Most of my years as a mom has been spent acquainting myself with the toys boys love. Many of you may understand some of the love-hate that can go with that whole process. Take, for example, the plain and simple Lego. I love the hours of entertainment my boys have with their thousands and thousands of Legos of every size, shape, and...I'd say color, but most are standard issue Star Wars gray and black. The hate part of these toys is what happens to my vacuum cleaner when it has finally sucked up just one too many Legos. *sigh*
So, on to the topic of this entry: Bakugan. I won't begin a debate on the merits (or lack thereof) of the game itself. I'm just talking about the little plastic balls that turn "critter" when they are rolled. Moms who have these things in their homes know they are a combination of Happy Meal meets Transformer meets card game meets bowling. (At least, that's my take at this point.) Lucky me. These have been in my home for a very short time, and they have wreaked more havoc than I'd like to admit.
First, these things are small. They are pocket-sized and, for some bizarre reason, thoroughly entertaining and enthralling to a boy. Maybe this is why they seem to be everywhere I look? They appeared under the covers at bed time, so they had to disappear. When they appeared at the home schooling table, they disappeared. When they appeared at home school group, they disappeared. When they appeared at church--you got it--they disappeared! (Sensing a theme here?)
Home school group was Friday, and I confiscated the "critters" right before I left town for a ladies trip to Springfield, Illinois, for a Beth Moore conference (another topic to be sure). Well, wouldn't you know it--the little buggers ended up in my leather tote bag the whole time and continued to roll out of my bag repeatedly, causing them to expand/explode at various times when I was not in the mood. I can't even count the number of times I put the critters back into ball form at the hotel on Friday night! I would close one, and another would explode. See? These things really are everywhere I turn!
Today the critters were confiscated before service (all six of them). My Dashing Hero determined I should be the keeper of the critters in (where else?) my leather tote bag. This wouldn't be a problem if I weren't carrying my Bible, pen, and other necessary church things in my bag. Between worship songs and sermon, it was bound to happen. The leather tote toppled...and out came six little balls out of my bag. Yep. They exploded all over the aisle, popping like popcorn all over the floor.
Moms watching knew I had recently confiscated them, I'm sure.
But, really! Really? What did I do to deserve this moment in life? I would have left them in the middle of the aisle, but I knew people would probably be tempted to punt them in the direction of the stage thrust to score a goal...or maybe that's just me.
The other night my daughter came to me with her Awana book and said "It says in here that in the 60's the Astronauts read from the book of Genesis on Christmas Eve from the Moon. Is that true or something Awana just made up?" I happened to be sitting at the computer so I played this for her...
I am assuming I don't remember this from the original airing since I was only 3 in 1968! But I do remember hearing it before. It is quite touching to listen to and somewhat sad to think about how much our world has changed in the last 40 years. I can't imagine something like this happening today and obviously neither could my daughter since she thought they had made it up for Awana.
I am praying for a revival for America! How awesome it would be to NOT be surprised to hear prayer in this country! How wonderful it would be for my children and grandchildren to live in an America that honored the one true God! Please join me in praying for our country.
On Oct. 1st the kids and I were in the car headed to the pumpkin patch! They were all dressed in fall t-shirts and I was ready to take some great pictures! Then it started raining...I pulled over and made a few quick calls to the homeschool friends we were suppose to meet. We all decided to go another day. Little did we know it was going to rain for 30 days straight! (I am exaggerating a little here, but honestly this is the wettest Oct. I have seen in my life!) Meanwhile we were in the middle of moving. The rain meant we were moving in the mud and the last thing I wanted to do was trek out into a pumpkin patch and collect even more mud. As the month headed to a close I started to realize a trip to the pumpkin patch was not going to happen. So I did the next logical thing...I decided to have a Pumpkin Party! LOL
What is a Pumpkin Party??? Honestly it's something I made up. But, we had our first one on Nov. 2nd with 97 people in attendance! Thankfully the rain finally stopped and we found a park with lots of concrete to keep us out of the mud. The party was a huge success and a LOT of fun! Here are the highlights....
We started out with the kids each decorating a pumpkin cookie.
Then they ate their cookies while waiting for the pumpkin story to start.
