Shining Examples

Valentines Blessing Party! An Opportunity to Serve!

2012-01-23T21:19:00.000-07:00

Every year for Valentines Day I throw a party for our homeschool friends. I think I have done it for 9 or so years, ever since Connor was old enough to want to give those cute Valentines Cards. I also wanted to make sure our kids had the opportunity to make lace doily cards, somehow, that seemed important. Each year I have tried to have a small outreach to a neighbor or to someone lonely so

A Time For Everything, Work and Play

2012-01-10T21:22:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned that I love Disney? I do. What I love more is the sheer amount of fun family time that Disney affords us. We giggled together, screamed till we were hoarse, ate till we were sick, rode every ride we wanted at least twice and thoroughly enjoyed our time together. I love that our kids got along famously (only once or twice did I need to say something) and that when I asked them

I've been published!

2012-01-02T20:53:00.001-07:00

I have two articles published in the Homeschool Handbook. In the current edition, check out my article, "Making Christmas Memorable". In the July/Aug issue check out "Helping Children Love to Learn". I find it so exciting to have the privilege to share one of my passions - homeschooling. Thanks to all of you who have read my ramblings through out the years. Many of these blogs are the first go

Disney Cruise

2011-12-19T21:06:00.003-07:00

For our 15th Anniversary, Connor's 13th Birthday and the twins turning 10, we decided to go on a Disney vacation complete with a cruise. It was a once in a lifetime kind of trip and was so worth it! Our beloved Mr. Vic came on the cruise with us and that made it even more magical! Here's a few pictures: In the port, so very excited to get onto the boat where they announce your entire

The Last Straw Again

2011-12-11T16:10:00.003-07:00

Several years ago, I bought a book called "A Candle in the Forest" which is a compilation of Christmas stories by Joe Wheeler. (click on the title of the blog post for a link to the book) One of the stories is called, "The Last Straw" by Paula MacDonald and is about a family whose children can't stop bickering and fighting. The Mom remembers a tradition her Grandmother told her about where each

Thankful Cloth

2011-11-22T13:10:00.001-07:00

When the kIds were little, we used to make turkeys and write all the things we were thankful for on the feathers. The kids refuse to do that now that they are so huge, so we are going to have a thankful cloth. I saw this idea in the Focus on the Family magazine. You take a Thanksgiving Tablecoth and each person writes what they are thankful for each Thanksgiving and you have a written record

Balance part 2

2011-11-15T20:06:00.001-07:00

Balance in Homeschool One of the best things about homeschooling is that you can tailor each child's education to that particular child. One of the worst things about homeschooling is that you have to know or at least take a pretty good guess about what individual child needs. The shocking thing is that I don't always get it right the first time. This thought haunts me at night and keeps me

Balance part 1

2011-11-02T13:31:00.000-06:00

Sometimes, it is hard to find balance. Balance between the have -to and want- to. Balance between being a Mom and a Homeschool Mom. Balance between being a Mom and a Wife. Balance between work and play. This year, I have found that I am not so great at balance. This year has felt like a year of all work and no play. There are some key areas that I have found lacking in my life. Areas

Let it Snow!

2011-10-25T21:42:00.000-06:00

It's snowing! It is supposed to snow a bunch! I made Scott open the curtains so I could watch it fall to the ground. I know by March that I will be far less excited about snow but the first snow of the season is a joyous event. That it is supposed to be a substantial snow makes it even more exciting. Let it snow!

My Little Man

2011-10-06T17:05:00.000-06:00

My Little Man is curious - within reason. My Little Man is so very handsome. I love his curls. He doesn't like them as much. My Little Man is an explorer, again within reason. His cautious soul keeps he and his sister out of trouble. My Little Man loves his big brother. They are best buds, which is something we have worked long and hard at. My Little Man puts up with his

Chore Card Go-Fish

2011-08-30T17:54:00.004-06:00

Every quarter or so, the kids request a change-up of their chores and so we play Chore Card Go-Fish. No, you won't find this anywhere else, ( atleast I don't think so) I made it up on the spur of the moment to avoid having to buy one of those spinny chore chart things. It's as fun as picking chores can get and it means that I don't have to assign chores - woohoo! Anyhow, here's how it works:1.

Goal setting

2011-08-20T11:08:00.001-06:00

Each year we set new goals for our kids in three areas - spiritual, personal and academic. It helps us to be deliberate in training our kids to be purposeful in our parenting for we know that every moment counts. We know that we now have less years with our kids in our home than we have already had and that reminds us again to be purposeful. We want our kids to be prepared academically,

Created to be Unique -

2011-08-05T08:00:00.000-06:00

Every summer I see yards that are beautifully manicured, every flower is in the perfect place, every bush has been planned out to make a harmonious whole. At least once each summer I think, "I need to put more of an effort into our yard, my flower beds should look like that". There are people that I pass that I think that too. "I should put more of an effort to be that put together. I could

Finally!

