tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33558537453473257522011-10-10T07:37:44.595-05:00Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.comBlogger2611100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-50465960662904046632011-08-30T20:26:00.002-05:002011-08-30T20:34:30.671-05:00

9,300 CrossFitters and 31 Kids by Scott Zagarino On August 6th 31 children lost their fathers in the same day. As it is, most of us don't stop long enough to breathe, much less ruminate for just a second what it would be like at 10-years old to watch as two uniformed men inform your mother that a grateful nation is telling her that her husband will never return, or that before she could even

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-65506400577905849422011-08-15T16:22:00.001-05:002011-08-15T16:22:56.075-05:00

"'He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.' Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-58524830560890564252011-08-15T08:36:00.006-05:002011-08-15T08:38:07.699-05:00

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"Matthew 6:26 Image via Government of Western Australia Department of Agriculture

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-8702510730865413572011-06-15T13:24:00.000-05:002011-06-15T13:24:24.598-05:00

I want chickens.  I want to hear them cluck and watch them run around the backyard, feathers flying and everything.  They're not cuddly and they stink, but I want something only they can give me - eggs.  Fresh eggs every day.  We eat a LOT of eggs in this house, especially we now eat the Paleo way.  I can't keep enough eggs in the refrigerator these days.  I think my husband may turn into one. 

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-23104546465234679322011-06-06T14:53:00.001-05:002011-06-06T14:54:10.505-05:00

My husband and I have made great strides in taking care of our health and fitness.  With all that we've learned about food, our bodies, and fitness, it would be a crime to not pass down what we've learned to our children.  How could we sit there and eat our grass-fed steaks and spinach salads and fill our children up with unhealthy processed fried chicken nuggets, french fries and chips?? 

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-2324599831523824022011-06-02T12:22:00.000-05:002011-06-02T12:22:07.384-05:00

I have to give my husband credit for this one.  One of our favorite Paleo breakfast recipe's is Robb Wolf's Peach & Pecan Scramble (found in 'The Paleo Solution' by Robb Wolf - full recipe can be found here).  A couple months ago, peaches were no where to be found in Houston since they weren't in season yet.  We often substituted using apples or pears, which is still just as delicious.  However,

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-15911293085545488472011-05-29T21:27:00.003-05:002011-06-02T12:24:38.408-05:00

We've made some BIG changes since this post: A New Year, A New Me? I've been a gym rat for a long time.  I've spent YEARS in spin classes, kick-boxing classes, pilates classes, yoga classes and body combat classes along with countless hours on cardio machines at the gym.  I shed a few pounds after having my second baby, but I never got to my goal weight or to the level of fitness that I wanted

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-70217629560653952782011-05-29T19:56:00.000-05:002011-05-29T19:56:27.328-05:00

OK, so when I first posted about the Primal Palate blog several months ago, Court & I were just dabbling with the idea of eating Paleo.  After much talk, Court finally talked me into giving up my beloved morning oatmeal with blueberries and tall glass of skim milk and we've gone completely Paleo.  This diet change immediately sent us in search of recipes and the blog that I use the most is The

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-24144753715370236722011-03-13T16:41:00.001-05:002011-03-13T16:43:13.503-05:00

As adults, we should do what we can to help others in need and share the love of God to hurting people.  But how do we pass compassion on to our kids?  How do we teach them to have compassion for others and to give of themselves?  I'm not exactly sure, but I have some ideas and I'd like to hear yours. I guess the best idea I can think of is leading by example.  If your child sees you helping

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-3749796257364972382011-03-02T12:32:00.000-06:002011-03-02T12:32:15.258-06:00

I love kid art.  It's so colorful and honest.  The process is always more important than the outcome and they feel a sense of accomplishment when their works of art are finished.  My daughter said this was a picture of me taking her and her brother to play at the mall play area on a rainy day. My son drew the picture below on our marker board.  He is very much into Earth science and space so

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-2900176820522417072011-03-01T14:33:00.000-06:002011-03-01T14:33:17.322-06:00

Let me introduce you to a great learning tool that we added to our homeschool - the Toobaloo, by Learning Loft.  It is a simple device that magnifies the child's voice so they can clearly hear their reading, phrasing and speech.  Ella's reading has really improved by leaps and bounds this year.  We use a phonics approach to reading rather than whole language (for reasons I will divulge on

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-50278036361494874752011-02-28T08:35:00.000-06:002011-02-28T08:35:52.180-06:00

It's been forever and a day since I've had the time and inspiration to craft (so sad).  However, I found a simple project at The Long Thread that I would love to try:  Monster Tooth Pillow. image via The Long Thread Cute concept - after your child loses his/her tooth, 'feed' the tooth to the monster pillow just before bedtime.  The pillow makes it easier for the Tooth Fairy to find the tooth :o)

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-48141376196577866612011-02-22T13:22:00.000-06:002011-02-22T13:22:22.157-06:00

I've been researching math curricula for my daughter's second grade year and I came across a wonderful resource that I hope to add to our school: Arithmetic Village, by Kimberly Moore.   Arithmetic Village is a set of books that explain mathematic concepts in fairytale-like stories.  Children are introduced to characters such as Polly Plus, Linus Minus, Tina Times and King David Divide.  My

