Ahh, Ice day!

Just the break I needed....
For all the 2 people who read this; we are homeschooling and have been for...............
2 days and yesterday doesn't count because it was an ice day.

We are still looking for curriculum and ideas on what we want to focus on but it is way more complex than I thought. I know it would be hard, but I also think it will be worth it.

I feel pretty wasteful for my former state of mind; in thinking that I couldn't wait for my kids to go to school, then I'd have some ME time but I realize how selfish that was and I am slowly learning that I never get that time back with people I love.

Speaking of people I love, 2 of them are moving far away and soon, so I am actually hoping to have my kids spend as much time with them as possible before they leave.

Really there are alot of reasons why we choose to do homeschooling, but that's just one.


So whatever people think, I would truly appreciate no negativity and talk of insanity.
(because putting my family above the opinions of others is pretty important to me
and frankly, I won't take kindly to those comments.0

As I'm sure you can tell, I'm feeling a little off today so let's get right to the good stuff;

Pictures!

These are of our New Years' trip to west southwest texas (border town-airforce base)
last ice storm! Poor honeysuckle is perfectly preserved.

Dylan went and snuggled a napping Lilli and ended up falling asleep himself.

Dylan and Phil! On a hike

I don't know how to fish!

These evil little cacti were out to get us, they hide in a soft patch og grass, then ram right thru your shoes. Pretty hard to get off and out of your soles.

On the boat

Super foggy when we got there

Thought this was an interesting way to eat

on a hike

Administering 1st aid to Ethan after Dylan beaned him with a rock.

They don't know how to fish EITHER

That was an amtrak railtrack. We saw one go by a few minutes later. Wasn't super fast but you could see the people on it. I would love to go on a cross country rail trip (no, not like a hobo)

Hopeyahaveagoodone!

No time for captions, just enjoy!

Not much...

to write about except all the blessings!

Lilli had a such a nasty cough that she wasn't breathing very well, with a crazy fever and I really worried that she was too sick. Bruce gave her a blessing on Mon. night and took her to the hospital Tuesday. They discharged her that day after many tests and still have not gotten back to us. She is doing much better, on antibiotics and doing breathing treatments. The kids seemed to have gotten a less potent version that they are almost done with, altho' they did have to miss almost a week of school.

Bruce is feeling a little crappy but we are hoping a nice weekend will help him feel better.

Our Christmas is not as lavish as some, but I think that's the point. We are grateful for all these blessings that can only come from God.

My Christmas prayer for all of you, is that you would realize how much God loves and blesses you and cherishes your faith in Him and your efforts to be Christlike.

Remember that we love you too and hope that you all have a great Christmas.

Out of debt (almost)

Got the documents today saying that we paid off a car loan (a car that we haven't had for almost 2 years) today and it feels great. Just want ya'll to know that it is only because of 2 reasons;
1-Stake presidency asked us to get out of debt - that was and continues to be a huge blessing.
2-We were doing everything we could do get out of debt-not eating out, not borrowing, waiting to buy groceries even if we didn't have any fresh food. That was a big one.
There were many times that we fed the elders with our last few items and there was always enough to eat, miraculously, and we were always blessed for it.

There were things that we didn't do right and we still owe $, but it is more manageable.
Some mistakes we have made has been using a line of credit with the intent to pay it off the following paycheck. It doesn't work because you never know what is going to happen- like a hospital visit! Then you can't pay both! Another mistake we make is spending all of our money the week (or the day of) after we get paid (because we don't know if the silly thing we want to buy, is going to be there or any other dumb reason)
One thing that helps me not to buy is to remember/tally all of the same things I have at home (shirts).
Aaahhh, I could go on and on about Bruce's project car but I love him and I hope that one day, it will not be a project car.
I want ya'll to know too, that food storage has been a huge blessing. Even eating rice and beans everyday is a blessing because it's still nutritious food!

There were and are a lot of prayers to strengthen us, to give us patience and to live in the present and enjoy the best things in life.
I know you might get sick of hearing it, but having a relationship with our Saviour Jesus Christ is and always will be the way to receive the guidance and peace that comes from obedience.
It takes a lot of faith to be who God wants us to be and it gets scary, but I know that it is a blessing and I'm so grateful that He loves us, wants to help us and desires to be close to us too.

