On the Road Again...

Well, as of tomorrow afternoon, the boys and I will be on the road again. What...you want to know where we're going? Let me tell you...we're going to FLORIDA! Woohoo! We will be going to see Laura, Hunter, and Tina. They moved away back in February, and we haven't seen them since then. I still talk to Laura nearly every day (thank goodness for Verizon's Friends & Family...lol), but we miss them sooooo much. They were our closest friends, and we lived in the same neighborhood. So, it's been a big adjustment.

I have to take Caleb to homeschool co-op first thing in the morning. Then, I'm going to come back home and make a taco lasagna. After that's done cooking, I'll drop by and pick up Alice (Tina and Hunter's adopted Granny and former neighbor) and her granddaughter. Then, we'll head back to Caleb's co-op for the end of the session presentation and luncheon. Once all of that is over, we'll head on down to Florida. Hopefully we'll be there by 8ish or so tomorrow night. It's about a 6 hour trip, so I'm hoping the boys cooperate.

We're sure to be spending some time at the beach trying not to get skin cancer soaking up some rays and having fun in the water. I'm sure Micah and Caleb will have a blast. We'll probably spend some time at the Brevard Zoo feeding the birds, maybe taking a kayak ride, and enjoying the water play area (think spray park).

Once we've exhausted ourselves, we'll head on back to Georgia on Monday. We have to be back for Caleb's t-ball practice at 6pm, so it'll be an early start for sure. Stay tuned for lots of pictures...

Did You Miss Me????

I've been MIA from the bloggy world for over a week now. I tell you...that's a tough thing. Why you ask??? Because when you come back to the bloggy world you are so darn behind on reading all of your favorites. So, I apologize to all of my bloggy pals...I'm trying to slowly catch up. Give me some time...I'll be back to my comment leaving self in no time. :)

Now, on to our spring break festivities. We headed to Virginia to visit Omi and Opa after Caleb's t-ball practice last Monday (the 2oth). Man...it was a LONG trip. But -- the kiddos did great. They each slept most of the way, and Brian and I each drove a piece. We finally arrived around 5am on Tuesday. After settling in, we took Micah back to bed with us, and Caleb tried to stay up with Omi and Opa. He soon tuckered out for his own short nap.

We pretty much just sat around the house on Tuesday. Micah and Caleb helped Opa out in the yard with the bird feeders. Micah had such a good time just walking in the grass and being outside. He LOVES his freedom now that he's able to walk every where.

Caleb, Micah, and Opa filling up the bird feeders.

Micah uses the pole to get his balance.
Micah helping Opa carry the bucket of bird food.

Micah and Opa stop to take a rest.

Caleb playing with his remote control spider that Omi and Opa got him.

Micah...such a cutie-patootie.

Micah with a new "toy".

Micah and Omi checking out the back yard.

Wednesday, Brian and I got up and went to the gym with Omi. Then we came home to get ready for the day. Caleb got to ride his bike outside with Opa. After lunch, we headed into town to help Omi and Opa find a computer. They'd been using MSN TV, so it was time for an upgrade. Then we headed home for the rest of the evening.

Caleb riding his bike...looks like Opa is right behind him. :)

Look at him go...

On Thursday, Brian and I went to the gym with Omi again. Then we all headed into Richmond to visit the Children's Museum of Richmond. It is such a neat place, and if you're ever in that area I'd highly recommend it. Caleb and Micah had such a great time. After the museum, we headed over to HobbyTown USA because it's supposedly the largest one on the East Coast. Brian had to check it out. Then we all went to eat at Olive Garden and headed back home.

Caleb getting ready to climb the outdoor playset (inside).

Caleb and Opa check out the ambulance.

Caleb, the banker, helps his daddy get a loan. LOL!

Caleb gets to be teacher for a day...where did he ever see that face I wonder?!!?

Brian and Caleb play store clerk and customer.

Opa helps Micah check out the cash register.

Omi watching Micah reading his map. Doesn't he look so cute?

Opa helps Caleb fix the car at the garage. :)

Caleb riding on some riding toy...not sure what this is called.

Omi gives Brian and Micah a push on the riding toy.

Look at them go...

Caleb playing in the sandbox.

Micah playing in the sandbox.

Micah having lots of fun in the sand.

Caleb picking up sand with his new "tool."

Omi does the hula-hoop.

Micah making music...he loves to beat on stuff now. :)

Caleb with his art project...a bird.

On Friday, Brian and I went to the gym with Omi again. Then, we just sat around and did a bunch of nothing.

Saturday we headed up to Colonial Heights. We went to the mall for a bit, and then we headed over to Swaders Sports Park. Caleb, Opa, and Brian played a round of putt-putt. Then Caleb got to play some arcade games. After that, we headed home to watch a few movies.

