Wordless Wednesday: Dress Up

Tackle It Tuesday: Cleaned the Kitchen Sink

I thought about Tackle It Tuesday most of the morning, I just didn't know what I wanted to accomplish this week. Then while the kids were taking their naps and I was finishing up lunch it dawned on me that it had been a while since I disinfected/scrubbed/shined our kitchen sink. Yes, it gets wiped down most days, but seriously "white-glove-tested-type-of-cleaned"? Honestly, no. Fly Lady has a step by step process for cleaning (truly cleaning) your kitchen sick and that is what I follow. Here are the steps:

1) Take all the dishes out of the sink.

2) Run some very hot water into the sink. Fill to the rim. Only do one side at a time. Then, pour a cup of household bleach into the hot water. Let it sit for 1 hour. Now, pull the plug with a pair of tongs. If you don't have tongs, then scoop some of the water out of the sink into the other sink and use your hand to pull the plug (wear gloves and don't get the bleach-water on your clothes).

3) Rinse your sink well.

4) Use some cleanser (Comet, Ajax, or Baking Soda) and scrub your sink. Ensure you rinse ALL of the cleanser from the sink.

5) Take a sharp edge and clean around the rim of the sink, just like you would clean dirt out from under your fingernails.

6) Clean around the faucets too. You may need an old toothbrush or dental floss.

7) Now, get out your window cleaner, I use Windex, and give it a good shine.

8) If you still don't like the way it looks, then you could try some car wax. Just know in your heart that you have cleaned it very well now and it doesn't have to be perfect. Our perfectionism is what got us in this situation in the first place.

9) Every time you run water in your sink, take your clean dishtowel and dry it out (I lay out a clean one, every night with my before bedtime routine). Before you know it, you will be doing this everytime you leave your kitchen. The rest of the family will too. No more water spots. You will have a clean and shiny sink.

10) Don't have a fit if someone doesn't take as much pride in your sink as you do. It is very easy to fix. You have already done the hard part. You will never have to go through this process again. Daily maintenance will keep it looking this way all the time. Nasty hurtful word are not as easy to repair. Just be sure and tell your family what you are trying to do. They will think you have gone crazy.

11) If you don't have a dishwasher, don't worry. A dishwasher is just a dirty dish disposal. Clean out a place under your sink and put a dishpan in there. Teach your family, that instead of putting their dirty dishes and glasses in the sink, place them into the dish pan. Get into the habit of putting your dishes away as soon as they have been washed and are dry. No more leaving the dish drying rack on the counter or in the sink. Put it away under the sink when you have finished. If your old one is nasty, you may want to soak it in the sink full of bleach water at the same time you soak the sink or go buy a new set.

12) To insure that your family remembers this, put a note in the sink. It will get their attention and remind them where to put the dishes. Be patient! They have never been taught either. It is going to take some practice.

So without further ado.....here's my shiny kitchen sink!

{Andrea}

Ps. See more Tackle It Tuesday participants at: http://www.5minutesformom.com/

Weekend Recap

Good Monday moring all!

This weekend, for us, was very low key. It was nice, though, having a quiet restful time before the holiday kicks into high gear.

Miss Kailey spent the weekend recovering from Strep Throat. She was technically not contagious after Friday, but we still thought it best to keep her home and get lots of rest. She is such a little troop. It's stil hard to believe that after a week and a half, she never once complained about her throat hurting. You could tell she was "off", but never would I have guessed that she had Strep. We are thankful that she is on the mend and returning back to herself.

I had a busy day on Saturday. Our church, Life Center North, put on a community outreach (sponsored by the ministry Serve Spokane). I was at the coffee bar handing out hot chocolate, spiced cider, cookies, brownies, and various other treats. The church also offered free warm clothing, Christmas carols, crafts, and the food pantry was open. There were many families that benefited from the event - it really expressed the reason for the season - Jesus! - we were his hands and feet. It was awesome!

It was also my normal weekend to serve @ the Saturday evening church service. I am so thankful for my coffee bar team. They are so great! Jenn is so fluid, she really keeps things moving smoothly. Claire and Brad, a wife and husband team, are picking things up quickly. It's nice that our team has expanded so nicely and we are able to serve the church in an efficient manner.

