A Home Keepers Journey

Be Still My Soul Sunday

2012-01-08T07:17:00.000-05:00

Every man should be born again on the first day of January. Start with a fresh page. Take up one hole more in the buckle if necessary, or let down one, according to circumstances; but on the first of January let every man gird himself once more, with his face to the front, and take no interest in the things that were and are past. ~Henry Ward Beecher

Be Still My Soul Sunday

2012-01-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

Be Still My Soul

2011-12-18T09:00:00.001-05:00

Despite our efforts to keep him out, God intrudes. The life of Jesus is bracketed by two impossibilities: "a virgin's womb and an empty tomb". Jesus entered our world through a door marked,"No Entrance" and left through a door marked "No Exit."

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

2011-12-17T05:34:00.000-05:00

O beautiful star of Bethlehem
Shining far through shadows dim
Giving the light for those who long have gone
Guiding the wise men on their way
Unto the place where Jesus lay
O beautiful star of Bethlehem
Shine on

O beautiful star the hope of life
Guiding the pilgrims through the night
Over the mountains 'til the break of dawn
Into the land of perfect day
It will give out a lovely ray
O beautiful star of Bethlehem
Shine on

O beautiful star of Bethlehem
Shine upon us until the glory dawns
Give us a lamp to light the way
Unto the land of perfect day
O beautiful star of Bethlehem
Shine on

O beautiful star the hope of grace
For the redeemed, the good and the blessed
Yonder in glory when the crown is won
Jesus is now the star divine
Brighter and brighter He will shine
O beautiful star of Bethlehem
Shine on

O beautiful star of Bethlehem
Shine upon us until the glory dawns
Give us a lamp to light the way
Unto the land of perfect day
O beautiful star of Bethlehem
Shine on

O beautiful star of Bethlehem
Shine on

Friday Funnies

2011-12-16T05:12:00.000-05:00

The kids and I laughed so hard at this one, mostly cause I can see one of my kids doing this

Gives new meaning to have a safe holiday!!!

According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December.

Female reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the spring. Therefore, according to EVERY historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, EVERY single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen, had to be a girl.

We should have known... ONLY women would be able to drag a fat man in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost.

Join us in spreading the funnies!!

A Merry Heart Monday

2011-12-12T05:22:00.002-05:00

So here goes, Most people whine about Mondays and what a way to sap your week of strength.

The Bible tells us the joy of the Lord is our strength. When we give up our joy we give up our strength.

So in that vein I am going to post something here each Monday to help us have a merry heart.

Join us in the Joy!!!

Be Still My Soul

2011-12-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love Divine;
Love was born at Christmas;
Star and angels gave the sign.
~Christina Rossetti

Then Sings My Soul

2011-12-10T07:57:00.000-05:00

Friday Funnies

2011-12-09T05:14:00.000-05:00

Ah yes it is that time of year. Time to decorate for Christmas and to put up the tree.......

And here it is time to quick tie the tree down since it refuses to stay up!!!

Yes you heard that right. 5 times the tree has falling. Fortunately it wasn't decorated fully and it did not hit anyone. Ours has a slow topple that at least you can get out of the way from. Or in my case run towards the tree to try to get it to stay up and when it doesn't start screeching at the tree.

Our 4 year old now gives me reports on how the tree is doing. But in honor of all of us who have dealt with wobbly trees here is a video tribute!

Thankful Thursday

2011-12-08T05:30:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite blog memes. It is so good to step back and take the time to focus on the good that God is doing in our lives. To often we see nothing but the evil around us but there is so much good.

And this month is a good time to step back and reflect on Christ, cause he is the center of Christmas. My kids all kind of look at me with a sideways glance when the Christmas special we are watching comes to the part where they are discussing the "true meaning of Christmas" and yes I always give a little sigh when I hear the lines that are something like this. It is a time for family and friends. It is a time of giving. It is a time for love. You know it is all of that but it is so much more. Christ left his father, gave up the glories of heaven, knowing that he would be hung on a tree. Knowing he would have the sins of the world put on him. And he chose to leave out of love for us. Oh what wondrous love. I am so thankful that my Savior loved me enough to die for me. Christ gift to us is so amazing. That is what I am thankful for.

Despite our efforts to keep him out, God intrudes. The life of Jesus is bracketed by two impossibilities: a virgin's womb and an empty tomb. Jesus entered our world through a door marked, "No Entrance" and left through a door marked "No Exit."--Peter Larson

So what are you thankful for today? Join us over at Grace Alone

Wednesday Hodgepodge

2011-12-07T04:59:00.000-05:00

1. Will you be hosting any house guests between now and the end of December? Does that thought make you happy or crazy? Do you do anything special to make your house guests feel welcome? How long should a guest stay?

Not that I am aware of, but goodness any one is welcome at any moment

2. Walter Elias Disney was born this week back in (Dec 5) 1905...what's your all time favorite Disney movie? Here's a list in case you're struggling...and yes, you have to pick one.

Winnie the Pooh, man why do we have to pick one. The obscure ones are the best. We love Candleshoe, The Happiest Millionaire, Our Dinosaur is Missing, and Follow Me Boys

3. What's the last thing you purchased that you realized was a mistake after the fact?

It takes me FOREVER to buy something so really I don't have buyers remorse. Normally I know what I want and will take ages making sure I get it just right.

4. What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done online?

Hmmm...probably 80%

5. Amaryllis...snowdrop...poinsettia...your favorite winter blossom?

I don't even know what a snowdrop is. I love the poinsettia, to me they just scream Christmas time is here.

6. What is one thing on your personal wish list this year? I think we all want peace on earth so let's make this an actual item.

New Bible, case and journal. I actually had the cover of my Bible come off of my current Bible this last Sunday

7. If you could only use one word today what would it be?

Joy..... it is where our strength lies.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Take Christ out of Christmas, and December becomes the bleakest and most colorless month of the year.
--A. F. Wells

A Merry Heart Monday

2011-12-05T09:00:00.001-05:00

I really need to get a graphic for this.

So here goes, Most people whine about Mondays and what a way to sap your week of strength.

The Bible tells us the joy of the Lord is our strength. When we give up our joy we give up our strength.

So in that vein I am going to post something here each Monday to help us have a merry heart.

If you want to join in please do and then leave a comment

A Merry Heart Monday

2011-12-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

You have to love Tim Hawkins for making you laugh.

Here is a post to keep you laughing even though it is Monday

Be Still My Soul

2011-12-04T09:00:00.004-05:00

He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree. ~Roy L. Smith

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

2011-12-03T05:30:00.000-05:00

With the Christmas season upon us I thought I would do a Christmas type song.

Hope you enjoy it.

Friday Funnies

2011-12-02T05:08:00.003-05:00

While traveling home from the Thanksgiving family celebration our 5 year old daughter Miss Sunshine was such a chatter box. It was late all the other children are sleeping, and Miss Sunshine is singing away and letting us know every thought that popped into her little head.

She was chatting away and all of a sudden I hear "Mama, quick make a wish I shooting star!!" So I start looking for it, my hubby looks at me and says, "Honey it was only the person in front of us throwing his cigarette butt out the window"

Bwahahahaha, I about died laughing and Miss Sunshine didn't know what it was all about. I sure hope she gets her wish answered!!

Thankful Thursday

2011-12-01T05:33:00.001-05:00

Today I was sitting here in our home and just rejoicing that the Lord has brought my family together again. It is funny how until we have something taken away we are not thankful for it. Last year my Dear Husband got a job in a town farther away from us then would allow for a commute. So we had a split family for almost 8 months.

Now with the busy season coming up it has been so good to have the family all together. His days are so long what with more people ordering Christmas gifts off the net but he gets to come home to us!! And we are working on keeping our home a haven for him to come to.

Family's are made to be together.

So what are you thankful for? Join us at Grace Alone!!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

2011-11-30T07:21:00.000-05:00

1. Do you send Christmas cards? If so, about how many will you send this year? How do you display the cards you receive? Or don't you? (gasp!)

We haven't done cards in ages, but are doing a photo card this year!! So excited to be able to do them again. We tape ours around a door frame, nothing fancy but the kids are able to help do this for me.

2. When do kids become adults?

Kids Become adults!!!!???? Oh I don;t know, just know that to me my kids will always be my kids.

3. Does your 'beauty regimen' change with the seasons?

It sure does, I fight dry skin and so I switch to a heavier cream for the face. And have chapstick or blistex stashed everywhere, And the hand cream comes out in full force.

4. What's something you like to eat that might cause another person to turn up their nose?

Fried Apples and Onions!!

