Quick Family News

First ... here is a post with pictures that you might enjoy ... http://eaglenestmom.blogspot.com/2012/08/peek-at-two-weeks-mayhem-and.html
the doings and going ons of our last two weeks.


This will just be a really quick update ... most things here are "status quo".  You can watch for my goals post on the other blog if you want the nitty gritty details.


Tim is still job hunting - he spends time online every day hunting and submitting resumes.  He had some really strong nibbles last month .. but nothing panned out.  On the plus side, volley ball season has started, so he's been gone for several long all day events.  Games should continue to pick up throughout September and well into October before the end of the season tournaments happen and then there will be a few weeks of overlap with the basketball season, which then runs through February (though December can be quite slow).  Of course, the goal is to put back enough money to get us through the next summer - we came pretty close this year, but still had to come up with extra funds on several occasions.

We have not started school back up yet - though we've been working 3 - 5 hours every day for the past week, and most of last week trying to get it sorted and cleaned up.  There is just SO MUCH to go through!   We also spend a few hours of the day on cleaning and cooking and the normal daily chores.  And most of us blog or write on something for an hour or two - I let them as it is a means to relax and unwind while keeping the brains thinking.   You know the saying about all work and no play?   We've also been sorting and cleaning out closets and rooms for another 2 - 3 hours each day.  Plus the kids have been memorizing Hebrews 11 for our summer church activities.  Kendra passed hers off a few weeks ago - and has earned a ticket to six flags.  Vannan is working hard on it, but she struggles memorizing long passages like this.  Joel only has to learn the first 10 verses, but I haven't had time to work with him - he's been spending a lot of time playing outside or entertaining Rue.  He has it on his MP3 player, and Vannan turns it on every night, and they sleep listening to it.

I HOPE to get school started by the middle of September - at least 2 or 3 hours each day.  BUT we first have to finish the school room and Tim has to move into the office so we have our computers.   We didn't buy curriculum this year, and a larger part of our learning will be things we complement with computer research and printed activities.  I've been increasingly winging the school day ... but this year we will really be pushing it to new heights.  Joel is excited that he will be able to do a lot more science and listen to more books, and do more drawing.   Since most of my curriculum is reusable, we have plenty of resources.

Current Prayer requests ...

1.  Tim to get himself moved into the office and get the internet switched over for the downstairs usage.
2.  For us to be able to sort and manage the overhaul of the school room.  The dust is really getting to some of us.  But there is just so much to sort through!  And once we have the school room completed, there  is all of the house next door to whip back into shape as well as continued work on the upstairs area.   Much of this has a due date of 6 - 8 weeks from now.
3.  My aunt as she finalizes her moving decisions and her packing.
4.  Inspiration for Kendra to finish up her last few classes - she would much rather blog and write books.   She still has a LOT of history and science to do, but she is almost finished with her other subjects - and if she cracked down, she could be finished by Christmas - with everything except the History and Science.  (She actually loves school - but she adds so much reading/ writing to her subjects that it takes her an extra long time to get some things done ... ).   I wish I had something for her to work toward as a prize for graduation.
4.  Mamaw - she's doing really good, but it has been a few weeks since we were able to stop by.  Maybe we can swing by this week.   Pray for her continued health.  Uncle Roy commented that they are approaching their 49th anniversary in November ....and it would be wonderful if she made it to their 50th.
5.  My dad to have the time to get all the tasks completed that he has lined up to do.
6.  Closer for our car accident .... with good results.
7.  Wisdom and patience as we deal with everything.
8.  Ruezy ... who isn't handling all the changes very well, especially the Daddy gone at bedtime.

and one more thing....

9.  Christmas.  I'm completely out of ideas for useful gifts that we can afford and make, and mostly have supplies on hand.  I really dislike giving useless clutter - I know the thought is what counts - but I want people to know how much we really do appreciate them without cluttering up their homes or the gift ending up in the garbage.   We are talking about a budget of $50 for everything - gifts, mailing Christmas cards, and anything else that we do, and maybe not even that much.  I have paint, beads, and foam shapes on hand .... but no ideas.  Vannan also has a huge stack of wisteria wreathes that she made 2 years ago.
If anyone has ideas or inspiration - we sure would love to hear it!   Because we are making things ... we need to start soon ... I have 27 nieces and nephews!   (That $50 also includes what we do for ourselves.)
 It really feels like we just did Christmas, since many things got shoved into corners and shelves until "our friends moved back to their home ... and we get the school room back organized."   Joel is so excited that he'll be able to play with his Science kits and Legos soon.






