Indoor Snow Play

What to do when you've got single digit highs for the day and two little girls who desperately want to play in the snow?

Fill a large plastic bin with the icy, white stuff and let them loose in the kitchen. They had a blast and the floor got a much needed mopping when it was all over.

How do you tackle chilly snow days?

In Him,

Kim

Stuff Charlie Says, Vol. 3

It's been a long while since my last "Stuff Charlie Says" post and I've amassed quite a collection of quotes for you. And, for your viewing pleasure, I've added some of her finer art pieces from the past few months as well. So, without further ado...Stuff Charlie Says, Vol. 3:

On pizza toppings (and marsupials):

"Daddy, all the goodies on your pizza looks like a pile of baby possums."

"Millions of Horses"

On meat:

"And inside the fish is yummy fish chicken!"

"Rapunzel"

On conversation topics:

Charlie: let's not talk about fancies, let's just talk about boring things.

Me: what is boring?

Charlie: like newspapers.

"A Dog Playing with Its Ropes"

On health:

Charlie: here mommy, use some of my Chapstick.

Me: thank you but I have a cold, I don't want to get cold germs on it.

Charlie: okay. I have warm germs.

"Nudibranch"

On shopping lists:

"Mommy, at the store I have to buy dresses and princess lipstick, Cindarella shoes for Anne and beef!"

"Nannie and a Rainbow"

On dreams (in which Annie bombs a tender moment)

Me: what are you going to dream about tonight Char?

Charlie: I'm going to dream about loving God.

Me: I can't think of a better thing to dream about. Annie, what are you going to dream about?

Annie: Mickey Mouse!!

And that my friends is a little sampling of what goes on around here. I hope this brightened your day and that we didn't ruin tonight's pizza dinner.

I'd love to hear some of your favorite kid quotes...leave them in the comments!

In Him,

Kim

I Heart Penguins...A Penguin Heart Craft

Love is in the air...and construction paper is on the floor. Today the girls and I did a simple and sweet Valentine craft that is sure to liven up any refrigerator door. Here's what ya do...

Supplies:

Red, pink and white construction paper

Scissors

Glue

Large googly eyes (or white construction paper and a black marker..let's not let a little thing like googly eyes keep us from craft time)

For my girls (ages 2 and 3) I cut out the pieces ahead of time. Big kids could cut their own and get a nifty math lesson in symmetry while they're at it...crafting makes you so super smart.

Cut out one large red oval, one large white heart and three small pink hearts. Then, you know, slap 'em together with glue like we did. Really, instructions for this thing are silly...it's not rocket science (but there is the symmetry thing.) 

Find a home for your penguin, or flock of them as the case maybe, and give them some puny Valentine signage. I only have "ice" for you...you're cool Valentine...

We'll be back soon with more Valentine pun...err, I mean fun.

In Him,

Kim

Five for Friday

Five things from around the web that I'm loving right now...

Photo Credit

Male or female, married or single, if you read one thing this weekend...make it this

Photo Credit: Ramin Talaie, Getty Images

And have you read about how Batkid saved San Francisco today?

Photo Credit

This soup is on the stove for tonight and it is delicious 

Photo Credit

Stepping back...yes, this is good

Photo Credit

And finally, last weeks sermon...do yourself a favor and listen

Have a blessed weekend!

In Him,

Kim

Happy (almost) Fall...Y'all

While autumn's official first day isn't until the 22nd, today is the first day that feels like fall. It's cool, crisp and over cast. With a high of 59 and mid day rain showers, I believe today is the day to welcome back all things autumn...riding boots, down vests and cozy plaid flannel...warm soups, stews, chili and mugs of steaming cider. I am ready.

In honor of fall's unofficial welcome back I thought I'd share some of our autumnal decor. I have very few fall decorations, mostly because I like to keep the storage of such things to a minimum. What I do have is not overly "Halloween-y" but rather simply fall decor that can easily transition from Halloween to Thanksgiving...no need to do separate decorating for both holidays. Ain't nobody got time for that.

