24 hours in review

We finished up the indoor Christmas decorations yesterday afternoon. After a tasty dinner of grilled steaks and chicken, baked potatoes, salad and rolls, we sat and watched a movie with a fire in the fireplace. Fancy had also baked some chocolate chip cookies that we enjoyed during our movie time. What a fabulous Sunday.

The Husband was happy that it was rainy and cold yesterday .... he dodged the responsibility of getting the lights up on the house. I am hoping that task gets completed soon. I just LOVE coming down our street to see the house lit up.

Here are some of the decorations completed:

This morning, the kids and I got up and around slowly. It was nice to enjoy the first "real" day of our winter break. We officially started our break last week, but Fancy wasn't here, so it didn't seem real. After our showers, we decided the day was too nice to waste. We loaded up some books and headed for the park. I thought we could get some reading out of the way while we were at the park. I read a bit .... the kids opted not to which was fine with me. I just wanted us to be outside. I'm sure there won't be many 55 degree days left this year. They can catch up on reading tonight after dinner.

Here is Bubby having a chat with me about a "fun little guy" that he was playing hide and seek with. The "fun little guy" was a boy that looked to be about three years old. I love that Bubby plays with kids of all ages with no reserve.

Here is Fancy taking a turn on Bubby's skateboard. Notice he is there coaching her.

Here is my view .... I found a swing to sit in and enjoyed my music and a good book. I love being outside. There is just something about it. How can you beat all your favorite songs on your iPod, a really good book, perfect weather (sunny and 55 degrees) and laughing/squealing kids all around you? I don't think you can.

Right now, I am sitting here catching up on e-mails and reading friends' blogs enjoying the smell of a yummy pot of chili in the crockpot. I'll wrap up the dinner menu with some cornbread muffins. Easy but tasty..... I'm looking forward to it. Actually, I'm not sure I can wait much longer. Maybe skipping lunch was a bad idea. =)

Have a good week !!

In The Christmas Spirit

I am so glad to have all of my family together under one roof today.

Fancy and her Daddy got home safe, sound and just in time for church last night. It was so nice to have all of us there to enjoy some great worship music and a wonderful message followed by a nice pizza dinner with friends. This morning has been fun just listening to all their stories about their trip. They FORGOT to take the camera, so I am hoping to get some pictures from friends who went with them .... if so, I will post them.

We are putting up our Christmas decorations today so this morning finds our house full of activity and Christmas music. I couldn't be happier.

I had a bit of fun this morning doing this: We Got Elfed. Check it out.

Have a GREAT Sunday.

Another random picture

I am missing the other 50% of my family. Bubby and I have had a lot of fun this week so far, but still, I am ready for my girl and her Daddy to come home.

Here they are in the Summer of 1996 ..... how has the time flown by so quickly???

Welcome to my world

Well, it has happened .... my first run in with someone who decided to share their not so good opinion of my choice to homeschool my children. Ouch.

Bubby and I went to the local grocery store today to pick up a few things. It was a quick and easy trip .... up until the point of checkout.

Our cashier seemed friendly enough.... a man about 40 years old. He was scanning our items and chatting with us when he asked Bubby, "How old are you?" .... the conversation went downhill from there. It looked a bit like this:

Bubby: "7"

Cashier: "Are you ready for Thanksgiving?"

Bubby: "Yep ... but we aren't cooking turkey. My Dad and my Sister are in Mexico."

Cashier: "They got to go on vacation without you?"

Bubby: "No, they are on a mission trip to help people and tell them about Jesus." (aren't kids great - so simple - so bold)

Cashier: "That is great." (looks to me) "Where do you go to church?"

Me: "_____" (insert name of our church)

Cashier: (looks like he just threw up in his mouth frowns) "Oh that MEGA church."

Me: "Yes, it's a large church." (smile)

Cashier: "That's nice." (Seems at this point that he is a Christian, is happy we are too, but is sad for us that we go to the MEGA church).

