An experiment. I collected some of my favorite photos from the year. They aren't necessarily anything special from an artistic point of view, but I liked them anyway.
I'm going to try this with a link to a slide show....
http://good-times.webshots.com/slideshow/569450885yJzRSd
It takes about 7 seconds to load and then the pictures change every 5 seconds. If you move your cursor over the bottom of the picture, there are options to go forward, back or pause.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
A fun family day
Sorry we haven't blogged in a few days, so we will get back to it.
Today we all went bowling, very fun. We found out we are a rather competitive bunch. But also a lot of cheering for each other. There was a family bowling next to us with young children, one of the kids bowled on our lane as Jori was about to bowl, she was very surprised and took a turn on their lane. We have all decided we would like to make this a regular event.
Today we all went bowling, very fun. We found out we are a rather competitive bunch. But also a lot of cheering for each other. There was a family bowling next to us with young children, one of the kids bowled on our lane as Jori was about to bowl, she was very surprised and took a turn on their lane. We have all decided we would like to make this a regular event.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to everyone. We pray that everyone has a blessed day and please take some time today to consider what today means.
Not all presents can exude taste and class....
We had a great evening last night at Aunt Alice's house, complete with a visit from Santa. We had our traditional dinner with shrimp, peirogi and sausage. Mostly it was nice to see everyone.
Christmas was announced around here at 4:09 a.m. Who even knew there was a 4:09 in the morning? Emmy came in to pronounce Merry Christmas to us and to let us know that Santa had indeed dropped some goods beneath the tree. She was also interested in knowing if perchance we might be so inclined as to move to the living room so that she might see what was in those packages.
We were not so inclined.
We managed to hold back the festivities until about 5:20 when Jori came in holding her stocking full of loot and decided that Christmas morning had in fact begun. This time the girls were not to be denied and so a deal was struck. If the girls would fire up the coffee maker, we would drag ourselves downstairs.
And we did.
There were a few less boxes than usual this year as we are trying to keep the original Christmas present in the forefront of our celebration. That is not to suggest that the girls don't appreciate some traditional gifting. The big hits with Em this year were a digital camera and a doctor's bag. With Jori, it was the teacher's set and her Fancy Nancy doll, book and clothes. For Mom and Dad it was the shrieks of unrestrained happiness.
Notice in the picture that it is still PITCH BLACK outside.
Now it's about noon and we're starting to get a move on to bring the joy to Grammy's house. We'll put some pictures up later.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
It's begining to look a bit like Christmas...
Christmas Eve. Big fun. It's been snowing for over 24 hours now. We have over a foot of new snow. I was out for 11 hours plowing yesterday/evening while all the ladies of the house were baking and getting ready for our Christmas travels.
Here's the table out back. That's a ruler sticking out of the snow.
The fox out front is just checking things out.
Here's what the house looks like this morning.
The girls have been busy making the Christmas snowman.
Cowboy is enjoying the snow too..
Here's the table out back. That's a ruler sticking out of the snow.
The fox out front is just checking things out.Maybe more later on,
Merry Christmas
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
This is getting ridiculous
It's snowing again, I don't remember a winter when it snowed this much. Our depleted woodpile is covered under the 10" of new snow.
So is the squad....
But the house looks inviting...
So is the squad....But the house looks inviting...
Yesterday we baked Christmas cookies with friends. That was very fun, the girls were all so happy to see each other.
Jim and I went out last night and finished up any shopping left. So I can say. I'm done! I just have some more baking to do today and tomorrow morning and then I can relax and enjoy Christmas.
We have tried to keep this Christmas focused on our Saviors birth as much as possible and have downplayed the gift giving. Both girls are on board and are just thrilled to spend time with friends and family and not worrying about gifts. It is a joy to watch them grow in their faith.
Blessings as you finish your Christmas preparations.
Jim and I went out last night and finished up any shopping left. So I can say. I'm done! I just have some more baking to do today and tomorrow morning and then I can relax and enjoy Christmas.
We have tried to keep this Christmas focused on our Saviors birth as much as possible and have downplayed the gift giving. Both girls are on board and are just thrilled to spend time with friends and family and not worrying about gifts. It is a joy to watch them grow in their faith.
Blessings as you finish your Christmas preparations.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Cold snowy week
It's the end of the week. Looking back we had a slow week. We did school lazily in the living room most of the week, and now we are done until after the 1st of the year. We lounged around and watched Christmas movies and did more baking. It snowed, alot, and now it is cold. They are calling for more snow today and tomorrow, and then a deep freeze Monday. Ick, I have had enough of winter. It can go up to 70 the day after Christmas and all the snow can melt. This is more of winter than I need.
