Happy Thanksgiving 2019

 From Left to Right: 

 Susannah (14), Benjamin (19), Abigail (18), Josiah (16), Bethany (Timothy's wife/our beautiful daughter in law), Timothy (23), Samuel (10), Jaynee and Daniel (both 46 lol ), Elijah (21), Katie (Elijah's fiance/our daughter in law to be), Isaiah (17), Eliseo (11), Rebekah (20), Nehemiah (almost 13), Noah (15).

Elijah and Katie <3 p="">

 My cup overfloweth 

All my "boys"

 My sweet girls

Well Hello to You All!! :)

Well, hello to everyone! :)  The other day, Daniel suggested me writing an update here.  Even if there was nobody to read it, our blog as been the most consistent "journal" of sorts that I have of our family and so I have thought of updating it from time to time.

But I honestly did not expect anyone to have continued to check it.  So hello to you all! :)  Thank you for checking in and for taking the time to let us know you are there.

I guess a family update would be the topic of most interest.  

The Lord is so good and so faithful.  To even have imagined where we are today after days, weeks, and months of uncertainty, I just want to say that God is so very, very good and takes our ashes and turns them into beauty.  

So where to begin...

Last year, our family was able to move to a beautiful home in Redding, CA, our hometown.  A four bedroom house next to a year round creek and with 4 beautiful parks all within a short walking distance.  As long as the weather isn't too extreme, once school and chores are done, we are almost always outside.  Volleyball, basketball, tennis, playgrounds, large grassy fields for soccer or baseball, hiking and fishing or kayaking...it is a wonderful location for a family with a bunch of growing, active kids!!

The Lord also opened the door for us to join Shasta Baptist Church which happens to be about a 3 minute drive from our home.  What a great blessing to our family to be a part of this body of believers!  My brother's wife is the supervisor of Shasta Baptist Schools and so once we joined the church, we began to home school under them.  While we do most of our studies still at home, we are over at the school participating in many activities/opportunities.  With seven teen agers still in the home, there are a wide variety of interest and lots of energy.  My calendar has grown to a large (but pretty :) ) planner to keep everyone's schedules straight and if I can do that and keep everyone fed, it's a win!  Lol!  

The 5 oldest boys still at home play on the school basketball team, Abi and Susannah play volleyball, and we spend much of the year preparing for the big California Christian School Competition that is held in southern CA each spring.  The students compete against students from several other schools in anything from music, woodworking, speech, poetry, writing, sports, art, photography, spelling and so much more.  What a stretching but wonderful experience it is!  

Daniel works with his brother Joel in his construction company.  Last year, Joel began a new facet of the business focusing on disaster and restoration service.  He brought Daniel on board as project and office manager and estimator for that division.  It was a steep learning curve, but Daniel worked hard and long hours, went to the training classes, got the certifications needed, and after the massive Carr Fire that sadly devastated much of our area this summer, they are busier than ever.

Timothy and his sweet wife Bethany were married this past June.  They met in Bible College in North Dakota and what an exciting time to see their story unfold.  And what a beautiful wedding seeing a young couple come to the altar and share their first kiss there!  Timothy took a selfie while he kissed his bride...yep, that's our Timothy! Lol 

Flying 13 people back to Connecticut (where they were married) was quite the adventure, but the Lord provided for the trip and while I think I was more tired than I'd been in forever, I couldn't have been happier!  Timothy is working for a utility company and serving in their church there in ND as he continues to seek the Lord's direction for their future.  

Elijah is in his Senior year at Pensacola Christian College where he's majoring in Chemistry. Earlier this year, he began courting Katie who is also attending college at PCC majoring in education.  We got to meet Katie and her family at Timothy and Beth's wedding and we all are thinking Elijah needs to keep her...I don't think he'd disagree :)  Elijah has been home each summer break and to hear him play the piano!!! Wow!  The Lord has gifted him and what a joy to seem him use that gift!

Rebekah graduated from high school this past spring and is working full time at a preschool/daycare as she saves money to go to college next year.  She decided to wait a year before starting college, and I don't mind one bit having her here a bit longer :)  She, Abi, Isaiah and Josiah went on a mission's trip this summer and enjoyed that so much!

