Are you ready for 2010?

2009 is almost over and I'm ready for a new year. This afternoon I had fun creating the cover page to our family album for 2010. I plan to accent every month with a different color while highlighting each week's events. The pages will then be posted for family and friends to see.

Happy New Year!

Did you reach your goals for 2009?

At the end of each year I make an effort to come up with personal goals for the upcoming year. I've heard that choosing 3 goals or less is best. These were my goals for 2009:

1. Create and maintain a family blog
2. Eat more fruits and vegetables
3. Earn 6 more graduate credits

I can very proudly say that I accomplished 2 out of the 3 goals with flying colors while the third one is questionable. I definitely created and maintained my family blog and actually earned 9 graduate credits. Whether or not I ate more fruits and vegetables is hard to determine.

My goals for 2010 are:

1. Lose the pregnancy weight that I've been carrying around for over 4 years
2. Catch up and then stay current with my scrapbooks
3. Blog at least once a week and not everyday!

Which photos are your favorite from 2009?

I had a TON of fun taking pictures this year with my new camera. I still have a lot to learn with all of the different features and I am hoping to take even better photos next year. It was great to look back at the thousands of pictures I took. My 2 most popular subjects were Leah and Elizabeth. I put together a bunch of my favorite shots of them from 2009.

Are you an organized person?

I thrive on being organized and it drives me crazy when I can't find something. In fact I even enjoy organizing. If I wasn't a teacher, I think my career could be a professional organizer. Since school ended for winter break I've spent a large amount of time getting things a little more organized. Last week Leah and Elizabeth helped clear out their playroom to make room for their new Christmas items. While we were cleaning and sorting (for over an hour) I heard Leah comment, "This is fun!" Elizabeth wasn't into the whole concept though. My organizing continued as I cleared out and reshelved things in the office closet. That was a huge task and long overdue. Then today while the girls were at their Grandma's house I went to school to reorganize. I spent hours cleaning out my cabinets, clearing out old files, and placing papers for the 6 IB units shown above into new 3 inch binders. Even Tim has taken the organization idea seriously because as I write this post he is picking up his "man cave". I am really looking forward to starting 2010 as organized as possible!

What are you going to blog about today?

It is hard believe that today marks the beginning of the last week of the year 2009. Our family has been very busy and yet blessed with health and safety. I have enjoyed being able to use this blog to record all of the year's highlights. When I created it I had NO idea what it would turn into. It's become a passion and quite frankly an addiction. Not a day has gone by that I haven't thought about what to write about. The blog has been my journal, one that I've actually kept for a whole year. With the exception of 1 day (when I didn't have Internet access or know that I could post ahead of time), I've been able to add something to it every day. Keeping a blog has been a wonderful experience that I have enjoyed throughout 2009.

What was your favorite Christmas gift?

The parties are now over and the Christmas gifts have all been unwrapped. Looking back at all of the great gifts we received, I asked each member of the family to choose their favorite gift. These are the choices:

Elizabeth - Laptop

Leah - Julie (American Girl Doll)

Tim - Rifle scope

Jenn - Tools Caddy from Creative Memories

Where will you be celebrating Christmas?

This morning after opening Christmas gifts at our house we will be traveling to Wheaton to celebrate with my family. We are looking forward to another fun time with family and remembering that the greatest gift ever given was Jesus Christ!

Can we leave carrots for Santa's reindeer too?

The stockings were hung by the chimney (gas fireplace) with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there!

In addition to leaving milk and cookies for Santa, Leah put in a special request for carrots to feed the reindeer too. This is the letter that she wrote:


After spending the night celebrating Christmas with Tim's family, the girls came home and opened up one present right before bed. I've made it a tradition to give them pajamas the last few years and they were a hit again this year!

What time does the movie start?

Leah and Elizabeth have been anticipating seeing the new chipmunks movie since seeing the preview on TV. Tim and I are taking them to see it this afternoon on the opening day. Hopefully it's as good as the girls are expecting it to be!