Jim took the girls to a live nativity last night. They all really enjoyed that, and our neighbor was one of the actors, very fun! I came home from work to two very excited little girls telling me all about the animals and actors. They just loved it!
Today is probably just going to be cleaning up the house and some baking before I go to work.
Blessings..
Jim took the girls to a live nativity last night. They all really enjoyed that, and our neighbor was one of the actors, very fun! I came home from work to two very excited little girls telling me all about the animals and actors. They just loved it!
Today is probably just going to be cleaning up the house and some baking before I go to work.
Blessings..
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Let it snow Let it snow Let it snow
Yes, it's snowing, not the yucky ice stuff that fell out of the sky Sunday night, but the pretty fluffy snow coming down like crazy. Thankfully it started snowing on a day that Jim is off from the Sheriff's office, so he was able to plow this afternoon and tonight. He was very cheerful about working on his day off.
The week has been going well, a lot of school is getting done to wind us down to Christmas break, when I came down this morning, Em and Jim were off and running and had completed two math lessons. She then took her math test and can be done with math until after the 1st of the year. Jori continues to plug away and is doing great, she has been busy working on her reading comprehension and continues to excel.
We started reading the Tale of Despereaux aloud today, perfect day for snuggling on the couch by the fire and watching the snow come down while reading a good book. So far we are all enjoying hearing about Despereaux and his goings on. It's tub time for little girls so in this house, off to supervise hair washing.
Blessings..
The week has been going well, a lot of school is getting done to wind us down to Christmas break, when I came down this morning, Em and Jim were off and running and had completed two math lessons. She then took her math test and can be done with math until after the 1st of the year. Jori continues to plug away and is doing great, she has been busy working on her reading comprehension and continues to excel.
We started reading the Tale of Despereaux aloud today, perfect day for snuggling on the couch by the fire and watching the snow come down while reading a good book. So far we are all enjoying hearing about Despereaux and his goings on. It's tub time for little girls so in this house, off to supervise hair washing.
Blessings..
Monday, December 15, 2008
On a serious note from Jim....
We lost a couple of the good guys on Saturday.
This past Saturday I lost a colleague and friend who was killed while attempting a render safe procedure on a suspicious package at a bank.
Oregon State Police Senior Trooper Bill Hakim is the second bomb tech to fall this year. Our profession is a small fraternity of only 2,000 members. This represents 1/10th of 1% of all police officers in the United States. We get to know each other at the various training classes that we take throughout the county. I met Bill several years ago when he was a team leader at a class I attended in Oregon. He was a friendly, helpful guy who had a passion for this work. He showed me great hospitality and took me out for dinner one night.
Bill and Captain Tom Tennant of the Warburn, Oregon police department were killed when the bomb detonated. Both of these guys were suddenly taken from their wives and children.
Please take time to say a prayer for their families and their comrades who are suffering terribly.
This past Saturday I lost a colleague and friend who was killed while attempting a render safe procedure on a suspicious package at a bank.
Oregon State Police Senior Trooper Bill Hakim is the second bomb tech to fall this year. Our profession is a small fraternity of only 2,000 members. This represents 1/10th of 1% of all police officers in the United States. We get to know each other at the various training classes that we take throughout the county. I met Bill several years ago when he was a team leader at a class I attended in Oregon. He was a friendly, helpful guy who had a passion for this work. He showed me great hospitality and took me out for dinner one night.
Bill and Captain Tom Tennant of the Warburn, Oregon police department were killed when the bomb detonated. Both of these guys were suddenly taken from their wives and children.
Please take time to say a prayer for their families and their comrades who are suffering terribly.
Baking weekend
It was a busy weekend. I did tons of baking. For those of you that know me well, you can be shocked that I baked 4 loaves of bread, 2 buttermilk and 2 white, unfortunately one of the white loaves did not rise, so it is a very heavy doorstop. Jori however was undaunted by this and promptly named the unrisen loaf of bread Wilbur and wrapped it in a blanket and put it in her baby carriage. Yes she does have dolls. But she also has quite the imagination. I did toss Wilbur out this morning, and she was starting to eat it, yuck.
We woke up this morning to a frozen tundra, Jim couldn't get into his squad car and everything is frozen. The girls and I had a few errands to run and are now home for a bit. Em has a skating lesson this afternoon and we are then delivering dinner to a dear friend who is bringing home her new baby today! I saw him yesterday, what a doll he is!
Sweet blessings on this cold day!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Chicken soup on a cold winter day
School is humming along and two huge pots of chicken soup are simmering on the stove. I made two pots so I can freeze one for another day! My house is vacuumed and laundry is started. A good start to a day. I will just make some bread to go with the soup, and dinner is done! Perfect, I love easy dinners. I am working tonight, so it is always easier if Jim doesn't have to make dinner after a long day at work. Although he is always willing, good guy that he is!
