A beautiful new blessing!

Is it a boy or girl? What your best guess!

Because I have been updating for so long, I have been trying to catch you all up but forgot to mention, after our anniversary back in September, Matthew and I found out that we are expecting again! I am sure most of you already know, but just to make it official! :) We were very surprised to find out about our latest blessing but are anxiously awaiting the baby's arrival. We are due on May 5, 2010 and are actually going to have a home birth this time around. I have been seeing my midwife monthly and everything is looking good. As of tomorrow (December 23rd) I am 21 weeks pregnant. We had our ultrasound and everything came back normal and measuring right where we need to be. We have decided not to find out if we are having a boy or girl and are going to wait until DDAY for that surprise. The first 14 weeks were very rough, lots of nausea and exhaustion but I have been feeling much better ever since then, Praise the Lord! I have some beautiful ultrasound pictures of the baby I will post for all to enjoy!

Candle Field Trip!!!!

Pouring the wax for the tealights

Showing us the steps in making the adobe house candles

The sand in which the hot wax is poured into

We were able to attend another field trip with our new east mountain home school group to New Mexico Candle Company. This was an awesome field trip because they were such a wonderful company to visit. They were very accommodating to our large group, gave us discounts on their products and merchandise and are a Family owned and operated business! Christian at that! We were shown how they make their wax, their signature adobe candles and even gave each person a little tea light candle to take home! We had a wonderful time, learned a lot and will be supporting this wonderful business in the future! I highly recommend you checking them out...

www.nmcandleco.com

Guess who is 11!!!!!

My beautiful daughter!

The cake!

Jocelyn and her Aubrey blowing out candles!

Jocelyn with her crepes!

My beautiful daughter has just turned 11! Can you believe it!? I most certainly cannot! I remember when she was just a precious little baby girl. Oh where does the time go?! Our family has been so blessed by Jocelyn. She is such a sweet, loving, helpful person whom we appreciate more and more everyday. Ever since her little brother Nathanael has joined the family Jocelyn has taken on the role of "little mama". She loves her brother so much and he absolutely ADORES her. This year we decided to really make her year special, it all started in Chicago back in August. We took her to the American Girl Place, then we gave her a new bedroom with a new makeover! She helped us pick out a new bedspread and colors for her new room. She has moved past the cute pink and purple butterflies and has now chosen to go with a nice brown and teal colored decor. Jocelyn is excelling in so many areas of her life. She is really improving in her math, finished her handwriting book and is now learning how to type. Jocelyn is learning many daily living skills and excels in all of them. She really loves to bake too and is quite good at it! Also Jocelyn has taken up piano and has picked it up and practices on her own daily! We are so proud of Jocelyn and just love and appreciate her so much!

She requested crepes for her birthday breakfast, and tacos for dinner. She chose one friend (Katelyn) and they were treated to a manicure by mom and had a sleep over! It was a fun birthday!

Unit I Celebration!

Jocelyn with her map of Pangea

Jacob with his family tree of Terah's lineage

Jacob with his salt map of the Ancient Egyptian Valley

Jocelyn with her Egyptian home that she made

Jocelyn and Jacob with their Lego Pyramid they constructed!

For those of you who do not know, we have begun using a new History/Bible/Geography/Literature/Art curriculum this year. We are using Tapestry of Grace and so far absolutely love it! The children and I love the fact that there is a lot more hands on learning opportunities. I love the fact that the Jocelyn and Jacob have more independent learning opportunities. They have a notebook and are in charge of getting their weekly assignments completed! Another aspect of the program that I really like is the fact that after every unit of study(there are 4) the program encourages you to have an end of the unit celebration. Unit 1 was all about Ancient Egypt and Moses leading his people out of Egypt. The curriculum recommended that we hold a traditional passover meal celebration making the foods and going through the rituals. They also recommend you invite your family to show of your children's accomplishments and enjoy in the festivities. We decided to go ahead and hold the passover meal celebration and we ate the traditional passover meal! Lamb, bitter herbs, egg, the parsley, the whole nine yards. We read through an entire "Christian" passover seder celebration. We learned so much as did our guests and we had a fabulous time! The children had completed several projects and they were all on display for all to see. I didn't get any pictures of the meal/celebration unfortunately but have pictures of some of the projects Jocelyn and Jacob completed.