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-13087809678932405532011-02-20T16:34:00.000-06:002011-02-20T16:34:36.372-06:00

It's hard to believe that we are half-way through our second year of homeschooling.  I thought I might share some of the things we've experienced so far, such as, what are the benefits? or, on the other hand, the disadvantages? Benefits Homeschooling for me and the kids has become as natural as breathing.  It is simply a part of our daily rhythm.  In fact, it would feel unnatural for to wake up,

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-91966101969744754272011-02-16T22:48:00.000-06:002011-02-16T22:48:56.281-06:00

To a carnivore like myself, the thought of raising a vegetarian child seemed completely absurd.  I love nothing more than a fat steak, cooked medium-rare to perfection.  However, God gave me a son who would not touch chicken to save his life.  I used to get really out-of-sorts about my sons eating habits.  But after doing some research and learning about the nutritional needs of children, I'm

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-18960416129089173212011-01-24T15:01:00.001-06:002011-01-24T15:08:20.214-06:00

I found this great math video via 52 Week Preschool.  We're totally dancing and singing to this one!

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-59962549744567233132011-01-24T14:56:00.001-06:002011-05-29T19:57:04.171-05:00

 image via The Food Lover's Primal Plate Court and I are doing our best to eat 'au naturel'.  This means lean meats, fish/seafood, lots of veggies, some fruits, some whole grains, no dairy and little to no processed foods.  This also means doing more food preparation and cooking, which I don't mind.  In fact, I prefer it!  Eating out too often upsets my stomach and makes me feel boated. I was

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-36986776974400466002011-01-19T13:16:00.000-06:002011-01-19T13:16:30.989-06:00

  Young elementary students respond really well to manipulatives and games for math - at least, that's what the experts say.  I think it's true of my daughter as well.  She can certainly do worksheet after worksheet, but she seems to catch on to new concepts more quickly when she can 'see' the how and why behind the numbers on the page. Addition didn't come easy to Ella when we first began doing

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-3748553115300432372011-01-17T07:57:00.001-06:002011-01-17T08:15:27.779-06:00

There are moms who schedule every moment of their child's day and then there are moms who have never even heard of a schedule.  Not wanting to be identified with either extreme, I've mostly floated somewhere in between the two.  However, I've noticed that the old saying is true: if you aim at nothing you'll hit it every time.  That is true for most everything in life.  And it's proven true in

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-18088981078347684722011-01-13T09:54:00.002-06:002011-01-13T09:57:08.862-06:00

"A New You".  That's what all the headlines say in on the cover of all the magazines in the checkout line at the supermarket.  There's always some new fad diet you must try, or "How Beyonce Lost 15 lbs." or some new secret workout. Ever seen this movie? If you have, then you know that all the guys in it look like this: Your welcome :o) What do those guys have to do with 'a new me'?  A lot.  See

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-10171758013089157832010-12-21T15:30:00.002-06:002010-12-21T15:33:36.717-06:00

But not in Houston :o) However, in PA, it feels like the freakin' North Pole! This will be my first Christmas up North. Despite the cold, I'm excited about the possibility of a White Christmas - with snow that actually sticks to the ground. It was a two-day journey to get here, but the gorgeous Appalacian Mountains make it worth the drive. We even got to stop along the way to let the kids play

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-43336889301157845712010-12-09T23:12:00.003-06:002010-12-09T23:15:42.629-06:00

As the first semester of 1st Grade comes to a close, I'm finally able to think about things that I want to do - like updating my blog!  I prayed a dangerous prayer at the beginning of this school year.  I prayed that the Lord would remove the things in my life that distracted me from what His will is for my life. And I think He was happy to answer that prayer!   This school year has gone great

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-33652749315297244412010-10-24T17:51:00.000-05:002010-10-24T17:51:41.422-05:00

  I'm proud of my lil' booger :o)  He memorized his first Bible verse and got a prize for saying it to his Sunday School teacher today.  He told me, "Mommy, I say Ephesians!  I say Ephesians and I got a prize!  Ephesians 2:10!"  The verse was shortened for his class of 3 year olds to say, "God made us to do good" I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.  If he can memorize quotes from Harry Potter

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-9603236525099553232010-10-22T09:40:00.000-05:002010-10-22T09:40:52.654-05:00

(image via Alien Spouse) I feel like I've been on a diet.  Food, sort of, but mostly a media diet.  We have so many ways to 'connect' to people that we end feeling disconnected to the people who are physically with us.  I found this to be quite true.  If you've ever found yourself telling your child or your spouse, "Quiet, Honey, Mommy's on Facebook (or blogging, or reading emails, or web-surfing

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-19102390212323356432010-09-06T21:34:00.000-05:002010-09-06T21:34:17.981-05:00

Sometimes I forget that one of the purposes of this blog is to update our friends and family on what's going on with my family.  So for those of you who must know, here's what's going on with the Campbell's: We began school several weeks ago and so far so good.  Our homeschool association is also picking up again after a long summer.  We'll begin our co-op classes this month and our first field

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-7444962470454934302010-08-30T08:46:00.001-05:002010-08-30T08:48:31.588-05:00

