Brats or Blessings?

I wanted to pop in from my blogging absence to share my experience at the hair salon today. I got a pretty good cut, but the color turned out much too light--but that's not what I wanted to talk about.

The theme of my otherwise glorious 2.5 hour sit in the salon chair seemed to be "kids are unwanted brats". Everything around me seemed to shout of the world's negative attitude toward children. First, my stylist's friend stopped by for a chat along with her adorable little girl who I would guess was 2-years-old. The little girl was beautiful and did nothing the whole time but sit angelically in her stroller eating a Christmas cookie. Her mother tried hard not to pay a bit of attention to her--she was busy. And every time the little girl made an attempt to talk to her mother with things such as "I'm done, Mommy" while trying to hand her her napkin, mommy would scowl and start talking about what a brat she was and how she wanted to leave her with her daddy, but daddy wouldn't watch her. Anytime anyone walking by would even acknowledge the little girl, the mother would roll her eyes. "Shhhhhew! She is such a BRAT. I'm giving her away--do you want her? Take her!" Yes, I know she was joking about that, but she didn't sound like she was. I was so sad for the little girl to have to sit and listen to her mommy say nothing but bad things about her constantly. And I wouldn't doubt that after hearing it long enough, she will start believing it and start living up to that wonderful name her mother calls her. BRAT.

After a while of listening to her go on about how horrible her child was, the girl doing my hair snickered and whispered to me "She only has one." Hearing her, the girl said to me, "Oh, you have one too?" I smiled as I lifted up the cape to reveal my very large belly and said, "I'm about to have my sixth." Her response was probably the most shocked I have ever seen. She stared at me in stunned silence before stuttering, "You have to be crazy!" I think she was feeling pretty stupid after her anti-child rant in my presence since she was probably then realizing I didn't share her opinions. She kept stuttering. "Why? How? Wow. You must be.... Wow." The only thing I said to her was, "If you will think of them as blessings, they will become a blessing to you." Then after telling me I must have great patience (ha! I always get a kick out of that one!) and that she really looked up to me (sure!), she left.

And if that exchange didn't sadden me enough, I came across a terrible ad in a People magazine as I was waiting for my hair to get done. It was an ad for birth control, and they usually bother me enough, but this ad was the worst I have ever seen. The picture was of a cute curly-top little baby girl with spaghetti sauce on her face. At first glance, you'd think the ad was for baby food or maybe for a camera to catch such cute shots. But no. This child, the child herself, was the ad for birth control, with the caption "Because you're wiped out." I cannot tell you how this grieves my spirit! What has this world come to? This world that says children are brats and burdens and annoying inconveniences that no person in their right mind would WANT--much less want more than 2 or 3 of! This world that prevents and kills more children than it welcomes. This world that tries to get away from its children every chance it can get. This world that rarely has a positive word to say about their sweet babies. My heart is crying as I look around at all my beautiful precious little ones as they sleep and the thought of being without a single one is more than I can bear.

The world says, "Kids are brats".
God says, "Children are blessings...rewards...happiness is a quiver full of them!"

Today after looking at that beautiful little girl hearing over and over that she was a brat, that she was in the way, that she wasn't anything good, I have made a new resolution. I want to look at each of my children every day and tell them, "You are a blessing to me."

Moving Along

This blog may seem dead, but it only means that our life is definitely not! It is no easy task moving eight people across the country--take it from me! (I say "eight" because our unborn little one has almost as much stuff to move as the rest--and with as much work as it is to carry him around all day, he definitely counts!) I have been packing and planning and being excited about the move and at the same time trying not to think about losing my husband for a year.

We only have 23 days left in this house and then a few days after that we'll be leaving Montana and making our way slowly towards Tennessee. Please pray that we won't encounter any snowstorms along the way! It will be hard enough as it is since I will be driving our van while Kevin drives the moving van. I have only promised to drive five hours a day, but I will not drive in a storm at all!! I pray we are blessed with good weather the whole way.

And of course we are also getting ready for Christmas. Of course, things will be very simple this year. Only decoration will be our tree, baking will be greatly limited, and even presents are fewer and simpler this year. For the first time, I was granted present-buying power this year and got to get some great things I've always wanted them to have. I'm so excited about that!

I think we may have found a house, but it isn't for rent until next month, so nothing set in stone yet. It is set apart on an acre of land surrounded by tons of trees right across from a river. It's the most beautiful place. It has 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (2 are half-baths), a living room and den, a kitchen and dining room, and a laundry room. The landlady didn't seem to have a problem with renting to our larger family, but remarked that wouldn't we be awful cramped in there? What? With all those rooms, it sounds like a mansion to me! Especially compared to the rest of the houses on our list in our price range. I was perfectly excited to be looking at little 2 bedroom cottages, so to have found a house like this in the same price range is like a miracle.

We also have a first name for our new little guy, but I'm not telling. hehe I am so excited to meet him in around 11 weeks! Wow! I'm a little nervous about giving birth in my unconventional way with a doctor I don't know, but I have my birth plan made and I'm ready to fight for my rights if I need to! I'm also nervous about a new doctor for the kids since the way we do things with them as far as check-ups and vaccines is unconventional too. So pray God leads us to the right doctors who will respect us.

Well, who knows when I will be back here! It may be months before I'm settled into my new life and ready to blog again. But I'm so thankful to know that my blog-friends are there and thinking of me and praying for us. I have gotten all your notes even if I didn't find time to reply and I feel so blessed to have friends who care!

Look Up

Look Up
by Nancy Campbell


How can I do it? I have too much to do,
I'm overwhelmed and feeling real blue,
I'm stuck in this house like super glue.
Don't look around--LOOK UP!

The dishes and laundry are piled up high,
When I look 'round the house, I have to sigh,
And for supper my husband's expecting a pie!
Don't look around--LOOK UP!

We can't pay the mortgage; bills are overdue,
I'm tired and have headaches, not a few,
These children are driving me crazy, too!
Don't look around--LOOK UP!

My husband comes in late; he doesn't care,
He doesn't help with the children; it's not fair!
I don't want to smile; I just want to glare!
Don't look around--LOOK UP!

Take your eyes off your problems, look up to Him,
God's presence is with you, even in the din!
Confess your bad mood and He'll cleanse your sin,
He is your God--LOOK UP!

He'll show you how to order your place,
He'll give you direction as you seek His face,
He wants to pour upon you His anointing of grace.
He is your God--LOOK UP!

Keep your eyes fixed on Him; He is your Stay,
He is your Wisdom for problems each day,
He will bring His presence right into your fray.
He is your God--LOOK UP!

Each morning He comes as the refreshing Dew
To revive your body, and your spirit too,
He is your Deliverer and He'll make you new,
He is your God--LOOK UP!

