Since I’m not sure of proper slacker protocol, I’m just going to wing it. This pretty much describes how I’m living life these days anyways and gives answer to the question “why aren’t you blogging anymore”?

So how about a summary? Starting with a week after my last post. Imagine sitting at dinner with your entire family. Both sets of parents, sister, brother-in-law, kids, dogs, etc. Everybody is there feasting on some amazing grilled pork chops, when suddenly your husband can’t speak. He’s looking at you, wanting to tell you something, and all he can manage is “something’s wrong”.

You begin to get annoyed when each time you ask “What? What’s wrong?” and all he says is the same thing, “something’s wrong”. As time goes on, the rest of the family realizes he is having symptoms of a stroke. Thank God they were all there with me because I don’t know that I would have EVER believed that my 34 year old soul mate needed to be taken to the hospital.

But he did and that’s where they confirmed a TIA which is an abbreviation for a long fanciful word meaning “stroke without permanent damage”. So after an additional 3 days in the hospital being poked, prodded and tested it was undetermined as to what caused the stroke.

Now that’s some reassuring news.

So whatdaya say we move on the more positive aspects of summer. We celebrated Emery’s 5th birthday in July.

Savannah went to C3 Camp for a week and also an art class for a day where she painted her Daddy this football picture for our new house (or next house, or whatever).

My sister’s boss gave her a timeshare week up in Big Canoe, Georgia at the end of July. She invited all of us to go up with her and we had the BEST time!

There was a rock water slide, lake, pool, golf course, and plenty of good food. We visited Amicalola Falls, Dahlonega, and took a drive over to Babyland General where Savannah adopted a Cabbage Patch Doll she named Ella Rose.

By August school was in full swing. Emery started baseball and Savannah began tennis lessons. And apparently I lost the ability to use my camera because I don’t have much to show for that month!

And now I find myself on September 12th! Good grief! This year is flying by at rocket speed! If I’m not careful, Christmas will be knocking at my door and I’ll still have Halloween candy sitting next to it!

As I took the first steps toward home education, I quite literally knew nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero. But over the last 2 years, I’ve learned what works for our family, what we enjoy, and what makes me want to repeatedly bang my head against the wall until I’ve reached the outside world and then run wildly down the driveway screaming at the top of my lungs.

But that only happened once.

Maybe.

And although I seem to have figured out this gig so far, there is one thing that has me baffled. These homeschool mom bloggers. Ya know, the ones that post daily. Or hell, even weekly! What gives???

I bet their houses are clean too.

Overachievers.

So c’mon guys. Let me in on the secret. I’m one of you now. You can tell me. It’s cloning, right? A mom for teaching, one for cooking and cleaning, the mom that takes care of the banking, and another for blogging. Oh and don’t forget the one that hops into bed with her husband late at night ready for anything that might “pop up”!

I’ll be honest with you right now. The only reason I’m even writing this is because my BFF Amy said she’d blog today if I did too. Well, guess what? As of right now, she still hasn’t posted. Go ahead and check her site. I’ll wait. Does it still say June 11th? I will cut her some slack on this because actually the post she wrote for June 11th is really good and you should read it.

As for me, well it took me almost 24 hours to write this spectacular literary work. Impressive, huh? For my friends and family who still check here for updates, you guys are so sweet. And quite tenacious I might add. Thank you for not giving up on me and my little corner of the world wide web. I promise to do better!

How do they do it? How do they persevere day after day without giving up? How do they manage to keep their family together? And where do they find their joy?

In “Welcome Home, Our Family’s Journey to Extreme Joy”, Kimberley Woodhouse answers those questions. And trust me, she knows what she’s talking about!

After giving birth to 2 miracle babies in two years, she finds out her daughter has a rare medical condition. So rare in fact, that they only know of one other living individual who has it.

The process of discovery is a frustrating, not to mention, expensive one. There are job transfers, tragic loss, and uprooted frienships all along the way.

But Kimberely clings to her faith. James 1:2-4 becomes her mantra. “Consider it pure joy…consider it pure joy…consider it pure joy”, she repeats to herself.

