Book Review (and GIVEAWAY!) **WINNER**

WINNER:  Angie!

Shoot me an email, Angie, and I'll get your book sent right out to you!

I have another great Christmas book to recommend to you!

The First Christmas Night

by Keith Christopher

The First Christmas Night is a beautiful retelling of the birth of Jesus on that joyous night in Bethlehem so long ago. The poem begins with the arrival of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem and winds though Christ’s birth, the angels’ appearance to the shepherds, and the visit by the Wise Men.  The simple, yet elegant, verses will appeal to little ones and are accompanied by the rich acrylic illustrations of Christine Kornacki.

It's such a lovely poem-like story that will sure to be

a yearly classic in your home for years to come!

It would make a really great gift for anyone with little kiddos in their lives.

(Teachers, Sunday school workers, piano instructors, etc.)

Take a look at Lucy and Isaiah's review.

(Albeit very silly!)

And you guessed it.

I have a copy to give away!

Leave a comment telling me if you have your Christmas tree up yet or not!

I'll draw a name on Tuesday night.

homeschoolers extraordinaire!

Remember back to our first day of homeschool this year?

From that very day forward, my goal was simply, to make PROGRESS

with my little dude.

And I gotta tell ya, progress we have made!!!

He is actually starting to READ now.

Hot-diggity!

I am successfully teaching yet another human being to READ!!

Progress, indeed!

And not only that,

here's a pictorial of our day today.

Just an average day here at our homestead homeschool.

So sad that my little homeschoolers are so sheltered and boxed into
a classroom without any real-life experience.


Homeschoolers extraordinaire!

worship [never once]

We sang this song in church last weekend.

Oh man, did it ever move my heart.

I needed to worship my God at that moment, with that very song.

And just in case one of you needs to do the same,

turn up your speakers and marvel in His presence.

how far is china? [answered by isaiah, via video]

I tell you what.
This little man-child is one spunky little dude.
If he wasn't so darn cute and completely hilarious,
I don't know what I'd do.
Cause he wears me OUT.

This video conversation is only a sampling of what I hear ALL DAY LONG.
Because he talks and talks and talks and talks.
Never stops.
Never.
Never ever.
He voices his every thought, every idea, and every cotton-pickin' single thing
that passes through that little Chinese brain.


Whew.

God has such the sense of humor to give me the collage of children
that He did.





And for those interested,
volunteer babysitters will become soul beneficiaries of my will.
(For whatever that's worth.)
(Not much.)
But very deeply appreciated, for sure.

Pledge of Allegiance {by lucy and isaiah!}

I love my proud little Americans!!

hedge of protection {tim hawkins}

This is so hilarious.

Enjoy!

yes, we have no bananas

So this is it.

This is what my blogging life has come to.

A video about...well, take a look:

This is what happens when the

majority of your day

is filled only with the company of a five and a six year old.

And your five year old is all-too

eager to video you in your kitchen

doing Lord knows what.

And you are all-too eager to jump in

front of the camera.

Or a moving train.

Whatever.

I'd appreciate it if you'd all coordinate a

Lets-Take-Turns-Going-To-Visit-Lori-So-She-Doesn't-Go-Bananas

committee.

Who's up first?

Thank you in advance.

friday video

Ok, so did you notice K-man mowing in the background...and glancing over

at me doing my video and resuming his work as if everything

was going on as usual?

I guess that's because he's used to me being weirdly dorky.

And me making videos in the yard apparently doesn't phase him in the least.

He's a very good husband that way.

I love that man.

Anyway,

let me know your book recommendations!

I mentioned wanting something fiction, but tell me about anything good you've read lately.

Have a blessed weekend!

another episode of...

Another episode of,

"Lori Gets a Hold of the Video Camera Again."

And just for being a good sport and putting up with me,

leave a lovely comment

and I'll put your name in the hat for a

STARBUCK'S GIFT CARD!

I'm super nice that way.

Drawing will be on Sunday.

Have a great weekend!

narcissistic me {and my vacuum}

There's something very narcissistic about me

doing videos of myself.

Especially since when I make them,

I rarely have on make-up...and all I can see is my nose

when I watch.

Yet,

I can't help myself.

There are many benefits to being 40+ years old.

One, being...one tends to lose all of one's insecurities

about one's appearance.

That is a very freeing thing.

Hallelujah!

Here's the latest:

And just so you know,

I'm really NOT put off by my kids being home.

They a very super delightful bunch.

Here's the vacuum I was telling you about!!

It's called the Shark Navigator Lift-Away.

Now there are SEVERAL models similar to this,

with the same name, oddly.

But not all of them have that life-changing

bare-floor-duster attachment thingy.

You gotta have that

if you have a lot of bare floors.

Oh, and the main attachment is downright dreamy, too.

Best vacuum I've ever had.

Seriously.

I don't joke about things of this matter.

No I do not.

This is not a paid advertisement, by the way.

I wish.

So there you have it.

Your life is now fuller, better, and all-around more complete.

And you are welcome.

It's been a pleasure doing business with you.

a video moment with lori {i'm so sorry}

I realized after this video that my outfit didn't come across
nearly as frumpy as it really is.
Or maybe it did.

Oh and I absolutely AM going to get started on
my sprouts.
I was just a little put off by the extra work of sanitizing.
And this is why I don't have a job
with the FDA.
That, and a host of other reasons.

Anyhoo,
enjoy your weekend!

lucy-bug

I will be doing the book drawing later today!

But for now,

take in the Word, via Lucy.

Isaiah's ABC's

Homeschooling at its finest.

dancin'

Super news!

Our dossier is on its way to China, baby!

But, there's a snag.

Isn't there always.

I forgot to write an employment letter for myself.
Or should I say, an unemployment letter.

Dang it!

I can't believe I completely overlooked that.
Actually, I can.

So, our agency is going to go ahead and send our dossier
in grand hopes of the CC** being OK with not
having it.

But in the meantime I'll write the letter, get it notarized, certified,
authenticated, blah, blah, blah.

Just in case they ask for it.

Sigh.

I so do get in the way of myself sometimes.

Anyhoo.

Moving on to something fun...


I bought this teen dance video for Macy.

She absolutely loves it!

And a little someone else loves it too.
It's soooo much fun to watch them cut-a-rug.

And for some odd reason they both find it necessary to
show me how dirty their socks are afterwards.

Whatever.

really funny

I had a couple of things I wanted to blog about today....but I can't think of a single thing at this moment. I was up at 2AM, wide awake....really wishing I could start my day because, golly, I could get a ton done by starting that early! But yeah, that's a wee too early to actually make it through the entire day without taking someone's head off so I just ate some brisket, followed by a delightful bowl of fruit loops....then went back to bed.

And I'm happy to say that Lucy-bug is still asleep AND we aren't having school today since it's Labor Day weekend. So, life is good.

I'll leave you with this hilarious video. Btw, my super cool, almost-a-teen friend Cami told me how to post videos. Thanks, Cam!

watch this!!

Hey, take a few minutes and watch this video, would ya?

Click HERE!

Oh and grab a tissue....and the checklist to start your homestudy.