|
I've changed blogs come visit me at: http://soakinupeveryminute.blogspot.com |
|
I really am alive and kicking here. This summer we have been busy and I am just enjoying playing with the boys and being with my husband. He was able to take off a lot of days and have had a bunch of short work weeks. We took a whole month and did swim lessons for both boys and have been off swimming away. My oldest did sports camp for a week at our church and enjoyed it so much----he even dyed his hair green for spirit day (his first time doing this and don't worry it was the wash out kind). I am so proud! My husband use to be a punk rocker (you would never know that by looking at him now) growing up so he loved it. We own a rental and decided to put it on the market so we have been busy sprucing it up. I know the hard work will end soon.......ohhhh I pray soon. We camped once this year. Time has gotten away and we have not gotten back out again. It was an adventure, more on that at a different time. Where has the summer gone. I am looking forward to the good old northwest cloudy, misty days again. I have missed them. This year for whatever reason I have not enjoyed the heat so much and my brown lawn.......oh to see green again. I have never figured out how to post pictures accept for the few you can do through homeschool blogger. I know I can use flicker but I don't have that much knowledge in computers and I don't know a lot of the lingo. I will figure it out soon and post a great slidshow of our summer. I must confess, I have been keeping up on you all through the summer but have had to cut down on my computer time. It sounds like most of you out there have had a busy summer like myself. It feels good to be back. |
|
My oldest lost his first tooth recently, he is so excited. One week later he lost his 2nd tooth thanks to his brother. One afternoon they were wrestling and my youngest got a bit rough at one point and hit my oldest in the mouth. At first my oldest was mad then learned his tooth was very loose and then beamed from the prospect that he will soon loose another and then proceeded to thank his brother. Oh, the love of brothers. |
|
10 things about me
1. I love lattes--first thing every morning 2. I am a highly organized freak (I mean it in the nicest way) 3. I love the great outdoors 4. I hate the pile of laundry sitting right beside me 5. I hear tons of fireworks this very minute. People go crazy where I live 6. The most recent book I have read "Even Now" by Karen Kingsbury 7. I love chocolate, a little to much 8. I am trying to get my whole family on all organic foods, yikes it's expensive! Depending on the paycheck that week we say luxury food or ramen budget. A little is better than nothing. 9. I bought this great used recumbent stationary exercise bike that I want to use more than my kids do for there "batmobile". Do I dare admit that? 10. I love tattoos. Oh boy, do I admit that either? I have one and my husband has three plus we want more.
|
|
Our pastor is teaching about the life of Joseph this summer and I have learned so much already (I feel that this series was meant just for me, don't you love it when that happens?). Joseph was an amazing man and I can't wait to meet him someday. Isn't that a fabulous thought to think about all the people we will meet that we read and learn from today.
1. "delays are not denials" more on that at a later time. This deal's with my husband's and my life together in the ministry----long story-----more at a later time.
2. "forfeit the insignificant for the important" very important when you look at the world and how prevelent materialism is. I need to give more of that up. My family and serving Him is what is the most important.
3. "truly spiritual is the truly practical". I always want to be practical, who doesn't.
4. "learn to look for God's hand today". This is such a good reminder to look to Him and see what He does on a daily basis in our lives. Somedays I forget to look and really see what He has done that very day.
|
|
My kids are getting old enough that they don't need me to play with them so much. I must confess I was loving it for awhile, I was able to catch up on things that I have not done in years since their birth. I have gotten so use to it in fact I have noticed that I really have not played downright fun kind of play in a long time. They are content playing together all day for the most part and they play with my husband a lot too. When they have asked in the past couple of weeks to play with me I have always had some excuse or I'd rush through the activity. My husband has even noticed it and was encouraging me to once again play even for 5 minutes because that is all they really have wanted but only thinking of myself--darnit--I have just moved in and out of my days not thinking to much about it until today. It was hot and muggy here today and the boys had the sprinkler under the trampoline and were jumping with the neighbor boy which I thought would be my ticket out of not jumping with them. After a few minutes they came in to see if they could do squirt guns and I said yes so I went to fill them up and they started to squirt me and instead of getting mad about getting wet I heard my dear husbands voice in my head to relax and just have fun, don't worry about dinner or the housework......I finally took that advice and ran around the yard trying to get away from them and boy oh boy did they love that, I let them corner me and they had a blast and to be honest, so did I, so much so we got the hose out and were now onto the full fledge water war! What fun we had and to see the joy on all of our faces, just think I ALMOST MISSED IT! Today I felt like a kid again instead of the boring mom I have been lately. Hmmmmmm maybe tomorrow we will get out the super soaker's and water balloon's. I am looking forward to seeing all that joy once again.
|
|
Do any of my blogging friends know of some great resources for young kids (preschool/1st grade) to memorize scripture? I'm looking for music, books anything......that will help it to stick. Thanks in advance.
