This blog is my attempt to document our busy but BLESSED lives raising and educating our children for His glory. A child of God, wife to one, and mom to 6 fabulous kids. We are in our 16th year of homeschooling using a Classical ~ Literature based approach.

Come along for the good, the bad & the ugly.



Friday, April 29, 2011

Happy Birthday…to me!!!

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The day started out fantastic!  The girls and I got up at 4 A.M. and watched the Royal Wedding.  We had donuts, strawberries, and juice. 

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The Lt. came home from work about 130P.M. and we did cake & ice cream and presents. How blessed am I? The girls and the Lt. spoiled me so.

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Mikayla made me a card that was short and sweet and to the point. It read “Happy Birthday! Love you. You are 33.”  Too cute! She gave me a bookmark with a digital timer on it.

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Montana picked out a cookbook for me.  She is already pointing out which meals she wants made.  Hmm…there may have been a secret agenda with the book, but it’s fine I love to cook for family.

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McKenzie (with the help of Daddy) picked out a sweet camera strap from SewTamz Designs.  It is so comfortable and soft and I love the pattern too.

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Marie choose a snazzy watch necklace from her favorite store, Forever 21 for me. It is so cute and just the right size.

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Madison picked out a gift card to Barnes and Noble. Have I ever told you how much I love gift cards to the bookstore? I already have books in my cart so they will be on their way for next week.

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The Lt. surprised me big time with a trip to the upcoming HEAV Homeschool Conference, WaaHoo!!! I am very excited to go, especially since it looked like I wasn’t going to be able to make it again! This will be my first conference, so I have a lot of planning to do so that I stay within my budget.  Have any conference tips?  Any do’s and don’ts? I would love to hear!

Here’s to a great year!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

All about the Clean

Have you heard the news? Sarah Mae has a new book out called 31 Days to Clean ~ Having a Martha House the Mary Way.  Christin @ Joyful Mothering is hosting this challenge and I am jumping in too, won’t you?  I need a jumpstart to get back into routine and I pray this will be the answer, not that I keep a messy house but I do have 5 kids at home *just saying* :-0

Homemakers Challenge - 31 Days to Clean

Starting May 1st bloggers will be challenged to read this book daily and follow along with it’s challenges.  After reading the selected chapters you will have two applications to complete,

the Mary challenge -something you do that encourages/engages your hear.

the Martha challenge – specific cleaning tasks.

Today only Sarah Mae is giving away free copies of the book! Just check out the facebook page or tweet or blog about it and spread the word to  receive a free download.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Rosters out

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Remember back in mid-March when I posted that Madison & Mikayla made the level 4 gymnastics State Meet? Well, it’s finally coming up…well almost, only 5 more practices!!!  They have been hard at work perfecting their routines and getting things down pact.  hurricane meet 2611 031
The roster was released today and wouldn’t you know it the girls are on different days and sessions.  I knew they would be different sessions because of age, but I was secretly hoping we would be grouped on the same day at least.  Well, it’s not the case so I better start preparing myself for the 3 1/2 hour drive.  I am on my own that weekend too because the Lt. will be out of town.  
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The girls are looking forward to staying in a hotel for 2 days and all that the trip entails.  I am praying that McKenzie’s molars will make their appearance soon, very soon, so at least she will be comfortable. I would hate to miss either Madison or Mikayla compete because of a screaming fit.
This is both of their first year as level 4’s and as it stands Madison is competing in the 10-SR1 group with 25 other girls, and Mikayla is in 8-JR2 group with 23 other girls.  Wowzers! It will be tough competition for both but especially for Madison because most of the gyms around here hold back their girls so they can be spot on when they compete.hurricane meet 2611 022A
We will be happy and excited no matter what, what an accomplishment to make it to State.

Monday, April 25, 2011

2011 Spring Curriculum clean out

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Have you heard? It’s that time of the year again when us homeschoolers go through our stash and find items we do not need anymore.  Jolanthe over at Homeschool Creations is  hosting so click on over and find something you might have on your wish list. BSG1-m

Today I found out I have an extra set of the Science 1: Animals, Astronomy, and Physics (a.k.a Science B) student activity sheets (brand new) that I purchased back in the Summer of 2009.  This set does not include the schedule or teaching helps, it is simply the extra activity sheets.

