tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26772894288717650882024-03-05T19:59:56.035-06:00Peace and CarrotsJenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.comBlogger632125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-73253436476773532502012-05-21T19:07:00.000-05:002012-05-21T19:07:08.050-05:00Wendy's First Gymnastics Recital<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wendy has worked hard in gymnastics this year, and she has loved every single minute of it! She will be starting invitation-only pre-team training in two weeks.Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-29024137782118667982012-01-22T11:34:00.001-06:002012-01-22T11:35:31.280-06:00Sunday<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lLYnN3rRC1Q" allowfullscreen="" width="420" frameborder="0" height="315"></iframe><br /><br />You are my strong tower<br />Shelter over me<br />Beautiful and might<br />Everlasting King<br /><br />You are my strong tower<br />Fortress when I'm weak<br />Your name is true and holy<br />And your face is all I seekJenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-22281642739687131092011-11-06T22:18:00.003-06:002011-11-06T22:21:43.000-06:00A Weekend In Pictures<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfBBX900PVpT7JqT9l8-BKYMhdpZLpoN9YHyERdQz7c1ju4GFszAPZNg16rqFTqL8S8kn0TB0pF8toW31um95EbGH7dSgs08iAqeqzFSHTloJD0F-714GekF7VOyDEBD1WBEEtcodk0Ups/s1600/Picture+030.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfBBX900PVpT7JqT9l8-BKYMhdpZLpoN9YHyERdQz7c1ju4GFszAPZNg16rqFTqL8S8kn0TB0pF8toW31um95EbGH7dSgs08iAqeqzFSHTloJD0F-714GekF7VOyDEBD1WBEEtcodk0Ups/s400/Picture+030.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672104259406088114" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYz1WBSSCpqWnB_lTu9DB5mFl52Meo4usaifWi7Jsu6uTfpUtBUk0TKMuKyArIm_C3EFziVxlag63HPV9wskreLAiVYPdY1NS-7jjonEkwwebDgBB18zBUuyd6lb0bqfW5vblth9NUUpy/s1600/Picture+022.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYz1WBSSCpqWnB_lTu9DB5mFl52Meo4usaifWi7Jsu6uTfpUtBUk0TKMuKyArIm_C3EFziVxlag63HPV9wskreLAiVYPdY1NS-7jjonEkwwebDgBB18zBUuyd6lb0bqfW5vblth9NUUpy/s400/Picture+022.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672104255539595570" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Kd7kH50M85-AzlgdZnq96JX_wI5r1TXpbhtKTTs7mmLPvzIKD2hCcL78l1190H51wXwfVeDv2LQXkalcbOghE0p5s_UAsfigboe1TiVLnlV0oA-NuFjxNstf1AnP89dVK6RupxhJDJK4/s1600/Picture+033.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Kd7kH50M85-AzlgdZnq96JX_wI5r1TXpbhtKTTs7mmLPvzIKD2hCcL78l1190H51wXwfVeDv2LQXkalcbOghE0p5s_UAsfigboe1TiVLnlV0oA-NuFjxNstf1AnP89dVK6RupxhJDJK4/s400/Picture+033.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672104272114386946" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLAIPuARALOLAQgz1KcsqrUJUM32-XsVWOw2PZouZWoAQoFPUuwPm2hEccEiS1m14rEa9bMNACi1cNBahxpZTU9qO5Th-RpImX9G4s652IxPJul-URLU8A0rdwnmoC5GfHIoeIsHp-1Pdw/s1600/Picture+003.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 339px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLAIPuARALOLAQgz1KcsqrUJUM32-XsVWOw2PZouZWoAQoFPUuwPm2hEccEiS1m14rEa9bMNACi1cNBahxpZTU9qO5Th-RpImX9G4s652IxPJul-URLU8A0rdwnmoC5GfHIoeIsHp-1Pdw/s400/Picture+003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672103873596711698" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-bEIzfQE-uFMLfbrh3-7VXz1ovW9aU-Ts_oG2yyY2JhOt1QcP3umTvRmbUCisnfvPomcJEmPGWJ72TEdu1o-_iymF3cUGeWyWJm476i-JZj7g81m_Pd49k9psms_Ny9QSsbn7Ht5LkvH/s1600/rocks.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 316px; height: 296px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-bEIzfQE-uFMLfbrh3-7VXz1ovW9aU-Ts_oG2yyY2JhOt1QcP3umTvRmbUCisnfvPomcJEmPGWJ72TEdu1o-_iymF3cUGeWyWJm476i-JZj7g81m_Pd49k9psms_Ny9QSsbn7Ht5LkvH/s400/rocks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672103866474639362" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTXTiVmlQcbHpVqxWPBkITwYoHLhSyovTb-cd2giIHmr_Tf9vwcmwygXG_1aodfOu9sJjgdcix6zRfTzMmo2QtviXM84y8XEmV0NbBkk6bCBSibbFphT3Ehb77ICWvoC4attX1rT3nkB-/s1600/skipping.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTXTiVmlQcbHpVqxWPBkITwYoHLhSyovTb-cd2giIHmr_Tf9vwcmwygXG_1aodfOu9sJjgdcix6zRfTzMmo2QtviXM84y8XEmV0NbBkk6bCBSibbFphT3Ehb77ICWvoC4attX1rT3nkB-/s400/skipping.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672103863831423554" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3MK_WpDyVWFxyvjB2n9pYATBj-oTaIAW4UuLbiJkFyOSlmicMYAzreE4uehpUN0tCLXmqmvtC9QADkfGrd4V9QNg7jKtYmZks6_ktQGxeCBEGesWBAzJmcdAE_gzR4Irsdb-5PMyP3qJ/s1600/david.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3MK_WpDyVWFxyvjB2n9pYATBj-oTaIAW4UuLbiJkFyOSlmicMYAzreE4uehpUN0tCLXmqmvtC9QADkfGrd4V9QNg7jKtYmZks6_ktQGxeCBEGesWBAzJmcdAE_gzR4Irsdb-5PMyP3qJ/s400/david.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672103863800210562" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYHNI-lc2w_GHp-FlFu5gErtuBLN5oa-u1FwBnHBu2N-Yooetpdsyix5dCEu2ViO4dWcrPlJMf75cc_nXrgMkYrzV1iVNDytpbtW_lEfzyQbIRTR-_Ed25Hqe9ee4v4raH60VETnfvEvv-/s1600/Picture+004.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYHNI-lc2w_GHp-FlFu5gErtuBLN5oa-u1FwBnHBu2N-Yooetpdsyix5dCEu2ViO4dWcrPlJMf75cc_nXrgMkYrzV1iVNDytpbtW_lEfzyQbIRTR-_Ed25Hqe9ee4v4raH60VETnfvEvv-/s400/Picture+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672103873977762818" border="0" /></a>Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-72326507831244134372011-11-05T22:27:00.000-05:002011-11-05T22:28:56.646-05:00To Nyquil or Not To Nyquil...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlSERf-uXNEc0VQwlAzrSnCRLn7UJeVkzLEvyhbQEf_SeJLijZW5fr3Pp4smE2tNrI8ZOou3FSGv9P6LJekHWZO5CZAAIh3ZSg9EjmX0utn7qKRMgbv67BND26G_bmCnviKkgbcrE5p_lY/s1600/nablopomo2011.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlSERf-uXNEc0VQwlAzrSnCRLn7UJeVkzLEvyhbQEf_SeJLijZW5fr3Pp4smE2tNrI8ZOou3FSGv9P6LJekHWZO5CZAAIh3ZSg9EjmX0utn7qKRMgbv67BND26G_bmCnviKkgbcrE5p_lY/s400/nablopomo2011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671719422758090434" border="0" /></a>After over a week of poor sleep due to coughing, and several nights of being kept awake until the wee hours due to said coughing...the answer is definitely TO NYQUIL.<br /><br />Here's hoping it works.Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-27812165045278486552011-11-04T17:06:00.005-05:002011-11-04T21:02:11.341-05:00Playroom-slash-SchoolroomAfter we got the kids' shared bedroom moved upstairs, it was finally time to tackle her old bedroom! The lavender had to go; I was envisioning something much brighter. The room has two big windows and lets in quite a bit of light - perfect for a learning and creative play space. I decided on a honey-cantaloupe-type color, and four coats of paint later (yes, FOUR) I'm really happy with how it turned out!