Well, the van is done, and I am exhausted!  The kids and I mucked it out yesterday, I vaccumed it this morning, and then sprayed and wiped it down and washed the windows today.  It looks SO nice, but I am SO tired!  Ugh!  I know I was supposed to work on the livingroom today, but like I said, my 4yodd did quite a bit of the dusting, and then the boys did some yesterday afternoon, so tomorrow we won't be starting at the very beginning.

I did remember that I have to take three of the kids in for eye appointments tomorrow.  Darn!  I was hoping to stay home the rest of the week.  Well, at least the only thing we have scheduled next week is a meeting on Sunday night after church with a draftsman to flesh out our house plans, and a homeschool group playtime on Tuesday afternoon.  Other than that, I think the week should be pretty low-key, gearing up for Resurrection Day on Sunday!

So, hopefully the van will stay clean tomorrow.  I am thinking about making a lunch to take with us (appts. are at 11am) and taking the kids to the park for lunch (if the snow is melted there) and then heading home.  That would keep the mess out of the van, and it should just be a little tracking of dirt and rocks….wishful thinking, I am sure!

Well, at least dinner is already in the crockpot…barbeque chicken!  Yum!

So, now I can relax for the evening…and catch up on folding laundry, maybe.

I will post before and after pictures later.  I am too tired to do it now!

I am participating in Amy's (Dandelion Seeds http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/DandelionSeeds/THE+CHCH+CHALLENGE/)

Clean Heart Clean Home Challenge.

The first day, we were supposed to do the vehicle, but it was a blizzard outside, so I put that off.  I got the kids cleaning buckets ready, and did some regular straightening.  We have a very small house for the amount of people we have here, so I am constantly straightening and throwing things out, or we are over-run!

I knew the vehicle was one of those overlooked places, as we live an hour out of town, so town trips are a full day event, with meals usually taking place in the car.  We also go to town for church every Sunday, so we literally live in the van 1-2 days a week.  There are always papers, toys, gameboys and games, books, blankets, diaper bags, coats, shoes, mail, etc. cluttering the floor.  Especially now that it is getting to be breakup, there is just a constant mess in there.  We declutter it pretty frequently, but they boys version of cleaning it out leaves a lot to be desired.

Well, today was a beautiful sunny day, hitting close to 50 in the sun, so I took the opportunity to demuck the van.  I took several before pictures, but I shudder to look at them, so I am not sure I will post them .   We just went to town on Tuesday to see our new little baby in utero, so the van was littered with garbage and chips from the snack on the way home.

Well, it still needs to be swept/vacuumed out and wiped clean, but it looks tremendously better just getting all of the junk out of there!  It is virtually empty!  We went to my in-laws for dinner, and dh was shocked!  “Wow!  You guys really cleaned this out!”  That said with chip crumbs littering the seat!  LOL!!!

Won't he be amazed when he gets back from two days in town to find it scoured!!  I am praying for sunny weather again tomorrow so I can finish it up!

My daughter did start cleaning the livingroom yesterday, and I had a friend come over and her kids were so enamoured with the kids cleaning supplies, that I soon had four kids cleaning all around me, while I sat and visited with my friend!  How nice is that!  I haven't taken before picture of the livingroom yet, but they mostly dusted, so it won't look too different….

Well, dh is calling me to bed…..

I have really been struggling lately.  There are so many things up in the air right now, and I don't do well with no knowing what is going to happen, or how things are going to be, so I think that is why I have been extra-emotional, not to mention being pregnant!  Those pregnancy hormones can really wreak havoc on one!

I was reading another blog today (http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Titus2woman) and she mentioned a singer, Sara Groves.  I went to her website, and was perusing her songs when I found one called First Song That I Sing.  Here are the lyrics:

First Song That I Sing

In the morning when I rise • Help me to prioritize • All the thoughts that fill my day • Before my schedule • Tells me that my day is full • Before I'm off and on my way • • I want to praise you • I need to praise you • Let the first song that I sing • Be praises to my God and king • • Before the curtains part • Before my day is starting • Before I make up the bed • Before the snooze alarm • Reminds me that it's morning • Before the dreams have left my head • • I want to praise you • I need to praise you • Let the first song that I sing • Be praises to my God and king • • (Praise the Lord, Praise Him – repeat) • • Before my feet hit the floor • I'll praise you Lord, I'll praise you Lord • Before I fill my cup • • I'll lift you up, I'll lift you up • Before I start my day • I'll sing your praise, I'll sing your praise • • Before I start my car • Before I get too far • I want to praise you • I need to praise you Lord • Let the first song that I sing • Be praise to my God and king • • (Praise the Lord, Praise Him) • Let the first song that I sing • Be praises (repeat) • • (Praise the Lord, Praise Him) • Let the first song that I sing • Be praises to my God and king • • (repeat) • • Before my feet hit the floor • I am gonna praise you Lord • First song that I sing (repeat) •

I have by my bed a framed print-out of Psalm 5:3 which reads:

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.

