haiku tuesday

another year gone

grains of sand sliding faster

all things come to pass

so the quality isn't great but...

WOW...am I reverting?

This year for Christmas I had a surprise. My mother was stealthy and bought me a present I would have never expected. A doll. Not just any doll, an American girl doll. Call it re-living my childhood. When American girl first came out with Samantha I wanted her SO bad. By the time we could afford her I had grown out of dolls. It was not one of those things I could admit liking. Now that I am 29...two days ago, I own my very first American Girl Doll. This is why its good to have children, when you get a doll for Christmas its not creepy. Right?!

House fairy

Today we had fun. Not only did I get to play scrabble for reals, I got to play with the kids. I use to cut loose and have a blast being ridiculous more often but ever since I sold my soul to adulthood and homeschooling weird mommy turned to educational mommy. Heck,  I can even be found reading the news paper....  and enjoying it. In this not-so-humble bloggers opinion, paper reading kills your childlike spirit one article at a time. Drastic action had to be taken before all the fun in me dissapeared.
  The only logical solution was to play house fairy. Dress up and act embarrassingly until the kids are rolling. It had been so long that my daughter just stared and smirked for a bit before joining in and teasing. I can tell she has been glancing at newsprint herself.  The house got cleaned in the process of reviving my fun. Win win right? I only hope the neighbors didn't get any pictures when I went out to burn the trash. *wink*

a blog with a view

For all those bloggers out there..Click on your Stats button. Come on do it. When you are done come back so we can talk about it.

For me it was enlightening. You don't realize how much you forget to post until you read the stats. December isn't looking so bright for me. I am sure it has something to do with the fact I am to busy to breathe. Greg and I are working hard to get our house in order. (wow that sentence feels like I am writing out a will) Yesterday We painted the ceilings in the upper bedrooms. Greg and I removed the carpet earlier this month as well as covered the hideous salmon pink with several coats of "woolen vest" a brownish green.
 Why is it that when we live somewhere we get by and make due with the scuffs and scratches? I, for one, am fantastic at ignoring the little ugly things for the sake of a clean vacuumed rug. Seeing the place as nice as it is now makes me want to throw a new king sized bed in the space and pretend I'm in a motel.
 The biggest joy in all this renovation has come from the smell. There is NONE! Even when we went to buy our place it had this certain funk. Originally, when we went through it, I thought it was because the house was stale. Oh no. Two years of our clothes reeking like who knows what, and this crazy weird odor hitting me every time we came through the door...all because of (drum roll please) it needed new flooring and paint. Put that on my 'if only' list. Merry Christmas, may all your smells be nice!
 

the view from the floor...

This big nose sniffs at me when I am working out...nothing like doggy slurbers while you are doing sit-ups

homeschooling websights

I like variety and having new things at my disposal. Here are a few FREE websights I have enjoyed and want to share with you.

1)For writing I like writing wizard because you can make your own printable worksheets.
2)When It comes to art I like to return to an old PBS favorite. It was what I watched when I was a kid..cant believe Mark Kistler is still out there!
3) If I want an extra printable of varied subject matter I use Education. They have fun colors along with their practice. They have all subject matter with an easy drop down search menu.
4) My sister in law introduced me to a game called timez attack. We just got into multiplication with my girl and the game is a fun way to memorize your facts. It has a free down loadable version and one you can buy.
5)Occasionally we do some typing because I am mean like that. There are more enjoyable games out there to encourage typing but as far as the old school accuracy, power typing is the place to go.
6) When I want to work through preschool skills or just review letter for fun we visit starfall. All three of my kids still like watching the pictures and hearing the letter sounds....I even think its fun.

If you have any more to add, let me know! Homeschooling is a journey much better with friends. 

what to do what to do

This last week Greg, the kids and I went to our house far away. We ripped the carpet out of two rooms and started painting. WOW. I had no idea how much work needs to be put into it before we put it up for sale. For now we are focusing on a little at a time. We were thinking that we could just reside up there while we fixed things up but I am not sure that will end up being the plan.
  Have you ever had those moments in you life when you wish the words "well that didn't work" had little or no application to the day to day? (frustrated face)
  If only I could share more of my heart with my readers, but some things are just not mine to tell. It would however make a fantastic book plot. Do you think If I changed every one's names and genders that no one would notice? (eye roll) kidding.
 

reoccurring dream

Whenever I think of our peninsula house I end up having this dream. The area is still as creepy as ever but the house we own is SO different. It has three levels and the top is unfinished and looks out across, what I believe to be the Puget sound at dusk. Its breathtakingly beautiful. Today with much luck I might sketch it out. Weird right?

what a coincidence

Nearly 10 years ago someone bought me a rolling pin made of marble. It was beautiful and gray. I had never seen one like it before and was ever so excited to receive this beautiful gift. I don't remember who on earth gave it to me. It had more mystery to it than its origin though, because sadly right after receiving it....it disappeared. As the my impending wedding date grew closer I noticed that someone had an exact replica sitting on their counter with the same shiny polished exterior, the same wooden handles, and the same stand.  After a month or so I worked up the courage of asking this person weather they had happened upon it by accident. They told me they had owned it for a while. Puzzled at the whereabouts and my ability to misplace such a fine object  has nagged at me for quite a long time.
  It showed up on the counter yesterday out of the blue. Funny thing is it was a different color. My mother, who knows random lost things bug me, had come across one in the store and purchased it for me as a birthday present. My dad had opened it and plopped it on the counter for me to have. My dad does not hold back surprises well. Now I can finally lay the mystery of the rolling pin to rest.

world war three

When out shopping for three rambunctious boys what should catch my eye but a toy that has stood the test of time. My youngest received one of these for his birthday last year and (nothing) has been broken, although a few marbles have been launched. I could have gotten one...or two....but I thought three would be an appropriate number for an all out war, don't you? I'm hoping it will make up for any sadness over a lack of whole made jammie pants.