Small town library

When we first moved back here, I was slightly disappointed by the library. But I have grown to love the library we visit because it's the same one I went to as a little girl. I love that some of these books could be the exact ones I read when I was a child, now coming home with me once again. So far, if I'm patient, I can get any book I want for the kids and myself. It usually ends up coming from the Fresno County libraries, but I enjoy this feature. I can just go online to my libraries website and request whatever NYTimes bestseller I've been wanting to read, and depending how many other people have also requested it, I get to read it for FREE (well actually it's 50 cents). I love that about libraries and I have read some really good ones lately. But as for the kids, I just recently read this book.
Any of you with children or grandchildren need to read this book on the importance of reading and reading aloud to your kids. I had no idea that I should be transitioning Blynn to chapter books by now, so we have been doing that with these Raggedy Ann books that my Grandma had here in the house. You know when your child brings you a book and there are way more words on the page than pictures and you talk your child out of reading that one. Well, at least that's what I did.

The Raggedy Ann doll is Sherri's. Blynn was so impressed that she had the exact doll that was in her book.

I always had an example of readers in the house I grew up in. My parents were always reading for pleasure and my mom used to try to get Stac and I to read for pleasure during summers, but that didn't happen regularly. And in school/college the last thing you want to do is read for pleasure when you are already reading so much for school. But I must say that the "Harry Potter" series really increased my confidence in reading long books and ignited my love for reading. What book started your love of reading for pleasure?

Buzz and Belle: Meet You At The Pole

I'm not sure there are any words to describe this picture.

Privileged

I had a great Mother's Day today! I still can't believe that God has entrusted these two lives to us, making me a MOM. I was awoken this morning by both of them running into the room and Rusty saying very clearly, "Happy Mother's Day, get up Mommy!" I love these two kids and am so grateful for being their Mommy.

Cousin visit

Our family came to visit us from Hawaii. We rendezvous'd in Lancaster which is where everyone coming from Hawaii likes to rendezvous. It was a great weekend. Our road trip down went well as you can see from the above picture; and despite a detour on the way home, our trip home went well too.

Here are all the cousins enjoying each other.

This was a birthday party for Kai, but he didn't manage to get into the picture.

Addy could not be talked into wearing her haku for church this morning so Blynn got to wear it and was amazed that Auntie Aiko flew all the way from Hawaii with that lei just for her.

The best part of the weekend was soaking up one of Gabe's sermons. I'm good for a couple of months and then I'll need another!

One of these things .....

... is not like the others.

We have several little pantry areas and this is the breakfast/cracker pantry. I cleaned it out the other day and was very proud of myself, adding some cereal storage containers. About three days later I opened the cabinet to find this defiance. There is clearly a box out of place and to add to it, the bin just to the left of it is EMPTY. Not acceptable and the culprit has already been notified and he didn't seem to care as much as I did.

Back in the day (whatever that means), I would have taught him an object lesson by pouring the rest of this cereal in his bed, but since I share this bed with him I decided against it.

Spring Strawberries

Now it's really starting to get ridiculous because I just think of food I want to revolve a learning activity around. I'm sure C-chocolate will be next. Anyway, we did S yesterday and ate strawberries too. They are sooooo good right now!

My nephews Luke and Sam were over to help with this activity.

Nesting?

I think I might be nesting. No, I am definitely not pregnant, but I've been going through the house like crazy for the last couple of months and organizing cabinets and making things visibly appealing. My biggest feat yet is the other bathroom. Up until a few months ago, my house only had one bathroom in my mind. I couldn't stand the other bathroom and wouldn't acknowledge that it existed. But I have embraced it now and it is fast becoming one of my favorite rooms in the house. Here is part of the transformation.

A stack of frames from the dollar store.

Price: just under $20, but so much cheaper than actually building another bathroom.

Here's another project of mine. We changed Blynn's room around and I sewed her some curtains that actually match her bedding and not her old crib set which is what I had up. But this is something I did with an old frame and I really like it.

These are Blynn's fingerprints. I'm really into owls right now, so therefore Blynn is too! Not by any choice of her own.
Here's the ruffly curtains.

Budding Artist

Blynn painted this for our bedroom the other day. I deleted the picture of her actually doing the painting on accident from our camera which I'm very sad about, but she did it. I've been trying to liven up different areas of the house which I have found boring for some time with either things we already have or very little money. I have had this canvas laying around for a long time meaning to do something with it, so finally it has been used and I love it!!!

My Redeemer Lives

Rusty got a hold of the camera!

We had a good Easter today and surprisingly Todd was not called to work all weekend. We are not used to having him home on holidays so it is always a fun treat.

Pp

Today we learned the letter 'Pp'. So as you can see, we made pizza paper p's and for dinner we had pizza. I really enjoy incorporating food into these learning opportunities.



This is by far one of our favorite books. It is the cutest story of a pea who is forced to eat 5 pieces of candy before he can have dessert "spinach". And he hates candy!

This is another great book about the parable of the pearl of great price. The book ends with Jesus' words "God is like the merchant's pearl. It costs everything to know Him. But He is worth more than anything in the world." And then I made the kids meditate on these words for half an hour, ha! yeah right!