Toads & more......

One of MANY toads the kids have been 'catching' and playing with in the backyard.

 Samuel proudly shows me one of 2 toads he caught today. 

 One of the rooms in the 'toad house'.  Can you see the toads inside?

Samuel and Callie had fun playing outside and finding toads. Here is the entire 'toad house' the kids have built.

 Here's what I worked on this evening.  Callie was in need of summer nightgowns.  I rummaged through my fabric, pulled out the thinnest cotton knits I had and made her three new sets of jammies.  These are just super-fast-very-basic jammies. Took me just over an hour to make all these!!!:)  I love the orange polka-dots on the purple fabric on the Ooga Booga nightgowns.  I just barely eeked out the Care Bears t-shirt out of the last of this fabric.

 She was sooooo excited to wear her new lightweight summer jammies tonight!

 And just one more silly pose!

 Another sewing project I worked on this morning. This was a snowsuit, hat & scarf set for a piano student.  This was a motivation/reward for memorizing her recital piece.  The snowsuit is black with purple ribbon accents on the sides of the pants and on the jacket.  You can't see them in this picture though.:(  It was fun to make and she was very happy when I gave it to her at her lesson today.

~Samuel's K-5 Graduation~

Samuel's K-5 graduation program was on Thursday.  Their class did a little skit entitled 'Good News'.  All the kids did fantastic.  They had a wonderful teacher this year!!!

 Samuel and his classmates.

 Singing a song together.

 I get all choked up every. single. time. I hear the graduation processional.  My baby boy graduated from kindergarten already!!!!

 Samuel tied with a classmate for the Highest Academic Average Award.

 His teacher refered to Samuel as 'her little mathmetician'.  He received the award for the Highest grade in Math.

 He also received an award for Most Improved Student.

 He also received an award for Exemplary Student. 

 Walking back with all his awards.

 My happy K-5 graduate.

 Samuel did this little dance when they announced the class of 2011.  Way funny!!!!!  And he denies doing it!!!!!  I even showed him the pictures and he was like, "No way, I didn't do THAT!!!:)

 Samuel and his teacher.

 The graduate and his family.

 We had cake, ice cream and a little gift for Samuel at home after his graduation.  He helped bake his cake.  It was chocolate cake with reese cups INSIDE the cake and on the top for decoration.  It was Samuel's idea to put the reese cups inside the cake!!  Turned out yummy!!!

 A new Lego set.  He couldn't wait to put it together!!

 The younger 3 all helping Samuel.

 Callie spending time with Grandpa.  She was just a bit miffed that the ENTIRE night was all about Samuel.  :)



Here's all the cute little video clips from his Graduation.

Mother's Day - Part 2 The Best Meal Ever!!!!

Here is a picture of my Mother's Day meal.  On Saturday, I was hit with a brilliant burst of inspiration.  Why not go to a favorite Chinese restaurant and buy several sweet-n-sour chicken dinners along with some egg rolls and re-heat after church on Sunday.  My dear husband, (who for the record does NOT care for Chinese food) agreed.  As soon as church was out on Saturday(we were in revival last weekend), I headed out to the restaurant and bought 4 dinners(they are big enough to split) and 6 egg rolls.  It re-heated wonderfully and I even had enough leftovers for my lunch on Monday.  Yay!!!!

Now for a FIRST in our household.  My sister-in-law had given me a bag full of chopsticks to use for fun with the kids.  I decided to break them out on Sunday.  Here's Samuel giving it a go....

Callie did quite well right off the bat, but quickly caved in and begged for a fork to finish!!

Duane had 2 servings of sweet-n-sour chicken and ate every. last. bite. with chopsticks!!!  I was super-impressed!!!!! :)

This was my father-in-law's first time using chopsticks.  he too used ONLY chopsticks for his entire meal!!

Seth tried them out, but caved and got a fork as well!! Oh had for the record.....if there's any chopstick holding/using pros out there....I did not research the proper way to use these.  We just dove in and figured it out by trial and error. lol

Simon gives it a go...while Samuel (in the background) uses BOTH hands to make it work!!!  This was the best Sunday dinner ever!!!  I was happy that everyone was willing to give something new and different a try.

Sorry folks, no picture of me using chopsticks.  I will say I did eat my entire meal with chopsticks and was quite good at it by the end of the meal.  I also used them to eat my lunch leftovers on Monday.  I'm finding is it VERY relaxing to eat with chopsticks.  It also makes one greatly appreciate each and every bite that makes its' way into your mouth. :) 

Mother's Day - Part 1

We left before our Sunday morning worship service to pay our respects to a wonderful mother and grandma who is up in Heaven.  Callie chose some purple daisies to put on her grandma's grave.  This year, the 2 youngest were asking all sorts of questions about burying people.  Callie later asked her grandpa how grandma was going to get the flowers we bought for her.  I'm sad that Callie never had the privilege of meeting such a wonderful lady who was a blessing to so many.  For offeratory this morning, I played one of her favorites, "Make Me a Blessing".  As of late, this as become my heart's cry that I be a blessing to those around me.  I long for my life to be a reflection of good things.  Of peaceful things.  Of God's love and mercy and compassion for others around me.  My mother-in-law's life was this and more.   

 It was impossible to get a decent picture outside....:)  The combination of the early morning sun and 5 people trying so hard NOT to squint.....well this is the best it got.

 We stopped at the bald eagle's nest on the way back.

 Aww....no sun in here....No squinting! lol

 I had a little girl snap this people of me with the kids inside.  Once again....one of the kids was being silly!!! :)

 Back at home after service.  Callie picked out the pink carnation for me from the Mother's Day gift table.

Upcycling.........

a white boys turtleneck and 3 ladies t-shirts into......

 this dress!!!!

 Here's the skirt I used for 'inspiration'. :)  I cut out and made Callie's dress on Saturday morning/early afternoon.  It's for our special outfits for Mother's Day.  I've had my skirt for years, but I'm FINALLY getting around to wearing it!!

 Some last minute gifts for Mother's Day at church.

 Wheat Therapy Hot/Cold packs.  These are peppermint scented.

 The table all set up with Mother's Day gifts I made for the ladies at church.  It was fun to make all these things.  Note...I didn't make the flowers!! :)

 Callie modeling her dress on Sunday.

 from the side...

 and the back......She did have her hair up in a cute bun, but mid-way through the service it came sliding right down.

 The dress' lower ruffle being nearly 8 feet in diameter makes for great twirl power!!

 around....

 and around again!!!!