2 fun resources

I’m not sure what it is lately, but I am finding myself getting so frustrated with my children – mainly the older two…the ones that can talk. My frustration then leads me to feel discouraged...

Why? What? What’s this? May I do this? Can I watch this? Why not?

ARGH!

I feel like all I am saying this week is "No" and “Because I said so."

The other day I was searching the cabinets for chocolate. It dawned on me I can't feed my frustrations with food (although it seems easy sometimes) and I closed the pantry door and prayed. I asked God to take away my want for the chocolate cake frosting and fill me with what I needed - His presence! He answered and I realized we needed to get back to some structure.

I thought I’d share two resources that we are enjoying and have brought some structure back to our days!

The first one is Leading Lit*tle Ones to God by Marian M. Scho*olland. It is a ‘child’s bo*ok of Bible teachings’ and it is written in a nice conversational style. We didn't do any additional Bible reading with Interlock (our preschool program) because Bible is the foundation for the curriculum. So, I think we are going to really enjoy this book!

The second one is any of the 3 Kid Concoctions books we have. The one in front of me right now is The Ultimate Bo*ok of Kid Conco*ctions 2 by Jo*hn & Dan*ita Tho*mas. It claims to have more than 65 new wacky, wild and crazy concoctions. We’ve tried a few of them but some we’ll skip right over.

Last night, T had a meeting and it was getting to be a loooong day, so I opened up the book and found ‘Su*per So*apy Do*ugh.’ I had everything to make it and the kids always enjoy pouring and mixing ingredients.

2 c flour
½ c salt
1 Tbsp liquid soap
6-8 drops food coloring
Water
Mix first 4 ingredients in a bowl and slowly add water until a workable dough is formed. If the dough becomes too sticky, add a little more flour.

It is basically play dough that stuck to their fingers. But it didn’t matter to me, it kept them occupied so that I could sweep the kitchen floor and do some straightening up before their baths! Some of the other recipes that I’d like to do with them are: Spl*ongee flyer, silly sta*ined glass, wa*cky spa*ce balls, goo*fy gla*ss paint, 3-D squee*ze chalk, dryer lint cla*y to name a few. (Sorry for all the ‘*’ I just don’t want my blog popping up on a go*ogle search for these crafts.)

Just wanted to share some fun books – but I’m not guaranteeing the “Why mom” and “Can I do this” whines will go away!

Do you have any fun resources that you use with your children? (Or have used?)

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*:-:¦: Leigh Ann :¦:-:*
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The answers to the test

I'd like to say Great Job 'Jezz' and 'HJW' for guessing correctly. But sorry, no prizes for you ladies. I can give you a hug the next time I see ya!

Here are the explanations:

1. I've been skiing since I was 4 years old. FALSE
Actually, this is true about T - he even started a month before his 4th birthday. Me? I started after we began dating - at 16. T is a beautiful skier to watch, very graceful. Me? Not so graceful! (Although T wouldn't agree with my assessment - He'd say I'm too hard on myself.)

2. While teaching, I was asked to serve additionally as the Gifted teacher – I became the Gifted Physical Education teacher. TRUE
My teaching position was at a very small elementary school. So small, that I was only part-time, teaching only in the afternoons (for someone who is not a morning person, it was the perfect job, I didn't have to be in until 12). The morning time was an intense time with reading, math, etc. The woman who was the Gifted & Talented (GAT) teacher left a month into the school year. Her workload was heaviest in the mornings - so my principal, wanting to give me more hours and offer a familiar face to the students, asked me if I wanted to fill in.

Looking back, I wish I had said no. I had no idea what I was doing, even though a newly retired GAT teacher was helping me - I was in way over my head. The year I did this I became very close to a breakdown.

I gave it my all but it was intense. I did have some fun times with those students and I learned a lot about myself and my principal - I learned that she was nuts. ;-) As for my teaching, I learned how to ask better questions to lead children into discovering more and challenge themselves.

Oh, if you could have seen the looks on the parents' faces when they came in for meetings with me to plan their children's IEPs (individualized education plans) and I greeted them in my sweats and Nike's! And that is how I became the "gifted PE teacher."

3. I’ve never met anyone famous. TRUE
Nope, not a one (but I have talked to Ginger, Susan and weavermom!) They are as close as I've gotten!!

4. I was married before my 21st birthday. TRUE
Just less than a month before my birthday!

5. I fell victim to the 90s high school trend of rolling the bottoms of my jeans - and we rolled them tight! TRUE
Oh, boy, certainly did - and like Anna said, the tighter the better!

6. My favorite sport to watch on TV is track and field. TRUE
Shocking to many, yes, track and field is my favorite sport to watch (nascar coming in third - after cheerleading competitions/dance shows). I like the mechanics of movement - I like to take apart each athlete's movements - their stride, how they use their arms, etc. Weird, I know!

