Homeschool Convention 2012

Marilyn Boyer, me, Rick Boyer

I had been looking forward to my first homeschool convention for quite some time.  Well, when I found out that my favorite couple of all time was gonna be there.... I got a ticket!  I'd love to tell you why they mean so much to me.  Back when I had only three kids with one on the way I was getting some flack from people.  I really didn't have much support and it was getting to the point where I thought I'd get my tubes tied to just make all the negativity stop.  That's the popular thing, right?  People were saying that since I was having my girl I needed to stop.  Well, that bothered me because I didn't really think that was anyone's place to tell me how many children I should have.  Wasn't that between God, my husband, and I?  I was looking through a used book store when I found the book Yes, They're All Ours and since it had a lot of kids on the cover I bought it.  First off, Rick is funny and makes it easy to get hooked on his book from the very beginning.  I finished the book in only two days.  

(Will continue writing.  Girls are asking for a bedtime story.....)

One view of the vendors

The book was such an encouragement to me.  It's not what other people tell you THEY think you should do that matters.  That is something you go to God about as a couple.  I mean, this is something I had been in tears about and bullied about.  The Boyers raised their kids up in Christ and lived it in their home.  Well, when I saw the Boyers I just had to talk to them and tell them what an encouragement they've been to my family.  Rick asked me what other books of theirs I have read but I hadn't heard of any others.  Actually, I've just been reading and rereading the same book over every now and then.  He gave a big hug and handed me a newer version of their book Yes, They're All Ours, plus The Hands-on Dad, Parenting From the Heart, Home Educating with Confidence, Hands-On Character Building, and CD of The Runt that's read aloud.  Wow, what a blessing! I read all the time and look forward to studying each one.  Seriously, I had to hold back the tears as they gave me a hug because I couldn't really express to them what they did for me through their book.  It had given me the confidence I needed to have the family I desired, homeschool the kids without guilt, and have fun while doing it.  I still quote Rick at the end of the day (more or less).  "What was I thinking having all these kids?"  haha .  Yes, it's a ton of work but they are all ours and I love it!

Well, because I like to procrastinate and wait before reading important information, I did not know the convention was for two days.  Argh!  I missed the first day and only went to the comedy event in the evening.  John Branyan was FUNNY!  Guess what?  It was all clean humor and that was a relief.  I love to listen to comedians but then they tend to cuss a lot and use vulgar humor.  Often it makes me cringe.  This time I was able to sit back and really enjoy myself.  I have to say that when I first walked in to a roomful of large family people who homeschool I just wanted to cry.  I literally wanted to jump over the chairs and hoot and holler.  I truly felt I was home.  No criticism, no mocking, no raised eyebrows.  I was home.  We were easily outnumbered by kids and I comfortably sat down in between 2 large families with my best friend right next to me.  We laughed and laughed through the punch lines and the hour passed quickly.  You know what was really neat?  There were a TON of kids there and I didn't hear one tantrum or kid screaming out because they had to sit down for an hour.  It was impressive.

I missed out on ALL the seminars and I know I needed to hear a lot of them.  However, because I didn't know much about the homeschool convention, I just figured I'd be attending a big place that held lots of materials.  Next year I will be there both days and have lots of time for everything.  Hopefully.  I was only there for 7 hours and it wasn't nearly enough time.  My friends Michele, Melanee, and I went from table to table picking up and looking at all the materials.  It's so much better than just looking things up online.  I think half of Michele's fun was talking to everyone at the booths.  My fun was taking pictures of things, people, and materials, and Melanee was usually looking at her map and finding places she needed to go.  Half the time I was trying to keep up with Melanee but then Michele would get left behind because she wanted to sit down and talk to everyone.  I did have lots of fun though but sometimes it can be hard to please everyone.  Ohhh, the joys of going in threes.  LOL.  I truly am blessed to have friend to experience fun times like these and learn together.

