What Title?

This has been the best summer as a family.
We are not doing school, Our minds are taking a break.
The most fabulous thing has happened. Since we are taking a break, the kids
are voluntarily learning things because they can and these things are their own ideas.
Pocket microscopes were discovered in the science kit for next year and everything
has literally been studied at 120x. Some of it has been drawn. Lots of conclusions have been
made and then lots more things looked at. Ordinary things like dust, dead flowers, hair, game pieces.
This has reminded me of so many things. There's always more there than what we see at first glance.
There are so many wonderful things God will show us.

I'm also taking a course on writing currently. It's an Institute For Excellence in Writing course. Teaching Writing Structure and Style. I am only a few lessons in and I have already gained so much empathy for my kids. I'm having to do the assignments I am going to assign them. I showed one of our kids something I had written and he exclaimed things like this: "Mom, YOU marked things out?! You marked stuff out! You do that when you write?!!" and "You misspelled things??!! I had no idea you did that!" He was so relieved that he wasn't the only one that "messed up" or misspelled. I was so thankful that God showed me not to be so critical of the efforts they make. I'm so prideful.

New year? Now? YES!

God planned for us to relocate back to Alaska in September! We did not know this, but here we are, again! Unbelievable to anyone, including us. We left Texas on September 19, and arrived on September 28. We are fairly settled and began school today. I am using Heart of Dakota's Preparing Hearts (with extensions for C.E.), and Raising Rockstars Preschool with R.C. I will try to write more details later about our school choices for the year.
Here are some snapshots of our 1st day.

We have certainly had our challenges during this time, but God has been very good to us. 

I have had some really weak moments when I wanted to throw in the towel. It has been an extraordinarily stressful time. But here we are. WE SURVIVED!

So excited about THIS:FREE BIBLES and BOOKS!!

Tyndale House publishers has an awesome rewards program! I just joined today and already ordered my first book for FREE! There are ZERO strings attached, just took a few minutes to go sign up here.
When you sign up, you will get 25 points and I will get 10 points! YAY!

This is the book I chose!
I cannot wait to receive it and start using it a t night. I have been feeling the need to revamp our bedtime routine a bit by getting back into reading at bedtime. It is a precious end to hectic days, especially. I think all the kids will enjoy it even if it is sort of for the younger ages.

Their program makes it very easy to earn points. It is very user-friendly and I highly recommend trying it out.

REMEMBER: Christmas IS coming and FREE books can always go in that "READ" category if you use the want, read, wear, need system! HINT! HINT!

It looks like they change the free books up from time to time also.

Have a blessed day!
Follow HIM!

Birthdays!

                                                                Hudson is one year old!!
I cannot believe I am posting about our baby being a whole year old ! We celebrated with Boba and Ida since Boba's bday is so close to Hudson's. We chose a simple Twinkle Twinkle theme. I love stars and so does Robert, so it seemed fitting for our babe.

Katie was a huge help making decor and food. We had star shaped cheese, sprinkly marshmallows, homemade star and heart chips, veggies and dip, homemade lemonade, and of course cupcakes,

They were all gluten free. YUM!

Y Bike!!

V Tech Turtle!

Boba's catapult!

Photo collage!

I love this sweet picture of Hudson with his Boba! Complete trust! 

YUMMY! My first cupcake! 

First birthdays are such a bittersweet milestone every time! Thank you God for first birthdays and baby love and all the memories we made with Hudson this year. 

He is Ever Faithful, He Knows My Frailties

Thank you God that you know me inside and out.
You know all of my frailties, all of my fickleness.
My selfishness never makes you scream, "I DON'T LIKE YOU!"
You don't shake your finger in my face and raise your voice at me when I don't listen.
You don't forget me. You listen to me ramble.
Thank you for your forgiveness any time of the day or night when I
cry out to you. I love you Lord!

Day 3

Last night, I went to bed with a headache. Partially from dehydration. I did not drink enough water at all. We are continuing to work out, but today was really challenging-hardly any energy. The little kids have a cold, so they were up and down all night. My stomach has been very upset and I don't have much energy. Still, my hunger pangs are at a minimum. I think that this is mental, since I can eat in a little while. The girls are hungry.......still, I am thankful we are able to do this together.
God is really pressing on me about how I respond to the people in this house as well as others.
I am doing ok at times, failing miserably more often.

Day 2

So far, so good.....we're having good results and are still exercising...only day 2 though.
Lunch was hard to not eat-it smelled really good. But I have it made compared to dd2.
She doesn't see the light at the end of each day like I do. She has purposed in her heart just like Daniel. She wants to do this in the Lord's strength. DD1 is really wavering and in this half-hearted which is a bit discouraging. We have to keep our eyes up.....