This is an email I sent to some family - thought I'd post it here - hope it blesses you.
While I have your attention, I will give you a little family update!
Andre' is staying very busy - business is booming! More and more people are finding out about the best computer tech in town and referring him to their friends. He has recently hired a second employee, it is very exciting to see his dream being realized.
The kids and I are enjoying our eighth year homeschooling! I cannot wrap my head around the fact that we have been at this for so long! Every year brings new joys and challenges. Preston is a sophomore and doing well in school and enjoying his teen activities! He is working part-time for Gramps, scanning and filing papers.
One of the Youth Pastor's at our church has taken Preston under his wing and has begun teaching him Video Editing and Production. He is at the church office two mornings a week interning with an incredible team of video genuises! He is learning so much with them and Andre' and I are thrilled that God opened this door for him to learn and spend time with some great guys.
He has begun practicing with our youth band in preparation for the day he will be on stage leading teens in praise and worship. One of the guys has offered to give him guitar lessons for free; we had been praying for an opportunity like this to open up for him.
He is studying Astronomy, World History, Algebra (what a doozy!) and reading lots of great books. He has just begun "Splinter Cell" and is excitedly keeping me entertained with the details of the cool gadgets used.
Right now I am listening to him play his drums - he sounds really good. This kid is so musically inclined he amazes me. He really has a good ear for sound and beats - he certainally did not get it from me, he is always telling me how off key I am when I sing in the car. I have to remind him the Bible says make a joyful NOISE!
Raising a teenager is very different from the little stages, but we are enjoying it so far! Can you believe he will be 16 in the spring? Time flies when you're having fun!
Cici (her preferred name - oh but only for family! she is so funny), anyhow, our beautiful daughter continues to be a blessing. She is such a Daddy's girl and looks forward to her day with dad! Each Friday one of the kids goes to work with Andre' and he takes them out to lunch, they all love it so much. We are so blessed to have a business and school environment that is flexible and able to include the children.
Anyhow, she is dancing for her sixth year and loving every minute of it! This year she is taking ballet, jazz and tap and pointe. She is not on pointe yet, but is in the class to develop strength and learn the proper form. It has been tough - she is working hard to keep up with the big girls and is holding her own, but I can see her getting stronger and more flexible as the weeks fly by.
We are particapting in the homeschool co-op again this year. Co-op is where a group of families (60 in our case) get together and take classes together. Catherine is taking Scrapbooking, Art and Playground Games. This is her third year in art and she is becoming quite the artist - she is so creative and always has some sort of project going. Right now she is drawing with her cousin. She is always planning some production, whether it is writing a book (she has spent lots of time creating the characters and has just begun to sort out the storyline), choeragraphing a dance, or building clay people and furniture.
We are spending more time doing hands on things this year in school to accomodate her love of all things crafty! So far we have made cuniform clay tablets, made paper and wrote on it in heiroglyphics and mummified apples. Our next project is a pyramid cake! As you have probably guessed she and the little guys are studying the Ancient World and we are just finishing Egypt. She is in sixth grade (junior high is around the corner  she is growing up too fast!).
She is doing very well with all her studies and we have finally found a math program that she enjoys and understands. Ironically it is the same book that brought Preston to tears! I am so blessed to be able to find what works for each child and tailor their education to how they best learn. (fyi we are using Saxon 65 math with her and Cuyler).
Cuyler is a fourth grader and very excited to have moved up to the next class at church and be able to attend the monthly Club 456 night. This is a special night for the 4,5and 6 graders to meet their friends, hang out and eat pizza and candy and hear a message from the children's pastor geared to where they are. This month they talked about treating your friends well, avoiding gossip (hot topic for this age group! - psst did you know he said she said he likes you? blech! I can't stand it and am so glad the message at church mirrors what we are teaching them!)
At co-op he is taking Digital Photography, Oragami and Playground Games. For his photography class he is learning how to operate a camera, what a good shot looks like and also how to email and make attachments - he loves it! He is a computer whiz and looks like he could easily follow his dads footsteps!