7. I was called ‘half-pint’ by my elementary PE teacher. TRUE
What more can I say!

8. I prefer Pepsi over Coke. TRUE
A diet wild cherry Pepsi at that - 24 oz please! Coke tastes bitter to me.

9. I was just at the beach and I ate no seafood while I was there – and I do not have a seafood allergy. TRUE
No seafood, zip, zilch, zero, nada - but this coming week, watch out! lol

Thanks for playing along, I had fun reading your guesses!

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*:-:¦: Leigh Ann :¦:-:*
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Off to the beach...to daydream!

It’s Monday, time for a test!

I’ve seen this on a couple blogs and thought it would be fun to play along – I thought this would count as my random things blog filler. ;-)

I’ve listed 9 things about me, and one of them is not true. Let’s see how well you know Momma Roar!

1. I've been skiing since I was 4 years old.
2. While teaching, I was asked to serve additionally as the Gifted teacher – I became the Gifted Physical Education teacher.
3. I’ve never met anyone famous.
4. I was married before my 21st birthday.
5. I fell victim to the 90s high school trend of rolling the bottoms of my jeans - and we rolled them tight!
6. My favorite sport to watch on TV is track and field.
7. I was called ‘half-pint’ by my elementary PE teacher.
8. I prefer Pepsi over Coke.
9. I was just at the beach and I ate no seafood while I was there – and I do not have a seafood allergy.

I'll post the answers later this week!

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*:-:¦: Leigh Ann :¦:-:*
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Dr. S*u*e*s*s - Momma Roar style

I do not like green eggs and ham,
I do not like them at the beach,
unless the ketchup is within reach!

There are 8 ladies here in our beach house and we take turns making the meals. This morning we had green eggs and ham sandwiches. They weren't supposed to be green, but we think they were overcooked. We scrambled eggs and put them in a glass casserole pan and baked them. Then we made sandwiches with biscuits, cheese and ham. They smelled yummy but the eggs were green - we ate them while joking that we hope we don't get sick...I guess we'll see! lol

We head home tomorrow and I'll try to post some pictures next week!

Have a wonderful weekend!



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*:-:¦: Leigh Ann :¦:-:*
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Time Away

My friend Tracy brought a laptop on our beach trip - so I'm back at it ladies, lol - don't even try to tell me I'm addicted!

We are having a great time and the weather is gorgeous in New Jersey.

You know you're excited to go on vacation when you're happy to wake up at 4am. :-)
You know you're sleepy when, while in the shower, you put your facial cleanser in your hands and run it through your hair. :-(
I'm not addicted to blogging, I can stop anytime...but not today, and tomorrow doesn't look good either! :D

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*:-:¦: Leigh Ann :¦:-:*
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A verse from Proverbs

In my Bible, the introduction to the book of Proverbs says, "As you read Proverbs, understand that knowing God is the key to wisdom....Don't just read these proverbs; act on them!" I am challenging myself to 'act' out what I am reading. I'll be away from my computer for a few days, so I wish everyone a wonderful week!

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*:-:¦: Leigh Ann :¦:-:*
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PA Limestone Quarry

The quarry's open house was last month on the Saturday of Mother's Day weekend. They do an open house like this every 5 years - this year is their 70th anniversary! I finally had a chance to have Poppa Roar with me while I worked through the captions - suprisingly, I knew enough 'quarry lingo' to do most of them on my own, but needed his final approval (I think I even suprised him with my knowledge)! The Open House is a big hi-lite and the employees enjoy putting in the time to make it succesful. You can pick out the employees in the pictures, as they are wearing blue shirts.

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*:-:¦: Leigh Ann :¦:-:*
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Meeting another blogger...or two.

Ok, so maybe it didn't happen exactly like that, but I was blessed yesterday with a phone call from dear Ginger!

It was so wonderful to hear her voice. I don't know if she realizes how much she blessed me yesterday, but it was wonderful. We talked as if we've talked before and have been friends for years.

Ginger, you are such a special friend and wonderful godly mother and example to me, and many of us here in bloggerville!

Like Susan shared earlier this week, my feet were not touching the ground for the rest of the day either.

Later that afternoon, I received an email from Susan and she had asked me a question. So, I called her to tell it to her directly. I thought I would pass along the blessing I received. It was wonderful to hear her voice and accent too.

Ok, so I've met one blogger face to face, and have had the privilege to talk to 2 on the phone - in the same day!

Thank you Ginger and Susan for your friendships - to those of you I haven't met or spoken with - I certainly do hope to one day!

I made the picture above after Ginger left a comment on my post about meeting Ghost Girl - something to the effect of doing some of my 'fancy work' and adding her face in. Do you like our matching sweaters?

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*:-:¦: Leigh Ann :¦:-:*
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Woo Hoo...

...it's Friday!!