Cashier: (changing subject - looks at Bubby) "What grade are you in?"

Bubby: "2nd"

Cashier: "Do you like your teacher?"

Bubby: "Yes" .... points at me.

Cashier: "No, I asked if you like your teacher."

Bubby: (smiling) "I am homeschooled."

Cashier: (looks at me like I have 2 heads) "What?"

Bubby: "Yep, my Mom teaches me."

Cashier: (No more eye contact with me) "Have you ever asked your Mom why she makes you do homeschool?"

Me: (inside my head) "Did he really just say that?"

Bubby: "No."

Cashier: "You should ask her why she makes you do homeschool."

Bubby: (squirming). "Hmm."

Me: (again, inside my head) "What in the world am I suppposed to say? How do I get this guy to back off without being rude? He know I am a Christian after all .... I have to be on my best behavior" ... I know, I know .... I should be on my best behavior anyway ... all the time ... work with me here. I say nothing. (spineless speechless)

Cashier: (looks at me) "I am a teacher." (as if to explain why he is disappointed that I do not send my kid to school)

Me: (grin) "Me too."

Cashier: "Oh .... a real teacher?" (small smile)

Me: "Yep" (yeah, I knew what he meant .... but I was on a roll .... and getting a bit bunchy)

Cashier: (looks somewhat relieved, like maybe he thinks it is a little better if I am qualified) "Oh, what grade?"

Me: (pointing at Bubby) "2nd .... and a 6th grader too."

Cashier: "Oh. (obvious look of realization that I did not mean a REAL teacher)

Bubby: (to Cashier) "What do you teach?"

Cashier: "High school math."

Bubby: (excitedly) "I love math ... it's my favorite."

Cashier: (shows Bubby his nametag) "Can you read this? What is my name?"

Me: (again - inside my head) "Is this a test? Is he testing my kid? What the heck?"

Bubby: (reads nametag)

Cashier: "Well, you can read."

Me: (Ok .... so at this point, I am M-A-D. I don't want to admit that, but I was. I was feeling defensive. How dare he question my kid like this? I was about to let him have a piece of my mind. Slow down .... I started seriously praying. God .... what am I supposed to say here? I don't want to be ugly. That isn't right and isn't going to help anyway.) Also important to note is that there are other people now quite interested in this conversation ... some baggers and the family behind me in line. I felt like I was on display. ugh.

Here is what came to me ... and I mean CAME in a flash:

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11
(This is a key verse the kids have focused on in AWANA.)

Ok .... that is nice right? But not helping, or so I thought. I was thinking, "how is that at all helpful?" Then it hit me. Scripture .... ok, now my brain was filling with words QUICKLY:

"A kind word turns away wrath ...." Proverbs 15:1a

"But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. " James 3:8-10 (I will admit I do not know this one by heart, but OH should I. It just came to me in Cliff's Notes Version summary.)

"But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Matthew 5:44

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Anyway, basically, I knew I needed to hold my tongue. Being harsh was not the answer.

* I am beginning to see that this seems to be a VERY long encounter with this cashier, but all this went down in like 4 minutes at the most *

Ok, so let's continue.

Bubby: " Yep. Mom says I am a good reader." (begins to read EVERYTHING he sees around - showing the man)

Me: (In my head) "Well, atleast this guy sees my kid is not an idiot, and I didn't even have to be defensive about it"

Cashier: "Wow .... you are a good reader, young man." (looks at me) "Not bad." (sheepish grin)

Me: (actually speaking outloud) "Thank you. I am pretty proud of him."

I never did tell him why I "make" my kids do homeschool as he said. I didn't need to. I do not homeschool for him. I do it for my kids. My reasons are really not his business. I do not mind discussing my reasons with people. I was just pretty sure that he wasn't going to be convinced of anything in the amount of time I had with him anyway. I guess I don't really need to convince him of anything anyway, right? I would have seemed defensive no matter what I said in the way that situation was going.

I paid.

I smiled.

We took our things.

