Saturdays are for: Baking and celebrating

Morning full of creating breakfast, put in the freezer, saved for later this week.

Afternoon full of celebrating a half century of staying together, ministering together,

 through

plenty and poverty,

good times and bad,

sickness and health.

Our former pastor and his wife, who have taught us so much about

the grace of God,

mercy,

forgiveness,

and supernatural provision.

True warriors of the faith.

New beginnings

We've been so busy the last few days so I haven't really had the time to sit still and post a lot here.

We started school this past Tuesday, and because I'm DETERMINED to make it even better than last year, my mind has been FULL of ideas and plans.  I am putting together a little series of posts about our schooling for this year, so please check back in the next day or so.  

One of the most challenging aspects of homeschooling 4 children with 2 young curious pre-schoolers coming up behind is accepting that I have to sacrifice some of the things I really love to do with my time and that these things aren't top priorities when looking at the big picture.  I have learned how to carve out just some quiet-alone time for myself, but even then I have to use that time wisely and that often means no time for blogging or snooping around on Facebook.  The most challenging part is making the decisions:  do I satisfy my own desires for some down time and later pay the price by having a lot of messes to clean up, or do I create ways to keep my children happily occupied and learning instead of squabbling and destroying our learning spaces?  Do I read my squirmy children some lovely children's literature, or do I read my own books?  Do I answer an email and eventually get sucked into internet surfing or do I take my children on a nature walk?  Do I  

text message my friend or do I fold the clothes stacked up on my bed?  

Those choices have to be made over and over every single day.  It can wear you down or force you to figure out how to be creative and innovative when living in a small, cramped house with lots of children!!

So stay tuned to see what we've been learning and what we've been creating!!  Here's just a sneak peek at our first day of school:

September

Crickets are making

The merriest din,

All the fields waking

With shrill violin.

Now all the swallows

Debate when to go;

In the valleys and hollows

The mists are like snow.

Piled up leaves smoulder,

All hazy the noon,

Nights have grown colder,

The frost will some soon.

Early lamps burning, 

So soon the night falls,

Leaves, crimson turning,

Make bright the stone walls.

Summer recalling

At turn of the year,

Fruit will be falling,

September is here.

~~Edward Bliss Reed

Saturdays are for : Entertaining siblings

Wild creativity with ADHD

Several weeks ago, the idea struck me that it might be fun if we figured out how to go about entering some of Lexi's art projects in the State Fair of Texas.  

Just for fun, 

just to see what would happen.

Don't know if you've heard, but the fair is a pretty big deal down here in the great state of Texas.

So big, in fact, that Oprah herself

came to visit back in 2009.

Like she's the Queen of Sheba, or something.

(We made sure to stay AWAY from the fair that day

since it was crazy packed out!!)

Anyway, Lexi loved the idea

so we pursued it.

We got it all registered and taken to the fairgrounds for judging,

and have been WAITING anxiously since the end of July for the results!!

Well......

today they came,

in the mail.

She got TENTH place!!

I am so enormously proud of her.

Her first ever entry,

at 12 (almost 13) years old,

and she finishes in the top 10!!!

She amazes me everyday!!

Here is a picture of the piece she entered.

Sorry it's not a great picture.....

I'm not the artist....

she is!!

Pictures of the party

Digital scrapbook personalized with Smilebox

This year, I caved to Lexi's request for a sleepover for her birthday because it's a special birthday. She pretty much planned the whole thing from the time schedule to the activities to the kind of cake she wanted. It was a breeze!!!
For her 11th birthday, I had made a "Chocolate Dream" Cake complete with chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate shavings. She requested the same one this year too.
Super easy.
Bake your chocolate cake mix according to package directions.
Frost with store bought frosting using the Wilton Dessert Decorator.
Melt chocolate bark coating in microwave and dip strawberries. Chill until firm.
Grate remaining bark coating for top of cake.
Decorate with shavings and strawberries.
Voila!!!

How does this HAPPEN??

How do you go from this....

.......to THIS

in just the blink of an eye??

I've heard for YEARS that your children grow up so fast.

That you should enjoy them while they are little because they'll be gone before you know it.

I have to be honest and admit 

I didn't believe it.

But low and behold, our oldest turns 13 today

 and it's a bit surreal for me.

I remember when I was 13.

How can my own daughter now be 13?

But I'm excited.

Excited about all she is learning about herself and the world around her.

Excited about how this girl just oozes creativity and discovering things.

Excited to start letting her have a little more responsibility at little at a time.

Excited about watching her discover what the Lord has in mind for her life

and for the gifts and talents He has woven into her.