Homeschool Moments

Busy, Busy and Thoughts and Prayers Please :).

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:23:00 +0000

It’s been a busy few days here. Friday was the MOMS Club® meeting. It went pretty well. I was a big surprised. Usually it’s a little more chaotic but this time it wasn’t. It was nice :).

Saturday I had a headache for most of the day but eventually it went away and I went to a friends house where she was hosting a craft night and I learned a little bit about scrapbooking and she and another friend gave me some stuff to use :). I’d like to get more into it but man it can be expensive *sigh*. It was a lot of fun!

Sunday was Church of course and the rest of the day was pretty lazy. I went to bed late on Saturday night so I was tired most of the day Sunday. I even took a nap and still went to bed early! I was that tired LOL.

Today was really busy. First I didn’t realize till last minute I had a meeting within MOMS Club® for something we are doing on April 25th. So I had to rush to get out the door to get to that but it was nice. I got to talk with some friends too and that’s always nice.

After that we came home and hubby went and took some Library books back for me and then we were all off to the Laundromat to do laundry. Which is never really fun when you have a husband and two children along LOL. Especially when said husband is in a rush ugh!

Why was hubby in a rush? Because he wanted to get new tires put on our jeep. He had to get there (he called them earlier) before 4:00 p.m. to get them put on and balanced and what not. So he was a bit impatient at the Laundromat. Sorry honey I can’t force the dryers to dry faster LOL.

Just when I think things are not so busy something happens and we are out the door. That’s ok though because I’d think I’d be board without all the running we do LOL.

Hubby has his job interview tomorrow. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers that he can get this job. It might start off part-time and low pay but with it being a State Job it will get better. We will just have to tighten our belts more than we have already but I know we will get through till then. Thanks for the support everyone :).

Just some Thoughts on Things

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:41:00 +0000

Not too much going on today. It rained a little here but not too badly. The boys went outside for a little bit today to ride their bikes. Chord just got a new bike because his old one was getting a little small on him. Last year Jarod got a new one so I guess it was time for Chord to get a new one too :).

Well tomorrow is the Monthly meeting for the Moms Club® and that is when the President is going to announce she is stepping down. Hopefully it will all go ok.

I still haven’t decided if I want to run for Secretary again or not. I don’t think anyone else will want to do it LOL. I mean last year I was the only one who ran for it so by default I got it LOL. I really don’t mind doing the work. I like taking the minutes and doing all those things! Then again I like to play around on my computer too. I learned a lot about computers by just playing around with them. I could learn more I am sure if I took a class but I really have learned a lot by just playing around with them :). I think I learn better that way. Anyway I am getting off track here :). (I am good at that LOL.) But like I said what I don’t like about it, is some of the drama. I like my drama on TV not in real life LOL.

If I do run again and get it, it would be more experience I could put on a resume some day. It will give me two years of experience instead of one and again I will learn more about computers I am sure :). Maybe knowing what it will be like will have me more prepared for it this time.

The drawback is I really don’t like conflict. I’d much rather be the peacemaker and I really don’t understand why some people get in such an uproar about the smallest things. Why do some people have to jump down your throat and ask questions later? I mean sometimes if people would just talk things through they would find that no harm was meant and maybe it was an honest to goodness mistake. Instead we get the bickering and silliness and for me it just gets old quick.

Is it just me or are a lot of women like this? Maybe that was why I was such a tomboy when I was growing up. It’s no wonder I have only a select few of close female friends. I do have other female friends too but I wouldn’t call them close. I know there are a good many women that aren’t like this but man there seems to be a lot of women like that. I am not saying I don’t have faults (don’t even think I could count them LOL) but man this is just something I am not used to and don’t like. Am I the only one that feels this way? Maybe I am just weird and seeing things wrong I don’t know.

So as you can see I really don’t know what to do. I feel like I am caught between a rock and a hard place. I love doing what I do for the most part in the MOMS Club but is it worth all the stress? Should I just drop it and try to just enjoy being a member of the Club or should I try and stick it out and maybe get some insights and experience doing it? These are just some questions I have been asking myself. Any thoughts for me? LOL.

Maybe I should just wait and see if I get nominated. I could just run if I wanted to but if I just wait to see if I get nominated I can at least see if anyone wants me to run again LOL. Maybe no one will and then I won’t have to worry about it LOL. I wouldn’t have any hard feelings LOL. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see. I just feel torn about what I should do. I mean if I was working I would have to deal with people (I have in the past LOL) but do I want to do it voluntarily? LOL.

More of my Ramblings :).

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 01:11:00 +0000

Not too much going on today. After how busy we have been I am ok with that LOL. We just had Science Club with the MOMS Club® but that was in the afternoon so nothing too much.

Friday is the Monthly meeting for MOMS Club® and our President is stepping down. Funny thing is she would only have three more months with elections coming up but I guess she is done. She is also going to drop out of the club. There have been some issues with her so maybe it’s the best thing right now. So the AVP is going to take the President’s position and we will have to get a new AVP.

I am still deciding if I want to run again for this coming election. Maybe I will wait and see if anyone nominates me LOL. The job itself isn’t really all that hard for me and I like doing that part of it but there are other issues I am not sure if I want to keep dealing with or not. Maybe since I have been through it all already I will be more prepared for it. The question is do I really want to or not? It hasn’t been a total disaster or anything just certain things that have got me thinking. Lets just put it this way. Sometimes if feels like I am back in high school. Make sense? It’s not everyone just certain people. What’s really weird is it’s people I have liked. So I don’t know what to do right now.

