It has been a long time since I have blogged on here, and there is a reason for that. I have been blogging elsewhere. If you would like to visit me, you can find me here and of course here at Mission Field Designs.
You can find updates on our adoption there as well. Please come by! Subscribe to my feed!
Things have been busy, as usual. Trying to keep up with my cluttered house has been hard. It seems like as soon as I get one area clean, then another one rears it’s ugly head.
I have been really dragging my feet when it comes to my upstairs. There are just so many junky toys, papers, and books everywhere. I am sad to say, that I have been gladly throwing away legos when I run into them. I know that I have thrown away toys that kids like. If they knew about some of them, there would be tears. But these toys are toys that haven’t been played with in months. They will probably never notice they are gone.
This week we have been working on getting out adoption application filled out, and reference forms handed out to close friends. I read some blogs today that belonged to other families who have adopted, and it brings a great amount of excitement to my heart. The Lord willing we will be one of those people!
One particular blog that I read today talked about how she has what she considers virtual twins. She was 33 weeks pregnant when they adopted an infant. She was able to not only nurse her biological baby, but her adopted baby as well! Wouldn’t that just be the best? It would be such a WONDERFUL thing to be able to not only have two children the same age, but to be able to breastfeed your adopted baby. The bonding that happens when you are nursing a baby is like nothing else. What a blessing! So perhaps the Lord will allow that to happen with us.
Next week I am hoping that Adam will be able to take a day off so we can get our application turned in, and also get our fingerprinting done at the State Police department. Just a couple more steps toward an addition to our family.
Last year I talked about another family that was adopting from China for the second time. I am so excited to hear tonight, that they may be able to adopt a third child from China here in the next week or so. They could use a lot of prayer about that. Everything is happening really fast with this adoption.
As for our homeschooling…it has been going ok. It is almost as if I have been stuck in a rut for the last week or so. Do you ever get like that? When I get like this, I tend to just sit and stare at my shelf of books and think to myself…am I doing this right? Are the kids really learning? Am I just so disorganized that I am failing my children? When it is time do some school work, I look at the shelf and pull books off that I think will do for the day. I think…ok, let’s do some math, maybe some writing, and we will read out of this book. Maybe it is working doing it that way, or maybe it’s not. I just don’t know.
I have also been trying to brainstorm, and come up with ways that I can raise funds for our adoption. It is so expensive. But it does keep my little entrepreneurial ticking. When I bought my webhosting, it came with an online store. I am seriously thinking about making some handmade items that could be sold, and have all of my proceeds go toward our adoption expenses. I can make yarn, I can knit fairly well, and I can do blog and graphic designing. Another thing that Adam and I recently figured out how to make, are handmade drop spindles for spinning yarn. Adam made one, and it turned out SO pretty! If we can get a bunch of them made, that can be something else that I can sell.
Last year when we were first discussing adopting, I ran into a blog where a family had a donation button, and they asked for just one dollar. When I got to thinking about it, it made sense! If 2000 people donated just a dollar, that is 2,000 dollars worth of financial support. Brilliant!
Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! We sure did.
Looking back at our past Christmases, we really bought our children a lot of junk toys. Little toys that would get played with for a short amount of time, then thrown to the side never to be played with again. But the Christmas presents this year, were FAR from junk toys. We bought most of this years gifts from Vision Forum. I have learned over the year, that if you want GOOD QUALITY toys, Vision Forum is the place to go. This is what my kids got this Christmas.
When I went to wrap this tea set, I couldn't believe how beautiful it was. The pictures here on my site, and the picture on the Vision Forum site doesn't do it justice. The tea set is nicer than my own set of dishes. It has a beautiful floral pattern, with gold trim. My girls have already had two tea parties since opening it.
My boys LOVE listening to the Jonathan Park Adventures (also by Vision Forum!). One of the tools that the creation response team uses in the adventures, is their comunicator watches. My boys were very excited when they opened up this gift. They haven't even taken them off yet! Gable says he feels like a spy, or a detective with his on. These watches keep time, and are also walkie talkies that have a mile and half range. They came with ear pieces so the boys can keep their conversations between themselves. Another added bonus to these watches, is the fact that they run on rechargeable lithium ion batteries. No need to keep buying batteries!
