A Pajama Mama

Woohoo! We're done with schoolwork until after the Holidays! This morning the kids completed their lapbooks on the spiritual symbolism behind "The Twelve Days of Christmas." It was a fun project for all of us....except the Rayray who is anti-craft. She did enjoy learning the meanings behind each day, though. In the Middle Ages, Christians were persecuted for their beliefs. So parents made up the 12 Days of Christmas song to teach their children the basics of the Christian faith and about the Bible. How grateful I am today that we don't have to hide our beliefs behind a child's Christmas counting song! I got the Hands of a Child unit free from Old Schoolhouse Magazine ...So grateful for that! The lapbooks turned out great and a normally annoying Christmas song now has deeper meaning for us.

This evening, our darling son, Butter, got into a boatload of trouble with his Daddy. This is NOT a normal occurence. After he got into trouble, he cried it out in his room. His Daddy waited until he had settled himself down, then went to Butter to assure him of his sure and steady love for him, no matter what. Relationship restored. Butter spent the rest of the evening not only obedient, respectful, sweet and helpful...but his countenance and his entire demeanor radiated joy. He was over-the-top happy to be alive and his cheerfulness oozed out onto the rest of us. Pure joy. Later, I mulled over the evening. And it struck me that while his obedience and respect may have been from the discipline, Butter's sheer joy was from the restoration of his broken relationship with his Dad. What a picture of how we are with our Heavenly Dad! We turn from Him and choose to disobey...even sometimes using the same lame excuse as our son did..." Because I didn't want to ..." And then...

I made more soap this weekend... Star of Wonder Honey and glycerine soap, scented with Frankincense and Myrrh Peppermint Frost and Cranberry Frost Two different scents....same look. Goat milk and glycerin soap.

After reading this emailed recipe, we wondered if it'd really work. The Rayray decided there was only one way to find out! Enjoy her photo essay: 5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake 4 T Flour 4 T Sugar 2 T Cocoa 1 egg 3T milk 3T oil 3T choc chips (optional) small splash vanilla extract 1 large coffee mug The ingredients Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add chocolate chips and vanilla, mix well. Looks doubtful to me.... Put the mug in the microwave, cook on high for 3 minutes. The cake may rise over the top of the mug, but that's ok. Allow it to cool for a few minutes, and dump out onto a plate. The finished product...looks yummy. Add ice cream...or Kool Whip... Or keep it simple with a big ol' glass of milk. Rayray, acting like Paula Deen What did we think? Was it any good? The Rayray said it's better than some homemade, baked-in-the oven chocolate cakes she's had. I thought it was a little sp...

If you're from 'round here, you might not recognize this box. It's a Panera Bread Bagel Gift Box and it's in my kitchen at this very moment filled to the rim with the most delectable, deliriously delicious bagels I have ever, EVUH, put in my MOUTH! Hear me when I say, you will find nothing more savory than a Panera Bread toasted Asiago Cheese Bagel with cream cheese. She swoons. My heartsister, who is married to my cousin, brought us back this divine box of carbs from her trip to Pittsburgh. She spoils us so. PANERA BREAD , IF YOU ARE READING THIS....Southwest Georgia needs you. We are over an hour away from your nearest location. Please...please...have sympathy for this deprived corner of the south and bring your delectable goodies our way!!! Meanwhile......I hear Cinnamon Crunch calling my name....

I bought this little cute light up snowman for our yard at my neighbor's yard sale for $2.00. The Hero decided to cement, yet again, our image of odd, redneck homeschoolers by putting said tiny snowman in the front yard all alone....... With the price tag still taped on. I got this random text forward from Tutu in Florida. Her sister who lives here sent her this: " Tell PajamaMama her one tiny snowman in her yard looks lonely ." And when C10 passes by, she thinks she's so funny singing: All by myself, Don't wanna be All by myself, Anymore. I'm happy to report he was joined last night by his new friends. O. Christmas Tree, Little Buck and Big Mama Doe. As usual, we are so happy to add a little Holiday amusement to the otherwise dull neighborhood.

The kids in front of our new free fake tree. It turned out really pretty! Yesterday was The Day. The day when our little family decks the halls of our home. We NORMALLY begin the festivities by tromping around the nearest Christmas tree farm with saw in hand. But this year, we have a FAKE tree. Yes, you read right. But..it was a free and very pretty fake tree from Hero's mom. Free is good....even if it's fake free. Or free fake. On Christmas Tree Decorating Day each year, we have our first chili of the season, dubbed "Christmas Tree Chili." The Appledoodle helped me make it yesterday morning to make sure I wasn't really putting Christmas tree needles in Christmas Tree Chili. The day started out wonderfully with a surprise visit from my Happy Home friend and her 2 yr old and new baby. Nothing is more wonderful than cuddling a new baby first thing in the morning. Then, the chili. Then the assembly line from the attic to the kitchen where we passed 427 boxes. Then ...