It's a Solid...It's a Liquid...NO...it's OOBLIK

I'm not sure how I taught all those years, through all grades K-5 and did NOT encounter OOBLIK before this...but, today that changed...for today, we made: OOBLIK...

OOBLIK? You ask? Well, if you were like me, you would have no idea what I am talking about...is it a drink? a dog breed? a bad word? nope...none of the above...it's basically just corn starch and water (and we threw in some food coloring for fun!)

The day started out ordinary: Doin' their seat work, reading, working on the computer...but then came time for experiments!!! They had been waiting all weekend (I kinda played it up I hate to admit...fortunately, it was worth it!)

Here are a few pictures of their reactions...we played with it forever...it is the weirdest stuff ever.

Princessed Out? Maybe not...

If any hosuehold has had their fill of "princesses" it has to be ours...Just thinking back, the whole princess thing started when my eldest turned 2...that was over 5 years ago...it's been nonstop princess ever since...and every 2 years, it starts all over again...

Cinderella, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Belle...as they get older, we get into the "Queens of Narnia" and then into Princess Diaries, Enchanted, Ella Enchanted...and again, we start back at the beginning with the dress up dresses, the plastic shoes, the wand, the crowns...dancing with the "prince" (aka Daddy)...sometimes I feel like I'll never get my living room back...it's filled with all that princess paraphenalia...and I think if/when I have to sit through the umpteenth viewing of Cinderella when my youngest starts, I don't know what I'll do...

Soooooo, it surprised me when I was drawn to a book at Barnes N Noble entitled Princess Academy...it was a newbery Honor book, but the title itself should have made me want to turn my head and run...but no, I wrote down that title and went searching for it at my local library.

Maybe it was in an effort to read something other than Disney to my children...maybe I just had a mental lapse...but whatever it was, I started to peruse the book...I only read the first couple chapters to my eldest and we got sidetracked...but something had me hooked.

I just sat here and read that whole thing in the past 2 hours...It had me on the edge of the couch, reading as fast as I could to find out what was going to happen next! It was predictable towards the end, but oh refreshingly so...not your run of the mill Princess story...I can't even put into words how fun this book was to read...now I need to determine whether my first grader will really "get" what I got out of it, or if I should wait a year or two to finish it with her...

So, I guess I'm not through with princesses yet...and I suppose that's okay...

He's Bonding with the Dog

He tries to put on the "air" that he doesn't care. He "acts" like he could just take or leave that little ball of fur that is now running around our house. But, I know differently...He's got all 4, and now 5 little ladies in this house wrapped around his finger!

My Italian Stallion loves all his girls and when we added little Macie to the group...well, it's no different. I come home from worship practice or bible study and she's up on his chest just sleepin' peacefully. She doesn't even bother gettin' up and welcoming me home anymore...and it's only been ONE WEEK!

He likes to say that she doesn't like him...but she'll follow him around...she knows him already! It just cracks me up...I love to see my husband's gentle side...it's always evident with his interactions with our girls...he is just the perfect "daddy" for little girls, that's for sure!

And so, I'm back to #2 again...I have no doubt that my girls love me...but if given a choice, it's usually Daddy they want...and that's okay with me...it makes my heart so glad!

Are we back to normal yet?

It's been a crazy few weeks in our house hold. What with my crazy projects laying around the house, 2 of the girls getting the pukies AND the poopies, saying goodbye to close friends, "adopting" a new dog, on top of all the regular everyday stuff...well, I've at times lost my center.

I think I'm a person who thrives on being busy: I always have something going...at times this is so much fun...but other times, I feel like my brain is constantly flopping from one topic to the next. For example, at worship practice last night we went around and kinda told everyone what was up in our lives...as our drummer said that he leaves for Honduras in a couple weeks, I pipe up: "Oh, that reminds me, we got a dog!"...They all looked at me blankly...like, what in the world does Honduras have to do with getting a dog...good grief...What they didn't know and what I had to explain is that as he was talking, my mind was reeling in all sorts of directions just off of his one topic...it's hard for me to concentrate...I went from Honduras to mission trip to Kenya to the Austins to their visit to.."Oh, we got a dog!"

Anyway, (crazy story for no reason...see what I mean?) I'm thankful that we are beginning the 40 days...Lenten season...a time to slow down and reflect...we start our women's bible study on Monday with a Beth Moore study on Esther...I am SO looking forward to this. I have needed to have a constant, disciplined study for awhile now. I just purchased the workbook the other day and perused it...OH, I'm just so excited...one of the "side notes" in the magins read, "Those of us who know Jesus personally live under divine rule where all us girls get to be princesses" Now that is just music to my ears living in our all girlie household!

So, as the pukies have ended, and projects are finished...we go back to routine...there are still concerns and "craziness" as I try to "do it all" with regards to schooling and family activities, but I'm learning to take more time to be still these days...God please pull me towards you and let the things that don't matter that much, fall away...give me a heart that sees...REALLY sees and hears my children when they need me, that is my husband's biggest cheerleader, and that concerns itself with things that matter, even if the dishes aren't done and I haven't had my "workout" for the day!

