F is for Family Fun

 

My family is so important to me.  I want to make some amazing memories with them. I want our bond to be strong and unbreakable. 

I enjoy having fun with my family. 

We have some traditions that I know will be lifelong memories for my children.  Here are just a few of them.

• We have campfires all the time.
• We go for drives and take the scenic way often.
• We play card games a lot.
• We get loud and be proud at any event our children participate in.
• We make it a priority to be at said events.
• We get interested in what our children are interested in.
• We have fun sleepovers in the living room.
• We build big awesome forts for our kids.
• We plan surprises for them.  Simple things like going bowling, or to the go cart track.
• We are spontaneous.
• We give this parenting thing our all.
• We let them know that we value them being a part of our family.

E is for Emily!

 

My Emily. 

She is so sweet,

she is so caring,

she is so beautiful,

she is so sassy,

she is so funny,

she is so accepting,

she is so brave,

she is so athletic,

she is so talented.

She is so amazing!

I am lucky I get to be her mom.

D is for Dinner time.

 

Another overwhelming thing in my life is dinner.  In particular the prepping and serving of said dinner.  I am good cooking dinner most nights, but there was so much weighing on me that I often struggled with it, the planning, the shopping, the prepping, the cooking, the serving, the cleaning up after.  

My husband had this genius idea to delegate it out.  I have 3 completely abled chefs in the house besides me and my husband.  They could each take a day each week and plan, prep, serve and cook a meal.

I grocery shop on Tuesdays so they have to have their grocery list to me by Monday mornings. 

This has been working out incredibly well and may have very well been the bird that ate the straw off the camels back. 

C is for Cleaning

 

A couple things in my simplification process included me being overwhelmed with the upkeep of my home.  I decided to do a giant clean out.  I made a list of 40 areas to clean and began April 1st.  I committed to a yard sale on May 10th.  Exactly 40 days away. 

I have been doing really great.  I have gotten rid of so much unnecessary clutter and my house really does stay cleaner.  I can have the whole thing clean in 2 hours, top to bottom, scrubbed and everything.  It is always company ready, there is not clutter everywhere.  There is room in the cupboards to put away the clean dishes, the kids’ dressers have room for their clothes.  The bookshelves are no longer overflowing.  I have been keeping up on laundry, doing one batch a day, and on the days I can’t get it done, I have been assigning it out.  I have sold a few hundred dollars worth of stuff already and my yard sale is still a week away.  I can’t wait!  Especially since it is all piled up in my garage. 

What doesn’t sale I will haul off to the thrift shop.  I am really loving having a clean house and not feeling so overwhelmed. 

I have began reading and researching Feng Shui.  This type of space clearing is shown to uplift moods and create welcoming opportunities.  I definitely see that happening in my household. 

B is for: Homemade Vacuum Bug Catchers

 

I teach a science class at my local co-op using the book Considering God’s Creation.  We recently got to the section on insects.  I decided to do a hands on project with this and we made our own vacuum bug catchers.

Supplies Needed:

• Clear plastic container with lid. (I got mine from the deli at a grocery store)
• Straw
• Gauze
• Play Dough (I just used some from my homemade stash)
• Rubberband
• Hole Punch

First you punch a hole in the container, then another one directly across from it. 

Cut the straw in half. 

Put a small section of gauze on one end of the straw, using the rubber band to attach it.   Thread the straws through each hole.  One straw per hole. Make sure that the end with the gauze is inside the container. Use the play dough to seal up any holes. 

 

Now go out side and suck a bug into the container by sucking on the straw with the gauze end in the container.  Put the other straw by the bug you want to suck up and start sucking.  The gauze stops you from sucking up the bug into your mouth.  YUCK!  

 

A is for Archaeology and Apples

Katey got this really neat Archaeology Set.  She had to decipher a code to unlock the pyramid and then excavate 5 artifacts from the pyramid.  This kit came with all the tools she needed. 
The booklet also taught us much about Egypt and how to mummify an apple. 


We cut an apple in half and placed half of it in a glass jar.
We took 1/2 cup salt and mixed it with 1/2 cup baking soda and covered the apple.
We waited and waited and waited.  A whole week we waited.
Then we took the apple out and ewe….

It was mummified!

We learned that the salt and baking soda mixture took out all the moisture from the apple. 

ABC’s of Blogging

 

I have kept it no secret that my life was so crazy I had to let a few things go. 

However, now I am ready to get back on track.  I feel a fresh spring start. 

I have been struggling with what to blog about.  I don’t want my blog to turn into one of complaint so I have decided to go with the ABC’s.  Each day for the may I will blog about something that starts with letter of the alphabet in order.

Yea, I know there is not 31 letters in the alphabet, but do you worry your pretty little head, I’ve got this!  You see, an entry post, and grand finale post and some letters I am doubling up on.

I hope you are looking forward to me being back as much as I’m looking forward to it.