Smithsonian

Yesterday Jay and I took his brother and his and his sweet girlfriend down to the Smithsonian's. It was a nice day. Since I grew up right outside of DC I have been to the Smithsonian's countless times. So many school trips, every time a relative would come to town and so on. But here I am as an adult :) :) taking relatives down there. Since I have so many photos of there I really did not take many. However, there is always a few.

Since Gregory was born we have called him turtle. SO this was a no brainer and I don't think I have that one.

I also took this one for Gregory sine he loves curious George and curious George is often in the museum seeing dinosaurs.

The Hope diamond. I will take the curse if I could sport that one.

And lastly I took this one to remind my husband every holiday, birthday and anniversary that he needs to step up the gift giving.

Whether I get my tiara or not I still love him good days, bad days and all in between.

4 little monkeys

Jumping on the couch, Evan fell off and said ouch

Hit the edge and split eye, boy did that make my baby cry

Mommy told Daddy and Daddy got mad, he said babies this is what happens when you are bad

Stop little monkeys! Don't jump on the couch! Or you will all have Evans ouch.

County Fair

Amids the scorching temperatures and the high humidity we decided to go to the smelliest place we could think of.... the Franklin County Fair. I had never been to such a small country fair. I heard the saying but the fairs I have experienced were more like amusement parks. But there is something to say about going to a small country fair.

First we stopped by the cows. Ahh....isn't she beautiful? You are luck you can not smell her. The stench that came from 3 barns of cows on such a days as I described...YUCK!

We next did not leave the smelly animals but went into a petting part. There were goats.

There were lots of bunny's.

Evan is an animal lover to a fault. Sadly animals just don't love him. And all he ever wants to do is just touch them and hug them but they always run just as these chicks did.

So hot! So we had ice cream after a antibacterial hand bath.

As Evan loves animals Gregory loves skid loaders. He is always asking for one. So you can imagine how happy he was to sit here.

Not only was this the first year we went but it was the first year any of us entered something in to it. Yup Gregory entered a coloring and won Honorable Mention! I was so proud to see his coloring hanging up.

Whats a fair with out rides? In this first one Evan is darling as he is crying as it goes by saying "help".

But that soon changed as he rode the car ride over and over and over and over. We could not pull him off of it.

I managed to ride a couple too.

Gregory even went on the kiddy roller coaster over and over and over and okay I pulled him off. I was so hot tired and wanting to smell a candle not a cow anymore!

But it was a good day we had a great time!

Jon

This week for thankful Thursday I am thankful that my brother in law is spending a couple of weeks here. The brothers just love him and are having so much fun.

Thankful Thursday is being hosted at: http://www.eph2810.com/

Worry

I am a person that suffers from terrible anxiety. It often can overcome me. This however is in direct disobedience to God. Jesus commanded us not to worry. This command of Jesus which is so often disobeyed is found in our scripture lesson.
MATTHEW 6:25-34 – 25Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat’? Or ‘What shall we drink’? Or ‘What shall we wear’? 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

It is right there do not worry, and yet I disobey, and repent. As I have been struggling with this extra lately I turned to our churches website. I went to to the sermons link, unfortunately I have missed the last 2 weeks there. Which probably is another reason why my anxiety levels are up. And right there God slapped me in the face with what I need to here. Please go check it out:
http://www.bicweb.org/allegheny/fiveforks/august12.htm

That's it and I feel better. However to be in accordance with it they want you to do write down your blessings read over them and add to them. I will try to continue count your blessings Mondays but I will also just write them down whenever. I would like to share you you my greatest blessings.

1. My family. Immediate, distant, adopted and friends. I love them.
2.My church. I found the best church. I love it there. I look forward to all the time. My kids ask every day to go.
3.My home. It means a lot to me to have a home.
4.My camera. I love it. I love taking pictures. I love the memories and the stories I will be able to share.
5.My car. It makes life easier.
6.Airplanes. As my BIL is flying in tonight.
7.For the rain. I suppose that is not just my blessing but we need it so badly.
8.For snow. I love to ski!
9.Pizza. Everyone loves pizza.
10.Our computer. It lets me find the sermons when I need them and lets me make new friends.

Oh Baby

I just love my baby. He is the best cuddler.

Mom Agenda

Moms need a multi tasking agenda? You can enter to win one free at: http://multi-taskingmoms.blogspot.com/
Contest ends Sunday so hurry!

thankful Thursday

For the much needed rain we are getting!

