My 2 teens just got back from Mexico.  It sounds like they had quite the week.  They worked hard building houses, slept little, ate lots of beans and rice, slept little, saw lots of garbage, but amazingly few bugs, and made friends with lots of cute children that didn't speak any English, but didn't want them to leave! 

DD was all excited to see a toilet that actually flushes again!  :)

Dd got her backpack stolen for 2 days.  This was bad as not only was all her money in it, but so was her passport.  Thankfully it was found.  Half her money was gone (the other half was sort of hidden), but her passport was there! 

Ds told me how God touched his heart to give $20 to this older mexican lady who had arthritis and could hardly get around.  They had been talking to her and found out that her and others there had never even heard about Christmas!  They didn't have any idea what it was like to receive gifts.  She started bawling when my ds gave her the money.  The children, also didn't know what to do with the prizes they won from participating in VBS.  They tried to give them away....and then cried when they were told they were for them!

And the houses that they built were the size of my kitchen and dining room!  And yet the people were so excited about them!  Amazing how spoiled we are. We live in a 4 bedroom, 1200 sq ft. house and complain how crowded our family of 9 is.  Again, we are truly spoiled.

I am sure this experience will stick with them for a long time.  They are already talking about where they want to go next year!

My dh and I are praying abou t going to something else that you might want to check out.  It is called entrepreneur days.  You can check it out at entrepreneurdays.com.  Rhea Perry leads it.  She is a dynamic homeschool mom of 7.  She wants to teach parents and their teens to learn how to be financial "free" in a Godly way.  Her son has an interesting story of how he sells houses on ebay and was able to bring his dad home from work.  Anyways....we have to make our minds up soon....its in 2 weeks in GA.  I've had the desire, but not the $ to go.  Then, I heard I could meet someone there who could help my books get into Barnes and Nobles, Books a Million, etc.  So it might really be worth going. So....well see. 

But check it out if you have the time.   I will try to get a link up on here tomorrow..  I still can't get pictures on here no matter what I try.  I am actually going to have a 13yr old who has a blog come over and try to help me!  LOL

Have a blessed night.  Oh, and don't forget to check out our website: drawandwrite.com

Carylee

Odd title, I guess.  I have been spending the last few days painting my bedroom.  Tomorrow it is on to my 10yrolds room.  We are still trying to get our house ready to sell.  We are waiting and watching a house that is suppose to be going up for sheriff''s auction.  We really desire to move to the country, but stay nearby. Our budget makes that so difficult, though.  This is definitely a lesson in waiting on the Lord.  As soon as I figure this picture thing out, I will post some great waterfall pictures that my family got on a trip to Tennessee.  DH and some of the kids have been having a great time on their days off between homeschool conferences.  Our busy travel season is almost done.  Yeah! I have chose to stay home more than usual this summer so I could fill orders for my books and get my two oldest dc ready for their mission trip. 

So, not only am I painting, but we just got back from getting all their supplies ready for their trip to Mexico.  Which includes paint brushes and other  building supplies.  They will be spending 8 days in Mexico along with the Christian band Unhindered and other teens from across the country.  They will be building houses and ministering to the children.  Last year the group built 26 house in a week!  My dd was going to go to Africa instead, but that cost a lot more, and she did not get all the $ raised.  So she decided to join her brother on the youth group mission trip to Mexico.  As parents we are much more at peace with this decision.  This is a big step.  Their first mission trip.  I always wanted to go on one as a teen, but my parents wouldn't allow it.  It is sure a lot harder when you are a married adult with 7 kids!  I'm glad they are taking this opportunity now while they are young.  They could be doing so many bad things as teens, but instead they are trying to make a difference in the world.  Please lift them up in prayer (and their mom....so I don't worry!) .

Carylee 

I'm doing a little "I did it" dance!  Okay....okay....God did it....but I am still excited!    Book 3, The Vikings, The Middle Ages, and the Renaissance (in my Draw and Write through History series) is on its way to the editor tomorrow morning!  Whew.  Now I can spend the week getting ready for our busy conference schedule with my husbands work.  And maybe I can get my website updated!   Please feel free to check in at drawandwrite.com .  The new book should be available for purchase by the end of April.  Maybe sooner if all goes well!  

Carylee

A great friend of mine gave me this recipe.  It is for a VERY CHEAP and VERY EASY homemade ice cream.   All you need is:

1 can of Sweetened Condensed milk

1 tsp. of vanilla

A Tupperware fix and mix bowl or Thats a bowl ( or any other very large bowl) FULL of .........that's right.....

SNOW!!!!

Okay, I'll admit that when my friend first told me this I thought she might be a little crazy....I mean, we have a lot of dogs, and cats, and squirrels....and who knows what else outside!  But.....we have been getting a TON of snow lately....so I gave it a try.   Of course I made sure to take only the top, fresh layer of snow.  I also made sure it wasn't yellow!  Anyways....you add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla on top of the snow.  Then you mix it with more of a chopping motion than a stirring motion.  WOW!  It was ready in about 2 minutes and it was the best vanilla ice cream that I had ever had!  It made enough for the 8 of us to all have some.  Okay....we would have liked a little more....but we all had enough really.  It only cost $1.29....or whatever the sweetened condensed milk cost (I buy mine at Aldis).  So there you go.  Cheap ice cream....if you don't mind only eating it in the winter!

Congratulations Jenn4Him!  You are the winner of book 1: Creation Through Jonah, in the Draw and Write Through History series!  

I want to thank everyone who entered.  Keep an eye on my blog and my website for other fun contests.  Also book 3 will be coming out this spring!

Carylee

This one is for those who HAVE my book/books.....or get them in the next month.  I am half-way through writing book three....The Vikings and the Middle Ages.  It is scheduled to come out in April.  I would REALLY like to include some drawings done by children.....SO.....