You may remember their story from the hit TV show “Extreme Makeover, Home Edition”, but you’ve never heard it like it’s written here. The 12 years between holding her precious new baby girl and the day they walked into their “extremely cool” makeover home were enough to fill any seasoned Christian full of questions and doubts. But God consistently showed Himself faithful to this family. And through their ordeal, they noticed. They trusted. And they believed He would give them the strength to carry on.

I really enjoyed my glimpse into their life and how they endured the trials that they were dealt. I think so many people could benefit not only from the bond of knowing that others have hard times too, but also in knowing an alternate way in dealing with lifes crisis’. By uniting as a family, trusting in the Lord, and taking each day as it comes.

I’d like to share my copy of “Welcome Home”, so if you’d like to have an opportunity to read it, leave me a comment before next Wednesday (Sept 23) and I’ll do a drawing for one lucky winner.

So “The Shred” starts in 2 more days and already The Sisterhood is giving away cool apparel. Follow the link for your chance(s) to win a fun workout shirt or tank top by One More Mile.

And when I say “fun”, I’m talking about slogans like “Will Run for Margaritas”, “Find Your Happy Pace”, and “Running My Mass Off”. Doesn’t get any cuter than that!!! So go now and enter…contest ends Friday, April 10th.

I was recently asked to participate in a blog book tour for MaryLu Tyndall’s new release called The Red Siren. The author fell in love with the city of Charleston, SC and out of it sprang a series of books called Charles Town Belles, set nearly 300 years ago in colonial 1718. (Barbour Publishing)

I have to say I had my reservations about reading a book in which a lady pirate meets her match in a God-fearing naval captain. Not a fan of Jack Sparrow myself, I reluctantly began reading.

Immediately I was swept away by the pages of this book! Three sisters trying desperately to get out from under the control of their Admiral father and the other despicable men in their lives. Culture being as it was during that time period, oldest sister Faith begins plundering merchant ships and selling the treasures as a way to secure a future for them.

But along comes a British Royal Navy Captain whose lot in life is to expunge the Carolina coastline of filthy pirates. His respect for women and love of God is like no man she has ever known and she finds herself falling for him.

The height of the novel is full of suspense as Faith, with God tugging at her heart to give up her pirating days, decides to go after one last treasure at sea. Captain Waite has unknowingly set a trap for his new love and commands his ship to capture the Red Siren once and for all.

I found myself fluctuating between rooting for Faith, getting just one more treasure to ensure her freedom, to cheering on Mr. Waite, curious to see what he would do once finding out the girl of his dreams is actually the same person who left him humiliated 5 years before.

You will have to read for yourself to find out how it ends! It’s a great book that I found incredibly entertaining with charming characters and vivid descriptions throughout. The gospel and love of God shows up frequently, giving the historical romance novel a Christian spin.

Intrigued? Do you think you’d like to read it? I am going to give away my copy of The Red Siren. Just leave me a comment telling me about your favorite coastal town, and I will draw a name on Sunday. Good luck!!!!

The problem with acrylic nails though, is that every 2 weeks I had to get a fill in. This wasn’t a big deal when I was working. I would go during my lunch hour. But once the children came into the picture and I quit working outside the home, it became much more difficult to find an hour every other week to keep my pretty nails well maintained.

I am afraid that is what’s happening with my blog! What started during a time when the kids both took afternoon naps and continued through a year and a half of preschool, is now falling by the wayside. It would be one thing to admit I just didn’t have time to write. But in all honesty, I don’t even THINK about my blog everyday anymore.

Gone are the days of jotting down witty comments to later be recorded on the pages of this journal. I used to keep a running list of things to write about next to the good ole laptop. I have no idea where that list is now. I try to catch up on reading other blogs on nights when Jeremy’s working, but there are so many, I rarely get into the comments and fun of it all.

So that being said, I’m going to try to get my creative juices flowing again. I’d much rather spend my shower time thinking of a good blog story than wracking my brain to figure out how to get our payroll taxes paid for last quarter. Maybe if I stop focusing all my energy on the negativity that encompasses my day, I could actually find some humor in my life again.

I have received emails and comments in the past about interest in their products. I personally own the DVD’s and have watched them several times, in addition to attending a ScreamFree class at our church. And while the name “Scream Free” does assume a certain amount guilt in the area of loosing our cool, it’s important to remember that sometimes a parent who just “checks out” lets the silence do the screaming.

