Assignment #118 - All You Add Is Love (Purina Dog Chow)

Memory Verse: Psalms 127:3 (New Living Translation)
Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.
Intro: This week we continue with shaking things up a bit. Children are often so pure in what they say. There is no sugar coating it, they just say it as they see it. Their thoughts can make us laugh, touch our hearts and open our eyes.

Assignment: This week are going to do an “Interview With Mom” and post it to your blog. There are a list of questions below to interview your children with. Feel free to add your own questions or remove any question you don’t want to use. You will then ask your children the questions and post the answers that they give you.

WHAT DOES MOM ALWAYS SAY TO YOU?

DD9 - Time to do school.
DD4- Go clean up my room.

WHAT MAKES MOM HAPPY?

DD9 - When we are all as a family playing games.
DD4 - To go have fun and play games with our family.

WHAT MAKES MOM SAD?

DD9 - When mommy and daddy fight.
DD4 - To not listen. (I think she meant when she didn't listen.)

HOW DOES MOM MAKE YOU LAUGH?

DD9 - When you tickle me.
DD4 - Let me think, By playing games

HOW OLD IS MOM?

DD9 - In your 20's.
DD4 - I don't know.


HOW TALL IS MOM?

DD9 - 4 to 5 feet
DD4 - I don't know

WHAT DOES MOM LIKE TO DO?

DD9 - Like to milk your goats
DD4 - Play with us.

WHAT IS MOM’S JOB?

DD9 - Staying home and taking care of me and my sister and making sure daddy has food when he gets home.
DD4 - To clean up the house.

WHAT IS MOM’S FAVORITE FOOD?

DD9 - That stuff you make with lettuce cheese and turkey in it.
DD4 - Eggs

HOW DO YOU KNOW MOM LOVES YOU?

DD9 - Cause she stays home with us.
DD4 - Cause we play games together.

This was so much fun. They didn't answer how I thought they would. I really don't play games with them that much so maybe I need to start playing more games so they feel loved and see that I am happy.

Thanks for this assignment.

My little girl is now 9

I can not believe it. How can this have happened. It seems like yesterday I was that worried mom who brought her home from the hospital and couldn't let her ride in the backseat by herself. She also had about 20 blankets on her to make sure she was warm. I just can't believe the time has gone by so fast. She has turned into a magnificient young lady. She has a heart of gold. She definitely has a heart for the Lord and is constantly asking questions. Some I am not able to answer like "What does God look like?" I know though that she is thinking and trying to discover things. She also loves to do special things for other people. She has friends at our church that are all older people of the church but she is not afraid to go up to them and give them and hug and just spend time talking to them. I can't imagine my life without her. She is a much more serious child than our youngest little girl. She could never really take a joke when she was younger and even now she has a hard time with it. She isn't really a rowdy kid. She is a little more reserved. She likes to still be a mamma's girl and a daddy's girl. She still likes to get kisses from mommy and daddy, she doesn't care who is around. I thank God everyday for her. She is joy to my heart and soul. We don't always have joyful days but when we do, they are just some of the best days of my life. I love just seeing her smile and talking about things that are on her mind. I know God is going to bless her and give her a fufilling life. I know that she is going to be an outstanding follower of Jesus. I am so blessed to call her my daughter.

She has had a tough year. December 18th she had surgery at the University of Michigan. She was under anesthesia from 10:30am to about 8:00pm. We did not get to see her until 8:45pm. Then we spent 4 days at UofM, but everything is good now. Since October we have been dealing with this impending surgery. Now it is over and we are recovering wonderfully.

Here is a look at our beautiful, now 9 year old daughter.

To my loving little girl. I hope you had a wonderful birthday. I know I have had a wonderful 9 years with you and I look forward to see what happens in this next year. I hope you had fun celebrating your birthday, I know I had a blast.

I love you, MOM

Can it really be the day after Christmas?

I can not believe it. This can't really be the day after Christmas. Where has the time gone. I sat there yesterday thinking are we really opening presents, it can't be. Last week we lost a lot of time because Kal our oldest daughter had surgery. We spent 4 days in the hospital. I wouldn't have traded that time for anything. As a mother when do you get one on one time with your children and also get to take care of them. She did great. It was quite and ordeal. She spent from 10:30 to 8:30 under anesthesia. It was a very difficult surgery but we think it is all taken care of. She has this odd thing called a branchial cleft cyst. It is a little complicated case because this time it was located by her facial nerve and it was inbedded in scar tissue. They said it was very complicated but they think they got it all. I hope so. She had this removed when she was 2 and that was a 6 hour surgery. I can only imagine what the next surgery would bring.

We had some wonderful experiences with this ordeal. Kal's roommate had the same name as her and they were Christians which was wonderful. We were both looking out for each other. The only regret I have is not getting their email to be able to find out if their daughter was okay.