2011-08-02T17:13:00.001-06:00

I have finally figured put how to post from my iPad. You might hear more from me now!School is about to start up in full force in my house so I am working on schedules, chore charts and everyone's yearly goals.I have also cracked down on any whining and complaining as well as any dawdling that has crept up on us during this summer. I know we will better off if I deal with those issues now

My Girl

2011-07-21T21:11:00.003-06:00

Caileigh and Collin just turned 10 and so I wanted to post a little about each of them. This post is about my girl, the Princess.My girl is ... dramatic. She doesn't get called dramagirl for nothing.My girl marches to the beat of her own drum.My girl loves adrenaline.My girl is beautiful and her twin is handsome.My girl loves a new adventure, a new place to explore.My girl is infinitely

Family Ties and the Beach

2011-07-13T12:08:00.003-06:00

I've mentioned before how I think that every family should take a road trip to see how their family ties and family relationships are faring. You can see a lot in a 17 day trip in the same car, staying in the same hotel rooms with an occasional stay at family members. You see the good, the bad and the ugly, clearly in very close range. Our family desperately needed the togetherness and mostly

Summer Craziness

2011-06-28T21:53:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I know I haven't posted in well, forever, but I have several very good excuses. 1. I can't figure out why my lovely i-pad won't let me post. I had several very witty posts planned while I was off at a convention but I couldn't get it to work. Technology is sometimes my nemesis. 2. I have been busy. Really, really busy. Along with all the at home stuff, I have been speaking and

My Dream

2011-04-25T10:50:00.000-06:00

My DreamYesterday, at church, the Pastor asked us to write down our dream for the future. I struggled with this at first. I wrote down something that I thought I'd like to do someday but it wasn't my dream or what I wanted for the future. Sometimes, I think that I have the best of life right now. I get to do what I love to do, be with my kids, watch them grow, teach them and help others to do

Kitchen Timer Re-Do

2011-04-14T07:55:00.001-06:00

Kitchen Timer - An essentialHave you discovered the usefulness of the kitchen timer? In "Creative Corrections" by Lisa Whelchel she discusses using an egg timer to help your children get things done. I started by using it in the classroom ( "You have 20 minutes to get this assignment done") and now have several stationed around the house. The kitchen timer is really useful for getting the kids

It's The Little Things

2011-03-17T21:41:00.002-06:00

When Caileigh and Collin were born, their beloved Alex and Miss Mo got them little on the go blankies. Caileigh's was a soft pink silk and Collin's a soft blue silk. Collin loved his from the get go. He loved to rub his "silky" between his thumb and pointer finger and then suck his other thumb. It was it his happy place, his "all is right in the world" place. By year two, we had Alex get him

Pianos with a Purpose

2011-03-09T15:43:00.003-07:00

One of Connor's friends came up with a plan to raise money for children in Ethiopia and asked Connor to be involved. Connor is really a follower at heart but he loved K's plan so he jumped right in. Their band of friends ( I call them K's minions) are all pianists so they decided to throw a benefit concert. K and her lovely mother put it all together, Connor made a program, Caileigh and I

Self Control, again!

2011-02-16T18:51:00.002-07:00

This is one of those posts I wrote several years ago but am re-posting to share. Self-control hands has become standard operating procedure at our house through out the years. I even use it when I need to keep my mouth quiet, if I have my hands together it means I am working hard to control my tongue and it works - mostly. All those years I was told, "teach them when they are little or you'll

Eye Bounce

2011-02-08T16:43:00.006-07:00

I wrote this particular blog item several years ago but I wanted to re-visit it as my kids have become older. The eye bounce has been a great tool as my boys, especially, have gotten older. Connor often tells Collin to eye bounce even before I can now. I love that they are watching over each other's purity, although I wish it wasn't quite as necessary as it is. We can't hardly watch a commercial

The Meanest Mom Ever

2011-02-01T07:54:00.004-07:00

Remember? I let them off for 3 weeks at Christmas.I am proudly claiming the title of "The Meanest Mom Ever". Not that my kids would ever say that. They happen to like life.It is -10 and the ps have called for snow days for the past two days. Piano is cancelled, karate is cancelled, the roads are slick and icy. Daddy is working from home.Are we having a snow day? Please? No, we are not. I have a

