Nineteen Years Ago Today.....

It is hard to believe that today my oldest son is 18 1/2 years old. Nineteen years ago to today I found out that I was going to be a mother. Exactly 6 months later, he came into the world, way ahead of schedule, fighting for his life. Harder to believe is that my "baby" will soon be having a baby of his own. It isn't the path I would have chosen for him, to be a teen father, but as with so many of the paths in his life, there was no choice on my part. I wouldn't have chosen for him to be a preemie, for him to develop hydrocephalus, for him to have to endure numerous hospitalizations, seizures and brain surgeries, but I know he will travel this path well. He will be a wonderful father, as he has been lead by his wonderful father, and in my opinion nothing beats having a shining example to follow! Sarah will be a wonderful mother, she will turn 21 in August, the same age I was when I gave birth to Brett and a year older than her mother was when she gave birth to her. I always knew I would be a young grandmother, simply because I had given birth young, but I never thought it would be before my 40th birthday! I never thought that it would be possible to love a child that I hadn't given birth to the way I love my own children, but I have found that I definitely can! I have fallen hard for this baby.

And before you begin to think that this news is something that was just recently imparted upon us, let me set the record straight. The day Brett found out Sarah was pregnant he came and told us immediately. That would have been the day after Thanksgiving! I suspected that something might be up from a few things he had said in the few days prior to it, so maybe that softened the news! He didn't try to hide it or make excuses. He came to the adults in his life and explained the situation and enlisted their support. I would have NEVER done the same thing in his situation, heck to this day I wouldn't enlist my mother's help for anything, well at least not for anything life altering. I credit the strong relationship he has with his family and the fact that he knows we love him unconditionally with him coming to us first. Yes, he knew we wouldn't be happy, but he also knew that we would support and help him on this new path. It probably took Jay the longest to adjust, but he has! It probably took him a week to be able to talk to Brett, and I think that hurt Brett the most, knowing that his father was disappointed in him. Brett told me he was surprised, he thought I would take it harder than Jay did, I guess that was meant to be a compliment...lol. I just decided that today was the day that I would share this with everyone as I mused on my 19 years of motherhood!

So the specifics.....baby is due August 3rd according to Sarah's calculations and July 27th according that little magic wheel. So sometime around the middle of this summer my grandchild will make his or her appearance and will be born into 2 families that are eagerly waiting! What more could you ask for a child?

I would have never thought 19 years ago...as I experienced my "first" mother's day as an expectant mom what the next 19 years would bring....who would have been about to anticipate the love, joy, laughter and pain? Nine kids? Child led weaning? Family bed? No vaccinations? Homeschooling? If you had told me that then, I would have laughed at you! It has been an amazing journey......I can't wait to see what the next 19 years have to bring!

Greenacres Wildflower Program

We attended another wonderful program at Greenacres yesterday! For the first time I got to go over and hike the "big trail" across the road. It was a wonderful hike, warm enough for summer clothes, but cool enough that you weren't drenched in sweat by the end of the hike. There were tons of beautiful wildflowers and a large variety of fungi! Will was disappointed that we didn't encounter a snake, but we did see an adorable little toad! Hope you enjoy the slideshow!

Things to do this Summer

I am signed up for MANY email newsletter on a variety of subjects, parenting, mothering, photography, scrapbooking and of course homeschooling. Many I signed up for a long time ago and rarely every really read, but one that came into my inbox today caught my eye "101 Things To Do This Summer" from Homeschool.com (I am in no way endorsing this newsletter, it if far too schooly for this unschool chick, but for once it contained something I found incredibly interesting!)......I think what I liked was that everything had a link with more info in it, although I will admit that MANY of the links I clicked into looked rather DRY and COMPLICATED but you still have to give credit to anyone who would spend time finding sites to support each of their ideas.....

It contained some INCREDIBLY COOL ideas for summer like:
Make a scrapbook of everything you do this summer The Basics of Scrapbooking www.betterphoto.com/photography-for-kids.asp

Compare a book to a movie Compare and Contrast Essay (PDF) www.csudh.edu

Write a poem 30 Days of Poetry www.msrogers.com/English2/poetry/30_days_of_poetry.htm

Sketch a picture of your house from the outside Perspective Drawing www.artyfactory.com/perspective_drawing/perspective_1.htm NOTE FROM ME: COOL IDEA, not so cool link!

Learn how to make a movie Digital Movie Making for Kids http://www.adobe.com/education/digkids/intro_video/making_of_movie.html NOTE FROM ME: COOL IDEA, horrible link, far too complicated for any kid in my house!

Create a web site Lissa Explains HTML for Kids www.lissaexplains.com/

Make an obstacle course in your back yardHow To Set Up An Obstacle Course www.ehow.com/how_3113_set-obstacle-course.html

Build a tree house The Tree House Guide www.thetreehouseguide.com/

Have family game nightsWhat Game Should We Play?http://www.hasbro.com/familygamenight/en_US/

Make a collage from magazine words and pictures Collage http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/do/collage.html

Make up bubble solution and have a contest Casey Carle's "Secret" Bubble Solutions www.bubblemania.com/faq/solution.html

Host a yard sale How to Plan a Yard Sale www.ehow.com/how_137461_yard-garage-sale.html

Invent your own board game Design Your Own Board Game http://www.essortment.com/all/boardgamedesig_rxcu.htm

Make your own comic book Comic Creator http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/comic/

Tie-dye some t-shirts How to Tie-Dye http://www.essortment.com/all/tiedyedyefa_rmel.htm

Learn some new outdoor games Games Kids Play www.gameskidsplay.net/

Make something from recyclables Crafts from Recycled Products www.makingfriends.com/recycle.htm

Organize a scavenger hunt Outdoor Scavenger Hunts www.lovetheoutdoors.com/camping/kids/scavengerhunt.htm

Write a fairy tale Fractured Fairy Tales http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/fairytales/

Create your own holiday A Month With No Holidays? Make Up Your Own!www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson018.shtml


And some REALLY LAME ideas:
Blow up balloons, put notes inside and hand themout to friendsMessage in a Balloonwww.nmhct.nhs.uk/pharmacy/nmha-activities.html HAVE YOU NEVER HEARD OF LATEX ALLERGIES?????

Make a fire planHome Fire Safetywww.usfa.fema.gov/kids/flash.shtm PLEASE TELL ME YOU ALREADY HAVE ONE? I am surprised they didn't tell us to make sure we had changed our smoke detector batteries too!

Get a magazine subscription (parent permission) Magazine Listing www.magsonthenet.com/chilmag.html This just seems like a LAME thing to put on a list with so many COOL ideas.....come on now...maybe something like CREATE your own magazine, or COMPILE a newsletter with your friends, but encouraging magazine subscriptions????

Donate some of the toys and clothes you no longer use How To Donate Toys www.ehow..com/how_10124_donate-toys-children.html COME ON? You really need to put this on a list, especially a list geared to homeschoolers? Most homeschoolers I know are frugal and pass items on on an ongoing basis. And that there is a WEBSITE telling you HOW to donate items? Well someone had WAY TOO MUCH TIME on their hands!

