Today we got back to schooling after taking a couple weeks off for family things and VBS.  We enjoyed our time visiting and doing our VBS time.  But that is now past and we are now needing to get back into school.  We will not be starting "new" grades" because we switched in the middle of the year but we are starting a "new" recorded keeping year for days and such. 

     I can tell that we have had a few weeks off.  The kids and myself all had a hard time getting back into the swing of things.  As I think about the challenge that it is for us to get back into the swing of things after just a few weeks I am so glad that I do not take off any more time then that.  The kids really can't handle that big of a time in between learning sessions.  I do agree with the schools in SC that do school year around that is the why to go. 

     So anyways school is started and I am so glad that we are underway.  We are ready for the routine that school brings to us even it is our crazy routine.  God  Bless all  of you  as you start your new school year. 

Carrie

This question really bugs me!!!!!!!    I am so often hit with this as well as my husband and it really frustrates me.  Are you kids really getting what they need?  Are they being exposed to enough opportunities?  Like what?  Do you mean vulgarity, pornography, drugs, crude behavior, and the list could go on and on and on. 

I won't get on my soap box here but if I wanted my kid to learn about premarital sex, evolution, disrespect for self -- authority-- and others, then surely I would have sent them to public school but I am NOT sorry that I want to protect them and keep them safe.  I know that "not all schools are bad"  but you know all schools have bad things that happen at them.  And if you tell me that is not true then YOU ARE FOOLING YOURSELF.  And also lying to yourself. 

Anyways yes my kids are learning.  I even got to watch them read in front of a crowd of 200+ and of course they were nervous---especially Lolly---but she did just as good as the 5th grader from Kingston---who was also very nervous.    Things are going well and next week we get back into the swing of things after beeing off for a couple weeks for family time and VBS. 

     Yesterday I went to my garden and found that I needed to pick some beans and soooooo we are off.  I will be doing some canning today.  I hope to get maybe a load of beans and then I will also be canning beets.  I will be making pickled beets first and when I have enough of those I will start to can regular beets.  I didn't pick all of my beets and will have many more to pick.  I am really excited to have my own to be able to pick all that I want and not wait for some one to give me their leftovers...though I was very thankful for those leftovers.  Something is always better then nothing.  I will be glad to be the giver and not the receiver this year. 

     We also took our chickens to the butcher yesterday and I will be going to get them here in about 1-2 hours.  I am so glad that we were able to do this and hope to raise meet birds again next year.  I can't wait for my hens to start laying eggs.  It will be cool to have our own meat and eggs on top of our garden produce.   God really is good to us even when we are to narrowminded to see it. 

     Oh yea,  a friend gave us some currents and gooseberries so that I could make him a pie.  I will be making two pies and then freezing whatever is leftover for future pies this winter.  I have never made either of these pies so I hope they turn out!!!   I'll try to remember to post if they are good or not. 

     Well have to go get my chickens so I am off.

Now I know that this is really not the case but yesterday my kids seemed to think that they were going to go into brain meltdown doing school.  It was really hot and humid and they really had a hard time focusing as did their mother on the work that we were trying to get done.  It really did feel like the piece of salami that the kids left on the counter and later asked my what that "stuff" was that was on it.  It was the fat that had melted in the heat.  Can you imagine...our brain on heat?  Sizzle---Sizzle!!!  At least that is how we felt yesterday. 

Daddy came home though and resuced the crew and put one of the AC in the Dining room window so that we could at least function for school.  Thank the Lord for AC.  !!!

      Last week we went camping at church camp and my darling husband was not able to be there for most of the week because he had to work.  However,  he spent most of the week before and the friday and saturday of the 27 and 28 helping/getting us ready to go to camp and then taking us out there and setting us up for camp.  He really is a creative person and I totally think that he is the best!!

