Jesus' Birthday Cake

I saw this idea quite a number of years ago and fell in love with it! I hope you also enjoy it!

My Bridesmaid's Ribbon Cake or Cake Pull Adaptation

A new bride would place charms (attached to ribbons) in the cake. The single ladies at her wedding, or her bridesmaids, would  each pull a ribbon revealing a charm. The charms have symbolic means to them. I won't go into that here though. What I want to do is introduce to you an adaptation of this for Christmas. In all actuality you could adapt this for any occasion.

These are all cute ideas, for a wedding. How can we do this for Christmas though?

Instead of using charms I typed up Scripture references one year and another year I listed people that were involved or related to the birth of Christ; the shepherds, inn keeper, Mary, Joseph, etc...
As each person pulled out the paper (by pulling the ribbon it was attached to) we read the Scripture or discussed the character who was listed on that paper. In order to make sure the paper was not affected by the cake or frosting I covered it in tape prior to putting it into the cake. (You could also put it under the cake and have wax paper between the cake and the papers.)

After all the ribbons were pulled we enjoyed a delicious cake while listening to Christmas music. 

The kids loved being able to participate in learning more about the birth of Christ and not just sitting there listening to a story. It also helps refocus their attention away from receiving gifts and on the Saviour's birth instead.

I hope you liked our little Christmas cake idea. Even thought my boys are older I think we will revisit this idea this year.

I urge you, be that man.

The man I want you to become....

I dreamed of a man who would sweep me off my feet and make me feel special every day of my life. I dreamed of a man whom I could live my whole life with knowing I was secure in his love. Prince Charming comes to mind.

Instead I have a man who is so much more. Through dirty cloth-diapers washed by his hands, scrubbing vomit out of the carpets at 3 am, comforting children screaming from night terrors... through Asperger's, Moebius, allergies, meltdowns, hissy fits, fibromyalgia, depression and debilitating migraines... through surgeries, therapies, unending doctor appointments... I have a man who has thrived. He is so much more than Prince Charming. He is so much more than I ever dreamed.

Be that man. Be so much more.

Being a man does not come from your genes. It comes from commitment and love and selflessness. It comes from within.

Be that man. Commit to your marriage. Commit to your love. Commit to being selfless. Commit to your wife. Commit to your children.

Know that a man will hold a crying baby at 3 in the morning so his wife can rest. They will  bandage skinned knees, wipe tears away, hold the Kleenex for a booger-filled nose. A man will tell his sick wife (who hasn't showered all day and looks like she just got run over) how beautiful she is. A man will hold her close and tell her that he will make dinner tonight and put the kids to bed.

A real man will desire a woman who is modest in her clothing. He will know that true beauty is inside and that by her covering herself she is respecting the temple of God. He will not compare her to others because he knows that degrades her. He will show her his love through his actions, not just his words.

A real man will read Scriptures to his wife while she does the dishes. A man will help with those very same dishes. On days that the house is a mess and the wife is exhausted a real man will bring home KFC or take the kids to McDonald's. If money is tight, as it often is, that man will just make hot dogs and mac and cheese for the kids instead.

A man knows that in order to raise children who will become wonderful spouses he must first be one himself. If he ever desires his children to have healthy relationships he must model that for them.

He will show his wife he loves her in front of the kids. He will act out that love in his daily interactions. He will talk kindly about her to his children. His friends will know he loves her. His friends will know that through problems he will persevere.

A real man knows that family comes with messes, disagreements and chaos. A man won't mind that as he knows it's only temporary. He knows that anything worth keeping will require struggling through the messes, chaos and disagreements. He knows that struggling through will strengthen him and his family.

He knows putting God before all is what makes it all worth while. He knows that by leaning on the Savior he can stand tall.

So, my sons, I urge you, be that man.

Is homeschooling really a choice?

Homeschooling...

To some it's a choice. To some it's most certainly is not a choice at all. Some know right from the birth of their child that there is never really a choice IF they homeschool. To them it's a given that they will. To some, homeschooling may not even be a thought. The idea of not putting one's child in school is preposterous. Every child goes to school, right? I mean, who would want to have their child home all day, every day?

