Wordless Wednesday

Tiny Talk Tuesday

Homeschool Co-op with Colin...
I'm not usually in Colin's class at co-op, but last week I needed to fill in for a mom whose little one was at home sick. Colin was very excited to have me in his class and to show me off. He walked up to a group of children and said, "Dat's my mum," and came and put his arm around me. He further showed his cuteness by pulling up a chair for me after I tried to sit next to him on the floor for storytime! After the display of adorable-melt-my-heart-ness, he proceeded to not pay attention to the story and wander around the room.

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Bedtime Prayers with Elle...

"Dear Jesus, Thank You for this day. Thank You for the ... Mom, was it sunny today? [MmmHmm] Thank You for the sunshine. And thank You that we could ... Mom, did we play outside a lot today? [MmmHmm] Thank You that we could play outside a lot today. And please let it be sunny tomorrow!"

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Lunch with Quintin...
One day, Quintin had asked if he may make lunch. I was planning on cooking up some hotdogs on the stove so I told him sure. He was most pleased to roll the hotdogs around in the buttered pan with the wooden spoon. Colin and Elle were running around the kitchen and Quintin told them to get ready or he'd cook their hotdogs "until they were very black," if they didn't settle down. I ushered them into the bathroom to wash up and assisted Quintin with the plates and rolls. I pulled the tongs out of the drawer and placed them nearby for him to get them out of the pan. The hotdogs were ready, the younger two at the table and Quintin was eager to put them into the rolls for each of us. He turned the heat off and asked, "Mom, will you hand me the pliers?"


For more tiny talkers, visit Mary.

A Treasure

While at a very fun bookstore, which sells mostly pre-owned books, I was enjoying the back section of the store, where the older books are sold.  There is just something about that rooms that keeps me there.  Maybe it is when you open up a familiar "classic children's book" and see the first owner's name and drawings in it that makes me feel somehow connected to them.

Or maybe it is just thinking about how many hands have held and eyes have read all the books in that room.  From the leather bound to the books no longer in print.  That room holds my attention more than any other room.

While browsing, I noticed several volumes of books with animals on them.  They were two of the "Burgess Children's Books," one volume about animals and one about birds.  There was even an additional set of 10 Burgess Bedtime Story-Books, having had one previous owner, that were in excellent condition, but pricey.  I've heard excellent things about the "Burgess Books" but never ordered them or looked them up at the library.

As I leafed through the "Bird Book for Children," I fell in love with the author's style of writing an enjoyable story, but also including details about the birds.  The playful language of the birds who shared their differences with each other, educating the readers on why some travel south for the winter and others do not, among other things.

Below is an excerpt.  Jenny Wren, just having returned to the Old Orchard, following Mistress Spring, is talking to Peter Rabbit and has asked him how he likes her new suit.

"I am very fond of brown.  Brown and gray are my favorite colors."  You know Peter's own coat is brown and gray.

"That is one of the most sensible things I have heard you say," chattered Jenny Wren.  "The more I see of bright colors the better I like brown.  It is always in good taste.  It goes well with almost everything.  It is neat and it is useful.  If there is need of getting out of sight in a hurry you can do it if you wear brown.  But if you wear bright colors it isn't easy.  I never envy anybody who happens to have brighter clothes than mine.  I've see dreadful things happen all because of wearing bright colors."

"What?" demanded Peter.

"I'd rather not talk about them," declared Jenny in a very emphatic way.  "'Way down where we spent the winter some of the feathered folks who live there all the year round wear the brightest and most beautiful suits I've ever seen.  They are simply gorgeous.  But I've noticed that in times of danger these are the folks dreadful things happen to.  You see they simply can't get out of sight.  For my part I would far rather be simply and neatly dressed and feel safe than to wear wonderful clothes and never know a minute's peace.  Why, there are some families I know of which, because of their beautiful suits, have been so hunted by men that hardly any are left.  But gracious, Peter Rabbit, I can't sit here all day talking to you!  I must find out who else has arrived in the Old Orchard and must look my old house over to see if it is fit to live in."

The books' pictures had more reading even longer.

And from the Animal book.

The Bird Book, I'm assuming, was given as a Christmas present to its owner because the inside cover has his name and the date "Dec 25, 1942."  My parents were both born the following year. The Bird Book was printed in 1940 and the Animal Book was printed in 1924.

 

The books are available online.  I did purchase the "Burgess Seashore Book for Children" for less than $10, but it is not a hardcover.  The pictures lack color and are printed on the same paper pages as the story.  In my older copies, they are printed on the smooth, glossy paper that makes the colors and images stand out.

We've started reading the Bird Book aloud and I've found myself wanting to read ahead while the children rest.  I do believe these will become treasures in our home.

