TUNE MY HEART

Art Show

2012-02-12T14:17:00.000-08:00

Pete had one of his new abstract paintings selected for a local art show.

On Sunday, we attended the opening reception.

Our families are wonderful in their support.

And while it might all look normal and calm, here is the real behind the scenes view. . .

AND

"Food!" "Food!" "We want food!"

Ben showed me his favorite painting

and then in a roomful of people, he showed me a way to make it look like you are picking your nose without really picking your nose! Talented, I know.

Games of tag are going on in the hallway.

And after that a round of hide and go seek.

And because they didn't run off enough steam in the two activities above, they needed a run down a huge hill!!!

A win win for everybody today!!

Over the Weekend

2012-02-06T04:58:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed a nice birthday lunch for Pete, fixed by his mom!

Yum!!

The children were their normal selves (+1 friend).

My little Angel was moved into the big class at church. . .

Now we have no more kids in the nursery!

Can it be?

Peter made a paper chain to count down the days until he is 10!

Ugh, these days are going at lightening speed!!

I am not one to get weepy over missing the baby days. Of course, I loved kissing those baby cheeks, but I have to say that each stage has brought new blessings. I can now enjoy talks with Peter and Ben and the funny things Henry and Lilly do are constantly keeping us laughing. Growing up means longer hikes, days at the pool, vacations that we can all participate in, getting to know personalities and understanding about Jesus. I know some say, "There is nothing like the baby days." And while that is true, there is also nothing like the days they are 3, 5, 8, and soon to be 10.

Each with a different joy to treasure.

OLD SCHOOL

2012-02-04T10:36:00.000-08:00

I went to the same school my entire young life. After I graduated from college, I came back and taught at the school for a few years before I got married. The elementary and highschool were attached by a breezeway, making it feel like one large building. All added together, I spent 11 years in those buildings.

I heard the city is getting ready to tear down the buildings. My sister and I took our kids and went for one last visit before the bulldozers arrive.

It was sad.

So empty.

So quiet.

Forgotten.

Once filled with noise and activity,

now deserted.

A building with many memories, friendships, laughs, tears,

school plays,

and chapel programs with classmates

is now cold and quiet.

I remembered things I haven't thought about in years and years.

The playground.

The buzzer to get in.

Field days.

The hallways stand still

image
once the scene of spirit days

and friends counting down to the last day of school!

Thousands have run through the gym

and walked down the aisle at Kindergarden graduation.

I was reminded of so much I had forgotten as I walked around the building.

Enjoying "working" in the clinic with friends.

Running up the steps two at a time so I wouldn't be late to class.

image

I tried to remember which window went to which classroom & teacher.

(my sister Joy and I at the old dc buildings)

It was fun to watch my kids jump off the same wall I had so many times

and enjoy the big trees just as much as I did 20+ years ago.

(senior breakfast)

I LOVED my elementary school years. Highschool, well there was good with the bad. All that awkwardness, not having a clue how to be mature and wanting to fit in has left a bad taste, but the friendships I had were amazing. I was blessed.

However, I think of all my years combined, my teaching years were my favorite in these buildings.

I loved to sit outside and enjoy science lessons with the kids.

It was during these years that I met Pete.

I remember going down to the teachers lounge to call him after school with butterflies in my stomach.
I remember the flowers he left me in the office.
I remember how excited I was to have him pick me up at the end of the day.

I taught in the same building as several of my friends. We probably had more fun than we were suppose to. I think I should write a letter to every student I ever had and apologize!

Hundreds of trips through the cold breezeway to get to lunch.

I remember stepping inside the front door one morning in May, squealing that I had just gotten engaged!

(my best friend, Ann, and I)

The school is 86 years old. It is on a Historic Preservation List

and yet it will not be saved.

The elementary building originally was a home to nuns.

The highschool was originally a Catholic school.

(my kids and I at the old north elementary building - 2012)

The old school will soon be gone, the memories however, have just been awakened.

Birthday Gifts

2012-02-03T04:51:00.000-08:00

Pete's birthday is Groundhog's Day!

We had a great time enjoying the day with him. We had a nice breakfast together and in the afternoon Pete took the older boys to a Norman Rockwell exhibit at the Art Institute.

The kids had been working on birthday presents for their Daddy for over a week.

(loving Lilly's face in this one)

Lilly's gift: a king crown

It was perfect, for he is king over the little princess.

Henry's gift: an orange construction cone and

a bag of dirt! Henry was so excited to see Pete open this! He said, "REAL dirt Daddy!!"

They are now ready to spend some time working together.

Peter's gift: the cover of a magazine Peter had drawn on. He did this some time ago and said, "Dad always cracks up when he sees it so I will frame it for him to hang up."

It got the laughs desired.

Ben's gift: a Cleveland Indians clay figure

It is the handmade gifts that are treasured the most.

my gift: a Cleveland Indians jersey

It got the smile I was hoping to see.

My favorite lines of the night were from Henry.

Henry: I'm so happy.

Daddy: Why are you so happy?

Henry: Because it is your birthday! I love you Daddy!

Philia

2012-01-31T08:59:00.000-08:00

Philia is a Greek word we have studied in school.

It means: love, friendship.

Here is the vocabulary card Ben made for the word.

Read it - I have philia with Bailey.

This friendship is fun to watch. These two truly enjoy being together.

The blessings of friendship are sweet to us.

Sewing

2012-01-29T07:06:00.000-08:00

My mom bought me a new sewing machine!!!

It is the first new sewing machine I have ever had!

I LOVE it!

Unfortunately, I have not been able to use it much. :( School, laundry, cleaning and such things have kept me from sitting down at it too much.

I did manage to get one little project done.

I made little bags to hang on my IKEA rod in the kitchen.

The machine has 70 stitches! Love it!

Among my list of sewing projects is this Rapunzel dress for Lilly.

Her birthday is only a few weeks away!!

The Good

2012-01-26T08:24:00.000-08:00

I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life
We recently had a man in our house for a day to do odd jobs. It was someone who had made some bad choices in life and seemed ready to make better ones. We enjoyed talking with him, hearing where he was from, more about him, his struggles and sharing Christ and how He makes all things new. It was a great day!

But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace
We recieved word that after he left us that night he went back down the path he was trying to turn from. He found himself in much trouble. My heart ached.
I thought, "We had such a great day! How could he have done that? A new life and people who cared were at his fingertips."

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life.
After the incident the man told someone, "I saw that family and the life they had. I thought, I can never have that. It was just so good I couldn't stand it."
Wow.
The ironic thing is that every day, I struggle. Every day I feel like I am just hanging on to make it as a wife, mother, teacher, etc. I feel like I fail at all of these every day.

Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You

It is a blessing to have a wonderful husband, 4 beautiful children, a home, friends and family. But it is all nothing without Christ. The good is my salvation. The good is my hope in the Lord.

The good is that My only boast is YOU.

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life

(lyrics -soverign grace praise music)

(photos taken by pete)

School Update

2012-01-24T11:31:00.000-08:00

I thought once the holidays were over and winter hit, we would get lots of school done.

We would be stuck insid not wanting to venture out in the cold.

Not so. It has been warm. Life has been crazy.

My favorite part of last week was when a friend of mine called at 12pm.

