Cabbage Patch Land

For those of you who are not familiar with cabbage patch kids, think back to the 80's and 90's. The cabbage patch dolls were started in North Georgia. We have always had a tourist spot called Babyland General that was free to go through and see cabbage patch babies being born. lol. But 5 weeks ago they openned up a brand new building, and it is very large and beautiful. They went from 11,000 square feet to 73,000 square feet. There is a ballroom that you can rent out for major events. If you are ever in the North Georgia area and want something neat to visit and you have young children, this is it. Located in Cleveland, Georgia.

There are many crystals and gemstones throughout the facility.

This is the newborn nursery that the baby goes to right out after being born from the cabbage patch.

There were many Christmas trees decorated throughout the building. This one has little cabbage babies al over the tree.

This is where all the magic happens. Every 30 minutes or so a new cabbage doll is born. You even go through a whole adoption process to buy one.

Grace had a really good time. She had not been since she was about five and really didn't remember it. Which is sad because we only live 15 minutes from this location.

After Christmas Fun

Much has been going on these few days after Christmas. On Saturday we decided to go shopping with some of our Christmas money. Crazy huh! Didn't we all just finish with shopping. Who wants to go back and do it again. This is kind of one of those crazy traditions for us. We usually always go out the day after Christmas to spend gift cards and such. First we stopped and had lunch at Chickfila and tried to return some boots I got that didn't fit. Next back on the road to The School Box (a teacher supply store). Bought some great items to use for Language Arts. While I was in the store looking around which usually takes me a while, Scott took Grace to Dave and Busters and let her play some games. Next, off to Discover Mall. The picture above is at Bass Pro Shop and Grace is watching the fish swim by. Very relaxing. The picture below is from the Lego Store. This Lego Store is the only one in the State of Georgia and it is a small store. Grace used some of her Christmas money to purchase a small bucket of legos. All shopping excursions must include some kind of book store. This time it was Books a Million. We all looked in there for about two hours. Scott got coffe and Grace hot chocolate. After all that looking Grace purchased a book about drawing dragons. I got Inkheart (been wanting to start this series). Back in the car we went. This area we were in is actually about 1 hour and 15 minutes from our house. We used to live in this area and there was a pizza place that we loved and haven't eaten at in about 6 years. We were super excited to go there for dinner, but when we arrived the restaurant is no longer there. Back in the car again and decided to stop at Chilis. It was delicious.

Sunday Grace played all afternoon with a neighborhood friend and then spent the night with another friend from church. I got in lots of reading, etc. with all the time to myself. Went and visited with my mother also. She hasn't been feeling very well because of her first chemo treatment. This morning I left early to return some books to the library, go to the yarn store (fun!), then picked up Grace from her sleep over. Now she is back at the neighborhood friends house again. Tonight I am going to meet the moms from our support group for dinner and Grace is off to grannys.

Christmas 2009

Christmas morning was all it was supposed to be. Grace unwrapped her gifts. This year we went with themed gift bags. In one bag was all kinds of drawing and art supplies. The second bag had hats, crazy colored socks, and clothes. The third bag was full of games. I did add one present to the mix of three dvds that Grace really loved. Coraline, Monsters vs. Aliens, and Hotel for Dogs. She enjoyed all her gifts. Travis openned his presents a little later due to the fact we couldn't get him out of bed. Most of his items were X-box related and some dvds that he wanted. We met over at my sister's house for Christmas breakfast and more gift exchanging. One thing Travis is really good at is making pancakes and he came through again this year. My sister and her husband made all of the adults omelets while Travis made the kids pancakes. Breakfast was so good and we were all stuffed.

I don't think I have ever posted a picture of my dad, well, here he is.

Pic of me and mom.

This is Grace wearing her Christmas gift. She now officially owns 6 hats. You rarely find her not wearing one. The frame in the back with the kid's photos is our family gift to my parents. Gracie got a DS and a stuffed dog from her grandparents. She was very excited.

Here is dad, mom, Danielle, and Travis openning gifts. Of course Travis find it hard to get away from his Iphone even on Christmas morning. You can see him texting a friend here. The day was a great family day. Much eating, visiting, and loving.

Merry Christmas to all!!!!