Starting today, Vision Forum is having a year end overstock liquidation sale. They have more than 250 items on clearance. You can get these items anywhere from 30-70% off. There are many books, toys, and even homeschool resources for sale. You can't miss this!
You can access this sale by clicking the above banner, or by simply clicking any Vision Forum image or link on my blog.
This is such a wonderful company. They are like minded, family oriented, Godly people. You can't go wrong when you purchase items from them.
A few months ago, my wonderful husband bought me a spinning wheel. I thought that spinning on a spindle was fun. Using a wheel is awesome!
A couple of weeks ago, I was able to purchase a few raw fleeces to scour, card, and spin. I was pretty nervous doing the washing part, because it can easily turn to felt if agitated too much, or experience a big temprature change. But so far it has turned out just fine..... (Read More Here)
Hello everyone! I have been busy messing with wordpress blogs. I started one for myself, so I can be found here as well as here on my homeschool blog.
I found out last week, that I have strayed too far away from my original relaxed homeschooling. I started making my kids do too much bookwork, and tears flowed from their eyes.
I took a good long time this weekend, and re read the information on Ambleside Online, and got everything organized so I can put their curriculum to use. After all of this time wanting to do things the Charlotte Mason way, I think that I haven't been to good at the copywork and narration part of it. We do it, but doesn't turn out the best. so we are giving it another valiant effort this week! I will say, that when we are using AO, there are less tears, less frustration, and more fun being had.
Ok, so I was a bit confused about the title in the last assignment. LOL! I thought it was the 100th assignment!
This weeks assignment...
This would be a good week to tell about your worst struggles with a lifestyle of homeschooling. Tell about something you’ve struggled with and how God’s mercies gave us the strength to get past it. Also, share any curriculum/homeschool methods that have been a relief to you, i.e., a particular Teacher’s Manual or Homeschooling method that’s been easier for your family. Talk about how you felt when the burden was lifted and Oh, What a Relief it is!
I touched a little about my changing methods in the previous assignmen. I try my best to follow a charlotte mason type of method, but I don't have it down completely. I like to read good quality living books to my children, and I do copywork with them. I was asked what I do for ancient history. I haven't done ancient history with my kids yet. I have used alot of books from Ambleside Online, as well as Old fashioned education. They are filled with books that are in the public domain. When it comes time to read about ancient history and midevil times, I'll probably get a book from one of their sites to read out loud. With all of our history, we notebook. We make notebooking pages for each person we learn about, and put it in our book of centuries. We have been filling it for a couple of years now, and it's getting quite full. I really need to buy a new binder. :)
One of my struggles that has always been prevelent in our homeschool, is my lack of organization. There are a lot of times when I look at all of the books I have collected and think...What am I doing? Where do I start? Then I become overwhelmed and end up just sitting and staring at my pile of books. I have been very concerned that my lack of organization will lead to a poor homeschool, which would lead to bad standardized test scores, thus making my efforts to homeschool a failure. I was pleasantly surprised and relieved, when my oldest scored in the 75th percentile this last year. My organization MAY be terrible, and I may not be the most diligent teacher, but my kids are learning just fine! WHEW! But my struggle remains...I am not an organized person. It try, but fail in that area.
Another relief (which Nancy reminded me of..) was something that happened with our math this last year. My daughter finished her math books (we use saxon for the math part. I know....it's not real charlotte mason like, but it works). At the time, I didn't have the funds to buy her the next set of books. I wasn't sure what I was going to do for math while waiting to buy the next grade level. The Lord once again showed me that He is in control of our homeschool! I got an email from Kumon publishers, asking if I would like to try and review some of their workbooks. He told me to just tell him what I needed. whoohoo!!! I told him I needed 2nd and 3rd grade math books. Within the month, my daughter had new math workbooks. When God provides, OH what a relief it is!!
