Book Review: The Pilot's Wife

Okay, I finished my first book of 2009 (yeah, I know it's not technically 2009 yet, but it is somewhere in the world.)  I picked up this book almost a year ago at a library book sale and just haven't had the urge to read it.  The Pilot's Wife is an "Oprah Book Club" pick and that turned me off right there...sorry, but I'm no fan of Oprah.  Plus, it's one of those books that goes backwards...you know what happened, the pilot crashed and died, now you just unravel the little mystery behind it.  I'm not really a fan of those books, either.  But nonetheless I read this in about 3 days.  It was a tad predictable but a good read.  I think what drew me in most was the characters...they are nicely fleshed out and believable.  I would say this is a good summer read, a vacation read maybe.  It is very well written, and I am tempted to seek out some other books by Anita Shreve.  There is a made for t.v. movie based on the book, but I doubt I'll ever see it.   One book down, 49 to go!!

Cats on Tuesday: Kitty Gifts

Here the kitties present themselves for the family's gifting pleasure. :)

Mimi...if you look closely you can see her eye through the slit in the box.

Check out that pose!  She loves the camera (and boxes!) lol.

Great things come in small packages...well at least Winston tries to fit in the package. :P

A basket of Mimi...I'll take that any day. :)

This one is mine!

Funny story, sorry I don't have pics to go with it, but today I went into our garage to find a box and saw a large garbage bag that we filled with empty Christmas boxes and such spilled over on the floor.  I righted it and set it aside.  And then I heard a familiar "rrreow."  It was Mimi!  (She has a very distinctive meow.)  I knew the sound was coming from the bag, but it's black and she's black and I just couldn't find her in all the stuff!  Finally she poked her head out and I grabbed her.  To think I could have thrown her out!!  I gave her a good talking to about rummaging through the garbage (when I am at my desk she actually sits on top of my garbage can that I have nearby!) but I can see this is going to be a continuing problem. :P  Note to self (and to all you out there) check the garbage for cats before throwing it out!!  Happy Tuesday cat lovers. :)

Christmas 2008

We had a wonderful holiday, full of fun and family. :)  It didn't feel at all like Christmas, very hot and humid.  Ds4 even asked one day if it was summer again lol.  Hard to explain winter in Florida to a 4yo.

Christmas Eve is traditionally spent with dh's family.  His father is the ranger at the Boy Scout Camp and we gather in the dining hall for our little party.  Even my parents come along for the fun.  It's a large family, so we draw names for the kiddo's gifts, and the adults play "dirty santa."  Poor ds1 had to work and could not attend this year, but most everyone else was there.

This year ds3 got to partake in the pre-party festivities, and spent the night in the hall with one of dh's siblings, her dh and 3 boys.  They found and decorated the tree and helped set up the tables and chairs.

Even though it was almost 80 degrees, we still had a fire in the fireplace.  Tradition, 'ya know.

  Here are some of the kiddos taking in the view at the lake.

Once they hear the bell announcing gift time, they are off and running lol!

Ds2 and ds3 opening their gifts.

After opening our gifts at home, we spend Christmas day with my family at my parents' home.  This year I spent more time just enjoying the festivities and less time taking pics so not much to share here.  But I took a few pics of ds4 today, enjoying some of his presents.

Playing Chutes and Ladders, and trying on all his pirate gear. :)  If you look closely in the background, you'll see the "leg lamp" ds1 gave dh (you know, from A Christmas Story movie!)

All my hard work baking and freezing cookies paid off...

and resulted in this lovely tray of goodies.  There was even more that I couldn't fit lol!  So all in all it was a great holiday for us.  I am soooo ready for the new year. :P

Another Holiday Visitor...

But to this one I say, "The inn is full, dude!"

Can you believe that?  Right at my front door!!  We were leaving last night to pick up some Subway for dinner and my two younger boys actually walked right over it!!  My dh noticed it ("Is that a SNAKE?") and we all officially freaked out.  Now we have seen snakes around before, mainly in our backyard or in the driveway, but right at my front door?  UHG.  Well, he met his demise and we looked it up and found out he is/was a Southern Black Racer, thankfully non-poisonous and common to our area.  But still, good riddance.  :P

And the winner is...

