New Blog

I post book reviews on here sometime and always want to post more but I feel like this is more of a family blog so I feel silly if it's overwhelmed with book reviews so.... I started a new blog. It's still in the works but please check it out!! :) I love reading so I thought it would be fun if I could just write reviews for EVERYTHING I read. Then you'll also get a view on if something is clean or not b/c... I will definitely tell you! =o) hehe! So.... check out my new blog here. I am just getting caught up on books I've read in 2011. If I read it before then it won't be blogged about unless I re-read it. ENJOY!!

Poor Collin!

It's hard to see in this picture but Collin has a swollen black eye and notice the line across his neck.... Okay, first, the eye. Last night at Tae Kwon Do they were playing a game at the end -- tag. Collin and a little boy named Josh smacked into each other! OUCH!! The eye is the result. They must have hit hard!

Now, the neck. This morning it was very windy and sunny and just beautiful. The kids decided it was perfect weather to fly a kite so I pulled the kite from the closet and we were flying it in the backyard. It was Ronni's turn and she was doing well. Then, the wind suddenly changed directions. The kite dived down and whipped around Collin's neck. I yelled for Ronni to drop the string and she did it immediately. However, the rope burn was already there.

Now my poor child looks like he has been punched and choked. Poor little guy.... :(

Ostara

I am weird. I know this. Most people know of Ostara as the pagan holiday to welcome in the light and the marriage of the Sun God and the Maiden Goddess. The traditions on this holiday is a feast and the symbols of this day are the egg and rabbit. Hmmmm... does that sound like a familiar holiday? So, what we do is the pagan traditions of Easter are celebrated on Ostara and then for Easter we focus on Christ. We do an activity every day leading up to Easter about the last week of Christ's life. What we do can be found here, here, and here. :)

So, now I know you're all dying to know what we did yesterday. First, we had to give ourselves affirmations. Ronni's was, "I will not be bossy." Collin's was, "I will control my temper." And mine was, "I will have patience with my children."

Then, of course, we had to have our Ostara baskets.

Our FHE activity was a Spring Egg Hunt:

Then we came inside for an Ostara feast:

We had watermelon, spinach soup (the kids hated it!) and asparagus gratin (this was a BIG hit!! All enjoyed it!).
Dessert was:

strawberry and cream-cheese roll with apricot sauce on top. This one was a hit too!! =o)

Happy Ostara!!! (March 21)

St. Patrick's Day!!!

Just to clarify, my kids picked out their own clothes and got themselves dressed. And yes, we went to the park and the grocery store with them dressed this way. I also went to the grocery store with 3 dandelions in my hair from the park. LOL!! I got some looks. =o)

Breakfast: Green eggs and toast.... does it look yummy?

Lunch: Green Macaroni and Cheese.

Dinner: Chunky Potato and Cabbage Soup in bread bowls. :)

Dessert: Green Banana and Strawberry Cream Pie

So that was our St. Patty's Day celebration. =o) Yummy!!!

72 hr kits

 If you can’t tell, for FHE tonight we worked on 72 hr kits. We, obviously, already had them but they needed to be updated and sorted through. We still only have 3 of several things I need to pick up… like a bowl! Haha! Ronni may like something to eat out of. Below is our menu. I tried to get enough calories in us each day. Whoo! Glad that’s over! We transferred it all to rolling suitcases instead of backpacks. I did pack the backpacks in the suitcases in case they’re needed but hopefully none of it is ever needed. =o) Below the menu is a list of all the non-food items. Is there anything we’re missing that you think would be useful?

Meals	Dad	Mom	Collin	Ryanne
Breakfast	Applesauce (90) & Fig Bar (220)	Applesauce (90) & Fig Bar (220)	Applesauce (90) & Fig Bar (220)	Applesauce (90) & Fig Bar (220)
Snack	Crackers & P.B. (260+)	Crackers & P.B.	Crackers & P.B.	Crackers & P.B.
Lunch	Minestrone (160)	Minestrone	Minestrone	Minestrone
Snack	Beef Ravioli (300)	Red Beans and Rice (220)	Red Beans and Rice (220)	Red Beans and Rice (220)
Dinner	Mexican Rice (220)	Mexican Rice	Mexican Rice	Mexican Rice
Day’s Calories	1250	1170	1170	1170

