Idylwild

2012-01-09T08:41:00.000-08:00

My good friend Lesley took this picture of Christian. I just love it.

I am not good with resolutions. Big, sweeping changes just don't happen all of a sudden because it's January. And yet this is a good time of year to look forward and set goals. It helps me to post them on here so I can find them in a few months!

My original Things I Want To Do list was incredibly long, so I decided to divide them up by what role they fall under (wife, mama, etc) and limit myself to just a few per role.

To do for my self...

do an in-depth study of Proverbs 31 (I'd like to do something like Monica's Crafter's Walk Through Proverbs 31 as well)
start doing TTapp for exercise (I tried it for awhile in the fall and loved it, but it was too hard to hold the book open while exercising! I'm spending a little Christmas money on a video)
read 12 books for fun (in addition to all the "have to" books, which I enjoy, this will be the Grace Livingston Hill novels and Gone With the Wind and so forth and so on...I can't wait!)

To do as a wife....

plan a date night with Casey every month, even if it's just a park the kids in front of a movie and eat a nice dinner in the peace and quiet kind of date.
write Casey more notes and letters
have more fun
plan a short trip for our anniversary (15 years!)

To do as a mom...

plan more family fun (short trips and family nights)
teach Christian to sit in church with us like a big kid
work on my attitude (I may never control my frustration perfectly, but I'd like to do better this year than I did last year)

To do as a homeschooler....

go to a convention
get our year end reports in order
work with Brenna on her reading without either of us getting stressed

To do as a homemaker...

learn to make really good bread (so excited I got this for Christmas!)
grow vegetables and herbs (got this too!)
reduce our grocery budget
deeply declutter one room every month

Wish me luck!

Library Booksale!

2012-01-09T08:15:00.000-08:00

I meant to post about our incredible library book sale months ago. We got all of this, about 60 items including books and movies, for around $20. You buy a box or bag for a set amount and cram as much in as you can. And I was happy to know that the money was going to the library, which we use constantly. With a good library system I really believe I could homeschool the kids for nearly free if it was necessary.
Some of these books are ones that will be passed along after we use them and some are ones that I've been interested in for ages.
Now the challenge is to start getting our own library organized!

Christ-Centered Christmas

2011-12-13T19:52:00.000-08:00

I got another early Christmas present! Hal and Melanie Young sent me a copy of their newest ebook to review, Christ-Centered Christmas. I was afraid I might be a little biased because I love Hal and Melanie - their book Raising Real Men is one of my very favorites - but this book really is just great.
What I appreciate about the Youngs is that they tell you the why and the how. They tell you the history of different traditions and how they've implemented them in their own family. That makes it very easy to adapt the tradition to your family without losing the meaning.
They also make an excellent point about our celebrations being a means to "draw the people around us towards Him." In all the hustle and bustle of cooking and cleaning it's easing to forget the purpose. When I focus on the why of what I'm doing, the how is a pleasure instead of a burden.
Another thing I love about the book is the beautiful artwork they've chosen. The kids and I are using it as an imprompto art unit. Combined with all the hymns they've included (with links to the music), it really is nice unit study for school.
And they deal really nicely with the whole Santa thing and just with gift-giving in general. My favorite quote - "So, don't let gifts rule your season, let your gifts reflect your heart and soul!"
The whole book is excellent and they're offering it for $6 right now. Thanks so much, Hal and Melanie for sharing it with me!

Sister Shoebox Swap

2011-12-13T07:32:00.000-08:00

I was so excited to take part in Monica and Carrie's Sister Shoebox Swap this year! It's always so much fun to choose little things you think your "sister" might like and then to get your own goodie box in the mail! Moms like surprises sometimes, too!

The theme this time was Merry and I was feeling very merry when I opened up this box full of gifts from Kendra! I was tickled to have her for a sister because I've been reading her blog forever.

Kendra had wrapped up lots of things so it felt like Christmas morning! She sent beautiful burgandy yarn so I can work on my very amateur knitting skills. I've already started in on the breakfast tea (which I love!) but I'm saving some for Christmas morning to go with the red velvet pancake mix! Oh yum! Red velvet is my very favorite cake - I'm pretty sure it will be my favorite pancakes, too! Precious cupcake liners and picks saved the day for me last weekend when I threw together a children's Christmas party at church. So cute! Adorable ornaments and a pine candle (I love this scent! I'd never tried it before) have it looking and smelling Christmasy around here. And look at those pretty gift tags...they have little jewels! There were yummy little candies (spicy!) to snack on and a pretty little apple candle and a very special necklace (that's it right down front).

Kendra, thank you so much for putting this together for me. It came on a very hard day when I was just wrung out. Knowing I had a present to open when everyone finally went to bed made all the difference in the world!

And Christian's birthday....

2011-11-01T14:46:00.001-07:00

Taking Christian's 4th birthday picture....

take 1

take 2

take 3

take 4

mom, can we just get this over with already?

yeah! we're done!

Luke's birthday

2011-11-01T14:41:00.001-07:00

I just realized I hadn't posted pictures of my birthday boys. Luke turned 2 this fall and immediately went into full-fledged toddler mode. Fortunetly he is totally adorable. It's impossible to stay mad with him when he says "sa-weee, mama."

2011-10-05T11:20:00.000-07:00

It is finally fall! This was a long, hard summer and I am so glad to be moving into a new season. School got off to a good start this year, but I'm realizing that I've planned too much. I'm pruning just a bit and making time for the things that are really important to us.

One important thing this fall is going to be spending time with each other and with friends! And spending time outside now that it isn't so incredibly hot! Our field trip yesterday combined those very nicely! We went to a beautiful nature trail with just a few other families. I had intended to plan some activities (and I probably will when we get together with our larger group), but the kids mostly just ran around! They did stumble on several learning opportunities, though. Grasshoppers, different kinds of dirt, flowers, trees, etc. They made leaf and bark rubbings. We all explored a beautiful pre-Civil War home (that was a highlight for me!) and relaxed in the sunshine. Of course, I'm paying for that with a nasty sunburn...I should've been running around in the shade like the kids.

So now I'm making our fall plans - and trying to decide between good and best. There are just so many wonderful things to do this time of year!

Brenna's birthday

2011-08-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

My girl turned seven this summer. I don't know why she is insisting on growing up so fast, but the past seven years seem to have flown by.

Since we had just finished our first read-through of all the Little House on the Prairie books, Brenna picked a Little House theme for her party - her gift to her mama. I love Little House on the Prairie:) We had so much fun preparing for the party. I know I will be kicking myself forever that I didn't get pictures!

For initations we printed out copies of this pretty picture and tucked them inside little notecards made from "old-fashioned" scrapbook paper. I still had tons left that I bought to make Brenna's dollhouse last year.

For favors, we made little aprons for all the girls and giant popcorn balls for everyone. The aprons were so cute, thanks to my sweet mother who sent me tons of adorable fabric. Enough so that I was also able to start a throw-sized quilt for Brenna and make a banner, both of which will go in her newly redecorated pioneer girl bedroom. The quilt wasn't finished in time for the party, but the top made a very cute tablecloth.

We had lemonade in little jelly jars and used Brenna's pink dreppression glass for the cake plate. It was just lovely.

First Day of School

2011-07-25T13:17:00.001-07:00

Today was our first day of school so we took our traditional first day of school pictures in the corner of the kitchen. This year I opted not to wait until everyone was dressed neatly with hair done and smiling sweetly. Since that might take until January. This is real life, 1st day of lessons....

This is the best picture I could get of Christian. The kids insisted he had to have a picture made, too, since he is "sort of" a preschooler this year. I went with it, but seeing how Christian did convinced me Luke was definitely too little.

Levi is a fourth grader this year and waaay to cool for all this.

Brenna is a very young third grader - she just turned 7 - but grades are just numbers so I let her say what she likes. She is doing 3rd grade math so that should count for something. She also lost a tooth at bedtime last night and wanted to show it off.

Jack is a kindergartener! He did really well today - stuck with us through all the reading and everything.

I'm excited about this year. Lots of plans for the charming side of homeschool - nature clubs, fun projects, some of my favorite history topics, and soooo many wonderful books to read!

School Plans, part 3

2011-06-10T08:08:00.000-07:00

Still working a little at a time to get everything planned out. I like to be flexible, but I really need to have a detailed plan in place this year. Flexible was not my friend last year.

Most of our work will be done together, but some things just need to be worked on one on one.
Levi will be working through Saxon Math 54 this year. I found a good deal here for the kit with the DIVE cd-rom. He's very excited about getting to do some math on the computer and I'm very excited about avoiding the 9 year old boy power struggle. He's also ready for Spelling Workout D. We didn't do C last year, but he's a natural speller and it just looked much to easy for him. Last year he chose his own spelling/vocabulary words everyweek and looked them up in the dictionary. It worked well for him and we'll probably do it again in the future, but this year I opted to simplify. And Spelling Workout teaches the actual spelling rules, which I think will be good for him to know. For handwriting he's working through the Classically Cursive books.

Along with academic subjects, we're going to work on practical skills this year, too. I mentioned before that I love Doorposts. Their Plants Grown Up book is going to be perfect for us this year (and for many years, I think!). I already have lots of projects marked for Levi to choose from and the extensive scripture references will be perfect for copywork.
Brenna is going to use the Polished Cornerstones book from Doorposts. Actually she and I have already worked on a few projects - I've had this book for awhile since finding it at a used booksale. For math she'll be using Saxon, too, Math 3. She really enjoys Math which leads me to think she may have been switched at birth. If it weren't for the millions of lists written in crayon that I find, I'd really be concerned. For spelling she's going to work through the Spelling Workout B and for handwriting (in addition to copywork) I really like Reason for Handwriting. She and I are also exited about the Homestead Blessings videos. So far we're planning projects from the sewing, gardening, and dairy delights dvds. She wants to start with making ice cream, but I might have to insist on trying out the mozzarella cheese!
For Jack, I keep reminding myself that he's only 5. I plan on encouraging him to stay with us while we're all studying together, and then working with him by himself just a little each day. I'll probably work through some of the Saxon Math K book with him and we'll start Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons this year. He has several Kumon Workbooks to work through, too. I also printed out the Blinky Bill Alphabet Coloring Book for him and that will take care of handwriting. But his favorite part is the animal study he helped me plan. We're going to study two animals every week using mostly information from National Geographic and Answers in Genesis. They each have kid-friendly animal websites. Jack loves animals - especially the scary ones...alligators, dinosaurs, lions, komodo dragons. I also got the the first volume of Jonathan Park cds for him to listen to when he's not up to "big kid" school. I'm sure we'll all listen to them during car rides or quiet rest time, but I knew Jack would especially enjoy them.
I even found a few new things for the little guys. Some lacing and building toys will fascinate Christian. Signing Time and Baby Einstein dvds usually hold their attention and teach something. Kumon also makes First Steps workbooks that we might get later in the year. For now Christian is very content to color on whatever.
Again, I need to remind myself that this is a whole year's worth of work! It seems like such a lot when I write it all down in one place. This will be very handy for that mid-year review, though, when I think oh yeah, I wanted to do so-and-so this year....
Hopefully I can still write out a post about history sometime soon.

School Planning, part 2

2011-05-31T18:20:00.000-07:00

As I'm thinking about school this next year I have no idea what our daily routine is going to look like. I've always planned four days a week and left Friday open for fun school or field trips, what my friend Lori calls the charming side of homeschool. But I'm considering sticking to a shorter schedule for 6 days a week, with the freedom to take a day off whenever we need to. The benefit of that would be that I think we would have an easier time getting back in the swing on Monday mornings with only one day off. And we would be less rushed through the week if we expected to have some work left over for Saturday.

I do know, though, that we'll be doing some studies together and some individually. It just would be crazy for me to try to do history three times, science three times, etc. So this is a list of the basic materials we'll be using for those group subjects.

History
Like I mentioned the other day, we'll still be using Story of the World, volume 4 (Modern History) but in a very piecemeal way. I started with the table of contents and subtracted a lot of material and then added in a lot of other material... Now that I think of it, history may be a whole separate post:)

Science
Again, I broke with the "original plan," which was to do elementary physics. Beautiful Feet Publishing puts out a wonderful book - the History of Science Study Guide. A literary approach to science (with some experiments thrown in for the kids) - just what I always wanted! I was already leaning towards it when I discovered one of the primary books it covers is The New Way Things Work by David MacCaulay. We checked this out from the library last year and Levi had put it on my must buy list with exclamation points. Even I am impressed, and I could usually care less about the way things work. It's a good book.