Friday night was the last day for the volleyball league that Troy and I have been playing in. I stayed home with the kids since Kailey was sick. However, for Troy's report the team did great. Our team, the red team, took 2nd! Good job Red Team, we had a good time playing with you this year.

The rest of the weekend was spent getting in the holiday spirit. We took the kids on a drive up to Manito Park where they have the conservatory decorated with 30,000 lights. It was beautiful! Then we came home and baked and decorated sugar cookies. I even taught the kids a few Christmas carols. It was a good weekend!

Hope you all had a great weekend! I look forward to chatting, blogging, and talking to you all throughout the week!

{Andrea}

Finally Friday or 14 Days Until Troy's Vacation

Let's see....first an explaination as to why I haven't been posting. It's cold and flu season. Yippee! Tyler started it. He had a good case of croup. Poor guy. It was not fun [then again, when is being sick ever fun?]. He ran a pretty good temp and had the classic symptom of croup- a nasty, barky cough. He would get into such cough fitting it would make him lose his breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner. Thankfully he was diagnosed and treated pretty quickly. Once he got on his meds things cleared up pretty quickly.

Then there is Kailey. Miss K has not been herself for a couple weeks now. Our guess was that she was cutting her two year molars and, well, being two. After finally breaking her fever, but still being unusually cranky she delevoped a head to toe rash. We took her into the doctor and she has Strep Throat. My poor babe. Strep is awful, I know, it's no wonder she has been her chipper self.

As for Troy and I well, we've suffered from sniffles, tummy aches, and lack of sleep, but nothing compared to that of our children. Now that everyone is medicated and/or better I hope that I can start contributing to this blog more. I need to figure out how to get more hits on my site. Right now, I'm averaging about 5 a day. Oh well, I suppose a good start would be A) staying healthy so that I can write more, and B) having something interesting to write about.

Cheers!
{Andrea}

Tackle It Tuesday: Clutter

For today's Tackle It Tuesday challenge I took on the daunting task of decluttering the bookshelf in out front room. It's the closest thing to the front door with a flat surface, so it naturally collects lots of clutter - keys, mail, found objects, etc. It's been staring at me for weeks, begging to be cleaned off, straightened up, and rid of things that just shouldn't be there.

Thanks goodness for 5 Minutes for Mom and their Tackle It Tuesday challenge. I did it. I took the time to completely declutter the bookcase, but it didn't stop there. It brought a motivation upon me like no other. Now, my entire front room is clean and free of things that just shouldn't be there.

It's perfect timing, too. We are having company over tomorrow night that we haven't spent any really quality time with in over a year. We've seen them from time to time in the grocery store, at church, in odd random places, and we always say "we really need to get together." It's finally happening. They are coming over tomorrow and my cluttered front room won't destracted from conversation.

Let's keep it real, I'm the mom of two toddlers - it WILL be a mess again, it's inevitable. However, for now it's beautiful and I'm thankful. =)

Cheers!
{Andrea}

See more Tackle It Tuesday challengers at: 5 Minutes For Mom

This morning I was thinking of things I love. This time of year, I'm reminded of a excerpt from When God Whispers You Name by Max Lucado - I just love this:

I CHOOSE LOVE...

No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I CHOOSE JOY...

I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I willrefuse the temptation to be cynical...the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than humanbeings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I CHOOSE PEACE...

I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I CHOOSE PATIENCE...

I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Rather than complaining that the wait is too long, I will thank God for amoment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I CHOOSE KINDNESS...

I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to therich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I CHOOSE GOODNESS...

I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I willsee the good in others when it is hard to find. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.

I CHOOSE FAITHFULNESS...

Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.

I CHOOSE GENTLENESS...

Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice, may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I CHOOSE SELF-CONTROL...

I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot rule the eternal. I choose self-control.

LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL........To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks.If I fail, I will seek God's face. And then when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.

Is that not wonderful?

It blesses my day everytime I read it. I hope it does you, too.

{Andrea}

Spoiler Alert! Family members beware of gift spoiler - Proceed with caution.

Tyler, my dear son, and I made a Christmas project today. I have been very much in the gift-making mode lately and he wanted to join in. So, today we sat down and made Christmas ornaments for him to give as gifts to various family members.

