A Tiny Glimpse at homelife,Thanksgiving and company :)

A common site around here...LaKaysha's drawing :)

Kids playing dress up ( Liberty, Damara & Evelyn)

I did some baking for company (guests were arriving for Thanksgiving and In-Laws came for a visit)

Grandma S with Caleb

Grandpa S with Jamen

Auntie Marissa with niece Emmeline

Best of friends (LaKaysha and Daminika with cousins, Emily and Kimberly)

Cousins and Aunties (Felicity, LaKaysha and Daminika with Emily, Kimberly, Marita and Marissa w/Emmeline)

Evelyn loving on cousin Emmeline

getting ready for Thanksgiving Dinner

We are blessed!!

Time to eat!!

kids eating in our garage :)

guests (family) relaxing

Brother-In-Law Joey with his lil lady Abigail

LaKaysha enjoys cousin Emmeline

Liberty enjoys cousin Rand

my nephew Marcus Jon

Niece Hadassah (in background) and nephew Olympas

nephew Rand Leander

Niece's Hadassah and Cyrene :)

For Thanksgiving we had my family and Leon's family over. All in all it was around 60 of us! It was a house full but all went good! Also the weekend before my In-Laws arrived from NH. We really enjoyed having them out here! My sister Missy and her family also came to stay the day before Thanksgiving and stayed through Sunday. We really enjoyed having them. I always enjoy having guests stay and company over . It can get busy at times but it is a joy to serve others! I am ever grateful that God has given the home we have so we can serve others. I was surprised at how the house didn't seem that full. I think having the kids eat in the garage really helped and the nice weather also. The kids spent a lot of the day outside. Normally we have lots of rain but the Lord blessed us with sunny dry days! Now as all of our guests have gone on home we wait for the Christmas gatherings! A time of fellowship and fun! May God bless you all this Christmas season and may we always remember the reason we celebrate.... The birth of our Lord and Savior!!!

Sharing my sisters blog!

Hello :) Marita now has a blog as well! Stop by and say hello!

When I Hear Music...

Sharing my Daughters Blog..

 Hello :) LaKaysha now has a blog as well...go on over and say hi :)


Calico and Lace  

Some Thoughts..

As it nears the day that we will begin school books again,  my thoughts go many places. Do I know what I am doing? Are my kids learning what is necessary? Is this new way of schooling really going to work? Am I just being crazy? Am I teaching my high school kids enough?

Romans 12:2 - And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Deuteronomy 11:19 - And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

2 Timothy 3:16 - All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Proverbs 9:10 - The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy [is] understanding

Colossians 2:8 - Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ

So this is where I turn and where I will rest! All that matters is that I teach my kids of Jesus and His dying love. The shedding of His blood on the cross for our sins.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

I am far from perfect .... I pray God will guide me always and that I will only do what will bring honor and glory to Him!!   Let us pray for one another as we bring up our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Be Encouraged!

I have a couple little stories to share that I hope will encourage you as they did me :)

I have a facebook and I try not be too personal on there but at times I am. I will share about my sadness..hurt and pain but I will share my joy as well. I try to be encouraging when I update my status but I know I fail at times. While a day or so ago I put up that many were in need of prayer and that I was praying for all who were in need even if  I didn't know their names ,but that God did. Then I shared on another day how I was missing my mom, my dad and family and the life we had before mom died. Later I was uncertain if I should have shared. Thinking it might of been discouraging and that people were probably sick of me sharing about mom etc. I even thought about deleting my post. Today I received a message from someone , this is part of what they said "I saw your post about praying for others and felt compelled to ask for personal prayer from a place I knew would be safe. I know we don't really know each other well but you felt safe (if that makes any sense?). Thank you for always being so open about your feelings on fb about your Mom and family. It really is encouraging and shows a personal side of you that I think people relate to and connect with. Thank you again for being that safe place, It was a gift that God gave you... sent to me"   I am humbled..God really does work in amazing ways. And here the devil was telling me not to share and to delete my post. We never know when God will use us. Always be ready and willing to shine HIS light! All honor and glory to God!!