Becky |
|
They like to tell everyone that they are 5 1/2 and 3 1/2. That 1/2 is so important! I am thankful today for finally learning how to post pictures. I have no idea what to do when it comes to computers......I better start learning though my kids know more than I do sometimes. |
|
I'm always looking for a way to change up breakfast a bit from the typical things, I came across this recipe online and they were such a hit I thought I would share it with my blogging friends. A good old latte and a couple of these and ahhhhh bliss!
Cinnamon griddle cakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I did 1/2 wheat and 1/2 white) 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 4 tsp. baking powder 1 Tablespoon cinnamon 2 eggs, beaten 1 cup milk 2 Tablespoons corn syrup 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Icing: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tsp. vanilla extract and 2 Tablespoons milk (you may need to add more for a bit thinner icing, I did)
In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, milk, corn syrup, butter and vanilla. Stir into the flour mixture. (Or void the above and do what I do, dump all ingredients accept icing stuff into a blender give it a whirl and pour from the blender itself. Little mess and easy clean-up). Heat your griddle over medium heat, pour in 1/4 cup spoonfuls. Brown on both sides and serve hot. While pancakes are cooking mix the icing ingredients and drizzle over pancakes while they are hot.
Makes 8 pancakes |
|
Boy, I commit myself to doing new things like blogging and I just keep putting it on the back burner. I have really neglected my blog. Here is an update......short and sweet before I am called away again by my little munchkins. I have seen God work in my family this month in learning to be content with each other we don't need to be off going to this and that but just to be with each other. I have seen us all grow especially me. We like being home doing projects and enjoying our house.
I have been in and out of the doctors getting an MRI done boy, what an adventure (the tech kept on talking to me to make sure that I was alright, which I was, all I really wanted to do was relax in there for the 1/2 hour. Peace and quiet well kind of the machine is loud much hey we moms can tune anything out). I have been dizzy and lost sight in one of my eyes for an hour or so. My brother has a brain tumor so the doctor wanted to check me out also...thank heaven nothing but they still don't know the cause. I suffer from migranes so they think it might have been a different kind that I have not had before. To look at life though with just the thought of this might be it, it sure is amazing how fast life really goes by and what really matters most.
On the lighter side my family and I enjoyed a week at the beach. We had so much fun and are exhausted from it all. We need a vacation from the vacation. We found an area where we got to see sea anenomies (I'm not sure on the spelling of this) or as my youngest said sea enemy and a ton of starfish. What an amzing thing to see. We spent 3 hours in one spot when I thought we would be there only 1/2 hour and back to the house for lunch, so brilliant me did not put sunscreen on myself (my kids got it though) and burned like a lobster and so my kids got a lesson on what happens when you don't wear sunscreen and my oldest in his wisest way said, "boy mom I hoped you learned your lesson" and "why didn't you wear any?". My hubby was laughing to much at this point, I think I did learned my lesson.
|
|
I took a long break to get back to my family and refocus on my nighttime routine. I'm back.....today I had a horrible migraine so the boys and I took the day slow and lazy. My husband had to work so it was easy going. Okay I must confess, my kids ate leftovers from our easter dinner last night.....dinner rolls with butter and milk and about an hour later helped themselves to goldfish and juice to get by till I could function again. It could be worse, right? They were so good to me and came and laid with me and took care of me. They were great! I have some exciting news....my 3 year old, asked Jesus for a new heart the other day I don't even know why I doubted it, my 5 yr. old was 3 when he accepted Jesus and he still remembers the whole experience. At the time my husband was a pastor and we were doing a children's camp and he was preaching through a play about heart surgery one afternoon and gave the analogy that God can take away your old heart and give you a new heart and my now 5 yr old leaned over to me and said "Mom, I just asked Jesus for a new heart" WOW, I thought! Instantly we saw changes in his own life of issues we were trying to break and he became a new child. It was awesome.
