"You have shown me the path of life."

TWITTER

Hi everyone, I just heard about this new thing over at twitter.

I am still trying to figure it out myself but it seems like a lot of fun, and I think I will get to stay up to date and chat more with some other homeschool mommies, something I am really needing right now.

Come check it out and add me to your friends there:

Twitter

Have a wonderful weekend!!

How is your new School year going?

So I have grades 9, 7, 5 and K4 and K5 this year!!!!!

I was not worried about this new year, in fact I was so very excited. Adding the K4-K5 Curriculum wasn't to big of a change, or so I though, as I was already doing Preschool work with the girls.

In my seven years of homeschooling I have never felt so beyond overwhelmed and as if I was unable to continue on.

How do all you Momma's with big families do this?

I love homeschooling, I would never trade it for anything in the world, I know there is nothing better for my children! But WOW it sure is a job. I feel like if I give it (homeschooling) my all everything else falls apart (The house, meals, my HUSBAND). Then I can try really hard to keep up on household things but I feel like have neglected the childrens schooling. I am so overwhelmed with trying to get it ALL done!

So if you think of me I would appreciate your prayers. Sorry I haven't been around on here much, but now I think you can see and understand why! I miss all my wonderful blogging friends and I hope and pray you are all doing well!!!

The Schoolhouse Planner

Now that I have told you about the Old Schoolhouse Magazine going digital, let me tell you about another exciting product out there that is available from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.

The Schoolhouse Planner!

Now Ok, I know what you are all thinking....Another Planner.... Well Please hear me out. I know we all have at least 3 planners that we have ordered and tried. I probably have 6 or 7. Each may be a little different but for the most part they are the same. Every Review you hear will tell you how their's is THE ONE to meet all your needs, so in our desperate attempt to pull it all together and get organized THIS YEAR we purchase it and hope and pray it really is all that they say it is. We print out some forms, we put together our binder and we start school all ready for a very Organized and productive year, Right? Sound familiar. Oh am I so guilty of this. Then about a month or two down the road I start to think of all the things I need that are not there, and agian start search for something that has that One More Item I need to make my planner complete. Now I am not saying these planners are not good, I love all my planners, that is why I have so many of them, I use a little from each to make it work for me. 

My Point.... The Schoolhouse Planner... It has it all!!!

Not only is it an instant download, I hate waiting a couple of weeks to get my disc so I can start planning, I am not very good at planning to plan. So when I get that urge that it is time to get organzied I just click the website, purchase it, and check my emails. It really is that simple.

Then, what makes this so unique? It is not just a planner. I have my calander, I have all my report and planner forms, everything I could think I need for Homeschooling, but it doesn't stop there. 

We even have everything to organize our home. From Chores for the kids to my own household schedule. There is even forms for important numbers, address books and website lists.

Isn't this great, but wait there is still even more. After our long day of school, trying to get the house in order and now hubby is on his way home from work, we frantically (If you are like me) try to figure out what can I cook for dinner????? The Schoolhouse planner has a solution. Each month has a section that even includes recipes. Things from Cheeseburger Pie to Tropical Chicken Dinner. Problem solved!

Now my two favorite features were the Forms each month that covered topics such as Presidents, State Capitals, Wieghts and Measures, Important Historical Dates and so much more. No more running to the internet or trying to find that book with the answers it will all be right there in your planner! The other was all the resource links each month. Tons of website are included in this planner to help us on our Homeschool Journey that we could print out or, even better click the link and go directly to it! I am always searching for new websites to use in school so I found this to be so convienent and very exciting!

I could keep on going but I am going to encourage you to check it out yourself! This is a very helpful and useful New Planner that I think you will be very pleased with!

The Schoolhouse Planner 

Please come back and let me know if you liked it as much as me! I would love to hear from you!  

The Old Schoolhouse Digital Magazine

How many of you have heard of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine? How many of you are subcribers? Isn't there just so many good article and tips to help us along in our Homeschool journey? There is no way we could ever throw any of them away and maybe we have thought about giving them away... But Maybe we just might want to come back to that article again because it was so refreshing and helpful. Oh and all those recommended websites!! We can not get rid of those. We totally intend to get to all those links ONE DAY!!!!

Have you heard the NEWS?

