It's scientific

It starts with research, although I still haven't figured out what the Right and Wrong paper is all about. All on his own, the Little Prince googled play doh recipes and made his lists (click to enlarge). While it is very cool that he is happening enough to do his own internet research, it also made me realize I have to keep a closer eye on him (I thought he was on Math 24). Guess he'll be limited to the laptop in the living room from now on.

After putting plastic and newspaper on the kitchen table, Dad mixed up the batter and the Little Prince started forming the volcano. I got to take pictures and clean up afterwards.

We added some chocolate food coloring (7 drops of red, 4 drops of yellow, 2 drops of green) to the second batch of play doh to give it some variety.

Here the Little Prince poses with the finished product in the classroom. It was his idea to add red play doh to the volcano. He said it was from erupting before. The red stuff in the bottle is vinegar, food coloring and dish soap. The baking soda is already in the volcano.
***
We made the volcano on Sunday and took it to school on Monday so he could erupt it during the Volunteer Appreciation celebration on Tuesday. Well, the weather had other ideas. Tuesday and Wednesday were snow days, so Volunteer Appreciation has been moved to this coming Monday. Hope the volcano holds up until then.

On the big court

Last Thursday, the Little Prince's basketball team was invited to play a 9 minute exhibition game at half time during the Varsity game at Martz Hall where the big teams play. It was a very big deal!

Due to lack of communication, the team we were supposed to play did not show up, so our guys got to scrimmage each other. Half of the team turned their jerseys inside-out and all 10 kids got to play the entire 9 minutes.

The score was 8-4 White. The Little Prince scored on his first attempt. He is the little guy (they all look little - it's such a big court) in the white jersey in the front on the right. They all had a great time but were very hot and tired from running that huge court.

Royalty

(click on photo to enlarge) Back in November, the Little Prince asked if he could write my name on the paper that we use to pick our football teams. I keep this posted in the kitchen so I can look at it when he is trying my patience. It reminds me that, deep down, he really does love me and thinks I am the Queen of his Universe.

Study aides

The Little Prince says this thing attached to his ear (isn't it just the cutest?) helps him do his homework better. So far, he is correct.

Belated Merry Christmas

One GIANT chocolate chip cookie for Santa, 9 carrots for the reindeer, chocolate milk soon to fill the glass.

Yes, opening presents was a wild event. Wrapping paper everywhere!

After all the trash was taken out, it was time to enjoy the Snuggie and open some LEGO gifts which consist of tiny, tiny pieces.

***

I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas. I wish you all a very happy and healthy New Year!

Christmas colors

Earlier this month, one of the Little Prince's brackets came loose. When they re-glued it, he got to change his colors. The top is all one red band called a Power Chain. It is starting to close the gap between his two front teeth. See the little bit of green on his bottom teeth? Must be close to Christmas!

Perfect ending

Thursday was the company Holiday Party. It was a fun time with lots of great food, a live band and good company. What I found in my bed when I got home after 11pm made for the perfect ending to a fun evening: the Little Prince fast asleep. So glad he cooperated with his dad and went to sleep relatively early. In past years, I have come home to find him still wound up tight and bouncing off the walls. Apparently, he fell asleep listening to the Eagles on Thursday Night Football. Whatever it takes, I say.

It's that time of year

It's the Monday after Thanksgiving and all three of us have the day off. The Little Prince is off because school is closed. I am off because the Little Prince is off. My sweetie is off because it is the first day of some type of hunting season. Not sure which one, because we are not hunters. However, we will take the day off. And, believe it or not, we did take the day off. We had absolutely nothing planned. No basketball, no Little League meetings, no church meetings, nothing. We had lunch at the mall and purchased new lights for the tree.

And because we had off, we had the time to put this lady at the top of our tree. She watches over all our many decorations each year. She was given to us by my sweetie's parents when they stopped putting up a tree.

The tree is filled to overflowing with ornaments. Many, like this toy soldier, were made by my sweetie's grandmother when he was the Little Prince's age. The dog is one of a Hallmark series called Puppy Love. Since 1994, I have purchase one for my sweetie. That's how long we have been together. Other ornaments include "Our First Christmas", "Baby's First Christmas" and "Our First House". Each year, since 2006, we have added a ribbon, attached to a card and signed by the Little Prince that reads: "This ribbon is very special, you see. Untie it, and it's the same size as me!"

