Reflecting

*I had this whole thing typed out and Ellie tripped over the cord and I lost it all!*

So, everywhere you look there are lists and countdowns of the past year.  I started thinking about all the Lord has done and what we have been through and I was amazed.  Here are some things that happened in '09.

• In February, Troy was demoted at his job.  With it was a decrease in pay by 33%.  This was a little more then our mortgage payment.  Only a month later did we find out that our escrow account was short and that we would be paying an extra $200 a month for our mortgage.  Not good timing!  What was good was that I was able to start watching Caleb Caldwell which helped out tremendously.  
• Also at this time Troy had his heart "attack".  He had to have a stint put in.  We were scared.  But we had tons of help and our JH family really stepped it up.  This year our insurance changed and after a visit to the ER, surgery, two different hospitals, an ambulance ride, a night in the cardiac care unit and 4 total days in the hospital, we only had to pay $50!  Now that is a God thing!
• In June both of our cars died within days of each other.  I did not panic and was sure that the Lord knew it all and had all the details sorted out.  The Sunday that the van's alternator went out a family we barely knew gave us their car.  Yes, you heard that right!  Who does that?  The Lord that's who!  Oh and the ones who decide to be obedient!  
• In August I had surgery for endometriosis.  I don't know why I am all of the sudden having this but I am and I was able to have surgery and with the new insurance it only cost $25.  
• I took an awesome Bible study called "Anointed Transformed Redeemed".  It forever changed my life and I started school in August at the University of Phoenix online.  I was nervous at first but it has been good for me.  As I started thinking about my major and what God wanted me to do with it I felt like I should concentrate on sign language.  At the same time I was getting nervous about the way that schools in my district would accept my degree.  After sharing concerns with an acquaintance I found out that he was the vice principle of the elementary school that has the deaf ed program for KISD!  WHAT?!?!?!  He said that he was not worried about the school the degree was from he was worried about the teacher!  
  
• Jackson started first grade and struggled.  After 3 months it was clear to Troy and I that he needed something that the school could not provide.  We pulled him out and I have been homeschooling him ever since.  He has improved significantly.  He is still behind but he is getting there.  Just when I thought that it was getting to hard and felt as though we were getting nowhere, he read a book to me without issue!  God knew that I needed some encouragement.
• It seems as though we should not have our bills paid or that we should be struggling but in the past several months it feels as though money keeps appearing out of nowhere and even if it is not money it is things like the milk and bread miraculously lasting until Friday.  I can't explain it except say that God has provided for us greatly this year.  

We are excited to start a new year and we are ready for whatever God puts in our path.  Kay Arthur said it best "If we are not in a trial we are not growing in our relationship with the Lord."  How true those words were and are!  I like it when it is quiet but I love it when I feel close to Him and it always seems that I feel closest to His peace when it is chaos around me.

Burn out leading to excitement

I have been so burned out on everything lately.  I am not even thinking about the Reason for the Season.  I am over the music, lights, parties, and really anything else that goes along with Christmas.  How sad?  Last night I spent 90 minutes on the phone with a dear friend that I have not talked to in so long.  She has been a friend for a few years and always encourages my faith when I am around her.  Over the last year we have become the type of friends that just say hi in passing and that is so sad to me.  So last night I called her for something totally simple and we talked forever!  I got off the phone feeling so refreshed.  I felt as though the Holy Spirit just poured out His love on me like a shower with her words.  It was awesome.  I was reminded of the awesome worship time I had at Deeper Still and how I never wanted that feeling to leave and yet that was 2 weeks ago and I am already burned out?!?!?  After getting off of the phone I had to do the last minute shopping thing at Walmart.  It was after 9 and I was not looking forward to it.  There were some very rude shoppers (what else is new) but overall is was good.  I got everything I needed and left unscathed.  I got home and Troy had pulled all of the toys from the attic down and I wrapped gifts until almost mid-night. 

As I looked at the ubundant amount of gifts my cup began to run over.  I was so thankful that the Lord allowed us to be able to do this for our kids and family.  We stuck by our 3 gift rule and yet the tree is overloaded and that doesn't count the unwrapped stuff that goes under it today when Troy gets home. 

