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Blogging Break..

Written by Joy
2 Comments
Blogging Break..

As you can tell, I have been on a little blogging break. I have been spending time with the family. We even made a short trip down to Florida earlier in the week. We wished we could have stayed a little longer, but things just didn’t work out.

I will be taking off this next week as well. The kids and I have a lot of plans to do during the our time together. We will be cooking and baking, reading and even taking trips in the mountains. I am sure we will even be playing a few new games after Christmas!

I am excited to be spending some down time. I also have plans to catch up on some reading with new books that I have. I am looking forward to posting the reviews for those books. We will be starting school on January 3rd. I am really enjoying our curriculum that we chose this year and looking forward to getting back to work on it. So thankful that the kids are also enjoying the school work.

I am also looking forward to getting back to blogging on a regular schedule. I am planning on writing more about our homeschooling experience, as well as talking about my love of Jesus. I am also still writing for Seeds of Faith and the Homeschool Village once a month. Be sure to check out those blogs and the wonderful ladies that write for them!

Enjoy time with your family. It is so wonderful to make time and memories with those that you love.

Have an awesome Christmas!!

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2011, blogging

counting my way to 1000 Gifts #591-605

Written by Joy
3 Comments
counting my way to 1000 Gifts #591-605

Galatians 4:4-7

4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, bornunder the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receiveadoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, thenan heir through God.

I am just so thankful for God’s blessings.  We do not deserve all that we have been given, yet He still keeps giving.  So my list continues this week with more blessings.
591.  Migraines.  Yes, I said migraines.  While they do hurt and sometimes put me to bed, they also slow me down so that I can enjoy my children and husband more.
592.  Friends who will cover for me in nursery, while I had to miss when I had my migraine.
593.  The messy weather.  It slowed our family down.  We were able to spend a quiet evening at home, together. 
594.  Being able to cook a meal for a friend.  I love to share my love of food and cooking with others.
595.  Our dentist, who saw my oldest daughter on short notice, because of a chipped tooth.  He also did not request payment on that day.
596.  My younger children doing their school work quietly, while waiting for their older sister at the dentist. 
597.  The safe travels to the dentist that was 1.5 hours each way.
598.  A play date for the younger kids and a talk with a friend on a beautiful sunny day.
599.  Thankful for whoever helped sponsor our daughter on a weekend youth retreat with our church youth.  She had such a wonderful time of fellowship and bible study with the other teens.
600.  An evening out with my hubby to our Sunday School class Christmas fellowship.
601.  Thankful for a friend who watched our children so that my hubby and I could enjoy an evening out.
602.  Thankful for our pastor for telling us about the birth of Jesus through the Shepherds and Wise Men’s eyes.  
603.  The beautiful Christmas songs, about the birth of Jesus.  I could listen to them year round.
604.  Our Christmas Cantata at church that I am singing in.  I love to sing about Jesus and of his birth!
605.  Being able to read the bible to my children.
Join us in counting your gifts and by visiting A Holy Experience!

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2011, blessings, multitude Mondays

counting my way to 1000 Gifts #591-605

Written by Joy
3 Comments
counting my way to 1000 Gifts #591-605

Galatians 4:4-7

4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, bornunder the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receiveadoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, thenan heir through God.

I am just so thankful for God’s blessings.  We do not deserve all that we have been given, yet He still keeps giving.  So my list continues this week with more blessings.
591.  Migraines.  Yes, I said migraines.  While they do hurt and sometimes put me to bed, they also slow me down so that I can enjoy my children and husband more.
592.  Friends who will cover for me in nursery, while I had to miss when I had my migraine.
593.  The messy weather.  It slowed our family down.  We were able to spend a quiet evening at home, together. 
594.  Being able to cook a meal for a friend.  I love to share my love of food and cooking with others.
595.  Our dentist, who saw my oldest daughter on short notice, because of a chipped tooth.  He also did not request payment on that day.
596.  My younger children doing their school work quietly, while waiting for their older sister at the dentist. 
597.  The safe travels to the dentist that was 1.5 hours each way.
598.  A play date for the younger kids and a talk with a friend on a beautiful sunny day.
599.  Thankful for whoever helped sponsor our daughter on a weekend youth retreat with our church youth.  She had such a wonderful time of fellowship and bible study with the other teens.
600.  An evening out with my hubby to our Sunday School class Christmas fellowship.
601.  Thankful for a friend who watched our children so that my hubby and I could enjoy an evening out.
602.  Thankful for our pastor for telling us about the birth of Jesus through the Shepherds and Wise Men’s eyes.  
603.  The beautiful Christmas songs, about the birth of Jesus.  I could listen to them year round.
604.  Our Christmas Cantata at church that I am singing in.  I love to sing about Jesus and of his birth!
605.  Being able to read the bible to my children.
Join us in counting your gifts and by visiting A Holy Experience!

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2011, blessings, multitude Mondays

Decorating the Christmas tree

Written by Joy
4 Comments
Decorating the Christmas tree

I shared with you yesterday about one of our traditions that we do every year, searching for the perfect Christmas tree. Another tradition is letting the kids decorate the tree, all by themselves.

Many years ago, when our two older children were young, we would always put the lights on the tree during the evening time and then wake up the following morning and decorate. One Christmas, when the hubby and I woke up, they surprised us by having it decorated. That turned into a tradition and they haven’t missed a year since.

This past Saturday, we went and picked out the perfect tree. We didn’t get the lights on it, since hubby had to figure out a way to fix the tree stand that happened to be missing a part. The following evening, we told the kids we would get the lights on so they could decorate. It never fails, only half the lights worked. So we had to make a quick run to the store for more lights.

Dad and sons made quick work of getting the lights on the tree.
I turned the Christmas music up!
Then the kids got busy hanging ornaments!

The older kids were having as much fun as the younger kids!
Sarah putting hooks on the ornaments.  I need to find a new way to store them this year!  A lot of the ornaments were made by the kids from past years.
The kids being goofy, as usual!
I loved this picture of Claire looking at the finished tree.
Do you let the kids take the lead on decorating for Christmas?

Photobucket

2011, family, tree

Decorating the Christmas tree

Written by Joy
4 Comments
Decorating the Christmas tree

I shared with you yesterday about one of our traditions that we do every year, searching for the perfect Christmas tree. Another tradition is letting the kids decorate the tree, all by themselves.

Many years ago, when our two older children were young, we would always put the lights on the tree during the evening time and then wake up the following morning and decorate. One Christmas, when the hubby and I woke up, they surprised us by having it decorated. That turned into a tradition and they haven’t missed a year since.

This past Saturday, we went and picked out the perfect tree. We didn’t get the lights on it, since hubby had to figure out a way to fix the tree stand that happened to be missing a part. The following evening, we told the kids we would get the lights on so they could decorate. It never fails, only half the lights worked. So we had to make a quick run to the store for more lights.

Dad and sons made quick work of getting the lights on the tree.
I turned the Christmas music up!
Then the kids got busy hanging ornaments!

The older kids were having as much fun as the younger kids!
Sarah putting hooks on the ornaments.  I need to find a new way to store them this year!  A lot of the ornaments were made by the kids from past years.
The kids being goofy, as usual!
I loved this picture of Claire looking at the finished tree.
Do you let the kids take the lead on decorating for Christmas?

Photobucket

2011, family, tree