Still around

It's been forever since I blogged...computer issues, plus the last time I tried to change my blog background it all froze up, etc.  I don't do well with 'technology' issues.  I WILL be back... ;) I have tons to post/blog, but life has overwhelmed a little, and living that overwhelming life has been higher on my agenda than blogging about it.... ;)

Recycling my gifts

This year we were blessed with gorgeous pumpkins...even after the drought. I hated the thought of throwing them out just because it's time for Christmas decorations. SO upon the urging of my sweet sis-in-love. Here's what we decided to do!

before

after

my favorite!

Thanksgiving 2011

All gratitude is ultimately gratitude for Christ, all remembering a remembrance of Him.

~Ann Voskamp

Thankful roots lead to branches of gratitude

Today we chose to do a craft.  If you know me AT ALL, you know this was a stretch.  I don't like 'crafty' stuff too much.  (we did refrain from glue and glitter so really it was small stuff)  We made a gratitude tree. We filled the branches with things that our family is thankful for.  Being here at home with them is definitely high on my gratitude list.  Happy Thanksgiving from the Tolar house!

 

Makes a Mama proud

I do realize that pride can be a real problem and is quite simply the root of all our problems...BUT, there are times as a Mama you just can't help yourself.  She makes my ♥ skip a beat.  Can you find her?

**2nd from right ;)

Falling more in love...

“I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts,
who tremble at my word." Isaiah 66:2b NLT

"How precious to be reminded that as Jesus Christ was the 'fleshly revelation' of the personality of God, so between the covers of your Bible is the glorious 'written revelation' of the personality of the Lord God" ~Kay Arthur

I just love it when (not my) plan comes together

Last week O and C had mini reports to write in history.  They just luh-huh-huv to write reports! SO they each chose a person whom we had recently studied.  C chose Susan B. Anthony and O chose Sam Houston.  He really loves Texas history and gets excited about any study of the Alamo (must be his Texas birth or something ;-}).  Anyway, they researched, whined, and researched and whined, drafted, proofread, and whined...you get the idea.  I wasn't sure they learned a thing! Since O works fairly independently, I knew very little of the information he collected.  The reports were completed and handed over to me, Thursday afternoon...Hallelujah!!  I decided to grade them later as we had a very busy weekend on hand.

Now lest you think, I'm a rock on teacher mama...let me just tell you how God makes me look goooood! 

We have sweet friends who got married in Houston this weekend, and Tony officiated the ceremony.  We left for Houston Friday morning all excited.  I have been in Texas for almost 14 years and other than driving through Houston East to West (from MS), I have not been to Houston...certainly not driving South on I45...until Friday.  The kids crashed out and napped.  When we got to Huntsville, I was carried away thinking about the penitentiary etc.  Then we embarked upon a MONSTROSITY of a monument of who but SAM HOUSTON!  and O was snoozing in the back seat! 

SO today when we traveled back North we stopped and visited old Sam!  And now we have actual photos to accompany our report.  O is pumped about his photos, and I look like a savvy, expert planning homeschooling mom...Thank you, God!

Love these three ♥

So glad he 'picked' a good one ;)

Wowzers!  He's a tall one, that Sam!

 

♥♥♥ Psalm 37: 23 The LORD directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.(NLT) ♥♥♥