• Oct. 5, 2008
5 years in the blink of an eye

I just had 5 years go by in the blink of an eye. Delaney just turned 5. Already! She is such a sweetheart and she is the biggest drama queen of the bunch. This girl has talent! I've not been good at keeping up in the blogging world. Its hard to do when your only internet is via a BlackBerry. I'm hoping to get to the library for a day and get caught up on some things while there. Hope all are having a blessed autumn!

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• Sep. 17, 2008
hurricane Ike

Well I wouldn't have thought it possible but Ike made his way to Ohio on Sunday. We didn't have a real true hurricane but the winds were strong scary, and dangerous!we lost power on sunday afternoon and are still doing without. I'm trying to post using my BlackBerry but its not working so well. I'll have to go to the library which has power now and use their internet. We're hearing we could have power by today or tomorrow. Maybe as late as the weekend but they are working like crazy to get everyone back to on. Trying to entertain the @I and 4 year olds by the end of the day is hard. It's fine enough during the day but once it's dusk then it's difficult because they are scared of the dark housew . And I'm really anxious for warm food again!

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• Sep. 13, 2008
House Hunting

We are beginning to hunt for a new home.  This is incredibly sad and stressful for me.  We LOVE our house.  But, it's just become too costly for us and we must get out from under this huge payment. 

We're looking at moving to a more rural setting.  Once you get out of the city the property is so much cheaper and the house size is the same or larger.  And, with our homeschooling adventure, I no longer have to live in school districts that are so expensive.  So property tax would be a lot cheaper somewhere else. We pay $240/mo in property tax ontop of the riduculous house payment currently.  YIKES! 

What I'm truly hoping to find is a country house for rent.  Then, after renting and living "out" somewhere we'd know if it was a good fit for our family.  I'm so not a country girl.  I sort of want to test the water before jumping in.  I think it will be ok and just a new season for my life.  When dh and I used to move around a lot due to his job, there was no such thing as free long distance.  We left to another city and we were just sort of there.  We had one car at the time and dh worked 13-17 hour days.  I was home everyday with our two little girls and had no way of getting out to make friends and meet people.  It was a really depressing situation for me.  Now things have changed so much.  With free long distance you can talk all day long no matter where you are.  And OH, the internet.  What a blessing that is for someone who is no longer right next door to everyone and everything.  I just don't see moving as being an issue anymore.  Not to mention with the kids being in sports and everything else, you really are involved whether you want to be or not   None the less, I would prefer not to buy a house and be locked into that until just at least getting a taste of it first.

If you, friends, could join me in prayer asking God to lead us where He would want us.  If it's His will that we move, may He show us in a mighty and powerful way. 

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• Sep. 11, 2008
How do you rate as a husband or wife of the 1930s?

 

How do you rate as a husband or wife of the 1930s?

Go to this website to take the Marital Test!

It has a cute button that I should put *HERE* but I can't figure out how to put buttons within a post.  Only on my sidebar. 

I need lessons!

Anyway, here's my score.  (I think I earned lots of extra points for having 4 kids!!)

 

79 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Superior

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• Sep. 10, 2008
She's full of surprises

Everyday that I babysit, my youngest, Makenna, draws a picture for the baby to take home with him.  She draws her adorable little balloon head, stick legged people.  There are usually three people in her drawings.  The baby, his mommy and his daddy.  Sometimes she'll draw herself in the picture too.

Today she drew the picture then asked how to spell Leslie, the mom's name.  I told her the letters one by one and Makenna was able to write them!  The E's looked a little spidery with about 10 lines off it instead of 3.  But other than that LESLIE was completely legible.    She was able to write the dad's name too.  Who knew?

I was impressed that she knew her letters at 3 but now I'm even more impressed that she can write them without looking at anything.  She'll be 3 1/2 in October. It's not something we've been working on yet.  Apparently, it's something we're going to be starting since she's interested.

Isn't it funny how you work so hard for them to *get* some things and others they just surprise you with? 

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• Sep. 9, 2008
Do you need a laugh?

Be sure to jump over to my friend from THE SWAP Toni's blog!  She's written the most hysterical mom experience.  It had me laughing hard out loud and did I ever need it today.

