I'm Bluebird Crazy

A few times this winter, I'd see two Eastern Bluebirds come to my feeder. I did not think too much about it except that I knew they were probably very hungry to eat seed as they are mostly insectivores and they were probably incidentals.  I also saw them eating the suet cakes, so perhaps that helped get them by. 

Sunday, on a walk with my sweetheart, we saw them sitting in a tree across the street from our home.  It dawned on me that we should try to feed them.  So, my sweetheart, who is so very understanding of my bird crazy heart, took me to Wild Birds Unlimited and bought me a little feeder and some meal worms.

At that point, I did not know the worms were $10.25 a container.  I started to doubt my ability to keep buying worms even if they ever did find my feeder.  Oh dear.  Don't start something you can't finish, I always tell myself.  We were committed.  I was ecstatic.  Just thrilled!

So, a few days go by.  I put out worms each day.  I did not see any birds eating them, but they were always gone the next morning when I checked.  Hm.  Who was eating them?  Could it be?

And then the best ever thing happened.  They came while I was reading to the children!  Four of them!  Oh be still my ever loving bird heart!  Yes, this throws me into hysterics.  Text my sweetheart!  Grab the camera!  Rejoice!  Will she get her mind back to lessons my kids wonder? 

My new pets. 

The feeder and Shy Mama Bluebird.

About to eat suet.

Shy Mama waiting her turn.

Mr. Dashing Bluebird.

So sweet!

Almost caught all four together.  

Oh, and yes, my baby Blue Jays are still coming for peanuts every day. And soon I will put out the humming bird feeder.  And I want a garden?  If I have to choose, I'll choose the birds.  Don't start what you can't finish.

Reading Out Loud

Every one who home educates their children has their own special way of doing things.  One of the joys of my day is reading out loud to my children.  I won't even allow myself to think about the day that ends! *sigh* 

Since the day we brought each child home from the hospital, we've been reading to them.  And even now that they are 13, 11 and 9, we are still reading.  I don't see that changing until perhaps when they leave college. (If they leave! *wink*) 

Naturally, Sonlight curriculum is an excellent fit for us, since it is based on good literature that is to be read aloud each day.  I cannot speak more highly of a curriculum, by the way.  We were blessed to find it way back when my oldest was in Kindergarten. 

We don't just read during the school year.  We even read in the summer. Daddy chooses a book or author and we read aloud all summer.  Last year we read several books by my favorite author Gene Stratton Porter. (Girl of the Limberlost, Laddie)

I am starting to think ahead about what books we will read this summer.  We have some camping trips planned. I can see us now all huddled around a fire listening to Daddy.  We just love it.

I think reading aloud actually brings us closer together as a family.  It's a warm, family moment where we stop and are focused on the same thing, together. (And doesn't involve a computer or TV!)

~Jenn

How I Survive The Budget

Hold on tight!

It's all a matter of mind-over-matter, keeping on budget, that is.  When it comes right down to it, if you have shelter, food, water, and electricity, you have what you need to survive.  (Perhaps electricity is a luxury to some, but not to me!)  With those things, you have much, much more than many people in the rest of this world.  I try to remind myself of this often.  It helps keep my wants in check. 

First of all, we have our budget on the computer.  My husband keeps track of it, although we worked together as a team setting it up.  I prefer to have a smaller set amount that I am in control of each week.  It helps me to know that I have "x' amount of money for the week.  When it is gone, I am done. Simple. Or at least that is the way it is supposed to work.  I am not always perfect.  (Don't ask me about feeding the birds.  *blush*  They are my one weakness.)

Our biggest expense weekly is food.  What money that is leftover is what we have for the week for non-food things we need.  If any is left, which is not normal, it goes towards the next week. 