Meal	Dad	Mom	Collin	Ryanne
Breakfast	Applesauce (90) &½ poundcake (160)	Applesauce (90) &½ poundcake (160)	Applesauce (90) &½ poundcake (160)	Applesauce (90) &½ poundcake (160)
Snack	Crackers  w/ P.B. & Jelly (260)	Crackers  w/ P.B. & Jelly	Crackers  w/ P.B. & Jelly	Crackers  w/ P.B. & Jelly
Lunch	Western Beans (230)	Western Beans	Western Beans	Western Beans
Snack	Black Bean and Rice Burrito (220)	Red Beans & Rice (220)	Red Beans & Rice (220)	Red Beans & Rice (220)
Dinner	Pasta w/ Veggies in Alfredo (250)	Pasta w/ Veggies in Alfredo	Pasta w/ Veggies in Alfredo	Pasta w/ Veggies in Alfredo
Day’s Calories	1210	1210	1210	1210

Meal	Dad	Mom	Collin	Ryanne
Breakfast	Oatmeal Choc Cookie (190)	Oatmeal Choc Cookie (190)	Oatmeal Choc Cookie (190)	Oatmeal Choc Cookie (190)
Snack	Fig Bar (220)	Fig Bar (220)	Fig Bar	Fig Bar
Lunch	Beef Ravioli (300)	Beef Ravioli	Beef Ravioli	Beef Ravioli
Snack	Pasta w/ Veggies in Alfredo (250)	Pasta w/ Veggies in Alfredo (250)	Pasta w/ Veggies in Alfredo (250)	Pasta w/ Veggies in Alfredo (250)
Dinner	Western Beans & White Rice (255)	Western Beans & White Rice	Western Beans & White Rice	Western Beans & White Rice
Day’s Calories	1185	1185	1185	1185

Extras: White Rice x 1 (280 calories)
                Red Beans & Rice x 3 (220 calories)
                Crackers x 1
                Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies x 3 (190 calories)
                Fig Bar x 2 servings (1 pack) (110 calories/serving)
                Apple Jelly x 1

First Aid Kit

Adhesive Tape
Potassium Tablets
Snake Bite Kits x2
Sterile Pads x2
Bandaids
Alcohol Prep Pad x11
Antiseptic Towelette x4
Ammonia Inhalant x2
Pain Reliever x3 doses
Antibiotic Ointment x4 doses
Burn and Wound Dressing
Pain Relief Gel x3
Tweezers
Eye Pad x2
Gauze Wrap

Other Gear

Body Warmers x9
Bug Sting Kit
Sewing Kit x2
Shovel
Solar Radio
100 hr candle
silverware x4
Bowls x3
Pocket Sleeping Bags x3
Sparklite
Survival Guide Book
Wet stone x3
Personal hygiene kits x3 (toothbrush, comb, brush, feminine hygiene)
Glow sticks x3
Tube tents x2
Rain Ponchos x3
Pocket knives x3
Waterproof matchboxes x2
Rope x2
wire cutters
Hatchet
Potable Water
Toilet Paper
Work Gloves x2
Whistles x2
Sanitation Kit
Playing Cards x2
Wool Blanket
Towels x3

The home I want

A few months ago I looked at a house that I really really loved!! Today, I found the floorplan for it online. YAY!! I now have the image to share with all of you. Of course, we're still getting this house ready to sell and we may not even get this house. There's another one I really like as well but I don't have the floorplan for it. So.... here it is!! :) (And it's in our price range.)

The wall in the kitchen is only a half wall (at least in the one we looked at) so the dining room, great room, breakfast nook, and kitchen are all just one big room. Isn't that awesome? It would be so open!!! *sigh* I love this house!!!

VampireAcademySeriesbookreview 0001

Follow the Arrow

Recently, I've been asked by several different people where "Follow the Arrow" came from for my blog title. There's a song by Rosi Golan and it's one of my favorites. It's called "Follow the Arrow" and is about following your dreams and reaching the unreachable even when life gets tough. I love it! The song can be found on my playlist on the right column of the blog.
Here are the lyrics:

Follow the Arrow
Where it goes you'll know
Where it leads

Follow your instinct
You might finally
Find the one missing link

Then you'll see
What you never believed could be
You'll see
What you never believed could be

No one can tell you
When you're feeling blue
Where to call

Iron out the creases
Pick up the pieces
Wherever
They may fall

Oh Oh Oh
Then you'll see what you never believed could be
You'll see (then you'll see)
What you never believed could be
You'll see
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/r/rosi_golan/follow_the_arrow.html ]
After all the world is yours
If you take it for it's flaws
Don't expect too much from what you want

Diamonds in the rough are we
The devil wants to make a deal
But you should take to heart this sound advice

Follow the arrow
Where it goes you'll know
Where it leads

Follow your instinct
You might finally
Find the one missing link

Oh Oh Oh
Then you'll see
What you never believed could be
You'll see (then you'll see)
What you never believed could be
You'll see

MM MMM MMM...

Then you'll see what you never believed could be
You'll see (then you'll see)
What you never believed could be

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/r/rosi_golan/#share

Tae Kwon Do!!!

