TTT: An 8 yr old's text

We had a field trip last week and I didn't have a pocket for my cell.... I know not a good idea for momma not have a cell pocket:/ My trustworthy first-born agreed to help me out... she definitely enjoyed the privilege:)

We had a laugh though when Brian came home from work. More concerned than usual, he asked how my day had gone. When I quickly said that it had been a good day he looked less worried. I asked about his releif.

He relayed to me that he had received a text stating "Chris is driveing me crazy!" earlier in the day. And how he had worried all day that Chris and I were have an off-day.

LOL!!! Too funny that my 8 yr old is texting secret messages to her Daddy:)
We made a plan for her to use an "A" at the end of her texts from now on so we don't worry Daddy all day:) LOL!!

It's your turn:)

They are Little Sponges

Anna and Granddaddy were having a little tiff at the dinner table about his snoring;) LOL!!

Anna commented,"You snore all the time!"

Granddaddy, "Well, I've been snoring before you were born!"

Anna, "Well, you are the first Son of Adam!"

LOL!! Oh, my!! I was in the same room listening on the conversation and almost fell out my seat! She most definitely DID get that "Son of Adam" comment from listening to The Chronicles of Narnia on CD;) Thanks Uncle Scott and Aunt Bea:)

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We FINALLY had a decent evening to get outside and finish our "project" from the week before last. We had been discussing the tragedies during Charles II reign in London. First was the Plague and then the Great Fire of London in 1666.

Our history book suggested "building" a London street and then seeing how quickly the buildings built of very flammable materials and close together burned down. This was one project Chris couldn't wait to finish;)

Chris was listening to the story much more closely than I thought. As our little project was burning he said,"Oh, this fire is nothing. A woman could put it out."
 

Which is what our history lesson said that the Mayor of London said during the first hours of the fire! How wrong he was :(

But I thought it was great that Chris remembered that little detail of the story!

Mom, I Don't Want You to be a Snake

We walked by a little, swampy stream after soccer practice last week. And Chris asked,"Mom, do you think there are snakes in there?"

It was a chilly night, so as we walked by I answered," Yep. But if I was a snake, I'd be looking for a place to hibernate!"

And then the conversation was quiet for a moment.

Chris answers back, "Mom, I don't want you be a snake... your a good mom!... I mean you do stuff that is mean sometimes, but I don't care. You're still a good mom!!"

The conversation was very sweet, revealing and convicting. I had just written about how I long to be a joyful, loving mother that week and then earlier in the day I had "lost it"... finding fault with everything and really showing an ugly attitude.

Sure, my simple requests of the children had been disregarded. Messes left in every room. Chores left undone. Whining instead of obedience. And a busier schedule due to soccer practice.

Not to mention... a meal to prepare and have ready when we returned from soccer practice. A van left half cleaned (because the little helpers got bored of the job!). A project that the kids had gotten into and I had to fix before I could complete it!!

But those are all excuses...

I have the ability (only through the Holy Spirit) to choose to be loving, gentle, kind and longsuffering.

I choose...  and too often I choose wrongly! And my kids know!!

I am thankful they know. They know I love the Lord and want to serve Him in every moment. And they know how often I fail.

But there is forgiveness.... forgiveness from the Lord and from each other!

And a chance to choose joy, gentleness, love and longsuffering the next time!!

It totally figures that these are part of the verses we are working on memorizing together... funny how that always works out :)

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud  or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.                                                                 1Corinthians 13: 4-7

TTT: Lydia help in the Hunt & Conversation with Nate

We've spent WAY too much time talking about houses.... location, what they look like, what we'd like!! We know because the kids are starting to talk "house" too!!

Lydia: We need a house that has an upstairs. The kids can have the upstairs!! And then we can have 3 rooms downstairs. One for you and Daddy. One for Grandma and Granddaddy! And one for the new baby!!

LOL.... so we are NOT expecting. But obviously Lydia has other plans:)

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Lydia also has an eye for "for sale" signs in yards!! It's VERY common to hear from the backseat...

