Multitude Monday: 1000 Gifts 21-30

21.  Two almost pain-free days in a row : )

22.  Sleep, bless-ed sleep ~ ~ a 2 hr. Sunday nap followed by a 10 hr. night's sleep  (This is unheard of for me.....I reckon I was tired!)

23.  Sweet evidences of  a true friendship

24.  A Boys-Only camping trip  : )

25.  Leftovers for dinner on Sunday nights, meaning Mom doesn't cook  : )

26.  Toy animals perched precariously on top of my computer screen, reminding me that someone was thinking of me  ♥

27.  Coffee breaks!!

28.  Little boys who adore their Mom.....for a little while longer, anyway  ; )  ♥

29.  a 12 yr. old girl with braids in her hair ♥

30.  Home School Field Trips

Marineland Dolphin Conservation Center

(Pics may be enlarged by clicking on them)

I ♥ Dolphins!!!  When I was my children's ages, I was convinced that I was going to have a huge-mongous salt water pool in my back yard so that I could have a pet dolphin.  I was also going to have pink flamingos in my back yard......and I'm not talking about the plastic ones.  ; )

In the general admission area (above), the dolphins were free to do as they wish while onlookers (us) watched.......they wanted to PLAY!!!  They would throw the balls (basketballs/footballs) that were in their tanks out to the kids....the kids would toss them back......and on and on it went ~ ~ so cute & fun!

We also got to pet a dolphin ~ not like at places like Sea World, where there's tons of dolphins crammed into one tank and you pet them as they pass by.  A trainer split our group up into smaller groups of five or more, we went to a specified area and he brought a dolphin up to us.  We were able to pet her (we met Pebbles!), feed her, give her some signals to which she responded, and the trainer talked about different parts of the dolphin's anatomy and gave lots of other interesting facts such as info on her diet and distinguishing characteristics between the different dolphins.  We'll be getting a CD with pics of our personal encounter later!

We also had a very fun and informative classroom experience....we had such a fun day!!

Now, I want to swim with them...... : )

Boys will be Boys by Sweet Diva

....and so my latest project started something like this.....


Jacob:  "Mom, can you make me a backpack like Ashlyn's?"

Mom:  "Ummmm, no.  Don't you think her backpack is girly?"

Jacob:  "But I like the Gators and you always make her stuff and I want you to make me a backpack, too, because you make the coolest stuff."

Me:  "I make girly stuff.  I don't make boy stuff.  I'll just buy you one when the stores put the back-to-school items on sale."

Jacob:  "How about a Star Wars backpack?  That wouldn't be girly!"

 Me:  "No!  I don't know if they even make Star Wars fabric.....and the backpacks I make are quilted.  It makes the fabric stronger....and also looks GIRLY!"

Jacob:  "So don't quilt it."

Me:  "Uggghhhh.....weren't you listening to me?  I need to quilt the fabric to make it strong enough for a sturdy backpack!"

Jacob: (in a full pout)  "Please?  You can do it.  You always figure out a way to do everything because you're the best mom in the world!"

Robert:  "She's going to make me a backpack with a train on it!"



I am now envisioning the emotional scars I am causing by not making them a backpack.  One day when they are grown and have all sorts of problems, they will travel back in their memory to the fateful day they asked me to show my love for them by making them backpacks......but I did make their sister one.  They are going to be traumatized for life and still I say....


Me:  "No, I am not making a train backpack.  I don't make boys backpacks and I'm not making you a girly backpack.  Everyone will make fun of you."

Jacob:  "Just think about it for a while.  You'll figure it out."

Mark: (the husband)  "Jacob, stop it.  There is no way she can make one of those backpacks NOT look girly.  Leave her alone."

Me:  "You think I can't do it?"

Mark:  "No, I don't see how you can.  They are VERY girly.  There's no way."



Pssshhhhh, whatever.  Just watch me....

Just look at my boys modeling their backpacks.  They LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!

(Click on the photos once to enlarge into another window.  Click on the photo in the new window to enlarge again to see detail.)

Robert's with a train....his name would have shown up better in another color, but he wanted it in blue.

Jacob's Star Wars backpack.....apparently Mace is the best fighter in the galaxy.

......and so I have two very happy boys with custom backpack that they declare to be the BEST and most comfortable to wear that they've ver had....and one husband who was WRONG. 

*Yawn*....I think I'll sleep well tonight. ; )

I'll Love Her Forever, I'll Like Her For Always.....

Twelve years ago, she entered my world and I haven't recovered since!  ; )  She changed my life forever....and I am so glad!! 

It seems like I blinked a few times and she suddenly transformed from my sweet little baby girly-girl......

1-2-3....all together now..."Awwwww!"

.....into something altogether different.....

Oh my!  : )

She'll always be my baby girl no matter how big she gets & I count it one of my biggest blessings to get to be a part of her life!  ♥

Since I know she' been checking out this blog ~ in honor of her birthday, I'm giving 12 reasons (in random order) why I think she is one rockin'  kid little lady!  This is for you, ♥Ashlyn♥.......

• You changed my name to ♥Mom(my)♥
• You're on my side in a house that's heavier in the male gender
• You don't just laugh ~ you ♥giggle♥
• You want to be a cowgirl  : ), which leads me to......
• You are who you are & could care less if it's the "cool" thing to be
• You let me hang out in your room because I think it's the prettiest room in the house  : )
• You share your ♥chocolate♥ with me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• You want all your friends to be friends with each other ♥
• You're the best helper I've got at home
• You think it's your mission in life to take care of all the animals in the world
• You make me a better person because I want to be a really great ♥Mom♥
• and......You forgive me when I'm not & ♥Love♥ me anyway

I could certainly come up with MANY more, but I thought 12 was an appropriate number! I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, Forever & ever my Sunshine you'll be!!

