Orthodontists and Dentists

So this week I took Princess to the orthodontist. I had taken her 1.5 years ago in WI and they told me she would definitely need ortho care and that it would be extensive. We weren't in NJ long enough so as soon as we got here to WA, I knew I needed to get on the ball. So I found an orthodontist through a friend and set up an appointment. They said Princess had 4 different problems they would have to address. Some of her molars were stuck due to overcrowding so they needed to straighten the top teeth to help those come down, then they would put in a guard to help her stop sucking her thumb, then she has a cross bite, and finally, her lower jaw is very prominent so they want to try and bring her upper jaw forward. So we made an appointment for the very next day and they put on her upper braces. Everything happened SO fast! She looks really cute with them on! This has made brushing in our house quite the event. It's really hard to keep braces clean, but thankfully, Princess is very diligent!

After she got her braces on, that same afternoon, all 4 kids had the dentist. This is our new dentist, and while I really like him and the office, perhaps it was a bit much for one week. I got the big lecture on helping the kids brush their teeth. The girls were fine, but the boys really still need help...like I didn't know that. They are 5 and 2. No more grazing all day long on food...ummm, we have 3 meals and 2 set snack times...and we eat healthy snacks for the most part. And I have to ask...how many people have 2 year olds that cooperate with teeth brushing time? We started as soon as he had a tooth, yet now that he's 2...he doesn't want help! Yes, I know I still NEED to do it...but it's certainly not fun!

So I wonder then about all those people I know who give their kids soda, fruit snacks, sugar cereals, gum, etc...what does their dentist have to say to them?! Because I don't give my kids any of that stuff and I get quite the lecture at the dentist. I left there feeling like a pretty bad Mom. So now teeth brushing time has become quite the event at our house for everyone...not just Princess! I have to stand over Tink to make sure she isn't rushing and that she is getting along her gum line, I have to help Princess because of her new braces (3-4x a day!), I have to help Little Man cause he's only 5 but at least he cooperates, and I have to help Scooter cause he's only 2 and he's very stubborn. We spend most of the time with him biting on the toothbrush and I can't get it out of his mouth!!

And ALL of this is SO fun for someone who has anxiety about dentists...that would be me!

Getting Settled

We are now in Washington! We love our house, our location, our church, everything! We are getting used to Mr. M's new schedule and are so happy that he doesn't have to be in California.

Our church here is amazing!! We have met so many wonderful people and have just dove right in. Tink is doing Teen Bible Quiz (TBQ), a Sunday School class that is talking about creation vs evolution that she is really enjoying, a middle school small group, youth group, youth choir, and serving with me in the little kids choir. Princess is doing Junior Bible Quiz (JBQ), Kids Church, Impact (a Bible club), and kids choir. The boys have their little Sunday School classes and Little Man has Royal Rangers and kids choir too. So we are staying pretty busy!!

A couple weeks ago, a new friend was going over to the east side of WA for a fun weekend of homesteading type activities and one of those was getting some apples. So I bought some too and she brought them back for me! So over the last 2 weekends, Mr. M and I have made over 50 quarts of applesauce!! It is so yummy!!! Hopefully it will last us till next fall...but we'll see!

This Thursday I am going over to a friends house to learn how to make my own bread. Not like the type you get from a bread maker...blah! But homemade, whole wheat bread!! I am really excited to start making my own! Mr. M and I have researched kitchen mixers and can't wait to get our Bosch Universal Mixer with it's 800 watt motor!

Next summer we are definitely making our own freezer jam again too! I know, I am sounding like a crazy homesteader right?! I hope so! Pretty soon I will be sewing all our own clothes!! Just kidding...not that there is anything wrong with that! Been there done that. I have made a few dresses for my girls and I have found it takes way too much time and money and I can buy things much, much cheaper!!

I am still trying to finish up unpacking. Downstairs is looking amazing! I hung up all the pictures and everything down there is unpacked and put away. So, now it's upstairs time. I feel like I never get to it cause I am always trying to keep up with cleaning the downstairs and doing laundry and doing school. But now I have a time limit...which always helps! This Friday is Tink's birthday party!!

Now I feel like saying blah, blah, blah...cause that is how I feel like I sound!! Lol. This is part of why I haven't blogged in so long!

Answered Prayers

Wow, last night I finally had time to sit down and look at my blog after a very busy summer so far. In my latest blog I talked about having faith and being able to wait on the Lord. I was stressed about choosing the right church in WA and finding the right house and Mr. M having to go be in CA for 4 months. Reading it, I was almost giddy! Because God answered ALL of my prayers!!

I had been staying up late every night scouring the internet for rental houses out in Washington. I knew we were going to have to pick a place to live without going there first to see it. We've done this before, we actually bought our house in VA without ever having seen it in person. Sometimes this is just the way it works out with the military. I also have been in prayer. Knowing that I shouldn't worry about it cause God has ALWAYS provided the perfect place for us to live. So I kept praying and I kept looking!

Even though I knew it was too early to be calling about houses, there was one house that really caught my eye. So I decided to call the property manager for it. She told me it definitely would not still be available when we were looking to move. She asked me what I was looking for and I told her and I also told her we wanted to be south of Everett to be near the church we plan on going to. She asked which church and when I told her, she said that it's a great church and she grew up in the Assemblies of God churches. So she took my number and said she would let me know if anything came up. I was like, wow, what are the chances that of all the property managers I would call in all of WA, it would be someone from the Assemblies of God?!