Lydia: There's a house! We could live there.... it has an upstairs!!!  

LOL:)

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We were trying to get to "say" please on video. But it turned into a guessing game of what he wanted:) LOL!!

But in watching the video it was a fun capture of a normal conversation with our 17 month old Nate;) ALthough it wasn't really what I wanted it will be fun video to watch in a couple of months/years as he is really talking;)

Momma, What are You Doing???

Last week I began working out.... again!!

I have just felt so weak and worn out recently! And the "post breastfeeding" pounds have started to creep back... who, am I kidding?? Those extra pounds are taking over my body... weighing me down and making me  more self-conscience!!

I want to be a healthy, active Momma.... so I'm determined to sweat and work those pounds off...

by getting "my tail kicked" by Jillian Micheals while the kiddos nap/read in the afternoon! I've heard good things about Jillians Micheals 1st DVD and as I was about to purchase it, Ripped in 30 was getting attention!

Yikes, I should have gone back to my walking workout;) But I made it through and after a break this weekend to let my body heal... I've been back to working out this week;)

The funniest thing has been the kids' reactions to my working out....

Anna (7 yrs): Momma, what are you doing? [when she 1st found me working out!]


then minutes later...

Anna: You're not doing it like they are???
(LOL!!)

then minutes after that...

Anna: Are those muscles on those girls? You don't have anything like that?

WHat an encourager.... ha haha haa!!

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And Chris snuck out of bed to draw a picture of me working out...

I love my eyebrows:)

Tiny Talk Tuesday @ The Movies and Ears

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Brian took the kids to see Lion King at the movie theater on Saturday! We left the house later than we wanted along the way we worried a bit hat the movie would be too full when they got there:(

But we totally made it there on-time... they even saw all the previews:)

During the previews, Anna (7 yrs) says," Why don't they just start the movie?"

Then 40 or so minutes into the movie, while in Daddy's lap, Lydia (4 yrs) says, "Phew, I'm glad we got here in time!"

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We've been hearing more and more "words" from Nate:)

• "Peas".... and he rubs his tummy (almost the ASL sign for "please"!)
• "Danh Chu"... said when someone helps him or gives him something... it's obviously "thank you"
• "dop" ... said when someone is messing with him... we think it's "stop"
• "yeh, yeh, yeh, yeh, yeh".... this is the Lyrics from the Yes to VBS  song... he loves to listen to it and dance;)

Here is this funny (and blurry) photo again...

The questions was What is he asking for??
and it's super hard NOT being with Nate or in that "conversation"... so I'll just tell you:)


He's becoming aware of body parts... especially the face/head! And so lately he thinking it's funny to stick his fingers in our ears!! SO he tries constantly to get that little finger close enough to our ear;)

And if you ask him about "ears" he'll find his own or try to stick his finger in ours;)

LOL!! It sounds gross:) But it's really funny to us, I don't remember the others making a game of it like he has:)

Tiny Talk with Lydia

Lydia came in holding her baby close. Sweetie Pie had been MIA for over a month now, I found her over that weekend on Chris' top bunk... AKA the hidden toy chest:)

Me: Are you taking good care of Sweetie Pie.

Lydia (4 yrs) : It's Sarah, not Fweetie Pie! [shaking head her] No one knows her right name. You and Daddy keep calling her Fweetie Pie!

LOL.... it's getting harder to keep up with everyone's dolls and their names;)

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We had a sweet church member pass away last week! It's been a hard summer :/

After the family meal Sunday afternoon, Lydia was talking to me...

Lydia: Everyone is sad about Mr Jule, but I'm not sad he died?

Me: really, why? (her words kind of surprised me by I tried to not be too surprised so I could understand what she was trying to tell me!)

Lydia: Mr Jule was sick and now he's in heaven. And heaven is a better place to be. His family is sad because they miss him, but they should be happy that he's in heaven.

