I'd like to spend a couple minutes to write about a special place in our home. This is my regu-venation corner. It takes up a decent amount in our bedroom, but is very much needed! The shelves are full of books that I find interesting and helpful. Special items, like the tea cup found at a garage sale, a picture of hubby and I when we were first dating, a Bible, the "highland coo" that was Hubby's the sheepskin we brought back from Scotland, the quilt my great-grandmother made (and that was the wedding quilt for my grandparents). Everything is there for a purpose and a reason: to help me relax.

I have been struggling with the fact that I do not have 2 minutes in the entire day without children. Magoo no longer naps, Sprout likes to be held, Princess demands her fair share of attention. It is a blessing and a joy, but lately I have been seriously craving some time alone. To sew, knit, read, sip a cuppa, phone a friend, shop, to listen to the quiet and think! So the last evening I spent a couple hours curled up in the chair and read. It did me a world of good!

Do you have a special little corner in your home? do share!

"Mummy I need new clothes"

Sure enough there stood Princess in the bathroom, pants down, in FRONT of the toilet....





The toilet seat was UP......








"Why didn't you go in the toilet?" I asked...........







"Cause I wanted to pee like a boy"

Yes, I had to literally bite my checks to keep from laughing!

Oh dear

I am "one of those" people that likes complete and total fulfillment RIGHT NOW! yep, generation whatever that has no patience....I know not exactly a Christ like attitude (need to work on that). So I've decided enough is enough, this baby fat has got to come off. So my weight lose goal is 15 lbs. Two weeks of kicking my butt with Pilates Cardio (6 days a week, 45 min) and really watching what I eat and so far I've realized a total lose of:

2 lbs

ARGH! so frustrating! The temptation to give up is so strong! but I must persevere as there is a wedding in mid-May we are attending and well, I would like to get a new dress.

Oh I have so many topics I would like to write about. But first off last Wednesday was noodle night. Wednesday's are usually noodle night as it is off to Bible Class afterwards for the whole family (we have an amazing cryroom at meeting so taking Sprout is a no brainer). Well I looked at the clock and............ahhhhhhhhhhh...........screamed, inside my head ofcourse ;-) see I only had 20 minutes until Hubby arrived home. Usually I try to have dinner made 15 minutes before he gets home so that I can keep it warm in the oven and have everything cleaned up before he walks in the door. I worte about that idea on Thursday, November 27, 2008 tried to put a link in but couldn't figure it out! I'm hopeless with computer stuff!

sorry that was a bit of a ramble

Well I thought, no problem, and started cooking and veggies only to realize NO GROUND BEEF IN THE FREEZER

(this has never happened before)

So we found 8 breakfast sausages, and long story short, ended up winging it and threw together a new version of alfredo for us:

1) Brown 1 large onion, as many breakfast sausages as you have (we used 8), 4 cloves garlic
2) Add 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1/4C milk
3) Add some green veggie (we used 1C brocolli, but you could use peas or spinach)
4) Add 3/4C shredded cheese & 1/2C sliced mushrooms
5) Stir until cheese is melted and it thickens. Add white floor to thick if still too runny 1 Tbs at a time
6) Serve over cooked penne

Yum!
P.S. The number for this week is 24 (the 24 courses of priests), the letter is "W" for the whale that swallowed Jonah, the words was "way" & "we" & "God", the Hebrew word and memory verses are still the same, Mummy did a terrible job on those last week :-(

Family Day



I'm sure that the government did not take it into consideration, but I found it so meaningful that after a day wholly dedicated to doing the LORD's work and not our own, that then was the day dedicated to our families.

What Fun!

1) First bible reading in pjs and blankets curled up with Daddy
2) Tag with Daddy
3) Magoo's favourite breakfast (eggs on toast)
4) Princess' favourite lunch (tomato soup and salad)
5) An innumerable amount of stories
6) Dancing to the Micdash tape
7) "Tea" served by Princess in the Playroom
8) Fun background music c/o "Mr. Henry's Wild and Wacky but Totally True Bible Stories"
9) Funny Fish crafts
10) NAPS!!! (Mummy loved this activity)
11) Sipping cappuchinos with Hubby
12) Helping Magoo read a verse with the 2 bible reading
13) Visit to the playground
14) Pruning the garden
15) Riding bikes (in full snow gear as it was so cold)
16) Chocolate chip cookie picnic!

