CelestialFamily » Michael http://www.celestialfamily.org Making our way back home Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:59:47 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 My Sentimental Hoarder Wanna Be http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-sentimental-hoarder-wanna-be.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=my-sentimental-hoarder-wanna-be http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-sentimental-hoarder-wanna-be.html#comments Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:13:00 +0000 Victoria http://www.celestialfamily.org/?guid=fd012e75c6a72b0eb0111931597520d6
Michael and I took the front door off to sand it, re-stain, and replace the hardware. Noah wondered out to the garage (he must have been incredibly bored). He asked what we were doing and I explained it to him. He saw the old hardware sitting on the work table and asked if he could have the old knob and we told him no.
Fast forward to this morning. I was relating the story to Rachel. Noah heard his name and came into the living room. Rachel rolled her eyes at the story and she was not surprised. Noah stated boldly, "It was an awesome door knob, and we were all used to it!"

Be afraid...very afraid.
]]> http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/feeds/1289593570349607214/comments/default 0 "I Love to Laugh…Loud and Strong and Clear… http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/05/i-love-to-laughloud-and-strong-and.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=i-love-to-laugh-loud-and-strong-and-clear http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/05/i-love-to-laughloud-and-strong-and.html#comments Mon, 23 May 2011 08:21:00 +0000 Victoria
Last night after family reading time Rachel asked Michael, "Do you know how a Venus flytrap closes?"
To wit he replied, "Quickly?"
Rachel says, "Ugh... I didn't ask for an adverb!"
She went on to explain how the cells on one side grow to twice their normal size, then close up overlapping the meal.




(After this point is Rachel writing. I was going to just write and pretend that I was mom, but it's too weird to write in third person...)
Noah recently had his 11th Birthday and while he was laying down on the floor in mom's room and he said "The skin on my hand is really dry and peeling off." And because Noah is especially fun to mess with I responded,
"Noah, you're going through your eleven year molt! Ahh... I remember my eleven year molt. Cleared it away before you knew about it had to keep it a secret." And then mom began playing along and it was much fun!
Rules of the eleven year molt:
*It happens overnight when you are eleven.
*Much like pulling teeth the parent clears it away and leaves behind a dollar under the pillow.
*It happens to everyone. Much like puberty. ;D
*You can have it pulled, but it hurts.
* Kids below eleven aren't allowed to know about it until they turn eleven.
(Going to put some money under Noah's pillow now!)
]]> http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/feeds/5452755245034560897/comments/default 0 "I Love to Laugh…Loud and Strong and Clear… http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/05/i-love-to-laughloud-and-strong-and.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=i-love-to-laugh-loud-and-strong-and-clear-2 http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/05/i-love-to-laughloud-and-strong-and.html#comments Mon, 23 May 2011 08:21:00 +0000 Victoria http://www.celestialfamily.org/?guid=2f8d35999072d4653d4e155fd385b2d9
Last night after family reading time Rachel asked Michael, "Do you know how a Venus flytrap closes?"
To wit he replied, "Quickly?"
Rachel says, "Ugh... I didn't ask for an adverb!"
She went on to explain how the cells on one side grow to twice their normal size, then close up overlapping the meal.




(After this point is Rachel writing. I was going to just write and pretend that I was mom, but it's too weird to write in third person...)
Noah recently had his 11th Birthday and while he was laying down on the floor in mom's room and he said "The skin on my hand is really dry and peeling off." And because Noah is especially fun to mess with I responded,
"Noah, you're going through your eleven year molt! Ahh... I remember my eleven year molt. Cleared it away before you knew about it had to keep it a secret." And then mom began playing along and it was much fun!
Rules of the eleven year molt:
*It happens overnight when you are eleven.
*Much like pulling teeth the parent clears it away and leaves behind a dollar under the pillow.
*It happens to everyone. Much like puberty. ;D
*You can have it pulled, but it hurts.
* Kids below eleven aren't allowed to know about it until they turn eleven.
(Going to put some money under Noah's pillow now!)
]]> http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/feeds/5452755245034560897/comments/default 0 Boys and Their Toys… http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/03/boys-and-their-toys.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=boys-and-their-toys http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/03/boys-and-their-toys.html#comments Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:33:00 +0000 Victoria


********************End of an Era**********

Noah and Michael have been working on Noah's last Pinewood Derby car:













****************************Cupcakes and Book Club************

Book Club time, again, for Eve's 2nd grade class. Here is a sample of the book mark I made for the kids to remind them of our meeting dates:



I used some fun graphics and alphabets from Lettering Delights .



