I can not believe it has been so long since I have updated my blog.  WOW.  Guess I have been very busy.  Busy indeed.

I went to the teacher training in Virginia at the Christian Light Publications center.  If anyone ever gets the opportunity to go, it is well worth the go.  I learned some valuable information...AND the friends and fellowship, was enough to want to go back.  I took the homeschool portion of the training...in hopes to glean more for our family, but I also learned some new things to do/try in my classroom at the public school. 

Even though I am not allowed to "bring religion" into my room...I do in subtle ways.  like not allowing certain things into my room, (books, movies, toys, etc.) And by the way I (hope) I carry myself.  And of course by my appearance.  I NEVER wear pants! 

We are currently hosting a Japanese student through the local 4-H cultural exchange program.  He is 13, and doesn;t speak much English!  BUT...we are having a fabulous time anyway.  We have taken him to a local country fair.  (He is from Tokyo)....Visiting with friends and relatives that live in the area.  We just got back from going to the Mackinaw Bridge...Mackinaw City, and traveling the Upper Pennisula of Michigan.  We went and saw the Tequhamenan Falls (spelling??) while up there.  We also went to a local Semi pro baseball game.    OH and my mom's company picnic is awesome..every year she takes the grandchildren.  They do prizes for the children who are there.  It is usually money or some sort of a great gift.  This year they had 1 bicycle to giive away...our Japanese student won that bicycle.  OH BOY...and the company paid to send it back to his house in Japan!  WOW...

Well, school starts back up for me,in a week and a half.  They the doors open for all the students September 2.  Boy did this summer go by fast. 

Our grandbabies are growing some fast.  Miss Kyah is already 17mo. old going on 4 years!   She is just so smart!  And her baby brother Mr. Max is already 2 1/2 mo. old.  He is smiling and cooing, and laughes when you tickle him...which isn't hard because he is SO tickleish!  He is going to be bigger than his sister (who looks like she is almost 3)...He weighs 12 lbs, and she is just 21 lbs....

Well, I best get off the computer, there are beans to pick and freeze, and more blackberries to be picked and froze as well. 

Blessings, Me!

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Good Morning everyone out there in blog land!  It has been a few weeks since I have been here.  Summer tends to be quite busy.  What with gardening, weeding, weeding, weeding..., "summer cleaning" the house, and just daily everyday things. 

My niece keeps the boys and I on our toes.  It seems every summer, she gets more out of control.  She just turned 7 last week, and acts like a 12 year old.  She comes everyday in the summer so she doesn't  have to go to daycare.  She used to love helping me do "girl stuff" as she called it.  Cooking, gardening, cleaning the house, sewing, etc...NOW...all she was to do is play her hand held video game, or watch TV.  And at my house those things are NOT allowed to be done during the daylight hours.  (mean aren't I!?!)  My boys aren't allolwed to do them, so I won't make allowances for any other person either.  She is MOUTHY!, rude, and disrespectful.  UGH....and talking to her parents gets us no where!  Last week I heard her doing something in the living room...so I peeked in and there she was doing a yogi style chant....I told her that that was not allowed in my house, becuase it wasn't a Christian thing.  As soon as I walked out she was at it again.  URGH....so I told her that that was being disrespectful to me and my family, and that what she really was doing was calling on the devil himself...her response..."GOOD i HOPE HE SHOWS UP!"  I was speechless....I prayed real fast for her and my home, and then had her follow me and do some household "girl" chores.  I haven't had a chance to talk with my brother about it...but be sure I will.  I have a children's daily devotional and a Christian reading book (used in schools) that I think  I will do daily with her and my youngest son.  (I have two readers, one at each of their levels!)...

Our grandbabies are getting so big.  Mr. Max now weighs a whopping 10 lbs at just 4 weeks old.  That is a gain of two pounds since birth!  Miss Kyah (15 mo) is really starting to understand that she needs to be gentle around her baby.  She has to give him a good nite kiss each nite, and she loves to hold him,  careful though because she wants to pick him up if you aren't looking! 

