1.31.2011

4 Times 12 ~ January




I started a new project this year. To take the time to record our family in a picture at least once per month. For January, we went out to one of the babies' favorite spots...the playhouse. They could seriously stay out there all day. Baby Girl enjoys going in and out, in and out. And Baby Boy is her little shadow, following her all over...in, out, by the yard, in our house, back to the playhouse. Wherever Sis is is where he wants to be. It is seriously cute, but in a few years if he STILL does it, I'm sure Baby Girl won't think it's quite so cute anymore.

Weekend




Had a wonderful Sabbath with friends. We went out to take some pictures for Valentine's day. This little cutie even wanted to pose for a few. We're getting ready to start another busy week with midterms due at school and a trip for a teacher's meeting. Then a Valentine's banquet this weekend. Sometime in all that I hope to get my pictures edited. We'll see what happens...oh add that in to computer problems. Hopefully I CAN do the pictures.

1.23.2011

I Live for the Weekend


Love the weekends...
Spending time with my family, just relaxing and hanging out in our p.j.'s on a cold day like to day. Lots of reading, tickling, and laughing. Also, this weekend...spent time with the one friend I've been friends with the longest. Jen came for a visit. Hard to believe that we've been friends, as she reminded me, for more than a quarter of a century!


1.21.2011

Busy, Busy

What a busy week this has been! And a crazy one! I had Monday off, which was nice. I got to spend some extra time with my babies. It was great, but we had lots to do...pictures for Baby Boy and some other errands. Later this week he also had a doctor's appointment for a wellness check up...his nine month one since he missed it while he was sick last month. Luckily he didn't have to get the usual crazy number of shots he gets each time. This time he only had one...his second flu shot.
Baby girl has had a terrible time the last few weeks at school. When I drop her off, they have to almost peel her off of me, kicking and screaming and calling, "Mommy!" I hate that. I have always hated that I had to drop her off there, that I wasn't able to be at home with her. And this just adds to it! There have been a couple of mornings that we have both ended up in tears just about.
On top of all of that, it's been extremely busy at school. In my classroom, we have had a mini society. The students have learned about money. They have been earning money for about three months (fake money of course). They have to pay rent and taxes, utilities, insurance, and tithe. They each have a job in the class. On Friday's they have been paid and had to pay their bills and any fines from the police, etc. They have had to decide what to put into the classroom bank and what to spend at our (almost) weekly store. Then while all of this was going on, they were, behind the scene, planning a small business. They could choose to work with another classmate or to run their own business. Today was the day they saw their hard work pay off and their business come into being. They actually gathered their supplies, planned everything, and today, ran (successfully, I might add) their business during our marketplace. We opened up our shops to the rest of the school who came to buy goods and services with our "money". We had a variety of shops from snacks to face painting to carnival games and nail salons. We even had toy stores and massages. The top selling student was able to rake in over $100 in class cash. (Unfortunately, one only made $2.) It was such a great learning experience for them. Next week they will be able to spend the rest of their profits...they spent some today on the shops...on our final class auction. I've heard a lot of positives about the experience from students, parents, and other teachers at our school. I KNOW it is something the kids will remember, and I'd like to do it again next year with a few tweaks. We'll see how it goes. Now on to finishing up our Oregon trail simulation and getting ready for our poetry reading day where they students will be reading from a book of original poetry they have created.
Yes, we've been very busy, but we're learning a lot!
Unbelievably, I do not have any new pictures to share from the week. So...I will leave you with some old shots of Baby Girl that I never posted.




1.14.2011

Remembering

Editing some pictures tonight...found some treasures I never posted. Not sure why, but I am now. I <3 them very much!








1.13.2011

So Thankful

I'm so thankful this morning that my husband is back in good health. God surely knew what he was doing when he created man and woman to be a team. Being a single parent is very hard work. Thank goodness the other half of Team Nowotny is back!

1.11.2011

Yesterday, on my way home, I had a little scare...I rounded a corner and was met with a car coming at me head on (on a divided highway)! Fortunately, I was able to scoot over into another lane quickly since no other cars were coming.
I've had my share of "incidents" on the road. I remember when I was like 3 or 4 that my parents had this tiny Datsun pickup truck. The cab was large enough for 2 adults and maybe one kid in the middle. My sister and I usually rode in the back (we had a camper). One day, a friend of my parents was over and we were all going to go somewhere together in the truck. This lady had two kids also. For some reason that day, we all piled in to the cab of the truck ...yes, that's right: three adults and four kids. On the way to wherever we were going, our truck was hit...it was completely totaled. The spot of impact? You may have guessed it: the back of the truck...where the four of us kids should have been riding. I don't call that a coincidence.
I was thinking of this incident yesterday after meeting the car head-on. I'm so thankful to have been provided with protection in both cases.
All I could think about on the way home was one of my favorite verse from the Bible:
Isaiah 65:24 ~ I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!
I am so thankful for that promise and that before I even knew I was in danger, it was being taken care of.

1.10.2011

A Reversible Cape



I love Christmas and giving gifts. One of the most fun to give is a gift that comes from the heart...a homemade one that is made especially for a special someone. This year I have taken on several handmade gifts: a Bible for Aiden with felt movable pieces that is a quiet book for church, a pizza with lots of toppings for Jade (which she loves), and this....a reversible Superman/Batman cape for my nephew, Aiden. He is in the superhero stage and I knew this would be perfect. It was super easy to make (even without a pattern). Rhett helped me find a logo which I cut out of fabric and sewed onto the cape I had cut out. Then I stitched it all together. This is seriously an hour or so project. The hardest part of it was turning it inside out. It took me longer to do that than it did to make the rest. I'm thinking about a better way to do that part next time since the neck straps are so skinny and had velcro inside of them. I still want to make one for Jude and I have most everything already cut out or saved for one in the future. Needless to say, all the projects have been a hit. Next in line, a felt playhouse for Jade's birthday...and a car mat quilt for Jude's 2nd birthday oh, and I'm hoping to recover our couch as well. Now to find some time...

So my little guy just cried and cried tonight when I put him to bed. So after a while, I went to check on him. There he was, standing up in his bed. When he saw me, he gave the biggest smile I've ever seen, his eyes lit up, and he flashed his cute little dimples at me. I mean, really, after all that, What's a Momma to do?

1.04.2011

A Little Late

I know, I KNOW...I'm a little late...but I just had to post this beautiful song. Hey, the reason for Christmas is not just for Christmastime.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR7lo9ycKBA