Double Digits!

I can't believe it's already here-- the birthday de double digits!

HAPPY 10th BIRTHDAY, AUSTIN!

I made his cake on Friday night in anticipation of an early celebration with David's parents. But since the cake smelled so yummy and the homemade frosting was beckoning, it was a unanimous decision to celebrate early!

So we had cake (red is Austin's favorite color) and gifts that very night. Even though his birthday is today (Sunday)! :)



Oops! The icing was stickier than I thought!

(Ack! Ignore the gross and disgustingly dirty trashcan.)

Happy Birthday, my Austie-bostie! I am so glad that *I* am your mommy!!! Your hugs, sweet smile and tenderness makes my heart melt. I love you!

Uniform, schnuniform

Almost everyone has a uniform that they wear.

When he's not working, David will most likely be wearing athletic shorts and a t-shirt (solid color- because tall sizes in a graphic shirt are hard to come by... well, except this Game Over one apparently!).

I often wear a skirt and t-shirt in the summer and jeans and t-shirt in the winter. While my skirts are printed or boldly colored, I prefer to play it safe when it comes to shirts.

My favorite color?

Yup, the good ole standard black shirt. See, I don't have too many do I?

(Oops. That's not counting any tank tops, long sleeved shirts or sweaters that might be lurking in my closet. Oh, and that one v-neck in the laundry basket.)

Sometimes my friends and family laugh about my penchant for the dark side, but I really think it's a flattering color on me and when I wear it, I feel confident and comfortable.

I had to make a conscious effort to put on that blue shirt the other day!

So, what's your uniform? Do you have a go-to color or style? Maybe I want to shake it up a bit around here.

The Country Club

On the way to church, there is one building that constantly gets some sort of remark from my boys-- the "Country Club."

Lest ye think, ahem, that it is a high falootin' sort of place, it is the Country Club Bar. As in a seedy cinder block building set right next to the railroad tracks (because drunks and train tracks are always a stellar combination, y'all).

When my boys were younger, they'd ask about it and what people might do there.

They asked questions like "So what kind of drinks, mommy?" And I'd tell them that people would probably be drinking beer and liquor in there. When explaining liquor, I told them it was stinky, tasted bad and I'm sure burned their throats.

That's when they started whispering to each other "*gasp!* Look! That's where those people drink hot drinks instead of go to church!"

If that wasn't funny enough, conversation took a more interesting turn when we added three little girls to the mix last Wednesday night.

Upon passing the Country Club, this was overheard:

"You can't get drunk from drinking root beer because it's just soda."

"What do you think they do in there?
-I bet they play pool and drink beer.
-And smoke cigarettes!"

"And there are women in there too! And they show their bellybuttons!"

This is the point where Austin, who will be 10yo on Monday, loudly sucked in his breath.

One of the girls turned to him and said "It's not funny, Austin!"

He replied, "I don't think it's funny! I think it's DISGUSTING!"

And all five children concurred that it was indeed sinful and disgusting to be showing your bellybutton.

We tackle deep, spiritual subjects in our devotional time, can't you tell?

I <3 Faces - Crazy, Silly, Funny Face!

This is a much littler Noah on a trip to The Children's Museum. Every time I looked at him, I smiled.

Okay, it was more like busted a gut!

Hmmm... perhaps I should use this tactic with my boys on one of our not-so-great days? I think it would be impossible to be angry if you had to look at a face like that all day long!

A little (lighting) drama

For Melissa's Get the Picture Show and Tell Monday at A Familiar Path, she asks if we have learned anything new this week in our photography.

Oo! Ooooo! Mr. Cart-airrr! Mr. Cart-aiirrrrr!

It just so happens that the very brilliant Beth from Pages of Our Life shared this very handy-dandy tip with me.

"If you place the subject just inside the door of a house where there is no wall behind them, and you stand outside with your camera looking in, it creates dramatic lighting right on the subject."

Since I wanted a picture with my boys (as in a picture of ME and MY BOYS-- AT THE SAME TIME), I set up my camera on a tripod and used a remote. If you don't have a remote, you can try using your camera's self-timer feature and use the *gasp* auto feature. It's probably the only time you would want to hug the auto feature.

Ahhh... room to breathe.

Then it got a little crowded.

And I liked it.

Oops! Sorry about that Noah.

We scooted over a little and tried to make a pirate face.

Some more successful than others.

We laughed.

And then we got a "normal" shot.

I have decided that normal is kinda boring.

But it'll do, especially if we're all together.

They aren't imaginary

I know people crack jokes all the time about online friends being imaginary friends.

But LOOK! I went here:

And got to spend time with my two fabuloso friends Sprittibee and Rachel.

They're real, y'all!

I have to add that babyBee is adorable and he is blessed to have such an awesome big sister that adores him! And Rach, it was great to finally meet your other half.

I wish we could've hung out longer but am very thankful for the time that we did get to spend together. :)

Trusting in fear

I popped in to visit EspeciallyHeather's blog tonight and read this post.

I read it, moved on to another one, and then decided to go back to it and read the comments. I don't know why I actually read the comments this time (versus skimming or skipping them altogether)-- it's not something that I usually do.

Heather wrote about the name Jehovah-Jireh, meaning "God will provide." It got my wheels turning about how God really does provide.

Peggy in the comments section got me thinking even more.

When my Christian passed away almost a year ago, I had a great fear of something happening to Austin and Noah. They must have slept on the floor of our bedroom for over a month! We just wanted to see them, hear them, feel them, be with them.




I kept thinking to myself, "What would I do if they were taken from me? How could I bear it?"

