Giveaway

I’ve been reading this lady’s blog for a couple of months. She’s the one that I said I saw at the homeschool convention but didn’t want to look like an idiot and say Hello and it not be her…ughh…

Anyway, her life is sometimes just like mine as she has three boys and two girls and lots of adventures as they’re all under 5.

She’s giving away a book called What’s Submission God to Do with It? by Cindy Easley and a really cool t-shirt that says “My husband rocks” or “My wife rocks.” So, if you want to know more about this submission thing, ladies, or want a free t-shirt hop on over to her blog!

We are trudging through swim lessons this week and next so be patient as I try to get posts up!

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Last Week

Here’s a recap:

Monday: Three children had dentist appointments and they were all great. At the dentist that is. When we hit two stores…they were a little wild…the Potty Incident was that day. We still managed a celebration of their achievements in memorizing Scripture.

Tuesday: Josiah is almost two and that means, it’s time for another fun game of Battle of Wills. He decided to try and exert his will to not pick up the crayons he threw on the floor. However, after a seven hour standoff where there was discipline and lots of sitting on the floor by the crayons, they were picked up.

I managed to get a swim skirt made for Zoe and a cute lazy day skirt. Pictures to come.

Wednesday: Mark and I had our anniversary this day. Before the anniversary date, however, the following ensued: I was watching a friend’s 13 month old and trying to get Ceili Rain down, the house picked up and Josiah’s diaper fresh (he was on an antibiotic that…let’s just day, didn’t agree with his stomach). Liam found some push pins I had forgotten to put up. Zoe came to the closet as I was putting up clothes and showed me the empty pushpin cushion. I asked her what Liam had done with them (no need to ask which child). She informed me that he had put them in his lambies. Not one but both of the lambies. At the time, I was steamed, but too mad to yell (that and I had time to pray for a calm spirit as I walked from my closet to the playroom. I got Ace to make sure the 13 month old didn’t come down stairs while I sat at my desk and plucked each pin out of the lambs with Liam standing by me while I talked.

Mark remarked later on the date that there was probably two little lambs somewhere bent over in pain from pokes. Thus, ends our experiment in the ancient art of voodoo. See, school’s not over…we just continue on and on and on.

Thursday: By this day, I was pretty tired but refreshed because of a great date night. We were able to go out on Wednesday night and leave Ceili Rain. We took a date night break to come back and feed her before heading out for the rest of the date. Mark even suffered through shopping with me (something my dad has spoiled me on). Anyway, back to this day…I started feeling a little throbbing in my ear on Wednesday night and by today it got worse.

Friday: The pain was even worse and had moved to the other ear. However, I also had a doctor’s check up scheduled. Went in…got drugs…went home and started with a high fever throughout the night into Saturday. Mark was pooped by Sunday. He’s been daddy and mommy all weekend. No fun, especially when it’s a holiday weekend and he had four days off.

Oh, I also got a new roof! Ahhh yeah! It was raised and laid back down in a nice Autumn Brown color. A little bright but it looks good. I think it’s so drastic because our previous roof had been weathered down. We had hail damage to our roof from last May and this past April, so the roof…was FREE! Yippee! Pictures to come.

See, you all want to be a part of my life! It’s never boring!!!

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Liam and Puggles

This year Liam got to be a part of a new Awana program called Puggles. He had very few rough spots but for the most part his teachers adored him (okay, so one of the teachers was my best friend…but believe me she showed no partiality to him…he actually had it worse off than the others because she could discipline him more strictly). He loves talking about God’s Word more and more every day. After one of his crazy stunts (and believe me, I’ve got a couple to share), Mark always tells me he can’t wait to see what God is going to do with Liam.

Um, and yeah, he was about the only one without his Puggles shirt on. I looked all over (the day of) for the shirt but couldn’t find it. Which is okay since it’s a little small on him and his tummy would’ve been sticking out. And the camo…not a battle I wanted to fight since it was more about my vanity than his comfort.

