Pumpkin roll, mmmmmmm

I really ought to post a picture, these are pretty too!

Pumpkin roll

Cake:

2/3 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie)
1 Cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon baking powder
2+ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of cloves (optional)
1/3 teaspoon salt

Filling:

8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
4 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Beat eggs for about 5 minutes. Stir in pumpkin, sugar and lemon juice.

Mix together dry ingredients in separate bowl and then add to pumpkin mixture. Do not over mix.

Line a 15x10x1 jelly roll pan with wax paper and spray with cooking spray. Pour batter into pan and spread evenly.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let it stand for about 10 minutes, then sift a small amount of powdered sugar over the top and dump it out onto another piece of wax paper.

Carefully roll the cake up and set aside while you prepare the filling.

Cream cheese and butter should be at room temperature. Blend thoroughly all filling ingredients until smooth and creamy.

Carefully unroll your cake and remove wax paper.

Spread filling evenly over cake and roll it back up.

Nuts are a great add in if you like them! Just sprinkle them over the filling before you roll up the cake.

Wrap it up with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a day for the flavors to blend. (its best this way!).

Sprinkle on some powdered sugar, slice and serve!

School so far...

We stuck to the plan for about a week, and then it went out the window! It just doesn't work.

We've still been getting in our 4 1/2 hours per school day but often only 4 days a week.

Here is what our school day has been looking like lately....

10 AM - Start school

Noon - Lunch

1 PM - back to school

4 PM - either finished or nearly finished with school

I think the boys have learned a lot this year though. They both are doing well in math. Gideon is resistant to reading but it is obvious he knows more than he wants me to realize. Michael whines about his handwriting but it looks great! I think he'll be writing very good cursive by the end of the year.

Science is great! We are using Exploring creation with Zoology I. The boys really like it and so do I. We usually devote 2 full days a week to it.

My main frustration is History. I have discovered that I do NOT like the history that is in the "What your X grader needs to know" books. It is terrible! We have watched the Drive thru History DVD's several times but they only cover so much. I want to get the American History DVD. Just yesterday I started using some A-beka books about our American Heritage. I like these OK but next year I want to get serious about getting some good history curriculum.

Now if I can only get the school room clean enough to do school in and start piano lessons back up! My goal is to have the room clean by Friday. We'll see!

School begins again

We started school today! Michael is in 3rd grade and Gideon is in 1st grade. We kind of got off to a rough start since we just got home from California yesterday but I'm trying to make it an easy day.

Already I have noticed that Gideon did not lose much in reading over the past 3 months. He did pretty well on his reading lesson. Michael still hates writing, maybe we can turn that around. Although his handwriting is not very neat, it is about as good as some adults I know! OK, I don't know many adults with writing that poor but I do know some.

We plan to build an obstacle course out front but its raining today so that will have to wait. I did have the boys run to the tree out in the field and back before we started though.

Here is the schedule I am going to try out, of course I am always open to modification if it doesn't work. As I always say, better to start with a plan and change it than to set out with no plan!

8 AM Run obstacle course
8:30 Chores
9 AM Pledges and prayer
Bible study
9:30 Michael-Vocabulary, Gideon-Reading
10 AM Snack/break
10:15 Writing
10:30 Math
11:15 History/Social Studies
12 PM Lunch
1 PM Science
2 PM M/W/F Art, T/Th Health and Manners
2:30 AWANA homework
3 PM Snack, School's out!

It may seem like a long day for homeschooling, but here in Georgia we have to have 4 1/2 hours per day and with what I have scheduled I know there will also be at least a couple of interruptions (namely Jason and Silas).

Well, I have 9 minutes till the break is over, I'd better get my snack!

He never fails

...to amaze me! I just can't get over it, God is so faithful! In good times and in bad. He is always there and always working things out for good.

I listened to a story on the radio today about a woman who lost her husband in a diving accident. She was all alone in a foreign country and had no one to comfort her but God met her where she was at, He provided comfort for her and He put a song in her heart! I cannot imagine her grief but I can imagine her joy, because I have felt it too.

I have felt that indescribably joy that comes only from the Lord. At those times of pain, or hard times, He has given it to me. That deep sense of overwhelming peace and perfect happiness. He turns our tears to laughter and our mourning into joy. I think it is because even the sad He is working out for good, and how can we help but rejoice in that!

Rejoice in the Lord always! Again, I say, REJOICE!

I will praise His name while I yet have breath, I will sing of His faithfulness as long as I live.

Praise the Lord oh my soul! Forget not His enduring faithfulness! Forget not His lovingkindness! Forget not His majesty nor His magnificence!

Great is the LORD most High! He shall reign forever and ever and of His kingdom there shall be no end!