Thinking about God's provision, and how much I need to remember to lean on Him, seek Him first, and trust Him in leading our homeschool, I think of the verses in Matthew 6.
Matthew 6: 31-33
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
The 100th assignment asks us to write about our feelings of trials and triumphs that we have had in our homeschooling.
When I first started homeschooling, I was clueless as to where to start (like everyone who is just starting!). I was under the impression that I had to make my homeschool a school. Meaning, I needed to use the public schools as my example. Little desks, lots of book work, and lots of hours. That of course made my kids bored, and was killing their love for learning. My eyes were opened, and the burden was lifted from my shoulders when I was introduced to Charlotte Mason's ideas, and the whole world of relaxed learning. My techniques are very different now than it was when I first began homeschooling. I still get complaints (like today...), and lazy attitudes toward school time, but it's better than it was. Overcoming the idea that I had to mimic the public school system in my home was a huge triumph and turning point.
I was first introduced to homeschooling back when I attended a small bible school. There were people of all ages at the school, including some families. While the parents listened to the classes, their children sat and did their homeschooling. I was amazed! Ever since then, I knew that I would homeschool, and that public school wouldn't even be an option. God gave me my children, and I am their steward. I am solely responsible for their raising. And I know that all of the homeschooling mom's reading this feel the same way.
I grew up in public school. I hated it!! The only things that I do remember from my years in school are negative, immoral, and Godless. When I look back, I can only think of two or three teachers that really cared about whether I learned or not. The schools now are even worse. I have had strangers tell me about how they wish they could homeschool because the schools are so bad. I am so blessed to have mine at home with me! Lord willing, they will never learn in the kind of environment I did. They won't learn the kinds of socialization that is taught in the public schools.
So there is my quick, short answer to the 100th BFS assignment! Hope you have enjoyed!
For my verse, Jeremiah 29:11. God thinks this toward us, and I think this toward my children. I have thoughts of peace and not evil.
Jeremiah 29:11 (King James Version)
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
We have all heard the sad, heart wrenching news about the tragedy in the Drews family. Please keep them in your prayers, as we all know that the Lord is the only source of comfort at times like these.
Yay! I enrolled! BFS is a great way to encourage other homeschool moms, as well as getting some encouragement back. I am looking forward to participating this year! I just hope I can keep up better than I did last year.
Blogger Friend School is also doing a giveaway for all the bloggers who enroll. The prize is a really neat package of nature notebooks and a journal.
I have lots of pictures to share! I have been so busy over the last couple of weeks trying to get everything together and done for the reenactment coming up this weekend (up at Fort Stevens in case anyone wants to come and check it out!). I have made Adam a shirt, myself two dresses, and the girls each a dress. My goal is to have two more shirts made for my boys. So I am going to try my best to get that done by Friday.
This last week my spinning wheel came in the mail. It is so neat! I could sit for hours spinning on it. It is pretty relaxing actually. I tried making a few small skeins of yarn, but they look really ugly. The ladies on Ravelry tell me that my first yarns will be special, and once I get it down I may never make novelty yarn again. Novelty yarn...that must be the nice way of saying ugly lumpy yarn...lol! I am excited to take my wheel to the reenactments though. Even if I can't make pretty, useable yarn yet.
This last weekend, my parents took my two boys for a couple of days. They had such a blast hanging out with my parents. They called me at one point during their visit to tell me that Grandpa had given them each a butterfinger! spoiled! But I am glad that they could get spoiled a bit. It's memories like those that will stay with them forever.
On one of the days, my parents took the boys, my sister, and her two kids up to a reservoir to canoe and play. My sister took some really beautiful pictures of the reservoir and the kids. She took one picture that I think is just amazing. It's a picture of my Dad fly fishing. She caught it at just the right spot ( It's down below) so you can see the fly line in the air.
That's about it for now! We have been homeschooling maybe twice a week over the last few weeks, so I I don't have any big homeschooling announcements or things to share about that. After our big reenactment weekend I hope I can sit down again and get things organized in my mind and on paper when it comes to our next homeschooling year.
