Love Notes

Train Rides

2012-01-27T05:52:00.000-08:00

I love capturing these moments.

Mallie's 10, Meeting Ben, and Seeing Baby Grace Again

2011-11-03T10:10:00.000-07:00

My sweet little girl is 10.

This year she wanted an American Girl doll

Addie really enjoyed eating ice cream cake

Mallory, Isaiah, Sam, and Jonah

We went to Spokane the day after Mallie's b-day for several reasons:
To meet our new nephew, Ben.
To see our new niece, Grace.
An adoption shower for my sister.
Mallory's b-day.

Ben and Addie

Grace

Star Wars Fan: A new generation

Sam and Jones, pretending to sleep

2011-09-28T23:26:00.000-07:00

I have nothing. in my brain. to post about.

I am hoping that as I sit here and start to type - something will come to my brain.

It's 10:40 pm. The house is quiet, except for the background noise of Extreme Couponing. I should just turn it off. I don't feel like getting up. I am amazed at how much stuff these extreme couponers get. I asked Robert this evening if he wanted me to be a low or medium extreme couponer. He said, "no, you don't have time". Yay!! That is true! I really don't. I do love a good deal, though. So I am definitely not against cereal sales or coupons in general.

Today Addie learned a new trick. She now puts her own diapers in the garbage. She made me look really good this evening when out of the blue, she picked up the diaper I had just taken off of her (it was neatly rolled up) and put it in the trash can. She opened the trash lid and everything. It was a proud moment (for both of us), when she walked back in the room where we were sitting to clapping and yay's. She had the cutest, biggest grin on her face.

Mallie and Jones learned a new trick too. This week they are in training for 'After dinner clean up'. They were off the hook today, since they had Awana. But, Monday and Tuesday - they did amazing! And today, to top it off - Mallory made a cake. All by herself. It was delicious. She has helped me before, but this time, do you want to know what I was doing? I was talking to my friend Lisa on the phone. Sitting there - not hovering or correcting! She is growing up.....sigh.

The other day while I was visiting with my neighbor, one of the twins came downstairs and asked, "Mommy, why are you always smiling?". "you are always happy?". I was a little taken back by that question. They didn't know that just last week I decided I was going to smile - a lot. I have caught myself prior to that decision not smiling enough. Not because there is necessarily something terribly wrong, but a lot of times the noise level gets to me and my brain is trying to switch to hibernation mode, or I am just deep in thought. Who knows what I look like when I am deep in thought. A lot of times I am thinking about several things at once. That can easily contort a face...maybe it's just me, who knows. In any case, I would rather my kids remember me smiling...

...and God is so good to allow me to hear that comment from one of the girls. It was encouraging!

Boy, and here I thought I wouldn't have anything to say!

2011-09-06T07:57:00.000-07:00

We went to my cousin's wedding in August. I ran across this picture as I was looking at all our August pictures. I love the look of the twins. Kennedy fiddling with her hair, and Emery looking at all the girls jumping for flowers.

In the background: My cousins, Hayley and Chelsea in the green dresses, Mallory in the blue shirt, the twins, and the bride: Kamie

Love Noteworthy: Boys

2011-08-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

Many times I find posts out there that are inspiring, so I am going to start linking a few of them here when I run across them. I didn't plan on having a theme, but I guess I do today: boys.

Raising sons to value good character
"But it can not be inherited, be handed down by father to son, nor be bought for a price. It must be built by choice and effort."
Click the title to read the entire post.

Male-Hating Brainwashing Begins Early
"Don’t be party to the destruction of our men. To destroy a man’s self esteem and downplay his masculinity is to treat ourselves with contempt and trample on the precious and unique gift God gave us of complimenting and thereby complementing the opposite sex. I am challenged to swim against the current and edify my boys and men, teaching our girls to do the same."

Click the title to read the entire post.

Love and Respect: read this book!

2011-08-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

I am excited to tell you about a book that we have been reading! It's this book:

If you have been happily married for years, or on the brink of divorce - this book is for you!

The message in this book is based on Ephesians 5:33: "Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband."

From the back of the book:

A wife has one driving need - to feel loved. When that need is met, she is happy. A husband has one driving need - to feel respected. When that need is met, he is happy.

When either of these needs isn't met, things get crazy. Love and Respect revels why spouses react negatively to each other, and how they can deal with such conflict quickly, easily and biblically.

More Garden Pics

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

The dog strikes again! :)

Pieces of June

2011-07-09T10:56:00.000-07:00

Every summer Robert's work has a "Take Your Kids to Work Day" and picnic. This year Jonah was sick, so just the girls went. They all got up and got ready and left by 5:30am. They had a lot of fun. Poor Jonah spent the day with tummy trouble and doctor visit and a CT scan!

At the very end of May we had visitors. I had 3 girls come over and spend the weekend with me. I have known these girls since the 3rd grade and haven't seen some of them in a while. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of us together! Man! I guess we were too preoccupied with chit chatting and the kids.

Keila set up an obstacle course for the kids. They had fun, and it kept them busy for a while!

Macy holding Addie. Her twin brother didn't come this time. They are almost exactly 1 year older then my twins.

Mallory and Alison haven't seen each other for several years and had a lot of fun playing. Alison's mom, Keila, and I were their age when we met.

Antwon, Maci and Ray

We went to Spokane in the middle/end of June. The main reason was to celebrate the upcoming arrival of Grace. My little sister is due at the end of August, but I know she would appreciate any prayers for an early delivery! :)

We also celebrated Addie's 1st birthday! I can't believe she's one!

Surrounded by cousins and siblings!

I will try to do a Birthday post soon.

Mallory and Isaiah (9 and 10yo)

Jonah and Sam (7and 8yo)

Thomas, Emery, Kennedy and Preston (5, 5, 5, and 3yo)

Our Garden

2011-06-09T10:45:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken about 2 weeks ago

I took this this morning - what a difference 2 weeks makes!

strawberries

Romaine Lettuce

My beloved peach tree

I can not wait to make peach pie!

In case you didn't know - this is what potatoes look like! This is the first time I have ever planted potatoes

green onions, carrots, and parsley - oh my!

Every garden needs a varmint! This is mine! As I am writing this, the kids came in to tell me a tomato plant broke off at the stem. My guess is that it had some help breaking...grr! CHLOE! She's lucky I think she's so cute!

Scroll down for 2 more NEW posts!

Birthday Celebration!!!

2011-06-09T10:30:00.000-07:00

Kennedy made him a very special gift. she made something out of flowers and hair ties.

Surprise!

Trying out his new guitar.

Mallory is the card maker of the family. Robert is reading a very special card she made for him.

Mallie and Emery being mummies.

The birthday boy! We love him!

Jonah lost a tooth...

2011-06-09T10:24:00.000-07:00

....but his permanent tooth was already in. So, I am a little sad that I don't get to see him toothless.

Our Yard Sale

2011-06-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

One of the most common statements this past weekend was, "you guys have a lot of clothes!"

Between the four of us we have 26 people in our families. That's a lot of clothing! Here is how we organized it: My friend Lisa and I spent an afternoon, a few days before our sale, going through the clothing. We separated it by gender and sizes, and put it into white garbage sacks and labeled it: "Womans", or "Girls sizes 4-6x", etc. This worked for us because we put the clothing out on 3 or more large tables the morning of our sale (so it doesn't have to sit out all night). We don't have room in our garage for these as we are setting up, and having some sort of separation makes it easy that morning. I used to have all of our clothes in bins labeled by sizes...but, while I still think that is a really good way to do it, it doesn't work for us anymore because of the large amount we have.

We stuffed everything in my garage as we were getting ready.

She's a keeper!

garage sale reposts

2011-05-18T07:17:00.000-07:00

Once again, I have garage-sale-on-the-brain! This weekend my friends and I are having our annual sale at my house, so I have taken the week off of school and everything else to prepare.

It's going to be another doozy and I'm sure we'll have some great tips for you - and this time I will take pictures. Until then, here are some older g-sale reposts.

Garage sale part #1
Garage sale part #2
Garage sale part #3

Do you have any tips for us? Leave your tip in the comments!

Weekly Wrap Up

2011-05-15T09:45:00.000-07:00

Hello! It's time for another weekly wrap up.

Not too long ago, I had yet another revelation regarding our home school. It's called year round school. It may sound horrifying to some of you, it did to me at first. But, I gradually warmed up to the idea. I have realized over the past few years that we can't fit everything in a 'normal' school year - Sept- June, with 3 months off. Too much happens between September and June that can easily throw us off, like sickness (that's a biggy) for one. I am going to set some simple goals this summer for their schooling and then try to follow a 3 weeks on, 1 week off schedule. Something else I have always thought about is working our school around the weather. For example: being really focused on our lessons in the hottest part of the summer, when it's 100 degrees, and the coldest part of the winter. At those times we find ourselves indoors quite a bit anyways. Still thinking on that one!

Our week:

We started the week off with piano lessons. The kids are getting ready for their first ever recital. They are so excited!
Did some prep work for our yard sale that is going to be this next weekend.
Made some good progress in school. I decided that I DO like Mallorys language book (A Beka). She is learning a lot in 3rd grade. It's working for her. We might just stick with it.
I plan on doing A Beka Kindergarten next year with the twins. It works, it has really fun a colorful workbooks (which they love), and I know that by the end of the year they will be reading well.
Still praying about what math I will do with Mallory and Jonah. Math U See for Jonah? Teaching Textbooks for Mallory? Wow, so sorry to keep you in suspense - I'm sure it's just killing you not to know! :) Maybe I should do an entire post about math when I get it all figured out. Kidding! But all kidding aside...this is a big deal! I don't like math, but yet I have to teach it to my children! So, it's important to me to toss out the stuff that isn't working and search the world over for the perfect-for-us math curriculum.
Had a couple of visits from friends.
Cleaned out 2 closets.
Robert started reading book 3 of the Narnia series to the kids.

Well, that's it for now. I have a little baby that needs me! :)

Have a great week! We are taking this coming week off!

Linking up to: Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers

Addie: is 10 months

2011-05-03T19:29:00.000-07:00

On Easter Sunday, Addie turned 10 months old.

At 10 months old you:

are a happy, easy going little girl

have 3 teeth

can stand by your self

crawl

have discovered the stairs

are loved by your sisters and brother

say mama and dada

jabber a lot

play the piano when Mal holds you

are a good eater

can sign: more & all done

love our puppy

have a sense of humor

are shy, but warm up quickly around new people

like to hug and snuggle

You are such a blessing to our family. Your smile brightens up the room. When you do something cute or new, everyone stops what they are doing to watch you. Jonah adores you, Mallory is like a little mommy with you, Kennedy and Emery want to play with you. Daddy likes to make you smile, and I can't stop giving you kisses.

