Oh, now I'm organizing inside & out!!  Inside and out of my blog....

Today I've pondered about scrapbooking.... and blogging... and how to scrapbook my blog.  That would cover my world!!!  Ok, I've checked it out and tried to find options and ideas....  and I want to get rid of my scrapbook circles and needless stuff....

Check out Blog2Print

The idea of making a scrapbook of my blog sounds great!!!  I tried to make a test of this blog but they will not take homeschool blogger...  so they do take google blogger and I tested it on a firend!!!  (Aimee check it out :)...  alas, I'm looking into making the conversion....

Another reason to convert is I'm looking for more options on comments from you guys!!!!  I'd don've have the paramaters to make adjustments here....    I laughed and laughed when asked about how our little bugs did on our trip.... bug who wrote that????? 

That's my musing right now!!!  With bookshelves in some order... the sunroom shuffled and more on the shelves... the utility room is in recovery... I'm schooling today... thinking of the grands.... and moving my blog!!!!

http://grace2u-s2.blogspot.com/

Grace!! ss

I'm setteling out a bit!  The Expedite is getting full...  Each of the girls have claimed one of the baskets.  I'm busily filling each spot and trying to maintain some order...

Ladybug is sooo close to loosing those Peter Pan teeth!!!  She has four that are wiggly.. and one that will fall out any day!!

Back on the Expedite....  Check out this one....  Ooooooo

Find it here!!  http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/paints-stains-finishes/look-colorful-ikea-expedite--032349

Stuff & More Stuff!!  It's just stuff!!!

Grace!  ss

With stickers on their hands... "This one is for you, Mama."

"I don't want a sticker."  fixing dinner... ginger salmon, green beans & Lovebug made the cheese rolls...

"But it says 'Mom'."  I'm swept off my feet!!!  She read it!! 

I'm enjoying my "mom" sticker!! 

Grace! ss

I thought I was winning...  The Library was taking shape.  All the years book lining up together.  Hubbie figured our the lighting and it is so cool!  The shelves are amazinly full...

Monday we headed with Daddy back to Ikea.  We studied the bookshelves and this other stoage system...  My defining point was I wanted storage with baskets... so the book shelves were eleminated..  We cam home with the Expidite for the sunroom....

Now, I enjoyed organizing my library... but now I need to organize my whole world...  and I am not winning.  (I think it is easier to move!!)  Projects imagined & supplies acquired only to sit yet in bags stowed away....  capri sun bags, indian dresses, sand & shells for a frame that lacks that good beach pic.... and so much ods and ends...  

It would be easier to eleminate it all!!! But that is easier done without being seen.   So now I'm just shuffling.  Fruit box turnover!

Alas, These items are lost in my chaos...

1. Search the Scriptures-  a great devo taking you thru the entire Bible.  Alas in all my hunt I've not uncovered it.  Now I'm searching every nook & crany.
2. Homestead Pickerf Folk Songs- I know this is somewhere.. and at one point was even on top.  Now it must be burried. 

Praying the God of the Universe brings His order to my chaos!!  Off to seek Him!!  Grace! ss

It is done!!  What follows is the never ending task to organize my Chicago Red Library!!

Tuesday I was so thankul Jamie took the trip with us!  We made the drive to Ikea.  Bookshelves were my aim... and my debate was white or red....  With that option, I just have to go red!!!  God paved the way wtih a great trip & no probles & moving traffic heading home at 5:40. 

Talking to Daddy in the car presented a challenge to NOT MENTION IKEA!!!  They could talk about the dentist that morning or the plans for tomorrow.... Lovebug was caught when Daddy asked "Where are you?"  "In the car"  Where have you been?"  it is 9p....  "Daddy, I cannot tell you."

Now the girls refer to our extra room as our Library :0  (It is also known as our guest room & when we are officially sick... the tv room.)

Wednesday I could not get the boxes out of the car.  Too heavy!!  Piece by piece the girs and I labored to prepare for assembly.  Our afternoon's work was getting them together.  I had help hammering & fitting all together...