Another Trip to Emory

Today was my mom's first chemo treatment which is part of a clinical trail. It is not traditional chemo, in that, she probably won't loose her hair or be sick alot. Hopefully we will only be looking at fatigue. It was a long day. The cancer center at Emory was packed today. The hospital was trying to get everyone's treatments in that usually take 5 days of the week in only three days because of the holidays. Luckily, being part of the clinical kind of has its perks. If you can even think along those lines with chemo. Anyone participating in the clinical is infused in a seperate area away from everyone else. Each patient gets their own flat screen TV to watch while infusion is taking place, and our infusion only takes 45 minutes. But, since this was our first time we were there from 9:20 until 2:00. I am thinking the following times will not be so long. We will have to go every week for almost six months. Infusion is four weeks on and two weeks off for rest. The nurses were very nice, helpful, and funny. The traffic coming back home was awful. We have a 1 1/2 hour drive home from Emory. Because of two accidents and people leaving town for the holidays it took us 2 hours and 15 minutes. Of course we did stop halfway home for a milkshake.

Simplicity

One thing I have been very intrigued about lately is simplicity. Living a simple life. Getting back to the basics. I have come across alot of blogs lately of families doing just that. But trying to find out what "the simple life" for our family means is another question. There are some things in life I really like and are maybe not quite ready to do away with. I like going out to eat. So shoot me. I do like the idea of growing some of our own food, raising chickens and goats. We only have one acre of land - so ideas will have to be limited. I like the idea of homemade gifts and have done that off and on for many years. I love to bake. And sometimes even cook. lol. So I guess I will continue researching and looking and dreaming. I would like to mention as I have mentioned before that I also dream of one day traveling in a RV around the United States. There is so much I have not seen and want to see. Again how do you make that work. How do you support yourself. How do you leave with three dogs and two cats in an RV. Ha Ha. And of course if you get those goats and chickens, what then. Lots to think about. I really want to do some things different in this new year. Just don't know what that is yet.

Happenings

Yesterday went by so fast. Church was in the morning. We came home and ate a light lunch then started in on cleaning the house. My house has been neglected the past few weeks due to Willy Wonka Mania. Later in the afternoon we met my family at Longhorns for dinner. My dad treated us all to a great dinner. After dinner we headed over to my sister's house and play cards for a couple of hours. Grace went to a friend's house for a planned sleepover. Since Grace wasn't at home last night I caught up on alot of TV that I haven't been watching and some reading. When Grace came home this morning she informed me that they stayed up until 5:00 this morning and then slept till about 10. She has been moping around most of the day because she is so tired. But she won't lay down to nap. We read a couple of chapters from our Christmas book and may do some more later. I think tonight is going to be an early night for us all, unless she wants to stay up and watch our normal Monday night of Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives.

Lunch with a Friend

Today was fun. Out with a friend for lunch(just Blimpies) and off to the used book store for two hours of looking and choosing. Lots of good conversation. I got a couple of drawing books, three chapter books, and one on country living. Went out to dinner tonight with a gift card that was given to us. Tonight on the agenda is constructing a gingerbread house and watch A Christmas Carol.

Art Blog

I just stumbled upon a blog that I need to share. It has many art ideas including many Christmas ideas. Go visit http://www.kidsartists.blogspot.com/. You will be so glad you did.

Lots Going on

Tonight was the Fine Arts Showcase for all Fine Arts classes at Trinity. Grace sings in the chorus. They sang 6 songs and did very well. They look very professional in the white shirts and black pants.

Our Drama class also performed a Christmas skit tonight. Due Willy Wonka consuming all of our practices we only had two run throughs of this skit. But they all came through like troopers.

Here are some of Grace's lastest drawings.

Todays was the semester's last class for handicrafts. The girls decorated a complete cake on their own. Then tonight the cakes were auctioned off to raise money for the Fine Arts Department.

Here is Grace's finished product.

Back to Business

Yesterday was our last performance of Willy Wonka. Grace also performed in the Christmas play at our church yesterday morning. Needless to say, yesterday was a bit crazy. Actually the past week was a bit crazy. Last week we only got to do book work on Monday. So today was back to business. We had alot to catch up on. I haven't reported on our workboxes in quite a while so here was today workboxes:

1. Bible
2. Math - Fractions
3. Daily Math Adventures
4. Read one chapter from The Family Under the Bridge with a written narration and some study of France.
5. Drawing Lesson
6. Finished chapter of insect life cycles in our Zoology book.
7. Proverbs Bible Study
8. Independent reading for 30 minutes.
9. Typing for 15 minutes.
10. Spelling
11. Read one chapter from The Cabin Faced West and a book about how Native Americans gathered their food and what kinds of food they ate.

Tonight it has been lots of computer time and reading. Waiting for Diners, Driveins, and Dives to come on then off to bed. Tomorrow will be another busy day.

