How many cousins do you have?

My parents decided to take all 9 of their grandchildren, ages 1-9, to the Holiday Inn Express in Holland for the weekend. Yesterday afternoon we booked a sitting at Sears Portrait Studio near the hotel and the kids did a great job getting their picture taken. So far they've had a blast swimming in the pool, eating meals together, and just plain having fun being together with their grandparents. In the meantime, Tim and I enjoyed a date night tonight after my grad class. Following all of the fun and excitement, I imagine our house will be pretty quiet tomorrow afternoon.

Did you need to be uplifted?

If you're in need of a good "spiritual boast", like I needed today, check out this new site:

Will you come to my conference?

Parent/Teacher conferences were this week Tuesday and then again today. At the beginning of the week we received a special card made by Leah inviting us to her conference tonight. She was very excited to show us what she has been learning in kindergarten. It was fun to watch her lead us around the room "teaching" us the different skills. We are so proud of how well she does in school and the amount of success that she has achieved this year!

Which room in our house is your favorite and why?

As a family we talked about which room in the house was our favorite and why. Here are our responses:

Elizabeth - "The family room because I just like it."

Leah - "I really like the whole house, but my favorite room is my bedroom because I love my bed and sleeping in it with my stuffed animals. I also like my desk."

Tim - "My hunting room because it is the only man room in the house."

Jenn - "The office is my favorite room in the house. It is a place where I can be creative on the computer and with my scrapbooking."

Is it a letter or a number?

To improve Elizabeth's level of literacy I created a fishing game to help her differentiate between letters and numbers. She had a blast catching each fish and it was great practice for her!

Here's what you need to make your own Fun Fishing game.

1. 36 die cut fish (26 for the letters and 10 for the numbers 1 - 10)


2. Stickers or markers to write the letters and numbers on one side of each fish


3. 36 large paperclips


4. String


5. Dowel rod


6. Tape or glue


7. Magnet (one with a hole works well)


8. 2 baskets or containers to sort the fish
   

Label the back of each fish with a letter or number. Slide a paperclip to the side of the fish. To make the fishing pole, attach the string to one end of the dowel rod with tape or glue. Tie the magnet onto the other end of the string.

How to play:

• Place the fish on the ground or a flat surface so the letter/number side is face down.


• Hang the fishing pole above the fish to catch it.


• As each fish is caught, remove the fish from the pole.


• Say the letter or number on the back of the fish.


• Place the fish in the correct basket or container.


• Continue playing until the pond is empty.

What do you talk about during dinner?

Dinner time is family time at our house. We enjoy sharing our day with one another and usually don't have a problem holding conversations. In fact, one person usually does most of the talking. Can you guess who that is? Hint: it's not me!

Anyway, a very thoughtful friend of mine recently gave me a conversation book that she made. Her ideas came from the company Once Upon a Family. It is such an appropriate gift for me, the self-proclaimed queen of questions!

So, how are the conversations at your table? Here are a few starters to try with your family:

*What is something new you would like to try if time and money were no concern at all?

*If you were paid full time to go to college what would you study?

*If you had a million dollars to give to a charity, which would you give it to and why?

*What are some things you could do as a family to give back to the community?

*What is your favorite room in your home and why?

Look for a post in the near future for our answers to one of the questions above!

When can I get a new bed?

We've been thinking about getting a BIG girl bed for Elizabeth for awhile. Right now she is in a toddler bed that she received last August for her birthday. Maybe by her 4th birthday she'll have a real bed. Sleeping in her doll's crib however, is not an option!

Do you want to buy a boat?

Every year in February we gear up for the boat show downtown Grand Rapids. With the economy the way it is now, Tim's business depends on a successful show. His store, Action Water Sports, has a gigantic display. In all they have 28 water ski boats, pontoon boats, and luxury boats to check out. They've also set up their usual pro shop with a Guitar Hero stage and have included a virtual reality simulator. The wake boarding show is also put on by Action. This morning Leah, Elizabeth, and I braved the snow to show our support for Tim's job. They had a great time hopping in and out of boats pretending to drive. Elizabeth even honked the horn accidentally.

