We really enjoyed a taste of spring weather today. We were blessed by the company of the neighbor girls, Quick as a Wink and Princess Pea. They begged, "Mrs. B can we pleeeeeeease go to the special spot?" It was a delight to grant their request as the snow finally melted a path for Princess Pea to walk. But she didn't walk, she RAN! We have a lot of trees and woods right here in my yard, but there is somthing enchanting about a cluster of cedar trees situated by a trickling creek.
Appetites were roaring when we returned and I felt oh so blessed to be able to fill four hungry tummies. Hot dogs, mac and cheese, carrot sticks, cheese and crackers and strawberries for desert!
"Mrs. Bemis, I weft my back pack at da special spot." said Princess Pea.
"Well, we'll just have to go get it."
So we walked to the creek once more and then it was time to take them home.
"Mrs. Bemis I forgot my tiger at your house!" declared Princess Pea.
"That's ok! I'll see you tomorrow and I promise to take good care of him tonight."
That closes another chapter in our storybooks. I can't describe the wonderful good feelng of being a stay at home mome, the flexibility of homeschooling, a christian homeschooling neighbor, a husband the works so hard, and a loving Savior to make it all complete!
Monday, March 1, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Happy Birthday Cutie Pie
God truly blessed us with a Sweetheart! Born on Valentine's Eve, Cutie Pie has blessed our lives with so much love. He didn't want a great big party, but he was pleasantly surprised when I told him that the two neighbor girls would be spending the night and eating cake with us.
I insisted the girls bring NO gift with them! So the eldest girl, that I shall call Quick as a Wink, made these awesome penguin sculptures from Sculpey Clay that we baked in the oven and said to Cutie Pie, "Here, this one is for your birthday." That penguin has earned a very special spot in our house : )
Here is an alarm Quick as a Wink made also!
Sweetness made a dog
And aside from stepping on these little beads the next day which drove me to a vacuuming frenzy this craft really keeps hands and heads busy!
I might add that we had a delightful Valentines day as well. The three pink roses are Sweetness' and the red ones are mine.
I leave you with a picture of February 2010! That's my Treasure Hunter! Using what he has and doing the best he can ; )
I insisted the girls bring NO gift with them! So the eldest girl, that I shall call Quick as a Wink, made these awesome penguin sculptures from Sculpey Clay that we baked in the oven and said to Cutie Pie, "Here, this one is for your birthday." That penguin has earned a very special spot in our house : )
Here is an alarm Quick as a Wink made also!
Sweetness made a dog
And aside from stepping on these little beads the next day which drove me to a vacuuming frenzy this craft really keeps hands and heads busy!
I might add that we had a delightful Valentines day as well. The three pink roses are Sweetness' and the red ones are mine.
I leave you with a picture of February 2010! That's my Treasure Hunter! Using what he has and doing the best he can ; )
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Life in 2' of Snow and No Electricity
Winter 2009-2010 will definitely be one for the record books! We haven’t had this much snow since Cutie Pie was born February 2003 when I thought we would be unable to make it home from the hospital! We made it praise the Lord and then was stuck for 3 days. I remember the electricity going off the very next morning, but thankfully was restored before bedtime. We weren‘t so fortunate this last go round. We lost electricity 1 a.m. Friday until 3 p.m. Monday. Being experienced w/ power outages since I married Treasure Hunter and we moved to the country, I had stored flushing, washing and drinking water. However, come Monday morning I was beginning to melt snow!
We were spoiled with a generator that kept our freezer full of venison running. We also ran the fridge, tv, coffee pot, electric griddle, and microwave. The only thing I missed was running water. And I also miss our walks to the creek. Two feet of snow is just too much to trudge through especially considering that Cutie Pie is only 3’. But we have been taking Eve for walks up our plowed road then let her off the leash on the way back. She wanted to run up into the woods so bad!. She would climb upon the snow bank, dive over into the ditch and fall into snow up to her nose! We laughed and laughed!
So here we are now waiting for another storm that should only drop up to 12” this time. I am so thankful that Cutie Pie has planned his birthday celebration to be dinner at Country Cookin’ and a trip to Radio Shack to get an MP3 player. He's not one for crowds or drawing attention to himself and although I think he is too young for an MP3 I am thankful he wants something besides an American Girl Doll.
Treasure Hunter moved my truck out from 2’ of snow and pushed the snow into our yard to make room for more! I asked him, “Where would I be without you?”
“Living in town.” he replied.
I am so thankful that the Lord has put me right where I am and that he is replenishing the ground with much needed moisture! LET IT SNOW!
