While we try to teach our children all about life...

...Our children teach us what life is all about.

~Angela Schwindt

Isn't that quote so true? For my kids....life is all about snacktime! We have snack times at 10am and 2pm. I made times because I figured we would be more structured that way and I wouldn't get asked 15 million times a day when snack time was. Well....we are sticking to the times...but I still get asked often, when snack time is! Does anyone else have this happen daily???


As part of our schooling (or just whenever we feel like it) we play Brain Quest! My kids just love it! All it is, is questions for kids with answers! So I ask the questions and they try to answer them. The one we have now is geared towards Madelyn's age...but Xavier (who is 5) still tries to answer them too..and sometimes he gets them right!

The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things. ~Plato

Life is about enjoying God's Creation! Oh...and how my children love to play outside. Our neighbors (whose children have graduated and gone off to college) have a basketball/tennis court built right beside our back yard. They are some of the best neighbors ever.....they let us use it whenever we want...actually encourage anyone in the neighborhood to use it (and in the summer, their pool) any time! It is so kind of them! The kids just love riding their bikes around on it and playing ball!

I truly miss looking forward to snacktime and playing outside. I think my kids have the right idea! :o)

It is paradoxical that many eduactors and parents still differentiate between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing the vital connection between them. ~ Leo F. Buscaglia

Odds and Ends!

So, with just having the fall festival on Saturday...and it being so time consuming....I haven't had anything else truly exciting to post about. And me talking about my daily routines would probably bore you all...(a lot of it includes laundry, cleaning and kids...LOL). So I thought I would just share with you all a couple of things I like.

When Chris came home from his mission trip to Romania....one of the things he had brought me was this bag....


It isn't large enough to hold the stuff I need it to, to carry it as a purse...plus it doesn't have a closure (which means all my stuff would constantly fall out of it)...so I was bummed that he found it special for me and I couldn't even use it. Well....I discovered my bible fits in there perfectly!!!!

How fantastic is that??? So now...the bag is my new Bible carrier/protector!!! YIPPEE!!!! I can't think of anything more precious to be carrying in it...can you??

OK....something a little silly here...but I was excited. I got a new ironing board cover....hahahaha! I know...so totally NOT thrilling...but I had never had a cover on my ugly ironing board and when I finally remembered to get one...I was thrilled! So...I just wanted to share in my excitement with my bloggy friends...hehe!


Getting ready for bed looks like this for me each night....

I try to go to bed between 9 and 10 to read and pray and fall asleep. Then...the next morning, my body just naturally wakes me around 5. At first, I thought this was weird...to get up so early. I have always been an early bird..but 5 seemed too early for me. But I realized...with the time I go to bed and all, I get my 6-8 hrs of sleep per night and my body is just ready to start the day early. It is good. It gives me time to go down and eat while reading my bible...then I can shower and start some coffee for chris and pack his lunch for the day. About that time...the kids start coming down and I can get them breakfast and start the day! :)

Anyhoo...I hope you all had a great weekend. We had a nice and restful Sunday. After church....we came home, I made lunch and then we all napped for the afternoon. For supper, we went out to a fun food/icecream place and had a nice time! ( A little zaney with the kiddos..but totally fun too!)

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful Monday! xoxo

The Fall Festival Was A Success!

The weather for the festival today was kinda gloomy...however, I did pray a lot that this would go well today and that the rain would hold off...and it DID! Except for towards the end...it sprinkled just a little. But everything went extremely well and I think and *hope* everyone had a good time! I know all of us who worked were POOPED!!!!

I didn't have a lot of time during the festival to take pics...I stayed pretty busy...but here are some when we were all first setting up in the morning.......



My battle station...LOL (Before the crowds...lunch time was BUSY!) I collected money! :)


Here are things getting set up and before the pumpkins and mums were sold.....


And here are scarecrows that kids did and they were judged!!! Aren't they great?? :)

Chris and I while on our short lil "break"....LOL


Who's my little pumpkin????

Jaxson is!!! :o) Here's Jaxson standing by a sign I painted:



My mom, sister and cousin did face painting (I was suppose to take a turn too...but got too busy! Ooops!) This is what Jaxson looked like after they got a hold of him....now he IS my little pumpkin!!! hehe.........

