Margin....

So, I was asked to speak tomorrow evening and give a short devotion for our local homeschooling support meeting. As I've been praying about what the Lord would have me share...He keeps bringing me to the word "balance"...and this led me to remember a book that I had read called "Margin" and it's sequel entitled "The Overload Syndrome".

Let's face it, folks.....as any mother knows...whether you are a mother who works outside the home, a stay-at-home mom or a homeschooling mom....we all are trying to perform a balancing act...trying to balance the needs of our husbands, our children and ourselves(forget sleep...there will be time for that later! LOL)....let alone the needs of extended family members, churches, neighbors or communities...all while trying to keep up with the housework, laundry, meals, etc...

I often wonder how past generations of moms did it...kept their homes immaculate, had warm cookies waiting for their children after school...meals prepared from scratch...AND helped out on PTA and church committees! (Then I did realize...since their children were gone all day, then they could clean uninterruped and focus on all the work they had to do during the day!)

As this book helped me to see....we all need to build in a little 'margin' in our lives...in our daily schedules. As women and nurturers...most of us have a hard time saying 'no'....whether it is to help those in need, to serve....and to things that would benefit our children...ie: activities, sports, etc....

But...if we don't have boundaries....and prayerfully seek the Lord and His will....we may fill up our lives with so many "good" things...that we are missing God's best for us and our families. God's word tells us to "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness...and all these things shall be added to us" (ok...I'm paraphrasing a little...I"m tired! LOL) I know it is hard for me not to 'over-schedule' sometimes...ok, a lot of the time. And as I look at my schedule filling up for the week...sometimes I get a little frantic, and need to build in some margin.

I highly recommend these books....they not only make you aware of how harmful over-load is to our bodies and our families, but also, how to avoid over-load as well. Most importantly, if we, as moms...as nurturers and care-givers, remember to stay focused on His word...and prayerfully seek His will...carefully guarding our homelife and families....God will be glorified in our homes as we seek to do His will. Have a blessed week! ~Sue~

Desires of our hearts....

I know the Lord ALWAYS provides for us...and it never ceases to amaze me when He also DELIGHTS in providing for us some of the desires of our hearts, too! This is my son's face when he saw the drum set that his dad set up in our basement! A friend had seen that we were looking for one but they were so very expensive, and emailed to tell me that her sister had one that we could have...all we had to do was pick it up! Ronnie is so excited! I'm listening to the sounds of the drums right now!

He has been practicing so diligently his piano lessons and doing so well....he also has learned a couple of chords on his electric guitar and been practicing...I know he'll practice his drums, too. Music certainly seems to be his thing....I'm so grateful that the Lord has allowed us to help him pursue this gift.

Of course, his dad loves the drums too, and is enjoying them immensely! (and loudly!) LOL

Our little Anna also was blessed today! She has always loved her cousin, Ty's, play kitchen and would play with it forever when we would visit. My sister told me recently that the only time Ty really played with it was when Anna was over, so they asked if we wanted it here so she could play with it whenever she wanted and he could play with it when he was here. My brother-in-law brought it over today and she has been playing resteraunt and her own kitchen with her babies all night!

I am in awe and very humbled by the Lord's love, provision and delight in us! Thanks, Dianne for being so giving! Thanks, Debbie for the drum set...Ronnie loves it! Thanks, to my sister & brother-in-law for their very generous hearts! We are feeling very blessed right now! Have a wonderful evening! ~Sue~

Our extraordinary, ordinary life.....

We've been having a lot of computer issues on our main computer for quite a while now...everything is taking FOREVER to do...it shuts off frequently and can't even recognize a disc now....so very old, little laptop is our trusty standby....great for emails, READING internet, (can't print or run discs)...and I am grateful for it....for keeping in touch, for research....but it makes blogging, especially with pictures very time consuming lately. Frankly....I wish I had more time! LOL And a computer that worked quickly without aggravation. (we are not a very computer literate family)

But I have come to realize...that I LIKE the excuse of not feeling as if I HAD to write something everyday....to put every picture we have taken on...or even to research....we've been reading BOOKS! We have thousands of books and are rediscovering the joys of sitting together and reading aloud...playing games...learning games, games for fun.