Treasured Memories - Moments of a Lifetime

Life passes so quickly and there are so many things I want the Little Prince to know about my life. Each week, I reflect on one question and answer it here, hoping to create a treasure chest full of glittering memories for the Little Prince to enjoy.
9.

What is your favorite holiday? How do you celebrate?

My favorite holiday is definately Thanksgiving. The three of us travel down to my hometown to celebrate with my family. Most of my sisters live close by, so there is always a big crowd with lots of cousins for the Little Prince to play with.

There are cute Thanksgiving decorations and, of course, a family tradition. For the past 4 years, everyone has written something that they are thankful for on a strip of material. This year, it was made into a table cloth.

This is a close up of the section from 2006. The Little Prince traced his hand and wrote his name and I wrote what he was thankful for (Mom-Mom and Pappy). This year, each person got a handmade name card, made by the younger children. They are laminated so we can use them again next year.

I love the smells of Thanksgiving that make themselves known as you are walking up the driveway. All the girls (and guys) help out by making turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, ham, green beans, corn, sweet potato casserole, fresh rolls and cranberry salad. Oh, and desserts which include, but are not limited to, blueberry pie, pecan pie, pumpkin pie and brownies.

Each year, I get to see the newest little ones (this little angel just turned 1 in October). The Little Prince spends most of the visit, after eating, playing outside with his cousins. They run and jump and scream as much as they can. The rest of us stay inside and play games and put away the leftovers while we catch up with the latest news. Before the first people had to leave, we all gathered around the piano and sang one of Dad's favorite songs, "All That Thrills My Soul Is Jesus". Even though he is not physically with us, he is a part of each of us and always in our hearts.

Best of all, Thanksgiving is another chance to be with Mom, whom I love dearly. Now that all her girls are grown, she can enjoy the day without having to worry about doing any of the work. For so many years, she worked for us. Now all she needs to do is sit back and enjoy herself and the wonderful family she and Dad raised. It is worth the 2 1/2 hour one-way drive to spend this special holiday with the family I love.

What have I read?

Got this from Rachel M. It was fun!

The BBC believes most people will have read only 6 of the 100 books listed here. Instructions: Bold those books you’ve read in their entirety, italicize the ones you started but didn’t finish or read an excerpt.

1 Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series – JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four – George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials – Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
11 Little Women – Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 – Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit – JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong – Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch – George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind – Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby – F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House – Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield – Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia – CS Lewis
34 Emma – Jane Austen
35 Persuasion – Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – Louis De Berniere
39 Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh – AA Milne
41 Animal Farm – George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney – John Irving
45 The Woman in White – Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables – LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd – Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies – William Golding
50 Atonement – Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi – Yann Martel
52 Dune – Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy – Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities – Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
62 Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History – Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road – Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure – Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary – Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick – Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens
72 Dracula – Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island – Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses – James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons – Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal – Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair – William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession – AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple – Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web – EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince – Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks
94 Watership Down – Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet – William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables – Victor Hugo

I've read 16 books on this list so I beat BBC's record!!

I've been busy

Busy running. Not the kind of running where I get exercise and become super healthy. It involves basketball practices and fast food dinners. And juggling homework, husband's overtime and many, many basketball practices. But the Little Prince is having fun, meeting new people and making new friends. And his team is 2-0.

The big screen

The Little Prince finally made it to the big screen as part of the orthodontist's "New Faces in Braces" marquee. His second check up went well. Along with a new wire to tighten his teeth, he got to pick new band colors. He chose Metalic Gold. Close to brown, I guess.

September Birthdays - Part Four

I really enjoyed the Ornamental Gardens. I never remember seeing ornamental grass that was almost twice as tall as me.

This tree looks like a giant, leaf-covered rock. To the left, you can see a doorway of sorts. When you enter there, you are under the tree where they have a little table and chairs set up. It's like a treehouse on the ground. Under the tree, you can look up, up, up to the very top and imagine climbing up there. Looking out, you see the rest of the world go by through waving, curly leaves.

