Blinkie Fever!!

I have a new obsession! I love to make blinkies! LOL I found some on the web and saved them. I love the two cat ones on the right side of my blog that I found. Then I decided to learn how to make them myself! It is so much fun! Here are my first blinkie creations........












Casie and I are studing the Solar System for Science. We found a really cool website online that has been a lot of fun for her and created some fun in her learning. If you're interested in seeing what we're doing click here.

D'arrica's winning calendar

Online photo contests can be fun. I've been entering the girls in them since 2002 and they have won many many times. I've also been running my own online baby photo contest www.everydaybabies.com since 2002. They never win anything big but it's still great fun! LOL D'arrica just won this calendar graphic with her photo on it. It's really cute printed out. Just click the calendar to see it bigger.

SAHM

Sometimes I feel like I'm missing out on something else. Is this what I'm really supposed to be doing? Being home all day and night homeschooling, cleaning, cooking, disciplining, teaching, refereeing, cleaning, cooking, helping with homework, washing hands and faces, explaining why the sun doesn't fall into the earth, cleaning, making beds, vacumming, feeding cats, scooping litter boxes, cooking, playing outside, relearning formulas so I can help with 7th grade math, rewinding Barney or Dora for the 10th time................
Sometimes by the end of the day I drag myself into the bathtub and ask God, "Is this it? Am I doing what I'm supposed to be doing?" For a while I was questioning what I could be doing for God. How can I spread the message of Jesus? How can I be a witness to the world? How can I make a difference? Suddenly, a couple of weeks ago while laying in the bathtub God told me that I am doing just that......... being a witness to my children. I can show them God's love and grace in my daily activities. I can let God's love work through me. I can be a witness to my family through loving and enjoying my role as thier mother........ as a woman.

I know God must have had you in mind,

When He threw stars across the sky;

For I can see them twinkling there,

When I look into your eyes.

I know He had to be thinking of you,

When He made the moon and the sun;

For He knew that they would shine on you,

As if you were the only one.

I know when He made the mountains,

Formed flowers and morning dew;

When He looked at the splendor of all He'd done,

I know He was thinking of you.

When He created humanity,

You were there on His mind;

Looking 'cross generations,

That you would be one of a kind.

I know when the very first laughter,

Spilled forth from that wondrous place;

God knew one day He would hear you laugh too,

And a smile spread across His face.

I know for a fact you were on His mind,

When He gave His only Son;

For He knew that He would die for you,

As if you were the only one.

I know God must have had you in mind,

Looking down from Heaven above;

For He knew someday I would need someone,

And He sent you for me to love.

By:Allison Coxkey
c1996

D'arrica's modeling shoot! :)

We're sick........ :(

Well, this week has been horrid. We have all been sick except Shelby. Darrick, Casie, D'arrica and I have all had headaches, tummy aches, sneezing, running noses and sore throats this week. D'arrica even ran a fever over 100 degrees all day Monday. At first I thought we all had allergies from the cats but I don't think allergies cause a fever. Everyone is feeling better today thank goodness.

Dawn, Brian and Hayley came over Sunday and we barbecued ribs, burgers and hotdogs. Brian and Darrick watched the game while Dawn and I chatted. It's nice having my sister so close. I was thinking about it the other day and Dawn and I have ALWAYS lived in differant towns except when we were both living at home in Chaffee. And I guess I was 12 or 13 when Dawn moved out to go to college. Anyway, I love having her so close now. And Hayley........ what a DOLL! Shelby, Casie and Hayley get along great!

I snapped a hilarious picture of Juby today. Check out my cat blog to see it. http://www.ourthreecats.blogspot.com

And I got a beautiful picture of D'arrica this past weekend. I'll be entering it in all the online photo contests. :)

Homeschooling

Casie and I are focusing on proper writing formats..... biographies, autobiographies, fiction stories, book reports etc... This week we have gone over proper letter format and how to address an envelope. Today I surprised her with a new penpal! I'm a member of an online forum where homeschool moms swap ideas and advice. Well, we started a penpal swap and so Casie now has a penpal! So, we will get plenty of practice this year on letter writing and envelope addressing. (She's also MUCH more concerned with spelling, handwriting and neatness now knowing that another child will read her letter.)
Casie's reading is getting better now that we are finding books that she enjoys. Here she is reading"JudyMoody Saves The World".

