One in a Million

If you are not involved in regular personal Bible study I would highly encourage you to do so!  I started doing regular Bible study about 4 to 5 years ago and have been so blessed because of it.  Normally I do Beth Moore studies, but a friend of mine greatly encouraged me to do a study from Priscilla Shirer called One in a Million. I have done about two weeks worth of the study and these are some of the concepts that God is teaching me...

*Satan knows our weaknesses, and he targets them.

*We sometimes stick with the same sin over and over again because it has its perks. I stick with my anxiety because in a weird way it gives me a sense of control.  Am I really in control?  Not in the least!

*I need to be careful who are my closest friends.  Those that are complainers will only drag me down into complaining and negativity. God has really been teaching me over the past few years that I need to guard my heart and give it away only to those that will be honest and yet encouraging with me.

*Sometimes God takes us where we don't want to go or never envisioned going to. Recently, God has taken me into a field of service that I would have never envisioned doing. He has also been leading me into some scary situations so that I can "flex my faith muscle".

This is a short study (6 weeks) and then I will move onto the last Beth Moore Bible study that I haven't done about David (A Heart Like His).

Another Award...Kreativ Blogger

I received two awards today!  Yes, two (see below)! Sheri over at The Shades of Pink gave me the Kreativ blogger award. Sheri and I became friends through the Five in a Row boards...she is the one that designed my blog button...see, she is very creative!  I love Sheri's blog so go check it out!

So here are the rules:
*I must thank Sheri...Thank you, Sheri!
*I need to tell you 7 things about myself that you don't know.
*I need to pass on the reward to 7 people.

Seven Things about Debbie---
*I am from New Underwood, South Dakota.  Find that on the map!
*I used to put makeup on men while I worked as a missionary!  No lie.  I worked in Buenos Aires, Argentina putting makeup on pastors so that they could go on TV to proclaim the good news of Christ!
*I am 5 foot 9 and shrinking!
*I have been to over 40 states and have lived in New York, Colorado, Kansas, Virginia, Kentucky, and Alaska.
*I am Welsh, Swedish and German.
*I can't stand to eat red meat...I maybe eat it once a month.
*I have a thing for hedgehogs!  We took care of one one summer and I feel in love with them.

The 7 People who are getting this award---
(Ok, this is not going to be seven as I just gave another award away to several bloggers...don't want to overwhelm people).  I love all the creative blogs below...
*Michele at My Blessings from Above
*Julie over at Faith-filled Days
*Shannon over at Song of my Heart
*Tara over at Mom Teaches 2
*Sheri over at What's in the box?

Over the Top Award

Michele over at My Blessings from Above gave me this award! It came at the perfect time (don't you just love how God works) as I was having a really down morning. I love Michele's blog...she has such creative ideas like the Pumpkin Head family! Go check out her blog!

For this award I am supposed to answer the questions with one word (impossible!) and then pass on the award to some other great bloggers.  They are to do the same.  Here we go...

1. Where is your cell phone? I don't have one! Behind the times!
2. Your hair? needs to be cut
3. Your mother? great with little kids
4. Your father? kindest person I know
5. Your favorite food? Thai
6. Your dream last night? Can't remember
7. Your favorite drink? coffee
8. Your goal? being a great wife and mom
9. What room are you in? dining
10. Your hobby? stamping, scrapbooking
11. Your fear? snakes
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? not sure
13. Where were you last night? church
14. Something you aren’t? outgoing
15. Muffins?  pumpkin chocolate chip
16. Wish list item? more books
17. Where did you grow up? all over, I'm an Army brat
18. Last thing you did? exercised
19. What are you wearing? workout clothes
20. Your TV? off
21. Your pets? Titan (mini schnauzer)
22. Your friends? wonderful
23. Your life? blessed
24. Your mood? a little down
25. Missing someone? Dad
26. Vehicle? Durango
27. Something you’re not wearing? hat
28. Your favorite store? any craft store
29. Your favorite color? purple
30. When was the last time you laughed? last night
31. Last time you cried? this morning
32. Your best friend? is an angel
33. One place that I go over and over? the store
34. One person who emails me regularly? Linda
35. Favorite place to eat? anywhere but home

I am passing on this award to...

