No Excuses…….

You might be wondering what is that all about my title well let me explain………..Every Wednesday it is so hard for me and many moms to leave the house for Wednesday night service so a friend of mine (you know who you are) and I call or Wednesday no excuse day!!

So my list has started on why I should stay home!

1. It is COLD and Rainy out
   
2. I have school planning to do
   
3. Kids can get sick
   
4. I am not in the mood
   
5. I need to go to bed early
   

   
   

My list on why I should go:

1. Pastor is FINALLY finishing the book on James after a year and ½
   
2. Need some prayer time
   
3. Need the fellowship with other believers-Plus I get to see my friends!!
   
4. Leave the house and get away from my to do list
   
5. It is the right thing to do!
   

So that is settle I am going to church no excuses!!

With all that said what are my plans when it comes to homeschooling today!

Justin-Jasmine

I will do some good reading time with them both and cuddle on the coach

I will then teach some math…

Angel and Jonathan will do all their subjects and read

I will finish planning for the year well that is what I hope for!

Go it is time to run and start my day and focus on Gal 6:9 !

Till tomorrow

Blessed Much Jessie

A Slow Start to our Day!!

Stayed up late last night playing Settlers with some good friends so my day is slow and tiring……. Our day here in Clayton, NC is foggy and glummy…. So I have sipped on 2 CUPS of COFFEE and have been all morning reading blogs updating blogs and facebook….. I love the feeling of calmness and peace as I just relax and take in the quietness of my home…. Today is Piano/voice day when I drop off the older boys to lessons and run to the library to get new books for our week! We love Tuesdays Jose (daddy) is home from work and we are all just lounging around the house trying to get our day started!

So it is 10:30 and we are still trying to get our day ready so much to do and so little energy but so grateful that I can slow the pace once in a while and enjoy my family…..

It is 11:46 and the peaceful how is out the window the house is full of noise we are all running to get to piano and voice as we fight with the clock…. Urrrr…. Why ??? does it all have to be so crazyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy…. L

Okay we started running out the door oh wait where is

my jacket so I run to grap a sweater ….pulling out and OH wait MOM I forgot my books – Urrgh! Stopped parked the van Jonathan ran to get his stuff…. Yeah got to piano at time and back home with the little ones… As I drive I am hearing my new CD which I love and the song that was playing is " Be still my soul"!! Okay perfect how great our God is to remind me in my craziness that he is my God and King of Kings and I am not alone He is with me as I try to fulfill my daily duties and feel like I am failing…..

12:10 – Trying to start my workday and still have so much to get done but all will have to wait for now!

2:34 took a 10 minute break for lunch and here is a quick picture for all my homeschool mothers of my kitchen!

Yes that is right! This is my kitchen today a real mess!! I look at this I want to so bad to stop and clean and tidy up the house but instead I make myself hide out in my bedroom to work until 5 pm!! The great news is that starting Jan 5th I am cutting my hours down to 10 a week and this will free 5 hours off my schedule plus I will split some hours to night time!! Yes I am so excited and cannot wait!

3:33pm – Jose is going to pick up the kids from piano…. Is so funny how dads are just not able to take charge without a days notice!!… I asked him to go to the library and take the little ones with him and stop at a supermarket to get some syrup for dinner and is like I have asked him to save the world…. He gets so frustrated to the point he can't find his keys, so now he is late so he leaves without the kids and the books or money!! LOL!! That is all I can do is laugh because if I cry I will not be able to make my calls……. L

5 pm – all done with work for today!! YEAH!!! Oh it is so hard to work when so much needs to be done around the house!

So here is my schedule for the rest of the night as I am going to get off the computer and get this house in order before the biggest loser!

Cook dinner – Rice with eggs not healthy but quick!

Pick up the house – clean kitchen as you all can see needs some serious work- bathe Jasmine – put all clean clothes away and get house ready for THE BIGGEST LOSER!!! I love this show and I am having a good friend stop by and watch it with us!

In the end all that matters is that you are in Gods will !! Hope you enjoyed reading about my day and all the challenges I have with homeschooling, working and keeping the house together. And today I did not even workout which is 1 hour of my day!! So on with tomorrow !!!

Blessed Much Jessie

My Crazy MONDAY –Yesterdays Post!!!!

So I woke this morning with the idea of getting my school planning for year 2009 and just meditate on what I want my school schedule to be field trips and activities … Also need to make sure all the school work gets done for the year!!

SO what was I thinking????? I cleaned all morning like I do every Monday and by 1 PM I started planning only to get frustrated and stressed about my year and all that still needs to get done!! I decided to use Homeschool Tracker to plan school and the rest of the year. Well even though it is great I have so much work to do !!!

Again I realized that without God and him alone I am not able to accomplish all that I need to for the remaining of the year!

Gal 6:9 Again I counseled my heart and reminded myself to PRESS ON- It is so great how God in his word gives us Hope for our future!

Funny never thought that Home schooling the kids would bring me closer to God and his Word but it has…. I am studying David for my daily Devotions from Beth Moore one of my favorite writers

Day 62 is when David lost his son due to sin and he then turned to God and cried out for 7 days and fasted but his son still died. But thru this David restored his relationship with God and then God blessed him with Solomon. I think of how great our God is that he uses situation in our life that can be so hard for us to draw us nearer to him!! Not that losing a son is equivalent to home schooling but it can be something God uses in my life or yours to draw us to HIM!!