Oh.... the sweet, simple, trusting faith of children!!

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and the kids' favorite phrase this week....

You've got to be kidding me!

Usually said after I give them an assignment they think is really easy (Chris practicing his math facts!) or that they don't want to do (like wipe off the kitchen table) !

TTT: Buttons, Whitening Toothpaste, Singing Books

Lydia dressed herself and came walking in like she wanted to share something about her outfit;) She asked, "Mommy, do you know these pants?"

Me: Yes, those are new. Do you like them?

Lydia: Do you remember that these are the pants that fall down when I run. I didn't like wearing them because they fall down.

Me: Oh, we'll they look like they fit well. [as I look at the waist]

Lydia: I just ran and they didn't fall down.

Me: oh really?

Lydia: I know why they kept falling down. When they fall down it's because they aren't buttoned right here. [ as she points to the button on the waist.... she knows how to button now and fixed the problem].

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While visiting my parents, I try to not "over" pack. So I only brought my own toothpaste. And as I guessed the kids were not happy about that choice:(

But I had to giggle when I found Anna brushing her teeth. She was brushing FAST because the toothpaste was too "spicy". She spit out all the extra toothpaste.

And then examined her teeth in the mirror...

She shook her head in disguised and said,"My teeth aren't any whiter! That toothpaste doesn't work!" LOL!!

She had read the tube of toothpaste that DOES claim to whiten after using the entire tube;)

She reads EVERYTHING!!

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I went into the girls' room the other night and found Anna singing a book for Lydia (and Nate)! Instead of reading it, she said that Lydia listens better when it's a song, so she was singing from a Little Girl's Bible!

So I shouldn't have been found when we found Nate singing, too!!



BTW... we usually don't leave library books laying around for exactly this reason! Nate doesn't quite understand gentle with books yet!! He gets to use the board books;)

Guess what 10 Commandment, Getting Married & being Anna

So we've been memorizing the 10 Commandments this summer. Sort of taking one a week, when its a quiet week... LOL, still waiting for one of those!!!

I shared in the the Weekly Wrap-up that they've really liked playing the game of guessing the missing commandment. But the funniest thing is Chris and Lydia getting super excited about knowing the missing commandment but not the exact wording...

so guess these commandments...

• You shall not harm.
• You should not steal someone else's wife.
• You should not have hate in your heart.

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Lydia and Chris were wrestling, or maybe it was dancing?, in the hallway. I walked by and reminded them to be gentle to one another:)

That's about when I heard Lydia ask,"Hey Chris, lets pretend that we are getting married [must have remembered dancing at Uncle Eric's wedding.... and Chris groans!] ... except we don't have to kiss on the lips!"

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Lydia and I were talking about a time when she "sulked". We started talking about Sunday afternoon when Anna got to go to a birthday party and she didn't get to go;)

Lydia: I wish I was Anna!

me: really?

Lydia: No, I don't want to be Anna because she don't like dogs!

**LOL!! I thought it was cute that the 1st thing she didn't like about Anna was that Anna doesn't like dogs!

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Nate (15 months) isn't much of a talker, but he definitely lets me know what he wants through "grunting" and pointing!

His newest form of communication.... grabbing my pant leg (preferably a cargo pocket) and trying to PULL me where he wants me to go;) Super cute... not always possible when my hands are full or when I'm trying to cook a meal!!

Tiny Talk Tuesday

The kids have been cracking me up... and I've been writing their little conversations down but loosing my pieces of paper :(

Anna has been keeping track of everyone's birthdays on her own calendar... I told you she keeps us all straight! She's been delighted that this month... August... is the birthday month of the "oldest member of our family"...

she's been influenced by her Daddy's jokes!!

It is MY birthday this month.... but I am NOT the oldest! Daddy is by almost 5 years!!

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Bringing in the kids from playing outside MOnday evening I was preparing to bathe them. Unfortunately we had some horse play and a squabble as they were trying to figure out who was going to bathe first... and of course there was some pushing and one comes fussing to me as I walked through the door of the house.

