I’m Gonna Miss This . . .

Momma D. & I were recently talking about how quickly our boys are growing up & how we are going to miss so many things we unintentionally take for granted.  ((sniff, sniff))  This post (at My Charming Kids) offered a great perspective on those special moments.  Last night I stumbled on a blog carnival, “Your Gonna Miss this . . . Moment” & the author’s description said exactly what was on my heart . . .

". . . You see a person who is very blessed, but doesn't always see the blessings through the circumstances. I don't want to look back one day and realize I missed it. So, join me as I strive to treasure every moment of these years that are flying by!”

Sometimes I may seem frazzled & appear to “have my hands full,” & at that moment, I probably do.  *especially at the checkout counter at Walmart.   However, this is just life for me & I love it them & someday I’m going to miss this! 

The past few weeks have been difficult with the kids being sick.  The past year has been difficult with Taylor.  The past few years of having boys 20 months apart.  The past 9 years of being a mom have been full of responsibilities, sacrifice, struggles, & pure craZiness!  But this is the job God has called me to do & I wouldn’t change it for the world.  I am so blessed that he chose me!  I can’t imagine not being the one to taking care of my sick kids, or helping my struggling reader to read, or helping with homework, or even teaching the hard life lessons. 

. . . Someday, I’m gonna miss this!  

Coming Soon!

My baby is doing much better today – PRAISE GOD!  So if all goes well, I should be blogging on the following soon:

• Curriculum Choices for 2010-2011 (*I’m NOT using one of my fav’s next year)
• Make-up tutorial VIDEO!! 
• Baby wearing – I got a new sling I can’t wait to share about with you!
• My blog roll – some of my favorite posts **Including an AWESOME chore chart
• Update on my kitchen
• Preschool/Kindergarten calendar graphing
• My forethought on my current Bible study:  Anointed  Transformed  Redeemed, A Study of David
• Our Drawing Center
• Creative Play Center
• Emergency Chart
• From a stepmom’s heart
• “I’m going to miss this . . .”

So where should I start?  Which of these would you like to see first? 

I Surrender!!

I have a list of posts I’ve been meaning to add to my blog, but I’ve been kinda busy & extremely tired .  I wish it were a good busy, but it’s been this kind of busy . . .

Yeah, not fun!  ALL my boys have been sick for about 3 weeks now.  At first I just passed it off as a cold or allergies (in Texas it is 70 one day & 20 the next).  Then I caved a little & took the baby in because he was the worst.  I was thinking the others were getting better.  On week 2 he got an antibiotic & breathing treatments, & showed a little improvement for a few days.  At which point the others took a turn for the worst.  So on week 3 they were all really sick.  I surrendered!  I loaded ALL 4 boys up & took them ALL to the doctor.  We left with the worst headache ever, 4 boys with sinus infections, 3 boys wheezing, 1 baby with an ear infection & $70 worth of Rx's!  After 2 days of meds the big boys perked up, but Truman took a turn for the worst . . .

Despite breathing treatments every 3 hours his cough grew so bad he was vomiting.  The antibiotics or infection were causing him to have severe diarrhea.  His fever spiked to 105.7 & I was advised to head to the ER.  At first the doc suspected RSV but he tested negative.  His x-Ray’s are good, white blood count is high, & his throat is raw.  IV was put in w/ only 2 attempts (praise God); however, Truman pulled his iv out, so he got 2 shots instead.

At the moment he is sleeping in my arms with a low-grade fever that Tylenol seems to be keeping at bay.  He is to continuing antibiotics & following up tomorrow with our ped.  Even at his worst feeling moments he is so sweet.  Yes, I described by sick baby as sweet.  He just wants his mommy & to be held.  You got it buddy!

About Us

Hey Ya’ll!

I’m glad you found your way to my blog!

If you're already a regular reader of my ramblings, I’ve enjoyed your company. It's been such a wonderful blogging experience being uplifted and encouraged by friends like you!

