Freezer Cooking Saturday

This week was not to exciting, but I did freezer cook!

2-1Q bags mixed peppers

1-1Q bag green peppers

2-1Q bags cooked, ground Pork Sausage

3-1Q bags seasoned, cooked Hamburger

2lb meatloaf cooked for dinner

I am working on my list for next week, hopefully something to bake!

Happy Cooking!

TheHomeSchoolMothersJournal..16

In my life this week:

I’ve had a good week, I think this week has been sort of long? Well the days went quickly, but the week itself has drug on. 

In our homeschool this week:

I am so proud of Natalie! She has worked so hard with her reading, math, phonics, and grammar lessons. She has gone above and beyond what I would have asked of her!

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing:

Our favorite outing this week was to Wednesday night Church. It has began and we are glad. I am not taking a class at this time, so I enjoyed reading and journaling while classes were in session. Michael is taking a Wild at Heart Men's study, Natalie and Adam are doing their lessons with peers and Travis is hanging out in the nursery.

My favorite thing this week:

Watching Natalie and Adam just flourish in their school work! They worked so hard!

Something to share:

I know we live in a fallen world. I ask that we all be praying for our world, nations leaders, and the people that are so dear and special to us along with our enemies.

Blessings

Psalm 127: 3-5 “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to the gate.”

After much prayer and three beautiful pregnancies, my husband and I decided we would not expand our family any further. Before the birth of our third child my husband had a vasectomy. We were at peace with this decision.

Flash forward two years and we are still at peace with this decision that we were clearly given from the Lord. But still there is a mother in my soul and I always wonder if we made the wrong decision to not expand our family with more children.

After reading Psalm 127:3-5, I wonder why wouldn’t we want to add more children to our family? The Lord calls us to be fruitful and expand his kingdom.  I enjoy whole heartedly being a stay at home mommy, homeschooling mom, Sunday school teacher of preschoolers and having my own in home daycare. I am around children all of the time…it is one of my joys and I have been called to care for children. My husband also cares for our children as well as being a youth group sponsor in our church.  We are both passionate about children and being sure they know the Lord.

So, while I sometimes ponder the thought of another pregnancy, foster care, and adoption I come to the same conclusion, none of these are right for our family.

I am happy for all friends around us having babies, saving and loving kids with foster care and hearing Gods call to adopt a special person. I personally do not have the call to do any of these.

I do have a different call. A calling from the Lord that many may think is crazy. Its something I have been doing since I was 16 years of age. I love it.  So while we will not be adding any permanent members to our family, I do get to add little people in my life on a daily basis. In my home I  am able to care for kids and love them while their parents are working, attending college and preparing a better way for their family.

I am blessed to be called MOMMY! I am blessed to walk with my children daily in their school work, play, and daily life. I am blessed to care for other peoples children that are dear to my heart and teach them the love of Jesus. I get to be the hands and feet of my Lord, in my own home, with my own children, and with the blessings that come daily to spend the day with us. I am overjoyed at my calling and excited to see the fruits of my labor.

I used to think what are my spiritual gifts? How will I have time to serve with three small children? God was showing me one thing…you are using your spiritual gifts, you do have time to serve and you are already doing it. I figured out that my ministry is my family, my home, the food I prepare, the dishes I wash, the floors I scrub, the garbage I take out, the book I read, the baby I rock, the tears I wipe, the giggles and tickle fights, the laundry I do, the baths I give, the shoes I tie, the barbies I dress, toys I clean up, the grocery shopping with three kids running all different directions and wanting different things, taking a naps!

I have carried three in my womb. I carry many in my arms. I rock many in my rocking chair. I sing Jesus loves me to each that enter my home. I tell them they are beautiful and praise all they do. I pray over them and know that I am doing Gods work here in my own home.

Are you using your spiritual gifts? Are you being fruitful as the Lord has commanded us to be?

Blessings

Jackie

Wordless Wednesday

My Beautiful Babies

Freezer Day Cooking

I have decided that I would try to do freezer cooking a little more often now that Soaring Creek Academy is back in full session, I am babysitting more kids and am exhausted by the end of the day and the last thing I want to do is cook dinner in the evening!

I went to Sams club and purchased a few things and also used some ingredients that we already had in the pantry and fridge.

On Saturday I did a freezer cooking afternoon! It took me a while and well…

3-1Q bags of strawberries-cleaned, cut, frozen

1-1Q bag of cherry tomatoes-cleaned and frozen

20 Breakfast Burritos-recipe adapted from www.MoneySavingMom.com

13x9 pan of Enchiladas

3-1Gallon bags of Frozen Chicken with Italian Dressing Marinade

3-1Q bags of baked chicken seasoned and frozen

This amount of food has filled our freezer a good amount. I am pretty proud and excited to be able to grab a bag of cooked meat and start dinner quickly!

Happy Cooking!

Library Day Monday

We have wrapped up our final week of the summer reading program a few weeks ago, but procrastinated on going to the library! I am really glad to be done! The pressure is off!

When we did actually make it to the library we were so excited to finish and get our final sticker and last prize. Each of the littles got to pick out a book of their choice from the prize shelf. They did wonderful!

So we have added a couple of new books to our read aloud book collection!