When can we make the gingerbead house?

Leah and Elizabeth have been asking to make a gingerbread house for awhile. So, tonight after dinner we all worked on decorating one. It was a group effort that turned out well. As an added touch we spread cotton balls around the outside for snow. We are all hoping that the real snow sticks around so we can have a white Christmas this year!

How much air can you get?

Last night Tim made some snow ramps in our backyard. The neighborhood kids came over with their sleds and they all had a blast trying to get massive "air". Since they enjoyed themselves so much the kids continued the fun this morning. I got a kick out of the boys next door using the wheel barrel and shovel to form their ramp, but they did a good job. What a great way to officially kick off the season of winter!

What makes your holiday merry and bright?

This afternoon we celebrated Christmas with Tim's extended family. Every year Leah looks forward to this party because she can play with Grace, Tim's cousin's daughter. Elizabeth always has a blast playing with her uncles while Tim and I look anticipate our Dutch chocolate letters that we receive from Grandma Jeane. This year was extra special because the great grandkids received their own letter too. We all enjoyed a light lunch, gift giving, and yummy holiday desserts. Our time together was very merry and bright!

How was the drive?

This evening our family spent the night in Illinois for the first of many Christmas parties. Every year we get together with my dad's side of the family on the Saturday before Christmas. There were 40 of us crammed into my grandpa's duplex. All of whom took their shoes off and left at the door (another tradition). Tonight my cousin made prime rib for dinner, then we watched the great-grandchildren open gifts, and finished off the celebration by playing a white elephant game where Tim's gift (a Charlie Brown Christmas tree) was one of the most sought after items. It was a long trip and short visit and not without a few meltdowns, but we made it there and back safe and sound.

How do you express joy?

Tonight we designated some time to making our annual JOY cards before our month long lesson comes to an end. To prepare for the activity I went out and bought some ornament stickers to use as the "O" in joy and the girls helped pick out the coordinating scrapbook paper. They enjoyed using my shape makers from Creative Memories and had the chance to cut out the letters "J" and "Y" using my Sizzix machine. I helped Elizabeth design her card while Tim and Leah worked on theirs. Once the covers were finished we all wrote a letter inside to someone we wanted to bring joy to this holiday season.

Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?

Throughout the month of December the radio in my car has been tuned into the Christmas station 105.7 FM. I often find the girls singing or at least humming along with songs. Elizabeth loves when a version of Jingle Bell Rock comes on the station. Leah belts out the lyrics to the song I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas, and I get all emotional anytime I hear an artist sing Oh Holy Night. Recently Leah asked me to sing Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer with her. When it came to part where we had to recite all of the reindeer I was stumped on the last 2. After some research and a little bit of practice both of us can sing the song quite well. Her favorite reindeer is Dancer and that is the one she chose to write about in school. I enjoyed reading her thoughts and I love the idea that she included our family key of joy in her piece!

What should we give your teacher for Christmas?

Now that the Leah and Elizabeth are both old enough to attend school making gifts for their teachers was a big deal. They love rainbows and chocolate so the gift we came up was perfect! After choosing glass containers, ribbon, stickers and M & M's at the store, the girls helped me sort the candy by color. Then we filled each jar to create the different layers. Next, they each decorated the gift tags and then I attached them with the rainbow ribbon around the top. Inside the jar for Leah's teacher we also put a gift card for Barnes & Noble and Elizabeth contributed to a class gift for her teacher. The girls think that their teachers will enjoy the yummy treats inside while I hope they get to use the jars for future estimation activities or some sort of storage!

How many days are there until Christmas?

Our family has a tradition which helps count the days until Christmas in a fun way. It is something that I did as a little girl and loved it so I wanted to carry on the tradition with Leah and Elizabeth. Each night, starting on the first of December, one piece of candy is taken off of the candy counter. When the last piece of candy is removed the bell can be rung because that means Christmas will be the next day. Only 10 more days until the big holiday!