It is not about the gifts and I know it.  It is about the one and only Gift that was given so long ago.  No matter what you believe you cannot dispute that Jesus was born.  And let me tell you, He was sent to take on sin and to give us eternal life.  That is what December 25 is all about.   It should be called Thanksgiving, because that is what we should be doing. We should spend the day with the family and friends that the Lord has so graciously given us.  We should praise Him and exalt Him because He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords and He would humble Himself to become a human and suffer for the lives of the world. 

So my challenge for you this Christmas is to think of what He has done for you and to thank Him. 

Ellie had her first real ballet performance last night.  It was a Christmas program and she danced with her classmates to Away in a Manger.  She did so well!  I could not believe that she danced all of the steps and did not just stand there like a deer in the headlights.  After she was so proud of herself.  And we were proud of her!  Here is a video clip of her dancing.  I should note that half way into the dance I realized that I was not actually recording.  I have to still get this new camera figured out.  OK, need to figure out how to post videos!  I will soon.

Turning 4 and all things princess

Today my sweet precious Ellie T turned four!  I am so excited for her and sad all at the same time.  She is so different from Jackson at four.  I know it is mainly because she is a girl but really she is so different.  She already has those girly hormones!  She loves all things "beautiful" and she is the first to tell you what is and isn't.  She loves little things that she can carry in her hands and animals (stuffed and plastic).  She loves any and all things princess, pink and purple.  We jokingly call her our little hoarder although she doesn't hoard, she just likes her stuff.  She is sensitive to others and when your feelings are hurt, hers are too.  She cries when someone is hurt or sad (even characters on tv).  She is a great big sister and a wonderful little sister.  She is stuck right in the middle yet she does not get lost in the shuffle.  She is Ellie T and she is special!  I love her so very much and I am so humbled to think that God trusted me to raise her.  I love you Ellie, I hope you always know that! 

Busy Bees

I feel like the word Busy is so redundant in this stage of my life.  I am always busy, I have a lot on my plate.  I am wrapping up my second block of classes, trying to get caught up on homeschool stuff with Jackson, getting ready to be out of town for 2 weeks, and finally trying to finish Christmas shopping and all that goes with that.  We did finish the kids Christmas but I still have to get stocking stuffers and gift exchange stuff for the Cardiff Christmas and a gift for Kenneth.  Oh, and I have no wrapping paper so I will be adventuring out to walmart today and then heading over to the post office to mail Paisley her gift.  So yes my life right now in this moment is redundant! 
It is ok because there may come a day when I have nothing to do and I might even feel a little useless.  I will say though that I learned something this past weekend at Deeper Still.  I learned about resting in the Lord.  Rest is the activity of faith.  If we have faith we can truly rest.  I can't say that I am worried about anything right now or even that I am stressed.  I am going with the flow.  I just know that right now in my life God is taking care of it all.  I just found out that the van will not make it much more, we need that second car.  But I am resting in the faith that God will provide something else when we need it. 

Ampires and Mommies

I am sitting in the "school room"  messing around on the computer and all three of the big kids are sitting here coloring.  Ellie has a book with all kinds of things in it including a vampire and a mummy.  She calls them "Ampires and Mommies".  Just too funny so here is the conversation going on as they color.

J-Did you know that there are no more vampires?
E-what happened to them?
J-The army men are strong and they just killed them!
K-why?
J-Because look at there teeth.  They are sharp and mine are not.

These kids crack me up.  Who knows where they get this stuff!

Almost the end....

Well, it is almost the end of November.  Did I give something everyday for 30 days?  No I am afraid not.  Did I give with a cheerful heart?  Yes, I would say so.  Did I enjoy this challenge?  Absolutely.  It has been good and although I can't promise that I will give something everyday I will certainly make it a priority it my life. 

We had Thanksgiving here with the Senterfitt's.  They were so awesome and we had such a blessed day.  There was way too much food and that was ok.  I have had leftovers everyday, I may just throw the rest out today.  I am the only one eating it and there is more then I could ever eat!  But anyway we had such a great time that I told Troy this should be a new tradition.  We should do this more often.  The kids played really hard and the adult conversation was great to have. 