If children were homeschooled would they even listen to your instruction? How would you control them? How would they learn anything valuable? Wouldn't it badly affect their future? Would they ever be able to go to college or get a good job?

If you have special needs children there must be no way you could ever homeschool them, right? How would that work? They need so much help. There is no way you can provide all they nee, right?

If I homeschooled my children would they ever have friends? Would they graduate high school? How would that affect them emotionally? Socially? Academically?

To me, it never was a choice. I was certain I would homeschool my children for all of their educational years. My husband thought we would only homeschool until 3rd grade. We ended up homeschooling from 2000 until 2006 then again 2009 until the present. We did put our children in public school for a bit and it was clearly a mistake to me. My husband thinks it was a lesson learned for both ourselves and our children.

Anyhow, it was a time I regret. This post is not about that though. This post is about how any one can homeschool and how everyone should.

 You CAN homeschool. Anyone CAN homeschool. It only takes commitment. It requires nothing else.

Are you committed to your child's well being? Are you committed to helping them be a productive person in society? Are you committed to teaching them the ways of the Lord as the Bible describes? Then you MUST  homeschool. It's the only way to ensure that your child will be the best they can be and that you have done everything to help them be that person.

As a believer, follower and acceptor of Jesus Christ can you honestly say you are doing everything possible for your child and still put them in public school? I cannot. My thoughts are simple. I'll state them in bullet points for you. These are strictly from a Christian born again perspective.

1 - If I am to the be the guiding force in my child's life, leading them to God's righteousness and ultimately to His gift of salvation, how can I do that while sending them away 8 hours a day?

2 - God instructs us to train up our children in the way of the Lord. How can I do that if I have no control over them for 8 hours a day?

3 - What influences are coming into my child's mind?

4 - Who are his friends and what are they talking about, watching, doing? How much of the world is being pressed on my child by his or her peers?

5 - What is the teacher teaching? What books are being read in class? What is being discussed and from what perspective?

6 - How much of what is influencing my child is pushing God out of the picture?

If I were to come from a non Christian perspective I might think things like how best might my child learn? Are they falling through the cracks of academic success? Might they learn better if they learn at their own pace? Might they be able to explore academic areas beyond those in the school? Or be able to delve more deeply into areas of interest? Is my child being held back; socially, academically, emotionally?

What can I do about those things? How best can I help my child be the person they are destined to be? How can I help my child be best they can be?

Homeschooling isn't seclusion. It isn't socially inept children. It is not public schooling at home. It is so much more!

It is about learning and loving to learn. It is about exploring and creating and broadening our horizons. It's about bringing the world in and learning about all it's facets. Using moments to teach not just text books. It's about living life.

I encourage every parent to homeschool. I encourage every parent to at least explore the idea - mull it over, process it, delve into the idea... see what it's outcome might be. Consider it before jumping to a conclusion that it's only right wing radical's who homeschool.Just don't, please don't dismiss it before considering it. Your child's life is at stake.

The rantings of an extrovert living with introverts

I say this is the rantings of... because I feel like I am ranting. I'm not meaning to so please bear with me.

I am extrovert. I like people. I like being around people; hearing their conversations, seeing their activities, watching and participating in their lives being lived. In my house I see little of that.

My children are introverts. My husband is an introvert. That means that most of the time during the day it is fairly quiet around here. If a project is being worked on they are focused - which keeps them quiet. The boys are either in their room or on the play station or computer. Daniel also works on his school work independently and Adam goes for hour long walks. All that leaves little conversation with me, actually aside from playing the PS3 it leaves little conversation between them also. They are happy with that. They like the quiet from what I can tell.

I'm an extrovert. I'm not a person who reflects often. I'm not one to contemplate things. I'm a doer. I have learned to be a planner. I someone called me up right now and said "Hey, let's go somewhere." I would jump up and say I'll meet you there! IF I had a car. Which I don't. And no one calls me. So that doesn't happen. What does happen is quietness.

How do I cope? Some days I get depressed, withdrawn and quiet. I get bored... I sleep, I watch tv, I eat, I stay bored - some days. Boredom is the enemy for me. I have to get creative. I have to keep busy.