Friend: Are you giving your kids lunch?

Me: No.

Friend: Are you doing school with your kids?

Me: No.

Friend: Great, mine are watching Despicable Me. We can talk.

Me:Yes, we can!!

And THAT is the reality of homeschool!

We did manage to learn about the Tabernacle and get a model built.

I started to make a rug, but have been delayed.

THIS haunts me. All the way back from when we had our business.

I really feel like they should change to this.

It's like they have a radar for people who don't know what they are doing.

ALERT! ALERT! Clueless person.

I was so upset I cried and cried.

Then I called Pete and cried and cried.

Then the kids asked what was wrong and I cried and cried.

Then Pete sent me this text

U r doing a great job! Just keep plugging away and we will get through this.

Then I cried and cried because he is so sweet.

Oh, and the laptop where half our info was stored was stolen and the computer where the other half was stored crashed. oh oh oh

I feel like this, except that I have no money too fall out, but they keep shaking!

And teaching Henry to read is teaching me A LOT about patience!

He is a good reader but has a lot to add to the text. . .

We did school all. day. long.

And then I fed the kids cookies for dinner, Lilly had a screaming fit for half and hour

and put them all to bed at 7pm.

(I will let you know where to send my Mother of the Year nomination.)

1

2012-01-21T20:04:00.000-08:00

Little Nathan turned 1 today!! What a fast year it has been. I have to say that it has been such a blessing to us to live so near to him and watch him grow!

We love him so much!

AND my sister can throw a great party!!

Seriously, awesome.

(And she might kill me for beating her in posting pictures before her, BUT I am older. I have no idea what that has to do with anything, it just seems like it should work for anything she gets mad at me about! ha)

My dad made the cake!

Probably one of the best parts of the day was when we got to skype with Steven from Afghanistan!

He sang Happy Birthday to Nathan with us and watch him (well the mommy) blow out the candles!

Amazing technology. Love a world away.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATHAN!!

Use what you have

2012-01-18T04:28:00.000-08:00

Awhile back we turned our front closet into our office.

Here is a picture of super organized beautiful one.

Ours did NOT look like this!

In fact, it was so messy that I couldn't stand to look at it. I would just open the door and throw stuff in. It was out of control!!

During the Christmas break, I opened the door and dove in. I reorganized and spruced it up and spent $0!!!!!!! I just used what we already had! And now, I can stand to open the door! Which means, I can now see all the bills we have to pay. Mmmm. . . might of been better before.

The inside of the door. I painted it using leftover paint from the bathroom.

(We already had the bins.)

I also threw away about 10lbs of paper!!! That helped a lot!

I added the chalkboards above each file slot. I made my own chalkboard paint out of leftover grout and borrowed black paint from my sister. I cut the trim around the chalk part from lathe taken out of our pantry.

I used soup cans for pencil holders and a box I found in storage for envelops (the back of it says Home Sweet Home). Now I just need some pictures for the frame!

Part of the mess was because we used boxes on the floor for our filing system. They were just hard to get to and I was too lazy to lift the lid. I brought down my night stand which has pull out drawer. It was the perfect size to hold files. CDs where another problem. They seemed to be thrown everywhere (or I was just lazy and didn't put them away). Anyway, I covered a box leftover from Christmas with contact paper I had and now I can easily put the CDs away.

I glued little tags onto each file bin. I just used scrap book paper and Elmer's.

So for $0 and using what I have, I have a new organized office!

And I can stand to open the door and peak in! Which means I can see the checkbook. Which means I have to pay the bills. . .

The Surprise

2012-01-16T03:30:00.000-08:00

In a snow coverd house,

with a big beautiful room,

where views were breathtaking,

and cozy old cottages stood at the edge of a creek,

deer played in the cold morning air,

and our very dear friends surprised us!

An amazing blessing to say the least. The gift of friendship spent over delicious meals, a winter hike, shopping and many laughs.

Truly rejoicing in being a part of the Kingdom with friends such as these!

(and a HUGE thank you to my mom and dad who kept the kids so we could enjoy such a weekend!)

2012-01-12T16:30:00.000-08:00

Because I am not busy enough, because I do not have a million projects going on (only 1/2 that), and because I am already not addicted to sitting at the computer, I had to find something else.

BEHOLD: Pinterest

Every great idea, beautiful picture, and problems solved all in one place (well almost)!!

Here is a picture of what it looks like.

And here are some things I have already done!

From Pinterest

My version.

From Pinterest

My version.

From Pinterest.

My version.

From Pinterest.

My version.

From Pinterest

(wool dryer balls)

My version

From Pinterest

My version.

(for a VERY awesome 13 year old who loves zebras and hot pink!)

And I saw this on there the other day.

We are totally doing this on our next beach vacation!

The Pantry

2012-01-09T11:10:00.000-08:00

Our upstairs hallway/closet project looks pretty much the same as before.

While it might seem weird to most, spackled walls has been a constant in our house since we bought it. It is kind of like wallpaper to us! Ha!

Peter has taken the opportunity of "it takes my parents forever to finish a project" and used it to his advantage.

He has turned the closet into his room.

To me, it is like a little jail cell, but for a boy who will always have to share his room with 2 brothers as long as he lives here, it is prime space!

Anyways, since we really can't seem to finish one project we started another.

The pantry!

On New Year's Day Pete, and his little helper, ripped the plaster out.

We were originally just going to drywall over the plaster, but when you live in a smaller house, you need every square inch you can find. Behind that plaster hid inches and inches!!

I am really excited about this! This space has been always wasted and unuseful.

I am searching for ideas on how to use it to the fullest once we put shelves in.

But in the meantime, I have layers and layers of dust to clean up!

(by Henry)

New Years Letter

2012-01-08T06:35:00.000-08:00

This was the first year of what I hope to make a permanent tradition.

I wrote each one of my kids a New Year's Letter.

In it, I briefly recapped things they did. Like how Ben really improved in soccer, Peter learned to play the guitar and Henry really grew up!

I, of course, shared how much I love them. I also shared that no matter what they become, where they go, or what they are involved in, they will NEVER be happy unless they are following the Lord.

I encouraged Peter and Ben in this new year, to really focus on knowing the Lord more.

And I told Henry and Lilly that I am praying for them to come to know the Lord.

The responses were as expected. . .

Peter was quiet about it and just tucked it away for safe keeping.

Ben didn't want to read it because it looked so long!

Henry enjoyed hearing me read it, but said I should keep it.

And Lilly squealed as I read it to her and often pulls it out of her drawer and says, "Remember when you wrote me a letter?".

Each a sweet acknowledgement from 4 different and wonderful personalities!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Bread boards

2012-01-02T04:41:00.000-08:00

For Christmas this year we decided to make bread boards. And by WE, I mean, I had the idea and Pete did all the work. Nice.

We had wood in our garage from my Grandpa and more from an abandoned house scheduled to be torn down. Pete went in (with permission) and ripped things out before the wrecking ball came.

They turned out amazing!!!!

The creativity really flows through my husbands side of the family.

Pete's sister made this burlap bag and his brother - in - law brewed coffee. HEAVENLY!!!!

Christmas part 4 & 5

2011-12-31T11:20:00.000-08:00

Seriously, this Christmas thing is getting crazy! So I am doing 2 in 1!