Thank you, Toni!

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• Sep. 5, 2008
Back to School Giveaway

Nancy at Homemade Blessings is having this fantastic fall give-away!

Isn't it great!?!!??  I just love everything and her pictures showing off the goodies are great too.  It makes me long for the cooler weather to hurry up and get here. 

Here's the part I just hate  I have to tell YOU how to enter too - therefore lowering my chances of winning this great back to school prize - but, it's so great I know you'd want to win it too, so here goes!

If you'd like a chance to win this giveaway, all you need to do is leave a comment on her post telling her one of your favorite things about Fall. If you would like to be entered twice, write a post about this giveaway on your blog, linking back to Nancy's post. If you do this, please leave Nancy a second comment so that she will know to enter you a second time. Due to the price of shipping, she has made this one open only to the continental U.S.

She is going to run this giveaway for one week - it will end at 11:59 pm on Friday, September 5th. Nancy will pick the winner on Saturday and put up a post to announce who won!

 

 

 

 

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• Sep. 3, 2008
What do you turn around for?

I'm going to try to re-write the blog that was giving me such fits last week.

What do you never leave home without?  For me there are two things I absolutely must have with me.  First of course

my keys.  Yeah, we wouldn't be going anywhere without these.  Although they did play a really good game of hide and seek for over a week.  During that time I had to use the "valet" key.  Ha!  Seriously, that's what's written on the spare key.  Valet.  Hmm, valet key for a minivan.  Seems to be some type of oxymoron if you ask me.

The other thing I do not leave home without is my blackberry. 

This baby is with me 24/7.  We don't have a landline phone so this is my connection to anyone who needs me, plus I can get my email and I can surf the internet (read: visit my favorite blogs and my favorite message board The Swap).  And, most importantly, this is how my kids can get ahold of me.  I allow my two older girls to wander through stores or wherever else we may be alone together (another oxymoron?!) as long as they carry a cell phone and I have mine.  It's been a good way for mom to allow them to do a little bit of growing up without being completely out of touch with them. 

These are the things I cannot leave without.  If I leave my purse at home.  No big deal.  But leave my cell and this minivan is turning straight around. 

But would I turn around if I left my bible at home?  Lately I have been really convicted about not getting into the word.  It was getting to be where I'd go to church on Sunday, come home, and park my bible until the following Sunday.  Sure, I'd pick up some devotional stuff or some commentary, but I wasn't actually IN God's word daily.  God knows my downtime.  So when I mean to grab my bible to read during my downtime while I'm at a soccer practice or something like that, but then I accidently forget it, is it important enough to me to turn around for? 

This has really been on my heart.  I need to make sure that God is my top priority.  Give God the top placement in my life and the rest will fall into place.

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• Aug. 31, 2008
Where a Kid Can Be a Kid

Today, after church, we had an exciting birthday to attend.  It isn't my cup of tea, but the kids have such a great time.  We've held a few of our birthday parties there too.  And now that one of my little princesses has a birthday coming up -- IN 32 DAYS don't forget -- I'm afraid the campaigning might start up for that one too. 

Last year we did a birthday party at a bounce play area and it was the BEST!  The kids and the parents were equally entertained and played together an all of the equipment.  And then when you were escorted to your party room for ice cream and cake your party hostess even wrote down who gave each gift and what it was.  That was a HUGE  for me!

None the less, even at the Big Ol' Rat's house the party is fun and the mess is out of your house. 

 

I think we'll be stickin to the at home parties.  My house needs the extra incentive of the "company is coming" cleaning and our budget will prefer to have a low-key party for the next little while!

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• Aug. 27, 2008
Fall Back Into HomeSchool Giveaway!

 

HsKubes' Haven at Home is hosting a Fall Back into Homeschool Giveaway! Head on over to her blog to get the scoop. She is offering tastey prizes!

 ps: I'm new to this blogging stuff.  I figured out how to make her site name clickable to take you there but I have no idea how to make the picture into a clickable link to take you to her site. Sorry!