We headed back home on Sunday. Again, it was a long trip, but both boys managed to take a few naps. It was a great trip, but we're glad to be back home and in our routines again.

Thanks Omi and Opa for taking care of us and showing us a good time. We love you all and can't wait to see you at the beach in July.

This is a test of the mobile blogging...

Homeschool Week 41 in Review

Would you look at that?!!? Week 41...woohoo! That means there's only 4 weeks left in Kindergarten...YIPPEE!!!!!! Here's how this week went (and a little rant/advice seeking at the end)...

Beginnings: Our theme for the week was "Yesterday's Trails." We talked about Christopher Columbus, the American flag, the White House, and Mount Vernon (which I'd really like to go see now). We added "do" to our list of service words, and "-ool", "-oon", "-ook", "-ow" (cow), and "-ound" were added to our list of word families. Our book for the week was God's Man.

Math: We finished up our chapter on the calendar, and Caleb got better with this by the end. It's still a work in progress, but that's okay...he'll get it in time.

Bible: We reviewed the First Catechism and all of our Bible verses for the year. I will not be adding anything new to our Bible studies for the remainder of the year. I think it's important that we take these next 4 weeks to review all of the information we've covered this year.

Now -- on to my therapy session. LOL! Moms of boys and other homeschooling moms -- HELP me out here! Why is it that they can remember the lyrics to songs, the commercial jingles, the lines from movies, etc...but they can't remember simple and necessary educational things?!!? I got so darn frustrated (and sadly and admittedly a little bit angry) with Caleb this morning. We were learning the "-ound" family as in hound, pound, sound, etc. Well, we always go over the family and make words (this is our normal word family routine). When it was time to do the worksheets (yes...I know...dreaded worksheets, but it's part of our curriculum), he couldn't remember the word family. I had just drilled it in him, and it hadn't even been 2 minutes, and he forgot?!!? What's up with that? And -- this isn't the first time it has happened. It just upset me so much.

So, there you have it...I'm not perfect. Yes, I'm a SAHM and a homeschooling mommy, but I'll admit...I lose my cool. We all do, right? Come on...don't go pulling the "I'm a perfect June Cleaver" crap on me...I know you lose your cool, too. You just might not admit it.

Anyway, session over. I'm open for ideas and suggestions from all of you experts. We sing the families, we make words, we do all of it...sometimes he just baffles me. He's soooooo smart...too smart sometimes, and I get this out of him?!!? Baffling I tell ya...

And next week we are taking a MUCH needed SPRING BREAK! Woohoo! We're leaving Monday night or Tuesday morning for Virginia to visit with Omi and Opa. Hopefully Caleb and I will both come back refreshed and ready to finish up Kindergarten. :)

Aloha Friday #2

Woohoo it's FRIDAY! And -- that means it's time for Aloha Friday. If you want to participate, head on over to Island Life and check it out. It's really simple and easy.

I'll ask you a simple question, and all you have to do is leave me the answer in the comments section. Ready, set, PLAY!

What is one thing that you despise about cooking????
For me, it has to be touching raw chicken. I absolutely think it's the nastiest thing EVER! I'll handle raw ground beef, pork chops, steak, etc...but I HATE touching that nasty little bird called chicken. I don't care if it's a whole chicken or just the breasts...I don't want to touch it! EWWWWWWW!

Enjoy your Friday and the WEEKEND!

8 Things...

So, I found this over at Mighty M's blog, and I thought it looked fun and different. Here are 8 things about me...(well, 8 in each category...lol).

8 things I'm looking forward to...
1. Being able to buy some "skinny" clothes.
2. Micah saying more words.
3. Our trip to the beach in July.
4. Caleb's first t-ball game.
5. BUNCO on Saturday night.
6. Going to VA next week.
7. Girl's BUNCO Weekend in May.
8. Picking strawberries at Lane's.

8 things I did yesterday (in random order)...
1. Walked on the treadmill.
2. Went to Caleb's t-ball practice.
3. Cooked dinner.
4. Gave Micah a bath.
5. Watched Caleb play Indiana Jones Legos on the Wii.
6. Typed up this post (lol...thanks to scheduled posting).
7. Drank lots of water.
8. Folded clothes.

8 things I wish I could do...
1. Do a better job of keeping my house clean.
2. Lose weight faster.
3. Go to Australia.
4. Take a nice vacation ALONE with my hubby.
5. Go to FL to visit Laura
6. Eat and not worry about gaining weight.
7. Hire a maid just once a month...LOL!
8. Go back to Jamaica (we went for our honeymoon nearly 9 years ago).