On Christmas night, we had a fun time opening presents with our family of 6.

Some of the favorite gifts were. . .

Benjamin - guitar

Peter - bean bag chair

Lilly - princess stuff!!

Henry - Robin costume

Me - The $2.18 Ben gave me in my stocking.

It was all the money he had.

Praise God, for another VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Then on Wednesday we had a Christmas celebration with Pete's side of the family.
It is always nice to see family that we have been missing all year!!

From the Kids

2011-12-30T05:09:00.000-08:00

I love the boots my mom & dad gave me. The purse my sister made for me is PERFECT!

My new scarf is exactly what I wanted.

BUT, I think my favorite gift of all was what the kids made for Pete and I.

An assortment of clay figures, hand crafted and then baked in an oven.

These gifts are priceless (even the blobs done by the littles).

Here are a few close- ups.

The next present I need is a display shelf!!

Christmas part 3

2011-12-30T05:07:00.000-08:00

Every year of my life (except one I think) I have gone to my Grandpa & Grandma's house to celebrate Christmas. The house is filled with aunts, uncles, cousins, good food and LOTS of joyful noise!

Christmas part 2

2011-12-28T04:07:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve 2011

My Grandma's birthday is on Christmas Eve so we headed to her house to give her hugs, fresh roses and to enjoy cake and ice cream!

We stopped home to pick Pete up and headed out for dinner.

After dinner, we drove around and looked at Christmas lights.

Once home, Pete read the Christmas story from Luke.

Our tradition, passed down from when I was a kid, is to open one gift to all the kids on Christmas Eve.

Then we make a fun snack and some hot cocoa.

Then we sit down to enjoy our treat and the present (always a game).

And last, we get our jammies on and enjoy watching A Charlie Brown Christmas together.

I love being with family and friends during the Christmas season. However, I think Christmas Eve is my favorite of them all. I love the tradition and just being together. . . and perhaps, it is the best because I know it will be short lived. Before I can blink the kids will be grown and starting their own traditions with their families.

I am savoring the sweetness.

Christmas part 1

2011-12-26T07:02:00.000-08:00

Last week we had Christmas with my family.

It was wonderful!!! Especially nice having Steven home for it!!

Girls Dinner

2011-12-24T07:30:00.000-08:00

I can say "girls" because when I get together with these friends we forget that we are way over 30, have 11 kids between us, spend our days referreeing fights, teaching numbers and finding our way out of mountains of laundry!

This marked year 11 of our annual Christmas dinner!

Here is the gift I brought for everyone.

Laundry soap (for those mountains), a bag of cookies & fudge and a scarf (made from an IKEA blanket)

We always have a delicious dinner and a toast to friendship!

SCHOOL UPDATE

2011-12-22T16:26:00.000-08:00

Today was our last day of school for the 2011 year! We are all more than ready for a break!

Here is how we spent the last couple of weeks. . .

I was sick, Lilly and Henry found the face paint.

We went on a field trip with friends from church.

We muli-tasked. . . did an art project about Egypt (history) while listening to Vivaldi (music).

Enjoyed cozy reading times.

We are reading Star of Light by Patricia St. John.

I ~~pushed~~ encouraged the kids to go outside and play on the first day of winter, when it was 50 degrees!

We spent a day fellowshiping with amazing friends.

And then, on our very last day of school before winter break, the kids reinacted

The 10 Plagues from Exodus.

Ben: Pharoh

Lilly: Queen

Peter: Moses

Henry: Aaron

Moses and Aaron obeyed the Lord and went before Pharoh.

Aaron threw down his rod and it became a snake.

Pharoh hardened his heart (although it doesn't look like it in the picture)

Moses and Aaron met Pharoh at the river Nile and with Aaron's rod, God turned the water to blood.

The next plague God sent was swarms of frogs. (I know they didn't have refrigerators but the kids got the idea of the frogs being EVERYWHERE. Henry made the frog.)

(We just read about gnats. I will only go so far!)

God sent many, many, many flies.

The livestock of Egypt was stricken with sickness.

The Egyptians were covered in boils!

Strong hail storms beat down the land of Egypt.

(We read about locusts covering the earth.)

Darkness covered Egypt for 3 days.

And God hardened Pharoh's heart.

. . . to be continued

CALENDAR

2011-12-20T17:34:00.000-08:00

Every year I do a calendar full of pictures for my mom.

Here are some from past calendars.

Peter at 5 months.

Here is the July 2003 picture.

Several things strike me about this. 1. we look so young 2. our house is VERY ugly. We had just moved in. 3. I can't believe I thought having 1 baby was so hard.

All of the above make me want to cry!

Here is where I thought I would get clever.

2005 calendar

And here is where my cleverness went a little crazy.

(I think Ben still has nightmares about this picture.)

Thankfully, Henry came along and that cleverness was lost in my lack of sleep.

2007 Calendar

But I did have fun with 3 boys!!

2007 Calendar

This years was especially fun because we included baby Nathan!

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

My mom always tears up when she opens a new one each year. Which means, she likes it!

O Christmas Tree!

2011-12-17T08:46:00.000-08:00

A little lopsided, a little bottom heavy, but a true kids creation. The kids did the entire tree by themselves this year. (As obvious in the picture.) When I pass by it, I smile. I am so thankful for my kids!

My favorite part of all - the 15 plugs! That's not a fire hazard, right?!

FLL

2011-12-15T03:28:00.000-08:00

Peter has been involved in something called First Lego League.

They have had practice every Thursday night since September.

Basically, teams are made up of about 7 - 10 kids. This year the overal theme was Food Factor. The kids did research about how to prepare, preserve, deliver and grow food in a safer way. They also have a "game board" where they build Lego attachements for a robot they program to do different missions.

Pretty much all this time, I had no idea what was going on! All I knew was that Peter loved getting dropped off on Thursday nights, and spending 2 hours without me!

This past Saturday they had the First Lego League competition.

Peter was able to be on a team with one of his best friends. Here they are getting ready to go and present a skit they worked on. One thing I like about this, is that the kids have to do all the work. The Coach is there each week just to guide them. The ages are 9 - 14. Peter and his friend were the youngest on the team and sometimes seemed a little lost, but I think it was a real learning experience for them.

This is Peter's team up at the game board. There is a time limit and you have to do as many "missions" as you can in that time.

Peter and his buddy!

This is the whole game board.

Look who came to cheer on his cousin!!

Here is a quick video so you can get a better idea of what is happening.

I think Peter's team came in dead last but he had a blast! It was a great learning experience for us all.

This brought up a lot of discussions in our home. Being part of a team, working hard, expressing your ideas with others in a firm, but humble way, not being happy with just sitting back and letting other work. Just when you think you are getting the hang of being a parent. . . you discover so much more you need to teach!! Anyway, I am glad Peter did it, and I look forward to next year.

A Christmas Guest

2011-12-13T04:02:00.000-08:00

Guess who is here for a Christmas visit!!!!

My brother-in-law!!!

I know that the time will go quick. I also know that this little family will cherish every second!

Wow! I can't imagine what a culture shock it must be for him to be sitting in his own home after living in Afghanistan for so long! Steven was so happy to see little Nathan, who was only 3 months old the last time he held him.