Candace over at His Mercy is New
Kathleen over at El Rincón Español
Jen over at The Unsell Family Blog
Barb over at Everyday Glimpses

What to do with the candy???

What to do with all the candy your kids will be getting for Halloween (or in our case we don't trick or treat but do our church's fall festival)???  Why not use some of the candy for science experiments?  Found this idea on the Homeschool Share Boards.  I love the idea!  See here.

Rainforest Animal Fun

We are doing zoology this year, and I decided to add a few fun things in the boys' workboxes this week related to rainforest animals.  Here are a few of the resources...many of them are more for Noah's age, but Zach might do a few also.

I am going to have Noah read about South America as that is the rainforest I am familiar with.  Years ago Tim and I traveled to the rainforest in Northern Argentina/Southern Brazil.  It was awesome!

Noah loves to draw so I will have him draw a few rainforest animals.

This is a cool poster in which I will have the boys try to spot each of the animals that are on the border of the poster.

Dog Breeds Lapbook

Ok, so these are not the best of pictures, but Zach just finished doing a lapbook on dog breeds that we got from Hands of a Child.  Ever since we got Titan, he has been interested in dog breeds and training so this lapbook was right up his alley!  I set up the work to get it done so that it could easily go in his workbook.  Basically, this is the first lapbook that Zach has done totally on his own!  No help from me except I did pre-cut the pieces.  To see how I set up this project for his workbox, go here.

Happy Spiritual Birthday, Noah!

So glad you gave your life to the Lord!!!

Soap Giveaway Winners!

Here are the winners....Lisa and Susan...both gals are from the Five in a Row boards.  Congratulations!  I will be contacting you to get your addresses and will mail out your soap by the end of the week!

Multitude Mondays- What are they?

 What is Multitude Monday?  It is an opportunity to show gratitude and list the things you are thankful for each Monday.  Gratitude can change your perspective on life.  If you are interested see Ann's blog.Here is my continuing list...the goal...to get to 1,000! 41. That Christ loves us as is! 42. Yummy smelling candles 43. Living in a free country where I can worship God. 44. The opportunity I had to spend time in South America and see how others live. 45. Getting the time to scrapbook 46. God's protection in our lives 47. Coffee- Two of my favorites...with coconut creamer or St. Nickerdoodle coffee (a coffee from North Pole, AK) and hot chocolate mix.  YUM! 48. What God has been doing in the Sunday School class I teach.  It is awesome to see young people growing in the Lord! 49. Our science this year!  The boys and I are really enjoying what we are studying (zoology).  It is such a blessing for them to be excited about it and to look forward to it. 50. Homemade bread...it is so yummy when it comes out of the oven! 51. Great Christian Songs...I have really been enjoying this song lately ever since our Creative Movement team at church did it.  

52. Walks with my puppy

53. Blogging!  I really enjoy doing this!

54. Free curriculum!  We have been so blessed by using Homeschool Share.

55. Great books to read

56. My boys' complete opposite personalities!  They always keep me hopping!

57. Our trip to Canada this past summer that created such great memories

58. Snow!  Yes, snow...you would think that living in Alaska would taint your view of snow (and many times it does), but it is beautiful especially when it covers the trees.

59. That God is an amazing architect and artist.  His world is so beautiful!

60. Multitude Mondays!  For helping me focus on those things I need to be thankful for!

Soap Giveaway

Hopefully, you read my post yesterday  about the great products from Virginia Soaps and Scents.  Well, Richelle from the company has graciously given me two small bars of soap (The scents are Coconut Lemongrass and Oatmeal, Milk and Honey.) to giveaway on my blog! Please read about these wonderful soaps by clicking on the above links, and then if you are interested in trying them enter my giveaway!  Here is how you do it:

There are two ways to enter:

1. Leave me a comment and a way to contact you.

2. Follow my blog and then leave me a comment that you are following.  If you are already following then just let me know in your comment and I will enter you twice.