Anyway on a different note. Hubby has a job interview on Tuesday!!! It’s for the rest stop (a state job). He would just do like groundskeeper things which he is ok with and hey eventually he would get decent pay we would have good benefits. It might start off as part-time or seasonal but we can make it through that. From what he said if it’s like that he could still collect some of his unemployment. Of course it would be less with what he would be making but it’s something right?! He really hated the school thing and there was no guarantee he would be able to get a job afterwards so this is probably a good thing he is doing. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers about getting this job!

Hello

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 01:34:00 +0000

Hello Everyone, I know I have been gone a LONG, LONG time and I am sorry. We have just had a lot going on. We have had our fair share of illnesses and been busy with school. Seems we get really busy this same time of year every year with doing things.

I have been spending a lot of time with my camera :). A friend of mine in Feb. took me and the boys to take pictures of this one park that had flooded and then iced over. I got some really great pics :).

The boys with their friend

bridge near the park

I have many more cool pics of this park but maybe I will show those another time :)

Also in Feb. the boys had Science Club within the MOMS Club®

Then of course we have been doing school work as you can see it’s not the most fun thing for the boys LOL.

Then in March I played more with my camera….

Can you tell they are getting sick of me taking pics?

Also in March we went to the Natural History Museum. The boys had a lot of fun looking at everything!

View Full Album

Then this past weekend (March 21) we had a birthday party for both boys. Since Jarod’s birthday falls so close after Christmas (Jan. 3) we decided to have a combined party for both boys. Poor Jarod has never had a birthday party because where his birthday falls and we just don’t have the money at that time. But he and Chord had a lot of fun this year with it! They had it at our local bowling alley! My Sister-in-law and Brother-in-law bought the cake but decorated it themselves (aren’t they awesome?!)

View Full Album

Then today was Chord’s official birthday! Can you believe he is nine years old now?! I still can’t figure out where the time went. Anyway we took the boys to the Zoo today. It was a bit chilly but so worth it because there was hardly anyone there :). So we didn’t have to rush through it like in the summer months. We also got to hear an elephant trumpet a little and one of the Lions roared at us LOL. Well I wouldn’t say roar exactly it was more like it was calling or something. It scared Jarod though LOL. But it was the coolest thing to hear. Usually they are sleeping on the other side of the Rock so we can’t see them but this time one of them made an appearance. I only wish I took a video of it instead of just pictures. Anyway here are some zoo pictures!

View Full Album

In other news, Harlow has decided to not continue with the schooling. He was having a rough time with it and it wasn’t making him happy and his negative attitude about it was rubbing off our family as well. So he is now not going to school but still getting unemployment and actively looking for a job. Even if he has to start from the bottom he is willing to do it.

Please pray that he can get into a Rest Area which would be a State Job. His friends brother works there and he told Harlow there will be an opening there soon. So pray that there is an opening and that he does get the job. Even if he starts off at a low wage it’s a state job so it will have good benefits and in the long run he will make better money down the road. So please keep thinking of us :).

I am sorry I have been gone so long. I also wanted to thank all of you who have commented or emailed me wondering how I have been. I really appreciate it :). At least I know I was missed a little LOL. I hope everyone is doing well!!!

Just My Ramblings

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 00:18:00 +0000

Still not much going on here lately. Just the usual day to day things. So I seem to be in a rut to blog about. The only thing I really did today was go to a Calendar Planning meeting (for the MOMS Club for next month) and go grocery shopping.

I did see an old co-worker I used to work with while we were out grocery shopping. I remember when I was pregnant with my oldest she and another lady would always bring me food LOL. She at one time brought me cactus to eat (without the thorns of course LOL). It was actually pretty good. Then again food seemed always taste good when I was pregnant with Chord LOL. What's really funny is I craved healthy things with Chord like Salads and veggies! Not that I have veggies when I am not pregnant but it's not my favorite things to eat LOL. But with Chord food was just so good LOL. Probably the reason I gained so much weight with him LOL. Well that and he was a big baby (10 lbs 7 oz and 23" long). Anyway I kind of went off the topic. But it was nice to see my friend. It's been a very long time since I seen her. She was always so sweet to me.

I can't believe next month Chord will already be nine years old! Boy does time fly by. I think I will have to give up blinking so as not to miss anything any more LOL. It just really does seem like that it was only yesterday I was in the hospital holding him and looking at him thinking how beautiful he was! Now he is going to be nine. What will I feel like when he is a teen or an adult. Where is the pause button when you need it? If anyone knows where it is please let me know LOL. Not that I want to keep them little forever but I want it to go just a little slower. Just a little.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!!

What I Have Been Up To.

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 01:46:00 +0000

Not much to blog about. Just been busy with everyday things and of course playing some more with my camera. I am checking out the things I can do with it. It's pretty fun but I think the boys are getting tired of me taking pictures of them LOL. Here are some pics I took recently of different things.

Jarod Playing the Wii

This is the back of one of our landlords sheds. Why I had to take a pic of it? Because I have a new camera and had to take a pic of something LOL.

Another pic just because LOL.

Chord doing some school work.

Even hubby let me take pics of him LOL.

and here is one of me.

I took more but this is what I liked LOL.

I Got a New Toy

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 01:07:00 +0000

Well we did some shopping today. We got our taxes back and we decided to stimulate the economy a little :). We are still putting a good chunk of it away but hubby really did need a laptop for school and he also bough himself an MP3 player. The boys got a couple things and I got some much needed make-up. I am bad and only replace my make-up once a year instead of 3-6 months like it's recommended. I just can't see spending that much money you know? It's not like I use it a lot anyway.

