Broken crayons made new again~

For our family the end of July/beginning of August is when we take inventory of our school supplies.

Do we need more paints,crayons,pens or pencils?

With school supply sales at the local stores starting to make their way onto sales flyer's. And some unadvertised sales I have been seeing while grocery shopping. Its time to make a game plan and a list of what we will need in our upcoming school year.

After taking inventory I discovered that we had many broken crayons. 

(scattered through out the house none the less)

 I  decided the other morning to have my girls peel the paper off the old broken crayons so we could melt them down into a new round swirly ones. My daughter Jackie (6) only lasted 10 minutes with the task. It seemed the paper was to much of a chore for her. Olivia on the other hand sat there at the dining room table for about 1 1/2 hours peeling the paper off the crayons. 

After she had been there for 45 minutes I told her she did not have to

finish the job. Though she looked tired.....because of being on our summertime/dad has been home bed time schedule Olivia continued on.

(We will be getting our fall bed time schedule in order soon......that's another post.)

Olivia has always really liked to sit and work with her hands...

you see her here hulling beans when she was about 20 months.

This year I will only have Olivia (almost 4) home for "home school".

Her and I are now planing and going over what we want our school year to look like together.

I can't wait! The two of us are going to have a great time together.

The rest of my kiddos will be attending our local schools.

That being said, our family has a home school way of life when they are home.

What do your kiddos do with their time when they are home?

What do they view on TV? What music do they listen to?

What do you talk with them about?

Do you spend quality time with your kids?

Learning happens all the time......

There are all sorts of teachable moments in daily life.

Do you seize the moment or keep waiting for the next one to come around before deciding to jump in?

I hope to post again over the weekend.

Next week I will be quite busy with yet another VBS and probley to tired to post??? We'll see?

I forgot to mention after the crayons were in the tray we warmed them in the oven at 225 for about 10 minutes or so.

We put them in the freezer to cool. It made them easy to "pop" out of the mini muffin tin.

Peace and Joy for a productive day~

Georgiann

Part of my girls night time routine::



Our night time routine for getting ready for bed is not set in stone....we are not a scheduled family.

But more a routine or habit family....we don't have a set time to start our routine for bed time.
Depending on what we are doing that day dictates our bedtime and choice of activity.

We start heading up stairs any where from 8:30-9:30pm. in the winter months...much later in the summer.

The kitchen is closed up, doors get locked.....and lights get turned out on the ground level of our house.

I know it sounds late for my Little's to be up so late.....but my Little's get to sleep in.

Most days not waking until 10:00 or so.

As summer time hits and days get longer they will stay up even later and sleep in til a bit longer.

The sun peaking in the windows will beckon them to rise earlier than the winter months!

Part of my girls night time routine is to either put on PJ's or clean comfy clothes that will be worn the next day. Brush teeth and then decide.....will we watch a movie,do art, or read books and stories?

Bath time here takes place in the afternoons. Our evenings have a different rhythm to them.
As a family of 8 there is a bit of hustle and bustle getting every one settled in.

Once we head up to bed........

There is usually some sort of teeth brushing/bathroom drama. One that puzzles me is when they can't find there tooth brush!???  Did they not have it the night before and in the morning?

Some nights Olivia (3yr old) decides she wants to play in the sink and make a water mess. That usually happens after she has gone potty in private and is washing her hands!

Some nights Jackie feels called to wear the night gown that can't be found! hee hee! Some nights Noah thinks its funny to bother his sisters......making them both squeal! So once the drama that seems to be a natural part of our large family routine settles down....its on to relaxing and unwinding!

Bedtime Prayers::

We all then hold hands and pray together.... 
giving God praise and thanksgiving.

We pray for our friends,relatives and other special intentions.

Then pick our bedtime activity.

Doing art in bed at night started when I was pregnant with Olivia (now 3yrs old). I would relax to music and draw what ever came to mind......doodles and sketches. Bonding with my baby within. As labor got near I would draw things that bring me peace.  After baby Olivia was born I stopped......I had a new baby to take care of!

When I found out I was pregnant this past Christmas I started drawing at night again....... but abruptly stopped when I miscarried Christian Alexander in January of this year (2011). at 8weeks 4 days.

My daughters would draw at this time as well but stopped when I did.
They very much enjoyed the bonding it gave us. I did too.
But after losing Christian I did not feel like doing my bedtime drawings.

Last month when I was at Borders looking for miscarriage grief books (none to be found in the store)

I bumped into my best friend....she was meeting another of her friends there for coffee.

We talked and got caught up on things.

At Borders I saw a coloring kit with markers and decided to get it for Jackie......Noah and Olivia had each already talked me in to getting them a toy. Noah asked for Lego helicopter and Olivia wanted a Olivia the Pig doll. You would have thought it was Christmas or something.