What are you working toward?

Those of you who have children understand the everyday mantra of getting them ready to go somewhere. Although school is an exciting place, encouraging Leah to get herself there in a timely fashion has become somewhat of a trick. A few months ago Tim and I made up a morning schedule for her to follow (eat breakfast, brush teeth, get dressed, etc.) and that seemed to be working, at least for awhile. When the novelty of the schedule wore off the teacher in me decided to create an incentive chart. For each day that she followed her schedule Leah received a heart sticker with the possibility of earning a bonus sticker if she did it without whining or being reminded to follow it. She also earned stickers for good behavior at our favorite restaurant. With a lot of hard work and determination Leah reached her goal and was rewarded with a Littlest Pet Shop calendar.

Are you in need of creative educational ideas?

My friend Katie is one of the most creative people I know. She recently collaborated with another Katie to develop a new website called ABC and 123: A Learning Cooperative. I'm currently working on a couple of professional book reviews to add to the site in March. I'm super excited to help them out!

Which Littlest Pet Shop do you like the best?

Leah and Elizabeth love playing with LPS. It is common for them to make a whole town with the vet, an exercise gym, and a shopping mall and play for hours! They have so many that it was hard for them to choose a favorite. Leah’s favorite is a lizard and Elizabeth likes her bunny the best.

If you could be any animal in the world what would it be and why?

I recently finished a unit in school on amazing animals. During the unit I asked my students to answer this question in writing. I decided to ask my family the same question. Here are our responses:

Elizabeth – A shark because I like the sound it makes.

Leah – A leopard because it starts with the same letter as my name.

Jenn – A dolphin so I could swim in the sea without the saltwater bothering me.

Tim – An eagle so I can fly above the earth and see everything below.

How do birds eat that?

Every winter Tim buys birdseed to feed the birds in the woods behind our house. The girls have fun watching them eat from the birdfeeders and they also enjoy scaring the squirrels away.

This month I found a great craft in my Family Fun magazine for a birdseed biscuit. Leah and Elizabeth helped me with the project. We attempted to make 2 biscuits, a little one and a big one. The little one broke, but the big one actually worked! We hung it outside for the birds to enjoy.

Did someone say Bunco?

Last night Tim and I joined 11 other couples for a night of Valentine Bunco. We ate dinner together before the games began and each couple was asked to bring a dish. Tim made Death by Chocolate. It was a big success and I was so proud!

How do you show love to others?

In 2008 I established monthly family traditions to help teach character traits to Leah and Elizabeth. Since this month’s trait is love we all made "love bugs". Each person created a bug (can you guess who made which one?) that was put in a vase as a centerpiece. Throughout the month when we eat meals we’ll be reminded to show love to others.

Which kind of chocolate do you prefer?

I don’t just love chocolate, I crave chocolate! In fact, I think Valentine’s Day has become one of my favorite holidays because it’s the perfect excuse to eat chocolate. In the past I’ve been a milk chocolate fan, but lately I’ve tried to eat more dark chocolate because it’s "healthier". The other day I was tempted to buy a chocolate t-shirt that read "Forget love, I'd rather fall in chocolate". I thought that was a little extreme so I left it on the rack. Apparently chocolate apparel is more popular than I realized. I found a website that sells clothing with creative chocolate sayings. Here are a few of my favorites:

Hand over the chocolate and nobody gets hurt.

Save the Earth: It’s the only planet with chocolate.

In the cookie of life, friends are the chocolate chips.

All things in moderation, except chocolate.

I’d stop eating chocolate, but I’m not a quitter!

With God, chocolate, and Diet Pepsi I can do anything.

Who do you love?

With the Valentine holiday 2 days away, I decided to ask my family who they love. Here are their responses:

Elizabeth - Daddy

Leah - Jazmin

Tim - You

Did you know that today was National White T-Shirt Day?