Some days I find things to keep me busy. I clean, I cook, I scrapbook. But I can't do those things all the time. Cooking only goes so far when no one eats as much as I make. It ends up just wasting food. Not a good thing. Cleaning can only be done for so long before it's all done. Scrapbooking is a great activity for me. I love doing it. It keeps my mind occupied and active. However, now that we have the tree up for Christmas I have no room to scrapbook. It will have to wait until January.

In warm weather I walk. I go to the library. I visit my neighbor when she is home. I sit outside and watch the activity of others.

For now I just have to think. I have to get creative in how to keep my mind sane. I will do it and spring will be here soon. Then I can be more active. I can find more things to keep me busy.

Disclaimer: I'm not looking for suggestions or for anyone to "solve" my issue. I'm not looking for pity. I'm only sharing this to get it off my chest.

Pain that causes agony

This year.... it certainly has been rough. In July I had a car accident. It changed everything. I thought at first I was healing and recovering so nicely. I thought "Oh, I got this covered. I'm going to be back to normal really soon. It is not going to take me 6 - 12 months to heal...." Well, that was a delusion. The bumps and bruises went away fairly quickly. The aches and pains have not yet. That has made this past year a rough year. I thought I was used to living in pain. I have fibromyalgia. I have had it since I was 7. I have had broken bones, sprains, strains, pulled ligaments and tendons... you name it. I have had daily pain, daily migraines for a long time. I thought I can deal with this. I am having a hard time though. My muscles are so tight I can stretch out my leg without wincing and limping. Knots make it seem like I am leaning on rocks. Migraines are a common occurrence again. It's hard to drive, hard to sit and hard to stand - some times. Not all the time. Some days are far worse than others... Some days I feel as if I am perfectly normal. I live for those days.

Pain can take over your mind. It makes you think things you never wished a person would think. In fact you would wish no one EVER thought such things! Thankfully I have not gone down that path. Thoughts do cross my mind but never hurting myself in any fashion. Never suicide. Thankfully. Some do though. Some do.

That makes me think about others who suffer so. I do not wonder how people can think of suicide as a way out anymore. Some days, anything to end the pain might sound nice. It's not something anyone actually thinks will be best but pain clouds the mind. It clouds perception.

There is physical pain and emotional pain... I wonder which is worse. I wonder which is more devastating.

Emotional pain can seem so much worse... it brings with it despair, loneliness, lack of worth... it brings with it a degrading quality. It feeds upon itself. What is one to do? Physical pain can be bad enough. Emotional pain is worse I think. When you combine both you get a possibly lethal combination.

I praise the Lord daily that both my physical and emotional pains have been kept at bay enough not to lead me down a destructive path. I praise the Lord daily that He has given me the blessing of a wonderful family; a husband who loves me and will do anything to help me and children who are attentive and caring and helpful not to mention loving. It's on my worst day they make it possible to continue.

I pray for those who feel they are not blessed because they can no longer see the blessings around them. Their eyes are clouded with agony, with loneliness, with emotional devastation. My heart goes out to them. I pray for them. May they know that there is one who does not know them but prays for them. One that cares for them. One that wishes they would seek the Father above for comfort. Only in HIS comfort do we find strength!

That is what gives me strength. Some days I do not want to get up. Some days I do not want to teach, to clean, or to do anything productive. But it's those days that God shows me how much He loves me. He blesses me with loved ones and family. He wraps His arms around me ad holds me tight, never letting go. He brings me comfort and peace like nothing else on Earth can!

As I write this I know it sounds like I am depressed today. That is far from the truth. Oh, I have been in the past. I have been so badly that I wanted nothing in life, not even my newborn child. I have been so badly depressed I wish life would just cease to be. It's in those times that I needed to reach to the Father and grasp His loving hand that is reaching for me.

I pray that those who are depressed today might see this and that they might know there IS hope and His name is Jesus.

Life gets in the way, Procrastination & not following through -

So many things to blog about... where do I start?

Well, the creative process is as good a place as any, right? So there we shall start.

