Blue Ridge here we come

Here are just a few pictures of the boys helping knock out a wall, Daddy ripping out the old a/c ducts in the master bedroom, and our new friend and neigbor's dog Henry the hounddog! Julia is standing in her room, and asked me if I could tell she was smiling from ear to ear about all the room she is going to have. Even with the mask on I could see that gleam in her eyes and knew she was just about to burst!

The demo is finally done and we are entering into the fix up stage of this house project. As always this is taking about three times longer than we had hoped, but now that all the yucky stuff is out of there we can start making it look like home. It is a little bit like building a new house; just with the old shell already being there. We are picking out cabinets, floors, sinks, faucets, doors, rearranging some of the rooms the way we would like, and adding on a gameroom/schoolroom and garage.

The neighbors out there are already being so kind, friendly, and helpful. It's gonna be weird for this country/wanna be city girl to get back out to the country, but I'm up for it. Marv and the kids on the other hand can not wait, and squeal with excitement when it's time to get our "Blue Ridge" clothes on and take the trip to the dirt road and fresh air. It only takes about 10 seconds after the car is put into park to find the kids off exploring and running through the field looking for critters and anything else exciting. There is nothing like being cooped up for these past 6 years surrounded by concrete and neighbors, and then getting to have 10 acres to do with as we please. Marv has great plans for barns, animals, hay, and more animals. I will be happy with this move, and know that my country heart will come back in time.

Y'all come visit us in Blue Ridge. We hope to be in by Christmas! Also would you say a prayer that our house here in Frisco would sell, or at least lease! Not the best time to try and sell a house, but we know God is in the details.

Pedro, Huck, and Julia Roberts

What fun to have all three of these amazing, well-known super stars come visit our humble abode on halloween!

We just had too much fun hanging out with friends, passing out candy, beggin' for candy, and sneaking candy. We usually go to our church fall festival, but got a taste of getting to be out with our neighbors last year and decided to try it again this year! My kids had never been trick or treating for real as of last year, and we realized that it was an opportunity to get out and see families that we haven't seen in a while since we are now homeschooling.


As you can see from the pictures each child has their own style, and don't mind acting a little as well! Jacob ,my favorite middle child in the world, came up with his own costume. He even climbed up in the tree to find his fishin' pole. I did splurge and spend two bucks on that hat, but other than that he was trying to save his poor ole parents a buck. Julia wanted so bad to be Hannah Montana, but with just getting back from our trip we didn't start looking until Oct. 30th. She was happy with this get up though as she loves to be glamed up. I'm surprised and happy about the way her hair turned out. She looked beautiful and very much like a miniature Julia Roberts! And then there is that first born of mine with the deep man voice that still scares me when I hear it coming from the back yard and think there is a man out there playing with my kiddos! He is in the phase of not going all out, but still wanting to have fun being someone else for a night. We came across this Pedro wig, mustache, and bolo tie kit and just had to have it, since Jeffrey does a mean Pedro impersonation! I kept telling him he didn't need to worry about wearing the stache since he has been growing his own, but dad finally took care of that and helped him shave for the first time the other night! (more on that later)

I'm so thankful that it is now my favorite time of year November through January is all about celebrations of our Lord and spending time with family and friends! I have so much to share about our trip, how the house is going in Blue Ridge, and life in general...hopefully I can find some time to get these posted soon!

Crazy but fun times

Well I just finished writing out my lesson plans for the next few weeks, and looking back on the last four weeks of school! I can't believe how fast time has flown through all that I feel like I've endured lately. Here's a catch up of what the last few weeks have involved...

I finally got over my hives around Sept. 21st so that's all most two weeks of hives! My wart is finally gone (without surgery Praise God for that) and now I have another one popping up on my right foot, but am having the foot doc take care of it the same way, so it's not painful at all yet! The first couple of weeks was spent either in pain, or doped up on Benadryl to keep from itching. Somehow we were able to still get some great learning and fun times in despite my body falling apart! There is just no time for momma's to stop and heal!

