Two Week Catch-Up

It always takes me a few weeks into a new school year to get our routines figured out, but I fear that it's going to take me a little longer this year with my decision to incorporate a more flexible schedule. Jason is home now a lot more than he was last year, and it is just nearly impossible to do school with him here. I'm hoping that his appointments will pick up again soon. If they don't, I'm going to have to boot him out of the house for a couple of hours. =) Just kidding, honey!

All that said, to say, my life for the last two weeks has been wrapped up with Jason, school, sick kids, organization issues, cooking/baking, various activities, and a couple of things that I'm not at liberty to discuss (but you can pray with us for these "unspokens").

I realize that the last few posts have been about food, but we are really into cooking and experimenting with recipes and want to share those recipes with all of you. However, I feel the need to post about us...well, mainly about the kids. =) This is going to be a random synopsis of the last two weeks. Enjoy!

Two weeks ago today, Alyx and Larissa attended a birthday party for one of their friends. It was a horse-themed party, and they got to take a wagon ride to some nearby stables to ride horses...Every little girl's dream come true! They had a blast, of course! Here are some pictures from the party...



This is poor little Sydney taking a nap on the couch. She was one of the unfortunates that caught the bug.


A week ago today, we went bowling with our Sunday School class. We asked the girls before we left if they had ever been bowling before. (We couldn't remember.) Alyx said, "No....well, we've bowled on the Wii..." =) Of course, we laughed! They played on a Wii at the house of some friends of ours about a year ago. How sad! My kids are so deprived! =) They did much better than I expected, though. Some of them actually beat my score, but they did have the bumpers. =)



When we got home from bowling, we decided to finish up a craft that we had started the day before. (We had to wait for glue to dry.) During the week, Alyx had come up with an idea for a craft. She had read in a Highlights magazine about how to make a guitar from a paper towel tube and a cracker box. She couldn't find the magazine with the instructions, but she remembered enough of it that I felt pretty sure we could just fake it. =) We didn't have any cracker boxes, but I figured paper plates would work just as well. With a hole cut out of the center of one plate and 3 rubber bands strung across the opening (giving 6 strings total), they were able to strum little "tunes" with the "picks" that they made from the scraps that were cut away from the paper plate. (The "pick" was their idea. Aren't they creative?)

It's almost impossible to get a "group picture" with everyone looking "normal." Someone is bound to blink, look down/up/left/right, or do a little jig just for fun. =) I don't know how Jon and Kate do it!

The girls enjoyed it, and that's all that matters...



On another "crafty" note, Alyx started her "Science Notebook" this past week. She is learning a lot of interesting facts about animals, and she will be creating a "scrapbook-type" page of each animal to compile a notebook when she's done. I gave her several options for the picture that was to be included on the page. She could cut out the pictures provided in one of her books, we could print a page from the internet (either in color or for her to color), or she could draw and color the picture herself. She thought about it and decided that she wanted to draw them so that she could (in her words) "work on her drawing skills." Isn't that cute? I'm so glad that she didn't choose the "easy route." Here's her first page. I think she did a great job!


Yesterday, while we were doing some school work, Alyx informed me that her doll was going to help her. I looked over at her questioningly, and she explained that the way her doll's hands were positioned, she could hold her ruler and "clicky" eraser. How funny is that?

Sydney is a sssssssssnake!

Have you seen Disney's Jungle Book? If you haven't, then what I'm about to tell you probably won't be that funny to you, and it could still be one of those things that you just had to be there to appreciate it. We thought it was hilarious!

Anyway, on The Jungle Book, there is a character named Kaa, and he's a snake who hypnotizes his prey. During his second encounter with Mowgli, he's trying to convince Mowgli to trust him, but Mowgli knows Kaa's reputation and is trying desperately to avoid eye contact. Kaa manages to gain eye contact and begins singing the song, "Trust in Me." (I've included a video clip at the bottom of this post, so you can see that portion of the movie. It's only a couple of minutes.)

Sterling Holloway was the voice-over for Kaa and Winnie the Pooh as well as many others. He has a very distinctive voice. (Read more about him on Wikipedia by clicking on his name.)

This morning, Jason was able to come home for a few hours and then have lunch with us. At one point in time, he was sitting down in the living room, and Sydney came up to him like she was going to give him a kiss. She put her hands on his cheeks, touched her nose to his, looked deep into his eyes and starting singing, "Trust in Me..." in her best "Kaa" voice.

We just about lost it! That girl is so funny, and she doesn't even try! She's quick, too. The other day, I was reading a book to them, and I stopped for a moment, because I heard a noise. As I looked around the room, I soon realized that it was a ringing in my ears. So, I just made the comment that my ears were making noise. Without missing a beat, Sydney leaned over towards me and pressed her ear up against mine, and then she proceeded to laugh hysterically. No, she was not being "blond" but rather was making an ordinary situation into something really funny. We all had tears in our eyes from laughing so hard. She is our little comedian, and I love her dearly for that as well as many other things! =)

Here's the video clip of Kaa hypnotizing Mowgli.

You have got to hear this...

This group of girls is named "The Cactus Cuties," and this is their rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner." They range in age from 8 to 13 years old, and their talent will blow you away! This performance was for a basketball game at Texas Tech University. Thanks, Uncle Ronnie and Meemaw, for sending this clip to us...we really enjoyed it!

Now before you watch, be prepared. You will get goosebumps, and you may even have tears come to your eyes. If you don't, then there is something wrong with you! =)

Enjoy!



P.S. Yes, we're still out of town. I just scheduled this to post so you guys wouldn't forget about me or miss me too much...whichever the case may be. =)

A rose by any other name...

Here's something just for fun. Try it out and leave a comment with your "names." Before I get started, I have to fill you in on something you may not already know. My first name is actually Elizabeth, and my middle name is Rebekah. I've always gone by Rebekah, so for this I've used Rebekah as my first name and Elizabeth as my middle name. Well, here goes...

1. YOUR REAL NAME:

Rebekah

2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (first three letters of your name, plus izzle)

Rebizzle

3. YOUR "FLY Guy/Girl" NAME: (first initial of first name, first three of your last)

R Dow

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color and favorite animal)

I have no favorite animal, so this is thanks to my hubby. =)

Green Chicken and Pig (aka: Green Eggs and Ham)

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, Street you live on)

Elizabeth Tar-Hollow

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name, first 3 letters of your mom's maiden name)

Dow Re Wel ("Luke, I am your Great Aunt's, Half-Sister's, Best Friend's, Cousin.")

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (favorite color, favorite drink)

Green Dr. Pepper (Mmmm...Tasty!)

8. YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother and father's middle name)

Louise Freeman