Innocent Fun

Every remember when you were little making snakes out of straw paper.  Well meme has started this tradition with each of my children.  Everytime Ella is around meme and we have straws, she has to make a snake.  Last night when we were eating out, the snake had to be done. 

She is dripping water from the straw to make the snake grow.

Here Jeff is trying to help.  The snake, I think, has grown all it can grow.  The fun with children.

On another note, our family has had the best time watching the 2010 Winter Olympic Games

The biggest game in the olympics is coming up tomorrow. 

Half of us are pulling for these guys.

and half of us are pulling for these guys.

It is going to be a fun time at our house tomorrow around 3:00.

GO U S A

We are hoping for another miracles on ice.

Co-op and Ella's new thing

Well Thursdays are co-op days.  We have such a great time.  We are so blessed to be apart of a group of families that are truly seeking and teaching the Word of God.  We do Walk Thru the Bible, Science, YWAM Books, and then Worldview.  Mrs. Carmen truly teaches our children the message of the BIBLE:  I Love You and he wants to show off.  I leave co-op refreshed and renewed.  We have begun such a journey that is truly bringing our family together in such a way that is indescribable.    It is amazing when God calls us to do something and we walk on faith the blessings that will flow.  That is the story of our homeschool journey.  Some points that really are eye opening.
1.  God doesn't call us to do easy things - Homeschooling is not easy
2.  God calls us to serve - by homeschooling each child learns to serve their family
3.  God calls us to focus on him - Homeschooling allows us to choose the curriculum so we have Bible as a 
                                                   class
4.  God wants to show off - Homeschooling allows us to slow down and noticed his creation
Thanks for the grace if we don't get something right but for the faith to jump out of the boat.

So on to Ella  . . . her new thing
Cutting paper into a thousand of tiny pieces, color the piece with maker, and then cover the entire piece of paper with tape.  She pulls off a big piece of tape and sticks it to the table.  Then she takes the scissors and cuts little pieces of tape to cover the paper.  So here is what my house looks likes.

She has tape on the breathing machine.

The paper that has been cut even in the brown chair.

Her new best friend.  She has almost used up a brand new roll.

She then gives them to everyone in the family as Valentine's Cards.  Sweet

The New Toy

Well I told you that Seth has been saving his money for awhile.  He wanted this toy last year but we thought he was too young and wasn't ready.  Jeff and I still have our reservations but hopefully it is one of those learning experiences.  He is soo excited.   He has counted and counted and counted his money.  I admire a child that is 8 years old to save their money until they have $210.00.  Things he did to save.  He took his birthday and Christmas money (there is advantages to having a birthday right at Christmas), chore money, did extra chores, asked me to pack his supper for the ice rink so he would not have to buy pizza, and said "no" to other things he wanted that were little things.  So Seth's new toy is an Ipod touch.

He is super duper excited.  He had a clock that would play an ipod but no ipod to play.  Well now he wakes up to music.  He is very responsible.  I am very proud of this young man and his money sense.  (Like his dad)

I think I am going to start saving my money.  The ipod touch is way cool.  Seth even has Garrett motivated to save his money now.

The Vaccum Warrior

This is Seth doing his chore which is to vaccum the bathroom floors.  As I was waiting for all the pictures to load, I thinking about several things:

1.  Joy in doing work

2.  Serving others can be fun

3.  Innocents of a child

4.  Full of life

5.  Take a moment to enjoy the silliness

6.  Imagination is priceless

7.  Stop to capture the times we forget

8.  Take time to focus on each child individually

9.  God is so good

10.  I love this kid

Thank God for sending me a short devotion through these silly, crazy pictures of my child.  God trys to get our attention and teach us so much, we just don't GET IT sometimes.  Thank goodness for his grace.  (By the way, Seth was dressed like this all day.  He had some costume that he was going for as he played all day.)

Past week

My life has been a buzzzz lately.  For some reason I can't get things on a good routine.  Both boys have been to the doctor which throws the day's schedules, the Olympics are on so I don't want to post at night, I have two SPCC classes going right now, I have a ton of church things going on right now and well that is all of my excuses.  So on to last week.

This is how Garrett unloads the dishwasher which is one of his chores.  I was working on the computer right in front of him and his first step is to open all the cabinets.  I started laughing.  (How crazy to show everyone the inside of my cabinets.  Oh well.)

Pete and Repeat had on their Mario shirts. 

This is Garrett working on his game board for his Korea research paper he had just finished.

This is Ella playing her new game she calls "Beautiful Girl".  She is painting her own fingernails because MeMe lets her do it.

Seth is counting his money to see if he has enough to make his big purchase.  I will share tomorrow what he bought.

I at least took pictures just never made it to the blog. 