Pisecomom!  Congratulations, I've emailed you with details.  Thanks so much to everyone for entering my very first giveaway.  Fun!  Wish I had something to give you all. :)

Fall Into Reading 2008 Wrap Up

Well, Fall is over, done with, on to Winter, folks!  Today is my dh's least favorite and most favorite day; it is the shortest day of the year, but it also means we are on the way to the longest!  Here is my wrap-up of the Fall Into Reading Challenge 2008.

• The Original List
• Jane Eyre
• A Tree Grows In Brooklyn
• A Christmas Carol
• Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn
• Six of One, Loose Lips, Bingo (all by Rita Mae Brown)
• Princess Diaries Vol IX

Did you finish reading all the books on your fall reading list? If not, why not?  Nope.  Couldn't get my hands on Loose Lips or Bingo and just couldn't finish or even get into A Christmas Carol (I think I've seen too many movie versions lol.)

Did you stick to your original goals or did you change your list as you went along?  I pretty much stuck to my goals, although I did read (and re-read) some books not on my original list.  I was also trying to reach my goal of 50 books in 2008 for a Shelfari group, and I'm happy and proud to say that I did!

What was your favorite book that you read this fall? Least favorite? Why?  Twilight was my fave and A Tree Grows In Brooklyn was my least favorite.  It's a great book and all, but I just didn't care for it myself. 

Did you learn something new because of the Fall Into Reading challenge?—something about reading, or yourself, or a topic you read about?  I learned that I can enjoy books that I normally wouldn't think I could...who would have thought a series about vampires would appeal to me lol?!?

What was your favorite thing about the Fall Into Reading challenge?  Being part of a group of readers!  I loved seeing everyone's lists.  Plus it gave me something in common with people I probably never would have "met" otherwise...I'd see the button on a blog I visited and would have a reason to leave a comment. :)

Success!!

I'm a little wary of calling it a success so early, but so far ds3 is LOVING Time4Learning!  He is doing so well, even working lessons on his own without me asking him to.  He especially likes the Language Arts, which he never would do for me in any other form (worksheets, etc.)  I hope and pray this is the solution for him, and that we have finally found a curriculum that suits his learning style. 

These are from the story creator part of the program, his absolute favorite!  His reading fluency has improved in just the short time he has been at this, it's just amazing. :)  Go ds3 go!!

A Holiday Visitor

Around the holidays I'm sure you can imagine all kinds of visitors, such as a snowman, Jack Frost, even Great Aunt Tilly.  Who do we get here in hot and humid NW Florida?

A snail.  Nothing says Christmas quite like a snail on your driveway, right?  Btw, this guy is huge, isn't he?  He's been christened Gary, of course, and provided an afternoon of amusement for the kiddos.

Move in for your closeup, Gary!  Ugh, complete with the slime and everything. :P  Okay, back to your glistening tree tops and snow covered lawns people.  Nothing to look at here. (lol) (wink wink)

P.S.  I'm having my first giveaway, a $10 gift card to Build-A-Bear workshop.  Check it out here.  Merry Christmas from Gary and the gang.

Product Review and Giveaway! Holly and Hal Moose

This may go down as the cutest and most fun review my children and I have had the opportunity to participate in. :) 

Do you have any last-minute Christmas shopping left?  Any young people that are special to you on your list?  Want to get them something cute, fun and one-of-a-kind that will entertain them far beyond the holidays?  Well, here you go!

The Build-A-Bear Workshop has some new furry friends and a special book just for this holiday season.  Holly & Hal Moose are two adorable new additions to the Build-A-Bear Workshop family. 

Here is my ds4 with Hal Moose himself.  Oh, he is so cute (well, they both are imo) and soft and cuddly.  But wait...

You may not be able to tell in the pic, but his antlers light up!  Oh, you should have seen the expression on my ds's face when they did. :)

Now Holly and Hal also star in a cute book called "Holly and Hal Moose:  Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure."

  Ds reading to Hal here. :)  Of course we have read the book every night since Hal arrived and it has really heightened the Christmas spirit at my home.

Not only are these critters adorable, but a good deal as well.  Holly and Hal are $12 each and the book is $15.99, but if you buy both Holly and Hal you get the book free!  This was an excellent opportunity for me for gifts for my out of town niece and nephew...each got a bear and the book to share.

