Wordless Wednesday....catch up.

GOHSSG Swim Party August 2011

For those who do not know GOHSSG (Garden Oaks Home School Support Group) is our support over here in North Houston! This was our first major event with the group... the back to school swim party!

It was very fun.. I am very glad we went. The kids had a blast and we at least got to see some new friends that we will be sharing activities with throughout the year.

Please take note of the second column of pictures.. that would be Emily achieving one FULL rotation on her flip!  Whoo hoo.  Larry, Emily's friend Lauren Rose and a fellow church member gave her a few tips and she DID it!!!

On the bottom right side is my friend Julie--who has a blog but DOESN'T blog.. go leave her some comments on her last blog entry to make her feel good!!!

On the bottom left hand side would be Kaitlin underwater which I just happen to think is the COOLEST picture... however not as COOL as my bloggy friend at Family Team, but I am sure hers was an underwater camera!

And Matt is just well CUTE as can be in the picture of him!!!  He is not always cooperative in my picture taking so I am always pleased to get a good shot of him!!!

One Thousand Gifts.. A practice in Gratitude- 12

327.  for a paycheck, and for wisdom to use it wisely
328.  for two excited children showing me their nature find
329. for the sound of the back door squeaking.... kids playing outside
330.  kids understanding about no donut hole monday...
331. little girl with wild morning hair and sleep eyes
332. tennis shoes lasting a few more weeks
333. sleeping on fresh, clean sheets last night
334. dinner out with friends
335. breakfast with just Emily this morning-- girl talk
336. sweet little toes in my face this morning
337. splashes, sun and swimsuits
338. a  morning all to myself
339. loved one coming out of surgery fine
340. a blessing being able to barter with services instead of money
341. for a special two days with my girl and seeing the joy of meeting new friends
342. a dad at home willing to work on school things with the kids
343. paper airplanes shown by an excited son when I walked in the door...
344. driving for the first time in a LONG time by myself (for a long ways)
345. a lost library book found that I don't have to pay for
346. a laptop to use for the kids extra school stuff-- a scheduling blessing
347.  a great coupon trip
348. rocky road icecream
349. a new recipe that hubbie likes
350. friends..
351. being able to bless a friend by doing her a BIG favor (Becky-- I love you!)
352. my new came3ra

Spa Day....

Well.. Becky and Joel went and got themselves stuck in New York because of the hurricane-- all planes were grounded and so they rented a car started driving to Texas!  They are currently in Kentucky-- only 15 plus hours to go!  Mary Faith is still here and has taken the change in plans smashingly!  Really I am proud of her! 

The girls decided to make a spa in my bedroom... Dave and I have always wanted to experience getting high and well I think we might have!  :0)  Just kidding... but I am sure we were close!

They were being so sweet!  Each painting the others nails, rubbing feet, applying make up and arm sparkles... it was a girly, girl time!

Weekly Wrap Up: Day 23-30

Last week we did school on Mon, Wed and Fri and then Kate and I were off to choir camp. BUT (and I didn't count this in my school day count) Dave did some school with Matt and Emily! I have NO pictures which makes me sad...

He had them do all their online work and math and he of course did logic with them, but most exciting he did skills with them.. and the skill they learned

PAPER AIRPLANE AND THROWING STARS MAKING

oh but wasn't my son excited!  He was bursting when I came through the door, waiting to show me! 

on to this week...

Monday:

 was a NOT BACK TO SCHOOL HOLIDAY- Mom kept the kids Sunday night and Monday for Dave and I to have date time... it didn't really end up that way on Monday but all is good!

Tuesday-- up bright and early to get the school work started!

This week is different because I have a fourth child all week!  Miss Mary Faith!  She will just be doing school work with us all week!!! 

We knocked out the school work today--- not that we did it SOOO fast but that we accomplished everything!  We just did so much! 

• We worked on our Northeast State Study-- which was fun because it included New York for Mary Faith- which is where her mom and dad are.
• we got to our first review for English and the kids are still having a little bit of trouble but are doing MUCH better than I expected.  I really like the Rod and Staff
• we of course did math...

• the girls worked on Rod and Staff Bible which I am using for Emily's reading..

• we worked our way backwards through Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day to do fish!  We used this opportunity to get a new school pet.. a beta.  Kaitlin had gotten a tank for Christmas but the beta died after like one day and we never replaced it....YES WE ARE THE DEATH HOUSE FOR PETS.  But anyhoo we are trying again! 

 this is the new class pet---- isn't he pretty or handsome whatever you wish to say!

a BIG btw.. still and even more IN LOVE with the schedule wall...  Really.  LOVE IT!  

Wednesday:

The kids felt the love because I made pancakes!  GOOD MOMMY!

We started our day our with our Proverbs--- we met the Sluggard today!  I shall reference him often!

We worked on our scripture memory work for Bible--- so much!!!

The kids each did their devotions--- need to find a new devotion book for Kaitlin soon!

After that the kids worked on math and got dressed then it was pretty much time to leave!  We had history at Amy's but I had to go take Dave something and get to Amy's before lunch for the kids to play... because my niece Kirsten gave me a sad song and dance about not having enough time to play with her cousins... and how on EARTH can you resist this girl!

