It's March!!

Here we are in the first week of March! How did that happen?

We've been so busy lately. We have lots going on and are enjoying all the cool weather. :)

Last night we took the kids to a local place we love. They have outdoor seating with personal fire pits and live music. We had a great time!

 

Live music means dancing, in the dark. :)

 

They have a lot of signs like this all over. LOVE!

Meghan Goes Camping

Or something like that. :) Meghan went with our church for her first camp, Winter Camp. She left last Friday afternoon and I picked her up on Sunday after church. She had a blast! This was a her birthday gift.

She wanted to go to summer camp last year. It's 5 days and quite a bit more money so we weren't able to do it and I didn't feel comfortable with it anyways. This time though it was shorter and I felt like it would be okay.

We had to get her some warm clothes and rent a coat. haha She went up to where it was snowy. They do have cabins to stay in though and a dining hall, so they aren't in a tent really roughing it.

I loved watched the Facebook page for the church, they posted a few pictures. That's the one thing about your child being gone without you, no pictures!

I am so glad she had a great time! We missed her lots but it was totally worth it.

Here she is waiting for the bus to get there and pick them up.

 

Then here she is with the whole group. Can you find her? ;)

I Might Be Sappy

Does this song make anyone else weepy?

Just me?

Yep, I am sappy.

 

 

Last weekend was a big deal to me. I was able to take the family and visit with my Uncle Richard and his family. My Aunt Josephine is from the Philippines and they live there. My Uncle is there most of the time and my Aunt is sometimes here and sometimes there. Their two son's, Joseph and Jonathan, live here.

My Uncle came to Arizona through the holidays and we have been so busy that we didn't get to see them until the day before he flew home. Which kinda makes me sad. I wish we could have seen him a few times while he was here. We figured out we hadn't actually seen each other since I was about 10 years old. Thankfully through Facebook we had found each other and caught up.

Anyway, it was a lot of fun. They invited us for a BBQ and we just hung out and talked. They all have such a great relationship and are totally funny, it was nice to see. The kids had a blast too. They played with Uncle Ricky a lot of the time and he teased them.

I have always cared for my Aunt and Uncle but during this visit I was filled with this overwhelming love for them both. My Uncle is back in the Philippines now and said that he may not ever be back here. This could have been the last time I will ever see him, on earth. With all of the things going on in the world today I do not doubt that is true.

I am just thankful for a great day with them all. I love you guys and will be keeping you in my prayers!

It's An Update

We have had a very busy start to the year here! I love blogging and sharing but I obviously can't do it regularly. :) So I am going to catch up on a few things and share some pictures.

Business has been as busy as always. I thought it would slow down after the holidays but it's still going full force which is good, I guess. My friend and I formed a new business together last year. That doesn't mean I don't still have my own, (and she has her own) but we joined together to form a new one where we can promote together and do large events together. It's been going great! We had a large event at the end of January, a Gatsby theme. It's for a magazine that we advertise in. All the advertisers are invited and it was super fun, plus we brought some of the desserts. :)

 

 

Here are a couple of the cakes I have made recently too. It's what I do, I'm going to share. ;)

 

The kids have been busy as normal. They have been spending a lot of time outside even though it is chilly. It seems that the colder it is the more time they are outdoors. They have been digging huge holes in the sandbox, playing on the swing set they got for Christmas, (Thank you grandparents!) and playing lots of role playing games. Lately it's been pirates and the princess or something like that.

 

My brother and sister in law sent the kids a package for Valentine's day. They were super excited to get mail and love their aunt, uncle and cousins! (Hoping for a visit sometime. ;) )

 

This is out of order but they went on a field trip late January to San Tan Mountain Regional Park. I don't know why I didn't get pictures of anything but the kids had a great time and learned a lot about the Sonoran Desert. I bought them a prickly pear sucker to try. :)

 

We also went to IHOP on National Pancake day. Then this week I made heart shaped (kinda) pancakes since it is Valentine's week.

 

In other big news.... Kaden has lost his first baby tooth! I was really surprised it was time for that. When Meghan started loosing teeth I was ready but when I saw Kaden's tooth pointed out weird I thought he must have hit it. There's no way my little boy is old enough to loose those tiny teeth, and yes he has the tiniest baby teeth ever! Alas it is time, after a few days that tooth came out and there is already another one growing in. The one next to it is loose as well. :( 

The tooth fairy left him two dollars and he was very excited. At first he was nervous but Meghan told him how fun it is to gross me out with the hole after it falls out and he got excited.

 

Well there is the short version of the past couple months! February is super busy this year. Coming up we have a Valentine's skating party on Thursday. Then on Friday I drop Meghan off at church for a weekend of camp. I am a little nervous about it myself as she has never been away from us that long but she is excitedly packing and repacking her stuff to go. I am sure that Ellie and Kaden are going to miss her tons too. Then of course next week is Meghan's 11th birthday! She has asked for a few friends to go see a movie with so we will be planning that for the weekend after her birthday. We are going to a car show that weekend as well and then we are hoping to go on a skiing trip at the end of the month. Wheeew.

