A sad Friday.............Connecticut school shooting

On days like today, of which our nation has had far too many, I cherish the knowledge that my children are at home with me.

 

Even on the tough days, I am SO thrilled to teach them at home.

 

It is a privilege I do not wish to take for granted.

 

First day of school 2012

 

 

Learning to knit on Christmas morning 2011

 

 

Levi working on a family tree

 

 

Evan's first Cub Scout Pack Meeting

 

 

Ava as Kirsten (American Girl)

 

 

Mad scientist Levi

 

 

Bibleman Evan with his sword of Truth

 

 

Seeding a Chia Turtle (that never grew)

 

 

I sure do love those kiddos.

 

And I'm grateful to get to tuck them in bed one more time tonight.

 

I can only imagine how the heart's of those families ache who had to say goodbye to their children today.  I pray God overwhelms their grief with his unending love.

 

 

 

2012 Annual Ladies Christmas Dinner...............

I LOVE Christmas!  Last Friday night our church hosted our annual Ladies Christmas Dinner again, and it was beautiful!  It is always so much fun to prepare for and I usually begin thinking about next year's table immediately after our dinner.  I already have ideas.  :)

My table this year was a "Farmhouse" theme.  I mostly used items I already had at home, but bought/made just a few things.

I originally borrowed a dark green table cloth from a friend, as we used round tables for the first time this year and I don't own a round table cloth.  But, then I decided you don't HAVE to use a round table cloth just because your table is round.  I used these two black and white buffalo check curtains I made about 5 years ago for a house we lived in that had tall windows.  I have been using them for table cloths since we moved and really like the bold, country statement they make.

I bought 3 glass candlesticks and 3 small hurricane vases at the Dollar Tree to make the candlesticks you see in the photo.  Actually, Matt made them for me and I just tied ribbon around them.  :P  The photos make the ribbon look yellow, but it is really a nice, dark champagne color.

Yes, those are REAL chicken eggs in that wire basket!  I think I got a few looks from a few people about decorating with eggs, but hey, I thought they were great!  Quite a few other women did tell me they thought they were a nice touch, also.  The blue eggs are from our Aracauna hens, and I used that as my inspiration color for my table.  I wanted a nice accent of that blue, but just that.  An accent.  I repeated it in the candles and the ribbon that I tied around the candy boxes.

My  granny gave me the oil lamp.  The milk bottles were found years ago at a yard sale.  I just filled them with salt.  The sparkly twig garland was bought from Hobby Lobby 3 years ago and I love it so much I have used it each year since!  I was NOT happy about the price ($20 each and that was HALF PRICE!), but I am getting alot of mileage out of it.

 

That's me on the right.  I only knew 3 people at my table.  The other 5 were guests of a friend from church.  It's always nice to meet new people!

 

I'll show some of the other tables another time.  They were all so pretty and it's fun to see some women's personalities really shine through the way they decorate!

 

Fun Fridays: American Girl thrift store makeover

I REALLY wish I had a before picture of this doll!  Her hair was a mess!  I found her at a thrift store (last year, actually) for $2.92!!!!  I REPEAT, $2.92!!!!!  Score!!!

She is a pre-Mattel Kirsten.  That means (for all you "normal" people who don't understand AG lingo) that she was made when American Girl was still owned by Pleasant Company and not Mattel.

Anway, that's not really significant unless you care about such things.  What IS important is that we gave her a little makeover for a friend of Ava's.

We washed that ratty hair and even her cloth body, although it was not real dirty.  Her limbs needed a good scrubbing with baking soda and a rag.

After she was dry, I snipped off about an inch of hair just so I could get a comb through it.  Then, tediously, I sectioned small pieces of hair and used a large curling iron to straighten and smooth it.  It took a little while and I had to trim more to make it even, but the results were amazing!

We added some color back to her lips and cheeks just using a peachy pink water soluble marker.  Color some onto the cheek area and immediately use your finger to rub it in.  Very nice!

We made her a Popover Dress free from Oliver + S.  So fast and easy!  I added the rick rack and pocket just to add a little something extra.  The crocs were bought from a sewing booth at the homeschool fair we attend every year.  They can be found at her online store The Sewing Basket.

A lovely doll for $3 buckaroos!  *Like*