And of course all three were guilty!!

So I say," First, we are not to be running through the house. Second, we need to leave one another alone, stop pushing each other..."

Then Lydia pipes up, "Third, you have an ant on your back Mommy!!"

LOL!! TOo funny... no chance to be too serious around here!

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Since VBS my kids (girls especially) have been listening to the VBS songs (I might have put them on their MP3 players!)
In all honesty there are a couple of the songs that I really have enjoyed learning too;)

So when we visited with Grandma and Grandaddy last week the girls HAD to perform their songs for everyone. Grandma and Granddaddy saw the show twice... once for Gran-Grandma & Uncle Larry and once for Uncle Scott & Aunt Bea!

And I recorded it ONCE:) So I'll share it with you (it's the theme song.... not the best song... but one they really like!)

TTT: 8 Suns & Keeper of the Water Balloons

Chris (5 yrs) : "It's soo hot out there... like 8 suns!!"

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On Thursday the VBS team was filling up water balloons for Game Time. Being the pastor's kids who usually get there early so my kids saw them filling them up. We finally got them inside so we could be there to greet the kids and Brian could drive around town picking up kids;)

Lydia though wanted to go back outside. One of the VBS team members trying to convince her to stay inside and that the balloons would be ready for Game Time. And Lydia responded, "I just have to get a closer look."

He thought it was too funny and shared the story the rest of the day!

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And I tried to get a video of Nate saying his newest word. It's more precious to hear:) Anytime he sees or finds something he likes he has been saying "Waaaaaooow!"

It's like a super long extended WOW!. It's really cute;)

TTT-ing with Lydia & a Lucky stray

On Thursday night it was just tooo pretty to go inside too early. After dinner we rode our bikes around town and came home sometime after 8:30pm. Even though it was LATE we decided to start a firepit fire and roast marshmallows!!



As I pre-prepared the s'mores (everything but the marshmallows), Lydia said, "When I am married, I'm going to make fires with my husband."

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We've been asking the kids to take off their shoes and put them in the shoe bin as they enter the house!! It attempts to help keep the house and mudroom tidy!! But like all "good habits" it takes lots of time and a diligence on Momma's part to check to see if the kids doing as we have asked.

I caught Lydia coming in without putting her shoes away. And I gently asked her to correct it... but she didn't even acknowledge that I had asked anything. Then she got this "light bulb coming on" look in her eyes and she said


"I didn't know you asked me. But then I think-ed in my heart about putting my shoes away." And she raced off to put them away;)

Think-ed in my heart:)

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Lydia came racing to us outside yesterday evening yelling,"Chris is carrying a cat!"

Ok, we don't own a cat. So why was my 5 yr old son carrying one???

We soon found this little guy in his arms...


So we are now caring for a stray kitten. This little cat is soo small and had it's eyes matted shut... I shutter to think about it. But warm water and an old washcloth did the trick.

We've been told that it's probably a sickly cat and will probably died of an infection. So we're washing our hands A TON and loving on the kitten as much as we can:) Even with his eyes matted shut, the kitten was very playful:) And even survived Nate the Great picking it up by his tail... poor thing!


I'm not a cat girl!! But Daddy has already run to the store for milk, dropper feed him and made him a temporary "home" in the washroom.... Daddy likes cats:)


**He closes his eyes when drinking;) Cute!

Hoping Lucky is very lucky and becomes a healthy cat:)
And remembering other strays that have wandering into our yard and caused the "pet" debate!!

TTT in pictures

Chris loves riding his bike.... and he's a BOY so he needs to take it to a new level!!
His Daddy understands and made him a "make-shift" ramp:) So I now hear...

"Watch this action!!!"
and see this...




