Gearing up

It's been a long time since I have posted so here I am with the updates. We just returned home from our annual visit to Houston. We had the opportunity to visit with all the family on several occasions and had an over all really great time visiting with everyone. Glad to be home now and eager to finish up the school year now. We are planning a big trip to New Jersey to see family in June/July so that has been fun planning. Julie has decided she is interested in cake decorating so we are going to be signing her up for some classes after the summer. She will be 12 on July 4th and will get the chance to spend her birthday in New Jersey this year. She is very excited about that. She wants nothing more than a birthday cake made at Carlos Bakery. She is really growing up, and I am just so proud of her. She still struggles with her memory retention, but all in all school is going really well this year for her. Seth is going to be 7 on May 29th this year. When did that happen!?! He has such a sweet personality, and has really started to calm down. He is reading fairly well now, but still needs some practice to be at the recommended level for his grade. We are hoping that the long car ride to New Jersey this summer will help get him the practice he needs. He is really athletic, and we are planning to get him signed up for some sports this coming school year. Paige is 3, and will be 4 on October 22nd. She is finally out of the baby stage and is a full fledged kiddo now. She packs a serious punch with her attitude. She is a true little sister expecting big brother and sister to do everything for her. We have all been working hard on making her do things for herself so she can learn. She is still working on her pre-k curriculum and we plan to continue that for another school year. She is doing really well with her school work, and loves the fun activities that go along with it. Peter has remained in college working hard towards a degree in criminal justice. He has been training for some time now to go into the police academy so that is a continued prayer for our family. When he has spare time reading is still his favorite pass time. He has become more handy around the house lately and has been enjoying learning more about household repairs, and working with his hands. As for me I am perpetually in mommy mode. Kids school work, running the household, helping Peter with whatever he might need at the time, and trying to keep our family sane is surely a full time job. We had our trip to Houston now planning a camping trip and the trip to New Jersey this summer keeps me busy. I am also learning to sew with the machine I got for Christmas. It has been a slow process trying to find time to practice, but I am getting there. We are all doing really well and continue to thrive here is Wichita Falls.

Here again

Well since my last post we have all been sick (again!!) with strep throat. We have been working on being healthier as a family. We have been working on our financial situation. We have just been working. I will now officially be not babysitting any more after the 24th of this month (so much for May), and Peter is no longer working the second job. That being said we are actually doing pretty good financially for now. I pray it continues to go well so I will not have a need to work after school care again in the future. We are focused on Peter getting a new job and us moving from this area. He is currently training to become a police officer of some form. He has been looking into state trooper positions in Arkansas, and New Mexico. Hopefully we will be led to the right place, and can stay there as a permanent home. Wichita Falls has been a wonderful stepping stone for us, but we have known for a long time now that it was not our final destination. I am ready to make some more positive changes in our life between a generally healthy lifestyle and moving towards career goals for Peter. Life is good!

Oh no not again!

Well Paige has been very very ill the past week, and now it seems Seth and I are getting her bad cold. It's been a rough time for all of us dealing with this illness. Paige has not slept for most of it, and now we are all getting it. AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Between babysitting, home school, Peter's classes, Peter's second job, and Peter's regular job it has been very very busy around here. I hope that we can soon get back on track financially so that we can get back to me not working, and Peter only with one job. I have made the commitment to do after school care through May so I have some time to go still with that (counting down.... 19 wks left). I can not wait to be done with it, and if we are not doing well after the summer I will go back to after school care. We really need the summer for us to just be a family again. I miss my kids even though I am with them ALL THE TIME and I especially miss my husband. : (

Simply fabulous

We had a simply fabulous Christmas season as Sharpay would say. The kids got countless gifts, and we had wonderful family visits! It was a very busy season with Peter working two jobs and me homeschooling and babysitting. It was all worth it this year for sure. I completely forgot to pull my camera out, but I will hold all the memories in my heart for years to come. God really showed us this year that as long as you are faithful he will provide you with what you need most. This year that happened to be family time with our extended family members. We miss our family so much being so far away, but when we do get time with them it is the best! I personally have never felt closer to our extended family as I do right now. They are all such a blessing to me, and my family. Now we are back to the grind Peter working, school back into full swing, and babysitting after school. It was an awesome season, but I am glad to get back to the norm for a while. Hopefully this summer we will get the chance to go see more extended family, and make new memories!

Counting down

It's almost here, it's almost here! Christmas is a few days away, and we are so ready. Presents are so far out from under the tree we can barely walk through the living room, food is ready to be cooked, and visitors plans are made. The kids are going to have such a wonderful Christmas I just can't wait to see them open their gifts. I am also pretty darn sure I am getting what I have been asking for all year! Money has been so tight this year, but God has blessed us with opportunities to make this year just as exciting as ever. I love that I get to celebrate this year knowing that I am living the life I truly want to live. Life is so good and I am so blessed. Thank you God for sending your son here for me!

'Tis the season

Oh Christmas is upon us, the tree is up, decor is out, and plans are made. So excited for present opening time. I always love watching the kids open everything and be so happy in that moment. My daddy is coming to see me, and dinner is gonna be legen...wait for it...dary. All the kids are getting at least one gift that they really really wanted. We have new exciting prospects on the horizon. Oh it is just a wonderful time of the year. It has been very busy the past couple of weeks, but very good to our family also. I have picked up another child to keep after school to help make ends meat. The kids are very much getting into the "life lesson" series we are working on. Right now our lessons are all about getting out of debt and not being wasteful since that is what we need to do as a family right now. It is just great, lovin' life!

30 Days of thanks

1. God
2. Peter
3. Julie
4. Seth
5. Paige
6. Extended family
7. Best friends
8. Insurance
9. The persecuted church
10. The Bible
11. My church family
12. Health
13. Sanity
14. Work
15. Struggles
16. Knowledge
17. Books
18. Freedom
19. The founding fathers of the United States
20. Veterans
21. Comforts
22. Happiness (optimism)
23. Technology
24. Missionaries
25. Heaven
26. Food
27. Television (entertainment)
28. Soft toilet paper (couldn't skip that one)
29. Beauty in the world
30. Cultures from around the globe