According to my Paper Crafts magazine, February 11 is National White T-Shirt Day. This holiday celebrates the strike at General Motors in 1937. To symbolize the event, people wear a white shirt or blouse. Apparently it started out as 'White Shirt Day' but somehow over the years the title turned into White T-Shirt Day. Now the holiday mostly celebrates the fun of wearing the popular white t-shirt instead of what it was originally intended to remember. Even though I am a GMC owner and support American made cars, today Leah and I celebrated the 100th day of school instead!

What happened to Frosty?

Poor Frosty didn't last very long. Leah and Elizabeth were disappointed to see him melt away with the warm spring feeling temperatures. Despite the loss of a great snowman, they were excited to get out and ride their bikes. The rest of the kids in our cul de sac joined in on the fun!

Yesterday

Today

Leah

Elizabeth

Do you enjoy food that is tasteful yet simple?

Tonight I went to a Tastefully Simple party. I've attended a few of these before and always come home stuffed and inspired to make quick and easy dishes. Here is a recipe for Oh My! Bountiful Banana Bread. It uses 2 of my favorite products from the company: Bountiful Beer Bread and Oh My Chai.

Oh My! Bountiful Banana Bread

Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas
3 scoops Oh My! Chai®
12 oz. vanilla cola or other cola beverage
Bountiful Beer Bread Mix®

Directions :
Mash bananas in large bowl; add Oh My! Chai®™ and Vanilla Coke. Fold in Bountiful Beer Bread Mix®; stir until moistened. Pour into greased loaf pan; bake at 375° for 45-50 minutes. Makes 14 servings.

Is it a full moon?

Yes, it is! In fact Tim and I can usually tell when there’s a full moon without even looking outside because the energy level in our house increases. The girls’ behavior gets a little crazy and even our dog acts different. I see a change in behavior at school with my students as well. Myth or no myth I know that when there’s a full moon I better be prepared.

How do you spend your time away?

I had a wonderful time today during a scrapbooking crop at my friend Katie's house. Along with 9 other women, I enjoyed creating, chatting, and chowing down on yummy food. I always look forward to these kinds of days away.

Do you know if you share your name with someone famous?

I was interested in seeing what I would find if I did a search on my name. So I Googled "Jennifer Hopkins" and came across this site. It makes me wonder how many of us there are in the world.

What is your favorite color?

My 2nd graders started a new unit in math yesterday on graphs. Today I surveyed the class and asked each student his or her favorite color. Interestingly enough blue was the most popular. When I asked Leah and Elizabeth what their favorite color is they both said PINK! Their responses didn't surprise me. In fact, they just made me want want to buy the pink cupcake cookie jar below from Fruit Fly Pie even more. I think it would make a perfectly pink Valentine's Day present!

How are you feeling today?

This question and others like, "Are you sore?" and "Does this muscle hurt?", are ones Tim and I have been asking each other for the past 10 days. That's because our bodies are aching with our new workout program. The change in our daily schedule has been painful on our bodies as well as an adjustment to our family life. However, we're hopeful that all of our hard work will pay off in the end.

Could this be my last month as a consultant?

In 1999 I decided to become a Creative Memories consultant. At the time I was teaching special education at Grand Haven High School and it was a perfect way for me to maintain my scrapbooking hobby at a discount. However, not long after signing my contract, with quarterly minimums high and sales low, I ended my business. Then over a year ago CM introduced a new framing line. Since I was not teaching I decided to try again. Unfortunately the new addition was not profitable for the company and in December the line was discontinued. I am now thinking that February may be my last month as a consultant.

Should we call him Frosty?

It was a perfect day to make a snowman and the whole family took part in the construction process. We used a kit I bought a few years ago along with some sticks from the woods by our house. Elizabeth decided we should name him and Leah agreed. We'll see how long Frosty survives!

Are you addicted to blogging?

After posting every day last month I can officially say that I am addicted to blogging. I took a quick 10 question quiz and my results indicate that I will be a famous blogger someday. Well, I highly doubt that, but I have to admit I'm having WAY too much fun!

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