Let all the earth rejoice and be glad! Jesus Christ is on the throne!

5 Thanks

Thank You Lord for who You are! Thank You for creating me and giving me life, Thank You for loving me, Thank You for giving me a wonderful family.

Let all that is within me bless Your Holy name!

5 Thanks

Thank You Lord for the rain, thank You for the green of the grass and trees, thank You for being faithful always, thank You for caring about the little things as well as the big ones, and thank You Lord for the encouragement you send my way through Your children.

I will delight in You my precious Savior, for You are so good to me!

We're here!

We made it to Georgia 2 weeks ago today! We spent the first week down in Florida visiting with my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law. They have a beach house rented there until September so we had fun swimming in the pool and in the Atlantic ocean for a week!

Now we are back in Lyons, Georgia and have been cleaning and unpacking for the past week. Right now my mother-in-law is staying in another house while we get this one ready for us all to live in together. It will probably take us another week or two to make it ready but we are making progress.

The boys love having a huge front yard! (only 10 acres lol). They also enjoy swimming in Aunt Bernie and Uncle Johnny's swimming pool, playing with their dog, and seeing their horse.

Its pretty hot and humid here. While we are used to the hot part, we are not used to the humid part. I'm sure we will be by the end of summer!

5 Thanks

1. I am thankful that Archie's jury duty is served and he's back home now!

2. I am thankful that I finally chose a camera. (hopefully it will get here before we move!)

3. That I made progress packing the kitchen today.

4. For weather that's not too hot.

5. That the drivers side window on our van is going to be fixed on Thursday! (after over a year of not working!).

I wish I could post more on our plans and what's going on right now, but I've got so much to do to get ready for the move! The trailer gets here tomorrow!

5 Thanks

1. For cool spring weather.

2. That my husband is currently unemployed.

3. That God always supplies all of my needs.

4. That my youngest sons teeth were only knocked a little loose and not out when he fell today.

5. That Gideon and Jason helped pick up the living room for me to vacuum this evening.

5 Thanks

1. I am thankful for a hard working husband who has always provided for his family.

2. I am thankful that the Lord ALWAYS has everything under control.

3. I am thankful for air conditioning.

4. I am thankful for good neighbors.

5. I am thankful that I was in AWANA clubs as a kid.

Thank You Lord Jesus for Your many blessings in my life. I do not deserve them. May You be glorified in my life! Amen.

23 days

I'm not getting much done during the day, I find it hard to work with 4 boys swarming around me. What I've been doing is mostly general housework and taking care of the boys during the day and then organizing and packing at night after they go to bed at night. Of course that leaves me really tired in the day! I can't remember the last time I got to bed before midnight.

Even though I feel a little stretched and stressed, really things are going pretty well. I feel like we've got a good schedule laid out and things are progressing well. I think we actually have a chance of getting everything done in time...but only by the grace of God!

Right now I'm wishing that the next 4 days would go by really fast, and then the 19 days after that would go super slow! In 4 days Archie will be done with both work and school! Its been a long 7 years and I'm really looking forward to having him around all the time for a while. The boys need that and so do I.

I guess that's all for now. I'm thinking of doing a few sewing projects before bed.

God bless you!

5 Thanks

OK, I'm going to try and do this once a week. 5 things I am thankful to God for!

1. For my wonderful husband who is always there when I need him.

2. For my sisters in the Lord who are always there to support, encourage, and advise.

3. For sturdy boxes to pack my dishes in.

4. For coffee.

5. For the cell phones my sister-in-law got for us.

Thank You Lord! For the big things and for the little things.

Packing is underway!

I've probably got a dozen boxes packed now. I am finding it quite challenging to decide what moves with us and what is to be let go of. I find myself asking the question "If I can pack it away now and live without if for a month, do I really need it?" For some things the answer is yes, I will need it to set up house in GA, but for other things, well, I need to just let them go.

I had a conversation once about how as believers in Jesus we should be the last people on earth to hold onto worldly possessions. If we trust the Lord we should trust Him to meet our needs when they have them. How often do we hang onto something because we might need it someday? Shouldn't we trust the Lord that if we do need something someday that He will provide it when we need it? Jesus told us that we should store for ourselves treasures in Heaven rather than on earth. Really, how much of a treasure is something that gets broken, dusty, faded, rusty, and shoved into a closet or barn or storage shed.

Possessions are to be used for this life but not loved. The things we own should be used for the furtherance of God's Kingdom. If we can't use the things we have, we should consider letting them go to someone who needs them. Perhaps our unused items could be God's provision for someone else?!

