Our summer reading list

Yeah, summer is finally here! That means, lazy days, swimming, library, giggles & laughter fill the house ALL day long. Flip flops seem to multiple like bunnies around here. Do they at your house?




Well our school does not put out a summer reading list, I know! That was my thought. So as a good mom I started looking at other school's reading list (I love the Internet). Well I discovered 2 things.
1) my youngest 2 daughters had read almost EVERYTHING on suggested reading list for their age group
2). I questioned did I really want to "make" my oldest read when she has not discovered the joy of reading for herself yet.
Well as I thought more about this I decided to make my own summer reading list for my girls, taking advantage of their free time and being intentionally about passing on our beliefs to my girls. So I sat them down individually & explained that I was "assigning" them each two books to read & that I would be taking each daughter out alone for a "Starbucks" coffee date with me, to discuss the books that they are reading at least 2 times for each daughter before August. I then told each daughter the privilege that she would earn or forfeit at the end of the summer upon completing or failing to complete the reading assignment.




The oldest daughter going Into High School next year, two books that i assigned her were: 1) Guys are waffles, girls are spaghetti, by Chad Eastham




(the book talks about the difference in behavior & how the opposite sex views the world-Very important I believe since my daughter has no brothers to learn from just day to day observation.)
2) the second book is "wait for me" by Rebecca St. James




We told her that if she read these two books we will allow her to date her sophomore year of high school. (on a case by case bases). I thought she would be thrilled since oldest daughter will not be 16 until the week school starts her Junior year! My parents did not let me date until the day I turned 16. (since she is young for her grade, we always try to treat her like her peer group, not necessarily her "age". Because she is expected to act & take on responsibilities of her peer group we would like to extend privileges that are somewhat similar to her peer group - that in-line with our values. Insert, eye rolling here. She thought it was a dumb idea to read the books since it would be a year until she could date, but I explained going into High School she would be getting to "observe" dating relationships and I wanted to give her food for thought, basically so she could watch & learn some things for herself, to help maybe spare her from some potholes of life that might be around the bend. Ahh, parenting teenagers is so humbling!!
The second daughter , who is going into middle school I assigned the following two books:
1). Secret keeper:the delicate power of modesty by Dannah Gresh




2) the second book is "a girl after God's own heart" by Elizabeth George




Which is written into small chapter bible study. (a chapter is about 1 1/2 - 2 & 1/2 pages long) not to hard.
This princess will get her bedtime moved up 30 minutes when school starts if she has completed the reading.




The youngest daughter, going into 4th grade, I assigned the following books:
1) the same "secret keeper: the delicate power of modesty" by Dannah Gresh




The second book, well I haven't found the right fit yet. I am going shopping on Friday to get some actual hands on some books and get a chance to compare. I will let you know after I buy it.
The youngest princess will get her bedtime moved up 30 minutes during school time, if she completes the reading.
I am very excited to to get to visit with each of my girls as we sip coffee & snack. I am setting aside this time to be both fun and interactive and intentional parenting to "impress my children with the love and nature of God". (paraphrased from the book "Parenting beyond your capacity" by Reggie Joiner & Carey Nieuwhof.
What do you do intentionally to pass a Godly legacy on to your children?

Crazy for tangerine

I found this post via pinterest from the blog nanny goat. http://littlenannygoat.blogspot.com/2010/09/painted-wallpaper.html?m=1
That talked about painted wallpaper. Her site referenced another blog
Jones design: http://jonesdesigncompany.com/decorate/painted-wallpaper-a-tutorial/
The post from jones design company even had a template to print out, cut, trace & paint.




So here is my bookcase, after I traced my pattern.




Here is the bookcase, while I was working on it.




Here is the completed bookcase. It's not perfect, it was after all hand painted, but I love it!

End of the school year -Kaylee

Your last year in Middle school -WOW! I can't believe how the time has passed so quickly.



You won the 70's day, contest for best dressed.



You dove back into dancing again this year.



You have ventured out to try new things. You are vice president for student council. You are in Junior National Honor Society. You got to go to New York as well.



Here she is (behind, right in between Dancing with the stars" Derek and Maria. (I took this picture off my TV while watching Good Morning America. Kaylee could not say enough about how friendly all the crew was from Good Morning America. (and how tall Lara Spencer and Robin Roberts are)

Your favorite drink: a vanilla dr pepper from sonic
Your favorite book: "The outsider's"
Your favorite band: One Direction.
You enjoyed: your history class the best this year. American history taught by Mr Ritter.(Even though you thought Mr Ritter's test were challenging)
Your favorite star: is Kim Kardaschian.

Well next year your move on to High school. I really am stunned that I am old enough to have a kid your age. I really don't feel that old.

End of the school year -Paige

It has been a rough year- whew! I for one am so glad it has come to a close.

Paige's year ended Big, she tied for 2nd place in the science fair. Also she won the top reader award, for AR points.