History was exciting as we started our new curriculum ALL AMERICAN HISTORY vol. 2.

It is VERY DRY... but I don't care!  I am adding awesome, wonderful living books and THIS IS my spine!    We started with the prelude to the civil war and will start the Civil War in about three weeks....

Thursday:

Wow... we did a lot today! I got up at 7:00 and didn't lay back on my bed until 10:25!  Whooo!

We did school work this morning, Bible, devotions, math, English and then Emily, Mary Faith and I worked on a lap book about New York City!

We learned about transportation in New York City, why it's called the Big Apple, the 5 boroughs, a little about 9/11, Ellis Island and immigration, Lady Liberty, we mapped out a lot of places that Becky had gone, we tried some NEW YORK recipe's and looked at the weather report for today vs. here in Texas.

Meet OUR Lady Liberty's

Some of the recipes we tried from New York are:

Coney dogs/ with chili and cheeze whiz, which we ate with bagel chips!

We tried an egg cream--- not our favorite! (hence the grimace)

Egg Cream:

milk

seltzer

chocolate syrup

(NO EGG)

We also had New York Cheesecake!!!! Yummo!

We swam awhile at Mom's.... relaxing after the sun went down some.



Friday:

Okay a little bit later start this morning but we were out late!  One of the privileges of home schooling....

We were going to do our upside down Schedule wall thing but ended up NOT!  We did devotions, the girls finished their New York lap book, we played math games.... and that was about it!

Emily and Mary Faith played Who gets to the top of the Empire State Building first... in honor of NY!

I had a doctors appointment (third and hopefull last needle in skull treatment!), we did some chores and the kids watched Pollyanna--- we were in need of the GLAD game.

Tonight for dinner we had Russo's NEW YORK pizza (plus I didn't have to cook) and thus ended our New York study!

It was a full week! Go check out what everyone else did this week at Weird, unsocialized Homeschoolers.



Visiting Nennie...

I know this is kind of weird blogging material but ... I wanted to capture the moment.

Emily got to feeling sad about Nennie the other day, Nennie was my great grandmother on my mom's side. She passed away in 2002, so Emily never got to meet her. I tell Emily that Nennie got to meet her though because she felt her in my tummy and she saw an ultrasound picture.

Well Emily feels sad that she didn't get to meet her and for some reason this hit her hard on Wednesday... so we decided to go take some flower to Nennie today...

We went and Emily picked out flowers and Matt picked out a car for Tommie (my mothers brother who died when he was young)... and we trooped off to the cemetery. It was very nice and the kids all asked to go back more often-- which we should.

My grandmother and grandfather on my dads side are buried at the VA cemetery--- I think we will go visit there one day soon too.

Meet Lammy...

This is Lammy.  I am really unsure of the spelling but I am going with this one!

Lammy belongs to Emily, she has had her since BEFORE she was born and it is probably the only thing in our household that we have managed to hold onto!  We are not good "keepers". 

Lammy was used a lot the week with the chicken pox and all-- have no fear Lammy went through a decomtaination process!

She used to not sleep without Lammy and even now she often "needs" him! 

Lammy is loved!

Most awesome Thomas Jefferson quote...

The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the constitution so

the second will not become the legalized version of the first.

-Thomas Jefferson

Opportunity....

I am trying to be thankful for each and every opportunity I am given to remember WHO is in control.

Not me.

I had MULTIPLE opportunities to be thankful today.  {{{sigh}}}


I think that once I purposefully TRY to let God be in control instead of myself... I am suddenly awash with opportunties to practice it!  I had to physically clap my mouth shut at one point today.  I then got up and walked away.  I am not in control, nor do I have ANY ability to BE in control over the situation.  I cannot control this situation.  Struggle!

So instead of "showing" my anger over the inability to control the situation.... I remained quiet.  I said not one thing.  I don't really think that is the answer EITHER... but at least I don't have anything to be sorry for! 

I really need something that I am not getting... but yet I have no control over being able to get it!

So I will be thankful that GOD is in control.  He knows my tomorrows.  He has ordered not only MY steps but each and every one of us!

I am sure we entertained the church Wed night...

Well I didn't as I skipped church-- I know {{{gasp}}}. I have many excuses, non really good enough but anyway I wasn't there!

Dave took the three children to church last Wed night. Kaitlin was working with the pastor's wife setting up for the kids choir preformance on Sunday. So Dave was in the fellowship hall (adult Bible study) with Matt and Emily.

We have imposed new rules for our family and they are

WE SHALL WORSHIP AS A FAMILY

Yes, I understand that I, myself broke this rule by skipping--- I promise I had good excuses!

Anyhoo...

Dave came home early and apparently Matt and Emily had put on quite the show during Bible study and Dave finally left with them.

Emily is unhappy with our family decision to worship together... she thinks we have not made the best choice.  She cried and carried on.

Matt was just in a funky-- I don't want to be here and you cannot convince me otherwise mood. He was busy picking a scab and making it bleed and "falling" asleep on the table.

