BFS Assignment #107 - When There is No Tomorrow.....

Memory Verse: Ecclesiastes 1:13-14
I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Assignment: We only have today. Should God take you today, have you accomplished everything that you wanted to, needed to. Have you said all the things that needed to be said? Let’s have no regrets, let’s make sure we get to those things, so that when we’re standing before the Lord, the only thing we need to do is to worship him.. and not regret not getting to that thing on our to do list.

Honestly, I try to live without regrets. Does that mean I get everything done that I want to get done? Nope. Does it mean I get all those things that I feel God wants me to get done? Well, unfortunately, nope. However, I do try to focus more on what I feel God is saying to me. I make sure to listen for God's whispers. I pray for strength to carry out what I am called to do. Is it always easy? Um...no! I cannot accomplish these things in my own strength.


The one thing that I feel could ever be a regret for me is wondering if I could have done more to reach out to others. I have many unsaved family members and I often wonder if I have been the witness God wants? I don't know. Have I missed an opportunity along the way? I bet I have. However, I do pray that God provides many more opportunities for me to plant seeds. If I continue to seek His face and follow His lead then this will not be a regret for me. :)

Look...up in the sky.....

No, it's not superman! Last week was a great week for some serious kite flying. :)

And here is the resident expert kite flying girl. She has been waiting for months for the perfect weather and we did not just have one such day last week....but two!!!


And just look at that kite fly!!!

UH OH!!!

Looks like the dreaded kite eating tree has struck again. Every yard has at least one of these beasts.

Have no fear!! Remember we have the expert kite flying girl on the other end of that string!!

YEAH!!! THE KITE GIRL DID IT AND MY LITTLE PONY KITE FLIES ONCE AGAIN!!

Let's watch her in action! :)

She takes her work seriously!!

road trip....

So last Friday was one of those days. Mike decided to take off work and spend some time with us. I love those days!! There is something about taking a break on a normal workday and leaving it all behind. Skipping school and housework is thrilling. Yeah, it doesn't take much to thrill me. However, if you had a big mountain of laundry in front of you and some dirty toilets to scrub and last night's dishes piled in the sink and I said to you...."skip it and let's go for a drive." I'm betting you would be in the car before I finished the sentence!! ;o) Go ahead, admit it!! Ok, so the house wasn't that bad....but it is still exciting to be given permission to just put it aside and enjoy something else for a change.

What did we do? Well, we jumped in the car and headed northwest. We were on a mini-road trip. About an hour and a few minutes later we stopped for lunch. (my calzone was delish and the best part was no dishes to clean up afterward) The scenery was just so pretty. Kid #4 couldn't stop commenting about it and she decided then and there that when she grew up she was moving to this town. Pretty fall colors were everywhere and there were hills and valleys all around us. After a little exploring we found a pumpkin patch. Not just a little pumpkin patch. This one had a corn maze, baby farm animals, hay rides and crafts. It was a perfect fall day!! It refreshed me just enough to not mind facing the housework on Saturday. :) Here are a few shots from the day:

She is getting so tall!!

During the corn maze adventure we grabbed some dried corn to feed the goats. They were most appreciative!!

This little guy seemed to prefer chewing his cage. I think he wanted to come home with us.

Here we are in the middle of the corn maze.

Which way to go....

Ta da....she actually found the exit first. It took us a little over 20 minutes to make our way out. The lady said someone earlier in the day was lost for over an hour in the maze!

After we got out of the corn maze we looked back toward the farm...

...and waited for the hay ride to pick us up again! :)

Just a random farm shot....

and now

a random animal shot....

Betcha can't do that!!

Home School Memoirs #10 - 10 Timely Facts

THEME
...this is our 10th Homeschool Memoirs so this week it’s going to be about 10 timely facts about you! Write 10 interesting, crazy, weird, fun facts about you! Include facts about you as a woman, a wife, a mommy, a homeschooler, a homekeeper, a taxi-driver, a cook, etc .

1. In high school I took every home economics class that I could possibly take! I love cooking and creating yummy dishes. There is a downside to that, though....I often come up with a stunning dinner, but forget exactly what I did!! hehe

2. I was an "A" student that really didn't learn that much. I found it easy to retain what was needed for a test and then I would let that information leave my brain! (that's part of why I love homeschooling!!)

3. I have 4 children here on earth and 2 in heaven. My children range from 9 years old to 25 years old.

4. I first heard of homeschooling in 1983 and was fascinated by the thought. It took me until 1993 to actually bring the kids home to learn. I have never regretted that decision!

5. I grew up wanting to be a doctor. It wasn't until I was in my teens when I realized my desire to be a mommy that stayed home with her children was much stronger. So, I changed my career choice to becoming a nurse. God had other plans. I was married and had child #1 before I could finish nursing school. :)

6. I used to hate driving anywhere I was unfamiliar with the roads. I am better at that now, but still avoid the big cities!

7. My love language is gifts. They don't have to be big or expensive. Just getting a gift speaks volumes of love to me....you took the time during your day to think of me.