Paige is looking forward to moving up to middle school next year. She is excited about having different teachers, and student in each class. Also they serve Mazzio's pizza & Arby's in the lunch room for options.

Her favorite drink: a cherry limeade from sonic, or mountain dew
Her favorite book series: is written by Ally Cook, about a teenage girl spy
Her favorite band: one direction

Paige I love your laugh! You laugh just like your dad & it brings a smile to my face, you love to sleep in & you love when we get away for girl time to Starbucks.

I can't believe that you will be in middle school next year!

End of the school year -Grace

Well what a busy year. I am so happy that school has come to a close! The last few weeks have been wild.



My youngest daughter's soccer team competed in a soccer tournament. They won there division. Which was fun. I'm above in the tan baseball hat & my daughter is the red head in front of me.



We live in a small town, so the team's win made the billboard-she was very excited about this, to say the least.


Grace's class had a park day, where parents were invited to come picnic with the kids. Grace is finishing up her 3rd grade year and the month of May is a Big month for her because it's her birthday month.



Grace is so fun, she can remember the lyrics of EVERY song she has ever heard, she is funny like her dad.

Her favorite drink: is a cherry coke from sonic.
Her favorite singer: is Adele
Her favorite tv show is: "shake it up"
Her favorite song at church: "in my father's house"
Her favorite book: Frindle & Diary of a wimpy kid
Her biggest fear: me breaking out in dance in public (if you have seen "diary of a wimpy kid" you know what I am talking about)

Next school year she will be in the school building with out a sibling, all my bigger kids will no longer be in elementary school. Makes me sad to think about.

Things are a changing.

Sally sells sea shells down by the sea shore

Summer is almost here and I have been throwing open the windows and letting the sunshine in. My house needed a little touch of summer here and there. So I gathered up a bunch of sea shells and heated up the ole glue gun and got busy! Here is my completed sea shell covered picture frame.




-Amy

Tangerine love

Pinterest, has inspired me! After looking at several pins that had brightly colored chandeliers. I ran to the store and bought a can of tangerine spray paint and, well Ta da......!



I need to buy some new white faux candlestick covers. I think it is just what my dining room was so desperately needed-a pop of color.

What can I say, it makes me smile.

-Amy

Nobody woes like God woes!

Warning: the following post is a brutally honest self portrait of my soul the past 2 months.
As many of you know I started on a weight loss journey last year that was pretty successful and continuing to progress. That is until January.
Ugh, I tried to stay motivated, I tried to stay positive, I was trying to keep up with everything I had been doing previously. However the weight started to creep back on. (20 pounds!) As it did my self esteem plummeted! I felt so oppressed by self dislike and disgust at times I found it even hard to breathe. I was overwhelmed! I was depressed! I felt defeated in my soul, I literally felt abandoned. I wallard in my pit of despair! I had lost my focus on God. So overwhelmed by the feeling of defeat I had unknowingly made myself an idol of what I now label or call "my lack of self esteem" became my everything. That obviously left me unsatisfied, lethargic, I found myself pulling away from others socially. Retreating. My eyes only on myself.
So blue I recently started to just pray the name of God, I didn't even have words to utter I was so discouraged. God is so amazing! In my daily activity the other day I came across one of my old bibles. This was the one I used even before I meet my husband of 17 years. See how worn out it is.




It's even missing the cover! I started to flip through it. My eyes gazing on the promises of God. The ones he had spoken to me in the past. God used the same words to breathe new life into my soul. God is so faithful he reminded me how much he loves me!




God asked me, why are you downcast? Put my hope in him!




In Psalm 42, he reminded me in my youth I had panted after him like a deer pants for water.




(sorry this one is side ways). In psalm 51:10 he reminded me of my prayer when I came to be a committed adult following him, that I would pray "create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.". Oh, to remember the joy that God provides your soul, your heart and your mind I was overwhelmed! I felt a lightness in my spirit. Then God showed me Psalm 19:14
""May the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."
Wow! A slight breeze could have blown me over when God pointed out to me that my thoughts & speech have been filled with negative, hateful things all about myself. God loves me, I am precious to him. I need to not be consumed with negative thoughts or consumed with myself alone. I need to change my words to praises and thanksgiving to him. I need to have a servants heart again for he has blessed me and healed me of my hurts. Satan tried to distract me, tried to defeat me, but my God loves me with an unfailing love and even when I like sheep have gone astray he will seek me. God will woe me! God has reminded me that I am engraved on the palms of his hands (Isaiah 49:16)
I still want to continue to get healthy but it should not be what consumes me & the only criteria that defines me!! I am who God says I am! That will be my focus.

Thank you for letting me share this private, painful but joyful experience I have experienced.

Perfect pairing

The Lord guards you. The Lord is the shade that protects you from the sun. (Psalm 121:5 NCV)