Saturday Links 2/9

My friend Karen has done Weekend Links posts for a long time now, and I always enjoy browsing through her weekly finds.

It finally occurred to me to join the party.  Maybe some of you will like some of these links as much as I like Karen's!

This week's links:
We've always used (and liked) the Bible coloring pages from Calvary Curriculum, but we're starting to wear them out! I was happy to find some new ones this week: Beginner's Bible coloring sheets

Loved the sound marriage advice and good reminder in  Start a Small Kitchen Fire.

As much as our boys love computer time (and we're moving on up in the technology world - a tablet coming soon!), I'm always looking for ways for keeping up with screen time.  We may try this method for a little while.

I love my crock pot. May have to try this crock pot peach cobbler soon!

For inspiration and help keeping up with deep cleaning projects 31 days to a clean house   is helpful. She includes a handy  printable in the post.

I loved the article Living Small.  Every so often I cycle through feeling all down on my blog or myself... falling for the comparison trap.  This is a great encouragement to serve well and find significance where you are.

More helpful admonition and encouragement, from a different angle: Are You an Angry Mom? from Amy @ Raising Arrows.

A few of my favorite Pins this week:

Ignore the goofy look.  This post has some great marriage do's and don'ts!

Source: danoah.com via Amy on Pinterest

Sweet truth for Valentine's Day.

Source: onfaithandcoffee.com via Amy on Pinterest

We are in love with these triple bunks! Maybe someday...

Source: thehandmadedress.blogspot.com via Amy on Pinterest

Linking up with Saturday Linky Love.

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

I Chronicles 16:34

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

2 Corinthians 9:15

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:57

Change of Plans

I had several things I wanted to blog about tonight... a one-month post for Daniel, our favorite activities from last week's folk festival, and highlights from Alan's birthday party tonight.

But coming down with a fever between party time and bedtime wasn't in my plans.

Going to bed to rest, rest, rest, and I'll hopefully see y'all back here soon!

Around the House Tuesday

I love making up the rules!

In the Fridge
Lots of good stuff!  Tuesday is Grocery Day, you know.  Plus we started stocking up this week on stuff I'll need for Thanksgiving recipes next week. Yay!

In the School Room
We are managing to get some math done this week.  Math because it's easy. Not for them, but for me.   I already have the lessons laid out and neither of them need a lot from me for math right now.  We're still picking at a few leftover Greece books, and we're doing a tiny bit of fun Thanksgiving stuff this week.

On the Menu
Wed - Alan's birthday - Sloppy Joes (but made from lentils... we loved them that way last time!) & french fries
Thursday - Quesadillas
Friday - Chili / Frito Pie
Saturday - BBQ Chicken & potato salad

In the Bookbasket
Thanksgiving books!

From the baby's room
Baby report: we've had some ups and downs.  The last 2 days have been up again.  On good and bad days he likes to cry for an hour or so in the evenings, right about the other kids' bedtimes.  Kind of throws a kink in our routines.  Newborn days are so fleeting.  That is both a good and a bad thing!

From the camera

Around the House Monday

In the fridge
Leftover soups, 19 eggs, 1 bunch of kale, salad fixings.  And we're out of juice. Again.

In the School Room
What school room?!?  
Just kidding. ;)  
We still aren't back to school yet, but we did get a new load of library books for the next country of the week: Greece.  So we've been doing a good bit of reading.  
We're also keeping up with our Memory Verse Box, and I have tons of Thanksgiving craft projects and worksheets bookmarked.  Now we need to just... you know... do some of them!

On the Menu
An old favorite: Crockpot Tamale Pie
And a new recipe: Japanese Pork and Ramen Soup

On my to-do list
I have quite a few thank you notes to write from Daniel's arrival.  Including a jumbo one I plan on making with our kids' hand-prints to send to Greg's band for their gift and card.

I also must, must get some basic pieces (solid onesies and tights) ordered for Brooklyn to be able to wear some of the cute cold-weather stuff currently hanging in her closet.  I can't seem to finish the job and get that done!

On my nightstand
Don't Sing at the Table: Life Lessons from my Grandmothers

Under the Tuscan Sun

Kisses from Katie

But truthfully? I'm not actually reading any of them.  In my 'spare' time I get on the internet, read my Bible, or sleep.  Have you read any of these books?  I've started two of them, should I plow ahead and finish or just return them to the Library already?

From the camera Mimi's Camera:

44 things update

My original 44 things post.

And my progress:

Things I want to do by mid-October 2013:

1. Read through New Testament (before December 31, 2012).
Not going too bad. Finished the gospels and I'm reading Acts and Romans at the same time. Almost done with Romans.

