love to paint

Ugh! I can't figure out what to use for Math next year. I used Singapore Earlybird Math, but I only bought the textbooks and at first I loved it. I love the pictures and the easy activities at the bottom of each page. But, when the book started to teach Addition and Subtraction, it really didn't click with me. It's too fast and it doesn't make sense to me. I am using a book called Developing Number Concepts: Addition and Subtraction by Kathy Richardson for that instead. I love this!! The activities are games that Autumn wants to play and she's really starting to understand the concepts of addition and subtraction. But, now I don't know what to do next year!! Really, Autumn will be doing K/1. She will be the age of a K, but doing K and 1st grade work depending on the subject. Her reading level is probably mid first grade right now. I'm pondering using Horizons, but I would plan on going back through the K curriculum and then the 1st grade curricu...

The night before last I sat down on Sami's bed after they were in bed and asked what they were talking about. They were discussing what they would get for their little girls when they were adults. Now I was expecting Autumn to say all the different things she doesn't have, because last week she asked for a Disney Princess dress and I explained that they are very expensive and we don't have money for them. Technically, I could probably buy her one, but then I wouldn't be able to get all the things at garage sales that I get which are far more fun for her in the long run. But, I digress. So, I asked Autumn what she would get her little girls. She said she would get a pony castle (My Little Pony Celebration Castle) just like the one we got on Saturday at the garage sale (for $3), dress ups, Zingo (from another garage sale for $1), little people (we got the circus on Sat. for $2), and a few other toys she really liked. I was so glad that she likes the toys she has. Th...

Before I had Eli, I did a load a day or so. Now that I think about it, I think I did a load every other day or so. Now, since Eli arrived, I do a load about every day or so and then periodically I still end up with 5 loads to do in one day! I'm not sure how that works. If I'm doing 5 loads, you'd think that I hadn't kept on top of it. But, I do! I think my little girls are clothes monsters and wear clothes and switch clothes behind my back or something =) Just kidding. Although Sami really does like to change a lot. I'm trying to work on that with her! She doesn't have enough clothes and if she wears 3 outfits in one day, she's going to run out really quick! =) My pediatrician said that when you have your third child, things don't double like they did when we went from 1 to 2 children. Instead, they grow exponentially. My laundry definitely has!

Yay! Garage saling season has returned! I have several observations about it, though. 1) People are a lot more greedy this year. I kept hearing over and over--I sold this or that on ebay. I asked one gal about how she ended up with so many brand new Melissa and Doug toys. She said she scouts for them and then sells them on ebay. I shared with her that they have the same or better prices that she had marked them (at her garage sale) at Amazon. True (!). I've noticed that as a culture it's easy to get caught up in the worth of what we have rather than thinking about sharing or giving. Just a thought. My husband and I try to always give away or donate so that we don't get caught in that spiral of holding on too tightly to our possession. We can see that temptation for ourselves and it feels so much better just to give things to people that need them. We're not perfect. And I'll be honest. I'm going to consign a few things in the fall because I can...

Today I was in Aldi's and the lady behind me asked me what I was taking because I must be taking something that works really well to be as happy as I was in a grocery store with 3 little kids and have such a good attitude. The funny thing to me is that the lady who said was in a very expensive outfit and was very put together. No, I'm not taking anything. But, I have been really trying to be more thankful for my kids. =)

Hullabaloo. A friend recommended it when I asked her what her favorite kids games are. Her 10 and now 5 year old like to play it together. I checked on Amazon and there were stories of 2,3, and 4 year olds playing it together. So, I was excited when it was on sale at Target last week and my mom bought it for the girls as an Easter gift. I pulled it out this morning and I really like it. It's really easy to set up and fun for me to play with them. I think we will definitely be having a lot of fun with it!

On Sunday, Sami, my little one who MUST touch everything kept touching my communion wafer. She really wanted it and didn't understand why she couldn't have it. I told her that communion is something she would take when she is older and believes in Jesus. She earnestly and sweetly replied, "But, I love Jesus Mommy."