I know it's not September as my title suggests it is,
but I'm trying to stay as close to summer as I can!
Ha!
Kidding, but I am always late (and a dollar short)
It's 54 degrees today, but in the pictures I'll show you today,
it was beautiful fall weather! (that lasted about a week here in MN)
I like warm, what can I say?
We enjoy a local lake park in town
Thankful for this old tree that is there, we've taken pictures in it every year!
I even used to take my daycare kiddos there and take pictures!
Fun tree!
We love to feed the ducks!
Thankful everything is so new for these littles!
He laughs and giggles every time he throws the ducks bread, it's so cute!
He always wants to chase the ducks!
Thankful for big helpers!
We love to walk around this little lake, it's so beautiful
(some of us like to unicycle)
(some of us like to unicycle)
They have a little swan pond, so pretty in the fall
As is our backyard
Thankful for beautiful fall colors right outside in our yard
Thankful for my front view from the school table
Thankful for my fall mailbox
Thankful for my fall home
Thankful for my inside view from the school table
Why, yes! It is quite loud and distracting.
How did you know?
Thankful for loud and crazy littles!
Thankful for loud and crazy littles!
Thankful we are blessed to be able to homeschool!
My school room here.
We moved the middle girls in here with me
We moved the middle girls in here with me
and the oldest 2 are with Dad in the living room, at the table.
Tom is helping with the oldest 2 this year
so I am able to focus on the middles and the littles.
It put the Joy back in homeschooling.
Let's just say, I've struggled with that joy thing for a while.
(with homeschooling)
It's the perfectionist in me.
And it's a "Mary" thing.
You see, I left it up to her.
I prayed a lot.
A lot.
Like for years.
I've prayed like this:
"Please be a mother to me, to my children, you love them more than I, you know them"
"If you want me to do this, you have to make it work, I'll do anything, just lead me"
Because it was not working.
Sometimes there are blessings in very hard things in life.
Like all the hard things my husband struggles with
and has struggled with for years.
There have been blessings in it all.
Thankful for the love of my life, the biggest blessing and gift God has given me
besides my faith.
And it's a "Mary" thing.
You see, I left it up to her.
I prayed a lot.
A lot.
Like for years.
I've prayed like this:
"Please be a mother to me, to my children, you love them more than I, you know them"
"If you want me to do this, you have to make it work, I'll do anything, just lead me"
Because it was not working.
Sometimes there are blessings in very hard things in life.
Like all the hard things my husband struggles with
and has struggled with for years.
There have been blessings in it all.
besides my faith.
Thankful we celebrated the feast of the Archangels with this Devil's food cake,
complete with pudding frosting and fresh raspberries....
Pudding Frosting
1 package instant pudding (any flavor)
1 cup milk
1 -8 oz container of Cool Whip
Mix and frost
Oh, yeah, we crushed Satan's head with our swords...
Thankful I found this awesome yellow frame for my yellow girl at Wal-mart!
Thankful It only took me several years to realize I could spray paint my ugly blue bench
to make it look pretty nice...
Way better!
In fact It turned out so nice, I did more....
(they were bright blue before)
Thankful for bubble blowing
Thankful for second cousins!
What a treasure 2nd cousins are!
Thankful for tractor rides with cousins!
(my cousin's daughter)
My cousin's husband Bob gave a ton of tractor rides!
Thankful for my cousin and her mama (my aunt Darla)
Thankful I got to see and visit with my grandma at my cousin's home!
Her kid's birthdays are only a week apart
They are such sweet sweet kiddos!
Speaking of sweet....
Thankful for sleeping toddlers.
On a mattress.
On my bedroom floor.
We need to get him a bed and figure out where he can go, I know.
Thankful for big kids to help littles with praying and counting during our family rosary
Thankful this little girl will always be my kitchen helper, even when all have given it up!
(making Chipotle Pork Tacos here)
Thankful some flowers are still blooming...
October Thankfuls coming soon...
Thankful for big and small things and everything in between.
Your sweet kiddos are growing up so fast!
ReplyDeleteThey are aren't they? Exciting and sad at the same time!
DeleteJamie, your children are so precious!
ReplyDeleteI love the love in your home.
And your baby still in your room.
Love even more.
Keep him there as long as you want.
Flynn is still with us. : )
Another packed Thankfuls. Your kids are just so precious, full of love and joy. All that your home life is about comes radiating through the smiles of your children. It always makes me smile too.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy seeing your home life, the simple celebrations (and eats), precious moments, and even things like spray painting furniture (well done, by the way).
Thank you for always sharing them and reminding us to be Thankful for the seen and unseen in our own lives.
I do love these posts. They always make me smile and feel all light and blessed.
ReplyDeleteWe have had a few hard years homeschooling too and this year I feeling like things have finally turned around. I think I was worrying too much about movements and ideologies that were floating around instead of just doing what needed to be done for our family!
Sending lots of love!
You have never been yelled at for feeding the ducks and geese??? I had one person just go off on me when I did. Totally freaked me out so I dont do it anymore.
ReplyDeleteSims sure can get some air on that trampoline!
You are blessed Jamie. Great group of kiddos and husband. Glad to hear school is going good! Two teachers---gets more done and more time for fun!
The colors are just about perfect this week and I have just enjoyed them so much. Trying to get fall pictures with the kiddos. I just need to do Colette. Zach is sorta far away!! I texted him he needed to come home for "fall pictures"...I am sure he was annoyed by that. OH well.
Have a great weekend!
I love your thankfuls! All the photos brought a smile to my heart, you just have the sweetest family!
ReplyDeleteSuch lovely pics..Simeon looks great in those baggy jeans..
ReplyDeleteand America is blessed with such natural beauty..I have never witnessed something like this here back home.. its like seeing the world through your eyes :)
Hi Jamie Jo!!
ReplyDeleteI've been offline for so long... I LOVE your Thankful posts and I'm go glad that I popped in to see this one!!!
Missed you so much.... Oh my gosh, Your kids are growing up! :-(
I love, love, love your sweet family and these pictures you posted.
I was in your city this summer with my 7year old, and planned to call you, but ended up with a flat tire that literally took 4 hours start to finish to get repaired and ready to drive. I didn't call because it was late enough that I probably would have had to spend the night had I stopped in!!!!
Your "Mary Prayer" is precious. And perfect.
Thanks for that reminder.
Love you, Sweet friend.
I'm so behind on my reading!!
ReplyDeleteI truly miss all the gorgeous fall colors. We don't have it in our neck of the woods.
Your kids rock! The stabbing the cake picture is so funny. I wouldn't want her mad at me ;)
Your school plans sound good. I'm happy for you that they are working out now.
Thank God for relatives! And to be able to see them...that's awesome. I wish mine lived closer.
And husbands. God bless them always!
Have a great week!!