Snapshot Sunday

This was a gift for playing in the chamber orchestra for our junior college chamber choir. Two weeks ago I threw away the dead, dried out remains of last years gift just in time to make room for this years. I know, I know!

Snow day! Sleddig is definately on the agenda for tomorrow. I wonder how Beth will like it.

Isn't it amazing how quickly a flat space - any flat space - will fill up with stuff!

That is Emma's water bottle kept by the bed in case she gets thirsty in the middle of the night. But last night I woke Tuan as I was nursing Beth because I was soooooooo thirsty! So he handed me Emma's! I suppose he really didn't want to get up! lol

Or perhaps it was because it was so stinkin' cold last night. Our heater conked out sometime in the evening but we didn't notice until this morning when it was 58 degrees in our house! Pretty cold if you are used to 68-70 degrees! An awesome friend brought over an extra heater that they have for us to use until Tuan can get to an electric store to get the proper part. He has jimmied it to work for now. I have awesome friends and an awesome husband that can figure out how to fix things so we don't have to pay time and a half for an off-hours house call!


Emma and Daniel love to get this dollar wooden "puppets" that come with three markers at Michaels. Emma used to just scribble on them a bit but now enjoys coloring more of it and with more colors (we also now have quite a stash of markers in all colors!)

Time for chocolate

I was craving some chocolate. So I pulled out some pecans (that's puh-cauns. Pee-cans are what you keep under your bed at night lol) and set to work making some chocolate sauce. And now for my embarrassing admission of the day. I was stirring the sauce when I noticed that my spatula was suddenly shorter! Oh bother - I melted the spatula and had to start the sauce all over. :o( I think Santa may be bringing me some new heat resistant spatulas in my Christmas stocking! lol


It was worth it!


Some chocolate and a few - er tons! of sprinkles later and we were feasting!



I asked Emma what we should do with the rest of the chocolate sauce. She suggested we pour it over some popcorn.

It seems that Daniel had other plans! lol

The Kid's Christnas Tree

Thanksgiving evening the kids and Tuan brought in the Christmas decorations and the 3-ft tree.

The kids got right to work decorating it.



Daniel helped Tuan put the hanger in the wall For the advent calender.


Emma hung the calender.


Beth slept.

A postcard from Easter Island

My brother Dale and Dad are on a two month trip around the world! Lucky them!

I found a map book of the world at a garage sale a while ago and we pull it out often to find places. When we got a neat postcard in the mail from my brother, I decided it was time for a larger map for our wall.

We had lots of fun maping their trip so far.



But we ran into a small problem when they left tahiti and flew to New Zealand. Our map has the Atlanntic down the center. But they flew across the pacific. So we ended the thread on the left and picked it up on the right. We were at the library later and Em saw more easily how they flew across the Pacific. Perhaps a globe is next on the list!


(pre-fix picture)

The toy book

Often when the kids get bored with cabin fever or just tired and cranky I always find myself at a loss for ideas. So I decided to make a list of toys that they have so I could more easily suggest something. But as always with me what started as a simple list turned into a colorful picture flip book of all their toys. So now they can look through it and find something fun just as eadily as I can.



I labeled each card because Emma is so interested in letters and how to spell words right now. I "laminated" the pictures with packing tape so they will hopefully last a bit longer.

Punching the holes was the most tedious but so satisfying to see it all come together.

A trip to the hills

My sister and I got together for an impromptu trip into the hills. We went to be outdoors and to gather crafting "stuff" from nature. We collected and the kids played. I got a bunch of charred wood from the last camper's fire for the kids to draw with.

(because I'm trying to put a few more pictures of me on my blog)

It was a beautiful, if chilly day in the sun. It only took 20 minutes for the sun to settle behind the hills and then it was much colder.


My sis and I both saw this fun tree shape as a great picture op. She actually got one of them all looking - and smiling!


And then they were all off to collect/play more.


Emma did a lot of this:


And a lot of conversations with her cousin (the day ended with a plea for a sleep-over)



Daniel did a lot of this:


And was always on the hunt for a great rock to throw in the small stream that ran next to the camp site.

That's a good one I think!

Beth mostly did this:


Both my sister and I did a lot of this:


I can't wait until summer for some great camping trips!

Our Thankful Tree

Inspired by this project that my sister did with her kids, we made our own Thankful Tree.

Emma helped me draw aand cut out the leaves. Both she and Daniel colored the tree.


Emma is thankful for Jesus and Beth. Daniel is thankful for chips! lol

dishes

Simple title. Meaningful gesture.

When Tuan and I got married he took over the chore of washing dishes. It was never somethimg I actually asked him to do. He just did it because he is such an awesome husband. You see whwn we first got married, I didn't know that I was allergic to gluten and was still eating it. So my hands and arms were always dry and itchy and usually cracked and bleeding (attractive, I know!). Water - especially hot water made it worse.

When I stopped eating gluten to try and clear up Daniel's rashes, mine cleared up too! The excema and itchy blisters went away!! But Tuan kept washing dishes because, well, he's such an awesome husband! lol

But it was never fun giving up time with him in the evenings so that he could wash the dishes. So I decided that I would try to get them done during the day instead. Most days I do and it is working out much better. There are only a days worth of dishes and Tuan doesn't have to come home to a dirty kitchen full of dishes to do. Because I am just an awesome wife like that. hee.

My secret?











Make the kids do it! He'll never know. Well, until he reads this post that is.

Thanksgiving dinner

Since we have both Vietnamese heritage and American heritage in our family our Thanksgiving dinner reflects that. Tuan didn't grow up celebrating Thanksgiving (natch) so a special dinner is from my side. Before Daniel and I stopped eating gluten, I made these eggrolls (Tuan's Dad's recipe and method) often. Now they are a once a year treat for Tuan and Emma. I should make them more often but I hate even bringing gluten into the house.


(Not bad for only making them once a year, eh?)

Roast chicken, Mashed potatoes and gravy, crannberries and stuffing from my side.

Egg rolls and shrimp fried rice from Tuan's side. (If I knew how to make other of his dad's dishes I would - believe me I will learn as soon as I get the chance.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Family Pictures

I added some family pictures to our family website.

http://www.ourfamilylife.com/osufamlefamily/home.php?example=true

Right This Minute

What do you get . . .

When you undo this hairdo after 4 days?



This!

Snapshot Sunday - Emma and Daniel Edition

Introducing my two adorable guest bloggers!

I forgot to take pictures today so I handed the camera to the kids and they snapped away.

I love the foot theme.








How it all started

When kids get the camera

Mommy - take our picture!

I heard fom the bedroom "mom, come take our picture!" I love hearing that. This is what Emma wanted me to take a picture of. I love this picture - it's so colorful and the three adorable kids are nice too!

Black and White

Guess what - my camera has a black and white setting! Who knew? Daniel discovered it for me!