Please join Iris for more Thankful Thursdays : http://www.eph2810.com/

maybe an opening of a new door

What a day! I am glad it is coming to the evening hours. Ups, downs and stress. Today was supposed to be the day our fence was going to be installed. I can't even tell you how much I was looking forward to that. On one side of our house we have had neighbor troubles for 2 years now, since we moved in. And I am getting a beautiful wood privacy fence to help solve the problem. But since we are investing A LOT of $$$ in this fence I am having it put all around the backyard to also keep in my children and chocolate lab in.







Okay my 2 don't look as happy but it had them and the dog... I did my best. The other little guy is my 4th child. Well not mine but.... that little 2 year old and his brother are over here all the time. So they make up my number "3 &4" kids. And when I saw all the time I mean it. There mother is going back to school to get her teaching certificate so that's why I have them.

It was 10:30 and the fence people never showed up. I called saying where are you? They told me oh we got backed up on another job and our new date for you is Monday. Ugh...I can not even tell you all how much I wanted to cry. And Monday is the day before my brother in law comes over here form Seattle for the first time. He has never seen our home and has never meet our kids, actually he saw Gregory my oldest when Gregory was 14 months he meet us at the Outer Banks for 3 days. So Monday is my day devoted to making this house so clean that he thinks we always live like this.

I have been in the job market now for a while. I am trying to find something that pays enough that I can be the sole bread winner and my hubby can stay home with the kids. He wants to go to truck driving school also. He has supported me in every way since my 1st son was born. So now I absolutely feel he deserves the chance to be with these amazing kids for a while. That does not mean I don't have my fair share of worries. But if he goes to truck driving school during this time once he is done he can get a much higher paying job and I will be back home!!!! And we might have enough money then to move to a bigger house and fill it up with little feet!

Yesterday I finally had a bite. An national chain called me back to take an assessment test to work for them as a restaurant manager. I took the assessment and called the man back he said lets schedule a phone interview for today at 3PM. Oh my 3, why not now. So I sat there stressing until 3. Now my wild boys on the other hand were screaming and fighting as they always do when I get on the phone. So I arranged to drop them off at a friends so I could have this phone call be quite. She called me up and said can you come over now and watch my kids before I watch yours. I have to go to the library. I dressed the children, mine are always naked it is hard to post pics of them because they hate wearing clothes in the summer, and we went over there. I grabbed The Hobbit on the way out and read the first chapter while there. So far to much detail but good.

She got back in time and I rushed home to have this phone call. I was SO nervous. The phone rang and the man and I chatted for a while. Maybe not so much as chatted but interrogated. I think it went well because he said he was going to call the area supervisor and tell them about me. However, he was worried that I had never done this before. I reassured him I can and would do it great. He said he will call tomorrow. So on pins and needles till then. If the area supervisor likes me then I have to have a face to face interview.

House later and the stress of that call behind me I am looking forward to dinner. I am looking forward to seeing my husband and hanging out with all 4 loud and crazy boys. Keep me in your prayers please.

As for the spacing of paragraphs I don't know why but as soon as I hit publish it takes them all out and leaves me with one big lump of words. Any advice would be great.

Slow Sunday

For all the days where stress over whelms your life there is nothing like spending the day with your family and just being. No projects, no running just simple to be with them. I am very blessed to have to wonderful and healthy sons. A dotting husband and my parents who are still married to each other. My parents and my family get along so very well. My parents live about an hour and a half from here but come up almost every week to see the grand kids. I am so blessed that my children have grandparents, I was not that lucky as a kid and neither were my parents.

We went up the road a mile or so to one of the oldest if not the first state park in Pennsylvania, Mont Alto State Park. Where we enjoyed so delicious pizza, a play ground, a hike and fishing in the creek.

Daddy and Pepa teach the boys how to fish.

They absolutely loved it

Gregory

Evan

You would not believe how high up he was

Even a big old tire is fun to climb

Show and tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!" Do you have a something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, an antique find. Your show and tell can be old or new. Use your imagination and dig through those old boxes in your closet if you have to! Feel free to share pictures and if there's a story behind your special something, that's even better!If you would like to join in, all you have to do is post your "Show and Tell" on your blog, copy the post link, come over here, http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/ and add it to Mr. Linky.

A Yard Sale Find

These are 2 German children's games. I was so happy to find them so boys and my niece can play these with their German aunt Barb. She is a great Auntie and I love her very much.