Next we listened to the Pumpkin Gospel You can read all about the story at the link below http://ginaconroy.com/ginablog/wordpress/2007/10/30/the-pumpkin-gospel/
Then we played pumpkin games!
Pumpkin Parachute Game. I got a package of Fun Foam Pumpkin and made a smiley face on one with a marker. Then they would put all the pumpkins in the parachute, throw them up in the air and the person who found the smiley face got a piece of candy. Repeat until everyone wins!
We also had Pumpkin Hot Potato.
And we had Pumpkin Relay Races!
We finished off the party with lots and lots of pumpkin food! Everyone brought a pumpkin dish to share. We had pies, breads, cakes, cookies, pumpkin dip. The food was amazing!
It was a great day and I am sure we will have many more pumpkin parties in the future.
It just so happens that all five of the people in our family have birthdays in a six-month period. So from mid-August to mid-February it feels we are constantly in birthday mode. Tomorrow is my husband's birthday, so that got me thinking about what birthday freebies are out there. I found some great ones, including a list of restaurants that give free food on your birthday! There are also free printable cards, cake ideas, and much more!
I hope you enjoy this week's birthday freebies!
Family Fun has a wonderful selection of birthday cake ideas you can easily make at home. I have made many of these for my family, and they are always a big hit!
This is a neat website. You can see a time capsule of the day you were born. Find out what bread cost, or how much you would have paid for a car. Learn what the minimum wage was and lots of other fun information!
I got this recipe from my friend Lyn, but I put my own spin on it. We have it every Wed. for breakfast and often have the leftovers for a snack. We make it up the night before and store it in the fridge to make our morning as easy (and as TASTY) as can be!
Baked Oatmeal
3 C. Oatmeal
1 C. Sugar (we use less than 1 C... more like 3/4 C. of organic, unbleached sugar... I tried honey, but it didn't turn out as soft as we liked)
1 t. salt. (I use kosher sea salt)
2 t. baking powder (I use aluminum free from Costco)
6 scoops of organic whey protein powder (we use the kind sweetened with stevia and xylitol and either chocolate OR vanilla tastes great)
1 C. milk (actually we use 1 C. of kefir and sometimes add just a little more than a cup since the kefir can be quite thick. Rice milk also works well!)
2 eggs (organic, if possible)
1/2 C. oil (we use unsweetened organic applesauce instead)
I also sprinkle in a large amount (I never measure... maybe a scant 1/4 C.???) of organic cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into greased 8x11 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Serve warm topped with applesauce, warm milk, raisins, craisins, nuts, whatever you like.
We have also made this with eggnog instead of milk and it was yummy!
Oh, once I made it with choc. protein powder and added a couple heaping TBS. of raw almond butter and it was nice like that too!
In order to feel like I've been productive this week, I'm going to make a list of all I've done. I've been tempted to do nothing but enjoy a good book on the front porch and have taken those opportunities several times this week, however, there still seem to be so many things calling for my attention.
So, beginning on Monday and going through today, this is what I can remember accomplishing so far, this week:
5-6 loads of laundry
Cleaned and reorganized the school bookshelf
Cleaned off and reorganized my desk
Online banking several times
Grocery shopping
Cleaned bathroom
Cleaned out and reorganized bathroom storage shelves
Pulled out all Thanksgiving curriculum items
Cleaned off and reorganized Collin's school desk
Started reading "Little House in the Big Woods" aloud
Wrote a letter
Changed and reduced my DISH network, AT & T, and Verizon bills
Posted a picture on Facebook
Voted in Amendment election
Cooked many meals
Made cookies
Offered a written schedule to Gena at TOS
Prayed for friends in need
Helped the kids with schoolwork
I was unpacking some boxes today and I came upon something that really blessed me, so I had to share.
