tea party

I made some oatmeal bars from this book. It's a great book for kids or someone just learning to cook. Very good(easy to follow) instructions and tips about basic kitchen information.
After they were done baking #2 asked if we could have a tea party and eat those for our treats. She got a new set for Christmas so she's looking for every opportunity to try them out! She wanted to make name cards and she gave us all a little thank you present for coming. The oatmeal bars turned out great, as did the tea!
#4 is still under the weather...looks like he might have one of those long lasting things. Thought he was getting better Monday but it really hit him again that night. Not much sleep going on around here for us.

Friday night and all is well...

Wow, it's been longer than I thought since I last posted! We've been busy 'spring' cleaning and enjoying our new toys. Lego's were a big hit this year. I have been avoiding them for awhile. I remember how much they hurt when you step on them! But it has been really fun to see what they can come up with both with following the directions on guides(whoa, they can follow step-by-step instructions!) and by what they can imagine and create on their own.

Sheela has been enjoying her gift as well. It is a goldfish tunnel. By day it is a good sleeping spot, by night she is the great hunter and attacks the thing.


Here is our little rock 'n roller. Poor guy started running a fever this afternoon. Prayers for a fast moving bug.

Beach day!

Nothing like breakfast on the beach, especially on Christmas day! The Lord has truly blessed us, letting us live out here the last couple years! Such a beautiful and relaxing place to be. Although on our way there the big kids were asking "Why doesn't it snow in Hawai'i?" and " Can the next place we live have snow?" I assured them that chances are the next place we move will have snow and that they'd have the 'fun' job of shoveling the sidewalks and driveways then.
It was a little cool for us today(hey, now don't laugh so loud!)
#2 was the first to jump in.

Then #1 joined.

and then #3 joined in the fun.

#4 and I stayed on the beach. He was happy to eat and play in the sand. I was happy to watch everyone and the lovely calming scenery.

He was cracking me up with this toe curl thing. He'd dip his feet in the sand and then lift his legs up and curl his toes and then dust the sand off.


The kids taking a break to warm up and eat a little more. I had made my grandma L's breakfast ring. Can't have Thanksgiving or Christmas without it, so yummy!



A little reminder of what today is all about, here's a picture from part of our Christmas Eve Service at church. (Recognize the wise man and shepherd?)


I was reading First John today, Which if you look at is about Love. It was just one of those times were it really hit me. Am I acting loving to others? And by others I mean everyone, not just family. Do my actions show this? What could I do differently? Read 1 John 3:18-19 This is what really made me take a closer look at things today, maybe it'll speak to you also.
There is also a quote in my Bible from M. Scott Peck an American Psychiatrist and writer. "Love is an action, and activity. It is not a feeling."
How are you showing love?

Christmas

This is what our house looked like last night. Due to dh's work schedule we rearranged our usual Christmas schedule. So we had a lovely spread of appetizers last night.



This morning, checking stockings

wow, look more gifts!

#3 got a new train in his stocking!


#1 & #2 playing with their stocking presents, they got daddy's old gameboys with mario cart

Such happiness. Love hearing them play and giggle with delight at their new toys.

#4 finally getting into the idea of unwrapping. hey, did you know you could tear something without getting in trouble?

He played with his toy like this for quite awhile. We finally took it out the box, and that was fun too;)

Multitasking

Sometimes it isn't such a good idea! I'm still laughing about it so thought I'd share. We have some pumpkins that we had got in October that are still good. So I cooked 2 of them today and set off to make some goodies. Made some pumpkin cookies and some bread then took the kids off to bathe. Get back upstairs and start washing the dishes so we can make some more cookies(Russian teacakes this time!) I grab the bowl that the pumpkin had been in only to find pumpkin still in it-Yes I made pumpkin bread without the pumpkin, interesting concept isn't it!! #3 and I went on to make the cookies and I made another loaf of bread with pumpkin after that. I guess we'll see which bread they like better in the morning LOL
I have 3 more pumpkins to cook and bake tomorrow, I'll make sure to stay alert;

Homeschooling

A friend shared this video with me. It gave me a chuckle, hope it does you too! Homeschooling with humor:)

they say.....

Earlier today we got a call asking if #1 and #2 wanted to dress up like a wise man and shepherd for a song at church. We said yes and were discussing what to wear during dinner. #3 pipes up "I want to be a dinosaur for Christmas!" This cracks the older kids up-sorry kid there are no dino's in the nativity scene...although if you got a Christmas card from us last year you would see that he played the part of dino in the nativity scene at our house. Guess he's still stuck on that idea!

Oh, and if you haven't heard, #3 wants to be a donkey when he grows up! In case your curious on his choice of occupation, he has seen Shrek and loves donkey!