Let the Summer Begin!

Well the kids got out of school on Thursday. And then there was the "gotta get my work done" on Friday.... Cleaned all weekend. I have yet to get ALL the snowmen out of the house. A thorough cleaning takes a while. We've already experienced the big black ants marching through the kitchen. So I started at the mud room door and have been systematically cleaning every inch of the house, and then spraying the perimeter of each room. All that work and I'm only done with 3 rooms. I have 3 1/2 rooms left on the main floor!

This being technically day one of my minds summer calendar I have designated Mondays as "Work" day. The kids must get their chores done before any of the fun to begin. Today their job is clean the living room and fold one basket of towels. Elijah has her own clothes to put away... a job left over from the weekend. Mondays will also be NO TV / COMPUTER day. In hopes of having no distractions from their work and having some quiet book time, homework for mom and just fresh air when play time does happen. Today the kids must get their work done by 2, because we have a birthday party this afternoon... Or they stay home. It won't be an empty threat, I have the tools to do it... and I will go without them! HAHA! Aw.. the power of putting your foot down.

Well wish me luck on DAY 1!!!

Have you ever?

This is going around and thought it would be a easy blog post. You BOLD the ones you HAVE done.

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland/world

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang/played a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

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

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

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

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Gotten flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Made a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

Now if you do this let me know so I can visit yours, I have copied this from The Proverbs 31 Journey.

I'm A Bird Watcher

I just love birds! I have been watching birds since we lived on the farm. Being at home there were times you just looked out the window at the birds. So you start to notice them. And feed them... and identify them with books.

Here in town I have a few feeders and we play with the variety of food and placement of that food. We have found the Starlings, Grackles and Blue Jays love dog food. So we offer it once and a while with the corn. The squirrels like corn you know... and lollipops! HAHA!!!

Yesturday we discovered the lollipop liking... Declan had one that got left behind by the feeders. A squirrel found it and was enjoying it. Along came another squirrel and the first one with lolly in it's mouth began to chase the other all over the neighborhood. Elijah and I just laughed. Then it retreated to it's own tree to enjoy it's new snack.

We have had the typical variety of sparrows, yellow finches, red house finches, an occasional cardinal, mourning doves,... Well these last few days we've spotted a few new birds... the first is the Hairy Woodpecker, we saw a female.

And this fun little White - Breasted Nuthatch

Last week I found this bird by the water. I couldn't wait to come home to find out what kind it was. It was perched on a tree looking down to the water. When it saw a fish it would dive right in and catch one and fly to a new branch. It did this all down the waters edge then it would fly back to the beginning tree. And repeat. It was so great to watch. It sounded like a kids machine gun. I had the library book for SD birds and looked as soon as I was home. The identity is a Belted Kingfisher.

Today I just had to ahve my own copy of the book from the library and our bookstore had a copy... Yee haw!!! I've been making notes in it already. There is a nice check list in the back.

The kids are into bird watching too. Everytime something is going on someone is calling someone to come look at something! The kids were even sitting by the feeders today in camo... Elijah was even bold enough and was able to pet a bird, ask her about it... she will go on and on! Well, I'll keep you updated on any new discoveries if we have any. Hope you all have a wonderful day watching God's creation!

(ps. bird pics are from the internet, not my own.)

Declan Lost 1st Tooth

This little boy is so proud to announce that he has lost his first tooth! It has been wiggly for a while. Friday night we were out eating pizza and I shared a bite of my peach with him. In the process he bit down on that tooth and really made it bend. He proceeded to play with it until he yanked it out. All before the pizza arrived.

He then brought it home in a napkin and Elijah helped with the "Toothfairy" preparations. And off to dreamland they went. In the morning he woke to find 3 boxes of Cracker Jacks, $1 in quarters and some a candy rope. He was a sweetie and shared his popcorn with the girls.

Sign Language

I've been learning sign language for a while now. I've taken the beginners class 2 times. Nikki, my teacher, decided I need to help teach beginners this time around. So I'm helping teach. It's been really fun.

We meet weekly and have such a fun beginners class. Nikki and I both have 2 kids taking the class. Along with them there are 2 other children and a number of adults. I'm so pleased!!

But we HAVE to move on and do a "Sign 2" class as well!! So... A while back, Nikki and I were having McD's with our pastor's wife Beth when I was sharing that we used to come every week and practice our signing. She perked up and we found she has a real heart for signing too and that she had taken a class many years ago. We also have a fellow church member, Nick who knows sign and is so kind in coming along side Nikki, Beth and I as we learn the language. Sign 2 is challenging as we are learning more than words... How to actually communicate with one another. But it is fun for Nikki and I to try using "less words" and use our hands. We were ordering our breakfast in sign to eachother this morning and made our table mates "jealous" we were communicating without them. HA!

The following pictures are the 4 of us signing the song "Word of God Speak" for church one Sunday morning.

Fresh

Well I'm sure you don't stop by as often as I do.. haha! But I keep this as my home page to remind me that it does exist... so I see it daily. I've been thinking.. "I've got to do something with it" and what's better than a good remodel to get back in business! Easter brings NEW LIFE with the resurrected Christ. So I'm going with that theme for a while. I plan on a tiny diet... with some exercise... I'm getting chubby all the way around. HA... yeah it's not really funny anymore! Just a small diet! I have to give up on some candy in my diet! Ugh! I love candy! Ugh! I don't know... things need to change for the better... I can't pin point alot down but just things. I really have backed out on a lot of computer time. Yeah me! So... with Spring here... who knows what will change. Sorry for the long delay. Hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend!

Lighthouse

I was challenged to make a lighthouse for Walt for a presentation/sermon... He's the key speaker.... So this is what was accomplished. It wasn't going well so I said, "God this is all yours, cuz I can't get it to work." I had the idea... but it just wouldn't come together. I delivered it last night and showed his wife how it worked and came apart. I'm greatful for the challenge and I am very proud of the outcome! I hope this video works. If not HERE

Anatomy

One morning this week, all the kids and I were getting ready for the day. All their clothes are in my room as you can't really have 3 children, all their toys, plus all their clothes in one tiny room.... Ok. So we are getting dressed and I'm standing with my back to them getting a shirt. Next thing I know Declan comes up behind me and grabs a roll of fat and so innocently asks "What's this??" (Like I don't remember this being on the body part list!) Oh it was great! I explained it was a nice roll of fat and that's what happens when you eat too much and lots of candy and sweets then don't excercise. Then I did a little dance to show off all the rolls! Ha poor kids! Let that be lesson to all!

GOALS!!!

Yeah, yeah, yeah... you hear a lot of goals from my mouth and yet I can't get things accomplished, I plan and prep more than I do. Like craft/art shows. I want to, I really do! I would like to have a booth, but I'm so selfish I get nothing accomplished! With that being said, I've had enough "Talking" and am committed to doing one in November! I made a list of items I would like to get accomplished my then. I filled out the application for the booth and mailed my check out. So I am officially committed to this! I have a bunch of empty shelves in my dining room set up for all my work, so I have a daily reminder of what I am accomplishing or not accomplishing. I will have.. as my goal.... crocheted items (such as toys, rugs, bookmarks), painted items (ornaments, rosemaling) which will cover a wide range.... so wish me luck, pray for productivity!!

Another Artist

My kids are so cute!! Ebi makes me smile with all her little pictures. She is such a details person... some days we can't get her out of the Sunday School craft room cause "I'm Not Done!" Today I come home to her drawing a picture. Watching and studying what she was trying to accomplish I found she was drawing it Dora's buddy "The Map" not only drawing it... but she was drawing it upside down. What a nut!
See short video HERE