There were soooo many great tools there for teaching that I felt like I was swimming in them.  I know people can get caught up in TOO MUCH but I'm more talking about bible things.  I found posters that gave visuals for the kids, bible study materials for teaching kids at home, and the list goes on and on.  They even gave out free books on CD like 

How to Bring Your Children to Christ,

Passing the Torch, and Hell's Best Kept Secret.
Ohhh, books on CD are delicious because I can clean and listen to them at the same time.

Also, I loved the books where they teach you about the animals according to what day they were created.  Sigh.  Basically, I was in love and wish I could have spent much more time there.  There will always be next year.  The one I'm showing is Land Animals of the Sixth Day.
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After a few hours we were soooo hungry but we about fainted when we saw the food prices.  Eight bucks for nachos?  I wasn't about to eat a cracker for even five bucks so we walked a block away to eat at a restaurant.  We didn't realize it was a restaurant that overlooks the baseball game that was going on. Oh, it was awesome!  Basically, I got a whole meal for the same price as what I would have paid for nachos in the convention center but with a better view!

While we were safe inside the convention we heard an announcement that there currently was a Haboob outside and to stay in. No problem... I was having fun and since the place was so huge, I missed seeing this coming right at us.... Wow, glad I was indoors!

If you want to see a video of one coming at you, this is the exact one that came that day taken from a bicyclist staying inside a building till it is safe enough to go outside.  Wow, crazy!

Ivy's 7th Birthday Party Fun and Build-a-Bear

The kids were throwing around a bouncy ball in the house.  I said to them, "If you guys keep hitting my expensive guitar I'm gonna have a cow."  So Kyle says, "Mommy, you're gonna have a cow?"  Then Ivy hears him and starts shouting "Guess what, everyone?  Mommy is gonna have a cow!  That means we can have our own milk to drink.  Yay!"  I had to reel that one in quick.  Ha ha.  No, mommy ain't havin' no cow.

We celebrated Ivy's 7th birthday at Makutu's Island and had so much fun.  I am kicking myself for forgetting to go on my favorite slide.  It's really steep and I always fly really far when I come out.  It's kind of embarrassing actually but so worth the fun.

We took Ivy and her friend Cassidy to Build-a-Bear.  We love that place and visit there quite often.  In fact, back at Christmas time they had a special where they double the gift card value that you buy. We paid $20 but got $40 worth and saved it for Ivy's birthday which was going to be seven months later.  So when I went the other day I used those, plus a $10 off coupon.  The register rang everything out to $50.26.  After I handed her gift cards and coupons I only had to pay .26 out of my own pocket.  Patience paid off.  :)  I hope they do that promotion again with the gift cards because it's perfect to hold onto for birthdays.

The boys have finally outgrown Build-a-bear and so I mostly just have the girls that care.  I turned to Charles the other day and said, "I think having girls is gonna cost you."  He smile and said "It's okay.  They are worth it."

By the way, funny story.  I just got a FedEx package dropped of which was the router I ordered from Amazon.  However, the receipt that came with it says "Thank you for ordering 40 ovulation tests."  Hmmm... I don't need help getting pregnant but thank you anyway.

Happy 7th Birthday to My Ivy Girl

I know today you'll be busy, Ivy, and I know I might not get the chance to say this to you...today.  I want you to know how special you are to me.  You came in my tummy after three boys and we couldn't wait to see what it'd be like to have pink in our house.  Having a daughter was a dream in my head that finally became real and I didn't believe it till the doctor announced out loud that you were indeed a girl.

Friend Kerrianee and Ivy

I love how you were excited that we deemed Juliet to be your "buddy".  Someone that you would watch out for, help pick out outfits for, tie her shoes when she some day needs help, etc.  You get upset with me if I don't let you change every single diaper.  It's been two months and you still aren't sick of it.  I'm amazed.  You are gonna make a great mommy someday.

Ivy dressing Juliet

I love that I was able to give you little sister Ashley who is only two years younger so you have someone to play with and be close to.  I'm so grateful that you have a cuddle friend every single night that you can tell your secrets to.  I love how you say "Kerrianne is my best friend but Ashley is my best, best friend."  Mommy's lecturing about treating your siblings even better than your friends must finally be getting through.

