So, the other morning I was dreaming about being in this weird building.  I mean, it was a gazillion floors high and every floor looked like a different version of a Dr. suess book, not the characters mind you just the odd decor and the design of the steps.  I found myself almost crawling up the stairs holding on to the rails for dear life.  you could not see through the stairs or anything like that but I was afraid.  See, I am afraid of heights (& so is 1DS9), deathly afraid.  I can, at times, ride roller coasters - at least I have been known to in the past.  But I don't like going up (or down) stairs if it a very tall stair case or if you can see through the stairs - that one REALLY bothers me!  The last *set* of stairs that really bothered me is at Bishop Castle in CO.  DS & I came back down while DD & DH made it all the way to the top.   Wait, I take that back, that was not the last one to really bother me, the last one was a lighthouse in FL.  I came back down though because the steps started getting too steep and I kept hitting my pregnant belly as I walke dup them so I used that as an excuse to come back down.  My MIL came back down with me while the kids went up with their dad and grandpa.  Anyway, when I woke I had the realization that I am not afraid of the heights I am afraid of falling from those heights!  It only took me 32 years to fully put that one together!  LOL  So, then I started thinking that it really is not a fear of falling from ridiculously high places but it is a matter of trust.  Where is my trust?  If my dad or my Dh had built the place would I trust the steps more because I know the builder?  Very likely.  I trust my husband with most everything but there are still things I am afraid to trust him with (like scheduling my day out for me).  So, then I started thinking about God.  Yep, you knew that was coming didn't you?  Do I trust Him completely with every aspect of my life?  Obviously not, if I did I would not have any fears whatsoever would I?  So, now I am searching out my fears trying see what I am really afraid of and turnign those fears over to God, trusting Him moment by moment with my life and the lives of those I hold so dear (that one is so much harder for me).  Now, I have not been anywhere with ridiculously high staircases since then, and I don't plan to search them out either,  but I know next time I am climbing them I will think of God and the trust I have in Him. Now, will I ever make it to the top of Bishop's Castle?  I am going to say that is an empahtic no.  See, I also beleive that God gave us common sense and for me it is not sensible to try to make it to the top.  Do I need to fear those steps?  Nope!  Many people have climbed those stairs and descended via those same stairs but I likely will not be one of them  Maybe God will prompt me to climb them to prove that I have given Him my life fully....maybe....

~ Rachel

Let's see...

We finished history for the year 2 weeks ago.  We are starting Science back up this week and will finish it in a few weeks.  I ordered their CAT's from Seton testing services and will be administering those soon.  I need to turn DS's in this year.  I will be sending those in to a repository.  We will also be participating in the HSLDA/NHERI academic study.  I did order a PASS test just to check it out as well, it has not arrived yet (and does not count in the HSLDA/NHERI study. 

DS9 went on a business trip to OH with his daddy last week and they returned last night. Daddy has a nasty cold so we are praying that the rest of us do not get it.  My parents were able to go to OH from VA for a night to see them, so that was a nice surprise for the guys.

DD, baby & I were holding down the fort and dealing with a tummy virus and on obnoxious dog ;)  The dog is getting better and even though anoying was for the most part a very good girl.  I gave DD part of her bday present early because I thouht it would be fun for us and I was correct, we played Horseopoly almost every night :)  Being the girls that we are we went shopping and bought all that she needs for the Daddy Daughter Dinner Dance but we need to try to find a mask, because it is a masqueurade ball, even though I am pretty sure they will be providing them.  i bought a new purse for me.  We bought Bubby some bday gifts (little Tonka trucks & 2 really big Tonka trucks) and some sippy cups - He LOVES the Spider Man ones :)

The baby will be 1 year old in 16 days (not counting today)!  We bought him a  pair of tennis shoes that he seems to like wearing when walking outside (he still holds onto us to walk).  He isn ow crawling up the stairs as much as he possibly can.  He put things to his ears to talk.  he dances to music.  I listened to familylife episode about 2 weeks ago and heard the moms from www.Momsoncall.com talking about their books.  So I checked out their site.  i bought their ebook about the older babies.  And since Daddy was away we tested out the 3  day theory on babies putting themself to slep.  You have to remember it has been almost 8 years since I had a little on here and Bubby is truly our sweet little baby and he sleeps in our room so it was easiest to lay down with him at bedtime.  Well, Friday night I turned on a waterfall sound on my radio after a bath, prayers and rocking time.  Then laid him in his bed.    After about 60 minutes of screaming (on his part) he fell asleep - after throwing all but 1 pacifier out of the bed.  The next night it took about 10 minutes and the next night he was so tired he fell asleep in my arms, last night it was after abotu 5 minutes.  I did not tell DH that we were working on this so it was a nice surpirse for him.  Ithas been nice, he is even going to bed a bit earlier. 

