What to do... what to do...

Well, the school year is coming to an end soon and we are praying that Princess JF will be back to her "old self" by then! But, with the end of this school year comes some big changes for us with the upcoming year. After 9 years of homeschooling our older two, they have decided they want to attend public school next year. Now, I always told them I wanted to get them at least until high school and then I would give them the option to make their own choice about homeschool. They have told me for two years they were going to public school, but this time I believe they are serious. This makes me sad, but I raised them to be independent and am proud of their decision. But, again, I am still sad.

I have had the kids home with me for the past 9 years and am already feeling the loneliness without them here. I know, I know, I will still have my baby here with me... but I am still sad. I feel like I must find things to keep me busy {yeah, because I don't have enough already}. I am trying to be positive though and have thought about all the things I am ready to start doing in the upcoming months.... besides play with Princess JR, of course.

So, my list of upcoming goals that I am hoping to bring you guys along on:

1. Blogging - Yeah, I kinda do that now... but I would like to get back into my daily posts and posting more about the deals and such that I originally started this blog for. I go back and forth and whether or not I should start a new blog specifically for deals and such, but then I like that this blog is established and I could do both. Maybe? I don't know... still praying about this decision.
2. Coupons - I haven't been able to coupon shop in over a year. Finding the time to cut coupons, match sales, and simply get to the store have escaped me. In fact, I am not even sure where my coupon binder is since I did not even unpack it when we moved last August. But, I figure if I am going to be home then I could get back into it and Princess JR can tag along. Again, blogging would help me keep up with the sales and coupons and I could pass them on to my readers. 
3. Once A Month Cooking - Ok, I have tried this once before and it was amazing! I LOVE going to the freezer and grabbing a meal that needs nothing more than a quick toss in the oven or stirring on the stove. SuperDad enjoys helping me prepare the foods and it truly benefits everyone. So, any recipes would be appreciated here!
4. Cleaning - Ok, I know that this is something that {obviously} gets done anyways... but I really WANT to get this house organized and clean... and kept that way! I am hoping to get this started soon. I see sites like The FlyLady and desperately want to get started but get overwhelmed when I open any door. I would like to get to the point where I am no longer overwhelmed. Oh how I wish I was a minimalist like my brother. One day... just one day...
5. Proverbs 31 - I think that ultimately I am simply striving to be a Proverbs 31 woman. This my ultimate desire and goal in the coming days, months, and years. =)

A wife of noble character who can find?

She is worth far more than rubies.

Her husband has full confidence in her

and lacks nothing of value.

She brings him good, not harm,

all the days of her life.

She selects wool and flax

and works with eager hands.

She is like the merchant ships,

bringing her food from afar.

She gets up while it is still night;

she provides food for her family

and portions for her women servants.

She considers a field and buys it;

out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

She sets about her work vigorously;

her arms are strong for her tasks.

She sees that her trading is profitable,

and her lamp does not go out at night.

In her hand she holds the distaff

and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

She opens her arms to the poor

and extends her hands to the needy.

When it snows, she has no fear for her household;

for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

She makes coverings for her bed;

she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

Her husband is respected at the city gate,

where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

She makes linen garments and sells them,

and supplies the merchants with sashes.

She is clothed with strength and dignity;

she can laugh at the days to come.

She speaks with wisdom,

and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

She watches over the affairs of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children arise and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:

“Many women do noble things,

but you surpass them all.”

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Honor her for all that her hands have done,

and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. ~Proverbs 31:10-31 

Home Making 101

Even though we have two in public school this year, I still have a homeschool momma's heart. So, this evening I was holding the baby while she took a much needed nap, but really needed to start dinner. Princess JF is always looking for something to do so I asked her if she thought she could help out (the older two were already at church and DH was on his way home from work). She was so excited to do it!

