Sweet treat!

So we have the brown box all labeled and the miss understanding of the sweet treat... I had guessed there were 30 Cadbury cream eggs for my birthday inside.. So hubby in teasing had asked if I had enjoyed me sweet treat.. Last night he brought me home some cream eggs to enjoy... 30 of them would = added pounds! :)

Birthday soon...

I came home from a day at work to discover this....


Box labeled on one side to me... Then it tells me on top I am not to open it for a good 5 days... I find this not to be a good surprise... More of a taunting unkind act, because really this box could be nothing more than an empty box wrapped with writing on it!! Then to receive a message asking if I enjoyed part of my gift that I have yet to be "allowed" to open. I am not amused at all... And sure don't want. Birthday party, for more reasons that one!

Zoo!!! PASSES!!!

Every year the kids and I get zoo passes for the local zoo. We have a great friend who loves to encourage us to go or we encourage her to go. I love that because we homeschool we can avoid the crowds that come on the weekends, and we can take great advantage of the beautiful days and be flexible and go when we want. We tend to not go in the Summer time either but will when it's a rare cooler morning. 3 trips and the pass is well worth it, and we always make great use of them. Taking packed lunch, snacks and drinks along we simply need gas and the drive there. The kids and adults alike always enjoy a zoo trip. Here are a few snap shots I got with my phone today.

A dream come true!

This here is our pop up camper!

Inside

Another inside view.

We or shall I say I have wanted a pop up camper for a few years now. We have tent camped. Last tent trip was with just 3 kids and a very pregnant me. The van was packed to the roof and well where would we pup baby if we camped with her too! Let's just say we never did tent camp with baby girl, she was much to crabby in her 1st year of baby hood at night. So last year was limited to just one trip to a cabin in a state park. So I have pulled down all the curtains, and removed all the cushion covers including the mattress covers and washed them. They needed to hang to dry and we had snow coming to we closed up the camper and I have a box and bag with the fresh and clean curtains and cushion covers, awaiting the next string of warm and rain free days. Those days are forecasted to arrive this up coming week, so I will be able to get into the camper and give the canvas a good wash down with Tilex. (its what the owners manual says to use) Steph needs to re-caulk all the roof, and we'll wash down the roof and sides. A friend plans to check the brakes on the camper for us, and he is also going to fix up our truck so it is all ready to tow out little home away from home. The best part is that we'll be able to pack most of our stuff in the camper and in a box or 2 in the back of the truck! Also the cost of camping in this or a tent is exactly the same! SO excited hope we can get all the things done to our truck come time for our first camping trip or we'll be asking to borrow my father in law's awesome truck to take that trip & I could get spoiled doing that!

So Many adventures are about to take place the first one in just a few weeks!

Happy new year! 2012!

Our School year has gone fabulous this year so far! We too all of December off, and made the decision that we will assume a "year round school schedule" so we will take a month off in the spring and then another month at some point in the summer!! I think it is a fabulous idea! The past years we have taken a long summer break and it has proven to not be beneficial!

So what will 2012 bring us... we are not sure... we shall see what God has in store for us!

Hope this year will be an amazing one with me keeping better tabs on this!

ready for a family room make over.....

So we have lived in our house for 3 years. Sadly I figured, we would only be here all of 3 or 4 years. We thought that even with all the huge houses landing in foreclosure the smaller 3 bedroom "starter homes" seemed to be OK. So that is what we backed down to 3 years ago figuring we could fix up some, resell and move on up to something better suited in size for a family of 5-6. Well Turns out even the "starter home" size market is totally shot, and we still have a good portion of work to do to even make this place compete with the flooded market. We have been tempted to up and move west... and back down with in a day... too much family, friends and such here... though gee the adventure would be pretty neat.. any ways.

Alright about a year ago we got a mini family room make over, sold off our 9year old oversized couch and love seat w/their denim slipcovers for $50, and inherited a green, navy, and maroon couch, and a cocoa colored chair, and I had bought a white/light blue glider. My mom passed on a Green rug, and my sister a green and maroon sash like things for the windows. and a few well decor items. This is not my style at all.. but it was a nice change from the super sized stuff in a tiny space. The $50 got another throw rug and some other misc house items.