Earlier this past Spring, we went strawberry picking with our homeschool association. Baskets ready, now time to walk past the blackberry patches to the strawberry field. Look, she rolled her socks :o)  As a child of the 80's, this makes me quite proud! Those big boxes fill up in no time! My little guy loves the color green.  He wanted to pick the green strawberries.   Row after row after

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-78500133954559297732010-08-26T21:42:00.000-05:002010-08-26T21:42:46.723-05:00

  :o)

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-78359174697630690122010-08-25T21:04:00.000-05:002010-08-25T21:04:35.504-05:00

It's hard to successfully homeschool without being somewhat organized.  Every one has their own system of keeping track of schedules, activities, appointments, schoolwork, etc.  I had a pretty good system last year involving an Excel file.  But this year I stumbled upon a wonderful resource at the homeschool convention: The Well-Planned Day Planner. This spiral-bound book is a gem (I'd even go

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-457372398676835832010-08-22T23:50:00.001-05:002010-08-22T23:51:04.557-05:00

I must admit that the first time I saw a pair of TOMS shoes I thought they were rather ugly... They sort of remind me of something an old man at a nursing home would wear.  But it's mostly young people who wear them (including tree-hugging granola types and even a few celebrities).  My brother and sister each have a pair.  They say the shoes are super comfy (the older I get, the more important

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-69385375176194409272010-08-20T09:48:00.003-05:002010-08-20T09:53:50.567-05:00

"Where in your house do you homeschool?" I'm often asked this question by my non-homeschooling friends.  I understand their inquiry.  Most of my friends, like myself, were educated in the public school system.  We're used to brightly colored bulletin boards and inspirational posters on the wall, wood and metal desks lined up in rows, and a big green or black chalk board at the front of the room.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-20265262043527742462010-08-19T09:43:00.001-05:002010-08-19T09:45:35.658-05:00

What should your child learn in preschool (besides how to dress up like a pirate in the picture above)?  According to FamilyEducation, your child is ready for Kindergarten when he can:Listen to stories without interrupting Recognize rhyming sounds Pay attention for short periods of time to adult-directed tasks Understand actions have both causes and effects Show understanding of general

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-71204566672113622452010-08-17T14:08:00.002-05:002010-08-17T14:09:58.534-05:00

I came across this post on The Pioneer Woman's blog today and wanted to share.  It was written by Heather Sanders of Oh My Stinkin' Heck (I like her already just based on her blog title!). Click HERE to read it yourself.  She answers two of the most popular questions that people ask homeschoolers. As I scrolled down to the bottom of the post, I noticed in the comment section that someone asked

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-86051631700466179812010-08-16T12:38:00.002-05:002010-08-16T12:40:32.700-05:00

Fall - my favorite time of year! Today is a big day for us.  My husband is starting his new job today and Ella and I just wrapped up our first day of First Grade.  With all this Back to (home)School and new jobs and school activities starting up (field trips, co-op classes, etc.), my mind is turning to Fall.   It seems a long way away...it's hard to get into the Autumn spirit when it's 104

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-59048409387618351252010-08-14T15:18:00.001-05:002010-08-14T15:19:12.875-05:00

Just dropping in to let my few, loyal readers know that I am now moderating my comments.  You can still comment on my posts, however, I will review all comments before they are posted on my blog.  The reason behind this decision is that I noticed a couple comments from "readers" who were trying use the comment section for advertising purposes.  If you are trying to sell your goods or services to

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-607236097733180782010-08-06T16:58:00.003-05:002010-08-06T23:10:11.390-05:00

We did My Father's World's Kindergarten curriculum last year and it was wonderful.  The phonics-based reading program is really strong.  So why switch now?!  So far, I haven't found another complete curriculum that I like as much as My Father's World.  Another reason to love it is that it's AFFORDABLE!!!  For those of us who live on a budget, that's a huge plus.   Check out what's in store for

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-14559145933126099032010-08-02T15:48:00.001-05:002010-08-02T15:50:44.505-05:00

Last Friday and Saturday, Ella and I attended the Texas Home School Coalition annual convention and family conference.  It was awesome!  Ella participated in their children's program while I went to workshops and shopped in the Exhibit Hall for her first grade curriculum.  Ella had a great time and said that she really enjoyed her class - they learned songs, Bible verses, did crafts and played

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-30526726678392654482010-07-29T11:07:00.003-05:002010-07-29T11:10:34.093-05:00

In April of this year, the hubby and I were fortunate to get away for a weekend and go camping.  This was the first time I had been camping since I was 14.  When I told my family that we were going camping, they looked at me with disbelief.  Their confusion and amusement was not without good reason.  On the last family camping trip, 16 years ago, I was miserable.  It was hot.  There were bugs. 