The very next evening, she called us and said that one of her tenants gave notice that day to vacate August 31st and she thinks the house would be perfect for us! So she sent some pictures and I had to call her back cause I knew there was no way this house was going to be in our price range...but it is!! It's 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2 story, 3 car garage, 2800 sqft!!! So Mr. M and I took the evening to talk about it and pray about it and definitely felt like God was saying, "Here you go, here's the house I have picked out for you."

When we talked to her the next day she said that this is "God's house" and it's for "God's people!" The people that are in it now are a Pastor and his family, and now us! She's never actually had to put it on the market since the owner moved out. Because of the distance and timing, we asked if there were any other applications in on it that we were going up against and she said that she has the house set aside for us! They would not be accepting other applications for it!

It is in the perfect location, 25 minutes to Mr. M's work, 15 minutes to church, 5 minutes to shopping and food, great neighborhood, and we are just super excited and feeling SO blessed!! We have been praying that God would direct our paths and show us the perfect house for us and He did!! Praise God!!

As far as the church, God has given us complete peace about that as well. With the wonderful people I have been emailing with from there and making contact via facebook, and watching their services online on Sundays...I know we are going to love this church!

The last part of my prayer was about Mr. M having to go to CA for 4 months, 2 weeks after our arrival in WA. He received word from the guy he is relieving that now it looks like he will only have to go to CA for a week or two and then he'll be working up in WA!!! I mean, seriously?! God, you are so awesome!! We would have gotten through it...but I am so thankful we won't have to! This will still mean some stress for Mr. M as the commute from Everett to Bremerton everyday is 1.5 hours each way. But I know God will bless us and even if he's not around much during the week...he'll be home on the weekends! There is SOME talk about a possible 3 or 4 day work week and that is what we are praying for right now.

I am simply amazed at God's love for us. At how He provides everything for us each and every time we move. His love for me is greater then the highest mountain!! And deeper then the deepest sea. Thank you Lord for answering my prayers in such an amazing way!!

Here are pics of our beautiful new home!

Having Faith

I like to think of myself as an optimist...some would even say to a fault! I don't just think of the glass as half full...I think of it as completely full and running over!! I always want everyone to win! When I used to play on our church co-ed baseball league in Virginia Beach years ago, I used to cheer on the other team. The teams needed to have a certain number of females to play, so they begged me to play, even though I really can not play baseball! So the only place they could put me was as catcher, then the pitcher would run up and cover my spot if needed, lol, sad, I know! But when I would sit up there in my catcher gear, and the other teams girls would come up to bat, I knew that some of them, like me, were only playing to fellowship and to fill a spot on the team. So I would give them a word of encouragement. My team used to crack up at me! But they loved me for it too. That is just who I am, it's how God created me.

If you are my friend, then you already know this about me. If you have ever been through a trial, then you know that not only am I on my knees before God, but I am in your corner. Encouragement is one of my spiritual gifts. A gift that is from the Lord and I try to use it to glorify Him!

Another spiritual gift that I have, not quite as high, but it's still right up there...is faith. I have little faith...like that God is going to help the time go slower when I am running late for piano practice with my kids so that we won't be late! Or that I will find a close parking spot so that I won't have to walk through a busy parking lot with 4 children in tow. I also have BIG faith! The kind that made me know that my husband was going to come home safely from Iraq, or that a friend is going to be healed from cancer. And REAL faith, that when God doesn't answer my prayers the way I wanted Him too...that I still know that He knows what is best and that He has bigger and better plans...or just different plans.

Sometimes I think it's easy for me to have faith cause I have never had to deal with anything tragic or terrible happen to me like being abused as a child, or to go through a divorce or the loss of a loved one, or a miscarriage or the loss of a child. So maybe it's easy to sit in my naive little world and have my faith cause everything always works out for me in the end. Well, not everything, Mr. M and I have been apart A LOT in our marriage due to the Navy and I certainly didn't want him to go to Iraq...but again, he always comes home safely to me.

So the area where I struggle the most with faith...is waiting. Trusting in God that HE WILL PROVIDE! So, now we know we are moving to Everett...but where? Have I chosen the right church? I haven't even been there...how do I know this is where God wants us? What if we find a house close to the church and then we don't fit? It seems that most Navy families live north of Everett but the church is south so I want to live somewhere in between, is that the right decision? Now Mr. M may have to live in California from September to January while we are in WA...how is that going to work during the move? Will I have to unpack and settle us once again by myself and with 4 kids this time and no one to lean on for help? How are we going to take a long trip across the entire country and then find a house to move into before Mr. M has to report to his new command? What if we can't find a house in the 10 days we have for house hunting leave? Should we spend the $500 on a ticket for Mr. M to go out there early to look for a house? Should we move right at the beginning of September or more mid-September? Will I make good friends? Will we be apart for Christmas?

My mind is reeling this evening and I can't sleep. Why is this so hard for me? God always provides the perfect house for us, He always takes care of us, and He always gives me the strength that I need to carry on in whatever task lies ahead.

On Sunday my Pastor was talking about some missionaries that live in an area where they are under constant persecution and their words really hit me, "Do not pray that God would take this away, pray that God would help us to withstand it". Wow! Now that is faith!! BIG faith!!

So, Lord, help me to withstand this move once again. You always give us what we need. You especially always provide for me to be able to get through whatever I need to get through. Give me rest Lord. Help me to know what decisions to make and help me to be submissive to my husband and trust him in the decisions that he needs to make for our family. Help us to really enjoy these last few months we have here in New Jersey. Amen

I found my JOY!!!

So, I took a day to mourn the loss of my care free days, sun kissed skin, and palm tree hugs, lol. Then I wanted to find the JOY in my circumstances!! I was having a tough time though. The only negative I can even find about Everett is the rain...the constant rain.

