Decorating for Christmas & Seeing Santa & Mrs. Claus

Well after waiting way too long this year. We finally decorated for Christmas. I know, I know considering it's less that 2 weeks until Christmas, it is about time I got in gear. Friday night while Katie was at a friend's house. We rearranged some things. Then Sat. morning Katie and I were ready to get to work. Well after I came alive (I'm not a morning person, unlike my precious daughter). So after I was considered part of the living, we got to work. We put up the Christmas tree and decorated all around, while listening to Christmas music. Of course we had to wait until my hubby got home to put the tree topper on, since him and Katie do this together every year. And we had to get our traditional picture of them putting it on together :) Even though she informed me she is actually big enough to put it on by herself, but she said she still wanted to do it with her daddy anyway.

Then last night we went to see Santa & Mrs. Claus. So I could get a picture. At first Katie told me she didn't care if we went or not, since she now knows about Santa ;( But she later came and told me even though she knows she wanted to go anyway.. Yeah!! This made mommy very happy, because I really wanted a picture. The funny thing was we knew Santa (at the time Katie did not figure out who it was, until later in the car after we had left) Santa was actually my bestie's uncle. And our mailman :) So then it made a lot more sense to her how Santa & Mrs. Claus knew to tell us to look carefully at the candy to make sure everything in there was safe for her, due to her allergies. Boy, was she looking at Mrs. Claus strangely when she said this to us. Then when her daddy told Santa what he wanted (Santa was in our local furniture store and my dh saw a sectional he wanted and told Santa to bring it when he came by the house next week) So once we got in the car, going down the road, Katie had her "ah ha " moment and said "that was Mr. Tom" wasn't it!! LOL She said that explains a lot. LOL That's how Santa & Mrs. Claus knew about my severe peanut allergy!!

Today we had a wonderful day of worship. Two marvelous lessons on methods of Evangelism. How to reach others and bring them to Christ and his church. It was a great day. Do you know how Christ died for you so you could be saved through baptism, for the remission of sins. It's amazing each and every time you think about how, Jesus though he had no sins of his own. Died for all of ours sins. And yet so many turn away from his word. And never become a part of his church. It really saddens me to think of all those who are lost in the world. Do you know about Jesus, about his birth, life, death and resurrection. Do you know how God sent his only son to die on the cross so we could all be free from sin, through baptism. Read his word daily, meditate on it daily, hide it in your heart. Spend time learning about Jesus and all he did for you, for us all. It is beyond amazing. The love he has for us, us who are all sinners. Yet he had no sin, but still died for our sins. That is amazing LOVE!!

Katie decided to spend the night with her maw & paw (my mom & dad). So it was very odd around here tonight (too quite..LOL). Well it was until my dh fell asleep, since then I've had plenty of snoring to take away all the quiteness. :O

Well it's getting late, time for bed. Adios for now.

What's been going on with us

Okay I'm terrible at this blogging thing. I haven't posted on here since October. Shame on me!!

Anyway we have been very busy with schooling and play practice. Wow! It is hard to believe that it is already December. This year is flying by, seems like since I became a mom time flies by quicker and quicker each year. Katie is growing up so fast. I'm amazing by her each and every day. I truly thank God everyday for all the wonderful blessings in my life. I have an amazing daughter, a wonderful husband who works and provides for our family so I am able to stay at home at school our daughter. I can not imagine not being with her each day. We are blessed with the most amazing family and friends.
Just look at how fast she is growing up !!

Katie and I have been crocheting like crazy lately.I have made several baby layette sets. I am currently working on a blanket for my cousin's daughter. It is going to be really cute I hope, it is hot pink and lime green in a ripple pattern.One of the layette sets I have made.

I recently taught her how to crochet and she loves it. Watching her crochet always brings a smile to my face. In the world today not many kids (outside other amazing homeschooling families) do you see a child totally content with such an activity. Sadly today most kids feel they constantly need things to entertain them. I love the fact that Katie is content with herself. She is a happy child. She takes pleasure in simple things. She loves to read, sing, write stories, crochet and is just very content within herself. Which is such a blessing. So many today are not happy or content with themselves or anyone else.
Katie's first baby blanket, she is making this for her little cousin(my brother's wife is expecting), due in April (we found out it's a GIRL!! ) Katie is so EXCITED!! We all are, this is my brother's first child! We can't wait until she gets her for us to spoil. :)

Katie was in another Bible Bowl in November she got 3rd place. She memorized all 25 required verses and scored very well on the questions. Back in August she received 2nd place in the Bible Bowl. She is currently studying and preparing for the next one which will be held at the beginning of February.

