The Bond Family

Memorial of a Dear Sweet Friend

2010-08-21T20:05:00.000-07:00

n Wednesday I came to find out that a friend passed away unexpectedly. It was so unexpected and sudden. She was a truly amazing person. It was impossible to know my friend Joy without seeing the shine of God in her life. Joy was the kind of friend that made special handmade cards and took the time to send snail mail. She had a gift of making those around her feel special and loved. She was never too busy to reach out. I can remember her at my baby shower for my youngest son. I remember working with her at Thornwell where we met. I can vividly remember her holding my baby as we chatted and watched the other children play on the playground. Children were at ease with her. She had such a heart for children. She had an amazing faith. She truly lived her life out for God in the short twenty-six years of her life. She made more impact in those few short years than most of us could ever hope to make. She was fearless in her mission to reach out to children in third world countries. It was on her last missions trip to Asia that she developed an aneurysm that she would not recover from. My heart goes out to her family as I cannot imagine the hurt that comes with losing a family member so unexpectedly. I hope and pray they have peace in knowing that they will one day see her again in God's kingdom. I hope there is comfort and joy in knowing how happy she is to be with Jesus. I know He has his reasons for allowing these things to happen. This side of heaven we may never comprehend the reasons. She was an amazing person that made such an impact, truly living out spreading the gospel. If you asked her what her life's verse was she'd quickly tell you James 1:27. She went to places that would terrify many of us. Living in rugged places far beyond the modern comforts that we Americans often take for granted. It was in those places that she shined the brightest. Her gift was definitely missions. She was living out her dream as she served abroad. She touched hearts in both her life and death. It's made me realize yet again not to sweat the small stuff. Take the time to tell your loved ones how much you care. Life is fragile, make it count. I believe Joy did.

A Very Big Day!

2010-07-04T22:42:00.000-07:00

It was a very big day for our family. Austin recently made the decision that he wanted to be baptized. Our pastor talked and prayed with him to make sure he fully understood the decision he was making. Today on the 4th of July our church had a big BBQ followed by baptisms, games and fireworks. Austin was tugging at heartstrings as he told of why he wanted to be baptized. Before the baptism took place our pastor briefly spoke with everyone getting baptized telling them this moment would be an opportunity to share Jesus with people there that don't know Him. I didn't realize how my nine year old son say some profound things.

Listening to him speak to the crowd about how he watched his father make the decision to follow Christ and be baptized and how he was wanting to follow in his father's footsteps. He spoke of wanting God in his life.

Knowing that Eric is shining Jesus in his life in a very real way that even our sons can see vividly is so priceless.
Deuteronomy 6:5-7 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

The way that Austin comprehends things that I never even realize are just taking place in the day to day routine of life. He gets the big picture. He is soaking in all the details, never missing a beat. I'm so blessed that he has both an earthly and heavenly father and that his earthly father is pointing him in the direction of his heavenly father. I think God has big plans for Austin's life and greater things are yet to come!! Today has been a joyous one of celebration!

Wes Makes His Piano Debute!

2010-04-29T13:57:00.001-07:00

Beach Trip

2010-04-18T12:39:00.000-07:00

So I've fallen out of the blogosphere for a bit. Sometimes you just have to do that. Other things needed more priority....but that is a another blog post in itself. So, for now, I'll share some pictures of our first ever camping trip with the boys! Yes, you heard right, the city folks went camping and lived to tell about it. The low point of the trip was having seagulls poop in the hot dog dinner that Eric was grilling up for us. Oh and in the process they pooped on him as well. So needless to say the city folks moved to plan B and opted for pizza at a nearby pizzeria. Being that our first night there the winds were at 20-25 mph, dinner really did work out for the best. We did manage to cook other meals during our camping trip without bird droppings. But, I made a definite note to self that a canopy of some sort is highly beneficial for future camping trips!!! We even had a squirrel adopt us for a couple days.

He came running anytime he heard food bags rattling. Eric even fixed him a bowl of cereal our last morning there. And the squirrel, Sparkey, as we nicknamed him.....climbed up on the picnic table to eat some! All in all the trip was a success. Couldn't have asked for better weather. The boys didn't want to go home and are secretly plotting together on how to get us back out there again. Austin was even brainstorming up ways to raise money so that he can buy another camping trip asap! He is determined!! Going to sleep to sound of ocean waves is highly addictive.....I'm secretly plotting our next camping trip in my mind too..... :)

The Prized Christmas Gift

2009-12-28T21:48:00.000-08:00

Austin has been wishing this certain item for about three Christmases!! And now thanks to some of Santa's helpers.....this Christmas.....his wishing came true. Austin even told us as he awoke that morning that he had heard Santa's reindeer landing on the roof in the middle of the night. But, of course, Austin said he made sure he stayed in bed. He was so excited that night before he went to bed because this would be the first Christmas Eve where he slept in a top bunk ever so close tot he roof top! It pays to be the oldest!! Here is the video of Austin opening his special gift. Of course once again....you'll want to pause the music player before you start the video! Sorry people, I'm a music junky!!

My Baby is FOUR!?!?

2009-12-19T21:45:00.000-08:00

My dear sweet baby is officially four now!! I can't comprehend that! Where does the time go? Blink and it's gone! We spoiled him and celebrated his birthday a day early. Sunday is his official birthday, but we have a busy day with church breakfast and program. So we decided to make today a relaxing day of birthday fun! I attempted to make an ice cream cake. It was not an easy process I discovered, but we may try it again sometime! Birthday boy gobbled up his cake! He was quite enthusiastic about it. I think he may have been more enthusiastic about the cake than the presents, at least at first! So in reflecting on the past four years of Wesley's life I poured through his baby pictures. We are very blessed! Wes is our wonderful Christmas gift from God. Each year I remember how special that first Christmas was with him. He is our quirky funny bunny who keeps us laughing. He showers us all with hugs and kisses and tells silly stories. He is the brother that Austin always hoped for. Thank you God for Wesley! He will always be our wonderful Christmas gift from above!

Finally, A Nonfiction Book for Homeschool Kids!

2009-11-25T13:31:00.000-08:00

Woo Hoo, I'm excited!!! Finally, Wright on Time: ARIZONA, Book 1 is a book for kids that is a fictional story about a homeschool family. Despite the fact that homeschool is more popular today than ever, I still have my moments where I feel self conscious when others question our choice to homeschool. I can not EMPHASIZE how GREAT it is to have a book like this for homeschool kids!!

My son was so excited about this book. He DEVOURED it. I was thinking we would stretch the book out over the course of a week and incorporate it into a reading unit for our homeschool curriculum. My son Austin didn't quite make that possible as he sped read this book. He really enjoyed the story. I think he is actually contemplating if we as a family can pull off an RV adventure much like the characters in this book!

One of the things that really made this book stand out for him were all the details about minerals and gems that the family is exploring for. You see, this summer we took the kids gem mining in the mountains of NC. Austin still had all the details from that family activity fresh in his head. In fact, he still had the mineral chart from our trip. He quickly pulled that out as he was reading through this story. He still remembers the details and names of certain rocks and minerals and it's been several weeks since he read this book. When he remembers certain details and continues to remember and talk about it several weeks later, that's how I know he enjoyed the book.

This story begins with a family of four setting out on a cave exploring adventure. There are mysterious details in the story the really help build the reader's interest. The author Lisa M. Cottrell-Bentley has written a fantastic book that kids are definitely going to enjoy. The story leaves the reader itching to get started on the next book in the series to continue unraveling the mystery!

One big plus that I really liked about this book is the glossary of terms in the back. When Austin needed to know what a word meant, he could simply flip to the back to read the definition. This book has such great educational qualities, but the kids won't be complaining because they'll be having too much fun reading and discovering to notice. I really do believe that's when the best learning takes place!

The illustrations in this book are some of the best I have seen done in a chapter book. I always feel like the pictures become a little boring as children progress into chapter books. Not the case for this book. Tanja Bauerle's illustration work in this story are wonderful. They are very eye catching. No matter how old kids grow, they still love illustrations.

The book costs $12.99 and is put out by Write On Time Books. That's about average price for a paperback chapter book. The book is also available on Amazon.

When we first got the details about this book I checked out the website to find out more. I was shocked to learn of the number of families that are living out the RV adventure. My husband definitely started running through the scenarios in his head. We could envision one day doing an RV adventure as a family. We already know full well that our boys are on board for that idea! So thanks to this book, we have a new family dream to add to the To Do List!

This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by Lisa M. Cottrell-Bentley and/or Wright on Time Books for this review.

Another Goody for the Little Ones!

2009-11-06T07:40:00.000-08:00

My three year old and I are having a delightful time with the book
Big Thoughts for Little People by Kenneth N. Taylor. The book is geared towards children ages 3-7. Right off the bat my son spotted the bright red ladybugs all over the inside cover of the book. It becomes a wonderful game when we read through the book. Wes tries to find all the ladybugs hidden throughout the pictures on each page. Sometimes he grows bored of stories, but this activity really helps keep him invested in the story. Each page has a larger than life brightly colored letter from the alphabet. This is another feature that my son really likes. He was calling out the letters each time we turned a page. The illustrations are just so much fun. The pictures are so brightly colored and filled with tons of details. Little ones are sure to spark up a conversation with each page. This is more of an interactive book for children. Each page has questions related to the picture and an extra question to help the child personally relate to the scenerio. I am a huge fan of life application of scripture and this book does a great job of showing children how to apply God's word to daily life. One of my favorite highlights of the book are the scripture quotes and reference at the bottom of each page. The one thing I noticed about the book is that some of the terminology feels a little odd to me, for example the words "perhaps" and "dear me!" Those are just not words in my regular vocabulary. On the other hand, it's an opportunity to introduce some new vocabulary words to my son. He didn't seem to notice or mind. This is a repackage edition book. I was amazed to learn that there are a million copies in print in thirty languages. What a great book for missionaries to share with little ones in foreign countries! This is a book we will continue to read over and over. The book is a nice hardcover with a glossy texture. The hardcover retails for $14.99. That seems to be an average price for a book this quality. It is a timeless book that is sure to stay in our collection. I can even imagine that in years to come my children could one day read this book to their own children.

Ages 3-7

Hardcover retails for $14.99

* Mama Buzz, and reviewers, were provided with a complimentary copy of this book for blog tour purposes*

It's a God Thing!!

2009-10-31T11:45:00.000-07:00

I think this has to be by God's design that little cross type symbols appear in our dried tears!! I don't get why it's so hard to comprehend that we are God's creation!

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T09:27:00.000-07:00

Boys are ready for trick or treatin! :) I'm ready to help them eat their candy! :) Here is a preview of their costumes.

Kiss the Camel

2009-10-29T18:11:00.000-07:00

Here is the promised picture!! You haven't lived until you've been kissed by a camel! That's right! I tried it!! No one was around to catch a picture of me doing this either! :) Camels have prickley tickley whiskers by the way. If ever given the opportunity, you should take advantage of being kissed by a camel!! Wonder if Jesus was ever kissed by a camel? Yes, that's my weird thought process. For some reason when I see camels I think of nativity scenes and then of course I think of Jesus!! :)

Practicing Face Painting Skillz!!!

2009-10-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

I volunteered to help with face painting at our church's fall festival. It was very fun and rewarding. I was worried about not being able to do a good job. So....of course I decided to practice before the big event. Wes and Austin were kind enough to lend me their faces. Austin said is face was itchy and smuged it all off before I could get a picture. I did capture a shot of Wes with a white lightning bolt. He was good practice because he likes to wiggle around. Next I practiced some spidey skills on my hand. This is fun stuff. Anyone want to come over and let me paint their face?? :) Next up I'll get some pictures posted of the the festival. It was so much fun for the kids!! Stay tuned for kiss the camel picture!! That one is a hoot!! :)

Packages!

2009-10-23T11:38:00.000-07:00

Our boys get really excited when packages arrive. Grandparents have a way of making different holidays special for the kids. It's hard living in different states. We don't get to see each other as often as we like. When packages arrive it's a big reminder of grandparents who may be miles away, but close at heart. I know I always love to see the look on someones face when they open a package. So, I try hard to capture these moments to share with our family members! Thanks Grandma "P" and Grandpa Rich! The boys are excited about Halloween and using all the cool prizes you sent.

And of course this one well....

He wanted to know where is package was! : (

He thinks all treats should include him as well. He seems to think he's people!

