Advent starts today.....

Each year we do Advent. I have several Advent Devotionals that I have used. I rotate them. I will post the links here and hopefully you will find some great resources...

My children look forward to Advent each year.

I am seriously thinking of taking ALL of December OFF of school.....

NOT really.... but we will do our Math & English. Then we will incorporate Advent Activities into the rest of the day. I want to make several things with them.... and I want to PREPARE FOR THE COMING OF JESUS..... PREPARE OUR HEARTS AND OUR MINDS...

http://www.teachingmom.com/features/advent.html This is a free site. TONS of stuff here. You can pick what you want. She has things for each day. Just pick and choose do not over load yourself.... excellent Advent site.

Ann Voskamp does a great job.... with "The Glorious Coming" ~ we have used this for several years too. It is wonderful...

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2006/11/jesse-tree-devotional.html

This is a new Advent Devotional by my friend Kimberly Eddy. I am excited about this one too. Kimberly shared with me several years ago before formatting this into a ebook. We have used her devotionals for several years and my kids love it. Very reasonable price... and tons of stuff!

http://www.joyfulmomma.org/

Another resource that you might find interesting.... and moving...

http://www.christmaschange.com/

Reminding us to do the things that matter most.....

I will continue to share more on Advent .... and hopefully some of our pics. May you prepare for the coming of our Jesus....

As I always say make memories..... I often hear my older ones say "remember when we did that or awww remember how we did this?" My olders all want to be here to decorate our tree... so we will work it so that everyone can share in this tradition that we have.

Some of you with just small ones.... start now ... make traditions..... memories.... for today will soon be a memory.... write on their hearts.... lots of hugs and special times.

ENJOY

Baking.... and enjoying.

Getting ready to frost my Aunt's famous Apple Cake.... another one for my favorite cousin.

It is still cloudy and wet here.... dh has gone hunting.... we enjoy deer meat through out the year.

While I was making the cake the children watched "Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving." We love that and try to watch it each year. After the traditional one.... we watch the little one after that about the Pilgrims coming to America. They really liked this.... Wyatt said "Hey, this is what we read about in our school!" LOL~ Another one said .... "Wow, they were at sea a long time!" I am thinking to myself..... "how many times have we read that in *school*?" ~smile

Reading over at "A Wise Woman Builds Her House" and this really spoke to me. Wanted to share it with you. So often the pressures of this world.... and the worldy attitudes of others squeeze and choke us and we lose sight of what is important.

Home is the true wife's kingdom.

Very largely does the wife hold in her hands, as a sacred trust, the happiness and the highest good of the hearts that nestle there.

In the last analysis, home happiness depends on the wife.
Her spirit gives the home its atmosphere.

Her hands fashion its beauty.

Her heart makes its love.

And the end is so worthy, so noble, so divine, that no woman who has been called to be a wife, and has listened to the call, should consider any price too great to pay, to be . . .the light,the joy,the blessing,the inspiration,of a home.

the light,

the joy,

the blessing,

the inspiration,

of a home.

The woman who makes a sweet, beautiful home, filling it with love and prayer and purity, is doing something better than anything else her hands could find to do beneath the skies.

A true mother is one of the holiest secrets of home happiness.

God sends many beautiful things to this world, many noble gifts;

but no blessing is richer than that which He bestows

in a mother who has learned love's lessons well,

and has realized something of the meaning

of her sacred calling.

Of course we all know that it is Jesus who gives true happiness... JOY... the kind that comes only from knowing Him... and loving Him.

Again, this spoke to me and I hope it reminds you how very important you are as the mother to your children. May memories..... cuddle up together.... soak them in.

Leaving you with some pics of this fall.....

When we went to Lane Southern Orchard. We went through a corn maze, hay ride & pumpkin patch.

Mandi with Skip... her dog~

Just Another Fall Day....

I can hear the kids jumping on the trampoline.... Mandi is home!

My grandmother's pound cake is in the oven... I am making it for my favorite cousin.

We did a little school today.... just some math and phonics. We read our Thanksgiving books... you know about the Pilgrims and Squanto.... we made turkey hand prints....

A package came in the mail.... "Streams in the Desert" sent to me from LUKE'S mom... Sue. This cyber space that we share... these blogs that encourage us. The ones we share with, cry with, laugh with.... they are REAL people. I love when it goes closer than just HERE. When someone (or I) send a word by snail mail, email... or even a phone call. Just maybe one day (this side of heaven) we will meet. I did meet Sue this past June. We spent the day together. It was great... something I will always cherish. I know she prays for me... as I pray for her. When we speak to the Father about our blog friends.... when we lift them up to the Lord when they come to our mind that brings us all together..... for HIS glory.

I am thankful for these blog friends that have grown closer through the years.... to honor HIM... to share HIS love.... together as friends. Cindy, Ann, Linda.... along with Sue are dear to me.... and so many of you.... some new ones.... Karen, Silas' mom and the list goes on. I am blessed.

Anyway.... its been an almost stressLESS day. I am grateful. We started our Advent reading... a little early but so we will not fall to far behind.

We roasted mini marshmellows over a candle.... lol ~ they loved it.

I haven't seen the SUN come out today.... the leaves have fallen.... outside it is wet... cloudy... patches of orange and brown everywhere.

We are enjoying Mandi being home.....

