Elizabeth's Recital

Singing with her Dad!!
A beautiful dress on a beautiful girl!


Mom's traditional lipstick kiss!

More Spring!

The kids at Montessori planted Daffodil bulbs last fall. They are beautiful and the children are extremely proud as you can tell from this picture!!

 

 

You are welcome

I know that those of you who look at my blog daily (and don't you all!!!) are tired of having to avert your eyes from the poor little mousling "sleeping". So here are some pictures of my beautimous garden. It's spring!! Finally!!!

Presents for Papa!!

We've had one lone mousling left after the filling of the sheetrock holes under the sink and dishwasher. Bigglesworth has been stalking it for about a week. This morning he left Ethan this wonderful gift right on his pillow!!!

 

What's that I hear? Could it be a mousie?? Are you hiding little mousie?? Oh, I see, you are taking a small nap! What a pleasant place to nap, right on Papa's pillow! And how convenient for me! YUM. Always wash after mousing and clean under your claws......What's that?

 

Here's our boy, new haircut and braces!!

If you ever want to feel really brilliant...

just hang out with me. I'm the one that just went into the laundry room to move the clean clothes from the washer to the dryer. Opened the just finished washer to find... NO CLOTHES. Yes, I have a VERY CLEAN washing machine.

Is It A Good Idea To Microwave Marshmallow Peeps?

Peeps!! Of course it is a good idea! It's what Easter is all about!

Yesterday Dr. Seuss, Today Eric Carle

I've been playing and playing today!! Doing some cards for a swap "In the Style of Eric Carle". I LOVE his books and have been wanting to do some collages like his. Last Saturday at Connie's we made tons of paste paper for cutting up to collage so today I cut and glued to my heart's content. I'll be picking matt medium out from under my fingernails for the rest of the weekend, but who cares!!!!

A happy week

 
We celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday on Monday (yes, his birthday was Sunday, but as my Montessori kiddos will tell you, "we don't come to school on Sunday" so we celebrated on Monday! We had jello with red and blue fishes in it and read multiple silly, rhyming worded books! I created these Artist Trading Cards in honor of the day!

President's Day

Here is the how I spent the best part of my day off! Playing with paper, drinking tea, eating Girl Scout Cookies (I love this time of year).
As you may know, or maybe not, I have given up reading fiction for Lent. On days like today when I am home alone all day it is very difficult to stick to no novels. I made it through another day though! I spent some time reading "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World" and worked a bit on my lesson for Sunday's JYF. I practiced my violin twice (I needed that) and I made art!

If you want to see other cards I've made recently you can go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/upwiththesun/

Be the Change this Season

Just a reminder of why I don't watch TV

I just happened to have the TV on earlier this morning to see what the weather would grace us with today...it got left on and I just now walked past. This is what I heard...."Oh, Martha, I just have to say how much I adore you! You are just like the big sister in my head!!" Spoken with all the emotion of a screaming rock star fan. Pu-lease. I won't go into what I think of Martha, but I'm thinking my decision to avoid TV and particularly daytime TV was a wise one. Just sayin'.

Is it Spring yet???

Reasons to love winter during an Oklahoma Snow Storm

You don't have to worry about wearing blush cause the very cold wind and snow blowing will make your cheeks pink.

If you are into blue lipgloss see above and substitute, your lips blue.

You might as well sleep right through the time it takes to comb your hair. Yours will look just like everyone else's when you step outside. Also, if you prefer the standing up on top of your head hard gel look you just need to stand and try to get your car door open and viola!

You will build up very strong muscles in your arms first by trying to force the frozen car door open and then trying to hold on to the door so it doesn't blow clear off the vehicle.

Your leg muscles will get their workout today by pushing the full grocery cart through the 4 inch snow drifts from the door of the store to your car.

You will make the grocery sacker very happy by saying "No, thanks, I don't need help to the car."

For once no one will make fun of your footwear when you arrive in very warm moon boots.

When you've done all your chores, not slid off the road or run over any pedestrians blowing into your path, you can go home and feel perfectly entitled to a hot cup of tea and a good book. I'm headed there now.

No, I did not see Naked Cowboy

 

But I did see this.