A New Adventure for my Kid Sized History Buff

2009-10-12T07:14:00.000-07:00

We are having a great time discovering a new history book alongside our homeschool curriculum. It’s called Draw and Write Through History by Carylee Gressman. Before I even had a chance to integrate it with the current materials we are using, Austin discovered it. He immediately asked to look through it. He loves all things history. He has been reading a lot about Egypt lately. When he saw the Egyptian illustrations on the cover his curiosity was peaked. He spent a good hour looking through the book. He made it a point to bring the page with the Legend of the Trojan Horse to my attention. You can even try a sample lesson from the book posted on their website. The illustrations are done by Peggy Dick. Her experience as a graphic design artist is evident in this book. She has done a great job of simplifying what appear to be challenging drawings. This book is put out by CPR Publishing. It is reasonably priced at $12. The quality and content of this book make it well worth the price. You can purchase this book directly through the website here.

What really makes this book great is how it integrates the practice of cursive writing, history, and art. I am a big fan of combining subjects. It really enhances the learning process for children. It also makes a subject like handwriting a bit more fun for a child that may dislike writing. This book would be perfect for supplementing history or Bible curriculum. Art is definitely the strong emphasis in this book. There are colorful illustrations throughout the book. Another nice feature is the step by step instructions on how to complete the drawings. It contains a wide variety of drawings. The style and content are appropriate for the targeted age group of ages 8 and up. I have a younger son who loves to do everything his big brother is doing. This is a book that I can easily adapt to include him. I really like how the author references Bible verses.

When my son started the first drawing activity in Draw and Write Through History, I was amazed at his enthusiasm. He truly enjoyed the activity. He was very pleased with his drawing results. He usually doesn’t want to color in pictures, but with this book he took the time to carefully color in his pictures. He even went the extra step of blending the colors. After completing some leafy green plants from the creation story he was begging to jump ahead to the section about the Trojan Horse story.

His creative juices were definitely flowing at this point. He began drawing background details for his picture. Even my younger son was following along and making his own pictures. While he isn’t quite four, he could still understand the simple directions with help. It was definitely obvious in his artwork that he was drawing green plants. Any activity that I can use together with my kids makes for a more peaceful and productive school day! The only area that may be challenging for us is the amount of cursive writing practice listed on each page. It seems just a bit lengthy. Handwriting is not a favorite subject for my third grader. We are tackling that subject this school year. Austin completed second grade in public school. The schools in our state are not teaching cursive writing. This was one of many factors that persuaded us to return to homeschool. I am hoping that my little history buff will find the cursive writing process more pleasurable since it is combined with wonderful history and Bible tidbits. We will happily continue to use Draw and Write Through History with our other curriculum.

**disclosure: This is a Mama Buzz review. This product was graciously provided for free by
Carylee Gressman for our review.

Fun at the Air Show

2009-10-11T15:35:00.000-07:00

We had a blast, literally at the air show!!! I'm not kidding.....there were even explosions!!! One that would require the fire trucks to rush to put out a smallish fire! I think the explosions were intended, but the fires that wouldn't go out on their own, weren't. Seems no one was hurt or anything like that. It was a little erie. Made me thankful we don't live in a war torn country like the middle east. I didn't manage to get any pictures of the exlposions that took place in the finale due to camera batteries dying. Sorry to disappoint! :) But we did manage to get some fun photos for your viewing pleasure. Wes took a lot of persuading to go to the air show and of course some nice ear muffs as well. Even with the muffs, he had some moments where he was not happy with the noise! The explosions in the end were a bit much for him even though we were pretty far away. I have to say, if I didn't know it was planned, I would have been terrified too!!

This Fella was Eyeballin ME!!

2009-10-11T15:03:00.000-07:00

On a rainy day last week we spotted this guy on the a/c unit in the backyard. I love photographing praying mantis. They are a more than willing subject. They are not skittish. They will pose for you endlessly. They will however keep a close eye on you while you're doing this. What ever angle you move to, a mantis will rotate it's head with precision to keep an eye on you. And what EYEBALLS they have!!! I felt like he was staring into my soul!!

Bedtime Stories

2009-10-08T07:32:00.000-07:00

We are BIG on bedtime stories. It is such a great way to unwind and wrap up the day. We have been reading a new bedtime story at our house. Sleepy Sun by Mari Priscilla Hanson,

is filled with delightfully colorful pictures. The illustrations seem to jump off the pages. My three year old instantly took note of the details as we began the story. The catchy rhymes throughout the story keep the reading extra fun. My older son particularly liked the detailed artwork showing various cultures and landmarks. I didn’t even realize that my three year old had the word cactus in his vocabulary until he saw the desert scenery. He was quickly calling out all the different things he saw throughout the story. This book has a way of igniting those precious conversations at bedtime with my boys. This story is a reminder of thankfulness that each morning we are greeted with sunshine.

This picture book is classical yet refreshing at the same time. This book is great for children of all ages. Despite the fact that this is a bedtime story this book is full of topics to teach and build upon, from new vocabulary words and colors to various cultures and ethnic diversity. You can purchase this story book at Amazon.com for $14.99.

Check out another review on this story book.

*** This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided for free by Mari Priscilla Hanson for this review.

Family Photos

2009-10-06T22:42:00.000-07:00

Finally getting around to posting the pics from when my family was here. It was such a special week. Their visit was a true blessing. I'm so thankful for my parents and brother!! House always feels empty after family leaves. Takes a few days to shake off the sadness of missing them!!

Happy October

2009-10-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

We have had a busy week with a visit from my parents and brother here from Florida. It was their first big trip with their RV. We had a great week together, but as always, it goes by entirely to quick. This time they brought their thrree dogs along for the trip. It was a treat for the boys as well as our dog Ben. He loved having doggy pals around to play with. Wes just loved Belle. She is a mini-pin. This little doggy seemed to enjoy his company as well. I think the picture speaks for itself.

Boo Boo Buddy Update!!

2009-09-23T07:39:00.000-07:00

Wes got his stitches out this morning!!! Woo Hoo!! He did really well. Then they gave him a colorful bouncy ball and all was right with the world again! God is good all the time, all the time God is good! : )

Little Boo Boo Buddy!

2009-09-22T15:16:00.000-07:00

We have had some challenging times at our house over the last few days. Our little man Wes took a tumble on the playground. He bumped his chin pretty hard. I knew immediately when I saw it that he would most likely need stitches. Thankfully we were at the park with friends. They were not only a huge help to us, but also a great blessing. Amazing how God puts people around us at exactly the right moments! God's providence never ceases to amaze me! Our friend Mari helped get a bandaid on the little man and kept Austin for me while Wes and I headed to the doctor's office. I was afraid they wold turn us away since it was so late in the afternoon. I thought maybe they would send us to the ER. We must have been a sight to see because they brought Wes and I some wet cloths so we could clean ourselves up. The nurse even brought him a little teddy bear. Have I mentioned that I really love our doctor's office and staff!!?? Wes was as tough as he could be all things considered! The doctor got about two stiches in and decided to leave it at that. Wesley's sobs made his chin quiver, so I can't imagine what that must have been like for our doctor! It was so hard to watch as a mama!! This was way worse then watching both the boys get shots! But, five minutes afterwards Wes was happily digging prizes out the the bin at the doctors office. Even had it in his mind to grab one for his big brother!! That alone both impressed me and warmed my heart! Wesley is a good egg!! :)

I wish I could say that's where our story ended, but no, there's more! I have been begging Wes to slow down. Since the very day after the stitches he has been trying to run, jump, and climb on everything! Wes only goes one speed, fast. On Monday I grew excited at the thought that we only needed to make it through two more days before his stitches come out! Then towards the end of the night, Wes was taking a bath. He was still as restless as ever. And then of course, just before I'm getting ready to take him out of the tub, he begins playing around in the tub crawling on his hands and knees rocking around. No sooner than I said, No don't do that, it might make you slip" .....Guess what? Before I could even finish that sentence, he slightly slips and taps his chin on the top of the tub. And again I had that sick feeling in my stomach. I knew right away by the look on his face that he bumped that exact spot. So I took a look at the stitches, and sure enough he bumped the spot where he has the stitches. Thankfully he didn't bump it too hard, but enough that I knew we were going to have to go get it looked at. He of course is begging that we don't go. He remembers the last time we went. We get ready to head out to the least desirable place to be, Urgent Care. In my head thoughts of swime flu and stomach virus exposure are swirling through my head. Yes, I'm a bit of a germaphobe! This had to be done though. We had to take care of our little man! We get to the medical center and it's teaming with people. I see people waiting with barf buckets and others wearing face masks. There is a big welcoming sign in huge bold letters that says if you are showings signs of flu-like symptoms let the front desk know immediately. It was a sight. I wanted to run for the hills. But, I grinned and bared it. I said a silent prayer to God asking for protection. After filling out registration papers, Wes and I chose to wait in an outer open area away from all the sickly looking people. Not long after we got there, Eric and Austin arrived. They decided to come join us for moral support. It was nice that we were all together. After almost two hours, we finally got to see a doctor. He takes one look at Wesley's chin and says that it's going to have to heal the way it is. Wes was thrilled to know he wouldn't be getting any new stitches. Apparently his cut would have been more prone to infection if they were to try and do more. I think the cut will leave a slightly bigger scar than he originally had, but at least he didn't have to suffer more. The fact that the cut is on his chin is another plus. It will be hardly noticeable since it's in that particular spot. Eric and I contemplated rolling him in bubble wrap until he's all healed up! We know that's not a realistic option....but that thought did cross our minds!! For now we will have to wait and see what the doctor says tomorrow. He is supposed to be getting the stitches out in the morning....of course that was all before the incident on Monday night! We'll keep you posted! Say a prayer for us!!

Using Gross to Keep the Learning Fun!

2009-09-16T21:59:00.000-07:00

Being that I'm a foodie, anytime I find a food related topic that can be applied to one of our subjects I can't help myself. As we started our study on ancient history I was searching for books to supplement our material. Just reading the title raised my curiosity. What do you think? (It's Disgusting and We Ate It! True Food Facts from Around the World and Throughout History) The title sounded so promising. I don't know why I love the gross stuff. I'm weird that way. I would laugh until I cried watching the TV show Fear Factor. If the challenge didn't involve eating something disgusting I was highly disappointed. Not that I would ever dare eat any of that stuff, but I do enjoy watching someone else give it a go. I checked out this book out from our local library. I had to go on quite the search for it. I cannot understand why the library only has one copy!! This is quality stuff. Don't kids love these kind of books? I was a bit surprised! I think Austin might a bit squeamish. I think he gets that from Eric. Wes on the other hand, became a huge fan of the book. This was his book of choice, asking for me to read it multiple times. It was yet again one of those moments of truth. Wes is so much like me. Austin is just like Eric. Not to say Austin didn't find the book interesting, he did. He just wanted to be sure that he personally wasn't doing any eating immediately before or after the reading of this book. The illustrations in this book really add to the fun. There is so much history throughout the book, along with standout humor. That was a definite highlight about this book for Austin. I was even surprised that the Bible was referenced in this book. That author mentions the diet of John the Baptist. They didn't have these kinds of history books when I was a kid! Maybe if they did, I actually would have liked the subject back then! Thank goodness for homeschool! I get to take advantage of all the things I missed out on!

Freebie Fans!

2009-09-10T13:13:00.000-07:00

Well.....we tried hard to take advantage of Chick-Fil-A freebie offer on Monday. We got dressed in our sports fan t-shirts. We headed out for an earlier lunch. Then when we arrived at the restaurant the parking lot was insane. The parking lot was jam-packed with sports clad people. We didn't even attempt going in. We knew by the looks of it that obtaining lunch would require a very long wait. It was not a sacrifice we were willing to make. Being that it was lunch time, we were famished. I had also spent that morning doing a run. My hunger was extra powerful at that moment. The first place that popped into my head was Moe's. It probably came to mind because it was a restaurant close by that our whole family easily agrees on. When anyone says the name Moe's I automatically start hearing in my head someone shouting, "Welcome tooooooooooooo Mooooooooooooooooooooooooooeeeeeeeeeeeessss!" This franchise has certainly coined that term. So off to Moe's we headed. When we walked into the restaurant it was fairly dead inside. After we were sat down with our lunch, more people began to trickle in. I knew instantly that we weren't the only ones that headed to this restaurant as plan B. Quite a few folks came in wearing sports shirts. I guess we all like a freebie, but when it involves a long wait and huge crowds.....sometimes it's just better to go with Plan B!

Artists at Work

2009-09-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

Texture Monsters

Giving the monsters an environment.

We are doing some monsterly artwork at our house. The boys made texture monsters by using the soles of their shoes. Wes made a print of his sole with paint. Austin made a print using a colored pencil. Then we gathered all our monster story books for some inspiration on creating their own monsters. This project definitely has us thinking about the story WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE. We are so excited that the story is being made into a movie. The trailer to the movie looks amazing!!

