Teaching Starts Early

I was able to snap this pic of Katie this am while we were all doing school. She had her baby Sara and was reading to her. Now I am listening to that precious laugh as her brother zooms her around in her baby doll stroller while she eats yogurt. I LOVE these kids.

Comparison

So had you rather be bit by a shark or stung by a bee. Would you rather be bitten by a bear or a snake? These are the questions plauging our home and anyone who will stop to talk to David very long. Not sure why his little mind is putting together all these comparisons. Most are easy to answer, but sometimes he stumps me and makes me think!!

Sisterhood

Having never had a sister, I am learning so much about sisterhood watching my girls. I love to watch their secret moments and when they have a bond that no one else will ever understand. I found this poem which did not list an author...but loved it b/c with sisters there is the good and the bad, but there is a love that will always be shared.

Sisters are..

clothes barrowers, fit throwers, cover stealers, secret keepers, an enemy, a friend,a conversation without end,sassy,bossy,silly,fussy, pretty and sweet tea parties with treats, dress up, mess up, fess up, get punished,fights over nothing, sharer of dreams, a headache, a pain, she gets spoiled again,a princess, a brat, she ruined my hat, i love her, i miss her, i tease her, i kiss her, she is my family and that means more to me, what would i do without her?

Field Trip

David has been learning about community helpers the last two weeks in school so I planned a trip to the local fire station (one of several here) for the homeschoolers and friends of ours. After we selected the date and I noticed it was 9/11 I asked families to bring goodies and cards to thank the firemen for their service and sacrifice.

The kids LOVED it...they got to see the ladder extended and shoot water into the parking lot across the street, see all the cool tools, ambulances, trucks and friends (which is always a favorite). Kids were a little disappointed they didn't have a pole. :-)

Hieroglyphics & Cuneiform Writing

One of the things the kids learned this week was about Hieroglyphics & Cuneiform writing. They had a blast writing secret messages that the other had to decode. Here is a sample of David's on clay. It says "David"

What's D Been Up To

I just realized there were some pics of D I haven't posted in a while. Granny & Grandad I especially wanted to show you the pic of his fence and his sorting of animals. This was the highlight game of last week. We drug out the animals and they created a million fences, pastures and spent several hours at "creative play".

Then there is Katie and D just hanging out...they are big buddies. (Kyra continues to move quickly and avoid the camera)

And then there is ALWAYS Legos...

David is doing great in school. He read his first book this week and I have learned he likes sounding out words a lot more than "sight" words. He is doing great in math and I think they both like history best of all where they have learned about Ancient Civilizations.

Katie (isms)

Okay my funny little one is always making us laugh.
It was pouring rain today and she says "Mom it sounds like the rain is clapping its hands" It is sweet baby--it is praising its Maker
While on the potty (yes we are fully potty trained) she is yelling "MMMMOOOOOOMMMM" I go in to see her with her hands cupped around her mouth "It's like a microphone"
The other day she comes in with her hands on her hips after I had told the kids to clean their rooms and she says "Mom, David's room looks like a tornado came through it" hmm where has she heard that???

Out of the mouth of babes...

Sometimes Being a Parent Stinks

You know...sometimes it just stinks being a parent. I don't like it when I want to give my kids good things and things they will enjoy, but because of lack of obedience or issues in attitude it has to be withheld. Do you think God ever feels this way? He has so much He wants to bless us with .... yet our lack of obedience requires Him to withhold it so that we will learn to obey and depend on Him.
Still...sometimes it stinks having to be a parent.

It's A Great Day

Have you ever heard that Travis Tritt song? And it's a great day to be alive I know the sun's still shinin when I close my eyes There's some hard times in the neigborhood But why can't every day be just this good?
That was our day today...slow, lazy and lots and lots of snuggling and hugging. I LOVE days like today. Reminds me it's a great day to be alive. Didn't get anything productive done...but you have those days when one of the kids is just having a "great day". Today it was Katie...even after a fun, late night with friends, she woke up in a great mood. All smiles, giggles and full of love. We had a rare "Mom took a nap too" moment and I got to snuggle with her and D. Again..she woke up full of smiles. We've spent a lot of time today just hugging and laughing...oh and then there was the breaking down in the boat and having to row. Rody with an oar and me with a ski until we were rescued.
Thank you Lord for our family. Thank you Lord for a day of rest. Thank you Lord for life!!

Wondering What God is Up To...

Do you ever see these pieces in your life start to come together but cannot quite figure how God is going to bring it all together and what it will look like in the end. It starts as a stirring, then God begins to poke and prod, then events, people, teaching begin to tie together. This is the point I usually start getting nervous.
In July, my friend Tyra recommended I listen to David Platt's Radical series (Church @ Brook Hills). So I passed this on to a high school friend I have reconnected with (through our blogs no less). So as she is listening to this series, she then recommends a blog to me. http://www.kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/ This is an incredible blog of a young woman who truly has died to herself to obey and follow her Savior.
I begin sharing with Rody, through tears, how God is breaking my heart and of course my natural urge is to "do" something. So then I am referred to a friend of a friend's blog who is going through the same sermon series and being moved by this blog as well.
So I ask...Lord, what are you up to? Please keep me raw so I will hear and obey. Search me and try me. I want to follow you.

Getting right to the point...

Wow I love waking up to a beautiful sunrise. The sky is a beautiful shade of pink. It is still outside. My precious ones are still asleep and it is just me and the words of my precious Savior.

In my reading in John, Jesus calls the disciples, turns water and to wine and then...well I guess I had never put this event as one of the first things he did in his public ministry. Jesus, his family and disciples go to Jerusalem for the passover. He immediately makes a scene and drives out the money changers and animals. Wow--talk about coming on the scene in a way not expected. Isn't that it? We have certain ideas/expectations of the "way" Jesus should do things....the way He should answer our prayers...the way He should heal or save. We can become so set in our traditions that when Jesus comes on the scene He shakes things up. How many times in my life something that has started out for "good" becomes more about me than Him and more about the way I do it than why I do it. Those are the times I stop. Go back to square one...get on my face...and read the word to get direction. And do what the disciples did in John 2:22 "they believed the scripture...." Do we truly believe the scripture? Okay in theory. But enough to live it out?