I'm a creative person but lack the time, space and energy for the projects I would love to work on. Who can forget I'm short on money for such projects too. It always seems that when a projects comes up that I want to do there is an equal amount of obstacles preventing me from doing said projects.

Somethings I would love to work on are my won scrapbooks. Right now I have 4 scrapbooks, not for me, that I need to get done. I have yet to start any of them. The easiest one is for little Egan. I made a scrapbook for him already but now I just have to put the pictures in it. First I need to receive pictures from his mom and dad... Once I get them finishing the book will be a breeze, if I could ever find the time to do so. Next I have Adam's graduation book. I cannot work on this one until after the graduation though as I will need pictures from it to complete the book. My friend has a scrapbook she started for her daughter. She lost interest in doing it so passed it on to me to work on. Again, I need to print the pictures to complete it. I have to find the time to go through her pictures to even know which ones to print. Lastly, I have to make a new scrapbook complete with pre-done pages. This is for a new mommy to be. She is due in November. Then to top it off I am planning on making some sort of wall art for another mommy to be.

That sounds like it is too much to handle in my life right now but in reality it's not IF I plan well enough. The key is sticking to the plan. That's my problem. That is my problem in almost every aspect of my life. I hate sticking to plans. I love to go with the flow. In this house that is not a very good option though. I wish it was. I miss going with the flow and not having a care in the world.

My life is a jumble of other little lives all mixed up. Adam's, Daniel's, Egan, Mike's, my siblings, extended family, church family, friends. The list goes on and on. Out side of people there are the list of things to do; church things, school things, house things, me things and my projects of course. How on earth do I get all this done without forgetting anything? LISTS LISTS LISTS and following them!

I am a list maker at heart. I write everything down. Multiple times. It's not writing them down that I get into trouble with. I have to follow the lists that I make. Usually I am good at that and can get most of my list done. Recently though, I have not been very good. It has taken me a long time to complete easy tasks only because those tasks are time consuming. That needs to stop.

What can I do? If you have this problem, what can you do? Make more then just an effort. Make it a priority. Set goals and time frames. Be determined. These are things I can do to help stop this progression of not following through... If you can think of more ideas leave them in the comments section.

Thanks for reading!

Sensory Kids

Special needs families.

Children with difficulties.

Understanding their needs.

Hi, this morning I have special needs families on my mind. Mine is a special needs family but I know it is not the normal type of special needs family. Is their a normal type? I'm not quite sure there is but anyhow, I thought I would describe some of our challenges.

Emotional misunderstandings... Have you ever thought you understood how someone else felt only to find you out you really didn't? Have you ever done something to someone only to find out later they felt hurt by what you did even though you were trying to help? My oldest has this issue... It used to happen a lot but now he has improved. He still has no clue about some emotions that others express. He has no clue (most of the time) about his own emotions nor how to express them.

Life can be confusing; especially for those who already have a problem understanding themselves. Someone recently asked what it means to be a "sensory kid". I thought I would take the time to elaborate on what sensory problems are and how they affect people, especially those who suffer from it. I recently posted this on muy facebook so you might have seen it already. If you have, I'm sorry. :o)


What does Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) or Sensory Integration Disorder (SID) look like?

When our brains receive too much or too little sensory input it tries to compensate for the lack of or too much input. This is referred as a sensory processing (or integration) disorder. It can do this by creating a need to touch everything (as a result of too little input) or to not wanting to be touched (as a result of too much input). It can lead to behavioral issues such as meltdowns, avoidance to stimuli, acting out, crying, hitting and more. This can be interrupted by those who do not understand the needs of the child as that child is acting out, being bad, disobeying or over reacting. When in reality the child is just not able to handle the amount of sensory input they are getting. By adjusting or adapting the environment for the child that child can then handle things much easier and is able to live a more normal life.

Both my sons, myself and my husband all have sensory processing issues; all to a different degree. When kids are young they have not learned how to work around their sensory issues. As adults most of us already have learned to cope so the problems are not apparent to those around us.

I do not always recommend changing the environment too much for the child (depending on the severity of the sensory issues) but rather teaching the child coping skills. I have always held the belief that the world will not change for people but rather will expect the person to change for the world. Of course this depends on the child and the environment.

