returning to blogger…

so sorry to confuse everyone…just not happy here…really wish it wasn’t so limiting!  thank you for understanding!

www.look2theskye.blogspot.com

She was on the front page!

Ella was in a photograph on the front page of a local paper on Saturday.  We didn’t realize it until someone told us.  Good thing, because it was such a neat thing for a little girl to see.  The school is participating in a program that promotes healthy living, and this past Friday, it was a special whole wheat breakfast day.   So, there she was in line with her food on her tray.  Ella got so shy when we showed her the picture…very cute.  

Other news-  my niece Abigail turned 6!  Her party was all adorned in pink and kittens.   Buddy was the only little boy (there were two slightly older boys there from Lisa’s side of the family).   He didn’t mind though.  In a couple years he might though!  Is that when girls start having cooties? Or however you spell that! HA! 

I had to quickly save the day for Ella when they played find the lost mittens game (you know…three little kittens lost their mittens…hehe). Everyone else had found a mitten and there were no more mittens to be found.   To the rescue I came and secretly placed one of my gloves close beside her.  Sigh…she found it and all was well again.  I could see the tears welling up in her eyes…she certainly felt left out.   Aunt Lisa had been really sensitive about that situation too, and knew right away we needed to displace another glove!

After church yesterday, we went to Rich’s parents’ house to visit.  Time goes by so quickly between visits.  Philip cried when we were leaving- he did not want to leave grandma and grandpa’s house.  I don’t know how kids do it, stand the snow…they went out for awhile.  And lucky for them, grandma fixed them hot cocoa to warm them back up.   (Mommy teased and said “Can I have some hot cocoa too if I go outside? LOL!).  Mommy had a cup anyways.

On the way home, we stopped at the store…while I waited outside (with the car on) with the kids, I figured out a new thing to do with Ella.   I whipped out my cell phone and found the “notepad.”  I typed in sentences for her to read…things like, “My dad is great,” “The baby is sad,” “I love my mommy,” and nonesensical stuff like “The car has a green stripe.”    I can’t remember all of them, but she was laughing, laughing, laughing….I figured out that although that notepad is handy it’s frustrating because some of the words you are trying to type aren’t the words that they pick. Oh well.  

She has a strong desire now to learn to read, and has been wanting to “read” on her own, mostly.   I am so relieved that this day has come! I think things have finally “clicked” as far as reading goes. 

Well, off to fix the rest of dinner.   I do want to leave you with my favorite verse…Psalm 46:10….Be still and know that I am God.

There are so many things happening in the world right now that are frustrating and scary. I keep this verse close to my heart these days.

Christian Writer’s Market Guide

 

I am glad to present to my blog readers information on the top resource for getting published in the Christian market- the Christian Writers’ Market Guide, by Sally Stuart.  Please read the following review, and if you are interested in obtaining your own copy, you may visit this link.

The Resource Guide to Getting Published

For 24 years running, the Christian Writers’ Market Guide has remained the most comprehensive, complete, essential, and highly-recommended resource for beginning and veteran Christian writers, agents, editors, publishers, publicists, and those teaching writing classes.

This year’s Guide is even handier with a CD-Rom included that features the full text of the book for easy searches of topics, publishers, and markets, as well as 100 pages of exclusive content including indexes and writing resource listings.

This is the resource you need to get noticed—and published.

 

Completely updated and revised to feature the latest on…

• more than 1,200 markets for the written word
• 416 book publishers (32 new)
• 654 periodicals (52 new)
• 96 literary agents
• 100 new listings in Resources for Writers
• 226 poetry markets
• 316 photography markets
• 25 African-American markets
• and 166 contests (29 new)

Author Bio:

Sally E. Stuart is the author of thirty-six books and has sold more than one thousand articles and columns. Her long-term involvement with the Christian Writers’ Market Guide as well as her marketing columns for the Christian Communicator, Oregon Christian Writers, and The Advanced Christian Writer, make her a sought-after speaker and a leading authority on Christian markets and the business of writing. Stuart is the mother of three and grandmother of eight and lives near Portland , Oregon .

 

The way of a baby

I just love babies. I better, huh?   I’ve had three!   This newest one…I love learning about him everyday.  I love hearing  him breathe, sneeze, coo, and even cry.  Speaking of cries, I can interpret the “I am mad nobody is holding me or feeding me” cry!  Babies crave attention.  Will David loves to be read to.    I sat down with Buddy today after he brought his Bible into the living room and read him several Bible stories. At least half a dozen.   The baby smiled and made little noises..oh so sweet.  When he gets excited he moves about in this certain way. I was browsing through a book (one given to me by a blogger and in-real-life friend, Eliza) that said babies dance…and the movement is part of their dance.  What a beautiful way to observe these new little people!

Today was a slow day, but I did manage to give Ella a piano lesson. Her last one had been, well, um, a long time ago.  She did quite well for this lack of teaching, though. I was really impressed.   Since she is reading a bit now, I think that is helping her with the concepts, anyways. So, maybe it’s a good thing we hadn’t been keeping up with it.

