I have missed this!

With the poor internet connection we get in our home on John's wireless card on his laptop and due to the fact that it sits on his desk in his office (also known as our bedroom), I just haven't had the time to go browsing friends blogs...oh...not to mention the time consumed by pumping and bottle feeding for 5 weeks and then getting adjusted to nursing these past 3 weeks. But anyway...I realized that I have missed out on the encouragement to live life to a higher calling that I recieve from the women's blogs that I used to follow with the drive of one with an serious addiction. So somehow I need to find a middle ground.

Tonight with John out of town and the freedom to just sit in our bedroom on the internet without interrupting someone else's sleep...I was reminded that I need some consistent connection with others on a deeper level than I am getting now. Now living 45 minutes from those whom I was just beginning to really begin to grow deeper friendships with and trying to adjust to a new area and searching for a church...I feel like I am starting over. UGH! And now there is some uncertainty in how much longer we might be in this rental. There is some serious spiritual warfare going on for our homeowners and it could end smoothly and nothing happen to us or God could choose to move them out of state and lead them to sell this house. I almost wish we didn't know now of the uncertainty but I do believe they showed integrity and true concern for us in talking to us to let us know what is going on. I don't handle the unknown very well. And truly, moving for us is minor in comparison to what our homeowners are facing.

As I think about it I feel like God wants me to realize HE is my home. He is my refuge. I only need Him. I know this but don't act on it, rest in it like I should.

I am so thankful to have been touched in my life by these women...some who I have known and some who I just have a virtual relationship with through a blog.

I feel like I am crawling out of the neurotic newborn stage that I go through with an infant and into a place where I have to find structure in everything from sleeping to eating to cleaning to teaching to most importantly my spiritual walk. One foot in front in front of the other. Oh to rise to that higher calling. I am hearing it again. Desperate to make that foot move forward just one step.

Oakley Hope Evans

Well, my last post was two days before Oakley decided to come.

I started contracting during the early morning Saturday September 19th. I thought that they were Braxton Hicks contractions because they were so irregular and did not feel like serious contractions I had in previous pregnancies. But they started coming kind of regular about 9 minutes apart and I figured I better pack a bag and we should head to the hospital. We live an hour from where our doctor delivers now and I was going to need antibiotics because I had group b strep.

So we called Grandma and Granddad to meet us at the hospital not really sure if we were just going to register or meet Oakley soon. I seriously didn't think I was in labor. It was weird. You would think for the fifth baby that I would have had this stuff figured out. OK...I seriously understand that all pregancies are different.

We passed the kids to Grandma and Granddad and they ended up registering me because I had progressed since Wednesday when the doctor had checked me.

Oakley was born on 9/19/09 at 7:01 pm (19:01 military time) at 7 lbs 14 oz and 19 1/2 inches in length. I was really only in serious labor for the last 30 minutes. Praise God!

Baby Update

Well with 3 1/2 weeks officially left, good ole' Doc Hartman is concerned that Oakley is going to come quickly and we may not make the 1 hour drive to the hospital. He is trying to find a reason to induce during the 38th week. John will be out of town the 37th week...UGH! The kids and I will stay with my parents again like we did last weekend. I just can't do this by myself right now. And we will be closer to our hospital at my parents' house, too.

My belly measured 4 cm larger this week than last week. So the feeling that Oakley has completly taken over my body was pretty much accurate. All you mom's know the stage where there are no comfortable position left....to sleep, to sit, to stand....the belly and back just ache. Doc did an internal check as well. I am 2 cm but nothing us is happening. Not surprising because when things start happening for me it happens fast. So it is probably better that nothing is happening yet.

God has provided a crib and changing table for us through some friends who are willing to loan us thiers. John will be picking up a carseat from another friend in Starke, Florida on Tuesday. And a local pregnancy center has allowed us to borrow clothes for the baby too. What a huge blessing. Now we just need to pray for a year's supply of baby diapers. To be perfectly honest, God has been so faithful. I am so humbled by his provision for us.

