Happy Day Challenge #12: Paint Yo Toes

I'm back.

Officially.

Before when I was back it wasn't official, but now it is.

Totally official.

I've become overwhelmed with blog post subjects. So much so I'm almost not sure how to sort them all out. 1,342 blog post ideas paired with 10 days of company, 17 hours of car shopping, 3 day weekend, 5 consecutive days at the pool, and 14 nights of late bed times makes a girl want to scrap the whole idea of blogging and take a nap!

But the truth is...this girl's got thoughts, y'all. And thoughts are meant to be shared.



One of those many random thoughts is that we need a little happy right about now, mamas, so here's your challenge for this week....

I'm headed to the beach this weekend and I'm so totally going to mess up my freshly pedicured toes, but that's not the point. For about an hour Saturday morning while that Asian guy clipped, filed, buffed, lotioned, massaged and painted my feet was sheer happiness.

Total happiness.

Here's the thing with happy things...you usually want to share the happy.

So yesterday was Sister's turn for a happy day.



Oh my gosh, it was the cutest little thing ever. Her cheeks were bright red from all the attention. I loved watching her. The lady that did it was so sweet.

Let me just say that Sister friend was totally worth that splurge.
So now your turn...
Paint your toes...it's summer!!!!
Share your shade and come back next week and tell us all about it.

I love that you link up to these little challenges.  It is so fun to read your posts...I love it!
Now is the time to link up last week's challenge; to Pin Something and Do it! Can't wait to see what you did!

Be back Friday :)

xo,
{alicia}

Hi There, It's Happy Day

Happy Wednesday! Have you missed me? :)

These days of blog break have been filled with

recital

rehearsal

tours

drives

late night chats

hikes

shopping

farmer's market

lots of eating!!

I think I only mentioned my sister being here but just to clarify, my sister, her little boy, and my parents were visiting.  My parents are actually still here, they're leaving later this morning. My sister's trip and my parents' trip overlapped each other in the middle to create a hefty cheering section for Ms. Sophie at the ballet recital and ten days of vacationy fun!

I'll be back with deets later, but for now...your challenge:

How many pins have we pinned? How many have we actually done?

Exactly.

This week do one of your thousands of pins! It will be so great and make you very very happy.

Par exemple:

I saw this pin a few weeks back and did it almost immediately...I loved it that much.

I pinned this post and she gave great instructions and I did pretty much exactly what she said, but here's a few pictures of the process.

I seriously love how it turned out despite its imperfections.
I wear it a lot.
A lot.

Just for clarification, you are totally allowed to link up past challenges...I'm so not picky about stuff like that. If you are just now getting around to buying a plant, just link up...no worries. The whole point of this project is doing those little things that make us mamas happy...just for us.

Your challenge for next week: Pin something, then Do it! :) That can mean a lot of things: a project, a recipe, a workout, a decorationg idea...


Now it's time to link up your Happy Day Posts. Your assignment was to post about any happy thing, wild card day, you choose....GO!

Oh wait, I just had to share this: one of my favorite pictures of the week...happy me :)

Oh, and the details for this linky uppy: kindly add my button from the sidebar to your post, link up your post url and not your plain ol' blog url...just ask me if all this sounds like jibberish.

Ok, now GO!

See you soon....

xo,

a

Happy Day Challenge #10: Wild Card Day

It's 9:30 pm on Tuesday night and I need to write my Happy Day post.

The thing is I have company and didn't think about my post until right now, but I still want to do it.

I thought about scrapping this week,

but then I thought about the fact that y'all would be UNhappy all week!

I couldn't have that!

Ok, so it's a wild card week. That means do something that makes YOU happy...

painting your nails, reading till midnight, a quiet morning, early bedtimes for the kids ;), writing a letter, whatever! You choose! You do it, write it out, and link up next week when I'll have a new challenge for you...and believe me, I've got a lot of challenges on the horizon!

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Soooo, did you make a Mama Summer list this week? I certainly hope so. I can't wait to see what you're doing this summer!

You can add the Happy Day button from my sidebar --------->

and

link up below.

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two + words

So just as I decide to take a blog break, I miss it. I didn't take a break at all. But I'm going to...after this one. Just had too much to talk about and what better thing to do than type it all out and let the whole world know what you're thinking!?

