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I want to thank everyone that takes the time to post a message…it’s very much appreciated!

I was busy yesterday…took the twins to have their annual ultra-sounds and blood drawn, started putting the boys’ schoolwork in order for our annual review, caught up on some lost sleep while Michael took everyone to Boy Scouts last night (thank you, sweetie!) because for the past few weeks Quinn has decided that sleep is optional.  I’ve been so tired and in lala land during the day…almost like you feel when your little ones are babies and you nurse and you never get any sleep.  *smile*

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ender Letters is a charming site filled with enchanting photos. h/t Ullabenulla

Jackie’s Space…a very talented artist. Beautiful paper crafting. h/t Di

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The twins (and most of their friends) are flying today with the Young Eagles. Sean did the program too when he was their age..should be fun!

ven though it’s a wee mite chilly this morning, Spring has really sprung here in Baltimore. The spring trees are flowering, the morning birds serenade, the water fowl splash about. I recently saw a new bird sitting on our pier’s piling…a Belted Kingfisher. My Daddy, who lives just a bit further down the creek from us, also saw him. Yesterday evening one lone little Dark-Eyed Junco hopped around on my back deck, eating some seeds that had spilled from the feeder. That’s probably the last one I’ll see until next winter.

Shelley has a great post on birds…The Birdies are ‘A-Courting!

Spring is busting out all over at ColourLovers.com. Beautiful spring-ish vector-made patterns and matching Photoshop Palettes (.aco). My favorites:

• Spring.
• Springy-ish
• Spring Disease
• Spring Break

Matthew Mead has some pretty new downloads.

I made my pretty little flower bar with brushes from Scrap Stew Sue.  Make sure you click on Older Posts to find all the goodies.

Free Spring clipart.

What’s cooking…

• Seasonal Cooking: Spring
• Family Fun’s Month of Meals
• A Spring Tea Party Menu and Recipes…the Teapot Cake is absolutely adorable!
• …and still eating those left-over hard boiled eggs from Easter?  Try Martha’s Favorite Egg Salad Sandwich

A frog’s a very happy thing,
Cool and green in early spring,
Quick and silver through the pool,
With no thought of books or school.

Oh, I want to be a frog,
Sunning, stretching on a log,
Blinking there in splendid ease,
Swimming naked when I please,
Nosing into magic nooks,
Quiet marshes, noisy brooks.

Free! And fit for anything!
Oh, to be a frog in spring!
~ John Farrar ~

inks, that is.   Confessions of a Pioneer Woman has had a brand, spanking new makeover. Looks real purty. Another country site, Mary Janes Farm has lots of neat things to see too.

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Blue-Sky Morning
Adelaide B. Shaw

It’s a blue-sky morning
With a wind that’s blowing fair.
It’s a blossom-blowing morning.
There are springbuds in the air.

It’s a gold-sky morning
With a sun that’s blazing bright.
It’s an eye-blinking morning.
There’s a blaring brilliant light.

 love to find and share free online treasures. 

Dawn at The Feathered Nest has posted two really pretty printable images.

My Cherry Heart’s Dolly, who really is looking forward to Spring, is offering all you can take free snow.  *smile*

Widgetbox has free widgets for your website or blog.  Lots of cool things here.  Do people still use the word “cool?”  Oh, well, I do.  *smile*

The Jukebox offers free music from the Golden Years of music.  Do what it says…find a time frame you like and let it play in the background while you surf.  Still humming “A Summer Place.”  Remember Troy Donahue?  *smile*

Animate yourself at Gizmoz.

MorgueFile.com has free for download, high resolution photos.

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For homeschooling…

• Scott Foresman offers grades 1-6 Online Grammar and Writing Handbooks in PDF formats.
• Evan Moor’s monthly offering of free lessons and clipart is nice.
• SimplyCharlotteMason.com has a free e-book, Education is an Atmosphere, a Discipline, a Life, to download.
• Free Virtual Field Trips!

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Free Tips for Healthy Easter Treats and Healthy Easter Treats II and Inexpensive Easter Baskets.

…and a couple of little freebies from Dover, made transparent and printable by me.  If you want to use on the web, just resize and use a sharpen tool.

Right click on the image to save the transparent GIF.

Click on image to view and download the PNG.

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In your Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it,
You’ll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade.
I’ll be all in clover, and when they look you over
I’ll be the proudest fellow in the Easter Parade.
On the Avenue, Fifth Avenue,
The photographers will snap us
And you’ll find that you’re in the rotogravure.
Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet
And of the girl I’m taking to the Easter Parade.

In my Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it,
I’ll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade.
You’ll be all in clover, and when they look me over
You’ll be the proudest fellow in the Easter Parade.
On the Avenue, Fifth Avenue,
The photographers will snap us
And you’ll find that you’re in the rotogravure.
Oh, you may write a sonnet about my Easter bonnet
And of the girl you’re taking to the Easter Parade.

awn has uploaded her invaluable Themes and Plans for March.  Her well thought out, chock full of great information post and our family calendar help me to plan out what we’ll be doing in March…physicals for all the boys, a weekend hike and campout with their Scout troop, tubing, a make-up day for last month’s non-event due to inclement weather, a visit to the Baltimore Museum of Art for their annual Homeschool Family Open House, our monthly homeschool co-op class on aviation and flight which will tie in with a fieldtrip to the National Air and Space Museum in Virginia and the boys flying with the Young Eagles Program.  The twins Calvert 7th grade arrived late last week and we’ll be starting that next week. We usually start in January but due to more sick days this past year than usual we’re a bit behind but that’s okay as we homeschool all year long.  *smile*  Anyway, it looks to be a busy month as usual!