Spend time with your grandparents 10 Great Activities www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson136.shtml OK? Obviously the author doesn't know the ONE grandparent my children have! But seriously, someone needs to TELL YOU to spend time with your grandparents????

Rent a video of a ballet Easy to Read Profiles of the Histories of Ballets classicalmusic.about.com/od/historyofballet/ Hey GRANT, JACOB AND CADE...wanna watch a DVD of some guys in tights? If you are going to SUGGEST a BALLET, at least encourage families to GO TO A REAL BALLET...even small towns have local ballet companies, why stick kids in front of a TV when they can experience first hand????

Adopt a pet (parent permission) http://www.petfinder.com/ NEED I EXPLAIN THIS ONE???

But it got me thinking.......and I decided to come up with a list of my own!
Letterboxing: http://www.letterboxing.org/ or http://www.atlasquest.com/

Geocaching: Wanna go a little more high tech? http://www.geocaching.com/

Explore a local creek, pond, stream or river: We are lucky, the Little Miami River is just blocks from our house http://www.littlemiamiriver.org/ but there are plenty of creeks, streams and waterways ripe for exploring. For a free guide we really like a copy of Stream Insects and Crustaceans located on pages 9 &10 of this pdf http://www.mostreamteam.org/activity_guide/ST%20Act.%20Guide%20activities/ST%20Act%20Guide%20p%20119-128%20aqua%20stream.pdf I printed it off and lamenated a couple of copies! If you are more the already made/ full color kind of person, our favorite guide is a lamenated trifold entitled PondWatchers: Guide to Ponds and Vernal Pools of Eastern North America ISBN 0-932691-14-5

Go for a bike ride : We are lucky, we live blocks from the Loveland Bike Trail http://www.lovelandbiketrail.com/ but there are plenty of other great places to ride bikes. Do you remember being a kid and riding your bike EVERYWHERE? Recapture that feeling of freedom with your children!

Take in a local youth, highschool or college BASEBALL game: don't live in a city with a major league team or live in a city with a team but can't afford the big league prices? I find youth, highschool and college baseball to be just as exciting (if not moreso since the players tend to be passionate about the game and aren't there for a paycheck) and the admission fee (if there is one at all) if far more reasonable than the MAJORS....you can get in the whole family (and I am talking a family the size of mine) for less than one ticket to a professional game. We are fortunate to live close enough to a WONDERFUL youth baseball complex http://www.tealtownballpark.org/ and just about any day you can find exciting action on at least one field. OK I would avoid the T-BALL games on Friday nights!

Bowling: Many bowling alleys participate in FREE BOWLING in the summer http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/. If you aren't near one of these bowling alleys, check out your local alley for great summer deals. Our favorite alley, Cherry Grove Lanes (http://cglanes.com/) doesn't do the free bowling, but has great summer deals..
Rollback Days Monday - Saturday
May 4th to Aug 22nd Noon - 5 pm
$1.75 Game Open Bowling
$1 Shoe Rental, Hot Dog & Soft Drink

Free Movies: This was by far one of my favorite summer activities, I can't afford to take my gang to the movies, so this is a real treat! Last year both local theater chains that participated also offered specials on popcorn/pop during these shows.

Rave Motion Pictures: http://www.ravemotionpictures.com/ffff.asp
All Rave Motion Pictures locations nationwide will host the Free Family Film Festival 2009. All locations will play these movies on the dates listed:
June 9 & 10 Kung Fu Panda PG 92 minutes
June 16 & 17 Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa PG 89 minutes
June 23 & 24 Surf's Up PG 85 minutes
June 30 & July 1 The Tale of Despereaux G 90 minutes
July 7 & 8 Horton Hears A Who! G 86 minutes
July 14 & 15 Space Chimps G 81 minutes
July 21 & 22 Igor PG 87 minutes
July 28 & 29 Shrek the Third PG 93 minutes
ALL MOVIES START AT 10AM

Regal Theater Group: http://www.regmovies.com/nowshowing/familyfilmfestivalschedule.aspx you have to check the website for your local theater, here is the listing for the one we attend, they offer 2 choices most week!:

Deerfield Stadium 16 5500 Deerfield Blvd Mason ,OH 45040 513-770-3186
06/16/2009-06/17/2009 Kit Kittredge: American Girl (G) AND Star Wars: Clone Wars (PG)
06/23/2009-06/24/2009 Everyone's Hero (G) AND Inkheart (PG)
06/30/2009-07/01/2009 Space Chimps (G) AND Kung Fu Panda (PG)
07/07/2009-07/08/2009 Charlotte's Web (G) AND Journey To The Center Of The Earth (PG)
07/14/2009-07/15/2009 Horton Hears A Who (G) AND Firehouse Dog (PG)
07/21/2009-07/22/2009 Wallace And Gromit (G) AND Evan Almighty (PG)
07/28/2009-07/29/2009 Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: Veggie Tale Movie (G) AND Alvin And The Chipmunks (PG)
08/04/2009-08/05/2009 Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (G)
08/11/2009-08/12/2009 March Of The Penguins (G) AND Igor (PG)
Selected G & PG movies start at 10AM each Tuesday and Wednesday during the festival. First-come, first-served seating is limited to theatre capacity. The Free Family Film Festival is safe, lots of fun and a great way for kids to spend a weekday morning in the summer.

OK....enough for now....I will add more later!

Spring has definitely SPRUNG here, we are at the baseball fields just about anytime it isn't raining. I love baseball season, being in the sun, the company, the excitement of the game. Grant (13) played last night and the game was a real nail biter....we were winning 2-0 in the top of the 7th (we play 7 inning games) and the other team scored 4 runs, so when we got up to bat, we were trailing 4-2.......the boys managed to rally and come back, winning 5-4.....our team went undefeated last season, and it was funny to watch the crowd gather last night as news spread around the park that we were losing a game! Tonight, if the rain stops and the fields are playable, Cade (9) has a game! And if it doesn't rain tomorrow, another game for Cade...a makeup for one of the many rainouts already this season!



















Dance season is winding down. Our final competition of the season is this weekend, we will be at the competition, Friday night, all day Saturday (literally from 6 AM to midnight) and Sunday from 7 AM to 11:30 PM.....I love watching the kids dance, but I am not looking forward to the schedule! The girls are trying to decide what the want to do next year, so there is a POSSIBILITY that they may not be competing next year....Emily is looking into taking more classic ballet training and Hannah is just fed up with the hypocrisy at our current studio. It is funny to watch them navigate this new path... approaching new studios and instructors and watching the reaction when they realize that it isn't ME they (new studios) have to impress, it is my daughters...I don't think most people are comfortable with children making decisions, they tend to look to the adult/parent. I like to witness their reaction when they realize that the decision is firmly in the hands of my children.

I love being able to get outside again. We had a blast hanging out at the park this past Monday...Luke just LOVES playing on the playground equipment now, it is so cute to watch him run around with excitement and explore everything! We typically tend to hang out in the Loveland/Milford area but when we were heading home, the boys told me that they are wanting to explore some different parks. They film their own videos called DKK (Dumbest Kids You Know) for youtube (along with their friend Chris and any stray kids they can rope into participating!) and Grant informed me that they had "worn out" that park! Wonder if it was the park or the cop that "visited" with them while they were filming their stupid stunts?

