Hello, I am still around.  It has been so long snice I have posted anything.  We are still doing good and hanging in there.  It has been some ups and downs snice the last time that I was here.

In November we took a dog off the street and began to look after her.  She was a great little dog and wanted lots of love.  But the day after Thanksgiving she got very sick.  We try to save her but the vet said she was too far gone.  We had her put to sleep.  I wondered why she came into ours lives just too leave so quickly.  Then God showed me that if it wasn't for us, she would have died cold and alone.  And before she died we gave her what she really wanted, love.   I felt such peace.  Then God blessed us with another little puppy at Christmas.  His name is Jack and he is such a great addition to our family.  Our older dog Max thinks that Jack is his baby.  Most night Max will play with him and then lick him until he is soaking wet.  Right not they are both chewing on a bone. 

Another happening in our family is that we are a one income family again.  During the last couple of years I have worked for my sister watching her son.  She would bring him over here so I could still be at home.  Well right after Christmas she started making it really hard for me to work.  I won't go into any details but I just could not work for her with a clear conscience.  I prayed about it and God shut that door.  Not only did He shut it but locked it.  The bad news here is no extra income.  The good news is that I am able to focus more on my dh and dc.  And I know that God will prvide all of our needs.  I feel so much peace now then I did before.

Other happenings my ds who has struggled to read is reading better then he ever has.  It is still a slow climb, but we are getting somewhere.  I just praise God for all of His help. 

Though the many ups and downs of the past few months God has show us His love and peace.  I can never thank Him enough.  I am very excitied to see what the new year hold for us. 

Well I guess I better get off of here.  I hope that you all have a great weekend.

Hope

snice I was here.  We have been very busy.  It seems like this time of the year it starts and doesn't let up until the January 2.  The boys have been busy with scouts.  They have already been on a camping trip and have made the first stew for the year.  We have a freezer packed with stew already and we have many more months to go.  But we never get tried of it.  In fact, sometime during the summer somebody always makes a commit about wishing we had stew. 

School is going great.  My youngest ds is still having problems reading.  He is doing better, but I am still concered about him.  I am checking into some places to get him tested.  I am a little nervous about that.  So please pray that God will lead us in the right direction. 

I pray that everybody is doing great.  I will be back today (I hope) to check on everybody.  I better get off here and get busy with school.  The boys are heading outside and I need to catch them. LOL 

Have a great day!!

Hope

I have wanted to post about how much God has blessed us the last few weeks.  But just felt like I didn't have time.  Shame on me!!  I should always make time for sharing what God has done. 

A couple of weeks ago, our air conditioner went out.  And believe me it was hot in here.  We had one window unit in our bedroom and that was it.  My mother did provide two of her fans.  We lived in front of those fans.  The biggest problem with the air conditioner going out is we had no money to fix it.  My dh talk to a few people.  They would tell him things to do.  He would do it and nothing.  We finally got a person to come and look at it.  The news was not good.  We need to replace the whole unit.  YIKES!!!  That is some major cash.  What was we going to do????  Pray!!  And we did!!  Nothing!!  It went on for a week. Then another week.  By the end of the week, I was crazy.  I was just giving up on God fixing the problem.  Then it hit me.  I was praying wrong.  I was praying that God would do this or do that to fix our problem.  I needed to pray that God would do it His way.  So I did.  No matter what God had this problem and He was going to do it His way.  And everything was going to be okay, even if it meant that the air conditioner would not be fixed.  That was going to be a hard one, but I would do my best to be content. 

That was Sunday.  On Monday, my dh called me and told me that somebody was going to let us borrow the money.  He had not even ask the person.  Praise God!!  The answer had come.  That was what I thought.  God had another plan.  We waited another week for the man to come.  He didn't!  Labor day weekend came and went. On Tuesday I called another person and he was here within 15 minutes.  He looked it over and said that it was a very simple problem.  And he would have it fixed before he left.  Seems that the heat and air was on the same time.  He charged us very little to fix the problem. So little we could pay for it.  When I walked back into the house I did a Praise the Lord happy dance.  God had did it the best way, His way. 

