Category: Totally Tatum

Upon listening to a podcast by Kay Wyma on Family Life Today, I knew we needed to embark on this Peace Project.

Each day, we will each look for ways to be Thankful, Kind, and Merciful: T.K.M.

Tatum and I are reading a chapter a day.

And we fill out our journals.

Then we share at dinner with Daddy. Off to a great start!

Stay tuned.

This will be our fourth summer writing a book. It all started in 2019 with Piggie and Puppy at the Beach

Then, next year, Bait ‘n’ Surf (2020)

2021: Rock ‘n’ Ride. What would be do this year?
Her braces experience inspired her, so we started to plan. Characters, theme, plot….

Planning page by page

We put it all together, trading pages for which we would draw and color. Here is the story!

We made copies…

And….I had an idea!
Why not put the whole thing together in a REAL book!
Snapfish to the rescue.

Volume 1 of a 4 book series.

What will become of Piggy and Puppy? Stay tuned!

Way back in the Spring, Tatum saved about $75 for something special from her lemonade stand sales. Fast forward to now. She’s been asking for a Barbie Dream House, but at $230, no way.

We went into OFFERUP…

She decided she wanted to use her money on this! We made deals, deals fell through, opportunities stopped…she had to be PATIENT for the right deal. THEN IT CAME!

We found a deal at $100 including 2 cars and a motorcycle. (and they live in Scottsdale!)

Before we went, we got a haircut and she got to hang with ZERO for a while. Poor guy became the subject of her pictures.

Doesn’t her hair look cute?

OK…now Barbie time.
When we showed up to the house, the man was so nice! His daughter grew out of the house, and it was in peak condition.

We drove it home in the Ram! (carefully)

Ok, she might have to charge us RENT for this space in the Living Room.

She dove right in..decorating and playing.

And now she is living the dream. (She decided that her and Noah would live here one day)

What do you think, Noah?

Tatum sent Daddy this text from my phone yesterday.

What more could he want? OH..wait. Love from the COOPY! He’s hanging on for dear life.

I had the honor of speaking to the EdKey teachers about Writing Across the Curriculum.

We showed up early, and sweet Carol Lippert, the head of GCE, gave Tot another goody bag.

Yes, my future LOPE!

Lunch box as well. Chicken sandy! So thoughtful, and it kept her happy.

But wait, there is more! Thunder, the mascot at GCU gave her a PERSONAL note!

The EDKey staff loved my prezi, and Tatum was blessed to be a part. THANK YOU so much for all the opportunities!

As a kid, I was a major Barbie fan. Oh, yes, it occupied all my time…the hair, the clothes, the “vette.” I dreamed of a Barbie Playhouse, but alas, we could never afford.

The Barbie bug has bit the Tot.

Target has a plethora of choices now. She took her allowance and bought two new sets today,

and NOW, guess what she wants?????
The Dream House. The price? A nightmare. ($150-$250!)

Stay tuned. She is saving her money.

In the meantime, we are selling stuff! Going through her stash of shoes and toys.

I love speaking to teachers. I had the opportunity to speak at the EdKey conference put on at GCU this week.

Here is my topic: (Working with the GIFTED in the Gen Ed classroom)

I had about 50 attendees, and guess who came to watch me and help me?
TOT!

She was such a helper.
I can’t wait to see what they thought. Tot loved it. She pushed in the chairs after.

I get to go back Monday for another presentation: Writing Across the Curriculum. MY FAV!