Liam Singing in Puggles from Abbie Character on Vimeo.

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FYI

A few months ago we had a problem with a horrible comment someone left on a video of one of my children on YouTube. It shook me up pretty bad and Mark almost broke the computer. He was very angry. I’m putting that mildly.

So, I’ve swapped from YouTube for my videos and am now using Vimeo. I have passwords on the videos, so if you would like to view them, please email me and I can give you the password if I like know you.

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Zoe’s Awana

Our children start to memorize verses when they turn about two, or when they can put together 4 to 5 words for a sentence. We don’t militarize and force them to memorize them. We just ask them to repeat after us as we say the verses. We do this at mealtimes and since I stay home with the kids that’s three times a day they hear and repeat the verses. Since Zoe is reading now, we still go over the verses with her like, but towards the end of this school year, she hasn’t need that much of our help. We love Awana because what we teach the kids at home is reinforced through the Scriptures and Bible time they have there. And they don’t just memorize a verse one year and move on to more…it’s repeated throughout their years in Awana.

All that to say, we are very, very, proud of Miss Zoe and her determination to glorify God through Awana. This was her first year in Sparks. She not only worked through her first book and completed all the sections, she went back and reviewed those sections and then memorized and worked through another set of sections in an extra credit book! Because of her dedication to memorizing and knowing God’s word, she was given a merit award as well as a Book One award. She also was asked to say the Sparks Key Verse for everyone at the Awards time last Sunday!

Since Zoe accepted Christ as her Savior, we see her growing more in Christ everyday. We know everyday that she is a blessing and sweet gift from God.


Zoe’s friend, Laura, as Mark was making faces at her!

Zoe and Awana Awards Night from Abbie Character on Vimeo.

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I love you, Sweetheart

Just wanted to let everyone know that 9 years ago I married the most beautiful and amazing woman on the planet.

Thank you so much, Abbie, for loving me over these years. Each day I find more things to love and cherish about you.

I love you!

From Abbie: I love you more each day, Mark. You make me laugh, smile, and are always a shoulder of support for me…especially during battles of wills with toddlers! Thank you for putting up with my moods and crazy whims. You are a blessing and the best husband in the world.

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We don’t have to take our clothes off to go potty

I’m trying to see how long a title can be in blogger…not bad so far.

Yesterday, we hit the ground running with dentists appointments for the 2 and over crowd (that’s Zoe, Ace, and Liam if you’re not sure who’s three). They had great check ups, great teeth, and all that. They even told the dental hygenist that they were homeschooled instead of saying they didn’t go to school which is their general response when someone asks them where they go to school! They’re learning.

We then hit an office store since I needed whiteboard cleaner and an eraser. Ya know, since school is almost over and I’ve been using paper towels on the board. I’m a little behind on my school supplies. We made it to check out and the announcement came, “I need to go potty Mommy.” This time it was from Liam.

So we asked where the restroom was and headed in that direction…stopping and looking at other things that they all got interested in. Since I had my items to purchase, the diaper bag (aka a purse) and four others, I sent Ace in with Liam. Five minutes pass and Ace saunters out of the bathroom announcing that he had to go potty too. I told him that was great but where was his brother?

“Using the potty.”

“Okay, why aren’t you in there with him in case he needs help.”

“Oh.”

Five more minutes pass.

I decide to take a peek in the bathroom (there was no one else in there…they had one of those automatic light things and it came on when the boys went in and no one else went in while we were standing there) and I noticed shoes, socks, and no Liam.

In my most calm and controlled voice I called his name. He appeared in the stall doorway in nothing but his shirt.

Again, in my so calm and controlled voice (cuz I’m just that good of a mother) I told him to get dressed. I asked him (calmly, I might add) why he had taken his clothes off.

So you’d have something to blog about mother. I don’t know” was his reply.

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