If all goes well, we will be able to take part in the entire reenactment this time. Hopefully none of my family members will get sick. I will be sure to take LOTS of pictures of us in our outfits. I really want to get a family picture of us. Then I can do some photoshop work on it and make it look old.
We have been without a church fellowship for a while. It's been hard, because it seems like every church we would go to, there was something major that we disagreed with. Some were non charismatic, some emergent. One church wouldn't address the inmodest clothing wore by the ladies in it's congregation. And one has a pastor who preaches his own agenda and pushes the gap theory from the pulpit. We thought we would never find a church fellowship.
Yesterday we went to a church that we visited a couple of years ago. The people there are wonderful! They are all like minded, quiverful, homeschooling families. The only thing that was a bummer, was that the preaching was pretty shallow. Full of unecessary stories and jokes. The scripture passages weren't even talked about really. But the people there are awesome! Although the preaching wasn't the best, I think that we are willing to endure the preaching in order to be with the people (which is what God's church really is anyway!). As long as my husband can keep teaching his in depth bible study every week, I think we can handle the preaching at this church.
After church we went to the local park to have a picnic with some other friends. When we got there, the park was packed! There was a couple of family reunions, but mostly the park was filled with christians from different churches. There was even a hispanic church worshiping the Lord in spanish.
We found out that there was going to be some baptisms. So we walked over and watched. That was the coolest thing, to know that even though we don't go to their church building, we could sit with them and celebrate the baptisms together as God's church.
As you can see, I did have a birthday this last week. 31! I always have people ask..do you feel older? I don't feel any different. Except maybe the fact that I have to now worry a little about tripping and falling. I fell down outside on our driveway a few weeks ago, and I actually got scared that I was going to break something. I landed on my hands, so my wrists were sore for a little while.
Adam really spoiled me this birthday though. He gave me the choice. Either he can buy me a serger sewing machine, or a spinning wheel. As much as have really grown to love sewing, there really wasn't a choice in my mind. I want the spinning wheel!! So that is what I got. We had to order it, and I am anxiously waiting for it to arrive at my door. This will be something that I can take to the reenactments too. It has a double purpose! I'll have to post some pictures once we get it stained and running.
Thank you to everyone for the sweet birthday wishes. Especially to Nancy! One of my favorite web friends in the world!
To one of the most wonderful, dedicated and hard working women I know! Dearest Ali, I wanted to wish you a very Happy Birthday today. I also wanted to take the time to say, Thanks! for all you've done for me and all you've done to help me out when I have needed it. I know I probably get on your nerves at times, but I really try to not get on them all at once...LOL .
Because of your wonderfully creative flair I'm giving you this award. It's called the Arte Y Pico Award. The award is dedicated to those who "nourish and enrich the spirit of creativity." You're supposed to pass it on to 5 people but since today is your birthday you don't have to, unless you just want to.
I also wanted you to have a very special cake too, so here is my virtual cake to you!!!
You've been so blessed with a hard working, loving, and faithful husband and so far, four absolutely gorgeous children! I know that God will continue to bless you in whatever way He has planned for you.
I hope you have a wonderful birth-day!!!
Love to you always, Nancy
I almost have my 2nd dress done. All I have left do is finish hand stitching the black decoration around the hem. I really need to have Adam take pictures of me modeling my dresses. This green dress has turned out better than my brown one. Probably because I know more about how it all goes together.
Today I tried to sew Ethan a shirt. ACK! That placket thingy has got my really confused. Does anyone know any good tips on sewing a shirt placket? I sewed it on, and it's all lumpy and full of tucks.
This last weekend, Adam and I had our first experience trying to make blueberry jam. We spent the day gathering the things we would need to can, and then went out and picked blueberries at a local farm. With six of us picking the bowls filled up real quick. We ended up with 10 pounds of blueberries. The next day we made the jam. It turned out a little runny, but it sure tastes good! Maybe that is because of the 5 cups of sugar that the recipe calls for. That shocked me a bit when I saw that one batch of jam needs 5 cups of sugar.