So to make things quick, and in order to sneak in a quick run before my kids and company emerge from their slumber, I'm going to tell you exactly what I'm thinking in two-word points...ready for this??

{Sam's Club.}

Have you ever been?! I went for the 2nd time in roughly 10 years on Friday. I've got juice boxes, yogurt, granola bars, meat, bread, English muffins, and fooood coming out my ears! I feel stocked up and prepared for company. It's good.

{Flower Power}

My Mother's Day request was getting a few flowers to set about. My front stoop and my balcony feel green and summery. I got some big ferns for $10 and a big Hibiscus tree for only $20! I was pretty excited. Mother's Day is totally a day for getting your family to help you with things...like plant flowers. 

{Mama Leverage}

So another thing to do on Mother's Day is get your family to watch movies they don't want to watch....like the Sound of Music. Ok, actually they DID want to watch, they just didn't know it...they'd never seen it for crying out loud!! Sophia totally dug it. I project Sister will be performing "My Favorite Things" for weeks. I'm sure her performances will include the long cresendo notes and wrapping herself up in curtains and everything!

I adore this movie. J'adore! I love Julie Andrew's voice, it's so clear and strong and beautiful. I love that Maria is such a rebel. And oh, when Christopher Plummer sings Edelweiss, I blush just like Maria. ;)

{Elmer Fudd}

So on Friday night, it was my responsible idea to sit together and read as a family. Well that was the plan until my darling husband spotted a rabbit nibbling clover as he was taking in some fresh evening air on the balcony. This spring boarded into a half and hour of trying to shoot the poor thing with a sling shot. As I so calmly remained on the couch reading my book, I heard things like, "FREE DINNER!!" "YEAH!!" and "This is SO MUCH MORE FUN THAN READING!!" Seriously!? Ok, I loose.

{Silhouette Necklace}

I totally made this. It's not perfect in any way, shape, or form but I love it all the same. I might wear it every day. I love it...I probably will not do a tutorial on this, but I'll post some tips sometime soon.

My sister got one too :)

{Aching Heart}

Seriously look at this child...I know she's mine and I'm biased. What mother doesn't think their own children are the cutest things ever. But good lawd, this bird is a beautiful thing. I snapped this in a greasy body shop as my car was under deep analysis from hail damage. Greasy body shop, gorgeous girl. Baby Gap, are you reading this!?! 

{Sweet Anticipation}

My sister got here around 11pm last night. My kids were in bed already but they could hardly sleep for anticipation. I love that feeling. I have not seen my sister in 8 months! The airport scene was like a movie. We are going to have a great week of memory making.

Tootles,

A

10 Things I Want You to Know

Dear Babies,
I might not be here forever, and just in case that's true I felt the need, it being Mother's Day and all, to share with you a few things I definitely want you to know about life...

1. Be Yourself...Always. Ya, I know everyone says that, "Just be yourself." "Just be yourself." But really...be yourself. God made you YOU for a very special reason. Don't pretend to be somebody else just because you think they're cooler or something boneheaded like that. It's not true. You are you. You are amazing.

2. Don't be afraid to ruffle feathers, go against the grain, rock the boat. A lot of people don't like these things. A lot of people think it's better to say "Peace! Peace! When there is no peace." Don't be afraid to say,  "I disagree." or "Yo! Yo y'all, this ain't right"...except if I here you say "ain't" I might have to flick your little homeschooled lips, y'hear?

3. Set your standards high and stick to it. I'm talking about spouses here mainly and mostly to Sophie. Boys, I know you'll find sweet wives I just know it. But Sophia? Oh Sophia, you better know that your Mama isn't going to take too kindly to punks. K? You are a princess, born and bred. You better act like it. If your sweet lil friend honks from the curb in his car to "pick you up" you better bet you will not be going on a date with that boy. The end.

4. Be kind. Be kind. Be kind. Be kind.

5. Be friends with each other. I pray all the time that you will all be friends when you're grown. You have a special relationship with one another that cannot be imitated. Don't forget it. You're each others built in play dates. Love on each other.

6. Respect others, respect yourself. If you don't respect yourself who will? If you don't respect others why would anyone respect you? Comprendé?

7. "Do not be afraid." This one is not from me, this is your Creator. He said it a lot in His word. Something like 300 times. It's the most repeated command in Scripture. Pretty sure He means it. Don't be afraid to mess up, to make mistakes, to be embarrassed, to look foolish, to stand up for what you believe, or to do something different.  "Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged."

