Jeff's Album

Jeff's Album

Snow Day

I feel oddly trapped today. Dale took the car to work today, which is
appropriate since it was a whopping 0 when he left. But now my
Internet connection is acting up and seems slower than slow. Which
means my connection with other people is minimal today. And just makes
me feel....trapped. I guess that means I depend on tecnology too much.
Oh well. Guess we're going to bake today.

Hugs,
Melinda

Sent from my iPod

Travels

We're on the road home. I'm so excited to be going... home. As much as
I hate driving, there is nothing like seeing your home territory creep
up.

The really weird part has been the temperatures. This past week in
Louisiana, I was able to walk around outside in short sleeves easily.
Tonight, I find myself with a big thick sweater, my winter coat, my
gloves, and wishing for my hat and scarf.

But back to home. I'm reminded of Abraham. I believe it was the Hebrew
writer who said that Abraham considered himself a stranger, an alien
in a foreign land, longing for a home he had never seen. Through all
of my recent struggles and tests of faith, I find myself empathizing.
I'm ready. I'm ready for the glories of Heaven. I'm ready for.... home.

Hugs,
Melinda

Sent from my iPod

Phone Call from Santa

I have to tell you.... This was SO much fun.

So in our quest to homeschool, I read a lot of educational/preschool blogs. Alot of them have been having giveaways of one sort or another this month. I only enter the ones that I think look useful or fun. (In other words, I don't enter a giveaway just to enter.)

One of my favorite blogs is ABC & 123. They always have the cutest ideas that make learning fun. And then they had a post about Santa Speaking and how much fun their daughter had receiving a phone call from Jolly Old Saint Nick. And of course, they had a giveaway that I just had to enter.

Let me tell ya... from the ordering process (which was fast and painless), to the personalization (which was a test on how well I knew my 4 year old), to the actual phone call (which was fun and bouncy), to the mp3 recording of the call (really???)... This company is top notch and professional and it has been a pleasure to use their services.

If you have a young child who believes in the magic of Santa Claus, you still have a little bit of time to head over to Santa Speaking and order a very special phone call for them. And if not this year, then maybe next year. :)

Merry Christmas!
Hugs,
Melinda

New homeschool trick

How do you get a fifth grader to enjoy math? Make it fun, of course.
Thank you to the makers of UNO for inventing Cinq-o, my newest "trick"
for getting Sweet Pea to enjoy multiplying. o_O

Sent from my iPod

Play-Doh

I have decided, and this may not seem like a big decision, but when
you have OCD tendencies, then yes, it's a HUGE decision. I have
decided to allow the mixing of play doh colors. To allow the freedom
of expression.

I may regret it later, but today, Little Bit is happy.

Hugs,
Melinda

Wow, I'm behind!

Well, I haven't been on my own blog in so long. My goodness. We've
been fairly busy with school, and other things. This last week, I've
mainly been sick.

So, I've been trying to figure out if my blog has a purpose or not.
I'm still trying to decide. I guess that's the real reason I haven't
written anything in so long.

Well, I don't have much left to say.

Merry Christmas!
Hugs,
Melinda

I have decided...

I have decided that this year for Christmas, I will do all of my shopping at Target. "Why?" you may ask. Or if you are more like me, you would ask, "Why are you talking about Christmas when last week was Halloween?"

Therein lies the answer. Last week was Halloween. Thanksgiving is in 3 short weeks. THANKSGIVING, people. NOT Christmas. Christmas comes in the month of December, NOT November. And while some people like Christmas and enjoy it, I like Thanksgiving. I WANT MY THANKSGIVING!

So back to why I'm going to be shopping exclusively at Target. The answer is simple. Out of the 40 or 50 commercials I watched last night, only one was for Thanksgiving. Target. Everything else.... and I literally mean everything, was for Christmas.

Thank you Target, for giving me my moment of sanity in an insane world of commercialism. (Although, after going to your website to link to in this post, I almost considered not posting, seeing how you have Christmas ads all over.)

Bah Humbug,
Melinda

Halloween Pictures

So, I've been hearing good things about a little photo editing software called Picnik lately. Then Mrs. Fussypants decided to host a little contest after you try the stuff out. A contest and pictures? Count me in.

Here's me in what would have once been a dream come true. (I used to read Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles all. the. time. I read Bram Stoker's Dracula in one night. At midnight of course. Silly me.)

And then, because I love my husband so, I decided to do our wedding pictures as zombies. I don't know that it succeeded too well, but it was fun to try.

If you like playing around with your pictures, let me remind you to always save your new creation as something other than your original photo, or else you will have a true nightmare on your hands. (Trust me on this. I'm speaking from experience.)

Happy Halloween!

Hugs,

Melinda