Wow!  I really don't know where the last month went!  I have been so busy with other "endeavors" and just haven't been blogging like I want to!  My mom must be sooooo anxious for new pictures of the kids!  So, here's some for you, Mom!

I thought I'd give a quick update on some things I'm working on.  I feel a bit overwhelmed lately...but I like it!  I would rather be busy than stagnant...that's when depression sets in for me, so I always have to have something new going on! 

Homeschool

We've been off since Thanksgiving for the holiday break.  I like to take 2 months off at the holidays so we can just enjoy things and participate in all the "extras" that seem to pop up all over the place! 

We will be officially starting back up again on January 22nd, after we return from a 3 week vacation to the East Coast.  I'm going pretty eclectic with our curriculum next year and I've been working on organizing each subject and setting up a schedule.  I hope to be a lot more consistent and effective next year! 

Homelife

I've been feeling chaotic and unorganized, so I decided to return to using my Control Journal.  I decided to revamp it and include more sections, so I've been working on getting that put together.  I'll share it all with you when I'm done!

My hubby is getting close to finishing the basement.  All the dry wall is up and half of it has been mudded.  As soon as he's done with the other half, we can primer, paint, and have carpet put in!  I'm so excited!  It will give us a den, a school/craft room, a guest room with a huge walk-in storage closet, and a finished laundry room with a food storage closet and eventually, we will also put a bathroom in there!  The upsatirs living room will become our formal living and dining.  We're going to rip out the carpet and have someone come in and finish the original hardwood floors.  We're going to enlarge the current bathroom by knocking out a hall closet and expanding it into that space.  The kids will get the two bedrooms on the main level and we will expand the attic room, making it a master suite complete with bathroom, walk-in closet, and sitting area.  Plus, we're adding an island into the kitchen with stools on one side and an above the stove microwave (yeah, more counter space!), and we are thinking about knocking out a doorway into the formal living space so that the house flows better. 

This started out as a very small house, but it's about to more than double and meet our needs perfectly!  Praise God!

The Kids

DS just started a gymnastics class last night.  He loved it!  The facility is wonderful and his coach is very nice.  We are so glad to have a physical outlet for him and he did a great job!  She said he is very strong and will catch onto the basics quickly.  He is, of course, anxiously awaiting Christmas and is counting down the days with the assistance of a construction paper chain.  Every day we get numerous updates as to how many days are left!  LOL

DD is growing so fast and doing new things every day.  She is 7 months old now, and in the last month, she developed 2 teeth, sat up for the first time, said "Dada" and "Mama", started eating solid food, and started scooting across the floor.  Then, 2 days ago, she got her knees up under her and started crawling...she crawled straight over to a box of books and pulled herself up into a standing position!!!  What?  Isn't there supposed to be a little more time before that happens?  I know my son didn't do that this early!  She's excited about Christmas, too...well, the presents at least!  I can't keep her away from them! 

Holidays

Thanksgiving was wonderful!  We stayed home, played games with the kids, watched a lot of football, cooked all day long, and then ate, ate, and ate some more!

Now, on to Christmas.  I'm not as organized this year as I normally am.  I'm almost done with my shopping and wrapping and we have our tree up.  But I haven't even started my cards, I don't have boxes packed up and ready to send out, I don't have any baking planned, I haven't made any of our neighbor's gifts, and we don't have any outside lights up yet!  Wow, I better get on the ball!

Miscellaneous

I have a very exciting business venture in the works.  I am currently working on research and a business plan so I can get financing.  I promise I will fill you all in on it as soon as it's a little more concrete.  I could really use your prayers in this matter!

I think that's all for now!  I hope that catches everyone up a bit.  I hope I haven't lost all my friends and readers!  If you're still here, thanks for sticking around...can't wait to get caught up with all of you!