tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78177062248854537782024-02-06T21:09:00.761-08:00Life with the McCartysKellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15014675832679934528noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7817706224885453778.post-83318241889050841412013-03-29T04:53:00.000-07:002013-03-29T04:53:05.844-07:00When You Realize the Cross is All That Really Matters<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Easter is almost here. It hasn't been until the last 6 or 7 years that I have started to celebrate the holy week that precedes it. Remembering what happened on those days leading to Jesus's death is part of truly preparing our hearts for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Having little kids means that my celebration of holy week involves lots of age appropriate crafts that I hope make things more real for my children. This year did not pan out the way I had planned. I'll just be honest and say that I was in a horrible mood for the first half of the week. I could not seem to shake a case of the crankies. And I really tried. Really. In the midst of yelling at the kids and feeling like I was spinning out of control, I would think to myself, "something is wrong here. This should be a week of reflection and excitement should be building for what's coming- Easter." But I could not force myself to do any of the things that I normally enjoy doing. I felt like a failure all week. I failed as a parent, as a wife, as a person. My tendency is to beat myself up and dwell in my failure but God showed me something in the midst of all the failure. "This is why I came," Jesus whispered to me. He died for the sin that has been heavy on my heart all week. It's gone! I don't have to dwell there! I ask for forgiveness from my Lord and IT IS FORGIVEN! And I ask for forgiveness from my family and they forgive as well. And grace abounds in this house. And I fall on my knees in awe and worship of my God and this love that does not make sense. The truth of "while we were yet sinners," and "when we were dead in our transgressions," pierces my heart. I am loved because He is God and God is love and so the cross. It had to be. That's it. That's all. On this Good Friday, there is reflection. Reflection on the cross on a hill over 2000 years ago and the torture and killing of deity that took place on that day. We bow low and tears are shed for what Christ endured for us. And there is reflection on the reasons why- because of God's insane, crazy, make-no-sense, wonderful, makes-you-want-to-dance kind of love. And we know that Friday is not the end so we prepare our hearts to celebrate because Sunday is coming!!!!</div>
Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15014675832679934528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7817706224885453778.post-16934279686418624352013-02-20T11:26:00.001-08:002013-02-20T11:26:55.501-08:00Snow<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So thankful for the snow. Why is it so difficult for me to wipe my slate clean for the day of the "to-dos?" The snow started falling earlier this morning and I was mesmerized by it's beauty while the kids were excited to just play in it. But wait, we have too much "to do" this morning. And just like that I almost missed the blessing. The gift. Of my kids rosy cheeks, and silly giggles, and imagination in what snow creatures could be created, and cold tiny hands that welcomed warm mugs of hot chocolate. How could something so simple as white dots falling from the sky be the cause of so much joy? Because the One who created them created us, created joy. IS joy. And deeper still than even our enjoyment in watching it fall softly to the ground and delighting as it falls on us, is the reminder it brings. God whispers, "This is how I see you. Red blood was shed on a hill on a cross so that you could be washed white as snow. Made clean." And I am brought to a place of worship once again.</div>
Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15014675832679934528noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7817706224885453778.post-4240828241160479172013-02-15T19:56:00.001-08:002013-02-15T20:05:04.678-08:00Motherhood-what they don't tell you<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">No one could have prepared me. No words spoken could have gotten me ready for this crazy thing they call motherhood. It is exhausting and glorious. It is draining and refreshing. It is sanctifying to the point where you feel done and that it sanctifys more. Doesn't make sense. There are moments I look at my childrens' faces and I'm moved to tears by their beauty and loveliness. And I think, "God has entrusted these amazing people to me? To me?" I am overwhelmed with gratitude. Then there are moments when I want to run away. I want to run from the piles of laundry, from the dishes stacked up on the counter, from the countless toys littering the floor, from the toothpaste that spots the bathroom sink. But God whispers to me, "This is it. Even in this, I AM." And I think I am learning to turn the moments of despair, of overwhlemedness, into moments of praise and worship and quiet and stillness with the One who created me. And isn't that what life is about?</span></div>
Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15014675832679934528noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7817706224885453778.post-84917554450741858182012-04-13T12:55:00.005-07:002012-04-13T13:20:30.963-07:00The Beauty of Motherhood Part 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyP6uEKO_cCRdlkDtgPgNeXCAdzjtc1Ny7fcBZVJRPK3aX_6oOpAjmzq04OBne1FEufCYsJBWNU5-yM3k2g2LNASjWmOFUV0YLDNDXc1aFuThk34JtMsITRFQ9nqdretaL_fCJ0cE-nIV7/s1600/SAM_2006.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyP6uEKO_cCRdlkDtgPgNeXCAdzjtc1Ny7fcBZVJRPK3aX_6oOpAjmzq04OBne1FEufCYsJBWNU5-yM3k2g2LNASjWmOFUV0YLDNDXc1aFuThk34JtMsITRFQ9nqdretaL_fCJ0cE-nIV7/s320/SAM_2006.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730982820438831490" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKc3NmDcgiqzbpC0_28fBL1QeNAZd4Pp65n9r2kvDV1pNiBgc7sNxw2c_NQjf5p1Htqov4VMO2WQSe7wMO7GT6zcgWc8skb3ViltUlLu81x7TYUoUCghpp-ShseFsdas-BdU0XyYRmeV7t/s1600/SAM_2018.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKc3NmDcgiqzbpC0_28fBL1QeNAZd4Pp65n9r2kvDV1pNiBgc7sNxw2c_NQjf5p1Htqov4VMO2WQSe7wMO7GT6zcgWc8skb3ViltUlLu81x7TYUoUCghpp-ShseFsdas-BdU0XyYRmeV7t/s320/SAM_2018.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730982809699964706" /></a><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Raise your hands out there if you have days where the thought of running away from home crosses your mind? Let's be honest! If you're a stay at home mom, I'm sure that you raised your hand a little, if only halfway. The moments come for all of us, don't they? When we ring our hands together and want to scream (and sometimes do)? On the flip side, there are so many more moments when I just grab onto my kids and hug them so tight they have to remind me, "Mom, you have to let go now." Oh the crazy, mixed up world of motherhood! </span></span><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">I have had many moments in the last week when I have been in awe of my kids and so thankful that God has tasked me with the gift of raising these beautiful people. </div><div><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Levi is such a "boy." He's wild and crazy and I don't know how he makes some of those sound effects come out of his mouth, but he does it constantly. The noises he makes as he plays are </span>never ending<span style="font-size: 100%;">. I don't even think he realizes he's making them. And when he gets the giggles, it makes my day. He has a laugh he does when something is funny that causes him to lose his breath. He loves people. Making friends is what energizes him. I actually had to take away outside time (where he plays with all his buddies) as punishment the other day and it almost broke my heart to see how far his face fell. He was crushed! Hopefully, he learned his lesson though. And he's a thinker. He mulls things around in his head for awhile and brings things up hours/days/weeks later. James opened presents for his birthday on Wednesday and then the kids had to go to Awanas. While gifts were being opened, Levi wanted to know which was the favorite. James commented that the he loved the gifts he got from Levi and Lilly. On the way home from Awanas (2-3 hours later), he said to James in the car, "Dad, I think you should like mommy's present too. We don't want her feelings to get hurt." You could tell he had been thinking this over and was </span>concerned<span style="font-size: 100%;"> for my feelings. Such a tender heart! </span></span></div>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15014675832679934528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7817706224885453778.post-84093499375271697622012-04-09T13:30:00.002-07:002012-04-09T13:51:06.956-07:00Review of Time4learning<span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">We just finished our 30 day trial of time4 learning and I am ready to review! First, the good things. I really enjoyed all the options to choose from for learning time. My preschooler asked to do it almost every day and she was able to maneuver through without much help from me. I liked the way that the student was able to pick their own pace and would sometimes find my </span>kindergartner<span style="font-size: 100%;"> doing it long after "school time" was over. I'm not sure that he even realized he was working on his phonics rules. So my kids enjoyed it most of the time which is always a good thing when it comes to learning.