Jori is working on her cursive, Abeka cursive is pretty intense for these little ones so I try and give her some fun things to work on in between the lines of cursive, otherwise it can get frustrating for her.
Em is working on diagramming subjects and predicates. Alot of nouns and verbs being tossed around here today. I can't think of too many ways to fun up grammer.
Blessings today...............
Jori is working on her cursive, Abeka cursive is pretty intense for these little ones so I try and give her some fun things to work on in between the lines of cursive, otherwise it can get frustrating for her.
Em is working on diagramming subjects and predicates. Alot of nouns and verbs being tossed around here today. I can't think of too many ways to fun up grammer.
Blessings today...............
Thursday, December 11, 2008
It's Christmas in our house
We finally got our tree done this morning. We decided today is the day. We our going to double up on school tomorrow and anything not done we can finish up Saturday. Yup, I'm the mean homeschool mom, sometimes we do school on Saturday. The girls love that we can do activities during the week and school when it is convenient. Oh yeah, I love that too!
The tree is beautiful, we have Christmas music on and I baked a homemade coffee cake, yum! The rest of our day is busy. we are all cleaned up and I am doing Christmas cards, then off to music classes. Later this afternoon we are going to a movie as a family, I can't remember the last time we did that!
Stay warm today and Merry Christmas!
The tree is beautiful, we have Christmas music on and I baked a homemade coffee cake, yum! The rest of our day is busy. we are all cleaned up and I am doing Christmas cards, then off to music classes. Later this afternoon we are going to a movie as a family, I can't remember the last time we did that!
Stay warm today and Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
It's feeling like a lazy day
Oh no, so we all slept in, I didn't set an alarm, guess I should have. It is now 10:30 and we are just getting started with school. I told the girls I will be satisfied if we get Language and Math done. I think that is a pretty good deal considering we usually do a whole lot more than that. I'm not sure they agree with me. So, we have now started and Jori wants to do extra Math. I may never understand how that little gals brain works. Today she is wearing a purple dress and ballet slippers, the rest of us are in cozy sweats.
Once the girls manage to finish, we are going to start getting the Christmas decorations out. No one has to go anywhere today and it's 35* and raining hard right now, so it's a good day for decoratin'.
Later in the day:
So much for noone going anywhere, poor Jim got called in to plow at about 4:30 as the snow really started coming down. Bummer for the girls, as we had just started putting up Christmas decorations, the tree is up but no lights or decorations until tomorrow as that is Dad's department. I do the mantle etc. Jim will be out plowing most of the night, so the girls and I had an easy dinner and I am doing Christmas cards and listening to the radio.
Tomorrow is another day!
Once the girls manage to finish, we are going to start getting the Christmas decorations out. No one has to go anywhere today and it's 35* and raining hard right now, so it's a good day for decoratin'.
Later in the day:
So much for noone going anywhere, poor Jim got called in to plow at about 4:30 as the snow really started coming down. Bummer for the girls, as we had just started putting up Christmas decorations, the tree is up but no lights or decorations until tomorrow as that is Dad's department. I do the mantle etc. Jim will be out plowing most of the night, so the girls and I had an easy dinner and I am doing Christmas cards and listening to the radio.
Tomorrow is another day!
I think the flu is over!
Yes, I am finally starting to feel better, the flu for 3 full days is a bit ridiculous.
So I feel better, we had a very light school day as Mommy still wasn't up to working hard yet. Em the little motivated child worked diligent at her studies anyway, Jori worked diligently at not doing school. Oh well, everyone was diligent at something today. Tomorrow back to hard work, for this week, and then two weeks off for Christmas!!!! Jim says we are getting the decorations out this week as we are both off work together for three whole days. I'm not sure how that happened, but I am happy about it!
Happy Birthday Jesus!
So I feel better, we had a very light school day as Mommy still wasn't up to working hard yet. Em the little motivated child worked diligent at her studies anyway, Jori worked diligently at not doing school. Oh well, everyone was diligent at something today. Tomorrow back to hard work, for this week, and then two weeks off for Christmas!!!! Jim says we are getting the decorations out this week as we are both off work together for three whole days. I'm not sure how that happened, but I am happy about it!
Happy Birthday Jesus!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Oh it's so cold!
So every year when it gets this cold I wonder why we live here, again this year I am wondering, why do we live here? I still do not have an answer. But I know it is so cold that I don't want to leave my house. The dogs don't even want to be outside, so I know for sure it is cold, and their water bucket was frozen to the back step.
Yesterday the little gals and I went to my sisters house and had our annual cookie baking day with everyone, aunts, cousins and grandma. I'm sure the girls had fun, I unfortunately had some kind of flu and wound up on the couch at my sister's house for the day. When I finally made it home, I was so ill and feverish poor Jim had to help me into bed! Nice!
