Anniversary Celebration

Several years ago, my Dad’s side of the family came up to Michigan to celebrate my Grandparents’ 50^th wedding anniversary. We all stayed at a hotel in Frankenmuth, MI and celebrated together!

 

All the grandkids with Grandma and Grandpa.

We had a special dinner for them one night. After dinner we showed them a slideshow we had made for them, and they opened their gifts.

Family picture!

We still have so many fond memories from this trip! We still joke about my cousin calling our hotel the “Barbarian Inn” instead of “Bavarian Inn.” We still talk about the enormous cake we ate to celebrate. We’ll always remember that trip!

 

September Nature Pictures

Fall is in the air! The mornings and evenings around here are getting quite crisp. But thankfully we haven’t had any early frosts, and have been able to enjoy some of the beautiful September blooms!

 

Our two Primrose bushes exploded in blooms right around the start of school.

They’re such beautiful flowers!

Mom loves Mums, and every year around September we buy several pots of them from the store to adorn our porch.

I love how bright these little flowers are!

The leaves on our fire bushes are slowly starting to turn red.

Although most blooming plants are starting to wind down in the fall, our sedum is just getting started. It’s nice to have blooms when everything else is dying!

“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” Genesis 8:22

 

School Starts

On September 10^th, we started school again (at home!) Although summer felt incredibly short, we are glad to be back in the swing of school schedules again. This year is already shaping up to be interesting (we will need a lot of flexibility!)

 

Our nice school picture.

This is what it really feels like sometimes. J

Here is a glimpse into our schedules:

 

Bianca

 

Personal Devotions

Scripture Memory and Review

Learning Westminster Catechism

“How to be a Lady” study with Mom once a week plus homework assignments

Geometry

Logic

Creole

Art Appreciation

Reading “Exploring Christian Literature” and “Poems for Patriarchs”

Finishing Chemistry

Health

Bible Study Guide

Make Bible memory verse kit

Piano and dance practice

Piano Theory

Teaching piano lessons once a week

Write daily blog posts

Running

Helping with laundry

Iron my clothes

Emptying the dishwasher once a week

Cleaning the half-bathroom once a week

Dusting bedroom once a week

Vacuuming ¼ of the basement once a week

Cleaning up after dinner with Ben once a week

Sweeping and mopping the kitchen once a week

Making pizza Friday night

Brushing Zinnia (my cat) once a week

Outside work (weeding, watering, shoveling snow, etc.)

Work on Orphanage project

 

Ben

 

Personal Devotions

Scripture Memory and Review

Learn Westminster Catechism

“I Kissed Dating Goodbye” Manhood study with Dad once a week plus reading assignments

Math

Logic

World War II History

Biology

Discovering the Bible course

Poetry

Bible Study Guide

Practice Piano

Piano Theory

Strengthening exercises

Walk the dog twice a week

Scrub the bathtub once a week

Help with laundry

Iron napkins

Emptying the dishwasher once a week

Dust bedroom once a week

Wash windows once a week

Clean up dinner with Bianca once a week

Outside work (mowing, trimming, weeding, watering, shoveling snow, etc.)

Sweeping and tidying the garage

 

Rubia and Roma

 

Personal Devotions

“Beautiful Girlhood” study with Mom once a week plus homework assignments

Scripture Memory and Review

Learning Westminster Catechism

Math

Logic

Bible Study Guide

General Knowledge questions

Meteorology

Poetry

Reading “Princess in Calico”

Practice piano, guitar, and dance

Music theory

Iron clothes

Clean large bathroom once a week

Dust dining room once a week

Dust bedroom once a week

Dust entertainment center and piano once a week

Empty dishwasher once a week

Vacuum second floor once a week

Vacuum living room once a week

Sweep porch once a week

Sweep kitchen once a week

Walk dog once a week

Brush dog’s teeth once a week

Take care of the cats’ daily needs

Cat toy search once a week

Brush cats, wash food bowls, and administer hairball medicine once a week

Clean up dinner together once a week

Help with laundry

Wash dishes once a week

Help with pizza prep on Friday nights

Fill birdfeeders once a week

Running

Outside work (weeding, watering, shoveling snow, etc.)