Long Overdue Update

It has been 20 days since I've posted! A lot is going on here. We found out today that Kevin will for sure be going to Korea for a year. We will probably be leaving Montana on December 31. It's hard to believe! So surreal. It will take us up to a week to drive to Tennessee then we'll have a little time to settle in and spend with Kevin before he leaves around the first of February. Then of course the baby is due February 18. It's going to be such a whirlwind of changes. My poor children! New home, no daddy, new baby. What a crazy life! But it is what God has brought about, so I know we can trust Him.

Several of you asked about Zachary's thumb. It healed up very nicely. Then, two days ago, he slammed the SAME thumb in the SAME spot in the SAME door! It reopened the wounds pretty good and terrified him. So he's bandaged up again. What a life with a rambunctious--and clumsy!--little boy!

Saturday is Cara's first birthday. I can hardly believe my long anticipated baby girl is turning one. What a bundle of sweet mischievousness she is! She isn't walking yet, but she climbs like a little monkey and is a little Houdini when it comes to seatbelts. There isn't a stroller, high chair, or shopping cart belt that can be a match for her! Grocery shopping is dangerous--if I turn around to pick up one thing, she's climbing over into the main compartment for some crackers. But, oh, once you settle her back in and she quietly pops her thumb back into her mouth and clutches her blankie and blinks up at you with those innocent eyes, you just don't care! And of course, she has her daddy wrapped around her little finger. They are so sweet together. It's what I always dreamed of seeing and now seeing her here with us is a dream come true.

School is still going great, although now I think we will have to cut back a bit to start packing and getting ready for the move. We'll probably do the basic subjects like math and reading every day and My Father's World every other day. And of course, read-alouds and bible happen naturally every day anyway, so even if we never had "school", I know my children are learning so much, right along with me.

I would love to get back in the habit of blogging again. I always have something on my mind. I'm always having ideas, or projects going on, or a new product I love, or a new book that I'm excited about. So why don't I blog? I have no idea!

Motivated Moms

I'm sure you've heard me talk about Motivated Moms planner before. It's how I've cleaned my house for years and without it I wouldn't know what to do! The new 2010 planner has been released, so if you like to plan ahead, it's ready for you!

This is the perfect time to try out the planner because you can now purchase the 2009 planner for only $2! Why wouldn't anyone do that?? ;-)


Click here to visit Motivated Moms.

Please Pray for Zachary

This evening around 7:00, Zachary (2yo) got his thumb smashed in the front door. It looked completely crushed and the front half of the end of it was just hanging there. So I rushed him to the ER where we waited more than 2 hours--it was terrible! The whole front end, from the base of the nail (part of which is gone) to the very tip is badly lacerated--much more and it would have been clean gone. Praise the Lord it wasn't worse! His thumb is also fractured in several places. The wound bled excessively and is still seeping from the bottom of the bandage more than four hours later.

I don't feel good at all about their treatment of this. They have only bandaged it up. I'm supposed to keep the current bandage on for two days, then change it myself periodically until the wound looks healed. In two days he has to start wearing a splint on his thumb which he has to wear for 3-4 weeks. He is on pain medication and antibiotics to prevent infection in the bone.

I do not feel good about this bandage. I'd like a second opinion, but not sure who to get it from. I mean the whole tip of his thumb from nail to tip was HANGING by a piece of skin! I know the doctor (or nurse practitioner in this case) knows better than I, but I'm not sure he saw the extent of the injury well enough.

So please pray for sweet little Zachary that his little thumb will heal up properly with no problems. Thank you all!

p.s. It IS awful cute that now both he and Daddy have bandages on their right hands (Kevin had surgery yesterday to repair a ruptured tendon). Now they are both asleep on the couch, sleeping peacefully with pain medicine, and their hands elevated on pillows. They look so sweet :-)

I finally updated my sidebar with all our current books and school resources. We are loving everything so much this year. I am so glad I decided to go with My Father's World. It is truly amazing and so far I don't have a single complaint. We truly love everything we are doing and reading.

We are also still using the Hold That Thought time line figures with the Record of Time book. I absolutely love it and I'm so glad we are starting our time line early. It is so neat to see everything we read about come together in history and I love how when they are grown they will have such a beautiful keepsake of everything they have learned and read about.

Our New Life

I'm sure by now you have figured out why blogging has been on the back burner. A new school year, a new baby on the way--a new baby on the way?! Yes, it has been so hard to hold it in, but my husband did not wish to announce our news until we knew if it was a boy or a girl. Yes, we know :-) So now I have told my dad which takes care of my neck of the woods, but since Kevin still hasn't told his family, I still can't say anything on Facebook, which is killing me. But since I don't think anyone from that area reads this (if you are, then don't tell!), I went ahead and announced on the blog. It feels so much better to be a little out in the open. As far as people where I live who see me, well they have been able to tell for quite a while ;-)

I have not been to the midwife yet, but yesterday I had my first ultrasound. Until yesterday I was pretty sure that I was 15 weeks with a due date of about March 7. The dates still seemed strange though since I had a very quickly positive test only a week after a very heavy and long period and was already quite tired and nauseous at what I thought was 3 weeks. I was a little suspicious that I could be farther along, but because of the bleeding and some other circumstances, I was sure it had to be right. I also started showing very soon after and my tiredness and sickness subsided long before I would have expected normally.

So finally I had the ultrasound yesterday and was shocked to learn that instead, I am 18 weeks with a due date of around February 18. Three weeks may not sound like a lot, but when you are pregnant, every week is a milestone and I just skipped three! Imagine my surprise when I saw those numbers on the screen and then within just a few seconds, the baby had it's legs completely spread eagle and my heart jumped when I very clearly saw...

...Another little boy! I had a feeling because I was kinda craving a boy :-) We all saw it and laughed and I joked that I knew having a girl had to be a fluke. We are all so thrilled and excited to know we will have a baby boy this February! And little Cara Grace will remain the princess of the family for quite a while.

We are so thankful that God has seen fit to bless our family again. Would I have planned it this way? Probably not. But I am so glad that God in His wisdom is in charge. I am not wise enough to make decisions like this. As soon as I saw that little guy wiggling around on the screen, I was reassured once again why we have left it all in His hands. How sad to have missed out on such a blessing! And in a few months I will hold him in my arms and breathe in his sweet newborn aroma and as he melds into his place in our family, I will shutter to imagine my life without him. We will love him so much our hearts will ache and give thanks to God for planning this person before time began and for giving us grace to allow Him to bless us with this baby's LIFE. May God, the creator of LIFE, be glorified through the life of this precious little one.

Chosen

A miracle has started.
How could I deserve this blessing imparted?
The Creator breathed life into a little one He planned before time.
To think, I'm the chosen one.

My soul magnifies, magnifies my Lord.
My spirit rejoices, rejoices in my God
for I bear a heavenly child.

I can't describe this feeling--
to nurture from within another being.
Oh I feel a stir from the secret place.
A stolen tear runs down my face.
Oh to think I'm the chosen one.

My soul magnifies, magnifies my Lord.
My spirit rejoices, rejoices in my God
for I bear a heavenly child.

Joy!
Joy!
Joy!