Willy Wonka

Willy Wonka finally arrived. We have finished two performances and have one more to go. This is grace in her costume for Veruca Salt right after today's performance. The rest of the pictures are not the greatest quality. It was very hard to get good pictures. Many variables - such as lighting and me doing the sound while the program was taking place.

This is Grace doing her solo "I Want It Now" in the nut room.

This is most of the cast in the scene where they come in to the factory for the first time. We had edible candy ont he backdrops for them to taste just like in the movie and the brown in the middle is the chocolate river.

Food Pantry

Every month me and Grace help with our church's food pantry. This month we all wanted to do something a little more special for the families that came to the pantry. We collected toys to hand out as well as bags of fruit and bags of goodies to go along with the box of food. Every food pantry day is busy but this one was crazy! We open at 10 but had people waiting at 9:15. By the time we actually started there was about 30 people waiting to get in. Each family/person has to talk to a counselor before getting their box. We simply ask how they are doing, if they have any problems, and ask to pray with them. We handed out 104 boxes and actually ran out of food before our closing time. That is a first for us. I think in the future we may have to make more boxes. It is such a blessing to be able to work there and many of the same people return each month so you get to know them. It is also a very humbling experience to see so many families with so little.

This Week

This week we are trying to just keep our head above the water line. I'm not kidding! Monday was the only day we were able to get any book work done. Here is how the rest of the week is playing out:
Tuesday - Choir, art, and three hour Willy Wonka practice. Late afternoon included preparation for this months food pantry distribution.
Wednesday - Food pantry from 10 - 1, then Willy Wonka practice from 3 - 5, then Christmas play practice at church 7 - 8.
Thursday - Choir, art, and Willy Wonka practice. Willy Wonka performance tonight.
Friday - Willy Wonkay afternoon performance.
Saturday - Christmas play practice 10 - 12, dinner at a friends in the afternoon.
Sunday - Church, then final Willy Wonka performance in the afternoon.

Did you get all that. I will put posts for each of these a little later.
Ah, the Christmas Season.

Christmas Decorations

Of course this first picture is not a decoration. This weekend Grace and Scott went to the local Christmas parade. Grace thought it was great.The rest of these pics are ones Grace has been after me to post to show everyone our decorations.

Church Happenings This Weekend

Each year at the beginning of the Christmas Season our church has a Hanging of the Greens Service. While singing Away in a Manger each child gets to bring up a piece of the nativity and set it in place. This is a picture of Grace - this year she had Joseph.

We also decorate the tree while singing Christmas hymns with crismons. The banners are new for our church this year also. This was the best turnout we have ever had for this service. About 100. After the short service we all went down to the fellowship hall for refreshments.

On Friday night our women's ministry had an "Ornamental Evening". We brough ornaments to decorate the tree with and at the end of the evening through a game each one of us took an ornament home. Our youth provided daycare and play music as we ate goodies.

These two lovely girls are in my middle school Wednesday night class.

Each table was decorated by a hostess and that is who took care of you for the evening. Many sweets. So each table was decorated according to the taste of your hostess. The bottom picture was our table. A very lovely evening, spending time with sisters in Christ.

Crazy Busy Day!

It was such a long day. Started off with chorus and handicrafts. Made cupcakes with roses on top. After lunch was a three hour long practice for Willy Wonka. Did I mention we perform next week. Yikes!!!!!!! Lots of work still to do. Had to go to Wally World after practice and picked up needed supplies (chips, sweets, bread, dog food). Really not needed just wanted. Except for the dogs, they would probably put the dog food in the needed column. Anywho, after Wal-mart went to McDonalds for dinner and over to my parents house. Needed to cut my dads hair. Back home then at 7:00. Did I mention we had been gone since 9:45 in the morning. Needless to say no school work got done today. Grace is reading right now but that is about it. But as any unschooler or relaxed homeschooler would tell you, she did have school today, just maybe not the 3 R's. Which I totally agree with. Now off to some much needed rest, but first I am going to crochet and read for awhile. Not at the same time of course.

What We've Been Doing

We have been schooling. All the regular stuff - Bible, History, Science, Writing, Reading, Spelling, Grammar, Drama, Art, Math, etc. But we have also added in some fun stuff for the Christmas season. I have three books planned for us to read - the first is one we are almost finished with - The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. I am really loving this book. Grace cannot stand it when Imogene takes the Lord's name in vain. It almost makes her not like the book.

Christmas ornaments.

Christmas cards.

These guys surprised me. All of the golden finches have been gone since like July or August, but low and behold, yesterday when I looked out on the deck we had about five of them. I just love the little finches, they add so much color to nature.