Bible
Boy, I looked at a lot of books. In the past we've used a lot of really good stuff, but I've been too hit or miss with it. For this year I wanted something...more intentional. I wanted to actually study the Bible instead of doing a devotional or reading stories. Those are great and I look forward to doing them again with Jack and Christian and Luke. But for this year I'm really excited about Foundations by Anne Elliot. We're going to do the first book, Preparation for Christ, which studies the Old Testament. I'm still checking it out, we may actually take two years to go through it. But it is jam packed with memory work and actual reading of the actual Bible. I'm excited.

Art
Brenna and Jack still love Draw Write Now, which is great because I already have the first four books from a library sale when Levi was a toddler. Very nice for my $1 investment. And Levi requested book 3 from the Complete a Sketch series. It's more technical drawing, perfect for a 9 year old boy. We're also going to borrow lots of fun stuff from National Gallery of Art. I plan to mainly focus on American artists this year, especially Audubon, but really I'll probably go with whatever looks appealing to me.

Music
Hymns for a Child's Heart and Christmas Carols for a Child's Heart. I love these. We can sing along around the computer and learn a little about the composer. And the big bonus is that the kids can sing a long in church. We're also going to be just listening a lot. This is a wonderful cd - 25 Classical Favorites - to have on in the background, in the car. And we're talking about music lessons, piano/guitar/harp/drums (NOT drums!), so we'll see where that leads.

Grammar
Levi did pretty well with Rod and Staff last year and I liked it a lot. I feel like he got a very good foundation and my first instinct was to go straight into the next book. But it's really a lot of time and a lot of pencil pushing to cover stuff he already knows pretty well. I try to be conservative with the amount of pencil work he has to do because he loves to write, but hates to copy sentences from a book. But we have to do something for grammar...

And then there's precious Brenna who does very well with oral grammar, but is still reading very slowly. She and I have worked through the 1st grade section of First Language Lessons. But it would be really nice to make grammar a combined subject and have Jack follow along this year. Ruth Heller's World of Language books look perfect. A nice, easy living books approach that we can all work on together. And for Levi there's also grammar check on the computer. He loves to type what he's written into a word doc and then I can let grammar and spell check be the bad guy that points out any errors.

Character
We're studying the Brother Offended Checklist from Doorposts right now...it couldn't wait till school starts back. I really love Doorposts. As school starts up I think we'll work through
The Original 21 Rules of This House and maybe Rules for Young Friends. I've had the Original Rules for quite awhile, but I guess I assumed that it was more of a manners type study. It is exactly what I want for this year, though. The rules cover honesty, self-sacrifice, forgiveness, hard work, good stewardship and much more.

Logic
I'm excited about doing a real study of logic as the kids get older, but for this year we're going with MindBenders. The kids actually think I give them these for fun.

When I type it all out, this seems like a lot. And I haven't even gotten to the individual subjects yet. The nice thing is that they each work on their own level and we won't be doing every thing every day, so I don't have to panic.

Even more school planning tomorrow...

School planning, part 1

2011-05-31T13:16:00.000-07:00

I have been slowly working on our school plans for ages now, squeezing in a little here and there. It's quite a project because I felt like I needed to do a lot more customizing this year. Before I've stuck closely to the Well Trained Mind plans, adjusting just a little bit here and there. Well trained, but laid back, is what I would call it.
This year, though, several things are different. We have a "new" student. Jack is officially starting kindergarten. And Double Trouble (that's Christian and Luke) will be 4 and 2. If I learned anything this past year, it's that these two seriously affect our homeschool, whether they're official students or not:)
I also re-evaluated our goals. Along with a strong academic foundation, I'm planning to focus on character and some practical skills this year. Levi has thrown me for a loop with this whole 9 year old thing. I'm suddenly realizing how very fast he is growing up and how little time I really have with any of them.
One more difference for this year is that I was less happy with Story of the World. I have loved this series for history - it's been a perfect fit for us. But this year as I started reading through the book, I just felt like it was too focused on the negatives of modern history. Of course, to be fair, there are a lot of wars to cover in a short amount of time. But with a kindergartner, 3rd grader, and 4th grader all doing history together, I really wanted to focus on the good things and good people of the last two centuries. So we will read some of the stories from Story of the World, vol 4, but I've drawn up a scope and sequence of my own for this year. And we will be reading A LOT of good books. It also gives me a chance to focus more on the civil war and local history - something I'm excited about.
After all this background info, I think I'll share the actual curriculum (word used loosely, of course) we're using tomorrow.

It has been so long since I posted anything...

2011-05-16T09:58:00.000-07:00

Life here has seemed very chaotic and twirly and not in a good way. Last year I was prepared for things to be a little nuts with a toddler and a preschooler and two "big" kids (who were only 8 and 5), but this year with two toddlers?!? Or maybe it's just these two toddlers? Whatever, it's been crazy. I'm totally off my A game. B game and C game are also shot. I am starting to see some progress though, I think. Or maybe it's just wishful thinking, but I'll take whatever I can get:)
We've finished up school for a bit so I'm making lists of all the projects around the house that I've neglected for the last nine months. And planning our next school year. It's hard to plan when you can't find your desk so deep cleaning my office came first. And then I really must clean out files, write end of the year reports, organize the bookshelves and help the kids straighten their notebooks. But now they are "staaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrvvvviiiiiiiing!" Hmmm, I wonder if I have a clean pot to cook lunch in?

2011-03-02T09:14:00.000-08:00

I'm thinking of joining in Monica's Making Your Home a Haven, even though the week is nearly half over!, just to give myself a little additional motivation to make some improvements around here. But in the meantime I had to share these two pretty coloring books. The kids, Brenna especially, are always begging me to sit down and color with them. Not only do I never have time, I don't try real hard to make time because it's....well, it's a little boring. That's right, I said it.
But Brenna got this beautiful coloring book for Christmas. It's full of beautiful family pictures - sweet reminders for the days when I really need a sweet reminder. And I found another lovely nature coloring book at the Mennonite grocery store. So now coloring is my new destressor - I'm amazed at the zen-like state it leaves me in.
I did have to buy myself the $3 box of 64 crayons. Not a bad splurge, though, for a calorie-free afternoon pick me up!

Just trying to keep my head above water

2011-02-07T14:48:00.000-08:00

Every so often it seems like we need a major overhaul around here. Littles grow fast and schedules change - overnight it seems! All this time I've been so frustrated because I would make up a schedule and we would stick with it for a month or two, but then it would all start to fall apart! What made it so bad was that I blamed myself for not having enough self-discipline to stick with it.
The truth is though, all the self-discipline in the world (not that I would know, mind you) is not going to make a 17 month old stick to a schedule you made for 12 month old. And much is going on...school to do (adding Jack in more and more), a tiny garden to plan, pottytraining to begin (is there still no one I can hire to do this?) so some kind of routine is highly necessary.

So I'm working on a new routine with a lot more flexibility built in - taking into account that Christian has given up naps (waaaa!) and that Casey's work schedule is as crazy as ever. It's hard to think while the kids are with me, though. I can't maintain a train of thought while also cheering, answering, refereeing, teaching, admiring and shhhing. Hmmm, this may call for an all-nighter.

My birthday boys

2011-01-17T17:25:00.000-08:00

Levi and Jack each had birthdays over the last month. Since it's a party year (we have parties for odd birthdays and experiences for even birthdays), we put together one party just before and one party just after Christmas.

Levi turned 9 and had a Survival Party. I hope to get some pictures soon off of Casey's camera. We had a big tent in the back yard, a campfire complete with extra large campfire marshmallows, and lots of great friends!

My little Jack turned five. He considers himself one of the big kids...not one of the little boys. Even though he and Christian are the same size.

Jack had an Animal Party ("with real animals, mom, not cartoons!")

I ran out of cake baking time and bought a simple undecorated cake from Walmart. A little blue and green frosting and a bunch of Jack's plastic animals made the cake fun.

And now to take a little time off from the birthday party circus until Brenna's birthday this summer!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2010-12-22T12:51:00.001-08:00

Love,
the Millers

JOY swap - show and tell

2010-12-15T18:09:00.000-08:00

This was the first time I had taken part in one of Monica and Carrie's Sister Shoebox Swaps and it was sooo fun! My 'sister' was Peggy and it was wonderful getting to know her. She's a mom of boys, too, and we had so much in common!
I had so much fun putting a box together for her, but it was even more fun to get a box in the mail. It came on the day of Levi's birthday party so I wound up saving it to open as a little reward for myself after the craziness.
I loved absolutely everything! Homemade vanilla maple marshmallows, drinking chocolate, beautiful ornaments, tons of crafts supplies! Even whole nutmeg! I especially love the precious little notebook with both lined and graph paper. It's so handy to keep in my purse while I Christmas shopping. There was even a little tea wallet with 4 new-to-me kinds of tea - perfect for a relaxing cup...when I can tear myself away from the chocolate!
Thank you bunches, Peggy, for starting my season off on such a sweet note!

Preparing for Thanksgiving

2010-11-22T13:40:00.001-08:00

This is my very favorite Thanksgiving picture. See the mother in the foreground rocking baby with one hand and holding onto the toddler with the other? I relate.
I'm preparing early for Thanksgiving this year since we will be eating at home this year! Casey's side of the family usually eats together at his sister's house, but this year I asked everyone to come to us so that the kids will have the yard to play in (and the toys!). I'm looking forward to it - must be my matriarch complex:)
My mother in law always make the dressing and lots of vegetables so get to do dessert. And I always make a little turkey since not everyone loves it like I do. This year we got two small turkey "roasts" - one to oven roast and one to smoke. And I'm making gravy and mashed potatoes to go with. Plus pumpkin rolls and 2 pies - pumpkin cream and pecan - and a cheesecake. Yum.
So my week should look like this...
Saturday - I made 24 rolls and 3 pie crusts (I only need one for the pecan pie, but the other two will make a nice pot pie with the turkey leftovers).
Monday - today I'm making broth with chicken wings for the gravy, peeling potatoes for make-ahead mashed potatoes and possibly working on the cheesecake.
Tuesday - thaw the turkey roasts, make pecan pie, make mashed potatoes, and the cheesecake. Finish up the gravy.
Wednesday - clean house and decorate, make pumpkin pie, smoke one turkey and brine the other for a little bit. Hopefully I'll also have time to fix up a few things for the kids to do - I love what Monica did for the little ones at her house.
Thursday! - roast turkey, heat up the potatoes and gravy, thaw rolls and bake (soften the butter!), make 3 pitchers of tea, set the tables and put the pie in the oven to warm up just as we sit down to eat.
I hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving!

Something to think about

2010-10-19T15:19:00.000-07:00

Since Levi accidentally broke my camera the other day, I don't have any pictures to share. But I ran across this very interesting post about boys that I wanted to pass along.

Making My Home a Haven - Thursday

2010-10-07T12:16:00.000-07:00

Well, wow. I started this week with a picture of all the projects I was going to cross off my to do list and how neat my house would be...everything in its little place. That's what I pictured when I thought of a haven. But this week hasn't been like that. I haven't actually gotten much done at all - in fact, my house may actually be in worse shape than when I started.

But maybe a neat house and completed projects aren't the only definition of a haven.

Christian's tantrums came to a head this week. He's not terribly vocal for a 3 year old...he can repeat anything we tell him to, he just isn't communicating much that way yet, and I know that frustrating for him. It's frustrating for me, too. Usually we handle the tantrum pretty quickly and move on but this week he and I have been caught in a tantrum spiral. He can't seem to stop himself from screaming and I can't seem to settle him down. It sure didn't seem like a haven around here with a screaming toddler, an edgy mom, and stressed kids. Looking at Christian, I kept thinking of the chapter Monica chose for this week - Psalm 107. He was very much "crying out in his trouble" - loudly! - and I could choose to try to repsond the way that God did, disciplining him for his own good and yet still bringing him out of his distress and blessing him. "They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven." (Psalm 107:30). And at the same time, God is doing all of that and so much more for me! So now, while Christian naps quietly in his own bed, I do "give thanks to the LORD for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men (and mommies and three year olds!)" (Psalm 107:31).