My soul magnifies, magnifies my Lord.
My spirit rejoices, rejoices in my God
for I bear a heavenly child.

Chosen by Serene and Pearl.


More details to come <3

Some favorite old music

One of my favorite CD's of all time is Road to One Day from Passion worship band which was made about ten years ago. I am amazed that these songs are virtually unknown now! I'm putting a playlist of my favorite songs on my blog. For now I'll put it in this post and then find a place for it permanently later. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

worship

I know I haven't been doing much blogging lately. LIFE is just taking up all my time and it's wonderful! I am loving being home with my family most of the time, we love school and it takes up a lot of our time, and I'm just soaking up every minute I have with my babies--especially my littlest one who has a birthday next month. Can you believe it???

My sweet Isaiah had a birthday yesterday and was four years old, which is also unbelievable. I will be putting pictures on facebook and will let you know when I do.

We still don't have news on our uncertain future, but we should know by the end of this month. Have a great and restful Sunday!

Big changes ahead--sooner or later

Well, we have now been here in Montana for four years. We've had 2 babies here, three homes, and lots of growing experiences. It has been an adventure to say the least! And now we finally know when this chapter in our life will come to an end--well, kinda.

One of two things will be happening in our future. The first possibility is that Kevin will be accepted to go to school to become an officer in the Air Force. This will be great for our family because it will mean a significant increase in income and more opportunities for Kevin. He is very unhappy with his job and his station right now, so he is ready for this change. However, the odds are against this happening because Kevin tells me that only 18% of those applying will be selected. But if it does, he would be going to officer training school about a year from now for 12 weeks, and after that we would all be moving somewhere else. This is good, but it is still a wait and we would be here another year.

If this does not happen, there will be even bigger changes for us. Around the end of December we would all be leaving Montana to go back home to Tennessee where the children and I will stay while Kevin goes to Korea for a year. Yes, a year! When he returned, we would be moving to Shaw AFB in Sumter, SC, only a little over 4 hours from home. It would be so hard for all of us to be away from him for a year, but at the same time it will be nice to be home and out of here! And then it will be wonderful to be stationed so close to home when he gets back. So that would be a bittersweet possibility.

At this point, both possibilities are equal in pros and cons. If he goes to officer school, we will only be separated 12 weeks, but we will be waiting around here for at least another year and then might be just as far away from home at our next base. None of us can stand that thought!
But if he goes to Korea, we will be separated for a year, plus the worrying about him being in KOREA, but we will be home and then stationed closer to home. We are all excited about that prospect. Even poor little Justin can't decide which one he wants to happen--as much as we love Kevin and don't want him to leave, we want to go home!!

So we'll find out next month what's going to happen. I know that whatever happens is what God has planned for us, so I can't wait to find out what it is!

School days

We have done three days of school and we are loving it. I know I can't judge a curriculum by three days, but I LOVE My Father's World. This is the most fun and relaxing and put together "boxed" curriculum I have ever tried.



This week, each day has only taken 1.5 to 3 hours because MFW advises a gentle and gradual start to the new year. We are just starting handwriting tomorrow. We'll start math next week and english next MONTH. I think this is a very wise approach. To add to that, every Friday is scheduled as a relaxed day with only math, reading, and a nature walk. We just might make it to the park every once in a while!



This week we have been talking about our names, what they mean, and how we chose their names. Tomorrow we are making a cake with all our names on it to wrap up this discussion. That's my kind of school activity!

Another food-related activity was the first day we had a red, white, and blue snack since this year we'll be studying everything USA and had just learned about the Pledge of Allegiance. We had vanilla yogurt with strawberries and blueberries. I put a big blob of yogurt on a plate and let them decorate their plates of yogurt with the fruit. That was a hit with everyone.



(Yes, Zachary is a nudist. My 2yo's usually are. Anyone else have this experience?)

We've worked in our timeline book and began making History notebooks. They love having their very own binders to keep their work in. They each have two--one for history and one for everything else. They love putting the pages into the rings.

We've done a lot of coloring and reading and playing and it has just been so fun so far. And our school room--wow! I LOVE it! We go down there and it feels so nice, we just stay all day and we stay down there even after we're done with school. Plus, being down there, I am not bothered or distracted by any work that needs to be done up here and no further messes are made since we are down there. I didn't know if I would, but I highly recommend a separate and set apart learning place if at all possible.

I love school, my kids love school, and my house isn't falling apart. Life is good.

New School Room Pics

Our basement school room is complete and school starts tomorrow morning! I didn't think I could turn our dark, dirty, dismal dungeon into a school room, but I did and I love it! I painted the walls white, covered the floor with carpet scraps, put in bright light bulbs, and hung sheets from the ceiling to make a "wall".

Click here to view the pictures and their descriptions.

The smell of new books!

You know how guys love new-car smell? Well, I love new-school-book smell! I have always, even when I was a homeschool student myself, loved the feel, the look, and especially the smell of new school books. The fresh new school year is one reason this is my favorite time of year.

Do you know any crazy people who take pictures of their children's school books? Well, you do now! As I was getting them organized in our beautiful new school room (pictures to come when it is complete), I couldn't resist taking some pictures of our beautiful curricula.

Here is our My Father's World curriculum. I still have a few things I need for it, but am going to order them as I need them later in the year.


Here are Justin's books for second grade.


David's kindergarten books.


Some of Isaiah's preschool stuff.


And our little preschool/play area with puzzles, blocks, toys, etc.


School is so fun!

And I wanted to add that I was so blessed to spend less than $200 on EVERYONE for everything!

Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window. . . This morning when I got up it was crisp and cool and smelled like fall and a new school year. mmmmm Now I think it has warmed up into the 80's, but I'm staying inside today and don't plan on finding out what it's like :-)

I am thinking. . . that I am so glad this is the last official week of summer break for us. One thing I love about Montana is that fall comes early. It doesn't last long, but it comes early.

I am thankful for. . . the privilege to homeschool my children. I hope I will never take that for granted each year that it is given to me.

From the learning rooms. . . This week is school preparation week. Today I have worked on my schoolroom and printed out new planning pages.

From the kitchen. . .
Monday--London broil, baked potatoes, broccoli, salad, and leftover banana pudding.

Tuesday--Chicken fajitas (or steak fajitas depending how much of monday's meat is leftover), mexican salad, mexican corn

Wednesday--Chicken, peppers, onions, and mushrooms over yellow rice, fruit salad

Thursday--Crockpot roast chicken, green beans, noodles with butter and parsley.

Friday--Cheeseburger casserole, carrots, salad

Just as a side note--I only spent $76 dollars for groceries this week :-D


I am wearing. . . gray yoga pants, a yellow top, a ponytail, and bare feet.

I am creating. . . a school room, a new planner, and new chore charts.

I am going. . . nowhere this week! woohoo!

I am reading. . . My ESV personal size reference bible. After buying millions of bibles (I should show you my collection sometime), I finally found THE bible. I love it.

I am hoping. . . that my London broil turns out good. I've never made it before.