Bubby said "Good-bye ___" (inserting name he R-E-A-D off of the nametag).

Off we went.

I was thanking God all the way to the car.

Thanking Him for His Word.

Thanking Him for AWANA which is teaching His Word not only to my kids, but as it turns out, is soaking into my brain as well.

Thanking Him for the blessing of my two beautiful, smart, polite, non-defensive children who He allows me to raise and teach and love .... EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His, for He made, and His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under his care.
- Psalm 95:1-7

50 percent

That's how much of my family is home this Thanksgiving week .... me and Bubby.

Fancy and her Daddy left yesterday for Mexico. They went on a Mission Trip down there last year over Thanksgiving and it was a great experience. They knew they wanted to go back this year. We had actually planned on all going this time. Since I got laid off a couple of months ago and am now the new girl at work I couldn't get the whole week off. It makes it especially hard to get the days off over a holiday. I am really sad we couldn't go with them.

Bubby and I are planning to make the most of it though. I am looking forward to some one on one time with him. We just got home from the grocery store buying some tasty snacks and we are about to settle in for a movie on the couch in our jammies. What a yummy Sunday afternoon. Tomorrow we are going to the library, maybe a movie, probably out for lunch .... it will be a nice laid back day. Who knows what the rest of the week will bring.

Anyway, please be in prayer for my sweet husband who is leading construction on a church that our group is helping to build. I am sure he will work quite hard this week. Also pray for Fancy as she helps lead VBS and puppet shows for the kids. She will also be going out to a special needs orphanage to help bathe, wash linens, and just love on the kids. She is nervous about that. Last year, she helped paint the children's building they had built onto the church .... this year, she will be more personal with the people there. I can't wait to hear all about it. Also, be in prayer this week for the whole group ..... at last count the number going was 58. Please pray for safe travel home on Saturday as well.

Here are some pictures from their trip last year:

Fancy took HUNDREDS of Dum-Dum suckers she saved her own money to buy to hand out to the kids she saw while out and about .... looks like maybe she enjoyed one or two herself.

Here she is being creative. The girls all decided to paint a mural on the wall in the new Children's area. I think they did a great job.

I swear she brought home a little bit of every color on that wall. All those paint colors are permanently on multiple articles of the clothing she took on the trip last year.

Pictures from our past

I've decided that if I have nothing interesting to say, I can do something fun. Since I didn't discover blogging until recently, and a lot of my friends who read my blog haven't known me super long, I will randomly post some old pictures. Let's start today.

Going with the theme of my last post, I chose these for today:

It was August, 2003. The kids were 7 (barely) and 3 (almost 4). We were on a camping trip for a week (in my parent's RV so not too much roughing it). Speaking of that RV .... it's a sad story: We enjoyed it quite a bit. We had used it multiple times when they had it. One day they decided that since they NEVER wanted to use it (my Mom says her idea of roughing it is walking barefoot on the carpet at the Hilton) they decided to GET RID OF IT! How rude (haha). That system of them paying for it and us using it worked out fine for us.

This is one of my favorite pictures of all time:

Here is a sequence of pictures that will benefit from some narration: The Husband had left the RV to go fishing while the 3 of us were laying down for a nap. I had drifted off to sleep when I heard the RV door slam shut. It startled me awake, I looked for the kids. Fancy was sound asleep at my side but Bubby was nowhere to be seen. I bolted up and looked out the window and saw him, fishing pole in hand, crossing the "road" (a gravel road with NO traffic) to the pond where his Daddy was (about 30 yards away). It was the cutest thing ever. Such a big boy. He hade made up his mind where he wanted to be and it wasn't sleeping with Mommy and Sissy. I, of course, jumped up, grabbed the camera and followed him. I snuck up behind them and started secretly snapping pictures from a safe distance. Even The Husband didn't know I was there.