Prepping for Convention Season

2011-01-18T17:42:00.007-07:00

For all of you home schooling Moms, you know what's coming? Convention season. For some of us, it's an exciting thought, for others it's a dreaded thought. I think we, as home school parents, should go to the convention every year, whether we like it or not. Why? Because it helps us to be better educated and if we don't need the education surely some newbie does and they could use a veteran's

Getting Back to Real Life is Hard

2011-01-13T18:45:00.004-07:00

We had a great Christmas vacation. Hanging out, going skiing, watching movies, playing with our friends, being with family, it was wonderful. However, there were a few moments with the kids that I thought, "Uh-oh, we may be too comfortable." I chose to ignore it though, purposefully, because it was vacation.Boy, have I paid for it. I knew school would make us all be more disciplined and that we

"Change Your Face"

2011-01-06T21:27:00.003-07:00

We had one of the Directors of the Family Ministry (who is the Producer, Writer, Director and general "Power That Be" of the Rush Hour Program) over for dinner with some friends during the Christmas Season. While we were chatting over dinner, he shared something his Mom used to say when it was apparent that he needed to change his attitude. She would lean over for his hearing only and tell him, "

Christmas Fun

2010-12-31T11:00:00.003-07:00

I love that Connor still will give Mom big hugs. Not in public though or if any of his friends can see him but I'll take what I can get, of course it helps if I appeal to his stomach with his favorite Christmas breakfast. Remember the post on "The Last Straw"? Scott took ths further and made a stable of presents to surround the manger of secret acts of kindness for Jesus. It helped to cement

Joy in Serving Together

2010-12-15T20:25:00.003-07:00

One of my favorite things is to serve as a family. The entire family served during our church's Christmas program, "Reel to Real". Scott played his french horn, all the kids sang and I directed the Kids Choir. Even though the kids and I had to spend the entire week practicing (oh wait, we had one evening off) and Scott raced from the airport to the dress rehearsal, I loved every minute of it.

The Gingerbread House

2010-12-14T18:42:00.003-07:00

I have recently read a thread on a message board commenting that one reason to have your child in a traditional school setting is so that your child doesn't miss making "fun crafts". I think home schooling is a great oppportunity to do these crafts and have the time to REALLY do them. Not to mention the fact that we also had a story and lesson which pointed us back to the reason of the season -

The Last Straw Again

2010-12-05T15:47:00.006-07:00

Captured Moment

2010-11-19T19:08:00.005-07:00

One of the great side benefits of home schooling is the relationship that can develop between siblings. All of my kids have a great relationship ( of course, we don't really allow them not to) but recently during a family portrait session this was once again dispayed. Caileigh and Collin arranged themselves for these shots and I love them. I love the sweetness between the two and the way Collin

Learning Eternal Perspective

2010-11-04T11:01:00.003-06:00

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliott The kids and I are reading "Christian Heroes: Then and Now - Nate Saint" in school and is an amazing reminder of eternal perspective. These five men knowingly and willingly gave up their lives to bring the gospel to a tribe in the Amazon who lived in the stone age. They purposefully did not use their guns

Harvest Festival

2010-11-02T19:17:00.004-06:00

So, I thought I would update you on how the Harvest Outreach went. It went no where at all. We set up games, planned candy and had all our kids waiting but no one came until it was too dark and even then not a ton of kids came to the door. So, this means I get to go back to hiding! Yeah! I'm pretty happy about that! We did have a great time with our friends, who are willing to play along with

Neighborhood Harvest Outreach

2010-10-27T14:02:00.004-06:00

I dislike Halloween - immensely. I don't like taking my kids trick or treating, I don't like other kids trick or treating at my door, I don't like the idea of adults purposefully scaring kids and I don't like houses decorated in spiders and ghouls. I just don't like it. We usually run away, go see a movie, spend the weekend in the mountains, or go out to dinner. Anything to get away from the

Great Resources

2010-10-25T19:32:00.002-06:00

I've been planning our Christmas lists and our Christmas unit study and came across some of my favorite resources so I thought I'd share.The Family Nights Tool Chest from Heritage Builders. I love ALL of them and have used them since my kids were young. There is a Holiday:Family Night Tool Chest which I love and have used until the kids have memorized all the devotionals. Great, great, great

Food TV

2010-10-21T16:55:00.003-06:00

The Food Network is either my new best friend or my worst enemy. I can't decide. It all depends on the moment. Like whether they just taught me how to make Slow Cooker Oatmeal that cooks overnight and is amazing in the morning or it's 10:00 at night and I'm watching, "The Best Thing I Ever Ate : Sweets". Seriously, 10:00 p.m. is too late to watch a show about dessert because it's too late to go