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhaPrStrkfad2wSIbFT9zjW9ZCvp3eG9n8B4t5bXymddV7N0IXqpm6rxPNbY2Ei-ofDYdG_PewsdqZ8FKGpIw7FfHxe1PahR3a-zdgWvkXWl4nXfuF7Ru2_A1_tAbdz35Gg-l-x4M1973i/s1600/playroom+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhaPrStrkfad2wSIbFT9zjW9ZCvp3eG9n8B4t5bXymddV7N0IXqpm6rxPNbY2Ei-ofDYdG_PewsdqZ8FKGpIw7FfHxe1PahR3a-zdgWvkXWl4nXfuF7Ru2_A1_tAbdz35Gg-l-x4M1973i/s400/playroom+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671324832628536674" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4aVefvUg-23VWfUfnmm3FJoC0A1WubVExSZXCYAAcqcu08yiD2hFULbJhLKNXV5TpBsPuMBUnDyPshJxLL4Ri5HxpS8E4dPMn2gT2AwjLGaDrMpfuSzvAMd_zlWlSarxiK-1DsGL9Ilx/s1600/playroom+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4aVefvUg-23VWfUfnmm3FJoC0A1WubVExSZXCYAAcqcu08yiD2hFULbJhLKNXV5TpBsPuMBUnDyPshJxLL4Ri5HxpS8E4dPMn2gT2AwjLGaDrMpfuSzvAMd_zlWlSarxiK-1DsGL9Ilx/s400/playroom+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671324828138978994" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYfbggLwria3YbkWzUf9ceLif_jv37APuy9-lItLrCXhkNM6-rgHCZk76S-iC4P9WjljEWGPLbY2h88y2oflxU_KcyLWizAeE_hMNW25GRpoaEaFrlkoQYac8wUmdyoW6MDD6T_wLLmXg/s1600/playroom+4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYfbggLwria3YbkWzUf9ceLif_jv37APuy9-lItLrCXhkNM6-rgHCZk76S-iC4P9WjljEWGPLbY2h88y2oflxU_KcyLWizAeE_hMNW25GRpoaEaFrlkoQYac8wUmdyoW6MDD6T_wLLmXg/s400/playroom+4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671324838313343426" border="0" /></a>The kids have really enjoyed having the playroom set up. It's been great to be able to do school in the same place where David is playing; we all are able to spend more time together that way. (And David isn't off in another room using glitter glue as chapstick...not that he's ever done that before.) We'll need to change some things as the kids grow, but for now we love this room!Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-27579733904486816562011-11-03T21:51:00.007-05:002011-11-03T22:33:46.567-05:00Kids' Shared BedroomYesterday I mentioned that we had been working on some projects. Oh, boy, have we ever!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1arw4SGlYx1sCsTk4MQgr2awCUYDlZZRISe94Zyn52DxeiqTRZBxMT3Mm4X4L8PqhvgWFSbQ-Io3DmWNWRJ0SAqXG-cMxSWFhuGdltoo5apIVNy778T-5a2nB6MaRcx2Lwth9lr6lLBg5/s1600/room+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1arw4SGlYx1sCsTk4MQgr2awCUYDlZZRISe94Zyn52DxeiqTRZBxMT3Mm4X4L8PqhvgWFSbQ-Io3DmWNWRJ0SAqXG-cMxSWFhuGdltoo5apIVNy778T-5a2nB6MaRcx2Lwth9lr6lLBg5/s400/room+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670977917304740930" border="0" /></a><br />Since David moved out of his cradle in our room more than two years ago, he moved into Wendy's bedroom. They enjoy sharing a room, and it works out pretty well for us. What wasn't working for us was having both beds, dressers, hanging clothes, books, toys, stuffed animals, etc. all in one smallish bedroom. The room is right off of the living room, which was also a problem; if James and I wanted to watch a movie, the kids would have a hard time falling asleep. And have I mentioned it was Wendy's bedroom? It was painted a lovely lavender color, with pink gingham curtains...a bit girly now that both kids were sharing.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfiitn8HTBOiueSAPDu37EokCzFvN0C50jcSJ21ZkVv3nWCYOh_KOD8XW06QXWOPsUtNpwghge08suq33xCA0l4ZJh5aBVxoz3rjdMf7pnuIQgGryDl78EGV9g2_-FCDSA03NdLhfvr1CT/s1600/P1010002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfiitn8HTBOiueSAPDu37EokCzFvN0C50jcSJ21ZkVv3nWCYOh_KOD8XW06QXWOPsUtNpwghge08suq33xCA0l4ZJh5aBVxoz3rjdMf7pnuIQgGryDl78EGV9g2_-FCDSA03NdLhfvr1CT/s400/P1010002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670977934995596178" border="0" /></a><br />We have a room upstairs that had been our "dump and run" room since we moved here 5 years ago. It was jam-packed with Christmas decorations, things waiting to be taken to Goodwill, outgrown baby/kid clothes, random items that didn't have another home, and all of the collapsed boxes from when we moved in. James and I cleaned out that room, which took about 3 days and ten years off my life. We made several trips to Goodwill, and we finally got the kids' outgrown clothes sorted & put in the attic.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyYxSiC5gkGuqh63z-7l_Y8YgzqGmXsdmZleDrpycdyIkuFR7TtM2wZckWbLXOQVnboP4rG5mbLu9I1zVjbkk2wY-xIgdJuvuPfeaeLj0D5pi3P0_dVlneR7LNG1Z9SEhmhY_a62CQv-3R/s1600/room+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyYxSiC5gkGuqh63z-7l_Y8YgzqGmXsdmZleDrpycdyIkuFR7TtM2wZckWbLXOQVnboP4rG5mbLu9I1zVjbkk2wY-xIgdJuvuPfeaeLj0D5pi3P0_dVlneR7LNG1Z9SEhmhY_a62CQv-3R/s400/room+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670977921136290818" border="0" /></a><br />My sister-in-law (who is awesome) helped me strip wallpaper and paint the upstairs room a bright spring green. That is now the kids' shared bedroom. Wendy's side is very girly and is decorated with flowers and butterflies and Disney fairies. David's side is decorated with a giant poster of a John Deere tractor and many cars/trucks/trains/planes. They love their new room, and it's working great for them!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Dqek0NPNcdT5sYwzc83kTh6aGiduqPeMS1XoSFwuIwakcOKm9yksJWp1KFHncT5Lgpio3mCvZmhW0OJw1xCFk1Y4fUPNQ2Zvb8-uJvICBOuDtHhvu4U9YBlZCLimZu1hiZvGzgrqdlD1/s1600/room+9.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Dqek0NPNcdT5sYwzc83kTh6aGiduqPeMS1XoSFwuIwakcOKm9yksJWp1KFHncT5Lgpio3mCvZmhW0OJw1xCFk1Y4fUPNQ2Zvb8-uJvICBOuDtHhvu4U9YBlZCLimZu1hiZvGzgrqdlD1/s400/room+9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670977925773719730" border="0" /></a><br />Stay tuned for details on the new Playroom-slash-Schoolroom...Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-67172269474117771042011-11-01T11:53:00.003-05:002011-11-02T12:58:05.448-05:00When Good Planning Goes BadWhen we decided to homeschool, I did a lot of research on planning and organization. I would love to live in an organized house, but I lack the follow-through to really make a success of many organizing projects. I knew my time would be limited, what with teaching a kindergartener and wrangling a toddler at the same time. I decided to devote a week (which turned into two) to plan out the entire year, make library lists, tear apart workbooks, and file all papers into weekly folders. It took hours and hours of work, but at the end of it I felt confident that we were well prepared for our school year.<br /><br />Well.<br /><br />The major flaw in the plan was that it didn't allow much wiggle-room for unexpected things. Because <a href="http://www.welltrainedmind.com/the-story-of-the-world-history-for-the-classical-child/">history</a>, Bible, copywork and unit studies were all coordinated with holidays and seasons and trips, it wouldn't take much to upset the balance of things. (The <a href="http://www.aophomeschooling.com/product/jmc100/">math curriculum</a> is pretty forgiving; with 160 lessons spread over 180 days of school, we have quite a bit of flexibility.) I was so careful in my lesson planning. Things would overlap beautifully, creating a perfect opportunity for maximum learning and retention.<br /><br />Well.<br /><br />Then we started working on some projects.