        He got this shade screen from a place on his route that was throwing it away and he brought it home and came up with and idea to make a big "shade tent" for the kids and I with it.  It really was an awesome sight.  We were kept cool in the "Sahara Desert" (as we call the camp site that we have at camp).  And he even used it to put up a regular tarp to help with the rain---which we have had a lot of this past month.  What more could a woman ask for if she is tenting with 4 kids and her husband has to be away.  Well....maybe some tranquilizers!!!!  No I am just kidding.  We really had a good week and it got even better when my dear husband was able to join us. 

     Here is a picture our our "shade tent". 

       Last week I took my Grandma to camp for a day.  She has always loved to camp and we agreed that at least she could come for a few hours and enjoy camp life again.  

     Well we got there and after about a hour it started to rain.  It was just a light rain at first and by the time that I was cooking supper (on the grill, in the rain) it was coming down really good.  We were all concerned that she would get wet or cold and everyone was watching over her like mother hens.  She kept reassuring each of us that she was warm and that she was dry. 

     We ate and then I took her back home.  On the way home I apologized for the rain on her day at camp.  And she went on to tell me what a wonderful day she had listening to rain hitting the canvas of the camper and that listening to the rain with someone was always better then hearing it alone.  Her joyful spirit inspite of the rain really put me in check to be joyful in all things even when it is raining on your head. 

     We did enjoy our time together and talked about trips that we have taken and would love to take again.  She probably won't be taking very many more trips and I hope to take many more.  I love her so much for showing me so many wonderful things.  Thanks for the many wonderful memories, Grandma.  I love you very much. 

     Here is a picture of "Bobby" playing Crocodile Dentist with Grandma H. and Nana. 

     Well My garden is really growing great.  We are so excited because this is the first big garden we have been able to have in many years.  We are cooping with a friend and their family.  We hope to have lots of good food come harvest time. 

     My Chickens are doing well and hopefully they will be ready for the freezer in about a week or so.  My hens and roosters are also growing and just starting to find their "grown-up" voices.  It is funny because they sure sound like they are going through that teenage stage of growning up. 

     And of course the kids are growing way to fast.  I took my oldest to camp yesterday and left him for the first time for a whole week.  I know that is just the beginning of the "leaving" part of life.   Of course L and I just laughed about it when we were talking about the fact that in 2 years we could be sending 3 of the 4 kids to camp.  Of Course Lolly said that her oldest brother couldn't go because he would be in college and to old!!!:(  Which is really what we were laughing at since he will only be 11.  :)   :)  Kids sure do say the funnies things. 

     The babe is saying alot more words and we are really enjoying having him in our family.  Bobby has started K5 and should be done around Christmas if he continues to go as fast as he is going right now. 

      Oh yea,  We got one of those banana tree farm kits this spring and just this week we finally have a plant showing.  We will have to transplant it soon but we are really excited that maaaybe we will get a couple bananas off of it come next spring.  Who knows but it will be fun to watch it grow.    Have a great day all. 

        Well I have finally decided to try and get back into the swing of things on our blog.  I have been gone for a few months not just weeks but feel the need to continue with this blog if only for myself. 

        We have been so busy around here.  When I last wrote we had not yet purchased our chickens but since then we have purchased 24 baby chicks.  12 of these chicks will be going to the butcher after 4th of July and then a few weeks after that we will be taking our extra roosters down and having them butchered also.  We will be keeping the hens for eggs.  This has been such a fun thing to do with the kids.  They have enjoyed seeing them and watching them almost as much as Daddy and I have.  We did have to move them out of town to a friends because of an ordanance that we did not know about.  We are going to see if the town council will consider making some changes but if not they will just live at Rod's for the time being. 

          We are still doing school and it is going pretty well.  We only have school on M>T>Th>F.  We have been taking Wednesday off to go see my Grandmother who is not getting any younger.  We will be taking off the next 2 weeks for some camp time at church camp. I think that we will continue with this school schedule.  I really like it and so the kids.  And then maybe we won't get burnt out and need to take whole weeks off at a time. 