Black Friday shopping was a crazy nightmare.  People desperate to save a few bucks were pushing, cussing and just plain grumpy.  Troy and I tried to be nice to those that we ran into but soon realized that they were not in the mood.  Troy and I even started to get grumpy and began fighting with each other.  It was stupid.  I finally suggested that we leave get some breakfast and then go somewhere else.  Wow!  Food helped!  I think it should be required that you eat before you shop on Black Friday.  I was so worried about getting a DS for Jackson (that we didn't even get) at Walmart for $30 off that I was willing to push too.  I ended up getting him one at target for only $10 off.  But there was no fighting at Target, no pushing and people were generally nicer.  It was also later in the morning.  Troy and I have decided that no sale is worth fighting with others or each other.  We are done with our Christmas shopping.  The only things I have left to buy are for stockings and that should be fun!

Sing Spell Read and Write

I finally got in the consumable books to SSRW.  I am so excited!  We had our first official day on Friday.  Here is how it went...Jackson loves the corny little songs and wanted to sing them over and over.  He mastered the first two steps and I stopped at step three because I wanted to spend more time on it.  Ellie joined in and is really getting it!  She only knows A and E but was able to find the letter's on a bingo card when shown a picture of that letter.  The fact that she can recognize them already shows me that reading will most likely be a cinch for her!  They both begged to "do school" yesterday which is great and I what I want!  WooHoo!

Here is a picture of Jackson in his new glasses!

Oh yeah, one more thing.....

Just remembered one more thing about giving.  A couple of months ago we were blessed by our church's benevolence fund.  We were able to get a new dryer, they fixed our car and we have been eating free on Wednesday nights. That is a lot and really extremely humbling.  It was always our plan to pay them back although we were told we did not have to.  Every quarter we have the Lord's Supper and we give to the benevolence fund.  We were able to start "paying it back" this week.  We have always given to it and we were so blessed by it.  We know that someone else will be too.  So if you are wondering where that money goes, I can't tell you how much it has helped our family.

It is Thursday and here I am not posting again!  But I will say it has been a good couple of days.  The kids and I went up to the fire station by our house on tuesday and gave the guys the cupcakes (finally).  They were appreciative and they spent almost an hour explaining everything to the kids.  They even let them climb up into the truck.  It was so nice.  We then went and dropped off a car seat to a family that just got a baby girl through foster to adopt care.  Then from there I went to Walmart where I saw Michelle randomly in the parking lot.  We ended up getting a bunch of goodies for Jay.  I hope he likes the yummy stuff!  Yesterday I was able to watch Lilly for Tracy.  She called me last minute for a last minute hair appointment.  Today I was not very giving.  I was exhausted and literally spent the day in bed.  But that is ok, I will make up for it another day I am sure. 

Some blessings, Aunt Cathy called out of the blue and offered to come pick Jackson up and had him for the day and he ended up spending the night with her.  So I had a fairly quiet day and evening without him.  Lilly and the girls played so well together that I was able to finish all of my assignments for the week!  That has not happened in a while. Oh and I was so tired yesterday morning that I was not sure if I could make it and Tracy brought me Starbucks!  That was a HUGE blessing!  Hey, it's the little things!

Oh and here is something I am going to do with the kids. Santa for a Senior is a program that is in most nursing homes that allows you to love on someone that may not have a family nearby or any family at all.  I think the kids will enjoy this.  They were so excited to see all of the Operation Christmas Child boxes in the hallway at church.  There are a ton!!!!!

Falling Behind

So I have not posted in several days and I am kicking myself for it.  I have however had several chances to give and I have also seen some blessings.  I was able to fill in for a friend at church so that she could hear an awesome sermon that was meant especially for her.  The kids and I made cupcakes for our volunteer firefighters by our neighborhood.   (They have been very busy lately). I have a super fancy very expensive infant car seat that was given to me and now I am able to give it to someone that just got a baby placed in their home unexpectedly.  We turned in our Operation Christmas boxes and I was able to show the kids how much of an impact and how important it was.  I spent time with a friend that has been lonely lately.  (I know that sounds kind of corny but the fact that I invited her to do something and just spent time with her really blessed her, I know because she told me so!).  I spent Saturday morning making cards for Jay and his fellow troops so that they could send special notes home from Afghanistan.  I know there is more but honestly I am unable to think of them.  That is why I am kicking myself for not posting! 