8. Clean out baby room closet
Done!

9. Publish 200 blog posts in 2012
Very pleased with my September/October progress. If I keep it up I should be able to make it fairly easily, even with taking days off for the holidays.


12. Decorate our newly painted bathroom.
Need to get on this one before it's not "newly painted" anymore.  Lost out on a lot of beautiful October days I could have done some spray painting (frames) outside!

13. Name this baby.
Daniel Austin!


15. Prepare a space for him.
Daniel has plenty of dedicated sleeping and changing areas, but I'm not done hanging a few decorative items.

16. Use softer, kinder words when angry or frustrated.
Hmm.... always a work in progress, I suppose. 

21. Get Brooklyn's outgrown clothes boxed up and into the attic.
Done!


22. Teach the boys more Spanish words and phrases.
I've kinda sorta started on this but I need a 'system' to keep up with what we've done for reviews and such. 


23. Learn better maintenance skills and habits for keeping things orderly and neat.  Then do them.
Taking 2 weeks off from housekeeping after having a baby and watching other people do your job is luxuriously spoiling but also leaves you antsy to get back your momentum.  We'll see how well I recover from 'recovery'!

25. Buy a double stroller.
Yay! Garage sale find the day before Daniel was born! Can't wait to try it out with TWO babies! 

32. Teach Dale some basic cooking to do independently. 
I let him make biscuits recently.  

39. Avoid an induction and spend some time laboring at home.
Umm... hello! Check and check! Do I get extra points for delivering at home?!

Around the House Monday

In my fridge - 
All the fixings for a yummy homemade pizza!  Italian sausage, mozarella, mushrooms, bell peppers.... can't wait!

In the school room - 
We are having a light week this week, since we have a lot of errand-running to do, and I have a fairly lengthy to-do list these days.  For the first time so far, we are extending our country study into an extra week.  We are studying Italy and we just didn't cover enough last week to suit us! Those pizza fixin's aren't the only thing hanging around from last week.  ;)  Anyway, I cut out Dale's grammar and handwriting for this week, and we are keeping up with most everything else.

On the menu - 
Other than that pizza, I have no idea (yet).  That's something I'll be doing tomorrow: menu and grocery list!  I'm thinking I ought to choose some stuff I can double easily and put in the freezer to pull out in a few weeks when we are in newborn survival days.  Hmm.... any suggestions?

In the baby's room - 
Oh my!  We are just about ready!  The crib is up, and is only lacking sheets.  The cradle and new changing station (same setup we were using for Brooklyn, just moved to a new room) are both all in place and ready to go!  I still need to wash the bouncy seat cover, but that's about it.

On my to-do list - 
 - Pack a hospital bag. Um, yeah. I'm 'only' 38 weeks. 
 - Sew nursing pads. I love the homemade ones I've been using since Dale.  I am planning on making some for a friend at church who is also having a baby, and thought I'd make myself some new ones, too.
 - I'd like to make some activity bags or at least detailed lists of quick stuff to pull out for the boys to do in post-partum days when they need some structured time.  Easy craft projects and science experiments are what I have in mind and saved on the computer.
 - But first... tomorrow is a trip back to the 'city' for Alan's labs and preregistering at the hospital (again... 'only' 38 weeks) and hopefully making it back in time for storytime at the library!

From the camera - 
The big boys living it up on the big bouncy slide at our local fall festival this weekend:

May be the last to the party, but I finally did it

For a while it was a toss up what would come first: facebook or pinterest.  Or neither.

I held out in the 'neither' camp for a long, long, time.  I fight hard enough as it is not too waste time on the computer.  I sure didn't need something else to draw me in!

Then my mom and sister both got on pinterest, and in their kindness to me, and support of all things homeschooling and child-rearing, started a folder for me in their pinterest accounts.  

Things they thought I would be interested in.  

And they were right.  It was stuff I was interested in.

A lot of stuff.  That board has gathered over 400 pins over the last few months.

I finally decided to get my own account just so I could organize all those great ideas!

I received some good advice from a blog friend to set a timer so as not to get lost!  I may have to do just that.  

But if I don't, I can blame my mom and sister, right? ;)

So far all my pinning is homeschool related.  We'll see how long that lasts.
One of the most recent helpful things they found for me was a post on teaching your child to hold his pencil correctly.  It helped Alan tremendously!