It was a long trip back and Steven brought the kids gifts from Germany.

During some of his free time in, Steven made a replica of the Wright Flyer. They were on their way to donate it to a musuem.

It will be a VERY Merry Christmas around here this year!!!!

The Govenor's Mansion

2011-12-08T04:07:00.000-08:00

Several of Pete's painting's were selected by the Ohio Arts Council to be on display for a year in the Govenor's downtown Columbus office.

Along with other artists, we were invited to visit with the Govenor and his wife at their Mansion.

It was a beautiful house built back in 1925.

It had gorgeous Christmas decorations throughout the house.

When we first arrived we were allowed to walk around the house and take a look at the art on display there.

This was such a huge thrill for us! How fun to be walking around the Govenor's Mansion!!!

Seriously, we were like, we can't believe we are here!!! (And I had the flu. So I was REALLY like, I can't believe I am here!! -now I am wondering if I gave it to the Gov.! Sorry!! Just couldn't miss it!)

In the Govenor's study we found this huge globe! We thought the kids would enjoy it. Okay, we thought it was pretty cool too.

I thought it was pretty funny too see these robes hanging up in the guest bathrooms.

And we were guests. . . but my purse was too small! Just kidding! Maybe.

One of my favorite things was the elevator behind this door.

We are so new to the Art world and always feel way out of our league when we attend these things. But, everyone has always been so great and so happy to meet us. We have really been enjoying ourselves and are starting to get a comfortable feel for it. My favorite part is when someone asks Pete where he got his training. After a long silent pause (from Pete) he says, "Um no where. I just started painting about 11 years ago." And I puff up with pride a bit.

The Govenor and his wife came in and spoke a little about the Ohio Arts Council and how they enjoy all the art that has been loaned to them. (And of course, he threw in a few political things too!)

The Govenor of Ohio with Pete and I.

After our schmoozing with the Govenor, we drove downtown to the offices to see where Pete's paintings were hanging.

We found all 3 in the Lt. Govenor's office!!

A close-up of one. All three of these were framed by my Uncle. So Pete's name is on the front and my Uncle's name is on the back. Pretty cool!

The tag next to the painting.

What an amazing experience! What an honor for Pete! I am so proud!

Museum Art Show

2011-12-05T03:44:00.000-08:00

On Sunday we went to an Art Show at a local Museum.

Guess who had two paintings in the show?

And guess who won and award for one of the paintings!!??

Since the show was in the museum we were able to walk around and enjoy other great art.

But we kept coming back to our two favorite.

(There is Pete's mom talking to one of his fans! ha ha)

And as always, the kids favorite part is the snack table!

In fact, on the way in the van, the kids asked, "Will there be food??!!" I'm pretty sure this is why they love coming.

Pete's parents and my parents came. No matter how old your children are, I know you are proud when you see them do well with the talent God has given them.

Congratulations on another show and another award Pete!!

Aaahh, after two hours. . . finally free to run!!!!!!!!!!!!

40th Birthday!

2011-12-01T17:32:00.000-08:00

Remember when Henry turned 5 and had this amazing cake?

And Lilly had a too incredible for words Princess party?

My very good friend Julie, was behind it all and has done so much for our family that I feel I can never bless her even a quarter of how she had blessed us!

Well, she turned 40! Finally, I had my chance to do something, however small it was, for her!!

I kept the decorations simple. I really can't stand all that Over the Hill stuff. I know if I ever turn 40 (which I'm not planning on) I do NOT want that ugly stuff showing up!

I printed out pictures of her from each era of her life. And of course, there always has to be a homemade banner!

Red is her favorite color so I found as much as I could to mix with black.

I had my first attempt ever at a real cake. It is probably also my last. Why ruin a good thing?!

We had a houseful! It was so much fun to have so many friends to celebrate with.

Each of my kids picked out a gift. They love her as much as I do!!

But I think her favorite was the helmet and sunglasses she got from her family!

Something about a midlife crisis. . .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIE!!

We love you!!

Mr. Brown

2011-11-28T16:57:00.000-08:00

Pete and I have several book ideas floating around in our heads.
We just need to find some time to get them all in order! (Yeah, not happening for many more years!)

I love this one! It is about a man named Mr. Brown.

Pete has illustrated a few pictures.

I am learning the publishing process isn't fun OR easy!

How can you not love a man with a face like that!!

School Update

2011-11-25T04:50:00.000-08:00

Lately, I have had Peter helping Henry learn to read and write. It is pretty funny to watch.

My favorite line from Peter is, "Pay attention!" Mmm. . . I think he has heard that a time or two!

I try to have the boys write letters to their Uncle Steven once a week. I am learning a lot from them! (Notice the last line).

Lilly is either watching a movie, bothering the boys or crying. It is a vicious cycle.

Peter and Ben are not only learning Latin, but short cuts. I told them to study a list of words. When I came back, Peter had studied the first 3 and Ben the other 3! Not exactly what I meant! I think it will be funny some day when they are taking the SAT and they get one of the words. . . "ugh, that was the word my brother learned."

And at the end of this post I will not put anything about how homeschooling is a blessing. The last time I did the next day was H O R R I B L E. Henry heard me say, "I feel like hitting my head on a wall." He replied, "ouch, that would hurt." Well, I guess I have taught him something!

Just kidding, homeschooling is a blessing and tomorrow is Saturday!!

Father/Son Camping

2011-11-22T17:31:00.000-08:00

We have been EXTREMELY busy lately and I haven't remembered to snap too many pictures lately. I haven't remembered much of anything lately. In fact, Pete asked me when Thanksgiving was. I replied, "I'm sure it must be soon." Oh yeah, don't worry about me!

So since I don't have much on my memory card in my camera (or in my head), I thought I would pull out several from this summer.

Pete took Ben on a father/son camp out in August. For these overnighters Pete always picks a place 20 - 30 minutes away. Our local parks system has free camping. This is great because if you are having a terrible time, you can leave! Ha

The Father/Son combination however, had a blast! They were the only campers deep in the forest. . .

It is amazing what Ben needs very little to have a good time. He and Pete sent several videos through

e-mail that had those of us at home in stitches. The times they had laughing and being goofy were priceless.

They took hikes.

And lots of pictures.

The park they chose was next to a dam.

Much time was spent skipping rocks and talking.

Next time, I am going to try to remember to take a picture when they arrive back home. The boys faces are always lit up with joy. When Pete took Peter on a campout it was freezing. This time it was so hot and humid, you were sweating just laying down to sleep. When he takes Henry it will probably be pouring rain. I think the Angel and I are planning a trip to the city AND a hotel!

The boys are blessed with such a great Dad!!

Pizza Night

2011-11-21T17:39:00.000-08:00

We rarely go out to eat so when we do it is a real treat!

We had a wonderful evening. We have had a lot going on lately so it was nice to sit down without any other distractions. kids + pizza + Friday night = great blessings

And then. . . Lilly lost it getting into the van and threw a serious fit. Over something like putting your seatbelt on (you know something awful parents make their children do).

We were planning on watching a movie when we got home. Lilly lost that priviledge because of her behavior.

As I was putting her to bed, Lilly said, "Mommy, when I wake up the selfishness will be gone."

Sweet dreams Angel.