He has always been really good at math - in fact he has been on the same level as Cici for several years (she is a reader!) while she is on level in math, he is way ahead. It was his language skills that were troublesome, he has always had a tougher time reading and spelling was a nightmare. We tried several spelling programs - even thought he may be dyslexic.
However, as I was frequently reassured by vetran homeschool moms, nine is indeed the magic age sometimes! Truly, I did not spend much time this summer helping his reading skills but he has bloomed! He is reading much better and his comprehension is great.
He was reading his bible (New International Readers Version - written on about a third grade level) he tells me "Hey mom, did you know that Matthew and Mark have the same stories, just another guy wrote em." Isn't that funny! and wonderful, he read both books, remembered the content well enough to figure out the stories were similar. I am so proud of him. And the spelling book that he did not understand last year - this year he has done very well, we are on lesson 21 and he is making great progress.
Little Cade is seven and in 2nd grade. He is very well balanced and a joy to teach. He is reading well and progressing on track in math. Cade loves playing outside, he is always running out the door to ride his bike with his friends or play baseball in the yard!
At co-op he is taking Sign-Language, Art and Playground Games. He is doing great in sign language, he knows the alphabet and can sign several words and sentances. It is so neat to see him learn something his older sibs don't know as well! He is very proud of himself!
Baby Geoffrey is a baby no more - and is quick to remind me! I tell him he will always be MY baby but he is not buying it! He turned 5 in the spring and is a KID now. He has grown so much. It is such a change to no longer have a baby or toddler at home. Geoff is so independant and will NOT fail to stick up for himself. He holds his own against his big brothers and really looks up to them, especially Preston - he is Prestons's buddy, it is so cute to see them play together. The other day Preston was roughhousing with them, tossing them on the couch, and the laughter filled our house - it is such a joy to see them enjoy thier siblings.
Geoff is learning his sounds and blending letters. He loves to visit www.starfall.com to play the phonics games. He likes to listen in when I am reading Story of the World to the big kids and he loves all of the crafts we are doing this year.
Dad takes Geoffy to work a couple of times a week and he really loves the special treat of spending days with daddy. They are very close.
He joins us for co-op too and is taking Sign-Language and Art with Cade and is also taking Science - they are studying Liquids and Solids. They are doing lots of experiments which he loves. He is not as excited as Cade is about Sign Language, but is learning in spite of himself!
And me, well obviously I am very busy with educating our children. Lake, my sweet little neice, is still with us while her mommy teaches. She is two now and incredibly adorable! She attends Moms Day Out three days a week and loves her school, they love her too and dote on her so much! We enjoy having her, she is a bundle of joy, always ready with a smile and a kiss.
I have started a blog at www.homeschoolblogger.com/joyfuljourney , come visit me, leave me a comment, I am putting family and school updates as often as I can, I am also posting pictures of the most adorable kids on the planet!!
Once a week I am leading a group of ladies at church. We are just beginning a study using "The Power of Your Words" by Robert Morris. I have begun to read it and HIGHLY recommend it. It is amazing how powerful our words are - no word is unimportant.
After reading a bit - I was praying while cleaning out some paint brushes (Cici's neverending projects!) I remembered a story my grandmother told me. She was in a college art class and the professor was walking through the class observing each students canvas. He paused behind Grandma and said "This one is going to be an artist" and walked on. She told me how simple statement impacted her and she did indeed go on to become an artist - in fact such a successuful artist that she was able to raise five children as a young widow.
I got to thinking how that guy did not HAVE to say anything - and I wonder if he even knows what an impact his encouragement was. I want to be someone who encourages those around me. What was really special about that little time with Jesus - praying and remembering the story - I happened to be alone at home (WHICH NEVER HAPPENS!) and I got a sweet letter from a friend telling me how I have impacted her life. Anyhow, it was really nice to read a letter in total silence and I was super aware of the power of words and that she did not have to sit down and write to me.
Have a blessed day - and pass on the encouragment!
Do something to make today count! | 
(So thats why the peroxide is on the counter - I knew I put it away - I think 
.) Yep, they are growing up WAY too fast! 