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-51773286081929774892010-07-22T18:28:00.000-05:002010-07-22T18:28:19.748-05:00

This year, we went to Georgia to visit my husband's parents for our family vacation.  We all had a great visit and were fortunate to do some really fun things: swimming, Aviation Museum, World of Coca-Cola and the Georgia Aquarium. We all loved spending time with Mimi and Poppy and we were sad to leave when it was time to go home. The only unfortunate part of our trip was the constant fits from

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-33334178340356185222010-07-19T15:48:00.004-05:002010-07-19T15:50:50.653-05:00

lazy days, POOL, sleeping in, ROAD TRIP, vacation, PUSH-POPS, wet swim suits, MOVIES, dinner with friends, BASEBALL GAMES, beach, FLIP-FLOPS, grilled steak, TO-DO LIST, reading story books, STAYING UP LATE, day trips to the aquarium, ZOO, washing the car, PLAYING WITH FRIENDS, iced tea, WATERMELONS, and still more to come! Unplug yourself for a while and enjoy life :o)

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-21703303042121178322010-06-18T10:11:00.006-05:002010-06-18T11:16:28.006-05:00

In one word: Awesome!  I'm certain now more than ever that homeschooling is definitely for us.  Ella has learned a lot this year and I've really enjoyed teaching her.  Even Christian, my preschooler, learned a lot from listening in on some of our lessons. So what did my child learn in Kindergarten at home?Math: Ordinal numbers, counting to 100 and recognize those numbers by sight, simple

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-43684914795533410282010-06-11T19:47:00.001-05:002010-06-12T16:54:12.484-05:00

As of Monday, I will be the proud owner of this GORGEOUS bedding from Pottery Barn (and it's organic, too!).   Those of you who know me know that I have been in search of bedding ever since I got married.  The problem is that I'm super picky about bedding.  The only place that has bedding that I like is Pottery Barn.  Throughout the years, I've seen several bedding sets that I love from PB come

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-89192510998358010142010-06-11T17:08:00.000-05:002010-06-11T17:08:52.448-05:00

This is my new favorite app on my iPhone - the Hipstamatic camera.  Basically, it lets you shoot old school-style pics with the digital camera on the iPhone.  Simply choose your film, your lens, and your flash and start experimenting!  This app almost made me feel like a professional photographer, which I am not. These pics were taken during a mundane trip to the doctor: Suddenly, common

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-54328826356351647732010-05-27T12:22:00.001-05:002010-05-27T12:26:00.061-05:00

I feel like this poor cat right now.  I'm buried in design projects and finishing up Ella's Kindergarten year.  Next week, I'll be out of the sand! Ella asked, "What happened to that cat?  Can we go to the beach again and play in the sand?" Image via Green Earth Journey.  So what's the deal with crazy cat pictures anyway? 

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-83024460503708790012010-05-19T17:54:00.000-05:002010-05-19T17:54:35.086-05:00

I'm just dropping by for a blog quickie.  I just HAD to share the conversation that took place between Ella and I last night: Me: (jokingly) "I wish my mommy was here to tuck me in at night." Ella: "Your mommy can't tuck you in because she growed up.  When she was young, she married Opa.  Then they had you and you were a child.  Then you growed up and now you're a big woman and Oma and Opa

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-78237864673316731012010-05-11T09:02:00.000-05:002010-05-11T09:02:39.143-05:00

I thought I'd just drop in and give a quick lil' update for the month of May: *We are in our final weeks of Kindergarten.  I'm almost the proud parent of a 1st grader!  Our homeschool group may have a Kindergarten graduation - I hope they do because I think it would mean a lot to Ella. *Christian is doing awesome with his potty training!  He has few accidents (although they do happen) and is

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-47118565984812243982010-05-06T08:14:00.000-05:002010-05-06T08:14:51.228-05:00

The Graphic Geek in me loves this!  It's a chandelier made out of K3 ink cartridges from a large Epson printer.  Did I mention that Epson happens to be my favorite brand of printer??  And the best part is that the colors are in order: CMYK (that's Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black - the K stands for blacK). You can purchase this piece of printing memorabilia from Box Light Box's shop on Etsy.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-12744091489423187542010-05-04T07:39:00.002-05:002010-05-04T07:41:02.898-05:00

I feel like a complete, um, 'pig's behind' for neglecting my beloved blog.  When summer comes and life slows down a little, I'll probably have at least two posts a day but for now, I'm lucky to get one in a week!  April has been one heck of a month, but things are looking up for May.  After all, I'm turning 30 this month :o) Like the pic above?  It was taken at the Houston Livestock and Rodeo (

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-48030356002458042902010-04-20T09:33:00.000-05:002010-04-20T09:33:02.374-05:00

For those of you who are friends and family, I thought it would be fun to periodically share current bits of information about the kids: * Christian is constantly singing "Love Shack" by the B-52's.  "LOVE SHACK BABY!!!!!!!!!" * Ella is reading!!!  I'm so proud!  She's not into novels and newspapers yet, but she can read at an age-appropriate level. * Christian love the number 1.  When we say

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-2316199800101736572010-04-19T12:14:00.001-05:002010-04-19T12:16:03.305-05:00

"There will be a day with no more pain, no more tears, no more fears. There will be a day when the burdens of this place will be no more and we'll see Jesus face to face."- Jeremy Camp I love you, Leah.  May you run into the arms of Jesus and be forever healed.  May your family find peace and comfort until they see you again.  May the Lord use your life and your death for His glory and as a

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-33356296735923394822010-04-18T21:24:00.000-05:002010-04-18T21:24:51.605-05:00