As I am being challenged to part with some of these earthly possessions I want to challenge you also. Do you really need everything in that "junk" drawer? Do you really need those clothes that haven't fit you in years? Is there someone who really does need it? I ask you to pray about this and ask the Lord if there is anything in your home that you need to let go of, ask Him to show you if there is someone who needs those things that you don't.

I have no doubt that I will pack, and move, some things that I don't really need. I'll probably end up in Georgia, begin unpacking and say to myself "now why did I bring that?". I'm a work in progress though, God isn't finished with me yet.

The best is yet to come!

Romans 8:18 says "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Glory!

I was listening to Adventures in Odyssey this morning. It was the episode where Eugene finally accepts the call of Jesus in His life. One of the lines in that episode is "the best is yet to come" and it got me thinking...

For the believer, the best is yet to come! The best part of our existence is ahead of us! The most fulfilling part of our lives is ahead of us!

With all the crazy scary things going on in the world, it can be easy to be afraid and worried. Its easy to get caught up in the fear around us. We should not be afraid though! Jesus has overcome the world and all its fears!

1 Corinthians 15:55 says "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"

John 16:33 says "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

Of all the things that could go wrong, and all the things that have gone wrong, of all the things that have been wonderful and all the brilliant things this life has to offer....none of it is to be compared with the glory to come!

All of this doesn't mean that I won't wash my hands to prevent illness, or that I won't be careful of what my children learn but it does mean that I trust the Lord to be in control of my life and what happens in this world. I trust that EVERYTHING is in His hands and will work out for His glory!

The best, truly is, yet to come.

10 blessed years

Archie and I will be celebrating our 10th Wedding anniversary on Friday! I have been so blessed to have such a wonderful husband! He has blessed me so much and I thank God for him. He is a great daddy to our boys, a wonderful provider, and a good man.

Our marriage has been so sweet and beautiful. We have grown closer and more in love as time has passed. We still find ourselves staying up late talking and looking forward to spending time together. Sure we disagree sometimes and argue sometimes but we never "let the sun go down" without resolving things between us.

Archie, I love you more now than I did 10 years ago and I know my love for you will keep growing as long as we both continue to grow in the Lord. You are my soul mate, my lover, and my best friend. I will cherish you forever. Love forever, your devoted wife, Jessica

2 more weeks of school!

I've already started packing up school books. Just keeping out a few that I want to use for the last two weeks.

Every year I've felt the same way at the end of the school year, satisfied that they've learned what they should but I didn't teach them as much as I would have liked to. Of course this year had two big challenges in it. One, Silas was only 3 months old when we started school and we decided to move and started preparing to move half way through the school year.

I'd have to say that Gideon did just fine for Kindergarten. I learned a little about his learning style and where his strengths and weaknesses are.

I learned a lot more about Michael's learning style and his strengths and weaknesses. We're really going to have to focus on math next year. I'm happy with how he did in every subject, except math.

Jason will be ready for more pre-school work next year. He seems like the kind of kid that would benefit from play more than anything right now though.

I have my box of school books for next year all packed and ready to go. In fact almost all of the school books are packed! I may even have that job done today.

I'm looking forward to our last day of school. Then I can spend each day focused on the task of packing and preparing for our cross country move.

Resurrection buns

Jesus is alive!

We started doing this project on Easter morning about 2 or 3 years ago. Its very sticky and yummy.

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Resurrection buns

1 or more cans of crescent rolls (or other dough, homemade or otherwise)
large marshmallows
Cinnamon and sugar mix
about 1/4 Cup of melted butter

1. Roll each marshmallow into a piece of dough so that it is completely covered, you can pinch the creases to make sure it is sealed. The marshmallows represent Jesus and the dough is the tomb.

2. Roll the bun in butter and then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

3. Place buns on a greased baking sheet. (You will want to use one with a lip as there will be gooey sugar coming out of the buns).

4. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.

5. Remove plastic and bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove buns quickly from the baking sheet as they will stick hard if allowed to cool. When the buns are open the marshmallow is gone and the tomb is empty!

Jesus is alive!

Resurrection cookies

I should have posted this sooner as its meant to be done on "Good Saturday" night. You can do it any time of course! We have done this every year since Michael was a baby.

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Resurrection cookies

1 Cup pecan halves
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 egg whites
1 pinch of salt
1 Cup of sugar
1 resealable plastic bag
a wooden spoon
scotch tape
A Bible

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Place pecans in the bag and let children beat them with the spoon to break them into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.

Read John 19:1-3

So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. Then they said, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they struck Him with their hands.

3. Let each child smell the vinegar. Put one teaspoon into the mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross the soldiers gave him a sponge with vinegar to drink.

Read John 19:28-30

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!" Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

4. Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.

Read John 10:10-11

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

5. Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers and the bitterness of our own sin.

