New House, birds, deer, and box sledding.

Way back when I was on my 2nd, 3rd, or even 10th military move, it would only take me a couple of days to get unpacked and make it look like home.  It was like I knew we would only be there a short time so I had better just get to it.
Not so this time. It is taking FOR.EV.ER.
Maybe it is because life with young children doesn't stop, they still need to be fed and changed, right?  Maybe it is because I am imagining this will be my home for a long time and I want it just right. Or maybe it's because I am distracted with box sledding and bird watching...

and a little uhm, painting.

Leave it to the children to find uses for the excess boxes and the steep slope in our back yard.

Boy mowed out a nice patch for sledding.

and bike riding.

  

dad takes a turn

Even the baby?!!!

momma and sis

She loves it!

whoops!

from my kitchen window!

it didn't take long for us to become popular!

someone is going to have deck cleaning duty as a new chore...

This little guy didn't see our window.  He is resting from his intense landing in a paper bag on our deck.  His name is Smasher.

I guess I better go unpack a box or something!

The House

Here it is.  I am told it looks small from the front, but I love it.

This is the view straight off the deck.  Can you see Glacier Peak?

SO EXCITED!

Nothing Really

We are unpacking boxes and painting and cleaning like crazy people.  We are also sledding down the hill in the back yard in the unpacked boxes like really fun people.  I didn't know the new house came with an amusement park!

I am working on a new house post, but it's kinda near the bottom of the to-do list so here is a picture of  my little snicker-doodle in the mean time. 

Where Have You Been?

Wow, this year has been a whirlwind, to say the least.  I could write pages about all the stuff that has happened, but I'll spare you.  Here are just a few tidbits to get you caught up, then I am hoping we can then just carry on like old friends ;)

January:
Belle turned 13.  She is a wonderfully delightful daughter.  I am SO blessed to have her in my life, and I am amazed at the fine young lady she is, and the woman she is becoming.  Belle is adds such a beautiful calm to our home and we are enjoying watching her grow.

Homemade Ice Cream Cake

The start of her birthday scavenger hunt

What and awesome big sister!

Butter also had a birthday, she is now 6.  She finally lost her first tooth, and she was so brave.  This girl is a waterfall of life and love, she is so refreshing!

Here is that Ice Cream Cake again- it's a favorite!

Feb: It was a blur, but we did go hiking and we took a trip to the Refuge- a Christian Military retreat center, a place we love!

Old Man's Beard

Look at that determination!

(See how tall she is?) The Ferry over to the Olympic Mountains

Starting a Fire!

"Making a Sandwich" hilariousness!

Dad's trusty "Trip Hat"

March:
Law & Liberty Tour~ Mr. Pilot and I hosted the Chalcedon Conference and had a fantastic weekend which included having a pot luck in our home with Mr. Rushdoony and Mr. Marinov, having my mentor and friend Andrea Schwartz and her daughter stay with us for the weekend, and having people from all over (including 6+ hours away in Canada and California) join us for this great event.

Boy turned 12.  I am honored to be raising such a real man.  This Boy is growing by leaps and bounds, and I am not talking physically (though he is getting bigger) he is such a capable gentleman, he is my right hand man, and my comic relief!  He got braces this month, which he was very excited about.

April:  We finished our school year with a bang, the Homeschool Conference.  What an awesome and refreshing time to be with over 2,000 like minded families for a few days.  We make this into a family vacation and thoroughly enjoy ourselves.  Boy got to meet his penpal for the first time, and we saw lots of friends and made new ones too.

 

May:
Biscuit turned 1!  She is a little doll and she is totally spoiled.  She doesn't walk yet, but that is only because she knows it is far faster to have a big brother or sister carry her.  She is getting all four molars at once right now, and is pretty miserable, but everyone loves to love her!

Last year was probably the most difficult year ever for us...  But a little over a year later the situation with Mr. Pilot's work has finally resolved, and we can now move forward with our life.  So many lessons learned.  As always, we are strengthened by our trials it was a fruitful year. I can't say it loud enough "PRAISE GOD!"

SO.... We are buying a house- the home of our dreams really.  I am sure you will hear more about that later. It all happened so fast- we have been watching the market waiting for the work issues to be resolved and then all in one week BAM! and we are so excited.  The boxes are rolling in and paint chips coming out.  Yay!

Here are just a few more pictures for you:

Play kitchen up-cycled from an old entertainment center

helpful big sister!

 

Sis was the only one needed glasses, doesn't she look sophisticated?!

two hams

early lessons 

and a winking-coloring-cowgirl

great team work!

44,165

The family totals are in!  Collectively we have read over 40,000 pages of books.  This is quite amazing to me, as we essentially doubled our reading output from last year.  This was only possible through tremendous contributions from the children.

As a reminder we do not count partial readings, you must have completed the entire book to get credit for it.  This is the main reason why there are so few books under the "Family" heading because although we were well into many books, we just couldn't finish them.  Perhaps we'll wrap them up in early 2013 to give ourselves a head start.  We also do not count magazines or blog pages (sorry mom) but only books.

We currently have 5 readers in the family, but the numbers are increasing, Butter for instance just joined the readers club, so our totals should increase.  I have also decided to count audio books for littles because they want to be able to join in the family competition too.


The final results are as follows:

Belle: 15,185 pages

Belle doubled her output from last year, which staggers my mind.  This is her second year in a row winning.