Google searches

2011-11-19T13:16:00.000-08:00

I honestly don't know how anything happened in the world before google.

I love it. A lot.

Anyway, here is what a few of my latest searches turned up.

A donut recipe for Saturday morning.

(oh, and in the blender is homemade rice milk - another search!)

I recieved one of these free in the mail.

I love it! It is so easy to use! The part I didn't like was that if I continued to use it, I would have to pay a lot for the cloths. I found a tutorial on how to make my own. Easy. I did it with scraps that I had. You just throw it in the wash when you are done.

It works just as great as the store bought ones. Ask the kids.

I also found a great deal on a Swiffer Wet Jet. This is the best mop I have ever had. No messy bucket. It is easy for the kids to use. (They do the mopping around here.) Again though, they sell it so that you have to buy their replacement liquid bottles and replacement cloths.

I am too frugal for that! I found a tutorial on how to remove the cap on the bottle and how to make your own cloths. Easy again. I used old towels. These cloths are also washable.

I made bagels!!! They turned out really good! I used freshly ground wheat.

And my latest find was how to make little girls cute tights last longer.

Cut off the top, sew on some elastic and now you have long socks!

Lilly loves them!

SUKKOTH

2011-11-17T04:38:00.000-08:00

Our latest Jewish Feast was Sukkoth.
Genesis 33:17 and Jacob journeyed to Succoth; and built for himself a house, and made booths for his livestock, therefore the place is named Succoth.

This is also called the Feast of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles. It is typically celebrated over seven days. We did it one, actually 1/2 of one. It was enough for us to understand what it was all about.(And it was all I could put together!)
The kids built the sukkah. 1. A temporary dwelling reminding us that the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness. God guided the children to the promised land and provided for them along the way.
2. This is a reminder of a temporary endurance of material things. 1 Chron. 29:15 we are sojourneers before Thee, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow. . . 3. The decorations of fruit remind us of the harvest that is gathered. Remember God's goodness and be thankful.

This was a basket Peter made to hold the harvest.

Ben made a vine with leaves holding family pictures. This is to display the things we are thankful for.

Ben made the lulav. This is to represent palm branches. During the ceremony the lulav is waved north, south, east and west. It reminds us that the Lord blesses us.

The kids enjoyed a meal in the sukkah, while Pete and I sat outside. We all listened and learned what the Bible says about celebrating this feast.

I have to say, while it always feels like a lot of work to pull any part of these Jewish celebrations off, it is worth it. I have learned so much. How amazing it is, that God instructed His people to celebrate and remember Him! I know that I can quickly forget how much God has done for me, especially when things are not going quite right in my life. What a great time to just sit down, look at the harvest, the stars, pictures of our year and be thankful! For we have much!! I am once again humbled by the opportunity to homeschool and learn alongside my children.

Benediction at the end of Sukkoth

The Lord bless you, and keep you;

The Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace; Amen (Num. 6:24-25_

Trick or Treat

2011-11-01T04:14:00.000-07:00

We think trick or treating is always more fun when you go with friends!

We enjoyed another year in another neighborhood!

Lilly and her friend Tucker

Batman & Batgirl

This was a cool costume for Ben. Actually, he has been wearing it for days, so it has become more of a uniform than a costume. A couple years ago, my sister made the vest from some of my brother -in- laws old Army pants. The hat and backpack are from him as well. I think he used them in Iraq.

The pants were Ben's and my sister sewed some fabric to match down the sides. She also attached a couple of patches taken from Steven's old uniform. To say Ben loves it would be an understatement!

The whole gang!!

Trick or treating with Henry was an experience. He reeled many homeowners into lengthy conversations about their Halloween decorations. It was quite funny to watch. It was also fun to see how different all the kids were about trick or treating. The big boys went speeding from house to house, Lilly walked slower and really enjoyed seeing all the people and Henry really took it all in!! I think most of the people he spoke with enjoyed it. And he even had some stumped. . . "Well, what kind of spider is it?" "Where did you get it from?" "Is that cat real?" "If it isn't real, why is it moving?"

The man at this house had a spider on a string. He lowered it as the kids came onto the porch. They were freaked out!!!

Assessing the goods.

Lilly's pile after about 5 min.

The Closet

2011-10-31T04:45:00.000-07:00

We just can't stop! There is always a project!

Our next one is the upstairs hall closet.

This is a VERY scary photo of it 9 years ago when we bought the house.

And here it was on Friday morning. Not a whole lot better!

This project was kind of exciting for me. This is the LAST - LAST - LAST amount of wall paper in the entire house!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah!! Every square inch was covered in layers and layers and layers (even ceilings).

About a year after we moved in, I had this grand idea that for my birthday my family would come over and help us scrape the paper off the living room and dining room walls.

I am lucky my family still speaks to me and is still willing to celebrate my birthday!

It was in a word a NIGHTMARE!!

Thankfully, this room/closet turned out to be the eaisest to date. It was only 2 layers. The house is close to 90 years old. The walls were d-i-r-t-y.

This is the side we were going to knock down. We are going to wall in the area where the door is now and have the door going into the boys room. So I didn't take the paper off here. I had to remove the plaster and lathe. We couldn't just cut it because we didn't know what wires were running down the wall.

This part was not fun.

And as awful as this still looks, it was beautiful to me! Progress on a job!

The kids were at my parents all day and when they got home they thought the closet was so cool.

And then the older 2 boys were upstairs for quite awhile and when I went to check on them, they had turned the closet into a WW II jail cell.

Don't you just love the detail of the crust of bread and water?!

This is the wall were the door will be in the boys room. (the holes are from the shelves and pictures I had hanging)

I took Lilly to the grocery store and when I got back Pete had cut out the wall.

When we redid our kitchen we actually found money hidden under one of the cabinets. Sadly, this was all I found this time. Just some strips of paper with names typed. Still makes you wonder what it was for. We are the 3rd owners of the home. We bought it from the grandchildren of the man that built it.

We had the kids help us with some of the work.

Except for the Princess. Somehow she always manages to get out of the work! I am going to have to learn her secret. How she bats her eyes or something. . .

Tada! The giant hole in the wall!

Still so so much to be done.

Letter to a Soldier

2011-10-28T03:30:00.000-07:00

My brother in law is currently serving in Afghanistan in the Army.

These are the streets that he walks down.

This is where he lives.

Hmmm. . . I'm pretty sure if that was my environment, I would get depressed and miss my family across the ocean, 7,000 miles away!

The kids love to write letters to their Uncle Steven. It is so fun to see what they come up with.

The boys know he is in a war and felt it was appropriate to draw pictures depicting that.

I hope they were encouraging! A picture with bombs sent to a soldier fighting in a war???!!!!

And of course, Lilly and Henry had to send one as well.

Yesterday, the big boys wrote another letter.

And then we went on google satellitte and looked at where Uncle Steven is living.

We miss you!!!!!!!!

HAYRIDE

2011-10-22T10:15:00.000-07:00

Someone recently asked me if I had people at my church who homeschooled and were like minded.

I almost screamed YES!!

So it was with great anticipation that we looked forward to a field trip with the above mentioned.

Can you tell which is the real Beauty & the Beast?

Before the hayride the kids enjoyed the playground.

We had 31 kids and 8 adults! Enough to fill 2 wagons!