Susan tagged me for a meme blog filler and I thought I would play along, I liked how it played out with my book! I am still formulating (you know me and thinking, right?) my 8 random things that Tracy F and Lori tagged me for...and I think Tara once tagged me for a 7 reasons why I blog, blog filler. Still thinking working on those!

Here are the rules: Grab the closest book, go to page 123, find the 5th sentence and, on your blog, put the next three sentences. Write the title of the book and the author’s name. Tag three other people.

Maybe this one will make you want to grab the book and start reading, makes me want to find time to finish it - I've only read to page 35!! lol

My book is This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti (if you've never read any of his books - DO!)

"But millions...you're talking real money here."
"But you see all the connections?"
"Yeah."

Oooooh, you'll have to find the book to read more - if you've read it, please don't spoil it for me in the comments! lol :D

I'd like to tag you if have a real interesting book right next to you - feel free to play along in the comments!


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*:-:¦: Leigh Ann :¦:-:*
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A request

We bought this really cool rain gauge!May we have some rain now?

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*:-:¦: Leigh Ann :¦:-:*
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Bird Watching

We noticed some birds around the house yesterday. In the tree, is a Momma Robin sitting on her nest. I'm not the best nature photographer (I think it has something to do with the loud audience I have while taking pictures), but we scared the momma and she flew out of the tree.

She landed on the small rock wall below the front porch, so I snapped another picture of her.

Here is a...uh...stuffed bluejay, local to the region of PA called our playroom!

Here is the same bluejay perched on the swing set!

Here is the bluejay and his perch advisor. I think Quintin looks like a canary sitting on that bar!

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*:-:¦: Leigh Ann :¦:-:*
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My countertop

Heather asked about my kitchen countertop, it is called jamocha granite, but it is formica. My brother in law makes and installs formica countertops and he put it in for us. The darker formica is on the upper counter of our eat in counter and the rest of my countertop is a formica that has a texture to it, rather than being flat, but I forget the name of it. :)

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*:-:¦: Leigh Ann :¦:-:*
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Strawberry Delight

I just had to share a second recipe for strawberries. It is similar to the other one, but I actually prefer this one! This is the one I made over the weekend.




Strawberry Delight
1 box Angel food cake mix
8 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 c 10x sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 c cool whip
2 Tbsp cook clear gel (I replace with corn starch)
1/3 c water
1 1/2 c water
3 oz strawberry Jell-O
2 small boxes strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced

Bake angel food cake mix according to directions. (You can buy one from store, but they don't give as much cake as the box.) Mix sugar, cream cheese, vanilla and fold in cool whip. In saucepan, mix clear gel/corn starch with 1/3 c water and add the 1 1/2 c water to it. Boil until thick. Take off heat and add Jell-O. Allow it to cool before adding strawberries. Cut or tear the cake into bite-sized pieces. Layer the cake, cream mixture and strawberries in dish; I like to use my trifle dish, but a glass 9x13 works well, too. Let it chill in the refrigerator a few hours to firm up the Jell-O.

I poured the strawberries on a little too soon, I think, because it ran to the bottom. I usually put the saucepan in the fridge for a bit to let it chill there first.

Enjoy!!
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*:-:¦: Leigh Ann :¦:-:*
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Bumper Sticker - Just for fun

Bloggers - face to face

Every day I amazed at how many bloggers are out there with my same interests. I am always excited to meet new people and get to know them better through their blogs.

Imagine my surprise, while I’m reading a Canadian blogger’s page and I come across a blogger that lives just minutes from me. As I was reading Dawnelle’s blog, I came across Ghost Girl. I found her name intriguing and her comment was written with such an inviting style, I wanted to read more. I clicked on her profile and visited her blog. I couldn’t believe it when I realized how close we were. I left a comment and heard back from her shortly thereafter. I've had the opportunity to email with her a few times.

Then, just this past Tuesday, we met. I offered to take her to a local farmer’s market/flea market to show her around. Unlike me, Mary Ann didn’t grow up here. We talked and shopped and had a wonderful time at the market (and Mary Ann, I have just one chocolate whoopie pie left). I am still amazed at the opportunity to meet a fellow blogger. I had a great time getting to know her better and listening to her current writing projects and her family.

I really enjoyed myself and look forward to getting together again sometime. I had to chuckle as I followed her out of the parking lot, because on the back of her car is this bumper sticker, “Don't Annoy the Writer--She might put you in a book and kill you!” A sudden panic struck, leaving me to wonder on the ride home, if I had annoyed her and if Momma Roar is going to show up in her next book only to be killed off? ;-D

With a future blog post in the making, I grabbed my camera before we parted – please excuse the fact that I look like I just swallowed a balloon and that my head is 10 times larger than Mary Ann’s! I had such a fun time Mary Ann! And if I did annoy you, please don’t put me in a book and kill me! Haa

Have you met any bloggers? And I don’t mean those you knew before you started, but have you had a chance to meet someone you didn’t know before you started blogging? I just can't say enough how surprised I am at how many great friends I've met since I've started blogging. This has certainly added variety to my life - and I love it! Have a wonderful day!