Once the boys created their monsters, the next task was to draw an environment for the monsters to live in. Austin quickly sketched out a street scene for the monsters to reside on. This post will have to be a two part deal. After the boys complete painting the scenery we will have a second post to show the finished project. You really should check out the trailer!! :)See the trailer here! Check back soon for the finished artwork!! :)

Sticker Boy!

2009-09-04T20:54:00.000-07:00

Have I failed to mention that life with Wes is NEVER EVER boring??? He always manages to give us something to laugh about! I usually know he is up to something when he is very quiet. He was born noisy. The only time he is very quiet is when he is busy at work. These free stickers arrived in the mail. He just thought that was the coolest thing ever to arrive in the mail. Well, that and packages from grandparents. He is a smart kid! On the day the stickers arrived he made sure to stick every single sticker on his legs while watching his favorite cartoon. On this particular day when I decided to investigate the quietness, I found one very content sticker boy! At our house we always make sure the camera is ready to go!

Wes is growing up fast! In the blink of an eye he became potty trained, learned how to swim, and now officially knows how to write his name, or at least his nick name. (Wes) Actually, if you call him by his full name, he will inform you that his name isn't Wesley, it is in fact, Wes. Be sure to call him Wes unless you want a stern correcting from a three year old! :) Trust me as one who has been corrected! All I know is that all this rapid growing up must be from trying to be just like his favorite big brother! Next thing I know he'll be asking us to take the training wheels off his bike!! Oh my!

This One is for the G-Parents!

2009-08-28T15:23:00.000-07:00

Okay G-Parents!! Just so you don't have to miss out on the funny memorable moments, here is a video clip that you will especially enjoy. Just don't forget to pause the music play before you play this clip!

The Excavator Brothers

2009-08-27T17:52:00.000-07:00

I am loving the new season of life that we are presently in. We are in the beginning season of a new homeschool year. Life is exciting here at our house, and I am determined to keep it that way. Creativity don't fail me now! I fear that about three months from now I will run out of steam. For now I am plugging along strong! Thanks be to God! I am loving that we are not having to rush our third grader out the door to school only to see him again near three in the afternoon. I love not having to rush through an afternoon of snacks, homework, dinner, and in what seems like the blink of an eye, bedtime. Our days seem a little less hurried and a lot more relaxed. In spite of that, I really think a good bit of learning is taking place. I am also amazed at how much less fighting takes place among the boys. It seemed like the boys did a bit more of that after Austin got home from school during the last school year. I think the difference is the pace of our lives. This homeschool business certainly seems to suit Austin! Today He got to do quiet reading time outside in the backyard! We were lovin it. Yesterday we got to put some real archeological skills into practice. We are reading Story of the World Vol. 1

A very kind friend let me borrow a teaching guide that goes along with it. We have been having so much fun. Thank you, Mari! Austin has been reading books on the topic like a maniac. I'm all for maniac book reading! This past weekend we were in a store that had these fossils buried in plaster paris along with the mini tools to dig them out. They were on clearance and I couldn't resist them. The boys were with me when I discovered these, but I managed to purchase them on the down low. I think they were distracted the many other toys in the store. They didn't see me sneakingly make the purchase. So as we finished our study topic on archaeology, they were more than thrilled about our activity of the day. My little adventurers that they are, worked hard to dig out the fossils! Hopefully we will continue to have many more exciting days like this at our house.

Look Who Learned to Swim!

2009-08-14T06:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday!! Just wanted to share a clip of the newest swimmer at our house! I think it's official, Wes is part fish! Don't forget to pause the music player before starting the video! :)

More Chocolate for the Choc-aholic!!

2009-08-09T18:07:00.000-07:00

Internet recipes might just be my downfall. I am addicted to finding recipes online. I just love finding recipes that someone else already tried. I noticed my friend Pauline had a link to this website and I just couldn't help, but to check it out. It was there that I happened upon this molten chocolate cake recipe. I have radar for this type of cake. If my eyes scan the words molten chocolate cake it sends this alarm signal to my brain. I kid you not. So ever since I saw this recipe, it has been on my mind to try it. Then when I saw that it only required a few simple ingredients, I had even more of an itch to make it. The one ingredient I was lacking was whipped cream. And, Yes, I had to make a trip to the store for that! You really CANNOT eat molten cake sans the whipped cream. It's practically a crime to do that. I have the picture, but I really wished I would have taken a photo to show the goey chocolatey insides....but once the four of us got started on dessert, we just couldn't stop. Then of course I felt guilty for making such an unhealthy dessert! I had to quickly clean up all the evidence. Out of sight, out of mind. It's almost like I can pretend we didn't eat it. All I know is that the four of us at this house scarfed it down. After Wes ate his, he left the kitchen, only to return a moment later to give me a kiss! A random spontaneous kiss from my busy almost four year old boy??? I must have done something right! I'm not sure, but I think it was a thank you kiss for the yummy dessert! :)
If you dare, here is the link where I first came across the recipe.
molten-chocolate-lava-cake

And if that isn't enough, here is my own picture from this baking adventure! :)
I can almost still smell its yummyness!! :)

Final Picture Play Shot

2009-07-28T09:19:00.000-07:00

Here is the last picture I was experimenting with. I of course had to bribe Wes with candy to pose for this one! :) It was worth it! Someday, when they are all grown up, these pictures will be a special treasure to look back on!

Picture Play

2009-07-26T11:07:00.000-07:00

I saw some really amazing photo ideas that I just couldn't wait to try!! Let me know what you think. I did some tweeking with Photoshop. I may have to frame these and put them on the wall! :)

I am blessed!

2009-07-25T21:41:00.000-07:00

I have been battling either allergies, a cold, a sinus infection, or maybe a what felt like a combination of all three. To say the least, when I woke up this a.m. I was pretty miserable. Eric took the boys to the store to pick up a couple of things, insisting that I get some rest. I was ever so thankful. A little while later I awoke to the sound of the dog barking at their return. First, Austin came in and greeted me with some wonderful tissues. The ones with the Vick's vapor and lotion in them! A very soothing treat for my nose!! Then he informed me that Dad had bought me some doughnuts and Dr. Pepper! I felt very pampered by the men in my house!! Tonight I am feeling a whole lot better and I think it's the extra lift of feeling loved and cared for by the family God has so richly blessed me with. We had a lazy day of resting and having quality time together. I don't know why I don't take the time more often to appreciate and thank God for the simple things in life. Thank you God! Our God is most definitely a mighty God!! :)

Messing with Bill

2009-07-13T21:01:00.000-07:00

I am not the peanut throwing culprit.....but, I am guilty of making sure to capture a video of the moment. We went to a ball game and fireworks with my husband's family and old family friends Judy and Bill along with their family. Judy's two sons began tossing peanuts at Bill. He was intent on watching the game. The funny part is that they toss a good three or four prior to my catching it on camera. He never even moved. Peanuts are bouncing off his back and he seems oblivious to it. He is either really focused on the game (minor league game at that) or he's really good at ignoring what is happening. You decide! :) By the way, you'll need to pause the music player before you star the video!

Summer Vacation Fun!

2009-07-12T15:05:00.000-07:00

At long last I have added some pictures from our vacation. I meant to do this right after we got home, but I just haven't wanted to sit in front of the computer. I had that bug to get reorganized after our trip. I also wanted to do make sure I have my priorities striaght. Sometimes I spend just a wee bit to much time on the computer. Summer is fleeting and the boys are growing up fast. Seeing so much sickness and death lately has really made me want to cherish family time all that much more. Life is scary sometimes. I don't want to have regrets about missing out on my boys childhood. The time just goes by in what feels like the blink of an eye. I have some friends that really need prayers. So, if you are a regular on my blog and you want to add these dear peeps to your list, I will be forever greatful. The Stinziano family are friends from the college days. They were college sweet hearts married for about fourteen years if memory serves correctly. She lost her battle to cancer on July 5. They have four young children. Pray for Jordan and the kids as they go through this season of grief. He is also church planter/pastor. Please also Pray for the Lewis Family. She is a dear friend from the Church I grew up at in FL. She has been battling cancer for several years now. She also has a big family. We are praying that God will heal her and deliver her from this illness.
So our vacation was really a nice time away visiting the in-laws in NY. Watching fireworks with the temps in the mid to upper 50's was so SWEET!! The weather was awesome. I have to say that New York summers are tough to beat!! And the boys did amazing with the fourteen hour drive to and from! That in it of it self is truly a blessing. Our biggest trial was Wesley's fear of public bathrooms. He does NOT like the loud sound public toilets flushing. And the hand dryers? Forget about those....it's drip dry for this kid!! So needless to say we made some pitstops in the middle of the boondocks to change some nasty diapers. Potty training...well....we're halfway there.....we'll get there someday!! Thank goodness for pullups!! Our time away was truly a blessing and the kids had so much fun with their grandparents and auntie!! I'll post more pics later. I have a bunch!! :) Peace Y'all!! :)

Entering a New Season!!!

2009-06-07T17:59:00.000-07:00

We are more than thrilled that school is out and summer kicking off! The veggie garden is now providing rewards for our labor!! The flowers are now in bloom and the bees and butterflies are in full action!! It has been a draining few months. Losing two grandparents and one pet over the last few months has been an emotional roller coaster. I'm relieved to be entering a new season. We could all use the warm weather and change of pace, if for nothing else, just to get a breather from trials of life. This summer will bring a trip to NY to visit family. NY summers are awesome. The weather is quite a bit milder compared to our summers here. The kids will get some quality time with the grandparents and their great-aunt. I have a feeling they won't want to head home when the trip is over! We began our week with vacation bible school at church today. I'm actually having the chance to teach again!! That's been so fun. I forgot how much I enjoy teaching!! Wes is in my class!! I really need to get some pictures of that next week!! We had so much fun today. This afternoon Eric and the boys took a dip in the pool! I decided to get some shots because the weather was beautiful outside. I had to dodge some frequent splashing! I had so many shots that I decided I would post a slide show. It's been a while since I posted any pictures so I thought I'd make up for lost time. Honestly, my heart was lacking the blogging spirit. But, I'm starting to get back to my old self!! God is good!! He's provided some really awesome encouraging friends. And, I'm better for the trials that have come my way. Nothing quite builds faith like trials and sorrow. Good things can and do come from bad situations!!
Happy Summer everyone!!!

Summer is Here!!!

2009-06-07T17:54:00.001-07:00

Some Rockin Ice Cream!

2009-05-14T21:52:00.001-07:00

I have to say again, Thanks Mom and Dad for the really nifty ice cream maker you found in that consignment store! It is an awesome kitchen toy for a foodie like me!
Eric is a huge fan of Coldstone Creamery, but the prices flat out stink! They have some amazing ice cream, but it's quite pricey! So I decided that I knew I could make some that would be just as good and a lot less painful on the wallet! So for Eric's b-day I resolved I would make him some ice cream! I fouund a great recipe here: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Rocky-Road-Ice-Cream/Detail.aspx

I made this ice cream minus the nuts and marshmallows. I really wanted to put them in, but Eric's not a huge fan of those items....so I left those out. But, it is still so very yummy!! Couldn't help but take step by step photos of the ice cream making process. Now I'm hooked and I can't stop making the stuff!! So beware if you decide to try it. You'll want to make it again and again!

Field Trip!

2009-05-14T21:43:00.000-07:00

Eric finally had the privilege of going on a field trip with Austin. I have been on a few with Austin. This was a first for Eric. I think he was worried at first that he would have a bunch of crazy kids to supervise...but it ended up going well! Turns out a lot of parents chaperoned....so he only had Austin and one other kid to keep an eye on! He took some great pics of their trip to the the aquarium in Charleston!

Photo Update!

2009-05-14T21:33:00.000-07:00

So it's been a while since I've posted some photos! The boys were playing in the sprinklers while we were setting up the pool. We needed to find something for them to do together that would keep them out of trouble! And....since it was entirely too hot out when we were setting up the pool....I couldn't help but take a break and take advantage of a perfect photo op!