So yummy good but an odd dish. It is out of the Little House Cookbook, it taste amazing with any pork dish. You have to try it

5. Gloves or Mittens?

Mittens keep your hands so much warmer for when you are out walking and playing but I really like the gloves I have for driving. And up here if you don't prewarm your car that steering wheel can be COLD!

6. What's the longest queue you've ever been in? Was it worth it? Queue=line but doesn't queue sound so much nicer?

Probably a line for a roller coaster at Cedar Point.

7. Besides Christmas, what is one thing you are looking forward to this December?

Peak delivery season at FedEx being over!!!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. ~Burton Hillis

Simple Womans Daybook~Tuesday Nov. 29, 2011

2011-11-29T09:00:00.001-05:00

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...It is pitch black, that is what comes of living far north!

I am thinking...Of all I want to do to make the Christmas season special.

I am thankful...For the unseasonably good weather we are having.

From the learning rooms...We are loving the book Letters From Egypt.

In the kitchen...Soup is simmering and the smells of the season abound.

I am wearing...Navy culottes and a white, navy and light blue sweater, fluffy slippers are a must.

I am creating...Memories that hopefully will make the season brighter.

I am going...To have to pick up husband from work.

I am wondering...Why it is so hard to keep my mouth shut!

I am reading...A Woman After God's Own Heart, and my Bible.

I am hoping...For a pleasant Christmas season.

I am looking forward to...Putting up the Christmas tree.

I am hearing...The sounds of the furnace running.

Around the house...Are oodles of paper snowflakes.

I am pondering...The verse, Be still and now that I am God, Being still is hard for me.

One of my favorite things...Christmas music!!!

A few plans for the rest of the week:Baking, decorating, singing with the family!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Come join in the fun at Simple Woman's Daybook

A Merry Heart Monday

2011-11-28T06:58:00.000-05:00

Some times you just need a laugh, and Monday's seems to be a down day for alot of people.

But not here!!! Here we love to laugh and what better way to start the week off.

Here is a fun website to play around with and it is good for so many belly chuckles.

http://www.sundoginteractive.com/carolofthechins/flash/card.swf

What makes you laugh?

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

2011-11-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

I am realizing that the kids will not always be here and I am so excited to be making Christmas memories with them. We have been making paper snowflakes and having fun putting them up.

Hope you all have a wonderful week and have fun making some wonderful Christmas memories!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

He who thanks but with the lips
Thanks but in part;
The full, the true Thanksgiving
Comes from the heart.
~J.A. Shedd

Thanksgiving Day is my second favorite holiday. My very favorite holiday is Easter.

But I love Thanksgiving for the fact that it can not be commercialized. Either you are thankful or you are not. That is not something that can be bottled and sold. I used to wish it was. I was a very unthankful person for so long. What a miserable way to live. Unthankfulness is just discontentment. You are telling God that all the good things he has given you are not enough. How selfish. You know regardless of what comes our way it is better than we deserve. If we truly see who we are and who God is and what he is doing for us, we will be thankful people.

So once in every year we throngUpon a day apart,To praise the Lord with feast and songIn thankfulness of heart.”Arthur Guiterman, The First Thanksgiving
Psalm 100:1~5Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

May you all have a blessed Thanksgiving Day

Over the River and Through the Woods

2011-11-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

We are all super excited because we get to go to Grandma's house this year for Thanksgiving.

One thing I did this year was I made sure I had a spotlessly tidy home before we left. I am so busy with homeschool. babies, etc and the house is the last on the list. It will still be here when the kids leave so I don't worry about it. But I wanted to come home to a tidy home so I rushed around and got the home clean yesterday. Along with packing for 10 people and getting lessons ready for next term.

So I think I am going to sleep the entire way down!!

We love to sing in the car on long trips. So happy we have a singing family. Kids know oodles of different songs and I have been searching for some Thanksgiving songs. Here is a really good one!

Over the river, and through the wood,

To Grandfather's house we go;

The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh

through the white and drifted snow.

Over the river, and through the wood,

To Grandfather's house away!

We would not stop for doll or top,

For this is Thanksgiving Day.

Over the river, and through the wood—

Oh, how the wind does blow!

It stings the toes and bites the nose

As over the ground we go.

Over the river, and through the wood,

With a clear blue winter sky,

The dogs do bark, and children hark,

As we go jingling by.

Over the river, and through the wood,

To have a first-rate play.

Hear the bells ring, "Ting-a-ling-ding",

Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!

Over the river, and through the wood,

No matter for winds that blow,

Or if we get the sleigh upset

Into a bank of snow

Over the river, and through the wood,

To see little John and Ann.

We will kiss them all, and play snow-ball,

And stay as long as we can.

Over the river, and through the wood

Trot fast, my dapple-gray!

Spring over the ground like a hunting-hound,

For this is Thanksgiving Day.

Over the river, and through the wood—

And straight through the barnyard gate,

We seem to go extremely slow,

It is so hard to wait!

Over the river, and through the wood,

Old Jowler hears our bells.

He shakes his pow, with a loud bow-wow,

And thus the news he tells.

Over the river, and through the wood,

When Grandmother sees us come,

She will say, "Oh, dear, the children are here,

Bring a pie for everyone."

Over the river, and through the wood—

Now Grandmother's cap I spy!

Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done?

Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

So what do you do on long trips to pass the time?

Be Still My Soul

2011-11-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude. ~E.P. Powell

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

2011-11-19T07:14:00.000-05:00

6 weeks on, 1 week off

2011-11-18T13:26:00.001-05:00

Well we have officially finished our second term of homeschooling this year.

And I must say we are all enjoying the school year more than we have any other year. We are using Charlotte Mason's methods of teaching and that is a huge blessing. The children are learning so much in History and I am enjoying that we are all together in History. We are doing 106 Days of Creation Study and the little people who are in that are having such a fun time.

I also stumbled upon an amazing blog for resources for the little people. She has a series called A B C Read to me and it is amazing for the little people. It is notebooking which we have never done before but I am enjoying it immensely and so are the little ones. You can read about it over at Walking by the Way.

With doing the 6 weeks on and 1 week off I finally have the time to keep up with the house. Following my homekeeping notebook helps also. But I have a week off of lessons to catch up on anything that has fallen by the way side. Also I can take the time to print up what I need for next terms lessons. I have oodles of printing to do to keep the toddlers busy, but it has been so worth it. The 4 year old knows all his letter sounds. Not sure if I am going to start reading instruction or not but it is good to know that he has the sounds down for when we do. I am still looking for some good preschool math introduction. I love our Saxon kindergarten program but not sure if I want to start that yet or not. The ones I have started in Saxon that early are really ahead on their math.

So how do you run your homeschool? What do you do to stay organized?

Friday Funnies

2011-11-18T06:52:00.001-05:00

Stupid State Laws

We have a book here that has a compilation of these laws. Makes for hilarious reading

Here are some of our favorite

Alabama~You may not have an ice cream cone in your back pocket

Connecticut ~It is illegal to walk backwards after sunset.

Idaho~A person may not be in public without a smile on their face.

Kentucky~A woman may not buy a hat without her husbands permission

Michigan~A woman may not cut her hair without her husbands permission.

North Carolina~All couples staying overnight in a hotel must have a room with double beds that are at least two feet apart (Say what!!!)

And my hubbies favorite one

In Joliet Ill a woman can be arrested for trying on more than six dresses in one store.

Come and join us and have a happy day.

Attitude of Grattitude~November 17

2011-11-17T07:37:00.002-05:00

Come join in the fun at http://christianhomekeeper.org/

I for one LOVE this time of year. Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday. It is a holiday that can not be commercialized because either you are a thankful person or you are not. That is not something you can market. HEnce the reason that they are trying to take over Thanksgiving with the Christmas sales.

First off I am so thankful for my salvation. And until this Mother's Day I did not have the Lord's Salvation. I had a form of godliness but not Salvation. You can read about all of it here

I am so glad that God was patient with me and waiting for me to finally give myself completely to him. You know people say often they don't know what they would do without him. I lived 30+ years trying to make it on my own. I do know what it is like without him and I won't go back there for 1 second!

I also am thankful for my dear husband of 15 years. He has stood by me through some of the hardes times. Some times I just marvel that we are still together. We have gone through most everything that a married couple can endure and have come out of those trials still together. I am so thankful for that!

Then I am thankful for the 8 children the Lord has blessed us with. We are trying to raise them up to be arrows for the Lord. Pray with us as we attempt to guide them to the Lord.

I am going to continue to look throughout today for other things to be thankful for.

One of my favorite songs for this time of year is called With a Thankful Heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdKtu1g2JJQ

So what are you thankful for today?

