With school starting and babysitting a 15 month old who has found the freedom of walking, I have not been blogging near as much. So here is a quick update of our life.

Babies~

The kids were doing school, and I asked Brittany to keep and eye on the babies while a took a quick bathroom break. This is what I found when I got back. She had put each one in a laundry basket with pillows and toys, and they were happily playing. Brittany and Charlie are both a big help with the babies. They make my life easier, they enjoy it, and they are learning a lot about taking care of babies for when they become mommies.

Brittany, Terry, and Olivia

Olivia's Swing~

Tim hung a swing for Olivia and she really enjoys it.

She even likes to sleep in it.

The Moving Wall~

The Moving Wall is a half size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It travels around the country, giving people who have never been to Washington D.C. an opportunity to honor those who gave their lives. The wall was at a park near us last week, so we took they kids to see it. I am so thankful to the men and women who are willing to serve our great country to protect our freedom. You can go here for a schedule to see if the Wall will be near you.

The fifty state flags on the walkway leading to the Wall.
Our kids with the Kentucky State Flag
Remembering
Our kids at the Wall

My sister and family are coming tonight for the weekend, and the rest of my family is coming tomorrow for the day. I am really looking forward to everyone being together. It will be the first time since Christmas that we have all been together at the same time. Hopefully I will have lots of good picks next week. ~~Now I have to go get busy to get ready for them.

HAVE A GREAT LABOR DAY!!

First Day of School

Today we started our fifth year of home schooling. It has been a great, terrifying, wonderful, frustrating, rewarding journey. I know that other home school moms know what I am talking about. I am not one that thinks that everyone should home school, it is just what we have decided to do. Thankfully our kids enjoy it. I have to confess, sometimes the idea of them going to school, and having a little break from them, sounds really good. But overall I am thankful for this extra time that I have to mold them.
One of the great benefits of home schooling is that I did not have to send my little guy off today. Yes, my baby started kindergarten. He was still sleepy when I went to wake him up, but excited that the big day was finally here.

Ready to get started.



Intently listening to his teacher.

Brittany, Walter, and Charlie were also excited to get started on a new year. Last year we started using the Bob Jones HomeSat. The kids really enjoyed it, and did well. With having four kids in four different grades this works out good for me, because I feel confident they are getting everything that they need.

Charlie~4th grade and Brittany~6th grade
Walter~5th grade.

AHH~Life is Good

Last night we were all able to go out as a family for the first time in 12 days!!! Tuesday I took Chris to the doctor . He had a very bad ear infection. When I got home, Charlie said that her stomach hurt. She was sick Tuesday and Wednesday. I got sick on Wednesday. The doctor said that we did not have the same thing as Walter, so no staying in for a week YEA. Every one is feeling better and Walter was able to go to Coney Island with his friend Trey. The rest of us went to Deweys Pizza then picked up Walter. I was so excited to get out of the house that I did not think about taking the camera for pictures. When we came home we had game time playing Uno Spin. Great fun was had by all. The last game lasted so long that we just wanted anyone to win!!

Tonight Tim helped his parents power wash their deck and clean out their shed. He found a favorite childhood toy. His Hot Wheel track. This thing is over 30 years old. He brought it home and cleaned it up. He had fun playing with it and sharing the joy he had as a boy with his kids. I had to get some pictures of the memories in the making. AHH~ Life is good.

Pictures

Recently Sams Club had a company come in and take pictures. Since it has been a while since I had the kids pictures taken I decided to give it try. The worst part for me when getting the kids pictures taken is picking out the clothes. These people supplied the clothes! I have wanted to do the kids pictures like this for a long time. I thought that they turned out pretty good.

