Back in School

We started school . . . good news and bad news . . . good news because we need the structure to get things done and keep this house running like a well oiled machine!!! . . . bad news because my house gets neglected and things are usually a little more hectic!!

This year I will be teaching 6th grade, 4th grade, and Kindergarten, as well as entertaining a 2 year old and her almost one year old brother!! We all take turns entertaining the Littles (the youngest 2), but the Bigs (the oldest 3) want to get their work done!!! Isn't that the dilemma of every homeschool family that has more than one child?? I am trying to enjoy our days and remember they are only little for a short while (thank goodness) and this stage will make way for a new one!!

I have switched to Singapore Math from Math U See, which I have been using for 6 years. I have had 2 math teacher friends, plus another K teacher friend who uses Singapore and highly recommends it!! My two BIGGEST Bigs are reluctant mathematicians!! So I thought we would try something new!! I am also switching to Explode The Code to teach Carter to read!! He can't wait to learn to read like the other Bigs!! I am using Wordly Wise 3000 for Vocabulary. I have never used it before but I have read rave reviews on it!! We are using IEW for Writing, Sonlight for History, and Apologia's Astronomy for Science. We have been using these for a few years now!

I am looking forward to a year filled with fun and excitement!! I hope we all survive!! I am pretty sure we will!!

**Thanks for indulging me while I referred to my children as "The Littles" and "The Bigs". Camden just read the book, "The Littles" so I couldn't resist!! It was fun and I think I have decided to do it from now on!!

The Twists and Turns of Life

It is has been WAYYYYYY too long since I updated my blog!! I am sorry about that!! Since my last post I have been pretty busy!! Let's see if I can sum it all up quickly!!

Moved to GA-LOVE THE SOUTH-had baby #5 Creed Joseph-unpacked and homeschooled-found an amazing church with amazing people-made some amazing friends-Carley turns 11-Hubby begins to get into teaching at the college level-Hubby gets a job offer back in FL (literally 4months after we get there)-it snows on Christmas day-Hubby accepts the job in FL-family is making adjustments to the idea of leaving our niche in the south-Caydence turns 2-Camden turns 9- Carter turns 5-we pack our house-cry our tears-say ours "see ya laters"-move back to FL-unpack . . .




. . . And that is where we pick back up!! I skipped a few details because they are boring and overrated!! We are now living in FL again and loving it!! We have been here about 2 weeks now. Hubby is working at Trinity College and is already excited about the possibilities!! He is the Program Director of the Management and Ethics degree. He is thrilled and feels like he is a very good fit for this college. He is also working on the final semesters of his Phd. His goal is to be finished with everything in 2 years!! If anyone can do it, I know he can! He is stressed about some aspects, but I have faith that the God who brought him this far will see him through to the end!

The children have been troopers through all of the chaos! Their emotions are up and down. The Lord has been their strength through it all and they will gladly tell you all about it!!


While in GA Carley, made lots of friends-good friends!! There were girls her age everywhere! They all seemed to be into dancing and singing so they got along great!! They were always making up a dance to a song or acting out a skit!! She played basketball for the first time ever and she also played softball and took dance. She has a passion to worship God with her dance. Carley also loves reading and writing. Right now she is into The Lord of the Rings Books. She is constantly learning something new about the characters and the symbolism within the literature (and movies). She is looking forward to seeing some of her Wesley Chapel girlfriends at VBS in a few weeks.

Camden is into all kinds of things too! While in GA, he played soccer and excelled at goalie. He played basketball, his favorite sport and his team went undefeated in the league. He even tried dancing with the dance team at church. He did a great job too, but I think he decided he wanted to stick with sports!! Camden is very sanguine, meaning he is a people person and he always has to be having FUN!!!! He made some great friends in GA too and got to do lots of sleepovers. That was a highlight for him! Now he is glad to be off of school for a while!! When it starts back up again it will have to be FUN!!! (on my to do list . . . make life FUN for Camden!!)

Carter has grown into such a sweet boy! You may know him and remember that when he was two, we wondered if he was going to live through those years!! It seemed he was never going to learn to comply with the family culture. He has a very strong personality, which God will use to glorify Him!! In GA Carter had a friend that had the same birthdate as he does, so that was an instant bond for the 2 of them. One friend had him over to spend the night and they slept in their homemade fort!!! So fun!! Carter starts Kindergarten this school year!! He can't wait to be "in school" like the older children!!

