Long Weekend

This weekend was really long. I attended a homeschool seminar Friday night and all day Saturday. Jason watched the kids and prepared his sermon. Sunday, right before Jason went up to preach the fire alarm went off. I did a little inward panic and ran to the nursery. I had sent Emma by herself to the nursery so I wouldn't miss hearing Jason again. I panicked because I thought that somehow Emma might have been the one to pull the fire alarm. The funny thing is that Bonnie, Jason's mom had volunteered to take her to the nursery but I had forgotten in the hustle and bustle of the sanctuary emptying. I turned out that the janitor tripped the alarm by accident.

Everyone seemed to wake up tired this morning and not a 100%. So I thought we would do more activity based learning today instead of our normal routine. So I decided to make a double batch of bread and let the girls help me roll it into loaves when they woke up. We watched a science video, played a counting game (seen in the photo's), and practiced 'keeping' our home. Buddy had a hard time with the counting game because the pieces were chocolate chips. Later I switched to noodles. Can you believe it they ate the dry noodles too!

Monday's always seem extra long waiting for swimming class to come in the evenings and we are recovering from the weekend. I am looking forward to a normal school day tomorrow but am grateful for the break from our regular routine.

Mornings First Light

Regeneration

I read this, this evening and it so struck my heart I wanted to share it with you. I read this prayer that someone else prayed long ago and prayed it myself several times over. I pray it encourages you to allow Him to occupy the throne of your heart as well.

O God of the highest heaven,
Occupy the throne of my heart,
take full possession and reign supreme,
lay low every rebel lust, let no vile passion resist thy holy war;
manifest thy mighty power,
and make me mine for ever.

This is taken from The Valley of Vision, ~Regeneration, they are Puritan prayers and devotions.

The Kids On A Motorcycle

Rick is borrowing a motorcycle from a friend for a while. The little ones were excited to sit on it on Sunday. The big girls were thrilled to get a ride.

Bird Fest at Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge

Today we went to Bird Fest with a young lady from church. These are a sampling of the pictures I took. In the picture above you are looking at sea otters sun bathing.



This is a true sign of the end of summer's bounty.
This oak tree is thought to have been around when Lewis and Clark explored this area. It took 8 kids holding hands to wrap around the tree. It is truly magnificent.

Pictures of My Sweet Babies

Puritan Prayer

I read a puritan prayer this morning. I wanted to share a portion of this with you.

"Lord, grant that my religion may not be occasional and partial, but universal, influential, effective, and may I always continue in thy words as well as thy works, so that I may reach my end in peace."

This is taken from, The Valley of Vision ~ The Mediator