Storm Watchin'

That's what we did today.  We watched the weather all day long.  Georgia was hit with severe storms and even some tornados today.  It turned out to be quite a hectic day.  

I love how my little group of homeschool mom friends all text to check up on each other.  I really didn't even know the weather was bad until I began receiving texts asking me if I had gone up to my parents' house to hide out in their basement.  I thought we would be fine to stay at home... the boys were wired from not being able to go outside and Violet was feeling sick.  But my dad called a little while later and said we should probably come up to be on the safe side.  

Jordan wanted to pack his "bat cave".  He got it for Christmas.  It's a hideout fort thing for Batman and Robin and Jordan wanted to make sure it stayed safe in case the house blew away.  I talked him into taking his new video camera instead.  

We all hung out with my sister, my dad, Granny and all the cousins for a few hours until the weather cleared up.  The kids were all about keeping an eye on the storm at first but they grew tired of it pretty quick.  

We were expecting lots more bad weather.  Church was even canceled, but it's been pretty calm so far, thank Goodness.  We said a prayer for all of the people affected by the tornados and severe storms today.  We're thankful to be safe, warm, and dry in our own beds. 

5

Alice in April by:  Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Yes, I checked out two of these books.  Actually, 3.  I haven't read the other one yet.  I read two of the three last Friday when we were all iced in.  

I had never read this particular "Alice" book before and I was actually really excited to get it.  I was not disappointed.  More of Alice's journey through middle school with lots of laughter, tears, and most of all, the awkwardness!  One passage that sticks out the most is when Alice is getting a physical.  The nurse tells her to get undressed and Alice panics because she's afraid the doctor is going to walk in before she's "ready".  Who hasn't worried about that while at a doctor's appointment?  I laughed and laughed.  

This book was a little... deeper than the others I've read.  Growing up gets harder and harder for Alice, just like in real life.  

I have since decided that I must purchase these books for Violet to have when she's ready to read them.  :)

4

The Agony of Alice by: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

I promise that I really do read "grown-up" books.  Truly.  I am, in fact, in the middle of a fantastic Dean Koontz novel right now.  Sometimes, though, I'm too tired to think about what I read.  I just want to read something easy and funny and not have to pick apart the plot or think about it too much.    

The other day in the library (the same day that I set off the alarm) the kids and I were in the teen section looking for XBox games.  Speaking of the teen section... have you been over there lately?  Apparently, all books for the young adult audience must have vampires, witches, goblins, or wizards as the main characters. I'm all about a good vampire series, but I was dismayed at the lack of selection for teens in the library.  

Anyway.  Moving on. 

I was browsing the books in the teen section while waiting for the boys to choose their games.  In the midst of all that fantasy nonsense, a set of brightly colored books caught my eye way up on the top shelf.  The "Alice" books.  My elementary school librarian thought I would like these when I was in fifth grade.  And she was right.  Mrs. Gailey was usually right about what I'd like to read.  I loved that woman!  

So, I first read The Agony of Alice in fifth grade.  I laughed out loud then, and I laughed out loud last Friday when I read it again.  Alice just reminds me SO much of myself.  She's awkward.  She does some really dumb things.  She has a quirky way of thinking.  She is so stinking funny.  

I can't wait until Violet is old enough to read about Alice.  Maybe we'll read them together.  Or maybe I can introduce my niece to Alice and she'll love her as much as I do.  

Just Some More of God's Promises

My family has another fast under our belts.  This year's has been good.  So, SO good.  Different in the way the Lord has spoken to me and I'm excited about what's to come in 2013. Expectant.  I sense that we're in for an amazing year.  

One thing that's been different with this year's fast is the way I've been led to pray for my children.  In regards to the kids, Chris and I have always prayed for the same things during our fasts... salvation, health, protection, etc.  God threw something new at me three weeks ago and I began to pray for them to recognize God's calling on their lives while they are still young.  For God to reveal their passions and their purpose.  I want my kids to look outside of their own little worlds and get glimpses of the "big picture" of their lives.  