ENJOY~

Just a few more days....

It will be Thanksgiving day.....

soon to be the day Mandi comes home.... for Thanksgiving.

We made the paper chain and only three links are left!

The leaves are falling..... after school each day the kids have been rolling down the hill in the corn barrel. The weather has been really wet and cloudy. Yesterday the sun was out and it was so beautiful.

What are your plans for Thanksgiving? We will be home. Mike & Amber will be with Amber's parents and come over Thursday night late.... we will do *Thanksgiving* on Friday. I can remember when we were first married.... our parents lived about five miles apart. On Thanksgiving and Christmas we would have to visit with BOTH of them ON THE SAME DAY and EAT TWO BIG MEALS.... and it was just a bit stressful. Even in later years it was always difficult to figure things out... and not upset one set or the other. With both sets of our parents gone now.... and I miss them, I often wonder why we stressed so much. I have made a committment to my children.... mainly to myself... that I will do what ever. I will enjoy whenever with them.... and I will not sweat the small stuff. I wonder how I will do as the grandchildren start coming.... and my children all become adults and move away?

But, for now.... most of us are still at home and we will enjoy being together. We love to bake and cook.....

We do:

Turkey
Dressing
Ham
mashed potatoes
mac/cheese
sweet potato casserole
creamed corn
brussel sprouts
deviled eggs
rolls

pumpkin pie
pumpkin bread
cheese cake

Still thinking about more desserts.......

What about you?

Our days.... and remembering some friends.

The children and I went to visit Mandi this past weekend. We drove to Alabama and spent Saturday night with her. It was fun. She is at the Baptist College of Florida so we met in Dothan.








We stayed in a motel. The boys were really excited. It has been several years since we stayed in one and they do not remember much. It was fun....
We went back to her college and met several of her friends.... then we went to Cracker Barrel. I love looking around in Cracker Barrel as much as eating! We do not eat out at *fancy* places (I know Cracker Barrel is not fancy, but I mean we will do *fast* food .... but it isn't often we eat out at a *fancier* place then fast food)... the next day Wesley said "I liked eating at the box place. I couldn't figure out what he was talking about.... I then said "Cracker Barrel?" He said "yes." LOL~ Barrel = Box.... you never know what kids are thinking!

We went to the Botantial Gardens on Sunday and walked around.... we took several pictures. It was really peaceful and nice.

Mandi will be home for Thanksgiving. When we said goodbye.... the boys cried. They have really missed her. Wyatt asked if we could make a calendar counting the days until she is home for Thanksgiving. So this morning, first thing ... he drew 12 days on a piece of paper. I think I am going to make a paper chain with him in a bit.

We are working on school..... its Monday. We are home today and tomorrow with no errands or anywhere to go. We will spend some much needed time reading and maybe exploring this fall weather.... our leaves are falling. They love to play in the leaves~

We have a new halter for our newest miniature horse. I tried for about 45 minutes to get him to let me slip it over him but he is stubborn and I gave up. I will try again later..... Silver was born June 10th. It is such a tiny halter. ~giggle~ Silver is tiny.

This quote I read this past week spoke to my heart~

"Sometimes the circumstances of our suffering may not change, but the circumstances of our hearts are changed in he midst of them through a keen sense of God's presence and lively perception of His activity." ~ Beth Moore

Lately, I have been thinking about so many that have lost a child.... and my heart hurts for them. I think so often of Joel. I started reading Joel's Journey at the end of 2006. The Morris' encourage me.... they have such strength and such a testimony of faith. I continue to pray for them... and still read their blog. She is a great wife & mother. I love how she does her birthday themes.... I love when she shares about Joel.... there are many others. Just this past week I read about baby Silas going to be with Jesus... May God continue to pour out His grace & mercy on these families who struggle with grief.

May we grab hold of each moment with our children.... may we thank Him for the awesome gift of being a mom. I am speaking to myself too..... as I often (on Mondays especially) find myself a little tense, stressed or just plain grumpy!

This is Wesley (our youngest) in 2006. Today I am missing those baby days.... he is 6 now. Wyatt is 7.... they are rough and tumbly.... and do not cuddle much anymore. I love my little boys..... but sometimes I can't remember when they were both nursing.... or even both in diapers! Awww.... I look forward to being grandparents in the next couple years. Mike/Amber will celebrate 2 yrs this coming Wednesday!

May the JOY of the Lord be yours~

Alyssa's project~

They are off and running.... down the road on our golf cart.... talking and sharing with the few neighbors we have on our road (once a dirt road)....

Alyssa sharing the story of the "Children of the World" and how she is trying to help our church raise money to dig a well. She remembers that 6,000 children die each day from unsafe drinking water.... She remembers the children she met.... she remembers their singing, their gratitude, their faces.

They come running back into the house.... sharing what each neighbor shared... and with delight! Off they go again .... singing "For the Children of the World... every single little boy and girl.... red or yellow, black or white.... they are precious in the Father's sight..." She gives them a bookmark that my daughter in law, Amber helped us make.

They count the money.... they bubble over as they see it increasing....

Isn't this school too?

We haven't finished our phonics (with the boys), or her reading... and our read alouds? We haven't read "Hinds Feet on High Places." We haven't studied our Awana verses.....

sometimes *book* work is not all that LIFE is about.