I am going to try to get better about updating things here....I feel so bad when I don't add anything for days or weeks at a time...I think about BLOGGING all the time, I just don't get around to it!

My HOMESCHOOLING PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE:

HSN Parent Networking Night: GETTING STARTED HOMESCHOOLING!
When:Wednesday, May 13 6 to 8 PM
Where: Madeira Library Meeting Room 7200 Miami Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45243
Cost: Free
Who: Adults with an interest in home education, attached infants, interested teens. You do not need to be a HSN member to attend. Feel free to bring a friend who has expressed interest in homeschooling!

RSVP: Deanne at HSN_cincy@yahoo.com

Are you thinking about homeschooling or just getting started? We invite you to join us as we do our best to answer your questions and help with the basics, such as: Where do I begin?, How and Who do I notify?, What do families do all day?, Do I need to spend a lot of money?, What about a social life?, Does homeschooling work for teenagers?, Can homeschoolers get into college?

We encourage experienced homeschoolers to join us also. Come share what you know about Home Education with others!

Please pass this information onto anyone you know who’s considering homeschooling, or just getting started with it.

Directions
From the North:
Exit I-71 at Montgomery Road exit (#12).
Left on Montgomery Road
Right on Hosbrook
Left on Euclid Avenue
Library is on the left.

From the South:
Exit I-71 at Kenwood Road (exit 11)
Right on Kenwood
Left on Euclid Avenue
Library is on the left.

My friend Deanne, her son Chris and three of my boys Jacob, Cade and Grant were heading to a fieldtrip when the minivan they were in was blindsided by a car that ran a redlight, going about 45 MPH......everyone appears to be OK, a little bruised up but OK..... when I went to the accident scene the cop thought I was nuts when he asked me if I was OK and I responded "YES, I am FINE, I am picking them UP from an accident"....I don't think he understood that in my mind, being able to pick them up beat any alternative.....they could have been seriously injured or killed. The woman (I am using this lightly, I am not having very pleasant thoughts about this woman right now) driving the other car didn't even apply her brakes...there wasn't a skidmark or anything in the road and her car went STRAIGHT into the side of the minivan......the van was hit dead on the passenger side, right on the front passenger door and at the beginning of the sliding door, Cade (my 9 year old) was in the seat by the door that was hit.

So if you all could send healing thoughts to Deanne, Chris, Jacob, Cade and Grant I would appreciate it. And pray that this all works out without too much hassle, as the "woman" is saying she didn't run a red light, unfortunately NONE of the witnesses to the accident even bothered to pull over and of course it is about the only intersection without one of those stupid traffic camera. Add a prayer that any witness might decide to call the police and say what happened. Both Grant (my 13 year old) and her son Chris, saw the car coming at them, so he seems a bit more shaken up than the other boys!

Grant's 13th Birthday Scavenger Hunt!

We resurrected the scavenger hunt from Emily's birthday and invited all the boys for Grant's basketball team as well as some of his friends for basketball and football and decided to throw a party! We added a couple of new rules (everyone had to be in at least one picture) and gave everyone 1 1/2 hours to hunt and make it back to the house! The winning team was team #3! Special thanks to my neighbor who let one of the teams into his house and into his shower and to all the local business owners and local residents who helped the kids out!

Here is the updated scavenger hunt list:
Take a picture of your team by a police car (10 pt) (10 pt extra is including a police officer)
Take a picture with a total stranger. Your team must be in the classic "YMCA" pose (15 pt)
Take a picture of your team riding a lawn mower (15 pt)
Take a picture of a horse (10 pt)
Take a picture of your team in a shower CAN NOT be the Riesenberg's shower! (10 pt) Collect a sample of play sand (5 pt)
Take a picture of your team climbing a tree (10 pt)
Take a picture of your entire team on a playground slide (10 pt)
Take a picture of your team doing the chicken dance in front of a stop sign (15 pt) Take a picture of your team holding different kinds of balls (10 pt)
Take a picture of your team next to construction equipment (5 pt)
Collect a real estate magazine/book (5 pt) Collect a feather (10 pt)
Take a picture of one of your team mates drinking from a water fountain (5 pt)
Take a picture shaking hands with a bearded man (15 pt)
Take a picture of your team on a fire truck (20 pt)
Take a picture giving an older person a hug (15 pt)
Take a picture of your team mates with paper cones on their heads (10 pt)
Get the following coins from 6 different people (other than team members): $0.01 $0.05 $0.10 $0.25 $1.00 (3 pt per coin) Bonus points if you get them all (10 bonus pt)
Get a picture of some walking their dog can NOT be the Riesenberg’s dog (5pt) Picture of someone in work attire (5 pt)
Picture of someone on your team mimicing a statue (statue must be in the picture)( 5 pt)
Picture of someone on your team knee high in the river (10 pt)
Picture of someone on your team in a garbage can (10 pt)
Picture of a member of your team pumping a stranger's gasoline (15 pt)
Picture of someone with more than 4 children with them, children must be in picture (10 pt)
Picture of your team doing a human pyramid (10 pt)
Trade a piece of clothing with a stranger (15 pt)Must have a photo to prove trade. You DO NOT have to keep the clothing!
Get a random person's phone number (10 pt)
Get a cup from a restaurant and get it autographed by the employee that gives it to you (15 pt)
Collect a shopping bag from a local store (5 pt)
Collect something red ( 5 pt)
Collect a receipt from a local restaurant (10 pt)
Get a piece of sidewalk chalk and write all your names down at the Riesenberg's house. (10 pt)
Find someone who was born in another country (other than someone in your group). (10 pt)
Get a sea shell (5 pt)
See how many signatures you can get. (1 pt per signature)
Get a free informational pen (must have company's information on it) (5 points)
A family recipe from a local resident (20 points)
Take a picture of someone wearing sandals and socks (5 points)
Take a picture of your team making a "G" with their bodies (10 points)
Fit your whole team into one bathroom stall (5 points)
Find a coke tab (5 points)
A picture of your team doing either handstands or cartwheels in a field (10 points) Someone sliding into second base (5 points)
A team member jumping off a swing (5 points)
Get a photo of a stranger dancing (10 points)
Collect a movie stub (10 points) Take a picture of your team reading a newspaper upside down on a park bench (10 points)
A picture of someone riding a bike with training wheels (5 pt)

Hopefully this works....

The Children's Civil War/ JAMES A. RAMAGE CIVIL WAR MUSEUM

This program was originally scheduled for last fall and had to be rescheduled.

What: The Children's Civil War/ JAMES A. RAMAGE CIVIL WAR MUSEUM

When: Friday, April 17, 2009 10 AM. Program will last approximately one hour and 15 minutes and include a guided tour of the Museum.

Where: 1402 Highland Avenue , Fort Wright, KY 41011 (directions below)

Who: Program is geared to students of gradeschool age (Grades K-6) but is open to all homeschoolers grade K and above. The maximum number of students is 30. Toddlers CAN NOT participate in the program, but the museum is located within a park.

