Service Learning Project

Service Learning Project Ideas

ASPCA Kids
http://www.aspca.org/ASPCAKids.aspx

Do Something (Animal Welfare)
http://www.dosomething.org/whatsyourthing/Animal%2BWelfare

Service Project Ideas
http://www.aspcapro.org/community-service-and-service-learning-p.php

Snakes of Central Texas
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/kids/wild_things/wildlife/snakes.phtml

Austin Snakes
http://www.austinreptileservice.net/blotches.html

Winner?

Have you ever discovered that you won something unexpected? I love Craftster.org. This website is a great community of crafty folks; all crafts imaginable. I love checking out their “Best of…” awards just to get a snapshot of really creative things across the website, especially craft types that I don’t always think to check. I was a little chuffed to come across a project that I recognized…my own.

So, I guess I am officially a winner of Craftster’s Best of 2011. I get all the bragging rights and little badge to put on my blog. I feel like a cool kid now. Click on the badge to see amazing projects, and if you are looking for mine, scroll down to “Crafty Housewares”, I am the 4th project, Computer Hutch to Play Kitchen by chrispykreme.
Craftster Best of 2011 Winner
I’m a Craftster Best of 2011 Winner!

Birthday Time

Liam was feeling kinda down and tired on his birthday. But his buddies came over to cheer him and to tell him to keep on rockin’. You can’t beat friends like that.

20120105-203546.jpg

20120105-203556.jpg

20120105-203603.jpg

20120105-203610.jpg

I Did It!

Oh, I just want to celebrate myself for a few minutes. I set a goal last year to read 25 books, and I read 34 books in 2011. I’m proud of myself. That was 12,011 pages of literary entertainment. Some of the books were re-reads, because favorite books are like old friends to me and I can’t help visiting when them time and time again. So, here what I read in 2011:

 

Christy’s bookshelf: 2011-challenge


goodreads.com

Share book reviews and ratings with Christy, and even join a book club on Goodreads.

A New Year

Joe and I celebrated New Year’s Eve by attending a friend’s wedding. We had a great time. We don’t go to weddings too often, since most of our friends are married off now, but going to a wedding always reminds me of our own nuptials and we were reminiscing with other married couples.

The father officiating the ceremony was very lively and talked about love being a choice; that we consciously decide to cultivate this commitment. It was nice to be reminded about the magnitude and importance of our decision to be married.

So here is to a new year of love, forgiveness, commitment and fun!

20120102-104406.jpg

20120102-104420.jpg

20120102-104428.jpg

Wise Words

When you become a parent, sometimes you get a whole new perspective on things. For example, childhood. I experienced my own childhood, but seeing it through the eyes of a mom, I realize how fleeting it is. Jude is only temporarily mine. My job is to raise him to be a strong and independent person and to go out in the world on his own. I never thought much about that, as I grew up and left my family to start my own. But, now I realize how strange this whole agreement it; we bring children into the world and we don’t get to keep them; they become their own people. I don’t want to negate the connection of family, and I hope that we give Jude the kind of love that he can carry with him where ever he goes. But it’s just so different than the beginning of this process, when they are physically connected to you all the time. Bittersweet when you think about it.

So, every night (if we stick our routine) I read Jude three books of his choosing. Tonight I read him the book, Where Do Balloons Go? An Uplifting Mystery by Jamie Lee Curtis. It’s a really cute book imagining what happens to balloons that are released. When I got to the end of the book, I thought it perfectly summed up how I feel about parenting. So I will leave you with Jamie Lee’s words…

Does it float there forever

remembering me?

And know that I’m happy

that it’s floating free?

Where do balloons go?

It’s a mystery, I know.

So just hold on tight

till you have to

let go.

The Holiday Season

20111229-102401.jpg

Getting into the spirit of opening presents

20111229-102256.jpg

Meaggy, Uncle Tom, and Tia Baba

20111229-102303.jpg

Sisters!

20111229-102315.jpg

Jason showing off his gift.

20111229-102331.jpg

Jude is ready to find out what he got.

20111229-102351.jpg

Merry Christmas, Jude!

20111229-102243.jpg

My niece showing off her “mustache”

20111229-102227.jpg

My sister, my brother, and me

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas

20111229-102137.jpg

‘Twas the night before Christmas, as quiet as can be

And Mama made me pose in front of the tree

20111229-102128.jpg

“Hurry up, Mama! I’ve been here a while.

I’ll take your picture, but you can’t make me smile.”

20111229-102111.jpg

The cookies were baked and the milk’s in the glass

I sure hope Santa gets here real fast.

20111229-102059.jpg

Setting out treats for the big man in red

Who will leave me some goodies while I rest my head.

20111229-102043.jpg

Get ready for bed? I know that I should.

But just let me make sure these cookies are good.

Photo Session

This is what happens when you tell Jude to make a silly face for our annual Christmas card.

20111228-100724.jpg

20111228-100745.jpg

20111228-100802.jpg

20111228-100828.jpg

Of course, Liam loves the camera, but he doesn’t take directions very well, so you have to “guide” him with treats.

20111228-100949.jpg

20111228-101011.jpg

20111228-101053.jpg

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.