A Delightful Read

2011-11-17T07:03:00.000-05:00

Head on over here for a wonderful post on having peace in your home even during your bedtime routine

Wednesday Hodgepodge

2011-11-16T09:00:00.001-05:00

Questions for the Wednesday Hodgepodge-Vol 53

1. What song reminds you of a specific time in your life and what is it about that song that makes you remember? After All, wow, with our Anniversary today I have to say this song. It says it all

2. What's something you've given up on? My marriage!!

3. What's something you'll never give up on? Hmmm ever out growing my procrastination tendancies

4. If you had to cook something from scratch in the next hour what would it be? Pie

5. Have you started Christmas shopping? Decorating? Listening to Christmas music? Christmas Shopping is all year long for me. The rest NO WAY!!! I adore Thanksgiving to much to let Christmas intrude.

6. What do you know about your parent's wedding? I was in it!!!

7. I can't believe I ___________________. Ever let my blog go!!!!

8. Insert your own random thought here. I love this Thanksgiving season and this is my favorite quote about it

So once in every year we throng

Upon a day apart,

To praise the Lord with feast and song

In thankfulness of heart.”

Arthur Guiterman, The First Thanksgiving

Being Critical

2011-11-16T07:35:00.000-05:00

Ok, here at the blog it is no secret that I am not an avid fan of the Duggars. And I have even posted on things that they do that I feel are wrong.

Well once again I said something about the Duggars and now it is being said that I am being critical of them because I am like them. Bwahahahahaha!!!! Ok now that the tears are wiped out of my eyes and I can see the keyboard again we shall move on.

I have no idea how they get that we are like the Duggars other than the fact that we have eight children. Thus proving my point that if you have a semi~large family you are automatically assumed to LOVE everything Duggar and follow their teachings. And there are very few things that we do that is Duggarish.

To criticis is not to tear down, sometimes the best changes can come from listening to criticism.

Criticsm may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.

Winston Churchill

15 Years Together

2011-11-15T14:25:00.000-05:00

Wow, has time flown by or what, Ben and I got to get away overnight for our 15th wedding anniversary. It is actually tomorrow but we went out over Sunday and Monday. And we were so excited to just get away and be a couple again, and not Mama and Papa.

Our sitter came over Sunday afternoon and as soon as we could we bolted!!! Yes when you are leaving behind 8 kids with one person you leave before they have a chance to change their minds.

We decided to go out to Traverse City as it is fairly close and we had not been over there yet. It is so beautiful over there. And the bay is gorgeous. We wanted to get a hotel on the bay and had seen a couple hotels on line that fit what we were looking for. We settled on the Cherry Tree Inn and Suites. And I loved our room. It had a balcony over looking the bay and being 5 stories up it was a beautiful view. The fireplace was so cozy especially this time of year. And the in room jacuzzi was just what my hubby wanted. So the room was a perfect fit.

We got settled in and then went out to dinner. Nothing fancy just the Outback. We have no really interesting restarants where we are so this was nice. We sat and chatted for a long time. I loved the relaxed time. No rushing to get anywhere. That was lovely.

The next morning hubby and I did our devotions together in front of the fireplace and I think that was my favorite part of all. Just sitting together with my best friend reading our Bibles and drinking coffee
while holding hands. It was perfect.

After breakfast we went out onto the balcony and feed the seagulls. That was a riot!!!

We then went to the mall!!! Yeah we don't have any where we live so that really was a treat. I was very disappointed that Christopher and Banks no longer carries jumpers and that they didn't have any skirts either. The very nice lady there said they have had a lot of comments about the lack of skirts and have let the ordering people know!! While I was in the store I had an incident. It is always me, at least hubby says that. I was taking my time and an elderly lady wanted to know about a price on an item. And she said she thought I worked there. I said I did not and that I was on my anniversary trip and I was enjoying all the time I could as I had eight children back home to care for. And then it happened. She was so sweet and said "Oh you have eight. Then you have heard about the lady who is on her twentieth, you must really like that family. What do you think of them?" And so I told here and I'll blog about my response later!!

After the mall we took a lesiurly trip home and stopped for Chinese for dinner.

I was so excited to have some wonderful one on one time with my hubby who is my best friend and the love of my life. I am so blessed to be able to call him my beloved!

Be Still My Soul

2011-11-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

2011-11-12T07:43:00.000-05:00

Lyrics for

Monuments

God's people stood on the river of Jordan

Looking back on the water they had passed through

They shouted and raised their voices to heaven

But Joshua said there's one thing we must do

VS 2

They laid twelve stones on the banks of the river

At Gilgal they offered their tribute that day

Their children would question them "what are these stones?"

"Child they mark the spot of this sanctified day"

CHORUS

Where are the monuments we should be leaving

so our children can find the way to get home

We should be laying stones so they can follow

the pathway that leads to God's throne.

VS 3

Mothers and fathers of this generation

there's hope for your family keep this in mind

Don't move the landmarks set up for your children

they will find the way by what we've left behind.

What a wonderful message for us. What are we holding up as monuments for our children?

What's in your blog?

2011-11-11T14:09:00.000-05:00

So why do you blog?

I have been thinking about this for some time. What is the purpose of my blog?

I have read oodles of blogs and I have found many different types. Some blogs seem they are there to make the writer look good. These are the bloggers that show the perfect home, kids, and family. They can be fun to read and yet depressing at times, as we all try to measure up, even though we know we are not supposed to do that.

Then there are blogs that seem to be out for the sole purpose of collecting readers. I am guilty of trying to do this, I had no hope of ever being a Miss Perfect blogger. But collect readers, that I could try. But then I got busy with life here at our home and once you do not post every day your readership tends to suffer. When I could not get readers back well I stopped blogging.

Another type of Blog is the giveaway type. I LOVE giveaways and have won some wonderful items but I was a HUGE failure at getting sponsors for any types of giveaways. A similar type of Blog as giveaway blogs is the book review blog. I did that for a while but once again I slipped in posting timely reviews of my books. Sigh, just not my type of thing I guess.

So what are we left with? We are left with a family blog. You will read here about our happenings and going ons. This is a journal of what is going on in my family. I took some time yesterday to just reread some post about the happenings around my house and was so glad I had taken the time to get them recorded. You may not learn much, you sure won't find a perfect family here, and I am really not sure if you will ever see a giveaway posted here. I will never make money from this blog but you will read about my children our family and what God is doing for us.

You will read about......

14 year old Mr. Bookworm, he loves to read but has expanded into doing computer graphics. I think I am the only mother whose son has made a map of the lands you find in the Redwall books. He is working on reconstructing the Abbey with computer graphics.

Mr. Fix-it is next in line, He is almost 12 and I tend to lean on him. He is my right hand man. Has a tender heart and can fix almost anything that breaks around here.

Miss Princess is exactly as her name describes her. She is a sometimes moody, sometimes sweet girl of 10. She loves to dance and is currently learning to play the violin and piano.

Then we have my Professor. Boy he is a smart cookie. He is 8 but he and Miss Princess are in the same grade, and he helps her when she gets stuck with her work. But this is the kid that will run around the house trying to find his glasses when they are on his face!

Miss Sweet Pea is 7 and is Mr. Fix-it's twin, 5 years apart, they were born on the same day and she has been such a sweet little girl. Can be stubborn at times and yet under it all is a very sweet nature.

Miss Sunshine is 5 and I just know she is not mine!!! She gets up at 6:30 and starts her day singing. She is a bundle of joy. Such a fun little girl to be around.

Bubby is next, and he is all boy!! Just turned 4 and he is gonna be responsible for every gray hair I ever get! He is always go, go, go. He loves Thomas the Tank Engine and cinders and ashes some days I am ready to put sugar in his fire box.

The Baby, ok I need to get her a new nick name cause she won't be a baby for to much longer, is 2. And she is the sweetheart of the family. She is adorable and she knows it. She will chatter your ear off.

Those are my children. That is what I am busy with. My Family

My hubby and I have been married for 15 years and are more in love than before. He is my best friend and the most amazing man ever!

I do pray that you will be blessed and uplifted when you visit here. And if I have no readers or oodles of them I need to blog. So I can look back and see what God is doing for us.

So why do you blog?

Friday Funnies

2011-11-11T07:19:00.002-05:00

Two little old ladies were attending a church service. In the middle of the sermon one old lady leans over and says to the other, "My butt is falling asleep." "I know." replied her friend. "I heard it snore 3 times."

Another Birthday

2011-11-11T07:03:00.000-05:00

There he is!! Yup he is my BIG boy.

Yesterday was his fourth birthday. And what a fun day it was. I had a rugby shirt that had a 4 on it so he wore it all day.

