Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Our Master Bedroom & Bathroom Makeover

After we redid the girl's rooms last month, Steve and I started in on our bedroom and bathroom. I began thinking about ideas back in June and posted pics of all the changes our bedroom has already seen in the last 12 years. Poor Steve - he puts up with so much.

So here's pics of the finished rooms. So glad to be done!

The Master Bedroom...

















The Master Bathroom...






I promise to refrain from painting another room for at least a month. Can't go much longer than that - I have a hideously painted utility room calling my name!

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Kids Helping Kids

Our church is very active with mission work here in our city, but beyond our state, as well. About twice a year, they take a team to Juarez, Mexico to do medical and construction missions. According to DBF's website, "In 1997, Discovery partnered with a non-denominational missions organization, Missions Ministries. Since then Discovery teams have built 17 homes and helped build 2 clinics and a team center. Each trip includes pulling a trailer full of much-needed food and supplies for the local evangelical pastors to distribute. Our pastors also encourage and equip the pastors of the small churches."

Another medical and construction team is getting ready to head out to Juarez in about a week. The areas that the teams visit are very poor and are in need of good medical care, decent homes to live in and clean water to drink. Monica Wakley, one of our Sunday School teachers, has gone to Juarez for three years and shared with the kids at church this morning her past experiences in her travels there. She couldn't help but get emotional in telling the children of the huge needs families have there. She said that most of the families live in very tiny, plastic or wooden crate make-shift homes with dirt floors. (You can see photos of typical homes here.) They are very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. She said that some people have even died in their homes because they didn't provide enough warmth during the cold seasons.

After Monica shared about her experiences, we prayed for the Juarez Mission Team, which also includes several children who are going with their parents. Then, the kids decorated sacks and filled them with goodies for the kids in Mexico. They really got into making the sacks and were so excited they were going to take part in helping someone in need.




We are all reminded to pray for their safety and well-being on this trip and that God will use them in big ways while they are there.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Farewell Summer!

Last night, we attended the last concert series for the summer at Utica Square. One of our favorite musicians, Grady Nichols, played and did a fabulous job, as usual. We met some friends out there and enjoyed the music and beautiful weather. Sad to see Summer go but I am so looking forward to Fall!

American Girl Club

We just began our (drumroll, please!) fifth year of homeschooling! (Happy Dance!) Last year, the girlz were way into Little House on the Prairie, so the curriculum we used was based on the Little House on the Prairie books. We blogged about our studies here.

This year, the girlz are way into American Girl, so our curriculum for this school year is also based on the AG books. We have begun another blog here that will go along with what we are studying throughout the year. We have some great friends that we'll be doing this study with and we've even begun an American Girl Club with them. We'll meet once a month and we'll take turns hosting.

Yesterday was our first AG Club meeting and it was at our sweet friend, Emily's, house. She had a tea party for the girls and was the perfect host! She served yummy treats and delicious tea/lemonade. They also did a fun craft and squeezed in a little play time, too. The girls are all so cute together and will be even better friends by the end of the school year, I'm sure.

Here's pics from our fun meeting...

Field Trip to the Oklahoma Aquarium

After four whole days of school last week, we decided we deserved a field trip! Woo hoo! Yes, one of the many joys of homeschooling. So some friends from our homeschool co-op joined us at the Oklahoma Aquarium and we had a great time learning about ocean life and hanging out with our friends!

Most of these pics were taken by the girlz...

Co-Op Back-to-School Bash

Our family is part of Heritage Homeschool Co-Op of Owasso. Of course, I'm kinda partial, but I think we have the best families around that support each other in our homeschooling endeavor. Homeschooling's not always easy and it's so important to have encouragement from other families going through the same challenges. We have seen tremendous growth in our Co-Op recently with having only about 15 families at the start of last year to over 50 this year!

We always like to do a Back-to-School bash at the start of a new school year so this year we planned to have it at a new party place in town called Soiree. (Soiree offers AmAzInG parties for kids, teens AND adults! Be sure to check out their fun website. And NO dancing when you hear the music begin on their website! I dare you! NO dancing!) Anyway, since we have so many in our Co-Op this year, we had to schedule 2 Back-to-School Bashes so everyone could be included - a good problem to have in my opinion ;-)

So...we ate pizza and YUMMY desserts, played on the Jupiter Jump, dressed up in fancy clothes, hoola hooped, sang karaoke and had a great time getting to know all of our new families!

Here's pics from the first Back-to-School Bash...





And here's pics from the second Back-to-School Bash...

First Day of School Pics

We have just begun our 5th year of homeschooling - yes, we have survived and are doing pretty okay, I think ;-)

Here's pics from our first day of school...

"A"
Age 8
2nd grade

"M"
Age 10
5th grade

And, yes, they really are good buddies in real life. They are such a sweet blessing to each other and to me!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

On a Mission for Kids

We took the girlz to the John 3:16 Mission in Tulsa tonight to fill backpacks with school supplies for kids in need. They got to do a little hard labor (which never hurts a kid!) and give back to the community. It's always fun serving others - I always think we get more in return than what we give :-)



Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Dollie & Me

I discovered a cute line of clothes called "Dollie & Me" last Christmas. It's a line of girls clothes and accessories with matching outfits for their 18" dolls. They are sold at Sears and have FaBuLoUs prices - and often times they are sold for over half off! My friend, Jennifer, recently told me she saw my girls on the "Dollie & Me" blog. I thought that was so funny because I didn't even know they were on there! (You can see it here. Unfortunately, they don't have a direct link to the posting so you'll have to scroll down to July 16, 2010 to see it.)

So, if you have a girl that loves playing with dolls and loves dressing like her doll, you'll have to check "Dollie & Me" out! My girlz love it!

Monday, August 9, 2010

Kid's Day at the Owasso Farmer's Market

My girlz and several of their friends participated in the Kid's Day at the Owasso Farmer's Market this past Saturday. Kid's Day is held the first Saturday of each month during the summer and the kids have an opportunity to sell things they have made or grown from home.

Here's the girlz making domino magnets to sell...




And here's some of the things they are selling...


They recently started a blog, "Girly Me Missions", selling some of the stuff they are making. (You can see their website here.) They have a group of friends that will be selling things, too, and their proceeds will go to a charity of their choice. Currently, they are contributing to Project Hope Worldwide, a non-profit organization that is building homes, a medical clinic, and a school for orphans and widows in Uganda. 

And here's pics from the Kid's Day at the Market...


It was so much fun participating in Kid's Day and we look forward to doing it again next summer!

Our Latest Favorite Videos ;-)

The next few postings are some of our favorite videos we've watched over the past few months. They are sure to bring a smile to your face! :-D

Swagger Wagon

Had to post this for my girlz because they love it and have every word memorized ;-)



To view more silly Sienna Family videos go here.

"Where The Streets Have No Name"

U2 is my all time ultra favorite! Dare ya not to dance! ;-)

The Don't Song

This video was shown in church recently before our pastor gave a message about marriage. It's too funny ;-)


The Don't Song from Igniter Media on Vimeo.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Girlz Night In

Steve had to work in OKC yesterday and didn't get home until late last night so the girlz and I had a Girlz Night In. "M" has an American Girl book called Just Mom and Me that has lots of cute and fun activities that moms and daughters can do together. So we did one last night - we made door hangers from scrapbook paper, stamps and stickers.



Then we made pizza from hamburger buns for dinner...


And made banana bread...


Love spending girl time with my girlz!