A new year a new calendar

I love calendars, datebooks, notebooks, papers, etc. You get the picture. But, sometimes the date book gets placed under a pile of papers only to be found much later....ugh! So, I have decided to get simple with my calendars and datebooks. (Unless I win this really, really neat day planner on the homeschool lounge) 2009 was the first year that I didn't buy a Mom's Plan-It calendar, I used the church calendar that our church hands out every January during our yearly "strategy session" aka "business meeting"...guess what???  It worked and I knew when people's birthdays were! In December I picked up an Executive Appointment Calendar from my friendly insurance agent when I stopped in to pay our bill. This way I don't feel as obligated to use it but then again here it sits at my desk, ready for scheduling.

Speaking of a new year. As I look at the almost blank January I feel at peace, stressless and can let out a big sigh...ahhh! There are only three things on my calendar so far.

1. Weekly piano lessons


2. a dentist appointment for Blessing #3 to get sealants


3. decorating for a wedding reception this Friday

I really think I am looking forward to January 2010, where is that treadmill, oh, right where it always has been, time to use it...and we are now gaining daylight, slowly but we are still gaining.

AND, I am really looking forward to getting back into school mode next week. I cleaned out the school closet yesterday and have one blessing bedroom closet to put back together tomorrow. Closets are my arch enemy!

 

May the Lord find us faithful.

Catching up, as usual

Another catch up post

The weekend before Christmas I made homemade doughnuts, got the oil too hot, smoked up the house ( not good when the temp is cold and you can't open doors and windows!) but once the oil cooled down the doughnuts were yummy!

We had a completely different Christmas than we have ever had before. We started opening presents on Christmas Eve and slowly opened them throughout the day. We would just call out "come open a gift" and the masses would assemble and everyone would open a gift. We did this a couple of times in the morning, then we went to town for the afternoon and then to North Pole Christmas In Ice and home for dinner and a couple more presents.

Sleepy blessing in the AM

More sleepy blessings...he is closing his eyes due to the flash.

Getting his first wrapped present.

Open eyes!

He got a block bus! After everyone opened a present we had breakfast.

After breakfast Baby Blessing played with a cardboard tube.

He is getting so big, so fast.

At  Christmas In Ice, Baby Blessing was taking a nap in the van, so I accompanied him while everyone else went inside the ice park. And yes, my children's snow gear does not match, it never has and probably never will, we buy on sale when we can find it so that is that.

One of the sculptures

The ice slides, the reason the kids like to go to the ice park!

Sitting in in an ice chair.

 

We videoed the days events with our old video camera, we need to update this piece of equipment to something digital....some day. Blessing #1 wants one but he spent his Christmas money on a shotgun.

Our daily family Bible reading on Christmas Eve

 

Praying boys

 

Christmas morning left us with stockings to open and a couple of unwrappable gifts sat out. It probably sounds like a lot of presents but really they only get a few things and spreading it out over the day seemed like much more than there was.

 

 

May the Lord find us faithful.

Christmas Eve Eve

If it were up to me we would do our big Christmas celebration today! I love December 23rd. Why? I don't know, I just do. But, alas, today is just another Wednesday this year but I am looking forward to going to prayer meeting at church tonight. We have made Mrs.L's hershey kiss cookies this morning and I made an experiment fudge recipe. So far it looks like it will turn out good, we will see when it cools completely. I have attempted to make two batches of my Great Grandmother's fudge recipe and both were flops. One is just like softened tootsie rolls so the kids have been eating on that one, the other one just flopped big time. I give up for this week, maybe I will try again next week. I am looking forward to Christmas with friends this year as are the kids.

Now onto pictures.

Baby Blessing turned one this month and that was  a big day here, well, actually out and about but we were all together. Here he is eating his cake.

 

He got a vacuum for his birthday, he loves brooms and vacuums!

See

Here is Blessing#3 looking at the tree lights.

Baby checking out the tree

 

And one last picture of #3 playing cards with some friends of ours.

Merry Christmas!!!!!

May the Lord find us faithful.

One of our favorites

Here is one of our favorite recipes for Christmas candy, orange fudge.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

May the Lord find us faithful.

Seeing Changes

I couldn't make all these changes and not make a post! Today has been full...decorating for Christmas, family time, cleaning, and getting that Christmas picture taken and the cards ordered and a little HTML. A very busy day.

 

May the Lord find us faithful.

What are we going to do

What will we be doing during the rest of December besides the "normal" Christmas celebrations? We will be making math mini offices and maybe English/Language Arts mini offices as well depending upon time.

