School Christmas Breakfast

I forgot to mention on Friday my son's class had a Christmas Breakfast. School wide it was also Pajama Day. All the parents were asked to bring a favorite breakfast item to share. His teacher had an omelet bar set up where you could get a custom made to order omelet! It was really yummy. Since my daughter's school doesn't start until later, she and her friend (she has corrected me, her "best" friend) joined us. His class together with the other Kindergartners recently put on an adorable school play called the Gingerbread man meets Mother Goose so a lot has been centered around the Gingerbread man. I made Gingerbread pancakes to share. I did learn that the best way to do that is to make a round pancake and cut out the gingerbread shape with a cookie cutter after they are cooked. I have these shapes just for pancakes but it was more of a headache. Granted there was more waste, but we ate it! After breakfast we joined the rest of the school for a sing along. When the kids went back to their room they made small gingerbread houses. Since he's only half day then it was time to go home. Appropriately the teacher gave them goody bags with none other than a Gingerbread mix and a gingerbread cookie cutter so they could go home and make gingerbread cookies. Unfortunately that day I hadn't checked my camera battery and it was low..... I ended up taking pictures with my phone, not the best quality but it captured the moments none the less.

Breath of Heaven Lyrics - Sung by Amy Grant

I have traveled many moonless nights,
Cold and weary with a babe inside,
And I wonder what I've done.
Holy father you have come,
And chosen me now to carry your son.

I am waiting in a silent prayer.
I am frightened by the load I bear.
In a world as cold as stone,
Must I walk this path alone?
Be with me now.
Be with me now.

Breath of heaven,
Hold me together,
Be forever near me,
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
Lighten my darkness,
Pour over me your Holiness,
For you are Holy.
Breath of heaven.

Do you wonder as you watch my face,
If a wiser one should have had my place,
But I offer all I am
For the mercy of your plan.
Help me be strong.
Help me be.
Help me.

Breath of heaven,
Hold me together,
Be forever near me,
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
Lighten my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness,
For you are holy.

Breath of heaven,
Hold me together,
Be forever near me,
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
Lighten my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness,
For you are holy.
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven.

The latest yard visitor

About a week or so ago my son and husband noticed an owl on our house! It was huge, the couldn't believe it and my husband came in and got my daughter and I and of course the camera. We made a little too much noise in all the excitement and he flew, but thankfully not too far. We found him perched on our next door neighbors back porch. The light from the flash gave him the red eye.... we had to capture him ASAP no time for any red eye reduction we didn't know how much time we had. What an awesome sight to see and owl.

Making Bracelets

I LOVE beads, lately several of my friends have gotten more involved in jewelry making. It seems everybody is making bracelets, necklaces or earrings. I have inspiration all around me! I have started to buy some beads as well as pull out some that I've had from previous dabbling. I'm really enjoying myself, my daughter has even gotten in on it. She would rather use the plastic pony beads though, I like glass or crystal. In one night my daughter made all that is pictured, when she gets into something she goes full force, non-stop. I have made some bracelets for her and others I'm not sure what I'm going to do with yet. I only use the stretch cord, because that's all I really know right now. I have used kits in the past where all you need to do is string the beads and clamp the closure shut. I'd like to take a beading class or jewelry class, and learn more so I can improve on my newest craft.

We went to see the Nutcracker

It's that time of year when we go to see the Nutcracker. This year we thought it was time to include my son, we thought he was old enough to sit through. I thought he would be old enough to enjoy it and that he would do well. Mind you this is 2:00 in the afternoon, not the best time to take a young child, who has already had a fun filled morning, to sit still for 2 hours to watch ballet. I had to try it though. In the beginning he seemed captivated, by the second act he was ready to go home. He stuck it out like a trooper, better luck next year, maybe? My daughter and I enjoyed it, she even recognized a girl from school on stage to her surprise. Normally she and I go alone together and we go to the local Arts Center. This time we chose to go to a local dance school's version being put on at a High School. The Mom of one of my son's best buds is a dance teacher at this school, it was his choice to go to this particular one. They did a very professional job with the performance, the costumes were wonderful and the set design. After we got home I gave my daughter a Clara ornament and my son a Nutcracker, they were excited. In past years I've given my daughter a Nutcracker ornament after we've gone also. We'll see what happens next year for my little guy, his choice.