<br />Then we got behind on those projects.<br />Then the kids got sick.<br />Then I had a two-week headache. (Ouch.)<br />Then we had family visiting.<br />Then I got sick.<br /><br />Which brings us up to date. Because my beautiful, intricately-woven schedule didn't allow for flexibility, I had to make some major changes. I reworked all of our lesson plans for November, and we will be caught up by Thanksgiving. We'll have to double up here and there, but we will still focus on the important things and enjoy ourselves.<br /><br />Today we learned about the Middle Kingdom of Egypt, were introduced to subtraction, and practiced handwriting. After Wendy takes a much-needed nap, we'll work on reading. We're going to keep plugging along, day by day, and we will make it work!Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-27135417711563504922011-11-01T08:59:00.003-05:002011-11-01T09:23:42.413-05:00NaBloPoMo 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoUym5bpga5gDOPHa95YvLqQi_ndHB-xdRN7gPcps5rQ8qhf_OKJ_2rPQ1paaNuQSJTMMpgp4TFQ_GXIr0UBPWJCQ1f6CfIvQwS9lk9Qx3tfFp5aAR3PYw2ldn61VT21m6k3J10u_WW02/s1600/nablopomo2011.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoUym5bpga5gDOPHa95YvLqQi_ndHB-xdRN7gPcps5rQ8qhf_OKJ_2rPQ1paaNuQSJTMMpgp4TFQ_GXIr0UBPWJCQ1f6CfIvQwS9lk9Qx3tfFp5aAR3PYw2ldn61VT21m6k3J10u_WW02/s400/nablopomo2011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670032935658562674" border="0" /></a><br />I've decided to participate in National Blog Posting Month, known as NaBloPoMo, again this year. I've tried it in the past with limited success, but I'd really like to get back to writing regularly. I'm not sure what I'll write about.<br /><br />A list of possible topics:<br /><ul><li>Thanksgiving traditions</li><li>Thanksgiving recipes</li><li>Teaching kids about Thanksgiving</li><li>Homeschooling updates</li><li>Anecdotes about the kids</li><li>Interview friends/fellow blog writers (email me if you're interested!)</li><li>Anything else that comes into my very-distracted brain</li></ul>Doesn't that sound exciting? I'm sure you can hardly wait.<br /><br />Questions about NaBloPoMo? <a href="http://nablopomo.blogher.com/faq">Here's there list of FAQ</a>.Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-76198579927376899222011-10-28T11:55:00.004-05:002011-10-28T12:13:24.492-05:00It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like...That's right. Christmas is in less than two months. And with all of the busy-ness between now and then, that two months will fly!<br /><br />One of my favorite things about the beginning of the holiday season is the Christmas cards. Planning our cards, making our cards, mailing our cards, and getting cards in return. I especially love photo cards, and seeing how friends' families have grown and changed. We all put a lot of effort into getting the cards just right; one year I went so far as to make all of our Christmas cards by hand, complete with little snowflake-brad embellishments. (One year. I did that ONCE.)<br /><br />For the last several years, we've sent out photo cards that we've ordered from one place or another. Last year was different, though - last year we used <a href="http://shutterfly.com">Shutterfly</a>. I was impressed with how many designs were available, with lots of options for personalization. The process was simple, the transaction was quick, and the cards were beautiful! Absolutely beautiful. I had to resist the urge to call all of my friends so that I could beg for compliments about our Christmas card.<br /><br />Here's what they have available this year:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards">Holiday Cards</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards">Christmas Cards</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/photo-gifts">Photo Gifts</a><br /><br />I'm not sure which cards we are going to use this year; a lot depends on the Christmas pictures we'll take in the next month or so. I do know that we'll be using Shutterfly again and will happily and heartily recommend them to anyone in the market for Christmas cards, photo gifts, and other personalized things.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Want 25 free photo cards? Comment on this post, telling me a little bit about your favorite Christmas tradition, and you could be one of three winners! Giveaway ends at noon CST on Friday, 11/4/11.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Are you a blogger? Want a chance at 25 free cards this holiday season? Register here: </span><a href="http://goo.gl/DDw7Q" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt">http://goo.gl/DDw7Q</span></b></a>Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-1123326246891754352011-10-25T11:03:00.009-05:002011-10-25T11:25:47.781-05:00I've Been BusyI haven't written anything in a long, long while. What can I say? We've been busy. Here are a few snapshots of the things that have kept us hopping:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">1. Traveling to Florida<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgCB7xAZJ0cFDv0KJJ0K2ABeWnWwE4JDL1MkTD6DEBtQ7QxtMoKGh2DwmsvEiTPUTLI-I5uBAYuyRFuQ99cMCq2UAlal9bZSBcETksdk33FRTM_7jy4S44l266ZUTR1jO6jv3oGrF_E_D/s1600/swim.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgCB7xAZJ0cFDv0KJJ0K2ABeWnWwE4JDL1MkTD6DEBtQ7QxtMoKGh2DwmsvEiTPUTLI-I5uBAYuyRFuQ99cMCq2UAlal9bZSBcETksdk33FRTM_7jy4S44l266ZUTR1jO6jv3oGrF_E_D/s400/swim.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667464124028410738" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br />2. Teaching Kindergarten<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-OxWlTXeR8U1IPq0By10BYbdvfXIY2rZ9ysAKmVweqRAiKlTPWRvU_DAHKDXvZ0UV3jYyf93LqBZVLEfCnjoChxFLqemmLz0yCJeYHvgAnLVE3nB6PIwJ2V0cGjstm3tfo7v3M5QTPvN/s1600/kindergarten.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-OxWlTXeR8U1IPq0By10BYbdvfXIY2rZ9ysAKmVweqRAiKlTPWRvU_DAHKDXvZ0UV3jYyf93LqBZVLEfCnjoChxFLqemmLz0yCJeYHvgAnLVE3nB6PIwJ2V0cGjstm3tfo7v3M5QTPvN/s400/kindergarten.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667464555217529266" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br />3. Redoing the kids' shared bedroom (including a LOT of declutteirng and organizing)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhupTN-Cuw-b9ScKdhxWLIx28CeTDmOdb1mSmQGulYqPoPA7gMK1jKNDZ76ZTG_yJ3_vuTE5dyoXqQp8YQQ04kEjntoBlukuqm2mclrKwr2_du1SjHSuJ6cSUr4-JWC83Pwi2fbsA0RFGZm/s1600/room+9.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhupTN-Cuw-b9ScKdhxWLIx28CeTDmOdb1mSmQGulYqPoPA7gMK1jKNDZ76ZTG_yJ3_vuTE5dyoXqQp8YQQ04kEjntoBlukuqm2mclrKwr2_du1SjHSuJ6cSUr4-JWC83Pwi2fbsA0RFGZm/s400/room+9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667463774054602530" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br />4. Redoing the kids' playroom/schoolroom<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_oq-xDfNBBWv5gO_o006SL3EEzOUkIlQpVkfQKyY1QCCZEuXxpcbQ3VDUkGmIM6U57dxlMnHZgvn932sIrGYsO0TE_XahoYzU7aGjPGphaX6HPgZEnQ6aI3mVai9Hm3MgJHH2H0JSROn/s1600/bookshelf.