Here’s how to enter ~

Simply post a comment so I know you were here! (1 entry)

For extra (1) entries ~

*please leave separate entries*

  • Follow or subscribe to my blog GFC ~ open to current and new bloggy friends

Giveaway will close on Sunday, May 1st at 10:00 a.m (EST).  Winner will be chosen randomly and notified by Sunday evening.  At that time the winner has 3 days to respond with your address and then your package will be on it’s way. If  the winner does not respond in the allotted time an alternate winner will be chosen.  Open to U.S. & Canadian residents only.

I hope this will be a blessing for someone!

Easter girls 2011

Easter 2011 062 One more set of Easter pictures to post. Yes, I am aware that my 14 year old is gaining on me height wise…and I am O.K with it, I think :-)

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Sunday, April 24, 2011

Happy Easter from our family to yours!!!

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Our day started out just wonderful. We enjoyed a great  church service listening to Pastor Jim’s word. Came home and had a wonderful dinner and egg hunt in which Madison found the prized Golden egg.  Of course we couldn’t complain about the gorgeous 90 degree weather either!         

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I hope you all had a blessed Easter!!!

"Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani" ~The meaning of Easter

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source

"Eloi, Eloi,
Lama Sabachthani"*
*A cry uttered by Jesus Christ
while dying on the cross,
preserved in the original Aramaic:
"My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"

Father,
Now the sun is risen,
I thank Thee for Thy silent strength
Given me in my hour of despair--
When the darkness
Seemed to smother,
And the tears
I selfishly shed
For my own pain
And trivial troubles
Shut out the light,
And I rendered myself
Alone.

Father,
Now Thy Son is risen,
I thank Thee for allowing One
So much greater than I
Thine Only Begotten,
Flesh of Thy flesh,
To complete a task so
Wonderful and
Terrible
By leaving Him
Necessarily
Alone.

Father,
In the garden green of Olivet,
In the still and solitude
The Creator of everything
Offered up all He had,
And submitted Himself
To all the vengeance of Hell;
And in His hour of need,
The Friend of the friendless
Was forsaken,
Forgotten,
For what?
Although the spirit was willing
The flesh indeed was weak;
And they slumbered,
Leaving Him,
The Balm of mortal pain,
To suffer,
Alone.

In the beauty of that desert place,
The Savior of mankind
Faced all the ugliness
His charges could offer:
The pain, the hate,
The sin, the sorrow,
The waste, the wickedness,
The pride, the poverty,
The deceit, the ignorance,
The doubt, the fear,
The betrayal
--And even the
Loneliness--
Alone.

As His immortal, righteous blood
Was spilled, like sweat
From every pore
And fell to the thirsty earth below,
I cannot hide
My honor and my awe
At His great love for me;
Neither can I hide
My shame,
Self-reproach
And regret. For
How many of those precious drops
Am I responsible for?
--As He suffered
The bitter cup,
Alone.

The longest night
the world will ever know,
The solstice of eternity,
Fell on Emmanuel
And by the light of torches
The Light of the world,
The very God of Love,
Was betrayed by a kiss,
Enslaved by strangers,
Rejected by His own,
Denied by those who
Knew Him best,
And led away
In chains
Alone.

How it must have hurt Thee
To witness the sufferings
Of Thy Beloved
Inflicted by Thine other children--
Those whom He had come to save;
To steadfastly persevere,
And answer not a word,
Amidst the jeers
The blows,
The spit
And scorn;
To see His perfect body torn,
His perfect soul rent in anguish,
Staggering and fainting beneath
The evil and imperfection
Of all mortality
Collectively
Alone.

And Thou,
Beyond the grasp of human pain
Did surely mourn at the
Mocking of His misery
By so many witnesses and
Beneficiaries of His
Miracles and ministry--
Those who knew better;
Who unworthily
And ungratefully
Bore Thy birthright;
Those with whom Thou had
Cut they covenant
Now cut the flesh of Thy Son
Deliberately.
And in the crowded mob
He wept
Alone.

Down the winding passages of
The City of Peace,
Stumbled the Prince of Peace.
Plaited thorns adorned His crown;
Stripped of all but His
Mantle of Duty;
How it must have burdened Thee
To see Thine Own,
Who in innocence
Did glorify Thy name,
Bearing a scapegoat's load--
The weight thereof
Not unfamiliar to Thee,
Which could so mercifully have been loosed
By Thy Omnipotence;
Yet in the name of mercy
Didst Thou allow
This charade of justice
To continue.
At a crossroads He was lifted up
Upon the cruel cross.
And in His torment,
When He needed Thee most,
Thou left Him
Unwillingly
Alone. 
 