Now don't think that the fun ends after the holidays with this pair.  No way!  Now Build-A-Bear Workshop has an exclusive online virtual world at buildabearville.com, where the kiddos can play games and earn Bear Bills to spend on virtual clothing, accessories and decor for their virtual house!  Both my ds4 and ds3 (8yo) loved playing online and I liked that it was a fun and safe place for them to be.

Of course, the Build-A-Bear Workshop offers much more for the young ones on your list, with personalized gifts galore!  There are more than 30 furry friends to make at Build-A-Bear Workshop, including bears, monkeys, bunnies, cats and dogs.  Plus, they offer cool clothing for the friends like Disney's Hannah Montana couture and authentic sports team uniforms.  Truly a unique and personalized gift for that special someone.  Not sure which one to pick?  Well, you can't go wrong with a Bear Bucks gift card, allowing the recipient the unique Build-A-Bear experience for themselves!  Last year my dh had to spend a week in nearby Destin on business and the family and I accompanied him.  The boys and I found a Build-A-Bear workshop and ds3 had a blast creating his friend. 

Here's the best part!  I have a $10 Bear Bucks gift card to give away to one lucky reader.  What a great stocking stuffer, huh?  The rules are simple, just leave a comment on this post with an email address to contact you with and cross your fingers lol!  This will be a quick one, so I can get it in the mail and get it to you (hopefully?) before Christmas.  So leave a comment NOW and I'll announce the winner (chosen by random) at 8 P.M. CST on Sunday the 21st.  Told you it was quick. :P  Good luck!

Cats On Tuesday: Best Buddies

Yea!  My second Cats On Tuesday post.  Last week I introduced my 4 beauties and described the cat hierarchy that exists among them.  This week I'm going to highlight our two most recent additions, who also happen to be the best of buddies!

Winston and Mimi.  Too cute!  Mimi loves everyone, but Winnie is the only one who will let her cuddle and lick to her hearts content.  She will just go to town licking away on his face and he'll just sleep through it.

Most of the time this is a peaceful relationship.

Sometimes Winnie has enough of the licking and puts Mimi in a headlock.  And then falls back asleep.  Mimi, ever the peacemaker, just goes with the flow.

Can't wait to check out everyone's post this week!  Kitties rule! :P

Tiny Talk Tuesday

I found this cute meme while browsing my reader and had to join in.  I have tiny folks, they talk, and it's Tuesday!  See how it's perfect for me? :P

We have been dealing with the croup for, oh it feels like forever, about two weeks now.  On a recent trip to the dr my ds3 was patiently waiting on the exam table.  He noticed a wall display of pamphlets and asked me to read one.  They are geared toward kids...I popped one open to this "fun fact" and read it to him: "Hey, did you know your body makes a quart of snot a day?  That's equal to 4 cups of milk."  To which ds replied, "I think I need to cut back on the milk."  LOL!!

To see more Tiny Talk Tuesday head on over to Mary's at Not Before 7.

Destination Disney: A Disney Christmas

Well, according to Heidi this is the next to last Destination Disney post!  This week we are to share our experiences with Disney World at Christmas.  Well, as many times as we have been to Disney (it's more than 20 folks lol) we have only been once during the holidays.  That was back in 1996, my oldest was 6 and my ds2 was 1.  We stayed at the All Star Sports and attended Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at the Contemporary Hotel.  What a blast that was!  The room they held it in was super decked out, they put on a spectacular show complete with Santa and of course Mickey and they fed us well.  Oddly enough, this was during the "birthday" celebration period for the park and the castle was decorated as a birthday cake lol!  But I do have a few pics of our trip.

This was the tree at the entrance to the Magic Kingdom.  All I remember was that the ornaments on this puppy were bigger than my kids! :P

This was taken at the entrance to Epcot.  If you look VERY CLOSELY on the right you can see my dh pushing the stroller and my oldest ds walking next to him.

When I looked through the rest of my photos of this trip they are of us in the pool or on rides lol.  Not very Christmasey.  I know that now a days they really do all the parks up in style and especially the resort hotels.  Food Network and The Travel Channel often have specials taking an inside peek at Disney during the holidays.  It can be a great time to go, really gets you in the holiday spirit.  All I remember is rushing around before the trip preparing for the holidays and then rushing around after the trip to participate in said holidays lol.  I do believe that is why we have never gone back this time of year. :P

Head on over to Heidi to check out all the Destination Disney holiday goodness.