Back yard: Before, After and In Between

2011-05-01T14:51:00.000-07:00

Backyard: Before

Backyard:After

progress, sweet progress!

My H.B. made these garden boxes for me

The kids watching the progress

I found these cute garden markers at Target -in the dollar spot!

Strawberries, tomatoes, onions, peppers, herbs, peas, carrots...

This lovely thing is my peach tree, which we will be planting TODAY!

The Twinners Turn 5!

2011-04-21T18:40:00.000-07:00

At 5 years old these little girls like:

playing with M, J, & A

singing

dancing

dressing up

to do school

playing Legos

swinging

riding bikes

eating strawberries

hugs and kisses

anything crafty

star wars

han solo (e)

princess leia (k)

dora

my little ponys

mommy & daddy

granny & grandpappy

(that's what they jokingly call my parents)

aunts, uncles & cousins

We are so thankful for these girls! They have brought such joy to our family.

They are an answer to prayer!

Happy Birthday Kennedy and Emery! We love you!

Sing

2011-04-18T09:09:00.000-07:00

When your feeling a little blue. When your day, your week, your month...... when life seems overwhelming. When the burdens you bear are hard. When you're fearful, discontent, sad. When you don't know what to say.......

Sing.

Sing praises to God. Sing of God's goodness.

Sing of His sacrifice, His Love!

It's amazing how filling your home with praises, fills your heart with joy!

Psalm 95:1
Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

Cousins

2011-04-04T19:16:00.000-07:00

We had a great visit this weekend with my sister and her family! The kids had such a great time playing together. I wish we lived closer so we could do this more often!

Jonah and Sam.

A little R&R with "Tom and Jerry". These two are so cute to watch. They are buddies. Jonah says that he and Sam are going to be hunting buddies and live in a cabin when they are older. When I ask him what he wants to be when he grows up, he says, "A hunter".

They didn't just sit around and watch movies and play on the computer while they were here. Really, they didn't! Emery, Thomas, Mallory, Isaiah, and Kennedy watching Mal play a game.

Kennedy, Thomas, and Emery

Aww, aren't they so sweet?!

We had a lot of fun listening to these three play. Their games of choice were: Pillow Pets and Star Wars.

Kennedy and Thomas

Addie, 9 months

Within the last week or two she started standing by herself.

Some Bits and Pieces of March

2011-03-31T09:37:00.000-07:00

This month started out with excitement as we anticipated spring. I had plans to spring clean and prepare for our annual garage sale. In doing so, I would be clearing out clutter and getting rid of a lot of the stuff we have accumulated in our house....which is exciting for me! It is a freeing feeling! March is the time I start thinking about the yard and make plans for a garden. This year a garden is especially exciting because I have several eager helpers.

Here's a little glimpse of our March:

Emery was the first to get sick in our house. Poor girl. All the kids felt so sorry for her and had so much compassion.

They made her this Star Wars card to try and cheer her up.

I guess this was taken at the beginning of the month - before the sicknesses. The kids made a fruit salad, and a kiwi drink.

They made up a menu, set the table and Voila we have the makings for a restaurant.

The 3 little girls. Addie is standing now. She pulls herself up and I'm sure it won't be long until she cruises around holding furniture. I can't believe how fast this time has gone. She will be 1 year old before we know it. And don't get me started on the fact that my little twinners are almost 5!

Mallory and Robert spent a weekend preparing her car for the Awana Grand Prix. They had a lot of fun preparing and it was fun for the rest of us to see this car take shape.

Robert and Jonah had a project of their own this month. Last summer we bought a slide off of craigslist to add to our swing set. My handy (and cute) husband attached the slide, and in this picture he and Jones are building a ladder. The kids (and even the dog) love this slide! Oh, and I should tell you on behalf of Robert: he doesn't usually wear his sweatshirt tucked into his shorts. I can't remember the reason - something having to do with sawdust. But, he wanted you all to know. :)

Is My Faith Real? Take the Test

2011-03-21T12:29:00.000-07:00

Is My Faith Real? Take the Test Click this link to read more

"The grace of the gospel has been stripped of its power because we have stripped God of His character. We try to serve a mutually exclusive God and Jesus. “Jesus is only love and God is fierce, and doesn’t like sin, so we’ll just keep Him hidden in the dusty pages of the Old Testament because that makes me feel better”.

Thankfulness: during the stomach flu?

2011-03-15T15:53:00.000-07:00

"This is the Day which the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalm 118:24

That is what kept going through my mind last night as I listened for signs of sick kids - laying on the couch in our homemade hospital ward in the dark with three of the five. Sleep doesn't come very easy to me, when I am expecting to jump up at any moment to comfort, clean up after, and settle sick kids back to bed for a while....sometimes a very short while.

I look around at our rearranged family room. Water cups, tissues, bowls, cushions (turned into a bed) on the floor. Books, toys, clothing to be picked up. Across the room I see a stack of dishes - not enough time in the evening to clean up with a newly sick baby. I am tired.

I lay there waiting to be needed. In the quiet Psalm 118:24 popped into my head. This day, today, right now - is the day that the Lord has made. I have to look beyond the emotions, tiredness, weakness of this moment and rejoice. Thankfulness came to me as I thought on how grateful I am to have children to clean up after. Laundry (and a lot of it) to wash. A house to clean. A husband who loves us.

I am thankful to have a Lord who sustains me minute by minute, day by day.

When I am weak, He is strong.

Weekly Wrap Up: Twinados

2011-03-04T09:05:00.000-08:00

This has been an exciting week for the twinners! They started reading! They have been SO eager to do school this week and when Emery came up to me and wanted to read - I dropped everything to listen. Then Kennedy had a turn. It was exciting! They were looking forward to showing Daddy that evening, and the next morning they called G-ma. They were very proud of themselves!

I can't believe they are that old. It seems like just yesterday I was juggling two babies in my arms.

They practiced their writing in shaving cream

"Mom" in a heart

"Dad" in a heart

My little hands

This inspired Jonah to shave. He came out of the bathroom and told me he just shaved. You can see the shaving cream on his face. :)

My tip: put away the paper and pencil once in a while. Bring out the Old Spice and add a little spice to their learning. :)

Linking up to: Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers Weekly wrap up

Scroll down to see another new post. Another challenge: The March Edition, or click here

How About Another Challenge: The March Edition

2011-03-04T08:27:00.000-08:00

I have been totally in the mood and totally pumped to clean out, organize, and get rid of stuff. Just ask my kids. I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't be receiving the fun mom award lately. I have been trying my best to ~~make~~ encourage them to either throw some of their stuff away or put it in the g-sale pile. They have some incentive...they can keep the money they make. They lean toward my entrepreneurial-ness, so it helps to give them a piece of the action when I want them to get rid of stuff.

Challenging you all helps to motivate me, and adds a little excitement to the very important, but not so fun work. I love seeing before and after pics. It's inspiring! I so desperately want my house to be a relaxing place for my husband to come home to at night, and for my family to dwell. It's funny how a freshly cleaned closet or cupboard can make you feel.

Plus, I am preparing to have a HUGE garage sale this spring and I really want to get through all of our stuff, leaving "no stone unturned", no closet cluttered, no (moving) box unopened. I am slightly embarrassed to admit that we have lived here for almost 2 years and I still haven't gone through some boxes. Clearly, the stuff in those boxes aren't essential to our daily lives, right?

Do you have another space that needs cleaning out or sprucing up? Please tell me I'm not the only one. :)

Spaces I am considering for this months challenge:
Our school room
The entire upstairs (I have a few weeks, it's do-able if I kick it in pants a little)
Our garage (oy! This will probably be April task)

Please join me! What space will you tackle?

Weekly Wrap Up: Math and Treasures

2011-02-25T22:27:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we went on a much needed vacation. We spent two days up in the mountains with some friends. This vacation was planned, booked, and prepared for in a day. It was very spur of the moment. We rented a lodge up in Leavenworth....and it was beautiful! We had a great time! Here are a few pictures below:

Our first picture as a family of 7

Mallory and Jonah

We brought play-doh for the kids.
Emery with play-doh eyes.

Kennedy and her play-doh nose

Addie 7 months
Yesterday she turned 8 months!

Thankfully, we had Monday off to recover from our vacation.

Tuesday through Friday (today) were very productive! For the last few weeks, I have been using worksheets on this site for math. The school math book was just moving too fast for my 3rd grader and I felt/feel that Mallory needs to master some of the multiplication facts first. I really want it to click with her. I pray that my kids have their father's math brain! It is by far my least favorite subject to teach and the worst subject for me when I was in school. This site has made it a lot easier and I love that they have free printables! Even if you don't homeschool your children, this math website is a great place to visit, and print off worksheets for your kids, if you feel they need some extra practice.

A couple of years ago my friend Lisa, gave me the idea of a treasure box. Well this week I have finally implemented this idea. I found a cute little basket today at Fred Meyer's (that was 50% off of the sales price) that I am using for the treasure basket. I have been collecting little "treasures" for a while now. How it works: If they have a good attitude about school and chores they get to pick something at the end of our school day on Friday. No talking back, no complaining or whining. If they get three strikes during the week- they're out and they don't get to pick out anything. The kid with the least amount of strikes gets to pick first. By "they" I mean each kid - this isn't a collective deal.

Our Treasure Basket

Linking to a weekly wrap up at: http://www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/

Kennedy-isms

2011-02-24T06:37:00.000-08:00

Kennedy (4): Mom, What was I like when I was a teenager?

Me: You're not a teenager yet, your a young lady.

Kennedy: I'm a young lady? What's Mallory?

Me: She's a young lady too.

Kennedy: I thought Mallory was a woman?

Me: Not yet...sigh, you are both young ladies.

Kennedy: Are you sure I'm not a woman?

Me: yes, I'm sure....

Some Eye Candy For You

2011-02-07T21:57:00.000-08:00

You absolutely must check out this fabulous Etsy shop.

Who couldn't use this beautiful wreath in their home?! It would add some color AND texture to your decorating palate!

These wreaths would add charm to your windows, walls, doors....the possibilities are endless!

How about a custom silhouette?
I had one done for each of my kids and they turned out great! I am in the process of framing and hanging them!

Check out Bless the Hands!

What is your favorite item in this shop?

Weekly Wrap Up 2

2011-02-04T22:44:00.000-08:00

This picture was taken last night.
God is such an artist!