One of the next ones I'd like to tackle is this post on 15 activities to keep your 1 year old busy.  I could use some of that. :)

I am thrilled with having a way to organize and quickly view so many homeschool ideas - and I'll add other categories, I'm sure - but for now I haven't left my first browsing-for-fun love, foodgawker.  Nothing makes my heart go pitter-patter like pages and pages of yummy food to make.  Except maybe fun things to make and do with my kiddos..... ; )

What about you?  Where do you waste time browse?  Are you on pinterest?  What do you like to pin?

Around the House... Tuesday?

Why not?  It's a one-person meme on my own blog.  Who says it has to be Mondays only?

In the fridge - Groceries!  It is Tuesday, our grocery day, you know. ;)  Orange juice, canteloupe, grapes, and all the stuff for a week's worth of yummy meals.  And leftover pound-cake bread pudding with lemon sauce from Sunday. Mmmm..

On my nightstand -

 - My almost 10 year old copy of "What to Expect".  Yeah, I've about got it memorized, but it's something easy for my eyeballs to look at before I go to sleep.

 - 4 New Reads from library day today.  Next week I'll link up the ones I actually read. :)  Didn't get anything for myself last week and missed having something going!

In the schoolroom - Sit-down academics didn't start until almost 2pm today!  And we still managed to get (most) everything in by 4pm.  I love homeschooling. :)  Yesterday I listed out some of the disadvantages of public school for Dale and Alan: no snacks whenever they want, not seeing each other or Tyler or Brooklyn all day, not being able to talk for long stretches of time, short lunches and limited outside playtime, etc.  Was this a biased presentation?  Absolutely.  Was everything I presented truth?  Absolutely.  Was I happy when they looked at me wide-eyed and said they didn't think they'd like public school very much?  What do you think? ;)

On the menu - Our country of the week is Italy, and we are eating Italian every night (and several lunches!) this week.  We started tonight with Pasta and Bean Soup. It was muy delicioso!  Or something like that.

In the baby's room - Sorted through boxes of baby clothes this evening and have a laundry basket full of 0-3 month things ready to go in the washer in the morning!  Yay!

I thought I was calm, cool, and collected for B's birthday party.
Until I tried to light the 'candle' in her cupcake!

44 Things. 404 Days.

One month ago today, my sister published a list of 44 goals.  Inspired by the 101 things in 1001 days you may have seen around the blog world, she shortened the ending date to her 2013 birthday (404 days) and the to-do list to a nice manageable number (that went well with 404) ;).  

I like her list so much I want one of my own!  Seeing as how my birthday is a month after hers (400ish days from today), I had a month to come up with 44 things of my own.  And so I wouldn't be a copycat (other than copying the whole idea in the first place!) I intentionally did not go back and read her list until mine was made.  So if we have similar items... what can I say?  We're sisters!  (You should hear us laugh in stereo. :) )

Things I want to do by mid-October 2013:

1. Read through New Testament (before December 31, 2012).

2. Be consistent with (aka "finish") geography / country studies.

3. Have Alan's Caringbridge site printed into a book.

4. Order photo prints and put them into albums.

5. Nurse baby for 1 year - or beyond.

6. Finish Alan's quilt.

7. Make a baseball quilt for Dale.

8. Clean out baby room closet

9. Publish 200 blog posts in 2012

10. Sign another song in church.  That's "sign" as in American Sign Language, not "sing" as in la-la-la.

11. Sew a dress for Brooklyn.

12. Decorate our newly painted bathroom.

13. Name this baby.

14. Teach him baby signs.

15. Prepare a space for him.

16. Use softer, kinder words when angry or frustrated.

17. Practice manners and etiquette with the boys.

18. Memorize more Bible passages with the boys (not just verses).

19. Make pickles again (2013).  Didn't get to make any 2012 pickles, and I miss them already!

20. Write an update letter to Alan's donor family.  It's been a while.

21. Get Brooklyn's outgrown clothes boxed up and into the attic.

22. Teach the boys more Spanish words and phrases.

23. Learn better maintenance skills and habits for keeping things orderly and neat.  Then do them.

24. Obtain a bigger pressure cooker.

25. Buy a double stroller.

26. Finish reading the Old Testament in 2013 (picking up where I left off after starting in 2010!).

27. Read, teach, and write more poetry with the boys.

28. Help Tyler learn most (all?) of the alphabet letter sounds.

29. Break Tyler of the dum-dum habit.  I never thought I'd let pacifier use go this long!

30. Teach Alan to tell time.

31. Teach Alan to tie his shoes.

32. Teach Dale some basic cooking to do independently. 

33. Landscaping / face-lift in front of house.

34. Read more books.

35. Do science experiments / activities with the boys.

36. Hang a bulletin board in our school area.

37. Have boys write thank-you notes for Christmas and birthday gifts.

38. Start (and keep on) participating in Sketch Tuesday.

39. Avoid an induction and spend some time laboring at home.

40. Start Alan on piano.

41. Get rid of more stuff.

42. Potty train Brooklyn.

43. Smile more.

44. Make freezer meals occasionally.  (This is the one exception to my 'not copycatting Kristin' rule.  Totally borrowing from her #18!) :)

In the mid-20s I thought it was going to be hard to come up with 44.  Now I keep thinking of things I might want to add!  Do you keep a goals list?  What's on yours?

