I ♥ Faces Week 25: Wedding Bells

This picture won't win any awards, but Abby had a great time dancing at the last wedding we went to. She even broke out into a few break dancing moves! LOL! I'm not sure where she learned those!

Check out www.iheartfaces.com for more wedding pictures!

Weekend Update

This weekend was busy, but fun! Saturday, was a birthday party for my cousin's little girl. She is a year old already. Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday that I was holding her at the hospital.

Here's the birthday girl:

Saturday was also one of the hottest days yet! Luckily, the party was indoors, but we about melted when we got in our car. The A/C was on full blast all the way home.

We decided to have my family over for dinner, so what did we do? We stupidly, turned the oven on and made potato bake and tater tots. Dave grilled hamburgers outside and my sister even cooked some bacon for the hamburgers. Those were probably the worst things to make on a hot day! LOL! We should have kept cool and ordered a pizza or something. Oh well, it was delicious!


The burgers are from Sam's Club. They are in the frozen section. Dave seasons them a bit and they are really tasty. I believe it was a little under $15 for a bag of 18 patties.

Today, the weather was gorgeous! We went to a local festival and Abby rode a few rides and had a yummy blue raspberry sno-cone.

The weather is supposed to be pleasant the beginning of this week as well, so we are hoping to go out. I'd love to get back to the zoo. We'll see.

How was your weekend and how are you enjoying the Summer? Can you believe it's almost July?

Fix It Friday: Week 18

Before

After


What a sweet baby face!

I used Picnik to crop and then added the Orton-ish effect, but faded it out. Next, I blurred out the black mouth on the hat with the touch up tool. I then chose the black and white edit with a reddish filter and faded it out a bit, and finished it off with a focal soften around the face.

For more Fix It Friday edits, head to www.iheartfaces.com.

Picnic Table Talk: Dads

This week's Picnic Table Talk over at ABC & 123 is about Dads!

This year, we gave Dave his Father's Day gifts and then headed to church. After church, we went to a local pool that has water slides, a lazy river and lots of fun stuff for kids. My Dad met us up there and we all had a great time. I wish I had pictures, but I didn't take my camera. I'm not comfortable with leaving my belongings unattended. Heck, it's hard for me to leave the shoes, towels and sunscreen! LOL!

After the water park, we got cleaned up and went to my Mom and Dad's for dinner. My sister and her husband and 2 boys were also there. My Mom bought some Super Smokers pulled pork and chicken and my sister made Potato Bake (we don't use onions and use Corn Chex instead of Rice Chex).

Dave and I brought the makings for Walt's Apple Oatmeal Crumble. I found the recipe in a magazine awhile back and it doesn't call for wheat bran. We just serve ours warm and spooned over ice cream with store bought caramel sauce. YUM! Oh and we don't use walnuts or raisins in ours.

We had a good time just hanging out and laughing.

Here's a slide show of the kids on Father's Day at my Mom and Dad's house. You can see my Dad in a few of the pictures with my nephew and then with Abby and Matthew.

I'm not sure why the picture quality in this movie is so bad. My images were crystal clear. Sorry about that.

So what did you do on Father's Day? Head over to ABC & 123 for the Picnic Table Talk!

Wordless Wednesday: Abby Discovers Picnik

I was editing this picture of our cat, when Abby climbed up and wanted to do it too. I opened up the stickers and she went to town! LOL!

For more Wordless Wednesday posts, check out:

Go Graham Go
Jolly Mom
5 Minutes For Mom

More on Homeschooling Scope & Sequence

In my recent post, Thinking About Homeschooling?, I mentioned several places to find information on what to teach your child.

However, I just came across this awesome post that deserves a standing ovation!

Joy from the Five J's: Curing Scope & Sequence Syndrome

My favorite quote in the article:

Is it good if my children can name all the states and capitals of the world if they don't know enough about the Constitution of the United States to recognize when their rights are being stripped away?

Very well said! This is exactly what is happening today and it's frightening.

I will admit that I have printed the lists and referred back to them, but I am not going to let it run our homeschool.

Remember, it is the big picture that is important. If our children love learning, they can do anything!

I ♥ Faces Week 24: "Let's Hear It For The Boys!"

In celebration of Father's Day, this week at I ♥ Faces is a boys only week!

I took this picture of my nephew, Matthew on Father's Day yesterday. I used Picnik to edit and I added the 1960's feel to it.

For more boy only pictures head to www.iheartfaces.com.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all of the Dads out there!

I hope your day is wonderful!

It's A Small World

Awhile back, I was clicking through Works For Me Wednesday posts and clicked on a Camera Strap Cover Tutorial from Tidy Mom. I commented that it was a great idea and I was so excited, because I just got my camera for Mother's Day.