Needless to say we had a wonderful good day! While Magoo was working on some home school day sheets for CHC I was able to get a project done that I've been wanting to for, well I'd rather not admit for how long!!


This is the Goons Board. I've flipped their names under for privacy, but normally it shows their names under their Hebrew names. There is a section for the two eldest memory verses (obviously Sprout is too young for those since her vocabulary consists of "fish" "hot" Mama" "Daay" & "this"). At the top is Proverbs 20:11 "Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right" mainly to remind me of the biblical expectation of children of God.
On the left hand bottom is a sleeve for Magoo's work for Home Schooling Days and an illustration of their responsibilities. We do not call them chores but responsibilities but that could take up a whole other post! They are expected to put their pjs under their pillows and make their beds each morning. Set the table, and clear their spots. Sweep the dining room and kitchen (with Mummy's help) and tidy up the toys before Daddy gets home each evening.

On the top of that sheet is Deuteronomy 6:7 "And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." to remind us of our outlook while doing the housework together.

On the other side is our weekly work. The Weekly Words for this week are "God, jump & as" the letter is J and we are using our ABC Bible flashcards for this section. Our Number is 12, for the 12 tribes of Israel. Our Hebrew word is (seh) for lamb. In my Goon drawer (must do a post on that as well!) I found some "children of the Bible" stickers and used them to decorate. Overall I am thrilled with the way it turned out, now we just need to hang it! In case you would like to do this, the back is a cork board, and I covered scrapbook paper with packing tape to "laminate" it so that the only pieces that need to be switched out are under the thumb tacks and will not wreck the paper.

Memory verses for the Goons:
Magoo: "I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love" Psalm 119:163 (yep, we are going through THAT stage)
Princess: "Yea happy is that people, whose God is Yahweh" Psalm 144:15b

I hope you found that helpful!

Okay, I gave in a BOUGHT cloth bags from the grocery store at the tune of $0.99 for 5 small ones and $1.50 for 2 very large ones which are for my produce.

I figured for $7.95 (plus tax....isn't that rediculous! so really $9.14) I couldn't buy the fabric to make them, and there is the slight problem of the time to sew them all up. Afterall I've been working on a skirt since mid-December for drying out loud and am far from being finished!

New Bed for Magoo!

Grandpa Ray left us some of his furniture, and Magoo is so excited! The Girls have my old bedroom set to use (very girly, not my taste at all, but hey it is free!) and Magoo has been using odds N' ends from around the house, an old black Ikea (fixed twice) dresser from my sister, a cabinet for books from Daniel's work that we got for $5, my old girly princess desk, a cheap Ikea bed we got on sale for $25, an end table from the living room. It was perfectly fine, but hey a free almost brand new bedroom set for our lil man is MUCH appreciated! The movers just called and they will be arriving in about an hour. So we (the Goons and I) moved all his old stuff into Daddy & Mummy's room and we washed the walls and floor in anticipation of the stuff!

I don't know who is more excited, me or Magoo!?! I will definately post pics in a day or so after it is all sorted out.

A very dear friend is coming for Tea as well, so this is turning into the perfect day. Oh and did I mention they are calling for a high of 8 C....time to strap on our running shoes and Wellies and splash all the way to the library!

CHC Open House

Magoo's class (K) Presented 3 songs, one of which was doing "Jesus Loves Me" in Sign language. The crowns are from their first song about Christ gathering his jewels when he returns. The last song was a hoot...."wiggle worm"

Then they joined the whole school to sing a hymn for our hymn book
"Who is on the Lord's Side" which incidentally
Hubby and I walked out down the aisle to at our wedding 8 years ago.