If you are new to Rockin’ C, this is who you will be reading about . . .

WE are the "T Family":

Tim, Tiffany, Tiya, Taylor, Tyler, Talon, Tucker,  Trevor, & Truman

My husband & I  are raising 6 children or "Outlaws," as I often refer to them, out in the country in a small Texas town, on about 800 acres.  We certainly have a full house, blended together with “his”, “mine” & “ours”; however, we work very hard at just being one solid family unit.  We are by far NOT the Brady Bunch, but by the grace of God we are a very blessed family. 

We have a family farm with over 75 head of cattle, too many donkeys, several goats, chickens, & rabbits.  Lots of fish, a couple frogs & turtles, 3 dogs & 2 cats. We are blessed to have all kinds of God's creatures all over our property. There are several wild hogs & beautiful deer roaming around. The butterflies & birds are amazing! We have a beautiful 12 acre "tank"/pond/lake that is fully stocked with catfish, bass & hybird stripers.  Our house is old, almost ancient, & quite roomy, but it has history & we call it home.

Our family loves Jesus, & God’s amazing creation.  We spend a lot of family time together & enjoy fishing, hunting, riding 4-wheelers, & exploring nature.  We are a homeschooling family & try to encourage our children to try new things & use their imaginations. 

Tim (36) aka, "Big Daddy" has been a police officer in the city for 12 years. His work schedule is great -- the most he works is 3 days in a row (twice a week). He is home a lot & we love it! Tim is truly a 100% country boy at heart. He loves fishing & hunting. All of our family trips are planned around one of the two. You just can't help but fall in love with the country or great outdoors when you are with him. He is full of knowledge & has a story for everything! He is my best friend & wonderful father. Our kids live for their daily 4-wheeler adventure with daddy. He is a jack of all trade, a great handy man; however, rarely completes any project fully -- there are ton's of unfinished projects all over our house. He can be very intimidating & can easily come across as very chauvinistic, but is quite the opposite. He gives 100% & expects the same in return. He is the leader of our home & I would follow him anywhere.
TIFFANY (27). I am young in age, but have an old spirit. I am a total city girl that has fallen head over heals in love with a country boy that has taught me to appreciate God's creation (in the country). During this transition I have grown to love the country life & wouldn't raise my children anywhere else. I am very old fashion in my views & beliefs, but still considered to be "cool." It is important to me to raise my kids with Godly standards & not worldly standards. I always tend to find the good in people & am a natural care-taker. I am my children’s mother & my husbands help meet. My mom is one of my best friends & my step dad is my inspiration. I love my family & cherish my friendships. I am an organizer, planner, scheduler habitually. I enjoy my quiet time with God, scrapbooking, reading, cooking (sometimes), learning to sew, summer days at the lake, entertaining, & spending time with my family.

The girls . . .

TIYA (15) is our oldest.  She lives about an hour and a half away from us & is a very busy girl.  She is our cheerleader & play every sport child. She is a total GIRLY GIRL & loves to be the center of attention.  She is a typical teenager – way too cool for us right now, so we don't see her very often.  Ever now & then she will visit & we will scrapbook together or take a trip to town for a little shopping.  Her little sister & brothers adore her & we all wish we saw more of her.

TAYLOR (11) is the oldest & only girl in our home. She is 100% a daddy's girl! She is her daddy's daughter -- she loves being outside, fishing, (not so much hunting -- "too early & boring"), working cows . . . if her daddy is doing it - she is there! Taylor is a girly girl though. She loves everything about being a girl & is totally excited about becoming a teenager. She loves fashion & is always game for a shopping spree.  She also enjoys playing with her brothers, scrapbooking, swimming, sewing, & cooking.  Taylor homeschooled for 2 & a half years, but is currently attending our local elementary school.

The boys . . .