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_oq-xDfNBBWv5gO_o006SL3EEzOUkIlQpVkfQKyY1QCCZEuXxpcbQ3VDUkGmIM6U57dxlMnHZgvn932sIrGYsO0TE_XahoYzU7aGjPGphaX6HPgZEnQ6aI3mVai9Hm3MgJHH2H0JSROn/s400/bookshelf.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667465151786711970" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIvdCNUluuNqMAU8u1DFSjg1FWc4c3Oey9SGlysNtkOySdUP6DPl6ySjmDwCETfZ11tgt6hapQFAzD8MFzboBzRxnHn8o1RMgMXsF_h2x7x_GqIwXy9T1faDgsil-I9jU6KuqBTKjjJgJ1/s1600/train.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIvdCNUluuNqMAU8u1DFSjg1FWc4c3Oey9SGlysNtkOySdUP6DPl6ySjmDwCETfZ11tgt6hapQFAzD8MFzboBzRxnHn8o1RMgMXsF_h2x7x_GqIwXy9T1faDgsil-I9jU6KuqBTKjjJgJ1/s400/train.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667465153896340066" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br />5. Enjoying fall<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofOqElxF7xJuzdISRRaXASrB86Pf_Knb4G_tTeHmKHTG2czA_ooEk7elNxIeSzl3MkuuEmK0IbWnoGbdEPWpGPMSfoFS8p9vM1O8BBGfWOfXaDV7NQYCoEuqAeJe_ZVeWArtFSwO8y2LT/s1600/P1010001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofOqElxF7xJuzdISRRaXASrB86Pf_Knb4G_tTeHmKHTG2czA_ooEk7elNxIeSzl3MkuuEmK0IbWnoGbdEPWpGPMSfoFS8p9vM1O8BBGfWOfXaDV7NQYCoEuqAeJe_ZVeWArtFSwO8y2LT/s400/P1010001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667465981276021282" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisudOn4kJLfJ5W7mDQ-pCfeZhNPLPRaiZU15p5eHA8iwbZ-GvzY-dx5Wsqf6SQiZjA_1YsbonhGMye2BjIBmvUV_du6Mvs6jlCauQaMe17pa65EZEDQzfXYXXajDhxCba-VHgTnfM7ryo9/s1600/P1010038.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisudOn4kJLfJ5W7mDQ-pCfeZhNPLPRaiZU15p5eHA8iwbZ-GvzY-dx5Wsqf6SQiZjA_1YsbonhGMye2BjIBmvUV_du6Mvs6jlCauQaMe17pa65EZEDQzfXYXXajDhxCba-VHgTnfM7ryo9/s400/P1010038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667465987306713058" border="0" /></a><br />So what have YOU been up to?<br /></span></div>Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-88928537736485513932011-09-29T15:05:00.002-05:002011-09-29T15:12:12.557-05:00My Favorite People<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2KH7BD-6aKewnrpukntO2y_cvoVBh-jnxTTc8wVzcG51Y3lKuSrGIlxPDy_vYzWep5fVVhnFeX1_Sobp9FOXe2-p6cBZm4BoNgis5e5ShGE7_AW8DeWs4noNZ8B49wJHpoS8AZAz85HNn/s1600/Babywearing+at+the+arch+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2KH7BD-6aKewnrpukntO2y_cvoVBh-jnxTTc8wVzcG51Y3lKuSrGIlxPDy_vYzWep5fVVhnFeX1_Sobp9FOXe2-p6cBZm4BoNgis5e5ShGE7_AW8DeWs4noNZ8B49wJHpoS8AZAz85HNn/s400/Babywearing+at+the+arch+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657875709423504722" border="0" /></a>I realize that it's pretty random to pop back onto my blog and post a picture that is over a year old, but, well, it's one of my favorites. I don't think I ever posted it here, but I should have!<br /><br />This is at the top of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. We were able to go up in the Arch last June, and I snapped this picture of James, David, and Wendy all looking out and down at the Mississippi River. It was one of my favorite days, with three of my favorite people.<br /><br />Also, I love that James was wearing David in the <a href="http://www.becobabycarrier.com/index.asp">Beco</a> carrier. We still use the Beco from time to time; it was a wonderful investment and I highly recommend it!Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-71391908576561015932011-07-14T17:30:00.003-05:002011-07-14T17:52:48.503-05:00I Love McKayI took a big box of unwanted stuff to <a href="http://www.mckaybooks.com/">McKay</a> today, and in return I got $52 in store credit. I love store credit; I can always find good things to get in return! Here are today's gems:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1JMHLOTSN53j4sMz44aUwj5zfWood3EYPd5fNV7YkyI5r0_YJw7bWJZoOEueIELHjADmDudTuaaxiRNBRdW7AiMzoIsnCqEaNQ_Ih-4L0mHNjkM3yCXIosElGBjpHf0qvF7xepCYBmNe1/s1600/books.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1JMHLOTSN53j4sMz44aUwj5zfWood3EYPd5fNV7YkyI5r0_YJw7bWJZoOEueIELHjADmDudTuaaxiRNBRdW7AiMzoIsnCqEaNQ_Ih-4L0mHNjkM3yCXIosElGBjpHf0qvF7xepCYBmNe1/s400/books.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629344658591744722" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Books:<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ms-Frizzles-Adventures-Ancient-Egypt/dp/0590446819/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310683163&sr=8-1">Ms. Frizzle's Adventures: Ancient Egypt</a>, Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Childrens-Book-Home-Family/dp/0439569575/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310683190&sr=1-1">The Children's Book of Home and Family</a>, William J. Bennett<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goose-Who-Went-Off-Huff/dp/0531303179/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310683225&sr=1-1">The Goose Who Went Off in a Huff</a>, Paul Brett Johnson<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Usborne-Internet-Linked-Introduction-WLleen-OBrien/dp/0746067976/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310683248&sr=1-1">The Usborne Internet-Linked Introduction to Music</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Amelia-Bedelia-Read-Picture-Book/dp/0694012963/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310683321&sr=1-9">Amelia Bedelia</a>, by Peggy Parish<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/20th-Century-Childrens-Book-Treasury-Picture/dp/0679886478/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310683354&sr=1-1">The 20th Century Children's Book Treasury</a>, Janet Schulman<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Space-Internet-Discovery-Ben-Denne/dp/0794522424/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310683382&sr=1-1">Usborne Discovery Internet-Linked Space</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Trains-Discovery-Stephanie-Turnbull/dp/0794522467/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310683413&sr=1-1">Usborne Discovery Internet-Linked Trains</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Well-Trained-Mind-Guide-Classical-Education/dp/0393067084/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310683445&sr=1-1">The Well-Trained Mind</a>, Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Parable-Lily-Special-10th-Anniversary/dp/1400308445/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310683474&sr=1-1">The Parable of the Lily</a>, Liz Curtis Higgs<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Lady-Next-Door-Read/dp/0064440087/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310683504&sr=1-1">I Can Read 1: Harry and the Lady Next Door</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/More-Monsters-Can-Read-Book/dp/0064441091/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310683527&sr=1-1">I Can Read 1: No More Monsters for Me!