LATELY WITH THE LINKS

Thursday, February 11, 2010

I'm back...Just in time for SNOW!!!!

SNOW DAY 2010!!

We woke up this morning to snow flakes the size of cotton-balls falling from the sky. It was beautiful!! I haven't seen snow like this since I was little and I was so excited that my kids could see what real snow looks like. Unfortunatley, the school district didn't call off school. So, we played a little before school and I took the kids late...they don't ever get to see this. So, who cares if they were a little tardy.

We woke Maggie up so she could see snow for the first time (actually accumulating). She said, "Yeah...now we have to put our Christmas tree up so Santa can come and bring presents." She also wanted to wear her Christmas dress outside so she could iceskate....????
She and Daddy built her first snow-man...and It was a GREAT one! She had snow-ball fights with Momma and we taught her how to make a snow angel.

It was so magical.....but our other kids were missing out. How many times in their lives are they going to get to play in snow like this? These record-breaking snows are few and far between in Texas. We couldn't keep our kids away from the fun....so Byron went and picked them all up.
"This is the best day ever!!!" Caden said this about 50 times. And...In the eyes of a child...It was the best day ever.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Tallinn, Estonia

When told I was going to Estonia, I said "Isn't that an imaginary place from a Disney movie?" Upon arriving, I realized that I was right. Tallinn, Estonia couldn't be a real place....it was too whimsical. As we strolled down the cobble-stone streets, music played as if coming from the clouds. The town folk were dressed in sheepskin, linen and flax clothing, spinning wool into thread as we looked on. We were completely enchanted with this little town and can't wait to go back and spend days and days exploring and taking in all that is Estonia.

On the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland lies Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Though the city has been bombed and pillaged many times, much of the town as it was in medieval times remains.

We started our tour at the pier where even the sailboats seemed placed as a set to a movie. We passed through Old Town where every outdoor cafe looked as if from a scene from the latest romantic comedy. We walked along narrow cobblestone streets to the Town Hall Square. It was the most picturesque place I had ever seen. All of the buildings were painted green or yellow, with red gardinias and pink and orange gerber daisies growing from their window boxes. It was incredible that all of these were built in the 13th and 14th centuries.

As we walked, we came upon Vene Street and the Medieval Master's Courtyard....a little alley way tucked in between tall store fronts. We heard a cello, violin and piano playing at the end of the alley. Pure magic and romance.....

This is where we found the famous Chocolat de Pierre. This charming little cafe is where you will find the absolute best hot chocolate on this planet. It wasn't hot cocoa like we know it.......all that I can say is that it is from another world. We also were graced by the presence of one of the master confectioners who taught us how to make delicious fillings for truffles, and then cover them with chocolate. We made a few truffles with different flavors like almonds, coconut, hazelnuts, cherries, or whatever else sounds like it could possibly taste good when added to chocolate....all while being serenaded by the sounds of good music.

After we made our truffles, we headed back to Old Town square on Müürivahe Lane. Because the winters are so incredibly dark and cold, everyone in town stays outside during the summer in the square either selling homemade wool and linen or handmade bowls....or they sit at one of the outdoor cafes sipping something delicious, I'm sure.

At the curbside of one of these cafes, is a marker of half of a cross. This marks the sight of the only public beheading to ever take place in the square. The story goes like this......A priest asked one of his servants to bring him an omelet. When he was dissatified with it, he asked her to bring him another. He didn't like this one either. Then, after she brought him the third omelet, he was so angry that his omelet was bad, that he killed the servant with an ax. (Pleasant, I know.) Feeling remorse, he turned himself in and was then beheaded in the town square and it was witnessed by all of the towns people. This is the only unpleasant thing we heard about Estonia. Although, I think that we were only told the wonderful and good things by our tour guide Anna (Byron says she's easy on the eyes). Funny how there's not one picture of her--I was taking the pictures. But there is plenty of video--Byron had the video camera. We even had stray Estonian boys hanging out with our group just so they could watch and listen to Anna.....I did take a picture of them.

Oh how we loved this fairy tale place. Tallinn will forever be etched in our minds as one of the most beautiful and magical places that we've ever been. I can't wait for the day that we return and stay in a little cottage down one of the cobblestone alleyways....maybe across the way from Chocolat de Pierre....

Next....3 days in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Magdalene--Maggie Mae

Little Miss Sass is actually what we should call her. Lately, she's been "testing her limits" or should I say "her mom and dad's limits"--Just a little here and there. She's really decided that she has an opinion on every single thing and that it's her way or the highway. I guess we can just call her "Miss Independent". No more holding her hand while walking down the sidewalk, or helping her into her stroller. She'll do it "by self". "By self" is just one of the funny little things she says. "Or not" is big in her vocabulary, too. If you ask her if she wants a snack or not, if she doesn't, she'll say "Or not". She's just so funny. Conversations are never dull and always cute.

Brynna-Bel

My heaven's--getting older every second. She's no longer a little girl. She has turned into, simply, a girl. Not little, but not too big either. We are young enough to still love Barbie--but old enough to really care what Barbie is wearing. A good thing, right?
Bel is in the 1st grade now, and love's to read. She really loves school too. She loves her teachers and her friends. Can you say Social Butterfly? Talk-talk-talk-talk. She's never been considered shy. Everyone is her best-friend, you know, even if it's the first time you've ever talked to her. I love that quality about her. She is a friend to everyone. What a good and sweet girl she is.

Caden--C Dog

I just love my little Caden. He is THE sweetest and nicest kid around--and did I mention handsome. He's now in the 5th grade--the year when things get a bit more hectic. He has more work and he's expected to be organized enough to get it all in one day, do it over the next week and then turn it in. We're still workin' on that one. Organization is not a strong point for us. He changes classes too, which is new to him. I tell you what--he absolutley LOVES science. Almost every day he comes home telling me of the experiment that they did in science lab or goes on and on about protons and neutrons and electrons. I have a hard time following because he goes into every single little detail--and he remembers every-single-detail. What a smarty-pants. He's really discovering how funny his personality is lately, too. He now know's he's funny and that he's got the gift of gab. He takes after his dad.

Greyson--G Money

You'd think I was giving this kid steroids at the rate he's growing. He's only 15, but people ask if he's 17. He's very tall for his age. He might think he acts like he's 17--but we know better. Maturity-?-it's comin' along. We'll just say we're working on it. No, really-all kidding aside--he's a really good young man. He's at the age when typical teenage angst sets in. And..we have our fair share of it. But, all in all, I think he really tries to keep a cool head when he thinks we've asked him to take out the trash one too many times. He's just at an age when we can really count on his help. He is a great helper to me. He even folds laundry (don't tell his friends).
Greyson is doing really, really well in school so far this year. He's got and extra load-basically doing two years of school in only one. We thought he'd really have to bust it and be doing work constantly to keep up. But..he hardly has any homework and he's making all A's. He has a 100% in Geometry!? I asked him if he just has never missed any question ever on anything to get that average. He replied by saying, "No--I've missed stuff, but I got a 120% on a project". Whatever--wouldn't it be great to be that smart?

LATELY WITH THE LINKS

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Hmmmm.......