Super Rachel Zana's Spot

Every time I make soup (good homemade, amazing, onionless soup) the youngest kidlets complain.  They mope.  They protest loudly. They like the chunks and hate the "soup juice."  So we compromised, and tried the Grandpa Ron trick.  My dad loves soup, and he always crushes up saltine crackers to fill…

Saturday was Christmas tree cutting day a nearby patch of forest.  Dr. Peds and I had so much fun last year, we decided to make it a tradition.  Mr. Sneaky Pants and The Banana had been looking forward to the day for several weeks.  They were so excited to put…

Ever since the Christmas Parade a few weeks ago, there has been much fascination with the Grinch, (or the Grunch, as he's known in our house).  The kidlets noticed a few grinches at the parade, and I realized that I hadn't ever read them the story.  I really used to…

Tuesdays and Thursdays are long, but fun teaching days.  All afternoon and evening one student after another zips in, sits down and plays for me.  I love it so much.  I love how each person is so unique, with a brain that learns in its very own way.  This afternoon…

I didn't write about it at the time, but about 10 days ago or so, the kidlets and I took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and decided to be spectators at the annual Christmas Parade.  It was a great night for the parade, and we got there early to…

I was getting ready to cut into the plastic wrap that seals up the turkey.   YaYa:  (extremely excited, jumping up and down) Does that turkey have a head in there? Me:  Uhm.  No.  They took the head off before they wrapped it up. YaYa:  Oh rats.   Me: Why?…

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  On Thanksgiving Eve, our church has a casual worship service that has been one of my favorite times throughout each year we have lived here. Most of the worship service is different people of all different ages from preschool through extremely elderly grandparents…

First of all, sadly, there are very few pictures of Mr. Sneaky Pants celebrating his fifth birthday.  This is mainly because the birthday happened on a Tuesday, and Tuesdays are very, very crazy days around here.   Most of the celebrating happened before sunrise  and right before bed when it…

1.  Reader Friends, I finally got my sidebar list of book links updated.  I have been terrible at this lately! Most things on the list are children's chapter and picture books, since that's what we have spent most of our time reading lately.   2.  Mr. Sneaky Pants spent most…

Oh Clementines, Oh Clementines, how I cannot keep you stocked.  I think you grace my fridge with large populations, and then you disappear.