You can enter until October 26th.  I will pick and announce the winner on October 27th. (Note: There will be two winners for this giveaway.  I will be sending one bar to each winner.)

Good luck!

Some Body

Yesterday, I picked up the game Some Body because I am planning (long range planning, that is) to do a human anatomy unit with the boys in the future. So I played the game with Noah today because he was dying to get into it.  Well, all I can say is I need some lessons in anatomy!  I couldn't remeber for the life of me what the spleen or gall bladder do!

Geography Fairs

Ami over at Walking By the Way did a geography fair with her homeschool co-op.  This looks like an awesome idea!  I am seriously thinking of maybe doing one in our area.  If you are interested in what she did see her two posts.

Post #1
Post #2 (with directions on how to do one)

Cards Made to Order...

I have been selling my cards for over a year now.  For the first year I had them at a local shop.  The shop eventually closed down, and my dear friend offered to sell them at her workplace because many of the women were interested in handmade cards. Well, this past week I got my first "order" for a set of cards...20 of them for a going away party. They are made with old olive and rich razzleberry two colors from Stampin' Up! Here are the outsides and insides of the cards...

I am hoping to do more card orders in the future! It is a great way to make a little money and do the hobby I so enjoy!

More to be Thankful for...

Here is my continuing list of things to be thankful for...

26. A computer to be able to do my work, email, and blog.

27. Good health of the whole family...we have been run down a bit with colds, but we are staying relatively healthy.

28. Curriculum...yes, curriculum...makes my homeschooling so much easier!

29. The ability to teach the Jr. High Sunday School Class at church.  They are an amazing group of kids!  I am so enjoying them!

30. Being on the TOS Crew this year. We have been blessed with so many wonderful products to try out. I have loved this opportunity.

31. Safety on the roads.

32. Art classes with another homeschooling family.  This time spent doing art (something I never would have done with the kids on my own) has been a major blessing for us.

33. Our comfy sofa where we can sit and watch a movie.

34. The ability and ambition to do in depth Bible study.  I am looking forward to two new Bible studies, One in a Million by Priscilla Shirer and A Heart Like His by Beth Moore.  Can't decide which to do first, but they should be arriving in the mail any day now!

35. Exercise!  Keeps me healthy and sane!

36. The upcoming holidays

37. Hot baths with bubbles, of course!

38. Food stored up for the winter...less trips to the grocery store (in theory)!

39. Friends for my boys...I love to see them make connections with great kids!

40. My monthly cooking adventures with a friend.  This has been a lifesaver for me... having all that food in my freezer.

And the Winner is...

We have a winner for the giveaway of Spanish curriculum!  I always use Random.org to pick my winners and this time it is Homeschool Dawn!  Congratulations, Dawn!  Stay tuned for more giveaways...my blog anniversary is in November and I will be doing a few more then!

Fall Frost

Don't know if you can see it in the pictures, but we are getting frost every morning now.  No complaints here though...we should have had snow by this time that is staying until April!  But we have had an awesome fall with warm weather.  Snow can always wait!

Stormy Day Artwork

This week for art class we worked with watercolors and silhouettes.  We were supposed to make a picture of a stormy day.  Here is mine....

Here is Zach's...don't you just love the mini Schnauzer?!!

Here is Noah's...

Caramel Apples

Are these the cutest little "Caramel" Apples you have ever seen?  I am thinking that we are going to try these sometime soon!  These are covered in melted peanut butter chips.  Now even though I like peanut butter, I am not fond of the chips.  I may try these with just regular caramel or chocolate.  Yum!  Here is the recipe...kind of cool how you make the "mini apples". And a tip I read from another site...make sure you dry the apples real well before trying to dip them.