Count Your Blessings

Count your blessings , name them 1 by 1, count your blessings see what God has done!!

We should take time EVERY day to count our blessings but this time of the year it is something that comes to mind more often. I have SO much in my life to be thankful for!! Here are just a few of the things I am thankful for this year -

1. an awesome Savior that loves me
2. my great husband that loves me no matter what
3. my sweet daughter who is growing into a wonderful young lady
4. new opportunites
5. a sister I grow closer with each day
6. 2 wonderful nephews that are growing way to fast!!
7. sitting beside my sister each Sunday
8. puppy kisses
9. friends to laugh with
10. fall days
11. making smores
12. hugs
13. smiles
14. knowing we have everything we need
15. Christmas trees
16. twinkling lights
17. hot chocolate with marshmallows
18. a good book
19. the smell of cookies baking
20. hot rolls
21. turkey hot from the oven
22. greenbean casserole

hmmm - I think it's time for lunch! My post is taking a hungry turn!!  Thanksgiving is such a great time of the year - not just for the awesome food, which is wonderful - but also for time with family and friends. What are you thankful for this holiday?

Wednesday Ramblings

Can you believe November is halfway over??? I just looked at the calendar and realized it is almost December!  This week has been a sad week for Ashleigh - theater and co-op both ended their sessions this week until January.  She is not happy at all and worried about being bored. I understand completely until I looked at the calendar - there will be no time to get bored in November or December! How is it possible that we took not one but TWO activities that we do weekly out and still have something to do every night??? It is crazy the way our schedule fills up!

WooHoo!! I won!

I can't believe I won!!! I won family passes to the Homeschool Convention in Greenville, SC!!! I am so excited!! We are new to homeschooling (9th grader this year - what a way to start) and although I have been to many, many, many teachers convention this will be our 1st homeschooling one. I am so excited and even my daughter is pumped when she found out Tim Hawkins will be there. We love him! He is so funny! Thank you Jamie at www.seejamieblog.com for this wonderful giveaway!

We made it through a VERY busy week last week with 5 performances of the "Red, White & Blue Review". It was an awesome show and I'm so glad that Ashleigh has found something that she has passion for!

I still can't stop thinking about the homeschooling convention in March so here is my question. If you have ever been what are some things I won't want to miss? Have you ever had a teen go to the teen track?? Ashleigh is very quiet around new people - not sure if she would feel comfortable or not??

Leave a post and give me some ideas! I am a planner and would love to know what are the "must do & see"

Favorite Pumpkin Activities

Ahhh!!! Full moon & halloween!! Those 2 words combined are enough to strike terror in every elementary teachers heart - especially this Kindergarten teacher!  We have got a very busy week again this week. Co-op & Tutoring for Christ on Tuesday, Trunk or Treat on Wednesday and we are having a HUGE yard sale on Friday and Saturday. Ashleigh also has practice for her play on Thursday night and we are working at the Peanut Festival Saturday afternoon.  Add to the list the 2 pumpkins we need to carve, the yardsale stuff that we still have to go get out of storage, schoolwork that needs to be finished .....

This week I'm going to post about some pumpkin activities we enjoy at school.

1. Pumpkin investigation - We weigh the pumpkin, estimate how big of a piece of yarn will fit around it and then measure it, measure how many cubes tall it is, will it sink or will it float, how many seeds are inside, use describing words to tell how it feels... all the information can be recorded in a pumpkin book.

2. How many pumpkins tall are you? Cut out pumpkin shapes and tape to the wall.  Measure how many pumpkins tall each child is.

3. Pumpkins on Top - instead of 10 apples on top make a 10 pumpkins on top book.

4. Read Peter, Peter , Pumpkin Eater - Draw a pumpkin shell and put someone inside . Re-write the nursery rhyme with other things Peter could have done with his pumpkin shell

5. Read Pumpkin Jack - Put your pumpkin in a jar and watch it decompose. This activity is always a favorite!!

Wow!

Hat day, bus duty, Firetruck PLUS 20 very active Kindergarteners makes for a LONG day and an exhausted teacher!! But as they say - no rest for the weary!! It is time to check school work for sweet daughter and go to church.  They back home to price more stuff for the yardsale. Why did I ever think that I needed all this STUFF!! I have soooo much to sell! I wish you all lived close enough to shop - someone is going to get some great bargins and some stuff that would make awesome Christmas presents!!

I wonder if I just close my eyes for 2 minutes if anyone would notice..... shhh... don't tell.....

Doors are opening....

Isn't it great when you can see God at work? I am so excited about the new opportunities that are daily being presented to me!! As someone that HATES change and craves for things to be predictable it is a scary, scary thing but oh so exciting. I've never doubted I was where God wanted me for the past 16 years and He is giving me peace as I start to move forward into what He has planned for the next chapter. 

The next 2 weeks at school we are working on Pumpkins. We will go to the pumpkin patch on Friday as a reward for good behavior.  There are soooo many great pumpkin books out there and great activities. I will post some of my favorites tomorrow so be sure to check back.

Last week was Fall Break for me and a lot of Ashleigh's activities didn't meet. This week we are back full force! We had theater practice last night and today is co-op, FLOW and Tutoring for Christ. Just to make it fun lets add pictures for the directory!!  Never boring!!

Pumpkins, cannons and costumes!! Oh My!!

It was a busy week-end at our house (actually it always a busy week-end and week!! I can't believe how packed our schedule is!!) 

Saturday we went to see The Battle of Newton reinactment so Ashleigh could finish her civil war report. They did a great job and we really enjoyed it (except for the ringing ears from the cannons! lol ! I jumped every time even though I knew they were coming!)

I have pictures but can't figure out how to get them on here! Hopefully I'll be able to post them tomorrow.

We also went to an awesome Halloween Bash with the students in Ashleigh's theater group. This is one of those things that I know cause a lot of contraversy (whether or not to participate in any Halloween activities) This was an awesome party and the kids had so much fun. I personally feel it was no different than sending her to public school or anywhere else. She is a light for Jesus where ever He calls for her to shine :)