Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts

Monday, August 3, 2015

I'm Baaaaack!

I swear I didn't fall off the planet!

I really have no excuse for neglecting my blog for so long, except to say that life gets crazy!  I'm still happily married to Chad, with seven (not so little anymore) kids.  We still homeschool and plug away at life doing the best we can.  

I thought I'd try to pick blogging back up as a way to hold myself accountable and document what we are up to for myself.  Lately I find myself overwhelmed with everything, in an effort to help that I try to unplug from the world.  Not easy to do when you have seven active kids!

My oldest is grown and working now, trying to figure out what he wants to do next.  He is doing very well at his job (they all love him there!) but he is eager to get out into the world supporting himself, so I look for him to start making some big decisions this year!

Next in line is my oldest daughter.  She's got big plans!  She wants to graduate this year and start college next year!  She wants to get her pastry chef certificate and work on business management courses so she can open a small bakery selling specialty treats and coffees.  Later in the year I expect her to start seeking out an internship at a bakery, just to get some experience.  She's made us some amazing cakes this year!  She also has a small side business making beaded jewelry in my Facebook store.  

My two younger daughters are plugging away at school work, but their real passion is horses!  They spent a fun filled summer running back and forth to horse camp, where they learned all about horses from the top to the bottom! Seriously, they came home ecstatic that they were allowed to muck stalls and pick hooves!  We are working on finances to keep the lessons going so we can continue to encourage this!  It's so wonderful to see them getting outdoors into the fresh air, and it's amusing to watch my petite little teen, push a half ton thoroughbred out of the way when he's being stubborn!

The oldest of the three boys is doing great!  A few years ago he had surgery to correct a crossed eye.  Since then his school work has taken off!  He's reading several levels up from where he was and he doesn't get headaches anymore.  He's still delayed, but we definitely see improvement.  I would like to see him in some sort of physical activity this year, but he cant seem to decide what he wants to do yet.

My youngest two....the word "handful"  comes to mind when I think of them!  They are such "busy" boys that it's a struggle to get them to sit still for homework most days, but we work at it.  They are reading at slightly below their age level, so we will be working on that this year, and they HATE to write!  But they both enjoy church and homeschool group.  They are both in tackle football and my husband coaches their team, so he helps to enforce the "no schoolwork/no football" rule in the house.  

Hubby is very busy at work, not much to tell there except he has a job he loves and he's usually swamped with work!  When he's home, he is usually working with the kids on one project or another or doing bible studies.

Life is pretty busy being a "football" mom with seven kids, but I try.  I am now V.P. of the board in our homeschool group, and team mom of the boys' team.  On the days when I have free time, I work on my novel, crochet, or read.  I've been working to supplement our income by couponing, selling crafts, and babysitting.   

I'm hoping to be more active on the blog and keep you all updated on what we are doing.  

Until next time.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Fall at Last!

Enjoying one of the first few truly cool mornings of fall. Got the pumpkin spice latte and the flannel pjs and really just revelling in the quiet stillness. Where I live there is a HUGE transition in the weather between summer and fall. If you blink you will miss it as mother nature does her magic seemingly overnight.

This is the time of year where my domestic instincts take over. Comfort food bubbles on the stove and I dig out the yarn and needles and settle down by the fire. I also venture out in the yard to do some much needed work. I know I am SO SQUARE! But I love this time of year, how it rolls naturally into the holiday season, where, in spite of whatever problems there are in my life, a feeling of peace, joy and hope wash over everything, making it feel sparkly and new.

Hubby is the opposite, he's prone to stress and it really gets to him over the fall and winter season. I always feel bad that he can't just give in to all the good things and overlook the bad :(

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Sundays with the kiddos and what I am reading...

Over the last two months I have made a date of Sundays with one of the kids.  After church we come home, change out of our church clothes and have lunch.  I then pick one of the kids (we rotate according to age) to take to the library and run any errands that need to need be done for the week.  It give me a chance to do any shopping that needs to be done for the week, study up on the homeschool lessons and get any books that we need, and spend some time with one of the kids one on one. 

The kids and I all look forward to Sundays!  It's nice to go to the library and be focused on helping the little ones find a book that they are REALLY going to love or discovering a new series for the older kids that we can all read together and talk about afterward.  It also gives me more insight into their interests.  The kids choose  differently when they aren't being influenced by a sibling.  Then they bring home their books and it's interesting to see them share what they like with the other kids.  I think it opens doors that might not be discovered, otherwise.

Picked this up at the library on Sunday and could not put it down! Kurt and Brenda are awesome and I am inspired by the way they put their family first in spite of their unique circumstances.  If you are ever wondering what life is like from a christian perspective with seven kids, I highly recommend this book!