Thursday & Friday I have moved and arranged our library of books.  I actually have my AO1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 books marked!!!!

School is done.  The week has been fun.  And now to enjoy a long Memorial weekend!! 

Surprise Daddy!!!!

Grace!  ss

"Older men declare war.  But it is youth that must fight and die.  And it is youth that must inherit the tribulation, the sorrow, and the triumphs that are the aftermath of war."

Herbert Hoover, 1944

This week I've been reminded of Haiti Blue!!!

I painted my sunroom what we call Haiti Blue.  As the girls and I had some free time, we enjoyed a project.  I've looked for a photo of that event without finding one!  Hubbie??....

**Found One!!!  July 2004!  Lovebug is 4 & Ladybug is 2!!!

We'll we've created a bit of free time this week :)  Pinched between schooling & friend celebrating end of the year.  Lovebug nearly gave it away chattering to Daddy.  It is very hard for a child to keep a secret.  

Hummm... what did we enjoy this time??!!!  :) 

Grace!! ss

Today is my Memom Estelle's birthday!!!  Tomorrow is my brothers birthday!!! 

Happy Birthday Eric!!!

Looking back to 1998!!  I had to dig up thes photos!!  I'm thrilled to post them!  Hubbie must be taking the photo...  We'd celebrate our 5th anniversary that year!! 

Memom did not get to meet my girls!!  Since my eldest carries her name sake, I think of Memom often.  Just this week we gathered with her sister's family...  She always cooked up a storm when we'd come to Sour Lake!!  She was a great cook!  There were chicken & dumplings.. always!  and a roast, greens, and a salad.... she'd have to cook for days!!!  Then she made chocolate pies & coconut!  Her peach cobler was my daddys favorite, I think!  

When I was in my teens I remember her teaching me to cook!!!  My favorite then was her cinnamon rolls!!!  As a little one I climbed in a chair to play in bubbles at the sink!!  Oh....  I think my girls will have to do this tomorrow!!! 

She'd also would hide the dishes in the oven!!  I caughter her one time and was diligent in the hunt thereafter!

I'm thankful to Jesus for my family!!  Then & now!!  Miss ya Mom & Dad!!  All my Love!! ss

Last week I heard the coolest song and just had to look it up!!  I downloaded it!!!

Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman... mezmorized me!!!  I played it over and over... and I think hubbie thought I was trying to give him a guilt trip!!  Not so!  It just fits our little girls!!

Tonight this song brought tears to my eyes...  I receiveved and email to Pray for Steven Curtis Chapman.. 

Hey guys,

If you are a fan of Steven Curtis Chapman's music like I am or even if
you are not, please pray for his family today. Yesterday one of his
teenage sons ran over his 5yo daughter (sister) in the driveway and she
was killed. What a horrible tragedy. Here is a link to an article I
found about it.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/05/22/1211182968194.html

Pray for everyone involved..

Oh... I pray God's healing in horrible grief.  God knew her days!!  She did not surprise Him!  He called her home to Him....   Only God can heal the broken hearted.

Here's Steven Curtis Chapman's Cinderella...

 Here's a memorial to Maria & a video w/ her..  http://tinyurl.com/68ee4a 
 This is the background story to his song... http://tinyurl.com/6jsfb9

 Praying for my girls tonight!!!  Grace! ss

Year End!!   Sweet & Sour!!  The girls gave their year end Choir Recital.  They sang and smiled... and had a good show of their year's work...  They ended on a sweet note... with cupcakes!!  Yum!!

Here's their lullaby... All the Pretty Little Horses:

 I hope you enjoy this snipit of their program!!  This is my first try video to post!!!

We started the venture on a very sour note!!  Lovebug was dressed and ready...  Alas, Ladybug had an official melt down... just as it was time to be gone. 