Day in the Life

We said goodbye today...goodbye to some really incredible friends...Even as they are planning to head out to Kenya for 6-12 months, they concern themselves with our family, how I am doing...I teased them because here we're wanting to be an encouragement to them, and they are counseling and encouraging us...It was a sad departure to say the least. Sara and I were crying buckets and I think it took us both by surprise. I thank God for webcam, facebook, blogs, email and telephones...we won't loose touch and they will be home soon...with 2 little girls to add to their brood...I can't wait to meet them. Sara and I had fun trying out different names for the little girls, whoever they are...

Well...in that goodbye, came a "hello" for us...We now have a new member added to our family...the Austin family dog: Macie! Our girls were ecstatic to be able to have her live with us for the next few months...Here are a few pictures of her from this evening:

This is what we have learned so far:

*If you leave your garbage out, Macie WILL get to it and WILL throw up after eating it.
*If you give your 20 month old a waffle, she WILL feed it to Macie and Macie WILL throw up after eating it...
*Macie likes to be scratched on her head and will lay down in expectation of this for a longgg time.
*Italian Stallion needed to "lay down the law" with Macie: rule 1) not allowed to die on our watch rule 2) repeat number 1
*20 month old WILL "love" on dog, so beware that "loving" is not smothering poor Macie

This evening our eldest fed her her "chewey" and she looked so proud of herself...our second born got Macie to play with her "budda" toy...our youngest laughed her head off at all the growling and yipping! Even Daddy got a little place action with Macie...she "may" find a play in his heart yet (although I'm not holding my breath!)

Hurry home Austins...we love you!

Mom Would Be Proud

As a young girl I was not the "homemaker" type...Sure, I had chores...it's not like my mom didn't teach me. I can remember being as young as 8 and my mom showing me how to properly clean a bathroom floor, using Q-tips to get out the smallest "grime" out of cracks...I remember being reprimanded for not moving a small chair when I had to vacuum the living room...I learned laundry, ironing, making beds, cleaning floors...you know, the basic "house" stuff...

But, when it came to "holly homemaker" stuff, I was OUTTA there...I had NO desire to learn to cook, sew or decorate...forget it...I was into basketball, studying, talking on the phone...

Looking back, this must have annoyed my mom to no end...my mom, the one who CREATED my wedding dress...the one who sewed dresses for ALL my sisters and me every Christmas, Easter and Mother's Day...

Well...I have to admit...she was right...I WISH I would have paid more attention...here I am a mom of 3 little girls who LOVE to dress up and my frugal brain won't let me go out and buy a bunch of stuff...so I have to "make" it...

Here are my "projects" of late...they are not perfect and you won't see me doing "close ups" because I will NOT let you see my seam lines (horrible)...but, regardless, I think mom will smile when she see them...

Introducing.............. Susan Pevensie

Lucy Pevensie

The Pevensie Sisters

I made the quiver out of an old mailing tube I found in the garage...the arrows are old princess wands that I cut the star points off except for the arrow part, and that bow? well, it's from my window blinds...and then it's my belt that holds the quiver in place. Lucy's cordial bottle was 50 cents at Michaels and I just concocted some contraption to carry it around her waist...

Saying Goodbye

Have you ever had a friend (besides your spouse) that you just knew God stuck them in your life for a specific purpose...specifically to grow you, to be not just a friend, but an example? My friend, Sara is that friend to me. I met her in college...to be honest, I don't remember meeting her...as far back as I can remember, she was just there...we wrote papers together, raced to turn in blue books together, put in countless hours in the MRC together, went to JS (with our future husbands) together...then we graduated, she got married and we taught TOGETHER...

I drove her nuts with changing the classroom around, being noisy and just plain disorganized...but she hung in there with me...She has validated my feelings when I thought I was just loosing it...she has "set me straight" when I needed a good kick in the pants...she laughs at and with me!!!...she sticks up for me...she commits her life to Jesus and follows him even when it means she has to move to Kenya...I admire and love her...

Our personalities are like polar opposites though...it's quite funny...she's more introverted, reflective...when she talks you listen...when I talk, people usually tune me out, which is why I just get louder!!! She's organized and sticks to a schedule, which is why she accomplishes so very much...I'm spastic and spontaneous, and that's why my basement looks like it does...and yet, together, we have so much fun!

She's the person that even when we haven't talked in forever, we just pick up where we left off...

She and her family are leaving next month for Kenya...I am in awe of their faith, of their dependence on God, of their courage...I will miss her so very much...

They are coming tomorrow to say goodbye and leave little Maci with us for the duration of their stay in Kenya. (Maci is the dog:) I'm anxious yet dreading tomorrow...I can't wait to give her a big hug and then I will hate it in the end because I know it means it will be a long time before I see her again...I'm excited to meet my new "nieces" when they return...but, I don't like that they have to go...

Anyway...that's our weekend coming up...and I'm in a rare reflective mood tonight...
Sara, my dear friend...you loved so very much!