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine has gone digital. That is right DIGITAL! Now I can order my subscription online. It comes straight to my inbox every month. It is always available on my computer, I can have them all and not even have them taking up space!!!!!!! There are just so many advantages to this. You can search for specific topics and let the computer find it for you, no more thumbing back and forth trying to find that article, you can save them all for future review right on your computer, my personal favorite because my husband is always asking when I am going to go through and remove some magazine...What I am not getting rid of any of my magazines...Now I can have them all and no one will even notice, Until I show them how cool of course! Another feauture I loved was all the links. How many of you go through magazines and fold the corner to remind you to go and check out a site? There are so many sites I want to visit and when I am on the computer I forget to go grab the magazine, or when I am reading the magazine I am not going to the computer..So...Now as I am reading online and I see a great link I want to check out.. All I do is click it and I am there!!!! Now I really might find all that stuff I was looking for! If you haven't already I want to encourage you to go and check it out. The Old Schoolhouse Digital Magazine 

I am sure you will not be disappointed. And please let me no what you think I would love to hear from you!      

BFS 2008-2009 School Year

I am so excited to announce that I have signed up for another year of Blogger Friend School!

Also If you hurry on over and sign up there is a Back to School Giveaway going on. They are giving away a Nature Homeschool Package. This package consists of two beautiful hardbound Nature books and a Nature Journal!

To learn more about it and to sign up go over to

Training Hearts

This site is so encouraging and offers so many ways to get to know other like-minded homeschooling moms. I have made so many new friends through Training Hearts and I encourage you to check it out!

Looking forward to all our class time together!!! 

FREE Nail Polish and Photo books at CVS

Free Used Books

Happy July!!

Homeschool Seminar

Homeschool Seminar in the Privacy of your own home!!!

For those of you who have never tried on one these, they are great, I highly recommend them.

Check it out!

Hope you choose to join! See you there!!!! 

If you want to enter a drawing for a chance to win a FREE ticket head on over to Training Hearts  and find out how to enter!

What kind of 1930's wife are you?

I just took this fun quiz! I was so surorised by my score.

81 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Superior Take the test!

What kind of 1930's wife are you?

Take the quiz to find out!

WE ARE MOVING!!!!!

Reaching Out

I was just informed that my next door neighbor passed away last night!

He had been sick for awhile, but after much prayer he was doing amazingly better. In fact he went on vacation to visit family since he was doing so well. But the first day out he ended up in the hospital, 2 weeks ago, and last night passed away. 

Now I sit here and wonder did I do enough. They were not believers. We tried to reach out as much as we could. But this is such a wake up call, we never know how much time anyone has. I can only hope and pray that in his last hours he came to know Jesus as his personal Lord and Saviour. I had an oppurtunity to reach out to a lost soul and now that chance is gone. I can not explain the way I feel in side. I am so burdened for his wife. They are the sweetest couple. We are going to miss him so much. 

New Blogs

Hi Everyone,

I am in the process of creating 2 new blogs. It will be easier for me to keep up and organized on what to blog, I think! LOL

Here at Path Of Life I will Blog our Homeschool Journey as well as family and life events!

Over at   Keepers At Home I will Blog all My Money Saving Tips, grocery and deal Photo's and advice to other stay at home moms. I may expand this blog a bit to cover many topics that are within The Titus 2 Scripture!

And Finally, I decided to create a blog Dedicated especially to my Husband! It is called  The Great Mystery and this will be where I will blog all my special blessing entries to my husband so for those of you joining me in this make sure to add this blog to your list. I have been so blessed by all your comments and the knowledge that many others of you have joined me in blesing our Husbands!

I hope you enjoy these blogs and that they continue to be a source of encouragement to you all. Please forgive me as it takes awhile to get them completely organized! I look forward to your comments!

CVS

Moving?

I will keep you posted we should know something within a week!

Update June 6th

We have been playing a game with the bank, They keep countering our offers. We have gone up more than we have wanted and they still countered. We are putting in one last final offer. Please pray for favor that the bank will accept it. If not we are going to walk away from it for the time being. The children were so excited I hate to have them dissapointed. If this is not the house that God has for us Please Pray He will show us the house He does Have for us, Thank you! I will Post again Monday Unless I hear something sooner!

New Website

Blessing our Husbands

When I first set out on this I wanted it to be a weekly entry, To be able to edify and lift up my husband and tell him how much he means to me and how much I appreciate him each and every week. So for those of you who are following me in this I apologize. It has turned into more of a monthly thing. I just have not been able to find the time to blog lately. I can not wait until this summer I am going to be blogging and scrapbooking! I can hardly wait. But I also have a goal of getting more organized. This post is going to be a little different. My inspiration started with a conviction. A few weeks ago my husband had invited a friend of his over, just to sign a few papers, without telling me. I was upset and bothered because the house was not in "company" order and he should have warned me. He said he didn't care what the house looked like for company but rather for him. He asked why I was so concerned about what others thought as opposed to what he thought! WOW was I convicted. I am always making sure the house is in order if I know compnay is coming, yet I slack off during the rest of the time thinking he should understand I am busy all day with the kids. 

