LENS Photo Challenge - RED

The LENS photo challenge this time is RED. This picture came to mind pretty quickly. It was taken a few years ago by one of my girls. The Man and I got new phones and gave our old ones to the girls to play with, they immediately went to work taking pictures of everything around them. I LOVED seeing the world through their eyes, and seeing what things they considered important enough to photograph. The pictures ranged anywhere from self portraits, to My Little Pony toys, to items at the store they wanted to buy! This particular picture was taken during a trip to Target, from inside the basket.

Here are a few more of my favorite pictures taken by the girls...





L.E.N.S. Photo Challenge- Physical Education

This post is for a Photo Challenge, but it's also a great topic for homeschooling families. Making sure the kids stay moving is important! We have our share of running around the house, and our share of backyard fun, and if the girls aren't dancing from room to room then something is terribly wrong. But in addition to our at home "P.E.", we also like to put the kids in different sports. Our goal is to help them find the one they like best (if any) and stick with it! They did gymnastics last spring, T-ball in the fall, and will do soccer this spring. Out of all the great shots of them participating, I still think my favorite is of PP not participating in T-ball. In her defense, it can get pretty boring in outfield, especially in T-ball! This pose she has here screams "Prissy Pants", and she doesn't think the title fits her!

Here are some other T-ball pics. Their absolute favorite was hitting the ball and running. Z would be happy running all day. That's why I think they'll enjoy soccer! I'm so excited to start next month!







It was impossible to get good pictures of the girls in gymnastics because of the gym lighting, I tried and tried for weeks, and since parents had to stay in the bleachers I just couldn't get any good shots. Sadness. Here are the girls getting their medals at the end of the semester!

I can't wait until FB is old enough to join in, she hates having to sit on the side with me and watch the big girls have all the fun!

So what do you homeschoolers do for "P.E."? Head over to Home is Where You Start From and see what others are doing!



Death by Chocolate and a Half Birthday

If we had a choice in the way we left this world behind, mine would definitely be death by chocolate - if there were such a thing. Yesterday evening the girls helped me make the greatest chocolate cupcakes in the history of cupcakes (at least at our house). We added chocolate pudding to the mix to make them extra moist, sprinkled mini chocolate chips on top, then iced them in chocolate icing! Mmmmmm! You can't see the chocolate chips in the picture, but they are most definitely there! When Intelligent Man took his first bite I think he choked on the richness. He said it was chocolate overload. PULEEEEASE! Men just can't hang when it comes to chocolate.

A bit before that, while icing them, The Man walked up behind me and asked what the occasion was. "Ummmm..." I replied. I was quickly scanning my brain for an appropriate answer, I never stopped to think that I needed a reason for indulging myself, but to justify the baking I searched for an answer. I blurted out, "It's the boy's half birthday tomorrow!" and then smiled. And it's ok that he can't enjoy the sweets, because this celebration is actually mine! I'm the one who (completely naturally) hiked a 10 1/2 lb mass of chunky little boy from my gut, so I deserve all the celebration I can handle! I'll have my cupcake and eat it too! I may even inhale one while no one is looking so I can eat another one later, without getting the "Are you seriously having another one?" look, piercing my face. Mwahahaha! So all you health nuts go ahead and scoff - meanwhile I'll be sitting on a cloud in sweet tooth heaven! Mmm, chocolate bliss!

Oh, yes, and happy HALF birthday to my son! I can't believe it's already that time, the girls first 6 months didn't go by nearly this quickly! Here's a yummy treat for you - feast your eyes on this hunk of a beautiful male, all 19lbs 10.5oz of him!