I have a new addiction to Pinterest, and now with the truth of we are here for a good long time, I am motivated to find ways to update the look of the house and add some functional pieces that can serve as storage and function with out looking thrown together. Slipcovers much cheaper than new and machine washable.. (wonder if I can get 2 of each??) lol they are still pricey but a spare set makes for nice when a spill happens right before company is due to arrive. :o) Think I have the hubby on board with some of my ideas, not to budget, shop, and work.

Wonder how long it will take to get started?? as in out of the idea stage.

2nd & 3rd Grade English

Loving Primary Language lessons for English!!!! It is for 2nd & 3rd grades, the girls love the simple & short lessons. So does their teacher. The school book originally printed in 1911!!! Love it!! :) We

Simply do this 3 days a week.

Bits of history in our back yard! Well this is not really in our back yard, but our state is full of fun history to enjoy!

So we will enjoy all that we can especially those that only cost a little parking fee :)

Preschool and Baby too!

This year we have a collection of Lauri developmental toys for T, her baby sister is enjoying the stacking pegs too! I have my eyes on the toddler collection of things offered through My Fathers world! Though it is for ages 2+ she had fun! And with close supervision they could be something fun for baby girl to play with only during school & in her chair. Less worry as to what she may be crawling off to get into.

A little test out on the mobile blogging! Loving my iPhone and it could be a fabulous tool in keeping this up! Took the girls to a little park down the road from their dance studio since we had an hour to kill between one Childs class and the other! It was a true hidden gem. I believe we will visit regularly! This was the view from the picnic table we had our snack time at. Awesome!

Our Homeschool 2011/2012

So last year lets just say I totally fell off the face of the earth, with new baby, making us a family of 6, working A LOT, and homeschooling, there was not much time for anything else.  My goal this year is to keep this flowing some how some way.  Especially for far away friends and family.

So here goes.  We started our full time school year this Monday September 12th, being our 4th year of homeschooling....  WOW!!  A little history, 1st year aBeka K (hated it), 2nd year BJU K & 1st (started out ok.. then hated it), 3rd year Alpha Omega lifepacs 2nd & 3rd grade (fabulous..  hit a few bumps with Molly she did Time4learning reviewed K and restarted AO lifepacs 1st grade.... )  So towards the end of our 3rd year I was still not happy with the curriculum, and how homeschool flowed for us.  So I looked at some school house classics from the early 1900s and then made a post on fb about how maybe I would just go with the classics.   A fellow homeschool mom responded with look into the Charlotte Mason method....  interest peaked and I began to research and read.... and read some more....  I wanted homeschool to be fun and for the kids to want to learn.

We attended the homeschool convention and for the 1st time not to just mull over curriculum to buy and score free shipping and 20%off for ordering at the convention... we actually went to listen to some of the speakers.... me as many about homeschooling with toddlers and babies, and Stephan those on the fathers role.  We came out encouraged and ready to totally change the way we would homeschool our girls.  I had been eyeing the My  Father's world curriculum because it is designed around the Charlotte Mason method, and for children of multi grade levels to be taught together.  So we went with it!!!

SO our curriculum this year is Adventures in My Father's World for bible, history/geography, science, art, and "music" we will learn about Tchaikovsky.  Then for Language arts we are using Primary language lessons for 2nd&3rd, then spelling power for 3rd & spelling by sound and structure for 2nd,  Teaching Textbooks for math  Chloe tested @ 4th grade so we went with it, and Molly will begin 3rd grade math in a few months via teaching textbooks as well.  We went with some preschool developmental toys, and she will be working on learning letters and numbers, so far so good.

Looks like we will do lots of fun reading, hands on projects, nature walks, and all in the hopes of making learning though it is tough at times fun!  We added incentive "no complaining" chart to the mix this year, each girl has a card with 25 blocks on it, for each day with no whining or complaining about what is being done for school work & not causing drama during the school hours, they get a little sticker and once the chart is full it = a kids meal at chic fil a!  Talking MOTIVATION!!!!

