Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my Dad's 57th birthday!

Dad,
If you are reading this, I hope you have a great day! Well as good of a day as you can have at work. LOL!


Thanks for everything you do for us, we love you!

stART: Calling All Cats

This week was Heather's turn to plan the stART activity. Since they were coming over to see our new kitty, Heather decided to do a cat themed stART lesson.

First, she read Calling All Cats

Actually, Heather started the book and then Matthew read the last several pages. I still can't believe how well he reads. He taught himself to read!



After reading the book, the kids made mats like in the story. Heather had them weave colored paper to make them. Abby was really stubborn about it. She saw how Heather did the first strip of paper and wouldn't let us show her how to do the next strip the opposite way. Finally, we were able to show her and she completed her mat.


Seriously, I have no idea why Abby was dressed like this. LOL!



This was such a cute story and project. The kids have been pretending they are cats, so now they have special mats too!

Here are a few pics of Matthew and Andy meeting Kako. I took so many, but he moves so fast that most were out of focus.





I love how you can tell Andy is smiling in this picture, just by those chubby checks!

For more stART projects, head to A Mommys Adventures.

Wordless Wednesday

Our new kitty:

His name is Kako, like the Kako from Oobi.

For more Wordless Wednesday posts, head to:

Go Graham Go
5 Minutes For Mom
J. Leigh Designz

Bloggography Week 4: Aperture

This week's bloggography challenge is using Aperture. For tips and ideas, check out Manic Mother and Better In Bulk.

As soon as Valentine's Day was over, Abby was ready to get out the Easter decorations.


f/4.8
ISO 800


f/13.0
ISO 800

I had to really look closely to see the differences. If you look at the basket in the back, it's easier to see than looking at the eggs.

To participate, head to Manic Mother or Better In Bulk.

Links I Like: 4th Edition

First, I want to thank Amy at Keeping Up With The Schultz Family for the Happy 101 Award.

I've already received this award, but thanks so much for thinking of me! I also received another award a few weeks ago, but I can not find the email anymore. If you think this was you, let me know! I'm so sorry to have missed it.

This week, I've found some pretty cool homeschooling links.

Discover This has some awesome science kits. Matthew would love this Owl Pellet kit.

Teach Mama had a great idea of ABC style hide and seek. Abby already knows her alphabet, but this would be perfect for sight words.

ABC and 123 had a great post last week about Teaching Word Families. There are several great links and ideas listed.

February is Dental Health month and I think these Tooth Fairy Money Cards from Making Learning Fun are so cute.

If you have been watching the Olympics, you have to check out this Mini Olympic Ice Rink from Silly Eagle Books.


How cool is that?!

These aren't homeschool related, but Snail's Trail did a review of Ficklets and I think the idea is genius!


Head to Snail's Trail before March 5th for a Ficklets giveaway!

Coming Soon: Disney On Ice Let's Celebrate

Disney On Ice is coming back to St. Louis at Scottrade Center for
Let's Celebrate!

It's one colossal party on ice, with all your favorite Disney friends! Enjoy a winter wonderland with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, a Halloween haunt with the Disney Villains, a Very Merry Unbirthday Party, a Royal Ball with the Disney Princesses and more in a magical medley of holidays, celebrations and festivals from around the globe.

If you are in the St. Louis area and would like to see the show, head to ticketmaster and enter the code MOM to purchase 4 tickets to any of the following show times for only $44! Additional tickets can be purchased for $11 each. Service Charges, facility & handling fees will apply.

Wednesday, March 10: 7:30
Thursday, March 11: 7:30
Friday, March 12: 10:30 am & 7:30 pm
Saturday, March 13: 11:30 am, 3:30 pm & 7:00 pm
Sunday, March 14: 1:00 pm & 5:00 pm

Thanks to Mom Central and Feld Entertainment for the opportunity for us to be able to attend this show! I'll let you know all about it after we see it.

stART: George Did It

Since Monday was President's Day, I decided to do a related book and art project with the kids for this week's stART project.

