"Common Ground": my little corner of the blogosphere where I talk (a lot-wink) about the things that matter most to me: My relationship with my Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ, homeschooling, adoption, homemaking, parenting, "spousing." (yeah, yeah....I know that's not a word.....I made it up-it’s my blog-I can do things like that! Ha!)

Since my life isn’t all that different from yours, hopefully we can find some COMMON GROUND & learn from each other. Please share your thoughts!

Through the Lords’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness!
Lam. 3: 22 & 23

Click on pics to see us up close & personal! :)


Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Ahhh...I feel totally ready to tackle our new school year now....

Just got back from a home school group planning session....

Group Field Trips discussed......

New curriculum ideas gone over......

Possible pitfalls addressed.......

Now, I feel ready.


If you homeschool, do you belong to any groups? I haven't joined one every year-some years, quite honestly, it was just too much. But, this year......I am already thankful I did.


In a few months......I might feeling a bit less like tackling school-matter of fact, I am SURE my motivation will flag sometime soon!
(This post took me about 10 minutes for Steady Mom's 30 minutes or less challenge!)






Random Pics/Thoughts From Our Recent Trip....

(Very random.....since it seems I uploaded them out of order, & I'm too lazy to fix them!!!)

Nat, it seems, is the only child that is un-afraid of heights-like his father!!!
Looking out the window.....of the Gateway Arch. Ana, was at this point BEGGING to return to Terra Firma-where her mother (wisely-wink) had never left!!


At Dollywood, with two of our favorite people-Uncle Wilson & Aunt Betty! We love you guys & are sooo thankful we were able to spend some time together! Thanks for loving on us & our kiddos!

Ok.....back in St. Louis.......dipping toes in the Mississippi River.
Yes, Nat wanted to swim-perhaps inspired by our recent reading of Tom Sawyer? (ha!)



It must of been like 105 outside......I swear Dave & I were both simply thinking,
"How quick can we snap a few pics & head into the airconditioning?"

But, in spite of all that, it was a fun day-& we are all glad we went! (Even though Ana is mostly thankful that she discovered she IS afraid of heights-& will NEVER, so she says now, go up there again!)


Monday, August 30, 2010

Guatemala on my Mind.......

Perhaps because the kids all wore their GT clothes to church yesterday....

I know Nat's eyes are closed......but the lighting on the kid's faces was the best in this pic!!


Thursday, August 26, 2010

The Story of A Mother's Folly....,.

Let’s see…..how should I begin this post.

It’s really very embarrassing.

But, in the interest of being transparent (& in the interest of my kids, who will hopefully one day read this digital scrapbook!), I thought I should reveal what happened to me this afternoon!

My children have lately been terrorized by a few pests in our backyard.

(Yes, snakes are one of those things, but, thankfully, this story has NOTHING to do with those messengers of Satan!)

In this case, my precious children are being dive bombed by wasps. So far, we have escaped any stings, but, the way these things circle & hover by your head is down-right scary!!

So, this afternoon-I finally had HAD it!!!

I successfully used the can of RAID on one nest, & decided it was time to tackle the one that was up high at the top of the chimney. (MISTAKE #1)

(The other day, the wind had been too high to actually hit the nest. It kept blowing the poison away before it could reach the nest-which was at least 15 ft in the air!)

(We will ignore the fact that I COULD have just called TERMINEX-since we have an account with them. “I can handle a simple wasp nest. I am WOMAN. Hear me roar.” -just kidding-last time I think something like that!)

Well, wouldn’t you know it-the wind began to pick up as soon as I decided to spray at that nest again!!!

I thought, “All I need is just a few extra feet. Maybe if I stand on one of the patio chairs…….?!? No, better not try that. My foot might go through the lattice work seat.” (my one smart thought of the afternoon.)

“Maybe if I turn this RUBBERMAID over & stand on it?!?” (MISTAKE #2)

You guessed it. My leg split through the bottom & I ended up with scratches all up & down that leg.

But, did I learn my lesson? NOPE. Not yet, it seemed.

Being the brilliant blond that I am……the next thought I had was,

“How about that Littl@ Tyk@s slide? Bet that would be perfect!”

(You know where this is going, right?)

Moving it over there, I did have a passing thought, “Maybe I should just call TTERMINEX……nah. I can do this! I have got to KILL THE WASPS that are terrorizing MY CHILDREN!!!”

After placing the slide carefully on the slight hill, & testing my weight gingerly, I stepped with both feet on the top of this little, plastic slide…..& knew almost instantly that I had just committed-(MISTAKE #3)-& my last one.

The slide began a slow tilt to the back-while I (with nothing to grab but the wall of the house) began a slow tilt to the front.

It was slow enough that I had two thoughts before I hit the ground,

“THIS is gonna hurt.” (It did-more on that in just a bit)
&
“I hope there are no neighbors watching this inglorious feat!” (there weren’t-that I know of!)

I landed on my hands & knees-thankfully-but there was a sharp, almost instantaneous PAIN in my other foot (the one that HADN’T just gone through the Rubbermaid).

I stood up & felt sick to my stomach with the pain.

& the blood I saw gushing from the bottom of my foot! (seems my foot landed on a rather sharp stick....)

But, the moral of the story is:

ALWAYS CALL TERMINEX IF YOU CAN!!!

(I was gushing so much blood & I felt so sick to my stomach that I called my RN sister to PLEASE come rescue me & help me clean it out. She did, & she thinks I may have punctured a small blood vessel-which would explain all the blood & pain. I now have a bandage & a HUGE bruise on the bottom of my foot-guess I won’t be at the gym for a few days! Ha!)

Hope you get a chuckle out of this-sure didn’t take me long to be laughing at myself!!!



(I just have one question, "If 'Third Time's a CHARM'......what do THREE MISTAKES EQUAL?!?)
(Please ignore my pathetic pedicure!!!)


Teaser Photos From our Recent Vacay......









I honestly don't remember a better vacation in all my life. We had so much fun (yes, in spite of being sick!!!)
P.S. If you've never been to Dollywood......I can't tell you the fun you're missing out on!! GO!!!

Monday, August 23, 2010

Well, We Started School Last Week.....

If anyone's been wondering where I have been......
School has sure changed from this:
Kindergarten......2006.
Before Ruthie
Before Nat
What a cute little peanut she was!!!


Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Monday, August 16, 2010

Back.....from vacation......sickies.....& more!!!

I know…..I know……I’ve been a really bad blogger lately.

Can I beg off with being sick? I have had a cold/asthma for almost 2 weeks…..& a wonderful vacation all’ve contributed to-you guessed it-no time/energy for blogging!

Oh, & we can’t forget-we had a birthday for a little boy in the past two weeks, too.

But-I know you’re all curious about the “MORE.”

Well, big doings are going on tonight.

Ruthie was invited to her first sleep-over!!!

(Ruthie's best friend's mom is going to call me if there is too much trouble going to sleep.....wonder if she'll make it until tomorrow morning?!!?)
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