Love you all and I know that God blesses you for your diligence in obedience.
John and Diane, please know that we are thinking of you and praying for your family, Much love!

D-man!

Here are some pics.

Soooo Dylan got his cast off yesterday and was upset because there was all this dead skin on his arm (Looked like a nice tan that was flaking off) and said he that they had cut off his dead arm and it was not until he took a bath and I scrubbed it all off, did he say 'look at my new arm' (appearing to be happy about getting his cast off.) He's a funny boy! By night time he was jumping off the couches and doing all his usual tricks even though his elbow is kinda stiff.

He has a temp. sling is mostly to protect him from re-breaking it for the next week.

Other than that, we have no news but we had some costumes pics but I can't find the card! From last Sat. trunk or treat. We are having a kids candy-free Halloween party (nothing fancy or scary) on Friday night. Let me know if you want to come to it!

okay

i'm a moron.
I was just trying to change the depressing backround on the blog, thot I deleted it and felt compelled to make a new one, with right background.
anyway, I don't think I can keep up with 3 blogs, especially when 2 are not really viewed, so Unless I make something cool (not really) that I want to show my sisters, yu-zen blog will be used for only that purpose.
Hopeful will be a calendar of free events in the Metroplex,
and Hopeful's will still be a family blog.
Sorry about the confusion but at this point, I'm too cranky to care. Stomach bug.
Hope you are not sick too.

Happy Anniversary! Happy LATE B-day to Dylan!

Well, today marked 9 years together and looking forward to an eternity with the Man of my Dreams (Bruce has always been better than what I dreamed about). Except when he buys fixerupper cars.....

Well, I guess the longer you are together, the less it takes to impress the other, cuz I had no money to buy him what he wanted (a used base guitar) and he didn't even have gas in his car. We were looking pretty pathetic.

I was blessed with an amazing neighbor who was kind enough to give me some chicken today.

I decided to make fried chicken, but since I have never had fried, I made a poor judgement call to broil some chicken.

I don't recommend broiling unless you know how to broil or you don't mind it catching fire.

Which mine did.

I'm pretty sure I cursed profusely (Does it count if it's in Spanish and noone heard me?) but I don't remember now.

My kids were fortuneatly outside and did not witness my anniversary dinner debacle.

Funny thing is, I had already browned the chicken so I really didn't expect it to go downhill but ya never know, I guess.

So after browning, broiling, burning and then baking it, I served it with a heavy heart because I felt like I wasted all that precious meat.

ahaha, it was not meant to be!

It was still pink (cooking time of over 60 minutes) so rather than add to intestinal distress/ poisoning to my anniversary gift, I ripped it out of my family's hands and threw it in the pressure cooker, for another 30 minutes.

Thankfully, it was all eaten and not wasted.

Oh yeah, we got an anniversary gift from church, tonight even!

A STAKE CALLING! YAY!

Honestly, it was freaking me out. They asked me to go with Bruce but since I needed to unwind, I went to Yoga class;

all the while thinking; I'm gonna have to pray about it, if they call him to be a poly!

I don't know why I was thinking that, but man, the idea was stressing me out!

So I get home, wondering what they asked him and he has the gall to tell me;

'I'll wait till the kids go to bed to tell you- The kids don't need to know!'

What!!!!????

So after a tortuous 10 minutes of last-minute homework, I looked him in the eye and said

"SPIT IT OUT ."

He kept smiling and wouldn't look at me for too long.

He finally told me and I was thinking; "That's it?"

I told him of my fear/worry and he laughed and said 'that's illegal'.

He asked me how I felt about it and I told him that I felt it was great, cuz I had something scarier in mind.....

Dylan in retro; I have been so busy trying to please the school nazis' homework brigade that I haven't really been blogging so sorry to Dylan if anyone thinks that I don't love him because I didn't blog about his birthday.

We had a party planned, bought an Ironman cake in rainbow frosting- What boy wants a rainbow Ironman cake?! 20 minutes before the party doesn't leave time for complaining.

We were going to go to a cool waterplay park and after the kids got here, we called to check the prices and THEY WERE CLOSED! Oversight, I know.

I swear stuff like that always happens when I try too hard. I was trying to make his party a big deal because we haven't really ever done a big party for him.

I'm out, I feeling guilty about it again.

Check out this blog to laugh tho'

http://www.seriouslysoblessed.blogspot.com/