Ready. Set. Go!!

We refer to this as THE GREAT FRIENDSHIP.

This hayride is almost more of a roller coaster than a hayride! Look at how deep!!!

Lilly and her BFF!

After everyone "picked" their pumpkin (they are really jut laying in the middle of a cornfield), we loaded back up in the wagon and continued on our ride.

It had just rained for 2 days and the water came up to the bed of the wagon!

After our ride, the sun was out and we enjoyed lunch together.

And the kids enjoyed more playtime.

Hebrews 10:23 - 25

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

I cannot express how meeting together with this group of believers from our church encourages our family!

God be praised!!

My latest grocery trip

2011-10-18T21:17:00.000-07:00

I get a lot of people that say, coupons are only for junk. A lot are, but a lot are not.

(I realize the pizza isn't exactly healthy but it was a special treat.)

Pop is in a "junk food" catergory at our house too. However, the holidays are coming up and between that and the amount of times I am on the schedule to bring it to Bible Study, it will be gone in no time! And most of the pop was free!

TOTAL VALUE: $223.02

I PAID: $80.79

SAVED: $142.23

I even bought some organic things.

And some make up.

Note: the canning jars threw off the total because they were $20 of the $80 I spent. Now I have to peel and cut all those apples . . .

which I did, and made a lot of applesause along with several jars of apple pie filling and a bunch of pasta sauce from the tomatoes in our garden!! Whew! That is it for canning for the year!!!

( I put the picture in there for you Tracey!)

Around the House

2011-10-17T03:48:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest from around our house. . .

When I went in to get Lilly from her nap, I found out she had not been sleeping.

She had put make up on herself and her dolls.

The boys hung a new Halloween decoration.

The oldest 2 boys scared about 10 years off my life!! They put a fake mouse under the stove. I was holding Lilly. . . Peter very quietly said, "Hey Mom" and pointed down. I dropped Lilly, SCREAMED and ran to jump on the nearest chair! Pete started laughing first and poor Lilly was left on the floor wondering why her mom would sacrifice her to a mouse! And then when Pete dried his tears of laughter he said, "Boys, next time you do it, make sure you video tape!" Next time?!?!

Pete found some time to put up crown molding in the kitchen.

We are enjoying baby Nathan so much! He loves seeing the big kids run around!

Last week he was over and I had him in the swing outside. Henry was out there with me and I asked him to watch Nathan for a minute while I went in to get the phone. When I came back out, the swing was stopped and Henry was sitting in a lawn chair right in front of the swing, facing Nathan, just staring at him. I asked Henry what he was doing. His reply, "I am watching Nathan."

ART CLASS

2011-10-12T17:28:00.000-07:00

If I ever make Homeschooling look easy, it is because of all the help I get. My mom takes the kids on field trips and she is also tutoring Ben and Henry once a week.

And my sister is providing art class for the kids!! (So the secret is out. I am no super mom. I survive on the help of others!) The boys LOVE this time with their Aunt Joy!! She told me she was worried after the first class because they gave her blank stare the whole time. I assured her however, that is the look they have when they are learning! Today it was Henry's turn and he was so excited that he got to go all alone!

Here are a few pictures of the boys from last week.

Joy is a very talented artist. I can ask her to paint anything and she can do it.

After the 2 big boys were born, I saw these in a Pottery Barn magazine. They were like $65 each!

I showed Joy the picture and she painted it just like the magazine!

I love these paintings she did for her living room. I have been trying to talk her into painting more and trying to sell some. I think she is going to finally do it after her husband comes home on leave from his deployment.

She and Pete will have to compete against each other then!!

Roasted Eyeballs

2011-10-08T18:02:00.000-07:00

Last week my mom took the three boys on a field trip. The Air Force Musuem has a Homeschool day in the Fall and Spring. This is always a great field trip for the boys and I think it was even extra special this year since they got to go with Grandma!!

While they were hanging out (ha ha), Lilly and I made some treats for when they got home.

First on the list was Pumpkin Rice Krispy treats.

And next was roasted eyeballs. Henry has been reading a book where monsters enjoy eating roasted eyeballs. Oddly, the book has nothing to do with Halloween. Thankfully though, this is the time of year to search the internet for things such as this. Here's what we came up with. . .

The kids thought it was funny. Henry was a little freaked out at first but then enjoyed several!

Back to School Dinner 2011

2011-10-05T03:16:00.000-07:00

Every year our annual school dinner seems to come later and later, after we have started school. The kids do not ever care. They really enjoy it and are happy we do it at all. This year, it worked out well because during the first week of school we worked on several projects in preparation for it. I am loving this picture of the kids. I can't believe they are mine! And as always if I pan the camera out. . .

No shoes!!

This year our curriculum is titled Creation to the Greeks. We could either go with a Toga party for the Greek part or focus on the beginning part and do a Biblical feast. Pete was VERY happy we went with the Biblical feast! We celebrated the Sabbath. Because of time we mixed two days into one, but I think the kids got the idea.

During the Sabbath, the table is treated like an alter where worshipping God takes place. After everyone sits down, the Father walks around and blesses each child.

The Mother says a prayer and then we all sing Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.

The Father pours wine (grape juice) into a cup and says a prayer of thanksgiving. This reminds us of Christ shed blood for us. The cup is then passed around and everyone takes a sip.

Everyone then takes turns washing their hands. This represents our Sanctification. We are washed of our sin.

We lifted the cover (that the kids had made) off of the challah. The cover represents the dew that was on the ground for the Hebrews. It symbolizes that God provides. There are 2 loves of braided bread (challah). This represents that the Hebrews were to gather double portions of manna on Friday before the Sabbath.

We passed the bread around and each broke off a piece of bread as we said a prayer of thanksgiving.

At this point it had been about 20 minutes of rituals and the kids were wondering if an actual meal was going to take place! In Ben's words, "Boy, there sure are alot of rules we have to follow." We did have a nice supper of soup, salad and bread. One of the things we did when we sat at the table was to cover the knives. This particular act represents a desire for piece. When we passed the butter for the bread the kids were wondering what to do without a knife!!

After the meal (this would have really been at the close of the Sabbath) Pete poured a glass full of wine (grape juice) into a cup and let it overflow - Psalm 23:5

We then extinguished the candles into the spilled out juice.

And six candles were floating representing the six of us. All diffent people, but with the source of life from One place!

I am always amazed at how much the kids remember from these meals. Before we sat down the kids were remembering when we dressed up like Pilrims and Indians. Ben can find Kenya on a map before he can find America because that was his character at our meal last year. I just wish Math and English could be this fun!

Looking forward to another great homeschooling year!!

Field Trip: The Zoo

2011-10-03T09:53:00.000-07:00

Last week the kids and I had a great trip to the zoo. My mom and sister and baby Nathan came along.

In the picture above everyone who wants to go to the bat house is raising their hands. I am taking the picture but not raising my hand, my mom is also no raising her hand. Guess who had to take the kids to the bat house?

I walked through it like this. I just followed my mom's feet while she ~~ran~~ walked through with the kids. So apparently, even though we were there with MY 4 children, I needed MY mother!! :)

And look at this guy. Don't you just want to eat him up?

I do too and so I did!

Henry trying to figure out how to stand like a Flamingo.