Last week I took a box of Whole Grain Goldfish for a snack because in the book Peter goes to a birthday party where the kids get real goldfish as a present. I warned the kids to NEVER give pets as a gift at parties because the animal might be injured, or inadequately taken care of if the parent has no warning when the animal is taken home. This week I made cupcakes with homemade chocolate frosting because in the book Peter's little brother, "Fudge", celebrates his third birthday with a chocolate frosted cake with yellow roses. I decided what to make at 10:30am and had them baked and frosted by 11:45am. I put extra frosting in containers and grabbed my spatula, then off to school. When I got there I promptly banged the container into my steering wheel as I tried to exit the car. They all toppled over...not pretty. I also managed to drop my bag with the book and containers of frosting in a puddle next to my car. I grabbed the book and wiped it off, then the containers and through them in the bag. I opened the container and righted all the cupcakes. Luckily, the flavor doesn't change when the frosting is mushed. I guess the moral tale to tell is take a photo before you travel.





Michael said the frosting tastes exactly like his Granny Vone's. That is a compliment, people.



********************Piano Lessons**********



Eve and I just got back from piano lessons. Her teacher was pleased as punch that she decided to memorize all 3 pages of her recital piece. She has been trying really hard. We are pleased as punch too.



Later, gators.

]]> http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/feeds/6167513159728479419/comments/default 0 Boys and Their Toys… http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/03/boys-and-their-toys.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=boys-and-their-toys-2 http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/03/boys-and-their-toys.html#comments Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:33:00 +0000 Victoria http://www.celestialfamily.org/?guid=f80af766149abd948d667ebfcb86cdbb


********************End of an Era**********

Noah and Michael have been working on Noah's last Pinewood Derby car:













****************************Cupcakes and Book Club************

Book Club time, again, for Eve's 2nd grade class. Here is a sample of the book mark I made for the kids to remind them of our meeting dates:



I used some fun graphics and alphabets from Lettering Delights .



Last week I took a box of Whole Grain Goldfish for a snack because in the book Peter goes to a birthday party where the kids get real goldfish as a present. I warned the kids to NEVER give pets as a gift at parties because the animal might be injured, or inadequately taken care of if the parent has no warning when the animal is taken home. This week I made cupcakes with homemade chocolate frosting because in the book Peter's little brother, "Fudge", celebrates his third birthday with a chocolate frosted cake with yellow roses. I decided what to make at 10:30am and had them baked and frosted by 11:45am. I put extra frosting in containers and grabbed my spatula, then off to school. When I got there I promptly banged the container into my steering wheel as I tried to exit the car. They all toppled over...not pretty. I also managed to drop my bag with the book and containers of frosting in a puddle next to my car. I grabbed the book and wiped it off, then the containers and through them in the bag. I opened the container and righted all the cupcakes. Luckily, the flavor doesn't change when the frosting is mushed. I guess the moral tale to tell is take a photo before you travel.





Michael said the frosting tastes exactly like his Granny Vone's. That is a compliment, people.



********************Piano Lessons**********



Eve and I just got back from piano lessons. Her teacher was pleased as punch that she decided to memorize all 3 pages of her recital piece. She has been trying really hard. We are pleased as punch too.



Later, gators.

]]> http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/feeds/6167513159728479419/comments/default 0 Checkmate http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/02/checkmate.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=checkmate http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/02/checkmate.html#comments Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:53:00 +0000 Victoria

Noah's Cub Scout leader called and asked him to bring his chess set for their activity last night. Noah wanted to get in some practice before the evening, so when Michael came home he played some games with Noah. Out of those games came this exchange:

Noah: "You want to play again?"

Michael: "That was 4 games, Noah."