Kids Who Love to Read

2010-09-28T11:29:00.004-06:00

I found Connor in Caileigh's room - which cracked me up. Book Basket outside the kids rooms. "What, Mom? I'm busy reading?"Isn't he the cutest? Collin playing a game based on a book he had read.Getting back to her exciting book. I read this article and found it really disconcerting (click on the title of the blog for a link). The thought that we need to allow and indeed, encourage our kids to

Capable and Responsible Kids

2010-09-28T09:13:00.005-06:00

I don't have much time but I saw this article (click on the title Capable and Responsible Kids to view article) and thought how true this was. When I mention to people how my kids (12,9 &9) can do all their laundry from beginning to end, make themselves a balanced meal, clean a bathroom and many other things they do each day, I either find people are shocked or are apalled. Is it child abuse? Is

Responsible Words

2010-09-21T14:42:00.003-06:00

This week at church our family learned that we need to be responsible with our words. We have a "family church" experience called Rush Hour, "Where kids bring their parents to learn", which introduces the topic that the elementary kids are going to delve into deeper during their Sunday School classes. What Rush Hour does is to involve the parents in what the kids are learning and gives both

Homeschool Fun

2010-09-03T16:25:00.004-06:00

Making a worm habitat. Mapping the neighborhood to show how maps are made. Candy clay map.Coloring paper dolls from around the world - showing that God loves the whole world. Documenting the back yard habitat.It's important to have fun in school. It makes such great memories and sometimes they are learning while having fun. I love MFW for that very reason - they schedule fun into the curriculum.

"Let me fry you an egg"...

2010-09-01T17:29:00.005-06:00

This spring, I heard Susan Wise Bauer of the Well Trained Mind, speak at the Midwest Homeschool Convention on the things that her parents did really right and did not do as well. One of the things that caught my attention was how her Mom dealt with melt-downs. We all have them and sometimes, our kids have them. This is different than continual whining or complaining which needs to be disciplined

Take Heart, Homeschool Moms! Or 10 Practical Things!

2010-08-18T19:08:00.007-06:00

I've been talking to and seeing on message boards homeschool Moms discouraged about their first weeks of school. The kids are whiny and complaining, no one likes their curriculum and all the Mom is doing is putting out fires, not teaching. This is especially true of new homeschoolers. Where are the idyllic days spent reading with their child or making amazing lapbooks or crafting an amazing

Eternal Perspective on Grammar (who knew)

2010-08-16T13:54:00.002-06:00

Connor started Rod and Staff English today and lo and behold in the first lesson, both Connor and I were shocked to learn 1.) The Bible talks about word usage and word understanding. 2.) That learning grammar and writing skills had eternal value. I can firmly tell you that I was totally in the dark about that fact as was my son.We learned that Speaking and Writing are important contributions to

Family Reunion

2010-08-15T21:20:00.003-06:00

A few pictures from the Family Reunion. We had a great time with Scott's family but now it's time to get ready for school.We made a new schedule for school and new chore charts and are starting a rolling start with an official start on the 23rd.I can't believe summer's almost done.Categories: parenting

The Messiest Art Party Ever!

2010-07-10T21:42:00.003-06:00

The twins had a great 9th Birthday. On their actual birthday we have always made it a tradition that Scott takes Collin for a "boys" birthday treat and I take Caileigh for a "girls" day. Whatever grandparents are here get to go as well. This year Scott, Vic and the boys went to Boondocks to play mini golf, lasar tag and bumper boats and Mo, Alex, and Caileigh and I went for tea and then a visit

2010-07-01T11:32:00.003-06:00

Just a quick note to say that summer is a great time to work on some of those character traits that we don't always have time for in the school year. I usually pick one or two traits and find a Proverbs for them to write and memorize and give extra marbles for the marble jar for when they show these traits. When they have 20 marbles, we may go to a movie (many AMC theatres have really cheap kid

Bragging Rights

2010-06-22T17:28:00.004-06:00

I just wanted to brag on my family for a moment. They are so incredible and I wanted to take a moment and share that. So please, forgive a Mom's and wife's proud brag.Collin is an amazing little man. He can be as ornery as a mule with a sly little smile and with an evil grin he will take you down at table football or soccer or miniature golf - just ask Mr. Vic. He is also one of the sweetest

Canyon Vacation

2010-05-26T20:38:00.004-06:00

The family at the Grand Canyon - minus Miss Mo because heights are not her favorite things.The beginning of the red rock terrain which was to last for the next 6 days.Bryce Canyon National Park - amazing. The kids with their beloved Alex.The kids memorializing all the Westerns filmed in Monument Valley. They crack me up!Brighty, the famous Grand Canyon Donkey, which conveniently had a book

