Shove

In all fairness, I did ask him to eat his sandwich.

Faces to love

Jack

Sam

Abby

A lovely shade of green

Amy gifted us a bit of this black and white fabric.  

I love it with that beautiful green!  

Chloe rocks in green!  It's totally twirly, too!

A Tiskit, A Tasket

Today, I made some baskets!  Easter baskets, that is, for the girls.  I had so much fun designing them myself, even though I took the first one apart four times until I got it just right.  The first one took over six hours (lots of kid care in there, of course), but the second one was start to finish in less than half an hour!  The picture is not zoomed enough, those are darling butterflies printed there.  I've got the boys all ready to go for tomorrow, fun, fun, fun!

Strike a Pose

Two pretty skirts for two pretty girls.  

I do so love that Lazy Days skirt from Oliver and S.  

This makes six skirts.  I have another one to finish for Chloe tomorrow.  

Much more fun than ruining quilts!

Forget quilting

I flunked out big time with the baby quilt.  I have admitted defeat.  Dear Hubby agrees that it is a lost cause.  I like the patchwork and I love the blind stitch binding, but I think I will forget the whole quilting thing for awhile.  I put it all away in a drawer and made a beautiful apron for Lynne's birthday.  That was fun.

To do or not

I really need to spend some time on that quilt.  That's why I'm going to sit here and read blogs.

It rained, it poured and the battery died

It was dark with rain today.  No light for sewing, no desire to continue quilting the behemoth either!  Man, I am such a rookie.  The Odyssey sat useless as well with a dead battery.  Maybe now the kids will stop turning their lights on...  No need to water this week, though, and for that I am very grateful!

We were so close...

Well, up until yesterday, Florida was a sure thing.  Today the orders came out and we are going to D.C., again.  Keesler Dude decided last minute to take FL instead of the Academy.  Really want to dislike that guy.  Anyway, Scott and I are flying up to Maryland to find a home next weekend instead of driving the family to Phoenix for Easter vacation.  Mom and Dad are flying here to take care of the kids for us.  Only incredible grandparents would do this, they are that wonderful!  The kids are disappointed about Phoenix, excited about Grandma and Grandpa coming, Sad about Florida and thrilled about D.C.  I was heart-broken about Florida.  I was pretty steamed as well. It didn't last long, there is just too much to do.  I'm so grateful that God changed our hearts about Germany!  It really would have been a blow to know we were off to Germany and then have it come crashing down last night when the civilian FINALLY decided he did want the assignment. Seriously, who needs this much drama!  There is a lot to look forward to in D.C.  I'm looking forward to finding a house and FOUR days alone with my hubby, what will that be like???  Baby number six?  Bite your tongue!

Countdown Quilt, Windows and Easter baskets

I have the quilt top finished and tonight I will baste the behemoth.  That will leave Wednesday and Thursday to quilt it, Friday and Saturday to bind it.  I'm not looking forward to basting, but I'm pretty excited to bind it.  I love that blind stitch!  I'm actually a bit giddy in anticipation!

I finally bought the fabric for the windows.  Man, decorating fabric is pricey.  I hope I do it justice!

And since I already have more than I need on my plate of things to accomplish before we leave for Phoenix, I bought fabric to make the kids Easter baskets!  Oops, I just remembered that I have fabric to make three skirts for the girls and an apron and potholders for Mom's birthday.  Good thing I thrive on deadlines!

A Quilt in a Week?

Abby found this "Dora the Explorer" fabric when we were at Hobby Lobby and she just had to have it!  She is so my girl!  And she knows what she wants... a Dora purse.  Sure, I can swing that, right.  I've been sewing for a couple of months, I'll just whip out a purse!  Well, it's just a modified tote, but it only took half an hour and she is happy, happy, happy!  Good mama moment.

On to more pressing issues, I am determined to make a baby quilt, even if it turns out so hideous that I never gift it at all!  I bought all the fabric and cut out the squares for the ragged square quilt.  I hope to give it to Stacia this Sunday before we leave town.  Can I possibly finish my first "complete" quilt in one week?  Sure hope so!!

Glass-Be-Gone

My first little lovely.

She looks quite nice and fresh there covering the glass top.

No more fingerprints gumming it up all over.

Why have I nothing to write?

I so enjoy keeping up with some of the amazing blogs I've found!  Why can't I discipline myself to something like that?  Am I so bored that there is nothing to say?  It's harder than I thought to keep up with the day to day, but I really enjoyed doing it in January.  Food for thought...