Tears... "I don't have any capris  (tears)  Those don't fit. (tears)  The shirt is too big. (tears) I won't wear it." More tears....  Oh, I don't think she'll ever out grow these clothes issues!!!  They sound way too familiar!!!  With many tears she had to go the car to find her shirt & shoes to finish dressing.  Tears and more tears and on our way across town. 

I do hope to wade thru the tears....  maybe like grass she'll get tall enough to see thru... by the time it was all over... she was thrilled with her too big shirt!!  She'll probably wear it tomorrow too!!! 

Somehow the sour is yet with me.  It is like a bitterness that I wish was gone.  I'm thankfull tomorrow is a new day... I pray I'll not make the same mistakes....  better managing time would have helped... 

I pray God give me the grace to love & teach my girls... God's wisdom to guide our paths...  His word to light our way....  and hope & faith that He goes with me....  In my weakness may He be strong.  Praying He'll give me sweetness for this lingering bitterness.  May I yet cling to Him!!  Grace! ss

 Here's the sweetness... and the sour is only a memory.....

We've added a new item to our week!!!  We are drawing! 

The girls enjoyed drawing fire last week.. and phones this week!!

We are following the Harmony Art Mom at http://harmonyartmom.blogspot.com

She comes up with a weekly assignment and posts the drawings...

http://harmonyartmom.blogspot.com/2008/05/sketch-tuesday-sink-or-swim.html

Drawing!!!  Grace! ss

I'm thankful for the challenge AWANA presents to memorize Bible verses!!  I'll be glad to reclaim to Sunday evenings... and I'll miss those McAllister evenings too!!!

I wish our Grands and family could join us in the celebrations!!!  As I saw other Grands around....  so here's the highlights!!

Lovebug finished all three of her Sparks books!!  I cannot believe this is her last night as a Spark!!!

Ladybug was on the program... but had a few sections to complete!!!

Ms Cindy graciously heard her final sections.. maybe the last one's for this year!!  She finished book #1!!!!! 

Lovebug first said she did not want to use her new AWANA Bible... it to keep it clean....  I encouraged her to love the Bible, take care of it and find the treasured verses inside!!  She pulled out her new Bibe and my hightlighter started to highlight favorite passages!!   "Mama, can I have a hightlighter?"  "Yes love, as soon as we can get to the store."

Hummm  a highlighter for the Bible!!  That's an easy yes!!!

Now where to put this treasured award!!!

Grace to you!! ss

We have enjoyed praying in the car.  It has been a habit.  The girls grow in their prayers.  A privilege has been to hear them learn to pray scripture.  We've also seen such brevity and wondered how to reach their hearts.

This week I've been challenged.  I was listening to Christian radio and heard a gal talking about prayer.  Her challenge was to pray until she arrived somewhere.  It was a learning process with a distracting start.  She tried to seek God and pray about who He brings to mind!  Application....

Destination Prayer:

We are learning to pray along the way.  This is an add on to the God bless our day that sometimes we stopped at.  I know we'll have a season of learning what we can pray about.  Ladybug's AWANA list has been a good starting spot:

• Pray for:  Someone in your family
• A Friend
• Your Teacher
• Grandparents
• A Missionary

We've enjoyed praying for Memom & Grandaddy's truck.  We've prayed for our missionary Crystal too.  We'll celebrate when we see God work!

I'm also thinking of ways to praise God.  Scripture is such a fit.  I love learning with my girls.  This is a cool lesson for me... and I pray for them  :)

Learning for a lifetime!!!  Praying!  Grace! ss

Planted!!!

Finally I've planted our garden box!!!  I'm so thankfull Hubbie decided to level it!!!  Or all the dirt would be tilted out!!! 

We have tomatoes & cucumbers.  Watermellon, green beans, squash, and an uncountable number of carrots!!  Ladybug was the planter... and she put some in thier square... and over her... and a few there....  Hummm... we'll see if they sprout!!!