Today I talked to someone at a church out there and it was a great conversation! I sent her an email afterward and thanked her for her time and I posted a link to this blog. Then I went to look at my blog to make sure I didn't say anything bad about Washington, lol. A few posts down, I reread a post I wrote about my name. It reminded me that God is taking care of me and that He has called me for a purpose and that He has given me everything I need! I have found joy in my circumstances!! I wrote that blog before I knew I was going to Washington. God is amazing!!

Now today I am feeling really great about the move! I am excited about the church out there and the fact that they have a large homeschooling community, I am excited that Tink already has a pen pal out there and that I have a friend, and I am excited because God reminded me to have joy in my circumstances through my own words that He gave me to write. Words that reminded me that God has called me to this military life and that even in the rain...he will help me to grow!!

Answer #1

We got one of our answers yesterday. We are moving to Everett, Washington. Wow. I'm very glad to have our answer, but it wasn't what I was hoping for. Mr. M even told me it was most likely going to be Everett. The funniest thing is that when he was picking orders, there was 1 job that he wanted and there were 2 places he could go. California or Washington. We, OF COURSE, chose California because I didn't want to go back to Washington. Lol. Well, God obviously wanted something different for us!

Yesterday, I mourned my palm trees and sunshine. Today, I am still a little in shock and I WANT to be excited about Washington, but there just isn't as much to be excited about. I just checked the weather and for the next 10 days, it's nothing but rain. *sigh*

We most likely will not be able to get into that housing I liked, it's a long wait, but there are a lot of nice houses for rent in the area and the cost of living up there is a lot less then CA or NJ! It looks like there are some decent churches in the area and they do have JBQ up there.

We also found out that there is a chance that Mr. M might have to be in CA for a few months while we are in WA. NOT happy about that at all. Praying against that!

So, I got my answer. Now, today, I have to find my strength to be joyful in my circumstances!!

My Crazy Life...

I think this could be my blog post every day! Maybe I should rename my blog this! As usual we have been extremely busy, so computer time has taken a back seat, which is a good thing I suppose. There are 3 things that have been weighing on my mind lately.

#1.) JBQ. Junior Bible Quiz is a wonderful program for kids 3rd - 6th grade where they memorize questions and answers and quotations from the Bible. Princess and Tink are both in it this year. For the State competition, they were on separate teams and Princess's team did really great and I am so proud of how she has totally stepped up this year as a leader her first year. This is Tink's 3rd and last year in the program. She is very gifted in this area! Her team had an "off" day on the day of competition and they ended up in 5th place. Not bad at all, but there are only 4 spots for regionals. The teams that beat them are teams they have beat before and even teams that beat them earlier in the day, they beat later during the playoffs. It was just a series of unfortunate events that day. Her one teammate actually came in 1st place in the whole state of NJ!! There was still a chance that they might take a 5th team but it wasn't looking good.

Well, we heard last night that things are changing and that we don't know for sure yet but we should make arrangements to go! I am still praying really hard! I really want Tink's team to have this opportunity! It's almost like we are the wildcard...like the Packers!! And we are going to get in and take it all! Lol! Well, I don't know about that...but it would be great for them to have this experience!

#2.) Our house in Virginia. Our tenants moved out, and I won't even go into all the drama with that in itself! Our Property Manager went to do the walk through and the house is extremely filthy. The tenants said they hired a professional cleaning company but there is just NO WAY! the floors are filthy, the drawers are filthy, the appliances are filthy...I can't believe ANY cleaning company would leave a house looking like that! So now my PM is having to call the company and make them come back out and do it right. There is damage to window screens, the screen door, the garage door openers, the blinds for the sliding glass door, and a few walls. Now, all of this will come out of the security deposit but it's still stressful! In the mean time, the new tenants are coming to see the house again tomorrow and the house is filthy and they wanted permission to paint. On one hand, they are saving US money by painting it instead of us having to paint. But on the other hand, I am not comfortable with them doing anything until the process is finished with the previous tenants. Plus I don't really want them having a key and such till they start paying rent. I sure hope they understand!

#3.) Our move. We found out back in January I think that we were moving before the end of the year, probably November. Mr. M has the opportunity to go to a new job and it's in San Diego!! This is the job he wanted when we left Great Lakes but it wasn't available. We were so excited! His CO here did not sign the paperwork to release him cause she wanted a person to replace him first. So WE PRAYED!! God provided and a person took the orders and is coming in August!! That means we are leaving in September now, even earlier then expected! I really like this time frame better, easier on the kids for programs and such. The kids and I have gotten SO excited about moving to San Diego!! Disneyland, the zoo, Sea World, Lego Land, military hopper flights to Hawaii!! We started researching churches there too. NO JBQ in San Diego. Wow. Princess would be the only one in it next year but it's such an amazing program we are just shocked about having to possibly give it up.

Then Mr. M got a phone call from the guy who he's relieving. They might be moving the job to Everett, Washington!! WHAT?!?! Washington?!?! I don't want to live in Washington again! I want to move to San Diego! I want the sunshine and palm trees! *sigh* Okay God. I know that we are in the center of your will right now. I know that these orders are a reward from you for our family. So I KNOW that I need to TRUST in you. So now we are researching Everett as well. It's different then where I lived there before. The housing is NICE if we can get in it. They do have JBQ there. It IS beautiful, there is no denying that. But there definitely aren't any palm trees.

