I blinked...

...and it was Sunday again!  I can't believe this week has just flown by.  It's amazing to me how it just seems like yesterday was Sunday and yet...here we are again.  It also saddens me to realize that this is how fast my days with my lovies are flying by.  Make them last...each moment!

We spent another day at home in front of a cozy fire.  With the four youngest Jeffries having had that tummy bug this week we decided to just keep everyone home for the rest of the month.  We plan on attending a homeschool swim day this Friday as our first fun outing of the new year.  Looking forward to hanging with friends!

Had a great discussion time with the kids.  Talked about that God has laid on their hearts this past month as we did a 21 day fast. (Today was the last day.)  Wow....blown away by the 'meat' of what they had to say.  Some broke down in tears themselves.  It was such a wonderful time together.  I've asked them to write it down for me to hopefully write about some day.  Blessed to have this time with each of them this morning.  Even 8 year old Jensen had something he wanted to share from his personal devotions (devotions he chooses to do on his own each morning before everyone gets up) that he had read this past week.  He read the passage then proceeded to tell us in amazing depth and wisdom what he felt it meant.  Blown away!  Blessed!

 

 “They soon stopped being ten years old. But whatever age they were seemed to be exactly the right age for having fun.”
― Maud Hart Lovelace, Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill

I've been reading this book to the kids for one of our reading times during the day.  I loved this saying so much.  We stop being whatever age we are....but we should never loose the love of having fun.  We were made to enjoy life....every moment of life....to it's fullest.  Sure there are times when life is a lemon...but as I tell my children, Tim and myself....we choose the attitude we have in every situation.  Moments wasted in bad attitudes, anger, sadness, alone, etc....those are moments we could have a good attitude, happiness, be with others....it is our choice...and we are learning and growing and trying desperately to make the choices to have FUN in all we do.  

 The new shelves...on wheels for easy moving when we vacuum and mop each week...are loaded with our games, puzzles, coloring books and electronic games.  Look at all the leftover room!!!!  Our old shelf that was there was much smaller then the one on the right and the games were always overflowing...stacked on the floor.  This looks amazing!!!  We now have a shelf for the older kids/adult games and a shelf full of the younger kiddos games.  Have a few things to organize on it, but all in all...very happy!!!

 We are going to try the workbox system for the rest of the school year.  These are the kids boxes that we bought at Walmart for $5 each.  Max (Black), Becca (Pink), Johnston (Blue), Davidson (Red), Jensen (Green) and Jameson/Holly (Grey).  I was really excited back in September to find these in six different colors to each child know which is which without having to label anything.  I will be tweaking the workbox system to suit our families needs, but I think it will work just fine with our crates!  This shelf fit so nicely right beside the piano without cutting into the room to much.  Perfect!

I like the shelf there.  I think it will work great for us.  I know as we go about finishing and adding elements to the room things will start in one place and move to another if needed.  Going with the flow is something we are really good at.  Large families need to be fluent in "going with the flow" me thinks!!!  ;)  One never knows what is going to happen to change plans, child gets sick, rooms need to be changed, one idea that works this year in organization does not work the next...just go with the flow and don't let change haunt us!

 The kids got two new table top computers for school back in September. We might have to purchase one more next year...but we will see how this works the rest of the school year.  These two are shared by Max down to Holly.  So far it hasn't been to much of a problem, but in February we are adding a few more computer things to each child's school list.  One more table top might just make things run a little smoother.  (Just like having two pianos/two guitars helps with 7 kids practicing one or both of these instruments each day.)  Justice and Morgan have their own laptops which allows them to do their high school work wherever they need to.  Unless they are helping a sibling with a project or working on a video project which only the table top on the right has the program for, they don't really use them at all.  The kids also plug their Ipods into the computer to while they are downstairs instead of using cd players.  Come to think of it...I'm not sure we even have a cd player in our house...just computers.  Hmmm....interesting.

Tim and Morgan went to Walmart and Sams tonight.  Getting "happy first apartment" stuff for Jos.    While he was in Sams he also picked up one more shelving unit, two new school tables, chairs and containers!!!!  Yes...I get excited about containers!  I wanted to go down tonight and get the shelf put together and start getting stuff organized into their new homes, but Tim said no more tonight.  Tim decided to treat us to a yummy homemade steak dinner.  Yum!!!!  So we are going to sit down and enjoy a steak dinner, maybe watch a movie or message by Francis Chan on youtube.  Just enjoy the ending of a great day together!