Happy Birthday Sissy!

     My Sissy's birthday is coming up soon and I have been pondering on what to get her.  I have thought about buying her a t-shirt that says, "My Sister has the BEST Sister in the world."  I wonder if she would

wear it?

     I am the one with the best sister in the world.  I feel blessed to have her in my life.  She is my best friend, she is always there for me, she puts others before herself, she is an awesome nurse, and she is the hardest working mom that I know. 

     I gave her such a hard time when we were younger.  There is nine years between us and while she was a teenager, I was the annoying, brattish, little pest of a kid.  I would spy on her phone calls and while she was hanging out with her friends.  I would lock her out of the house and laugh at her.  I would tattle on her for everything she did.  I was NOT very nice to my sissy!  Even though I did all of that to her, she still loved me. 

     I may not know what to get her for her birthday, but I hope she knows that I love her very much.  I'm grateful to have her in my life.

Happy Birthday to my Sissy, the BEST Sissy in the world!

Love You Bunches, Mom

Love You Bunches, Momma

I just want to let you know

How much that I love you...

As a mother and a grandmother,

you have shown me what love can do...

For you are a true example

of how a mother should be,

Demonstrating a Godly faith

that you have passed down to me...

Happy Mother's Day!!!

The Journeyman

     The Webster Dictionary says that a journeyman is a worker who has learned a trade and works for another person or an experienced reliable worker.  I have came up my own definition for journeyman:  A man, or 2 year old, on a journey.
     I have 3 children:  one hyperactive, one sneaky, and one that likes to go on journeys.  The one that likes to go on journeys is my 2 year old, named Ethan.  Ethan likes to give us a fright.  He will wait for the right moment to make his escape. 
     His journeys started out close by the home.  He has been found behind the house, wearing a diaper and boots standing under a gutter in the rain.  He has been found at the silage pit looking for grandpa.  Then he has been found up at the grandparent's home which is 3/10 of a mile away.
     You are probably thinking that this child's parents are not watching home or paying any attention to him.  It only takes him a minute to get a way.  If you got up from playing with this child, go to the potty room to pee, come back to the living room, the journeyman will be gone.                              

                                                Running as fast as his little legs can carry him!

Being the wise parents we are, lol, we have found a solution.  A must have for any family that has their own little "journeyman!"

                                                     A lock that a 2 year old cannot reach!  

It's That Time of Year Again

     It's that time of year again at the Lane Institute of Learning to start planning the next school year.  I love that I get to home school my children.  I'm so gratefull that I live in a country that gives me the freedom to home school. 

     One big reason why I love home school is that I get to learn right along with my children.  It is so much fun to watch them learn how to read, do math, learn about our history, and do science experiments.  I also love the flexibility it gives us.  We are free to home school around my husband's schedule.  If my husband is off on a Monday, we don't home school that day.  If my husband is working a weekend, we home school through the weekend.  The absolute best part of homeschooling is that we can school in our pajamas! 

     I begin my school year in July and end in the early spring.  We like this schedule because we red heads do not enjoy hot summer months.  It also allows me to get through the curriculum before the end of the year exams.  Homeschooled kids in West Virginia either has to take an exam or do a portfolio.  We choose to do the exam.  

    

     I get asked a lot, "How do you make up your lesson plans and how do you know what to teach?"  A good friend introduced me to Sonlight a couple of years ago.  Sonlight is a Christian based curriculum that has lesson plans all laid out for the entire school year.  It comes with a 3 ring binder and it is broken down into 37 weeks.  I go to the week I'm on, look at the day and see what work we have to do for that day.  Sonlight will send you all the books you will need, math manipulatives, and science experiment kits.      

   

     Next fall we will be trying something new, we have a joined a home school group called Classical Conversation.  My kids will be with other home schooled kids in a classroom like setting once a week.  They will be able to learn Latin, have art class, music class, gym class, go on field trips, listen to guest speakers, etc.  It is also a great support system for the parents.  It is sooo important to have a support group!   

     What can I say, I'm super duper excited for the next school year!!!



Sleepy, Go to Sleep

When I was a little girl, my daddy would sing me a lullaby when I went to bed.  I am so grateful that I get to share that same lullaby to my 3 children.
 

Go to sleepy, go to sleep

Go to sleep little Gavin,

Your so bright, oh yes you are,

Your a bright little boy.

Sleepy, go to sleep,

Go to sleep little Autumn,

Your so precious, oh yes you are,

Your a precious little girl.

Sleepy, go to sleep,

Go to sleep little Ethan,

Your so sweet, oh yes you are,

Your a sweet little boy.

Why God, Why?

     I was listening to Joyce Meyer recently and she was preaching about questions that most Christians have.  We ask questions like, "Why God Why? When God, When? How God, How?"  I didn't realize that I would soon be asking the "Why God, Why?"
    Last January 21st, I lost my dog Snoopy.  I got Snoopy while I was attending WVU,  she was my best little friend.  She went through college with me, a marriage, and seen me have 3 kids.  A tumor on her spine caused her to get down in her hind legs and she passed away from a blood clot.
  Last Monday, March 21st, my dog Fable passed away.  She ran to closely to a cattle trailer and she was hit.  The vet did all that she could, but Fable just didn't make it.  She was the most loyal dog ever.  Everywhere the kids were, you would see my Fable.  She guarded our home and protected the kids.  
   I then began to ask "Why God, Why?"  I wasn't even over the loss of my Snoopy!  This isn't fair!  I had such great HOPE that I was going to bring Fable home, help her how to walk again.  Did I mention that Fable was a very fast runner?  So I was asking God all these questions and then I remembered 1Thessalonians 5:16-18.  Be Joyful, pray continually, give thanks in ALL circumstances for this is God's will for you.  I'll be honest, it is hard to be thankful in this situation, but I will do it.  I know God is in control and that he does things for the better.  I might not understand God or understand why he does the things he does, but I love God.  I am grateful that he blessed me with Snoopy for 13 years.  I am grateful that I had Fable to watch over my kids for 6 years.  I am grateful for ALL the blessings that God has given me.       
     I read this poem once and loved it.  I do not know who wrote it, but I would like to share it with you:

If tears could build a stairway and heartache make a lane.

I would walk the path to heaven and bring you back again.

Our family chain is broken, and nothing seems the same.

But as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again.

My Beloved Snoopy

My Beloved Fable

What's In that Diaper? Smells Yummy!

   I recently had the privilege of being the game planner for a baby shower.  I love games!  One of my favorite shower games is the Dirty Diaper game.  What you will need is a marker, diapers and a variety of candy bars.
       1st.  Use the marker to number all the diapers for as many different kinds of candy bars that you have.  Remember to keep track of which candy bar is in which diaper.
       2nd.  Unwrap the candy bar and place a little piece inside the diaper.  Microwave the diaper until it is half way melted.  Smush  the candy bar a little bit.
       3rd.  Give everyone paper and pencils and then start passing around the dirty diapers.  Each person opens it and smells the melted candy bar to see if they can guess what kind it is.  You could probably taste them, but it would be frowned upon by the other guests. 
       4th.  The person with the most correct answers wins!

Can you guess what dirty diaper this is by looking at it?

If you guessed Snickers, you are correct.