My Family My Forever

DIY Satin Flower Headbands for Girls—Super Cute!

Susana — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 04:52:01 +0000

When I saw a tutorial for these DIY Satin Flower Headbands I knew I wanted to make them with Hanna. They are SO cute! Then, I decided it would be a lot of fun to have the girls make them at her birthday sleepover. Hanna took it a step further and asked if they could make one for themselves and a matching one for their American Girl dolls—what a great idea! So, they did, and they turned out great! Read about that fun, *here*.

Here is what you need for your own Satin Flower Headbands. FYI, the girls made theirs in like 20 minutes with no difficulties. I had—ok my mom came over and helped me out in a huge way by cutting almost all of the circles with a little help from Hanna while I schooled the kids—thank you SO much mom—all the circles were pre-cut, a low temp glue gun set up for each girl, and all the supplies laid out to make the most of their time. I made one yesterday to make sure this was going to be an age appropriate craft for them, and it was very easy! They look like store quality too, so pretty and girly. OK, now for the supplies….

Different colors of satin—I bought the cheapest satin in Hobby Lobby that was also on sale 50% off and it was perfect.
Headbands for girls—I got the elastic ones in Walmart made by Goody. They make them now with no slip grippers. Perfect for Hanna, these have always slipped out of her hair. She wore her headband all day and it stayed in place great.
Baby headbands if you are making one for a doll.
Beads for decorating the middle of each flower.
Low temp glue gun.
Some sort of lighter.

Instructions:

Cut satin into circles making each gradually smaller. You will need six graduated circles for each flower. I made the largest circle for the bigger flower 4 inches in diameter and the largest circle for the smaller flower on the headband 3 1/2 inches in diameter. The circles do not have to be perfect and can be freehanded. **For the doll headband we used only one flower—the 3 1/2 inch one (the smaller of the two).**
Use a lighter to very slightly melt the edges to make the satin curl up like flower petals.
Glue each layer one on top of the other. I used hot glue. Just place a generous amount in the middle of the petal and press the next layer on top to firm it into place.
For the beads, I put a very generous amount of hot glue in the middle of the last layer/petal, then put a good sized amount of beads on top of the glue. I just used my finger tip to gently mash the beads down into the glue just until they were secure.
Glue each finished flower onto the headband wherever you like. (Do the same thing for the dolls headband as for the girls.)

You’re done! Aren’t they just ultra girly and adorable! Love them!!

Birthday Sleepover—Girls Only

Susana — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Hanna had a birthday sleepover actually tonight. They are finally asleep right now after an American Girl movie marathon. Hanna and the girls had a blast doing nothing but girl things. Each of them come from families with only brothers, so they were very excited to do girl stuff together.

They are all into American Girl dolls/books—perfect and so much fun! They started off by making some cute Satin Flower headbands—one for themselves and one for their doll. (For headband DIY, go *here*.)

Next up was American Girl hairstyling and tea party. Here the girls are wearing their headbands—the dolls are too:-).

After that was ice cream sundaes.

Next came pedicures complete with cute nail stickers.

Presents—a cool Tervis Tumbler with a kitty cat on it, Silly Bandz, and a basket full of chocolates. (I think that was supposed to be for me:-) ). Hanna quickly informed the girls she would be counting her chocolates, then hiding them somewhere safe in her room so that me and Jamie didn’t eat them. I’d love to say this isn’t true, but we have been known to eat our kids’ candy sometimes:-). These were sweet, thoughtful gifts Hanna received and each was perfectly suited for her.

The grand finale was the American Girl movie marathon. They finally passed out into the third movie. They had such a good time. I know Hanna had an absolute blast! I am so glad she got to do this. It was actually fun for me too. I enjoyed planning it, crafting with the girls, listening to them be silly and giggle, and just watching them have fun. I think another sleepover will have to be in the works in the very near future because this was great! They’ll be waking up to cinnamon rolls and fruit in the morning.

I am off to sleep now. It’s been a busy day and a busy week too, but so much fun!