Spring

2010-05-26T20:20:00.005-06:00

Caileigh rocks at soccer. It's amazing how much concentration she can put into this. It's one of the few places she does.Connor turned 12 and saved enough money between his own savings and birthday money to buy a 32 gig i-touch. He is a very happy boy.Caileigh has really found the joy of reading this year. She reads everywhere just like her big brother and Mom.Every spring the town floods the

Green cleaning

2010-04-30T11:22:00.002-06:00

Just a plug for my cousin's blog on cleaning green. I ran out of much of my usual cleaning supplies and out of desperation got on-line and tried my cousin's suggestions. They worked beautifully and the kids thought they were a blast to mix up. They are currently wanting to make more if of the baking soda/lemon paste and are trying to find other things to clean with it, so that's a bonus. They

Getting away

2010-04-15T08:50:00.003-06:00

Every once in a while I feel the need to get away. I have found that I am a better Mom, teacher and wife if I get away once in a while - I know it's a shocking admission from a die-hard home schooler but it's true. This year, I went on a road trip with two girlfriends and went to Ohio for a home school convention. I know, I should have have picked somewhere exciting like San Diego or Orlando

Resurrection Eggs

2010-03-29T15:10:00.003-06:00

Just a quick reminder to get out your resurrection eggs or go buy some at your local Christian book store. These are a great way to teach your kids about the real meaning of Easter in a fun way. You can either do a couple of eggs a day or hide them and have an Easter egg hunt and then read them all at once. We've done both but remember to save egg #12 for Easter morning. I've found that to be

Love is 14 years of marriage

2010-03-09T20:43:00.003-07:00

Scott and I at "Mary Poppins" for a family Anniversary Celebration.Scott and I have been married for 14 years now. I know, I find it hard to believe too! I remember thinking when we got married, "I will never love him more than I do now." How foolish and young I was. I love him more now and in more ways than I could have understood then. I didn't understand the love that a Mom could have for

Winter pictures!

2010-02-20T11:51:00.004-07:00

Happy Valentine's Day!We made our version of the trenches and No Man's Land in WWI using Keva planks, clay and Lego's. We love home schooling!The twins making sweet messages to Mom out of clay. I love my kids.Categories: parenting

Homeschooling and Parenting

2010-02-20T11:41:00.003-07:00

As my kids get older, I am realizing the real benefit of homeschooling is the ability to see them in all of their glory and all of their, hmmmm, not so glorious moments. This allows Scott and I to not only tailor their curriculum to their individual needs but to tailor our expectations and discipline to each child. I get to see when they break down because they are perfectionists or when they

Window Notes

2010-01-21T14:11:00.004-07:00

This month at church we have been encouraged to write Bible verses on our mirrors and windows for the family to memorize. I have used this before but it was a great reminder of a good trick to:1. Teach phone numbers2. Teach numbers and letters (think a number/letter a day)3. Keep track of clean pants for potty training4. Write a sweet note to child or spouse5. Help memorize Bible Verses6.

Yellowstone in Winter

2010-01-12T17:42:00.006-07:00

Just a quick note while waiting for the pie to come out of the oven. We're having pizzas and pie because the twins are learning about fractions and there's nothing better to teach fractions than cooking and pies.While I am waiting though, I thought I'd send a few pictures your way of my birthday trip to Yellowstone. Yellowstone in winter is the coolest (literally) place on earth. We got to see

Merry Christmas 2009

2009-12-08T19:30:00.019-07:00

Merry Christmas from the Hudson Family!We have had a wonderful year and can't quite believe we packed so many things into just one year! It seems that the size of the child is directly related to how busy the parent will be running the taxi for the said child from place to place. It's busy but there's nothing else we would rather be doing.Sadly, we have had no Disney trips this year. I just

The Princess ( and Me)

2009-12-01T19:15:00.004-07:00

This fall, Caileigh and I took a purity class using the "Princess and the Kiss" book and workbook (www.reviveourhearts.com/princess) through our church. We had a wonderful time and so enjoyed having someone else reinforce the ideas of modesty, mental, spiritual, social and physical purity that Scott and I have talked about with Caileigh since she was young. These are by the same company that

Christmas Carol Advent, " From Humbug to Hallelujah"

2009-11-17T12:16:00.004-07:00

Making shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child to care for the poor - the beginning of our unit studyWe are so excited for the new animated "A Christmas Carol". We had planned to read the book and we have a daily devotion on the Christmas Carol so voila! a unit study for our Advent Celebration!"A Christmas Carol" has so many great lessons that we as Christians need to embrace. It speaks about

Traditions

2009-10-23T20:54:00.004-06:00

When my kids were little, Scott and I worked hard to make family traditions for our family. It was one of those things that we felt that helped to develop our family identity. This is who we are and what we do as a family. Now that our kids are older, we are really starting to see the benefits of those traditions. Our kids look forward to our time together and have started making them truly

Fall Craziness

2009-10-09T11:02:00.003-06:00

Making foaming monsters for school.Collin running to get the ball in soccer.Caileigh sacrificing her body for the ball. That's my girl! She's an awesome little goalie. Not afraid of anything - wonder who she gets that from?Thus far, the fall is crazy busy! Scott has traveled every other week, twins in soccer (which means 4 practices a week and 2-3 games), First Lego League, Bible Bowl, church

Broken and Restored!

