all's quiet on the blogging front

life has been plodding along without too much of great excitement to report lately... but there is one new development on our horizon that i thought was noteworthy. i have been at work preparing some of my nature photos for a couple of craft shows this coming month. i am collecting them into sets of notecards, as well as matting some of them as larger prints. it has been quite the task to decide on just the right paper, packaging, and photos to use, but it has been really good for me to have this little creative outlet. matt has also been at work putting a website together where i will soon be able to direct you. i think we finally came up with a name today, so that is exciting! i will post more details once i am a bit more organized. :)

pumpkin patch pics

books can be dangerous

and i'm not talking about Harry Potter. i'm talking about George Muller.

my mom tells me that my favorite thing to say and do as a little girl was "weed book!" throughout my school years, however, i was not much of a reader, other than what teachers required of me. but in these past years since beginning to read to my own children, and especially since pursuing the homeschooling route, books have been steadily growing more and more appealing to me. i think our recent television fast solidified this even more in me.

earlier this year i read a book to the kids called "Missionary Stories with the Millers" that I picked up at a homeschool conference. it was a collection of little snippets from lives of various missionaries, some more well-known than others. miriam could not get enough of it! this led me to look into other similar types of stories to read to them and i settled first on George Muller, whom i have always heard of but had never read about for myself. i am finding his story not only fascinating, but also challenging. a man who God turned from well-to-do, self-centered thief into self-sacrificing servant to the poor and orphaned, his life was marked by simplicity and believing God for every step of provision and direction. his testimonies to God's faithfulness prompt me to question my own lifestyle and how well (or not) it matches what we say we believe about God and what we are trying to teach our children about following Christ.

huge hail

my dad called me yesterday to tell me that the small town where our Levi was born -- Lismore in Australia -- made the national news. keep in mind as you watch this short video clip that this is a subtropical area!

Brady x 2!

our third nephew/cousin (all three born this year!) was born this morning. yes, another boy, and another BRADY! both of my sisters have now had boys this year, as well as Matt's sister (the older Brady). the first pic is of Brady Daniel, born this morning, and the other is of Brady Alexander, now almost 2 months old, taken when we visited him a couple of weeks ago.

mommy time

it has been a busy summer, and after being out of town for two long weekends in a row in september, i am welcoming some more home time as october rolls in. it's amazing how the loss of a monday can throw my whole week for a loop...

with the weather still being so warm and beautiful, it is hard for me to stay indoors, especially with the impending michigan winter soon approaching! (the kids can't wait for it to snow again, however... they certainly didn't get that from their mom.) the change of seasons, though, is refreshing. with the cooler air comes cozy sweatshirts and jeans (though i do wear my flip-flops until the snow flies!), and with the earlier nightfalls come longer bedtime stories. we also look forward to some fall campfires and roasted marshmallows in the backyard with our neighbors over these next weeks, along with raspberry picking (& hopefully some jam to follow), apple picking, pumpkin carving, and probably a few cups of hot cocoa.

while more and more i am enjoying just being home, i also look forward to a few regular "mommy time" additions to my calendar this fall. first of all, i am learning to KNIT -- something i never thought i would do -- and tonight i will attend my first knitting/craft night with a small group of women. i'm so excited! jen w. is teaching me -- check out her blog to see some of the adorable things she has made. i'm currently attempting a washcloth... matt is really glad that i will now have something i can do next to him while he watches bears football games on sunday afternoons. :)

every other thursday morning, starting this week, i will be attending a mom's group at a local church which has wonderful (& free!) childcare. we were a part of this group last year, too, and it was great. on the off thursdays, i may try to plan some different outings, field trips, or playdates. i have lots of ideas -- i just have to get them on the calendar!

also on thursdays, one evening a month, a veteran homeschooling friend hosts a homeschooling "support" group in her home that has also been a huge blessing. a number of moms attend from all over the area, and it is a chance to fellowship together, share ideas, glean wisdom from those who have gone before, and just be encouraged. can't wait to go to that next week, since i missed the first meeting last month.

i am also hoping to hit the coffee shop a few times with girlfriends this fall, and matt & i do try to retain some semblance of a date night once a week or so. oh, and of course, the other very exciting thing about fall is the beginning of a new season of "The Office", our favorite tv show. :)

song worth sharing

sometimes i miss my little sidebar music feature. when i hear a good song i just want to share it. i know i've said this before, but i love music. there is just something about a song that can cut straight to the heart so much easier than mere words. brian, if you're reading, this song that you played for us last weekend is just too good not to share. it expresses a sentiment that i often feel but cannot find the words to express. go to this website, scroll down, and click on the song "Broken" to have a listen.