TYLER (9) is our class clown. He is hilarious. He loves to make people laugh. He is just so silly! Tyler is our tender-hearted child that tends to be a little sensitive. He is a fun-loving child. He is his brothers' keeper. He spends a lot of time with his little brothers playing & teaching them all kinds of new things. The boys will following him everywhere & he usually lets them. They play fight a lot & he usually lets them win. He loves to play with his sisters too.  Taylor is his best friend. He loves her & protects her. Tyler is very creative. I love his imagination! He loves to draw, build with his legos, go fishing, play baseball (he is very good!), and explore the country. He is a country boy 100%!

TALON is our baby that is with the Lord and truly in our hearts forever.

TUCKER (5) is our BIG "Trouble." He is Tim all over again & 100% rough & tough BOY! He is our ER child. If it is going to happen - it is going to happen to Tucker! He is very much the strong willed child & has a mind of his own. He has such a free spirit & loves running around barefoot. He tries to be sneaky & loves to trick his mommy. He has a look for everything & is just adorable. He loves Tyler & wants to do everything he does. He tries to be a good big brother to Trevor, but can be quite the bully. Tucker is a daddy's boy by day & a momma's boy by night. He is a snuggler! He loves to go fishing & has carried bass around since he was old enough to walk. He loves the outdoors & all kinds of animals. He rides our goats & chases our chickens. He enjoys playing with his plastic animals & digging in the dirt (for worms!).

TREVOR (3) is our "Terror." He is the wild child! He is everything Tucker is x 2!! He is our loudest child & likes to be heard. He thinks he is big & is rarely slowed down. He is a climber, biter, & pincher! He is a little terror! He has quite a little temper, but is just as sweet as he is mean. He loves food & eats more than any of our kids. He loves to make messes, but doesn't like being dirty. He loves chasing Tucker around & will do whatever the other kids are doing. He has no fear!  He is a momma's boy & often buts heads with his daddy.  He is very smart & he has the cutest little laugh.

TRUMAN (8 MONTHS) IS THE BABY!  He is full of smiles & has the sweetest melt-your-heart laugh.  He loves to be held & without a doubt is definitely spoiled by ALL his siblings.  He is so eager to keep up with them – watching him try is pure enjoyment.  He seems to be a little more laid back than the others, but has just discovered his voice & thinks he is the boss of me! 

 

Homeschooling is a way of life for our family. We fall somewhere between a Charlotte Mason & Classical approach with a few eclectic things here & there. Each of my children are different types of learners. I have one that just can't get enough & is constantly wanting to know why, how & more. I have another that has a "good enough" philosophy and needs the extra push. We are by no means relaxed; however, I do believe that there is much to learn outside the books in every day life. It is our goal to educate our children in the Lord, for them to have knowledge and understanding of His magnificent creation, to be well rounded, educated children that follow the path the Lord has set before them.

I blog a lot about our outlaws – the good, the bad, & the ugly – it is a wild ride, but the ride of my life!  I try to keep it real around here. This is my little journal of my life as a mom to many, my journey as a stay at home mom homeschooling a bunch of boys, step-parenting 2 amazing girls, scrapbooking as much of it as possible, & organizing everything & anything a long the way!

I hope you enjoy this peak into our lives . . . I pray that you are encouraged as you read & get to know us, as I have been by some of my favorite blogs.  Please feel free to introduce yourself or leave a comment from time to time.  God Bless!

Tiffany

Movies

Have I mentioned before that we do not have TV?  Well, we have a TV (actually, we have 3); however, we do not have cable or satellite.  We just watch movies.  That’s right – just movies! 

