Wow! It's Free!

Really, I'm incredibally impressed by this HUGE digital holiday magazine from TOS. The best part...it's absolutely FREE!!! Just click the picture! Pin It Now!

Back to work with workboxes

As a 2nd year member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I have been given the wonderful opportunity to review many homeschool products over the next several months. The only compensation that I receive for my review is the free product. I feel truly blessed to be participating in this review group and I'm looking forward to trying out more products and giving you my honest opinion.


Okay, I have to give it to you straight. If you are a homeschooler and have not yet heard about workboxes, than surely you've been hiding under a rock somewhere.

The workbox craze is sweeping the nation and being talked about on homeschool forums, Yahoo groups, and blogs everywhere. I first heard about them last summer from a friend and quickly began some online research.

Sue Patrick is the creator of this system and the author of Sue Patrick's Workbox System User Guide Ebook. I immediately bought and read through this ebook not knowing that I would have the opportunity to review it this fall.

For an explanation of Sue Patrick's Workbox System, check out this video.

I liked and implemented many of the suggestions in the book, but was initially overwhelmed by setting up the system for each of my four school aged children. I had two main concerns:

1. It would be quite costly to buy a shoerack and 12 plastic totes for each of the kids.

2. It seemed it would also be rather time consuming to prepare for the next day's lessons each day.

However, when I was asked to review the ebook, I decided it was time to really give it a try.

Once again, I read through the ebook. I like that it is a quick, but informative read with only 13 short chapters. In addition to how to set up and use her Workbox System, Sue Patrick also offers other topics in her book such as The Benefits of Homeschooling and Family Dynamics and Homeschooling.

Sue Patrick says that she has "fine tuned this system over many years" in this online interview and suggests that one will not receive the full benefits of her system if they tweak it. I took this into full consideration, but still decided some tweaking was necessary for our family.

Some of you may remember that we got a 10 week headstart on the school year this summer so that we could break once Baby L arrived. Well, we've finally started back to work this week. I set up four workbox systems using crates and file folders for G8 (3rd), A7 (2nd), E6 (1st), and H4 (Pre-K).

I also set up a more traditional Workbox system for E2.

Personally, I liked both the traditional version and the "tweaked" version, but I will admit that it is much easier to store materials and games in the tubs. If you have the money and the room, I'd definitely suggest going by Sue Patrick's guidelines. Plus, the tubs are a necessity for your littlest ones...file folders would never work for E2.

So do I like it? That question is still up in the air. Most of my kids like it because it ensures that they will have more game time and hands-on lessons each day. My oldest was not as thrilled. He said, "Well, actually it just seemed like there was more to do." I sort of agree.

The idea is that children will be able to work through their lessons faster and more independently. Our kids were already working through the lessons that I wanted them to work independently and so far, workboxes have not sped up our homeschool day. In fact, the additional work has made it longer.

One benefit I have seen with this system is that two of my children who are more kinesthetic learners have reduced the amount of complaining and whining during homeschool to almost nonexistent. That's certainly a big plus! Plus, my H4 who loves to homeschool is finally satisfied that I am giving her more work to do. I also have less interruption from E2 who happily plays with his workboxes (though out of order) while I am working with the others.

The biggest drawback is the prep time. Before I was spending about hour and half each Sunday afternoon preparing homeschool lessons and daily assignment sheets for the week. With the workbox system, I have to plan lessons daily, putting work into each folder/box. On average, this takes me an hour to prepare 5 workbox systems EACH DAY. That's a lot of prep time for this busy mom of seven.

Nevertheless, we're keeping up the workboxes for now.

If you're interested in setting up a workbox system for your homeschool, I would definitely recommend purchasing Sue Patrick's Workbox System User Guide ebook. It's only $19 and you can download it immediately from her website complete with access to additional online printables.

And don't forget, I'm not the only one with an opinion...check out the TOS Homeschool Crew blog for more reviews of this book.

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Visitor

We discovered this praying mantis next to our front door a couple of days ago. It looks to be about 5 inches long...the biggest one I've ever seen!


I was going to take a picture of my hand next to it to show you that it was almost the same size, but chickened out. Instead we held this package of 11 inch tall copy paper next to it.

The last I checked, it was still hanging out on our front porch.

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Sarah's Wish

As a 2nd year member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I have been given the wonderful opportunity to review many homeschool products over the next several months. The only compensation that I receive for my review is the free product. I feel truly blessed to be participating in this review group and I'm looking forward to trying out more products and giving you my honest opinion.