Bob the Builder and Jesse walks Vlogs

Susana — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 03:37:11 +0000

Jack is so construction obsessed right now and has been for months. He loves books, tv shows, and any construction vehicle he can get his hands on. He walks around talking about mighty diggers and loaders, taking his dump truck on an errand, and digging at Nana’s house all day long. He has the Bob the Builder theme song memorized and sings it so cute. I got a video of him singing most of it earlier this week.

Here are a couple videos of my sweet Jesse walking. These were also taken earlier this week. It’s amazing to me how fast a baby goes from taking just a couple steps alone to walking well. Just since these two videos Jesse’s walking has already improved by leaps and bounds. He is getting faster too. He is definitely walking more than he is crawling now. It is so funny to look around and there he is just toddling along.

I love these videos I’ve been putting on. In a couple years they are going to be priceless.

Pictures, Outdoors, School—everything and then some

Susana — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:00:00 +0000

This has been a super busy week. We’ve had a lot to do in general, Hanna’s birthday and school started back for us just today. It’s been a good week though. We were able to get outside some this week. It is beginning to cool off here, not much, but anything is better than the sweltering heat we’ve had all summer. Getting outside some is making me look forward to all the fun we have coming up in the Fall. It begins such a fun time of year.

The kids had fun playing outside at Nana’s. Hanna was in the tree house, Joe was everywhere, Jack was in the sandbox with his trucks and Jesse spent the first part eating lunch, lounging in his walker, and then exploring the yard a bit before we left. He is definitely walking more than he is crawling now. It’s happened so fast!

Here are some of my favorite pictures from Monday’s outdoor fun.

Can you tell I had way too much fun taking pictures? It had been so long it seemed since I got the chance to, and I did enjoy it. My mom never likes me to take her picture. Well, I did anyway, and she’ll have to grin and bear it because I am going to post my favorites I took of her. I realized I don’t have a lot of pictures of my mom and honestly, that made me a little sad. I have to do much better at getting pictures of her and her with all of us. The pictures I got Monday are full of expression and full of “her”, how I think of her. I love them.

And, I saved the best for last. She is going to LOVE this one! I call this one, Hip Hop Nana.

On another note, we started back to school—the second quarter of our school year—yesterday. It did not go as smoothly as I’d envisioned, but I made it through. Jamie got called to work by one of our friends who works with him way before he usually leaves. This meant no shower for me, no time to do my morning chores, and lots more I didn’t get to do that I normally do before he leaves. I realized even more after he left how thankful I am for his job, the wonderful hours we are blessed with that he has, and how thankful I am that he helps so willingly. He actually got called to work to get a snake out of his shop! How it got in, who knows. He was able to get it out, and in “Jamie nature” he did not kill it, he captured it and set it free.

My boys were wild animals today, Jesse didn’t nap, and I realized as we were beginning our first session of school that I’d totally forgotten to prepare the new set of phonics games Joe needed, I had tons of loose ends to tie up and things to prepare for Hanna’s sleepover (still haven’t gotten them all done). I handled all of this way better than I think I ever have before, and I’m being serious. I didn’t get mad, didn’t lose my temper/patience. I stayed calm all day, full of love and just made the best of it. I am so thankful I didn’t let a few minor, very unimportant set backs ruin our first day of school and bring a bad spirit into our home. The kids enjoyed their work and worked happily. We got lots done and it was fun to be back into our school routine. (Details coming on all we’ve done the end of next week.) I hope this quarter of school stays like this—fun and me feeling calm and loving despite things I have no control over that may come up—making the best of each moment and enjoying each day with my family.

Guest Post by Hanna—When I Grow Up….

Susana — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:00:00 +0000

I’ve wanted to be a vet since I was in Kindergarten. I got the chance to do a project/interview with our vet, Dr.Sheridan.

Q: What is your typical day like?

I get to the clinic at 8:00am and usually get 3-4 cats in the morning. I do mainly blood work and surgeries in the morning. In the afternoon while other cats are waking up from their surgeries I see more cats.

