We got lemons....

Well, you know the saying. We have to make lemonade. We thought this week would be filled with neat things to do while Em was at dance camp, but alas, one of the troopers came down with strep. So we were off to the doc and the pharmacy before lunch today. So, it kinda worked out well because some of us have been battling tummy issues, and some are just worn out from VBS.

So we are taking it easy this week, having devos every day, planning to swim some, planning to maybe see a movie, possibly painting the kids bathroom, getting to Sam's, and maybe running to Hobby lobby for some much needed sewing/craft supplies for these summer projects. We have about 3 quilts cut, 5 skirts in progress, and 3 more to cut out.

Planning for the upcoming school year got done on Sunday. I had this dream about what I needed to do so I sketched it out on paper and then let the kids see what they thought. It seemed like good planning, so I did all the word docs, printed the lists, organized my notebook, and we are ready to roll. I think this is my answer when I pray for the Lord to lead me where He needs me to go. I always pray for homeschooling wisdom and direction, and this weekend i believe I got it. It looks good. Not what I normally would have done, but I like the ideas that came. Gonna be a blessing of a year.

Whew!

I am tired. it was a great VBS week, but tiring. All the junk the kids bring home is almost torn up and trashed (I'm so glad!), but the preschool picture is hung and the seeds are growing and the excitement for LTC is supercharged since the topic is about the same. The stuffed animals were a big hit and we have a few!
Today we got up early and drove to Edom to pick blueberries. It was cloudy so that made it nicer. We ate in canton at a good tex-mex place and decided to make a trip back to Canton and the restaurant come October or November. I have about 1 gallon of blackberries and 1 1/2 of blueberries now. i will have to get on the ball and make some blueberry french toast for this week!
I think I am ready for the dance camp. I have all her food and she has her dance wear ready. Not sure what the rest of us will do, but I suspect it will involve bowling, swimming, sewing, art, and such. Maybe even a movie on Tuesday!
Believe it or not I am kinda ready for the kids to start back some modified school on July 5th. This will have been a three week break. I also need to finish up the last minute planning for the coming year. Not sure how I want to proceed. I liked creating my own science/history when they were younger, but we have used KONOS for a couple of years now, and I am not sure I want to still do that or start modifying it all again on my own. I have one kid already in the older grades and out of that stuff, and one more about to be. We will continue with SOTW for history, but the science I am not sure about. Maybe a combo of KONOS and my own creation...hhmmmm...maybe. Boy, they are getting older! Next fall I will have two in youth group, one of them in high school. OUCH! Then I will almost surely go back to designing my own stuff. Oh well, it always works itself out with thought and prayer! Amazing we will have all five in full school this fall. Time does fly!
Well, here's wishing your family a great week in Jesus!

VBS Week!

Here are lots of kids singing and having a blast!
This is the famous Answer Man! He is a hoot! Below is Kim and me, getting ready to go help set it all up.

This week has been crazy busy, but loads of fun. VBS at our congregation is a family affair. So many people work and the kids love it. But I needed a nap every afternoon. Too bad I didn't always get one, though. But it was a great theme of God's Creation, teaching kids the truth about world history, instead of evolution. The bible is AWESOME! And so was VBS!

HOT.......MUST...SWIM...

On these hot summer days, we often end the day by swimming at the neighbor's pool. And I must say, we have been there a lot this year, and June is only half over! But it sure is refreshing! Hope you are finding ways to keep cool!

Life is an Adventure

Cannot believe my baby boy (firstborn) is 13 tomorrow. He is a blessing and will be a wonderful young man when he grows up.
He enjoyed his birthday get together.
Cannot believe she is 9 now. Half grown. that means we are halfway through with the kids' childhoods. I don't like that. I am not looking forward to the empty nest at all!

Love the active kids we have!
Love the Christian dance school we attend. Wouldn't go anywhere else.
Love sewing for all of us!

Color My World

Now I really don't recall what i had in mind for these prints, but they sure get me excited with all the brightness. I love color and it seems this spring i am honing on the blue/green/yellow families. Weakness for fabric....maybe I will do a simple 9 square block and alternate them with yellow sashings and white backgrounds...who knows? Or just a cool checkerboard with prints and yellows would really highlight the cute factor...hmmm...have to think on that.
This I bought just because I liked it. I will use it for a wall quilt of some kind. Hopefully for my bedroom, but maybe just as a couch throw. Not sure, but I really liked it. Seemed soothing and calm and serene, like the end of a summer day.
I got these from fabric.com for a tree quilt project that I altered a bit...maybe more than just a little. Amy Butler designs are so cool! The trees are cut and ready to be sewn. I just need the brown and white to complete it and I can hang it in the foyer! These prints are fabulous!
This here is the new stash of skirt fabric: peace signs for Em and maybe Liz, white and black and floral for me, and pink eyelet for all the girls. Fabric.com is great! I had an order totaling over $250, but scaled it wayyyyyyyy back and just got these. After all, I can get overly ambitious...
This dress was completed a few weeks ago after being cut out for 2 years. It is very flattering on, but hanging there it kinda looks blah. Oh well, I like it. Speaking of sitting around for 2 years, I also have 3 cute quilt projects that are cut and partially sewn....guess I will work on those here and there, but the skirts come first...and I saw some awesome fall stretch wool blend in great neutrals for a jumper and culottes...but I digress.
This is the latest project that I am working on...a skirt for me. I just need some interfacing and extra time to complete it. I love the colors! Happy summer colors! All it needs is the waistband, zipper, and hem. And I have two tanks to go with it!
So there you have it...my fabric obsession...or at least all I was willing to show you.
Let the sewing begin!

Coming soon......

