Crazy Busy Summer... Sort of...

Hey, Everyone... and by everyone, I mean those that still remember that I have a blog and every once in a great while, will put something on it ;) LOL I haven't been on the ball this summer... It's been a fun & busy one & I will have pics coming soon. I still have to download all of them, especially from the beach... Ahhh, the beach... I wanna go back there...

Anyways, we had a great time being off school & 'normal' routine, but we have started back to school & things are going *ahem* well. The first day was pretty rough, and the 2nd day, oh, and the 3rd, but it's a new week, and things have been running much smoother!

We're 'officially' ending summer break this weekend with our annual trip to Reunion, followed by a few last days in the Smokies! We're all looking forward to the last "HOORAH!!" of summer.

And, this is weird, but I'm excited to set up boundaries so that we don't get over-scheduled this year. Balance. Isn't that a complex word? LOL

Anyways, I have a few topics I plan on blogging about soon, a few projects. I know that I am not completely bloggy-hopeless since I still think, "Oh, I should take a picture of [insert craft/idea/activity] so I can blog about it!" LOL

That's it... I just didn't feel right with my last post having a June date on it!! LOL ;) And, because she is awesome, here is a little eye candy from one of my favorite bloggers, Julie @Joy's Hope.

"Time to get our summer on!"

In my life this week… It has been a BUSY week!! Steve & I have been watching The Middle this year, and the last episode of the season absolutely sums up how I felt the last 2 weeks!! LOL I am happy to report, though, that I am NOW going to buy a tiki torch & “Get my summer on!” LOL

In our homeschool this week… We had our annual assessment this week & everything looks great! It’s amazing to me all the different things we covered this year, especially using unit studies. I am in love with unit studies! And, the progress we’ve made this year has only made my love grow!! I think I am most in love with Amanda Bennett… She.Is.Awesome.

I am inspired by… My Dad. He has been such a great teacher and leader in my life, and I realize with every passing day, every young woman’s testimony who hasn’t had a great relationship with their dad, how awesomely I have been blessed with mine. He has made it so easy to accept my Heavenly Father because of his example & love in my life… Happy Father’s Day!

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing... Last Sunday (NOT Father’s Day) we went to Wegerzyn Gardens for the first time with Daddy (meaning, the kiddos & I have been there, but Steve hasn’t ever been). It was an impromptu trip, and one the kiddos are still talking about! Gotta love that!!

My favorite thing this week was… Friday night was Abbey’s dance recital! I can’t believe how much she has changed from the cute little Pre-dancer to the Tap I class I-can-remember-my-whole-routine dancer… Amazing to see the progress! And, she was still so stinkin cute!!

Things I’m working on… I am working on getting my house clean… Keep reading, there's more to this…

I’m reading… I am getting ready to start Sarah Mae’s 31 Days to Clean; Having a Martha House the Mary Way. I have joined the Homeschooling 31 Days group on Facebook for more accountability & encouragement! Ugh, that I even have to join something like this… But, it is what it is…

I’m grateful for… My family, my home, and my bed. I made my daughter do 3 chores today, and because her attitude stunk (where does that come from? *ahem*), I made her tell me 3 things she was thankful for when she was done with the 3 ‘assignments.’ Her 3 were “Family, Friends, and my bed.” I have to agree with her… And, I totally saw the log sticking out of my own eye at this, so I am also thankful for the things that cause me the most grief. I need to be reminded that these are blessings, not burdens… I have so much when others are happy with much less…

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

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I am linking up with Hip Homeschool Moms, but since I have used the Homeschool Chick's prompts, there's a link to others there, too... I was just too late to join this time around :)

Homeschool Home Stretch...




In my life this week…We are in the home stretch! We have our assessment scheduled for next Tuesday the 14^th… I am trying to keep calm about everything, but I waffle back & forth between “I can DO this!” and “What was I thinking?!?!” Thankfully, I’ve hopped back into my book “Super Homeschool Mom… NOT!” & that has been encouraging & keeping it real for me… Yet, my perfectionism still rears it’s ugly head & that’s what I’m battling.