            Well we have a birthday party today for Daddy's Grandpa who is turned 90 last wednesday.  Wow!!!  90 and he still rides his stationary bike 13 mikes a day.  How awesome is that.   We are both very blessed to still have one grandparent each that are still living. 

         God is good and We are trusting Him to lead our family where He wants us and to do whatever He wants us to do. 

     Yesterday was my Grandma's 88th birthday.  Wow!!! Can you imagine living to enjoy 88 years?  I hope that I am able to live that long and do as many wonderful things as she has done.  I can honestly say that she has been one of my biggest inspirations in my life.  She went back to college after the age of 60 and graduated with an Associtates Degree.  She moved from Michigan to Alaska at 55 and started working up there in the winter and coming home to see us in the summer.  Yes, it was a bit backwards but hey, she loved every minute of it or at least most of the minutes.     She fanned the flames of my desire to travel.  She and I have taken several longs distance trips together and I am so glad that I had that wonderful opportunity to share those times with her.  And to this day if she could handle it and I could afford it I would take her again on the Alaskian Highway because she loves to travel as much as I do.  Or maybe it is I love to travel as much as she does. 

     Thank-you Grandma for cheering me on,  telling me to never give up, sharing the wonderful world of photography with me, giving me the love of travel, sharing my love for education with me,  teaching my mother all the wonderful things that she has taught me.  You are an inspiration to many of us kids/Grandkids and we love you more then we did when we first learned that you were so special to us because you were (are) our Grandma!  I love you, Grandma!!  C-----

     This past Saturday Daddy and I went up stairs and spent most of the day cleaning the kidlets rooms with the help of the kidlets.  We told them before we started that if it was broken then we were throwing it away........  Let me just say that I had a very sad 5 year old when we started to throw things away that he thought that we should keep.  We told him that he knew the rules and that by throwing it away it would make room for the new things that he would like to get....Schleich Animals, Imaginex, and Transformers.  Those have become his new favorite things. 

     It took us most of the day but we were able to get both rooms done...the boys and Lolly's.  Daddy and I had a great time throwing things away.  It really was a feeling of freedom to get rid of that junk.  Isn't that interesting that is how it is when we come to Christ.  He says the rule is to come to me first and say sorry.  Then we have to get rid of all the junk in your life and He starts to Clean our life with Salvation initially and then daily He leads us and teaches us that more of the junk has to go and then we can fill ourselves with the wonderful new things that He has for us.  I wish I would have thought of that on Saturday to share with the kids....I think that we will talk about that today for Bible class. 

     Well everyone have a great day.  I have to go get our breakfast muffins out of the oven. Yum Yum. 

     Wow!!  I can hardly believe that it has been 10 years since Honey and I got married.  In so many ways it seems like just yesterday and then on the other hand it seems like we have been together forever...not in a bad way.... Just like, that is always the way that it was suppose to be. 

Here we are Christmas 2005.  (It's the only picture that I have of us together in my computer files)

     On Friday, the 28th we had our anniversary and it was a wonderful day together and then we went out to dinner with my parents.  They took us out to celebrate our anniversary.  We really had a great time.  As I have thought over the last ten years I marvel at the deep and binding love that I have for my husband.  How can we ever really understand all that God has for us as a couple?  What was it like to be Adam and Eve in the garden with no sin?  As much as I love L. I can only imagine how much better it would be to have that life and be together.  Fortunately, God also showen us a perfect picture of what marriage is suppose to be in the relationship that the church has with Jesus.  He is our bridegroom and we are his bride.  What greater love could a man have for his wife then to give his life for her.  I want our marriage to be everything that God wants it to be. 

     You know it has been a privilege to be the wife of this wonderful man.  How could God have ever been so good to me to give me such a man.  I want to share a song that really tells many of the feelings that I have for this blessing, my husband, in my life.  http://www.praisehymn.com/TitleDetail.aspx?titleid=2036

If you want to hear this song click on the web page above and then play the demo Real Player then push the back arrow in the upper left hand corner to come back to this page and then you can listen as you read the words. 

