Just Beth

The newest addition to the Madland family! (coming Aug.23rd)

Meet Biscuit.  (Full Name:  Teeny Tiny Spot Biscuit Butterball Bogus Madland)

Isn't he cute!  It's a Cavalier King Charles.

We can't wait to have him at home.  Ella and Coleman are thrilled!

 

My Pages Talk -- They really do!

I love it when scrapbook supplies come in handy in the classroom.  Trust me .. I have the supplies to furnish a classroom with enough cardstock and decorative paper for a month (or more). Take a look at this!

At the bottom of the right side of the display there's a white thin box called "Sound."  That's a 30-second recorder from My Pages Talk.   Coleman did a project on the Black-Capped Chickadee this past spring in kindergarten.  I remembered I had one of these recorders in my stash and he recorded the sound the chickadee makes from a website on birds!  Meant for scrapbooking but can be used for so much more.  I took a photo of Coleman's kindergarten class, had the class say something to his teacher, and attached it to a photo/frame ornament for a Christmas present.  

The price is around 15.00 -- can be bought at Archivers or from the company website. 

Here's the great part.  We can record over the chickadee sound for the next project on, say, zoo animals. 

This little recorder will be used a lot during elementary school!  

Silence at the dinner table

What's that?  

Ahhhh. Silence.  At the dinner table with two kids under the age of five? 

For one brief evening last week all was well with the world in Madlandville.

No one complained.

Ella did not shout. 

Coleman didn't whine and pout and mutter "I don't like ... " (fill in the blank.)  

 I didn't roll my eyes and think awful thoughts and how I don't like entitled children and how come I'm raising two entitled little %^&*().  

And Will didn't question why he came home from work (I made that up -- he's much more fun that that.  He does, however, wonder why they are like this at most meals).

We had "bbq chicken on the bone" -- grilled by dad and served by mom.  Heck.  They even ate the green beans from the bag.  Cue the choir -- HALLELUJAH!

Reason # 5667 that I shouldn't buy a dining room table

We're looking for a new dining room table.  My responsible side says get a used one and call it good until they go to college!   They being my budding artists -- ages almost six and almost 4.  Witness a creation by Coleman and Dad (dad outlined -- Coleman colored).  For now, our plastic banquet table from SuperWalmart (circa 2001) will have to do.

Recently I went into one of THOSE stores in my quaint city.  You know, all of the jewelry looks like it was handmade by an Etsy artist.  The artwork, blown glass and furniture caught my eye.  If you've ever been to Lexington, KY -- imagine Artique.  I miss that store!  Sniff.

Anyhow -- my neighborhood store has tables like THIS ONE!  

 

The color.  The beauty.  The expense.  It's the kind of table that you couldn't eat on -- everyone just hold your plates a few inches above the table -- and admire the artwork.

These tables and other things are made by Sticks.  
 

 

At this point I only have enough money to buy 1 candlestick.  A girl can dream.  I'm not asking for pity.  Our art/dinner table suits where we are right now.  However .. if you want a little inspiration check out Sticks.   And it's fair to say one piece is all you'll ever need.  Too much Sticks just might hurt your eyes.

Favorite Pictures of 2009

We can thank Stacy Julian and her weekly "Sprinkles" for this one.

Quick -- find 12 of your favorite photos from 2009.

I'll start with this one:

My goal is to make this one my blog banner photo.  Now I have to figure out how in the world to do that!