Smart Bucks!!!

I found this "share" over at Caps Creations!  I have been wanting to come up with and incentive plan to encourage the boys in their school work.  And what a perfect solution for little boys.  I just printed Caps file on my printer and pucnched out the tokens with my SU! scallopped circle punch.  Hmmmm maybe I will laminate these :)  Now to go shopping for some prizes *smile* School starts next week so I have to finish my "plan of action"

My Mother-ing-hood has changed.

Over the weekend I attended the CHEK homeschooling conference.  I went with plans of getting all pumped up to start our homeschooling.

Friday morning I went to one absolute DUD class.  The class was supposed to be something about you don't have to be a supermom to home school.  Three minutes into the class the speaker got off on a weight loss and whole food eating tangent....and for the next 45 minutes we were stuck.

The next class was by Amanda Bennett.  Being the Unit Study Guru, her class was about unit studies.  By the end I was believing that I could really pull this off and home school too.  The next morning I sat in on another one of her classes.  It was supposed to be 10 ways to spice up your homeschooling.  All of those were interesting...but something else she shared during the class has probably changed my whole motherhood.  Amanda admonished us to teach our children our testimony.  She said no matter what our children need to know that if any thing ever happens to mom that they need to make it to Heaven...because that is where they can find me.  Then she mentioned that your children also need to know your name and phone number as well as their grandparents names and numbers too.

Over the weekend I asked my 6 year old my name...he knew that...but he really didn't know that his grandparents all had full names too.  My 4 year old had no idea that my name was not Mommy.  And he doesn't know our phone number and has no clue that his grandparents aren't Memaw, Nanny and Poppy.  I do realize that not long down that road all of my boys will know that information.  But now I need to start engraving on their hearts my testimony.  They need to know that so that if by adulthood I am not around and they find themselves lost they will know where to go.  Suddenly it seemed that Deuteronomy 11:19 came alive in my heart.
Deuteronomy 11:19
And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Philips Homecoming

The Story of Philip--as told by his family

Sometimes people in Bloggerland touch your life.  Please click on the link above and read.  No matter what has happened in your life this week it cannot dim what this family has been through.

We dont always know reasons for why things happen.  We just have to trust that it is all a part of Gods plan for our lives.  May I always accept for His plan for me.

Its going to be okay :)

I have been so excited about starting to homeschool....things just seemed to start falling in place.  We have plans to go to a homeschool convention soon--and for the first time stay in a hotel with out the kids!  Last weekend we put laminate flooring in the playroom and were changing it into a playroom/homeschool.  Three days later we had a plumbing problem and flooded that end of the basement.  So all week I have spent tearing out floor in that room and carpet in another :(

To make matters worse  I took some wet towels to my neighbors to hang on their clothesline--and broke it!  To try to patch things up I made them some homemade bread.....

after the first raising....it raised so pretty....I kept watch on it for four hours....then when it was time to bake it...I realized that I forgot to put it in the pans!!!!!!  So it died when I tried to take it out!  Sadly....this is not my first time baking bread!

Backdrop for Puppets

So I decided to make a backdrop for our VBS this week.  I started with a canvas drop cloth from Home Depot and a black Sharpie marker....and drew the scene free hand--obviously :)

I laid plastic under the cloth and painted the cloth with acrylic craft paint.

The color collection was somewhat limited so I had to make my own color for the water.

Then I simply tried to paint in the lines just like a coloring book.

I outline the picture in black to give it a more finished look and a child's coloring book look.

Finally I did add a red cross in the blue triangle to give the sail the appearance of the Christian flag.  Hope you like it Angie :)

Home Comforts

Somethings always trigger thoughts of my mother. A few weeks ago I was in Barnes and Nobles and ran across a beautiful hard cover edition of Owl At Home. I was so excited. Mother read this book to us many, many nights. No doubt some nights she probably read it more than once. Immediately I grabbed a copy so excited to share it with my boys. As I was leaving the childrens section of the store I saw some note cards with scenes from the Owl At Home book---this would be the perfect Mothers Day gift for mom. On Mothers Day when Mom opened the cards she was so excited...the rest of the family looked on wondering why she was so in love with these cards. But my brother and I knew. They were a reminder of our wonderful childhood that my mother enjoyed too.

I used to feel bewildered trying to create the perfect childhood for my childhood for my children. Finally I just made goals for raising them:

• --raise them with the knowledge of God and His saving grace  
• --a home that might not always be organized ...but pleasant and clean 
• --encouragement to try again when they dont succeed 
• --acceptance to mature and develope at their own rate 
• --opportunities to learn, explore and follow their interest
•  

Finally I needed a measure of success.....then it came....a little friend was visiting and told Ben that he planned to move in. Ben replied "thats great you will love it here!"

 

Deep Breath!

I got this picture from a lady over at Two Peas in a Bucket....some day I will have it printed and framed for my family room.

Today is a big day.  I made a huge decision--with my husbands approval.  I have decided to just be a mom.  I am finishing the weddings that I have for this year.  And have cancelled out of ones for next year.  Lately I have wanted my total focus to be on my family.  Making a home that I would want to live in.  Educating my children.  Taking time to read to the boys at night.  Dropping the mop for time to play tag.  And cooking whole foods for my children and husband.

I don't want to miss even the tiniest moments....because I have pictures to edit and albums to design.

I want to be available and ready to enjoy every moment.  The boys will be little once...and the money that I make will never bring these days back.

I am indeed the luckiest and most blessed woman in the world and I want to enjoy it.

It is big deal...in my world yes but then again ...it is my calling...so here am I Lord.  I place my trust in Him to continue to take care of us while we raise our family for His glory.