Doors Open at 8am

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The kids were quietly playing together.

Let me repeat that.

Quietly playing together. Happily too, I might add.

When I went to investigate to see what could be wrong going on, I walked into the girl's room and was met by this little sign.

And opened the door to discover that we have apparently set up a thrift store in our house - with rock bottom prices I might add! Laurianna had taken the time to cut out price tags and tape them onto each article of clothing and was eagerly awaiting customers.

Which McKenna believed would really come, insisting that we needed to fully open the blinds in their room so the neighbors would see and come.

Even though we live on a cul-de-sac.

But if you do decide to stop by and pick up toys or clothing, be sure to mind the rules.

1. Keep shirts and shoes on.
2. Do not steal.
3. Pick up the mess you made.
4. Look at price tag before buying.
5. Please buy something.

So as long as you are fully clothed, don't take anything without buying, clean up after yourself, and remember to look at the tags, you are more than welcome to shop from our closets and toy bins. We open early and we'll be waiting for you.

A Little Spicy

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The girls and I were cuddling up on the couch yesterday when I noticed they needed their ears cleaned out a little (I know, lovely thought).

And there's a certain little someone in this house who's life motto is not: "Cleanliness is next to godliness."

So when I went to clean her ears and there was very little to do I was rather impressed. And said so.

To which the response was, "Sometimes I clean my ears out like this (demonstrates with her finger) and then I eat it."

(Thoughtful pause).

"It's a little spicy."

It's EARWAX, for Pete's sake! Who knew (or really wanted to) that it was spicy? I'll just take her word on it - thank.you.very.much.

Head on over to Mary's at Not Before 7
for some more Tiny Talk Tuesday.

And back we go...

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I procrastinated. There I said it. And this morning, I am paying the price of feeling yucky because I'm getting a cold and I stayed up too late planning out the next few weeks of school for us.

Renewed and determined to not "skimp" and get by, but actually have fun filling up some extra time with the kids and using some of those things that have been lying dormant for awhile.

On My Nightstand: January Week 1

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5 Minutes for Books hosts a monthly meme called "What's on Your Nightstand?" so here's what is currently next to my bed, after the changeover from last week.

Sadly, I just could do any more of Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell. I don't know what was going on with my brain, but I dredged my way through half of it and finally decided to replace it with another book by Lawana Blackwell, The Maiden of Mayfair.

I was able to read a few more chapters in two of my other more thought-intense (non-fiction)books: Finding Favor with the King and also Skydiving for Parents, so woo-hoo! :) I also finished In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by McCall Smith. If you haven't read any books in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Series, they are pretty simple/quick reads, but the humor in them just cracks me up every time. It's so basic and straightforward and literally makes me laugh and giggle out loud. And then my husband has to listen to me try to explain why it's all so funny...and by then - not so funny.

This week I'm adding some more fiction to my pile, a series by Lawana Blackwell. She has a new series out that I would like to start and it spins off this one, so I need to read these first.

But sitting on my nightstand here is the current stack.

Here's the quick rundown:

• The Widow of Larkspur Lane - Lawana Blackwell
• The Courtship of the Vicar's Daughter - Lawana Blackwell
• The Dowry of Miss Lydia Clark - Lawana Blackwell
• Finding Favor with the King: Daily Inspirations- Tenney
• Finding Favor with the King - Tenney
• Skydiving for Parents - Bullivant

It's All in the Interpretation

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When singing the praises of the Hope diamond to your children, one should remember the interpretation of the word "huge".

Because "huge diamond" in a little girl's vocabulary translates into something along these lines.

And when it is the culmination of an extended museum tour, there might be much disappointment and possibly even some frustration. Because this is not huge (according to said 6-year-old).

The quartz was much more impressive.

Perhaps someday she'll be more persuaded. Someday.

2008 Recap

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Kelli at There's No Place Like Home is hosting a fun blogger's recap of 2008 - just post the first sentence of the first blog post from each month this past year. Here's my little sum-up of our year. Each title is a link to the actual post itself (and I only cheated on one...because the other one, well - I only cheated once. And if you need to know which one...well, you'd best start digging through my archives, 'cause I'm not tellin'!

January: Fritzy Computer

Our laptop is having issues again...and will hopefully get fixed this time for good.

February: Playing Games

Today's assignment is pretty straightforward. Play a game with your kiddos...or your hubby...or someone!!

March: Lockdown

A certain 3 year-old is all around, and he is into everything. And by everything, I mean EVERYTHING.

April: Don't Shoot

A note for the record: My children do not get any part of their personalities from me. At all. They are all mini-Ricks. Not one single ounce can be attributed to me. *grins*

May: Mostly Strange

Why is it that a vehicle can be annoyingly choosy as to who it "acts up" to? Can you explain that to me?

June: Just in Time

This arrived in our mailbox today - not the book, but the dvd set. (And just for the record, I've neither read nor watched it since June...sigh).

July: The Chicken and the Egg

I am so avoiding "that talk" with my kids.

August: Speaking With an Accent
Over the last month, I've been reading The Secret Garden to the girls. (This was a post for Tiny Talk Tuesday)

September: Ocean Animals That Amaze

If you haven't seen this video on ocean life with David Gallo, click and watch.

October: Nature Belongs Just There...In Nature

The other morning I woke up to the sound of crickets and snuggled deep under my covers, loving the sounds of nature.

November: Things I Never Thought I Would Hear
"Sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to glue the girl's bedspread to their bed."

December: The Things We Can't See

The devotional we're using for the girls has been talking about "the things we can't see".