Somebody told me the other day, they were sorry that I had to go though that.  I told her that I was not.  I learned some much during that time. That God loves us and He cares about everything in our life.  That we might have to go thought the fire but God would protect us the whole way.  That God's way was always the best way. 

Tonight I am sating here in a cool house.  So cool that I have to put my sweater on.  But I am enjoying my shivers.  God is good!!!!

Blessings!!!
Hope

Where was I five years ago?  My boys were in school and my dd who was just a few months old was asleep.  I was folding clothes and watching tv.  I remember looking at the tv and thinking what country in being bomb now.  And then I realized it was us.  It seem like everthing stopped.  I picked up my dd and held her.  I wondered should I go and get my boys from school. 

At that moment I felt as if the world was coming to an end.  I prayed and felt the peace of God.  I knew also that my mom was going to eat lunch with them that day.  My dh was out of town and I worried about him getting home.  It wasn't long that I heard from him and he said that he was catching a ride with somebody he knew.   My dh came home that night.  I was very thankful to have all of my family home. 

 I prayed for the many families that would not see their love ones again.  I pray today for those families. 

I pray that we will never forget that day.

God Bless!

Hope

Just wanted to let you all know that they found both boys in the river.  It is very heartbreaking. 

Link to story:  http://www.wfmy.com/

Last night my dc wanted to all sleep in the living room.  Before I went to bed I looked at them all sleeping.  I just thank God that they were all safe and sound.  I just can't imagine what their parents are going though. Please keep them in your prayers. 

Thanks so much for praying!

Blessings!

Hope

Which is not much of an update.  There is still no sign of the two lost boys (see link below).  It is very hearkbreaking.  Please keep praying!

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I have been tagged by callmekate!!  My first tag!!

Five things in my freezer:

1. Frozen chicken
2. Corn from our garden this year.
3. Frozen hambuger patties
4. Empty ice trays
5. A lot of food that needs to be thrown out. I am scared to look to deep in there.

Five things in my closet:

(Just cleaned it out today, so this should be easy.)

1. Clothes that fit me. (Will almost!  Got rid of all too small things.)
2. A small basket full of lost socks.
3. My dd's first Easter dress! She is five now.  I might need to pack that up.
4. Shoes  More like flip flops.  My favorite foot wear for the summer.
5. Extra blankets for cold nights.

Five things in my car (in this case, van):

1. Sunday school papers.  The kids leave them in there on Sundays
2. Towel from sating on.  I didn't roll up the windows the other day and it rain.
3. Empty to go cup from eating out.
4. A few pennies maybe a dime or two.
5. Junk that needs to be cleaned out.

Five things in my purse:

1. Two checkbooks. No money in the banks!!
2. Pen
3. dd's shot record.  Need to take it out and put it up.  She had her Kindergarten shots Tuesday.  She was a brave girl.
4. Hand Santizer

5. Junk.

Five things in my wallet:

1. No pictures! Don't carry them. My purse got stolen when I was a teen.  I had pictures of that could never be replace in it.  So I do not carry them now.
2. My debt card. Love that card!
3. Library Card! My next favorite card!
4. Old appointment cards
5. No money!!  Maybe a penny or two!!

That was fun!!  Had to think about a few of them.  It is funny you see it everyday, but when ask it makes you think. Nice ending to the day.

Going to bed now!!

Have a great night!!

Hope

I am posting a quick post for now.  We are getting ready for church.  I will be back tonight to check on everybody.

I wanted to ask everyone to pray for the two missing boys that live close to us.  Here is a link to the story:

http://www.wfmy.com/news/local_state/article.aspx?storyid=70593

Please pray for these little boys and their family.  It is so sad.  Please past this link and pray request along.  My dh is going tonight and help seach. 

Thank you so much!!!

I will be back to post some more tonight.

Blessings to all!

Hope

I don't have time to write much right now.  Hopefully I will this weekend and I will tell you all about our crazy first week.  I just wanted to post a picture of our new favorite homeschool item.

It is a card game I brought at Wal-Mart at the beginning of the summer.  After we brought it, we never played it.  I found it this past weekend and thought it would be fun to do.  The boys love it.  They ask to play it every morning.  And it really helps get their minds working.  I am really learning that it doesn't always take a $100 math program.  Sometimes it is just a $2.99 set of math cards.