I also got me a new camera. I know I really didn't need a new camera but I have been wanting something like this one for a while and I don't often buy things for myself anyway. It's cheaper than the one I originally wanted too LOL. I feel a bit guilty getting it but Harlow told me too LOL. Anyway it's a Fujifilm Finepix S1000fd. Here is a site with a pic of it....http://www.elitezoom.com/fujifilm-s1000fd-digital-camera.html if you want to check it out. Here are some pics I took with it today. I plan to play with it more tomorrow to see all it can do :).

Please don't mind messy kitchen LOL. We have been busy the last couple of days :).

Jarod and his dad :).

This is my favorite one I took. I still need to fiddle around with it to find things I like :).

Chord wanted me to take a pic of the "Star Wars" ship he built with his Lego's :).

Been a Little Busy

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 01:12:00 +0000

Yesterday was a pretty good day. I was originally supposed to have a board meeting (don't I sound so important? LOL NOT) with the other board members of MOMS Club® at our house but because of the weather (we got 5 more inches of snow!) only a couple of them showed up so instead we just had some girl talk while the kids played :).

It was nice because I got to vent some things out and felt better when I wasn't the only one who felt the way I did about a certain situation. Nothing horrible just something that has been bothering me. Well that and I have been PMSing anyway so it was nice to have other women to talk to lol. No matter how hard he tries my hubby just doesn't understand LOL. The poor guy :). LOL.

They got here around 9:30 a.m. and stayed still almost 1 p.m. LOL. It was really nice to have some friends over. It's been a while since I just sat and talked with some friends.

Today was a pretty busy day. Did some schooling early this morning and then off to one of the other moms, that was over here yesterdays, house for a new member breakfast with some newer members of the MOMS Club®. So again I got to just be with friends and this time I didn't have anything to vent about LOL. Just a nice time.

After leaving my friends house we were off to get our taxes done. We were pleasantly surprised about just how much we are getting back. Much needed but surprised all the same. I can get everything I wanted for next years curriculum for the boys. I thought I would have to really tighten the belt on that but I can spend what I normally do. Not that I am going to spend loads on it but I can spend more than I thought on it anyway. After we got home from that I finished up school work with the boys.

Tomorrow is the MOMS Club® monthly meeting so after making dinner today I had to get things around for the meeting. I had to get the sign-up sheets up and printed and get things around to send to the higher-ups (it's an International club).

Later tomorrow we are going to my brother-in-law and sister-in-laws home. My sister-in-law just found out she has lupus but the good news is that it's not the systemic lupus which is the bad one but it's the Discoid Lupus Erythematosus which generally just effects the skin. It can turn to the other kind but she will have to go and get tests every so often so they can keep an eye on things but otherwise she is in good health! So we will be visiting them tomorrow as well.

I am not going to complain on how busy I have been the last few days LOL. It's been a while since I've had a lot going on so it was all good. So what have you been up to lately?

My Friend!

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:41:00 +0000

I am so excited for a friend of mine. She just became Saved!! I am just so happy for her! See she was a total non-believer (I knew what that was like since I too was once a total non-believer) when I first met her.

When I first met her it was through the MOMS Club and she and I didn't start out on the right foot. It didn't have anything to do with religion or anything but I think we just had a big miscommunication. I got the feeling she didn't like me and she had the same feelings about me.

Time went on and we ended up having to work Create and Play together (a thing we did with the kids once a month). I kept having thing nagging feeling (I believe it was God telling me to :) ) that I needed to call her and work things out and apologize for anything I might have said or did that offended her. But before I could she ended up calling me. We got to be talking and found out that it was just plain silliness why we didn't become friends sooner.

She also became friends with some other Christian lady's in our Club at this time. Now none of us ever pushed or or "Bible Thump" her or anything (I hated that before I became a Christian and would never do that to someone). She knew our beliefs and sometimes she would ask questions and we would answer them to our ability.

Then she started to go to church. She started to go just for her kids sake. She learned to really like the church but still wasn't a believer.

Then this passed Sunday (this is from what she told me today) they had a sermon asking why are you here? Then she got to thinking afterwards that maybe she shouldn't come back to the church since she wasn't a believer.

Then after church there was a fellowship lunch she decided to go to. So she across from this church member and he started asking her questions about what she believed and why and what not. He wasn't being judgmental or anything just genuinely asking her questions and telling her that she didn't have to know the whole Bible to be a Christian or have read it all the way through to be a believer. All she had to do was to believe and give her heart to Jesus. She said it hit her then that she could believe. She let go of things and she said it was an incredible feeling!

I am just so happy for her! We were both in tears as she was telling me her story! I and the other members of MOMS Club have been praying for her. We never pushed her (she even said she felt so accepted by me and the others even though she wasn't a Christian at the time.) or bombarded her with things. We were there if she had questions and we answered them as honestly as we could. Her story is a little bit like my story How I Came to Christ . It's a bit long so don't know if you want to read it or not but it's there :).

Thanks for reading my blathering's :). I was just so excited and happy for her and I just had to tell someone LOL. I hope you don't mind too much :).

Just Another Day

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:51:00 +0000

Well it's been cold here in Michigan (big surprise huh?). So we still haven't been up to much this weekend. Saturday I wasn't feeling too well. I for some reason had bad acid indigestion and a headache. Sunday I didn't have the indigestion but still had the headache. So I didn't go to Church but hubby and the boys did. They play live music at Church so I didn't want to make my headache any worse.