I just want to know! Is it San Diego? Is it Everett? Are they going to move us to San Diego and then to Everett? Hmmm, I just realized this sounds very familiar. Back in Great Lakes we thought we were going to be moving to Long Island, NY. Then it is was either going to be there or Manhattan, NY or Colts Neck, NJ. All I wanted was to know!! Now here I am again just wanting to know. The Lord blessed us in it being Colts Neck, it is the perfect place for us. I know He will pick the perfect place for us again. I just wish He would tell me which one it was going to be! :o)

I fell off the bandwagon!

Today is day 31 in my reading program! I am 1/3 of the way through the Bible! I can't believe it! This past week I had gotten REALLY behind in my reading. Not a big deal when you are doing a 365 day program...you just read a little bit more. But when you are doing a 90 day program...it was a little overwhelming! Yesterday was day 30 and there was no assigned reading...that REALLY helped! I am caught up!! It felt really good and hopefully that will help me to not get behind again!

I haven't worked out in a week. First it was my back, then this past weekend was really busy with MOPS, iMpact, JBQ, church, and the superbowl (GO PACKERS!!! WOOOHOOOOOO!!!!). I also haven't been counting my calories or even caring about what I've been eating! Sigh. Hopefully today I will be able to get back up on the wagon and get moving!!

What's in a Name?

About a year ago, my husband and I were in a small group with some other couples and in the book study we were doing, we were asked to research our name and find the meaning of it, Biblical or otherwise, and find a scripture verse for it. I knew right away that this was going to be a challenge. Let me start off by saying I LOVE my name! It is me and I have never not liked my name.

My name is Heather. In baby name books the meaning says: an evergreen flowering plant that thrives on peaty, barren lands. Wow. Exciting. When I was a young adult, I would meet a man and when I would tell him my name was Heather, the response was ridiculous. You could see the excitement in their eyes and hear it in their voice with their response, "oh Heeeaaaattther", they would say all saucy as their eyebrows went up and down. Like they were conjuring up pictures in their head of Heather Locklear that very moment! Then there was Hollywood...with the movie Heather's and pretty much any voluptuous, man-stealing, bimbo...was named Heather!! I always knew that as soon as a bad girl came into a movie scene...her name would be Heather!

Heather in the Bible? Not so much! So I scoured the web for SOMETHING! Anything other then it being a flowering plant that grows on barren lands! I came across a little story that I absolutely loved! Remember, it's just a story! But it really made me think about my name in a whole new light.

When God first made the world, He looked at the bare and barren hillsides and thought how nice it would be to cover them with some kind of beautiful tree or flower. So he turned to the Giant Oak, the biggest and strongest of all of the trees he had made, and asked him if he would be willing to go up to the bare hills to help make them look more attractive. But the oak explained that he needed a good depth of soil in order to grow and that the hillsides would be far too rocky for him to take root.

So God left the oak tree and turned to the honeysuckle with its lovely yellow flower and beautiful sweet fragrance. He asked the honeysuckle if she would care to grow on the hillsides and spread her beauty and fragrance amongst the barren slopes. But the honeysuckle explained that she needed a wall or a fence or even another plant to grow against, and for that reason, it would be quite impossible for her to grow in the hills.

So God then turned to one of the sweetest and most beautiful of all the flowers - the rose. God asked the rose if she would care to grace the rugged highlands with her splendor. But the rose explained that the wind and the rain and the cold on the hills would destroy her, and so she would not be able to grow on the hills.

Disappointed with the oak, the honeysuckle and the rose, God turned away. At length, he came across a small, low lying, green shrub with a flower of tiny petals -some purple and some white. It was a heather.

God asked the heather the same question that he’d asked the others. "Will you go and grow upon the hillsides to make them more beautiful?"

The heather thought about the poor soil, the wind and the rain - and wasn’t very sure that she could do a good job. But turning to God she replied that if he wanted her to do it, she would certainly give it a try.

God was very pleased.

He was so pleased in fact that he decided to give the heather some gifts as a reward for her willingness to do as he had asked.

Firstly he gave her the strength of the oak tree - the bark of the heather is the strongest of any tree or shrub in the whole world.

Next he gave her the fragrance of the honeysuckle - a fragrance which is frequently used to gently perfume soaps and potpourris.

Finally he gave her the sweetness of the rose - so much so that heather is one of the bees favorite flowers. And to this day, heather is renowned especially for these three God given gifts.



This reminds me of how God has asked me to go and be a military wife. I can not put in deep roots like the oak tree, we never live anywhere long enough, so the heather's roots have to be quick and strong.

The honeysuckle needs something else to grow against, to support it...I don't have that here with me. Every time I move some place new...I am on my own. I don't get to have my best friends surrounding me with love and support to help me grow...yet the heather will grow.

The wind and the rain and the cold would destroy the rose...but not me. I can take anything that life throws at me. 7 month ship deployments, year long deployments to Iraq, just getting settled one place and being told it's time to move again, raising children and being their strength when Daddy is gone...the heather will not be destroyed.

God asked the heather "Will you go and grow where I send you, and make my world more beautiful?"

The heather thought about the poor soil, the wind and the rain - and wasn’t very sure that she could do a good job. But turning to God she replied that if he wanted her to do it, she would certainly give it a try.

So then God gave me what I needed. The strength of the oak tree, the sweet fragrance of Jesus Christ which is His salvation, and the beauty of the rose which is the light of Christ shining through me that attracts new friends in new places and hopefully hurting people that I may encourage them and be a light in this dark world. Some days I am definitely not sure I can do it, but I will try...every day.

So...what does your name mean? :)

The Journey Begins...