2009-09-27T15:11:00.003-06:00

This morning, our pastor spoke on the topic of broken families. He briefly spoke on how to keep your family from being broken but he spent the majority of time talking about how much God loves and cares for the broken. Psalm 68:5 says, "A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling." Our pastor encouraged us to be a blessing and to love and care for the broken as

Sweet Innocence

2009-09-25T15:46:00.003-06:00

Categories: parentingI just finished reading a very sweet book, "The Railway Children" by E. Nesbit. It's very much in the vein of "Little Women" or "Anne of Green Gables". Stories of sweet childhood even in the hard times. I was feeling nostalgic for that era of childhood. It must have been so wonderful to be a child in that Victorian era and having children with that sweet innocence.Just at

India

2009-09-09T15:00:00.002-06:00

Scott went to India for 10 days. He got to spend his birthday at the Taj Mahal, isn't that amazing? I can't quite fathom that. The closest I've gotten was the large replica at Legoland. Anyway, he brought back silk authentic outfits for all of us. They are really interesting and very beautiful! It's really apropos because we have been learning about the British Empire in 1850 and India as a

Clarity of purpose

2009-09-03T12:07:00.003-06:00

I have been re-reading "Hints on Child-Training" and was struck by this phrase, "His training will decide the manner and method and extent of the use of his God-given powers." It made me think through what we are doing with our kids. Not in bad way but wanting to make sure that we are being deliberate in our training and that we aren't missing anything with each child. Does our school

The first week of school

2009-08-29T21:41:00.003-06:00

Categories: parentingSchool has started! We tye-dyed shirts to wear on the first day and the kids had new Disney school supplies and a candy bar that they could eat right then ( "Before lunch, Mom? Really? Cool!". Note that I had fed them baked oatmeal with blueberries so that the sugar wouldn't send them into a downward spiral. I presented them with their goals that Scott and I had set for

Thoughts on Parenting Deliberately

2009-08-21T15:37:00.003-06:00

When I was eight months pregnant with Connor, a colleague of Scott's and his family came to our new home for dinner. We had moved from Colorado Springs only a few months before and were trying to get to know people in this area. We (and our families) had worked really hard on our new home to prepare for Connor's arrival. Connor's room had a blue sky ceiling and blue and yellow walls with a

Worldview Training

2009-08-03T15:38:00.002-06:00

I have been looking for resources to help aid us in training our kids in worldview and have a few I wanted to share.For those that have done "The Truth Project" or maybe even in conjunction with, "The Truth Chronicles:Adventures in Odyssey" is great. So very fun to listen to but has a great message about learning to evaluate what we hear and what we learn in light of what God says.Connor and I

Priorities

2009-08-01T11:08:00.002-06:00

This summer has not gone as I had planned. It has gone how God planned but not as I planned. You'll remember my blog early in the summer on planning more time to play, however we have not been up to the mountains since. God had some different plans for our family this summer which helped to me to really define who I am and what my priorities truly are.I received a call in June from a friend

The twins turn 8!

2009-07-09T12:08:00.002-06:00

Over 8 years ago , we found out we were having twins. We were so shocked about this unexpected turn of events that we didn't talk about it for two days, not even to each other. We just couldn't get our heads around it. We just couldn't believe that we were going to have two babies, other people had twins, not us. God had a beautiful plan that we were just not tuned into yet. So, 8 years ago

More Colorado Field Trips

2009-06-27T12:40:00.001-06:00

Life is happening at the speed of light but I wanted to post some pictures of our trip to Bent's Fort and the Sand Dunes which was the last trip of the Colorado field trips.On a side note, remember that summer is a great time to train your kids in new habits for the school year. Train them now while you have the time and reap the benefits in the fall. Categories: parenting

Getting Outdoors

2009-05-19T19:53:00.002-06:00

We are almost done with school and are just finishing up with our projects for the state of Colorado (stay tuned, I'm writing a travel through Colorado history curriculum)so we drove up to Estes Park to take some pictures of Colorado's wildflowers for Caileigh.While we were there we had time to play in the water, climb rocks and just play. I was sitting watching them and was reminded that kids

Field Trip Photos - Southwestern Colorado

2009-05-12T15:33:00.003-06:00

Categories: parentingHere's some pictures from our trip to Southwestern Colorado. We went with our adopted grandparents, Mr. Vic and Miss Mo and had a wonderful time and learned tons! We spent a night in Glenwood Springs and did the hot springs and then headed to Durango where we spent two days at Mesa Verde and Four Corners and then rode the Durango - Silverton train (thanks Todd). We also

My Son is 11!