We also have several very exciting things going on around the Jolly house...we closed last Friday on a fixer-upper home on 10 acres in Blue Ridge, Texas! That's right we are moving! We put our home here in Frisco on the market Saturday and hope to sell it quickly, but not too quickly before the house is ready to be occupied in the country or we might be moving in with friends and family. I will have to devote an entire blog on this little project that Marvin found some other time, but he has had his eye on it since March and everything just finally fell into place. It's a blessing from God, and we are looking forward to getting out to the country and stretch out and experience having animals, stars, and beautiful sunsets. For those of you who know me well, you know that I have been digging in my heels for the last few years on moving to the country, but God and Marv finally showed me that it is time for many changes. I will miss the suburbs and warm concrete streets and sidewalks. Landscaping and near by friends, stores, restaurants, etc.

On top of homeschooling, hives, buying and redoing a fixer-upper, putting our house on the market, and studying for my real estate final exam...Marv found out during the first week of school that he earned through work a free trip for two on a 7 night Mediterranean Cruise! I just don't think I can take anymore excitement and big stressful type events going on in our life, but this one I think I can handle! My sweet family and friends are going to be taking turns with our kiddos during this time, or it wouldn't be possible to go! I'll make sure and blog on our adventures once we get back.

If you would have told me a year ago that I would be homeschooling, moving to the country, and taking a trip out of the US I wouldn't have believed you for one second! It is so neat to see how through good and bad times God can be faithful in preparing us for the amazing journey of life that he allows us to live each moment of each day.

Hives and Homeschoolin'

Well we made it through our first official week of homeschooling. The kids are waking us up at 6:45 when we over sleep ready to go! I never ever in a million years thought that homeschooling could be this fun, much less doable. You see I was always one of the ones that just said I could NEVER EVER to it cause I couldn't do the higher level teaching, have enough patience, or discipline. I was sooooo wrong! The curriculum that I am using (a hodge podge of things) is just amazing! It has been so wonderful to add a family bible study into our schedule, and now we can learn about anything and everything that interest us when it comes to science, history, and art. I was telling Kim what I did for science the first day and she told me I should blog about it, so here goes along with our schedule...

7:00 Family Bible Study (we are doing Matthew right now through BSF)
7:45 Breakfast
8:15 Dress/chores
9:00 Calendar/Weather
9:30 Boys do Math while Julia does Language
10:30 Boys do Language while Julia does Math
11:30 Science/History M,W,F and Art/Music T/Th
12:30 Lunch...if I can get them to stop long enough!
1:30 Finish any school work/chores if needed
FREE TIME

Okay so this is my big plan, but these crazy kids of mine have gone of the deep end and usually don't want to quit! I never would have thought that would happen!

So for Science we are doing a couple of weeks on weather. I bought this neat weather cube station at Lakeshore teacher store that allows the kids to measure wind, rain, temp, barometric pressure, etc... It's been really neat! I also asked them on the first day to write down a question in their science folders that they had about weather. Wow their little brains come up with so many questions it was hard to narrow it down to one, but they did. I had 6-8 books checked out from our city library about weather and then told them to go and research to find the answers. They each ended up writing a couple of pages on all the info they found and then shared with each other. So simple, but man did they really do alot of self teaching and self motivation on this!

Now for the hives part of the week! I have a plantar's wart on my foot and was prescribed a medication that I am obviously allergic to cause I woke up Friday morning itching like crazy and covered in hives! Needless to say after taking Benadryl I was out for the count, but we were able to get our school lessons in by the afternoon! I'm so blessed to have these three precious children who have amazed me and surprised me by their enthusiasm and love for our new homeschooling adventure!

Homeschooling Preview Week

Well we got started last week with homeschooling, and I can say this...WOW it is going to be so much fun, and so much work all at the same time! I know that with public school there are advantages and disadvantages, and it will be the same with homeschooling. I think hopefully though the advantages will far outweigh the disadvantages. While some things I am still just trying to get used to...like BEING WITH MY KIDS TWENTY-FOUR SEVEN!!! I love love love truly love being with my kids, but after a while we can all get a little ready for some alone time. One great thing we did this summer to get ready for all this togetherness is move each child into their own rooms...sooo that has really helped!

