My Seven from Heaven...

On the Home Front

Just a little catch-up on the home front here...

We just started our 11th year of homeschooling. My students this year are Dan (6th grade), Max (4th grade), Tommy (1st grade), and Eden (K4). Joshua is 2 and just doot-doots around. We joined a Co-op that meets once a week. I am teaching history to the 3rd-4th graders. The kids are getting a lot of out it so far.

Celeste (19) is taking classes at Sante Fe College. Her proposed major is secondary education. She is very interested in teaching high school history. Currently, she is volunteering in a 2nd grade classroom. Next month she will have been working for Publix for 2 years. She is a cashier and a bagger for them. Celeste is involved with RUF (Reformed University Fellowship) and loves it! This college youth is sponsored by the Presbyterian Church and they have chapters on many campuses. Celeste is living at home right now, so we have 7 children at home.

Jamie (16) is a junior at the local, rural high school. He finished last year with a 4.2 GPA and has just been inducted into the National Honor Society. He is taking very challenging classes this year which include: AP U.S. History, AP Language, Chemistry Honors, Pre-calculus, Spanish 2, and Culinary 3. He's very active in church youth and is going to be playing guitar for them during youth group. Also, he works as a ref at the local paint ball park.

My husband, Stuart, has his federal firearms license and owns a gun shop. Also, he makes custom holsters. It has gotten a bit busier, of late, which is good! We are attending a new church and loving it. The ladies are meeting tonight for a coffee house and I am really looking forward to it. It's nice to recharge my batteries. Being a mother and wife is so demanding--even more so when you homeschool and have a large family.

A couple of extra thoughts--Eden is taking ballet and loving it! She is a girlie girl for sure. Joshua is just a riot. He finally says "yes" when he means "yes" now. It comes out, "Zess." He LOVES the garbage man! Mondays and Thursdays he is quite excited when they come in the morning and back down our street. His delight in this simple thing is precious!

We are still mourning our precious daughter, Kara Faith. Today I am thinking on her quite a bit. I want to order her heart-shaped headstone, but we haven't don that yet. I remember being pregnant this time last year and how that felt. She was safely tucked inside. Things have settled down now. Less people respond. It's that time where her death is still SO REAL to us, but life goes on and others forget. It is okay with me for my friends and family to mention her, to say her name, to ask about how we are. I love to share about my daughter. It's all I have. I covet your prayers...

Splash Park Fun

We went to the "splash park" yesterday and they had so much fun! It was good for me to get out and enjoy my kids. To watch Max, Tommy, Eden, & Joshua laugh and have fun was wonderful. I'm trying to get back to life after Kara Faith. I love all of my children dearly. Some days it's just hard to get going. I feel very blessed by them!

Dan went to Sea World with his class from school yesterday and was quite worn out when he got home. He kept talking about riding the Kracken--a big rollercoaster. Jamie turns 16 next week on June 2nd. I can't believe that. He's about to finish out his 10th grade year and he has a 4.2 GPA currently. I am so proud of him! I miss Celeste most days. I popped in on her today. I just so desperately wanted to see her. Since she moved out I don't spend as much time with her as I'd like. Celeste took Jamie and I out to dinner last weekend and that was quite a treat! I am trying to think of fun things to do with the children this summer to keep us busy. Any ideas are appreciated!

A Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

Joshua--Looks like trouble...
Pumpkin Patch Max

Eden--pumpkin sitting

Mommy and Joshua (What a cute smile!)

Dan and Tommy--Love this one!

My Cute Tommy

Me with my 5 littlest pumpkins

Max's Eye

This is what Max's eye looked like 3 days after getting hit with a baseball bat. Today, you can hardly tell and it's been a week. Both he and Dan won their baseball games on Saturday. They did a great job! Dan pitched an inning where he struck out 3 players and Dan got a home run at one point, too. This week we are on "spring break." Older brother, Jamie, is in St. Louis for the week. Eden threw up several times yesterday. I'm hoping it's isolated and others don't get sick this week. It seems that every year during our break someone gets sick and we are stuck at home. I am hopeful we'll enjoy a great week. Dan turns 10 this week!

Max turned 8 this week. I will never forget he was 10 pounds, 5 ounces at birth! Maximillian Isaiah is appropriately named. :)
Joshua, this morning, just being cute. (9.5 months old)

Low Places

A "picture thought" I'm sharing with you...

Max feeding Joshua. He's a good big brother.

Being transparent...I'm feeling quite down right now. My life has many huge mountains and I can't see the other side at all. It's an effort to just get through the day. I'm trying to think on this verse today: "And those who know your name put their trust in you,for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you." Psalm 9:10

Picture thoughts

Max is without front teeth as of yesterday!

Eden discovered swinging this week...

Tuesday

Woo hoo, I just looked at my baby ticker up there. Getting close, I am. I'm thinking about 2 1/2 more weeks (hoping less). I still have a very small belly button, so there's a little more room.

Tonight the boys are at baseball practice. Stu is an Asst. Coach for their league this year. Dan and Max are on the same team--thank goodness. They have 2 practices and 2 games this week. Busy! I'll probably make only 1 game. They have a 7:00 game on Friday and I just don't feel the greatest by the end of the day. I'll have to go on Saturday to their game!

Anyway, just checking in. Celeste is overnight at her best friend's house. She's working on a research paper for ENC1101. She's doing very well in the class, yay! Jamie has guitar tomorrow. They have a recital in April. There is so much in April that my mind in swimming...AND I'm having a baby. Aaahhh!