God's Providence

2009-05-08T12:44:00.000-07:00

So I have been learning a thing or two about God's providence. Lately things seem so uncertain to me. The condition of the economy, high unemployment, swine flu, life is full of the unexpected. Having spent a number of years working in the real estate industry in one form or another, I truly would not have expected to see the financial outcomes that have most recently happened. Even after 9/11, there was a temporary drop in the economy, but things quickly rebounded and we were busier than ever, particularly in real estate sales and refinances. I was always swamped with work to the point of often taking work home with me so I could meet my deadlines. If you asked me if I thought real estate would crash like it did, I would have have enthusiastically told you, NO WAY! The industry was overwhelming, one of the biggest reasons why I was so happy to end that line of work. My whole point is that life is so full of the unexpected. Life will never be predictable, no matter how hard we try to plan for it to be. For us, we as a family have really been trying to make some big changes. Changes in our spending habits! MUCH room for improvement in that area. Changes in our walk with God. There are some recent changes that we've taken on. I was always in awe of how my own parents raised four of us....and did such a good job of it, at least in my eyes. Raising two throws me into whirlwinds...yet my parents did it with four!! I have been replaying in my mind the things they did. We NEVER ate out when I was a kid, with the exception of once or twice a year, and that was usually when we were on vacation. As I got a little older I think maybe that changed a little, but even then it was not a regular occurrence. I also remember that when we had fast food, we did drive-thru and we didn't purchase drinks! Mom always said we already had those at home and didn't need to buy them in the drive-thru! The second thing I remember is that my parents drove OLDER cars! If the car needed repairs or oil changes, Dad almost always did the work himself. I don't think they bought a brand new car until I was about twelve. And even that was a car they got through my uncle's car dealership at a very good price. My dad still drove an old beater to work everyday. He usually drove a car that didn't even have working air conditioning. We also lived in Miami. There is hot weather year round!!! We also never had cable TV. I don't think they ever even got cable until I had already moved out of the house. Growing up I can remember we had our nifty antenna attached to the house. It was taller than our second story roof. I can remember my brother and I turning the pole outside so we could try to get better reception for certain channels that played the cartoons we liked to watch! My parents made choices and sacrifices so that Mom could stay home with us. From time to time my mom did work. She taught piano lessons. When the airline my father worked for went on strike, my mother made the choice to go out and get some house cleaning jobs on the side to help make ends meet. I don't think either of them would have ever predicted the airline company would eventually go bankrupt and the strike never come to an end. My father had worked for Eastern Airlines for at least fifteen years. I know he probably thought he would work there until he reached retirement age. From there my father went from contract job to contract job for different aviation companies. This went on for years. Finally God provided a job for him completely free of the aviation industry and finally he had some job stability. I can't imagine the fears they must have experienced in the midst of this and raising four kids. But, God provides! I'm finally starting to realize that it's not in my control, as much as I try to pretend that it is. My childhood was great. I think I probably had more than a lot of kids did. I also remember how much I loved coming home from school and my mom being there. I felt sorry for kids who went home to empty houses. I remember when I was in elementary school, one friend's mom would actually work midnight shift as a waitress. I was so thankful my own mother was home all night as we slept in our beds. So now as a mom of two young boys, I want so much to be around for them. I don't want them raised by daycare workers. I want to be as big a part of their childhoods as I can. They are growing up all together so quickly. The moments are fleeting. I cherish my childhood and hope that one day they will cherish their own. Our children are gifts from God, I don't want to waste one minute. So I wrestle with guilt sometimes that I'm not earning a paycheck as I once did. I feel sometimes like I'm financially short changing Eric and the boys. But, I think that's just my insecurities coming in to play. I'm starting to learn to let go and realize that God is and will always be our provider just as he did all the years I was growing up. I'm still growing by the way. Only now my hope is that I'm growing in wisdom. I'm learning that my part is to be a good steward with what we have. Being financially responsible, not leaving God out of the equation, and learning new steps to frugality!! I was recently discouraged because we were headed to our small group bible study at church. We do pot-luck kind of dinner. Well I managed to spill our casserole all over the floor of the car only minutes after leaving the house. I was so frustrated I began to cry. I felt like I just threw money away and now we were going to have to spend more money because we couldn't show up empty handed. Eric remained positive. I wanted to stay home and have a pity party. But he didn't let me! Amazingly a little of the casserole didn't spill out....so we had at least a few servings to share....and Eric stopped for cookies at the store along the way. We went anyway, as discouraged as I was. The funny thing was I think I could feel God sort of letting me know.....that even the little things are in his hands. When we went that night there was an over abundance of food that others had brought. There was so much in fact, that there was enough for seconds and we had a full group that night. So as the evening went on, my mood lightened. Then as we were headed out, the family that hosts the bible study at their house offered us some huge onions that they'd picked up from a farm. I felt again that God was showing me through all these little things that he will meet our needs. So my story doesn't end there. Financially we have been trying to take the steps to do what we need to do. Not make silly wasteful purchases. Be diligent about eating more meals at home. We even reduced or TV satellite package to the family plan. We haven't even really missed the old channels. I also am striving to not short change God. I fall all too short when it comes to being faithful about making an offering at church. Yet God is always faithful to still provide. And in the times that we do make our tithe, we ALWAYS seem to get it back in one way or another. I don't know why I still struggle to trust God. You would think that I would have learned that by now. Money is a complicated thing....and it tangles up the heart at times!! At least for me it does. This past week I made our tithe thinking okay God, it's in your hands.... I'm trying hard to let go and let YOU. I had forgotten that morning that I had been invited to attend the meeting for volunteers of children's church. The church actually provided lunch something I wasn't aware of until after church...and even Eric and the boys got to have lunch even though they weren't part of the volunteer group. This was a complete surprise to me. There was God providing a meal for the four of us. The providence was already beginning. Then literally that very Monday that a family member, for no reason at all, sent me a gift of money. A couple days later, my mother sent me a link for KFC coupons for a free meal for four. And then yesterday, Eric found fifty dollars still inside a card from Christmas time that he'd forgotten about. If that's not proof that God is meeting our needs above and beyond, then I don't know what is. One other thing to note, we got back more than we gave. My intention isn't that we should give because we expect God to give back more to us in return. I'm just trying to get the point across that God does provide for our needs. My mom always says "You can't out do God". I have to say that I whole heartily agree with that statement!! God is good!! And even when I'm afraid and I forget to trust him fully, he always got my back. A verse I have been drawn to a lot recently is Proverbs 3:5-9 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine.
Another verse that's been in my heart is Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they do now sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
On that note, Happy Weekend!!! And thanks for reading! Peace!

Cardboard Testimonies

2009-04-29T17:20:00.000-07:00

So I've been meaning to share this video for a while. I am so moved by cardboard testimonies. It really doesn't take a lot of words to express God's works in our lives. Cardboard testimonies are so simplistic, but yet so moving. This really was a special Easter service at our church. You really should take a few minutes to watch it. I promise you won't be disappointed. Look all the amazing things that God
is doing!! I hope you like the clip. By the way, you'll need to pause the music on my media player before you click on this video clip!!

Cardboard Testimonies - Easter 2009 from Todd Moles on Vimeo.

Photo Update

2009-04-25T15:01:00.000-07:00

I have been quite the slacker. I have been meaning to post some pictures up here for a while. I have been a bit distracted with gardening along with other things! Eric completed the bunk beds. I helped paint and sand!! The boys just thing they are great!! These were built during the week off that Eric had! And we managed to finish in time for some fun with friends on Friday

An Easter Miracle!!

2009-04-12T13:11:00.000-07:00

I am so excited that Captain Phillips is now safe!! Details of the story are not all together clear yet. The most important part is that he is safe!! There is not a shred of doubt in my mind that God is ultimate source of this miracle. In a situation that looked increasingly hopeless, this man has escaped unharmed. The odds were certainly not in his favor as far was the circumstances go. But, God has the power to keep men safe. I know there has been an out pouring of prayers for this man. It does seem likely that his man is a Christian from what has been reported by the media. A reverend at a church in this man's hometown claims the captain and his family are members of the church. So if all of that is true, what a true example of a mere man modeling Christ in his life!!! What a wonderful story and what amazing timing of all of these events!! Do you think that's by God's design?? Just some of the things I ponder through my mind!!! God is always at work, always showing us that He is our refuge, He is our hope, He is our heavenly Father!! I am excited!!! Happy Easter!! Thank you God for showing us miracles!!

It's Really Not about Easter Bunnies!!

2009-04-11T11:26:00.000-07:00

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2-3

Happy Easter!

2009-04-11T08:44:00.000-07:00

Hoping everyone has a blessed Easter. We will be spending some time today coloring some eggs. Tomorrow we will have a busy day. The boys will be hunting for Easter eggs. Then we will head off to church for a fellowship breakfast and service! We are looking forward to some quality family time tomorrow. Much of our week as been spent getting a loft/bunk bed completed for the boys room. Eric and I are feeling a bit sore as a result. We had a rough go with the painting part. We started out thinking we would do a stain. Then we realized that wouldn't cover over some of the markings on the wood. So we made the decision to switch to a high gloss black paint. Then we discovered that paint took a considerable amount time to dry. We also had a problem with the paint clumping and bubbling mostly due to the cooler weather. So we finally finished the paint job with some glossy black spray paint. So finally on Thursday night we managed to start assembling the bed. Friday morning we finally finished the build and set up their room. Austin got to sleep on the bed for the first time last night and you should have seen he big smile on his face!! Eric has quite the carpentry skills!! Not sure how he managed to hide these carpentry skills for all these years!! It was an eventful way to spend Eric's week of furlough from work. It was just nice for all of us be together not having to run here or there with work and school schedules!!

Last weekend Kendall and Alexis came for a visit. We made a trip out the zoo and botanical gardens. Austin and Wes just loved having the Deal kids over. Eric and Kendall managed to plays some X-box basketball and record some drum beats on the electric drums. So needless to say our weekends have been action packed.

On to the more serious side of things, we are still needing prayer for my grandmother and my parents. She continues to have some struggles along the way. She has most recently been refusing to eat. Her electrolytes are off as a result. They are also going to be evaluating her for a feeding tube. It seems they think she may be having trouble swallowing correctly and there are concerns that she maybe be ingesting food into her lungs, putting her at risk for other infections. Prior to this she had seemed to be making some improvements, but this week has presented new obstacles and challenges. It looks as though she may be having to return to the hospital until they can get her situation more stable.

Pray for Captain Phillips!!

2009-04-10T11:31:00.001-07:00

I hope you'll join me in praying for the safe return of Captain Phillips and for comfort and strength of his family. He bravely surrendered himself to pirates in order to spare the bloodshed of his ship crew. He is being held captive by four pirates. It's amazing to me that this man who put his life on the line in order to try and spare the lives of his crew just so happened to occur on Easter weekend. The weekend we remember what Jesus did for us to save us from our certain eternal deaths. I don't know if this man is a Christian or not, but his actions are selfless. It inspires me to want to live so that hopefully others can see a reflection of Christ in my life. I fall all too short I know, but it's moments of reality like this that remind me I can and should do more.

Comforting Blessings

2009-03-31T13:33:00.000-07:00

I'm so thankful for our children. They bring so much joy to our lives. I'm so thankful for the warmer spring weather. I'm thankful to have a nice yard to plant a garden in. With the last few weeks being discouraging, I have been finding comfort in some of the many blessings that surround us. Thank you to all of you for keeping us in your prayers. God has been working in the midst of all of it. My grandmother is stable. She is in an acute care rehabilitation facility and for now we are just waiting to see what's next. There are many unanswered questions, but for now I am content to know that God is in control. We just have to take it day by day.

I'm sharing the pictures of the snuggly brothers and the beginnings of our veggie garden. Eric's quite the builder. Today I finally noticed the shallots are starting to sprout.

Trials of Life

2009-03-30T19:28:00.000-07:00

I haven't been much in the spirit of blogging. We spent a week in Florida after my grandmother had a stroke about a week after my grandfather's death. It's been a couple of heart wrenching weeks for my family. The week after we returned, I just felt out of sorts. I just wanted to be at home with my family just enjoying each other's company. I know now the reason I didn't have the opportunity to attend my grandfather's funeral. I really believe that God allowed the timing of things to happen the way that they did so that I could be with family when we would need each other the most. If we'd taken the time off to go down for the funeral, we definitely would not have been able to go again a week later. It was comforting to be with family at a time when things were so difficult and our hearts were discouraged. I needed to see my dad. I couldn't even imagine how much hurt he has been experiencing in such a short amount of time. My father is the oldest, and I think the oldest child feels some sort of burden to be the leader. I think that is just what goes with the territory of being a firstborn in any family. I knew once my grandmother had the stroke I needed to get to Florida as soon as possible. God opened the doors for us. Eric did have some work challenges along the way, but he is so amazing and he he managed to get that all taken care of while on our trip, along with taking care of the boys and my brother. Have I mentioned how AWESOME Eric is!!?? I am so blessed to get to share my life with him!! God is so GOOD!! Even though my grandmother couldn't speak, I really think that she recognized us and she gave the boys big smiles. She even smiled at my jokes on more than one occasion. God only knows what her future holds, but I am so thankful that we all got so visit her and see her big smile. I have comfort in knowing that God cares about her even more than HE cares for the sparrows! I'm putting my trust in him to care for and provide for her needs. I really didn't feel like I had enough time with my family! I never do! The time just flew by altogether too quickly. But, I am so thankful to have spent some time with them. I even got to spend some quality time with my oldest brother and his family. It was such a breath of fresh air during an emotionally trying week. God is GOOD and HE is in control. I just have to keep reminding myself of that.