About five minutes into this cuteness, Bubby has to pee. Well, you know guys, so The Husband tells him he has to wait. Bubby continues to insist he must go now, Daddy continues to say things like, "Just a second". Here, Bubby is making some "adjustments" to try to settle things down:

Then Bubby is cold .... needs his shirt on (which he had brought with him for some reason) and by the way, the temp was like 95 degrees, but whatever. Daddy puts his fishing pole down, sighs, and helps him get the shirt on. I can see Daddy feeling a bit sad (and entertained at the same time) that his quiet fishing time is being run by this 3 year old's "issues". After the shirt is on, Bubby goes right back into the "I godda pee" mantra.

I am the one who will no doubt deal with the pee soaked mess and tears, so I am about to intervene when I see Bubby finally just solve his own problem:I think it is good that I have posted this now because surely there will come a time when Bubby wouldn't stand for it.

Happy Campers

The husband took the kids on our church's campout Friday night (I had to work). He left home without the camera, so I got to drive the camera out to the campsite before work. I wasn't thrilled at the idea of that at first, but I was glad to get to give them all one more kiss before heading in to work. Luckily, the campsite was only about 20 minutes from here.

I gave The Husband strict instructions to photograph everything that happened. I didn't expect much as I figured he would get busy having a pretty good time himself. He did a great job though and I came home Saturday morning to a bunch of cute pics.

After browsing through the pictures, I went to bed and got about 3 hours of sleep then started my day. Fancy played golf Saturday and we went and picked her up, took a nice drive through the country with the windows down, got to church early, had a coffee and a muffin ...... The day was then wrapped up with a FABULOUS sermon last night and then a potluck dinner in our class.

Getting home from church (around 10pm), I was B-E-A-T. I did the math and realized I had gotten about 12 hours of sleep in the last 72 hours. ugh. Needless to say, I slept W-E-L-L last night.

Today, I have been taking it easy, catching up on e-mails, planning school for the week, baking cookies, loving on my kids ..... it's a great day. I am working again tonight, but am ready and well rested. Besides I am thankful for having a job I am never resenting having to go to. I really love what I do and love the fact that it allows me to have an income and still get to be with my family so much.

And sleep .... who needs it? I can get plenty of that when these two are grown.

Here are some pics of my happy campers:

Toothless Buddies

A visit with my niece

We went over to my Mom's Thursday to see my sweet niece. She is 10 months old already. I can't believe it. She was lots of fun with smiles and giggles for everyone (though we got none of those for the pics).

Seeing my kids with her really makes me aware of how fast they are growing ..... all three of them. Just yesterday, I swear mine were babies. ugh.

Have a great week !!

Boys Will Be Boys

While I changed out a load of laundry this morning, I had Fancy read the chapter about Martin Luther from Hero Tales to her brother. When I came back, I was pleased to see that she was reading as directed, and he was listening, but here is what I saw.

Too Funny

A Surprise Visit

My Father-In-Law surprised us with a visit Monday night. We had a nice dinner out on the patio at a great waterfront restaraunt near us. Afterwards, we walked around a bit so the kids could look at the lake. We had a cold front moving in Monday night, so the wind and dropping temperature eventually got us back to the car and home to bed.

Here are some pictures:

"Granddaddy" and the kiddos:

"The Husband" (far right), his Dad and his brother:

There is a cute little lighthouse behind the kids but it was just dark enough that you can't see it:

A Mighty Fortress is Our God

We have been listening to and studying this hymn written by Martin Luther in the 1520s. It is just amazing. I printed out the words for each of the kids and we have been singing along with it a few times a day this week.

We have looked up the words they we didn't know (ie. bulwark) and have written the definitions on our copy of the lyrics. It's been a great time. Between this hymn and the classical music this week, it had been an interesting change to the normal stuff we listen to. The christian music we usually listen to is the type we would normally hear at our church .... more modern praise and worship.... a lot of Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, Paul Baloche, etc. Having not been raised in church, I don't know a lot of old hymns, so I am enjoying learning too. We listen to a lot of other types of music too (my poor kids are well versed in MANY types of music .... 70s, 80s, 90s. haha). My iPod is a funny thing. Fancy especially likes to put it on shuffle and have a good laugh .... You can go from Journey to Chris Tomlin to Allison Krauss to Barlow Girl to Willie Nelson to Audio Adrenaline to Prince to Van Morrison to Marc Broussard to Brenton Brown to David Gray to Watermark to (Oh ... and don't forget all the sermons in there too) ... well, you get the point. Nonetheless, it has been nice to branch out a bit this week.