Notice the broken lampshade....sometimes my girls routine includes jumping on my bed and knocking
my lamp and books every place! ***sigh!

So as part of my girls bed time routine lately Jackie colors at one end of her book and Olivia draws at the other end. During the day Noah can be found coloring the pages Jackie has rejected and gave him permission to color!! lol

 I on the other hand am usually reading a book or novel and sipping herbal tea in the bed just beside them.

 Sometimes we play soft music, sometimes we just have it quiet, sometimes we start the fountain.

Some nights we quietly read from our own books or watch a movie together. It seems we always talk during the activities....even the movie!
 Some nights my novel reading happens at a snails pace as I answer question about life,friendships and God from, my three Littles. Talking and listening to my children is so important and
I will always cherish these nights as we share our family bed!

Soon the day will come when my kiddos want to sleep in there own bed. :(

Some nights I get a head start and head to bed at 8:00pm some nights sooner. (before the girls come up)
On these nights I eat cake or a sweet treat and sip tea in quiet, then read from one of many books.....have I told you I'm a book hound? We will soon be adding more book shelves......***sigh!
 The girls are usually downstairs getting read to by daddy before coming up.

My Scentsy warmer is always going so my room and smells so good! Aroma therapy!

Our bedtimes are for the most part peaceful, relaxing and full of love!

What does your night time routine/schedule look like?

Are you a scheduling family or a routine family?

Peace and Love,

Georgiann

Yarn Along {and other news}

If you are new to my blog~ Welcome!

I am a fairly new knitter that has yet to see a project to completion! :)

In the photo above:: I have just started a pair of sock for myself.

My knitting teacher from church had to show me how to cast on all over again.

Apparently I did it wrong on my other 2 project hence the reason for the snares.

A good foundation to a project is a wonderful thing.

I don't really want socks with bumps and holes in them from the start! hee hee!

I did buy some dusty blue yarn to make some baby socks.

I WAS pregnant with baby #7 and miscarried last Thursday {Jan. 20}

I was only 8 weeks along but deep down I felt it was going to be a boy.

I got the positive test on Christmas morning!

You can read more here, here and here!

If any of you have also had a miscarriage before and want to share, I love to here from you!

As for reading I have not felt like it.

I HAD been reading Baby and YOU by Dr.OZ.

No need now!

I have been doing word searches in bed at night.

You can go over to Ginny's blog to see other knitting project or join in the

Yarn A Long!

Peace and Blessings,

Georgiann

Mamas Little Elves {part 2}

This little elf helped mama make Nut Crunch Granola.

Go here for the recipe.

So awesome to be in the kitchen with my little ones!

I am one blessed mama!

We are all having fun getting ready for Christmas.

After a busy day making things with the kiddos, hubby and I snuck out (ok we did tell a few of the kiddos) lol and did some Christmas shopping together. Then had dinner at Red Robin. I wanted to go to a Indian food place....but hubby (who never tried it, ahumm) said, he did not want to go there! :(

It was fun anyways!

On a different note.... I have a prayer request.

A gal Andrea, I know from church gave premature birth (due in March or April) to a baby girl

Jazmym Raye last week....the baby passed away a few hours later.

This was to be her 6th child!

The funeral is tomorrow.

Can you pray for their families grieving heart?

Also could you please pray for:

 Dana and her husband John from an online home school  forum I belong.

They will be having the funeral of her 22 month old son today.

Mattias Ryker passed away due to a freak accident in the home earlier this week, you can

read here and see his slide show.

Thank you :)

Mamas Little Elves {Part 1}

{Homemade Bath Tea}
THIS IS NOT A DRINK
IT IS A BATH SOAK!

This year all our gifts for family and friends will be homemade!

We are getting a late start on our gifts but.....that's how it is!

Last week Noah helped shop for all the supplies for our bath tea 

and was eagar to get started today.

You can find the recipe here.

This bath tea will given with a small muslin bag attached as well.

The recipient will just need to add the desired amount of herbed salts {tea}

to the muslin bag and hang it over the spicket, letting the water run through it.

Then soak,sip tea and read!

So fun and very easy!

Happy Gift Making~

I must cut this post short as it is bedtime here and

well the excitement of Christmas has my kiddos acting naughty not nice....just kidding.

You would think Santa was coming tonight!

They are good kids, just VERY EXCITED and we still have 9 days to go!

There is a lot of ruckus coming from the upstairs that I must attend to.

Peace and Love,

Georgiann

Yarn Along.....

My books and knitting project.

I was and am so saddened by the news of Elizabeth Edwards death yesterday.

I had started reading her book "Saving Graces" during this last summer and was very much enjoying it...

 I'm not sure what has kept me from finishing it.

Probably life in a home of 8, sport schedules a garden and a new dog?