Making My Home a Haven - Wednesday

2010-10-06T05:31:00.001-07:00

A new day! A good night's sleep (well, better than usual anyway!) helps so much. I woke up this morning with renewed determination to create a haven for all of us.
I plan to begin with a few minutes of prayer on my own...probably while I'm getting dressed. Then prayer all together - I think it helps the kids as much as it does me!
I am definitely, like Monica, staying home today. Hopefully, that'll give us all a chance to get caught up. I also plan on starting supper during my morning routine. Supper is probably the worst time of day lately...too much chaos while I try to cook and that spills over well after we all sit down. So today I'm going to make beef stew and bread during the day - no last minute cooking. And I think I will try feeding the baby early so he can just snack with us or maybe even just play with a toy.
And I need to catch up on chores - the laundry and the kitchen especially. But I also want to do something fun with the kids. I'm thinking maybe some apple cider outside and a little extra playtime.
So my plan for the day...

prayer
a peaceful supper, cooked ahead of time
lots of outside play in the fresh, crisp air
catch up on the laundry and clean the kitchen

then, as I have time....

complete our school plans for today (school will get done, but I won't stress if we don't finish every little thing on the plan)
make a menu for next week and a grocery list (Thur is usually grocery day)
clear my desk
do a science experiment with the kids

My home was not a haven today...

2010-10-05T20:00:00.000-07:00

I saw a lot of areas that need work today...especially the "witching hour" while I fix supper. But plan on spending time tonight praying about it and in the morning I hope to wake with a new attitude and a new plan!

Making My Home a Haven - Fall Edition

2010-10-04T10:56:00.000-07:00

I just love it when Monica starts back up with her Make Your Home a Haven series. It seems to always come along just when my home is getting desperate! Here is Monica's post for this week. She's so encouraging!
My morning got off to an abnormal start since I had to run to the library first thing. Our morning routine got off to a slow start! But the afternoon is going nicely so I'm going to pick up where I am...
The first thing Monica recommended was refreshing our own spirit. My quiet time is usually shared with the kids - I just can't squeeze it in without them right now - and we usually read a Proverb to go with the date. Today, though, we read Psalms 107 along with Monica. The kids focused on the idea that no problem is to big for God, while I thought about the haven He provided.
They were glad when it grew calm,
and He guided them to their desired haven. Psalm 107
Calm in house with 5 little ones is hard to come by...impossible without His help. But with Casey working overtime this week, calm is just what we need.
So I'm spending a bit of time this afternoon on planning my week. For today my main goals are to finish our school work for the day, do two loads of laundry, plan the week and cook a yummy supper of chicken pot pie (x2 to put one in the freezer for another night) and salad.

Birthday boys

2010-10-03T15:31:00.000-07:00

It's taken me awhile to get our traditional pictures on the steps posted from when my boys had birthdays.
Christian turned 3!

And Baby Luke is a big 1 year old now! Please ignore the giant bruise in the middle of his forehead. Learning to walk is tough!

Cornerstones - An Organized Woman

2010-09-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

This chapter is taking us a little longer to work through! Apparently I had a lot of work to do in this area:)
One project, convienently enough, was to plan a birthday party while sticking to a budget. Brenna had so much fun helping me with the party for Christian and Luke. I really enjoy planning parties, but I must not always show it because Brenna asked me several times if I liked doing so much "work." I assured her that I do love planning special things for my family and remembered to smile a lot more!
I also organized our school materials and two storage closets. The decluttering is firmly underway!
I do have one more project from this chapter for this week - organizing the kids clothes. It's just about time to switch over to fall/winter clothes and that will be soooo much easier with clean, organized closets to start from.

Birthdays!

2010-09-13T09:24:00.000-07:00

It's been a crazy couple of weeks. Christian and Luke both had birthdays - Christian turned 3 and Luke was 1! - so we split the difference and had a Vintage Toys party for both of them. It was so much fun! I got a lot of inspiration from this darling party, but I like to keep things simple and I didn't want to completely blow my budget ($40 for the whole party!).

Invitations were made with "borrowed" scrapbook paper and stamps. "Borrowed" because I could not find anything in town that I liked and no time or inclination to shop out of town.

These cookies were every bit as much fun to make as they were to eat! And they were really yummy!

I bought myself a cookie jar to use for the party...and because I think mommies should get a present, too.

I found alphabet charts at the dollar store and thought they were suitably "vintage."

The cake was red velvet on the inside...

Luke enjoyed it.

Christian enjoyed the presents...except for the ones he was scared of. We don't know why - he loved them later:)

The New School Year - 1st Day Pictures

2010-08-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

I love taking first day of school pictures. I always take them in the same corner of the kitchen so I can see how they've grown.

Brenna - 2nd grade

Levi - 3rd grade

Jack - Pre-school

A Wise Manager

2010-08-18T06:54:00.000-07:00

Reading, c.1865 by Jerry Barrett

For my Cornerstones project this week I decided to work on the chapter A Wise Manager. The first project in every chapter is to study and memorize scripture so I thought I would share a few of the scriptures.

Proverbs 12:24

Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor.

(in my own words....Excellence in your work leads to influence, but laziness leads to dependence on others.)

Ecclesiastes 4:9

Two are better than one, because the have a good return for their work.

(in other words...many hands make light work!)

Another project was to list all of a mother's (my) jobs and highlight the ones that could be delegated (or partially delegated) to children. That was eye opening. With a little training, the kids could be contributing so much more than they are. And not only would our home run more smoothly, it would also keep them out from in front of the TV. Always a plus:)

The New School Year - Our Morning Board

2010-08-17T13:30:00.000-07:00

I wanted to try this out for awhile before I bragged on it, just to make sure it worked as well as I thought it would. But now that we've been back to school for a month, I can say it's definitely a hit!

I know I saw the idea somewhere and I wish I could remember exactly where to give credit...

We call it our morning board and it's just one of those wonderful foam project boards that I turned into a calendar with plenty of clear pockets to hold various things we're working on. Everything that isn't in a plastic pocket is laminated with shipping tape.

The pockets are sheet protectors cut to fit or, for the smaller ones, mini photo album pages. They hold cards with our name and address (mostly for Jack to memorize), catechism questions we're memorizing, our Bible card for the week (from Veritas Press - I love these cards and wanted to be able to see them through out the day), the kids' Bible verse for Sunday School, and President flash cards. As we go through the year I'll change things out to reflect new things we want to memorize or read about.

It's so helpful to have the little things that didn't exactly fit in a subject all in one place. And memorizing is so easy when you go over it every day - I'm even remembering things!

My baby girl turned 6!

2010-08-15T12:56:00.000-07:00

I'm working my way back from my (unannounced) summer blog hiatus. While I was "gone," Brenna turned six year old. I'm amazed at how grown-up she seems lately and reminded of how fast this time with her is flying by. She's truly lovely and so sweet. I'm so grateful to be her mommy.

A New Project...for me

2010-08-11T10:08:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon this book, Polished Cornerstones, at the homeschool booksale in May. I had seen it online before, but it seemed like something we might use when she's older and it was $48 so I didn't consider buying it right now. For $5 (in NEW condition) at the sale, though, I picked it up just to browse through. After all, I did commit to focusing on raising my young lady this year.
Well, I'm just now getting to really look it over and I love it! It's easily worth the original price. There are literally years of projects in this book for girls from preschool on up. Each chapter (and I think I counted 52) deals with a character trait or skill set and has between 25 and 50 projects to choose from. Everything from "A Patient Woman" or "A Woman Who Handles Money Wisely" to "A Modest Woman" and "A Teaching Woman." Some of the projects will be do-able even for non-readers and some are better suited for young women. All of them are adaptable and it's easy to pick and choose. Brenna and I could easily go through the book over and over again as she grows and, if she were to ever have a little sister (maybe, one day), she could use the book, too.
Actually, reading through it, I was wishing I'd had a book like this growing up. But it's never too late! SO I'm going through and picking out projects for myself as well. I'm hoping to get a project done every week between now and Thanksgiving...and maybe I'll get some batteries for my camera so I can share some pictures!

Brenna's dollhouse

2010-06-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

For Brenna's birthday she asked for a bike and a Barbie guitar (thank you, Grandma!), but I had lots of other ideas. She had lots of dollhouse furniture that she loves to play with, but she had long since outgrown her toddler-sized dollhouse. I'm hoping to get her a collectible dollhouse kit when she gets a bit older, but she needed something to play with now. So in my internet research I ran across this. Adorable and just what I wanted, but did you catch that price tag? So I kept browsing. And browsing. Until I came up with this. I started cutting out pictures to hang on the walls, but I only did a few because I knew Brenna would have definite ideas about what she wanted so she is adding to it (already she's had me cut some fabric to make tableclothes and rug, make a couch, draw a fireplace and make a tv (but she drew the show). I kind of want to make one for myself now, but Brenna says she'll share.

Time to catch up...

2010-06-16T09:22:00.000-07:00

Even for me, it's been awhile since I posted. We've been busy, busy, busy over the last month and a half. We wrapped up school for the year and we're taking the whole month of June off to catch our breath. Since summer is so miserably hot, I'm planning to start next year in July, right after the 4th, and take a few weeks off in August/September. The weather then should be perfect for some little trips and lots of playing outside. Almost accidentally, I managed to work out our calendar for next year so that we have some time off around every child's birthday (except Jack who still will get his big day off).

While we've been off, we've been busy relaxing:) Casey had some time off to go with us to Dauset Trails and Indian Springs! It was so good to get away even just for a little bit all together. We will definitely have to plan another trip!

The kids and I took another short trip with my family to the beach. We had a wonderful time with my parents and grandparents and favorite sister. As a kid, I was blessed to get to spend a lot of time with my grandparents and I'm always so thankful for my kids to get to do that, too. We attempted to take some family pictures on the beach, but some of us were less than cooperative...

We did get some good pictures, though, and we had a great time. Watching the kids see the ocean for the first time was so good for me. I was surprised at how refreshing even a short trip could be - we may have to squeeze in another quick trip before too long! And I'll definitely have to post some more pictures later.

And now I'm ready to jump back into life at home. I have so much planning still to do for next school year. I'm so excited about everything we're going to study! And I'm debating about squeezing in a yard sale. I would love to haul everything to the Salvation Army and be done with it, but our thrift stores are terribly disorganized - tons of good clothes get sold for rags because they simply don't have the manpower to sort it all. So I would rather have a yardsale with extremely good prices and just donate some of the money. I'm just trying to decide if I have a free Saturday and if the kids will need to be relocated:)
We still have fun stuff planned. Father's Day, Brenna's birthday, VBS and the fourth of July are coming right up, after all. I'm already looking forward to the relative slowness of our school schedule!

Neccessary Shelving

2010-05-06T12:17:00.000-07:00

We needed some storage for the toy/school room...badly. Too many toys and not enough room for school! I browsed for ages online, looking for something that could contain the toys and make them easy to play with AND easy to put away. I finally settled on these great plans at Knock Off Wood. Unfortunately, neither of us had the time for even a quick project and I was out of patience with that room. You can see why...

Luckily, these $15 cheapo shelves from Walmart came to the rescue. This is the day we put them together and loaded them up...they'll look much better when I get a few more matching containers. But for $45 bucks total, it's a decent sized shelving unit and it's pretty sturdy, too.
I wish I'd taken a better picture of it all styled up, but remember the part of this post where I mentioned running low on time...?

Easter 2010

2010-04-06T12:20:00.001-07:00

What a beautiful Easter morning. Levi picked 2 dogwood branches for me and Brenna - he can be so sweet:) It reminded me of the legend of the dogwood tree so we talked about that for bit before we left for my sister-in-law's annual Egg Hunt.
My parents and sister were here for the weekend, too - they're such a blessing!

Spring Cleaning

2010-04-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to do a little spring fixing up this week and finish a few projects. These shelves have been curtain-less for ages since I realized my original velcro tabs were not going to work. Finally I got them "mistreated" although I'm still planning on a little trim to go along the bottom edges (to hide the fact that I didn't hem). In the meantime, I'm happy with the sunny yellow and with the hidden storage!

Grit, Spit and Sticktoitiveness

2010-03-19T12:14:00.000-07:00

Well, it hasn't been quite as bad as this, but what a couple of weeks. I'm starting to feel the way this woman looks. And frankly my ponytail probably isn't doing any more for me than her kerchief is for her.

Between stomach viruses, Casey's crazy hours, and the, oh, two dozen or so other things I've had going on lately -well, some times you just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

I know things will settle down soon. Until then, what was the end of that nursery rhyme.......?

Caring for the sick

2010-03-13T08:46:00.000-08:00

From the 1896 Original Fannie Farmer Cookbook...

Take special care in setting an invalid's tray.
Cover with a spotless tray-cloth or dinner napkin, folding the same, if it
is larger than tray, that it may just come over the edge. Avoid a fringed
cloth, as the fringe is apt to prove annoying.

