Things that make me smile

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Multitude Monday

551. Waking up next to a sweet face

552. Worship songs rising above the campfire

553. Dirty little camping faces

554. Star filled nights

555. A tub full of love

556. Being recharged

557. Best buddies

558. Rocking Chair + Baby = Priceless

559. My sweet guy!

560. A new week

Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp,
O God, my God.
Psalm 43:4

Things that make me smile

Shayden and Shannen were supposed to be hanging the laundry out the other day but instead decided to have some fun with Shadd. They hung Shadd’s underwear in the tree. There they are waving in the wind.

I had them climb up and get them down.

Shadd was pretty upset over this but he got over it and was a good sport. Yes, I know this was naughty….(it still made me smile :o))

Multitude Monday

541. Doing “highs and lows” around the dinner table and it’s Lolly’s turn…
Lolly: “my low of the day is I didn’t get up on time.”
Daddy: “what time were you supposed to get up?”
Lolly: “8:00”
Daddy: “what time did you get up?”
Lolly: “7:30”

542. A wonderful husband who goes out of his way to make my life easier…I’m beyond blessed!

543. Good movies that make you think

544. My sweet sister! Not given to me thru blood but rather the heart!
(Love you! Have a great week! XOXO)

545. Clothes hanging on the line

546. Summer fruit

547. Canning jars
(I know, I know…issues)

548. Freshly washed sheets

549. Organized cupboards

550. Anniversaries
(Happy Anniversary Jeff & Shyloh!)

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.
Psalm 57:5

Week one of school

“A goal without a plan is just a wish”
Herm Edwards

I realized once again this week just how important it is to have a plan…for everything, from school, to meals, cleaning, and even for our day. School started Monday and I must confess that this year I was just not “there”. We have the general backbone of what our day needs to entail but we are definitely in need of some fine tuning.

Binders were loaded and ready to go Monday morning but it just wasn’t quite enough. I am doing Language different with the boys this year and I didn’t have that written down for them so I was being called for help over and over and over and….you get the idea.

Shelbie is also helping tutor Poppet and Lolly for me this year but she really wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do and what things I was doing with them. Lolly is a very eager little kindergartener but needs much more direction. That girl went thru all her binder work for the week by Wednesday!

I’m grateful that we are easing into the new year otherwise we’d all be in trouble. This week was a trial practice of sorts and we are seeing exactly what needs to change. It’s definitely a year that is going to need to be much more structured since I have a 1st grader, a kindergartener, a 2 year old, and a baby with five other students! There is no winging it!

This week my goal is to plan…everything!

May he give you the desire of your heart and
make all your plans succeed.
Psalm 20:4

Shiro’s announcements

Finally, only 3 months later, I have Shiro’s announcements ready to go.  With each baby it seems it takes longer and longer to get announcements out in a timely manner. Oh well, what can I say, I was just having too much fun enjoying my baby!

How crunchy are you?

Shyloh sent me a link to a fun little quiz on “How crunchy are you?” I won’t tell you exactly what my numbers were but I did find out I’m crunchier than I thought! I also found out that Shyloh is even crunchier than me! (Not that that is a shocker to anyone! ha ha) Go take the quiz yourself and see where you rate!

Things that make me smile

    

Multitude Monday

531. Ice-cream for lunch

532. Unexpected company

533. Sweet bridal showers

534. Writing assignments while watching babies

535. First day of school
(Didn’t go as planned but grateful non the less that my kids are home with me.
I wouldn’t want it any other way!)

536. Worship songs sung to guitar music by Shaylah = sweetness

537. Baby boys

538. A date with my honey

539. The smell of a fresh bathed baby

540. New starts for a new school year

How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you…
Psalm 31:19

Camping

We were able to get away last week for what was our first camping trip of the year. Usually we have already had a trip but this year has been odd and we are just now getting around to camping.

The weather was gorgeous and it was so nice to escape “life” and have a chance to just be together and regroup before diving into school next week. I was able to get in some reading, make all my kids reading lists for the new school year and even listen to some wonderful podcasts on my IPod. We all had a wonderful time and the babies even did great.

We had such a good time we are actually hoping to sneak another trip in at the end of the month and then next month we are so exited for our annual trip with my brother and sister in love. I can’t decide what I love more, having my feet in the sand at the beach or camping in the middle of beautiful pine trees! Its pretty much a toss up!

Yard week

School starts next week so we declared this week “yard week”. The kids and I have been working outside deep cleaning the yards every day. We have pruned trees, pulled weeds, cleaned out flower beds, hedged all shrubs and bushes, and planted ground cover.

It has been so fun to work all together getting this done. Fortunately we only have to do this twice a year. Normally we wait til fall to hedge everything and winter to prune all the trees. I decided it would be great to get it all done it one big swoop! I’m sure the trees will still need a major pruning when they go dormant but for now it all looks pretty good.

We are working diligently to get it all done by Friday then we are going to celebrate by having a make your own pizza night with ice-cream sundae’s and a movie!

Every job needs a manager

Even Shylie got her hands dirty

Garden decorations

Multitude Monday

521. Mountain peaks with snow

522. Time spent with my family

523. The smell of campfire

524. Little snake catchers
(Yes, Uncle Micah, you taught them well :-/)

525.My girls singing songs of praise

526. Stories around the campfire

527. A happy fisherman

528. A cool bath

529. Not having to hand wash 10 loads of dirty laundry!
Praise the Lord for a washing machine!

530.`Safe travels c0ming home

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
Psalm 27:4

Things that make me smile

My brother sent this to me today. I needed a laugh!

Divided

Ten years ago we felt the Lord was telling us to pull our children out of Sunday school so we could worship as a family. It wasn’t an easy decision back then but here we are ten years later and we’ve never regretted it.

Our church has an amazing children’s ministry and we are so blessed by it, but for us personally we love having our children by our side worshiping together and hearing the word together. Our pastor is wonderful and speaks in a way that even our children can understand and grow from and it is a springboard for wonderful conversation as a family.

Our job as Christian parents is huge. We have been given the job of fashioning the destiny of souls. Have we given that job over to the church? I'm not saying that children's church is bad, ours is wonderful, but are we slacking on our job and assuming Sunday school teachers are teaching our children so we can afford to be lazy?

We watched the movie Divided and it was very thought provoking. Even my older girls watched it. 80% of our Christian youth walk away from the Lord. Wow!! That's astonishing and sad. Something is really missing!

You can watch the movie Divided for free for a limited time. It truly is a thought provoking movie. We as parents have been given a responsibility that has spiritual life and death ramifications. Are we taking it serious or handing it over to someone else? I understand that this movie can be very controversial with Christians but for me its really not about having youth groups or not, but rather Christian parents stepping up and into the role the Lord has placed them in and not handing that job over to someone else. Watch it with an open mind. I do believe that there is a place for youth groups, but I would challenge you to pray and ask the Lord what role they are or should be playing in your child's life.

I am exhorted as I hope you will be also.