While they were at Church I took a nap but it really didn't help my head much. I had taken some Ibuprofen when I first got up but that didn't help much either. So after everyone was home we had some lunch and headed over to my moms. She had some Aspirin I took when I got there and soon felt better.

Today since I felt better I got back into my exercise routine (haven't been doing it regularly since the boys god sick) and we did some schooling of course and everything else we do in a days time LOL. Other than that not much going on. Sorry it's such a boring post LOL. Oh well I would rather have a boring post then a full of drama life post LOL. How was your weekend?

Twilight

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 01:58:00 +0000

After I kept hearing how good the book "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer I thought I would read it. I love reading and usually finish a book in a day or two if I have a moment or two I can read :).

I will say that it's a good book for it's target audience which is young adult. As for me I just didn't see what all the hype was. It's a teenage love story with a twist the main character falls in love with a vampire.

I don't usually read a lot of fantasy books so maybe that's why it really didn't appeal to me. Will I read the rest of the series? Probably not, unless, I can't find anything else at the Library I want to read.

It wasn't bad or anything but I guess after all the hype about it I was expecting something more. It had it's good moments but it just didn't have me wondering too much what would happen next. I guess that's why I read more suspense novels then anything else LOL.

My favorite authors are Tami Hoag, Iris Johansen, Patricia Cornwell, John Sandford and a few others. Anyone know of any other good authors I could read? Who is your favorite author? Have you read Twilight and if you have what did you think of it? Am I the only one who didn't love it?

The Gypsy in Me

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 01:29:00 +0000

Well not much going on here today. With hubby going to school (all at different times)and us only have one vehicle we haven't been out much. I don't mind too much though because I tend to be all over the place when I do have access to the Jeep. This makes me slow down a little LOL.

Today hubby didn't have class till six p.m. so we did have most of the day with him but it's been so cold outside (all though today was warmer than what it has been) that I don't even want to think about going outside unless it's necessary. I so hate the cold! What I would love to move from cold Michigan but alas I love my hubby and want to stay married, and he is such a Michigander LOL. So I am stuck here till he changes his mind LOL.

If it was up to me I would love to just travel around! That is one thing I really do miss about being an army brat. I miss moving (not the packing though LOL) and starting new. The only thing I didn't like about moving (besides the packing) was starting a new school. Mainly because usually the new school would either be behind where I was in the other school or ahead. So I felt lost for a while when we moved. But other than that I loved going to new places and meeting new people.

It's not that I don't like our life here (well other than the cold winters LOL) it's just sometimes I feel the itch to go some where new and experience something new. I wouldn't even terribly mind too much if we moved to some where just as cold LOL. (not terribly anyway LOL).

I think in that way hubby and our boys miss out a little bit. Every new state (or in some cases countries, only Germany for me though) there is a different feel and smell to it. An excitement of starting over. Getting to create a new you. Not really to change for people but away to really start fresh. I think I am a gypsy at heart. So are you more of a homebody (like my hubby) or a Gypsy like me?

All Better and Other Ramblings

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:49:00 +0000

Thankfully the stomach bug was only a 24 hour thing. Unfortunately after Jarod had his bought with it the next day Chord had it. Harlow and I must have gotten some part of it because we both didn't feel so hot for a day or two. Neither of us got sick like the boys but we didn't feel too good either.

I am happy to say we are all better now. The last time the boys had the stomach virus it lasted two weeks ugh! Poor kids could hardly keep anything down then. I had to give them very tiny (like less than a sip) sips of water to keep them hydrated! So glad this time wasn't that bad.

Yesterday the boys pretty much felt all 100% better but that was when hubby and I didn't feel our best. So we didn't do any school Monday or Tuesday. Today was our first day back. It's good to be back in a routine and not dealing with sick kids :).

Harlow took his first quiz yesterday at school and he would have gotten all the answers right but he misread one of the questions so he just missed the one. See this is why I don't think test really prove anything and one of the reasons I homeschool. Not that I really have anything against testing all together but I wish it was done (for school age children not really collage) in a different way. I remember so many times that same situation would occur to me in school. I would know the answers but sometimes in the rush of time (getting it done before class ended) I would get them wrong because I either didn't understand the question fully or I misread it and got it wrong.

I do test the boys but if I know they really did know a certain answer I either point out the one they got wrong or I have them look over their paper and they figure out which one they got wrong. Either way the do figure it out themselves and usually get it right. If they still don't get it then I will of course mark it wrong and work on it some other time.

I realize teachers have a lot of students and can't go over it like that and I am not suggesting they do. But it is one of the reasons I do homeschool. So I know what they are learning and exactly know what they understand and what they don't understand. I know when something was just a mistake or if they really didn't understand something and go over it.

Sorry I have rambled on LOL. I don't know how anyone can really understand my blog since I tend to go all over the place when I blog LOL. I don't really plan out what I am going to blog about. I just type whatever comes to my mind at the moment LOL. That is how my mind works though LOL.

I always have so many things going on in my brain I end up jumbling everything together. It's like I am constantly thinking but of different things all at the same time. It's why I believe I have such a hard time getting to sleep at night. It's not that I worry about things. It's just I am always thinking of things. I can't seem to switch it off. It seems to have gotten worse the older I get.

