Fun, fun, and more fun.

We are trying really hard to relax and enjoy the holidays. No crossgaurd, no school, and best of all no schedules! Relaxing is not easy for me. Sure, I can sit down in front of the TV and watch a movie. The problem is the entire time I am thinking about all the things I should be doing. Usually, if I sit down to watch TV I do my "to do" list or the bills. But this week is different. We have been playing games, play-doh, riding scooters, shopping, going to the movies and what ever else comes up. My whole family has had a great time just being together. Last night we went to see Beverly Hills Chihuahua with the Monday's. It is a really CUTE movie. I don't know whats on the agenda for today. That's whats nice about this week...NO AGENDA!

Christmas morning.

This was our best Christmas yet. Everyone was happy and healthy. With five kids yelling, laughing, tearing paper, and playing with new toys the excitement was electric.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas Season. We are so blessed and thankful. We spent Christmas Eve at home. My parents and sister came over for dinner. We all watched Fred Claus and enjoyed being together. Later we settled in for our family tradition's. Everyone put on their new Christmas pajamas, we made sugar cookies for Santa, and snuggled up in bed to listen to "Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Zion in his new P.J.s.

Here he is all snuggled up and ready to hear the story.

Grace still loves to look at the pictures in our family Christmas book. They have always fascinated her.

STAMPEDE!!

Yep, you guessed it. We spent the evening at the Dixie Stampede. We had a great time. The show was really nice. It actually snowed inside the arena several times during the show. We went with my Mom, Dad, and sister, the Klouda's, and the Monday's. I think I like the regular season show a little better. But it was nice way to keep bringing in the Christmas spirit. Good food, family, friends, and a show, what more could you ask for?

Grace, my dancer.

Christmas Performance at the Dancer's Studio.

Zion turns 4!!!!

My boy turned four!!! Of all the places he could have chosen, Chucky-e-Cheese was the pick of the day. So the giant rat was the birthday theme.

Getting into the Christmas spirit.

We spent the afternoon doing "Christmasy" things. First we went to the Civic Coliseum to see the Nativity Pageant. We go EVERY year and always enjoy it. It is never anything spectacular, but I love the simplicity of the pageant. It brings me back down off of the "holiday high" and reminds me the real reason of Christmas.

Then we headed to the Church Street United Methodist Church for the walk through Bethlehem. It was our 7th or 8th year to attend and we love more each year. There were less animals this year. But we went later in the day and there was no crowd. So everyone got to take their time and enjoy the walk. Here are a few pictures....

Here is a picture of the church. It is an absolutely beautiful church. They will let you take a tour and tell you about its history if you go on Bethlehem Sunday. I highly recommend taking advantage of the opportunity.

Grace seems to be growing by the minute. She didn't want to participate in all the child friendly activities today. It seems bitter sweet to watch her changing into a young lady. I love seeing the woman she is becoming but I miss the child in her.

Aaron enjoyed the animals. And yes I know he needs a haircut.

The little guys love Elijah. He totally embraces the big brother role in his life. I pray that he can be a GOOD role model for them. They definitely look up to him.

I think she paid him to do that!!!!!

Cozy!

We spent the weekend in the Smokies. Although the weather was VERY cold outside the fireplace inside our cabin was warm and cozy. We had a really nice and relaxing few days. And the good Lord knows I really needed it. Here are a few pictures....


Grace enjoyed the cabin. She claimed the loft as her own and loved all the room she had to spread out her stuff!

Everyone took pleasure in using the pool table. Elijah loved having his dad teach him how to play. Fred spent hours playing pool with the boys. It was really good for all of them to enjoy something together.

Aaron had a great time. He loves being on the go. He especially liked the fireplace.

Isaac was pleasantly pleased with the cabin. He thought we were going to cabin like you find at a campground. Needless to say he was happy to be wrong.

Zion has a good time everywhere he goes. He especially enjoyed the hot tub.

I personally enjoyed seeing my family have a good time. We went to Dollywood to see "Babes in Toyland," went to Red Lobster for dinner, and spent hours walking the streets of Gatlinburg. It was really a wonderful weekend.

Her first "ball!"

Here are a few pictures of Grace getting reading for her first masquerade ball. The the theme of the ball was woodland creatures. She went as a fairy. I thought she was gorgeous but then again I am a little bias.

Off to the zoo, how about you?

We had such a good time at the zoo on Tuesday. There couldn't have been more than 150 people in the entire zoo. The weather was absolutely great. It was just the perfect afternoon. We went to the petting zoo for the first time in quite awhile. There was a new baby calf named Jack, short for Jack-o-lantern. And get this, he is orange!! How cool is that?