Q: About how many cats do you get in daily?

It changes a lot; sometimes i only get around five, but on busy days i could get ten to fifteen.

Q: What sorts of equipment do you use in your exams?

I use a stethoscope, an otoscope, flea combs, blood analyzing machines, a laser, an ultra sound machine, and an ophthalmoscope.

Q: How many hours a day do you work?

10 hours a day, four days a week. On the third weekend of every month I do a little extra work.

Q: Do you spay and neuter cats?

Yes.

Q: Around what age of cats do you get in most?

It seems like older than twelve because as they get older, most need more medical treatment.

Q: What is your favorite part about your job?

Seeing Kittens, doing complicated cases and being able to figure them out, and sending cats home well.

Q: What made you want to become a vet?

I don’t remember, but I was younger than you are when I knew I wanted to be a vet.

I was able to have a tour of the Cat Clinic and was able to take pictures of the rooms inside too. These are pictures in the boarding and sick room.

This is also in the boarding and sick room. It is a picture of a special cat kennel that can give oxygen to the cat.

This is the tooth cleaning machine.

This is a picture of what every cat HATES!!! A terrible kitty tub!

Look! A Beetle! Beetle is the name of this cat.

I even got to sit in on an exam! This was my favorite part! Dr. Sheridan gave a cat his vaccinations and his annual exam.

This is Dr. Sheridan, her patient, and assistant. Also, even though they look like twins, this is not Baby O. Dr. Sheridan is combing her patient with a flea comb. The paper towel is for kitty. He drooled when he got nervous! Poor kitty.

This is Dr. Sheridan seeing if kitty’s bladder is right. Thankfully, it was!

This is Dr. Sheridan checking kitty’s lungs. They were normal for a nervous cat.

I loved interviewing our vet and touring the cat clinic and learned a lot too. After doing this interview I want to be a vet even more!

**This is Susana now I wanted Hanna to do some sort of project for the month of August even though we were on break. I let her choose, and she chose to read about and research vets. She asked if it would be ok to do an interview and tour of our vet’s office. I called and Dr. Sheridan was more than happy to do this. She was so nice, so patient and took a lot of time to show us around, answer all of Hanna’s questions, and then invited us to stay for her next appt. This made Hanna’s day! I enjoyed it too. Thank you Dr. Sheridan for allowing us to interview you, take pictures and for being so nice, and an over-the-top vet!**

Hanna’s Birthday Dinner

Susana — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 03:53:01 +0000

Hanna enjoyed her birthday today. She woke up to flowers and balloons. Flowers in her birthday vase—my mom got this vase on Hanna’s first birthday and we have given her flowers in it each year since.

She enjoyed her day. She got to play computer—something we don’t normally do on weekdays. I took her to Target to pick out a new game for her DS, and I fixed dinner per her request. Nana and Grandpa came over for dinner too. After dinner we had cupcakes—she’ll get her big cake at her family party in a couple weeks. I can’t wait to see it! (Thank you Aunt Teresa for making it for her!)

We sang Happy Birthday and Hanna blew out her candles.

Hanna opened her presents from me, Jamie and her brothers, and from Nana and Grandpa. She was excited to get a new Webkinz.

She’d been asking me to take her shopping for a purse for quite some time. I kept putting her off because I knew she was getting one from her Nana. She got her very first purse, and a Vera Bradley at that:-). She LOVED it, and had it all packed and ready to go. We also gave her an American Girl outfit she’d been wanting. I LOVE that she is so girly. I am too, and could not imagine having my only girl be a tomboy! It is so much fun watching her get into accessories and clothes. Thankfully, she is not into boys, music or anything too tween/teen yet and I am going to do all that I can to keep it that way as long as I can!! We will gladly keep getting American Girl and Webkinz stuffed animals as long as I can keep her interested in them! I am so proud and so relieved that Hanna is still so young in so many ways. I have truly up to this point kept her “in the world, but not of the world”, and for this I am so thankful. These years are passing too fast and I am going to enjoy the little girl left in Hanna as long as I possibly can, and yes, I will do as much as I can to keep it around.