For many years, while we were paying off debt, there would be fumes to live on for the rest of the week.  Now we usually end up even.  For awhile, ending up even would really bother me.  I'd think,"How are we ever going to get ahead this way?"  Reality is that we are not going to get ahead as long as we have kids! :-) 

One of the best pieces of advice I ever heard was simply,"If you don't have the money, don't go shopping!"  Wow, has that ever made the difference.  Truly, there is nothing that I need that can't wait until my budget starts over again the next week.  Oh sure, we might run out of things, but what is really so important going over my budget that I cannot wait a day or two or find an alternative already at home?   I've learned to get creative.  How many times do you run to the store for one thing and just get that one thing?  Also, going shopping just to look is looking for trouble.  Don't do it.  It is often better for my husband to stop on his way home for one item so that I don't go and find more things we "need" that are on sale. 

I remember being so depressed about our money situation, when we first got serious about our debt.  The budget was impossible, I thought. The only money I was allowed to spend was for groceries. That was no fun.  Once I got used to our budget, shopping became less of a thing I did for fun and more something I did so we had food and other things we needed on hand. It was not therapy! 

These days I have the opposite problem, I get grumpy when I have to part with money! I love the old saying of "Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without."   


I think I've said every thing that I can think of about living debt free for now.  I hope this helps someone.  Like I said before, it was a long process, but worth it.  Of course, it would have been great if we had been wise and avoided debt in the first place.  Unfortunately, experience is the best teacher and we probably would not have learned as much if we did not go down this hard road.  Hopefully our kids will learn from our mistakes.

~Jenn

The Shirt Explained

OK, I promised to explain my oldest son's new t shirt. Since he is the real geek in the family, I decided to let him tell you. Take it away, Ryan. 

"Root is the ultra administrator user on a Unix system (computer).  Root has the ability to do anything at all.  If you have root powers, you better make sure you are trustworthy or else you may get over thrown. "
-Ryan, age 13 

See what I have to go through to get tech support at my house!  :-)

Weekly Wrap-Up

In which spirits remain hopeful...

It has been a productive week.  We only have 30 more school days at this point.  My children, on their own, have come to me and can see the wisdom of continuing on with their math through the summer.  My oldest is teaching himself Latin from my high school books.  I see a lot of the love of learning going on here!

My grandmother was moved back to her nursing home yesterday.  I hope to go see her tomorrow after church.  We are praying that the nursing home staff can be attentive to her needs.  They are spread thin.

The warm weather went away.  We are back to normal March temperatures in the 40's with lows in the 20's.  I kept trying to tell myself that the 70's were not normal.  Snow is in the forecast this coming week.  I hope they are wrong.  But, if they are not, that is just the nature of spring.  Warm weather will be here soon to stay.

Life and Learning:

What a learning week we've had!  We finished the Mary Slessor, Forward into Calabar by the Benges.  What a lady.  She had pluck!  Imagine going into a hostile jungle, no one ever having seen a white woman before, demanding the chief give you land to build a mission station and then demanding he build it!  And he built it!  The natives loved her.  They called her their White Ma.  She was not afraid of standing up to their evil ways.  If you have not read a missionary's story this school year, you have to do it!  Your kids will be on the edge of their seats demanding more.  We start a David Livingstone biography on Monday.  He inspired Mary to be a missionary.  I can't wait.

We also started a book called The Rat Catcher's Son.  This book is set in Africa as well.  The grandfather, Baba, tells moral tales to his two grandchildren while they work.  So far it is very entertaining and a wee bit convicting on the subjects of pride, bragging and stealing. 


The older students finished writing parodies of famous poems this week.  I think they enjoyed that exercise.  Grace chose Green Eggs and Ham.  Ryan chose A Winter's Night in August.  I think our writing will be winding down for the year.  I am planning on them writing more "friendly letters" and working on their spelling.  We gave up on our formal spelling lessons after Christmas. I think they get plenty of spelling with learning to write and from reading.  But, I would like the younger two to work on theirs.  I am going to use Spellingcity.com

Around the House:

We have 3 more Saturdays after today without Daddy being home, so I am going to devote those days to a few spring cleaning projects.  One a week, should do the job.  Last week I tore apart the master bedroom.  This week the focus is on the bath rooms.  I even think I will get out the new shower curtain.  And I am going through the kids clothes, purging what doesn't fit.  That's a huge job!