Caydence is now 2 . . . need I say more!!! Her name means "the beat of movement as in dancing or marching". This is so true for our Caydence because she definitely "marches to the beat of her own drum!!!" She keeps me on my toes!! She loves to "help" Creed, her baby brother. Really she is torturing him!! I know she loves him deep down!! She is starting to play dress up and pretend to be a princess. She has a "princess club" and only the most professional princesses are admitted. She is hilarious and she loves music! I am going to post a video of her singing Jesus Loves Me. It is super cute!


Creed Joseph is our newest baby boy! He was born on Sept 16 at 5:55AM. (Six weeks after we moved to GA) He was 8lb 14oz and was 23 1/2 inches long!! He has been a joy since the day he arrived. He is always happy and smiling and like his sister, Caydence, Creed loves music. Creed means, "a confession of faith" and we have learned so much over the past 3 years; most of which was spent unemployed for our family. FAITH has been the key element that has sustained us. Creed is a great reminder of that faith!! His smile and his energy are such a blessing!!

As for me, well . . . these children are my life!! I love every minute of the chaos! I spend most of my time cleaning up spills, doing laundry, changing diapers, picking up the same toys 20 times per day, etc. There isn't anything else I would rather be doing with my time!! I have been given the opportunity to mentor and discipline the children that have been entrusted to me for this season. I am so blessed!

I have managed to find myself involved in some wonderful life giving relationships with some wonderful women of God! They must really love me because they always seem to welcome me and my chaos. I am so very blessed to be living in such a place of opportunity in all areas of life!!!

I am planning to blog more about . . . well . . . whatever!! I am just so thankful that whatever twists and turns in life are around the corner, I can be sure that I am loved unconditionally by my Heavenly Father!!

Wood-burning Kit Brings Dad Back

My Hubby's parents recently moved and as my MIL was cleaning out the basement she found an old wood-burning kit that belonged to Hubby. He was probably about 12-14 when he used this to entertain himself "WAYYYY back in the old days," the kids would say!!

Well, the kids begged him to get it our yesterday so he did!! They had a blast . . . he had a "blast from the past!!" When he opened the box, there were pieces he had made as a kid that were still in the box. The kids were fascinated and Hubby was too!!

As they painted and burned their pieces of wood they kept saying, "MMMM, I love the smell of the burning wood!!" Should that concern me??? At any rate they had a great time and they all made "Keep Out" signs for their rooms!!!

I Love You Well, My Little Brother

I found this poem in Camden's Language Arts book. He is supposed to memorize it!! I like that idea!! I am making his brother memorize it too!! I think we shall walk around reciting this one all the time!! I know they love each other, but there are days . . . when love lies deep under the surface!! Maybe the poem will be a fun reminder of how we ought to treat each other!!!

I Love You Well, My Little Brother
Mother Goose Rhyme

I love you well, my little brother,
And you are fond of me;
Let us be kind to one another,
As brothers ought to be.

You shall learn to play with me.
And learn to use my toys;
And then I think that we shall be
Two happy little boys.

21 Rules of this House

I found this on the internet and I am going to post it in every room of this house!!! I love being a mommy and I love my munchkins . . . but they are still learning and growing!! I hope they can get this in them! Maybe it will make life a little less hectic around here!


The 21 Rules Of This House
by Gregg Harris

1. We obey God.
2. We love, honor and pray for one another.
3. We tell the truth.
4. We consider one another's interests ahead of our own.
5. We speak quietly and respectfully with one another.
6. We do not hurt one another with unkind words or deeds.
7. When someone needs correction, we correct him in love.
8. When someone is sorry, we forgive him.
9. When someone is sad, we comfort him.
10. When someone is happy, we rejoice with him.
11. When we have something nice to share, we share it.
12. When we have work to do, we do it without complaining.
13. We take good care of everything that God has given us.
14. We do not create unnecessary work for others.
15. When we open something, we close it.
16. When we take something out, we put it away.
17. When we turn something on, we turn it off.
18. When we make a mess, we clean it up.
19. When we do not know what to do, we ask.
20. When we go out, we act just as if we were in this house.
21. When we disobey or forget any of the 21 Rules of This House, we accept
the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

My Carley

Today Carley turned 10!! I can't believe it!! She is growing up to be such an amazing person. Her beauty radiates from the inside out!!

I remember when I found out I was pregnant with her. It was Easter Sunday of 1999. I told Shannon that I thought I was and he said that he'd bet me a DOLLAR that I wasn't!! I won!!