Handprint Ornaments:

Front: Back:

I've called ahead to Kinkos to find out how much they will cost to laminate. Much to my surprise, it's only $3.99 per 11x17 sheet. I think that's a pretty good deal. That makes each ornament about 36 cents each. Once they are lamenated, I'll punch a hole in them and string them with ribbon. So cute!

I'm sure the grandparents will go crazy for them!

Cheers! Happy Crafting!

{Andrea}

10 Things...

In an email coresspondence with a friend she listed 10 things she was greatful for. I thought, wow, I too need to count my blessings. So, here I am to share with you all 10 Things I Am Greatful For:

* I have a husband that, even after five years of marriage and learning all my quirks, still loves me and lets me know it!
* My children are creative, intellegent, kind, adventurous, loving, happy, resourceful, and love God as much as Troy and I do.
* Despite the frozen tundra outside, it's warm inside our little, happy home.
* I get to go "home" for the holidays.
* We have made friends here in Spokane that are now are "family."
* This year, my husband has snow tires, so I don't have to worry about him getting safely to and from work.
* The snow didn't start falling until the end of November - last year it started at the end of October.
* I've come to a peace agreement with my sewing machine and can actually put the darn thing to use.
* May kids get three meals a day - more than a lot of people in this world can say.
* Tyler says at least one thing a day that makes me laugh.

Wordless Wednesday: First Snow

See more Wordless Wednesday posts at 5 Minutes For Mom

Tackle It Tuesday: Catch All Room

Do you have one of those rooms in your house where you shove everything into it to hide it from visitors? This same place is usually where random peices to various games end up, one of your child's shoes, your spouses dirty underwear, and a plethora of other items. I certainly do! It's our master bedroom. It's one of our most neglected rooms. Pretty romantic, huh? It's a wonder we have two children.

Today I decided to tackle our "junk drawer" of a room. I can proudly say that 98% of the items are legitamate bedroom items and none of my childrens miscellaneous foreign objects are in there. Woo hoo! What a day!

Here are before and after pictures:

Neglected Blog & The Adventure Begins

So, it's been a month or longer since I last posted. This blog is so neglected. In my defense, I went on a mini-week-long-vacation & have had a heck of a time getting my body to be okay with this time change. Anyhow, I'm back and ready to start participating in the blog-o-sphere again.

As for the adventure, well, it's in home improvement. We recently moved the kids into one room. The are thrilled with having bunkbeds. To a 2 and 4 yr old it's like having a jungle gym and fort in their room. I'm thrilled because I got the bunk bed frame for $30 on craigslist - we already had the matresses! Since K is now in with T we are going to convert K's old room into an office/craftroom/guestroom.

Last night I started ripping up the carpet in the room knowing that the original hardwoods are still intact. So, far they aren't as awful as imagined they'd be. Of course, they aren't completely exposed yet either. Don't get me wrong, they will take work, but I don't think as much as I originally had anticipated. Here are some pictures of what I'm looking forward to:

That's all for now - hope you are all well,

Love, {Andrea}

Wordless Wednesday: Big Boy Bike

{Taken: 10/09/07}

See more Wordless Wednesday post at Five Minutes For Mom

Tackle It Tuesday

What is the best part about autumn? The falling leaves of course!



This time of year my kids look forward to the day that the leaves are raked into a large heap. Then they have fun jumping, falling, throwing, and hiding in the leaves. Today was that day. After breakfast I bundled the kids up (this time of year: coats, hats, layers, and mittens) and went to work.

Oh the fun that was had!

After the kids went down for their naps, I got down to the real task - raking, scooping, and putting them all in the yard waste bin. I'd say I got 80% of the front yard done. The 20% left is taking into account the maple tree in my neighbor's yard that still has leaves on it. I know they were just waiting for me to break a sweat - now that most of the yard is done, they'll fall tomorrow!

There you have it. My first "tackle it tuesday" mission accomplished!

Five Things I Know For Sure

• I KNOW. . . (after this weekend) that having even just ONE family member living close to you is important. One that you can count on for anything and everything and you being the same for them.
• I KNOW. . . that my children's laughter is infectious. The more they laugh, the more I laugh. Good medicine.
• I KNOW. . . that snow in Spokane is inevitable. It's not a matter of if, but rather how soon and how much.
• I KNOW. . . coffee and chocolate (especially together) is also good medicine.
• I KNOW. . . there is always something to be cleaned, sorted, or put away. Mind, body, and home.

