This Christmas I'm....

hoping {and praying!} for a baby. =-)

Teach us to number our days....

~We are beginning those blessed days of cuddling on the couch while reading books about the providence of God in the affairs of men, the amazing way that God created the world(s) and all that in them is, and learning and growing as we study together. I love home schooling for these and many more reasons. I am so thankful to God to have these days to share with my precious children.

The American Dictionary of the English Language by Noah Webster 1828 gives the definition of educate as, "to lead, to bring up, as a child; to instruct; to inform and enlighten the understanding; to instill into the mind pricipals of arts, science, morals, religion and behavior. To educate children is one of the most imporant duties of parents and guardians."

The defintion of education is listed as, "The bringing up, as of a child; instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties."

With these goals in mind, we are setting off this year {Jathan's 4th grade year and Jared's 2nd grade year} to learn more this year than ever before.~

{Pictures taken this year at the Civil War Re-inactment this spring}

~One of my favorites~

Don't get me wrong...my kids watch their share of movies. But I cannot let them waste away their childhood years in front of the television, instead of next to me. I ran across this quote in one of Roald Dahl's books that absolutely inspired me. I love this!



The most important thing we've learned, as far as children are concerned
is never, never, never let them near your television set!
Or better still, just don't install the idiotic thing at all!
In almost every house we've been,
we've watched them gaping at the screen
They loll and lounge and slop about
And stare until their eyes pop out
{Last week in someone's place we saw
a dozen eyeballs on the floor.}
They sit and stare and stare and sit
until they are hypnotized by it,
Until they are absolutely drunk
With all that shocking, ghastly junk
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don't climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink.
But did you ever stop to think,
to wonder just exactly what
this does to your beloved tot?
It rots the senses in the head
it kills the imagination dead
it clogs and clutters up the mind
it makes a child so dull and blind
He can no longer understand
a fantasy, a fairyland!
His brain becomes as soft as cheese
his powers of thinking rust and freeze.
He cannot think...he only sees!
"All right!" you'll cry, "All right!" you'll say.
"But if we take the set away,
what shall we do to entertain
our darling children? Please explain!"
We'll answer this by asking you
what used the darling ones to do?
How used they keep them selves contented
Before this monster was invented?
Have you forgotten? Don't you know?
We'll say it very loud and slow
They...used...to...read! They READ and READ
And read and read and then proceed
to read some more. Great scott! Gadzooks!
One half their life was reading books!
The nursery shelves held books galore!
Books cluttered up the nursery floor!
And in the bedroom, by the bed
more books waiting to be read!
Such wonderous, fine, fanastic tales
of dragons, gypsies, queens and whales
and treasure isles, and distant shores
where smugglers rowed with muffled oars,
and pirates wearing purple pants
and sailing ships and elephants
and cannibals crouching 'round the pot
and stirring away at something hot
{it smells so good, what can it be?
Good gracious! Its Penelope!}
The younger ones had Beatrix Potter
With Mr. Todd, the dirty rotter,
and Squirrel Nutkin, Pigling Bland,
And Mrs. Tiggywiggle and
Just how the Camel Got His Hump,
And How the Monkey Lost His Rump,
And Mr. Todd, and bless my soul,
there's Mr. Rat and Mr. Mole.
Oh books, what books they used to know
those children living long ago!
So please..oh please! We beg, we pray!
Go throw your T.V. set away!
And in it's place you can install
a lovely bookshelf on the wall
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks
And children hitting you with sticks
Feat not, because we promise you
that, in about a week or two
of having nothing else to do,
they'll now begin to feel the need
of having something to read
And once they start! Oh boy! Oh boy!
You'll watch the slowly growing joy
that fills their hearts. They'll grow so keen
they'll wonder what they'd ever seen
in that ridiculous machine
That nauseating, foul unclean
repulsive television machine!
And later, each and every kid
will love you more for what you did.

Roald Dahl

Ten years....

I took this picture today wanting a picture that showcased my wedding rings. My husband and I will have been married for ten years in just a little over a week. This time of year {being around Valentine's Day as well as the time of year I married} always gets me to thinking about love. It just makes me happy to walk into places all decorated with hearts and cutsie love sayings....I love that we celebrate love once a year. It just seems fitting for our anniversary to be in this month as well.

I have been looking back, reflecting on who I was, and what my goals and dreams were ten years ago. I always wanted to be married....I truly believed in love at first sight, and happily ever after. I wanted to experience that for myself. I wanted that feeling of belonging to someone, to know that the rest of the world may be doing their own thing, but I had one person who truly cared and would take time to listen to my thoughts and dreams and fears. I believed in the forever kind of love....love that lasts through the thick and thin, and "endures forever". I wanted to bring children into the marriage, I wanted to show them what true love was, and to raise them in that environment. I wanted babies that looked like their daddy, babies with their daddy's beautiful happy smile and with their daddy's heart. I wanted to teach them about Jesus, to show them His forgiveness and to help them to find His plan for their lives. I wanted our marriage to be a reflection of Christ's love for his church.....

