Daybook

For today Easter Sunday April 12.

Outside my window...it is dark and fairly cool, but the coolness is not making it through the open window...I'm hot!

I am thinking...about the 15 hours that I have this week to get things better organized in our home while the kids are at Spring break camp every morning.

I am thankful...for the great a restful Easter we had.

From the kitchen...no big plans yet, probably the calzones we never had last week and ribs from the freezer...not sure what else.

From the learning rooms...the kids will be learning "under the sea" stuff at their camp, then home for math and a little history (because I am so hooked on it--it's my favorite part of the day). I also borrowed two Dear America books set during WW2 that I hope we'll read this week. Jake will be doing How to Make and Apple Pie and see the world for FIAR. I am soo hooked on this website where I've gotten tons of great ideas and downloads.

I am creating...I plan to make a pillow case for a certain reader's son whose birthday has already come and gone and hope to get it in the mail this week.

I am wearing...a red t shirt and sleeping shorts.

I am reading...I finished Eclipse today and just started Breaking Dawn.

I am hoping...to get a lot done this week.

I am hearing...this loud computer that sounds like it is getting ready to die (and acts like it too).

Around the house...major reorganiziation coming up!!

One of my favorite things...the camp that the kids are going to run by kids for kids!!

I am going...to bed in a minute.

A few plans for the rest of the week...organization (if I keep saying it you'll hold me accountable right?), no Theatre, PE etc... because of spring break. On Friday we head out of town where Mike will be going to a Catholic Men's conference, and the kids and I will have some fun with friends...probably at the zoo.

A picture thought... I didn't get today's pictures on here yet, here's another from yesterday.

The Easter Bunny

Guess who ended up dressing up like the Easter Bunny for our church's egg hunt this morning...

The big kids hid the eggs (all 750 of them!)



Then out came the little kids...






That was one hot costume!!


ahhh relief...

Easter Stuff

For some reason as "festive" as we are, we often don't get around to coloring eggs. I'm not really sure why, we have tons of traditions surrounding Easter and all other holidays, and I have nothing against coloring eggs (I like doing it), we often just don't get to it. Maybe we will at some point later today, but since we have plans all afternoon, and church tonight...it's not really looking like it. Here are some crafts and activities we did get to for Easter.

Decorating Easter cards


Our salt dough tomb for Jesus started out like this
...but ended up like this

...so we had to change geers and do it this way


And my favorite...here is Madi's picture from art class yesterday...

Three brains

Yesterday Jonathan and Madi were studying the human brain for science and all three kids made brains out of playdough.

Thirteen Random things

I have no idea where this post will end up, but I'm going to attempt Thirteen things that are on my mind on this beautiful Thursday morning...

1. Memere passed away one year ago today. It is really hard to believe, she was such an important part of our lives.

2. Today is Holy Thursday also called Maundy Thursday...our beloved "Auntie" (who passed away almost 5 years ago) once cracked us up using that term when we weren't familiar with it. Never does a Maundy Thursday go by that I don't think of her (and miss her).

3. Our friends Jeff and Kelly and their kids are supposed to be coming over today and spending the night. They live in NC and have been at Disney. Both Memere and Auntie really liked Jeff.

4. Because of Jake's Tball game tonight and our company coming, it doesn't look like I'll be making it to Church.

5. Jonathan and Madi are going to help hide the eggs at our church's Easter Egg hunt on Saturday. Jonathan was asked to wear the Easter Bunny costume, but he declined. Give him a hard time about it when you see him. (anyone can come I think it's at 10)

6. We've attempting to make a salt dough tomb to lay Jesus in tomorrow (he'll be gone on Sunday morning..."He is not here He has risen"), but it is not turning out so well (it's not hardening right)

7. Jake is really getting into Five in Row...it is right up his alley because he gets so into things anyway. Here are the lapbooks for Peter Rabbit and Make Way for Ducklings...


8. Jonathan did the lights for the Living Stations of the Cross the past two Sundays.

9. I was sad to see Scott go home on American Idol last night. He is such an inspiration and he sang one of my all time favorite songs (I'd actually forgotten about that song!).

10. Jake and Madi are at PE right now and I'm going to be late picking them up because I'm blogging.

11. Jonathan went to work with Mike today, but will be back soon (they had to drop off a "bid" hours away--they left at 6am).