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I have to include Lydia's most recent attire;)



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And Nate's early entrance into the blogging world...



yes, Heather, he's reading your blog and wishing you well on your move and furniture hunting :)

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While I was away Grandma and Granddaddy BOTH heard Nate say "a book" as he carried a book into the kitchen to show them!! Already a book lover;)

TTT : Light Orange, Ameri-lina and Lilliputians

While reading with Lydia we had out little "motivational" Tic-Tacs....

Me: Do you want yellow?

Lydia: It's not yellow.... it's light orange.

[pause]

Lydia : Mom, you don't know what yellow is!

It just struck me as funny that my 4 yr old was instructing me about colors... lol!!

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While Chris and I were working together this question came up...

Me: What state do you live in?

Chris: [quickly and confidently responded] North Ameri-lina

super funny;) And we'll definitely be working on that this summer;)

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Nate has attached himself to the little Duplo men and women. He's been carrying them everywhere... in hand and mouth:)


Can't help but think of Gulliver vs the Lilliputians:)

TTT: Log me?? & Nate Speaking with Actions;)

The kids did some dressing up during their "down time" yesterday. They came out saying, "Will you log me?"


They meant blog:)
And I'll gladly "log" their silliness and creativity!!

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Here's Nate "talking on the phone". He started doing it Sunday with an old cell...
he stuck it up to his ear and just started gibber-jabbing.

Yesterday it did start with a "hey" and ended with a sound that kinda sounded like "bye-bye". It was just all mixed together. Just funny that he's already picked up "talking on the phone".
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And Nate trying to get the muffins;)

Visit Mary @ Not Before 7 to read more Tiny Talk:)

TTT - Fool's Day almost Prank, Vacuum Sword & Shower drinker

Anna was thinking of April Fools Day jokes she could do. Her favorite idea was to eat lunch before Daddy came home from working at the college. She wanted to make him a plate... awww!! But put it in the fridge, so when he came in he'd think that we ate lunch and didn't save him any!!

She would then surprise him after he dropped his stuff off in the bedroom and office. She was going to have his plate ready for him at the table;) Oh, and I think she wanted to yell surprise!!

Ok... first, it's soo sweet!! She is very thoughtful!

Second, I loved how she knew Brian's routine enough to plan how to hide it from him and then surprise him:)

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Chris announced to me that he wanted to purchase a vacuum cleaner!! That was a strange request from my 5 yr old non-cleaning boy:) So I had to ask him WHY??

Chris responded, "I need a new sword. And the vacuum comes with the sword on the side with a holder, too!!"

LOL... he likes the accessories:) He made be in luck b/c our vacuum is dead... so he may get to keep the one that he's been eyeing (and using) the last few years!

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I don't remember my other kiddos liking the sprayer in the shower... in fact, they would scream when we'd use it while visiting family. Anyway, Nate is a hoot...

Tiny Talk Tuesday

The kids have really embraced being in the Medieval Period... Chris is loving all the swords, shields and bows & arrows:) We have regular sword battles and jousting tournaments in our living room, bedrooms and yes, even one at church last week with a new friend (it's ok he was bigger than Chris)!

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While bringing lunch to the table the kids came to the table "in character". Lydia was the queen and told Chris when he approached the table that he was to sit.

Chris responded, "Ok, My Highness"

I turned the corner before I chuckled;)

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Monday night I fixed dinner at a decent hour 6:20pm. It seemed like we've been having dinner later and later since the time change a couple of weeks ago. So sitting at the table eating while there was daylight still was a little weird. I made a joke about us eating dinner sooo early.

I knew it confused the kids when Anna said," I wonder if the kids are even home from school yet??"

I did like cleaning the kitchen at 7 and having the kids have more time to play outside before getting them cleaned up for bed. But by 8:30, they were already hungry again:)

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Nate has been entertaining us by showing us what he understands!!

Our favorite this week was when he would steal the TV remote from the couch and walk up to the TV pointing the remote at it!

Or when he looks up , smiles and says "boo-m" when he falls on his bottom as he attempts to walk!

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We have been battling ants.... argh, I hate ants!! They are in the kitchen and our main bathroom! We've battled them ourselves, we called in the professionals and we're battling them ourselves again!!

