Big Decision Made

You might remember our post in March about a big family decision we have been trying to make (read here) about whether or not to home school....


Well....we made it!  I have been read and waiting patiently for Jacques to work through his decision...and he has decided (through a variety of research & happenings) that we will 'go for it'!


Beginning in September, we will begin homeschooling Noah. 


I have to say I am SO excited, but at the same time I am nervous as well!  You know, the kind of nervous feeling you get when you start a new job.  The kind that make you think 'can I really do this job?' even though you already know the answer!  Knowing myself, once we get everything organized (the curriculum bought, the 'school' room set up and the supplies ready), I'll be itching to get started!


I have 3 friends close to us that already home school and are ready & waiting to be supportive in any way they can.  As well, I have a few other friends' that are farther away that are very supportive as well!  My one friend has already offered to 'carpool' to 1 or 2 different home school support groups in our area as well - YAY (thanks Tammie)!


So right now we are waiting for the Tree of Life to set up our family profile, assess Noah (to determine what level we will begin our curriculum at) and talk to us about different curriculum's available.  I've seen a few and have a little idea of some of the curriculum's, but am VERY excited to learn more.


We have registered for the New Brunswick Home Educators conference in May, where we hope to meet other families in our area as well as learn a bunch more about homeschooling!


So pumped that our decision is made and we are moving forward, so excited for Noah!  

Fun around our house tonight

Just a regular evening in our house....

After supper, we were cleaning up from supper.  Noah began playing with his birthday LEGO....brought me something he made for me.

He described that it was 'Haiti, after the earthquake'.  See all the lego around the outside...this is the building that has crumbled.  And he describes the people (like in the video we watched from Dianne's mission trip) from Haiti carrying their stuff on their heads!

Make a momma proud for her little man to take note of details like this!

So proud of you baby boy!!!

After finishing cleaning up, family game night!

Our newest game of choice, UNO Attack.  It's hilarious!  The looks on Noah's face when the machine literally 'spits' the cards at you!  Love that boy, I really do!

Poor Jacques, had one too many cards 'spit' at him!

And.....ended up losing!

But, fun was had by all and we all have smiles on our faces and happy hearts in the end!

So, like I said, just another typical Monday night in our house!

Happy Monday Everyone!

NINE

It's hard to believe that my boy is NINE years old (on Tuesday), but he just had his 9th birthday party on Saturday, at McDonald's.  It was more or less a PLACE to have the children over so the mess wouldn't be at our place.

It was fun, the time went fast and I think all had a great time!

Somehow we got talked into having 3 extra boys (plus Noah) for a sleep over.  We anticipated it being MUCH more CHAOS but in the end it was awesome.  The boys played outside for over an hour, then came in and did LEGO for another hour, then got their jammies on and watched a movie.  After the movie, they all got into the beds they were sleeping in (around 10pm) and went to sleep.

Though they were all up by 6:30 am, they were all in good spirits, ate a good breakfast and agreed to play Lego again!  They played Lego while we cleaned up, then we all played UNO Attack!  It was long and AWESOME.  We never did get a hand (let alone a whole game) done before the parents started showing up, but it was great fun while it lasted!  Thankfully, this week is the week our cleaning lady comes because we had lots of stuff (drinks & food & mud) hit the floors!

It's hard to imagine that 9 years have passed since that night that my handsome little man made such a dramatic entry into the world (2 months early).  He is still as dramatic in all senses of the word.  He can charm anyone and is one of the most compasionate little boys I've ever met. He is LOUD, so loud sometimes.  Not a day goes by when we don't say 'lower your voice, Noah'!!!   He is so smart and has never ending questions about everything and anything.  My little man is growing up so fast and knows too much for his age (in my opinion).

This year, his favourites are Lego and Sponge Bob but Star Wars and Pokemon are still up there.  KD Quesedias are his favourite meal that I created (they are simply left over Kraft Dinner warmed up, in a tortillia shell with grated cheese made the same way you'd make a quesedia - either in the oven or in a fry pan).  They are awesome tasting and a hit with the kids (but not the most health conscious)!