I haven't finished getting settled into this house yet and have been feeling like I will never make this rental feel like our home but I am going to spend the next few days finishing up, I think....Before we head to spend Tuesday through Monday at my parents and then hopefully induce Oakely sometime during teh 38th week. It's a lot to think about with homeschooling and housekeeping. But really as long as the kids are feeling loved, fed and we are making some consistent progress with school I will feel great! WE are all soooo excited about Oakley's arrival. The anticipation is almost exhausting!!! :)

What's going on...

I have had some requests for what is going on in the life of the Evans' family. This is the fastest way I can think about doing it...blog or facebook about it.

Well on Tuesday Sept. 1st, we will be in this house for 3 weeks. How did I end up with so much stuff? We were going to get rid of stuff in the packing process but that didn't really happen. I am missing the old neighborhood and friends that we had back at the old house but truly enjoying the extra bedroom and having 2 1/2 baths here. We have the essentials unpacked but I am still working on hanging curtains and figuring out what decorations really need to go up in a rental house. It is feeling more like home though.

We just finished a great 1st week of homeschool for the 09-10 year!!!
Both the kids and I are enjoying it.

Oakley News...
I will be 34 weeks on Sunday. The doc said on Wednesday that her head is down and should stay that way. He is hopeful that I will make it until 37 weeks now that my progesterone levels have started to rise a little- first time this pregnancy!!! I will continue shots 2x a week and daily taking progesterone until 37 weeks just to make sure. John is going to be out of town the entire 37th week so I hope to make it until 38 weeks. The kids and I will stay with my parents in Kissimmee that week just in case. Even though we have moved up to the "Big City" we are staying with the same doctor in Kissimmee so that means there is about an hour drive from our house to get to the hospital. Considering that there was only about 2 hours between contractions starting and Nathaniel's delivery that could make things a little tricky. Doc is going to investigate the options of inducing me. UGH! I am not fond of induction but that is better than having Oakley in the car on the way to the hospital. LOL!

And it does look like Oakley will have a car seat and clothes to wear. You might remember I got rid of almost all our baby stuff 3 days before I found out I was pregnant. A local pregnancy center has offered for us to come pick out whatever we might need for sweet baby Oakley. Praise The LORD! I had only kept the pack and play/bassinet, baby blankets, a few memory outfits and our single and double strollers. As you can imagine I am greatly humbled and truly blessed by this offer from the pregnancy center to support us in ministry this way! I literally cry everytime I think about it.

Kid News:
The kids are enjoying the new house. Layton is especially enjoying the fact that she got to put together her dollhouse that she had received for her birthday from Mamaw, Papaw and Mom and Dad. We have met 6 kids in the neighborhood. Layton(8) is still the oldest of the kids we have met so far.
Latyon got baptized a couple of weeks ago. She had asked Jesus into her heart just before her 5th birthday. So exciting. Elijah(6) is requesting to be baptized as well but he is still grasping the reason behind baptism so it will be a little while. Cheney(4) said she prayed to ask Jesus in her heart during VBS a few weeks ago too. There is a lot of spiritual growth taking place in these sweet little ones and we are seeking to guide them in the way they should go.

Ministry News:
We are basically 3 minutes from UCF- University of Central Florida! John's heart has been drawn to minister to this area and that is the reason for our move. We are really seeking God to see how He wants to use us to reach this area for Him. John is involved with different athletic events building relationships and has already spoken at the BCM year kick-off meeting. Connections are happening in little ways but I feel like God has big plans for them. A UCF football player told John this past week he wanted to do a bible study with him. What a cool "in"!

John continues to minister to students all over the nation through 3degrees. He will be traveling 2 weeks in September. We are currently serving at a mobile church about 20 miles south of us. The pastor and his wife are helping us walk through this transition into the new ministry God has called us too...whatever that may look like we aren't quite sure at the moment. We are just seeking to be faithful to what we feel God has called us too. He will reveal the details. It is an exciting time.

