Wordless Wednesday

Enjoying these last warm fall days!

Grandma's Scavenger Hunt Idea

During the summer we babysit the grands every Wed. morning. In the past, Wednesdays were our craft day. We did some crafts this summer but the little guy isn't into crafts like the girls are. So after a few weeks we needed to come up with another way to fill our morning.

I came up with the idea to have a scavenger hunt. Jerry and I decided the library was a good place to try it out. I came up with a list of things the kids had to find or do (this was recorded on a paper/clipboard) ...a book with a red cover,

count the number of stairs to the second floor...

find a book and read one page to Papa...

and ask a grown-up what their favorite book is.

There were a few other things on their list. This kept them busy and they had fun. (The kids also found books that they wanted to check out as they were doing their hunt.)

We did one other Scavenger Hunt in Target. They had fun with that one too. They had to find things like a cap/hat, a pair of shoes in their size, a healthy snack and something that cost between $4-5, to name a few. 

Of course after the Scavenger Hunt there was a little treat. Can't do all that work and not get rewarded!

Next summer I'm sure we'll be doing some crafts but I think the kids are going to ask for more Scavenger Hunts!

 

Wordless Wednesday

Touring the Hydroelectric Plant and a creepy walk over the dam!

Growing Up With Practical Parents

My husband and I each grew up in a family of 10 children. Both of us come from farm families. Needless to say we wore hand-me-downs,shared beds/bedrooms and had assigned chores to do. We grew most of our own food (veggies, fruit and meat) and in my mother-in-law's case, sewed most of the girls' clothes.

It was a different time growing up with all those brothers and sisters on a farm. We learned teamwork, how not to waste anything and (we were before our time!) how to reuse and recycle.

So when a friend sent this to me (no author listed) it really hit home. Although you don't need 9 siblings and to have grown up on a farm to appreciate it!


Growing Up with Practical Parents

I grew up with practical parents. A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it.  She was the original recycle queen before they had a name for it. A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones.

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused.  Their best friends lived barely a wave away.

I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, and dish-towel in the other.  It was the time for fixing things.  A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress.  Things we keep.

It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy.  All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful.  Waste meant affluence.  Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more.

But then my mother died, and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more.

Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return..  So... While we have it..... it's best we love it.... And care for it.. And fix it when it's broken......... And heal it when it's sick.

This is true.  For marriage....... And old cars..... And children with bad report cards.... And dogs with bad hips.... And aging parents...... And grandparents.  We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it.  Some things we keep.  Like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with.

There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special........ And so, we keep them close!

So true! A great reminder to not just keep the memories close, but the people who are in those memories close too. I think that's one reason why I love to photograph my loved ones. 

 Second generation has kept the family farm going.

 

Paint Your Nails Perfectly

It's been awhile since I posted anything about nails. (and truthfully it's been awhile since I did anything with my nails.) Here's a simple tutorial on how to paint your nails so that they look like your nails were professionally done! 

 

We Remember

    Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who lost their loved ones on this day. We will never forget.

Wordless Wednesday

A little face painting...who had more fun--the painter or paintee?

Fun and Spooky Fonts for Halloween

Halloween already? Isn't it still summer?  Yes, I know, the Halloween stuff is out in the stores. I hadn't really given Halloween a thought until I saw this post on the \ Craftaholics Anonymous site.
I love fun and crazy fonts. If you want any of these Halloween fonts for yourself head over to their site and you'll find the links for each one. I'm gonna have to find out how to use these on my blog! (I've already got them in my Microsoft Word font list.)

Wordless Wednesday

Enjoying one last taste of summer!