</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Frog-Toad-Together-Read-Picture/dp/069401298X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310683550&sr=1-1">I Can Read 2: Frog and Toad Together</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Curious-George-Makes-Pancakes-Margaret/dp/0395919088/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310683601&sr=1-1">Curious George Makes Pancakes</a>, H. A. Rey<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wind-Willows-Puffin-Classics/dp/014132113X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310683623&sr=1-2">The Wind in the Willows</a>, Kenneth Grahame<br /><br />DVDs:<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Secondhand-Lions-New-Line-Platinum/dp/B0000YTP02/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1310683698&sr=1-1">Secondhand Lions</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Joseph-King-Dreams-Ben-Affleck/dp/B0002V7OMY/ref=sr_1_4?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1310683719&sr=1-4">Joseph, King of Dreams</a><br /><br />All of this came to $46 something, so I still have credit! Yay!Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-47649681638578735112011-06-30T21:08:00.003-05:002011-06-30T21:12:06.692-05:00The End.I did it! I posted every day in June! Yeehaw!<br /><br />It was fun; I enjoyed writing again. It was hard to find the time during the day, but much easier if I just planned to write after the kids were in bed (like tonight).<br /><br />I doubt I'll keep blogging daily, but I'll keep it up as I can. <br /><br />(And honestly, tonight I was going to just go to bed without blogging, but then I realized it's the last day of the month. I couldn't fail on the last day!)Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-11433600466910926762011-06-29T20:28:00.003-05:002011-06-29T20:34:17.624-05:00He Didn't Do a BackflipJames and I participated in a workshop at Lipscomb University today, and it was great. Very informative, thought-provoking, soul-stirring, and exhausting. I'll blog about that later.<br /><br />When I was looking at the schedule for the day, I chuckled a little to myself. "Huh, the guy who's speaking at lunchtime is named Scott Hamilton. I bet he gets jokes about the figure skater all the time."<br /><br />I really did think that.<br /><br />Guess what?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gCpZTnglR1vWi_aym6kVQfJKVlU7XrtoQEteQAb8QmgTkitvwkb2i6Dc9hrnigNBspLiIiw6wiM3IaQmZVQRtpRRV5tIXN6C-AvwQshu0-izwGvHlbVKPus_i5a4E2d973SICTRx0qEY/s1600/Scott.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:left;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 378px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gCpZTnglR1vWi_aym6kVQfJKVlU7XrtoQEteQAb8QmgTkitvwkb2i6Dc9hrnigNBspLiIiw6wiM3IaQmZVQRtpRRV5tIXN6C-AvwQshu0-izwGvHlbVKPus_i5a4E2d973SICTRx0qEY/s400/Scott.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623819116365766338" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Hamilton_%28figure_skater%29">THE Scott Hamilton</a>. You know, the 4-time World Champion figure skater? You know, the Olympic gold medal figure skater? You know, the man I've watched skate all my life? The one who has always been my favorite?<br /><br />THAT Scott Hamilton.<br /><br />Also? He was an incredible speaker. The story of his life, his career, and his faith is truly inspirational. He had us laughing, crying, and laughing again, and he was very gracious when I spoke with him.<br /><br />I spoke with Scott Hamilton.<br /><br />Over and out.Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-85157485921771009142011-06-28T21:54:00.005-05:002011-06-28T21:59:39.511-05:00Word to the Wise<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">If you want to score major mom points by covering the edges of ice cream sandwiches with fun sprinkles...</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgam7zRqXHRE7bqltF5nfwhq5pNtOMvXUxcLiYREto9zKgJGKuenI_X9CYR2_uOz3tPIpkrDwyhQnwMBzaI_y75Vc2JuIsmykknpBOq39enoRdHeIGUIEretTgs6PYG8bry3EixSR-rjXG1/s1600/sprinkle+cheese.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 295px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgam7zRqXHRE7bqltF5nfwhq5pNtOMvXUxcLiYREto9zKgJGKuenI_X9CYR2_uOz3tPIpkrDwyhQnwMBzaI_y75Vc2JuIsmykknpBOq39enoRdHeIGUIEretTgs6PYG8bry3EixSR-rjXG1/s400/sprinkle+cheese.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623470517969965298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:180%;">...don't use red ones.</span><br /></div>Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-20997785149831264342011-06-27T17:33:00.002-05:002011-06-27T17:49:51.493-05:00Our (Tentative) Curriculum ChoicesI've put a lot of effort into finalizing our list for Wendy's kindergarten year, and I'm still not entirely convinced that my current list is what we'll end up using. Because this is our first year, we're trying out some things that may or may not work for us. Anyway, here's the list, in no particular order:<br /><ul><li>Math - <a href="http://www.aophomeschooling.com/product/jmc100/">Horizons 1st Grade Math</a><br /></li><li>Reading - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Child-Read-Lessons/dp/0671631985/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309214326&sr=8-1">Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons</a>, lots of read-alouds<br /></li><li>Penmanship - <a href="http://shopping.hwtears.com/product/My_Printing_Book/handwriting">Handwriting Without Tears - My Printing Book</a> (1st Grade)<br /></li><li>History - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Story-World-History-Classical-Earliest/dp/1933339012/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1309214450&sr=8-3">The Story of the World, Vol. 1</a> & <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Story-World-Activity-Book-Earliest/dp/1933339055/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b">activity book</a><br /></li><li>Art - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Usborne-Art-Treasury-Rosie-Dickins/dp/0794514529/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1309214568&sr=1-1">Usborne Art Treasury</a><br /></li><li>Science - unit studies using the library & online resources<br /></li><li>P. E. - maybe a gymnastics or dance class<br /></li><li>Music - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Alfreds-Basic-Piano-Library-Course/dp/088284816X/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1309214670&sr=1-10">Piano lessons</a> with Grandpa, <a href="http://maestroclassics.com/">Maestro Classics</a><br /></li><li>Bible - nightly Bible reading as a family, memory work</li></ul>In addition to the schoolbooks themselves, there are various and sundry supplies to purchase - art supplies, paper, things to help us get/stay organized.<br /><br />It's a little overwhelming.<br /><br />So if you know of a way for me to earn about $300 quickly, in a legal and morally-upright manner, please let me know!Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-17180391646462108882011-06-26T07:19:00.002-05:002011-06-26T07:26:33.778-05:00Lots to Do...Before we start our school year, there are several big items on the to-do list:<br /><ul><li>Plan out school calendar - decide on length & timing of breaks</li><li>Finalize decisions about curricula & purchase</li><li>Move kids' bedroom upstairs</li><li>Set up playroom/schoolroom downstairs</li></ul>That doesn't sound like much, does it? Those last two items, however, are going to be rather complicated. I'd like to paint the room upstairs before we move the kids up there, but all the way around the room, below a chair rail, is thick painted-on wallpaper. I hate wallpaper. I hate removing wallpaper, and this looks to be the worst I've ever had to work with. We also need to do some baby-proofing up there and add a light in the stairway.<br /><br />The playroom/schoolroom won't be as difficult to set up, although we'll be painting there, too. It was Wendy's first bedroom, so the walls are currently two lovely shades of lavender. We'll be painting them a nice vibrant orange-y yellow, and it's going to make the room look so bright and cheerful! After painting, we need to figure out some cheap-but-sturdy, easy-to-use storage furniture. I'm hoping to get things organized in such a way that the kids can clean it up by themselves pretty easily.<br /><br />So, considering all of that work, and considering that we don't really have any workable budget, we're going to have our hands full.<br /><br />Who wants to come help me remove that painted-on wallpaper?? Anyone?Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-13296147559587258342011-06-25T09:37:00.002-05:002011-06-25T09:43:12.229-05:00Saturday Reading<a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/03/yummy-delightful-mystery-rolls/">Mystery Rolls</a> / The Pioneer Woman Cooks : Absolutely delicious! They taste kind of like a Cheez-It, but in a buttery biscuit form.<br /><a href="http://angiesmithonline.com/2011/06/honeysuckle-and-fireflies/"><br /></a><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class=" down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><a href="http://angiesmithonline.com/2011/06/honeysuckle-and-fireflies/">Honeysuckle and Fireflies</a> / Angie Smith : The first line got me. A wonderful read!<br /><br /><a href="http://thegypsymama.com/2011/06/how-to-not-splinter-your-daughters-heart-epilogue/">How to Not Splinter Your Daughter's Heart</a> / The Gypsy Mama : Very well written; something most mothers, especially of daughters, struggle with.<br /><a href="http://www.pickyourown.org/TNmiddle.htm"><br />Pick Your Own</a>: Where to find pick-your-own farms in Middle Tennessee. I'm looking forward to picking blueberries again this year!<br /></span></span>Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-28529202473996334562011-06-24T21:51:00.003-05:002011-06-24T22:07:30.457-05:00Wendy's Favorite Book<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRnqcmYu27FtuT6Sn5zPliQNWSY8mdd0MJ60vXx9vDnocB2e5QliR40jyGC1pamP0GRcL5sAH8FD0zsYJ_uENdSCvjWROBsjNLdyhUC-NnrQWMZM1GZAyNyD5eKHgDsurST2XpiQ3VuDj/s1600/dragon.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRnqcmYu27FtuT6Sn5zPliQNWSY8mdd0MJ60vXx9vDnocB2e5QliR40jyGC1pamP0GRcL5sAH8FD0zsYJ_uENdSCvjWROBsjNLdyhUC-NnrQWMZM1GZAyNyD5eKHgDsurST2XpiQ3VuDj/s400/dragon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621985517446189826" border="0" /></a>A couple of weeks ago, I <a href="http://jeniallen.blogspot.com/2011/06/bedtime-read-alouds.html">mentioned</a> in a post that Wendy and I were reading "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Three-Tales-My-Fathers-Dragon/dp/0679889116/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1308970457&sr=1-1">My Father's Dragon</a>," by Ruth Stiles Gannett. We had just started reading the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/My-Fathers-Dragon-Junior-ebook/dp/B0050D2AJ6/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1308970568&sr=1-2">Kindle version</a>, because I had seen it recommended and it was temporarily free. (It's not free anymore, but it's a whopping $.99, so go buy it.) I hadn't ever read it before but it looked interesting, so we began reading before Wendy's nap one day.<br /><br />We read three chapters in that first sitting, because neither one of us wanted to stop! We had to find out what was going to happen to Elmer! Was he going to take the cat's advice? Would he be discovered on the ship? And most importantly, would he find the dragon?<br /><br />The book is a simple and sweet adventure story, wherein good triumphs over naughty (I wouldn't say there's real "evil" anywhere in the story), creativity pays off, and quick thinking saves the day. There are ten chapters, and each chapter takes about 5 minutes to read aloud, depending on how much time you spend discussing as you go. The illustrations are fantastic, and are displayed quite clearly on the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/My-Fathers-Dragon-Junior-ebook/dp/B0050D2AJ6/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1308971042&sr=1-2">Kindle version</a>; some Kindle versions of children's books have sacrificed the quality of the illustrations, but this one is really good.<br /><br />We ended up enjoying the book so much that the day after we finished it, Wendy asked, "Can we please read 'My Father's Dragon' all over again?" I ordered the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Three-Tales-My-Fathers-Dragon/dp/0679889116/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1308970457&sr=1-1">hardcover version</a> that is pictured, and it has all three stories in the "My Father's Dragon" series in one volume. We've started reading the first story again and plan to read all the way through the series.<br /><br />It's been a long time since I read a children's chapter book that I fell in love with.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Not a compensated review. I just love the book.</span>Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-72430364203475243832011-06-23T14:24:00.003-05:002011-06-23T15:04:03.941-05:00The Heart of a Little GirlShe's a<a href="http://jeniallen.blogspot.com/2009/08/photographic-memory.html"> wild little horse</a>.<br /><br />A <a href="http://jeniallen.blogspot.com/2011/06/anger-management.html">firecracker</a>.<br /><br />A <a href="http://jeniallen.blogspot.com/2010/07/masterpiece.html">masterpiece</a>.<br /><br />A <a href="http://jeniallen.blogspot.com/2011/04/conspiracy.html">plotter</a>.<br /><br />A <a href="http://jeniallen.blogspot.com/2010/05/wordless-wednesday.html">mighty bug hunter</a>.<br /><br />Wendy is a wonderful, beautiful, confusing, confounding, strong, opinionated little girl, and she our daughter. That means it's our job - our <span style="font-style: italic;">blessing</span>- to teach her and guide her in the way she should go. To train her spirit, prune her behaviors, and shape her attitude into what it should be. Some days, the task seems insurmountable; parenting is a tough job, especially when you have a spirited child.