8. Choose your friends and your role models carefully. Whether you expect it or not and whether you want to or not, you will act like who you hang out with. Even though we homeschool and you're with me more than your friends, your friends will still influence a very very great deal. Choose wisely, my owlets.

9. If you want something to change, then change something. Sometimes we're in hard spots for a reason...they teach us things, they make us stronger. But sometimes we're just on a hamster wheel of ridiculousness and refuse to get off. Get out of there, you're a human not a hamster, and change what's not working. If you want something to change, then change something.

10. I want you to love Jesus, but not just because I do. I don't want to scare you into submission. I don't want to freak you out with threats of an eternal fiery death.  I want you to make that choice on your own...you can't piggyback my faith. You gotta have your own. Ask me questions...ask me anything. But don't let me think for you. I so desire for all of you to have a deep relationship with your Creator, but not just because I told you to.

That is all for now. Happy Mother's Day to me! And thank you, dear ones, for giving me a reason to celebrate today.

xo,
yo mama

First Day, Last Day

There's a puzzle of all the presidents on my dining room table, rocks are tumbling in the rock tumbler in the garage, the Playmobil Egyptians are under attack by the Romans, and there's a caterpillar cocooning himself in a bug hut on my balcony. This week has gently but surely transitioned us into summer like a swift skip in hopscotch.  But today is the day. The official day.

It's official.
It's summer.

Other seasons have a more gradual transition, but summer? There's a day. A clean break between the end of a school year and the beginning of a summer season. There's an anticipation leading up to a whole season of goodness. I think summer is my favorite season...but than again any current season is my favorite. I'm a big fan of mother nature.

I thought about something else today. Today's the last day too. Not just school, but today is the last day of my Master 6-Week Plan.

I got up early today and did a Tabata workout.

Side note: Have you ever tried Tabata? It's a killer good workout.

While I had some time to myself this morning, I thought about the past six weeks and all the planning that went into it. Meals, blog posts, projects, school. I thought about my plan... how focused it made me...how I DID it!...how we jammed 8 weeks of school into 6...how hard my kids have been working...how the plan worked. I decided I am more focused if I chunk life up into pieces like that. Like if I have a goal or a general outline at least, I feel better...like I'm not floundering.

So I'm doing another plan starting in June. It's a summer plan, a 12-week plan. I'm anticipating a 20-meal menu, a weekly exercise plan, summer crafts, and a few projects...just a few. For real, I'm not even being sarcastic :) I loved my 6-week plan if you can't tell.

After my workout, I drove to the grocer's for donuts. Oxymoron? Maybe, but it's the first day of freakin' summer, this calls for a donut!  I've been collecting things from the dollar section at Target and clearance things here and there over the last couple of weeks and I put together is fun basket for summer.

I've never done this before and my choice-memory-children will probably come to expect it every first day of summer from now on I'm sure, but I'm so excited for them to see it when they get up! You've got your:
-big ol' container for outside toys
-97 cent squirt guns
-goggles
-lemonade
-freezes
-water bottles
-sand bucket
-beach towel
-silly straws
-Popsicle molds
-collection of science experiments
-Brave "movie tickets"
-folder with craft projects
-sunflower seeds
-corn on the cob holders
-colorful cups
-art supplies
-pool toys
-bug net
-and a pillow stuffed in the bottom, making the presentation better

I'm trying something else new this summer; my own summer reading program. Each kid has their own folder to keep track of what they read.  I have a list of suggested reading for each of them to take to the library. They also have a chart in their folder so they can color in a box when they read something. Every so many "points" they get a prize. I don't have prizes yet, so I  hope they're slow readers. I'm thinking little treats I don't normally buy, like candy, Gatorade (I never buy it and my kids love it...I'm mean.), stuff like that.

So this is it! Our first day...and the last day. Today we're going to a children's museum we've never been to as a "Hooray for Summer" hooray! Then we're going to Sam's Club. Then we are cleaning, getting groceries, and twiddling our thumbs until Sunday at 10:40pm when my sissy gets here with her baby, Bennett.

The next few weeks will be sporadic here with me. I'm planning on enjoying my 10 days of family...I might pop back in on Mom's day, but other than Happy Day Wednesday, don't expect to see me much.