The first week was a preview week to give me a chance to see what each child retained from last year, what they were feeling about this new adventure, and prepare the room and all our supplies to make sure we were ready to get started with the real thing September 10th. One of the things I had each child do was write in their journals. They were to write about their goals for this school year...personal, spiritual, and educational goals. They were to write about their hopes for this new venture. They also were to write about ideas they had about field trips and fun trips that they would like to take. Marvin and I were so blessed by what each of them wrote I thought I would share a part of each of their writings with y'all...

Jeffrey 12 years old/7th
My goals this year are to get better in the habit of reading the bible. I would also like to get better at Math. I will get better at playing guitar also. I am trying to save money for a guitar and other stuff like tithing. Reading the bible will help me in my walk with God this year. Math is a thing that every one needs to know, because in the future it will help you in your job and with every day things like bills. I hope this year that homeschooling will help me be confident, and act better. I will enjoy being with my brother, sister, and mother all of my school days. I hope by being in their class I will learn more about their feelings and also helping them in school. (This is just a taste of the two pages that he wrote!)

Jacob 10 years old/5th

As you know, this year we're starting to home school. I'm going to have lots of fun...and set goals. Get comfortable because this is going to take a while. One of my spiritual goals is to actually pray sincerely to God. The reason? Sometimes, if I'm really tired at night, or in a bad mood, I just say the same thing EVERY NIGHT. "Dear God, Help us have a great night's sleep tonight and a good day tomorrow. In Jesus name, Amen." I mean you gotta admit it is getting kind of old. Okay, next thing, educational goals I have a couple so uh, listen up. The 1st thing is grades. They can make a big difference in school. I'm gonna try to improve my grades because last year wasn't a bunch of sugar and spice. The 2nd thing is paying attention. Sometimes I just look around, other times I day dream. Now to personal goals. The big and only thing in this category is the bass guitar. I want one so badly! (What a ham he is in his writing...I love it!)

Julia 8 yr. old/3rd

I want to learn how to cook. I want to learn how to cook ravioli, spaghetti, and pancakes. I will try to do my best on that. Next, I would like to exercise more often. Like do sit ups and other stuff. I am also ready to be on a schedule for dance, violin lessons, and school! First I think that I want to go on more field trips like to Six Flags, or Sharkarosa, that would be fun. Second, I would like to read the bible more, and learn about Peter, and Esther! Third, I would like to learn lots of history. I would like to find out about all the first ladies and Presidents. I would like to learn about the president's children and their names are. I love to learn about history and want to learn more about it! (I love that Julia wants to learn how to be a momma, and now we will have time!)

I can not begin to tell y'all how blessed and just so thankful I am by reading their first journal entries. The change I already see in each child is a gift from God and I can't wait to see how this year transpires for each of them and for us as a family!

This picture cracks me up

There is a story behind why the boys look so horrified in the heading picture...

1. What you don't see is that they are praying, and hoping for their friends to come pick them up and rescue them from the 10 squealing 8 years olds at the feet!
2. They "love" their sister, but really mom this is just too much to ask of us...
3. They are jealous of all her Littlest Pet Shop presents, but would NEVER EVER admit it!

The grin on Julia's face is...

1. I'm so excited to have all 10 of my squealing friends around me at my feet!
2. I love it when mom "makes" the boys put me in the middle and gives me all the attention!
3. I can't wait to get my brothers to help me open all these Littlest Pet Shop presents and play with me!

It is just hilarious to watch my three kiddos interact and love so big and real one second and then want to have each other for supper the next! It keeps it real and real interesting around here, and now that we are having all kinds of togetherness we have had plenty of opportunities to get to truly KNOW each other over these past few months of summer.