Costs: $3 per participating student. Adults free

RSVP to: Laura

Note: The museum is located in a park We plan to pack lunch and picnic and play following the program, weather permitting.


The Children's Civil War
Program Description: This program focuses solely on how children's lives in both the North and the South were affected by the Civil War. This is a very engaging program that allows students a chance to relate how their lives today vary so much from their Civil War era ancestors. Imagine telling students about the daily chores and general welfare of African-American slave children. Inquire about what sort of chores children do today and compare them with the chores children were responsible for during the war. Students' faces after learning they were responsible for dumping the chamber pots are unforgettable. Talk about fashion, have little girls try on a hoop skirt and ask them if they see any dangers in wearing this type of skirt, do they like it? Have little boys try to put old fashioned suspenders on and see their reactions. The goal of the program is to allow students the opportunity to learn about the lifestyles and the roles that children played during the Civil War. Discover the sacrifices that had to be made, and explore their daily home life and rediscover what it would be like to observe the warfront in your own backyard.

Program Goals:
Students will be able to compare their lives and the lives of children living during the Civil War Students will observe and gain in understanding of the home front, the
lifestyles and hardships of the average American citizen during the Civil War Students should be able to relate how war impacted the lives of all American
children during the Civil War Era

Suggested Pre-Visit Activities:
Lead a discussion about the Civil War, discuss the various factors that lead to the beginning of the Civil War Brainstorm what roles children may have had in the Civil War, how did the civil war affect their lives? Research children's roles during the Civil War, what were some of theirresponsibilities, did any of them serve as soldiers? Discuss how war has impacted our economy over the centuries

Suggested Post Visit Activities:
Have students write a letter to a solider, students can write letters to a current solider serving in the armed forces today, or they can write a period letter to a Civil War solider Have students discuss what chores they are responsible for today and then discuss how the roles of children have changed since the beginning of the
Civil War Make homemade hand dipped candles or homemade soap with the class

Suggested Resources:
Damon, Duane. Growing Up In The Civil War, 1861 to 1865.
Minneapolis, Minnesota: Lerner Publications Company, 2003.
Herbert, Janis. The Civil War for Kids.
Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Review Press, Incorporated, 1999.
Pioneer Thinking, How to make hand dipped candles:
http://www.pioneerthinking.com/dipped.html

Teacher Resources:
Channing, Steven A. The Civil War Confederate Ordeal
Alexandria, Virginia: Time-Life Books, 1984.
Smith, George Winston & Charles Judah. Life in the North During the Civil
War.
Albuquerque, New Mexico: The University of New Mexico Press.

Museum's website: http://fortwright.com/index.asp?page=museum


Directions:


From I-75 Northbound take Exit 189 - Kyles Lane. Turn right onto Kyles Lane and proceed 0.3 miles to traffic light and turn left. At first stop sign, turn left onto Highland Avenue. Proceed 0.75 miles to the Community of Faith Presbyterian Church on left. Please park in the church parking lot.

From I-75 Southbound take Exit 189 - Kyles Lane. Turn left onto Kyles Lane and proceed 0.4 miles to traffic light and turn left. At first stop sign, turn left onto Highland Avenue. Proceed 0.75 miles to the Community of Faith Presbyterian Church on left. Please park in the church parking lot.

Handicapped Parking is available at the Museum. Follow directions above, but go only 0.7 miles down Highland Avenue - you will see a driveway to your left, follow that driveway to the top, Handicapped parking is to the left, next to the building.

What a beautiful day for a shoot-out!

I am talking PHOTOGRAPHY! Nancy, Fredrik and I ventured downtown and shot some pictures in and around Findlay Market....

This cheapy digital scrapbooking program came with the new printer we bought so I thought I would play with it. I created this page in honor of Cade's 9th birthday! It was super easy to make the page, I can understand why people fall in love with digital scrapbooking! I don't plan to give up all my paper supplies anytime soon, but making digital pages to post on the internet might become a new addiction!

It's hard to believe that the FREE summer offers are already popping up! Here is a great offer for FREE BOWLING if you happen to live anywhere close to any of these bowling alleys. We went last year and it was GREAT rainy day fun or a retreat from the blasing sun, the bowling alley wasn't crowded at all...unfortunately it was a bit too far to drive very often!

Check out the Kids Bowl Free Program!
http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/

You can bowl free throughout the week, starting May 1 - Sept. 30, with your kids!!!! Includes 2 free games a day per kid! Includes locations all throughout Ohio. Sure wish I lived near one of the participating bowling centers!

Note, you do have to sign-up and pre-register your kids for available spots.

Here's the info from the Kids Bowl Free Website: http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/

" Select bowling centers and schools around the country are participating in the first ever “Kids Bowl Free” program. This program is designed by bowling centers to give back to the community and provide a safe, secure, and fun way for kids to spend time this summer.

Children whose age does not exceed a limit by a participating bowling center are eligible to register for 2 free games a day, all summer long, courtesy of the particpating bowling centers along with the schools and organizations"

Additional Opportunity
In order to accomodate parents and older children in your family that may like to bowl, the participating bowling centers are offering a Family Pass. The Family Pass provides the same great "2 games a day" package for up to 4 adult family members for a one-time payment from $23.95.

Last night my photo class had a potluck gathering to celebrate (or bemoan) the departure of our fellow classmate Fredrik who is returning to his native Sweden in less than two weeks. We all brought a dish to share and I took my cheesy potatoes. Everyone asked for the recipe and I thought I would post it here as well since it is such a quick dish to prepare and take to those summer cookouts.

Here is the recipe...of course I removed ALL the calories from it before bringing it anywhere!

1 bag of frozen hash brown/diced potatoes
16 oz velvetta cheese (I buy the large package and use 1/2 of it)
2 cups mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
onion (I didn't add last night and usually use those dried/minced onions in a pinch, your guess is as good as mine!)

Melt velvetta in the microwave...I usually go about 3 minutes, stir it and then go another 2 minutes. Once it is melted, stir in the mayonnaise and add the potatoes, salt and pepper (and onions if using them). Spread the mixture into a 9x13 pan, cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes and then uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes to lightly brown the top.

Great FREE fieldtrip to the Apple Computer Store!

We had the pleasure of taking part in an absolutely AWESOME FREE workshop offered at our local Apple Computer Store today. Our coordinator was Brian M and he was wonderful working with the kids and keeping everyone inspired and on task. We learned how to make iMovies and my kids (Hannah, Emily, Grant, Jacob and Cade) are now addicted. I can see an iMac in our future, hopefully we can work one into the budget before our current desktop completely gives up the ghost. Brian mentioned to the kids that he could also do a music workshop with them sometime in the future, they can't wait for me to schedule it. On top of the great fun of the workshop, the kids all left with free t-shirts and a dvd copy of the video they produced. It was amazing how quickly they all caught on, especially given that none of them had any iMac/Apple computer experience before today.

A few pictures:

Ballerina Girl!

Sophia humored me and let me take pictures of her for my photography class. She loves to dance and is so beautiful to watch, even at her young age. Emily let her use her prized possession, her first pointe shoes, for the pictures. I really like how these turned out!