Most of my decorations come from the produce department at the grocery store. You can find so many gourds in beautiful shapes and colors that will look beautiful on your mantle now and taste delicious in a soup later. The good Lord certainly makes the best seasonal decorations and they are so practical and frugal. Yay.

I also like to shop the house. Metal containers with a pretty patina, mason jars, baskets and wooden crates all make great additions to fall vignettes. If you need to add height to a table scape try a book or a whole stack of them. Cover books with brown craft paper (or simply an old brown grocery sack) to make them blend with your decor.

While there will certainly be more pretty pumpkins and gorgeous gourds to grace our mantle and tables in the weeks to come, here's what we've got so far...

I just love this quote. What would the world be with out Octobers?

Our "mantle"

Note the patinaed silver bucket...snagged for $2.99 at the Goodwill and it actually hides tiny doll house pieces for the doll house that sits on the trunk below (see previous picture)...score one for form and function!

Isn't that green squash so pretty?

Simple table-scape (minus the mini pumpkins that have become a new favorite toy around here)

That Indian corn (Native American corn?) has held up for four years now

And this goofy guy. My mom painted him years ago. After Halloween I'll turn the face to the back.

Well, happy fall...y'all! What are your favorite fall decorating tips and tricks?

In Him,
Kim

{Book Review} Simplicity Parenting

It feels rare these days to say that I've finished a book, cover to cover. At least a book that doesn't rhyme or have pictures on every page.

Just last week I finished reading the book Simplicity Parenting by by Kim John Payne. The subtitle really sums up the premiss of the book well, "using the extraordinary power of less to raise calmer, happier, and more secure kids." It is chalk full of wonderful insight on how simplifying life, our material possessions and schedules, as well as creating routine and filtering out the "voice" of the outside world (i.e. via TV, computers etc.) will aid us as parents in raising our children.

He writes from 20+ years as both a school and family counselor and has a strong back ground in the Waldorf education movement. His first hand examples of changed families are compelling and he offers up much practical advice that can be implemented immediately.

Now, before I go ahead and recommend this book I must first say that Kim John Payne is NOT writing from a Christian world view. His book is heavy with a secular, humanist world view and, as a Christian, I had to be careful to read with a scrutinizing eye and a Biblical lens.  At times his views and opinions need to be disregarded but on a whole I feel that there is much to take away and apply.

As I read I felt that this is not so much a book about developing our parenting philosophy but rather a book about creating an environment in which our parenting philosophy can be more easily and intentionally implemented. Or, as he puts it, "As clutter and overwhelm find their way out the door and a less frenetic pace takes hold, your parenting will become less inflamed, too...The family center that is built with consistency...helps parents become more centered in their discipline. It builds a trust that makes a child a willing "disciple"..." (emphasis mine) It's funny how this reference to disciple is in now way meant in the Biblical context but it is exactly what I had been thinking as I read. I want to disciple my children in the Lord and this book has shown me (and Nick) some great practical steps to take to create a calm and uncluttered environment to do just that.

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. Deuteronomy 6:4-7

In Him,
Kim

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The Road Trip

UPDATE: This was posted in October 2012...not quite sure what I did to make it repost at the top...or how to get it back to where it was. Ohh, technology! Looking at it, it kinda feels like forever ago since we live here now. Enjoy it anyway!


We just recently got back from a wonderful long weekend road trip to Bend, Oregon. We survived the drive (it really wasn't as bad as I let my imagination tell me it would be) and our time in Bend was so refreshing. Here, in pictures, is our little vacation...

Running off some late night energy at the rest stop

Tennis shoes over jammies...the latest look in fall fashion

Pit stop near Mount Shasta for lunch...beautiful

Trying out big sister's snow hat, car seat and snack trap

Lunch time!

Our little squirrel gathering acorns

The beautiful Deschutes River runs right through Bend

Downtown near our vacation rental...so quaint

Playing on the lawn

Collecting (and eating) leaves

Evidence that I was there

Ready for the 14 hour trip home!

Family vacations are fun!!

The trip was delightfully low key. We visited with family, took some walks, went to church and took the girls to the local pool. We really didn't get too many more pictures than this. I guess we were too wrapped up in having fun and enjoying the sweet family time.

In Him,
Kim