Read Luke 23:27

And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.

6. The ingredients so far aren't too appetizing. Add 1 cup of sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of this story is that Jesus died because He loves us, and wants us to know and belong to Him.

Read Psalm 34:8

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

7. Beat mixture with a mixer until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that white represents the purity of those who have been cleansed by Jesus.

Read Isaiah 1:18

"Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.

John 3:1-3

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

8. Fold in broken nuts and drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.

Read Matthew 27:57-60

Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.

9. Put the cookie sheets in the oven. Give each child a piece of tape to "seal" the oven shut.

Read Matthew 27:65-66

Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how." So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

10. Turn off the oven and go to bed! Explain that it might be sad to leave the cookies in the oven all night. Jesus' disciples were sad when Jesus died. They didn't understand that He would rise again.

Read John 16:20, 22

Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

11. In the morning remove the tape, open the oven and take out the cookies! Give everyone a cookie. Notice how they are hollow in the middle. Jesus' followers were amazed to find that the tomb was empty! Jesus is alive!

Read Matthew 28:6-7

He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you."

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Praise the Lord! He is Risen!

Good Friday

Thank You my Lord Jesus. Precious Savior.

Thank You for taking my place.

Thank You for calling my name.

Thank You for saving me.

Thank You for freeing me.

Thank You for loving me.

Thank You for dying for me.

I will praise You and Thank You as long as I live...and thanks to You, that will be forever!

School

Just 5 weeks left!

I think I pushed Gideon a little too hard the first half of Kindergarten but have relaxed for the second half. I have to remind myself that he doesn't have to be reading at a second grade level by the end of Kindergarten and that he doesn't have to keep up with everyone else. He can learn at his own pace and that's totally O.K. I'm not saying he's behind, he's just not ready for some things yet. I think Gideon is really good at math. He seems to like it better than other subjects. He often surprises me with things I didn't know he knew, using big words correctly, and asking very good questions.

Michael always amazes me. I quizzed him on some things I wasn't sure if he knew about or not, and sure enough, he did! He knew way more about plants than I thought, and the solar system. He picked up a book about the human circulatory system and then drew a picture and labeled the different parts. All without any instruction! I didn't even suggest he look at the book! He's been saying he hates writing all year but when we were at the grocery store today he wrote his own list. I can definitely see an improvement from last year. I think the trick with Michael is to get him to do school work without him knowing its school work, that seems to work best for him.

Jason is starting to come out of the terrible "2's", now that he's 3 1/2! He's very articulate and VERY energetic. He's starting to listen a little but still tends to run the opposite direction when I call him. I actually managed to get him to pick up nearly all the toys he pulled out of the closet, it may not seem like much but that's a major accomplishment! Hopefully I can get him to start picking up on a regular basis. (yeah right!).

We've been on a lot of field trips this year. We've got a couple left to go. I'm looking forward to going on new and exciting field trips in Georgia. There are several other states nearby as well so there should be lots of interesting field trip opportunities in the future.

Well, I'm up too late again. Tomorrow is library day. Goodnight.

too much to do, too little time

Along with sorting through our things and packing for our cross country move, we also have a list of things we'd like to do before we leave California. I fear not all of them will get done.

See the big trees
Visit Joy and Levi
Legoland
Disneyland
Knotts berry farm
Magic Mountain
Aquarium of the pacific
Queen Mary
San Francisco
The Getty
Los Angeles museum of natural history
etc. etc. etc.

We'll get some of these done before we move but the rest will have to wait till sometime in the future when we visit Cali.

The weather is warming up, its really nice out right now. We only have 5 weeks of school left and then its major packing season! I am thinking of coming up with some kind of plan for packing.

Maybe

week 1 ~ Pack master bedroom and bathroom

week 2 ~ Pack boys room and den

week 3 ~ Pack hallway and living room

week 4 ~ Pack kitchen and garage

We'll see. Hopefully I can get some started in April. I've actually packed a handful of boxes already.

A little time makes all the difference

As a busy momma of 4 boys I often find it hard to set aside time to spend with the Lord. Usually when I wake up in the morning its to the noise of hungry boys looking for breakfast.

I've tried setting an alarm to wake myself up before they get up but it doesn't work. It goes off, wakes them and me up and then I end up being ready for bed again at 3 o'clock in the afternoon! I am just not a morning person no matter how hard I try to be.

Then there is trying to spend time with the Lord before I go to bed at night. I get all the boys in bed, but then there are a million last few things to do before I pass out myself. By the time those are done I'm too tired to focus on the Word and actually get something out of it.

I think what works best is for me to start my mourning routine, get dressed, feed myself and the boys, and then let them have free time while I read the Word and pray. If I stick to my mourning routine there is plenty of time for this before we start school.

