Happy New Year

Another Happy New Year to all of my blogger friends. I thought last year was a year that was tough, but 2009 really showed out! I am so thankful to have made it through! Gratefully, we've had more gains than losses.


Every year the kids and I make silly, paper glasses with the new upcoming year as the frame. We have been doing it since 2000, but the first 3 years were with a Polaroid, before my digital camera days. Years 2005 and 2006 were lost when my old computer crashed. Look here if you want to see "how they have grown."

Blog Awards

MomInTheTrench gave me a blog award and I have to admit, getting an award is one of the things that makes me happy.

Now for the fine print. The Happy 101 Blog Award Rules are as follows: List 10 things that make you happy, try to do at least one of them today, and tag 10 bloggers that brighten your day. For those 10 bloggers who get the award, you then link back to my blog and create your list of things that make you happy.

1. Realizing a blessing

2. Watching my kids learn, play, and laugh!

3. Getting a great deal on Ebay

4. Validation (Love blogging comments and awards! Lifted this one right from Mom In The Trench ~Smile~)

5. Family vacation

6. My favorite television shows with cliff hangers (I’m 1 of those yell-at-the-t.v. types)

7. Farmtown and Farmville on Facebook

8. Simply Apple™ apple juice

9. Camping

10. Fishing

I would like to pass this award to those brave parents, fighting in the trenches, that decide to get up again in the morning:

Corey @ Watching the Waters

Reighnie @ Monkey Trouble

Christine @ Welcome to my Brain

Diane @ Gold to Refine

Beemommy @ With Love from Sumy

Another Hit!

Once again, Dollar Store Christmas was a great success! Last year we started a new tradition and had so much fun that we decided we would continue it this year.


On Thursday (12/24) we made cookies and had fun with the frosting.

James was trying so hard not to lick the spreading spoon that he tucked his lips in to fight the temptation. LOL!!

The kids put the tree up and really did not want to decorated it. They did put 1 box of candy canes on it (half of which were eaten during the decorating) their 3 gingerbread men and they put 2 strings of popcorn only around the bottom half. They were happy with it and I let it be their project. We have a new foster child with us for an extended respite and bless her heart, I'm sure she thought we were nutsy, but did enjoy shopping for her mom and sister at the Dollar Store.

When we started Dollar Store Christmas, the kids made a list of everyone in the family and purchased a gift for each person. This year, 5 year old Jackson came out of the store with his gifts and when Poppy sat down with him to help him wrap gifts, there seemed to be an extra one. When my dad ask who that gift was for, he said, "It's for Jackson!" When he made his list, he listed all the family members including himself. The kicker was, when he opened his gift to him from him, he was so excited and had the biggest smile. My brother was like, " The 5 year old has changed the rules to the game and I like it!"

A huge pile of over 40 gifts under the tree for just over $40. The fun = priceless!

My Christmas Card To You All!

Last Day of School

Monday, December 21st is our last day of school for Christmas break. We are planning a Christmas decorating party and 6th grade went into the store to shop for party goods all by herself! Let's just say... that girl likes her shopping!!

Saturday

6th grade and I are watching "Left Behind: The Movie" together as she has read the kids series and most of the adult series. She has been wanting to see it for a while and I have been holding off, but decided to watch with her today. I love how her mind works and her 11 year old interpretation of things.

Peace

Numbers Words

2nd grade continues to do very well in math and because we have not shared much of his work lately, we decided to show how well he is doing in writing and reading number words.

Library Day

We went to the library today and our wonderful librarian told us that is was Christmas story and craft day, but that no one had registered for the class. I guess it did not make it to the website. So we went in and she read 4 great stories: 2 about the gingerbread baby, 1 that told about the 12 days of Christmas and a neat little book called: "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" By John Rox and Bruce Whatley. I had never heard that one before and I am sure that I enjoyed it more than the kids did!

The craft was a chance to make our own gingerbread man ornaments. They smelled delicious!

Fun fun!

After School Activities

Why is it that my homeschooled kids can't wait till the end of school time and then get up and go in the other room and play "school"?!?!?

~Smile~

Home Economics

Check out what Princess Puppy is cookin'.

Presidential Studies

2nd grade is studying past Presidents and when he drew this picture, I just had to share.

Now We Have Teeth...

In science class, Pre-K is studying cells. We are using the book, Sam's Science: I Know How My Cells Make Me Grow and today Pre-K was drawing a picture of the characters from the book. Remember when I was so excited that we had 5 fingers with my then first grader? Well I am now proud to announce that with Pre-K, people have teeth!

Choices...

Yesterday (Saturday) 6th grade had her very first recital with the other students from the studio where she is taking voice lessons. It was wonderful! Before we left, as I was getting everyone dressed we had a small wardrobe malfunction which put us a little behind on time, so as we were walking out the door, there was just a bit of frantic grabbing of last minute items. I reached for what I though was a pack of gum to throw in my pocket:

But what I grabbed was this:

Which I did not find out about until we were sitting in the auditorium waiting for the performance.

Not the way to get fresh minty breath! LOL!

This morning as we were heading out for church, I told the kids to grab money for the offering plate to stick in their pockets/purse. Later, as the plate was being passed around, James pulls this out of his pocket:

He could not understand why he could not spend this Bahamian dollar here in the States.

Just before I wrote this post, the phone rang and I picked up the t.v. remote.... I think we've had too much vacation. ROFL!

Field Trip

Today we went to a bounce arena with our home school group. I was able to surprise the children with this trip and they. had. a. BALL!!!!! It was a really nice set up as I had never been to any place like this. The price was very reasonable: $4 per child for 3 hours. There were couches and massage chairs for the parents to sit in and a very nice sized group. I think this will be a monthly thing that we will try to participate in this winter.

6th grade has posted about The Best Vacation Ever!! over at her blog, Princess Puppy. Check it out and give her some support.