So here are some blessings.  A woman that I know from church that has recently become a prayer partner and a new friend really offered to watch my girls during the week while I am homeschooling Jackson.  She normally charges a lot of money to do it but wants to help me because she feels led by the Lord.  We got a flat tire and the spare ended up being flat too, not a blessing but it happened in our neighborhood which was a blessing!  Oh and it only cost $14 to fix!! 

Last Thursday was my last day with Caleb.  It was bittersweet.  I will miss the little guy.  He is so sweet and he liked to play with Charlotte.  He was super easy because he still took 2 naps.  I also made good money from watching him.  So losing him means I am losing a playmate for Char and a paycheck.  But I am gaining a play date because Denise will be home now.  This process has been smooth and stress free.  I am not worrying about where the money will come from our what will happen next.  I am at peace with it because I know that provisions will come another way.  Oh, and did I mention it will be easier to homeschool without him here!?  So that will be nice.  I am counting down the days until Kayden's last day.  Not because I don't want her here but because I can't wait for the quiet and the flexibility of not having extra kids.

Day 9

I did not blog last night because I forgot.  I need to do the same day other wise I forget.  So this morning I was thinking about what I gave yesterday and I was having a hard time until I remembered something that happened.  A friend of mine is struggling spiritually.  She has a past that won't go away and satan has really got a hold of her.  Yesterday she had a panic attack that was so bad that her daughter called 911.  When I got there she was still shaken but doing better.  I was able to spend time with her and pray for her.  She has a doctors appt today that could give devastating news.  But I am praying and my hope is in that it won't be.  That God is bigger then all of this and that He will be glorified through this whole entire situation.

** Just got the call and all of her tests came back negative.  See our God is good!

Day 8

Today after church and lunch the kids and I made a trip to Walmart.  We filled up our Operation Christmas Child boxes and got stuff for Thanksgiving baskets.  It felt good to do that and the kids were excited.  But Jackson could not understand why he could not buy Star Wars figurines.  The organization specifically asked for no toys with weapons of any kind.  I let the kids buy for a child the same age and gender as themselves.  Since we don't know the names of the children and we want to pray we made up names.  Jackson picked Josh and for the life of me I can't remember what Ellie picked.  I think it was Amy but I am not sure.  Regardless we will be praying for them and God knows who they are!

Day 7 and Blessings

Today turned into a lazy day.  I started out cleaning and then it turned into a lazy day with an extremely long nap.  Now I am going to be up late.  So I have been thinking about what I can do for someone else today.  I think I will bless my husband so that when he gets up at the crack of dawn for work he will have see how much I love and appreciate him.

On another note.  I have already started to see some blessings.  I know that they may not sound like much to some but I can see them as blessings. 

1. Troy just remembered that he can get reimbursed for school which means in 2 weeks maybe a little longer we will be reimbursed for his last block of classes and then right before Christmas we will be getting another check!  That is $3600 total!  The timing could not be better.
2. I got a letter from Mom today just to say thank you and it was so sweet and it made my day.  
3. A good friend offered to help with tutoring Jackson.  She is a first grade teacher.
4. A very expensive curriculum that I want and think would be very beneficial to Jackson was offered to me for a third of the price.  I will have to buy some of the consumable workbooks but that is ok, all totaled it is less then 1/2 of the original price tag!
5. A mom at church that I have only spoken to in passing, is a homeschooler and has a boy Jackson's age.  They played on Friday and had the best time.  She also has a girl Charlotte's age.  I am so excited to have met her.
6. I was able to continue working at the church even though I thought I would have to quit because I was homeschooling.
   

These are not all financial blessings.  I think sometimes Christian's think that if they give they will automatically receive and it will be financially.  Troy and I talked about it today.  I find myself wishing I could just go out and buy whatever I want or need really.  I wish I didn't have to pay half of my mortgage late or make my kids go without their favorite snack.  But that is our lot in life.  For whatever reason God has chosen this for us.  I am going to have to embrace it and go on with my life.  We have never been on the street and we have always had food to eat.  PB&J counts!   He always provides.  So I have to go with it and I have to have a cheerful attitude.  I teach my children to do things with a good attitude and my Heavenly Father wants me to do the same.  So I am and I will.  I may slip as all humans do but that is ok, He is good all the time!

