Nov. 6, 2009 - a little peak

Want to read a little more about the creative process and thinking behind the creation of Daughters of His Story Paper Dolls and Noble Rose Press? 

Eyebright over at Defective Compositions graciously interviewed Breezy and Emily Rose about their new endeavor.  You can read that interview here.   

- 0 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Oct. 21, 2009 - Do Not Fear, but Trust in God!

Are you homeschooling your children, but living with fear about the outcome?
Are you thinking about homeschooling and the thought gives you "little terrors?" 

I remember years ago meeting a mother who homeschooled her children.... I didn't want to talk with her...I was afraid...what if I had to do that? What if God wanted us to do that? I just stayed clear of her and thought that would work....but God had other plans for us.

Within a few months of that meeting, we were homeschooling too....with much excitement mingled with fear.  I remember driving our little Breezy home from government school on that last day and checking my rear-view mirror for a police car. Were they really going to just let us do this? The school officials didn't seem to have any concerns about what we were going to do. Were they being serious or were they just biding their time until they reported us? Such were my fears. 

After a few weeks, I realized our home was different, it became peaceful, not rushed, not living on the governments daily schedule, calm.  Hmm.  My little daughters were playing together again.  I hadn't even noticed when Breezy started government school that my daughters didn't play together anymore.  There was the big sister with another life and there was the little sister who was "too little."  I hadn't even noticed it...it was so subtle.   

Fears about how to homeschool, what to teach, how to teach, and will they turn out okay quickly began to diminish as the Lord began to teach us to not fear, but trust in Him.   

We are in our last "official" year of home educating and I stand amazed at how God has taken our humanly weak efforts and blessed us beyond measure, building strong foundations for His glory. He has taken our short insights and stretched them long into our children's minds. He has taken our fears and given us confidence in Him. 

For a great insight into this topic of fear of homeschooling, Mrs. Victoria Botkin has written a lovely and encouraging article that you can read here at the Western Conservatory for the Arts and Sciences.
  

- 9 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Oct. 19, 2009 - More Paper Doll Giveaways!

I really will blog again about something besides paper dolls, but in the meantime here are two more giveaways for the Daughters of His Story Paper Dolls.

Dawn at My Home Sweet Home is hosting a giveaway through the end of October.

and

Monica at The Homespun Heart is hosting a giveaway that ends on Thursday, Oct 22 at 10 PM EST.

So head on over to these beautiful blogs and enter for a chance to win. 

- 1 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Oct. 8, 2009 - Daughters of His Story Paper Doll Giveaway!

Want to win a free paper doll set?

Sarah Mae at Like a Warm Cup of Coffee is giving away a set of Daughters of His Story paper dolls to 3 different winners.  Go to Like a Warm Cup of Coffee to enter, giveaway ends Friday at midnight EST. 

- 2 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Oct. 7, 2009 - Introducing Noble Rose Press!

It's here!

Our girls' new website is up and running and full of beautiful paper dolls.

Hop right over there and check it out at NobleRosePress.com

- 1 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Oct. 1, 2009 - An Amazing Adventure!

The past 2 months have been nothing short of miraculous!

From the start with a simple comment about "Hey, why don't you do some paper dolls", to the packages arriving by freight today, it has been just an amazing adventure. 


This morning the girls received 2 copies of each booklet of the final printing.  We were expecting the big shipment by freight at a local receiving dock later in the day, so this was a sweet blessing to get to see them early. 


Getting their first peek!


They finally get to hold the finished books in their hands. After working long days, 6 days a week for several weeks.......They're really real!!  


Here is a closer look at the books, they are so pretty and elegant.  


Breezy and Emily Rose holding the finished booklets! It has been a real joy and blessing to see the girls work together on this project. Only by God's grace has this all come together!

These will be available on their new website on October 7! There will also be a special Grand Opening Sale!  So check back over the next few days for more details.