Recital poster for Elite Dance Academy.  We will also be using this storybook theme in t-shirt designs and in their yearbook.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-56540187570092814762010-04-18T21:19:00.002-05:002010-04-18T21:19:58.061-05:00

I found a great free resource called Progressive Phonics.  What I love best about this online program is that you can download the books and worksheets and print them out.  Just register with the site (it's free).  If you love BOB books, then you'll love progressive phonics.  This is great for any parent wanting to help their child learn to read.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-17264706451337957622010-04-15T11:03:00.001-05:002010-04-15T12:30:27.326-05:00

Please say a prayer for my friend, Leah, and her family as she nears the end of her courageous battle with breast cancer.  She has been strong through all of this and she will be greatly missed by her husband, family, friends and especially her three children.  She has been the center of all my thoughts and prayers this week.  Please pray for the family as they make preparations, care for

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-68507824038565745322010-04-09T06:49:00.001-05:002010-04-09T06:50:11.867-05:00

"The loneliest woman in the world is a woman without a close woman friend."  - George Santayana, The Life of Reason, 1905-1906 I've discovered in life that it does not matter how many friends you have, it only matters that you have one, two or even just a few quality friends.  A friend is your best defense for loneliness.  A friend encourages and assures you that you are awesome, even when you

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-51379894160631411872010-04-06T17:39:00.000-05:002010-04-06T17:39:24.891-05:00

I just finished this poster for Elite Dance Academy in Colorado - this is for their latest show, Caged.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-14814437611055674942010-04-06T09:42:00.000-05:002010-04-06T09:42:09.677-05:00

A couple months ago when my in-laws were in town, we took the kids to Space Center Houston at NASA for the day.  Our 3 yr. old son, Christian, is obsessed with space.  He absolutely loved this place!  His dream is to be an astronaut and visit Mars - along with Uranus ("Her-nus"), the Sun, and the "Dark Nebula".  He told me the other day that he wants a Hubble Space Telescope toy and a Lunar

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-29850237392365810202010-03-31T17:27:00.000-05:002010-03-31T17:27:16.550-05:00

A great way to make handwriting fun for your child is to have her write her own story and put it into a book.  My Ella isn't very fond of writing, but I had no problem getting her to pen her own story! First, I sat down with Ella and asked her what she wanted her story to be about.  She picked her usual suspects, a ballerina princess, a prince and a witch.  Next, I asked her to tell me her story

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-11941265999751676762010-03-31T00:03:00.001-05:002010-03-31T00:03:46.825-05:00

My lovely sister has finally appeased me by blogging about her beautiful crafts.  I'm hoping she'll make me a toadstool like this - hint, hint :o)  Since when did she get so crafty?!  I feel like I need to go make something now.... Check out Adventures of a Rushing Wife

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-70524269521487945762010-03-28T23:22:00.000-05:002010-03-28T23:22:22.684-05:00

Well, it's 10 o'clock on a Sunday night so that means that I finally have time to blog about the CHA (Cypress Homeschool Association) Science Fair that took place last weekend.  At first, I didn't think we would participate this year.  I thought we would just visit the science fair to give us an idea what it is all about.  However, a few weeks before I decided to just go for it and asked Ella if

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-6481863559006607362010-03-24T00:29:00.003-05:002010-03-24T00:35:35.850-05:00

I'm so excited that one of my sweetest friends has decided to join the blog-o-sphere!  Meet Gabby, a.k.a. MamaGab.   One lonely day in college, I prayed and asked God to bring me an awesome Christian friend who would love me the way I am and encourage me in my faith.  A few days later, Gabby knocked on my door and invited me to a Bible study (come to find out, she had prayed the same prayer!).

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-48664214851436321282010-03-22T16:17:00.002-05:002010-03-22T16:18:15.213-05:00

I have much to share from the past week, but here's what is on my mind at the moment:To those of us who claim to be Christians, we need to stop worrying about the decisions made by men - God is ultimately in control of ALL things. He let the healthcare bill pass. Nothing happens here on Earth that He is not aware of.  Fear should not be a mark of the Christian - the Bible says that God does

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-8738507981557885812010-03-18T13:29:00.001-05:002010-03-18T15:38:45.471-05:00

There is nothing better to motivate a girl to stick to her diet/exercise routine than a new dress. This is THE dress that I am lusting over for this Spring/Summer season - although, I want it in black.  But, I don't want to buy it until I've reached my weight loss goals.  So, as a reward for my hard work, I may try to talk the hubby into buying me this when I've reached my fat loss goal. Dress

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-89283630139026512102010-03-16T20:06:00.002-05:002010-03-17T07:02:02.754-05:00

I wish I could say that I am going to make this for St. Patrick's Day tomorrow, but I'll be spending the day at the Houston Livestock & Rodeo Show.  But rest assured, we will all be wearing wear green.  Even though this little beauty will not grace my table this year, it was too cute to not share!   Thanks, JesseKate Designs for posting this wonderfully sweet St. Patty's Day idea! Image &

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-5515781332547205582010-03-15T10:41:00.001-05:002010-03-15T10:42:36.966-05:00

I just realized today that I haven't been my creative, crafty, decorating self lately.  Honestly, I haven't even had time to consider such things.  In fact, I let Valentines Day fly by without getting my lovely Valentines decor out of the attic - GASP!  And with Easter just around the corner, I have yet to feel the urge to decorate with little bunnies and eggs.  What the heck is wrong with me?!?