The coming week holds lots of adventure! My oldest, sadly, will be at camp with the youth group, and will be sorely missed. But to keep our minds off of that, the rest of us will be active. Very active. We plan to swim often, one girl will be in God's Little Ballerinas 2.5 camp, there will be a birthday party, a swim date, a skating night, a trip to an orchard, and a trip to Rockwall. We might even hit a sprayground and do some other things. I hope to work on sewing and homeschool scrapbooking, too. So I guess we will be taking the week off homeschool...make that possibly 2 weeks, because the following week is our totally awesome VBS focusing on God's Creation with apologetics. Then the next following week is intermediate dance camp at the Christian dance school.
Whew! Anyone else tired just from reading that????
So as you go through your days, remember to try to glorify God in all you do, say and participate in. Smile and be kind. And pray for those who need it...those who are ill, who have had surgery, who have lost loved ones, who are travelling, who have terminally ill children, who are struggling emotionally and spiritually. And have a blessed week!

Haunted

I do not like night, or dark. Never have. I am haunted by all the things that seem bad. It has been this way as long as I can remember, since probably age 8 or so. I hear things, see things, and think of all kinds of sad things...often staying awake, unable to sleep, crying. Often these things do not make sense, either...not surprising. As a child I often walked the house in tears and tried to sleep in my parents' bed. They didn't like me sleeping in bed with them though, so I often ended up in their floor, scared. Over and over i was asked what I was scared of, but a kid can't put strange images into words, especially when you think it will be brushed off as silly, and told to go back to bed. When you are frightened, you just are. it is what it is, irrational as it may be. I mean what is really scary about a darkened room with ballet shoes on pointe and sad music playing? or a little child's beaded purse on a log headed for a table saw? Strange, but those are some of the images I recall from childhood that disturbed me. At least one of my kids has this same thing happening. I don't like to turn my kids away when they want to sleep near me. I know what they are feeling, and how sad and scary it is not to be able to deal with it, when all you need and want is parental closeness to hold you until it passes. Plus, I love and will one day sorely miss the children in my bed.
As an adult, the night is filled with sadness at my kids growing up so quickly, time slipping through my fingers like sand, fear of not protecting them well enough, regret at all the things I have done and said that were hurtful, and wrong. Also with hearing things that are not there, seeing things that are not real, sometimes smelling things that are not existent. And I can't seem to shut my brain down for the night no matter how tired I am. I spend countless hours praying and walking the house and reading the scripture for comfort, and as soon as daylight comes, it generally leaves me. But on days like today when my oldest is having his 13th birthday, daylight comes and I still struggle with not crying at his childhood being left behind. It is a minute by minute fight with the tears of love. And sometimes I go for weeks with none of the above happening.
Peaceful sleep is a treasure. A very rare treasure. But it generally only comes when i am in my bed here at home, never when I am away from home. I wonder if it will ever stop, but it probably won't, and the bittersweet sadness of children growing up will only get worse.
People who don't struggle with feelings like this think it is weird, and sometimes ridiculous to feel these things. Life happens this way, some say. But that doesn't make my reality any easier. Daytime is MUCH easier, and often joyous, but I dread nights. Maybe I need medication for some chemical imbalance....I am sure my parents thought I needed it as a child. But I just keep praying, and trusting that the Lord will give me strength to face the changes life brings and to help me savor each moment of each day, because they all pass too quickly, like a vapor.

Saturday

It has been a great day! We (me and Kim and Emily) went to the Farmer's Market to see what was going on at 8:40 this morning, then we came home, ate some breakfast, cleaned up the house, I did a little sewing, then we all, the whole family, loaded up to head to Ben's birthday party. Ben is my nephew who turned 2. His parents planned a cookout with lots of burgers, hot dogs, chip and dip, and tons of delicious fresh fruit. It lasted from noon until about 3:30, so we didn't get home until 4pm. Our girls went shopping with cousin Maggie and grandparents to celebrate Elizabeth's 9th birthday. Can she really be nine?? Surely not. Such a talented sweet tenderhearted girl. They will take the boys shopping in a couple of weeks for Jacob's 13th. That is definitely not right, right? I guess it is though. I am about to be a parent of a teenager. But I have to say, he is a gem. A truly good boy, a talented filmmaker and dancer and artist. Both of them are very concerned about doing right by the Bible, and for that I am so pleased. I feel like John, who said, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth."
After we got home I attended part of a friend's daughter's recital, then took the Jacob to spend a little of his birthday money. Now we are relaxing at home, waiting for worship tomorrow so we can offer praises, prayers, and worship to our Lord, Creator and Saviour. May we all examine ourselves as we commune with our Lord and remember his death, burial and resurrection each Sunday, and devote ourselved daily to living for His glory by obedience to His Word.
Wishing you a blessed week!!

Dance and Camp and Play

Memorial Day weekend we camped in the backyard. Us girls didn't last past 1am. I would have stayed except the ground is hard and I am old (it was painful), and the dog was growling at the gate. SO we moved into the house at 1am. Still we roasted hot dogs, ate chips, drank lemonade and made smores over the fire pit. We had fun until the skeeters got hungry. We also visited the park and played a bit.
School is now reduced to morning devo, where we also discuss our history or KONOS unit, then PE before it is too hot, Language arts and math, then lunch and chores and read aloud. Then we call it a day and do whatever.
But this week K had dance camp and she LOVED it. Timbrel is such a blessing. We also had Jacob at Austins house twice and had Amelia come over to swim. We have been swimming twice this week. I think it is safe to say our summer has begun. We stay up later and sleep later, and enjoy many activities together.
I try to enjoy every second of every day with these kids knowing that it is going to come to an end too soon for my liking. They are blessings that I really do not deserve, but am blessed beyond belief to have, and I will always try to cherish, love, guide, and protect them.