I was introduced to historical fiction a couple of years ago while participating in a book club. To be honest, I really didn't think that I would enjoy it, but it has since become my favorite genre. I guess the appeal comes in the fact that we all have a curiosity of what it was like to live in a different time. And also, I just really enjoy history.

In school, however, history was one of my least favorite subjects and I truly believe that our students are receiving a horrible injustice in regards to how they are being taught history. Why are they only being taught to memorize boring dates and names from a boring text that they will completely forget once they've completed their semester test when they could be reading great literature that was written about that time period or during that time period?

Sarah's Wish by Jim Baumgardner is the perfect example of a novel that can be used to make history come alive for students. It's set in 1858 and follows the story of Sarah Smith, a 12 year old little girl who helps her mother, a "conductor" of the Underground Railroad. When her mother dies at the beginning of the book, Sarah is left to continue her mother's work helping slaves find their way to freedom and transition into finding a new family herself.

I've yet to read this book with our kids, but I think it will make a wonderful addition to our read-alouds this Spring as we are studying Early American History this year. Jim does a wonderful job of including educational tidbits throughout the novel...things like how a wagon wheel is made and the workings of a steamboat. This novel is written to a younger audience and I have to admit that I wasn't riveted throughout the entire book, but there is certainly enough adventure to keep my little ones interested.

Sarah's Wish is the first book of a series that currently has three books available. You can purchase it for only $9.99 which includes a free audio download of the book. You'll find excerpts of the book on Sarah's website and more reviews of this book on the TOS Crew blog. Pin It Now!

They're not so Gr-r-reat.

Okay. So this isn't a new gripe, just one that I'm reminded of this morning as I eat my breakfast.

Did you notice a couple of years ago when they actually reduced the amount of sugar in Frosted Flakes? I did and believe me, they do not taste nearly as good now as they did when they were absolutely loaded with sugar.

I mean, c'mon. If I was concerned about my sugar intake, I wouldn't be purchasing a cereal called Frosted Flakes.

I want my sugar back. Pin It Now!

Overheard from E2 this week...

While disciplining E2 for kicking and sitting on his little sister:

Mom: "E2, Bible words say, 'Be Kind to one another.' Do you know who wrote the Bible?"

E2 (eyes wide and serious): "Yes. A7." (His big sister.)

Mom (trying not to laugh): "No. Bible words are God's words."

E2 (not convinced): "No. A7 and G8 wrote the Bible." (Big sister and big brother.)

* * *

This morning...

A7: "Mom! E2 took his diaper off!"

I turn around to see a completely naked 2 year old. Grinning.

Mom: "E2, why did you take your diaper off?"

E2: "Because L1 took her diaper off."

Sure enough, L1 toddles in completely naked as well. And grinning.

* * *

One evening earlier this week.

Dad: "E2 would you like to say bedtime prayers?"

E2 (reaches up to rub Daddy's closely shaved head): "Yes... Dear God, thank you for Daddy's

pokey hairs on his head and thank you for Mommy's pokey hairs on hers' legs."

I kid you not.

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Homeschool + GPS = Fun!

As a 2nd year member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I have been given the wonderful opportunity to review many homeschool products over the next several months. The only compensation that I receive for my review is the free product. I feel truly blessed to be participating in this review group and I'm looking forward to trying out more products and giving you my honest opinion.

When I first heard I would be reviewing Educaching I excitedly called my husband to tell him we finally had a reason to get a GPS. No, I'm not particularly directionally challenged...actually, I just wanted to go geocaching!

If you've never heard of geocaching than you should really check out geocaching.com. Basically, it's a treasure hunt using the coordinates settings on a handheld GPS system. Go to geocaching.com, punch in your zipcode and you will likely find hundreds of caches in your area. Caches are the "treasure" you're looking for...usually just small containers with a logbook to sign your name proving that you were there.

Educaching is a curriculum written for teachers to combine learning with the fun of geocaching. Using the lessons from Educaching, teachers will hide caches in their yard and take note of the coordinates. Armed with a GPS, students will find the caches and work the lessons. The thrill of the hunt keeps the students working!

We decided we would first introduce the kids to the GPS with a day of actual geocaching. We headed to a local park with the coordinates of three caches hidden there. However, after reading a little closer we found that one was hidden in an hard-to-get-to-with-toddlers-in-tow part of the park and another was next to an old cemetery. That didn't bother me, but the warning that rats inhabited the area did. So we searched...and searched...and searched for the third cache, but couldn't find it.

