For Joey’s Christmas present, the kids got a jar and put in “365 reasons why we love you” (it’s only about 45 right now, but they’re planning on constantly refilling the jar.)  While they were making this gift for Joey, I was busy helping Sylvia write down reasons why she loves her dad so I didn’t get to see everything that Luke and Isabel were writing down.  By the way, most of Sylvia’s reasons were, “because I love him!”  Tonight Joey picked out a reason that Luke thought of…

]]> http://sabrinaschool.wordpress.com/2009/12/26/merry-christmas-2/ Sat, 26 Dec 2009 18:28:15 +0000 Sabrina http://sabrinaschool.wordpress.com/2009/12/26/merry-christmas-2/

Over the weekend we visited Grandma and Grandpa Vincent in Saint George, Utah.  We stayed the first night in Flagstaff, Arizona.  The kids loved the snow (even though it was the hard kind) but for Joey and me, it helped reaffirm our stance on never living anywhere that frequently gets below 50 degrees during the day.

Christmas program/talent show.  I didn’t get pictures, but Luke passed out a maze that he did, Isabel played Row Row Row your Boat on the guitar and Sylvia danced around in a dress up.

Here is Joey reading The Cremation of Sam McGee.  (Take a good look now before Joey makes me take this picture off.)

Warning: The rest of these pictures are for grandparents of course.

Sylvia in her fancy Christmas dress.  Oh and by the way, don’t call her gorgeous, according to her, she is NOT gorgeous, she is pretty, cute or beautiful.

Hazel in her fancy new Christmas dress.  GROW SOME HAIR KID!

Isabel in her fancy new Christmas dress.

Luke with some boring boy clothes on enduring another picture.

In Tucson people are always riding bicycles or outside with their dog…weird.  This morning I took the kids on one of the many bike trails around here.

The girls.

Don’t let the snow hat deceive you, we went out early in the morning, later that day it was in the 70’s.

Played at a playground afterward.

I am SO proud of myself.  I looked on youtube today for a “how to” and learned how to french braid hair!!!  Not too bad for my first time (and considering Hazel was attacking us with the hair brush for most of the time.)

Last weekend I bought a twin bed for Luke that I found on Craig’s List for $20.  I told him he could paint it however he wanted.  Yesterday we went to Home Depot and Luke learned how to pick out a color and order it from the paint counter.  Today we all helped him sand the bed and wipe it clean.  He keeps asking if he can please paint it all by himself (really what he is saying is NO ISABEL AND SYLVIA PLEASE!)

Luke has started a new blog:  Luke’s Entomology Discoveries
Also, don’t forget Isabel’s:  The Red Ruby (I am trying to get her to put her art on there)

It was cloudy outside this morning and Luke was still sleeping so the girls figured that the perfect thing to do would be to take a big bath together!

A few days ago I set up a little office in Isabel’s closet for her.  She loves it.  She has thanked me so many times (I feel bad I didn’t set it up earlier).  Since then I wont be able to find her, while searching in her room, I’ll see light coming out of the bottom of the closet and hear her using the cash register and “talking on the phone.”

Does anyone want to attempt this?…me neither.

Sylvia made herself a drum set out of kitchen supplies.  The great thing about this drum set was that she used dry spaghetti noodles for the drumsticks.  Nice and quiet.

Something about Sylvia is that if she is forbidden to touch something, do something, etc. then it becomes the thing she wants most in the world.  Here is an example.  This was a cute toy that was like a bean bag with a clear cover (on the other side)  it had little buttons, plastic figures as well as filling inside.  Apparently it’s been driving Sylvia mad that she can’t actually hold and touch the objects.  A pair of scissors and some private time in her room and viola!…problem solved.

Here is an “Indian Girl” that Sylvia drew.  It was so cute to see her come inside with fists full of leaves and flowers ready to glue them onto paper.

Also, Here is something from Luke.  You better believe the other side of the paper is coved like this as well.  Also, he is working on a new one and has asked that I do it today.  I am not sure if it is a maze or a video game on paper but we shall see.

Isabel has been drawing some very sad pictures lately.  She is our goth girl.  Her favorite color is black.

]]> http://sabrinaschool.wordpress.com/2009/12/06/cemetery/ Sun, 06 Dec 2009 17:24:32 +0000 Sabrina http://sabrinaschool.wordpress.com/2009/12/06/cemetery/

Yesterday Joey and Luke went for a hike.  Later in the afternoon they went out and shot the BB gun.  Luke told Joey he was a “crack shot.”

This cemetery is right near our house.

