The first week of school! Oh what a week!

So I spent weeks preparing and preparing for the first week of this year of homeschool.  My oldest is extremely strong and I felt in order for first grade to go well that......
#1 I had to appear to know what I was doing
#2 Keep her moving so as to distract from her strong urge for control and
#3 Try my best to keep my patience in check.  

We started school on the same day as her public school friends and I was ready to go!  I got up a little early, was completely ready before the kids got up and snapped some pics of the room.  Next up get them dressed, fed, take "First Day of School" pictures and off we "would" go.  I was prepared and in control.  Richard hadn't left for work yet with a flexible schedule - thank goodness.  I ran into my bedroom for I don't remember what now because the next 30 minutes frankly was absolutely nuts! 

Shrieks came from the living room from Frtia "The dogs are throwing up!"  I immediately ran in and said "BOTH dogs?" No it wasn't both dogs but it was sweet Dixie (10 year old Boston Terrier) throwing up multiple times BUT it was not just throw up- she had eaten poop!  WORST thing to clean up- the absolute worst thing!  I quickly rushed her outside and turn around and Bub is gagging mid-living room.  Oh Lord really?  Poor guy has had the worst gag reflex from day one.  Off he was sent to some hard floor and I ran for the little green machine (small steam cleaner).  Again thank God Rich was still home so he could divert the kids from "helping" me.  I finally got it cleaned up and went to dump the dirty water and I'm not sure what happened but I poured it down my legs.  It is a little funny now but it was not good timing for Richard to start laughing.  As I finished washing off and mopping (not the chore of the day) I realized that I was not in control of anything and that it took complete chaos for me to recognize that God is in control and I am NOT.  I had been so worried about how bad the day could go!  What if she won't listen to me?  What if it is a fight every second of the day?  What if I can't occupy Little Lou (18 M old)?  Ha the rest of the day was quickly put into perspective!  And honestly it was pretty smooth all week.  I think there will always be a challenge trying to occupy little on without turning on the tv but hey at least I don't have throw up water running down my legs, right?  

    This is our school/play room.  I have tried to stick to the rule "if it doesn't have a home it has to go."  It took awhile to get the kids to buy into the rule but when they did it was so worth it.  On the inside of the boxes there are pictures and words of what belongs in the box.  

We are using Sonlight this year for both Frita (1st grade) and Bub (P3/4).  I removed an entire cubby of toys in order to put our books for homeschool and the kids have yet to miss them.  I pull all the books for that week along with all the worksheet etc and they seem to all fit in this one cubby.

 Art work on display and a swing that a year later is finally getting some use.

Words of the week and letters of the day.

First Day of School Pics

     Pre-chaos picture with an "in control" mom!

 Rich has taken up a tradition that he saw his dad do growing up.  The first year of school Rick bought each of his daughter's a necklace (the first one had one silver bead) each first day of school that followed he added a bead.  Frita felt very special, something Rich is great at!  Best cheerleader ever.

 Grammy made an appearance to help take care of the kids while I went to our Fall Kick Off at church and Rich had to work late.  She sure does love those grandbabies!

 Our first science experiment!  How magnets work.

That IKEA table is in serious need of a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser!

Crunch Time

We are down to 5 days before we officially start year 2 of homeschool.  I am still digging through Sonlight's curriculum (our first year to try this one out).  It is definitely very extensive and being very detail oriented I am reading and re-reading all the notes.  Let me say I have always vowed that homeschooling is not for me!!!  I don't have the patience!  All people that homeschool are weird!  How on earth will the kids be well rounded?  This year will be a journey.  I'm just gonna let God work BIG in my life. 

Since I have shut down my etsy site and put a hold on cake making I am going crazy trying to find an outlet for my creative side.  Voila a blog!  I have toyed around with the idea of doing a blog and just never sat down and put my mind to it.  Recently I have been searching blogs for ideas to do with my preschoolers while I home school, specifically my 18 month old, Little Lou.  I ran into a wonderful home schooling journey blog-  www.joylfuljohnson.blogspot.com and loved it.  Very encouraging in so many ways.  This was the straw that broke the camel's back on THIS Johnson becoming a blogger and it did have some helpful hints on keeping my little one busy.

This fall I am involved in homeschooling a 6 year old (1st grade) Frita, a 3 year old (preK) Bub and trying to not put my crazy 18 month old Little Lou in front of the tv!  Little hands projects to come!  Other than that I am heading up Mom & Me at church, attempting to have an organized, inviting home, wrapping my mind around adding to our network of friends for my kids and I to be able to embrace the whole home schooling experience and conquering the couponing world!

The kids will be involved with BSF (Bible Study Fellowship), soccer for the oldest (that Rich coaches), Mom & Me events and AWANA.  Oh how I love AWANA for so many reasons, of course the writing of scriptures on the hearts of my babes is awesome but it does not hurt that Rich has volunteered every year which means all the kids go and I get a solid hour and a half to myself. 
In the years past this is when I conquered my grocery shopping but now it will be used to make sure my week is set up for school and activities.

