Pioneer Woman at Heart

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 t...

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 s...

(Borrowed from karenwhimsy.com)

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.

The Top Five Budget Friendly Valentine's Day Class Party Treats (Click on link to read)

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...

All the kids helped color eggs for Easter. Happy Easter! They loved using the clear colored crayon to create these unique eggs.