We were having one of our most simplest, but family favorite, meals. Thus, I walked her through how to turn on the over to preheat and then talked her through each step. Our kitchen and living area are separated only by a bar, so it was easy for me to relay each step and help her along the way. I asked her to grab a cookie sheet, and after sorting through them all she found one she liked. :) She was able to get scissors to cut open the bag and laid each piece of chicken out perfectly spaced on the cookie sheet (these are bite size pieces). Next was the scary part for me... she had to put the chicken into the oven. After giving her very strict, detailed instructions Princess JF (with no fear) opened the oven and put the chicken on the rack as instructed and shut the oven with no mishaps! Whew... I was relieved.

Next, she set the timer on the microwave, and got a pan of water ready to boil. After setting it on the cooktop I taught her how to turn the burner on and made sure she understood how hot the cooktop could get. There were no problems! I told her how I typically set the table while I wait for the dinner to finish cooking, so she did that too until her daddy got home. She was so super excited to tell him about what she had been doing... and he looked at me like I was crazy! But, he helped her pour the rice into the water once it began boiling and removed the chicken from the oven once it was done. Yet, all in all, Princess JF had made her first meal! Yay!

I SOOOO wish I had grabbed some pictures, but I was under a sleeping baby. So here is a picture of Princess JF instead:

The testing ...

Figured I should update the "World" on the testing today. We got up extra early (like 6am) to make sure everyone ate, bathed, and got dressed in plenty of time to allow for traffic. The two princesses were the last two for us to get out of bed and dress ... and we packed them a breakfast to go to allow them more sleeping time. We left the house in record time and got to the testing facility in no time ... in fact, we were 45 minutes early! Better than our normal arrival times everywhere else, with getting everyone ready (including two picky girls: Drama Queen and Princess JF), having to get myself into gear (remember ... mornings and I don't go well together), and simply getting everyone into the van and strapped into seats ... we hardly ever get anywhere earlier than 10 minutes late! (Does that even make sense?) : )

Anyways ... we waited around a while before going in, prepping Prince W really. I reminded him of today's daily quote from the blog (which was perfect for the occasion ... God is so great) ... over and over again. We are currently going through a "Connect" campaign at church and were all given fluorescent green bracelets to wear that say "Connect" on them, so I told him if he needed help to look at that, "connect" with God, and pray for wisdom. Drama Queen has taken tests before since she's in Jr High, I wasn't as worried about her obviously. We got inside, checked them both in, found their classrooms, got another wristband to wear (I got two), did a quick bathroom break, and then I was on my way back out with Super Dad and the two princesses.

We decided to go walk the nearby mall and wait the three hours we were told it would take. Got there at 9am and, of course, none of the stores were open ... but at least we could sit in the heat of the mall and watch all the mall walkers make their rounds! We walked a bit until the stores finally started opening at 10am, and then went to the book store. We were in the book store for 10 minutes when the phone rang ... Prince W was done. Uh-oh ... was this good or bad? I mean, I told him to not worry too much about the ones he didn't know, skip to the ones you do and come back. Had he skipped though the whole test? As we were piling in the van to go get him, Drama Queen called, she too was done. OK then, maybe all they really needed was an hour! (WHEW!!)

We picked them up, and headed home ... it was only 10:30am. Stopped by the library on the way home, grabbed some sandwich stuff at the store, and came home to eat lunch. Since I was up late on the blog (*wink*), I ate, laid on the couch, and slept through an entire movie? Not even sure what they watched. I was awake when they were deciding what to watch, but never even saw the movie go into the DVD player! Nap was perfect and just what I needed!

Nevertheless, I was glad to get through the testing without a breakdown ... from me or Prince W! I was pretty worried, especially when it came time to leave him. But, all in all, it went well. He said they were given "scantron" type cards to fill out ... which he had never experienced ... but that some of the others didn't know how to utilize either so it was explained. It was mainly a reading comprehension test, and both said it was easy ... just long. I guess we'll see how "easy" when the grades come in! : )

A bit worried ...