I will also be ripping the school closet apart again and getting things set up to begin again with workboxes when January begins. You know when you homeschool you really never stop learning we just take breaks and learn about other things. You see putting these mini books together will be school. I am also researching living math to supplement our math curriculum. You know I really want to be a notebooker but haven't quite gotten there, we are close and notebook more than we used to. I guess I would technically be an interactive notebooker since I love the folds and other lapbook ideas to "compartmentalize" our learning but I can't do lapbooks because I am not sure what to do with them. Notebooks I know what to do with.

How am I doing Jenn?

 

May the Lord find us faithful.

Perfect example

I will be honest and admit that I do not often visit the home page here at hsb or the front porch very often. So, in an effort to be more "into" the blog element I popped over tonight before signing off. I visited the blogger of the week which linked to this post about handprint snowman ornaments. These are just absolutely beautiful. I love snowmen and I think I will have to make a shopping list and gather supplies for these beauties. Now, this is my first visit over at this blog but I can tell that I will be spending some time reading over there.

Just thought you would like to know.

May the Lord find us faithful.

Update your blog

I know I just mentioned Jenn in my last post because she asked me a question and it reminded me to post on my blog. Well, she has done it again. This week she posted this post which got me to thinking again. (We all know that is dangerous!) Remember the "good ole days" of blogging before facebook and twitter? Well, I do and I for one love my blog and reading other's blogs. But life gets in the way and I don't have good pictures and oh, wait, I am making excuses! No excuses....here is our update.

I have a cold or something...I woke up with a sore throat Sunday and Monday I woke up full blown sick. Right now I feel as though someone has beaten my back and an elephant is sitting on my chest, my hips even hurt, oh, yeah and someone is covering my nose so I can't breath very well. Sometimes I am cold and sometimes I am just fine. I am otherwise okay. I can function at home and I have maintained school this week minus my reading aloud due to sore throat and nasal issues. I am not sick very often so I will be glad when this is over.

Now that THAT is over with...we have really had a good week despite my illness. School keeps moving on and we are taking a break from some of our usual lessons and keeping some of the normal but we are working on  The Twelve days of Christmas free lapbook from Homeschool Share . I don't know if the song really was some secret Christian catechism but I thought this information was great to get us focused on Christ during December. Do you know about Homeschool share? It is a gold mine of information especially if you are a FIARer or a lapbook/notebook person.

Our tree is up but no ornaments. I honestly think that this is the latest I have ever put up the tree and gotten out the decorations. I bought a prelit tree this year so at least we could have a lit tree today. Tomorrow the boxes are coming out of storage and ornaments are going onto the trees regardless of my personal health.

The girl blessings are going to attend an ice skating clinic tomorrow for a little ice skating instruction. I am thankful that my husband (who is recovering from what I have) is taking the afternoon off from work to take them. He is definitely a keeper. That leaves me home with two boys and hopefully I can do a little extra house work in preparation for decorating.

What kind of gingerbread project do we have planned this year? Thanks for asking. We are planning a "village" which means everyone will decorate their own little "house".

I must get some sleep.. but first...speaking of sleep. Baby Blessing has not been a great napper and has woke up at least once a night for the first 11 months of his life. Well, all that waking up on my part is finally getting repaid. He is sleeping longer at night, like 10 hours and he is taking at least one long nap a day and sometimes two. This morning he didn't wake up until 9:00, which I greatly appreciated as I could sleep in as well. Do you also know that he will be ONE next week. Where has this year gone??? Time flies when you are having fun.

 

May the Lord find us faithful.

Reminder

It is a good thing Jenn left me a comment this morning! Note to Jenn: My husband says she is my twin!

I have been meaning to post all week. I do not have picutures to post so this will be a wordful post!

It has been a different week. Monday we made cookies and treats all day for our Ladies' Tea at church with Mrs. L. We had a great time and enjoyed Mrs. L for the day since we haven't had her for a while. Her job is busy during November and December so hopefully we can begin our weekly days in January.

We made sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, dipped pretzel rods and oreos(made to look like snowman heads), chocolate peanut butter cups and Mrs. L went home and made about three more things to put with it(she says they were quick and easy so I hope that is the case).

Tuesday was piano and a little grocery shopping.

Yesterday was our first school day since last Monday. Next week should be normal and the next week should be almost normal. Then after that we will take our Christmas break. Speaking of Christmas, I do not have decoration one up. I am looking to purchase a new tree but I have not found just the right one yet and since I will probably have it for at least ten years I want to find one that I will be happy with for a while. Hopefully I will find one tomorrow.

I hope to make some cookies this afternoon as we didn't keep much of what we made on Tuesday.

When am I finding time to type this? Little Baby Blessing is eating finger food now so while he sits next to me and eats his lunch I can type!!!!!

Tomorrow the older blessings and one of us parents will be attending the Nutcracker Ballet. The girls and I went two years ago so I was surprised when they all wanted to attend, even Blessing #1. So, off we go! I really hope my husband goes and Baby Blessing and I can do some shopping while they are at the ballet. But we will see.

