Category: Thankful For
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Fun in the Sun
The weather here in Colorado is crazy! One day it is 70 , the next it is snowing and freezing, then back to 70 the next day. Seriously!Last week on one of the so-so days we had some fun outside. Wasn’t too cold, wasn’t too hot.
The boys did floor puzzles on the sidewalks, we colored the sidewalks with chalk. We ate lunch on a blanket in the grass, fun! To top it off… the boys went for the costume drawer, which is always a hit.
this is a Buzz Lightyear, IronMan Hybrid
LOVE this life!!
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Super Duper Sweetness
As you may have seen from an earlier post, my son and I went on a date recently. We had a really great time. I wanted to share with you, a sweet, intimate moment between the 2 of us. While at a restaurant I excused myself to use the restroom. When I came around the corner to our booth, my son was sitting in my seat, I watched for a second and realized he was taking pictures of himself with the camera. I sneaked up behind him and joined in the pictures, he never knew I was behind him.
When I sat down he told me to look at the pics on the camera. I told him he should look with me. He was so surprised to see me in some of the pics, he loved it. BUT THE BEST PART … I had another surprise coming too. While looking through them I realized that in each picture he is signing a word to form I LOVE YOU, through the succession of pictures.
Here they are:
Loved the date, loved this gesture, love my BOY!
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a Date with My Boy
This past weekend I took my 7 year old on a date to downtown Denver. I secretly bought a Groupon to see the Imagination Movers live.
**Disclaimer – I had no clue who they were, my poor boy was the oldest one there, by far! He was not that amused, although he started to enjoy the show**
We started by taking the light rail, then off to explore Downtown, ate some chocolate cake, watched the show, and topped it off with a big bucket of movie theater popcorn for the ride home on the light rail.
I really enjoyed our time and I am reminded how important it is to spend time alone with each child.
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Brotherly Love
Happy! My 7 year old attends a weekly club for boys. He loves it and his Daddy is a helper so it provides a fantastic time for them to bond.
Last week each boy was given $2 and challenged to use the money for someone else. To do an unselfish thing with it. When he came we discussed some possibilities that he might choose from. He thought about it and said he thought of another thing.
He said that he wanted to buy his little brother a piece of his favorite pie from the Pie Shop across the street from our house. My first thought was that wasn’t the exact idea here, but I stopped myself. He loves his brother but he is not one to put his brother first, ever. So I thought this really was a kind, unselfish act.
Ordering How cool that I got to see it play out! I took them to the pie shop and let them order, pay and eat alone while I waited in the car. I noticed the oldest cleared the table for the workers too – BONUS!
Eating Grasshopper Pie 
Oliver and his pie -
The Homeschool Mother’s Journal Week 1
Recently I saw a blog post from a Homeschool mom that I follow. Sam from The Kelley Eight was excited to start a journaling program. I have always wanted to journal but just felt overwhelmed with starting from scratch.
The cool thing about this journal program is that it has questions for you, that you answer. This is so much easier for me, whew!
Thanks to the Homeschool Chick and The Kelley Eight I will now be journaling this fantastically crazy journey we are on. I am thrilled, excited and thankful!
Here we go, Week #1
In my life this week…
Working my regular part-time, working on websites for others, homeschool, grocery shopping tonight, lots of organizing.
In our homeschool this week…
Math, math, math for the 1st grader, word problems and learning about feeding your body for science. Water experiment will be done with Daddy on Saturday. My 2 year old is doing centers, matching colors, shapes, baby animals to their mama’s he is doing so well!
Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
The past several weeks have been jammed packed this week we took it easy. The boys did get to go on a field trip with their Aunt to their Butterfly Pavilion. They held a tarantula, saw turtles, snakes and butterflies.
My 1st grader also attending his weekly clubs meeting.
My favorite thing this week was…
Observing my 1st grader “get it” when it comes to double-digit vertical math. He was struggling then I saw the light bulb go off right in front of me, it was awesome to see!
