First snow day fun!

We had our first snow day and here's how it went:

Last night before bed it started snowing.

This morning we had 3-4 inches covering everything and even more here and there.

Samantha and Ella were SUPER excited and gulped down their breakfast so they could head outside.

Adorned in blanket sleepers, (they will have to change when they get back in anyway, so why not stay nice and cozy in the meantime) snowsuits, boots, mittens, hats, and winter coats they scurry out.

I grabbed the camera and snapped a few shots before I headed back inside because I am a boring mom who HATES being cold.

I get all snuggled back in my bed armed with my snow pictures for a facebook share (oh and my amazon shopping cart on another page doing some Christmas shopping)

Knock, knock, "Mommy...Mommmmmy?"

I get out of my cozy bed and open the back door...BRRRRrrrrr!

"Mommy I got the wrong gloves. These is cold and wet. I need mittens like Ella."

I trapse down to the basement so my darling Samantha can have warm hands like her sister.

She goes back out and I head back to my warm comfy bed.

"Mommy, Mommy, MOMMMMMMY!"

I sadly, once again crawl out from under the warmth and head to the freeeeeeezing cold. (The girls were warned in the beginning that if they came in even one time they would be done, so they are being so good just standing at the back door yelling for me lol)

"Mommy, we have a carrot for our snowman?" They are soooo cute! Truly!

I pack a baggy with a pickle (fresh out of carrots...), olives for eyes, and raisins for a mouth. "There you go sweetie, now off with you."

Do I dare even set back on the bed? Oh yes, it is just too inviting...

"MMMMMOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMYYY!!" I should say that in all of this calling me, there is never an urgency in the tone.

Sigh..., "Yes, Samantha?" Of course it is Samantha. It is ALWAYS Samantha. Let's just say that she's the squeaky wheel.

"Mommy, you help me build the snowman? I can't get his eyes to stay on, or his nose and mouth."

"Yes, honey. Let me get my boots and coat."

We finished our snowman and then the girls decided they were cold and wanted to come inside.

All in all I think they played out in the snow about 45 minutes. It's a good thing I didn't help them sooner or it may have only been 15 minutes. LOL

I have been having some trouble with the blogger website lately, but it finally came up on my computer. Yeah!

We (or should I say Dale) is working on the remodel this weekend. It seems like so much has been going on for months now, that we haven't had much time for it. Tile being installed as we speak!!! I am a happy girl. Hopefully tomorrow we can get it grouted and paint the bathroom. It is finally coming together....

M.I.A.

I think we all have those things that we "save" for a future project only to have the said item or items under foot and in the way right up to the time we actually have a need for them and then they are MIA...Missing in action.

That was what happened to me today. I went looking for some foam board that I had saved for the girls to do crafts with. It has been in Samantha's room for months now, but when I went to get it, it was missing. I did some deep cleaning last week but I can't remember where I moved the foam to. (I'm hoping it wasn't to the garbage can!)

I searched and searched to no avail and had to use cardboard instead. So, I'm sure now that I don't need it anymore it will turn up. Isn't that how it always works??

Toddler in toe

I took an online class this morning about keeping your toddler entertained while homeschooling the other children and boy did I need that! Lately I have felt like I have been neglecting Ella and not giving her her share of me. There were so many fabulous ideas on how to keep them happily occupied, and that sparked some of my own ideas of things that Ella would love to do. She was still sleeping when I took the class and I was so excited to try some things, I could hardly wait for her to get up. Here is a list of some of the great ideas...

A box of special toys used only for school time

blocks

paint (we have an easel on the back porch so this is an easy one for us)

special "school" books (reading, coloring, and drawing) again just for school time

dominoes, cards

online learning sites (we do abcmouse.com love it!)

a game where they get to cut up junk mail as long as they sit in a laundry basket

play with letter magnets and puzzles

string beads or macaroni

bubbles

chores

and her favorite...

a bath!