Bless the Lord,
O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
Psalm 103:1

- 8 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Sep. 28, 2009 - Please Pray for Chris Klicka & family

Please pray for home school leader Chris Klicka, his health has taken a very serious turn for the worse.  He has suffered with MS for years and has continued to encourage and fight for home school families through it all.  You can read more about him and his condition at his Caring Bridge site and at HSLDA's website.

- 2 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Sep. 24, 2009 - Where do you get your news?

Where do you turn to find your news?

Are they a reliable source or are they corrupt?

The past few years and especially the past few weeks has shown that the majority of mainstream media is corrupt.

Did you see reports on the March on Washington on September 12th? 
The picture at this link shows a panoramic view of the gathering.  It shows an enormous gathering of people who paid their own way to protest big government.  Somehow the mainstream media didn't consider it newsworthy.

Have you heard the scandal about ACORN and the NEA?  Go checkout biggovernment.com.  (If you are a young person, please get your parents permission before clicking on that link.)  Somehow mainstream media didn't consider it newsworthy (at first).

My favorite quote for the day, "BigGovernment.com is reporting the news so mainstream media doesn't have to."

- 4 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Sep. 4, 2009 - The Unveiling!

The girls have posted about their project so rush right over and check it out! 

Go here  and here.

- 3 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Sep. 3, 2009 - Little Ladies Playing

- 2 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Sep. 2, 2009 - Let the Guessing Begin...

After 6 incredible weeks of  work the girls are almost ready to share with you the "project". 

Emily Rose and Breezy will continue to post clues over the next couple of days so go ahead and start guessing. 

There's a give-away involved!

- 0 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Aug. 30, 2009 - My Daughters

Not the official photo, but I like it.
Now.......what do they need an official photo for?

- 8 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Aug. 28, 2009 - Back to School Sale

Curriculum Advice is on sale!  We listened to this set as a family this spring and we were so blessed and encouraged by both CDs.  Victoria Botkin gives wonderful advice as she talks about home educating  her own seven children.

The first CD features a heartfelt introduction by her husband, Geoff Botkin, and scattered throughout both are short segments featuring each of her seven children sharing a little of their perspective on their home education experiences. 

I wholeheartedly recommend this resource!  You will be blessed and emboldened to teach and train your own children!  Just click on the image above. 

- 2 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Aug. 26, 2009 - The Government Can!

- 7 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Aug. 17, 2009 - What are they up to?

"One of the values that we see in the home education movement as these young men and young women are getting their hands into things early on is they have the flexibility
to be creative,
to express themselves,
to learn,
to be entrepreneurial."

  -Doug Phillips, Symposium on Walt Disney

Breezy and Emily Rose, what are you up to?

- 3 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Aug. 10, 2009 - They notice

"A child won't notice" is a very bad and untrue phrase to admit into your mind.

 A child will be affected by originality, beauty and creativity.

And a child in a Christian home should connect being in communication with the Creator God with having been made creative, in His image.
Rather than creativity being squashed out it should be enhanced and developed because of being brought up in a Christian home, not in spite of it!

-Edith Schaeffer, Hidden Art


This quote encourages me to be more creative and share that creativity with my family.  It is a simple way that I can bless my family.

My friend, Sarah Mae, is one of the writers for the new (in)courage website.  You can go to this post to see what encourages others.

- 4 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Aug. 7, 2009 - Sweet Fellowship

Have you ever met someone in person for the first time and spent days with them and LOVED it? I mean the whole experience- the people, the conversations, the laughter, the joy of finally being able to talk in person- we loved it!   Last week Sarah Mae and her family came to stay with us for our own little retreat.

Oh my, we had so much fun. You know when you share your testimonies and talk about how the Lord is working in your life it makes for sweet fellowship. The Lord has been so gracious to both of our families.  He is truly to be praised.


Me, Sarah Mae, Emily Rose and Breezy. 

My husband took a couple of days off work so he and Sarah Mae's husband, Jesse, could spend time together, too.  I think they had as good a time as us girls.  When it was time for them to go home, the men had a harder time saying goodbye than us girls. :)   Iron sharpening iron!