8 shows I watch...
1. The Biggest Loser
2. CSI
3. CSI Miami
4. House
5. Eleventh Hour
6. Survivor
7. Little People, Big World
8. Dancing with the Stars

8 people I tag...
YOU, YOU, and YOU! Seriously though...if you find this interesting and fun, the go ahead and do it. Let me know if you do so I can come read your lists. :)

Caleb's First T-Ball Practice

So, Caleb had his first t-ball practice tonight (Monday's was cancelled due to the torrential downpour). I had my camera, but silly me...I left it in the car. And -- with Micah as active as he was...well, taking pictures was NOT going to happen. So, I'll entertain you with these Google images. No clue who these kiddos are, but you'll get the idea. LOL! Here's a little bit of what happened at practice...

First, Caleb practiced catching the ball and throwing it back.

Then, he practiced hitting the ball.

After that, he caught the ball that his teammates hit, and he had to throw it back.

As typical amongst t-ball players, he decided to pick the grass, too. LOL!He also decided that he'd just sit down in the grass while he waited for the ball.

He practiced running the bases.

Finally, when it was all over, he got some juice (probably his favorite part...lol).

And -- lucky for him...he gets to do it all over again next Monday! :)

ME Revealed...

So, in honor of my first Blogoversary, I opened myself up for questions from you all. I didn't get nearly the participation I thought I would, but that's okay. I will answer the questions that were posed by you all. So, without further ado...here is ME REVEALED!

Laura over @ The Horton Family asked:
How did you and your husband meet? Well, let me see...long or short version??? Okay, I'll give you the semi-condensed version. Brian was in NC, and I was in GA. We were both sitting in our respective homes watching some news show (think Dateline, 20/20, etc), and they were featuring online dating sites. We both visited said site and created a profile for kicks and giggles. Honestly...I thought nothing of it. Well, somehow he found my profile and contacted me (at least I think he made the first move). We began talking on the phone, and then we agreed to meet in person. So, he drove down to GA, and we met in person at a local Kroger (in the ice cream aisle). LOL! And -- the rest is history.

Where did you go to school? I went to college at Georgia Southwestern College in Americus, GA. It's the same college attended by Jimmy Carter. :)

Favorite place to vacay? As a family, we've vacationed in Orlando, Myrtle Beach, and the North Georgia Mountains. Of all of those, Myrtle Beach was my favorite. We liked it so much that we're going back again this summer. Who knows...we might just make it an annual vacay spot. We'll see! :) Thanks Laura for asking me those questions.

JD over @ Tumbleweed Trails asked:
When you've reached beyond the years of "Boogers and Screams" what would you like your blog header to read? This is a tough question to answer. I even consulted with Brian about it because he's the one that came up with Boogers, Screams, Headaches, and Dreams. Off the top of his head he said "Bruises and Cuts, Loose Teeth, and Small Buts". I, however, do not like it at all. LOL! Honestly, it will depend on what our two boys are "into" at that point in time. I have a feeling it may have something to do with all things outdoors (sports, hunting, fishing, etc). So, stay tuned...and I'm open to suggestions. LOL! Thanks JD for taking the time to ask a thought-provoking question.

Semi-Slacker Mom @ Confessions of a Semi-Slacker Mom asked:
Since I know you pretty well, what was your favorite thing when you did Pampered Chef? Well duh...the discount. LOL! No, I really enjoyed the whole "party" aspect, and it made me develop a love for cooking. All the freebies were nice, too. Thanks Semi-Slacker Mom (yes, I know your name...still not sure if you want it out loud for the world to see...lol) for asking me a question even though we know each other IRL. :)

devri @ The Naulu Tribe asked:
What do you want to be when you grow up, ya know, when the kids move out! Hmmm...well, right now, I don't want to think about my boys moving out. That makes me a bit sad (okay, maybe a bit happy at times). :) Honestly, I think I'd love to just be able to travel with Brian. We try to do as much as we can now, but when the boys are older and out of the house, well, it would be easier to just pack up and go somewhere. So, I think I'll choose to be a wanderer. :) Thanks Devri for asking a really good question...made me think a bit. :)

So, there you have it...ME REVEALED! I hope you all gained a little bit more insight on who I am and what I'm about. :) And -- if not, well, ask me something else. Heck...I'll tell ya anything if you'll listen. :)

For MOI???

Angie over @ Angie is Living has gifted me with this wonderful Kreativ Blogger award. Thanks Angie...I appreciate you thinking of me enough to bless me with this award.

I've received this before, and like I said then...I don't know that I'm very creative. But -- my Easter activities might prove otherwise...hehehe!

Anyway, just like with any award...well, there are rules that accompany the Kreativ Blogger.

List 7 things that you love and then pass the award on to 7 people...tagging them and letting them know they won!
You can copy the picture of the award and put it on your sideboardletting the whole wide world know you are KREATIV!

So, 7 things I love...

