First Week of School

Well, here it is....the first week of school. AHHH!!! Where did my summer go??? All the plans....All the rest.....out the window. Gone!!! I am actually thinking I need to be back in school to get some rest.

We have had a very busy summer and somehow I have managed to pull it together enough to get curriculum and to get these kids into shape. So, we grudgingly happily started our 10th year of homeschooling!! Yes, I said 10th. I count Kindergarten and on bad days I say 11 years because I did do Pre-K.

We started out the week poorly but we are ending on a better note. You know, I always say the hardest thing about homeschooling is the attitudes. I have to admit, sometimes that it is not only the kids that have attitudes but it is me as well. So, I will reflect on the week and remember the good old days (like Pre K and Kindergarten). No, really First grade was great too!!! Okay, seriously, I have to remember that I was called to do this job! I will do it (most of the time) with a smile on my face. I will look at my sweet baby girls eyes and look at a pre teen! I hate that word. I don't think I ever used it with my son, but my girl sure can make me think she is a teen. And then there is the boy....can anyone say high school?? When I started this thing I thought I would be done by now but here I am plodding along in high school.

Okay, enough rambling.....

We made it through the week. And yes I love homeschooling...most of the time. I know why I do it. I have precious memories (again most of the time) with my sweet kiddos that we all know flies by.

And this....this pictures tells the real story why I homeschool.

GO!!!

Wow! What a week!! My son and I had a great opportunity to go on a short term mission to El Salvador for a week. What an amazing experience to have with your child. I recommend everyone to do this at least once. I say at least once, because I know that we will be going back.

We went to bless, serve and witness to others and we were actually the ones that were blessed, served and witness to. God is amazing!! He is alive and his spirit is with us wherever we go. I loved to see the love of Jesus in some of the people and churches we visited. Oh, and the stories of how the Lord took some of these people out of the dirt, cleaned them up and made them new.

We stayed at an orphanage in San Salvador. Twenty-one boys live and are being taught the word daily. These children are incredible. Everyone on the team was a little worried that I would end up hiding some of these kids in my suitcase to take back to the USA. I have to admit, that the thought did cross my mind, several times.....

The Lord spoke to me in so many ways!!! One thing that really stands out is that we need to witness every where we go. Not just when we are on short term missions, but right here in our neighborhoods, stores, malls etc. Get busy! Time is short!!

Matthew 28:19

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.

Blessings,

Kim

PEACHES!!!

Summer is in full bloom around our home. We have a great abundance of peaches and are francticly trying to do many things with them so we do not waste.

We have made a creamy peach pie and homemade peach jam. We are planning on making an original peach pie and also freezing some for smoothies.

Many Blessings,

Kim

Do Hard Things!

Wow! What a weekend! We were blessed to be able to attend the "Do Hard Things Conference" with our Youth Group from church. It was such a remarkable event. I would recommend this to anyone with teenage children. With anticipation, I was hoping that my boy would be inspired and encouraged. I soon found out that it was not only him getting inspired but I was too! I was able to receive from two 19 year old young men. These kids are a testimony to their parents hard work. If you are not familiar with their book and rebelation movement you can check out their website at dohardthings.com

Do Hard Things Mentality:

1. Fight Sin in your life. Our flesh wants to do the easy stuff. Fight it!

2. Battle discouragement and complacency.

3. Do more than that is required! That is a big one in my house! Can I hear an amen!

4. Get over a fear of failing. Anything worth doing is worth doing over and over and over..etc.

5. Focus on the little things: start by doing the small stuff, serving family cheerfully, faithful in devotions etc.

6. Your best life is not always the easiest life. Avoid wasting your life!

Again, check out their website and if they happen to come in the area of your home, attend the conference. You will be blessed!

Itch to Pitch Week 5

This week I had a pretty easy job to do. I tackled the hall linen closet. Really it is just a towel closet because when I was cleaning out my linen/scrap/hall/everything closet on Week 2, I decided to try a new system I picked up on another person's helpful blog. Back to that later....
Okay, here are the before pics:


Honestly, how and why do I live like that? It only took about 20 minutes to do the entire job.

Here is my give away bag. Goodwill is starting to know me by name....

Now, about the cool system for my sheets. I read once, on another blog, about a lady who keeps a set of clean sheets to each bed she has under the mattress of each individual bed. Well, I decided to change it a little and purchase the giant Ziplock bags and put a clean set of sheets in them and put it under the bed. Now, when I change the sheets, I put the fresh clean ones on immediately and I throw the dirty ones in the washer. When they are clean, I put them in the same Ziplock bag and store them under my beds. Easy... I don't have to have a ton of sheets and waste space in my linen closet.

A little tip that may help......

Blessings,

Kim

Itch to Pitch Week 4

This week for the challenge I headed to the school room to ditch some extra curriculum that I have had laying around for several years. Last week, during week 3, I was unable to get to the things I had planned to ditch because we decided to pitch a tent and take the kids camping. We had a great time but the busyness of the week prevented much of anything else being done.

So here are my before pics:

And here are my after:

I was able to ditch a lot of stuff at a used curriculum sale and give away the other stuff that did not sale.

This has been a very productive summer!

Blessings,

Kim

Happy Fourth of July!

We have been blessed in so many ways in this country. Let us take the time to remember the many blessings that the Lord has given us. Let us remember the Veteran's and the now fighting soldiers. Thank you Lord Jesus for the United States of America!
America Bless God!

Kim

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14