I'm Still Here

Yes, I'm still around...literally, ha! We actually had a pretty packed weekend. It started with Max's 7th birthday (on Friday, February 1st!), then we had dinner at my brother's yesterday, and we went to church today for service and a Superbowl/fellowship night. Tonight I dropped off my truck for new brakes--gotta have those! I'm hoping it will be done quickly and I can get it back by early tomorrow afternoon.

We're doing school tomorrow, of course. I'm adding a writing program for Jamie. We decided on Jensen's Format Writing. Check out the link for more info and a review. Also, Celeste is doing American Government from A Beka. We'll see how we like that. It's a senior course, but we'll start it now and maybe finish it early next year. It's only a semester, but we're getting a late start. In addition, we'll do an Economics course next year.

Dan and Max start baseball very soon. This was a very busy time for us last year. I'm hoping the season is over before baby comes. Max didn't play last year, but his Daddy wanted him to this year. They wil be on the same team together with a wonderful coach we know. I think it will be lots of fun! I enjoy watching the games and all the practices are close to home.

We're still really working with Tommy on potty training. He is wearing pull-ups. He is now 3 1/2 and I am quite frustrated with his lack of interest. All of my other boys were trained by now and wearing big boy underwear. I'll keep on it, though. I don't relish the thought of 3 in diapers! Eden is growing by leaps and bounds. She is such a cutie. Her newest word is "Guys!" She yells it at the boys sometimes from her crib. I must say it a lot. She got a new stroller and rolls it around the house constantly with her dolly in it.

Who needs toys?

How much fun can a diaper box be? I don't know, go ask 5 of my children. They all took turns pushing Eden around in the box. Who needs toys anyway?!? Actually, Jamie (13) got in one of the boxes today and broke it, but they sure had a good time! Here's Eden in a pirate hat (with our Jack Russell, Chipper) and with kleenex, too!

Pearly Whites

Okay, so I'm excited. I wake up this morning and nurse Eden. I checked in her mouth to see if there were any teeth and behold, she has one just coming in on the bottom left! She will be so cute! I'm sure the other one is not far behind. Eden is 7 1/2 months old now. I think she is ready for food...we'll try again with her. She kept puking up baby food, so I took a break for awhile. Oh, Stu just reminded me that Max lost his first tooth this week. It was his bottom left, too! Symmetry! Have a great Friday!

A kid again...

Max has a blast skating for the 1st time!
Nancy takes a break to feed Eden...interesting!
Celeste with one of her best friends, Brandon

What fun last night! Our church rented out the local skating rink and I took 5 of the kids. (Dan had a baseball game and Stu was coaching.) I wasn't planning on skating and neither was Max, but we both had a real good time! I posted a few pictures. This was Max's first time and he was like a kamikaze skater--falling forward through space. I'm a little sore today, but not too much worse for wear.

Also, I took Celeste in to take the College Placement Test today. I about had an anxiety attack when I left her at the testing center on the campus to move the car. She's SO grown up now. Praise God, she's so smart, she passed into all college courses. We will hear in late May whether she's been accepted into the Dual Enrollment program. Thus starts a new phase in our lives here.

Heart of FL Air Show

Stu took Dan and Max to the Air Show yesterday. Also, their little friend, Ben, went along. They had a wonderful time looking at the airplanes and talking to pilots. My big brother, Ed, was there with Gainesville Police's helicopter. Ed is a Captain with GPD and, on a personal note, he is a helicopter pilot. He has his commercial license and is a certified instructor. Cool!

In which we see a few butterflies...

Wow, we've been busy bees this week. First of all, I got a large portion of my hair cut off on Wednesday! I wanted to have "fun" hair, so one of the sweet young ladies from church (who's a hair stylist) cut my hair. Above should be a picture of me with baby Eden. Second, Max's 6th birthday was on the 1st, so we took him to the butterfly garden at UF (again). We got some wonderful pictures and enjoyed ourselves. Third, on Friday I got to work-out with a friend and go to a scrapbook crop. I joined a local place that is similar to a Curves and even though I hate to exercise it's not too bad. I'm more interested in the results! Today we visited with Stu's parents while he had an open house. (He has another one tomorrow.) Also, I finally opened my Nutrimill. WOOT! That thing is awesome. My old Ktec grinder can't hold a candle to it. I LOVE IT! I made banana bread tonight. I am making homemade pancakes in the morning again...with fresh ground flour. Have a super Sunday!

The List

Do you ever have so much to do and you're trying to figure out how to accomplish it? That's what I'm thinking about the next couple of days! (You're probably wondering why I'm on the computer, right?!?) Tomorrow is Max's 6th birthday! I still need to get him a gift. Also, I have a hair cut today and the grocery store is calling. The baby is still asleep. I woke her up at 6:30 to nurse because I couldn't stand it anymore, but then I went back to bed for a little bit.

Max has requested a trip to the butterfly garden tomorrow. There's also the medievil fair in town this weekend, so we're trying to decide what to do. I haven't been feeling well this week, so the thought of taking 6 kids anywhere is kind of daunting to me. I'm just tired and have a bad cold. We've been trying to save money on groceries due to our very tight budget situation. I go to a wonderful website that has great cooking ideas from scratch. We ate homemade pancakes yesterday that just rocked! Go here to check out the full website.

Well, I am off to get busy with my day! I hope yours is blessed and full of little kisses and hugs from your tots!