Change of Scenery

As you can see, I've changed the scenery around here. I was a little tired of the old look and I figured it was a little over due that I change the header photo since it didn't include our newest addition (who's been home with us for a year). I guess you could say I'm a little busy! : ) I have NO IDEA how to create a header like I had, so we're stuck with what you see here.

I'm quite challenged when it comes to the blog designing. It frustrates me to no end, honestly. I had a little bit of "free" time tonight as we were all watching a baseball game together after the Ladybug went to bed, and what did I get sucked into doing... yep, blog designing. So after WAY TOO MUCH TIME trying to figure things out, this is all I could come up with.

It's simple.... no frills... but it's still all about our family's journey together, the incredible blessings we've been given, the valleys we cross through His grace, and it's all for HIS glory alone! At least that's still the goal of this blog. So, although the scenery has changed, (and the posts aren't quite as frequent these days) I pray that what you read will be encouraging, making you smile some days, touching your heart some days, and urging you closer to Jesus everyday you stop by to visit!

GO GOD!

Homeschooling Field Trips

I'm not usually big on field trips unless they are really worthwhile, so I try to really plan a few great trips each year. We just returned from one of those great trips.

We spent the last several days in the Ohio/Kentucky area and experienced the Creation Museum. If you've never heard of the Answers in Genesis ministry, it is a must to check out! This museum was phenomenal! The kids, my Man, and I all enjoyed our two days there. From the planetarium, the shows, the exhibits, and the lectures, it ALL reminded us over and over just how BIG our amazing God is!

A few highlights were:

* The amazing Planetarium shows (which were really astounding)
* The "Seven C's of History" (which I had heard, but not quite like it was presented here)
* The Walk through History - much of this left us speechless!
* The Botanical Gardens (where, of course my Big Girl and I were camera happy!!!)
* The Petting Zoo (where the kids loved feeding animals, especially the came, named Gomer)

The laughs, the learning, the family time, and the memories we made were priceless. I was reminded over and over through this experience of the joy of homeschooling, but also the incredible responsibility and calling we have as parents to educate our children. Whether you are homeschooling or not, we're all called to educate our children and train them in truth. We learn TRUTH, by studying it. IF we know the truth and experience it personally, we are then equipped to recognize the counterfeits that the Devil throws our way through our Culture. It's out there and History proves that the "world" isn't embracing God's Truth, but trying to Redefine and ultimately defy it. We must prepare our kids. More than math, history, science, and social studies, we must prepare them for the battle of Truth that they will all face in their hearts and minds. It will be worth the effort we put into it!

Anyway, great field trip! I'm glad we're home this weekend so I can catch up at home and start Monday ready for another "normal" school week here in the "classroom". : ) Every week can't be fun field trips. (ha!) The memories and things we learned will be brought up many times over the next few weeks and months, I'm sure!

A Real Power House

School is going great and the kids are excelling. My Man and I are finished with week 5 of our P90X program and we are loving it. Well, it's actually a love/hate, but I am LOVING the results. We are all eating better and my Man and I enjoy making progress together. It's been sweet sticking to this program together and encouraging each other each day. We're blessed to be able to do it.

Between planning meals (which takes more time when you're eating completely healthy), strategically making shopping lists with coupons (oh, yes, I've added this to my weekly planning), writing lesson plans and teaching four kids (in four different grades), keeping up with our home, managing our home office, doing P90X 7 days a week (which is about 1.5 hours a day), and then traveling when necessary with my Man, life doesn't leave much time for extras like blogging the way I've done in the past.

My kids are learning much this year and I am loving seeing the progress each day. We are loving the Mystery of History study. We are all learning a great deal, as we go through this journey, beginning with Creation. Next week, we look forward to seeing the Creation Museum and having a lot of what we've studied really come to "life" as we walk through this museum. My Little Man LOVES his science, which is the Apologia, and is all about aquatic animals. He really enjoys sea creatures, so it's great having a curriculum that is all about what he is interested in. That's one of the sweet joys of teaching at home! My little Ladybug is reading. YES, she is already reading short stories in her reader and reads through her flashcards of words like a champ. She likes doing school and it's quite humorous because after a few minutes, she will often copy her siblings and say, "Can I be almost done?" She tries to be so big just like them.

My Little Man and I are about to spend some more time on reading, reading, and reading. He doesn't enjoy this right now, so we are going to cut back on some things, like Spanish and extra Vocabulary, to simply get more "laser focused" on strengthening his reading skills and prayerfully build more enjoyment in this area for him.

I couldn't be more proud of my little pupils. Oh, don't get me wrong, you don't have to kick over cherubs, to enter my home during our school hours. They still have days when they just want to be lazy. They are still kids! : ) But, they are growing in so many ways, maturing, and learning... and they are each doing right here at home (or on the road when we're traveling.) Priceless!

So, it's busy to be the full time mom, teacher, office administrator, and homemaker, but the rewards are bountiful and beyond anything I could ever imagine. Even on my weary days, when I just want to crawl back in the bed (yes, I have those days, too), I know I am one of the most blessed women in the world to do all that I do and to do it alongside those that God has entrusted to me. I couldn't make it without HIS grace, His provisions, HIS strength, the partners He has placed beside us (like Brittany and Heather), and my incredible children and phenomenal husband. The Power of our house really has nothing to do with me and everything to do with the ONE who entrusted it all to me.

Lord, thank you for your grace and your amazing blessings to me! I am so unworthy of anything and yet You choose to continue to bestow your mercy to me. Thank you for the amazing responsibilities You've given to me, for the strength you give me to carry it out, and for the amazing people You've placed alongside me in the journey. Help me to stay focused on You even more this week, on the amazing privilege it is to obey you, and on the eternal rewards that can await me to lay back at your feet. I love you, Lord Jesus!

Too Busy For Bloggin'

Life has been so busy the past month. With school, training a new assistant in our ministry office, traveling, and keeping up with my family and home, I barely have time to think clearly throughout the day.

On top of all this, my Man and I have begun doing P90X. Yes, you read that correctly. We are closing out the first month of this 90 day program and we're loving it. Well, it's a love/hate relationship with it. The results are beginning to be "seen" (which is fueling us on our journey) and we are both really enjoying the "success" of it together. We cheer each other on, work hard together, and we're even eating better. The nutrition part of the program is quite difficult with what we do, but we're finding ways to make it work and we're doing great with it.

SO.... these are the reasons I've not been blogging lately. Oh, I'll be back soon (for those of you that are still around). I just have to keep my life's priorities in their proper order and this is a season when my health, fitness, and of course, my family are taking precedence in all my "free" time. I'll let you know as we begin calculating results from P90X and I'll update on our travels, as well. I will continue to post (and hopefully more frequently), but for now I'm just "staying afloat" with all that we have going on. Hopefully, you will "stay tuned" and keep checking in. : )

Home School is going outstanding, the activity of God in our ministry never ceases to amaze us as we see hundreds saved, and our gracious Lord continues to sustain us as we travel this life's journey with the sole purpose to enjoy Him and make Him known to those around us!