In the Kitchen:

Lots of good things going on here.  My main goal for the week is to keep on top of making sure there are veggies cut up , salad made, and good snack choices available.  This requires a little planning and work.  It is easier to just grab a handful of crackers than to peel carrots or cut up an apple.

Saturday:  Chicken chili, salad, flaxseed chips
Sunday:  Turkey burgers, broccoli, and salad
Monday:  Broiled fish, fresh green beans, whole grain rolls
Tuesday:  Whole grain pizza, salad
Wednesday:  Whole grain pancakes, fruit
Thursday: Roasted chicken, sweet potatoes, salad
Friday:  Whole grain spaghetti, homemade marinara, and broccoli

Scripture Memory:


For the next two weeks I will be working on Romans 12:1-2. 

¹ I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.  ESV


Picture of the Week:

Only computer geeks will get this shirt. 

I'll explain the shirt later in the week. 
Thank you for taking a look at our week.
~Jenn

My Happy Little Homemaker

First time ironing.

My sweet Grace has been very interested lately in all things domestic.  I've been teaching her how to iron.  She is a pro at napkins and her own clothes.  She is begging her daddy to let her do his shirts, but so far he is not ready for that.  I can see in the future though that she will be a very good help to him in that area. 

"Don't take my picture now, Mom!"

She loves to bake.  She made cookies to share with some of her leaders in Sunday school and in the preschool where she faithfully serves each Sunday morning before her own class. 

Like a real restaurant.

She insists on setting the table using real cloth, candles, and even place cards. 

My little girl is growing up.  She is working hard at learning how to be a wife and mother.  And if that is not what the Lord would call her to be, she will be ready to  bless others with her femininity wherever she goes.

Making Some Changes

Just like this little guy, I can change too.

I hesitated before I made this pubic knowledge, but accountability is the best policy, right?  Here at Busy At Home, we are making some changes.  (That sounds kind of like a business stating they are making a policy change, now that it is written.  But actually, it is a bit of a policy change that I am making.) 

As this family's Head of Homemaking, I see some changes that need to happen in the eating department.  Refined flour and sugar consumption have slowly been on the rise for some time causing an equal rise in some of our waistlines, three of us to be exact.  No one is pointing fingers.  It is just a fact.  All five of us need to eat better.

Therefore, our liberal dessert policy is being revoked.  We are limiting sweets to certain celebrations or holidays.  As much as it might pain us, it has to be done.  I will be researching and developing healthier alternatives.  Anyone have any healthy treat recipes to share? 

I have already made some good changes, for instance, I stopped buying sodas, awhile ago, even diet ones.  A certain addicted someone can get his at work.  :-)   We are eating less meat, too.  I tossed out all the refined flour crackers, pasta, and flour.  (Don't worry, it really wasn't much.  The kids eat it as fast as I bring it home.) 

Whole grains, lean protein, fresh vegetables, fruits, water and a lot less sugar will be our staples. We are also trying to move more by riding our bikes and taking walks as the weather allows.

It's not going to be easy. I've tried before and failed, several times.  So ask me how we are doing, in about 6 months.  I really want our family to eat better, to live better.  I am the family's gatekeeper.  I allow the junk in the house.  I can keep it out as well.

A Whole Lot of Star Trek Going On

The Captain and his crew.

He's not just another Red Shirt. 

Lego phaser.

And another phaser.

Scanning for data on the  Tricorder.

Yep, there is a whole lot of Star Trek going on here these days!

Write it Down

One of the best ways I've found to cope with feeling "poor" is what I call the Write it Down Technique.  

I don't know if this happens to you or not, but sometimes my thoughts go so fast that I get overwhelmed trying to keep track of everything, mostly things I think that we need.