A Mighty Fortress is Our God

Edited to add:
Sorry for how it lines up ... I am apparently not smart enough to fix it =)

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.

What a glorious morning

It is cool here this morning. Our thermometer on the back porch reads 52 degrees. Brrrr. We have the schoolroom window open a bit and are enjoying reading with the sounds of some German composers we are learning about this week in the background.

Here is some of what is tickling our ears:

Johann Sebastian Bach - Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
George Frideric Handel - Hallelujah Chorus
Richard Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries
Ludwig van Beethoven - 5th Symphony, Fur Elise

It's funny ..... even though we are NOT big classical music people, Bubby quickly recognized Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries. I was impressed for a moment .... right up unitl he told me where he had heard it ..... Bugs Bunny movies. Oh well, education can come from anywhere, right?

Enjoy your day!!

Wrapping up October

Last week we completed our study of France. We got off to a strong start as we knew we had plans later in the week that would keep us from "schoolwork". We completed almost all the week's work on Monday and Tuesday. The kids were very cooperative and diligent. I was proud of their stamina.

Wednesday, we had a fun Halloween. For the first time (not proud to admit), I decided to talk about it also being Reformation Day. We read about Martin Luther and then watched Luther (Fabulous by the way). Bubby found the movie a bit slow, but we endured until the end and it was a good learning opportunity. Plus .... what kid could complain about watching a movie, in our jammies no less, counting as school?

Funny thing .... Bubby stated after the movie was over that he thought he remembered previously learning about Martin Luther, but was apparently mistaken, because his memory from public school was that he was a "black guy". We had to straighten out the confusion of the whole ...... not KING JR. Cute.

The afternoon was spent wrapping up the week's lessons. It was a nice, calm, but productive day. The kind we all wish everyday was like in our homes.

Later that evening, the kids dressed up (Bubby was a skeleton and Fancy was a cavegirl) and Bubby and a Friend "Trick-or-Treated" for a bit. Unfortunately I have NO pictures because my camera batteries were D-E-A-D!! Fancy stayed home to hand out candy while The Husband and I had friends over for Pizza and a movie. We also made caramel apples with the kids. Funny thing .... the kids couldn't have cared less about making or eating them, but my friend and I enjoyed ourselves.... both in the making and eating process. Yummy.

Thursday morning, with new batteries in the camera, we headed out for a "field trip" with our homeschool group to see the play The Jungle Book put on by kids at an area Civic Theatre. Here is a picture of the cast afterwards in the lobby. I couldn't get my two to go over to have their picture made with them. Party Poopers !!

After the play, we all headed to lunch at a local McDonalds (Note ..... food -> ick BUT playplace for more than 20 kids under age 10 -> yippee!). We got lucky .... on a random Thursday morning, Ronald McDonald was there for no apparent reason. That was pretty fun for the littler kids. Bubby and his good friend "W" got their picture taken with him and even got his autograph. Fancy is NOWHERE to be seen in this picture as she has ALWAYS found clowns "creepy". She kept one eye on good ol' Ronald the whole time we were there. She had a nice time though, there were a lot of girls her age and they had a nice time chatting over burgers and fries.

Thursday evening was Bubby's last soccer game of the season. In the car in the parking lot, out came the front tooth. I snapped this picture right before we ran onto the field:

I got no pictures of the game, the team, or any other soccer type stuff. I had my camera with me (as proven above) but it stayed safely in my purse. OOPS.

Anyway, we are off to a good start this week with our study of Germany. I will post more later to bring you up to speed on that.

Have a great week !!