The TV shows were getting absolutely obnoxious, I was addicted to General Hospital, Big Daddy lived more on the couch watching other people fish & hunt than he did himself, we couldn’t agree on what was appropriate for the kids, it was just consuming way too much of our time.  Although we kissed regular TV programming goodbye a few years ago, we still enjoy the television (especially in the winter time when mommy is too big of a baby to go outside, unless absolutely necessary).  We order movies & stream them online from Netflix & have our own growing movie library.  With the economy the way it is, sometimes a $15-$20 movie is the perfect family gift.  I love snuggling with my outlaws on the couch under layers of blankets on cold winter nights with popcorn, hot chocolate, & a good movie.  (or putting the kids to bed early & doing the same with my man)  We’ve grown very fond of the Love Comes Softly Series & absolutely love the Christy movies as well.  Both of these series’ are Christian based movies & offer a warm family friendly feeling.  These are wonderful movies that your family will watch over & over again. 

What are some of your favorite family movies?

Spring Enrichment Classes

It is that time of the year again – time for our spring enrichment group.  This semester we are able to take 5 classes!  I decided to keep Tucker & Trevor together in Preschool level classes again this semester, because the next level is K/1st.  Tucker (actually they both, but Tucker b/c his age) could do most K work, but I think 1st is just a bit much.  Here are the kids classes for the next 10 weeks:

• Preschool Hour
  • Learn letters, numbers, shapes & colors. Fun activities with lots of hands on.  Taught by ME!!
• Preschool Fun!
  • We will learn as we sing songs, play games, read books, color pictures and have fun with friends!
• Let’s go to Work! 
  • We will explore a variety of occupations and learn what grown-ups do at work. Kids will have fun with imaginative play, and experience “make-believe” problem-solving. (Lots of out-of-your-chair fun for everyone).
• Dinosaurs! 
  • Let's travel back to the beginning of time and learn about the dinosaurs! We will learn all we can about dinosaurs according to the Creation account in the Bible. We'll read great books, play games, learn lots of big words, and do crafts. We will discuss evolution very lightly (example: "millions of years ago"), only as a way to compare what the Bible says and what scientists say.   Taught by Nicki.
• Wiggle Time
• Come get your wiggles out. We’ll have great time with fun activities such as bowling, ball toss, hot potato, wiggle/freeze and other exciting games.

Tyler is helping me during the first hour & is taking the following classes:

• Tae Kwon Do
• We will be continuing to learn the basics of Tae Kwon Do. New students are welcome.
• Cut and Paste Science
  • This class is designed to help reinforce science content and vocabulary with hands on activities along with activity pages. The book is divided into four main sections: Physical Science, Earth Science, Life Science, and Health.
• Puzzles and Games
  • In this class we will work on puzzles and also play games that are just for fun. We may also play some games that will help develop math and phonics skills from time to time.
• History Notebooking
  • This class will begin with students learning about 8 Native American tribes of North America and continue with the discovery of life in Plymouth Colony. All studies will be full of fun, exciting projects that students can proudly present in a unique notebook format. Notebook pages will include vocabulary words, information pages, maps, activity sheets, and arts & craft activities. Taught by ME!

I absolutely LOVE my schedule this semester.  I prefer teaching the little ones first thing :)  Then I hang out in the nursery with the little guys/girls & nurse my sweet babe.  Teach. Nurse. Teach. It is perfect.  There are a few little ones in the nursery that aren’t quite 2 yet, so I’ve decided to organize some hands on activities to be set up in part of the nursery for them. 

Truman

Truman is such a HAPPY boy with the sweetest little laugh ever!  He is kinda a tiny little guy – only reaching a whompin’ 15lb, making him land somewhere in the 5th percentile.  He was all about some homemade baby food for a whole week.  Then suddenly he decided it just wasn’t for him.  He thinks he is big & can have a 4 course meal like his big brothers.  Size is about the only thing he ranking low in though.  This boy is crawling & making his way around the house quite well.  He has now discovered that he can tactfully follow his mommy around the house.  Truman is a riot in his bouncy seat.  He almost runs around in a circle when he is in.  He just laughs & bounces, amusing us all.  The minute I walk out of the room – it is a different story!  LOL  Can you say SPOILED?!  He is such a sweet snuggle bug!  My favorite time is in the mornings when he wakes up cuddled up to me & will just lie in bed with me & chatter & give me all his lovin’s!  This sweet boy has also found his voice & is quite vocal when he wants something – he is actually more vocal about wanting something than not wanting something.  I just love this boy & the joy that he brings to our family!