Shaun has been going up to the main service with me sometimes.  Today the congregation was shown a video about an upcoming mission trip to Peru.  We watched and learned about how the people there have no clean water and are being killed off by disease and starvation.  When it was over, Shaun tapped me on the shoulder and whispered, "Mom.  I want to go there".  

"Go where," I asked.  

"There.  Peru.  I want to help those people.  Don't you?"

Well, not really.  I've always been very thankful that God hasn't called me to that type of mission field.  But I looked into the eyes of my soon-to-be 13 year old and saw  compassion.  And a longing.  

And I remembered what I've been praying for over the past 21 days. 

What an incredible moment.  For now, I think Shaun is still too young to go to Peru. But God has placed a desire in his heart and there's no doubt in my mind that he will be doing mission work in some form or other before too long.  Until then, our oldest son will be covered in prayer until he realizes the path God wishes him to take.  

My family and I went through the prayer line today and were anointed with oil.  I held Violet in my arms and kept my eyes on the boys in front of me as hands were laid and prayers were prayed over my children and I have never, ever felt such peach about their future.  

When we went through the same line last year I was newly pregnant and we had prayed for a safe pregnancy and a healthy baby.  Things happened, but God answered our prayers.  The same people who prayed for our daughter while she was still in my womb smiled and winked as they anointed her and prayed for her again.  

God is so good.    

Ice Day

It iced yesterday and the schools in our area were closed.  My kids heard about this on the news they decided that they should have an Ice Day too, and agreed.  

The Hubs had to go to work for awhile, but the kids snuggled up with blankets on the couch watching movies and playing XBox.  I did laundry and cleaned up the kitched and worked some more on my bedroom.  It hasn't been cleaned since Violet was born and the clothes are taking over.  We had Pumpkin Black Bean Soup and crescent rolls for lunch.  I read a lot.  I checked out a Dean Koontz novel from the library a few days ago and I finally got into it.  Now, I can't put it down.  

Chris finally made it home safe and sound from the elements.  He said the roads were quite icy, so we made plans to just not leave the house.  The boys spent the evening playing XBox with their daddy.  Did you know that it's Double X P weekend?  I have absolutely no idea what that means, but apparently it's important.  

Violet even got in on the action:

No one should be concerned... we were all right there beside her so she couldn't fall off the couch.  :)

I also made another one of those "thrown together because I didn't have a chance to get to the grocery store" meals.  Here's the recipe, if you think you can handle all the work! Ha!

Crock Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice

Ingredients:

4 Boneless chicken breasts, thawed

Salsa

Rice

Cheese

Sour Cream

Put chicken into the Crock Pot and dump a jar of salsa on top.  Set on low and go about your day.  

After 5 hours or so, mix it all up.  The chicken will be so tender it just breaks apart.  The end result looks like barbecue.  I added a little more salsa and continued to cook.  

When you're almost ready to eat, throw some instant rice on the stove.  When it's cooked, serve up the rice and top it with the chicken mixture.  Top everything with a sprinkle of cheese and a dollop of sour cream.  In a perfect world, I would have added some canned black beans, but we were all out.  I served this dish with green peas and it was so good. My kids and The Hubs all had seconds and it really filled us up.  

I don't know if you can actually call this a "recipe" but I will definitely be making it again.  I'm eating leftovers for lunch as I type and it tastes even better!

Shaun's basketball game was canceled this morning and we all slept in, which was much needed.  Shaun is the only one of us who's an early riser.  I think he woke up around 6:00.  

Someone is turning 7 years old on Monday, so I hope to go get his present later.

Seriously Rolling Over

I had been getting a little bit worried about Violet because she hadn't rolled over from her back to her stomach yet.  Today I left her on her play mat in the living room floor with her brothers.  I put her down on her back and went to fold some laundry.  

When I came back through, she was on her stomach.  I asked Shaun if he'd helped her roll over and he said no.  I got all excited, jumped up and cried, "Oh, she finally rolled over!  Yay!  Violet you're such a big girl!".