Instead we opted to play at the park...












Luckily, our Educaching lesson went much smoother.
First Dad hid objects all around our lot and wrote down the coordinates. (What a fun way to get Dad involved in homeschool, btw!) G8 was the only one who could easily use the GPS system.


One of our caches!


For this lesson, the kids had to measure the objects in inches and centimeters before getting the next coordinates.


They all recorded their findings.


Finally, the last cache (hidden in the mailbox) was found. It was a baggie of suckers, which were promptly measured and gobbled right up!

Educaching includes 20 detailed lesson plans in many different subject areas including math, science, and language arts. The lessons are geared towards grades 4-8, but there were many that I thought were suitable for my kids (3rd grade and under). You'll also find a Teacher Training section that teaches you about the GPS systems and how to use them. Reproducible worksheets for each of the lessons are included as well.

At only $32, I think this curriculum is a great buy! What's more important than the lessons themselves is that you will be inspired to add a refreshing twist to your homeschool. There will definitely be more Educaching lessons in our future.

...And don't worry, we're not giving up on geocaching either. We borrowed the handheld GPS this time, but I've got one on my Christmas list...

Visit the Educaching website to order and see free sample lessons. Check out the TOS Crew blog for more reviews.

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A Long Overdue Update

"So, how is he?"

It's a somewhat difficult question to answer.

Our little Baby L is actually doing quite well. As of right now, he is behaving like a perfectly healthy newborn...almost. The neurologist put it this way..."I see a hint of low tone in the neck area." This is also evident in the fact that he has some minor feeding issues. We are still having to thicken all bottle feeds (but I am able to nurse him now!), and he is currently having a lot of reflux. I'm talking reflux that comes out of his mouth and his nose...it breaks my heart because I know it doesn't feel good. In the grand scheme of things though, these things are SO small!

We are still praying for complete healing of Baby L's brain and that his reflux would stop. Most of all, we are praising God for the progress he has made. Pin It Now!

Do you have good character?

As a 2nd year member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I have been given the wonderful opportunity to review many homeschool products over the next several months. The only compensation that I receive for my review is the free product. I feel truly blessed to be participating in this review group and I'm looking forward to trying out more products and giving you my honest opinion.

I have been on a search for good ways to train my children in character for about a year now. I've considered charts, books, curriculum... but I can't seem to find exactly what I'm looking for. In all fairness though, I'm not even sure I know what I'm looking for. Aside from simply modeling it, how exactly does one instill good character in their children?

Well, Passkeys Foundation founded by Russell T. Williams has a mission of "building a nation of character". From the website:

"(Mr. Williams is) A life skills educator and minister for twenty-eight years, Mr. Williams brings a rich professional background in public speaking, teaching and spiritual life discovery to the seven Passkeys life values that guide the foundation’s programs. Those life values are: personal responsibility, positive self-worth, purpose, plan, paying the price, partnership and persistence."

Passkeys offers several products to help aid parents and educators in teaching character to kids. One of those products is a set of four book/CD combos geared toward preschoolers called The Good News Express. We received a book and CD titled The Special Wish from this series which focuses in the character trait of friendship.

In The Special Wish, we were introduced to a cast of cute animal characters. One of the characters is Finney who has a special birthday wish. Each of his friends present him with a unique birthday present, hopeful that they will be the one to fulfill Finney's birthday wish. In the end they are surprised to find that they all make his wish come true, because his special wish was for each of his friends to be with him on his birthday.

I was rather impressed by the quality of the CD which includes sound effects, character's voices, and three songs. All of our kids enjoyed the story on CD and the colorful illustrations (even the big kids!) I rarely comment on the price of a product as I think price is quite relative, but I actually think that The Good News Express books are priced at quite a deal. Only $7.50 for each book/cd combo or $20 for all four!

I'm definitely interested in purchasing more products from Passkeys. I wouldn't say that my search for the perfect character-building curriculum is over. Passkeys is a secular organization and it is very important to our family that we build not just good character, but godly character in our kids lives. But I think it's quite possible that Passkeys offer valuable tools that will help us with this task, starting with The Good News Express books.

For more reviews of this product by homeschool moms, visit the TOS Crew Blog.

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I heart books, too.

It all started a long time ago...

I can remember filling the small, two-shelved bookcase with books two deep in my childhood bedroom... Pouring over the Scholastic Book catalog, trying to narrow down all of my circled choices to the budget my mom had given me... Dad insisting once more that,"We have to leave this library!" because the meter outside had already run out of time...