Now that our learning is in full swing....our "lazy days of summer" are ending....and we are moving into our favorite season. Productive, sometimes busy...simply living life together, is our family of 6 these days....with lots of extended family added in.

I've noticed that right now, we have lots of transitioning going on around here...and it is causing us to guard our time more. We're transitioning from Dad working nightturn and weekends for 10 years...to daylight and weekends off....with the added bonus of being able to come home to lunch everyday as well. My oldest is in a transition period right now....learning how to drive...finishing her last year of formal schooling, praying about her future...taking over more responsabilities around the home. My Sara is in a fairly comfortable position right now...not a little girl anymore, but not quite entering the "grown up" stage either...she is content with herself and her life. My son is transitioning more and more to wanting to be more responsable, tough & manly....more and more doing whatever Dad does. (he offered to pump gas into our suburban last night...he is 8 years old...I thanked him, but told him that Dad would teach him!) He is learning a lot of new things this year...and learning multiplication/division and fractions...so some days, those things are hard to wrap his brain around. My little one, Anna....she is such a joy!!!! She is learning to read...and wants to read her own Bible so badly! She is trying to read everything in sight....and some days is very frustrated by her efforts...other days...she is so proud! So as she transitions into a reader...and she seems to be taking after her older sisters and wanting to read historical fiction....we're all helping her transition into a great reader who LOVES to read.

We also have a big (for us) transition of finding a church family. We feel the Lord leading us to find another church family, but aren't quite sure where He wants us to be. So....we are going tonight to get involved in a local church that seems where He is leading us...we will be stepping out of our "comfort zones" a little bit, meeting new people, hopefully forming relationships...and getting involved and serving within the church and our community.

Nothing extraordinary about our lives....we're still preserving the harvest, getting ready for winter. My 2 very favorite foods of the summer will soon be gone...corn on the cob and tomatoes, so we are putting lots of them away for winter! FInishing up some crochet and knitting projects so we can start planning for Christmas gifts...getting the wood pile and kindling ready. I don't know how often I'll be posting....when I feel the Lord leading...and the computer cooperating! LOL May you all be abundantly blessed in all the Lord's goodness!!!!! ~Sue~

It's a new year...for homeschooling! Part 1

I always feel so badly when I don't update this as often as I would like...so please, accept my apologies! After our vacation, we jumped into this years homeschooling full force and as this year I am teaching a 12th grader, 11th grader, 3rd grader and 1st grader....and a busy 2 year old 2 days a week, it has been a little hectic to say the least! LOL

Just as an update...my wonderful husband started his new job last week, working daylight for the first time in almost 10 years...and it will take a little bit to adjust to the hours and time changes. He is able to come home and have lunch with us every day....what an unexpected blessing! Everyone stops and gathers around dad when he is home, since he only has a short time before he needs to be back on the job. My older girls and I are spending a lot of time planning menus lately.

Lots of canning and freezing has gone on....tons of quarts of salsa were canned recently as well as lots of quarts of pureed tomatoes, corn cut off the cob and frozen and I even tried pickles this year. (I really hope they turn out!) Going to the farmer's market tomorrow to see what else I can get...I would love to make plum jam again...and maybe still can some peaches and nectarines and lots of pears and apples as well. We will be canning lots of applesauce this year, too...to bake with,make granola with and of course to have on hand for a healthy snack, too.

So....homeschooling. Well....this is our 12th year, and I wanted to write down a little of what we are doing with my youngest two. We are starting our day with reading/discussing the psalms...then we are finishing up an attentiveness study to be followed with an obedience study. The kids and I are loving the character studies from www.iblg.org this year. We are studying proverbs at lunch and it is really neat listening to all the ages of my children and how the older ones explain and mentor the younger ones.

