A few weekends ago I got hit with a mystery virus. I had a mouth full of canker sores, a slight fever, a headache and extreme (almost disabling) fatigue.  I'm still not sure if it was a matter of the no sugar cleanse our family has been working on or something else.

I would get a little bit done and just CRASH:

On this Friday afternoon, I had started cooking dinner and ran out of steam.  I gave directions to the three older children and told the two little ones to get a book and play in my room so I could keep an eye on them.  How I would keep an eye on them asleep I didn't really think through. 

Apparently, Kaitlyn did think about it and  kept an eye on them and on the dinner preparations and even thought to document the event! LOL!

The light was off in my room, so these photos are a tad dark, but still cute!

What did they do with all the drawings they made?

See them there?  They are all around my head!  That is what I woke up to a few hours later!  It really blessed me! And they even saved some dinner for me and served it to me IN BED!

The next few days, it was dear Noah's turn to be sick... 

Remember I said I had canker sores in my mouth?  Well, for him this thing manifested like THIS:

His face was swollen and very red.  It had raw skin that looked like a burn that would come and go for several days.  We suspect it was a form of yeast die-off, but are not sure. 

Maybe we should go "no sugar" more often in our house so it won't get to this point!

Comments (9) Post A Comment Permanent Link

It will only take 7 minutes of your time and I think it is important to watch.

Comments (7) Post A Comment Permanent Link

The bigger two boys didn't mind the icy water at all!  They had a great time chasing waves!

It didn't take Hannah long to realize that being cold and muddy was not HER idea of fun!

The CABIN:

There were two room exactly like this.  Jordan and Noah had one and Kaitlyn and Hannah had this one!

There were also two rooms exactly like this one... although one had a bathroom off of it (which of course, dh and I took) and this one was for Ian.  Yep, he was the only one who didn't have to share a room.

Here's the laundry room.  Boy, were we glad for it!

Living room (with wood stove) and fireplace.  Notice our Othello game on the floor! 

Cabin Kitchen.  Not bad.

We always take a picture with this anchor when we go to Pacific Beach.

Noah, as a GIANT!  LOL!...  Isn't he a cutie?

Hannah found some little flower-gifts for us on our anniversary!  She just HAD to have green bows in her hair because it was St. Patrick's Day!

Back to the BEACH!

Kaitlyn's been here...  click on this one for a close up of the sand princess!

When is the last time I mentioned how much I love this man?

(I am not grimacing, I am squinting in the sun and the wind. )

Quimby and Ian

Noah and Hannie

Kaitlyn. 

I had a nice photo of Jordan, but I must have accidentally deleted it. 

I think that is finally the last of the vacation photos!

Comments (1) Post A Comment Permanent Link

On our vacation we learned that beaches in the state of Washington are considered to be highways.

I found THIS on Wikipedia:

According to the Washington State Department of Licensing, ocean beaches are legally state highways with a general speed limit of 25 mph (40 km/h), many only open to vehicles between the day after Labor Day and April 14,^[13] but state law places the beaches under the control of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and only designates them as "public highways".^[14][15][16]

^{Hmmm?  Who would've thought it?  Pair that with the following info.:}

State Laws: 

• All ATVs must be titled and registered, with owners receiving an Off-Road Vehicle use permit and ORV tag to place on their ATV, unless used solely on agricultural lands owned or leased by the ATV owner or operator.
• ATVs shall not be operated between dusk and dawn without a lighted taillight and headlight.
• No one under age 13 may operate an ATV on or across a highway or road except on a road designated for off-highway vehicle use under direct supervision of a person at least 18 who has a driver's license.

Oddly, it is legal to drive a minivan on the beach.  You can make a campfire on the beach.  You can drive motorcycles on the beach.  You can fly a kite on the beach, but not ATVs.  Hmmm?

We  did not find this out until we hauled three of our ATVs all the way to Pacific Beach, drove from our lodging there to Ocean Shores, unloaded them from the trailer and had someone drive up and tell us that if we did not pack it up we would get a fine.

I did get a few cool pictures in that 15 minute time frame though:

More beach/vacation photos are forthcoming!

Comments (0) Post A Comment Permanent Link

When I was around 3 or 4 years old, my mom says that there was a time when my sister was very sick, even near to death. She was in the hospital and she for some reason either my mom and dad both went in to see Julie or my dad was not there  and they would not let mom take me into the hospital room. So, she told me to sit alone in the lobby while she checked quickly on Baby Julie.

 When she had left me no one was there at all. I vaguely remember that when she came back I was standing on the coffee table in the middle of the lobby singing “Jesus Loves Me” at the top of my voice! My mom told me later that there was a group of people gathered around to listen.

 I have thought that it would be fun to write a fictional story based on this scene... about the people who heard me sing that day and what they were going through and how God may have used that in their lives!

One thing I love about my upbringing is that i have such a strong desire to share hope and truth with people that I come in contact with.  I am really struggling right now to figure out how exactly that should look for me personally.  How can I be a blessing to someone today?  How can I encourage and exhort both unbelievers and believers on a daily basis? How can I strenghten my children's faith and understaning of Christ.

