BFG has made his way into our home and legos

A recommendation: The BFG 

The BFG (Big friendly Giant) written by Roald Dahl who was also the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach and several others. His writing is unique and this book (BFG) though full of ideas that are repulsive and strange.. for example giants eating people, the author comes at it in such a way that it is funny and the story was light hearted.

Here is a link to hear Roald Dahl himself read and excerpt from the book: Roald Dahl-characters

It is a great book for both boys and girls. :) All my kids loved it. (ages: 11, 8 and 6) Th BFG himself has quite the vocabulary and the use of words in this book is hysterical and yet at times difficult to pronounce. :)

We were introduced to it by some sweet friends and the result was some pretty fun Lego structures of the BFG himself.

We all have our soap boxes I am sure, but mine is: Pick up a book, a good book, a book that has lasted the test of time and introduce it to your kids. You will never look back. :)

from my west corner,
Becky

A book cake (+ crochet bombing a birthday chair)

11 years old. A book cake.

          

This girl is amazing. She is full of constant ideas and inspiration. She can find something fun to do in ANY situation and she usually drags her brother and sister into having fun too. She loves life and being with people. She is soft hearted and her imagination is endless. She values things that are important and at eleven is careful what she watches and reads. Her favourite books are mostly the Classics...

thus the Wizard of Oz Book Cake. :) 

Those little red 'fish' are suppose to be red shoes...

ya know the click your heels together shoes. 

Oh well :) 

We had a few girls over before we celebrated as a family

 and they made 'High Heel Cupcakes'. :) Seriously this was super easy and 

cute.  I was able to use the cake batter to make just enough for every girl to have one high heel shoe. 

I could post more pics, but I won't. Lots and lots of inspiration on pinterest if you are interested in making cupcake heels. I just used what I could find here in Turkey to duplicate it. 

Here are a few pics of some Yarn Bombing of our Birthday chair. :)

   Autumn and Lydia are learning to crochet thanks to Jenny (our fabulous Homeschool helper who is living with us for the school year). So we had a lot of crocheted yarn chains hanging about our house that Jenny used to bomb the Birthday chair. :)

Ok so maybe our yarn bombing is not quite up to standards. This is amazing isn't it. 

Love the idea of splashing color in the most unusual places. :) 

source

Grateful. 

In my west corner, 

Becky

Dog cake and some Birthday 'magic'

8 years old has arrived for our tip toeing middle girl.  Dog loving has also arrived and so you guessed it, a dog cake was the appropriate animal cake of choice this year.  We tried to do a dog themed party with some fun entertainment.

We also added a little bit of a talent show from the parents... it was a hit! Enjoy the pics. 

Here he is one and all:  Jock Illuzion... the magician. 

The kids LOVED this and David was so hysterical. This was the hit of the party.  I think we have found some hidden talent. 

If you would like to see a YouTube video of Jock Illuzion in action view here: 

Birthday magic :)

I was the comedy act but the act before me put me in for a pretty expectant crowd. 

Their favourite joke: What do you call an alligator in a vest? An investigator. (ba ha ha)

The theme of our family party was dogs. 

I made a cardboard doghouse for Lydia's presents and

 I also threw together a 'Dog dress up kit'.

In the 'Dog dress up kit': Head bands with felt dog ears I made, a ribbon collar and

 a small doggie treat of candy dog bones to snack on during the show. 

Here is our 8 year old with her cute little birthday present. Yep a little puppy. Tonight the puppy has found a new home in the cardboard doghouse next to Lydia's bed. :) Oh how we love you lovely Lydia.  Happy Birthday. 

This was just a family party and what a precious time with our family it was!

In our west corner - using what we have and who we are, to bless each other,
Becky

Do you know yourself?

There are a few things I know very well about myself. I know that if I don't exercise I can become down and gloomy. Exercise; levels out my emotions and gets my whole mind and body on track. So I take care to exercise at least 3 to 4 times a week even if I only have 20 minutes that day.
I also know that when I exercise everything else tends to fall in place quiet times, eating right, being organised etc. One discipline snowballs to more discipline.

