The Story of the Sparkman's

Catching Up

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 02:55:00 +0000

I never intended to take such a long break from blogging, but between computer and camera issues needing to be resolved and the typical chaos of having a busy household the months sort of got away from me!

A photo dump(not many as my camera has been at the shop a lot) from the past few months.

LJ and MC sharing a snack

Wish they were always this sweet to each other

A little princess helping mommy make bread

Playing in the leaves

These two are so grown up and I have to say, 8 may be my favorite age so far!

The line-up of cousins at the farm on Easter

MC was not so interested in hunting eggs

LJ sure was though!

Today we went to a pick-you-own strawberry farm and AC and I decided we were going to try making strawberry jam. I've always wanted to learn how to can.

We picked lots and lots of strawberries. My hands may be stained red forever.

But it was worth it because we have 12 half-pint jars of strawberry jam and tons for the freezer to show for our hard work.

In some ways not blogging for a few months was a good thing, but I sure missed it and I love having my version of a scrapbook! Hope each of you have a great weekend!

Favorite Soup for Cold Nights

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 20:56:00 +0000

Our family loves soup and we usually have it a couple times per week during our winter months. Kelly is asking everyone to share their favorite soup recipe, so I thought I would share ours. I got this recipe many years ago when T and I were first married and I'm pretty sure it was in the Chattanooga Times newspaper...one thing I am really looking foward to with our move is having a great newspaper again!

Tuscan Chicken Stew

1 pound chicken breast cut into 1 inch pcs.
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
14 ounces chicken broth
16 ounces rinsed and drained cannellini beans
7 ounces roasted red bell pepper, drained and chopped
3 1/2 cups torn baby spinach

Toss the cut up chickn with the rosemary, salt, and pepper. Brown in the oil over medium-high heat. When browned, add the garlic and saute 1 minute.
Add the chicken, broth, beans and roasted red pepper to the crockpot and cook on low 4-5 hours. Stir in the spinach and cook on low 30 minutes to 1 hour.

So easy and delicious!

A Healthy Snack Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 12:37:00 +0000

One of my goals for 2013 is to continue cutting out as much processed food as possible and keep healthy homemade snacks on hand. The inspiration for this recipe came from the back of a graham cracker box, but I substituted and added whole grains and coconut oil to make it more nutritious. The original recipes uses condensed milk and I couldn't come up with a healthier substitution....any one want to share one ?

Banana Graham Cookie Bars

1 1/2 cups graham crackers finely crushed

1/4 cup flax seed meal

3 Tbsp. wheat germ

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup coconut oil

3 mashed ripe bananas

1-2 cups dark chocolate chips

1 cup finely chopped almonds

1 cup flaked coconut

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. To make the graham cracker crumbs, run them through a food processor or place the graham crackers in a plastic bag and roll a rolling pin over until finely crushed.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3. Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, flax seed, wheat germ, flour, and baking powder.

4. In another bowl, beat sweetened condensed milk, coconut oil, and bananas until smooth. Add vanilla extract. Add crumb mixture and stir until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips, almonds and coconut.

Pour into a greased 13 x 9 pan and bake 30 min or until set.

These are so good and got 4 stars from my little ones!

Linking to: Under the table and Dreaming

2012 Christmas and New Years

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 11:45:00 +0000

A little late, but a photo synopsis of our Christmas and New Year

Cooking (and eating!) treats for our friends and neighbors

The Lyla's

So many wonderful memories made and now we are knee deep into 2013!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 03:37:00 +0000

It's hard to believe Christmas is just days away, but the anticipation is building and we are finally having colder weather making it seem a lot more festive.
Because we are back and forth every week and our house is on the market, decorating has been interesting this year, but we have enjoyed it in the time we have been at home.

Exterior

Merry Christmas!

The Return of our Elf

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 03:20:00 +0000

Our elf, Frosty, had a delayed appearance since the big kids spent the weekend with their cousins, but Monday morning all 4 littles were tickled that he had visited during the night and he even managed to track us down at Nana and Papa's. To celebrate we had a special breakfast complete with hot chocolate and doughnuts- a perfect way to start a Monday.

This morning we woke up to find Frosty had helped himself to a little snack of toasted marshmallows. (Of course, everyone had to taste his marshmallow to see if it had a different taste. It didn't for the record!) The kids could not believe it and have talked about it all day.
It's hard to say who enjoys this tradition the most- the parents or the kids!

Thanksgiving 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 02:29:00 +0000

A few pictures for my memory book....

