Boyz Are Home!

It is great to have them back. I missed them like I always do. They had a great time. I can tell they played hard because they got ready for bed shortly after getting home and also fell asleep before their usual sleep time. They asked me to not wake them in the morning, to let them sleep until their bodies wake them up. I suppose it will be a very quiet morning around here tomorrow. Maybe I will lay around and quietly work on my word puzzles until they wake up. :)

Wise Words

How different our lives are when we really know what is deeply important to us, and keeping that picture in mind, we manage ourselves each day to be and do what really matters most.

I borrowed this from a friend on facebook. It was her status today. I felt it was worth sharing. Thanks Ann.

While The Boyz Are Away Momma Will Play

I don't feel like I've accomplished much since the boyz left. It's all good though. I don't feel bad about playing while they are with their dad. Most married couples share parenting daily. Most divorced couples share parenting on the weekends. I'm with my boyz with no breaks or shared parenting (like the marrieds) for 5 weeks minimum, then they are with their dad for 5 days. I'm not complaining, I love it. I'm just explaining why I dont feel bad about goofing off while they're away.
I salvaged a bunch of boards from my firewood pile that will make great decorative plaques when I'm finished working them over.
I like to "repurpose" old things that nobody wants anymore 4 my crafts whenever possible instead of sending them 2 the trash & buying new stuff.
I washed, primed, & basecoated some of the boards a soft, sunny yellow. The paint is also left over from a previous project. Soon I will put fun words and images on the boards, clear coat them, and send them up north to a friends store.

The Boyz Plans

It's that time again! The boyz are with their dad for a week. They left Thursday evening and expect to come home sometime Wednesday.
The boyz have Snowflake Camp with Royal Rangers this weekend. Their dad is able to go to camp with them. They have been very excited about this boys only trip. They do man stuff on this weekend lonh trip, like shoot guns and bows, snowball fights and fort building and other manly activities. They had a lot of fun last year. I can't wait to hear about all the fun they had. I hope they send me some pictures while they are there!

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Squirrel Underpants

This one is for Ronald (and me.) This is an awesome product! I mean, who doesn't need squirrel underpants??? And the artwork on the packaging is genius! LOL

Mercury - The Amazing Liquid Metal

I opened a thermometer, not realizing that it was broken and the glass and mercury fell on my counter. I cleaned up the glass but left the mercury. The boyz had a blast poking and moving the amazing liquid metal around with a plastic spoon.
I really miss having internet access in our home at times like these. The kids want to know more about this unusual substance. At what temperature does it become a solid like the common metals around us? Where is it found? What is it used for?
I remember holding mercury in my hand and playing with it in science class when I was a girl. That was really neat!
I heard that they call HAZMAT or something when people are exposed to mercury now. I hope that is an exaggeration! I did not let the children touch it with their skin (or eat it or smell it...now I'm just being silly) just in case.

Sea Monkeys!

Zac got Sea Monkeys 4 his birthday. I've always wanted them so I was as excited as Zac, maybe more. LOL
He closely followed the instructions & patiently waited the long 24 hours required 2 prep the water be4 adding the eggs.
The eggs started hatching almost immediately & more little guys continue 2 hatch every day. It's really neat!
Sea Monkeys(see photo) r very small & could be mistaken 4 tiny food particles floating in the water if they didn't constantly move quickly in many directions.
Did you know that the Sea Monkey people have all kinds of neat accessories one can purchase 2 enhance their pet owner experience. You can purchase a "leash" 2 safely capture & transfer your favorite Sea Monkeys & a miniature "Port-A-Pet" Pocket Aquarium Playpen that allows you 2 take up to 6 Sea Monkey out for a walk or 2 show off 2 your friends. You can even purchase an executive Sea Monkey set for the professional type in your life.
What a fun gift! We want to send a big THANKS to the Mann family!