1) Jesus
2) My hubby, Brian
3) My two boys, Caleb and Micah
4) My job as a SAHM and homeschooling mommy
5) Blogging
6) My bloggy pals
7) Flowers

Now, rather than pass this along to 7 bloggers, I'm going to open it up to anyone who wants it. So, if you have yet to receive this award, feel free to "steal" it from me and post it with pride. Besides, aren't we all KREATIV as bloggers? That's what I thought. :)

Happy First Blogoversary to ME!!!!

Think back a year ago today...what were you doing? Hmmm...don't remember. Well, let me tell you...I was starting this blog. Yep, I wrote my first blog entry on 4-13-08. I cannot believe it's been a year.

And -- before I go any further, I want to give a shout-out to another bloggy pal who is celebrating her first blogoversary as well...Lin over at Duck and Wheel with String. You should go wish her well and check out her blog...she will CRACK you up!

So, this blog started out as a simple way to keep the family informed of the happenings around here, and to let them see the boys. It is still very much that, but it's also turned into somewhat of a therapy for me. I enjoy writing, and what better way to do that than through a blog. So, that's what I do.

And who would have guessed that my blog would have grown by leaps and bounds?!!? Surely not me. I went from one little follower to 180+ in the course of a year. I'm very humbled to think that you all want to read what I have to say and peek into our life.

So, thank you to all of you who have joined me in this blogging venture. I hope that I can continue to entertain you for years to come. I'm sure the stories will only get better as my boys get older. :)

And -- remember...you've still got until noon today to get your questions in for the Q&A. So, go here to leave a question in the comments.

Homeschool Week 40 in Review

Woohoo! Another week complete...only 5 more left. Here's how this past week went:

Beginnings: Our theme for the week was "In the Garden." We talked about planting vegetable and flower gardens and trees. The "-ern", "-urn", and "-irt" families were added to our list. We also discussed adding "-ed" to words to make them past tense. We reviewed the question mark, and the word "some" was added to our list of service words. Our story for the week was The Plan, and Caleb did a super job with reading.

Math: We discussed the calendar, the months of the year, days of the week, etc. Caleb struggled a bit with the months, but he'll eventually figure it all out.

Bible: We reviewed questions 40-46 and 58. Caleb finally got all of them down. We also reviewed some of our past Bible verses.

Art: I've already posted some of our art activities from this week. You can see them here and here.

Join us this week as we discuss "Yesterday's Trails."

Micah Hunting Eggs

Easter Fun

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter, and I pray that you took time to reflect on what this day actually means to us as Christians. HE is RISEN!

The boys woke up this morning to find their baskets filled with goodies. Now, we don't do the Easter Bunny around here. Caleb knows that the goodies came from us. Brian is really big into not portraying the Easter Bunny and other characters as "real"...nope, not going to get into that right now. But -- Caleb also knows not to tell other children that they aren't real...we've told him that it's the parents job to do that, not his. So, don't worry...he's not going to ruin it for any little kids...promise. Just understand it's how we deal with the situation. :)

Micah's basket and goodies...shake & go elephant car and 3 puzzles

Caleb's basket of goodies...bug catcher, some Easter games, candy, Star Wars Legos, magnifying glass for outsideMicah digging into his basket
Micah with his new car
Caleb with his favorite...Star Wars Legos
Caleb with his new magnifying glass (and of course Micah getting into brother's goodies, too)
Micah decided HE wanted the magnifying glass and Caleb's Reese's egg. :)

Caleb...he's just getting so darn grown-looking.

Oh, and next year...well, I think I'll give Micah's basket to Caleb and vice versa. You see...it never fails...they always want what the other one gets. So, if I give the opposite one the wrong basket...then they'll actually be wanting THEIR basket. Make sense? LOL! Isn't it amazing though...you buy something thinking they'll love it, but nope...they want what the other one got. Such is life I guess. :)

We headed to my mom's for lunch and some egg hunting. This is the yearly Easter tradition. And -- we always love going over there because they have more land than we do, and the boys can run free. But here -- well, we're in a subdivision, and it's a lot busier than Grandma's street. :)

Anyway, we got there and hunted some eggs. Then, the boys headed inside to see the goodies from Grandma and Granddaddy. After that, we all stuffed ourselves enjoyed mom's good cooking. Then, Caleb wanted to play outside. So, he rode his bike (with and without training wheels), caught bugs, and practiced catching balls in his new glove.