Our current read aloud is…

TheHomeSchoolMothersJournal..15

In my life this week:

This has been a busy week, exhausting and emotionally draining week for me.

In our homeschool this week:

We are working on our Sonlight and floating right through. We are doing well, and we even got in Tot School.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing:

We have a couple of new kids that we are babysitting, playgroup, and our normal day to day errands.

My favorite thing this week:

Enjoying the precious time I have with my children and husband.

Something to share:

This week we celebrated my mother in laws 63 birthday, we are going to take her out to dinner tonight for a grand celebration with the family….

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NENE.

Soaring Creek Academy Pupils

I have been participating in a Blog Hop at www.heartofthematteronline.com. Hop on over there and get motivation and inspiration!

The pupils of Soaring Creek Academy are very important littles. They have grown in my womb, I have rocked them and taught them from the day they were born! I adore each of them and am glad to be called their mommy and teacher! God has woven them perfectly and perfected me special to be their mommy! So I am very proud to introduce to you the ones God has given me the privilege of teaching on a daily basis…

Natalie       2nd grade

 

Adam       Kindergarten

 

Travis      Tot School

 

   Happy Homeschooling!

Jackie

New Table in the Classroom

 

Today marks the day that I went into an antique store with my children, husband and MIL. I found lots of things I would like to have and it was a great learning experience for my kids to look with your eyes and not with your hands! I couldn’t have asked for a better trip. The kids did great, nothing was broken, and we came out with a new to us table!

Old classroom table, it was a little big for what we needed. Also we all couldn’t sit around the table together with out the table taking up a lot of room.

This is our new to us table. Much smaller and fits our space perfectly! We can all sit around it and learn together. So happy!

Farm house style table! Love it!

Happy homeschooling!

Happy 30th Birthday Heather!

Our friend celebrated her 30th birthday with a surprise party thrown by her dear husband. We had a great time hanging out with people and eating great food.

Waiting for the guest of honor…..

We now have word that Heather has arrived, but which side of the building will she come around???

See everyone going around the opposite side as Heather comes around the back!! So funny!

There is everyone behind her as she is coming towards the pavilion.

SURPRISE!

Everyone comes to wish Heather a Happy Birthday!

Oh and its time to sing Happy Birthday and would you believe she wouldn’t lead us! (Heather sings beautifully for the Lord!)

The Chef, playing with FIRE….yes he’s a PYRO (while grilling anyways)!

In case you were wondering…yes the littles were there!

They enjoyed throwing objects into the pond, playing on the playground and running!

Happy Birthday Heather!

The Creeks

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In my life this week:

We have been on the go!

In our homeschool this week:

We have started our new school year! Its is going great! I am amazed that when we read bible stories together, the kids know most of them! Makes me happy!

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing:

We had a field trip to the zoo, trips to the park, a baseball game and meeting at church!

My favorite thing this week:

We were at the zoo later in the afternoon and got to see quite a few of the animals have their dinner. My stomach was turning watching the alligator eat an entire chicken.

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have:

Check out some wonderful blogs on www.heartofthematteronline.com

Something to share:

SSHHHHH….don’t tell my husband, but I have a date with the laundry room this weekend!

Thankful Thursday

I am so blessed to have a MIL that loves to spend time with us. To my kids she is Nene. She spends lots of time with them reading stories, shopping, talking, teaching them manners, and loving them like Jesus! They are her world and they love her very much.

Wordless Wednesday

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Ice Cream!

Our Newly Organized School Room

 

 

 

We are now entering our 2nd year of homeschooling and we have moved the school room, again! We had our old school room in an extra room in the basement and it worked, but I always felt secluded and depressed in the room. So here we are in our new school room that is out in the open in our basement. We live a lot downstairs as it houses our living room and playroom and classroom. Its just one big area! I have put the school room right next to the living room and where our computer sits. That way we are able to spread out into the living room couch for reading and such, or while the kids are taking a break they can go to the toy area. I think we will enjoy being out in the “action” and not secluded in a depressing room.

In our new space we have lots more light and space. So, please come in and take a look…

Soaring Creek Academy 2011-2012 Classroom

As you come down the stairs into the basement you will first see our classroom area. On the right hand side is our first bookshelf that holds all of our art supplies and main manipulatives.

If you go further down the wall you will see our main table area and computer.  I am currently looking for a smaller table so that we can fit it better and sit around it in the area as apposed to lining up.

These are the workboxes. We are adding Travis into the mix this year. He will start Tot School with 3 boxes, Adam is K with 5 boxes and Natalie 2nd with 6 boxes.

As you come down the stairs into the basement and look to the left wall you will see another shelf that holds all of our current school books that don’t go into our workboxes. These are organized by subject on the shelves.

And on the very end of the left side of the wall we have our alphabet cards and number chart.

There you have it! All of our other reading books are stored upstairs in our dining room. We read up there a lot also on the cozy couch.

Happy Homeschooling! Have a great year!

Happy 6th Birthday Hannah

Happy Birthday to our friend Hannah!

We had a great time at your party!

Adam and Hannah, these are best buds! They are two peas in a pod!

Every one checking out their candy bags after the Star Wars piñata was broke open!

The destroyed toy room.

The proud grandparents

Hannahs mom and the cake

Presents

Adam

Natalie took all of these pictures…she did great!