This little girl seemed to capture the mood of the day. Carefree and joyful with the wind in her hair, she reminded us of our childhood. For just a moment, we were taken back to those worry-free days when we spent as much time as possible outside enjoying God's creation and our only responsibility was to soak up the sun.
Part One photos here. Part Two photos here. Part Three photos here.

September Birthdays - Part Three

This bright, beautiful yellow flower helped us complete our Scavanger Hunt. Each of us had a copy of this hunt, along with a colored pencil in the shade of our favorite color. It was so fun! We found everything except for the monarch eggs.

Beautiful colors on these ornamental peppers. They look like jewels among the green leaves.

Can you see us in the gazing ball? We're there, looking at the reflection of the leaves and surrounding scenery.

Part One photos here. Part Two photos here.

September Birthdays - Part Two

There were several of these unique benches throughout the garden. If it was not so cold, it would have been a lovely place to sit and rest and take in the scenery. But we needed to keep moving.

The Butterfly House was closed for the season. Instead, they had a bonsai display set up. This was the smallest tree there. I took so many photos, it was hard to choose just two.

This display is a miniature forest (click to enlarge). It was amazing to see what they created on such a small scale.

Part One photos here

September Birthdays - Part One

I have 8 sisters. One sister lives in LA and has a birthday in October, one lives in IL and has a birthday in November and one lives in WV and has a birthday in December. The rest of us live relatively close and try to get together during our birthday month. There is a January birthday, 2 May birthdays and 3 September birthdays. For the September birthdays, we decided to meet in Hershey, eat at Red Robin then visit Hershey Gardens. Trying to coordinate the Saturday schedules of 6 married women, some with children, is not easy. It was October 30th before we were all free.

Upon entering the gardens, this was there to greet us. There were many carved pumpkins throughout the gardens. I saw some carved with the Eagles, Steelers, Penn State and Notre Dame logos.

Look at these beautiful roses. One for each of us sisters and our mom. So beautiful!

I was amazed that there were so many roses still in bloom. When I left my house that morning to meet my sisters, it was 32 degrees. I was concerned that we would be meeting to look at cleared grounds and a few mums. But we were not disappointed. More photos to follow.

Treasured Memories - Moments of a Lifetime

Life passes so quickly and there are so many things I want the Little Prince to know about my life. Each week, I reflect on one question and answer it here, hoping to create a treasure chest full of glittering memories for the Little Prince to enjoy.

8.

Do you and your mother share any interests? Tell about your relationship.

Mom is a wonderful seamstress. I can remember as a little girl, sitting next to her sewing machine watching the wonderful outfits she created. She made most of my dresses growing up, including this one. Mine was blue and white and my little sister's was red and white. She made the bridesmaids dresses for my wedding, as well as for several of my sisters' weddings. When I was in college, I wrote one of my papers about her sewing table.

Making kitchen curtains and hemming the Little Prince's pants is pretty much the extent of my sewing expertise. However, as you can see by this photo from 1998 (I think), Mom and I have a great time when she comes to visit and we do one of my sewing projects. We were putting together patches for a lap quilt, which I still keep in my truck. It comes in handy when the Little Prince gets cold or wants to keep the sun out of his eyes so he can take a nap on road trips.

Mom and I have a great relationship. She was a true mother when I was growing up and now we have become wonderful friends. I wish I could see her more often, but we get to talk several times a week. She has great knowledge and advice on a wide variety of subjects: the latest news, cooking, sewing (obviously), raising the Little Prince, etc. It makes me feel very special to know that she will always make time to talk to me no matter what time I call or for what reason. She never seems to be too busy to chat and I love that! Love you, Mom, my friend.

Race for Education

Run up the hill.

Walk down the hill.

Get a hole punched in your name tag, then start all over again. For 1 hour. Why? The school's annual Race for Education. Letters are sent to friends and family and pledges are made, either per lap or a flat donation. Trophies are given out for most laps run and checks are given out for most money raised. Last year, the Little Prince completed 33 laps. This year, however, he was more chat and less race, so he only made 28 laps. But they all had fun.

The best part, though, is the water, grapes and pretzels afterwards.

Treasured Memories - Moments of a Lifetime

Life passes so quickly and there are so many things I want the Little Prince to know about my life. Each week, I reflect on one question and answer it here, hoping to create a treasure chest full of glittering memories for The Little Prince to enjoy.