It was a happy, fun day.

Happy 11th Birthday, Hanna!

Susana — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:00:00 +0000

I cannot believe Hanna is turning 11 years old today. It is such a mixed bunch of emotions for me each time one of the kids has a birthday. Of course I am so happy, so excited and so thankful that they are healthy, first and foremost. But, I feel a little bit of sadness too because they are just growing so fast. When I put this picture collage together it was like these years really did pass in a blink. It’s like one of those clips in a movie where the screen shots are just whirring by as memories and the person whose life it is, is just watching them. I try so hard to let myself enjoy each day with my children, some days I do better than others, but looking at these pictures of my Hanna from a tiny baby to a young lady makes me realize just how important it is to try harder. She is changing so much, maturing. I am excited to celebrate her birthday with her. She is VERY excited about the celebrations we have planned with family and friends over the next week and a half!

Hanna, you are such a sweet, creative, kind, compassionate, smart and beautiful girl. You are such a help to me and to our family. I am so thankful I get to spend so much time with you during your growing up years. You bless my life each day with more than you could ever know. Maybe one day when you have children of your own—and I do hope you will be a mom someday because it is a gift like no other you will ever receive in this earthly life—you will understand a lot of what I have written here and talked with you about through the years. I am so proud of you, and I love you so much. I hope your birthday is a very, very happy one!

Love forever, Mom

Magic Tree House Knight at Dawn Unit Study

Susana — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 09:00:00 +0000

I read the Magic Tree House books to Hanna when she was in kindergarten and we loved them. They are so imaginative and I think they are perfect for kids this age for so many different reasons. Hanna went on to read all of them at least a couple more times on her own as she grew into an independent reader. Over the years we collected them, and I still purchase the new ones as they come out. I don’t buy many books, we are definitely a library family, but these are worth buying, in my opinion. My mom got us all of the accompanying study guides as well throughout the years. At the time, I didn’t think much of those, but oh I am thankful for them now! They are wonderful for unit studies after reading the fiction book in the series that precedes them. I’ve read a few of the Magic Tree House books to Joe, but after seeing the unit studies Julie at The Adventures of Bear has done, I knew this was something Joe would love and we would have fun doing together.

Over this last month while we’ve been on break, Joe and I read Knight at Dawn and did a unit study on knights and castles. Here are the books we read (remember to check my Shelfari for all we are reading, I update it regularly):

We both learned lots from reading the Magic Tree House Knights and Castles Research Guide. It always surprises me that Joe enjoys nonfiction books as much as fiction books. We located on a map Egypt, Africa and the Nile River. I had Joe trace the Nile River in blue crayon. (I was able to print this map from Hanna’s history last year.) I plan to incorporate many more educational activities into our next unit study. I kept this one mainly crafts since we were on break.

During the course of reading our books we made several different things to go along with our study. I had Joe cut out assorted geometric shapes from construction paper and then glue them together to create a castle. He decorated it with art supplies of his choice.

He made a stained glass window out of construction paper, contact paper and tissue paper.

He made a shield. I cut a shield shape out of white poster board. He painted it and glued on rhinestones and sequins. (I let him choose whatever he wanted for decorating from the craft closet.) Jamie cut another matching shield shape out of a cardboard box. I then used spray adhesive to glue on the poster board shield. After it was dry Jamie attached a handle to the back. (You can see a how-to *here*.) Joe LOVES his shield!

Lastly, Jamie cut a gallon milk jug as described *here* to make a knight’s helmet to go with Joe’s shield. Joe covered it with tin foil, and I attached feathers to the top of the jug with a glue gun.

And as you can see, we have our own “Joe Mighty Knight”.

For a boy who loves knights and castles right now, this was a super fun study! He learned while he had fun, and got to make some cool stuff too.

