That Was Easy

We just started recycling at our house. Last week. I'm embarrassed that we hadn't done it sooner, especially since it was so super easy! I was prepared to have to separate everything out when we got there. For that reason, we only gathered our cardboard and plastic. We stopped drinking out of cans a while back, so we don't really ever have any metal/aluminum. When we got to the recycling area I was surprised by the new "streamlined" recycling. You just dump it all in together! No separating the cardboard from the plastic.

The kiddos loved it and I could tell they really felt like they were helping out.

We were super productive today. In addition to recycling, we took three bags to Goodwill and another bag to a friend for her little girl. I also got some sewing done.

I fell in love with this little front loader. I put it on a hamper, a onesie, and a burp cloth :)

I think, but I'm not holding my breath, that we may actually go to school tomorrow!

9 and 10

I feel like all I have written about has been snow days. Well, guess what? We were out of school again today! And....tomorrow, too. Today has been the laziest snow day we've had thus far. At least it has been for the kiddos and the dogs.

This is how our dog Frank sits on the end of the couch. He would sit like that all day if we let him.

I have not been lazy, though. I have been in closet-cleaning mode. At first it seemed I was making more of a mess than anything else.

But slowly, organization and simplified closet spaces emerged.

AND I organized my new craft closet. This weekend we bought a free standing closet to put in our office just for craft stuff. I can never put my hands on things when I or the kids need it for something.
Now it's all in one spot, everything from my HandyStitch
(yes, I own one and have even made curtains with it)
to my candy making supplies
(that I used twice but have every intention of using again)
to an entire jewelry making kit that I never even opened
(at one point I thought I might make my own jewelry, I don't know why).

I would still like to add baskets to better organize this closet. It's a work in progress.
The best part of my cleaning day is that I now have 2 big bags of stuff to donate and 1 big bag to throw away. We still have way too much stuff, but one of my favorite things to do is get rid of it!
Anyone want a jewelry making kit?

Happy Monday!

This was the first Monday that we have been to school in over a month!

I need to move further south

We spent our snow day Friday sledding and playing with friends in the snow!

It was great fun, but oh the layering and bundling, then unbundling, then unlayering, then repeat! I miss warm weather!! I miss flip flops, beach vacations, and playing outside all day long.
There are 3 different winter weather fronts heading our way for next week!

Homework (or lack thereof) and More Snow

Another 2 inches of snow for us! You would think we lived up north and not in middle TN!

So we are now on snow day # 8 for this school year. It's a good thing our county builds in 13 snow days or we would be going to school all summer. At this rate, we may still.
We aren't going to know what to do when we have to go to school for 5 consecutive days!

So, speaking of school. This year C is in the 1st grade. He has no homework at all this year. None. Is that odd? Last year in kindergarten he had much more. We had several family projects to do last year, too. None this year so far. (we actually are working on a shirt for his 100th day of school, more on that later). I can see the pros and cons to homework, so I'm not really saying one teacher was right and one was wrong. However, I think that for the most part he needs to get used to doing a little homework because I know that next year he will have quite a bit.
So.... being the mean mom that I am, I created our own homework using his spelling lists and the stories that he is reading. He doesn't do it that often, maybe twice a week.
He can't stand it. It's not that he knows it's not real homework, it's just that he doesn't like to sit still and think. Last night he was sitting at our kitchen table with the task of putting his 12 spelling words in alphabetical order. ABC order comes easy to him, he gets it. But, he stared at that paper for 30 minutes and wrote 3 words.
We also use a website that allows you to enter their spelling list and then it creates online games and printable worksheets with their words. He LOVES that. See how excited he is to be taking an online spelling test?

I don't know the point of this homework ramble, but I just hope his real homework next year is on the computer!

Thank you, snow!

For the unexpected gift of an entire week off of school! This just after a 2.5 week break and preceding a 3 day weekend due to MLK Day. You will never hear this girl complain about snow days!


On Snow Day #4, Thursday, we met up with friends to play. AP and Baby EE found the dog bed to play in (Don't worry, Mon, the dog had never used it!)

After we left that play date, we stopped by another friend's house to visit for a few more hours. I got home in time to get changed, make dinner, then out the door for Girls Night! I just love spending time with my girlfriends, something about knowing you aren't this alone :) Our poor waiter was ready to kick us out I'm sure. We sat at our table taking for almost 3 and a half hours!

Friday, snow day #5, brought more friends over to play. The boys were too into crashing their cars to join the girls for crafts.

We attempted to make things out of our Bendaroos. The commercials make it look much easier than it is.

Then we made Valentines mobiles that little G had seen in a magazine.

They turned out pretty cute!

Today we made it bright and early to a Vol themed skating party for 2 of the kiddos friends. The only downside to all this fun friend time is that the kiddos are not going to want to go back to school at all! They aren't going to know what to do when they actually have to get dressed, I think we have spent more time in our PJ's this last week than in our clothes :)

Going On Day 3

I was right about possibly getting a snow day. How about three in a row? Can we go for 4??

We wouldn't mind a bit! Other than the fact that it is FREEZING cold out there. The wind was brutal today. The unbearable temps have led to lots and lots of indoor playtime. Do you think C is going stir crazy? :) He came out of his room dressed as a snake-charming clown fireman.

More Winter Break Fun

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE breaks from school? I really do. I am blessed to have a job that allows me to enjoy the breaks just as much as the kiddos. During our 2.5 week break that sadly came to an end recently we enjoyed skating with friends,

bowling with friends,

and ringing in the new year with friends!

And on a completely unrelated note, how do the kids not turn blue when their bathwater is this blue?? C got Bath Drops that change the bath tub water in his stocking this year. They love using them, but I just wonder how it doesn't changed the color of anything in the water or the kiddos themselves?And one last random note, there just might be snow headed our way and we just might be out of school again!!

Kyrgyz Sisters

The kiddos and I had lots of fun on our long holiday break from school. One of the highlights was meeting up with our friends who also have a precious little one from Kyrgyzstan, the same baby house as AP to be exact!

We met up at Chuck's, which I have to admit I have been a little leery about over the last year. The area that it is in has gone downhill quite a bit. It also gets super crowded and I have little bouts of panic as I try to keep my eyes on both kiddos that are constantly darting off in opposite directions.BUT, this time was refreshingly different. It was not crowded at all. I was able to sit at a table with E's parents and talk while the kiddos played the games around us and I could see them the whole time. It was so nice. So the key is to go midday midweek.

AP and E are finally both at an age that they enjoy playing together. It was so sweet to watch them interact. Don't they look so much alike?

AP can now process a lot more info about her adoption. She totally gets that they were born in the same country and were in the same baby home. She kept saying to me "Mommy, we're both Kyrgyzstan!"

I did snap a pic of C, too. I was so glad that he ran into a friend from his class at school.

When it was time to go, AP and E were not very happy! They both kept asking to go to the other's house. I promised them both we would do that soon.

Here they are plotting a way to get out of the parking lot together.

And this is when E put her feet down and said she wasn't leaving our car! So sweet. I am so thankful for the connection that these 2 have.

We get to see E and more Kyrgyz, Russian, and Chinese friends in just a week!