After the trip into town for the olive plants doctor's appointments they are all on the mend. Magoo and Sprout are on inhalers and Sprout is on anti-biotics. I am so glad I followed my gut and took them in. Doc said that if Sprout was not on the anti-biotic she would probably had developed pneumonia by the weekend!

As we had to wait an hour for the meds to be filled the Goons and I hit the dollar store (or as my Sis calls it "the 20 dollar store!") to get stickers, glue and such for the crafts for tomorrow. So after we picked up the meds, drove 20 min home, unloaded the 3 Olive plants and got into the house, I realized that I had left the bag from the dollar store in the cart outside the store! OIY! so frustrating...so we loaded back into the car (which takes about 15 min....2 in cars eats and 1 in a boaster) and drove back (another 20 minutes) and lo and behold the cart was gone. After checking 3 stores and finding that it had NOT been turned in I was near tears. It had been one of those days. Princess was being so good about it, see her original tea set had broken in the hospital while visiting Grandpa and we had found a replacement there, and it was in the bag. Anyways we got back into the car and drove across the parking lot (15 min into car seats again!) to the dollar store and SOMEONE HAD TURNED IT IN! I was so relieved!

The day turned wonderful when we arrived home and minutes latter Hubby came in...he was an hour early, getting home at 5:30 instead of 6:30pm~!

I've learnt my lesson, always check the cart....and SLOW DOWN!

"O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me." Psalm 30:2

Just a quick post today. Since the children have been so under the weather, I've kept Magoo home from CHC both days. He is such a good worker bee (as we like to call it) we just worked together on 2 sheets in his "Letter and Sounds K" A Beka book, and did them so nicely! It is so thrilling to watch his little eyes light up as he sounds out and then recognizes a word!

Now he and Princess are doing some pre-sewing activities that they love! We need to bake the weekly amount of bread this afternoon, and maybe some yummy muffins. That should keep us busy!

In the middle of the day though we are all going to see the doctor. Now I'm not one to take the children in that often. It usually is a stressful experience for me as we disagree with the doctor on some issues. Usually we head into the pediatrician, but he is booked up. The children were all up with their coughs last night, all night! Sprout is wheezing as well, so I'd like to make sure that this is not developing into something more serious like an infection or worse! Mummy has it now, but that's okay cause I'm not so worried about my lungs. Of course we do have 110 pieces of wood to cut tonight to make the 55 scrolls needed for the Study Day on Saturday....just a wee job (wink, wink)

Anywho Vix asked about clothing and my reply was so long I decided it would make a great post!

(First here is the new Winter Dress I made for Princes and a matching one from Sprout, which she out grew after wearing twice...!)

Our kids have way to much clothes, we get given them from friends and family at the Eccelsia. Here is some of the things we do in our household to keep it all under "control".

I keep a box that I put "too stained to wear in public" but otherwise fine clothes for camp and the cottage every summer. This helps me get them out of the dresser (where they sit and waste space...and when 2 girls are sharing a dresser space is at a premium!!) and also in the summer I just go through the box and pack it and add whatever we need more of for the trip to the bag, so much easier!

Hubby brings home xerox paper boxes from work (otherwise they get thrown out) and I keep one in both kids rooms in the closet to put out grown clothes into and then put them in the basement when they are full.

Once every month I go through and sort out the excess into "donate to charity" you know the really old stuff that no one would want, and "go to friends" bags and distrubute! Last week we took 4 bags of clothing, old blankets, a couple coats and such to the donation bin in town and took an old playpen and carseat that was perfectly fine to Linda the Library Lady (previous post) who has a friend that works at the pregency center in town.