Have your children draw a drawing out of one of my books and send it too me.  You can go to drawandwrite.com to get our contact address.   The deadline for drawings is March 11th (my birthday!).

I will pick some of the drawings to include in my next book (space allowing)!  If I choose your child's drawing I will list their name and age (if you okay it)...and You will be sent a free copy of the book!

If for some reason there is not enough space in the book for the drawings....I will pick my two favorite drawings and send them a free book (when it comes out in April).

So.....    1) Have your children draw a picture from my books

               2) Send it in

               3) include your child's name and age and a way to contact you if you win!

Have fun!  And just a side note.....we love it when children send us drawings from our books....anytime!

Just leave a comment here and you will be entered in a give away for Book 1: Draw and Write Through History: Creation Through Jonah.  You can check it out on my website: Drawandwrite.com .  The drawing will be held on February 3, 2008.  This is only open to people in the United States.  Thanks and have fun!

Carylee

By the way....I can't get images to show....the above box is suppose to be a link to the info on this giveaway contest.  Anyone with info on how to get my links and pictures to show up would be greatly appreciated!

For us homeschoolers, watching our children discover who they are and try new things has an extra specialness, I think.  Both my teens are in this process.  Daniel, 15, just tried out for the play Peter Pan.  He really wanted the part of Hook and handled the disappointment well when he found out he was just one of the Indians.  I cannot wait to tell him tomorrow that the cast list that I just received via email lists him as Muggles, one of Hook's pirates.  I am unsure whether or not it is a bigger part, but it is more up his alley, so to speak.  He is at a friend's house tonight....but he will be excited when I tell him tomorrow! 

Rachel, 13, and I seem to argue way to much.  She is often moody and seems to disappear conveniently when I need her.  And yet, she is starting to plan on going to South Africa on a mission trip this summer.  Maybe it will change her heart and help her grow spiritually.   I found out today that I can enter her in the regional spelling bee....which is a part of the scripps national spelling bee.  She doesn't have much time to prepare....and she is having a bit of a fit.....threatening to spell things wrong on purpose.   I hope she catches the excitement.  She is very good at spelling....she does 8th grade spelling and is in 7th grade.  I think it is a honor for us homeschoolers when the public schools want us to be a part of this.  OUr local elementary school actually called and invited us!

So now we are going to spend extra time each day spelling!

I just had to post some really funny things my just-turned-five year old has said.  This is just in the past 2 weeks!

We don't  do Santa.  So when my 5yr old piped up and said that Santa is real....I nicely told him that he was just pretend.  He then answered with, " NO he isn'tt.  I saw him on a Dora movie at my friend's house!"  I then tried to explain that movies are pretend too......but it didn't work.

The next week he was watching a Snoopy Christmas movie in which they were writing letters to Santa.  He then says, "That's silly.  Santa isn't real.....but my Papa Santa is going to bring me presents!" refering to his grandpa.

Even better:   We were calling friends to play.  When i told him that they were not home and all i got was the answering machine he had a very serious look on his face.  "You mean they have a machine that answers the phone for them?"  Yes, I said....most people do now days.   A few minutes later he came back asking to play at his friends house again.  i reminded him that they were not home.  "That's okay, i am sure that their robot will play with me," he answered.  KIds!

Then yesterday after he and his sister got their snowsuits on he said, "we look like big mushrooms!"  but he meant marshmellows.

Sorry, these might not seem funny to some...but i feel like i need to start writing them done....or I will forget when i want to remember them someday!

Before I go into my story I need to say that I haven't blogged for a lONG time!  Since Feb. we did not find anything conclusive out about our sons medical issues....but he has been doing better.  He did have ALL his top teeth capped. 

Also, we added another girl to our family. Anne Evangeline was born April 13th at 9:10 am.  That makes 3 girls and 4 boys for us.  7....the perfect number!  

AND....my 3 year old spilled pop on my computer keyboard so that some of the letters stick.  So if it looks like i misspell or forget capitals....well noww you know why!

So on to the almost romantic Christmas story..... First you should know that my husband and I hardly buy each other presents.  When we do it is usually little like candy and pop, or practical like a new phone or appliance.   About a week before Christmas my teenage daughter squeeled and told me that Dan had bought me a great present.  Then my dh admitted to it and told me not to look at the credit card statement or i would know what it was.  I figured that he had gotten me a garbage disposal.  That would be practical and typical.  Well, After the kids had opened all their presents on Christmas morning my husband instructed me to sit on the couch, close my eyes and hold out my hand. hmmm....couldn't be a garbage disposal!   All of a sudden I knew what it was and i started to cry.  My wedding ring is very special too me. Not only because it is my wedding ring, but the engagement ring was my great-grandmothers.  I have not been able to wear it for 6 years or so. I suddenly knew that he had gotten it resized for me! 

So....here is my normally wonderful but romantically challenged husband on his knees asking me to remarry him....infront of our 7 children and my parents!  He started to say "honey, i love you more now than i did 17 years ago....."....ring box opens...."Uh, Uh, Uh,I don't get it.  What happened?!"....look of terror....."Um....will you marry me again?"  I open my eyes thinking he is joking about something, only to see this look of terror on his face.  he shows me the open box .....IT IS NOT MY RING!    IT IS SOME CHEAP RING WITH A $3 PRICE TAG ON IT!!   We both look at each other .....and say the name of his coworker! "K " had played quite the prank on us.  He had taken my ring out of my husbands pocket at work and replaced it with this ring.   He really did get my husband good.  Dh was really mad.  And he doesn't get mad!  Here he was trying so hard to impress me and be romantic....and "K" had ruined it. 

Needles to say....all is forgiven and they had a few laughes about it.  I have my ring back....and it fits!   I will never forget this present!