For example, let's say I am moving through my house and as I see things that we need to update or have run out of, I start to compile a mental list.  Then I start to think of things that I want to do that cost money like start a garden, sign the kids up for archery at the park, and buy curriculum.  Oh, don't forget the Jeep needs tires and the kids need to see a dentist and the cat could use a vet visit!  Do the kids have any clothes that will fit this summer?

Now at this point, I have a jumbled mess in my head with confusing priorities.  And I start to feel poor because there is no way on earth we can pay for all of this.  Credit card debt is not an option, so I start to feel poor.  Poor me.

This way of thinking is not very helpful, nor is it true!  Thankfully, I've learned to calm myself down by simply writing it all down on paper.  Then, I mark each item as either a want, a wish, or a need and how important it is.

It is so freeing to see this list.  I pray over it for the next several months.  I watch it change.  I see things marked off because they've been provided for.  I see things marked off because they were not really needed.  All the while my mind is clear, a burden has been lifted.  My heart is fixed on the things I need to think on.  I see provision.  I have hope.  I am content because I know that my Father knows what I need before I even ask him. 

Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Weekly Wrap-Up

In which the ups and downs of life find us. 

On the Heart and Mind:

This week has had many twists and turns, ups and downs.  It began on Sunday with a delightful trip to see my grandma with my mom and daughter.  We brought her lunch.  Grace had made her Rice Krispie Treats.  We did her nails.  We watched Little House on the Prairie. We had fun.

Grandma and her kitty.

We were running around on Monday, as usual, enjoying some social time with other homeschoolers.  Gym class at the community center has turned out to be a nice opportunity to meet other homeschoolers.  Grace is also getting anxious about her dance recital next Monday.  I am not sure how to help her.  I would be anxious, too! 

And we all worked hard on Tuesday to get ready for my Bunco group expected that evening.  That is when the "downs" started to appear!  Only 3 of 11 invited friends could come. It was still nice, but not the same, a bit of a disappointment.  I decided to focus on the bright side.  My house was clean and I had a good conversation with 3 other ladies.  Plus, there was a little chocolate cake that tasted really, really good!

Wednesday brought the news that my grandma was being taken to the hospital for severe dehydration and a high fever.    She became more stable after some IV fluids, so I am hopeful that she will be back to normal soon.

Thursday was shopping day, a chore I find tedious.  I used to enjoy spending money.  Now I just try to endure.  And I focus on being thankful that I have the money I need to buy groceries and other things we need, like forks!  Just an aside, but it seems we've lost 10 forks since we've been married.  Where are they?
  


Life and Learning:

We started a biography of Mary Slessor, missionary to the Calabar area of Africa.   So far we are loving this book!  Actually, there is never been a book about a missionary that we did not just love.  Mary is the typical missionary.  She is just an average, poor working woman who felt a very strong call to Africa.  I love reading how God uses unskilled people.

Science Treasure Box.

We started and completed a little book set in South Africa during their oppression called, Journey to Jo'burg.  This little book is a quick read and very well written.  I wish it had been longer.  The characters are well developed and just begging for more.  It is the story of two young Africans who set out to walk to their mother who works in Johannesburg because their little sister is very sick.  Along the way they learn exactly what it means to be a non white person. 

I spent a little time clearing out our homeschool shelf and found a treasure, an old science kit we had bought at our first homeschool convention.  We had completed the kit back then and I decided to save it for another day.  It was fun to get it out and read the books again and do a left over craft.  It also reinforced the learning we had done about butterflies long ago.

Grace's Butterfly.

Grace started Teaching Textbooks, 5th grade!  I think it is a good fit for her.  I plan to have her do a lesson each day, even through the summer so that she can do some catch up work.  Hopefully she can like math again.  We will continue to use the Mathtacular as well. 

Ryan's Star Trek Creation!

Around the House:

I feel like we made great progress in decluttering this week.  I took a bunch of  stuff to Good Will.  I managed to clear off two" hot spots."  Now to just keep it up!