I hope this has helped you understand it a little better.

The question of the day - ???

To blog or not to blog; that is the question.

Well, for a bit there I was blogging more frequently. Of course it wasn't on a daily basis or even weekly but it was often enough for me. Then I stopped. Blogger.com changed their format of their site. I didn't like the new changes. So, I stopped blogging. Life moves on and I got busy. Blogging became a thing of the past. I missed it though. That is where the question of the day comes in to play...

To blog or not to blog...

I like blogging. I like sharing my thoughts and my world with those who find it interesting. I like that I can open up my mind, my heart and my home to people who otherwise would never get to know me. I feel God has things in my life to further His glory. If I do not share then I am hindering the Holy Spirit's work in and through me. Maybe I am delusional, I don't know. lol All I do know is I like blogging.

I hope this means that you will see and read more blog posts from me.

I pray that God uses this blog to further His kingdom. How amazing would that be? For God to use something so trivial and insignificant as my blog to further His glorious kingdom? I am humbled and honored!


Please continue to read, share and comment.... I love to hear your input and your thoughts.

For now, well, I shall see you around the next bend and in the next blog.

Our home - school, fun, church, worship, armory, bank

How to describe our home... That is the question of the day.

I occasionally read other people's blogs about their lives, their homeschools, their hobbies. So I think to myself how would I describe our home? There is not one word that describes it.

In our home we are able to be who we want to be. We are able to explore and delve into the things we are interested by. We are able to worship the Lord in the way that makes our hearts leap with joy. We learn, teach, scream, cry, laugh, shoot, and create. In our home we are allowed to be ourselves.

Growing up I didn't have that experience. My parent's house was prim and proper most of the time. I was unique but more often then not I was unique when not at home. I didn't have friends over, I didn't get to watch or listen to things that interested me, I didn't get to make messes very often. Don't get me wrong, I loved my childhood years. I still think of them with a smile on my face and in my heart. I have such wonderfully fond memories of growing up in a foster home.

When not at home I listened to music everywhere I went. I watched cable tv at my friends' houses and when I babysat.School projects were done at friend's houses, hardly ever at home. My parents liked a clean house, a quiet and well respected home. There is nothing wrong with that. That is not how my house is though.

In my hosue my kids can make messes, and I make them right along side of them.
In my house the radio can be blared on occasion. My son listens to the radio (Christian stations only) full volume every time he gets a chance. Someone always has a project they are working on. Sometimes that entails sawdust and hand tools in my living room or clay in the bedroom. Sometimes it means scrapbook stuff is laid out in the bedroom or on the kitchen table. Conversations about the oddest things come out of no where. School stuff is rarely put away. Dishes are rarely ever completely done.

My house is not the cleanest, but it is lived in.
My house is rarely quiet, when it is I worry why.

We homeschool but we do not replicate school.
We search the internet, netflix, the woods, the craft cupboard for anything that stikes our interest.
We make things out of whatever we find.
We love nature shows, This Old House, cooking shows, Sons of Guns, How It Works. We love PBS.
We fish, catch bugs, snakes and other creepy animals.
We have had mice and gerbils, taken care of hamsters, snakes, birds and cats.  Our newts escaped and our hermit crabs killed each other.
We all have guns now. Some have pellet guns, some have airsoft guns and some have 22s. We all love to shoot. We all know how to handle and care for our weapons. We all are responsible.

Our school doesn't look like school. The kids are on the couch or in their room. We walk while doing spelling. We learn by talking and researching, not because we read it in a textbook. The librarians know us by name.

Now we have Egan. He's a year old now. We have watched him since he was 9 weeks old.
School. Home Economics. Child Care.

The boys know how to change diapers, make bottles, wipe up drool, feed him baby food and entertain him.
They are learning valuable lessons.
They are learning to be good fathers.
They are learning responsibility and accountability. 

All in all I can't really sit down and give a simple answer of how we homeschool. I can only say we live life; therefore school is accomplished. Yes, we use some books, but we use life experiences more.

We are who we are and are only confined by the limits of our imagination. We homeschool.