We now have an adventure going on at our house.  Building a pool!  A relative of my husbands is giving us a Kayak Pool.  This pools retails for 15000.00 new!  Of course this one is several years old but we are so excited!  They were moving and the new owners wanted the yard without the pool and was going to destroy it so they gave it to us!   The previous owners have had so many great memories in this pool with their kids and nephews and we are hoping for the same.  We truly want the pool to be a blessing not only to us but our friends and families as well!  We are hoping for lots of pool parties.  After finding out the cost to bring the pool here and set it up (crazy expensive)  we decided to go for it ourselves.  Of course we are nervous but excited!  My husband's brother who is so talented in anything for the home is going to help us and someone from church who is going to do our digging and just plain labor from our whole family (really hoping to include the kids)  we are going to build this pool and put on a new deck (ours is so old it is a safety hazard)  So my husband, his brother, and my dad have done everything to get it down and to our house.  So I thought I would share with you our pool journey.  Here is the beginning! 

Doesn't look easy, does it?  We are up for the challenge!  Well........I Hope!

This day is BEAUTIFUL, wow!  I just want to go out and soak up the warmth and sunshine.  We are grilling out tonight, so excited to have some food from our charcoal grill, yum!  The smell and taste of summer. 

 I was working on my to do list and saw my older son outside by himself, I thought you know the years are going by so fast-I threw my to do list down and went out and swung on the swingset with him.  We sure don't do that enough, do we?  We get so caught up in what needs to be done we don't take enough time to enjoy the sunshine and our children.  I know I can sure be a Martha instead of Mary.   I sure don't want to have regrets-Sometimes our to do list can wait!  So go out and enjoy some precious moments with your children!  Time is one thing we can never get back!

I have a great giveaway going on HERE.

This week's assignment is to talk about our pets. 

First there is Max, our pure bred labrador retriever.  He is a great family dog, he is just wonderful with the kids.  Of course he loves water and one of the funny things he does is lay down to drink his water, how lazy is that!  He is a beautiful dog.

Next is Mobly, Mobly was found as a kitten in our garbage in 1997 around Thanksgiving time.  He was very cold and hungry and when we took him to the vet they felt he was around 6 months old.  He has been with us every since.  He is more my husbands cat, he loves him.  He is very laid back and doesn't have as much energy now that he is 11 yrs old.  Mobly will only drink out of the bathroom sink, where water flows out so every morning when you go in you have to turn the sink on for him!  He has always been that way!

Last is Aslan.  He is a beautiful tabby cat, I love him.  He is only 2.  My oldest son has such a bond with him.  He climbs up the steps of his top bunk on the bunk bed every night to see him, its so cute.  He loves the kids too which seems rare for a cat.  I think it helps we got him after having a house that was full.  He seems to always want to be in  room with people and loves us being home.  He will be looking at the window when we drive up.  

Don't forget about my glade giveaway below, just leave a comment to enter!

We got a Wii for Christmas from my dad.  We are really enjoying it, it is truly the 1st game system I feel is very family oriented.  I like the game choices and how we can play games that get us moving as a family.  We have had some great times with it.  Recently a friend of mine that has many medical and depression issues along with my mom came over for a night of Wii playing.  I was upstairs at one point while everyone else was downstairs playing and I could hear laughter and yelling (in a good way) and I could hear my friend and my mom just laughing and being so care free.  I can't tell you how it made me feel.  It was so great having something that just made others forget their cares for one evening and have a great time. 

I think it's wonderful when we can use our resources in our home to help others just have a great time where they can forget their problems.  It can be our pool, ping pong table, Wii, even inviting a friend over to watch a video that can uplift them.  I'm learning alot about hospitality and I hope my home can bless others, it does my heart good when I hear others laughter and see people relax in my home.    It's also a wonderful time to pray for someone, share scripture and always be a place for people to come when they need an encouraging word! 

So invite your family and friends over (don't worry about the mess)  Just have a great time!

