Today is September 26 and I haven't blogged in forever!  Life has been really hectic around here, but hopefully things will fall into place soon. 

My baby turned 8 recently, I just can't believe it.  She had a great birthday though, and she doesn't know it yet but there is yet another surprise to come.  She mentioned going to a local amusement park for her birthday, as she planned her 'day' a few months back lol.  However, that place is rather pricey and we just couldn't afford it.  However, my husband's employer gave out free admission tickets recently, so woohoooo! here we come!!  We haven't told her yet, we're going to visit her grandfather who lives near the park and then just drive up to the place.  Won't she be shocked??

Otherwise, we're just muddling along best we can.  We have been trying to learn how to live on less money in the hopes and prayers that the Lord will lead my husband to a different job.  This one stinks! lol  He has been there a long time, so we are doubtful that he will be able to get another job that pays as well, hence the learning to live on less.  We would like to live closer to his dad, as he is the only one of our parents still alive and he is quite elderly.  This would move us about 50-60 miles away, which is fine with all of us, but we need a new job!  Pray for the Lord's will in this situation; patience is very frustrating.  I know the Lord is "able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Ephesians 3:20)

Thanks for visiting, y'all have a great day!

Today is August 31 and I am...

UNEMPLOYED!  (here's my best Elvis impression, "thank ya, thank ya very much")

After much deliberation, my husband and I made the decision that it would be best for me to quit my job.  I have been working from home as a medical transcriptionist for a couple of years now, and it's been a great job for me.  However, time has not been my friend and I have been struggling with some behavior changes in my children and some homeschooling issues as well.  Essentially, while I am technically home with the children, the afternoon hours are spent with me working at my computer and the children being pretty well on their own.  They are certainly capable at nearly 8 and 14, but over time I have noticed some 'tude' problems that I am very displeased with.  When I sit them down to firmly discuss the problems, somehow my job always comes up.  Yes, I know that they can be yanking my chain to some degree, as they are aware of my mixed feelings over not being able to really 'be' with them while I am working.  I am also aware that my son has entered those teen years, and there are some changes to be associated with that.  However, I do feel that having a parent's direct undivided attention is of tremendous benefit to children, even if it is nothing more than direct eye contact and a listening ear.  In addition to this, we have really struggled with trying to get all of our school work done prior to my beginning my work at 1:00.  Also the house is a disaster, as mornings are spent schooling, afternoons working, supper preparations, family time and baths and then bedtime!  When do you vacuum, mop, finish the laundry?? WHEW.

So I called my employer this morning and she was so kind and supportive, stating that she understood my reasons and while she hated to lose me, if things changed and I needed to come back, just call her.  I felt such relief over this and we chatted for about half an hour lol.  I'm to return her equipment tomorrow, and that will be my last day since our current pay period ends tomorrow. 

The best part?  I hung up the phone, went to the children and said, ok...it's official.  Tomorrow is my last day of work.  Huge grins spread over their faces, and the littlest one ran to throw her arms around me!  How's that for a great reaction??

Let the celebration begin!!

Hey y'all,

Well, after much pleading, we decided to start school today.  No, the children were pleading to START lol, ~I~ was pleading to wait.  "No, really, Mom's not ready!" lolol  Oh well, seize the day, right?

We decided, at my 13-yo son's request, to just read the Bible together and discuss it for this year's Bible study.  I had thought to use one of those 'read the Bible through' charts, but they list several chapters per day and that would be overwhelming to the children, I think.  The boy child here wants to start in Genesis (he's much more organized and methodical than his mother lol), so I guess that's what we'll do.  However, today we began with II Timothy 3:15-17 and reminded ourselves that we must always begin our day with our Bible study, as it is THE most important lesson that we have!  One thing that really made an impression on me is a statement I read in 1998, our first year of homeschooling, that went something like "Ultimately, we learn to read so that we will be able to read the Scriptures for ourselves."  I've never forgotten it, nor the recommendation of always having Bible study be the first lesson of each day.

Otherwise, my son started Learning Language Arts through Literature this year, 8th grade; it seemed to be a lot of work, but he loved it.  He didn't even fuss at all the writing, and he detests writing lol.  In fact, he has asked if he can continue by himself this afternoon!  Abeka pre-algebra and health, Spelling Power for him.  For the girlie (3rd grade) we have BJU spelling, Draw Write Now for handwriting, Abeka health and eventually Saxon math, but she's not quite ready for that yet, so we're still working through a 2nd grade workbook that we used last year.  Together we will do Mystery of History, Considering God's Creation, spanish lessons on cassette that I forget the name of at the moment lol, and their dad will lead them in Georgia history lessons at night. 

I have some issues to resolve about needing to be with both of them for their lessons, I felt very pulled-here-and-there this morning.  Their age difference causes some of that I think, and of course they both want Mama's attention.  I try to remind myself, when they are talking incessantly and I can't hear myself think , that there are parents all over the world who are clueless about their children's thoughts and activities and wish that their child WOULD talk to them.  Then I take a breath, smile into my child's eyes and try to figure out what in the world Chipper Jones' batting average has to do with the tacos for lunch that we were just discussing! 

