Pumpkin Patch

Our homeschool group went to the pumpkin patch today. They had a lot of fun. The kids got to go through the corn maze and everyone got to pick their own little pumpkin. My neice Mattie picked the tiniest little green pumpkin and she was so proud of it. I love kids their so fun!

Brett & Mattie

Logan & His Pumpkin

Mattie & Her Baby Green Pumpkin
Macey & Her Big Green Pumpkin

A Special Day!

Today has been a special day. My oldest son Logan is saved! He has been asking so many questions about life and God and what happens when we die. He's always just assumed we all go to heaven, which is the way it is with innocent children. Recently though, he's been obsessed with the thought of going to hell. He has been so upset over the thought. He kept saying he wanted to be saved but every time we would sit down and ask him about being a sinner he never thought he was. This is the way with children. They cannot understand until they realize they are sinners and all sinners deserve hell. He finally came to realize that today and he was so sad and so sorry. He just told me he wanted to be saved. He told me he believed the Bible and that Jesus died to save him and he was so sorry he was a sinner. It was so sad to see him so under conviction and so scared. He is only six but he's such a sensitive soul. Finally when I was sure he understood and after he'd called his Daddy to tell him all this we knelt down to pray. Logan said such a cute prayer, if this wasn't such a serious matter I would have ran and got my camera to video tape his prayer. I will never forget it as long as I live. He prayed like normal "Dear God, thank you for this day..." and then he said, "please save me God. Please don't let me go to hell." I just cried and cried, and Logan was crying and we prayed together. Then I asked him if he was saved. He said he is and now he is going to heaven too! I know some of my family won't understand this, but the Bible says to believe that Jesus died for us and repent and you will be saved. I believe God's word and so does my son, and God has saved his soul. So now I have two down, two to go! Not that I had anything to do with this. God saved my son today, and my daughter Emily two years ago. He saved me and my husband 8 years ago. I am so blessed with my family and the life God has made for me. Praise God.

ELECTION

We have been studying elections for Social Studies. We are going to have a mock election for our homeschool co-op and we've made a commercial video for our two candidates. It's not Barack Obama or John McCain but it was fun and the kids are learning a lot about elections. If you don't mind leaving a comment on who you would vote for the kids are interested in seeing who wins. Thank You enjoy!

Home Sweet Home...

We recently finished some work on our house. I've been telling everyone I'd post before and after pictures so now I finally have. This is only the outside though, I haven't taken any pictures of the inside yet.

Our House Before Yes It's Scary... The roof leaked bad.

Our House after. New metal roof, vinyl siding and windows.

This is a view of the back of the house. We don't have it cleaned up just yet and the weeds are growing ;) But I wanted to show a view of the new brick.

ZOO!!!

We went to the Dickerson Park Zoo today with our homeschool group. Ugh I'm exhausted!!! It was a lot of fun though. The kids enjoyed themselves. I love our group of kids (and moms), we always have such a good time when we get together to do anything. The kids got to feed the otters and the giraffes. They had a demonstration for us with a turtle, oppossum and an owl. The possum had to poop and that made all the kids laugh... Of course. Here's some pictures and a video of them throwing fish to the otters.

Our Group Of Kids!

Logan & His Pals with a lion sneaking up on them.

Emily gonna kiss the giraffe

Logan & His Pals again

Brett, Logan, Emily, with Scooby & Shaggy

Bitter Sweet

I was taking some time today to go to some blogs and catch up on the lives of some of my relatives. It makes me sad to think that I am a stranger to so many of them. I wish that I could be closer and be a part of their lives but I have such a wonderful life here I wouldn't give it up for anything. It's sad that we have to choose.

I think about my Mom and her moving off to Hawaii. I remember I was so mad when she first told me but then I realized she was doing the right thing going with Ken. He is such a wonderful person and those two are so happy together. My Mom would have been miserable if she hadn't married him and gone away. I pray every day for God to bring them back when the time is right. I want her to be a part of my life and know my children. I don't want her to be a stranger to them.

On a happier note, I now have my sister close. Misty moved almost a year ago and it has been a year full of getting to know each other. Her little girls, Macy and Mattie were strangers to me when they got here, but now they love me! I'm Aunt Kristie, and my kids are their buds. She just had another little baby boy. So now Taylor and Morgan (the new babies) will be able to grow up together and be best friends.

I love my life and I have been blessed by God with such a spectacular family. I try not to take that for granted. Even when I'm missing everyone I try to remember it's all in God's plan. I'll trust him he's never failed me yet.

Emily Gayle

Logan & Brett

Me & The Flowers

Logan & Morgan (Misty's New Baby) Baby Morgan

The Lost Boy

We were goofing around today with our school lessons. We were learning about what to do if we get lost.... See for yourselves.

BABY HAMSTERS!!!

Our 4H group has a pet hamster which our family is caring for this month. The hamster is named "Hammy" and we now have some little "Hamlets." The hamster was very pregnant and we've been watching her since Tuesday to see her have those babies but we missed it cause we woke up today to find little hairless wonders under the mamma Hammy. Here's some pictures we took. She is pretty protective of them right now and wouldn't really let us get a look at them. She is hovering over them as you can see but we have a couple shots where you can just see the babies.

Doctor Logan, Baby Taylor

Logan dressed up playing the Doctor to work on Daddy... I think it is so funny when the kids dress up. They always come up with the funniest looking outfits.

I took these pictures of Taylor the other day when Misty and I were making Salsa! He is growing way too fast!
Taylor has a hat just like Daddy.

Hot Summer Fun

Well it sure has been hot the last few days. We finally got our heat wave in August. I'm not complaining at all, we've had a nice summer. It's not been hotter than 95 so far. That's not including humidity but still we've been blessed. We've had tons of rain so everything is still pretty and green. We took the kids on their first camping trip last week end. They had lots of fun sleeping in the tent, roasting marshmallow's and swimming in the river.

Chris Setting Up The Tent

Logan In The Tire Swing
Emily Brett Me & Logan At The Campsite
Emily & Logan Jumpin Off A Log In The River
Emily & Logan On The Log

Blackberries & Babies

The last few weeks we've been picking blackberries. We got three gallons on this day and the kids are proud as you can see. I've been canning blackberries all night!

Taylor see's his little friends on his car seat. He's starting to notice things more and more. He's almost two months old.
Ooo look at my little friends...
I wonder how they taste...
Not good...

Happy Days!

Life is good I just thought I'd post some more pictures.

Grandpa Jim with Brett and my nephew Damon who is hold Taylor.

Damon really likes Taylor :)
Brett really likes Taylor too and he's a big helper!
Little Taylor James
Emily turned 8 this month! It doesn't seem possible! This is her with her little cousin Mattie and Emily's little bunny she made at the Build a Bear Workshop.

I love my kids!

God has blessed me with some great kids. I haven't posted any pictures of the new baby. So now I have :) Here is Emily Logan and Brett and then a few pictures of Taylor James.

Happy Easter 2008!

Happy Easter 2008!

We had a sunrise service at church this morning. This is an awesome picture Chris took of the sunrise. It was cloudy this morning but God parted the clouds in the Eastern sky to give us a glimpse of the sunrise.

As much as I try to avoid pictures while I'm pregnant Chris insisted on taking our annual Easter family picture. So here I am looking fat as can be with my lovely family. Hey I rhyme!

Chris planned a treasure hunt for the kids. They had to follow clues all over the farm to find their treasures. They had a blast.
Logan & Brett enjoying a ride while cousin Devin drives with Emily riding shotgun and cousin Damon in the middle.
Brett even found an Easter Egg... see he's showing you!

Emily Art