Our love to all of you.  Drop us a note or leave a comment.  So we know you are praying for us.  We keep many of you in our prayers.  Love and Hugs to you.

June 1 - 5, 2012

 

Only 3 months behind now.

So, this is how we started our summer.

With high hopes,

and a long to do list.

 

2012-06-01\IMG_7735.JPG   V and her bunny. It's asleep. Spoilt little thing.   Too funny.

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2012-06-02\IMG_7746.JPG   One Saturday, V decided to try something brand new. She got out her recipes and went to work. Joel was a willing accomplice.

And WAFFLES were the result. AWESOME!

Papa took the door off of the hinges. He also took the refrigerator to use in his shop. It IS HIS refrigerator.   But after 15 minutes of the girls attempting to fix the door, the asked Uncle T to help them. And he gallantly came to their rescue.

This has left a "very useful hole" in the room.

Joel and Rue continued to investigate the rainbows in the kitchen.

I love this picture. Rue has a rainbow in her hair.

They began investigating with different colors of cups.   Joel also noticed that his "pet rainbows" didn't visit if it was raining outside. And only in the evening.

Supper   Kendra's spaghetti and garden beans (can you tell which ones were canned?)   already our beans were tapering off.

On Sunday, We made crowns in Jr. Church.   There is a whole post about it on the Eagle Nest Blog.

Kendra knitted kindle kover.

Monday Back to watching TV with his bunny.

Rue's favorite thing. Cutting! (except when she's trying to sneak and listen to one of the big kids MP3 players.)

Exploring with a magnet on a string he found.

Found a box next door. Brought it over here. They worked HARD.

It was a box of their favorite toys. It was heavy!

But OH SO worth the effort.

Further investigations of the rainbows.

My  44th birthday present and cake.   The present was from my in-laws. the kids made the cake.

These pictures were sent with Picasa, from Google. Try it out here: http://picasa.google.com/

May 26 - 31 ... The END of May 2012

Needing money (back in May) ...

I've been selling off all of the baby things.

Or at least as much as would sell.

Such as the pack and play.

Gone.

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2012-05-26\IMG_7659.JPG And that left a big hole for the kids to play in... at least for a few days.

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First Tomatoes out of our garden.

2012-05-28\IMG_7672.JPG With our company gone from next door - we moved school and computers next door. The goal was to organize the houses.

2012-05-28\IMG_7676.JPG Ruezy climbing a tree.

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Kendra and her computer next door.

Vannan's school and computer set up.

2012-05-28\IMG_7685.JPG This quickly became a favorite spot to sit - beside Mommy.

2012-05-28\IMG_7689.JPG I just LOVE my kids toes. What is it about little feet that is so precious?

2012-05-29\IMG_7695.JPG Now that Rue was potty trained. She got to work training all of her little dolls.

2012-05-29\IMG_7697.JPG Potty training takes a lot of patience.

2012-05-30\IMG_7706.JPG This discovery led to a summer long investigation and fascination with light.

2012-05-30\IMG_7719.JPG Does this outfit look familiar? It should! http://weshallmountupwithwings.blogspot.com/2010/05/aunt-cindys-been-sewing.html

2012-05-31\IMG_7733.JPG Joel loved his baby bunny - and held it nearly constantly.

2012-05-31\IMG_7734.JPG I don't know what has become of it. I finally made them put it outside with the rest of the rabbits. They went to a garage sale and haven't returned home. Though 2 of the 5 died of heat exhaustion. Ruth is trying really hard to get them sold for Vannan, and while they were on vacation, we stopped to feed up, and forgot to put back down the shade flap ... so the two deaths were our own fault.

These pictures were sent with Picasa, from Google. Try it out here: http://picasa.google.com/