These were the things I believed in and wanted, without having experienced it for myself. Ten years ago I had the hope that these things would come to be. My life isn't perfect, and neither am I, but I have been truly blessed with two beautiful children that, as I had hoped, have their daddy's smile, and heart. :) I am so proud of them, so thankful that I have been blessed with the priviledge of raising them to be men of God. I am still in love with my husband, my heart still speeds up when he comes home at night, and is still entertwined with his. And yes, through the thick and the thin, our love has lasted. So thankful for that. So thankful to be his wife. So thankful for today, and the legacy of our yesterdays, and the hope for our tomorrows.

I love this :)

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You too? I thought I was the only one." — C.S. Lewis

Christmas Photo Shoot

I just love Christmas...the sights, the sounds, the feelings it brings. :) I was excited to get these pictures back the other day. :) Loveee Christmas pictures. :)

Happy Birthday, Jared!!!

Happy Birthday, baby. :) I can't believe the once so tiny newborn has grown into this amazing little boy, and how fast it happened just blows my mind away. It seems like yesterday I was feeding you bananas and cheerios, and holding you while you suck on your blanket. :) I am looking forward to spending the rest of my life as your Mama, being there wherever you need me to. I know that as you get older, you won't need me like you have the last six, but I look forward to filling whatever role you need. :) You are an amazing person...and I love you one million. ;)

Ice Skating. ;)

Hey...it has been forevverrr since I have posted anything. :) I have been getting ready for winter...we officially skipped fall altogether today (the first day of autumn) when we got snow flurries. :) I am...ummmmmm....not...quite ready for winter yet, but I don't guess anybody asked me. ;)

Anyway, there are some cool things that we have been up to lately...we went ice skating today for the first time. :) It was sooo much fun. :) I have been on roller blades/skates before, but never had gone ice skating. :) I was as excited as the kids were, I think. :) My friend here Lisa and I took the kids to McDonalds for happy meals, and then we took them to the ice rink. Between the two of us, we have 5 boys under 7, so they have oh so much fun together. :) My boys especially were all wiggly and excited today and had a hard time settling down. :)

When we got to the rink, we rented our skates, and tried walking around on them before we actually got out on the ice. They were sooo much easier on the ground than they were on the ice. :) I spent the first 20 minutes or so s-l-o-w-l-y moving around using the wall....I guess because it was also used for hockey, there wasn't a rail like there is at roller rinks......sooooo my fingers were just about cramping trying to keep myself up with just a tiny little lip around the windows about the size of a fingerprint. ;) I did that for a while until all the little kids were kind of giving me the eye like "lady learn how to skate already, and let us use it!" I was probably melting a spot beneath me where I was trying to get the skates to move, so I decided to be a big girl, and start edging away....I kept sliding backwards without trying to...and finally got so far away that I couldn't get back to the rail, so I decided I needed to learn how to keep myself up. ;) I made it to the middle...and went just about everywhere. :) I was soooOOoooo proud of myself. :) Hahaha. :) I want to be a fun Mom, I am just not altogether athletic, I am afraid. ;) I do have fun trying though. :) I actually didn't fall, although I had a bunch of REALLY close calls. :) I figured I would end up with a wet bottom, but I didn't....this time. :) I was pretty proud of myself until the end of the session was over, and everybody started emptying off, and I was in the middle on the far side, and started trying to make it out of the rink, and when I got to the exit, I looked back, and saw I was THE LAST ONE OFF!!!! Oh well, maybe next time. :) I did do some twirls and spins, even though I wasn't trying to. :)

The boys had soooo much fun. My friends Lisa and Becky were MUCH better skaters than I, so they took them and skated off with them, so they could get so fun in the middle. :) I got some videos of them with the camera, but it didn't catch the sound, but you could tell they were really having a good day. :) Jared was able to snag one of those skating walker things that little kids use...(I totally wanted one, but I was too tall to use Jared's. ;) He was going fast with that, he loved it. Jathan made it all the way around by himself, and had a great time. :) We definetely are gonna come back and do this again. :)

Denali-

We took the boys to Denali this last Saturday because we had a season pass, and it is going to get too cold to go soon. :) Fall is here.... the yellows and reds were abundant. We ended up seeing a grizzly bear.... I actually got out of the truck to take pictures...and found out later that he could have made the trip up to me in less than 6 seconds....ummmmm....probably wasn't a good idea. Especially since the camera that I had taken (my digital one), doesn't zoom and the pictures were lousy. :) I really didn't feel threatened... I guess I should have. :)

