Wordless Wednesday

Rare photos of me with the kids. I'm usually the one taking the shots. These were taken by a dear friend of mine. Do I look tired, lol? Hubs is coming home today from a 10 day deployment, woo hoo! Maybe mommy will get a moment's peace.

Thanks for stopping by! Your comments make my day :)  Be sure to get your linky love by linking up! Have a great day!!

Celebrate Arbor Day April 30th!

The first Arbor Day took place on April 10, 1872 in Nebraska. It was the brainchild of Julius Sterling Morton (1832-1902), a Nebraska journalist and politician originally from Michigan.  Throughout his long and productive career, Morton worked to improve agricultural techniques in his adopted state and throughout the United States when he served as President Grover Cleveland's Secretary of Agriculture. But his most important legacy is Arbor Day. 

~ Trees absorb pollution from the air ~

~ Trees make oxygen, which we need to breathe. ~

~ Trees stop soil erosion, prevents floods, and filter water ~

~ Trees create food and provide protection from the wind ~

~ Trees provide home, shelter, and food for birds and other wildlife ~

~ Fallen tree leaves eventually turn into soil, for other plants to grow in ~

~ Trees provide shade to keep our houses, schools and cities cooler ~

~ Shaded buildings need less energy for air conditioning. ~

~ Trees reduce noise pollution. ~

Trees provide:

nuts, fruit,

wood,

paper,

syrup,

cork, soap,

paint, film,

polish, lotions,

medicine, dyes,

pencils, crayons,

toothpaste, perfume,

~and 5,000 other products~

Arbor Tree by Ruth Fritts for HotChalk
Find Lesson Plans here.
Visit ArborDay.org for more info on this holiday.

Quotable Sunday - On Parenting and Kids

Of all the animals, the boy is the most unmanageable.
-Plato

The beauty of “spacing” children many years apart lies in the fact that parents have time to learn the mistakes that were made with the older ones—which permits them to make exactly the opposite mistakes with the younger ones.
-Sydney J Harris "Leaving the Surface"

The persons hardest to convince that they're at the retirement age are children at bedtime.
-Shannon Fife

The hand that rocks the cradle usually is attached to someone who isn't getting enough sleep.
-John Fiebig

Children are gleeful barbarians.
-Joseph Morgenstern, 1968

If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?
-Ed Dussault

In general, my children refuse to eat anything that hasn't danced on television. -Erma Bombeck

No matter how calmly you try to referee, parenting will eventually produce bizarre behavior, and I'm not talking about the kids.
-Bill Cosby

If your kids are giving you a headache, follow the directions on the aspirin bottle, especially the part that says, "keep away from children."
-Susan Savannah

I love to play hide and seek with my kid, but some days my goal is to find a hiding place where he can't find me until after high school.
-Unknown

A child is a curly dimpled lunatic.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

A two-year old is kind of like having a blender, but you don't have a top for it.
-Jerry Seinfeld

Thanks for stopping by today! Your comments always brighten my day :)
For more Quotable Sunday, visit A Daily Dose of Toni.

Thought For The Day

If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
~Diane Loomans, from "If I Had My Child To Raise Over Again"

Look What Daddy Built For Us!

Yes, it came in a kit, but he still had to "build" it. I think the instructions said "easy assembly in just 5 hours!" Yeah, don't believe everything you read.  He worked a lot longer than that and he's no novice at construction. But, it's a great set and the kids are really enjoying it.  We plan on putting down some more sand and then mulch, but they couldn't wait to play! Hooray, hours of entertainment for the kidlets and, perhaps, a moment's peace for mom....yeah, I'm not holding my breath.

In case you're interested, we bought the set at The Home Depot. It is solid and sturdy and comes with everything except a few pieces of the lumber, and the slide was sold separately (there are a couple of options for that).  They had three different versions and we chose the middle priced option. We also got a military discount so if you are a military family and shop Home Depot, be sure to ask about that.

Aloha Friday!

Greetings good friends. It is a beautiful sunny day here and I hope the same is true in your neck of the woods. I'm looking forward to the weekend and visiting friends. Which brings me to my question of the day:

Where is your best friend and do you see him or her often?

One of my best, and lifelong friends, moved here about a year and a half ago and I couldn't have been more thrilled. She recently told me that she and her family have sold their house and are moving to Miami very soon. I couldn't have been more sad at the news. I realized that I have only seen her a handful of times since she moved home. We've made plans, rescheduled and rescheduled, canceled and tried again, but only managed a few good visits. We both have young kids and life just seems to get in the way. I can't believe she's leaving again so soon and I will miss her terribly. What about you? Aside from your spouse/significant other, where is your best friend?


Thanks for stopping by today! If you are playing along, be sure to leave your linky. And visit Kailani at An Island Life for more Aloha Friday fun!

A Thousand Words Thursday - Earth Day Edition

I thought I'd post a few "nature" pics today, since it is Earth Day and all. I'm not a very talented photographer and I have a decent camera but nothing too fancy so don't expect to be awed. But, here are a few pics of nature's beauty, as seen from my little corner of the world...

