Cool Video

A friend just sent this to me and I had to share it. I love this song and the way this choir did it with the black light and white gloves. So turn on your sound, sit back and enjoy.

Two Years Old

Celebrated another birthday today.

Yep! My little one is two and she set out to prove it today!!



After having gone through three other two year olds in our family, we were convinced that two wasn't so bad. Three was the challenge year.

Then along comes Elianna!! She is setting out to prove that she is her own little person and she refuses to conform to the rest of the family! She is breaking all the molds.

She keeps us on our toes. It takes a lot to keep her from running into the street, playing in the toilet, eating trash out of the garbage can, pulling all the books off the shelf, scribbling on the wall (add floor to the list), and screaming and yelling in the library. I think that almost covers this afternoon. May have missed something. ;)

But isn't she just the cutest?

My common statement with her is, "It's a good thing she is so cute!"



Could be an interesting year!

It came! It came!
The writing book I mentioned here, came yesterday. I was so excited to dive into it and see if it was all I had hoped it would be. It really is!!

In case you don't feel like looking at the link, the book I was waiting for is called, " Writing with Ease" by Susan Wise Bauer. I have been so frustrated with teaching writing and not understanding the whole concept behind copywork, dictation and narration. I know for those of you that understand the why and how of all of this you are probably wondering what my problem is. I have always been a reluctant writer and totally insecure about anything I put down on paper.

I probably should not admit that while writing a blog, LOL!

Not only is this book written by a faculty member of a college (teaching writing and literature) but she was homeschooled AND she homeschools her own children. What better person to assist me in helping my children succeed with writing? I have also had the pleasure of hearing her speak and was not only impressed (and entertained) but I was greatly encouraged by her.

I have also ordered the First Language Lessons, level 3. I had the first one but ended up dropping it with my son. It was just to repetitive. This one however, looks to be just right and I am excited to use it. I am a little unsure about where to start with my reluctant writer. I was also not sure if I needed both but according to the publisher, the writing book is meant to go with the First Language lesson books.

I am sure I will be posting about this some more as I start to use the material. My next step is to evaluate my oldest and see where to start him off. I think I will be backtracking to cover some things I missed along the way. He will also catch some more as I work with his younger sister, I am sure. Hope to make up for lost time this year!

Still feeling very overwhelmed but now there is a little hope thrown in.

I CAN do this!

Can someone please slow me down?

I remember lazy summer days. Days when I would wake up and do a couple chores then spend the rest of the day riding horses up on the mountain. Enjoying the cool shade of the pine trees and stopping at the stream to get a drink. I remember stumbling upon old homestead cabins tucked away in the hidden meadows. Dreams crumbled away by time with only the fireplace and a couple logs left. Who were they? What happened to them? Did their children or grandchildren still visit the old cabin? I would stop and pick a rose from the old bush that was still surviving after all these years. Wondering about the tender hands that carried it up to the mountain from some far off town, just to bring a special beauty to the land.


I remember sitting on the deck of the ranch house listening to the woodpeckers in the trees. Watching the squirrels and chipmunks hop on the deck and chatter at me then scamper off in the trees. The morning doves and meadow larks singing their beautiful tune. I remember...

I remember being still.

Longing for home today.

There's power, there's power, there's wonder working power!

Someone asked me what VBS was. I sometimes forget that VBS is church lingo and not everyone knows what it is (Vacation Bible School).

I described it as a week where the kids come and play games, sing, learn a few things and the adults go home completely exhausted. :)

That sums up the week fairly well.


Our church is doing a fun science VBS this week. I am taking pictures of the week and loving it. It is giving me a bit of a break from my 24/7 with my kids and yet I am helping. I get to have adult conversations, wander around and see what everyone is doing and even check on my kids sometimes.

I wish I could show you all the fun the kids are having. I try not to post other kids on my blog so you will just have to settle for pictures of my kids again. ;)

M lost her tooth on the first day, E is having fun in the nursery with the other little ones but would rather be out with the big kids.

My kids are helping to lead music and loving every minute of it.

Beach, Beach, Pool, Pool

Yep! Four days and four outings. Lots of fun stuff all week.

There was a major breakthrough at the pool today. M actually put her face in the water and not just once but many times. I am so excited. This is the girl that cried through swim lessons all last week. The year before I didn't even waste my money because the thought of getting in the water made her cry. The year before that, I actually paid for lessons only to have her screaming so loud, that the pool a mile away could have heard her. So I took a picture today just in case she needs to remember she can put her face in the water.

I think we will avoid the beach tomorrow though. The fourth of July is not the day to hit the beach if you don't like people plopping down right in your space. Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday.

God bless and keep our troops and their families safe.

How to slow down...

I just don't know how to do it. It appears this summer is just going to be filled with fun and going from one fun thing to another. This is such a great problem to have. So many friends that we have to say "no" to some.

I was sitting at the beach yesterday and mentioned to a friend that I just didn't know how to keep up this pace and still get to see friends and have fun this summer. She just smiled with a knowing look and reminded me about the time when I would have given anything for some friends to spend time with.

When I first met Becky we had lived here for two years, I had no church and one person I could call friend. It was rather pathetic really. When we moved here I had a one year old. Then soon after found out we were pregnant with K. During the pregnancy I developed gestational diabetes and needed to go to diagnostics twice a week to be monitored. How does a mom go to the hospital without the other child when she has no friends or family to watch child number one?

And you think that was hard... even harder to deliver a child and no one there to celebrate with you. My one friend felt so bad for me she tried to make up for all that was lacking. She smuggled in chocolate, brought balloons, cards, magazines (I had a c-section so was there for a week). She really did cheer me up and make me feel loved. She still is a great friend!

That was such a lonely, difficult time. I would have given anything for friends that "knew" me. For friends I could feel safe with. For friends to spend time with. OK, to be honest just a warm body that was bigger than my little baby would have been sufficient. Just someone to talk to during the day. Those were the days that I would go to the mall just to walk around and talk to an occasional stranger. I still can't believe I was bored enough to go to a mall. If you know me IRL, you know that I only go to a mall kicking and screaming!

Fast forward to today... I love my friends and I have so many people I want to spend time with, and my kids want to spend time with, that we are barely home all week. We have some wonderful friends and feel so blessed. What a great problem to have!!