What: History Hunters Tour of City Hall
When: Friday, March 20, 2009 10 AM
Where: Cincinnati City Hall 801 Plum St. Cincinnati, OH 45202, meet at the information desk Who: Homeschoolers of all ages: Tour limited to 30 participants
RSVP: to Laura with the number of people attending

The tour consists of a guided tour through City Hall. You will learn about the rich culture of Cincinnati through the images in the beautifully detailed stained glass windows. In addition, you will learn about the workings of Cincinnati's city government and the Romanesque design of the building. The tour will last about one hour.

I stumbled upon the information about this tour quite by accident but figured it fit well into our history hunter theme of exploring interesting historic places in and around the Cincinnati area. Our tourguide was a wealth of information and for the most part managed to hold the attention of our VERY LARGE group. We had about 40 people (yes, some people showed up without RSVPing!) but the group was well behaved! The building is AMAZING on the inside, you don't really realize from the outside just how grand the building is. We got to go into the office of the mayor and the city manager and also sit in the city council meeting room.

Thanks to my friend Stephanie for this AWESOME tag! Have to hate gmail for not letting me put it in my siggy line!

Great list of local places to take pictures!




Thanks to my friend Debbie for this AWESOME list of places in and around the Cincinnati area for possible opportunities to take pictures. Some are events (with dates listed), other are just great locations that might inspire your creativity! If you happen to have any other great ideas for photos in the Cincinnati area, post a comment here and I will add them to the list!

St. Patrick's Day Parade March 14, 2009
●Starts on Eighth Street and Broadway, down Eighth to Vine street, Vine to Fifth
street and Fifth to Sentinel. Viewing stand by Fountain Square http://www.cincinnatisaintpatrickparade1.netfirms.com/

Red’s Opening Day Parade
●Downtown Cincinnati April 6, 2009

Flower Show
●April 18-26, 2009 Symmes Township Park instead of at Coney 11600 North Lebanon Road http://www.symmestownship.org/


Krohn Conservatory
●Butterfly Show - Flowers with Wings - India
Sat, April 18, 10am – Sun, June 21, 2009, 5pm

●Fall Floral Show - Backyard Birds & Wildlife
Sept. 12 – Nov 1, 2009


●Winter Floral Show - A Swedish Holiday
Nov 21, 2009 – Jan 3, 2010


Airports/Air Shows
●Blue Ash Airport/Airport Days
●Clermont County Airport
●Dayton Air Show July 18-19, 2009 Thunderbirds are scheduled to perform.
Available for an extra fee: Phototour/Photopit passes http://www.usats.org/
●Wright Patterson Air Force Museum—free admission http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/
●Lunken Airport

Cemeteries
●Spring Grove Cemetery http://www.springgrove.org/ gates open at 8 AM
●Mt. Moriah Cemetery (in Withamsville--close to I-275 at the Beechmont Ave exit) The Cemetery is open to the public from dawn to dusk every day. http://www.union-township.oh.us/index.php?id=mm§ion=rules

Sports
●Paul Brown Stadium
●Great American Ball Park
Amusement Parks
●King’s Island opens April 19 http://www.visitkingsisland.com/
●Old Coney

Fairs/Festivals (2009 dates)
●Bock Fest—March 6-8 http://www.bockfest.com/
●Brown County Fair Sept. 28-October 3
●Clermont County Fair July 26-August 1
●Ohio State Fair July 29-August 9
●Old West Festival Williamsburg OH September 12-October 1, 2009 Weekends only 10AM-6 PM http://www.oldwestfestival.com/
●Taste of Cincinnati May 23-25
●Rubber Duck Regatta—OH river
●Riverfest Sunday September 6
●Octoberfest Zinzinnati September 19-20
●The Ohio Valley Antique Machinery Show August 6-9
●Brown County Quilt Barn and Covered Bridge Tours
http://county.brown.oh.us/tourism/pdf/Cover.pdf

At Old Coney
●Appalachian Festival May 8-10 2009
●Summerfair May 29-31 2009
●Cruise a palooza Saturday Sept 5 car show
●Fall O Ween Festival Sept 27-Oct 4 weekends only noon-6pm

Hot Air Balloons
●Balloon glow at Coney Friday July 3, 2009
●Balumineria—Eden Park usually in November

Parks
●Ault Park http://www.blogger.com/
●The Friendship Park
●Sawyer Point
●Devou Park—Northern KY
●Mt. Adams Reindog Parade
●Cincinnati Nature Center http://www.cincynature.org/
●Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum—Hamilton OH
they are having a juried photo contest http://www.pyramidhill.org/
●Highlands Sanctuary www.highlandssanctuary.org/
●Beech Acres Skate Park—Beechmont Avenue

Landmarks/Points of Interest
●Carew Tower Observation Deck 241-3888 Hours vary –admission charged
●Union Terminal—Museum Center
●Cincinnati Zoo Zoobabies May 2009 Festival of Lights Nov 27-Jan 3
●Findlay Market
●Cincinnati Fire Museum—call for hours as they vary $7 admission
●Cincinnati Heritage Tours (In the summer) Walking tours of historic Cincinnati
●American Sign Museum
●Granny's Garden on the grounds of Loveland Elementary and Primary Schools,
so you can't go during school hours, but late day, weekends and summer you
can go any time. Roberta (aka Granny) is WONDERFUL! Here is a link to her
webpage http://www.grannysgardenschool.com/
●Loveland Castle 12025 Shore Rd Loveland, OH 45140 683-4686.
http://www.lovelandcastle.com/
●River Downs
●Fountain Square

Out of Town
●Hocking Hills
●Lexington
●Louisville
●Columbus /Columbus Zoo
●Yellow Springs OH
●Portsmouth OH

Here are a few pictures I took the other day down at Krohn Conservatory the other day. It is so nice to be inside a nice warm conservatory on a dreary winter day. Right now is the pre-spring flower show, the tulips looked a little sad, but I was happy with the daffodil, orchid and gerber daisy shots!

OUR BIG SHOW!

The turnout was absolutely AMAZING at our photo show opening last night! You couldn't even see across the coffee shop, it was that crowded. Since I had made the intial contact with the coffee shop and set everything up, I had been a bit apprehensive that it might just end up being the eight of us from the class and our teacher at the show. I was pleasantly surprised (as was the coffee shop, it was their busiest day EVER!)! I had a great time as did everyone in the class. As a group we sold three pieces, I have someone interested in buying one of mine as well, we will see if it comes through or not!

Our first show...hopefully the first of MANY!

Here is the text from the poster we displayed at the doorway.....

Eight random individuals of various backgrounds and life stages come together every Thursday night with a common purpose… to share their love of photography.

On their journey, they conquer the elements and make time stand still. They understand that taking the perfect picture is not for the timid and doesn’t happen by chance.

Tonight they invite you to take an eclectic journey through the help of their steady hands, keen eyes, and relentless persistence.

What once was referred to as eight random strangers now stands before you as … The Thursday Night Photographers : Nancy, Fredrik, Shelby, Debbie, Tana, Laura, Janet, and Wally

Please proceed to the exhibit and freely ask them about their grand adventures.