2009-05-07T08:37:00.005-06:00

I'm not quite sure when this happened and where I was but my oldest son is 11 today. I still remember quite clearly the moment they placed him on my chest (after 36 hours of labor I might add) and I knew life had changed forever. I remember feeling like I needed to introduce myself, "Hi, I'm your mom. I'm going to do my best to try not to mess up the rest of your life, God willing.". I

Consistency

2009-04-16T16:51:00.003-06:00

I wanted to just write a quick note before making dinner about consistency. Since we went to the parenting conference a month or so ago with Joey and Carla Link we have been pretty consistent on attitudes and first time obedience and just wanted to say that it has worked beautifully. We've been getting, "Yes, Mom or Yes, Dad" the majority of the time and I haven't had to tell them what they are

Connor and I

2009-04-09T10:29:00.002-06:00

Scott and Connor have been taking a "Squires and Scrolls" class through church which teaches boys to start taking those first steps into manhood and purity. They also have a moms/daughters track which Caileigh and I will start in the fall. The members of the class progress to the next level of class and books each year until they graduate from high school. It's one of the main reasons we

New Glasses

2009-03-18T20:45:00.002-06:00

My sweet little Collin got glasses today. He has some misalignment in his eyes so we are trying to see if glasses will fix it, if it doesn't then we may have to look into surgery. We are praying hard that 2 or 3 months of glasses will fix the problem, please pray with us! We are trying not to worry knowing that , "All things work together for the good of those who love Him." (We're learning

New and Different Challenges

2009-03-16T14:57:00.003-06:00

It seems lately that we've passed some sort of stage mark. The kids have begun to compete and perform in so many different venues from Bible Bowl to classical Piano competitions to sports. I love it and love to watch my kids learn to handle pressure, nerves and keep self-control. They don't always win but it seems like they put up a good hard fight and most of all, are considerate and good

Called by God

2009-03-05T16:33:00.007-07:00

These faces are my calling, what's yours?"Your career is something you do to get paid, your calling is how you were made." our pastor said this last Sunday. He then referred us to Romans 1:1, "Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus , called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God."I was listening but I wasn't really thinking hard on it until Scott elbowed me and said, "He talking about you,

parenting classes

2009-02-15T19:18:00.004-07:00

I mentioned in an earlier post that we were going to a parenting weekend. I have to admit that I went into the weekend thinking that we were doing pretty well and didn't have much catch up to do. I was wrong. I hate that. I mean I hate being wrong, well I hate having catch up to do as well.Anyway, this is one of the reasons why we make sure to go to a parenting class or seminar at least once

Jesus Loves Me This I Know

2009-01-26T13:27:00.002-07:00

I've been reading a book that my friend gave me for my birthday (thanks Kimb) and it talked about how we as adults forget or never truly know that Jesus truly loves us and that we are valuable to Him merely because he love us. The author of the book said that he made a breakthrough with this thought when his Mom gave him his ratty, old, worn out teddy from childhood and he realized that he was

Pictures

2009-01-16T08:33:00.003-07:00

Here's some pictures from Christmas. We had another scavenger hunt for their main gift which was a Wii. You'll see that Connor can't stand up from the sheer joy of the thought of having one. We messed with the kids heads all fall long about NOT getting a Wii so we really had them going. The Wii is fun but what I enjoyed the most is Grammy and Papa playing for hours with the kids and just

Personalities and Kids

2009-01-04T18:08:00.002-07:00

We had a great Christmas but the break showed us that we have some parenting issues to work on. While I was doing some after Christmas re-arranging I came across an article I had gotten a while ago on kids personalities and their strengths, weaknesses and their besetting sins. It was an amazing read as I realized that the exact issues we were dealing with were the common sins for each of the

2008 Christmas Letter

2008-12-22T09:25:00.004-07:00

Merry Christmas from the Hudson Family!From 2008 in ReviewFrom 2008 in ReviewWe have had a great year! We spent a week in Washington DC in May learning more about our country. It was great to see all the things that we had been reading about in school. We went back to Juarez, Mexico for the week of Thanksgiving serving, playing, feeding and witnessing to the people there. God showed up in

Be strong and courageous!