I certainly haven't had much time to consider whether or not a fringed napkin would prove annoying to my paitients, but I have been so very thankful that I'm able to be at home caring for them.

Making Our Home a Haven - the fresh start

2010-02-28T13:46:00.000-08:00

I surprised myself last week by being able to accomplish more than I thought I would. It was a busy week and I'm proud of myself for getting it all done, even adding a few things in. But I'm really feeling it now...that worn-thin feeling. And with more busyness ahead - there's already too much ink on my calendar! - I know I need to spend some time focused on Home. So, even though I usually preach babysteps, this week I have several good-sized goals.

early to bed, early to rise...

clean out the storage room to sort kids' clothes in preparation for the consignment sale coming up

clean all the windows to let in the sunshine!

eating breakfast as a family

keeping the kitchen sparkly and shiny all week

How funny, before I had kids this would've been a good daily list!

Monica has a really good assignment this week - I hope to do a little work outside, too!

Making my home...a haven?

2010-02-22T13:57:00.000-08:00

My home has been anything but a haven these last few weeks. With Casey working overtime, he needs the haven more than ever. Meanwhile, I'm thinking cloning doesn't sound so bad after all.

I plan to be back on track by Friday.

Hope everyone had a happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-15T18:06:00.000-08:00

Casey bought me these beautiful tulips...my beautiful girl helped pick them out.

Why I can't get anything done...

2010-02-11T14:48:00.000-08:00

He's smiling at me like this all day long:)

Making Our Home a Haven, week 3

2010-02-06T10:32:00.000-08:00

I didn't do nearly the planning I wanted to do. I plan my day every morning, but this week was just too crazy to get beyond that. I did plan Brenna's tea party (sort of at the last minute, but still) and we're planning one for this Sunday, too.
Monica's challenge for this week is chores and that's definitely something I need to work on. Now that the kids have a working schedule for getting theirs done, it's time for me to get a schedule for mine.
In the morning before school...

start laundry - load #1
put folded clothes away if I didn't get to it the night before
clean kitchen after breakfast
check the kids chores

After morning school...

switch laundry, start load #2
fix lunch
clean kitchen after lunch, sweep (teach Levi to sweep!)
start supper

After afternoon school...

laundry! - bring load #1 upstairs and fold (Brenna helps), put load #2 in the dryer
finish supper

After supper...

clean kitchen
bring up load #2 to fold, then put away

I usually do a big cleanup on Friday morning, but all too often it gets pushed back until Saturday when there are lots of better things to do with our weekend. I think I'll move it to Thursday afternoons and see if that helps.

Now I'm off to catch up on the planning from last week...and the laundry.

Tea Party

2010-02-03T09:53:00.000-08:00

I was so excited when Brenna asked to have a tea party - dressing up, making little snacks together, shopping for the perfect tea, doing a craft together, decorating a hat, beautiful invitations... I had soooo may lovely ideas. This was going to be the ultimate mommy-daughter tea party. Only it was never going to happen - when would I find time? But my little girl is growing up and I was tired of saying "maybe tomorrow, baby."
So now we're committed to a tea party every Sunday. This week I made the quickie snacks...on another week Brenna can help. One week we'll make the invitations...another we'll do a craft. For this week we drank some peach/mango tea I still had samples of. Some weeks we may heat up some lipton or have lemonade. The pickiness has got to go!

The important things are the time together and the tradition. My mother made the special little tea set for me in 1983. My granny gave Brenna the pink dishes. My grandmother and I had tea parties all the time when I was little. Funny, those were a highlight of my childhood, but I don't remember them being very fussy. Just a special little bit of girl time.

2010-01-31T15:49:00.000-08:00

My boy is four! Squinting into the too bright sun, he still manages to look adorable.

He loves "gorilla" bars, they make his heart "beep" faster.

Making My Home a Haven, week 2

2010-01-29T09:22:00.000-08:00

Last week went much better. The kids are picking up their chores and the kitchen is clean. And I've been able to keep up with my daily Bible reading and prayer time. Our morning routine is really working even when I have to adjust for nightowl babies.

Last Saturday's plans were changed for me - that happens some times! - so I'll try again this week to have everything done for dinner and for church by Saturday afternoon.

Monica's challenge this week is about planning. My favorite! Stopping to think things through is an absolute necessity. The things that really start to grate on my nerves are usually the same things that I haven't taken the time to plan (or maybe I had them all out but something changed...these kids are always growing and changing on me). Several things around here could stand to have a little thought applied...

Meals...I do usually plan suppers, but I don't always stick to the plan. And lunches and breakfast need more planning, too.
Luke's nap...he's been napping in the school room with us, but he's beginning to wake a little too easily for that so we need to find him a new spot.
School...the basics of school are planned out for the rest of this year, but I do need to make copies, reserve books, and plan projects. The fun stuff. And I want to start thinking about next year and plan a planning day like last year.
Tea time...Brenna's asked me to have a tea party with her so we're going to make this a regular girls only time on Sunday afternoons (although the boys will still be able to snack on any goodies we might have). I think I'm looking forward to this as much as she is!

That should provide a nice, full week. I don't usually have any free time to sit and think, but since Casey's going to work earlier, I'm planning to use that time. I'll just have to write myself a list of things to plan!

Thanks to Monica for hosting this lovely series!

Making My Home Home a Haven - Week 1

2010-01-22T06:33:00.000-08:00

I got off to a slow start on this week's goals. Getting the kids back onto their chore schedule proved tough because of all the late nights I've been having with Luke and Christian. When Mommy sleeps too late mornings get off on the wrong foot! Getting the kitchen clean in the evenings fell prey to the same problem...I was too exhausted after supper most nights to worry about it.

But I got so much more done this week than I would've without the challenge! I read a chapter in my Bible every morning and wrote down my prayers every morning. That's something I've wanted to get back to for a long time so I'm really tickled about it. I did a little more blogging, too, which was nice. And I have this afternoon set aside to settle down with some tea and fill in my Bible - I've been looking forward to it all week.

For next week...

Continue working with the kids on their morning and afternoon chores. We're getting the toy room and bedrooms completely picked p today - that should help.
same goes for the kitchen!
I also need to gt to bed and get up earlier through the week.
On Saturday, I'm planning to have all my work done...house cleaned, church clothes ironed, dinner started...by three so that I can have a little time "off" and we can all have a relaxing evening together.

Thanks, Monica, for hosting this series. It's such a help!

Raising a young lady

2010-01-18T19:46:00.000-08:00

Being the only girl in a houseful of brothers probably has its advantages. I do worry though that I will be so busy with these wild and crazy guys that she and I will miss out on all those wonderful girly things. I'm determined to spend more time this year focusing on raising a young lady...and painting our fingernails.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Making Your Home a Haven

2010-01-16T11:30:00.000-08:00

I've always enjoyed this series that Monica hosts every so often, but these lovely hydrangeas just called out to me to join in.

We've been focused on school for the last few weeks so the house has had to make do with a lick and a promise. Hopefully over the next few weeks we can turn our comfy, lived in!, home into a true haven.

Here's what I'll work on this week.

starting the day with my Bible reading and written prayers. I'm working on reading just one chapter per day from the New Testament.

getting the kids back on the chore bandwagon. I've been very lax about reminding them lately and we all know how that works:)

cleaning the kitchen every night before bed. Nothing is more depressing than waking up to dirty dishes!

making time to blog a bit more often. This blog serves as my only scrapbook for right now and posting about what I've managed to accomplish is a big encouragement.

filling in my brand new family Bible - a Christmas present from my grandparents. I'm so excited about writing our family history in the front.

That's enough, I think, to keep me busy for one week.

"First" Day of School

2010-01-16T10:32:00.000-08:00

Our first day of school for this year was actually back in July. Then we took a long fall break and official school days were all chaotic and twirly (but not in a good way) after that. So after Christmas break I was ready to get back to a regular routine. I commemorated the event by finally taking first day of school pictures for this year.

Levi is a second grader this year. He did not do well with the lack of routine over the last few months - I think school seemed a little too optional and, given the option he'd rather play than work. I can identify. But the last few weeks have seen a total turn around. Once he knew the (challenging) expectations, he's taken right off...most days he does even more than I expected.

Brenna has been the one begging for more school. She's only 5 1/2 but is doing mostly 1st grade work. Math seems to come naturally to her (which makes me scratch my head) and her reading skills are coming along. I haven't managed to teach her to love books yet...I'm beginning to think that isn't something you can teach. But I am planting all the seeds for it...

Jack is my preschooler this year. He loves the Kumon workbooks - working his way through Tracing and Sticker & Paste right now - but I'm also trying to spend time reading just with him every day. He was too young for a lot of the picture books and Bible stories when I was reading them to Brenna and Levi, so I'm rereading them with him now. He still listens in to everything the big kids do, though. Especially science. And we all are studying the catechism together.

I'm really excited about the last half of the school year. Our homeschool group has been a lifesaver! I'm teaching a short class on Medieval Times for the co-op that I'll share more about soon. It's so fun to work with all of these great kids and to see my kids making friends. Just the booster shot we need every now and then:) And I'm so glad I finally took their pictures...look how much they've grown since last year!

Luke's Baptism

2010-01-05T11:14:00.000-08:00

We had Luke's Baptism on our anniversary. It was really precious to me - he grinned at the pastor and seemed to enjoy it, too. Just about our whole family was able to be there.

Luke and my dad

Here are Casey and the rest of our little tribe. Brenna had a hard time deciding between gold bows and a gold headband for her hair. That was (miraculously!) the biggest drama of our morning.

Casey, Christian, Levi, Brenna, and Jack

After church everyone came back to our house for an extremely casual meal of make-your-own subs and some yummy desserts. It was so fun to have everyone together to visit and relax. The kids played outside (and got my nephew's brand new rc helicopter stuck in a tree) and the grownups stayed in and talked and snacked and talked. Lovely.

pictures by my sister, btw. I never would've included the mayo jar:)

Happy New Year!

2010-01-03T12:17:00.000-08:00

I'm still wrapping up 2009, but in my head I'm making big plans for 2010. More on that later. In the meantime I thought I'd catch everyone up on the last few months of 2009 since posting got lower than usual on my priority list after Luke was born.
Casey's work went back and forth between too few hours and overtime, causing quite a bit of upheaval. It was well worth it though to have him home a little more often.
Our schooling was very slow to pick back up after the fall break we took when Luke was born. We did the bare minimum most days and I postponed a lot of extras, but we kept up with our great co-op group and went on a fun field trip.
The most difficult thing we did this year, by far, was leaving our church. It's a decision we've been praying over for a very long time...God was gracious enough to keep repeating Himself while I hemmed and hawed. But we've settled in a new church and been very blessed by it. The pastor was even kind enough to work Luke's baptism into the holiday schedule so that our family could all be there.
The baptism was a truly happy day. Luke grinned through the whole thing - he's a happy little fella. And then we had friends and family over to the house for a (very relaxed!) lunch.
Casey and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary just after Christmas by going out to dinner while my parents watched *all* of the kids. So nice. I'm so thankful that God brought us together when we were so young and has held us together since then. Sometimes I feel like we're toddlers on His lap and, whether we play happily or push and pull and try to escape, He holds us there, loving arms restraining and protecting us. This past year we've played happily with only a very few minor tantrums:)
And now I'm looking forward to getting 2010 off to a good start. I'm full of ideas for school and home. I can't wait to make a brand new notebook! But first I think I'll get the Christmas tree put away:)

Levi on the steps

2009-12-31T18:05:00.000-08:00

We've been so busy in my month-long blogging hiatus, but I have really enjoyed all the busyness:) Now, though, I'm looking forward to settling back down and getting caught up with everything and everyone.
Levi turned 8 this month and I can't help but be a little emotional about how fast he's growing up. I am enjoying having a big kid, though!

Field trip with Grandma Mary

2009-11-22T20:12:00.000-08:00

The first is a series of field trips I'm calling "Not everything comes from Walmart" - my grandma took us to visit her cousin and see how cane syrup is made.

Brenna did not care to have her picture made, but Levi didn't mind. He was impressed with the whole process.

Jack was impressed by the fire! Here he is by the wood pile.

We had a wonderful time and got to spend the day with Grandma Mary. The kids went back to her house to decorate gingerbread men over the weekend. They are lucky, lucky kids to have great-grandparents who take up so much time with them. And Casey and I are truly blessed to have such awesome babysitters!