                                                       When God Made You by    Newsong w/ Natalie Grant

It’s always been a mystery to me
How two hearts can come together
And love can last forever
But now that I have found you, I believe
That a miracle has come
When God sends the perfect one
Now gone are all my questions about why
And I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life

Chorus:
I wonder what God was thinking
When He created you
I wonder if He knew everything I would need
Because He made all my dreams come true
When God made you
He must have been thinking about me

I promise that wherever you may go
Wherever life may lead you
With all my heart I’ll be there too
From this moment on I want you to know
I’ll let nothing come between us
And I will love the ones you love
Now gone are all my questions about why
And I have never been so sure of anything in my life

Chorus:
I wonder what God was thinking
When He created you
I wonder if He knew everything I would need
Because He made all my dreams come true
When God made you
He must have been thinking about me

Bridge:
He made the sun
He made the moon
To harmonize in perfect tune
One can’t move without the other
They just have to be together
And that is why I know it’s true
You’re for me and I’m for you
Cause my world just can’t be right
Without you in my life

Chorus:
I wonder what God was thinking
When He created you
I wonder if He knew everything I would need
Because He made all my dreams come true

Tag chorus:
He must have heard every prayer I’ve been praying
Yes He knew everything I would need
When God made you
When dreams come true
When God made you He must have been thinking about me

     LGS it has been my privilege to be your wife.  I have loved every minute of our life together...Good and bad and look forward to many more years together as husband and wife.  I Love you with all of my heart.

      Here is the love of my life at church camp last summer.

     We had a death in our family this week.  No it was not a human but one of our many pets.  Gus passed on from this live this week.  Gus was "Bubby's" first pet that he had for his very own.  Gus was  a guinea pig that came to our home  2 years ago.  Bubby was very sad and even the Babe gave him a kiss to help him feel better. 

    We actually got a chance to talk about were animals go and if we thought that there would be animals in heaven.  It was a very interesting conversation.  And Daddy and I both shared that we thought that there would be animals in heaven because God created animals and surely He liked them enough to put them in heaven.  We tried to explain that they didn't have souls and so they didn't pass from this earth to heaven but that they also did not suffer in death.  I am sure that some was understood but it is hard to understand for kids that their beloved pet won't be waiting for them at the  pearly gates. 

    I do think though that we will love the animals in heaven just as much as we love them here on earth.....that is if we have time to even notice them since all we will really want to do is be with Jesus and praise Him and love Him. 

     Here is a picture of Bubby with his "pig" taken last year  awhile after he got Gus. 

     For Easter we went to my parents on Saturday for the family to get together.  We had an egg hunt and then just spend the afternoon visiting together.  It was a very pleasant time and we really enjoyed ourselves. 

     On Easter Sunday, we were privilaged to have My honey's family here for dinner.  We were able to do this last year and wanted to do it again this year.  We really loved having everyone here that were able to come and we really missed those that could not make it.   I must say that I really appreciate my crew they were such a big help and I could not have done it without my Honey.  He is such a blessing to me and I don't know what I would ever do without him. 

     Here are few pictures of our Easter Family Time.

This is coloring eggs at Grandma H.'s house. 

Here is the Honey's Family sharing dinner with us at our home. We had a wonderful time and were glad to have those that could come.  Mom S.  forgive but this was the best picture.   :)

     You know we have never been big Easter Bunny promoters and this year was no different.  But we did actually have to talk about it with our kids.  They were talking about the Easter Bunny coming and I looked at them and told them that there was no Easter Bunny and that he would not be coming.  Then I asked them if they knew what Easter was really about and they all shared their thoughts on what happened to Jesus and what He did for us on the Cross.  I was really encouraged to know that they knew what Easter was all about but at the same time saddened that the world has turned it into "the Easter bunny" and loads and loads of candy. 

     Again during this season I was glad to have my kids home so that we could talk about the real reason for Easter and the great sacrifice that Christ made for us.  I know that they were not getting told that this is just a big story and that the "Bunny" is just as real as Christ.  All the more to keep them at home with me. 