Well, it turns out Cheryl (Tidy Mom) did too! We even found out we lived near each other and her daughter was a student in my cousin's class last year.

We also found out that we were registering for the same Nikon D40 class at a local camera store.

Today was the class and I got to meet Cheryl. She even made me my own camera strap!

Isn't it beautiful!

Unfortunately, neither one of us thought to take a picture of us. How silly! We had our cameras and everything. LOL!

The class was very informational. It was the fastest 2 hours ever.

It was nice to meet you, Cheryl and Happy 23rd Anniversary!

Thanks again for the awesome camera strap cover!

I ♥ Faces Fix It Friday: Week #17

Before

After


This little girl is adorable!

I used Picnik to crop, change the color a bit and add a light vignette.

Check out more Fix It Friday edits at www.iheartfaces.com.

Hooked On Friday: Thrifty Finds Part 2

UPDATE: I had so much fun with these projects, that I am posting this for Southern Hospitality's Thrifty Treasures party also!

I am doing a two in one post again to follow up on my thrift store finds from last week.

I am participating in Thrift Store Thursday
and Hooked On Friday.

Before

blue lamp After
(we already had the shade)

I made this lamp shade to go with a white lamp that used to be in our master bedroom. It is now in Abby's room.

Off

On
I found the self adhesive shade at Jo-Ann's craft store. I used a 50% coupon on it, making it only $5.50. I bought the buttercup yellow fabric and the pink rick-rack there also. I love how it turned out!

I also spray painted the above picture frame which holds a picture of my Memaw. I forgot the before picture, but it used to be a dark burgundy color with dark trim.

I can't take credit for this next project. I am not that creative! I have been searching for the blog that I originally saw this on, but can't find it. If it is you or you know who it was, please let me know, so I can link up. Her owls were awesome!

Of course, I forgot to take a before picture again! I searched online and this is the closet thing I can find. My owl had frighteningly bright gold eyes though. He was kind of creepy actually.

Before

After
I have not hung him yet, I'm waiting to find a few more things to group him with.

The shelf AFTER:

I think I like it better upside down, like this:


I haven't decided where it is going yet, but it looks nice and fresh with a coat of white spray paint.

Centsational Girl uses Heirloom White Rustoleum spray often and her items always turn out beautifully. I am more of a bright white person, so I went with the Satin White. I bought it at Walmart for $4.58. I loved the coverage of the spray.

Head over to Homebody Holly for Thrift Store Thursdays and Hooked On Houses for Hooked On Fridays!

Picnic Table Talk: Traveling With Kids

This week's Picnic Table Talk at ABC & 123 is sharing ideas on how to keep kids happy and occupied when out and about.

For everyday errands, we usually play I Spy. Abby is really good at spying things that don't exist! LOL!

We also make up and sing songs about everything from birthdays to holidays. I posted videos of her singing them here.

For longer trips, we pack:

*Drawing paper & twist crayons
*Color Wonder paper & markers
*A few favorite books
*Snacks
*A comfy blanket, just in the rare case she will nap :)

We bought this Fisher Price travel tray for Abby a few years back:



It was nice to attach it to the car seat, while on our Branson trip. Abby was able to color and the markers stayed on the tray. It also was helpful when eating on the road.

When we go on our yearly vacation, we do pack the DVD player and lots of DVDs for Abby to watch. It keeps her entertained and relaxed.

Abby also likes to look at maps while we are traveling. We use AAA to purchase our Silver Dollar City tickets and they print Quick Trip maps for us. Last year, the lady gave both Abby and Matthew their own Branson map! They loved it!

Here they are at breakfast in 2007, planning the day's activities at Silver Dollar City.

Abby was 3 and Matthew was 4 1/2.

For more tips on traveling with kids, head over to today's Picnic Table Talk at ABC & 123.

Wordless Wednesday

"Look, Mom! I made a copyright!"

Completely out of nowhere, Abby made this during church on the bulletin last Sunday.

Whenever we read, I have her point out the title, author and the copyright page.

I love watching her learn!

For more Wordless Wednesday, check out:

Go Graham Go
Jolly Mom
5 Minutes For Mom

Magic House Field Trip

Last Friday, my sister and I took our kids to the Magic House. We spent 6 hours there! The kids had a great time and they all did very well.

My sister had Pepsi cans that had a coupon for free kids admission with an adult admission. We only had to pay our $8.50 to get in. We both think it was the best $8.50 we've ever spent!

Here's a slide show of our trip. I'm sorry it is long, I had over 200 pictures and TRIED to pick as few as possible, but I wanted everyone to see how much stuff there is to do at the Magic House.