"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
For more Thousand Words Thursday stop by Cheaper Than Therapy

Wordless Wednesday

There's nothing like ice cream on a hot Spring day!

Thanks for stopping by today! If you are participating in WW, please add your link before you go.

Be sure to stop by these fabulous blogs for more Wednesday fun:

5 Minutes for Mom

7 Clown Circus

Momdot

National Parks Week and Junior Ranger Day

National Parks Week is April 17-25, 2010 and during that time all 392 national parks are waiving entrance fees! Many are also offering educational activities including historical reenactments, living history, volunteer clean-up programs, and guided tours.

In addition, National Junior Ranger Day is Saturday, April 24, 2010 and children can participate in fun learning activities to earn a Junior Ranger patch. Get the details and a list of National Parks here.

At the WebRangers site, you can sign up for free or enter as a guest and just explore. You'll find games and online activities related to:

*People - Learn about U.S. Presidents, Thomas Edison, Paul Revere, George Washington Carver, Eleanor Roosevelt and more.

*History - Discover arctic artifacts, set sail on a whaling voyage or a Navy war ship in 1812.

*Nature - Discover dendrochronology (tell time with tree rings) and take The Puma Challenge!

*Animals - Pack a virtual dog sled, protect bald eagles, and help baby sea turtles find the ocean.

*Science - Test the water quality, virtually explore tidepools, find out what dinosaurs ate.

*Puzzles - Break the alpha code names for national parks, send a message with a signal flag, go on a website scavenger hunt.

*Parks - Play "Name That Park," help a ranger, learn the 10 essentials for having fun and staying safe in parks.

So, grab the kids, put your hiking boots on and get outdoors this week!

Rachael Ray Stone Baker Giveaway Winner

The winner of my Rachael Stone Baker Set Giveaway from CSN Stores was Carolyn. Congrats to her!!! And thanks to all who entered. Stay tuned for more bloggy giveaway fun...

Quotable Sunday - Earth Day

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. ~Native American Proverb

Thank God men cannot fly, and lay waste the sky as well as the earth. ~Henry David Thoreau

There's so much pollution in the air now that if it weren't for our lungs there'd be no place to put it all. ~Robert Orben

I'm not an environmentalist. I'm an Earth warrior. ~Darryl Cherney, quoted in Smithsonian, April 1990

Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes out the trees, then names the streets after them. ~Bill Vaughn, quoted in Jon Winokur, The Portable Curmudgeon, 1987

For 200 years we've been conquering Nature. Now we're beating it to death. ~Tom McMillan, quoted in Francesca Lyman, The Greenhouse Trap, 1990

I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in. ~John Muir, 1913, in L.M. Wolfe, ed., John Muir, John of the Mountains: The Unpublished Journals of John Muir, 1938

I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority. ~Elwyn Brooks White, Essays of E.B. White, 1977

Thanks for stopping by today! Your comments always brighten my day :)
For more Quotable Sunday, visit A Daily Dose of Toni.

Aloha Friday

Aloha friends! Happy Friday. I'm ready to start the weekend and enjoy some beautiful weather, are you? I love it when the weather warms up because there are so many local events and activities going on. From outdoor concerts, to ethnic festivals, parades, charity events at local parks, church bbq's and fairs...the list seems to go on and on. This weekend I think we'll try to hit the ASPCA Dog Walk fundraiser and a Free local art museum day.

My question for this week is: What do you have planned for fun this weekend?

Thanks for stopping by today! If you are playing along, be sure to leave your linky. And visit Kailani at An Island Life for more Aloha Friday fun!

Earth Day Teaching Resources

Clip art copyrighted by Bobbie Peachey,
http://webclipart.about.com

Earth Day is drawing near and there is no shortage of resources for making the holiday meaningful for kids. Here are a few I like. Please feel free to share any tips you have in the comments. I'd love to hear them!

More Earth Day fun from TeacherVision (FREE 7 day trial available if you are not a subscriber.)
Find Printables and Activities on FamilyEducation.com and on HotChalk's Earth Day Resource Guide.
Visit the EPA site to make a video pledge, find a local event and sign up for daily green tips via email.
Plus, there are loads of activities, and topics to explore at PlanetPals. Find everything from the story of Earth Day to TShirts, tips for organizing local activities, teaching aids and more! 

Lend A Paw for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

LEND A PAW WITH WALMART AND HELP IMPROVE PETS’ LIVES

Americans Can Help Donate Up To One Hundred Thousand Dollars to the ASPCA

Bentonville, Ark. – April 15, 2010 – Walmart and its top pet suppliers are asking Americans to join them in their support for the ASPCA® (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and its Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month.

Animal lovers everywhere are encouraged to visit www.facebook.com/lendapaw and help “Lend A Paw” to support the ASPCA’s mission to save and improve the lives of millions of animals nationwide. By clicking on the “Create a ‘Lend A Paw’ Post” button, Walmart, through the generous contribution of key pet suppliers, will donate $1 for each post (for a total donation of up to $100,000). All funds raised go to support the ASPCA, the first organization in the Western Hemisphere dedicated to the humane treatment of animals.

