Homefront

Were you lucky enough to watch the WWII TV series "Homefront" in the early 1990's?  It remains one of my favorite TV shows and I am still not over the fact that it was cancelled after only 2 years.  I loved Ginger and Jeff (Kyle Chandler) (Would they ever get married??).  And who could forget Charlie and his British girlfriend? "Cha-lie!" Even the beginning theme song, "You've got to acc-en-tu-ate the positive, e-lim-in-ate the negative..." was memorable.  It was a prime time soap, but even Jeff loved it!  When we first got married and were moving into our apartment, I remember carrying our huge new TV up flights of stairs as fast as we could so we wouldn't miss a minute!  This was before Tivo.:-)  Then the final episode aired and our VCR failed to tape it!  I was heartbroken.  I saw this picture on the internet, so I know the set exists, but I can't find where to purchase it.:(  If any of you stumble across the series, please let me know.  I have been waiting 15 years to find out what happened...

Row, Row, Row your Boat...

I thought we were going to float away today...  It's been raining hard for days and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight.  Sigh.  We went to the park during a break in the downpour and saw this sad tree that (we think) had been struck by lightening.  Such lovely pink flowers!  The girls even tucked some in their hair.  We decided to stop and enjoy the beauty before it was gone.  Lucky thing we did, as the limbs were cleared away within the hour...  

Candlelight Hour

We had the most wonderful evening.  We turned off all our lights at 7:45 and enjoyed our first "Candlelight Hour."  We all put our jammies on and read by the soft light of candles...  It actually turned out to be longer than an hour as no one wanted to turn the lights back on!  It was a cozy, peaceful time as we enjoyed the quiet presence of each other.  

Educational Fair

My girls participated in their first Educational Fair this weekend.  They worked very hard on their projects and were quite excited about the event (so were we!).  Mandy did her project on poisonous plants.  Did you know that tomato leaves and stems are poisonous and so is uncooked asparagus?  This was news to me...  I don't usually crave these things, but you never know..  Katie did her project on butterflies.  Did you know that only 2 out of approximately 100 butterfly eggs survive?  The next time I see a butterfly I will appreciate it much more than before.

Jeff was able to come which was a special treat.  The girls stood by their projects and answered questions from the judges and others.  After all was said and done, Katie tied for 1st place in the preschool category and Mandy tied for 4th place (with her good friend, Hannah) in the 4th grade category!  We were so proud of them!  We all learned a lot and the girls got experience in public speaking, too.

We wish they lived closer....

The girls were so excited to see their friend, Chelsea, (and her 4 cute little brothers) at the park today!  They no longer live close by, but they were here this week taking care of their grandfather who is recovering from surgery.  The weather was gorgeous, although a bit windy, and we enjoyed a picnic, feeding the ducks, swinging, playing on the playground, climbing trees and just being together.  Katie discovered some eggs hidden inside a tree and then the boys found some by the swings!  

Gumdrop Flowers

Katie made the cutest little cupcakes in her cooking class the other day.  She absolutely loves creating yummy masterpieces!  She made chocolate cupcakes with gumdrop flowers and chocolate ice cream cone dirt.:-)  I snapped a few pictures before they disappeared...

"God Grew Tired of Us"

As a family, we watched the documentary, "God Grew Tired of Us" this evening.  For so many reasons it was a wonderful, though very tragic, story.  I had never even heard of The Lost Boys of Sudan, but now I feel compelled to share their story.  It will make you appreciate how blessed we are to be American citizens.  The young men featured are so charming- you will fall in love with them!  Watch this movie and I promise you will be deeply touched.

Button Flowers

I love buttons, so when I saw the darling button flowers on Artsy Crafty Babe's blog I just had to make some!  I made these into pins and put them on a canvas bag that I am filling with goodies for my Nana's birthday.  Makes me think of Spring!:-) 

Easter Fun

Happy Easter everyone!  We had a wonderful, although very chilly day.  We got to church (just 2 minutes late) and the church was so full we had to sit in the front row.  I've always been afraid to sit in the first row, so this was my first time!  You know what?  I really loved it!  I felt so much more connected to the minister and the girls were very well behaved, too.  (They usually are, but you never know what will happen in the first pew...)  Perhaps we will sit in the front row again next week.:-)

The Easter Bunny hopped by with some treats for the girls, which is always fun, but I'm proud to say Mandy and Katie both know the true reason of why Easter is so special.  Today we celebrate the fact that Jesus is alive!  He died for us and arose from the grave 3 days later.  It is so overwhelming for me to think of His sacrifice.  

