My favorite board books for littles

Here are just some of my favorite board books for little people:

Charley Harper: 123's, ABC's, Colors

Jennifer Adams/Alison Oliver: Alice in Wonderland, Jane Eyre

Jack and Holman Wang: Cozy Classics Pride and Prejudice

Kate McMullan and David McPhail: If you were my Bunny (I sing this one, finish the book and start all over again, Soeren's favorite!)

Eric Carle: The Greedy Python, Have you seen my cat?

(this is Jane Eyre, I think she looks fabulous!)

In Charley Harper's Colors book, this page gets me every time!

This is Isabella's latest birthday present. Pride and Prejudice in the cutest form possible. I love this book!

A wonderful Caterpillar,who, questions Alice...

Charley Harper's brilliant chickadees and Owls. His artwork is some of the finest and I would love to have framed prints of his artwork in my house someday.

What are some of your favorite board books??

PB&B&C Cookies

Made these recently...Peanut Butter Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies. Start with your favorite Peanut Butter Cookie recipe. Add chopped bacon. Add chocolate chips. So good!

We are enjoying Ballet camp this week. So stinkin' cute!

Other things keeping us busy..

We are potty training..

we are homeschooling and especially working on math skills...

I am getting back into sewing (which was sorely missed!)...

We are missing daddy more than ever...

We are surviving. 

(and yes, cookies are helping with all of that!)

long time comin!

I realize it's been an obscenely long time since I've posted anything, and maybe no one looks at my posts and maybe I do this more for a journal to myself that for anything else. But I don't want to drop it all together and I apologize for my tardiness. Lets see what happened..oh...

I moved...
to Moscow, ID. And we all love it here.. It's gorgeous!!

and we love the people here.

We've had a tricky go of it for summer work, so Jacob is back down in Phoenix helping out his boss for the summer and I am the single mom to six children. We have been busy, which is good and it keeps our minds off missing the coolest man in the world, but I think I wore them out totally and completely and everyone has had a melt down and gone to bed early. I can't complain though, my thankful list is nice and long.

Thankful for Farmers Markets, bluegrass bands and hot, fresh donuts..

My children got to take part in Music camp, which blessed them and especially me immensely!

Thankful for flowers that seem to pop up everywhere here..

for strong coffee...

for free movies in the park...

pizza and movie nights..

chalk drawings my children drew..

watching my children dance in a ball...

seeing my son get up on stage in a trio and sing his heart out..

I think next week, I shall slow down and try to grab some sense of normalcy. Gennevieve has ballet camp, but the rest of the kiddos will get back to Math, a clean house, a Mama that bakes, and sews, and earlier bed times. (crossing my fingers on that last one!)

Well, I had a start..

I couldn't find my favorite mix, so I made it myself and it saved me many a moola! Just mix: dried lavender flowers, marjoram, savory, basil, sage leaves, thyme, oregano. Equal parts I believe. Put it on chicken, put it on baked bread, put it in butter, put it on everything. I'm in love!

Finally Fall in Phoenix

For some reason our tree in our back yard thinks that Fall comes in January. Phoenix is full of surprises like that. We are making the most of it, loving the gorgeous colors, and raking, raking, raking!!!

Mama moments

Mama moments in my day: be they chaotic, funny, challenging or beautiful.

Momsanity

Okay, let's be honest and open and real. Six kids under 8 can be lovely and sweet and amazing but it can also be really hard, REALLY! Sleep is out of the picture, showers can be hit and miss, naps are something to laugh at, Mommy getaways are just not part of life. But there are things in my life which help me as a Mama, my go-to, can't live with outs. Here are some things I've found that bring some "Ahhhhh" moments and I thought I'd share...

I don't know what it is about candles lit in the home, be it the smell or just the ambience, but it's incredible what a little candlelight can do. Everyone's moods improve, including mine!

A hot cuppa Chai (my sweet Mom bought me a Costco sized bucket!) hits the spot, along with red nail polish of course! (let's pretend we don't see the tattling toddler)

This is THE MOST IMPORTANT in all of life, but these particular books are important in my life. The well worn bible on the end is my personal bible, if I'm not reading God's Word on a daily basis, my life is nothing! Plain and simple: we have to be reading God's Word in order to be a Christ like mama, which is something we all struggle with.

Excercise is so important to me. When I start feeling low energy, and a dirty dishrag (and my pants won't fit!) I realize it's been awhile since I've exerted energy and challenged my body. I had a bike ride on Saturday that ended up being 10 miles long and I felt fantastic!!

Girls!!!! Put this in your hair and you will feel like a million bucks! I kid you not, the smell alone is perfection, but what it does to your hair is uber-fantastic! I will add to this list: taking a shower, doing your nails, facial etc. I try to do something special once a week.

What is something in your Mama life that brings sanity?? I'd love to hear it!

Happy 2013!

Here's to you and your resolutions, whatever they may be! 2012 was kinda sorta like a circus everyday and every night. Looking forward to this new year and hoping it's not quite as crazy. Also trying to get back into old habits (like running and eating right). May you be blessed in all your endeavors!

December

December was busy wasn't it??? We've had a marvelous month full of wonderful treats, fellowship, reflection, planning, etc.

Our stockings were hung up with care (no fireplace, but Netflix has a fake fireplace!)

We trimmed the tree...

Made applesauce, cinnamon ornaments and hung them as a garland...

We made mini-mincemeat pies...

Hosted an "It's a Wonderful Life" viewing party...

Made St. Lucia buns...

And Daddy read to the children about her...

Miss Bella celebrated her first Christmas...

On the whole, Christmas was a beautiful day, full of love, laughter, relaxation. I'm so thankful for the special memories we're making as a family, lighting our advent candles, reflecting on the Messiah and His birth as a humble wee baby, coming into the world to be our Savior!

Tasty toes

Toes can be oh so tasty and entertaining.