The Five Scariest Things You Can Do This Halloween

Click here to view this post from my blog Oct 2008.

Lazy Sunday

This year has been all about building and not much time to go enjoy the outdoors together as a family as much as we'd like. This morning we changed that. After we slept in after a late night working, we packed lunches, donned snowsuits, threw the sled in the back and left on a journey to find snow. We expected to find it sooner than we did as it didn't start snowing until 1/4m from the ski lodge! That was looooong trip. We kept offering to turn around and go play on the river or something, but the children all persisted to find snow.  We were the only ones up there sledding and boy was it fun. We made a snowman, had snowball fights, Daddy spun donuts in the van with all the children whooping, we sledded down hills and just enjoyed each other immensely. The anti-lock brakes quit working on the truck so Daddy did not feel comfortable going to Artist Point, otherwise we would have gone as this weekend they close it down.

On the way down, we stopped at Nooksack Falls because of a tip I received from Ruth D who said the mushrooms were crazy up there. We stopped and the Falls were the least of my attention. There were mushrooms EVERYWHERE and the ones you only see in the books, too. We found tons of edibles, sponges, agarics, russulas, fairy rings, orange peel, witches butter(yum) and it was crazy nuts how many different kinds there were! We came home with two plates and a chip bag full of mushrooms to identify. Now where's that Audubon book?

I actually took a nap this afternoon, a NAP. I feel the ugh kicking in, coffee doesn't smell as wonderful as last week, the rooms spins periodically and my stomach must not get too empty. I have been treated like a queen in the last 48 hours and I just tell the children "You only love me for my baby" and they agree with a smile. Sheesh, do I feel used. ;)

It's the size of a lentil, it has a beating heart..It's a.....

Baby number 8!!! Finally back to the even numbers, yes! 2, 4, 6, 8...Yup, all accounted for. Another sweet nose to wipe, diaper to change, piggies to count, long nights peering at the sleeping eyes praying for his salvation, thanking God for the blessing of another eternal soul added to our family by His grace. Daddy broke the news this morning and now I need to pull each child back down from the clouds...especially Jess. She is already looking forward to attending this birth also, if the Lord decides for me to carry full term, she was such a wonderful presence at Elijah's birth.

Official due date June 17, 2011 - Translation into Jennifer's timing = June 30, 2011

Washington Eagle Forum Candidate Endorsements - Whatcom County

Click Here for Google Doc

We love this sheet the Washington Eagle Forum puts out, when we are stumped on an issue we can see what they recommend. I encourage you to get on their mailing list(and give them something to cover postage just to help out) for information concerning the elections. Most of the time they are spot on, however, they do promote electing women into office. Don't forget to mail in that ballot!

Friday

Friday. Our fifth weekend working on the drywall. Fifth. I had no idea it would take this long to hang and finish it out. Every night we work for a few hours after Paul gets off work, then on the weekends till the wee hours, it wouldn't be so bad if one didn't have to shower the dust off. We both start looking like 30-something and leave looking 70-something complete with gray hair and wrinkles.

Tonight we finished the downstairs, thanks to the help of a surprise visit from Klay and his son Caleb. We have done well keeping the dust out of the main house for weeks to our surprise. As a final touch, Paul swept the whole floor out about 20 minutes ago. I was upstairs and thought I saw a fog in the air. It was drywall. I ran downstairs and it was hazy all throughout the downstairs and thick layer of dust on EVERYTHING. My books, kitchen counters, carpets, furniture...everything. You know what I'll be doing tomorrow...but for now I am going to bed. Call me a slob, I can not deal with this tonight ;)

At least after this, it is just lights, carpet, fixtures and trim. The list has an end.

On a lighter note, tomorrow should be a great day. Micah is a real thinker about God and has many pointed questions pertaining to Christianity. He has a strong conscience and is a born leader, the first true leader in all our children. Today we were riding in the car alone and he said "Mommy? I am not going to sin tomorrow. I told God that I love Him so much that I will not sin and I will not." I told him I look forward to that! Not to sound like a mean Mommy but I can not wait for him to sin tomorrow and won't have too for long I suspect. Then we will have another one of the wonderful conversations about what Christ means to us and why His job on the cross was so important. Aaaahhh, does it get any better?

Time for bed.

I'll let you know how long Micah makes it.

Nature Friend Magazine

I am not good in the art department in school. Even though it was MY favorite class all through school, I can't seem to get it taught. After attending Solid Rock Camp this summer, I was so inspired to do something with the kids that was crafty or artsie once a week.

Jessica

I was amazed at how many ideas jumped out at me! For instance, we subscribe to Nature Friend Magazine. It is creation science based, full of facts and has a *you can draw* page that we have always skipped over. While the children listened to world history and botany being read to them, they needed more to do so I bought sketch books and we read the directions(yes, I need to read directions to sketch) and off they went.

Emma

I hate to admit this, but this is the first drawing we've done together, I think they are catching on quickly. Each drawing introduces a new technique. Every other month there is a new picture to sketch and we are hoping that once of these days we might see one of ours in print!

Daniel -We told Danny his cattails made us hungry for toasted marshmallows!

Jacob - His duck has a *Picaso* look

Micah - who obviously became distracted and moved onto other things.

Team Jensen Fundraiser

Choose not to cook, and without a guilty conscience!

The Sin of Bathsheba

The subject of modesty has been near and dear to my heart lately as my daughters and I have discussed it....again. Here is an article that stopped me dead in my tracks 10 years ago, it isn't perfect(tone), but it conveys the message well. Recently I have read through it again with a friend who found it to be enlightening and we talked about how sad it is women just do not hear this taught, but it is so important! I am thankful that we have heard this taught from our pulpit.

The standard of dress within the mainstream church is sad, at best. Many women are guilty of causing men to stumble in sin by revealing areas of their body that are meant to be covered, meant to be hidden. Let us honor the Lord and our brothers in Christ in our dress. Protect young boys' eyes/children's eyes from the sin of just looking upon any form of *nakedness*. I know as toddlers, young children's eyes go right to the parts of the body that are uncovered.

As a wife of my Beloved and the Mamma of 4 precious boys, it grieves my heart when we meet immodesty in the company of fellow sisters(and brothers) in Christ. I was once there myself(and find myself slipping back) and understand how one can unknowingly dress this way, but may the Lord drop the scales from our eyes when choosing our clothing.

Another great study on modest clothing is this article is a good read. The combination of the previously mentioned article and this one are priceless and required reading in our home. After talking with my friend I thought I'd offer these links as I wish I would have come upon these articles earlier in my life. Sorry if this comes off as preachy, I truly am just offering them up. ;)