Happy Birthday, Troy!

Troy, Happy Birthday!

May this be another wonderful year, full of God's perfect blessings.

I love you!

Washington State Voters: VOTE NO on R-67

An email from my husband:

Hello! This is a little out of character for me, but I wanted to let you know about a ballot issue coming up in November that hits a nerve for someone like me who works in the insurance industry. Have you heard about Referendum 67? On the surface, it may look like a good way to keep insurance companies from burning people who file claims, but it is more likely to increase the cost of doing business for insurance companies and higher premiums for consumers. This November, please reject the referendum.
R-67 calls for hitting insurers with triple damages and unlimited plaintiff's legal fees if a court finds the company unfairly denied a claim. The standards that courts will be required to use in judging these lawsuits under R-67 will be the lowest in the country -- making it much easier to force companies to pay for unqualified claims.
If insurance companies face the threat of triple damages and unlimited attorney fees with every claim they adjust, they'll naturally become more cautious in evaluating padded claims. Those extra legal claims dollars -- and the extra legal fees spent fending off the jackpot-seeking lawyers you see on TV -- will increase the price everyone pays for insurance in Washington.
Check out www.reject67.org for more info. Let me know if you disagree. But most of all, be sure and vote. Just carefully consider R-67.
Thanks!

Update on Tyler's "School"

Since the 07/08 official school year started in September I've been working with Tyler on "preschool" activities. Although he won't be in Kindergarten until Sept 09 he's really enjoyed learning the fundamentals (ABC's & 123's). He's also enjoyed the "preschool" they are now offering at church (both on Thursdays and Saturdays).

My emphasis at home has been on handwritting, identifying the letter, and the sound associated with it. We sing the song that we learned from one of leapfrog toys that we have: "A says (insert sound here), A says (insert sound here), every letter makes a sound, A says (insert sound here)." Here are some examples of his lessons:


Tyler is doing great! We are only on "C", but we have all year. Troy and I are so proud of his progress and the fact that he is finally interested.

Thanks for stopping by,

Happy Fall Everyone!

Is it fall where you are? I get various reports from people across the country. Some are still in shorts and tank tops, while other (like us) are purchasing winter jackets and hot chocolate. Here in Spokane we don't ease into seasons. When we lived in the Seattle area all the seasons kind of melted into one another. Here it's 90 degrees one day and 55 the next. If you don't believe me just look at our dropshots account, you will see the kids in swimsuits, shorts, and skirts one day and in the same week bundled in rain gear and hats.

We enjoy fall. Pumpkins. Falling leaves. Warm food. Hot chocolate/apple cider. The kids and I have been busy making a few decorations. Tyler enjoyed making a jack o' lanter windsock one day. Two days ago I made spiders the kids could play with out of egg carton and pipe cleaners. They are constantly asking for another project. Anyone have any good ideas? What are you doing to welcome in fall?

Our newest neice/cousin was born yesterday. Phoenix Kelly. Welcome to the world little one! We can't wait to meet you. She was born at OHSU at about 7:30. According to reports she was 6lbs 13oz with a full head of dark hair. Cory, we just know that you are going to be an awesome daddy! Brittney, although we have yet to meet - I know you are going to be a great mommy! Hopefully we'll see you three over the holidays.

That's all for now - hope you are being blessed with all the beauty fall has to offer where you are at.

My Boy is Almost FOUR!

Click to play Make your own Smilebox

C is for...

• Children: Mine have been giving me a lot of joy lately (yes, even while waking me up at 3:30AM every morning). I was watching video clips of them from last year. I just can't believe how much each of them has grown and changed. Kailey was still a baby last year, just beginning her transition into toddlerhood. It's funny, Tyler was watching the clips with me and saw that he had pull-ups on in one of them. He commented, "Why do I have pull-ups on?" I find the funny part being that he's already forgotten that he use to wear pull-ups and diapers. Children don't stay children forever, do they? **sigh**
• Catapillers: Last night we made catapillers with the kids. We cut an egg carton in half, had them paint them, then added feet, eyes and antenna. Here are the final products:

B is for...

