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!

Scripture on Your Doorposts- Marriage

I know this is sort of a repost, but I'm sharing again anyway.

We believe marriage is important.  We believe God says marriage is important, it is the beautiful picture He painted of Christ and the Church.   Marriages fall apart all around us, and our own almost did not survive it's first year.  We are so thankful for God's grace and we want our children to see in many different ways that marriage is vital.  It is a covenant.

 So for our anniversary this year my husband surprised me with a beautifully framed gift of our marriage certificate, a picture of us, and this scripture:

Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.
(Malachi 2:15 ESV)

Doorposts is having a contest!

Scripture on Your Doorposts

I bet you are wondering what is with all the posts of pictures of my walls.
Doorposts has some of the best parenting helps, including the well used "Brother Offended Chart" that has adorned our wall in the last 5 homes (even the travel trailer) where we have lived.  I think any family would benefit from it, and any of their other resources.

They are having a contest based on the scripture in Deuteronomy:

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
(Deuteronomy 6:4-9 ESV)

 So I am sharing with you all how we write the scriptures on our doorposts.  Thanks for looking!

It's Beginning to Feel a lot like Sickmas!

Er, I mean Christmas!

I absolutely love the holiday season.  October begins with several birthdays and carries right on through with Thanksgiving, more birthdays, Christmas, and then more birthdays until the end of January.  It is one celebration after another in our house full of warmth, feasting, and fun.

It is also full of fevers and coughs and long nights.  With this many coming in and out of our home, and  a pot luck or party every week, I suppose it's inevitable.  I am learning to roll with it.  I realized this year that as the Christmas decorations go up, one of us goes down.

I have a huge pot of homemade chicken stock on the back of the stove, plenty of garlic to go around, and vitamin C galore.  

Today we are going to throw out the schedule and cuddle on the couch while reading Christmas books. 

The littles need to nap and recuperate from the flu.  Mom just needs to nap.

What are your family traditions during the flu season?

Sayings of Old ~ Scripture on my Doorposts

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;

incline your ears to the words of my mouth!

I will open my mouth in a parable;

I will utter dark sayings from of old,

things that we have heard and known,

that our fathers have told us.

We will not hide them from their children,

but tell to the coming generation

the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might,

and the wonders that he has done.

He established a testimony in Jacob

and appointed a law in Israel,

which he commanded our fathers

to teach to their children,

that the next generation might know them,

the children yet unborn,

and arise and tell them to their children,

so that they should set their hope in God

and not forget the works of God,

but keep his commandments;

                    (Psalm 78:1-7 ESV)

This is our Reformation Wall.  Although you can't see it from the picture, we have a framed timeline that is a "hall of fame" highlighting many important men God used to recapture the Word of God for his people.  The Reformation is one of the most important historical landmarks in the church's history, and we want to remind ourselves, as well as remind the children, the glorious deeds the Lord has done through ages past.

Mr. Pilot had this timeline framed recently, but it wasn't until this season that we put up the Bible shelves.  He wanted to make sure our family and our guests understand that the men in this picture,  some of whom are represented with books on display, built their foundation for a global revolution upon the Holy Bible.

We would like to remember these men, never forgetting the mighty things the Lord has done, to bring us to the times we enjoy today.  And also to give us hope, that we can build our lives on the same foundations as those who have gone before us.

"...on this Rock I will build my church, and Gates of Hell will not overcome it."

Matthew 16:18

Do you write scripture on your doorposts?  You can enter the Doorposts contest here.