{good times}

I hope ya'll had a nice Thanksgiving. We went to my in-laws in the afternoon. I brought pumpkin roll with cream cheese filling & Rob made sweet potatoes (from our garden). It was great to spend time with family. Rob's grandma is 99 years old. Her photo and more on my Flickr photostream.
My sister, Mary, and her husband came down from Canada. We read a lot together, played apples-to-apples, chess, yahtzee, crazy 8s, etc.
It was really nice to have some time "off"...I had 5 days off and Rob had a 4 day weekend!
We found a shop in Metamora, IN, that was full of neat old stuff (or junk). I wish I'd bought some knitting needles (just $1.00 a pair), but I'm really much better with a crochet hook. Downtown Cincinnati was a lot of fun...we went on a horse drawn carriage ride (all the fun FREE stuff to do: http://www.downtowncincinnati.com/holidays.html), ate lunch at Chipotle, rode the "trolley" to Duke Energy's train display, then went ice skating. $2.50 for rentals plus $2.50 to skate/person. Hannah was clobbered by a grown man...but she survived. Olivia fell pretty hard on her backside (just before Uncle Andrey took this photo) and cried, then wanted to skate more!
Isn't this an awesome calendar? So cute! Download yours here.

I am thankful for our freedom

The pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving in America after finding a place they could worship as they wish...in freedom. It is something that we take for granted here. Many other countries persecute those who do something other than the government (Taliban or Socialism, for an example) allows.
I thought it was appropriate to share what our bunny did the lovely sunny weekend...enjoyed her freedom from her hutch in our backyard (there's some overgrown brussel sprouts she munched on in the back) for about 6 hours.
I spend my mornings at the pre-school. Most of the kids are 4, some are 5. I really like making little books, encouraging them to draw and write some letters or words, or they can dictate to me. The block area is always very popular. It's fun to listen to the imaginative stories they create. Last week, we got a new toilet in the bathroom, and some of the children built a toilet out of the blocks! I thought it was quite funny.
I came across this artist: http://thejuzzard.blogspot.com
The robots and crocheted characters are just delightful! Yes, I've been crocheting. I made a blue and white striped thing for our lamp post in the front yard. I plan on doing more...just for fun.

And one last thing...quite important too. Tomorrow is Nov 24th...our wedding anniversary! I have a wonderful husband. Thank you, God, for giving me someone who is so good to me and is a great father. Last night, Hannah was sick, fever and throwing up...Rob got up and helped her, so did I, but it's sure nice to be a team to care for our children together.

Crocheting...and knit graffiti?

I'm making wrist warmers...
...and shawls for gifts. Simple. Homemade. The yarn is usually $2.99 for a 100 gram skein of this 100% cotton yarn at Hobby Lobby, it was on sale last week for just $1.99. I used 2 skeins, the fringe took up a lot! Hannah helped me do the fringe Saturday afternoon. So fun to work on a project together.
I'm learning how to knit better. Just practicing my "continental style" of knitting...think that will be good...I really want to make that hat, but need to perfect my knitting first. I have double pointed needles....already knit a hat...alas, used for teddy bears...
Most of my knitted items are random sizes, rectangles...whatever. So, I'm going to start KNITTA here in Cincinnati...anyone want to join me?

P.S. Go check out their main website above & this flickr photostream....Magda led a project to cover a city bus in Mexico...mostly crocheted items! So cool.

Looking forward...

I want to get a pair of quality leather boots, to play in the snow and go sledding...but that I could wear with pants or a skirt...any suggestions? I'm really looking forward to winter!!! The zoo always had an awesome "Festival of Lights."
Beautiful red berries by the train station at the Cincinnati Zoo.Four tiger cubs were born on March 21st...they're getting so big! We had a great time watching them, as their mother cleaned them and they playfully batted her with their huge paws. It was a beautiful, sunny and warm (70'F) weekend!
One of the best things about the zoo is this awesome tree. God made this natural jungle gym...for birds, squirrels and little girls to climb.
I came home from work and found this. In case it's hard for you to read, it says "by Olivia to Mom." I love it. Now, I'm going to crochet, while the girls are in karate class. I'm making a shawl for Hannah!

Yesterday

6:30am: I woke up, as usual, said prayers, ate breakfast, then started homeschooling with the girls.
8:30am: I left for work and had fun with 20 four-year-olds (who drew with chalk on dark paper, for the art activity, my fav time of the day). Left there promptly at 12:15. Ate a cheese, tomato and lettuce sandwich in the car...had my trusty waterbottle from Susanna.
12:30pm: I had an exam in my class at Cincinnati State (community college)
2:30pm: Rob left for work and we left for piano lessons, stopped by the bank real quick.
3:00pm: Hannah had piano lessons, while Olivia and I walked to a nearby park, it was sunny, I went on the swings with her (she pumps really well and went HIGH), sang "Sticky bubblegum" until I could see she had to go to the bathroom. Ate some cookies at Fr Pavel and Matushka Bethany's house. I admired the bonnets she's knitting.
4:30pm: We went to Hobby Lobby and I bought some 100% cotton yarn. Listened to "Let it Be" by the Beatles in the car with the girls...love that song!5:00pm: Dinner at Magdalena's house (chicken in mushroom sauce, homemade mashed potatoes, broccoli and cheese, applesauce, Italian soda, and brownies with ice cream, whipped cream and cherries for dessert)...sumptuous!!! I heard about the Ft. Hood, TX shootings. May God help the victims and their families. Sad and scary...what is the world coming to?
7:00pm: We started putting together her Mission style coffeetable.
8:00pm: Helped Magdalena upload some photos. Look at this cute one of her from way back when...
9:30pm: Home. Brushed teeth, put on pajamas. Hit the sack.

***

I really want to keep the time the SAME. No more time changes!!!

Tuesday evening...we went to a birthday party for a little friend from church, Micheal...it was very nice!

Unanswered prayers

There's a country song that goes "Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers..."by Garth Brooks. Yeah, there are times I've asked God for something and not understood why He wouldn't help me, but He knows why...we have to trust in God.
Licking the beaters...I made whipped cream (got thick cream from local Snowville Creamery) to go on our pumpkin pie. Absolutely scrumptious!We have been studying Egypt this past week. Above, you'll see Olivia's relief carving...like the relief carvings you'll see inside many of the pyramids. She decided to make a lion head on a horse body with wings!
Rob is reading Tut's Mummy to Olivia. It's a great book, pretty simple, but goes into some detail, with photos and drawings showing how the excavated the tombs. Lots of great questions have spurred since, and we discussed that Jesus Christ came later and taught the people about what will really happen in their afterlife!