I am hearing. . . three little boys sleeping behind me. so peaceful.

Around the house. . . my house is a total mess right now. I still haven't caught up after VBS last week, but I plan on getting back to work on it as soon as I finish this post.

One of my favorite things. . . Swagbucks. I have been getting a new $5 Amazon gift card about every week. I love free books!

A few plans for the rest of the week: this week's focus is just to get ready for school. school room, school plans, and school schedules.

Picture thought: possibly coming later.

Ugh! I have been such a horrible blogger, I know. This summer has kept me so busy and taken me away from my regular routines that I have rarely found the time to blog, nor much to blog about. I guess I am a very strange blogger. I find "I cleaned this, I organized that, I planned this or cooked this, or we learned this, or I read this..." to be much more interesting to blog about than "We went here, we went there." I have always been strange, so no surprise!

I have been getting out of my comfort zone and letting the boys cram in as much outdoor fun as we can take because August 17 it is back to business as usual at our house!

This past week was VBS at our church. It was in the morning. Enough said. The three oldest boys attended while Cara, Zachary, and I stayed in the nursery where the workers' children were. It was tiring and my house absolutely fell apart this week. My schedule was pretty much: get up way too early, get ready, go to church, come home, eat lunch, collapse on the couch for 2-3 hours, wake up, cook supper, do dishes, put kids to bed, do laundry, fall into bed. Repeat for 5 days. Whew! I cannot even fathom that most people do this on a daily basis! That to me would be a miserable existence! BUT, it was only one week and the boys had fun and I had fun too while we were there. But no matter how much fun we had, I am SO glad it is over!

Next week I am planning on getting everything ready for school. Finish the schoolroom I have slowly been creating in our basement, check out all needed books at the library, make last minute plans, make lots and lots of photocopies, and more.

I also plan to run on our school schedule this week to help ease the boys back into our normal routines. Then on August 17 I hope to be ready to begin. I can't wait and neither can they. They keep sneaking and looking at our boxes of books and school supplies and Isaiah keeps asking "Is it school today?" We are all so excited.

Summer has been fun. But I am so ready to get back to life. "Stay, stay at home, my heart, and rest. Home-keeping hearts are happiest!"

Our 2009 Curriculum!

I used to say that I schooled year-round, but now that is only half true. Yes, we continue to read--bible, devotions, read-alouds, even science and history books (because they love them!), but I have decided that once they have finished their levels of math and reading and other grade-based subjects, it's good to take a break for the summer. The children enjoy not having school, while at the same time also start looking forward to starting back! And the BEST part??? I get to plan a new school year!!! We are using My Father's World this year and I am so excited. I have had so much fun planning for it and ordering all our books. I tried to find whatever I could used and have done pretty well. So here it is--our 2009-2010 second grade/kindergarten/preschool curriculum! (Not linking these things, so either ask me or google for more info ;-)

Bible, History, Geography, Science, Read-alouds and more are all included in MFW. All other subjects are also scheduled in the teacher's manual.

Adventures In My Father's World, the AMAZING teacher's manual
American Pioneers and Patriots
New International Reader's Version Discoverer's Bible for early readers
Exploring American History
Science with Air
Birds, Nests, and Eggs
North American Indians
The 4th of July Story
The Thanksgiving Story
Science in the Kitchen
First Encylopedia of Science
Red, White, and Blue
Celebrate America (CD of patriotic songs)
Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims
The Courage of Sarah Noble
Sarah Whitcher's Story
In Grandma's Attic
Mountain Born
Farmer Boy
By the Shores of Silver Lake

Math:
Justin--Horizons Math 2
David--Horizons Math K
Isaiah--Ultimate Skill Builders PreK
Zachary and Cara--number puzzles and cards

English/Phonics:
Justin--A Beka Language 2
David--Explode the Code
Isaiah--Ultimate Skill Builders PreK
Zachary and Cara--Letter puzzles and cards, Dr. Seuss ABC Book (I teach letters and phonics with this book!!)

Reading:
Justin--Beautiful Stories for Children, Robinson Crusoe Reader, Nature Readers (All from CLP)
David--Kindergarten Phonics Readers (CLP)
I, Z, and C--listening!

Spelling:
Justin--Building Spelling Skills (CLP)
David--Explode the Code

Handwriting:
Justin--A Reason for Handwriting A
David--A Reason for Handwriting K
Art:
Baby Lambs (from How Great Thou ART)

Music:
A study of Tchaikovsky and The Nutcracker (included in MFW)

Foreign Language:
First Thousand Words in French sticker book (I took French in high school and college, so it is the only foreign language I know how to pronounce!)

One of the things I love about My Father's World is the Book Basket. You know I love books and I'm always adding them to my homeschool. With the book basket, you can supplement MFW with your own selections. They even give suggestions for what to put in the basket. There is a scheduled time every day to read from the book basket.

I also love that it is literature based, uses the Charlotte Mason approach, and most of all is centered on the bible! Those are only a few things that sold me. I am so looking forward to August!

Our Favorite Read-Alouds

Reading aloud is our favorite time of the day. We always read two books at a time--one at rest time and one at bed time. The good thing about this arrangement is that usually the littlest ones fall asleep. I am convinced that we learn the most simply from reading good books. And in addition to all the knowledge we're obtaining, the kids are also learning how to listen and how to sit still, even if they don't understand everything being read. But don't underestimate how young children can retain reading seemingly far above their age level. I find they start retaining at least some of most of what we're reading at around 3 years old. And even before that, imagine all the language they're soaking in.

Here are a few of our favorite read-alouds--the ones that qualify for a definite re-read in the future.

The Bible. Of course I must start there. I started reading very large portions of the bible to my children after reading 10 P's in a Pod. It has been VERY rewarding for all of us. Which naturally brings me to...

10 P's in a Pod. This book really revolutionized our life. Reading the bible 3 times a day is not the only thing we gleaned from this wonderful book.

The Little House Series. We're currently on book five in the series. The history and even science we learn from these dear stories couldn't come close to reading a dry textbook. We'll be re-reading two of the books in our upcoming year of My Father's World and I'm so glad--they're my two favorites.

The Millers Series. These are ultra conservative, at times even beyond our family, but we just love the simple wholesome stories and came to feel like we knew this family. We have read the whole series and definitely plan to read it again.

My ABC Bible Verses and Big Truths for Little Kids. These are my top picks for bible/devotional books. The first one teaches verses with stories and application for each one. The second teaches the Kid's Catechism with stories to go along with it. They are absolutely wonderful. I am looking forward to reading the next book Discovering Jesus in Genesis and after that Discovering Jesus in Exodus.

The Chronicles of Narnia. We are only three books into this series. I didn't even understand the movies till I read the books. I just learn that way :-) I am really hoping they make a movie out of the first book which is my favorite.

Christian Heroes Then and Now. This is a collection of many biographies. There is nothing more inspiring than reading about the lives of great Christians of the past.

