Monday Mish Mash

They're baaaaack! Yup, the kids are home. They got back safe and sound from the youth retreat yesterday afternoon. A little weary from the 6 hour road trip but full of good things that they learned about their walk with the Lord. The bags are dumped in their rooms waiting for them when they get home from school. I didn't have the heart to make them unpack, vegging on the couch watching the Cosby show seemed more in order. Who wants to nag at them when they haven't been home for 3 days. So we just enjoyed being in the same room, unpacked bags and all.

Tia couldn't even get into her room anyway. I've had a busy weekend. The plan of relaxation and total slothfullness that I had planned lasted until noon on Saturday. At that point, I made myself get dressed, deliver the Operation Christmas Child boxes to where they needed to go, returned DVD's to the library and met my Mom for a little Christmas shopping. And then it was time to get into the paint clothes and tackle the trim and closet doors in Tia's room. This poor child has been living with lilac colored walls, which are lovely. But the trim was a mess. Some of it was shocking pink, left over from days gone by when her and Kay shared a room when they were little. They are now 17 and almost 13 and haven't shared a room in 4 1/2 years. And some of it was dusty blue from a failed attempt at taking away the shocking pink. I got it half done with the blue, decided I hated it and it didn't match anything, stopped and there it stayed. It's embarrassing how long. As Shalee can attest, it's been on my to do list since the spring of '06. Yes, that was 2006.

So, Saturday, I grabbed the bull by the horns, or more like, the paint by the brush, and got to it. And is usual with everything our house it seems, the job turned out way bigger than when I first thought. So I continued on Sunday, and it still needs a second coat. So today, my day off, will be spent finishing up so the child can actually sleep in her room tonight. Although, with the oil paint fumes, it might keep her on the futon downstairs for another night. Yes, hubby still like the oil paint on the trim. So if I'm a little loopy in my posts for the next few days, well, I have an excuse and I'm not afraid to use it.

Let's see, what else. Oh, I was privelaged to be able to read and review a lovely pre-school children's picture book this weekend. When I was first asked, I admit, I hesitated. I'm very picky about what I like in pre-school books. In fact, shhhh, don't tell ,but a lot of children's books that win awards, I really dislike. I find they appeal to the adult reading them, but the kid's are bored as I read them. The stories are complicated with complicated pictures. The one's I find the children love and ask to read over and over are the ones with bright, simpler illustrations, with not too many words on a page (usually not more than 2 or 3 sentences a page is plenty), and they love the ones that rhyme. And I admit, I'm very partial to a lovely rhyming story myself.

Well, I Love You More by Laura Duksta and illustrated by Karen Keesler is all of everything I love in a preschool book. It's beautifully written with lovely rhyme and has fun, bright illustrations. With a sweet story of how much a Mom loves her child, it flips over to become the response of how much the child loves the Mom. Two stories in one. The dayhome kids loved the flip aspect of the book and were totally drawn into the story. The message is heart warming and the prose totally relatable to the child. This book will hold a special place on many a child's bookshelf and in the short time I've had it is already a favorite with my dayhome kids.

For more reviews, check out the above link on Amazon and if you'd like to read more about the author you can go here.

A couple carnivals going on in blogland this week. Join in. We'd all love your ideas.

Today is the kickoff to Homemade With Love over at Kisses With Sunshine. Gibee has the absolutely most creative and beautiful ideas for homemade gift giving and is hosting a carnival where you can share your ideas with us uncreative types. Head over here for the details and to link up with your ideas.

Karla at Looking Towards Heaven is hosting a holiday menu carnival this Thursday. You just need to write a post with your Thanksgiving menu and post some recipes. How fun and think of all the ideas you can get to add something new to your table. Now being Canadian I've already had Thanksgiving last month, but you can still participate. Write what you had or will be having at Christmas and post your fave recipes. Click here for the details.

And last but not least, I have a couple questions. Does anybody know why I can no longer find the button on Youtube to put videos on my site? I noticed a few other people still posted videos. How'd you do that?

And is anyone else having trouble with blogger publishing double spaces where there is not supposed to be double spacing and you're preview does not show double spacing? Am I seeing things? What's happening?

Well, was that mish mashy enough for you? I feel like I had to get so much out in one day. It's a very, very busy week and I may not be able to post much. I'm now off and running to finish the second coat of oil paint.