Caroline’s Story (easiest post I’ve ever “written”)
21 May 2013 1 Comment
in Reading Tags: chidlren's stories, daughters, monsters, writing
Daddy Daughter Dance
01 May 2013 Leave a Comment
in Random Family Stuff Tags: aprons, beauty, curling hair, Daddy Daughter Dance, hot rollers, manners, mascara
Let’s start with this:
an absolutely fabulous demonstration of what happens
when a 3-year-old helps a 21-month-old put on mascara!
Early in the afternoon, we started the primping.
Hair:
Even Lizzie, who was too young to attend, got in on the curling.
Make-up:
Our timing was a bit off, though. I forgot to feed them before I dressed them.
Their manners were superb: I should have them wear aprons for dinner more often!
Finally, the reveal:
Have you seen a daddy look this happy lately?
Summer Project Ideas
19 Apr 2013 2 Comments
in Cooking, Crafting, Gardening, Reading Tags: summer break, summer crafts, summer vacation ideas
Lovely readers, I need suggestions. I don’t want the summer to just fizzle and burn away (although, we live in Kansas, so the fizzle and burn will probably turn into sizzle and burn!) .
I’d like to have at least a little bit of structure for the girls.
Please, vote…and then comment with your best, most wonderful, fantabulous ideas!
The Story of Lizzie and Buddy Bear
17 Apr 2013 2 Comments
in Random Family Stuff Tags: bath, Books, dog, iphone, pizza, preschool, rainbow, teddy bear, unicorn
Lizzie’s preschool class has a communal bear, and each kid gets a turn to bring him home.
This is their story.
The Story of Lizzie and Buddy Bear
Once upon a time in a faraway land, there lived a little girl named Lizzie. She was lonely because she didn’t have any friends. Her teacher was a very nice lady, and she found a friend for Lizzie: Buddy Bear!
One day, Buddy Bear came home from school with Lizzie, so they could play together.
Lizzie was so excited. When they got to Lizzie’s house, though, Buddy Bear disappeared!
Buddy Bear didn’t mean to run away; he just wandered off and had a grand adventure.
First, he found a book to read. 
Then he found a BIG dog to play with.
After wandering around for a while, he got really dirty, so he took a bath.
When he was clean, he crawled up on the couch to play a game on the phone.
Later, he realized he was hungry, so he devoured a yummy pizza.
Finally, he was so tired that he found a soft, comfy bed and fell asleep.
Lizzie was so sad when she couldn’t find her friend, but when it was her bedtime,
she found a wonderful surprise: Buddy Bear was in her bed!!
Buddy Bear told her all about his adventure,
and they cuddled all night and had sweet dreams of rainbows and unicorns.
The next morning, after they ate a healthy breakfast,
washed their hands and brushed their teeth,
Lizzie and Buddy Bear went to school to learn lots of interesting things!
THE END!
Back On The Road…Again! Thanks, Honey.
13 Apr 2013 Leave a Comment
in Random Family Stuff Tags: battery terminals, cars, Dodge Caravan, Dodge Charger, garage, Mustangs, piece of junk vehicles, quiet mufflers, shade tree mechanic, transportation
We drive old vehicles: a 2001 Avalon, a 2002 Caravan, a 1968 Charger (that’s for fun!) The biggest plus for this is not having a car payment. We basically drive our cars until they’re only good for donating to a scrapyard…then we find another cheap one. The van is getting up there in miles, but we don’t want to give up yet.
I only have four requirements for a vehicle: mostly-reliable (Bob doesn’t mind rescuing us every now and then), air-conditioning (I live in Kansas!), heat (I live in Kansas!) and quasi-quiet (mufflers are good inventions). So far, my van has met all the criteria; however, about 3 weeks ago, it started giving me fits when starting…it would just “click, click, click.” Eventually, though, it would always start, and my girls and I would be on our way. Finally, last week, it took over 30 tries to start it, and there was a funny clanky rattle from underneath; I called, “Enough!”
Bob, in all his glorious shade-tree-mechanic’s wisdom, started digging around and found a bad starter and a broken transmission mount. I was in a school board meeting when he sent me this picture…a little startling, to be sure!
Bob called O’Reilly’s to order the new parts (only $130); I picked them up (chit chatting with the parts store worker like I knew what I was talking about, of course), and two evenings covered in grease later, I’m good to go! Seriously, we’re shooting for another several months out of this van…
Now, here’s my shout-out to my husband: this man can (and does) fix EVERYTHING! So far on my van, (and this is only what I can recall off the top of my head), he has replaced the fuel pump, the driver’s side window and up/down mechanism (I don’t know what it’s called), the brakes, the oil pan/drain, battery terminals, and now the starter and engine mount.
Sometimes, I think he actually enjoys the breakdowns. When the fuel pump went out, his uncle and his grandfather even came over to “play.” It’s in his blood, apparently.
And this is just one vehicle. In the past, he rebuilt the bodies of Mustangs (we had a yellow ’98 GT and a red ’97 Cobra pre-children!) and continually tinkered with and jury-rigged our “piece of crap” Nisson Stanza.
When I’m not home, and Bob’s in the garage, he’s even found ways to involve the girls in the car work. Here, Josie is watching her Daddy change brakes.
Even though I know Bob never minds working on our daily drivers, nothing compares to getting to play with this sweet car!
Reading Already
05 Apr 2013 Leave a Comment
in Reading Tags: Book-It, Books, high expectations, home, literature, motherhood, pre schooler, Reading
I’m an English teacher, so I have high expectations from my kids and their reading. So far, the first 3 are great readers: my 3rd grader has been caught meandering through the crosswalk with her nose buried in a book; my 1st grader always finishes her Book-It goal early in the month; my pre-schooler even has her favorite, cozy reading spot. 
We’ve made it a priority to read to our children since their births…even just snagging a minute for a quick story after Daddy’s morning run. 
Now, I’m thrilled to present the latest reader in the house:
On occasion, though, this new reader is just downright silly!
Easter 2013
01 Apr 2013 Leave a Comment
in Cooking, Crafting, Random Family Stuff Tags: Cake, Cross, Easter, Easter Bunny, Easter dresses, Easter eggs, eggs, Jesus
Easter was early this year, but we were blessed with gorgeous weather
here in the Midwest. I can’t remember the last time we could wear
Easter dresses without sweaters and tights.
As a family, we keep the focus on Jesus’ death and resurrection
instead of the Easter Bunny. On occasion, however, a pretty darn cute bunny finds us. 
We decorate with eggs, though: lots and lots of eggs.
This was our Spring Break craft project this year.
(I HATE dying eggs…shhh…don’t tell my kids!)
I found cardboard eggs at Hobby Lobby, and we used almost 16 ounces of glue
to decoupage hundreds, maybe thousands of little pieces of colored tissue paper.
We also decorated a tray, a platter and wooden baskets. 
I did bake the girls a bunny cake, using the Wilton Bunny Pan.
I took a plain white cake and turned it into a Jell-o Poke Cake,
which just adds such a yummy, summery taste.
Lizzie dove in before I could even decorate it. 
We hosted Easter Lunch for Bob’s family this year
(and I can’t believe I didn’t take any pictures!).
For dessert, Lauren and I made this cake.
The handle is folded aluminum foil covered with ribbon.
The most important part of Easter, though, is shown in Lauren’s contribution.
She spent a long time (and made a HUGE mess in the garage)
nailing and painting this cross.
She even wrote INRI on the placard and placed it by the rose bush
to represent Christ’s crown of thorns.