I have to have the TV on to sleep. If I don't have it on my mind will wonder and think of things and it will be a very long night to say the least. I need the noise and distraction of the TV to shut my mind off. Instead of going all over the place my mind seems to concentrate on the noise (not really the show itself but the noise of it) and I can finally sleep. So glad the boys aren't like that. All you have to tell them is that it's bed time and they are soon fast asleep. Sometimes I really envy them for being able to that. They get that from hubby I am sure LOL. He puts his head on the pillow and usually he is out. Unless of course he has a lot on his mind.

Lookie there I started rambling off again. For those that read my blog regularly (well as regularly as I blog LOL) I thank you whether or not you understand it or not I thank you :). LOL. I hope you are all having a great week!

Sleepless in Michigan

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:15:00 +0000

Well it's just after 5 a.m. here and I have been awake now since just after 1 a.m. I have gotten just over two hours of sleep. Why? You ask. Well just after 1 a.m. Jarod started crying and complaining of his stomach hurting. And I am sure you guessed it he got sick. Thankfully it's only been that one time but he is sleeping on the couch right now as I watch over him.

What makes it worse is we still have no water. It is still frozen in the well. So after making sure Jarod was done being sick I had to fill the toilet up with water to flush it then after all that (just after 2 a.m.) I started getting our buckets and going outside to collect snow to melt to put in empty gallon milk jugs to once again fill the toilet. Then of course I had to get even more snow to melt so we have enough if and when we have to flush the toilet.

I finally got finished with all that after four a.m. but now of course I am to wound to even think about going to sleep. Was planning to go to church today but I don't think that is happening. I am debating whether or not I should have Chord stay home from church too just in case he comes down with it. I would hate for him to spread it around. He doesn't seem to be sick but one can never tell.

I think Jarod got it from his cousin. They were over there yesterday after Harlow took them to get their haircut. Then Saturday we went over there to take showers since we don't have water yet. Their cousins were just getting over being sick I guess and I think Jarod picked it up.

I am praying it won't be bad through since he hasn't been getting sick since just after one a.m. If Chord does get it I hope it's not bad either. I mean it's bad enough (and I do feel so bad for the poor little guy) that he is sick but then to have no water on top of that. Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy NOT! I hope your Sunday will be better than how mine has started. Please excuse me if I am just rambling on here with lack of sleep an all LOL.

UPDATE:

As of just after 9 a.m. this morning we now have water!! Yeah!!! As for the question Madame asked me on where I live. Well we live toward the country more. We live close to two towns so not way, way out in the country but the country no less. We use the well water for our showers and for cooking and drinking we have the Culligan water we buy. The dishes are also done with the well water. Other than tasting badly it's the same as running city water. Just the pipes from the well froze and the Landlord had to thaw it. Our Landlord, The duplex across from us (the Landlord owns that too)and us all share the same well so we were all without water. Thankfully all is good now and we have water. Now if only we can get rid of this sickness and no one else get sick that would be great!! Keep us in your prayers :).

Frozen Water

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 23:27:00 +0000

Well, today we woke-up to our water being frozen. Our Landlord (he lives right next to us on the same land and share the same well) and our neighbors (also on same land and they rent from our Landlord too) are all having the same problem. Good news is that we don't drink that water anyway (we have to get Culligan water because we have well water that isn't so good to drink) so we have drinking water anyway. Bad news is we can't flush the toilet or take a shower LOL.

More good news we all took a shower last night before bed so we aren't stinky yet LOL. Also some good news is we have lots of snow! So we collected some snow and melted it so we can put it in our toilet to flush it. There is enough snow so it's not like we will run out unless it all melts and then we wouldn't be having a problem anyway.

So that has been our adventure for the day. It could be worse so I am not too worried about it. We have already had people offer the use of their shower so I think we will do ok. I just pray it melts soon enough so we won't have to do this too long LOL. So have you had any adventures lately?

Very Cold and Future

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 02:34:00 +0000

Thought I should change my layout a bit. This is what it seems like it is here in Michigan LOL. Granted there is no mountains here but it is very cold and snowy here. This year has been a lot of snow. I haven't seen this much snow here in a long time.

All though the snow is pretty. Especially when it's fresh untouched snow I still don't like the cold! It's really cold! If I could I would just hibernate till Spring LOL.

With the weather being cold we haven't been outside too much unless we have too. Poor boys. I know they want to go out and play in all that snow but it is just too bitterly cold. Tomorrow is supposed to be even colder! With the wind chills it's supposed to be like 25 degrees below freezing!

Hubby is getting into a routine of going to school now. He is feeling a lot better about things but please keep him in your prayers. Pray for all of us that he can find a job after the schooling.

He's going to get the State certificate to be a diesel mechanic. From what we have heard from a few people it's an in demand job. So hopefully after a year it will still be in demand and hubby can find a job. It's been a long year of him being without work.

While it's been nice having him home the uncertainty of things can be a bit stressful. Granted we know God provides and has through these time it is still a bit scary.

With hubby going to school and his schedule and homeschooling the boys it is about impossible for me to even think of even getting a part-time job.

Even with all that though I am thinking positive. After all God had really provided for us thus far. Every time I don't know how we are going to get through I pray and we get through it. Some way or another we get through. So even though I am uncertain of what the future holds and am a little scared I know we will some how get through it all. Not sure how or what way it will lead us but I do know we will get through.

Well I guess I have babbled on long enough. Thanks for reading this far if you got this far LOL. I hope everyone is having a good week and a great start to your new year!

Here I Am!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:16:00 +0000

Hey Everyone. It is so nice to read messages that I am missed! Sometimes I wonder if anyone would really miss my blog. Glad to see that some would :). Makes me feel that much more loved.