I should really be in bed right now ... we have an early morning. Since we homeschool, we take a pretty laid back approach to our mornings around here (I am not by any means a "morning person"). Anyways, tomorrow we have to be in a city about 45 minutes from home by 8:30am to register for a "benchmark" test for my older two children. This new school we are currently involved with requires this. I am not sure how often ... and I'm praying not too much due to our current "transportation dilemmas." My husband had to take the day off tomorrow just so we could get hem there! Not cool at all! But, we really don't have a choice if we want them to continue with this program.

I am torn because I am one of "those" adamantly against standardized tests. The fact that they will be subjected to them is enough reason for me to dislike the program, but it is well outweighed by the fact that my kids are enjoying the curriculum! That's a pretty big deal right there! They like the way the program is designed (for the most part) and they are actually learning!

Herein lies my biggest worry though, Prince W has never been tested like this. He was pulled from public school in the first grade and has been homeschooled ever since (he is now in the 6th grade). Drama Queen has been taking tests through our co-op, so the stress should not be as bad. Prince W, on the other hand, is very sensitive and does not handle stress well (like his mother). So, I'm a bit worried about them! We have been praying for strength for our "little" Prince, and we pray they both do well tomorrow. This counts as a big part of their nine weeks grade.

The test runs for 3 hours, quite a way to be "thrown into" the idea of testing when you've never been exposed. I realize they will eventually need the practice of this sort of testing ... I just wish we had a bit more time to plan. Due to our move and the email addresses just being changed last month, we were only told about the test last Wednesday ... while others had plenty of fair warning! Nevertheless, here's praying all goes well tomorrow!

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
-James 1:5

So ... I'm slacking today ...

It's 3:30pm in the afternoon and I still have not blogged today! What's up with that? I got on earlier and did some "piddly" things, as well as making sure my older two got their school work done. Then, I got off so that Princess JF could get on and play some "letter games" (with this great free program located here). After her, Prince W needed to do an hour of "study" online while Drama Queen was on the "student" computer upstairs ... so, I took a nap! : ) Now, my computer is free and I was noticing a recent project I put together in our living room ... and thought that maybe I could blog about it? Will it interest anyone? I dunno ... but I like to show it off! : )

Anyways, my dad was recently remodeling their dining area (he's always remodeling something in their home) and it involved tearing down an existing wall into the kitchen to make the dining area bigger (he made a nice long dinette set big enough for "most" of the family to fit). The wall had a "fake window frame" that passed from one room into the other. When we arrived, he had the wall torn down, with the window frame still attached. I asked him if he had plans for the window, to which he replied, "No?" So, I told him I wanted it. I immediately went home (after measuring each opening) and began working on what I wanted to put inside each frame. I bought some new papers to match our home decor, picked out 4 pictures of my kids, and got started.

Now, this was all done in preparation for the window, which I wanted up and displayed before my extended family was to come to my house that following weekend for our family Christmas. Thus, I had all the pieces done and my parents came over mid-week to help us clean and prepare for the 60+ people coming over, and I asked my dad where my window frame was (I had already called twice that week). He laughed and said he thought I was kidding! No, I wasn't kidding, I had already scrapped the pages to go inside!

Finally, on Friday, before the family affair on Saturday, my dad showed up with the window frame! I was finally able to put it all together! Drama Queen and I laid it all out and she helped me cut up cereal boxes to use as backing (have to be frugal here)! As I positioned the pieces into the openings, she taped them in place along the backside. Then, she and I positioned the cereal box cutouts along the back so that it was fully covered, and then stapled them along the sides. Super Dad put the hooks in the top that my dad so graciously included for hanging, and we hung it in a predetermined spot my mom and I had picked earlier.

It looked awesome when we were done .. or at least we thought so! :) My family really enjoyed it ... and, of course, I had a few people that wanted one for themselves. But, I must mention, like most things I put together (I take after my dad here) because I was in a hurry I did not get to finish the actual frame. I still want to add some word at the bottom with altered letters ... maybe "family" or "love" ... I dunno yet? I might finish the next time I haul all my scrapbooking stuff out! Did I mention ... my dad still has two more of these in his home ... and I can't wait until he decides these need to come down too! ~clap~

You might be a home schooler if ...