And to this day I am an avid book lover, book reader, and...well, book collector. The fact is...books are everywhere in my house. On shelves, in cabinets, in stacks on the floor, laying open on my desk, in a basket in the (clearing throat) bathroom, in boxes in my basement. Books are in the playroom, the schoolroom, the living room, bedrooms, on a bench in my foyer, and occupying two entire shelves of my kitchen pantry... after all, who needs food when you have books?



I clearly have a problem.



It has been a life-long dream of mine to have a room designated as a library in my home. But since I apparently collect children as well as books, (see my bio if this confuses you), then I have to use all available living space as bedrooms. There is no library in my future. What to do...



Clearly, stopping all the madness and actually limiting my book purchases is not an option.

But purchasing ebooks from Guardian Angel Publishing might help.

While I realize that it's next to impossible to curl up with a good book when it's located on your computer, ebooks certainly have their advantages. For starters, they give you instant gratification as you can usually download them immediately after purchase from the comfort of your own home. Plus, they are generally cheaper than their print counterparts. And most importantly, they eliminate all storage issues as they are tucked away neatly in the vast storage compartment of your computer memory.

Guardian Angel publishes books for children up to age 12 in both ebook and print format. I received 5 ebooks from them to review.

The Sum of our Parts: No Bones About It is a rather silly, yet informative book that teaches kids the names of the bones in our bodies. Each page features helpful illustrations that show both a close-up of the bone and where it is located on a skeleton. The text is set to rhyme which aids in the memorization of naming the bones. There is also fun factoids throughout the book and a page at the end featuring a skeleton with blank labels for your child to fill in all the bones that they can name.

My kids said they thought this book was "funny" and I agree. The rhyming rhythm and cute pictures kept my little ones interested, but there was still enough information to make this a serious, helpful text during anatomy study.

Stubby's Destiny is a short picture book about a sweet donkey who dreams of a having a divine destiny...to carry a king. Little does he know that his dreams are smaller than his reality...to carry the King of kings.

Though I felt like the story was a little too familiar, my kids thoroughly enjoyed this one(especially my horse-loving 7 year old). The big ones liked "figuring out" who the donkey was and I loved the pretty full-page illustrations.

Rainbow Sheep is an imaginative story about a little shepherdess who tickles away the clouds and cheers up a sad rainbow. Unfortunately, the story was a little hard for our kids to follow as it seemed that the ideas in the story didn't transition very well. Nevertheless, the colorful illustrations make the book truly unique. Instead of typical graphics, there are 17 photos of real felted fiber art. And a huge bonus are the four pages of felting instructions and projects in the back of the book.


Our kids had fun learning about nouns and adjectives with our new hamster friends: Jenni, Carlos, Billy, Babe, Grandpa, and our favorite - Spotty Lotty in Hamster Holidays. A short lesson precedes the rhyming story where all adjectives are typed in red and nouns in blue. This visual was really helping for my early readers to familiarize themselves with nouns and adjectives. An eight page Noun and Adjective Study Guide followed the story and included several fun games and puzzles.


Earthquake! is a very informative, slightly humorous book geared more toward your 6 to 9 year old. Topics include:

What Causes an Earthquake
What Does an Earthquake feel like?
What happens after an Earthquake?
Can we Predict Earthquakes?
and How do we Prepare for an Earthquake?

We don't live in an area that is usually effected by earthquakes, but we did have a small one about a year ago which made this book especially interesting for G8. Factoids, experiments, and projects are included throughout.

Guardian Angel Publishing carries over 80 titles. Ebooks can be purchased for $5 and print books sell for $9.95 plus shipping. They also have a selection of Free ebooks as well.


As a 2nd year member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I have been given the wonderful opportunity to review many homeschool products over the next several months. The only compensation that I receive for my review is the free product. I feel truly blessed to be participating in this review group and I'm looking forward to trying out more products and giving you my honest opinion.

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I Heart Crochet!

I was about 9 years old when I first learned to crochet. My mom worked and my aunt would watch me during the summer months. She showed me how to crochet and helped me to make a pair of slippers for my mom for Christmas. For years I would often pick up my crochet hooks and work up a small project here and there, but here recently I just haven't been able to put them down.



It all started a few months ago while I was still pregnant with Baby L. I started working on this ripples baby afghan. Instead of starting the project and never finishing it, like SO many others I had started before, I actually finished this one. I found that I really enjoyed working on it late at night after the kids went to bed. It actually relaxed my mind and was productive at the same time.