Anyway, we have been pretty busy around here. Of course there was Christmas. We had a wonderful Christmas! We were very blessed that another family helped us for making the boys Christmas good. Not that it wouldn't have been good if they didn't help but it's so wonderful that there really are Godly people wanting to help a family that is going through a rough time like ours. To me it made it more to do with the actual Christmas Spirit than materialism. I don't know who it was that let us have this wonderful Christmas but I and my family are very grateful!! I pray they are doubly as blessed!!

Someone else from our church had put in our name for a Christmas Dinner. So we got a ham, corn, stuffing, Scalloped Potato's and some little toys for the boys. I totally believe our family is truly blessed through these trying times. God has really been with us! We would have never asked for either of these things yet God provided!!

We also had Christmas at my mom's and then again at Harlow's sisters house later in the week. I love just spending time with family and if I do say so myself I think we have a wonderful family :) !!

Right after Christmas is of course the New Year. So we went to a friends house and celebrated there. It was a good time with friends. The boys had a great time too playing some video games LOL.

After all the Holidays on January 3rd we celebrated two birthdays! Harlow's and my baby boy! Can you believe he is already seven years old? I just don't know where the time goes. Even with me being a Stay-at-home-mom and a homeschool mom time still flies by! Hubby I can now call my old man till my birthday in June LOL. Not that I really would but I could LOL. When my birthday comes around though we will be the same age again LOL.

On Jan. 8th hubby started his classes. He's been a little overwhelmed and nervous but he went to lunch with one of our Pastors and another member of our church and talked with them the other day. He is feeling much more confident and better about things now. Please keep him in your prayers. I know this is something totally different for him and yes it will be hard but I believe (I know) he will get through this. I know he would appreciate all the prayers he can get.

So that is what we have been up to since I last posted. I hope everyone is doing well and had a wonderful Christmas and New Year!!!!! Here are some pics of Christmas and Birthdays!

Pics of Christmas at home

Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa's

Gifts from Grandparents and Uncle and Aunt

They were very excited about this that Grandma and Grandpa got this for them (my mom in the background)

Christmas at Harlow's Sister and her Hubby's house.

I do have more pics but a lot of them have family members in them so I don't know if they want their picture online. But it was a great time!

We didn't have a big birthday party or anything. It was just celebrated at home with some cake. Jarod had gotten his birthday presents early and later he got a gift from his grandma :). He got some Wii Attachments (for baseball, tennis and golf from her. From us he got some Batman figures he's been wanting plus a Batmobile.

(Please pay no attention to the mess in the kitchen LOL)

Here are a couple of just the boys being them LOL.

Don't know if I can totally catch-up but I will try and go to some blogs today :). I hope everyone enjoyed my pics!!!

Boy's Singing and Cold Weather

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 01:13:00 +0000

Yesterday, at Church the boys got to sing with the adult choir for four songs!! Dummy me forgot my camera though ugh. We were over 1/2 way there when I realized it! Ugh sometimes I don't know where my head is.

They did really well too!! Jarod was on the bottom row on the left hand side and he was the second one in that line. Then Chord being as tall as he is was in the top row (there was only 2 rows) on he was the first one all the way to the right. They sang Silent Night, Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel, and What I want for Christmas. I was so proud for them :)! Now if only I had pictures *sigh*.

It's been really cold here the last few days so other than going to Church yesterday we haven't done much at all. The roads are pretty yucky too. The road commission I guess (just like most of Michigan) is cutting down on things like only salting and scrapping main roads and no over time. So the roads are awful! Thankfully we have the jeep which is a part time 4x4.

It's been so bad that Harlow has even had to get one of our neighbors cars unstuck in our own driveway (we share the same driveway) a few times. Thankfully they have our number they ever need to get pulled out!

Tomorrow I have to go to the Laundromat to do laundry so hubby said he would drive me (the boys too of course LOL) there. Which I am glad because I really don't like driving in this mess. I have driven in snow before but this is a lot of snow and ice! Anyone out there need any ice or snow? LOL. I would be too happy to ship those out along with the cold LOL. I am so not a winter person! How about you?

Random Things and Snow!

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:19:00 +0000

Well, I am not going to Church tonight because I am not feeling so well. Not really sick but feeling a little run down. The boys and hubby went though. The boys have to go though because they have dress rehearsal because Sunday they are singing with the Adult Choir on stage. The boys love being on stage. I was in choir in high school but it wasn't my favorite thing to do LOL. So I don't know where the boys get their love of doing it LOL.

In other things it started snowing a lot last night and has been snowing lightly all day today. There was enough snow to settle on the ground so there was quite a bit! So we stopped school a little early today so the boys could go outside and play in the snow. Here are some pics of the boys in action LOL. Both Harlow and I took some pics of them :) enjoy!

This is Chord and Jarod pretending that Jarod was injured and Chord is taking him to the medic (I forget what exactly he said but something Star Warzy (I realize that's not a real word but hey it fits LOL)!

Pic of Jarod wearing my hat LOL. It's big on my head so it's really big on him LOL.

Chord in my hat.

Hehe hubby in my hat!!! My goofy man :P!

A goofy pic of me. I always look goofy in pics LOL. See how big the hat is on me?

Our Weekend Alone

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:40:00 +0000

The weekend went well :). We didn't go out or anything because 1) we didn't have much money LOL and 2) because it was pretty cold out and slick roads. Even with that though we had a good time just spending time with each other. I didn't miss the boys as much as I thought I would LOL. I think it's because they are getting older and I know they can handle being without me for a bit. That and people I (and hubby) trusted had the boys. Still missed them a little though LOL. I am a mom after all!