Fall Into Reading Challenge Update

Wow, it's almost over!  I decided to copy my original challenge post here and see how well I've done so far (like there is very much "far" to go lol.)

For Classics Bookclub:

Jane Eyre
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn
Nov. book
Dec. book

By Stephenie Meyer:

Twilight
New Moon
Eclipse
Breaking Dawn

By Rita Mae Brown:

Six of One
Loose Lips
Bingo

The Princess Diaries: Princess Mia

Non-Fiction:

To Love, Honor and Vacuum

Well, not too bad I guess.  I tried to read A Christmas Carol, which was the Classics Bookclub November book, but I just couldn't get into it.  Shame, too, since it's not that long.  Just watched too many versions of it on t.v. and in movies I guess.  I couldn't get my hands on the other two Rita Mae Brown books I wanted to read, and never finished To Love Honor and Vacuum either (I have a bad history with non-fiction.) :)  I wish re-reading books counted...I've been doing a lot of that lately.  But I am happy with what I did for this challenge and glad I participated.  And I am looking forward to getting back into a reading groove once the holidays are over (and really hoping Santa brings me a Books A Million gift card.)  :) 

Homeschool Memoirs: Chores

For this week's memoir we are to share about our system for chore duty.  Hmm, around here it seems to be clean, pick up, cook, wash turn around and start over lol.  Sigh.  Well I do have a Household Notebook that I've been keeping for about 2 years now that has really helped me stay on top of things (most of the time...some of the time...)  I try to keep to bit of a daily routine, things that must be done each day, and in any spare time I have (HA!) I will "focus" on a different area of the house, so that by the end of a week I have tended to the whole house.

My daily must do routine:

Try and get up before kids
Empty dishwasher
Start laundry
Get kids up and fed

At this point we start school and go until lunchtime.  I fix lunch and while the kiddos eat and have some downtime I:

Switch laundry
Load and run dishwasher
Clean kitchen

At this point in the day, if we have no errands to run and no one is sick and the planets are all lined up just right I can do my "focus."  Here's how that looks:

Mondays:  Master Bedroom
Tuesdays:  Kids Rooms
Wednesdays:  Kitchen and Laundry Room
Thursdays:  Living Room and Hall Bath
Fridays:  School Room and Mom's Desk

For the bedrooms this means changing sheets, dusting and vacuuming.  For the kitchen it means wiping down appliances and mopping the floor.  For the living room it's a good dusting and straightening.  For the school room, on Friday's when we are done for the week, the kiddos put their books and supplies back in the closet and I sort and deal with papers and such on my desk. 

In the afternoon I get the kiddos to pick up the living room and my older boy vacuums.  My 8yo will switch laundry again and my youngest will help me empty the dishwasher.  Then it's dinner and cleaning the kitchen once again.  Clothes get folded and put away.  Then I get some time with dh. :)

There are plenty of times when things don't go as planned and my routine just flies out the window.  On these days I just try and get my must do's done: wash at least one load of clothes and keep the kitchen clean.  If I don't keep up with these chores the people in my home go naked and eat with their hands...just kidding!  But this is the system I have developed over the years.  I feel you just have to find what chores are most important to you and your family and that's what really matters. :)

Cats On Tuesday

This is my first time participating, although I have enjoyed seeing this meme for a while now.  I have 4 beautiful, unique kitties and they bring me much joy and fun. :)  In my house this is the kitty hierarchy...

First is Smokey, ds1's cat.  He is about 5 years old and that serious look he is giving is very indicative of his nature.  He's the boss and he lets all the other kitties know it!

Next is Katy.  Though she is the old lady of the bunch (going on 11!) she only ranks second among the cats in authority.  She is very picky, and partial to me, although she never sits in anyone's lap...not even mine.  The best she will do is cuddle with me in bed. :)

Ah, Winston.  Or Winnie as we call him.  What a sweetie.  He's a little over a year old and still quite the kitten.  He is a big cat but tries his best to fit into small spaces.  He wants to be everyone's friend, but of course Smokey and Katy will have none of it.