Need some laughs? This'll do it! :)

Yesterday, Elle asked me to videotape her doing the 1, 2 Buckle my Shoe rhyme. I obliged and got a kick out of Colin in the background. While uploading it, I watched some of our older videos on our "youtube channel" and laughed so hard at Elle singing at 2 1/2. The similarities between the 2 1/2 year old Elle and Colin (almost 3) are almost scary. I've always said they are the most similar - you be the judge watching these 2 videos! Get ready for a smile!


First, yesterday's video ...


The video from 2 years ago (with Colin squeaking in the background) ...


This last one I'm throwing in for some fun laughs too - I love this little guy! This is from 2 years ago as well.


How much they change in just 2 years...sigh...

Some friends and another grump!

My hubby took a picture of some friends that visited the corn pile last week while we were away.

The Boys!  (and a grump!)

Have a great weekend!!

Milk - it does a body good!

My daughter is the sneakiest of our 3 children when it comes to eating.  She is even fussy when it comes to drinking milk.  And the funny thing is, when you ask her what she wants to be when she grows up, her answer is always a doctor...a bone doctor!  She hasn't made the connection between milk and bones yet!

So, last night we had some chili for supper!  A cooler weather favorite in this house.  We typically add a dollup of sour cream to help cool down the kids' bowls.  But, last night, our chili was Smokin'!  And I do mean HOT!  The only thing I did differently was I used chipotle chili instead of regular chili powder.

To ease the burning, we poured a glass of milk for each of the kids.  Well, Elle drank and drank! 

Woohoo - we finally figured out a way to get her to drink milk! ;-)

Wordless Wednesday

Weekend in the dirt...er, mountains ;-)

There always has to be a grump! ;-)

A better picture of the view behind us.

Sunday morning, we drove over the road T and my brother in law (my sister and her family joined us) had gone spotting on the night before.  It was foggy when we started up the mountain, but once we got above the clouds, the view was awesome!

Friday's rain
+ Saturday's drizzle mixed with the dirt roads we drove on and parked in while at a festival
= my dirty vehicle! :-) 

The measure of a good weekend

Can you measure the quality of a weekend by the dirt on a vehicle?

We do! And we did!!

How do you measure your weekends?

Friday's Five - Farm Show Edition

High 5 JM! ;-)

1 - A busy week but we were sure to make time to hit the farm show with some friends!!  Recognize them?

2 - Soccer is more than halfway through it's fall season.  This Sunday's game was played last night - which was a nice change.  Especially when followed by supper at the Farm Show! :-D

Quintin is on the green team again.  There was a boy on the orange team named Quinlan - little bit of confusion when the coaches would call their names!

3 - Last year I posted about the "Farm Show Smoking Santa" and he was here again this year.  I tried to inconspicuously snap a picture from where we were eating last night and it didn't turn out as well as I had hoped - but I think you'll get the idea from his ripped t-shirt! ;-)

Well, that's it for the Farm Show side of Friday's Five!  You have to understand that in our small town, the Farm Show is bigger than Homecoming!  We bumped into many friends this week we haven't seen in over 15 years and it was great to catch up.  It's a great way to support our hometown, local churches and groups.  The milkshake line at one of the local church stands was the longest this year than I've ever seen!

Now, back to our final Friday's Five!

4 - As of today, our first marking period is OVER!

5 - Looking forward to a relaxing weekend!  I hope you have a wonderful one as well! :-D

Wordless Wednesday

Railroad Fieldtrip

Each of the kids participated in the library's summer reading program earning a coupon to ride a train at the local railroad station.  We also used this as bait for Colin to be potty trained.  He was very eager to ride a train and he did a great job to earn his reward.  That was two months ago and the coupons expired at the end of this month, so we decided to go yesterday.  It was a gorgeous day and T even took a few hours off of work to join us.   I'll add that I had kept the coupons on the counter since the end of summer and last week I decided to organize.  I was so organized I forgot where I had put them.  We left for the ride without the coupons and then I found them last night. LOL!!!
The ride took us through lots of the Amish countryside around us and the views were very pretty.  I don't get to enjoy them as I rush past in the business of our everyday. 

And, we're off...

Passing the time while the engine hooks up to the other end of the train to pull us back.

I felt like such a tourist snapping pictures of the Amish and their farms!

It was a great time!  Even though I left the coupons for a free ride at home!

Rock Star

One evening, driving home from Bible study, we heard an interesting, for lack of a better word, song on our Christian radio show's "New Tunes at 9." 

Most of the words were lost on us as we couldn't understand the screaming over the music, LOL!  It was the words to the chorus that got our attention, and while I didn't understand what message the group was trying to get across with their song, I had to chuckle when my kids started singing along, to what they heard.  Here is the chorus:

I, I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster

My kids started singing along, "I, I feel like a rockstar!"  After listening to the song, I really like the version my kids created more than the artist's version!! 

Here is a link to the song at youtube, if interested - be sure to check your speaker volume if you are not familiar with the song or even the group, Skillet.

Skillet "Monster"

So whose version do you like better??? ;-D

Thursday's Thoughts

Cyberspace is the perfect place to be misunderstood.