So I'm down to home schooling only 9 this year!  What to do with all the extra time??? :)

Benjamin and Abi will both graduate this year.  They are both taking piano lessons and an art class.  Ben helps teach children's church, works church's sound/video department, loves to play soccer and make some really impressive videos.  He worked full time for his Uncle Joel in construction this summer and got his driver's licence too.  Abi keeps me smiling with her contagious laugh, is still a bookworm (Grandma got her a Kindle for her birthday this summer...oh my!), and works on our church's bus route each week and in the nursery.

Isaiah is a junior this year and doing great as he is working toward getting an honor diploma when he graduates.  Josiah is a sophomore and both he and Isaiah continue to keep busy doing yard work for people.  Josiah just got a new tool to add to their collection this month...a chainsaw.  They are great workers and saving for whatever the Lord has in store for their futures.  They both play on the school basketball team and are active working on the church bus routes, sing in choir and love helping Grandpa out at his house anytime they can.

Noah is a fresheman.  How can that be?  And Susannah (8th grade) turned 13 last week!!  My "little" guys aren't so little now...Nehemiah is in 6th grade, Eliseo in 5th and Samuel in 4th!  

But I tell you, these years are some of the sweetest years!  Crazy busy but what a joy to see these young men/women grow and develop their talents and interests as seek the Lord's plan for them.   What a wonderful life!

Hello :)

    Question-

Does anyone read here anymore?  If so, could you take a second to leave a quick comment below? :)  Thank you!

Home Schooling in a small house

Gathered together for Morning Announcements and Opening Exercises 

School is in full swing here!  

And I LOVE the changes that we made this year!

I was so blessed in our home in Mexico to have desks for each child.  

The house we are renting here is much smaller and so for the past two years, we have simply gathered around the dining room table with a few scattered at a 6-foot table we set in the middle of the kitchen or some working on the couch.  There was lots of elbow bumping and "his book is covering part of my book". :)

Daniel had mentioned installing desks on the wall that would close up leaving plenty of room to "live" after school hours.  Of course, we didn't know when or how we would be able to get the supplies needed to make the desks. 

Long story short, there was a Christian school here in the area that closed down a few years ago, and they gave us some of the desks to use in our home school!!

So after breakfast chores each morning, the fun begins.

Dining room tables moved to the living room to serve as a scoring table and a desk for Samuel and Eliseo.  

Dining room benches moved.  Desks opened up.  Dividers between each desk inserted.

Folding chair brought in and put at each desk.  Water bottles filled and set by each desk.

And 5 minutes later, our kitchen/dining room/living room is transformed into a learning center!

Ok, so the first time we attempted this set up, it took us more like 40 minutes.  So I made us practice.

A lot! ;)

Each child has their own area to study, keep their supplies and books, and decorate how they'd like.

After school is over, chair are taken back outside, dividers stored in the hall closet, water bottles emptied and washed for the next day, desks closed up against the wall, and tables and benches brought back to the dining room (and my pretty table cloths put back on those white tables :) ).

I'm so thankful for the ability to utilize the space we have in the best way possible!

As far as our school schedule this year, it's pretty simple, but it's working great!

We are trying a 4 day/week school schedule...starting a bit earlier and ending a bit later each day M-TH to ensure we keep on schedule getting all the material covered we normally would cover in a 5 day.

I broke our school day into 7 periods with a 10 minute break between each one.  Every child has their daily goals/assignments and knows what to do each period whether it is math, reading, English, or PE. 

6:00 or 6:30 am- Wake up time for children/Chores/Dress/Bible and Prayer Time

7:30 am- Breakfast/Clean up/Set up School Room

8:00- 8:30 am- Morning Opening Exercises/Announcements/Bible Reading/Scripture Memory

8:30-- 9:20 am-  1st period (10 minute break between each period)

9:30- 10:20 am- 2nd period (10-10:30 am- recess for elementary age)

10:30-11:20- 3rd period

11:30-12:20- 4th period

12:20- 1:00 pm- Lunch Break/ Clean Up

1:00-1:50 pm- 5th period

2:00-2:50 pm- 6th period (Early dismissal for those finished)

3:00 pm- 3:50 pm- 7th period

Clean up and dismissal by 4 pm.