</span></span><div><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">On the negative side, I had a hard time figuring out how to track what they were doing. They're still young, so I watched over their shoulder a lot to see how they were coming along, but I thought there was a way to log on as the parent and just see how they had been doing. I couldn't figure it out and I consider myself pretty computer savvy. Also, we are already using a curriculum, but if time4learning was our core choice for curriculum, I feel it would be repetitive and lacking a little. My preschooler went through most of the games in 30 days and I'm not sure that they would have held her attention for a full year. The kindergarten level was the same thing.</span></span></div><div><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">I really liked the time4learning for supplemental, educational fun for kids. They could easily understand everything, the directions were clear, and they could work through most of it on their own. However, we would not use it for a core curriculum even in kindergarten. There just is not enough material, in my opinion, for it to stay interesting to them for a year of school.</span></span></div>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15014675832679934528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7817706224885453778.post-78905624729102590672012-03-07T14:13:00.001-08:002012-03-07T14:13:53.650-08:00Timed4Learning<span style="font-family: Arial; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); font-size: small; ">I've been invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid review. My opinion will be entirely my own, so be sure to come back and read about my experience. Time4Learning can be used as a</span><a href="http://www.time4learning.com/homeschool-curriculum.htm?ref=Review+Referring" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-family: Arial; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); font-size: small; ">homeschool curriculum</a><span style="font-family: Arial; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); font-size: small; ">, for </span><a title="http://www.time4learning.com/curriculum/afterschool.html?ref=Review+Referring CTRL + Click to follow link" href="http://www.time4learning.com/curriculum/afterschool.html?ref=Review+Referring" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-family: Arial; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); font-size: small; ">afterschool enrichment</a><span style="font-family: Arial; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); font-size: small; "> and for </span><a title="http://www.time4learning.com/summer-school.shtml?ref=Review+Referring CTRL + Click to follow link" href="http://www.time4learning.com/summer-school.shtml?ref=Review+Referring" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-family: Arial; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); font-size: small; ">summer skill sharpening</a><span style="font-family: Arial; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); font-size: small; ">. Find out how to write your own </span><a href="http://www.time4learning.com/homeschool-curriculum-review.shtml?ref=Review+Referring" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-family: Arial; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); font-size: small; ">curriculum review</a><span style="font-family: Arial; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); font-size: small; "> for Time4Learning.</span>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15014675832679934528noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7817706224885453778.post-75906768358637254512012-02-02T05:15:00.000-08:002012-02-09T14:03:29.679-08:00Snakes and Snails and Puppy Dogs' TailsSo, in case any of you out there were wondering if there truly is an instinctive difference between boys and girls let me just tell you - there is!!! That rhyme from our childhood rings true to me daily about sugar and spice and everything nice vs snakes and snails and puppy dogs' tails. Just the other day the kids were playing outside when Lilly comes running in the front door so excited, cheeks cherry red and an exuberant smile on her face. "Mommy, mommy, I picked these flowers just for you," she said as she held out this tiny bouquet of purple wildflowers. Five minutes later, Levi comes running through the front door yelling, "Mommy, mommy, can we please keep these," as he holds out a pair of blue crawdad claws pulled from some now armless shelled creature in our yard. I sighed as I told him, "Not in the house, but on the porch," gazing at the pretty flowers from my other child now making their home in a small cup on the table. Oh the differences!! Of course I relate more to the girly girl that is my middle child, but I strive to learn daily how to better relate to my son. He is so much like James in his curiosity of life and how things work and "why does this do this," and "what makes that do that?" So we explore life together and learn how to worship God together as we examine the world He made.Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15014675832679934528noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7817706224885453778.post-91831085699671432452012-01-19T14:21:00.001-08:002012-01-19T19:43:16.254-08:00Blessed, Blessed, Blessed<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsLi0P5TPY5-kdhqA1VZ-yVM-EwgIScz6dwHmKz0kB-dyrkpdk08pR8JsYvfr-K_AUCd4pIY4QwJ6kSMlj9Vh5NTu5LrGriIBZq6QAhNztMTVOBR_bhzoT1UszI1RX6wOZT1TbBrghPpd/s1600/SAM_1953.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsLi0P5TPY5-kdhqA1VZ-yVM-EwgIScz6dwHmKz0kB-dyrkpdk08pR8JsYvfr-K_AUCd4pIY4QwJ6kSMlj9Vh5NTu5LrGriIBZq6QAhNztMTVOBR_bhzoT1UszI1RX6wOZT1TbBrghPpd/s320/SAM_1953.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699554495189227586" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhuH3wVCmiir5O1FhEAVIJYpflAg3zPZxZ7EFmRF0yS6jiSZ32VLEPtD6PTHnj2EenobP54Xo5Dd5bb_Yvn_s2hfuv6kEIgWqE0xDr8P5GflOOhwQxKqhMlVmfYzWllTzTjzINAEwlENp/s1600/SAM_1952.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhuH3wVCmiir5O1FhEAVIJYpflAg3zPZxZ7EFmRF0yS6jiSZ32VLEPtD6PTHnj2EenobP54Xo5Dd5bb_Yvn_s2hfuv6kEIgWqE0xDr8P5GflOOhwQxKqhMlVmfYzWllTzTjzINAEwlENp/s320/SAM_1952.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699554486399502610" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTg8TORyLyPnbc2lqyr5_WWS757iKlMCVevnjPlSa2W6JD0jjwlheC-sMBOv3spOXHMuRqPdAqf7eAitGkFiErTM2sKBSo-4jqDtaSkSVdN22N8DlW_2_UFWY9d_HHCN7Bfwr_Bzu-Lbd/s1600/SAM_1951.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTg8TORyLyPnbc2lqyr5_WWS757iKlMCVevnjPlSa2W6JD0jjwlheC-sMBOv3spOXHMuRqPdAqf7eAitGkFiErTM2sKBSo-4jqDtaSkSVdN22N8DlW_2_UFWY9d_HHCN7Bfwr_Bzu-Lbd/s320/SAM_1951.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699554477075579938" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwsWmOkHfE4CHrUp2dVXeqRJwUV9RoIEkGTQNtzfXEEIlOhBZOSUzsxTbqB8OLn_JPpxJLi7hLLa66G-9zhPP41L1nUj7VeBfiPPfYmPOsAUounBPUe_TdUTxFo70l0mLENFseo00kd08E/s1600/SAM_1950.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwsWmOkHfE4CHrUp2dVXeqRJwUV9RoIEkGTQNtzfXEEIlOhBZOSUzsxTbqB8OLn_JPpxJLi7hLLa66G-9zhPP41L1nUj7VeBfiPPfYmPOsAUounBPUe_TdUTxFo70l0mLENFseo00kd08E/s320/SAM_1950.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699554465126644546" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQhdhq_bs_VVCPDomduNgWMNSt8lr0wEVkblYShyflWz0ByNwh0gfaIcwu3VB5-DpOnOKCZ0tsl8zgaaB0LR4YH72lRvfAVoYcirFVKZYYriKRLAqgPjoS3OTSQnhMAIKiD1TygIfle2_/s1600/SAM_1956.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQhdhq_bs_VVCPDomduNgWMNSt8lr0wEVkblYShyflWz0ByNwh0gfaIcwu3VB5-DpOnOKCZ0tsl8zgaaB0LR4YH72lRvfAVoYcirFVKZYYriKRLAqgPjoS3OTSQnhMAIKiD1TygIfle2_/s320/SAM_1956.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699554462232049858" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaod857_jDYqhiuWPBOpjHqQ3MLKApC_hCLy1BMBy6CjtPoWYCDsQEsJsLWVko4V2O2t-YrS1dSEgRHTIXT2SDtsUsSrwOAVjAqadLnoLqICG3SIPDwwz84H7hX_iRc_whTGHtFm4DukE-/s1600/SAM_1948.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaod857_jDYqhiuWPBOpjHqQ3MLKApC_hCLy1BMBy6CjtPoWYCDsQEsJsLWVko4V2O2t-YrS1dSEgRHTIXT2SDtsUsSrwOAVjAqadLnoLqICG3SIPDwwz84H7hX_iRc_whTGHtFm4DukE-/s320/SAM_1948.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699479875680856706" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FxtAvmHkgAPN8Cch2QOL7APFD5Qskw5gy3DkvQO2Rf7lvyGcJX2ZhWM5c0w6uvZ7xElRAR-Wy81smJ2dvol6urBVq9m8OMsf87lpNALsSXflUS1deNxagWWqyKszefSCCGrXBd7iw9PZ/s1600/SAM_1938.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FxtAvmHkgAPN8Cch2QOL7APFD5Qskw5gy3DkvQO2Rf7lvyGcJX2ZhWM5c0w6uvZ7xElRAR-Wy81smJ2dvol6urBVq9m8OMsf87lpNALsSXflUS1deNxagWWqyKszefSCCGrXBd7iw9PZ/s320/SAM_1938.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699479869175432930" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdKrnkUbxfJ6zBReahTsBEUxBxZQPWjXeFBLQ83h4hwwy4kTvTb6D-Y-mqt3ZmlOkwuDBUmV6h0cuJT-zETQpvfJk8hg-fCZEGZESDwC_Mt4CJuGOi11M9QL3wQWHamtH18FQIKcQvSet/s1600/SAM_1944.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdKrnkUbxfJ6zBReahTsBEUxBxZQPWjXeFBLQ83h4hwwy4kTvTb6D-Y-mqt3ZmlOkwuDBUmV6h0cuJT-zETQpvfJk8hg-fCZEGZESDwC_Mt4CJuGOi11M9QL3wQWHamtH18FQIKcQvSet/s320/SAM_1944.