Do you remember your line?

Elizabeth had her preschool Christmas program this evening. She was one of the head angels with a speaking part. For the last several weeks we've been asking her to say her line. Tonight in front of all the parents and other family members she and another girl said, "Don't be afraid. I have good news for you!" The program was very cute and Elizabeth did a fabulous job singing and ringing the bells!

How was the Christmas program?

Our church had its annual children's Christmas program tonight. Leah was an angel and Elizabeth was a member of the choir. They both sang the songs well. Leah danced gracefully and Elizabeth held the guiding star of Bethlehem with a steady hand. Leah sat very still and peaceful while Elizabeth pulled her dress up, played with the microphone cords, and attempted to fold herself in half like a pretzel. Nevertheless the show went on and the Christmas story was told.

When is Daddy coming home?

Tim went on his third hunt of the season this weekend. I usually hear many questions regarding his arrival while he is away. The girls miss him when he's gone and we are all excited when he returns!

Are you joyful?

This month our family is focusing on joy and Elizabeth picked out the perfect bedtime story. The title is "Lamb is Joyful" and I love the following:

Joy's a gift from God above,

With it, I feel peace and love.

Joy comes from the inside out.

"God loves me, " I want to shout.

When my bubbles reach the sky,

I feel joy as they float by.

If I get a brand new toy,

Then I overflow with joy.

If I get a funny card,

Joy comes when I laugh real hard.

Show your joy because it's true.

You can smile for God loves you!

"Always be joyful." 1 Thessalonians 5:16

Will the earth be like this forever?

Lately Leah and I have had many conversations about heaven. She has been reading her Bible a lot and is really interested in the Christmas story which has prompted a lot of thought. Yesterday she asked me about the earth and if it would always be the same. That brought about a huge conversation about creation and God's original plan. I was able to remind her of the Garden of Eden and the need for Jesus to be born on earth to save us from all of our sins. She was quite surprised when I mentioned that not all people will die and go to heaven which in turn prompted another conversation about how to get to heaven. After listening to me talk Leah told me that she believed in Jesus. I asked her is she wanted Him to be her personal savior and she said yes. She was ready to make that decision, but needed some help. On three separate occasions throughout the day she wanted to pray, however she was stuck on what to say. I gave her some guidance, but she still wasn't sure. Last night before bed I told her that she would know what to say when she was ready. Then this afternoon she sat down to eat lunch and I noticed her pray for a long time. When she opened her eyes she told me that she had given her life to Jesus and had known exactly what to say because she was ready!

Can we decorate my tree today?

Without school today Leah and I had the perfect opportunity to complete her tree project for school. First she planned out what she wanted the tree poster to look like. Then we went to the store in the rain and bought all of the materials. For the background she used green fabric, the stump was colored in brown marker, the pot was covered with red scrapbook paper, metallic rick rack became the lights, buttons were used for the ornaments, and a yellow star accented with glitter glue was attached to the top of the tree. We had a fun time working together.

Do you believe in angels?

Most years when winter rolls around in Michigan I become a bit nervous on the roads. Since having children I am particularly cautious and this year is no exception. When the first accumulating snow occurred last week I approached the dark drive to work with caution. I was especially careful since I was driving a new vehicle for the first time in the snow. I now know that the car handles well and I feel safe in the car. It is the other drivers that worry me.

This afternoon I am convinced that angels protected me and the girls while we drove home from school. It was getting close to dusk and we were approaching a curve in the road. The lights from a nearby gas station and the oncoming traffic intensified. Suddenly I realized that there was a car heading straight toward me in my lane. I immediately slowed down and stayed in my lane for fear of going off the road into the snow covered ditch. Thankfully I slowed down enough to allow the car in my lane to pass and continue on in the correct lane just in time. Instantly my heart started beating and a flood of thoughts rushed to my mind. First I thanked God for protecting us and then thoughts of a recent head on collision involving the death of a West Michigan 1st grade teacher popped into my head. I also thought of another deadly accident three months ago that took the life of a student in our district just a quarter mile from my near miss. As I drove the rest of the way to my home the words of an Amy Grant song filled my soul. Here are some of the words I silently sang:

Near misses all around me,

Accidents are known.