I am so grateful to have spent the day on the farm with those I love the most, eating delicious food, and making precious memories...we have so much to be thankful for!

Halloween 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 01:04:00 +0000

We had a great time last night, despite a few swt backs early in the day. I shrank MC's caterpillar costume and we had to make a quick run for a replacement and came up with a ninja costume (pickings were slim), but that worked out great because B was also a ninja!

Red carpet movie star

Sorry these next pictures are so tiny, but blogger isn't letting me enlarge them.

A great time and lots of candy!

Fall Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 11:15:00 +0000

Yesterday we started a very busy day off with AC's soccer game. She has had the best time playing this fall and we will miss her team as she has been with most of them and her coach since she was 5, but she has learned so much, most of all that she plain LOVES playing soccer!

Meanwhile, the little girls had the best time ever playing with sweet friend, S.

What's that you have, S?

Maybe if I scoot a little closer she'll get the hint.... I love watching these girls- they are so funny at this age!

Later in the afternoon, we headed to Sam's of My Barefoot Farm for a Halloween party. I am so disappointed we didn't get more pictures because for the first time in a long time, even Todd and I dressed up!
So, for memory's sake, Todd went as Peter Parker/ Spiderman.
I just so happen to have an adult size Spider Man costume in the dress-up chest from a mixed up birthday order from Celebrate Express. Instead of sending my order, they sent a ton of spiderman goods. I don't really remember the details, but I'm fairly certain I called them in a panic and they rushed our order and just told us to keep the spiderman goods, thus the Spiderman costume on hand. He wore a button down and jeans over the costume with glasses. I went as a pirate, B a ninja, AC cleopatra, LJ dragon, MC caterpillar.
We had the best time on their beautiful farm and the kids loved the Haunted Woods set up by the creek, trunk or treating, the cotton candy and apple cider, and playing with all of the farm animals. It was a perfect welcome to fall!

Are y'all ready for a fun week filled with Halloween?

A Snapshot of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:05:00 +0000

With 2 year olds, rare is the moment that both are happy (or at least not crying!)

at the same time.

After a super productive morning of learning, these two were happy to spend some time playing at the park.

A Very Happy Birthday, Nanna!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 10:04:00 +0000

Brian was so excited to pick out a bouquet for Nana and gave it to her first thing in the morning!

LJ enjoying some of the birthday cake!

Happy birthday, Nanna (Nanny to the little girls)! You are so special to us and we are so glad we got to celebrate with you!

On my nightstand....

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 10:52:00 +0000

I've been reading several books lately that are too great not to share.

To Heaven and Back: A Doctor's ExtraordinaryAccount of Her Death, Heaven, Angels, and Life Again- A True Story
Seriously, if you haven't read this, it needs to go to the top of your list. My mom gave it to me after she read it in one day and it really is hard to put down once you start reading this incredible story.

Educating the WholeHearted Child- Third Edition Clay and Sally Clarkson have been favorites of mine for a while, but this book has been such a blessing as a new homeschooling family.

What about you....read anything you've loved lately?
Have a great Tuesday!

Read more »

Hello???

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 10:56:00 +0000

Is any one still here? So, it's been a while since I've written and I could list a million reasons why, but I'll sum it up by saying blogging has had to take a back seat while we have adjusted to homeschooling, still trying to sell our house, technical difficuties with the blog itself, etc. But, my little unplanned break made me realise how much I enjoy blogging and keeping a written journal of our days, so hopefully I'll be more consistent now!
The silence around here is certainly in contrast to life under this roof and can I just say for the millionth time since August.....
Why haven't we homeschooled from the beginning???
Don't get me wrong, some days are very (very, very) difficult and my patience has been pushed beyond any limit imaginable, but I love our days and feel so blessed to watch them learn. I was saying to a friend the other day that I feel like I have my kids back....I've just seen such a change as far as their attitudes and personalities.
The pictures below are from our nature study a few weeks ago (by far our favorite part of school!) and a few randoms because they are too cute!

LJ chasing her shadow

T-W-O

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 05:09:00 +0000

It has been a weekend jam-packed with celebrations for LJ and MC's 2nd birthday!
How in the world has it been 2 years since our family was blessed with these girls?

MC, this picture is such an accurate portrayal of you at two years....a whirlwind of activity and your baby (Ne-Ne) is always with you. You have a very nurturing and loving personality and always make sure LJ has her lovies, cup, blanket, or whatever she wants. It's so sweet to watch! Not to say you all don't have your moments of butting heads, y'all certainly do! You are talking a ton (just tonight when we were putting you all to bed, you pointed to the cd player and said, "Momma, turn it on, please." Your favorite thing to do right now is gymnastics with B and AC.

