Happy Birthday, Miss Hot TaMarley!!!!

My baby is turning four today.  FOUR!  According to plan, here is her acrostic.  (Shout out again to Beckie for this brilliant idea that I stole from her!)  I'm going to use her given name of Marley as opposed to her many nicknames such as; Mar, Mars, Marbars, Marmar, Marscapone.  Rory and Logan call her Marsbars. 

M- MISCHIEVOUS  Marley is very smart.  Smart enough to get into just enough trouble on her own, let alone with one of her older siblings.  MIRACLE  She should not have been born a healthy baby or at all for that matter.  She is a force.
A-  ACTIVE  She is almost always moving.  One in a while she will want to cuddle with you on the couch, but she is mainly moving.  Her preferred mode of transportation is jumping.  When she dances she looks like she's doing the pony (for you visual people out there).  
R- RAMBUNCTIOUS  Are you seeing a theme here?  There is one thing to be said about this child...she likes order.  She's a helper, an organizer, a cleaner (we're working on that last part), but she definitely likes things a certain tidy way.  It's not OCD...yet.  She might be like her daddy in that department.
L- LOVING  Marley takes care of everyone she can whenever she can.  I see this mainly with Logan.  I've already talked about how she takes him to the bathroom or just upstairs and downstairs in homes.  He was complaining to Kevin today that he hit his arm on something, and Marley walked up and kissed it.  When he forgets his drink, she'll get it for him.  She does things for Rory too, but Logan normally requires more attention.  ;)  She's probably spoiling him.  I'm hoping this situation reverses in the teen years.
E- EAGER  She's normally the first to respond when a request is asked.  She's actually a very good listener in the, "get your shoes on" and "grab a snack and drink and head to the car" scenarios.  She wants to vacuum, bake, iron, sew, if Rory and Logan are doing it, she's up for it.
Y- YUCKOMAMA  I can't think of anything for a "Y".  This is a phrase coined by Marley.  I think Kevin was saying Yuckorama, but Marley changed it to this.  It's hilarious.  I just can't believe she's four.  

She had her first day of preschool today.  We home school, but there are a few things going on that need my focus in home schooling right now to have Marley roaming and ruining the house while working with the others.  (Can you diagram that sentence?)  Here are some pics of her first day.  

Mars with her Thirty-One tote bag.  She picked the outfit and hair, and we got her name written on it.  Oh, and I didn't pick her outfit today either.  She chose that Thirty-one shirt all by herself.  :)

Happy Birthday, Marley!  I love you!

Labor Day Ramblings

Happy Day After Labor Day by the time you read this!  

We had a busy weekend, and I got no pictures.  Miss Marley turns four on Wednesday, so we redid her room.  I didn't take before pictures.  It was a light green for Logan when it was his room.  It was fine, but Miss Mar is a purple girl.  We gave her a purple room.  We put Marley down for nap upstairs in Rory and Logan's room and went to work.  We managed to get the whole room painted even with the help of Rory and Logan in two hours.  Craziness!  We added a rug and some wall stickers, and it was all under $100.  We had some black shelves from other parts of the house.  I don't like that they're not brown, but I can't win them all.  She LOVED it!  She's so excited!  She got a dreamlight for her birthday from my parents, and she has it lighting up the ceiling.  Hopefully she gets some sleep because her first day of preschool is tomorrow!  I hope I get some sleep knowing that her first day of preschool is tomorrow.  :)  Roll film!

This was the green in the room.  Look how young Logan and Rory look!  Oh my goodess!

Her reaction.

I'm so glad you like it, sweet girl!  Happy almost birthday!

 

Logan's Blanket

Pssst...Guess what?  My MIL is a not too shabby crocheter.  *shocker*  She makes blankets for everyone and their grandmother....literally.  She has made everyone in the family blankets and any of my friends who get pregnant....their little one gets a blanket too.  I'm not sure when, but some time ago, Logan asked his Nana for a blanket.  He looked through one of her books, and he picked out a car blanket.  And Nana being Nana...delivered.

Isn't it awesome?!  My nephew would go ballistic over this blanket.  He loves cars.  The first night he got it, he covered up with his fleece Mario Brothers blanket and then this one on top.  He didn't listen when I said he'd get too hot.  When I went in not even an hour later, he was completely uncovered.  Thank you, Nana!  I hope you got it in you for his sisters that want one now! 

Monday, Monday

Back to school Monday...

I spent it reading posts about people who were enjoying the silence in their homes because their kids were back at school.  Not me.  Then I saw posts of pictures of their kids going back to school.(salt in the wound)  Then I remembered that I had a kid going back to school.  Kaelyn's first day of college was Monday.  She was scared and nervous.  All I heard the whole way there was how she felt like she was going to throw up.  Poor thing.  Here's something interesting that I loved about that morning.  Her music while getting ready.  Even though it was probably just the next song up, I like to think that it meant more.  It makes me feel better.

She has loved this song(Casting Crowns, Praise You in the Storm) ever since she heard her Aunt Karla sing it.  Then, because I'm a good mommy, I made her pose for a picture too.  She was pouty.

As far as the other kids that stayed home for school because I'm a psycho masochist, they decided that Monday would be "prank day."  April Fool's was apparently too long of a wait.  I heard them discussing it at breakfast, and then whispering a lot.  I was eating my breakfast when they told me the living room light was out.  I came into the room and flipped the switch, and it didn't turn on.  Rory said it did a popping sound and went out.  I went and got another light bulb, put it in, flipped the switch and still nothing.  So I texted Kevin and asked if he could come take a look.  Meanwhile the kids were playing and taking mild interest in the light dilemma.  Kevin came up and pulled the string in the middle of our ceiling light fan, and the light turned on.  At which moment Rory, Logan, and Marley all started laughing hysterically screaming they had pranked me.  I have to admit it.  They did, and they did it well too!  It was one of those odd and proud moments all rolled into one.  