 

It's safe to say the next update might be long too... but we'll see. :)

 

 

Above all, LOVE each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:8

 

First Week Back

We are back to school this week. I filled out Meghan's week of assignments and showed it to her and how it worked. On Monday it took her a long time to do her work. She didn't get everything done that day and was upset. I explained we had a break and sometimes it takes a bit to get back into the groove. On Tuesday she caught up and got some of Wednesday's work done too. So she is very happy today. I think the schedule for her is going to make things a lot easier!

Kaden has been doing what he feels like doing. I don't push him to complete certain things. I ask him and usually he wants to do it but sometimes he doesn't. He's learning to read and so he has practiced reading to me this week, done some workbook pages, done puzzles and played lots. :) Ellie is just following along. She has done lots of Starfall.com and playing. They helped me make pizza last night too.


It's a good week and we are all happy to be back to school!

Assignment Planner for Meghan

I have been looking for a planner to write out Meghan's assignments on and I found one! Here at http://fivejs.com/homeschool-weekly-assignment-planner/

I am excited to get it planned out better and this will allow her to see what she needs to do each week.

Menu Plan- 1-2-12

I decided I needed to plan a menu. Meghan is going to start helping me with this but for this week I am just doing it using what we have here already. It's a short week as Nate went back to work just today. We are getting the house in order and decluttering. We'll be having a garage sale this weekend as well. So here is a quick plan for suppers this week and weekend. :)

Hope you week is going great!!



Wednesday- Spaghetti and Meatballs. (the kids are going to help me make meatballs, which we have never done before)

Thursday- Homemade Pizza

Friday- Pinto Beans in the Crock pot with corn bread muffins and potatoes

Saturday- Bean Burritos (2nd night with crock pot beans)

Sunday- We will see what Dad wants. He may want to go out.


I will throw veggie sides in there as I need to. ;)

A few other things we will be making this week are...
Brownies
Muffins
Banana Bread
Oatmeal Packets

2013- My Word, My Verse

Happy New Year! I know I haven't been keeping up here. I let myself get too busy with my business last year. Although I love what I do I know that I can over do it and then other important things in my life are neglected. I am not going to worry about that though, I am going to look forward.

Many of my friends over the last several years have chosen a word for the year. Something they focus on and learn more about. Usually they start thinking and praying about what the word will be right before the new year. It was brought to my attention a week or so ago and as I was reading a message from a friend a word and then a verse popped into my head. So guess what? I am going to focus on a word for this year as well.

My word is Trust

The biggest thing for me is to trust that God cares about me too. I have always felt like it wasn't great for me to pray about things personal to me, that I should only pray for others. I also thought that God cared more about others than me, I didn't expect him to answer my prayers. I know this is wrong and that He LOVES me and wants the best for me and I need to focus on that this year. I am a child of God, just like everyone else and I need to change my thinking. I am on my way and I know this year will be great for me with that focus.

I also need to trust in God's plan. He knows how all the pieces fit together (thank you Papa, for reiterating) and he can handle it all. I am going to trust Him and just wait on Him. When He wants me to move I will. I must trust Him with my family as well. He knows what each person needs and no matter what I do I can't change them, only He can do that.

I am going to trust also that he can help us as I work less on my business. We have a new job prospect for Nate and hopefully that comes through but either way I will trust God. I will keep working but will be more selective, (I do love making edible art!) and make sure my time is not over run with it. My first job is to teach and care for my children.


This passage has been coming up a lot for me lately. That seems to happen a lot when God wants me to do something. :) This is the verse for me!


Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING, present  your requests to God. And the Peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ.

Philippians 4:6,7

Christmas Countdown Planner

I love the 24/7 Mom's site. Love it! I watch the show whenever I can and I have won prizes a couple times. Tricia, the owner, is amazingly organized. The last show I was able to watch she talked all about her Christmas Binder. She has written an article about it and she is now posting weekly reminders for the countdown to Christmas. I wanted to share the article here so that if you are interested you can start also. The countdown started last week but I just made mine tonight. So you can catch up easily. Check it out and let me know if you are going to follow along. :)

12-Week-Countdown-To-An-Organized-Christmas

The weekly reminder posts and show information are on the site.

24/7 Mom's- Week 1

Gossip

I apologize for missing a post last week... again. My family has been taking turns with some virus. I was sick for a week and a half myself and still have a little bit of a lingering cough.

Sometimes I will have something just hit my spirit and I need to write about it. I am not sure what exactly brought it up today but here it is. Gossip.

Proverbs 16:28 A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.