Caleb hunting eggs

Micah finding his first Easter eggHe eventually figured out to put it in the basket...but he much preferred to just hold one in each hand. :)
Caleb finding more eggs...he couldn't be happier.
Micah enjoying the "freedom" in Grandma and Granddaddy's yard
Caleb SCORED...3 eggs (I'm sure Uncle Daniel helped a bit).
Caleb digging into his Easter bag from Grandma and Granddaddy
Micah got a dollar in his card, and he's NOT giving it up. :)

Caleb riding his bike...again, he can't do this at our house b/c our driveway goes downhill and so does our street. :(Micah found his first stick.
Micah playing with Granddaddy's wrenches.

Caleb on his bike without training wheels...he's not quite ready yet, but he's trying.

So, there you have it...a very busy and fun day spent with family. Stay tuned for a couple of videos of Micah hunting eggs. :)

Spring Swap Goodies

Like I mentioned in an earlier post this week, I have participated in two swaps this season. Today I received my goodies from the Spring swap over at Semi-Slacker Mom's blog. She's a real-life friend, and I'm so glad that she took time out of her busy schedule (trust me...she's one busy momma) to arrange the Spring Swap.

For this swap, I was paired up with Michelle @ Eight Helping Hands. Let me tell you...this woman is a hoot. She's got such a way with words, and I love going to her blog. And to top it all off, she's one awesome gardener. So, I've been trying to learn a few things from her as this year we're growing our first ever garden. We need all the help we can get. LOL!

Well, I was super surprised when the UPS man showed up with my box this evening. Yep, he left my house barely 30 minutes ago. Brian said that there was a box for me, and I was soooo excited.

Here's what I found when I opened up the box.

Doesn't it look exciting????

Is this not the cutest bag ever? And -- let me tell you...I've already got lots of uses for it. :)

Post-it notes with the cutest holder ever...and we go through some post-its in our homeschooling.

Look at all that PINK! Let me tell you...it's a treat to see PINK in this house of BLUE!

Cute little floral arrangement, magnetic note pad, thank you notes, CUTE butterfly blank notes, angel ornament that says FAMILY, flower salt/pepper shakers, and some yummy PINK PEEPS (which Brian and Caleb are ready to start munching...hand off buddies).
So, as you can see Michelle treated me right! I'm so thrilled with all of my goodies. And -- a special thank you again, to Semi-Slacker Mom for arranging all of this! Both of you ROCK!!!!

Aloha Friday #1

So, I always see this Aloha Friday on other blogs, but admittedly, well, I just looked it over and never paid attention. But -- I read a few today, and I find it quite interesting. And -- I think I'll try to participate from now on...besides, it sounds and looks like lots of fun. If you'd like to participate, then head on over to Island Life.

In Hawaii, Friday is the day to relax and take it easy. So why not take it easy on a blog post too – I will ask a simple question and if you want feel free to leave your reply in my comments!

My first Aloha Friday question is:

What is your favorite movie?

Mine is Shag. It's one of those chick-flicks that I watched with some of my high school friends. The love for the movie then carried on into college, and I remember two of my closest friends and I always wanted to go to Myrtle Beach to shag. I still, to this day, have no clue how to shag (the dance silly). But -- I did finally make it Myrtle Beach last summer, and we're going back again this summer!

And -- here's a shout-out to Uncle Patrick and Aunt Darcy who have been living it up in Hawaii this week! Hope you guys had lots of fun!

Say it Forward Meme

It's Friday...Good Friday at that! That means it's time for another installment of the Say it Forward Meme! This Meme is presented by 5 Minutes for Mom, and I truly think it's one of the best Memes out there. I mean...who doesn't want to be recognized for being a faithful and loyal commenter?!!? I know I love it when I get comments, and I try to be faithful in my commenting. Some weeks are better than others, but that's just to be expected with normal household and mommy duties calling.

So, this week's Loyal Commenter Award goes to...

Mighty M over @ The Mighty M Family

Mighty M came across my blog through our blog designer's blog. She and I both chose Jennisa over @ Once Upon a Blog to do our blog makeovers. Once Jennisa is done making over a blog, she adds it to her portfolio. Then, her clients can peruse other designs by clicking on the headers.

So, I don't remember if I clicked on Mighty M's header or vice versa. But -- that doesn't really matter.

What matters is that Mighty M has since been a faithful commenter on my blog. She's such a sweetie, and she has the cutest little girl and boy. If you haven't ever checked out her blog, go on over and say "hello." I'm sure you'd enjoy reading her posts...she's very funny and witty. :)

Might M -- pick up this award and display it proudly on your blog. Let everyone know that YOU are a faithful and loyal commenter!

And -- if you still aren't participating in this fun Meme, well what are you waiting for?!!? Go on over to 5 Minutes for Mom and sign up. It's worth your time!

Super Baby

Caleb has this cute little cape that he got from Uncle Patrick. Well, this evening he decided to put it on Micah so he could be SUPER BABY! Isn't he just the cutest?!!?

He then added his little bee hat to top it all off (no pun intended). Micah had decided he had had enough though. LOL!

