Christmas Day Fun...

Merry Christmas 2013 from us to you!!!!!!

December 2013

We've had a rocky start to the month with some type of "stomach flu" infecting most everyone.  Only 3 have avoided it--so far!   We did get to Celebrate Carlina's 20th birthday while she was home and I can see the light at the end of the "birthday season"...one more!  Garrett turns 10 on the 29th!  We always have a real Christmas tree and got ours up on Dec. 1st.  So far we have lost a duck and a chicken in December, hopefully we can make it through the winter without any more losses, but I am not hopeful.  We also lost a kitty about a month back and I think we can attribute that to the mountain lion roaming around.  Jesse saw him in the field across from our house a few weeks back.  Hopefully he has moved on! That is not his actual photo, lol.

Homeschooling..

Are you considering it?  I have never regretted it, although at times I have been tired.  I have really pulled back toward a more "unschooling" type of schooling and we love it.  We read, play, write and do some math.  We do NOT do "public" school at home.  I enjoy spending all day with my children, I really do!  We do make lots of messes and it isn't perfect (we are all sinners) but I believe it is the way that things should be for us.  Here is a good site for those considering homeschooling High School:

LetsHomeschoolHighschool.com

also

hslda.org

This blog has been neglected.....

I plan to catch up one day.  School is going along for everyone and we are very busy with church "goings-ons" as well.  Today is Alicia's 16th birthday and I will try to post updated pictures of everyone soon!!!  Tomorrow headed down to college to see the 2 college students...miss them so much!!!  Hope to write a more lengthy passage soon!!!

What does Home School 2013-2014 look like?

Summer is winding down fast and we will soon be hitting the books again!  This year I will have a 2yo, preschooler, 1st grader, 4th grader, 7th grader, 10th grader and a Senior!  I think this year might be a bit more challenging then last year, due to having a very determined and busy 2 year old little boy.  He does love to color and draw, so that helps  alot.  It seems those art genes run very strong in this family--mostly from dh's side!

My senior will be taking 1 online college class, just to get her feet wet and earn some free credit.  The school doesn't allow her to take anything that they offer, so she is forced to choose from a very small bank..thus Children's Lit it is.  I am also having her take an auto care class...very important if you own and drive a car!  She will be working on German this year, since our Greek teacher left.  Also, reading some good books and doing wordly wise vocab and Easy Grammar.  She is also taking the Economics course that My Father's World has put together.

10th grader is doing MFW American History along with the German, Geometry and Biology.

Continued tomorrow......

College Bound!

Two weeks from today I will be packing the "bus" to make the 5 hour journey down to college with a college junior and one brand new college freshman.  It is so hard to believe that the summer is winding down and we are facing a new school year.  I am really not sure where the time went, but I have the same feeling each year.  Colton is continuing his journey with his Advanced Biblical Studies degree with the hope to go into missions somewhere far away.  Carlina had been taking online classes at a community college but decided to try Bible College for at least a year.   She made this decision about a month ago and we have been scrambling to get everything done.  Today we bought some of the last items she needs...bedding, toiletries, school supplies.  I am so excited for her but I am going to miss her tons!   They really do grow up much too fast.  Carlina will be 20 at the end of the year and it seems like yesterday that she was running around as a little girl, playing with her stuffed animals.  That sounds so cliche but you can't really understand it until you experience it for yourself.  I have gotten used to having Colton gone, now I will have to adjust to one more baby bird exiting the nest!  

Sisters

Hooray I'm 2!!

Summer bliss..

Gardening....(weeding, hoeing, watering-sweet corn, pumpkins, zucchini, carrots, lettuce, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and WATERMELON!)

VBS-this is THE week!  We've been working on it since early April and it is finally here!  We are doing Answers In Genesis's Kingdom Chronicles and it is a blast.  I have a role in the drama this year, which tests my memorization skills!!

Swimming-NOT yet!  Alas, our pool is waiting for a new liner.

Animals-lots of time taking care of the critters..ducks & chickens.

Drivers Ed-Child #4 is involved in this right now!

Fun-picnics, birthdays (3 summer boys right in a row! Thomas turns 7, then Colton turns 21 and finally big boy David turns 2!!), and lots of time to have cousins over!

Today...May 15th

Lately I am a homebody.  I seem to get less and less done as the years go by...fatigue? laziness? internet?  When I am home, I have no excuse and can usually accomplish one small task.

The garden is coming along and some green is beginning to peek out.  Snow on May 1 and then 106 degrees yesterday...extreme and not conducive to growth!!

Carlina had her wisdom teeth out yesterday, poor soul.  She is surviving, doing well even and won't have those nasty buggers to worry about anymore.

Where's Spring?

It has been so cold lately.  We are even supposed to get a wintry mix tomorrow.  I am hoping that my apple trees won't get ruined, like they did last year..no apples:(  We are planning a bigger garden this year and have 2 plots staked out.   Right now we are getting ready for our annual Home School Presentation Fair.  The kids have to stand up and present a report.  The topic this year is Founding Fathers.  Next is VBS, which will be in June.  I am directing the drama again, so we are beginning practice already.  We are using Answers in Genesis VBS again which is always top rate!  We have so much fun with it, but it is tons of work to get ready.

