Just an afternoon...

Although we do have a television in our home...we don't have a "dish" (for cable television).  Not such a big deal to many Americans, but the reality is...where we live ~ no dish = no television reception.  My nephews go crazy when they come to visit  because "they have nothing to do"!  (Guess that bat and ball in the backyard is nothing!  Oh, and lets not forget the summer that they played "chicken" with the mean heifer in the back pasure... or shooting beebee guns... or... do you get the idea?  We have a number of exciting outdoor activities to do.  Along with outdoor chores.  Kids learn very quickly when they come to my home not to complain about boredom!)
For my children, watching a movie when they get home from school is fun and exciting.  It is a reward for them to just "chill out" before getting to chores and homework.  Watching a movie is also a priveledge.  When Tyler came home on "Yellow" today ~ the color system in his kinder classroom, yellow is almost in serious trouble, but not quite...it's just a little bit trouble ~ he was told, "No movies and no dessert."  For my Tyler man ~ dessert and movies are his FAVORITE THING IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!!!  After watching him entertain himself, I came up with a way to entertain him that was fun, creative, and somewhat educational!

STAMP YOUR SPELLING WORDS!

It is not a new concept at all!  Many teachers do it everyday!  I even used this same activity with my 5th graders when I was teaching.  Guess what?  Tyler loved it!

Don't be nervous about the construction materials on the calendar...

I'm just showing where I got the oversized paper...

The measuring tape was out because Tim couldn't find his "belt unit" (that's what happens when you let your three sons play in your tool bag!) and the level because he was hanging pictures!

So, basically, take whatever piece of paper you have laying around.  I've never liked these calendars, but they came in handy today!  See ~ there is a reason I keep random things around the house!

Flip it over to the back side...

tape it down to the table...

Give your kid some stamps, his spelling list, and stamp ink...

and say, "Get to it!"

Tyler had three different sizes of alphabet letters to choose from...

OK - so he needs a little practice with the direction of the stamp.

He was so proud of his letters!  He then moved on to his numbers...

then the little boys arrived...

Me: "Why is there a front loader on the table?"

Isaiah: "Because I'm pushing things over with it."

Hmmm...

Aiden is very proud of his castle with all the peoples inside...

Come Look!

Walls at varying heights...

peoples inside...

Looks like a building about to be destroyed by a tractor to me!

(Poor Tyler... he was having such a quiet moment with creativity.)

Stamping takes great concentration...

... unless he was simply planning his next attack on the fortress.

Those of you with children will understand why this is where I must end.

The carnage was great...

the city leveled and nearly tossed into the pits of fire (aka: Isaiah's head)...

I was forced to partake in the wreckage and demand a cleaning crew come in at once...

Oh the wars of stamping and boys...

Off to another adventure!

Funny Quotes

Ashley : I was a cool kid.

Tyler: The leaves are blowing off the tree.  We need to get more!

Aiden:  I want to go see the baby happy-lina.  (javalina)

Isaiah to "Pop" who was eating a cookie:  Put you hands up.  Now.  Good.  Give me you cookie.  Now.  (gets cookie)  Thank you.

Christmas Day! Hip Hip Hooray!

I will simply sip my machiatto, and let the pictures do the "talking"!

My prayer for you is that you have a blessed New Year!

If you don't know my family...
this post might be boring for you...
no witty insight into life...
no lessons to learn...
just random family shots that I'm willing to share...
because...
we have lots of family that lives far away...
and the boys are adopted and their biomoms like to see them grow up and do fun things...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The boys coming down the hall to spy what Santa brought them!

This is the spy plane from Cars 2.  I had no idea it shot missiles...

Well, it used to shoot missiles...

Perhaps I should have gotten him a hair brush to go with his tooth brush...

The teenager!  She wakes!

(and is promptly put to the task of assembling the first toy!)

When she FIRST began looking at colleges...

she tracked the distance to the nearest Trader Joe's...

I've since explained that there will be plenty of good stuff wherever she decides to go.

Plus she got a gift card to RoadRunner Sports...

She can run to wherever!

