The Piano Man

This is what my middle child likes to do in his PJ's

And he is quite good!













And this is what my oldest likes to do in his PJ's......

 but I won't let him!

This is our Family timeline from our first year of a Classical Education!  Isn't it sooooo cool!

Can you see the change from BC to AD?  That's around Jesus' birth.  We studied about ancient history and the beginning of Christianity.  Our required reading was out of the New Testament.  We used Holy Scriptures for our school study!  And look what else, we even included Book of Mormon stories on our family timeline!  How happy am I....... off the Richter scale!

More painting and crafting at the Dichmann's

We love to paint!  Kirsi's brother, Matt was coming home from his 2 year mission.  We like to make posters to welcome the homesick missionaries when they get off the plane.  And so Abby and I got out the paints!

See the strawberries in the lower left!  Do you see remnants of our timeline on the wall behind the poster?  This is a great day for homeschooling!

And since we have been homeschooling we do many projects.  Here Kirsi is helping Michael paint his ancient Roman aqueduct.  I'm not sure who is having more fun, Kirsi or Michael.

Party at my House

A dear friend of mine is getting married and I volunteered to have a bridal shower at my house.  And then I started looking at my house differently..... What a mess!  It's been years since I've done anything new to the decor.  I saw many things that needed changing with my new eyes.  The first, my kitchen window.  It is a beautiful window, with an AMAZING view.

 However, during the summer the sun sets right into my kitchen.  During our first summer living here, we wore sunglasses while eating supper.  There are wooden blinds and hotel grade shades through out the house, but the kitchen window is too large and unique for any professional coverage.  You see there is an arch on the top.  Any way, I set out to make my own blind with velcro.  I did this 8 years ago.

It attaches with velcro and I hate it!  I have always hated it but it served it's purpose.  So now with the party approaching and the time of day that I choose to have the party forced me to do something different.

I saw these GREAT blinds at Smith & Noble, pretty pricey and the arch would have to go (be covered).  Maybe one day I can get those blinds, but the party is right around the corner.  I was looking for an easy way out.  I looked at duvet covers and sheet patterns, but I couldn't find what I was looking for until I hit the shower curtain section.

My friend the bride to be needed a shower curtain and her wedding theme is "Nature".  This is a bare tree and I added colourful pattern fabric leaves that I cut with my Cricut (well someone else's Cricut, I now own my own!!!)  When my bride friend left after the shower I put her new shower curtain in a box with the rest of her shower memorabilia.  I sure hope she likes it!  I did, while it was hanging in front of the blazing sun.

Now all I have is the brown back drop hanging.  I'm looking for another shower curtain!  Target has a nice selection.  I'll keep you posted!

Did we go anywhere?

We've been home from our adventures for over a month now.  We immediately got back into the swing of life.  So busy that, I'm thinking did we go to Egypt?

Once home I've started on a rampage of crafts.  Thanks to my discovery of the Cricut!  And a bevy of special occasions that simple needed some crafty attention.

I cut out flowers from tissue paper (no Cricut for these flowers).   I painted the boxes an opalescent white or metallic blue.  Then, with modge podge I applied the flowers, layering them.  These boxes turned out so cute!  I used them for May Day, to surprise my friends with little hand carved alabaster vases from Egypt in side the pretty boxes.