This is my spot to quietly write thoughts about my life as a homeschooling mother. I'm married to Jim who has been the love of my life since I was 14. Together we have 3 beautiful angels that God has been blessed us with. They are at the center of my life. Each day, I can spend teaching them, I consider as a true gift from God. A day at home can go from calm to crazy in a matter of minutes. Raising girls can be a rollercoaster ride all it's own. Together we love to go on trips, spend time with our great big family, swim in our pool, camp, watch soccer games, go to the playground, shop for bargains and relax on our deck by the side of our little towns' big mountain. Emily is 14, Lauren is 11 and Michelle-Ting, my chinese princess is 4. Each one of them has their strengths and weaknesses. My job of raising them under God's direction is a job that I'm blessed to have. He has given me wonderful gifts in each of them. He has given me strength and wisdom in days I never thought I would get through. Providing education and instilling morals, values and most of all, ~faith, within them is my 1st priority every day ! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:23:00 -0500 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:23:00 -0500 I can still remember like it was yesterday Lauren's birth.  She was born at 11:24 am and weighed 9lb6oz. I can remember Jim 's expression in the delivery room when they weighed her. She was about 10 days early.  HAPPY 12TH BIRTHDAY, LAUREN !!                       Your compassion, patience and the drama filled personality God has given you will always be special to me....We Love you very much!   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/594898/ Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:23:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/594898/ She wrote another beautiful piece today.  She is doing one a month. I will share it again:              "A Twist" AS we get older we really start to learn everything has a twist. If we don't study for a test, we most likely will fail. If we sneak into something and don't confess, the outcome will always be worse. If we make a new friend, we may lose an old one. Just when we think we've found a friend who keeps promises they may break them behind your back Some people we think are really nice people may do bad things when we are not with them Not all things have twists, but lots of things do. AS we get older we just realize it more. God wants us to live the life he has in store for us. Along that path, there will be people and things that will make us upset We have to forgive and forget them and move farther down the path! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/594892/ Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:17:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/594892/ September brings the end to the lazy hazy long days of summer. Fall is upon us.  This is one of my favorite times of year. We have begun to get into our routine of school with Co-op starting Sept 8. The beginning of September started off with a 1 week long hospitilization of my dear grandmother.  She got food poisoning from visiting a friend in a nursing home.  She had 1/2 of a chicken salad sandwich in their cafe. She was so very sick for days and days.  She is just now getting back on her feet. We remembered 9/11 this month.  I can still recall this day; It was my first year homeschooling.  I remember getting a call from my sister Dana to turn on the TV to see the twin towers in New York. I was working on Canada geography with Emily. Lauren asked me if she could watch the World Trade Center DVD, I let her.  She asked a lot of questions following it, but I'm glad I did let her view it. Michelle has started her new routine.  She is going to Primrose preschool twice a week.,  She goes to CHASE co-op on MOndays with us and on Wednesday goes to IU13 for speech therapy.  She is holding up well with all these changes. She is in need of a long nap each day. Therapy for speech is moving slow and is a lot of work for her.   45 min of "K" sounds is a lot for me to listen to so I can imagine how Michelle feels. This week we did some extra work on Civics.  Here's a website some of you might enjoy.  There are quizzes for citizenship, government and american history.  The website is www.history.com  .  Both my older girls visited this site and enjoyed it.. Jim has been away for the last 2 week for his job, which leaves me to keep things going. We tried a new recipe this past week for supper.  Tater tot casserole from the Kraft Food magazine, it came out good. Lauren made a cake for my grandmother's birthday which was 9/17.  She turned 83! Not much else happening here, It will be October before we know it. I have a breastfeeding conference to go to in Mid-October and in November we are planning a field trip to an aquarium with family and to visit PHiladelphia with the girls the following day.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/592534/ Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:41:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/592534/ We took one last trip to the beach this weekend.  I hate the end of summer because we have to wait a whole year to re-visit the beach. This time we took Daddy.  The girls had him [who hates anything to do w/ sand] on the beach with his jeans rolled up and bare feet at night along the water in Lewes, DE.  We stayed at the Beacon Motel, which was very nice.  I especially liked the pool while the rest of my family was showering after playing on the beach all afternoon. We went w/ Jim's sisters' family so the girls had lots of cousins to play in the ocean with.  Some of her friends went as well.  