Monday: I watched a friends daughter. School day was successful.

Tuesday: We met my sister in a town about an hour from here. Her husband is working there for a while and she went with him this week.. So we went to see her.

Wednesday: My sister came over to our house.

Thursday: Today I decided that I needed to get back in my routine of getting up early - before the kids. I was able to get up spend time in the Word and check my email while having my coffee, in sweet peace and quiet. My day went so smooth. School was good. I watched another friends 4 kids for a few hours. Kids all had so much fun!

Friday (today): Today I did Math a little differently with Jonah, my 7year old. He is a hands on learner. So I pulled out my fake school money and we counted up dimes, nickels and pennies till we couldn't take any more. He's getting it! We used my school clock (instead of the ones pictured in his workbook) to practice telling time! I am looking for some fun ways to teach my kinesthetic learner (ideas welcome). I have seen such a difference, an eagerness in him actually, by changing around the way we do school. A huge blessing - it's easier on both of us!

Big News of the evening: Addie (7mo) said Mama today! All through dinner: mama, mama. The older kids think she is amazing. She is! Here she is...showing off her new bottom teeth. In this picture her second tooth is just coming through.

Weekly Wrap Up: Discoveries

2011-01-28T22:18:00.000-08:00

In the past few years there has been no rhyme or reason to my posting. Well, I'm going to try something new. I am going to try to join in on a "weekly wrap up" that is hosted by Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers every Friday. I said, "try". We'll see how it goes.

Here is my first:

Some big news that has happened over the past several weeks is that I am looking into other curriculum and teaching methods for next year. I would also like to incorporate them into our lessons for the remainder of this year. This is exciting news! This is my fourth year as a homeschooling mom - and I am starting to get this! And the best thing is that because of the changes I am going to make - I am going to enjoy this!

The Changes

For the past 3 years we have been using A Beka for the majority of our subjects. While I think it is a great curriculum - and works for a lot of people- it just isn't working for me. And let me just say that I don't want to seem like I'm coming down on it. It has great content and honestly, if a parent will follow through on the lessons and the kid(s) love workbooks, you will have some seriously smart kids! I just found the schedule and the pace hard for me and my kiddos. So, we are moving on!

This resolve led me to look into homeschooling methods and learning styles. Thanks to a great friend, who gently guided me through this process, I have made some very helpful discoveries:

1) I am an eclectic, classical chick, with a slight bent towards the Charlotte Mason approach.

2) My 1st grade son and 3rd grade daughter have different learning styles that actually work very well together and with my teaching style.

So now I look forward to reading all the books I have on these methods of school and removing the madness from our day!

My goal, now that I am feeling a little more confident in what I am doing, is to write more about our home school. So stay tuned! :)

This Week

Monday/Tuesday: school and regular house stuff.

Wednesday: I went grocery shopping (with all 5 kids). It takes me twice as long with all of them. One of the great things about having them there is that they can help me unload the cart! That is actually very helpful! My sweet friend Cami came over to visit! Mallie had piano lessons.

Thursday: getting ready for my Mom and Dad to come over (on Fri). Worked on cleaning my bedroom in preparation for a new mattress that was being delivered. Tackled Mount Meyer (aka: laundry)

Friday: Parents arrived. Mom helped me with laundry (thanks Mom!)! Mattress arrived. Took the dog to the vet...which I am officially wanting that as my job! This veterinarian office has coffee, tea, soda, and juice in their waiting room...and chocolate chip cookies! If I would have known that I would have arrived early!

Character Qualities

2011-01-24T07:03:00.000-08:00

I've been reading 2 Peter 5-8 and 9:

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Here are some great lessons to teach our children (and ourselves):
diligence
moral excellence
knowledge
self control
perseverance
godliness
brotherly kindness
love
Failing to teach them these important lessons can render them "blind to the truth" (v9).
We have so much to learn and so much to teach our kids. We are all such works in progress. It can be overwhelming when you think about everything there is to teach our kids.
Please remember, when you read anything on my blog or anyone else's : we serve an awesome God who knows our weaknesses and strengths. We aren't to do this alone. We can't. We must lean on Him who can. Pray that our Lord will direct your path...and then rest in that.
He is faithful.

Lessons and Plans

2011-01-20T13:07:00.000-08:00

Tuesday I woke up with a plan. I woke up with energy, despite the sleepless night I had with a sick baby. It was one of those days when I was going to accomplish it all. School was going to be done with diligence, the chores were going to get done to show the sparkling clean house we would all love to live in. I was going to do all this and still be full of energy at the end of the day. HA!

The reality of the day was a little different. Thankfully, I was prepared for my plans to be changed. Finally, I was prepared. That is a lesson that took some time to learn.

Sometimes as moms, and homeschooling moms, we can feel as though we are never doing enough. We can be so concerned about what other kids are learning at school (compared to ours) that it's easy to miss those important lessons right under our noses. Lessons you won't find in a text book, and lessons that can shape the adults that they will become, if taught. Of course this isn't limited to home schooling moms, but that's what I am, so I write from that perspective.

Don't be afraid to put aside the books once in a while to work on these little hearts.

Big Brothers Are the Best!

2011-01-15T08:02:00.000-08:00

A sweet big brother moment! Jonah loves Addie so much! He always wants to hold her. Hugs and kisses are his specialty.

Yippee! I love my Jonah!

Training Your Children Means Watching Over Their Souls

2011-01-10T09:15:00.000-08:00

Could it be that the gravest mistake a parent can make in the upbringing of his children is a disregard for the way things will impact them eternally? A disregard for their souls?

The noise of our culture is so loud, pushing us to clamor for what we think will make our children “successful”, popular, happy and secure. We sacrifice our time, money and often tranquility to ensure our children get what the world says they need.

But what of their souls? Do we labor as much there? Are we willing to sacrifice all for the sake of their souls?

Even as Christians, there is a pressure to not be too different, though we *say* “love not the world nor the things in the world”. But what is our goal? Are we training them for the best life here–this one that is fading, or for the only life that will last?

J.C. Ryle articulates this important truth beautifully…

“Precious, no doubt, are these little ones in your eyes; but if you truly love them, then often think about their souls. Nothing should concern you as greatly as their eternal destiny. No part of them should be so dear to you as that part which will never die.

“This is the thought that should be uppermost on your mind in all that you do for your children. In every step you take about them, in every plan, and scheme, and arrangement that concerns them, do not leave out that mighty question, ‘How will this affect their souls?’

“A true Christian must not be a slave to what’s currently ‘in-fashion,’ if he wants to train his child for heaven. He must not be content to teach them and instruct them in certain ways, merely because it is customary, or to allow them to read books of a questionable sort, merely because everybody else reads them, or to let them form bad habits, merely because they are the habits of the day. He must train with an eye to his children’s souls. He must not be ashamed to hear his training called odd and strange. What if it is? The time is short—the customs of this world are passing away. He that has trained his children for heaven, rather than for the earth—for God, rather than for man—he is the parent that will be called wise in the end.”

~ J.C. Ryle

Quote courtesy of J.C. Ryle Quotes

This was written/posted By GenerationCedar

More Random Pictures

2011-01-01T09:59:00.000-08:00

I gave the twinners hair cuts yesterday!

What a difference removing 3 inches makes!

Addie...fresh from the tub! Too bad you can't scratch

and sniff the computer screen! There's nothing like

the smell of a baby fresh from the tub!

A Few Random Pictures

2010-12-30T21:08:00.000-08:00

Preston (nephew) kissing Addie

Emery, Addie, and Kennedy

Mallory likes to get her picture taken.

Sweet Adeline

Chloe Sits...and Slides

2010-12-22T09:05:00.000-08:00

You're Here

2010-12-14T10:32:00.000-08:00

Hold on now, I gotta take a deep breath
I don’t know what to say when I look in your eyes
You made the world before I was born
Here I am holding You in my arms tonight

Noel, Noel
Jesus our Emmanuel

You’re here
I’m holding You so near
I’m staring into the face of my Savior
King and Creator
You could’ve left us on our own
But You’re here

Don’t know how long I’m gonna have You for
But I’ll be watching when You change the world
Look at Your hands, they’re still so small
Someday You’re gonna stretch them out and save us all

Noel, Noel, God with us Emmanuel

You’re here, I’m holding You so near oooh oh
I’m staring into the face of my Savior
King and Creator
You could’ve left us on our own
Bbut you’re here, you’re here

Someday I’m gonna look back on this
The night that God became a baby boy
Someday You’re gonna go home again,
But You leave your spirit and flood the world with joy

You’ll be here, I’m holding You so near
I’m staring into the face of my Savior, King and Creator
You could’ve left me on my own, but you’re here… You’re here
Hallelujah, You’re here
Hallelujah, You’re here

2010-12-03T07:37:00.000-08:00

Addie, 5 months

I put Addie on the floor, and left the room for a minute and when I came back this is what I found. (Addie got a hold of a pen)

She is getting so big! This past 5 months has gone by so quickly! I am making a point to soak this all in and enjoy every minute with her as a baby and with all the kids. They grow so fast.

First Snowy Day

2010-11-25T21:28:00.000-08:00

The kids were all so excited to wake up to snow the other day!

Kennedy - this is her princess smile.

She gave me a smiling lesson the other day.

I was taking her picture and I told her to smile.

She said she was. I told her to smile bigger.

She said princesses don't smile big. They smile

like this. (see smile in the picture above)

Emery agrees with Kennedy about smiling.

This is HER princess smile.

Love those girls. One of the great thing about these

little twinners is that they are playing princesses

one minute and Jedi knights the next. The can be froofy,

but can hold their own with a light saber!

They often run around saying "twin power".

(I told them about the cartoon I used to watch

when I was a kid - The Wonder Twins.)

This is our new puppy- Chloe. She is almost

11 weeks old.

She is doing pretty good. Having a 5 month old

baby and a puppy is like having twins again.

I find myself trying to coordinate each of their

nap times. Yes, I schedule my puppy, like I do

my babies. It works! I need the puppy to be

sleeping or outside while I take care of Adeline.

Lisa - here is a picture of her next to Mal for

size comparison. :)

Fishy

2010-11-10T15:31:00.000-08:00

Monday morning I noticed that our little goldfish, Fishy, was at the bottom of his fish bowl, tail curled up, and barely breathing. He was dying. Jonah and Mallory walked past at the exact moment I said, "oh no" as I anticipated the responses of the kids. They love that fish. I told them that Fishy looks sick and that he is going to die. Mallory was crying, Jonah was quiet. I tried to be compassionate but also not wanting to over react because, well, it is just a fish.

