Mom of 7

Photo Friday

I would love to show some of my pictures I took at the beach last weekend, but I am having a hard time downloading them. So in the mean time here is a great pic of my daughter Megan. I would love to take credit for this shot, but it was taken by Sheena. Thanks Sheena, I love it!!!

Back To School!!!

Yes!! We have finally opended up our new, or borrowed, school books and have officially started our new school year! This is a late start for us, but we all needed the extra summer break this year after our extra long school year in '07 - due to Ezra being born so early. We went down to the beach for one last vacation and had a really great time, and now we are hitting the books!! Co-op will start on Monday Sept. 8th and that runs all school year, every Monday. My kids are anxious to go back and really excited for some new classes. Three of my girls - Elle, Megan and Madi - are on the basketball team that my Dad, their Pappy, is coaching!!!! How cool is that!?! Pheonix is so excited to start French lessons. Alex will resume his guitar lessons and Elle is starting piano and guitar!

I know I like to read what others are using for their school year so here is a rundown of what we are using for our 2008-2009 school year.

Math - Alex is using Abeka Consumer Math, Elle and Pheonix are using Teaching Textbooks (thanks Angie), Megan and Madi are using Mondern Curriculum Press, Jessie is using Horizons.

History - We are finishing up Mystery Of History Vol. 1 and will be starting Vol. 2 after Christmas. Thanks again to my SIL Angie for the loan of MOH Vol. 2. (www.themysteryofhistory.com)

Geography/History - Pennsylvania State History (www.statehistory.net). This is a multi-level teaching curriculum that I will use for all the kids. PA laws requires us to teach PA history once in elementary and again in high school.

Foreign Language - L'Art de lire (www.nallenart.on.ca/us/french.shtml#dire). Pheonix, Megan and Madi will be taking this class at co-op.

Science/Health - Alex, Elle, Pheonix will be taking science at co-op using BJU Life Science, Megan and Madi will use DK LearnScience at home and Jessie is using Considering God's Creation at co-op.

English - My favorite!!!! We use a multi-level teaching program called Hands-On English (www.grammarandmore.com). Spelling Power, journal entries (I make my own), I also have a large collection of extras in this subject that we use during our school year - Explode The Code, PenTime handwriting books, Daily Grams, Writing Strands, and a variety of phonics wkbks. Megan, Madi and Jessie also use the PathWay readers and wkbk. My kids also read at least 30 minutes daily, with a goal of 25 chapter books per year.

Art - All the kids take an art class at our co-op with a paid instructor. This year they will be using charcoal pencils, watercolor and will study texturing, lines, forms, shading, ect. Elle, Pheonix and Megan are also in a drama class at co-op.

Music - Elle, Madi, Jessie will take piano lessons at co-op. Elle and Alex will take guitar lessons at co-op. Megan has taken recorder class at co-op and will continue practice at home. Pheonix is studying composers. Madi is also in a musical drama club.

Gym - Elle, Megan and Madi are on the girls basketball team at co-op. Alex, Pheonix and Jessie are taking a gym class.

Safety - PA required class - we use materials that I have collected over the years to go over fire safety, cooking safety, first aid, ect.

Introducing......

Mandie and Dillan.

Family updates:

Mark is recovering nicley- got stitches removed yesterday -goes back to real work tomorrow. He is going to post pone the next one till this hand is strong again.

 Ashley is on her way home for Kate Daltons funeral.

Markie, just hanging around waiting for a call back...

Dillan hurt his ankle yesterday skateboarding. Working at Ritas today.

Eric is practicing for football everyday.

Devan is just being Devan........

MAF Missionary Pilot Jeff Turcotte

Marks best friend growing up.... now a missionary pilot with MAF. He was here with his team in Smoketown doing   a weekend thing. We had a great time catching up with him and getting a ride in the new Kodiack aircraft. Mark was Jeffs first passenger after he got his pilots licence when he was a teen.

Devan getting ready for take off- his first ride ever!!!

Eric second ride with Jeff

The view was georgous!!!! We flew down to Long Level - 10 miles out..... had to get out of the way  of the helicptor- yikes!!!!

Back on the ground and re-feuling...

Eric and Devan with Steve Saint- Nate Saints son ( Nate was killed by the Wadoni Indians 55 or so years ago along with Elizabeth Elliots husband and some othe men. IF you have never seen the movie made on their life story called "The End of the Spear" - YOU MUST!!!!!!)

For Fun

This is me and Rod at his high school prom in May 1989.

And Rod and I one month after our wedding in October 2000.

My scanner wasnt working so I took pictures of these pictures so they're arent the best copies, but I love them both and wanted to share.

Can an 18 month old do chores?

Mine can!!! Ezra loves to crawl up into the dish washer. Today while Jess was putting the dishes away he once again crawled in. We decided to see what he would do - to our surprise he started handing dishes to Jess!! He wanted to help with chores!! I guess you're never too young to start! :)

Weeks worth.......

Last Wed. night  we had a wing night - per Ashleys request. Lots of wings, lots of food, lots of laughs!!

Joe was having a hard time keeping the butter off his chin:)

Early Friday morning we were off to Lynchburg to move Ashley. I took the 3 younger boys and Mark came down after work with Ashleys car. Her dorm is up on a hill this time. The option was to climb 76 stairs(just till you reached the dorm- then she is on the 2nd floor:)) OR climb this very steep grassy hill. We tried both looking for the very best way- THERE WAS NONE!!!!! Wheww!!!! Just when we got all her stuff up, Steph came in and she had a carload. The  boys graciously helped her. Then came the time for moving everything around to suit them.

Lydia, Steph and Ash

Remember those seedlings we planted back in Feb. or March????? They became beautiful pepper plants and LOTS of them. I have more bannana peppers  than I know what to do with!

The other peppers turned out to be gormet peppers, these are purple and I have white- unique. They are very tastey.

I start the newborn baby today- he should have been here by now . It is fair week this week so I'm sure the kids are going to want to go over there some.

It is time for  a cup of coffee.... later

Perseverance

Although parents need to be careful not to focus on behavior alone, it’s important to realize that sometimes behavior can change the heart. Ideally, we change from the inside out, adjusting the heart and giving God greater control, resulting in outward change. But that isn’t how it always works, with children or adults. In the Bible we read God’s commands for behavior—and his expectation of obedience. These commands are important not just for their external value, but because obeying brings inner change as well.

Sometimes people just don’t feel like doing what’s right. Does that excuse their behavior? After all, they don’t want to be hypocrites, and since they don’t feel like doing what’s right, maybe they should continue to do the wrong thing until their hearts change. Of course the faulty reasoning here is obvious. Even if you don’t feel like it, you need to do the right thing.

Many of the chores children do are a struggle for them. Unless your kids are exceptional, they get frustrated with work and view cleaning their rooms, washing the dishes, or raking leaves as an intrusion into their lives. In those moments, pray for heart change, talk about deeper issues, but continue to hold the line.

Children who learn to work hard are eventually surprised by the amount of work they can do, but it takes time. By teaching children how to fulfill their responsibilities, even when they don’t feel like it, develops the character quality of perseverance in their hearts.

For more about helping children change their hearts, consider the book Parenting is Heart Work by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller RN BSN.

Hershey Park

My step son Blaze was down for a visit, so Rod and I took all the kids to Herhsey this past Wednesday - along with some other family and friends. We had a great time!!! As much as I love going on rides, it was so much fun watching all the kids - I actually did get to go on a couple rides and a rollar coaster!! :)

This is me with Ezra, Avarie, Madi and my sweetie niece Michelle Ting.