“Pet overpopulation, caused by far too many pets not being spayed or neutered –even by otherwise responsible pet parents – is a leading cause of unnecessary euthanasia,” said Elysia Howard, Vice President of Marketing & Licensing for the ASPCA. “In fact, half of all puppies and three-quarters of all kittens born are from unintended litters. Every dollar raised up to $100,000 through the ‘Lend A Paw’ campaign will help us get one step closer to our goal of helping pets in need. For example, $100,000 would help spay or neuter 1,000 animals.”

“Walmart offers everything pet owners need to care for dogs, cats and other pets,” says John Kunkel, Senior Pet Buyer, Walmart. “We are ecstatic about partnering with the ASPCA to help promote the importance of pet adoption and responsible pet ownership, and actively engage the American public to take part in such an important cause.”

I'm joining the cause to help our furry friends, won't you?

A Thousand Words Thursday

For more Thousand Words Thursday stop by Cheaper Than Therapy.

While you're here, don't forget to enter my giveaway for a set of Rachael Ray stone bakers. Contest ends 4/15!

Wordless Wednesday

Be sure to stop by these fabulous blogs for more Wednesday fun:
5 Minutes for Mom
7 Clown Circus
Momdot

While you're here, don't forget to enter my giveaway for a set of Rachael Ray stone bakers. Contest ends 4/15!

Quotable Sunday - On Taxes

Hello Bloggy friends! I hope you are enjoying a lovely weekend. There's a lot going on here, with my Rachael Ray Baker Set giveaway and the 5M4M UBP '10! If you have a minute to stay, but sure to check it out.

I've selected quotes this week on taxes. Have you filed yours?

If you make any money, the government shoves you in the creek once a year with it in your pockets, and all that don't get wet you can keep. ~Will Rogers

When there's a single thief, it's robbery. When there are a thousand thieves, it's taxation. ~Vanya Cohen

Taxation with representation ain't so hot either. ~Gerald Barzan

Taxes, after all, are dues that we pay for the privileges of membership in an organized society. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

The taxpayer - that's someone who works for the federal government but doesn't have to take the civil service examination. ~Ronald Reagan

America is a land of taxation that was founded to avoid taxation. ~Laurence J. Peter

I'm proud to pay taxes in the United States; the only thing is, I could be just as proud for half the money. ~Arthur Godfrey

The United States has a system of taxation by confession. ~Hugo Black

Why does a slight tax increase cost you two hundred dollars and a substantial tax cut save you thirty cents? ~Peg Bracken

What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue. ~Thomas Paine

Capital punishment: The income tax. ~Jeff Hayes

We must care for each other more, and tax each other less. ~Bill Archer

Thanks for stopping by today! Your comments always brighten my day :)
For more Quotable Sunday, visit A Daily Dose of Toni.

Aloha Friday

Greetings bloggy friends! Welcome to this edition of Aloha Friday, one of my favorite memes. Let's get right down to business shall we?

My question this week: Can you go home again? Do your parents still live in the house you grew up in?

Mine do not. I actually don't live far from where I grew up and our old house is still there, but my parents sold it when I was in high school. My husband's mother lives in the house he grew up in and we visit often. I know it means a lot to him to be able to go back, even if it's not the same as it used to be. Life does go on...
There are times when I really wish I could visit my old home and show my kids where I slept and played and opened Christmas presents. What about you? Can you go home again?

The Ultimate Blog Party 2010 With 5 Minutes For Mom - It's Here!

I'm so excited about the Ultimate Blog Party hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom. Thank you for stopping by Serendipity is Sweet! I am so glad you're here. I'm a mom of three expecting a 4th, a military wife and homeschooler, a great dane lover, a cookie monster and I blog to keep my sanity through the everyday madness of child rearing. You'll find lots of posts about homeschooling and educational resources, craft ideas, yummy recipes and an occasional product review and giveaway - I'm currently running one for a set of Rachael Ray Stone Bakers! Enter today - ends April 15th.

I look forward to visiting your blogs and getting to know my new friends.

Serendipity is Sweet is proud to sponsor one of the prizes again this year. I'll be giving away a set of children's DVD's from Little Leaders.

 The prize includes a set of two multi-language format children's DVD's (includes American Sign Language) from Little Leaders:

Little Noah introduces kids to amazing animals and offers English, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese and American Sign Language

Little Moses teaches counting to ten in English, Spanish, Italian, Danish and American Sign Language

Little Leaders offers fun and wholesome entertainment for kids ages 9 months and up. The coolest thing about these DVDs is that they are multi-language format, which means that you can select which language you want to learn each time you play them. So, you can watch it once and learn American Sign Language, then watch it later and learn Spanish! How cool is that?!

Be sure to visit The Ultimate Blog Party '10's page at 5 Minutes for Mom for more info about prizes and how to win! Comments on this post do not count as entries. The party starts on today!!! So, grab your party hat and don't miss out on all the fun!
Prizes I'd love to win: US 49 from Janice Yurek, from Robyn ~ Our Homeschool Home, US112, US32 from The Frugal Novice, US37 from Grocery Shop for FREE, US114 from Mary's Country Life, or USC15, USC25, USC32,, or USC35. I could go on and on...so many great prizes to choose from! Good luck to all who participate :)