My little ones have to read every day. Ronnie is reading a chapter book of historical fiction on the Revolutionary war...and Anna is reading...some easy readers. We are studying the Colonial time period thru the westward expansion this year, so will be following Lewis & Clark and doing some Little House books as well.
This year, Ronnie and I were discussing what he was really interested in for science and found that the Answers in Genesis physical science curriculum is a good fit for him. So far, we've learned the 8 forms of energy...and are learning about each one in more depth. Last week was chemical and mechanical energy...this week, we are reading about nuclear energy. He is loving this!

We have found that the Abeka math curriculum is a good fit for us. I really like their 'spiral' approach to constant review of concepts learned to cement the facts in. My kids like it, too.
We are studying all 50 states this year. We are learning the geography of the United States, the different regions, all about each state...such as geography, topography, famous people and events and even foods. We are also studying Native American's from each state....we're finding that that is very interesting!
This is the book that we read tonight. We are using these wonderful books, along with many other 'living books' and history texts about the time periods that we are studying...along with unit studies, too.

One of the things we are doing all together is a unit study of 'Pilgrim's Progress' from Answers in Genesis. Even my little ones are learning so much from reading aloud and discussing with them and my older girls.

I had honestly forgotten how much TIME it takes to plan lesson plans for the younger children...from phonics for Anna to grammar for Ronnie....to each state study, science experiments, history lessons, reading....the list goes on. Planning 2 highschoolers as well, the whole family adjusting to my husband's new job and hours...meals and preserving the harvest and getting ready for winter....my days are very full. I am so blessed! I know that no matter how tired I am, or how much my head swims....I am abundantly blessed! So...if this little blog suffers....my phone doesn't get answered as much...or we don't leave the house as much....this is a good season of our lives!

I want to write more about what we are doing with my older girls soon. It hit me this summer....this is it...I only have 1 year with Meghan and 2 with Sara....what does the Lord REALLY want me to teach them before they 'officially' graduate?

Now...it's off to bed! 5:45am comes very early around here! I like chatting with my husband and seeing him off...and having my quiet time before everyone else awakes! May God bless you all abundantly! Thanks for listening to my little update! I love journaling...on my blog and in my journal....and hope to look back at this little blog someday and have a wonderful record of our lives together! ~Sue~

Like father...like son!

Having only one son and three daughters makes life interesting around here...especially as I never had any brothers. Sometimes....I just don't know how their minds work! LOL But tonight....it was a perfect example of like father/like son. Ronnie is now the proud owner of his own cherry red electric guitar...complete with his own amp! It used to be his uncle Tommy's and now it is Ronnie's...he is so excited! Meghan is teaching him piano, and he is learning quickly, and Sara is teaching him the chords....he really seems to have a knack for music! He is SO happy!

He played his guitar with his dad, who played his 1974 Fender precision base guitar while they were watching a Bruce Springsteen dvd concert and playing along.....they had a blast! And sounded pretty good, too!

He is so determined to learn to play this...can't wait to hear what wonderful worship music they can make! Meghan on piano, Sara on acoustic guitar, Ronnie on electric and Ron on base....all we need are drums and percussion. Anyone have a drum set they want to get rid of? We have room! We are so blessed to have these instruments...and to have the time to play them together. I love watching my husband and son do things together! Have a blessed day! ~Sue~

A "Fisherman's Tale"!

Every fisherman has tales to tell...about the one that got away...about the one with the most fight in him...one about the mystery fish who keeps stealing his worm, but is too smart to be caught. Well....my 8 year old son has a tale of his own to tell. It started fishing from his favorite spot on the little wooden bridge just down the road....

He came home with my husband, opened the door and told me "Hey, Mum! I caught my own dinner!"

We were so excited over his blue gill that he caught! This trip, he has learned to bait his own hook, and to take the fish off after he catches it . We're so proud of his perseverance and patience!

So, his grandfather, Buppy, showed him how to scale it and filet it and to make sure he didn't get any bones.