We did end up getting out later, and taking some of the hiking trails. I love to hike...it is just a little different than it used to be before my car accident messed up my foot.... I can still do it, it just hurts. :( We took one that was pretty much uphill all the way, really steep, without ANY flat spots once you get started. It was a beautiful view... Once I got up high enough that I could see for a long ways around, I was ready to stop...but the boys kept urging me on... "Come on, Mama!!!" I thought it was so funny...usually always in the past I have been the one urging THEM on. "If you get up here, we will have an animal cracker picnic up there," or "I will race you up!!!" or "If we get done with this quickly, we will still be able to watch Diego before bedtime!" I guess they love to hike too. :) Anyway, here are some of the pictures that I took on our trip. Enjoy. :)

Demolition...

The boys and I had a playdate today at the park at McDonalds, and on our way to run some more errands, we saw a demolition crew demolishing a bunch of buildings. The boys and I decided to park the truck, and walk to where we could get a better look. They had a man spraying the area with a water hose, and a man operating the heavy machinery (I am not sure what it is, but the boys and I are going to get a book from the library so we can find out more about it. :) Mamas aren't boys, even if we do raise them. :) I am learning as much as they are, I think. The boys were so excited to be able to witness the buildings coming down. They were actually SCREAMING with excitement!!! I bet the operator kind of thought we were crazy, because he gets to see things like this all the time. :) But for us, this was our first time. I wanted to share some of my favorite pictures of the day, so my boys will one day be able to look back on them, and remember their fun day dreaming of dirt and big boys toys. :)

Out our front door

This was the view through our front door this evening about 9:30-ish. It was one of the most beautiful sunsets that I have seen in a long time. The weather was glorious, really still and calm, perfect temperature and made you want to stay outside and enjoy the view. The sun is beginning to set earlier now, and we are really enjoying the novelty of having a real night now. Ask me again this winter how nice it is to have dark, and I might have a different answer. :) But, for now it is so wonderful and cozy. It is towards the end of August, and we are already experiencing frosts on some mornings. It is totally different than what we are used to in Arkansas, we would still be running the air most days nonstop. The trees are starting to turn colors, and I have heard that the leaves don't stay on for long once they start changing. In the time that we have spent here we have not had alot of sunsets like this, and we were surprised and delighted to look out our front door and get a view like this. I walked out and down the street looking for glimpses without power lines and street signs, and thought that I would share some of my favorites with you.

Jared on babies. :)

Jared absolutely LOVES babies, but he told me today that his car that he got at McDonalds he was going to keep in my purse until we left, because he didn't want a baby "blobbering" on it. :)

Jathan's newest thing.

Jathan wants a dog. Bad. He has been reading alot of stories about dogs in his reading comprehension, and apparently they are passing on more than just the main idea. :) He keeps talking about how that it would be to have a dog, changes that we would have to make for one, whether he would be able to walk one, ect. He talks about it at least once an hour. We don't want one here where we are at now, because it would have to be an indoor dog, and we don't want that. So he is looking forward to when we might get a home in the country, and be able to get a dog. He is trying to decide which ones are best, and everything. I guess it is true, every boy needs a dog. :)

Jared's Marriage Plans

Jared has been so funny lately. :) He just told me that "he wasn't going to marry anyone. At all. Because he likes me the best. And he always wants to be with me. But when I die, then he will have to get married. But he isn't going to talk about that. Because that would make me sad. When I am gone he would get too lonely without me. But I would never know. Because I would be dead.And don't worry, it won't happen for a long time. Because I am not TOO old."

Crickets

Jared. "What happens if a cricket starts rubbing his legs together faster and faster and faster and they start getting redder and redder and they catch on fire?"

Room with a view.

Jathan and Jared have been asking me for years for a bunk bed. I haven't been brave enough until now to get them one. Jared sometimes sleepwalks, so he was obviously not going to do too well on the top bunk, and with Jathan being the oldest, it seemed to work out well. We are still trying to figure out exactly what to do their new room in here in Alaska, right now we have kind of a smorgasbord of bright colors, and I have let them pick the kind of sheets that they wanted. It was easier than letting them pick their own comforter, because undoubtedly they would have picked two different things. We are leaning towards Peter Pan to decorate. Right now, Jathan has chose pirate sheets and cowboy sheets, and Jared chose Very Hungry Caterpillar sheets, and has been thinking about puppy sheets (he saw some of those at Sears. :) I just bought them bright colored quilts for now.... they match with everything that they have picked out, and will be good to keep their beds warm underneath their comforters later. (I think in Alaska you can probably never have too many layers. :) Here are some of the pictures that I took on Jathan's first night up above. :)

