Chalkboard Chats

Sunday, September 17, 2006

A Wonderfully Perfect Summer!

    Well, before I start posting about our new school year, I should write about our glorious summer! It was truly the best ever! My goal for the summer was spending a lot of time swimming for the kids and reading for me. My kids were finished school two weeks before the public schools, so we had the local beaches to ourselves. July was spent mostly hanging out at the beach, wading pool, or sports centre. We went to the library a lot. I achieved my goal of reading. I also started a ladies Bible study at our church which consisted of another book called "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World". It is an excellent book and I highly recommend it. Unfortunately, we ended up cancelling the study since people were busy despite the initial interest. That just left me with more free time. The third week of July, our family actually went on our first summer vacation. Ron works for Baskin Robbins so summer vacations are unheard of in his line of work! We went away for four days to visit family, friends, stay at our favourite hotel for a few days, and to take Hunter for a ride on the real Thomas the Tank Engine at a train museum a few hours away. He was in his glory!
    August was a lot more busy. We went away for another three day vacation to visit more family and friends. One of the highlights of my summer was getting the chance to tour around in a 2003 yellow Thunderbird convertible. A friend from church was lucky enough to have her family rent one for her birthday for the week. She was generous enough to share the blessing! Thanks again, Kim! I'll never forget that ride!
    I'm having a hard time remembering what else filled our summer. We played the part of tourists taking the kids to some museums and local attractions. I spent a lot of time thinking about our new homeschooling year, reading some homeschooling books, and ordering curriculum, despite not wanting to think about school before I absolutely had to! The week before school did start, I took each of the kids on a date to a place of their choice for lunch and some shopping. Hunter went to the "big" McDonald's and the Teacher's Store where he could play with a Thomas Train set. Belle and I went to the movies. And Tori and I went to our favourite tea room and shopping.
    I'm sure we did a lot more things that my limited memory cannot recall. It was a wonderful and restful summer and I hated to see it end so quickly. But the good thing about summer is....there will always be another one!

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Wednesday, June 14, 2006

There's a what in my window well?!?!

Posted in Family and Friends

This afternoon, I went onto my deck to enjoy a lovely spring day, doing my devotions on my swing. It was about 3:00 pm. When I walked out there, I distinctly smelled skunk, which I've never minded. I thought it was odd, though, to be smelling it in the middle of the afternoon when they are nocturnal. I wondered idly if maybe someone had hit one during the night, although I hadn't smelled it earlier when I'd gone out. An hour later, my daughter comes upstairs from her room and said, "The basement smells like skunk!" We went out to the van to get my youngest daughter from school when my 5 year old son, suddenly took off around the house. I had no idea what he was doing but he came running back, screaming, "There's a skunk in our window well!!!!" I have to tell you I was so shocked that I just stared at him and told him to hush, over and over. I needed to think and I didn't want the poor scared thing spraying more because a kid was screaming at the top of his lungs!

After coming home and calling first the SPCA (we don't deal in wild animals!) and then the MNR (we only deal with bears!), I ended up putting a 2 x 4 into the hole to see if it would crawl out. It took me almost ten minutes to lower it down in there. The poor skunk totally freaked, stomping, waving its tail, and showing its butt. After a few hours, it still hadn't come out. It's so cute, and I feel so bad. It was a hot day and it must be thirsty. I twist tied a sand pail to a mop handle and lowered some water down there. Now, that was daring since I had to get even closer to the well than I did with the 2 x 4.
Anyway, as of 10:30 tonight, he was still in there. I don't know what I'll do tomorrow if it doesn't come out during the night. Of course, my husband in working extra long hours today so he has missed all the excitement. And excitement it is!!! The kids have been freaking out and tip toeing out there all evening to get a peek at it. Belle wants to keep the skunk which I'm rethinking my previous "no" as she found her new fish dead tonight, right at 10:00 and way past bed time. She sobbed like she'd lost her best friend. After hugging her and trying my best to console her, I sent her to bed with Hunter so he could hug her and comfort her. Where, oh where, is my husband?!?!

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Saturday, August 20, 2005

On The Road Again!