School These Days

We have been fairly diligent with our school work these days.  The boys are always super excited to start school each day . . .

I have no idea why Trevor was quietly hiding under Truman’s crib one morning . . . .

Seriously though, if you were to peak through our window here are some of the things you would catch us doing . . .

The mustangs have had a blast with their phonics.  They have gone on scavenger hunts at the grocery store, played alphabet bingo, decorated their jumbo letters, made letters with cookie dough & baked them.  This week they finished their first Explode the Code book :)  YAY!!  They are doing wonderfully with their alphabet & sounds.  I think they have most of the sounds of each letter down.  We are continuing to work on recognition, first letter word sounds, handwriting, & are beginning to put the sounds together.

Momma’s Boy is doing fabulous with his studies.  His math is blowing me away!  Division & finding the areas of triangles have not slowed him down the least bit.  He has be been acing his spelling tests & is growing wonderfully with his dictation skills.  Not to mention, the boys cursive is beautiful.  Reading has still been a huge obstacle for us; however, a wonderful friend of mine from church (who is a retired elementary teacher) has agreed to tutor him.  She will be reviewing phonics skills with him & working on his reading using Pathway Readers.  I will still be doing reading with him at home as well, but having help will ease my worries & hopefully allow me to relax a little.  *more on this soon.

Together we have been eager to keep up with our science studies & have truly enjoyed this area of schooling as a group.  We just LOVE it.  We have one more week left to revel in the Rainforest.  Next we will be off to the hot desert. 

Now just to keep it real I will admit that we have done very little with our Tapestry of Grace studies.  Not for lack of effort, but more time.  Heidi coming has helped, but Tyler has been pretty sick for almost 2 weeks now.  Thankfully, I only planned to do the second half of YR 2, so we still have plenty of time to play catch up. 

And The Fruits Of The Rainforest Are . . .

Last week while studying the rainforest we learned about some of the different kinds of plants & fruits that grow there.  The kids were amazed at how it makes it to Walmart.  :)  LOL  So we decided to have a rainforest taste-testing party . . . .

 

As we were preparing for our taste-testing I introduced the fruit they weren’t familiar with & we talked about the outside appearance of the fruits, what they expected the inside to look like & how they thought it would taste.  I tried to prepare the fruit in a way that they boys would be able to see the outside & inside.  We tried:  pineapple, grapes, pears, coconut, papaya, mango, kiwi, avocado, & pomegranate.  I also had a few citrus drinks with made from a mixture of the fruits so they were able to try the fruits in a juice form & mixed together.  The kiwi gave the best sour look, the the coconut won the bitter award, & the mango was a favorite!  I was very proud of my apple-addicted fruit lovers for trying new things & even happier to find that they discovered more fruits they like. 

After our taste-testing we talked about the different types of seeds in each fruit.  We discussed which fruits they thought birds & bats like & how they helped in the cycle of the rainforest with their seed droppings!

What a wonderful rainforesty snack!

AWESOME Links For Homeschooling

Homeschool Communities:

                                   

 

Tot/Preschool/PreKinder/Kindergarten Blogs, Sites & Resources:

 

             

PreKinders

Preschool Rainbow

Letter of the Week

 

My Favorite Homeschooling Blogs & Sites:

 

                       

•  Ambleside Online
• Classical Homeschooling
• Homeschool World
• ABC Teach
• Learning Page
•  Making Learning Fun
• File Folder Fun
•  Childcareland
• DLTK
• Carson Dellosa
• Enchanted Learning
• Highland Heritage Homeschool
• Paula's Archives
• Harmony Fine Arts
•  The Well Rounded Mama
• Wild Flowers & Marbles
• Mt. Hope Academy
• Sweetness & Light
• Homeschool Enrichment

 

Montessori Blogs & Sites:

 

• Chasing Cheerios
• Making of a Montessori Mum
• Gray Family Circus
• My Montessori Journey
• Montessori For Everyone
• Montessori Print Shop



FaBuLoUs DiGi Sites . . .