Hymns for a Kid's Heart. I have always wanted to make sure my children learned hymns. The way these books present them with the story behind them and even little devotionals makes these books treasures.

There are so many more books we look forward to reading in the future. I am so thankful to have this time with my children every day.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...

Outside my window... a storm is brewing. The sky is dark and thunder is rumbling in the distance. Love it!

I am thinking... that today has been a wonderful productive day here with my children. I love Mondays!

From the learning rooms... Justin finished his math book today. When he finishes his reading and language, we'll be done with book work for the summer I think. Of course bible and lots and lots of reading continues all year long!

I am thankful for... being a stay-at-home homeschooling mom to many. This is the best life.

From the kitchen... tonight we're having all natural hot dogs, potato salad, and hmmmm I don't know what else.

I am wearing... gray yoga pants and a blue Old Navy T-shirt. My "mom uniform" :-)

I am reading... Sacred Influence by Gary Thomas. Wow--so far one of the best books on marriage I have read, especially if you're in a situation similar to mine. But applicable to every wife. Really really good.

I am hoping... I can get to blogging more often. But I'm not pushing it. Life is so crazy right now.

I am creating... wish lists for next year's school year. SOOO fun!

I am praying... that God would give my husband wisdom about big decisions he's making now and will make in the future.

Around the house... right now I am blogging while sweet Cara is nursing to sleep with her blankie. Zachary just came pitter pattering down the hall fresh from an impromptu bath. And Justin is reading to David and Isaiah, complete with silly voices and sound effects.

One of my favorite things... cute girly summer pajamas like Cara is wearing right now. I could just eat her up.

A few plans for the rest of the week... possibly park tomorrow with homeschoolers and possibly a babywearing meeting on Thursday. Other than that, home sweet home until this weekend.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you... I still don't know how to put photos on with our new computer. (We got a Mac.) I don't think that our pictures are even on here now. So that is my excuse now. Blame the Mac :-)

Blame the Camera

I know I said I had a lot of posts planned, but some little person got a hold of my camera and now every picture it takes is blurry. Since I know nothing about all the little buttons in it, I can't take pictures till Kevin comes and fixes it. And since most of my planned posts involved pictures, I haven't made them.

But Kevin will be home in three days and the boys and I can't wait!

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ Name.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

Decluttering feels SO good!

After we got back from our vacation, Kevin still had almost two weeks left before he had to go back to work. We all know how it is when daddy is home--no schedule, no school, no normality--so what should I do all this time? I knew it would be the perfect time to do a whole house decluttering.

This was the plan. Go from smallest room to biggest room. Once each room is finished, maintain it and make sure it is still clean before going on to the next room. That makes the list for my house bathroom 1, bathroom 2, hallway, bedroom 1, bedroom 2, bedroom 3, bedroom 4, kitchen, living room, basement.

This is how I did it and it worked really well. I think from now on I will do this about once a year as a get the chance.

1. Gather 3 large boxes or plastic tubs. I used 3 big tubs I usually use for toy bins. It is important to use boxes rather than bags because you can just throw things in them from where you are instead of having to walk over and put in it a bag. Then of course each box is labeled "put away", "throw away", and "give away".

2. The next step sounds overwhelming, but it really is easier and more effective than not doing it. Take EVERYTHING out of the room, one thing at a time, sorting into each box as you go. That even includes every piece of furniture that is not too big to move. Start from one corner of the room and work your way around until the room is empty.

3. For each thing you pick up, ask yourself "Do I really need this? Would I miss it if it were gone? Do we use it?" etc. Don't hold back--your goal is to get rid of as much as possible! Then ask yourself, "Would someone else find a need for this?" If so, put it in the giveaway box. If not, throw it away. Ahhhh--that feels good!

4. Once every thing is out of the room. Give it a good cleaning. Don't be too obsessive. This isn't like Spring cleaning. The focus is on decluttering. I just gave all the floors a sweep and mop (we have wall to wall hardwood--hate it) and all the surfaces a spray and wipe down. Also, clean any furniture you may have moved out.

5. Now it's time to put everything back into the room. I don't know if this is normal, but this is very important to me: Try to make as many things as possible different. I mean, rearrange the furniture, reorganize things differently, put things into different spots or even different rooms. This change feels so nice and fresh.

6. Empty the "put away" box one item at a time. Dump the "throw away box" into the trash (hopefully you filled it up 2 or 3 times!). Put the "give away" box aside to take to a thrift store.

Then you are done and ready to start over on the next room. This is a long process if you have small children, but it is so worth it. It saves so much time and makes it so much easier to maintain each room. And nothing feels better to me than a room that is free of STUFF. I love clear surfaces and floors.

I still have half the kitchen, the living room, and the basement to go. When I am done, I will post pictures of every room in my house. I had been getting discontent in this house and wanted to move so badly. Now I love it again and it feels so good to be home. STUFF steals your time, your energy, and your life. Get rid of it! It is so fun to see it all falling into the dumpster, never to be worried about again!

Kevin is gone to Texas for the next two weeks. I miss him, I really do. But the first few days of him being gone are kind of fun too. (Hope he doesn't read this!) It's nice to just to be able to do what I want with my free time, not have to worry about what I or the house look like, have cereal for supper if we want to, watch what I want on tv, etc. For the first few days I really enjoy it. However, I know in probably less than a week I'll be crying and missing him. That's when short separations start to be really good for your marriage. And it was perfect timing because I think we were just starting to get on each other's nerves! I'm sure 2 weeks of absence-makes-the-heart-grow-fonder will take care of that!

Before he left we had Zachary's birthday party because his birthday is the 19th and we wanted Kevin to be here. He got a potty for his birthday! I knew he was good and ready because every time he needed to go he would say "diaper! diaper!" (I allow them to run naked at this age for this very reason, so he was telling me to put a diaper on so he could go!) It was so funny because after we set it up and showed it to him, he just walked over and peed in it like it was no big deal! Today he has gone twice and he isn't even technically two yet! I think God gave me an easy potty trainer since He gave me such a close spacing this time ;-).

Since I was so anxious to get back to school, I haven't had time to finish up my decluttering in the kitchen and living room. Hopefully this weekend I will be able to work on them. I have noticed a huge difference in how easy it is to maintain the rest of the house that I have already done, so I'm really looking forward to having these main rooms done.

The kids are all in bed now and I still have a kitchen and living room to clean up and four baskets of laundry to fold and put away. Thankfully I have many Food Network shows DVRed to watch while I'm working. Guy Fieri almost makes laundry fun.

Our Vacation

A few weeks ago we took our vacation. My husband loves road trips. He can't stand to stay in one place. He loves to travel and keep moving. So our trip went like this: one day in Spokane, one day in Seattle, one day in Vancouver, then back to Seattle, then back to Spokane, then one night in Missoula, then back home again. I know--it sounds crazy! Not what I would prefer, but that's the way he likes to do it.