He's growing up so much this year, really cares about what his friends say & think (the most I've seen yet).  It bothers me that he's grown up so much.  Even though I've been home with him for almost 2 years now, I still feel like there is so much I miss :( 

Next year, we're into double digits - how can this be?

Blessings

I hate to sound so positive & sappy...but I have SUCH a blessed life.  I am so lucky and lately things are just going the way I want them to!  No complaints here....

I have to tell you a funny story that happened tonight....

Reading some 'Dinner Table Devotions' tonight at supper, Noah said the sweetest thing that I have to document and share!

One of the questions at the end of the devotion was:  'what would be the first things you'd like to ask Jesus if you got to meet him?' (or something along this line).  Jacques answered, 'why does he allow people to do wrong?' (or something like that).  I answered, 'why does he allow children to get hurt?' (or something like that).

Noah's response (are you ready for the deep thought out answer)!!! 

What colour is your robe?

Only MY boy....I love that kid to bits!  He's so honest and true!

On a more fun note, Noah and I are committed to doing more excercise.  Now that the nice weather is here - we are committing to 10-15 minutes (non stop jumping) on the trampoline each day.  We made a playlist on my iPod - JUST for our jumping time so we can put the little stereo in the window and we jump.  We jump and we jump some more.

Today, we lasted 2 and a half songs (how pathetic) - but it's a start, right!  We have so much fun.  After our 2 and a half songs, we played, jumped, did flips (ouch!) and I created a new AMAZING game that Noah loves! 

We spell words and jump.  Each letter you shout out, you have to jump down on your bum then back up. 

We did this for another 15-20 minutes....

In total, we did the trampoline for 35 minutes today and we feel GREAT!!!

Life really couldn't be better.  I'm so thankful for an amazing life that I have always dreamed of!!!

The BEST life

Oh my...I can't even begin to tell you HOW much this vacation has been the closest to perfect I think I've ever experienced.  I LOVE with Orlando....so much to do, so much to see & so many places to EAT!!!

The weather was PERFECT and HOT, HOT, HOT....I don't think there was a day that was below 30 degrees C with the humidex!  We got lots of pool time in the afternoon, and this meant lots of relax time!

A brief lowdown of our schedule:

Friday:  Fly to Orlando

Saturday:  Unviersal Studios - Islands of Adventures, Pool Time, Titanic Museum

Sunday:  Universal Studios, Pool Time, Downtown Disney

Monday:  Disney: Epcot, Pool Time

Tuesday:  Disney:  Magic Kingdom, Pool Time, Downtown Disney

Wednesday:  Disney:  Blizzard Beach Water Park, Pool Time, Disney Quest

Thursday:  Helicopter ride around Orlando, Disney Quest, Pool Time, Dinner Date (at a restaurant with Noah where they had a pond with live Aligators - and you got to feed them)!

Friday:  Fly home

One of the highlights of our trip, we met a family from England that has 2 boys (one 8 yrs & the other  5 yrs old).  Noah had so much fun playing with them in the pool each afternoon.

All in all, it was a fantastic trip and I want to go back to Orlando for ANOTHER trip to explore all that is NOT Disney.  I want to take Jacques to Disney Quest - the Kennedy Space Center, Gatorland, Wonderworks, Ripley's Believe It or Not, Lego Amusement park (I heard it's opening in the next year).

Maybe next year???

I'm tanned, I'm completely rested and I'm SO thankful that we had a chance to go to Orlando with Jacques on his business trip!

Noah's BIG Disney Surprise

So excited for Noah.

Here is the result of our scavenger hunt to tell Noah that we are leaving for Disney in 2 days!

I just threw together 2 video's (one during the scavenger hunt and one once he started to figure it out).  Between the photos and the 2 part video series, you should get some feeling that was going through our house this night! 

Poor guy, even when he descrambled and said it out loud (DISNEY WORLD, DISNEY WORLD, DISNEY WORLD) - he did not figure it out or what we were telling him so we had to send him to the room where our back up plan was a poster in the suitcase that read:

Pack your bags, we ARE going to DISNEY WORLD, leaving on Friday (with Daddy)!