I am glad the experience is over but at the same time I look back at it with fondness. We were able to be together and that was wonderful.

We had a great Christmas. Kal and Emma are still working through their toys. We are still trying to get things back to normal. I think I might be working on that for awhile. Well I need to spend time with my dear hubby.

God Bless

Assignment #113 - Finger Lickin’ Good (KFC)

Assignment: Although I am not able to produce miracles, it sometimes feels like I need to when it comes to meal time. There are times when money is tight, groceries are few and I have to feed my family. During the holiday season, you might have so much going on that you need to make a meal quickly with as few ingredients as possible. This week post your favorite recipes that require six (6) ingredients or less. Can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Six ingredients or less makes this a challenge. I am thinking of some recipes that I consider my staples but I am also counting out the ingredients. I guess I like my spices.

This is an all time favorite. Quick and easy. I am sure most of you have a roast recipe this is what I do.

Chuck Roast
Beef Broth
Garlic Powder
Salt
Onion

Put roast in pan. Add garlic powder, salt, and onion. Add a can of beef broth. Cook until done usually 2 hours.

Paprika Chicken (ate this tonight)

Chicken, cut up
Paprika
garlic powder
salt
butter

Put chicken in dish. Sprinkle with paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Melt the butter. Brush the butter over the chicken. Bake chicken at 350 for about 1 hour. Brush the chicken with the butter about every 15 minutes.

These are my two standby recipes. If I don't know what to cook or with the roast need something I can throw together and then run into town these are the recipes I fall back on.

Enjoy,

Jenni

Assignment #110 - Computers Help People Help People (IBM)

Assignment:
Share some of your favorite homeschooling sites. The only “rule” for this assignment is that you have to list at least one “free” site. Many homeschooling families have made the choice to live on very little income to do what they believe is best for their children and I want everyone to be able to benefit from this assignment. If you have other sites that are “paid” sites, feel free to include these also as it might be something someone would really appreciate. If you feel led, share your curriculum choices with us. I always love to learn what is out there that I don’t already know about. Please make sure to include links to the sites you share.

This is an area that I love about homeschooling. The internet is a beautiful tool. You can find just about anything if you take the time to look. Usually I run out of time and can't look as often as I would like. I have a very long list of favorites. I can't wait to see what everyone else posts.

Here is my list

www.thebestkidsbooksite.com This site has projects, coloring pages, and great book ideas
www.dltk-kids.com Lots of great stuff here
www.preschoollearners.com
www.lapbooklessons.com Very good resource for lapbooks
www.homeschoolshare.com Lots of info here
www.squiddo.com
www.ourlosbanos.com Really cool site with a free curriculum
www.annesschoolplace.com
www.firstschool.ws
www.letteroftheweek.com


Well this is some of my favorites. Hopefully someone will find this helpful. I can't wait to see everybody elses finds

Jenni

BFS Assignment #109 We Bring Good Things To Life (GE) *

My daugthers are the 2 blondes on the left

Assignment: Share a field trip/lifestyle learning experience where you really felt you were bringing good things to life for your children, where something came alive for them, or ignited a passion.

My oldest daughter we are still trying to figure out what her passion is. She has done everything. She has been in dance, not really into it but does like it. She is in horse, she likes it but I just don't see the passion there. Girl Scouts, loves it but I think it is more a social thing. But there is one thing that she does have a passion for and that is not littering. She will talk your ear off aobut how awful it is that people just throw things on the ground. How God created this earth and look at how people take care of it. So I guess if she was to have a passion it would be that. So far the littering thing has not worked out so well when it comes to our house she seems to think her room is a huge garbage disposal.

Our youngest daughter on the other hand has loved dance since she was very little. I think it helped that our oldest was in dance and I also was taking some classes. She was 2 years old and would put on tap shoes and would love to hear herself tap across the floor at the dance studio. She still talks about how she is going to be a ballerina. She is not taking ballet class she is going to be a BALLARINA. She practices around the house her turns. I try to show her stuff and she corrects me. It is a lot of fun.

I only pray the can turn there passions into something to glorify good. He has created us to do his good works so I pray they will take a passion they have for something and do it for his good works.

My verse this week is.

Ephesians 2:4-10


4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Eph 2:4-10 (KJV)

Did find some things that are a little wacky about us

This is what happens when you send your kids to take the laundry off of the line. They get a little creative. Her entire head is full of clothes pins.

Do you think this might be the new style this coming fall???

This day my oldest decided to see how many grapes she could shove into her mouth. Doesn't she look like a chipmunk or squirrel?

Here she is just being plan old goofy. How do you like the hair?

This one is our jokester of the family. Can you tell she loves to make funny faces

I was feeling kind of awful about how much fun we have around here. I thought that we were pretty lame until I started to download some of my pictures so we could go on vacation this week and then I saw all of these funny snapshots. So I had to share. I don't feel as bad, my kids do look like they are having some fun.

Jenni