Have a great night!
Hope

Today I wroke up late and got behind before my feet hit the floor.  When I got behind I sort of just gave up.  When I sort of gave up, I got lazy.  When I got lazy, my list was not getting done.  As I sat at my computer wasting away my day, my dd was busy.  She was busy cleaning her room.  I heard her in there but thought that she was playing.  She came running out and saying, "Mama, Mama, I cleaned my room!"  She told me to come and look.  And it was clean, very clean.  I hugged her and told her how proud of was of her. I had not told her to clean her room.  As I went back to the computer I felt so happy that she is becoming such a big girl, but sad because I was doing nothing.  So I cut the computer off and went to work.  I got one more room finished.  And I felt so much better!  It is funny how I think I am here to teach my children things and they end up teaching me some things.

My List

1. Clean the school room (Done)
2. Organize books, etc
3. Finish making lesson plans, etc (Half Done)
4. Clean the rest of the house (4 rooms down, 3 more to go)
5. Much much more things I need to do that I just can't think of right now
6. Clean up dd's room (Done! Not by me but by Rose!)
7. Clean Closet

Hurray for Rose!!!

Blessings!

Hope

My List is growing!!!!

1. Clean the school room (Done)
2. Organize books, etc
3. Finish making lesson plans, etc (Half Done)
4. Clean the rest of the house (2 rooms down, 5 more to go)
5. Much much more things I need to do that I just can't think of right now
6. Clean up dd's room
7. Clean Closet

I keep telling myself, "I will get it done, I will get it done."  

Have a good one!

Hope

and I feel that I am not going to be ready!    I still have so much to do before next Monday.  And it didn't help matters that I spent the last 2 days in bed sick.  Feeling a lot better now and ready to get busy tomorrow. 

My List

1. Clean the school room
2. Organize books, etc
3. Finish making lesson plans, etc
4. Clean the rest of the house
5. Much much more things I need to do that I just can't think of right now

Well going to bed now so I can get up and get busy!!! 

Have a bless night!!
Hope

I want to tell you all about my dh's cousin.  Her name is Connie Peebles and she is a wonderful songwriter.  She has wrote many beautiful country songs.  I love her songs so much.  The reason is that her songs come from her heart.  She doesn't pull the words out of thin air.  She has truly lived these songs.  One of my favorites is, "Last Night I was Awoken by a Dream".  This song is about her father who has went to be with the Lord last October.  I love this songs because my father past away 10 years ago.  It touches my heart because after my father died I also had a dream about him.  In the dream he told me that he was happy and was not sick anymore.  That songs helps me remember my dream and know that my father is better off.  There are not many songwriters that can really put into words what life is all about.  But Connie does.  So please visit her at her website.

http://www.songpartners.com/Connie%20Peebles%20Promo.htm

You can get to know her and listen to her songs that she has wrote.  If you like what you hear please let people at Song Partners know.  They will also let her know as well.  She is a great person.  I am so thankful to have her in my life. 

God Bless!!

Hope

until school starts.  One minute I can't wait.  And then the next minute, I wish we had more time.  Not all of our books will be here when school starts and that has me nervous.  But then I feel a strange confindence that it is going to be okay.  I plan on using what we have (which is not much).  For the rest we plan on some trips to the library, using the Boy Scout handbook, and some nature study.  Sam wants to study sharks, so we might make our first notebook.  I know we can put off school until books arrive.  But it is time we take a deep breath and jump into this year.  Even though the kids don't act like it, I think they are ready too.  Or is that me wishfully thinking. LOL 

My birthday is tomorrow!!!!  I can't wait!!!

God Bless!!

Hope

Family Night!

  Me, Rose, JJ, and Sam

Leaving for camp!

JJ, James (my dh), and Sam

Hello!  It has been a few days snice I have been here.  We went down for family night at the camp.  We had a great time.  My youngest ds, Sam, run to meet us.  My oldest, JJ, was happy to see us, but he was being "cool" .  Before we ate, we got to take a tour around the camp.  It is a big camp.  The boys told me they had to walk 5 miles a day to their classes.  After that we got to eat with them and then they had a program.  While we were there it came a big storm.  It was a major one!!  So everybody had to go inside for the programs.  But the storm didn't damper our good time.