Tomorrow is my niece Abigail’s sixth birthday party. It shall be a fun time!    The kids are supposed to bring their favorite kitty, as that is the theme.  I can’t wait to see how my sister in law, Lisa, has prepared for the party! She is so creative!

Other good news is another photo (maybe two more) are to be published as well.  I am awfullyexcited! 

Here are a couple pages I made recently.  The first is when we were expecting Philip. The second one is of Will David.

 

I did some reading today

Lots of it!

Coupon sites, here and there, coupons in my folder, coupons in the paper….

The book that was for my blog giveaway a little while back.

A new site that I stumbled upon called Laines Letters (girlies- check it out and you’ll find inspiration from an insightful godly woman).

and one book that I’ve not been into as much as I should- the Bible.  I always flip through various places-  I honestly really enjoy reading the Old Testament just as much as the new!

We didn’t make it to church today, as Ella was recovering from yesterday, and Rich was feeling under the weather, too.  I’ve been praying a lot lately- so many things coming to my mind, many minds I would think with the economy, hearts hurting, illness….

I felt rested, most definitely.  With 7.5 hours of sleep, yes, I was!  The baby slept straight from 11-7!   Oh, how I wish that would be a fact for all nights. 

Well, I suppose this was not much of a post today!  I’ve done some more scrapbooking lately, so I’ll put those pages on here soon!.

Now, off to finish watching The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!

let’s add more

Oh, I sure have a crush on WordPress.  I love using this template!  It inspires my heart to write and speak…something I feel has been lacking for awhile on my blog.  

I plan on adding my blog roll eventually-  it needed updated anyways again.   I really appreciate those of you that visit here and comment.  It’s humbling.   And, makes me feel visible…since being a SAHM sometimes makes me invisible. 

Speaking of motherhood….my mom is my hero.  She was a thrifty shopper (thank you!) and discovered several fleece sleepers for Will David, in size 3-6 months, which is the size he is transitioning in here these days.   But, before that happens completely, some crazed photographer wants to take “outfit pictures”  before they no longer fit a baby.

Do you know that Valentine’s Day is sneaking up on us?  This means….crazed photographer must capture cute and unique Valentines’s photographs of the children.   I hope to find some neatly packaged and colorful candy or striped stockings…something….something….something….

We did have some sickness in the house today.  Ella was sick again, in her stomach, and ate a little bit, but mostly stayed on the couch today.  She got to color a lot, and watch Little Bear and Franklin.   Philip was a lone soul- he missed his playmate.  Rich didn’t feel quite himself either, and was taking some pain medicine to ease some discomfort he had.  Praying the night and morning goes well.  Cartoon Saturday wasn’t quite the same today- no donuts, and no extra visitors, as we had originally planned.  The kids were disappointed, but they dealt with it pretty good.

I have to add, lastly, that Will just has the sweetest smile and his baby talk is just darn cute.  Love it!

Oh, and second lastly, hehe, Will David slept 7 hours last night- straight through!   I needed that badly.  If he stays awake for awhile at about this time until 10ish, that means a great sleep night for me, but ahem….sure enough he is sleeping now, and that means another different night, although he will sleep a good 5-6 hours straight I think anyways.   At two months, I am impressed and relieved.   What a sweet, good baby.

Hoping nobody minds

Change is always inevitable at this time of year, is it not?   I decided to conform to the New Year in my own way…give my blog a different look.  I was struggling a bit with blogger, so we are going to give WordPress a try.   I hope you enjoy the new look, and you may be seeing other changes here and there the next few weeks.  My photography blog is in the process of being recreated, as well. 

The Russells have been very busy….we are dedicated to our children to the highest level, and that has made it difficult  to do certain things. Although, I have to admit, we did go out by ourselves a couple weeks ago!   The children all survived, and so did Grandpa and Grandma “with Bear and Cheyenne.”  I don’t know if I ever discussed this with my readers, but the kids differentiate between sets of grandparents via the pets they own!  How cute is that?  

Ella is still in Girl Scouts and is learning to read and recognize words! I am so happy about this! She also is the one to always ask us several times at night, “Are there any monsters in the world?”

Philip has developed several habits:   constantly kissing his baby brother, talking in a falsetto voice, and eating an apple (we call it his pacifier…hehe..) right before he falls asleep (and we are careful with this part, as to not have him choke).

Rich told me the other day something new- his Grandma Winters nicknamed him “Skeeters” for the exact same thing Philip does, only Rich did that to his younger sisters- constantly kiss them and touch them.  Very cute. 

This weekend we are going to have our weekly Cartoon Saturday again.  This includes donuts.

I have been able to scrapbook lately, and also won a great prize last week of Cosmo Cricket goodies. Other good news include…

I am having another photograph published in April!  I am so excited! 

Facebook has drawn me in, too, as of late.  It has been so convenient for me to update there, and keep in touch with friends.  

Is anyone else thankful it is Friday?  I sure am…although this day had me dragging.  The baby had a different schedule last night that woke me up shortly after I fell asleep. He has been sleeping 5-6 hours straight though…isn’t that fantastic?

God Bless!

Hello world!