Ashley and Ivy

I love how you are such a tomboy but you always dress up for mommy when I say so.  I love how you sigh when you have to dress up for church and admit you want to be respectful.  I love that you secretly enjoy swishing in the dress you didn't want to have to wear.  

Ivy and Ashley

I love that you are outgoing and are understanding how important it is to open your arms to potential friends rather than only have one.  I love that any little girl in the room is someone that just might need a friend to play with.  

Ashley, friend Cassidy, Ivy

I love you, Ivy.  You are a pretty amazing 7 year old.  Happy birthday!

Learning From Bad Mistakes

Click on picture
to order

It's been soooo wonderful with my husband finding a job back in his career field.  I knew he was a hard worker before and he missed working in his field he went to college for.  Seeing him at it again reminds me what an incredibly smart guy I married.  Still, he showed his love to us but working at whatever job he could find while the economy was struggling for the last three years.  Of course before I took the money for granted and threw it around like nothing bad could ever happen.  When his company went under and we saw no one else hiring, that sinking feeling came. It's tempting to live stupid like we did before but, yikes, the last three years were like swimming against the current.  It was hard.  This time I wanted to do it right so I got the book by Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover.  Just reading it makes me so wish I knew this stuff a decade ago.  How could I have been so foolish?  I can't change my past but this time I'm not making the same mistake and will plan the best I can for the future.  I know my future is in God's hands but I can do my best to be a good steward of what He gives us in the meantime.  I will slowly go put away my list of wants.... :D He says in his book, "If you live like no one else, later you'll live like no one else."  Well said!

Ashley napping with Max

Right now I'm having some doggy troubles, as usual, and don't know what to do.  I've lost 3 chickens to my little black dog Max.  I now have one chicken left.  We are so sad! Those chickens were our egg layers.  No only was Max carrying off their eggs but he was also completely beheading the chickens.  I know, to much info.  Max is sooooo cute and I think we should just build a whole separate chicken area that Max can't get too but Charles likes that our chickens can walk around.  He's basically saying it's either the chickens or Max.  Argh...  I want both so I'm trying to convince him it's finally the time to build that chicken house we bought plans for.

I've been going through some serious mind battles about my faith. Actually, I've been going through it for at least six months.  Sitting in church was worse because I would have to hold back my tears through the songs because I would remember when I used to sing for Him.  Then my heart would harden when hearing the sermon.  It got harder and harder to look past people issues and just let things just bounce off me.  I would look around and see the faults of people rather than see that they need God just as much as I did and that's why we are all there.  I met with my pastor and he prayed for me.  That was three days ago.  Just last night during service it dawned on me that the dark cloud that had been over me had lifted.  Then a scripture came into my thoughts,

He who has been forgiven much love much, but he has been forgiven little loves little.  Luke 7:36

I had a hard time with forgiveness because I doubted that God had truly forgiven me.  I tend to lean towards the idea that God is up there just waiting and waiting for me to make a mistake so He can just be done with me forever.  I don't know why I think in such legalistic ways but I do.  I'm not taught that, (more in the past) it's just that my mind goes into this autopilot.  I almost always have to take the wheel and remind myself that God loves me and He has forgiven me like He promised.  People use the excuse to not find a church because "everyone there are just hypocrites."  Well, don't we go because we desperately need God?  Because we need to hear from Him?  Most of us don't come because we have it all together and we need some ear tickling.  We are leaky vessels.  I certainly am so I need a place to worship and hear from God.  

Daily Happenings with the Crazies

So I had ran out of coffee and just haven't been able to get over to Sam's club to get my big box of Keurig cups.  It's a waaaay better deal to buy them there.  However, I'm still trying to get used to my husband not being home during the day.  We would always run errands together.  Lately I have been just waiting till he gets home because he usually loves to go but he's been too tired.  After much desperation and drinking the only coffee in the house, which is decaf, I finally just took the kids and went.  Ohhhh.... thank you God for creating these beans in order for me to have a delicious cup of coffee every day.

We started giving chore money to the kids again and they are super excited.  We reevaluated how much they should be getting by how many chores they have and how hard they are.  Sigh.  I can't get away with just a little bit anymore.  Heh heh.

