Shanda’s recipe for a Good Night’s Sleep:

(Do all with at least 5 children)
Weed garden
Give Grace a bath
Go shopping(with Grace and Abbie, A. watched boys)
Get van battery changed
Come home, Say goodbye to Amanda and Abbie
Serve lunch
Keep house clean
Bake chocolate chip cookies
Go buy bubbles at family Dollar
Go to Geissler’s for groceries
Come home, put groceries away, get out grill
Grill hamburgers and hot dogs & boil corn on the cob
spill boiling water down leg and on foot
give yourself first aid–cold water, ice, then try to forget the pain
Clean up grill, put away grill, put away leftovers
Give David and Caleb a bath.  Spank D. for kicking C. over in tub
Put all kids to bed except J, have him help clean
Clean the house (*again*)
Read book on couch
Send Jacob to bed
Husband home at 9:30, finds 2 boys wide awake in their beds . . . . . but,
Mommy sound asleep in her bed.

Caleb is starting to get creative.  It appears that I now have yet another boy to keep my eyes on at all times!  I went out of the room and when I came back, this is what I saw:

Here are some pictures of Amanda and Jason’s House:

Dining room looking into Living Room:

Upstairs Office:

Porch:

Yard:

I don’t know why I didn’t take pictures of the kitchen, livingroom, or the girl’s room.  The whole house has oodles of potential and I think they are going to have so much fun fixing it up the way they like.  I’m very happy with the location.  And now when we want to see the 4th of July parade we can park in their driveway!~

For those of you wondering how my weekend was,  I can’t emphasize enough how blessed I was.

I am convinced that the Lord led me to this homeschooling conference at just the right time.  Truths that He was speaking to my heart about were “brought home” and verified within my soul.  I am specifically thinking about family togetherness and keeping my child’s heart.

Today was spent buying Jacob’s entire curriculum for next year.  Also, I spent more time walking around the book tables and trying very hard to control my spending, with some success.  I did end up getting a couple of Bible workbooks and some reading books for all the children to use.

The two seminars that I went to today were: Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit, and Managers of Their Chores.  I will share my notes on those topics some other time.  They were both extremely helpful and even if I wasn’t homeschooling at all, I still needed to hear these 2 messages.

I am surprised at how excited I am.

Some of my new goals are:
Schedule, Schedule, Schedule
Continue on in my own personal Bible study and Prayer
Take away time from my lesser priorities in order to give more to my greater priorities.
Do things “Little by little, inch by inch” so that I don’t get overwhelmed.
Enjoy my family

In a nutshell this is what I did this weekend:

Bought curriculum, figured out violin lessons for Jacob, decided NOT to send J. to a Christian camp, learned so much from the Maxwells that my brain is tired, bought a membership to TEACH, joined the HSLDA (Homeschool Legal Defense Association), decided that we would give the public school a notice of intent to homeschool (it’s optional), and bought myself several good and helpful books.

And I told Rich and my mom all about it when I got home.  

Where did I come from, Mother dear?
God thought of ME and so you are here.

Okay, I love the rain and I love rainy days.  But, rain, rain and more rain d oes  notmix with      5 children!  3 of whichjm  are g bojyu s big enough to get b e b res6ftless. 

So, we went outn   today to Costco. c  That was funv .  

Caleb is sitting on myhly lap if you havn ‘vth guess edbl.

Okay, I put him down.

This one didn’t turn out as well, but I only took ONE shot and I didn’t edit it at all, the whole process took about 4 minutes. This is what my children are running around looking like.  Notice D.  He was completely dressed 10 minutes ago.  He’s lost his shirt somewhere.  Grace makes me laugh.  And, you guessed it, this was RIGHT BEFORE C fell off the step.  He’s okay now.

I read in Psalms today.  What an encouragement!

The first day of summer vacation was yesterday and by the end of the day I wondered if I would survive.  Today is better, I was thinking this morning:  well, who ever said having 5 children would be easy?  It’s NOT easy, but it IS worth it.