Then I picked up one of those free patterns in the yarn aisle for a tote bag. I used the pattern, lengthened the straps a bit, and sewed a cloth liner inside. I'm loving my new purse!

Then, a friend in our bible study asked us to pray for her sister who had a baby in the NICU. I found a free preemie afghan pattern online and worked this up.


One day while my husband was home I decided to take a day trip all by myself to a local fine yarn shop that I driven past. It was quite a sight to see...soft, luxurious yarns lining the walls. I bought 3 skeins of semi-expensive yarn (about $5 a skein, but super-soft) and a pattern magazine with this adorable dress on the cover. I quickly made it for L1.

I even had enough yarn left over to make a similar dress (size 6 months) and headband for my best friend whose baby was born 3 days before Baby L.

I started working on baby beanies for Baby L while we were in the NICU. I got the pattern here but had to tweak it a bit by adding a couple of rows to make it big enough. I've also changed the pattern up a bit to make the hat to fit a toddler and one in a men's size.

I just finished a small purse to hold my crochet hooks in last week and I'm currently working on a sweater for me. I'm having fun with my new hobby....I certainly didn't need one more thing to occupy my time, but crocheting is a hobby that can easily be done during downtime (while watching tv, riding in the car, sitting in a waiting room). Plus it fills my obsessive-compulsive need to constantly be doing something. It's a win-win!

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Great Nature Study Tool, Coupon Code, and Free Sample!

As a 2nd year member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I have been given the wonderful opportunity to review many homeschool products over the next several months. The only compensation that I receive for my review is the free product. I feel truly blessed to be participating in this review group and I'm looking forward to trying out more products and giving you my honest opinion.

I'm not exactly sure when it happened, but I'm quite certain that the transformation has taken place. I think it happened somewhere between the monthly nature study group meetings, going on wildflower walks, and receiving nature study magazines in our mailbox...it's official: we are no longer "nature study wannabes". We are real, honest to goodness, lovers of nature.

I was really excited when I heard that we would be receiving two issues of Nature Friend magazine to review. Since I had never seen the magazine, I had no idea what to expect. Boy, was I in for a treat.

The first issue arrived and totally blew me away. The photography in this magazine is nothing short of amazing. The articles are so informative and many of them are written in a story-like format that makes them enjoyable for even the youngest members of our crew. Each magazine features fun activities such as projects to try, picture hunts, crossword puzzles, and a step-by-step picture to draw.

As I was reading the magazine myself, I kept pulling the kids over to look at the pictures or to read a caption to them. I even made my husband listen to me read an article about photographing owls that I found particularly interesting from the August Study Guide insert. I loved reading about the weaverbirds in the September issue and seeing pictures of their amazingly woven nests.

Nature Friend was first published in 1983. Their website states that the magazine "was born out of Mr. Brubaker's desire to encourage children to believe in God as their Creator and to seek out, recognize, and appreciate His handiwork." Nature Friend isn't preachy, but clearly teaches from the Truth.

Another neat feature of Nature Friend, is that for an additional $2 per edition you will receive the optional Study Guide inserted right in the middle of your magazine. The Study Guide includes several word puzzles, review questions, and research topics to enrich the lessons that have already been learned in the magazine - perfect for the homeschool family! Each Study Guide also features a lesson in writing and an article on photographing a specific area of nature.

A 1-year subscription to Nature Friend is $36 and you'll receive 12 issues - which I love...What is it with all the quarterly magazines these days? You can add the Study Guide to your subscription for $24. Plus, for a limited time you can receive $3 off a new subscription when use the Coupon Code: BLOG93.

Still not convinced?...Be sure to check out their sample magazines and study guides. You can view them in PDF absolutely free! More reviews of Nature Friend can be found at the TOS Crew Blog. Pin It Now!

Studypod Book Holder

As a 2nd year member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I have been given the wonderful opportunity to review many homeschool products over the next several months. The only compensation that I receive for my review is the free product. I feel truly blessed to be participating in this review group and I'm looking forward to trying out more products and giving you my honest opinion.

It's always fun to receive a surprise package in the mail. Since I've been a part of the TOS Homeschool Crew, the mailman has been dropping off several surprise packages. The Studypod Book Holder arrived a few weeks ago.

Our kids are still young and we rarely use an actual textbook with their homeschool lessons. Mostly they use workbooks, read-alouds, and create hands-on projects so there isn't a real need for a book holder just yet for their studies. However - as people at the grocery store are always fond of reminding me when they see my large family - my hands are full, so I'm finding plenty of uses for the Studypod.