Oh, and do you know what my smarty-pants Caleb said when I put the camera down??? He said, "You can put that on your blog." LOL! Do you think he's caught on to the whole blogging thing yet? LOL! Maybe it's time to get him his own blog...NOT! Anyway, I thought his comment was super cute and unexpected. :)

Need Supper Ideas from All You "Sport"-y Mommas

So, we got the call today letting us know who Caleb's T-ball coach will be. Yes, Lin, he's playing T-ball...the dreaded sport. LOL! I can't wait for you to read this. :)

Anyway, we were informed that he will have practices on Monday and Wednesday nights at 6pm. He's playing in a town that is probably 15 minutes away, so we'll have to leave here around 5:35-5:40ish.

Now, my question for all of you...what in the world do I cook/fix for supper on those practice nights? This is seriously going to put a kink in my menu planning. LOL! Can you tell I'm really serious about my planning?!!?

I need some quick and fast supper ideas. If not, well, we'll be eating a lot of cereal, frozen foods (Caleb loves the Kid Cuisines in a pinch), or sandwiches. So, shoot some ideas my way. I really need them!

I know...we could eat once practice is over. But -- I think that would put us eating a tad too late for our liking, and I don't think we'd make it that long. Besides, once we get back home, it's going to be bath and bedtime! WOOHOO!

I look forward to hearing from all of you sport-y mommas!

Easter Basket Swap Goodies

I participated in my 2nd swap ever this season. Manic Mother hosted an Easter Basket Swap. We are always super eager to fill up Easter baskets for the kiddos, but how many times do WE get a basket? Ummm...never if you're me! LOL! Well, Manic Mother solved that this year. She randomly paired us up with another participant. Jen over at Buried with Children got my name. Can I just tell you how much I admire her? I mean, she's got FOUR kiddos...three of which are triplets. Can you say BUSY???? I don't know how she does it, but her blog is amazing. If you haven't visited her yet, go on over and check it out. She's a hoot!

And no...I did not sit by the door eagerly waiting for the mail carrier to ring the doorbell. Nope, I would never do such a thing. Besides, you all know that I've got two munchkins to take care of, so I'd never be able to just sit and wait like that. :)

Oh how I love to get mail...I don't care if it's homeschool materials, some random magazine/flyer, or a Christmas card. It is such a thrill to walk to the mailbox to see what might be inside. Yes, I dread bills as much as you do, and I hate getting them. But -- the other stuff...I'm all about it! :)

So, I was uber ecstatic when the doorbell rang this morning. It had finally arrived...my Easter basket (box) full of goodies. This is what I found inside...

I'm loving that polkadot tissue paper...super cute Jen!

Is this not the sweetest looking card??? It looks handmade to me...Jen am I right?Now, for the goodies...

**Easter potholder and kitchen towel..too cute and already in my kitchen waiting to be used.

**Easter cookie cutters...Caleb will LOVE making cookies with these.

**Choxie truffle chocolates...I've NEVER heard of these, but they are sooo cute and I can't wait to try them.

**Make it Bug Soap...let me just tell you -- Caleb LOVES bugs, and he is sooo going to love making this soap.

**Easter wall decoration...I almost grabbed this for my Easter Swap partner. :)

**Live your dreams shelf decoration...super cute and on my mantle already.

So, Jen...thank you sooooo much for all of the wonderful goodies. You did an awesome job! And thank you to Manic Mother for organizing the swap. I hope to do it again next year if the opportunity arises. :)

The Wrath of Mother Nature...

Well, it's no secret that Dear Old Mother Nature has been wreaking havoc on these here parts. Granted, we haven't had it as bad as some parts of the country, but still...the lady could give us all a break. I mean...the weather in Georgia is already atrocious, and you add in the fury of Mother Nature, and well, it isn't pretty. We've had torrential downpours, flooding, and random snowstorms. What's next?!!?

With all of that said, I made my morning trek out to the garden this morning. And -- I was not happy! You see...that darn Mother Nature and her awful self has ruined my tomato plants and pepper plants. We have two tomato plants, and they are both droopy and wilting now. The tomatoes that had started growing are now disgusting. Ummm...thanks lady! And my pepper plants look the same...all droopy and sad.

So, it looks like Brian will have to make a trip to Lowe's to buy some replacements. And hopefully we can rest assured that there will not be ANY MORE freezing temps way down here in Middle Georgia. But -- you know...with our crappy luck and the ever-changing temps here...there's no telling.

But -- wish us luck...

Did any of your gardens suffer from this crazy weather?

***Oh, and don't forget to go HERE to get your questions in for my First Blogoversary Q&A.***

More Easter and Spring Arts & Crafts

Well, I guess I'm on a roll with the arts & crafts. We managed to get another Easter craft and a spring craft done today. They both turned out really well.

