End of school

It is official Friday was the last day of school and while swim team started weeks ago and it has been nice and HOT for weeks...SUMMER IS HERE! I couldn't be happier to be done with rushed mornings, hours of homework, and whiny voices at the diner table. Since we have chosen to home school we are taking an "extended" summer and not starting school until the first of September so unlike those returning to school we get around 14-16 weeks of summer! I am so excited. We might decided to start school earlier but this is our plan as of now. I am so excited I scored some of my curriculum at low cost or free tonight at a "curriculum fair". But the end of the school year wouldn't be the same without a couple par-tays to attend.





Cooper had the usual Kiddie Kollege "Ice Cream Social" last Wednesday and while I know he loves ice cream he mainly spent the hours hanging out on the playground with his friends. He was so sad when I made him say goodbye for summer to those friends and his teachers. He has asked everyday since then if they can come over to play:) He will go back to Kiddie Kollege next year 3 days a week in their 3 year old program. We love us some Kiddie Kollege.





Duece also had an "Ice Cream Social". It was so sweet to see all of his little class mates enjoying their treat while watching a DVD slide show of the year prepared by Duece's teach Mrs. Odell. Duece was our number 1 reason to visit the idea of homeschool and so imagine my surprise when he cried as we gave hugs and kisses and said good bye. He later told me he was going to miss everyone...That I have to admit made me sad...But I know we are making the right choice for next year!





Jesse had a party in her class that the parents were not invited to attend. However we were invited to attend the awards ceremony. I have to admit I have been extra proud of her all year she took first place in the grandparents day essay contest, preformed in the talent show and had maintained all A's all year. She received several awards including A honor roll, Pals club, AR, and Conduct. I am sure if I forgot one she will remind me;)





I am so proud of my kiddos and can not wait to embark on next years journey with them!





Well, with another school year behind us summer has now begun!!!

Music Therapy Thursday...Better late than never!

I have really dropped the ball on this blogging thing...I guess I should try harder but honestly don't have the will or want to do a lot right now. But I really wanted to share this song with all of you because it really means alot to me right now as I seem to be in one of life's valleys. It bring me alot of encouragement I hope it does so for you!

Blessings...Laura Story

We pray for blessings

We pray for peace

Comfort for family, protection while we sleep

We pray for healing, for prosperity

We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need

Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights Are what it takes to know You’re near

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom

Your voice to hear

And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near

We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love

As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

All the while, You hear each desperate plea

And long that we'd have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights Are what it takes to know You’re near

And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us

When darkness seems to win

We know the pain reminds this heart

That this is not, this is not our home

It's not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

And what if a thousand sleepless nights Are what it takes to know You’re near

What if my greatest disappointments

Or the aching of this life

Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy

And what if trials of this life

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights

Are Your mercies in disguise

Summer schedule

With the school year drawing to an end and summer already upon us I have found myself to have a real lack of motivation. Is this a probelm...Well of course it is! I don't want to do anything. My house is a wreck, I am super unorganized and can't find much enegy to anything. I have decided I must get a good schedule in mind so I don't find myself bogged down this summer lost between house work, volunteer work, swimming lesson (Cooper) and swim team for my oldest 2. Normally we have tons of summer activities and outings planned but as I shared yesterday not so much the case this summer. So I do need to shape what we are doing into some kind of routine before there becomes none and then I truly would have my work cut our for me next year:) These are my ideas...

Bring back the chore chart...yes I have let this one go since we have been so busy I have been doing my childrens chores for them during the day so they don't have to at night. Since we will be homeschooling next year I am going to redo chores around here and they will have morning chores and evening chores. Plus I want them to have a little more responsibility so I am going to change what each is doing. Totally new expectations.

Actually start taking one day off a week as a family. I mean a real break. Since we are not having night activities at church this summer on Sunday nights I think that day will be on Sunday. Right now my family really just needs to be together...regroup!

Also I would like to start back our family devotion time. I have let this slip since we have been so busy in the evenings. I know it will be part of their schooling next year but it is important to do it as a family also.

Well those are my plans to get us back on a good schedule...How do all of you keep some kind of schedule over the summer?

Ideas anyone...

Let me start by saying I really should try to blog a little more regular but I have gotten a little lax in that area. Not because of a shortage of topics but due to insane pace of my life and well somethings I am just not ready to share. I am going to try to do better because I really do love to blog no matter the topic it is a little like therapy for me:) Anyway...

I have decided to take the summer off from my teaching duties at our church. I have been teaching children for almost 3 years now and love every minute of it. But really needed some time for rest, relaxation, regrouping and just being with my family...and a little time focused on making sure that I am feed spiritually. Also, I have TONS of planning to do since I will be homeschooling next year. And while all of my curriculum has been chosen I have still have some kinks to work out.

Since I will have a little free time on my hands this summer I was wondering if you of you had any suggestions on inexpensive or even better free activities I can do with my kids. Swimming is a given however since we are on the swim team:) Please please share your ideas. I had planned on going on a couple trips but I am not sure budget will allow. So any ideas are always welcome.

If I have any home school mom readers I was wondering do you have a "school room" or no? If no, where do you school at? Just wondering what works for others. We have a 4th bedroom that belongs to Cooper was his nursery then my sewing room and when him sharing with Duece didn't work out I moved him back into his room...I digress...He never sleeps in there because someone ( all fingers pointing to Michael) has started letting Cooper sleep with us! So I have pondered the idea of making it a craft/sewing/ computer/ school room! Ideas anyone!!!