I have been going at this school stuff all wrong, trying to get us all ready in the morning and house clean before starting school. This morning I had Samantha quickly get ready and start school but had Ella wait for her bath until Samantha and I were working on phonics. Ella will be 4 in just over a month and our bathroom is centrally
located on the main level, so I could hear her without staying right in the bathroom with her. She is always begging to take long baths but we are always rushing to get ready so this was quite a treat for her and we were able to finish phonics! Everyone was happy :-)

She also did her school books and computer preschool program. This is the first day we were able to have school done by lunchtime!

Little Prayers

Last night at bedtime we were all knelt beside Samantha's bed so the girls could say their prayers (that's where Ella likes to say hers too). It was Ella's turn to go first and recently she has become quite the little pro at saying her prayers by herself, of coarse you never know what she might pray for...

Last night she got a good start, praying for mommy and daddy, her and sissy, and Andy- "help him he won't pick his nose," at which point Dale laughed aloud, which caused me to start laughing.

She puked a few weeks ago, so now she prays all the time that she will never puke again and has now started praying that sissy will never puke again either. Samantha has thrown up maybe twice in the past 2 years and the last time was well over a year ago. She prayed that God would help us on our trip for weeks after we got back home. Her prayers sound very sincere. She gets a little tiny voice and even has a catch in her voice ever so often like she is crying. If you try to help her at all she says in a stern whisper,"I CAN DO IT!"

Though her prayers sound silly at times, I am glad that she doesn't just say what I tell her, but is trying to develop her own relationship with the Lord!

Word Power

We have started doing school and the girls are loving it. Ella is doing it right along with Samantha, and even though she is two grades behind, she has amazed me. We are learning about the 5 senses and I was quizzing Samantha the other day. She could only remember seeing, feeling, smelling, and tasting, when from half way across the room Ella nonchalantly says, "hearing," and continues with her coloring. It was pretty funny.

We are learning to use all 5 senses to observe and describe things, but I am aware that each individual has a different view than another. I remember when Andy was still homeschooling and we were using Understanding Writing (love it btw!!), they showed 2 descriptions of the same motel. One described a cozy, rustic getaway, and the other a run down, old dump.

When I was in Home Depot lately scoping out the different paint colors I came across one called vintage antique. It reminded me of understanding writing and I had to giggle, but I did bring the paint sample home and I think I might have to use it. I love the color (a dark turquoise), but the name just seals the deal!

A Startling Discovery

The girls did a self portrait the other day. It was a lot of fun. I gave them each a hand mirror and we explored each feature in detail. Their eyes; the pupil, the whites and different colors, eyebrows and lashes, their noses and how they start up by their eyes, their lips, color and shape, teeth, ect. When we got it all done Ella suddenly looked at her whole picture as if seeing it for the first time, and cried out in dismay, "I look like a monster!!" I did try to comfort her, but I agree with her. LOL

I so enjoyed my trip! I had a great time with friends and family. I got to see the beautiful landscape, and God showed me some very thought provoking things about myself. So thankful I was able to go. Here are some pictures of my trip, but I need my friends to share their pictures too because I didn't get any photos of us all together.

I am getting very excited about our trip to Washington. I have gone back and forth about going because I will have to do all of the driving until at least Portland, OR. I am really starting to look forward to the trip though and can't wait to spend some quality time with family. Walks, dress up and tea parties for my girls, not to mention cousin time, beach and just good ole visiting with loved ones. I know God will watch over me and help me. He has given me a peace about it the last few days. Can't wait!

I am so glad for the time I have spent blogging. Today I have enjoyed going back over my old ones and remembering... Life is always changing and it is wonderful to go back and read. One of the things I was giggling over today was back in 2007 when I resolved to do better about getting around in the mornings. Still one of my battles. Another one was when I looked into my future and saw empty, lonely days with Andy grown. God is so good! One of the comments I received on that one was from a sister who stated that she would have kids in the home until at least 2025. Well, now for me it will be at least 2026 and I couldn't be happier about it. It is hard to read comments from Trina, but so glad they are there. Gale I SO miss you! Hope we get some walks soon. Thankful that I have this to look back on with my dear friends adding to it along the way :)