When we went to leave them at their cousins (we left just after 7 p.m. the party started at 6 p.m.) I told Chord we were leaving. He got this big grin on his face and says..."Your leave?!" He was excited LOL. Don't think they missed us too much LOL.

So after leaving we came home and just watched some TV together and spent time talking (not about the kids hehe) and cuddling! It was really nice.

Sunday, we had a gift card for Applebee's so we went and had lunch there. It was good but neither of us could finish our food LOL. After that we headed to my mom's and hung out there for a bit and then we left there around 2:00 p.m. to go to Harlow's sister's house where the boys and their cousins went to make Christmas cookies and other Christmas crafts. So we stayed there and visited.

It was so cute when we walked in the door. The first think I see is Chord having a white circle on his forehead with a red M in the middle of it plus a crooked mustache painted on his face LOL. Then I see Jarod done up like Rudolph the red nosed reindeer with little antlers painted on his forehead as well! I have some of the other things they made on our Christmas tree. They had such a great time and so did hubby and I :) .

We left hubby's sister's house at about 5:30 p.m. and got home just after 6. It was a wonderful weekend had by all! I hope your weekend went well too!

Weekend Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:07:00 +0000

I am excited because today the boys are going to my brother-in-laws and sister-in-laws house to spend the night!! The boys cousin is having a birthday party! She is turning five years old. Every time we go over there she wants the boys to spend the night LOL. They all get along great. I wouldn't have minded if they would have stayed the night before now but they (Harlow's brother and wife) have three children of their own. The one turning five, a two year old and a baby that isn't quite one years old yet. Not that my boys wouldn't behave but that's a lot of kids LOL. But my sister-in-law invited them to stay the night for her birthday.

This will be the first time in a very long time since hubby had any time alone without the boys around. Don't have too much planned but that's ok I am happy with just staying home and just hanging out together or going for a walk together. It will just be nice not to have to share each other with the kids for a while :).

Sunday the boys are going to go to my other Sister-in-laws house (hubby's sister) to make cookies! So we will have a little more time together with just the two of us!

I know me though LOL. Once we leave the boys I'll start to miss them LOL. I always do that LOL. But I know we will have a good time and the boys will be having a good time too. Do you have any plans for the weekend?

Bobbie’s - Getting to Know you Better Questions.

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 03:19:00 +0000

I have been tagged by my friend over at Once a Wounded Lily now a Desert Rose it's called...........Bobbie’s - Getting to Know you Better Questions.

How did you come up with your blog name? Homeschooling has become more of a life style than something we just do. Made up of different moments and not just when we are doing any sit down work but in our every day lives. Thus the name Homeschool Moments :).

What is a cause closest to your heart? I think what is closest to my heart is anything to do with children. Every since having my own children I have realized just how much some children suffer so if I can do anything to help a child in need or a child hurting I love to help.

Do you or have you ever home-schooled? Yes, we are in our fourth year of homeschooling. We have started from Kindergarten for both boys. Sure there are some days that are rough but I wouldn't trade any of it. Our family loves it this way!!

What was the biggest challenge homeschooling? The biggest challenge homeschooling for me was in the beginning. Like a lot of beginners I made it a school at home instead of living in the moments. Homeschooling is so much more than school work. It was hard for me to let that go.

What was your most favorite moment while HS? What is my favorite with homeschooling is seeing that light bulb moment when they finally get something they couldn't do previously. I love being there when it happens! I also love watching them go from being dependent on me teaching them to them being independent learning on their own. It's just awesome to see!

If you could do it all again would you? In a heartbeat! I have been blessed to be able to do it! I know the boys love it too!

Do you like to bake or cook? Yes, I do. I especially like to try something new. I would do that more but kids and hubby are such picky eaters LOL.

What is your most favorite thing to bake or cook? Honestly, I just love to try any new recipe. Over the summer I learned to make Zucchini bread and I loved making it till I got it just right! It was a lot of fun. Love to learn something new!

What is a kitchen appliance that you could not live without? It's between my stove(oven) and microwave. Stove for obvious reasons LOL but the microwave I like not for TV dinners or anything like that but I love cooking my veggies in it. They seem to have more flavor in the microwave then cooked in a pot.

What color is your kitchen done in? We rent so we don't have a choice in the color so it's an ugly pale green color.

If you could live anywhere - no cost involved where would you live? If money wasn't involved I would love to just travel really. I grew up with my dad in the Army so we moved around a lot. I know it may seem odd to a lot of people but I miss the traveling. Maybe I am a Gypsy at heart. On my mom's side I do have Romanian in me LOL.

What size house would you live in? Spacious but not super big where it would take a lot to clean and if it was my dream house I would love it to have a bay window where I could sit by and read a book!

Do you plant a garden? no because we rent and we don't have a lot of space.

If you do what do you plant? N/A

What is your favorite bible verse? why? Matthew 6:25-34 where Jesus talks about not worrying. I find so much comfort in those words because I am a worrier by nature and reading them reminds me I just need to lean on Him! Our family has been through a lot but we have always managed to come out on top (because of God's Mercy!!) and I know we will again with the situation we are in now.

Do you take notes during church? Yes, I do. Helps me retain a lot of what I learn. If I didn't take notes I don't know if I would retain as much. Do you highlight your bible and write little notes in the margin? Not always but I have if it strikes me.

