Wii Fit Mommiis

How cool is this?! Wii Fit Mommiis is having a really awesome giveaway!

To kick off the launch of this site and in anticipation of the January 1st “New Year, New You” Challenge, the Wii Fit Mommiis are going to be hosting a Twitter party* on Wednesday, December 10th at 8 pm Eastern (5 Pacific/6 Mountain) that will last 2 hours.

There’s going to be loads of giveaways including a GRAND PRIZE of both a Wii and a Wii Fit donated by the generous folks at Nintendo that I’ll list in a second but first I’d like to post the details of the party.

Go check it out!

Back to the Grind

We've played long enough. We taken two weeks off of schoolwork - yes, I know - TWO weeks! We should be ashamed. First there was Thanksgiving week. Then, there was last week due to the play the girls were in (A Christmas Carol). Adding schoolwork in there was just too overwhelming and we were exhausted anyway. We even took yesterday off of school!

But, I've put my foot down! And today, it's back to our regularly scheduled program. I think we've had plenty of time to recharge our batteries. Leah read ALL day yesterday and finished her book. Lizzy watched horse racing most of the day. That's education, right? And Ainsley actually did do a few worksheets. Ok - so, we're all good.

By the way, go on over to Homeschool 101 and check out our "A Day In the Life..." post. It's about us and how we homeschool. Each Tuesday, we'll feature a different homeschool family.

Now - on to the schoolwork. The students are emerging from their dens.

The Joys of Christmas

Now, this is what Christmas is all about! Ainsley gets sooooo excited at the prospect of seeing Santa and this year was no exception!

We attended our local Jingle Bell Festival on the courthouse square and Santa was there to greet the kids, complete with south Georgia snow - made from a snow machine, of course!

Ainsley decided she wants what every three year old wants - Barbie dolls and more Barbie dolls!

I expect that Santa won't be able to resist and she will find a Barbie doll or two under the tree.

She's already talking about what kind of cookies we'll be leaving for Santa this year. And she thinks he deserves CHOCOLATE milk this year, too.

While we try to teach our kids the meaning of Christmas, it's a JOY to see the happiness and excitement in their eyes every year.

Here's a challenge I have for you: this year, give some joy to others. Carry around with you some small prepackaged candy canes and add a little note to it "Merry Christmas to you" or "I wish you a Merry Christmas!" and give it to the people you come in contact with each day; the lady at the dry cleaners, the person at the drive-thru window, the cashier at the grocery store. Let's spread a little joy this holiday season!

Myspace Graphics, Christmas Graphics at WishAFriend.com

Stories, Stories, and more Stories

Our three year old is a born storyteller. She'll tell you that herself! She has such a vivid imagination that is scares me sometimes! And she can come up with some Doozies!

Last night's edition:

Mom (talking to Dad): "You should have seen the fog last night. It was so thick!"

Dad: (talking to Mom): "Yeah. I was driving around last night, afraid I was going to hit something."

Mom: "It was pretty spooky (code word for Ainsley to pop in). It looked like we were driving into nothingness."

A few minutes later.....

Ainsley: "Let's talk about the fog!"

Mom chuckles.

Dad: "Ok. You start."

Ainsley: "What happened to you last night?"

Dad: "I was driving around in the fog."

Ainsley: "And you were afraid you were going to hit somebody."

Dad: "Yes! It was verrry spooky!"

Ainsley: "Yeah. And there were ghosts in the fog!"

Dad: "Yeah!"

Ainsley: "And then what happened?"

Dad: "And then I saw a deer!"

Ainsley: GASP!

Dad: "It had huge antlers and it ran across the road."

Ainsley: "Into the woods?"

Dad: "Yes. So I chased it into the woods."

Ainsley: "And it was spooooky in there!"

Dad: (warming to his story) "Yeah. It was very dark!"

Ainsley: "And then what happened?"

Dad: "I came to a river and fell in!"

Ainsley: GASP!

Dad: "And then I went over a waterfall!"

Ainsley: "I want to go over a waterfall!"

Dad: "And then I swam to shore and there were Indians all around me."

Ainsley: GASP!

Dad: "And they took me to their teepees and painted my face red and blue!"

Ainsley: "I want my face painted!"

Dad: "And then we did a rain dance around the bonfire."

Ainsley: "And then what happened?"

Dad: "And then the deer came out of the woods and started talking to us!"

Ainsley: "What did he say?"

Dad: "He said we were making too much noise and that he couldn't sleep."

Ainsley: "You're a bad boy, Daddy!"

Dad: "I know. I had to say I was sorry and do his dishes!"

Ainsley: "And sweep his floors!"

Dad: "Yes! How did you know?"

Ainsley: "I told him to make you do that!"

Dad: GASP!

There's no end to the storytelling around our house!

Sick Mommy!

Oh, how I hate being sick. I never realize just how much the family relies on Mommy until Mommy is down and out.

The dishes are piled in the sink, the trash needs to be taken out, the laundry needs to be washed, dried, folded, and put away, the floors need to be swept and vacuumed, the furniture needs dusted, the sheets need to be changed, the dog needs a bath, the toys need to be picked up, and Mom needs Calgon.

After coming out of my stupor of the last several days, I opened my eyes this morning to a wreck of a house! Doesn't anyone clean around here?!

But no, I forget....even after 15 years of living in the same household and doing the same chores over and over and over again, the teenagers still forget how to wipe counters, run the vacuum, or empty the trash. They forget that the dishwasher was made to wash dishes - wow! and without having to do them by hand! - and even how to check the mail!

What's a mom to do? Well, I'll tell you.... since Mom is back to her old self that means ....

The KIDS get to clean the house - vacuum, sweep, clean the bathroom, load the dishwasher (and turn it on!), do the laundry from start to finish, change their sheets (and maybe mine too!), pick up their toys, and run Mom a bath with LOTS of Calgon!

Watch out! Mom's better!

Candy, Candy, Candy

Ooohh, I love this week's topic! The Homeschool Post hosts these weekly meme's. I don't always have time to post on them but I love to read what others have to say on each one!

So - my fave candy....wow - it's so hard to choose just one.

Well, I love a good Snickers bar!

But, then, I love DOTS!

But, I've been known to put away a bag of these jelly beans:But, if you put any kind of chocolate in front of me, let me warn you now - I'm GOING TO EAT IT! :)

31 Days of Holiday Crafts

Hey y'all! Check this out. Angela over at "A Month of...." is hosting a blog event. She does it each month with a different theme. December, of course, is 31 Days of Holiday Crafts and I'm the first post up!

Come on over and check out my post. Then, sign up yourself for one of the themes. It's really easy and if you like to share your expertise with others, this is a great way to do it. (Not that I'm an expert on crafts or anything.)

To find out more, go here.

Please be sure to leave a comment there on my post. Every month, Angela asks users to vote for their favorite post of the month and the winner will be inaugurated into the AMOS Hall of Fame where they will forever live in infamy (and get a super cute button to put on their blog). Voting for 31 Days of Holiday Crafts will begin January 1 and close on January 10.

VOTE FOR ME!!!

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