Some New Pictures

So, what's a homeschool mom do when school's out and the kids are having FUN, FUN, FUN?  Yep, take more pictures around the yard (can't think of anything else to do with myself at the moment) while being eaten alive by no-see-ums and attacked by gnats. 

Yes, I said no-see-ums. Seen 'em? 

I am actually practicing shooting pictures manually with my new camera.  I still have A LOT to learn about aperture, exposure, shutter speed, etc.  Anyways, here are my new pictures.  I apologize in advance to my Facebook friends because you've seen these already.

This one's coming in for a landing

This one is SO not cool.  These freakazoids are destroying my roses.  Every year I deal with this.  They are about to get Sevin-ed Up.  Get it?

These kids (who shall remain faceless for the sake of privacy) approached me and asked me if I could tell what was different about them.  See if you can figure out.  You have an unfair advantage though!

Another bunny in our yard

A crow dropped this nest by Jenna as it flew by her.  I guess it was done with his meal.  :(

The kids decided to play a game of marbles outside. I found it quite artistic and had to get a picture.

Twice this week the mother of these mourning dove eggs flew out of my lilac bush as I walked by and scared me half to death.  I am sad to report that these eggs have been eaten.  **Might not be the best spot to make a nest 2 feet off the ground Mrs. Mourning Dove.**  Just Sayin'...

That, my dear readers, is all I have for today!  

Keepin Busy

Now that it's summer we've got lots of time on our hands.  We are still adjusting to all this free time. I'm trying to keep the kids busy to avoid boredom!

We went to the bookstore and started our summer workbooks Monday.  I got Jared Summer Fit: Exercises for the Brain and Body While Away From School and Jenna, Summer Bridge Activities.  They are both pretty good so far.  I like Jared's because it has physical activities as well (aerobic, strength and sport).  I think I may need to join in on some of those activities!  Jenna's has a suggested reading list in her workbook, which I really like.

We also signed up for the summer reading program with the public library.  The kids are both excited with the incentive of possibly winning a trip to Great Wolf Lodge, along with giftcards and other prizes.  Jenna is now in the teen reading program and can win more prizes for submitting book reviews.  I thought that was pretty cool.

Jenna started her "wagon sales" business yesterday of cold drinks & popsicles to the construction workers and after school kids (thanks to No Greater Joy for the idea).  She made a whopping $5.  It was a tough first day.  We were under a heat advisory and she got a late start. Today, she is getting ready bright and early for her 2nd day of sales. 

Jenna's Helper

As for myself, I have not fully adjusted to all this free time.  The kids are independent and just about outside 24/7.  I can't interest either of them in playing a game or spending time with me! Read: I'm bored!  So, I've been puttering around the yard and taking pictures.

Here are a few visitors I was able to snap some shots of:

Tune in later for more exciting bits of boring news!

Today's Pictures

Celebrating 14 Years Today!

Today marks the day my sweetheart and I got hitched 14 years ago!  What a journey it has been.

Here's where it all began:

Please pardon the cheesy dress.  This was us back in the day.  My prom night, 1995- where he proposed to me.  He was so fidgety and nervous and little did I know he had a ring in his pocket.

Actually, our journey began years before this.  I met Joe when I was 14 going on 15 years old!  I was going to Pizza Hut with my mom to pick up our pizza and there he was.  Standing outside leaning against a pillar with some kind of fedora hat, smoking a pipe!  For a moment I think everything moved in slow motion as we gazed into eachothers eyes for the first time! Ha!  My brother also worked at this Pizza Hut and told me Joe began asking about me in the days and months following.  From then on it became a very regular thing for my mom to order pizza and make me be the one to go inside to pick it up!  We began dating when I was 16 (that was 18 years ago!---Yikes). 

So, he proposed to me at my prom in 1995.  I was so shocked and not expecting it AT. ALL.  I think my response was: "Um, yes, I think, well...I need to ask my parents." HA!!

So here we are at our "Engagement Party":

We had great plans to move together to Charlston, South Carolina.  We felt like we needed a "fresh start".  We went down for a visit to scout out places to live and for me to go to college.  I was so excited to move away and start our life together in a new place.  We started collecting boxes for our big move.  Then one day Joe comes to me and says he doesn't think it's a good idea for us to move. 

WHAT?!  My heart broke into tiny pieces.  I asked him why he had changed his mind.  He said he was driving down the road listening to some song thinking about our upcoming move when the lyrics jumped out and said "...It would be the biggest mistake of your life..." 

This changed everything.  I remember sitting in my room crying- but it didn't make sense.  I had everything going for me.  What was there to cry about? 