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• Aug. 27, 2008
I urge you to read the article and voice your opinion

I was just told about an article in Costco's little magazine they put out.  It is talking about the +/- opinion of homeschooling -whether parents should have to have teacher certification. There is a poll where  you can cast your vote.  Please visit: http://www.costcoconnection.com/connection/200809/?u1=texterity  I believe even with the link you might have to use the page advance button to get to the story (it's page 16/17)

While I truly don't think Costco's member-only magazine holds any relevence, I hate to hear of people who have no idea what homeschooling is about making a stink about what they think we should be doing.  Additionally, I think that the number of homeschooling families is seriously underestimated.

So please take a minute to cast your vote in the poll!!

 

Please remember the Drews family in prayer. 

I don't know the family but have heard they are fellow homeschoolers and bloggers on this site. 

Their 3 year old son went to be with Jesus yesterday. 

My heart breaks to even try to imagine their pain. 

May the peace and love of our ever faithful Father bring comfort to the family.

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• Aug. 26, 2008
waaaaah

Twice I've typed out my blog for today

  with pictures and everything!

And twice it's disappeared!!!

 

Waaaaaah!!

 

I'll try again later.

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• Aug. 24, 2008
Just Another Crazy Weekend

Saturday was the official start of our crazy weekend schedule.  With three kids in sports, I can now devote my Saturdays as the #1 Cheerleader.  Saturday we had a game at 9am (had to be there at 8:30 of course) for Kaitlyn who is 10, nearly 11.  Then we had a 10am game for Delaney.  Thankfully those games were at the same park so I was able to watch a full 40 minutes of Kaitlyn's game before heading to the fields at the front of the park for the 4 year old game. 

Now Kaitlyn is a super soccer player.  She loves the game.  Lives the game.  Is the game.  And I thought Delaney would be the same way since soccer is all she's ever known.  She was 3 days old at her first soccer game.  Hmmm.  It doesn't appear that it's going to be that way.

If you had been at our Friday night practice, you would have been able to watch Delaney hold hands with her teammates.  She and a little boy held hands during the kickoff  and continued to stand there holding hands while the "other team" managed to score.  If you had been at our Friday night practice, you would have been able to watch Delaney point out the very pretty cloud with the sun shining pink around the cloud's edges.  She pointed this out to each individual team member and both her coaches...individually.  If you had been at our Friday night practice, you would have been able to watch Delaney tell her coaches to "hang on" for a second while she came over to tell the boy I babysit goodbye when his dad arrived to pick him up. If you had been at our Friday night practice, you would have been able to watch Delaney stop and wave every time she noticed her sister and me on the sidelines.

Oh, but that was just practice.  For the game on Saturday, Delaney was really not that bad.  She was focused.  She was into it.  She scored 2 goals!!! for the other team. But they don't keep score and all she knows is that she kicked that ball into the net TWO TIMES and you know what that means??  Ice Cream!  Yes, I bribe my kids.  It keeps them focused.  And you know what, sometimes Mom gets the benefit of that special ice cream treat too. 

Ah, but the fun didn't stop there on Saturday.  We then had to hurry home from the soccer games and make cupcakes and no bake cookies for the Cheerleader Bake Sale for Allison's squad.  It was their first game Saturday too.  And, it was our hottest day this summer.  Oh the fun and excitement there.  It was sweltering.  95* and no shade.  High school varsity football so they play by all the rules, making the game last, well, FOREVER!! Watching the clock during a football game is like counting in dog years -- it just doesn't add up!!   I just kept reciting to myself, This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.  It didn't make it any less hot but I was trying to be thankful for being able to be out and enjoying my girls having fun.  As miserable as the three who weren't cheering, myself, Dad, and Grandma and Grandpa were, it was a JOY to watch Allison and her squad have fun.  She cheers for a Christian Homeschool team.  I really like the girls and the standards of the squad.

For all of yesterdays events I had the camera with me.  And forgot it the ENTIRE day until we pulled into our driveway at right around 6pm.  And were greeted by some friends.

Yeah, it was when our company came that I finally remembered to grab the camera in my bag.  Go figure.

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• Aug. 22, 2008
For my oldest daughter

My oldest daughter has written a "25 Things About Me" entry on her blog.  She did a great job at it, though she had some difficulty at the end.  It's really hard to think of things about yourself.

I wrote back to her 25 Things I LOVE About You and thought I'd share here.