Los Poblanos Harvest Festival/Pumpkin Patch

We belong to Los Poblanos Organic Ranch which is a coop where we sign up to receive a box of fresh organic usually local grown produce. I absolutely love it and love the variety of items that come in the box. We have really expanded our palates when it come to good eats! Some of the new items we have tried are beets, persimmons, kale, and pluots! Well every year Los Poblanos has a harvest festival with food, music and a pumpkin patch. We decided to attend with my brother and sister in law and friends and had a nice time. Enjoy the pics of the kids in the patch!

If you are interested in more info on the coop or joining visit....

http://www.lospoblanosorganics.com/

Rancho de las Golondrinas

Making hide soft into clothing...

Jacob making beeswax candles

Joci and Jake in front of the mill...

Jacob washing laundry!

Joci grinding corn with a metate

This year, we had the awesome opportunity to attend a field trip to Rancho de las Golondrinas in La Cienega, New Mexico which is right by Santa Fe. I have always heard of this place and never been. Essentially it is a historic ranch dating back to the 1700's that was a famous stopping point along the famous Camino Real which is the Royal Road from Mexico City to Santa Fe. There are re-enactments of what life was like during that time. We had a wonderful time touring the beautiful site, and trying our hand at things like grinding corn on a metate, dipping candles and washing clothes the old fashioned way. Our family has taken a trip to Colonial Williamsburg and I would have to say this is right up there and just right around the corner instead of 1000's of miles! We can hardly wait to attend more events at Rancho de las Golondrinas. If you are ever interested be sure to check them out!... http://www.golondrinas.org/index.html

Balloon Fiesta 2009!

This year, like EVERY year for the past 13 years, our family attended the International Balloon Fiesta. Our family has been attending the Balloon Fiesta since 1997 because I have worked a concession stand helping a friend of Matthew's dads. I either rolled burritos or cashiered for years and years. I even worked when I was 9 months pregnant with Jocelyn! I think due to my children's early exposure to the Balloon Fiesta they absolutely LOVE LOVE it to this day. They look forward to it each year even more than they look forward to their birthdays! I have not worked the Balloon Fiesta in two years and this was one of the first times I walked around with the family (and friends, The Gresham's) and just enjoyed the show instead of working in a tent!

One Last Hurrah!

Desiree and I decided to let the babies have one last swim before the chilly weather kicked in. Aubrey and Nathanael had the time of their lives splashing and playing about! I can hardly wait to break out the pool this upcoming summer! Enjoy...

Tope's game with the Winborn's

On September 2nd we had the privilege of being treated to a Tope's game by Tina and David. It was Nathanael's first baseball game and I must say HE HAD A BLAST! He stared at the game as if he knew exactly what was going on! I am not such a big sports fan but when you have WONDERFUL company it makes it all so sweet! We had great food, great company and a great time!

12 Blessed Years!

Us Being Silly at our B & B!

On August 29th Matthew and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary. I must say that I have been so blessed by the Lord to have such a WONDERFUL man in my life! Matthew is a hard working man who provides for and adores his family. He has matured so much in Christ through the years and I appreciate and love him more everyday. We had the opportunity to go on a one night get away to a WONDERFUL Bed and Breakfast here in town...at Down Town Historic Bed and Breakfast. http://www.albuquerquebedandbreakfasts.com/

We had a lovely dinner, wonderful accomodations and a HUGE gourmet breakfast. What a way to celebrate such a special time for us.

Chicago Trip...

American Girl Place...A girl's dream!

An actual mummy just in time for our study of ancient Egypt!

Field Museum...what a wonderful place!

Tribune Tower with a piece from the Pyramids in Giza

Lego Store!

Okay, I know its been a loooong time...and I do apologize. Life has been very busy but I am determined to one day catch up! Sooo I want to post the Chicago trip! After the joyous time we had in St. Louis we decided to take a trip up to Chicago. We rode the Amtrak train and stayed at the Fairmont. It was a lovely time as we were able to eat Chicago dogs, Chicago style pizza, Visit the American Girl Place, the Field Museum and the Art Institute! It was the ultimate field trip for us homeschooling folk!