Saturday, December 31, 2011

Pursuit in 2012

2 Timothy 2:22 "So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart."

2012 is upon us.

I love the turning of a new year.
I love the turning of a new week, a new month, a new hour.  
The turning always feel like a fresh start.  First reflect, then pursue anew!

2011 has been a full [and I mean full] year for us.
A blessed year.
Big adventures.
New life.
New direction.
Waiting on the Lord.
Grace being the theme.
Gratitude overflowing.
Stretching and failing.
Learning that it's not about me daily.
Worship.
Humbling.
And a lot of joy!

Last year on 1-1-11 I wrote "1-1-11 seems like a great place to start.  Ready, Set, GO!"

Pretty sure God heard! :)

Thank you Jesus for 2011.

2012 seems BIG to me.

Not positive why.

All I know is some things are going to take more of me pressing into HIM.
Turning down the noise.
Turning up things of Him.
Being present.
Living aware.
And pursuing:

Righteousness
Faith
Love
Peace
and others that call upon Him.

God has placed upon our hearts some specific pursuits.
I am crazy excited and nervous for it all.

Each will take faith.

love.

and A LOT of Him!

Happy start to 2012 to us all.

Let the pursuit begin!  Go!

Monday, December 26, 2011

Christmas Day 2011

First thing, we had everyone bundle up and head outside.
Wearing their jammies and hot cocoa in hand they all followed daddy out to the barn where a manger was awaiting them.

Daddy had them sit, be still, and take in the surroundings as he began to read the aloud the birth of our Savior.


Oh what a Savior.  Born in the most humble setting.  Coming to serve and die for us, for you, for my children.  Now he lives!  Oh what a Savior!

Time to celebrate.



Happy?


Ugand@n Spears.


Pretty sure this gift has been the highlight of his life.  ever.


 Little man loves to walk with his new dino.


What would Christmas be without digging through the trash for parts?  We never miss a year.


We texted.


Sang.


 Rarely stopped strumming.



Played with my new camera and watched a bunch of tutorials.
[sorry to throw you Stac - but I will come take pics of you using your vita-mixer ;)]




 Manny arrived.  We love Manny much.  
Time to burn all those boxes AND we only had to run for the hose once…..sadly this is good for us. ;)



Manny taught me some new tricks on my Mac.


Our friends arrived and the boys solved the worlds problems while us girls worked in the kitchen.



Fast Friends.  




Look at that smile.


Go Daws!  [serious business I tell you]


 Guess who called??  My Mother-In-Law and all of the Redeemer House kids!!!


My hubby cracks.me.up!



Ecclesiastes 3:4

was burning in my mind as we laughed and laughed.




It was a time to dance.



Merry Christmas.  Jesus, YOU are so good!


Sunday, December 25, 2011

Monday, December 12, 2011

Hitting Our Stride and Makin' Butter

Homeschooling is becoming a joy.  What?  Yes, a joy.  Really [really] never thought I would say that.  Answered prayer!

I think we are starting to hit our stride.  Throwing things out right and left.  Adding more hands-on things that we can all walk away from feeling like we got somewhere.

What a blessing to see little light bulbs go on!

I am always looking for new resources and trying to "mix it up" for them.  When it comes to learning, I myself, have a massive case of ADD.  Even when I read things on the computer I click through windows so fast I can not keep up ;). I love opening about 6 windows and click click click click…..

Where was I?

Right.  ADD and resources for the kids.

We milk a cow a couple times a week and get a lot [a lot] of cream - Thank you, cow Mattie.

Today's science?  Butter.

We have made butter before but never knew how it worked.

A little google and some youtube and you have a teaching video!

Here is how it went:
"Classroom" Ready.
Cream set out the night before to be ready for the lesson.


Watching our teaching video.

Kiddos….begin your shaking…..

Keep shaking…..

You're almost there….

and the butter formed….

Nice butter Daws, must be all that wrestling…..

keep shaking kids…..this counts for PE today too!


Poor Hunter was last BUT he made the most.  [life lesson there too, I am sure]

nice butter Nick… your mama will love it….

Results.

Science never tasted so good.


Happy Homeschooling to all!