Latest Crochet Items

Crochet * Crochet * Crochet

I can't figure out how to rotate my pics...I think I have to do it before I upload them.  

Independent Projects

Independent Projects

This is Conrad's latest project.  It's a birthday gift for Cameron.  He's drawn animal pictures, cut the paper down, hole punched and tied together to make a book.  He's finishing up by adding color.

Harrison is loving the scissors...a little too much.  We had to confiscate them today because he was determined to cut his hair. 

Jaylee has spent HOURS of time copying books.  It's very interesting to me.  She's the one with a reading disability yet she chooses to spend hours coping books.  She has always done this.  

Waverly has gone through a typing phase...always working on her typing program.  At one point she was way ahead of Conrad and Jaylee.  She's also gotten into sewing phases.  She mainly sews things for her American Girl doll.  

My role in all this??  Make sure we have interesting things around, turn off the TV and let the kids go.  

East River of The Falls

East River of The Falls

Almost nothing like nature to lift my spirit.  The kids collected items for the park to make an art project out of.  I wanted to see what they'd come up with.  They also do better at 'school' after they've ran around for awhile.  Beautiful day.  

FamilySearch Indexing

Indexing is worthy of a post:)  We spend hours a week on indexing. Now, when I say WE, I mean myself, Jaylee and Conrad.  (Conrad just got his own account today.)  We also volunteer for FamilySearch once a week in Cleveland at the Probate Court.  

I like to index because

*it's a very important work.

*it's relaxing.

*I can do it while I listen to TV or the kids or whatever.

*I feel a sense of accomplishment when I finish each batch.

*I don't make it to the Temple very often, so it's my way of doing Temple work from my home.

*it's fun.

Below is a picture of Jaylee's indexing history.  She's proud of herself:)

Indexing has also showed me that there is still a need to learn cursive.  Many schools have cut cursive out.  Our history is in cursive!  We need to be able to read it. 

Condo Life

 

Home Sweet Home

We're enjoying the condo that we're renting.  

It's small but we try to focus on the positives:

*less cleaning time= more free time

*a park and pond right out front

*heating swimming pool

*no yard work

I'm not in any hurry to pack up and move again but we will want something bigger eventually:)

Easter 2013

What a fun Easter we had this year!  The Easter Bunny left the kids some little gifts on Saturday morning.  There was an Easter egg hunt in the house.  The kids loved it.

Sunday morning was great.  The best way to celebrate Easter is by going to church!  After church we had the missionaries over for dinner.  We did our traditional devotional where there are 12 Easter eggs and each one is filled with a scripture and corresponding trinket representing Christ's last moments of mortality. 

We love having the missionaries in our home.  They bring such a great Spirit with them.  They have made my kids more excited to go on missions themselves someday. 

Finally, we ended our evening with Peter and Julianna, Tatiana and Grandma.  It was so fun!  They always spoil the kids.  We were fortunate to be able to learn some Russian Easter traditions.  They had Russian desserts and taught us a game to play after decorating the eggs.  You take your egg and crack it against someone else's egg.  It's like WAR for boiled, decorated eggs.  One usually cracks and the other one doesn't.  The person with the strongest egg is the winner.  

It was so funny.  

I love Mark Mabry's Reflection of Christ.  I heard Mabry speak at a Time Out For Women.  He was inspiring, funny and motivating.  I'd love to own his prints someday...beautifully framed.

Now a shout out to homeschooling~I love that we have the freedom to learn when and how we want.  We always take the week before Easter to study the events surrounding Christ's Atonement.  Over the years we've learned about the Passover, ancient traditions and made traditional Easter food.  It all comes together to make for a fun, special 

time of year.

I believe that Jesus is the Christ.  He is my Savior. 

Happy Easter

Conrad's first organ lesson

     As a parent, it's always fun when your kid likes something that you like.  Last week I gave Conrad a little organ lesson before Scouts.  He did great.  He had this simplified hymn memorized.  I've decided I'm going to have them bring their simplified hymn book with us so they can start practicing.  Conrad thought it was awesome.  I let him change the stops around when I was playing. 
     I'm sure one day he won't think this is so cool, so I'll take it while I can get it:)