A snip-it's view into of the world of a child's mind and the chuckles I get daily from hilarious things I read or witness while schooling my children:

One of My Second in commands assignments in Science while studying her environment:

Name one thing that you can
See.
Smell.
Hear.
Taste.
Feel.

Her answers:

Name one thing that you can
See.    trees
Smell.    flowers
Hear.    birds
Taste.    sap    grose
Feel.    bark

Where did she come up with THAT? Why not an apple from a tree... or a berry from the bush... Sap? Oh my goodness like she's EVER even tried to taste it.  Maybe it's actually very yummy. Haha...and "grose"... let's just say spelling isn't exactly her strong point... yet. Anyway, there are SO many cute little lovelies I get from correcting, teaching and having all of my kids home with me all day. On days when baby is into everything, tensions are high, sleep deprivation looms, questions are coming to me from five different directions and attention spans are non-existent, I sit down. Scream. Sigh. Pray. Remember why we chose to home school them. It's not because I have to, because I'm following the crowd or even because it's the best way. We home school our children because we feel led to. The Lord has called us to it. Only He knows the ins, outs and in betweens of why. Only He knows what every other alternative would bring in ours and our children's lives if we chose to go our own way(and believe me I second guess our decision to home school every year). Because along with doing what the Lord desires in our lives for our children's sakes, sometimes sacrifice on our parts as parents spares us reaping the concequences of what would otherwise be completely folly.
On days when life is overwhelming, I take a moment to look up, pray and remember to keep my eyes focused, my perspective heavenly and my heart thankful.  It doesn't matter who you are, where you live, your social status, how perfect, pretty, marred or confident you are, whether you're locked in a windowless dungeon because of your faith or on top of the world you can look up and sing:

I have a maker
he formed my heart,
before even time began
My life was in his hands


He knows my name
He knows my every thought,
He sees each tear that falls
and hears me when I call


I have a father,
he calls me his own
He'll never leave me,
no matter where I go


He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
and hears me when I call

-Paul Baloche

Christmas replay-part 2

Gifts, celebrating Jesus, family, games, good food, playing in the snow... yep, that about sums up our holiday winter season so far!

Christmas was a slow moving process of moving unrushed from our home, to my parents' and ending at my grandparents'. It was relaxing... yet full. 

Our 2010 year ended with a bang as my parents, brother and his roommate and my whole family took an adventure up to the mountains to hang with a sweet family who has 8, yes, count them, 8 snowmobiles and a huge tree surrounded meadow full of mounds and mounds of beautiful white snow.

Everyone went sledding, and not the old fashioned way of sledding mind you.  You know, where you fly down the hill in seconds and then trudge back up for the next half hour laboriously dragging your sled. No, we were spoiled. Snowmobiles would be constantly making rounds to pick up sledders at the bottom of the hill to bring them back up to the top. It became a race really. To see who would make it to the bottom first.  The snowmobile or the sled. Over and over again... oh, the bliss.

The men (and me) went snowmobile adventuring and I took a tumble off of the back of one and landed on my rear!  It still hurts.

But it was SO worth it.

Good memories made.

((yes, my dad is probably the only one from this area who wears shorts on Christmas day... I love him for it))

I absotively {{heart}} this time of year.