I came across this as I was searching for something else today ... thought I would share for those of you that happen upon my blog and homeschool as well (the bold ones we can relate to the most around here):

You might be a home schooler if ...

Someone asks what grade you’re in and you’re not sure.
You sometimes go to school in your pajamas.
You sleep till 9:00 am on school days, but get up early on Sundays.
You own the entire series of Saxon Math books.
Your birthday is an official school holiday.
You don’t get to stay home from school when you’re sick.
Your favorite activity is reading.
You know what a unit study is.
Watching a movie means you’ll have to write a report comparing the film to the book.
You dress up as historical or literary characters for Halloween.
You exchange e-mail Valentines with your homeschool pen pals.
Your room looks like a science lab.
You can get science credit for going to the dentist.
You go to the park for P.E.
You check out at least ten books every time you visit the library.
You have ever attempted to teach yourself physics.
You get books and science kits for your birthday.
You know what Latin roots are.
Your board games all have names like Bookworm, Scrabble, S’math, Game of Knowledge, and Name The State.
Your home library is arranged in Dewey Decimal order.
Your favorite place to study is outside, under a tree.
You can quote lines from Shakespeare, but not from South Park.
You never get nervous on the first day of school.
The only bully you ever run into is your big sister.
You don’t have to remember a locker combination, just your computer password.
It takes you less than a minute to walk to school.
You don’t have to worry about forgetting anything - you can just run back to your room and get it.
Your school bus is a nine-passenger van.
There are only nine students in your class - but all of them are your brothers and sisters.
You have a 12-year-old, a 4-year-old, and a 2-year old in the same class.
You can get extra credit for cleaning your room.
You live in a one-house schoolroom.
Your walls are covered with maps and timelines.
You know what math manipulatives are.
You have mold growing in your fridge ... on purpose.
Your preschooler can name all the planets, but doesn’t know who the Rugrats are.
You’ve mastered the fine art of vacuuming a floor without sucking up a Lego or K’nex piece.
You’re either an expert at doing the Lego dance - Ouch! Yeow! - or else you’ve resorted to wearing shoes around the house.
You know the recipes for homemade versions of Play-doh, finger paint, and paste.
Your students have to clear the breakfast bowls off the table before sitting down to do their school work.
Your house is messy, but your kids are happy.
You know that reverse psychology really works.
Your kids publish their own family newsletter.
You shop for birthday presents at educational stores.
All you want for Christmas is a Barnes & Noble gift certificate.
You’d rather buy books than clothes.
Your friends don’t want to help you move because you have so many books.
You turn a trip to the grocery store into a learning experience.
You get nervous about what people will say when you take your kids to Wal-Mart in the middle of the day (not anymore)!!
You have a standard one-minute speech to give to store clerks, mother-in-laws, and school officials about why you homeschool.
You are sick and tired of answering the question, “But what about socialization?”
For your wedding anniversary, you decide to splurge and get a photocopier.
Talking out loud to yourself is the same as having a parent/teacher conference.
When you see a parking lot full of mini vans, you wonder if there’s a homeschooling conference.
You take your family vacation in September, when the beaches and theme parks are empty.
You take a suitcase full of books along on your family vacation.
You can never find your kitchen utensils because they’re out in the sandbox.
Your kitchen doubles as a science lab.
You are on a first name basis with your local librarian and bookstore owner.
The UPS driver delivers a box of Scholastic books to your doorstep once a month.
You’re willing to drop what you’re doing at a moment’s notice to go look something up in a dictionary or encyclopedia.
You have ever vented for more than five minutes on the evils of standardized testing.
You don’t get fired for teaching your students about God.
Some days you learn as much as your students.
The more your kids learn, the less you seem to know.