Day 6

Today was a good day.  I was tired but it was a good day.  Jackson and Troy are going camping tonight and the girls and I are hanging out.  My kids are driving me nuts and I am having a hard time being gracious at the moment.  Unfortunately hormones are a factor! 

So Day 6, my neighbor has not mowed since at least July.  Today he was out struggling to get his mower to work.  I hollered across the street to come over and get ours.  It ended up that he had already gone through 2 mowers today and he was at the end of his rope.  I walked outside just at the right time, or should I say God led me out there at the right time!  He was so grateful and I was glad to have been out to see that he needed the help.

Day 5

Today I worked and then went on a fun field trip.  I bought my curriculum for this year and I think it will be good.  Jackson is excited to start it.  Today I stuffed bags for the Advent Calendar.  Our preschool ministry hands them out at Christmas time.  Technically I was on the clock for this but I would have done it off the clock.  I volunteered to help when she asked.  Maybe I am grasping at straws.  Who knows, what I do know is where my heart was when I was doing it and it was definitely with the families who are going to receive them. 

Day 4

Today I left the house!  I bought some thing for a friend that I know will be a huge blessing.  I also got a cool CD that comes with an extra one so that you can share with a friend.  I have already given it away!

Day 2 and 3

So a lot has happened this week.  I know it is only tuesday!  We pulled Jackson out of school and are officially homeschooling.  Today was our first day and went pretty good.  He is going to have to learn a whole new set of rules around here.  Ones that involve being a student and me being a teacher.  But I know that he will get it.  I am noticing that when I am stuck at home my ability to give is limited.  So here is what I did for day's 2 and 3.  Day 2, I was gracious to my son.  We were on time for once for baseball and we got there and were ready to go when he realized he did not have his bag.  I was irritated but I did not yell or punish I just got back in the car and went home to see the bag sitting on the front lawn next to his side of the car.  I know doesn't sound like much but I am working on anger issues and this was huge!  Day 3, today was even harder but I loved on Caleb today because he was not feeling well.  Oh, and I talked to a friend whose husband is in Afghanistan fighting and risking his life everyday.  My family and the Monroe's have adopted them this month so I was getting down what she and her four children need on top of what Jay would need.  I heart that family!

We have 2 boxes for Operation Christmas Child and I am taking the kids on Thursday to fill them.  I know they will enjoy that. 

Day 1

Honestly today I did not really give anything away monetarily.   I did however give my time and I loved on one of the sweetest boys, Riley Miller today.  I love that boy.  He was not having the best day and he ended up in my lap and I just talked to him and he just smiled at me. 

Last Thursday I received a thank you along with a gift card in the mail.  It was totally unexpected and it came from someone I barely know.  About 2 months ago, while at Mardel's, there was a woman who lost her keys.  The manager asked us to keep an eye out in case we found them.  The entire store was looking for her keys.  My kids looked while I shopped and I looked too.  At one point I looked up and saw a woman from church, someone that I has children that I have watched, I did not know her name but said hello.  She was the one who had lost her keys.  I told her we would keep an eye out and kept browsing for myself.  We were in there for at least 30 minutes if not longer.  As I went to check out I saw her still looking for her keys.  You could tell she was flustered and I went to her and asked if I could take her to get another set (home, husband's work etc).  She was surprised but accepted.  We then introduced ourselves.  She did not live that close but really I had no other plans that day.  I took her home and she was able to go back later with her husband and they found the keys.  That week at church I saw her and she told me the story and thanked me over and over.  It was no big deal because really I would hope that someone would have done it for me.  Flash forward 2 months and she sends me this beautiful card and a really nice note from her.  She didn't have to do that and she really didn't have to give me gift card.  I would do it agian tomorrow.  God is good and He put me there at the right time!

Mom and Dad are visiting and so far it has been so nice.  Just to have someone here to help pick up the slack is nice.  Charlotte has been doing this new thing where she gets two little purses and puts one on each arm.  Then she gets the stroller and puts her baby or sheepy into it and tells me bye-bye and walks away.  It is so cute and she is so proud of herself.  Ellie got new glasses today.  They are so cute.  I have not taken any pictures yet but I will soon and post them.  Here is a conversation I had with Jackson.  Let me set it up for you.  Jackson wanted to know if he could say the word fart.  I said no and he said that everyone says it.  And then:

J-We can only say bad words if our mom's and dad's are not there.
M-Uh, no!  Just because Mommy and Daddy can't hear it doesn't mean that you can say it.  Did you know that God can hear and see everything you say and do? 
J-Yeah, that is because God has big fat ears!