 

Josiah

 

Devotions with Mommy

Scripture Memory and Review

Learn Westminster Catechism

Math flashcards and wrap-ups

Handwriting

Spelling

Bathtub Science

Sunday School homework

Bible Study Guide

Reading time

Feed fish and tadpole

Set table daily

Spread picnic cloth for Friday morning breakfast

Sweep the porch once a week

Help with mopping once a week

Sweep under the table twice a week

Dust the living room once a week

Collect garbage twice a week

Vacuum couches once a week

Exercise the dog twice a week

Help fill birdfeeders

Outside work (weeding, watering, fill birdbath, shoveling snow, etc.)

 

Mom

 

Work with Josiah and keep up with grading work! J

 

*Before you fall out of your chairs, no we don’t do everything in one day. You are looking at our weekly lists, not our daily lists!*

 

I have to sign off and get cracking on my list of things to do!

 

Company Weekend

This past weekend we had my Mom’s side of the family up for a visit! My Abuelo was celebrating a birthday this month, and we all wanted to be together to celebrate that.

 

My Grandparents and our cousin E arrived on Friday night in time for pizza and a movie. My Uncle, Aunt, and Cousin J arrived around 9:00 p.m. We stayed up pretty late that night talking about everything from family news, to our trip to Haiti, and more!

 

Saturday morning, we all enjoyed sleeping late and having a breakfast of pumpkin muffins together (recipe coming soon!)

 

I love this little guy so much! He’s such a ham! J

After breakfast, Josiah and E requested everyone’s attendance at a percussion concert they had prepared for us. They had a lot of fun!

The morning was spent relaxing, with the kids enjoying the beautiful fall weather outside.

The men went to work trimming bushes and weed-whacking. We were really thankful that Abuelo let us borrow his tools since our trimmers are both on the fritz.

After a light snack for lunch, we all piled into the van to go see the movie “Last Ounce of Courage” together. Poor Uncle J got the middle seat of the van (a.k.a. the worst seat in the van, because you are within reach of everyone. J)

The movie inspired a patriotic reaction from the boys.

That evening we had a special dinner in honor of Abuelo’s birthday.

We ate cranberry chicken with rice (recipe coming soon!), bread with butter, tomatoes and cucumbers, green beans with Italian dressing, and homemade fruit punch. It was delicious as always.

For dessert, we made Abuelo’s favorite cake: 7-Up Cake (again, recipe coming soon!)

After dessert, we gave him our cards and gifts. We’re so thankful for the long life he has been blessed with, and we hope for many more wonderful years with him!

I think J wants to be a cowboy. J

Sadly our guests had to leave Sunday morning. But we really enjoyed our visit with them, especially since we probably won’t see them until Christmas. We had so much fun during their visit!

 

"Last Ounce of Courage" Movie Review

Photo taken from www.imdb.com

Last week we read about a movie coming out on September 14^th, called “Last Ounce of Courage.” After reading more about the synopsis, we purchased tickets for our family and our extended family which was visiting us at the time. On Saturday afternoon, we went out together to the theater to see it!

 

Here’s the movie synopsis from StandUSA.com: “Last Ounce of Courage is the story of a grieving father inspired by his grandson to take a stand for faith and freedom against a tide of apathy and vanishing liberty. Alongside fellow citizens of courage, faith, and integrity, he is a champion for the cherished principles we the people hold dear. A tale of family bonds and free expression, the film seeks to encourage all Americans to take a stand and raise their voices in support of their beliefs.”

 

Mayor Bob Revere has grieved over the loss of his son in the military for 14 years. This courageous war veteran has watched his town of Mt. Columbus relinquish their freedoms to become more “politically correct.”

 

His grandson Chris challenges him with the question of “What did my Dad die for? He died for our freedoms. What are you doing to defend them today?” With that challenge in mind, Mayor Bob goes to work bringing back the Christian celebration of Christmas to the town of Mt. Columbus.