Why do we gossip? Did we not learn in grade school that it never works out the way you think it will? Didn't you get yourself in enough trouble and not want to go there again? I have never liked gossip, not a fan at all and if you start trying to talk to me about someone I am probably going to give them the benefit of the doubt. I am probably going to say something you don't like and we won't be talking about it anymore. Usually someone who gossips wants you to go along with it and listen if nothing else. I really try to put a stop to that right away.

I have been hurt by gossip way too much. It's happened in my family. There isn't much to do but forgive and move on but I know it's being done and it still hurts. Do you think that it's ok to gossip about someone if you do it in church? Well it's not. Don't you think it could divide the church, causing you to focus on the wrong things? Do you think it's ok to gossip if you are only talking about someone with your sister? It's not. It divides families and homeschool groups and churches. It changes the opinions about the other person no matter what you think and they will not be able to hide how they feel. They are probably going to say something to that person that lets them know you guys were talking about them. Trust me.

I can tell you that the people who have gossiped about me don't really know me, not well anyways, even the family members. They talk about things I have done or they believe I have done and it's not true and always misunderstood. Some of those people try to pretend and be nice to my face and others don't really care too much and they say things that let me know I was the topic of a recent discussion. Their opinion of me has been forever changed and I can't do anything about it. It's hurtful.

The worst part of this? All the people I know doing it claim to be Christian. What does God say about gossip? Do you follow Jesus or do you say you do, while acting however you want to? I don't care about how you try to appear to others, God sees all my friends. Think before you gossip.

I do know that I don't care about impressing others. If you want to gossip about me, just know that I know about it and I am going to let God handle you, but you are missing out, cause I am a pretty cool person. :) I do my best to serve Jesus and he knows my heart no matter what you may think you know about me. I will not tell you all the things I do or try to lift myself up to make you like me. These verses explain why I believe we shouldn't do that.

My hope is that this will just make you think before you talk. Think about the person you may be hurting. Think about how as a Christian you look to the non-Christian who could be seeking. May the Lord convict your heart and help us all to live the way He has commanded. This world needs us to show God in all areas of life. <3 p="p">

Psalm 10:3
For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.



"[But] take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise you will have no heavenly recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

When you pray, do not be like hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

Matthew 6: 1-8 (NAV)

Some School Stuff

I have a few pictures from our first couple weeks of school to share. We did have some light days and some days Meghan couldn't do anything as she caught a cold or something. She seems to be mostly better now except a little left over conjestion. We should have lots going on this week.

Fifth grader

Kindergartner

Preschooler

 

Craft time.

 

Thought I would share our "school area". This is just where we are doing calendar time and a place to have everything organized and ready to use.

 

Puzzle time

 

 

Kaden and Ellie using window markers.

 

Meghan making friendship bracelets during her online American Girl Club.

 

Ellie having some straberries. :)

 

Kaden the police officer wanted in on a picture too.

 

 

 

Muffin Tin Monday

Happy Labor Day everyone!  We have had a nice day, just hanging out and resting. I am glad because I have been tired! Tomorrow it's back to homeschool for us, Meghan and I have hair cut appointments and I have cake club in the evening. Of course all the normal stuff like cleaning and feeding people will probably happen too.

On that note here is our latest Muffin Tin meal to share.

 

Homemade uncrustables with either pb and j or pb and honey. They each had a treat, cubes apples, a rice cake, cubed cheese and goldfish crackers.

 

Next week I hope to plan something themed. I have to plan ahead on these or they just get thrown together. :)

FREEEEEE

Here is Foundations Bible Curriculum for FREE!! This is through Currclick also but just click on the link.. :) YAY

http://www.freehomeschooldeals.com/free-foundations-3-year-bible-study-curriculum-save-44-85/

Muffin Tin Monday

Here is our latest Muffin Tin Lunch. We haven't been doing them much through the summer so the kids were super excited to see them come out.

We have peanut butter and honey uncrustables made with our little Pampered Chef tool, cinnamon graham crackers, raisins, peanuts, banana slices and a few red, white and blue marshmallow stars.

I found a new pink ice cream shaped muffin tin over the summer too. Cute!

Check out Muffin Tin Mom for lots of great meal ideas!

Hello Out There (First Day of School)

Is anyone out there?   Bueller??

I know I haven't been blogging regularly. That should change now that we are getting back to a regular schedule. We didn't take the summer off from school but we just did Math and lots of Reading. I almost feel like we were off.

I have a new schedule now, lots of activities and trips planned, new curriculum and another child added to the "school age" mix. Kaden is in Kindergarten this year and Meghan is in 5th grade, (wow). Ellie must do everything they do so she asks for school work all the time. She will work on preschool.

Today was our first official day of the new school year so I decided this year to take them to breakfast. Here are some pictures. We went to Paradise Bakery because the little local place I was going to take them was closed. I have no idea why because it was their business hours. Oh well. We shared egg croissants and bagels. Then the kids had a cookie. Their cookies are the best. :)

I will have more pictures of our "Not Back to School Day" later.

Here are a few from last week.

Stay tuned! I promise to blog more soon!