Playing Catch Up...

Well since it's been FOREVER since I've posted to this blog, and I feel a need to revive this place once again, I thought I'd post some past entries from another blog I have...am thinking I'll be keeping this blog as my main writing place, so I feel the need to play "catch up"

So, here is the latest blog entry from my other writing places. Please forgive me while I try and update as much as possible :)

Change In Seasons (Sept 27, 2008)

Well, it's been one crazy summer for me! Many ups and downs, ins and outs and now finally summer is over and fall has arrived. With the change of the seasons I hope good change continues as it has been for the last few weeks!

We've moved into our old home and even though it was a crazy and unorganized move, we're finally settling in and things are getting back to somewhat of a normal pace. I've been trying to get back into the groove of schooling the kids (which was postponed due to the move) and trying to prepare for the holiday season that seems to be creeping up on me as it does every year very quickly.

I have recently gotten back behind my camera after about a month long absence due to all the busy happenings in my life lately! I took a couple of my girls out on our property to shoot some pictures...it was great fun and with the weather being crazy due to the Noreaster tooling up the coast, the wind was a fun and great opportunity to shoot some shots. The girls long hair and the wind made for more dramatic images, just what I needed to get back into the photography groove so to speak LOL :)

So, without further ado (I never know if I spell that word right or not, it never looks right...but that's a totally different subject isnt it) here's some of the many images I shot in the last 2 days of my girls playing, posing and just having fun helping their Mom find her nitch again behind the camera!Hope everyone is doing well and remember, smile, it's Friday...the weekend is almost here!!!!

Many Blessings to everyone and their families!

Planning process...

seems to be never ending. Sometimes it gets so overwhelming trying to plan for the next school year when it involves 5 children at the same time. Doing it one by one seems to take forever and high expectations on my part doesnt seem to help.

Just wanting the kids to have the best school year possible is my major goal, keeping them on track in learning and making sure they learn what's needed, especially the older ones since they're in the High School levels. College is just around the corner and there's transcripts to think about, it just tends to get a little crazy.

I think the fact our oldest is now in her Senior year doesnt help, there's so much more to think about for her this year than before. Knowing this is her last year schooling with us and then before we know it she'll be gone off to college. Also trying to make sure everything is in order for her applications, all of our "T's" crossed and "I's" dotted is something I stress over when it comes to her and her future.

I know while I'm writing this and wondering if I'll ever get everything planned and organized before the school year starts for us that the Lord is going to help us work it all out. His guidance is what brought us to our homeschooling decision and it will also be what gets us thru the tough times, the doubtful times, the stressful times and onto another year under our belt with success!

Keeping our prayer life vigilant, keeping the Lord first in our lives, all things will work out according to his plan. So while I spend the never ending hours planning the school year ahead I will keep my eyes upon the Lord and his wisdom and guidance, because without him we are nothing and with him all things are possible!

Independence Day...

A new month as we are now in July and with that comes the celebration of Independence Day. The day our country declared it's "independence" this day means the same to all people of our country, yet means so much more to a certain group of people as well.

The group of people I speak of are all the military families scattered around the world. They are from all different walks of life and are a group of which I belong. To a military family Independence Day is more of a reality than to most people. Most people look at the celebration of this day as celebrating something of the past, to a military family it's a celebration of something that is very much in the present times of their lives because their husbands or wives are literally fighting for the very freedoms of which we declared and fought for so long ago.

Fighting for those same freedoms and more are what our military men and women are doing this very day in far away lands and to them I wish to extend my greatest graditude and prayers that they will all come home safe and sound from their tours of duty.

This year my family will be able to celebrate this day with our service member (my husband & my kids Dad) but we know there will again come a day when he wont be around as duty will call him away, so we are thankful that he's here this year.

So while your celebrating with fireworks and patriotic hymns and songs, please remember in your hearts and minds those who are far away from their families continuing to fight for your right to celebrate such an important day in our country, for without them there would be no celebration!

Happy Independence day from my family to yours!

Gearing up for next year....

Summer time, summer time...it's my absolute most non-favorite time of the year! There's only one thing (okay two things) I like about summer time...July 4th celebrations and shopping for new curriculum for our next homeschooling year.

Since the 4th of July isnt here yet, I bet you've already guessed what I'm kinda excited about at the moment. Yep, shopping for new curriculum and planning out our next school year. Here in the next few days I'll be ordering all of our curriculum for next year, I cant wait.