 

But then his work is threatened by the work of Warren Hammerschmidt, a member of the American Civil Liberties Organization. Will Bob bend to the pressure to conform to the “politically correct” standards, or will he stand firm in his convictions to defend the freedoms and liberties we as Americans are blessed with?

 

Our family loved the movie! It is rated PG for some war images and brief smoking, but Josiah went with us to the theater and it was fine (but please use your discretion as a parent!) There were many times during the film when I was moved to tears, and inspired to take a stand for my freedoms. The message of the film to needs to be repeated more often. As Christians, we are being intimidated into silence by those who wish to push their socialist and communist agendas in our country.

 

Unfortunately, the movie was not released into many theaters, and many only held the movie over the weekend. But I strongly encourage you to see this movie if it is still in a theater near you. Many of us have forgotten that freedom comes with a price, and it must be defended, or it will be taken away from us.

 

Go here to see the trailer for the film.

 

My favorite quote from the film is this one made by Mayor Bob: “I’ve been sitting around here watching it [our freedoms] disappear just like everybody else. What makes me any different from the next guy just doing nothing?”

 

Let us not be the generation that sits by and does nothing. Let us all fight for the freedoms we have been blessed with!

 

Prayer Walk

Prayer Walk on La Montagne, Haiti



“Never concede to doing something so small that it could be accomplished in your lifetime. Be a part of something that began before you were born and will continue onward toward the fulfillment of all that God has purposed to accomplish.”

 

Ralph D Winter, 1924-2009

 

 

* (Thanks, Amy, for the idea…)

 

 

 ~ posted by Betsy

 

Recipe--Ham and Swiss Cheese Strata

One of our favorite recipes to make for breakfast when we have company over is Ham and Swiss Cheese Strata. Strata is a layered breakfast dish similar to quiche or frittata. We love this recipe because you mix it up the night before. The next morning simply pull it out of the fridge, pop it into the oven, and visit with your guests while breakfast cooks!

 

Ham and Swiss Cheese Strata

 

12 slices of day old white bread, crusts removed (or wheat bread)

¼ cup melted butter

¾ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup minced green onion

1 ½ cups diced cooked ham

2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

4 eggs

2 ½ cups milk

½ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

 

Tear bread into cubes (or turn to crumbs in your food processor) and place half of them in bottom of greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with half of the butter. In a mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, onions, ham and cheese. Spread all of mixture over bread cubes.

 

Place remaining bread over ham mixture, and sprinkle with remaining butter. In another bowl, beat together eggs, milk and seasonings until eggs are thoroughly mixed. Pour over strata. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

 

The next morning, bake in preheated 325° F oven for 50-60 minutes or until a pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve. Makes 8 servings.

 

A Reading Family

I believe that my siblings and I were born with books in our hands. From the time we were very young, we have all LOVED books and reading.

 

No, Josiah didn’t start reading the Homeschool Detectives until this year, but as you can see, he had access to lots of books from the time he was little (proven by the crayon marks in several books, including my Audubon Bird book. Little stinker! J)

Every night before bed, Mom would read aloud books to my siblings and me. We have literally read hundreds of books over the years. We usually are maxed out on the number of books we can check-out of the library at one time (about 100 books.) Some of our favorite read-alouds were “Bickie’s Thunder-Egg,” “The Seven Secrets of Somewhere Lake,” “Story Time with the Millers,” and “A Hive of Busy Bees.”

Some of the very first books we read were Dick and Jane, and Dr. Seuss books.

Over the years, we’ve all developed our own tastes in books. As you can imagine, with seven people in the family, there is a wide range of interests! J

Here are some more posts about our love of books:

 

Daddy’s Book Shelf

 

Me and My Books

 

5 Things We Couldn’t Live Without (as you can imagine, books is one of them. J)

 

Our Favorite Books

 

*What are some of your favorite books and authors? Have you always enjoyed reading? Are you a fiction or non-fiction reader? Please share in the comments!*