Hi there!
I just recently bought a new photo printer because mine died.  Well, not really but the cartridge carriage that holds the ink won’t move when it’s supposed to.  I’m not sure why.  I had a paper jam, removed it and then the carriage wouldn’t move like it was supposed to.  I called HP (it’s a HP Photosmart 7960) and they walked me through a couple of maneuvers that didn’t work so I ended up just buying another one.  You can tell my patience only goes so far with these things.

Blessings
IN HIM
julie

Oh, have you checked this CD out SLUGS AND BUGS AND LULLABIES by Andrew Peterson???
What fun!!!  Your kids will love it (and so will you).  My kids have me play it over and over and over…….I was introduced to it through Underdog’s blog and it’s so wonderful and only 14.00 when you order from their website below.  You can listen to two of the songs online by clicking here.
Have fun!!!
Leave me a note and let me know if you liked it….
JULIE

Not long ago I read on another HSBer’s blog about the luck she had with her daughter and McGuffey’s Eclectic Primer Readers. 
Her daughter loved them.  So upon her recommendation I ordered the box set.  When I received them I was a little disappointed because they looked old, not colorful and fun like so many of today’s books.  My son, however, noticed them on the counter and curiously asked, "What are these?".  After explaining to him what they were he picked up the first book and began reading excited about the possibility of reading the bigger books.  And that’s how I became a fan of the McGuffey Reader.  It’s wonderful!!!  My first grader is reading them too and does quite well with them.  So yippee and thanks to whomever that was who blogged about their experience with the McGuffey Readers!

Hi and Merry Christmas.  I hope that in the new year that Christ will reign supreme in all that I say and do.  I hope that your Christmas in awesomely touched by the One who came that we may even breathe.

I wanted to post  a few pictures from the zoo.  Monday was gorgeous here so we enjoyed the day at the zoo.  It was one of those days that feel almost like heaven and couldn’t be more beautiful.  There are a few pictures of my kids and the a Name that Animal section.  Go grab the kids and see if they can name all the animals.

Love in Christ…JULIE

Here are my little monkeys plus friends…

Number three son with his ever present Tonka truck…

Number one son doing what he does best…hanging upside down…

The model looking number two child.  Always willing to pose for a picture…

And my daughter playing in the sand as if it was a beach…

Now for name that animal……
Leave a comment with your kids age and the names of the animal he/she is guessing and I’ll have a great prize for the one who has the youngest child to get them all right!

Well today we completely spent the school day outside in the beautiful 70 degree weather.  We did get math done but knowing cold yucky days are upcoming I took today to be a total outdoor day.  We got a nature walk in too right at dusk.  Then we played outside at the park until dark.  It was great.  We even got by the Dollar Store for all the things we needed for our Christmas Shoeboxes.  Tomorrow is busy with a field trip, dentist, pizza lunch with my oldest son's old school and trick-or-treating at 5pm.  Whew!!
Pray for energy!
Have a blessed day!
IN HIM,
julie

Looking for an easy but worthwhile ministry for your children for Christmas.  Consider Operation Christmas Child a ministry of Samaritan's Purse. 
This is Franklin Graham's (Billy Graham's son) ministry.  Your children
can pick out gifts (the Dollar Store is a great place to get things)
for the shoe box.  Choose a box for a girl or a boy and an age group. 
For guidelines see their website HERE

Today we went on a field trip to Chimney Rock Park in North Carolina.  You can read about the park by clicking here.  They had a special homeschool day today and a lesson about bats.  I admit, I was a tad bit disappointed.  I was expecting to see bats.  Instead we built a bat house and then the instructor talked about bats.  No skeletons, no real bats, no caves, no bat scat.  Bummer.  It was an absolutely perfect day otherwise.

And since I went with a friend and her kids I have two, count them, one, two, pictures to share with you that have ME in them.  Can you believe it?  My kids do have a mom.

So without further ado……

Here's my youngest son running around before the bat house making began….

Here I am TRYING to hammer nails to make the bat house.  The wood (white oak, I think) was really hard and difficult to hammer a nail through.  We got it done though!

Here are my boys with their friends…..

Here's me and my oldest son.  He's gazing at the huge American flag flapping in the breeze….

Here's the waterfall we hiked to see.  If you look at the lower part of the photograph you get an idea of the scale.  There's a man pointing out something to the group he's with.  At one part of the hike we climbed about 200 steps.  Talk about a work out!  All four boys were sitting waiting for us at the top.  My friend Lisa was front-packing her 2 month old and we were carrying her 2 year old between the two of us.  Whew!

Crazy boys and a beautiful day…..

At one point on the hike water had eroded the soil underneath a huge tree and the boys had fun in the hole made by the erosion.  It was so cool to see all the tree's roots and the way they had adapted to their circumstances.

The view….truly magnificant!

So, how was your Monday? 

My hubbie was busy while we were going and hot our fire pit/camp fire area all ready for the fall/winter season.  Pictures of that tomorrow.  I'm typing on the bed and don't think I have enough energy to find my camera!

Exhausted but alive in HIM,
Julie

After a morning of Bible, then a cute halloween craft, we meandered outside for God's homeschool lesson of the day.

Now, don't think I'm some supermom.  I didn't do much Bible all last week, in fact I've let it slide too much this school year.  So this morning I began with Bible.  We prayed together and then read about Jesus' crucification and resurrection.  Afterwards we worked on a cute Halloween craft I got at Michaels.  I meant to photograph it too but alas, all you're getting is bugs.  So today I laid aside math, language and spelling for “putting first things first”.

On our ventures outside today we ran across a small praying mantis, lots of spiders, a huge praying mantis, and a small snake.  Yes, we played with the snake some too but let it go before I could get to the camera.  I was scared the boys would squish it before I got it back to safety.

Here's what's in our yard….how 'bout yours?

His defense posture….so cool to watch!!

JULIE

         
My boys have had the privilege of having their dad as one of their coaches this year.

I can't tell you how awesome it has been to know that he is out there on the field with them.

I've been so blessed because of the comfort I feel knowing he is out there for the right reasons….to serve his God and to serve those kids.

His love for football is something he wants to relay to those kids but that goal comes behind his love for Jesus.  He wants those kids to feel good about who they are and why God has put them here.  He wants to encourage kids in their walk with God.

Some of these kids may go on to be professional football players.  Some may discover their heart for serving.  Some may go on to seek fulfillment in other sports.  But no matter what they choose God has chosen to touch each of their lives through my husband.

For that, I am extremely grateful and ever so humbled.

We went to see the Christian movie FACING THE GIANTS tonight to support their first weekend at the box office.  Please do so if you have a chance.  We took the whole family and it was awesome!!!!  I cried, I laughed and wanted to sit through it all again.  It was so awesome to see the Lord honored in a movie, truly honored.  For more info see the review on Focus on the Family or the movie's website here.

Have a great weekend!!  and go see a movie!!!
Julie