     As a personal note...what an awesome thing that Jesus did just for me.  Even if know one else were in the world He would still have come for me and died.  How can you wrap your mind around such a great love for someone?  Do I have that much love...I don't know if I do?  I would hope but probably not.  Thankfully, the world doesn't have to wait for me.  I would fail ever so miserably. 

     Hope your Easter season was filled with all that God had for you.

Well I have missed several days and several of those days were because we did not have internet connection.  That story is a long one and if you ever want to know let me know and I will email you with the details but needless to say things are fixed and we are now reconnected to the web.  I was very glad to get things back in gear.  I did not realize how much we used the internet even if it is just to look something up or get ideas for things or you know the list could go on forever.  I'm just glad to have it back.   I have more things that I want to post but I am actually going to post each of them with their own title since things didn't all happen at once. 

Have a great day!!

     That is a question so many people ask,  is God really in control?  Sometimes it does seem hard to see Him there and in control when it seems like everything else is falling in around you. 

     This has been a hard week for my extended family.  My sister had an emergency appendectomy and my dad is on the verge of getting Pneumonia.  He cracked 3 ribs 2 weeks ago and is having a hard time coughing and that prevents getting that junk out and so on and so forth.  Through all of those things it may seem hard to see God in control and yet we can know that He is in control and there with us to help us through those hard times. 

     Pastor had a really good sermon today about just being content where we are even if it is not where we think we should be or want to be.  When we find peace and contentment with where God puts us then we can be at least joyful in those times of trouble and trials. 

     The Lord is good and He always has our best in sight even when we can't see past the pain that is hurting us so deeply.  Please pray for my family as they try to heal from a very hard couple weeks.  God's blessings on each of you this week as you go about your daily task. 

     Let's continue to be praying for those families in California that are under such persecution in the area of homeschooling.   Have a great Lord's Day!!!

Well I told you all that I would let you know more about what has been happening at our busy house.  As I posted in an earlier posting I got a new stove in January.  Well I had hoped that would be our only "big" purchase that was out of necessity.  Unfortunately, that was not the end of our appliance dilemma. 

Two and a half weeks ago my washing machine decided that it was time to move from this life to the next so it departed and I got a new washing machine.  I really like it and I think that it is really going to cut down on the electricty and water bill.  It has even cut down on drying time since it spins so well. 

Not even a week later we noticed that our fridge just wasn't keeping things cold like they are suppose to do.  Needless to say we ended up getting a new fridge.  I didn't get as big of one as I had but I really like the one that I got and it was in our price range. 

Then to top everything else off before these last two things went up my husband ordered a new bed from Select Comfort.  We were planning on doing that this time of year but not planning on having to add 3 appliances to the equation.  Well,  today our bed finally came and the children and I put it together.  It wasn't to bad to put together but I can hardly wait for my husband to get home so that we can see how comfortable it is.  I told the kids I would wait til Dad got home to test it out.  They wanted to get on it but I wouldn't let them and told them I would do the same.  So we are waiting patiently for Daddy to get home.  We are really hoping that this helps in the area of sleep.  We both have been having poor nights sleep since our bed in pretty saggy. 

We have also been busy with school.  Here are a few of the projects that we have done in February.  Here the children have made Crowns and Staffs after learning about the kings of Egypt. 

 Here the kids made Valentine Boxes to take to the Home School Valentine party.  We had lots of fun working on these projects.  Of course I now know why I don't do art.  It is hard work.  :)

And what do we do for recess...we go outside and slide on the ice pond in our backyard.  The water is now laying on our backyard and turned into a nice ice pond for the kids.  They were loving it yesterday.  We just took this picture yesterday (3/4/08). 

And of course we have to put a picture of the babe in here.  Here he is laying with one of his "puppies"  as he calls them.  This is our gentle giant.  Scout just lays there and lets the babe do whatever he wants to for the most part. 