I have never seen a cemetery like this before.

Sylvia loved it there.

I love the colored rocks.

She loved these little benches.

I think Luke was pretty concerned when he saw how many young people had died.

Sylvia loved the headstones with the persons picture on it.  Here she is saying, “Mom, when you die I’ll make your face on there with my new tools.”

No really, Sylvia LOVED it there.  Isabel was at a birthday party at the time so we will have to go back on Monday.

Tucson is famous for it’s sunsets.  Here is a view off our front patio.

Luke and Isabel can play Scrabble together and I LOVE it.

This week has been a great week for homeschooling.  I haven’t felt that way for quite a while.  Here is a list of things that make me feel like a good mom/homeschoolee:

When I…

…feel that I’ve spent an equal(ish) amount of quality individual time with each child.
…am strict and consistent about their math, chores, video game time and bedtimes.
…am willing and excited to play a game with them, cook or bake with them etc. (or when I’m not lazy.)
…listen to them when they are talking to me (or at least made eye contact and nodded a lot even if I don’t know what they’re talking about.)
…fix them healthy(ish) meals.

Here are just a few fun things I tried to capture this week…

An email between Luke and Isabel.

(I just tried to copy and paste it but they put so many emoticons in it that it wouldn’t work.  HA!)

Picture Isabel drew.  (SO SAD!)

A Harold and the Purple Crayon (or marker) game that Sylvia and I made up.

Sylvia got her new math book.

Music practice.  I taught Isabel Row Row Row your Boat on the guitar and Sylvia made up her own song about “Clare’s Wedding.”

Isabel lost a tooth.

Joey tried to convince Isabel that the Tooth Fairy is a boy and Isabel didn’t believe him for a second.

Last night Luke suggested we have a paper airplane contest. Isabel was the judge and here are the results…

Joey then made Ninja Cookies with Sylvia. He is always so good to make whatever kind of cookie Sylvia wants and this time she suggested Ninja cookies. She also insisted on wearing nothing but her apron and hat while baking. She said, “Ahh this feels good.”


Yesterday I told Sylvia no for something. She just smiled at me and said, “Mom, you looked cute when you shook your head and said no like that.”  I’m glad that I am just so adorable to her.

Eis que neste feriado, dia 30 de novembro de 2009, dia dos Evangélicos (eu não sou!), estou trabalhando.  Estou desenvolvendo um hotsite, em flash, para o empreendimento da FHE chamado Portal dos Lírios, localizado em Águas Claras/DF. A idéia é divulgar o imóvel na web e aproveitar para divulgar as últimas unidades habitacionais disponíveis para venda. Coisa bem simples e “institucional” para apresentar e despertar interesse para os apartamentos, de forma que a pessoa entre em contato para obter mais informações por um dos canais de atendimento das empresas.

Eu já havia desenvolvido o leiaute inicial (Illustrator) e aprovado com os responsáveis, mas ainda precisava “passar” para o Flash o design final.

Bom… já está finalizado, pronto para apresentar amanhã e, se tudo der certo, colocar no ar.

We were not allowed to take pictures in this museum but sneaked just one. The Mini-Time Machine: A Museum of Miniatures is fabulous! I couldn’t believe how nice it was. Isabel is convinced that it is a magical place. Joey (a 34 year old man) even loved it! Check out their website.

Just to explain this picture.  They are on top of a see through floor above a Christmas village.

My parents came and visited for Thanksgiving.  During their stay they took Luke, Isabel and Sylvia out individually to do whatever they chose.  Sylvia decided breakfast at McDonald’s would be fun.

Then a trip to “the store with the colorful letters!”

Grandma trying to find a toy that would be hands on for my hands on Sylvia.  They eventually got her a tool set and she loves it.

Sylvia in her “sheep costume” that G&G got for her from Costco.

I am a little afraid that Isabel just loves the mall.

escalator rides.

Going to stores that I am sure grandpa LOVED going to.

Luke chose the biosphere.

Sadly, right after they bought the tickets and went into the first room, Luke slumped down sick and they had to take him home.  Luckily, just one good puking and he was fine.  He then chose to play Monopoly with G&G and they had a good time.  I wish I would have gotten a picture of them playing.

Here we are going for a little hike on Thanksgiving morning.  The weather was/is fabulous!  Having seasons is so overrated.

Sylvia and grandpa

I remember being up there when I was her age!

Yes, Hazel is still around.

This magnetic wall would be a simple thing to put up at home (on a smaller scale of course.)  I am seriously thinking about it.  You could then just put magnets on pvc pipe and let the kids build and drop marbles down.