During nap time. Sweetpea is about the only one left who naps, Bubby and I went out. Just the 2 of us. I took him to the bread store with me and he loved picking out his own treat. He stood there and jumped the whole time, jumped to the counter, and was talking about his Birthday. The ladies thought he was so sweet.

Then on to the Library and the same thing. Bounce around the entire place and be super excited it is your birthday. Then on to get a birthday balloon. It is tradition here that on your birthday you get a balloon from the dollar store. So he picked out his birthday balloon and spent his money from his great grandmother. He bought a bright blue cowgirl hat, yeah no talking him into the nice black, brown, or tan cowboy hats. He wants BLUE. Then he got a watch for himself. Gotta love it. It is always 27 when you ask what time it is.

We had a meal of pizza and then an awesome cake

Since he has major food allergies this cake was a blessing to find.

You take a stick of butter and melt it in a 9x13 pan.

sprinkle brownie mix all over and kind of squish it into the butter.

Sprinkle a bag of chocolate chips and we then added a bag of andes mint chips, cause he is allergic to the butterscotch chips. Any 2 chips will do.

Sprinkle 1 cup of coconut.

Then drizzle a can of sweetened condensed milk over all.

Oh boy was that a yummy cake.

He loved his presents, Got him some nano bugs and a track to run them on. I am bummed cause one of the bugs is malfunctioning so back to the store it goes.

Boy has he come along way this year.

LOVE YOU BUBBY!!!!

Now to get the bugger to potty train!!

Just seeing if anyone is out there

2011-11-10T15:37:00.000-05:00

Ok, be on the look out for a lengthy post. Time to start blogging again!!!

Ten on Tuesday

2011-09-27T07:24:00.000-04:00

Today's Ten on Tuesday is

10 Things You Do Every Day

1. COFFEE, yup first thing every morning

2. Spend time with my Lord, could not get through a day without HIM!!

3. Read to my babies. Well they are not all babies but we read aloud here and love it!

4. Cook, love to make nutritious meals for my family

5. Facebook and check up on friends. Yes I am a FB junkie

6. Tell my family I love them. They need to hear it!

7. Kiss my hubby ;)

8. Check the mail. I LOVE when the mail lady comes. Something about "real" mail!

9. Text, my phone is always in hand

10. Collapse into bed, it happens that way when you have 8 kids.

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

2011-09-24T06:45:00.000-04:00

I called you before you knew who I was;
I heard you crying down in Egypt's land.
You are my people, And I am your God,
A covenant you cannot comprehend.

I'm gonna take you on a journey, we're gonna walk across the sea
Children, don't you worry, just set your mind at ease.

Chorus
You do what's possible, You do the praise;
I'll do the miracle, I'll make a way.
You put your trust in Me, you keep the faith;
And when you can't go on, that's when I'll do the miracle.

2.
We are His people, He is our God,
He saved us from a wicked world of sin.
So why do we worry when it all falls apart?
When the stormy tides of life come crushing in.

But we have just one purpose, that's to trust with all our heart
Let us stand back with wonder as we watch the waters part.

Friday Funnies

2011-09-16T13:15:00.000-04:00

I watched this video with my honey and we about lost it!

Mostly cause that will be us eventually!!!

Enjoy

School and autumn!

2011-09-13T15:30:00.001-04:00

School started for us 3 weeks ago. We are starting term 1 week 4. So glad to have a couple of weeks already under our belts. We have a super odd schedule here. We do school Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Fri. The children don't know it but they are doing 8 days of school using this 4 day school week :D I am loving our new schedule and curriculum. We are using a blend of Simply Charlotte Mason and Sonlight. It is going so well. We have made and are in the process of tweaking our schedule. I use the Maxwells book, Managers of their Homes. We are loving the order it has brought to our homeschool.

We had company coming yesterday and it has chilled off so well here that I brought out all of our autumn decor!! I love the colors and the pumpkins. The crisp smells in the air and the leaves changing colors.

One thing I like to do is have a bowl of colored candy corn on the end tables. Sadly with the babies it doesn't last long at all. The other is to make little pumpkin tea light holders.

They are super easy to make and look so sweet!!

Take the tealight candles ( I pick mine up at the dollar store) and center it over the stem of the pumpkin. Draw around it with a pencil. Use your knife to make shallow marks around the line. Go around a couple of times. Going deeper each time. Cut smaller than you think you will need to go. You can always cut larger. Pry the top off and then use a melon baller to scoop out the insides. Insert the candle. If the hole is to small just use a vegetable peeler to make it a bit larger.

Light and enjoy. They look sweet in sets of odd numbers.

remember they will last 3-5 days. But they are sooooo easy to make.

Enjoy making your home a haven for your family.

Be Still My Soul

2011-08-28T07:11:00.002-04:00

Friday Funnies

2011-08-26T13:06:00.000-04:00

Today I have to share something my Miss Sunshine said.

She keeps us laughing around here and we love her dearly.

The other day she was asking a bout who she was going to marry. I told here I wasn't sure. She said she really liked Mr.Busy, her brother. I said well I am not sure about that. Then she said

"That's ok, I can wait till his voice changes"

I about died laughing!! She wasn't sure what she had said that was so funny.

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

2011-08-20T07:31:00.000-04:00

This is a song that I know so many of us need to hear

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1486423837839

30 Days about me~Day 19

2011-08-20T07:26:00.000-04:00

Day 19~Talents and Hobbies

Wow, I am not sure if I have any talents.there really isn't anything I am super good in.

Hobbies are sewing, crochet, knitting etc I LOVE doing crafts. I sew tons of the girls clothing and am teaching my girls how to sew also. My 10 yo girl makes alot of items with crochet and is learning to sew also.

Really that is about it, unless cooking is a talent?

Friday Funnies

2011-08-19T15:27:00.000-04:00

An old Italian man lived alone in New Jersey. He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground was hard.  His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, had gone to prison a few months before. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament

 Dear Vincent,    I am feeling pretty sad because it looks like I won't be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot.  I know if you were here my troubles would be over. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days. Love, Papa

A few days later he received a letter from his son. 

Dear Papa,  Don't dig up that garden. That's where we buried the bodies last fall.   Love,  Vinnie 

At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left.   The following day the old man received another letter from his son. 

Dear Papa,   Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances.   Love you,  Vinnie

30 Days about me~Catch up~Day 15

2011-08-19T15:18:00.000-04:00

describe your dream home

sigh, I have known what I want in a dream home for a long time now.

A Bungalow, they are amazing homes with lots of storage spaces.

Here is the one I want

I love this home, but I want 6 bedrooms, with 4 bathrooms. 1 bathroom in the masterbedroom. I also want enough space for hubby to have a retreat of his own, and a schooling area for the children and I. A HUGE kitchen with room for the family to sit and talk with me as we prepare meals.

We want enough land to have my hobby farm. Milk goats, chickens, rabbits, sheep and meat cows. And a huge garden.

My hubby wants a barn so we can start a Gospel Barn of the North. Check out this one to see what he is thinking about. Yes they used an old barn and converted it! Would be sooooo fun to do.

Can't you just see 8 children playing all over that front yard and porch :D

30 Days about me~Day 18

2011-08-19T09:32:00.000-04:00

WEDDING TALK!!

Now who doesn't like talking about a wedding.

Ok, maybe me, I am not big on huge weddings. So hubby and I had a super small wedding and spent under 300 for the wedding. Dresses we got at resale shop, and we did most everything ourselves. We said when we have been together for a while and have earned it we are gonna have our big wedding at our renewal. But anyhow here are a couple pics of our wedding, (did I mention we skipped a photographer)

Wow, I need to dig through my photos and upload some more,

Now onto the future wedding. I know what I want for that.

We had an autumn wedding and the colors of fall are my favorite. When we do the renewal I want any attendants to be in black floor length skirts, with shirts that have 3/4 length sleves in different fall colors.

The flowers will be autumn colors also

I have oddles of ideas for the table settings as autumn lends it self to such a beautiful display of color.

Probably something with mums and pumpkins

And wedding cake

but add flowers in our colors to it

And the dress, I know what I want but am having a super hard time finding it, Something like this, but I will probably end up making it myself

30 Days about me~Day 17

2011-08-18T09:59:00.000-04:00

What Makes You Insecure? What Are Your Proud Of?

The biggest thing I am insecure about is my parenting. I so want to be a good mother and have my children all turn out well. I want them to love the Lord with all of their beings. That to me is the most important thing and I worry so often that I will fail at this. The biggest comfort is being able to go to my Abba, grab a hold of the hem of his garment while in prayer and beg him for his help to raise my children.