First, we did a Handprint Easter Bunny. I got this idea from Sandy over at Just for Fun. Seriously, you must check out her site. There's lots of great activities to do with your kiddos.

Second, we made a bouquet of fingerprint flowers. I got this idea from kaboose, which is another great site for lots of arts & crafts activities and other fun stuff. They now adorn our table in the breakfast area. And -- I just used tempera paint instead of acrylic because that's what I had on hand.

Tissue Paper Easter Egg

I got this idea from Sandy over at Just for Fun. Now, if you haven't checked out her site, then you really must. It's full of lots of fun and easy craft ideas to do with your kiddos. Being the "not-so-crafty-homeschooling-mom" that I am, well, I need all the help I can get.


Now, I did modify this a bit. I actually just ripped the tissue paper, and then Caleb wadded each piece up. Caleb also decided to do patterns. I drew the wavy lines, and then he placed the tissue paper wads on in his desired pattern. I think it turned out super cute.


So, why not give it a try yourself?!!? I think your kids would LOVE it!

In Honor of my FIRST Blogoversary...

So, I've been thinking about what I could do to celebrate my FIRST BLOGOVERSARY! It's coming up on April 13th.

Well, one thing I've decided to do is to open myself up for a little Q&A. I see other bloggers do this from time to time, but I've never gotten up the nerve ventured to do it. But -- in honor of my blogoversary, I will.

So, what do you want to know about me???? I know you've been losing sleep over you want to know some of my deepest, darkest secrets...so, ask away! Now, if I deem the question to be too personal, I will simply "plead the fifth" and move on. LOL!

I will accept questions until noon on April 13th. At that point, I will begin answering. So, rack your brain and send some Q's my way. I'm so excited to see what you all ask. LOL! :)

Oh, and I'm sure there will be a giveaway in order to top off the grand Q&A BLOGOVERSARY event as well.

Google Analytics CRACKS Me UP!!!!

Okay, so I'm a tad bit late getting around to this for March, but once again...google analytics is cracking me up. I mean, seriously...people really search for this crap stuff??? Give me a break...LOL!

So, here's how the searches went for March...get ready for some laughs (or at least I think it's funny).

• boogers, screams, headaches, and dreams -- there were many with these words
• dreaming about boogers -- there have got to be some people needing medical help out there...this is a constant search it seems.
• Sherrie needs -- nothing unexpected here
• homeschool/homeschool schedule -- again, nothing out of the ordinary
• "stacked bob" hair -- I think I must have mentioned I normally wear my hair like this...I LOVE me some bob cuts. LOL!
• toddlers stomach flu -- no idea how they got directed to my site
• boogers are gross -- you don't say??? REALLY??? I never would have guessed.
• boogers in your dreams & boogers in your eyes -- come on people...enough with the boogers. And -- yes, we all get "eye" boogers from time to time.
• childress family blog menu homeschool -- they really didn't know how to find us did they? It's much easier if you just bookmark us. LOL!
• darcie brian blogspot -- I can see this as Darcy is my SIL and Brian is my DH.
• dreaming about picking boogers -- again, do you really have to search for this??? What do you need to know?
• dreams cause headaches -- what are you dreaming about...boogers? LOL!
• eating at alligator adventure -- we did visit there last summer.
• flickr snow warner robins ga -- yes, we got snow way down here in WR.
• giving up chocolate creates headaches -- ummm...this could happen if you suffer from caffeine withdrawals. You may want to consult your doctor rather than GOOGLE! :)
• google boogers -- ummm...come on now
• home made boogers -- who in their right mind would MAKE boogers? These searches have convinced me even more that there are some SICK and WEIRD people in this world. :)
• kindness -- awww...how sweet, you think I'm kind. LOL!
• monkey birthday party -- yep, we had one for our little Micah Monkey
• picture of a birthday cake 40th saying happy birthday boo boo -- Do you really call someone 40 years old "boo boo"? Hmmm...
• picture of a booger birthday cake -- Obviously the booger dreamers are having a birthday because who else would want a booger birthday cake????
• recipe for boogers st. patrick's day -- ummm...how are these two related to each other??? And who wants to make boogers? Seriously people...seriously!
• sherrie trick -- no clue here...
• sherry childress blog brian caleb -- again...it's much easier to just bookmark our site *hint, hint*
• thumb sucking -- yep, we've got one, and we can't wait for him to stop. Any tricks to get him to stop? LOL!

So, there you have it...we show up in so many of your google searches. But -- you can stop searching for information on boogers. That's just a little out of hand I think. There are too many people who are "stuck" on boogers (no pun intended). ;)

And -- if you haven't signed up for GA yet, you really must! It's soooo funny to see how people get sent to your blog.