12. Kids are coming over for writing club in a little while and I have no idea what we are doing. Last time I had no plans either and it went really well.

13. Jonathan and Madi read the book A Letter to Mrs Roosevelt yesterday it was really good. I highly recommend it. We also read Amelia and Eleanor go for a Ride (a picture book)...they really did know each other! Jonathan and Madi are working on an Amelia Earhart lapbook. We are now listening to Out of the Dust. I love studying this whole time period (Depression, dust bowl, WW2, Holocaust etc)

Daybook

For today Sunday night April 5.

Outside my window...it is dark.

I am thinking...about The Guiding Light going off the air--I just saw this on yahoo. I do not watch it, but I watched it faithfully from third grade (yes THIRD GRADE) until I was a junior in high school. I've thought about it a few times recently--for example it started out on the radio and as part of our history, we've discussed how in "the old days" people listened to radio shows, also Memere (who passed away a year ago this week) always watched it, she called it her story. I really have no interest in soap operas, but I think I just might have to watch the last episode (it is in September).

I am thankful...that my kids don't watch soap operas.

From the kitchen...I'm excited to make spinach lasagna with alfredo sauce this week, we'll also have pork tenderloin, and calzones.

From the learning rooms...the Holocaust, Jake will be doing Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel for Five in a Row, in math Jonathan is doing circles (circumference and area...he just learned about pi last week).

I am creating...literate kids.

I am wearing...a new black shirt that is a different style for me...it's kind of puffy, I bought a few different ones yesterday... and black pants.

I am reading...New Moon.

I am hoping...for a very productive yet calm and thoughtful Holy Week.

I am hearing...Madi working on her AWANA.

Around the house...I just read to Jake and he's asleep in his very clean room (Mike, Madi and I all helped Jake with it yesterday), I just helped Mike cut his hair and shave his neck, I'm helping Madi with her AWANA as I type this, I'm sure Jonathan will be looking for me for something soon, and I really want to go read my book and watch the UCONN women's game.

One of my favorite things..."Dot's apple pie"--I made one today.

I am going...nowhere tomorrow.

A few plans for the rest of the week...Easter preparation including having Jonathan and Madi watch The Passion of the Christ, probably coloring eggs, and maybe resurrection cookies, plus all the usual, and friends coming to stay with us for one night on Thursday.

Some picture thoughts... Madi's birthday cake picture from art class


Great friends who came to visit today who we haven't seen in 7 1/2 years!

Thursday Thirteen

I'm a bit of a cheater because I latched on to this Thursday Thirteen thing and I'm not really linking to them. For my loyal readers however I will share with you thirteen plays that at least someone in my family has seen in the past year. I chose this while I was blogging it in my head this morning while watching If You Give a Pig a Party. Hey by the way, did you all notice that I wasn't on the computer at all yesterday? I'm not giving it up cold turkey, but I hope to slow way down (not necessarily on the posting, but on the checking 15+ times a day)...

1. The kids and I went to see If You Give a Pig a Party today. It was just going to be a "date" for me and Jake, but at the last minute there were two more tickets available.

2. Last week was The Hundred Dresses.


3. Also last week was GREASE at a local high school.

4. A few weeks ago we saw Junie B Jones and a Little Monkey Business.


5. In December we saw A Christmas Story.

6. In the fall we saw Robin Hood.

7. Also in the fall Jonathan saw his first Broadway Show-- Phantom of the Opera with Grandpa Sal.

8. Also with Grandpa Sal this past summer we saw a free and amazing production of South Pacific on our summer family reunion vacation.


9. In October just before Madi got her braces, the orhodontist gave her two tickets to see a touring production of the Wizard of Oz.


10. For Valentine's Day the little kids' theatre class put on a show, Madi was a helper...I love this picture.

Last summer we did go see two OTHER childrens' theatre plays, Pinocchio and The Wind in the Willows (but no pictures). Last spring we saw Narnia and Miracle Worker and probably some more plays, but all those pictures are on the old [even more broken] computer. So for the last three we'll do ones the kids were in...

11. Beauty and the Beast a month ago...





12. Annie!

13. ...and Jonathan in Guys and Dolls...