And Now A Word From Our Sponsors

Ok...I'm totally kidding there are no sponsors...but I am going to take a moment to endorse the most magical, delicious (not in the tasting sense but in the smelling sense), amazing product!!

Downy UnStopables

    

These things are AMAZING!! You just pour some in your laundry, along with your detergent, and they make your clothes smell WONDERFUL!! For a LONG time!!

Seriously!  If you have not tried them you really should...

On another note...We are going to be having a Pampered Chef Fundraiser for the church next Tuesday night.  It will be Tuesday, September 6, at 6:30 at Huntsville.  Anyone is welcome.  If you are in need of amazing Pampered Chef products please be sure and stop by.

The Post I Forgot to Title

So this is just going to be a word post.  Sadly, I didn't take any pictures of the first day of school.  I don't know what was wrong with me, but it NEVER crossed my mind to pick up my camera.  Not that Mason would have let me take pictures anyway...well he might have, with him it's kinda hit or miss.  Anyway NO pictures. But I did get my kids off to school last week.
Mason started 8th grade...EIGHTH GRADE!!  I remember starting 8th grade and feeling a little- okay A LOT- scared because it was a new school but at the same time feeling VERY independent.  I started going places with my friends and no parents...I'm not sure if I'm quite ready for that yet with Mason but I guess it doesn't really matter whether I'm ready or not. :( Anyway, Mason isn't thrilled with school, but he's there.

Grace started 6th grade at the middle school.  She's back in school with Mason again (just for one year since he'll go to the high school next year).  He gave her strict orders not to talk to him.  The funny thing is that he came home one day and said, "I saw you in the lunch room, Grace.  I was waving at you trying to get your attention." Ha!
She and Delaney are in school together this year.  HGES, WGES, and LFES merged and all the sixth graders are at MMS.  We were so excited that they have homeroom and first period together.   I wish they had more classes together.  Especially since Grace's best friend from elementary school is homeschooling now.  Grace seems to like school pretty well.  She LOVES her science teacher, Mrs. Nelson.  You could tell at orientation that science is Mrs. Nelson's passion.  She was genuinely so excited about everything they would be doing this year that her students couldn't help but get excited with her!

Katie-Claire started 2nd grade.  This is the grade that I taught (not counting a year in 4th grade and a year of kindergarten).  I wasn't sure how KC would do.  She could go either way.  She LOVES to learn but gets frustrated if she has to have help with anything.  Plus she doesn't like to get up in the morning - which is ironic since she's one of the first ones up on the weekend and in the summer!  This was also going to be her first year at school without an older sibling.
She LOVES, LOVES, LOVES her teacher!! She came home the first day of school and said it was WONDERFUL! Every day she talks about how much she loves Mrs. Garvin.  She even had one of her friends in her class that she's had every year since kindergarten.  The school sends out postcards from the teachers so that's how they find out whose class they will be in but there isn't a list posted for them to see who else is in their class.  When she found out her teacher she said she hoped her friend Leah would be in her class.  I really didn't think she would be since they were in K and 1st grade together (there are about 6 or 7-maybe more- 2nd grade classes).  When we got to school at open house she saw Leah on her class list and was so excited.  I told her I was surprised that they were together again and she said- in her sweet KC way- "I'm not.  I prayed for us to be in the same class." :)

Annaliesse won't be 5 until December. I could have started her in PreK but I just couldn't do it.  This is my last one at home and I want to enjoy every minute with her.  I did buy her a workbook and handwriting paper.  We have been working on writing, phonics, math, science, and ss. KC tells Annaliesse that she is "homeschooled".  She LOVES to learn.  She even gets upset when we are finished for the day :)

Oh, the other day on the way to church KC was telling us what she wanted for her birthday and Annaliesse said, "I know what I want."  I asked her what she wanted for her birthday and she said, "Jetut (Jesus)." (she uses "t" for f, k , and s)
KC said, "You already have Jesus. He's in your heart."
Of course, that wasn't what Annaliesse wanted.  She said, "No, I want to be able to hug him and titt (kiss) him and tor (for) him to be WITH me." 
Katie Claire said, "Annaliesse, he IS with you.  He's in your heart and he's with you wherever you go!"  She then proceeded to tell Annaliesse all about how Jesus came and died on the cross for us and how God and Jesus are the same, in a way that explained it so much better than I ever understood at that age.
I thought it was so sweet. :) 

Oh yeah, August 8 was my birthday in the Lord!  Twenty years ago the Lord gave me the HG!! TWENTY YEARS- that's over half of my life- well, for a few more days anyway.  I'm not 40 yet! :P  Happy HG birthday also to Sis. Janice.  We share the same bday in the Lord.  So did Granny Gayle (Sis. Gayle Scott).  She would always call me on August 8 to tell me happy birthday.  I miss you Granny Gayle!  Also, Happy HG bday to Sis. Heather Middlebrooks! Her's is August 9th, the day after mine, but she's had it a little longer than me.
Well, I guess that's all for now!  If it seems like this was extremely random and jumpy, I apologize.  I haven't had my coffee yet :)

To Done!