Tonight’s Exhibit: Eclectography

A special thanks to Steve Floro for his inspiration and dedication to the art of photography.

My First Photography Show!

This Saturday night (Jan 24th) my photography class is hosting a photography show at Heaven's Roast from 5-7 PM. Heaven's Roast is located at 6416 Branch Hill Guinea Pike Loveland, OH 45140. To get there take I-275 to the Wards Corner Exit, if coming from points west turn left at the end of the exit ramp and then turn right at the second traffic light (there is a pool place on the corner)...if coming from points east, turn right at the top of the exit ramp and then right at the first light. Follow the road for a while (maybe a mile or mile and 1/2) and you will see a sports bar (Shooters) and a National City Bank on your left, you need to turn into the driveway that takes you into the strip mall area after you pass the bank, but before you get to UDF (which sits on the corner), if you get to the traffic light, you have gone too far. Heaven's Roast sits straight ahead in the small strip at the far end of that driveway. It sits next to a fitness place (I believe it is called BEAT) and near the carwash (if it is warm out at all the carwash will be packed!).

There will be free food and coffee, specialty drinks are available for purchase.

So if you are bored and have nothing else to do I would love to see you there! If you can't make the show, the art will be hanging for about a month, so feel free to stop in an see it another time!

My crappy day Friday!

I would have SWORN yesterday had to be FRIDAY the 13th, given the CRAPPY day I had.....

It only hit -8 here (I believe that was the low) overnight....so doesn't it figure that our FURNACE DIED the coldest night of the year (overnight Thurs into Fri)???? It got down to 44 degrees in the house on the first floor (I have no idea how cold it got in the basement, but my wet laundry in the dryer FROZE SOLID), luckily we got the repair guy out here yesterday afternoon and it was only a fuse.....but he isn't promising that it isn't a bad blower/motor (OK can you tell I know NOTHING about furnaces) but so far so good, the heat has been back on for 24 hours!

OH, so why was there WET LAUNDRY in the DRYER??? Guess, I forget to mention the dryer we just paid $150 to fix the Monday after Thanksgiving ISN'T DRYING CLOTHES??? It is doing the same FRICKIN thing it did then, it runs, but there is no heat...of course the ass that repaired it (and guarenteed it for 1 year) won't return our phonecalls! Kind of hard to have clean clothes with NO DRYER in the middle of the "arctic" weather we are having of late!

To top off yesterday.....after the girls BEGGED and BEGGED, I agreed to let them go skiing with a friend of theirs--Elaine (the friend is an adult and she was taking her kids) I caved partly because she offered to pay for them and I knew they wouldn't have another chance to go for"free", we certainly don't have extra money for skiing right now! I had SWORN years ago, after Hannah fell and messed up her face really bad, to NEVER let them ski again, especially during competition dance season, but I agreed they could go, I really am losing my mind! So around 12:30 PM yesterday while I am out running around with the other kids (to keep them warm since the heat here wasn't working at that point!) the phone rings....comes into my cellphone as "unavailable" so I almost didn't answer it, but I did, and guess who it is???? the FLIPPIN' SKI PATROL.....Hannah has torn up her knee and they want to transport her to a local hospital. As I listen to the ski patrol, I decide I don't want to take their word for what is going on (figuring they want to cover their own asses!), I ask to talk to Elaine. After our conversation (when I basically ask, if it was your kid would you transport her and she replies "No") we agree to ice it and wait it out and have her just bring Hannah home when everyone else is done skiing, after all it is horribly swollen and I suspect the ER will just say "we can't do anything until the swelling goes down" so why waste the money on an ER/ambulance run?? OK, yes, I am a frugal cheap ass when it comes to medical stuff, plus I HATE waiting in emergency rooms. So Elaine pumps her full of ibuprofen and ices the knee the rest of the time they are there. It looks like SHIT, she can't move it at all today after sleeping on it, and despite my desire for it not to be the case, I think she really has messed it up, but am going to wait until Monday to see and then call the doctor.

The icing on the cake (not that it happened yesterday but to add to my frustration) is that we only have one running vehicle, making it hell to get anyone to anything they need to be at because there are always conflicts in the schedule! Plus the one that runs, is getting about 9 to 11 miles to the gallon right now, so it costs so much money just to run to the dance studio or even to the grocery store. It sucks when you don't have the money anyway to be counting quarters to put gas in the tank of a gas guzzler! Today the schedule was overly hectic...a 9 AM 4-H advisors meeting, the girls had to be at dance at 10:30 AM, Grant had a basketball game at 11 AM, Jacob had a game 25 minutes away at 12 PM, Cade had a game at 2 PM...nothing like spending the day in the car. Brett and Grant had to walk to Grant's game since I was out with the van!

I FRICKING thought 2009 would be a better year than 2008....Yeah, right....I am convinced I am just the running punch line in every one of God's jokes.

New Cincinnati Unschoolers Yahoo Group

Just in case there are any local unschoolers stalking my blog, I thought I would add a link to a new Yahoo Group that I formed. I am hoping to build a local support community for those of us who believe that it doesn't take "school at home" for a homeschooled child to "learn". So if you live in the Cincinnati area, check it out and join us!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CincinnatiUnschoolers

Yummy Potato Casserole Recipe

2 lb. frozen, cubed hash browns
1/4 cup butter
1 can cream soup (chicken, potato, mushroom ... your choice)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
8 oz. shredded Cheddar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 lb (or more) ham, chopped into bite size pieces

Mix all ingredients well and spread into a 9x13 casserole dish. Bake at 350°F for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until bubbly and browned.

I used Progresso's Creamy Mushroom soup in this recipe to keep it gluten free. EVERYONE loved it, usually at least one person doesn't like any new recipe that we try so that in and of itself was amazing! I doubled the recipe , took a small portion of it out before adding the ham (to make a veggie version for Emily). This meal will definitely go into the dinner rotation!

10 Hot Photography Tips and Tutorials from 2008:

If you love photography check out these tips:
http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/10-hot-photography-tips-and-tutorials-from-2008/

As most of you know, I LOVE photography and have been expanding my skills by taking photography classes through Great Oaks. I have ended up in a class with 7 interesting and diverse individuals and 1 fascinating teacher! Nancy sent the above link and it is absolutely wonderful!

We are preparing for our first photography show. It will be hosted at a local coffee shop, the prefect, intimate setting! I am so very excited about displaying my work for others to see, a bit nervous too...will it be good enough?

For those with a weight loss resolution:

I was cleaning out my favorite places and stumbled across some really wonderful weight watcher links I saved last year. I know many people have made resolutions to loss weight this upcoming year so I thought I would share these to help motivate you....wish I could motivate myself, but I don't see that happening! I guess for now I will just be happy with the fact that I lost and kept off 20 lb last year! All of these are free and support the Weight Watchers points program.....

