What Does School Look Like At Your House?

What does school look like at your house?  Are all the children sitting prim and proper at the table while you instruct.  Is it quiet and peaceful?  Are the your children eager to learn and quietly listening to your every word, raising their hands to ask questions?

Or...does your school look more like this.....

...forts made out of boxes, blankets and pillows with just enough space for them to sit inside and work on their math and language?   : )

I guess ours is a little of both.  Well....sort of.  My favorite days are when all three children have set up work downstairs within arms reach of me but not of each other.  You know what I mean.  Usually, I will have one working in the coffee room which is just off the kitchen, one will be sitting at the island counter in the kitchen, and the third at the dining room table on the opposite side of the kitchen.  That allows me to be available for all three and yet keeps them out of each others hair. 

Now during group time, our favorite location is in the living room.  Finally, we have a living room where everyone has a place to sit without being on top of each other.  The reality is not one day is like the other.  There is no predictability in our home school.  Yes, the subjects are the same every day and we do run through them in about the same order each day, but if one child wants to get his math done early and save his language til after lunch, then he has the freedom to do so. 

As long as work is getting done, I really don't mind where they do it.  Outside in a tree, in their room, under a blanket, or at the table,  learning is everywhere.

Sometimes It Is Hard To Wait

Proverbs 3:5 -6 says "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths."

Last night we got some discouraging news.  Houses aren't selling in North Carolina.  We have a buyer for our house but our buyer can't find anyone to buy their house.  It is hard to wait and understand God's timing sometimes.  I know He knows what is best for us, but I know what I want. - relief from our financial obligations in NC. What to do?  Right now, we have decided to go full board in renting instead of selling.  It appears that with the new lending regulations people are having a difficult time getting loans to purchase homes so they are forced into renting.  The rental side of real estate is doing well just not the selling side.  So here we go.  My concern, however, is that our house is old - 90 years old with an old well.  I learned how to use it but will the next gal who moves in.  What if something goes wrong with the house?  We can't fix anything.

Please pray for us.  I know God is not dictated by our economy and is able to sell the house if that is His will.  I just need to rest in Him.

View From My Room

This picture was taken from my bedroom window last week.  It had been raining all night and all morning, but at one point the sun managed to peek out through the clouds and resulted in this beautiful rainbow.  It was only there for a few minutes but such a blessing to see.

Jehovah-Jireh, My Provider

When we realized we were going to be moving to Washington, we knew that meant we would lose all the produce from our garden.  In fact, since we weren't going to be able to harvest from it, I stopped caring about it and turned it over to the weeds. 

I have been gardening for the past ten years or more and really depend upon the produce to fill up my pantry for the coming winter, but this was one more thing that I had to put into God's hands when He told us to move and set up our ministry in Leavenworth.

As always, God is faithful.  For the past two weeks I have been consumed with canning.  Not from my own garden but from everyone elses.  It started last week when I was given bags of green beans.  In 24 hours I had 16 quarts of green beans canned.  Two days later I was invited to pick apples.  A few hours after that I was given three cases of apples and pears. Three days after that I was invited to pick a dozen tomatoes and came home with two boxes of tomatoes which resulted in 19 quarts.

My day started yesterday at 7 am finishing up the tomatoes.  The kids sat around the kitchen working on their math and language while I canned.  In fact, at one point both boys jumped in and helped with skinning the tomatoes which was a big help.  After lunch, my mother in law came over and helped me make apple sauce.  This was new to me but since we live in apple country (Wenatchee is the apple capitol of the world, at least they claim to be.) I figured we better learn.  She and I used an old food mill that we borrowed from the gal who gave us the MacIntosh Apples.  It was a lot of work but we got 6 quarts out of the first bunch. 

Todays task is canning pears. I am going to take break from canning on Wednesday, but on Thursday my mother in law is coming back to help me finish up the apples. 

To add to list we have also been given a dozen ears of corn, zucchini, green peppers, carrots, and more green beans.  I can't eat anything now days without singing God's praises for His provisions. God is Jehovah-Jireh, my Provider.

Autumn Leaf Grand Parade at OneTrueMedia.com

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Reuniting with Old Friends

This was a fun weekend.  Our friends, the Harpers, came over from Seattle to spend a few days with us.  You see, we have known the Harpers since our college days, at least my husband has known them since then.  I didn't get to know them until we were married which, by the way, we were married a week apart from each other.  So for the past 17 years plus the Harpers have been our friends.  Our friendship began in Michigan where my husband and they went to Grace Bible College.  Four years ago we moved from Michigan to North Carolina and a few months after we left, they left MI and moved to Seattle, WA.  With our move to WA two months ago, we have the opportunity to be reunited and continue our friendship. 

One of our favorite past times is to play Rook.  Sue and I always partner up against the guys.  We have a lot of fun and some late nights.  I am proud to say that Sue and I won the Rook Tournament this time around.

While we played Rook, the kids enjoyed spending their evenings playing Risk.  We had a lot of fun with each other.  I think one of the reasons why this reunion went to so well was because Sue and I blog.  Sue got me on to blogging four years ago when I saw her recording her daily activities and pictures on her blog.  I felt so close to her and found myself watching her kids grow up on the computer.  I wanted her and my family to be able to have the same experience as well and started my own blog. 

On Friday, the boys went hiking.  Todd took the boys and Mike up to the Lake Wenatchee area and hiked up to Heather Lake.

Everyone did great on the hike.  The boys had a great time.

They finally made it and now they can start fishing. 

Zach was the only one to catch one.  Todd gutted it and brought it home.  Mike cooked it up and everyone got a taste of it.  It was really good.  Thankfully, we weren't dependent on them to bring home supper or we would be very hungry.

  The girls, however, stayed in town and shopped.  Sue, Bonnie, Bailey, and I walked all over Leavenworth visiting the shops in Leavenworth.  We had so much fun.  I think our favorite was the hat shop.  Any and every hat possible is sold there.  The girls tried on hat after hat.  Sue got lots of great photos.

It was sad to see them go but plans are underway for us to head over to Seattle one day next spring to see their new home and see the sights and sounds over on the other side of the mountains.

Moving Again

I am moving again, only this time it is my blog, no moving van required.  After months of frustration at getting my pictures posted, I have decided to move to blogspot.  My friend, Sue, is helping me get started over here.  You should check out her site - www.ourlittlecorner2.blogspot.com.  So here is my first post and pictures will be following soon.