First, I read George Did It:



This is a neat book that introduces kids to who George Washington was and what he stood for. The title George Did It, relates to how George was nervous about being president and really didn't want to be, but he did it!

It was somewhat long for Abby and I did have to skip a few sentences here and there, because she was constantly letting me know how bored she was with it. My nephew, Matthew informed me that he would have "preferred the book on a projector". LOL!



After reading the book, the kids made Presidential wigs to look like George Washington. Of course, they thought they looked more like sheep.


It looks like Matthew has a mustache, but it's just his nose recovering from being sick.

We also made Andy a wig, but he did not want it on his head:



For more stART projects, head to A Mommy's Adventures.

Get Your Face On

Today, I'm going to be brave and link up to The Stories of A to Z's Get Your Face On party!

A few weeks ago, Beth shared her pre-make up and post make up face and her beauty tips. It was so fun to read!

Now, I will admit I'm not much of a makeup person. In fact, I didn't really wear makeup until a few years ago. However, I no longer go out without fixing my hair and putting on some light makeup.

Here I am first thing in the morning, after I've brushed my teeth, washed my face and put my contacts on:



I am currently using Clean & Clear Make Up Dissolving Foaming Cleanser, since it was on sale and I had a coupon. My favorite cleanser is Avon Solutions AM/PM Total Radiance Cleansers.

I then use a moisturizing lotion, such as Garnier Fructis Skin Renew or Anew Alternative Photo-Radiance Treatment.



After I wet my hair, I start my makeup. I put on eyeliner first (Avon Glimmer Sticks, Blackest Black), then a light eyeshadow with a bit of a darker color on the outer corner. Today, I went with mark. by Avon Cake and Pool.

Next, I use Avon Super Full Mascara and then apply Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation under my eyes. They seem so purple to me and I feel like it helps cover that up.

I then use a little blush (Avon True Color Blush in Classic Aura) and apply some lipstick (currently CoverGirl LipSlicks Edgy).

That's it for the makeup. Next up is my hair. I use Garnier Fructis Full Control Mousse and then blow dry with a Marilyn brush. I finish with a few sprays of Garnier Fructis Full Control Hair Spray and I'm done.



This all takes about 15 to 30 minutes, depending on how many times I've stopped to help Abby with something or ran to start the laundry or stopped to check email, etc. etc..

Seriously, I have no fashion or make up advice. I just find that fixing my hair and putting on make up makes me feel better. I probably do it all wrong, but it works for me.

Head to The Stories of A to Z to find more Get Your Face On posts!

President's Day Activities

I am so glad my husband works at a bank, because he is off for all of the holidays! Today, we headed back to the breeder's house to see the Tonkinese kitties again. We gave the little shy kitty another chance, but he was still pretty timid. We all agreed that over time he'd be fine, however we chose the kitty that picked us out the other day!

He is so sweet and so playful. He came right up to see us and sat in our laps. I wish I would have brought the camera again! I held him out on his back, rubbing his head and he totally passed out with his little paws crossed and purring! He needs the last of his kitten vaccines and we are picking him up Tuesday the 23rd! We are all so excited.

Now, for the actual President's day activities:

I talked to Abby about what President's day was and told her about our first president. I then showed her coins and discussed how each coin has a president on it. She tried to do crayon rubbings of the coins, but they didn't really look like anything.


Next, I laid out an old toothbrush and had her clean the coins with vinegar and salt. I found the recipe at Preschool Education.


Abby enjoyed this, until some vinegar got into a paper cut on her finger. Ouch! I then showed her how to drop water on the coins and see how much would fit on them. I didn't have a dropper, but she still enjoyed using the medicine syringe to fill the coins with water and then suck the water back up again.
These were quick projects. I think we spent about 20 minutes on them. Abby wanted nothing to do with talking about presidents and started to draw a picture of our family instead.

Did anyone else do President's Day activities? I'm curious to see if your kids were as bored as my daughter was! LOL

Links I Like: 3rd Edition

Abby is really into playing doctor with her dolls and kitty and I just love these felt bandages from Pink and Green Mama.