New year, New ventures

Seeing how we desperately need to generate more income, and the fact that I don't want to clutter this blog with affiliate ads, I have decided to try something else. I have started a new blog called "Searching for Deals". I figured I could combine my new love for blogs with some of the affiliate programs I am already a member for with my Testament Tweens site, plus some new ones, and try to generate a small income off that commission traffic. Like, I say, "you never know until you try." Maybe it will work for me, maybe not? Either way, it gives me something else to busy my day and night ... since I simply do not have enough going on with 4 kids running around all day! : )

Also, my kids have received most of their curriculum for their new school venture this semester. Now that we've determined that they will only have to start at the 2nd semester, not at the beginning of the year as we initially thought, we have decided to go through with it and see how it goes. After all, once again, "you never know until you try." For those of you that homeschool and are looking for a way to do so FREE and without much planning on your part this is a great alternative! Although I do love putting together their curriculum, as they get older I'm afraid I may be "cutting them short" as far as my own knowledge is concerned. Not that I'm a dummy by any means, I simply know things have changed a bit since I graduated 16 years ago ... and I want them to excel in their own knowledge and wisdom. So, as of today, they are actually excited about getting started. We've received the free computer for using with the program, plus boxes and boxes of curriculum. Textbooks, workbooks, novels, CD's of Classical music, audio books, modeling clay, tempera paint, paintbrushes, potting soil, microscope, tag board, goggles, sand, oil pastels, teacher guides ... the list goes on and on ... and we still have two more shipments coming! It's the perfect way for us to continue to homeschool our children, without the expense of good curriculum! In fact, I just spent $15 on a science book for my daughter on eBay (and waited a month for it to be shipped) before we got approved for this program! I love knowing our homeschool budget will be reduced my at least 75% (we still need things like paper, binders, etc ... although we get most of that stuff from my mother-in-law).

Wow ... after writing this I realize that we are, at least, starting the year off well with our finances. I am attempting to generate more through affiliate links (the most I can do at this point), our homeschool budget has reduced, and my husband is supposed to be getting a raise effective on his next check (although no one will tell us yet how much ... so, don't forget, we may have to add "find hubby a new job" to our goal list depending on the amount)!

Christmas ... and a bit about us

Figured I should share a bit about us as a family! I know I mentioned having 4 kids ... but here are some "details" to that fact. We do have 4 kids, 3 daughters and one lonely son! We homeschool, so that means I am with my kids pretty much 24/7! Our daughters are 2, 4 and 12 years old ... and all three try to run the house! I have to remind them that even though they are little "princesses" ... Mom is still the QUEEN!! My son is 10 years old ... and I really couldn't ask for a better son. He's not one of those "bouncing off the wall" boys, which I am SO GLAD of!! Of course, he's not perfect, but he's close enough for me ... and, did I mention, he's a total "Momma's Boy"! : )

My husband and I have been married for 13 1/2 years ... been together for 16 1/2 years. We met when I was 16 and he was 15 years old. Yes, we are in that 2% of high school sweethearts that actually get married ... and stay married for that matter! Not to say we haven't had some rough times ... we were separated for a while ... but God has restored our marriage and we are more in love than ever! You can read my husband's "pointless" blog (his words, not mine) here! ;)

Our main focus in life in Christ! We are a Christian family with strong moral values. We believe in giving God the glory for all that we have, accomplish and will do now and in the future. He is our reason for everything! Which brings me to the current "reason for the season": Christmas!

Christmas is particularly hard for us ... because we have no savings (it's almost impossible to save even a few bucks here and there through the year without needing it for an emergency sooner than Christmas), no credit cards, and, of course, no cash on hand! So, this year, just like last year, our kids Christmas gifts will be provided by a local church (we actually attended the church until for over 5 years until October of this year when we decided it was time to change ... long story). We have been able to purchase one or two small gifts for each of our kids (through money obtained by selling on CL) ... and the rest of our kids presents will be delivered Christmas morning by Santa and his elves driving a U-haul truck! Last year my husband and I were completely overcome with emotion (times were much harder than this year) ... and I'm sure it will be the same emotion filled reception this year. That Santa and his elves have such BIG hearts! It's awesome!

Well, I guess I've gone on enough for now. Simply wanted to share a bit more before I got into my resource list that I will try to get posted tomorrow (if not sooner).