D'arrica is still working on recognizing letters and their sounds. We have mastered A,B,C,D,E,F,O,Z (We skipped to O and Z because she just pulled the flash cards out one day and said "Oh, this is an O." and "This is a Z.") I'm guessing she learned those on Sesame Street. :) LOL

The girls and I watched Survivor last night. What's up with the men on the Nakum tribe? I realize women have more stamina than men but I was really surprised by how down and out the guys were. But hey, who am I to criticize....... I nearly stroke after a half mile stroll down the street. I would just think that these guys would've conditioned their bodies for the game. I think Stephenie will be a huge help to her tribe and was thrilled to see her show up for the game last night. Bobby, on the other hand, is just cracking me up with his dehydration and body cramps. LOL So much for the hardest worker ever to play on Survivor. LOL

I started a new blog yesterday for our cats. I never imagined I would be so in love with these cats when we got them. I really just wanted to get pets for the kids but have fallen head over heels for them myself. I figured I would end up using this little blog for them all the time so I started a new one just for them. You can visit "Curiosity" by clicking here.

Homeschooling Casie has been going very well. She is taking it very seriously and impresses me daily with her creativity and stories. She absolutely LOVES creative story writing. In fact, she is at the kitchen table right now writing a story using her spelling words for the week. She also does excellent with Math. We are currently studying rounding numbers to the nearest tens, thousands and ten thousands. She is having no problem at all with this. We are still struggling with reading but that was to be expected as she has a reading and learning disability. I really think that the one on one homeschooling is helping a great deal.

Survivor starts tonight! The girls are I are very excited about that! LOL So, you know all know where I will be every Thursday night at 8:00 PM! :)

Hurricane Ophelia

I was watching the weather channel today and they are covering Surf City, NC. Kendra and Mikey live just inland from there so I called Kendra to check on her and her family. They have not evacuated. She said they were not worried and were just watching a movie. Shortly into the phone call though she said she better go because it was getting worse. Pray for her family, please. I will be.

I think Casie blew up my microwave this morning. She came and got me and said it wasn't working. I noticed a fork laying beside the microwave but she promises that she hadn't put the fork in there. Anyway, the microwave is not working even after throwing the breaker. Argh. I swear we go through 3 microwaves a year! LOL Oh well, no big deal. Besides, how can you be upset with a face like this?

Things Mother's Learn

Things Mother's Learn

I gave you life, but cannot live it for you. I can give you directions, but I cannot be there to lead you. I can allow you freedom, but I cannot account for it. I can teach you right from wrong, but I cannot decide for you. I can offer you advice, but I cannot accept it for you. I can give you love, but I cannot force it upon you. I can teach you to share, but I cannot make you unselfish. I can teach you respect, but I cannot force you to show honor. I can advise you about friends, but cannot choose them for you. I can advise you about sex, but I cannot keep you pure. I can tell you about drink, but I can't say "no" for you. I can warn you about drugs, but I can't prevent you from using them. I can tell you about lofty goals, but I can't achieve them for you. I can teach you about kindness, but I can't force you to be gracious. I can pray for you, but I cannot make you walk with God. I can tell you how to live, but I cannot give you eternal life. ...Author Unknown

D'arrica sings her ABC's

Click above to hear D'arrica sing! :)

Best Friends

D'arrica was playing house and Juby got the honor of being her baby. :)

3 kids 3 cats

Our family recently adopted 3 kittens and imagine my surprise to find out that I am a huge cat lover! LOL I've never been much of a pet person. In fact, the only pets my kids have had are fish and a hampster. The kids had been asking for a dog for about a year when Darrick came home one day and suggested we get a kitten. We got our first kitten, Jada from Lucia ( a lady at Darrick's work). Jada was 8 weeks when we got her and a bundle of energy! She is a sweet kitten and loves to be held like a baby and cuddled. She is 16 weeks in these photos.









































Our next kitten came from the same lady but she found this litter of kittens in an abandoned barn. Juby was only 5 weeks old when we got him and very sickly and weak. We nursed him back to health and he is a beauty! He's still vrey shy and doesn't like strangers in the house. He hisses at our neighbors and the girls' friends when they come over. He's harmless..... just a little insecure. LOL Here is Juby at 8 weeks old.




































Jazz was our 3rd and last adoption. We got him from a neighbor's litter and he is quickly becoming my favorite cat! He is very confident and has an awesome personality. He's very verbal and has no problem asserting himself with us and the other cats! He is a doll!

Everyday Babies Model Search!

I am having a new contest at www.everydaybabies.com! I am looking for a website model to host my site from November 1st until December 31st! Entries should be between the ages of birth and 18 months old. Normally, my daughter, D'arrica is our website model but she is nearly 4 now and has "outgrown" the postition! :)

Here's an example of what kind of photo I'm looking for to host the site. Natural headshots will work great!














I've also added some fabulous prizes like cash, personalized tshirt, calendar and more! Come check it out today!

Welcome to Chana's Blog!

I have always been a diary kind of girl and am now so excited that I can record all my journaling online for friends and family! I figure this is a great way for you all to keep up with my family and I hope you'll all feel free to reply or make comments! Happy Blogging!