My pregnancy with Carley was interesting! Since it was my first, every little nuisance was alarming! A pain here and a pain there . . . what did that mean? Why is that happening?? My blood pressure began to rise too high about 6 weeks before her due date. I was put on bed rest. There were several trips to the doctor and hospital. So the doctor finally said we would induce birth the day after Thanksgiving, which was only 12 days early! That was exciting!! All the family came to TN, where we bought our first house in preparation for Carley's arrival. I made Thanksgiving dinner . . . I was supposed to be on be rest . . . but I really wanted some good food!!

So we packed our bags and checked into the hospital on Friday morning. I had pitocin to induce contractions. I had one contraction and then I said . . . I think I need an epidural now!! I was definitely afraid of the pain!! After I had the pain medicine, I fell asleep. I had my water broken and then began to push a little while after that. I only pushed for 30 minutes or so and out came my baby girl!! It was an absolute miracle!! She was 6 pounds 13 ounces and only 18 1/2 inches. What a tiny thing!!

Meanwhile, the family that came for the occasion was out in the lobby placing bets on WHEN the baby would arrive. I can't remember WHO won the bet, but that was quite a memory!! Our first visitors were grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and lots of friends!! It was our first baby and such a special time for us!!

I couldn't believe we were "allowed" to take her home with us. When we came home, I can remember our first night's sleep . . . I mean actually there was no one sleeping!! What a mess these first time parents were. There is no amount of reading one can do to prepare you for those early days. The Lord knows we can't handle them for long . . . that is why they seem to go by so quickly! (That and the fact that we are so tired, we can't remember!!)

Carley has become such a sweet young lady. She is so much fun to be around. She makes me laugh all the time. She likes to go with me to the grocery store so I don't have to go alone!! She likes to shop for clothes and loves to dress fashionable! BUT she also like to get dirty in the MUD, if I let her!! She is a GREAT sister to her brothers and sister. But what I am most proud of, is the way Carley loves Jesus. Her prayers are so heartfelt and sincere. She knows how to talk to Him and does so freely. She shares her faith with her friends in the neighborhood because she wants them all to have the Peace and the Grace that she has.

Carley has been such a blessing for me to parent and I am looking forward to watching her blossom into the beautiful woman of God that I know she will become. Hugs to my sweet, sweet girl!!!

WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO??

We have been doing a lot to stay busy . . . besides NOT sleeping! Here are a FEW of the highlights.


We have all been adjusting to having a new member of the family! The older children think it's so cool to have a baby in the house and the younger one . . . he knows what it means to get into trouble for being careless around his infant sister. He is adjusting too!! Cater loves his baby sis though and just wishes she could wrestle like him and Daddy and Camden.


Carley and Camden have been in sports this past spring. Carley did girls fast pitch softball. It was her first time playing a team sport and she LOVED it! She did awesome too. She started out a little nervous when she would get up to bat. But by the end of the season she was hitting like a pro and making it to base!! She wants to play in the fall, so look out girls . . . here she comes!!



Camden played basketball and Shannon coached his team. Camden did AWESOME!! He was the tallest kid in the league and had the second highest score of any of the players in the entire league!! He is definitely a talented athlete! He made the all stars team. His team WON against the kid that had the highest scoring points for the entire season! Camden did awesome!!


We have had LOTS of homeschool events that took place at the end of the school year. At our talent show Carley played a piano solo, "This Little Light of Mine." She did awesome!


We had tragedy strike our family about 2 months ago. Shannon's brother Brian's wife Christy had an anyerism. She is 28 years young and is 30 weeks pregnant with their first baby. She is on the road to recovery. This has taken up a significant amount of time for us. We will be going to VA to help out the family for appx 6 weeks or so when she is released from rehab. We know that with God's help and healing power she will make a full recovery.


In May we celebrated the life of Camden Andrew Hogan for the seventh time!! HE is such a joy!! His friends came t the park and we had cake, presents and games!! He was so happy to be the center of attention!!


Then yesterday we celebrated the life of Carter Scott Hogan for the third time!! What a sweet blessing he is in our family! He kept calling himself "The Birthday Boy" all day. Then when he woke up the next day, he reminded us that he is STILL "The Birthday Boy!" He makes us laugh everyday!!!


That was a little of the highlights! I hope to post at least once a week now! Caydence likes to watch the computer screen while I type!! Thanks for your patience!!

