Verse of the Day

“This is what the LORD says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:16, 18-19

Christmas

I have photos.  I just haven’t moved them from camera to computer yet.  Been busy.  Will get to it next week!

New Template

Okay, I’m not sure I like it, but we’ll see.
I was hoping for something a little “New Year’s-y” but no luck.
I even looked for patriotic. Nothing.
This may change again until I find something I really like.
Sorry for the construction!

The Christmas Play

The children had their Christmas Play this morning. Ethan was Joseph. Elijah was a shepherd. Melody and Levi were sheep.
Melody did much better this year. She came off the stage at one point to give me a hug (we were on the second row), but the rest of the time she was super!
This was Levi’s first play, and he was an adorable sheep.

And now the photos:

Ethan getting his beard

Ethan as Joseph

Melody as shhep

Melody on stage

Joseph and Mary

Levi as the little gray sheep

Elijah the Shepherd

Ethan, Elijah and Levi on stage

Joseph and Mary

Elijah looking Shepherd-like

Cute little Levi the Sheep

What adorable children!

Levi on stage, he was stepping on Elijah’s staff

Ethan as Joseph. What a cutie!

Melody before the show

My adorable children, again!

Ethan must have been standing on something, because he is not that much taller than Elijah!

They’re just so darn cute!

Sofia at the show

Nanna holding Sofia

Another shot of Joseph and Mary

Oh! Levi!

Melody and Elijah

Elijah telling Melody where Mom is. If I had a quick shooting camera, the next shot would be of Melody running to give me a hug!

Merry Christmas to me…

Well, I got it.  The crud that’s going around.  I got it.

I woke up this morning with a congestive cough and all that stuff.  Goody!

But really, I’ve had Christmas already.  Here’s what I’ve gotten:
The new puppy (really for the kids and the goats)
A thermal binding machine–to bind books that I print off my Robinson Curriculum cd’s
2 goat wethers (actually we’ll get them tomorrow, and I’ll wether them in about a month.)
oh yea, and the new diggs! So excited to be in the country again!

Everybody else is…

talking about it, so I guess I will too.

The children are sick.  Elijah, Melody, Levi and Sofia are all hacking and congested.  Poor dears.  Ethan isn’t sick.  He had his tonsils and adenoids out when he was five.  He never suffers these allergy/colds.

Sofia and Melody have had the worst of it, and now I’m starting to feel it coming on.  We are using our reliable homeopathics, which are making the crud bareable (sp?) , but not knocking it out.  At this point, I’d like it if someone knocked me out!  :)

I do hope they get well, and that Ethan continues his good health, because this Sunday is their Christmas Play.  I’d hate for them to be sick.  Ethan is Joseph, Elijah is a shepherd, Melody is an angel (!!!!!) and Levi is a sheep.  This ought to be interesting.  Last year I wanted to crawl under the pew when Melody put her ear to the speaker on the stage.  This year Melody will probably be bossing Levi around, as usual.  

I’ll post photos on Monday, maybe Sunday night if I get to it!

Homeschool Christmas Party

Balloon Pop Game

Misty

Ian eating a brownie

Kids having snack

The three oldest boys by the window

Ethan turning Deo into a Christmas Tree

The boys playing

Misty’s Christmas Decor (More than I’ve got up!)

Most of the children after the Christmas Tree game

My big boys, Ethan and Elijah

Chaos

Everyone in the Dining Room

Ethan and Mario wrapping Deo

Misty reading the directions for her Peppermint Hot Chocolate!

Gabriel

Levi

Christmas Tree Game

Children fellowshipping and eating

Oh, My Sofi!

Balloon Pop Game

Kalin eating a candy cane

Quinton, hanging out alone

More eating fun!

Another view of the children

Kelly and the children

Deo as a Christmas Tree

Balloon Pop Game

Another Dining Room Photo

Balloon Pop Game

Food!

Elijah and Emily always seem to end up beside each other

Ethan’s team won the Christmas Tree Game

Sofia wouldn’t stay still long enough for me to get her picture

Emily as a Christmas Tree

Gabriel’s team turning Emily into a Christmas Tree

Chaos after the Balloon Pop Game

More eating

Kalin

Great picture of the Balloon Pop Game

Christmas Tree Game Winners

More Fellowship

Sherry and Wyatt

After the Balloon Pop Game

Misty and Kelly in the kitchen

Gabriel and Ethan

You can never have enough food for 15 children

Sofia looking out the back door

Boys in the Bedroom

My handsome Ethan

Misty’s Elijah (We call him “Little Elijah”)

Christmas Tree Deo

Heh!

Kelly

And even more food!

Winners of the Balloon Pop Game–They were tied up, so we called it a tie! Mario and Mercy

See the teenager on the sofa!

And the aftermath

A Sad Reality

Me:  Ethan, Why do y’all obey me when Dad is home, but not when he’s at work?

Ethan:  I don’t know.

Me, sarcastically:  Is it because y’all love Dad more?

Ethan:  Yes.

PC defined:

Piece of Crap

My parents gave us their old pc.  The first thing to go was the monitor.  The picture just started changing colors.  So we bought a used monitor in good working condition for $25 on craigslist.  The pc was working fine before we moved.

We moved.

Hooked up pc to internet just to register with our current provider.  Removed pc from internet and set it up for homeschool use only.

PC does not work.  I turn it on.  The screen is blank, and yes!!! I turned on the monitor too.  Every once in a while the page will pop up to as which version of Windows to run.  It offers 2 choices.  They are the same.  I hit enter, and the thing starts to load windows, but it takes forever!

Personally, I use a Macintosh and I never have any problems out of it.  I think PC means “Piece of Crap!”

Vanilla’s first morning

Vanilla awoke this morning without a sound.  She stayed quietly in her inside pin until I could take her out at about 7:30.  As soon as I put her on the ground, she did her business.

I left her in the outside pin and let Melody and Levi go play with her around 10am.  Levi, of course, is still a little puppy shy, so he stays outside the pin.  Melody, on the other hand, is Vanilla’s new best friend.  Here are some photos of this morning:

Melody and Vanilla

Vanilla rounding the tree

Levi playing with Vanilla through the fence

Melody playing with Vanilla through the fence

Melody petting Vanilla

Vanilla looking for Melody

Levi wanted me to take his picture!

Cute little ball of fluff

She loves having her belly rubbed

She found Melody!

Belly rubbin’

Vanilla and Melody

Vanilla giving chase to Melody