Michelle had them "jumping" the waves for quite a while. We stayed until Sunday so we could sleep late and then visit the water in Lewes by all the boats AND then shop at the Sea Shell Shop before heading for home. The girls and I love this and it is a bit of a tradition now! We visit here every time we go to the beach! I did find some very cool "ice pop" lights for the camper the next time we go.  It is packed w/ anything to do with the beach.  I also bought a pretty seashell /beach glass bracelet which was on sale.          Our first night on the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach. Lauren catching a good wave! Filling up the bucket w/ lots and lots of sand.   Michelle-Ting after getting a bit of ocean water in her mouth....       My favorite picture~ Michelle and her best cousin, Avarie. I've already ordered it to be framed for my wall at home.          My girls checking out all the boats along the pier in Lewes, Delaware. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/579684/ Sun, 24 Aug 2008 20:38:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/579684/ Michelle's grandmother bought her this outfit. She loves getting all pretty in it and waltzing around.  Today she had Lauren, who loves to snooping in ANY kind of make up, apply some to her face.  The picture is what they came up with.                  My 2 youngest girls, Michelle-Ting & Lauren Maryssa! Event.observe($('imageTag_2'), 'load', function(event) { pageTags.addTagListToImg('imageTag_2', [ ]); });   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/579678/ Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:35:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/579678/ So we are just waiting for our co-op to begin.  After some issues for basketball, it looks like the girls will get a chance to learn the game and play for a team.  They also are playing for a homeschool team for soccer once a week. Emily will be playing her normal travel team.  So practices will be starting for all very soon. Due to this, we decided to begin some running for endurance. Over the summer, both my girls have been quite Un active except for Swimming and walking here and there.  Much to my surprise we went to the HS track and Emily ran 1/2 mile without any trouble at all.  Lauren started out ok, but will need some practice to learn to pace herself.  Lauren is my "always moving" child, so I thought she'd nail it, but tonight we'll go again and see how she does.... Even MIchelle ran the last 1/4 mile [of course she mostly walked it!!]. Zoey, the pekingnese pet dog we have,  and I watched from the bleacher area....     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/577693/ Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:08:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/577693/ Today Michelle and her sisters were a bit sluggish.  We were at HersheyPark yesterday until late in the evening. Today she made herself a bed with the sofa pillows behind the recliner in our sunroom while I worked with Lauren on English.  She slept here for about 1 and 1/2 hours....   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/575278/ Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:15:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/575278/ This week we visited Hershey Park.  It is close to us and we hadn't been in years.  It was Michelle's first visit ever. The weather was nice, hardly any humidity. We went to the Boardwalk area, which I wouldn't suggest mid day as we waited to get in the pool area for about 25 min.  It was mobbed w/ people.  My older girls went on all the roller coasters with cousins and Aunt's and Uncles.  The final ride I rode was the Tilt a Whirl w/ Michelle, Avarie and Gabbie, I had to wait to get my vision back before getting off of it. WOW! Some pictures of our day are below: The Little Lady Bug Ride: Cousins Avarie, Jessie, Michelle and cousin Gabbie. The Granny Bugs with Avarie. The horse carriage ride, Avarie and Michelle. The whip, Cousin Brianna and Lauren is on the right,. Cousin Megan and Emily is on the right on the Whip!  Leaving the park, Mr. Peanut Butter Cup posed for me. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/575257/ Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:44:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/575257/ Today I was thrilled to check Emily's literature assignment when I came home from work. Part of today's assignment was to write a poem about her Mom using rhyming couplets.  I loved her work so much I decided to post it on my blog.  She is a wonderful writer and is thinking about  pursuing this after graduation. My Mom taught me how to get along. She taught me how to be strong. She said if I go first every time, it isn't fair. She told me if I have something, I need to share. When I was scared she'd let me sleep in her bed. She tells me she has eyes in the back of her head. She taught me how to write and read. She knows exactly what I do and don't need. My Mom taught me lots of things. And everyday in my life, Joy is what she brings!   Nicely Done, Emily!! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/571478/ Thu, 7 Aug 2008 20:17:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/571478/ When JIm is away on business one of the things my girls love to do is go "night swimming" They love the pool when I turn the light on, it illuminates the pool.  Under the sky of stars, and moon it is so neat. Michelle has a new buddy to swim with.      I will hate when it is time to close the pool....    http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/570174/ Tue, 5 Aug 2008 08:39:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lisas3blessings/570174/