In the Kitchen:

The only major thing that happened in the kitchen this week  was getting a counter cleared off!  I plan to bake some cookies sometime this weekend. 

Trevor's Western Night Get Up.

On the Nook:

Renae gave me a great book suggestion this week, Mary Jones and Her Bible.  (Thank you!)  I am almost done with it. What a great little true story of a poor  girl who saves her money for 6 years and walks 50 miles round trip to buy a Bible!  Wow, kind of makes me think we take our Bibles for granted! 

     "We sometimes see - and particularly in the case of young people - that great eagerness for the possession of some coveted article is followed by indifference when the treasure is safely in their hands. " 


How many times have I seen this in my own children's lives?


Scripture Memory:

This may seem like an odd verse to memorize, but it helps to remind me that my graying hair is biblical!

Proverbs 16:31
"Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life."



Picture the Week:

Do they make mute buttons for older children?

I hope you've had a great week, too!
~Jenn

I'd Fall For It...Would You?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Read more about this cake at Not Martha.

Delayed Gratification

Delayed gratification is not so very popular in mainstream America.  I am sure it is one of our biggest faults as a nation.  We want it now.  We want it how we want it.  We don't care if we cannot afford it.

I had been a slave to this kind of thinking, myself.  It caused a lot of problems.  I can remember thinking I needed a NEW car every two years.  Since I could not afford one, I leased.

I can remember thinking I needed a BIGGER house.  We bought one thinking my husband's paycheck would keep going up and up as it had before.  Then came recession.  We had to move.  I learned to never make a financial decision based on hopes.

I've learned a new kind of thinking over the last 5 years it took us to get debt free.  It was not really new, but new to me.  I learned to say no to myself.  I learned to make do with what I had, not rushing out to a store without trying to make do or just do without until I could afford whatever it was I thought I needed.  I learned to delay my gratification.

I've been thinking about how to encourage someone who is deep in debt and wants to change.  It is so very hard, but not impossible.  The first thing you have to do is face the fact that you have a problem.  Add up those numbers and be brave.  Take a good look at the total.  You promised to pay this money to someone who trusted you to pay them back.  It doesn't matter that they are an impersonal bank in some other city.  You owe them the money.  Debt is a serious matter. 

After you face the total, tear up your credit cards and write a real budget.  Stick to that budget no matter what.  Because there really is no alternative.   Start paying back the money you owe.  You might have to get some help here and set up a payment plan.  It might take you 5 years.  That's really OK.  In those five years you will learn many lessons that only time can teach you! 

I remember thinking it would be impossible to live without credit cards.  What would we do in an emergency?  It forced us to spend more carefully.  We started saving for an emergency fund.  We prayed!  When we hit bottom, it was very scary.  We lived on "fumes" for four years.

Emergencies do happen.  One of the reasons we choose to rent at this time is to manage our risk while we regroup.  Part of this regrouping time is working on saving for 2 months living expenses. Houses can be money pits.  We figured we can save more if we don't have the risk at this time. 

If you are serous about getting out of debt, it will happen.  It will take time.  It will not be fun.  But when you are debt free, it will have all been worth it.  I know that most people who read my blog are frugal and debt free already.  And I applaud you.  I also know there are some people in debt through no fault of their own reading this.  Know that I am not writing this to discourage you.  I am talking to people like me who were spending money they had no right to spend. 

But, if you need some encouragement in this area, I am here to offer some. It is still easy for me to be discouraged in this area.  It is one step forward, two steps backwards at times.  I wonder if we are trying to do too much.  We are living within our means, but we need to be saving more.  There is no end to the ways I can be overwhelmed when I think about all we need to do.  That's where my faith in God helps.  I know if I am doing my best, He can do the rest.  

~Jenn

Hair Update

I keep meaning to write a follow up post to my other post about going "No Poo".  So far, I am very happy.  It did take three weeks to adjust, but the adjustment was very mild.  Now on the second day, my hair is no longer oily.  I have found that it helps to rinse my hair with water on the days between the washings with soda.  I also read that you can let those washing go farther between as your hair adjusts.