Sooo, in a week we are starting the "every two weeks there is another birthday."  Ivy's starts it off (till of course Juliet next year) and so we are gonna be super busy have way too much fun.  It's funny because my son Ryan was just telling me he wanted to go to a trampoline place for his birthday.  The very next day I saw it on Groupon and was able to purchase tickets for half the price.  Wheee!  I love saving money. 

Lately I decided to put a cap on how many kids we have coming through our house.  I love kids over but I'm starting to get behind on my work and it's about time to declutter again. Didn't I just do that?  Sigh.

Out of Town Friends and Stock Room Organization

I love how at the Kroc center they let my 4 year old little Ashley rock climb.  When we go to the Bass Pro Shop they don't allow it.  Ashley is the little one in the brown shirt (2 from left).  I really, really thought she would be scared and only go a couple of steps but she really climbs up there fast.

Ashley is so cute and tiny. She likes to help me pack snacks for all the kids whenever we get out.  She says she can't wait to be a mommy and have her own family.  Yeah, she's four... quite a ways to go for her.  Not such a long ways for me because kids grow way too fast.

We had a couple of kids from out of town visiting.  Chaz's friend and Ivy's friend.  They really are good kids and I love having them every each time.  In fact, I beg their mom for extra days because the kids get along great and never fight.  Well, of course I wanted to take them to the Kroc with us so they we could all play.  

Dexter and Chaz

Ashley, friend Cassidy, Ivy

Here are some pics of the kids rock climbing....

Ashley (4)

Ivy (6)

Ryan (10)

Chaz (11)

From left: Caleb, Kyle, Ryan, Chaz, friend Dexter, Ashley, friend Cassidy, and Ivy

Okay, okay... I'm so embarrassed but I moved Ivy and Ashley into a different room again.  I made a playroom for everyone to play in so I moved Ashley and Ivy into the smaller room.  Well, no one played in the playroom and it was just left empty every day.  Seriously, you could hear the crickets in there. Well, I've had the problem of baby Caleb constantly getting into the stock of food and tearing things open or ripping off labels.  Finally, Charles and I decided to take out the playroom, put the girls back in, and make that small room the stock room with a lock on the door.  Thank goodness.

Our plan is to buy more shelves, maybe more like the one pictured, maybe not.  Then we'll place them around the room.  I'm seriously running out of space for everything.  That's not picturing all the nonfood stock that we have that's taken over the hallway closet meant for linens.  There is absolutely no more room left because it's holding lots and lots of baby wipes, diapers, toilet paper, shampoos, deodorants, toothpastes, detergents, etc.  I'm OUT of space with that too. I'm gonna have to put some organization into the stock room so I can free up that linen closet also.  Since the boys will be taking drum lessons we might put a drum set right in the middle of the room.  We shall see.  My husband is a trained drummer so he will be able to help with their lessons.  I DON'T want the drum set in the living room if I can help it.    

Couponing at Fry's and Big Savings

This week I got 10 inserts from the Sunday paper because there were some really, really good coupons.  See the potential freebies on this page?  If your store doubles coupons then you'll get 10 free toothbrushes and 10 free toothpastes.  There were cereal coupons in there also that would make each box of cereal only cost .69 cents.  Also, there were other potential freebies.  I'm waiting for the items to go on sale.

Okay, so I kind of disappear when I'm planning out a big couponing trip to the store.  I have been keeping up with my newspapers and inserts each week so that has helped a lot.  However, it takes several hours when I study Coupon Sense and find all the internet coupons I want to print out.  Half of the coupons I use are from the internet.  I think I did pretty well.  I only got half my shopping done so tonight is another big trip to the store.  Last night I saved 73%.  I spent $153 but saved $571.  Not bad!

Fry's is having this really neat sale right now so I took advantage of it before it's gone.  Here are my freebies.  I forgot to include some but this is most of it.

This all should have cost $118
I paid $4!

