Ok don't get to excited! Now that I have your attention!

I just wanted you to know that we are in the process of moving our

blog over to blogspot. Our new blog is located at www.LightsOnTheLake.blogspot.com

I have toyed with the idea of moving over the past year. But of course I did not want to

have to pack it all up. If anyone has ever blogged before you know why.

I have many archived entries here, and of course we have spent over 2 years here.

So I have so many records and blog entries. I hope to be able to move over many of them.

A couple reasons why we are moving:

1. Blogspot offers a very nice search field. So if you want to find something on our new blog it is

as easy as typing it in the search field.

2. The Entries are organized much better and easier to keep up with.

3. You can upload photos directly to the blog. Right now I spend alot of time uploading

to photobucket and then downloading to hsblogger.

I do have to admit that we have enjoyed our stay here. Homeschool blogger has been good to us and provided for our needs while we have been here. It is just that our needs have changed.

We hope to see you at our new site.

I have also moved our Little Hands Website over to blogspot as well.

You can now find us here.

A recent conversation (at the store check out) with Peyton reguarding Michael Jackson. (yesterday)

Peyton: "Look Mom! These magazines say Michael Jackson died. Look it says, "Who Killed Michael Jackson and who will get his kids?"

Me: "yeah"

Peyton: "Man he is all over these magazines, man, when he died he got famous."

Me: no response. Lol

Then earlier today:

I decide it is time for my kids to understand who Michael Jackson is. Since they are hearing it and seeing it everywhere. So I pull up youtube to show him a few videos/songs. I find "Beat It, "

Peyton says "Who is that?"

I (not understanding the question) say "Michael Jackson."

Peyton says "that's not Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson is white."

LOL

My SIL and nephew stopped overnight recently. She went to see my brother who is working in another state. It was great to get to visit with  My nephew, Nathaniel is 15 months old. He is so incredibly cute.

I taught the kids how to shuck corn. So now this cuts down on my work at dinner time. They have gotten really good at it.

I never saw corn cooked this way until I visited someone from Tennessee. You cook the corn in milk and let it evaporate and then add a little more. You continue this for about 20 minutes until it gets to a slight sticky consistency. (I usually add a little organic sugar just to sweeten it a bit.)

We had some work done to our deck. One of the main problems with the deck was that in order to get to the bottom deck or back yard, you had to exit the deck through the carport and walk around. The only other way was through the house.

The old deck 

Another big issue was that underneath it always stayed filthy from the rains. So we really never got to enjoy this area. Any furniture would be covered with pine needles and dirt.

The addition to deck as seen from the carport.  The deck was actually enlarged to a full rectangle and then the perch was added for the stairs. I wish I had a picture of this area before.

Yes you can see the new wood and old wood. We have alot of staining to do this fall. 

The stairs. 

View from the back. We plan to cover the ground around it all with rock later.  So all the area surrounding the deck the stairs and flower beds will all be rock. (Making dirt obsolete.)  

Then I plan to plant some nice plants and fountain grasses etc. in the area. And we will bring the furniture from upstairs down under here. Oh and we will be pressure washing that chimney too.

"We "meaning my dear husband.

As you can see it is covered. So now this area will be free of rain etc. (We still have a few more sheets of this vinyl stuff to add and need to do some caulking. ) We will also be adding a gutter. So my cushions on my patio chairs will stay dry and I don't have to take them in every day.  

I'm excited about getting it all finished, getting some new furniture upstairs and

us really being able to enjoy this space. (Isn't it funny now how rooms, porches and patios are now referred to as "spaces".  I think I watch too much HGTV.

Now doesn't that back area by the brick wall just seem to be calling out for a hot tub?

I think so too..

A couple weeks ago I threw together a quick garage sell. I noticed my neighbor had stuff laid out the night before. So I did a fast scramble for a few items. I did pretty well and made $85.00 in just a few morning hours.

DD also sold a couple toy sets and made $45.00. That evening we went to Build A Bear with friends

and this is how she spent the money. An added blessing was that she has a $10.00 off coupon.

                                      It doesn't make any noise but she did get it this cool Ipod so it could listen to tunes. 

  She also bought Beremy a small friend for it. 

Here she is with all her Buid A Bears. She has the original Heart Hugs bear, then she got the Spring Blossoms Bear, and this is the Summer Rainbow Bear. She wants to get the fall and Winter bears too.

