Sometimes. . .

. . . you just need the girls to come over.

. . .you want a day to have fun.

. . . it's nice to have someone else to enjoy a warm Spring day with.

. . .you just need a day with your friends!!!!

BARNRAISING

WISH: a few more hands and a day without the kids to finish our house projects that have been sitting half done forever!!!

GRANTED: BARNRAISING 2010!!!!!!
*we have a group of friends that we get together with and move from house to house to help each other with projects that would take us forever to do alone. . .

It was our turn this past Saturday.
*painting

































*drywall
























*kitchen trim

-Beth is now OFFICIALLY superwoman!!!

*drywall in Pete's office

*drywall kitchen ceiling

This saved us about a years worth of work on our own!!!

We are VERY blessed!!!

JUST FOR FUN FRIDAY

My internet is not working today and right now I am using my sister's computer.
That is my fun Friday!!

A Beautiful Treasure

My firstborn made this necklace for me. . .

Man, I love him. . .

I want to be like her. . .

I recently read an article in a magazine where a mother of 4 young children said this, "At 5:00 pm, dinner is simmering and I have just enough time to fold, iron and PUT AWAY my last load of laundry before my husband comes home at 5:30pm. I clean the kids up and we are ready for my him to walk in the door and sit down to a nice quiet dinner."

Okay, really? In what realm of the universe does this lady live???

In my universe, at 5:15pm, I have at least 2 out of 4 kids crying, dinner not even started, and laundry still sitting in the washing machine. Oh and ironing? I gave that up years ago.

And as far as cleaning the kids up, my husband wouldn't recognize them if their faces were clean !!!

However, as unrealistic as this lady's life seems to me, I find myself wanting to be her. I am jealous over the fact that other moms are more organized at homeschooling than I am. I covet the way some of my friends keep spotless houses - ALL THE TIME!!

While being organized and clean are not wrong to desire, the attitude of my heart is.

Colossians 3:23 says Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as unto the Lord and not unto men.

So at 5:15pm, I should be living in a way that honors God, and not worried about the lady who has all her laundry folded!! Because, honestly, that aint' gonna happen here. . .

My best so far. . .

MEIJER

















Value: $43.09 Paid: $4.84

WALGREENS

Value: $79.50 Paid:$22.88

KROGER

Value: $132.91 Paid: $48.77

Total Value: $255.50 Total Paid: $76.49 Total Savings: $179.01

*I went over my $60 budget this week but it was worth it! I just won't go next week.

Well, if it is free I will. . .

And see all those cans of tomatoes? I made salsa!!! It is really good!!

I have been getting alot of jokes lately about how I make everything (including my own deoderant)!!! BUT that is okay! When we look at our budget at the end of 2010 we will see that we have saved about $3,000.00 on our grocery bill!!!! And then there will be no laughing, only oohhhing and aaahhing!!!

JUST FOR FUN FRIDAY

my ben

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

We have enjoyed all things GREEN today!!
Green chocolate chip and apple/cinnamon muffins for breakfast.

Shamrocks hanging from our ceiling!























4 cute kids dressed in green! No one is getting pinched in this house!!









































































Green lemonade, broccoli, green ranch dip and green egg salad for lunch.





































During lunch we read some fun facts about St. Patrick's Day.
*St. Patrick was from Roman Britan but at the age of 16 was taken as a slave to Ireland.
*The original color associated with St. Patrick's day was blue.
*St. Patrick wore a 3 leaf shammrock to explain the Trinity.
*Getting pinched if you do not wear green comes from the legend claiming that if you wear green , you will be invisible to leprechans. The pinch is to help you remember wear green!


Perhaps the greatest observation was made by my dear Benjamin today, who said, "You know what all this green makes me think of? If you wear green you are safe from getting pinched and that represents a christian. If you do not wear green that represents someone who doesn't know God. And when you do not wear green the punishment is that you get pinched. Just like those who do not know God and sin, you get a VERY bad punishment. "

Not an exact representation, but definitely made me stop and think AND REJOICE. I am "safe". Even though I sin, my punishment has already been taken (by Christ on the cross) and I am free from that VERY bad punishment.
















HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!!!!!

This was our day. . .

We learned about Professor Samuel Morse and his invention of morse code and the telegraph.

I tapped out a message for the kids. . .

Then we built a replica of the first idea Professor Morse had as he began his research about the telegraph. Peter asked if I would hold the nail when it was his turn to hammer - I declined. . .

For music we learned the song You're A Grand Old Flag.

Peter read us riddles during lunch. (By the way - a lunch of red potatoes, green beens, applesauce and tortillas cost under $1 for 4 kids!!)

The kids worked on chores.

We enjoyed the great outdoors.

And my sister taught Peter to ride his bike today!! She spoils us!

WE. KNOW. IT. WE. LOVE. IT!!!

It was a really great day!

Saturday & Sunday

Real original title, I know. But I am overwhelmed by all we have going on right now and if any of the following makes sense you should be surprised!! And this post is about our SATURDAY & SUNDAY! So here goes:
Pete got out the saw and cut some more holes in our kitchen ceiling.

And made a huge mess! But what a great husband, he cleaned it all up!

Then we went off to visit with friends. Let me just say WE. LOVE. THEM!!!!!

I think I fit in well with the young girls here!!!(no comments about this please!)

Lilly just makes herself right at home!

Then. . . another party!!! Despite what it recently looks like, we are not always having a party!

My dad's ?? birthday!!!

My sisters and I with my dad. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

And if you are wondering how my taxes turned out, one word: EXTENTION!!

JUST FOR FUN FRIDAY

SPRING = rides in Grandpa's 1934 truck!

Garden Day 14

I can almost taste the goodness of these vegetables! And it would figure that the peas, which I DO NOT LIKE are doing the best.

Then there is this guy. . .

. . . who is really bothering me! Business taxes are due March 15th. Which means I have precisely 4 days to get 2 businesses done! Yikes!

So with 4 kids running around, homeschool, dr. appointments, a party, a field trip, another birthday party, a plumbing leak and a sewer back up ALL this week, this is what I feel like most of the time.

It's Finally Here!!!

It does not matter what the date may say, (3-09)























it is Valentine's Day!!!























Lunch talk is fun
















Then outside to play in the sun!!













Games of whip cream and sweets

































Time to pass out treats!



































Fun, food and friends. . . we did not want the day to end!

















HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!
(just so you all fully understand. . . this was our 3rd attempt to have this party!)