For dinner that night we tried the beef tips.  They were REALLY good.  I was shocked because there were so many ingredients in it that I didn't like.  I pushed through though knowing that some things I eat are still good even though I don't agree with what's in them.  :)  It's a condiment thing.  Anyway the tips were good, Kaelyn survived her first day, I got pranked, and the kids had a great time.  Not bad for a Monday.

Food

At some point on here I wrote that I was going to focus on making healthy dinners.  Well, I've committed myself to not over committing myself, and I had some time this weekend to get some things done.  One of those was meal planning for the week.  I have a couple of blogs that I use regularly.  To make this list, I have to have made, eaten, and liked one of the recipes. Here's what we've been eating and what we're going to be having this week.

Saturday we had teriyaki steak, crash hot potatoes, and broccoli.  The kids had to try everything before they could have their usual of pb&j.  Rory actually likes steak, and Kaelyn ate only potatoes.  Today we had garden harvest chicken stew, biscuits, and the best apple crisp.  Kaelyn wasn't here, so none of the kids liked the stew or apple crisp.  I'm not an apple person, but it was good over vanilla ice cream.

Here are some things for the rest of the week...

Crock Pot Hawaiian Meatballs, rice, and veggies
No Peek Beef Tips, egg noodles, and broccoli
Honey Lime Grilled Chicken, seasoned roasted potatoes, and some sort of veggie
LEFTOVERS!

While the apple crisp wasn't the most healthy thing, considering I had it on top of ice cream, I'm trying.  After dinner tonight I said to Kevin, "Thank you for loving me enough to eat my concoctions even when they're not good."  He simply said, "You're welcome."

Astronomy 101

For science this year, I'm teaching Logan and Rory together.  It's a lot easier.  I'm using Exploring Creation With Astronomy.  It works great because there is a notebook for Rory and a junior one for Logan.  I have one textbook to deal with and the work in each notebook is similar with Rory's being a bit more challenging.  I like the concept of not doing a couple weeks on a topic and switching to another topic.  This curriculum is designed to completely immerse the student in every aspect of the topic.  It seems like a good idea.  :)

We spend two to three days a week reading the chapter.  The next week we do the activities for that chapter.  Each reading day has a narration page in the journal, so they can write down what they remember.  This week we learned about the planets.  We tried to make up our own mnemonic, but that was hard since I still remembered mine from grade school.  My Very Excited Mother Jumped Straight Up Near Pluto.  Then we went over how Pluto is not considered a planet anymore.  A fact which Rory decided to deny.  

Our activity was to make a solar system out of balloons.  The book provided the measurements of the balloons to try and show the difference in sizes from one planet to the next.  It was interesting blowing up a balloon and then deflating it while holding a measuring tape around it, but we did it....9 times.  We just had to blow "the sun" up as big as we could.  The first one popped, but our second son made it.  We had to try to match the balloons to the colors of the actual planets which ended up being white balloons colored with Sharpies.  Whatever works.  

 I used a bunch of Thirty-One balloons that I had.  I guess Logan's wearing sunglasses from the sun being right there.  HA!  It took a while, but they know their planets and the mnemonic.  :)
 

August Daybook

Outside my window...
It's sunny and noisy.  There's a house being built on the other side of our neighbor.  There's a breeze, and it's about 77.  Ahhhh, this is my kind of weather....if only the bugs were dead.

I am thankful for...
Routine.  Making decisions. Some downtime.

I am thinking about...
My health.  I guess it's about time I did.  I go to the doc next Friday.  We'll decide whether I'm going to start treatment.  I hate the unexpected.  Seems fitting I would get a disease full of surprises.  

In the schoolroom...
It's going.  I'm still working out the kinks from teaching Rory and Logan together.  Marley just jumps right in there too.  Kaelyn starts college next week.  I'm old.

From the kitchen...
Kevin and I are back on the health wagon.  It was a hard climb back up there, but we finally made it.  I'm trying to expand my repertoire of dinners to more than five dishes.  What can I say except that Kevin does the cooking.  I know.  I'm spoiled.  I do want to learn more healthy dishes to prepare, so I'm going to get started on that sometime.  ;)

I am creating...
School stuff.  Organized spaces.  Room to groove.  Peace.  Harmony.

I am working on...
God's path for me.  Every time I think I have it figured out, He pulls the rug out.  Knowing that if I keep my eyes on Him, I will not sink.

I am reading...
"Saving CeeCee Honeycutt" by  Beth Hoffman.

I am praying for...
Some friends

I am hearing...
Noises from Logan as he plays with his Lego Star Wars figurines.  Clicking of buttons from Rory on the computer.

Around the house...
I'm trying to declutter and organize.  I don't think I've been very successful in the past because I tend to be an all or nothing person.  If I can't have the whole thing organized when I'm done, then I won't start.  I've been able to break things down and get some done here and there, and it's working out.  Little areas...baby steps...I just need to shrink my whole life I guess.

One of my favorite things...
The chill of the morning air recently.  It's like a whispered promise every morning.

A few plans for the rest of the week...
College Orientation.  Cousin dinner.  Pool.  Family time.

A picture thought...

My first successful attempt at a french braid.  I know how to do them, but I have no patience, and the hairs can't be tangled.  The hairs normally get all tangled, and I get frustrated, and I quit half way through.  I stuck it out this time and gave up the control.  Amazing how much easier things work out when I do that.  :)