Well I know this is really long so I will close.  I hope that all of you have a great evening and a wonderful day tomorrow.  We have a field trip to "Grossology"  tomorrow so we will be gone having fun going through slim.  :)    

Many prayers and thoughts of you!!!    ME

I am here I have not gone.  I have only been fighting with this computer to try and upload pictures and I think that I have finally figured out what I have to do so that I can keep uploading after my space ran out in homeschool blogger.  Plus life around here has been a little crazy.  That I will have to save for another day.  I just really want to upload these pictures so that I can share them with everyone.  I hope you enjoy our fun happening. 

Here is "Bobby" the snowman coming in from sledding. 

Here the kids are sledding with the cousins at Grandma H.'s House.  Uncle T. is taking everyone sledding.  They really had a great time. 

This sledding picture is taken across the street from our house where the kids do alot of their sledding.  The Town Maintance man keeps lots of high piles for them to play on.  Here is Lolly in her Pet Palace that Daddy made for her for Christmas.  She is looking through the window and I am taking the picture from the inside.  Lolly and Daddy in her Pet Palace.  She just loved this special gift that her dad made for her.  Dad giving Lolly a kiss to show her how much he loves her.    I will be blogging more now that I figured out how to load my pictures.  I will let you all know what has happened in that last few weeks and all of the fun things that I have gotten and maybe even take a picture of them so that you can share in my/our fun.  Have a good day.

Ok, so that might be a really gross title but that is exactly how I feel.  I really don't want that toilet talking back any more.  My kids and my husband have all been talking with "it" on a personal level this week.  And I am so ready for it to stop talking back. 

     Yes, if you didn't get it we have had the flu bug this week.  It started out on Saturday night with "Bob" and the babe yakking all night long.  My Honey stayed with one and I stayed with the other.  Then during all this throne visiting the big man came down and decided that he was going to join in on the fun.  So we had 3 kids very sick on Sunday.  And I can only say that it seems to have just keep going since then.  The two older boys have gotten better but the babe has really been struggling with this junk.  He finally ate something and didn't mess through his diaper for the first time this week....today.  It really has been a long week for him.  And now to top everything else off, my Lolly and my honey are both sick today and have spent their own amount of time at the throne.  Lolly is up to seven and she doesn't think that is fair that she now has the most visits to the yak center.    I myself am feeling a bit run down.  I thought that today I might be getting the bug myself but am wondering if I am just experiencing extreme fatigue.  I have been up every night with the babe and only got a semi full night sleep last night but for my honey.  And now I get to spend the night in the living room with Lolly.  I really can't wait to sleep in my own bed with no interruptions through the night for at least one night. 

     To top this week off our furnace decided on Sunday night that it was not going to keep working---At least the fan decided that.   So my honey stayed home on Monday from work so that he could get it fixed.  And I am so thankful to the Lord that it didn't cost near what it could have cost.  It was only in the hundreds instead of in the thousands.  And you know the Lord did that on just the right night because the next night the temperatures dropped by about 30-50 degrees.  I really don't  know what the temp was but with the wind chill we were looking at about -15 degrees.  It was very, very cold and I was so thankful to have heat.  Many people lost power and my grandmother was one of those lucky people.    I thank the Lord that he kept her safe and she now has heat and electricity. 

     I have been going to post several times this week but every time that I sat down I had to go and take care of someone or something.  So I decided to take a couple minutes and let you all know that we are at least alive and finally getting better. 

     I also wanted to mention that Therapy is going very well and I may only have one more time to go.  My therapist thinks that I am doing great and should be back to normal really quick.  I have been feeling so much better in that area.  I haven't had a dizzy spell in many days and really haven't had a headache other then this week and that is probably more of a sleep deprived headache.  Thank-you to all of you that have prayed for me.  I really appreciate it. 

     I have to go so that I can go to bed.  I have so many things that I could share but if I keep going you won't have time to read them all so I will try and get back soon.