One of our days together was spent going to the Creation Museum near Cincinnati, OH.  Below is a picture I took of one of my favorite signs at the museum.







Emily and I in front of the raptor exhibit.  This is another of my favorites at the museum.


Jesse and their two oldest children walking through the gardens at the Creation Museum.


We spent the majority of the other days visiting either outside under our big oak tree or at the computer while Emily Rose and Sarah Mae worked on the design of her website.  I am sure the rest of us were somewhat of a distraction since we were all talking so much.


 While we talked  the children played and romped around.  I really enjoyed having little people around again, my girls have grown up too fast.


Here is the youngest cutey-pie of the bunch. These little ones are so blessed to be growing up in a family where they  will be loved and nurtured in the Lord. 

 
Sarah Mae with my young ladies. She is really as authentic and loving in real life as she is on her blog.  What a blessing it was to get to spend time together.  It was indeed sweet fellowship! 

It is truly amazing how God can bring families together! 
 

- 4 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Jul. 25, 2009 - a note on perseverance

"If creativity is an artist's gem,

 then perseverance is an artist's combat uniform".

 
This is from a post that John Moore wrote on writing  Although the post is focused on writing, I felt that this is a timely quote for a couple of young ladies in our household on their creative endeavors. 

- 1 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Jul. 23, 2009 - Christian Families at the Crossroads

Last weekend we were blessed to be able to attend our second Christian Families at the Crossroads conference. Our family took the 12 hour drive to Georgia back in February for the first one so when we found out that there would be another conference in Ohio and so much closer to our home we decided to go again.  Geoff and Victoria Botkin and their seven children all spoke about the challenges and triumphs of the Christian life. 


Friday evening they had a special surprise for us.  Having just been at the Reformation 500 the weekend before Anna Sofia & Elizabeth Botkin along with several other "friends from history" donned their reenactor's dress and told us their stories.  While each reenactor encouraged us with their stories, Elizabeth's character, Anne Boleyn, had us spellbound.  It was very touching and I realized I didn't know as much about her as I should.  Which really makes me want to study more about the lives of the reformers throughout history.  You can go to Visionary Daughters to see a close up of their outfits and to learn more about their characters.


While we were encouraged and challenged by all the talks given, my girls have been especially blessed by Anna Sofia and Elizabeth's talks.  In picture above, Mr. Botkin is introducing his daughters before their talk. I would say that these two ladies, as well as the rest of their family, are truly modern day reformers.


I especially like this picture of Anna Sofia and Mr. Botkin.  She had us all laughing several times.


This picture reminds me that while we can laugh and have fun as Christians the battle we face is real and serious.


Victoria Botkin gave an encouraging talk to the mothers about teaching and training your children for God's glory.  She has made a CD set called Curriculum Advice, I highly recommend it.  I was able to chat with her after the conference was over and thanked her for taking the time to make that CD, she told me she just wanted to do what she could to encourage homeschool moms because they are her heros!  


Another part of attending these conferences are the wonderful times of fellowship with the other attendees.  Here my husband, Rob, is getting to visit with some old and new friends.  We were able to have meals with several families and enjoy even more time together.  Like Breezy said in her post we wish it could have lasted all week.   Just think in heaven we won't have to say goodbye.  You can go to Breezy and Emily Rose's blogs for more pictures and some notes from the conference.

Here are the links to their posts. (I will add more links as they plan on posting more about it)

Emily Rose's 1st post,  2nd post
Breezy Tulip's 1st post,  2nd post,  3rd post,  4th post

- 0 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link

Jul. 16, 2009 - Our 26th Wedding Anniversary

My husband and I are celebrating our 26th Wedding Anniversary today!!

I have been so blessed to be married to such a wonderful man.  He is such a humble, hard-working, loving husband and father.  When the Lord called us to homeschool, he jumped in with both feet and has stood strong, never wavering or questioning our calling.  He has been so supportive and helpful in encouraging me daily in my tasks here at home.

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.
Psalm 1:1-3

- 13 Comments - Post A Comment! - Permanent Link