Yesterday we headed off the post and into town to the park for the kids to meet up with some of their friends.  We had the park all to ourselves in the earlier morning hours, then a busload of kids from the School Age Services Center here on post showed up and the kids, I think, had even more fun.  A few of the kids that showed up are actually neighborhood pals so that was fun.

We then headed to the store for some shopping.  Several necessary items were purchased…as well as some that weren’t so needed.  Home we came for a quick lunch and then back out for our bi-monthly grocery shopping.  Back home for unloading and putting away, then off to the pool for several hours of fun in the sun.

I was exhausted and sun burned by dinner time and was completely amazed when I suggested we do dinner and our family movie night earlier then planned met with no complaints.  So, pizza and National Treasure 2 were on the menu.  Afterwards, it was bedtime.  The kids were all asleep pretty quickly after heading to bed and I soon followed.

This morning we have warping a loom on tap while kids watch their Saturday morning cartoons. Other then that, not a whole lot is planned for the day except for my normal Saturday baking and perhaps a bike ride later on.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV)

…with you locking your self out of your bedroom at 4:00 in the morning, it’s a good indicator how the rest of your day will go.  Caleb needed to go potty at 4:00 (his normal potty time…thanks to our early to bed early to rise training Army way of life).  I let him out and was so tired, decided to head back to bed, only to discover I somehow locked my bedroom door and couldn’t get back in.  A Knit Picks Harmony Cable Needle did the trick and I was soon back in my room.  But of course, now fully awake, I just laid in bed contemplating the way the day would go.

Finally got out of bed and realized I was more tired then before I went to bed.  The day continued in that manner and I just couldn’t seem to get my act together.  Kids were as cranky as I was also.

Decided, I have been letting them stay up too late (and therefore myself as well since I try to make sure they are asleep before heading to my room) and we started back on earlier bedtimes. Last night we all went to bed at our normal school day bed time and they crashed out quickly and so did I.  Let’s hope that’s a sign of a better day today.

We are headed to the park early this morning to meet up with some friends, then to the grocery for our twice a month, load us to the gills with food, shopping trip.  And while some rejoice that today is Friday and the end of their work week, here it’s just another day on the calendar that brings us closer to Jim coming home.

May your day today be filled with God’s presence and assurances that HE is in control.

…bring you a diet Cherry Limeade (from Sonic) when you are having a horrible day.

Thanks, Kim, for the quick visit and the drink yesterday.  Sure made my day a whole lot better.

I did get the chance to get to the sewing machine and was able to finish up three more cell phone cases. 

Two more using the Atlantic Moonglow.  I just changed the bead and tassle combos.

This one is using Let Freedom Ring tencel.  It’s a special colorway Margaret does every once in awhile so email her to see if she has any available or will be dyeing it again anytime soon.  It’s amazing.

Then, even though I was having “issues” with one of my boys, I decided to try my hand at dyeing some socks for SOCKS FOR SOLDIERS.  Well, can we just say another day of not dyeing anything but my fingers.

Jess snapped this picture AFTER I spent more then 5 minutes with the Reduran trying to get the dye off.  I guess my gloves got a hole in them after cleaning a gallon of green dye off my carport.  Getting a picture of the mess wasn’t even an option as water, bleach, and scrubbing was the main thoughts at the moment. 

Next week, 4 out of 5 children will be at Vacation Bible School (Cass as a helper and Chris, Jac, and Jess as students) and I will have 5 mornings nearly all to myself.  Of course, Josh will still be here but hopefully I can keep him busy with some audio books or something and get some serious dyeing done.  Otherwise I fear it’s just not going to happen.  I am just not having much luck these days getting much dyeing done.  I am just not able to do anything that requires me to not keep my eyes focused on one (sometimes two) certain child(ren) that shouldn’t need as much supervision as t(he)y is/are requiring.  This has been so NOT fun.

Today my prayer is for peace.  May the PEACE of God surround you with his ever-reaching arms and hold you tightly.

This one is done using Heritage Yarns Atlantic Moonglow in Premier Cotton and just plain black 5/2 cotton.  I wove it on the inkle loom, sewed the two bands together, added a tassle for button closure, and used a black bead instead of a button.  I really like how this one turned out and hope that the recipient enjoys it as well.

More on the way if I get a chance to make it to the sewing machine today.  Kids are still pretty high strung after a very busy weekend and it’s been a rough morning already.

May today find you with God’s peace and protection surrounding you.

Today we headed to my daddy’s place on the lake to enjoy some great grilled food and a bit of fishing.  The weather was perfect.  Warm but breezy on the lake and it kept the heat off.  I don’t have a fishing license or the desire to fish, so I just went along for the walk and the torture.  Daddy and Chris made sure that everyone had worms on their hooks and that things were under control

Here we have the view of the “mountains” that were directly in front of us on the little jetty we were on.