I have to say it is probably the most faith-filled walk we have taken as a family thus far. This time in our country is not a time for a non-profit organization to thrive but God keeps providing for our family at just the right times. He keeps using John to change lives for eternity.

I haven't had time to post pictures or videos lately. The time it takes to get school done, cook & clean, organize the rest of the unpacking and try to rest just doesn't leave much time for anything else these days. Maybe the next time I get on the computer I can post pics of the house and video of Layton's baptism...but no promises.

13 weeks!!

That doesn't sound so far away when I think it could actually be 10 to 13 weeks.
I have to admit I am ready to be done!!

The packing is going well. ONLY because of the help of some precious brothers and sisters in the Lord!!! Only have 2 more rooms to go.

Had to buy a maternity support belt. My belly was hanging low and hurting with all this moving actvity. It helps.

I am crazy to know where we are going to live. Our house closes Friday. We take a work trip with John to N.C. and get take a few extra days for a family vacation. We haven't had a time of travel without work in quite a while. It will be nice to hang out as a family and just relax in the mountains. Then we will stay with my parents for awhile.

We have two options right now for rentals. One (the least expensive by a lot) is staying in a missionary family's home. We would have access to 3 of the 4 bedrooms. The 4th is being used to store their stuff. The master bedroom is big enough for a crib for Oakley. I guess I will have to start wearing earplugs again. Every little move a baby makes wakes me up when they are in the same room. I only keep the baby in the same room for a few nights. I think Nathaniel didn't fit in our room at all so he slept in the dining room right outside our door. This house would be the best financially since we aren't really sure what our income will be for awhile. It will be a great time of discipline for me. Tightening up our stuff and staying organized with 5 kids in our house. It has a small kitchen, eat-in space that we would use for school, a dining room and family room. We are waiting to hear from the family. We were sad to hear they were considering someone else as well.

The other option is much closer to UCF and much larger but almost twice the rent but still a great ministry rate for the size and area it is located in. It has 4 bedrooms which would allow for Oakley to be across the hall from us and the girls and the boys to each have shared rooms. It has an amazing kitchen with all stainless appliances and island open to the family room with an eat-in area. Then a formal dining room and living room that would probably be used for John's office.

Both of these homes should be available sometime the first week We'll see what God has. Could be something totally different.

Quick snippets

Praise the Lord!!! John's back home after having been out of town 3 out of the last 4 weeks. Out 2, home 1 and then out 1. Approximately 70 kids (that we know about) in New Mexico decided to trust their hearts to Jesus for the first time at the camps this past month. Praise God!

We are having a girl...most of you probably know this from facebook. Oakley Hope Evans. Cheney turned 4 on June 3rd. Layton turns 8 on July 3rd. John is voting we induce Oakley on October 3rd. I am not fond of induction maybe God will bring her naturally then. The boys both have birthdays on the 13ths. Weird, I know.

The kids and I all had a case of the summer flu this past week..all except Cheney. Somehow she has missed it so far. Hopefully it is skipping her. John asked the kids today what we did all week while he was gone. Their answer, "watch movies, eat and sleep." Seriously...that is what our week entailed. Sad, I know but we were all just sooo tired. Praise God, we have moved through the fever stage and are left coughing and hacking up stuff now.

Prayer concern---only that God would take care of all the details about our house....His will not ours!!!! A snag in the buyer's lender situation so we are still waiting to here if our close is a definite go. That means we haven't rented anything up in East Orlando yet. Only 19 days until close if it is going to happen. I haven't packed a box yet. But this next week I am at least going to starting going through and getting rid of junk we don't need. I suppose like I did in February and got rid of all the baby stuff at our yard sale 3 days before I found out I was pregnant. LOL! God provides. God is in control of all this. I am not going to stress.