Ready to blow out the candles on her cake!

I made them this year and what it lacked in appearance, was made up for by the taste....I will have to say it was delicious! I'll share the recipe tomorrow.

LJ, if I were to describe you in one word it would be joyful. You are always laughing, giggling, singing....you are just a happy girl! Well, most of the time. We have seen a few glimpses of a temper, but you are making great progress in controlling yourself....it's been at least 1 week since you bit someone!
You too are chatty all the time....My favorite is when I ask where someone or something is and you shrug your shoulders and say, "I no know." You want to be outside all the time and you love reading books...you will sit with a huge stack reading away for the longest time.

We love you both so much and can't wait to see the plans God has for each of you!

A Girl's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 03:02:00 +0000

I've often heard mom's say eight is the age the mother/daughter relationship can grow friction as the girl is maturing and trying out new attitudes, etc. Even though my girl is a very new 8, I have noticed how much more mature she seems. In an effort to give our relationship the one-on-one time our relationship needs, we spent the day Saturday together shopping, having lunch, and just being together.

This girl makes me so happy and I am loving watching her grow and experience life!

First Day of School

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 04:02:00 +0000

Or as I have heard it said by many veteran homeschoolers, home learning. I think that sounds a lot better and is more in line with our goals. At any rate, today was our first official day!

As far as first day jitters, I had them!

But the day went great and both AC and B said at different times, "this is so fun!" Mission accomplished, in my opinion. I am so grateful to have this time with them and even though I know we will have rough days, I see the opportunity for us to learn at home as such a blessing!

We attempted a group shot in our tie-dyed shirts.....they are a great representation of the four personalities!

Lazy Days of Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 02:51:00 +0000

Wow, time has really gotten away from me and my blogging time has been replaced with many hours at the pool, visits with family, fun day trips, and hot afternoons spent reading stacks of books....all good stuff, but I have missed writing and hope to do so on a more regular basis.
The kids are all growing so fast and changing everyday. I can't believe how mature AC and B have become over the summer...8 years old is a good time for them and I love watching them develop these older personalities. The little girls are embracing their almost 2 years- lots of talking, curiosity, silliness, and tantrums!
This summer has also been a season of changes and decision making on other fronts. We have put our house on the market and plan to move back to Chattanooga! We are very excited to be closer to our families and old friends, but we are sad to leave dear friends we have made over the past few years.
After lots and lots of praying and debating, we have also decided to homeschool next year! I am so excited and absolutely feel at peace that this is what we are being led to do right now, but I will admit I am also nervous! So all of you home schoolers, send me all of your best tips and tricks!
Whew! I guess that's the condensed version of our happenings, so I will close with some pictures and a promise to be back to regular blogging very soon!

the cousins

Eight

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 02:14:00 +0000

Happy birthday, Brian and Anna Cate!

Gift Wrapping Center

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 02:29:00 +0000

One of the things I loved about this house are the built ins in the hallway, but this particular cabinet had me a bit confused about its purpose because the top cabinet is tall and shallow with no shelves to hold anything and both cabinets have locks on them. It turns out it's a gun cabinet and the bottom is intended to hold ammunition.

Even though I'm sure it makes the firearm loving soul who built it roll in his grave, I use it as a gift wrap center.
A while back I decided it could use some freshening and organization to make it more useful. The interior of the top cabinet was lined in red felt, so I had to remove that before giving it a coat of fresh paint. This took F-O-R-E-V-E-R because it had been glued directly to the wood and it has been there a really long time. After much scraping, tugging, and applying a plethora of various adhesive removers, I finally got it off.

I used a curtain rod I had on hand to hang the gift wrap and bags from the clips on the rings which frees up the bottom of the cabinet and prevents the paper from getting wrinkled. The buckets hold ribbons,stationary, and tissue paper. A mason jar keeps gift wrap essentials like pens, markers, scissors, and tape handy, though it was missing when I took these pictures. Does this happen in your house? I have back-up with my huge tape dispenser)
I'm loving how neat and organized this space is and plan to reward myself for my hard work with a little shopping spree for more wrapping supplies....I admit I have a bit of a paper addiction, but at least I now have a cute place to store it!