I pan fried the 2 filets that we got so they were brown and crunchy...(and gluten free, of course!)
And, one happy, proud boy got to eat the dinner that he caught himself , not 45 minutes after he caught it! He was gracious enough to share with everyone so we could all taste his specialty....
And, he had to share a piece of fish and a hug with the cook! I'm so proud of him! This is something we won't forget for quite awhile!

And that is our "fishman's tale"....he is learning hard work, patience, perseverance...and to provide for his family....I know he would rather be out fishing than anything else! Thanks, God, for teaching him to fish...for life!

A Blessed Vacation....Lake Chautauqua, NY!

Stealing a few moments away from lesson planning for this week's homeschooling and more in-depth planning for the schoolyear, to record some memories from our family vacation last week at Lake Chautauqua, New York....what a blessed week! As my dear husband will be starting his new job soon...and, it looks like working both jobs for a few weeks, we are especially grateful for this week at my cousin's home on the Lake.

Our view of the lake from the deck...so peaceful!


Tons of fishing was done everyday....my mom and step-dad came up for the week and my wonderful step-dad is an expert fisherman....my guys learned a lot this week...especially, my little guy!

They were able to fish from the dock...but their favorite fishing spot turned out to be a little bridge right down the road...Ronnie caught 38 fish this week! He was so proud! I'll be posting a seperate "Fisherman's Tale" later this week about a particularly exciting fishing day!

There was also bike riding all day almost everyday...at our home, it can be a busy intersection and our children cannot ride their bikes by themselves...but at the lake, these back country roads were perfect...and Ronnie learned to ride without training wheels! We're so excited!

Without any internet or tv....we read books, and played A LOT of games and cards....oh, how we laughed!!! Sara loves 'phase 10' and Meghan loved a card game called "pay me". Ronnie and Anna liked to play 'yahtzee' and 'pokeno' and of course, UNO is always a favorite. One of our favorite games of the week was 'apples to apples' junior version. We bought the normal game and don't like it nearly as much as the junior version.
We took most of our food up with us for the week, but after the 3 hour car ride up to NY, we went to our favorite pizza place. I will say....I cheated and ate gluten...the pizza was awesome, but oh, my goodness...I was so sick for almost 3 days! Won't do that again! The rest of the week I was very careful...and discovered that coffee eats my stomach (and it never used to) but a cup of tea is just the answer!

I was able to spend the week with my beautiful mother! She lives over an hour away, and between her busy schedule and ours we never seem to have enough time to spend together. It was so much fun and so special to spend the week with her!
My view of the lake from my seat on the deck. I did a lot of journaling and ....
...knitting, of course! I'm loving how this scarf is coming along...it will match perfectly with my fall coat!

Of course, we had to have a bonfire one night...and of course, we had to make s'mores! Anna's was bigger than her mouth! (I enjoyed mine with just a piece of Hershey's and a warm, toasted marshmallow...who needs graham crackers?!)

My big girls enjoyed the fire and s'mores, too!

My parents enjoying the fire..

My mom, Meghan, Sara and I set out one day for a "girls day"...what I called a field trip! LOL We drove to a little town called Westfield to find a museum called "McClurg House". We enjoyed our drive as much as the museum! After we got lost in Brocton, NY...we found our way to the little town of Westfield. Such a beautiful, old-fashioned town!
Our tour guide was so knowledgable and so kind...she even took us into the basement! We saw the most beautiful antiques, including a "Lincoln Rocker" that was just beautiful...and went into the kitchen, the pantry and the weaving room....I could have stayed for hours! But....the girls were getting hungry, so we moved on!There was so much history here including a lot about Abraham Lincoln, who had visited this town during his campaigning for president. The story goes that a little girl wrote him a letter telling him that he would look better in 'whiskers'...and he wrote her back the following week, then he DID grow the whiskers! He came back thru her town during the funeral procession, by train. It was a very touching story.

We found the cutest old-fashioned diner right on the corner from the museum where we ordered burgers and fries that were wonderful!