Now as to what I am proud of, that is much harder. I am really not sure, I guess it would have to be my ability to cook. I can't do much but I can fatten anyone up. Love to be in the kitchen and making yummy meals for my family. I tend to cook normal country food, fried chicken, biscuits and gravy. that type of food. Oh so yummy!

Now it is your turn, just click on the pic to join us

Thankful Thursday

2011-08-18T07:57:00.000-04:00

This weeks thankful Thursday I want to say how thankful I am for prayer. I have so many friends who need prayer and I know that anytime I need prayer they are there for me.

What an awesome thought it is that at any time I need to I can go to God with all of my needs and he wants to listen to them!!

A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words

2011-08-17T07:10:00.000-04:00

A new school year a new schedule

2011-08-16T07:03:00.000-04:00

It is that time of year. Time to get ready for school. We start tomorrow and I am nervous as always. We have been homeschooling for 9 years now. WOW, how did that number get to be so big. It goes so fast.

This year I will have 6 children in school and 2 preschoolers. We have grades K-5, 2nd, 2 children in 4th, 7th, and 8th this year. That is alot to schedule and keep track of. One thing about where we live is they are very easy on homeschoolers. So that helps but at the same time it can lead to lazy homeschooling.

A year ago I bought this book to help with the scheduling

If you have never read it I highly recommend that you do. I had read everything I could on getting a schedule up and running and this is the first thing that helped. They walk you through the entire process in such a unique manner and the forms that come with it are amazing

As you can see each person has a different color and the papers are stuck on with sticky tack. That makes it easy to move around what needs to be scheduled until you get it just right. And also makes it easy to revamp it all once you start to implement it. Then once it is tweaked just the way you like it you can make it permanent by using the wonderful colored sharpies.

I found you can pick colors and buy them in bulk at places like Staples and Office Max. Then you just get a piece of poster board, draw your grid and then go through and fill in what is on each of the papers in the grid. Each child can see his schedule quickly because he is looking for his color!!

This makes our life so much easier and orderly.

God did tells us to do all things decently and in order.

What do you do to follow that injunction?

Poetry Lovers' Page: Bed in Summer by Robert Louis Stevenson

2011-08-15T09:17:00.000-04:00

Poetry Lovers' Page: Bed in Summer by Robert Louis Stevenson

30 Days about me~Day 12

2011-08-13T07:58:00.000-04:00

Day 12

Something you are OCD about

There are very few things I am OCD about! With 8 children I would be in the loony bin very quickly if I was OCD about anything.

But the 1 thing I can NOT stand is the lazy people who do not use their turn indicators. COME ON how much work is it to move a FINGER to turn it on!!! (I feel better!!)

That was my biggest pet peeve, then we moved up north and the people don't know how to drive, or else they don't care! There is one light here that if you are trying to go north or south good luck, the people who are going east and west will pull into the intersection to the point of even if it is green for you you can not go because of them blocking traffic!!!! Drives me batty!

Ok, and that is the rant for today!

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

2011-08-13T07:42:00.001-04:00

What comfort in this song

My Father has a great big family.

And there are many children besides me.

If you're wandering how He divides His time,

let me say I never stand in line.

He loves me like I was His only child,

never felt so loved before.

I could never ask for more.

He loves me like I was His only child.

God really loves me.

Yes He really loves me.

He loves me like I was His only child.

He never favors me above the rest.

But I can't help but feel that I am blessed.

He treats me best I often say.

But all my Father's children feel that way!

Come on over and join us at

30 Days about me~Day 11

2011-08-12T09:10:00.000-04:00

Favorite Band

This is another hard one for me because I really don't pick Bands, I pick songs I like. Normally if I am listening to a CD I will like only about half the songs that are on it. LOVE amazon because I can just buy the songs I like for my phone!!

And most of the times it is solo people I like over a band, anyhow here goes my list

Steven Curtis Chapman

Here is my FAVORITE song from him

Next would have to be

Johnny Cook

(an amazing tenor singer)

Mercy Me

Ricky Nelson

Harry Connick Jr.

Friday Funnies

2011-08-12T08:55:00.001-04:00

For all of us who are NOT morning people

No This Is NOT Friday's Funnies

2011-08-12T08:50:00.000-04:00

Even though everyone who hears this story busts up laughing this is NOT my friday funny!

So no laughing!!

Last Saturday I did not feel like doing anything. Just one of those types of days. I laid around with the kiddos and listened to the Christian radio programs with them. We played a bit and I facebooked a bit.

I thought I should get ambitious so I decided to finish up the Dining room. I had the windows washed and the walls were done. I just needed to mop and rehang the curtains. So I had my girlie on one chair and I hoped up on the other. She was having a hard time with her end so I leaned over to help her.

I forgot that we had a ceiling fan and that it was on. And yep I stuck my head in it. And silly me did not know why my head was hurting so badly so I stuck my hand up to check it out and stopped the fan with my hand.

Oh did that hurt

So I grabbed ice and laid down. I fell asleep till my hubby got home and then I got back into mommy mode.
I was out of sorts Sunday and just not myself. Then Monday we went and visited with some friends of ours and still wasn't feeling well.

So to the Dr's I went. I was queasy and dizzy and the headache was unbearable. The doctor laughed so hard when she heard what had happened. Then she decided to do a CT scan to make sure I was not bleeding on the brain.

CT SCAN!!!! I HATE enclosed places. But off I went

I took a deep breathe and did it. But not after enduring more laughter from the registration desk and the nurses. They thought when all the paper work said STAT it would have been from something a bit more dramatic than just a ceiling fan.

CT scan came back just fine. So off I went with orders to rest and some meds to help with the nausea. I have slept almost constant since then and am so glad to be up and around. Hubby told me to still take it easy and get back into a normal routine next week.

Will be so glad to do so!

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

2011-08-06T11:23:00.000-04:00

Ok, It isn't my normal type song but this is how I feel today!

I'll probably feel better tomorrow

but anyhow here goes

30 Days about me~Day 5

2011-08-06T11:13:00.000-04:00

Favorite Quote day

And once again it isn't going to be just one.

This is the true joy of life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one...instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievious complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.
George Bernard Shaw

Women have been brainwashed to believe that the absence of a
titled, payroll occupation enslaves a woman to failure, boredom, and
imprisonment within the confines of home. ~ Dorothy Patterson

The whole purpose of God in redemption is to make us holy and to restore us to the image of God. To accomplish this He disengages us from earthly ambitions and draws us away from the cheap and unworthy prizes that worldly men set their hearts upon.~Tozer

Isaiah 30:15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.

30 Days about me~Day 4

2011-08-05T07:45:00.000-04:00

Your favorite book!! Now how could she do this to me. I am a book lover here and to just give one favorite doesn't work. Ok here is a list of my favorites

1. Little House on the Prairie Series (yeah I know this is a series, but you can't just read one!)

2. Beatrix Potter series (I know it is a kids series but love the stories just the same)

3. The Red Tent (amazing story of midwifery, it does have adult content)

4. Any of the Lemony Snicket books. they make me laugh

5. Gone With the Wind (It is a book I read once a year)

and my all time favorite book is

Kay Arthur’s dramatic, epic style novel is now available in softcover with a beautiful new cover and a historical timeline that corresponds with the fascinating retelling of Israel’s story. History comes alive as Kay begins with the tragic mistakes that led to Israel’s captivity by Babylon and takes readers all the way to the modern day miracles of triumph against all odds. A heartwarming novel filled with adventure and suspense, Israel, My Beloved is an incredible testimony of God’s great love and faithfulness even in Israel’s darkest hour.

I read this book over and over and never get bored with it. I consider it a must read.

Friday Funnies

2011-08-05T07:27:00.000-04:00

The Slap Happy Marine

A young Marine and his commanding officer climbed on board a train headed through the mountains of Switzerland. The only place they could find to sit was right across the aisle from a young woman and her grandmother.

After a while, it became obvious that the young woman and the young soldier were interested in each other, but the young woman kept glancing nervously at her grandmother.

Soon the train passed into a pitch black tunnel. There was the sound of a passionate kiss followed by the sound of a stinging slap. When the train emerged from the tunnel, the four sat there without saying a word.

The grandmother thought to herself: "It was very brash for that young soldier to kiss my granddaughter, and I'm glad she slapped him."

The commanding officer sat there thinking: "I figured he'd try to steal a kiss, but I sure wish she hadn't missed him when she slapped and hit me!"

The young woman was sitting and thinking: "I'm glad the soldier kissed me, but I wish my grandmother had not slapped him!"

The young Marine sat there with a satisfied smile on his face. He thought to himself: "Life is good. When does a fellow have the chance to kiss a beautiful girl and slap his commanding officer all at the same time!"