One day I skipped the vinegar rinse because I forgot to make more before I was already in the shower.  Boy, was I surprised at how tangled my hair was afterwards.  The vinegar rinse really does work.

I only have one other family member joining me on this journey, so far.  The others might have to join by default, as they are soon to need shampoo and I just might not buy any! 

Again, I am just so pleased with my hair.  I have no reason to go back. 
~Jenn

This Week at Home

In which, we continue to make progress.

On the Heart and Mind:

I am so thankful for how things went this week.  Ryan had a low grade fever Sunday evening, so I was not sure how things would go.  He remains congested, but is functioning.  I've let him have extra sleep each morning.  And I let him skip gym class.  It seems to be working.  Of course, I hope no one else comes down with this.  

I got some really good news from a close family member.  I can't say exactly what it is, but it going to be nice seeing them more often very soon.  

Only 5 more working Saturdays of tax season remain.  We are doing very well this season.  We get to see Jeff for an hour or two each night, so that is nice.  I am sure this will dwindle down in the next several weeks.  I am not allowing myself to have any pitty parties this year.  There are too many people with harder situations than mine for that. 

Goatee?

Life and Learning:

We finished Teresa of Calcutta and Shadow Spinner, both, very good books.  We will start two new books next week.  I think we are moving on to Africa from India.

The older two students wrote persuasive essays this week.  Grace chose to persuade me that it would be better to have cookies for her birthday rather than a cake, as we will be camping that week.  Ryan wrote about why Linux is better than Windows.  (I agree, by the way.) 

I've started gathering books for next year.  I bought two years of Teaching Textbook's math from a dear online friend.  We're getting ready to place our Sonlight order, too.   I need to place an order for Apologia during CBD's sale this month.  I love curriculum sales! 

Look familiar?

Around the House:

Just keeping up with the basics, which I have decided is good enough during the school year.  I mean, really, it is not going to change, so I need to get over it!  :-)

Camping out in the family room.

In the Kitchen:

I splurged and made a huge pan of lasagna this week.  It's a splurge when cheese and meat are so dear.  I used the leftover marinara that I made last week.  I will end up freezing lunch sized portions for my husband's lunches, so it ends up going a long way. 

Saturday, we'll make some treats to take to my Grandma on Sunday. 

On the Nook:

Oscar Wilde's play, An Ideal Husband is what I am reading for fun this week.  It's a tale of what happens when you lie.  I'll be looking for another book soon, as it is a very short story.  Any suggestions?  Remember, it must be in the public domain.  I am thinking about Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.  It's been a long time since I read that book. 

Scripture Memory:

Going to have a review week, going back to the beginning. 

Picture of the Week:

Quote of the Week:

"We all have our short comings," Teresa said, "but the marvelous thing is that God uses us for His work, even with our weaknesses.  God writes through us, and however imperfect pencils we may be he writes beautifully."  

from Teresa of Calcutta, by D. Jeanene Watson, p. 120.

One last thing.  My friend Keri of Sunny Keri has made a short video that I think you just have to go see.  She adds her gorgeous photos to Wyane Watson's singing of I am His and He is Mine.  Just beautiful.  Thank you, Keri.


I hope you've had a great week, too!
~Jenn









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The Lasagna Garden

Several years ago, a friend of mine kept talking about starting a lasagna garden.  Images of tomatoes, basil, and oregano filled my head.  Was she going to grow wheat to make pasta too? 

Skip forward some years and I finally figured out what she was talking about.  I was instantly enchanted.  But I was afraid of failure, so I went with a more trusted method, The Square Foot Garden.  We had very good success with our boxes, too.  Only trouble was that we had to leave them behind, two houses ago. 

Presently, we have a backyard that is wooded, which is not good for a garden.  There is a very small, gated area off the deck,that is in the sun, mostly.  We've decided that this is where we want to grow our small garden.  And we have decided that we can best do this most economically with the Lasagna method. 