Our Baby Caydence Lynne

She has finally arrived!! She was 6 pounds 10 ounces and 20 1/4 inches long. She arrives on Monday March 23 at 10:27PM. We had been anticipating her arrival for 9 months, and we are so excited to have her join us! She is our tiny princess and we are all enjoying our time getting to know her.

Contractions started and stopped twice over the few days preceding her birth. I thought she might NEVER arrive! On Monday, Carley had a softball game and I decided to go! I was tired of sitting around waiting for the "real thing" to start! Contractions started again before we left for the game. They were mild and only 7-10 min apart! They were getting a little stronger throughout the game, but still 7-10 min apart. I went to the van to sit in silence b/c they were really starting to get to me and they were still 7-10 min apart at about 7:45PM. BY the time the game was over (WE WON!!) they were just starting to get closer. They were now about 5-6 min apart. BY the time we got home, at 8PM, they were 4-5 min apart and they were about 1 min long! So we called the midwife and she was on her way in no time! I had continued contractions and the little princess was born in a birthing tub at 10:27PM. My water broke as I pushed her out. That was different!! I could feel it POP in the water and it freaked me out at first!

It was such a great experience and the Lord answered our prayers! Caydence is healthy and strong and ready to take on the world! She fits into our family already and we feel so blessed to have her!

Thank you to all who have prayed, bought gifts, brought meals, or said an encouraging word! We will hold the memories in our hearts forever! We appreciate you and your generosity!

. . . now, I am gonna go get some sleep!!

Carley Plays for a Crowd

Last night Carley performed in her first piano recital. She did such a great job!! She was second on the program and she was soooo nervous that she prayed the entire trip to the church where the recital was held. (That was a solid 45 minutes!!) She did so great and I am so proud that she decided to ask Jesus to calm her nerves. She was calm as could be!! It was neat to see other students perform at a much higher level. Carley saw what kind of pieces she will be playing in the future!! She did awesome!!

Life is so busy!!

I just love this blogging thing! Becky introduced me to it almost a year ago and I really love to post what we are up to! But life is getting the best of me right now!! Things are so hectic and it doesn't seem like it is going to slow down any time soon! I have a habit of thinking, "When we finish . . . . this event . . . things will calm down and they won't be so busy!!" But they never really do! So I am thinking that things are just going to stay busy!! Maybe if I think more along those lines . . . I'll get more done!! :o)

So here's a quick update:
Carley and Camden just finished up their Christmas program at church. They did awesome, of course! Carley did a dance with the cheerleaders. She looked so cute in her little costume! Camden was in the choir. He got to say a line to a bible verse and hold up a card that had letters spelling a word on it. It was so cute because he held us his "E" backwards!! So did half the rest of the children!! It was so Camden!! This was his first time in the Christmas program and he did a great job!!

The kids have also been invited to a plethora of birthday parties this month!!! It's crazy! One of them have a party almost every weekend! Those December babies have to make sure they aren't overlooked with the Christmas season so they make sure everyone gets a big shin-dig party!! FUN . . . but busy!

This week Carley has her fist piano recital! That is exciting and the piano has been in constant use!! She is excited and nervous all at the same time!! I am so proud of her! She has practiced and she will do great!!

We also went on a trip to Ft Lauderdale about 2 weeks ago! That put me behind more than anything!!! The kids had fun and we all got to see the family again!! The kids loved going to the "Swamp Safari" and getting to hold a baby alligator!! I even held it!! I have a pic! I have been so busy, that I haven't even downloaded the pics off the camera yet!!

. . . AND between all of this . . . Christmas is next week!! Yeah that's right next week in like 9 days and I am not finished shopping! SO I am trying to find time to check off my "to do" lists that keep choking me!!

I must confess that my house is in shambles and I am beginning to get ANNOYED with it!! It seems like we are bursting at the seems! All the Christmas decor is out and makes for a cluttered garage for now!! The clutter is . . . everywhere, really! I never had clutter before!! I think it is a combination between living in a small house with all these kiddos AND not moving in almost 4 years!! (That is what helped me keep the clutter down before . . . when you move, you throw stuff away in order to NOT have to move it!!) . . . and now we are going to add another baby to the cluttered mess! I told my Hunny . . . We have got to make room for this baby!! So, I am tossing stuff left and right!! Thanks to Flylady.net I have a plan of attack on the clutter and I plan to take it one area of the house at a time!! I am going crazy!! . . . . But not for long . . . I am on the prowl and if it is dusty or is still in it's box . . . it probably means we don't NEED it!! :o) I will post on my progress!!