Though I never see with human eyes,

The hands that lead me home.

But I know they're all around me,

All day and through the night.

When you ask me what's protecting me,

Then you're gonna hear me say.

God has angels watching over me,

Every move I make,

Angels watching over me,

Angels watching over me!

I definitely believe the angles were watching over us this afternoon!

How much do you use your cell phone?

I'm not a big phone talker. I never have been and don't think I ever will be. About 7 years ago I finally broke down and asked Tim to get a cell phone for me. I was pregnant with Leah and really only wanted it for emergency purposes. Originally I thought it was fun to 2-way him, but I really didn't use it. Half the time I left it at home. Most of the time it was turned off or the battery was dead. With the recent merge of Verizon and Alltel Tim became convinced that we needed to change our service provider. Both our parents and the majority of our siblings have Verizon so it made sense. Saturday night Tim made the trip to Costco and came home with 2 new phones and a great deal. Since then he has been playing around with all of the fun gimmicks like ring tones and camera options mostly. I, on the other hand, finally picked up my phone tonight and made my first call. I think old habits may die hard for me!

What funny things do your children say?

Tim and I often laugh at the funny off the cuff comments Leah and Elizabeth make, but we seldom write them down. This past week I made it my goal to keep track of some of their comments. Here they are in random, unidentified order:

When I grow up I am going to have a cat, a hamster, and a goldfish because they are quiet.

Can I take a rocket ship to heaven?

How long do we stay in heaven?

If I don't brush my teeth right now I might get a cavity!

Our cul de sac is so lightful.

I feel like the sky is falling.

(whisper) We want it to snow God.

I can't believe we saw Santa Claus at the gas station!

I'm really serious Mommy, kangaroos sleep standing up. I know because I watched the movie Bumbo at Grandma's house.

Grandpa's truck goes really slow and Grandma's car goes fast.

How am I suppose to change the channel without the remote?

Where do you get your Christmas tree?

It has become tradition for our family to go Christmas tree shopping on the first Saturday of December. So this morning we bundled up and drove to a local tree farm to pick out our trees. We bought one for the upper level and one for the lower level. Now the smell of blue spruce will fill our home for the rest of the month.

What are your boots made to do?

Today was a boot day and Elizabeth is a boot girl. She loves to wear her rain boots and was really excited to wear her snow boots on her snow day off from preschool (yes, Leah and I still had school today). But what she really likes to wear is my boots!

What is in the box?

Along with all of the store shopping I did on Black Friday I've also done quite a bit of online shopping. There have been packages arriving at our house almost on a daily basis. Many of the boxes Leah and Elizabeth are not allowed to open because they may be items for them. However, we received a box in the mail from my grandparents that I knew the girls could open. For more than 6 years we have received holiday decorations from them that they purchase at Hallmark. In the past they've been singing snowmen, but this year it was a Peanuts related item. Snoopy the beagle (very appropriate for our house) is playing the piano as small light light up around it. We will definitely enjoy listening to the 3 different tunes for years to come!

Have you ever been pictured in the newspaper?

Yesterday we got home from school like normal. The day was busy, but also exciting. Most teachers had shared the video that was taken on Monday by the news with their classes. Many of the students in my class were able to see themselves and that was neat. I was so focused on getting dinner ready that it never occurred to me to browse our newspaper for an article regarding the singing production. Just before dinner Leah asked if we had looked at the Press from Grand Rapids. After turning the front page I looked down and there was a picture of Leah at the bottom on the right. I couldn't believe it! The whole article isn't available online, but I was able to get a pdf copy to keep for the future. : )

Do you think you can dance?