If you think this is something you’d like to know more about just click on my sidebar for additional information. There you will find books, one with scripture geared toward Christian families, DVD’s (split the cost with some friends and have your own parenting workshop), and other helpful materials. We all deserve a more peaceful home!

Today I received an email from her linking me to a website she has created called Divine Marriages. Her first post is full of truth and shows her love and concern for marriages. She and her husband counsel couples through their local ministry, and have a passion for seeing husbands and wives fulfilling their Godly role in the household.

So, my internet friends, if you have a second, go on over and give her some love. Do it for me. I like to keep my neighbors happy and I’m out of Christmas cookies! :)

My sister did this on her Facebook page. I thought it’d be fun for my blog. First, I’ll write quotes from 15 of my favorite movies. Then, you can leave me a comment guessing which movie they are from. No cheating, now, using Google and IMDb. I’ll update the list as they are answered correctly.

1. “Have you been shootin’ up Rogaine?” ~Evan Almighty

2. “Childhood is what you spend the rest of your life trying to overcome. That’s what momma always says. She says that beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it’s the middle that counts the most.” ~Hope Floats

3. “Hey you know, the first time I tried to talk to you, you embarrassed me. So I teased you a little bit which maybe I shouldn’t have done, so I’m sorry. And now you’re sitting over there playing with your knife, trying to frighten me – which you’re doing a good job. But if you’re gonna kill me, get on with it; if not, shut the hell up – I’m on vacation.” ~City Slickers

4. “You don’t say “sorry” when you shoot somebody. You can say “sorry” when you step on someone’s toe, or accidentally break their glasses, or when you fart while they’re eating. YOU DON’T SAY YOU’RE SORRY WHEN YOU SHOOT SOMEONE!” ~Nothing to Lose

5. “Now I may be a mean cuss. But I’m the same mean cuss with everybody out there on that football field. The world don’t give a damn about how sensitive these kids are, especially the young black kids. You ain’t doin’ these kids a favor by patronizing them. You crippling them; You crippling them for life.” ~Remember the Titans

6. “She could use some mascara and some serious highlights, but she’s not completely unfortunate looking.” ~Legally Blonde

7. “Woah, that’s a bad guy, that’s a really bad guy! Did you see his face? His head looks like one of the Easter Island heads!”
OR
“How could I help? I’m just a woman with a dusty old uterus.”
OR
“Okay, not to keep dwelling on this, but that was some kiss. How did you know that will work? Have you kissed other men who then plummented to their deaths?” ~Get Smart

8. “Well, you have to remember that when we were married, I wasn’t having sex nearly as often as you were.” ~Liar Liar

9. “There’s no way on earth we’re going to get out of here tonight. We’d have more luck playing pickup sticks with our butt-cheeks than we will getting a flight out of here before daybreak.” ~Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

10. “I have to crack this guy. I mean this is Defcon 5, and I have to do something truly appalling. It’s not funny.”
OR
“Guys, a woman’s purse, alright, it’s her secret source of power. Alright? There are many dark and dangerous things in there, that we, the male species, should know nothing about.”
OR
“Our love fern! You let it die!” ~How to Loose a Guy in 10 Days

11. “You can’t judge your father by his actions and yourself by your intentions. It just doesn’t work that way.” ~Facing the Giants

12. “What? I’m sorry, I was over there. Did you just say you were a fast cook? Are we to believe that boiling water soaks into a grit faster in your kitchen than any place on the face of the earth?” ~My Cousin Vinny

13. “All right! What I know is that daylight savings wasn’t established until World War I. If it’s 3 p.m. now that means that in 1776 it would be 2 p.m.” ~National Treasure

14. “Well, you are white and I’m black. See Jake, you think just like them, that’s why I picked you; you are one of them , don’t you see?. Oh, you think you ain’t because you eat in Claude’s and you are out there trying to get me off on TV talking about black and white, but the fact is you are just like all the rest of them. When you look at me, you don’t see a man, you see a black man.” ~A Time to Kill

15. “Women are crazy! Who would want to do that again?” ~What Women Want

Well, there you have it! Have fun!!! I can’t wait to read your guesses!

What an easy, affordable way to help provide shoes for those in need.