Fall Rain Fun and & Dollar Store Wreath Creation

We had an unexpected off-and-on rain shower today, with thunder, lightning, the whole works! It doesn't happen very often here, so it is a real treat. Of course, the kids had to go splash in the puddles...they loved that!  My oldest discovered that two of the kernels she had planted from a ear of corn we had grown have sprouted, in spite of very random waterings...

And we followed up our puddle play time with a warm cup of delicious hot cocoa and marshmallows, and a few candy corn besides.  :-)

Yesterday, I got around to making a wreath from a dollar store wreath, leaves, and flowers.  First, I painted it a brilliant red....

and then, hot glued on the flowers, leaves, and acorns. 

In the process, I got very low on glue, and so I stuck a pen behind the glue in the glue gun to push the remainder forward...I forgot to take the pen out before it cooled. No amount of pulling will get that pen out of  that glue gun now! ;-)

Linking up to Spotlight Yourself at It's So Very Cheri
Linking up to Get Your Craft On Thursday @ Life as Lori
Linking up to Home & Family Friday at Home is Where My Story Begins
Linking up to The Shabby Nest Frugal Friday

A Simple Fall Craft & A Great Blog

Here's a little art project we did last week when the weather felt like fall...this week it feels like summer in the desert. :-(

My daughter watercolored the background, we added foodcoloring to some rice for grass, glued on cotton ball clouds, and glued on a variety of colored punched leaves.  The kids really liked this craft.  Today, we are going to do the sheep we found on Just Next Door.

I love all the blog homeschool resources that are out there! I just recently discovered Confessions of a Homeschooler, and it is amazing!! There is enough valuable resources on that one site to keep you busy for a long time.  It is hard to believe the creativity and organization that one person can have! Check it out if you get a chance!

Linking up to



Also Linking up to Red Ted Art's Blog for Kids Get Crafty!
And, Linking up to Homeschool Creations Preschool Corner.

The Value of Time

I love old books, and I have several vintage school books, primers, and readers that I have bought at estate sales and such.  Sometimes, when I can't sleep at night from a cold, or pregnancy discomforts, I read them until I am sleepy again.  One that I found had many good articles and poems was Bancroft's Fifth Reader, and in particular, the piece on The Economy of Time.  You can find it here on Google: "The Economy of Time" from Bancroft's Fifth Reader.
Just like many people, I have a tendency to waste away the minutes that add up to quarter hours, half hours, and eventually, whole hours...time that can be filled with useful things...like improvements to self, mentally, spiritually, physically; or profitable time spent with children or family and friends.  When I read this article, I printed it, and put it in the front of my household management binder as a very good reminder to me.  I will share a few quotes with you:


"...The man who has wasted the precious hours of life's seed-time finds that he cannot reap a harvest in life's autumn. Lost wealth may be replaced by industry, lost knowledge by study, lost health by temperance or medicine; but lost time is gone forever."

"Rely upon it, if you are a miser of moments, if you hoard up and turn to account odd minutes and half-hours, you will at last be wealthier in intellectual acquisition, wealthier in good deeds harvested, than thousands whose time is all their own."

"The small stones that fill up the crevices are almost as essential to the firm wall as the great stones; and so the wise use of spare time contributes not a little to the building up of a man's mind in good proportions, and with strength."

Also today, I wanted to share with you a link to some great animal coloring page printables, found on Animal Jr.com.  I'm going to print out some of the cute owl pages for my littlest one, who loves owls.
Free Kids Coloring Pages

And now I'm off to make the most of my minutes today! Happy Friday!

Clock Photo by Suat Eman, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Making Memories

Yesterday my children and I enjoyed a tea party.  I always think about doing things like that, and add it to a "someday" list, and it doesn't get done for a long time. So, I decided to just do it the same day I thought of it.  It is a nice way to spend time with your children, and with some tasty food, fancy clothes, and fun music the children are entertained.  Also, I left pretty invitations for them outside the door, and rang the doorbell for them.  They got a kick out that. Then they play tea party with their dolls and animals...and maybe someday, with their own children!

I'm linking up to 733 - A Creative Blog, for their Sugar and Spice Weekly Link Party.