College/Basic Training Survival Kits

This year a couple seniors at our church are preparing to graduate high school! It is so hard for Michael and I to believe that 2 of the 4 are even old enough to be embarking on this considering we have know these two since they were about 9 years old. This 2 wonderful ladies have babysat for us, helped us with our kiddos at church functions, and well been like part of our family at times. So I decided to come up with some fun/funny little survival kits to give them as gifts. One is going to college while the other is going to basic training to become a Marine! I have done a little research and this is what I have come up with....Let me know what you think and of course if you think I have left anything out!

College Survival Kit:
Sm. laundry basket ( dual purpose so it can hold the loot)
hangers
laundry detergent
Air Freshener
Nice coffee mug
instant coffee
pens
pencils
highlighters
sm. personalized photo album
first aide kit
toilet paper
Kleenex
small screw driver kit

Basic Training Survival Kit ( I know she will not be able to take all these items with her when she leaves...but her mom sure can send them later:) )
Pens
Stamps
Paper
Envelopes
Chap stick
Sunscreen
first aide kit
small sewing kit
Kleenex
sm. personalized photo album
baby wipes
permanent markers
flashlight/batteries
Tylenol

Batch #1 has been delivered

I am so EXCITED to be able to report 150 crayons and coloring books were delivered this weekend. I delivered 75 to my church to be taken to the Upper Sandmountain Parish and then 75 more were delivered to the shelter at the Arab Rec Center. While I will not accompany those delivered to my church I did get to speak to a lady at the Arab shelter who told us what a blessing those would be to the children there. She even confirmed what I had thought which was the children had lost everything and had little or nothing to keep them occupied.

While in Arab on Sunday Michael and I drove to the Ruth community which was hit rather hard. I was in search of children to encounter and actually give books to. On our first pass through the damage we saw no children went to the Fire Department spoke with some people and on our way out I prayed I would be able to see some children. As we drove out I saw several children at a destroyed trailor park. I got out with some coloring books approached the people and asked if I could share those with the children. When the children came around I told them what I had and Michael (who sat in the car with a sleeping Cooper) said their faces just lite up! I was so happy to bring some joy to them in this time of caos. A grandmother asked if she could have one. As we talked she told me where each family that was in the make shift tent had once lived. I couldn't even tell that trailors or homes of any form had once been there. I was heartbroken by the amount of loss in that small community.

It is apparent that the recovery is long from over. And these people need our continued prayer and support. Thank you to each of you who have helped with this project in anyway...I am blessed to know each of you and have you part of this adventure. Also, keep the coloring books coming I am praying to be able to send around 200 with Hewett's Youth on their upcoming mission trip into 2 very affected areas of Pleasent Grove and Tuscaloosa. Also, I would love to get some out to Hacklesburg and Phil Campell that were also devastated.

Many thanks again...You are all working as the hands and feet of God!

Crayons for Comfort Update

I am so EXCITED!! I posted my project and a link to my blog on facebook and things really have taken off. I can't believe how kind and generous people are. A local business Sew Irrestiable offered to be a drop off site and then several members of my church have said they would bring crayons and coloring books to church on Sunday. Not to include many friends who have stepped up to help. The first batch has already exceeded it's goal and I hope to be able to send items to both the Upper Sand Mountain Parish via Hewett UMC and I will be delivering some to Arab Rec Center that is functioning as a shelter. I have been praying all afternoon over these crayons and coloring books that the children will see Gods love, mercy and grace through the pages. I hope the bring some much needed comfort to those children who are hurting.

Ok so another plea...I want to be able to deliver crayons and coloring books to each hit area...In order to do this I will need 100's more books. I am praying God will provide so we can reach as many children as possible. I know He is big enough to do just that.

Thank you everyone for your help so far...Keep them coming!

Crayons for Comfort

As most of you know by now...if you have power that is. A rare tornado outbreak went on in a large portion of our country and it greatly affected Alabama the state in which I reside. Several EF4 and EF5 tornadoes reaped destruction across several communities and a number of them are rather close to our home. TVA the power co-op took a rough hit and a major portion of N. Alabama went with out power for days and many are still without power. The devastation is unreal and the numbers of lose are startling. But as we recover we know God is on His throne and He is in control.

After seeing the devastation via internet and news adn then hearing stories from my 10 year old daughter who went with my dad to aide friends in clean up whose home was destroyed I had been praying for God to show me a way we could be his hands and feet! Jesse and I were thinking about all the little children affected and got to thinking about how if there homes are destroyed then they would have little to comfort them. Children are simple and while a hug and a kiss are wonderful sometimes they need a little get away. So today after receiving an email from my pastor that our church would be collecting items to aide in relief in the "Upper Sand Mountain Parish" I thought we must send a little something for those sweet children who have lost so much. I had been thinking and praying about different ideas for a couple of days and while on the phone with my pastor decided crayons and coloring books along with a note would be a wonderful way to reach children of a wide age span.

So here I go...I was only going to ask the parents of my SPROUTS class that I teach if they would donate coloring books, crayons, and maybe some fruit snacks to package with our notes but then I thought why not go "viral". So if you would like to help out with what I am calling "Crayons for comfort" let me know and we can get your items package them and make sure they are delivered via our church to a distribution center. Our goal 50!

I pray Gods mighty blessings over this "goal" and over anyone touched or receiving any number of packages we might be able to put together.