Not your typical birthday....

Yesterday I turned FORTY-FIVE!!!!  I sure don't feel 45.  And according to Ryan it is still young.

Thanks son I must agree!

But yesterday was not a typical birthday for me.

I woke up, got dressed for the day and headed to the vet.  I headed to the vet to say goodbye to a very sweet, loyal and faithful friend of nine years.  My sweet Arthur.

March 2012....right about the time we thought he was going blind.

Arthur became very ill over the weekend.  Along with a laundry list of problems he had, this sudden illness was enough to take all quality of life away from him.

We knew on Sunday night what we were going to have to do.  We could not allow him to suffer any longer.

As hard as it was we had to say goodbye.  I know I did the right thing for him.  Many friends and family members have told me that too.  BUT man does it still hurt.

Yesterday at 5pm (his supper time) I turned to look for him because I knew it was time to feed him.  And throughout the evening I would catch myself looking for him in the house.  Even last night I woke up thinking I heard him moving around.

Only time heals a broken heart.  And it will take some time.

“The dog is the most faithful of animals and would be much esteemed were it not so common. Our Lord God has made His greatest gifts the commonest.” 

~Martin Luther

FUN weekend!

I know I usually do a FUN Friday, but this weekend is full of FUN!!!!

SO here it goes........things I am excited about for this weekend:




-making SLIME in school today. OK maybe the boys are more excited than I am!

-having lunch with my SIL today to celebrate our birthdays.  Hers is today and mine is Monday.
BTW-HAPPY BIRTHDAY RENEE!!!!

-having Brant around the entire weekend since his work schedule changed!!!

-house hunting tomorrow.

-enjoying a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte tomorrow while driving around house hunting!!!!

It doesn't take much to get me excited.  Sometimes it is all about the little (simple) things.

So what do you have planned for today?  This weekend?

Whatever you do make sure you make the most of it.  And get outside and have some FUN!!

Tie dyed shirt for FALL!

Usually every summer I tie dye a tshirt. It's a good time to repurpose a stained one and give new life to a favorite tee.  Plus it is just plain FUN!  And groovy!

But this summer was not a good time. 

Could it have been because things were a little cRaZy selling our home in Fort Worth, packing up a house we had lived in for almost twelve years and moving SIX hours?

WHY YES!  That is it!!!

So that gave me the perfect excuse to do a tie dyed shirt in FALL colors.  Well at least they are my fall colors.

The little bit of shopping I have done recently my eyes go directly to anything purple. Not even aware of it I automatically pick up shirts with purple being the color.
My theme color for my fall 2012 wardrobe. 

And this tie dyed shirt is no different.  Check it out!!!  Brown and purple!  And the brown actually has a purple tone to it.

I LOVE how it turned out!!!  Super easy to do if you want to add a little flare to a favorite tshirt.

Here is what you will need:
-favorite tee
-Rit dye
-rubber bands
-bucket or container (I find this to be the easiest method)
-rubber gloves (to be used when rinsing shirt)

Begin by deciding on a pattern for your shirt.  Google tie dye patterns and see what you like.  For mine I simply folded the shirt like a fan and then used rubber bands to secure it.  The rubber bands add to the folding pattern as well.

Wet tshirt, follow directions on the Rit dye bottle and place in a bucket.  Stir every 5 minutes or so.  I let mine soak for 30 minutes.  Rinse tshirt until water is clear.  AND use rubber gloves to work with the shirt as you rinse.  I totally forgot and had brown hands for a couple of days.

I then washed my tshirt with brown towels to avoid totally ruining my mom's washer.  I usually wash my newly tie dyed tee a couple of times with something the same color to avoid ruining other clothes. 

And that is it! 

Now I have a hip tshirt I can wear with jeans this fall. Add some brown and silver jewelry, throw on my cowgirl boots.....oh wait those are in storage and I have NO way of finding them! 
So flat or heels and I am set to go out with my husband this weekend to celebrate someone turning FORTY-FIVE!!!!!

Now to decide on the shoes......