My goals for 2011; 1. Spend more time in God's word. 2. Serve others more. 3. Lose 20lbs. So, more of God, more of others, and LESS of me!!

Last week at church, our Pastor challenged us to spend MORE time in God's word!! I will fully admit that I have been severely failing in this area. So I decided I am going to take that challenge! I decided I will read my Bible before I do anything else for myself in the morning. No computer time until I read the Bible. It went great for a week! I was doing Our Daily Bread, and some extra reading. Then this Sunday, our Pastor mentioned a program where you read the Bible in 90 days. 90 days?!?!? Are you serious?! I have tried numerous times to do the Bible in 1 year programs and I always end up not finishing, not even close, I never make it to the New Testament! I am intrigued!

So I did some research today and while I still think it's going to be a struggle to get through the Old Testament parts that I have read numerous times, I think this plan is a great idea!! 365 days is a big commitment! You never know what life has for you! But 90 days? I can do 90 days!! My Pastor said, "Which sounds better? A diet that will last 365 days, or a diet that will last 90 days?" I am so IN!!!

Starting today...I am doing the 90 day challenge!!

Also, this week our Pastor challenged us to memorize God's word. UGH!!! It's not just about reading the Bible in a certain amount of time...it's about GOD'S WORD!!! He said the biggest excuse people use is, "I have a bad memory". Yup, that would be me! My 8 year old daughter, Princess, was asked to go up on the platform on Sunday and recite Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amazing!! Tink taught it to her on Friday, she also taught her 3 other versus on the way to church on Sunday! My girls are amazing!! The way they memorize their JBQ questions amazes me!! These are MY children!! I need to stop making up excuses and just do it!

So, it may take me a little longer, but I am going to start memorizing God's word!! Of course I do know a lot already that I purposely memorized...but why not more?! How can I know how to walk with the Lord if I don't know His word? How will I depend on His word when I am in the dark if I don't have it in my heart? When someone asks me to pray for them, I don't want to pray flowery words or on my own authority...I want to pray God's word into them...the breath of life!!

Lord, help me! Help me to stick to this reading plan! I have read many unimportant books from cover to cover. Help me to love every page of your word! Help me to make this important above any time wasters in my life! Help me to witness to others through this. Also, please help me to memorize Your word! Amen!

My first verse: I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11

The Journey begins...

A Year in Pictures 2010

Homeschooling Little Man

Homeschooling has been an interesting journey for me so far. We started 6 years ago for Tink, it definitely was the best thing for her! Princess has also flourished in our little homeschool, she is gifted in a completely different way then Tink. Last year, Tink started doing the video through ABeka. She LOVES it!! And it showed in her work and attitude. This year both girls are doing it and Princess loves it too. They watch their lessons on DVD on their laptops and then they do their work. I still do all the grading and helping with questions and studying. This year I also added Little Man to our classroom. So the girls having independent lesson times are great so I can focus on the boys more.

Little Man is only on lesson 33 today. When I think about that, it puts panic into my heart!! The girls are already on lesson 63!!! There are many reasons why Little Man is "behind". There have been a couple of days that I have kicked my 4 year old out of my classroom. That sounds terrible but he has to learn what the classroom is for and what it ISN'T for...like being disrespectful to his teacher.

Every day he begs and whines to do school...and then as soon as we start, he begs and whines to be done. He likes the IDEA of doing school. Also, I have to give up things I want to do to do school with him. Like shower, workout, clean the house...which I am happy to do...if he was happy to do school. I wait to do school with him when Scooter goes down for a nap so that we can focus. So when he doesn't act like he wants to do it, I'm like...fine! Then I'll go take a shower!

Then the holidays hit. I did a lot of online shopping and bargain hunting and baking and, well, not a whole lot of schooling. Luckily the girls can do their work without me having to sit right there the whole time. Although even they took more days off then I was anticipating.

So that brings us to today. January 5th. I decided I HAD to get back to schooling Little Man. I mean technically I don't HAVE to do school with him at all. He's only 4, and it's just preschool...but I realized over Christmas break that my son could not count to 10 while playing hide and seek with his sisters. That...I am not okay with! I really wanted him to at least be able to count to 10!! Not for anyone else, not because I care what anyone else thinks, cause I don't. But just so he can play hide and seek with his sisters!!

So this afternoon when Scooter laid down for his nap...we did school. Not just one lesson, but 3 lessons!! He can count to 10...apparently he just didn't feel like it when he was playing. He also can recognize all 10 numbers and put them in order. He can also sing his ABC's, which he used to be able to do, and then I thought he couldn't anymore. He knows all his colors. He knows what sounds all the vowels and quite a few letters make. He can also write his name, all by himself, in capital or little letters.

Apparently, when playing, he wants to do things his own way. Why do the numbers have to go in order all the time and why can't X be in the alphabet 4 or 5 times...it's a fun letter to say!! And so what if we are only on lesson 33!! It's preschool!! He's gonna learn all the same stuff in Kindergarten anyway!! We need to have a little more fun and a little less seriousness I think. Boys sure are different to teach then girls!

Lord, give me what I need each day to give to my children. Help me to remember that they are individuals. Help me to be a good teacher and a great Mom and a loving wife. Amen.

Christmas in NYC!

Five days before Christmas, we took the train into NYC to see all the lights and sights of the city at Christmas! It was amazing!!! It definitely surpassed our expectations!

The train took us into Penn Station which is quite the hubbub of activity and this is where we saw our first NYC Christmas tree. It was so big they had to hang the star from the ceiling! We went out into the city and headed straight for Macy's. We waited in line to see Santa at Macy's about 45 minutes, but the stuff you see in the line was so cool that the time went really fast. One thing I didn't get a picture of was along the walls there were blown up lists from children to Santa and they were really cute to read!