I am working on our schedule again since Bubby is going to bed earlier and has gone to 1 nap a day (his own doing).  We will be switching back to Weaver next "school year" too so that is playing into my schedule making.  I just hoewe can make it work because DH has been working really late nights for a while, he is talking about possibly bringing the business back home and we are still considering a possible move.  Please pray with us that god shows us what he wants us to do & where he wants us. 

We are going on a field trip to the newspaper in a few weeks and we are all excited :)

That is all I can think of for an update on us right now :)

~ Rachel

1DS turns 9 tomorrow, so in honor of this he got to get a new do and thenhave his pics taken.  So, here is the 'do for you ;)  I have beeninformed they are now ading stripes to the sides or something.  I don't know.  It's just hair thank goodness! It looks really cute though :)

~ Rachel

Hello Everyone!

Hope everyone's Christmas vacation and New Year's went well!  And I pray blessings in the new year for you all!  We drove to VA for Christmas on the 21st and returned on Jan. 1st.  We spent time with my family in VA, DH's Grandmother in OH and his sister's family in IL.  We just had Christmas this past weekend with his parents here in CO. 

The older kids both got laptops from the one laptop per child organization and they LOVE them :)  We do too.  They will be great for school.  They have really great stuff on them.  There are no disc drives.  They do have access to the internet so i ned to see if I can get some sort of internet guard on them.  My sister got them both Disney Mix Sticks.  My parents got them both all kinds of goodies from Vision Forum.  My DH's parents got DD a sewing machine and DS a SnoJack (think scooter meets snowboard).  And there were lots more goodies to be had by all :)  DH got me some beautiful jewelry and my mom got me (among other things) the book Passionate Housewives Deseperate for God by Jennie Chancey and Stacey McDonald.  DH got a book called Father Knows Less that is really good.  The baby got all kinds of noisy goodies too :)  We had a safe and uneventful drive all the way there and back. 

Yesterday we went on our first field trip of the year!  We went to Big Cats of Serenity Springs, www.bigcatsofserenitysprings.org.  That was really cool and very cold out too ;)  (I had he wrong addy there, not sure how I goofed that one up LOL, it is correct now.

Today we are buckling down to school with the first tests of the year in their Explode the Code books.  We have ballet today too.  I am hatching a few ideas for Bible study this week too.  We will do math, history, geography and grammar too.  PE was fulfilled with a wonderful time in the snow first thing this morning :) 

Oh, the baby was dedicated on Christmas at my grandfather's house in VA - he is a minister :)  He was so cute in his red First christmas suit with his red Santa hat on  - the baby that is ;)  He is 8 months old now (on Christmas day) and has his 2 front bottom teeth which can be quite painful during nursing ;}     

We are going through thing here in the house to donate or trash.  Our living room is full of kitchen items, clothing, toys and such to donate.  Things that we had too many of or not enough of (dishes). 

Well, I ust sign off - I have fed everyone but myself and it is lunchtime so I best be going....

~ Rachel

So, the kids rooms are clean.  They decided to school idenpendently today.  We will get back together to discuss Bible and do history & science together.  I am sitting here trying to figure out what to do!  It's not that I dont have anything to do or that I have WAY too much to do, it is that I am unsure of what I should do first.  I mean I have laundry to fold (3 loads), a Bible study I would like to work on, a book I want to read (well 3 or 4 of those really! LOL), a pantry to rearrange to make all the baby food fit, a shower to take and I am sure I could tihnk of more if I tried ;)  LOL  I hve 90 minutes because the baby is asleep and by the time I figure out what to do - the time will have disappeared!  LOL

Oh, the baby is 6 months old now.  He LOVES Sweet Potatoes, bananas and apple sauce. He does not like zuchinni (which I ave a ton of homemade zuchinni b/c the neighbor gave us a bunch of zuchini from his garden and were not going to eat it all).  So, I mixed apple sauce wiith it and he ate it all without spitting it out at me once!  He also does not like rice cereal - too bland I guess so I bought him oatmeal to try. 

Well, DD needs help with her plural nouns and he rules so I guess I have been assigned something to do since I could not (or is that would not?) decide?

~ Rachel

Another cool contest / giveaway to let you know about is called the Back To School Giveaway with Gymboree. 

http://notchinamade.net/ 

Check it out they are having a contest for a $50 gift card to American Apparel.  It is made in America, not in China.  This is somethign we are on the lookout for as a family when we go shopping and when I saw this site I thought it was great :)

~ Rachel

TAG RULES:
1. All right, here are the rules.
2. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
3. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
4. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight
things and post these rules.
5. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged
and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read
your blog.

