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I had some technical difficulties with my blog, and had to change it around, so here is the new website: letsmakeadifference09.blogspot.com :) |
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I have decided to stop this blog and move over to blogspot. I am going to be listing a tip every day for parenting, mothering, and walking the Christian road as a woman in 2009. You can find my blog at letsmakeadifference10.blogspot.com |
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I know it's early, but here's our family Christmas picture for 2009! :) It is so hard for us to get all ten people together, and then smile, and all look at the right spot...and then be happy with how they look because no one else really matters...you know what I mean. :) Anyway, we took this picture last week at a birthday party, and I can't imagine any of us changing enough to have to take a new one! :) So, Merry Christmas everyone, from my famiy to yours!!
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I think February is a great month for Valentines Day. It's so much fun to decorate and show love to lots of people. I am fervently praying that my children will always cherish the relationships that they have with each other and that family will always be a top priortiy. In church today, we learned that men and women are very different from each other. I think I'll spend some time tomorrow talking about those differences with my children. :)
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I have another great book to recommend! It's called Every Day a Holiday by Silvana Clark. ISBN - 780800758776. It has great ideas for a craft, a food, and a project to celebrate over 300 days a year. One of the days includes complimenting everyone in the family at least once. One compliment must be serious and the other humorous. Just lots and lots of fun! Spring like weather, mud everywhere, my mudroom is living up to its name! :)
I wonder what age child silly string is geared to :)
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I love February because I clean out all of my cupboards and other areas that collect items. About 17 years ago, my husband imformed me that I had a problem collecting 'stuff'. I didn't even realize it. After reading books and listening to tapes from Focus on the Family, I realized I DID have a problem, and had a friend de-clutter and re-organize my whole house. It was great!! I have found now if I declutter and re-organize every year I can keep the house under control. It's such a great feeling. So, every March I have a gigantic yard sale with 4 or 5 other families. If you have a child age 4 and up I have a great book to help them organize and declutter. It really works. :) A Kid's Quide to Organizing ISBN 0-9669899-8-8 :)
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Raising 4 teenage boys with a computer around has often been stressful. As all of us know, there are many temptations that involve the internet. However, in the past 12 days I have seen the power of the internet in a very positive way!! I 'accidentally' found a blog that asked for prayer for a couple's newborn daughter who was not expected to live through the night. People spread the news, and within two days, THOUSANDS of people were praying. The little baby started flourishing!!! People started arriving at the hospital by plane and car to pray for the family that they had never met.....except through blogland!!!! What a blessing! You can find it by googling kellyskorner!!
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Seed catalogs have arrived. It's always a highlight for me. I love planning my flower beds. I think it's my release from stress of homeschooling. Our year is going fairly well, but i think we'll be homeschooling several weeks longer then I had hoped. One of my friends includes interesting sites on her blog. Through one of them I found this site: www.kellyskornerblog.com Kelly had a baby on Friday that needs prayer. I love exploring new sites. I have learned so much.  God's Idea of Beauty |
It took me 16 years of homeschooling to finally go against the grain and the peer pressure and take a vacation the week before Christmas instead of the week after. Because I am Jewish, in addition to Christmas, we celebrate Hanukah with my family and three of our children have birthdays the last two weeks of December ... so, December becomes very crazy. I'm not sure why it took me so long to realize I needed help and time before the holidays and not after them. So this was my favorite Christmas so far! Lots of laughs and happy memories :) the kids pyramid :)  the group picture |
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God is so faithful...as soon as I completed the previous blog- I remembered something that Elizabeth Elliot said. "When you're not sure what to do, do the next thing" I prayed for God's help in decorating, and choosing gifts and it has been a wonderful experience! I have great ideas for gifts and the house looks beautiful inside and out, if I must say so myself! I re-watched the 2 video set E Elliot about a peaceful home. If you haven't seen those videos- watch them- they're worth watching. Happy Holidays. :)