I just started laughing.  In his immature and naive six year old way that is how he could rationalize it.  I love that boy.

Oh and a cool thing happened that I will post on Day 1 of the 30 days of giveaways.

*the blue dress was made for me by my great grandmother when I was 2.

End of the Month; Beginning of Something Awesome

October has been a whirl-wind of school (Jackson, Troy and I), baseball, ballet, church and, all things that go with being a mother of a family of 5.  I love it!  I would not trade it for anything.  But alas we are at the end of the month.  My parents are coming in today and will be here until Saturday.  Saturday will bring Halloween and my son is just beside himself with excitement.  He has been counting down the days for 21 days now.  Whatever!  I am over Halloween but am willing to endure 30 minutes of it for trick or treats.  But I digress.  As we end the month I have realized that I have been stagnant in my spiritual walk.  I have had plans of doing a Bible study on my own and I am now on week 10 of my six week study!  I had planned on having family devotions every Friday night and so far since we have started we have had one.  I am exhausted by the time I get to church for WAM on Wednesdays and I don't put all into teaching these precious children how to worship.  By Sunday, I am so tired of being at church it takes me a while to get into anything.  So today I was going through a blog I found through Misty, it is written by a Christian and her main goal is to give, love others and teach them the same.  So she is having a 30 Day Giving Challenge in November.  I don't know who all is reading my blog, I did just start it.  But I plan on accepting this challenge and growing my walk with the Lord.  I don't expect anything except a renewed closeness with Him.  In the past 7 1/2 years Troy and I have been overwhelmed with the unsolicited generosity to us by those we love.  Even by some that we didn't know at the time.  I don't know what I am going to give or whom I am going to give it to.  We will have to see where the Lord prompts!

Beautiful Weather

This weekend was absolutely beautiful.  Way too nice to spend it inside.  Friday we had our class social and went to dinner.  It was Mexican food and oh so good.  Saturday, much to my surprise, Troy did not have to work so we spent the day together.  After I went to Kroger and prepped all of our meals for the next two weeks.  We went to the park with my neighbor Lindy and had a picnic.  Today we went to church and then Ellie and I watched Nim's Island together.  It was nice to spend time with her.  It has been a nice laid back weekend.  I love days like these!

The Great Mom Curse.....

Today Jackson had a baseball game. Let me start out by saying that he has been struggling recently with a bad attitude towards things that either he can't do or just doesn't want to do. He lays his head on his desk at school and often cries when he doesn't understand something, or if he just doesn't want to do it. And at home he throws a tantrum that any 2 year old would be proud of. So with the help of Dr. Dobson, we have been implementing consequences for this behavior. So at his game on Monday when the coach told him he would be in the outfield for that inning he decided he didn't want to and went back into the dug out refusing to go on the field! That is not going to fly in the Brown house! So today he had to apologize to Coach. (The coach had already forgotten the incident.) So anyway, every game the kid who did the best gets the game ball. Jackson has not received it yet (they all get one). I had to leave the game early because Charlotte wanted nothing to do with the ball fields tonight. He had a great game and got the game ball!!!! The last 3 seasons he has played every time he has received it I have not been there! I am a curse! You know how baseball is so superstitious. So I guess I should try to miss at least one game a season so that he can get it! Oh well he was so proud and so excited. Quietly I am thanking the Lord that this happened especially after he humbled himself and apologized to the coach. What a great teaching moment! God is good!

Today was not exciting at all. It was long and I was exhausted for most of it. The only real thing to report is a conversation I had with Ellie. She was watching Bambi 2. She came into my room with tears rolling down her face and the saddest look I had ever seen...

Mom-What is wrong Ellie?
E-Bambi died!
Mom- What? No honey. He didn't die you have to keep watching it will be ok.
E- No I saw him! The rocks fell on him.

I convinced her to run back to the game room with me just in time to see him frolicking with his friends. Oh Bambi! I was probably her age when I was so devastated by the death of Bambi's mother. Ellie has such a tender little heart. I love that about her!