This evening Em is at a birthday swimming party, indoor pool of course and Jor is visiting a neighbor. I am working, yes in the cold, believe me, I am not getting out of the car unless I am forced to, and Jim is running the little gals around.
It is supposed to start snowing tonight and snow for the next three days, maybe it will warm up a little bit at least!
Yesterday the little gals and I went to my sisters house and had our annual cookie baking day with everyone, aunts, cousins and grandma. I'm sure the girls had fun, I unfortunately had some kind of flu and wound up on the couch at my sister's house for the day. When I finally made it home, I was so ill and feverish poor Jim had to help me into bed! Nice!
This evening Em is at a birthday swimming party, indoor pool of course and Jor is visiting a neighbor. I am working, yes in the cold, believe me, I am not getting out of the car unless I am forced to, and Jim is running the little gals around.
It is supposed to start snowing tonight and snow for the next three days, maybe it will warm up a little bit at least!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Starting to feel like Christmas
Good morning!
More snow again yesterday, as much as I don't like the weather, it does get me thinking of Christmas decorating and my Christmas baking. We will be doing family baking with my sisters and kiddos on Saturday. That is always a fun day, we start early, about 8:00 and spend the day baking like crazy. Everyone goes home with lots of cookies, which are of course gone in a few days and then we start over. That's ok, I have two great elves that love to use school time to bake.
We did start back to school Tuesday, we are getting a ton done, the girls have been great self starters this week. There has also been a lot of catch up with co-op work as we were gone the last two weeks of classes before the holiday. Em is loving that, as it gives her tons of Latin homework which she loves!
I have been praying daily for hearts open to learning and for us to use any opportunity to glorify Christ this Christmas season. The girls have decided they want to use what money they have for the local homeless shelter. God is so good, I love how He is so busy in the hearts of my two young gals!
Be a blessing to someone today!
Amy
More snow again yesterday, as much as I don't like the weather, it does get me thinking of Christmas decorating and my Christmas baking. We will be doing family baking with my sisters and kiddos on Saturday. That is always a fun day, we start early, about 8:00 and spend the day baking like crazy. Everyone goes home with lots of cookies, which are of course gone in a few days and then we start over. That's ok, I have two great elves that love to use school time to bake.
We did start back to school Tuesday, we are getting a ton done, the girls have been great self starters this week. There has also been a lot of catch up with co-op work as we were gone the last two weeks of classes before the holiday. Em is loving that, as it gives her tons of Latin homework which she loves!
I have been praying daily for hearts open to learning and for us to use any opportunity to glorify Christ this Christmas season. The girls have decided they want to use what money they have for the local homeless shelter. God is so good, I love how He is so busy in the hearts of my two young gals!
Be a blessing to someone today!
Amy
Monday, December 1, 2008
And more snow
It snowed all night last night. Poor Jim had to go out at 3am and plow until 7am, tired boy.....
I took Jori to the dentist today, still a member of the no cavity club, good girl! Em had a skating lesson today, it has been a few weeks since her last lesson, but she looked great out there.
We start school again tomorrow, we have had the last month off due to our year round schedule. We will do a few weeks and take off two weeks for Christmas, then back again after the new year. So far everyone seems to like the year round schedule. It does allow us to be more relaxed and not push so hard as we are not on a schedule other than what the girls set for their pace. I find myself much more relaxed as well, much less pressure to get lessons done. The funny thing is, I have been finding we get more done and we don't realize how much we are doing. The Lord has blessed us greatly with our education choice for the girls.
We have yet to start decorating the house for Christmas. I am more last minute on that, so it is still fall in our house. It is my way of pretending it is not so cold out. I am still contemplating Christmas gifts although I did some online shopping. It will all get done eventually.
Sleep well
I took Jori to the dentist today, still a member of the no cavity club, good girl! Em had a skating lesson today, it has been a few weeks since her last lesson, but she looked great out there.
We start school again tomorrow, we have had the last month off due to our year round schedule. We will do a few weeks and take off two weeks for Christmas, then back again after the new year. So far everyone seems to like the year round schedule. It does allow us to be more relaxed and not push so hard as we are not on a schedule other than what the girls set for their pace. I find myself much more relaxed as well, much less pressure to get lessons done. The funny thing is, I have been finding we get more done and we don't realize how much we are doing. The Lord has blessed us greatly with our education choice for the girls.
We have yet to start decorating the house for Christmas. I am more last minute on that, so it is still fall in our house. It is my way of pretending it is not so cold out. I am still contemplating Christmas gifts although I did some online shopping. It will all get done eventually.
Sleep well
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