This is NOT an April Fools joke!

Hope you like your surprise!

We love you, buddy!

Part 1 - is Noah going through the house collecting letters that he will find randomly to descramble and spell 'DISNEY WORLD'.

Poor guy, even when he descrambled and said it out loud (DISNEY WORLD, DISNEY WORLD, DISNEY WORLD) - he did not figure it out or what we were telling him so we had to send him to the room where our back up plan was a poster in the suitcase that read:

Part 2 - is from the video taken once he figured it all out.

The whole 'thing' in telling him, the scavenger hunt couldn't have gone better!  It was one of the best experiences I have lived through Noah to date!!!

NOW, I can get packed without trying to do it secretly!  And we're off on Friday morning!

 

To all my 'mom & dad' blogger buddies...

I've been struck and am in 'awwwww' over a new band (particularily one song):  The Wilson's called Mine All Mine.  Kortney & Dave Wilson completly have me in 'awww'.  They have a reality show called 'Meet the Wilson's', documenting their life of raising 2 young boys and a 3rd little girl on the way (through adoption) while trying to get their big break.  I stayed up last night watching as much as I could find on You Tube and loved their 'gettin'er real' on the show.  I can't wait for our PVR to pick up all the episodes to date - especially when they meet their daughter for the first time!  Though I can't find what the lyrics to this song are 'actually' about, I'm assuming they are about the journey to adopt their little girl.

This song reminded me so much of all my friends out there that have adopted....and I'm sending it out to you!!!  As well for all my friends wo are mom's & dad's!  It's an adorable video.
 Mine All Mine





And check out this video, as a tribute to their fans. It's just adorable!




Lyrics to Mine All Mine:

WE HAVEN’T MET

BUT I KNOW YOU’RE OUT THERE
WAITING FOR ME
AND SOMEDAY SOMEWHERE

I’LL SEE YOUR SWEET FACE

I’M NOT GIVING UP

I KNOW IT’LL HAPPEN

WHEN IT’S MEANT TO BE

AND ALL I've GOTTA DO IS HAVE SOME FAITH



CHORUS:
CAUSE WHEN YOU’RE MINE ALL MINE
I’LL HOLD YOU BABY

I WON’T EVER LET YOU GO

WHEN THE LONG HARD SEARCH IS OVER BABY

I WILL LOVE YOU HEART AND SOUL

TIL THE END OF TIME

WHEN YOU’RE MINE ALL MINE




I’LL BE YOUR STRENGTH

I’LL BE YOUR SHELTER

I’LL KEEP YOU SAFE

YOU’LL LIGHT UP MY WHOLE LIFE WITH JUST YOUR SMILE

AND YOU’LL MAKE ME MELT

YOU’LL MAKE THE WORLD STOP

WHEN YOU SAY MY NAME

AND YOU’LL MAKE EVERY TEAR I CRIED WORTHWHILE






CHORUS CAUSE WHEN YOU’RE MINE ALL MINE

I’LL HOLD YOU BABY

I WON’T EVER LET YOU GO

WHEN THE LONG HARD SEARCH IS OVER BABY

I WILL LOVE YOU HEART AND SOUL

TIL THE END OF TIME

WHEN YOU’RE MINE ALL MINE




BRIDGE:

I DON’T CARE IF I CALL YOU MY DAUGHTER OR CALL YOU MY SON

I DON’T CARE HOW YOU COME TO ME BABY LONG AS YOU COME




CHORUS

CAUSE WHEN YOU’RE MINE ALL MINE

I’LL HOLD YOU BABY

I WON’T EVER LET YOU GO

WHEN THE LONG HARD SEARCH IS OVER BABY

I’LL BE THERE

TO WATCH YOU GROW

WHEN YOU’RE MINE ALL MINE

I’LL HOLD YOU BABY

I WON’T EVER LET YOU GO

WHEN THE LONG HARD SEARCH IS OVER BABY
I WILL LOVE YOU HEART AND SOUL
TIL THE END OF TIME

WHEN YOU’RE MINE ALL MINE