Now that I think about it I had tons of cuddle time with both my girls today and you can't beat that! Even if I do have a raging headache!

Today I had a parent-teacher conference with Jackson's teacher. It was only supposed to take 20 minutes max. It ended up being almost an hour. He is really struggling with all aspects of school, which is heart breaking for me. He is such a smart kid, something is just not clicking. We broached the subject of possible learning disabilites like dyslexia but really at this age it is too hard to tell. He appears to be an auditory learner but putting pen to paper is hard for him. Ha! That is all that school is. So anyway, I am excited that he has improved even since the beginning of the year. I am also glad that his teacher loves him and knows that he is a good kid. We are just going to have to work hard and figure out what is best for him. We will figure it out and he will do well I am sure of that! "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me".

It so beautiful out today that it is hard to stay inside. If Charlotte did not need a nap we would be at a park taking in the fresh air! Here are some pics of the big kids enjoying the weather.


I'm gonna getcha!
In front of Mr A.V.'s tree.
My sweet sweet Ellie T!

Christmas in October

We are finally getting the cooler weather! All the windows in the house are open and it is 74 degrees in side. Not bad I would say. The cool fresh air gives me a certain kind of energy. It always makes me want to clean. Maybe it is because when I was little I remember my mom opening the windows on days like this and then having us clean. All I know is that I love to get things done when the weather is like this. So I tackled the girls closet today. Lord help me! It is so overwhelming with all that stuff! Although there is not as much stuff in there as before there is still a whole lot! I needed to get out the stuff that is too small for Charlotte so that I could give it to the neighbor. And then I had to get the stuff too small for Ellie put away for Char. There are also a ton of shoes! Oh the shoes! But I did get them organized and will need to find a better way to store them. So in this whole process I found a bag, a very large, very tightly packed bag of clothes. All from Sherry, all 12 months, all winter! AHHHHHH!!!!!! I have been racking my brain trying to figure out why I couldn't find any clothes from her in that size and season. That is why I went shopping yesterday! Oh well, of course there are really cute clothes and I am not regretting what I did get at the sale. It is just a little frustrating that it was there the whole time. I know what happened. When she gave them to me she said they were winter and it was probably summer so I just put them away without going through them because as I said before it is overwhelming! So I will just think of this as Christmas in October!

Busy Day and Monsters

Today I went to a city wide consignment shop called "Just Between Friends". I went with Michelle and we took all of our "little's". It was fun. There were great buys for Charlotte. I got 9 full outfits (Charlotte), an Anakin Skywalker costume (Jackson, looks new!), a polo for J possibly for family pictures, and a Polly Pocket tree house thingy for Ellie all for the grand total of $48! I could not believe what a great deal I got! Michelle did well too. We went to another little shop off of Memorial and it was good too a little spendy but nothing we couldn't handle! Most of the clothing was in great shape. I got 2 new leotards and a skirt for Ellie's ballet. She was so excited because one was purple! We then went to the best place ever...Olive Garden! It was so good and such a nice treat! I know it is ridiculous to get excited over such a silly place but it hit the spot and I was glad we went.

It is so beautiful out today that I opened windows and tackled my kids bathroom when we got home. It looks and smells so much better! The windows do not have screens and Jackson just asked for permission to climb out. What the hay! I don't really care, it's fun and we certainly do not get to do it every day.

So funny little story and conversation with Jackson today....
E-Mom, Jackson fighted that monster in his bedroom and had to feed him so he would go away.
Me-What?
E-He did, ask him!
Me-What is she talking about Jackson?
J-There was a monster in my room and I had to fight him and I punched him so hard in the face he went to outer space. (pantomiming the entire scenario!)
Me-Oh, this was your dream last night?
J-No, this really happened. I was very quiet so that you would not wake up. You were snoring in your bed.

I am sure he really did fight a monster! He has been struggling with fear lately and I told him last night that all he had to do was to tell the scary things to go away and to ask Jesus to help him. He was up late last night, who knows what went on in there!

First Post

So I have a blog on another site. Everyone else seems to like this one so here we go! I hope to keep track of great pictures and fun things that happen in our family. The newest thing right now is that Ellie is getting so much better with her speech. She used to say that her favorite color was "pupur". It is now "purple". It is a sad day when your baby stops talking like one! So sad....