 My youngest and only daughter is FIVE years old today!  I just can NOT believe it.   I was so excited to find out I was having a little girl back in 2004 and let me tell you, she is GIRL.  She loves dress up, princesses, dolls, and anythng girly.   She is also a little artist (I love looking through her art work-flowers, people, butterflies (all the wonderful things us ladies love)  I look forward to the days of more tea parties, girl to girl chats and when she is a young woman-friendship.  Most of all I pray she will have a heart for Christ at a young age!  Happy Birthday Baby Girl-we sure LOVE you.

This week use the ABC’s to describe your character, your life, your homeschool, and your family. Next to each letter of the alphabet put a word that describes you or has something to do with you. It was very amusing and a bit tricky. Once you actually get to a letter your mind goes blank!

Amusing

Busy

Coop

Delightful

Extra Good!

Fun

Growing

Homeschool Crew

Interesting

Jesus

Kitties

Loving it!

My Fathers World

Notebooking

October (my favorite)

Prayers

Quiet Time

Reading great books!

Science Experiments

Teaching

Unit studies

Van

World Wide Web

Xerox Copies

Yearning

Zealous

Don't forget to enter my contest here for a pair of Polliwalks!

Wow, this week's assignment is fun!  We get to tell you our favorite candy!  I LOVE it!

Do you notice a trend here?  I LOVE Chocolate!  I really don't think any other candy exist, does it?

This weeks assignment is to award our family members with special titles that they have earned in the family!

First there is my dh!  He is awarded with the title Super Chef!  We would starve if it wasn't for is great cooking!  I do cook but he does it more and better!  We all love his cooking and we do not take it for granted.  I know how blessed I am to have a hubby that loves to cook!  His dad and brother love to also, its in the family.

 My Sam gets the Hook us Up Reward.  He is our electronic KIng.  Mom doesn't know how to make the dvd/vcr work or minor computer issues and he is on it!  He sets up the kids computer games, videos, etc.  He also gets my Sweet Spirit Award, he is a very loving kind hearted child and feels deeply for people and animals.

 Our Zach gets the build it mechanic award.  He loves to build with legos and knex and LOVES cars.  He already knows many makes and models and he is only 6.   

My Allie gets the best imagination award.  She makes up great stories and sometimes she asked me to write them down.  They are so sweet!  I know we will treasure having them someday.  She loves to play pretend and dress up!

This week's assignments are to tell about the games we love to play that help us in our education!

Well of course we love Scrabble (wonderful with voc and spelling)

Games can still be a challenge because two of my children are still young and don't always comprehend all game playing. 

Of course we love the classics/  Candy Lane, Chutes and Ladders, Don't Spill the Bean, and the Count Cherry game (name escapes me)  These all help with counting and sportmanship and following directions.

My oldest and I love the Jr. Apples and Apples (going to review that soon), monopoly (which of course teaches all kinds of things) and dominoes.

We used to have a family game day where my brother and his wife would come over and we would all play different board games together, we will have to do that again soon.  Its lots of fun!  We love monopoly, trivia pursuit (well my brother and I love that one)  no one else does!  Pictionary, Taboo, Apples and Apples, and so many more. 

I think games are a wonderful quality thing to do with your children.  Here is a one of my game shelves.

My son had his first Taekwondo's tournament this past weekend.  We were so proud of him-I felt he did really good but didn't realize how good.  He received two first place trophies!  He is such a sweet child and it was so fun to see him get this!  He worked really hard for it too!  Here is a picture of his big day!

We had so much fun with this Family Day/Night.  We had a day where we decorated our house for the fall, then made carmel apples with Kraft carmels.  When it got dark we watched It's the Great Pumkin Charlie Brown.  The kids had a blast, we called it our Fall theme day!

Our last family night was a picnic and night at the park!  It was beautiful fall temperatures and we had a wonderful time.  We know we won't be having too many family nights outside too much longer because the temps will be too cold but this last night was perfect!

I put out a blanket under a beautiful tree and we ate subs and chips, then we went to my kids favorite park.  Here are some pics!

 This week's assignment is to to a photo essay on our summer, well I just did a slide show on some of our summer so I thought I would just link to that!   We really did enjoy our summer!

You may have to wait a second for the slideshow to begin!

