Serving smiles while we tickle the ivory keys!

What an afternoon we had playing piano, eating cake and icecream and visiting at my aunt's seniors home. The cousins had a chance to wear fun costumes and spend time together. So many smiles and laughter came from the folks at the home. The little ones were also a hit, running all over the place while the older played piano. A blessing to us.

The Beauty of Lipstick

It was very quiet, you know the scene...I wondered where she was and what she was doing. She had been in Samantha's room playing nicely while I was with the others at the dining room table working on our journals. Chris went upstairs and calmly called my name. We found a very happy girl looking very pretty!!! I am glad to have a camera near by!!

A special Walk

I lift my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2

A wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. Proverbs 14:1

I want to teach my girls to love wisdom, seek wisdom and live it out in their daily lives. Not easy to model, not easy to live. Only with God's strength.

There are days I feel.... stuck (as Sara was here today in the first picture at the park, she said, "I am cuck mommy!" She was free soon enough and that made me think of my own moments of being stuck and not moving on as I desire. I put wisdom aside for a time for what reason I don't know (selfish I guess!) and I see the results in front of me in my own home. Things just are not working. When I take a moment to reflect I see how I was a part of the house crumbling. I am so thankful that I can pick up the pieces with love and forgiveness and asking for more wisdom.

Thankful!

Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other.

Romans 12:17

I take delight in my children and today I took this of Samantha experiencing pure joy in the simplicity of running as if to say, "Look at me! I am coming for you mom!" I love that. Sometimes I feel like I am doing the running to understand them.

Thanksgiving has come and gone, but being thankful can happen daily. A goal for me.

So good

You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to You. Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to You, for You will answer me. (Psalm 86:5-7)
This comes from Psalm 86, but Beth Moore wrote this out more as a prayer. A while ago I bought a set of prayer cards that Beth Moore put together and I just love them. I have a plastic holder at my sink right in the middle of the window. Water, dishes, dish rags and soap are all a reminder to me to stop, read the card and pray. Time to thank God for where I am, what I am doing and who is around me. Four gifts that need me a lot right now. I feel like that dish rag at the sink some days. But other times I sparkle like a clean stainless sink. These cards have been such great reminders of God's love and plans for me and my family.

Samantha holds her dolls just like this! They are all precious to her and have names. She was pretending today that she was a teenager taking care of a room full of babies (stuffed animals too) and talking about her own children (she wants to have six) Hmm I wonder if that has anything to do with you Auntie Paula!! She adores hugs and babies and soft toys. She has plans for another American Girl so they can be sisters and then have two dolls to take care of! Thankful, so thankful she naturally embraces loving others! Amazing gift.

So dear to us!

We honour you our dear friend and neighbour. Tonight I post this with pure joy knowing that you make our living on this street worth every moment.

Art by candle light

I guess Lady had enough. Today wore her out. I took this because I had to live vicariously through her today! I could have curled up and had a cat nap for sure on this cold, wet and rainy day. So, on went the candle (that is one thing I enjoy about the cooler weather!) and we wrote, sketched and took a slower start to math etc! Good way to start any day really.

Media is not all bad is it???

Beginning of paper town (by Jack) thanks to Mr. Maker (treehouse I think)

Rosetta Stone (French)

Typing Instructor

Craft idea from a show called Mr. Maker!

I have to say out of all the show I have seen for kids/art this guy is great! Samantha and I sat down to watch and he happened to come on and we watched him create out of scissors, podge, paint, glue and tissue paper this really cool town. So right away we set up our own show. Guess what, the boys were right in there (Sara too) Crafts took over and we are still creating!

Media for us is all a balance. Like anyone we overdue it and regret certain decisions, but overall thanks to Vodie Bachams book, Family Driven Faith we are attempting to monitor the media with a certain amount of hours per week and log it. This gives us the ability to assist the kids managing time and choices. I don't always log it, I am too tired for perfection!! But it try!

Media, it is here, what do we do with it and how do we live with it and not let it control and shape us. In his book he gives good perspective and I appreciate his wisdom so much. Not just a book, it is a reference book. I keep going back to it!!!

Long Walks

These moments will always be etched in my memory, just walking. The kids always point out the unique, grotesque, beautiful and hilarious on the simplest of walks! I am thankful they see what I miss. Lately I feel I am missing so much! We are hard at work and I am trying to find the balance between the workbooks, spelling tests, history books and finding bugs! Yes, bugs of all sorts are always welcome guests, just not the wasp that landed on me today - no sting, but I sure did the ridiculous mom dance while the furnace/AC guy was checking out the AC unit outside. Always fun to have an audience when you least desire it!
That brings me to my next heart issue - I have an audience of four 24/7 and they witness pretty much everything. The phone that rings that I have to let go, the coffee cups that litter the home because I did not finish it again and needed a new one when I popped upstairs cause I like 'em hot! The eyes that shut when they know I am about to get a wee bit annoyed. The wonderment in their eyes when I say we are done for the day. My children witness more than I care to blog about. That is my life, raw and beautifully designed by a loving all knowing God. I am thankful I can give it all to him and know that even though I mess up and am not all in the moment the woman I desire to be, I am forgiven and by Grace I am save. Thank the Lord!