As a family we are also doing some read aloud from these other books!
Where The Red Fern Grows....ah a wonderful book from my childhood.
(this copy is from the library)

So last night I dug around my bedroom and was delighted to find my book....and thrilled that I was able to find it quickly! lol {sigh*}

With a hot cup of red lavender tea on my bedside table,the cozy ambiance of my softly lite night light and a warm blanket wrapped around me I tearfully read the words written by a woman in her early battle with breast cancer.

Elizabeth was a wonderful woman and mother....she endured the death if her son age 16 from a car crash,

the heart break of infidelity and the 6 year battle of her life with breast cancer.

Cancer won yesterday....or did it?

How do we really define a win or a loss?

May Elizabeth Edwards rest now in peace.

So this is my yarn and.....well.....

now my book and life has me  knot  not knitting as much.

For those of you new to the yarn a long or my blog...

These are the first 2 project I have ever made....not sure what they will be?

One a scarf and the other perhaps a purse or bag?

To join in or see what others are doing go to {small things} Ginny's blog

for her Yarn A Long meme.

Peace and Love,

Georgiann

Getting Ready For A Homemade Christmas!

As part of our homeschooling and our family values, I like to teach my kiddos to make gifts for family and each other.

So far the kids and I have started with beading wooden necklaces.

 I bought a large bucket of beads at the local Goodwill for only $2.00 over the summer!

 

So yesterday the kiddos and I sat around the living room rug like a bunch of hibernating chickmunks stringing beads! (nuts) 

 We listened to some Christmas songs and talked about our up coming Thanksgiving plans!

{we are all very excited about it}

I will share the plan with you AFTER the Holiday!

 

You can read here what Noah made last year for everyone!

He worked so hard for many days and everyone delighted in the gift he gave.

That reward was priceless.....he realized the true JOY of giving.

What are you all making as gifts for Christmas?

Leave me a comment!

Peace,Love and Joy,

Georgiann

My knitting project and what I'm reading~

Ok...I am a brand new knitter!

No I mean it!

I just learned how to knit a week ago.

I only had a 15 minute lesson with a live person and watched a few YOU TUBE videos!

The library books I checked out were useless for a girl who knew not what she was doing.

I still don't know what I'm doing....I started out with medium size sticks and yarn that was pretty but hard to tell if I have all the yarn when I pulled my stitches through. So I bought JUMBO sticks and different yarn ...similar in color to my first yarn but easier to work with.

I "was" making a scarf but since I casted on so many stitches with BIG sticks and BIG yarn....it waves back and forth like a piece of knitted ribbon Christmas candy. Not to practical....who ever heard of such a thing? Maybe it gets kept in a special box of "this is the first thing I ever knitted"?

I know my neck is kind of fat but don't think it would be to flattering to have a scarf that was 2 feet wide and 10 balls of yarn long. Now that just my opinion! lol {plus can you imagine the cost? It was $8.50 for one thing of yarn!

My knitting project will more than likely be a small baby doll blanket.

I still do not know how to cast off?......where is that nice lady from church when you need her?lol

You can go to Ginny's blog small things to link up and show off what you have been reading and knitting.

Happy Knitting and Reading!

Peace and Love,

Georgiann

After Pictures Of My Henna Adventure!



This is a picture of me BEFORE dying my hair with Red Henna!



This is AFTER my second bag of henna.
{the final shade I ended up with}

OK....here's the story!

For some time I had wanting to do something to my hair.

Not really sure what I wanted to do? Maybe a foil? Just a little something to jazz things up,cover some of the grey that is starting to appear and add some depth.

Well since I have been visiting the herb store close to my house, I spotted the henna isle. I had heard of the stuff but had never used it, so

I bought a bag of the RED

{they were out of the STRAWBERRY Blonde}

When I got home I threw the henna in my bathroom drawer.

{not sure how or if I really wanted to do through with coloring my hair with the henna?}

After a few weeks of pondering and waiting for just the right time.

I did not want a repeat of the time I dyed my hair "red" with an over the counter brand.

My nickname for a few months after that one was Ronald McDonald!

I'm sure you can picture how it turned out! To make things worst I had school conferences with my kids teachers the next day.

So timing is everything when choosing to dye your hair.

After a bit of research of HOW to use the henna I decided it was time and went for it.

I read: to use an egg in it to help the henna color stick to the grey.

I also did not know to use boiling water the first go round {I used warm tap water} and was possessed to add the juice of a lemon?

So you ask why lemon juice? I just told you! I was possessed!

I learned a lot when I went back for my second bag of red henna!

I also heard on the Internet to leave the goop

{it smells like creamed spinach} on as long as you can stand it.

I left it on for 2 1/2 hours!

