I truly thought that this summer was going to be slow and mellow, it seems to be anything but that. 

I find that my only somewhat slower days are Wednesday and Thursday, the rest seem to be busy with different things.  But it's all be good and fun, just not exactly what I had thought my summer was going to be.  Anyway this has been a good week so far.  On Sunday we played the game of Life.  That has become one of the board games we enjoy the most.  The pay and such are outrageous, and it would be great if you could get money in real life for the things that you get it for in the game, but it is fun to dream. 

Our Monday was normal, cleaning, laundry things like that.  The kids did their computer school work and then played with neighborhood kids most of the day.  I found a discrepancy in our budget and for once it was on our side.    I found we had a bit more money than I thought we did, yea!!!!.  That will help this Friday with shopping.  In the evening Paulie made a new friend with a boy across the street.  We have talked to his parents before, and truly we've seen the boy a lot, but the two just never really got to know each other.  Well on Monday night they finally started talking.  They are around the same age and have some of the same interests.  The boys rode their bikes, played some basketball, and just talked.  I know those all seem like normal boy things, but it was so special to see.  Paulie has yet to find a boy his age in the neighborhood that we agreed he could play with.  And Paulie has a very boisterous personality, and truly most boys his age don't know how to deal with him, even Christian boys.  He's not mean or anything, just boisterous, and I guess it can be a bit of a turn off.  I see some Christian moms trying to get their boys to hang with Paulie and be nice, but truly I don't want any boy to feel they 'have' to be friends with Paulie.  I want it to be natural, because they want to, and this boy seemed to be that way.  He truly enjoyed being with Paulie and talking.  It was so very sweet to see.  Unfortunately both his parents work, so he's only available to play in the evenings, but at least Monday was a start.  Though now I guess I have to get to know the proper mother/son language when other boys are around.  I had announced to Paulie, in front of this boy, that he would have to come inside soon to go to bed.  Paul informed me later you never talk about bedtime when other boys are around.    Must truly be a boy thing.  Sarah didn't think anything wrong with it.  Ahhh, to have an older boy now, life will continue to be an adventure.  

Tuesday was busy but great.  We had playgroup in the morning and my mom was coming for a visit in the afternoon, but she didn't want to stay for dinner.  So I had decided to fry up some burgers and have potato salad for dinner, but I didn't have all the ingredients for the potato salad.  So we headed out of the house early, ran to the store, came back and I threw together the potato salad.  But I also realized I wanted some sort of desert to offer my mom when she was here.  Why I wait until the last minute to think of these things I'll never know.  So I also threw together a  yummy pudding desert all within 45 minutes.  Ugh.  So we rushed out the door, late to playgroup.  We pull in as the only other family that showed up was about to leave.  But it was Sarah's friend, so they decided to stay.  It was nice since I got to sit and talk with her mom for about an hour.  With the girls becoming closer friends, I've gotten to know her more.  It's been a blessing.

Well, while I was making everything earlier my sister called and said she was going to be in town last night and needed to pick up something around dinner time, her and my niece and nephew.  Of course I invited them for dinner but she didn't know yet and would get back to me.  So we made it home in time to have lunch and clean up the mess I made earlier.  My mom came and we had a nice visit.  By the time she left my sister called and said yes, all three would be here for dinner.    That was great, but it meant I had to run out to the store again to get more buns.  Then I rushed home and started frying up the burgers (we have no grill ).  Just as I was finishing that up, they all showed up.  We had a nice, blessed dinner.  We haven't had all three of them for dinner in a while, and it was fun.  I so love the spontaneous type of things, I have no time to worry, and it's always fun.

Then today I had to bake some cookies, brownies and make salsa for Paul to take to work.  I try to make things like that for him to share with his co-workers.  As we started the cookies I realized we were out of brown sugar, so I had to put all regular sugar in there.  I've also been trying to make my brownies with the egg substitute I've been using for cooking, vinegar, water and baking powder.  It's worked with whatever I've used it in, except for my brownies.  And today was no different.  This time though they are edible and the kids asked me to not throw it out, but it definitely won't go to Paul's work for sharing.    He will at least have the cookies and salsa, what a combo.