Posted in Family and Friends

Well, tomorrow the kids and I leave for Michigan to spend almost two weeks with my sister and her family. She is pregnant with her FIFTH baby, and I am going to get to go to her ultrasound with her. This will be very exciting for me considering we live so far apart and we've never been involved in each other's pregnancies. I am hoping we find out she has a BOY after four girls. I sure would love to be there for such a momentous event!
Anyway, I hope all my friends don't miss me too much! Please pray we have a safe and happy trip (I'm travelling with a not-so-happy teenager!) I will write about our adventures when we get back.

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Wednesday, August 17, 2005

A Lovely Afternoon!

Posted in Family and Friends

I took my two younger kids for a ride today on the bike path. It was Hunter's first time on there with his bike. It is ridiculous how incredibly proud I am to see his little legs pumping away on that little bike. We went for miles. The sun was a bit warm but there was a cool breeze. Halfway through our ride, we stopped by a little creek beside the path. We all went wading in the cool water, splashed each other, and giggled whenever somebody slipped. Ron ended up calling me on my cell phone at that point. He asked how we were doing and I told him I was up a creek without a paddle! He thought something was wrong until I told him, we were literally in the creek.

It was a nice afternoon!

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Wednesday, August 17, 2005

I love it when GOD does that...!

Posted in Family and Friends

    This morning, I had a spat with my 14 yo daughter. I hate when that happens but as Dr. Dobson says about strong-willed, she seems to thrive on conflict. After I dropped her off to catch the camp bus, I went home and was ready to ransack her room. But I heard a still small voice calling me to get my Bible and go sit on the deck and enjoy a beautiful morning. My younger two were still sleeping so there was some quiet time to spend with the LORD. I also grabbed a new book off of my shelf that I hadn't read yet called "The Woman and Her GOD". I went and sat out on the deck and to enjoy a beautiful cool morning.
    I have been reading through the Gospels and read John 6 & 7. In chapter 6, JESUS talks about Him being the Bread of Life and that we must partake of Him. After my Bible reading, I picked up the book and read the first chapter. Beth Moore's one statement really jumped out at me. She said that "GOD should eclipse everything in our lives". Upon thinking, that would have to include my problems with my daughter which seems at times like a huge black cloud. She also talked about JESUS being the Bread of Life and how we should feast on Him and His love for us. Anyone have goosebumps? I started praying and asking the LORD to fill me with His love so I could overflow with my love for my difficult child. I went back to reading the book and she said talked about the very same thing...doing devotions with GOD every morning, asking Him to fill our "cups" so we could overflow with love for others! Now, you really have to have goosebumps!!
    My devotion time was an amazing little pick-me-up from the LORD. Although I don't see the changes in my daughter that we have been so desperately praying for, I know He is listening...and He loves me!

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Thursday, August 11, 2005

Kids Say the Funniest Things!

Posted in Family and Friends

We have a dramatic, emotional teenage daughter so oftentimes we need some comic relief! Hunter provides that in abundance. The other night I was giving him a bedtime snack. I asked him if he wanted some cheeses 'n' crackers after his applesauce. He looks at me out of the corner of his eye and replies in a deep voice, "Bring it on, Baby!"

Gee, I wonder where he gets that from?!?

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Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Tribute to Jamie

Posted in Family and Friends

Thank so much, Jamie, for setting up this blog!! It's awesome! And so everyone knows...she spent half an hour designing the chalkboard avatar. Isn't she great!?!

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Wednesday, August 10, 2005

My Wonderful Husband

Posted in Family and Friends

My husband and I will be married 15 years this September. I think we've stayed together all these years because a.) of the Grace of GOD, and b.) he knows my love language. There are five love languages and my number one language is gifts! Last night, I went to my friend Jamie's. After I walked in the door, she hands me an envelope delivered by an anonymous donor. Inside was a gift card for Wal-Mart. My honey told me the story later, while he and Hunter were out fishing, they decided to stop and get mommy some flowers. Not finding any to their liking, they bought a gift card instead, then had Jamie "deliver" it. Now, isn't he a darling?!?

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About Me

Disclaimer: This blog is mostly a personal diary about our homeschooling adventures, my time with family and friends, and a record of my journey with GOD. If you want a peek into our lives, you are always welcome. But if you get bored, please feel free to move on to greener reading pastures! May the LORD bless you and keep you!!