of garden soil and bagged compost. I also have tomatoes in buckets and some random veggies in the flower bed-some I planted and some little R decided to add in. So far we have-radishes, carrots, yellow squash, zucchini squash, acorn squash, butternut squash, cucumbers, bell pepper, tomatoes, pole beans, cilantro, basil, and okra. Things look great and I am super excited and ready to really make it work this time.</b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On another note, I tried to make a sunflower house for little R again, the squirrels had another idea. I planted seeds, the squirrels dug them up. I planted seeds again and this time covered them with old screens. The seeds sprouted and I had tiny little sunflower plants. I was certain the sunflower house was on it's way....NOPE!! The X@#%?/"*&^%%$#$ squirrels dug up the plants too. Aaaarrrrggghhh! Maybe another year.</span></b>oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-84042844239404871742012-01-07T21:18:00.000-06:002012-10-08T21:19:11.243-05:00I hope it's just a phase!!!!!!!OK, so I haven't blogged in forever, oops :) Maybe I should revisit the idea?<br />
So, my little R is being absolutely Terrible about most everything most ever day. She screams when she doesn't get her way, screams when she gets a consequence, yells alot, talks back, throws things, bosses us, hits, kicks, complains about every little detail, is obsessed with washing her hands and can be just downright mean. Geez I hope this is truly just a phase. It's been going on about 6 weeks of the awfuls and I am praying it ends soon. I know some of her actions are just a reaction to us so we have got to make changes too.<br />
I've heard some positive things about "Have a New Kid by Friday" and just checked it out. I'm open to trying almost anything :)<br />
<br />
oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-1821596740512227832011-09-21T14:58:00.000-05:002011-09-21T14:58:42.637-05:00controlThere are so many things out of my control that I worry about. I'm trying to Let Go and Let God but sometimes it is so hard.<br />
I am still amazed how people act sometimes and how they feel the need to run other's lives. Just when you think they have ceased the crap, it starts again. AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!<br />
I am so far away and feel so out of the loop and feel no one wants to keep me in-it's as if certain individuals want me out of the picture and I truly don't understand why.<br />
I find myself having less than Christian thoughts and questioning how these Christian people can treat others in such a way. Then I remind myself-no one is perfect and it's not my place to judge.<br />
When things get stressful I miss my Mom even more. She was the persistent, assertive one. Wish heaven wasn't so far away.oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-32824431235254803102011-08-09T08:53:00.000-05:002011-08-09T08:53:36.346-05:00BirthdaysYesterday was my Mom's birthday, the second one since she passed away last February. In a way I'm proud of myself for not getting upset and then I also feel a little guilty that I thought so little about it. I was aware of the date but I guess not focused on it. I still have days when the grief is overwhelming but those are fewer and fewer. Now I have more short moments of all those feelings versus entire days. So it's true, time does help.<br />
Moving on to this weekend-R is having a pool party for her birthday. She is super excited!! She picked out a Tangled theme! Her birthday is next week and she will be 4. My baby is no longer a toddler, she's a little girl :(.oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-17801973602441775562011-07-16T00:53:00.000-05:002011-07-16T00:53:00.092-05:00Summer fun listWhat are you doing this summer for fun? We aren't going on vacation so we will just have to find things to do around here. LOTS of people vacation here so we might play tourists for a day or two :) <br />
Some must do things for us this summer and later:<br />
Wonderworks<br />
Seashell hunting early in the morning after a storm<br />
Dolphin cruise<br />
handprints and/or footprints in sand w/ plaster<br />
Trips to bay<br />
Trips to beach<br />
Play in the sprinkler<br />
Nightime walk on beach<br />
Picnic on beach<br />
Gulfworld<br />
Matinee movie<br />
Splatter painting a sheet or something similar outside<br />
St Joe State Park<br />
Maybe camping in the late summeroceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-28302436319522916592011-07-06T09:30:00.000-05:002011-07-06T09:30:31.058-05:00LullabyMy little R asked me to sing her "R's song" tonight and I realized I had almost forgotten some of the words. So I thought I would add it here to preserve forever :)<br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Sleep little R--- go to sleep, Sleep little R--- go to sleep</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Close your eyes and dream away, close your eyes and dream away</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Dream about happy thoughts, dream about happy thought</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Butterflies and fairytales, Sunny days and baby whales</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Little ponies brown and white, mommy and R-- flying kites</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Tiny fishies swimming by, Lions, tigers, bears, oh my</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Building castles in the sand, Daddy and R holding hands</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Turtles, frogs, and birdies too</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Flowers and trees and the morning dew</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Jumping waves and playing catch</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Baking cookies by the batch</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Sleep little R go to sleep, sleep little R go to sleep</em></span><br />
