And They Are Off

I will be sharing a lot of pictures on Facebook of our church's Youth Choir Bike Trip. I dropped a bunch of them off yesterday afternoon around 4. They got organized, did a sound check, ate dinner and performed for the church's Sunday night service. Then it was devotions, getting set up for the night and in bed by 10. Up at 5:30 I think it was, traveled down to the beach, sang for the park ranger, put the back tire in the Gulf of Mexico and off they were off.

Fifty miles today. Maybe singing tonight. Service projects tomorrow at a huge retirement community and then some R & R. Then back on the road Wednesday for another 50. Singing that night and then Thursday on the road for 30 and front tires in the Atlantic.

Just a brief overview of what I know is going on. I will get periodic updates from hubby. So, so thankful he is on the trip. Such a great group of kids (and adults) who are so willing to serve in this awesome adventure of Coastal for Christ . . .

How We Do Geography

I love geography. And, thankfully for homeschooling, there are a bunch of really great ways that we learn it!

I got hooked on these really great games from the Out of the Box company. The titles of the games are 10 Days in Africa, 10 Days in the USA, and 10 Days in Europe. I am not sure if they have a South America one but I do know the Asia game is no longer in print or something because I tried to get it at Christmas and it was like $70! Boop and I play a lot. The girls are hit or miss. EG would like to play but she needs to be just a little bit older.

Another way we do geography is we have this really great book called Operation World. It breaks the whole year down into daily ways we can pray for every country in the world. At the beginning of each month I put all of the countries down on their corresponding dates on my big wall calendar. Most every morning, during our family prayer time we pray for that country. And then, at some point during the day, the kids can show me where the country is on our great big schoolroom world map and they get 5 chocolate chips or 5 M & Ms if we have them. They love that!

I just found a really great website where I could "order" printable maps that go along with our daily readings. So, when the kids grab their books to read, they take the maps and look at where they are reading about. Once every few days I do a quick little check up and have them show me some of the places they have been reading about.

Lastly, every so often we read this really cool book called The Book of Marvels. It has a couple pages on some really great places in the world. Some we have heard of like the Panama Canal and The Golden Gate Bridge and others that are in remote places in small countries. We have enjoyed reading the history about the places written about and then Googling recent pictures. The book was published back in the 1950s by a man who personally traveled to all the places.

I am sure there are gaps. And I am willing to live with that but Geography is one of my most favorite parts about homeschooling . . .

Wedding Bells

Welcome to the family Alex Corder!  

So, when Alex posted on FaceBook or Instagram "Jamaica with my beautiful wife." or something along those lines, it kind of threw me for a loop!  Oh wow, he is married too!  (Weddings are mostly about the brides, right?)

Then, the other day my mom sent a group text "How is your husband?"  I automatically thought about mine.  Then I realized "Hey, we BOTH have husbands now."  It has been great thinking about it all!

The pictures are in no particular order because I have copied them from others who have taken the pictures! I have a bunch more that I need to go through and will post more soon.  Hopefully.

It was a rainy day and it was an outdoor wedding.  But, very wisely, my sister made the decision to have the reception inside.  But, still wanted to get married outside.  We braved the drizzle and it was beautiful and so special. I actually felt it made it more intimate.

The preacher did an awesome job in reminding me that marriage isn't about ourselves but about our spouses. And most importantly about Jesus.  It was a really great reminder for me.  And an awesome beginning to marriage.

The photographer was phenomenal.  Hubby was wondering if she would hang off a tree just to be able to get the picture exactly right!

I think this First Look is kind of new.  And, of course, it takes me awhile to get with change.  But, after watching them, although I am not sure we were suppose to, I get it.  So sweet to enjoy each others company before the ceremony.  Who said the groom can't see the bride before the wedding anyway??

Birthday girl!  Nature Girl is fourteen and so, so sweet to share her day with her favorite aunt!  Sissy did a great job in making sure she wasn't over looked.  She was sang to twice.  Once in the dressing room and then once at the reception.  A great birthday cupcake.

I loved getting all dressed up.  Hubby had the option to wear a suit instead of a tux but I insisted on the tux. He hasn't worn one since our wedding! We had a great time!

Mr. and Mrs. Corder!  Such a handsome couple! Love them to pieces.

Yay!!  Love their smiles!

My hubby had the honor of walking her down the aisle and giving her away.  Two of my favorite peeps!