My next post will be more uplifting!! God has been encouraging my heart as I watch our new flower and veggie gardens grow!! His creations are so amazing!! He is our ultimate provider and comforter of our souls!! God is our refuge!!! I have really learned that throughout the last few weeks!!

More Flowers!

2009-03-12T13:17:00.001-07:00

Garden Flowers

2009-03-12T13:09:00.000-07:00

I have been crazy with the spring fever. Good thing I did all I could while it was warm. Looks like the next few days are going to be rainy and cooler!! I spent the afternoon taking a few pictures of the newest plantings. We have some cosmos and sunflowers that we started from seeds. Hopefully we'll be able to get those in the ground soon! Wes has been my faithful garden assistant! He loves digging in the dirt and admiring the flowers. He loves seeing the bees move about on the new garden! I am just itching to start on the veggie garden, but that has to wait at least another week to be on the safe side.

Spring Fever!

2009-03-08T18:16:00.000-07:00

I have got the Spring Fever!!! I am loving the recent warm weather. I have been just itching to get outside and plant some flowers and prepare the soil for a new veggie garden. Today was just the perfect day to do that. I actually bought some seeds, but then I grew impatient with those and decided to buy a few flowers that are actually ready to be planted. That way I don't have to wait as long while the other seeds are sprouting!! I can get outside and enjoy some of God's beautiful handiwork!! I'm really not much of a green thumb, but I do like to pretend. Each spring I get a little smarter about gardening!! Hopefully this season I will have more veggies than the last, and I do miss the fresh spices. Can't wait till I can begin to use those again!! On our trip out to pick out some flowers, Austin spotted a peach tree. That boy LOVES peaches. I think if he had a choice, he would live off peaches. So, we decided we would give it a shot. We were told we might not get fruit from it until the second year, so Austin has been prepared! Eric did and awesome job getting it planted and mulched!! It appears the spring fever might have hit Eric too!

The other thing going on at our house has been painting and organizing. I have been wanting to paint our kitchen since we moved into our house about two years ago. Finally, Eric and were ready to make the commitment to put forth the effort to paint. We spent just about the whole day working on the kitchen, but the end results were just what I was hoping for. Before the painting I actually had been on a reorganizing kick. I was at my friend Pauline's house and she was showing me her organized baking supplies. For some time now my cabinets have been a pile of crazy madness. Odds and ends of this or that. Baking had started to lose it's fun when I had to go on a search mission to find the ingredients lost within my cabinets. So, I got some inexpensive plastic containers and the handy labeler my parents gave me and begin the organizing process. It feels good having an organized cabinets!! I still have a few other areas in the kitchen that need attention, but at least I can bake and cook with ease now!! I have most recently made a loaf of bread and a really yummy low fat chocolate cake!! And I enjoyed the process because finding every thing was simple!! I even managed to get some pictures of at least the kitchen part. Maybe tomorrow I'll get some shots of the flower garden and peach tree! Time change is still throwing me for a loop. I have been running behind schedule all day! I fear what kind of Monday we will have tomorrow!!

Getting Back to Normal

2009-03-07T22:27:00.000-08:00

The last few weeks have been some tough ones. The boys and I (excluding Eric) have had a rough go with the flu/cold season. Wesley had two rounds of ear infections about a month apart. He seems to be on the mend now after two courses of antibiotics. Then a couple weeks ago I came down with the flu. This thing just had me laid out for about a solid seven days. It was the worst. I was so thankful that Eric had a day off on the day I felt the worst. I don't even think I hardly left the bed. I spent most of the day sleeping. Amazing how God provides for our needs like that! Then Austin seemed to catch either a cold or a flu. Then he seemed better for a few says and then he just woke up feeling awful. So off to the doctor we went, only to find out he had bronchitis!! He missed a whole bunch of days of school, but he finally seems to be back to his old energetic self. I knew that as soon as he had energy to be fighting with his brother that meant he was on the mend!! Things are returning to normal. In the midst of all the illness going on at our house, my grandfather's health was declining. I had no idea we would be losing him this past Wednesday. I knew he was frail, but I guess I really wasn't prepared that it would happen so quickly. He was pretty miserable the last couple of weeks, so I'm relieved that his suffering has ended. The strange part was that I was together with the girls in my bible study on Tuesday night and we specifically prayed for him and for my family about the situation. It was the very next morning that he passed away. I had peace about it when I heard the news. A peace that I know only came from God. I scrambled through the morning, thinking we would make the drive to Florida to attend the funeral. Then I found out from my parents that the arrangements had been made to take place very quickly. It was my grandmother's wishes to get it done quickly and God had provided funeral services that fit into my grandmother's tight budget. I was really disappointed and sad that this would not give us time to travel to FL to be with family. At first, I really struggled with it. But, then I had an overwhelming sense of peace that things were in God's hands. If God had intended for us to get to Florida for the funeral then he would have made a way for it to happen. I think I had a deeper peace in my heart after talking to my father on Wednesday night. I won't say that didn't still long to go to Florida, but I just had this reassurance that I knew in my heart that making the trip was just not meant to be. Being that Austin had been fairly sick, a big trip like that would not have been easy on him. Eric had some major things going on a work, so that was another obstacle. Then another big factor would have been the expense of the trip on our budget. Another situation where it was so evident to me that God was at work, was just the timing of everything. Eric had previously scheduled his day off for Wednesday. It was such a huge blessing that on the day of my grandfather's passing it was a day Eric was already home. He was so encouraging to me. He took me out to breakfast. He cooked dinner. He was even frantically trying to see if he could get his work stuff resolved so that we could travel to Florida. I am so blessed to have Eric in my life. God is so good and he knew exactly what was best for us. Even if at first I couldn't see it, God was working everything out just way it was supposed to be. I am also thankful that I did get to vist my grandfather in November. I had the chance to chat with him and give him one last hug. That makes things just a bit easier. I was thinking tonight about what I remember the most about my grandfather. I remember when I was little he always liked to have a cup of coffee whenever he came for a visit. Then as I got older, I remember being excited about getting to fix him a cup of coffee. Guess that playing hostess is just one of those things that I've always liked to do, even at an early age!! Is that by God's design? I also remember my grandfather giving me tickley kisses with his whiskers. His favorite line saying, "Give me some sugar!" And how can I ever forget him pulling out his false teeth for me!! I also remember this really neat toy he picked up for us....at least I think he was the one....it was this little hand held toy almost like a viewmaster that you put cartridges in and it had a handle that you could wind and it showed little black and white disney cartoons of Mickey Mouse. I'm thankful that I have these nice memories of my childhood with my grandfather. I pray that my father and my grandmother are coping with their loss. Most of all, I wish I could be with them in person to give them hugs. For now, my prayers and phone calls will have to be enough.

Stuff Boys Do! Wesley's Handy Work!

2009-02-12T05:16:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of what boys (or should I say kids?) do when Mom's back is turned. I busy in my own little world cooking dinner. I knew by the sound of their giggles that they were up to something! I thought they were still happily drawing and coloring pictures. Of course once I saw what they were doing I had to run and grab the camera! I'm never one to lose a perfect photo opportunity! I'd like to add that this was a joint brotherly effort! They also made it a point to color the front and the back of Wesley's hand! Austin even asked to take a picture of this to school today since it's his day to share something! What must his teacher think?

Happy Anniversary!!!

2009-02-03T15:02:00.001-08:00

Celebrating 12 Amazing Years!!

2009-02-02T19:14:00.000-08:00

Today, Eric and I will are celebrating our twelve anniversary! I can't understand where these years have gone. It seems like only yesterday we were newly married twenty somethings! Here we are two kids and twelve years later, oh my! Two things I have pondered over tonight. 1.)Our marriage really is a huge blessing from God. There are no other explanations. Eric is the ONE for me. There is no doubt in my mind that God put us together. We complement each other like peanut butter and jelly! (If I may be a bit cheesy for the moment, we've earned it... twelve years is a big accomplishment by today's sad standards) We rarely seem to really have a bad day at the same time. The great part about that being that we've always been able to encourage one another because of that. Not to say that we've never had a bad day together, but definitely it's been far and few between. He is just good company to sum it up!! : )
2)We have been richly blessed with two wonderful sons! I am so very thankful that Eric and I are raising them together. What a blessing it is to have children and an even bigger blessing to be able to raise them as a couple. I was reminded by Austin yesterday of just how many kids he knows who come from broken homes. For some reason it is a popularly asked question among kids. They ask each other if their parents are together. One boy offered up that his dad left his mom. How sad that made me feel for him. It seemed the way Austin put it...like this child was offering up this information almost as a self awareness that there is a void in his life not having a father around. Yet another reminder to me that I am so richly blessed with a loving husband and amazing father to our boys. He is so dedicated to our sons. I hope I always remember to never take that for granted. It is God who is the great source of these blessings! Eric and our boys are the answers to my prayers from many years ago. I do remember when I was about twenty having doubts that I would ever marry. I just wasn't sure I believed there was anyone out there who was just right for me....but still I prayed for God to bring the right one! When you are twenty...well you just think about only the then and now....you can't see past the bigger picture. I do know this, when I did meet Eric almost two years later, my doubts were gone....I just knew right away....that he was the one!! And it all happened really without my looking or searching....God just happened to have us at the right place at the right time!

Snow Day!

2009-01-20T08:24:00.001-08:00

We had an answer to our prayer. The boys got some snow to play in. Austin also got the day off from school! Eric had a two hour delay for work....but he did end up having to go in by 10. We were a little disappointed about that. We really wanted him here to enjoy the snow day with us. We are thankful that he at least had a little time with us before he had to go in! I can't stop staring out the window today. The snow has been falling all morning. It's so pretty to watch. It isn't sticking, the temp is too warm for that. It's still nice to watch it falling from the sky. The snow flakes are big and chunky and each one has a different shape to it. It seems the last few times it snowed, it happened at night. Now that we have some daytime snow, we can actually look at the snowflakes! So we are enjoying our blessing, the pretty snow God sent our way!! :) Frequent trips outside to bask in it, followed by cups of hot cocoa to warm us up! That is how we shall be spending our day!

There goes my baby!!

2009-01-17T20:37:00.000-08:00

One last picture, just to remember how little Austin once was!!

8 Years in the Blink of an Eye!!

2009-01-17T20:06:00.000-08:00

I can't believe my oldest has turned eight today! I just don't comprehend how quickly the time passes us by! I struggle to grasp the moments....they are so fleeting!! We had a special day together as a family!! Austin actually spent the night at a friends house the night before, his very first sleepover in in fact! I was worried he would miss us, but I think it was us parents, that did the missing!! Eric made the comment last night that the house was too quiet without Austin here. I have to agree with him on that!! Even Wes was a bit sad at bedtime. I couldn't figure out why he was so very grumpy at bedtime. When I asked him if he was missing Austin, he began to cry. It made me grateful that he has that closeness to his brother. They may have their moments of getting on each other's last nerve. They have their disagreements, but they still share a special bond!! So we spent a busy day of firsts for Austin on the eve of his birthday. He had his first karate belt test, followed by his first sleepover. It was a hefty dose of reality that my baby is growing up. In spite of my asking him a few years back to be my little guy forever, it's a promise he can't keep!! I'm proud of the person he is growing to be! I'm thankful God has blessed us with such a wonderful son! He is a joy to those around him! I remember the first time I looked into those baby blues of his!! He is God's fine handy work! He is fearfully and wonderfully made!!
To celebrate, we started the day off by letting him open his presents. He got his very first what I would call a real Bible. His other ones are sort the little kid version with simple words and lots of bright pictures. Now he officially has a real bible. It is still a kid friendly bible, but it's the real deal! I hope he will grow to treasure reading it!! He got some other fun gifts on top of that! He seemed to enjoy his gifts and the day. We took him to a movie with his friend Joel, followed by a nice dinner out. We finished the night off with the dessert of his choice, blueberry cobbler!

