If you haven't quit, you haven't failed!

 I heard this quote somewhere this week, and I can't remember where, but it stuck with me.  I think it will be one of my new favorite sayings!

January usually feels like a slow moving month, but this year it is flying by!  I guess because everyone has been so busy, weekend travels, snow days... they all contribute to time speeding on by.  I can't believe that the month is almost over.  And when this month is over I will be 40.  It's just too weird!



Fairy House?



So, we did five days of school work in three days this week.  Monday was an official day off, and on Tuesday the public schools were out so our half-hearted attempt at a school day was pretty much shot.  We read, though, and did some history.  My big shock of the week is that I remembered how to find the surface area of a prism... no, really, it's a SHOCK that I remembered that!  We hiked on Government Island (hence, the pictures) on the one sunny, warm (45-50 degrees) day of the week with some friends that also home school.  Tommy got super dirty trying to find an arrowhead (he was really determined...), and Katie got to visit with some horses.

Mark has been out of town in sunny Phoenix and is coming home to a high of 36 degrees today (which probably will just not feel good).  He and I were talking about how we are just tired of being cold... I don't know about him, but I'm wondering when I became so wimpy?  Anyway, we are super excited to have dad back in town- hopefully everyone will move out of the campground that has become my floor and stay in their own rooms (it's just a hard rule to enforce when he is out of town)...

I'm praying for marriages this week, and all relationships.  Love will always find a way!  Also, I know people are traveling so I'm praying for safety and diligence of TSA and Homeland Security folks!!!  And also I have some friends in pain (literally).  Please, feel God's loving arms around you, and know that I am praying for recovery and comfort!

dance, dance

"Let them praise his name with DANCING..." Psalm 149:3

Danielle gets to meet one of her FAVORITE dancers of all time!! She was really nice, and sweet, and a fantastic teacher! 

 This is a picture of Danielle and her friends with Aaron Burr, one of the most amazing tap dancers in the world!  He is a fantastic teacher, also, and obviously very nice!

This is Keltie Colleen with Danielle -- she was a Rockette!  So very cool, and nice!!

(We had a fantastic time... the time of our lives...)



excited!

It shall be an exciting weekend!  Danielle and I get to go to a dance convention and Tommy and Katie get to go to my parent's house (and possibly to the condo) for the weekend!  Vacations abound all around!  We should all have a really good time, and we are all looking so forward to it. 

I'm so excited that the kids are all so excited.  It makes me feel good to be able to provide a fun time for them all.  I'm so thankful that my parents enjoy my children so much, and that the kids are all so ready to just hang out with them.  The condo is just icing on the cake... everyone chills out up there (quite literally right now, they have tons of snow!).



Danielle took this picture Dec. '09
She is so in awe of them!



Danielle is looking forward to meeting Lacey from Dancing With The Stars... I think she about passed out when she realized she gets to take a class from her.  AND... she gets to dance with two former Rockettes (swoon)!  She hasn't been able to sleep all week (which will be problematic when this is all over, I'm sure there will be some crankiness).  So, I'm excited to be able to share dancing with my daughter.  It'll be a good time!!

back to school

It is difficult, I think, to get back in the swing of things, when things are already moving smoothly.  We were quite happy staying up late and sleeping in and not really having an agenda. 

However, education is important.  I remember three years ago thinking I would be this kind of super-home-school-mom-homemaker-diva (well, sometimes I'm a diva)... sadly, the cooking gene still didn't take root.  I do have swept floors, though, and the house doesn't smell bad despite a guinea pig, a chinchilla, a bird, two turtles, three children, and one husband (now that's a measure of success, right?)... but still, aren't we supposed to be doing lots of projects and learning Latin?  I can't say we are there, yet.  Regardless, it has been a good school week: Latin (no...nada...nope), reading (always),stars and galaxies (done), Barbarians wrecking Rome (done), infinitives and gerunds (um... done, sort of, not really understood 100%), effect/affect/ already/all ready/ rise/raise/rose (done - almost 100%) regrouping ("carrying"), long division and estimation (a work in progress)... anyway, you get the point, right?  We aren't sitting around eating bon-bons!