Isabel loved the animal hospital section.

She has decided that she wants to be a veterinarian.

Hazel LOVED these ugly babies.

One hand at her mouth of course and the other patting and poking at the baby while looking around, worried and suspicious that someone was going to take her baby.

Hazel would scream whenever this cute little girl would get anywhere near “Hazel’s” baby.

This morning I went to a story time with Sylvia at the Dusenberry River Branch Library while Luke and Isabel sat at a table there and read.  I am happy to discover that the library is pretty close to us, small and clean (once again, small library = good), and their library online to reserve books is great as well.  Afterward we ran a few errands.  While we were eating our Costco hot dogs, I apologized for “putting a TON of mustard on them.”  Isabel said, “Mom, I don’t think you put two thousand pounds of mustard on our hot dogs.”  Our little Amelia Bedelia, oops, I mean Isabel, thinks it’s very funny to take everything literally…sheesh.

My readers are so cool.

A while back, I wrote a post that included a short video clip with me and Grant in it.  Some of my readers said nice things about me, even going so far as to say I was pretty.  Well, yesterday I received a comment on that post by “Fefe” who wrote the following:

“very good but its the most boringest video i have ever seen in my whole life. and i don’t think you are pritty at all your ugly.”

Fefe, your point is well taken, and you may be right; however, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I can’t help but mention that I’m grateful I’m literate, and that I hold the key to the delete button on my blog.

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My husband Matt is one of the greatest guys ever and I truly love him.  (Go read our love story if you don’t believe it.)  He even reads my blog and still loves me.  I’d like to thank him for making our family Christmas card photo shoot so smooth and seamless the other day.  I am a lucky woman.

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Rebecca Irvine (formerly known as “Scripture Mom”) is one sharp woman, and I’ve loved getting to know her a little through blogging.  She wrote a family scripture study guide called Adventures with the Word of God, which I really liked– so many great cut-and-paste ideas for enhancing family scripture time.  Now, her second book has been released and I think you should check it out, especially if you’re interested in having a collection of ready-made materials for Family Home Evening. “Family Home Evening Adventures can help your family learn to love and enjoy the scriptures together. Each monthly theme uses fun seasonal ideas to promote an appreciation of scripture study, teach basic gospel principles, and provide wholesome family activities.”  It provides one complete lesson for each month and a guide of resources for the rest of the month.  If your children are small like mine, and you need shorter lessons, I think her lessons could be broken up into segments and then used for several weeks throughout the month.  Nice.

I really love this quote by James E. Faust about the urgency of taking time for family home evening and gospel study in our homes:

“I wonder if having casual and infrequent family home evening will be enough in the future to fortify our children with sufficient moral strength. In the future, infrequent family scripture study may be inadequate to arm our children with the virtue necessary to withstand the moral decay of the environment in which they will live. Where in the world will the children learn chastity, integrity, honesty, and basic human decency if not at home? These values will, of course, be reinforced at church, but parental teaching is more constant.”

Well, the lovely Rebecca is offering a giveaway of a copy of her book.  Hooray!  Just mention in the comments if you would like to be entered in the giveaway, and a winner will be selected at random on Sunday evening.

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Almost done here; I just wanted to point you to a couple links.

Shelf Reliance makes food storage products.  I’ve never bought any of their food items, but I do own one of their big can-rotation shelf systems, which I really like.  They are a tiny bit pricey, but I noticed on their blog that starting next week, they’re having a huge giveaway every day and actually giving away some of the shelving systems and some other great stuff.  This week, they’re offering half-off specials.  If you’re interested, you can check it out here.

My laurel advisor, Marci, has been such a sweet supporter of my blog. Speaking of food storage, I remember her as the woman who had canned M&Ms because she didn’t want to go without real necessities in a crisis.  Anyway, she emailed me this link that I thought was a great idea for Thanksgiving time.  Xerox is offering free cards/postcards to be sent to troops overseas.  All you have to do is go here: Let’s Say Thanks.  You just select a card, write a note on it from your family, and then Xerox will print them out and send them to a random soldier at no cost.  Easy, and for a wonderful cause.

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Finally, Kim, another beloved reader (who always makes great comments on the GCBC posts) invited me to participate in a meme/award.  It’s 35 questions about me that I have to answer with only one word.  I can’t imagine that anyone can handle reading anything more about me, but if you’re looking for an excuse to procrastinate your household chores just a little bit longer, you can read my answers here.  Thanks, Kim!