So what is this method?  What does it have to do with lasagna?  It's all about layers.  The beauty is that the layers are on top of the ground that does not need to be tilled.  You build up.  You use nutrient rich materials to make these layers.  There is cardboard on the bottom to discourage weeds.  I am all about discouraging weeds!

If you want to know the details let me suggest two really great resources to check out , Lasagna Gardening: A New Layering System for Bountiful Gardens: No Digging, No Tilling, No Weeding, No Kidding! by Patricia Lanza  and Homestead Blessings, their gardening DVD.  


I'll let you know how it goes.  Has anyone else given this a try? 
~Jenn

Having Thoughts of Spring

Don't you just love this tree?  

It won't be too much longer and the trees in my yard will be just as green and full of life.  Soon we will have to mow the grass.  Probably not until late April, but soon enough.  Then it will  be rainy and growing like mad and we will not be able to mow it because of the rain.  And we will start to complain about spring. 

We hope to plant a very simple garden this year.  We will be using the popular "Lasagna" method.   We have purchased Homestead Blessings DVD about gardening.  Even though we've had good gardens before, we always feel like we could learn more.  This reminds me that I should be ordering some seeds soon.  Grace already worked in the garden, picking out rocks.  Our frost free date is not until around Mother's Day.  It is sooooooo hard to wait.

My husband, always thinking about spring, has been busy making camping reservations.  We even had the camper popped up on Sunday.  Talk about anticipation!  Oh my!  The next time we pop it up, we'll be cleaning it and filling it with supplies.  It's getting so easy to pop it up and down.  This last time we did it so quickly that we thought at first that we must have forgotten something. 

This morning, I heard more birds singing than ever.  Even they know spring is coming and they cannot contain their joyful song.   I have not seen my snow bird friends in a couple days, too.  I wonder where they flew off to.

With spring comes the natural urge to clean.  To spring clean or not?  I'd probably need to take a full week off of school to do it well.  Who wants to do that?  The house could use it though. 

I read about an idea to make a list of jobs I want done and then offer 50 cents per job, if it is done to my requirements and done before I get to it.  If we take the week off, we could work on this list in the mornings and then go do something fun in the afternoons, assuming we have the energy.  Anyway, that is just an idea I am tossing around, not sure it will happen.  It might be nice to just keep going and get done with the school year earlier.  Then I can clean.  It will be late instead of early spring and does it really matter?

One other thing I am looking forward to is opening up the windows to air out the house.  Perhaps the germs will go away.  There is nothing like an open window  on a warm spring day!


These are just some of my thoughts of spring at the moment.  I cannot believe that winter is almost over and we made it.  I purposed to get through this winter with a happy heart.  I did not want to grumble.  I wanted to celebrate life, all of it.  Praise be to God. 

Now, onward to spring!
~Jenn

A 13th Birthday in Pictures

It was a fun birthday weekend.  I can't think of anything lacking in the birthday boy's experience.

It was great celebrating our first born.  I feel as if he was such a special blessing to our family. He broke us in and still is paving the way for the others.

Both my husband and I were first borns.  It comes with its advantages and disadvantages.  As first time parents we made our share of mistakes, not in his favor.  However, he is the first to get a cell phone, to be able to babysit his sibblings, and has his own laptop. 

Ryan has been his own little person since day one.  God knew we needed him to begin our lives as parents. And now that he is 13, he is making his way in this world of ours.  He has such potential.  He has a brilliant mind for computers.  He loves to read and he can remember almost everything he reads.  He is a good writer.  He loves to tell others about everything he is learning.  He is serious about martial arts. His ambition in life is to be the biggest geek ever.  *smile*

 And now, we get to guide him through his final years at home.  I am confident we will make mistakes along the way.  I am also confident that he will continue to thrive despite them.  He is a creative guy, who has a lot going for him.  It is going to be a pleasure watching him grow into the man that God wants him to be.