Germaphobic Era

Have you noticed the change in how many kids play outside?  I don't see kids outside much anymore.  Probably has a lot to do with TV and video games.  Makes me sad because I would love to hear kids outside in my neighborhood.  When I go places I constantly see parents wiping their kids' hands with sanitizing wipes.  I even see parents follow there kid around with them.  I was reading this article on Yahoo.  6 secrets of kids who rarely get sick.  It's all about constantly washing hands and doing it for at least 30 seconds.  

I'm seeing lots of comments where people are saying how germaphobic parents are getting.  They freak out if their kids play in the dirt or get dirty at all.  I used to spend hours and hours outside getting dirty and would just bathe when I was finished.  Man, how times have changed.  

At the actual Mighty Mud Mania event

I remember one time I made a mud mania in  my back yard and some people were freaking out about it. We let the kids play in the mud and with the hose and some people were saying how dirty that is.  Nooooo... duh.  It's mud.  We have really fun memories from that.  Good way to build up immunities naturally.  By the way, the moms I see that follow their kids around with sanitizing wipes that I know, their kids are sick a lot.  Makes you wonder.... hmmmm...Of course there are times IMPORTANT to wash hands like using the restroom, after using chemicals, before you eat, etc.  The article is a bit overboard.  But hey, to each their own.  You know, we used to get the flu shot and our family would get very, very sick.  One year I almost died from it.  Since not getting the flu shot, we rarely ever get it and when we do, it's very small and we get over quickly.  

Trouble with Dogs and Chickens

I think I'm considered the animal lady on the block because I'll have someone knock on my door with a dog in hand and say, "Would you like to keep my dog?"  80% of the time I say no, unless I feel like the dog needs some caring for help for finding a good home.  So yes, dogs do come through here quite often but I always help find them a good home and put prospects through the ringer when they offer.  However, I got a cutie the other day.  :)  The doorbell woke me up and I almost didn't answer it but it was my elderly neighbor.  She said she couldn't care for her anymore and asked if I would take her.  Would I? Yes!  She's adorable and only 4 months old.

My only dilemma I have with my little dogs is they chase my chickens.  I know it's in their nature but it's causing a major problem.  We love our chickens and the eggs.  The black little dog is eating their eggs and I also caught him the other night hurting one of the big chickens.  He was on top of her biting her really bad.  She's missing feathers and we just nursed her back to health.  It's soooo sad.  I really want my chickens to walk around the yard but now we might have to keep part of the yard separated to keep the animals apart.  Phooey.  We loved having our chickens walk right up to our patio door.  Does anyone have any ideas about dogs and chickens?

We are thinking about raising chickens again.  I'm just wondering if I have the time for it.  It's not too hard but when I did it I only had five kids.  Back then though I wasn't a couponer either and it truly is like a part time job. I just really miss my tiny little chicks.  :(  We miss gardening also and having our own fresh vegetables.  When the season is right we'll start it back up again with the kids.

I wish there was a way to train my dogs to not chase my chickens.  I mean, it is in their nature so I can't be upset about it.  My really big Great Dane gets along with them fine.  Either that or he's too lazy to chase them.  LOL.


Wanna see a chicken that doesn't mind laying on her back and chillin'?  Heh heh.  Here you go.  Goodnight chicken.

Couponing for a Few of My Favorite Things

Got some great savings at Fry's yesterday!  These savings are good until Wednesday. Remember, I don't just find savings through Sunday paper coupons but also online.  This past week they have been having a Daytona savings where if you buy 10 items (that qualify) you save even more money. Then I added coupons on top of that. Some of these things were less than a dollar but since Fry's makes all coupons worth $1, I was able to apply that overage to other items that I would have paid for otherwise.  I used the overage from the Sun Bird seasoning packets and the Bayer Aspirin to be applied to other items.

Here is what I got...

4 boxes of Hot Pockets, 6 boxes of cereal bars, 7 bottles of Bayer Aspirin, four 12 packs of Diet Dr. Pepper, Coffee-Mate creamer, 9 boxes of Hefty freezer bags, Huggies Swimmers, and 22 packages of Sun Bird Asian seasoning (Bourbon chicken, General, and fried rice seasoning). 

It should have cost $147 total.  

I paid only $9

That's a savings of  94%!