I read a book this past week...(one of my summer pleasures!)...anyway, what a thought provoking book.  It is called Daughter of China, by C. Hope Flinchbaugh and does it ever make a person think.  We need to thank our Heavenly Father daily if not more, for granting us the freedom to worship so openly in here in the USA.  I am now convicted to pray daily for the persecuted Christians in China and elsewhere, where they have to worship God in underground churches.  Where they can be beaten and imprisoned just for owning a Bible.  (How many Bibles does your family own?)  Think about having to share ONE bible amoung MANY families, and having to hid that bible until the next meeting.  We take our Christianity for granted.  We do not know what it means to TRULY worship our Creator.  To read about the persecuted Christians in China and elsewhere...I feel so small and helpless...but I know that my walk with Christ will now be more meaningful and useful as I pray for those who must worship in secret.  If you get a chance, read this book, or get involved with one of the many ministries that bring hope and relief to some of the persecuted Christians.  Christian Freedom International, Voice of the Martyrs These are just two of the many organizations that help those in need!

On that note, I will leave you with one more thought:  What will you do to help those who need it?  What more can you, one person/family do?  Be blessed that you can worship freely and openly....think about our Brothers and Sisters in Christ who can not!

Blessings,

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Well, as of tomorrow...school will be officially over for me for the summer.  WHEW!  I don't know who is more ready for summer, me or my scholars!    My room is all packed up, put away, sealed up, turned off, covered up, unplugged, & report cards are finished, all important information is put away in the office.  I am so excited for this year to be at an end!

(So this isn't my real school, ...but I love old pictures...and this was cool!)  I would like to teach in a one room school house.  I think it would be fun, interesting, challenging, and rewarding all wrapped up in one.  I mean, I teach multiple grades now...so it wouldn't be much different. 

We will be busy this summer with the two grandbabies, my niece, and we will also be hosting a young Japanese student for a month.  Next year, if he is still interested, our youngest son will have the opportunity to go to Japan for a month, in the summer, to spend it with our student and his family.  If he goes, then all our children will have been worldly travelers!  Our oldest son went to Peru for a month several years ago on a mission trip.  Our daughter went to Europe/ Great Britian for a month as a study abroad experience, and our middle son went to Belize with 4H for 2 weeks, 2 summers ago.  Now it is our youngest sons turn to experience another culture/country.  DH and I have only been to Canada...we both would like to visit Ireland, Great Britian/Wales before we become to old to enjoy it!  I personally, would love to visit any Asian country!  & Egypt!

We are trying to decide how to heat the house next winter.  We have been heating with a corn stove.  (WOW the heat is great!)  But corn has doubled in price, and gas will cost us over $600 more for the year.  We are looking into wood pellets...UGH...next step will be to look into solar and wind power! 

Well, enough for now...Have a blessed day! 

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Baby Maximus Andrew has arrived!  June 1st weighing in at 7lbs 15 oz and 20 1/2 inches long.  He has a head full of dark hair, and also is a fuzzy thing too!    He is such a sweet thing.  Barely squeeks at all!  AND he sucks his thumb or first finger, and holds them there with the other hand.  Doctors say he must have been doing this all along! 

Daughter in law went into the hosptial with pains late Saturday evening, they sent her back home saying she probably just had a UTI...she was NOT in labor...well once she got home she said the pains just intensified, and she was in very intense pain...so by the next morning she called her mom, who went over to check on her...she took her to the hospital...by the time they got there...Daughter in law was in FULL labor...and pushing...the doctor almost didn't make it to the delivery!    UGH!  Anyway,,,all went well and mommy and baby are doing terrific. 

Cute little side note...Kyah...big sister at 14 mo., really was interested in her little brother on day one...she hasn't been jealous one bit when mommy or daddy hold her brother...HOWEVER...if grandma holds him,  oh boy...that big green eyed monster of jealousy really rears it's ugly head!    Oh boy...it happened the first day we visited and again yesterday!  If I hold him she tries to push him off my lap...she doesn't even like it if I hold her too! 

Well we are getting some MUCH needed rain today.  Our garden was looking like a desert!...We finally planted all our plants...as the weather has been decent enough to do so.  We haven't had any frost since we put them in. 

This afternoon we have our home interview with the 4H coordinator to place our Japanese exchange student with us for the summer.  It is a 4week summer program.  The student will be about the same age as our youngest son...about 13 or 14.  And then next summer our son has the opportunity to spend 4 weeks in Japan with this same student and his family.  We are so excited about doing this. 

Well my break is about over, and I have to prepare for the next lessons...5 and 1/2 days left of the school year.  Whahoo...snow days are really nice when we have them...but making them up isn't too much fun!  Tee Hee...