25 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT YOU

1. I love your hair 2. I love that you will go onstage and sing or act 3. I love your smile 4. I love that you have favorite words 5. I love that you enjoy going to church 6. I love that you're a great big sister 7. I love that you are willing to try new things 8. I love that you are nurturing 9. I love that you want to go back to Colonial Williamsburg because I do too!! 10. I love how quickly you can learn your cheers and dances 11. I love that you got the reading gene and we can share that in common 12. I love when you finish all your schoolwork and watching you accomplish a goal 13. I love watching you learn something new 14. I love being silly with you 15. I love that you can talk to me about anything 16. I love that you make friends easily 17. I love that you enjoy spending time with your family 18. I love hearing you sing 19. I love to see you reading your Bible 20. I love to hear you say I love you to your sisters 21. I love that you still call me Mommy 22. I love that you have goals for your life 23. I love to have movie nights in my bed with you 24. I love that you still hold hands 25. I love that you're my daughter

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• Aug. 20, 2008
All is well

I wanted to update about Delaney.  I took her to the doctor to get the shiny diamond from her ear. 

At first the doctor thought maybe she could scoop it out.  But then she pushed it in a little further.  She took her little flashlight and was looking in there all over.  Doctor said, "boy, I don't even see it in there now" and she keeps looking around.  Delaney told her, "I think you pushed it into my other ear!"

Then the doctor found it and decided it would be better to flush it out.  That was really easy and worked right away.  Had I known how easy it was I would have tried that at home. Oh well, note to self for future things in the ear, right? 

I aked Delaney why (why, why, why) she put something in her ear. Her answer, "I have no idea.  I think it was just a bad brain that wanted me to do it."

Got to love that sweet little girl!

 Last night for dinner I made one of my super easy family favorites.
We don't have this one often since it's rated high on the super bad for you meter. I'd say maybe 3 times a year.

Lasagna Roll Ups

Characters: Lasagna Noodles, Jar of Sauce, Tub of Ricotta, an Egg or Two, Mozzarella, Parmesean - if you'd like.

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions

Hint: spray baking dish with non stick spray to help with an easy clean up after dinner

In your large baking dish, pour some of your pasta sauce in (maybe 1/4 of your jar) and tilt your dish this way and that to get it lightly covered all over the bottom.

Mix together all of your ricotta, your egg(s), and maybe 1/2 your mozzarella.  You can throw in some parmesean here if you'd like.

Lay out your cooked lasagna noodles

Spread a spoonful of your cheese mixture onto each individual noodle.

I spread it from top to bottom, trying not to go too heavy.

Then take your noodle and roll it up. Place it into your baking dish. I usually try to place the "seam" down. Do this to each noodle. Then pour the remaining sauce all over your roll ups. Use the left over mozzarella to sprinkle over the tops of your roll ups and throw it into the oven. I usually bake mine at 350* for about 45-1hour. Sometimes longer depending on how crazy my zoo house gets.

This is such a crowd pleaser and so easy it's a Mom pleaser too.

If you want to get fancy you can brown meat to go in it or throw in extra veggies. I always think about doing that but when it comes down to it, I truly go for ease and let Kenmore do all the work. We have tossed salad to go with it and I justify the veggies eaten in that.

I made two so we have plenty of leftovers and can send some with Daddy to heat up for lunch at work.

The kids thought it was a special night since we were baking in the oven.  We try to do mostly grill or stove top cooking when it's hot summer months.  But, we didn't have any soccer practices to rush off to last night and Dad was home for dinner so we had a fancy oven dinner.

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• Aug. 18, 2008
Another fun and exciting day?!

So today's plans were for us to really start our school.  I have the older girls' lessons planned out and planned today to work with the littles on their work too.  Things were going pretty well until 9am.  Then all things were suddenly put on hold.

Delaney told me her ear hurts.  "Like a go to the doctor, ear infection kind of hurt?" I asked.  "No," she told me.  She wanted me to get the flashlight and a q-tip.  I peek into her ear and see something a little unusual.  Is there normally a bright and shiny sparkle when looking into a 4 year old's ear?  I don't ever remember seeing one before. 