Oh wow! Baby Nathan knows how to ride a Komodo Dragon!!!

It was a great day. I love homeschooling! I love that my kids are always with me. I love that my mom can say, "Let's go to the zoo." and we go. I love that I learn as much as they do. I just love it! (Now remind me that I said this when everyone is crying about their work next week!)

First Week Update

2011-09-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: we all survived!

We actually had a really good first week of school. Wether the kids will say it to you or not, they were all ready. There is just something great to be said for routines and knowing what is coming. The kids have adjusted back well. (Also, I am just noticing that in the school picture above, no one is wearing shoes! Aahh homeschool life!)

We started off our first morning getting back into PROVERBS. Every morning at 7:30am, Pete and the boys read and discuss a chapter of Proverbs. This was Sept. 26 and they read Proverbs 26. They did this last year too. You might think that after every month it would get boring. It does not. The kids are learning more and more each time!

We start school at 8:30am with Pledges/Prayer and Bible Time.

Some nice things about starting so late after everyone else, are the tips you get.

One was to keep the kids together. However, I do not want to spend my entire morning in the basement. So we start off with MATH down there. Peter and Ben use the tables (this area is far from finished!).

And Henry gets really comfortable!

I bought the magnetic boards at IKEA and my sister made the clothes pins. I attached magnetic strips on the back and everyone can see the schedule and check off their list of assignments. This is another great tip. They are responsible for making sure they have done all they need too. I keep to the times as much as possible and if they don't finish, it is homework.

For READING we move upstairs. If you are wondering about Lilly, she comes in and out and participates in some things. I don't really have any expectations for her this year. She gleans a lot from the boys.

And then for GRAMMAR we move over to the dining room table.

We needed a break by Tuesday and took a field trip to the Zoo!! ha

(more on this later)

Of course, having a professional artist in the house makes ART one of our most important subjects!

We are using a book called God and the History of Art. Here the kids are trying to draw using only their mouths, like Joni Earekson Tada. Proving that being an artist takes not just talent but hard hard work!

Our back to school dinner is this upcoming weekend. We will be having a Sabbath meal. The kids worked on a cover for the Challah (bread).

Also, during the week we had another soccer game. I love love love going and watching Ben play!

Everyone got their chores done without complaining and we were done each day by noon!

The weather was great on Thursday and we cooked hot dogs and smores over the fire for lunch.

Even Cinderella had to cook her own food!

And my pumpkin is ready in the garden!

I know all the weeks will not be this easy or quick, but I am so thankful for every moment I have with the kids. Each day is a gift!

First Day of School 2011

2011-09-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

Home. . .

2011-09-25T03:33:00.000-07:00

well almost.

Our last stop on the way home was with a friend of mine. We were friends at Moody. We lived on the same floor and I basically followed her around for 4 years and couldn't go more than an hour through the day without talking to her (too bad we didn't own cell phones then!) Becky is one of my most cherished friends.
She and her husband have a new baby and I was beyond thrilled to spend time with them!

When we were packing up the next morning and I was telling Ben we were getting ready to leave he said, "Aww, too bad. This kinda feels like home." He said it perfectly. How true of being with a great friend. It feels like you are home.

Her little baby, Julia, is like a doll. Beautiful! We all took turns holding her.

It was rainy outside all day. It didn't matter at all. It was so amazing to just sit and talk. The boys were happy that this meant hours on the Wii!

Another treat for the kids was the opportunity to make their own pizza for dinner.

This was a BIG hit!

This is the end of our vacation.

This trip was a real gift for me. It was a somewhat challenging summer. The couple weeks leading up to it were the most difficult. I had an ectopic pregnancy and was left devistated. I was able to recover physically just in time before we left. This trip was a time for me to just rest and renew. There is a song we sing in church that I love. It has one line that repeats Be still and know that I am God. That is exactly what my vacation was. A time to be still and know that God is soverign.

To enjoy the blessings He has given me, for they are many.

Sight Seeing

2011-09-24T04:48:00.000-07:00

Friday morning we woke up to gray skies and cool temperatures. We were sad that we couldn't go to the beach but we had been saving our sight seeing for a day such as this. Our boys love the Wright Brothers. In fact, I think that after learning so much about them, being from the same town, and seeing all the memorials around, they think they are related! So our first stop was the Wright Memorial. The actual spot where the Wright Brothers flew their airplane.

I would say that this was one of my favorite parts of the trip. Again, what a blessing it was to be with my family. I loved every minute of it. The first picture is of us standing at the spot where the Wright Brothers took off from. The smaller stones (in the following pictures) represent how far they went on each flight.

Explaination: We have boys. They love fighting. They decided to reinact a scene from Indiana Jones (even though they have never seen the whole movie - just clips).

May I present: Act 1 Scene 1 Fight on an Airplane Wing.

Our next stop was Bodie Island Lighthouse.

Even though we couldn't go swimming we stopped at the beach one more time.

Goodbye, beautiful ocean. We will miss you!

VACATION (part 5)

2011-09-23T15:43:00.000-07:00

We are getting close to the end. . . well half way through at least!

Thursday morning Pete woke the big boys up early and took them out for breakfast.

The ate at a restaurant on the pier. And my only question about it all is, why wasn't I invited! Just kidding, it was a great time for the 3 of them. What an amazing morning. It was warm enough to swim by 9am.

So that's what we did! Right back to the beach!

And here again, I couldn't stop taking pictures! We had such a great time as a family that I wanted to document every second! Go get a sea shell right now, hold it up to your ear and as you look at these next photos pretend you are at the beach! It is what we are going to do all winter long!

(that's me! my turn with the boogie board!)

And then that evening we were able to meet up with Pete's friend and his family again. We had dinner at a restaurant on the Sound.

VACATION (part 4)

2011-09-23T05:01:00.000-07:00

Tired of the beach yet?!

Seriously, it was so beautiful I couldn't stop taking pictures and then I couldn't decide which ones to show. I mentioned before that Pete lived in the Outer Banks in his younger days. He has a friend that he lived with there and went to college with (Kent State) that still lives there. It had been 10 years since they had seen each other. Wednesday morning we were able to meet up with them and enjoy the beach together with our families.

The beach was like a dream for Henry. His favorite thing to do is to dig with trucks. Sand to dig in as far as he could see. . . I think he already has a spot picked out on the beach where his house will be when he is older!

Wednesday night we did a little ghost crab hunting!

Believe it or not, there is still more. . .

VACATION (part 3)

2011-09-22T04:10:00.000-07:00

When we set out on our trip, I never imagined that I would eat at a place called Diggers Diner. But on our way from Virginia to the Outer Banks, that is exactly where we stopped. This was a huge highlight for all (even our girl). Grave Digger is based out of North Carolina and when we passed it on the road, WE HAD TO STOP!!

And then after another hour. . . behold the Atlantic Ocean!! I don't think I will ever forget the expression on the kids faces as they saw it! Words like, cool, awesome, oh my, and wow were used frequently. It was a gift to me, to sit on the sand with the warm sun shining down and watch my family play and enjoy this beauty that the Lord made.

After we stopped laughing at this, we dubbed her the Michelin Girl!

A long time ago, Pete lived in the Outer Banks. Here he is on a Boogie Board. Just as fun as it was 20 years ago!