A Day of Letterboxing

2009-01-12T17:13:00.001-08:00

We had a great time on Saturday. We spent the afternoon on a letter boxing adventure. The weather was great!! We started the day with lunch in the park. Then we headed out on the trail to find the secret boxes. It took quite a while to find one of the boxes. It apparently had been buried sort of deep under a pile of leaves. Eric was determined, and after much searching and back tracking....he finally found it. His perseverance paid off! This is such a great family activity, and it's basically free to do with the exception of need a few basic supplies like an ink stamp pad, small pad of paper, rubber stamp that you can even make on your own very easily and cheaply. I sort of haven't gone that far yet. I have so many stamps that we just each pick our favorite to use. If we decide when and where to place a box, I may get that creative and make a stamp of our own. I imagine that Austin would probably be suggesting some sort of Starwars themed type stamp. This is a fun activity that I recommend to anyone who likes to get outdoors!! The only warning is that, depending on the location of some boxes, I have heard you have to be careful, you never know when a snake could be lurking around in a hiding spot. So just keep in mind to always look carefully before you reach in and grab boxes. In our experience, we have never seen a snake, but others have mentioned coming up on snakes in their adventures. We just have to keep in mind we are in a natural habitat, and this is where they live!

Playing around with my photos...

2009-01-05T07:13:00.000-08:00

So I have been playing around with my photos. Trying to pick the best ones to frame...and so I wanted to see how they all looked as black and white photos. The best way to do that was to make a slide show. What do you think? Which are your favorites?

Drastic Times Call for Drastic Measures!

2008-12-28T18:45:00.001-08:00

Well....these are some tough financial times. Eric will be having to take a mandatory five day furlough between now and May. This will basically equal out to five days of unpaid salary. The state agency he works for has determined this drastic measure will save about 75 jobs and save a lot of money. Then in May they will have to determine again where things stand financially. We are just thankful that he has a job, as there are so many who are out of work. The other wonderful thing about his furlough is they are spreading the deduction over each pay period beginning in January and going through to May. It probably would have been a much harder burden to lose a large chunk of income directly from one pay period. Needless to say, God is good, and all the time, God is good. He always provides for our needs.

This brings us to yet again, thinking of all the ways to cut spending and be frugal. We have eliminated local and long distance calling plan from our land line. This helped save about $30 a month. Then the other night we were watching that show on TLC about the Duggards. It really peaked our interest to learn some of their savvy financial tactics! I mean anyone who has that large a family and lives in a house mortgage free is is obviously someone to gain a lot of wisdom from. I'm not ready to go start buying used shoes at thrift shops......but....I am ready to start making my own laundry detergent!!! And that is just what we did today!! Supposedly the breakdown is about a cost of .77 cents per batch of detergent. It makes about a little over 2 gallons of laundry detergent. We have yet to see how far the batch goes. It seems if you have large loads or heavily soiled clothing you need to use about 1 cup of detergent. On regular loads it should only take about 1/2 cup. I did our first load in the stuff and I have to say it seems to work just fine!! So I am excited!! Just in case you want to check out how to make some of your own detergent....check out this link!!

http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/

I kind of did a variation of my own.....I used baking soda along with about 1/2 cup of borax....and then added some fragrance oil that I had left over from a previous project. So we have some great smelling sweet pea flower detergent!! So that got me to thinking about all the other cleaners I could make myself....the only thing I was actually out of was glass cleaner....and yes I found instructions for how to make some of that.....so that will be in my next post.

And here is a little more motivation to save money and buy fewer things!! http://www.storyofstuff.com/

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-20T16:21:00.000-08:00

I'm posting our Christmas card here. I have had some challenges this week with both Wes and myself being sick. I started to run completely behind on getting all my cards out!! So.....I decided this will be the safe way to make sure everyone at least gets to see the card before Christmas. Sometimes life just throws curveballs at ya! We hope everyone has a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year from our home to yours!

Getting Ready for a Round of Birthdays!

2008-12-14T19:32:00.000-08:00

Well...over the next week we will be getting ready for a round of birthdays. My brother's birthday is the 16th followed by mine on the 18th, and ending with Wesley's who also shares the same birthday with my late great-grandmother! For some reason December is a popular birthday month in our family! The birthday I'm most excited about is Wesley's! He's just at that age where he's really beginning to understand everything! He's so enthusiastic and comical! He has picked out SpongeBob Square Pants as the theme of course. We really aren't getting crazy with the theme or anything other than a tablecloth and some cupcakes. I am excited about the cupcakes though!! I found some cute little SpongeBob candies and some crabby patties...so I plan to get fully creative with the cupcakes! I really enjoy making cupcakes...so I'm going all out! I think I'm going to give it a go at making oreo flavored cupcakes with vanilla creme frosting! Wes has given his approval at my flavor suggestions, so we are running with it! Then instead of goody bags....and also to really stay budget friendly...the boys and I are going to make Christmas sugar cookies to put in goody bags! Making sugar cookies is a fun family activity! We are going to have a busy week in the kitchen! I wish I lived close enough to make cupcakes for my little brother!! I can hardly wait to see if he likes the gift we picked out for him! He's been driving my parents nuts about wanting his present already!! We picked out a really funny gift for him! But, it's a surprise...so I'll post more about that after his birthday! It makes me a little sad that we can't always be together to celebrate family members birthdays. But, I'm so thankful for technology of computers and web cams that make it possible to be there virtually!! :) We will be firing up the web cam so that we can chat with family on birthdays and Christmas!! Still can't believe my baby boy will be turning 3! I was playing with photos on PS tonight. I thought this one looked cute as a black and white picture! My oh my how fast they grow!! I'm so thankful to God for the blessing of being a mother! He has given me the most wonderful boys! They bring such joy to our lives! I love thinking about how God created every part of them! He picked the color of their hair and eyes and even where to place a freckle or two. He designed them with different personalities and gifts! I am reminded of the important job we have as their parents to teach them about having a relationship with God. A task I prayerfully ask God to help me with because I know I fall so short. But, I am so thankful for the unfailing grace He shows me on a daily basis. It's that same grace I try so hard not to forget to show my own children!!

Charlie Brown Christmas Tree!

2008-12-10T05:24:00.000-08:00

Well. . . this has been a challenging week! It feels like we are in the full swing of the Christmas rush! But I'm happy to report I think we have completed our Christmas shopping. We have really downscaled and tried to keep it simple. We have even decided to go green on the Christmas tree. We decided to buy a cheap little mini tree that is an actual plant instead of a chopped down Christmas tree. So we will actually be able to plant this one in the backyard in the spring. I think it will be neat in the years to come to look at this tree growing in the back yard that was formerly our Christmas tree. You can't beat a $12 Christmas tree. It might not be as big and beautiful as the traditional tree, but it's cute in a Charlie Brown sort of Christmas way!

So I had a challenge with getting the boys picture done for a Christmas card. They are such silly little monkeys! The pictures are either blurred from movement, or only one of them is looking at the camera. Then Petey decided he wanted to be in the picture too, well because he is Petey, and he thinks he's people, or actually I think he thinks he's the third child in the family! I really wanted to use this picture for our card, but it just wouldn't work right in the layout....So you'll be pleasantly surprised when you get your cards because it's going to be a completely different picture! This picture is just too great to go to waste...so it's my
blog-worthy Christmas greetings photo!

Our Trip to FL for Turkey Day!

2008-12-03T08:54:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday!

2008-11-25T06:02:00.000-08:00

Happy early Birthday to the best mother-in-law in the whole wide world! Hope you have a great birthday!! Wanted to get this up here before we leave town and won't have access to my picture files!! :)We took some special pictures that we thought you might enjoy! Hope your day is extra special and filled with fun!!

Great Movie

2008-11-21T19:11:00.000-08:00

Tonight was our family movie night. We watched Kit Kittredge: An American Girl. What a great movie! Eric and I commented on just how it felt so close to home as it was set in the time period of the Great Depression. There were several mentions of foreclosures. It's startling because history seems to be repeating itself a bit with the stumbling stock market, high rates of foreclosures, and unemployment. I was glad that Austin was able to watch this because I think it really helped put a subject that can be so complicated to understand in perspective for a child on their level. It was too much for little Wes to comprehend of course, but he sat through bits and pieces of it. Popcorn, snuggles, and hot cocoa make movie night fun no matter what.

Overall, today has been a really nice day! Eric had the day off! Have I mentioned how awesome his job is! His work schedule is such a huge blessing to us! So we got to spend the day together! He surprised me this morning by making me a pancake with a big letter S on it. It made me nearly tear up because that's a tradition that his uncle used to do for everyone at family get-togethers. And now as the holidays are upon us, it makes me sad because I wish he was still here with us. I just had to look over on the fridge where we have a favorite picture of Uncle Bill with Eric as a toddler sitting on his lap. I put the picture up there ever since we got a copy of it from Aunt Barb, and I just can't take it down. It helps bring back the good memories of a very special uncle who touched us all with his spunky spirit.

More Thoughts to Ponder

2008-11-17T10:43:00.000-08:00

Three-year-old Agustin covers his face with a net "against mosquitoes" at the Kituku camp for the displaced in Goma, eastern Congo, Monday, Nov. 10, 2008. Augustin came with over 200 families of park rangers from the Virunga National Park one month ago, fleeing fighting between rebels and government forces that has left tens of thousands of refugees desperate for international aid
(This boy is about Wesley's age!!)

1 John 3:18 Dear children, let us not love with with words or tongue but with actions in truth.

Philippians 2:4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Matthew 25:40 The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

I looked up the word interest just to get a clearer idea of what interest really entails. As a noun the word interest is defined as a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something;

As a verb the word interest can mean be of importance or consequence

I came across these verses today...and feel encouraged at being in a position to help in some way!! I can't wait to get our boys involved!!
My thoughts have been preoccupied with the events occuring in the world today.
Funny how Eric and I have been talking about what would be a good family project for the Holiday season, something we have been talking about for a couple of months. Trying to decide what would be the best choice. Then I became aware of this need....and felt drawn to it over and over again. You cannot simply ignore the images that are floating through the media. It's impossible for it not to stir the heart. I'm growing more excited aboout putting together gift boxes for children in need hoping it will bring some measure of joy and comfort. Hoping it will sow seeds of love in the very least.

How Can We Help!?

2008-11-16T20:02:00.001-08:00

I feel drawn to this problem in the Congo. I found this great link for a Christian organization that is reaching out to help these refugees!! Please pray for the hurting people and those who are working so hard to bring the much needed help and supplies! Please also consider this holiday season maybe making a one time gift! I realize times are tough here, but we have it no where near this tough! I can't imagine my babies having to live in these type of conditions!! Yet there are someone else's babies and children doing just that!
Here is the link if you want for more information on what's going on and how we can help!
Crisis in Congo

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

2008-11-16T18:49:00.000-08:00

I found this picture the other day, Austin made it last Christmas season! I don't remember seeing it before, so when I found it, I just knew it would be a keepsake!! I wanted to share it with everyone! :) Especially the grandparents because I know they get a big kick out of the boys' artwork!!

I know that Thanksgiving is still several days away, but it sure feels like maybe we are just skipping that one and just rolling right to Christmas. The stores already have their decorations and trees up. Some of the radio stations are playing Christmas music. I think Austin wrote his Christmas list way back in September. What's the rush? And what in the world is up with the weather. The weather outside sure makes it feel like we have moved straight on to winter! One of my crazy neighbors already has their Christmas tree up! People, can we just get through Thanksgiving?? Okay, okay, I know, I'm in the Christmas spirit too. I admit it! I have even added some Christmas music to my playlist...:) maybe it's the chilly weather!! I just wish Christmas wasn't so commercialized! I think this holiday season we are going to try very hard to be more involved in some type of charity work....something to really help us all think outside the box and not forget that we really should as Christians show God's love by helping others. Maybe we'll help at a toy drive. I'd really like to do something to help in the Congo area. Things are so bad over there. There are all these refugee children caught in the middle of war activity. Seems awful that we are just thinking about budgeting Christmas gifts and our tanking economy, when here are all these hurthing children, some separated from their parents, homeless, hungry, and most definitely not out of harms way!! If you ask me what I think should be done, I think AIG should have to give back the money they have been wasting at these resort functions and send that money to help aid in places like the Congo. But, I'm not in charge! I hope these goofy business people realize just how selfishly they are living!! What a terrible waste of money when there is such desperate needs of children at stake.

Shadow Is Home!

