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March 27, 2013

IT'S ALIVE!!!





Umm... I mean *I'M* alive!! LOL

So sorry to have been so quiet lately. I have just been nutso, crazy busy!!! We had 2 Bdays (and celebrated Colin's as well), AND we are supposed to be leaving for a quick trip to Tennessee in the morning. YILES!!! Then there's Easter on Sunday (and Colin's Bday).... GOOD GRIEF!!!!

I was hoping to sew along with this season of Project Run & Play, but that just isn't happening. We have too much going on right now.

OH!!! Our internet has been terribly spotty the past couple of weeks! It's making me crazy! Most of Monday and Tuesday we had no service AT ALL!! Then it was out this morning for a couple of hours! ARGH!!!! Don't make me hurt you, Comcast!!!

Hopefully things will settle down after this coming weekend! Wish me luck!!!!







March 23, 2013

Cailey Turns 9!!!

Today is Cailey's Birthday!!! My baby girl just turned 9!!! 9!!!! Where does the time go?? It seems like just yesterday she was learning to walk and talk.

We will be celebrating Cailey's 9th Birthday and Colin's 6th Birthday this weekend. (He won't actually turn 6 until the 31st but we have always had their celebrations together. They prefer it that way.)

Here are some pictures of my little Cailey-Bird.

 photo pic009v2.jpg

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Cailey in the leaves photo Caileyleavesandsnow003.jpg

 photo Cailey2ndB-day003.jpg

 photo Christmas08005.jpg

















New glasses!! :D

My baby girl. She is so sweet, so loving, so smart, so beautiful. She is so loved.




March 22, 2013

March Fly on the Wall



Have you ever thought about what people might think if they saw what goes on behind-the-scenes at your house? Do you ever wonder what it would be like to catch a glimpse of someone else’s daily life? Here’s your chance. Today 13 bloggers are inviting you into their homes to be a fly on the wall.
Buzz around, see what you think, then click on these links for a peek into some other homes:

www.BakingInATornado.com - The QUEEN of all things bloggy!!!

http://www.justalittlenutty.com/

http://followmehome.shellybean.com

http://stacysewsandschools.wordpress.com/

http://sadderbutwiser.wordpress.com/

http://menopausalmother.blogspot.com/

http://mooreorganizedmayhem.blogspot.com/

http://hypnoticbard.blogspot.com/

http://mybrainonkids.net/

http://smn0409.blogspot.com/

www.therowdybaker.com

http://www.findingfelicity.com

http://caramelliving.blogspot.com/









The other day I was teasing Colin about his upcoming Birthday.

Me- But what if we don't get you any Legos???

Colin- I will just buy some myself.

Me- Where will you get the money??

Colin- At the Dollar Store. Get it?? The DOLLAR Store???









Owl Pellets 6

I am telling Cailey and Colin about how owls don't digest everything they eat and so they puke up owl pellets.

Cailey- Well, that's violent.











Joshua had stepped into a mound of fire ants and was allll torn up. We gave him some Benadryl to try to help with the swelling and itching. Well, we decided to take a trip to Walmart while he was under the influence. On the way home we go to cross the railroad tracks.

Joshua -  Ho, ho!! And what is this????

Me- What is what???

Joshua- Oh, for a minute I thought you were going to drive down the tracks.

Me- No more Benadryl for YOU!!!









picture credit

And my kids think I am weird and crazy. Apparently they had never heard the song "Greasy, Grimy Gopher Guts" before. I had to sing it for them! ROFLOL!

This is how we always knew it:

Great, big gobs of greasy, grimy gopher guts,

Chopped up parakeet,

Mutilated monkey's feet,

French fried eyeballs swimming in a pool of blood!

Oops! I forgot my spoon,

So they gave me a straaaaaw!!!

My kids were soooooo disgusted! ROFLOL!!











Do I have a story for you... Oh, my gosh!!!!!!!

Remember last month when Jacob and his friend Charles were visiting??? Remember when I took them back to the train station to go back to Virginia??? Well, here's the part I didn't tell you........

We got to the train station about 30 mins early, just in case (a little late I received a text saying that the train COULD be 2 hours late). The station building itself is decent size BUT there was only one teeny tiny room open at that time of night. Soooo, we went outside to wait.

As we walked out the door I noticed someone sleeping on the bench. No big deal. We just ignored them and talked to each other. BUT the boys were in high spirits and acting goofy (nothing new there) and it woke that person up.

Here's where it starts to get interesting.

This woman starts shooting us dirty looks. I figured she wasn't too happy about her nap being interrupted so I moved the boys down a ways.

THEN she TAKES OUT A KNIFE!! Yes, A KNIFE!!! It was in an empty soda bottle! She TAKES OUT THE KNIFE, brandishes it a bit and sets it on top of her luggage.

WHAT THE HECK?????

We move even further away from her and I ask the boys if they saw what I saw. Yep. She definitely has a big stinkin' knife!!!

