BLOGGY BREAK......

Until sometime the second week in October........

FFF....(alltime summer favorite!!!)

Having Trouble Being Thankful for the Things You Have?!

One look at this "Receet for Washin Clothes" will put your mind back where it should be!!!

Good Morning, New Day!!!

(The view outside on our back porch Sunday morning!

Yes, were all outside in our pjs!)

Now, Why Didn't I Think Of That 2-3 YEARS Ago?!?

I have always struggled to know how to keep Ruthie & Nat occupied during school hours.

BUT……the past few weeks it has come to a breaking point.

Ana would need to be reading something aloud while I listened & cleaned bathrooms/switched out laundry/got supper going or any number of other necessary tasks.

What were the “littles” up to? Usually nothing productive……& in all honestly-most likely DESTRUCTIVE.

(Like this picture of Nat-taken after he dumped the ENTIRE shampoo bottle in the tub the other day. Ruth had done it the day before with the bath soap.)

(Look at that smirk...sure, he's a cutie, but don't let that fool you!)

So, I took the liberty of being the HEAD TEACHER/VICE-PRINCIPAL of Mountview Christian School, & made some major changes.

I started Ana on a schedule that allows her to do ALL the school work she can accomplish individually in the morning, when our other two need mommy attention.

Then, in the afternoon, when R. & N. rest, I do all the stuff with Ana she needs me for.

What peace has reined in our home!!! I even had time to teach Nat & Ruth how to play princess/prince together-nicely……& wonder of wonders-was able to cuddle up w/ Ana on the couch in the afternoon to read together!!!

(Ana testing out how a balloon ride would feel-cramped!! Ha!)

So, if you have never just tried something new in your schedule(even if you aren't a homeschooler-I encourage you to try it! (I am usually not one that likes to vary much from my original schedule, but in this case-this is one of the BEST decisions I have made recently!!!)

Snakes Galore......(Yes....*shudder*....I DID say SNAKES!)

There are days I wonder about my parenting…..

I mean, I fail day in & day out.

But, I think I should get MAJOR brownie points for this……


(No, I did NOT touch the nasty thing-but HE did, & HE loves it!)

Yes, there is a story here, too.

Remember a few weeks ago-my encounter with the stinging pests that inhabit our backyard?

Well, we went from stinging pests to snakeS. Yes, that is plural. (I have counted at least 6-7 at a time)

My kids (at least the younger 2) are petrified of them-& Ana & I would prefer that mama had found someone else’s backyard to be perfect for hatching babies.

She still seems to think our backyard is the best, too-& Nat almost stepped on her the other day.

Now, neither one of them want to have ANYTHING to do with the backyard-& quite frankly, I don’t blame them.

BUT, Nat had no qualms whatsoever about picking up a baby snake skin & chasing his sister with it. So like a boy!

Anyway, we had a friend come over & identify them as garter snakes, so at least they aren’t poisonous! (& I just have to say-they look NOTHING like the garter snakes in Kansas-where I grew up! Why can’t they look the same everywhere? I wouldn’t have worried at all. But I still HATE them!)

Now-because I can’t take a post with only those awful pics on it, here’s a cute one of Nat…..into more trouble, for sure…….but at least there’s no nasty reptiles in it!!!

Whew!! What a busy start to school!!!

I haven’t even taken many pics!!!

I think I need to put a bit less pressure on myself to blog, too, so for now, just look for blog entries MWF!

Here are a few of my favorite pics from the last few weeks, though.

We were watching fireworks from our back porch.

Yes, Nat was a *bit* scared!
Ana is constantly "setting everyone up" around here.
I love it-what innitative!!

Ruth, Ana & Shannon picking raspberries & blackberries at the apple orchard last week.

Ruthe decided she wanted to wear this shirt when we picked apples last week!

How appropriate!

Wonder what he's thinking about?

A New School Year Has Begun.....in earnest!!!

Today begins the weekly trek across town for ballet.

It is a two edged sword for me.

I love the consistency all the activities provide for our family……
But I know in about a month or so…..I will be tired of living in the van-at the close of just about every afternoon of the week.

I also struggle with the age-old question: “Are our kids involved in too many activities?” (This year it is two dance classes for Ana, one for Ruth & one piano lesson for Ana a week)

How do you make these kind of decisions for your family?




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Nothing Says"Fall" Quite Like A Trip to the Apple (& other fruit!) Orchard.