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699478622337052594" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><br /> </span>Schoolhouse McCarty is in full swing in 2012 and we are having a blast! I am not saying that every day is a bowl of sunshine, but it is the most rewarding thing in the world to see Levi and Lilly soak up so much stuff! They really are little sponges! Levi is starting to read which is amazing to watch and Lilly knows more at 3 than Levi did just a year ago! <div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Izzy is growing so much! She is sitting up all by herself! She has started eating "real" food and loving it! It's a riot to watch her figure out how to feed herself! That concept of picking up a piece of food and putting it into her mouth and letting go of it is a hard one to figure out! </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>We went on our first hike with all 3 kiddos the other day. It really wasn't a hardcore hike, but we thought we'd start slow and work our way up. It's still hard to tell how far Lilly will go before getting tired. Levi hiked Harney Peak (7,244 ft) at 4 years old, but Lilly is not quite that adventurous. I think the little hike went well and we all had a good time but Lilly did need a piggy back ride by the end!<br /><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>On a more serious note, I have been watching my kids today, really watching them and studying them, and have been overwhelmed at how blessed I am! I am so undeserving of such a wonderful family! I have a husband who treats me like a princess and whom I love more today than when we got married, and amazing children that I adore. Do you ever just sit and wonder why? Why me? I'm not talking about the 'why me' you ask when life is hard, but the one you ask when you are so overwhelmed by how blessed you are that it literally takes your breathe away for just a moment. I am counting my blessings today and I hope you are too!<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div></div></div>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15014675832679934528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7817706224885453778.post-4920534551139925912012-01-08T12:26:00.001-08:002012-01-08T12:38:05.014-08:00Bring on the New YearIt's January 8<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> and the new year is in full swing. I don't know if anyone else is like me, but I love the "fresh start" that January brings. I know that not everyone is up for resolutions that they feel they will just break anyway, but I enjoy making plans to do things different in the new year. I don't always officially call them resolutions, but I guess that's what they are. <div>One of the more difficult ones for this year is to look for God in the everyday stuff. I am starting to reread a book called "Practicing the Presence of God," and reviewing it with my good friend, Abby. It serves as a good challenge to worship God no matter what you're doing whether you are sharing the gospel with someone or wiping a child's dirty bottom! I struggle with this one and often have doubt as to what I am doing for God's kingdom, but I know that these little ones are God's gift entrusted to me and that raising them and bringing them up to love the Lord is truly one of the greatest things I can do for God's glory. <div>Okay, now an easier one: lose weight! I know, I know. Way to be a cliche, right? Well, I really have been working on this goal since Thanksgiving with the idea to fit into my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">pre</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">prego</span> pants before spring. So far, so good. There is no special secret to this - eat better and exercise! Discipline! Discipline!</div><div>My third is to be about relationships! The idea is to be about loving the people around me and caring less about what my house looks like or if my to-do list is complete! In other words, embrace interruptions! This is how God works and He is about relationships!</div><div>Those are just a couple that I have. What do you want to change this year? Anything? We should always be working to change! Everyone has areas that need a little tweaking. What are yours? Here's to a wonderful 2012!</div></div>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15014675832679934528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7817706224885453778.post-78857778006351074472011-12-18T12:56:00.001-08:002011-12-18T13:44:22.064-08:00Homeschooling<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUuD33Ytx4J9VEQh_9l3lPtTsJdFwxmqZ99ZIFqq_vQc8giJBYVi3Tzo7dBU5X7Fzeaey5OZRH7TLmcH2RIOrGWkHcz6kuW3wHiLGY8aRuCuGTy8s9YqS-ANdG5yrhjFt2oHXtQ3eIS3WV/s1600/SAM_1887.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUuD33Ytx4J9VEQh_9l3lPtTsJdFwxmqZ99ZIFqq_vQc8giJBYVi3Tzo7dBU5X7Fzeaey5OZRH7TLmcH2RIOrGWkHcz6kuW3wHiLGY8aRuCuGTy8s9YqS-ANdG5yrhjFt2oHXtQ3eIS3WV/s320/SAM_1887.