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-83058389107328274752010-03-12T19:08:00.003-06:002010-03-12T19:10:25.539-06:00

In this messed up world of ours, a quirky news story helps bring out the lighter side of life :o) Image & Story via BigPond Friday, March 12, 2010 "A mystery knitter is spinning quite a yarn over one New Jersey shore town by putting jumpers over trees and lamp poles.  The unknown West Cape May resident, dubbed The Midnight Knitter, is covering tree branches and lamp posts with little

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-66345425665065878682010-03-10T10:56:00.000-06:002010-03-10T10:56:27.762-06:00

It's all about Ancient Egypt this week in our homeschool.  Ella loves learning about the ancient Egyptians so her science project is about mummification.  Don't worry - we're not mummifying anyone :o)  Instead, we will be making mummified apples to see which salt compounds make the best mummies.  In preparation for our experiment, we spent this morning learning about ancient Egyptian life and

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-78236195807901093862010-03-04T08:47:00.001-06:002010-03-04T09:13:12.252-06:00

I attended my first ever Cypress Homeschool Association meeting last week and one of the topics on the table was "Beating Burnout".  Every student and teacher, whether they are in college, public school, homeschooled, etc., usually experiences burnout at some point during the school year.  The moms at the meeting shared many fun, educational ideas that they have used for beating burnout.  Here

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-11431923539461001762010-03-02T09:20:00.001-06:002010-03-02T09:21:15.172-06:00

Have a Terrific Tuesday!

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-36003781960130232512010-02-25T20:27:00.002-06:002010-02-27T21:24:03.060-06:00

Just thought I'd drop in to share a freelance project that I'm working on for a dance group in Boulder, CO, called Dream Project.  Their latest show is named Saligia, which is a Latin acronymn for the seven deadly sins.  In addition to the seven deadly sins, they also wanted to represent the opposing seven virtues.  This was a super fun project to work on!  Here's what I came up with:

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-89169335954537369222010-02-25T06:40:00.001-06:002010-02-25T08:15:53.113-06:00

I found a great resource for having a daily Bible devotion with my daughter.  It's a book called God & Me.  Even though my daughter is almost 6, I purchased the book for ages 2 to 5 since the the next level up requires that the child read fluently (we're still reading level 1 readers).  What I like the most about this book is that each day there is a different topic, such as, Choices, Patience,

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-33601879489885348372010-02-15T11:19:00.000-06:002010-02-15T11:19:59.900-06:00

In honor of President's Day, we took some time in our school day to learn a little bit about American presidents.  It was really more of an introduction since we're doing Kindergarten.  We found Washington DC on the map, learned a few facts about George Washington, looked at pictures of The White House and the Washington Monument, and learned the name of our current president, Barack Obama.  We

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-70431871998554616542010-02-15T08:04:00.001-06:002010-02-15T08:05:04.245-06:00

Is it weird that I miss my own blog?!  I took a week off to spend some time with Mimi and Poppy who came to visit us from Georgia.  In fact, I've hardly been on my computer the past week (which is a real shocker for those of you who know me!).  We all had a great visit and were sad to see them go.  However, I do have a fun post in mind about our trip to Space Center Houston and I look forward to

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-81711055872229405492010-02-04T21:40:00.001-06:002010-02-05T05:33:45.067-06:00

Some people actually stay away from stores like TJ Maxx and Marshall's.  My BFF was afraid to go in because she didn't want to have to "dig" for what she was looking for (plus, let's face it - it just feels more 'special' at times to treat yourself to a full-priced item at Macy's).  However, our downward economy drove my reluctant friend to venture into a TJ Maxx and now she's a self-proclaimed "

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-20727936985011796052010-02-03T23:31:00.002-06:002010-02-04T10:57:04.028-06:00

We just finished Unit 12 in My Father's World curriculum which is the Goat unit, the first in a series of farm life units.  I checked out a few books about goats (both fictional and non-fictional), yet I really wanted the kids to experience a farm and get to meet some goats up close.  I could have just taken them to the petting zoo in the Houston zoo, but that just didn't seem authentic enough. 

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-26003565500129604842010-01-28T11:19:00.000-06:002010-01-28T11:19:58.345-06:00

It's only 11 AM and already I need a cookie...yes, we're having one of those days in my house.  My son keeps finding something to whine about and my daughter had a breakdown just because I asked her to say "Thursday, January 28th".  We worked through the breakdown and were able to happily get through school without further incident.  However, my son decided to cause a bit of trouble, including

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-84962416454267672952010-01-28T09:01:00.000-06:002010-01-28T09:01:21.942-06:00

Looking for free resources to supplement your curriculum?  Freebie of the Day offers a free download each day - but be sure to check the website daily and catch them while you can because the downloads expire after a couple days!  Click here: Freebie of the Day I downloaded all six parts of The Handbook of Nature from Freebie of the Day.  We take frequent nature walks so I though this would be

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-29083730982893353712010-01-25T09:44:00.002-06:002010-01-26T11:25:43.327-06:00

