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.

Mommytography 32

Little House on the Prairie 9 book set has arrived!! Chloe was delighted to greet the FedEx delivery lady on the front porch to receive this package and opened it up herself. We are excited to start reading these books, we watched a little made for TV recreation of Little House on the Prairie (the the original TV show). Then with school both girls have learned about covered wagons, and the move west. Chloe recalled the movie and friend's of ours said they loved when their mother read them the books as kids, and still enjoy them as adults. So I priced some box sets, vs. my huge library fine that is due, and we decided since everyone told us these are books to be read again and again, the box set was our best bet! So each day after lunch and before quiet/nap time we'll read a chapter or 2.

Mommytography 31.

Full size PB&J! Daddy made the sandwich... Mommy normally cuts it up a bit smaller, but big girl Tristen ate it like a little pro!

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Tristen watching the track meet holding on to an anteater beany baby. She was eating the things nose!

My Niece Ainsley, running the mile at the track meet. She's the one just in front! :o)

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Big Girl Bed!!!!!

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So what happens when you glance at your youngest and she's sitting so quietly looking at a book, then turn to hand some laundry to your older children to put away in their bedrooms.

You get the whole bottom shelf of the kids books scattered across the floor in seconds!

March update.

Much happens w/in a month! My birthday was one of our March events, I was spoiled a bit and have been able to get a few pieces of much needed clothing, and some home decor items. Much spring cleaning is taking place along with many attempts at organization, some being very effective!! I have created a "House to do list" a list of home projects to be done, some free some will require months of savings but we'll get there, and it feels good to check of an accomplished task and to see the results of a little dedication and work...

Tristen will make the big girl bed move this weekend, she's ready and will crawl up into our bed or her sister's and tuck herself in saying "night, night." Chloe, Molly, & Myself have discovered a homeschool playgroup near by, and it was delightful to visit w/mom's that didn't look at me like I had 2 heads when I said, "Yes, I have 3 kids, I homeschool, and we will soon have 4 kids." They are used to ladies with many more than that. Chloe and Molly played the shy game for about 5 minutes and then where off playing with a nice sized group of little girls their age that where all just nice and well behaved! The kids are now harassing me about next weeks playgroup, I hope the weather is nice so we can attend again, it was good for all of us and there were even little ones Tristen's size that played well with her it was just adorable!

All is well here with us, we continue to dream big and plug along with all that we do.

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Flip Flops for all the Rouze girls, biggest to smallest!


So I haven't been the best and it took a friend pointing that out today, I'm not used to these things nor am I good about having my camera with me at all times to catch all those awesome moments, I am trying! The temps have finally broke into the 70's which means naked toes, flip flops, and just being outside enjoying the joy a little sunshine and fresh air can bring.

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February Update!

I must say this has been the wettest, coldest winter I've experienced here in VA EVER!!! The snow, the sleet, the rain, the wind, the cold, lack of sunshine! We are ready for sunshine and temps over 50degrees, they are even calling for ANOTHER SNOW STORM THIS WEEK!!! Nuts! So some updates on fun stuff! Stephan continues to handle teaching the kids math! This is an amazing help for me, and we have the girls on a 2-3days a week rotation and they are doing well with retaining and progressing with their math skills. I'm handling Phonics/English/Reading, & Spelling, Handwriting is well just practice to that's up to the kids to slow down and do well on! Chloe is reading well, and doing well in all areas of school, except that handwriting bit she tends to hurry and write sloppy, she is working on slowing down!! Molly, has just made great strides, I overwhelmingly proud of the progress she has made, something has just clicked for her and she's off and running! Molly knows all her letters, short vowel sounds, and is reading short vowel words and several sight words. Both girls progress has made school work very swift and smooth sailing most days!

Tristen is closing in on the big 2 years old, and is a sponge. She's learning the parts of her body, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair/head, face, belly, legs, arms, feet, hands, toes, fingers..... and so on something new everyday. Her speech gets clearer daily. So with her sponge like tendencies I've been on the hunt with 2 year old Nursery school work books! I've found 2! I'm delighted, one covers numbers, and the other, colors, shapes, and works on teaching her to color in the lines and follow instructions, & I've found a little schedule for introducing letter flash cards and will just start introducing letters, no real pressure for writing them yet, that's at 3years old!! :o) I figure she love to sit at the table and color most days when we are doing school work, & she's not off playing with her big sister and well I figured why not start her w/a little something, don't think I'll spend more than 30minutes or so a day with it & it can only benefit her and myself for down the road!!!

We are all doing well!! & working together on decluttering and organizing the house, so cleaning will be a short little bit each day task instead of a weekly headache!! I'm going to start a to do list on home improvements to be done over the next few months and actually get on with it and do the projects!! Some include paining! JOY! We are a little burnt out on painting, but just 1 small and 1 big project could just brighten the house greatly! & a little flooring job in the kitchen for Stephan! Beautification is what we'll be doing!! :o) I'm hoping we'll come across some furniture solutions and get the computer/office area enclosed so the kids can't fiddle w/stuff!! & I don't have to look at it! :o) Well I'll leave the update at that. WE are a busy group of 5!!

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Teeth good and brushed! Ready to get PJs on and hit the hay!