We stayed at the Air Force base right off of Spokane. It was beautiful. Because we had such a large family, they had us stay in a nice 2 bedroom house. I wanted to stay there forever. It wasn't a big house, but I thought it was perfect. I tend to like smaller houses even with lots of people. It just so happened that there was a family with six small children staying in the house attached to ours (base housing is almost always duplexes). I never got the meet the mother, but I thought it was such a coincidence that they were staying next to us. While in Spokane we went to a beautiful park and rode these things called gondolas that went over a waterfall. I thought gondolas were boats, but these were in the air. I was scared to death that thing was going to break! You can see a few pictures of it in our pictures.

The next day we traveled to Seattle. I did not like Seattle, at least not the big city area of it. It was crowded and there were strange people everywhere. Every store, even ones like Home Depot and Staples, were in big sky scraper buildings. It was all very strange to me and I didn't like it. I felt hurried and dirty and buried in people. We stayed at a Navy base that wasn't that great compared to the AF base. While we were there we went to a mall (that also looked to me just like another big building!) and I got my first taste of Panda Express. Love that place!

The next day we drove up to Vancouver. That was really strange. We didn't see many other white people. Most people were Chinese, Korean, Muslim, and more that I didn't even know. It was also much too big city-ish for me. We went to another beautiful park while we were there. I wish we had parks here like the ones we went to. We also went to the IMAX theater and saw 2 3D movies--one about the sea and another about a space station. We also went to a China Town. I didn't want to get out, but Kevin did, so we got out and walked around a little. There were Chinese people everywhere and they all stared at us and pointed and exclaimed things in Chinese. A few spoke to us in English with things like "Five?" "All you's?" "All you keeds?" haha--We must have been a sight to them! Their streets were full of markets that sold the grossest looking food I have ever seen. Can you believe Kevin wanted to go to a restaurant there? No way was I going to eat there!

We were going to stay 2 days in Vancouver, but 1 was enough, so we left the next day to head back to Seattle. This time instead of trying to naviate the city ourselves, Kevin wanted to take the city bus!!! Can you believe that? A family with five small children riding on the city bus! That was an adventure. I never saw any other chidren get on the bus--just a lot of weird and different people! Most didn't speak to us, but a few of course had to tell us we had our hands full. If only people knew how old that line gets. Ugh. But we survived 45 minutes on the bus and made it to the children's museum. That was probably the highlight of the trip for the kids. They had so much fun there. We spent all day there, then got back on the bus. It was during rush our so this time our trip was an hour and a half. Thankfully the kids were exhausted and slept the whole way.

Then while we were in Seattle we wanted to go to a couple restaurants that were on "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives". Voula's Off Shore Cafe was closed and Mike's Chili Parlor turned out to be a bar that we weren't allowed in! So Kevin got a cup of chili to go. It was not as "money" as Guy Fieri made it out to be!

The next day was back to Spokane where we pretty much just stayed another night. Oh and we went to an arcade/go-kart type place there. Thankfully it had a huge indoor playground for the little ones. Then the next night we stayed in Missoula in the nicest hotel I've ever been in (it was a free stay we had earned). The next day was finally home.

You can see all our vacation pictures HERE.

I am back! Well, I've been here for a while, but I'm back to blogging! After we got home from our vacation, Kevin still had another 2 weeks off, so I took a little vacation myself. We took a break from school and our regular routine and just enjoyed hanging out with Daddy. And I took that time to do a thorough decluttering in my house. I'm almost done and it feels sooo nice!

So over the next couple weeks I will be blogging about

• our vacation--with pictures
• my decluttering method
• a tour of my home
• how to cloth diaper
• our favorite read-alouds
• and more!

I've been saving up lots of posts in my head during my little vacation, so now I'm glad to be back!

Vacation

Tomorrow we are going on vacation. We are going to Spokane, Seattle, and Vancouver. I have SOO much to do today I don't know where to start!

Today's To-Do List

• Pack clothes (for 7 people)
• Pack snacks
• Pack activities
• Clean van
• Clean house
• Do more laundry--I did a ton yesterday and I still have a lot more.
• Charge ipod, cameras, computers

I'm sure there is more I haven't thought of. I'm tired just making the list.

We will be back in one week. If you know anything in those areas we shouldn't miss, please let me know about it!

The Excellent Wife

I read the Excellent Wife probably about four years ago. It is a wonderful book--I need to read it again one of these days. There are many lists and charts that I wrote down when I read it that I have kept and read over and over. I have kept those handwritten lists in binders and the other day I finally typed them out and printed it out to put in my new encouragement binder. (I JUST named it that while typing this--sounded pretty good. hahaha!) I thought I'd share a couple of these from an early part of the book.


Wrong Desires (I think the book called this something like idolotrous desires--"Wrong" probably isn't the right word, but it's what I wrote then and I can't remember what the book actually says!)

1. That my husband will be affectionate.
2. That he will anticipate my needs without my asking.
3. That he will give me compliments.
4. That he will make me feel special.
5. That he will not hurt my feelings.
6. That he will talk to me and share his thoughts and feelings.
7. That he will put me first.


Right Desires

1. That I may know God's Word and obey it.
2. That I may delight in Him.
3. That I may seek Him with all my heart.
4. That I may be pleasing to Him regardless of my circumstances.
5. That I may cultivate an attitude of joy and gratitude in what God is doing in my life no matter what my husband does or does not do.
6. That I may have joy in God deciding how my life and circumstances can glorify Him the most, that He can use me for His glory.




Bitter Thoughts

1. He doesn't love me, he only loves himself
2. I do so much for him and look what I get in return!
3. I can't believe what he decided. How ridiculous!
4. I can't believe what he has done to me!
5. He'll never change.
6. He should have known better.

Kind, Tenderhearted, Forgiving Thoughts

1. He does not show love as he should, but his capacity to love can grow
2. I wonder if I can do something differently to make it easier for him.
3. Maybe he has information I don't have.
4. What he has done is difficult but God will give me the grace to get through it.
5. By God's grace, he can change.
6. How can he possibly know? I've never told him. He can't read my mind

The Best Cloth Diapering System

In my 4-5 years of cloth diapering, I have tried almost every type and brand of diaper in existence. Not really because I was in search of the perfect diaper, but because it was fun and I loved having the variety. You might remember the ridiculous assortment I had accumulated for Cara Grace when she was tiny. That was really fun and I loved trying all those new and different kinds.


But now I have greatly simplified my stash and use mostly two different kinds because I have found the best AND most affordable system.

For home, I use prefolds. The cost, durability, and effectiveness of good prefolds can't be beat. I use mostly Chinese prefolds, which are the white ones. I also have a few beautiful and luxuriously soft bamboo prefolds which are the cute printed ones. I use a snappi with them most of the time because it makes for a trimmer fit and keeps the cover cleaner. However, you don't have to use one--you can just fold the diaper in folds and lay it inside the cover. (On top of the white diapers is one of my wipes. I have mostly used baby washcloths as wipes, but have discovered that I love true cloth wipes and have been buying a few here and there. The one pictured is a BumGenius bamboo wipe that is awesome.