I heard in a sermon recently that when it says “And I will look up” that it meant we should look up and expect the prayer to be answered.  He will hear our cries and prayers when they are for things according to His will.  I *know* that He does not want me to fret or to be angry.  The Bible tells me this.  I know that when I ask these things in His Son's name, they will be answered.  Why do we not make that the most important thing of our day?  Why do we have to rush headlong right into the day without obeying the Scriptures and offering our voice to Him in the morning?
Also, I have found Psalm 37 to be of comfort when I am fretting.

 3 Trust in the LORD, and do good;
         Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
 4 Delight yourself also in the LORD,
         And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 
 5 Commit your way to the LORD,
         Trust also in Him,
         And He shall bring it to pass.
 6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
         And your justice as the noonday. 
 7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him;
         Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
         Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
         Do not fret—it only causes harm.

That's pretty pointed, eh?!  I think I need to memorize verse 8, and repeat it to myself every hour.  I will pray for these things every day, and I will look for His answers.

by myself even!  I am going to go to a photography seminar in April!  It is for two full days, a Saturday and Sunday, the weekend after Resurrection Day.  The Rocky Mountain School of Photography is coming to Alaska for the first time, and I get to attend!  http://www.rmsp.com/

If you can't tell, I am really excited!  I have always loved photography, and *someday* wanted to persue it, but when this opportunity came, dh insisted that I go.  I wasn't about to say no!  I get two nights by myself in the hotel where the seminar is being taught.

Also, on the last day, they have a critique session, where you can bring in three of your own pictures, and they will go over them.  I am really excited about that.  I just have to figure out how to put my digital pictures on slides.  Hmm.  Otherwise, I can take an 8×10, but they prefer slides so they can project them in front of everyone.  It is all anonymous though.

Here are some of the sessions I think I will take:

Photography Basics

Understanding Your Digital SLR

Macro Photography

Photgraphing Kids

and either

Low Light and Night Photography OR Sunrises, Sunsets and Flowing Water

I can't decide which one of the last session I want to take.  At least they will supply me with the notes for all of the sessions.  I just hope they come to Alaska again soon!

On our way home from church yesterday, the roads started getting pretty bad about a half an hour from home, and it was snowing.  As we passed one car accident with a trooper already there, we were following a larger SUV.  All of a sudden, that car lost control of the vehicle, spun sideways on the road right in front of us, and proceeded to roll over into the ditch.  What a scary thing to watch!  We pulled right over and dh and I started to walk up to the vehicle.  The passenger got out with her cell phone and told us that they were ok.  I praised God and Dh offered to drive back to the trooper behind us, as she called 911 on her phone.

As we were looking for a place to turn around, another trooper came along and we flashed him down.    We turned around and made sure we didn't need to be witnesses, and proceeded on our way home.  The driver was a young girl and it looked like she was driving with her mother.  Both appeared to have had their seatbelts on.

I am so thankful to God that we weren't following too closely to the vehicle, that no one in their vehicle was hurt, we didn't have to witness anything too horrific, and that the trooper was right there to take care of things.  I pray that the young girl will learn from her relatively cheap lesson.  I think her only problem was that she overcorrected, which is an easy thing to do in that kind of situation.  I could hear the mom (or passenger) consoling her.  I am sure the driver just kept saying, “I'm sorry!”  I felt so badly for her.

Anyway, enough rambling, but that kind of thing really sobers one up.  Drive safely, everyone!

Well, I was able to get them to bed at 8pm, and the three of them promptly fell asleep.  I let the older boys read on the couch until 9pm, at which time A practically begged to go to bed.  B went to bed at 9:30, but was still up at 10:30, and explained that he just had to write this poem down.  I will post it next.

N woke up the next morning and her fever was a little higher, and got up to 102 in the afternoon.  We went over to my MIL's last night and watched some of the Winter Olympics.  The boys were really excited about the snowboarding!  I was disappointed by the men's figure skating.  They are all nasty-looking nowadays.  pierced ears, long hair, ugly costumes…yuck!  I miss seeing Scott Hamilton!

We are having tostadas tonight, by dh's request.  I may try my hand at homemade tortillas.  They sound really easy and good!  The other thing I am working on is laundry.  I have to get it all caught up for dh's trip.  I am almost caught up with his, mine, N's, and M's, and then I have to tackle the boys overflowing hamper.

How do you get your kids to wear clothes for more than one day?  Their pants and pj's are usually still perfectly clean enough to wear a second day, but they don't use them again unless I tell them to.  I think they have finally gotten the idea that if they run out, they have to get some out of the hamper, but it would be so much more efficient if they would just put them back in their drawers after they took them off.