Hey Kid!  Now that you have your own Angry Birds game ~ LEAVE MY PHONE ALONE!

These two have had a long night!  Neither one stayed awake through present opening...

Jesey (the Queensland Heeler) found their gifts two days early and spent the rest of the week eating them!

2012 Baby!  The year she graduates!

Tour books for our European Mommy/Daughter Backpack trip across Europe!

Shelby got toe socks and clothes!

Aiden got TWO MONIES!

This kid is a money freak!  He would rather have money than a gift.

He also got a "Cars" hat.

OK - enough gloating!

Ashley does this guessing thing before she opens any gift.  They guessed the gift correctly ~

a power inverter for her cigarette lighter in her truck.

Seriously?  How do you guess something like that?

I have no words...

when these two are together...

anything can (and usually does) happen!

Tim was so excited that he got a box from Victoria's Secret!  LOL!

We have matching SNAP Fitness memberships.  I know ~ we are adorable...

Look what my awesome daughter bought me!

A copper bowl fireplace!  LOVE IT!

Tyler made me Christmas Tree ornaments!

These are so much fun!

Christmas Morning, 2011!

Shelby (15), Ashley (17)

Tyler (5), Isaiah (3), Aiden (3)

Dog pile on Dad!

Christmas morning relax time!  Just chillin with the raisins, popcorn, and toys!

 

Christmas Eve at the Roth House!

All the little creatures were snuggled...

into one bed...

in hopes that Dear Santa...

would not scare them dead!

Yep.  Sometimes.  There just are no words...not even from me...well, I guess a few!

Aiden slept through the last half of Christmas Eve service and was a little disoriented and crabby by the time we got home, delivered Reindeer Dust to grandma's, and then sprinkled (dumped) Reindeer Dust at our house...He was just not in the mood to do anything but snuggle with mom.  Mom, however, had other "things" that needed to be dealt with.  (Daddy was at work, and the teenagers...well, you will see.  Teenagers are teenagers!  Consider the source!)

Me:  "Ashley...wrap this for me please."

Ashley:  "Ok.  Whose name do you want on the tag?

Me: "um...Let me get my list."

<waiting for her to finish wrapping...>

Me:  "It's for you!"

Ashley:  <Snarl Face!>

Marco and Ashley

Marco decided to "decorate" Ashley's box to make up for her having to wrap her own gift.

He's so nice!

He's so groovy!

Here is Shelby!

And then the human wrapping began....

Ninja Shelby!

I didn't know Ninja's smiled.

Arabian Princess Shelby...

Now I'm just confused!...

This is what I have to deal with on Christmas Eve....

I love every minute of it...

kinda...

till 2:am hits...

then I'm toast!

Reindeer Dust

This year, we decided to make "Reindeer Dust" to guide Santa and the reindeer to our home.

Where we live in the country we have random critters run through our yard.

Many recipes call for glitter, and if we lived in the city, that would be great, but we don't and I didn't want the rabbits, birds, javalina, or any other nocturnal critter eating the glitter and getting sick.

We used barley, magic reindeer dust (sugar colored with food dye), sunflower seeds, and rolled oats.

I gave each of the boys a spoon, and said, "Fill up your containers!"

Fill away they did!

The reindeer dust was very popular...

OK ~ This is grossing me out!

Mary Poppins would get along great with this kid..."Just a spoonful of sugar..."

Love this kid!  He has his container packed tight!

 

Off to Grandma's house...for a quick "dusting"...then back home to "dust" our yard!

 

Yep, these are classy kids!

Aiden with one croc and one untied shoe, Tyler looking like a grandpa with white knee high socks and slippers, and Isaiah...well, we never know what he will show up in.  Tonight he actually looks pretty good!

Aiden is DONE!  He has had it!  He just wants to go in!

Aiden in a pouty/whiney voice: "Why haf leave dust?  I no wanna."

Me:  "Because you made it.  Now let me take a picture and you can dump it on the ground for all I care."

Do I hear "Mom of the Year"?  NOT!

This kid already dumped his! 

Tyler sprinkled the entire yard!

The little critters were very happy with his "dusting"!

Off to bed to wait for Santa!