Shaun and Jordan just kept on doing what they were doing.  I thought this was strange because they usually get really exited whenever their sister does something new.  These are the boys who yelled and screamed for me to come watch Violet took her pacifier our of her own mouth, for Heaven's sake! 

I told them to look what their sister had done and Shaun looked at me and said, "Seriously, Mom?  She started doing that the other night while you were out with Mrs. Vicki".  

Well, wow.  It was so nice of someone to tell me!  

A Cause for Alarm

The boys and I went to the library today.  Of course, Jordan had to use the restroom while we were there.  We were at the "big" library in Gainesville, so I walked with him.  While I waited for him to come out, I noticed the "special needs" room.  Another homeschooling mom friend of mine had mentioned this room to me before, saying that they had some good homeschooling resources in there.  So I decided to check it out.  I opened up the door and as soon as I did an alarm sounded.  

It was loud.  It hurt my ears.  And it almost embarrassed the life out of Jordan.  Sheepishly, we came out of the bathroom hallway and I tried to explain to the librarian what had happened.  She proceeded to tell me that the special needs stuff had been moved to the Murrayville branch.  

Why, oh why, is there still a sign up if the room had been moved?  And what in the world is in that room that is so important it needs an alarm?  All I saw was a room full of empty tables.  

I don't get embarrassed very easily, but I admit that I was embarrassed today!

3

Superfudge by:  Judy Blume


Truthfully, Shaun read most of this one.  I "made" him read it for school while I listened and asked questions after each chapter.  I loved it so much that I had to list it here.  

I've been a fan of Fudge and his brother Peter since my teacher, the wonderful Mrs. Westmorland, introduced them to me in fourth grade.  When Shaun was in 4th grade, we read Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing.  He's always been able to identify with Peter. Back then, he and Peter had the same "biggest problem"...their little brothers!  Now that Shaun and Peter are in 6th grade, the similarities continue as the Hatcher brothers adjust to the arrival of their new baby sister.  Weirdly, I can also identify with some characters in this book:  the parents of Fudge and Peter.  I used to think Mrs. Hatcher was such a "Debby Downer" and now I see myself in her.  I'm not the only one.  Shaun actually told me that I reminded him of Peter's mother.  I'm getting old, I guess.  : /  

I loved, LOVED this book and so did Shaun.  We laughed and laughed as we read it.  Those are the best books... the ones that make you laugh out loud. I have absolutely nothing negative to say.  We've already been to the library to get the next one in the series.  

Smooth Sailing

Yesterday was one of those days that I used to dream about before we became a homeschooling family.  Everything went smoothly.  Everything was completed.  I felt like the boys actually learned something.  I was even able to sweep the kitchen floor.  The boys were SO glad to spend some time outside after all the rain we had last week.  Dinner was enjoyed by everyone and the Hubs even came home from work at a decent hour.  Days like that just don't happen often around here.  

Today was good, too.  The kids and I, along with two of my nieces, went to lunch before co-op. It was me plus 5 kids in a restaurant and everyone behaved!  Everyone enjoyed their day at school and then we all headed to Hamilton Mill for Shaun's appointment.  Long story short, the appointment didn't happen and we drove all the way out there for nothing.  Oh well. It was still a good day.  I'm so thankful that I'm able to stay home with my children.  They're so precious to me. 

2

The Secret Between Us by:  Barbara Delinsky

A mother and her teen daughter are involved in a fatal accident.  The police assume mom was driving when in fact the daughter was behind the wheel.  In order to protect her daughter, mom continues to lie to the police and the guilt eats both mother and daughter alive until finally they confess.  

Can you tell this wasn't my favorite book ever?  I didn't like it.  It was very monotonous.  That's really all I have to say. Except that this will probably be my last Delinsky novel for a while.  

On the other hand, I was quite impressed when Jordan correctly sounded out the author's name.  

Back to School

School "officially" began for us again today. Or technically it began yesterday.  It's almost 1:00 a.m. as I type this.  