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Sometimes LOTS of singing was required to get R to go to sleep or get her back to sleep. I would run out of songs so I just made one up. Hard to believe I miss those sleepless nights and sleep deprived hazy days.oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-32064106012349106962011-06-26T20:15:00.000-05:002011-06-26T20:15:38.826-05:00SlackerSo I haven't blogged in forever but not because I've been busy, just slacking. I am no longer working full time which I am enjoying but the drop in income is worrisome. I just started a new job as a contractor. I'm hoping to work 20-25 hours a week before too long. <br />
Must update this thing soon-R and I have been busy :)oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-56845767839892019342011-04-14T11:02:00.000-05:002011-04-14T11:02:28.241-05:00More gardening<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am determined to make my garden work this year!!!! That means watering, watering and more watering. This week I planted cucumbers, yellow zuchini, green zuchini, butternut squash, acorn squash, summer squash, 2 kinds of pole beans and regular bush beans. I'm thinking I wilI still need to plant bellpeppers and maybe some green onions. Oh and the hubby bought turnip seeds, might as well give them a try too. I am doing "intensive" gardening and may have planted things too close but we will see. My father-in-law cut down the fig tree that was blocking the sun for me-hopefully that will get things going quicker. </span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can't wait to get my sunflowers in the ground. Just have to figure out a good spot, and a way to keep the puppy from eating, digging, and generally destroying them. </span>oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-17880293832115852962011-04-05T16:22:00.000-05:002011-04-05T16:22:28.910-05:00Random happenings and bad mommy confessionWe have had a month of lots of busyness but little actually getting done :) <br />
I spent a week in my hometown at a substance abuse conference, baby was sick for a week (and is again), and I've had a general lack of energy for a few weeks.<br />
The conference was mediocre but I did have a wonderful time seeing some old friends, exploring the campus, and getting to spend time with my Dad every evening. AND I got the always needed CEUs.<br />
I did get tomatoes and a few herbs planted. I am trying buckets for the tomatoes-not sure how that is going to work. I also have prepared my little garden spot for planting, which will be done by this weekend. A few annuals have been added to the flower bed, flower seeds are in the ground and sunflower seeds are in peat pots.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r0WhGuFrdZI/TZuHeaEWb2I/AAAAAAAAAQM/xYSsh9kkA44/s1600/0107_sunflowersunroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r0WhGuFrdZI/TZuHeaEWb2I/AAAAAAAAAQM/xYSsh9kkA44/s1600/0107_sunflowersunroom.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/sunflower-sunroom-671975/">http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/sunflower-sunroom-671975/</a><br />
I am super excited about the sunflower house. I saw the idea on Family Fun and decided to give it a try. I am going to plant the sunflowers in a circle, leaving an opening for the "door", and plant morning glories in between the sunflowers. <br />
We have done almost ZERO planned preschool activities in the last three weeks. I know-bad Mommy! Hopefully things will get back in gear soon.oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-72878246458993573982011-03-08T15:36:00.000-06:002011-03-08T15:36:39.827-06:00What My Child Is Reading This Week-COW Theme<span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=mommywifecoun-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0439400686&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span><span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=mommywifecoun-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0152047638&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span><span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=mommywifecoun-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0375802126&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span> <span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=mommywifecoun-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0743462157&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span><span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=mommywifecoun-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001PO658G&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span><br />
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We just started our Cow Theme week. Our books for the week include: Clancy the Courageous Cow, Click Clack Moo-Cows that Type, Cows (Doyle), What a Wonderful Day to be a Cow, A Calf Is Born, The Cow that Went Oink, The Cow Who Wouldn't Come Down, and Cows (Miller).<br />
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I found a free curriculum online that takes some (more like alot) of the planning off of me, so we are giving it a try. It is-Brightly Beaming Steps to Reading Program Preparatory Curriculum by Katrina Lybbert <a href="http://www.letteroftheweek.com/index.html">http://www.letteroftheweek.com/index.html</a> . I am changing things around a little by adding a bible verse per theme, adding an extra vocabulary word and having one theme for two weeks versus one. <br />