Father,
In the vastness of Thy creations,
was there any place large enough
To contain the immensity
Of Thy sorrow?
Was there any place small enough
And far enough away
To hide from the pleas and cries
Of Thy suffering Son?
Until the moment He pronounced
"It is finished."
Triumphing, at last
Alone. 
 
In olden times, the Scriptures say
Thou wert a jealous God described;
I think I know now why--
Jealous lest man ever
Slight,
Forget,
Or with anything replace
The memory of the Sacrifice
Made by Thy Son
Alone. 
 
O Father,
I thank Thee
For sacrificing Thy
Fatherhood for Thy
Godhood, by
Giving us Thy Son
To pay the ransom we could not.
And by so doing,
Thy righteous heart was broken also--
For what Father could bear to see
His helpless child suffer
And not rush to his aid?
--Instead, to leave him
Intentionally
Alone. 
 
O Father,
I thank Thee
That through the tears that fell
From His eyes
And from Thine,
That my tears may be dried
And my eyes opened
To the Hope of my Salvation,
And the reassurance of my
Eternal worth
--In spite of myself--
That my meager life
Was worth dying for.
And He died
For me, and
Because of me,
That I might live for Him,
In all my days serving Him
As tool and ambassador
Of the love He had for us;
The love that gave purpose to His life
And life to His purpose.
Father, I acknowledge my
Hungering need
To bear and be borne by the
Unconditional Love of Christ,
Who unselfishly serves all those who but
Come unto Him.
As Counsellor,
Advocate
And Friend;
That neither I,
Nor any of us
Need ever be
Alone. 
 
Father,
Let me let Him in!
Let His Light fill the recesses of my soul,
That darkness and evil
Find no place.
Let me always make room
For Him for Whom the inn was full.
Let your Spirit make me wise enough
To seek the King of Kings
As the Magi did;
And as
Wise men
Still and
Always do.
Let me ever joy
In that same glory
That was witnessed
To lowly shepherds
Long ago.
Praise be
To the Father
And the Son!
The glory be
To Him and Thee
Alone. 
 
Please bless me,
Dear Father,
That I may live my days
In remembrance
Of Him Whose hands
First sculpted me in clay.
Whose hands now rest in Thine;
Those hands
Thou once suffered
To be pierced
For my sake.
Father, wouldst Thou bless me,
That as He bore my burdens,
I may lift all those around me
With whom I share this
Borrowed existence--
For Thy sacrifice,
And His,
Was not for me
Alone. 
 
And in His name may I
Heal the poor in Spirit,
Feed those enhungered
Of body or soul;
Build up where others tear down;
Make Peace
Spread Love;
Share
His
Hope;
That as I represent Him
In my small corner of the world,
No one I meet
Will ever be
In need,
In doubt,
or
Alone.

by Keith Clayton, Jr. 1968-1998

Jesus Lives

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.”

Matthew 28:5-6

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Egg dye & a meltdown

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This year is the first Easter in over 5 years that we will be able to have an outdoor egg hunt, yahoo!!!. It is supposed be 90 degrees tomorrow, hello Spring!  This is also our first Easter where the Lt. is home, the last 4 years he has been deployed each Easter.  Have I ever told you how much I am enjoying shore duty??? Perhaps another post…

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I prepped the the eggs while the girls and the Lt. were out shopping for my big day on Friday.  They had a blast at the mall and even ate out in a cool 50’s diner and had burgers, fries, & malts. 

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This year we used these collapsible dying cups and a new recipe for the dye to get brighter eggs.   What’s the secret you ask? 

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Well we had great results by using warm eggs and only 1/2 cup of warm water and 1 Tbsp of white vinegar with the orange, yellow, green, and blue tablets.

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McKenzie even wanted in on the action. It was short lived though because she didn’t want her eggs, she wanted everyone else’s eggs.

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*** in case you’re wondering why Mikayla has on a Christmas shirt… I was wondering that myself :-)***

Right now, I am going to show you the meltdown McKenzie had in pictures.  It’s been a bumpy ride with her the last few weeks, but I am thankful for every teaching moment as she learns how things go. 

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Whew!!! We made it through that one.  Sometimes it is not easy being 18+ months.

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The eggs turned out beautifully bright and everyone had a great time in the end. Clean up was also very easy too so that was a plus for me.easter eggs 127

Let’s just pray Marie can get the dye off her hands before church in the morning :-)

Do you dye eggs at your house? How did it go?