And the great fisher-kids!

The girls got the big catches (well..not big enough to keep).  Jess pulled in the first fish.  I started to help her reel it in then realized I wasn’t supposed to touch the pole.  Chris lept up to help her bring it in.

She was pretty doggone proud of herself. 

 I had to leave to go back to the house along with two boys that would not listen and do the right thing and I totally missed Cassidy’s catch.  I feel really bad that I wasn’t there to capture it for her, but I hear it was bigger then Jessica’s (and that made Cass VERY happy).

We are all home now, tired, grubby, full of memories of a fun day, but missing Jim like crazy because he wasn’t here for yet another holiday.  We love you baby!

Today the kid-lets and I (along with our friend and her son) headed for our post chapel for worship service.  I think the churches of this generation have a pretty tough balancing act attracting youth and retain a more mature fellowship as well.  We’ve been attending a pretty contemporary church for a few years now and something lately has been pulling me to the chapel here on the army post.   thought it to be more of a contemporary service but found out last week that it’s a traditional one.  Today’s service was more of a soothing balm to a roaring sunburn.  My older children, who are highly attracted to our current church’s high tech video games and coffee/snack bar, even admitted that today wasn’t “so bad”.  We do plan to attend again next Sunday.

I leave you with a song that I have sung countless times in my life, but realized that my younger children didn’t know the words to it.

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

May your day today, be blessed with that soothing presence of God to take away the sting of pain in your life.

The kids had a BLAST out playing in the water yesterday!  My neighbor set up her slip ~n~ slide and we set up ours, and the kids raced each other and just had loads of fun.

A very tolerant and hot doggie that, in the past probably would have been running along side of the kids as they slid down the tarp but is getting older and more mature, preferred to stay in the shade near me.

Told you I would be doing something fibery under the umbrella.

When the ground turned too soggy and muddy for anymore slippin’ and slidin’, the kids moved to the trampoline with water spraying from underneath.

Then back out to the alley-way for water fights with the hoses.

Today is supposed to be another scorcher.  Pray for me and Cass and Chris today.  I am letting them go off to the community pool with their friends for a few hours without me.  This is a really big thing for me to “let go” so to speak.  Jess, Jac, and I are going to make bread, bagels, and muffins while the others are at the pool, and Josh will be chillin’ out listening to Prince Caspian on audio CD.

Today is the last official day of public school here.  I know tomorrow is going to be a wild day.  Jess and Jac finished up their school work this past Monday and we’ve just been doing out loud reading which we will do all summer long (along with some math refershers here and there).  Chris and Cass finish next week.  Chris plans on doing some extra credit math to put him an ahead of the game in August.  Josh also needs to finish his math from this year.

Looking back, this was one of the hardest school years we’ve had, but also the most sucessful.  We started the school year on August 20 and took some time off in September and October to do “family things” with Jim before he left.  We hit the books hard and heavy in November to keep busy after Jim deployed.  December was a lighter month since we had Christmas break and we spent a week working on our community project.  Then it was back to school in January.  February and March were somewhat difficult to get through but April and May found us finishing things up with a flourish.  Thank goodness for our co-op outings and friends to help get this tired home school momma through.

We will start back the first week in August after Jim returns back from his R & R.  I figure that will keep us busy once again and occupied after Jim leaves.  He comes home again in November and we are still waiting word to whether or not we stay here or move.  So, if we get an early start back to school, a break in November will not be a problem and mess up our end of the school year time too much.

Yesterday afternoon the kids and I ended up in the ER for several hours.  We took a friend in who was having some medical issues.  The kids all behaved so well and I am so proud of them.  We had planned on lunch and swimming with this friend and her child for today but I am unsure whether that will happen or not.  I was able to grab my knitting bag as I raced out the door.  Josh ran ahead to the park to tell the other kids to be ready for me to pick them up.  As soon as a I got to the park, they all came running and were in the Suburban and buckled up with no fuss or muss (a major accomplishment).  I didn’t bring anything for the kids to read or do, so we ended up playing with yarn while waiting.  I knitted for a bit, but the kids played Cat’s Cradle and other string things.  My friend is doing better this morning and the kids did great last night.

We were late geting to bed so waking up this morning was a hard thing (but most days it’s not fun).  The kids didn’t get their desert last night since we weren’t here for it.  Jacob made chocolate pudding all by himself and was so proud of it.  So, I agreed on the way home last night, to let the kids have their pudding with breakfast.  Where was my brain on that decision? Oh my…chocolate pudding and bagels.  What a combination.  (at least it’s sugar free and fat free pudding LOL)  Should prove to be interesting.

May your day today be blessed with health, happiness, and the abundance of friends who will be there in an instant should you need them.  I know the person that we took to the hospital last night would be here for us (and has been).  I thank God for her and her family.