2008-11-15T12:02:00.000-08:00

We were so excited to find Shadow this morning. After not finding him for three nights, things were beginning to look grim. We'd checked with the shelter, checked for any microchip activity, and posted various signs. Petey dog started to bark at
5:30 am, so Eric took him out. When he came back in he woke me up and told me he thought he'd heard a cat meowing. I don't know if I've ever shot out of bed with so much energy after hearing those words. Sure enough when we went outside we could hear him meowing. Unfortunately he seemed to be trapped inside our neighbors garage. We don't think he'd been there all along because we would have heard his meows for sure as he was pretty loud! So unfortunately, we had to wait until a more appropriate time of the morning to ring the neighbors doorbell. It was so hard knowing Shadow was there so close, but we still couldn't get to him. But all the while was thanking God because I was sure we'd found our kitty. I only hoped my neighbor wouldn't be angry with us about our cat being in his garage. I don't know how they slept through his meowing to be honest. At about 7ish I heard my neighbor start his car. The weird thing is, my neighbor always runs his car for a few minutes before he leaves. When we moved here, I used to hate that, it bugged me to no end. But man oh man, was I ever so thankful that he warms up his car. Because I never would have been able to catch him before he left for work to ask if I could check his garage for our cat. Sure enough when he opened the door, I could still hear Shadow meowing, but he was still hiding. At first I was worried that maybe he was inside the engine of their other car because I could hear the meowing, but I couldn't see him. Then I just kept calling and he just popped out of a box in the corner. No worse for the wear. I was so excited!! So thankful! I owe my neighbor big time for putting up with our wacky cat! Turns out they did hear his meowing, and they did look around, but didn't quite figure out that it was coming from the garage! Probably because he was hiding so well. I walked in the door and Austin was actually just waking up and I ran to his room with our cat telling him to look who was back. He was just so thrilled! I think we all piled in our bed with kitty who really didn't seem to bad considering he'd been lost out there during two days of some serious rain and thunderstorms! But he has been sleeping a lot!

Lost Kitty

2008-11-14T05:19:00.000-08:00

Our best kitty in the whole wide world is missing and we are very sad at our house. We have had two rainy days. We think maybe Shadow snuck out late the night before when we let the dog out, and then got scared and ran away. He's not good outdoors. Everything scares him! Once he gets out, he tends to panic. Austin is taking it very hard. I'm trying hard not to get upset in front of him, but if we don't find Shadow soon, I'm afraid my emotions are going to get the best of me. Yesterday we searched the neighborhood and we searched the woods behind our house. Then we also put up posters with his picture and our phone number. We even talked to a few neighbors. No one seems to have seen him. I worry that he may be stuck up a tree somewhere. He did that once a couple of years ago. The hardest thing is that the weather has been so rainy. Shadow has been out there somewhere during two thunderstorms. This morning there was really a bad thunderstorm. I'm glad Austin was still asleep because he would have been beside himself thinking of his cat stuck out there in the middle of it. I'm praying he'll have a good day at school because I know even as he left this morning, it was weighing on his heart. The weird thing is that before I realized Shadow was missing, I'd been reading a Bible devotion with Wes about being afraid. We read (Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I will trust in you.) I reflected on this verse throughout the day yesterday and reminded Austin of it as well as we prayed before bedtime adding special prayers for Shadow. I believe our God who cares for even for the little birds, cares about our pets as well. I realize fully that pets don't have the value of a human life. That doesn't mean that our pets don't have a special place in our hearts. I'm reminded that in this less than perfect world, that the outcome may be that Shadow doesn't make it home. So that verse is a reminder to put my trust in God that he will get us through it. I just have to remember to teach my boys that when we have sadness and fears that it's God who we can rely on to give us strength and comfort. For now, I'm putting my trust in God and praying that He will help us find our kitty. My heart is a sad with wonder of trying to figure out what happend to our special pet. I'm so used to having Shadow around. He is part of our daily habits. He always begs to lick the ice cream bowl, following me around until I give in. I'm used to him hanging out in the bathroom when I shower. I'm used to waking up at night with him snuggled up on my pillow by my head. Austin is used to Shadow laying in his bed as he falls asleep. And as I write this post tears are starting to well up in my eyes as rain beings to fall and thunder begins to rumble in the distance. Shadow, where are you? Please come home!

Cool Book

2008-11-11T12:46:00.000-08:00

I just finished a very cool book called The Shack. At times I was thinking where is this book going? At others I couldn't put it down. It confused me, made me sad, made me happy. It overall just really make me think about the things we don't see or comprehend. I wasn't sure I was liking the books at times, but I was compelled to keep reading. I wanted to know what was going to happen. In the end, I'm glad I finished it. Things became clearer after I completed reading the story. It's obvious that it's fiction, but there is realness in the sense that we should desire to have a "Papa"like relationship with God. And there is a realness in the sense that as humans we all experience pains, hurts, sorrows and dysfunctions in this life. But we have Hope and Triumph in a life spent connected in fellowship with God. Why are we so quick to miss out on the fellowship with God? He's always everywhere we are, but yet we still leave him out. So if you like a good book, pick this one up! Hopefully in the near future it will be made into a movie! A movie I will not want to miss for sure!! :)

Fall Fun!

2008-11-01T09:36:00.001-07:00

Pumpkin Carving

2008-11-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

Halloween has come and gone once again. It's funny how for a child it seems like it takes forever for the fun day to arrive. Then in a blink it's done and over. We managed to have some fall fun from last weekend through tonight. Last Saturday we took the boys to a church trunk or treat. On Wednesday, we carved pumpkins with the kids. Then on Thursday, Wes got to dress up and celebrate at a toddler/parent program they have at one of the local elementary schools. It was crazy how excited the kids were. It was quite the craziness. The kids were all over the place. If you look at the one group pictures all the kids are doing different crazy things. One girl is sticking out her tongue. Another boy dressed as batman appears to either picking a winner or scratching his nose. You decide! :) This one shot the best we could get. The kids didn't even have sugar yet, but you couldn't keep them still for long. I think even Wes was a little overwhelmed with the energy level because before long he was requesting to go home! I think I was happy he was ready to go because I was feeling a bit tired that day too. You see, the night before Petey the amazing border collie, woke us up every hour from about 1:30 till 4:30. At that point I decided to lock him in (doggy jail) his crate for the rest of the night. I don't know what he was barking at, usually it's the wind. He's like child with an over grown imagination. All I know is I was very mad at him for disturbing my sleep. I gave him a good scolding the next night and forewarned him that he would be suffering my wrath if he repeated the same barking routine. He must have understood because he put himself in the crate and I didn't hear a peep the rest of the night. Funny thing is that Austin has been trying to get the dog to sleep in his bed at night. Which Petey starts out there, but for some reason he doesn't stay there. It's like he's on night guard duty as he sleeps in different spots around the house. We have also found a kitten. Eric and I have been against getting another cat. We really have been. But, then of course, as it would only naturally have to happen, about a couple weeks before this cat shows up, Austin starts asking if he can have a kitten because Shadow was already an adult cat when we got him. Well...it's hard sometimes saying no to your kid. Especially when you have a kid as great as Austin. He works really hard at school. His teacher always has great things to say about him. He's patient for the most part with his challenging little brother. So, we really didn't say yes to his request. We just sort of gave him the I don't know and left it at that. Then this kitten shows up at a time when the weather has turned down right chilly. It doesn't help that he is this kitten that is skinny and pitiful. His ears look too big for his head. I mean who can say no to a kitten all alone in the cold world. I guess that would be Eric and I. Then to make saying no even harder, our cat Shadow, who typically hates all other cats, welcomes this one right in. He actually makes these cute little meow noises at the kitten. He gives the kitten baths a few times a day. He acts practically like he is a mama cat. The last time Shadow saw a kitten, he hissed at it. But for some reason, when this one showed up, he instantly accepted him without any hesitance. So that made things a bit harder to say no. So, it looks like we are going weak and opening our doors to this little stray. He is cute. He's still a bit scared of everyone and everything, with the exception of Shadow. So taking his picture has been a big challenge! But he's not afraid of pouncing on our feet when we are sleeping for some reason. That's the one time he isn't afraid of us. Lucky us!
So here are the pictures from our fun. We are going to have a busy weekend with visitors from Thornwell. I really should be doing things around the house to get ready for that, yet here I am, still sitting here blogging. I think I'm going to form a support group for those addicted to blogging! I have to make my decision very soon, as in the next couple of hours....to do the post on my blog everyday in November challenge. My only issue is that we will be traveling to FL for Thanksgiving...and I just have a great fear that I would be able to make my posts during that time on the road. Eric has loaned our laptop to a good friend who has to go out of state for three months of training. And since he is going to be all alone in a strange new city, Eric offered to let him borrow it. We rarely use the laptop anyway, but this would have been one instance where it would have been good to have. But, I think Eric's friend will have more need for the laptop then I will. And I found out about this blog challenge well after we'd already promised to lend out the laptop. So the more I think of it, the more I feel like entering the contest isn't something I think I could pull off. If we weren't traveling, then I would most likely give it a go. But who knows, I may still sign up. I'm still undecided.

The 80's

2008-10-27T12:56:00.000-07:00

I think 80's music is the best! Makes me feel old that it is now basically referred to as the oldies now! I came across this and decided I would post it here to share! I'm considering joining a blog roll challenge to post for every day of November. I think I could do it...and there are some neat little prizes. I have to decide soon!
So just a quick post for now....as I have things that I'm procrastinating!

Brownies!

2008-10-24T15:09:00.000-07:00

Wow, I think I may have found the best brownie recipe ever! Very simple to make and great tasting too! I will never buy brownie mix again! I found this recipe and decided to give it a try after having seen another blogger rave about it. I made it without the frosting and truly the recipe is great without it. I may make it with the frosting sometime for a special occasion. Being that I have no self control when it comes to eating brownies, I don't need to add the extra bad stuff to it! The first time I made it I decided to try it with some Hershey's Special Dark baking cocoa. The next time I made it I used the regular baking cocoa! The dark chocolate really makes it's rich! It was approved by all the boys in my house! The regular cocoa makes more of a traditional fudgie brownie. Sorry no pictures this time! I also added about 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips to this recipe and it is a great addition! Here is the link in case you want to try! But beware, you won't be able to stop at just one! These are high addictive brownies in my opinion!
http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipes/detail.asp?added=Grocery%20List&id=5008&page=1&per=25&keyword=best%20brownies

Halloween Preview

2008-10-22T11:10:00.000-07:00

Well, I am trying to work some thrifty magic! I found out costumes were on sale at Kmart 40% off! I rolled a bunch of loose change and managed to purchase two costumes for the boys for $15 each. I don't think that's too bad. Austin wanted a Starwars costume! Big surprise there! Wes well he was all over the place. The Starwars costumes are all really huge. Then he found a bright red Power Ranger costume that he liked. Hopefully he doesn't change his mind because he is stuck with it!

Is There Really Any Question?

2008-10-19T12:07:00.000-07:00

This being Sunday

2008-10-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

This being Sunday, I was really moved by this blog post I found. I thought this would make a good Sunday post. It's a clip from a church where members of the congregation are sharing their card board testimonies? What would yours be? I probably wouldn't have enough card board to do my own! There are many things that come to mind. Just makes me think about the many blessings I have. It also humbles me that in spite of my mistakes, selfishness, whatever the things I struggle with, God has never abandoned me. The verse I have been encouraged by this week is 1 Peter 1:6-9 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
This is the clip I wanted to share: Cardboard Testimony

Karate Kid

2008-10-11T18:52:00.001-07:00

Well, we have embarked on another new exciting adventure! Austin has started karate lessons. We'd hoped he would continue with the guitar lessons, but at this point that is a bit pricey. I think I can manage to teach him what I know....so hopefully he'll still get to do that as well, and it will be free! He has been interested in Karate for some time now. We decided to look into it. He went to a week of free trial lessons and it was easily evident that he is completely enjoying it. It's a family owned place and the emphasis is really about he kids having fun and getting exercise. It's not like this high pressure competition thing. Which is perfect for Austin. After a day of school, it's nice for him to get to run around and get some energy out. I can only imagine how hard it is for boys to have to try and sit still and quiet in class with only a twenty minute recess to try and release some of that energy. That's just not in any boys' nature! He has such big smile on his face at karate. He just loves this obstacle course that they run and jump through Life will always have plenty of pressures. Karate doesn't need to be one of those. Sometimes the instructor even calls on Wes to join in the fun. So I have a feeling that later down the road we will have to karate kids in our household.

Cowboy Wes and Smiley Petey

2008-09-30T21:45:00.000-07:00

Just had to add a couple more photos. I'm picture crazy tonight! Have to makeup for my lack of postings! Wesley's grandma is from Texas after all....so I had to get this one up here especially for her pleasure! And Petey well he is just the best dog ever...and he was being very cute today!