They are 13 cents at Walmart.

About 2-3 hours after discovering Fishy's sorry looking state, Mallory yells, "Fishy is swimming around, he's not going to die." She said, "I prayed that fishy wouldn't die." "God answered my prayer."

In case anyone is thinking that I was mistaken - I wasn't. I know what a dying fish looks like. That fish was about to kick the bucket, but was saved by the prayer of a 9 year old girl!

Silly isn't it? Not to God!

Amazing isn't it? That God cares about us that much? That he would answer the prayer about a fish. Many of us would flush the little bugger without another thought, but not God. Nope, he used this as an opportunity to show the kids the power of prayer and that nothing is too small, simple or silly to pray about. He cares about EVERYTHING.

This has brought great conversation between Mal and I. Does God love the fish? Sure He does -it's part of His creation. But, how much MORE does He love us -His people?

This isn't about the fish. It's about the faith of a child. I believe that this is one of the many instances in her life, that she will look back on and remember that God heard her.

Do you pray without ceasing?

Do you pray without doubt?

Do you pray?

Do you listen for the answer?

Playing

2010-11-07T21:24:00.000-08:00

Adeline, 4 months

Giveaway!

2010-10-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

There's a giveaway going on!!!

Fly on over to the Best Nesst to enter!

Mallie Turns 9

2010-10-21T16:46:00.000-07:00

The Winner

2010-10-21T07:49:00.000-07:00

I randomly drew a name for the winner of a Starbucks card....all you had to do was link up!

Thanks, Angie, Ness and Jane for your inspiration!

The winner is: this inspiring chick! Congrats!

The Challenge: Before and After

2010-10-18T06:27:00.000-07:00

I am cringing at the thought of this first picture being shown. But, for the sake of keeping it real, here it is:

Before

This counter serves many purposes. Mainly, it is/was the 'catch all' place for mail, craft projects, pens, pencils, tools (the ones I use to hang up pictures, etc.), my calendar, and many other things.

After

I decided that the only things that need to be in this cabinet are: cookbooks/recipe box, envelopes and stamps, coupons (costco, joann's and pizza), and first aid- bandaids.

Can you hear the chorus of angels? I can every time I open this drawer!

I am pretty motivated. Last night I also organized my coffee cupboard. Other things on my list are: a corner cupboard in my kitchen, the under my stairs closet - for starters. How about you?

I will do the drawing for the $5 Starbucks card on Wednesday.
Link Up:

In the link title, list your blog name and what you did.
For example: love notes - kitchen cupboard/drawer

Daddy's Yoga Class

2010-10-17T12:24:00.000-07:00

So Bootiful!

2010-10-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

Emery (in the pink) comes downstairs the other morning and asks,"Mommy, how do I look"? "do I look bootiful"?

She explains to me that she couldn't find a pink shirt so she put on a pink dress and tucked it in.

Kennedy likes to wear tights as pants. She comes downstairs often with a shirt and a pair of tights on and is ready for the day.

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of this month we went with a few friends to the pumpkin patch. We had a great time! The weather was beautiful, the kids had fun, there were NO crowds and we were spending time with good friends! Perfect!

We took a hay ride to the pumkin

patch where each kids was able to pick out a pumpkin.

After that they played on the hay pyramid, visited the animals in the petting zoo, walked/ran through the hay maze and ended the time with a snack.

So sorry about the state of this post... I have been messing with it for way too long and it isn't working very well. Blogger keeps freezing up on me or something. Sooo, I'm going to quit now - before this computer ends up out the window!

A Challenge: Are you up to it?

2010-10-06T09:15:00.000-07:00

I am drowning in a sea of stuff. It's not all bad stuff, it's just stuff for 7 people and that adds up.

I like stuff. I would like to think that I have a healthy 'like' of stuff.

I like to have:
* decor stuff on hand to switch if I want a change.
* craft stuff for me and the kids
* school stuff
* and I'm sure I could go on and on, but I won't...you get my point, right?

I am not against getting rid of stuff, but first I need to go through all our stuff and THAT is a big job. It's overwhelming to think about going through it all.

So far I have said 'stuff' 11 times. Is that too much stuff? Oh man, make that 12!

Lately, I have been convicted about my home. It needs to be a relaxing place, a refuge, a comfortable place for family and friends. And most importantly a place that is honoring to God.

I feel more relaxed with less stuff and an organized home. I'm not talking about perfection here people, just a little less chaos.

So in an effort to remove some stuff/chaos in my home and to have a little accountability and fun while I'm at it...

Here is the challenge:
1. Choose one area in your home to thoroughly go through. It can be a laundry room, a bookshelf, under your stairs or a certain area in your kitchen. It doesn't need to be an entire room. One area is less overwhelming then an entire room.
2. Take a before picture.
3. Purge, clean and organize.
4. Take an after picture and share tips with the rest of us.

If you have a blog, post it on your blog and link it to mine. If you don't have one, email me pictures and your tips and I will post on mine.

Let's work on our areas next week and plan on posting on Monday the 18th.

Everyone who posts what they have done (and links to my blog) will be entered to win a $5 starbucks card! I will try to set up a linky on the 18th for you to link to.

For now...choose your area and dig in!

Will you join me? What area will you be working on?

Pictures

2010-09-27T09:14:00.000-07:00

Mallory - 8 (almost 9)

Jonah- 7

This little buggar was mad the whole time I was taking pictures.

He smiled once. And I had to say 'stinky tooty' to get this smile!

It's a boy thing. Grr!

Kennedy-4

Emery- 4

Addie- 3 months

I give up! Well, not really. I will try and try until I get a good picture of all of them.

Emery and Addie

2010-09-17T09:02:00.000-07:00

I love Emery's squeeky 'baby talk' voice.

2010-08-24T08:05:00.000-07:00

Last May I found a couple of beds at a Yard Sale.
I needed a couple of beds, so I was pretty excited!

Some light sanding, and about 4 or 5 cans of spray
paint turned this 1980's sponged painted
nightmare...

into a dreamy place where my 8 year
old will be resting her sweet head
for years to come!

The bed was a bargin at $20 (which included
a boxspring), plus another $18 for the paint =a new bed for under $40.

This bunk bed was painted black and had some

of the usual bumps and bruises on it. Black

wasn't a bad color choice, and the condition wasn't

too bad, but I was in the mood to paint. I chose

brown.

We used wood putty to fill in some of the deeper

gaps and lightly sanded.

Bunk beds - $15, Paint - $18

New bed total = $33

Marriage: For Happiness or Holiness

2010-08-14T08:34:00.000-07:00

"What if God didn't design marriage to be easier? What if God had an end in mind that went beyond our happiness, our comfort, and our desire to be infatuated and happy as if the world were a perfect place? What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than happy?... Your marriage is more than a sacred covenant with another person, it is a spiritual discipline designed to help you know God better, trust Him more fully, and love him more deeply".

- Gary Thomas

After I read that statement...a light bulb went off in my brain. As I think about all the ways God has grown me in the almost 12 years of my own marriage...I can't help but think that the statement above bears a lot of truth!

My holy growth isn't dependant on how other people treat me, but how I respond to them. It's easy to say hurtful things when we are mad or hurt, but it takes a lot of control to hold our own tongues. Since our tongues are sharper then any two edged sword, they can cause a lot of damage in any relationship -not just marriage.

So what do you do when there is conflict in your marriage?

Control your response.

We have to realize that because God created the covenant of marriage, he cares more about our marriages then we ever could. He cares about how we respond to one another. The way we respond has consequences, positive AND negative. And He WILL help us control our words, thoughts and emotions to His glory.

What comes out of the mouth is a window to what's in our hearts. If we can get this area of our lives under control - we are growing in holiness.

Things You Can Do....

2010-08-12T10:24:00.000-07:00

to ruin your marriage.

1. be selfish.
2. nag a lot
3. focus on getting all that you are 'entitled' to
4. never talk - nicely
5. lie or just bend the truth a little
6. let your emotions rule you
7. focus on all the other persons negative qualities
8. listen to all your self talk (you know, the conversations you have in your head)
9. let the venom roll off your tongue
10. listen to other people who flatter you with lies
11. never listen to the wisdom of others
12. don't persevere - just give up

and most of all....

13. never pray-because your problems are too big for the God who created the universe, the God who hung every star (and knows them by name), the God who controls every wave in the oceans and every creature in them.

14. never give your problems or issues over to God, the only One who can change your loved ones heart and show us how to love perfectly - regardless.

15. just sit back and think about every way that you were wronged, never forgive, hold on to grudges, don't smile and show NO patience!

16. ALWAYS use the words "always" and "you never".

17. take everything personally

18. never say "I'm sorry"

19. compare your spouse to everyone else

20. believe that no other couple has to work on their marriage

Kid Friendly Ice Cream Recipe

2010-08-09T16:46:00.000-07:00

Homemade Ice Cream
1T Sugar
1/2 cup Milk or Half-n-half
1/4 t Vanilla
6T Rock Salt (I use corse Kosher salt -because that's what I had)
1 pint size ziplock bag
1 gallon size ziplock bag
Ice cubes

Put ice and salt in the gallon size bag. Place sugar, milk and vanilla in the pint size bag and zip securely. Place the pint size bag in the gallon bag and shake for 5 minutes.

I placed mine in the freezer for a few minutes to firm up.

NOTE: 1/2 cup of milk will make about a scoop of ice cream.

Ice Cream boogie!

Voila!

My mommy made me laugh!

2010-08-05T20:43:00.000-07:00

Sweet Adeline is 6 weeks old!

At her 1 month dr visit she gained 2 lbs and grew

2 more inches.

She is 9 lbs 12oz and 22" long.

School Year 2010-2011

2010-07-31T09:12:00.000-07:00

I am especially looking forward to the start of this new school year. I think because last year started out with horrible morning sickness. I felt behind the entire year. I don't like that feeling. So, this year, Lord willing, I will be able to keep on schedule.

I have had the kids school books since spring. We are still using A Beka. This year Mallory will be using the DVD for 3rd grade, Jonah - 1st, Kennedy and Emery - K4.

For the next few weeks I will be working on:
*rearranging the school room - CHECK
* setting up an area for Mallory. She will need a place to watch the DVD's that is quiet (if that's possible), and close to me so I can help her
*Add some shelving - CHECK
* get a new whiteboard - CHECK
*come up with and write out schedules for: school and chores
*making the school room pretty and fun AND functional!