For my covers I use Wiggle Worm Bottoms. These covers are unbelievable. They are the best covers I have tried, they are affordable, and most of all, they are gorgeous! You can completely customize your outer (solids, prints, and even minkee), your inner (a vast assortment of colors and fabrics, but I prefer no inner--just the PUL lining), and your fastener (snaps, aplix, or touchtape). These are the best.


And for outings and sometimes nighttime, I use BumGenius 3.0 pocket diapers. The reason I use these for outings is because they are quick, easy, trim in the diaper bag, VERY effective, and keep the baby from feeling wetness because the suedecloth inner wicks moisture away from their bottom. And not only are they the best, they are also one of the most affordable pocket diapers. I don't know how they do it!



I love using cloth dipaers. It is fun, it is easy (yes--it's easy!), it does save money in the long run, especially if you use them for more than one child and they are also VERY resaleable. There is a reason why many cloth users are "addicted"!


I may do a post in the future about just how I use them and how I wash them to show just how simple and easy it is.
But isn't the cuteness enough to convince anybody??? :-D

My Diet Plan

Ok--I am sick and tired of these extra 15 pounds of pre-pregnancy weight that have been hanging on for months. And I am scared to death of becoming pregnant again before it goes away and just adding to it! So I have come up with my own little baby-step diet plan. If I try to do anything too drastic, I will not be able to stick with it, so I have listed some small things I can do that might help me to get rid of this and actually fit into my clothes.

1. No eating after 10pm (3 hours before bed. I go to bed late, so this is generous. I'm usually snacking constantly till 2am!)
2. Drink at least 2 quarts of water per day. Limit sodas and sugary drinks.
3. Use small plates and do not get seconds of anything except fruits and vegetables.
4. Eat a piece of fresh fruit or my salad before I eat the rest of my dinner.
5. Only snack if I am truly hungry. Snack in moderation and aim for healthier snacks.
6. Exercise or walk at least 15 min. a day.
7. Limit sugar intake. 1 sweet per day.

I will not lie. Dieting is very foreign to me. I have always been able to eat whatever I wanted and not think a thing of it. But time is slowing down my metabolism because I am now 20 pounds more than when I got married and have maintained that for months. So if you have any tips that don't take TOO much will-power, bring them on!

Timeline stuff came!

I got both my Hold That Thought timeline figures CD's and Record of Time book yesterday and I am beyond thrilled. The free CD offer from Hold That Thought is real--I got both CD's and I only paid for one! I cannot believe I got all that for $20!

I ordered the History Through the Ages Record of Time book from the Old Schoolhouse Store (because they have free shipping of course!) and they even threw in a free copy of the Old Schoolhouse Magazine. That made my day! And wow! The Record of Time is beautiful. I don't think any other timeline book could compare to it.

I am so looking forward to doing this with the kids.

I love my life!

I am so in awe that God would see fit to give me a life that is everything I have ever dreamed of and that I get to do everything that I love and love everything that I do! If you are looking for someone to gripe with about being "stuck at home" with kids and cooking and cleaning and laundry or to whine about the agony of pregnancy or the toil of caring for babies, you have come to the wrong place! I LOVE my life!

I get to be pregnant, which is the most wonderful state for a woman to be in, not once or twice, but many times! I get to give birth naturally because I want to because it is the most amazing thing I have ever experienced. I get to breastfeed my babies as much as and as often as and as long as I want because I get to stay with my baby 24 hours a day!

I get to play with cute clothes and adorable cloth diapers and beautiful baby carriers and call it "taking care of the baby"! I get to snuggle with the most delicious fat rolls and inhale the most fragrant breath you can imagine all day and all night long.

I get to hang out with the people I love more than anything, having fun and loving and learning all day long and call it "mothering".

I get to snuggle on the couch with them and read books and learn amazing new things every day WITH them and call it "homeschooling"!

I get to blast music and sing at the top of my lungs and dance around the house with the children with our list of chores and call it "cleaning".

I get to do fun experiments in the kitchen, and sometimes my helper and I will pretend we're on the Food Network, and call it "cooking".

I get to pop my delicious baby in a sling, put 2 more gorgeous blondies in a stroller, and walk behind 2 other amazing kids on bikes, and breathe in the evening air and the company of my family and call it "exercise".

At night I get to sit in front of the TV and watch a few of my favorite shows I've DVRed and call it "folding laundry".

At the end of the day I get to curl up in bed with a huge stack of books and call it "research and higher learning".

I also get to curl up in that same bed and feel the warmth and comfort and security and happiness and joy of cuddling up to my husband's sleeping body and call it "marriage".

I cannot even imagine a better life! I can't wait till tomorrow to do it all again!

Mother's Day and Anniversary

My husband has been shocking me a lot lately. Before we were married he was so romantic and constantly doing sweet things for me. Then after we got married, well, you know how it goes! I've had my feelings hurt a few anniversaries and on past Mother's Days when I asked him why I didn't get anything, he would answer in all innocence, "You're not my mother." Yeah. He really did.

But the past couple years he is finally getting it and this year he just really amazed me.

For our anniversary, we didn't get to go out as we had planned because two of the kids and I were sick. So we fed the kids frozen corn dogs, put them to bed early, and Kevin went to out to get our meal. When he got back I was instructed to stay in the back bedroom till called.

My husband turned the living room into a restaurant. My husband did this. I'm still amazed. He set up a folding table and chairs and set it with a white tablecloth, black placemats, our best dishes, and candles. He laid three roses on the table alongside a card and a diamond bracelet. He had romantic music softly playing. MY husband did this!

As I sat down to read my card, admire my flowers and gift, and eat, he had this to say. My husband said this. He told me that in his psychology class he learned that the hardest year in marriages is usually the seventh year (which is very true for us). Then at the eighth year things started to get better and better. And that's how he wanted it to be for us. MY husband said this!

We had such a nice evening--much better than we could have had out somewhere, in my opinion.

For mother's day, he had the kids fingerpaint cards for me. So when I got up, I found my cards and a package of Oreos (with 2 missing) from the kids. From him I got chocolate and a nice new 12 inch skillet which I so needed! We were still sick, so we had to stay home again and he went out and got us some lunch. And again, it was a much better day at home than going out. I'm so glad we were sick! haha

The things I am seeing happen in my husband's heart amazes me every day. It is nothing but a testimony of God's faithfulness. I am so blessed!

I hope everyone else had a happy mother's day too! Every day is mother's day when we get to be surrounded by the people we love!

Swag Bucks

Why didn't someone tell me about Swag Bucks before?? Why didn't someone tell me I could get paid for doing my normal searches and normal online shopping? Why why why? I saw people doing it but had no idea what it was!

If you are not doing it already, then click on the banner and sign up. Then I'll get Swag Bucks for that too :-)

Timelining

I'm really excited about adding timelining to our homeschool. I almost did this a couple years ago, but it didn't work out. But now I just sold a lot of things we are no longer using and have the funds to get the things I really want for this.