Mom's view each morning!  LOVING IT! 

and I will do my best to keep these coming!  :o)

Laura Ingalls Wilder

The girls and I have been enjoying the little house book series, written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The older 2 really enjoying learning of what life was like for little girls in Laura's childhood. I am too fascinated with the era. Personally would love much of the simpler ways of living and thinking, but with a few of the modern conveniences! I personally never read the books until now and we are only though "Little House in the Big Woods" and have made our way onto "Farmer Boy" . When the kids ask for TV I suggest if I have the time that I read to them.

Below is a link to a blog article I stumbled across just educating myself on Laura Ingalls Wilder, found it interesting. Makes many great points, if you'd like to read. :o)

http://www.the-spearhead.com/2011/01/24/the-lesson-of-laura-ingalls-wilder/

This is my life...... am I who I want to be??

While mass producing pancakes and waffles for our freezer for the kids breakfasts, I had pandora radio playing, and this Switchfoot song came on, This is your life. It is a favorite song of mine, and I haven't heard it in awhile. The song touched me and I was nearly in tears, as a washed up the dishes, the kids dancing about, baby girl a little fussy and ready for a bedtime min snuggle with mommy. Have a listen... then read further.




Then I realize... as totally exhausting as some of my days can be, this is my life and I am who I want to be, a wife to my wonderful husband, and a mother to my 4 girls and it doesn't matter what I drive, how big our house is, or how much money my husband makes. God has truly blessed me, and though things don't always go they way I planned or hoped they would but in the end the road we are on only adds to our character for the better. I can stand for improvement on "who" I am, but over all I'm mighty please with where we are going, and with the folks that we are traveling with. We have a fabulous family, and great and awesome friends that might as well be family too (in many ways they feel like family).

Sweet baby girl

Sierra
She is such a little love, full of her own personality

Back on track!

Seems having 4 children, leaves little time for mom!! I have been slacking in the realm of keeping up on this blog, and in reading those that I had once followed and where encouraged by. But am determined to have a little mommy time, and get back on track in so many areas! Stephan got me a new camera for Christmas, and I am determined to figure out how to up load photos from the thing!! :o) 4+ months into 2011 and I've not posted since October of 2010!!! WOW! That time have been filled with much activity and accomplishment! Plan to attempt at getting back to having some kind of daily blip from this Rouze House!

Francesca Battistelli - Beautiful, Beautiful (Video)

October!! Fall is here.....

I've never been so happy to have a major cool down as I am right now. I think this summer was the hottest in a long time, and to have been pregnant, and then to have an infant, made things tricky. Pretty sure the power bill was higher than summers past, because I kept dropping the temps! Now the mornings and days are becoming cool and crisp. This will begin our school season of zoo, and park trips, and I'm totally excited about it. Tristen absolutely loves the zoo, each trip she's more interested in what the animals are called and wants to know if they make a noise she may also make herself. Tristen has also started in a creative movement class, and enjoys it and the teachers tell me she's quiet (not Tristen!!) but follows instruction very well and follows along like she should.

Chloe is moving along well with 2nd grade and is learning to try her work independently, and correction and reinforcement follow any incorrect work. She's enjoying Ballet and Tap.

Molly has brought about challenges in 1st grade, but we have figured out some things that work for her and she's excelling greatly in all areas of school now!! & She's started gymnastics and is loving it!!

The girls and I are busy.. busy with school work and all the extra curricular activities we are taking part in.

Sierra is sleeping through most nights, making for a more human mommy, to deal with all these busy little girls!

Stay tuned & I'll make sure I snap some photos this week and get them posted!

To loose a friend......

This Monday 8/16/2010, my phone rang, it was my spouse knowing I was napping, why would he dare to call me....unless there was a good reason........ there was a good reason.....he needed to clarify the name that seemed unreal in an email he received through work. The name... Audra Jill Lilly..... passed away 8/15/2010....... known to us as Jill, or to my kids as Mrs Jill..... silence.... shock.... What was he telling me? My heart broke... a friend lost.... Her husband left to raise their 10year old son with out her. So here is where I will reflect on just how special her friendship was to me.

