Sweet Giving Spirit

If you are not from Oklahoma then you may not know how dramatic the weather media is here. They like to name all of our winter storms and have competitive commercials about it. Which in some ways is nice cause you can get up the minute weather coverage when needed. The short 17 months we lived in Kansas we were surprised at how calm their media was there. But we were expecting 2 to 4 inches { at the least} of snow and got the above picture. Mainly because the storm turned a different direction and so now it's just really really cold 25 out and wind chill of 11. SO I am glad its Christmas and we are able to stay put in our pajamas all day long!

At about 6:30 this morning we heard the little people loudly proclaiming" Santa Been Here!!"
We expected them to immediately open their gifts but instead Ryan went and got all the gifts he had made and got at school and had us open them first. He then explained what each one was for and why he had chosen them. I hadn't had my morning coffee yet but I was completely surprised by this. It really showed his giving spirit. He turned 6 this fall and is growing up in some ways more than what I realized. 

Ryan got a marble maze and loves it! He looks so serious watching them!
So far there has been 2 different designs put up. I thought I heard someone grumbling about it taking an engineer degree to put it together but I don't know cause I couldn't even figure out the Ariel pool Lily got.

 Our living room is a disaster, there is tons of laundry, lots of chores to be done I 'm sure but for now I will just sit here and watch them play and enjoy them being little this year.

                                         Merry Christmas from Our Home to Yours!

just some pics..

 I haven't had a lot of time to blog since moving back to Oklahoma. It seems like life just keeps going by faster and faster every week. I am hoping to get back in the habit of reading and writing more bogs in 2013! If you know of reasonable blog designer or even how to change the blog look let me know by leaving a comment! I took the little people pictures outside for our Christmas card and well you can see how that turned out. Ryan decided that he didn't like the flash on the camera so this is what resulted of that!

So next year I am going to remember to make an appointment with a "real" photographer!

Wheat planting season

                                    
                         In case you haven't seen us lately this is why! It's wheat planting season which means till it's all in the ground we are busy bees! Well Pete is :) I have been keeping the little people entertained! For some reason blogger is not letting me type past the pictures today. Lily is loving going to  Mother's Day Out twice a week. She wakes up 6:45 on those mornings ready to see her teachers. Ryan is enjoying going to school all day this year. He thinks eating at school is super neat.

School days

    School just started around here! The Summer flew by even with the wheat harvest being really early in June this year. VBS, swim lessons, vacation and some with day trips here and there all of the sudden we were buying school supplies! The little people have some really sweet moments where they really love on each other and help each other but they also have lots of bickering and learning to take turns. I love when I capture a sweet moment!

             Ryan started all day kindergarten this year. He was so excited and likes school a lot. He didn't understand why he can't go on Saturdays.

 Lily started a Mother's Day Out program at a local church twice a week. Next year she will go to Pre-K so this a good way to prepare her for the structure and social interactions she will need in the upcoming years. Yes, she smiles for pictures like her dad does.

           I have been asked what I am going to do ALL day by several well meaning people. This is good example of what keeps me busy. I decided not to embarrass myself too much and show all the closets that I will organize and floors that need scrubbed. We had a great summer of playing but I am ready for the structure and different kind of busyness that the school year brings!!!

A Mental Vacation

Summer is here!! Well at least most days it feels like it. There are still 9 days of school left.

Well, I haven't been in a blogging mood lately. I started reading The Hunger Games and got hooked into reading in any free moment I get. If you haven't read the books you are missing out! It's also getting warm outside. It's warm early this year so much so the Harvest has started in Southern Oklahoma. So our weekends are being devoted to getting machines ready for Harvest. So we are at the farm more often then not. This weekend after scoring some great deals at  garage sales I got to read Mariana by Susanna Kearsley. It was great but I was rather sad to see the story end because I got so attached to the characters.

                                                 
At the farm there is a water fountain with a patio set by the little people's play area. It is really relaxing and I can still pay attention to them, plus get a few chapters in! Later in the afternoon I helped Lily paint rocks. Her and Ryan caught 14 ladybugs so they needed a new activity. She loves to paint and collect rocks.
     

I should meal plan, clean the kitchen and laundry but I think I am going to take advantage on the quiet afternoon and read The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley because Cornwall,England sounds like a great vacation for the afternoon.                                      

The last few months...

OK ,so I have been neglecting the blog alot. Holidays came and went. We actually got a vacation in for our 10 year anniversary! (Hope to post a blog all about the fun when I get all the pictures in one place) We had a blast! But on the last day I was ready to be on my couch snuggling with the little people.

We stayed at the stratosphere  in Las Vegas and it was a lot of fun!

I have got to read two books since the New Year! Patricia Cornwell is one of my favorite authors. I love the Scarpetta series.

This is a GREAT and FAST read!! I can relate to so many things in this book!

We have had really nice weather this winter and a just a little bit of snow so we have been outside more than what we normally would.

I have become more addicted to trying recipes off of food blogs and well some have been yummy and others Pete has kindly chocked down.

I am currently looking for a yummy chicken enchilada recipe. Suggestions would be awesome. I tried one with wheat low carb tortillas and it was was not one to be repeated.

Christmas Craft

This time of year our little people are really antsy! Ryan is a child of  routine and several non school days makes him a tad cranky and restless and add in the excitement over Christmas = some wired little people!!!
I happened to read Amanda's Blog and thought it would great to have them do a craft to help structure our day.

                                            I found this craft mixture on clearance at the Perry Walmart for $1.97 this fall.

                                             Cut scraps of paper and made them look like a tree shape.

                                                Lily loves anything crafty. Mainly the making a mess part.

They "decorated" their trees.

                                                           Craft time = peaceful afternoon!
                                                          Thanks Amanda for the idea!