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

We're dancing in the month of December with a holiday rap!

Do you believe you can change the world?

Today was a big day at my school. We had the media present to capture the students and staff singing a song written by our music teacher. Tonight at 10:00 Fox 17 News played a short video of the performance and Leah was in clear view several times. I even caught a quick glimpse of myself singing along. There is also a really nice article written on the Grand Rapids Press' website. The plan is to post the video on YouTube in a couple of weeks with the goal of reaching 1 million hits!

Would you like to help a child in need?

It seems like every year around the holiday season our mailbox becomes filled with letters from organizations asking for donations. Most of the time Tim and I end up trashing them, many times before reading the letters carefully. One recent letter however caught Tim's attention. He shared a card with me from the University of Michigan's Children's Hospital asking for help with young patients. Immediately both of us knew that we had to help. Our gift of $25 will buy a bear for a sick child as well as benefit the hospital's Family Hope Fund and pediatric research. Tim and I are so thankful for the knowledge and experience that the doctors at U of M have. We are grateful for the quick and appropriate treatment that Leah received for her JRA and she now is in remission. It is our hope that this small donation will allow other children to experience the same success!

After dropping Leah and Elizabeth off at Tim's parents house this morning, he and I traveled to Wheaton for a noon wedding. Although the day was long with 6 hours of driving being able to see a family friend get married made the trip worth it. The decorations at the reception were beautiful and I was especially impressed with two small cakes that were shaped as books. The bride and her mom LOVE to bake so as a wedding favor each couple received a mini cookie cookbook. I am looking forward to trying some of the recipes in the near future!

Did you see the first snowflakes of the season?

As I gazed out the windows of my home VERY early this Black Friday morning I caught a glimpse of the first snowflakes of the season. The woods were so calm and peaceful and I wished that the others in my family could have shared in the moment. It was important for me however, to soak up that calm before heading out into the shopping storm. I managed to brave the crowds of people for about 5 hours before driving back home to pick up Leah for my second trip south. For awhile she has been working hard to break a bad nail-biting habit. Having recently reached her reward I promised to take her to get her nails done. She was so inspired by the falling flakes that she requested snowflakes to be painted on her fingernails. They turned out great and helped put me even more in the holiday spirit!

What do you give thanks for?

There are so many things that I am thankful for in my life. Here is a shortened list of some of the important things:

T - Tim

H - Home

A- Animals

N - Naps

K - Kids

F - Family

U - United States

L - Love

Will you be serving a Thanksgiving meal?

Tomorrow we will be hosting the Thanksgiving celebration for my parents, my sister and her family. To prepared for the big meal my mom and I spent some time shopping today. Our plan includes 2 turkeys (one to be roasted and one to be grilled), side dishes of vegetables, some stuffing, mashed potatoes, and a special pumpkin dessert prepared by Julie. I am looking forward to a fun family celebration!

Have you ever made a hand turkey?

Leah came home from school with a fun project that she made in class today. She traced her hand and decorated it to go along with the holiday poem at the bottom. It was a fun activity and it reminds me of when I traced my hand in school so I could turn it into a turkey. Leah suggested that I put this on my computer with the "rest of my pictures". She even came up with the title for the post today. We are all looking forward to the long holiday weekend!

What is gratitude?

Our family's key to happiness this month is gratitude. It's an appropriate attitude to have for November. We created a family tree of gratitude to help us remember what we are thankful for. Tim picked out the perfect branch from the woods near our house and put it in a large vase. I purchased foam leaves at the craft store to write what we are thankful for on. Then for each leaf that was hung on the tree we said, "I am thankful for..." and then filled in the blank. Now every time we walk into the room with the tree we are reminded to have an attitude of gratitude!

When was the last time you went skating?

Today Leah went to a birthday party for her friend Jessie. The party was held at a roller skating rink near the gymnastics gym. This was the first time Leah had ever been skating at a rink and she was very overwhelmed with all of the people. There were tears to begin, but by the end of the party she was all smiles. In fact, she even asked to go roller skating again!