I would like to make a big tree for the corner of the room to hang up some of their work on and to add some seasonal items to. Anyone know how to make a tree? Stephani - if you read this, I would like to make a tree like yours...can you give me some instructions?

UPDATED TO ADD: rethinking the gigantic tree idea. Maybe I will make a smaller one for our school room.

I'll have to add to this later...Addie needs me! Sweet little baby!

Happy 7th Birthday, Jonah!

2010-07-08T08:15:00.000-07:00

"I'm seven" were the first words I heard yesterday morning. They were proudly uttered by the birthday boy!

That morning I also heard," I'm the president of the day", "I'm the boss", and "anyone who gives me a hug and says happy birthday will be invited to my party".

Who can blame him for trying to get all he can from the day. He is seven, after all - and proud of it!

Robert's mom and Jim came to visit us.

They got him a really cool remote control Jeep!

yep, that's a mohawk! It was done at the request
of the president of the day!

A side view of his birthday hair!

Jonah we love you! We are so thankful that God blessed us with you.

She's Here!

2010-06-30T20:35:00.000-07:00

Sweet Addie Joy has arrived!
She was born June 24th at 9:10 pm.
Addie weighed 7 lbs 10 oz and was 20 1/4" long.

Fresh from the oven!

She cleans up well, don't ya think?

The kids were SO excited to see her...Kennedy, not so much.

Mallory and Addie. Mal is always wanting to hold her.

She is such a big help.

Kennedy isn't quite sure about this little baby.

She likes her, I'm sure. But, she doesn't have

any interest in holding her. She told me today

that when Addie is 2 years old she will hold her.

My mom and I kept trying to give Kennedy

chances to hold the baby and this is the best

we could do. She would only allow her head

on her lap.

2010-06-23T04:30:00.000-07:00

Sleep, where are you?

It's 4:30, and I can't sleep. I have been up since 12:30 - off and on. At one point I wondered if I was in labor and then all these scenarios came rushing to my brain. Like, when should I wake Robert up? Oh man I have to walk upstairs to do that and it hurts. I wonder if I could just yell his name - without waking the kids? Oh, this girl is squashing my bladder. Thank you God that the hospital is just 5 minutes away! You know, all the usual thoughts one might have at 3:30 am, when the thought of labor crosses ones mind. I'm not. In labor, that is.

Robert's mom is here with us now. She will be here for a couple of weeks, so it's good to know that we are covered if/when we need to go and have a baby.

Oh. look at that....the sun is coming up! Pretty soon the kids will all be up and I will be a great mom today! Sleep is so over rated!

I sound sarcastic, but I'm just joking! :)

Well, I need to end my sleepless post. Robert will be leaving for work soon and I should go and make his lunch.

2010-06-22T14:24:00.000-07:00

Make that 6 days to go!

10 Days to go

2010-06-18T08:21:00.000-07:00

Ten days until my due date.

Oh ya, ten days!

In all reality it could be 21 days. But, I am praying for an early delivery this time. With all my other deliveries I never did pray for an early one. I prayed for healthy babies, but not early deliveries. No matter what happens though, whether it is early or late or right on time I am thankful that God is in control and that he already knows when our sweet Adeline will join our family.

I know that all the details will work out.

It's funny the difference between your first and your fifth. I remember when I was pregnant with Mallie I had her nursery in order months in advance, our house was fairly clean, laundry was doable. The worst part for me was how sore I'd get after vacuuming our living room. I would fall onto the couch afterwards to rest my aching joints...ice water in hand and a little HGTV on the tube. I probably took a little well deserved nap. :) Also, I got so bored! The time just dragged. All I could think about was the baby, which made it feel like it would never happen. The fact that she was 11 days late didn't help either.

Second baby, pretty close to the same.

The morning I went to the hospital to have Jonah.

Fast forward to baby number five....

The nursery isn't done. I hope to get our treadmill out of there this weekend. I just packed the baby bag for the hospital last night. I still need to wash her crib bedding and move her dresser in her room and arrange it. Oh, I long to spend time in there and make it just so, but with four other little people to care for, pick up after, school, I am finding it difficult. And the laundry. Oh, the laundry....

but that's okay. It will all work out. She may not come home to a perfectly clean house, but she will be welcomed by 4 siblings who are just as excited for her arrival as we are.

Raising Daughters of Grace, Beauty and Loveliness

2010-06-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

Raising Daughters of Grace, Beauty and Loveliness

Pregnancy Post

2010-06-07T09:35:00.000-07:00

I am due in 3 weeks! It would be great to be on time or even early this time, but usually I go about 11 days past my due date. I think my dr is willing to induce me at around 39-40 weeks, but we'll see. The bummer about being induced this time is that he would use pitocin and I hate pitocin. For me, it's slow and painful. But because I am doing a VBAC, slow is how I need to go to avoid uterine rupture. Lovely thought, huh?

Ideally, I would love to go into labor on my own and before my due date. Robert's mom will be here at the end of June and I would hate for her to miss seeing the baby by 11 days or so.

This little baby has a lot of energy. She is going to be loved to pieces by her siblings. Kennedy and Emery have to say goodnight to her every night. They always finish by telling her they love her. They are excited to be big sisters. This will be so good for them! They are my babies right now, but I'm sure they will look enormous next to a new born. When the twins were born Mallory was 4, and Jonah 2 (almost 3). They were so young and still needed me to do so much for them. This time will be different with Mal being 8 and Jonah being almost 7. They will be great helpers and able to help in different ways that they couldn't before. I look forward to seeing them with their new baby sister.

Mallory 4 1/2 is holding Emery

Jonah 2 (3 months from turning 3), holding Kennedy

My biker gang. A new little member will be

welcomed into this rowdy bunch! This was

taken last April. My parents got the twins

bikes for their birthday.

Our Garage Sale Results

2010-05-17T11:01:00.000-07:00

A couple of weekends ago, a few friends and I had a garage sale. It was by far the biggest one we have done together. It was fun.

We learned a few things that I thought I would pass along:

Doing a sale on Friday and Saturday (not just Saturday) is worth it.

We had a lot of stuff. So to only have the sale one day would have made our efforts not really worth it. I actually sold a lot more of my bigger items on the 2nd day.

Selling treats at your sale is a good thing.

We had chocolate chip cookies 3/$1, chocolate no-bake cookies 3/$1, gigantic oatmeal chocolate chip cookie $1 each, water bottles .50, tootsie pops .25 and coffee .50 a cup.

People will buy the baked goods. I don't remember anyone haggling over the price of the food and water. In fact, several people bought $5 worth of cookies and water - for themselves and their kids and even for those they left at home.

Be sure to wrap your baked goods neatly in plastic wrap, display them neatly, and of course - bake safely. :)

Balancing the till (with multi-family sales)

When a customer would come to our table to pay, we would pile up our stuff into piles. A pile for me, a pile for Cami, a pile for Lisa and a pile for Candy. We would each add up our own piles and write the total under our column. We would give a total to the customer, make change and then once that sale was complete we would underline the totals. This allowed us to start fresh with each new sale.

We found that underlining the completed sale helped us to keep track of where we left off. Then when we were adding up a new sale, we could see what numbers to add.

Less confusion. It's a good thing!

A school moment

2010-05-14T06:42:00.000-07:00

This was an exciting moment for me to capture on the camera....the older two kids reading to the younger ones.

Emery loves her A Beka Owl books. She and Kennedy will be using them next year when they are in K4. Those two little girls are very excited to dig into their all their school books!

Kennedy and Mallory reading together.

You may be wondering why there are a bazillion pictures of Mal and Kennedy and not Jonah and Emery??? Well, Kennedy and Mallory like their pictures taken. After the first pictures they wanted me to keep taking them. Jonah and Emery didn't.

Mallory going over the vowels with Kennedy. The twins catch on quick. I'm thinking they will be easy to home school.

I am learning that school doesn't have to be done just behind a desk, but that there many moments throughout the day that count as school. In this case, not only were the little girls being read to, but the older kids were getting some reading practice in.

2010-05-12T21:11:00.000-07:00

For the last two nights we had the pleasure of my sister and my 2 year old nephew's company.

Sadly, they had to leave this afternoon. But we had a great time! Yesterday, we took the kids out shopping and to the park, came home rode bikes and played some more. It was a very full day. The kids had a great time playing and we had a great time visiting!

Aunt Nessie and Preston

A Garage Sale Re-Post

2010-04-26T07:11:00.000-07:00

I love having them and going to them. It runs in the family. It's in my blood. It is the thrill of the hunt, and the bargin that awaits!

Here are a few tips that I have picked up.

Having a Successful Sale:

* plan
Plan a day and time. The best days to have a g-sale are Friday and Saturday's, not Sunday's. My first thought is actually Saturday's, but I have never had one at my house on a Friday. When I go to them, there are way more on Saturday's...soooo, I may try having one on a Friday & Saturday this time. We'll see how it goes.

**UPDATE**
Since I wrote this, I have had a sale on a Friday and Saturday and it works. It gave me a little more time to add new items on Saturday. The friends whom I buddy up with to have sales and I figure that we might as well do this for 2 days- since we are all set up.

*be organized
I have found that you will sell more if you have some kind of order to your madness. Get tables. Paaleese...don't put the majority of your stuff on a blanket on the lawn....if you can help it.

If you have baby/kids clothes, separate them into sizes. I put mine in bins or on separate tables that are clearly marked by sizes. Adult clothes should have a place of their own. Sometimes I don't mind rummaging through piles of clothes, but most of the time I am looking for a specific size or I may have kids with me and simply don't have the time to rummage through piles.

*be friendly
Greet the customers with a warm "hello" or a "good morning".

*price your items right
Be realistic. People are looking for a deal. Your prices can make or break your sale. What are your goals for this sale? Are they to get rid of things or to become rich? What would you do with the things you don't sell? Donate them? Are you pricing them too high because you are being sentimental? They don't mean to others what they mean to you.

Expect people to barter with you...don't be offended. You can say no. If you are priced right, most people won't barter.

Want ideas on how to price specific items?

REMEMBER: Things are only worth what people are willing to pay.

*have a helper
a friend, spouse, etc--it could get crazy! You'll need the back up.
Better yet, have a g-sale with a friend! You can chit chat when it's slow!

*make a neat, legible sign
I wouldn't use this as an art project for your small children.
Write on your sign: Garage Sale --->, Yard Sale ----> in LARGE, legible writing!
Addresses and a description of what you are selling are not necessary. Just make sure you have arrows to direct people to your sale.

These are just a few things...off the top of my head.

Coming Up Next:
Going to Garage Sales: Garage Sale etiquette.