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*:-:¦: Leigh Ann :¦:-:*
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Ketchup Lover's Special

Is this how they came up with the idea to use a clown for advertising?

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*:-:¦: Leigh Ann :¦:-:*
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What's your wallpaper?

What is your current computer wallpaper? Here's mine:

I love this picture!

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*:-:¦: Leigh Ann :¦:-:*
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It's official...

...I am addicted to thinking!

Because these are 100% accurate, right? ;-)

You Are Royal Blue

People find you difficult to understand. In fact, you often find it hard to understand yourself. You think so much that sometimes you get lost in your own thoughts!

What Color Blue Are You?

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*:-:¦: Leigh Ann :¦:-:*
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Strawberries!!

Yesterday, Devildog Wife shared her recipe for Strawberry Jam and asked for some good recipes for strawberries. I told her I'd share my favorite for strawberry pie.


But first, let me say, I am not a big lover of pies. For me, dessert requires chocolate, not fruit! But, this recipe has a few extras (sugar and cream cheese) to make up for it! I recived this from a dear friend years ago, she has since moved on to a different strawberry pie recipe, but this is still my favorite! Enjoy!

1 1/2 c bisquick
1/4 c butter
3 T boiling water
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 c 10x sugar
1 c cool whip
1 box Danish dessert, strawberry
1 1/2 qts sliced strawberries


Mix first 3 ingredients together and pat in 10" pie dish. Bake at 325 for 10-15 minutes. Mix next 3 ingredients and spread into cooled crust. Bake Danish Dessert according to box and cool. Add strawberries and add to pie. If you double the recipe, it fills a 9x13 pan.

UPDATE: Junket Danish Dessert

I find it in the jello aisle - hope this helps!

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*:-:¦: Leigh Ann :¦:-:*
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Delivering our friendship bread

Well, the baking of our friendship bread (read more here) was fun. The kids enjoyed mashing the bananas and adding the chocolate chips (while eating a few, too).











We doubled the recipe and made 8 loaves of our banana chocolate chip loaf. I had Quintin name 6 'friends' he'd like to take it to. We talked about the different children in his Sunday School class and his friends, and I put a limit on how far away they lived, lol.









Here's our first stop. Nolan (in the orange shirt) is in Quintin's SS class. His mom, Heidi, his brother, and a friend posed for this shot. Where was Quintin? Hiding in the van. He was so bashful about giving the poem and bread to his friends.





Our next stop was Adrianne and Jaimie's (Adrianne was at kindergarten) so I had a very willing Jaimie pose with a not-so-willing Elle. We left just as a storm was coming. So, off to bed with plans to finish the next day.





YAY! My son in a picture with his buddy, Jess. She is also in his SS class and her mom and T grew up together. Jess' mom is expecting their second child any day now!! Will banana bread make you go into labor? ;-)





Here's Elliott (he's Jess' cousin, too). He's also in their SS class. Quintin had been poking Elliott in SS so he thought it would be nice to take him some bread (don't think he came up with that on his own, he had some help).

Next stop - John's house! John is also in Quintin's SS class. He is also the little guy we made the Prayer Comforter for (read more here)- can you tell he likes his new blanket? I'm sure his sister and 2 brothers will love it too - I told him to snuggle up in it and eat some banana bread!

We also stopped and shared some with the Grandmas/Grandpas, but we didn't snap their pictures! We had a great time doing this and I hope think Quintin learned something.

Friendship

This week I've been talking with Quintin about Adam and Eve and how God made Eve as a friend and helper for Adam. We've also talked about needing friends and how special friends are. One of the suggested activities is to bake a friendship cake (carrot cake is suggested) and take it to a friend. Today, we're going to make our favorite Banana Chocolate Chip Loaf and deliver it to some friends with a poem about friendship.

I wish I could share some of the bread with each of you, but, since I can't, I'll share the recipe! This recipe was given to me by my mom, we made it a lot growing up!

Banana Chocolate Chip Loaf
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs (beaten)
3 bananas (mashed)
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (we usually add a little more!!)

Cream together sugar and butter. Add beaten eggs. Measure dry ingredients. Add bananas and dry ingredients alternately to creamed mixture. Add chocolate chips. Bake in a greased loaf pan for 45 min at 350. *I like to bake mine in small loaf pans and I get 4 loaves out of this recipe. Enjoy!!

Did you ever...

...wash your dishes in the sink to clean up after supper because you were too lazy to unload the clean dishes from the dishwasher?

It's okay, I'm raising my hand too! :)

Right on the Button!!