PTL...Oakley is doing extremely well. Everything looks healthy for her. I am dealing with the normal aches and pains of a 5th pregnancy at age 37. A few minor issues with me...Going to have my gal bladder checked Tuesday because of some pain there. I also have a recurring urinary tract infection. Going to finish out my pregnancy on an antibiotic. Nothing serious really. The kids are enjoying rubbing the baby belly and talking to Oakley. I wonder how Nathaniel is processing it all at 18 monhts. We point to my belly and he says "belly" and "baby." He is probably thinking that mom of mine is crazy...that is not a baby. Who is she kidding, I know what a baby is?

Well Cheney just came down stairs to go potty. Guess I am not the only one who couldn't sleep at 2 a.m. in our house tonight.
Well...I spoke too soon. Cheney has her fever now. 101.8. So another 3 days of fever if it goes like the other kids. She is sooo sweet with her cool cloth on her head going back to sleep on the couch. All my kids have really done so well with this week. I am praising God I skipped the fever with this one since I am pregnant.

Quick update

Well, dropped John off last Saturday (in May) at the airport and we are now over halfway through with his trip. He is in New Mexico doing two weeks of camp. I am very thankful that we now have fewer days to go than we have covered.

I have been pretty weepy, those stinking pregnancy hormones. I have had to go back to shots twice a week along with taking progesterone daily. It's not that big of a deal, really. I don't really mind shots. But it is a bit tedious going in to get them twice a week with all four ducks in a row. Everyone in the office knows us. We are there so often. The next two weeks we will be there 3 times each week. This week because of Cheney's 4 year well check. She turned four last Wednesday. And the week after that will include a sonogram. Hopefully to determine whether we can start calling the baby, Oakley Joy or Isaac Justice.

Not much going on around here besides eating, sleeping and playing. We clean when we can't stand it anymore,ha,ha! The kids are such a big help though. It is such a blessing!

I got to talk to John on the phone a couple times each day, Friday, Saturday and Sunday when he got a chance to get into town. There isn't any cell service out there at camp. We did figure out we could chat via facebook if we planned it. John hasn't set up Skype on his computer yet. I should have thought about fixing it for him before he left but just didn't. There is only wi-fi in the cafeteria. It would be kind of funny to be video chatting with him and 300 of his closest friends. LOL!

I haven't stopped to upload some of the pictures from Cheney's birthday. We went to the BK lounge for lunch and play in their indoor playground and then the kids dressed up to go see the movie UP. Layton went as an old fashioned nurse with red striped dress and white hat with red cross on it. Elijah went as a pirate and Cheny wore her Cinderella dress with birthday candle laiden head band we got at dollar tree. I just went as a pregnant lady. Not much of stretch, huh?
It's fun when you have multiple siblings you have a party without even inviting anyone. Though we are going to plan some kind of gathering at the lakefront (I think the week John is home) Cheney wants to have cupcakes with some friends and play at the splash pad.

Awesomeness!!

I have to admit that I have been a bit weepy these past couple of days. Combination of not enough sleep, being 21 weeks pregnant and John is in New Mexico for 2 weeks. While I was praying with John on the phone that God would use him while he preached at a church in Roswell this morning, God gave me a picture of one day in heaven meeting the people that came to know the Lord when they heard John speak and I stayed home with the kids. It was the inspiration I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself this morning. Well, in God's amazing AWESOMENESS, a gal who had never been to church before came forward today after the sermon and prayed to receive Christ. I look forward to meeting her in heaven one day!!!

We had a great morning at church this morning, ourselves!!!! We are attending GO Church. We have entered into an amazing mentoring relationship with the pastor and his wife. They are mentoring us for the next phase of the call God has on our lives.

Most of you may not know, if anyone actually reads this thing anymore...
We are set to close our house on July 8th. We are looking to rent in East Orlando near UCF! About 6 weeks ago, God revealed a new call on John's and our family's lives. We are going to plant a church on the campus of the University of Central Florida. We have no funds for such a venture yet but have secured a building on campus for us to start meeting in January. God will bring the funds. We had our first meeting to share with about 30 folks this last week. God is at work.

