Random

Fall greetings


After the rain a spider made this beautiful web by our back house

Silence is golden

But here's some funny pictures I came across just to make you smile!...... be happy with the way you are and.... HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Camera crazy

Today  Devin gets the bright idea to take lots of pictures...yes it's finally happened...Devin's gone camera crazy! Mike was a good sport about it all (who dosen't like picture taking) So I snapped a few shots ....then handed the camera over to Devin....ahhhhh! A six year old boy who has the energy of 10, holding the camera. But he did surprisingly well, he asked me to make some weird faces and then we took some crazy ones of us together, then he wanted me to take some of us playing crazy 8's. We had a "crazy" time and here's the pictures to prove it!

For Dad

I know I'm a day late, but I just wanted to wish my Dad a very HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Thank you for your love & care. I know we haven't spent that much time together over the years, but when we do you always make our time special and I can look back on it and smile. Thank you for all that you do for us "kids". Your in my thoughts and prayers!
I love you Dad! Happy Birthday! xoxo

horses

WOW it's COLD today!

Not much happening, so I'll just post some pictures of our neighbors horses. Their so beautiful! They come right up to our fence and the kids get to pet them!

A blustery day

It was a cold blustery day. Rained for most of the day so we all stayed inside and huddled under our blankets....we decieded play games and bake cookies, heat up some hot chocolate and watch a movie! So that's what we did...and the kids had fun. It hasn't rained here in some time so it was good. I love fall time and the cool weather that it brings, the humidity is gone and there's just this beautiful crisp breeze in the air. Ahhh the simple joys of life!

Andre and Tati Kids huddled together around the table ready to play....BINGO
Teen girls playing CLUE...
Kids making cookie shapes..
Devin being my happy helper in making the batter...
More shapes...
Isn't Aime the cutest?


Devin hard at work

My little musician

Before we went on our trip we asked Devin if there was anything he would like us to bring back for him.... he said a small guitar! So while I was in Baja a friend took me to a outside market where they were selling just about anything you can think of. My eye caught this small guitar and my friend asked how much they were selling it for, they said $18 bucks! So my friend went on to bargain with this guy in Spanish and got him to come down to $8.00! Yeay!
So now Devin has his cute little guitar which he plays from time to time. I tried teaching him a few cords & strumming but it's hard to do so being that it's so small. Anyway he likes it and is enjoying it!

Joy unspeakable

I arrvied home Friday night and was greeted by my little guy with out streched arms!
Ohhhh how I missed him, I think we hugged for a good five minutes ha! I've got some of the sweetest people in my house who were there to help with Devin and keep the home running and even in our coming home, taking care of me and making sure I have everything I need, they really are the best and I love you guys! I've been feeling a little under the weather since coming back, not to worry it's just a head cold and achy body. My digestive system is working fine and I haven't had any pain. Mike was a real angel during the seminar, he made sure I had all the right food I needed to eat and that I got my rest. And not only that he also cooked for all the girls that were rooming next to us. He became the for all the ladies and some of the guys to that were in need of some good food. He will be remembered!
Ohhh and the joy and happiness I felt in seeing everyone again, and meeting many new faces & getting to know you all a bit better. I can't express how thankful I am that I was able to be with you all during that time. I love you all so much and am only sorry I didn't get to know some of you better but you're all in my thoughts and prayers.
I've got a lot to be thankful for!!!!

keep on, keeping on

I've been keeping busy with Devin's school, home care and such.
Then there's my health, which I've been battling with. I try not to get discouraged but I do feel sad and frustrated at times about the relapse I've had and to think of all the progress I made that's gone and I'm back at square one. At the time of my relapse I believe I was trying to many new foods to fast because I was feeling better and stronger but I wasn't being as careful as I should have been and now I'm suffering for it. There's still so much I need to learn about my condition and how my body reacts to foods. It's a real test of self disciple and not giving up. I am truly thankful for all the progress that I have made, I just need to keep on the right track and take things slow. I've made so many mistakes and I really beat myself up about it, but that's one thing I can't do, as they say worry and stress can cause an upset stomach and bad indigestion. So that's a little bit about what's going on with me. I don't like to talk about it to much because I don't want to sound negitive or depressed. It's just one of those things I'm learning to endure. So keep me in your prayers!

On a lighter note: Mike and me will be taking off to Sunny Cal. tomorrow to see friends and attained the seminar. It will be a nice break and so good to see everyone again, I've missed you so! I do hope I'll get a chance to see you all before we leave. Please pray for our flight that everything goes smoothly and I won't have any pain. Devin will be staying back with his grandparents and all the other wonderful people in our home. A big thank you to all who are staying back and keeping our homes running, enabling us to go. We couldn't have made it without you!


Here's just a few random pictures of Devin....I will miss him!

Fishy mouth...

Art & craft time, we made this baby chick outfit for him.


The curls!

Prayer

Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, let me sow pardon; where there is doubt, let me sow faith; where there is despair, let me sow hope; where there is sadness, let me sow joy; where there is darkness, let me sow the light.
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
O, Master, that I may not seek to be consoled but to console; not to be understood but to understand; not to be loved but rather to love; For it is in giving that we will receive; and in forgiving that we are forgiven; and in dying that we are born again to eternal life.

Hard at work

Mike does a lot of work around the yard and I always manage to miss it as I'm in the house teaching. So the last few days I snuck out with camera in hand to get some shots of him at work... he won't like this one bit. 

Here's our new truck we got from a friend.

Zech, Mike and Andre spent an afternoon, tuning, cleaning and repairing it.


Yes, we have a boat on our property, not ours but it's here for now. And there's Mike working on digging a *leach line.
(*is that how you spell it?)


Hard work out in the hot sun!

school stuff

I've been teaching Devin in our living room for awhile until recently we got a new school desk for him....yeay! He really like it and it seems to inspire him to have more fun doing his school. Although he does get frustrated with the writing he has to do. He's a very good reader but when it comes to writing sentences, he lacks that inspiration. It's funny, sometimes he'll start yawning saying he's tired and then he begins to stretch his hands and fingers after very line he writes, which actually is something I taught him, just not after every line he writes though ha!
So I came up with a reward system, where after he finishes one page of writing without yawning and making excuses, he can then go over to this picture board of a park and place a person or animal on it. This has helped improve his work and he goes much faster so he can place something on the board.
He's doing very well in his reading and has finished 7 "Tommy & Meg" readers already. I'm so thankful it's going well. I love that little guy!

Play ball

Here's some pictures of the volleyball game.

Mike the wonderful host and cook.


Teens hanging out

We didn't have anything except the ball, so the guys put up those poles in the ground, tied a red rope across, outlined the court with hoses and in a matter of minutes we had a volleyball court, ha! You've got to make do with what you've got!

  Mike took some time today to fix up that area.We'll get a nice net and maybe even sand. It'll take a little time but in the end it should look like a nice court.