I am not satisfied with our I Love America History curriculum I purchased. In my opinion, it’s just too dry. I have decided we are going to use The Value Tales series, Magic Tree House books and The Old Testament Discover the Scriptures for Joe’s History. I want to focus Joe’s history on historical people, his own interests, and religion for the time being. I will elaborate on my plans for this (and why I chose these books) in our first back to school homeschool post next week. I can’t wait to get started back to school this week. I love homeschool–the planning, teaching, learning together–I live it and breathe it–and am so very thankful for this blessing in our family.

Here’s one last picture of the king with his castle.

We will be flying to the moon in our next unit study. Stay tuned….

Birthday Girl’s Day Out

Susana — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 09:00:00 +0000

Hanna’s birthday is Wednesday. I can’t believe it is already time for her to have another birthday! I think she just turned 10 a couple weeks ago:-). This year has passed faster than any year I think I’ve ever had up to this point in my life!

When I asked Hanna what she wanted for her birthday this year she said a family party (September 11th), a sleepover (this coming Friday) and a girls shopping day with me. We had our day out shopping today and it was so much fun for both of us.

She wanted to shop for accessories and church dresses, yes, that’s right, church dresses! She found some of each (a very pretty winter/Christmas time dress for church). She got the hat, sunglasses and earrings (they are little flip flops with a rhinestone in the middle) she is wearing in the picture above. I can’t believe she picked the hat, but she really wanted it and it does look cute on her. She wanted shades like mine:-), and chose the white ones with rhinestones on the arms. She has got some “glam” taste, and it’s taking me by surprise. She likes “bling”. I’m not much on bling for me, but as long as Hanna keeps her “bling” tasteful, I’ll let her personality shine and let her have fun with it. It’s both interesting and fun to watch her develop her own sense of style. It is definitely beginning to happen and she is quick to let me know it.

I took lots of pictures. Here are the highlights.

Trying on shades.

Being silly and having fun.

Looking for the perfect earrings.

We had a fun time together. I am so, so thankful that in all my being blessed with boys that I have been blessed with a daughter. And, such a beautiful, fun, smart and sweet one at that. Hanna is still very much a child, but in so many ways she is turning into a young woman. I love her so much and look forward to celebrating her 11th birthday with her, our family and friends over the next coupe of weeks.

I love you forever, Hanna. Thank you for letting me take you shopping today, and for making it such a fun time for the two of us.

Jesse is 49 Weeks Old

Susana — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:00:00 +0000

Only a few more weeks and we will be celebrating Jesse’s first birthday. I can’t believe it! I have bittersweet feelings about this big event. Of course, I am so thankful Jesse is growing strong and healthy, learning new things and developing as he should be. But with each new phase, each new thing he learns, a little bit of his baby slips away from me. On the other hand, we as a family are in a really good place. Jamie and I are finally settling into a more relaxed stage as a family with four kids and are just enjoying where we are right now.

Jesse was a bit whiny and wanting to be held a lot the last couple weeks. This was fine by me. I could hold him all day long.

I did figure out what was causing his fussiness. He got two new teeth this week. He has six now—four on the top and two on the bottom. He is working hard on another bottom tooth, and I feel sure he’ll be up to eight teeth in no time.

He’s walking more and more each day. He has excellent balance, and he can go from sitting to a squat and then a stand without even holding on to anything. I think he’ll be doing more walking than crawling very soon. He is still eating and sleeping the same. I started weaning him from formula this week, adding just a bit of real milk into his bottles. I’ll keep doing this gradually over the next month until he’s drinking no more formula. So far, he’s having no trouble with the real milk.

He’s as cute as ever with those beautiful blue eyes.

And, he’s very fast and very curious. He was trying to get the camera from me the whole time I took the pictures in this post.

I have had the best first year ever with Jesse. He couldn’t be a happier, sweeter, easier, more laid back baby. He is so much fun and he is loved so very much by all of us. There is nothing in the whole world I’d rather be doing every day than taking care of my children. Being a mom is the best, most rewarding, most fulfilling job and makes me happier than I could ever express in words.