Happy Thanksgiving ~ Count your Blessings

Girly Comments & Graphics

My son's 6th Birthday Party

My son's Birthday party was yesterday. He LOVES Indiana Jones, so he chose to have an Indiana Jones party. Not so easy to find decorations etc... for Indiana Jones though, that was a bit of a challenge, I was surprised. I ended up driving to another city just to get a couple of items. I made the invitations, they came out pretty cute if I do say so. I was able to find a Pinata, some napkins, a tablecloth, and a banner. My daughter and I made a sign to lead everyone into the backyard. We thought we'd have a scavenger hunt kind of a party. A couple of days before my husband was motivated to build the Lost Temple of Akator, what a cool Daddy he is! The bottom of it was a tunnel around and then the inner part could lead up to a door and they can slide down a slide from there. It's definitely a unique thing, the kids LOVED it. We have a trampoline and a 2 ropes in the trees. We also have a battery powered quad the kids had fun riding so they were kept busy. We had a couple of activities, we had a box of sand with prizes buried in it. The kids were given toilet paper and had to partner up and paper their buddy like a mummy. The Pinata took some time to break. The kids had to find the "Crystal skull" as in the latest Indiana Jones movie AKA a plastic skull pitcher that look an awful lot like the Crystal skull from the movie. It was snuck into the Temple of Akator and had glow sticks and treasures inside of it. The cake turned out really well, I made it myself and my son gave me praises when he first laid eyes on it. I was a little worried about actually cutting into the monstrosity but it went just fine. My son LOVED his party and I think his friends enjoyed it as well.

My son's first field trip

My son went on his first field trip this past week. We went to a dairy farm. It was a nice experience for the kids. They started off with a short teaching session about the cows, then we went on a hayride to tour the farm and learn more. They fed the goats, a horse and a bunny and hung out with a duck with a unique head. Then we had lunch and they went in a hay bail maze. After that it was time to leave.

School Fall Festival

My son's school had it's annual Fall Festival. It was a lot of fun for the kids. He wanted to climb and he made it all the way to the top! I was very proud of his persistance, awesome job! My daughter is at the age where she just wanted to hang out with her friends, wouldn't be caught in any of the bounce houses.... Quite a few of last years sixth graders were there to re-visit their old school or accompany their younger siblings.

My Baby turns 13!

My daughter turned 13, WOW a teenager I can't believe it! I know I am about a month behind in posting that. I had some technical difficulty with some pictures that were taken on our video camera for a previous post. I chose not to use them, we are camera snobs I guess, the quality didn't meet our expectations. For a video camera though it works great. So back to my daughter's Birthday, I would have loved to do a party since she was crossing over to teenage hood but she had ideas of her own. She wanted to go to the Mall with a friend and then her friend slept over. She had received some money and gift cards for her Birthday and it was burning a hole in her pocket. She loves clothes, and she's a smart shopper for the most part, looks to find the most for her money. She was very generous with her money and bought some things for her friend. I was proud of her and her generosity. The day after she and I went and got our nails done at a salon. She wanted zebra stripes and the lady did a pretty good job at granting her request. A few days before all of this was her actual Birthday. She asked for a Giant Birthday cookie, with red and green lettering. Peace signs are back in again and she really liked them so it seemed appropriate to decorate her cookie with them. We had close friends and family over to celebrate since her Birthday fell during the week this year. Side not on the cookie, I learned a big lesson about how much cookie dough to use and how close to the edge you shouldn't get, can you tell what may have happened?? Cookie was growing and falling off the cookie sheet. No problem though other than wasted cookie dough, I just cut the edges neatly and all was well. My oven however was a big mess.

The reality that she'll finish school in 5 years has hit us. Time goes so fast, you have to make it last and enjoy the journey. Once they are gone, that time can't be taken back. Before you know it your children are grown up and gone in the blink of an eye.

We are having struggles with boys right now. I'll say she has a healthy appreciation for the opposite sex and the feeling is mutual. There is so much attention though that it has become a big distraction. She knows she cannot date yet, however at this age they choose to pair up and call it "going out" even though they go no where together. A parent only has so much control with these things. They may talk on the phone but that's it. Oh it's only the beginning, we've already had talks about her not giving her heart away to every boy that comes along. Hang out in groups of friends, get to know a boy before you commit. We've talked about the gift she will give her husband on her wedding night... All seeds planted for what is to come. Most important, we pray, HARD!