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The tree is up and decorated (after our first time having it fall with water and all) but the rest of the house needs some help. I just can't seem to get into this year! I think I am trying so hard to make it meaningful for my children, that I am second guessing all of my ideas for presents and activities. It was much easier when my children were young!! Ha. Today we'll bake cookies and hopefully I'll have ideas for activities to help others!! I know that's a secret to have joy....Anyone have any ideas? My oldest daughter's 17th birthday party! She;s the one every one is pointing to!!! |
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We are a happy family! My second son returned from touring Europe with his band. He had been gone ten weeks and many months before that. His hard-core Christian rock band is doing very well! We always enjoy when he's home. Now all eight children are back in the nest!! :) He's the one in the white t-shirt, hugging Goofy :)  |
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I have so many things to be thankful for. I'm trying to list them every day this month. And yet today, we had a disapointment within the family, nothing life threatening, and all of a sudden, its hard to be thankful. I feel like an ungrateful two year old. Hopefully I'll work things out by morning! |
If anyone happens to be in Potter County PA, the first weekend in November in 2009, they should watch the dog sled races!!! Various breeds of dogs pull bicycles, four-wheelers, and special carts in a race around a park. DCNR workers were also there to give demonstrations on safety, survival skills, animal ID, and Geo caching. Does anyone do any geo caching? Sounds like it could be fun!!!   One set of dogs with the sled and their rider  Caleb on one of the sleds |
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This should be an interesting weekend. My husband and I and two of our younger children are traveling to Potter COunty to watch dog sled races. It will be great just being with extended family and away from the phone!! |
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I volunteered to make whoopie pies for a fund raiser for our homeschool co-ops junior high history class. I have never had success making them, but thought there is always hope. :) I decided to purchase the filling from a local Amish story and came across a fabulous recipe for the chocolate cookie which I would like to share! -Prepare a boxed, moist chocolate cake mix as directed, and add a half a cup of flour. Put on a greased and floured cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes. I never regreased the cookie sheets, and they were easy to remove and tasted great! We made gigantic whoopie pies with lots of filling and hope to get $1 each. I'll keep you posted! :)  |
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My oldest son, at age 24, is looking to buy a house somewhere in this county. The nine of us are excited for him, but at the same time realize how things can change so fast. Its amazing how much has changed in the last ten years, and what will change in the next ten! My five sons: |
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My eleven year old son begged me to keep a mouse as a pet that he found in our chicken house. However, while transferring the mouse to a cage, it escaped. He then asked if he could ride his bike to the local pet store and buy another mouse. In a moment of insanity, I gave him permission. Unfortunately, they only had 3 large jumping mice left. He was told that they don't bite. What could have been better? He returned with all three mice. Ugly, big mice. Guess what happened? When he got home and tried to transfer the mice to a cage, one of them bit him and drew so much blood I wondered if he would need stitches. It also escaped and is now loose in our garage. What was I thinking?
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We're having a yard sale today and tomorrow with several other moms! I love cleaning out, and hope to do a major decluttering before the end of October. I didn't have time to do the major job before the yard sale! The best thing about having a yard sale with several other families is buying their great stuff! Oops, better get back to the garage and sell more great stuff! ;) My third son Jesse and my hubby celebrating their birthdays which are 1 week apart!! |
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Last week my husband and I had the pleasure of camping at Parker Dam State Park. I couldn't believe how many stars I saw for the two nights we were there! I don't ever remember seeing that many stars in the night sky. My husband reminded me that we are usually not in such a secluded, dark environment. I had to think of the spiritual significance. I wonder how many times there are distractions and false light in my world that are keeping me from seeing God's true light and direction for me in life. News in the family: There is some excitement! Our oldest 24 year old son is going to be bidding on a house on Thursday. We love the house and are excited for him! If the price is low enough, it will be his! And the best part: its only a mile from our house! :) Spoken as only a mother would. |