This morning, I gotta send out my love to the New Orleans Saints.  My family is from Louisiana and we have been Saints fans since forever ago, even when the Saints could barely win one game in a season.  When my family moved to Oklahoma for a few years, I remember my brother being picked on for wearing the jacket of a loosing team.  I recall my Dad faithfully watching the Saints play (lose) year

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-51294704382193475892010-01-19T15:58:00.002-06:002010-01-19T16:01:26.232-06:00

Don't just read about nature, get out in it! It's even more fun with a friend. You never know what you might find...we found a river! Who knew there was so much beauty smack dab in the middle of Suburbia?!  Keely, the girl in the orange shirt below, just finished learning about rivers, streams, estuaries, etc. so how cool was it to experience it in person after reading all about it?!

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-82918300770184406172010-01-18T07:30:00.003-06:002010-01-18T14:15:17.895-06:00

Saturday was a sad day in the Campbell house (mostly for me).  My sweet Hubby was boiling water in my beloved Martha Stewart tea kettle to make tea when the kids decided to throw fits and require parental intervention. Here's my green tea kettle in all it's vintage-style glory. After the comotion died down, Hubby realized that **GASP!** the kettle had gotten so hot that the beautiful green

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-22529807930361099872010-01-12T09:54:00.002-06:002010-01-12T09:55:43.351-06:00

Are you looking for a reward system to help motivate your children to do their chores and get along with their siblings?  Check out this genius idea from The Idea Room.  She uses a point system to reward good behavior and chore completion.  Then at the end of the week, she opens her "store" and her kids can shop using their points to purchase treats and small dollar store toys.  Why didn't I

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-816917081830447482010-01-08T09:27:00.002-06:002010-01-09T09:35:44.813-06:00

One of my favorite purchases at the Texas Homeschool Coalition Conference this past August was Ella's nature and science journal.  It's actually a blank, hard-covered book by Bare Books that I purchased from Miller Pads & Paper.  You could use these blank little books for anything, but my homeschooling friend, Tisha, and I thought they would make perfect nature journals.  After a trip to the zoo,

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-48064860876573774822009-12-31T23:41:00.001-06:002009-12-31T23:41:26.201-06:00

Image via Graphics Fairy

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-55651956170860084372009-12-31T00:01:00.002-06:002009-12-31T00:07:21.096-06:00

Those of you who crave a simple and less material life will enjoy this post from Down to Earth. That's me in the picture above holding a handmade Christmas card from my daughter :o) Here's an excerpt: "It never occurred to me when I was a spender that I was actually giving away my independence. I thought the opposite....What I was doing was working in a job I didn't like so I had enough money

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-50621479187730124482009-12-29T14:32:00.001-06:002009-12-30T12:50:13.923-06:00

2009 is almost over, which means we have finished our first semester of Kindergarten.  How are we doing so far?  To start with, Ella's handwriting has improved significantly.  When we first began a few months ago, her writing was shaky it was hard to decipher her letters.  I can now read her writing with no trouble at all.  She can phonetically read several 3 and 4 words on her own and has

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-89702040713147361502009-12-27T07:23:00.001-06:002009-12-27T07:24:10.353-06:00

I've been on holiday this past week, taking a break from homeschooling and enjoying time with my family.  As you might have noticed, I've also taken a break from my computer.  But, I hope to be back into the blogging spirit as the holiday frenzy comes to a slow. Quick recap of our Christmas holiday: *saw the Nutcracker at the Houston Ballet *I cooked and baked and cooked some more... *enjoyed

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-16174885183507986732009-12-16T23:47:00.001-06:002009-12-16T23:55:19.837-06:00

There are some people who are just born creative geniuses.  My mom's friend, Rhonda, is one of those people.  She sweats creativity and it shows in her gorgeous and unique house.  She is constantly decorating and redorating her house with garage sale finds and things that she creates herself from her flea market and bargain bin finds. Rhonda begins decorating her house for Christmas on October

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-33704223779499553752009-12-11T08:31:00.003-06:002009-12-11T08:39:50.654-06:00

I was browsing on Etsy and came across this gem- Middleburg Folk Art Studio.   Using wood, paper, papier mache, paint, fabric, etc. Middleburg creates gorgeous art for the home.  I'm in love!  You can also visit their blog here.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-22911069943731166192009-12-09T12:33:00.001-06:002009-12-09T12:33:28.871-06:00

One of our favorite educational websites is Starfall.com.  Starfall teaches children to read using phonics and caters to all levels of 'readers'.  From learning the sounds of the alphabet, to reading short stories, Starfall is a fun way to help your child learn to read.  While we do not use Starfall exclusively for phonics, it's a great supplement to Ella's curriculum (we use My Father's World

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-10710384030299909952009-12-07T13:06:00.000-06:002009-12-07T13:06:44.437-06:00

Remember my DownEast Basics post a couple weeks ago (and their gorgeous affordable clothing)?  Well, 30 Handmade Days is hosting a DownEast Basics giveaways!  Go to 30days to enter to win one DownEast Basics item of your choice! 