I guess I don't have any room to talk though.  I suppose I have to be the first example.  I give myself the excuse that my dresser is in a different room, so I lay my clothes on the end of my bed, or the rocker, and wear them the next day, but they just leave them on the floor unless I tell them to pick up their clothes.  I have tried discipling them for leaving them on the floor, but that doesn't seem to work.  Putting their pj's under their pillow doesn't seem to work either.  They forget they are there and get more out.

N's fever was down this morning.  She said her throat still hurts though, so I have her gargling with salt water.  She likes doing it and says it helps, so I think she is on the mend.

Well, M is getting cups out from under the cabinet, and N is leaning against me telling me she is hungry, so I am off the computer for the day now, and off to make lunch and try my hand at tortillas….I'll let you know how they go!

Oh, and I will post B's poem before I get off.

Since hardly anyone reads this, I am just going to do a train of thought entry, so here goes.

I am feeling rather blaw today.  I don't know why.  It might be hormones, might be because dh is leaving for two weeks, might be cause I am tired, but I feel really sad.  I actually laid on the couch earlier and had tears streaming down my face.  N asked me why I was crying, and I said, “because you guys don't obey me….”  She said, “Tomorrow morning I will obey you.”  A few minutes later, she said, “Mommy, you make me cry…”  She is so sweet.  I told her I was sorry, dried my eyes, and hugged her.  I's solution was to start cleaning for me.  I have heard of the love languages, and I think his must be service.  He got the wood spray, and started cleaning off the piano.  Then A got in on the act, and started to take over the piano, almost resulting in a fight.  I suggested that A do the corner cabinet.  Fight disbanded.

I made frozen pizza for dinner…what a sloth.  I just have no ambition to do anything today.  I need some drive.  I think I will turn off the computer when I finish this, and not turn it on tomorrow.  I don't think I need it for school, so it shouldn't be a problem.  I need to go do some laundry, and then go to bed early.

N has a slight fever.  I noticed it when she was snuggling with me.  It is only around 100, but I can tell she isn't feeling well.  She ate a piece of pizza, but it took her forever.  I wasn't about to make her eat much.  My SIL brought my neice over the other day, and a few days later, she was throwing up, so I am really hoping that isn't what is affecting N.

Tomorrow the homeschool group has ice skaing planned.  I was kind of looking forward to going, since all of the kids have skates, and they like to get out there.  Plus it helps them burn energy and then they sleep well, but if N isn't feeling better we may not get to go.  I don't think my MIL has to work tomorrow, so she would probably keep her…hmmm….I'll have to call her later and see.

Well, M is trying to climb into my lap, so I guess that is my que to get off of the computer.  Poor neglected baby.  He also knows how to push the keyboard tray under the desk, as an act of desperation to get me off the computer.  He has done that now, so I should go get him jammied and read a book to him.  I want him, N, and I in bed by 8pm.  We'll see if that happens….

I Corinthians 13 For Mothers
Adapted by Jim Fowler

If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place,
but have not love,
I am a housekeeper ­ not a homemaker.
If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements,
but have not love,
my children learn cleanliness ­not godliness.
If I scream at my children for every infraction,
and fault them for every mess they make,
but have not love,
my children become people-pleasers­ not obedient children.

Love leaves the dust in search of a child's laugh.
Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.
Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk.
Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.

Love accepts the fact that I am the ever-present “mommy,”
the taxi-driver to every childhood event,
the counselor when my children fail or are hurt.

Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, and runs with the child,
then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood.

Before I became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection.
Now I glory in God's perfection of my child.
All the projections I had for my house and my children
have faded away into insignificance,
And what remain are the memories of my kids.

Now there abides in my home scratches on most of the furniture,
dishes with missing place settings,
and bedroom walls full of stickers, posters and markings,
But the greatest of all is the Love
that permeates my relationships with my children.

Today we are going into Wasilla for an appt. and then dh and I get to go out to dinner while my mom watches the kids!  My parents gave us a gift certificate to a Evangelos for Christmas, so we are finally going to be able to use it!  I am very much looking forward to it.

Well, tomorrow I get to go *all by myself* to hear Diane Waring speak, all day!  I have to leave rather early, and in this cold weather (-20 again today! Yuck!) it doesn't sound that inviting to start the car at 7:00am, but it will be worth it, I hope.  I don't know a lot about her, but I guess at the end of the day tomorrow I will.

Well, I am off to make more muffins for snacks after church tomorrow.  I have made banana muffins and am going to try to make blueberry and poppyseed muffins too.  It seems like there was another one I was going to do too, but I can't think of what it was now.  We will see how far I get.  It's already 7:30pm and we have a movie about sharks to watch with the kids.