Blessings everyone!   

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Good Afternoon everyone out there.  Guess I need to do my weekly update.   

Today we received some MUCH needed rain, and we are predicted to get more throughout the weekend!  Yeah!  WE had some hard frost yet this week, so we still haven't gotten our plants into the garden...seeds are in, but not the plants.  Weather is supposed to be and maintain spring temperatures...so I think this weekend we will be putting in the plants...THEY REALLY NEED TO GO IN!

This morning at 3:00 am, our son called and said, "MOM you need to come right now!  THe baby is coming right now!"...and you know when you get a call in the wee morning hours...one does NOT function very well!  SO, I stumble out the door and drive the 10 miles to their house... in my night clothes, to find out daughter in law lost her "plug" and some blood and they got really nervous.  (About the blood!)....so I went back to sleep at their house...(granddaugher sleeping so sound through it all)  (Okay I really didn't sleep....so much going through my head...) so when I do slumber off...son's alarm goes off....then he calls to tell me the alarm might go off!...Okay...so I again slumber off...just in time for dh to call to ask what we were doing.  SO...I had him take the day off...to watch granddaughter... son came home about 6:15 to go to work and said that daughter in law will be coming home today...{if he went to work he earned an extra vacation day!}...so dh brought my clothes to me, when he brought boys into school,  so I could go to work...but forgot my shoes...so I had to wear my flip-flops...hhhmmmm pretty outfit...my red gingham jumper with my black/blue flipflops!  HHHMMM>...  Oh welll....Greatfull he didn;t forget anything important! 

Well, I guess that is all for now... I must pop in a cute movie for the scholars...who earned it.  It is a Marty Stouffers "Wild America" movie...called Wacky Babies.  It show baby animals doing baby animal things, and the narrator has cute dialogue to go along! 

Blessings for a safe, happy weekend!

So daughter in law did come home....dh went to work, and all is good!  I will swing by on my way to work, to check on them...and then maybe snatch the granddaughter for tonight or maybe tomorrow night so they both can rest! 

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¤Good Afternoon Blogland friends....

I pray that you have a safe Memorial weekend whether you are traveling or staying at home.  We will be staying at home.  Well my youngest son and I will be.  DH and older son are going to Dh's uncle's house (aka the Family Farm).  There is a road race that son is going to run in, and afterwards....they will be Turkey hunting on the farm.  Youngest son didn't want to go...doesn;t like to hunt, and didn't want to travel...so he and I are going to stay around home...plant the garden (I hope!), and then go GARAGE SALE shopping. 

Around our town, there will be numerous garage sales.  I am looking for a bookcase/or book shelves.  Toddlers toys for our house...hopefully some outside stuff.  And some baby boy and toddler girl clothes to keep here at grandma's house.  Or any other treasure we may find!

Baby Max, is still content to wait until his due date to arrive here into our lives!  And we are just as happy with that too!  Two weeks and counting until the scheduled c-section.  Not sure if I mentioned it before...but they have scheduled the c-section because big sister was born emergency c-section just 14 mo. ago...and they (doctors) are afraid that DIL didn't heal enough before she was pregnant again.  SO...to be safe....SO June 5th is the big day!  Keep DIL and baby Max in your prayers.  We wil lbe keeping big sister here with us while son and dil go in to have Max...Big sister gets to spend the night and I will take a few days off from school.  (We go until June 11th)...snow day makeups. 

Again, have a safe weekend!  Blessings!

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Good Afternoon everyone. 

I hope your Mother's day was spent with dear wives/mother's/sisters/aunts/grandma's...or anyone who deserved recognition yesterday! 

We had a big family cookout at our house.  WE celebrated with my parents, my inlaws, my brother's family, and our grown children and families.  WE celebrated mother's day...AND my dad's birthday, and our son's 23rd birthday!  WE had a wonderful time.  My younger brother, who lives far away, called and talked with everyone too...

Baby Max Update!  Baby Max is now content to stay put for the time being.  We are praying that he stays until his due date.  (June 14...c-section scheduled for June 5).  He is very active, and DIL is feeling very good. 

Our little Granddaughter is deciding to go through the "terrible two's" a year early.  Oh boy!  And she only wants her grandma...Honestly I haven't spoiled her.....(much)....Honest....