SATISFACTION IN A JOB WELL DONE

It's been so long since I could post anything.  I have been nearly completely consumed with curriculum!  It is most likely at this point, although there is still a small chance that it won't go through at the last moment, that we are off to Germany July 1st.  Since it will take so long for our shipment to arrive and I don't have any idea how easy it might be to order our curriculum from there, I have been working every spare moment to put together and order our entire next year so that I can take it with us.  Finally, I am done!  So here's the line-up:

Kaden

HWT 4 (NOW), WWE 2 AND CW PRIMER (NEXT) 

FLL3 (NOW), FLL4 OR LATIN (NEXT)

SAXON 3 (NOW), SINGAPORE 3 AND SAXON 5/4 (NEXT)

BJU READING 3 (NOW), D'AULAIRES GREEK MYTHS (NEXT)

ALL ABOUT SPELLING 1/2 AND WORDLY WISE 2 (NOW), AAS 3/4 AND WW3 (NEXT)

Chloe

HWT 3 (NOW), HWT 4 AND WWE 1 (NEXT)

SAXON 2 (NOW), SINGAPORE 2 AND SAXON 3 (NEXT)

READING ALOUD (NOW), ALL ABOUT SPELLING 1/2 AND BJU READING 3 (NEXT)

Sam

READING LESSON (NOW), YOUNG READERS BIBLE (NEXT)

RIGHT START MATH A (NOW), SAXON 1 AND SINGAPORE 1 (NEXT)

HWT K (FALL), HWT 1 AND 2 (NEXT)

DEL 1-4 & CLICK-N-READ (NOW)

History

SOTW 2 (NOW), SOTW 3 AND AMERICAN HISTORY (NEXT)

GEOGRAPHY SONGS

Science

RSFK PRE-CHEMISTRY

LET'S READ & FIND OUT READERS

MPH SCIENCE 3

NATURE STUDIES

HOME SCIENCE ADVENTURES (BIRDS, MAGNETS AND ASTRONOMY)

I have bought a huge number of American history books to take with us and so I still have some planning to do with those.  I am really looking forward to these studies.  There are so many excellent books available for their level!  I have also bought three boxes full of chapter books to take with us for these voracious readers we are raising.  It's going to be like Christmas when we open these boxes in our new home!  I am so grateful that we had the funds available to purchase everything we needed and wanted.  It is a blessing indeed to have it all on-hand and ready to go.  And if we end up state-side after all, I can really enjoy my summer break!

Book 12

39 Clues is a new series we have stumbled on.  I think there are only three or four out right now. I read the first one to see if it would be appropriate for Kaden.  The two heroes are 11 and 14, so you never know with today's market!  Anyway, it was very clean and exciting, so I think these will be a hit around here!  The first book is Maze of Bones.  

She's seven!

My sweet girl, she is seven today!  This is the first year you had a plan and you are a go-getter!  You decided that you would buy the American Girl doll of the year with your birthday money and you saved every dollar until you had her paid for!  I am so proud of you!  It was with pure joy that you took hold of your Chrissa doll for the first time!  You loved your scooter and roller-blades and all your new clothes.  You really had a fabulous day, but of course, you always have a good time, no matter what!  I hope that next year, we can give you that big party you've been hoping for!  You are so precious to me, my little Honey Bunny girl!

So, here's to you, on your seventh birthday:

• You have branched out from pink and now love aqua blue!  Love your new Mary-Jane Crocs in that color!
• You are such a hard worker, you never quit or give up.  You like to say that mistakes are opportunities to learn.  You inspire your mom, a lot!
• You play so sweetly with Abby and Sam.  They look up to you and it's with good reason!
• You love to learn new ways to be helpful and you rarely ever complain!  In this household, that is pretty remarkable!
• You are friends with everyone you meet!  
• You loved soccer, but maybe next time you want to try.... golf???  
• Ballet is good, very good!
• You are a girl in motion, no sitting around for you.
• You are such a smarty, I love listening to you read-aloud!
• I am amazed at the drawings you are starting to do, they are very well done!
• You are calm, cool and collected like your Daddy.
• Jack learned your name first, that says a lot!
• You and Kaden will always be best friends, I hope.
• I wish you all good things and great friends, you give us all so much joy!  It is my privilege to be your mother and grow to know you more each day!

Book 11

The Summer Tree by Guy Gavriel Kay was a great story.  It is the first of a trilogy and I am eagerly anticipating the next two from the library!  I haven't read fantasy much, but this was quite fun!  It was exciting and the story line was excellent!  Mr. Kay is a fine storyteller!

Book 10

The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent is a moving novel and beautifully written.  Sarah Carrier tells her story as the 10 year old daughter of Martha Carrier, who is condemned as a witch during the infamous Salem witch trials.  Definitely a five-star recommendation!

Book 9

Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges is now one of my favorite books.  It has changed my perspective so dramatically.  It should be read frequently for it truly seeks to turn our eyes upon God and His holiness to elicit from our souls both gratitude and humility.

Book 8

Sarah's Key by Tatiana deRosnay was not worth the time it took to read.  Awful!  I couldn't even read the last half, just skimmed it hoping the story would pick up, ugh.  The original story of the little Jewish girl who locks her younger brother in the closet to hide him from the Nazis was poignant, but the author used it and dropped it for a soap opera, yuck.  Not recommended.