Christmas ideas

2009-11-02T08:07:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again...that time when I realize there are only 7 1/2 weeks until Christmas. And in that time we also have Thanksgiving, 2 birthdays, and a baby dedication. I want to be relaxed and able to enjoy each of those things so...I'd better get busy:) It's time to start planning what to cook, which traditions to focus on (cause they don't all fit every year!), and which presents to shop for. For example, Levi has asked for throwing knives. I need to think about that. For a few years.
My friend Betty and I are brainstorming some Christmas ides so if you have a favorite recipe or gift idea or tradition who'd be willing to share, please do! And head over to Betty's to talk about great gift ideas for the hard-to-shop-for!

edited to add links

Owlhaven has some fun educational gift ideas here. The comments have some great ideas, too.
History, character training and paper dolls in one gift:)

Today

2009-10-26T16:06:00.000-07:00

I got a full day's worth of lessons done with the kids, cooked a real lunch, took everyone outside to play, did some laundry, doctored some owies and sniffles, and had dinner done on time.

My house looks like Martha Stewart's nightmare.

I can get it all cleaned up tomorrow...if it rains...and the kids don't mind granola bars for lunch.

Thank Heaven for Little Boys

2009-10-13T10:27:00.000-07:00

What a sweetheart. I almost don't even mind the (very) late nights. Almost.

A New Season

2009-10-07T12:36:00.000-07:00

We are slowly coming out of the beautiful fog that comes with a new baby. I was determined this time to really slow down and just enjoy having a new baby in the house - I've only actually left home a handful of times since we brought him home. But it's time now to start easing back into things...as a family of 7.
There are so many projects that I've put off over the last few months - lots of things I can't wait to get started on. But the first thing I need to concentrate on is getting us (big surprise here) organized. I love organizing. I love containers and sorting and decluttering and schedules and LISTS! But I don't seem to be quite so passionate about keeping things organized. And it's becoming quite obvious that running a household with 5 smallish children will require me to keep things organized or Casey and I will wind up divorcing over a lost shoe and my children will forget that not all foods are served between two pieces of bread. So it's time to get the essential stuff back on track...closets sorted for fall so laundry can be put away and not piled on the loveseat, menus planned in advance (including breakfast and lunch!) so I don't have to hear "I hate sandwiches!" ever again, my desk cleared off so I can find this week's lesson plan. And since we have several days of rain ahead, I should have plenty of inside time to get started.
I am planning some fun, too, though. We're ready to see how a family outing shapes up with 5 instead of 4 so we may venture out to the park for a picnic or to a fall festival or two. And my super sweet mother sent us a holiday in a box this week full of German treats so we'll be having an Oktoberfest family night on Friday or Saturday. I'm so excited to do something a little different and I know the kids will love it. We've...I mean, they've...already almost finished off the German cookies.
This new season is starting to shape up quite nicely.

Christian turned two!

2009-10-02T13:36:00.000-07:00

Actually he turned two way back at the end of August. We celebrated with ice cream cake:) But in all the busyness of the new baby I forgot to post his picture on the steps. Isn't he adorable?!

NOW it's time for the new baby!

2009-09-11T20:38:00.000-07:00

Luke Kersey

born September 10, 2009

8lbs 4 oz, 21 inches

Time for Baby

2009-08-19T06:57:00.000-07:00

Actually, it's not quite time for baby - I'm only 36 weeks along - but, much like his big brothers, he seems interested in getting to the party already. The doctor started me on Bentyl last week which has all but stopped the contractions without most of the side effects from last time. It does cause insomnia though...just when I need my rest!
Admittedly I'm ready to see this little guy. My friend Claire, who was due on the same day as me, is already getting to hold and play with her new little guy. He was 5lbs and 9 oz born at just 35 weeks! I can't wait to see pictures!!!! (Claire, that's a hint!!!)
I am getting a lot done in these last few weeks. I've finished almost everything on my list from cooking for the freezer (now I just need to organize it!) to packing a hospital bag. I still have a few things to pick up or have delivered (the new carseat for example - hope it makes it on time!), but most of the plans are in place so I can sit back and relax a little:) Perfect timing since Casey's work hours have changed and we're trying to get used to a new schedule.
Well, that's the update. We have lots of other things on the back burner - our homeschool group is taking off and I'm planning a Medieval Times class to teach at our co-op this winter. We're finishing up our first school term for this year - it's gone really well so far but it will be nice to have a little break from planned lessons. I'm also trying to plan field trips for the year and wondering just how much I'll be able to juggle! I guess I'll have to wait and see.....

Time for School

2009-08-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again when everyone is getting back to school. We've actually been doing school for a couple of weeks already and it's going really well. It just makes more sense for us (especially this year!) to start a little earlier when it's too hot to do much of anything anyway and then take off some extra time in the fall. This year our fall break will double as my maternity leave and the kids will get to spend time with daddy and visiting grandparents.

Levi is a 2nd grader this year and Brenna is doing 1st grade (she's just five but she just really loves school!). Jack is doing a small amount of preschool stuff and sitting in with us for most of the reading. Christian is learning too - how to make more messes, faster. In that particular area, I clearly have a genius on my hands:)

I started planning what to study way back in the spring. Once I had books in hand, I spend a day at my church having my own little planning retreat, drafting schedules and making copies. Time very well spent! We use The Well Trained Mind as a basic guide, but one of my very favorite things about homeschooling is personalizing the curriculum to fit us just right.

For history, Levi and Brenna are both using Story of the World, vol 2 - The Middle Ages. Brenna listened to most of the reading we did last year on the ancients so I don't think she's missing anything by skipping ahead in time just a bit. I'm also going to teach a class in our co-op on the Middle Ages so we should be able to fit in lots of fun projects.

I'm really enjoying teaching Saxon Math this year - much better than last year! Turns out they don't have to complete every single problem on every single page - Levi will probably finish Math2 by Christmas and Brenna is zipping through Math 1. And this year, they like it!

Language Arts is no longer called Grammar in this house. Levi did not care for grammar at all, but he likes Language Arts just fine:) We switched to First Language Lessons this year from English for the Thoughtful Child. I really enjoyed Thoughtful Child, but Levi was just bored to tears with it. And First Language Lessons works well because Brenna and Levi can both work out of the same book - it covers 1st and 2nd grades.

Levi is also using Spelling Workout again this year. I skipped the B workbook though and went straight to C. He's just really an exceptional speller (which he did not get from me!). I'm probably going to start Brenna on workbook A later on in the year, but for now she's working on phonics and learning to read. We're using the Starfall program and Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. She loves Starfall but TYCTR can get kind of dull. It's very good though so we just take little bites:)

For science, we're studying the earth and space this year. I like to use the Usborne First Encyclopedias as a spine, but we do a lot of reading and projects to supplement that. We're planning a lot of stargazing this year with the telescope my parents bought us last year. I'd like to spend a lot more time on nature notebooks this year. I'm just really not a nature girl at all, so I'm hoping to get together with some other homeschoolers for this - I need a little accountability!

For Bible study, we're using Veritas Press The Gospels. It has a good bit of art appreciation built in to the study and lots of optional activities. This is the main part of our "Circle Time" - the only part for right now. "Circle Time" is still in development - it doesn't even have an actual name yet. "Circle Time" is "too babyish" for some of my little students so we're working on something that sounds a little more mature:)

We'll be going to homeschool co-op classes again this year, but those don't start until September so I'll probably post a little more about them later. Brenna is still crazy about the Kumon workbooks so I keep a few of those on hand, too. And Levi is begging for a robotics kit from Lego...until then he keeps busy building everything out of legos. Maybe he'll be an engineer.

Cooking for the freezer

2009-08-02T14:32:00.000-07:00

Finally, I feel like I'm getting something done! I really wanted to have the freezer packed with meals before the baby gets here (5 1/2 weeks, tops!), but I just knew that there was no way I'd be able to work in even one big mega cooking day. So I've just been making one or two extra things a day, usually just doubling whatever we're having for supper. Also I went ahead and invested in disposable pans and ziploc bags on our last trek to Sams. The pans worked out to be about 30 cents each. Compared to what we'll save by not having to eat out as often, that's not a bad deal.
Here's what I have in the freezer so far (numbers refer to how many meals worth, not individual servings).

1 chili
1 hamburgers
2 meatballs
3 grilled, sliced chicken breasts (for fajitas, chicken salads)
3 chopped, grilled chicken (for quesadillas)
4 browned, crumbled hamburger (for tacos, sloppy joes, emergency Hamburger Helper!)
1 spaghetti sauce
1 chicken pot pie
2 banana streusel muffins
1 twice baked potatoes

Still to make? Some of my favorites...tortellini soup (add the tortellini just before serving), the meat for Marlboro Man sandwiches, lasagna, and cinnamon rolls! Plus granola to take to the hospital with me.

A great cookbook for making food that freezes well and still tastes good - The Best Make Ahead Recipe Cookbook.

A brand new baby picture

2009-07-26T13:19:00.001-07:00

Look at that little chubby cheek! At 32 weeks, I'm getting awfully ready to hold this little fella. Seeing him on the ultrasound actually makes my impatience worse. But we have six and a half weeks left - at the most - before the c-section and so much left to do! Hopefully that nesting urge will kick in soon because I do not want to go into labor with a messy house...again.

Brenna's five year old on-the-steps picture

2009-07-19T13:45:00.000-07:00

I somehow neglected Brenna's birthday picture on the steps (forgetfulness is becoming a real theme) - and she smiled so pretty this year!

Visiting someone in the hospital

2009-07-08T08:46:00.000-07:00

My granny had to be in the hospital last week so I wanted to take her some things to make her stay a little nicer. I'm hoping to make my own stay a little nicer in a few weeks, too, so any ideas are welcome! This is what I came up with.

The rooms themselves are always so sterile, it's nice to have some little luxuries around.

A nice pillowcase
colorful placemats for the bed tray
a small vase with flowers for the tray (large arrangements are wonderful, but too big to go next to your plate)
a subtle room or linen spray
maybe even a personal cd player with a cd of soothing sounds (my granny and I both love thunderstorm sounds)

Snack food is a good option, just keep in mind any dietary restrictions the patient might have. But even when the patient can't snack, the family members staying with them might appreciate a quick bite they can grab without leaving the room...

fresh fruit or veggies that won't be messy - grapes, baby carrots, or strawberries don't even leave a peel - in a resealable container
chocolate!
granola or cereal bars
cookies and a small jar of peanut butter (and a plastic knife)

Pampering products usually lift a person's spirits.

lotions (unscented unless you're pretty sure the patient will love the scent)
chapstick
super fluffy socks

Entertainment...there's only so much tv a person can watch!

playing cards (and offer to play a game while you visit)
beautiful magazines that don't require any deep thought
crossword puzzle books or even coloring books and crayons (not just for kids!)

And the thing I appreciate the most in hospital is good company!

A Mermaid Birthday

2009-06-28T20:39:00.001-07:00

What a fun party! Some things got done and some didn't...but everyone (including Mommy) relaxed and had fun so I'm counting it as a total success. And I stayed on budget - less than $30 for everything except gifts.

An ocean cake was blue, green, and purple on the inside. And this recipe for frosting really didn't melt, although it wasn't the yummiest I've ever had.

Brenna helped design her own invitations

We printed a mermaid picture and she colored it with a little help. I scanned them and had them printed (free prints from CVS), then we attached cardstock to make postcards.

No need for planned games. Casey set up sprinklers and kiddie pools...along with water guns and soaker balls, they kept the kids busy for two hours!

Instead of sending the kids home with candy and cheap junky toys, we gave each boy a watergun and each girl got a bubble wand. It may have cost a little bit more, but since we only had a few kids I was happy to skip all that sugar:)

Highlight of the day for me...Casey getting in the kiddie pool to play:)

Group photo

2009-06-19T14:14:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my mother's generosity and my sister's gentle prodding:) we finally got pictures of all four (clean and combed!) kiddies. If you're an aunt or grandma who hasn't gotten your copy in the mail...well, that's because I haven't mailed them yet. Please do not hold your breath! But I promise I will get them to you asap(when there are four small children involved!).

