Chilson Family

I forgot to post:  HAPPY 2nd ANNIVERSARY DAUGHTER #1 AND HUBBY!!!!!!!  {their anniversary was the 25th!!}

Last night Daughter #2 went to a soccer game with a friend, who is also a male, and his family from our church.  As usual he walked her to the door and into the house.  He told me he wanted to ask Hubby's permission to date Daughter #2! I was very impressed!  The two have been friends for a couple of years, and even better friends this year.  I took a lot of courage for him to ask.  Not only that, it shows that he has been raised right.  His mother kept reminding him it was the right thing to do!  And I am glad he did. Yes, a little old fashion, and I'm liking it!

If anyone has ever misled you that being a home educator is easy, let me lead you into the right path!  It is not!  I do not have time right now to give all the ins and outs of home education, but let me give just an insight to the title above, "Put Away the Old, Bring Out the New". Our school year has been over for a little over a week.  I am JUST now getting to removing the old material and putting out the new for 2011/2012 school year.  I had hopes-high hopes, I might add-to have the "lockers" {12 cube bookshelf} ready to go last Wednesday, the day following Daughter #2's graduation.  But life is busy and Momma fell short of the goal!  Now, I already felt bad because I did not accomplish what I felt I needed to have done.  But a 'friend' came over one evening last week and asked if I had redone the "lockers".  When I told her no, she stated that she didn't think so, because they did not look any different than before.  I could have cri...

After a full day of Daughter #2 Graduation Open House, Daughter #1, stationed at Ft. Bragg, NC, called.  She wanted both her dad and I on the phone at the same time.  Well, you know what that means, BIG NEWS!  Yep!  Daughter #1 is expecting her first bundle of joy in January! Then Son #2's wife called to say she felt her babe move for the first time!  Wow!  Graduation Open House, news of a bundle of joy, and feeling the signs of life stirring within for the first time! {uh,for daugher-n-law, not me}  Yep, it was a blessed day! 

Yep, I am a "Following Junkie".  {sounds so much nicer that a "Blog Stalker"} :-)  I am a keeper of the home, from home, and have been following some blogs that are very supportive of my calling. One of the blogs I follow is raisinghomemakers.com .  My mom raised and taught her children the importance of a stay at home mom, but also a keeper of the home.  So naturally I have done the same with my children.  I have thought about starting another blog about my "degree in motherhood", but can't quite think who would ever be interested in reading it, except maybe my hubby!  Anyway, even if you are not a stay at home type of person, there is still some wonderful things to think about and ponder!

Well, if you have been following my blog, you will notice the count down timer for graduation is gone!  Last night was the graduation ceremony of Daughter #2.  It was a very sweet and special time. Our pastor spoke about faith...{our school name is Faith Christian Academy}.  His message was from 2 Timothy where Paul is speaking to Timothy about the faith that was "passed" down, or should I say taught to him.  Paul tells of the "unfeigned faith" of Timothy, that first dwelt in his grandmother Lois, who taught it to his mother Eunice, that was taught to Timothy.  It was a very good message. As usual, I do not have pictures!  That is what happens when "one" does not have a camera...or should I say batteries and a camera card!  Mine "disappeared"!  I think one of the scholars used their sister's camera to get some pictures, but I will be lucky to get those on my laptop!

I thought while I am waiting for my Hubby to come home from work I'd post a picture of my "little-est" man.  Daughter #2 had an idea for pictures, and used her "little-est" bruder for a her subject.    I think he was trying to keep serious for the picture.  Isn't he just a handsome "little-est" man in 'his' Stetson!?  back row:: Son #6, Son #5 front row:: Son #2, Son #7 on Hubby's lap, Son #4 (fall of '10)    Okay, I thought I might as well post a picture of most of the men in my life...uh, that sounds kind of, well...anyway, by the numbering of sons above, you can see that Son #1 and Son #3 are missing.  This is not unusual, it seems we can NEVER get everyone together at one time!    

I need to say Happy Graduation to Son #3 and Happy Birthday to Grandson #1!!! Today, Son #3 graduates from college with his degree in respiratory therapy.  Way to go Son!   I know it has been a challenge for him, since he worked full time while going to school.  He knew nine years ago when we had our first preemie, born at 28 weeks, that this is what he wanted to do!  He also  has a job waiting for him and one of our local hospitals!  To top it off, he and his lovely bride, of almost three years, are buying their first home and will move in about a month!  Guess who gets to host family holiday's this year?!?!? Today also marks birthday number six for Grandson #1!  Yippee Grandson!   To top his year, he graduates from Kindergarten, from the Christian School his dad and some of his aunts and uncles attended, and Paw-Paw was principal at, {before we came back home to school} towards the end of this month! Of course tomorrow is Mother'...

Okay, I have a few friends that ALWAYS get onto me for not taking pictures of my cards and posting them.  I use Daughter #2 to do that for me, but sometimes I don't like to bother her, although for the record she is more than happy to do it for me.  But...she will be leaving for college in September, so I need to become a big girl and do it myself.  So I did! {with her camera} These are the first two I made.  They are for two of my grandsons, yes, I know...flowers on one of them?  Hey, they're cute! And, here are the next three I made for my other two grandsons and yes, the one in the middle WITH flowers for my granddaughter! I was searching splitcoaststampers.com , and came a  cross this adorable bunny. I used the tutorial http://randomonpurpose.typepad.com/r...y-bunnies.html .  As you can see I changed it up to make it more "me".  I added the scalloped oval punch to the ears, giving the ears three layers. I did not realize how "ta...