Somewhere within all this mess my husband and I have found some time to seek the Lord MORE and listen to Him MORE!! Shannon has been job searching for several months now and we are taking the time to seek God in ways we never have before! Just being intentional and diligent in seeking Him has made such a difference in my heart and the way I see Him!! He has spoken to me because I have taken the time to sit and listen!! I am in awe at His providential hand!! He is Jehovah Jirah - my provider! I am so thankful for all he has done for us this Christmas season and always!!

I hope you have a great Christmas too!

Another Bunny Dies

I guess it is a good way for children to learn the cycle of life and death. Pets help them know that all creatures are born once and then eventually die. But it hurts all the same!

This morning we had another bunny die. But I am not sure I handled it all too well. I went outside to let the dog out and the bunny cage was open. Camden, our 6 year old, fed them yesterday and apparently he didn't shut the cage back tight. Usually Carley does it, and yesterday he helped her with her chores. I don't know when she got out, but she was stiff as could be in the middle of the yard. I could tell it had been awhile since it happened. The dog was out last night for quite a while and our guess is that she chased the bunny down in her instinctual way. I'm sure the dog was just playing, but Star, the bunny, was too fragile to "play."

When I saw her (THE BUNNY) in the yard, I immediately called for Shannon. Carley was still sleeping, so I thought we could dispose of the bunny before she saw what happened. He ran outside and got rid of her, but Carley looked out her window and saw him. In my desperate attempt to protect the kids from the trauma that they incurred the last time a bunny died, I lied to them (not knowing that Carley saw the whole thing out her bedroom window.) I told them that the bunny got out of the cage and must have run away (because dying seemed so much more traumatic to me!!). Carley asked what Daddy picked up in the yard. She said it looked like the bunny. Ugh!! I blew her off and tried to get away with it. She asked a few more times and I was feeling extremely guilty, so I told them the truth. They cried and mourned, but it was nothing like our last bunny death.

Why did I lie to them?? I didn't really think about it. Time just seemed to stand still, so I tried to protect them. The last time a bunny died was the first time we had a pet die and it was extremely traumatic for the children. They actually found her and didn't realize she was dead for several minutes. All I wanted was to protect them from that. They realized that I make mistakes too (if they hadn't figured that out already!!) and I prayed and asked them to forgive me . . . and they were eager to. I am glad for the conviction of the Holy Spirit and I am still asking myself, "WHY DID I DO THAT??"

The good thing is that we still have Hope, the other bunny. She will just have to get used to being alone.

Achieving

Recently my big kids, Carley and Camden, are so driven to achieve! All kids like a pat on the back or words or praise. They like that too, but this seems a little different. They don't just want to do a good job, they want to do an excellent job!! It is so exciting to see them do something that they excel at.

Carley is doing Junior Bible Quiz (JBQ) and she has her first match this weekend. She is so excited!! She practices everyday and she wants to do her best!! In practice matches she does really good and she feels confident! The only problem is that in the matches parents can's say a word . . . no cheering . . . nothing. If you do, it is a foul on your team and they loose points!! It is going to be so hard to sit still!!!!

She is also taking piano lessons and the piano teacher says she is gifted, musically. I am a mom with NO musical talent whatsoever and I loved hearing those words. She picks things up so quickly and she will be performing in a Christmas recital in December. I can't wait to watch her perform!!

Camden is memorizing stuff like crazy! He memorizes about one verse a week as well as a poem and sometimes more stuff for his Wednesday night class at church, Ranger Kids. He has all the poems and verses still memorized from the beginning of August. He loves to stand up and say all his poems or all his verses. It's like he glows with excitement about his achievement!!

I am so proud of them! There were days when I heard both of them say . . . "I am not doing this!! It is WAYYY too hard!" They have said it about reading, writing, sports, JBQ, poem memorization, and lots of other hurdles that they have reluctantly but gracefully overcome! I am so glad they have found things that they love to do! I know they are young and there is a lot more world to explore and I can't wait to see what else lies on the path ahead!

Childish or Careless?

Daddy & Camden on the Cruise

Camden making funny faces!!

