The MESS Monster!

I have been wanting to share what an interesting daughter I have... The only way I can describe Karis is ....a "messer".
She is always into something and usually in the nature of creams , lotions, or any sticky, gooey substance.
Today I returned home from music lessons to find she had been into the honey. She got it all over the stairs, and various pieces of furniture in the house. It is truly not a fun thing to clean up! We are still finding sticky in places. I can not tell you how many "messes" she has made on my walls and doors and floors. She has been into make-up, bag balm, lotions, and just recently toothpaste. I took this picture below, one of the many messy memories she has made. I need to keep a scrapbook of this, because I have never had a child like this before. They certainly are each one unique. Perhaps she is an aspiring artist? I wish I could interpret this behavior?? Anyone else have a child like this?

PORTLAND TRIP!

Here are some pics from our Portland trip we took a few weeks ago. We went with my brother Brian and my sister-in-law Candy. We stayed a nice hotel in Vancouver...close to IKEA..oh yeah! We spent a whole day in downtown Portland and shopped around town....walked EVERYWHERE! It was a beautiful day...although I did a taboo...and bought some new shoes for the trip...I wore them that day...and yes...my feet were killing me!! Later that day we ended up looking for shoes for me...I finally found some slippers at Ross. OHHH! What relief! The last day of our trip we decided to visit the "Little People, Big World" family pumpkin patch. I don't have cable...but my brother and his wife do, and they enjoy the show and knew that the family lived close to Portland and had a Pumpkin Patch. We headed out in dry weather..but as soon as we got there it just poured. We took a tour on a tractor ride and got soaked...so unfortunatly we decided to head on out to somewhere dry. So we ended our trip with IKEA!! Too fun! I love that store! (Ladies...we need to get a group of us together sometime and make a day of it!) We all had a great time together and made some fun memories.




Family members of the "Little People"...one of the twins is on the right...he drove the tractor for the tour.

My "Cool" hubby trying to keep dry!

Candy and I getting soaked by the rain while on our little tour at the "Little People Pumpkin Patch".

Downtown Portland...beautiful fall trees at every corner!

ABC's and 1-2-3's

Well, we are back to school! I have been wanting to post but with school starting and we have had a lot of sickness it has been hard for me to sit down and think! After 8 years....I am back to teaching Kindergarten once again. Keira loves it...she seems to be catching on quickly. Homeschooling has its challenges but we have learned a lot through the years. What ultimately brought us to homeschool was ...the fact when Kayla was headed for high school...we felt the kids were growing up way too fast and I wanted to be with them more and watch them grow up! I can't believe I have a 20 year old ...! Our passion for homeschool has changed over the years...it is not about the academics ...it is about discipling our children for the Lord and you have a lot of time to disciple when you are together 24-7! We have lots of opportunity to deal with not only our childrens hearts ...but my own heart. As we have started off the new year of school I am really passionate about building my kids up...encouraging them in their daily tasks, just loving them through words. God is good and gives us wisdom in this great task of homeschooling.

Nathan has a full load this year...with Chemistry, Geometry and Guitar to name a few. Kellory is just about finished with her graduation requirements...she is taking a writing class on-line..which has been great for her. She will be done with school by December! Cassia is working on task with all of her subjects...her favorite subject is science.

Some asked for recipes!

Creamy Cilantro Chicken (havent' had this yet, but it is on my menu this week)

4 lbs. boneless, chicken breast
1 T. oil
4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 c. heavy cream
3/4 c. cilantro
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper

Season chicken with salt & pepper then brown chken in skillet with oil. Remove chicken and add cream cheese, cream, lime juice and 1/2 c. cilantro (reserve 1/4 c. ofr garnish). Stir all ingredients over medium heat til melted and smooth. Add chicken, cover and cook on low for 10-15 minutes. Serve with brown rice... ( sounds yummy)


Watermelon Salsa

8-10 lbs. watermelon
3-4 bell peppers
1 sweet onion
1 bunch of cilantro
2-3 jalapenos
3-6 chili peppers
1 cup lemon or lime juice
1 T. garlic

chill before serving
For best results chop, do not use blender
Add salt to help sweeten melon.
Yummy!

MY SURPRISE BIRTHDAY TRIP TO LEAVENWORTH!

I know I am posting this a little late...but life is busy.

I wanted to share some pictures of my surprise birthday trip with Eddie. He took me to "Run of the River" Bed and Breakfast in Leavenworth. It was the nicest Bed and Breakfast in which we have ever stayed. It was really cool. I loved the porch swing and the view was beautiful and serene. Just what I needed after finishing up school with the kids . I loved the relaxing atmosphere.

My hubby is the best!!!

"LORD, I PRAISE THEE"

To my sisters in Christ....Do you ever feel downharted or discouraged? Frequently in facing difficult situations, our whole being seems paralyzed. We are perplexed as to what we should do. May I suggest that this is the time to PRAISE. If you praise at this moment, the Spirit of god will begin to work to bring you to the place where all the doors open and every chain falls off. He who sings is free; we can transcend every situation; nothing-no person or thing- can cause us to be downhearted.

In offering the sacrifice of PRAISE, one puts herself into a triumphant position.
PRAISE is never defeated!
We shoul lift our head in the most difficult situation and say..."LORD I PRAISE YOU"
It is foolish to murmur...the more you murmur the deeper you are buried in your trouble.
The more you fret the greater the pressure builds up within. The problems almost overcome you. When you offer the sacrifice of PRAISE---you will quickly transcend everything.
Nothing can bury you!
Psalm 55: 17 says..."Evening and morning and noon will I pray"
Psalm 119: 164 says..."Seven times a day do I PRAISE thee..."
The Psalms are filled with praise. Praise is victory!
Psalm 67: 3,5 says..."Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee."

Begin today to literally PRAISE HIM seven times this day!! Count the times!
Seven times a day say "LORD, I PRAISE THEE"

Praise Him for: wounded feelings...losses...trouble...when you are misunderstood...
and of course all the many (specific) blessings He bestows on us!

This came from a letter my mom sent me years ago...I found it the other day and thought this would be a blessing to share! We were made to PRAISE HIM!!

What can YOU PRAISE God for TODAY?

Here is my latest yard project. I had so much fun working on this. I put some really fun flowers in the garden...lavendar, black-eyed susans, some ground cover to grow over the rocks..so it will be fun to see what it will look like at the end of summer! Gardening is one of my passions! I love flowers and I have flower gardens on both sides of my house just for picking pleasure!

I have been reading a book with Cassia called " The Basket of Flowers". It is a wonderful, beautiful book written a very long time ago...but I would like to take a quote from that book I thought would inspire you... (a Father is talking to his daughter as they are walking through their garden ). " He spoke to her of the first garden where man was placed, and of his sad expulsion from it,--of the garden as the emblem of her own soul, given her to cultivate, and to bring forth fruit to God--and of the glorious garden above, to which, in his own good time, God transplants his people, through which flows the pure river of water of life, where the tree of life bears twelve manner of fruits, whose leaves are for the healing of the nations."
It makes me ponder my own hearts garden and what fruit I am cultivating and producing?
Just a thought for you to think about.