Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Showing posts with label Holidays and Activities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holidays and Activities. Show all posts

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy New Year! It's 2012!

The new year aftermath - indoors. Ha ha ha ha ha!

The new year aftermath - outdoors......I'm sure the barn cats are trying to figure out what that funny string stuff is. Ha ha ha!

Despite one daughter having to work at 4am the morning of New Year's Eve, and my son working New Year's Eve and this morning, I think they all had a good time last night.

We added more healthier foods to our festive night this year - a fruit tray.  

Growing up, Mom always had tables full of snacks she baked for Christmas, Chex mix was a must, and punch in the punch bowl.  As a tradition, we would all sleep underneath and around the Christmas tree.  In the morning it would come down.  It was a real tree every year.  I look forward to putting up a real tree here (once the cats learn not to climb it).

When we took down the tree, and after the ornaments came off and were put away, we would take down (what we called) the tinsel.  You know, those tiny slivers of silver that you can decorate your tree with?

We used something very similar, if not the same brand, as the one above - Icicles.

Not only would we put these on one at a time, but we'd take them off one at a time, and put them back in the box for the next Christmas.  We still laugh about that.

We didn't keep that tradition in my home today, but we do take our tree down January 1st.  It's a struggle to get it all back in the boxes they came out of, but we some how get it all put away.

It's a happy-sad day - January 1st.  It's the start of a new year, the start to start over, and the end of the holidays.  


Here's to a great start with the new year!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Back in the Groove

I am feeling much better now, and even took time to write 2 rough draft articles yesterday.  I watched the sunrise this morning also.



Although I woke up to a cold wood burning stove, I am getting the temperature slowly back up.  I am getting laundry on the racks and outside on the line.  The sun is shining very bright today, and makes the day more pleasant.  The cats must be enjoying the sun too.  They are bee-bopping from window to window watching everything this morning.  The dogs are fighting over the sun spots that are shining into the living room.

My husband surprised me for Valentine's Day, by cleaning the bathroom the night before.  He not only cleaned it, but removed everything that was on the floor to mop it (trash can, basket etc).  That was a real treat, considering I had not felt up to cleaning it while I was sick.

One of my daughter's also surprised me with a handmade card. She slipped it into my bathroom before she left for school, and it was a wonderful way to start the morning.

Thanks to my mother, sending me a text, I was able to take a few gorgeous pictures of a recent sunset.  I cannot wait to have a better camera, but this one is pretty good.

I love the colors in this sunset.  If I had not gone out right after my mother texted me, I would have missed it.  Shortly after I took the photos, the colors disappeared for the night.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day!

(Borrowed from karenwhimsy.com)

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Valentine's Day Preparations

If you have been following my blog, you will know that I will not be buying manufactured Valentine's Day cards.  We make ours homemade each year, and this year, one child has been asked to make a box for her cards.  Visit by S.C.R.A.P. blog to see photos her her personally created Valentine's Day box.

Monday, May 31, 2010

History of Memorial Day ~ Do kids today really know the meaning?

I was astonished this morning.  As I put our United States flag outside, I asked my younger two girls if their school taught them the meaning of Memorial Day.  We watch parades, we see the flags, but do we teach our kids the real meaning?  The answer to that is sad.  My children have not been taught in school.  If it were not for free printable worksheets, free books from the library, and quality time with my kids, they would not be taught.

My 2nd grader said, "we got coloring pages" and my 5th grader said her teacher "mentioned" it in passing but there was no real teaching involved.  With the state test taking and requirements, teacher are not teaching kids in school today.  They are being taught to pass a test, and in doing so, have bypassed history and other teachings in the race against statistics. 

So if you are a parent and you have relied on the schools to teach your children about Memorial Day, and you have asked them about it and they cannot answer you, here are some links for on-line help.  Don't forget to use your library.  Even after Memorial Day, you can still teach through activities, hands-on crafts, poetry writing, and so much more.

The Online Teacher Resource, Memorial Day Worksheets/Printables
Enchanted Learning, Memorial Day Crafts, Projects, and Worksheets
Patriotic Craft Ideas
The TeachersCorner.net, Memorial Day Lesson Plans and Activities

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Kids colored eggs for Easter

All the kids helped color eggs for Easter. Happy Easter!

They loved using the clear colored crayon to create these unique eggs.