While I am trying to decide what to do about all of this I hear a ginormous fart. I start fussing at Jacob thinking it was him. Nope. It was the woman. I heard it from SEVERAL feet away..... Then she bangs on the trashcan....

WHAT THE HECK?????

Ok.... I've had enough of the strange.... Let's walk to the OTHER SIDE of the train station and take some pictures in front of the pretty fountain and the heck away from the crazy woman.

She FOLLOWS  us!!!! Now only does she FOLLOW US but she has a big piece of wood in her hand!!!!

WHAT THE HECK???????

This is getting out of hand.

We then decide to go on the other side of the station and get the heck away from her. I go into the station and tell the waiting travelers exactly what is going on out there and if they know of anyone there that I can alert. Nope, no official from the train station is there. Time to call the police.

I call the police.

Now, we live in a TEENY TINY town. I can almost see the police station from the train station. It took 15 minutes for the officer to arrive.

I tell him everything that happened from the time we walked out the station door and saw the woman. He goes to talk to her.

He comes back a few minutes later. He says that the woman was scared because of Charles' backpack. Apparently where she is from, if your backpack makes a V on your back it means you are a murderer.

WHAT THE HECK?????

Sorry, but that doesn't add up. If you think someone is a MURDERER do you FOLLOW them??? Do you act in a threatening manner to them???? I don't think so!!!!

I told the officer in no uncertain terms that I did NOT want that woman on the train with boys. He assured me that she wasn't going to take that train. He says to just stay away from her. Ummm.. yeah... we have been TRYING to do that VERY thing....  I tell him that we are just going to sit in the van and wait.

The train FINALLLLLLLY shows up and I watch to make sure the woman doesn't get on it with the boys and then I high tail it home.

Just crazy. And it only goes to show how much we need some sort of mental heath reform in this country. I am in NO doubt that the woman was unstable and in need of mental health care. Scary.







March 20, 2013

Liam's Leggings and Bandanna Bib





I promised pictures of my little cousin Liam in the clothes that I made, there he is in his leggings and bandanna bib that I made for him!!!! Isn't he an absolute DOLL?????  If you want to more pictures of Liam the cutie patootie, just go to Rivas & Co.



I am still feeling a bit BLAH. This fibro flare up has dug in and won't let go. Pray for me, please! We have Birthdays and travelling coming up and I need to be feeling better!!



Tomorrow I will be posting a new unit study and on Friday it will be time for a new Fly on the Wall!!! YAY!!!!

After all of that I am hoping to get my art inspired dress done in time for the linky party over at Project Run & Play. So far my machine isn't playing well with others. GRRR!! My stitches are all off again. I think I need The Hubby to take it apart. The last time this happened something had broken loose inside. :/ I have had to rip out some stitches in the bodice twice already!!!



March 18, 2013

Bee Unit Study



Well, I am FINALLY getting better! The crud is nearly gone and the fibro flare is trying to wind down. SHEW!!!!! Now I am busy planning and working on my look for the first sew along challenge of Project Run & Play's All Stars Season.  YAY!!!!! And that means I should have a new tutorial coming soon!

On to the unit study! ;)

As always, I try to incorporate resources for all ages and most of those resources are either free or cheap.

BOOKS - 



























KINDLE - 







































PRINTABLES - 

Honey Bee Lapbook - Homeschool Share

Bee Lapbook - Squidoo

Bee Paper Crafts, Coloring Pages and Worksheets - DLTK-Kids

Bee Life Cycle Printables - Teacher Resources Galore

The First Book of Bees

Bee Worksheets - About.com

Bee Printables - First-School

Bee Anatomy - A Kid's Heart

Bee Preschool Unit - 2 Teaching Mommies

Bee Notebooking  - HS Launch - scroll down

Bee Worksheets - Education.com

Honeybee Lapbook - Hands of a Child - $6

Bees & Wasps Study Starter - Currclick - 50 Cents

Simple Schooling All About Bees - Currclick - 99 Cents

Honeybees Notebooking - Currclick - $1.99

Bees! A Fun Study - Currclick - $1

Bees - Speedy Lapbook - Currclick - $1









ONLINE RESOURCES - 

Make a Honeycomb - Relentlessly Fun, Deceptively Educational

Bee Unit Study - Lesson Tutor

Bee Info - Bee Magic

Bee Info - San Diego Zoo

Bee Anatomy - How Stuff Works

All About Bees - Buzz About Bees

The Importance of Bees - CC Pollen

Bee Preschool Unit - Squidoo

Bees & Wasps Unit Study - Squidoo

Bee Types - Squidoo

Bubble Wrap Beehive - All Kids Network

Honeybees - National Geographic

Killer Bee Video - National Geographic

Silence of the Bees - PBS Video







http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sSk_ev1eZec

Honeybees Life Cycle







http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sH7aNZ7sFE4

Honeybees Drinking Water in Slow Motion









March 13, 2013

I Have the CRUD! BLECK!