We were spoiled with a generator that kept our freezer full of venison running. We also ran the fridge, tv, coffee pot, electric griddle, and microwave. The only thing I missed was running water. And I also miss our walks to the creek. Two feet of snow is just too much to trudge through especially considering that Cutie Pie is only 3’. But we have been taking Eve for walks up our plowed road then let her off the leash on the way back. She wanted to run up into the woods so bad!. She would climb upon the snow bank, dive over into the ditch and fall into snow up to her nose! We laughed and laughed!
So here we are now waiting for another storm that should only drop up to 12” this time. I am so thankful that Cutie Pie has planned his birthday celebration to be dinner at Country Cookin’ and a trip to Radio Shack to get an MP3 player. He's not one for crowds or drawing attention to himself and although I think he is too young for an MP3 I am thankful he wants something besides an American Girl Doll.
Treasure Hunter moved my truck out from 2’ of snow and pushed the snow into our yard to make room for more! I asked him, “Where would I be without you?”
“Living in town.” he replied.
I am so thankful that the Lord has put me right where I am and that he is replenishing the ground with much needed moisture! LET IT SNOW!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Peace Like a River
Goodness it’s been a long time since I’ve written to you my beloved blog : ) My mind has been in a lot of different places lately.
We had a very White Christmas.
Sweetness made a beautiful cake for Jesus this year.
Our plans to go to the beach was cancelled, however we brought some of the beach to our house!
And my sweet hubby bought me a Pfaff sewing machine! Look what I made! It's a tree skirt!
2010 has gotten off to a good start. We’re taking daily walks to the creek! We enjoy walking atop crunchy snow, watching Eve dig and bite at the ice as if she was dying of thirst although water was all around her!
You can still play in the creek when it’s freezing if you dress properly and position yourself just right so you don't fall in! Today I made sure she had on boots instead of her crocs without socks!
Cutie Pie LOVES his sister's coat! For that matter he LOVES everything about her, except when she whistles : /
School is going really well. Sweetness’ lapbook is near completion. She has been reading lots of books about sea shells and writing down what she’s learned. She is illustrating and making booklets from photographs she has taken of her shells. She is also learning about measurements, diameters, etc. She got her HUGE spider conch shell in the mail today.
We are studying about rivers and visiting Germany. Our new read aloud is a bust, so it's back to the online library catalog! However,t Cutie Pie loves the Seven Silly Eaters! It’s an awesome rhyming book about a mama w/ seven kids who are picky eaters. We have a math CD in the mail along with Piano for Quitters DVD!
Well, that's all I have time for now! I am JOYFUL today, and looking forward to tomorrow, because God is faithful!
We had a very White Christmas.
Sweetness made a beautiful cake for Jesus this year.
Our plans to go to the beach was cancelled, however we brought some of the beach to our house!
And my sweet hubby bought me a Pfaff sewing machine! Look what I made! It's a tree skirt!
2010 has gotten off to a good start. We’re taking daily walks to the creek! We enjoy walking atop crunchy snow, watching Eve dig and bite at the ice as if she was dying of thirst although water was all around her!
You can still play in the creek when it’s freezing if you dress properly and position yourself just right so you don't fall in! Today I made sure she had on boots instead of her crocs without socks!
Cutie Pie LOVES his sister's coat! For that matter he LOVES everything about her, except when she whistles : /
School is going really well. Sweetness’ lapbook is near completion. She has been reading lots of books about sea shells and writing down what she’s learned. She is illustrating and making booklets from photographs she has taken of her shells. She is also learning about measurements, diameters, etc. She got her HUGE spider conch shell in the mail today.
We are studying about rivers and visiting Germany. Our new read aloud is a bust, so it's back to the online library catalog! However,t Cutie Pie loves the Seven Silly Eaters! It’s an awesome rhyming book about a mama w/ seven kids who are picky eaters. We have a math CD in the mail along with Piano for Quitters DVD!
Well, that's all I have time for now! I am JOYFUL today, and looking forward to tomorrow, because God is faithful!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Keeper's at Home
My prayer for Heartfelt Homeschool is that God would teach us what we need to know to further His Kingdom. There are many activities for children to participate and before becoming actively involved I try to remember to pray about it before diving in. I want whatever we do to be glorifying to God and there have been times when we’ve passed the boundary that leads to the path of destruction. Worldly pleasures are disguised in sheep’s clothing. Thank you God for gently pulling us back onto the right road.