Random Thoughts Thursday

Well, if you've noticed I've been an MIA blogger a little lately, or the fact that I haven't posted a "new" picture in about 2 weeks, that would be because my camera has died... Yep. It's a goner. Lost it to a broken lens.  I've had my Kodak Z1285 Zoom for a couple of years now and it has served me well, may it rest in peace. Okay, so not blogging may have something to do with working 15 hours a week, homeschooling my 3 kids, keeping my other 2 entertained and all of that other stuff a mother and wife does...
But, yeah. One drop and WHAM, my camera received a fatal injury. *sigh  Don't you ever wish things were made the way they used to be? Strong, durable and outlasting the people who bought them?  Lasting in fact longer than you'd like them to for modern-in-style-gag-me-green's sake? Man, you don't see that much anymore.  I guess that's what we get for having the ease of 21st century technology. More fragility. People have become more fragile because of technology, too! We depend on it more and more every day. More often than not, I say "Phooey on technology"! 
Seriously.  Technology is such a catch 22 for me.  I don't want to live completely without it, but it sure does ruins a lot of "real"-ness. Let me explain what I mean and what my heart is saddened by:
Texting, Red Box, facebook, world wide web, email etc. simplify, yes completely "save" some of our lives for time and conversational means... but they also take away from "real" life. Face to face RELATIONAL moments in life. They make life easier. Yes. They make sure everyone knows what is going on in our lives and how we are feeling immediately. Yes, but sadly they take away that special human connection, dependency, closeness and contact that we ALL NEED.  I believe people need and should be inconvenienced a little to know the true meaning of comradeship, trusting solely in God for the means and the joy of being thrust into a completely blind situation, using people and those around you to navigate through... I'm not saying Texting, Red Box etc. is wrong... it just has it's uses and more than not, it's abuses.  Life moves forward. The world keeps on turning... our perception of God and His calling for a life set apart, in relation to life, metamorphoses to the changes physically around us... good or bad?  I don't know.
The holidays are over. The snow is starting to once again fall. Schooling my kids is my all-time priority. My camera fund, fueled by the tips I receive from work, is to the halfway point of finally being able to buy my dream camera and snap those precious moments once again.  Life is roaring on. I'm striving to live purposefully. Impart wisdom. Live unregrettably. Guiltless. Sacrificing my fickle feelings. Blessing others when I can.
Oh, my goodness... when I think about my life, circle of friends, family, church, husband and every other good thing around me, I feel overwhelmingly blessed. Blessed beyond what I deserve for sure. The least I can do is smile at everyone I pass.  Open the door for that burdened stranger. Listen to my child "read" that book to me. Sit still to cuddle with a sleepy baby when the sink is full to the brim with dirty dishes. And not because I have to, mind you, but because I am full. Completely and utterly full of the blessings bestowed on me by my Maker, to where it overflows on those around me!  I can only hope that the meager smile or "time of day" I give to those around me will in turn top off their cup of blessing and overflow onto someone else.
I love my job. I "love" coffee. God is good. No, make that GREAT! I love that I along with every other human being, I am not perfect because in confessing that, it makes myself more approachable and understood by others. I am really enjoying my new Ipad.... I love training my children. I love that my life challenges me. I love that I get that little bit of contact with people outside of my home because I get to have that split second of planting seeds into those souls that God has created and loves dearly.  It doesn't matter where you work, what you do or your GPA, you can ALWAYS bless. Whether with a smile, a little grace, patience, sacrifice, honesty or heroism... it will impact and make a difference.  Are you making a positive difference in those around you today?  Not just that little safe circle of people around you but those who require faith, trust and forgiveness to love? It's something to think about!
So much more I could say. Rant and rave about my children, the lights of my days and my greatest accomplishment and calling. Talk about divine appointments, the many science experiments cluttering up my kitchen counter which may or may not contain one or more or none of the following: Chicken bones, soil, roots and vinegar... The remnants of homemade Christmas in the form of color crayoned mistletoe hanging above my many archways. The beautiful friends who amaze me. The mouth-watering delicious talapia recipe I made last night. The fact that a professional personality test has labeled me as DD... more on that later.  My husband who completely completes me yet at times completely infuriates me.... but life calls. "Real" life. So I bid you adieu for tonight and many blessings for tomorrow...  may God guide your steps, guard your hearts and keep you from eating that delicious frosted doughnut that would completely spoil your New Year's resolution... *wink

Goodnight.

Christmas replay-part 1

Decorating the Christmas tree!

Eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair... kisses and goodbyes!



A Happy New Year

... or should I say that I am already completely exhausted... not the best way to start out the year. God is good, though. As I reflect on this past 2010 year, I am in awe of God's faithfulness.  He has been faithful through it all, to see us through the good and hard times, to bring along growing seasons, yank me back to reality and most of all, bless our family's socks off.

 Christmas Eve Photo

This year is a biggie in the travelling-a-path-never-before-taken by this family of seven. I'm NOT pregnant!!  Haha, it may sound funny, but seriously with all of my kids with the exclusion of my first two who we're 12 months apart, I have gotten pregnant consistently when my baby is 18 months old and so my last four kiddos have all been 26 months apart in age.  Craziness I know. It was completely not a purposeful thing. My husband and I are terrible planners. Honest!  We wouldn't be able to have even planned that, let alone see it to fruition!

The kicker is that my baby has turned 19 months old today and once again I AM NOT PREGNANT! Can you sense the excitement?

Wow. I'm a little amazed still. I may need to sit down... She's 19 months and I am not pregnant. Okay, anyway... So this year marks a first for us. Probably, barring a miracle, no more babies. My fifth blessing is and always will be my littlest baby.

 So we look forward to this 2011 year of walking a never before trodden path. We also, from time to time look back on all of those times we've stumbled, not to be condemned once again, but to remember from what He has saved us from and brought us through. How He's been faithful and cares enough to change our hearts. We are thankful for last year's many joys, those times of walking in the light along with the times we we're stuck, in the dark, groping for a way out. Only then to see that the Holy Spirit's hand was upon us even then, in the blackness. Growing us. Making us lie still, listen and dig deeper still. Rest. Depend on our Lord for everything and look to Him for everything. Learning patience and finding direction.

"With You is the fountain of life; in Your light do we see light."

Psalm 36:9

Hmmm, New Year's resolutions. I'm not big on those. But I am big about purposing my days lately. Making a plan and sticking to it, seeing it to the end. Persevering through the pain, through the uncertain dark places. Never losing hope, but trusting in His Word that He never leaves us, never forsakes us and waits expectantly to give us His glorious crown of life, made specifically for each one of His children.

So here's to a happy new year, walking in His love and grace, bringing my children up to know and love the Lord and His ways and loving on my dear sweet family just a little more every day. Thank you, Lord for the blessing of another year to walk with YOU!