Yeapers! Collin is in Tae Kwon Do. He's been attending classes for about 3 weeks and I finally took a picture of him yesterday. Here he is... my little white belt!! :)

Isn't he cute? Last night he was working on his first kata!! :) I was so proud of him.

Sunday Dinner -- homemade ravioli. :)

We made ricotta spinach ravioli from scratch. Here we rolled out the dough (we don't have a pasta maker so a rolling pin had to do the job). We spread egg down between each dollop of the stuffing mix as "glue".

Then we folded it over and sealed each one. We tried hard to get all the air pockets out.Then we used the pizza cutter and sliced them into squares.Obviously, they were BIG ravioli but we were learning. ;)

Then you just drop them in boiling water until they float and they're done!! :) So easy!

We made some sauce and viola!! We all LOVED it!! Even Ronni, our picky eater. ;0

I probably shouldn't admit this to the world....

...but, luckily the world doesn't read my blog. ;) Today I feel like I must the worst mom ever. I think I have completely failed my children. If someone asks be what is the most important blessing I've ever had in my life my immediate answer would be, "my children." Then, if someone asks me what my biggest challenge has been in my life, my immediate answer would be, "my children." They are wonderful. Both of them have such great personalities and I am sooooo grateful that I get to spend everyday with them. They have such sweet spirits and are tons of fun. However, somedays they really don't obey at all. Is this normal? Most blogs I read from other moms make it sound as if they have the perfect children who obey them all the time. haha! Not me!

For example, I decided to take a shower this morning. Yeah, I really need those once in a while. I normally take them at the gym but we've had runny noses so the kids couldn't stay in the daycare at the gym so we stayed home today. I bolt locked the doors that go to outside and told the kids they had to stay on the couch and I turned on Rugrats. As soon as I stepped under the water the kids bang on the bathroom door yelling that they need juice. Well, I couldn't get them juice so they yelled at me so I sent them back to the couch. Soon, Ronni was screaming right outside my door. "What is going on?" I yelled. Ronni replied that Collin was blocking her from getting in the bathroom and she had to pee. I yelled to get Collin from in front the door so Ronni could get in. Then she couldn't get out for the same reason. I had to yell at Collin again. Then they were screaming in the living room. I knocked on the wall of the shower (living room is on the other side of it) trying to get them to call down and then they started banging on the wall. *sigh*

In Jan I went to a class for mothers with young children. Well, I go every month but in January it was about patience and how we shouldn't yell at our children. I normally do really well but in mornings like this... ack! I have been told that I play too much with my children and they can't entertain themselves. Then, when I let them play on their own I am told by others that I shouldn't ignore my children. I am always getting told what I'm doing wrong with them. I know that I shouldn't listen to others but these are experienced moms and I feel that they know better than I do but they contradict themselves. Maybe I just need a day off or a few hours off.... hmmmmm.... I'll have to work something out.

I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. I LOVE my children and they really are not bad children we just all have bad days and I think today all three of us are having a bad day on the same day. I just needed to vent. If you read this then thanks for listening. I am going to try to not let my bad day overlap with theirs anymore. Hopefully the rest of the day I will be smiling and happy no matter what they are doing. :)

Firestation!!!

For playgroup this week we went to the firestation. Totally fun! My kiddos loved it!! Collin and Ronni are the oldest two there. Well, there's one little girl a few months older than Ronni but she's the closest one to them. I am so grateful that Collin was there b/c he kept asking questions so it was fun getting the answers. There were a few things that they did, after they acted like they were done, because Collin asked about it. :)

Here are the kids on the back of the BIG firetruck. :)

This is the side of the big firetruck. And, if you're wondering, of course Collin asked what all the nozzles and knobs do. You plug one into the fire hydrant and then two of them plug into hoses which are color coded to knobs that turn it on and control the amount of water pressure going through the hose. Interesting, huh? I love that it's color coded b/c if a fireman is hurrying to put out a fire, it makes it a little more simple. :)

And then, Collin had to ask them about the clothing so Fireman Kyle (you'll see a picture of him later) took him over to his clothing. He got to wear his boots and pants and then took those off and wore the jacket and helmet. I didn't get a pic of the boots b/c Collin kept falling so I was holding him up. LOL!

Here is fireman Kyle, the one who answered all of Collin's questions. He even opened all the little compartments so he could see what was kept in there. I also talked to Kyle about Collin's fear of policemen. He thinks they're mean so he went and found a policeman who came out and talked to Collin. He gave him high fives and just chatted with Collin. By the end of the conversation Collin promised Kyle and the policeman (I can't remember his name now) that he would get either of them if he ever needed help. hehe! :)

And here is a pic of all the kids who made it that day. :) So fun!! :)