Here is what I've gutting the kids clothing down to:
2 weeks worth of undies & socks (actually Princess only has 7 pairs, and we must buy more!)
2 weeks worth of t-shirts
10 long sleeved shirts (we live in Ontario it is cold!)
6 max sweaters (inc. 2 nice for Meeting)
1 pair of runners
1 pair of snow boats
1 pair of wellies (rain boots)
1 pair dress shoes
2 snow jackets (keep out the smaller sized one they grew out of incase of an emergency)+ snowpants
2 pairs mittens
2 winter hats
2 sunhats
1 scarf

Magoo:
4 dress shirts for Memorial Service and Bible Class
2 dress pants
2 jeans
2 comfy pants
4 shorts
1 gym uniform
1 CHC regular day uniform (next year he'll need 2)

"Da Girls":
2-4 everyday dresses
4 nice dresses for the above
4 nice tops for Bible Class

Now I'm sure that we could do with less, but our kids take after their Mummy and are very clumsy and make LOTS of messes! It is a huge blessing to past on clothes, and we follow the same, passing on what the next kids in the house do not need. I really don't know how families get one without that!

Here is a precious moment captured, Magoo teaching Princess how to make snow people!

Oh Dear

I do believe it is going to be "one of those days" Magoo had a bad ashmah attach this morning at 6:45am, and now lies in bed not feeling well. So he is home from school, and I am aiming to work on some blends with him latter, and maybe a game of "Jericho Cards" to work on his numbers.

Princess has a great immune system so she just has a cough.

Sprout has been sick for a week, and until the kids woke up sneezing and coughing (and not breathing) I thought it was just part of her teething, but it isn't. Last night the 2 or 4 teeth that as nearly through came in. It takes her a whole week of no sleeping and screaming 24 x 7 to bring in 1 tooth, so I reckon we have 2 more weeks of this.

Oh dear, This is such a "sorry for myself" post.

Princess is asking for cuddles so I must sign off, in my "spare time" I'll try to post some pictures of the Goons enjoying the snow! Man do we have a lot of it again this year!

Linda the Library Lady

Yes, that is what the Goons call her! She is one of the highligths of our week. I used to make the weekly library ritual on "Da Girws Day" as Princess calls it. However Magoo rebelled and stated emphatically that he LOVES library day! So now it is a friday treat before we plung into a home schooling day. Linda the Library Lady has made our library trips so much more meaningful and worthwhile. Over the past 3 years we have gotten into some great conversations about our beliefs, hopes and aspirations. Frequently she will put a book on hold for me when it comes in because she knows that I will enjoy it. Other times I will be looking at a "Christian Fiction" book and she will comment "oh, you won't like that one, it is more of a fluffy romance book" and thus saves me time wasted and discust! It is so nice to have her help in finding good books. She also has learnt by watching what we do and do not allow the chilren to look at and read that we are very picky when it comes to childrens books as well. She even keeps an eye on them and helps them to find a book that "Mummy would like".

Though usually we spend a good hour in there, reading, playing the history DK computer game, working at the interactive center and finding Mummy a book....today with Sprout bringing in 3 teeth at once (yup, she is an over-achiever) we lasted barely 15 minutes.

So Homemade chicken noodle soup is bubbling on the stove and whole wheat bread is sliced and ready to be toasted with cheese....lunch time! and then into the Home schooling day.

Usually there are some worksheets sent home, but this week there wasn't so we will be spending about 20 mintues on math. Magoo is struggling with his "teen" and "twenty" families. Last night we went through the kid drawer (must do a post on that) and found some "Joshua and Jericho" cards to use for math today to make it fun. The house has been scored for pennies as well! Then afterwards we will work on "Learning about the Bible" by Lois Rock and Maureen Galvani. I picked up a copy in the bargin basement of a book shop for $4.99! I tried to show a picture of it but blogger isn't letting me...argh~!

The Tale of Two Funerals

What a week. Tuesday morning within 15 minutes of each other we received 2 telephone calls to let us know that 2 very special men in our lives had died. The first was a wonderful and inspirational elder in the ecclesia who was instrumental in helping me grow to love the Truth as a young person. He was so full of life and energy and always willing to answer what I thought were silly questions that I had. The second was my grandfather, he had been sick for a while so in a way it was humane.