I know that caffeine or too much black tea can make me irritable and on edge. So I have to watch my black tea intake, even though I love it and am surrounded by it daily.
I know that green tea doesn't effect me in the same way so I have learned to enjoy green tea with honey every morning.

Discipline in the small things can take me a long way in my day!
So there you have it, those are the things I know. :)

Simply doing what I know provides a better environment for my family and much better days for myself. 


What do you know about yourself?  What do you do to keep healthy in mind and body and Spirit?

My motto on this blog has been "use what you have"
today I am adding "DO what you know".

Apply the things you do know about yourself
even if they seem small.




Doing what I know in my west corner and determined to keep on doing it,
Becky

Splashes of Spring around me

Finding splashes of Spring and moments of joy around me. 

This is just down a bit on my new street. 

"Patient endurance is what you (I) need now, so that you (I) will continue to do God’s will. Then you (I) will receive all that he has promised." Heb. 10:36

Finding a rhythm of rest.. my new favourite spot.

My fireman in spring. 

The wild poppies are out, sprinkling red. 

"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the

 LORD in the land of the living." Ps. 27:13

In my new place, in my new corner,

Becky

Nightly rounds and my new elevator.

Made my rounds of book reading, song singing, praying and sweet kisses (oh yes and a glass of water). Tonight it was a pleasure and comfy and joyful  however there are nights the bedtime routine is full of irritability and tiredness. Grateful for tonight. Grateful for energy and good books to read and my nightly rounds.

This is just a quick post to say I am here...I may have moved but I didn't die. 

In my new place I have plenty of time for reflective thought ... the elevator is super slow. :) (We are on the 5th floor) Hey I'm not complaining... time to myself and when people come over I have plenty of time to rush around and get dressed! Oh and obviously I have plenty of time to do self portraits in bad lighting. 

Ps. I made a palett couch and in the process of making a palette desk for my art room. 

Oh so much to share... too bad it is 11:30 pm.

Hope to be back soon until then .... 

in my new space,

Rebecca

crazy post yes... but hey i've gotta start somewhere to get back into the swing. 

Homemade Valentine ideas and an Audio story

Ok so Valentines day is today and in our house it is always simple but sweet. This year we are making homemade Valentines for our family.  Here are a few of my favourites for ideas that I found! Also here is a link for a 5 minute audio by:
Story Nory on the true story of valentines day.

Parents.com

Seriously this is my favourite of all time I think!!! Clever clever. :)

sweetandlavelycrafts.blogspot.com

Great to make for the kiddos, our little love bugs!

:)

Spoonful.com

This would be a fun Grandparent valentines card! 

Too bad I didn't get to it this year. ;(

Paper chain hearts: how to  @ first palette.com

We made lots of these paper chain hearts today!!! It was fun to help the girls figure how to make these on their own. We now have hearts and paper heart chains taped and hanging from the doorways! 

Also one more thing that we have done so far today is read 1 Cor. 13 :1-7 and John 15:13.

We will read the verses again at lunch and dinner and discuss what love truly is and how 

Christ is our perfect example. 

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Jn. 15:13

In our west corner enjoying each other. and that crazy little googly eye love you card!

Becky

Candy bar valentines 2012

Valentines for the cousins 2011

My new commitment to the classics. and ( Do I have a Jo? )

A month or two ago my oldest daughter and I stayed up late together, snuggled in my bed and watched Little Women.  My daughter watched it for the first time and I watched it with different eyes, paying closer attention to Marmee and how she handled her girls. We finished the movie completely delighted with our hour and half experience with the Marsh's.  It has been one of my favourites throughout the years and it was such a treat to get to watch it with my daughter!

Since that night I decided I was going to make the book Little Women a part of their required reading at some point in their schooling. Then I realised I had never read it and I feel that if I want my kids to read the classics I better have read them or be reading them myself.  So this year I have committed to immersing myself with more classic books of literature. 