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/byourlove1/587532/

Heidi is hosting the meme about disney.  You can share your tips, pictures, your dream of going-anything at all.  This week its about MGM or the new name Disney Hollywood Studios.  We went back in 2006 and here are some of our pics.  We dream of going again in Jan of 2010.  I can't wait to hear how Heidi's Jan. trip goes so I can learn from it!

We loved MGM.  Its a small park and you can do the whole park in one day, it was also the least crowded.  We went at a busy time so most of the parks were packed!  We thought going in Feb would be great but didn't think about Presidents Day weekend and we were sorry.  I have done more research now and I hear Jan and Sept are the months to go.  Of course there are pro's and con's of each.  I love to hear advice so if you have any leave me a comment!

It was really hard to pick my favorite pics from MGM, but I tried, I know I have too many!

This is my late mother-in-law.  I love this picture, she was always so much fun and this picture captured that!

My boys loved Toy Story and Mosters Inc at this time so to meet all these characters was just a blast for them!

This weeks assignment at homeschoolblogawards is to share some of our favorite things.  This sounds like fun-I would love to share some of my favorites with you!

I just did an entry on all the things I love about Fall, I'm posting it tomorrow-you will have to stop back and check it out!

I love

God (of course)

Blogging!

Starbucks Vanilla Frappacinos  (YUM)

Diet Coke (I know soda is bad for me, but I do love it)

Homeschooling!  I love everything about it.

The season FALL!  So glad its coming!

My flylady Calendar  (its the best for my kitchen)

scented candles  (especially Yankee and these special ones I get at a shop in Nashville, Indiana)

Baths (I love to soak)  Pure pleasure

Reading great books for myself and to my children!

My kids laughter

My dear Hubby of course!

The Word of God!

My Church!

Spending time with Family and Friends!

Fleece and flannel blankets and sheets!

Comfy Socks!

Christmas!

Cookie Dough Ice Cream!

America!  I don't care what anyone says.  Its the greatest Country on Earth-I pray it stays that way!

Scrapbooking and taking picture!

Music-all kinds.  I love country, hymms, Contemp gospel, oldies, pop!  You name it, there is some I love from all of it!

I love brooks, the kind that have the rocks and the water flowing down them, so peaceful!

Well I could go on and on and on but I will stop there!  Can't wait to see some of yours, I'm sure you will remind me how many I missed!

Friday my son tested for the green belt and he earned it!  He did so good and we were so proud!  Here are some pics from the testing.

I thought it sounded like fun to partcipate in the homeschool blog award assignments.  It sounds like a great way to get to know fellow homeschoolers and bloggers.

My name is Angela and I have been married 14 years.  I have three children-a fourth grader, a 1st grader and a preschooler.  I have been homeschooling since my oldest started school so this will be my 5th year.  I love homeschooling, I really do.  We start next week for the is school year and I'm so excited!  We love the Charlotte Mason approach where there is real living books, nature study and gentle learning so there is time for special interest and learning life!  This is why we do the My Father's World curriculum, we feel as a family this has all of the above with a Biblical Worldview!  We learn history from Creation and on!  Its also wonderful to teach multi ages, 2-8th all learn together!

I love to encourage ones that are considering homeschooling and I want the world to know that you can truly LOVE doing it!   I have a passion for sharing the message and actually love to public speak especially when there are about things I'm passionate about like homeschooling. 

I love to read, blog, and make scrapbooks for my family.  I'm very active in my church and homeschool support group.  I serve on a board and teach with my coop that we do on Fridays.  This year I'm teaching goverment, which I happen to love to study myself.  I know boring for most but I have a real love for my country and love to keep updated on current events and the history of our great nation!  So it should be fun, we will see!

There is nothing I love more then to spend time with family and friends.  I'm so blessed in this area and I wouldn't trade those times for anything.  I can't wait to get around and get to know some of you!

We enjoyed VBS and hopefully many children were ministered to.  I know even my children who are growing up in church just LOVE VBS!  Its 2 1/2 hours of undivided attention from adults for them, they have such a great time.  Everyday when they woke up they wanted to know if it was time to go to church yet!  We did the Power Lab theme and enjoyed mixing up science experiments and making really fun science crafts.  Most of all we learned God gives us power to do many things, like give thanks and have bravery and the greatest gift eternity in Heaven!  Here is a slide show with some fun things we did!