A Weight Watchers Support Network: http://www.healthdiscovery.net/links/one_point_list.htm

DeeDee's Page of WW Foods:
http://www.angelfire.com/me/kyoddie/points.html

Dottie's Weight Loss Zone: http://dwlz.com/ this site has amazing recipes and tons of wonderful links

Points Calculator: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kreider/Points.htm

Good luck to you if your resolution is to loss weight! I have rededicated myself to working out every day, not with the goal of lossing weight (although that would be wonderful) but with the goal of being HEALTHY in 2009! After all I have SO MUCH to live for!

Happy New Year!

From our family to yours, wishes for a wonderful 2009!

New Year's Prayer

As the dawn breaks on a new year, let us give thanks for all we hold dear: our health, our family and our friends.

Let us release our grudges, our anger and our pains, for these are nothing but binding chains.

Let us live each day in the most loving ways, the God-conscious way. Let us serve all who are in need, regardless of race, color or creed.

Let us keep God of our own understanding in our hearts and to chant God's name each day. Let us lead the world from darkness to light, from falsehood to truth and from wrong to right.

Let us remember that we are all one, embracing all, discriminating against none.

May your year be filled with peace, prosperity and love. May God's blessings shower upon you and bestow upon each of you a bright, healthy and peaceful new year.

Reverend Marcy "Melchezedek Order"

Cheesy Broccoli and Rice Casserole

I made this for Christmas Eve and thought I would share, it was really yummy!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of water
1/4 cup of butter
2 TBSP dry onion
10 oz package of frozen chopped broccoli
1 1/2 cups of minute rice
1 can cream of celery soup
1 small jar of cheeze whiz (I could only find the 15 oz jar so I used 1/2 of it)

Bring 1 1/2 cups water, 1/4 cup of butter, 2 TBSP dry onion to a boil. Add 10 oz of frozen chopped broccoli and boil an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add 1 1/2 cups of minute rice. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Add 1 can of cream of celery soup and 1 small jar of cheeze whiz. Mix well and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

The Riesenberg Clan 2008:

Here is our annual picture, YES, it is HARD to get 11 people to look presentable and LOOK anywhere TOWARDS the camera! I decided the year that Will was born (2004) that we would make sure the entire family was captured in the yearly photo, I used to only do the kids, but I figured that someday they might want to remember just what mom and dad looked like! And after 4 years of doing it, Jay finally doesn't complain about the appointment! No, we AREN'T Ohio State fans, it was just the easiest colors to find in every size!

Merry Christmas!

Well it is ALL OVER but making dinner! The FREAKING turkey isn't thawed, it has been in the fridge 3 days, so I now have it sitting in the sink in cold water and am going to go wrestle with it here in a bit...we don't plan to eat until late tonight....Brett is heading to Sarah's Great Grandma's house for lunch at 1 PM, so we are holding dinner until they get back here...probably around 6 PM.

The kids were all THRILLED with their gifts (amazingly they let us sleep until 8 AM, good thing since Jay and I were up until after 2 AM "celebrating"...lol) and everyone is happily playing with their new toys! Things went OK at my mom's last night, we ended up staying about 5 hours and she acted like a human the entire time, a real plus for her....my brother, on the other hand, decided to show up at her house at 2 PM and left at 4 PM, knowing that my family and I wouldn't get there until 5 PM......he just really pisses me off....have I mentioned that he has yet to see Luke?

My mom bought our family our YMCA membership for the year, a zoo membership, a museum center membership and gave us $900 to pay for our trip to Kalahari Water Resort in Feb (she gave me $300 in Nov to put down the deposit and $600 yesterday to pay for the remainder when we check in)! Have to love that she sees spending $$$ on you to mean she LOVES you! I much prefer these LARGE family gifts over toys the kids will break and leave scattered on my floor! Will was so excited when I told him Grandma gave us money to go back to Kalahari, he was jumping up and down and screaming! And she was worried he would be mad about not having presents to open. We gave her a picture of our family in a silver frame, the cd from the musical Jersey Boys (she went to see that with my aunt Judy in the fall and LOVED it) and the calendar I made her for the year....I chose to highlight 12 family vacations through the years, it turned out really nice!

We went to 3 PM services at our church, minus Hannah and Emily who decided they would attend midnight services with my mother. Even though we got there 30 minutes early, there wasn't an entire pew left, so we had to split up, Brett, Will and I sat in chairs along the back wall and Jay and the other kids jammed into a pew. I was VERY distracted by the guy standing next to me.....he had his two sons with him (maybe 6 and 9 years old) and he had them watching MOVIES on their ipod the ENTIRE SERVICE....I guess I should be surprised, after all he was sending text messages the entire time as well.....but WHY EVEN SHOW UP??? My guess was he must have promised someone that he would take those boys to Christmas services, I certainly can't figure out ANY other reason you would fight the traffic, park blocks away and then NOT pay attention at all to the service....OK rant over! The music was gorgeous and it set a great tone for the rest of the day!

Hope everyone is having a great day!

Gingerbread Houses!

The kids had an AWESOME time and made some fantastic creations. Good thing I took pictures of them because someone (there seems to be some disagreement as to EXACTLY who that was...my money is still on William and Cade) ate most of the candy off of them later that afternoon! We had a great turn out despite two families cancelling at the last minute because of kids with the stomach bug (YUCKY! THANKS FOR NOT SHARING!!!)

Details about event:

CHRISTMAS PARTY with Gingerbread house making and parade
When: Wednesday, December 10 12:30 PM to 3 PMWhere: Jr. OUAM Hall, St Bernard, OH. Directions sent with RSVP

Ages: homeschoolers of all ages, limited to 40 participants

Cost: Free, but we ask that you bring a bag of candy and one basicbuilding supply

RSVP: Laura with your child(ren)'s name/age and if they want a premade house

Hosted by: Laura , Deanne and Melodie

What participants need to bring: candy, one basic building supply (seebelow) and a nut-free snack to share.
What we are providing: Premade houses for the younger kids (when you RSVP please let us know if your child wants a premade house),cardboard bases for everyone, cardboard boxes to use as forms (if desired), graham crackers, icing, glueguns and glue sticks (feel free to bring your own if you wish). We will also have water and some other drinks for everyone.

All participants need to bring candy to share (great way to get rid of the last of the Halloween candy!). Laffy Taffy's are GREAT becausethey can be rolled out and cut into any shape. We are also asking thatwhen you RSVP that you sign up to bring one of the basic "building"supplies, for example, icecream cones, pretzles (rods or smaller ones), wafer type cookies, coconut flakes, or marshmallows.

Before attending the event, have your child pick a favorite book andbegin to decide what they want to build to represent that book. Bringthe book with you if you can. Once we are all gathered the child (orchildren) can assemble and decorate their house. Once everyone is finished we will put the houses on display and have a PARADE throughour STORYBOOK TOWN!

We will have some other activities to keep the kids busy as they finish their houses, coloring pages, card making supplies (cards will be distributed to nursing home residents if the child wishes to donate them)games to play and more! We may update what additional activities will be included prior to the event. A good time will be had by ALL!