There is so much unknown that I try not to think too far ahead. Like not past tomorrow, ha, ha! We are looking for a house to rent. I need to start packing. I need to continue homeschooling. I need to find structure in all this craziness to continue homeschooling until the baby comes in October so we can take some time off after the baby. And did I mention John is out of town 20 days before July 8th...our closing date. Does anyone hear me hyperventilating?

There is much to be learned in this time. God is in control and has much in store for us. Not all easy...I know. You can pray for us. Orlando is considered a church graveyard. 94% of church plants fail here. We face an interesting task starting a family church on the college campus. Of course, there will be a strong emphasis on college students, but we feel strongly that this church will include all generations. Everyone will need to be pouring into those who come after them. There are more children in the zip code where we will be planting than any zip code in Florida. UCF is the 6th largest university in the nation. The building where we will meet is across from the new amazing basketball arena. We hope to be on campus this fall serving all those on campus: faculty, staff, students, and alumni. The goal is to be meeting on Sundays starting in January!

If you want to join the renaissance at UCF, let me know!!!

Not sure how to feel

I am not quite sure how to feel right now. I have been out of town with John at an AMAZING church planter's conference since Friday. We are learning soooo much. It is a huge blessing to be able to be here. It was truly an act of God to get my children taken care of for 7 days with 48 hours notice. Some superstar gals came together to take turns watching them over this week.

I miss my kids. I have called 3 times. But only Layton will come to the phone and talk to me. I know they are having a blast! They totally love the families that are caring for them this week. But I know Cheney has voiced a few times that she misses me but she won't come talk to me on the phone. Elijah doesn't want to have anything to do with coming to the phone either. It makes me kind of sad!!!
So either I have done such a great job getting them cared for while I am out of town that they don't need me or they just don't miss me...Aww!

Sonogram...

So last Tuesday we were blessed with a sonogram from FBC/K's pregnancy center. I have been thankful to hear the heartbeat at my appointments but anxiously awaiting to see our sweet little number 5. I was 17 weeks along. The baby measured perfectly for my due date, October 11th. The placenta is not in the way of the cervix (an issue I had last time until one week before Nathaniel was born). We saw the heart beating, the cute little toes and fingers. It looks like it is going to have my ears like Nathaniel. (They poke out pretty badly...hee,hee!) We saw the spine and all the important parts look healthy...PRAISE THE LORD! But that one part that people usually want to see...to determine male or female...well...our baby is very modest. Kept his or her feet up there in the way so we couldn't determine if it is Oakley Joy or Isaac Justice. So I guess we will have to wait until sometime in June for that when I get my sonogram from the doctor.

Oh Cheney!

This morning as we were making scrambled eggs, Cheney said, " I'll crack all the eggs. I am a genius." She doesn't seem to have any self-confidence issues. A few moments later, she said, " Mommy, you're a genius." I think this was because she was excited that I was making canned cinnamon rolls but what a way to start the morning. I'll take it. I figure I should document this moment so that when she is older and questioning my advice, I can remind her that once upon a time she truly thought I was a genious.

Update

Well, I will be 16 weeks pregnant on Sunday. Cheney calls it "prednick." It is soooo cute!

Our house is still for sale but I think we are settled on the fact that we are not in a rush.
God has settled our hearts in St. Cloud. Crazy, because I never thought John would feel settled here. God has now set John's heart on fire for St. Cloud. Only God could do that.

He is gone this weekend, will be home Sunday night and then will be out again on Monday to be home Wednesday. I am pacing myself. I am not used to his traveling again. It has been such a long time and well, Nathaniel adds a lot of work to this crew. He is saying a few more words. But mostly when he wants something he just says really loud, "Momma, Momma, Momma, Momma" until I figure out what it is. AAAGGGHHH!!!