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-19036934762895112009-12-03T16:36:00.001-06:002009-12-03T16:36:58.498-06:00

What's that I heard on the news?  A possible 'winter storm' complete with snow for the city of Houston tomorrow?  We Houstonians get extremely excited about the very mention of the of snow.  And to think, this snow could fall the day before our 4th annual tradition of decorating gingerbread houses with the Alfords!  Allison and I are going to be so excited that we won't know what to do with

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-47016509710606720182009-12-02T09:00:00.000-06:002009-12-02T09:01:31.588-06:00

We learned about maps the other day.  We looked at our world and USA maps that are on our playroom wall and we looked at different maps online.  To help Ella learn how to 'read' a map, I had her draw a map of her room.  She was very excited about this project!  We sat in her room to see the layout and she drew all the things she saw.  She then colored it with prismacolors when she was done

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-18346442359955562582009-12-01T14:50:00.002-06:002009-12-02T08:52:55.582-06:00

This article, to me, proves that there is a hidden agenda in our courts and in our public schools (though it doesn't seem to hidden now).  I've been following this story for a while now.  A couple divorced several years ago and the husband, who is not a Christian, was upset that his Christian ex-wife had been homeschooling their daughter so he took her to court.  The final decision is not

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-76236803134733930822009-11-30T07:00:00.004-06:002009-11-30T12:58:07.976-06:00

So you're homeschooling your grade-schooler and you've got this toddler running around the house distracting both you and your child - what do you do?  My 2-1/2 year old does best when I give him a fun, quiet activity to do.  First up, try beading.  This is a great activity to build fine motor skills (which helps prepare your child to draw and write) - and it kept my son busy for at least 30

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-88134821384713566602009-11-26T00:36:00.000-06:002009-12-02T09:02:16.403-06:00

Sunshine on a cool day, Sweet toddler hugs, Pictures of me drawn by my daughter, Kids who think I'm a better person than I really am, A big pot of hot coffee in the morning, My fireplace, Being married to a man that I'm still in love with, The blessings of homeschooling, Spending every day with the two little people I love most, Spending every night with the man I love most, Crazy black pug, My

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-40745600402353221202009-11-24T14:01:00.000-06:002009-11-24T14:01:52.889-06:00

 After learning about the first Thanksgiving, Ella decided to make some Native American placemats for our Thanksgiving feast on Thursday.  Court and I helped her trace a Native American design and some Pilgrims and Indians onto paper.  She then colored and drew her own designs to decorate them.  When she was done, I laminated them so that the food wouldn't ruin them.  Next, I plan to have

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-9646483898399231262009-11-24T11:13:00.007-06:002009-11-24T11:18:28.642-06:00

After many conversations with my mom and my friend Allison about needing more casual basics in our wardrobes, I'm so excited to have discovered Down East Basics.  Their clothing is cute, casual, modern and best of all - affordable!  Here are a few items from Down East Basics that are on my Christmas list this year: Cute stuff, right?!

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-59268634769926727932009-11-23T17:30:00.000-06:002009-11-23T21:25:14.324-06:00

Looking for a special gift for the person who already has everything?  Try getting crafty this year and give the gift of handmade.  Nothing says love like something you make with your own two hands.  These beautiful scented pear sachets from Dacia Ray would make a wonderful Christmas gift (aunts, grandparents, friends, etc.).  I also think they would make great teacher and hostess gifts. Click

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-55265879555854586872009-11-21T09:14:00.000-06:002009-11-23T21:23:50.787-06:00

  A great way to introduce math concepts is by using Cuisenaire Rods.  Cuisenaire rods are a collection of rectangular rods in 10 lengths and 10 colors, each color corresponding to a different length.  They allow a more concrete way of looking at math and help children explore addition, substraction, volume, fractions, measurement and much more.  They have become a staple in many elementary

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-76073972793395963902009-11-20T08:52:00.002-06:002009-11-24T09:36:30.135-06:00

Caution: this project not for those who freak out at the slightest bit of a mess.  You, your child, your work surface and possibly your floor will get sticky - verrrry sticky!  Papier mache is messy, but that's part of the fun :o) To begin, you first need to form a basic pumpkin shape.  We used a paper bag stuffed with newspaper.  We squeezed and shaped the bag until it looked somewhat like a

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-7366731071953812422009-11-17T19:13:00.000-06:002009-11-23T21:31:26.193-06:00

Ella's #1 Mother/Daughter activity is having a 'nake-up over' (a makeover).  This usually takes place after Christian has been put down for a nap.  I am always the one getting made over.  She paints my nails, puts make-up on my face, fixes my hair and dresses me up with fancy accessories.  It's so cute to hear the things she says while she "makes me beautiful like a princess".  She'll sometimes

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355853745347325752.post-36639864700466984502009-11-17T14:33:00.000-06:002009-11-24T09:36:30.135-06:00

There's not much that will thrill my kids more than a trip to McDonald's.  There's so much there for a kid to love: greasy food, soda, a play area and the all-important Happy Meal toy.  I have to admit that McD's has had some really great toys lately - Ella has added several My Little Ponies to her Ponyville collection, Strawberry Shortcake dolls and stamps, Barbie lip gloss, etc.  Even though

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11711877982864637069noreply@blogger.com0