Happy Friday to you and happy first day of Summmmmer!! to me :)

xo,
{alicia}

Mama's Summer List: Happy Day Challenge #9

With this Friday marking our last day of school (!!!!!), it's got me thinking hardcore about summer plans. We've got a couple trips planned, a few camps, but mostly we're not big into busy summers around here. Summer means Bomb Pops dripping down your arm and slip 'n' slides with a side of Banana Boat tanning oil. It's a simple season. Simple meals, simple fun.

We make a big ol' list of fun things we want to do every summer, but starting last year I started to make one just for me. It's my break too. No school, no lesson planning, break!!

Now if you've looked at my Summertime pinterest board, you're probably thinking I'm going to be drunk all summer due to the amount of boozy drinks I've pinned. Don't ask me what that's about, for some reason pineapple ritas and a chlorinated pool are directly related in my opinion. But there is more on my summer list than just rum and oranges...

Here's my list for this summer...

And this, Mamas, is your challenge for next week...write up a summer list just for you. Here's my list from last summer if you need more ideas...

I know some of you don't start summer for a while, but it can't hurt to plan right?? I can't wait to see what you're doing this summer!

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Thank you for your garden links last week...I loved them!!

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Did you wear your loud and proud colors last week, my friends?? I certainly hope you did! Link up below and let's see!

And the winner of my little giveaway is.....

Sasha aka: Lemonade Makin' Mama :)

(Sasha, you can thank Jarrod for drawing your name from a literal hat...one of his many beloved fedoras to be exact.)

Ok, y'all...you know the drill. Link up and we'll see your summer lists next week!

xo,

{alicia}

Born on a Mountaintop in Tennessee...

Maybe it's the fact that we're finishing school two weeks earlier than we normally do and I'm feeling guilty or maybe it's because my little classroom has been working their little patooties off and I'm a proud mama, but either way, I'm here today to share with you a little bit of our very last unit study of the year...Mr. Davy Crockett.

We've been reading books, writing reports, making projects, lapbooks, maps...all about Davy. Yes, we watched the old movies...several times. I know the Ballad of Davy Crockett frontways, backways, middleway right about now. I wake up singing it. You wanna hear it??

{clearing throat...}

Born on a Mountaintop in Tennessee,
Greenest state in the land of the free,

Lived in the woods so he knew every tree,

killed him a ba'r when he was only three....

Davy, Davy Crockett....

ok..you get it.

There's seriously 20 more verses.

On Saturday we took a little road trip to Tennessee to Davy's childhood home, the tavern his parents owned.

What a fun way to end a unit study and what a fun day to spend together. The house was full of old stuff and the kids could touch almost all of it. They wore a real coonskin cap, shaved tea from a giant block of tea stuff, played games...it was pretty cool.

For their final school projects, I let them choose one crafty project and one written project. Noah wrote a report on Davy and totally rocked it! He's never really written a real report before so this was all new. First time he's ever used Word to type something. He used his correct typing fingers, added graphics, told the story of Davy's whole life and concluded it well. I was seriously impressed. I kept asking him, "did you copy any of this from a book?!" (That was not allowed.) I should have known he didn't cheat since he typed the whole thing in front of me :)

Jack made a diorama of Davy in the Tennessee forest. He added a lake too. I didn't help these guys much. I gave them the supplies and let them go. It took a few days, but they finished and they look great. Proud mama :)

Noah is really intrigued by the story of the Alamo, so he made a little model of that. They used many, many sticks of hot glue to make these projects. I just buy those cheapo low-temp guns and they use them just fine. They work so well.

Anyway, Noah originally wanted to make 50 Mexican and 50 Texan soldiers...I let him know it was fine to do less...he did. 

Mexican Soldiers...

Worried Texans...

For anybody reading that's not a history lover, did you know Davy Crockett was killed in the battle of the Alamo? He was. Everyone inside the Alamo died except for the few woman that were there.  He's thought to be one of the last men standing. Before he died he was a Congressman and a Native American rights activist too. I love the thought of a real hero. 

So there's your history lesson for the day. Don't say I never taught you anything.

Completely unrelated: are you wearing some bright lips or bright nails this week? I sure hope so! I've loved getting little notes from you tell me you're doing it :) See you tomorrow!

xo,

{alicia}