30 Days about me~Day 3

2011-08-04T07:54:00.000-04:00

Oops, I missed the first 2. I'll try to pick them up when I can.

Anyhow here goes.

Favorite TV Show

Hmmm this is hard since we don't really watch a ton of TV hubby and I have shows we watch together but it really is a take it or leave it, not I am gonna plan schedule around that show.

I guess for me my number 1 show would be

Due South!!

It is a wonderful show that you can watch with your children. My boys love it cause Frasier is such a gentleman. They love watching the mountie with mama! The girls love it for other reasons ;) And thankgoodness for youtube so we can watch it when we want

The other show we enjoy is Little House on the Prairie. We are currently watching season 6 and loving each episode.

Thankful Thursday

2011-08-04T07:40:00.000-04:00

This week I thought it would be fun to use pictures for the 5 things I am thankful for.

So here goes

Busy Summer Time

2011-08-03T17:51:00.000-04:00

The children and I have been trying to keep ourselves busy this summer.

And for those who asked, Levi recovered nicely from the dog bite.

The biggest thing we have been doing is the summer reading program at our library.

The theme was one world many stories.

The children had such a wonderful time. We read alot of the books on different countries of the world. Our favorite series is the Discover the World series.

They have soooo many different countries they cover. And they have such neat facts on each nation in an Alphabet form. The children learned alot with out "being in school" Some of our favorites are.

They are all done by Sleeping Bear Press. They have a website that has wonderful learning activities on it.

The library did some wonderful programs.

We enjoyed talking with the soldiers from Camp Grayling. The children all got to ride in the gunner position on a hummer and thought it was super neat. The soldiers were very professional and explained things to all the children and did a fantastic job.

We also enjoyed the marimba mania very much. Dave did a fantastic job. The children were enthralled with every song he played and loved the interaction. They enjoyed dancing to his music and playing along with him. I hope he is back next year.

The last activity was a HUGE disappointment. The lady who did the program started off with a short tirade against men and how she was married but was never gonna do that again and how awful it was. I was shocked and embarrassed for the children. It was not anything relevant to the program and so not needed.

But all in all the summer programs were good. Made some great memories and will be waiting anxiously to see what next years theme is.

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

2011-07-30T07:23:00.000-04:00

This is a song that has been on my play list alot lately.

Hope it is a blessing to you!!

An Interesting Summer So Far

2011-07-27T07:49:00.001-04:00

We had started off the summer slowly for us. We still had some school to do, still do for that matter.

The kids and I hung out at the library at least once a week. Bike riding and out door play were on the top of the to do list.

One day was a bit more interesting than the others.

The children have been making friends with the other little guys in the neighborhood and my door is being knocked on often with children asking if the kids can come out and play. Our rule is they help me for a couple hours in the morning and then off they go into the great out doors. Well Mr. Fix~it hadn't finished his morning chores so he told his friend to come back after lunch. The little guy parked his guy in the woods next to our home and said he would be back later.

When Mr. Fix~it went out to play the boys could not find the bike in the woods. Now our neighborhood is just 2 roads. We are on a horseshoe and it is a very nice neighborhood. I sent them out to look again but after a while of searching still no bike, so we got Grandma and all the kids looking and it wasn't there. The boys asked permission to canvass the neighborhood to see if anyone had seen it. So off the boys went.

After a while I decided to see how the boys were doing and popped the baby's in the stroller and off we went. I was just coming to Jake's home when Jake came running down the road toward me screaming that Mr. Fix~it had been bit by a dog.

I started running up to where a group of people were standing and they said Mr. Fix~ithad run home, (my mama's brain thought, he is running that is a good sign.) The lady who owned the dog said Rummel, The dog had never bitten anyone before. I said I needed to check on my son and told here which home was ours. And I ran over to the house.

Jake's grandmother was there cleaning Mr. Fix~it's wound. It was not bad as dog bites go but the dog had broken skin. Jake and his grandmother left and the couple who owned Rummel stopped by to see how Mr. Fix~it was doing. Mr. Fix~it was crying saying he had gone on their property and rummel was just doing his job. And Mr. Fix~it was upset at himself cause he had run across someones lawn to get home faster. The couple was very sweet and come to find out they are Christians. I told them I wasn't sure if an ER visit was warranted but would let them know if I took him in.

I called hubby and he wanted him checked out so the couple gave us all the info we needed (Praise the Lord for honest folks) and I headed to the ER and they called animal control.

Mr. Fix~it ended up getting a tetanus shot, Rummel was up to date on his shots, Mr. Fix~it wasn't! And the doc said it looked ok but it was gonna have some major muscle soreness going on the next day.

Poor Mr. Fix~itwas limping around for a few days. And Rummel was to be in a kennel, on a leash or inside for 2 weeks and then he was good to go. The couple also said if the insurance did not cover anything to let them know and they would pay for it.

Just this last week they sent over a housewarming gift. First one for this area! It had coloring books, crayons. puzzles, laundry soap (woohoo) and a gift card.

The kids want to head over this week with a thankyou and see how Rummel is doing and they all want to make friends with him.

God can turn anything to a good thing if you let him!

A New Heart

2011-07-26T07:12:00.000-04:00

How to start this blog post.

It is one that has been requested over and over. Many friends keep asking me "what happened" and so I am going to just sit here and try to type it all out.

It all goes back to Mother's Day

I LOVE Mother's Day. To me it is a day of sweetness, nurturing and everything that goes along with Mother's. Now this was our first year for Mother's Day at our new church and I was so looking forward to what they would do to honor mothers.

So when I opened the bulletin to find that the mother's day activity was

WHAT???

My first response was not nice at all!! I was upset and miffed and just well in shock. See at our church Mother's Day is the last day of our Spring program. So they normally do something special for the kids. Well I was super bummed. And not a very happy camper about the monster truck. That is soooo not my kind a thing. It is big, smelly, and noisy. Goodness if I want that I'll spend the day with my kids!

So I had a bad attitude all the weeks leading up to the "big" day.

Well the "big" day showed up and as normal I took my place in choir. Which at our church means you sit in the choir loft the entire service.

Since this was the day our churches revival meeting was to start there was a special speaker named Bruce Frye. He also sings. And man does he sing.

He sang a song called Better Than I Deserve with the words

And no matter what tomorrow brings

It's better than I deserve.

It was such a wonderful song with such a powerful message. God is so good to us and we do not deserve it. Just another day with life is a blessing from him.

Well the service continued and in all honesty I could not tell you what was preached. But at the invitation he said something that just struck me so hard. He said that if you are trusting your prayer and not God you are trusting the wrong thing. Now I have had post on that issue and the 1.2.3. pray after me mentality but for some reason this hit me hard.

Was I trusting God and God alone for my salvation or was I trusting in what I was doing or had done? I mean I had checklists galore. I had the dress thing covered, the headcovering etc. But those were all me. That was my own hand made righteousness.

Ok, God I said. we can deal with this at home. But God kept saying No you can't. Now don't get me wrong, this was not a high pressure invitation from the man leading the invitation. I have been in services like that before and knew what that was like. This was something soo new.

If we deny God before men, that passage of scripture kept running through my mind.

Ok, I'll go forward tonight. See I was still on the platform and I didn't want to get up and disturb the service. And why couldn't I have just taken care of things between me and God right where I was. All I know is God wouldn't allow it.

At this point I remember God saying, What if this is the last time I call you? It wasn't a loud threatening thing. It was a small, gentle, sad voice and I started to cry.

I looked up and say my dear friend Lori sitting close to the front so I stumbled out of the choir down the platform and to her. She asked if everything was ok and I said NO, I need the Lord!!

Well I did not know it but her husband had been a youth pastor and realized the same thing I had. He had been doing the church thing and just never done the main thing! Praise the Lord for guiding me to someone who would understand.

I prayed and poured out my heart to the Lord! And the sweet spirit that came over me was something I had never had before. Something that has not left and something I never want to leave.

It has been so hard to write this as I had gone on as if I was the Lord's, not out of a deceptive heart but an ignorant heart. And yet I fell the need to declare what wonderful thing the Lord has done for me!

I am nothing but I praise the Lord's name cause he is so good to me!!

A Hacker!!

2011-05-03T13:27:00.000-04:00

Wow, I never thought this would happen to me, but some of my online accounts have been hacked. Yuck!!!

It was not with any thing major, but it was a mess.

Just what a homeschooling mama wants to do, clean up after a hacker. shudder!!

We have been having fun with all the bug items that the dollar store has been selling for the summer. The kids have been hunting down bugs and watching them. It is neat to see the children looking information up on their own. There is nothing better than to see your children love to learn. That is one of the pluses of homeschooling, you can light a fire of learning in your child rather than just filling a bucket of information.