8. I love to laugh and my 9 year old daughter has a wonderful sense of humor. We can get so silly and laugh so hard we can barely stand up.....a bit embarrassing when we are out somewhere, but that almost makes it funnier!

9. People think I am organized...and I laugh about that!! Perhaps, I am a bit more organized then some, but seriously I cannot consider myself organized. ;)

10. I can't stand emptying the dishwasher. (not sure why, it isn't really hard) I did a happy dance the day I realized my daughter could take over that job!!! Really!

Oh, that was fun!! Now, I'm going to go read everyone else's list. :)

BFS #106 - Have It Your Way....

Memory Verse: Isaiah 40: 1- Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

Assignment: Tell us all about how your have “your” relaxing time, more especially how during the cooler months you take time to curl up with your favorite movie, book, Bible study, and what your favorite warm drink would be.

A few years ago we removed our fireplace! Yep, that's right. We tore it down, hauled it out, patched some holes and called it a day. I miss that fireplace. I love watching fires burn, hearing the crackling sounds and feeling the warm, toasty heat as I sit close by. However, I do not miss what it does to my nose and eyes!LOL So, we wound up remodeling and the fireplace was kicked out of the house. I tell you that just so you know I HAD a fireplace once. I know how relaxing that can be.

However, now I just have to relax in other ways. :) There are days....often on a Saturday, sometimes even on a weekday.....where I find myself taking a "me" day. You have to have some of that special "me" time every once in a while to charge your batteries. I know when it is a MUST! In fact, everyone around me probably knows it is needed!! hehe So, what do I do for my relaxing time?

First off, a nice hot bath or shower is a good idea. One where I can actually shave my legs, deep condition my hair and give myself a facial. Ahhh...that is sounding so good to me, right now! ;o)

After I dry off and put on some comfy clothes, I love to light some candles around the house. They are so soothing. (Probably deep down reminds me of the fireplace!!)

Then, I like to curl up on the couch with my soft, snuggly blankie. It's especially good if I am sitting by windows and can see outside. It's even better if there is a good pot of soup or a stew cooking in the kitchen or perhaps a nice big pan of lasagna baking in the oven. This helps warm up the house and turns the "house" into a "home".

Reading would be my relaxing activity of choice. Although, I can go for a TV marathon, if the right show or movie happens to be playing. Sometimes watching old tv shows that take you back to when you were little are just the thing needed to unwind and relax the brain. Or, for me, even watching "True Lies" for the twentieth time is soothing.

Hot Chocolate or Hot Tea is a must have if I am truly trying to relax. Funny thing is, though, as much as I love it I have to then have something cold to drink. I am not sure why...but after every cup of hot beverage I have to follow it up with an ice cold drink. I am sure somewhere out there someone else has that same quirk. Someone....somewhere..... Anyone??

Make it a point to give yourself a little downtime. It's like a little hug to yourself. :)

I've shared this cozy spot before, but it's a perfect example of what I love! (a spot by the window with lots of warm, fuzzy blankies) :o)

Join the FUN!!

Did you know there is 65 days until Christmas?!?!?

Smoochiefrog is hosting a Christmas Ornament Exchange! I don't know about you, but I love Christmas and I love getting surprises in the mail. So, this sounds like a perfect thing for me!! If you want to learn more about this exchange just go visit her blog. You can comment there and email her your information. This sounds like so much fun and I hope you will consider joining in, cuz I think the more the merrier. Then we can all post pictures of our new ornaments. Who knows....maybe I will be sending you an ornament!! :)

Cleaning Ninja....

That's right, a cleaning ninja. I am convinced every family needs one. It's a "must have" in my book. I have had one for several years now and am amazed at how much this cleaning ninja can handle. It seems no job is too small or too big. What a load has been lifted from this tired momma's shoulders.



Housework could take hours before and it seemed that as I was working on one thing there would be several little mysterious invisible people behind me working on taking it apart. Ever experience that?? Sure you have!!! Those little "not me's" that live in everyone's house can be so destructive. They come out often and on some days they seem to be just a bit more hyper then other days. Regardless...they make messes, (lots of messes) and leave things strewn about the room. They can take apart anything organized in seconds flat. In fact, I think they smell organization and it makes them crazy!! Amazing creatures....but nothing compared to a cleaning ninja.



No siree, Bob....(who's Bob?).... a cleaning ninja is priceless. Dirt on the floor? Not a problem! Dirty clothes thrown across the room? Not a problem! Dust piled thick on all horizontal surfaces...down low and up high? Not a problem! Stale, stinky dog air? Not a problem! Need a closet organized? Not a problem!



Oh, I betcha wanna see mine by now!! You are probably wondering just where you can go get yourself one of these babies. Mine happens to be a 1999 model and yes, I have pictures. :o) Ready?? You are going to be so jealous. You are going to put one on your Christmas Wish List!!

A cleaning ninja is also......CUTE!!!