Not back to school blog hop - Student Photo Week

Dale.  My firstborn.  The one with enough energy and enthusiasm for 3 kids.  The one who is often so tender and loving with his two youngest siblings.  The one who was most excited when we said a 5th baby was coming.  The one who has caused me more doubt and challenges than the other three combined.  The one with whom I am falling in love all over again.  He'll turn 9 this week.

Alan.  Our miracle boy.  He's been through four surgeries.  He's living life with a gifted liver.  And I do mean 'living', as he often seems to treasure every moment.  He's a charmer, easily winning over many hearts thus far in his life.  He trusted Jesus as his Savior this summer, and for a person who was already tender and sweet, seeing the transformation to "new creature" has been amazing.  He'll be 6 in November.

Tyler.  My big eyed, don't-let-him-out-of-your-sight, B.O.Y.  He thinks he's every bit as big as his brothers, and he just about is.  He ate more weird found objects in his babyhood than I care to recall.  Ditto for things broken and misused.  The boy is hilarious.  Not a day goes by we don't all crack up at something he says.  He keeps us on our toes, but he makes it worthwhile.  He's 4 months from his 3rd birthday.

Brooklyn.  Our girl.  The bit of pink and softness in a sea of maleness. 

A laughing, crawling, playing baby that everyone here loves to play with, feed, change, and dress.  We're never in want for willing hands and eyes to keep her company for a few minutes, and she enjoys being the recipient of such affection!  She is 11 months old.

Not Back to School Blog Hop - School Room

For a complete school room tour and pictures, click the link at the bottom of this post.

Most of our school is stored and completed in the biggest room in our house.

This room used to be the living room, until we did a flip flop and moved all our dining and school stuff into it.  The couch and tv got moved out into what was the dining nook.  

We love having room to spread out when it's time to gather 'round the table for school and meals.   It's even nicer when we have company!

The couch is cozy for tv and reading, and - my favorite part - central to this whole end of the house.  I can sit reading to 1 or 2 boys while keeping an eye on the 1 sitting at the table working on other things.

In this house 'keeping an eye' on everyone is highly recommended!

Click HERE for last year's School Room tour.

Around the House

In my fridge:
Thawing some ground beef for tonight's supper.  It's going to be a made-up concoction of some sort, involving tomatoes, bell peppers, corn tortillas, and maybe some enchilada sauce.  I'm thinking casserole.  Wish me luck! :)


On my nightstand:
Nothing!  Today was my weekly decluttering / dusting day.
But I do have a couple of books on my headboard:
Homeschooling with TLC in the Elementary Grades
The Write Start: A Guide to Nurturing Writing at Every Stage, from Scribbling to Forming Letters and Writing Stories


And Greg's current read:
The Silver Chair (The Chronicles of Narnia Book 6)


In the school room:
Our first day of the 2012-2013 school year!  A much anticipated and very successful day of division, phonics, cursive, Old Testament, and ancient Greeks (the beginnings of our study of the Summer Olympics).


In the library basket:


For Dale:
The Horse and His Boy (The Chronicles of Narnia, Volume 3)
 Children's Stories from Dickens (Illustrated Stories for Children)
...and more


For Alan (and Dale):



For Tyler:



Once We Went on a Picnic


..... and other picnic themed books.


On the menu:
After tonight's made-up Mexican inspired ground beef creation, I'm all out of ideas.  It is time, yet again, for a grocery run.  I wonder if we ought to include a Greek salad to go with our study of the Greeks?  Hmm... I'm always game for something new on the menu!  


What are you eating and reading this week?


*This post contains Affiliate Links. If you make a purchase after clicking one of these links I make a small percentage*

Around the house

In my fridge:
Out of milk, out of juice, out of meat.  Shelves full of garden tomatoes, zucchini, & peppers.  Time to make salsa & muffins! (And time to go to the store!)

On my nightstand: 

Natural Hospital Birth: The Best of Both Worlds - Borrowed from my sister.