Most of my digital creations are scrapped using Creative Memories StoryBook Creator or PSE, along with various digital kits from one of the following:

• Weeds & Wildflowers Design
• Krystal Hartley
• Sweet Shoppe Designs
• Studio Girls
• A Cherry On Top
• Funky Playground Designs
• Shabby Princess
• Faith Sisters
• Gotta Pixel Designs In Digital
• Digi Shop Talk

 

Schedules

Since we began homeschooling I have attempted to find the perfect schedule to fit our day.  At times I succeeded, but like everything it had its season – usually about the time it began to work well is when it stops working.  You’re not going to believe this, but I have pretty much crumpled up all my pretty schedules & tossed them. 

Every day in our house is different – I can’t pinpoint it to just one specific schedule every day/week.  Nothing ever seems to stay the same for even 2 consecutive days.  Daily life is constantly interrupted by a teething baby, dentist appointments, doctor's visits, Bible studies, extra curricular activities, etc.

So, what do we do all day?  

Rather than following a strict minute by minute schedule we have established a bit of a routine . . .

On Mondays I usually let the kids sleep in to insure they start the week out well-rested from the weekend.  Normally, they are all up by 8:30ish.  Typically, I lay in bed with Trevor sprawled across my bed, Truman snuggled up to me & I lay as still as can be & check my e-mail & read my favorite blogs from my bed with my iPhone.  Truman has been waking up around 6:45 each morning, but he is such a happy, snuggly baby he doesn’t disturb the others.  Trevor has a mommy sensor so he is up within moments of the slightest movement I make.  Once or twice a week I will wake Tyler up early & try to knock language, writing, & reading out before his brother wake up.

Once we are all up we have breakfast together.  If Big Daddy is home or the boys sweet talk me in just the right way, I will make a big breakfast (especially in the winter).  Otherwise we just have a quick breakfast.  Before we start school Tyler tends to our goats & if Big Daddy is home he will help him feed the cows. 

I try to start school by 9-9:30, but it doesn’t always go as planned.  We almost always start our schooling together with our Science – which includes a devotional most days.  We spend about 30 minutes together on this, then I send the Mustangs to a center & work with Tyler on his science supplements. 

Next, Tyler will do his independent work (math, handwriting, spelling, explode the code, & any science activities he needs to finish).  While he is on his own I will do a craft, math activity, story, & phonics with the mustangs.  This time frame varies from 30 minutes to an hour.  About half way through we break for about 15 minutes to have a snack & Art appreciation study.  Then I will lay Truman down for a nap.  I’m working on getting him to nap around 11:15 for at least 45 minutes.  If Tyler needs help with any of his work I will just send the boys to a center or give them something to do quietly while I help him.

The mustangs are pretty much done with school at this point & are begging for something to eat.  Lunch lasts about 20-30 minutes.  This part of my day is my weak point – I’m ready for a break!  Often I will send the boys outside to get a some fresh air.  Other times they will have quiet time & watch a movie.  While they are on their own, I will school with Tyler.  If we didn’t get up in the morning together we will work on language, writing, & reading first.  Then we will finish with our Tapestry of Grace studies.  This is the part of the day that my HELP, Heidi, arrives so that Tyler & I can enjoy our time together with as least interruptions as possible.  What a difference this has made! 

I chose for Heidi to come on Mondays & Wednesdays – Mondays for the simple reason that if we get off to a great start at the beginning of the week it usually sets the tone for the remainder of the week.  Wednesday – because it is the middle of the week & after that I have just one more day :)  Heidi is very flexible though, so if something comes up & we need to switch days I can.  I’d really like to have her every day, but financially that isn’t an option for me. 