If I start this way my eyes are more open to the Lord in my life throughout the day. Things seem to go a little smoother. I seem to get more out of my day. When I start stringing together days and (gulp) weeks, together where I don't spend that time with the Lord daily, and you've got one miserable woman/wife/mother.

Why do I do this? I know that when I consistently spend time with the Lord on a daily basis through His Word, through prayer, through praise, through fellowship, etc, that I do so much better. I am a much better person, better mother, better wife. I know this. I also know that when I don't my life seems to fall apart. I lose my temper, I am easily irritated, easily distracted, I lose my focus and get discouraged. I know this too.

I guess it goes back to the flesh vs. spirit battle. My spirit is willing to be transformed into the image of God's Son and yet my flesh is fighting to remain in a sinful state.

"I die daily" That's what it comes down to. A daily decision to die to myself. To put aside what I "feel" like, and do what I know is right.

I know from past experience that the more I make time to spend with the Lord, the more I feel His presence in my life. He's always there, but I'm not always looking His way. Also when I start stringing these days together the easier it gets to make the time to spend with Him.

I truly love my Lord. My life is His. I am not perfect, I cannot say that everything I do is for Him alone, but I can truly say that my desire is to be able to say one day that all that I do is for Him, and motivated out of love for Him. One day, when this life is over, I will be able to say this.

So thankful!

...that Silas is NOT allergic to peanuts!!!

(This is Jason's handiwork)

Learning to lose

Losing isn't fun. Its not fun to come in last or even second. Especially for an 8 year old. But losing well is a very important life lesson. Though everyone should learn this lesson, some never do.

Michael recently played math games on the world math day website. He wanted to win so badly but unfortunately he math isn't his best subject and he was not fast enough to beat the other kids who were competing. He played game after game but the best he ever got was 2nd place. Not good enough to get the iPod. He was devastated when the day was over and he had not won. He cried and complained that life wasn't fair.

If you think about it though, when it comes to competition, most people lose most of the time. To borrow an example from my dad, in the world of football only two teams make it to the Superbowl each year and only one of them will win. Many of the teams don't stand a chance of making it there no matter how hard they try. The other teams are just better for whatever reason.

Out of the billions of people on the earth very few are winners and out of those even fewer win every time.

The fact is, we almost always lose, so we'd better learn to lose well. No body likes a poor loser!

We should follow Paul's example and run so as to win. Run with all we've got! Do everything to the best of our ability. I am convinced that when we do what we are created to do, with all that is in us, that God is pleased.

Quote of the day

"If everything were free it would be cheaper!"

~Michael age 8

Walking

Walking was a lot easier when I only had 1 or 2 boys tagging along. Now that I have 4 its a lot more challenging! We go at a pretty slow pace, stopping to look at things and stopping to fix a shoe, get on or off the stroller, get back on the bike or scooter, etc.

I used to walk for 2 hours at a time when Michael and Gideon were both in the stroller, that's pretty much impossible now though. Half an hour seems to be about our max. Jason and Silas in the stroller and Michael and Gideon either walking, on bikes or on scooters. Once Gideon wore his roller skates but that didn't work out too well.

I'd like to start walking on a daily basis. Its good for me and for the boys. We walked yesterday and today. We'll see how it goes this week. The forecast predicts cooler weather and possibly some rain.

Thank You Lord for the rain, thank You for the sun. Thank You for the clouds, thank You for the clear blue skies.

Homeschooling

It's going pretty well right now. We just discovered www.worldmathsday.com and Michael is suddenly liking math! Though he has informed me he can't wait till he's done with his writing lessons so he can rip up his writing book. Hmmm.

Remember though, Michael is very dramatic, so you can really just take that as his mild distaste for writing. He say he "hates" something, but if you or I had the same dislike for it we might say we "don't enjoy it very much". He still amazes me with his ability to soak in everything he's presented with for learning.

Gideon isn't as quick a reader as Michael has been, but he's already jumped ahead to 1st grade math! It seems to come pretty easy for him. The only thing I really have to help him with are the word problems, I read them out to him and he gives me the answer right away. He loves work books and could do them all day sometimes! Of course he also loves to be outside playing as well. He waits outside by the mailbox almost every day waiting for the mail carrier. Our mail carrier calls Gideon "Buddy" and always takes the time to step out of his truck and hand Gideon the mail over the fence.

We switched gears mid-year with Michael. I did have a lot of work book based curriculum for him and it just wasn't working, so now I am trying to do more videos, audio, and reading aloud with him. Since Gideon loves workbooks I can just saved Michael's unused workbooks for him.

I'm looking forward to next year as well. Gideon will be in 1st Grade and Michael will be in 3rd.