Playoff Weekend

The Weddine Family was split this weekend.  Both boys had hockey playoffs this weekend in different places.  Columbia SC and Greenville NC.  Seth and Jeff went to Columbia.  Garrett, Ella, Meme, Peggy, Regina and I went to Greenville NC to ECU.  We got to play hockey but also visit Erica at ECU.  Perfect place to play.  These were some of the pictures Jeff sent to me as we were separated this weekend.

During the skills competition

Seth's team got bronze medals for the skills competition

Seth scored a goal.  After the game the coach gave each child a trophy and Seth also got the game puck. 

I did a terrible job taking pictures this weekend.  My aunt Peggy did better job so I will post those when she sends them to me.

Garrett's team won the bronze medal in skills competition.

Valentine's Fun

This year it seems that Valentine's Day celebration started early.  On the kids school list this week I had added a couple of things for them to do. 
1.  Make a card for your siblings
2.  Fill out coupons

Well they couldn't wait.  So Friday instead of doing school work, they were ready to make and do.  It was so sweet to see each on give their valentines to their sibling.  Each one gave at a different time.  The love and and joy that came to my heart.  Not only was the "getter" excited but to see the look in the "givers" eyes was priceless.  Each one took time to make and add things to the card that they knew about the other person.  PURE SWEETNESS.  I wish Jeff could have been at home. 

So Sunday was the official Valentine's Day.  I would have loved for everyone to be in their church clothes for the pictures but they couldn't wait after they saw their gift bags.

  Garrett requested chocolate chip pancakes.  So to work I went.

Jeff and I made each of them a card that said, "What we LOVE about Garrett," and listed all the things we adore about this child.  You can see Ella "reading" her What we LOVE about Ella card too.

Seth is reading his "What we LOVE about Seth" card.  Seth and Garrett each got penguins skate guards.

Ella got new paint, Mickey puzzle and a new brush.

Each of the kids got a fancy cupcake from "Gimmie A Cupcake."  It is a new store in town.  Wow at the cupcakes.  They are incredible.

Each one got cards in the mail from Noni and Papa with money in them.  Aunt Linda and Uncle Keith sent cards with money too.  They love the mail when it is holiday time. 

Meme and Papa took us out to eat and everyone got more money and a bag of chocolate goodies.

We love chocolate!!

SNOW

How beautiful is this?  This is what we woke up to this morning.  It started last night around 6:00 and by 8:30, we already had 3 inches or so.

Of course, the children were ready to go this morning.  You can tell how deep it is by Ella's legs. 

Seth was the first one ready and outside.

This is a fluffy snow.  Eveything gets very wet.  Maybe a snow man picture later today.???

What we have been up too

We are still here.  I thought the other day - What do I  blog about today?  If I had to blog, it would be about hockey.  That is what we have done all weekend.  Seth had a game on Friday, Garrett had practice on Saturday morning.  Then Jeff and Seth went to Columbia to play 3 games.  Garrett, Ella and I stayed here because Garrett had 3 games.  Then last night Garrett had another game.  So not sure I would have anything to post about other than hockey. 

But here are some things that we have been up to since the last post.  Still working on the TV begin OFF.  Thursday was a night we had no where to go so the kids played and played. 

These are the creatures that Seth built - We have the magnet men pieces

Seth had this star pyramid shape

Ella made a line of all the pieces around the table.  She was so proud of her creation.

It seems that this has been our weather for most days.  RAIN.  We had several roads close because of flooding.  Ella got new rain boots for Christmas so she was prepared.  Playing in the rain.

How sweet. 

Family Fun

We have been discussing What is sitting on our Throne?  Really what it boils down to is idols.  Do we have any idols?  Things that we focus our attention on more than God.    We have discovered many things.  One of those being the TV.   It seems that when the kids have done all of their work, they turn on a TV or Video game.  So we are trying to TURN OFF THE TV and play with toys or make other choices.  We have been playing games at our house.  Everyone has been switching and playing each other.  The first game is Connect 4x4.  Seth got it for Christmas and it had never been opened.

CONNECT 4X4 Game

It is very fun to play.  Four people can play at one time.  It is hard though.  The first few games were very quick because someone had already won.  It has been the thing to do at our house.

Even Ella can play

. 

The checker pieces have holes in them so Seth made rings.

Little Repeat

                                  Another game that makes it way out at our house is Candy Land

This is Ella favorite.  She is very good at it.  She wins all the time. 

This is my silly husband.  He was looking over the blog the other day.  He wanted to know why there were no pictures of him.  I was trying to take a picture. This is what I got. 

I think he may be the 2nd funniest person at our house.  Some of you that call my house to speak to me and get to talk to Jeff first know exaclty what I mean.  Love you Sheila!