<br /><br />I've been doing some reading lately, and two books have stood out as being remarkably helpful as we try to grow in wisdom and effectiveness as parents.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shepherding-Childs-Heart-Tedd-Tripp/dp/0966378601/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1308857111&sr=1-1">Shepherding a Child's Heart</a>, by Tedd Tripp, is a remarkable book. Instead of focusing on turning a child's behavior from wrong to right, Dr. Tripp advocates addressing the <span style="font-style: italic;">real</span> problem - the heart of the child. From the introduction:<br /><blockquote>"The central focus of parenting is the gospel. You need to direct not simply the behavior of your children, but the attitudes of their hearts. You need to show them not just the “what” of their sin and failure, but the “why.” Your children desperately need to understand not only the external “what” they did wrong, but also the internal “why” they did it. You must help them see that God works from the inside out. Therefore, your parenting goal cannot simply by well-behaved children. Your children must also understand why they sin and how to recognize internal change."</blockquote>I strongly believe that all parents should read this book. Even parents with children who are always patient, always kind, never talk back, never throw tantrums, always think of others first, always do tasks immediately, always answer respectfully...wait, do you know any children like that? Me, neither. The point remains - all parents should read this book!<br /><br />The second book is one for parents and little girls to read together and discuss. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbMiTyJ8vsc7kf1XjCvOB4pVm-IibbMdtbDtvWnWEG7oDNta89uzezAZvB5RrwR4mePHDhJ1UoROxAg5kEonyHt9ULApeNleEE45amvQJ5-G8ZrkEaYAPP1BZVtuISF-oatot-ED_FYAU/s1600/girl+book.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbMiTyJ8vsc7kf1XjCvOB4pVm-IibbMdtbDtvWnWEG7oDNta89uzezAZvB5RrwR4mePHDhJ1UoROxAg5kEonyHt9ULApeNleEE45amvQJ5-G8ZrkEaYAPP1BZVtuISF-oatot-ED_FYAU/s400/girl+book.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621507409634833170" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Little-Girl-After-Gods-Heart/dp/0736915451/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1308858852&sr=1-2">A Little Girl After God's Own Heart: Learning God's Ways In My Early Days</a>, by Elizabeth George, is a delightful book for girls in the 4-8 age range. It focuses on the <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%205:22-23&version=NIV">fruit of the spirit</a>, giving specific examples of how those wonderful attributes come into play in everyday life. (I hadn't heard of this book until earlier this week when I read about it on someone's blog, but I can't remember who - if it was you, let me know & I'll give you credit!) We started reading this book today, and I was surprised with how well Wendy received it. And the lessons on patience? self-control? gentleness? EXACTLY what we need right now!<br /><br />There is a book for boys, too: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Little-Boy-After-Gods-Heart/dp/0736917829/ref=pd_sim_b_2">A Little Boy After God's Own Heart</a>, by Jim & Elizabeth George. We'll be buying that one in the next year or so for our David.<br /><br />I wish I could give copies of both books to everyone I know. I can't recommend them highly enough. They've really made a difference in how I think about parenting!Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-43602090808566375072011-06-22T08:59:00.003-05:002011-06-22T09:27:36.122-05:00It's Aliiiiiive!!Back in the fall, I made a mistake. If I had thought about the potential consequences, I would never have let this scenario develop.<br /><br />Let me set the scene:<br /><ul><li>toddler boy</li><li>Mama's big 22-oz travel mug of coffee, half full, no lid</li><li>Mama's iPod Classic</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Pure-Fi-High-Performance-Stereo-System/dp/B000VRRPSC/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1308751544&sr=1-1">Nice iPod dock stereo thing</a><br /></li><li>Mama occupied in another room<br /></li></ul>You can see where this is going, right? David, for reasons known only to him, decided to take my iPod out of the dock, dunk it in the coffee several times, and then put it back in the dock. Because he replaced it in the dock, I didn't even realize what he had done for several hours, when I suddenly noticed coffee drips leading to the dock, and sticky little fingerprints all over the iPod. I was not amused.<br /><br />I dried the iPod out as much as I could, and I was shocked that it still worked. Shocked! That didn't last; over the course of time, things slowly started to go wrong with it, until it finally turned into a very expensive paperweight. Resigning myself to its fate, I splurged and bought myself a new<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Apple-iPod-Generation-NEWEST-MODEL/dp/B002M3SO0Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1308752065&sr=1-1"> iPod Nano</a> and new <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Maxell-MMEB-P-MS-Earbud-Pink/dp/B0026FCI4I/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1308752094&sr=1-3">earbuds</a>, both of which I have really enjoyed.<br /><br />James wasn't so resigned. He did some research and found <a href="http://missionrepair.com">a company called Mission Repair</a> that specializes in repair of small electronics and computers. He packed up my coffee-soaked iPod and sent it off. Yesterday, two weeks after he sent it off, it came back, fully-functional! Really! The Mission Repair people reported that it had "severe water damage" (heh) but they replaced a something-or-other and cleaned it up and it works great! The kids and I are currently listening to our <a href="http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B002V0QDN0&qid=1308752816&sr=1-1">favorite audiobooks</a> while we play.<br /><br />We will continue to use the iPod Nano for on-the-go, in-the-car, out-and-about-type uses, but the Classic will stay firmly ensconced in the dock...out of reach of toddlers and coffee.<br /><br />If you have an iPod or phone that is in the "expensive paperweight" category, I suggest checking out <a href="http://missionrepair.com">Mission Repair</a>!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">All of these opinions are my own. Mission Repair doesn't know me or my blog, and has not reimbursed or compensated me in any way for this post. I'm just really impressed with their service!</span></span>Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-4339347040290315122011-06-20T21:50:00.005-05:002011-06-20T21:58:13.496-05:00Show Me the Workbook!Today, Wendy was asking and asking to do schoolwork. I didn't have anything planned, so I was pulling things off the shelf to see if we could find something to do. I came across her <a href="http://shopping.hwtears.com/product/My_Printing_Book/handwriting">next handwriting workbook</a>, and she asked to see it. I let her look through it, cautioning her that she couldn't start it until we finished up her <a href="http://shopping.hwtears.com/product/Letters_and_Numbers_for_Me/handwriting">current workbook</a>.