I'm going to go with Math-U-See for math. It uses video and manipulatives and I think it will work well for both boys.

I want to get A Reason for Handwriting for both boys, and am considering going with A Reason for Spelling for Michael.

Apologia sounds like the best choice for Science. I've heard many good reviews on it and am excited about trying it out.

I'm up in the air about History, I hear mixed reviews on all of the curriculum. I want something from a Christian World view. I do have Drive thru History, but I'm not sure thats enough. We'll see.

For Reading I will have Gideon finish "Teach Your child to read in 100 easy lessons". Both boys will be in Book-it again.

I've already got plenty of health and manners books to keep them busy for a few years.

I'm still looking for a Bible curriculum I like. This year we've learned about the books of the Bible and learned a few verses but not as many as I would like. I want a curriculum that will have them memorizing verses and learning about the Bible as well. Something that they can both do and I can include Jason in as well would be nice. AWANA is a posibility. We'll have to see whats available when we get to Georgia.

I want to have all of this sorted out before we move so that I don't have to think about it till School starts in the fall.

As for this year, we will be finished the last week of April. That will leave the whole month of May to get packed for the move.

Michael told me today that he's going to work really hard so he can be done with all of his school work early. I'll be very happy if he does that! I'll have to make up new school work for him to get in his 180 days but that's ok. I've been able to find ways for him to do school work without knowing its school work.

Now I'm off to write progress reports for them. I don't have to, but I like to for my own records.

Ready for spring

Warm.

Sunny.

Longer days.

Hanging laundry on the line.

Flowers blooming.

The tree out front budding with new leaves.

A breeze blowing in through open windows.

Celebrating the resurrection of my Lord.

Watching birds eat from the feeders my children made.

Hearing the birds sing.

I am looking forward to spring.

Nothing like....

...seeing a small unidentified critter running through your bedroom to throw you into decluttering mode! Yikes!

So far we've gotten the closet emptied and vacuumed and refilled. We've gotten the co-sleeper emptied and put away (since we never use it anymore). Now to work on the pile of "too little" clothes that need to be packed away and redistributed.

I also want to clear off the bookshelf in the room. Silas has taken to pulling all of my papers off the shelf on a daily basis so I need to break down and put them away instead of just having them clutter up the shelf. Hmm, maybe I should keep some of his toys on there instead.

First I'm going to take Gideon to the grocery store to get something we need to go with lunch and then I'll get back to work.

I must say, its so much nicer cleaning my room with my husband by my side. Thanks for helping Archie!

Rainy day

What is it about rainy days that make me not want to do anything?

I guess they do make me want to do some things. They make me want to sit by a window and watch the rain fall. They make me want to boil water for hot chocolate. They make me want to stay in bed. They make me want to wrap up in a warm blanket and watch Anne of Green Gables or read a good book. They make me want to bake bread and eat it hot with butter and honey.

Chores? School? Errands? Usual, daily tasks? Nope. Don't feel like doing any of that. But I guess I have to. Perhaps when its all done I can steal away at least a few minutes of quiet rain watching.

Church

I love going to church. I think I always have! I hate to miss a service. Sundays, Wednesdays, and any day in between that I have the opportunity.

Its not a chore for me. Its a privilege and a pleasure to gather together with my brothers and sisters in Christ. To Worship God together, to fellowship together, to lift each other up, to pray for one another. I never get tired of it, I never think of something else I'd rather be doing.

I used to feel bad if I missed a service, even if it was because I was sick or in pain, or because my child was sick or in pain. I would feel bad. Now I realize that it is not a sin to stay home in those situations. I still am sad when I have to miss out but I am not condemned.

But what a joy it is when I can go! When I arrive and am greeted with smiles and hugs and "how are you"'s. I can ask for prayer and be lifted up right then and there. I can seek advice and receive godly counsel. I can also pray for, counsel, and encourage others. I can learn more about the Lord through His Word being taught and I can worship the Lord along side my family.

Again I say, what a joy!

Leaving my comfort zone

I think it hit me today. I'm leaving California. Maybe for good. Not to say we'll never visit, but I may never live here again.

It is going to be hard. There have been two other times when I've left not knowing if I'd ever be back. I think this time is different though. We are going back to Georgia with plans to settle down. I'm going to be 3000 miles away from my parents and siblings. My kids won't be able to see them as often as we've enjoyed here. That makes me sad. They will be able to see the other side of their family though, and will be able to get to be around some great people.

Its going to be a hard move for me personally. Moving to a different culture. I've lived in different cultures before but never long term. I'm leaving everything I grew up with. I'm leaving the comfortable and familiar. There's going to be a lot of adjusting. I'm going to have to make all new friends. I pray the Lord will bring me a mentor there. An older woman I can look up to and learn from.