Those carrots were for our rabbit, I'm sure!!!  Sadly that rabbit played in the street and was hit last week...  oh... now what with the carrots!!  The girls were sad... and recognized the error of being in the street.... 

Grace!!  and many hopes of fruit in the garden!!!  ss

It is not a monster!!  I decided Ladybug needed a third eye!!!  Not in the middle of her forehead!!!  But at her finger tip...

Her third eye is to help her read.  I think her age is an inhibiter to her reading... and this eye at least helps her stick to the page!!!

We are taking reading slowly.  This week she's asked to take her book end assessment!!!  She's also looking ahead to the "Inch worm book".  She's eager... even if she cannot sit still!!  The third eye helped!!  (Yet it was difficult to actually write on my child!!!  Arggg!!!  It has all since washed away!!)

Loving learning to read!!!  As a help to me I'm knitting as she works thru her book!!!  That helps my patience so I do not get frustrated!!!  I even yet enjoy it!!!  Grace!!  ss

Posted in KjS

At lunch today I, Hubbie, took a look at the Bible and at the mainstream headlines. 

Keep in mind that every one of the below headlines is on the front page of the DrudgeReport today (05/13/08).  

Check out Matthew 24:3-14, watch out for verse 9 (also see Mark 13:5-13).  I personally think the earth's birth pains are at hand.  For those who believe in a pretrib rapture, and I am not saying I do or don't because I have found evidence for each of the most popular beliefs on when the rapture will take place, but ponder one question...  would God rapture the church and remove the salt at the most critical time?  Over time the Roman Christians would not say so, they could probably be quoted as saying "lions, and tigers and bears...  oh my!" What about the Chinese Christians who are praying that persecution will come to America's Christians to make us wake up.

Lord come quickly... what am I doing to drag someone with me?

You can add this to the blog if you want to...   KjS.  (Yes!!)

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 (even better, read the whole chapter)  I think Jesus is telling us not to fear the coming events, but we ought to study what He is saying so we will be less anxious.  FYI...  if you are reading this and don't have a relationship with Jesus, it is tough to understand a love letter if you don't have a relationship with the sender.  If you would like to find out how to know Jesus personally leave a comment that I can get back to you.

1Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
 4But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.

Today's frontpage headlines on www.Drudgereport.com:
 
1.  Denial of God and the Jews
2.  Massive earthquakes
3.  Dormant volcano wakes up
4.  Dormant volcano wakes up
5.  1/4th of wheat at risk
6.  Iranian President Ahmadinejad: Israel to be 'swept away soon'
 
1.  Belief in God 'childish,' Jews not chosen people: Einstein letter
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080513122249.m3ds3b6j&show_article=1
 
2.  Magnitude 7.9 - Report: Death toll in China quake exceeds 12,000
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D90KS7HG0&show_article=1
 
3.  Lightning bolts appear above and around the Chaiten volcano as seen from Chana, some 30 kms (19 miles) north of the volcano, as it began its first eruption in thousands of years, in southern Chile May 2, 2008.
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//080511/ids_photos_wl/r4184494436.jpg/
 
4.  Etna volcano rumbles back to life in Sicily
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080513115454.2kkv9hjr&show_article=1
 
5.  UN alert: One-fourth of world's wheat at risk from new fungus
http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2008/me_iran0128_05_13.asp
 
6.  Iranian President Ahmadinejad: Israel to be 'swept away soon'
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/205101,ahmadinejad-israel-to-be-swept-away-soon.html

Precious to me are my girls.  Years came and went that I dreaded Mothers Day.  Lovebug's card is so neat!  Three times on Mother's Day she said her favorite of her mama was homeschooling.  Wow!  And yes we rocked before we rested!! 

Thank you Hubbie!!!  I had a wonderful Mother's Day!!  I wish I could have hopped over my mom & hubbie's mom!!!   Wish you were closer!!!

Saturday I headed to the Homeschool Book Fair!  Hubbie & the girls worked on my garden box!!!

