A Pintrest project for Kelli

I am a huge fan of pinterest!  So many great ideas!  We moved Nathan into Emily's room and Kelli into Nathan's room so she could have her own space.  Kelli is such a great kid, a real delight.  She rarely complains, or asks for things she wants, she is one of the most contented children I've ever met.  So we wanted to make her room a special place.  So I sat her down and talked to her about what she wanted and then we searched all of her ideas on pinterest and made a plan.  We still have a couple projects to do, but the biggest parts are done, and she was anxious for me to share photos with you.  One of the things she wanted to incorporate in her room is the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).  So we combined two projects that she loved and here is the result....

Day 5: From a high angle

Loved having the Whitfield kids hang out with us today!  I envisioned this picture including all of the kids, but as you can see 2 of mine did not cooperate!  Oh, well!  Love it anyway!  From a high angle....

Day 4: Something Green

No school yesterday or today!!  After a major fail of a "make your kids day off of school special kinda mom" day yesterday (thankful for Brian's rescuing the day with a great evening out as a family) I wanted today to be a massive improvement!  Happy to report it was successful!!  We had a great time exploring God's beauty on this gorgeous fall day!  I've got lots of photos from our adventure, but for now today's photo.

Day 3: Clouds

Brian surprised us and took us all out to dinner to celebrate the older kids awesome progress reports!  It was a special time and as an added bonus the sunset was amazing!  I was thankful because it was a totally overcast day and my original cloud photos were totally boring!  So even though this is just from my cell phone, I'm thankful for a much improved picture opportunity (and that I didn't have to make dinner!)

Day 2: What You Wore Today

Hat.

No make up.

Hooded sweatshirt.

Capri sweats.

Tennis shoes.

Two toddlers.

Day 1: Self Portrait

This 30 day photography challenge starts and ends with a self portrait.  I don't like them because I always have an idea in my head of what I want it to look like and it rarely turns out that way.  Again, I woke up this morning with a plan of what I wanted and it just wasn't happening.  So I regrouped and tried something totally different.  And I'm pleased.  I love the lighting.   Usually I have a strong pull towards either a color or a black and white conversion for each individual picture.  This one I was totally torn, so I included them both.

MIA

Well, yet again, the family blog as been abandoned!  Fall gets so busy!  School, fall sports, busiest photography season and of course just the day to day activities that keep me from posting.  But I always miss it!  So to try something different, I'm going to start a photography challenge tomorrow, Nov. 1st.  I'm not guaranteeing that I will get the photo posted each day, but hope to at least take the photo and then post as time allows!  Anyone want to join me??  

Give1Save1

I am a reader of many blogs.  Most of my favorites I have stumbled upon through another blog.  One I found recently blew my mind and I am just loving being a part of what is going on there!  So I wanted to tell you about it (I shared it on facebook a couple weeks ago, but want to make sure the word is getting out about it!)  This sweet lady named Beth and her husband are just starting the process of adopting a girl (and maybe two) from Ethiopia.  Adopting is (very) expensive and she was trying to think of creative ways to help with the needed funds, and she thought I know alot of people who know alot of people...if all those people just gave a dollar...that would add up quickly!  And so she started give1save1.com.  Here's what gets me every time.  She's not just raising money for their family's adoption.  Each Monday she has a featured family and asks readers to give just a dollar to help these families out.   She raised $900 for her own family, but she has raised thousands for other families!  I think that just rocks!  So I really want to bless the efforts of Beth and spread the word about give1save1!  So please check out the blog at www.give1save1.com and go to their page on facebook and like them.  You will then get updates every time she post about a new family.  It is super easy to give your dollar (or more) via paypal.  It only takes a minute and really...a dollar a week friends...we can all probably find that in the floor board of our cars each week!  Join me in this will you?  I gave mine!  Did you give yours??

Summer's over... :) I mean :(

(oops!  I wrote this post a couple of weeks ago and never published it!  Guess I got distracted by the glories of quiet afternoons...)


I had such mixed emotions about school starting again this week! One second I was disappointed that there wasn't anymore time to spend with the big kids during the day and wishing we had done more. The next second, they were bickering and being obnoxious and not listening and I was counting down the minutes until August 24th! The few days before school did start were really precious days. We did really fun (and free) things together.

The first day of school was only a half day and Brian also happened to get off work early. He volunteered (after the kids basically told him he had to) to stay home with Nathan while he napped and the rest of us headed to a museum in our sweet little town. I forget every time between visits to this museum just how fun it is! It was even better because it was a free admission day!

Goofy kids!

This is a really cool scale that tells you what animal weighs about what you do.

This was the first time Emily had been to the museum and she was precious to watch!  She we fascinated!

Here's a quick slideshow of some of the animals they have on display.  (the reptiles are alive)



Down stairs they have an awesome play center for the kids which also houses Hercules the turtle.  The kids loved watching him and touching his shell.  Emily was a bit timid at first, and stayed close to Andrew.




And when Andrew wasn't around, she clung to the hem of mommy's shorts :)


I love being able to spend time like this with my kids.  It is so fun to watch the wheels of their minds turning as they learn and see new things.
More of our summer adventure's to come!

The power he's learning he possesses....

"Nathan, please do not pull mommy's flowers off of the plants."

"But mom! It's so much fun!"

"I can't believe you aren't going to let me do this."

"I dare you to say no to me while I'm making this face."