Grammie's house....

No, the laundry didn't get done, the vacuming needs to be done but thats everyday. Today, we visited grammie. We packed all our cookie makin ingredients and we we're off. Two cups of flour, one cup of sugar.... "Can I lick the spoon grammie"

Yum, yum peanut butter cookies.

Patty cake, patty cake baker's man. Bake me a cookie as fast as you can.

What was supposed to be one batch of chocolate chip cookies turned into ten dozen of choc. chip, peanut butter, and p.nut butter choc. chip. My new favorite!!

This is life being lived.

Is your living room Grand Central Station? Mine is!

All Aboard! Beware passengers, this train has been known to derail and collide. Oh, and the track could abruptly come to an end. Ride the rails at your own risk!

He has loved trains since before he could walk. Now, he teaches her how to build the railway.

Hours of fun play time in our living room. This is life being lived!

They grow too fast...

Garrett (3) on North Carolina vacation 2005.
My Boy!! You are a gentle soul. A boy that tells his mommy and daddy that you love us all the day long. You are the same gentle boy at seven as you were as a little baby. Content to play with your Thomas trains for hours. These days your toy's are bigger and louder and you have great imagination. Our baby Grace first Christmas 2005. First year in the new house.
You stole your daddy's heart in a way he didn't know it could be stolen. He would quit work and spend every moment with you in his arms (if he could). You are a vibrant spirit. When you are in a room everybody hears you. My sweet girl!!

Oh, by the way, I think this is about one of the last times I was able to dress you in dresses. Broke your mama's heart. Every year the most beautiful spring dresses and you will have nothing to do with them. I have hope for someday.

Such a cutie!!

I sometimes wish I could save time in a bottle. My babies are growing up fast everyday. I miss them being babies. I think I want more!!!!

visiting Shamu

We took our family to Sea World this weekend. We had a wonderful time. I am always amazed at the creatures in the aquariums. I can see God's hand in every creation. Some of the most awesome things like a jellyfish the size of a quarter that lights up off and on. Or the beauty of miniture sea horses. My children and I could stand and gaze inside those tanks for hours. If it wasn't for all the non English speaking travelers stepping on my children's little feet or shoving them out of the way. Apparently, parents in other countries do NOT teach manners. I was really shocked at the display of rudeness. But I did not let it affect my mood and fun for the day.

I even climbed myself up in a four story cargo net and crawled around on my knees. I want them to remember me as fun mommy. They should issue parents knee pads for that thing. My knees are still bruised but that's okay because I have not laughed so hard in a long time.

You know your a mom when.......

My little country mouse keeps her bug friend living on our kitchen counter. He has been here a week and the poor thing keeps on ticking. She tells me "he's my friend mama" in her sweetest three year old voice. What's a mama to do......live with the bug. It makes her happy and that makes me happy.

Thursday shopping day!

Today was an extremely good deal day. I spent 69.00 oop at Publix and Winn Dixie. My total savings at both stores was 174.00. That's a really good day! The super deal was at WD Hormel pork loins 9.99 bogo -3.00mq on each one. I paid 2.00 for each, I bought six. These are normally 10.00 each. WoW!!

Best deals going today at Publix are eight fiber one yogurt with bogo rebate at 2.50-1.00/1 for each at .25 each.

Four A-1 sauces at .09 ea, six Mccormick grinder seasonings free, four Hilshire turkey meat at 1.45ea, Lipton tea at .25 each, revlon clipper free plus 1.60 overage, Lysol neutra air at .27ea x 4, kens marinade .40 ea. I used 5.00 off 20.00 meat FLIP, and 5.00 off 25.00 walgreens coupon. To match up these items to coupons checkout iheartpublix.com, fiddledeedee.com.

As you can see I had many other coupon matchups but I am in a hurry. We are packing for an spontaneous getaway weekend to Sea World this Friday.

Please pray for us as we travel this weekend. Also, how did you score on deals this week?

Many Blessings, Brandi

School Days

That day has come again, the first day of school. Not for our family, for us school is year round. Sure, I give them a break from structured learning periodically. We did take off the month of June for a summer vacation and a cousin visiting for a few weeks. We have been hard at work ever since. Well.... not really! We practice a very relaxed homeschool environment. I want my children to enjoy and love our learning routine. I use a private schools curriculum but do not abide by thier work schedule. A few hours of book work four days a week and the rest we make up as we go. We do ALOT of arts and crafts. I'm lucky my children and I share the love of any and all things hand made. Oh, by the way, my son moved up a grade in the middle of the year last year. He will continue to move up grades at a faster pace than public schoolers. Why is that a good thing? For one thing, if he is ready, why not? Also, in the state of Florida, he is still eligible for all programs, scholarships, and grants that public schoolers can get. That includes the dual enrollment program. He can have two years of paid for college under his belt before other kids his age have even graduated. Does anyone know a young man by the name Tim Tebow. That's right, a Christian homeschooled boy, that finished high school and college early.



I just couldn't imagine taking them to school at 8am and not seeing them for seven or eight hours five day a week. Not knowing what thier hearts are feeling. God only knows what they might be learning. I have seen what children learn in government schools both in the classroom and from thier peers. NO thank you! Not for my children. I have started them early down a different path.

So in the morning when all those little sunbeams are grumbly waking up with the sun, we will still be snoozing. When the rush rush is taking place in homes across the country, we will be sitting down to breakfast together. As all the other children are lining up for the lunch room, we will be closing our books and heading outside to play. I LOVE HOMESCHOOLING!!!