February will be another extremely busy month for us, that is when the "Annie" play will be performed, February 25, 26, & 27th. She is so excited!

We also have been busy with many crafts. We love making Christmas gifts.

This past weekend we had a great Christmas party with our CHARM (Christian Homeschoolers Across Rural Mississippi) group. We all made a Christmas gift and played dirty Santa. We had a blast. We have been blessed with amazing Christian friends. I can not begin to imagine life without them.

The weekend before I had a "Mom's Day Out" with my friends. We went to see "New Moon". We had a great time. We first went out to eat at the Cracker Barrel, yum yum. Afterward we went to watch the movie, all I can say is we truly enjoyed the movie.I told my husband we were probably as bad as giggling 13 year olds. LOL It was so much fun. Then after the movie we did a little shopping. Fun, fun, fun, what a wonderful day.

Kaitlyn in her "team Jacob" shirt I made for her.

I'm still a "team Edward" girl! Because of the books, I have to say if we went by the movie I might be like Katie and swap teams LOL :D

This is the t-shirt I made for our dirty Santa gift,along with a pair of black fleece pj bottoms and a black fleece eye mask. Luckily one of my friends (who went to see the movie with me) ended up with it. I was hoping one of them (or myself :) LOL) would get it. I knew everyone else would totally not get the humor of this gift.

Well goodnight. Hopefully I will post sooner next time and the post will not be so long..

Our week

Well another week has come and gone. Of course we spend the week doing "school", but here is a glimpse of what we did the rest of the time.

Monday we had to make another trip back to the dentist. This is 3 weeks in a row something has went wrong with Katie's braces. I mean really this is getting a little ridiculous. But I'm trying to remain calm..LOL But let's hope and pray they have it fixed right this time. To say I'm getting a little concerned, would be an understatement. And if I hear one more time "Well this is only stage 1", I might possibly scream!! But anyway on to something else..

Tuesday afternoon Katie had play practice. I truly love watching my child on stage. She is simply amazing to watch. I mean I know I'm her mom and all but that child lights up the stage. She amazes me each time I watch her. (The week before we got an awful scare when the superintendent's office sent word to the drama teacher that homeschoolers could not be a part of the drama program. Our hearts sank, along with the drama teachers'. This is Katie's 4th year to perform with them. How could they even think of doing this do her. We were so blessed that the drama teacher was willing to fight with us every step of the way. Thankfully they agreed to let her perform this year. I guess we will have to way and see what the future holds. I know it would have devastated my child if they would have tried to force her not to be in the play especially after she got the role of "Molly" this year. I'm so thankful she is still able to be a part of the production. And I pray she will have many more years, since she loves it so much.)

Wednesday we spent alot of the day with my mom and grandmother. That night we had a wonderful worship service. And got to hear all about the mission trips our congregation supports. I am in awe of the work the missionaries do, I would love to go on a missionary trip sometime and take Katie it would be wonderful.

Thursday some of our wonderful friends came over to visit. It was so great catching up with them. It seems like it had been forever since we got to see them last, with all the sickness that had been going around it had been about a month and a half since seeing them. Which is just way too long. We had a great time. We are so blessed to have such amazing Christian friends. My friend is taking a ASL class, so I purchased the book so I can help her practice (since I want to learn how to sign also.) I was fun trying to go over all the different signs with her for her test last night. I can't wait to hear what grade she got, I know she did great!

Today well lets see today was test day in our household. Katie and I studied alot of different ASL signs she is enjoying learning them with me. Which is one of the main reasons I wanted to learn is so I can teach her. She did great on her test today, she made a 100 in spelling, 96 in English and 96 in Math. We have been studying for our local Bible Bowl that is coming up in just a couple of weeks. Last time she won 2nd place in the junior division. I'm so proud of her!