A little background on the gingerbread house parade: Two years agoduring our annual trip downtown to see the Christmas displays, westumbled upon some WONDERFUL gingerbread houses. Each house was basedon a children's book, such as Harry Potter, Cloudy With a Chance ofMeatballs, Disney Princesses, Kate's Castle, The Three Little Pigs,and The Grinch. I thought it would be fun for each family (or child ifthey want to do their own house) to pick a book and make a gingerbreadhouse to represent it. We will then display all the houses foreveryone to see. The event will double as a holiday party/social withgames and holiday music. If you would like to see photos of the housesfrom last year, or the house we saw downtown that inspired this event,email me and I can send pictures to you.

A week before the event I sent out:

You are receiving this email because you RSVPed to the Gingerbread House making and Christmas party this Wednesday at the Jr. OUAM Hall!

1) If you would like a PREMADE house, please respond to this email telling me that you need a premade house and also tell me how many. Please respond ASAP so that work can be done on these in the next few days!

2) We are asking each family to bring with them 1 can of icing/frosting (like you would use for a cake), a building supply (pretzel rods, ice cream cones, wafers, coconut, etc) and at least 1 bag of candy. Please bring a nutfree snack to share. We ask that you not bring popcorn. Drinks and paper products will be provided. Right now, if I have the count correct, we have just over 30 children attending!

If you have any questions, let me know!

Luke LOVES Santa

You never know how a child will react to a rather large strange man in a red coat and with a fluffy white beard. I have had children burst into tears and refuse to get anywhere near him, I have had kids run and jump in their lap, but usually at about 2 years old, it is almost always the former! I was shocked that Luke climbed right into Santa's lap. I love these pictures! Unfortunately we were OUTSIDE and it was in the lower 20's so I couldn't take off his coat!

Pictures from Krohn Conservatory

Yesterday afternoon I invited Nancy, from the photo class, to join me to go down to Krohn Conservatory and take pictures. I was lacking pictures for this week's class and I figured I would rather walk around the nice warm conservatory that was full of beautiful flowers rather than outside in the dreary rainy weather. It is always more fun to have someone with you when you are shooting, plus you don't look like such an idioting shooting close ups of flowers and leaves if someone else is doing the same thing! Plus it is great fun to ride in a car and have ADULT conversation and not have to listen to my kids argue! Usually when I go out to shoot a class assignment I am happy to come home with 1 or 2 pictures I like (see the Blue Hour post below) so I was THRILLED with the number of pictures I ended up with that I actually liked, keep in mind that I only shot about 150 pictures and had 10 I thought were OK, much better than the 1 out of more than 140 of the blue hour!! Some I like way more than others, but the assignment this week was to shoot patterns, so some are in this batch because that is what they represent!

Again, these are stragith out of the camera. I am pretty happy with these, as I was hand holding the camera, set at ISO 100, F-stop 1.8, at 1/15 of a second, pretty amazing that I didn't have more shake and blur to them given the shutter speed!

A couple of upcoming holiday events:

This is by far one of our favorite holiday traditions. We stumbled upon this event the year we moved to Loveland and haven't missed it since. The kids really look forward to attending this year! According to the weather forecast (if you can believe it), the weather might be a little iffy on Saturday, but looks perfect on Sunday!

The Living Nativity
Saturday, December 6th and Sunday, December 7th : 4:30-7:30 pm
Loveland United Methodist Church 10975 S. Lebanon Rd. -Loveland, OH 45140

From their website: Loveland United Methodist Church invites you, along with your friends and family, to join us for the 7th annual production of "The Living Nativity" – a presentation through drama and song of the account of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, according to the gospels of Luke and Matthew.When you arrive you will be received by our Roman Guards who are at their station making sure all that arrive to Bethlehem do so in an orderly and safe fashion. They will direct you to a warm, welcomed greeting by our greeters who will introduce you to your tour guide, “Luke.”

As you begin your walking tour, you will witness the following events along the way:
Caeser Augustus Issuing a Decree that a Census Be Taken

The Roman Guards Stationed at the City Gates

The Census Taker

The Angel’s Promise of the Birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah in the Temple

Angel Gabriel’s Promise of the Birth of Jesus to Mary

An Encounter with the Townspeople at the Baker's Home - Delicious Samples!

An Angel’s Appearance to Joseph

Mary’s Visit with Elizabeth

Townspeople Sharing Scripture

The Market Place Bustling with Music and Dancing

Mary and Joseph's Arrival at The Bethlehem Inn

Prophecies are Recalled of Jesus' Birth

An Angel and the Heavenly Host Appear to the Shepherds

The Living Nativity

The Live Animals - There will be time to visit with the animals!

The 3 Wise Men at Herod's Palace

Following your tour, there will be plenty of hot chocolate and Christmas cookies ready for your enjoyment.The Living Nativity Walking Tour takes place outside in the lower level parking lot of Loveland United Methodist Church, so please dress warmly! Also, please know that on Saturday evening, December 6th, sign language (PSE - Pidgin Sign English) interpretation will be available on the tour, if requested. We look forward to sharing the Good News with you and, as your brothers and sisters in Christ, ask that you please lift us up in prayer as we all serve together to touch hearts and change lives all in His name.All this, AND there’s no admission fee! This is our Christmas gift to you!Looking forward to seeing you in “Bethlehem” in 2008!

Event Location:Loveland United Methodist Church - 10975 S. Lebanon Rd. -Loveland, OH 45140 683.1738

http://www.lovelandumc.org/community.php

*******************************************

We have never attended this event, but have heard that it is really nice. We plan to go this year!
Ohio National Victorian Holiday Village

From their website: Ohio National Financial Services is pleased to announce its seventh annual Victorian Holiday Village -- held on the grounds of its Cincinnati corporate headquarters. This free public event continues the company’s commitment to community outreach and service, and supports the spirit of the holiday season in a quality, noncommercial venue.

WHAT: A memorable outdoor event for the entire family featuring thousands of twinkling lights; miniature-sized, yet fully decorated Victorian-style homes and buildings; entertainment; free cocoa and cookies; and children’s goodies and a complimentary photo with St. Nick.

WHERE:The grounds of Ohio National Financial Services One Financial WayCincinnati, OH
Ohio National is located at the southeast corner of the Pfeiffer Road (Exit 15) and I-71 interchange. Pfeiffer Road is the first exit south of the I-71/275 intersection. Need directions?

WHEN:
Friday, December 5 from 6-8:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 6 from 5-8:30 p.m.
Thursday, December 11 from 6-8:30 p.m.
Friday, December 12 from 6-8:30 p.m.

The village will remain lit throughout December, but specialty houses, gifts and entertainment will only be provided during the four nights above.

WHY:Ohio National's Victorian Holiday Village is a free event, open to the public, that continues the company's commitment to community outreach and service, and supports the spirit of the holiday season in a quality, noncommercial venue. While admission to the event is free, all guests are asked to bring a nonperishable food item (no glass containers, please), which will be donated to the FreestoreFoodbank.

PLEASE NOTE:
Ohio National’s Victorian Holiday Village will be open rain or shine.

Due to the outdoor terrain and gravel path, the Village is not handicapped accessible.

The walkway to the Village is approximately 380 feet from the garage, and the distance from the

Village walkway to St. Nick’s Workshoppe (the furthest building) is approximately 500 feet.

Free on-site covered parking is available for 800 vehicles.

http://www.ohionational.com/