Walter

Chris

Charlie

Brittany

This Too Shall Pass~I Just Hope I Still Have My Right Mind When It Does

It all started last Sunday morning at 6:30. Walter came to our door and said that his stomach was hurting. He had a fever so I gave him some medicine and he went back to sleep. He got up a 8:00 and acted much better. That did not last long. He became a very sick boy. He slept most of the day. By 6:30 Monday morning, we decided to take him to the emergency room. It turns out that he was infected with Shigella. We have no idea where he got it from. There are usually only 25 reported cases in our area a year.I will spare you all the nasty details, you can go to the link if you are interested. They had to send a culture off to be tested. He could not start his antibiotic until they had the test results. Since this is a highly contagious, he has to be on the antibiotic for five days and have a clear test before he is considered clear. He got his medicine Tuesday night, and Thursday we found out that it was the wrong one. The Insurance did not want to pay for the new one. After we went around with them and the doctor on Friday, we decided to go ahead and pay the $116.00 for the prescription so he could get started on his five days. If the insurance decides to pay, the drug store will give us a refund.
Added to this was my fear that the rest of my family would also become infected. I went to the store and stocked up on groceries, cleaned house, did up the laundry, and prayed that Tim and I would not both get sick at the same time. I also became a fanatic about the kids washing their hands. We bought hand sanitizer, and we use it before we do just about anything. I have also been going through a lot of Lysol. I was so afraid that if the rest of us got it one at a time, I would be stuck in this house for a month!! So far, Tim is the only one who has gotten sick. He does not have all of the symptoms so his doctor does not think he has the same thing.
Another stress factor was that this week was VBS. It was really hard for me to see him not being able to go. I think he handled it better then I did. We had the Bakers this year, so Walter was able to watch Hope Sound Bible Church's VBS on archives. It was the same as ours. He learned the Bible verses and got prizes.
Looking back on this week it does not seem as bad as it did while going through it. There were times this week when I wanted to sit down and post about what was happening, but I was afraid that it would start me to crying. This is so not like me. I usually handle things better then that. I was able to go to VBS a couple of nights with the other kids. One of the songs that they sang, talked about Jesus walking on the water of life's troubled sea.
"Though the winds about me blow and the waves around me roll, in the shallow of his hand I am safely in His plan. It's a comfort just to know I am under his control in the midst of it all".
Keep us in your prayers that the rest of us stay well!!

Thankful

This week has been a crazy week. (More on that in the next post). It has been easy to look on the negative, but as I was reading some blogs tonight I began to remember how much I have to be thankful for. So here is a short list~

1. God's unfailing love for me
2. God's Word
3. Tim
4. My kids
5. Family
6. Friends
7. Cool house in this hot weather
8. Health~doctors~medicines
9. Humor
10. My house

HEEEELP

Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This is my new favorite cake. Someone made it last Sunday and I ask for the recipe. I made it Wednesday for a bake sale and it had great reviews. This is a very moist cake and almost taste like a pound cake.
Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Source: 7/31/2007 issue of Woman's World
3 1/2 cups + 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup + 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream
2 cups grated zucchini (about 2 medium), squeezed dry
1 package (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups assorted berries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray. Combine 3 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; reserve. On medium speed, beat sugar and 1 cup oil 1 minute. Beat in eggs and vanilla. On low, alternately beat in flour and sour cream; on medium-high, beat 2 minutes. Stir in zucchini.
Toss 1/2 cup semi-sweet and 1/2 cup white chocolate chips with remaining 1 Tablespoon flour; fold into batter. Pour into pan. Bake 60-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes. Remove from pan to rack; cool.
Melt remaining semi-sweet chocolate chips. Heat cream. Gradually stir melted chocolate into hot cream, stirring until smooth. Place cake rounded-side up on rack set over jellyroll pan lined with waxed paper.
Slowly pour glaze over cake, spreading with spatula. If necessary, scrape any glaze from paper, melt on low and continue to glaze cake.
Melt remaining 1/2 cup white chocolate chips; stir in remaining 1 Tablespoon oil. Transfer to plastic food bag. Snip off 1 corner to make small hole. Drizzle over cake; let set. Before serving, fill center with berries.



P.S. For those of you who were worried about my sanity, the previous post was just a joke. My home remains safe from any camo:-}