Gregory Taylor and Evan

Aunt Barb coloring Easter eggs with the children

Margaret D. Nadauld

The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity. ~ Margaret D. Nadauld

A Lovely Lady

I have a new friend and she is wonderful. She is one of those people that talented and beautiful from the inside out. We are quite a pair together. To make it even better she has a son that is a month older than mine and they just love to play together. Friends sure make your world enjoyable. I feel SO very blessed to have so many.

She loves apples. She has apple things throughout her home. There is a new contest going on at candle by night http://www.xanga.com/Jude1_22/608431804/i-won-now-it-is-your-turn-to-win.html?nextdate=last

and it is for an apple apron I would love to win this gift for her. She is one who deserves such sweet surprises.

1st day of the rest of our lives

You hear that saying quite often. Today is the first day of the rest of my life. And Today August 1st I am saying it again. No I did not marry, nor did I just give birth, but today of all grand days I started home schooling. August 1st 2007, is the first day of the rest of our lives.



Homeschooling at first was the only option. I want to be home with my 2 boys, hopefully more one day, and instruct them. I DO NOT want them going to public school. I DO NOT believe in the no child left behind program. After watching my oldest grow I realized he is a social butterfly. He loves to play and interact with other kids. Because of this I reconsidered homeschooling to be replaced with private. I found a great private school fairly close that is based upon our Anabaptist religion. I really enjoyed the school but not the price tag. It would be $125,000.00 to send my 2 children there from K-12 and that does not include a lot of the extras. My humble house did not cost that much.



My oldest son is 4. He is the most awesome kid I have been privileged to meet. I love him, I am so thankful for him, I adore him. Every morning I wake up and look forward to greeting him. He usually says to me "Mom it a new day! Let's have coffee and watch George. " Then the always question "what are we going to do today?"



Today I said we are going to start going to school here at the house. He broke down in to tears. Not the reaction I expected or hope for. He cried and said "No I want to go to bible school!". Oh I get it, he thought if I taught him at home he no longer would be able to go to the 4 days of bible school a week he normally goes to. These are all different types of bible school. Sunday morning he goes to Sunday school classes, Thursday morning during the public school year he goes to a bible school at our church, Wednesday night he goes to Good News Club, another bible school at our church, and lastly Sunday night he goes to AWANAS. He loves them all SO very much. I explained he would still be able to go to those but would also gets to learn here. That started a whole new struggle called home schooling.



Our first day...do you remember your fist day? It is hard to be able to switch from the mom to teacher, in their eyes. It is hard not to pick on or be distracted by your younger brother. It was hard to manage a toddler and start to teach. But I did it.



The schooling started out with a simple "Today we are going to learn about the letter A". Gregory my oldest and first student said "lets have a picnic". What??? No we are supposed to start schooling. But realizing I was up against a young child and a loosing battle I said sure. So he and his brother laid Gregory's blanket over the kitchen floor and I gave them Alphabet cereal. Telling Gregory "A" is for alphabet. Find me the "A's". Well that was a messy disaster to say the least.

After that was over and cleaned up I gathered both boys and went to a table that is sitting the the sun room unoccupied at the moment. There I sang to both the ABC song pointing out each letter as I went along. Gregory also knows this song. After that I proceeded back to the front of the strip I was following and said A is for apple, A is our letter we will be learning. Then things changed.

It went fast. All I had planned went so fast. The kids colored their Alabama coloring pages, and were ready to move on. We made apples out of construction paper, for a healthy eating chart I have planned in the near future. That was done and Gregory asked what next? Ugh..I sat and looked at him. I had more planned but really you are ready for what's next? So I gave him a strip of paper that had a bunch of A's in a dotted line for him to begin to learn how to write. No problem! He traced them in record time. "What next?", again he asked. I gave him a coloring sheet of an acorn. We spent some time on that. Going over what color are acorns and where they come from and the fact that apples come from trees too. Of course throughout this all I was dealing with a TIRED 2 year old who would just not take a nap. After that I let him play computer games that focus on the alphabet for a while.

I was amazed at how much he knew. How much he could do. I could not wait for his father to come home and show off the wonderful things his son did at Gregory's first day of school. His dad was impressed.



We are going to use a hodge podge assortment of curriculum for him this year. I am using Hands towards Heaven, My Fathers World, The Bible, A Beka, and study books for the dollar store.



It was our first day. I am excited and looking forward to tomorrow.