God’s Word tells the older women to teach the younger women to be keeper’s at home! So I prayed the Lord would send these older women into our lives to teach us! Why am I so amazed when God answers prayers? He is amazing! For God has sent us Mrs. Jenny & Mrs. Lisa. Mrs. Jenny, from Mennonite heritage, mother of 7, grandmother of 12, has graciously offered to share her gift of sewing with young moms and daughters. She invited us to her home where she showed us her grandfather’s 100 year old quilt hand sewn from men’s leftover shirts. I'd have that thing framed!
We picked our first quilting patterns and began quilting class last Saturday and plan to meet every Saturday this winter. What a blessing for her to share her time and talents with us.
And Mrs. Lisa is a lady of many talents who serves the Lord with a heart of gladness! She is the one who organized our quilting bee and recruited Mrs. Jenny to help. Lisa’s vision is for us all to create gifts that will bless those in need.
So here are some pictures of our first projects.
Sweetness and her quilt
This is my tree skirt. It was altered by the faux 1/4" on my sewing machine and didn't turn out "perfect" although it still wraps nicely around the tree.
I am feeling very guilty for desiring a new sewing machine, but if I'm serious about quilting it's a must have. So I'll leave it in the Lord's hands. As Mrs. Jenny says, "Everything I own belongs to the Lord and I must share my blessings. You're welcome to take my machine home and use it all you like." I just couldn't do that, but we sure do like going to her house and sewing.
Stay tuned. Cutie Pie got stung by the quilting bee too!
God’s Word tells the older women to teach the younger women to be keeper’s at home! So I prayed the Lord would send these older women into our lives to teach us! Why am I so amazed when God answers prayers? He is amazing! For God has sent us Mrs. Jenny & Mrs. Lisa. Mrs. Jenny, from Mennonite heritage, mother of 7, grandmother of 12, has graciously offered to share her gift of sewing with young moms and daughters. She invited us to her home where she showed us her grandfather’s 100 year old quilt hand sewn from men’s leftover shirts. I'd have that thing framed!
We picked our first quilting patterns and began quilting class last Saturday and plan to meet every Saturday this winter. What a blessing for her to share her time and talents with us.
And Mrs. Lisa is a lady of many talents who serves the Lord with a heart of gladness! She is the one who organized our quilting bee and recruited Mrs. Jenny to help. Lisa’s vision is for us all to create gifts that will bless those in need.
So here are some pictures of our first projects.
Sweetness and her quilt
This is my tree skirt. It was altered by the faux 1/4" on my sewing machine and didn't turn out "perfect" although it still wraps nicely around the tree.
I am feeling very guilty for desiring a new sewing machine, but if I'm serious about quilting it's a must have. So I'll leave it in the Lord's hands. As Mrs. Jenny says, "Everything I own belongs to the Lord and I must share my blessings. You're welcome to take my machine home and use it all you like." I just couldn't do that, but we sure do like going to her house and sewing.
Stay tuned. Cutie Pie got stung by the quilting bee too!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Family Fun
November would not be the same if it were not for Thanksgiving celebration or our B family's annual visit. Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle and Aunt arrived on Sunday with lots of hugs for the children
We enjoyed a few good days of weather and we took G'ma and Aunt Shelly to one of our favorite places that we don't hike alone. I forgot my camera, but here is a picture from last year at the same place! Grandma likes it there as much as we do : )
The weather turned rainy as a noreaster dawned upon us the third day of their visit. So we did a lot of shopping and so thankful that Grandma loves the thrift stores too!
The time passed by so quickly and it was time to say goodbye. I regret not taking pictures of Grandma doing crafts with the kids. Sweetness wore the shirt they painted w/ fabric paint for two days! They really enjoy time with their grandparents and are making arrangements to meet them at the beach next year! We're thinking of exlploring the northern atlantic for a change.
Some may say, "it's good to see 'em come and good to see 'em go!" And while this is true there tends to come a tinge of loneliness when a house empties. So Treasure Hunter decided we would have a fun day -- just us four after church on Sunday. We packed a picnic lunch and drove to Big Meadows on Skyline Drive! We have been living here for 16 years and this was our first time up there! It was gorgeous and we realized as we gazed upon the mountains and looked at the map that we were in our backyard!
After eating our lunch with our jackets on we started on an adventurous trail walk. Lewis Falls is just 1.2 miles. Sounds easy enough! Cutie Pie attempted to push rocks off the ledge!
We said, "peek-a-boo" to some deer.
Analyzed the shelter probabilities of an overhang.