 Proverbs 31:27 says "She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness."  Our homes do need to be a daily priority, our home should be an earthly picture of our Heavenly Home. "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." Proverbs 24:3-4
 

"Her Husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value." Proverbs 31:11

Do our husbands have full confidence in us? Do they know they can come home and find peace? Or is it Crazy and out of order? If it is like my house, there is a laundry pile in the laudry room that needs to be washed, a pile that needs to be folded and a pile that needs to be put away. I really do plan on getting to it. Then there is the kids toys that have made a trail through the whole house through out the day while we were busy doing school with the older children. Then there is the kitchen, Oh No, please not the kitchen! I do not understand why I can never keep up with the dishes. I fail everyday when it comes to organization. I fail my husband everyday and more importantly I fail My God everyday. His command in His Word is to manage the affairs of my household well. My husband works hard to provide all that we have, God has blessed my husband with the work and the ability to have all that we have. It is my job to manage it well. 

If my husband had the time everything would have a place. The house would be overly organized and would always be ready for company. My desire is to be obedient to the calling that Lord has placed on me, to be a Help-Meet to my husband. Knowing how the unorderliness drives him crazy, it is my pray that I can be more organized and have the home more peaceful.

"May the Favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; Establish the work of our hands for us- Yes, establish the work of our hands."  Psalm 90:17      

Deals

Am I the only one who seems to have lost all the really good deals? It seem like we were able to stock up on so many things food wise before but for the past 3 months the deals have been scarce. Well I did this transaction at CVS today! I wouldn't call it food but hey it only cost me $1.01 OOP and I got back $1 in ECB's. Take a look: 

We keep on getting $3 off $10 CVS coupon and $1 off Absolutely Divine Cookies. I had no idea what I was going to do with all of them. Well today I found a scenario. I got 4 boxes of Absolutely Divine Cookies on sale for $1.99 each (These are CVS Brand) I also got 2 boxes of Sanchwich bags Buy one get one half off which were around $2.19 (CVS Brand). I got Life Fitness Energy Gum, 2 Sobe Life Water, and 2 Sierra Mist 2 liters which were on sale Buy One Get One Free.

I used 1 $5 off $15 purchase

1 $3off $10 CVS  brand purchase

4 $1 off Absolutely Divine Cookies

1 $2 off any Life Fitness purchase

1 Buy one get one Free on Sobe Life Water

and 1 Buy one get one Free Sierra Mist 2 liter.

My total was $1.01 which I paid cash and got back a $1 ECB!

Of course we have stocked up on all the FREE's they had this month which has earned us alot of ECB's. I was up to $100 in ECB's so I did a couple of the Playskool Pampers deals as well. I no longer have little ones in pampers but boy do I remember how expensive it was. So we decided to bless those we know who have little one's with pampers. We got 6 packages and are giving 2 each to 3 different couples.

(There are only 4 in the photo because we already gave 2 away to my sister-in-law.)

Each transaction we bought 2 packages of Playskool Pampers at $10.99 each. $21.98 plus tax.

I used the $5 off $15 coupon 

used 2 $2 off Playskool Pampers coupon

brings total down to $12.98 plus tax

I paid with $10 in ECB's then the rest OOP and got back $5 in ECB's. Not bad!

I made 3 seperate transactions and we might do a couple more since the limit is 5.

I really miss all the supermarket sales though. It seems like we were able to stock up on so much stuff we really needed like Lunch Meat, Beans, Rice, Pasta's and sauces, mayo, salad dressings, snacks for the kids lunches, cereal, Etc.. I am so glad we really stock piled all of that because our local supermarkets have not had much sales lately. I am praying these weeks ahead will have something good. If it does I will post pics!

Let me know if you have found some stuff I am missing, I would love to hear from you!     

Tornadoes in Southern California

Aloha, I am back!