I know its right. I know its what God is calling me to. I know that He will bless me and in the end, if I follow Him faithfully, even the hard things will be sweet.

Thinking of packing

The thought deciding what to take and what to leave is a big enough thought in it self. The thought of packing up securely all of the things we want to take is a down right overwhelming thought!

I think I have an idea though. I think I want to clear out the extra bedroom (our TV room) and start packing and storing the things we want to take in there.

Then there is another thought, when do I pack? What can I do without for a few months? And if I can do without it for a few months, do I really need it??? Some things can easily be packed now, such as the clothes that don't fit anyone, the books that we don't need now. Some of the toys (they really don't play with all of them all the time anyway).

At the rate we are going we'll be finished with school the last week of April. Which is really good, that leaves the whole month of may to pack. But do I want to wait till May to pack? I should at least start organizing my things now. Spending a little time each week getting things ready to be packed. Sorting through my "junk" boxes. Finishing up my sewing projects.

It still seems overwhelming. Having to have everything packed up all at once. The last time we moved we had a 2 week overlap between the time we had to be out of the apartment and when we got into the house. We were able to go back and forth and didn't really have to pack up everything. This time we'll have to have everything packed and ready to go all at once. We have a lot more "stuff" going back to Georgia than we did when we came out from there 7 years ago! Of course we've got 3 kids more than we did then too.

Maybe I can find some baby sitters in May. Or ship my kids off to various places for a day at a time. That would certainly help my efforts to pack well. My Mother offered to take them for a while.

At least this time I'm not half way through a rough pregnancy like the last time we moved. That will make things a lot easier.

Now to collect boxes!

In search of...

a moving company. PODS won't deliver to where we are moving, a lot of other companies are way out of our price range. I'm thinking AFB U-pack looks like it might work but I want to call them and see for sure. We aren't taking a lot of stuff but we do have a couple of large items and a lot of books. If we have room we would like to take some of the boys yard toys. We'll see.

We have to figure out what will be easy and inexpensive to replace at our new home and what will not. I'm so tempted to take my china in the van with us. We'll see.

I need to pare down the clothing. I know for sure J and G have way too many shirts.

I'd like to take as little as possible with us in the van so we will be more comfortable on the trip. I'll have to do laundry on the trip of course. I figure 4 outfits a piece should be good for the boys, and since it will be summer we won't have to worry about packing pj's. I'll want to bring along food as I don't want to have to eat fast food the whole trip. We'll keep an ice chest. We will eat out some but hopefully keep it to a minimum.

So if you read this and know of a good moving company let me know! And if you don't, you could always pray with us that we will find the right one.

Graduation and moving

Archie sent off his graduation worksheet, fee, and voice recording today!

I am so excited that its actually coming!

I am looking forward to moving back to Georgia too. We went there last week. The two oldest boys stayed here with my parents but the rest of us flew to Florida. His mom, sister, and brother-in-law live in a beach house there right now. We drove up to Georgia to check things out and make some decisions. We will have to fix up the house some before we can move into it. After we get settled in MIL will come and live with us there.

The boys are going to love it, tons of wide open space! I really want to have a garden and some animals.

We hope eventually we will be able to buy a house closer to town. Something big enough for our growing boys and something with a big yard.

Its going to be a big move with many challenges, but I know its going to be good. I know that the Lord is leading and He is preparing the way.

You know you have boys when...

...Your computer monitor is smeared with milk.

...the toys you bought for Christmas are broken by valentines day.

...there is mud tracked down the hall on a regular basis.

...the food you buy on Friday to last the next week, is gone by Monday.

...there are legos spread across the entire house and yard, all the time.

It's coming!

Bible College graduation!!! Dh has 1 class that he's working on now, 2 classes that he just ordered and then he's done! I can't believe he's almost done! August 2002 to May 2009.

He's getting his information together for the graduation. He's got to do a voice recording for it, he has to say his name, life verse, and thank yous in 15 seconds. They will play it when he walks.

I have been dreaming of him graduating for some time now and its almost here! I guess I should start praying now that the boys will behave well enough that we can sit through the graduation! I'm sure my family will be there so they can help. I imagine Silas will be well walking by then.

Watch the ticker on the right of this page to count down to graduation!

Encouraged

Some days when nothing goes as planned, when the boys are fighting with me and each other, when the house is a mess and anything I clean comes apart inside of an hour. When I find yet another broken toy, or another drawing on the wall, or another scraped knee. On the days when I look around and it seems like all of my effort has been for nothing....

On those days I wonder how I will ever manage to reach my goal of raising godly, honorable, responsible, respectful, hardworking young men. On those days it seems like an impossible dream.