Other than that, the only other thing is grocery shopping on Friday, so far.  But I do need to ask for prayer on a couple of things.  I'm not going to be very specific on some of it, but some I will.  We are praying about trying to get some more income right now, and that might mean Paul needs to get a part time job.  We are not sure, but he does not want me to go out and work, he said if a part time job is needed he'll do it.  I really don't want him to have to do it, but our budget is pretty set.  We really don't have any other bills except utility bills.  So the only way to decrease what goes out is move to a cheaper house, which isn't feasible since we don't have a deposit or the moving costs.  And the only utilities we could drop is either the DSL and/or satellite TV.  I know lots of people say just drop the satellite, but for Paul and the kids (and me sometimes) that's like asking one of us from blogland to give up the DSL and the internet.  So if we give up one, we'll give up both.  I'm not going to expect my husband to give up something he enjoys, if I'm not willing to give up something I enjoy.  Right now, Paul would rather the possiblity of a part time job than give those up.  I pray he gets an increase at work somehow, but I don't see that happening.  The second thing is the one I'm going to be vague on.  There are a couple of things that I'm seeking the Lord for me personally.  Possibly some new directions for me (don't worry it's not giving up homeschooling, that is staying ).  Just some new things for me.  I am at the point of trying to decide what is from the Lord and what is me.  And truly a ridiculous fear of mine is partly holding me back, and that is bothering me.  Sorry to be so vague, but it's all I feel to share right now.  Any prayers would be appreciated.

OK, this has gone on long enough.  I need to get going and try to read some other blogs and get some things done around the house. 

This is not us but wanted to show some of the river we were on. Sorry I don't have pictures but we did take some with those disposable cameras and still have to take them to get developed. There were 7 of us with 3 canoes. We canoed about 15 miles in a two day trip. We wanted to take it nice and slow and camp out about half way. That way we fished and swam and just played around. At one point we stopped and the guys found a place where there were worms in the river washup stuff. Well my dear hubby stepped right into a nest of yellow jackets. I didn't see it but the guys said that they had him just covered. So he went running to the water but by the time he got there, they left him. Thankfully he only got stung 5 times. They said he had hundreds of them on and around him.  We took a guy that works with my hubby with us, and he doesn't know how to swim and has never been canoeing. He had it mastered pretty quick. He and our son C rode together. They had a blast. They were going backwards and from side to side of the river. I am still laughing as I am typing it. It was so funny and reminded me of my hubby and I on our first trip. Then son wanted to play a game of T-Bone. lol That is an expression I heard from a fellow homeschooler that got hit by another car. I had never heard of that and when I told son, well it was a good way of calling running into each others canoes. lol We were always in shallower waters when doing this and never really trying to tip anyone over just making each other think they were going to. Then we had racing and to watch the little 7 year old paddle his hardest and get in front of us was so cute.

You know alot people believe a good outing is without the kids, we would not have it any other way. The kids are the most important parts of our outings. It just isn't any fun without them.

I can remember when I was a kid, my parents would always go on vacations or anything and leave us 4 kids with someone so they didn't have to deal with us. Our son is like a fixture. Where we go he goes and if he can't go, well we don't either. 

Son caught a really big bass too, well sort of. lol We all had been swimming and then stopped and started fishing. Son thought he would throw his line out and then run up in the woods a sec and be right back. Didn't think he would catch anything. Then I look over and his pole is being drug into the river. Hubby ran over there just in time to grab the pole. It was already in the water a couple feet. He started reeling it in and it was this big bass. We measured it and it was 17 inches long. (That is big for us). lol We caught all kinds of perch and had fish for supper.