Well, this has been a sporatic post but sporatic is where I live right now. I am not getting used to it so hopefully I can move on soon.

 

May the Lord find us faithful.

....And many more!!!

Another birthday around our home.

Mine.

Sorry for the blurry picture but we were having camera issues or maybe it was the photographer. The blessings said I could be 39 or 93, I chose 39!

The kids made the cake. And they decorated the dining room for my big day.

My baby girl and me

 

May the Lord find us faithful.

Simplifying Christmas

 

When I read about this at Econobusters today, I knew I had to check it out. We don't live too simply(I guess that depends upon who you compare us to) and we don't live extravagantly either but I feel we could always live a little more simply. I know some things that I want to do this year that we haven't in the past. And honestly, I don't know if one could be more simple than we were last year since we had a baby on December 15th.

Some things I would like to do:

The typical home decorations with the blessings

Baking (we are going to make cookies and treats for the ladies' tea this year)

Go to the gingerbread house contest here in town

Drive around and drink hot cocoa and look at light displays and ice sculptures

Visit Christmas on Ice here in our little town

Watch Christmas movies by a warm fire with my family

Eat homemade cookies and candies

Ride snowmachines with my blessings

 

 

May the Lord find us faithful.

Week by week

We are moving along with our studies...I just haven't taken many pictures and I think I have camera problems but I am not sure as of yet. Time will tell .

My first picture is of our Baby Blessing getting outside after the first of the lasting snow. He doesn't look like it but he really liked being out there with everyone.

 

 

Next we have Blessing #3 inside of her Western Boomtown General Store (before she stocked it with merchandise)

 

It is not a saloon even though the doors look like television western saloons.

Hanging the awning.

 

Stocking the store...yes that is a toaster and pizza...

Blessing #1 and #2 are studying the Middle Ages this year and are working on dioramas of the different social groups. First...the peasants

 

Yes, these are modern wheels...artistic license you know.

 

May the Lord find us faithful.

Better

I definitely feel better today, maybe getting out for piano and a trip to Fred Meyer was helpful? or maybe it was the vacuuming and dust removing and a little time cooking and baking in the kitchen? Whatever it was, I feel better about schedules and making the most of our days. We accomplished what school needed to be accomplished this morning. Side note: Dad, did you find any good tickets, we would love a visit!

I didn't have to grocery shop today so maybe that was a source of goodness for my day!

Oh, my the Christmas decorations are calling to me! I love the winter decorations, the reds and greens and the lights! Not the blue though, it isn't for me.

I read Treasuring God in our Traditions by Noel Piper a couple of years ago, one of our dear assistant Pastor's wives loaned me her copy. I devoured the book and passed it right back. I am re reading the Christmas section in preparation for December.  Can someone tell me more about Advent?

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of all...I love the fall decorations and colors, reds, browns, greens, yellow and oranges! I have been looking at Thanksgiving decorations online and found a really cute idea that we are going to make. Only we will not paint the sticks and we will stick to autumnal colors with a more natural look. I also bought a Thanksgiving paper craft kit last year and we didn't have Thanksgiving at home last year so we didn't use much of it and I think have some precut papers for these pumpkins that we will make as well. I am looking forward to hosting Thanksgiving at our home this year. I often waffle about a center piece because we usually try to stuff as many people as we can possibly manage into our home so it isn't a fancy, sit down with china occassion ( in fact we don't have those at all here). We are more Chinet plate go through the line and fill a plate and find a place to sit people. It is how it was at my Granny's house and then we continued at my Aunt's house until we all grew up and went our seperate ways (those still there do get together when they can but it will never be like those childhood gatherings). 

If you live here locally and you don't have plans you are invited to our house, my husband and I aren't happy until the house is full, but be warned, we watch football on Thanksgiving, minus the commercials! (Actually, the men of the house watch, I cook and then visit and play games!)

What do you have for Thanksgiving? We literally have a ton of food and I love it all!

Turkey

Gravy

Ham

Dressing

Mashed Potatoes

Pa-Pa's Aunt Helen's Sweet Potato Casserole

Green Beans (we have casserole if someone brings it)

Broccoli Casserole (a recipe from my aunt and my husband loves it dearly)

Cranberry Sauce

Corn

Rolls

Deviled Eggs

Pies, usually pumpkin, pecan, and chocolate

Pumpkin roll and sometimes a dear friend brings chocolate roll cake for my son

I make sweet tea and we have sodas and water

I feel as though I left something out but I can't think of what it is right now.

Thankful....that's ME!

May the Lord find us faithful.

SpellQuizzer

Go over to  Adorning Grace  for a chance to win SpellQuizzer!