And found some freshwater mollusk shells? This made Sweetness (who is wild about seashells since our visit to the beach) so very happy!
She needed this extra boost to help her continue this 1.2 mile trail that suddenly became arduous!
Notice we lost the jackets? It was quite warm on the west side of the mountain!
And look what was at the end of our trail. OK. Not exactly Niagara, but hey they're hard to beat.
I knew going down this trail that going back up would be TOUGH! For Sweetness and I that is. Treasure Hunter gained at least 100 yards on us and Cutie Pie was amazingly keeping up with his daddy's stride. I had to kick into story mode for Sweetness or she would have moaned the rest of the way back all the while taking breaks every 25 feet. She became engrossed in the story of the little girl who rescued freshwater mollusk shells?? from a tyrant hunter and completely forgot about the physical exertion required to reach the top. I'll have to share one of my toe biting goat stories with my blog viewers some day.
We were nearly at the end of the trail and my imagination being zapped when Treasure Hunter motioned for us to come forward. Quickly, but quietly, we scurried up the trail and once our eyes focused beheld this breathtaking sight.
Can't see him? How's this for a close up!
He sat still as a statue and let me take multiple pictures of him!
What a wonderful ending eh? I dare say the Falls were a bit disappointing, but it was worth the walk up and down that hill to see that owl! I heard my first owl hooting in the woods around our house and now I laid eyes upon that endearing creature!
I'll have more breathtaking pictures to share of something Sweetness and I have been working on. And please don't tell Sweetness that those freshwater mollusk shells are shells alright. Pistachio nut shells! LOL. OK! So I truly didn't know until Treasure Hunter told me. They were laying in a puddle of water! And oddly enough we found the SAME kind of shells in the Chic Filet parking lot yesterday! OK STOP LAUGHING! Homeschooling is for parents who want an extended education because they slept through the first! And enchantments are for childhood, so why not be a fairy tale!
Until next time please enjoy the repetitive tune that Cutie Pie recently learned on the piano.
Thank you God for your beautiful Creations and for your Word that has no end!
Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed,
Or the golden bowl is broken,
Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain,
Or the wheel broken at the well.
Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
And the spirit will return to God who gave it.
Ecclesiastes 12:6-7
We enjoyed a few good days of weather and we took G'ma and Aunt Shelly to one of our favorite places that we don't hike alone. I forgot my camera, but here is a picture from last year at the same place! Grandma likes it there as much as we do : )
The weather turned rainy as a noreaster dawned upon us the third day of their visit. So we did a lot of shopping and so thankful that Grandma loves the thrift stores too!
The time passed by so quickly and it was time to say goodbye. I regret not taking pictures of Grandma doing crafts with the kids. Sweetness wore the shirt they painted w/ fabric paint for two days! They really enjoy time with their grandparents and are making arrangements to meet them at the beach next year! We're thinking of exlploring the northern atlantic for a change.
Some may say, "it's good to see 'em come and good to see 'em go!" And while this is true there tends to come a tinge of loneliness when a house empties. So Treasure Hunter decided we would have a fun day -- just us four after church on Sunday. We packed a picnic lunch and drove to Big Meadows on Skyline Drive! We have been living here for 16 years and this was our first time up there! It was gorgeous and we realized as we gazed upon the mountains and looked at the map that we were in our backyard!
After eating our lunch with our jackets on we started on an adventurous trail walk. Lewis Falls is just 1.2 miles. Sounds easy enough! Cutie Pie attempted to push rocks off the ledge!
We said, "peek-a-boo" to some deer.
Analyzed the shelter probabilities of an overhang.
And found some freshwater mollusk shells? This made Sweetness (who is wild about seashells since our visit to the beach) so very happy!
She needed this extra boost to help her continue this 1.2 mile trail that suddenly became arduous!
Notice we lost the jackets? It was quite warm on the west side of the mountain!
And look what was at the end of our trail. OK. Not exactly Niagara, but hey they're hard to beat.
I knew going down this trail that going back up would be TOUGH! For Sweetness and I that is. Treasure Hunter gained at least 100 yards on us and Cutie Pie was amazingly keeping up with his daddy's stride. I had to kick into story mode for Sweetness or she would have moaned the rest of the way back all the while taking breaks every 25 feet. She became engrossed in the story of the little girl who rescued freshwater mollusk shells?? from a tyrant hunter and completely forgot about the physical exertion required to reach the top. I'll have to share one of my toe biting goat stories with my blog viewers some day.
We were nearly at the end of the trail and my imagination being zapped when Treasure Hunter motioned for us to come forward. Quickly, but quietly, we scurried up the trail and once our eyes focused beheld this breathtaking sight.