Last spring I did a Women's Bible Study at church. One of the things we did was write down things we needed to give to God and put them in a box. One of the girls brought us all boxes that looked like a flip flop. Very cute! So I stuck mine on a shelf and forgot about it, like I was suppose to. Today I found it. I smiled when I saw it because I knew most of the things I had put in the box God indeed had taken care of. But, just for fun I took off the lid off and started opening the little slips of paper to see the words I had written. One by one I saw that they were all handled by God! Then I opened one I honestly do not remeber putting in there. It was just one word...space. WOW! Did I really put that in there? Yes, our last house was too small, but I had NO intention of moving. I really, really wanted to stay until our oldest was through high school. (3 more years.) We had even thought we might even try to buy it so we could add on to it at some point. We had even looked at those sunrooms you can have built on as a possiblilty for more space in the future. Now as I am sitting in my new house (which is more than 50% bigger than where we were when I wrote the word "space") I cannot help but just be amazed. It was just a fleeting moment. Write something down they said...Okay, give me space. And He did!
God is good!
Happy Homeschooling,
Jamin
P.S. Unpacking is going well! I would say we are 75% unpacked. Here is my very happy daughter in her totally unpacked room! YAY!!!! She is one happy girl to have her own "space" now! :^)
Of all the places I could choose to write about this, here seems to be the perfect place. Maybe becauseyou know my heart better than most, maybe because "Encouragement Along the Way " is the title of my book and my blog. Venting is something I do very rarely and these words are not writing in anger, more befuddled and confused than angry.
You see I discovered the other day that my publishing comapany no longer exists. I was not told it was no longer in business. I was not notified that they were no longer distributing my book. Truth is I don't even know if my book is even available anywhere any longer. The original file, the publisher did not return. You see I wrote an email requesting I be mailed a case of books. I was planning on a book signing prior to the Holidays. After all this is the time people are most likely to buy a devotional. Anyway, the email was returned adressee unknown. So we went to the Publishers website.. It was gone! Without any notice it was completely gone.
When my first publisher sold the company, we had great correspondance, decisions were made and new contracts exchanged. The new publisher well, that has never been the case and it breaks my heart. I expect Christians to behave honorably. And that has not been the case, not even respectfully have I been included in this dissolving of my ..."MY" book.
I am told it is mine to do with as I please. Find a new publisher, self publish, or e-book it. I am open to the Lord's direction. Valerie posted this verse on her FB today, and I knew it was God speaking to my heart.
We rejoice too, when we run into problems and trials for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with love. Romans 5:3-5
This is my prayer,my focus, my desire. This hope is the only hope that does not disappoint. So today I am developing character, praying to forgive and waiting for direction. After all, it was never ever my book, the heart of it, the words in it ,they were always the Lord's. It is His to do with as He chooses.
Here are a few of our recent activities within our Tot School!
My youngest children enjoyed matching numbers using this Scarecrow File Folder activity.
We read Goodnight Moon with our FIAR Club. Here is a paper we did with that.
It was a coloring picture. They colored in the items in the room in crayons then to make the room green. They used green watercolor paints. (They love painting!)
We also did a few fun Tot Tray activities. I was organizing the Tot activity cabinet and these activites my youngest wanted to work on.
This one is just placing marbles on the suction cups of a patterned bath mat piece. I found some fish shaped ones. This is a fine motor skills activity.
This one is a color sorting activity. The ice cream bowls and scoops I found inexpensively. I put those three colors (blue, green, & Yellow) of pompoms in a container. They had to take the color ice cream scoop they wanted and use it to sort those colored pompom balls into the matching bowl.
The picture below shows two other things (characters) my little Tot is currently enjoying:
If you want to see what others are doing in their Tot Schools, check out 1+1+1=1 blog.
Loving God with all my heart!
I am a Homeschooling mom of 5 wonderful children. I am the wife of a very successful, handsome, wonderful husband who loves God with all his heart.
I love to travel. Our Favorite place: Hawaii!!!! I love to read. My Favorite books: God's Word, Family Driven Faith, Passionate Housewives Desperate for God, and Created to Be His Helpmeet.
I have started this blog in hopes of meeting other like-minded homeschooling families. It is also my desire to use this blog to minister to others as God places things in my heart for me to share with you all.
Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by!
Check out my other Blogs Below:
Keepers At Home The Great Mystery Links
SUPERMARKET SAVING 101Click Here!
You can read all about the story at the link below
I got a package of Fun Foam Pumpkin and made a smiley face on one with a marker. Then they would put all the pumpkins in the parachute, throw them up in the air and the person who found the smiley face got a piece of candy. Repeat until everyone wins!
The kids loved this! I got the idea here: 