Parenting is not for cowards and I love it!  See y'all...:)

Hey y'all,

We've just seen the coolest thing and I wanted to share...we have a hummingbird feeder right out the living room window here, and of course, the little guys are so amazing.  They normally have a set routine, you could almost set your clock by them last year.  Every evening around 5:00, you could watch and see a hummingbird at the feeder.  However, today we've just noticed the most interesting thing! This one hummingbird came by the feeder at around lunchtime, and after sampling the wares out there, lol, proceeded to sit on a nearby branch on the tree where the feeder hangs!  I've never seen one still, they are normally in constant motion; this little guy has returned time and again today, to sit on that branch!  Isn't that so neat?  Has anyone ever seen this?  He just sits there for awhile, enjoying the shade...but not as much as we enjoy watching him!

Why isn't there some decree that says a mom cannot possibly be sick at the same time her children are?  Add in the husband..and whew, need I say more?  Ugh, we have all had some evil virus, my daughter started on Sunday and the rest of us fell right behind her.  She even had a rebound on Tuesday!  In a bleary-eyed state, I told my husband it was at times like these that we could really use two bathrooms...without opening his eyes, he answered, "We'll get right on that for you."  lol I won't hold my breath on that one, and we should be thankful we have even ONE bathroom!

Otherwise, no new vegetable news..except that the fruit flies are taking over.  I guess that's what these lil pesky things are, they came to visit while we had a couple of canteloupes and now they won't leave.  We have tomatoes in varying stages of ripening and I'm guessing that's what is keeping our little friends happy.  Any suggestions?  because they are driving me nuts! OH, and we have the biggest tomato on the vine that I have ever seen..this thing is, no kidding, almost as big as two fists!  I wish I had a digital camera to show y'all.

Enjoy Wednesday!

Hey y'all, today is July 18.  It's hotter'n blue blazes out there, whew.  Even the chickens are hot, they're laying hard boiled eggs...the kids keep taking melted butter with 'em when they go outside to play, they say it's to put on the corn as it pops in the garden!  I tell you, the older I get, the less tolerant to heat I get. 

I'm so proud of myself, I could just pop.  I have canned (OK, my husband and son helped...a little...lol, actually they helped a LOT) 44 pints of tomatoes, woooHOOOO!  I have also made 4 jars of strawberry fig preserves and while I haven't tasted them yet, they are gorgeous and all sealed appropriately.  Ain't that good?

Yesterday I went to ROCK Solid homeschool store in Jacksonville, FL, a way coolie store.  They sell all types and brands of homeschool curriculum, the staff is very knowledgeable and helpful, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  It's a big help to be able to look through a book or workbook before you buy it.  I found some neat stuff, I think I'm going to use for the upcoming 'official' school year.  I say 'official' because, hey, it's live and learn around here, we're learning all the time.  This week we have learned to can vegetables :). 

I think that's all the news today.  Y'all stay cool, tis a scorcher, yep.

Today is July 13.  Happy Thursday to ya!

Had a follow up appointment at the doctor this morning...seems out of ALL the stuff my family could have blessed me with, I ended up with their high blood pressure lol.  Anyway, apparently my medication is working well, my BP was 127/82, woohoo!  (Did you know that untreated high blood pressure can be causing irreparable damage to a number of organs, not just your heart?  http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/hbp/effect/effect.htm for more info ;) ) 

Which brings me to another issue; my mama was overweight, my daddy, thin.  How come none of us inherited Daddy's thin-ness?  Hmmm?  I know why, it's because fat genes are dominant! LOL 

OK so tomorrow's plan is picking tomatoes for canning, wish me luck!  Then Saturday, we have a family fishing trip planned; wanna get some of those yummy finned friends in my freezer!  (How do y'all freeze fish, like catfish?  I don't want to fillet them and I tried gallon ziploc bags, but the fins poke holes in the bag.)  Sunday is puttering around the house here (our church only meets twice a month) and then Monday, be still my beating heart...I have a field trip for moms only!  Isn't that great?  The moms of our homeschool group are getting together for a homeschool curriculum shopping trip.  We're going to head down to Jacksonville, FL together, shop til we drop and eat someplace that "doesn't offer happy meals", I'm so excited!  We'll be back in time for supper and my husband has the day off from work to watch the younguns.  And between all of this, I'll be doing those tomatoes, whew.

Hope everyone's weekend is relaxed and happy...enjoy! and remember...everything's better with butter! :D

Today is July 12, and I'm trying to decide whether I feel like going to pick tomatoes.  Here's the story lol:

At church, a friend told me about a pick-your-own tomato field, $5 a bucket.  On Monday, the children and I head out, finally find it, and yes indeed, beautiful ripe tomatoes for $5 a bucket...only they don't have any buckets.  Um ok, and of course it's the one day ever that the car is cleaned out, so I have nothing either.  We return home, with the plan to go back on Tuesday, with our buckets thank-you-very-much.  Except Tuesday morning, I wake up nauseous and yucky feeling, so no go.  Today is Wednesday, and while the jury is still out on the final decision, I need to go get those tomatoes!  But my stomach HURTS and I am weighing all the facts here, which include the fact that I'll be drowning in tomatoes *and* nursing an unhappy tummy if we go.  The thought of it overwhelms me, I just don't feel like dealing with it. :(

OK 'nuff whining.  Guess what part of the Sunday message was?  Philippians 2:14 "Do all things without murmurings and disputings."  And here I have made a whole category on my blog for whining lol.  I'm going right now and deleting it, and I'm going to try very hard to be content, with the Lord's help, and stop complaining over trivial stuff.  After all, when you view all the problems, corruption and tribulation in the world today--our troubles suddenly seem way smaller, don't you think?

Have a fabulous Wednesday and thanks for dropping by!

:)