Our little Ninja Master

Happy Halloween!

Craaaaaaaazy Hair

It was "Crazy Hair Night" at Awana this week.

Ainsley told me exactly how she wanted her hair. "Lots of pig tails with different color bands"

So..here's the back:
...and here's the front:
Crazy, huh?!

Although we did not make it to the Awana meeting (because of a dead battery in my car), Ainsley still had fun with her crazy hair.

Ainsley has really enjoyed participating in Awana since she started in September. She looks forward to going every Wednesday night. As you can see, she wears a special vest. A few weeks ago, she earned her wings by memorizing John 3:16. To see more about the Awana program she attends, click here.

(As a side note: Dan participated in Awana 30 years ago so he is happy Ainsley enjoys it as much as he did.)

I voted today!

We are so blessed to live in a country where we have the freedom to vote.

Don't forget to exercise your right!

Proverbs 3:5-6

Click here to hear Ainsley's memory verse for this week.

Wordless Wednesday

Stoplight Snack

For "S" week, Ainsley made a "Stoplight Snack". To make the stoplight, she took a cracker, spread it with peanut butter and put "M&M"s for the lights.

She thought this "S" snack was "very yummy"!

(As Ainsley was getting ready to put the candies on, I asked her if she knew what order the lights were in...and she did. Very observant!)

Photo Tag

I've been photo tagged by one of my sweet bloggy friends. (Thank you, Ashley!)

The rule of this tag is to pick the 6th photo from the 6th picture file on your computer and blog about it. Here is mine:

This is a photo of Ainsley and I in front of the FedEx Forum. It was taken in June...the day of the 2008 Grizzlies' Draft Party. (Click here to see my post about it.)

Melanie, Joy, Amy, LAR and Robin: Tag! You're it! I look forward to seeing the photos you share.

Delicious Dough

For "D" week, Ainsley made "Delicious Dough".

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
2 cups powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, using your hands. Dough should feel soft and pliable.

Ainsley enjoyed playing with the dough and made a doll, drum, dinosaur and drum.
She loved the fact that she could eat the dough, too!

Pumpkin patch 2008

Last week, Ainsley and I went to Tom's Farm with some of our homeschooling friends.

We took a hayride from the farm to the pumpkin patch. It was an actual pumpkin patch complete with vines, tall weeds, and hundreds of pumpkins.
(These were not pumpkins already picked...sitting in nice, neat rows. These were pumpkins still attached to their vines and they were scattered everywhere.)

Ainsley searched and searched with her friends, Samantha and Jackson, and finally found the "perfect" pumpkin to pick. After our picnic lunch, Ainsley used an antique corn sheller. (This was her favorite part of the visit.) She shelled at least 10 ears of corn and played in the corn box with her friend, Ashley.
What a fun visit to the pumpkin patch!

Fall Leaves

Ainsley's Ma and Pa sent her some colorful Fall leaves from Chicago.
(Thank you, Mom and Tom. She loved them!)

Today, Ainsley made some "leaf rubbings" using the leaves.
Didn't they turn out beautiful?

This is a great way to preserve Fall after the leaves are gone.

Click here to see how you can make your own "leaf rubbings".

The worst grade

Ainsley and I were looking through her school work from Veritas. Her teacher had put an "A+" sticker at the top of one of her worksheets.

Ainsley: "See, Mom. It says 'A+'. That's the best grade ever!"
Me: "I know. That's very good work!"
Ainsley: "I guess the worst grade would be 'Z+'."

Who's this Bible hero?

"With these 4 clues, who is this Bible hero?
1) He had long hair and was very strong.
2) He was friends with Delilah.
3) He ended up dying at the end.
4) He trusted in God."
~by Ainsley

(If you know who this Bible hero is, please leave a comment.)

Making Awesome Applesauce

For "A" week, Ainsley made "Awesome Applesauce".

First, she cut 5 apples into little chunks. Next, she added one cup of water...
...along with 2/3 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon.
Finally, she stirred it all together.
We cooked it on medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Our house smelled so good as this was cooking. Very "Fall" like.)

The results? Dan and I thought it tasted delicious. Ainsley liked it "just a little bit".

Cinderella! Cinderella! CINDERELLA!

Heard at our house last night...after I asked Ainsley to take some toys to her room.

(LOUD SIGH) "I feel just like Cinderella when she was a maid!"

Ten on Tuesday: Favorite television shows

Here are 10 television shows I am currently watching. (Most of these shows are recorded and I watch them when I can....which is usually at night after Ainsley has gone to bed. Watching them recorded is great because I can fast-forward through all of the commercials.)

1) Heroes

2) Ugly Betty

3) The Office

4) The Biggest Loser: Families

5) The Amazing Race

6) Life on Mars

7) Saturday Night Live

8) My Own Worst Enemy (haven't seen the first episode yet...but looks great!)

9) Hannity & Colmes

10) The O'Reilly Factor

What are your favorite shows on television?

Columbus Day 2008

Yesterday, Ainsley and I discussed Christopher Columbus. We watched this presentation on-line and she painted a replica of The Nina.

(I love the color of blue she used.)

Here is what Ainsley learned about Christopher Columbus...in her own words:

1) He had three ships ~ The Nina, The Pinta and The Santa Maria.

2) He mostly rode The Nina.

3) He was born in Italy.

4) He wanted to get money from kings and queens.

5) He was trying to find new lands.

6) He was a Christian.

7) He found America.

8) He sailed to the Bahamas and Cuba.

Ainsley's Drum

Last week in Kindermusik, Ainsley learned that a percussion instrument is "an instrument you hit or shake". Her assignment? To create a percussion instrument and name it.

Introducing: "The Clone Wars' Spoon Drum"!

Yes. That's right. A "Clone Wars" drum.

Ainsley is very fond of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" . Dan took her to see the movie opening weekend and she now watches new episodes on television each week.

Click here to see another post about our little "Star Wars" fan.

Wordless Wednesday

Costume

I am so excited because Ainsley's Halloween costume arrived in the mail on Friday!

She is going to be THE cutest Ninja Master ever. (Remember this post?)

(Photos will be posted in a few weeks.)

Turning Japanese

Ainsley's storybook for school this week is "A Pair of Red Clogs" by Masako Matsuno.

In one part of the book, Mako (a little girl from Japan) is eating dinner with her family. So... tonight at dinner, Ainsley wanted to eat "like Mako does".She wore a kimono (her cat robe) with chopsticks in her hair. She sat on a pillow on the floor at a small table eating her favorite Chinese dish...white rice with duck sauce...with chopsticks.

She had a lot of fun and wants to eat "Japanese-style" again very soon.

Wordless Wednesday