Who can’t teach a duck to sing?

Question: Which one is an ambition that you might have?

a. Teaching a duck to sing

b. Playing a musical instrument

c. Forgetting your backpack

Guess which one my first grader picked—that’s right “a.” and while I appreciate the reasoning behind why we can not teach a duck to sing, I feel in keeping with her personality this best suits her true ambitions and personality, much better than plying a musical instrument. I could even argue after this morning that forgetting her backpack,  dance shoes, snack , lunchbox or a myriad of other things is truly a life ambition. You see she missed this question on her reading test last week, I do not blame her most wonderful teacher for the confines that we must keep our children in while in the public school system, but seriously I had to laugh and I couldn’t even scold her. This is the child who insisted that her rabbit learn “stick tricks” which means guiding her with a stick to jump over things, this never really worked out. This is the child who insisted that her brother’s goldfish should take baths in the tub with him. This is the child who tortures her kitten daily with ideas of dressing up, riding in a stroller, and ballet dancing across the living room floor. So, can she teach a duck to sing ---maybe not but I bet she would try….

I remember when…

the kids were younger and we spent as much time outside as possible, those babies earned their baths everyday. We loved to go to the park, any park, or just go on walks together. They ate dirt, played in the rain, and climbed on everything they could reach even before they could walk--kind of like now  but with fewer words.

Riley cleaning his prized wagon

Ansley playing by the sandbox on the back porch.

Yes, it’s a sandbox but look how happy they are!

We still love our old  swing set

The park in Alachua

That boy loves to drive.

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.  Hebrews 10:23

Family Tree

OK, so last week sometime. Super-mom Carrie posted a cute family tree decoration that she had created for her January home and I loved it! I had actually seen the idea before but she inspired me to do it myself—thanks Carrie!

So, I took some of my most “favoritist” pictures, added a sepia tone in Picnik, and printed on plain paper. I did not have any cute vintage tags but instead cut my own out of cardstock. Next I glued the pictures on the card stock with good ole’ Elmer's glue mixed with a little water. Then , inked the edges to add a little depth, punched a whole and used red bakers twine to hang. I will probably add some more pictures, but my printer  ink died in the middle of my project.

At the moment it is on my table as a center piece because I was really tired of the one I had, but since I am positive my husband will laugh at my tree branch—it probably won’t stay there.

I really like it. It’s rustic and personal.

 

This picture looks like all the pictures on it are of Riley but they are double-sided.

Proof that Ann is on the tree, too.

Side-note: Ansley and I made this for her room over the weekend, I really like specimen art and this was fun and easy to make. I love these long weekends!!

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up. Proverbs 12:25

Acts of Random Kindness…

So , I saw this idea a while back—so sorry I have no idea when, where or who to credit with it but it was not me. Anyway, in honor of her birthday month this particular women would complete 30 random acts of kindness. Things like Starbuck’s cards in the mail, dinner for a neighbor, or wash dishes for a friend. At the time I thought what a fun idea, I’m a nice person I should totally do this. Fast forward to the present, the fun idea totally forgotten about and although I still am basically a nice person, my niceness is generally reserved for  the people I am surrounded by daily who are also nice people doing nice things for me. (Thank you Franne, for that trip to the lunch room for play-dough supplies!) My Sunday School lesson this week involved a day entitled “The Big Impact of Small Kindness” the gist of this portion of the lesson was to say “kind acts whether small or large, reflect a desire to serve others, and service is at the heart of any loving person”. As a Christian I have been called to love others, regardless of their love or even knowledge of me. This little lesson reminded me of the birthday girl and her random acts of kindness. So , in honor of randomness and kindness I am embarking on a 30 day (give or take) of random acts of kindness. Although, I believe recording them here daily would defeat the purpose of being random, anonymous, and face it it would probably come across sounding a little prideful I did want to create this post. This is out there as a point of accountability, that my “random” acts of kindness will also be deliberate, not simply to repay someone who is kind to me and that I am hopefully impacting a life no matter how small the token.

 

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Colossians 3:12

i {heart} publix….

Really, I do. I began couponing about 6 months ago, because it was summer, I had time, and why not? It’s free money for goodness sake,all you have to do is cut it out, or print it and cut it out. Anyway, back to Publix, I know there are a lot of Wal-mart fans and even a few Winn-Dixie lovers but Publix is clean, well-stocked, clean, convenient, clean, and you really can’t beat their BOGO’s---did I mention clean? If you couple their BOGO’s with your coupons you end up with items for way less than 1/2 and I am just not going to pass that up. For example, Juicy Juice--bottles not boxes, because 3rd graders don’t drink juice boxes!  Normally they retail around $4.50 or so for a 6 pack. They are 2 for $5. right now use your .55 cent off coupon found here when you sign up and you have 2 and 1/2 weeks worth of juice bottles for less than the regular cost of 1 pack. Smashbars another biggie for the 3rd grade set retail around $3 a box, BOGO right now coupled with my $1. off here, they are now about $1 a box! Yipee!! I find most my coupons and match-ups at www.truecouponing.com. I buy one Sunday paper a week, my loving hubby brings me two more stacks of coupons from work, and we exchange at church. I faithfully shop all Publix sales and visit the Wal-mart when necessary for non-sale gotta have right now items, but this rare anymore.  This keeps me pretty well stocked. If I could just get that island finished…
OK, I got lots of good deals tonight and am running on a coupon high. So, bottom line I spent $113.12 SAVED $111.00, not my all time best but nothing to sneeze at considering I stocked up on lots of essentials.
Side-note for my husbands thriftiness, my whole family ate at Moe’s tonight (yum) for $10.52, since City employees get 50% off this month. Yay me!