Can't see him? How's this for a close up!
He sat still as a statue and let me take multiple pictures of him!
What a wonderful ending eh? I dare say the Falls were a bit disappointing, but it was worth the walk up and down that hill to see that owl! I heard my first owl hooting in the woods around our house and now I laid eyes upon that endearing creature!
I'll have more breathtaking pictures to share of something Sweetness and I have been working on. And please don't tell Sweetness that those freshwater mollusk shells are shells alright. Pistachio nut shells! LOL. OK! So I truly didn't know until Treasure Hunter told me. They were laying in a puddle of water! And oddly enough we found the SAME kind of shells in the Chic Filet parking lot yesterday! OK STOP LAUGHING! Homeschooling is for parents who want an extended education because they slept through the first! And enchantments are for childhood, so why not be a fairy tale!
Until next time please enjoy the repetitive tune that Cutie Pie recently learned on the piano.
Thank you God for your beautiful Creations and for your Word that has no end!
Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed,
Or the golden bowl is broken,
Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain,
Or the wheel broken at the well.
Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
And the spirit will return to God who gave it.
Ecclesiastes 12:6-7
Friday, October 23, 2009
Pumpkin Patch 2009
Can you believe there is only one more week in October? We had a field trip planned for haywagon ride, apple and pumpkin picking, but we were majorly rained out! The weather turned gorgeous again this week so we decided we had better get to the pumpkin patch!
The leaves are so pretty I can't resist taking pictures.
School is going well. WE have developed a routine that seems to be working most days. We begin with prayer and Bible reading. We are reading through the book of Matthew and memorizing scriptures along the way. The kids have done an amazing job memorizing the Beattitudes. We then continue our cozy couch time while I read aloud to them. Usually a science or geography related picture book. Then the children take turns reading to me. Cutie Pie enjoys reading the Henry and Mudge series by Cynthia Rylant and Sweetness reads a variety of books like the Chincoteague Pony, the 18 Cent Goose, Who Eats What etc...
Then it is tabletime where copywork, phonics, spelling, math, science and geography work is done. We do touch on a little history while visiting different countries in our geography studies. The children's favorite activity is to place the appropriate country flat on their passport and then color a picture of the flag. Canda was easy, there was only one color. I like to tell them what the symbols on the flag represent. We also read missionary stories from these countries and pray for various needs the people have. And do art related projects like leaf rubbings this week.
We have also began walking each morning before school and I feel this exercise gets the brain flowing. We actually don't begin school until after lunch as full tummies and exercised bodies makes a more relaxed subdued child ; ) WE usually finish up just in time to begin dinner. The only other thing we need to get back to is foreign language!
THEN! It's read aloud time in the evening and that is another favorite time. We read Tikta Liktak about an Inuit Indian who had quite an adventure on his search for food during a lean year. Amazing journey!
Well, that is it. Gotta get ready for another day that the Lord has Made! I will rejoice and be glad in it!
The leaves are so pretty I can't resist taking pictures.
School is going well. WE have developed a routine that seems to be working most days. We begin with prayer and Bible reading. We are reading through the book of Matthew and memorizing scriptures along the way. The kids have done an amazing job memorizing the Beattitudes. We then continue our cozy couch time while I read aloud to them. Usually a science or geography related picture book. Then the children take turns reading to me. Cutie Pie enjoys reading the Henry and Mudge series by Cynthia Rylant and Sweetness reads a variety of books like the Chincoteague Pony, the 18 Cent Goose, Who Eats What etc...
Then it is tabletime where copywork, phonics, spelling, math, science and geography work is done. We do touch on a little history while visiting different countries in our geography studies. The children's favorite activity is to place the appropriate country flat on their passport and then color a picture of the flag. Canda was easy, there was only one color. I like to tell them what the symbols on the flag represent. We also read missionary stories from these countries and pray for various needs the people have. And do art related projects like leaf rubbings this week.
We have also began walking each morning before school and I feel this exercise gets the brain flowing. We actually don't begin school until after lunch as full tummies and exercised bodies makes a more relaxed subdued child ; ) WE usually finish up just in time to begin dinner. The only other thing we need to get back to is foreign language!
THEN! It's read aloud time in the evening and that is another favorite time. We read Tikta Liktak about an Inuit Indian who had quite an adventure on his search for food during a lean year. Amazing journey!
Well, that is it. Gotta get ready for another day that the Lord has Made! I will rejoice and be glad in it!
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