Speaking of baby dolls, we have a cheapie doll stroller. The seat has mostly ripped off, but I never thought of making a new one. Here's a DIY doll stroller liner from Prudent Baby that would be a perfect fit!


Totally unrelated, but these Recycled Bowling Pins from Sometimes Creative are so, well... creative! Abby used to eat tons of those puffs.


I also came across some yummy looking treats this past week. I am going to have to run out and get some peanut butter to make these Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Hearts from Chasing Fireflies.

Speaking of chocolate and peanut butter, I bookmarked this next recipe a LONG time ago and I forgot about it. I wish I had some right now.

Joy the Baker's Peanut Butter Fudge Treats

I must be in a chocolate and peanut butter mood. If you have a yummy recipe with those ingredients, please share!

Happy Valentine's Day

I hope everyone has a great Valentine's Day! We were supposed to have a party at my sister Heather's house, but they are all recovering from being sick last week. So, we'll probably just take Abby out to lunch after church tomorrow. Of course, some chocolate will have to be involved!

Are you all doing anything cool for Valentine's?

Conversation Heart Wreath & KITTENS!

I'm linking up to

and to



I first saw this idea for a conversation heart wreath at Pixie Dust.

While the Superbowl game was on last Sunday, I worked on making my own wreath:



I found the white foam wreath at the dollar store and got 3 packages of conversation hearts at CVS when they were 88 cents. I used about 2 1/3 bags.

This was very easy to do, just hot glue the candies in place.

I hung this on the inside of my front door, where I can see it from my living room chair :) It looks great with the rest of my Valentine's decor in this room:



If you read yesterday's post about going to find a kitten, here's a few pics:


This first little guy was so sweet! He was very shy, because it was the first time he had come out into the lady's living room. He's 4 months old and has been with the rest of his litter and mommy in another room of the house. I held him and he just looked right at me. He ended up hiding, so we didn't get to spend much time with him.


This second little guy was a total show-off! It was his first time in the living room as well, but it didn't seem to bother him one bit. He played, jumped, let us hold him, climbed up on my shoulders and more! Abby likes him best, because he's white and for some reason she's always liked white cats.

We pretty much have decided to go with the second guy, but I want to give the other little boy another chance. There's something about him that was special to me. We'll see. The lady said he's normally the most affectionate and that it must have been too much for him to come out of the room for the first time.

She's going to get him out more this weekend and let him warm up more and we'll go again on Monday to see the cats and pick one.

I'll keep you posted!

stART: Amelia Bedelia Valentine

Abby's has a new favorite book...Amelia Bedelia! I used to love Amelia Bedelia, so it's fun to read these books to her.

Yesterday we went to the library to pick up Amelia Bedelia's First Valentine and Be My Valentine, Amelia Bedelia.



After we read the books, I got out some stamps, stickers and paper for Abby to make Valentine's.

It was pretty simple, but Abby spent a lot of time making cards. She loved the new Valentine's stamps I had found at Target in the $1 spot.

For more stART projects, head to A Mommy's Adventures.

I'm also adding this to the Valentine's link up at ABC & 123.


On an unrelated note: I am so excited to have found a Tonkinese breeder very close to my house that has 3 boy kittens to chose from! We are going at 11:00 am today to see them! Wish me luck, I am so cat lonely these days.

WFMW: Lightscoop

I was so excited to get the Lightscoop in the mail last Friday! It wasn't supposed to be delivered until Monday! I immediately took it out of the package, read the instructions and started snapping pics.

Since I was sitting in the chair with AbyCat next to me, here's my first experiment:


I took this picture of Andy on Friday. I did edit some boogies out from under his nose, but did not change the exposure or colors.



The Lightscoop works for me!



Don't forget to use your Swagbucks for Amazon purchases! I got my Lightscoop free, because of Swagbucks!

The Amazon and Swagbucks links are from my accounts.

For more Works For Me Wednesday tips, check out We Are THAT Family.