They filled it with dirt & it is nearly ready to plant!!!  I'm hoping for tomatos & yellow squash!!!  Cukes too!

We headed to early service.  Daddy & the girls gave me a beautiful orchid!!  We had a wonderful lunch at Cheddars!!  I didn't have to cook or clean up!!  I was so surprised to go out!!  Our wait was brief... Thankfully.  I had a wonder nap that afternoon!!!

Dinner I did cook as Hubbied headed to the hospital to check on a friend's bike wreck!!  He was home & ok... I was in process... since camping the girls are thrilled with blueberry pancakes!!!  Yumm!!

Wish we could share them with you moms!!! 
Love ya!  Happy Mother's Day!!!  ss

Saturday I had such fun!!!  I joined 3 others to head to the Homeschool Book Fair in Arlington BEFORE 7a.  We walked all over the convention center!!  Then we headed to the Scholastic Booksale!!  Finally we headed to eat with very tired feed & my book bag was laden down!!!  We returned home at 9ish soooo tired!!! 

For my  AO journey!!  Show & Tell!!

Great Artists Explained -  We looked up our current artist Van Eyck & saw he lived in Joan of Arc's day.  Cool we are reading about her!!  I think this will be a great help to me for our artist study.  I like learning about who they are!  (Now I'm curious about the related Great Art book!!)  (S - Scholoastic)

Composers (Fandex Family Field Guides) This fandex gives a bio on the composers we study!!  I use another one of these for our Shakespeare plays!!  (S)

Make Your Own Itty-Bitty Princesses These will add to our Shakespeare troup.

Klutz Book of Knots   Knots to tie with Seabird.  We've been using an online site.  This will be handy!

These are from my used book hunt!!

The Jungle Book This is for AO4. Alas I think is does not have book 2.  Drats.  I even had a Disney version... and that's surely not an original.  (Kathy... maybe I could borrow your at the book 2 point!!)

Robinson Crusoe AO4 A paperback from way back in 1988!!  Our graduation year!!  And it has been 20 years!!

Rip Van Winkle and the Legend of Sleepy Hollow AO4 A hardback & illustrated.  Fun.

And the Other things!!

Holy Cow Science - Geodes, Wacky Water Tricks, & a growing Alligator-  Cool science fun.

Geographical Terms Map from Rand McNally  This shows all those terms on one map!!  It truely shows the difference between a pond & a lake!!!  Now they can see it!!

Miller Pad & Paper - Asundry of paper & index cards.

A Chicken's Guied to Talking Turkey with Your Kids About Sex by Dr. Kevin Leman... I got the audio CD & Hubbie can listen to it for his drive!

Miracle of Creation Series My girls enjoyed the first book of flowers.  Then the bird book will be great with our bird studies next year.

Finally some Spizzirri maze books of shells & birds & animals... That they've started already!!

Wow!!  If you made it to the end here... I'm surprised!!  I've bearly made it to the end~~  Grace!~ ss

Thursday morning I pugged in the crock with dinner.... and started our day....

Tuesday my Aunt Jeanie died.  She was Memom Estelle's sister.  We've traded Christmas cards for years now.  I'm missing my Memoms! 

I looked at the distance to the funeral and decided that with 2 hr & 20 minutes... I had to go to the visitation tonight or the Funeral Friday....  I called Hubbie and we decided I'd pick him up inroute and we'd head to the visitation!  A bouns would be seeing Aunt Patty & Uncle Donnie!!  I quickly put the crock into the fridge!!!

Oh!  I needed a family tree!!!  Faces so familiar and names so forgotten!!! Oh!  We had a very giggly visit as the girls made fast friends with my extended family!!!  I pray we brought some smiles in their grief at Aunt Jeanie's passing. 

We talked alot with the girls about dying.  Aunt Jeanie had been bless to truely be old and full of years (at 87).  Jesus so knows our days.  Remember, He numbers them.  As we chattered it was more than just her body wore our... truely Jesus called her home. 

Enjoy our family pics!!!