Other than that it has been a typical week. If you can call homeschool life with five kids typical.

WAHOO!!

This is what I did today. And man was it amazing!! My dad took me zip lining for my 40th birthday. We had a great time.

The rest of the bunch.

Oh, my word!!!

Is it me, or does she look way to old to be 11?!?!?

So much more than I bargained for.

Several people have been asking me to update them on the "The Love Dare" Bible study. Well, in a word...WOW! It seemed so very simple. Almost remedial. Yet in the past few days my thoughts and actions have been completely changing. I have been made so much more aware of my attitude toward my husband and my own life.

The most profound part of the study for me has been the very first page. The writer asks you NOT to follow your heart! I thought that totally goes against a woman's nature. He tells you instead to LEAD your heart. When we follow our heart we act impulsively and emotionally. When we lead our heart we are able to guide ourselves in the direction of God's will.

This has undeniably changed my way of thinking. Many of you may have always understood this concept. And in someways I have always known it to be true. I always new that following my heart lead me in so many different directions at once that I was often torn between my emotions. But realizing that I need to be leading my heart was a revolutionary idea for me. I believe it will change my life!!!

Not what you were expecting?

I was looking over some of my past posts. I was surprised at some of the things I had shared with the world. I hope no one clicked on my blog expecting a typical homeschool moms' day in review. You know... how we picked herbs from our own herb garden to make a traditional Italian dinner to enrich the Italian Renaissance unit study. I am just not that deep or that good of a woman. We did eat at Taco Bell last week. And in the true spirit of homeschooling we counted in Spanish on the same day. How is that for comprehensive?

I am soooo far from a traditional homeschool mom. I like to think it is a good thing. But some days I am not so sure. Either way it is what we do and hopefully it works. I do what I know to do. What more is there?

In case some of you have never heard of Magpies, let me be the first to tell you....It is amazing!!!! Quiet possibly the best cake of have ever eaten. I went to a party at Scrappin' in the City. My Friend Sherri served Orange Apricot Strawberry Cake from Magpies. Dear Lord, I was in heaven. The party was a huge success and loads of fun and the cake was to worth its weight in gold.

"The Love Dare"

I finally decided on a Bible Study. After toiling over two different studies for the past week I chose "The Love Dare." I plan to start it first thing in the morning. I am not sure why it took me so long to decide. I usually don't have that much difficulty making decisions. I am assuming that since I had so much indecision about which one I should do that wonderful things are going to happen. Why would the devil bring me so much confusion about a Bible study if God wasn't about to show me something amazing. Therefore, I am going into tomorrow with great anticipation. I will let you know what happens!!

Liberation!

Two field trips, Grace's birthday party, dinner with my family, dinner with my friends, my in laws came to visit, two co-ops, church, and lots of school work in just one week. And during the middle of all that I turned 40. Somehow the turning 40 thing got lost in the middle of all the activity.

I have thought alot about the fact that I was going to reach a major milestone in my life this year. I planned what I would do. Thought about how I would feel. And contemplated what it all meant. Yet the "day" came and went and nothing changed. No earth shattering events occurred. I have decided after thinking about the impending date for several weeks I need to change several things in my life. I want the next forty years to be lived with as little regrets as possible. I want to do the things that feel right to ME. I want to be true to what I know in my heart is right for me and my family. I no longer want to live my life trying to please everyone else. If I please God then nothing else really matters.

I have spent the first few days of being forty focusing on being true to myself. I struggle with wanting to be all things to all people. I need to learn to be comfortable with who I am. I must admit that letting go of my own expectations of what a "good" mom should look and act like as allowed be to be much more content. Much more at peace with who I am. So all things considered turning forty has been somewhat liberating!! I am looking forward to the next forty with great anticipation.

Can you say "reorder"?

We went to dinner at Red Lobster tonight. Man was it good. There was four of us. All of us had the endless shrimp dinner. Between all of us we had 26 reorders of shrimp!!!! That was a boat load of shrimp, literally. We had a great time. Good food and good friends made for a wonderful Friday night.

Yet another homeschool day!

We have been spending the past few weeks studying scientific classification. More specifically animal classification. This study seemed to lend itself to a zoo field trip. The weather was wonderful. The zoo was not crowed. The animals were out and about. And we had a great day. Last but not least....we just might have learned something!!!!!

My girl is growing up!

Grace turned 11 on the 16th of this month. I can not believe how fast she is growing. She is very quickly becoming an amazing young lady. I am so proud of her.

We had her birthday party at the Skating Rink on Monday Night. We had a great time. I want to say thank you for all of our friends and family who came out to share this special night with us. Your friendship and support mean the world to our family. Grace recieved some amazing gifts and I she and I are very grateful.