Noah: "It was? (pause) It felt more like 4 losses."
]]> http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/feeds/2829152381883950856/comments/default 0 Checkmate http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/02/checkmate.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=checkmate-2 http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/02/checkmate.html#comments Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:53:00 +0000 Victoria http://www.celestialfamily.org/?guid=91a1445ed19b0bad11fe99302d522130

Noah's Cub Scout leader called and asked him to bring his chess set for their activity last night. Noah wanted to get in some practice before the evening, so when Michael came home he played some games with Noah. Out of those games came this exchange:

Noah: "You want to play again?"

Michael: "That was 4 games, Noah."

Noah: "It was? (pause) It felt more like 4 losses."
]]> http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/feeds/2829152381883950856/comments/default 0 It Makes a Momma Proud… http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/01/it-makes-momma-proud.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=it-makes-a-momma-proud http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/01/it-makes-momma-proud.html#comments Tue, 04 Jan 2011 23:03:00 +0000 Victoria
...when her ten year-old asks for help on coming up with a jingle for class about suffrage. First we watched this for inspiration:



He made it clear that we could not plagarize anything (proud, again!)

When we asked for Michael and Rachel's two cents they broke into this song, separately:

This was the final product:

You trust us with your house.

You trust us with your kids.

So you should trust us to help the government.

:::::::::::::::You are What You Read::::::

I was in the waiting room while Aaron had his dental cleaning yesterday and picked up the January 2011 issue of The simthsonian and was introduced to the painter Guiseppe Arcimboldo. I was surprised and intrigued by his use of still life objects...fruits and vegetables to great portraits. He used other objects, such as, sea creatures and books. I am completely enamored with this one:



Time for Girl Scouts...later, gators!
]]> http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/feeds/6436661224308404277/comments/default 0 It Makes a Momma Proud… http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/01/it-makes-momma-proud.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=it-makes-a-momma-proud-2 http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/01/it-makes-momma-proud.html#comments Tue, 04 Jan 2011 23:03:00 +0000 Victoria http://www.celestialfamily.org/?guid=5a6236c1282dfe3582c11e4d751b439e
...when her ten year-old asks for help on coming up with a jingle for class about suffrage. First we watched this for inspiration:



He made it clear that we could not plagarize anything (proud, again!)

When we asked for Michael and Rachel's two cents they broke into this song, separately:

This was the final product:

You trust us with your house.

You trust us with your kids.

So you should trust us to help the government.

:::::::::::::::You are What You Read::::::

I was in the waiting room while Aaron had his dental cleaning yesterday and picked up the January 2011 issue of The simthsonian and was introduced to the painter Guiseppe Arcimboldo. I was surprised and intrigued by his use of still life objects...fruits and vegetables to great portraits. He used other objects, such as, sea creatures and books. I am completely enamored with this one:



Time for Girl Scouts...later, gators!
]]> http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/feeds/6436661224308404277/comments/default 0 Naivete…Taylor Style http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/01/naivetetaylor-style.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=naivete-taylor-style http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/2011/01/naivetetaylor-style.html#comments Tue, 04 Jan 2011 01:25:00 +0000 Victoria
Adventures in Conversations with my kids:




First:




Noah came in after watching some show we picked up from the library and started explaining how someone might survive a fall from 100 stories. It entailed standing on top of a plank of wood and jumping up at just the right distance from the ground to avoid a deadly impact.




My response: "Your superhero days await you."




Noah's reply: "I wouldn't try it...I'm not sure what a survival distance from the ground is?




Michael then explained to him that no one would survive a fall from that height. Apparently, Noah couldn't figure out how he would be able to jump up from the board during the fall.






Second:




We will be selling Girl Scout cookies by the end of the week and I was picking Rachel's brain for some ideas for the annual ad. I thought a retro, or vintage style ad may be fun. Eve was hanging out with us by the computer.




I said: "I need to find a vintage Girl Scout picture."




Eve matter of factly: "Go to vintagegirlscout.com"




Rachel quipped: "Like that would work."




I googled the terms and got a link to vintage girlscout.com.




Eve said: "I told you."

]]> http://victoriataylor.blogspot.com/feeds/5635337996967365647/comments/default 0