Welcome to the Caribbean

I'd like to welcome you all to the Caribbean. No, we're not in the Caribbean, but oh how I wish I was right now. It's cold down here...too cold. Anyway, it looks like we're in the Caribbean.

Brian tackled painting the playroom & guest room this weekend. We let Caleb choose the colors, and here were his choices: Apple Green, Pumpkin Orange, and Cool Caribbean blue. We also have Sweet Corn yellow that we used in the living room. He did a good job because all of the colors blend together so well.

We also moved all of our homeschooling stuff in there, and now it will be our homeschool/guest/and playroom. Busy, huh?!!? LOL! It actually works out well with a roaming Micah. He can now be in there playing while we are homeschooling. So, he's happy as a lark!

Here are some pictures...and yes, I know...I've got to change my quilt now. LOL! And -- there aren't bad spots on the walls...promise. The glare was messing with the pictures I think. Anyway, you'll get the idea.

The corner by the door/entry

The closet wall

Homeschooling section...that white section is a painted dry erase board.

The desk corner and entertainment centerCaleb and Micah's own PERSONAL dry erase board...now maybe they won't draw on my walls with crayons. LOL!

The ceiling fan

Menu Plan Monday -- Week of April 6th, 2009

Can I just ask...what is up with Mother Nature? I know...not much to do with menu planning, but I thought I'd throw that out there to see if anyone knows. LOL! It's supposed to get down below freezing here two nights this week. YUCK!!!!! And -- my garden...ummmm...mother nature, you are not helping me here.

Okay, so it's time for some more menus. Head on over to OrgJunkie to take a gander at all the menus. There are so many participants each week, and I love finding new meals to try.

As for us, well, I stocked up on meat the past two weeks because the deals were soooo good. Winn-Dixie had B1G1 on meats, so that was a great deal. So, we'll be having lots of "new" meats for us. Here's what's cooking this week...

Monday -- Onion & Mushroom Beef Pot Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole
Tuesday -- Crunchy Parmesan Chicken Tenders, Carrots with Orange Ginger Glaze
Wednesday -- YOYO
Thursday -- Steak Tips, Corn on the Cob, Baked Garlic Green Beans
Friday -- Slow Cooked Pork Chops, Brown Rice, Garden Vegetable Medley
Saturday -- YOYO
Sunday -- Easter Dinner @ my mom's (I'll take a sweet potato souffle and green bean casserole)

So, what's on your menu this week? Are you trying any new recipes?

Say It Forward Meme

I tell ya...I've got to get better with this. LOL! Anyway, it's time to recognize another special commenter. And -- you should really go on over to 5 Minutes for Mom to check out this MeMe. After all, these are the people you want reading your blog. :)

This week's Loyal Commenter Award goes to...

blueviolet @ A Nut in a Nutshell

She is such a faithful blog commenter, and I love reading her blog. She's always got something funny to read over there. You should really go check her out if you haven't already. And -- if you already know who she is, then you know why she's poplular in the blogsphere! :)

So, blueviolet, go ahead and pick up this little award and display it proudly. You deserve it and thanks for being such a loyal reader and commenter!

Homeschool Week 39 in Review

Can I just say how proud I am that we stayed on track and focus this week? As much as I may have wanted to "skip" a day of homeschooling, we didn't. YEAH for us! LOL! Here's how things went this week:

Beginnings: Our theme was "Where Jesus Walked". Caleb learned about Bible lands, customs, dress, and transportation. He added "want" to his list of service words. "-ar", "-ark", "-ore", and "-orn" were added to our list of word families. Our story this week was Little Boy Jesus. Caleb did an excellent job with this book, and we are so proud of him.

Math: We continued to talk more about addition and subtraction. We alse reviewed some of the skills Caleb has learned thus far.

Bible: We reviewed questions 40-46 and 58 in the First Catechism. We also reviewed some of our Bible lessons from previous weeks.

Extra Stuff: We really didn't do much extra this week because of the nasty rain. It rained so much, and we are glad to see the sunshine. We will be picking strawberries at a local farm next week, and we are excited. Shh...don't tell Caleb...he doesn't know yet. :)

I also failed to mention that Caleb was dismissed from speech last week. We are soooo happy and proud that he has improved his speech enough to be dismissed. We will continue to work with him at home to make sure he doesn't regress, but he should be fine. We're soooo proud of him, and he's excited, too. :)

We were scheduled to have spring break next week, but we are postponing it until the week of the 19th. Omi is taking the 20th-28th of April off of work, so we will take spring break then and head on up to VA to do some visiting with Omi and Opa.

So, join us next week as we talk about "In the Garden." I'm sure Caleb is going to LOVE next week as we are all about the garden now. LOL!