7.

Describe your Sundays as a mother.

Unless we are sick or out of town, every Sunday morning is spent in Church. If we have time, the Little Prince likes to make scrambled eggs for lunch.

***

As for the rest of our Sunday afternoon, it depends. Back when the Little Prince was younger, our Sundays were spent taking naps or quietly visiting with family while he took a nap. These days, since it is soccer season, we spend the afternoons at the game watching the Little Prince run and kick. The past couple of games, he has been goalie.

Next month starts baseketball season and then baseball will start in the spring. Remember those days? I'm sure next year will be much the same.

***

If for some reason we do not have anything happening on a Sunday afternoon, we would probably spend our time together just hanging out. If the weather is nice, we may go for a drive.

***

Before bedtime, we check the Little Prince's backpack to make sure we have everything signed and ready for the next day at school and he fills out his lunch envelope for the next week.

A day at the Faire

While waiting in line for our taco salad, we spotted this beautiful orange tree. It was a sunny but windy day at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. Without the Little Prince, I might add. He got to go last time and did not complain at all to spend the day with Mom-Mom and Pappy. He only made one request, which we granted.

He wanted some Blueberry Honey. When we picked him up this evening, he asked me if we remembered the honey. My answer of "yes" won me a big hug. He wanted to sleep with it tonight, but I thought that might turn into a sticky situation.

Misty morning

Can you see the mist in the tree? You may need to click on the photo to enlarge it.

It was caused by a very cold morning (36 degrees) plus the dryer vent. The Little Prince noticed it when he went out for school.

He also noticed the lovely dew in the grass. It almost looks like ice. When we left the house, the neighbor's black metal mailbox was covered with dew and steaming in the sun. By the time I got back home, it was completely dry.

A perfect Saturday

What could be more perfect than a Saturday with blue skies...

and a baseball in the freshly-cut green grass?

A buddy to share it with.

Heading north

We headed about an hour north tonight for a Straight No Chaser concert. What fun! They were amazing. The Little Prince caught some Zs on the way up because it was going to be a late night. As an added bonus to the awesome concert, we got to see the Budweiser Clydesdales. They were in town for the Octoberfest.

One month later

It is hard to believe it has already been over a month since the Little Prince got his braces. Today he went for his one month check-up. Can you tell what new colors he got? (click photo to enlarge) Since this was his first time back, Dr S said they would only be changing the bands. Next month, they will tighten the wires as well.

On the way to the appt, (which was actually not until Wednesday -- SOMEBODY put it on the calendar wrong) the Little Prince planned his color choices for the next 8 months. November = brown for turkeys; December = red and green; January = white for snow; February = red for hearts; March = green; April = blue for showers; May = pink for flowers (when I questioned that one, he informed me that boys were allowed to like pink and purple); June = blue because that is his birthday month and blue is his favorite color. It will be interesting to see if he sticks with these color choices. I really do hope he changes his mind for May...

Treasured Memories - Moments of a Lifetime

Life passes so quickly and there are so many things I want the Little Prince to know about my life. Each week, I reflect on one question and answer it here, hoping to create a treasure chest full of glittering memories for the Little Prince to enjoy.

6.
Where do you like to go to eat out? What do you order?

What a delicious question! There are so many places I love, I cannot pick just one. I love Red Lobster's Stuffed Mushrooms, Garlic Cheese Biscuits and Endless Shrimp. I don't have a favorite dessert there because I never have room. I've shared what we like to eat in the summer. We love Red Robin, as you saw earlier. I get the Whiskey River BBQ Chicken Wrap and New England Clam Chowder and we share the Towering Onion Rings. For my birthday, the Little Prince and my sweetie took me to the Outback for a Bloomin' Onion and some steak and shrimp on the barbie. The Little Prince let me have some of his Speckled Dog Sundae.

More birthday fun

Even though my birthday is past, I still celebrate. I met two of my sisters in Hershey for lunch. Can you guess where? We had good eats: bacon cheeseburger, cobb salad, Whiskey River BBQ chicken wrap, New England clam chowder and a freckled lemonade. The Little Prince was quite sad that he did not get to go. He loves their towering onion rings. But he'll get to go next time, I'm sure. Just as I am sure there will be a next time...