Want to read a little more about the creative process and thinking behind the creation of Daughters of His Story Paper Dolls and Noble Rose Press?
Eyebright over at Defective Compositions graciously interviewed Breezy and Emily Rose about their new endeavor. You can read that interview here.
Your kids have had the flu for what seems like months now. Your routines lay shattered around you. Your heart is sinking with the mess all around you. Anyone relate? If you are not there, you will be at one point this winter. So what are we to do when those dulldroms come?
The greatest gift we posses as homeschoolers is our opportunity to change. We can change things up when school starts to get us down. Change the location where you do school. Change the books you are reading for awhile. Change your attitude!
Remember that quote from Charles Swindoll I posted the other day? Attitude is in our power to control. Are you going to see the negatives only? Or are you going to see what treasures you have laying all around you? It's up to us, Moms. We set the tone of our homes.
I delared this week to be "Serve Others Week" at our home. We made dinner for friends with a new baby. We babysat for friends. We visited our elderly grandparents in a nursing home. We wrote thank you notes to others who have been kind to us.
I tell you these things not to brag or make you feel bad about yourself. I tell them to you because I want you to be encouraged. The antedote to feeling blah is to serve others and to be thankful for all you have. It is really that simple. How that looks in your world will be different from how it looks in mine.
"You live more fully once you realize that any time spent being unhappy is wasted."
~Ruth E. Renki
"Happiness is contagious. Be a carrier. "
~Robert Orben
"What the mind dwells on, expands."
~Norman Vincent Peale
I challenge you to find ways to shake things up next week in your studies if you are feeling blah, take a walk in the fall sunshine, rake leaves together, write letters to others, visit a shut-in, whatever that is for you, just do it!
~Jenn
In order to feel like I've been productive this week, I'm going to make a list of all I've done. I've been tempted to do nothing but enjoy a good book on the front porch and have taken those opportunities several times this week, however, there still seem to be so many things calling for my attention.
So, beginning on Monday and going through today, this is what I can remember accomplishing so far, this week:
5-6 loads of laundry
Cleaned and reorganized the school bookshelf
Cleaned off and reorganized my desk
Online banking several times
Grocery shopping
Cleaned bathroom
Cleaned out and reorganized bathroom storage shelves
Pulled out all Thanksgiving curriculum items
Cleaned off and reorganized Collin's school desk
Started reading "Little House in the Big Woods" aloud
Wrote a letter
Changed and reduced my DISH network, AT & T, and Verizon bills
Posted a picture on Facebook
Voted in Amendment election
Cooked many meals
Made cookies
Offered a written schedule to Gena at TOS
Prayed for friends in need
Helped the kids with schoolwork
Ok. I feel better now.
Trevor and his new belt.
I have to tell the story behind this picture. It was taken on Trevor's birthday last week. At the time he had a fever and could not go to karate, which was promotion night, of all nights! His coach, knowing how hard Trevor had worked for this new belt, made the effort to get Trevor his belt anyway, stopping by our house to give it to him. His coach said that it was Trevor's birthday afterall. I was amazed. To me, it could have waited another week, you know, teaching patience. But, now I see another lesson was taught, even more powerful: compassion!
Good day to you. It was another whirlwind weekend. Thankfully, everyone was healthy enough to enjoy it. Trevor did not have a fever, but was pretty tired. I am hoping he can pace himself a little more this week. So far, no one else is sick, either, a major praise.
Here are some photos of our weekend, starting with a look at the cake I made for Trevor's actual birthday on Thursday, when he still had a fever.
And Ryan got this on Thursday as well...
Friday we stayed home from our church's harvest party to avoid one more exposure opportunity. 
We had a Meixican pitch-in dinner with friends on Saturday and then walked their neighborhood collecting candy. Here are all of our darlings.
Sunday, we celebrated Trevor's birthday with family. (Oreo Icecream Cake)
He was very excited!
Have a great week.
~Jenn