1 ~ I am 1 of 2 children, my younger sister is 9 years, 11 months & 28 days younger than me :)

2~ I HATE working outside the home and LOVE being home with my babies :)

3 ~ I bite my nails...I stopped for a VERY long time and then started biting the nails on my right hand only recently.

4 ~ I LOVE to go barefoot or wear sandles/flip flops.

5 ~ Before DH & I were married and he moved from VA to CO I cut my hair off real short and mailed it to him so he could have it to put it in his car (he missed my blonde hair all over his black Sentra).

6 ~ I want 1 more baby :)

7 ~ Sometimes, I really do miss VA & my family.

8 ~ I sing Jesus Loves Me when I am nervous ;)

I will take some people in a little while (couple days maybe) b/c the baby is fussing.

~ Rachel

We had SO much fun today!  Mardel is having a 20% off sale today for kid stuff, school stuff & office supply stuff.  We went up yesterday to scope out what we wanted / needed to buy and see what our cost would be so I culd ake sure I had enough $ for it.  We bought 48 items for about $250!  The baby got a basket for his stuff in the car (ever 3 month old needs hisown car basket right?!?) and 2 soft books that can clip onto just about anything :)  2DD7 picked out a pterodactyl toy, 2 magnifying bug catcher jars, a treasure chest to use for her $, 2 new school NB's, 2 new book covers, 2 new composition books, and 1 new folder.  1DS8 picked out 1 new NB and 1 new compostion book (said he has 1 of each at home that are unused - I have yet to look for them though), 2 new book covers, 1 new folder, and a crystal growing set.  I bought (for school) a teacher plan book (I dont usually use them as I use Edu-Track but thought with the new baby that it might come in handy and I will just input what we do weekly or bi-weekly),  Instant Immersion American Sign Language V.2 (5 CD-ROMS), Instant Immersion Spanish V.2 (5 CD-ROMS), BJU Heritage Studies 2 Tests & NB & Answer key, BJU Science 3 teacher book, student book & NB (I also special ordered another student book and NB and recvd the 20% off b/c they usually only stock 1 or 2 of those items, she said BJUS grades 3 & 4 are their most popular), pretty folders (not sure what I am going to use them for but I am sure I wil find something!  LOL), folder divders, a planner calendar, boxes to store the posters, ETC 4 & 6, two spiral Crayola sketchbooks for art, one Kids at Work sign to hang up during school hours so their friends know they can not play and no to knock if the sign is up in case we get a late start to the day or are just taking a bit longer than planned, and 1 EZ Grader!  Right now it is all over the living room floor - we have been home for an hour and half  and i am still sorting ;)  Well, not really.  The kids sorted into piles and took off with the bug jars and havecaught a few moths and a spider so far and are now watchign Signing Time.  The baby has been fed, played in his gym and his exersaucer and is now sleeping in his swing.  I am enjoying my Starbucks coffee and cranberry/orange scone :)  Sound slike Heaven huh?    Oh & I got the kids smoothies from Jamba juice ( we had a gift card), we probably wont go there again as i thougt they were a bit pricey to drive that far and it is REALLY loud in there!  Oh, I entered a drawing at Mardel too - I am hoping I win something!  Oh, I forgot we all bought a puzzle to make ourselves, a different size for each of us.

I am in that get organized, plan out school mode but at the same time I really dont wanna do it yet!  LOL  It is funny how much learning we have accomplished with no formal learning going on this summer. Baby Care.  Puppy Care & Training.   House Cleaning.  Gardening (@ Grandma's).  Death & grief (our dog on Easter).  Swimming.  LEGO SpyBots class.  Library reading program.  Child birth.  We started new chore charts last week, the kids can earn $3.80 a week if they do all their chores daily.  I have also made up index cards of other chores that they can do to earn more $ (play with cat or dog for 15 minutes for 15 cents, feed and water dog or cat for .05 cents, I do not have one for baby care wbut do want to make something up for that - I figure .25 cents for 30 minutes of watching him (basically while I dosome clothes folding or take a shower).  The kids are really excited.  I have typed up a routine / schedule for us based on the baby's feeding schedule (which is usually about every 3 hours but not always).  He is sleeping thorugh the night most of the time (for about 5 - 6 hours) now too :)

Well, I guess I need to get off of here and go organize the school stuff on the school shelves :)

Once I get all that done I will try to post our new "schedule" and what we are using for school this year :)

Have a great rest of your summer and enjoy prepping for school!

~ Rachel