Walked past the apothecary(I loved the name and the sign!) .....and down to....

The Emporium!

We had a blast looking thru aisle after aisle of antiques...everything from kitchen things to whole bedroom suites, linens and quilts, children's toys and books....I loved this place! We all enjoy looking at "living history".

I love these next pictures...while we ladies were off gallivanting, my husband captured my little ones so beautifully....

Best friends!

We ended our wonderful week at a little, local amusement park called "Midway Park"....which was origionally opened in 1898! It is a great little park...right on the lake...so beautiful!

There were bumper cars.....


A small rollercoaster that Ronnie and Anna particularly enjoyed!

Anna fell in love with the Carosel....and a 1946 horse named 'cotton candy'....it was a beautiful old Carosel!

The park boasted picnic pavillions right at the lake...benches to sit and enjoy the view and a very cool arcade just like I remembered from when I was young...my children enjoyed pinball machines and skee ball before enjoying a lemon slushie at the end of the day.

Our last view of the lake before we went home. Oh, how we love it up there! We didn't want to come home! We are so very grateful to our cousin's Kathy and Leon for blessing us with the priviledge of sharing their lake home with us. If you ever have the chance to visit "wine country"...visit the Lake Chautauqua area...especially this time of year....grapes heavy and purple hanging from the vines....it's beautiful and serene up there!

So...vacation is over....Hubby is back to work, about to get a very crazy schedule for a short time...we are back to fully homeschooling a fun, interesting and full year....will be back to watching my nephew, Ty, again tomorrow...but God has gently spoken to each one of us while we were away...lessons learned, and now having to put them into practice. Having no internet was fine....no one really missed it. It's funny...we have dear friends without any internet, and they do fine. Also....no tv...and we didn't take dvd's either....and the kids did fine. Distractions....oh, well....off to bed...trying to get into a good, workable routine around here. Will post again soon about my son's fishing tale....I love being able to journal and "photo journal" here on the blog...for our family...for family out of town and good friends. Thanks again, Kathy and Leon! We love you guys! ~Sue~

The creek, crawfish...and corn...summertime fun!

I've always loved playing in a creek in the summertime! I remember coming to this very creek when I was a little girl...and we had a small one in the woods by our house that we would play in all the time.

My little ones like "The Sugar Creek Gang" stories. We have 5 on dvd's....and a lot of their books....so this was a great way to cool off, and pretend they were in the stories themselves.

As this was a homeschool field trip, we were blessed to go with a couple other families and enjoy God's creation, fellowship and fun at Mingo Creek! Today, the kids learned about inverebrates...specifically crawfish. They had a blast! It was my little nephew, Ty's, first field trip...after he got over not wanting to be dirty or wet...he ended up having a lot of fun! He especially loves to do whatever Ronnie does!

Anna loved it! She had so much fun looking for crawfish and playing in the creek! She is definitely my little nature girl!

After all of the children had a crawfish, the instructor sat them all down and taught them about different fish and fresh water creatures. Some people even found fresh water clams. I must say...Ronnie and Anna were very interested, but Ty was, too! He listened so well and wanted to be where all the big kids were.

There is a hollow sycamore tree that was the perfect photo op! We all had such a fun day!
I had to take this picture of Ty when we came home from the creek! He loves his corn-on-the cob as much as his Aunt Suzie does! We have a picture of Ronnie at this age eating his corn and they look so much a like!

~What a fun day at the creek! We have had a fun, BUSY summer...lots of get-togethers with friends...old and new. Lots of family gatherings, lots of TOMATOES this year....and more preserving the harvest than we've done in years past. Looking foward to a vacation at the lake soon....but also looking forward to starting school again...getting Ron and the whole family into a new routine with (FINALLY) my husband working daylight and weekends off...cooler weather and actually...a slower routine for us. Hoping for a large round of canning/preserving in September and October...and very much looking forward to soups and stews, "nesting" and preparing for winter's unique joys in Pittsburgh! Blessings to you all! ~Sue~