• Boys: Boys are gross. Yesterday my FLY Lady mission was to clean the toilet. Really clean it. Around the sides, back, around the bowl, inside the bowl. I actually think the inside was cleaner than the outside. I personally had to extend my cleaning to the floor all around the toilet, too. So gross! Granted we have a 4 year old with poor aim, but I still maintain that boys are gross!
• Body Image: How come the way you see yourself varies from day to day? That isn't the best way to describe it, but the words aren't coming to me. What I mean is I can look in the mirror at home and see clearly that I've lost over 28lbs. Then I'll have someone send me a picture of an outing over the weekend. There will be a picture of me in the bunch and I won't see the same girl I see in the mirror. By looking at the picture I feel like I'm not even close to a goal weight and shouldn't feel as accomplished as I do when I look in the mirror. I just see "the fat girl." I don't get it.

On a side note, I think everyone is finally healthy. It's not even officially cold/flu season and feel like we've been under attack. Please be praying for my family - we really don't want to be sick all winter. We will be praying for yours.

A is for...

So, I've seen several BLOGS now that use the alphabet to inspire topics, thoughts, and post worthy blogs. I think I'm going to try it. I make no guarantees that it's all actually going to be port-worthy, but heck, at least it's inspiring thought - sometimes I don't think I'm capable of that anymore with my mommy-mush-brain. Here we go...

A is for...

• Aroma: There is nothing I love more in the morning than the aroma of a fresh cup of coffee. If I had endless amounts of money, I'd probably spend most mornings in a coffee shop. It would be quite a way to awaken all the senses. Not to mention I'm not really a morning person, so I'd be with like company, right? Doesn't everyone who gets a cup of coffee in the morning to wake up?
• Animals: There are too many at my house - 2 cats, 1 dog, 2 kids - any of the aforementioned available for sale. Best offer.
• Accountability: I am so thankful for all the people who have been my accountability partners during my weight loss journey. If it weren't for all of you, I'd still have those 28lbs I've lost on me, weighing me down. I love you all - you have helped change my life. I know you will be there for the next 20!

I leave today with this: "Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life." Proverbs 31: 11-12 Troy, I'm sorry & I love you.

Am I crazy or...

does this sound fantastic? Click HERE: http://ecupcake.blogspot.com/2007/09/quirky-cupcake-lime-zucchini-pistachio.html

Mid Month Goal Check Up:

Spend Time w/God Everyday - why is this so hard, when it should be the easiest?
Lose at least 4.5lbs - half way there, woo hoo!
Re-Start FlyLady - kind of
Create something at least once a week - we'll I've at least worked on something, not necessarily finished.
Limit having coffee "out" to once a week - I was doing good until everyone got sick
Limit computer time to nap and bedtime ONLY - still need to work on this
Drink 8 glasses of water a day - doing good on this one!
Excercise 2-3 times a week - ha! will someone please kick me in the rear already?
Yell less, praise more. - Much, much, BETTER!

Kailey had her first trip to the ER on Wednesday. What a mentally exhausting day!

It all started at about 9:00AM. Kailey started crying/screaming - clearly in pain. It was one of those sounds that make your heart stop. I've never heard that type of cry come out of Kailey, so I knew something was wrong. She was throwing herself on the ground, crying, arching her back, holding her back, then bringing her knees tightly to her stomach.

I packed the kids into the car and head towards the doctor's office - which is conveniently located across the street from the hospital. With phone in hand I called the pediatrician and explained what was going on. They had us into see someone by 9:30. Kailey cried all the way from home to the office and throughout the exam.

They ended up having to give her a catheter to draw urine. The test came back negative for anything wrong with her kidneys or bladder. So, fearing it might be something worse our doctor sent us off to Sacred Heart, where they have a children's hospital, and surgeons available if necessary. What they were afraid of was telecoping happening in her intestine (that was the worst case senario, best case being a possible viral bug and/or constipation).

We ended up being at the hospital until 3:00PM, but luckily were able to leave with a diagnosis of NO SURGERY! Later that evening she started getting a fever, another episode of pain, but it was difinitely something viral. It all seems to have passed now and she's back to her happy go lucky self.

