Another Ordinary Day,

Garrett's been fascinated with David and Goliath lately. He has 1 Sam: 17:49 pretty much memorized and we act it out constantly, taking turns being David and Goliath. It's really cute. However, when we read of Moses parting the Red Sea the other day-it was on! So, I whipped out some of my spontaneous teacher skills, a Nemo boat, a straw, and some army guys and we decided we could act this one out too. And here's the result: Garrett is parting the "Red Sea" with his straw and using his army guys to act it out. I'm pretty sure he'll remember this story too. Hmmm, any suggestions on how to teach "love my mommy and obey her always?".

On the other hand, when we're not inside, sleepily eating chips or acting out violent stories, we're out playing with the neighbors.

Mother's Day

Garrett skiing in Angel Fire, Jan. 09

Garrett and Macy deciding to take a nap on the trampoline (it lasted 3 seconds)

Macy wearing Garrett's sunglasses (because anything he owns is "aweshum") and giving him a kiss
Although my family may celebrate me on Mother's Day, I'm pretty sure I'll be smiling because of the two beautiful faces that gave me that title. Happy Mother's Day to all of you!

Derby Days~

I thought it'd be fun for the kids to watch the Kentucky Derby today and root for their favorite horse, so I came up with some fun little things to do to get them excited. I knew since the race was only 2 minutes long, it would hold their attention!

Thirty minutes before the race started I had them do a little "obstacle" course in the yard. It was really cute. They had to hula-hoop, do jumping jacks, bounce a tennis ball with a racket and sing "if you're happy and you know it". They traveled to each station while riding on a stick horse and Macy was cracking me up! She wants to do everything just like Garrett, it's so stinkin' cute.

After the obstacle course (and after the pizza delivery guy left) we picked our favorite horses. Of course we know nothing about the races so we just picked our favorite names. Everyone had $100 (fake!) to bet on their favorite horse to win (Nothing beats a lesson in gambling at the age of 4 and 1, eh?) None of our horses won, but Bill's horse placed. So, he got to treat us all to Orange Tree (bomb dot com, btw). It was a great way to end a crazy day.

The last two pictures are ones that Garrett took of Macy before school last week. He's not a bad shot!

teacher appreciation!

Since I'm a former teacher, I heart teachers. ALL kinds. homers, public, formers and especially the ones that teach MY children. This next week is teacher appreciation week at our school and I'm making these buckets for the moms to drop all their goodies in each day. My neighbor came up with the plan and hers have lots of polkadots all over the buckets (haven't done that to mine yet). She's super creative and all business when it comes to teacher appreciation (she's also a former teacher). Anyway, I'm also going to decorate their door with a cutey little saying and some die cuts.






Also, I took some pictures of our kids tonight while playing in the yard. We usually do indoor games on Tuesday nights, but we headed outside this time and Garrett and his daddy came up with some kind of hula-hoop game that involves shooting a rocket through the center of the hoop while it's moving? Macy and I enjoyed putting REAL bird eggs (that Garrett found and then claimed "I must be a great scientist!") in a REAL birds nest on our porch. Macy and I weren't really into the hula-hoop game. Then the kids each had a turn crying about something--- Why the crying, I ask myself? Well, Macy wanted the eggs back out of the nest and Garrett wanted to play Chutes and Ladders. I was thinking how funny it is that kids can have a turn in emotion on a whim. One car driving by while we're all smiles has a totally different perception than the car that drives by 5 minutes later. Ha Ha!







I had a chance to pull some weeds today and also transplant some monkey grass that needed a new home. Which of course got me thinking about my life and new growth. This is one of those "analogy" times where God really taught me that something can grow so beautiful in the right light and in the right spot. His light, His garden. As I was trying to pull up the monkey grass clumps, I actually bent my shovel because the ivy that it was growing in was so twisted and so tangled up within the plant. Oh what a lesson! I see so much of my past as a tangled, twisted mess that is wrapped up tightly in old sin that I'm still hanging on to. Eventually, like the monkey grass, I'll allow myself to be totally uprooted from my yesterdays and bloom and grow in the new spot of the garden God has selected especially for me.

Happy Gardening!

Mother's Day Idea

I think I'm going to do this for Mother's Day gifts. Maybe make one for me too...I'm thinking-insert a picture of the babes instead of paper.how cute!

Diving

I've been so busy dumpster diving that I haven't posted much lately. BUT- I have found some treasures!! Well, my husband actually has been doing the "diving", I've been "receiving". If you don't know me or my family's business, you're probably appalled by my post- but have no fear, this is totally safe people. All you need is some good leather gloves and a trailor for hauling.

My parents own this place and as a family we've found great joy in finding "junk" and selling it to people. Tomorrow they'll been doing an outside market and I'm taking a retro medicine cabinet, some vintage hats and jewelry, an old play table with a built-in highchair (looks like a crazy baby contraption) and some old yearbooks to sell. I'll probably make enough to buy spring clothes for the fam. So, it's a high price to pay, but so fun and so worth it. I'll take some pictures tomorrow of my "stuff" and let you know if anyone buys it! I also got a lovely turquoise 8x10 oil painting of a beautiful bouquet of white fluffy flowers(in an awesome frame) that is NOT going to be sold because it's propped on an easel in our sunroom. Loverly.

no matter what

So, Garrett told me at bed time tonight: "I'll always love you no matter what, mom."

me: "aww, thanks buddy, I'll love you no matter what too"

Garrett: "mom, what does that mean?"

me: "it means nothing can make me not love you, not ever!"

Garrett: "not even when I'm naughty?"

me: "yep, that's right"

Garrett: "okay, well I guess I can love you when you're naughty too."


Thanks.....