How we had the perfect wedding without breaking the bank

2009-06-18T11:22:00.000-07:00

Please ignore the crayon specks from my scanner :)

Brenna asked to watch our wedding video the other day. She loves to see us all dressed up and even likes to plan her own wedding. "I'm going to wear a big white dress like you, Mommy, but I'm not going to invite those noisy kids (her much older cousins)."
So I've been thinking how much I loved our wedding and how happy I still am about how it turned out. We spent about a 10th of the national average (and by we, I mostly mean my parents, who would've been happy to spend more-they're very generous like that). So how was it that we spent less and yet I'm still thrilled with it almost 12 years later? Especially considering that, since then, I've heard brides complaining at their own reception!
I think the most important thing we did was consider very carefully what kind of wedding we really wanted. Casey wanted only close family and friends - there were literally only a handful of people he felt had to be there. I wanted the whole thing to feel very homemade and familiar. And I knew I wanted our families to be very involved.
Small and homemade is naturally going to be less expensive than big and fancy! In fact, I skipped invitations entirely and either called or hand wrote notes to everyone. But we still had to figure out the details. We picked a date two days after Christmas, which worked out perfectly, even though it seemed crazy at the time. My granny provided most of the decorations just by moving her Christmas decorations to the rustic log cabin we rented for the ceremony and reception. I use the term rented pretty loosely there - I don't actually remember if we paid anything for it at all. And it was a Boy Scout cabin. But after (a lot of) cleaning it worked fine. I had a sentimental attachment to the cabin because we'd had my dad's welcome home party there when he came back from Desert Storm. And it was perfect for a Christmas wedding.
The flowers were one place I bucked all the money saving advice. I wanted real! My aunt was working with flowers at the time and I talked her into making my bouquet. We bought white roses (and pink for my little sister) and baby's breath and my aunt used greenery trimmed from ivy and ferns. We bought a few red roses for the men and that was it. My grandmother rescued the ivy (which represents fidelity, by the way) for me and rooted it so we both have all the ivy we could ever want.
My grandmother also made my wedding dress for me. She'd been sewing for me since I was born and I picked a pretty simple pattern. It also left her with extra fabric to make dedication gown for me when Levi was born. It's all about the sentimental stuff with me:) I slapped together my own headpiece at the last minute by attaching tulle and seed pearls to a ivory satin barrette.
Casey found a tux he really liked at the local bridal shop and rented it (after we looked at every suit in the mid-state area). His bestman rented the same one and my dad and brother both wore their military uniforms. My sister was my maid of honor, even though she was just seven and my uncle told her that if I backed out, she would have to marry Casey! My mom bought her a very cute Christmas dress that matched our colors and she got a little more wear out of.
The cake was my only disappointment. I asked at two bakeries about having a red velvet wedding cake and neither would do it! Since we were running out of time I ordered a regular white cake and had a red velvet groom's cake made for Casey. If I knew then what I know now, I'd have pushed harder:) "Different" wedding cakes are all the rage now...I was just ahead of my time:) But it did turn out nicely. We had the bakery frost the layers very simply and not stack them, then another aunt made floral toppers and we put them on pedestals of varying heights. Actually the pedestals were upside-down vases temporarily attached to glass plates.
The food was lots of fun...my dad and I made the majority of it the night before. I just thought of all my Christmas favorites (fudge, shrimp cocktail dip, apple cider, etc!) and we fancied it up as we went along! We borrowed lace tablecloths from everyone.
My mother really splurged on a photographer (not the one who took the above picture!). She's still splurging on pictures for me to this day! And my brother in law volunteered to video the whole thing for us. Unfortunately, my granny made him set up at the back so you can't really hear us, but you can hear my noisy nephews:) I'm glad to have the video because Brenna loves to watch it, but I probably wouldn't have paid for one. The pictures, though, I love.
I love weddings...I would love to get married again someday! But I'd always pick Casey:)

Reading about boys

2009-06-07T19:46:00.000-07:00

Finding out that baby #5 is boy #4 has renewed my determination to raise Godly young men. That, and an influx of jokes about various bodily functions at my dinnertable, made Kay West's How to Raise a Gentleman required reading last week. Each chapter details manners for different situations - everything from sleepovers to sportsmanship. I don't think I can say I learned anything new - my mom was big on manners - but it was wonderfully fun to read through and I really needed the reminders.
My aunt's two boys have incredible manners - not just that they say "yes, ma'am" instead of "yeah," but also the way that they hop up to give up their seat or help entertain my kids without being asked. They're both exceptionally considerate and that's something I really hope my boys will learn.
I'm also re-reading two other books on raising boys. James Dobson's Bringing Up Boys and Raising a Modern Day Knight, both of which are really good.

25 Week Update and other stuff

2009-06-04T09:07:00.001-07:00

Our homeschool group's end of the year picnic was last week at a beautiful park near the river. We all had a blast, but it was hot in the sunshine! Christian had a lot of fun checking out other people's picnic baskets (maybe his nickname should be Yogi?) and chasing bubbles.

Week 25 has gotten here pretty quick. Only about 14 weeks left! The last week has been a little rough - I had some nerve pain from the old csection scar that was not fun and I've had pretty bad morning sickness for the last two days. But, overall, this has just been such an easy pregnancy compared to what I'm used to! I can't believe this little guy will be here so soon! Lots to do before I'm too big to do much of anything!

In the meantime I'm busy planning a Mermaid birthday party, trying to keep the kids busy without schoolwork to do, reading fifty books with the kids for the library's reading club, figuring out how to make Father's Day extra special this year and trying to watch the first two seasons of Jericho on Netflix - I missed it when it was on tv. Hmm, that's weird. It doesn't sound as exciting when I write it all down.

Getting ready for baby, part II

2009-05-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

Baby books alway have a list of things to do before you have a baby but I've noticed that they aren't as helpful as they could be and they're almost always written for first time moms. Some of these are things I've never seen in a magazine, but I'll be so glad they're done!

wash all the (boy!) baby clothes and baby sheet and receiving blankets

get the cradle all ready (make it up with layers - sheet, waterproof pad, sheet, waterproof pad, etc to make changing the bed in the middle of the night a little easier)

sterilize the breast pump just in case

pack a baby kit with nail clippers, infant tylenol, mylicon drops, thermometer, nose suction bulb thing, etc)

make a new baby carrier (I make ones like this wrap and pouches like this one - they're so easy!)

declutter everything I can find to declutter!

make a thank you note/birth announcement kit - something I can take to the hospital - with pens, notes, addressed envelopes, stamps, etc all in one place

pack a hospital bag with lots of little extras to make my stay a little more relaxing...especially takeout menus (hospital food is enough to make me want to take my iv and go home) and homemade granola

charge batteries for the camera and video camera

stock the pantry and the freezer with meals for at least three weeks

make plans for the kids (who will be with them and when they'll come to the hospital)

dig out some comfy non-maternity clothes to wear for those first weeks when nothing fits

move Christian into the big boy room and a big boy bed...I won't be able to lift him in and out of the crib and, by moving him before the baby's born we avoid the "who's this new kid taking my bed?" problem

start drinking red raspberry leaf tea

look for ways to boost milk supply

Well, that should keep me busy for awhile. But if anyone thinks of anything else they would do to get ready, I'd love to hear it.

Baby News

2009-05-17T12:33:00.001-07:00

The ultrasound waiting room was a bit crowded...my parents, sister, grandmother, and all four kiddies waited to hear...

A brand new baby boy is on his way! Brenna was briefly disappointed at not getting a baby sister, but she seems to be enjoying her "only girl" status for now.

ed to add...we could not get a good picture of his face or profile so we have a wonderful shot of his little bitty foot and side (3d? or 4d?) picture of his hands over his ears, his body and little knee. Are we that loud already little guy?

Getting ready for baby

2009-05-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

My parents went home yesterday. We had such a great visit...I'm always sad when they leave so I try to get busy doing something right away to take my mind off of it. Luckily, I have plenty to keep busy with. Besides trying to do some fixing up around the house, I have a baby to get ready for!

I started a list yesterday of things to do/buy/find before this little guy gets here. You would think with baby #5 that I would have everything all ready, but we've gotten to the point where a lot of our baby things are actually worn out!

Here are the necessities I need to have on hand...some I just have to unpack, but some I need to buy. Hopefully I'll have time to find some good deals!

diapers, 4 packs (these I have already, thanks to Kroger coupons I only paid $1 per pack)

wet wipes, 2 packs (for newborns I usually use water and old baby washcloths as much as possible so I don't need as many of these)

new washcloths for baby baths

nursing pads and nursing bras (at least 2, 3 is better)

bottles (when Christian was born, I did not have a single bottle in the house...in my defense he was the first baby that I actually needed a bottle for)

a new carseat (convertible or infant? I still can't decide)

pack-n-play (I have a cradle that I love for my room, but I want something to keep in the toy room as well. A pack-n-play will also help corral a crawling baby during school time)

baby swing (we have been through two of these! my kids love them)

"new" dvds for the big kids, especially for the trips (an hour one way) to and from the hospital

coloring books, crayons and other activities to keep the kids busy

snack things that will be easy to grab for me and the kids

pantry necessities for the first month or two and things that will make housekeeping easier...paper plates, paper towels, laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent, toiletries and TP

Whew! And that's just the stuff to gather! The list to do is even longer so I think Ill make it a separate post. I know (and as my friends say, I speak from experience here!) getting this stuff taken care of now makes bringing a new baby home so much easier!

Homeschool Science Day

2009-05-17T12:20:00.000-07:00

Our homeschool group invited Dr Craig Anderson to give a one-day science presentation - from all I've heard it was a huge hit! Casey took the day off to go with Levi and they both had a great time! I'm so glad that Levi had an exciting science experience since science is really not my thing:) But, considering what a great time they had, I might have to check it out myself next year!

Trip to the barbershop...in Georgia

2009-05-14T13:29:00.000-07:00

Casey and I took the boys to get haircuts last weekend. They love going to the barbershop because afterwards we stop by the hot dog stand next door so everyone was in good spirits...until Casey opened the car door. He calmly turned to me and said "don't freak out" (how well he knows me) "but there's a snake out here." In the parking lot. Where I had to put my actual feet and my precious children's feet. I was, in fact, about to freak out. Thankfully the snake was very dead...something I had Casey verify before I'd get out of the car. He handled it so well that the kids were totally unfazed. I, however, had to record the moment with photographic evidence that I had, in fact, been this close to a real snake.
It turns out that one of the barbers had killed the snake by his pond and brought it to work to mess with people (um, way to drum up business...put a deadly rattlesnake in front of the door). It was kind of funny, once we were safely inside and divided by glass from the dead snake, to see other people react...especially the grown man who lit out down the street running and left his friend to stumble across the rattler himself.

Fixing up the house

2009-04-29T08:12:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of the house when we moved in. We've (well, Casey's) done lots of work, but it still looks a little too...new. Hopefully I can dress it up a little more.

Now that we are winding up school for the year, I decided to spend some time thinking about how to get the house in shape over our summer break. I went through each room thinking about what needed to be done and then tried to decide what I might actually be able to get done:) I have had a much easier pregnancy so far this time as far as being sick goes, but my energy level is usually pretty low. I hope having a plan will help me get more done on those days when I have a burst of nesting energy.

I thought of dividing up the summer and doing one room each week. That sounds so organized and efficient, doesn't it? But I work better if I go with my mood and inspiration. When I'm in the mood to work on dressing up the back porch, but it isn't the week I have scheduled for the back porch, then I'll wind up not working on the porch or whatever was on the schedule - nothing gets done!

So I'll look over the list every day and see if there's anything I can get done that day. And I'll have a better idea what supplies to be on the lookout for - fabric for curtains, a pretty planter for the front porch. And, hopefully, once I get in the flow of getting things done, I'll have more energy to move on to the next thing.

For now I'm going to post a few inspirational links so I can find them when I'm drawing a blank on a project.

I really need something for some organization in our play/school room. I also need something large to fill in a big empty wall. One wall has my office-in-an-armoire, but the other wall has toys all lined up in a row - not cute.

See The Nester's kitchen curtains? I think I need them...only blue. And stainproof.

The blue in my living room is too dark, but I love this lighter, summery shade. I'm sure blue and brown is not "in" anymore, but I love it. Now if I just had Meredith's knack for finding beautiful stuff at the thrift store!

I've been dying to do this to the mirror in our guest bathroom. The mirror in our bedroom has two gold mirrors hanging on top of it, which I like so I don't want to mess with it, but this will definitely look better than the mirror in the guest bath.

I need inspiration for lots of other places - the front porch, the back deck, my bedroom! But for now I think I have plenty to get started:)

Keeping Levi busy

2009-04-28T14:45:00.000-07:00

Levi's spending a lot of his time working with k'nex. This is his latest creation, for which he wanted a grade - an A of course! We're winding down school for the year so he's finding himself with a little more freetime these days.

In the meantime, I'm finishing up planning for next year and making long lists of things I'd like to get done before Quincy gets here (Quincy means number five, but I have to say we will not actually be naming the baby Quincy - no offense to anyone named Quincy). My brain seems to be working fine, but I'm still to tired to carry out any of my big plans. Hopefully, with plans in place, I can at least get the most important stuff done in those rare bursts of energy.