Co-op was back in session.  Lots of changes, all of them for the better.  Shaun really enjoyed his classes.  He's taking a dissection class and a class on the Titanic.  He seems excited about both.  We will all go on a field trip to the Titanic exhibit at Atlantic Station this spring.  I'm really excited about that!  I think Shaun had a good day.  He even read aloud in front of the class.    

Violet and I spent the afternoon in the baby class.  Every parent now has to stay with her own baby, so we had plenty of help in there!  

Jordan had a little  bit of trouble.  In PE of all things.  Apparently Ms. Jessica is a slave driver and Jordan does not know how to do sit-ups. :)

  Chris found him in the bathroom crying about it.  Sigh.  He does this every time he has to learn something new.  The first time he went roller skating, he threw his skates down and informed everyone at the rink that skating was stupid.  All this because he couldn't skate with the wind without practicing first. The same thing happened with the sit-ups today.  I'm not sure what to do about it.  At least  he didn't scream that sit-ups were stupid!

We practiced them when we got home tonight and now he knows what he's doing.  I just pray that he shows his teacher what he can do next week.  

Job 21:22

I'm glad I had this verse to fall back on this week.  What a week.  

Co-op started back up again today.  I was in a sour, discouraged state and honestly just didn't want to be there.  But, I sucked it up and went inside and tried to act as though everything was great.  I really didn't want to be around all of the other mothers with their perkiness and their praise reports.  I know.  That's mean.  

Our group leader said something I so needed to hear during announcements.  She had been reading a devotional meant to encourage us during the fast (I missed most of it because Jordan had to go to the bathroom)and she pointed out that most of the time she or someone in her family is hit with a struggle whenever they are involved in a fast.  She went on to say that this was usually just Satan himself trying to break them down before they got their break through.  

Yes, I really needed to hear that.  

We had some unexpected news in our own little family this week.  Smack in the middle of our fast.  As usual.  I've almost come to expect it.  But still, it feels like a low blow.  I got mad, screamed "why", and then wallowed in a funk before I even remembered that it's not my place to tell God how to run His affairs.  It seems like I'm always needing reminders of this!  

And so, we'll keep on keepin' on.  Even if we don't feel like it.  We'll wait on God to give us answers and healing in His own time.  We will focus on being content and remember all of the times when God has shown out for us in the past.  We'll give our future, and the futures of our kids, to God and wait patiently until we finally see the end of our story. 

At the end of the day, I was glad that I went on to co-op.  I tend to close myself off a lot of the time- a sure way to feed depression.  I had a "therapy session" in the baby class.  Surrounded by my sisters in Christ, I was encouraged and we laughed a lot.  It's always so good to laugh!  God also brought a new friend into my life today.  I was once again reminded that He knows what we need, when we need it.  

Good Intentions

I came here tonight to blog about Job 21:22.  I read it today and it's sticking with me.  

"But who are we to tell God how to run His affairs?  He's dealing with matters that are way over our heads".

Letting go and letting God have His way has always been a struggle for me and I have some thoughts on the subject.  But, today has been one of those days and my brain and body are tired.  The minute I signed on, my words left.  I'll try again tomorrow.  

Violet seems to be sick.  Again.  She's been fussy and I've been giving her Tylenol since Monday.  Yesterday she only took 1 nap in the morning and then only slept 5 hours last night.  This is so not like her.  She cried a good bit yesterday, too.  Today she has pretty much cried or fussed all day when she wasn't sleeping.  We decided that I should keep her home from church and I'm glad I did because she started running a fever after the boys left.  I gave in then and made an appointment for her to see the doctor tomorrow.  We were just there last week for her checkup.  It's beginning to feel like our second home. 

Chris was home today and we finally got our Christmas tree down.  We did some much needed cleaning and some reading. He also cut the boys hair.  And we all listened to Violet cry.  We watched Duck Dynasty reruns, but Violet felt so bad so we were NOT Happy Happy Happy.  :(

Tomorrow's another day.  Prayerfully, a better day!  And MNO is on Saturday.  I can't wait.  