Whew - (I think it helps to write down what we did accomplish- it's validating)-

Gary Chapman wrote a book called God Speaks Your Love Language.  I've read snippets of his Love Languages before this current book came out, and have totally thought about how I don't think Mark and I are adept at speaking each other's language.  So, I was so intrigued to find this book about God and the love languages.  I really am enjoying the book, so much that I'm going to have to purchase his original book.  I'm thinking not only about my spouse's language, but my children, my parents, my friends, and of course, my own.  It's really a powerful concept:  everyone has a predominant love language.  Words of affirmation, quality time, gifts, acts of service, and physical touch are the languages.  Each of us "speaks" one of those languages more strongly than another, and it's the way we show and interpret love to and from others.  Fascinating, right?  Imagine if acts of service was important to you and your spouse tells you he doesn't think you love him because you never bring him gifts... wouldn't you be hurt (or even resentful)?  So, now imagine that you now know his love language is gifts... wouldn't it make sense to show him that you love him by giving him little gifts throughout the month (clean floors don't count... )?  Powerful concept.  

Now... know that you feel closest to God when you are speaking your love language, and in turn, He is speaking your love language!   That is what the book is all about!  It is really good stuff! I highly recommend it.  I loved the chapter about acts of service, and Mother Theresa.  Enough said!

So we had this little spa day today... the girls and I made soap and bath salts, and did manicures and pedicures.  Danielle was totally able to relax, while Katie was unable to sit still (and her nails bare the consequences of that).  We had a good time, though!  (Acts of service - I think I'm figuring it all out, here... maybe)...



Danielle in her happy place




Katie:  must. hold. still. 
Mommy wants this picture.
must...hold...

  Tommy hates shoes! I am so very thrilled to find these Vibram five finger shoes... He loves them!  He says it's exactly like being bare-foot!  If only every shoe on Planet Earth were like this! They make you jump higher!  They make you run faster!!!  Love!!! Only groundhogs and Harley-Davidson motorcycles are better than this!!!

happy feet!

It's like this....

Going to church on Christmas Eve

So, I have a cold, complete with the body -achy-I-know-I-have-a-sinus-infection type cold.  Amoxicillin just does not work for me.  Period. End of story.  I don't know when my physician will realize this.  So, I'm starting to feel better after being upgraded to the Z-Pack.  Anyway, this is my fantastic excuse for not posting sooner in this new year!  Oh, also, my brother and his family were visiting, and we were busy with them! It is always fun to hang out with my family!

The holidays were fantastic!  A bit too chilly for my taste, but the snow was pretty on Christmas, and the day after.  New Years Eve was fun, too, shopping and going to my friend's house for a little soiree.  New Year's Day dinner was really yummy - fixed by my mom, of course.  I enjoy ham (real ham, not deli-meat full of preservative-ham).

This week is the lets-get-it-back-together week.  We started school yesterday, and already we were slacking a bit today (not too badly, just... well, I really don't feel great).  We are slowly getting rid of all the sugar-filled (very yummy) snacks/cookies.  I've even walked in 20degree weather (not really a favorite thing to do, but it certainly wakes you up!).  So, I think we are off to a pretty good start! We haven't even eaten out yet (although tonight may be the night)...



Ta-Da... Katie, the magician!




Tommy is happy!



Danielle and her Charlotte!


My favorite Jeremiah verse comes to mind, to start off the new year:  "I know the plans I have for you... to make you prosper, and to not do you harm..."  I love, love, love the power and promise in those words!  It is with great purpose that we humans are here to live, and to serve.  I sometimes feel that all I can do is to pray, and that it isn't enough; but then I think that must be my pride talking, so then, I think that even in these small intentions there must be a great work happening. 

And that is what faith is all about... Don't you think?