 

SpellQuizzer is a spelling program that helps kids learn their spelling and vocabulary words. SpellQuizzer is spelling software for children that need help learning their spelling and vocabulary words. The SpellQuizzer web site has pre-made downloadable spelling lists that you can download and use with SpellQuizzer. ~SpellQuizzer.

 

May the Lord find us faithful.

I need a plan

Oh, Ugh! I need a plan! We have a schedule but I honestly think I need something in writing posted on the wall for all of us to see and for my own accountability. You know if I write it down the kids think it needs to happen, so let it be said so let it be done. Plus, maybe my husband seeing a schedule will help me stay on track, I know there is enough time to do what needs to be done, I must be mismanaging time.  I really, really want to work on it tonight but after this is posted I am going to get to sleep so I can begin our day on time tomorrow. Tomorrow afternoon is piano day and if we don't get up on time the morning is gone and we haven't finished our morning schooling.

On a lighter note, Baby Blessing is so close to walking, he is standing on his own and he took a step over the weekend. His first year is quickly coming to a close and I find it so difficult to believe! But it is true.

 

May the Lord find us faithful.

Saturday

Here I am on Saturday about to head off to bed. It has been a full but relaxing day. I do have one question? Do you realize how much work clothing is? I have 4 Precious Blessings and that adds up to alot of clothing. I don't buy much but I do have to buy a few things, some clothing comes by way of hand me downs, I do a little thrift shopping and a little retail sale shopping, some comes in wonderful packages in the mail from Nana(I love these). 

Work created by clothing:

• Laundry....multiple loads daily around here


• Sorting of seasonal and worn out and too small clothing


• Finding someone or some place to pass on used clothing(I have 2 boxes and two bags next to the front door right now to pass on and take to the resale shop)


• Buying or making new clothing ===I would love to make more clothing but I am barely taking care of the daily life requirements at this time...soon, I will sew, the girls are at the age to begin learning.


• I am sure there is more.....

Now, I am happy for all this clothing work because it means:

• I have people here that need clothing, precious little people that call me Mommy and oh, that little guy who is learning to say Ma-Ma, sounds more like Mu-Mu, I don't care what he/they call me as long as they call me!


• I have the health and energy to take care of the clothing needs for these people


• They have clothes to wear....we lack nothing, need nothing, want very, very little


• I know how to sew even though I don't do any right now, I have a sewing machine.

Speaking of those little people, they are all bathed and tucked into their beds and the only noise I hear is the heat running through the pipes and the DRYER!!!

Are you prepared to Worship tomorrow?....Sunday's worship preparations begin on Saturday.

I am going to go do a little more preparing then off to sleepy by land.

May the Lord find us faithful.

Another week without pictures

Oh, you should see how beautiful the snow is! And today it has snowed all day...this morning we had small snowflakes but this afternoon we have medium sized flakes flowing steadily. The older blessings were out playing this afternoon. I have yet to get out and get snow pictures...my camera batteries died last time I attempted but they are now charged and ready to go. Maybe tomorrow, todays daylight will be gone soon.

 

 

May the Lord find us faithful.

Guess not

I guess there isn't much to post about when there are sick people in the house. I don't take pictures because the sick people since they don't do much and I am too busy taking care of the sick people and disinfecting the house to take pictures of the non-sick people. Thankfully we have only had 1/2 of the people in our home sick and I pray that it stays that way.

 

 

May the Lord find us faithful.

Snow.....finally!!!! Snow!!!

You would think that someone who lives in Alaska would dread the snow, but we don't. Once it starts getting cold, we want the white stuff.

•  Snow insulates the pipes and septic systems that run under ground,


• Snow makes things look wintery and fresh, way better than brown and gray dead trees.


• Snow in fun to play in


• when it snows, the kids can ride snowmachines! and us big people, too!!!


• we can watch winter movies


• we drink hot cocoa after coming in from being out in the cold and snow

 

 

 

May the Lord find us faithful.

Our week

We are getting back into the swing of things around here, this week was heavy on projects.

First was the building of the Palace of Versailles

 

She wanted to shingle the roof

Here is a battleshield  being made

 

 

This week we also learned about Mt. Vesuvius and the Buried city of Pompeii, so we made a volcano.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blessing #2 made a tiny treat out of a book she had, this is "breakfast"

Sister made one too.

 

And, of course, here is a little guy, he is almost ready to walk.

And, this is a picture that my Best Beloved took, no wonder he enjoys duck hunting, I would love to sit and look at the Alaska Range for a few hours. That is our dog, Emmy, fetching up a duck or maybe a goose, not sure. I have a plucked whole goose in my freezer, we are going to roast it up soon, or maybe to add to our Thanksgiving feast.

 

May the Lord find us faithful.