Thursday was Uncle Colin's funeral. Though my heart ached and tears ran down my cheeks, I left with a feeling of hope and comfort in the Resurrection. I know with assurance that he is merely sleeping, awaiting our Lord's return.

Friday was the visitation for Grandpa, I was overjoyed (as you can imagine) that Hubby was able to come home a day early from his work trip to Delaware so that he could be with me. Since my parents are divorced, I was a ball of nerves not knowing how it would go with my father and mother in the same room. Overall it went well though. Saturday we left the children at home with a wonderful young lady from the ecclesia and drove over an hour to the funeral.

WOW talk about opposites. Uncle Colin's was so nice, interspersed with hymns and readings. Funny and thoughtful memories from his life often involved family. At Grandpa's all they talked about was his military service, hardly anything about his family life. It was a lot shorter, but I found less meaningful. I had never experienced a military funeral before, it was an experience.

Perhaps that is why I left feeling empty. Grandpa and I did not share a common belief or hope, there is no hope there. It is heart breaking really. The Grandpa I knew never talked about his time in the army, never mentioned anything past the fact that he was a captain. He didn't place that much importance on it at all, and yet that is all they focused on.

My memories of Grandpa are of a kind man who always had a free lap for the grand kids. One who wasn't afraid to get down on the ground and play with us. He always had chocolate in the house and shared often! He was so pleased with his great-grandchildren too.

So today we start a new week. All the jobs that didn't get done last week are calling to me. But after last week I'm going to take the time and hug the children, share a cuppa with Hubby, read stories and play games, and show the kids how much I love them.

For you never know what tomorrow may bring.

Outside my window...
The sun is shining and the snow is glittering

I am thinking...
It is too cold outside for the Goons to play out there (-20C)

I am thankful for...
God's Word & my new "Oy Vey" Mug Hubby got me yesterday

From the kitchen...
Lamb Roast

I am wearing...
A stained orange t-shirt and warm cords, going to change before company arrives! (into a skirt
and CLEAN top)

I am creating...
Dishclothes

I am going...
to prepare for SS

I am reading...
Haven by Ruth Gruber

I am hoping...
For some quiet time before bed with hubby

I am hearing...
The Goons "cleaning" wink wink the play room

Around the house...
Many, many books (one of these days I should count them!)

One of my favorite things...
Quiet Prayer Time

Deep Freeze

Just listening to the weather report made me want to cuddle deeper into our flannelet sheets and pull the duvet up over my head. It is giant beautiful flakes of pure whiteness this morning. The Goons have already been bundled up and sent outside for a good hour of play. Hot chocolate has been consumed, and all the wet dirt encrusted clothes are in the washing machine being coaxed back to their original colours.

This afternoon we are entering a deep freeze. The high for tomorrow is -14 C (6 F) that is the HIGH!!! the lows are going to be around -25C (-18.5F). With Magoo's ashma he cannot play outside when it is that cold so I wanted to make sure they got some good play time in.

Today's big chore is finding the larger baby girl clothes for Sprout and washing and sorting them into her drawers. We need to air out the wool blankets and fill containers with water in case the power goes out. When the power goes out we can't get water from the well!!!

I've been struggling with something this past bit Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

yep, the cares of this life are really making me depressed. Actually I'm wondering if Post Partumm Depression can start around the 7th month (that's when I noticed it). I just feel so weepy and on the verge of screaming at the littlest tinniest things.

Well time to make lunch. We were going to have lamb stew that I had made a big batch of yesterday, but I left it out all night and had to threw it out. 3 days worth of stew in the garbage, now THAT almost made me burst into tears!

Till next time!

Sorry the Posts have been lacking, to put it mildly! I am working on a sister's class on Leviticus 19.....in my "spare time" for next month.

Today is going so well! (of course that means Sprout is asleep!) we woke up to an ice frost. No, i don't really know how that happens but it does. Everything look so dazzling bright, it was as if God had covered the landscape with silver craft sparkles!