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5687587481649728114" /></a><br />I belong to a group of women known as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">homeschool</span> moms. I have yet to figure out what all that entails, but I'm committed to what I feel God has called me to do. Most days I love it, but some days are hard, not because of the actual school part, but because I have two other little tots who require lots of attention when I'd like to be able to give all of it to Levi during school time. Oh well, it's the great juggle of life. <div>I am having fun and learning right alongside Levi. As I teach him phonics and he begins reading, I am actually learning rules that I didn't know or had completely forgotten about. It's amazing that anyone learns how to read at all with all the exceptions to the rule there are out there! But Levi is learning! And it is such a thrill to watch him "get it." He has just started to read short sentences and watching him sound them out is similar to playing Mad Gab. Levi sounds out the words slowly and is actually saying the word, but doesn't hear it until he's said it a few times, getting faster and faster each time. But when he "gets it" and realizes that he has just read a whole complete thought, he gets the biggest smile on his face and is so excited. I think the big hit on Friday was,"Bill drives a red van." He probably said the sentence 5 or 6 times before he truly realized what he was saying and then he looked up at me and said it all together with a big grin, dimples and all. It is moments like that when God affirms His call on me to keep my kids home and brings encouragement through their little faces.</div>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15014675832679934528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7817706224885453778.post-76878553345963471652011-12-11T12:12:00.000-08:002011-12-11T13:08:51.951-08:00Let the Good Times Roll!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkqQ2aylqinapax616HmFS_iMW6a-jhYmQqdE5RYrlOySVJjjXk4kYlerhBm_PDKz2k0N6oAiMxcCI78lThBRhFg2wSN91gV_P3oCcPb_0EdBJhphZQqovDVpEfh71RWOfDlm6P6diP9-A/s1600/SAM_1873.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkqQ2aylqinapax616HmFS_iMW6a-jhYmQqdE5RYrlOySVJjjXk4kYlerhBm_PDKz2k0N6oAiMxcCI78lThBRhFg2wSN91gV_P3oCcPb_0EdBJhphZQqovDVpEfh71RWOfDlm6P6diP9-A/s320/SAM_1873.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684979449726211602" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Wdjhi0f6vgWnxZPNS74j5r1vnSQNK9_0gdoTSynWsrDZGy8_ZEVCQt4_M9QLqGXTqkIBEdg_XxiUlzhDHI5shy_ZgYJc7U4vf055-djHIHZekN1m_trmNbvbMQVNAmWOSgJk4KFLZkb6/s1600/SAM_1860.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Wdjhi0f6vgWnxZPNS74j5r1vnSQNK9_0gdoTSynWsrDZGy8_ZEVCQt4_M9QLqGXTqkIBEdg_XxiUlzhDHI5shy_ZgYJc7U4vf055-djHIHZekN1m_trmNbvbMQVNAmWOSgJk4KFLZkb6/s200/SAM_1860.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684978820436186354" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYlVc0HZHYRPnPgi5zY97cbtcMcMUs_6wM0XTS2zLwH6QZdkUlMZy5jssfo84VvfvwcTBZX5KPw1Qn-Dy79n8EfwuWC9u-74cPvdCLIkQb0TZrhb0vxgtShV3gyDkAWLofONQQcJYpSmj/s1600/photo+%25281%2529.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYlVc0HZHYRPnPgi5zY97cbtcMcMUs_6wM0XTS2zLwH6QZdkUlMZy5jssfo84VvfvwcTBZX5KPw1Qn-Dy79n8EfwuWC9u-74cPvdCLIkQb0TZrhb0vxgtShV3gyDkAWLofONQQcJYpSmj/s200/photo+%25281%2529.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684978285996868450" /></a><br />Oh how I love, love, love this time of year! Cookies to bake, ornaments to make, crafts to complete, and memories to make! And all in anticipation of Jesus's birthday! It is a time of year when it it very obvious why Jesus said "Let the little children come to me,...for such is the kingdom of heaven." They are so excited about every little thing from the lights on the tree, to the advent calendar that marks the days until Christmas! I enjoy watching their faces light up over the simplest things. We headed down to the Fayetteville square Friday night and they were so excited about all the lights. As if the thousands of lights were not enough, there were camel rides (that's right-I said camel) and little ponies, and horse drawn carriages! To a 5 year old that's about as thrilling as it gets!<div>We have been very busy doing all the fun things that come with this time of year ( I wish there was a way to spread some of it out throughout the year). We've made paper snowflakes and decorated them - with glitter of course. We've made edible (yummy, yummy) sugar cone Christmas trees. We've made cookies, and ornaments, and colored pictures, and felt snowflakes, and drank hot cider, and told lots of stories about the true meaning of Christmas. There is just something so special about the family togetherness that we enjoy this time of year. I hope that my kids will remember all the fun things that we do and someday pass those on to their children.