My Camden is so full of life and energy! He is 6 years old and his goal is to make you laugh! He has come home from church telling me that he made the whole class laugh!! He is sweet and sensitive. He will run outside to give me a hug and kiss before I leave to go ANYWHERE, even if I am only going to the store for 15 minutes. And he will tell me what Jesus is speaking to his heart, whether it is to pray for someone or some deep truth about life!! He is protective of his little brother too. He told me that a friend at church was saying, "dang!!" Well, that isn't a "bad word" and Camden knows that, but he also knows that certain things don't sound nice coming from the mouth of a child! Dang . . . is just such a word. His friend was saying this word and Camden politely asked his friend not to use that word in front of his brother. He said, "I don't want my brother to say that word!!" Isn't that sweet??? He is destined for great things!!

Did I mention that Camden is HUGE for his age!! Not huge, like pituitary giant huge . . . but BIG!! He is the size of an average 8 year old. He proudly tells me he is the biggest kid in his class at church! He thinks that somehow makes him "better!!" He also wants to be JUST LIKE HIS DAD and it just so happens that his dad is 6'5" and so he seems like a giant to Camden!!

With this "big-ness" comes a slight bit of clumsiness! At least that is wear I am hoping it comes from!! It seems like he is being very careless at times. But when I analyze the situation . . . post lecture on "being careful" . . . I wonder if it is just because his body is bigger than he realizes!!

Anyone out there with more experience than me?? Will he grow out of it?? Are all boys like this? Is this normal childishness or is it carelessness?? I don't want to punish him if he REALLY can't help it!! But I don't want to grow a careless boy that has little respect for the things of others around him. (He breaks everyone's stuff!!) I don't know about this? It is baffling me!!

Any thoughts, ideas, or suggestions would be awesome!!

What a great day!!

If you know me at all you will know that I really don't like to be the center of attention. I really prefer to be in the background and I don't need a pat on the back. When my birthday rolls around, my family celebrates together, but I really don't like to have a big birthday "party." I like to go out to dinner with my husband and kids, and extended family. (The gift here is the fact that I don't have to cook!!) This year was no different.

The weekend started out simple. We invited some friend over to play a Euchre Tournament. That was a blast!!! I love to hang out with fun people and I love to play cards AND eat food!! Then on Saturday we just hung around the house doing chores and planning our coming week. On Saturday, Shannon decided that he and the kids would give me my presents early (They do this every year, at Christmas AND Mother's Day too!!) I was thrilled when he gave me exactly what I asked for!! I asked for the Anne of Green Gables Trilogy.

I was sooo excited!! The kids were too! We didn't waste any time! We began watching the movie on Sat evening. I even made Shannon sit and watch it with me and . . . don't tell him I told you . . . but . . . he likes it!!

This movie totally brought me back to childhood. I remember watching it on PBS and getting interrupted by those silly telethon things!! I hated that! Although I loved the movies, I had never seen them all from start to finish!! There are 3 of them! This time it was 9 hours of bliss!! The kids would beg to watch more!! I told told them that when we take a long trip to Grandma's or Nana's we can watch the entire movie without stopping!! They liked that idea!!

Then Shannon surprised me with something that I have always wanted . . . a Garmin GPS!! I love maps! So he thought I would like this gadget! He was right! It practically drives the car for me!! We all have fun and we even turn it on when we are going to church or home from the store!! We are trying to come up with a cute name like Becky did! Stay tuned!


On Sunday, which was my actual birthday, I was greeted first thing in the morning with toast and a glass of milk in bed. I got lots of hugs and kisses and I think that was my favorite part of the day. . . oh, I have another favorite part . . . I didn't have to do the dishes all day!!! Thanks Hunny! I love you so much!! What a great day!!!

I realize what I have got

Shannon and Camden went on a "boy's trip" to Arkansas to see Shannon's grandma. Shannon's dad and brother met them there and they are having a hum-dinger-of-a-time!! I don't know if you have ever experienced Arkansas, but it is one you would NEVER forget nor want to repeat!!

Shannon's grandma Hogan has Alzheimer's and lives in a nursing home. She really isn't that bad, but she can't be left alone because she looses stuff constantly!! She mixes people's names up and asks the same questions several times a day. It really quite funny . . . comic relief!! She hates the nursing home! It is full of invalid elderly people that sit around and do nothing. Grandma is up and moving all the time!!