When my husband got home tonight we enjoyed supper and then played some famiy games together. I had a headache and lost at everything LOL.. We played blokus and bananagrams, usually I beat him at bananagrams, however, on occasion Katie has beat me. I may be training her a little to well :) But we all had a great time. Most of the week we have been playing Phase 10 at night. Whew! that game sometimes can go on forever. Well so can bananagrams but I LOVE that game so I don't notice as much :)

Anyway this is a little of what we did this week. Now let's see what the weekend has in store for us.
I see I should post more often this is way too long. Sorry everyone!

Our Weekend

We had a great weekend. Katie had play practice Saturday morning from 10-1:15. They worked really hard on learning choreography for the song "Hard Knock Life". It is going to be really cute. Then Saturday afternoon, she had a friend to spend the night. They had such a great time! They played so well . We got up this morning and headed to worship. We listened to 2 wonderful sermons today. After worship we came home, had lunch and the girls went back to playing. Around 2pm her friend had to leave. She hated to see her go. She can't wait for her to come back to spend the night again. We had such a great weekend.

Now time to get geared up for another week. Katie has play practice Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday this week from 3:30-5:30. Whew! It's going to be a busy week. We have been missing karate lately I hope we can get started back this week. But it's on Mondays and Thursdays at 6:30. So it's going to be tough since so much of our time is now taken up by play practice. Hopefully we can get everything worked out. I've got to get back to the gym. It is going to be so hard getting started again. We started missing while I was sick, then Katie got sick and we missed. So starting back will be tough. But I really miss going, and I really need to kick myself to get back to my workouts, I've been slacking off. Gotta get myself motivated and kick it in gear.

Hope everyone has a great week!

Well It is Official!!! Katie got the part of 'Molly' in "Annie"!!

We are so excited to announce that Katie got the part of "Molly" in the local high school's musical production of "Annie". Callbacks were Saturday. Katie and two other little girls were at the callbacks for the part of "Molly" the youngest orphan. She did such a wonderful job. I am always amazed when I sit and watch her on stage. She loves every moment and you can see it in the way she shines on stage. I am always in awe of her performing. This will be her 4th production with them. She started performing with the local high school when she was 6 yrs old. In December 2006 she was an orphan and also a party guest in another scene in "A Christmas Carol". In Feb. 2008 she was a young towns girl in "Cinderella" with her wonderful solo line "and me I'm in the second grade" and "I wish I was an older girl". When all the girls are singing about Prince Charming. She was also a guest at the ball and Cinderella's flower girl. Then last year she was a Wildcat Cheerleader in "High School Musical". She is so excited each and every year when it is time to start auditions and practice. When it is over each year, she can't wait until time to start again. Here are a few pics of her previous performances.



She is the smallest orphan in the brown dress. December 2006 "A Christmas Carol"




Here she is the little girl in the red and white dress. Dec. 2006 "A Christmas Carol" - age 6
Here she is as a young towns girl in "Cinderella" Feb. 2008
Here she is ready for the ball. "Cinderella" Feb. 2008

Cinderella's flower girl. "Cinderella" Feb. 2008 - age 7


Wildcat Cheerleader. "High School Musical" Feb. 2009 -age 8

We are looking forward to another GREAT YEAR!!

Annie Musical callbacks

Well today was the callbacks for "Annie".. Kaitlyn did such a good job. She had a call back for "Molly" the smallest orphan in the musical "Annie".. She did so good!! They officially post the cast list Monday. Then practice starts Wed. afternoon. I wish you could have all seen her she looked so cute, we dressed her up as an orphan. I can't believe I forgot to take her picture. She looked adorable~! But we were rushing around this morning and I forgot to take her picture. I'll have to dress her back up soon and post pics. Well we will keep you posted about the play :)

Not me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.



Oh Yeah we both qualify on this one!!

We did NOT spend a good chunk of the night in the late night clinic because I discovered my daughter's earring back was grossly being grown over by her earlobe. I did NOT of course have a terrible headache, because I felt like a horrible mother. Of course I should have noticed this earlier. So of course my child was NOT freaking out crying and screaming when I tried to clean her earlobe and remove the earring myself. Of course I'm a totally calm mother and was NOT wanting to scream and cry myself for feeling like such a horrible mother. But thankfully the doctor was able to remove it and said in a few days it should be healed enough to put in a new pair of earrings. Since I did NOT break that one while I was trying to remove it myself. Of course my daughter was NOT saying over and over "We are not putting another pair of earring in are we??" Of course I did tell my daughter the other week she needed to remove the earrings since she had wore them for quite some time, I asked her to change them. But then she got sick and I forgot all about the earrings. It was so weird I had never seen anything like it before. I mean it's not like they were just pierced. We had them pierced back in April. So why it decided to grow over the back of the earring now I have no idea. So will we ever get another pair of earrings in my sweet child's ears??? hmmm??? Your guess is as good as mine. I'll keep you posted. ;)

A Poem I wrote for my daughter when she was a baby

My Little Miracle

The doctors always said, I a mother would never be.
But the dear Lord said, "My child just leave that up to me."