Didn't sleep very well, lol the ground is very uncomfortable for sure. It has been a year since I camped out and  I know why now. lol

All's home now and safe and sound and everyone had a great time. Lots of memories to share. Hopefully it won't take us so long to do another one again. We always say that we need to do this more often but then we all get so caught up in our lives that it usually is a once a year thing.

Oh, and the best part is I only seen one snake. Infact our canoe was banking right where it was sitting on th rock. I started screaming from hubby to back us up quick cause there was a snake. I am shivering just thinking that we got that close to him to begin with. I wanted to smack it with the paddle but then I thought if I did, I might send it flying back into our canoe and that would not be good. lol Don't like snakes! Did I ever mention I don't like snakes? lol

Well, that is what has been happening here lately and when I get those pictures developed, I will try and share some with you all.

Have a great day!

  

Okay, so this morning Robyn posted a little video on YouTube, and once I had it going, I discovered someone lurking in my midst (keep in mind I'm alone all week while the boys are away on holiday [say the part in italics in a haughty, British accent, it's fun!], so the discovery of someone lurking about was surprising, to say the least).  I discovered someone I thought long gone:  rocker-80s-girl-with-the-huge-hair-and-bad-fashion-sense.  Not kidding. 

Where did *she* come from??!?

Well, since I am alone.... why not enjoy some other (loud) hits of theirs and hum (scream) along while reorganizing the library with Mary?  (Okay, I'll interject here to clarify, with all honesty, that Mary:  I haven't actually began cleaning yet.  *sigh*  I know, I'm disappointed [not really] in me too.  In my defense, though, I *am* all alone.....)

Anyway, (can't say the title didn't warn you, and this is me without caffeine, ladies - aren't you glad I usually sensor myself??) - *Anyway* - imagine my shock upon discovering a duet much like caviar and Gatorade.  Enjoy - I actually did.  I'm off to spray/blow dry/ tease my hair to see if I can still get it to stick straight out from the side of my head right over my left ear - c'mon, you *know* you did it too!!!!

I just received the sad news that a good friend of mine from college has passed away.  She was only 39.  Her husband was also a good friend ( and in fact, I introduced them to one another.)  They have 2 little boys.   Please keep their family in your prayers!

I have a new link for you and it is free and it is a brand new song! Our worship leader Trent Smith who is incredibly gifted of the Lord has uploaded a new song on our churches website which is available for download for all of you who have those fancy song players on your blogs. If you dont have a fancy song player you can still listen to it on the website.

So for your listening pleasure and to spur you on to make a difference in your generation and as homeschool moms in the generation to come, Come and listen and be blessed... HERE

Oh and the background singers... that is our church, we ROCK!

Because of Jesus, Bobbie

After being together for 2 1/2 years Toodles and I were married on July 23, 1999 , 9 wonderful years ago. We didn't have much money so there wasn't a huge wedding. We just had a simple ceremony with family and friends and a wonderful reception provided by our loved ones. We honeymooned in Gatlinburg in a perfect country cabin owned by some people we worked with at one time. The place where I worked always got discounted and free stuff from local attractions for us employess so I ended up with a free white water rafting trip for two. Toodles and I had a great time doing that. Our favorite part ? ... Coming around a bend in the river and seeing this huge curtain of rain coming at us while thunder and lightning were crashing all around us ... wouldn't you know that a thunderstorm would sneak up on us !

Toodles is my best friend in the whole world. He became a father Daddy to my two children and in time to the two we biologically share. It takes a special man to step into the position of instant fatherhood and he wears that mantle well. Times have not always been easy but we have been blessed. My Mamaw once told me when Toodles and I were having a disagreement , " Don't expect your garden to grow if it never rains on it." Wize words !

I love you Papa ~ Big as the sky !

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

(Colossians 3:18-19)

 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

(1Peter 3:5-7)

This is one of our favorite pictures of our family. When I came across it today I knew I had to add it here because it always makes Toodles laugh. Of course our Blessings are much older now but they were such cuties (still are). Once again Papa ~ we love you ~ always!