Friday night they came home about 7:30.  Bringing with them dirty and smelly clothes.  My dh told me to open the door and window to the the landry room before opening up their backpacks.  And I am glad I took his advice. LOL  So I had landry duty  the weekend.  We finally got it all done on Sunday. 

It is so good to have them home.  My dd and I had fun having us some girl time.  But we were ready for them to come home.  I will have pictures soon.  We are going to get the rest develop tonight.  I will post more soon!

Hope everyone is having a great day!

Blessings!

Hope

And we are going to see the boys today.  It is family night at the camp.  I am so happy!!!   We are leaving at 4 today.  As I type this, it is 2:23.  Today has went by soooooooooo slow.  I can't wait!!!

Sunday my pastor gave me a picture of my dh when he was in Boy Scouts.  My pastor use to work with the scouts.  I thought it would be fun to post it.  My dh said that he was about 14.  It was taken on one of their camping trips.  He so cute!!!

Well I better get off of here and get ready. Knowing me I waited all day to get ready, but will still be late leaving.  LOL

Hope you all have a great day!

Blessings!

Hope

they went yesterday.  My husband, boys and a truck packed.  They were all so happy about going.  I work up yesterday morning and really had to pray for God to give me the strength to say goodbye.  I know I am crazy.  They will be gone a week and I will get to see them Thrusday.  But it was still hard to let them go.  I miss them! 

Last night my dd had two friends spent the night, so I was busy with that.  Which was good.  They all had a good time.  I thought they would be wild and crazy, but they were very good.  They all went to sleep very fast.  I guess swimming in the pool made them tired.  That little Wal-Mart pool was a good thing this summer.  Because after the kids get in it, they are ready for bed. 

Well better get ready for bed.  Have a good night!

God Bless!
Hope

Happy 4th of July!!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!!

After church today, we went to Walmart to get the rest of what my boys need for camp.  The list they got from scouts was a long one.  I thought camping was living without a lot of things.  Here is the list.

2 complete summer scout uniforms

6 extra t-shirts

4 pairs of extra shorts/pants

8 pairs of socks

8 sets of underwear

2 handkerchiefs

hiking boots

close toed shoes

swim trunks

2 towels (swimming and bath)

sleepwear

1 pair of long pants

sleeping bag

2 sheets and light-weight blanket

pillow with case

sweatshirt or jacket

raincoat of poncho

hat

dry pack

watch with alarm

water bottle

fashlight with extr batteries

insect repellant

pocket knife

pencil and paper

Scout handbook

merit badge pamphets

book of faith

laundry money

spending money

camera and film

suntan lotion

camp chair

1 wash cloth

comb and brush

soap and soap dish

toothbrush

toothpaste

deodorant

Now that is a list of stuff.  I just want to know how they are going to get all that stuff into their backpacks.  But my dh is great a getting a lot packed into small spaces.  We went camping for the weekend last year.  If it wasn't for my dh getting what we needed, we would have went without a lot of things.  He thinks of everything.  You know a Boy Scout, "Always be prepared!"  I am so glad he is good at things like this, because I am not.  I either pack way to much or not enough.  See God knew what He was doing when He put us together.  By the way we just celebrated out 13th weddding anniversary!!! 

Hope everyone has a blessed day!

Hope

The neighborhood is drying out and the lawn mowers are going full speed today.  My boys just finished mowing our grass.  This has become their new job this summer.  Last year they would mow a little.  Now that they are getting older, they can do the whole job.  Of course with my dh standing close by.  When I see them mowing it just reminds me of how fast they are growing up.  I am so proud of them but I would like to slow down the growing a little. 

Next Sunday they will leave for a week to go to Boy Scout camp.  They are very happy but I will be glad when they are back home.  My dh is going with them with does make me feel better.  I know that it will be good for them.  They really need to have time with their daddy.  But it is just another step in the growing up.  Okay need to stop taking about this or I will cry.

Today it is time to take another family picture.  I am looking forward to having them done.  I am just praying that my hair will behave today. 

Hope everyone has a great day!

Hope