I love short weeks........

Not only did hubby get a 3 day weekend but these short weeks go by so fast. Love that.

I just finished The Creative Family by Amanda Blake Soule. I really enjoyed it. It really made me rethink all the toys we currently have. Even though a lot of them are still packed. If they have been packed for 1 1/2 years do we really need them? I really want to go through them now and really purge. Just keep the things we love. Instead of keeping everything because of sentiment. This book also made me think about how I can have a more creative life with my children. I need to restock art supplies. Right now we are down to a big box of mostly broken crayons. I want to be able to just grab and play. Still thinking on the best way for us to store. I am thinking of a big woven basket with a lid to start. That way the baby just won't be able to get in a make a mess. I have also been thinking about what toys it would to add to our stock. Things that we could put on a list for when family askes what the kids would like for birthdays and such.

I haven't been scrapbooking lately. Just still feeling so tired and worn out. Maybe my age? :)I am hoping to get down into my area and play tonight.

Happy Memorial Day

I want to thank all the men and women and their families that have served the United States. They are what keep us free.

I want to mention that the cookbook mentioned in my previous post, most of the serving sizes are for 4 to 6. So other large families like our will need to double or triple the recipes. I plan on making some cherry chocoalte cookies in the next couple of days from that cookbook. I will let you know how they turn out :)

I have just started The Creative Family by Amanda Blake Soule. In the intro this statement really caught my eye and heart: "Much of of cultural energy is spent filling our minds, hearts and time with things outside our families, as evident in the smaller amount of time that families spend together and at home. There's a missing piece in this search for fullfillment- the piece that's home, connection, and heart. While all the external events and energy are wonderful, it is often forgotten that the home and family can be a tremendous source of balance, happiness, inspiration, and creativity. The experience of turning inward toward our family for creative fullfillment can be an amazing and powerful experience for the entire family -young and old."

I have so many friends that I have known that fill their and their children's schedules with activities for each day of the week. While each of the activities is worthwhile , it leaves no time to just be a family, to relax. I have always asked them, these activities are all good but are they what is best? I think sometimes people are afraid to not fill their time up. Afraid they will not enjoy their families, not enjoy being quiet. Not really liking themselves.

I love being creative. I need to be creative. It really refreshes me as a wife and mother to have used that side of my personality. I scrapbook, smock and heirloom sew (not now that my girls have gotten older, but hopefully we will have a girl again and I can restart) and I plan on learning to knit. I just bought myself a book :) But I need to be better at being creative with my children, not worry so much about messes. I am hoping this book will give me lots of ideas.

book review

I decided to start reading my new book stash with apples for Jam . I am about halfway through. I don't know about you but I love cookbooks I can read. I get that from my Mom and my MIl. They both love cookbooks too.

This book is wonderful. The pictures are incredible. The recipes ,which I was afraid would be weird, are simple and fresh. Way too many that I want to make to mark! Most have few ingredients. Easy to find things, nothing off the wall that your local store wouldn't carry. Lots of fresh fruits and veggies. Very kid friendly. Oh and childhood memories (hers and her children's) scattered throughout. This book is so good I put 2 more in my cart for Mom and MIl for Christmas.

There is just something sweet about little toddler( and baby) feet......

American Idol 2008!!!!!!

Is David Cook! I am so glad that he won. While I think David A has a nice voice, to be honest, I found him boring. All his songs sounded the same to me. I will definately buy a David C. cd!

Tonight So you think you can dance starts. Very excited. Hubby and I love to watch this show. I always wish I could dance when I am watching. Fame the tv show was like that for me when I was growing up. But alas, I am a klutz.

Here is a card I made yesterday.





Have a great evening!

Books

I have had a full shopping cart over at amazon for months and months. I finally had some money to actually make a purchase. They ariived yesterday and I can't wait to dig in. I picked up:









I will give reviews as soon as I have time to read them. I have started a new cart already. I have been wanting to learn to knit for some time and I found a book that looks perfect. 61 great reviews.

I am typing on a brand new keyboard. The baby had pulled off 3 keys awhile back and I was dealing with it. But then the other day he pulled off 6 more. I couldn't remember what was what. So we ordered a new keyboard insert. While my oldest son and hubby fixed it, they wiped my computer clean and reformatted it. It had beed running so slow. I still need to install my printer drivers and put this years pictures back on. We decided to just keep the rest of the pictures backed up on external harddrives. We had 90 gig of pictures. Lots of pictures. SO if I want an older picture all I have to do is retreive it off the EHD.

Got to go feed the kiddos lunch.

pictures

I was reading Ali Edwards blog today. She mentioned she uses her running man setting on her camera alot of the time. I thought to myself. Hummmmmmmm you have not tried that. Couldn't hurt because most of my pictures are of the children and they are rarely still. I like it. Now to get the same effect in manual :)

I love this one. You can really see his brown eyes.


I finally got his ohhhhhhh face :)


I had told him no, so he hit me and gave me this smirk! Stinker :)


My 3 1/2 y/o old. Looks rather impish doesn't he :)

May !!!!!!

My days just seem to be flying by. I am now 13 1/2 weeks along. My tummy is growing :) A funny. I was showing the kids the your baby week by week book from my midwife. My 3 1/2 y/o was looking intently at the picture of a baby at 12 weeks. He got very concerned and asked why our baby did not have eyes. I explained that they were stil growing eyes. So everyday he asks if our baby has eyes yet.

Someone asked where to buy my favorite scrapbook album. You can buy them here http://twopeasinabucket.kaboose.com/shop/48556/?f=204&pg=3 I love these things. As soon as $ allows I need to pick up a couple more for myself.

Here are some pictures

My youngest trying to listen in to big brother's IPOD



My helper



Big stuff drinking Daddy's coke



Playing with my lens.



Have a great evening.