Here is a glance at our week:

Monday – Heidi comes, Taylor has tutorials after school, I pick all the 3 B’s up from school, take Tyler & Bannon to guitar, take the little guys to the park while the other boys are at guitar lessons, then the 3 B’s come over for a play date.

Tuesday – I have a women’s Bible Study with women from our community.  The boys either stay home with Big Daddy, go to my mil’s, or the church childcare (which is also Heidi). 

Wednesday – Heidi is back!  I pick Taylor up from school & this is her day for a play date.  The kids have church in evenings & Big Daddy & I go to our pastor’s house for a group Bible Study. 

Thursday – It is almost over.  This is usually the day Taylor has counseling (Tuesdays if the Bible study isn’t happening).

Friday – Enrichment classes!!

Saturday – Horseback riding during the winter.

Sunday – Preparing to do it all over again :)

 

You see, with all this, a schedule is near impossible.  Looking at it all typed out makes me proud that we are able to get done what we do. 

So what about you, are you holding tight to a well mapped day or are you learning to just go with the flow of things?

HELP!!

This is something that doesn’t come easy for me to admit, but I need help.  No, not mental help –  They haven’t driven me to the crazy house just yet!  And no, I don’t have an addiction either. 

I need help with ALL THESE kids!!!

There I said it! 

My momma gets so frustrated with me when we are together, because I refuse to let her help.  I just get so used to doing things myself that at times I don’t even realize I need help.  Accepting help is hard for me.  Asking for help is even harder. 

I don’t know why it is so difficult for me to admit.  Perhaps I feel judged . . . judged for having a large family (6 kids don’t seem like very many compared to REALLY large families with like 18 kids). Everyone seems to have an opinion about our family size – even total strangers at the grocery store & even very close well meaning family members.  So, with the judgments from others & my own Do It Myself tendencies H-E-L-P became increasingly difficult for me to accept & ask for. 

Well dear friends, I am at a point in life that I can admit & even beg & plead for HELP!!  I am now comfortable with who I am & what I do for my family that I don’t have to be the one doing it ALL.  And I don’t feel any less of a mother for saying a little help would be nice.  I’ve come to the realization that help does not mean that I am inadequate & it is not an admission of guilt either.  I am very happy with the size of my family & I can handle the responsibilities that come with it.  Help is just nice. 

So there ya have it . . .  I, Tiffany Scott, need, want, & have sought for help!  Seek & ye shall find! Last week was my first week of having hired help.  A young new mother that lives very close to me is coming over for a couple hours twice a week to help me.  She is not cleaning or schooling or doing the things I just don’t want to do – she is mostly here just to help.  Help hold my little Buckaroo so Momma’s Boy can have uninterrupted time to school with me.  Help to get that drink the Mustangs are begging for.  Help to make sure that one part of the house doesn’t fall apart while I’m focusing on the other.  Just simple, much needed, & greatly appreciated help.  What a wonderful blessing it is.  

Christmas

Yes, I realize it is the middle of January & I am just now posting about our Christmas . . . I just now took the tree down :)

It was FANTASTIC!  On Christmas Eve North Texas was blown by surprise with a mini blizzard that left about 3 feet of snow on areas of our property.  It covered our country road, making it impossible for us to go venture to any family gatherings.  I was delighted with the beauty the snow brought, but slightly disappointed because we were snowed in.  I was looking so forward to going to my Mimi’s house, visiting with our extended family, filling up on all the good food, & deviling in my Aunt Kelli’s fudge . . . Instead, we stayed home for the early part of the day – enjoying new gifts & playing in the snow.  Then we inched our way to my mother-in-laws for a wonderful dinner.  We had a very blessed Christmas. 

Santa brought our family a Wii.  This is our first video gaming system – EVER!!  Praying it brings enjoyable family time for us when being outside is not an option, but I would be lying if I said we weren’t skeptical.  So far, we have enjoyed watching the kids race their Mario car’s, the boys fish, & Big Daddy & I have had a few boxing matches.  Good times!  I’ll share  more of the gifts we got the kids in some upcoming Center posts.  I can’t wait to share the barn the boys got! 