Tomorrow a babysitter is coming to watch all the children all day long. I am going to a homeschooling convention by myself.  I am very much looking forward to this experience.  I am going to take my notebook and some money.    I feel a little strange going alone, I usually have a child, a friend, or my husband along with me wherever I go.  But, this will be good for me.   Perhaps I will make new friends!  Certainly I will at least learn new things, and that is ALWAYS a good thing.

I am trying to drink more milk. 

I am reading a lot (when the kids are sleeping).

I am trying to stay focused on my priorities.

I am figuring out a schedule.   2 things are for sure.  They aren’t getting up until 7 and they’re all going to lay down and rest at 2 every day.

I can’t believe that tomorrow is FRIDAY!

————————————————————–

Like as a Father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.  As for man, his days are as grass:  as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.  For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments and do them.  Psalm 103:13-17

Baby C. is still sick.  He woke up at 4:30, whimpering, he was trying to go back to sleep on his own but I went upstairs and got him.  He was hot so I gave him a drink of water and some infant tylenol and put him back to bed, which he submitted to without any protest.  I hardly went back to sleep after that, I was thinking about the rain and hoping I didn’t leave my “Country Living” magazine outside in it.  (I didn’t)

Rich has to work late tonight so I don’t know how I’m going to get to church w/the sick baby.  Maybe I can come but keep him with me.  We’ll see.

I just read this quote this morning about Love:

“True love is not manifested by indifference,
but by a mature possessiveness,
and intense concern for the one we love.”

It made me think:  when I know for a fact that someone I love is having a difficult time, do I stand by and say/do nothing?  Okay, so I AM praying for that person. . . but,  do they KNOW I am praying for them?  Or do they assume that I am “indifferent”.  When someone we love is physically, emotionally, or spiritually sick and struggling, we should all be rushing around that person in love.  Our first reaction should NOT be for solutions, but for LOVE, CARE, and INTENSE CONCERN.  

Enjoy your day today!  Love, Purple

With Matt on Sunday:

Zoo Pics

Today:

I’m so busy!  Yesterday was “zoo” day, I drove school kids to the Beardsley Zoo, over an hour away –for their last field trip.  It was fun and the Lord was merciful–no one got lost or hurt.   The children were so excited and happy all day, we even got to ride the merry-go-round.  I did have David and Caleb with me, too, and Caleb started getting a fever while we were there and he still has it.  He’s eating and drinking fine, but is very sleepy.  I think the whole big weekend did him in.  Amanda and Jason came with girls yesterday evening and took David to spend the night w/them last night.  It was so cute to see him go off w/them.

I wanted to mention Saturday and Sunday, as well.  We had our 50th anniversary as a church so there was a special meal and time of fellowship on Saturday.  Sunday service was different–we had no Sunday school, had a regular AM service, with a lunch following, and then an quick afternoon service.  It was a long day but such a blessing.  I really feel that our church is really coming together as a family.  I was so happy and felt such peace both Saturday and Sunday.  It was wonderful  to see Matt, who came to preach.  He also was able to come over to our house for a quick visit and a run w/Rich on Sunday afternoon.  He brought his camera and took pictures of the kids and my fiesta collection.   (we taught him well, LA!)

So, that leaves today, TUESDAY.  It’s the children’s last day of school and it’s a HALF day!  Amanda came over to drop off David, we visited for a little while and now that she’s gone I am in the process of cleaning the basement.  Had to stop for lunch, so that’s what I am doing as I type, eating a salami sandwich!  Caleb is sleeping and David is watching a video.

Last night was fun.  I called the library and got information about their booksale this weekend.  I found out that for a small fee I could go that night and so I called Writer and we both went to the BOOK SALE!    I bought some books for the kids, and also a stack for myself.  It was raining the whole time we were there.

Then we went to Costco, ’cause I had to buy diapers and formula, and ate big huge ice cream bars that were approximately 2 pounds each.  They were dipped in chocolate and rolled around in almonds.  I ate mine entirely, writer was a good girl and threw the last bit of hers away.  I kind of wish I had, too.

Today I am going to make Uncle Chris’ peaches and cream pie for our church’s 50 ANNIVERSARY picnic, which, because of the rain, is no longer a picnic.

Have a great weekend everyone!  i’m going to go bake now!

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 

Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us, UNTO HIM BE GLORY in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.  Amen