School Days School Days

Well this has been a great week in school. As with any homeschool, we need to be flexible. I have tried different times of doing school since we have such varying ages. But this week we got a good thing going, by starting school of with prayer and a Bible lesson and songs. I use to do this, but had gotten away from it. I do our Bible lessons with A Beka Bible Flash A Cards, and then this week I printed off coloring pages from the internet that went along with the Bible story. This has worked really well, as it keeps the attention of the younger kids. It gives their hands something to do, while their brains are listening to what I am saying. I am so excited that this is going so well.
We also have a rewards jar. It is a jelly jar I washed out, and every day each child that has been good in school, and worked hard gets to put three peanut m&m's in the jar. They also get to put 3 m&m's in the jar when they get an A on a test or quiz. When the jar is full, they get a reward. This time they were working toward a pizza party. And yesterday they finished filling up the jar. So today they get their pizza party! Yah! (I enjoy the pizza party too!)
My Mother also sent me this really nice book that we can use in school. It has Bible Verses printed and pictures for the kids to color. The book is made so that I can make copies, and each of the kids can color their own verse. So It can be used over and over. It comes in very handy. I really like the school items that we get that give you permission to copy them.
Well that's all from this little homeschool.

Ramblings...

Well, A while ago I said that I wanted to add some more structure to my blog...but if you have been following it you can see that I have quite failed in that area. So I think that I will let that "structure" go, and see what comes. I still hope to share some blogs that I enjoy and I also will have some meal plans etc, but it just won't be scheduled.
Hope that you all have a great weekend!!!
And my Hubby is home!!! Thanks for all the prayers!

Some cute things...

My littlest told me this week that I am "his favorite mommy".  (I told him I am his only mommy :) )

Watching our kids play church. They got out the dining room chairs and were singing...and later I heard my oldest "preaching".

Watching my little girl swinging with our puppy on her lap.

My two youngest eating captain crunch (the berry kind) and asking each other if they matched. They were matching cereal colors before they ate them.

And finally...my little preschooler answering her brothers first grade math problems...before he did!  :)
(We were using animals to make story math problems and she would count them...he was doing it the right way by saying and adding 5+3+2=10...but it was cute none the less!)

Complaining

OK. I am guilty. I think I am one of the biggest complainers there is. I can find fault with almost anything. I was listening to Focus on the Family today, and they were talking about complaining wives, and how we as wives treat our husbands. It was a great radio broadcast. You can listen here http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={569ACF1E-76B6-4744-B120-CF16DD2412DA}
One thing as a wife that I have made it a point never to do is to complain about my husband to others. I never go to other woman and tell them about disagreements we have. I think that when a woman does go to her girlfriends and complain about her husband, she tears her husband down. Likewise tho our complaining can also tear down our husbands. It can make him feel that we don't respect him and that we think he doesn't do anything right at home. It is very important to not be tearing our husbands down with our complaining. As I said I am a complainer and it is something I need to work on.

Prayer

I just wanted to ask all of you for some prayer. My husband was sent up to the mainland to help out up there. We got mere hours notice, so not a lot of time to spend together before he left. I am just having a hard time while he is gone. I can't help worrying about him, and wondering how long he will be gone. I am one of those people that have a really hard time when my husband is gone on these deployments. So if you would remember us in your prayers, I would really appreciate it.

Funny Things

So as I mentioned, we got a dog. I was listening to two of our kids. One was outside with the dog, throwing the dog's animal and yelling fetch. He yelled fetch to the dog and then raced the dog and got the toy before the dog could get it. So funny. My hubby said "he's teaching himself to fetch". Anyways as this is going on, our daughter is yelling out the door to her brother, "it's not fetch, it's catch!". Ah kids...the funny things they say!

It's Been a While...

Well, it's been a while since I posted here. I haven't had much to say of late. As you all know mainland Japan had that horrible earthquake and tsunami. They are also dealing with the nuclear power plant trouble now. It is very sad to see. We are so near, but I feel like we are a thousand miles away. (We are on one of Japan's Islands.). I read today that they are not able to get aid to some of the areas due partly to the radiation trouble. It gets very cold in Japan, so that is quite a tough situation. So please remember Japan in your prayers. Especially for food and shelter for those who need it. Also pray that the nuclear power plants can be controlled. They are already reporting that radiation is comming out of them.

Blogging Vacation

I will be away from my blog for the next couple of days to a week. Have a great week!

We Got A Dog...

Well, we got a dog. We weren't planning on getting one, but the kids wanted one and the neighbor's dog had some puppies, so we got one. She is an Oki Mix.  Which is really an local mutt, but she is so cute. Has a great personality. We got first pick at the dogs and I think she was born first or second. She is going to be an outdoor dog. The boys and my husband are going to be building her a house, but I think it's gonna be nicer than the average dog house. So here is our new puppy. And yes, now there are three girls to three boys in the house...well one will be in the yard!  :)

And the date on the camera is off again...sorry. Not the best pictures, but I'll try to post some better ones when we get our new camera. The kids named her snowball. We thought of blizzard, but snowball won out. If anyone has tips on dog training, we'd be happy for any tips. 

Shopping Trip

Well today we went to the 100 yen store. I really like the store, has a little bit of everything. I was able to buy some bento boxes and these little things. The small cupcake type looking things in the left corner are for dipping sauce. The middle hole puncher is to cut out sea weed. However we don't eat that so I might cut out some bologny or thin meat with it. I also found some umbrellas to add to ice cream or whatever.

 These are the Bento Boxes that we got. I thought that I would make the kid's a special lunch surprise about once a week.

We also got a Japanese alphabet...at least I think it is. I think

that we might take some Japanese lessons this spring.

If the dates on the camera look off, they are. Our camera broke  :(

so I was using my son's and the date is wrong.

Wednesday Scriptures

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:
To show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,

Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound. For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.
O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.
Psalm 92:1-5

Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praisehim in the firmament of his power.
Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltry and harp.
Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.
Psalm 150