I scream, you scream, we all scream!

Day 2: Go the whole day without yelling at your children.  Well I guess my kids knew that this was the challenge today because they have been a HOOT!! As I am making lunch I put on Diego for them to watch and then I put nuggets on a plate place them in the microwave and come back to this!!

Yes she has my cell phone calling and texting who knows who and that is his BUSTED face!!

These were snotty tissues that I used on runny allergy noses all morning!!

I digress... anyway if you haven't heard of  Jim Fay or Love and Logic it is a parent saver!!!!  This program is amazing for any stage of parenting.  I originally heard of this while I was teaching and used it in my classroom and now I have discovered that there is a parenting version and we have loved using it!!  Using this program cuts down on the yelling and fighting and creates natural consequences for bad choices. (Real world learning experiences!!)  I say that to say this I have already cut down on the yelling but yeah I am still human.  Today I found joy in the mess and disaster and when I started to feel overwhelmed (which is when I snap) I started singing the name song.  You know... momma bo bomma banana fanna fo fomma mi by mo  momma... Momma!! (you just sang that didn't you)  Well anyway I would sing this and then hearing my 4yr old monster sing his version of it made me die laughing and then we were able to move on!!  Today was a good day... despite the tissue mess ;)

Here is a video of Jim Fay from YouTube!

30 Day Mommy Challenge!!! So excited!

Ok so I have completed a 30 day challenge on how to encourage your husband and I loved doing it.  I came across this challenge and I can't wait to complete the next 30 days!!! (At the bottom under LINK LOVE you can find the blog that I got the 30 day challenge from.)

Day 1 "Ask: What is 1 thing we can do together this month?"  This one is easy! I have a 4 year old nature crazy boy all we have to do is spend some time together outside or at a park and he is happy!  We go to the park often so I decided that we should spice it up some and do something that we don't usually do.  Saturday will be St. Patrick's day and this is our theme that we are studying this week as well as who is St. Patrick. On Friday night we are going to build a leprechaun trap and go on a leprechaun scavenger hunt.  Daddy is going to read the clues to G and they are going to hunt down the gold treasure.  I can't wait!!

There are a lot of fun leprechaun traps on Pinterest if you are interested and here!!!

I always like to use literature to teach and help kids understand different things and this book and a wonderful one about who St. Patrick is!

The reason that I am doing this!!

Who I am

I am Tabitha.  I can be described as many things.  I strive to be a peacemaker.  I love being around people and talking to people.  I desire friendships but get uncomfortable when conflict arises.  I am a Christian.  I was saved by the blood of Christ not because I deserved it but because He loved me.  I pray every night for my children to know Christ as their savior as well.  I pray this because it is my heart's desire but also because I selfishly want to know them in my eternal life.  My biggest fear is losing one of my children.  I cry when I think about how much love I have in my heart for my children.  I am a wife.  I love my husband more now then I ever have.  I can be meanest to my husband.  I married my best friend.  I love joking and goofing around with my husband.  My life is full of humor and there is never a dull moment.  I have family who love me and care for me so much that they will do anything for me and have proven that time and time again.  I am a Christ follower... I am not a perfect person, wife, mother, or friend.  I follow a perfect Savior.  I try everyday to reflect His love through my life and rest peacefully in the fact that He loves me and will forgive my shortcomings.  I pray that my life makes a difference to God's eternal kingdom more than my name being remembered on this Earth that shall pass away.  

Our latest adventures in homeschooling!

 We have worked on colors and recognition of colors for awhile now, I am starting now to introduce color words.  Gibson had to pick the paper clip that matched the color word and clip it to the right card.  This helped us work on some new color sight words, colors, and fine motor skills.  He really enjoyed this!

 He is focused hard on this one!!

 We made snowmen snacks!!  We used oreo cakesters, an apple, and a skewer! 

 We use number mats for a lot of things.  Some days we throw them around the room and jump to the number that I call out, we have races to pick them up by the called out number, and of course we group!  We are still working on number identification so these mats are very helpful!  I only laid out 1-6 today and Gibson was given simple directions on what to do one mat at a time.  (We need two yellow cars on the number two mat.)  He had to work on his colors, number recognition, counting, and follow directions!  He lined them up on the numbers like a track... I didn't ask for him to do that!! 

Letter "A" hunt!

Gibson... I mean Captain A and I went on a letter hunt through our house and cottage area.  He was looking for any types of A's.  This was so much fun and we also had fun dressing up!

 He looks very excited about it right... this is his super hero mean face!

 This one was my favorite because we have only talked about the short a sound so when it dawned on him that an Acorn started with a this was his look of surprise!!

New new new!!!

We are officially settled in and have gotten use to the new digs!!  We are so blessed to be provided with housing and that my kids get to stay home with me!!  I couldn't ask for more!!  I love waking up everyday and getting to spend some quality (and grouchy) time together at the breakfast table before we load the van!  We load the van and get woman to their respected school or job and their children to daycare.  Then we are back home for some one-on-one time and home school with Gibson before lunch.  After lunch Gibson reluctantly goes down for a nap and then we load the van again and pick everyone up!!!

Gibson loves getting to hang out with other kids all the time!  There is a big playroom in the cottage area that he gets to play in and do lots of pretending in!!  Lennon enjoys being cooed over by the older kids and moms!!  I love getting to serving the Lord and that my kids are a witness to it.  Cory loves that the house is clean every night that he comes home :)

Lennon's room

School area

Gibson's bedroom

I would be lying to you if I said that there wasn't a down side.  Living where you work is a very weird thing to have to adjust to.  Knowing that all that separates you from 2 to 3 other families is one door is a hard thing to get use to.  Another weird side of living where you work is that you are never really "off" work, I am just right there so if someone has an emergency or needs advice after dinner then my phone rings!

God has poured out His blessings on us and I pray that he begins to strengthen me and my family as we dive deeper into this ministry!  I covet your prayers as well!!

Things I found while packing!

It is taking me a lot longer to pack then I thought... mainly because I am doing way too much reminiscing!!  I was looking through my high school scrapbooks that I had made and could kick myself for not writing peoples names in them!! I just knew that I would never forget anyone and now 9 years later I can't remember!!!  I found notes and cards that Kaydee had written me when she was preschool aged and pictures that Peyton "scribbled" for me and Kaydee wrote out what it was :)  I found comic books, year books, cards, notes, and tons and tons of pictures!!  I just kept thinking that some of these pictures needed to be put aside for Dustin and Elizabeth's wedding video!!  I have a lot of them together when they were younger on camping trips!!  (in the same picture there's also me, Kaydee, Colby, Cole, Peyton, Ashley, Karsyn, Masyn, and Brextyn!!)

I found a list a made of the reasons I love Cory!  I don't know why or how long ago I made it.
1. You Love God
2. You are kind
3. Head strong
4. Intelligent (especially when it comes to the Word)
5. Fun
6. I love you laugh (cackle)
7. You love and respect me
8. Follow your convictions
9. Work hard for me
10. Speak your mind
11. Loyal
12. Cute!!
13. You love Gibson!!

I now have to add to that list
14. Strong leader of this family
15. Work hard for US
16. You love Lennon!!