After seeing Santa we headed down the street and went to McDonald's for lunch. We would have loved to eat someplace more "New York" but the kids really wanted McDonald's and we hardly ever eat there...and we were really hungry!

After that we headed out into the cold again (it was really cold that day!) to look for a subway that was heading uptown. We couldn't go the route we wanted cause there were police everywhere blocking off the streets and sidewalks. Apparently there was a bomb threat!! The New Yorkers didn't seem scared at all...just annoyed! So we had to go a much longer way to get to the subway station we needed. There probably was another station we could have gone to but hey, we're tourists!!

The subway was fun! Family with 4 kids gets on the subway...no seats...no one cares!! After a young lady watched Little Man for awhile, she stood up and offered her seat to him, he was happy to sit down! We went uptown to go to a special place to get Scooter's first haircut!! He was so cute and when he was all done he was not happy about having to get out of the race car! He looks so big with his new haircut!!

We decided to walk back down 5th Avenue to go to Rockefeller Center. It was a long walk and it was really cold. We saw a lot of neat stuff though! Rockefeller Center (or RC) was really cool! Seeing the NYC Christmas tree and the lighted angels and the skating rink...beautiful! The girls really wanted to go ice skating but the wait was SOOOO long, so we decided not to. We did go to the Starbucks on the bottom floor of the RC and have some hot chocolate!!

After warming up and walking around some more, we went to the top of the RC! What a great view!! We could see the Empire State building and all of the city! After that we stopped and got some pretzels and then headed for the American Girl store. I now have been to 3 and I still think the one in Chicago is the best! It was a lot of fun!

On our way back to Penn station we went to Times Square...they didn't need any Christmas lights added to their display!! WOW!!! The train ride back to NJ was pretty quiet. I think we all really enjoyed our big trip to the city and look forward to going back in the spring to see completely different things!

Enjoy the pics!

Mom

Dear Mom,

As a little girl one of my fondest memories was on Sunday nights, watching you and Dad getting ready for Square Dancing. I can still smell Dad’s aftershave, lol. I would be watching the Mandrel Sisters on tv and you would be walking around in your square dance skirt…I thought you were SO beautiful! I loved how you and Dad always had matching outfits. It was the best thing ever when us kids were allowed to come and start taking lessons and I got to dress up just like my Mom!

I loved camping too. I remember it seeming like we were going so far away…yet we had just gone to the Jellystone in Racine, and I couldn’t wait for you to get there after work. You always made sure that we had so much fun and later after T was gone and it was just me, you always let me bring J along too. Even to Disney World!! How lucky of a girl I was to go to the most magical place on earth with my Mom, Dad, AND my best friend!!

Another great memory happened every Christmas Eve. The lights were on, it was dark outside already, and sometimes it would be snowing. The anticipation of you getting home from work so we could open presents was almost unbearable! But the feeling of excitement was so great and it was all because you gave me such a love for ALL things Christmas! I remember I used to call you at work and beg to open just one present!! You always laughed at me and told me I had to wait!

I remember that when Grandma died, you held your grief in for my sake so I could go to my formal at school; you let me have just one more day. We traveled to MN the next day and I remember that I went to the funeral home with you to take care of things. For some reason, I felt really close to you that day. I miss Grandma a lot. I think of how much she would love my kids and how much she would just adore Mr. M! I know you must miss her a lot too!

In this military life that we live, I could not imagine being able to do it without your support Mom. God is what gets me through…but He gave YOU to me to be his listening ear and loving heart right here on earth. I know that no matter where I am or what I am facing…you will be there for me. I remember the feeling of total fear that I had when Mr. M told me he was going to Iraq. After he held me and I cried, I looked at him and said, “Can I call my Mom?” He said, “I was wondering when you would.” He knows that I still need my Mommy to make the boogie man go away.

So this year, on your birthday, even though I can’t be with you, I want you to know that I love you Mom. I love the relationship that we have! I know that I can tell you ANYTHING and you will still love me. I feel proud of you, protective of you, and I am so happy that God chose YOU to be my Mom…I wouldn’t have picked anyone else!

I love with all of my heart.

Halloween

As a child I celebrated Halloween. Dressed up in cute costumes and went trick or treating. I grew up in the same neighborhood my whole childhood so we knew everyone and went with all our friends! It was great fun! As I became a teenager I started going to haunted houses and watching scary movies (against my parents wishes!). I also used to mess around with seances and Ouija boards...I mean, it was just for fun!

Then when my kids started getting old enough for trick or treating, we participated. Mr. M did not ever participate in Halloween as a kid so he wasn't real thrilled with the whole thing, but I LOVED Halloween! We went to all the same neighbors that I had gone to as a child and all my friends brought their kids over to our parents neighborhood, it was so much fun!!

Then we moved away, all the way to Washington state. As Halloween grew closer, Mr. M and I both started feeling some conviction about participating. There were scary graveyards all over the neighborhood. Children were talking about the costumes they were going to wear: witches, zombies, characters from movies they shouldn't even know about. Dad's were talking about dressing up like Freddy Kruger from Nightmare on Elm Street and scaring the kids! This wasn't sounding like too much fun anymore. What are we doing to our kids? What are we teaching them? Do I want my kids to think that all this is fun and games and be lead into the same activities that I played around with? Thank the Lord I was protected from the evil that I messed around with, but did I want to put my children into the fire as well?