Fine Time in NYC!!

I obviously was very tired when I was trying to figure out how to put these pictures on the blog so they are in fairly random order. The Statue of Liberty was the last night in New York. Our group was treated to a lovely dinner cruise on the Spirit of New Jersey. And for those of you who know me too well, I took Dramamine before boarding the bus to take us to the pier. I stood out on the deck and took the pictures. She is a beauty, especially at night!
These are the "girls" on the trip, most of us anyway. In front in Mrs. Hulsey, the choir director. She turned 60 on Concert Day. Great birthday!
In the Newark airport waiting for our flight home. As you can tell they did very little sleeping on the trip. Too much to see and do.
I watched the sun set from the plane as we few home. We were above the clouds and it was really beautiful.

Times Square, a wonderful, youthful musical and the chance for the boys to meet and visit with great, friendly actors at the stage door. Can't ask for much better than that!

Carnegie Hall. An awesome concert hall. The look on the kid's faces, when they came on stage to a full house, all the way up to the third balcony, was priceless. The concert was professional and beautifully performed. Great work kiddos! They did get a picture taken outside by a "real" photographer, but it is copywrited and I'm being good! We had an awesome trip and I have a feeling there is more NYC in our futures! Three days at home and then off to the mountains. More about that later!

Just one more week!!!

Next week at this time we'll be in New York! We'll see Spamalot, take a tour and a cruise in the harbor. The kids will sing at Carnegie Hall and the adults will be so proud. Here is something else I hope I see while I'm in NYC...and I hope there are no children around when I see him!!

New Year's Revolutions

Taking an idea from my dear Sistah here are some of the random revolutionary ideas that I am planning for 2008...We'll see how it all goes!

Finish my reread through the Bible. Seems I missed alot during the first time through. Almost every morning I think, "did I read that before?? I don't remember this part." After the 2nd time through I want to find a really good study. Any ideas will be appreciated.

Take a trip with my Sistah. Yes, if we both put it on our list we will surely do it!

Do a total clear out and review of my wardrobe (I know this amazes some of my family as I'm still wearing things I got in 1970) This will include shoes that I've worn once and hate (but couldn't throw away because of the guilt factor). So if you see me this summer in the same three outfits just ignore it. It just means that I've thrown out all my old ratty stuff and am too cheap to buy anything new just yet.

Ditto on the things in the attic and the hall closet. Things like maternity clothes, boxes and boxes of every piece of paper any child ever brought home from school, random Christmas things that haven't made it down in 18 years, etc. can probably be sorted and recycled. Don't worry, I won't throw anything that could possibly be used by a grandchild should I ever be so lucky to have one!


Find a mission that speaks to my heart and commit some time to it. I'm looking around and there are several possibilities for service. I'm asking for courage and the willingness to serve.

I hope that everyone's New Year is full of beautiful blessings and wonderful surprises! I'm looking forward to the changes and challenges that the new year will bring. Love to you all!

Hot time in the Old Town

Yes, it was ALMOST a hot time in the old town last night here at the Allen household! Seems the Head Poke decided to preheat the popcorn popper for his evening snack...then went into the other room to put on comfy clothes...a few minutes later the cry from the kitchen, "DAD!!!!DAD!!!FIRE!!!" Yep, the ole Whirly Pop was a flamin'. Luckily the trained boy scout, aka Daniel, knew just what to do and had the popper unflamed by the time we ran into the kitchen!!! Whew. Pretty exciting (and stinky). Guess what Dad is getting for Christmas??!!

I'm feeling better!

This made me smile and laugh out loud this morning. It will make you feel better too! Kind of like Egyptian cheerleaders!!

Just Whining

I just have to say that I am sick of being sick. I just don't get sick, but for some reason this year I've had the fever, aching, feeling icky all over, epizooty TWICE. NOT FAIR, I tell you, NOT FAIR!! When I should be out having the wonderful experience of shopping with a kabillion other folks at the mall, NO, I'm home, in bed, overdosing on aspirin and herbal tea. It stinks.

To those of you who are still reading, thank you for listening to my whine. I feel better already for having gotten it out of my system!