If you are in or passing through the St. Louis area, we highly recommend a stop there. Keep in mind we spent 6 hours there and still didn't see everything!

I ♥ Faces Week 23: Sepia Toned

I used Picnik on this picture of my nephew Andrew. I used the grayer toned sepia and faded it out a bit. I then used the Boost option.

For more Sepia Toned photos, head to www.iheartfaces.com.

Father's Day Gifts For the Homeschool Dad

Father's Day is already next week! Where does the time go?

Do you know the story of Father's Day? I thought Hallmark made it up, but apparently it dates back to 1909! Check out the story here.

Here's a few fun gifts I found for the Homeschool Dads out there.

All of the above items were found on CafePress. Click on the picture for the link to purchase.

Zazzle also has some great gifts ideas.

Check out Danielle's Place for adorable Father's Day craft ideas.

Don't forget to take Dad out for a Frosty treat from Wendy's to support the Dave Thomas Foundation. Head to Go Graham Go for more information.

What plans do you have for Father's Day?

We usually do a BBQ get together. I'm hoping for some potato bake and hamburgers!

Hooked On Fridays: Thrifty Finds

Today is a 2 posts in one type of day. I am participating in Hooked On Friday
& Thrift Store Thursday.

There are several blogs I follow that are always posting their garage sale and thrift store finds. I love to see their before and after transformations and it really inspires me!

I've been looking for a few things for Abby's room, so we went to 3 church sales this past weekend.

I was so excited to find some of the items I was looking for and more!



The blue table lamp was only $1 and it works! It was going to be painted white for Abby's room, but then I realized it matches the one I have in the master bedroom! So, I will paint it white to match that one and take the other one in the room that is already white and use it for Abby's room! I just need a new lampshade for it.

The yellow and red table is a Lego table. The legs fold out for it to stand up and the green Lego bases slide together to make a platform for your blocks. There are 2 pockets under them to store your blocks in. This table was cleaned up and taken to Grandma's house. Abby doesn't have Legos, but my Mom has all of the ones I used to play with out for my nephew Matthew to build with. He loves them!

The dirty shelf cleaned up pretty nicely and will be painted to put in Abby's room. It's an Ethan Allen shelf and is supposed to sit like that, but I'm thinking about turning it over, not sure yet.

And sorry about the mess in the background. I washed and vacuumed my car out on Friday and brought in all of Abby's stuff that was piled in the back seat. Every time we leave the house, she packs another bag of stuff to bring! LOL!

I also bought a net canopy ($1) that I plan to dress up, kind of like this:


It will go in the corner of Abby's room where the purple glider is now (see pics here). It will be a little book nook.


I bought these awesome blocks up the street at a garage sale on Wednesday. They were all flattened out and in a big storage bag for $3. I had no idea how many were in the bag, but I know they are expensive to buy new. It turns out there were about 70 in there, that Dave had to put together one at a time. I don't know where he gets the patience for that! Abby and Dave had a great time making a castle with them.

Head to Hooked On Houses for more Hooked On Fridays posts and to Homebody for Thrift Store Thursday!

Also, if you like thrifty finds, check out some of these other great blogs:

Southern Hospitality

Thrifty Decor Chick

Centsational Girl

Picnic Table Talk: Arts & Crafts

This week's Picnic Table Talk at ABC & 123 is:

Arts & Crafts

First, I wanted to mention that we love all types of art and craft supplies, but I don't recommend Rose Art markers. They fade over time, unlike Crayola markers. I've also found that cheaper washable markers aren't very washable. So we stick to Crayola. I stock up during the back to school sales in August and September.

We keep some supplies out for Abby, for her to use as she pleases. This lazy susan supply center is always on our kitchen table and holds all of the basics.

This bottom section of our pantry is for Abby's paper, workbooks and coloring books. I've organized the paper by color in the file box, so she can quickly find what she wants.


I always like checking out craft blogs to get ideas for new activities. Besides, ABC & 123, here are a few blogs that always have great arts & craft projects:

The Crafty Crow

One Pretty Thing has a Kid Craft Roundup

Ramblings of a Crazy Woman

I Blame My Mother has a meme called Kid Friendly Friday, where everyone shares lots of great activities for kids.

Just For Fun

And for younger children, check out:

No Time For Flash Cards

Our Crafts~N~Things

1+1+1=1



Abby's favorite craft activity is painting. As you can see here, she always ends up painting herself.


I particularly enjoy kool-aid playdough. It smells so good! We've also made chocolate playdough, which should have been edible.

What's your favorite arts and crafts project?