Here are her souvenirs from the hospital:


Troy and I were mentally exhausted after that day. It took a while to recover. It's the worst experience/feeling to have your baby in the hospital and not being able to do anything. My hope is that, any of you reading this, never have to experience that!

Goals For September

1. Spend Time w/God Everyday
2. Lose at least 4.5lbs
3. Re-Start FlyLady
4. Create something at least once a week
5. Limit having coffee "out" to once a week
6. Limit computer time to nap and bedtime ONLY
7. Drink 8 glasses of water a day
8. Excercise 2-3 times a week
9. Yell less, praise more.

I will add things as I think of them, but I think this is a good list for now - doable, anyhow. I'll keep you all posted on how I do. Wish me luck!

R.I.P. Raymond Hardin

This morning my mom's dad passed away. Mom, I'm sorry for the loss you and your siblings are going through at this time. I love you & hope that you are able to find some peace.

My Weight Loss Journey **Updated 9/15/07**

This is how far I've come since February:
02/17/07: down 4.2lbs
02/24/07: down 0.4lbs
03/03/07: down 2.6lbs
03/10/07: down 3.2lbs
03/17/07: down 2.2lbs
03/24/07: maintained
03/31/07: down 0.4lbs
04/07/07: down 2.4lbs
04/14/07: down 1.8lbs
04/21/07: down 0.8lbs
04/28/07: down 1.6lbs
05/05/07: up 0.6lbs
05/19/07: up 0.6lbs
05/26/07: down 2.4lbs
06/02/07: up 2.0lbs
06/09/07: down 2.8lbs
06/16/07: down 2.4lbs
07/28/07: up 2.4lbs
08/11/07: down 3.4lbs
08/18/07: up 0.6lbs
08/25/07: down 1.4lbs
09/01/07: down .4lbs
09/08/07: down 1.6lbs
09/15/07: down 1.0lbs

================
Total Loss: 28.8lbs

So, I commit here and now to all of cyberspace that I will start faithfully getting back on program and lose the 24.8lbs I have left to get to goal. I can do this, it can be done! Journal, water, excercise. All I have to do is - DO IT!

Button Shirt Reconstruction

Today I attempted to make this: Button Shirt to Toddler Dress. Miss Kailey wouldn't cooperate for pictures, so they aren't the greatest. The shirt was formerly mine. I think it would have turned out better had it been a mens shirt. The darts, making it a fitted womens shirt, made it lay a little funny as a dress. I've learned a few lessons and the next one will be better.

Here it is in all it's imperfection:

It's been real, it's been fun, it's been real fun!

Last night we went to Splash Down water park with our friends. We had SO much fun! Kailey must have done a hundered laps around the little pool that she spent most of the time in. Tyler went down the slides in the toddler park. Both the kids even worked up the courage to go down the BIG, BIG, slides with Troy and I.

One of the best parts was on the drive home, though. Tyler called his Grandma Vickie and let her know all about his excitement for going down the slides and swimming. It was one of his longest phone conversations ever - 10 minutes! It was so cute how excited he was. Good times.

Thank you to Devlin and Kristin for inviting us to go play with them! It was a blast!

Craft of the Day

Tyler and Kailey like to watch the Sprout Network. The other day Nina, the host of the Good Night Show, made a maraca. Ever since then Tyler has been dying to make one. Her's was made out of a paper plate. While this was a quick and easy way to do, I knew it wouldn't last in my house. It would be destroyed in a matter of days. So, I searched on Family Fun for another way to do it and found this idea: Simple Shakers. Tyler and I made one this morning. He filled the cups with rice, I glued, and then he smashed them together. Here is our outcome:

Spokane Kids Day 2007

Today has been a fun day! We went down to Riverfront Park for Kid's Day 2007. Our friends, the Daniels, met us there. It was a lot of fun! The kids got to see a stage show with Curious George, jump and climb in a bouncy castle, check out the back of a Spokane City Police Car, get tons of stickers, candy, and balloons, and take in thousands of people at the park. It was a beautiful day, about 80 degrees or so. We were done by 1:30 - the kids came home and went to bed - they were pooped! Below are some pictures from the event, plus there are more at: www.dropshots.com/phiferfamily.