Part 2 can be found under the label "Garage Sale Tips" on the right hand side of this blog.

Four Year Old Blessings

2010-04-19T08:28:00.000-07:00

Almost five years ago I sat sat in my living room and prayed. I prayed for twins.

My desire was to grow our family by adoption, because the thought of being pregnant again was horrifying to me and also because adoption is a good thing. With each pregnancy I spend a good 3 months on the couch- sick, miserable and guilt ridden. Robert however, did not share my desire to adopt. So I prayed. I prayed that God would take away this desire for more children, change Robert's heart on the matter or that perhaps He would consider giving us twins - a two for one.

And He did.

A couple months later I found out I was expecting. At 9 weeks I found out that we were expecting fraternal twins. At 18 weeks we found out we were expecting two girls.

A common question I'm sure anyone with twins gets is: Do twins run in your family? Although we do have twins -way back somewhere in the family line, my twins were an answer to prayer. I give complete credit to the Lord who gives and gives and loves and loves and knows the desires of our hearts.

We are to pray without ceasing with confidence, knowing our prayers will be answered.

The giver of life - His timing is perfect.

Yesterday we celebrated 4 years with my little blessings, my answer to prayer...

Easter With the Fam

2010-04-06T08:53:00.000-07:00

Grandma's helpers.

Isaiah

Mallory

Sam

Jonah

Thomas

Kennedy

Emery is graciously waiting for her egg to be done

Emery

Preston

Cousins

2010-03-25T07:25:00.000-07:00

VHS tapes: they're good for making a tower for your Littlest Pet Shop animals.

Gentle Lessons

2010-03-16T07:09:00.000-07:00

Are you guys doing what I asked you to up there?

NO, Jonah's not doing it.

Are you?

No, Jonah isn't helping me. He is just sitting there!

We have had this conversation so many times. This is just one of the many teachable moments in our house.

We try to teach them that:
You are responsible for what you do, how you respond, the words you say...regardless of how other people act or what they say/do.

God deals with each of us individually. He won't excuse a certain child's disobedience because of another child's disobedience.

It is so easy to get frustrated as parents when we have gone over and over something in our home - that we think our children should grasp by now.

But, how many times in my 35 years has God dealt with a sin, a weakness, a struggle in my life. How many times have I raised my voice at my kids or have spoken unkindly to them? How many times have I been impatient with my husband? How long have I let fear, sadness, anxiety, impatience, anger and discontentment reside in my life before laying it the feet of Jesus?

How many times does God have to go over and over something with me before I grasp it?

How many times will He continue to do so patiently, lovingly, gently?

Thank you Lord for your never ending patience with me. For the sacrifice you made for us. Thank you for your unconditional love that endures forever and ever, Amen.

2010-03-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

31 Biblical Virtues to Pray for Your Children

► Salvation
“Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.”
Isaiah 45:8
II Timothy 2:10

► Growth in Grace
“I pray that my children may grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
II Peter 3:18

► Love
“Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to live a life of love, through the Spirit who dwells in them.”
Galatians 5:25
Ephesians 5:2

► Honesty & Integrity
“May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection.”
Psalm 25:21

► Self Control
“Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be alert and self-controlled in all they do.”
I Thessalonians 5:6

► Love for God's Word
“may my children grow to find Your Word more precious than much pure gold and sweeter than honey from the comb.”
Psalm 19:10

► Justice
“God, help my children to love justice as You do and act justly in all they do.”
Psalm 11:7
Micah 6:8

► Mercy
“May my children always be merciful, just as their Father is merciful.”
Luke 6:36

► Respect (for Self, Others & Authority)
“Father, grant that my children may show proper respect to everyone, as Your Word commands.”
I Peter 2:17

► Biblical Self-Esteem
“Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 2:10

► Faithfulness
“Let love and faithfulness never leave my children, but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablets of their hearts.”
Proverbs 3:3

► Courage
“May my children always be strong and courageous in their character and in their actions.”
Deuteronomy 31:6

► Purity
“Create in them a pure heart, O God, and let that purity of heart be shown in their actions.”
Psalm 51:10

► Kindness
“Lord, may my children always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.”
I Thessalonians 5:15

► Generosity
“Grant that my children may be generous and willing to share, and so lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age.”
I Timothy 6:18-19

► Peace-Loving
“Father, let my children make every effort to do what leads to peace.”
Romans 14:19

► Joy
“May my children be filled with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.”
I Thessalonians 1:6

► Perseverance
“Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to run with perseverance the race marked out for them.”
Hebrews 12:1

► Humility
“God, please cultivate in my children the ability to show true humility toward all.”
Titus 3:2

► Compassion
“Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion.”
Colossians 3:12

► Responsibility
“Grant that my children may learn responsibility, for each one should carry his own load.”
Galatians 6:5

► Contentment
“Father, teach my children the secret of being content in any and every situation, through Him who gives them strength.”
Philippians 4:12-13

► Faith
“I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children’s hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them.”
Luke 17:5-6
Hebrews 11:1-40

► A Servant's Heart
“God, please help my children develop servants’ hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, as if they were serving the Lord, not men.”
Ephesians 6:7

► Hope
“May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13

► Willingness & Ability to Work
“Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work at it with all their hearts, as working for the Lord, not for men.”
Colossians 3:23

► Passion of God
“Lord, please instill in my children a soul that ‘followeth hard after Thee’ (Psalm 63:8), one that clings passionately to you.”

► Self-Discipline
“Father, I pray that my children may acquire a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair.”
Proverbs 1:3

► Prayfulness
“Grant, Lord, that my children’s lives may be marked by prayfulness, that they may learn to pray on all occasions – allowing the Holy Spirit to intercede – with all kinds of prayers and requests.”
Ephesians 6:18

► Gratitude
“Help my children to live lives that are always overflowing with thankfulness and always giving thanks to God, the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Ephesians 5:20
Colossians 2:7

► A Heart for Missions
“Lord, please help my children to develop a desire to see Your Glory declared among the nations, Your marvelous deeds among all peoples.”
Psalm 96:3

Kids Say...

2010-03-07T15:59:00.000-08:00

Kennedy comes walking down stairs last night, twirling a pair of Dora the Explorer undies on her arm yelling, 'Dora underwear for sale, Dora underwear for sale". That was a new one. I have never heard her say that before.

Last weekend at Costco we bought Special K Berries cereal. Mallory said," ooh, look Kennedy, special K". Emery upset says, "Can we buy some Special E cereal"? She couldn't quite understand why they wouldn't have any special E cereal. I heard Kennedy say a couple of times that evening, "I'm special!". Who knew cereal could make my 3yo feel so good about herself?!

Mallory was in trouble the other day (can't remember why) and I told her she was not going to be able to watch a movie with the other kids. She was a little upset that I didn't give her a heads up of what would happen if she didn't obey. She said, "Mom, the guy on the radio (K-LOVE) said that a parent always needs to tell their kids about the consequences first". Sometimes it seems like she wants to weigh the consequences before chooses to obey. Anyways, I told her that at 8 years old she should be pretty familiar with the rules of our home AND KNOW that there are always consequences when they are not followed or if they don't listen. She listens to K-LOVE all the time and is always telling us what people say and giving us the news.... Some state has 2 more feet of snow, parents shouldn't yell at their kids, expecting a huge ice storm in the east, etc.

I love these guys!

Valentine's Day Party

2010-02-23T07:18:00.000-08:00

Last week a couple of friends and I put together a v-day party for our kids. With twelve kids between the three of us - the excitement never ends!

My kids love getting together with this fabulous bunch!

The kids were able to exchange cards, decorate

and eat some yummy treats and play together!

Thanks, G-ma

2010-02-03T15:37:00.000-08:00

Grandma, thank you for the box of goodies!

Robert's mom sent the kids (and us) a box of goodies.

The kids love it. It's like digging through a treasure box.

For some reason I wasn't able to email this, so I thought I would post it here.

2010-01-26T15:16:00.001-08:00

Can you say boring? Bor-ing! Which is what my blog has been lately!

This month has been spent dealing with the stomach flu and recovery. It went through all of us, as usual. We have recovered from that and are now getting over colds. Colds are much more preferable. I will take boogers over barf...any day!

Robert has a new hobby. Snowmobiling. Over here you have to travel about 2 hours to get to snow, so he and some friends make a day trip of it. I will have to get him to take some pictures. He has a lot of fun!

I have been trying like crazy to get this house back in 'working' condition. It got out of control when I was sick for 3 months. I have also been working at getting our family back on track with meals. Here's the menu for the week:

Monday
Creamy sweet potato soup
Veggie pita sandwiches

Tuesday
Baked cod
Wild Californian Rice
veggies/Salad
French bread

Wednesday
BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
Coleslaw

Thursday
Crunchy Fiesta Salad
Rolls
???
or this might be a breakfast night

Friday
Pizza night

*It's all subject to change as my taste buds change. :) But that's the general idea.

Last week we had our ultra sound. We are having another girl! The kids are excited. My sister made the comment that the twins will have their very own real doll. So true! It's hard to imagine them as big sisters. It will be good for them!

Jonah hasn't lost hope of having a brother(s). He keeps talking about how we can still have twin boys. He actually told the checker at Yoke's the other day that we are having another girl, but my mom will be having eight more boys. It's good that kids have a lot of faith in their parents, right? :)

Success Can Be Perilous

2010-01-13T09:32:00.000-08:00

"We are never more venerable to sin then when we are successful, admired by others, and prosperous, as King David tragically discovered".

"The greatest enemy of our souls is the pathologically selfish pride at the core of our fallen natures. If we look deep enough, this is what we will find feeding the strong, sinful cravings of our appetites".

"We tend to see our need for God more clearly in adversity. But seasons of success can be our most perilous because we are so easily deceived into thinking more highly of ourselves then we ought to think. Self- exalting pride is what leads us to unsurp God's rightful rule. We must beware of this danger that lurks in blessing".

And when we sin, we must run to and not avoid the throne of grace....

Read the full article here.

www.desiringgod.com

Respecting Sons

2010-01-12T07:15:00.000-08:00

A blog I really enjoy reading is: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home. Click on the name to read an awesome post on Respecting Sons.

As always, I would love to hear what you think...

The inadequate blogger

2010-01-05T12:04:00.000-08:00

Do you ever feel like an inadequate blogger? I do.

I was talking to my friend Cami the other day and we both agreed that some times we hold back on our blogging because we feel a little self conscience about our writing abilities. Like, did we forget a comma, or some other punctuation?