I have the CRUD. BLECK!! I have been fighting this thing since Saturday! It's a tough one. Thankfully I am starting to feel a bit better. My throat isn't as sore anymore but the old nose still doesn't want to play nice. :/  I haven't sewn a single thing since last Saturday and I haven't written a single study unit since... I can't remember. LOL  I just wanted to let you all know that I still here, just trying to get better.

We have a lot of Birthdays this month! YAY!! Cailey will be 9 on the 23rd, I will be ** on the 25th and Colin will be 6 on the 31st! LOL  On the 5th Deanna just couldn't take the strain anymore and gave me my Birthday present from her. It was a $50 Visa card! YIPPPEEE!! It came with strict instructions to use it on myself and ONLY myself. ;) So, I bought books. LOL I got Tim Gunn's Fashion Bible, Fashion Design Course and Shadows (Ashes Trilogy, Bk 2).  I have been reading the first 2 off and on since I got them. I LOVE Tim Gunn! His book is not only informative but hilarious!!! I never realized how much I already knew about fashion history, but I guess since I love history it shouldn't be that big of a surprise... LOL I have already learned a lot from the Tim Gunn book AND the Fashion Design book. I am SOOOOO glad I got them!!!

I have to mention that I already have my present from Joshua, too. LOL He gave it to me at the beginning of the month. He got me The Calling (Darkness Rising, Bk 2).

I have realized that my kids are just like me, they can't hold onto a present once they have it. LOL

OH!! Project Run & Play has the theme list up for their All Stars season!!! Looks like it will be a lot of fun! I already have a few ideas running through my head and I plan to sew along again! :)



Hopefully I will be kicking this crud to the curb soon and will have some new stuff for you. I might try to work on some unit studies today and see what I can come up with. Wish me luck!!















March 11, 2013

Plants Unit Study



Moving right along, the next unit on my list for science will be plants! I hope you find the resources helpful!

As always, everything I use for our studies are either free or cheap! All books can be found at your local library, or on Amazon.







BOOKS - 



DK Eyewitness Plant



DK Eyewitness Tree 



What Happens When Flowers Grow?



What Shall I Grow?



Hungry Plants



From Bacteria to Plants



One Hour Nature Crafts



Flowers, Fruits and Seeds 



Insect-Eating Plants



World of Plants



The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds







KINDLE BOOKS -



Handbook of Nature Study - $2.99 (This is a WONDERFUL book to have in print, though.)



How to Draw Plants - Free for Prime



My First Book About Flowers - Free for Prime



Interesting Facts About Plants - Free for Prime



Kindle Botany Books for Older Kids (a good list and mostly free)





PRINTABLES -



Plants Lapbooks and Unit Studies - Homeschool Share

Plants Lapbook - Homeschool Helper Online

Plants Lapbook - Squidoo

Plants Worksheets - Squidoo

Plants Worksheets and Notebooking - HS Launch

Plants Worksheets - Classroom Jr.

Plants Worksheets - Education.com

Gardening Pre-K Pack - Homeschool Creations

Tree ID and Coloring Pages - Little Schoolhouse in the Suburbs

Montessori Inspired Botany/Gardening Unit - Living Montessori Now

Botany Calendar Connections - 1+1+1=1

Learn About Flowers Paper Craft - DLTK-Kids

All About Plants - Montessori for Everyone

Plants and Tree Printables - Handbook of Nature Study

Botany Printables - Ellen McHenry's Basement Workshop

Plant Worksheets - Have Fun Teaching

Plant Printables and Activities - A to Z Teacher Stuff

Flower PreK Unit - 2 Teaching Mommies

Plant Coloring Pages - Squidoo

Plants Curriculum - Hands of a Child - $9

Botany Curriculum - Hands of a Child - $9

Traveling Seeds Curriculum - Hands of a Child - $7

Get Ready to Garden Curriculum - Hands of a Child - $7

All About Plants Unit Study - Currclick - $3.50

All About Plants - Simple Days Unit Study - Currclick - 99 cents





ONLINE RESOURCES - 

30 Free Learning Resources for Gardening and Farms - Homeschooling Hearts & Minds

Botany & Plants Unit Study - Squidoo

Flowers in Art - Squidoo

50 Delightful, Edible Flowers - Squidoo

The Plant Kingdom - Squidoo

Creating a Terrarium - Teaching Tiny Tots

Nature Detectives

Plants for Kids - Science Kids

Plants - Biology 4 Kids

Plants Video - Nat Geo Kids

Plants - Kids Biology

Botany - Homeschool Escapade

The First Book of Trees - download

Plants - neoK12

Plant Videos - BBC

Plant Crafts - eHow





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgYPeeABoUs&feature=player_detailpage

They Might Be Giants - Photosynthesis





http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Yu21ShnKhHk

Plant and Animal Cell Rap





http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=1gLa5EWn9OI

Learn About Plants - Photosynthesis





http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=LxaELwrTChs

Learn About Plants - Life Cycle





http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=HuKa57OJ_iA

Parts of a Flower





I hope you enjoy the resources!!! :D

Have fun learning!