We chose to hand out candy that year. As I watched these kids coming to my house, I had another thought...any other time of the year we tell kids "Don't talk to strangers!" "Don't ever take candy from strangers!" "Don't ever go to someone's house you don't know!" OH, except this one day! When everyone is dressed up really creepy and you don't know who might possibly be a pedophile!! Yikes!

Then we moved to Virginia. We handed out candy again. This time we had a pumpkin carved with the name Jesus in it and Christian music playing on our porch. No one cared about either. It wasn't a witness. People aren't stopping to have conversations, half the kids were out without an adult anyway! They were with older siblings who weren't even dressed up and wanting candy! That year, Princess had nightmares. We decided that was it. No more Halloween for us.

Since then we have had many wonderful times on October 31st!! Our favorite thing to do though is to have Family Movie Night! We close the curtains, turn off the lights, and don't answer the doorbell when someone doesn't realize our light isn't on. We have popcorn and candy and watch a family friendly movie...it's the best!

Most people aren't bothered at all by the fact that we don't celebrate Halloween...the world that is. Now Christians on the other hand, that's a whole 'nother story! Somehow, us not celebrating is very offensive to other Christians who do. We've been told how legalistic we are. I didn't realize that following God's will for OUR family was legalistic. Who knew?!

Now, I also don't think that we would ever hand out tracks on Halloween or use that day to try to witness to others and tell them how "evil" it is. That's really going to win them over to Jesus!

Here is what I believe, I believe that Jesus is the light! I believe that Halloween celebrates the darkness and death. Jesus overcame death!! So do I want to celebrate the opposite of what Jesus represents? No thanks!

I also don't feel this hurts my testimony at all! People see that I live my faith, yes I make mistakes, but I ask for forgiveness daily! Just cause I don't take part in Halloween isn't going to drive a wedge between myself and my neighbors. In fact, if you are a Christian and Halloween is the only day of the year that your neighbors darken your doorstep...then you've got bigger problems.

A few years ago for Christmas, Tink decided she wanted us to do a manger scene in our front yard. I really didn't want to do it, it seemed like a lot of work on my part and it seemed kind of silly. But she was so persistent! So we did. I made up flyers and she went to every single house in our subdivision and invited people to come and see our "live" nativity and sing some Christmas songs with us. People actually came!! Even someone from the local paper! She reached thousands of people that Sunday when her story and pictures and why she did it were in there! We met so many people in our neighborhood and people thought that it was such a neat thing. You can choose any day of the year to witness to the lost...it doesn't have to be on Halloween.



For our family, we can't argue with scripture!

1 Thessalonians 5:20-22
Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.

James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

3 John 1:11
Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.

Romans 12:9
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

1 Corinthians 10:21
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.

1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

James 4:7-8
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Proverbs 22:6
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

2 Chronicles 7:14
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 I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

PACKER TIME!!!

So yesterday was the Chicago Bears against the Green Bay Packers on Monday night football. We did lose, it was a terrible game! The Packers were giving away yardage left and right! Anyway, before the game my family made a little video that I wanted to share!

Time is Flying!

I can't believe how long it's been since I blogged! We have moved to NJ!! We are living in housing on NWS Earle and we love it here! We call our neighborhood Sleepy Hollow, it is so quiet! I've made a few new friends and we are getting plugged in at our new church. We still aren't unpacked yet but it's livable and we are getting it done slowly but surely.

Yesterday was a hard day for me. My new church is great! Full of friendly people, spirit filled, just wonderful. But they don't know me yet. I miss being loved by my church family. I miss walking into church and having people who know my heart, welcome me into the fold. I miss people cherishing me and how I can serve in the church. I know that will all come in time here, but in the mean time, it's hard. I feel like a wall flower. The kids and Chris all LOVE it! I do too, I'm just having a harder time I guess.

Today we started school! Tink is in 6th grade, Princess is in 3rd, and Little Man is PK-4. We started the day by going to watch colors at the flag pole. That was really patriotic and brought tears to my eyes. Two guys bring out the flag and attatch it to the pole, the Star Spangled Banner is played across the whole base, one guy salutes the flag as the other guy raises it up. We are so blessed to live in such an amazing country! I feel very priviledged to be able to homeschool my children.
















So we came home and ate breakfast and then the kids were ready to go! Unfortunately, Princess's computer was not. It took me 30 minutes and a reboot to get it going. (I also realized last night that somehow I forgot to order her math book!) So then we were off and running. Scooter went down for a nap and I did Little Man's lesson with him, luckily it wasn't too long cause he was losing attention quickly! We had a nice lunch around noon and Tink finished at 1:30 and took Little Man across the street to the park to play. Princess is finishing up her last two subjects. All in all, it was a great homeschool day!

Mr. M started his first day of work today and he had to go to Long Island. It took him 4 hours to get to work!! I couldn't believe it! I knew it was going to be be bad if there was traffic but wow! Hopefully he will only be there a couple of days and then he'll be here in New Jersey. I told him he should have just spent the night at a hotel there tonite and come home tomorrow!

We really like it here in NJ, it's a beautiful state! I miss my Mom and Dad. I miss my friends. I miss my church. But I know that I will get used to it here in time. I can't wait for people to come visit!!

Spring Fever and Scarlet Fever

What a wonderful Easter we had! We started a new tradition a few years ago of celebrating the spring stuff (ie: baskets, eggs, dinner) on Saturday. So we colored eggs on Friday night, then went to a friends house to play cards. Saturday morning the kids woke up to a great egg hunt! We let Little Man go first and he found some of his and some of the girls eggs that were hidden better. I guess he's not as much of my baby as I thought he was! Next the girls went together and they had a lot of fun finding theirs. No lost eggs this year so that's a good thing!