Finally there's my Mimi.  Oh doesn't she just make your heart melt?  She is so loving and tolerant, and my own "executive assistant" as dh calls her, as she follows me around and "helps" me with my chores.  She is all about peace and love.

But there is one thing in this house that trumps them all...

Yep, this is truly the king in the cat hierarchy. LOL

Oh a rambling we will go...

Oh great, another "roundup" post.  Yes, I have been a bad, bad blogger and just can't seem to keep up!  So here is what has happened the past few days.

Well, I had just thought to myself how we seem to have survived the fall with no illness when ds3 starts coughing.  Innocent enough, no runny nose or fever, just a cough.  On night three with said cough it turns into croup.  Now this boy has had the croup every year of his life...that would be 8 now!  He is long past all the time frames when drs say a child should "outgrow" the croup.  But this morning we were on a scary long drive into the e.r. with him, gasping and working hard for a breath.  It seems his episodes get worse every year instead of better or even milder.  They had to give him a steroid breathing treatment and then insert an i.v. to give him a shot of steroids before he finally calmed down.  The thing is, he is still coughing a lot!  He is playing and says he can breath okay, but he is coughing so much he can't speak or eat well.  We can't get into the dr until the morning, so I am just praying we don't have another scary ride in store tonight.

In other more cheerful news, we visited our favorite local shop, an "antique" store of sorts.  Basically the owner rents areas of her shop out to dealers who bring in garage/estate sale finds and other goodies.  On past visits we have acquired a gorgeous all wood desk for dh, a dining set for our kitchen, an old recipe box full of handwritten recipes, and lots more.  This weekend was "five and dime" weekend, where the vendors all put some 5 and 10 cent items out in their areas.  Look what I scored!

A cute holiday apron for a dime and a snowman cookie jar for $2!  Btw, if you are looking for recipes to fill your holiday cookie jar with, check out my recipe blog. :P

Don't hate me, but I am almost done with Christmas shopping.  Oh, it feels so good to have most of it done, wrapped and waiting.  We did well staying in budget, catching things on sale and choosing gifts the recipients actually need this year.  I'm making some things, too.  In school news we are still working on penguin, weather and presidents lapbooks...I am hoping to add in a unit on Christmas symbols, just to introduce the symbol and the meaning behind it and do a craft related to it.  With the illness, we will see how things go.  Okay, off to refill the humidifier and dose out the meds.  Have a great week everyone!

Homeschool Memoirs: Candy

This week's memoir is a fun one!  We get to share our favorite candy. :)  I am all about chocolate and caramel lol.  Milk chocolate is my fave so you can't go wrong with...

Mmmm.  Now a while back I found a new candy bar that was practically made for me!

Oh baby!  But I haven't seen these around in a while so I don't know if they were just a special deal or I'm the only one who liked them, but they are great.

As far as non-chocolate candy goes, for me it has to be cherry flavored.  The kids know that any red candy goes to mom lol.  I especially like...

Red Tootsie Pops!  That's about it for the candy dept. for me.  Here is my scripture for the week. :)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

An Open Letter

To Whom It May Concern:

     I would like it noted, as a homekeeper, that two things should be banned from existence; Easter grass and Christmas tinsel.  That is all.

                                                      Sincerely,

                                                      Fun In The Sun Mom

P.S.  Check out my recipe blog for Christmas Cookies galore.

Mom Central Holiday Gift Guide

I love Mom Central.  It's a neat place for moms to get advice on parenting, homekeeping and new products to help us do our jobs the best we can. :)  I especially like the mom testing panel.  I joined up a while ago and have had the chance to test some neat new products designed with mom's needs in mind.

  Now, in time for the holidays, Mom Central has a Holiday Gift Guide.  You should check it out!  It's not like other gift guides you see.  It has the obvious toys and products that you'd expect, but also quite unique items and even charitable opportunities.  A great resource if you have that certain someone on your list that you just can't think what to get (uh, my brother lol) or you just want some different ideas for gifts this year.  I especially liked the pets guide...I never heard of the Critter Cord before.  With 4 inquisitive kitties in the house I could sure use that!  If you haven't joined in at Mom Central now would be a great time to do so.  Let your mommy voice be heard!