I'm almost 20 weeks (later this week) - halfway there! We're all sooo excited to have the next sonogram (in two weeks) and see what we can find out about this little guy or girl. Either way we're going to celebrate by trying out the Johnny's Pizza across the street from my doctor's office. For someone who's never been there, Jack is very excited about Johnny's Pizza.

What's in Your Book Basket?

2009-04-17T08:03:00.000-07:00

I love books. I especially love finding children's books that the kids and I all enjoy so when I saw this post over at The Happy Houswife's it was just the kick in the pants I needed to share some of the giant stack of books we brought home this week.
Spring Story by Jill Barklem. Brenna and I love these little books about the mice of Brambley Hedge. The artwork is gorgeous and their little homes are so neat and orderly and beautiful. Is it odd that the housekeeping of mice inspires me? I think yes.
The Quiet Way Home by Bonny Becker. I saw this one over at The Homespun Heart and thought it would be perfect for Brenna and I to read. Jack liked it too. It's especially good to read when we're winding down for Quiet Rest Time.
I checked out Sky Tree, My Favorite Tree and Franklin Plants a Tree to read for Arbor Day. We haven't read the Franklin book before but Sky Tree and My Favorite Tree are favorites. Sky Tree is full of beautiful artwork and science. Science is not usually my thing, but this book even holds my attention. My Favorite Tree has lovely pictures and lots of facts about 27 trees native to North America, including Hawaii. It doesn't include my favorite tree, the Pecan, but it does have the Dogwood and that's a close second:)
We also got Little Farm By the Sea. I just love this book. I talked about it before here. I need to just buy this - we've checked it out a couple of times this year. It always makes me wish we had a farm (I know in real life I couldn't pull it off, but I love the idea!).
I also got lots of homeschooling books to gear me up for planning next year. I got a good start on that the other day when Casey kept the kids to give me a little quiet planning time. I was astonished at how much I got done without anyone around. And we got books on the Celts since that's what we're studying for history. And a math book called A Place for Zero that Levi is reading now. And a bunch more that I don't remember! I know we could homeschool without the library, but I sure am glad we don't have to!

A Post About Everything

2009-04-07T11:16:00.000-07:00

It's busy and messy and busy around here. We had a great time last week at our homeschool group's Easter Party and spending time with friends who were on Spring Break. I even skipped lessons for a few days so we're making them up this week during our Spring Break:) But all's not lost, we're still taking it easy.
We only have a few weeks left for school this year so I'm doing my annual look back-look forward thing. Casey's given me a day off this weekend to go and sit and plan for next year - I'm borrowing the fellowship hall at my church where I'll have lots of space to spread out (and where it will be QUIET!). Things like this make me so grateful that Casey talked me into getting a laptop:)
We're going to my aunt's house for Easter this year, which is also my birthday! We usually go to my sister-in-law's house so this will be a change for us, but it will be so nice to visit with family that we rarely get to see. But I still haven't decided what to bring!
My new pantry is all set up...I'm anxious to finish the curtains so I can post pictures (if I can get my camera to work). The extra storage space is soooo nice.
I'm 17 weeks long this week so it's time for a little more blood work. I've been taking chlorophyll this time when I remember and so far it really seems to be helping. I'm still quite tired, quite often, but I'm not anemic and that's a big deal for me:) Almost halfway there!
Well, all's quiet here so I think I may take a little QRT myself :)

Still here...

2009-03-25T10:28:00.000-07:00

It's been busy around our house lately. I seem to have just enough energy each day to get the absolute necessities done and then I crash. But I am feeling somewhat better than in the last few weeks. The house still has several areas that need attention, but a woman I don't know well used my bathroom yesterday and I didn't die from embarrassment. She had come with her husband to look at Casey's truck and they bought it. Since Casey cut out his side business, a truck isn't really a necessity anymore and with our family growing a bigger vehicle will be a nice change of pace.
I'm working on organizing lunch for our homeschool group's Easter Party. I've put meals together at church tons of times and I didn't expect this to be much different. But after I'd volunteered (read: opened my big mouth), I realized I had no idea how this group usually organized anything. We've been involved for about a year now, but we've never even been to a big get together with food. So I talked to one of the "founding members" and I think I have the kinks worked out. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
In the meantime I'm juggling doctor's appointments for me, weighing the pros and cons of having the triple screen test, and getting ready for Easter. Oh and sorting the kids clothes - it's getting hot here!

I got SOMETHING done!

2009-03-12T09:46:00.000-07:00

The house was beginning to fall in around our ears. Between being sick (although not as debilitating as usual) and the exhaustion, the piles had started to pile up. Case in point, our bedroom...

Not exactly the peaceful retreat I had in mind. The corner chair and duck pictures are, ahem, not necessarily my style. They're very sentimental though and they make a nice corner for Casey when the chair isn't piled high with laundry. I have ideas for pillows and a throw that might help.

But for now I focused on the dresser. SO much better...

The vase is one the kids gave me for Mother's Day and the lamp belonged to my aunt - it's just needed a new shade. I've actually added just a teeny bit more - a blue and white figurine that plays my parent's wedding song (I'm not sure how I talked my mom out of that, but I've had it forever) and a porcelain baby doll that Brenna and I share. It's only a few inches tall and we like to hold it and talk about how big the new baby is right now. Hopefully it will survive until she's expecting her first baby and then I can pass it along.

With this project finished, I'm working on a few others in my bedroom and in the kitchen. I'm slower than usual, but it feels good to get something done:)

Good reading

2009-03-04T14:15:00.000-08:00

I stumbled across this really pertinent article and thought I'd share it. I've noticed lately a bit of the sense of entitlement Miss Terry is talking about in our family. This post was a nice reminder about why we want to nip that in the bud.
Here's another excellent post on the topic.

Pregnancy Exhaustion

2009-02-26T12:37:00.000-08:00

The last few weeks have been blessedly free of the constant sickness I usually experience during pregnancy. I could not be any more thankful! I wish there was some method to the madness, something I could point to and say "I did this this time and so I'm not sick." But there's not. I haven't done anything different this time as far as I can tell, but I'm only nauseous a few times a day and hardly ever really sick. I can't attribute it to anything other than God and so I'm just very, VERY thankful.
I have been quite sleepy, though. Which isn't bad, actually, accept for the guilt over not getting anything done. My house is at its all-time messiest and if it weren't for Casey helping out, the piles of dishes and/or laundry would threaten the kids. Luckily, I have some helpers this time. I just realized today that I won't have to carry any groceries into the house during this pregnancy - Levi and Brenna bring them all upstairs for me now. And no turning blue from manning the dustpan this time either. Talk about blessings!
So I start week 11 today. A quarter of the way there! And now if I can just get some of these projects done...well, we'll see:)

One other thing...if you're looking for diapers here is a $3 off coupon for comforts diapers at Kroger. They're on sale this week for $5.99 which brings the total down to $2.99 a package. That's just 5cents each for size 1 diapers - less than half what I usually consider a good deal. Time to start stocking up for new baby:)

Well, finally

2009-02-17T12:46:00.000-08:00

Finally we have a due date. I just love sonograms (or holograms, as Levi calls them...too much Star Wars, maybe?) - you get so much great information. And seeing that little heartbeat...I just melt every time. We'll probably meet this new baby in early September (unless he or she makes an early appearance like the last two).
Want to hear something oddly amusing (to me anyway). My friend Claire, who I've known since highschool, is also expecting. We've often found ourselves unexpectedly doing the same thing at the same time...we each had to move the summer before our senior year of highschool...we changed majors at the same time...we got married at the same time...things like that. Slightly strange considering we've lived on opposite sides of the country for most of our friendship. But this kind of takes the cake... According to our sonograms, we're due on the exact same day. Funny, huh:)

What we're up to

2009-02-08T10:19:00.000-08:00

I usually send out a Christmas letter, but with my computer being in the shop for, oh, all of December, I didn't have time. I probably should've sent this out in January, but it's pretty fitting for Valentine's, too! Note the ending!

Turn on your speakers:)

What a sweet friend...

2009-02-07T18:35:00.000-08:00

Holly is such a sweetheart - she gave me an award!

The Lemonade Award recognizes bloggers who are positive, show gratitude, and make the best of things. That is folks who make lemonade out of lemons.

Thank you so much, Holly. This just made my day! And it's such a wonderful reminder for those days when everything seems sour:)

The rules for the award are:
#1 You must link back to the person you received the award from.
#2 You have to pass this award on to ten more blogs, of your choice, which also demonstrate great attitude and/or gratitude!
#3 Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

Now I can't wait to pass this along!

My friend Betty hasn't posted in awhile (this is a hint! what are you up to?) but she definitley makes lemons out lemonade. After all, she made a lifelong friendship out of me (nearly) failing ninth grade speech.

Of course Meredith. Only she would serve the lemonade in a silver punchbowl that she found for two dollars and make you feel like royalty while you drank it. Why can't we all live next door to Meredith?

Dawn certainly deserves this award. Anyone who can be as cheerful as she is in the midst of all that snow deserves some lemonade!

And Monica at The Homespun Heart makes the most precious crafts out of the littlest things. And drawing closer to God through a run in your pantyhose? That's lemonade!

Now I know I'm breaking the rules here, but I'm up too late as it is:) I'm so tickled that we have "this internet thing" - y'all are all wonderful!

2009-02-04T07:55:00.000-08:00

I forgot to post Jack's 3 year old on the steps picture. And those are threes he's holding up, not peace signs. Little monkey.

2009-01-22T12:49:00.000-08:00

Every time I vow to post more often life seems to get crazier (than usual). The last two weeks have been consumed with potty training, head colds, and laundry (see potty training). Oh, and a birthday party. It was awsome according to the birthday boy. It does not take much to impress a three year old - thank goodness.

He wore his Batman cape...

and we had Batman cake

and all was well with the world. If only they stayed this easy to please:)

Finally!

2009-01-13T12:42:00.000-08:00

Finally, my computer is all fixed up and I can use it again! And just in time to post my second 101 in 1001 list. I'm actually already working on several of these things - hopefully I'll have some stuff to cross off soon.

101 in 1001 List (started January 13, 2009, ending October 11, 2011)

Casey
Plan another getaway with Casey
Plan 2 date nights with Casey every month, even if we stay at home
Plan a Valentine’s surprise for Casey
Do something special for Father’s Day
Plan a great birthday for Casey
Start getting up earlier to cook breakfast for Casey

In the Kitchen
Learn to make fabulous bread
Make pickles
Learn to make good biscuits
Learn to decorate cakes
Can tomato sauce
Learn to make Grandma’s strawberry jam

Finances and stuff
Make a new price book
Pay off all debt except the house
Lower grocery budget
Create and stick with a budget
Make a will
Get passports

Church and Spiritual
Improve church website
Choose curriculum for next Wed night class
Read through the Bible
Study Biblical women
Fast 1xweek for 2 months to pray
Learn hymns (make a list)
Listen to a sermon every week even if I can’t be “in” church
Make a decision about church

Homeschooling
Attend a home school convention
Join HSLDA
Teach Brenna and Jack to read
Choose a language for the kids and I to learn (Greek?)
Read through Growing Little Women with Brenna (start on her birthday?)
Plan unit studies for each summer
Read a classic each season to the kids (and another to myself)
Build up our home library
Plan at least 6 field trips per school year
“Grow” picnic in the park day to include at least 7 more families
Read a home schooling book (or listen to a pod cast) every month

Health and Safety
Put together a disaster kit
Get a fire ladder and have a drill
Switch to non-toxic cleaner
Make a vaccination plan for our kids and complete it
Have my eyes checked
Be at my goal weight of 145lbs
Get Jack’s eczema under control
Stop drinking soda completely and stick with it
Study nutrition and help Jack gain weight
Keep 3 days worth of water on hand
Learn about natural meds

Crafty stuff
Make a family tree and hang it up
Paint more scripture on the walls
Complete the black and white picture frame
Make silhouettes of the kids
Sew dresses for Brenna
Make a headboard for our bed
Make a doll pillowcase for Brenna
Get a good camera and take our own portraits
Make scrapbooks

Cleaning House
Organize a neighborhood yardsale
Sell old clothes on ebay
Organize our books (use library thing?)
Schedule and complete a really thorough spring cleaning
Sort all kids clothes and prep for the consignment sale
Clean out my closet regularly

