THANKFUL 4....

What am I thankful for? I will just post four things, hence my catchy title(those can be addicting, although I refuse to sit for too long thinking them up) so here goes.
1. Gods steadfastness, I was going to say his never changey ness but I am sure that is not a word although at 2am I may argue the point. anyway I think you get the idea. I am just really grateful for the fact that while things in my life may be a whirlwind or dry with no wind or things I can not fully understand are going on around me He is never changing and always constant.
2. great sisters (my real ones and my sisters in christ)
3. having friends around and my best friends , my hubby and girls
4. the internets ability to search and find things you thought would never turn up again like the recipe I threw away a few years ago and have been craving every year since on holidays just like this one. (don't underestimate the power of a tradition or of making something only once or twice a year, funny how we come to expect and depend on those special little moments, they can mean a lot)
Okay that is my meaningful list and now for my other list
4 more.....
1. mountain dew
2. coffee
3. chai tea
4. throw blankets

ON the Road to the REVOLVE tour

On the road! Going to see revolve tour with a bunch of girls in a van,fun times man,fun times!

Rebekah enjoying one of the concerts or speakers (i think that is Chad E. telling all about what guys think about girls-ooo unlocking the male brain for the teenage girl) at the teen girls conference we went to the past weekend. A whole day of amazing music and teaching and skits. It was really fun for the girls and REALLY LOUD for the adults! So cool to sit in that stadium with sooo many girls and women worshipping our amazing creator who loves us each so much!!

Election Lap Books

These are the lapbooks the girls made in the class they took about the Presidential Election Process. Each little book is filled with a written description of the different aspects of it. Every week for the last couple months they have been making and filling the little books with information and yesterday they glued them all down to make this fold out book. I think they liked it, the cutting and stuff kept them engaged when they weren't so enthused and were complaining about the info part. I know it sunk in more than they know as I heard them pretending to teach a class on this with their books in hand. I really like seeing them act out what is being put in. I heard a quote once about if you can teach something to someone else then you have truly learned it. I see that happening, when they don't even realize it.

CREATIVE LEARNING

R and G putting together their lapbooks in their co-op class.

I just love this pic, my beautiful girl, and the colorful pens just love it.

busily working on her lapbook cover while experimenting with watercolor pencils.

The colors on the edge of this paint cup just scream creativity to me, they excite me, inspire me. pretty pretty...

Just thought I would post some pics I took this week. I have been drawing and playing with my crafty stuff so much more since being without a car during the day. I love having these extra minutes to do this.

A Week In The Life

I just made a fresh pot of coffee, even though I have already had two cups(my limit). It's one of those days.
I thought it may help me wash the wonderful sink full of dirty dishes. (what qualifies it as wonderful you may ask? the fact that they are there because my hubby made dinner last night so I didn't have to)
Friday I volunteered at the CK scrapbook convention, that was so fun.
Saturday, Dan went to city church for a training session and the girls and I went to the womens luncheon at church. I did sound for them. whew that was new and challenging without dan there. It was beautiful and they had some yummy soup and cute crafts to make.
Yesterday we had our Financial Peace class (that is going really well,some awesome tips on investing and insurance that came at just the right time as we have to fill out that paperwork for Dans new job)at 830 am then church, which Dan shared a testimony about the way God used the time that he was unemployed. It was awesome! We then went to a 40th birthday for a friend. WOW! Everyone there shared with the birthday girl how they have been blessed by her or how God has used her in their lives. It was beautiful. We came home and I did the bills/budget while Dan cooked and we started a movie with the girls. I was so wiped out I went to bed at 830.
For the rest of the week I will be doing school with the girls. Today I have already checked email, washed and dried laundry, made hubbys lunch, woken the girls up twice, and eaten breakfast.Tonight we have our small group which I need to make some soup for.
On Tuesday ,Rebekah will get her cast off and both the girls have well-child checkups.
Wed. they will be at off campus and I will be scrapping with my sis and friends then they have missionettes in the evening.
Thurs. we will be at the co-op the girls attend for an art class and lapbooking election process class. Beka and Dan will have youth group that evening.
Friday I will be getting ready for B and I to go to the Revolve tour. A teen girls conference we are going to with her jr hi girls small group for 2 days.
Meanwhile I am trying to get some organizing done, a little at a time. Things seem to have exploded around here. I feeling claustrophobic at all the clutter everywhere
How does it all get so out of control so quickly? Take my advice, if you have a major event(like a broken body part in the family) dont let it get you out of your routines that are working. Getting back into them is sooo hard. I guess the 21 days to make a new habit works for bad as well as good!! I think I will learn from my organized sisters and go make a todo list.

A couple weeks of past things

Grape juice made and waiting to be made.

new view from front porch

canned applesauce and pie filling( the girls were a big help peeling and chopping apples. I think I would have given up if not for their help. next time I will not pick soooo many!

Glory(a tourist), Mariah and Rebekah(kitty cats) at the harvest party.

Beka and Chloe(mariahs sister) aren't they cute? Rebekah decided at the last minute to make those cat ears out of cardstock and a headband. They turned out pretty cute!
These are a few pics from the last couple weeks. Canning, and the harvest party. Just wanted to update you all. Congrats to my sister Dani and her family who on Oct. 31st had a baby girl, Abigail Marie. She is just as sweet as all that candy the girls got from playing the games at our church's harvest party.

And last but not least, after much praying and waiting and obedience to the Lord. ...........

DAN GOT A JOB!!!!

He is working for a company that does estimating and construction management for the government. It is such a good match for him! He loves it and is excited that God provided the means for him to learn the things he wanted for the next phase of his career goals. The benefits it provides for our family are more than we could ask for and I am sooooo glad that he will get to take a real paid vacation!! He deserves it!!

!!!Let's Celebrate!!!

Yippee Yahoo.... I found my cord to my camera that I have been missing for months! To celebrate I posted a pic of the view from our new front porch. We are living on our church property for a while. They have so kindly agreed to help us out by letting us stay here as we get out of debt!! What a blessing for them to be able to help out families in this way. We are so excited!! We are taking a class at the church called Financial Peace University. It is from Dave Ramsey and we are learning sooo much. It is the perfect timing for us while we are trying to do this. He is very motivating. Constantly opening our eyes to new ways to see things and giving us such good info on planning and investing. I would recommend this budget boot camp to anyone. It will challenge and stretch you but it is oh so worth it! I look forward to not being controlled by my credit companies anymore!!woohoo!