I deeply value the true Proverb about iron sharpening iron and I have some very faithful friends whose  honesty and faithful direction are a blessing to me.  I won't attempt to list all of the names only because I fear I would leave someone out and that would be a severe injustice, but I do want to mention FOUR of them: 

Tanya Fruth. I met Tanya one week before my third child (now age 12)  was born.  I had known her husband as my hubby's co-worker from before they were married.  Our hubbies were excited to introduce us to each other.  She was a busy college student and I was hugely pregnant and living in a hotel room while our house was being built and had neither of us had any desire to meet a new friend! I soon learned that Tanya has a gift of encouraging people!  She is very organized and highly motivated.  She is very dear to my heart and is such a wise friend that she and her husbands are named in our legal wills as godparents of our children.  She loves to teach people about God and health.  I often go to her with prayer requests or questions about natural remedies! She has also blessed me with five beautiful godchildren: Sierra (8), Savannah (6), Logan (3), Madison (18 mos.), and Baby (due in October)! Tanya is a sincere woman who is very observant and is able to bless in creative and endearing ways! I love you, my friend!

Jenny Crichton. I met Jenny at a Bible Study about 8+ years ago, right after I lost my daughter, Sarah Hope.  The first thing that struck me about her was her gentle voice paired with her firm words. One main thing I have learned from her is not just to tell people that Jesus loves them and came to save them, but to help them see their responsibility in this equation.  I love that Jenny NEVER gossips.  She has helped me check my words on occasion.  She, like Tanya, is fervent and passionate in sharing with others about salvation and redemption in Christ, training her  four children wisely and sharing with people about nutrition and health.  I can never hear the verse about Iron sharpening Iron without Jenny's dear face coming to my mind! Thank-you, Jenny!

Debra Leanderson. I met Debbie Leanderson at church probably around the same time I met Jenny.  Deb is an amazing fountain of homeschooling knowledge.  Everytime I talk to her she gives me the names of awesome curriculums and tells me about upcoming events in our area.  She is very strong in her faith and shares boldly and has a real heart to be a blessing.  She has loaned and given me many books, magazines and catalogs.  she has come to my house with her arms loaded with treasures to share.  She has babysat my children many time when they were younger and even kept my girls for five days when Russ and I went to Oklahoma for his Vasectomy Reversal.  She has kept my dog when we have gone on vacations.  She has had my children make dinner for me on my birthday (or was it our anniversary?) She helped paint many of the rooms in our house and she has shared with me in our reversal journey and has reminded me of the goal of obedience to God. She is a talented knitter and quilter (among many other things).  She is a gardener and is literally a wealth of information! Her two children are amazing and Godly.  They are well-trained and responsible!  Today is her birthday!  Happy B-day, Deb!!!

Jacque Dixon. Of the four that I wish to mention today, Jacque Dixon is the newest.  I met Jacque two years ago when she and her family started up their blogs.  I think I actually met her daughter, Jocelyn, first and so impressed with this godly young woman! Then, I met Amanda and was again astounded at the maturity of this talented young lady.  Can you believe it did not stop there?  If that was not praise-worthy enough, Jacque has EIGHT amazing children.  Rachel's sweet writings are very dear to my heart.  And I enjoy the occasional posts of Hannie and Eric, as well as the blog they maintain for sweet LucyLillie! I can't wait until Isaac and Caleb are old enough to be bloggers too! I could write for days about this sweet family, but let me tell you a tiny bit about Jacque.  Jacque is forthright, deeply insightful, knowledgable, gracious, loving, intensely passionate about speaking the truth (a quality which I treasure in a friend), and giving.  She has helped me many, many times with my blogs, with nutritional suggestions, book ideas, discipline tips, etc.  Most of all she has listened and listened and listened to all of my ramblings and has found something encouraging in every situation. Thank-you, Jacque!

Comments (6) Post A Comment Permanent Link

Don't windy days just beg you to go buy a kite?  That is just how we felt on the windy beaches during our Anniversary Vacation a few weeks ago!

See Kaitlyn's Blog to read some of her post-kiting thoughts: HERE!

More Vacation Photos Coming Soon! 

Find out what "illegal" activity we nearly engaged in!!!  OOPS!

Comments (1) Post A Comment Permanent Link

Hubby took the week of our anniversary off from work so we took the children on a vacation to the beach. There is a military resort a few hours away from our home.  It used to actually be military housing, but now it is a resort.  We were able to stay on ocean view side of the housing in a 4 bedroom house with a fireplace (actually a wood burning stove), washer and dryer, full kitchen, etc.

It was COLD, but we still had a lot of fun!

While the rest of the family was adventuring and freezing, the girls and I warmed up in the van.  Here is a nice mommy and Hannie cuddle! Doesn't pink just make everything seem more warm and snuggly?  I know, that is just weird to think of colors that way, but I am just kind of odd that way!

Some of these pictures may look familiar if you're a long-time reader of this blog.  We went to the same resort in January of 2007.  Last time, Noah was too little to drive a go-cart, a bumper car or anything!  He was happy to get to DRIVE this time!  That's him on the left and Russ with Hannah on the right!