In our homeschool this week… We have pretty much finished our Spring Surprises unit study. That is part of a series of Download N’ Go by Amanda Bennett that we have been doing this year. We started with Autumn Treasures, continued with Winter Wonders, and are almost finished! Explode the Code… almost finished!! One more lesson in 2 ½, and some post-tests, and we’re done! I want her to finish her Map Quest workbook, too, so we can officially wrap things up & “get our summer on!”

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing… This week we celebrated Memorial Day with my parents & my Grandma & Uncle. The kiddos got to play in Dad’s sprinkler (Eli called it “Papa’s pool” lol) and we made a trip to the cemetery.

My favorite thing this week was… How well the week seemed to go while actually doing school work! HAHA It was a great week & we got a lot accomplished. I am starting to see the fruit of not losing my temper patience, and using a gentle, quiet voice. PLEASE DON’T MISUNDERSTAND!! I do NOT mean that I never yelled raised my voice, but I did notice a difference in my attitude this week. That’s what spending time in the Word will do for a gal!

What’s working/not working for us… Setting a no-distraction/no TV/no appointments policy this week, and really & truly devoting an allotted time JUST for school. This sounds like it should happen naturally in a homeschool, but, um, yeah, it doesn’t. Life DOES get in the way, and sometimes the importance of saying, “NO” to these things can get underestimated. Just sayin…

Questions/thoughts I have… Does anyone know if Math-U-See EVER goes on sale?!?!?! Seriously!! Even ebay is pricey!! Ugh…

Things I’m working on… Patience…

Books I’m reading… Super Homeschool Mom… NOT! I LOVE IT... Again, just sayin...

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”^[c] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

Philippians 2: 14-16

Maybe I'm the Last One On the Planet...

Okay, so I am a kitchen gadget junkie. Take me to a Pampered Chef party & I will swear I need everything the consultant is showing! (This explains why I have a food chopper & the cheese grater-thingy, AND the cool whip dispensing thingy...which (except for the food chopper) I can count on one hand the number of times I have used.)

So, the Kitchen Unlimited store is not a safe place for me. But, we are starting a book called "Learning Responsibility at Home" (or something like that) & I needed some garnishing tools. The Big 3 (Walmart, Target, & Meijer) didn't have what I needed, and last Saturday I found myself at the new 'outlets' off of I-75 beside Trader's World. (How they can be called 'outlets' with a Saks 5th Ave, I'll never know). Anyways, after Children's Place (the real reason for our stop) Abbey & I decided to take a look around.

So, after I found what I was looking for (Whew!!), I might've bought something that has the potential to gather dust, or be totally awesome...

But I tried it out today. And, I {HEART} it!!

{ignoring the mess on my counter would be appreciated, thanks! LOL}

Basically, you chop the top of your pineapple off, center the "device" over the core, and start twisting. AMAZING how quick & clean it makes cutting up this pineapple. Can you picture the possibilities with this thing? Using the pineapple shell as a vase, container, DRINK cup... Seriously cool.

But, maybe I'm the last one on the planet to have one...

Max on Life

Max on Life is a new book written by Max Lucado. He writes this book because of the many questions he has received over the years he has been "America's Pastor." These are not easy questions! The topics range from salvation and becoming a Christian to "Where is hell?" The book is segmented into different topics, and are actually numbered.

I was worried when I first read the title of this book. It sounded a bit self-absorbed, but once I started reading the book I remembered who I was judging! Don't let the title fool you. This is not a book all about Max's wisdom! He definitely points to the One with All Wisdom, and he shares the wisdom he's gained with grace and love.

I wasn't sure I would love the layout of the book, but as the Mom of young children I found it an asset! As I mentioned before, all the questions are grouped together according to content, and numbered. The answers are also short & not chapter-length. The answers are delivered with love and grace, as well as short and to the point. Very easy to pick up and read through, or, as I had to do, put down for a bit until the next moment I could snatch some time to read!

I can definitely say that I have found comfort and peace because of the answers I have personally struggled to answer. I loved the scripture references, because they showed me that Max didn't "pull the answers out of a hat!" I would absolutely recommend this book for everyone. It would make a great witnessing tool, also, and a good gift for someone struggling for answers.

*As a note, I received this book free in exchange for my review.