Apparently Delaney had a bright idea to put a plastic diamond earing from her play jewelry set IN TO her ear today.  I can't get it out.  I tried but it looks like it would just push in further instead of coming out so I'm leaving it to the experts.  She goes to the doctor at 11.  Which leaves my hands free to TAKE PICTURES!  I'm not letting this girl live this one down!   Bwah ha ha ha ha!  This is something I will be sharing with her for a long, long time.  And when she and her sisters have their own kids we'll be talking about this too.  And bringing out those pictures!

Lesson learned by mom:  plans are really more of suggestions, right?

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• Aug. 16, 2008
It's the ultimate buzz for kids

This is worse than giving the kids caffeine!  It's giving them pure sugar.  Lucky for me there is enough daylight for them to go burn off this insane sugar energy!

Below is what happens when you tell a 4 year old to please only eat 1 color of their cotton candy this afternoon (instead of the WHOLE thing).

Not a happy camper, eh?

Is there such a thing as too much of a good thing?

 

I have to remember to give thanks to Daddy for giving the kids this sugar high as he drove off to work this afternoon.  Thanks Dad!

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• Aug. 12, 2008
It just takes one second

It just takes one second to put things into perspective. 

Today I met another homeschool mom.  She has 5 kids.  Her 15 year old has become very ill quite suddenly.  She went from an energetic soccer forward, to a girl who can go to church and then have to come home to rest. 

Her parents don't know what's wrong.  Her doctors don't know what's wrong.  But eventually they will figure it out.  And she'll have something wrong. 

It just takes one second to put things into perspective.

I'm praying to our gracious father for his healing hand on this child.  He can make her something wrong turn into a blessing of something so very righteous. 

Lord, I don't even know this young girl's name.  But you know.  And you know what's on my heart as well as her parents'.  I ask for your healing touch and we'll give You, Lord, all the honor, the glory, and the praise.  I ask these things in Jesus' precious name.

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• Aug. 10, 2008
Listening to the Holy Spirit

I really wanted to sleep in today.  I really thought, if Steve would just slide this week then I would blame it on him and stay home.  But then at 10am Steve came in to say he was taking the girls to church and he started to pick out his clothes.  He was going to let me stay in bed (I was having a lazy morning).  And I was really excited about this idea.  But then, the Holy Spirit told me I needed to be at church.  Something I *knew* to begin with, but was clearly getting a bump from Holy Spirit as a reminder. 

So I got up.  Got dressed and did my hair and face in record time and was ready to head out the door by 10:30.  10:45 actually since I had to do the babies' hair too. 

And I felt so much better for being obedient and going.  And when Pastor began his sermon...it was about the Holy Spirit. 

A sermon just for me. 

Thank you, Father.

 

And we sang one of my favorites today!

How Great is Our God

VERSE(1):
The splendor of a King,
Clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice,
All the earth rejoice
He wraps himself in light,
And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at his voice,
And trembles at his voice

CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God

VERSE(2):
Age to age he stands
And time is in His Hands
Beginning and the End,
Beginning and the End
The Godhead, Three in one
Father, Spirit, Son
The Lion and the Lamb,
The Lion and the Lamb

CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God

CHORUS(2)
Name above all names
You are Worthy of all praise
and My heart will sing how great
Is our God
(x2)

CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
Sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God


CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
Sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God

 

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• Aug. 9, 2008
10 Things I Am Thankful For

1. Lord, I thank you for a beautiful family that loves You.
2. Lord, I thank you for a beautiful family that loves me.
3. Lord, I thank you for my being in a country where I am free to worship YOU!
4. Lord, I thank you for loving me unconditionally.  Even on days where I don't deserve it.
5. Lord, I thank you for putting people in my life who encourage me to grow in my faith.
6. Lord, I thank you for the blessing of new life.
7. Lord, I thank you for the opportunity to be a servant in a ministry you have blessed.  A ministry that brings glory to You!
8. Lord, I thank you for guiding my family to a church where the Holy Word is preached and where other obstacles are not in the way.
9. Lord, I thank you for showing me daily that you are real.  Our living God who stands by us through all things, all times.
10. Lord, I thank you for your grace.  For our Saviour Christ Jesus who took away our sins.  My sins.  Erased because He paid the price.

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