Kung Fu Austin and Other News!

2008-09-30T20:53:00.000-07:00

So it's been a bit of a while since my last update on things. Last week ended with a challenge of me leaving the sun roof open on overnight in the PT Cruiser. Of course that was the night the Kyle storm was rolling in. Didn't realize it until it was time to go to teacher conference at Austin's school. So, naturally I was late to that appointment as I was frantically trying to dry up water from all the interiors. I felt like an idiot for having left the sunroof open in the first place. I will be fearful from now on of even using the sunroof! But, thankfully our car dried out quick and seems no worse for the wear.

On to other news, Austin had wonderful scores on all his standardized tests. He is above average on reading and math. I'm not sure if their goals for second grade are low or what, but Austin basically has surpassed the goal they have set for the end of the second grade year on his reading level. I was so proud of him. I always questioned if we were doing everything we needed to cover while we home schooled for a year and a half. The test scores really made me feel good about our home school experience. I feel that God honored this time Austin and I had together. He is enjoying second grade and he seems to be breezing through it. His teacher is working on things that he can do at school to stay challenged. I always knew he was my little brainiac! It's funny because his 4K and 5K teachers seemed to miss all the potential he had in some ways. Until this school year, he has always seemed happier at home. He was like my baby bird who just wasn't ready to leave the nest. Now he is ready to start flying out there and exploring. Austin has asked to take Karate lessons. So this week we had the opportunity to Austin to participate in a free trial week of lessons. He had his first one this past Saturday. He really loved it. I liked the fact that it wasn't so competitive. It was more about individuality and having fun. He was so enthusiastic about it. He was making these deep "HiYaah" sounds when they were doing kicks and chops. The instructor really put a lot of emphasis about the proper time and place to use Karate. He also told the kids that school was more important than Karate. It just was so nice to hear someone putting a sport in the right priority. I really got frustrated with team sports because they have become so competitive to the point that it seems to lose the fun factor. These are kids not professional athletes. They have enough pressures and sports doesn't need to be another one. Okay, so I'll get off my soap box now!

Wesley has been just cracking us all up these days. He says and does the funniest things. And he has also turned into quite the cuddle bug. He just runs up to me at random and gives me these great big bear hugs! When you get the two brothers together it's even funnier. I have some pictures here to give you an idea of the latest silliness. I just love the pictures of them jumping on the bed wearing their t-shirts like togas! Wes was quite the photogenic kid today. He at times doesn't want his picture taken. Today though, he was more than willing on more than one occasion and I was just eating it up! He found Austin's old cowboy boots and he tried them on. It was so funny! He's not a cowboy though because he didn't leave them on for very long!

So there you have it! All the latest info. God is good all the time. All the time God is good! :)

I've Been Tagged!

2008-09-28T16:19:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official, I have been tagged by my friend Pauline. This is my first time being tagged...so I'll try and keep this interesting. I'm supposed to tell you six random things about me here on this blog. I could probably tell you tons more, but I won't do that to you!:)

1) I am terrified of cockroaches, wasps, and bees. Spiders on the other hand don't really bother me, unless I walk unsuspectingly into a web. Then I might freak out a little bit. I have had a roach crawl on me on more than one occasion and I have been stung by wasps a few times. So, these may be factors to my phobia!

2) I am addicted to Dr. Pepper and Chocolate. I could probably go vegetarian before I would give up either of these two things. If I was stranded on an island, these would be at least two of the things I would most likely choose to bring.

3) I once was in a Marti Gras parade at Universal Studios, Orlando, FL. I got to throw beads out to the crowds from a giant float. I had a friend that worked there and he invited us to join him.

4)I write with my left hand, but I do use my right hand to cut with scissors and bat when playing baseball or softball.

5) I love making quilts. Making baby or children's quilts are my preference. It's a craft I learned to love from my mother. She taught me everything I know!

6) I talk in my sleep. Usually I talk about food. Who knows why!? I guess I really like food a lot!

So there you have it! A little random info about me! :)
Now I am off to tag Eric, Larissa, Bekky, Elizabeth, and Deanie!
Peace and Blessings!

What a great weekend!

2008-09-22T13:23:00.000-07:00

I am just now getting around to posting about our weekend visit with old friends. Words can't justify how much fun the weekend was. I'm also still tired from the weekend. We just stayed busy the whole time. We started the night off with some Rock Band on the X-Box. Of course this was Eric's idea. He is after all, a rock band junkie! Everyone got in on the action. Even the kids gave the instruments and singing a whirl! The kids stayed up late playing and got up early the next morning to begin more playing. Karma made sure to set her alarm early to maximize play time! She and Austin had loads of fun. She has a very cool bedroom with a balcony view of the lake. Austin thought that was pretty awesome! Wes loved following them around trying to be one of big kids! One of the greatest things for the kids was having all this wide open sandy beach area all to themselves. Endless open space and fresh air to run around in. The weather could not have been more beautiful! The lake is just crystal clear and when it reflects the sky it just has the most beautiful shade of blue to it. I think I like this lake way better than Lake Murray. It just felt so clean and refreshing. Even our pictures just don't do the lake justice! You just have to see it in person to really appreciate it!
The kids got to try out tubing! The adults (minus Eric) got to try out some knee boarding. That was a challenge for me. It took some bruises, choking on water, and four attempts before I finally managed to get on the knee board. I think I was about nineteen or twenty the last time I'd tried that. Elizabeth, who'd never done it before, was up on her first try! I don't think there's anything she can't do! She made it look so easy! Eric wasn't willing to try it! He was more than willing to drive the Jet ski. He may turn into a boat guy just yet!! :)
We even got to ride over to a mysterious island with a very old cemetery! I really need to get those pics posted on here! And I promise I will! It was amazing exploring the island. It felt like the island in the series LOST! The beach sand reminded me so much of the ocean. For now I have to end this post! But Elizabeth and Rob, if you are reading this post, THANKS so much for an amazing weekend! I don't think we could ever top this kind of fun at our house! You have us beat!! Hopefully we can make that trip to Charleston some time soon!! :) Thanks again for having us out!! We cannot express how much we enjoyed hanging out with you and letting our kids have some totally new experiences that will last a lifetime! It was great catching up Elizabeth. I don't know if Eric and Rob got to quite sit around and chat like we did. I think we kept them busy with the kids out on the the Lake!!! :) But they're guys, so that probably doesn't matter as much!! Guys are more about doing than talking, right? Or at least that's how Eric usually is! :) Sorry they didn't have the chance to play some basketball! Hopefully they will get another chance soon. I think Eric is a little worried. Rob already has a height advantage....and then top it off he's been going to the gym!

pictures from our awesome weekend!

2008-09-22T13:19:00.001-07:00

Austin's 2nd Grade Photo

2008-09-19T07:35:00.001-07:00

Here it is!! Austin's 2nd grade photo. He really didn't want to where a polo for that day. He is a shorts and t-shirt kind of kid. If he could get away with it...he would wear his crocs to school everyday too. I insisted on getting dressed up for photo day. Good thing picture day only happens once a year. I still can't believe how fast he is growing up! This picture is proof. Seems like only yesterday I was holding him in my arms for the first time and looking into those great big blue eyes.

So we are off for the weekend to visit friends that have a lake house. Should be lots of fun for the kids and adults! Hopefully we'll have lots of great photos from our weekend.

Learning Letter "B"

2008-09-14T16:18:00.000-07:00

This past week was a challenging one. We had open house at Austin's school. With a school of just under 700, you can imagine what that was like. Parking was a nightmare....we were packed into his school like sardines. Didn't seem like the best planned event. But, it was nice to see his classroom and all the things they are doing and learning.
I have had a very bad couple of weeks with allergies. The pollen count has consistently remained at a high level. Motivation is very hard to find these days. I did manage to get a few activities done with Wesley this past week. He participated, but not with the same enthusiasm as last week. We may extend letter B into this week just to get a few more crafts in. I didn't finish all the things I had planned due to other things coming up. Wes has also become quite the puzzle junkie. He even tackled a bigger puzzle made for ages 5 and up! He loves a challenge! He loves to do big puzzles. He needs help to do them, but he can figure out a lot on his own. He loves to take them apart and do them over and over. That is another thing that he and I spent a lot of time doing this week.
Today we took the boys to a party. Thought Austin was going to have a cow because it was a girl's Hannah Montana party. I swear he hid the party invitation a couple of weeks ago because it mysteriously disappeared. I think he didn't want any of his guy friends to see it in the house! Taking him to pick out a girlie present was even more humiliating for him. He was sure she wanted boyish Lego toys. At the party he was so excited to find another couple of boys at the party. The girls took to shrieking in one room saying, "No boys allowed!" It was pretty funny seeing the boys stick with boys and the girls stick with girls. I know I have to enjoy the girls are icky stage because before too long he will be girl crazy! Not that he minds having a couple of friends that are girls, but don't dare ask him who he likes!

Wes Explains All!

2008-09-09T12:59:00.001-07:00

The World According to Wes

2008-09-09T12:57:00.000-07:00

I just love the words that Wes comes up with. Even beter than that is the definitions he comes up with to describe his word. The word is boomakah. Watch the clip for further explanation! :)

Penguins

2008-09-08T20:50:00.001-07:00

Getting Started

2008-09-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

I think I'm close to having some quilts ready to list! I'm hoping all will go well. Here is the first one. My mom has great taste in colors and details! I really like this one. It reminds me of winter/Christmas and babies that are born in the winter! Wesley and Austin are both winter babies!! :) Maybe that is why I picked this one to try and sell first! :)

Good Friends Reunited

2008-09-06T21:48:00.000-07:00

We got to spend the day with good friends of ours that we used to work with at Thornwell. It was so great hanging out and catching up. We took the kids to the zoo and dinner afterwards. We had a lot of laughs. It was especially fun getting to watch Austin and Karma together again. They haven't seen each other in about three years. Our friends just recently moved back to SC. The kids both seemed a bit shy at first, but later they seemed to be right back to being good friends who love hanging out together. I had to compile all the pictures that I could find for a special slide show tribute. It's moments like these that make life so special. Yet another example of how much our lives were impacted for the better by the time spent at Thornwell.

Friends

2008-09-06T21:46:00.000-07:00

"A" is for Ant and Alligator

2008-09-05T21:15:00.001-07:00

Letter "A"

2008-09-05T21:14:00.000-07:00

Who knew learning your letters could be this much fun!?

More Pics From the Week

2008-09-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

I almost have the Hello Kitty quilt finished! Whew! This one proved to be a bit more challenging. The pattern book had some misprints/typos on the measurements. I had fabric that was too long thankfully. I was able to go back and trim fabric to make it fit right.

Cranking Out the Quilts

2008-09-05T20:05:00.000-07:00

Well...I have to say...my mom is more productive than I am! She has been a quilting machine lately! I of course have to showcase her work. I just think she does such a good job. It seems she does a good job at what ever task she has at hand! I think I am a bit to distracted by other things. But, I'm not complaining! Lately I have been having a lot of fun with the boys. We made a trip to the library and checked out some great books. Wes is turning into quite the bookworm too, I'm happy to report. Austin has been discovering some great authors at school. He is just loving reading books these days! Eric and I can no longer spell things out if we are trying to have a private conversation. Now Austin is learning lots of new Spanish words...so soon I won't be able to use that as a secret language either. Ah, the trials of kids growing up! I have been teaching Wes his ABC's. We have been doing some really cute crafty things. I have decided to make his own ABC scrap book. I wish I had done one for the things Austin I did while we homeschooled over the previous year and a half. I just never thought of it until now. Oh well! So we are always finding things to keep ourselves entertained! Here are the photos from our week! Enjoy! :)

Future Bribery Photos!

2008-09-02T16:59:00.001-07:00

Underwear Make Great Toddler Toys

2008-09-02T16:43:00.000-07:00

We are in the process of trying to persuade Wesley to potty train. I use the word persuade because that's the only suitable term to describe what it's been like. Today Wesley told me he wanted his own underwear. I jumped on the opportunity and took him to Walmart where he picked out Thomas the Tank Engine underwear. I thought this would be great motivation for him. He loves anything Thomas. Well.....later when I asked if he wanted to try them on, he gave me a big NO. Here I was thinking there was a glimmer of hope for being one step closer to potty training. Later this evening, Wesley found another use for his new big boy underwear! It didn't take long for Austin to get involved with the goofy fun. Can't wait to show these pictures to their friends when they are teenagers! This was a very entertaining toddler toy for him.