Thursday, June 24, 2010

Trying to win!

There is a great giveaway bonanza going on and I am trying to win a Silhouette machine from one of the following sites!
Oooh I hope I win one! I have so many projects in mind! I think I would start with some vinyl wall art. I've got a couple of quotes I would like to put up. Then I might do some t-shirt transfers to go with the skirts I have been making for the girls. It would be my new favorite toy!
I am trying again as I discover some other GREAT sites:

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Taking time to capture "a moment"

Image
This was one of those moments that I am grateful to have captured together as a family. We all dropped everything we were doing to go out and marvel at this incredible rainbow, discussing where it ended, leprechauns, what rainbows are made of, and whether we could make it to the end. You can't see it in the picture, but it was a double rainbow, so we talked about the reverse order of the colors. When it had faded, we all went back to what we were doing but felt that much happier from sharing the moment together. This worked for us.

Our Summer Bucket List

I saw this idea on a blog and decided it would a good way to keep us motivated to do fun things together this summer. It also gives tangible evidence contrary to the "we never get to do anything fun" comments. We began with the disclaimer that this is an idea only list and by no means a guarantee! We have already checked off a few items. Although it is somewhat childish, this also helps me feel a little better about being the "mean mom" who makes their kids do chores during the summer.

Image

We have been talking about "team Bruderer" and how we need to work and play together as a team. Last night for Family Home evening, we had a short intro and then went out to work in the yard. While Dad mowed, the kids and I weeded and replanted peppers that were destroyed in the worst wind storm last week. Because it was light for so long, we were able to work until 9:30 or 10. After we cleaned up, we took a couple of blankets out on the lawn and did some not so serious stargazing. We also did plenty of squirming and giggling. (Gardening, check. Stargazing, check. Summer fun, check.) We talked about constellations, and the possibility of other solar systems with planets with people on them. It was interesting to talk to my 7 and 10 year olds about the nature of their Heavenly Father, that we are His children and that any other children He may have on other planets would probably look like us rather than little green men. Christian then went so far to suppose that Heavenly Father would want them to know of the plan of salvation too and therefore they would probably have scripture too. Scripture written by different prophets. It's amazing where a conversation can lead. Paul and I have decided that this will be a fun, productive summer solstice tradition.
We will be making this list work for us and having a lot of fun doing it!