Next week the kids and I are heading over to some friends' house to make and can applesauce. I want to learn how to can all sorts of things. I'd love to have canned sauces, fruit, pie fillings, and veggies. My mom gave me a pressure canner a long time ago, but I have been afraid to use it. Aren't those things dangerous to use? Or CAN be dangerous? I have no idea how to use it. But I do know that I want canned green beans! And that (from what I hear) requires a pressure canner.
We have only homeschooled once so far this week. I just haven't been motivated, and the kids aren't motivated. I hate it when I get in this sort of rut....but we are going to have to snap out of it soon.
I have about 5 blog templates in progress once again. The last one I did turned out SO good...I think it's one of my favorites now! I have a snap shot of it on my website, and a link to it too. The retro look is very cute. I might have to go with that theme sometime soon!
I just finished the girls' dresses, and wanted to share pictures with you all. They are not the best, but they will do. The waists are supposed to be higher than they are. Right now they rest at the girls' hips.
Yesterday I received a shirt pattern for Adam and the boys in the mail. The pattern looks super easy. It's basically squares sewn together. After I get the hang of the dresses and shirts, perhaps I'll attempt to make pants. They look complicated to me.
Right now, I am working on another dress for myself. It's made out of the same plaid material as Anna's dress above, except green.
It's been about 19 months now since our vasreversal. Still no pregnancy. I try SO hard not to get depressed and down hearted when this time of the month rolls around. The time when I am a day or two out from getting my cycle again. I have done alot of praying that God would bless us, and give us a miracle. But I am finding myself praying more and more that God will allow me to content, and satisfied with what ever His will is. I also find myself praying that if it is God's will that I don't have any more children, that He will take away a part of my desire. Sometimes the desire is SO very strong, that it is hard to function and complete the tasks that are before me. I am sure that everyone who is familiar with the emotions that come along with infertility understands. When I see a pregnant woman, or hear of a new birth, I get a knot in the pit of my stomach. I am not sure what the Lord has in mind for us, so we will continue to wait on Him.
Awhile ago, I did templates to raise money for us, to help us start the adoption process. That was put on hold when we found out from the doctor that there isn't any reason why we shouldn't be able to concieve on our own. So I took my donations and gave it to a family we know that is adopting a special needs child from China. I am so excited to give you all an update! Right now, at this very moment they are in China. Today (Sunday here, Monday there) they are actually picking up their son. They will be back in two weeks, and we will be able to celebrate with them. Their little boy has a cleft pallete that will require quite a few surgeries. It blesses my heart to be able to help them financially. James 1:27 says "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." I am convinced that adopting goes far beyond pure and undefiled religion. Not only are they visiting the orphans, but they are making the orphans part of their home. Part of their family. I am honored to be able to be apart of it. Even if it is just helping with a little of the finances.
I want to leave this option open to anyone interested. If you would like to donate (even if it's just a dollar) financially to help this wonderful family offset some of the costs of the pending surgeries for their new son, you can send a donation through my paypal, with a note stating "For Nathaniel". I will gladly send any donations straight to them. I can't think of any better place to send tithe money to!
On Saturday, we dropped our girls off at my parents house. They were able to spend 2 days with Grandma and Grandpa. They had such a fun time playing out in the country.
It was a really strange feeling to only have two kids for a couple of days. It was quieter in the house, and we didn't get any funny looks in public. I always think it's funny how people out in public give us such funny looks because they think we have a large family. When I think of my friends, and alot of friends here on HSB and the sizes of their families, my family is small. We would LOVE To have a larger family!
While the girls were having fun with the grandparents, the boys and I stayed home and vegged out. I was able to start working on the girls' civil war dresses (which I am almost done with now), and get my new pattern cut out. The more I look at these patterns, and put the dresses together, the more I understand how it works. The question is...will I ever get good enough to make myself a ball gown??