]]> http://sabrinaschool.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/stonehenge-in-our-backyard/ Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:57:54 +0000 Sabrina http://sabrinaschool.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/stonehenge-in-our-backyard/

Sunday, Joey and Luke went for a walk and came back with great sights to tell about.  Today we went out with Luke as our guide to find this supposed “Rock Maze” behind our house.  Sure enough…

Mini Stonehenge….ish?

Today I gave Luke our old camera for him to use to help him start a blog about entomology (or maybe just about nature).  I told him that I thought that a picture of this rusty can would make a really neat picture.  He turned up his nose at it since it is so man made, so I said, “Fine, I’ll put it up on my blog.”  So now here is a pointless picture of an old can.  Enjoy.

Don’t worry, I kept a hat on her most of the time and she only got a few scratches on her face from tree branches.  She loved it!  (Don’t miss Luke in the background.)

dropping rocks down into the sewer.

These are great for Thanksgiving.  I’ll be using the Gordon B. Hinckley one for FHE tonight.

Did you know that Tucson has a zoo?  I sure didn’t.  Yesterday Joey had work off (every other Friday off!) and we took a tour.  The Reid Park Zoo is a relatively small zoo (small zoo = good).  All of the cages and enclosures are clean and very nice for the animals and all of the pathways are thought out and shady.  It took us around two hours to see everything but we could have stayed longer.  I forgot the camera so here is a picture of the map.

Isabel drew this picture of the Mona Lisa.  I guess that I told her before that there are guards that stand watch and a glass case around the painting because it is so valuable.  I love the cute guard and the velvet rope.

Yesterday we visited the Tucson Botanical Gardens.  It was supposed to be Homeschoolers Day, but it was Veterans Day, so all of the schools were out…lame.

Here is Luke next to some Venus Fly Traps.

I have SO many pictures of Isabel posing.  She wanted me to take pictures of her the whole time…what a poser.

Sylvia is saying “Only one more picture, mom.”

This was inside the greenhouse with all of the butterflies.

This guy was huge.

There was a long line to get in to see the butterflies and none of us wanted to stay and wait, except for Sylvia.  Seeing how happy Sylvia was in the butterfly house was definitely worth the ridiculously long wait in line.

Lukerfly

Iserfly

Sylverfly

Hazerfly

Here is the sweetie playing with her favorite birthday toy!

I made small individual size bundt cakes for the kids to each decorate and get their own, but alas, they got stuck in the pan (even though I used half a can of non stick spray) and I had to call Joey and have him pick up a cake at the market.  Joey smeared the chocolate on her forehead…I guess just to get her started???

Once again, I love the “baby washing sink” in my kitchen.

November 7th.  31 is pretty great so far!  Ate at my favorite mexican restaurant (I still can’t pronounce it.)

Had brownies with candles in them!

Mr. Vincent gave me a beautiful new art desk a turquoise and coral necklace and bracelet.  (My man takes good care of me.)

We moved.

I found a use for the second sink in the kitchen!

The Sequoia trees are the largest in mass.  Some of them are 3,000 years old.
The cabin we stayed in.
General Grant tree (or was it General Sherman?? Col. Mustard?)
Playing Uno
Jelly Belly Factory tour.
Sleepy girls.
Alcatraz
Alcatraz school.
Nothing better than a soup bread bowl.
Lombard Street.
Enjoying Lombard Street
The VINVAN at the Golden Gate Bridge



Bad Badtz Maru
Gay Pride Bad Badtz

Halloween crafts at the Ramazetti’s.
Making Cookies


I want these guys in a wall in my house.

Joey and Sylvia relieving themselves on Interstate One.

Flashing my gang sign.



Solvang

Last night we had a fabulous Family Home Evening lesson taught by Madison. She had been begging to give the lesson for a few weeks, and planned and prepared the entire thing all by herself.  She started by asking us for examples of prophets who have seen Jesus or Heavenly Father, and we talked about all the stories in the scriptures where that has happened.  Then she read the Joseph Smith story from a beautifully illustrated book we own.  Then she read the scripture James 1:5, the same one that caused Joseph Smith to reflect and offer a prayer about which church is true.  After that, we sat around the piano and sang the primary song, “The Sacred Grove” (which I had trouble playing and almost ruined the spirit of the night ).  Finally, she asked us all to think of times our prayers have been answered and to write them down on these colorful papers.  We linked them all together and started our own family prayer link, which is now hanging on the light above our kitchen table, hopefully to be added to often!  I think I’ll let her do the FHE lessons from now on!