We have a friend who writes beautifully. Her funny stories and the way she articulates her thoughts keep you coming back for more. She can turn an ordinary, everyday thing into the most interesting story. I should also mention that her punctuation and sentence structure is flawless. ;o)

Sometimes we have these ideas for a blog post, but we hold back. Part of it has to do with the fact that we home school our kids. I mean, really. Should a person who homeschool's be afraid to write? Not that because you homeschool you automatically know everything. In fact most moms I know who homeschool would agree that you learn a thing or two by teaching your kids.

So as you read my blog, keep in mind that I have only homeschooled up to the 2nd grade. We are working on sight words and special sounds. Our sentence structure consists of a capital letter at the beginning and punctuation at the end. Maybe you'll see improvement in my writing when I start teaching the upper grades - Jr. high and high school.

And BTW, do I homeschool my kids or home school my kids? When is it one word and when is it two words? Maybe I should know this. But I don't. Sigh.

Highlights

2010-01-02T17:15:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of 2009.

At the beginning of the year Robert's mom came to visit us.

The kids loved seeing her.

The twins turned 3

We sold our home

And bought a new one. I know this is a bad picture.

This is the only one I have. When this was taken

we hadn't even moved in yet.

Mal and Jones went to work with Robert.

Jonah turned 6

We made some new friends!

Robert and his friends went on their annual

back packing trip to Green Lake.

Mallie turned 8

Christmas

My Dad always reads the Christmas story to the

kids.

My mom and Preston listening to the story

My cousin, Hannah.

Some thing we look forward to for 2010:

*Robert's mom will be spending the entire month of June with us.

*The birth of baby #5

*Spring

*Planting a garden

*Garage sales! (the kids and I look forward to this)

*Finishing our yard and planting flowers, etc.

My First Post of 2010

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

Monday feels like a new beginning in our house. With the holidays over and me feeling good, we are going to get back to normal.

Today I am going to remove any evidence of Christmas, not that I don't like Christmas, but it's over. It time to put the decor away.

I will also give the kids' bedrooms an over haul. It's time to bring in the big guns: my husband, garbage sacks, and bins/boxes. We clean differently when it comes to kids stuff. He is unattached to their things and only sees garbage on the floor. I on the other hand like to put everything with it's kind and store it with some organization in the perfect spot; little people, Polly pocket, kitchen, little toys, cars, trucks and weapons - all together. I have leaned to like his way of cleaning. I learned this a couple of years ago when I got mad at him for 'cleaning out of anger'. He went around the house and put just about every toys that was on the floor in a box and out in the garage. I was upset because all the little pieces were not together. Shortly after that cleaning extravaganza I noticed something different about my day: I wasn't picking up 900 little pieces of toys and the kids didn't miss anything. I had a little more time. At that time I was homeschooling for the first time (Mal was in Kindergarten), and I had two tiny toddlers to run around after, plus a 4 year old. He wasn't concerned about all the little toys being together, in fact he was thinking of me and trying to make it easier (in his own way) for me throughout the day. Thoughtful, really! Maybe by combining our efforts we can clear out their rooms.

I will also be cleaning up our school room, because on Monday we will be heading full speed ahead with homeschooling. I am excited to get back in that routine.

Last night we rang in the New Year by having some friends over. We played games, ate food and visited. There were six adults and eleven kids, 8 years old and younger! Thanks for coming over! We had a lot of fun!

My last post of the year

2009-12-31T08:06:00.000-08:00

Hellooo second trimester!

Oh, how I've waited and waited to say that!

This was probably the hardest and easiest 8 weeks yet.

Hardest because I have never had 4 kids to care for, while sick for such a long period of time.

Easy because I had a lot of help. I am SO thankful for all of the wonderful people who came to our rescue. I had people who came to make lunch for the kids, housework, laundry, grocery shopping, childcare, errands and meals. I am so thankful for all of you! You made this bearable with your servant hearts and your prayers!

One evening I had a friend over and it occurred to me that I had nothing planned for dinner. Right after I verbalized my thought the phone rang and someone from church said they were bringing us dinner. Thirty minutes later a very delicious dinner was sitting in my kitchen. See, God provides for our every need even before we realize we are in need (this was a crock pot meal that was started early that morning).

The Throne of Grace

2009-12-17T09:36:00.000-08:00

Something I have known about myself for a while is this: When I am feeling awful I tend to get a little irritable....I lack grace.

I don't want to lack grace. I want my family to remember me with grace oozing out of my pores!

I have been thinking about this verse:

Hebrews 4:15-16
15For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

16Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The first thing that struck me about these verses was the 'let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace' . I immediately thought "can our kids approach our throne of grace with confidence?"

Do I give my kids as much grace as I give myself?

After all, they have only been on this earth for 8, 6 and 3 years. Should we really be surprised by there sin? At 35 God is still working on me and my character. I wonder if our expectations with our kids line up with Gods. Sure there are expectations that we should all have of our kids. I am not suggesting that we just sit back and do nothing - God has given us responsibilities with the children He gave us.

**************************************************************************

Then as I looked closer verse 15 caught my attention. Jesus, being our high priest CAN sympathize with our weaknesses. He understands because when he was on earth he was human. He had emotions like us, he was tempted- but He was without sin. He was perfect.

So, therefore, because our high priest can sympathize with our weakness, He stands ready to give us immediate help when we need it. Ask.

If you struggle as a wife, a mother, keeper of the home, a teacher, friends, sisters, daughters, servants to others, a mom who works outside the home (who desires to be home), a wife in a tough marriage, a parent with rebellious kids, or the wife of an unbelieving husband. Perhaps you struggle with depression, anxiety, are fearful. All of these things can be taken to God's throne of grace. And we can go there with confidence so that we may receive mercy from a loving God, and find grace to help in our time of need.

Throne of Grace.

Doesn't that have a nice ring to it? It's so....comforting. God's throne of grace. He is so full of mercy and love.

2009-12-12T12:01:00.000-08:00

These were taken at my parents house in October.

A tub of beans = hours of fun! A little messy

but my mom is pretty easy going and doesn't

mind a mess if it means the kids have fun!

Isaiah and Mallory

Why Require Unregenerate Children to Act Like They’re Good?

2009-12-10T09:26:00.001-08:00

By John Piper @desiring God
Website: desiringgod.org
December 10, 2009

If mere external conformity to God’s commands (like don’t lie, don’t steal, don’t kill) is hypocritical and spiritually defective, then why should parents require obedience from their unregenerate children?

Won’t this simply confirm them in unspiritual religious conformity, hypocritical patterns of life, and legalistic moralism?

Here are at least three reasons why Christian parents should require their small children (regenerate or unregenerate) to behave in ways that conform externally to God’s revealed will.
I say “small children” because as a child gets older, there are certain external conformities to God’s revealed will that should be required and others that should not. It seems to me, for example, while parents should require drug-free, respectful decency from a 15-year-old, it would do little good to require an unbelieving and indifferent 15-year-old to read his Bible every day. But it would be wise to require that of a 6-year-old, while doing all we can to help him enjoy it and see the benefit in it.

So the following points are reasons why we should require smaller children to behave in ways that conform at least externally to God’s word.

1) For children, external, unspiritual conformity to God’s commanded patterns of behavior is better than external, unspiritual non-conformity to those patterns of behavior.
A respectful and mannerly 5-year-old unbeliever is better for the world than a more authentic defiant, disrespectful, ill-mannered, unbelieving bully. The family, the friendships, the church, and the world in general will be thankful for parents that restrain the egocentric impulses of their children and confirm in them every impulse toward courtesy and kindness and respect.

2) Requiring obedience from children in conformity with God’s will confronts them with the meaning of sin in relation to God, the nature of their own depravity, and their need for inner transformation by the power of grace through the gospel of Christ.
There comes a point where the “law” dawns on the child. That is, he realizes that God (not just his parents) requires a certain way of life from him and that he does not like some of it, and that he cannot do all of it.
At this crisis moment, the good news of Christ’s dying for our sins becomes all important. Will the child settle into a moralistic effort the rest of his life, trying to win the acceptance and love of God? Or will he hear and believe that God’s acceptance and forgiveness and love are free gifts—and receive this God in Christ as the supreme treasure of his life?
The child will have a hard time grasping the meaning of the cross if parents have not required of him behaviors, some of which he dislikes, and none of which he can do perfectly.
Christ lived and died to provide for us the righteousness we need (but cannot perform) and to endure for us the punishment we deserve (but cannot endure). If parents do not require external righteousness and apply measures of punishment, the categories of the cross will be difficult for a child to grasp.

3) The marks of devotion, civility, and manners (“please,” “thank you,” and good eye contact) are habits that, God willing, are filled later with grace and become more helpful ways of blessing others and expressing a humble heart.
No parents have the luxury of teaching their child nothing while they wait for his regeneration. If we are not requiring obedience, we are confirming defiance. If we are not inculcating manners, we are training in boorishness. If we are not developing the disciplines of prayer and Bible-listening, we solidifying the sense that prayerlessness and Biblelessness are normal.
Inculcated good habits may later become formalistic legalism. Inculcated insolence, rudeness, irreligion will likely become worldly decadence. But by God’s grace, and saturated with prayer, good habits may be filled with the life of the Spirit by faith. But the patterns of insolence and rudeness and irreligion will be hard to undo.

Caution. Here we are only answering one question: Why should parents require submissive behaviors of children when they may be unregenerate rebels at heart? Of course that is not all Christian parents should do.

*Let there be much spontaneous celebration verbally of every hopeful sign of life and goodness in our children.
*Let us forgive them often and be longsuffering.
*Let us serve them and not use them.
*Let us lavish them with joyful participation in their interests.
*Let us model for them the joy of knowing and submitting to the Lord Jesus.
*Let us apologize often when we fall short of our own Father’s requirements.
*Let us pray for them without ceasing.
*Let us saturate them with the word of God from the moment they are in the womb (the uterus is not sound proof).
*Let us involve them in happy ministry experiences and show them it is more blessed to give than to receive.
*Let them see us sing to the King.
*Let us teach them relentlessly the meaning of the gospel in the hope that God will open their eyes and make them alive. It happens through the gospel (1 Peter 1:22-25).

Still seeking to grow in my role as a father (of our family and our church),
Pastor John

Picture Day

2009-11-28T21:16:00.000-08:00

Bribery!

That is how I am going to do it from now on! Today it was a bowl of ice cream with sprinkles. Mallory was hoping for a trip to Walmart to get a new toy...I wasn't thinking that big, but I am not beneath that type of bribery for a picture.

Just thought I would give you a glimpse of what we put our kids through. :)

This is what they looked like when we were

finished!