Could you use a new laptop?

I have the perfect FREE gift for you, a family member, or friend for this upcoming Christmas. How about winning a brand new laptop? If you follow this link to 5 Minutes for Moms you could be the lucky winner! Hurry...your chances to win end December 1!

Do you drink coffee?

I would not refer to myself as a true coffee drinker, but in the past few years I've come pretty close. About 3 years ago while doing some holiday shopping I was persuaded to sample a drink from Starbucks. To my surprise and delight I actually liked it. That sample lead to the first purchase of many. In fact I now receive gift cards to support my expensive cravings!

There are real coffee drinkers in my family. I enjoy the smell more than the taste of black coffee. In order for me to drink a cup it has to have loads of sugar and cream. My drink of choice is definitely a mocha. I can't pass up the yummy chocolate taste and delightful whip cream. On cold fall and winter days a cup of Joe warms my whole body. My "artificial coffee drinking" has become an expensive habit that I know I should break. However, this time of year it is way too hard to pass up.

How was the hunt?

This past weekend Tim went hunting with his dad, brother, and our nephew. They had great weather and all came home with deer (lucky us). The meat is being processed just in time for the upcoming holiday feast. Thankfully I won't eat a bite of Tim's doe!

How was the play?

Tim's mom took the 3 girls to see Beauty and the Beast tonight. The play was put on by Tim's old high school and performed at Zeeland East's auditorium. It was a great production and I was impressed with the costumes and scenery. Both girls received red roses that glow and blink in the dark and they were able to wave them in the air to help the beast transform back into a prince. Even though it was a late night, it was worth it!

Which books did you choose tonight?

Tonight I took Leah to a family event at our school. Twice a year families in the community are invited to attend an evening to celebrate reading. Students get the chance to play an organized game, make a craft, listen to a story, and get a free book and snack. The Scholastic Book Fair is also at our school during this time. The theme tonight was a global theme so Leah played different games from other countries, learned how to speak French, and attempted to eat foods from other cultures. She had a good time and we came home with some great books!

Would you like to design a holiday greeting card?

My school district is holding its 23rd annul Christmas/Holiday Card Competition this year. The competition is open to all of the students in the district. The selected drawing will be used on the front cover of the greeting card that is sent to all of the employees from the board of education. The artist of the winning drawing will also be given a $50 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble Bookstore. When I mentioned the competition to Leah she was very eager to create her entry. She did EVERYTHING by herself with no help from me (that was really hard!). I am proud of her masterpiece.

Are you prepared for the holidays?

I find it hard to believe that Thanksgiving is in less than 2 weeks and Christmas is less than 2 months away. This weekend I did some early shopping for both holidays. I like being prepared well in advance since it makes the holiday season more enjoyable for me. Lately I've been browsing different sites online looking for deals. There are a few that I'm hoping to take advantage of right after Thanksgiving. What would be even nicer is to win items just in time for the holiday season. My friend currently has a giveaway on her blog from a company that can make the holiday season even brighter. I love their place card holders. They match some of my fall dinner plates and would be a nice addition to the table this Thanksgiving. I'll just have to wait and see!

Who is Spot?

Spot is Leah's classroom pet. Each weekend he travels to a different student's house and this weekend it is Spot's turn to come to our house. Leah has been anxiously awaiting his arrival pretty much since the beginning of the school year. As part of Spot's time at our house we were required to take a picture of Leah and Spot to place in the class album. Of course Leah had to have her real pet in the picture too! In addition Leah chose some pictures and other "show and tell" items to bring in and share with the class. This upcoming week is sure to be exciting as she takes on the responsibility as Student of the Week!

What is scentsy?

Tonight I attended a Scentsy party at my neighbor's house. Scentsy is a relatively new company that sells flamefree candles. I had never heard of them before and was interested in a girls night out so I went. My plan was to seize the night as a perfect opportunity to do some early holiday shopping. That didn't happen however, since I mostly purchased items for me. It was still fun to get away for awhile. As luck would have it I also won the door prize of a car candle and a travel tin!