Little did we both know, we were actually longing for a newness in our hearts-longing to be reunited with our Creator.  We were hoping to move to start our lives fresh- hoping for a change, when what we needed could only take place in a relationship with Jesus Christ where "old things are passed away" and "...all things have become new".  That's where new life and forgiveness and cleansing take place!

Not long after, we both had our own personal experience and were born again "of the water and Spirit" (John 3:3-5). We are so thankful for a merciful God that brought us out of darkness into His marvelous light.  Now our lives had meaning and purpose, and what we were searching for we found in Jesus Christ.

We had previously made arrangements to elope to Negril, Jamaica at a Sandals resort.  So that's what we did!  The day of our wedding arrived and there was torrential downpours!  The kind of rain where if you stepped outside for- one second- you would be completely drenched. We were supposed to get married on the beach.  So much for that.  They tried to get us to cancel our wedding and move it to another day that was sunny.  We told them we "WERE NOT canceling our wedding".  They were not happy with us.  I'm pretty sure from that point on they had it out for us.  They gave us major attitudes. 

As our witnesses were walking us to the room to get married, in the pouring down rain, they were making up a song (thinking we couldn't understand...or not caring if we did) with lyrics that sang "What's the rush?"  What's the rush?  Um....sorry but we want to get married on the date we have on our wedding announcements going out and this is the day we've been waiting years for!  Sheesh.

Anyways, we were married in a small room with the rain pouring down outside.  The minister made mention of the fact that our determination to get married and not wait another minute was symbolic of the bond we shared and the determination to work hard at our marriage.

The minute we finished our little ceremony we opened the door and the sun was shining so bright.  There was still rain dripping off of all the palm trees! It was so magnificent and breathtaking!  This is the very moment we stepped out:

Our "friends" that we made on our trip from the airport to our resort, the scariest ride of my life, were there to congratulate us and took the picture above.

The party boat in the distance adds a nice touch, doesn't it? Ha!

Our Honeymoon

We came home and had a little reception with friends and family.   

Joe's Grandpa & I dancing

Newlywed days!

I'm so thankful for the years we've been blessed together with and the years that are to come!  I love you Joe!!!!!

Schooooools Out- for- SUMMER!

We are officially done with school, aside from Jared finishing up his last book.  Didn't plan it.  It just sort of happened.  I feel like a bad mommy/teacher that we didn't plan any cool end of the year celebratory activities- but I don't think they mind. 

Here's what summer is looking like for us so far:

Well, Jared's calling me to come sit on the porch while he writes his book.  He says the birds sound like an orchestra this morning!

Later dudes!

She's 12!

In two days my baby girl is turning 12 years old!  I can't believe how fast the time has flown by. 

We have been through so much together. I remember clearly the day I found out I was pregnant with you, the day I found out you would be a girl, the day I went into pre-term labor and was put on bedrest for 7 weeks, wondering if it would ever end, and the very minute you were born (May 21, 1999 at 12:14pm).  I'll never forget you screaming your head off just after you were born and the way you came to complete silence in recognition of your daddy's voice.  He talked to you and read to you while you were in my belly and I'm sure you knew just who he was. 

What a journey it has been over the past 12 years! I thank God for you every day.  I love who you are~ a follower of God, strong, independent, fun, a leader, beautiful, inquisitive, daring, playful, humorous, out-going, smart, sensitive and caring.  I have watched you grow and change and mature into the godly young lady you are today.

Happy Birthday Jenna!





Vocabulary...with Garfield???

I have always told my kids that when they're reading and they come across a word they don't know to jot it down and look it up.  I told them it will build their vocabulary and help them to understand the story better.  I figured it was just one of those things that goes in one ear and out the other.  I seriously didn't think either of them (as much as I hoped they would) would take the time and effort to do that.

But...today I noticed Jared getting out the dictionary, which isn't a usual thing for him to do.  I was in the middle of something so I didn't give it much thought.  Later in the day I saw it sitting on the table next to the books he was reading along with some other stuff.  I thought it probably was being used as a good Tech Deck ramp or something but decided to ask him why it was out.

"Oh, because I saw this when I was reading."  He begins flipping through his all time favorite comic, Garfield, searching for the exact page.

"I saw a word...this one", he says, pointing to the word 'cynic'. "I didn't know what it meant."

So I asked him what he found out it meant.  He still wasn't sure because he couldn't understand the definition.  (I hate it when you look up a word and can't understand the definition either! Ha.)

We looked up the word together and I explained what it meant. "OHHHH...I get it," he said. 

It was a proud mama moment that I just had to share.  It always feels good when your kid puts into action the things you've taught them!