Then when I was pregnant, carrying my child with glee.
The doctors started to worry, She was not growing as she should be..
But the dear Lord said, "Do not worry my child just leave this to me."

Then in labor once again things got a little out of hand.
Her heart stopped beating and we all got really scared.
But the Lord reached down and got her here safe and sound.

Now I'm proud to say I'm a mom.
My angel is here and growing strong.
And I'm proud to say ,
I thank the Lord for her each and everyday.

For to me a miracle was sent.
I'm now a mom of a child who was Heaven sent.
She's the most precious thing here on earth.
Because she was sent down from God above.
Sent to me to raise and love.

Tina Harden

Copyright © Tina Harden

I'm so excited

I just found out that I won the contest on Everyday Becky's Blog for the new Karen Kingsbury book "The Princess and the Three Knights".. I love all of Karen Kingsbury's books. I can't wait to get this book to read to my daughter. She has been sick for almost 2 weeks now. I can't wait to tell her we won the contest, I know it is really going to cheer her up. When I told her about the contest and showed her the book online she said "Mommy I hope we win". I'm just so excited. Thank you again Becky so very, very much. This could not have happened at a better time. This is so super sweet of you to send us this book. I will anxiously be awaiting it's arrival.

Anyone who hasn't checked out Becky's blog go check it out{

http://everydaybecky.blogspot.com/2009/09/princess-and-three-knights-and-winner.html

Sick Child

My poor little girl has been sick now for a week and three days. I hate when she is sick. It started out with a sore throat and head congestion. I took her to the doctor she was put on zithromax. Three days later when she wasn't any better but getting worse, it had moved into her chest. They put her on Predisone, and I started her breathing treatments back again. Two days later still no improvement. Back to the doctor we go again. This time she is given a shot, we have to continue the predisone and are given a antihistamine, decongestant and cough medicine, and also to continue the breathing treatments. Bless her heart. The medicines are making her feel even more awful she just wants to lay around. I pray she is better soon. I hate to see her sick. Please keep her in your prayers that she will be back to her chipper self soon.

What If...

Wonder What Would Happen If... We treated our bible like we treat our cell phones



What If... We carried it around in our purses or pockets...?

What If... We turned back to go get it if we forgot it...?

What If... We flipped through it several times a day...?

What If... We spent an hour or more using it everyday...?

What If... We used it to receive messages from the text...?

What If... We treated it like we couldn't live without it...?

What If... We gave it to kids as gifts...?

What If... We used it as we traveled...?

What If... We used it in case of an emergency...?

This is something to make you go "Hmmmm...Where's My Bible?"

Oh, and a few more things-unlike our cell phones:

One plan fits all...

Unlimited usage...

No roaming charges...

No weak signals...

and...

We don't ever have to worry about our bible being disconnected...

Because... JESUS ALREADY PAID THE BILL...!

Thank You Dear Jesus...

[author unknown]

I read this online and had to post it on my blog. This is so very true.

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Well to start this off I definitely did not just spend hours reading everyone else's Not Me/Not My Child blogs (because of course I spend my time more wisely than that)

I did not read 4 books over the past week because I was feeling bad.(I would never sit and read when I have so many other things I should be doing)

I do NOT want to scream at my doctor for taking me off of my thyroid medicine. Because I am NOT having an emotional crisis now that said dr messed with my meds and my thyroid hormones are all out of whack.

I did NOT want to scream when I had to go have blood work done today to figure out what the dr needs to do now that I'm NOT having terrible mood swings and headaches. (I of course am always level headed and never let my emotions get the best of me)

I do NOT stay up way to late at night on facebook. Because I am a responsible homeschooling mother who always goes to bed at a decent hour!

I did not start a new blog because I did not forget my password to my other blog because I always remember everything.