It was a strange battle in my heart and mind-- God telling me I need to trust Him with them and me telling God that I don't want to-- not yet and maybe not ever! (I can be such a brat sometimes.)

But God is much nicer than I am.

He didn't punish me with the silent treatment. He has more than proved himself to me this past year in His capacity to comfort, to guide, to bless, to hold up, to give much grace when much grace was needed.

And you know what? I finally laid that fear of losing my boys-- and even losing David-- at God's feet.

See? I trusted God.

So what's the problem?

It's not my fear of something happening TO them, but my fear FOR them if something were to happen to ME!

Would they be okay without me? I don't want them to suffer, to grow up without a mommy (or wife), to hurt so badly, to go through that dark valley yet again!!! How could they possibly bear it?!

As I read Heather's post and Peggy's comment, God spoke to me.

He will provide.

He will provide. If God can speak Heaven and Earth into existence, He can certainly handle the lives of my husband and boys!

He will provide. God doesn't lie and He keeps his promises 100% of the time! If God said it, He's going to do it.

He will provide. We cannot even comprehend the thoughts and ideas of God. I would never want to limit God with my lowly ways when His ways are so much higher! I don't have to understand the how's and why's of His provision in order for Him to be fully capable.

It's also rather absurd to think that God would only provide for me and not for my husband and children too, don't you think?

I have to trust God. I have to trust that God will take care of them. I have to let go of that fear, that worry, that anxiety. He will provide a way of escape. He will be their comfort. He will bind up their wounds. I have to trust Him.

I DO TRUST HIM. Right now.


(Hey Heather, thank you.)

Is there an entomologist in da hizouse?

I saw this guy out in my flowerbed today.

I have no idea why that dragonfly (or damselfly?) flew from that vibrant rose over to this one...

Ewwww!!! Maybe there were more bugs to eat on the dead plant?

I have never been very good at bug or animal identification. Not even with a simple guidebook, y'all. Is there a studious entomologist out there that can help me?

It was fun to see that my sister Coco had the same idea today! But she was smart enough to keep it wordless. I have always been know to let my big mouth get me in trouble and prove my ignorance.

The lady with the alligator purse

How many of you know this song?

Ms. Susie had a baby, his name was Tiny Tim
She put him in the bathtub to see if he could swim
He drank up all the water, he ate up all the soap
He tried to eat the bathtub, but it wouldn't go down his throat!

Ms. Susie called the doctor
The doctor called the nurse
The nurse called the lady with the alligator purse!

And I have no idea how the rest of the song goes.

But what got that song stuck in my head was this super great find at the store the other day. Look what I got for $10!!!

The bright green color is just the perky-pick-me-up that I needed!

I. love. it.

I am not a purse switcher. I am a devoted purse owner... if I love you, dear purse, I will be committed to you. I won't change purses to go with different outfits. Once I have found you, I will put my arm through yours no matter what I happen to be wearing-- even if it doesn't match and even if it clashes!

Since you deserve honesty, I must confess that once your good looks have spoiled or you begin to weigh so much that my shoulder and neck begin to hurt, I will have to discard you. Never to be used again.

Not ever.

(Well, except you're this one clutch that I really like, but let's face it.. a clutch isn't a practical everyday kind of accessory for a momma who needs her hands to be free. It's only for certain occasions.)

So what are your purse habits? How many do you have in your closet?

Our 2009-2010 Curriculum

Week 1: Curriculum Hop

Although our year-round homeschooling selves won't be finished with the 2008-2009 school year until the end of September, I've already been making plans for this next school year.

One thing I am definitely keeping the same is our BLOCK SCHEDULING. This basically means that we are not doing every single subject every single day.

• Every day: Handwriting, Math, Spelling
• Monday/Wednesday: Language Arts, History
• Tuesday/Thursday: Science, Latin, Art, Music
  
  

Also noteworthy is the fact that Austin (10yo) and Noah (8yo) are at separate levels in Math and Language Arts. All the other subjects, however, are taken together. With my time being at a premium and the two of them being so close in age, it just doesn't make sense to do otherwise!

While I detest assigning grade levels, for simplicity's sake we will say that Austin is going into 5th grade and Noah into 3rd grade.


Handwriting:
Italic Handwriting Book E by Getty-Dubay

Math:
Math-U-See
N: Gamma/Delta
A: Delta/Epsilon

Spelling:
AVKO Sequential Spelling
finish Book 1, begin Book 2

Language Arts:
Institute for Excellence in Writing
Daily Grams
Reading Comprehension

History:
Mystery of History Vol. 1: Creation to Christ
MOH Vol. 1 Printable Reproducibles CD-ROM

Science:
NOEO Science
finish Chemistry 1,
begin Physics 1

Latin:
finish Song School Latin,
begin Latin for Children

Art:
finish Lambs Book of Art
Discovering Great Artists
Draw Write Now
Art Auction Mystery
Can you find it?
Art Lotto

Music:
Simply Music Learn at Home Level 1 (Piano)

Gravy (y'know, the extra stuff that isn't necessary but still nice):
Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace Jr.
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? (new hybrid version for Vista)
Dr. Funster's Think a Minutes
Basic Map Skills
Typing Instructor Deluxe

P.E.:
Seriously? They are BOYS. They like to throw water balloons, dig holes, ride bikes (with homemade ramps), play baseball in the yard with daddy, shoot hoops, go to the driving range, play soccer, ride scooters, catch frogs, go camping, fly kites... need I say more?


To see what others have lined up for the new school year, visit Blog Hop central at My3Boybarians. And don't forget to add your own post!


FYI, schedule for the rest of this month: