Annoying turns Cute in Older Age

As Professor and I are unwinding tonight, we hear the pitter-patter of little feet up and down the newly acquired stairs of our new home. Since Sweet Sis does not remember our home from two moves ago, she would not remember the beautiful staircase there. Besides, her room was downstairs. Anyway, with the beds all set-up tonight, and Mommy and Daddy entirely exhausted, it is past 9:30 pm, and we are still hearing our little girl up and down out of bed. Years ago, we would have been quite beside ourselves with frustration at the boys for doing the same. The old "Go to Bed" routine. Now, after I rocked her, then rocked her two new dollies, it was Daddy's turn to come in and rock, then rock each of her dollies. At one point, we provided more drink, more conversation, and some nice soothing hymns which she enjoyed singing along quite loudly. This last interruption, she drew Daddy in with "Daddy I have a question for you". Then she asked after that was answered, "Daddy I have something to show you, it is so funny, so funny Daddy". She proceeds to show him a book, picks a page, and starts laughing! She tries to explain to him why it is funny, but then gives up and says, "Can you just read it to me Daddy?" What a treasured night! We are both so tired, physically ill from colds, I think I am coming down with a sinus infection, and her little interruptions might normally be received with a scowl, but how precious tonight they are to us! Ok, as I write, she has now discovered the "Big Moon out there, Daddy, come and show you!!" So maybe it is getting a bit tiring now, as we entire into the 10 pm hour, but, still a cute little Sis. Just don't wake me when I'm sleeping little girl! The house is still a disaster, we still have the old house to finish cleaning and painting, and we have so much laundry to fold and to clean! But we are making progress. Today the furniture was placed in its permanent location, one bookshelf placed and stocked, beds were assembled and placed accordingly (except for mine, of course!), and we are starting to see some flow. Nearly all of the kitchen is unpacked, three rooms in the old house were painted and nearly everything has been removed now. We still have about 15 paint cans to turn in at a paint drop-off and some miscellaneous garage items. But overall, we are encouraged. It is time to get to bed! All for now, Country Needles

Offerings of Sacrifice

Tonight is the last night in our current house - our most amazing, gift from God house. Here was a picture of our sunset a few days ago. Several days a week we get these sunsets and they are breathtaking.

It is a bit hard to say good-bye, and yet I feel so at peace with our decision. It is truly the Will of the Lord for us to be gaining towards our goal of debt-free living. We have been pursuing this goal for 10 years, actively. We have stumbled along the way, we have had major circumstances and situations, many unforseen deaths in the family, including both maternal grandparents, maternal uncle, mother, paternal grandfather, birth of two children and 2 major moves all within the past 5 years. When we live so far away from immediate family, it can be expensive to travel. We have had a few poor decisions and some really great decisions, all with the intent to honor the Lord. It can be hard to know what the Lord's Will is in our lives, especially when it comes to purchases and making change, when we are young and without elders to guide us. We always weigh the pros and cons, the needs and wants. I can say we are not impulsive people, but do place pressure on ourselves to make decisions instead of waffling. The bottom-line is that we have major student-loan debt. Major. And we are a single-income family serving in the military. We have grown as a family along the way and are now a family with four children. It is time that we take the monkey off the back and get super-serious about paying down these student loans. So, we have made some drastic changes, but yet it was all in God's timing. He waited to reveal the truth about ourselves, waited patiently to see if we would come to the knowledge about our ugly selves. Nothing in this world will make us happy, nothing. Not even promised camping trips, get-aways, going here or there. What makes us happy is when we as a family chose to honor Him, where love is found in the home and is not sought after outside of the home. Where we get real and deep with ourselves and our kids. And most of all, we have learned that we can't plan for the future, that usually for us, things don't go as expected. We purchased a brand-new van once, and in 5 years, was worth a fraction of our investment - and the transmission went out. Life is unpredictable and we need to make choices for today, not for the future. I know that sounds totally wrong, but we need to live for the day and trust in God that our choices made smartly today will carry us through, instead of us saying "We know what will be best for the next 5 years". That does not mean reckless choices or not keeping in mind for the future. If we would have stopped worrying about the future, we would have had our debt paid off. There is no whining, but a good hard look at the facts. We are ready now. Ready to continue on, following his leading. Not ever having lived in something other than a house since having children, this seems to some like a step-backward, living in a townhome. But to us, it is a step-up. Jesus abode in humble dwellings, with simple food, and simple clothing. How should we expect to live - better than the King? Our needs are met, we are happy, and will soon be able to live fully in-line with biblical principles. By the way, we will still have a nice ocean view, when we take a short 100 ft walk. We might have a view from the upstairs corner bedroom, and every day we drive into our housing development we will have beautiful ocean views. We are now a block from the beach, where as before we were on a cliff and had to drive 1/2 mile down to the beach. We can walk now! And we can walk to the pool, gym, tennis courts - which we had to drive to before. There is a Youth Center with classes 4 days a week ranging from elementary music, to a toddler music class, to cooking class, to craft class to piano lessons. The kids can join for just $25 a year per child! Most of the kids that participate are homeschool kids, with a few from after-school programs. We will enjoy a new type of life, maybe a much more active one, in our new home. And our new place is the same size as our old house minus the garage. So, the Lord is truly blessing us beyond what we could have hoped for. I hope to continue actively posting on the blog, not taking as long as a break as I have had. I enjoy blogging, and sharing, and keeping in touch with those that mean so much to me. Some days are super busy, but whose life isn't? God Bless you until we meet again. Country Needles

Merry Christmas!

It has been crazy around here with our preparations for the big move, with the selling of our SUV and camper, and the purchase of our new modest minivan.  The Lord is continuing to Bless us more as we found out our housing allowance will increase substantially giving us greater savings with our move into the new home.  Merry Christmas to all of our friends and family!

Here is Lil' Farmer with his new cowboy belt buckle!
Here is Sweet Sis with her new babydoll!
And another of Professor lowering Kind Heart down into the sewer to retrieve his remote-controlled helicopter that flew down the drain!
And lastly with Straight Arrow enjoying his day.

Winter Family Time

Tonight, we had the most amazing time together as a family. Unfortunately, our camera ran out of battery just as we got to the most fun part of our night! After church, we went caroling with some church family and the children truly enjoyed passing out Christian literature (especially Kind Heart who is our natural evangelist!). Afterwards, we drove home and changed, and decided to surprise the kids with a night out of pizza and ice skating. :) The pizza place we went to was called Red Brick Oven Pizza. They are a unique place; Straight Arrow is gluten-free and we are all vegan, so how do we eat pizza? At a place that offers gluten-free pizza crusts and vegan cheese! This place has fantastic pizza and offers a cheese substitute called Daiya "cheese", so we were able to order pizza like "normal" people and really enjoyed ourselves. We had some time to pass, so we ventured out to a neighborhood about 10 miles away that is known in our part of the city for its amazing light shows - they even have their own facebook page, as it is so popular! That was really nice and way too big for us too stay long. We were creeping along in the streets. We would have walked but were short on time to get to the ice skating "chalet". It was really cute to see people with lit-up palm trees and flamingos pulling a sleigh instead of reindeer! There were many unique displays and some traditional, but all very beautiful. Every tree in every yard was decorated and lit-up! Lots of people had outdoor fire-bowls and it smelled so nice. It was odd to see so many folks in shorts and short-sleeves and equally odd to see them mingle with people decked-out in winter gear, boots, hats, gloves, and all. (On a side-note, earlier in the week as we were out and about, I glanced over while stopped at a light and saw a man with beautiful Christmas decorations on his front lawn, mowing the yard. I think that was the first time I have seen someone mowing their yard at Christmas!) So, we made our way out of the light labrynth and back to the chalet. The fun we had is almost indescribable! Each of the children have such personalities and they all came out tonight. Straight Arrow was very hesitant at first, but with a little coaxing and help, he came out of his shell and was skating on his own in no time. Kind Hart was a go-getter, rigid and strong. He was determined to go fast and be like the faster teens around us. And by the night's end, he was zooming around, getting confused, and often skating against the flow with no fear! Lil' Farmer was like a cowboy on ice skates - the two just don't go together! It was hilarious, although he didn't think so. I think he would have been more comfortable out on a horseback ride! He just couldn't stand up if his life depended on it. And he wasn't too inclined to try it again. We were able to rent this cute little skate chair in the shape of a seal. The small children could sit down on it and be pushed. Or it can be used by a younger skater to push on while they learn to get their feet underneath themselves. Lil' Farmer was happy on or behind the seal. Then there is Sweet Sis. She was, well, sweet! She was very content doing anything we asked her to do. Whether it was being pushed by her various brothers, holding on to help push Liam, standing on the wall and saying Hi to little friends, or holding our hands, she had no complaints! The Professor and I had a blast as we remembered why we had children and why we had four! We even got some smooching in and a few laps holding hands! ;) The children loved to see us skating out on our own and were so happy. We felt like we were back in college! Oh no, am I at risk of sounding like a parent? Yikes!

Some Changes

We are going to be making some changes in our life to help us gain better financial footing. As many of you know, college is really expensive, and such was the case for dear Professor. After paying on loans for 12 years, we are only half way through paying them off, and they are substantial. Let's just say, we could have purchased a house with property for the same amount it cost for a bachelor's degree at a private university. We are so thankful for the opportunity for him to be able to go to college, complete his Master's, and now, to finish his PhD. But, we need to be free of the financial burden it is placing on our young family. I can't say too much right now, but as soon as some of the changes are set and take place, I will let you know. We will be keeping the integrity of our family, our values and morals, so please don't worry! The Lord has led us this far and continues to lead us! Here is a sneak peak at the children's school pictures this year:

Some Ocean Fun

A few weeks ago, we had a warm spell and decided to hit the beach after school.

Slow Postings

Our PC is now out of commission and I have been without a way to post for over a month now. I have a Toshiba Thrive Tablet that I love, but it is taking me some time to learn on it (despite having it for nearly a year!). I forget there is an appp for nearly every site and program, so I fought for a few weeks with blogger trying to create my posts with out success. My pictures would not load. But now I have downloaded the app (before I worked from the pc page), and is working well. So normal postings should resume as scheduled!
It has been warm for us and this past Sunday, we ventured to the pool.

Homeschool

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Homeschool

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Autumn Cookie Time

Creative Homeschool Play

Although my two youngest are not officially in homeschool, they love to pretend and play as if they are! Despite them having their own desks and books, I guess they can't get enough!

A Little Trip

We have been a busy traveling family! The Professor is finishing up his PhD work and needed to see his advisor again (who lives in a state several thousand miles from ours) so we all took a trip. He went alone to his university, while the children and I stayed with family to reduce our cost. We wish we could have seen everybody this time around, but I'm sure there will be other times. The boys and Sweet Sis enjoyed the flight(s), even receiving some special priviledges. Our Lil' Farmer turns 5 tomorrow -I still can't believe it. I remember his birth like it was yesterday, I remember rocking him and singing. He was and is such a beautiful child, through to his soul. He loves to smile and is filled with joy everyday. He is a previous gift and addition to our family.I hope you enjoy the pictures of our adventure and of an early celebration. We still have not arrived home yet, so keep us in prayer as we make our way home. Professor made tremendous progress and is very close to finishing, so we are thankful. *The cord to our camera is 400 miles from our house, sitting in the back of our truck, waiting for Professor to pick it up on Sunday.

October First Tomatoes

Here are the older boys with our tomato plant that I was told would not grow where we live due to our climate. Well it grew! and produced! They are picking our first tomatoes. I purchased some tomato food and I hope it will help it perk up a bit.The seeds were purchased from Johnny's Seed Company, under the name” Valley Girl”.

The Last Time

Over the past few months, NASA has been transporting the 4 remaining shuttles to their final resting place. We took a trip to witness this historic moment. Professor and I grew up with the Space Shuttle Program in full-swing. As a child, I dreamed of going to the NASA Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. My Mom and Grandparents took my brother and I to Huntsville once, so we could see the sites there. I still remember that trip. It was also a time in our country's history where women were breaking scientific ground and going where women had rarely been before. It is no wonder that I ended up getting an Aerospace Engineering degree and dear Professor an Engineering Physics degree - which is similar to Astronautical, Space Physics. The kids had no idea the significance of the event - no more space exploration, no more moon landings, with a space vehicle wearing the US flag. My views and priorities on life have changed, and I don't mourn the loss - but it is still a significant event. One day, I hope to fly the still spaces and galaxies, and not with a man made spacecraft! Nevertheless, here are some pictures from that day.

Going on a fly-by of the area first.

A bit eery to see a large aircraft so close to the ground without its landing gear deployed!

As we waited - the times were delayed by several hours, the children found some shade in this tent they popped-up (for the cameras filming). I'm not sure the tape did its job!

Here the shuttle is coming in for its last approach

Do you see the folks on the rooftops? It was amazing to see.

Do you see the folks standing on top of their cars? It looks like the aircraft will land right on the freeway! And it feels that way when you are driving next to the airport. In fact, at some spots, the road goes beneath the runway. That is a weird feeling!