The newest CBD Homeschooling Catalog


In the school room:
Plans are heavily underway for the upcoming new school year. Printing a planner from Donna Young, making curriculum purchases from Christianbook.com  and Homeschool Classifieds.


In the library basket:
The Summer Reading Program is in full swing at our library, so our book basket has seen a high turnover lately. Currently...
For Dale:
Pippi Longstocking


For Alan:
Are You My Mother?
Jalapeno Bagels


Just for fun:
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales


And really, I promise, Tyler is getting read to, also.


On the menu:
What menu?  As previously mentioned, it's time for a visit to the store.  Might just find myself inspired to do some freezer cooking, by this post from Kristin at The Lowly Nest.  Includes links to 8 crockpot-ready freezer recipes!


What's news around your house?


*This post contains Affiliate Links. If you make a purchase after clicking one of these links I make a wee bitty percentage*

Because it makes me laugh:

Let's Hear It For the Boys! ~Contentment

Alternative title: The Longest Slip 'n Slide Ever


There is a lot of cool backyard water stuff to be had out there.  


Not to mention neighborhood pools and water parks to visit.


This year, though, we are going the simple route, with a humongously long piece of painter's plastic and a sprinkler:

And although this is not necessarily a trait unique to boys, I am super proud of my boys for how easy-to-please they tend to be.  


They were as happy about their cheap and homemade slip and slide as they would have been with the coolest waterworks on walmart's shelves.

Except maybe Tyler.  Have you spied him in these pictures yet?  That is where he spent the entire playtime, safely out of reach of water and brothers.


(Incidentally, our crazy dog spent the entire time hiding under the shed.  Now I know what to do if I want some peaceful time in the backyard!)

My favorite part of all, though?  The collective -and quite enthusiastic- cheer that went up when Daddy came out in his swim shorts. 


Wish I could bottle that boy-love for Daddy to open up and savor when they're grown!


Linking up with:
The MOB Society (Moms of Boys)
Let's Hear It For the Boys Linky

Friday Fun

Mom and I found ourselves on a rabbit trail this morning (that'd be 'lapine', by the way) and learned some new stuff. 


I love learning new stuff!


Without looking it up, can you answer the following two questions:

1. If cats, dogs, and cows are 'feline', 'canine' and 'bovine', what is the '-ine' word for sheep?  Bonus points if you know the one for goats, too. 

2.  What part of speech is an animal '-ine' word?

Answers will be posted at 9pm tonight.  Give or take an hour or two. :)


****************************


1. The '-ine' descriptive word for sheep is.... Ovine!  And for goats, caprine, which is also the source of the word 'capricious'.  


2.  The '-ine' words are adjectives, describing the characteristics of these animals, or those acting like them.  "She danced with feline grace."  "His behavior for the meeting was simply asinine."  


Thanks for playing along!  Happy weekend-ing to you all!

Hey look!

A poll! 


Would you mind ....


answering the question ....


over there....


to your right.....


under my picture?


Thanks!

14 Tabs.... and Counting

I have a habit.  A tab habit.


Sure, I prefer my browser nice and neat with just a tab or two (ok, or three) open, but more often than not my tabs are all eeety-bitty because there are so many open.


Things I don't necessarily want to add to favorites or delicious (or already have there), but I'm not quite done with yet.


Here's a little look at the tabs waiting on me this morning:


An art project I've had saved a while and intend to do this week with my boys: learning to draw figures using little green army men.


Self Made Scholar, a site dedicated to self-education and continued learning.  Ran across an article from this site somewhere and want to explore more from it.


In anticipation of Valentine's Day I have open Valentine's Crafts from Around the Web (saving primarily for the mini heart garland) and Easy Valentine's Fudge (hello, canned frosting and chocolate chips).


I almost always have a few recipes open.  Today is no exception. Cheeseburger Pie, Bubble Up Pizza, and Pepperoni Pizza Pasta. Oh, and a grind-your-own meat Old Fashioned Burger Stand Burger.  Looks like I'm hungry for burgers and pizza. :)


On the homeschooling front I have open an argument for teaching cursive first, an article on quitting (quitting the attempt to do it all on our own, anyway), and our Bible curriculum, to print Alan's coloring page.


Plus this hilarious Craig's listing for feral cats, linked to by Smockity Frocks (who also linked to a video of high school kids that couldn't answer basic trivia... funny and sad all at the same time).


And almost always Twitter and/or email.


Yes, that is 14 tabs (counting the one I'm writing this post in).  And I'm drinking heavy cream in my coffee today.  So there.


Several of these links are through my friend Keri Mae.