 

Wordless Wednesday-Shangri La

 

                                                                 Shangri La

2nd grade

Today I am sharing the boys' curriculum for 2nd grade. 

First let me give a little background of what we have used before.

Kindergarten-My Father's World (LOVED it!!!)
First grade-Saxon Math and this and that for the rest (BAD year!).

I loved the whole school in a box with MFW in kindergarten.  Not sure why I changed from that, but wanted to see a different way.  I should have left well alone.

After last year I was ready for a change.....AGAIN!  So this year I am going back to MFW.

Along with the curriculum from MFW we will use the Bible, Singapore Math, Spelling by Sound and Structure, various science books and will finish up First Language Lessons from last year.  As well as just plain reading and our favorite nature studies.

The 2nd grade curriculum for MFW is Adventures in My Father's World. It will include plenty of U.S. History and Geography, Bible and Science. 

I am so anxious to start reading some of the books that came with the curriculum!!!  Most of these are read alouds for me to read to the boys.  As usual we will try to utilize the library, but we have never been very consistent on that.  I do better buying used books online and having them for years to come.

But like I said yesterday for now we will do math, reading, a nature study and spend time learning in the kitchen.

Our first nature study is going to be on hummingbirds.  Not only am I a lover of bird watching, but the boys grow to love it more and more everyday! It runs in our family.....my Dad is a bird watcher too!

Here in SE Texas we are seeing lots of hummingbirds and the boys are loving it.  So that pretty much did it for our nature study.

Along with reading books, searching the internet and watching videos on humming birds, the boys will keep a nature journal.  The journal will include information and drawings done by the boys.

So that pretty much tells you what our second grade year will look like. 

We just got back from spending the morning at Shangri La.  That was part of the "back to school" surprise yesterday. 

So now we are off to find a cozy spot and read!  They want me to begin our read alouds with "In Grandma's Attic". Homeschooling is amazing!!!!

I'll share some more about Shangri La soon, but you can see some photos tomorrow on my Wordless Wednesday from our morning there! 

And make sure to check back on Thursday for my FALL tie dyed shirt.

Have a great Tuesday!!!

Ready or not it's time for school!!!

Today we started 2nd grade!!!  Well, kinda........I really am not prepared, but ready or not!!!

Since we are still living with my parents and I don't have all our things set up for school I am doing things a little different. For now we will concentrate on math, reading, nature studies and time in the kitchen. I am in hopes (and praying) that in the next few weeks we will be in our own home.  At that point we will begin using our curriculum and formal studies.

I'll share those later.

Talk about NOT being prepared!  I had intended to take care of the "back to school" surprises this past weekend, but I got a little side tracked.

We celebrated my parents' 49th wedding anniversary on Saturday and then on Sunday spent some time with Brant's parents and looking for houses.

I totally forgot!!!! 

And Matthew a certain little boy made sure I remembered last night as I put them to bed!!!!  I felt horrible! 

So I was up early this morning hoping I could make it out the door before the boys got up.  For some really strange reason Ryan was up before 6am, but I did make it out the door to Walmart before #2 woke up!!!!

He did get up before I made it back, he did inform me I forgot, but was pleasantly surprised with my findings. 

I did good!

You can't go wrong with Legos!!

And to go along with all the Lego stuff I included this...........

Hoping to go tomorrow to enjoy this nice weather!!

The boys quickly got dressed and we were off to breakfast.  I had let them pick where they wanted to go out to eat for breakfast. And much to MY surprise they wanted to eat at (please don't judge me!!!!) McDonald's!
~~~~We saw pigs flying the whole way there!!!!~~~~

Now on to the school pictures!! You know I couldn't have a first day of school without pictures. 
So here are my 2nd graders!

So grown up!! 

This is going to be a very different year for all three of us for sure.  BUT we will make the best of it regardless. 

Sorry I have been MIA for a while.  I have been trying now for a month to get a schedule going and just couldn't do it.  Now with school under way things will be different.  I strive on structure! 

Tomorrow I'll share our curriculum and other FUN school stuff! 

It feels good to be blogging!!!