She lives in Hardy. It's a tiny little town!! She talks about how people are moving in like crazy and building stuff . . . but I think she means the McDonalds, Taco Bell, and KFC!! That and Walmart are the high lights of the town!! Shannon said they went to Walmart 2 times the first day they got there!! It is Grandma's favorite place to go. She loves to shop . . . and buy lots of junk that we don't need and give it to all of us as gifts!! Sweet, huh? Well, her whole family lives there and they have since the beginning of time!! She tells all kinds of stories about that place as you drive down the road.

Shannon's dad wanted to try and save some money and not stay 5 nights in a hotel, so he booked a resort that is just outside of town!! He said it was half the price of the only hotel in town, so they gave it a try!! Shannon says that the "resort" is a hum-dinger too!! He says it's a little old 2 bedroom and 1 bathroom house that creaks and squeaks at every move. He says that you can hear everything through the walls, including Grandma's terrible coughing (just like a smoker's cough because Grandpa smoked in the house for 50+ years). So he isn't sleeping much!! (I forgot to say that Grandma is staying at the resort with the boys. It's like her vacation away from the nursing home!! She hates it there!)

This is Camden sending me some love from the great state of Arkansas!!

The fun part is that they boys are going fishing, golfing, and creekin' (that is the official Hogan term for looking for critters in the creek!). They are having a blast and Grandma is tagging along to each event! Camden is having a blast because he LOVES everything BOY and messy and gross!! He is keeping everyone in stitches!! Whenever they are creekin' or fishing Camden is the first one to fall in the water and get as wet and messy as possible!! It's a little boys dream!!

I am at home with my oldest and youngest Munchkins! We are bonding in different ways, of course! We made lots of sweets in the kitchen and on Monday we are going to make a "Welcome Home" cake for Daddy! Carley has been keeping me company in bed at night and we have been staying up till about 11 and even eating snacks in bed!! (She thought that was so cool!)

But in the end . . . I miss my Hunny!! Since he works from home now, we are pretty much always together!! We talk about everything and nothing all at the same time!! He is the source of laughter in this house and the source of silliness!! I just miss him!! I hate it when I put something down . . . and it's there when I get back to it!! No one has moved it because no one is here!! I am looking forward to seeing his face on Monday evening when he gets home!!

Baby wearing

I wish I would have done this sooner. I was walking through Walmart and Carter REALLY wanted me to hold him. It's pretty much impossible to hold a 30lb toddler and push a grocery cart. So I was in the baby section looking for a gift for a friend's upcoming shower. My eyes zoned in on a baby sling on the shelf. I opened the package and took a look at it. Then I tried it on. It fit and it looked pretty cool. I asked Carter if he wanted to get in and he refused . . . he's 2 and he has an attitude. So instead of reason with him on adult terms, I offered him a cookie (that is not an everyday event in our family) and he caved!! His eyes were as big as saucers when I said "if you try it, I'll give ya a cookie!!!" He jumped in that sling with a smile on his face!! After adjusting the sling for a moment, I asked Carter if he liked it and he smiled and said "Yes, Mama!!" He laid his head on my shoulder and looked at the view from high up, instead of the cart, which he HATES!! We finished our walk around Walmart and when we went to checkout I handed the cashier the package and told her that I was wearing it!!!

That was my first experience with a sling and it was pretty cool. I have had a friend whispering in my ear about it's marvelous benefits!! I don't know if this will work for us for too much longer (since Carter is already pretty big), but it is worth a shot!! Next time I go shopping, I'm taking the sling!!!

A Much Better Day . . .

I am so pleased to post that Carter and I had a GREAT day today!! He had pretty much perfect behavior today. I gave him so much praise and even a big fat STICKER for his awesome behavior!! I was so proud of him!! It was one of those days that makes me forget about days like yesterday. Thank goodness for days like these!!

Totally Felt Defeated

It was one of those days. . . . I mean the kind when you feel like a complete failure as a parent!! I don't know if I am exaggerating or not, but it felt like the worst day of child-rearing that I have EVER experienced!! How does it get to this??

I'll tell ya how??

SIN!! Adam and Eve started it!!!

Today, my 2 year old pushed me to the limit!! (I think they are known for that!!) When it was time for a "routine spanking" for general misbehavior, he decided that he wanted to kick and scream bloody murder (so the neighbors could hear). I tried to reason with him and tell him it was making things worse, but he never really "got it!!" Oh my goodness!! I was so MAD at him that I had to leave the room and tell him to wait till Daddy came home because I just couldn't continue to wrestle with him over getting a spanking.