Elijah had to return a duplicate gift her received for his birthday to Walmart. We did that today. He was so grown up about it. He wanted to hand the item to the clerk at customer service and explain why he was returning it. He wanted to carry the gift card with the returned monetary amount on it around the store the whole time. Walmart was out of any lego kits that fit into his price range so he looked around and found a 5 dollar light saber to go with his much more flashy and complicated light saber that he got from MaMaw on his birthday. Which has proven to be his favorite birthday present this year. He wanted to have a second light saber so he could play with someone with his light saber. It was so precious today he shared both light sabers out in the yard with his siblings and the neighbors. I was so proud of him. He didn't keep the much nicer light saber to himself. He shared both of them equally. What a sweet boy!

I have got to get around to taking pics of the kids. I just have a hard time chasing Nathaniel these days and taking pictures. Hee, hee! One day I know he is going to be a little frustrated that there are fewer pics of him than his older siblings. This fifth child will be lucky to even be caught on camera.

"I think I'm gonna throw up,
I think I'm gonna throw up,
I think I'm gonna throw up my hands and praise the Lord!"

Yes, that is a real verse from a real song. John has even sung it at camps and Layton's children's choir sang it at church last Wednesday. We used to laugh hysterically when John would throw that verse out at some random time. But yesterday, during dinner, Layton just rolled her eyes and said, "That's not funny, Dad."

Since Layton, Elijah, Cheney and I spent the hours between 11 pm and 6 am on Sunday night taking turns throwing up every 30 minutes the song had new meaning to say the least.

All we did yesterday was watch movies, sip on liquids and sleep. We watched 3 classic disney movies I had recorded over the weekend. Thank goodness for the DVR.

Today they are back to their old selves pretty much. Layton has a slight fever but they are all eating and arguing with each other and playing. Praise God.

Guess we need to start school.

Another reason I love Homeschooling!!!

Ok...today we were tired of reading and math worksheets so the kids started the day out by swinging outside while still wearing their pj's. I am sure anyone driving by might have thought, "Aww, those poor little homeschooled kids." But when they came in we juiced oranges and made fresh veggie soup. And through it all we completed some science, social studies, Bible, math and phonics. We counted the oranges by 1's, 2's, 5's and 10's. We cut them all in half...so Layton and I reviewed her phonics rule about when making a word that ends in f plural you have to change the f to a v and add -es. She also figured out that since we had 20 oranges and we cut them all into halves, we had 40 peices of oranges. She quickly said 20, 40. Woohoo!

We talked about the parts of an orange- a seed is called a pip, the white stuff in there is called the pith and there is also pulp in the juice when you juice it. An orange is covered in peeling. I also discovered and orange is considered a berry. I didn't find out exactly why but I did think it interesting. I just made a worksheet for her to do tomorrow which will include fill-in-the-blanks using various facts we learned and will also include changing 5 singular (orange) words into their plural form and putting the parts of the orange into ABC order. The 4 we talked about all start with p so she has to look at the 2nd and 3rd letter in some of them. We threw in a little social studies by talking about how oranges are an important crop to Florida and the orange blossom is the state flower. We talked about how we can use the orange: fragrance, orange oil- a cleaner, vitamin C, juice, and eating it of course. Did you know that gardeners can use orange peeling to help keep slugs away? Layton does. We even threw a little Bible in there. We took 4 oranges and I poked holes in them in the designs requested by the kids and then they poked cloves in them. Smells so good in my dining room...oh, yeah, Bible...2 Corinthians 2:15 "For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." Being of His aroma means we act like Him, love like Him, recognized as Christians as easily as an orange is recognized by its fragrance.

Layton then chopped all the veggies I needed for my Weight Watchers Cabbage soup recipe. While she did this, we discussed fractions- wholes, halves, fourths, eighths and how 1/2 = 2/4= 4/8. The equal fractions thing was a little over her head but she was introduced to it.