JCA will begin next week, and the kids and I can hardly wait! Julia would do school year around if I would let her...and I just might! We will begin with testing, and some review to get the brain matter in some kind of shape to actually begin learning again. I also want to take some time to just brainstorm, dream, collaborate, and write out some personal goals, family goals, and school year goals. What do they hope to learn this year? What are their favorite subjects, topics, or fun things to do? I want to really try and have them journal through this year so that we can look back on this first year and see what it was really like to experience this new adventure we are about to embark on.

I also thought we might make our own JCA (Jolly Christian Academy) shirts to celebrate the fun and spirit that we will be learning in. Another neat idea that came to me last week as I was brainstorming all the different things we could do to begin and get ready is go to the library and let each kid get their own library card...well we ended up going to day and man was it just the coolest thing! I found out that our new city library has a homeschool connection that is special just for us homeschoolers! What an amazing network of support and fun! I'm so thankful for all of the amazing people that I have met, have emailed me, or just plain walked up to me and wrote down their contact info so knowing that I would need it!

Thank you Father for your peace, grace, patience, and encouragement through all the other homeschooling families out there!!! Y'all know who you are and I praise God for you each and everyone!

Homeschooling Heroes

Well it's official...we have decided to homeschool...yes all three kids. It's been one of the first questions everyone asks. What would be the point in only homeschooling one child, or two, and having to continue keeping up with the rat race with the other one...that would defeat the whole purpose... right?

I knew without a doubt when I was pregnant with Jeffrey that I would quit teaching and stay home with him at all cost. Now it wasn't always easy, and I did have all kinds of part time jobs like tutoring, babysitting, mother's day out director, preschool teacher, secret shopper (shhhh! don't tell anyone!), sold discovery toys, substitute teacher, and the list goes on. God has always supplied every penny we needed and it has been a true all most 13 years of learning to trust and lean on the one true PROVIDER. As each baby was born I would dream about what our future would hold...would I go back to teaching full time in the public school, or possibly homeschool, or....and the possibilities can be endless.

Over the past year there have been many things happening that have brought us to seek God in our personal walks with the Lord, in our marriage, in our family, and in the way we feel God wants us to live this life in total abandon to his will and plan for our lives. It was clear that if we continued in the way we were going then we could loose our family. From crazy middle school homework, Marv traveling alot, and just trying to keep up with the crazy rat race of life we literally all most lost us in the craziness of trying to keep up with this world. It's as if we have been feasting on the all you can eat buffet of this world and now we are stuffed and done with this way of life.

We have several friends in our lives who homeschool, or are are also about to begin on this new homeschool journey. It seemed like a big, hard, and scary thing everytime I would consider it in the past. I would always make excuses like..."I'm not disciplined enough.", or "There's no way I could do math in the higher levels!" Now I have learned and see all the awesome possibilities and support that is out there to help me do this. The choices of curriculum have been amazing and overwhelming to say the least, but wow...there are so many choices! Now we will have time to learn and study from the bible, truly understand math, and everything else in our own time. AND the best and neatest part is the creation-based science and biblical-based history. No more having to hope that we get a Christian teacher, and knowing that they still won't be able to bring God into anything they do.

I don't pretend to think that this will be easy, but I do know that sending them to public school wasn't easy either. I can't tell you the straight up freedom and peace that came over this family when we made the final decision to step out of the rat race and take this step. We now have TIME to do anything, and everything that we feel is best for our family. We now have TIME to go see history instead of just sitting and reading about it. We feel like we have been given the gift of TIME back like I think God originally intended for it to be.

We have named our school the Jolly Christian Academy (a.k.a. JCA), and are currently trying to pick out a mascot. I think the HOMESCHOOL HEROES sounds great. I am getting to homeschool my kiddos and help them become the Heroes that they are supposed to be! I don't know if the kids will go for it...they will get a vote, but I think it has a nice ring!

I will be blogging at least once a week now to share what we are doing and keep you up to date on our progress. We covet your prayers and are so thankful for the precious friends and family that have walked with us, prayed with us, and encouraged us as over the past year to help us get to this point in our lives.

Deuteronomy 6:5-9
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.