Next we had the big basket hunt! We had hid their baskets, tied one end of yarn to each basket and then wove the yarn all over the house and outside. Upstairs, downstairs, in the basement, up and down the slide, through the garage...all over the place! The kids loved it!

Scooter's basket we had just put right in front of the fireplace and as soon as he saw it he scooted right over to it. He loved his star shape toy and his wubanub...which is a pacifier with a little monkey attached to it.



We had family over for Easter dinner and everything went very smoothly for the cooking, hubby did most of it! :o) My Mom wasn't feeling well so she wasn't able to join us. Later that evening we went to church. It was a great service!

The next day, Easter Sunday, we all went to church again...this time to serve. It was a wonderful Sunday and we stayed for both services in children's ministries.

After church we went out to my friend's parents house to celebrate with them. We had a nice dinner and then they do an egg hunt for the kids outside. The hit of the afternoon though was the new rope swing that Grandpa Joe hung up in one of the trees, the kids had a blast! So much so that I finally had to call them in well after dark, it was raining, and I saw lightening in the distance! What a great weekend!!


Monday was pretty uneventful, Little Man was kind of crabby all day. He fell asleep on the couch right before supper and then wouldn't eat dinner and just cried for quite awhile. We finally put him to bed and he seemed pretty hot. I gave him some Tylenol and then of course he ended up in our bed. It was a good thing cause he ended up throwing up during the night and since we were right there and just happened to have a bowl in our room...no sheet changing for me!

He was very sick all day Tuesday, high fever, throwing up, very lethargic. That night we noticed a rash on his body. I thought maybe it was heat rash. Mr. M thought strep throat and scarlet fever. The next day the rash was worse even though he seemed to be better. So I made a Dr. appt. for him and sure enough...strep throat with scarlet fever. Who knew?! Oh...that's right... Mr. M did. :oP

So now he's on meds and feeling much better, although I understand this rash might last a couple weeks...and then he's gonna peel...great! I didn't even know scarlet fever was still around!

Bald is Beautiful!

My beautiful Tinkerbell!

We got our shirt and we are ready to go!

Co-shavees!

Waving at the crowd...ready to go!

The first shave...

Still smiling!

Almost done now!

So much love!

Sisters!

We did it!

My beautiful Tinkerbell!

Kenosha News

Tink started Saturday with a head of hair — long brown locks that flowed to her shoulders and neatly framed her round face.

By 4:15 p.m., the buzz was on, but not just from the electric shaver.

Tink wanted her head shaved. And, the crowd of some 200 people who watched the 11-year-old Kenosha girl lose her mane during the fourth annual St. Baldrick’s fundraiser for children’s cancer research at the Brat Stop, cheered her on.

With one section of hair remaining to be shaved, many standing began applauding vigorously.

“Way to go Tink!” one man called out.

Among her biggest fans, her father sat in the chair next to her and received a similar cut. He hugged her immediately after the last lock fell.

With just the peach fuzz that remained, she then climbed out of her chair, smiling.

Inspired by Garrett

She said her inspiration, a little boy named Garrett, had lost his life to cancer and she wanted to do something to help other children who have the disease.

Just 10 days ago, she started raising awareness in person and on Facebook. With the help of her parents, friends, her church and the community, she garnered more than $2,700. Her donation goal was $500.

Her mother said Tink had just planned to donate some money to a young man who was also going to have his head shaved. Then, she told her parents something they never expected.

“Mom, I have to do that,” she told her mother.

Her parents talked it over, and when Tink explained why she was making the sacrifice, Dad was soon compelled to join her.

“Her heart was totally in the right place,” he said.

Tears, locks fall

Mom said she was crying as her daughter’s hair fell onto the stage. Before the event, Tink tried to reassure her mother it was just hair and it would grow back.

The bigger picture was that kids could help kids in need.

“When I knew I could do something like this, I thought, why not?” Tink said.

BY TERRY FLORES (names changed to nicknames)

St. Baldrick's Day

This Saturday my 11 year old daughter, Tink, is shaving her head in solidarity with children who have cancer and typically lose their hair during treatment, while raising critical funds for childhood cancer research!

I was telling her about a boy at our church who was doing this and she knew the moment I told her that she had to do it too. At first, I tried to talk her out of it! I didn't want my little girl to be bald! But after listening to her heart...we couldn't say no.

Tink had a friend when they were younger and when we had lived away from here he died of cancer. It really touched her. We had been praying for him every night and then he had started to get better it seemed. Then we found out that he wasn't doing well at all. Olivia prayed so hard for her friend. Then we found out he had gone to be with Jesus. God healed him, by taking him home. This is a hard lesson for a little girl to understand.

So when she heard about what St. Baldrick's does, she immediately brought up her friend that had died and said she wanted to help so that no more kids will die.

She has such a huge heart and God lays big things on her heart! She has been raising money and is already over $1700!! People have just been amazing in their outporing of love and support!

Before any of this came about, I heard the story about a little girl named Layla Grace on Rufflebutts. Layla Grace is 2.5 and was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. She passed away today. This makes this whole thing so much more real to me. While it may be hard for me to let my little girl shave her head...at least it will grow back. How hard must it be for Mom's whose little girls lose their hair because of cancer treatment. How hard must it be for Mom's whose little girls hair never grows back.

One in five kids who have cancer will die.

I am so proud of my little girl for her great big heart and for doing what God has called her to do.

If you would like to donate: http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/participantid/387838