Projects and Crafts

This year, we decided to include a more formal Art program called "Art With A Purpose". It is nice and we all seem to enjoy it. The program introduces concepts like "feathering", "vivid", "3D" and other artistic concepts and words (an area I seem to lack). We have always done projects but this gives us a spot in our weekly curriculum where we have a project already planned out - the children look forward to Wednesday "Art Day" in our school. Here are some of the projects we have done - some are from the art program and some are from other curriculum:

Lil' Farmer's favorite project!

Here Kind Heart is showing his origami "boat". Straight Arrow is a wiz at origami and actually helped out the teacher in a few spots! He has a great mind for construction.

I will explain this picture in a future post!

Feathering - taking an eraser and moving the color from the line into the body.

Our 3-Dimensional assignment. The boys added their features which was not a part of the original assignment. Who says boys don't like to play house?! They added beds, tables, chairs, parking spots, cars, and the ability to tip the house back.

Attack of the Killer Bug!

Tonight, the Professor was nearly attacked by this ginormous insect!

It is so ugly! Is it a large wingless bee? How about an ant on steroids? Well, would you guess that it is called a Jerusalem Cricket? Yeppers! It is 2" in length. We all had a nice look-see. Turns out they can bite, but are not inclined to. I hope I never see another one! And I will be wearing shoes when out of doors.

Blooms to Brighten!

I have owned this African Violet for several years. I purchased it many years ago while the children and I were studying flowers and plants. It was a tiny little plant at that time. With much tender care we watched it grow. But no blooms. I asked anyone that had any green plant living in their house if they knew why my African Violet was not blooming - no answers! One day we were visiting friends and lo - they had a beautiful large African Violet! The answer came - the plant needs to be root bound in order to bloom. After my violet lived with a friend for 5 months, it was returned. Maybe that is why it is finally blooming? Her touch? Well regardless, it is blooming in my presence so that makes me happy! Having never had plants growing up or plants in my own home, I am excited to travel down the path of green in the house. I have 8 plants right now - and I will post on them soon! Happy Planting!

A Beautiful Moment

Since we are a no TV/movie family, this has actually never happened before. The kids were all ready for bed, and had a fantastic day together - so I blessed them with a documentary on the Iditerod - the Alaskan dog-sled competition. They were so cute and cuddly together!

Gummy Days

Kind Heart lost another tooth a few days ago - and it has made him nearly toothless on the top! His front two teeth have been out for some time, and now one of the 2nd front teeth is out. I jokingly tease him as my "Little Gummy Guy". I wish this moment could last a long time - I don't like to see my little ones grow up! I looked at a video a few days ago of Straight Arrow reading his first book, and I was so sad - I wish I could have treasured those moments over and over. I did treasure the moment, which is apparent from my crying in the video, but, how quickly it fades from my memory. I digress. Here's our big little man:

Sew Crazy!

I could either be "so" crazy, or "sew" crazy! I think right now I am so crazy for going sew crazy! Ahh, I crack myself up. Anywho, here is a stash of fabric I just purchased to begin a quilt challenge between my Mother-in-Law and I. Back in June when we were able to visit, we decided to encourage each other to do a bit of sewing every month. We agreed on a wonderful pattern and book that we each liked, Flower Pots, That Patchwork Place, by Cindy Lammon.

I am excited to begin our first block, Flower Basket. Here is a sneak-look at what mine is supposed to look like, with different fabric selection of course.

I am excited and yet nervous to start. I forget sometimes that sewing is supposed to be fun and not a drudgery. I often get "sew" wrapped up in accomplishing x, y, and z, that I forget to just enjoy these moments - especially of sewing little dresses and collared barn shirts for the children. I enjoy having a task list and really don't like to have unfinished projects but often have 3, 4, or 5 projects going on all at once. I forget to breath and not stress over my own expectations. I do want to have fun and have it be a stress relief instead of a stressor! I will post as I complete various blocks. The first month is September and we are doing one block a month. The flower basket block is created 7 times, so it will be fun to make each one look slightly different. Here is a look at my fabric stash! The fabrics are not quilt-shop quality due to my very limited budget, but I think it will look nice anyway.

Loud Noises!

The cost of going green is only temporary, I hope! Yesterday and today we have been overrun with construction workers, as they prepare our house to install solar panels. The children are intrigued with all the work going on and it is a bit hard to focus, even for me! Sweet Sis runs around with her hands over her ears, saying, "Too Loud, Too Loud". It is adorable and annoying! So we will do our best to get some work done. Field Trip, you ask? Well, sometimes Teacher Mom is a bit too tired to adventure out of the normal day! I am normally functioning well beyond the normal energy of one person - but the Lord has had my focus drawn to something else right now, so that means I am down to normal energy levels! :)