So I definitely chuckled today when I heard Lydia excitedly call out to Chris, "Hey Chris, come here, you HAVE to see this!! I killed an ant and he broke in half but he's still moving!"

yes, my sweet innocent and gentle little girl:) And I was also very proud she knows what "half" is, too!!

Tiny Talk Tuesday - Rocking Chair King

We have all sorts of funny quotes from the kids after 5 days of vacation with them:) But this Momma is attempting to get caught up on everything else. (And I was without my computer on the Internet for that time....a real vacation!!!)

So I'm only going to leave you a funny and surprising quote from Lydia:)

We were at Gran-Grandma's house and we let the kids outside to bring the noise level down at her house. She loves the kids, I'm sure having a very quiet house and then being invaded by 8 people, four of them being LITTLE and LOUD could be very overwhelming. She handles it well, but I"m thankful for her fenced-in backyard where the kids found plenty to do:)

One activity was to sit in the old wooden rocking chair and pretend to be the "king". And the others had to bow to whoever was the "king".

But when Lydia got in the chair for her turn to be the king, she calls out, "I'm God. Come bow to me!"

Grandma and I both did a double-take, reminded her she was the "king", not God. And then we cracked up laughing.


The rocking chair got plenty of use with the kids and us taking some family pics;)

TTT: Teaching Table Manners

Last week at the lunch table (always a crazy place at my house!!) Chris drops a glob of ketchup off his hot dog and onto his shirt.

As I wipe it off with a clean rag I had to get up to get, I VERY sweetly (purposefully sweetly because I am trying NOT to be annoyed) say to Chris, "Ok, Chris what does this teach us?"

Chris responds, "That I shouldn't wear a shirt when I eat!"

grrrr.... LOL!!!

(not much has changed... LOL!! Found this pic of Chris at 6-ish months eating shirtless!)


I actually responded sweetly again as the girls crack up laughing at Chris' joke,"We should eat with our food over our plates."

Like I have said for the 100th time this year:) Maybe one day it will stick and his shirt won't get soo messy:)

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Related to kitchen activities, one way to stay sane with a fussy baby while I cook is to stick them in the walker and give them some Cheerios. This weekend, as I was preparing a lunch I got fussy Nate all set up in the walker.

As I loaded Cheerios onto his tray, Brian said," Are you giving him those little landmines?" LOL!!

Then he said something about starting a support group called Fathers Against Cheerios:) Guess he's tired of stepping on Cheerios;) LOL!!

Tiny Talk Tuesday

It's Viking Invasion Week :)
This was our craft yesterday!! The kids had fun making them and then seeing them come together.... they are trying to talk me into skipping Science to do more Viking stuff today:)

We are so excited.... after a recent movie release, we have become viking (not the pro-football team... sorry) fans:)

To prepare we already have watched said "recent movie" and Lydia wanted to watch it again!! so she says, "Mommy, can we watch How Does You Train Your Dragon?"

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Last week to aid in learning our memory verse, I pulled out my ASL Dictionary and taught them some new signs;) Later at lunch the kids made up a game... " guess my sign"... where they "signed" something and the others had to guess what they were saying.

Well Chris makes the "Jesus" sign and then some scary faces. And I asked him what he was signing.... I couldn't guess:)

Chris: I was saying, "Jesus scares everyone."

Me: Why does Jesus scare everyone?

Chris: When he rose again, he jumped out! And the people were scared and said,"Hey, there is the Lord's Son."

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We finally got ride of a wicker shelf we'd been planning to find a new home back in Oct!!! Yes, I"m not sure WHY we had it soo long... but anyway, we brought it up again and Brian just picked it up and put it on the side of the road in front of our house....

no joke, not 60 seconds later.... before Brian could even walk back inside... someone stopped and said they wanted it... LOL!!!

Anna looked at me with Nate in her arms and said, "We are NOT putting Nate out there!"