What a blessed Easter this was!!! To everyone out there have a wonderful resurrection day-HE IS ALIVE! |
. I often wonder at such a young age, does it really count? I kept asking the Lord over the course of the day that same question and every time something happened to confirm to me that yes he can even changed a 3 year olds heart. The first time I thought this my 3 year old came in the room not knowing my thoughts and said "I love Jesus, mom" (right on kiddo!!) and every time we have talked about good friday and the resurection he gets so sad and full of questions. It breaks his little heart to know that they nailed Jesus to the cross (mine also). I love to see the excitment in his face it's that child like faith that I long for in those hard times and it is great to be reminded through our kids. He also told me about how much the angels in heaven are dancing for him right now--yes honey they are! God can even use the littlest ones. We are happy parents.|
Do you ever have days that you just can't wake up
Tomorrow my motto is the three L's:
Live-- for the moment with your child Laugh--find out what makes your child laugh Love--know what makes your child feel loved
and together we will seek the Lord
|
? Well, today was my day for that. My poor kids fended for themselves (don't pity them to much, the neighbor boy came to play and they also made up games outside on the trampoline) and I told my husband I gotta get out of here. He was so sweet and told me to go for it. It was great. I got my survival drink from Starbuck's and headed off to find popsicle sticks for the kiddos and I to build boxes when my hubby is off to work. Sounds exciting huh?? A few minutes alone though without the constant mom, mom, mom, mom was very refreshing (can you relate????) and to refocus back onto the Lord. Very literally though they do that reptitive mom thing and some days I just go crazy. Let's just say I haven't gotten the sleep I need so it is my fault for not being diligent for getting to bed at a decent hour. Thank heavens a brand new day is coming. Tomorrow will be better and maybe, just maybe we will get to those popsicle stick boxes and other school work since today is out the door. Though I did get stuff done today-- the endless piles of laundry 
--cooking for everyone--baths and a stack of stories + quite a few I love you's from the kids. So I think those I love you's and hugs can help make up for the stinky mood I was in, what do you think? |
Today at dinner my husband and I were eating a spinach salad. My oldest son decided today was the day to try spinach. He told us he wanted to try it and walked over to the bag and ate some and he did like it. He then went on to tell us how he is getting muscles like popeye and all on his own told me all the foods that he now wanted to try. Quite literally my husband and I were speechless. We as most parents out there have struggled to get there children to try new things. Tomorrow he says is cheese, hooray! The only cheese he likes is mozerella on pizza. Grilled cheese here we come..... After dinner he talked to us for a good hour about himself and how big he is now and giving me ideas on what he wanted me to cook for him. I thank God tonight for his new adventerous spirit. As I listened to him talk he looked different to me, he instantly changed in my eyes. My little boy is not so little anymore. Now I know that we will have our days but we will tackle them as we go. Now as for my 3 year old we hopefully won't have as difficult a time when he sees his brother trying new things. My youngest has always been easy in the food department. God certainly knows what we can and cannot handle.
We also have been working on the heart issue of how God made each of the boys to be who they are and not to be like there friends. They both have different talents, likes and personalities and we are showing them this through talk and play. We have had great discussions this weekend. I found a great devotional book that hits on these issues and I am looking forward to the many nights of discussion with them about it. |
|
Okay, I really try to not do this but the boys and I had a playdate with some good friends today (that is not what I try not to do, this is-COMPARE:::::). Compare my 5 yr. old to hers. She tells me he got his report card from school and how well he reads etc....and I think is my son doing that well? Is he at "kindergarten level" and on his way to first grade?
Okay, I know he is just fine and is right where he needs to be right now but that blasted devil just loves to sneak into my thought process and really mess with me. I talk to God
I look at this verse daily. I keep scripture/quotes on my fridge as constant reminders to me that God will take care of my family and that my husband and I are doing the right thing for our children. As time goes on my fears slip away. It really helps to meet other homeschooling families and for my kids to have friends that homeschool so we as a family are reminded that we are not alone in this grand adventure. I get the question from time to time from my 5 yr. old as to why so and so is gone all day and when will their weekend come so we can see them again? I tell him that their family chooses for them to go to public school so they are not home alot or off having fun adventures like we do. He then goes on to realize that he is so lucky....he gets to see his dad alot, play with his brother who is his best buddy and do fun projects with mom. Little does he know we work so hard on the heart issues. You sure don't get to that much out in the world. We are so lucky to have this privledge to homeschool our kids. I'm looking forward to meeting more of you out there as we all are choosing what I truly believe to be the best thing......HOMESCHOOLING! |
about this often and he gives me this verse every time "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it" Proverbs 22:6. 