We are going to apply for an exchange student for the summer.  It is a 1 month stay.  The student comes from Japan.  About 9 years ago, we hosted a Japanese exchange student through our church.  THis was an 8 week stay.  WE really enjoyed it.  Our two older childern really liked having our student, and this will be fun for our two left at home.  We still keep in contact with our "Japanese daughter" too!  After 9 years!  SO...we hope we can do it again this summer!

Well it is now lunch...so I will sign off for now...

Blessings for a wonderful Monday!

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I know when my cell phone rings during my teaching time, it can't be good.  My son called me at 3 pm yesterday to inform us that our daughter in law was back into the hospital again!    She hadn't felt Baby Max move much all day, and she was very worried.  (Kyah did that too, and then went into fetal distress and they ended up doing an emergency c-section)....so Ashlee was praying this wasn't happening again.  WHEW!  Nothing to worry about.  Praise our heavenly Father!  Ashlee and Kyah have been battling a bout of diarreah (sp) for several days, and the Dr. said Max was just upset about that.  WHEW....They will be at 36 weeks Sunday, so we are praying for, hopefully, another week...or more...so that Max will be considered Full term. 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY  to all your momma's, grandma's, aunts, etc...who love our darlings so much!  We will be having a large cook out at our house Sunday after church!  MY parents, my inlaws, my brother and his family, our grown children, and of course the boys still at home!  We will be celebrating, Mother's day, and my dad & and son's birthdays!    My son was born on my Dad's 45th birthday...I call him the gift that keeps on giving!  LOL

Well, I am suffering a slight headache, and this computer isn't helping much....Have a GREAT weekend everyone! 

Blessings from Northern MI

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Here are some of my students.  The fifth graders had a field trip today, so my 3-4th graders are writing, and making props for a play they want to put on tomorrow when the others will be back.  They are in the process of writing their play in this picture.  They are writing about a farm and the day in the life of the farmer and the "talking" animals.    So cute how they work together. 

On a new note....my daughter in law is doing 100% better.  No contractions, no back pain, no headaches....she is still drinking LOTS of water, and "trying" to stay off her feet as much as possible.  As much as possible being the mommy of an active 14mo old!    Please continue to keep her and little Max in your prayers...we would like to keep him in there for another week and 1/2 to get them to 37 weeks! 

Blessings, and have a great day!

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Please pray for my daughter in law and little baby Max.  He isn't due until June 14, so Ashlee is 35 weeks pregnant.  She has been in and out of the hospital 2x in the past 24 hours.

  Late evening yesterday, she started contrations...went to the hospital and they put in an IV...after about 2 hours contractions stopped so they sent her home.  WE went and picked up our granddaughter (14mo) and she spent the night.  Good thing, as Ashlee ate some cereal when they got home last night about 10.  About an hour later she threw up all the cereal, and got really cold, and then got real bad Contractions. SO, back to the hospital they went....she stayed until about 7:30 this morning. 

Dh is home with our granddaughter, who is having really nasty diapers...and he said she doesn't want any food.  HHHMMM! They must have a bug at their house...baby ALWAYS eats...

Please just pray that she feels better and that the contractions hold off until this baby is "cooked" long enough to come out just fine!  Next week will be 36 weeks, 37 weeks is considered full term.  Mother's day will be our son, the daddy's birthday.  It is also my dad's birthday...so maybe is Max is bound and determined to come early...maybe he will wait until then, and it will be a triple birthday party! 

I have been setting out my starts to harden them...but the weather isn't cooperating.  It has been quite chilly.  But the sun shines strong on our back deck during the day, so I set them out in the sun.  I am getting anxious to get the garden planted too...but we still have two more weeks to wait to safely plant the garden. 

I remember when our son turned 2 it was so hot (may 11)...he was playing in his wading pool.  Then the next year, there was 2" of snow on his birthday.  So, here in northern MI, one just doesn't know what they month's weather will truly be like from year to year! 

TEACHERS/HOMESCHOOLERS...check out the FREE one day only visit to Readinga-z.com  it is free for teacher appreciation week.  Free today only!  They have really great reading material and worksheets etc, to go with them.  They are leveled reading stories.  GREAT SITE!  Check it out! 

Well my break is almost over, and I have lots to do.  So, until next time.....BLESSINGS,.

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