<br /><br />She ended up taking the new workbook under her bed, where she slowly flipped through it. Then she came and sat next to me to show me every single page in the book.<br /><br />And then she eagerly sat down with her current book, and proceeded to work at her handwriting for over an hour.<br /><br />Seriously.<br /><br />I had to tell her it was time to stop, and she asked if she could work on it again tomorrow. The lure of that brand-new yellow workbook is just too much to resist!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I highly recommend <a href="http://www.hwtears.com/hwt">Handwriting Without Tears</a>. This isn't a paid endorsement, nor did I get any free products - they don't know me from Adam. I just love their workbooks, and Wendy does, too!</span>Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-58831266040451332072011-06-19T00:01:00.000-05:002011-06-19T00:01:01.853-05:00About My Dad...by Wendy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMpWq6Ehyv_CsRBz09teX46sV43KFUnixGE7ZVjF-Zisb1LBDHnikQgUn1E3cOi6JJvmZKb5cOXZMJAkOFAwBBLdVTsn57JbK57PZbnmLlwNYqluiKPN34p6RqlzYTKwq6gXIXDYuIZES/s1600/New+Daddy+b%2526w.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMpWq6Ehyv_CsRBz09teX46sV43KFUnixGE7ZVjF-Zisb1LBDHnikQgUn1E3cOi6JJvmZKb5cOXZMJAkOFAwBBLdVTsn57JbK57PZbnmLlwNYqluiKPN34p6RqlzYTKwq6gXIXDYuIZES/s400/New+Daddy+b%2526w.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619681543281600466" border="0" /></a><br />My daddy's name is <span style="font-style: italic;">James</span>.<br />He is<span style="font-style: italic;"> 91 years</span> old, <span style="font-style: italic;">91 inches</span> tall and weighs <span style="font-style: italic;">36 pounds</span>.<br />His favorite food is <span style="font-style: italic;">macaroni and cheese.</span><br />My daddy is really good at <span style="font-style: italic;">drawing pictures.</span><br />He loves to <span style="font-style: italic;">draw</span>.<br />My favorite things to do with my dad are <span style="font-style: italic;">drive Mario Kart! And play with him.</span><br />I'm just like my dad because I <span style="font-style: italic;">am four</span>.<br />What I love most about my daddy is <span style="font-style: italic;">huggies and kissies! I like him giving presents to me at Christmas.</span><br />It makes Dad happy when <span style="font-style: italic;">I am being good.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Happy Father's Day!</span><br /></div>Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-52288179064631537162011-06-18T08:15:00.002-05:002011-06-18T08:21:08.744-05:00Saturday Reading<a href="http://www.amarthaheart.com/2011/06/11/onion-rings-and-dippin-sauce/">Onion Rings and Dippin' Sauce</a> / A Martha Heart: These look delicious! They'd be perfect for a game night.<br /><br /><a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/03/baked-kale-chips/">Baked Kale Chips</a> / Smitten Kitchen: I have kale in my fridge right now, waiting to be made into chips today.<br /><a href="http://www.thrivingfamily.com/Family/Media/book-reviews/picture-books/picture-books.aspx?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign="><br />Family-Friendly Picture Books</a> / Thriving Family: I love picture books, and am going to look into some of their recommendations.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.icanteachmychild.com/2011/06/animal-mix-up-legos.html">Animal Mix-Up Legos</a> / I can teach my child!: David would love this game, and it would be something for him to work on while Wendy and I do school.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mutheringheights.com/?p=8459">Where's the Grace?</a> / Muthering Heights: A great post, a must-read for any mother who sometimes feels like she is spinning her wheels.Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2677289428871765088.post-62010173279896541962011-06-17T11:55:00.003-05:002011-06-17T12:49:13.227-05:00Cat-in-the-Hat Jell-oAs I was mixing up some <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/To-Die-For-Blueberry-Muffins/Detail.aspx">delicious muffins</a> this morning, my mind was wandering. I realized that I never posted about the food at Wendy's Cat-in-the-Hat birthday party. You know, back in September. *ahem*<br /><br />Anyway, we had the predictable green eggs (deviled eggs with green food coloring) and ham (<a href="http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/04/ham-and-cheese-sliders.html">ham & cheese sliders</a>), plus chips, veggies, dip and fruit. But my favorite part of the party food was the Cat-in-the-Hat Jell-o.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsX4kpBVUeobj82CTqjvWOWzDOgQlMCmvEMnRd-ZMZ6LAuswjkdARUsocB4hDtQtXTft4ZYBtrVf5G4WYhcsmXPpEdVSAFYSPTPozdKg0YsCl25OP__Chrj7ZFOlGlEkMM1xP8_hRI-0SC/s1600/hats.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsX4kpBVUeobj82CTqjvWOWzDOgQlMCmvEMnRd-ZMZ6LAuswjkdARUsocB4hDtQtXTft4ZYBtrVf5G4WYhcsmXPpEdVSAFYSPTPozdKg0YsCl25OP__Chrj7ZFOlGlEkMM1xP8_hRI-0SC/s400/hats.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619235459218589570" border="0" /></a> It's not a great picture, but can you see it? There in the blue dish? They are little Cat-in-the-Hat hats made from layered Jell-o! I wish I had a better picture, but I was so busy at the party that I didn't have time to take good pictures of the food. I found a recipe online and tweaked it to make these. I didn't have a small round cookie cutter, so I used a (clean) medicine cup to cut the shapes, then put them in white mini-muffin cups. They were adorable, and perfect for a Cat-in-the-Hat-themed party!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Cat-in-the-Hat Jell-o:</span><br />4 pkg. 3 oz cherry Jell-o<br />4 packets of Knox unflavored gelatin<br />1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk<br /><br />1. Mix 1 pkg cherry Jell-o with 1/2 packet of unflavored gelatin. Add 1 cup boiling water. Stir to dissolve. Cool to room temp and pour into 9 x 13 glass pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.<br /><br />2. Mix the can of sweetened condensed milk with 1 cup boiling water. In a small bowl, sprinkle 2 packets unflavored gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Let stand a few minutes and then add 1/2 cup boiling water to dissolve gelatin; add to milk mixture and stir to combine. Cool to room temp and pour 1 cup of milk mixture over first layer of jello. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.<br /><br />3. Repeat layers - cherry, the rest of the milk mixture, cherry. Refrigerate for 15 minutes between each layer, and refrigerate 4 hours before cutting.Jenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729009123366337211noreply@blogger.com2