Last year we had to order a bit at a time, but this year we get to do it all in one order, which of course means it will all come at the same time...yeah...Christmas in July (which is probably when it will arrive) how exciting.

Yeah, I know I'm a big dweeb, but hey a girl has to have something to get excited about so why not curriculum? Learning new things and education should be exciting right? Yep, that's the way I see it anyway LOL :)

Now, all I have to do is figure out a way to get all 5 kids excited about it too....hmmmmm....that may be harder than I think, but Lord willing we can make it fun and have a great new school year come September!

To be young again....

Thinking of the past and the "use to be's" is sometimes a hard thing to do, especially when you realize that you've somehow developed into someone you didnt think you'd ever be. Not that I think my life is bad, it isnt by any means...it's just so far from what I pictured in my youth. Then again isnt it always like that? Dont we always end up in very different places than where we intended to go when we were young. I know I did.
I'm happy with my life, proud of my kids and husband....I just want to be more of the person I was when I was young...more confident....more of a dreamer....more positive in my outlook...how does one get to that point, how do you continue to go forward in life but also pulling from the person you were when you were young....is that possible? Can that be achieved....I hope to find a way as I do believe it would literally show the world the "real" me.
As the title says....ahhhhhhhhhhh to be young again.....how I do long for it sometimes.

New Ventures in life.....

Well home from Spring Break Vacation...what a blast!!! So much fun in so little time! We did a full day of Colonial Williamsburg (and still didnt see it all) then a full day of Jamestown and then the day all the kids couldnt wait for...a full day at Bush Gardens Europe...yeah, it was amazing and exhausting at the same time LOL :) Lots of fun learning about history and how our wonderful country got it's beginning, watching a skit about the beginnings of the Revolutionary War and the landing in Va. at Jamestown. It was great and the kids throughly enjoyed it!

Our day at Bush Gardens was great as well. Our oldest Daughter is a true thrill seeker as she rode every major rollercoaster in that park. They do have a new rollercoaster there called "The Griffon" but sadly it wasnt open for operation...that totally bummed my Husband and Daughter as that was the ride they were going to make history on (whatever!!!)

Anyway, here we are back home safe and sound and with minds full of wonderful memories made on our trip!

Now, on to my new venture in life....I am opening a home business (yes, I am brave considering I already have a very full life and am now adding to that) online. I will be selling crocheted children's blankets. It's a business I've wanted to start for a very long time, but only now do I have the time (somewhat) and the bravery to go full steam ahead in this venture of mine.

Wish me luck...our grand opening is May 15th...so lots to do and little time to do it in, but then again isnt that what my life is all about anyway...so I'm going to be right at home :)

Family Vacation...what's that???

Excitement is filling the air here in our house. Spring break is coming next week and everyone is giddy and talking about nothing else. Why is this spring break so exciting and different from all the others of the past in our family? Because, this spring break brings our first ever family vacation...the kids can talk about nothing else!

We head to Va. come Monday...our plans include a week of fun and education (yes, those two things can come hand in hand) the education part will be a visit to Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown and possibly a visit to the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico Va. and the fun part will be a day long visit to Bush Gardens Europe.

Plans are being made by our children on what ride they will ride first, who will ride with who and how brave they can be for those huge rollercoasters at Bush Gardens. On the adult side of the spectrum plans are being made about how great Williamsburg will be, Jamestown and Yorktown...how our children will get to see first hand some of the history of our great country and how things worked back then. Then of course should be get to see the MC Museum that will be a great visit too as it will bring home the Marine Corps to our children who already hold great pride in the Corps (our oldest DD refuses to even acknowledge any other service than the Corps as she says "the Marine Corps is the best of the best...the few and proud") and what the Corps has stood for in the over 200 years they have exsisted!

I do believe this will be a great trip for us all, time spent as a family without having to worry about the daily grind of our lives back home...yeah...it will be a great family vacation for sure!!! My husband is especially excited as he's taking leave for the trip...leave usually means getting time off so he can work on something else we need to get done...it never exsists of leave for just some time off to relax...that man is a workaholic for sure!

In honor of our vacation I went out yesterday and took the plunge...I actually got my hair cut (my hair was way past my behind) got it styled and cut pretty short...boy was that a shocker to my family, but it was long needed and wow, do I feel better!!! Easier to take care of, and lighter on my head for sure :)

Spring is in the air and along with that the excitement of new life, new beginnings and new fun...our family is starting our spring with this vacation and for that I'm very thankful...from our family to yours may your spring break be as fun filled as I believe ours will be this year!!!

Happy Spring everyone!!!!