I am back from our anniversary vacation to Kauai for 7 days and 1 day in Oahu! We had a great time! We have now seen all the Hawaiian Islands. My personal favorite is Maui although my husband is not sure which is his favorite. We still need to go back and explore more on the main Island because we have only seen one side. For this trip we stayed a full 7 days just on Kauai. More time we have ever stayed on any Island at one time.
We flew in Monday the 21st of April. We just relaxed and took our time and just hung out together this first day!
This is our resort which was located in Kapa'a just right out side our doors was the pool and beach!

The next few days we just explored the Island on our own taking long drives and many hikes around the Island! Here is what we found:
The Kilauea Lighthouse with an amazing view of the ocean

Lava Arch all along this coast

This is cleverly named glass beach! Look at the photo below and you will see why! There is a junk yard up aways from this beach and alot of the glass is tumbled in the oceans waves and smooths and polishes the GLASS which ends up like stones along this shoreline. It is amazing how smooth it is we walked all along it!
Isn't that neat?
This is Spouting Horn. The lava rock formation shoreline. The waves have carved a hole in the lava rock. When the waves come in it spouts up through one of the holes and through another hole you here this really loud horn sound! It was really cool to see and hear! This was located south of the Glass Beach.
Waterfalls are always one of our favorites to see! This waterfall is named Wailua Falls
This is Opeeka'a Falls

This is the Waimea Canyon. It is 10 miles long and 1 mile wide and more than 3,600 feet deep!
And of course Beautiful sunsets! I happen to think Maui has the most romantic and beautiful sunsets but any coastal sunset is breath taking! this was taken at Kekaha Beach Park on the West Shore.
The next day we decided to take a dinner cruise up the Napali Coast.
This coast line is only visible by boat, plane, or by an 8 mile hike into the coast which would take an entire day to hike into, we were told it was a very hard hike! This coast line was breathtaking, the most beautiful coast line I have ever seen! We also got to enjoy watching Sea Life on this cruise it was so awesome! Take a look at these picture which are nothing close to being there!
 
Can you see the little waterfall at the entrance to the cave?
Lava Rock Wall with waterfalls after the waves crash against it,
I just love waterfalls!
Aren't they cute!
This is the closest I have ever been to Humpback Whales. I got some great video of them as well to show the kids, it was so cool!
It was a great dinner cruise!

Now for our Kipu Jungle Safari, this what we did for our anniversary day! We started out Kayaking down a river, hiking through some jungle, rope swinging into lakes, tractor ride through some very nice land, lunch near a waterfall, ziplining in the trees (I still can not believe I actually did this, it was actually a lot more fun than I thought). We had a great day which ended with dinner at an Italian Place we found near our resort that we liked very much! It was called Kauai Pasta in Kapaa, if you are ever there you have to try it!
Here our some photos of our Kipu Safari!
Just finished kayaking
Our tractor ride
Jay on the Zipline
Ok, I will try it!
Here was Jay's favorite part of the day! Yep, that is him  up on that rope swing, he had so much fun!
Our last day on Kauai we just tried to find sites we may have missed, we also went back up to Princeville because my husband found this cave that you can swim back into called the BlueRoom, he wanted to get photos but it was so dark they did not come out very well.

Kauai was very beautiful! I still prefer Mauai though. I will post more on why later.
For our last day of our vacation we got up early and flew out to spend the day on Oahu.
The last time we were on Oahu we only saw Honolulu, we went to tour Pearl harbor. So we were not to impressed, very much city, just like home! So this time we wanted to see the North Shore, we had so much more fun on that side of the Island, and I absolutely loved the East Side of Oahu, thanks for suggesting we go that way Karina it was so worth it! (Karina was my Secret Sister with training Hearts, I also got to MEET her on this trip) We also took a tour of the Pineapple Plantation and ate at the shrimp truck like she recommended! Thanks, Karina, so much for all the tips, it really made our day worth it!
Take a look:

We got to plant a pineapple on our tour!
We enjoyed a Dole Whip, another good recommendation by my secret sister. I bet you all are really wondering who she is, huh?
Ok, Here  we are. This is my Secret Sister! We stopped and had Shaved Ice at Masamotos ( I am not sure if I spelled it right) up on the North shore and this is were we got to meet each other in person! It was so nice to talk with and meet her wonderful children. She was such an amazing Secret Sister, she blessed me so much! Thank you again  Karina for all that you have done for me, I really appreciate it!
This photo was taken at a beach campground on the East Coast of Oahu, The water was so amazingly warm. I would love to take my whole family camping here some day! This was just before we went to the airport to catch our flight home. We had a wonderful time.
Thank you Babe for another unforgetable Anniversary, I love you!