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Browser Trouble

I found out that my blog does not always look the same depending upon which internet browser you are using.  I usually use Firefox and found out that things, mainly my pictures, don't look the same in Internet Explorer.  I am trying to figure out how to solve this problem so the blog looks good in all browsers.  This is a big learning process for me, especially since Matt (my husband, who is usually my go-to guy for computer problems) knows nothing about blogging.  So I am on my own.

Slip and Slide Fun

     What happens when you give kids plastic, duct tape and a sprinkler?  Why a slip and slide of course.  After buying slip and slides the past two summers, we determined that they were not worth the money as they seemed to rip easily.  So, we decided to come up with a homemade one.  It was about 24' long and 9' wide.  The kids loved that three of them could slide at the same time. I loved the thought that went into the planning and construction.

Product Review Test

     Things are going to get pretty exciting around here.  As part of "The Old Schoolhouse" magazines product review crew, I have my first product to review.  I am reviewing the June module of The Schoolhouse Planner.  The June module is a mini-unit study all about geography.  We are pretty excited to be able to review it because we LOVE geography around our house.  We keep two maps up in our dining area, one of the world and one of the United States. For Christmas, my brother sent us a globe to replace ours that had broken from overuse.  Maybe it comes from being an Air Force family, but we have marked on our maps where we have lived, where friends, grandparents and cousins live and also routes to how we could get there if we were to visit.  Guam seems to be the most fun to visit because we would have to cross the Pacific Ocean.  Well, it is nice to dream about going. My product review is due by July 19th, so stay tuned to see how we used it and the fun we had.

   

Matthew and Sarah

     After realizing that I only had pictures of Ben and Rebekah on my blog, I decided I needed to add Matthew and Sarah.  These two tend to avoid the camera, so I end up with pictures of only the younger two.  They had a great time at church camp. 
     We spent a wonderful day, going to church, then potluck (yum!), then taking the youth group to the sand dunes for a hike.  Wow! what a hike.  I will admit, that I did not make it to the top.  Even though I walk everyday, climbing sand dunes is hard.  Good thing some of the girls didn't want to go to the top either and I had a good excuse to stop.
     I was the substitute Sunday School teacher for the junior high class today.  The lesson was about Gideon.  What a fun lesson to teach.  Gideon, who was hiding from the Midianites to thresh his wheat, was chosen by God to lead His people.  Gideon then proceeded to question God's judgment, and God was patient with him.  Then, the Israelite's won the battle with only 300 men. God's awesome way of showing that He is in charge and not us.

Great Summer Salad Idea

Last night I made a great chicken salad for dinner.  I took chicken breasts and sprinkled them with garlic salt, chili powder, and cumin.  Then tried to grill them (ran out of gas), so I finished them on the stove.  I then sautéed

red and yellow peppers and onions.  I put  the salad together by placing salad greens on each plate, crushing a handful of tortilla chips on top, putting the chicken that I had sliced on next, then adding the sautéed

vegetables, a sprinkling of shredded cheddar cheese and salsa.  I then topped mine with a little sour cream.  Wow, was this salad as good as any you would get in a restaurant.  Grilled chicken salad is one of my favorite summer suppers.  I am always trying to come up with new flavors, next time I will have to remember avocados.

Badminton Fun

      Church Camp Week for Ben and Bekah has been a wonderful time.  Our outside activities have been badminton and horseshoes, then we have bible study, sing lots of songs and eat lunch.  The three of us have had a great time, and then when Dad gets home from work he plays outside with them again.  I better be careful, they may not want their brother and sister home.  Although, I did hear discussion this morning on how it will be nice when Matthew and Sarah come home to to their own chores again.

Church Camp Week!

     A fun and exciting week for Matthew and Sarah,who are three hours away.
     A strange week for Ben, Rebekah and myself.  It has been fun overhearing Ben and Bekah discussing between themselves whose work they are going to have to take over.  Those two are hilarious together.  My mother says they remind her of puppy dogs, forever playing together, sharing toys, blankets, food and the occasional tiff.
     I think I will have to do a mini church camp with them here at home.  A little Bible study, a little music, a few games.  The camp gave me a paper with devotions for each day that use the same Bible readings that the older two are using at camp.  I think Ben and Bekah will have fun doing what Matthew and Sarah are doing.

So Hard to Say Goodbye

After two weeks of fun-filled, wonderful visits from two sets of grandparents the fun is now over. It is so hard to say goodbye to family who you don't see very often. Very interesting to me to see how each of my kids take good-byes differently. Two of them are very matter of fact, one gets a little moody and wants to spend time by herself, and one cries and cries and cries.

Thanks for coming to visit. We had a great time.

Proverbs 10:19

"In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise."

When I came across this verse a few years ago, I was excited. Here was something I could use to help teach and train my children. At the time I had a son who loved to argue and justify his actions, why he did what he did and why it was right. I used to tell him the more he talked the madder I would get. So I had him memorize this verse and would remind him of it as he started to argue.
But a funny thing happened, I began to internalize this verse. I began to realize that I would talk and talk and talk and I would make my kids feel they had to argue with me. So I slowly began to learn to restrain my lips. I learned to make my words short and sweet, just as it says in Proverbs 16:24. "Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones."
Do I keep this perfectly? No Raising children is a learning process, but by the grace of God, I am learning .

Warm Weather is Coming

Yeah! We are supposed to have temperatures of 84 degrees tomorrow. Having moved to Idaho only last July, we are still getting used to the weather. I have been told it has been a very cool spring. It has also been a very wet spring, which according to locals, is not usual. But all that aside, my kids are excited. In Montana, where we spent the last five years, it was cool all through June. When the temperature hits 80, my kids want to run through the sprinklers. I am sure they will want to wash the dog as well. I can just see it now, Benjamin (8), Rebekah (7) and Sarah (13) , turning the hose on the dog. Then Matthew (17) will saunter out and get his two cents in on how it should be done. And the poor dog, well he just stands there with his head down and lets them work. Then he gets his revenge by shaking water all over them when they least expect it. Aah! Summer is almost here.

Zoo Day

After a busy morning at Vacation Bible School, we decided to go to Boise with friends for an afternoon at the zoo. What a wonderful day. It was raining in Mountain Home, but when we got to Boise, no rain. The weather was just perfect, about 65 degrees and partly cloudy. Almost all of the animals were out. Sarah got to see her favorite animal, the tigers. Ben was able to see a Galapagos tortoise, plus another tortoise I forgot the name of. Rebekah got to make her pig sounds at the wild pigs we saw and also see the giraffes. Matthew apparently is too old for a favorite animal, but I guess that is what happens when you are 17. At least he willingly went with us. The walk through the rose garden was beautiful as well. There were a lot more roses blooming this week than a week ago when we went through. Sarah took some wonderful pictures of the roses.