We went out for brunch and had the most wonderful meal.  Katie even bumped into her friend, Taylor, which helped with the 40 minute wait.  Once we were seated, Katie could hardly sit still as she knew that we would have our Easter egg hunt when we got home!:-)

Daddy hid eggs in the backyard for the girls- over and over and over.:-)  When he got tired, Mandy took over the job and hid them for Katie.  Then later, Katie hid eggs in the house for Daddy.  We should have egg hunts more often, don't you think?  

Personalized Journals

Birthdays are popping up all over my calendar so I spent the last few evenings making personalized journals.  It was lots of fun and I'm hoping my friends will enjoy writing in them.:-) 

Who's up for a Mystery?

I mentioned on an earlier post how much I enjoy hosting murder mystery parties.  Well, I bought another one.  I couldn't help myself.  This particular one was in a YARD SALE.  Some poor soul had no idea of what was in their possession and lucky me- I plucked it right up.  Yep, I did (as my heart did a little flip flop).   

You know the best part about these games?  Besides the fact that you get to act silly and solve a mystery (who doesn't love that?) you get to pretend that you are someone else for a night. Someone exotic, mysterious and, most of the time, rich.  Plus, there are secrets.:-)  OK, who's ready to solve a mystery with me?

Postcard Kids Project

The girls and I are on a quest to receive postcards from all over the world!  We joined a group on-line this week that is trying to accomplish the same thing and got our first postcard today!:-)  It was from a family in Arizona.  In return, we are also sending postcards to people.  Postcards at Wal Mart are only 20 cents and a postcard stamp is just 26 cents.  Mandy writes a note on some postcards and Katie makes a picture on others.  This activity will be a fun part of our geography lessons.  If you want to join the fun visit:  www.frugalcountrymom.com and click on Postcard Kids Project.  

Hugo and friends...

My sister adopted the little cutie pie on the left.  She named him Hugo.:-)  Isn't he precious?  Unfortunately, things did not work out, and she is so sad about it...  Anyway, he has found a new home so things will work out for the best.  Don't worry, Amy!

The other picture is one that she shared with me of some other cute pugs.  I love it and thought you would, too!  It definitely makes you smile and we can all use that...

Seven Things about Me

I've been tagged by http://thehappyhomeschoolmom.blogspot.com!

Here are the rules:

1.  Link to your tagger and post the rules on your blog.

2.  Share seven facts about yourself (some random, some weird).

3.  Tag seven people by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.

4.  Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.   

Seven Things about Me

1.  I am allergic to guinea pigs (of all things...)

2.  I love hosting murder mystery parties (guests come dressed in character and a crime is solved) and dream about doing it for a living.  I use period clothing, music, props, etc.!

3.  I love having my hair brushed.  It's as relaxing as a massage.

4.  I am very afraid of spiders, although I am SO much better than I used to be.

5.  I hate clowns.

6.  I love the idea of Starbucks, but don't like coffee.

7.  I HATE leashes people put on their children.  Leashes are for dogs.

I am tagging:

Denita at http://homesteadblogger.com/bluegrassridge/

Carla at http://thriftinandcraftin.blogspot.com

Roxanne at http://thedragovich5.blogspot.com

Melanie at http://slightlycrunchycatholic.blogspot.com

Jessica at http://BareFootInTheBackYard.blogspot.com

Allison at http://sewmanygirls.blogspot.com

Quilt Give Away!

They are giving away the most gorgeous quilt at www.oldbarnco.blogspot.com!  The drawing will be TOMORROW, the 19th, so hurry and stop by today and leave a comment to be entered.  Please mention you saw this on my blog, if you don't mind, as I will get an additional entry.  I LOVE quilts, don't you?:-)

My Easter Basket!

This is the fabulous Easter basket I received from my swap buddy, Denita.  I loved everything, but was particularly impressed with the beautiful napkins she embroidered for me.   Gorgeous and so thoughtful!  She even sent some treats for the girls and Snookie.  I adore bunnies and she included bunny ornaments, cards, a banner and a mug.  What a sweetheart!  

My Love List

My Love List

I love folding clothes when they are still warm from the dryer.  I love lying on the beach with

 a fabulous mystery, a cold soda and no responsibilities.  I love impossibly soft, worn flannel sheets on a cold

 night.  I love opening a new box of crayons.  I love warm brownies, fresh from the oven and

 cold milk with ice cubes.  I love watching snow fall.  I love spending time with animals- they

 ask for little and give much.  I love taking pictures with my digital camera and getting

 immediate gratification.  I love sharing pictures.  I love finding goodies in TJ Maxx and Target.