Since that movie night I have read Little Women and I was profoundly struck by the value of family and the wisdom for life within the pages of the book. I feel like I missed out not reading it sooner.

 I look forward to when my girls read this book in the future for it is filled with wisdom for  youth as it is for me a women in the crux of parenting and will be a fun book to discuss with them. 

Norman Rockwell's painting of Jo.

After Autumn watched the movie she was taken by Jo's gift of writing and she herself has always enjoyed writing and coming up with stories. So one night about a week ago I found her up in her room frantically writing. The title of her story was Riches and Lace.  Even after she went to bed she wrote with her little flashlight until her 10:00 pm lights out. 

I love this picture of her, she was so deep in thought with her bins all piled high to form a desk and create a space for herself.



Now that I am done with Little Women I am looking forward to eventually reading Little Men and Jo's Boys as I was able to download them onto my kindle for free. When you live overseas a Kindle is such a gift!!! 

In my west corner learning from ages gone by,

Becky

After writing this post I came across this wonderful post on Little Women by Simple Homeschool:

Enjoy this link: Simple Homeschool: Little women

“If you feel your value lies in being merely decorative, I fear that someday you might find yourself believing that’s all that you really are. Time erodes all such beauty, but what it cannot diminish is the wonderful workings of your mind: Your humor, your kindness, and your moral courage. These are the things I cherish so in you. I so wish I could give my girls a more just world. But I know you’ll make it a better place." -- Marmee, Little Women” 
― Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

A very sweet jet lag story

It was 3:30 am and I was laying with my oldest daughter who woke up earlier and had just starting falling asleep. I was about to get up and go back to my bed when my middle daughter started singing quietly...Lydia was singing stories...she sang three different ones while I lay there quietly in her sister's bed.  The first few song I barely could hear, one was about her little stuffed lamby that she sleeps with and the other I couldn't really hear until the end where she would end all her stories with "this is my story for the day", repeated by 4 to 10 thank yous following and all this is sung in a sing songy voice.

The last song I was able to hear all the words. "There once was a little boy who liked to dance, who liked to dance, He put on some music and danced his heart out, his heart out. It was funny because he was dancing on a frying pan, and it had butter on it. This is my little story for today. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you." She then fell asleep. :)


This was one of the sweetest jet lag instances ever and I just had to share and record it for later!

We are heading back to Turkey in 7 days, our time here in the States with my mom and family has been invaluable and full of new memories.  

Happy Thanksgiving weekend…I hope it is full of family and tradition and very little shopping.
I look forward to blogging again when we return to our west corner.
Becky 

Homeschool journal & journey #1 ~ Taking things too personal.

2013/2014 School year has been in the workings for over a month now and this year I have 

two girlies home and one little guy off in kindergarten for the mornings. I will be continuing my Homeschool journal and journey posts this year as well. 

Ok so the truth is I am their mom. Yep and that comes into the learning experience. I am an emotional mom at times, they are emotional girls at times and that too comes into the homeschool experience.  Last year I think I took things too personal and truthfully had my feelings hurt more times than I can count by my 8 year old. :) This year my perspective has changed and I feel like I am able to see clearer. I realise that my 7 year old and almost 10 year old are not struggling with 'me' it is the subject or the learning style or there own immaturity. I feel like we have made greater strides at the beginning of this year just by me growing in that one area. My desire this year is to be a better student of my children to understand them more; how they learn, think and what they thrive in, what they are afraid of and why. Examples like what are there preferred learning styles, what are their individual love languages, what are the gifts God has given them, what are their personality tendencies and yes even what is their favourite color this month. I want to 'get' my kids so that I can love them more and teach them well.

~ ~ ~

In just over a week we will be traveling to the States to visit my mom. This summer my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. It was such a shock to my family and me.  I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the opportunity to visit my family and be a part of my mom's journey that she is traveling right now.  I am looking forward to being around my mom, sisters and their families. I really hope I am able to be a help and support in some way. I am also a little nervous, I know my mom has changed so much.