Okay so my year is not all planned YET ! I will continue to do some more today and just pray that God would show me the areas he wants me to focus on…… I guess what I would love to do this coming year is to serve more and spend more time giving back to God. Here are some things I have in prayer:

1. Serve in With Love from Jesus http://withlovefromjesus.org ...It is a place that gives food, clothes and other household items to those in need with the gospel! To be able to show Gods love to the needy and in pain is something that fills my heart with JOY! Plus to teach my kids to do missionary work here at home is what I am all about!
2. Visiting those that are hurting or need encouragement in our church
3. Sharing more time with other homeschooled families in field trips or outings
   
4. Bible Studies one on one

Unfortunately as I see how much work needs to be completed for this year I come to realized that I am NOT able to take once a week off our school schedule to do these things as a family! My heart gets so sad knowing that if only I would have planned better I would have been able to give more to others and have the flexibility. With this said I need to plan out the rest of the week to my best and stay consistent with our schedule so that I can squeeze in time for others!!

Again how great is our God the way he teaches us and show us HIS ways!! I am so thankful to have a Savior that loves me so much!!

And today Tuesday the 16^th my journey continues as I finish planning and seeking to please God in all I do!

Blessed Much Jessie

Yucky Day!

We are all fighting a cold and trying to do school!!! So do I have to tell you how challenging our day has been? Of Course not!

Angel is reviewing fractions, which is always so much fun! NOT!

Jonathan is lying in bed with an upset stomach and a headache

Justin is trying to concentrate but it is not working!

Jasmine is writing letters and drawing pictures to everyone she knows (so there are lots of stickers and markers all over the house)

I—trying to stay awake to teach and work as I myself feel sick!! Head, throat and some fever! YUCK!!

I have to share with you that I never imagined school to be this way… I thought we would be scheduled, happy and excited about school. We would have time to craft, cook and read. No yelling, no crying, no fighting… Life would be full of joy… Well to my surprise it is not like this in my home! All morning is about redirecting their focus to do school and to study. Sometimes that means tears or time away in the word to remind them of what their focus should be and for me well it is all about sacrificing and giving all of myself !!

I am tempted to run to my room and lock the door shut but I am reminded on how God doesn't do this to me but loves and walks me in my daily journey…. Then I come out love on them and start all over!! I am so thankful that we have a God that doesn't get sick or weary of us… He is so loving and merciful in his ways!

So for today we will try to finish school – cuddle up and read some good books and thank God for homeschooling and how flexible we can be!

 

Blessed Much Jessie M.

Tuesday my Catch up day!

Tuesdays is all about getting the house picked up, teach Justin for 1 hour and getting the older boys to piano/voice by 12:00 so that I can go and run around town with Justin and Jasmine...............
Okay just typing this makes me tired-- HEHEHE....
So today Jose (daddy) was off so he helped me with the teaching and getting the boys to piano/voice so I could run to Pier 1, TJ Maxx and BJ's needed to do some returns and get some salsa and chips for our Ladies Christmas Party at CBC. Then I returned home dropped off the salsa and picked up Jose and Justin and drove to Raleigh to get some stuff done.... :-)

Monday I was able to grade school and was so please to know that the boys are doing well and learning lots... That is such a blessing because after my sister staying with us 9 weeks I was a bit concern about school. Ialso had a great reading day with Justin and Jasmine. I love to read to them but have not in a long time and it was so sweat to cozy up and read some great books outloud to them...

Overall my day was a good one with lots done. So thankful how God hears our prayers and answer them and I have to say that is what he has been doing for me and my family..Will share more later!

Until tomorrow dear friends..........................Blessed Much Jessie

New Look New Topic New Purpose

I am so excited to start blogging again and to use this as a journal of my homeschooling journey.... My friend Sara Mincy has 2 amazing BLOGS and for a while I have been wanting to start up my blogging again but have been a little scare too.. WHY??? Well because I was not sure the look I wanted and what to BLOG about so after much thought I decided to BLOG on a subject that would help me track my progress and keep my FIRST priority in check!

SO what has school been like for the past 5 months??? CrAzY!!!
August and September were months of adjustment! -BREAK DOWNS-- Yes!! had one of those my 2nd month of schooling the kiddos! October,I finally had somewhat of a system going with the help of my sister Edith and then my sister Lissette moved into my home with her 2 homeschooled girls for 9 wks and all went out the window!! Yes - all my schedules, school planning and well order! So today is my first day after a long journey of adjustments and I have to tell you that I am still LOST!! LOL!! Not sure if I should laugh or cry.....SO what do I think of all this??

GALATIANS 6:9

AND LET US NOT LOSE HEART IN DOING GOOD, FOR IN DUE TIME WE WILL REAP IF WE DO NOT GROW WEARY

So much God is showing me about what is really important and what matters the most to me and MY God... Right now I am praying for changes in my life and my schedule so that I may have the opportunity to serve Him in areas I have lack due to time. I also want to spend more quality time with each of my kids and help them develop the talents that God have given them....

I want to enjoy my days and not feel like I rush threw my schedule just to get things off my list.

So join me as I walk to PLEASE HIM in my Daily Life...........

Blessed Much, Jessie