Spiders

Talking about spiders today in school, I asked Jared to tell me what he knew about them. He told me that he knew that they had eight legs, built webs, ate flies' blood, some had hair and some didn't, and he said, "And do you know what else? Some spiders have red spots on their backs, and are poisonous if you eat them." :)

First day of school. :)

Today was our first day of school. :) Jathan has started 2nd grade, and Jared Kindergarten. They both were so excited to be in new grades. Jared wants to learn to read as fluently as Jathan this year. :) I think that that is cute. We have so many fun things to do this year. Jathan is doing Laurel Springs curriculum, and Jared is using Calvert. I can already tell that for Jathan I will be having to get alot of supplements for him. We breezed through the outlined pages, and when we got done I noticed that that was supposed to have been for the first WEEK!!! And that was in the first two hours. That is definetely not going to be enough for him. :) He loves school, and I will have to stay on my toes this year for sure, making sure that he has enough to keep him occupied. I bought 17 file folder sets for both grades, making about 300 file folder games for the both of them, probably about 150 each. :) I am still working on those, and probably will for a long while. :) They are just so much more fun than workbook work, so once they have done the workbook work for the day, they practice on their file folder games. Jathan is a visual learner, he learns so well using charts and visual aids, so they work well for him. Jared learns best when he can DO it, so being able to actually take the things and place them where they belong keeps him interested, and he learns well from them also. :)

Jared is using a really great phonics program that we used with Jathan (Scholastic Home Readers) in addition to the phonics program offered with his boxed curriculum. He enjoys listening to the c.d's with his blanket while he is learning to read the words. :)

We are going to have a great year... I can tell. :)

Toothless. :)

Jathan lost his two front teeth today within seconds of each other. With a little help from me (and his bed. :) They were having their "quiet" time in their rooms (playing games, reading, playing their Leapsters.. quiet stuff. :), and I hear this loud and strangled sounding voice yelling, "Mama!!!" I ran in the room, and Jathan was holding his mouth, with blood dripping down out from beneath his fingers. Ewwww!!! Jared told me that Jathan was on his bed, and rolled over, and bumped his teeth on the rail of his bed. (His teeth were just hanging there as it was, they literally have been loose since around Christmas time. REALLY. :) They were showing the roots, and just BARELY hanging in there.) Jathan was in the top bunk, and somehow, managed to drip blood down to the underneath, and splatter some on Jared and on his bedding, but his own clothes, and bedding were fine. Weird. Anyway, I made him up some salt water, and had him hold that in his mouth for a while, while we cleaned up his face and hands. When he spit it out, I knew that they had to come out, or he would probably end up swallowing them. Another Ewwwww. :) So, I just barely had to tug to get them out. He was SOOO happy to have the one out, he had been waiting for a long time, he said. I went ahead and pulled the other one out... and he looked so cute, I laughed. :) He looked at himself in the mirror, and said, "I don't like it!!!" I told him that I only laughed because he was so cute. :) We took these pictures because after he found that out, he wanted EVERYONE to see. :) Tonight, he will put the teeth under his pillow and get a double surprise. I don't tell them the tooth fairy story... I want the boys to always believe me when I tell them things. But at the same time, I don't want them to feel like they are missing out of anything either. So, they know that when they go to sleep with the tooth under their pillows, when they are asleep, I will tiptoe in and hide a surprise under their pillow in exchange for the tooth that they know I want to save. :) Jared can't wait to start gathering prizes for his teeth. :) I had bought Jathan a new leapster game back in April, that I carried with me ever since. :) That will be for one, and I bought a Clue-like game that I bought at that wonderful toy store in town. You have to find clues, and I know that he will love it!!! He has been playing a clue kind of game P.B.S. Kids.com that you have to guess whodoneit. :) I think he will have fun with the games. I always keep surprises on hand for times like these, where unexpected things come up. That way, if I see a good buy or something that they would really enjoy, I buy it, but don't give them a bunch of things all at once. :) I know he will be happy to go to sleep tonight, get his surprises from underneath his pillow, and start his first day of second grade tomorrow. :)

Meet me at the Fair. :)

We took the boys to the fair this past Friday night. We had such a good time. This was the first Alaskan fair that we went to. Everyone told us that it wasn't like what we were used to in the lower 48, but we came from such a small town that it really was very similar to the one we had back home in our town. The boys rode rides, and I took pictures (of course ;). Jared didn't like the kiddie roller coaster at all. He said "That made me SICK!!! I thought I was going to die!!!" (I am kind of like that with rides myself. I love the idea of them, but get motion sickness. Besides, on some of them I really think it might be possible to die. I think life is full of enough worries as it is. :) Jathan didn't like the tea cup ride, because he rode on the other side of James and Jared, and got scared. Their favorites were... Jathan (the roller coaster. :) Jared (the cotton candy. :) They both said that it was the most fun they had ever had. :)