Digging to China.

I might have to move here. . .

VACATION (part 2)

2011-09-20T04:12:00.000-07:00

On Monday things went back to a somewhat normal routine for our friends with work and school. Our family decided to hit the beach again. It was another gorgeous day and since it was a Monday, the beaches were really empty! Most of the day our family was the only one in the water!!

It was so relaxing,so fun and much needed after a very busy summer.

As I was taking this picture, I heard a lady walking past us say, "She looks like a little beach Barbie."

Oh boy, we are in trouble!

My friend was able to come for part of the day and I enjoyed good conversation with her. After 4 years, we had a lot to catch up on! Down from the beach there is a little shopping area that is nice to stroll through and check out souviners.

We stopped at Ben & Jerry's for a nice cold treat.

mmmmm. . . chocolate fudge brownie!!!

(Notice the character in the background of this picture!)

While Peter, Henry, Lilly and I wanted one more splash in the Bay, Pete and Ben went looking for some history. This area is just down from the beach. It is a cave on the side of a hill.

When the British invaded this town, Yorktown, the townspeople hid here. (without the bars - ha)

So up to this point we have covered the mountians in West Virginia, the French language, the Revolutionary War, sail boats, water inside a bay and living in Switzerland (our friends lived there last year) .

School is going so well this year! ha ha

This was my view. . . all day. Perfect!

All the kids!!

Thank you so much to our dear friends for the fun, food and sweet fellowship!

What a blessing it was to spend so much time with you all!

to be continued. . .

VACATION (part 1)

2011-09-18T16:45:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a 10 day vacation!! It is actually the first family vacation we have taken all together! Up to this point, I have been a wimp about it. Taking little kids on a trip for hours in a car far from the comforts of home, never appealed to me. We finally jumped in and did it! It was great!! Taking a 10 day vacation feels like you haven't been home in forever! Lilly had many many melt downs, but my friend said to me, "Hey, you're at the beach, the sound of the waves can drown out her screaming." At least, knowing we were on vacation made it easier for me to deal with it! After getting everyone up early to leave at 5:30 am on the first day of travel we made it to our first stop 11 hours later. . .

We arrived at our good friends house in Yorktown, VA

We have known this family for about 11 years. They are military so for the past 4 years we haven't seen them as they moved around America and the world. And even though we kept up through letters, phone calls and Skype, there is nothing like the real thing!

We enjoyed one of the beautiful beaches in their area. It was about 89 degrees and sunny. Perfect beach weather.

The kids had a great time together. All of our friends kids are bilingual and ours had a fun time listening to them jump from French to English!

This beach is in the Chesapeake Bay. It is the perfect place to take kids! There are not really any waves and Peter and Ben could touch all the way out to the rope. And because we went the 2nd week of September the crowds were VERY light!! I am loving those Homeschool perks!

After a full day of swimming in the sun, we were ready to take a little break. So we waited for the Trolley to come and pick us up! By the way, Yorktown is a very historical town and so neat to walk through!

The Trolley brought us to the top of the hill and dropped us off at the site of a famous battle where George Washington, with help from the French, defeated Lord Cornwallis and the British. (see we are doing school.)

I always get chills when I stand in places like this. When the history I read in books becomes real and I stand in the spot where others died for American freedom.

It was an incredible day with amazing friends. We are truly blessed!

(I have much much more to share!!!)

Science Experiment

2011-09-16T17:04:00.000-07:00

We haven't started school yet, but the kids can't help themselves. Someone gave them a science experiments in a bottle kit and they have kept busy with a few kitchen ingredients and big messes!

(Ben and Lilly pause for a sword fight.)

The boys even let their little sister help out by "reading" the directions.

This experiment was how to make a volcano. Sadly, after everything was added, nothing happened.

Peter started to walk away frustrated.

But wait, what is that I see??!!

It worked!

Good job, science team!!

10 Minutes at Bedtime

2011-09-12T07:10:00.000-07:00

Once bedtime hits in our house, it is like my brain shuts down. I mean it is good if I can put 2 sentences together at that point. So most nights I just want bedtime to be over quickly. My comfy bed and the quiet of my room call to me. I. just. want. the. day. to. be. done!!

My little angel and I have developed quite a routine though. We pray, we sing and I hold her. I love all of it. I thought it was enough. Lately though, she wants me to lay down beside her for a few minutes. So I am laying there thinking about how much more comfortable my own bed would be and how I can't wait to be alone and then I feel a little hand brushing the hair off of my face.

Then I feel a soft wet kiss on my nose. I put my arm over her and she puts her hand on me to make sure I am really there.

And I realize these last 10 minutes of bedtime are some of the best minutes I will ever spend with her. I forget about my room and enjoy the quiet of hers. The last 10 minutes of bedtime have become my favorite.

Another Birthday

2011-09-08T19:15:00.000-07:00

It wouldn't be a normal month if we didn't go to at least 3 birthday parties! At times it seems like a lot, but when I think about it, what a blessing. To be so involved in lives of friends and family to celebrate and share with. Our latest party was with my sister, Joy. She turned 21! Ha, no not really. It's just that since I am older than her, the older she gets, the older I get!

Our little baby Nathan is getting so big!

Ben made Joy a clay figure for a present. She enjoys claymation movies, like Wallace & Gromit. The kids love them too! He made her Wallace. It was so fun to see her face! And Ben was so happy when she opened it.

I made her a "shirred skirt". I saw this idea on another blog and figured I would give it a try.

It turned out to be easy. I bought an XXL men's cotton shirt at Goodwill and cut off the top. Then I used regular thread on the top and elastic thread in the bobbin. My sister is amazing with a sewing machine so I never like to give her anything that I make. But this time I figured, if I messed it up she could fix it! And I borrowed her elastic thread to make it so I'm not really sure that I can count it as a present. ha ha

Here she is with it on.

And I made one for myself.

My mom made a great lunch and instead of cake, Joy wanted a peanut butter pie, which she made. We are having so many birthdays that we are getting confused on who is suppose to do what!

And while we were all singing Happy Birthday, Henry blew out the candle!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOY!

Fall Decorating

2011-09-07T05:27:00.000-07:00

I love Fall decorating! Summer is my favorite season but I do love the crisp cool days Fall brings. I just wish it would last longer. It usually feels like only a week! Even though the temperatures were about 100 degrees last week, I broke out the Fall stuff!

I had these orange pumpkins in my stash. I thought they would be great on top of my cabinets. However, my kitchen is orange and putting them up there would have driven me crazy.

So I painted them ivory and used an antique stain down the sides.

It feels like something new!

I also used scrap wood from the shop, branches, ribbon, paint and raffia (all stuff I had) to make these pumpkins. I love the way they turned out. And it was quick and easy!

My next simple project was to take more scrap wood (there is a never ending supply) and paint it black. Then I cut letters out of scrap book paper and glued them down with modge podge. I bought spiderwebs for $1 and now have a bit of spooky in the house.

Peter asked if he could have the left over webs.

Here is his Halloween decor.

Yeah, a bit more frightening!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

And it even got funnier. . .it is a remote control tarantuala. My husband gave the kids the idea to have it start moving when an unsuspecting, innocent, lovely person ( aka mom!) walks up the stairs! The fun never stops around here!!