We had a  fantabulous day celebrating a MAJOR holiday (in my humble opinion)!! 

Click on the pics to enlarge

Mickler's Beach in Ponte Vedra ~ Ashlyn's favorite!  Why??  Horse sightings are not uncommon.  : )

Yep.....she's my little wallflower...

Yes, her gifts from us are wrapped in Christmas paper.  I have heard EVERY SINGLE DAY this summer much whining & complaining, moaning &groaning (ok.....I've done it myself as well) about how hot it is & how she can't wait for winter......so I wrapped her presents in snowflake paper!  : )  I guarantee long after she forgets what she got on her 12th birthday, she'll remember the year that her mom wrapped her gifts in Christmas paper because it was so hot & we were longing for relief.....  ; )

Out of all the many wonderful gifts she got, this was her favorite.  She had just complained a few weeks ago about how much she hates Monopoly.  She dramatically exclaimed, "It's sooooooo BORING!  The only way I'd ever play it would be if it was about horses!!!".  Her brothers were so excited I found this, they wanted it to be from them.   : )

It's Time to Make the Doughnuts....

....and so this week, we did!

I've always tried to give my three monkeys ample opportunities to make a mess  cook & bake with me because, well....they like to!  They always have a great time, it builds fun memories & it reinforces many skills that I try to teach them in school {reading, math, science, working together, blah, blah, blah ; ) }.  In the past year, this is one fun activity that did not get tackled very much ~ so burdened down with guilt, I decided at the beginning of the summer it was time to get back on the Fun Track!!  With my three precious angels driving me crazy blessing me daily with frequent whining, arguing, and downright annoying behavior,  I knew a major behavior modification plan was in order. So.....I drew a chart on our handy-dandy dry erase board. Every time they acted "ugly" to one another, were disrespectful, disobedient, etc. they got one tally mark by their name. Whoever had the least tally marks at the end of the week was rewarded with being my assistant chef while making one of their favorite treats. Being the savvy mom that I am, I picked their two highest motivators for the prize......individual time with me (yes ~ the fact that this really is a motivator even for my MIDDLE SCHOOLER does indeed give me warm & fuzzy feelings inside ♥) and making a mess the chance to cook/bake. The competition has been cutthroat and while they still aren't behaving perfectly (sigh), improvement has been sighted!!



The first competition was won by a landslide by ♥Ashlyn♥, who was delighted to make one of her favorite indulgences ~ cinnamon rolls!  I didn't get any photos of my assistant chef in action, but you can see some of the final product......

Can't you almost smell that ooey-gooey cinnamon goodness?  ; )

During the cinnamon roll competition, I noticed that ♥Jacob♥ wasn't nearly as motivated to win as I would have liked ~ so once again, I played the part of savvy mom & chose the next prize to be something he had been asking to make for a VERY LONG TIME.  By "very long time", I mean the first time he asked to make them was about 3 years ago.  I'm such a very bad mom for not making them until now!  : (  Anyway, it turned out that ♥Jacob♥ and ♥Robert♥ both found this prize highly appealing....

The competition was neck-and-neck & resulted in a tie.....as you can see, with ♥Ashlyn♥ having already won the Cinnamon Roll competition, she felt she could loosen up a bit.  They all probably deserved many more marks that this.....I guess I was a little soft on them this week!  ; )  BUT, we did have their Gram visiting also ~ so the fun times associated with that naturally resulted in better attitudes.

♥Jacob♥ likes using the mixer.....it's like using a power tool for the kitchen!

Assistant Chef ♥Robert♥ sharpening his math skills and coordination skills by measuring ingredients, then posing for a picture and adding the flour to the mixer at the same time.  ; ) 

Some of the doughnuts before getting their oil bath.....and no, that is not a dirty piece of stonware that they are rising on.  All Pampered Chef connaisseurs know ~ it is just properly "seasoned"!

You know you want one  ; )

It looks like he is saying "ewww!", but he was actually jumping up & down saying "Oh, Oh, Oh my goodness...these are so good I can't even stand it!" after his first taste test of his homemade doughnut!

He tends to live on the expressive side of life!

♥Robert ♥ with his eyes closed because he just had to focus and relish every sweet & unhealthy second of his reward!

2 Thumbs Up.....followed by, can we make ♥chocolate ♥ doughnuts next week???

Want to try making them yourself?  Click on the image to see a larger version of the recipe  : )

The recipe states that you will get about 18; we got 12 doughnuts & 11 doughnut holes.

Sweet Diva Sews! and Embroiders!

When you've gotta earn a living & want to be a stay-at-home homeschooling mom as well, you try to find something you're good at, you enjoy doing & happens to be a marketable skill ~ and then you shamelessly try to promote yourself.....not such an easy task for a girl like me.......trying to pull out my sassy side & get the job done!  :)

This is my latest endeavor in my never ending attempts and unrealistic goal of being a Proverbs 31 woman!

It all started with a backpack that my daughter requested for Christmas......we live in Gator country & people keep asking me to make them one after they see hers!!  I'll be glad to make you one, too.  : )  Not a Gator fan?  That's ok.....I ♥ special requests!  ; )  (BTW, you can enlarge the pics if you click on them)

After a few backpacks were seen out and about in the River City, someone requested I make a Gator purse....no problem!  : )  And then another......word of mouth is a very good thing!  Ironically, I don't even like sports.....I may have to change my mind about that soon as I'm learning that Team Spirit can be very profitable.  ; )

For those with Team Spirit who need something smaller, wristlets and key fobs are *very* trendy right now!

A few more styles......I ♥LOVE♥ custom orders.....are you feeling ♥Sweet♥  or  ♥Sassy♥  today??