For the past year or so I decided that I would get up early like 5am early and I have done it and love love love it.  In the past I have been a self proclaimed night owl which really was (for me) a huge waste of time that resulted in a very grumpy mommy in the morning.  So I will continue to do this and hopefully will get my God time in with BSF so that I can have some perspective on the day.  It will take a lot of God this year for me to begin to love homeschooling. 

The Journey to Couponing

“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

Matthew 6:24

This is the verse that resonated in my head for months and years as I figured if I said enough that I would actually begin to believe it.  Within one year I was married, pregnant, my dad died, became a first time mother, my husband changed careers and we moved into our first home (2004-2005).  Wow what a whirlwind of events and I had no idea what was to come.  Moving towns and becoming a mother I found myself with little to no network of friends outside of my husband and one very special friend.  We started attending a local church and dove in an adult community (Sunday school).  It took about a year to finally feel at home there and begin to grow the huge network of family that we have today.

When Rich changed careers he moved to the financial industry which takes forever, or what seems like forever to get on your feet.  I have always had dreams of making lots of money and have lots of things.  It was a desire of mine, something I yearned for - it was MY idol!  Me have an idol?  I don't have any statues or worship false gods or did I?  Enduring the tough times was good, I thought, because we would end up in this place that would be bliss WHEN the money came in.  Month after month there was no money and I hit a breaking point, literally in tears asking my husband "Why hasn't God answered my prayers?  Why isn't he taking care of us?"  I believe this was a turning point for me, not an over night realization but gradually God changed me.  He changed what I felt was important.  I could not hear Him because I was too busy talking and not busy enough just spending time with Him.

Month after month I would go to the store and spend hours, literally trying to find which can of green beans I could save 1 cent per ounce and would continue to come home a failure spending close to $700/month on consumables.  God then put someone special into my life who shared a glimpse of what "couponing" could do.  I have always thought of coupons were for people that bought stuff they didn't need- Oh how wrong was I.  Since there was no money, not even enough to have a budget, it was just how low can  you go, I dove in and absorbed as much as possible.

Almost immediately we went from $700/mo to $200/mo and I was stockpiling.  This is an early on photo of our one rack in the garage.  It is chuck full now and with the exception of a very small shelf built off to the side (to house cleaning supplies apart from food and away from little hands) the only thing that I allow to seep into the house is diapers.  When those bad boys go on super sale we stock up.  Hopefully many more babes to come.

In order to achieve this in the beginning, with learning curve and all, I would spend about 3 hours a week (including the actual shopping).  For me that was over $34 an hour I was making or saving.  Now I spend about an hour and a half and our bottom line is under $300 (groceries, soap, cleaning supplies, razors, all paper products, diapers, all toiletries, dog food etc).

Since I had learned this I immediately started telling anyone I could find to listen to me. Well one friend told another and pretty soon it imposed on family time all this sharing and helping so I put it into a class form.  Within a few months our church hosted me as a guest speaker.  This class still remains scheduled, 4 times a year for free free.  I call things free free when they are actually free, no gimmicks.  I now offer group and private classes at other locations for a fee. 


This journey was so difficult but I would not change it for anything - I would not be the person I am today if I had not  had to endure each day of my changing process.  There was no other way for me to learn than to be stripped of everything, feeling hopeless and falling to my knees to slowly but surely listen to God and know that my security is in Him and not money.  Today I see things differently as if I put on another set of glasses.  I don't yearn for things anymore, in fact I strive to purge as much as I can especially when I can't control it.

Fast forward to 2011 I am a stay a  home mom of 3, married to possibly the most wonderful, supportive man in the world!  We are attempting to homeschool again this year this time 1st and preK and one very distracting 18 month old.  I am continually in awe of what God does in our lives day in and day out and can't wait to spend every day dependent on Him!

About Me

I have been married to my prince charming for 7 years and have 3 kids.  This is our 2nd year homeschooling our 6 year old and now 3 year old.  I am an avid couponer and have been teaching classes both private and not for 3 years.  My business of making elaborate cakes and tons of kids accessories has officially been put on hold so that I can fully commit myself to my number one ministry of my family.

While I do my best to appear perfect on the outside I often feel like life is chaos and continually strive to find my identity in Christ.
             

Cakes

Of course a belly cake.

 My Little Pony cakes,

 Wedding shower cake.

 Another belly cake.

 A groomsman cake where the groom owns a company that paves parking lots.  Was super fun to make.

 Jungle baby shower cake.

 Baby boy shower cake.

 A 60th birthday cake set.

 My very first cake.  It was somewhat of a disaster!

 This is still to this day my favorite cake.  Ms. Alligator.

 Toy Story birthday cake.

 My kids duel birthday cake.

 Skull & Crossbones birthday cake.

 Mexican birthday party.  This is round 2 of this cake since the first one fell apart.  At least it was my kids birthday =)

Lingerie Shower cake.

Retirement Party for a bus driver.

Capes

Sweet Frita and Bub enjoying a photo shoot with Mama De

Bags

Even though I am not currently taking orders I thought I'd throw a few of the things I've done in the past.
Here is a couple of Bible bags.  It started with one for my Frita for Christmas 2010.