  I love the cool, quietness of book stores and libraries.  I love getting ideas from magazines and

 friends and bringing them to life.  I love seeing the first shoots of green poking their heads

 through the soil and knowing that your planting was a success.  I love opening presents slowly

 as the day is over too quickly.  I love the thought of Ireland- green, lush and full of mystery.  I

 love Nancy Drew and the idea that one day I may actually be able to solve a mystery.  I love

 red, juicy, home grown tomatoes- still warm from the sun.  I love

 matinee movies and (if you're lucky) having the theater all to yourself.  I love the sound of the

 ocean and the taste of salt on your lips at the end of the day.  I love all kinds of music and the

 ways they can make you feel.  I love the song "Oh, Holy Night" and how it always makes me

 want to cry.  I love salt and vinegar potato chips- they always remind me of the beach.  I love

 the rush of concerts- electric!  I love rainy days with no obligations.   I love coming home at  

 the end of day and feeling content, safe and loved.

I challenge you to make your own Love List.  The only catch?  You can't include a single person you know on your list.  No "I love the way my husband laughs" or "I love hearing my little girl call for me."  It'll be tough, I know.  But this particular exercise is about stripping away everyone who defines you and figuring out what you truly love.  My Charmed Life inspired me!

Tooth Fairy

Shhh...  Is that the fluttering of tiny wings I hear? Did I just catch a glimpse of shimmering pixie dust? Yes, our little Katie has lost her first tooth!  The dental hygienist told us it was loose, much to my surprise, and today was the big day!  Now the tooth fairy must go into stealth mode in order to obtain her treasure.  I heard she sometimes even leaves her wand!  I wonder what Katie will find under her pillow in the morning?

Josh Groban

We love Josh Groban.  In fact, Katie is going to marry him.  Just ask her.  The girls fell in love with him when they heard this song.  We have no idea what they are saying, but it sounds wonderful.:-)  It's originally sung with Andrea Corr and her two sisters which sounds so much better, but she does look pretty and tries her best.  Love the instruments, so interesting and Irish!  Listen and enjoy.

I would like to recommend the book Busy but Balanced by Mimi Doe to all of you.  I checked it out from the library about a year ago and was compelled to order a copy for myself.  It is a thoughtful, wonderful book that has great ideas for family time along with book and recipe suggestions (among other things) for each month of the year.  This is one idea that I highlighted in July:

"Select one state a week and focus your reading, games, songs, and words on that state.  Scholastic's The Kids Book of the Fifty Great States should prove helpful.  If this week is Mississippi week, how about cooking up some shrimp scampi and learning about gators and kudzu?"

I thought this would be so much fun to add to our home schooling schedule!  Each month has lots of things to think about and try out.  Let me know what you think.

Easter Basket Swap

I mailed my swap friend, Denita, her Easter basket today!  It was so fun to put together and I'll let you take a little peek.  She did ask to see my little chickies, so I sent one along for the ride.:-)  It has been so fun getting to know you, Denita!  Enjoy!

While at Borders today, I saw a number of books that we have enjoyed in the past.  I thought I would post some pictures and share my thoughts.  First off, did you enjoy Choose Your Own Adventure books when you were young?  I read them over and over and over again.  The idea of lots of different endings was genius!  Well, today I saw that they even have new adventures that have been written!  I wonder if they are as good as the "old" ones...  Mandy and I really enjoyed "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" this year.  Great for a study of the Puritans and Quakers.  Fabulous characters and what a story line!  "Crispin the Cross of Lead" is one of our all time favorites.  Yes, it is bleak, but it takes place during the Dark Ages.  What can you expect?  It is an amazing adventure story with creative characters.  A must read!  The last two are picture books- "Someday" and "Buzz".  Great for all ages.  "Someday" tells a story of little girl that dreams of the future.  It is so sweet and really made us smile.  "Buzz" has buttons on the cover that make insect noises!  The pictures are amazing and there is tons to learn.  I think I need to go back and buy a copy...

Brown Shoebox Swap

I just joined my next swap!  Check it out at www.withandwithoutcreativeinspiration.blogspot.com if you want to join the fun!

"You and Me" Time

Mandy and I spent the afternoon together enjoying "You and Me" time.  This is time for just the two of us and we have the BEST time together! Today we had lunch at the Olive Garden and enjoyed calamari, fried zucchini and fried mozzarella (it was worth every calorie!) and then indulged in chocolate gelato with caramel sauce and dark chocolate shavings- divine!  We decided that since we had soup and salad last time that we just HAD to try something new.:-)  Then we headed to Borders and Mandy chose two new books ("Jane Eyre",which is her favorite, and "Victoria" from the Royal Diaries series)  to add to her library.  I even found a new book for my wish list- "Before Green Gables", a prequel to "Anne of Green Gables".  Have any of you read this?  We got a custom made soda for the road in the Borders Cafe.  If you have not had one before, grab your car keys and head to the nearest Borders.  They are addictive!  Mandy had an Irish Creme soda and mine was Coconut.  They top it off with cream- mmmmm.:-)