What is one of your favorite Christian blogs to visit? I have to name a couple LOL. The one who tagged me with this Once a Wounded Lily now a Desert Rose and Madame Rousseau.

Do you think this is too long and has too many categories? Not at all. I loved answering the questions!

If you were stranded on a deserted island what three things would you take with you? My Bibles, my laptop and lots of water to drink LOL. (if you were talking about people I would say my family :). )

I tag anyone who wants to do this!

Fabulous

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 11:52:00 +0000

My friend Julie, gave me this. (Thank you! :D)

The Fabulous Award Rules:

You have to pass it on to 5 fabulous blogs.
You have to list 5 of your fabulous addictions.
Make sure you include the person that gave you the award and link it back to them.

My 5 fabulous addictions:

My Family
Reading a good book.
Anything to do with paper (Yes, I do realize I am odd LOL)
Blogging
Chocolate (enough said right? LOL).

I am passing this on to:

Ellen at Once a Wounded Lilly no a Desert Rose
Ami Mental
The Woman at We Love We Live
Kelly at The Weber Saga
Madame Rousseau at Madame Rousseau Blog

I would pass it on to everyone on my blog list but I only could pick 5 :(. I love reading every one's blog!

A Little Bit of This and A Little Bit of That.

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 00:53:00 +0000

Yesterday we went to my other Sister-in-law and Brother-in-laws house. They don't have any kids but are great people :). It's hubby's sister and her hubby. They let the boys play with their Wii there.

They don't know it but Grandma (my mom) got them a Wii for Christmas. They have loved playing the sport games and such with it at hubby's brother's house and now his (hubby's)sisters house . It will be good for the winter months since it can get pretty cold here in Michigan and not a lot you can do. At least not around here.

During the Spring, Summer and Fall months they are outside more but Winter is just crazy around here LOL. Plus it's something the whole family can do. Even me who is just not very good at video games can enjoy it. Sure I still don't do well but I have fun anyway LOL. Maybe I will learn something new LOL.

Changing the subject here LOL but I found another friend that I had in Germany (in Middle School)! I found her on Myspace. I actually found here back in the Spring but hadn't heard from her. Well I went to Myspace (I am glad I have it now but I don't really use it LOL. But hey I got some use out of it.) and found an email from her. I hope to keep in contact with her as well. So so far I have found one person on Facebook (another one I don't use often LOL) and one person on Myspace. These two were my best friends in Middle School! I wonder if I can find anyone else. That would be cool but I would be happy with just the two I found! Have you ever found someone you went to school with? If so how?

Getting to Know Me

noreply@blogger.com (Jody) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:46:00 +0000

I was tagged by http://woundedlily.wordpress.com/ so I thought I would answer these questions :).

1. What is your occupation right now? Domestic Engineer (Stay-at-home mom LOL).

2.What color are your socks right now? white

3.What are you listening to right now? The boys and the movie they are watching.

4.What was the last thing that you ate? Some cookies.

5.Can you drive a stick shift? No, a long time ago hubby tried to teach me when we were teenagers. He won't try and teach me now LOL.

6.Last person you spoke to on the phone? Hubby and before that my mom.

7.Do you like the person who sent this to you? Yes, I do :)

8.How old are you today? 32 will be 33 in June.

9.What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? We only really watch Nascar Sprint Cup racing and sometimes the Nascar National Cup races.

10. What is your favorite drink? I think it depends on what I am in the mood for.

11. Have you ever dyed your hair? All the time. Though I haven't in about 6 months now. I really need to though. Just no money for it at the moment.

12.Favorite food? It really depends on my mood. I love potato's (any kind LOL) Pizza, Stir fried Veggies, Most holiday foods LOL. I like food :P.

13.What is the last movie you watched? Indiana Jones Kingdom of The Crystal Skulls. That was a few months back when it came to theaters. I can't think if I have watched any movies at home. I am not a big movie person.

14. Favorite day of the year? Christmas. I love celebrating Christ birth.

15. How do you vent anger? I probably take it out on my hubby more than I should. Poor guy. I do apologize to him though.

16. What was your favorite toy as a child? I loved all my toys. I really can't think of a favorite one. I have some good memories from a lot of different toys.

17. What is your favorite season? Fall and Summer.

18.Cherries or Blueberries? Cherries

19.Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? Of Course!

22. Living arrangements? Married with two boys (my oldest will be 9 in March and my youngest will be 7 in Jan.

23. When was the last time you cried? When I get angry I tend to cry. Not because I am sad but because I get so much emotion built up that I cry. I probably cried a few weeks ago? (not sure) when hubby and I had an argument (we are fine now though :) ).

24.What is on the floor of your closet? Box with blankets in it.

25. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to? The Woman and anyone who would like to do it!

26. What did you do last night? Cleaned the carpet with our carpet cleaner (still needs more work) and every day family things :).

27. What are you most afraid of? Dying while my boys are still young or losing one of them (which scares me even more).

28. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Either or. I like both.

29. Favorite dog breed? Labradors.

30. Favorite day of the week? Sunday because I love going to our Church.

31.How many states have you lived in? Four. I guess when I was a baby we lived in Alabama for a few months but I don't remember it but we also lived (ones I remember) Texas, California and Michigan. I have also lived in the country of Germany. (My dad was in the army so we moved around a lot).

32.Diamonds or pearls? I like diamonds but my birthstone is Pearls so I like them too!

33.What is your favorite flower? I pretty much like all colorful flowers :). I think they are just pretty :D.

Please feel free to do this if you want and leave me a comment so I can check it out!!