What can I say...we call it science!

2009-11-24T13:44:00.000-08:00

In case you're wondering....

A magnifying glass + sun really does make bugs explode.

And cat food...cooks it and makes it smell even worse than it normally does!

So there you go Myth Busters....just in case you're wondering.

Fozzy watching the experiment

Aprons

2009-11-24T13:32:00.001-08:00

Here are a couple of aprons I made. I have a retro apron pattern book that has some really fun patterns.

2009-11-07T17:04:00.000-08:00

It has been quite a week. There was a point when I honestly didn't think I could make it. My sicky feeling got so bad that if it wasn't for my kids needing me and my husband missing me - I would have prayed for the Lord to take me home.

I am blessed to have some very caring people come to my relief this week. I went to the hospital on Thursday for some IV fluids. Mylanta, what a difference it made. I feel just about normal today. I think that this is what it must be like for other woman who can get things done while in their 1st trimester. For the last 3 pregnancies I have been on the couch for 14 weeks, while my kids are plugged in. I just thought it was normal to loose a bunch of weight, and be so sick. I am thankful that I have a doctor who is pro-active in giving me some nausea relief.

On Tuesday I went to the dr and had an ultra sound. The result........one baby, one little heartbeat! It's amazing how at only six weeks along the signs of life are unmistakable.

Baby Talk

2009-11-02T06:50:00.000-08:00

We are having a baby!

Number five will make his or her appearance next summer - end of June.

One evening at dinner time we told the kids, "We are having another baby". The twins weren't exactly sure what we were saying, but Mallory and Jonah had the biggest smiles on their faces. Jonah said, "mom, are you joking"? His smile had a hint of disbelief in it. Finally, I convinced him that we weren't playing a joke on him. This is a dream come true for him. He loves babies! More then puppies!

The kids are in agreement that this one needs to be a boy, except for Jonah, he wants two boys. He asks me often," Did you pray for twin boys today"?

Mallory wants twin boys so our family can be equal.

Kennedy asks questions like: What is the baby wearing?, Does it talk?, What kind of baby is it?(not sure what she means by that: does she think that I could give birth to a puppy? or maybe she wants to know if it's a boy or girl.) :)

And little Emery-Lou, she is just going with the flow right now. No questions from her yet.

I love all of their questions. It really opens the door for some good conversation.

Mallie is 8!

2009-10-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Mallory!

Who would have thought that on October 13th, 2001, a peice of our hearts would be neatly swaddled in this cute little package.

Just a few days old!

A couple of weeks after her 1st b-day

we went to southern California for

my cousins wedding.

Jonah was on the way...

Now she's 2!

A month before she was 2, we moved back to

Spokane (from Bellingham) so Robert could go

to school.

Jonah is 3 months. Mallie loves being a big sister!

3 years old.

4 years old at our (old) house in

Kennewick.

5 years!

6! She is pictured with Jalini - her webkinz!

7 years old!

We will celebrate her birthday tonight when

Daddy gets home - so I will post a 8 year old

picture later.

Her request on her special day, as of 9 am:

1. chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast

2. corn dogs for dinner

3. no school (that wish won't be coming true)

4. morning b-day hugs from her brother and sisters

5. to open just one teeny weeny present (she has to wait until Robert gets home)

The Shed Project

2009-09-25T09:23:00.000-07:00

Projects, projects everywhere!
We moved into our new house in June and first on our list of projects is to complete a portion of the back yard that didn't come with sod. We had to:

*put in a sprinkler system &
*build a shed, before we add sod, flowers, trees, etc.

Robert built forms for a concrete foundation

Emery is ready to help. She has

her work attire on - shoes and all!

Robert had help pouring the concrete. He and

his friend, Richard each pulled a trailer of the

goods to our house.

The kids LOVED watching them work!

Voila! Our concrete slab. Lovely, eh?

Jonah is ready to build - tools in hand! This

little boy is always up for a project!

A view from the patio.

Hammering away.

Jonah, aka the "wishmaker", in action.

He calls himself the wishmaker because whenever

Daddy wished for a drink of water or a tool, etc.,

Jonah would make his wishes come true.

What a cutie!

She's cute too!

Voila!

The back yard is slightly boring right now.

Next on our list: (Denise, this list is for you)

Come up with a plan for:

* a spot for my veggie garden
* where we will place our trees, flowers, shrubs, etc.

* a firepit

* a play area for the kids

and

* put in sod

Another Project:

This area by our mail boxes is our's as well

(across the street). So we will be cleaning it

up a bit, adding landscaping, etc. The kids are

requesting that we add a bench so they can rest

a bit while they ride bikes. If you click on this

piture, you may be able to see it better.

We will be adding trees, flowers to the front

yard and moving a few around.

Do you have landscaping ideas? I'd love to hear

your ideas!

I prayed for patience....

2009-09-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I felt a little under the weather. Not bad. But, not good!

I felt my temper shorten with every "mmmooommmm, ______ grabbed, or hit me. _____ is in my room", etc.

Yesterday, I had an opportunity to talk to Mallory about her being patient, speaking kindly to her siblings, etc. She says it's so hard! It is, yes! But to grow in an area (like being patient), I told her, it takes practice. And God is giving all of us practice! So I was trying to help her to see these hard times as opportunities for growth.

After yesterday, I made a point to get up early and pray for our day.

I prayed for patience....

and today, I was gently reminded of the lesson I was trying to teach Mallory.

When I pray for patience, I shouldn't expect my day to go perfectly, with no problems. It has been my experience that God will give me every opportunity to practice having patience until I am good at it. It is His desire that I grow in these areas, to display the fruits of the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
—Galatians 5:22-23

This-n-That

2009-09-10T08:26:00.000-07:00

Today is my last day being without Robert. He has been backpacking with a couple of friends from work, since Monday. They went to Oregon to their usual hiking spot. We miss him and look forward to his return!

We took this week off of school. One of the perks of homeschooling. We have already done about 3 weeks of school, so we have had a good head start.

Yesterday, I did the laundry- which was a HUGE undertaking! I have just a couple of loads to go.

Last night my friend Cami and her daughters, Kayla and Kellory, came over and we watched a movie. FUN!

Updated:

I started this post last week....

since then, Robert has safely returned from his hiking trip...but had to leave again. He got accepted in a "leadership development class" for work and is out of town for a couple of days.

We started school again this week. It is our 4th week of school. The kids' favorite class are: history and science. So far this year they have done a couple of projects for those classes. #1: a cave painting. We crumbled up a paper sack and the kids used tooth picks, plastic forks, and paint brushes to paint their caves. Oh, and they used their fingers too. #2: we made a model of the Nile River. We had to add a spot for the Nile Delta, a place in the river that flooded annually (back in the day), added silt to the land, and produced good crops. We planted grass seed, and flooded our river to water our seed so that it will grow. Mallory commented on how fast our seeds were growing. I told her "yes, it is because of that marvelous silt that fertilizes the land". And there ya have it! The kids loved it.

Oh, I wish they loved math and language!

Laundry, my nemesis...ugh! I have more laundry to do. I guess I will be thankful that I have laundry to do!

My friend Jeanette is coming over tomorrow evening to spend the night. She may or may not bring her kids or at least two of them. Mallory and Jonah love playing with her kids.

Well, it's almost 11pm. I've been up since 5:30ish. I am tired!

Growing in: Contentment

2009-09-03T07:35:00.000-07:00

When I was 22 God changed my heart. My life was no longer my own. The price that was paid for my life was huge. My life hasn't been the same since. I am so thankful.

At the age of 22 I wasn't married yet, but I did have a mortgage and a job. I didn't know what contentment was. I thought I did. But, the 50 pairs of shoes in my closet and the 20 tubes of lipstick in my purse would tell a different story. Shoes and lipstick were oddly enough, the things I bought to "make me happy". I still like me some pretty lipstick, but I don't have 20 tubes. Of course it's not really the shoes or the lipstick, but the heart behind it, that I am speaking of.

After I surrendered my life to Christ the first Bible study I did was a study on contentment. Somehow, my newly changed heart knew this struggle needed to be worked on!

Here I am, 13 years later with a husband of almost 11 years (in Dec), 4 kids, our Fourth home, our 4th city, second state, and 6th move, and I realize that we will always be growing in this area (and others).

The lesson I have learned is that without contentment you will be miserable. Discontentment can affect you: financially, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

Are you happy with what you have? Are you content? Does it take things to make you feel content?

In Philippians 4:11-12, Paul says "...For I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both in having abundance and suffering need."

We ought to enjoy the things that God has given us and be thankful for them. But, we should find contentment in Him. Wanting nothing more than what He has given: all that we have here on earth and all that we will have in eternity.

2009-09-01T07:17:00.000-07:00

It's easy for me to post pictures of my family and share with you what we have been up to. But, this blog wouldn't be a true reflection of me (or my family) without sharing also what drives me, what keeps me going and on my toes. So sometimes, you will see pictures of our little blessings and our family events, but other times I want to be able to share with you the burdens that are felt and how God is working in our lives. What I really want to you all to see, friends, family and strangers is the love I have for Christ and how He has changed my life to make me into the Person: wife and mother that I am - which isn't always lovely, but by His grace, I am learning and growing!

I have felt burdened lately.

There is a problem. A problem with Christians today. Christians are becoming desensitized to Biblical truths. Christians are becoming too much a part of this world. They are letting their emotions/feelings rule their decisions. Why? Our feelings aren't reliable.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?

We shouldn't ignore the fact that God, the maker of heaven and earth, the giver of life and death has given us instruction, encouragement and a chance to know Him and His character in His Word-The Bible.

A Christian, and I don't mean a person who just goes to church here and there, someone who thinks they are a good person, or someone who was born into a Christian family. I mean a CHRISTIAN - someone who has surrendered their life and their will to Christ. Someone who has turned away from the sin that once ruled their lives and accepts God's gift of eternal life, should not just blend into society or the world today.

It saddens me to see Christians compromise on Biblical truths because they can't discern between God's truth and their own truth.

It is so important to be in the Word! It is so important to make time to talk to God, and to listen to Him. Without His word, how can you have discernment? How will you know Him?

Life is rough. But thankfully, we have a God who is more powerful then anything life can throw at us. He is rich in mercy and love. He is full of Grace. He has the power to change hearts and lives - and he does.

2009-08-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

Taking a Break

2009-08-26T15:10:00.000-07:00

This wasn't the most productive school day...
it was a rough morning...

but, it ended well. Something about kids and water.
Water turns the grumpiest kids into angels.