Have a Blessed Day

Be Still My Soul

2011-05-01T08:24:00.000-04:00

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

2011-04-30T10:26:00.000-04:00

The kids and I love to sing this song at the top of our lungs here!

Hope you enjoy as much as we do.

Friday Funnies

2011-04-29T20:59:00.000-04:00

Two elderly ladies were sitting in a pew at during a church service. As the sermon was quite long, one of them said to the other, "I think my butt fell asleep."

The other replied, "I know, I heard it snore a couple times."

To join us in the meme just click on the picture.

Have fun!!

A New Blog Party

2011-04-28T14:59:00.000-04:00

Blogging parties are so fun!!

And this one is about keeping our homes clean. I will be the first to admit that that is something I need to work on. So I was super excited when a friend sent me the book.

And then another friend posted on this blog party about the book. So I signed up.

Join us, just click on the picture of the book and you will be taken where you can sign up.

Thursdays 5

2011-04-28T14:38:00.000-04:00

Fantastic

Cool

Lovely

Special

Beautiful

1. It has been fantastic having my family all together again.

2. The kids think it is super cool that papa gets to come home every night again!

3. I try super hard to look extra lovely for him when he gets home

4. Sunday dinners where something we could not do when he was commuting for his job and so now that we have them back we try to make them super special for him.

5. Another thing that we try to do here is to set a beautiful table for our family, they are the most special people so why not make them feel that way.

Oh What a Glorious Morning!

2011-04-24T07:00:00.004-04:00

This morning always amazes. What joy this morning brought and can still bring. Death was defeated!! We live and die; Christ died and lived....so I can live, die and LIVE! What an amazing thought. And as has been said, what an amazing proof that he is God.

The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the crowning proof of Christianity. If the resurrection did not take place, then Christianity is a false religion. If it did take place, then Christ is God and the Christian faith is absolute truth. --Henry Morris

I love the joy that even the earth must have felt when he returned. Such amazing thoughts. Our Lord had risen. And the first person he showed himself to was a woman! Oh what joy must have filled her heart to see her Saviour again. And what an amazing honor. He could have shown himself to anyone but he gave that honor to Mary. I can not imagine the emotions that flooded her heart to see him again.

I hope that today you will take the time to remember what his resurrection has done for you. And if it hasn't done anything for you, IT CAN!!

How do you remember our Lord's Resurrection?

The life of Jesus is bracketed by two impossibilities:
"a virgin's womb and an empty tomb".
Jesus entered our world through a door marked,
"No Entrance" and left through a door marked "No Exit."
Peter Larson.

Here are 2 of my favorite Resurrection Morning songs.
Hope you enjoy them.

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

2011-04-23T10:05:00.000-04:00

This week's song is one I had never heard before.

I hope it touches you as much as it did me!!

How Deep the Father's Love For Us

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocing voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I knoww that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Humming Homeschool Days

2011-04-22T14:51:00.000-04:00

Some days are so much easier than other days.

Today has been a bit of a challenge. Some one clicking their pencil on the table to annoy the others. A toddler who isn't happy taking her nap. And a spammer on my blog. Sigh, I like to leave the comments open to everyone but anonymous comments will be deleted.

We have switched our schedule around here a bit and are really loving it. It seems to be going much easier, well normally.

We have started to do our History/Geography, Spelling, Bible, and Science in the morning.

Then during nap time we do Math, Grammar and any reading assignments. We are sporadic with our handwriting and so we are figuring out where to place it into our schedule.

Along with that is the normal upkeep of the home. Which is getting easier. I never thought I would say that. But as the children get older the home is staying cleaner. And I am loving having helpers in the kitchen.

So how do you schedule your day?

The Lamb Slain from the Foundation of the World

2011-04-22T08:51:00.000-04:00

Thursdays Blog Hop

2011-04-21T13:41:00.002-04:00

1. Copy and Paste the 'Keepin' Company Thursday" button and write a blog post about it on your page, explaining to your blog followers how it works and how to join. (You can find this on Traci66 right side bar or on Heck of a Bunch right side bar)

* 2. Follow the first two blogs, which are the hostesses, Heck of a Bunch and Traci66. We will follow
back.

* 3. Follow the "LUCKY" #3 spot winner.

For this hop to really work you'll need to follow the 'honor code' and help us spread the word about Keepin' Company Thursday.

*4. Go to as many blogs on the list as possible and follow them.

*5. Leave them a comment saying. "Hey! I'm a new follower from "Keepin' Company Thursday" Check out my blog too! www.yourbloghere.blogspot.com Thanks!" They should all follow you back because that's what this is all about!

*6. If you get a follower via Keepin' Company Thursday please follow them back.

*7. Add your blog name and the URL to your Keepin' Company Thursday Post to the linky below

* You can also grab the code below to add to your post if you want the thumbnails to appear in your post.

How to get to be in the #3 spot
* If you add the Keepin' Company button to your sidebar or post and leave either of the hostesses, Heck of a Bunch or Traci66, a comment letting us know where to find it we will randomly draw a blog to be in the #3 spot next week. We would really appreciate if you did this step so we can spread the word about Keepin' Company Thursdays.

A new blog look, a new start

2011-04-21T13:30:00.000-04:00

Having a new look here and having been gone for so long it is like starting all over again.

Any suggestions on how to get a readership back would be greatly appreciated.

The family and I are trying to adjust again to being together. It was a long 7 months with hubby gone and now with us back together it is a huge adjustment for everyone. And there is no honeymoon as he has been lamenting lately.

In the meantime life here goes on. The kids and I are doing school and I am so thankful that we homeschool as it would have been tough for the move. As it is we are going to be going later in the year than I would like but that is how it goes sometimes.

Well it is time to find some blog hops, Have a great day.

How Great Love the Father Showed to Us

2011-04-21T07:00:00.000-04:00

On the day of our Lord's Crucifixion

2011-04-20T08:40:00.001-04:00

2011-04-19T14:30:00.001-04:00

Ten on Tuesday

2011-04-19T13:40:00.000-04:00

Ten Things You Love About Your Family

1. They love the Lord

2. Loyal to one another

3. They are avid readers

4. Have compassion on others

5. They know when I need my time alone

6. Enjoy just being together

7. The kids can finish each others sentences which can be kind of creepy

8. Hubby and the kids love each other so much

9. Super glad the older kids love babies

10. Make my life complete. Dont know what I would do without my family

A New Look

2011-04-19T13:23:00.000-04:00

I have been anxiously awaiting this new look and I can not tell you how happy I am with it all.

Jessica at So Stylilized Blogs did this all for me. She works on a tip basis which is just amazing.

I was so pleased with her work, she asks tons of questions so she knows just what you are looking for and makes it seem so easy to get your blog updated. I have wanted a 3 column blog for a while with drop down menus for all the blogs that I have and magically they are all here.

Thanks to Jessica. Head on over if you are looking for a new design, You will not be disappointed.

Palm Sunday

2011-04-17T09:13:00.000-04:00

Thank you Father for sending your son, Knowing what he would have to endure. You created the world knowing what it would one day cost you. Your Love for me is beyond understanding!

The verses that amazes me so much are these

Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

What an amazing thought, Christ was sent for the purpose of dying to redeem me!! God created the world KNOWING the cost he would bear, such a great and unsearchable love.

Have a blessed Sunday

In HIS Keeping,
Mrs.B

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

2011-04-16T11:02:00.000-04:00

I just love doing this meme and finding songs

This song is one I just love to listen to this time of year.

How much Jerusalem has seen and yet what an awesome site it will be when the Lord comes again!!!!

As we come into the Passion Week I love to have songs like this playing

Enjoy

Last night I lay a-sleeping
There came a dream so fair,
I stood in old Jerusalem
Beside the temple there.
I heard the children singing,
And ever as they sang
Methought the voice of angels
From heaven in answer rang,
Methought the voice of angels
From heaven in answer rang.

Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
Lift up your gates and sing,
Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna to your King!

And then methought my dream was changed,
The streets no longer rang.
Hushed were the glad Hosannas
The little children sang.
The sun grew dark with mystery,
The morn was cold and chill,
As the shadow of a cross arose
Upon a lonely hill,
As the shadow of a cross arose
Upon a lonely hill.

Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
Hark! How the angels sing,
Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna to your King!

And once again the scene was changed,
New earth there seemed to be.
I saw the Holy City
Beside the tideless sea.
The light of God was on its streets,
The gates were open wide,
And all who would might enter,
And no one was denied.
No need of moon or stars by night,
Or sun to shine by day;
It was the new Jerusalem
That would not pass away,
It was the new Jerusalem
That would not pass away.

Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
Sing for the night is o'er!
Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna forevermore!

Days are flying by

2011-04-14T14:16:00.000-04:00

Only a homeschool mom would about die laughing at this.

It has been a good schooling week here. It is so fun to curl up on the couch with history books and read them with the kids. The little ones are loving their studies and the older boys are doing so well.

I am in a stage of transition as we have Jr. High going on here along with middle schooling, first grad and preschoolers. But it has been so much easier with the move into our new home. I am loving school more than I thought I ever would. Oh we still have our days but it is easier now than I thought it could be.

Next year we will have 2 Jr. Highers and I am excited about that.

Have a Blessed Day

Mrs.B

Busy days

2011-04-13T08:19:00.000-04:00

It has been a couple of busy days here.

I love mondays cause my honey is home but I have been using it to do my shopping, I need to change that as I would really like to be able to spend the time with him.

The children and I have been doing school and wow does having the right set up. We have a full basement and I am turning one section of it into a school area. And the other side of the basement it a family room. Love it as we can all be down there and doing school and it is working out so very well.

we have to get moving here so I will blog more later.

Have a blessed day

Doing a happy dance here

2011-04-11T08:59:00.000-04:00

I have always wanted a sweet looking blog, something that was just for me and it is on its way!!!

I am getting the update done. The previews are looking so amazing. Cant wait till it is all up and finished

But in the meantime life goes on here. Today is my day. YIPEE!!! Hubby watches kids and I do the shopping and running around. I am hoping to readjust our schedule to move it to another day as I would really like to get my rooms painted.

So while I get busy you have a happy day.

Be Still My Soul

2011-04-10T06:33:00.002-04:00

It's just another manic monday!!

2011-04-04T11:05:00.000-04:00

Mondays never turn out like what I plan.

So here I sit on my blog typing away.

I still have to change my address WOOHOO!!! And get groceries for the week. Which it is so very weird here as food cost is almost twice what it was in Alpena, so we are adjusting to that. I am going to try to do a garden and that is going to be a very big first here. I have done gardening before but to do one for the family is way different than doing one for 4-H. So once the snow goes I need to get the ground ready for that.

Also on a side note, I stumbled on a lovely place that is all about trashing Titus 2 blogs. Why is that such an offense to people. I mean if ladies want to blog about striving to be a Titus 2/Proverbs 31 lady why must there be an internet presence just to trash them. Sigh, so anyhow I will probably blog about that in an up coming blog.

Have a blessed day

In HIS Keeping

Mrs.B

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

2011-04-02T06:47:00.000-04:00

While getting his new office unpacked hubby had this song playing and I stood outside of his office and listened.

WOW!!! God desires to know us, do we desire to know him? I am so amazed at his fathers heart towards us when we have caused him so much hurt.

May it be a blessing to you.

In God's heart there is a place
I was made to fill.
I find amazing grace
When I'm found within His will.
He's reserved a sacred place
Where we can spend the day
And He's waiting there for me
Inviting me to stay.

Chorus
And every day
I'm amazed
That God would spend the day with me.
I'm overwhelmed
By His grace
That He would feel such love for me.
To Him I'm worth saving.
My heart is craving
To know Him and His righteousness
And understand His ways.
Every day - in every way -
I'm amazed.

Verse 2
In my heart there's a place
That only God can fill.
He covers my disgrace
With the blood that Jesus spilled.
He invites me to a place
Where we can spend the day
And He's waiting there for me
Inviting me to stay.

Chorus
And every day
I'm amazed
That God would spend the day with me.
I'm overwhelmed
By His grace
That He would feel such love for me.
To Him I'm worth saving.
My heart is craving
To know Him and His righteousness
And understand His ways.
Every day - in every way -
I'm amazed.

Friday Funnies

2011-04-02T06:31:00.001-04:00

Yes, I know I am a day late but this is one I have been wanting to share for a while, ENJOY!!

A Move!!!

2011-04-01T13:32:00.000-04:00

Nope, I am not moving my blog, but after months of living apart our family is back together again!!

It was so hard on every one but we are finally a family that is together again!!

And I have a new look coming for the blog here so be on the look out for that!!

Praying you all have a blessed day

Mrs. B

Friday Funnies

2011-03-04T07:45:00.000-05:00

My neighbor was bit by a stray rabid dog. I went to see how he was and found him writing frantically on a piece of paper.
I told him rabies could be cured and he didn't have to worry about a will.
He said, "Will? What will? I'm making a list of the people I want to bite."

I heard this in a sermon the other day and about died laughing, good thing it was a radio sermon!!!

Have a fabulous Friday

What is keeping her busy?

2011-03-04T07:26:00.000-05:00

That is the mess that comes with trying to pack up and move a household of 10.

As my regular readers here will know, last August hubby took a job in a town 90 miles away. It is a very good job and it was much needed. Our church is also in the same town, but not our home. Because of logistics and such hubby ended up living over in that town and coming home for his days off. Well his days off our Sunday and Monday. I am so very thankful that he has Sunday's off but for our family Sunday is the day to be in the Lord's house. So hubby would get home on Saturday nights. Some times as late as 9. We would put the kids to bed (I never realized how much help he gave at bedtime till he wasn't here to help), then we would spend some time together. Then I would be up at 4 on Sunday. We have to leave here by 7:30 to be to church on time. Then at church we are in choir, I love being in a choir again but we sit in the choir loft for the morning service so I didn't even get to set with him for morning worship :( Are you detecting the whine in my voice. ;) Then we would hang out in town and go to evening service. Home after 10 most Sunday nights. Monday he would play with the kids while I did the grocery shopping and running around. We would eat supper as a family on Monday. On occasion we would go out some where in the midst of that craziness. Well this has been like this for 7 months and quite frankly I was at the end of my rope

I know alot of what happens is we take to much upon ourselves and it isn't ours to bear. And yes I stress over things that are really not my problem, but here at home I have teenage boys who need a papa, and the girls so missed him. Frankly we all missed papa so much!! And just when we were giving up hope God paved the way to get our family back together. I am so thankful for his direction in our lives. What a blessing that is!

First off while driving my hubby started to listen to the Dave Ramsey show and asked me to try to listen here. What a convicting program. (will blog more on this later) Needless to say I jumped in with both feet, can we say GAZELLE INTENSE!!! Woohoo, I love it. And then we found a home on the net and hubby went to look at it, and the family who owned it wanted to rent it out only, but after they met hubby they said they would consider a land contract and wonder of wonders this last Wed we signed papers and now own a home in the SAME TOWN HUBBY WORKS IN!!!!!! Oh and I have to insert this in here also. Hubby looked at the home and made the offer without me seeing the house. Oh I had seen the pics on the net but hadn't gone through it yet. Some one at church heard that and said Wow, there is a prayer request. I told hubby if it had walls and a roof and HIM I am good to go!!!

I need my family together so badly. And am so thankful that the Lord is bringing us back together! Ok I know this blog post has an over abundance of exclamation points in it. But words do not do justice to how I feel about having all of us together again.

We are actually moving in on Monday but the kids and I are taking the stuff to camp out over the weekend TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yup my family will finally have a place to stay on Sundays, a home to fellowship with other Christians in, and to have my family whole again.

As an added bonus this home is on natural gas, which up here with our winters is a big blessing, has FOUR bedrooms, and a full basement. Oh it is not without its quirks, did I mention tiny dinning area, but my family can eat together! I pray the Lord will keep my up beat attitude towards this home going.

So I will be posting sporadically, so nothing changing here! ha!

And I will post pics as I get the rooms done, Might be a while for each room as I am going with the Dave Ramsey system but hey I have a place to store my family again.

Pics from the net

My Precious Home!

Dining Nook

Living Room

Kitchen

Menu Planning Monday

2011-02-07T08:34:00.000-05:00

For the week of February 7, 2011

Monday

Breakfast~coffee cake

Lunch~Sandwiches, chips, and dip

Supper~Fried Chicken, mashed taters, corn, bisquits

Tuesday

Breakfast~Oatmeal, toast, fruit

Lunch~Red beans and rice

Supper~Mexican Stack up

Wednesday

Breakfast~Cornmeal bread cereal

Lunch~Paella

Supper~Cranberry chicken, green beans, bisquits

Thursday

Breakfast~Cream of wheat, fruit

Lunch~Baked beans

Supper~Shepherds pie

Friday

Breakfast~Pancakes, sausage

Lunch~Bean soup

Supper~Pizza

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

2011-02-05T16:55:00.001-05:00

It has been one of those types of weeks. And I have heard and done a lot of whining. With the weather and with our families situation. But regardless of what is going on we can find something to thank the Lord for.