I know that discipline, specifically spanking, is a touchy subject in some circles. Our family has a "spanking routine" that is made to keep peace and is used for correction, not to get anger out. So here is our "routine:"

1. The child is taken to a private location and never spanked publicly.
2. The child is asked if he knows why he is about to get a spanking. We make sure he is completely clear on this.
3. The swat is administered with a spanking tool or paddle.
4. Crying ensues and is calmed.
5. We hug the child and let him know that we love him unconditionally (like Jesus does), even if he had disobeyed.
6. Usually the crying has stopped and then we will let the child pray to Jesus and ask Him to forgive him and help him when the temptation arises again.
7. Then the parent administering the discipline will pray for the child.
8. Then we talk and the child asks forgiveness from parents, siblings or whomever he has offended.
9. Then there is lots of hugs and kisses and talking about how much we love each other.

This process causes great amounts of emotional bonding. It is a fact, that there is a direct correlation between pain and repentance. If it hurts bad enough you are sorry for what caused the pain (in any area of life . . . think about it). It is just a principle that we live by.

Carter, the precious 2 year old mentioned above, has become accustomed to the routine established in our home and he knows what to expect. Well today went awry and I guess we are chalking it up to seeing what he can get away with . . . the ol' "sin nature!!" I am praying for his little mind and spirit as he tries to figure it all out. I love that little munchkin to pieces and I was so mad at myself for getting SOOO frustrated at him today!! He could sense my anger and he was mad at me too. I asked him to forgive me and he said he would, but he was clinging to Daddy, (even though he is the one who actually administered the spanking), because he knew "Mommy was upset."

It made me think about Jesus and the pain He must feel when we disobey Him and then blame Him for it. We've all done it, but today my eyes were opened to His Hurt!!

Random Stuff

Things seem busier than usual . . . I always say that!! It seems that as the kids get older, things are just busier!!

My kids have had play dates everyday this week!! It is so unfortunate that they are so unsocialized (because we homeschool) and have no interaction with other children their own age. (that was totally sarcastic!!) So if they are not reading a book, they are playing with other children. That has made things very busy!!

I have been planning and organizing events and meetings for our homeschool group. That is quite a task! There is a lot of "red tape" when dealing with a large church like we have. I have also been putting cards, flyers and sign up sheets together. This (and blogging) are what I spend most of my late nights doing!!

Next week our church is doing VBS and my Hunny and I volunteer. That is one of the busiest weeks of my year!! The kids look forward to it all year. We always have fun too!

The week after that I am planning some big events for the HS group and Carley, the world's best big sister, will be at kids camp. I am going to miss her like crazy!!

That means that sometimes laundry doesn't get done like I would like and floors aren't mopped as often as I'd like!! I have convinced myself that in the end, my kids are going to be happy because I poured everything in to them and their education. I hope that the details of piled laundry and finger prints on glass doors fade in the background.

We are starting school on Aug 4, so I plan to slow it down some. I am excited about what is coming up with our homeschool group and that is all I can handle!!! God is going to have to help me every step of the way . . . . as He always does!!

Camden is reading like crazy!!

Remember the reading challenge? Well the kids won't put the books down! They are doing soooo good!!

I have to brag a moment on Camden!! He just turned 6 and is in first grade. I am so proud of him. He is pronouncing words and reading words that I didn't even know that he knew!! I am amazed!! He is reading "Frog and Toad" Books!! I am just so happy for him and eager to see him learn and expand his vocabulary even more!! I love to watch my kids LOVE to do something!!!

While I am talking about Camden, let me just take a moment and tell you a little about him.

He is hilarious!! All he wants to do is make people laugh and please his parents!! He loves Jesus so much!! There are pieces of paper all over my house that say, "Jesus Rocks! I love him!" or "I love Jesus!" I am so grateful for that! He loves sports! Any team that his dad likes, he likes! Speaking of his dad . . . Camden loves his dad more than anyone else on this planet!! All he wants to do is hang with Dad!! If one of the other kids gets to go to the store with Dad and he has to stay behind, he is so jealous, he can't stand it!! Dad and Camden are going to be best friends when Camden is older!! When Camden was 2, his teacher at church would tell me Camden is the happiest boy she'd ever seen!! He just loves life and all it has to offer! I can't wait to see what God has in store for my oldest son, my big boy!!

I love you Camden!


Camden and Daddy making funny faces!!

Camden holding his baby brother!! (Aren't his eyes amazing?)

Camden holding Star, his bunny.