excited but overwhelmed!

whew!
i'm tired just thinking about all the things that are starting, continuing or in the works!
this week i've been spending lots of time lesson planning for school this year, getting ready for Home Ec and preparing for the number of children in my home to increase quite a bit.

I've already mentioned that i plan on pursuing classical education through homeschooling for my children and this year we are doing preschool that will hopefully lay a foundation for next year's start in 4k Classical Conversations and still be TONS of fun.
I ordered two books: Slow and Steady Get Me Ready- which is basically a guide of developmental activities etc from birth to age 5, and The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading- both suggested in The Well Trained Mind.
I've been copying down age appropriate science projects from the books From Mudpies to Magnets and Everybody Has a Body(from the library). We've been listening to Peter Pan (the audio book) and there's already a change in Leland's movie obsession. he LOVES to read but also LOVES to beg for movie time). Plus the writing is so great that Joel and i are cracking up through the entire thing.
Fridays will be fun days- we won't have any extra kids so we will be more free to take day trips or swim at the YMCA.
There is more that i want to incorporate into 'school' but it's going to be a building process as we have so many other things clamoring for attention right now too.

This week school starts, which means the Miss Wisnasky's will be joining us once again. We are very excited to have our friends return and we will also have cousin Cash visiting on occasion. Things are about to get craaaazy! I'm attempting to be very scheduled/organized in order to not loose my mind:O)

if you have noticed the new button to the right of my blog you might be guessing that i am joining in on the online Home Ec class that some lovely, talented ladies are leading. It starts tomorrow. i have yet to purchase my materials for the first project and just got the info for the top secret private blog this evening (jealous aren't you?;o). There is pretty much a new project everyday.... and a flicker group so you can show your projects, progress etc.
should be interesting!!
i'll keep you updated my friends.

Joel is going into work at 4 all week (or attempting to) so that he can get off closer to noon. It's self preservation in one sense (they have NO air conditioning, are working on HOT machines all day and it's been a heat index around 110 the past work week) and a way to spend more time at the church preparing for worship, and still get to see the kids a bit more in the afternoon/evening. Yikes. but it wears on all of us. Joel of course the most, but i sleep light generally and get up to make sure he leaves on time and sometimes the babes wake when he's stumbling into things trying to get ready.

SO! prayers would be great as we try to keep things together!
I know we've had prayers already for Joel's position at the church and we so appreciate it. This year has been one of challenges and changes but has been the best year for our relationship and family yet. Praise to God for using difficult times as a catalyst for growth in our faith and relationships, and for always providing.
can you believe this has been a picture-less post?!?! i'll have to change that.
enjoy this photo of Leland and his betrothed Brooklynn:



i'll give you the wedding details next time, get your calendars out to mark it down when you receive the save-the-date. ;o)

i lied!

I'm sorry dear friends-
i promised a semi thought provoking post last week and didn't deliver. what's worse is i didn't even manage a few silly or sweets post, i've just been silent.
my apologies.

Our anniversary was lovely and memorable. more on that to come.
My sweet nephew turned one year old, also lovely and memorable.
and i WON the Miss Mustard Seed design consult- thanks to ALL OF YOU!!
seriously friends, not only did you vote- you all left the most generous comments that made my cheeks pink.

For our anniversary we went to Porter's thanks to a gift card from Community Crossings ( a thank you for filling in during their worship minister's 6 week sabbatical) and saw two movie during the week (for $5 each which made it guilt free).
We saw Eclipse and Inception.
the acting in Eclipse was less painful than the first two and Inception was pretty brilliant.
both were enjoyable in their own way:O)
i told joel i was glad we could enjoy them both at about the same level.
Eclipse- entertaining but not life altering- i was glad he didn't wear a shirt that said Team Get a Life and he was glad that i don't own any posters of naked mythical creatures.

Inception- just really really well done- great concept, action, timing, acting, casting, effects. good conversation after the fact.

This was my first time at Porter's and it didn't disappoint. It was superb. We've never been on that nice of a date in 9 years and it could get quite addicting!
i won't talk you through the whole meal because it would take forever and be cruel. But i found a magical wine ( an argentinian bodega) that i can partake in with out coughing or having to mentally prompt my self to take another sip-- the other good news is that it's ridiculously expensive so i won't be tempted :O)
AND if you are there for a special occasion, get a bone in cut- it was mouth watering.

Our server was excellent and they gave us the back corner booth-- romantic plus it gave the allusion that if you got too close to us our security detail would come out of the shadows to block your path. we are just that important.

As my gift Joel promised to take dance lessons, any kind i choose, once things calm down a little. Can't tell you how long i've been wanting to do that!!!
My gift is private but it took LOTS of planning and effort and was appreciated appropriately.
i think his words were - Holy WOW.... and that's edited from his first thought, so he said.
one of our best anniversary's if not THE best.

Cash Lincoln Pye, my favorite nephew turned one in style.
with the theme "in the Land of Cash Lincoln" there were plenty of IL, Lincoln and pie themed elements. it was super cute, mom made another amazing cake and he was his normal hysterical self:


(the little quilt was part of my gift)


Since winning the consult i've been looking through catalogues, magazines, websites etc trying to figure out things that are actually with in reach for our room make over.
The feel i'm going for is a bit of a relaxed mix between ikea style and anthropologie style.
i found a rocker in last years Ikea catalogue that i love. i still want a rocker but not grandma's if i can help it.
at $165 it's not outrageous but it's not in the budget for sure.
so i craig's list searched it, just in case.
I FOUND IT.


for $50. not joking, i was so incredibly happy!
i emailed the gal as fast as i could to say i was sooooooo interested and get any details.
i held my breath waiting for the reply---- it was already sold and she forgot to take it off.
heartbreak!!!!
oh well. life goes on, but that was pretty bogus.

sweet Emory and way-too-tall-and-grown-up Leland in our little pool.



here's hoping it's not so long before we meet again-

BIG sale, chocolate and PJ day!

Monday was MOPS! we 'made' these delish treats:

nothing helps a monday hurt less like MOPs and chocolate......
unless its an outrageous sale at Old Navy!!!
50% off of already clearance items means that the most expensive item i purchased was $8.97 (sweater pea coat for emmy that was originally 24.50, oh yes)
most of what we purchased was for upcoming years/sizes, lots of 5t's and 24 month, but these two purchases were for the here and now:

it looks like he couldn't believe he got such an awesome shirt, when really he just didn't want to take a picture.

love the ruffle neckline!!

Tuesday was pretty gross as a whole... if you are my facebook friend you probably saw that Emory spit up directly into Leland's ear... disgusting.

on to today! i could label it poop day (very appropriate) but instead i will say Pajama Day!!
everyone is in Pj's because they either don't feel well (emmy), pooped in their original outfit (Lucy and Emilia) or woke up ridiculously late and didn't want to get dressed cause no one else was (leland). And i of course have pj pants on because that's what happens when you only see children for most of the day.
but how cute are they?



poor Emilia looks like the odd man out, but really she just kept getting excited and was trying to leap off the couch;O)