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Quinn has been playing with his educational toys a bit more lately.  He’s also been playing with his Little People themed sets, having his stuffed toys interact with the pirate ship, farm, etc. and playing with his car sets and he sits and “reads” his books at least once a day.   A definite progression from his past play of just a belt and a stuffed animal!

Also, Cade and Connor have been a lot of help to me with Quinn.  Every week Quinn’s speech therapist, Mrs. Christine, sends home a little activity or game to do with Quinn and each day the twins (especially Cade) works on that activity with him.

For March, we’ll be doing spring things…Rain and Rainbows and New Growth on the plants (Evan-Moor printables) and of course, some St. Patrick’s Day and Easter crafts.  For everyday skills we’ll be working on washing his hair and behind his ears…which he hates.  *smile*

Five Little Leprechauns

By Jean Warren

One day out walking,

I happened to see

Five little leprechauns

Coming toward me.

They ran to a house.

They ran through the door.

I managed to catch one.

Then there were four.

Four little leprechauns

Climbed up a tree.

I caught another.

Then there were three.

Three little leprechauns

Hid in a shoe.

I caught another

Then there were two.

Two little leprechauns

Started to run.

I caught another.

Then there was one.

One little leprechaun

Ran to his gold.

He grabbed some coins—

Then stepped out bold.

“Give back my friends,

And I’ll give you this gold.”

So I set them all free.

Now my story is told!

t snowed a bit yesterday…finally, some pretty white stuff on the ground! Somehow I always feel cheated if we don’t have one really good all day, all night snowstorm but it’s been many years since we’ve been snowed in. Still, winter isn’t over yet and it has been known to snow in March so I’m still keeping my fingers crossed though my Momma, sisters and most of my friends are hoping for Spring.

It Snowed

Yesterday it snowed,

and the wind did spritely blow,

Keeping me inside.

~Barbara
Lynn Terry~

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I ran across two new blogs that I really liked. Little Cotton Rabbits is the blog of a knitter who makes the most adorable little knitted animals. She also offers free patterns…I don’t knit but I wish I did!

A Storybook Life has a great post on Creations Under Glass - Creative Displays to Fuel the Imagination.

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Snow tubing tomorrow with our homeschooling co-op…not too sure about Michael but the boys and I are really looking forward to it. *smile*

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The cake dish is empty and my husband has requested that I refill it so I’m off to check a few of my favorite baking websites to see if something catches my eye…

ooking for new ideas for Valentine’s Day I googled the words heart and valentine and wound up…
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• At Home with Kim Vallee where there are lots of great Valentine’s Day ideas. Then I clicked on the link to Bakerella…Wow! I love all the different ideas and recipes. Two new keeper food blog links.

• Everything a Teacher Needs for Valentine’s Day with lesson ideas, crafts and more
• A cute little widget from Google that lets you say “I Love You” in different languages
• and a poem, Valentine’s Day with Jesus.

ore web browsing for things to study in February…

Catholic Liturgical Calendar for February - The month of the Holy Family

A Calendar of Resources - Feast Days and Famous Birthdays

About.com’s:  February Special Days - Long List of February Holidays

February Holidays - A nice list with tons of links

Valentine’s Day at CatholicMom.com - A lot of really nice ideas

Groundhog Day Theme - List geared for preK through 5th grade

Leap Year Day - online educational resources for all ages

 …and some more Valentine stuff.

Love Notes for Parents of Special Kids - I’m going to print a couple out, frame them for myself and Michael

Stampington & Company Valentine Collection - Inspiration for Valentine images

Vintage Valentine Brush Set - A beautiful set of PS Valentine brushes - no restrictions on use!

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Five Pretty Valentines

Five pretty valentines waiting at the store.

Sean bought one and then there were four.

Four pretty valentines shaped like a “V”

Cade bought one and then there were three.

Three pretty valentines said “I love you”

Connor bought one and then there were two.

Two pretty valentines, this was so much fun.

Quinn bought one and then there was one.

One pretty valentine sitting on the shelf.

I felt sorry for it, so I bought it for myself!

uinn and I are are still trying to shake this thing off. Michael, the twins and Sean are still sniffling but seem to be on the road to recovery. I dosed myself with Nyquil last night after Michael came home hoping to get a good night’s sleep. I do feel a bit better this morning but it seems to have settled in my vocal cords and I now sound like a frog. *smile* Better there than my chest…I hate bronchitis and wheezing.

Speaking of wheezing, I just read an email that my friend, Jenn, was in the hospital yesterday due to breathing problems. Please keep her in your prayers. {{Jenn}}

And speaking of hospitals, my brother-in-law is in the hospital this morning with chest pains…please keep him in your prayers too.

You know, there is one good thing about this…I have gotten a jump on my weight loss goals for 2008. See! There is a bright side to everything. *smile*

For all of those in the same boat as me at the moment…everything you wanted to know about the flu.

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I feel bad,
I feel bum
Gee I wish that spring would come
‘Cause I’ve got a code in my nose
I’ve got a code in my nose.

Went to see the doctor,
Asked him what to do
Lordy help the doctor,
’cause he then said,
I’ve got one, too.

So we laid down
Side by side
I’m still here, but the doctor died,
And I’ve got a code in my nose
OHHHHHH
I’ve got a code in my nose.