</div>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15014675832679934528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7817706224885453778.post-16498518968729375092011-11-18T04:52:00.000-08:002011-11-18T09:14:01.210-08:00Little leg squeezes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWB3Fd_TaXaW8bM6fTYyxO94X6rI7TsXus2Ct31OC-Kv165Rapp2yesbpVqxOvIv3CnvQhMBRHkkWv_P-2sGIOUBYCbbPwUv4n-0ARORQw-XV_yN8NTUVPP7vVErsw46-_GTn4Q3gGyPxy/s1600/SAM_1761.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWB3Fd_TaXaW8bM6fTYyxO94X6rI7TsXus2Ct31OC-Kv165Rapp2yesbpVqxOvIv3CnvQhMBRHkkWv_P-2sGIOUBYCbbPwUv4n-0ARORQw-XV_yN8NTUVPP7vVErsw46-_GTn4Q3gGyPxy/s320/SAM_1761.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676385228907561410" /></a><br />Lilly is a big fan of running up to me and squeezing my leg at random times of the day. I could be feeding Isabelle, going through the mail, doing some school work with Levi, or cooking dinner. She just runs at full speed into my leg and squeezes. It is the easiest way for her to hug me at her level. I have been in the habit of patting her head half-heartedly and not really paying much attention to it, probably because it happens so frequently during the day. But a few days ago, as I felt those little arms embrace me, the Lord gave me pause. Some day, I won't have this little girl squeezing my leg throughout the day. The days when she may not want to hug me will be here before I know it. Those awkward teenage years when she sees every little problem like the end of the world and thinks I don't know anything are really not that far away. At 3 years old she is displaying this incredible gift of showing love and affection. Am I returning it? Am I encouraging it? Or am I being so apathetic to her displays of love that one day she will become discouraged enough to stop all together? These thoughts stopped me cold. I reached down to my middle child and scooper her up in my arms. "I love you to pieces," I told her as I squeezed her tight. That was just one little moment in a day full of many "leg squeezes" that come throughout the busy day. I hope and pray that I don't forget that moment and learn to treasure and encourage those times no matter what is on my to-do list! I won't ever get those little hugs back, so today (and every day I hope) I will choose to not ignore them but to stop and welcome them!Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15014675832679934528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7817706224885453778.post-24607322777046624102011-11-01T20:13:00.000-07:002011-11-01T20:25:42.882-07:00Blessed Vacation<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzTU44nDEkv-ZDzpuY5uEzoc3zg6QrRuoYJh18IybXL_GcPUDBVAXaMf5qzq25EFG4eK2_tmZyYJpi0bJ-H8j8_UdbHIprgL6pW4JNXAxQDZK1-wqAzNM7wbBaD5XQwbkJgsWmQBMX03fK/s1600/SAM_1773.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzTU44nDEkv-ZDzpuY5uEzoc3zg6QrRuoYJh18IybXL_GcPUDBVAXaMf5qzq25EFG4eK2_tmZyYJpi0bJ-H8j8_UdbHIprgL6pW4JNXAxQDZK1-wqAzNM7wbBaD5XQwbkJgsWmQBMX03fK/s320/SAM_1773.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670234435128402514" /></a><br />Well, we are traveling back from a wonderful trip to South Dakota! I am so thankful to my husband for letting us travel up there to be refreshed by such great friends! We had a great time! But why, always on trips, to kids get sick? Lillian got a cold which turned into conjunctivitis and had to go on antibiotic drops, Levi ruptured a blood vessel in his eye and that got Lilly's junk so he also had to go on eye drops, and Izzy got a terrible cold that it made it impossible for her to sleep so she was up every 2 hours in the night! We got ourselves all out of wack! My new phrase is, "It's all for my sanctification!" Despite all that stuff, we really did enjoy ourselves. I love seeing my kids play so well with their friends even after 6 months of being apart. They have so much joy in their little hearts and are so pleased with the small things in life. It does my soul good to get away from the obligations of home and watch my kids and remember that I can never get this time back so I better enjoy every minute! Besides just having time to love on and be loved on by really good friends, that is the biggest thing I walked away from on this trip. My kids are only this little for a short time. My kids will never be this little again and I want to treasure it and not hurry through it. They are a delight to observe and I am blessed to be their mom!Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15014675832679934528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7817706224885453778.post-47166276910560767082011-10-09T13:07:00.001-07:002011-10-09T13:17:45.365-07:00Happy Birthday LeviToday is Levi's 5th birthday and it blows me away how fast the last five years have gone by. From what I've been told it only gets worse as your kids get older, but if feels like I was holding him as a tiny baby in my arms, I blinked, and now here he is 5 years old! I am so proud of him! He is a crazy guy, full of energy but also has a very sensitive, gentle side. Since we have chosen to homeschool him, I get the privilege of being right by his side as he learns and am amazed at how smart he is! And so funny! I spent 2 days making this birthday cake for him (having a good time of course) and last night he took one bite and said, "Mom, I don't really like my cake." Once again, I just have to laugh! He had a much better time eating the candy off of the top! I am reminded today as we are making a big deal for Levi, how important it is to praise our kids!!! Emphasize the positive! "I love you; I am so proud of you; I am so thankful that God chose us to be your parents; You are such a great big brother!" The list could go on and on. We do not have a hard time picking out the wrong things that our kids do - we discipline all the time! But commenting on the positive seems more difficult for some reason. But today, as we celebrate 5 years with Levi, I am reminded to use my words with my kids to "spur one another on towards love and good deeds."Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15014675832679934528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7817706224885453778.post-66791955312270253512011-10-03T19:14:00.000-07:002011-10-03T19:22:40.858-07:00Sometimes You Just Have to Laugh!Having three kids can sometimes lead to stressful situations. At times I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I am trying to learn to choose laughter! There are many moments where kids just make it easier. I was watching two of my friend's boys today which is often less stressful than just having your own kids because they play so well together. Things had been going really well and all the kids were playing out in the backyard when I suddenly realized the time and that we all had to hurry and eat to get Levi to soccer on time. I rushed to make sandwiches while Izzy-bell was screaming to eat and rush to open the back door and yell out to the kids to come eat. What do I find when I open the door? One of the boys I'm watching is standing on the stool to get up to the trampoline with his pants and underwear down to his knees, taking a pee in my backyard. Then his brother informs me that he has lost a shoe up on our roof all the while Izzy is screaming to eat and Levi and Lilly are also trying to tell me about the game they just played. I have no other choice but to laugh for if I don't find the humor I will begin to cry at the stress. If laughter is truly the best medicine, small children are full of healing powers!!!Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15014675832679934528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7817706224885453778.post-1660354688847435072011-09-25T12:43:00.000-07:002011-09-25T12:51:13.481-07:00Cool, cloudy SundayWe have been blessed with a day of rest! We try to find moments of rest during the week (notice I say try) but have yet to really set aside a full day of rest and today the Lord blessed us with one! I guess He knew we needed it! I know that no matter what age you are or what stage of life you are in, there will always be times when life seems particularly crazy. That seems to be especially true for us right now and it feels like a breath of fresh air to have a Sunday where our time is not divvied out to different obligations. Don't get me wrong, we love the things that we are involved in, but even when you enjoy the things you are a part of, sometimes a break is needed! So today we are taking time to relax, enjoy the cool weather, work on some house projects that we don't normally have time to work on, and just be together as a family without our to-do list dictating our day. This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15014675832679934528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7817706224885453778.post-39171770679706805192011-09-21T18:39:00.000-07:002011-09-21T18:42:44.699-07:00Try, try againWell, I attempted to keep up with a blog a few years ago and it did not work out so well. But, I am going to try again! So, here we go. Between homeschooling Levi, keeping up with Lillian, and figuring out Isabelle's schedule as well as keeping up with the house-cooking and cleaning and such-we will see if I can keep up with this. I figure it's a good way to pass along fun stories and family info to all of our extended family and friends! Have some grace with me as I get started!Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15014675832679934528noreply@blogger.com2