Snow Fun

 

The kids just LOVED the snow!  They had SnOw fun!  It is gone now & our days of below 20 have been replaced with 50 degree sunshine (which I am soaking up!!), but they took full advantage of their white playground.  It was too cold for my blood, but what a beautiful blessing to have a white Christmas. The snow transformed our dark, wintery land into almost a whimsical snow globe.  Absolutely beautiful! 

Rainforest Cafe

This year the boys & I have been having a fantastic time studying Animals And Their Worlds.  This curriculum is a great fit for our family & is extremely user friendly.  I like this curriculum soooo much that I am too excited to even give it an adequate review.  There are just so many things that I like about it. . . . The layout is a breeze, there is a lot too choose from, the studies are enjoyable, there are great activities throughout, ALL the boys can do it together, it ties into language arts/reading for Tyler & phonics for Tucker & Trevor. The list goes on & on.  I just really love it. 

Currently we are studying the rainforest.  You can’t study the rainforest without going to the Rainforest Cafe, right?  A field trip to the Rainforest Cafe was just what we needed to get us excited about returning to our studies after a great Christmas break.  The kids where mesmerized by the decor.  Trevor was slightly hesitant of the crocodile out front & even more cautious of the hanging cobra.  Tucker danced away with the monkeys during the forest storms – super cute.  Tyler loved the fish.  Taylor was super excited about the cool chairs in the bar area & a tad disappointed that she couldn’t sit in them.  They all loved the art work & were ecstatic about the balloon lady making them their own animal balloon. 

We had a wonderful time together & reveled in the rainforest atmosphere.  This was a fantastic field trip!!

A Boy & His Goats

This boy of mine makes me so proud.  He truly is an awesome kid.  He makes me feel like I’m doing something right – then I remember it is God in him NOT me :)

Momma’s Boy has become his dad’s top hand around here.  He is such a hard diligent worker.  He finds great joy in it, which makes it all the more special.  Our goats are his responsibility & he is taking care of them wonderfully – even during our mini-blizzard Christmas Eve.  In fact, he works so hard around here, with such a good attitude that he is the first & only outlaw to receive a cash allowance. 

He doesn’t work because he has too – he works because he wants too.  He LOVES his goats.  And I LOVE him (& the goats too)! 

We now have 9 baby goats kids.  They are so much fun to watch romp around our pasture.  We get tickled watching them play king-of-the hill on the rocks.  Tyler is very excited because he has picked one out to show in 4H next year.  Naming them has been absolutely hilarious.  We have, squirt, longhorn (his ears look like long horns the way they stick out), sprite, root beer, spot, hershey, socks . . . 

I wish I could tell you what we did to instill these work ethics in him, but I’m clueless b/c the others are NOTHING like him!  Don’t get me wrong, they all have their good attributes too, but diligence is my first born’s.

“The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.” Proverbs 12:24

Just a little summin’ summin’

I am totally keepin’ it real this week. . . .

WARNING:  This blog post will contain dirty, nasty, sticky, AWEFUL pictures.  Please continue reading with caution. 

Okay, I’m stepping way out of my comfort zone on this one.  Deep breath in, & here we go . . .

Do you see this:Not so bad from the outside, right?  

Not terribly bad from a distance either (surprisingly) . . .

But up close – OH MY GOODNESS – that thing is nasty!!  And not for lack of effort.  I have scrubbed & I have bleached, but it was a lost cause.  I even prayed daily for it to DIE!!  I admit it, I prayed for DEATH.  I begged & I pleaded . . .

AND I GOT ………………………………………………

Isn’t she a beauty?  I’m in love!  She looks fabulous in my kitchen (that Big Daddy has been working in by the way!)

    

EAT YOUR HEART OUT!!

I AM <3