But then God sends the encouragement. That radio show with the couple that has raised 3 boys who turned out like I want my boys to turn out. I hear their stories of when their boys were little and I think to myself "you mean its not just MY boys that are like that???" or "You mean even if they are little monsters when they are young they can turn out well in the end???"

And then there is the woman at church that I really respect and she tells me about when her all of her boys were little, and shares a glimpse of what it is like for her now that they are teens and young adults, and again, I feel encouraged.

They won't always be little and into destroying everything that is in their path. They will learn as they grow, eventually some of the lessons I try to teach them will start to sink in.

I have realized too, that its not my job to fully raise them. First the Lord blesses me with them, then He helps me raise them to adulthood and then He takes over and finishes the work Himself! So although it is still a lot of responsibility on my shoulders, He bears much more than I do. And I thank Him for that.

So maybe there is hope after all. Maybe they will turn out well if I keep trusting in Him and looking to Him for my help. If I keep these boys bathed in prayer, and keep on doing my best to teach them what the Lord has taught me, and teach them how to know the Lord for themselves.

Warm Winter afternoon

It was a bit crisp when we set out for Church at 8:30 this morning but it really warmed up this afternoon! It was really a perfect afternoon weather wise. The sun was shining, there was a slight breeze, and clear skies. M climbed the tree, G played in the dirt, J made mud, and I pushed S in the swing. He actually fell asleep in the swing and I carried him inside to a blanket on the living room floor.

It would have been nicer if Dh had been home. Unfortunately they've been having him work most Sunday's for the past few months.

The sun has set now, leaving behind a pinkish gold sky that will soon fade to black. There is still a bit of a breeze but it feels cooler now.

Thank You Lord for such a pretty day!

New Weight loss goal

OK, I'm starting over, again.

My goal is an easy one, so I really hope I can do it! I want to lose 16 lbs by June 1st. That breaks down to about 3 lbs a month. I really hope I'll be able to reach that goal. I've been eating a lot better lately and I have lost about half a pound in the last week. and about half a pound the week before. Now if I can only get back to exercising!

You know, it was a lot easier to take long walks when I had only two kids. I just put them in the double stroller, packed some snacks and drinks for them and hit the sidewalk. Things are more complicated now.

My wonderful husband just bought me some new exercise DVD's though, I think I'll try to do one today. I don't know if the baby will let me though, I rarely get more than a 15 minute stretch without having to rescue him from his brothers or himself!

Help me Lord! I want to glorify You with my body. I want to be healthy so that I can better serve You. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

A new year for me

Today I turn 31 years young!

When I was a teenager I used to day dream about waking up one morning in bed with my husband and a bunch of kids all around me. Now its true! I wake up next to my wonderful Archie, and usually at lease two little boys, sometimes all 4! Sometimes I wonder where all these little boys came from and how they could possibly all belong to me!

I am so blessed. I do not deserve it. There is nothing good in me alone, all that is good in me comes from my heavenly Father who has worked out good in me. He is so good to me and I love Him.

We weren't able to go to church today because we've all been sick and we just aren't up to getting out yet but a friend stopped buy and brought me a birthday gift. It was such a blessing to know that I have friends who care about me. I hope that I can be as good a friend.

So, 31 years gone by, many more to come? Yet I hope and pray that eternity will begin soon. Come quickly Lord Jesus! Take us away!

Happy New Year!...a little late

S came down with a stomach bug Thursday morning. 12 hours of throwing up, followed by runs out the other end. Poor baby. He's still not quite right but he is acting a lot better and crawling through the house again.

Yesterday J started throwing up around 6 PM but that has stopped now, I'm waiting to see if he gets the runs as well. I started throwing up at 11 PM, I'm still feeling very weak and tired but not throwing up anymore. I was able to eat a few crackers. I have a monster headache though. G and M both started throwing up early this morning but seem to be ok now. I haven't given them anything to eat yet, I'd like to wait a little longer.

Dh hasn't come down with anything yet. I really hope he doesn't! I hate it when we are all sick. He's going to try and come home from work early today. He couldn't take the whole day off though since he had Thurs. and Friday off, and he has Sunday off as well.

Praise the Lord it seems to be a short virus and not one of the nasty 72 hour bugs!

Anyway, Happy New Year! We have a lot going on this year. Its exciting to see what all the Lord has in store. First off, we have a trip to Georgia/Florida in less than 3 weeks. The two little boys will go with us but the two big boys will stay with their grandparents here. It will be a good opportunity to spend some time with them before we move in June. It will be a lot easier for Archie and I to travel with just 2 instead of 4 as well.

I'm off for now, I have boys to attend to!