Tuesday, January 31, 06

Today is the day before Grace's 8th birthday. I went into labor very late on the evening of the 30th but was glad she was born on the first of February, so we could share the same birthstone. :0)

I'm trying to figure out what to do today. I *might* be coming down with something. I started popping my vitamins, drinking water and resting. I think I'll be ok, but I am going to change my big grocery shopping plans. I have a piano lesson tonight and then I'll run to the store to pick up a few things for the birthday girl tomorrow.

I have been hearing this creaking noise at night lately (ok, for the past couple of months), something like a frog croaking. I thought it was coming from my watergarden but it is on the other side of my bedroom wall. I heard it again while making my bed this morning and went outside to investigate. I'm not sure whether I should feel disappointed or like a idiot. It was some tree branches scraping against our eaves on the front of our house. The sound travels back to our bedroom window. Sigh.

This is My Father's World

We use "Leading Little Ones to God" for our daily devotions. In today's lesson the hymn is "This is My Father's World." I remembered the tune to it and taught it to the girls and Benjamin. The words are beautiful.

This is my Father's world;
The birds their carols raise;
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker's praise.

This is my Father's world;
He shines in all that's fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

Nature Study

Here are the results of our nature study today. We are learning about birds and Grace drew me a Black Vulture, Cardinal, Turkey Vulture, Hummingbird and Mockingbird.


DCP04631
Originally uploaded by Kelli.

Emily drew a family of cardinals. The mom bird is bringing the baby a worm.


Emily's picture
Originally uploaded by Kelli.

Benjamin drew a "Dr. Suess" bird. This bird can be found deep in the jungles of Peru. ;0)


Benjamin's bird
Originally uploaded by Kelli.

Cooking an omelet

Cooking an omelet
Originally uploaded by Kelli.

Emily insists I call her "mini Martha" when she bakes or cooks. We are fans of Martha Stewart around here. We don't have TV but sometimes we watch clips from her show on the internet and of course I have lots of the magazines. Here, Emily is learning how to make a mushroom and cheddar omelet. She is addicted to mushrooms. :0)

Emily
Originally uploaded by Kelli.

Hen and Chicks

Hen and Chicks
Originally uploaded by Kelli.

Someday I'll have some real live chickens but for now these cute little "hen and chicks" will have to do. When I got them last spring there were two babies and one big one.

Johnny Jump-ups

Johnny Jump-ups
Originally uploaded by Kelli.

Johnny-Jump-ups are so cheery to look at on a gray wintery day. I couldn't resist these at the garden center last week.

Fern watches the birds

Fern watches the birds
Originally uploaded by Kelli.

Fern is willing and able to catch a little sparrow but this obnoxious window keeps getting in the way!! Anyways, Fern is now 4 months old and has a very good life. She eats whenever she wants and drinks fresh water out of the kitchen or bathroom taps. She thinks she is too good for a cat bowl! It is cold at night so she sleeps under the covers down by my feet. She likes to start biting them at about 6:00am every morning. Now there is an alarm clock for you!

Saturday, January 28, 2006

Playing with legos
Originally uploaded by Kelli.

I LOVE rainy Saturdays. Especially when I don't have any errands to run and the kids play nicely. :0) They are playing with legos right now. I'm going to take advantage of the moment and practice my piano. I started taking lessons again this month and it is really hard to find 2 hours to practice everyday!! Hopefully I can get a little caught up this weekend.
I had a very successful scrapbooking night. I put together 8 pages. I haven't done the journaling yet. I need to do that alone where I can think. I am getting some birthday money in early Febrary so I may have to spend some of it on new supplies. :0) A girl can't run out!

Friday, January 27, 2006

At the movie theatre
Originally uploaded by Kelli.

We are having a wonderful day today. I have just completed week 4 of getting up before the kids and it feels great. It is a very big accomplishment for me. 7:30am is still late though so this coming week I'm going to move it back to 7:00am. My eventual goal is 6:30am so I can go for a walk.

We did some schoolwork this morning. We are reading Mr. Popper's penguins. It is about a man who loves the Antarctica so much that his friend ships him a pet penguin! As of chapter 5, Captain Cook as he is called, has made himself at home in the refrigerator and the sheriff is knocking at the front door. It is fun to see the Grace and Emily's eyes widen as the next crazy thing happens!

Our playgroup met this afternoon and we went to the dollar theatre to see the horse movie "Dreamer". It was way better than I expected. So heartwarming and exciting. Grace is a huge fan of horses and she can't wait until it comes on on DVD. Kurt Russell is in it. I think he is such a great actor. I have a picture of the kids waiting to go into the theatre as soon as I figure out the picture posting thing.

Tonight, I am going scrapbooking with 2 friends. We are getting a pizza from Costco and splitting it. Less than 3.50 for each of us. Can't beat that!! I haven't scrapbooked in 4 years!!! I knew it was bad but I was shocked while going through pictures last night just how far behind I am. My goal is simple pages, using up the supplies I already have. I had fun organizing all the stickers and papers last night. Grace is about to celebrate her 8th birthday and I'm going to scrapbooking her 4th birthday tonight!!

I'm off to put some laundry away and start a pot of potato soup.

Morning Glories

Morning Glories
Originally uploaded by Kelli.

I grew morning glories from seed this past summer and they climbed very quickly up my fence. Hopefully they will re-seed themselves this spring and show their pretty faces.