A Birthday Blessing

God is so awesome!
We have family a tradition that each child gets 2 go out 2 dinner @ the restaurant of their choice & 2 a movie with mom (& whatever siblings are around) 2 celebrate their birthday. We've had many things break & need repairs lately so money is tighter than usual & I didn't have enough 2 pay 4 his birthday dinner. God is my provider, so several days ago I asked Him 2 provide this dinner 4 Zac so he wouldn't be disappointed. Last night Pastor preached on not worrying about not having enough. He told us 2 just ask for what we need. I already asked so instead I thanked God 4 providing 4 Zacs dinner. 2day was Zacs birthday & no money had miraculously appeared in my wallet or in between the seats of my car. I was wondering how God would pull it off this time. Well, He did it, like always. Do u wanna know how? My dad called around noon inviting us 2 dinner 2day wherever Zac wanted 2 go 4 his
bday. Last minute, but perfect. (like always!) Plus I got 2 visit with my parents!

Happy Birthday Zac!!!

Zac turned 12 today!
He had a bonfire party to celebrate his birthday. The kids roasted hotdogs and marshmallows, played flashlight tag in the dark, threw snowballs at one another, and more. There were no injuries and only one child fell in the creek. Don't worry. It's only knee deep this time of year.
Happy birthday Zac!

My little zee-wee is growing up.

*I think the lizard snow sculpture would have been Zacs favorite if he had felt well enough to go to Frankenmuth with us.

Pumpkin Bread Recipe (Family Size) And Abominable Snowman Sculpture

We liked this awesome Abominable Snowman (I can't remember the little guys name. Did I spell "abominable" right?) snow sculpture in Frankenmuth.

Now for the pumpkin bread recipe.This recipe came from Lynn and is very moist and yummy.

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine:
7c. flour
3tsp. cinnamom
3tsp. nutmeg
4tsp. baking soda
2tsp. salt
In another bowl mix:
6c. sugar
2c. oil
8 eggs (lightly beaten)
1 big can pumpkin
Mix the wet and dry ingredients together.
Stir in 1c. chopped nuts(optional.)
Grease 6 loaf pans. Pour batter in pans and bake in a 350 oven for 45 minutes - 1hour and 15 minutes. (It is done when a toothpic inserted in the center comes out clean)

I did not realize that this was the large family recipe when I started writing. If you don't have a large family to enjoy this bread with you can give loaves away as Christmas gifts or share extra loaves at the next church dinner or even wrap the cooled loaves tightly and freeze. I will post the one loaf recipe soon.
Enjoy!

Fruit Salad Flavored Popcorn

Bash and I could not resist getting a bag of fruit salad from the Popcorn Wagon when we were in Frankenmuth. Yummmm!

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Fire Hazard!

Our chimney pipe rusted, broke, and fell on the house. It was actually leaning on the roof! The woodburning stove is our primary source of heat so we obviously had a fire burning at the time. The pipe was not hot enough to burn the roof so it was not an immediate safety hazard. We let the fire go out.
When Bash took the cooled pipe down he discovered that our chimney was heaping full of creosote(I think)! Creosote is a HUGE fire hazard in chimneys. Thank God we did not have a chimney fire!
I suppose I will be learning how to properly clean and maintian a chimney soon.
I thank God for allowing our chimney to rust fast so we could discover this fire hazard. He protected us from a fire that was bound to happen in the very near future. (I believe that God can, and does, keep things from decaying in the usual way/time frame and can also cause them to decay faster for His divine purposes)
We do have a much less efficient, temporary, alternative heat source for now so we are staying warm.

Hairy Hat And Censoring Sunglasses

Bash and I wandered through a few neat shops while we were in Frankenmuth.
The sun visor has a head full of fake hair that sticks up all over.
Bash thought it would be a great gag gift for his dad, who is completely bald.
The sunglasses remind me of that black bar that the television programs used to use to censor images. Does this black bar disguise the guy in the photo?

My Precious Pearl

Bash and I went to Frankenmuth to look at the snow and ice sculptures. They were amazing! It was only nine degrees that day. We were very cold until we found a coffee shop. The coffee kept us pretty comfortable until we were ready to go home.
Bash is sitting in a giant clam shell with a giant pearl, but he is much more valuable than any pearl. What was I thinking when I suggested that my dear child sit on a seat of ice in nine degree weather(and that doesn't include the wind chill factor!)? Oh well, we had a lot of fun.