Small Town Dinosaur Museum & House of Mirrors

We went to a little Dinosaur Museum.  The kind that just has mostly replicas of the Dinosaurs.  Not actual bones or fossils?  I know almost nothing about dinosaurs.  As a younger person I had no interest in taking the time to read the "little signs" in museums, but now if I could, I would.  So, I could at least know something about these creatures that walked on the same earth as me.  But, then again if I read the little signs, I would probably forget it in about half a second as retaining scientific knowledge is not my "thing".  So, I guess I am not really complainig about not being able to read the signs - chasing my kids is fun and seeing them "see"!


Like Aliza here.  I think, this dinosaur is actually 4 real (vs. a replica -I did not get to read the sign).  She kept wanting to tickle him.   She kept saying "ticka, ticka, ticka".  It was precious, I should have got it on video.  darn.

I did not take good pictures.  I am not good at taking pictures inside anyway.  I have to have a pretty backdrop, to get excited about really trying to get good pictures.  In a dino museum, that is not happening.

I told the kids to stick their head in,

she was the only one brave enough!

This is all Evan, who is 7 would do.

He is such a chicken!!!

(I can say that since I am his mom!)

But,

 the most fun we had

 was in the house of mirrors!

It was pretty big.

We were the only ones in it.

Cyrus kept running into the glass -

I thought he was going to break the mirrors.

Here is no flash.

bumped up the ISO all the way

and still had to lighten in photoshop elements.

Of course, the flash kept doing this.

I so wish I could have got better pics, oh well.

Why didn't I take pics of where there was no glass? dah!

I did not think, I was in a rush trying to keep up with my family!

I have never been in such a big house of mirrors before!

(The ones in the truck at the county fairs as a kid, were the extent of my house of mirror experiences)

Oh Be Careful Little Ears What You Hear

I am not completely nieve, maybe a little.  And I know I am counter-cultural.  But, in a recent conversation I had with another mom made me realize not only am I fighting what the media portrays as "fine", but many, many parents who are careless or use terrible judgement - I am "fighting" them too.

I was talking with another mother who told me when her son, who, at the time was 6 years old, asked her what (s) (*) (x) was, she told him "exactly" what it was and that it is beautiful for a husband and wife - at least she put that in there.  She said she wants to be the one to explain it to her children.  Well of course!  But, why not baby steps?  Her 4 year old son was present as well- "so he would know too."   She wanted to make sure they did not think it was dirty.  The conversation kept getting worse.  She seemed to not be bothered that this talk was going on (at school) for her boys to hear.  She said her boys know what a bj was too.  And this is a church going mom.  It bothers me that she is not bothered!  Oh, bother...

I am thankful my children have not asked me these things (yet).  At the same time I fear what their little ears hear, that I am not aware of.  I would have taken such a different approach and it makes me sooooo mad the way this mother handled the situation.  As far as I am concerned she added more fuel to the fire.  Will her children keep this information to themselves, probably not.  Do the elementary children who speak of these things get taught, that this is not "appropriate" subject matter, nope - do not even know who "they" are.  And do you suppose if we asked her own children, (now 5 and 7) what they thought of "it", would they really think of "it" as "beautiful"?  No, they will think it is gross.

And so, as I send my children out the door,

I pray to God to protect their little ears from the ways of the world.

We Have Twins!

Evan pointed out the other day:

"Mom, Aliza is twins with her monkey"

That is what she is

 our

 little

 monkey

CONSTANTLY CLIMBING!

I am sure there was supposed to be a bowl,

but it is so much more fun to spread your Fruity Cheerios out -

and have them stick to your jam bams...

Moving on,

I snapped a pic of what maybe the best deal

I

have

ever

gotten ~

So exciting,

I

know

So pretty,

I placed her at my sink

then

over here -

I realize this is strange

moving a plant around my bathroom

taking its picture...

Anywho

$2.50

(plus tax)

at Lowes -

Apparently Lowes does know!

Really that table is not as dirty as it looks!

windows/glass + my camera = smudge magnified

At least that is what I tell myself.

Made These

Lydia made

these

beauties

I saw a lady making them

in Michael's

I knew my Lydia would be all over

making one three.



Next year we will sparkle our magazine Christmas Trees up with paint and glitter.

(Since we did not get to making ours until after Christmas.)

Here are Martha's

Me & My Kiddos

Ahh, the family love

My kids love posing for a picture so we can

remember these times.

Oh, not so much.

Can you see me trying to squeeze Cyrus in the picture...

He was mad because he wanted to take the picture

as I let Evan take a picture earlier.

I do not like letting him touch my camera, let alone hold it by himself!

His 3 year old finger prints

all over the lens...ugh



Merry Christmas 2011

Merry Christmas

Many Blessings to All!

Our Family Advent Wreath 2011

I saw Sarah's post ~ so I thought I would share.

This is the "Stonelook Celtic Advent Wreath"

I know they are supposed to be evergreen

but I just like this one too much!

I bought some very sweet Holy Cards from ebay

for our kindergarten Religious Ed Class to decorated candles.

We glued the cards and some gems on Dollar Tree candles.

This one is minus the "gems".

We will light it on Christmas Day.



Saint Lucia Feast Day - December 13

So, we have been celebrating some more feast days around here.  The kids love it!  There is so much to learn from our Saint Friends in Heaven. Their lives were so incredibly miraculous - it amazes me!  I know there are many "legends", but still many not!

Our Lucy Bride
(We had a hard time coming up with her red sash -
we made do with a cape and some thin ribbon!)

Good Morning!

I think the candles (on her crown) are supposed to be white,

but Lydia wanted them red for Jesus' blood. 

(She is getting ahead of herself for Lent!) So,

she made them red.  She can make anything out of paper -

if we do not have it, she can create a paper version!

She is happy as ever to do it too!

(the red sash was nearly going to be paper!)

our little Liza

crazy morning hair!

So, after school we made candle lights

that you can even eat for a treat!

Still using up that Halloween candy corn...

He is sooo goofy

We read our Lucia book a few days earlier,

it is on the long side for almost all my kids,

so I did not attempt it tonight.

Turns our it was a perfect day to speak of light

as it was a very dark cloudy day around here!