What’s working/not working for us…
Sitting side-by-side my 1st grader definitely works for us, even better when the 2 little ones are actually out of the room. Not working – having the little ones around.
Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…
I am starting to like the more organic approach and not so regimented. I am realizing it does not have to look exactly like “school”. Less focus on checking off items… more focus on learning, the fundamentals yes, but really learning.
A photo, video, link, or quote to share…
Oliver, my 4 year old said “Mom, look I can count in Spanish with my eyes closed!”. He was so excited!
ONE more I am adding. My 4 year old loves to dress himself and I love his creativity and boldness. So each week I will show Oliver’s wardrobe choice of the week:
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Content Kids Means I Can Actually Shop
My Fashionisto Oliver with the new cart If you have small children or have had small children I know you can sympathize with me when it comes to grocery shopping. A battle, that quite frankly, I refuse to fight alone. Usually I run in by myself or I enlist my husband for help with the3 boys.
Usually it comes down to the boys wanting to buy everything under the sun or they want to run around, bother each other, you name it. The end result is me rushing through the store not gettting everything I want.
Well King Soopers, my local Kroger, has offered a fantastic solution! A very smart solution too, now Moms can take their time and spend more money. It’s a win-win!
The carts they now offer are really cool! My favorite feature? It’s hard to choose. They have locking doors (from the outside), a video screen for the kids to watch kids cartoons, big, high baskets, and a drink holder for a nice, yummy Starbucks.
There is a console for parents too. Hopefully, in the future they will let you scan your shopper card and see what virtual coupons you have loaded, maybe save items for next time, and a list of products we buy vs. what is on sale.
Kids love them, in fact so much that I have seen a few kids throw a tantrum when it is time to get out of them. Thankfully, my kids were ok with leaving when it was time to go, whew!
Thanks King Soopers!
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A Delicious Gift from God
What’s not to love about avocados? They might be the most delicious super-food in the world.
Healthy snacks that my kids like are sometimes hard to come up with. One thing that has proved to be a favorite is avocados. Avocados, like many fruits and vegetables, amaze me. That you can walk up to a tree, pick a fruit, cut it open and enjoy it fascinates me. Avocados are creamy, light, and delicious.
Cut Avocado The possibilities are almost endless. Some ways we like to use them:
- Guacamole – mashed with garlic salt, chili powder, splash of lemon and salt
- Sliced on sandwiches and burgers
- Diced and served with eggs, sliced tomatoes and toast
- Served with chips or crackers
- Eaten with a spoon
Unfortunately they are expensive but sometimes we can find them for $1.00. I picked some up and we enjoyed them the good old fashioned way.
Diced in the skin, you can get the seed out with a solid tap into with your knife 
diced avocado boat 
Enjoying a boat What’s your favorite avocado dish?
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A Blessing in Disguise
I guess one thing about blessings in disguise, you don’t always see them right away.
Last summer and fall my husband was unemployed, looking for work. I had the opportunity to increase my hours at work and my husband became the primary caregiver during the day.
At the time I never truly stopped to think about what an awesome situation God presented us with, a time for a Dad to bond with his boys. I was steeped in work and admittedly, worried.
I am thinking about it now and thanking God for that time. I found pictures on the computer of their adventures together. What a time they had!
Denver Art Museum Museums, parks, mountains, rivers, library, downtown, you name it, they did it! I want to share some pictures and remind you that when you are going thru tough times God is always providing a ray of sunshine. Blessings in disguise. :O)
Sam checking out the water
Preston
water balloons
summer fun in the water
kiddie train tracks
A Visit to the Farmers Market
at the pond
Downtown Denver
Fun at the Mall
on the trail Also so very thankful for a camera and a husband who wanted to make sure I didn’t miss a thing.
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I am Sweetly Broken, Wholly Surrendered
This is one of the first songs I started listening to when God first called me into new life… brings back a flood of emotions. Even now I am touched and reminded of the gift I have been given. Beautiful words that are so true.
I came across this video and wanted to share it.