monday, monday

this morning I've been blessed with:
:: a pleasant conversation with a new friend
:: writing snail style on my handmade creations
:: a cool breeze blowing through the windows
:: two boys getting along and playing bingo {summer style}
:: a caught up laundry room
what are you enjoying?

summer bingo

sunday afternoon I was able to take some down time to read a few of my favorite blogs. I always enjoy the creativity of Stacy Julian over at playful. productive. present. and she didn't disappoint. she had a great post, tutorial, and pdf files for what she's calling her "kid plan" for summer-her summer bingo.

I immediately knew this would be a great idea for my boys {IF I could avoid perfectionism and get it put together in a timely manner.} after talking it over with mark and mentioning a 'vague' idea for a summer game to the boys, we were in.

I followed stacy's bingo rules, downloaded her bingo card, then made the necessary changes to the activities to apply to our boys and family habits. some of our activities this week include: play a board game with your brother, bless your brother in a secret way, play with sidewalk chalk, practice sight words with mom, and play psp or ds in your closet fort. {and I've already had a few requests from spencer for activities to be on next week's card.}

connor blessing the family by making pudding for our dessert tomorrow night- earning him a bingo square.


Stacy's bingo rules:
1. you get a new BINGO card each Sunday
2. you can use your FREE sticker on any square you want
3. you earn one ticket for every bingo (5 squares in a row)
4. tickets are redeemable for things like popsicles and extra Wii time
5. a BLACKOUT by Saturday night is rewarded with vacation spending money


I added two rules:
6. your morning routine must be completed before earning squares
7. a maximum of four squares can be earned each day. {with the one free square I gift them, they can complete their card during the monday-saturday time frame.}

I smiled as I went downstairs and read spencer's chalk board post. and I haven't heard "I'm bored" or "what can we do?" yet. so, after two days of activities, I'm deeming this a successful venture. if you're looking for a fun activity for your children this summer, hop on over to stacy's summer bingo post to start your own summer bingo!
and don't forget to yell BINGO!

right now

:: we're inside today, because the heat index is 100 and it's 91 degrees outside. so it's HOT!

:: the boys are each earning a bingo square having 'quiet time'- one with an ipod and the other's DS and one with the other's psp. yes...electronic time counts, but more on that in another post.

:: I'm doing laundry, thinking about a Girl Scout post and still knitting mittens.

what does your right now look like? go see ali's right now from this morning!

words for wednesday

only the disciplined are truly free.

the undisciplined are slaves to

moods, appetites, and passions.

- The 8th Habit, page 74

monday, monday

for today...
outside my window...my grass is waiting to mowed

I am thinking...about how to energize my business

I am thankful for...the things I don't ask for or need, but am blessed with anyway

from the kitchen...breakfast for dinner with a fun new kitchen tool

I am wearing...black shorts, lime green t, white socks

I am creating...a summer activity plan for the boys and an advent calendar is on the needles

I am going...for a bike ride with spencer and later this week will have to buy a new tv

I am reading...my Bible and life:beautiful magazine

I am hoping...for a block of time to eliminate a few piles I've created

I am hearing...the hum of the air conditioner

around the house...is order (for just one day)

one of my favorite things...listening to the play by play and analyzing taking place as all three boys watch the college world series of baseball together

a few plans for the rest of the week...baseball games, baseball practices, a meeting with cookies to bake for, a summer in the shade concert, ladies game night, and a night of work

a picture to share...

finding this post layout was a blessing today. these wonderful blogs were the originals ali edwards, apple likes orange, and the simple woman's daybook.

thank you, dad

dear dad,

thank you for teaching me the value of hardwork.

I may not be the smartest, but I can work as hard as anyone.

thank you for teaching me the names of the tools in your tool box.

I can fetch just about any tool for mark without asking what it looks like.

thank you for teaching me how to read a ruler (over and over).

measuring is a lot easier.

thank you for teaching me to look you in the eye when talking to you.

people appreciate the attention.

thank you for getting upset when we ruined something of value.

I value and respect my things.

thank you for working hard to allow mom to stay home with us full time.

her example made me a better wife and mother.

thank you for loving me.

I love you back!!

a plan + bits of time = knitting success

skeins her way has issued a summer knitting challenge. the first step is easy-write up your summer knitting goals! the second step is a little more difficult- make the time to work your plan!

like ali, I'm a list maker! I love the process of getting things out of my head and onto paper. writing things down, frees my mind from thinking about said things one minute after another. that being the case, I have a franklin planner that holds my daily to do lists and a notebook that holds future works in progress. Lord willing, this summer I will:
:: completely finish my wip advent calendar
:: make myself a cowl and matching fingerless mitts
:: face my fear and begin knitting my february lady sweater

once written out, it's much easier to break down goals into bite size daily pieces. just saying that reminds me to take my own advice in other areas of my life. what are your summer goals?

words for wednesday

see everything,

overlook a great deal,

correct a little.

-Pope John XXIII

summer begins!

summer has started! no matter what the date is in my franklin, summer begins after school is out. today was our first whole day of summer, and I was totally blessed with a wonderful day. no plans on the calendar, just a day at home with my boys. I started with an exercise walk that got my juices flowing. then after a quick house pick up off to the kitchen I went for lots of fun.

I started with chocolate chip cookies (spencer reminded me that the cookie jar was empty), added chocolate chip muffins (spencer reminded me that I forgot to make them last week), and finished with my most anticipated event- freezer jam!

I've seen so many of you making freezer jam, that I just had to try something new this year. during our anniversary weekend trip, mark blessed me with a late afternoon trip to a "you pick" strawberry patch. we so enjoyed the hour of picking! mark described our weekend so perfectly, so please go visit his blog.

I was prepped and ready to go last night.which made for a smooth process this afternoon. that and having the right pampered chef tools for the job. :)special thanks to erin {house on hill road} for describing her freezer jam process so precisely that even a first timer like me could make it a successful venture.

I followed her directions with these mods: I chose to use regular mouth 8 oz. jars. I used four quarts of berries with four boxes of pectin which yielded 23 jars of jam.

as I worked in the kitchen, spencer and connor played on the computers. they started side by side then ended one up and one down, so I pulled out the walkie talkies to ease their communication. the giggling, the jokes, the fun walkies bring...all made me smile.

the evening brought backyard baseball and photo fun.

these brothers share such a special bond. I am so, so blessed!

words for wednesday

"Hope for the moment. There are times when its too hard to believe in the future, when we are temporarily just not brave enough. When this happens, concentrate on the present. Cultivate le petit bonheaur (the little happiness) until courage returns. Look forward to the beauty of the next moment, the next hour, the promise of a good meal, sleep, a book, a movie, the likelihood that tonight the stars will shine. Sink roots into the present until strength grows to think about tomorrow."

-Ardis Whitman

Special thanks to Stacy for sharing this quote.

emphasis added by me.

together

it was 18 years ago today, that I married my sweet. oh the places we have gone! oh the moments we have shared! oh the dreams we have yet to realize! this is the man God had planned for me. he loves me so unconditionally, so completely, so perfectly. he completes me!

happy anniversary, my sweet!

words for wednesday

choose a good reputation over great riches,

for being held in high esteem is better

than having silver or gold.

Proverbs 22:1 NLT