Schooling is going slow!   This time of year it is hard to be motivated!  Julia did take her ACT, she was happy to get that out of the way.

Colton will be finishing up his sophomore year and coming home in a month.  He will hit the job search hard, he would really like to go back in the Fall.  Carlina is still deciding what route she wants to pursue, whether more online college or go down to KC with Colton.

Garrett & Thomas had cavities fixed today, not fun.  Thomas is going to the orthodontist on Friday to see if anything needs to be done about overcrowding.

Springtime animal fun!!

We've added 4 critters to our menangerie....3 of the cutest baby duckings and a friendly gerbil named Smee Murphy.  Katie is the keeper of these critters and is having a blast.  The duckings she has dubbed Myrtle, Seven & Juniper.  That brings our total to 4 llamas, 1 dog, 5 cats (soon to be 4 as Mom is taking one with her back to Indiana), 13 chickens, 3 duckies and 1 mischievous gerbil.  We decided against expanded our chicken flock this year although we will probably regret it as the ones we have don't lay as well.  We also have a strange anomaly in our chicken flock with the large and incredible "Henny".  The cornish rock that was never butchered but kept as a pet.  She produces earthquakes as she stomps around the farmyard.  She is now 1 year old and none of us expected her to live as long as she has, but she is still with us!!  I wish I could put her on a scale and weigh her, I'm assuming it is near a TON!

School daze...

This time of year can be a doozy for schooling!  Must keep motivated.  At least the weather is cooperating right now, very cold.  That keeps us inside and takes away any Spring fever we might be infected with.

Here is what we are all occupied with currently:
Carlina-working on her second online college course..Intro to Lit.  Still working 4 nights a week and a big help to me, of course!!

Julia-plugging away with her homeschooling.  She is a Junior and working on Algebra 2, Chemistry, American History and English.  Also working about 3 days a week.

Alicia is a freshman and working with My Father's World World History.  She is currently reading Beowulf which she doesn't find very entertaining.

Katie is studying the Old Testament and ancient history.  We are reading I Samuel together right now.  She is 11 and in 6th grade.

Garrett is studying the days of Jesus before he was crucified.  He is also learning about transportation and working on spelling and grammar.  He is in 3rd grade and working on his times tables, too!

Thomas is studying the Old Testament, too.  He is officially in Kindergarten but doing some 1st grade stuff. He is learning lots of Proverbs.

Anna is working on writing her name and learning letters.  She is not too interested in that right now, but we work on it a little bit each day.  She would rather be playing Princess or coloring.  She is 4.

David is starting to talk very well.  We enjoy his silly faces and crazy dancing.  He is a big Ham!  But what do you expect from the youngest??!!

We are also going to Awana weekly and working hard on memorizing our verses.

I love having them all home with me!!  I am so thankful for the opportunity to Home school!!!!

Yummy....

Don't these look delicious for Valentines Day?  I found them hereHomemade Snoballs.  Do you make a special dinner or treats for your family on Valentines Day?

January

I am just not a big fan of January.  It is long and cold and  dreary did I say long?  I guess I am just not a big fan of winter in general.  December is a fun month with 2 family birthdays to celebrate and Christmas to look forward to.  But here we are..through January and a bit into February.  I don't mind Feb as much, it is just one step closer to Spring.  Here are some random January fun pictures:

Garrett's Birthday..

Garrett turned 9 on Dec. 29th and it has been our tradition to go to ChuckeCheese.  This year we went in the morning.  I had a coupon for tokens and we skipped the pizza (ick).  We ate somewhere else for a much better price.  We were the only ones there for most of the time.  It was the best experience I've ever had at a CEC..it really isn't my favorite place.  I think Garrett is outgrowing it, so this may be the last year.

What will 2013 bring?

We have had a bundle of snow so far...more then all of last winter!  I can't say January is my favorite month (or Feb or Mar), but I know winter will eventually end!  I still can't get away from my Texas roots.  The Sun is my friend.

I am looking forward to continuing to home school all of the kids.  I take it a day at a time and try to enjoy each day.  My goal is that they (first) Love God with all of their hearts, mind and soul and love their neighbors and secondly, that I can build a great relationship with my children.  No small goals..but one day at a time.

My kids will all get a year older!  This year I'll see them turn 21, 20, 18, 16, 12, 10, 7, 5 & 2.  I pray that they will all mature and grow in the Lord each day.

I am also looking forward to having a bigger garden this year.  We have someone hired to come out in the spring and till up a spot and I am excited about that.  We may also add to our chickens and perhaps throw in a few ducks to the mix.  I also hope to train the llamas to be a circus act.  Really that is a joke as they are wild and practically untouchable.

I continue to purge and organize..this is an ongoing thing.  If I could just avoid buying more books.  Having a Nook helps but I still love to buy kids books.

I want to stay active in a Bible Study with other believers.  I am currently studying Romans with several friends and loving it.

I plan to be content and enjoy each day of 2013.    My hope is in the Lord alone.  Troubling times may increase in our world but I am confident in Him.  We may experience trials and difficult times, but He is always faithful and will never leave us.

Happy 2013!!!!