I've decided to slow down and make warm breakfasts more often, instead of eating so much Shredded Wheat (the good ole fashioned no sugar kind) the kids love it since it was Grandpa George's fav. but really, they need some variety! So this morning we made egg, ham & cheese sandwiches and sent Hubby off to work with one and a fresh Mochaichino! The Goons and I then played "dry cleaners" which is an ingenious way to get your kids to LOVE and BEG to help you sort and put away the laundry. We were behind (yep, we are always behind) in putting it away so each kid found and put away the clothing out of the pile. We started with undies & socks and worked our way through the rest. Magoo even hung up his meeting shirts with the help of a stool borrowed from the bathroom! Needless to say I was MOST impressed and thrilled!

Then we headed off to the lovely lil library and yes, we drove instead of walking as Sprout is such a wimp in the cold and I knew that if we walked (fun though it would have been in the winter wonderland) the whole town would have known we were on our way for Sprouts screams! I allowed myself a few books to try out some new authors (it is so hard nowadays to find good clean books) while Hubby is in Delaware next week.

After lunch and "nap" of 20 minutes during which I ended up in giggles listening to the pitter patter of Magoo & Princess's' footsteps...we had a nice long cuddle and story time on the couch and then dove into homeschooling. Magoo missed a day at CHC because he was sick, so we have a lot to catch up on.

Magoo read the first 3 pages of his first ever reader, so thrilling! 4 pages of printing, and 10 pages of blends done....now if only he could do the math work. It is obvious to me doing the flip cards that he is struggling with the 11-20 & 30s (the 21-29 seems fine) and I wish they had told me......we will be working on these a lot now!

Well Sprout is up, she will not nap for longer then 20 min at a time....therefore is miserable...teeth?

Oh dear is it 3 already, time to put the roast in and get the bags ready for little disciples tonight (hmmmm I wonder where their indoor shoes are?!?).

I hope that your day has been as fun as ours has. Magoo just announced he is done his last page (#5) of printing work so we will now celebrate with a pot of local popcorn and milk and sit down to read another chapter of "Little House in the Big Woods".

Today we thank God for bringing us together in marriage 8 years ago!

"And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man" Genesis 2:18,21-22

Well today was going to be a day filled with fun as Hubby and I were to head into Toronto to visit the Jewish shops and eat lots of Falafel.

Sprout had other ideas! She was up screaming nearly all night, so instead Hubby is at work today, and I am at home full of cold and exhaustion. We will save our trip (which is to celebrate our upcoming wedding anniversery) for another day when we are awake enough to enjoy it. Also no one in their right mind should attempt the drive into Toronto half asleep!!!Oiy!

But as they say, there is always a silver lining and I have found it! While Magoo was off school for 2 & 1/2 weeks for the holidays I fell behind. It wasn't a concious act, but almost no laundry or housework got done, just the bare necessities.

So today it is a "girl day" as Magoo is at CHC today, so we are going to get to work and clean this house! I'm hoping to have most of it done by 2 pm when I need to leave to go into town to pick Magoo up.

Before I sign off I wanted to share a book with you, "Mother" by Kathleen Norris (http://www.amazon.com/Mother-Kathleen-Norris/dp/1929241178/ref=pd_bbs_sr_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231169123&sr=8-9) a dear friend left it here and after writing her a note saying it was here I enjoyed the luxtury of a quick bath and started to read it. It is such a wonderful book! After the hour it took to read it I felt inspired to continue with the blessed job given my by God to be a mother to our three olive plants. It is written in story form and I garrenty that you will not be able to put it down!

BAKA DIARY: Where Was The Outrage?#links

BAKA DIARY: Where Was The Outrage?#links

I am debating writing on the current war in Israel... it is terrible how anti-Israel the main stream media is. It makes me sick!

Wake up people, over 10,000 rockets fired into a country the size of NJ during the time of the so called "truce" .Cities under besige and people living in bomb shelters and schools closed, if this happened to NJ the USA wouldn't have waited as long as Israel did to get control of the situation! The double standards are simply wrong!

"Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." Genesis 12:1-3

check this out!!! http://bakadiary.blogspot.com/