|
Today was haircutting day (aaaaaaah!) nobody likes it. I never have much patience for this and my 3 yr. old is always crying. I have been doing haircuts since his first and he still has not gotten use to them. I am beginning to wonder if it will ever get better. Should I take him somwhere to get it done and have him learn it truly is better to have mom or dad do it (that is what I did to my 5 yr. old)? My first response is yes but then I am to thrifty and can't reason even spending $10. I am sure it will get better as he gets older. In the meantime I will just pull my hair out, pray and bite the bullet. |
|
I can't believe it has been 6 days since I have written last. I guess time just got away from me. I took the boys this weekend to a falls nearby and boy was that beautiful. We went to pick up a recumbent exercise bike I found online and the family lives next to the falls. What a great treat to find a waterfall on our excersion. It was a misty afternoon so we got wet along the way but nobody cared and we discovered molten rock and tied school right on into our trip and talked on how amazing it is that God created all of this, oh, and by the way we also found a dead mouse while collecting rocks to throw in the water and my oldest said to my youngest "Dude, your stepping on a dead mouse". That gave me the heebie jeepies. Let's just say we stopped collecting rocks. We also conquered a bit more of the fear with our whole dog situation and we talked a lot about dogs and leashes and my 3 yr old got to see how it should be as people were out walking the trail with their dogs. It's late, I gotta get to bed. |
|
Today my youngest woke up and looked outside in awe and said "mom, it's frosting outside just like frosty the snowman". How cute is that! My hubby has been getting calls between 4:30-6:00 a.m. this passed week to go into work and the phone seems to wake my oldest up. He came into bed with us and said "why does dad keep doing this to us" poor guy he doesn't get yet that he can go back to sleep he apparently thinks he is missing out on something. We are liking getting up earlier most days. This past weekend I packed up the bikes and took the kids to a lake at 7:30 a.m. We had a wonderful time and stayed the whole morning riding bikes, climbing and throwing rocks and sticks in the water. I am looking forward to more early morning like that. I will post pics of our morning soon when I figure out how to do it. |
|
Today my youngest woke at 5 a.m. throwing up. Poor guy. He has been laying on the couch all morning feeling cruddy Update-------got out the St. Patricks day stuff and learned about the history and the tales that go with it, didn't eat anything green. My oldest discovered my Easter file and starting looking through it and he found an egg shape so he cut out an egg and made a rainbow with it. He was tying in St. Paddy's day and Easter all in one craft. We are all looking forward to Easter. My oldest also read to me from our new books, a funny one about why a dog? by A.cat----don't worry it turns out good in the end. If your wondering about this commet look back to our dog attack entry. My 3 yr old feels so much better after a nap and decided he needed to jump on the trampoline before it started raining on him. I think we are back to normal. Tonight is movie night, it should be a fun night. I was reading through an old pocket calendar I have today and came across this awesome thought "It's not important who you are but Whose you are". I'm glad I know Him! |
-watching some new movies. The boys are so bummed because friday is our big day to go to our homeschool co-op and to top it all off my oldest is really into St. Patricks day and was looking forward to the whole green thing. I told him to wear green though so we won't pinch him at home and then he seemed okay with it. We will pass the day away doing something festive-eat something green, pull out the lite brite or read our new library books we picked up yesterday. |
Yesterday started off w/o a hitch. We got school done and went to the dentist. The kids both got clean bills of health and a bagful of loot. This was my youngest's first trip so big brother showed him how you do it. My 3 year old didn't want to get examined so he and I took a ride together on the the space rocket (the chair) and were able to get 2 of the 4 x-ray's done before loosing it. We played with the water hose and had Mr. Thirsty (the air hose) come and suck it up. Boy have times changed when Josh and I were young we just got a toothbrush/floss and out the door we went. It was such a beautiful day that my husband and I took the boys to the park. A man came to the park w/ his dog to play. I could tell this dog was not going to listen to his owner right away and so I called my youngest a little closer w/o sounding to frantic. He was quick to not listen to me (he was to into climbing) and the dog thinking that he had some playmates, ran up behind him w/o him knowing and tackled him to the ground. Poor little guy was screaming and I was frantic I was trying to pull him up from under the dog while the owner just watched probably thinking that his dog was playing I guess, then the dog turned and jumped on my oldest which in turn made him scream also. My husband was telling the owner about the leash law and asking him what he was thinking bringing him here w/o a leash. We were all upset and the owner put the dog back in the car and went to read the sign. He came over and said he did not know about it and that he was sorry. My poor kids, as some of you know they do not like dogs at all and when you get tackled by one that is 1 1/2 times the size of your 3 year old you get a bit freaked out by it. When it was all over I was crying myself. You hear the stories of dog attacks on the news and to think that this hunting dog that tackled my kids could have just taken a chunk right out of them freaked me out a bit. While my hubby was talking with the owner the kids and I climbed up the climber and just hugged for 10 minutes. Oh, how I love them! I think our family will stick to container animals, though if my youngest and I get our way maybe a cat (hint, hint Josh |
).|
I am so excited to try this new thing to me of blogging. What a great way to communicate what is in your heart when you only have a minute here or there. One of my goals is to keep track of cute/wise saying's my kiddo's say I have been wanting to do this for 5 years and this seems like a perfect format for that.......okay first one last night at dinner my oldest child told me dinner didn't look to appetizing let me back up a bit, we have been struggling for years to try new things and be thankful for what we have to eat but every night it seems he complains about something. We have come down hard on him and we see it paying off. He realizes now that if he complains he is done with dinner.....ohhhh the torture. He is now getting smart at how to communicate his feelings in a grown-up way, he gets credit for that one. My little guy is growing up and to see the changes is so amazing-thank you Jesus for the privledge of raising our son. |
