Capture the Details

November kit

These kits will be available on Thursday at the store. Here's a sneak peek.... :-)

***EDITED*** I am sooooo 'wowed' by the fact that my kits sold out in the first day!!!!! Thank you and have fun creating! ;-)

surprise in an envelope

One of the great things about being a parent, in my opinion, is seeing your child learn.... actually watching the door open before them - and they know the stuff they need is right outside that door - and it comes flooding in and fills their little sponge-like minds.

Ben is in Kindergarten this year and is learning more about the letters of the alphabet and what sounds they make. Since school started just two months ago, I am truly amazed at his progress with learning to read and spell and write. Sarah has always been gifted in that area, she just read on her own --- I don't know how --- but she was already reading in Kindergarten and I didn't sit down and teach her, she just did it. But with Ben, it's different. I can see him learn and it is wonderful!

He has been trying to read everything. Cereal boxes. Signs. Words on the computer when he plays on Nick Jr. This past week was the first time ever that he sat in my lap and attempted to read a book to me. I had tears in my eyes. It was happening right in front of me. ( Of course I took a picture of the book {since it was from the school library} so I could do a page about it! ) Last night he found my box of rubber stamps and took them out to the table to play. He found a square shaped one and used it as a stamp and made it into a letter for me. Even had an envelope. I opened it expecting to see a picture because he is ALWAYS drawing, but instead, he wrote a letter to me......

Nothing complicated - but he sounded out the words and did it all on his own. Translation: Dear Patty, this is me Benjamin. From Ben. He still has to learn about keeping all the letters of a word together and not down on the next line (LOL - how cute!) but I understood it and it made me cry (sap that I am). I love the 'from'.... i guess it does sound like that! fe-rum.

So, we will keep working on his word flashcards from school.  And he will keep learning - in fact he just sat in my lap as I was typing this and he read the first sentence of this paragraph, with a bit of help from me on the big words! :-)

one is ending, another is beginning

I am almost done creating a new circle journal that is supposed to go in the mail today. Nothing like cutting it close (whoops) but I will get it in the mail tomorrow. This group of girls totals eight and the journals will travel between Pennsylvania and Alabama.

I'm so excited to be doing another circle journal! The group that I'm currently in (see left sidebar) will be ending this month --- sooooo sad to see it end. I made new friends and got to get up close and personal with awesome talent, so it was a very rewarding experience for me! :-)

Here is a look-see at the cover of the new journal....

My theme is ' i gotta have it'. You know, those things that you absolutely, positively can't live without. Get your thinking caps on girls ---- what's on your 'i gotta have it' list? :-)

bowling balls and pumpkins

Lots of pictures to share.....

First up, bowling balls. Ben went to a birthday party for a boy in his class. It was held at a bowling alley - a first for him - he's never bowled before. Look at the 'pose' on this little man...

Here he is watching one of the other kids...

Cheesy grin...

And the final scoreboard....

Ben finished last, but he had so much fun. And, to be honest with you, with the gutter guards up, I probably would have scored about the same as him!!!

Next up, pumpkins. We went to 'the patch' this afternoon. What a GLORIOUS day. Mid 70's and s-u-n-n-y. The family shot....

The kids posing by the sign at the entrance....

And all the activities ------ the slide....

Check out the poses there. Ben was 'no arming' it. The straw maze......

I got a cute shot of the kids in there......

Off to the hay ride and the pumpkin patch. Sarah looking....

We found three nice pumpkins. (Uncle Ryan - watch for the traditional "ugly face Todd" pumpkin carving event next week) Back to the activities at the farm.... playing with the corn kernels....

(Ben was giggling like crazy as he shook the kernels out of the cup.) The kids milked the cow...

They made apple cider...

And they got to try a regional staple: funnel cakes. "Sarah, what do you think of them?"

That's it for bowling balls and pumpkins. As far as the boxes from my previous post, you can check out the class description and images of the finished project here.

:-)

on the drawing table.......

I'm working on my project for November's Coffee and a Craft at Kinnon Keepsakes. Here is a peek at the work in progress.....

Hmmmmmmmmm. What are all those boxes going to make? Now, I can't take credit for the idea - I saw it in a craft magazine ( thank you for your creative genius, Miss Ursula Page, whoever you are!!! ) and ***!!!!!!!so cute!!!!!!!!!***** I HAD to make it! We got in new Christmas papers from My Mind's Eye and they are beautiful! --- perfect for this project!

Keep checking back for the finished project!!! And, if you're local, I hope you'll be able to come and join the festivities that morning! ( November 27th - 10:00 11:00 a.m. )      :-)

buddies

Years ago, my mom's friend and neighbor, Marlene, gave Sarah a stuffed animal. Marlene got it somewhere and hated to throw it out, so she kept it in her closet hoping an opportunity to give it to someone would arise. As fate would have it, when I was visiting my mom, we went for a walk to visit Marlene. She gave the stuffed animal to a very young Sarah, and the rest, as they say, is history.

He is called 'Orange Bear', imagine that, and he has been Sarah's buddy ever since she got him. He goes along to the dentist and the doctor. He has sat in the high chair. He has been dressed in countless outfits. He has gone for bike rides. He has had a few swing rides. He's been to sleep-overs. He's gone on vacations. And, he has been cuddled with every night.

Last night I went in to check on the kids before going to bed... I make sure they are covered and everything is status quo. Sarah was turned away from the door, so I walked up close and leaned over to see her. My breath caught when I saw her and Orange Bear. She had him held up close and I swear the bear was looking at me. He has no mouth, but he was smiling. He was content. He is loved.

...Had to grab the camera, turn on the hall light, and stand very still while I snapped the picture in the dark room....

:-)

lordy lordy he is 40 today

Happy Birthday to Todd!     40!!!!!!!!

This is from a few nights ago when we had his family party....

And from today.... He is off today and tomorrow so he can go hunting. He and his shadow are out enjoying the nice weather ( looking at these pictures, it's still awfully green for the middle of October )...

He throws...

and she comes a runnin'.......

Todd and I did the ol' hold-the-camera-out-at-arms-length and take a picture thing......

Not the best shot but it's great for posterity, right???

Happy Birthday, dear! :-)

words of wisdom?

I made bacon and pancakes for breakfast this morning. We sat down to eat and it occurred to me that today is Todd's last day in the 'thirties'. I said as much to him and asked if he had any thoughts on life... "Give me more bacon."

There you have it.

:-)

hmmmmmmmmm

I think I've finally found a way to get my kids to behave and go to sleep when I put them to bed. It just entails baking a cake every day.

Yes, you see, they want to help make the cake for Todd's birthday party tomorrow night. They want to help because they get to lick the spoons (notice the s on spoons ---- when they each get a spoon, no less fighting is involved).

So, after I kissed them goodnight and walked through the door I told them that if they went right to sleep and no shenanigans occurred, they could lick the spoons. If not, well, there would only be one spoon and I would be licking it.

All quiet from the end of the hall tonight.

:-)

sneak peek

of my entry for Tannis's circle journal....

It still feels like beach weather here and it's the second week of October.  Yesterday we had on shorts, tank tops and flip flops. Later this week it will be pants and jackets. Crazy.  :-)