4 pm until 6 pm- Afternoon chores/Homework if needed/Music Practice/Free time

6 pm- Supper and clean up

7 pm- Free time

8 pm- Family Bible Time

8:30-9:30 pm- Free until your time to get ready for bed

So far, we are LOVING the changes we have made this year and have had a great week.  I used the first 2 days of the week as pre-start to school days.  We went over rules, instructions, schedules, set up desks/binders/notebooks, and basically covered all the different aspects of our school day.

Wednesday we started our first full day following our schedule and it was probably the smoothest start to a school year we have ever had!  

Of course, I told my hubby, talk to me again in a couple weeks when the "newness" has worn off and I'll let you know how it is then :)   And I know the children are getting older and that definitely makes a difference.  Home schooling with many little ones under foot is an adventure for sure! 

Well, that's a little look into our school day.  Looking forward to learning and growing together another year!  So thankful for the Lord's never ending grace!

16th year of Home Schooling

Home School Year 2016-2017

Rebekah- 11th Grade, Benjamin- 10th grade, Abigail 10th grade, Isaiah- 9th grade, Josiah- 8th grade, Noah- 7th grade, Susannah- 6th grade, Nehemiah- 4th grade, Eliseo- 3rd grade, 

and Samuel- 2nd grade. 

Timothy- Sophomore at Master's Baptist College, Fargo, ND

Elijah- Sophomore at Pensacola Christian College, Pensacola, FL

Mommy-16th year of home schooling 

Daddy- BIGGEST support

Soooooooo thankful for the wisdom, grace and strength the Lord gives each and every day!

Hello :)

Hi! :)  Not knowing where to start or what to write has kept these pages blank.  Last year, on my 42nd birthday, Timothy bought me camera.  He (and a few other siblings) mentioned how much they miss seeing pictures and "reading about our family".  That was almost a year ago.  This week was my 42 11/12 birthday...in Jaynee language, that means I am 42 and 11 months old now (why do we stop celebrating monthly birthdays after our first year of life????).  

So where to start?  So much has happened in the past couple of years!  So much has happened in just the past couple days!!  Sharing what the Lord has taught me/is teaching me inspires me to write.  Pictures of growing children, a look into family life, recording memories, sharing joys and struggles...the time taken to write those entries yields priceless treasure years later when on a rainy day, children sit gathered around the computer in the living room reading and viewing joys and  memories of days past..

I considered continuing to write for just our family...a personal journal of sorts just for us...one we could print up, bind into a book and pass on to our children someday.
I thought about making the blog "private" inviting just some close family/friends into this little place where we share part of our lives.
And so I prayed and talked to Daniel and really pondered whether to keep writing an "open" blog that anyone could see.  It's not so much about what I want to do or don't want to do.  It isn't about what others want or don't want.  And it isn't even about whether or not writing can help or bless or encourage someone.  What does the Lord want and what would bring glory to Him?

Whether ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.  I Corinthians 10:31

Our God is so faithful and so good!  And amidst all the hurts and heart ache and the unknown, there have been great joys, healing, growth, and ultimately a deeper more intimate relationship with our holy, righteous, loving God!

Some things the Lord has laid on my heart to share in the days ahead....
*Update on the children....They've grown soooooooooo much!
*Glimpses into daily life happenings
*How the Lord has worked in our lives
*Update on the church in Mexico
*Home schooling/Scheduling ideas that are working for us right now
*And wanting to know if any of you have any questions you'd like to ask.... I may or may not be able to answer, but I'm open to hearing what you would like to know. :)

So today, I don't have any pictures to share...just one of me I snapped with the laptop camera as I sit on the edge of my bed typing.  I know it's not the best shot (but it was the best one out of the three I took, if you want to know the truth ;) ).  Just wanted to say hello :) And all posts have to have a picture, of course, right?    I don't have time to write much more.  My man should be home from work soon, dinner is cooking on the stove, one of my college boys is serenading me on the piano, the other just got off work, half a dozen other kids are playing with their neighborhood friends, a couple others are still finishing schoolwork, and I'd better go check on everyone and get back to doing what I love best...caring for my family :).

love,
Jaynee

Coming soon...

I'm not sure if anyone still checks over here.  I've missed writing and sharing.  Coming back soon! :)