Our plans for the next two weeks include: making butter from heavy cream by shaking, visiting cows, learning cow facts, having a dairy only snack, cow paper bag puppet, playing with handmade farm animal blocks and most of the activities listed in the curriculum. oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-38979538016410244792011-03-03T11:09:00.000-06:002011-03-03T11:09:15.366-06:00R-My Wish for You<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My wishes and dreams and hopes for my precious little R</span></strong><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-grow up knowing how much both your Dad and I love you</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-have lots of memories of good times even the most ordinary ones</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-have instilled values to guide you through even the toughest times</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-always see the beauty in God's creation</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-health</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-remain connected to your sisters</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-find a man who treats you like a princess :)</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-love yourself</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-personal relationship with God</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-continue some of our traditions with your children</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-are self sufficient but willing to ask for and accept help</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-remain in awe of nature</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-laugh often</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-find a few special friends to keep for a lifetime</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-have children of your own to experience the joy it brings to your life to be a Mom</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-find and develop your special gifts from God</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-experience different cultures</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-never compromise your values to fit in</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-keep your sense of humor</span><br />
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And much more that I will share with you as you get older.oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-92070440890751821962011-02-11T16:21:00.003-06:002011-02-16T14:00:09.318-06:00Christmas in Maggie ValleyOkay, so it's February and I'm just now doing a post about Christmas......what a slacker :)<br />
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We celebrated Christmas in a rental house in the mountains this year. For me, it was perfect except for missing family members (frown). Our celebration was simple but just right for us. Christmas morning we opened presents, oohed and ahhed over the snow, and ate a yummy breakfast complete with the traditional Cracker Barrel knockoff breakfast casserole. Little R had tons of fun feeding her baby doll, playing dress up, and enjoying having her CoCo around. We had planned on a late lunch/early dinner for our main Christmas meal but it didn't exactly work out that way. We lost power for a few hours two different times so the food wasn't ready on time but we didn't care. Little R and the rest of us spent LOTS of time outside playing in the snow. It was our first White Christmas so it made the day even more special.<br />
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The <strong>REASON for the SEASON</strong>- JESUS<br />
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The <span style="color: #274e13;"><strong>TREE</strong></span>....$10 tree bought 4 days before Christmas. Small, lopsided, uneven, think Charlie Brown Christmas tree with a borrowed stand that dwarfed it and don't forget the awesome tree skirt aka burgundy bath towel.<br />
The <span style="color: #20124d;"><strong>ORNAMENTS</strong></span>-a few ornaments my Mom made (sequins and pins on styrofoam), old plastic silver ornaments that were destined for the garbage, glittered pinecones made by Little R and I, foam ornaments made by all of us, and of course strung popcorn :)<br />
The <span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>PRESENTS</strong></span>-homemade scarf for baby, hubby and the sisters, foam stickies for little R (she spent forever in the tub playing with them, homemade soap for the ladies, scrapbook style picture plaques for everyone, homemade microwave popcorn with bags decorated by R for everyone, a shirt for the hubby, and some store bought toys for R.<br />
The <span style="color: #660000;"><strong>ACTIVITIES</strong></span>- painting with watercolors, snuggling while watching movies, playing in the snow, making snow angels, gathering pinecones for decorating and starting fires, making glittered pinecones, making smores outside by the campfire, trip to waterfall, playing by the river, collecting rocks, coloring, sipping hot chocolate outside covered with blankets, just sitting and watching the fire, playing with new toys, reconnecting :)<br />
The <span style="color: #660000;"><strong>PEOPLE</strong></span>-me, hubby, Little R and CoCo (sister). We had hoped others would join us but it didn't work out that way.<br />
The <span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><strong>SETTING</strong></span>- Wonderful 3 bed, 2 bath rental home on the side of a mountain, 2 covered decks, deck off of master bedroom, view of the mountains, 2 fireplaces in Maggie Valley, NC<br />
The <strong><span style="color: #274e13;">FOOD</span></strong>- cookies for Santa, cheesecake, smores, fresh ground coffee, Pomegranite glazed Ham, hashbrown casserole, red beans and rice, cornbread dressing<br />
The <strong>MEMORIES</strong>-first white Christmas, little one making snow angels, reindeer food for Rudolph and crew, Little R in her super cute snow suit, first Christmas without my Mom, SMORES!!<br />