.....Oh yah I forgot to mention the first go round with bag #1 of my henna did not cover all my hair. {I have long thick hair} I should have bought 2 bags for the first go!
So I dyed my hair again several day later.

When buying my second bag of henna down at the herb store, the store owner said adding the lemon might have been why my hair was orange not red??  I also should have used boiling water...that is what released the plant dye or so I'm told.

So bag 2 of my red henna was applied and only left one for 1 hour.





This is my hair after the first bag of red henna!
It was a bit brassy and dark....not what I was hoping for;(
I quickly bought more henna and dyed it again~
Used boiling water and no egg or lemon juice and left on for only 1 1/2hrs!

I did not get full coverage in the back at the crown and the underside

in the back {my hair is thick}. The ends in the back were not good either.

As you can see in the  photo at the top of the post, after the second dying, using boiling water (and no egg or lemon juice) and a week of washing,my hair has softened quit a bit and has a more natural look to it!

If I do this again I will:

buy 2 bags of Strawberry blond color

add boiling water

leave it one for 1 1/2 hours.

after the first 45 minutes

 I would add some water to my head and rub the goop around some more in case I did not get it covered the first time.

So have do any of you have a henna story you want to share?

I'd love to hear from you!

What color did you use?

Peace and Love,

Georgiann

Raking leaves and piles of chores!

Boy we are certainly in to fall.

These pictures were taken a few weeks ago when the weather here was still kind of warm!

Here in the Pacific Northwest the rains have officially arrived {not that they left for very long}lol

Most days here in our region will be dark and grey :(

Today is going to be a soup day......

Olivia has a cold and has had to use her Nebby (nebulizer) 2 days in a row.

Jacob has had the barfs since Saturday night......200 kids went home sick on Friday from his school!

He is home today~

My to do list for today:

Wash towels 2 loads

Wash the dishes 3 loads

Homeschool Noah

Tidy house from weekend:}

Put 3 baskets of clothes away

Clean all 3 bathrooms

Wash Jacob's bedding

Oh and..... I will be making time

to lock myself up in my room so I can practice my new found knitting skills!

Peace and Love,

Georgiann

Faith and a box of henna.....

Not really sure what I was thinking!

Maybe I just had a bit to much time on my hands and a box of henna burning a hole in the bathroom vanity?  I decided to fix me a mug of Butterscotch Kisses Hot Cocoa {Tastefully Simple}for a little comfort.

I love all things butterscotch! 

I said a few prayers and loaded the stinky goo on to my head.

There was no backing out now! lol

Stay tuned for the after pictures.......I will post some soon!

Peace and Love,

Georgiann

Making Mini-Green Houses~

We all grabbed some cool iced tea and started in......

The other night I hosted a make and take clinic over at my place~

A few folks from the Self Reliant Club came over to make mini-green houses to cover their garden beds! I made 2 of these cute little houses! I plan to use them this winter! My goal is to have a winter garden....! My daughters aka mommas lil' garden helpers were out back helping piece together the cut PVC parts!

(Cut from (3) 10 foot sticks)

Wayne the leader/founder of the Self Reliant group brought the plans and materials.

The cost was $15.00 for each one we built!

We cut and pieced every thing together!

After we were through with construction, I severed up some tofu,garlic,cilantro dip with wheat thins and some homemade tomato basil bisque!

Rhonda brought her little dog.....it was nice to have a dog in the yard again! We miss our dog,Benson!

My son Jacob followed Rhonda's dog all around the yard......boy wants a dog again!

(the dog is part wiener dog and something else)

I think we will wait a year! That's the plan anyways! lol

Hubby wants a Beagle again....I want a border collie (black and white)!

Tomorrow I will post the results of my blood test.....so stay tuned!

Peace and Love~

Georgiann

Oh The Sweet Smell Of......

Yesterday, I was enjoying my morning tea and was puzzled to hear a knock at the front door.

 I could hardly contain myself when I peered out the window to see a BIG BROWN TRUCK...

it said UPS on the side! When I looked down on the porch I saw a small brown box!

 My Scentsy stuff was here.....faster than I thought!

If you have not heard of Scentsy....its a wickless candle company.

You buy a warmer (I use mine as a night lite). The warmer heats up scented wax and makes your room/house smell wonderful.

They are safer than candles... no flame....just a light bulb!

I now have 2 large warmers....one down stairs in the living room, and my new one (BORNEO) will go up in my room. There are a pile of people that sleep in our room there was a need for some added freshness! :)

 I also have a small plug in style warmer for use in the bathroom or kicthen

(I move it around were I need it).

With scents like INNER PEACE, FRENCH LAVENDER and SWEET PEA VANILLA there is something for everyone.....they even have BUBBLE GUM scent!

There are about 80 different scents!

To see the catolog or make an order you can go here to my friends web-site!

Blessings for an awesome day!

Georgiann