My Beautiful Daughters

These are my sweet daughters.  

I am very proud of them.  

They have grown up so fast, 

but have maintained a certain innocence.  

Both are super smart, funny, witty, and all-around great kids.

 Lexi, on the right, will be 14 at the end of this month.  She has been babysitting for a couple of months now and has her First Aid/CPR/AED certificate.  She loves little children!  She is involved in her youth group at church and looks forward to drama and performing in the Homeschool Dramatic Society play in September.  This will be her second year.  She is also beginning piano lessons this summer.  She has just finished 8th grade and will begin her 

High School years in just a couple of months. 

However bittersweet this may be for us, we are excited for the next step in her education.

On the left is Madi.  This girl has impressed me so.  She is an amazing person, very mature for her age.  At 12 years old, she is ready to start her last year of Middle School, grade 8.  She will be completing a babysitting course with the Red Cross this summer and is ready for babysitting.  She is great with kids!  For the last two years, she has led a group of little ones in VBS at our church.  She is also involved in her youth group and will be performing her first year this September in the Homeschool Dramatic Society with her sister.  She plays guitar very well and has performed special music at church several times.

I hardly ever say much about my kids on social media because I don't want to be accused of bragging too much.  But, these girls deserve it.  They are beautiful on the inside, and the outside.  They have overcome a lot of obstacles, from leaving the only home they ever knew, to everyday struggles as young ladies, to moving from another home they knew and loved, and losing one of our best friends in a fire.  Life has thrown them some curves, but they have persevered and overcome many things in their short lives.

Anger Management for Children...a Biblical approach.

I have only just read this post by Ann Voskamp, but it seems like a very good idea.  I can't wait to try it!  We have been dealing with a lot of anger in our household lately.  If you have a child who exhibits anger symptoms, you know what I mean when I say that it can turn your whole life upside down.

You can click here to read Ann Voskamp's post about creating a 'Peace Place' to talk to your child(ren) about their anger.  This is a wonderful post with a very Godly approach to dealing with anger.  I think it would work for any age child and adults as well.

I am going to get right to it, printing out scripture, and posting it!  The task will be where to put our 'Peace Place'.  I will report back to let you all know how it goes.  Wish me luck!  As far as I see it, we have nothing to lose!

Have a blessed day, Friends.

-Amber

Each year, like most famlies, we bake and decorate Christmas cookies for our family & Santa, of course.  This year was no exception.  I even had John there with us this year getting in on the fun!
Here are a few photos:

This is Josiah rolling out the gingerbread cookie dough.  Look how fast he is!  ;)

 Patting and cutting out the cookies.  Everyone enjoys this part, seeing the shapes come out of the cutters.

 Lexi and Jacob make their cookies into artwork.  :)

The finished product...We made sugar cookies that taste like the kind you buy in the store, thick and soft in the middle...Yum!  Those are my favorite!  The gingerbread was yummy, too.  :)

They were pretty sugared up afterward and decide to get rowdy! 

I wanted to share a picture of how we re-purposed our 

grade level signs that we used for our school pictures.

 

 

  

These binder covers were a lot of fun!  The kids each picked their own color and 

now I have a permanent memento of their hand print on the printed grade level.  

Even the 6th- and 7th-grader loved this project!  ;)

You can download them here.

 

JAKES Day at Mustard Seed Ranch

On Saturday, we took a drive up to Mustard Seed Ranch in Cookeville.  What a beautiful place!  They were hosting an event for JAKES (Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship).  NWTF (National Wild Turkey Federation) was also there.  There were stations set up with lots of information on wild animals.  One station had a live owl that the kids loved petting!  Also at that station was a little corn snake that all the kids held.  Jacob was apprehensive at first, but toward the end of the day, held it for a while.  :)  He is working on facing his fears.  Me, not so much.  :)  We picked up a few brochures and posters with lots of pictures and information on our native animals here in TN.  I am going to include it in a study on our beautiful state later in the year.  Also, the kids were able to talk with members of the THP, Rescue Squad, fire fighters, and paramedics.  They had a petting zoo with an ornery little donkey, a llama, and a baby buffalo, to name a few.  AND, a rock climbing wall.  They were so busy and had so much fun!! 

We were able to tour the girls' and boys' homes.  They are beautiful!  It is amazing what so many caring folks can do for children who just need someone to love them and show them Christ.  Some of these children have never been in church or seen the love of Christ displayed in their homes.  The Ranch is working on several projects, including building more homes so they can take in more children.  You can check out Mustard Seed Ranch here. 

All in all, it was a great day!

Look at the size of those tires!

My boys  :)

Jacob being Hawkeye.

Lexi pulled off a couple of Bulls-eyes!

Made it to the top to ring the bell.

Madi's first time shooting a bow!

Looks a little scared.  :/

Even Josiah tried it out.

The beautiful owl. 

 

Siah and the snake.

Donkey rides! 

We now want to add a Llama to our farm! 

New School Year

We are beginning a new school year this week.  I am excited and nervous at the same time.  On Friday, my neighbor helped me clean and organize my school room.  There is still a little work to be done.  I need to paint the walls.  I sewed a curtain today for the window and just need to find that perfect paint color!  

It's hard to believe my girls are both in middle school grades this year.  Lexi is in 7th and Madi is in 6th.  Jacob is in 3rd grade this year and Josiah has reached a milestone in his education!  He is a Kindergartener this year!!  They have all grown up so fast!  I can't wait to see how this year will go.  I am blessed to be a part of their education.  Though the school days at times are stressful, I wouldn't trade them for anything!

Lexi is not thrilled to be holding this sign, but she is indulging me.  ;)

Madi is about halfway between excited and mortified.  ;)

 My boys are excited!

 

Every year we put together a gingerbread house as a family. This is a fun tradition that hopefully will carry on for many years to come! Here are some photos from today's adventure. : D