Homeschool in the Woods is a good place to get an idea of what keeping a timeline is all about and I will be using their History Through the Ages Record of Time for our timeline book. It looks to be the nicest by far with heavy cardstock pages, illustrations and quotes, and even 17 pages of blank maps.

Anytime we come across any person, thing, or event as we read and learn every day, we will paste its timeline figure into the book at its date in time. We will keep this book throughout our entire homeschooling lifetime and it will keep a record of what we've learned, give us a better scope of history, and help us retain what we have learned about. It will be something rich and wonderful for my children to look at again and again.

We will use the maps in the same way. Anytime we come across a new place, we can mark it in the blank maps and will be learning geography at the same time!

At first I was going to use their timeline figures on CD-ROM too. They are the most well known and loved and even though it seems to be a great value, the cost was still a bit steep for me. So I thought I'd do some googling and see what else was out there before I bought it.

I am so glad I did because that is how I found Hold That Thought. How have I never heard of this company? They make awesome notebooking pages on CD-ROM and other homeschooling products. I was so excited to find that their timeline figures were better (in my opinion), much more affordable, and twice as many! I immediately added them to my cart and was about to check out, when I decided to look around the site a bit more first and saw this:

Receive a FREE CD with your order! If you post this offer on your homeschooling blog or tell at least 2 other homeschoolers about us we will send you a free CD. We have decided that instead of spending money on advertising we will reward you for promoting our products instead. When you order a CD from us, all you have to do when you are checking out is write the name of the CD you would like us to send you free of charge in the “comment” section (it needs to be at least the same price or less than the CD you are purchasing).

I was going to do that anyway! So because of this company I will have better timelines that will be part of our lives forever AND save over $50!

I will definitely want to try their other products in the future, especially their geography, bible, and devotional notebooking pages. Everything they offer looks awesome. With a deal like that, they are definitely worth trying out!

Above Rubies

Growing boys want to eat all day.
Wiping crumbs and the dishes won't stay away.
The baby cries, up by five.
I won't see the bed again till late at night.

One wants a story,
One needs a nap.
Daddy will be home soon.
The place is a wreck.

But I wonder...

What am I to You?
All these little things I do,
Do You notice?
Are they imparted in Your plan?
I can hear You say,
"She who fears the Lord is to be praised
and her worth is above rubies."
You set a price for me:
Above Rubies.

I could have worn a business suit,
Had a "better life",
But that's not true.

ABC's and 123's
Ring around the rosies,
All fall down with glee.

I know it's simple.
The world doesn't see.
I may not move mountains in this ministry.

But I wonder...

What am I to You?
All these little things I do,
Do You notice?
Are they imparted in Your plan?
I can hear You say,
"She who fears the Lord is to be praised
and her worth is above rubies."
You set a price for me:
Above Rubies
.
Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. Her children will rise up and call her blessed, and her husband also.

What am I to You?
All these little things I do,
Do You notice?
Are they imparted in Your plan?
I can hear You say,
"She who fears the Lord is to be praised
and her worth is above rubies."
You set a price for me:
Above Rubies.

"Above Rubies"
by Serene and Pearl

Eight Years and Counting

I would love to write a poetic tribute to my husband on our eighth anniversary, but I don't have the time or mental presence to do so tonight. But I do want to say that I love my husband so much.

If you know me very well, you know we have been though a lot of ups and downs. If you kinda know me, you probably have a vague idea. If you don't know me at all, you may not realize the trials we have gone though, but I will tell you it has been no fairy tale.

But I will also tell you this: GOD brought us together, no question. God is true to His promises and perfect in His ways. I can testify to His faithfulness, and to His wisdom in His plan for marriage. I cannot put into words how I feel when I write this--just bursting with praise to God and love for my husband! I wish I could express, but there are no words!

God has done--and is still doing--an amazing work in me, my husband, and our marriage.
I love my husband more now than I ever have.
He is a more amazing man than he ever has been.
I am happier now than I have ever been in my life. More content, more peaceful, more joyful about where I am, who I am, who I'm with, and Whose I am!

You know when you're in those first few years of marriage and you keep hearing about that state of love that is better than the butterflies and tingly feelings, that is supposed to come after all the passion of new love has worn off? And you hear about it but don't really believe it and you just keep waiting for it because you're bored and discontent and fighting that nagging thought that you must have married the wrong person?
Well, that love is here for us. It is real, and it IS better. It is true love. It isn't just a feeling like the first love was. It's...it's.... Well, it's just like this:

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

Love never dies.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 The Message

And I just want to tell anyone that may be going through trials that true love is worth fighting for with everything within you! It is worth praying for, whether you pray for days, years, or decades, it will be worth it! It is worth obeying God for, even when every ounce of your flesh is telling you differently. It is worth every tear, every sleepless night, every humbling apology, every lesson learned. It is the kind of love God intended us to have--not based on feelings or circumstances, but a love like His.

Looking back at how much we have grown in the last 8 years, I am SO excited to see how much we grow in the next 8! And I'm not just talking about children! I am so happy and blessed to be his wife. This is what God had in mind when He said, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh."

Simple Woman's Daybook

Wow--It has been almost a week since I've blogged! It has been a busy week. Kevin was home all week because of having his wisdom teeth removed and I have been taking care of him! Seeing him has really made me dread getting mine out! He was just pitiful! Anyway, here is my Simple Woman's Daybook for the week and hopefully I will get to blog more!

For Today...

Outside my window... our 3 feet of snow has just about all melted away and should be gone by tomorrow. It is starting to warm up into the 50's again.

I am thinking... that I need a few more hours in the morning. Oh--that would be getting up earlier! Nevermind :-D

From the learning rooms... We didn't do much with Kevin home last week, so I'm ready to jump back in with everything this week. We have finished the main part and now Justin is working in some workbooks.

From the kitchen... This week's menu:
Baked Ziti
eating out for anniversary
soup beans
BBQ pork sandwiches
breakfast--eggs, sausage, bacon, and biscuits

I am wearing...black capris and a purple top

I am reading... I found a good deal on Managers of their Chores so I am reading it now. Ever since I saw it on the Duggars' show, I have been wanting to try it. It seems like a really neat system so far.

I am hoping... for an answer to prayer.

I am creating... lunch in about half an hour and supper a few hours after that. That's about as creative as I'm going to get today!

I am praying... for patience patience patience!

Around the house... I am enjoying having the shades open today. When there is snow on the ground, the glare is so bright I have to keep them closed.

One of my favorite things... 6 month-olds, 22-month-olds, 3-year-olds, 5-year-olds, and 7-year-olds.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Tomorrow is a VERY busy day. We have homeschool gym day in the early afternoon. In the evening Justin has his very first baseball game. It is also our eighth anniversary which I have no idea what we're doing for it. I made a suggestion to Kevin and he just said, "We'll see". Sounds like he has something up his sleeve. ;-)

Here is my picture for this week: Isaiah reading to Cara. Not sure what he had been eating!