Had to have a family photo with us all looking so good.  Hubby gave Sissy away, I was a bridesmaid, big girls Junior Bridesmaids, EG flower girl and Boop ring bearer.  I loved that we could all be a part of her big day.

Rehearsal dinner the night before.  

Crazy that it was too weeks ago. . . 

Homemade Laundry Detergent

There have been a lot of really great things going on in our house this past month.  Celebrating Easter and the marriage of my sister.  And I will get to all those great things but I just had to post about my homemade laundry detergent because I love it! And it is a short post!

About two years ago I got a wild hair to make my own detergent.  I heard it was good and super easy to make and really, really cheap.  I got the ingredients and put it all together.  We were all a little skeptical because I am a big Tide fan and I am fanatical about laundry.

It worked like a charm.  The only downside was that if there is a navy or dark colored cotton t-shirt (Boop and Daddy) and greasy hands get wiped on them, it had to be pretreated with a little bit of Dawn dish soap.  No biggie.  With high efficiency washers this detergent is perfect because there are very few suds.

Well, these past few months we have been so busy that when we ran out of our homemade detergent (lasted like 7 mos for roughly $10.00) we (meaning Little Mama) just didn't have time to make more.  So, one of my goals when we weren't doing school was to make more detergent.  This time I have added lemon and Thieves essential oils.  And I am soooo glad we have it back!  The clothes aren't musty smelling and the savings is fabulous!

Score one for happy homemaking . . .

Week Three and Four (and Five)

If there has been a resounding theme for weeks three, four and now five it has definitely been relationships, relationships, relationships.  There is nothing more important than my relationship with Jesus, my relationships with my husband and my family and my relationships with friends and acquaintances.

Our life doesn't always reflect that.  In fact, we spend a lot of time just checking boxes.  Trying to get things done.  I think one of the things that I know I definitely need to change is to slow down and really experience each day to its fullest.  No matter what that day looks like.

One thing I am going to try to do at night is write down my activities for the next day.  And then take time to pray over them during my morning quiet time.  Remembering that God can send my way something totally not on my to-do list.  That no matter what is going on, right at that moment, that is exactly where God wants me to be.  Whether it is struggling through a Math lesson and making the thousandth peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

When there is choice between Math and a relationship, the relationship needs to win out.  At the end of the day, life isn't about Math, Science, History etc. (although they are important parts) but it is about people.  Loving people, serving people, sharing the love of Christ with people.  That is what is truly important. . .

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteous, and all these things shall be added to you."  Matthew 6:33

Post Half Marathon Me

I would love to say that I have continued to run.  But that would be so far from the truth.  I think I have run three times.  I am kind of bummed that I have accomplished such a major event and now it has just kind of gone by the wayside.

Two things I have figured out are:  I am totally goal oriented.  I have no goal so therefor I have no motivation.  I did try to fit into my bridesmaid dress and it was kind of tight so I thought that would be a little bit of a motivator.  And it was.  For about a day.

The other thing I figured out is that unless I have a goal for running, running gets pushed wwwaaaay down on the list of priorities for the day.  I can't justify running when there are meals and school and laundry and church and errands and the list goes on and on.

Yesterday, I finally made myself walk first thing in the morning.  I have a new, not so ambitious plan.  It looks something like this.  I am going to start out just walking a couple of times a week.  I want to build the habit of exercise back up.  I need to exercise.  Not to loose weight or to build muscle or anything like that.  I need to walk/run because I want to be healthy.  I want a good heart and good lungs and capable muscles.  Plus, I love the time I am alone.

I also have realized if I don't get it done first thing, it just won't happen.  So, we have been working on our morning routine.  I feel we have it down so that the minute the kids get up and start with their breakfast, I can go ahead and walk/run.  They have a buddy system now to check up on each other to make sure "stuff" gets done in my absence.  We use the heck out of the dry erase board.  Today was successful.

I walked for 30 minutes.  It was cool and sunny and smelled of spring.  I am hoping to repeat our success tomorrow . . .

EG

A week ago Friday, EG got to spend the morning with a very good friend of hers.  It was her friend's birthday and her friend's mom took them to get pedicures and shopping and then out to lunch.  They had such a great time!

This is a picture of EG getting her feet washed (and boy did they need it.)  Her feet are super ticklish and she was holding on to the armchair because she was giggling so much.

We are truly thankful for our forever friends . . .