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. Proverbs 22:1

Wordless Wednesday…

I remember when…

So, recently I have been sifting through (clicking through) old pictures. This has prompted a my new project-- to attempt a weekly post of “I remember when”. Since, blogging is relatively new to me and my scrapbooking craze lasted all the way through my son’s first birthday, who is now  8 1/2, (never mind poor Squirrel, she doesn’t even have that) maybe this will further preserve some of those special memories and pictures that are collecting virtual dust on my hard drive.

I remember when…

I got my first digital camera—yes it’s sad it was only about 6 years ago.

Ansley was only 6 months old—and had no hair.

Pappa had lots of hair, and it was still mostly brown!

Riley had the same single dimple, but those chubby cheeks made it harder to see.

Squirrel gone huntin’

Ok, so this was just cute—to me anyway and probably Nanni. Ansley (who we call squirrel) got the grand opportunity to go hunting with Daddy and the boys. Now, let me say I do not condone hunting, or the killing of any animals for that matter, especially when there is a Publix on every corner, I don’t really even eat meat for that matter. However, the boys in my house are avid hunters. So Anlsey was asked to go hunting and had to be ready in 5 minutes—HA! I thought “she’ll never go for this, not my sweet princess who is a lover of all creatures” and she has to be ready in 5 minutes! However, to my dismay she ran to her brother’s room and started picking out camo. Keep in mind if I suggest that she wears any color remotely resembling a “boy” color (such as brown, green, orange??) she will fight me until I give up. So, she quickly dressed herself head to toe, not only camouflage but her brother’s camouflage. Wouldn't you know she had no matching shoes!  Out from the shoe-box on the porch came the perfect shoes,  in the form of steel-toed, reinforced for extra cold-weather, camo lace-up boots, that had not only been on her brothers feet but I  am pretty sure were hand-me-downs from our friends with three boys—EEWWW!
She was proud of her attire, and Daddy looked quite pleased as well. I was OK with her going because I was pretty sure with her around there wouldn’t be a deer or a hog or even a bluejay for miles and miles…
And I was right!

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.  Proverbs 22:6

The end of craftiness?

Oh, it’s almost time. Time to go back to school. While I really do love my job, I love being home even more.  When I am home my house is clean (kind of), the groceries are bought (and then quickly eaten), the laundry is done (although we go through a lot more of it), and the kids are content—this is what it is. I have time to do crafty things for me, no construction paper, glue sticks, or 19 copies of anything! I can do what I want. I can use my hot glue gun, I can use big girl scissors, I can even use the computer in the middle of the day to pour over free printables just because I want to! I have not been overly crafty or come up with anything ingenious this break but I have taken time to do some fun things just for me, my family, and my house. After tomorrow, it’s all over. Back to homework and sight words, packed lunches and practices, getting up early and diet coke alone for lunch, brushed hair and no more pajama pants! {sigh}
To recap while on break I…

Held a VERY impromptu tea party

Went chalkboard crazy

        

Learned how to make book page “fire” flowers

played with nature items

Redid my favorite kitchen area with my new mantra

Made a new wreath (gotta work on my photography!)

Found some awesome printables-- here…

and learned how to fishbone braid (kinda)

Too bad I don’t have a picture of the laundry, or the endless cooking, or the window washing, or the floor mopping and baseboard cleaning. Well,  it’s back to work tomorrow…

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

Mugshot Mondays…

A little reminder of summer, for the cold days to come…

Precious moments…

Our new year began with a new family devotional. We started last year doing a quick family devotional each night. No matter how late it is we take time to give God our attention. I love the fact that we are attempting to instill God’s Word into the kids. My husband leads the study, and we pray together as a family. Lovely, right?
Unfortunately, not always. As with many routines in became routine. The kids began complaining and not giving their full attention, often patience was worn thin, and I admit I found myself grudgingly going through motions, because we said we would and knew we should. I would often give an inaudible sigh as we made our way to the table to the tune of “I want to sit by mommy, you got to last time. No, I want that Bible, you can’t look up the verses quick, Can we just go to bed, I want to pray by myself.” OK, not the beautiful picture of unity and Godly obedience that I had in mind.
I began praying for change, in attitudes all around and for delight in God’s word. I do not want to force Jesus on my kids but as parents, it is our God given responsibility to teach them and be a Christ-like example to them. We are here to show them the way and God will do the rest.
As I was saying, today we began our new family devotional. The kids were actually excited and willing. It has great discussion questions that got us talking and we were not just reading to the kids, we were interacting. We had an awesome 15 minute sit down with the Word and ended in prayer. My daughter began asking about salvation and being baptized and my son actually gave his own testimony, which of course we all knew. (He got saved and was baptized last May.) I was so proud of him that he was sharing with her and encouraging her. We will continue to talk about salvation and ensure she understands, but I have no doubt the Holy Spirit is working on her precious, little, perfect heart right now. God is good—all the time.


Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain, Unless the Lord watched over the city, the watchman stand guard in vain. Psalms 127:1