I can prop up a research book next to the computer or a teacher's manual while I'm teaching. I can use it to hold a magazine or recipe book in the kitchen or my bible or a good novel while I'm nursing. My absolute favorite use for it currently is to hold my pattern book while I'm crocheting.

The Studypod has lots of cool features:

*It's shaped like a book for portability.
*It holds almost any size and style book.
*It even has a storage case for pens and other accessories.

Watch this video to see for yourself:

The Studypod is available in black, blue, and pink and can be purchased online for $19.95. Studypod is also offering a SPECIAL DISCOUNT to our readers. You can get $5 off your order by using this coupon code: TOSBLOG5.

Read more Studypod reviews at the TOS Crew blog.

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Quarter Mile Math

As a 2nd year member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I have been given the wonderful opportunity to review many homeschool products over the next several months. The only compensation that I receive for my review is the free product. I feel truly blessed to be participating in this review group and I'm looking forward to trying out more products and giving you my honest opinion.

I cannot stress enough how important I think educational games are. When my children are struggling in a certain area, playing a game about it can help them to understand. When they need review or to memorize facts, playing a game will lock those facts in their brains. When we are having one of those homeschool days...you know, the stressful ones...playing educational games lifts every one's spirits and gets "school" done all at the same time.

We received the Quarter Mile Math Deluxe Version practice software to review. Our kids love computer games so they immediately wanted to play it. Players review math facts while racing either Awesome Smoking Dragsters or Wild Riderless Running Horses.

The faster (and more accurate) a player reviews their math facts, the faster their car/horse goes. There are many math topics to choose from covering grades K-9. My 8, 7, 6, and 4 year olds were all easily able to play Quarter Mile Math when working with topics that were age appropriate.

A great feature of this program is that it tracts the player's progress. Once the player has played once, then they will no longer compete against the computer, but against themselves trying to beat their previous scores. With the Deluxe version, player's information are stored online and requires Internet access, though the player will never actually go online. Progress reports can be printed for records as well.

My kids had much more fun reviewing math facts with Quarter Mile Math than with traditional flashcards, but they weren't fooled completely. It still felt like schoolwork to them. This program also doesn't have the flashy and more realistic images that other computer games they've played have. So while none of them are actually asking me to play this game everyday, none of them are complaining when I assign it either.

Let's face it...reviewing math facts is a tedious project...for student and teacher. Quarter Mile Math is a great tool for me as a teacher and makes learning more fun for my students.

The Deluxe Version is a subscription service that can be purchased in three ways.

*$2.95 per family per month
*$19.95 per family for one year
*$34.95 per family for two years

Check out this page for homeschoolers on the Quarter Mile Math website for more information or to order. You can also read more reviews from homeschool moms on the TOS Crew blog.

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Our Children

It seemed that it was once again time to write a post "introducing" you to our sweet children since they have all grown and changed and we have added to our crew.

G8 is our oldest and my biggest helper. He is kind and good and reliable - all things that make his Mama proud! He is so smart and has an amazing memory, excelling in math and science. I admire his ability to make friends everywhere we go.


A7 struggles to decide if she is a "girlie girl" or a "tomboy" (as she will say), but I know that she is the perfect balance of both. More than any of our children, she is the one who will help without being asked. She loves horses, animals of all kinds, and nature. She desires to be included, have long conversations, and to be hugged and loved.


E6 is full of surprises. He's laid back and not concerned with always being the center of attention. But when he gets your attention, you'll find that he is incredibly witty and creative. He makes me laugh and makes me want to be a better mom.


H4 has suddenly transformed from toddler to girl and it is quite beautiful. She is strong-willed and insists on getting her way - both traits that I can relate to. She is ridiculously smart and has a great desire to learn.


E2 is a charmer. He has stolen many hearts already including my own. His grin and cuteness are irresistible which has only intensified now that he is talking. He is often mischievous, often sweet, and always the center of attention.


L1 is a princess. She so naturally demands and expects an audience. Cuteness exudes from her. She's also independent and not the least bit cautious. She'll climb anything, wander anywhere, and touch everything.


Baby L is my newest love. He is quiet, and content, and curious. I've never held a baby that will focus so intently, seeming to listen so carefully when you talk to him.

I am honored and blessed to be the Mama of this crew. And today...well, I feel a little overwhelmed knowing that they deserve so much better than me. May God grant me the courage and the wisdom to become what they deserve. Pin It Now!