Linking up with: Savvy Southern Style, DIY by Design, Shabby Creek Cottage, The 36th Avenue, No Minimalist Here, House of Hepworths, Delightful Order, Homemakers Challenge

Treasures Found Over the Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 02:44:00 +0000

I have been on the hunt for a group of paintings or botanicals to put on either side of the bed in our room for the last few months, but hadn't had any luck finding anything in my budget. Last week I ran in the Habitat Restore looking for something else and came across these....

$2 for the group!

I grabbed some frames from my stash in the attic and spray painted them with Antique Brass spray paint. I used a more modern mat that I had on hand and I'm really liking them with the botanicals.

So glad to mark that off the list, especially for 2 bucks!

Linking up with Southern Hospitality

Down on the Farm

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 10:59:00 +0000

Today we spent the morning at a nearby family owned farm that hosts tours of their huge vegetable gardens and "nursery" barns so you are able to feed the babies. We had a blast and the kids fell in love with the babies.....Lyla James was crazy about the piglets and kept cooing, "Hi, little you," to them as she fed them cabbage.

True to form, I remembered my camera...minus the battery...uhhh! SO excuse the phone pics that are mysteriously black and white???

After a picnic lunch, we were all ready to head home for afternoon naps!

If you're looking for a fun activity with the kiddos, check out Cagles Family Farm

A quick hello and a kitchen tour

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 17:55:00 +0000

Sorry for the lack of posts lately....we have been soaking up every second of summer, but I hope to get back to regular blogging soon!

Kelly is hosting another Show Us Your Life Friday Kitchens Addition...I love these as I love seeing how and where other people live.

When we moved in our house the cabinets were a dark cherry, very pretty but they made the room feel small and boxy. Last year we finally tackled that project and Todd installed a beadboard backsplash at the same time....I am so happy with the way it came out!

As the white appliances have died, we have replaced them with stainless....only the stove is left and it works like a charm, so it may be a while on that one!

Catching Up and Summer Kick Off

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Wed, 23 May 2012 03:47:00 +0000

For memory's sake (my own especially, since it's touch and go lately), I wanted to do a quick post of the happenings with the kiddos these days.
We had our last 1st grade field trip to the Children's Museum and the little girls enjoyed it just as much as the big kids.

AC's spring soccer wrapped with their team, mainly 7 and 8 year olds, playing in the 10 year old girls' tournament and tying in both games...they were great!

Reason 10,999 my husband is my hero: when he sees that I am burning the candle at both ends and need a break, he arranges for a much needed long weekend at the beach.

This picture sums up our crew so well these days...the big kids deep into a project, LJ practicing somersaults, MC enthralled with her shadow....

Lollipops and a movie made the drive home much more enjoyable for all

We got home just in time to collapse into bed and make it to school today for awards and the last day of 1st grade!

We celebrated the kick- off of summer with s'mores and firefly catching after dinner tonight

Poor MC was able to enjoy her treat despite a hornet sting right above her eye...

Bring on summer!

Children's Rooms

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:59:00 +0000

When the little girls were born and our family doubled in size, we did a lot of switching of rooms to better accommodate everyone.

Brian loves orange, for Tennessee Vols of course, and wanted an orange room, so we compromised by using it with more neutral colors to keep it toned down.

We recently separated his bunk beds to twin beds and everyone is much happier....changing the sheets on bunk beds is torture.

Anna Cate's room came together thanks to a friend who was in the process of updating her daughter's bedding from young girl to preteen.

This area is definitely AC's favorite. I used this Hoosier cabinet, given to us by my mother when we got married, to create a desk/ art area.

Lyla James and Mary Connor's nursery...a very talented friend painted their monograms above the cribs. One thing I have learned with 2 sets of twins is that it's better to not have anything removable hanging over their beds!

A collection of favorite things- oil painting done by T's late great aunt, newborn pictures, lamps my very patient mother stalked while I was on bed rest.

Linking to: Thrifty Decor Chick, House of Hepworths, Shabby Creek Cottage, No Minimalist Here

Window Boxes

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sparkman) — Tue, 15 May 2012 04:25:00 +0000

Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day yesterday! The little sweets and Todd planned a perfect day and made me even more thankful to have this sweet family.
My gift was just what I wanted....Todd made window boxes for either side of the front door! Since we had our house painted a few weeks ago, I have been pricing window boxes. The price tag was pretty hefty since the windows are an unusual size and the boxes would have to be custom made.

I love them and couldn't have asked for a better gift!

Linking up: Between Naps on the Porch, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, A Stroll Through Life, Savvy Southern Style, DIY by Design