Full of Chagrin

Today the boys and I took Violet to a dermatologist to have her birthmark checked out.  Thankfully, it is just that- a birthmark.  Totally benign.  We'll have it removed when she's a pre-teen and we don't even have to have followup visits until then, unless we notice it changing.  

The appointment was in Cumming, and Chris had to work.  So it was me and the kids.  I get so nervous when I drive to appointments.  My sense of direction is not good and I'm infamous for getting lost.  Thanks to the navigation app on my phone we made it to the appointment on time.  We stopped at a "new" library on the way home.  By new, I mean a library that we've never been to before.  Then we had to hit the grocery store to have Violet's prescription filled and pick up a few things.  

By this time, we were all tired.  Tired of driving. We were hungry, too.  Its Fasting time again, and the boys are fasting sugar, so they couldn't get an ice cream from Chick-fil-a.  I was really tired from all the driving and I just wanted to get home.  

The main reason for stoping at Kroger was to get Violet's reflux meds.  I wish I could have just went through the drive through, but the driver's window on my Explorer decided to mess up last week, and I hate having to open the door at drive throughs.  We went in and I herded the boys to the pharmacy and we took our place at the end of the (very long) line.   

An older lady began talking to me about how my baby looked very young to have out and about. I told her that she was 4 months old and she just kept shaking her head and saying that she looked a lot younger than that.  Really, lady?!?

Jordan has learned to read and is going through that wonderful phase of reading everything!  He was reading all of the signs around us and talking about how we needed to go to Lindsey's window.  Lindsey is my cousin, who just so happens to work in the Kroger pharmacy.  I told Jordan that we couldn't go to her window because she was working and we'd get her in trouble.  Both boys started in then.  Shaun was telling me that we were supposed to go to the other window, the empty window where Lindsey was.  I told him no we were not.  And then Jordan asked me if we were picking up or dropping off.  I was like, "What?  We're dropping off your sister's prescription.  Why?"

Then my 6 year old points to the sign above Cousin Lindsey's empty window.  The sign that reads Drop Off Prescriptions Here.  "See?  It says we drop off at that window and we pick up here!".  

I was so full of chagrin.  As we headed over to the correct window I apologized to both boys.  Lindsey even filled our prescription right away and we didn't have to wait.  It pays to have connections!  I'm so glad that my boys were observant...we probably would have waited in the wrong line for 15 minutes, only to have to go to the correct window and wait even more!  

1

Last year, I started out wanting to review and keep track of all the books I read.  I did really well at first and then sort of fizzled out.  But I really DO want to do this in 2013, so here we go again.  

My review of Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn:

Way back in the fourth grade, I had a wonderful teacher.  Her name was Mrs. Westmorland and she was the best teacher in the whole entire world.  I mean, she was amazing.  She was also a lover of books, and we clicked.  She read many, many books aloud to our class.  A few that stick out in my mind:  The View from the Cherry Tree, Where the Red Fern Grows, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, and Wait til Helen Comes.  Wait til Helen Comes was my first ghost story, and I've been a sucker for paranormal stories ever since.  A few weeks ago the kids and I were at the library and I noticed Deep and Dark and Dangerous.  It's also a ghost story and was written by Mary Downing Hahn.  Of course I checked it out, even though it was "just a kid's book".  

When Mrs. Westmorland read Wait til Helen Comes, my socks were scared off.  I thought it was soooo scary!  I remember checking out from the school library time after time and reading it over and over up in my room, each time deliciously terrifying myself.  Well, that was in the fourth grade.  Even though I'm 32 now and didn't get scared, Deep and Dark and Dangerous is of the same caliber as Mary Downing Hahn's first ghost story.  I loved it.  I want my kids to read it, since they love to be scared as much as I do.  

I thought this book was wonderfully done, even though the characters have the same traits as some of the characters in Wait til Helen Comes.  We see lots of family tension, sibling rivalry, and a drowned ghost.  I think that if I had read this book back in the fourth grade it would have in fact left me "deliciously terrified".  This is always a tell-tale sign of a great ghost story!