We will be homeschooling while we are there so we she see how that goes. :) I am pretty eclectic in my style so I think we will adjust ok. ;)

In my west corner... journeying,
Becky

Here are my posts from last years Homeschool journal and journey: Homeschool J & J page
Also here is a post from Mother's day a few years back I dedicated to my mom.
She is a women to be admired

Dancing alone...a Saturday to myself!!!

Saturday I spent my full afternoon ALONE in my bedroom!!!! (except for a few sweet interruptions) It was simply wonderful, exquisitely lovely and quiet.  The kids had ballet and gymnastics and David took them so I had 2 hours by myself and then when they came home David said I could just hang out in my room and he would let the kids play outside and he would get dinner around etc.  Wow I feel rejuvenated.  I blogged. I read my Bible. I journaled a bit and I watched 2 movies!!! I can't tell you the last time I did that, I mean really I have no idea??? By the end of the the first movie when the credits were rolling I was dancing a fun jig, yes busting my very own moves and life wasn't feeling quite as heavy. :)

Can you feel the stillness and quietness in my home? 

It was a sweet few hours of bliss. 

Over the past several months our lives has been filled with news that will and is changing our current life and future.  With all these pieces of news my mind thinks, works and seems to be in a constant rolling mode. It was such a relief to laugh, eat chocolate and drink tea all by myself and not have a plan except to rest and reenergise. Oh how I needed that time!

So there you have it. What about you, are you able to recharge?

Grateful for the freedom I have in Christ, (no matter where I live)
Becky

If you want to celebrate this amazing free life we live and dance a jig...I highly recommend this song.  Enjoy Friends.

Austria ~ Part #1 of our Crazy Europe tour

We drove through Bulgaria, stayed a night in Serbia, arrived in Budapest, Hungry in time to eat a famous and delicious Hungarian duck dinner at 9 pm. Then we got up the next day and found ourselves in...

Looking out our bedroom window at the Farmhouse apartment in Austria. 

Austria 

Pristine, full of agriculture, 

sculptured, simple living,

natural

I loved staring out the window at the paths in the distance 

and just thinking. 

I had to put this pic in. 

The colored car Bingo that I printed out for Isaac, was a HIT!! Car Bingo

It was so fun to watch him be so intent on finding that orange or green car.

I had some fun print outs in a 3 ring binder and placed the car bingo in a protective clear sleeve and put sticker dots on the side. It was really a perfect car game.

They have no idea how privileged they are.

This is the farm house we stayed in. It had two small apartments in it. 

We are on the 2nd floor. 

The  Farm house was over 100 euro cheaper than a hotel and the emenities were right up my alley: 

A fresh herb garden

Lavender pillows

Rolling hills

Homemade yogurt and fresh cows milk

Scenery that seems meant for only kings yet God in all His glory allows all to see.

A fresh water spring with water that is crystal clear.
Goats :)
Trampoline and pool

The  fresh spring was about a 5 minute walk from where we were staying. 

The water was so amazing. I had no idea water could be so sweet and refreshing. Super fun. 

There was one other German family staying at the farmhouse as well. 

Lydia enjoyed their littlest girl a lot. 

Camping in Salzburg, Austria. 

It rained the whole time. :) 

The Gazebo from Sound of Music. :) 

We played family Travel Bingo. 

Printed them off put clear contact paper over them and gave everyone a sheet of sticker dots. 

Here we are at one of our border crossings. 

The longest we waited at a border was 2 hours, the shortest was 15 minutes. :)

I considered the word 'wealth' on this trip. We camped often and stayed in unique places in order to save our pennies. We didn't have a luxurious trip to some standards but to me, to us the beauty of Austria was luxurious and we felt wealthy every time we looked out on the green rolling hills. 

I loved Austria!  Even the little bus stops were ladden with fresh flowers.

Well I have finished the first part/post of our trip the 2nd is sure to come soon- Czech Republic. :) 

In my little west corner full of wonder for our world,

Becky