Head over to ABC & 123 for more Arts & Crafts posts.

Works For Me Wednesday: Picnik

I forgot where I first heard about Picnik, but I've been using it since right before Christmas and have really enjoyed it!

Picnik is a FREE online photo editing site. You can do basic editing such as cropping, sharpening, resizing, etc. But there's also lots of special effects, the option to add text, touch-up options, frames, stickers and more.

I haven't upgraded yet, but for $24.95 a year, you can get access to the premium features on Picnik. They look like a lot of fun!

So, Picnik is what works for me this week. Go check it out!

Head to We Are THAT Family for more Works For Me Wednesday posts.

Thinking About Homeschooling?

For those who are considering homeschooling and don't know where to start, I wanted to share a few links and tips.

First, check out The Big Questions to help put your mind at ease about homeschooling.

Next, you'll want to research your state's homeschooling laws. Every state is different. Some have no guidelines and others have more strict procedures. The Home School Legal Defense Association is a great place to find information on your state's laws and guidelines.

Then consider the age or ages of your children. Homeschooling 3 and 4 year old's is a collection of great articles about the Pre-K years.

No matter what age your child is, I highly recommend this book from Cathy Duffy:



100 Top Picks For Homeschool Curriculum guides you through determining your child's learning style. It then gives a curriculum list of products that tend to work for that type of learner.

This is a very important step. You don't want to waste your money on curriculum or materials that your child will not use. You want learning to be fun! In Abby's case, I know that she isn't the type to sit and do workbook pages. She is an on the go type of gal. While planning her preschool projects this past year, I tried to do activities that involved movement and more hands on learning.

You may wonder WHAT to teach your children? The Worldbook Typical Course Of Study will give you an idea of what is generally tought in each grade, from preschool to grade 12. I like to print the list and refer to it, when trying to find a new topic to cover.

Homeschooling Scope & Sequence is another great tool for building your curriculum.

You could also go to your public school's website and get a list of their curriculum standards or scope & sequence. This may help you feel more comfortable by not worrying your child is behind. Of course, I really don't think there is a "behind" in homeschooling. That's one of the great aspects of it. Your child will learn at their own pace, but keep in mind, several studies have shown that homeschoolers test above conventional taught students on achievement tests.

Lastly, remember that homeschooling doesn't have to be expensive. There are many free online resources available to homeschoolers, as well as programs through your local library or homeschool group. Do a search on a particular subject for lesson plans, unit studies or lapbooks and you will be amazed at the amount of information you will find! Homeschool Share has lots of helpful resources.

Plus, there are tons of great homeschooling blogs out there! I have a few links to my some of my favorites over in the left sidebar.

I hope this post will help you in your decision about homeschooling or not. It's not for everyone, but for us it's been a great adventure so far.

Please share any other great resources or links you have for those considering homeschooling or feel free to ask questions!

Summer Learning

Abby's first year of homeschooling is over and now it's Summer break! I'd still like to work with Abby, but I won't do as much planning.

The other day, we tried out a game I forgot I had. I bought it a long time ago at a Scholastic Warehouse Book Fair. Probably before she was even born! LOL!

Learning Resources Pizza Fraction Fun GameThe game is for ages 6 and up, but there are 7 different ways to play. We started with just making pizzas and showing Abby the fractions. Then, we played the easier game of spinning the wheel and picking up that fraction. The person who makes a whole pizza first wins. Abby won and she was pretty excited!

We then switched the wheel to a different game, where you still spin the wheel and pick up that fraction to make your pizza, but there's an extra spot on the wheel. It's called TRADE. When I landed on it and I traded Abby one of my pizza pieces for one of her's, she was ticked! I even gave her a bigger piece than I was taking, but she didn't appreciate my "ruining" her pizza. Then it hit me why the game is probably for ages 6 and up. She does not know proper game techniques yet! LOL! Obviously, we'll need to play more games this Summer.

One warning about playing the game, it makes you very hungry for PIZZA! It looks exactly like an IMO'S pizza.

Abby also pulled out one of those character workbooks to work on with her Dad the other night. I was pretty excited, because I'd like her to work on her handwriting, but she's never interested in sitting for long enough.


They did several pages in the book. We have a few of those types of books and they are great for quick practice.

This post got me thinking about those who homeschool year round vs. those that take breaks. If you are interested in what others in the homeschool community are doing, check out The Homeschool Classroom's post: Q & A: Year Round School or Summer Break?

They also just did a follow up to that post: Q & A: How Long Do You Typically Homeschool Each Day?

It is always fun for me to read about other people's schedules and how their homeschool works. That's the great part of homeschooling, it is so flexible!

What is your schedule like?