NOT ACCEPTABLE.

So when they came in we sat down and had us a family meeting!

We re-established some family rules (went over and hung our rules back up on the wall-- aparently they need to be in full sight)



I reminded the kids of some of the reasons we have chosen the path our family walks.
I reminded them of the precious freedom we have here to worship and hear the Word of God.
I reminded them of character building choices and character building consequences-- you either build good character or bad character, no in-between!
Dave and I reminded them of our expectation.
Dave and I reminded them of God's expectations.
Dave and I set up a few new consequences and ideas to help get up back on track.

1. They all will work over the next week on writing scriptures from the Bible in regards to the particular character trait that they are having trouble the most with.  When this bad character shows up they will be given a chance to go over, review the cards and make a choice.  If the choice is good--- GREAT.  If the choice is to continue in the behaviour---consequence.

2. We are going to re- read the Proverbs on HEEDING YOUR FATHER'S INSTRUCTIONS.

3. We are going to start our biographies with maybe some martyers for Christ.

4. We are going to pray weekly for a different country who have christians where is it illegal to worship God.

5. We are going to be viligant to "nip" attitudes and situations in the head, while still maintaining grace= hard to balance!

6. We are going to be viligant to set up play dates for the kids church friends to allow them to play and foster relationships.... I know this is important too.

7. We are going to going to make sure they are ready and prepared to listen, take notes and participate in bible study on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. ( We are currently deciding if we will allow Emily to participate in choir on Wed evenings followed by a missionary study.... HARD decisions!)

8. We are also trying VERY viligantly to really make sure that we applaud good character choices and I have taken to leaving notes for the kids that maybe mention a good character choice I saw them make during the week.


I am reminded of this scripture...

Let us not become weary in doing good,

for at the proper time we will reap

a harvest if we do not give up.

                                                                                       Galations 6:9

Kaitlin's Choir Camp-- Trinity Pines

Kaitlin has joined Heaven Sent Choir along with Kirsten, but she is in the junior singers group. Each year before choir starts they have a camp for the junior singers at Trinity Pines. We decided to attend thinking it would be a great start to her new year and she would get to know some of the kids...

We had a blast!

The kids were amazingly welcoming! There was no feeling of only the old kids were friends.. they were all so kind and sweet! I felt so blessed and good about our decision to join!

We left on Thursday and go there at 10:00 and DID NOT STOP until we left Friday at 4:30! Man I was tired driving home! It was a lot of work-- 5 rehearsals! However there was lots of play too- swimming, free time, Bible Study, eating, Ga Ga ball ( a very fun game of Israeli dodge Ball), relay races, nail painting, giggling, rides in the backs of trucks, sleepy girls, loud boys, clapping, singing and much more!

Kaitlin and I took a few minutes out on the water before we drove off... I can't believe that she is a seventh grader.... how did this happen!

Dr. Seuss 2011

repost from Facebook:

Dr. Seuss 2011.

 I do not like this Uncle Sam, I do not like his health care scam.

I do not like these dirty crooks, or how they lie & cook the books.

I do not like when Congress steals, I do not like their secret deals.

 I do not like ex-speaker Nan, I do not like this 'YES WE CAN'.

I do not like this spending spree, I'm smart, I know that nothing's free.

 I do not like their smug replies, when I complain about their lies.

 I do not like this kind of hope.

I do not like it.

Nope, nope, nope.

News alert....

This December we are going back to Florida!

  It was totally not on our radar-- I mean I wanted too badly but it just wasn't in our plans.  We are not staying on property and it will be a "less" trip than last time, but we are STILL very excited!  How much we do will depend on how much we can save between now and then! At this point we are talking about Disney, Universal.. we have passes to SEA WORLD, so tickets there are pretty inexpensive!  These things may or may not happen how I want.. at the least we have a week in Orlando at a beautiful resort like hotel! 

 MAYBE we will be going to Magic Kingdom

 and MAYBE we will go back to Hollywood Studios

we will be skipping Animal Kingdom

 

and Epcot for expense purposes...

The kids understand that we will do whatever we can pay for at the time. 

 

The other exciting news is that there is a LEGO LAND opening up in Florida in October.  This is the REAL Lego Land like in California with rides and everything... This is MATT's hearts desire.  Truly.  He wants to go so very badly and I felt almost BAD that we were going to Disney instead of going to Lego Land in California.. but then we found an ad in Lego magazine for Lego Land Florida!!! 

 God is so good.  I know it sounds silly that I think God would CARE about Lego Land but he DOES care about Matt and he knows how much it will mean to Matt.  It also reminds me that I really DO not need to be in charge.. I can allow God to order our steps!

BTW... Lego Land is a secret from our kids.. they don't know it exists yet!  :0)

Here are the kids at the Lego Discovery Center outside Chicago... nothing like Lego Land although cool for younger kids and they just opened one in Grapevine, Texas this Spring...

I am SO excited.  I hope that I can really buckle down and save enough over the next few months to make this a really awesome trip!  However we will be happy with whatever we get!