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We did get snowed in. That was quite an experience. We didn't leave the house for 5 days except for hubbie's trip to the grocery store. Thanks to friends of a friend we survived. My friend Kym who lives in Maggie just happened to leave for Reno the night before we got there BUT she hooked us up with people she knew with a massive 4 wheel drive truck. They were awesome and took the hubby to the grocery store and even took our trash away. We were able to leave only after our driveway and the gravel part of the road was salted (x 2) and plowed by the mailman's son for a reduced rate AND Vitti was driven down to the main road by a "local". Yep, the mailman's son-hubby happened to talk to the mailman about the roads and how the home owner and the rental company were not helping us get out and he gave his son a call and next thing you know, we have someone to help at about 1/2 the cost of all the others. BTW-a light SUV without 4 wheel drive and with regular not so very new tires is not appropriate for driving on snow and ice. <br />
We had a fabulous time and it was just what I needed. Now, to make the mountains my forever home.oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-641857276349083702011-02-09T13:03:00.000-06:002011-02-09T13:03:08.412-06:00DIY Fabric Softener<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">I finally nixed fabric softener all together. I now use diluted vinegar and essential oil. That's it, nothing else. I use ~3 parts vinegar and 1 part water with several drops of essential oil, using ~ 1/2 a cup per load. Much to my relief, there is no vinegar smell after the clothes come out of the dryer and the clothes are soft. BUT, I miss the fabric softener smell. Not sure if I am using the wrong type of oil or not using enough but my clothes don't have a scent when they are dry-none. I haven't noticed any static but I've read yu can use baking soda or borax in the wash to reduce it. Now, to go DIY with my detergent.</span>oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-61666873944219590262011-01-28T14:24:00.002-06:002011-02-09T11:37:01.068-06:00Our Winter learning theme<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=mommywifecoun-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0807510424&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=mommywifecoun-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1564029638&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>So, our learning theme for the <strike>week </strike>last month has been Winter. We have learned about snow, ice, icicles, hibernating animals, and winter clothing. I have been a MAJOR slacker these past few weeks with Christmas and vacation and just general laziness. Sad to say but our book reading has been minimal along with everything else. However, we have managed to read a few books and complete a few activities/projects.<br />
Our books for the Winter theme:<br />
Animals in Winter<br />
Snow Day First Snow<br />
Sugar Snow<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=mommywifecoun-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0689817789&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> The Snow Lambs<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=mommywifecoun-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0064451658&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> Marven of the Great North Woods<br />
When Winter Comes<br />
Callie Cat, Ice Skater<br />
and more of course.<br />
My favorite is Sugar Snow :), and R's is First Snow. The illustrations in First Snow are phenomenal. The look so lifelike and I think that's why R likes the book so much. <br />
Our activities have included making model magic snowmen, painting with ice cubes w/ food coloring added, melting ice with salt, epsom salt painting, coloring snow men, snow pictures (shaving cream with glue), playing outside with our gloves/mittens and scarves on and if you count Christmas-playing in the snow and with icicles. <br />
Hopefully we will get back on schedule this next month and I won't be so lazy.<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=mommywifecoun-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0152168265&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980164394936127718.post-89845606952492737762011-01-24T13:57:00.001-06:002011-03-08T15:39:08.295-06:00Finishing my 40 things to accomplish LIST<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I only came up with 30 accomplishments on my previous post so here is/are (which is correct?) the rest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">31) learn the sale cycles and stock up on staples when the prices are the lowest</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">32) Organize my coupons</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">33) Buy ME some new clothes-<span style="color: #134f5c;"><strong>done!!, shoes too</strong></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">34) Start contributing to my 403B</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">35) Make myself an altered notebook</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">36) ORGANIZE all my learning stuff (worksheets, articles, forms)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">37) Develop a learning plan for R-<span style="color: #134f5c;"><strong>modifying one I found online </strong></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">38) Treadmill 3 x per week</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">39) Paint abstract art on canvas and hang it in my home or office</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">40) Make it to 41 :)</span>oceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03452479045281693370noreply@blogger.com0