Trella had this fun quiz on her blog and I gave it a try after seeing hers. I couldn't believe how accurate it was - so, I had to share! Share yours with me if you give it a try!

What American accent do you have?
Created by Xavier on Memegen.net

Mid-Atlantic. This is what everyone calls a Philadelphia accent although it's also the accent of south Jersey, Baltimore, and Wilmington. Well, everyone that lives near there, that is. Outsiders can tell you talk differently from them even though they can't tell what your accent is.

Take this quiz now - it's easy!

We're going to start with "cot" and "caught." When you say those words do they sound the same or different?

Same Different Same, no wait I mean different, maybe, a little bit different...

Baby Dedication

Each Mother's Day, our church has a Baby Dedication Service for the babies born since last Mother's Day. This morning T and I participated in this special service for Colin. We, along with the other parents, went to the front of the church to here the minister read,

You have been truly blessed by the Father above with these beautiful new lives. Will you promise to support and love your children providing the opportunity for them to grow up in the family of faith, with the hope that they will someday confess Christ as Lord and Savior?

We responded, "We will."

Will you, to the best of your ability and with God's help, provide a loving family environment in which your child can grow in love, loyalty and obedience to God by regularly reading the Bible, praying and worshipping together?

We responded, "We will."

God has heard you. You have promised before God and this congregation to raise this child for the service of Christ. We ask you to be faithful to the promises that you have made. May the blessing of God be upon each family standing here in the days, months and years ahead.

Next, the congregation stood and together responded, "We joyfully accept these little ones into the fellowship of our church family. With God's help, we will follow Jesus' example, sharing in the spiritual growth of your children. We will help you surround your children with love, establish them in the faith, and show them the way that leads to eternal life."

There were 15 babies dedicated this morning!! I have always enjoyed this service, even when we aren't the ones up front. We feel very blessed to be a part our church and we are always blessed by the families who attend!

Quintin took this picture for us! Sorry it's blurry, I believe the camera auto-focused on the lampshade!

"Why my lips stayed chapped on Mother's Day"

Mother's Day Story - this was sent to me from Kelly, a friend from my homeschool email group. She had received it from her husband and we don't know where the story started, or who wrote it. If you know who wrote it, would you please share it with me?

"So, we had this great 10 year old cat named Jack who just recently died. Jack was a great cat and the kids would carry him around and sit on him and nothing ever bothered him. He used to hang out and nap all day long on this mat in our bathroom.

Well, we have 3 kids and at the time of this story they were 4 years old, 3 years old and 1 year old. The middle one is Eli. Eli really loves chapstick. LOVES it. He kept asking to use my chapstick and then losing it. So finally one day I showed him where in the bathroom I keep my chapstick and how he could use it whenever he wanted to but he needed to put it right back in the drawer when he was done.

Last year on Mother's Day, we were having the typical rush around and try to get ready for Church with everyone crying and carrying on. My two boys are fighting over the toy in the cereal box. I am trying to nurse my little one at the same time I am putting on my make-up. Everything is a mess and everyone has long forgotten that this is a wonderful day to honor me and the amazing job that is motherhood.

We finally have the older one and the baby loaded in the car and I am looking for Eli. I have searched everywhere and I finally round the corner to go into the bathroom. And there was Eli. He was applying my chapstick very carefully to Jack's . . . rear end. Eli looked right into my eyes and said "chapped." Now if you have a cat, you know that he is right--their little butts do look pretty chapped. And, frankly, Jack didn’t seem to mind.And the only question to really ask at that point was whether it was the FIRST time Eli had done that to the cat's behind or the hundredth.

And THAT is my favorite Mother's Day moment ever because it reminds us that no matter how hard we try to civilize these glorious little creatures, there will always be that day when you realize they've been using your chapstick on the cat's butt."

I laughed at this story because my oldest two both know where I keep my chapstick! I apologize for not having a more "serious" post for mother's day, but I thought you might appreciate the laughs!

I wish each of you great ladies a wonderful Mother's Day and a chapstick-free day, as well!

Show & Tell #3

I thought I'd share some more pictures of me in HS - I got started, so why stop, right?


I thought I would also turn this into my Show & Tell. To read more, head over to Kelli's! And while you there, check out her blog, she has a lot of great things to share! Thanks for hosting this again Kelli!


After showing my 'short do' yesterday, I thought I'd show you that by my senior year, I had let my hair grow out. I was a victim of the 90's perms and I don't think there were shoulder pads in this sweater!!

I even brought T along to my senior pictures! Wow, this picture was taken 15 years ago, we had been dating for 1 year. The sweater I'm wearing, he gave me, with the Bible (last week's show and tell), on our first Christmas.