These were on the slick track.  They wet it down and the drivers skid all over the place.  It is definitely NOT my cup of tea, so I am the official memory documenter!!!

At the Beach near our resort house:

Bald Eagles!

Check back soon for more vacation pictures.  In the meantime, can you guess what Russ and Kaitlyn are doing in this picture?

Comments (3) Post A Comment Permanent Link

(excerpted and adapted from another IM conversation):
 
 Me: Last Sunday at church there was a drama about a little girl dying and going to heaven and meeting Jesus. I tried to control myself, but tears just flowed

Friend: have you ever seen Heaven's Gate's Hell' s Flames?

Me: it was similar to that

 only a very mini version

Friend: we did that at church

Me: I have a story about when our church did Heaven’s Gates, Hell’s Flames a long time ago.

  Kait wanted to be in it. I took her to the audition and they asked me to audition, but H was still nursing
 so I declined, but stayed with Kaitlyn the whole time. I am not sure if they do it the same everywhere but Kait was chose for a scene with a family on the way home from church talking about a child in the family who had previously died. Then they get into a car accident and enter Heaven and are reunited with the other child that they had been discussing. Kaitlyn's character's name was Julie (which is my sister's name) the other (living) sister's character's name was Christi (which is what I was called when I was little).

 The directors came in the second day and had decided to change the scene to TWINS in Heaven and they named them Sarah and Rachel.

 Well, I had been struggling at that time because when  Sarah Hope died I had to have an Emergency D&C  five weeks later. The dr. said Sarah apparently had had a twin. I could barely cope with Sarah's death and had not told anyone except Russ that their was a probable twin, but we had named the "maybe baby" Rachel Faith. I just needed to chose a name.

 So when they did that in the play, I just sobbed and sobbed with relief realizing that whether or not there was a twin they were in Heaven! it was extremely healing for me.

 I told the directors afterwards and they were so touched b/c they knew they  had heard from God on changing the scene!

 She... they would have been 8 in March.

Comments (3) Post A Comment Permanent Link

In case you wanted to see the finished product:

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bundledinprayer/508683/

Comments (1) Post A Comment Permanent Link

 Me: [SOMEONE] got an F on an open book test!  How do you flunk an OPEN BOOK test?
 
FRIEND: Lack of concentration. What what [s/he] thinking about?

Me: [He/She] is such a dreamer, but I am struggling to distinguish dreamer/laziness  from passive rebellion. Is this a possible blindspot?

FRIEND: Then count it all rebellion and tell [him/her] as much.

Me:  My new "mantra" with [him/her] is: "Partial obedience is Disobedience".

FRIEND: If you are to take your thoughts into the control of Jesus Christ (as we are told to), then it is rebellion especially if [he/she] is to be concentrating on an OPEN book for a test. Have [him/her] memorize that Scripture.

 Me: Yes, [he/she] MUST learn to  manage [his/her] daydreaming!

FRIEND: There is no reason to daydream.

Me:  Taking into captivity every thought?  That one?

FRIEND: Yes.

Me:  I agree, but I guess I am a bit sympathetic because I was SO like that!

FRIEND: Thinking of something and enoying it and giving a thought to it is not daydreaming.

Daydreaming is time-wasting.

Me: And leads to excuses for laziness.

[This child] will have to master this before getting a driver's lisence! Russ and I agree [he/she] will need to wait.

FRIEND: Good decision mom and dad. Daydreamers have no place behind the wheel.

Me:  None!

FRIEND:  Not when my daughter is driving or I have my children in a vehicle.

 Me: We have told [him/her] over and over! I actually heard [him/her] tell someone at church...They were discussing driver's lisences and [he/she] said, " I need to master my daydreaming first."
 So [he/she] gets it and is in submission to it as a truth.

FRIEND: God has all power and gives us all power over these sins and habits. It is so important to not allow these habits to set in when they are children, and we do not even see it most times. We are encouraged as parents to 'allow them to dream' and such nonsense.

Me: [He/She] has a tendency to feel sorry for [himself/herself ] sometimes too. I was also like that
 and still have a tendency to be like that. I don't give [him/her] room to indulge that sin, so I should not make provision for the flesh in the daydreaming arena either.

[He/She] was pretty melancholy the other day, I think, but [he/she] did a great job of mastering it instead of letting it master [him/her].

I have had enough people like that in my life.  They are like:
 
Puddleglum
Eeyore
 etc.
 
FRIEND: They think everyone is against them.

Me: Yep.

FRIEND: The bank was against them [etc.]  blah blah blah.

Me:  Dangerous mindset. Victim mentality. Excuses.

Take accountability!

Do what you can be a blessing!

Glorify God!

Scrape off what you cannot control!

Move on upward and onward!

FRIEND: A guy I worked with said he would never be a Christian if it meant being like that...  always 'weeping'.

Me: I struggle with that I don't want to detract from the joy of the Lord when others view my life by being cynical, critical, melancholy, etc.

FRIEND: I think it is a stronghold and can be made less or more by how much place we give it in our lives.

Comments (3) Post A Comment Permanent Link