2008-12-03T12:45:00.003-07:00

We're back and although I don't have time to go into everything (the Christmas play looms...), I wanted to give a brief update.The trip was amazing. God showed up in amazing ways - ways that I haven't ever seen before.A few highlights:There were over 50 murders in Juarez the week we were there, some close to where we were, but we were safe the entire week. It was a little disconcerting to take

Juarez for Thanksgiving

2008-11-21T08:34:00.002-07:00

As many of you know we are going on a mission trip the week of Thankgiving. We went two years ago and it was a life-changing and life-shaping event. Following is a schedule of our days. We would covet your prayers as we venture forth. Please also pray for good health for all of us during the week. Sunday - Travel day. Please pray for our time together, the blending of our team, the safety of

My Hero

2008-11-17T23:51:00.002-07:00

I think my husband is terrific. The past three months Scott has taken it upon himself to lead and coach a First Lego League Team (it's a robotics/design/science and research competition) so that Connor could be involved in it, which is right up Connor's alley. We tried to find a team that was accepting members but to no avail so Scott decided to lead one. Three other boys signed up for the

So Proud!

2008-11-10T16:30:00.003-07:00

I just needed to share some proud Mom moments:All three kids memorized the entire first chapter of James and are currently working on the 2nd chapter. They are better at it than I am.They wrote a letter to send to friends and family about supporting them to go on our family missions trip to Mexico and raised enough money to pay all their own fees. Thanks to God and all of you who selflessly

Pumpkin Fun

2008-10-26T17:18:00.004-06:00

We love fall at our house, the beautiful leaves falling, the crispness in the air, the fact that Mom starts cooking again (it's too HOT in the summer to cook) and carving pumpkins.Several years ago we were introduced to this activity though the Heritage Builders, "Holidays Family Night Tool Chest". The point of the activity is to show in a tangible way that we become a new creation when Jesus

Various Thoughts

2008-10-24T20:20:00.002-06:00

Just a quick to note to pass on a few thoughts.Proverbs:We have implemented a search for wisdom verses in Proverbs and there are so many. We've been reading a couple each day and so many of them talk about children listening and heeding their parents advice so that they may make wise decisions. The kids seem to enjoy finding the verses on their own to share. It's like a treasure hunt.Cleaning:

Wisdom and Foolishness

2008-10-14T10:22:00.004-06:00

I have been reading Ted Tripp's new book, "Instructing a Child's Heart". My poor children, I read a book and then they have new training. It's a wonder they don't sit down and cry each time they see me with a new parenting book.Anyway, Mr. Tripp was writing about the difference between wisdom and foolishness. He mentioned a verse in Proverbs which started me off on a hunt in Proverbs. I

Ummmm, Dad

2008-09-30T19:55:00.003-06:00

At dinner this evening, Scott was asking the kids what they learned today and just getting up to date on the happenings during the day. We were talking about Bible for the day and Scott asked, "What is the Word of God"?Caileigh looked at him incredulously and said, " Dad, you don't know what the word of God is? It's the Bible!"It just cracked me up!Categories: parenting

High School Musical fun

2008-09-18T10:17:00.002-06:00

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Goals are Good!

2008-09-17T21:30:00.003-06:00

We've managed to survive the first month of school, which any homeschool Mom will tell you is a feat of mass determination and sheer will power. It actually hasn't been bad at all, we must be getting the hang of this after 7 years. One thing I have really noticed is that the goal setting has really worked this year. The kids have taken the goals that Scott and I set up and ran with them.

2008-09-02T14:56:00.005-06:00

School has started! You can see all three kids have grown by leaps and bounds in the past year. The first and last day of school we measure their height and take pictures of where they are on the chart and put it up next to last years pictures to show how much they've grown and matured.Above you'll see the classroom and all of us in our tye-dye that we made for our first day of school.Oh and

Being Proactive

2008-08-07T09:21:00.002-06:00

I am going to get on a soap box here, for just a minute. I'll get off in a second and then you can get on if you want.I am going through the "Shepherding a Child's Heart" parents handbook by Ted Tripp and he had us go through a few of the verses and I want to share with you what struck me - with a two by four.Gen 18:18 says, "For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his

An Amazing Day

2008-08-04T10:54:00.006-06:00

Yesterday was an amazing day. One of those days that makes all the hard work worth it. One of those days that makes the days that you are desperately trying to keep your temper and explain why obedience to Christ is important, why we do devotions everyday, and why we aren't like other families on the block, seem priceless. Yesterday my children were baptized. Yesterday, my children stood in

House of the Lord

2008-07-06T22:27:00.003-06:00

I am such a proud Mom! Here's a video of our oldest son singing in church on Sunday accompanied by his piano teacher.Categories: parenting