Now before you think she is really spoiled. You have to know that she sold a lot of toys to get these.

Here is what she gave up (and I no longer have cluttering up my basement.)

A Play kitchen, with alot of food, dishes and shopping cart.

A huge Doll House with all accessories.

A small doll house with people and accessories.

A My Little Pony Butterfly Island with many ponies a case and accessories.

A My LIttle Pet Shop with critters and accessories.

She still has the My Little Pony Castle with many ponies and accesssories that we

plan to advertise soon.

So all these toys/ all that room, and now just 5 little bears! I am all for it!

Today we went to a local park. The rangers there led us on a canoe trip. We had a good time. I imagine that tomorrow I may feel the toll it put on my arms. It wasn't too terribly hot so it made it enjoyable.

We had a great time at the park this past week.

So now I am trying to post part of my to do list. We have officially ended one school year and won't start back until the 2nd week of August. Giving us a much needed 8 week break. This will allow us to take another 8 weeks off during the school year.

To Do:

Finish Homeschool Blast contest unit.

Keep Vision Therapy appointments 5 more weeks to go.

Take the kids to the pool. (Research if we should get a pool pass or not this year.)

VBS this week. I am leading 2nd grade.

Order Grammar Punk -done.

Get story cards and whatever else may be needed for program.

Research stains. (Keep researching deck stains.) I am about to pull my hair out over this one! Sigh.

Build a rock garden in the back.

Wash and stain the deck.

Get new deck furniture for up top.

Get a basic 6 week plan ready for Homeschool units to begin in August.

Order other curriculum for next year. (RR and Amazon)

Order shirts for Keepers.

Order materials for Keepers.

Finish cleaning back hallway closet.

I will add more later as I cross some items off!

Now everyone in the family will have to try and keep up with their glasses!

The kids were enjoying popcicles outside this afternoon.

You can see by my calendar that this month was a full one. Very few days were blank. (And of course those days were filled with house and yard work. The rest were meeting, school happenings, sports activities, etc. May isn't looking like it will have much down time either.

I found this flying disc for $2.00. They played with it for hours! Well worth the money spent! 

Well with Spring here and summer around the corner, I was ready for a new hairdo.

So I got it chopped. We spend alot of time at the pool in the summer and this will be

much easier to manage. 

I'm thinking about going blonder too! I just read that peroxide blonde is back in this year!

Hee Hee.

Now I just need to drop about 20 pounds so I won't feel so self conscious at the pool. Sigh!

They love to climb trees, and this dogwood is there favorite.

This week we took off from school for a much needed break!  Mom got a break from teaching.

Of course she had plenty of projects to do. Monday began with shampooing all the upstairs carpets.

Tuesday she worked in the yard by mowing.

Here is today's line up... 

I have to admit, it is pretty nice to have your number two priority be-watch a movie.

I rented it Monday and have to return it this evening, so I have got to make time to watch it.

I really haven't had much time to play with my Circut, though I did cut a few things out last night.

I would watch a Youtube video and then try it myself.

Tomorrow we have Co-Op, and afterwards the Hiking and Camping Class is meeting

for a Hike and weenie roast, and smores. They will do everything except actually camp out.

Then on Friday our Nature Study Group Meets, so this week has been pretty busy.

I could use another week off for a few other projects and some school planning.

But I may just use some afternoons next week for that.

(Since I really want to take another week off sometime in May.)

Dh took some friends fishing this month, here is the page I made for it.

I just love Scrapbook Factory Deluxe!

Here is a page of our recent family fishing adventure on the river. We had alot of fun and we caught quite a few. I caught over 10 white bass myself, probably somewhere between 15-20. It had been years since I had fished and they were biting this good! 

Dh and his friend Keith went fishing.

They got on a bunch of white bass.

Here is dh and Keith estatic. Dh caught over 60 and Keith caught over 20.

Here is a smaller one.

The limit is 15 per day per person. So they were able to take home 30.

They barely fit in the cooler. 

We were up until midnight last night, cleaning them. Well dh cut them up, I just washed them off.

After fileting there isn't quite as much.  

But it will get us started!

We have some hybrid in the freezer to add to it.

So we have got this planned for the first pretty Saturday that comes along!

I can't wait!

Dh and Ds on the cover with a Monster Bass!

Well not really, it was taken at BPS, but it looks pretty real.