Family
Have a birthday party for our house
Look into scouting and ballet
Visit Atlanta as a family - go to the zoo and aquarium
Catch up Brenna’s pearl necklace
Get a playhouse for the backyard
Visit my grandparents at least every other month
Visit my parents in Texas
Take a trip to the beach
Spend more time in the yard
Cut way back on tv
Potty train Jack and Christian
Pray about and research adopting
Take a family trip with my parents
Start a hope chest for Brenna
Have a family portrait made
Celebrate one new Old Testament festival each year
Plan a birthday party or mother-daughter tea for Granny
Attend Copeland family reunion
Have regular Family Dinners on Saturday nights

Helping
Sponsor a child
Send 4 shoeboxes Operation Christmas Child
Send a soldier care package

In the Yard
Plant roses
Begin to compost
Fence in the yard
Plant more flowers in the front flower bed
Plant a vegetable garden and fruit trees/bushes
Paint doors and shutters Charleston green

In the House
Decorate the house
Make the master bedroom and bathroom a retreat
Put a shelf up in Brenna’s room to hold my porcelain doll collection
Get really good sheets for our bed
Build a pantry and keep it well stocked

Assorted Other Stuff
Learn to cut hair
Stop complaining
Buy tall black boots
Read a new book on marriage or a new book on parenting every month
Write study guide to book I taught last summer

Computerless once again

2009-01-12T14:28:00.000-08:00

I put my new computer in the shop with my old computer last week to have data transferred to the new laptop. "A day or two, tops", he promised. That was last Tuesday morning. I am getting more done (I think) but I definitely rely on that thing a lot more than I knew. My 101 in 1001 list is almost finished...hopefully I'll be able to post it in a few days. I did a few little things around the house that I wanted to post pictures of, too, mostly because it's been so long since I had time for any sprucing up around here.
But I guess until they release my computer I'll just stay busy folding clothes. That should keep me busy:)

Rock Star Christmas

2009-01-05T07:39:00.001-08:00

We had an awesome Christmas, although it is now a *three day* affair. Levi and my nephew, Eric, formed a band on Christmas Eve Eve at my house. They entertained us before we opened presents. Eric is definitely getting a harmonica next Christmas - he played with ours all night. All night.

Here are the little darlings at church for our annual Christmas picture. Some of us are more serious about photo opps than others. I'm so tickled with Brenna's dress because she loved it (lined, not scratchy) and because I only paid $6 for it. This place has huge outlet sales near here twice a year where every outfit is $6. Most outfits have several pieces and we've only had one or two things that I felt like were poor quality. The dresses are usually very nice. Brenna also got a lined velvet green embroidered Christmas jumper with a shirt and tights. So cute. Anyway.

Christmas was lots of fun. A little more laid back this year. We ordered almost all the kids' gifts (and got free shipping on everything). And it seems like we hit on just the right amount of stuff - it was nice not to have that overwhelmed feeling. One thing I'm especially crazy about was a present I found for Brenna - this book. It's really beautiful and Brenna loves it.

After Christmas, my parents kept all the kids so Casey and I could get away for our anniversary. It was the first time we'd left the kids overnight...ever. My parents are the only people I'd put through that...um, I mean trust enough to do that to. The kids had an absolute ball. Casey and I stayed in Atlanta at The Ellis Hotel and I highly recommend it. It's right downtown and swanky (Levi asked if we had a butler in our room...it's not that swanky). One highlight was having the entire (beautiful and fabulous but overpriced, of course) restaurant to ourselves. The staff made us feel like celebrities. We had a great time - hopefully we can keep that going:)

So now I'm ready to get started on 2009. Isn't it fun to have a fresh start every year?

Winding down on the 101 in 1001 list

2009-01-04T13:40:00.000-08:00

I officially have until Jack's birthday on the 13th to finish this list, but I'm ready to start working on the next one already so I went over this one to do the final strikethrough:) I learned a lot about myself over the last 1001 days (minus a few). I think I accomplished about 50% (completed stuff is in red) of the things on the list. Fifty percent doesn't sound good, but I'm pretty happy with it! Some of the things that I accomplished I know I would not have done if I hadn't written them down - having a picnic with Casey for example. Somethings, like a neighborhood playgroup, that I thought were really important to me turned out to be lower priorities. Some things I still want to do so they'll appear on the next list and some opportunities are lost forever. When I started the first list I had no idea it would be something I'd want to do again, but it's a great project to get me thinking about the big picture and where I'd like to be (and where I'd like my family to be) in 1001 days. I hope to be able to post my next list this week, but I'm still praying about it right now...and that's not the part to rush!

101 in 1001 list

Homeschool
1. Pray about our home school goals
2. have a homeschool planning time
3. Get rid of unwanted hs materials
4. attend hs convention
5. join hslda
6. teach Levi to read
7. start having a regular school time
8. have a big “starting homeschool” day this fall

Health & Safety
9. buy and take a quality vitamin everyday
10. put together an emergency/disaster kit
11. put together a first aid kit
12. serve a raw vegetable or fruit with every meal
13. get a fire ladder and have a fire drill
14. do a detox after weaning Jack (ed. Do this after weaning Christian)
15. drink only water for a week and see if I feel better
16. buy and try stevia instead of sugar
17. take Levi to the dentist
18. exercise 3x a week
19. use only nontoxic cleansers in the house
20. Lose 60 lbs ( I can’t believe I wrote down the number!)
21. go to bed and get up earlier

Homemaking
22. Hold a garage sale
23. Make a family tree and hang it up in the house
24. Decorate the playroom
25. Decorate Mbed and Bath – make it a retreat
26. Get rid of unwanted toys
27. Decorate the kids’ rooms
28. Fence in the yard
29. clean out my closet and get rid of all the clothes I don’t wear
30. get a new kitchen table and chairs
31. paint scripture on walls
32. complete my black and white picture frame of all our family
33. decorate patio
34. invite people over for supper at least 1x every other month
35. organize storage room to hold outgrown kids’ clothing
36. learn how to make really good biscuits
37. learn how to make a great 14 layer cake (well, I’m still working on the icing…it ain’t great yet!)
38. have Christmas presents made or bought and wrapped before Dec 1st
39. learn to cook cabbage the way Casey likes
40. put together a list of a months worth of well-liked meals
41. create and follow a workable cleaning schedule
42. make silhouettes of each of the kids to hang up
43. establish a chore chart for kids and use it
44. keep meals in the freezer to take to people in need
45. pack an emergency diaper bag for the trunk
46. read or get rid of all unread books
47. Reorganize all my books
48. make a price book for groceries & household stuff
49. grow an herb garden
50. try once a month cooking
51. Pay off all debt except house

Family
52. sign Levi up for scouts
53. make Easter more meaningful – establish more traditions
54. take the kids to the zoo in Atlanta
55. take the kids to the aquarium in Atlanta
56. swim w/ kids
57. Start Brenna’s pearl necklace
58. Take the kids to the beach
59. Verbally praise more than verbally correct
60. teach kids good manners
61. Have a pajama ice cream run
62. Invite Bet to stay with us over the summer
63. be at Bethany’s high school graduation (I'm still a little upset that I didn't get to do this one - very early labor pains with Christian kept me from traveling)
64. plan fun things with nieces and nephews
65. start a playgroup in our neighborhood
66. get a playhouse for Brenna
67. have a traditional picnic with Casey and kids

Church Family
68. Encourage someone at church every week
69. Weekly praise a child that’s not my own
70. start a church library - I'm so glad to have this one done! It's really growing, too!
71. go to ladies retreat at least once
72. have a cookie decorating party for the kids at church

Personal
73. build a basic wardrobe
74. take better care of my skin
75. get teeth whitened
76. buy and wear really good makeup
77. get a cool shorter hairstyle
78. Take care of my nails

Spiritual
79. Memorize 3 scriptures per week for a month
80. Pray faithfully for family, church family and friends
81. Finish reading through the Bible
82. establish a daily Bible and prayer time and keep it consistently

Casey
83. pray with Casey every day
84. Pray for Casey daily (use POAPW)
85. plan an overnight getaway for me and Casey I got this one in just under the wire - we went away for our 11th anniversary and it was wonderful!

Service
86. be an active prayer partner for a volunteer at the pregnancy center
87. find a way to volunteer at the pregnancy center
88. make shoeboxes at Christmas for the Christmas Child Project
89. sponsor a child
90. grow my hair to donate to Locks of Love

Misc.
91. invite another woman over once every other month
92. get to know some neighbors
93. make a will and have it notarized (or whatever to make it official)
94. get a bigger vehicle
95. finish “baby” quilts for all three kids (now 4!)
96. learn more about the Old testament laws/ traditions
97. write something and submit it to be published
98. Write a letter explaining our “quiverfull” philosophy
99. write 1 letter a month to friends or family
100. Don’t check email on weekends
101. Catch up on scrapbooks

2009-01-03T10:18:00.000-08:00

We had a busy, busy month! Levi's 7th birthday was so much fun! I can't believe my baby is 7 - when did that happen? Last year 6 seemed so grown up... We've both had some growing pains this year. I've had a hard time adjusting to being the mom of a bigger kid - we aren't a family of babies anymore! There's suddenly a lot of Star Wars and Transformers talk around here.

He asked for a Star Wars birthday party this year. Since we only have parties every other year, I wanted to make this one especially fun.

The cake had a dark side and a light side. We also had dark force (coke) and light force (sprite) to drink. And pizza:) We had to order the plates since Walmart is the only local store that even carries party supplies and they didn't have anything star wars-y. But ebay saved the day.

The kids made their ownlight sabers out of pipe insulation tubes and colored duct tape. Casey and I put handles on each one ahead of time with silver duct tape. The kids loved making their own. Since it was warm outside they played two "space games" in the yard. In the first game they used balloons to practice their lightsaber skills (keeping the balloon off the ground using their sword) and they hunted for "meteors" (balled up alminum foil) which contained light sticks. The light sticks (a great present from my dad) kept them busy for a long time. It was fun to plan and Levi was very happy:) I remember now though why we only do this every other year. Soon I'll have to plan Jack's three year old party - he's requested Batman. Hmmm....

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T19:29:00.000-08:00

This has been such a wonderful, busy month for us! I got a very cool (and much needed!) new computer for Christmas with lots of bells and whistles that I haven't had time to figure out just yet. I can't wait to get back to posting - I think it might take me all of January just to catch up on December.
I hope you all have a wonderful New Year. 2009 looks to be an excellent year!

My poor computer...

2008-12-02T12:42:00.000-08:00

is in the shop again. Our power went off several times last week and during one of those episodes the motherboard was completely fried. Now I don't know exactly what that is but it sounds bad/expensive. So while it's being operated on, I'm having withdrawls.

Happy Birthday, Honey!

2008-11-24T13:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Casey's birthday. Isn't he gorgeous? And aren't my kids cute?

Thanks for putting up with all this chaos with me, sweetie! And for digging that leaf out of Christian's mouth:)

Talking about what we're thankful for...

2008-11-17T14:40:00.001-08:00

We hung up our thankful quilt today. I'm really proud of myself for not waiting until the last possible minute for this...
My camera is awful so you can't really see how gorgeous this paper is - it's Martha Stewart's classic woodland scrapbook paper from the friendly neighborhood walmart. The blocks that look solid in the picture (cursed camera!) actually have a very pretty quilted design on them. Each day we will take a square down and write what we're thankful for (leaving space for Daddy to add his after supper).
Today's list....
I am so thankful for Casey's hard work.
Levi is so thankful for Rover (his stuffed dog).
Brenna is thankful for mommy.
Jack is so "sankful" his mommy loves him:)

2008-11-11T12:33:00.000-08:00

The kids and I went to Veteran's Day celebration at the Georgia War Veterans Home. It was wonderful. First of all, the kids behaved. That alone usually qualifies as a win for me. But the ceremony itself was very moving and it was a great opportunity to talk to the kids about things that don't always come up in every day conversation. Levi asked lots of questions afterwards...we talked about POWs and amputations and sacrifice. They were all very impressed with the ROTC squad from the local high school. I was too, they were good.
Growing up in a military family, I think I'm especially passionate about our country. I still tear up any time I hear God Bless the USA. It was released (or re-released?) when my dad was in Saudi Arabia during the first Gulf War and I just don't ever hear it without getting choked up.
I was so proud when the M.C. called out the branches of service for recognition. After each one I would tell the kids which people in our family were or are in that branch. It helped the kids to put a face on what we were honoring.
I hope that I can pass my love for this country on to them. I hope that I don't let my own discouragement or disillusionment get in the way of teaching them what makes this country great.