Dad: 13,478 pages

We get double credit for bible reading, so that's where a lot of that came from.

Boy: 8,061 pages

Our son quadrupled his reading from last year.  I think he is just beginning to hit his stride, and his big sister better watch out.

Sis: 4,010 pages

Her first full year, in chapter books.  Staggering.  We allow the children to read along with an audiobook for credit.  Sis read in this style: Gulliver's Travels and Anne of Green Gables (over 700 pages combined!).

Mom: 3,158

Great job mom.  She spent half the year pregnant, the other half nursing, not to mention schooling the rest of the flock.  She did great.

Here is the full book list:

2013 Book PLAN

It has been said: With no vision, the people perish.  I had no plan for 2012, therefore I perished.  Lol.  I think I read 23 pages or something since we only get to count the pages of a book that was read cover to cover, and that just never happens for me.  Blog pages, no matter how awesome, simply don't count in my family contest.  Therefore, for 2012, I lose.  But, I have a plan for 2013.  Too bad, so does every one else...

Our 2013 year plan for reading is:

Dad- The Institutes of Biblical Law, Vol 1-3
The Millennium (Boettner)

Mom- Institutes of Biblical Law, Vol 1
Three Mrs. Judson's
Charity and it's Fruits
Biblical Trustee Family & Woman of the House


Belle- Feminine By Design
Eliza Lucas Pinckney
Loving the Little Years
The Family Daughter
Joyfully at Home
So Much More

Boy- Boyhood and Beyond
Practical Happiness
Life of David Farragut
A Peep Behind the Scenes
Who Saves?
Genesis (Rushdoony)

Sis-
Little Suzy Stories
Flower of the Family
Little Pilgrim's Progress
Elsie Dinsmore book 1


 



First person to read all books :$50 book certificate, 2nd place: $30, 3rd place: $15

If I'm hiding in the bathroom, don't bother me, I'm reading!

No fluoride = No cavities

That's right, move over ADA... 

Based on my own research we decided we didn't think fluoride was a good idea. I know, I know. It was a crazy idea, especially since we had cavities every time we went I the dentist office. In fact, I had 16 fillings and gingivitis by the time my first son was born (yeah, I was 20) and my kiddos seemed to inherit my tooth genes. 

Despite such yuck mouth, I have always been a faithful dentist visitor. Everyone goes in every 6 months (almost). And every visit we had at least 2 cavities. Then we moved, and we purchased a Berkey and fluoride free toothpaste. When we transferred here we had to make new dental relationships. Our new dentist is a great guy, he has 8 children and a bajillion grandchildren, but was completely shocked that we don't use fluoride. I stated my case, but he said he'd have to see it to believe. (He thought I was a little crazy) So, we didn't go to the dentist for almost two years. I was ready for just about any prognosis, but he was shocked. That is right, all 9 of us, no cavities.

Do your research, check out what fluoride really is. Stop being a drone. We are each responsible for our own health! Don't trust the FDA, USDA, ADA, CDC- or any other alphabet soup- they DON'T have your best interest in mind. The government isn't your babysitter. The government isn't your Savior. ;-)

~just sayin

Piano Lessons with Baby

Biscuit is getting an early start to her musical education.  She obviously has seen how her siblings play...with gusto!  I think we sound amazing together.

Many blessings to you and yours this Christmas season.  May the Lord richly bless you in love and mercy.

~Mr. Pilot

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Our tradition is to do a scavenger hunt for our Birthday celebrations, but Dad is the mastermind behind the riddles.  For his birthday, I hid his gifts in plain sight.

It was a total success!  When he went to get his morning reading, something was out of place...

Happy Birthday to a very special Father, Husband, and Man! We are so blessed to have you and we love you because:

1. God gave you to us!
2. You provide for us nourishing food, and a plentiful home.
3. You take us special places, and do fun things with us.
4. You send us postcards, gifts, and letters when you have to be away.
5. You make us videos so we can feel your presence when away.
6. You tuck us in every night that you are home.
7. You make our family table important, and you make it a priority to share every meal with us.
8. You cause us to grow in conversation, thinking on challenging ideas
9. You make us laugh, sometimes even too much!
10. You teach us the importance of hard work.
11. You help us with our chores.
12. You play games with us.
13. You make us smile, even when we feel sad.
14. You read to us, and by your example, help us foster a deep love for good books.
15. You remind and challenge us to read.
16. You foster a love of music in our home.
17. You teach us, and practice music with us.
18. You provide for us to take music lessons.
19. You help us recognize and use our talents for God's glory.
20. You provide for us the best education.
21. You never stop learning.
22. You cause us to never stop learning.
23. You value marriage and you love our mom.
24. You, by your constant example, show us the importance of reading God's word every day.
25. You teach us about God's word.
26. You help us understand God's word.
27. You call for us to recognize our sin.
28. You correct us and show us our need for Grace.
29. You show us God's grace, and forgive us when we are wrong.
30. You lead us in humility by admitting your faults and asking for forgiveness.
31. You stand up for what is right, even when it isn't popular.
32. You love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and with all your mind.
33. You are you!

What is Christmas About?

Many people celebrate this season with no idea what it is even about.  For many people the last months of the year often come revealing greed, heaps of stress, grief and extraordinary amounts of debt.  Take some time today and remind yourself what Christmas is really about.

Be Blessed!