I LOVE THIS MAGNOLIA WREATH!!!!

Okay!!!! Soooo, I'm seriously not crafty. I just really wanted a wreath that I like and can afford. I have to admit that I am just a little bit obsessed with wreaths. Our door at this house really needs a wreath or something, but most wreaths I do deeply abhor. I've had one since we have lived here that I could tolerate. It was very simple and was dark brown covered in brown anise pods--BUT it has seen it's better days because someone----and I don't think it was the mailman---picks off an anise pod every once in a while. Actually, I'm not convinced it's not the mailman. He is actually another reason I really need a wreath or something to cover those little openings: ) We have made eye contact before through those windows---bahaha!! I hope he is embarrassed by that. I'd be tempted too, though,  if I were a mail carrier I think: ) Did I mention the fact that our mailbox is attached to the front door. Also, did I mention that although I'm committed to doing better, we sometimes have our jammies on for the better part of the day. I mean.... we do homeschool and that IS a perk: )

  I have seen other wreaths I like. I am a straight line girl, so I saw a wreath well above $100 that was square and covered in boxwood leaves----seriously LOVED it BUT, how nice would I be when the mailman picked stuff off my over $100 wreath. I sure wouldn't be nice at all.

 Also, in Mount Pleasant, ONCE, I saw a Magnolia wreath that also was above $100 and I kinda liked it. It bothered me though because of 1. the price and 2. the leaves went in all sorts of crazy directions. If you notice, my leaves all go obediently in the same direction.

 So, I just bought a $5 styrofoam green kind of angular wreath at Wal-Mart along with this burlap ribbon that was about $6 per roll. I wrapped it around and glue gunned it once at the end. Then, I tucked in these beautiful Magnolia leaves.

 Here is the burlap ribbon.

 Here is my beautiful assistant Jessie Carol!!

 And again---Jessie!!

 Nona Klare really helped alot too, and she is a beautiful model!!

 And again--- Nona!!

Oh, I almost forgot to say that about a week ago, I was sitting on my front porch looking at my Magnolia and thinking that if I did make a Magnolia wreath I'd have to find the leaves somewhere else because I would not pick leaves from my own gorgeous tree. On Saturday, Max and I headed out for some shopping and spotted a neighbor up the road trimming guess what----their Magnolia tree. They were happy for us to have their limbs, and  Max and I loaded them into  the back of the car. That boy is sure one sweet helper!! Love my Max!!

 So, there you have it....my $11 wreath that I absolutely love!!

Hands-on Learning is more fun!!

We are matching uppercase to lowercase here.

 Martha is in her usual seat. She loves to climb onto the table, bar, desk, barstool, etc...: )
Little cutie!!

 This is a good math facts practice. 

 Here is our number line made form glass tiles. The  package was under five dollars from Michael's. I  picked out the white and purple tiles. The ten's are in purple.

 The three is missing--hahah!! We corrected ourselves. 

Hands on numbers and a snack!!

Max is helping Jessie! 

Organic Spelt Pancakes for Eleven Anyone??

 My sweet sweet Nona loves it when her helping chore for the day is making breakfast. Everyone, almost, loves this chore. Here is Nona making pancakes for her whole family. Here is the recipe:

We triple this recipe.

1 3/4 C  Spelt Flour
1 T baking Powder
1 TSP baking soda
1/2 TSP salt
(mix dry ingredients then add) :
2 eggs
1/4 C melted coconut oil (or really any kind of oil)
2 Cups  milk
(mix this all together)
Cover griddle in butter and make your pancakes people!!!

I wish I could convince my people to eat something other than the really worse kind of topping for pancakes you could think of..... If I want to see mutiny here then I will  suggest fruit or apple sauce or even maple syrup with our pancakes. haha They are fine when I switch us to organic spelt flour or even all natural p-nut butter, but just try and pry Aunt Jemima out of their sugar addicted little fingers: ) It's really not funny!!

Here is Martha!! She is busy "dumping it out!!" That's what she does! She is very busy and VERY adored by many people. Anyways,...she was busy "dumping my wallet out" under my watch while Nona made our pancakes. Love our mornings here at the Brown household. Oddly, Mondays are my favorite. Guess I love my job!!

The Foot Book

Today we read "The Foot Book" by Dr. Seuss. 

And of course that always means making a really big mess like this one. This is actually some messy semi-free  play after we made some footprints.   Jess enjoyed this for a long time.

We used some of our toys with feet and made footprints in baking soda. Then we added a little food coloring and squirted in vinegar.

<------ blue="" hehe="" it="" like="" little="" looks="" p="" prints="" see="" snow.="" the="" tiny="">

Why does it bubble up? It was fun reading about the science behind all the fizzies.

 Martha with a really sweet smile and wearing alot of her food coloring. I shouldn't post scrubby pics of her, but that smile is just so darned cute.

Nona writing about it.

She TRULY did like squirting it out----just like her paper, dictated to mommy, says.

Max accidentally made a volcano, 

and it was very cool. 

  Here is Cole making another volcano after the lesson time.

We also made a Family "footbook" with everyone's footprint, but I just deleted the pic.  It's late, so you'll just have to believe me.

We had a great time. I'm always impressed how easy it is to get some writing out of my people if they are having a good time and really like the subject. It was an all around good week incorporating some "Seuss" into our lives. Happy Birthday to the doctor.

Things Four through Nine and some other Thinks we can Think

I love playing with my children. Honestly, I don't really LOVE Dr. Seuss, but it is February, Valentine's is over and we need something fun to do!!!! Oh, Happy Birthday Week to Dr. Seuss!! It's a weeeee bit early to start the really awesome Spring Stuff  I want to do. Can't wait to study the ocean at the ocean which is MINUTES from my house: )

 Blue jello for water, swedish fish for...welll...fish and The Cat in the Hat. Two nights ago we had green eggs and ham, and today we will make a GIANT Family Foot Book because we have a giant family with a couple of people with GIANT feet!!!

 I will post tomorrow when I have pictures of the foots prints in our vinegar and baking soda science stuff. I really LOVE pinterest. It is an online venue that doesn't just suck my time up. It inspires me to be a fun mommy. I love teaching my children,  and I want them to have good memories of home, books, school.....just life in general.

Toooo long since I've posted. Here are a few good memories since last time. I'm so blessed by this family of mine. 

 Cason and papa!!  I love my boy and my wonderful father!!

 Cason looking a little too hunky....stay back ladies!!

 The gang!

 Pretty Karis and Pretty Nona!

 Thinking they are gonna trap a "bacoon"----as Max calls it.

 A little too happy here!!

 At Nationals---just me and these two men!!

 smoochy....

 Cheeeeese...

 At Mot and Papa's house--Two more precious grandparents!!

Cousins!!