Here is my other little story :) This morning I went to my bathroom cupboard and seen we had only 3 rolls of toilet paper. I thought "oh.boy now we need to figure out how to get some toilet paper".( in this house with SO many girls we go through toilet paper like crazy) I got up and just let it slip my mind. Not long later my sister pulls in and comes to the door with a Costco package of toilet paper. She asks" do you need toilet paper?" I said" Yes, how did you know?" Well she said God layed it on her heart that she should get us some toilet paper but she hadn't gone and gotten any yet. Then yesterday she sent her hubby to Costco to get their sons meds, and asked him to grab some diapers. Well he came home last night with no diapers but toilet paper. He mistakenly bought toilet paper instead of diapers. She then remembered and told hubby.." I know why you bought toilet paper, it's for Leon and Elisa" :)  So you see folks...God not only cares for the big things we need, He even cares about the little things like toilet paper :)

Be Encouraged..God cares!! :)

More of our trip to Idaho :)

We enjoyed ourselves. There was some real interesting stuff there. I would recommend it to anyone who is in the Boise ID area :)

a little on our life...

Hello :) It's been a long while since I have updated. Reading Missy's update made me think how I should at least update for her if not for anyone else :) I am not much for computers or trying to figure blogging out but maybe I can post pictures sometime.
 Anyways here it goes:  I finally got my kids CAT testing done. I did the paper test myself. It feels good to finally have them done. The results came in the mail the other day. I was pleased to see the kids all scored high.(which I expected since I worked with them each day)
  We are deciding on new school curriculum for the up coming year. Math-U-See, Easy Grammer etc. have aligned with common core and we do NOT support that at all. It is looking like we will be going back to Abeka math and I will probably do a Unit Study with my 2 youngest (with the 2 older girls doing it too). LaKaysha and Daminika will both be in high school  so I will have them do more. I ordered Apologia Science for them a while back and Law and Government. I also have a writing course that Daminika will do( need to order another student book) They will also be using "Nourishing Traditions" for health. I am trying to find a history course for Daminika. LaKaysha will finish up the history course I had her and Felicity start last year.
    We are adding onto our chicken coop.( Chancy and Leon are doing all the work) With hopes and dreams of having 24 chickens someday :) We also have been working on finishing the fencing for our chickens and future goats ;) Liberty spends many hours a day in the pen with the chickens. She has our young ones so tame. They just love people and come walking around feet and between our legs. It is pretty neat :)
    We (when I say we, I mean mainly Felicity)spring cleaned my bathroom, closet and room. It hadn't been done in the 5 years we lived here. The closet and bathroom got done once each I guess. That feels good. (LaKaysha, Daminika and myself did help but Felicity did most, as we were busy with other things)
    LaKaysha has been babysitting for a ladies Bible study group along with Marissa and Marita every Tuesday morning. I am glad she is able to but it makes me lonesome. I guess it just isn't easy having all your kids grow up on ya.
   Felicity is still working for Mollie. Any where's from 1-3 days a week. So between her and LaKaysha being gone I feel rather lonely.
  I try walk and jog every week day. It really helps my anxiety. SO thankful for that. losing weight would be a nice added bonus. :)
  I miss having babies...I miss having babies with my sisters. There is a empty spot in my heart...guess it will always be there?? Or maybe someday grandbabies will fill that void??
  Mindy and I went to an Abeka book display Monday, then spent the day down town. Even went out to lunch! It has been YEARS since I did something like that. Evelyn was with us :) She is such a lil dolly! I really enjoyed myself.
    Liberty has been getting her teeth worked on. Stressful! Also feels so good to have it getting done. I am thankful I tried this new place right in BG. Praying the next visit goes as well.
    Well, guess that's it for now. life is just life....nothing exciting...which is a good thing! :)
  

More Pictures of our Vacation..

After leaving Mike and Missy's we went to The Oregon Trail Interpretive Center just out of Baker City.. I was so excited to TOUCH the Oregon Trail!!! Of course I was informed by sisters that the dirt isn't the same dirt that the pioneers touched :( Oh well it was still pretty neat! :)

Chancy dressed up

loading the wagon

Daminika, Liberty and I as pioneers :)

dreaming of being there....

Daminika :)

Liberty having fun playing :)

I HAD to have my picture with the pioneers :)

Headed to the trail..

on the trail!!

Me on the trail :)

and this is how I really acted!! LOL :)

reading about the ruts before we head on down the road to Meridian ID :)

None of the kids(or Leon) were as excited as me about TOUCHING the Oregon Trail but Daminika did say it made her get butterfly's in her stomach :) It was pretty neat to finally touch and see the trail. I imagined I was a pioneer looking out into Baker Valley and how wonderful it must of been to see such beauty! I could hear the creak of the wagon wheels and the cows mooing while kids played along side the wagons. The hot sun coming down on our faces and the men folk driving the oxen while us ladies walked along side. Circling our wagons for the night, camp fires, eating and singing in the dark. How the stars must have sparkled! Snuggling down into our warm blankets to sleep listening to the cattle low. Aww...what bliss! :) Yes, I am still a pioneer girl at heart!