This has been fun going back through these photos. I'd love to see your senior class pictures. Let me know if you share some, I'd love to come and see them!

this & that

Thank you for all your kind words on my 100th post - it was fun trying to come up with new things about myself. The hardest thing was thinking of something, and then deleting it because I thought I'd save it for a post! lol

We are finishing up school in the next week, and I have been trying to houseclean a few rooms on the first floor. The weather here as been simply gorgeous and we are spending a lot of time outdoors, too!

I thought it would be fun to post some pictures to go along with the 100th post.

This is me around 9 years old - I was a serious ball player, was I not? Look at that game face! haa

And, here is my picture from my freshman yearbook. This is the haircut my dear sister talked me into. Maybe it would have been a better look without the braces! I think that sweater even has shoulder pads. Did you wear them in high school, too?
I've got to admit, it was a great time saver!! lol

Already?

Its my 100th post and to celebrate, here are 100 things about me that, to the best of my knowledge, have never posted about before!

1. I began this blog thinking this would be a great way to keep family and friends up to date with what is happening at our house.
2. Honestly, I was getting tired of sending out photos via email to everyone. I didn't know if they wanted them or not, so this way, if they wanted to see pictures, they can come when they want to!
3. After creating my blog, I simply began clicking on different people's names and became interested in their stories.
4. This has become so much more than merely an update for family.
5. Stories about their families, their work, their homes, their dreams, their travels, their struggles...and they were willing to share it with me - somebody they didn't know. They let me into their lives and they have come into mine.
6. This has become an extension of me, it is a place for me to write, to share devotionals and stories that have touched me, to open myself up to others.
7. And, I know my typing skills have improved immensely as well as my knowledge of the html codes!
8. When I first started blogging, I came across Heidi's blog and her "100th Post" where she shared 100 things about herself.
9. I thought to myself, I wonder how long it'll take until I get there?
10. If I counted correctly, it has taken me 100 days!
11. As a child, I loved being outside to explore.
12. We had a small area of the backyard where bamboo grew, and I would play in it for hours.
13. Growing up we had an Airedale Terrier. I loved to read him stories!
14. I was in the Brownies - but never stuck it out long enough to become a full-fledged Girl Scout.
15. One summer, my mom drove me an hour to a Brownie's camp and when we got there I wanted to go home. She drove me home. :)
16. I have a crown on one of my upper front teeth. I had to get a root canal when I was in elementary school after chipping my tooth - it involved a skateboard and the sidewalk!
17. In Junior High, I let my sister talk me into getting a very SHORT haircut. It was quite a dramatic change.
18. My dad was a hydraulics salesman. He traveled a lot and would bring us things from the places he visited.
19. One time he brought my sister and I shirts with parrots on them. He had been in Pittsburgh and said this was the mascot for their baseball team.
20. It wasn't until several years later that I learned that it was really the Pittsburgh Pirates.
21. My dad is not a big sports fan. However, my mom is. She loves the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers (All Philly teams) and the Steelers.
22. One of the Steelers' players graduated a few years after me from my HS.
23. My mom worked for the school's District Office - which was located in the JH.
24. I forgot to have her sign a test one night, and the teacher let me run to her office to have her sign it.
25. My parents have both retired and are enjoying renovating a 50 year old home.
26. My hubby and I went to two proms together. His prom was on a boat that sailed around the Baltimore Inner Harbor. It poured buckets. We couldn't even stand out on the deck to enjoy the evening.
27. My hair flopped, mascara ran and my shoes, dyed purple, ran and turned my feet purple - and it lasted for a few days.
28. My senior class did not have as much in our account as my hubby's class did. We had our prom in a local hotel's ballroom.
29. With both of our proms, we didn't go to dance, but to enjoy spending time and creating fun memories with our friends.
30. After playing softball for a few years, I opted to be on the track team during the spring sports season in High School.
31. My dad, who ran on the track team in HS, saw me running and commented that I had a good stride.
32. I ran sprints on the track team - 100m, 200m and the 4x100m relay.
33. I was not a "great athlete" but loved moving!
34. I see it as a true art form.
35. I love to dissect a dance move and try to copy it in form.
36. What made me want to be a PE teacher? When my HS PE teachers allowed me to teach the aerobics lesson because she wasn't feeling well and I was the only student who knew the whole thing. It was an awesome experience.
37. I think I may have been the only PE major at my college to not participate on a college athletic team.
38. In addition to our classes, we had to obtain 3 extracurricular sports credits.
39. Many classmates did this by playing a sport at college.
40. I earned mine by becoming certified to teach CPR;
41. Supervising an Adapted PE lab on Wednesday evenings;
42. Teaching a summer camp for local children with disabilities.
43. The Adapted PE opportunity was a lab for an Adapted PE class. After taking the class, I fell in love with many of the clients that came.
44. I was responsible for writing the lesson plans that the students in the class had to implement with the 'clients.'
45. This began a desire to find a summer camp to work at helping the same type of children.
46. I always desired to teach in an elementary school. I knew the HS students would all be taller than me. I had several 3rd graders taller than me! LOL
47. I prefer individual sports (golf, tennis, skiing, running) over team sports.
48. At my HS, field hockey was considered the "popular" sport.
49. I chose cheerleading. It was more fun!
50. In a junior high phys ed class, I got my finger smashed between two hockey sticks and that is where my distaste for the game began!
51. During my senior year of high school, I hurt my ankle and wasn't sure if going to school for a PE teaching degree was a good idea.
52. I went anyway and wanted to quit halfway through my first semester. LOL
53. I went to a great teacher's college, WCU, near Philly.
54. T went to a Christian College 2 hours away via the PA turnpike!
55. I only lived on campus for 3 years.
56. In that 3 years, I had 6 roommates.
57. The first one changed because I switched dorms. The second one left because she wanted her own room and I was happy to oblige and since I wasn't willing to pay to keep a single room, they put another student in my room with me - so that was 3 during my freshman year.
58. Sophomore year - The roommate I started the year with was a morning person and I WAS/AM not - we had some personality conflicts too. So, she moved upstairs to a room on the "Quiet Floor" - you know, where all the scholars lived! Then a fellow PE major moved in with me.
59. My junior year, my good friend, Maureen and I survived an entire year together. She was a bridesmaid in my wedding too!
60. At my wedding, I was looking forward to having my 'final' roommate!
61. We got married after my junior year of college. It was 5 weeks to the day, after T graduated college.
62. We lived in an apartment about 25 minutes from where we live now so that I would have a shorter commute to college.
63. For the Fall semester, I worked it so I only had classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
64. In the Spring semester, I did my student teaching in the same county I live in.
65. I traveled to WCU every Monday morning for a 2 hour meeting with the others student teacher, then drove to my school to student teach, and then drove home. It was 110 miles every Monday!
66. I have a small fear of the water.
67. I resisted a required swimming class until my senior year, waiting until my favorite professor taught it.
68. I thought I was going to drown when he tried to teach those of us that couldn't dive to dive in the 12' diving well.
69. I went in the water and panicked. (Notice I didn't say "I dove into the water.")
70. He told me that I could stop for the day! LOL
71. I did meet all of the class requirements - except diving!
72. To this day, I will get out of a pool if people get rowdy and start dunking others.
73. I graduated in May of 1997 with a degree in Kinesiology.
74. In 1998, Riley (our Bichon Frise) became our first child!! haa
75. He turned 9 just last week. :( He is getting arthritis in his front legs.
76. While teaching, I was able to earn my master's degree in Health Education from PSU - Go Nittany Lions!
77. This was a huge goal completed - not because I think having 2 degrees is important - but, go back and read #52.
78. I have always wanted to take a ride in a hot air balloon.
79. I know more about limestone and quarries, than I ever imagine possible.
80. My hubby and I always joke that his future is just a hole in the ground.
81. I like being at home.
82. It took a lot of time for me to be able to say that.
83. When Quintin was first born, I struggled with post-partum depression.
84. I still struggle with my mood on gray days. I don't notice it, but my hubby does.
85. My first job was at a local grocery store, working at the checkout.
86. The worst part was doing the lottery tickets - I am not an auditory learner, AT ALL. I remember one man in particular, who would ask for someone, other than me, to do his tickets!
87. My second job was at a restaurant clearing tables as a "bus girl."
88. I would never have made it as a waitress. Reread #86.
89. I got promoted to making sundaes. This restaurant was a popular weekend hangout and was well known for its ice cream.
90. The person is charge of making the sundaes is a "Soda Jerk." Why?
91. Making sundaes was AWESOME.
92. If you ever messed one up, you could put it in the freezer to eat later!
93. The worst part of that job was stocking the ice cream freezer. Brrrr!
94. I have only ever broken one bone, it was my right collar bone. And actually, it was not broken, but shattered.
95. Through blogging, I have met people from all over.
96. Never did I imagine meeting two people that lived in my same county!!
97. T and I will celebrate our 11th anniversary next month.
98. I will turn 32 in July.
99. I appreciate all of you that stuck this out til the end!
100. I am a sinner saved by the grace of God through His son Jesus Christ.

200 things on my 200th post???? Absolutely not!

Donkey in a Well

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.

Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway, so it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They each grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well.

At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel full of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells by not stopping, never giving up!

Shake the dirt off and take a step up!

Show & Tell

Kelli is hosting Show & Tell today. Click on over to her blog to see who else is Showing and Telling!