We have finally finished one of our long list of "to do" projects and can proudly file it in the "to done" pile.


We had promised Grace her own room for Christmas and for birthday and for pretty much any major gift giving occasion.  There were only primarily two problems with that: 

The first being that giving her a room of her own meant that we would no longer have a "play room" (who decided that kids need there very own room for "playing" in anyway?!?). So I was going to have to find a way to cram all the toys and stuff -that took up an entire room- into one bedroom that was already so full that we had to have an entirely different room just for toys to begin with.

The second problem being the age old issue of money.  My thrifty and -don't tell him I admitted this-  more logical husband didn't want to spend much for a bedroom suit that is just going to get nicks and scratches and dents. But Grace and I both had in mind what we wanted and being strapped down by a budget was extremely disheartening. I searched daily on Craigslist but could never find what I wanted for the price we wanted to pay,  but I knew the Lord had never let us down before  and he could help us find a stellar bedroom suit for an even stellarer (yes, I know it's not a real word- just go with it) price.

Yep- that's exactly what he did!  The day we left for the beach our neighbors were having a yard sale and as we drove by I noticed a beautiful sleigh bed and dresser/mirror sitting out. It was white and we were wanting black but for the right price that would just be a minor fix.  I asked Trent if we could stop and look at it- I know he was thinking there was no way we could buy it right then since we were going on vacation but he said stopped and let me check on the price of it.  It was SEVENTY FIVE DOLLARS!! Of course we couldn't pass up a deal like that so we paid for it and they let us leave it there since we were leaving town right then.

When we came back it was almost time for revival so I didn't have time to get started on anything. Right after revival I tore into the play room and started throwing out and giving away and moving what was left into the girls' room.

Grace and I picked out the bedding (we got an adorable comforter, a super soft throw, and a matching rug all for $131!!!) and then Trent and I painted the room (pale aqua in case you're wondering).  BTW Trent really can't stand painting...he reminded me constantly as we worked on this project.

Then nothing... the room sat empty...waiting...for the furniture...BLACK furniture...
The problem? you ask...the furniture is white...big deal...paint it.
For weeks it seemed like we could never find the time. It's too wet, now it's too hot, working overtime, it's a holiday, it's a weekend, it's a weekday.



All that time, and those excuses later we FINALLY have it finished!! A bed and dresser for SEVENTY FIVE DOLLARS, a nightstand taken from her other bedroom furniture bc it didn't fit in the girls' room and they really don't need it with a bunk bed and all, and a desk that my mom gave us that used to belong to my sister.

See for yourself... This is what patience, the Lord,  and SEVENTY FIVE DOLLARS gets you!

footboard

I'm pretty proud of my husband with this piece.  When he brought it out he sat it up and it wasn't leaning on anything.  The wind blew it over and the top decorative piece broke off of it.  Once we got past his complaining about how much time that had cost us and me reminding him that it was only $75, he repaired it good as new and you have to look pretty closely to even tell that anything had happened to it.

Here it is in her room...We still have some decorating to do but she is just happy to get to sleep in her own room without two little sisters bothering her!

Way to go Trent!! We did it...one more thing we can mark off our "to do" list!





 

Because I know you are dying for pictures...

Two mini posts in one...

Corn is finally done!!
Thank you to- everyone sit down for this one- Kara...no, that is NOT a misprint...for helping me put up the corn.
Yes, KM actually came over to help me get the corn ready to freeze. Jeff even cooked hamburgers and hotdogs while we worked- meanwhile, Trent got lost in Walmart trying to find some more freezer containers- well, he didn't get lost but he couldn't find the containers and, like a typical guy, didn't want to ask for directions.
  Poor Kara. She wanted to help cut the corn off the cob so badly but being left handed just wouldn't let her do anything (and I couldn't really teach her-being right handed and all)...she really butchered the corn she tried to cut- pretty badly. So she was stuck washing and blanching corn.  Not much fun but she tried.  Anyway, THANK YOU KARA for your help (and Jeff for your culinary skills)!! :)

 Here are some pics I took to prove that my kids do know how to help!  They kind of took it by shifts and didn't commit entirely to the project but I take what I can get.  I only wish I had thought to get pictures proof of Kara helping :p

Second mini post: 

Meet the newest members of our family-

Big Guy, Big Momma, and Little Momma (otherwise known as Ginger)

 

We weren't really planning on getting a rooster but Trent decided that in the spring we might like baby chickens so we got one.  He's beautiful, isn't he?!  The other day I took a towel out and sat by the coop to talk to them. When I got out there only one hen was outside. I could hear the other hen rustling around in her nesting box.  About 5 minutes later I heard, "Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck" and then an egg hit the bottom of the box!  She had laid her first egg- well, not her first egg EVER- her first egg for us!  Neither of them have laid anymore but Trent says that's normal given the stress of the move and all.  They just better start laying soon...

THE EGG!

 

~ notice the little Easter eggs in the background...NOT real! We are "training" them to use the nest box to lay their eggs~

Mason and Arian are completely amazed...they were out there also and got to hear her lay the egg.