Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Mallory's birthday part #2

Mallory had a great sleepover with two friends this past weekend. They are both sweet girls from our church that we have known for many years. They had a nice time at our house, playing games (inside and out), seeing our chickens, talking and giggling, watching a new movie on DVD, eating brownies and more! I love seeing the friendships develop and grow. I'm so thankful that my kids have such neat friends!
 A new Star Wars sweatshirt!

 A new hairbrush, necklace, earrings...
New shower gel and lotion...
Selfies in the back seat on the way to church... nice smiles and silliness! :-D
So happy to be together, and celebrate our tween!


Psalm 122:8
For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.”

Proverbs 12:26
The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

John 15:13-
14
And Jesus said... "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command."

Monday, October 16, 2017

Marie-Grace and Cecile Weeks 1-6 highlights

In our American Girl class, since I have already covered Marie-Grace and Cecile before, I am just going to post highlights. We've had a fun semester so far, and can't believe the semester is half over already! The girls are so sweet, tell me thank you after class, and I love seeing their friendships develop. Even though I only have 7 girls this semester, it is just right.

We've enjoyed all of the crafts, even if some of them didn't finish them in class.
 The first week we made Mardi Gras masks.
 My daughter improved her mask at home the next day:

 My daughter Mallory helped in class one day and took selfies with these girls:
 Working on drawing portraits...
 Several girls drew pictures of each other, I loved the detail that they included!

 This past week, we made hair wraps and grated nutmeg, like Cecile did in our book:

I'm so thankful for these girls! What a joy they are to me! I'm looking forward to beginning Kirsten next week!


Psalm 16:11
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

John 17:13
“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.

2 John 1:4
It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Mallory's 11th birthday party!

We had a *magical* 11th birthday party for Mallory this past weekend, with a Harry Potter theme! She has been reading the books for several months (she is currently reading book #3) and thought it would be fun to have a Hogwarts party. She scoured Pinterest and pinned some great ideas. I narrowed them down into things we could really do at our home. Everything turned out great! Rebekah had had an owl-themed party, but never Harry Potter! It was fun to plan and execute!
Since Caleb had a bonfire at his high school on that day after marching band practice, we went out to eat at a local pizza place in Fruita. Mallory opened a few small gifts there, on her birthday. She loved her Wonder Woman lego set, Harry Potter bag tag and little "tsum tsum" characters from Bethany.
On the morning of her party, we made a bunch of potion bottles and put them on a cake display tray. We also had some magic wands from Christmas a few years ago around the tray. We addressed a bunch of envelopes to Harry Potter and hung them, along with white balloons colored to look like Hedgwig, Harry's owl.
My sister-in-law, Allison made a bunch of golden snitches, and I made veggie plates that looked like owls, along with magic wands (pretzel rods) dipped in vanilla candy coating. 
After dinner (pasta salad as the main dish), we chatted and then opened presents. Mallory loved all of the clothes, DVDs, coloring books and toys that she received.


Opening more gifts....
Another DVD...
We posed on our back porch in our Harry Potter outfits, like we were in the Daily Prophet, which has moving pictures. The live photos worked well for that!

While we were posing for pictures, Joshua's mom was inside the house making "butter beer." 
Caleb and Nana squirted each other with whip cream...
 The butter beer ready to serve...
 Joshua and Nana made a cool owl cake!
Blowing out eleven candles... Happy birthday to our dear Mallory! 



Genesis 37:9
Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

Deuteronomy 1:3
In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the Lord had commanded him concerning them. 

Matthew 28:16
[ The Great Commission ] Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.

Mark 16:14
Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Naps

I love naps. I liked taking naps when I was in high school on Sunday afternoons, for FOUR hours. I still like taking naps. I've read many times how the average American does not get enough sleep. According to my sleep app on my phone, I average about 7 1/2 hours of sleep each night. If I take an hour nap, I feel so much better the rest of the day. Part of the reason I like naps now is that I get a break from my kids and my home duties. (As a homeschool mom, this is important sometimes!)

I also like naps because I have chronic back pain, due partly to scoliosis and kyphosis. If I lie down to rest my back, it will relax and not hurt as much. I don't slouch when I lie down. I feel less stressed if I nap too. 

Of course, I do not get a nap every day. I do nap often on Sunday afternoons. It is a nice time to rejuvenate after the busy Friday and Saturday, as they often are.

I've also read one hundred years ago, they got more sleep than we do now. Of course, they didn't have all of the technology that we have now. There were no TV's, VCR's, DVD players and movies to watch at home, and there were no CD's to listen to. If I had to try to read a book or hand-sew by candlelight, I'd probably go to bed earlier too!


 I think taking a break from the everyday grind is healthy too. I mean, there are people who go home for a siesta every day in other countries. Even God took time to rest after creating the earth and all that is in it. Why shouldn't we follow his example and rest too?

I loved napping when my babies did. I was actually sad when my oldest child turned five and didn't need to nap anymore. Of course, when they are sick my kids still nap. Now they just need to be quiet and read or play quietly while I nap. They can't leave the house or answer the door unless they know the friend or family member.
I know there are lots of people who can't nap or don't like naps. If naps are too long, I do get very groggy and can't fall asleep that night. But when I was in high school, I could take long naps-- no problem. Sometimes I wish I could nap like that again, but alas, there is too much to do! I will enjoy them when I can get them. I'm glad that my hair recovers from being slept on too!

What about you? Do you like naps or not?


Psalm 3:5
I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.

Psalm 4:8
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Proverbs 3:24
When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
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