Helping Hands

I had a little help with the Thanksgiving Cornbread Dressing this year...

She took her job very seriously and did a REALLY good job...I'd hazard to guess there have never been more uniformly torn, carefully measured bread crumbs to go into a dressing recipe... EVER :)

Give Thanks

Over the last 6 weeks or so C's class has been memorizing a verse or two at a time of Psalm 136.  They worked all the way up to Psalm 136:1-9! You might think this would be a difficult task for a 5 year old...apparently that's not the case :)  I think they practiced at school some - not sure of the exact details since getting C to tell me what he does at school is like pulling teeth - he SUCH a boy! :)  Outside of school, we just reviewed the verses a couple of minutes each morning in the Silver Bullet on our way to school.  And wha-la - the kid has it memorized.  (Oddly enough, the same can't be said for me.  I still have to "cheat" and look at the paper...I guess that's the difference between a fresh 5 year old brain and my much less fresh 33 year old brain :)

Oh well...despite my inability to keep up with C's mad memorization skillz, I have REALLY enjoyed started each week-day for the last 6 weeks with this reminder to "give thanks." 

Psalm 136

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

2Give thanks to the God of gods,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

3Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

4to him who alone does great wonders,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

5to him who by understanding made the heavens,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

6to him who spread out the earth above the waters,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

7to him who made the great lights,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

8the sun to rule over the day,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

9the moon and stars to rule over the night,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

Yesterday, all the kindergartner's recited what they had memorized together for the parents and then sang/signed "Give Thanks" in front of the other Lower School Students at chapel.  Very moving!

Give Thanks

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks unto the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son
Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks unto the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us"
And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us"

I'm so proud of C!  He did very well and even managed to resist the temptation to cut-up with a little friend sitting right next to him (not an easy task for a fun-loving, playful kid :)  

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Perks of Learning to Read

C earned his first "Book It" pizza coupon a few weeks ago.  Last night, he finally had the opportunity to redeem it.  Pizza and bread sticks were enjoyed by all :)

I'm really happy with how quickly C is learning to read!  He knows lots of sight words and is able to sound out quite a few other small words by himself.  

His current favorite books (that we read to him) are the Hardy Boys and Nate the Great. The most recent discovery he and J are really enjoying is Pilgrim's Progress (a pictorial version in current English) that I found a the thrift store for $0.50.

Let There Be Light - Phase One Complete!

Here's the recap on this weekend's work.

Here's what we started with...

Primer Coat

Firebox Painted

Larger Room View

Next Up:

• Replace broken baseboard quarter round
• Scrape off popcorn and paint ceiling [UGHHH...kinda dread this part but I know from the Newman Reno that it will make a HUGE difference in the brightness of the room.]
• Paint trim a nice crisp white (as opposed to the dingy white/gray that it is now...I guess whoever pained it before knew that an actual white would emphasize the grayish/discolored popcorn ceiling).
• Fresh coat of paint on the walls.  Right now I'm bouncing between a neutral similar to what it is now or lighter/brighter green.
• And last but not least :) a top coat to the fireplace.  The color will depend on the wall color I end up selecting.  

So that's our grand plan.  I'm going to try and pace myself.  It's pretty much the tradition around here to spend New Year's Day up to our elbows in some DIY reno project...we're just starting a little early this year :)

Some Things You Just Can't Take Back

My fireplace and I have had a very tense relationship.  And by "relationship" I'm referring to the cowboy-like showdown we've been involved in where [insert cowboy showdown whistle song here] I pace the room with my hands on my hips giving it the stink-eye and it just stands there in all its soot-stained, dark brown/red/black light-sucking badness mocking me.

So, after MUCH debate (mostly between me, myself, and I - J does not suffer from decorators paralysis like I do) , we took drastic measures knowing that once started, there is NO GOING BACK!!!!  I've never been so nervous....

HA!  Take That!

And That!

Final results of Primer Coat

I'm not gonna lie...I'm still a little nervous...but I'm hopeful that with the right color top coat, a new mantle and/or fireplace surround, and some decorations I will be victorious.  If all else fails there's always dynamite, right :)

A Few More Camping Pics

I just love it when my very talented, super awesome photographer cousin sends me pictures she took out of the blue.  It's such a treat!  The pictures are awesome AND they provide me with a rare photo of J (who is normally absent since he is usually the picture-taker :)

These are from the boys' camping trip a few weeks ago.

A Cowboy and A Butterfly/Fairy Princess

C and G have been talking about/debating/analyzing the pros and cons of what they wanted to be for Halloween for AT LEAST the last two months.  Initially, they were both on the Super Hero track...C was to be Iron Man, Wolverine, or Batman and G was to be The Incredible Hulk (aka in our house as Jammer Hulk since it looks to G like he is always wearing his pajamas :).  Then there was about a week where G wanted to be a Incredible Hulk Cheerleader (not one or the other - both).

Last week they settled on their final choices.  Lucky for me, they turned out to be VERY easy costumes. What we didn't already own, was found at our friendly neighborhood Dollar Store.

Meet G - the Butterfly/Fairy Princess!  She couldn't decide on an exact name, all she knew is that it afforded her the opportunity to wear all of her fancy dress up stuff, plus some pretty sparkling wings, and sparkly wip (lip) gloss ALL AT THE SAME TIME!  It was pretty much a dream come true :)

Thanks to Mrs. Delores for providing the pretty wings!

And here is C - the Cowboy!

Showing off  his 6-shooter, spinning skilz

We met up with some neighbors/close friends for some trick-or-treating action.  I swear we live in the best neighborhood.  It is nice to live among such nice folks and dear friends!

Speaking of neighbors...check out the loot this Cowboy and Butterfly/Fairly Princess scored...this is top shelf stuff!