Xavier...I just love him in those overalls!!! :)

And Chris....hehe...isn't he cute? He's so funny! :o)

We're open today?? Are you sure?? ;o)

The menu for our day that I wrote up....we sold out of most things by the end of the day! Everything went sooo well!



Madelyn with her face painted! :o)

And...during a 15 minute or so break I took when I could...here are a couple of things I got.....


So the day was a success and now we are all pooped out. I am ready to get some dinner and just totally veg out! I am just so thankful it went so well and I hope all the vendors did well too. Each year the festival gets bigger and it's so exciting! I thank God, literally, that He has provided the people to come and taken care of everything. He is so faithful! I hope you enjoyed the pics.....I should have gotten more while the crowds were there...but the more people = busier workers! LOL Hope you are all having a lovely weekend and have a wonderful and restful day tomorrow!!! xoxo

Imagination!

"TV. If kids are entertained by two letters, imagine the fun they'll have with twenty six. Open your child's imagination. Open a book. Play a game." ~ anonymous

Am I totally against TV? No. Do I think a life is much happier lived without it? YES! There are so many ways for your kids to experience life. Playing, learning, discovering, imagining! I, in absolutley no way, intend to sound self righteous at all....just want to encourage anyone who reads this....if you have a habit of having the TV on (even as background noise)...turn it off...the whole day till your hubby needs to relax when he gets home. Sure, your kids may whine and complain that they are bored...but they will definitely find things to do. Or you can make up games for them. Make things, laugh, explore, experience God's creation! Sometimes I think about how much time is really wasted in front of the TV...and it really does seem just like a waste.

Again....this is not me sitting in judgement or saying TV is totally horrible or anything. I just know, from my experience...life is so much more fun and fulfilling when we keep the TV off. :o)

My jewelry party went well last night! I still have it open..I am going to ask a few more people...but so far, I have earned $88 in free jewelry! Isn't that exciting? I never expected that. I have a few things picked out that I like...and also some gifts for people picked out! I think everyone had a great time....(i hope!) we all ate and talked and laughed and laughed! It was a lot of fun! Rondell from Tomatoe Creek Prims had asked what all I served for food....
Beer Bread (although, I used soda in it), cut into bite size cubes
Homemade Choc. Chip Cookies
Fruit (supplied by my mom!)
Veggie Tray (supplied by my mom!)

AND....I had these graham cinnamon twist things from Tastefully Simple. Oh my goodness...they were horrid! I mean, seriously HORRID! I tried one..and was gagging...ROFL. My sister thought I was just being dramatic so she tried one and started gagging too!!! LOL It was weird...I LIKE a TON of tastefully simple stuff.....but not those Twisty Graham things....they smell and taste like feet. LOL So...don't ever get those....seriously!!! The Almond Pound Cake is awesome though!!!

Anyhoo.....tomorrow is the Fall Festival! I am so excited! It is a lot of work...and tomorrow evening...we will all be totally beat...but it is a lot of fun too! I can't wait to share it all with you! xoxo

Come, Enjoy My Humble Home With Me!

After schooling...Madelyn got to go spend time with my mom! The kids love to take turns spending time with their grandparents when they can. I know it is a time they each treasure! The boys were playing outside...and I took a couple pics...they were just cracking me up!

And...in preperation for my jewelry party tonight...I have been cleaning! I mean, I clean every day...but you know what I mean...reallllllly finding homes for things that are laying around and making sure everything is dusted etc......So....I took some pics! ;)

Come with me to the kitchen.....Not my fave place...but I have made it what I can till I can redo it ALL someday!


Now into the dining room!


Look at my sweet Ruthie sleeping under the table! She always lays her head on the rung of a chair....doesn't that look so uncomfy?

And my completely mismatched, desperately needing a makeover...my living room! Please remember what I have said previous times when I have posted pics of my house....the walls are hideous and need redone...someday. My furniture is mis matched...but I am seriously happy anyway and feel blessed that I have a soft place to sit...pretty decor to look at and a roof over my head! :o)

Well....I have some last minute cleaning to do and such before my jewelry party tonight! I look forward to visiting with friends and having a pleasant and enjoyable evening! I hope you all are having a wonderful day! xoxo