Stephan hit to roads of the county to serve and protect and met Ed Lilly a fellow officer... they decided to play match makers w/ their wives, being Jill and Myself. We where given each others number several times, I believe it took a good year until we finally connected. When we finally spoke that was it, we hit it off. Ed had been an officer far longer than Stephan and Jill knew a thing or 2 about being an officers wife and well shared her wealth of knowledge with me. We would talk about everything and anything it seemed, til strange hours of to morning, because our husbands where working and we both had issues going to bed early.
We shared late night phone call, weekends together for hours on end. Chloe and Molly adored her, and enjoyed spending time w/Morgan her son. This went on regularly for a good 1-2years.. then we moved a little further away, I had another baby, and our getting together and late night phone calls didn't happen as often, with our busy lives as moms. The late night calls still happened just not a frequent.. and we connected via Facebook when we where both online... usually at strange and late hours. Our last interaction was just before the birth of my 4th daughter just 4weeks before the tragic news of her passing. I though she might be in NC visiting her family and that's why all had been quiet on her side. Monday.... it hit me.. that I wouldn't have anymore late night chats, or random get togethers with her anymore.... it was like someone stomped on my heart.... I will forever remember the love and support of Jill, her smile, her laugh.... what a beautiful woman. She will be missed dearly & loved forever....

We stall telling our girls of her passing, as it will crush them.. & break my heart further to have them experience a loss such as this. We will do so soon, and take them to visit her grave site.

And then there where six.....

Life has been busy. Suppose that's just to be expected of a couple with 3 kids, that just welcomed a 4th into the family. On July 17th we welcomed Sierra Elizabeth into our family. She's a beauty, and we all love her. I find it amazing how love just grows, and you don't love any child any less, just more love comes to love another.

MIA

That's what I've been from this blog. So sorry to those that follow. Looks like the mommytography project has failed... bummer. We've have an eventful couple months. Baby girl number 4 is due to arrive this summer, so we have prepped for her arrival. Tristen turned 2! Chloe and Molly this coming week will be in their final week of homeschool, Chloe completing 1st grade and Molly completing Kindergarten. We though I'm on a modified bedrest attended a segment of the local homeschool convention, and picked out and purchased next years curriculum, all so totally different from this years. We've used Abeka our first year, and then this year used BJU. For next school year we have selected the Alpha Omega life packs for 1st and 2nd grade for Language arts, Math, History & Geography, and then are useing a Science curriculum developed but Ken Ham's Answers in Genesis Ministry, it's designed to be taugh to kids ranging from 1st through 8th grade, to our science curriculum is designed to last the kids through middle school, there are 4 units, we purchased 2 this year that will last this and next year, then can add to the collection the other 2 units. I dropped Bible curriculum last year it was not only boring for me but the kids too, & we never looked for or found something different. This year Stephan came across a nice bible curriculum that the text studied is out of the kids very own bibles, and then some basic questions are asked and activities are givin to go along with the daily lesson, the reading is short and we got both girls the same level workbook so that just like the science can be completed with the 2 of them. Th e lifepacs are ment to be student guided, to they well be semi independent on their progress with those, typical completion time of 30-40weeks to complete the total grade level, but should the advance more quickly and get the material it can be quicker.

When will we start school next year.. the plan is to have a few weeks off, once semi settled w.new baby, to get restarted a bit earlier than we did last year. The girls do best when engaged in something. Tristen will start w/some basic preschool stuff, colors, shapes, coloring, cutting & pasting, & folding, when her sisters restart regular school work.

Chloe and Molly completed ballet and tap w/ a great job done at their recital in May, and are taking a summer gymnastics through their dance school for the month of June.

We enjoyed several trips to Kingsdominion. With my current modified bedrest, Stephan plans a few daddy daughter days and will take Chloe and Molly one at a time for a one on one day trip w/daddy since we are season pass holders.

There is never a dull moment in our house, and truthfully I wouldn't have it any other way. I'll try to get some photos of our last few busy months posted this week. :o)


Sorry for being gone for so long.