Convictions~

Last Wednesday our preacher made a very profound statement that resonated with me. "Standards without Conviction will yeild rebellion."

Wow! What a statement!

It was really hard for me to hear that. Sometimes, being a "future" preachers wife, I think I try to implement standards that I see other preachers families implementing before the Lord has asked me to. And sometimes, I think that it has a negative impact. I don't for one minute regret the decision to homeschool. That was divine intervention. But, other things maybe I should let God tell me to do. (okay not maybe, definately).

I am so grateful for good preaching, and the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and the gift of forgiveness.

Fun in The Snow... 100th Day of School

We had a great week last week, despite the nasty weather that threatened. I was adding up my January days for our homeschool calendar and realized we were on our 100th day. So, me being me, I took the day to do some crafts and just have a fun day. After that, we relaxed and prepared for the possibility of a storm. Glory to God, it missed us, but the kids had so much fun playing in the snow. Well, Elizabeth & Cassidy did anyway. Wyatt, not so much. He was less than enthused. I know that being close to the ground has to be hard for him. We attempted to make a snow man the first day but the snow was so dry it wouldn't stick. Hubby and Elizabeth made one yesterday, although Elizabeth was sorely disappointed in it because Bucky used a bucket for the bottom "ball."

We have had alot of fun and throughly enjoyed the snow... but it all leaves me longing for spring.

Preparing for bad weather...Boo!

Ugh, so we are preparing for the possibility of another ice storm. I really hate these. But everytime we have one, it makes me more prepared for the next one. Husband had to go to Arkansas to work, even with the bad weather coming. We are prepared though! The generator is on the porch, full tank of propane, plenty to eat. Even Dr. Pepper! I am ready! I think... LOL!

The Tribulations that are Winter

I am almost regretting uttering the phrase... I am tired of winter. I don't relish the summer time, but single digit weather, frozen water, no water, no electric all equal no fun. I am ready for some warm weather.

Kids school is going great... taking all things into account. I see so much good coming from what we doing with homeschooling. Their manners and actions, their attitudes, their love for Bible learning. It's all slowly becoming worth it. My husband preached for the 2nd time during our church's watch night service and I am so proud of the job he did. Our preacher also asked some pretty hard hitting questions about spiritual growth, etc over the past year, and how we wanted to start the year ahead.

Christmas was hectic and white. Everyone got lots of stuff they wanted and lots that they needed. If I ever get water back I am going to start the spring cleaning early.

Ok, So my New Years Resolution is to Blog more!

So as the holidays draw closer, and I have to contimplate Christmas with my kids and family, I can look back on the last 5 months and evaluate what the first half of the year of homeschooling has been like.

Hectic-to say the least. Juggling everything that we have has been enormous, but worth it.

Trying-It has been so hard with Wyatt to get him to adjust to the fact that no matter what public school let him get away with, Momma don't buy it!

Difficult-I was so selfish for resenting the fact that I no longer had "me" time in the beginning, but I see what I gave up now as an amazing opportunity to have the most influence on my children.

REWARDING- With Wyatt it was so hard to get to this point, but we have amazing times together to read and work, and figure out Math (on that day I swore I could not teach him anymore!). I am proud of my kids.. and all the new things they have been able to learn and that I taught them.

I am posting some pictures of projects we did this fall, and tomorrow we start our Christmas crafts. I have links to most of the crafts, and I love searching the net to find new cheap arts and crafts projects! The 3-D stand up turkeys and thankful trees were fun, and they also did a beaded cornhusk magnet that I bought from Oriental Trading (another favorite I have come to rely on) so they had a blast with them!

I scrapbooked the place cards for everyone in my family to tell them how thankful I was for them and why!

Merry Christmas to all, and remember Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

Amanda & The Gang

Where did the time go?

Where did the time go?? Shortly after returning from vacation in South Texas, we started school. It has been a roller coaster to say the least, but I am proud of the job I am doing at home, and proud to say that my husband preached his first sermon on September 30th! I guess all that going on could be why I haven't been blogging like I had thought/hoped I would. That, and there really isn't anyone to read it... so its more for my sanity than anything. Plus, it's here for me to look back on later. I am excited at what we have accomplished in the 6 weeks we have been schooling at home. We love that our kids are here, and we can mold and shape them into the young minds that we want them to be, not what someone else wants to turn them into.

In Christ,
Amanda & The Kids

Count Down To Vacation...

Ahhh the joys of Fall will be coming before we know it. But until then... we are counting the days as a family until we get to South Texas to see everyone. I miss my sweet sister-in-law, both mothers in law, my father-in-law and everyone else. We don't get south as often as we would like, but our hope is that will be changing soon!

Books are unpacked, in process of getting my new computer hooked up and all of my homeschool files downloaded. Laptops shipped to be worked on (my innocent daughter has an obsession with pulling keys off the keyboards) and now we are just killing time until August 24. They keep complaining about boredom... and I wish we had everything ready to go so that I could just put them to work. I sufficently raided my moms house for necessities and I think desk chairs are all I have left to get.

As I write this 3/4's of the kids are at my feet growling like monsters and chasing people around, I think I should probably get lunch started before they eat each other!!!

God Bless!
Amanda & The Kids