Yesterday morning when I woke up, I saw a huge trail of ants surround my refridgerator. I have heard that you could make a peppermint spray out of water and peppermint essential oil that confuses their trail so they stop coming in. I decided to just try the straight peppermint oil to see what would happen. Gabe sucked up all of the ants with the vaccuum cleaner, and then I had him paint the peppermint oil all around the perimeter of the floor with a Q-tip. So far...the ants have stopped coming! Isn't that amazing? I have yet to go check this morning, but I am guessing that they are still gone. It also made my home smell good.
Jul. 15, 2008 - Kumon Math Review ~ Perfect solution for summer schooling!
This was a huge blessing, to be able to review Kumon math. Madeline had finished her 2nd grade Saxon Math, and I didn't have anything prepared for her to do. I am wanting to get her the 4th grade Teaching Textbook curriculum, but that won't be available until the end of the year. So I prayed that God would provide a way to keep her going, and bridge that gap between Saxon and Teaching Textbooks. God answered my prayers giving me the opportunity to review Kumon Math. We have been using the 3rd grade Kumon Math workbooks this summer.
Madeline has been using the addition and subtraction, while Ethan has been using the division. Madeline has really taken to the book. She loves the little buddies at the bottoms of the pages, and loves the fact that we can check all of her answers when she is done.
Although I think that Kumon wouldn't be a good candidate for being used as a sole math curriculum, it is PERFECT for solidifying math facts, and can be used during the summer to keep those math facts fresh in their minds before starting a new school year. The pages are very simple and straight forward. Both Madeline and Ethan fly through the work in no time at all.
I thought it would be fun, to do a video review of the Kumon Math books. I wasn't able to upload them to my own server (need to learn more about that one), so I used You Tube. I have never used You Tube before, so this is a first for me!
We were looking SO forward to the reenactment over the 4th of July. My dress was perfect, the boys had their pants and suspenders (which looked adorable!), Adam was ready to battle, and we were all set to enjoy our time.
We got there on the 4th, and had a blast. Adam was in two battles (I have a video to share along with that). The first one he was told that since he is a beginner, he needed to be a casualty right away. But the next one, he was able to fire his gun, and stay alive.
As the evening approached, Gable started complaining of a stomach ache. I was hopeful that maybe he was just tired and maybe a little dehydrated. But that wasn't the case. He started throwing up right there at the reenactment. So that day was cut short. We missed the night fire, and the celebration time.
By the time we got home, Madie started complaining about her tummy hurting. For the rest of the night, Adam and I were tending to two kids with stomach flu. We were hopeful that they would feel better on the 5th, but they didn't. So we stayed home.
Sunday was the last day of the reenactment, and we were once again hoping that the kids would feel better enough to go so we could do church there, as well as watch Adam have another try at the battles. But guess who got the stomach flu!?!? Me!!! It was terrible!!! We got to spend ONE day at the reenactment.
We are all doing better now. A bit bummed out that we didn't get to stay longer. Adam, Ethan, and Anna haven't come down with the sickness, and I am praying that they won't.
There is another reenactment coming up on Labor Day weekend. Lord willing, we will be able to enjoy the whole even this time. Maybe I can even get a couple of dresses made by then!
This first video is one of the battles. Those guys sure get into it! Adam said one guy that he was standing next to kept saying "I'm gonna get you rebs!" How funny!
My house is never spotless. My book shelves are always a mess. You can always count on finding at least 2 piles of clutter somewhere. The word Schedule is not in my vocabulary. I am not an organized person.
That is why I am excited to hear that Cindy Ruston is giving a webinar this weekend (July 11-12) on getting your homeschool organized for the new year!
If you have never heard Cindy Rushton speak, you are missing out. She says things in such a sweet, encouraging, and understandable way. Her virtual seminars are the best!
If you are interested in learning more about her upcoming webinar titled "Let's get organized for the new school year" visit her webiste here.
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That shocked me a bit when I saw that one batch of jam needs 5 cups of sugar. 