What is your favorite season?

Everyone in our family, with the exception of Leah, considers Fall the best season of the year. Elizabeth likes playing in the leaves, Tim takes pleasure in hunting, and I love wearing sweatshirts. While we all enjoy the crisp outdoor activities, I think Jazmin enjoys being outdoors during the fall the most. She could spend hours sitting outside sniffing and listening. Now that the days are shorter she doesn't get as much time outside as she would like. I feel sorry for the old girl.

Have you ever riden in a helicopter?

This morning Elizabeth's preschool class went to the airport to see the Aero Med helicopters. Elizabeth told me she liked seeing the 2 blue and white helicopters and thought it was fun to climb inside them. She also thought it was neat to get a travel size hand sanitizer bottle. It didn't seem to be one of the best experiences she's ever had, but she still had fun!

What happened to the Bible verse?

Yesterday I received a fun package in the mail. It was a fabric wall graphic that I won from a company that makes lots of fun digital products. I had waited patiently to see how my creation turned out. My design wasn't what I had originally planned, but I was still excited to see the final product. Tim helped me unroll the adhesive on the back and then carefully press it into place. I was pleased with the result until this morning when I saw it peeling off the wall into a scroll. I quickly fixed it, but by the time I came home from school this afternoon the graphic was near the baseboard behind the chair and end table rolled into a cylindrical cone. In disappointment I lifted it off the ground to find dust bunnies and dog hair all over the sticky back (apparently our cleaning lady doesn't move the chair to get behind the furniture...yuck!). Since my finding I did contact the company and am hoping to have a new, more adhesive, wall graphic. However, I wonder if that will happen because I never personally put any money into the product. I'll just have to wait and see!

How did you sleep last night?

While my parents were visiting this past weekend my mom made a pillowcase for Leah. Leah helped design it by picking out the fabric and she even sewed a little bit of it. Now for the past 2 nights Leah has slept soundly and as she says, "has slept on target".

Do you want to jump in the leaves?

Every fall Tim rakes up a HUGE pile of leaves for Leah and Elizabeth to jump into. This year they had a blast running, diving, and flipping into all the leaves. Fall wouldn't be fall without the leaf piles!

Will you let me pull out your tooth?

Since last week Thursday Leah has had a tooth practically hanging out of the bottom of her mouth. Eating and brushing her teeth didn't seem to bother her and I almost think she liked playing with it. Lots of people offered to pull it out, but she wouldn't allow anyone to help her. Quite frankly I don't blame her. This was the first of many baby teeth to come out and I didn't want bad memories to follow with each loose tooth. Early this morning it started bleeding and I had a feeling it would come out today. Tim and my mom (who is here visiting) helped her pop it out. Now she has a rather large whole in her mouth and a tooth fairy bear holding her first tooth. I wonder how much tooth fairies give for teeth these days.

Are you feeling crafty?

For the past several years I have tossed around the idea of making holiday gifts for family and friends. Unfortunately I haven't come across an idea that is universal, budget friendly, and worth my time and energy. Recently I was shopping at a local craft store when I came across a brochure full of handmade gift ideas. As I browsed the store's website I was encouraged and inspired. I found a lot of fun and inexpensive ideas for kids crafts at the Knack and I am hoping to use one or two with my students during the upcoming months. Who knows, maybe I'll create my own project to enter in the holiday contest!

Do you have a "hoppy" home?

I am completely addicted to digital photography and scrapbooking. Almost every day I use the software that I purchased from my favorite scrapbooking company. I check their website frequently for digital "freebies" to download and use with my program. When I checked today I was pleasantly surprised to find two frogs. They fit perfectly with my "hoppy" theme for school and home. Since I didn't have a use for them right away, I decided to create my own blog bumper sticker.