Today I wanted to share two very special Bibles. The first one, the bigger one, was given to me by my paternal grandmother, Annabelle. She passed away in 2004, when I was pregnant with Noelle. It has been passed down through our family and was originally, given as a gift from my great-great grandparents to my grandmother's parents (my great-grandparents). It was my grandmother's paternal grandparents that gave the Bible as a gift. My grandmother's father passed away when she was a child and her mother remarried. The Bible was handed down to my grandmother because she was the oldest child of her father's.

If you click on the picture, you can see it was given on December 25, 1921. Also in the photo was a newspaper clipping that was in the Bible, it is dated October 22, 1936. It is the front page of the local (no longer existing) newspaper announcing the 50th wedding anniversary of my great-great grandparents. I certainly hope I haven't lost anyone in all the "greats" but I just love looking at the history of my family. Before my grandmother passed away, she gave me many pictures of my father and his family that I would love to someday use to make a family tree for my children. I'm going to need to find a little more free time to do that, though.



The second Bible, is my first Bible. It was given to me on December 25 also, but exactly 70 years later!You see, this was given to me by my boyfriend of 6 months, who is now, my husband of almost 11 years. What better gifts to receive on Christmas day than Bibles?

What can I say?

My children like to sleep on the floor.

? ? ? Interview Time ? ? ?

Here are my questions for the following 8 brave souls who volunteered to be interviewed:
Penless Thoughts, Jen in MS, Lori B, Jane-Jane, Just Mom, Erin, Ginger and Adopted As His Own

1. How would a good friend describe you?
2. If you could go back in time, say 10 years, what is something you would tell the "you" of 1997?
3. How do you determine or evaluate success?
4. What were your most/least favorite subjects in school? Why?
5. What are your hobbies? What do you do in your spare time?
6. Describe the most rewarding experience of your life thus far.

Okay, you should answer at least five of the six questions. Next, post to your blog along with an explanation and an opportunity for fellow bloggers to be interviewed. When others comment, asking to play along, you'll create 6 questions for them to answer and so on and so forth. Thanks for playing along, I can't wait to read your answers - this certainly could get interesting! ;-)

Is this normal?

All I can say is OUCH! I don't know how Quintin does this, but he can walk the whole way across a room with his toes curled under. This just pains me to watch. :-O

Are his toes double-jointed?

Should I be any bit concerned?

ouch...ouch...ouch...

Interview with Momma Roar

Tracy did this interview the other day and asked if anyone wanted to take part. I volunteered myself and here are her questions, and my answers. I enjoy these types of posts because they random and not things I would write about, but it gives you, my fans, a better idea of the ramblings and what-have-yous happening in my mind, as scary as that may be! Tracy says I must answer at least 5 of the 6 questions - so, here we go.

1. If you use a dishwasher, do you rinse the dishes BEFORE you load them?

I do use a dishwasher, but I do not rinse the dishes in the sink before loading them. I do, however, run the 4 minute rinse cycle on my dishwasher if I am not ready to wash a full load! So, technically, my dishes do get rinsed before being washed - just not by me!! Gee, I really love that option!

2. Would you rather read a book or watch a movie?

I would rather curl up with a book and let my mind escape into new places and experiences. But, in the real world, I'd settle for the movie because it takes less time and I don't have to try to find my place after one of the kids pull out my bookmark.

3. What does your perfect day consist of?

I guess I could be really selfish and say it would consist of breakfast in bed, a back massage, pedicures, manicures and the like. But, again, to come back to the real world, I consider a day here pretty perfect if we can enjoy a few meals at the table together, enjoy some family time together, get some jobs crossed off the "to-do" list, and, well, let's just throw in the back massage for fun!!

4. Pick a song that best describes you.

This is really hard. I thought about MercyMe's "No More No Less," but I don't allow myself to be that transparent. Then, I revert back to "They're Coming to Take Me Away," but again, it isn't that bad! I even tossed around The Carpenter's "We've Only Just Begun" thinking of our homeschool journey. Is there a song titled, "Ask me a week after I publish this post, because then the perfect answer will come to me?" If there is, that would be the song that best describes me. My wittiness often comes a day late and a dollar short!

5. If money were no object, where would you live and what would you be doing with your life?

I don't think I could choose just one place to live. I've lived in the same small town all of my life (with the exception of my college years) so I would not want to stay in one place. I see myself traveling with my family and learning on the go. We'd pack up in an RV and travel. After seeing everything accessible by road travel, we'd trade in the RV for a private jet and travel the world. Homeschool a la hands-on fieldtrips!
BUT, if my children were grown and we were empty-nesters, I'd be suntanning on the beaches of Bermuda and reading a book - only having to worry about T removing my bookmark!

6. Share one surefire way to get to your heart.

You mean besides chocolate and Pepsi?

If you are interested in being interviewed, let me know in the comments. I'll respond by asking you five questions and I'll try to be more creative than my last attempt at random questions - considering I took them from blogthings! You can then post your answers on your blog and invite others to join in the creative-funness! Thanks for your questions, Tracy!