So every now and then I really enjoy "a fly by the seat of my pants and think of it as we go" kind of day. And I sure do love the internet...facts about oranges in an instant.

Haven't felt like blogging much lately. Busy, busy, busy!
I have revamped our school schedule...
Ideally this is how it should go...
Breakfast, clean up dishes and floor under dining room table.
Get dressed, make beds.
Have group devotional (mom and kids), calendar time, Review 21 rules of this home, and memory verse.
Then Reading time...about 45 minutes with Layton while Elijah and Cheney play upstairs with Nathaniel playing in the crib. Then about 25 minutes with Elijah while Layton and Cheney play on the front porch and Nathaniel falls asleep for his morning nap. Then about 15 minutes with Cheney while the E and L play. For me, It is really hard teaching both Elijah and Layton to read with distractions. They need this one on one undisturbed time.
Then snack time while they listen to books online. Old classics. They love it.
Math time with each...alternating each of them again while Nathaniel naps. Trying to alternate the activities with the others with things like playdough, water colors...not sure what else yet. Hopefully some kind of on-going craft they can do. Can't wait until they get a little older and can do the lapbook stuff!!!
Then Lunch.
Playtime outside. about 45 minutes.
Naptime for Nathaniel and Cheney. At least 30 minutes quiet rest time for EVERYONE... especially MOMMA! Then have Layton read aloud and finish up any Vocab and spelling work.
Then we are supposed to do some kind of Unit study where we do our Konos unit. We will be starting our Animal and Plant classification stuff soon. They are excited. I purchased kits for growing butterflies and a frog. I guess I will wait to start those until after our trip in the middle of February. I have to order the tadpole and crysalises (sp? LOL) We are going on two weekend ski retreats with John in N.C. and will visit John's family up there the week between.
Snack...
Kids either get to watch TV or free play inside or outside.
Then I cook dinner.
Then we clean up.
To be perfectly honest by this time of day, I am pretty much tired of spending time with my kids. I feel like I need space. We haven't exactly figure out how to handle this. John has been out every night except Thursday this week with events getting back after the kids are in bed. So the kids and I have spent a couple nights watching movies together. We watched the Sword and the Stone one night. I am glad we watched it On-Demand before I bought it. I didn't remember the whole story line when from when I was a kid and had been thinking I probably needed to buy it because it was a classic and all. Well, I changed my mind. Tooo much sorcery and stuff. All in good fun but still. I mean I suppose that sounds dumb to say when MERLIN the WIZARD is a main character. I should have thought that before. But I thought more of the story was about the boy and not how the wizard turned the boy into a fish, squirrel, and bird to learn lessons.

So...trying to figure out how to keep the house clean, feed the kids, about 6 times a day. SEROUSLY they eat 3 meals and 3 snacks a day. And I am supposed to lose weight in all that eating. I am going to have to get better about getting out my celery sticks and fat-free dressing.
Tonight we finished up the chapter book...The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White (he also wrote Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little). It was lots of fun piled on the couch together with our popcorn and drinks under a blanket with the kids in their pajamas. They really loved the book and even asked when we could read it again. We had to finish going online to look up the meaning of the word "crepuscular" because the boy in the book was trying to figure out what it meant while reading about rabbits. It means...of or having to do with twilight...then we looked up twilight...the time as the sun is just going down or coming up. Don't you just love reading? It was soooo much fun. Reminded me I need to keep up with the chapter books. Our next unit of study with plants and animals uses the chapter book, The Secret Garden. I read it a few months ago to get familar with it again. It think the kids will be sooo inspired to grow things and learn about plants and animals.
Oh, well, better get some laundry done. Football season is over so I am not sure if my dear sweet hubbie will be keeping up with all the folding like he did when he was watching the games. Oh...Yea!!! Timmy Tebow!!!! He is such a God's guy!!! I pray God uses him greatly and that God protects him from temptation and attacks while he is in all this limelight.