They came - They came

It's fixed! It's fixed! The furnace guy showed up as my last post was uploading and he said we should not have any problems with it now. So... I pray I hope. I feel a lot better!! I just hope it stays working.

Micah - school photo

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it's cold & other musings

I hope.. I pray.. that the furnace is now fixed. It is running for the time being so that is a good thing. However if it acts up again then we are pretty much stuck until Friday afternoon because that is the soonest the furnace guys can come to look at it. So we are hoping and praying...

It is warmer today and will be a little warmer tomorrow according to the last weather report I heard but who knows. It changes daily here.

Xavier did not go to the ENT today because I had to cancel the appointment because of the insurance. But we were able to get that all worked out so he is going on Monday.

Other than that... school is going well. Xavier is sick so he has only done a little bit today but that is okay. Micah passed Chapter 15's Math Test. So he is 1/2 way done with the book and will be able to review perimeter and probably take the next test Friday. I figured he would probably need the next book by January but at this rate he will probably be needing it by December. Which is great but means I need to order it - aghh there is $50. The only positive thing is when Xavier moves to the next book I will only have to buy the student set because I will already have the teacher's manual & dvd. I am debating on buying the tm though because I have the dvd and so I may just get the student book because I can use the dvd to see how to present the lesson if I have a problem. That will save me $30 :-)We still have not found a spelling program I really want to try but I found some books at the library which are helping.

I did go to the Dr. yesterday and everything still looks good and there is nothing new to report there. I lost a couple of pounds but that is okay because I had gained quite a few within 2 weeks at my last visit. So I am right on target.

That's about all for now.

Arrr

and no I did not watch a pirate movie. Our furnace was still acting up all day. Hopefully, Lord willing the problem is now solved. I pray! It was not the thermostat - Joel checked it out. It has come down to this box thing which if it does not continue to work then it will need replaced. It is just frustrating because the temps outside is about 40 (that was the high for today) and the house has been about 50. We finally saw a brief snowfall this evening but by the time the boys finished dinner and got dressed it had stopped. They are hoping it snows tonight so they can play in it tomorrow. I am praying for warmth, lol. Our forcast says (unfortunately) that there is more cold days ahead - Arrr - the highest we should see this week is Wed. with a whole 48 degrees.

Anyways, not a lot has been happening here. We have been fighting with the furnace, went to church with our neighbor (boys' loved it - Joel and I are not as thrilled). It was a pentacostal church and we just are not pentacostal people :-) Today we went looking for a space heater just to supplement our heat but I have no idea what kind to get. We did our school work and read a bunch of books. Now we are just hanging out.

Oh - I finally made Beef Tips & Gravy for dinner. It turned out good but I think the meat probably could have simmered a little longer. Oh well next time it will be better. I have had the recipe from MIL for years but never made it because of my inability to make gravy. But I have finally learned how - so I gave it a go.

The boys took a few pictures today so I will try to get them uploaded soon so I can post a couple of them. Until later - Nite!
Micah decided to add some bling to his mouth... Granted it is only a quarter but he was having fun goofing off before we left for Home School Time Out.

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Rock Star

Xavier says this is his "Rock Star" hairstyle. I want to know if this is considered emo?

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Another Cold Day

The beginning of the week was chilly but not to bad now it is getting cold again. According to the weather man this is the weather we should be having at the end of November not October. As far as I am concerned it is the weather we should have in January right before it starts to warm up, lol. the worst part is not the cold but not seeing the sun.

Xavier goes to the ENT next Wednesday. So hopefully we will find out then what is causing his lymph node to swell and hopefully it just has to finish healing and it is no big deal.

School has been a hit and miss this week. Things here while not as hectic just have not been up to par. We did most of our school while doing laundry yesterday. I got a few funny looks at first by some of the older women there (guess they aren't use to homeschoolers). But the one lady kept watching us as the boys recited their memory work; definitions for nouns, proper nouns, pronouns & verbs; listed some pronouns & made up sentences using them; figured out the square footage of the laundry mat and we all played "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" as it was on the tv there. It was fun though. The boys helped with laundry of course. When we do finally get a washer & dryer they wil be able to do their own laundry or help me with it. The only thing they need help with some is folding. Which is cool. After we got home they played and hung out and I finally tackled the office and it is DONE!! YES!! Even Joel was impressed with how straight and clean it is. I need to get a surge protector then both computers will be useable. So the boys will soon be able to play some of their computer games that we have. Now the big area of attack is the upstairs bedroom which we use as a storage room/closet. The only problem is that room is so cold that I really don't want to go in there and do anything with it. But I need to so I will sometime in the near future.

I don't think I am nesting yet but I know what I want to have accomplished before the baby arrives and that has been my motivation. So maybe I am... just a little?

Today we have some school to do and the boys have Time Out this afternoon. Plus we need to return some library books. There is nothing majorly pressing to do we have a few things on the days agenda. So I better get moving - hope you have a wonderful & blessed day!

Field Trip - Farm Market

The field trip to Nelson's Farm Market was a blast. We got to walk through the apple orchard and learn a little about apples. Then the boys got to pick a 1/2 peck each. I am not sure what a peck is though but that's the size of the bag they had, lol. The apples are delicious!! So juicy!! Afterwards we went on a hayride through the fields and pumpkin patch then got to pet and feed some animals. Before we left Micah bought some jerky and Xavier decided to try a caramel apple. MMMmmmm good! I forgot my camera (silly me) but that's okay. We had fun and enjoyed looking at all the different veggies and things there.
I finally got this uploaded! Micah took this awhile back ago but thought I would share it. We are making a photo cd of a bunch of different pictures and will send it out soon.
Love
Tanya

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Prayer Request

Xavier's lymph node (in front of his ear) is still swollen and the Dr. is sending him to an Ear Nose Throat specialist now. It doesn't bother him unless he bumps it or if we press it accidentally when giving him a hug... But it is definitely still swollen and now it's bruised looking. Luckily his eyelid and the lymph node behind his ear has gone down but the one in front is not pretty. So please keep him in your prayers.

Snow

This is from a week ago when it snowed (I think it was Thursday)
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Cold & Snow?

I told my dear hubby it is time for us to go to FL for the winter. It has been cold; last week we were in the 30's and luckily we have been in the 50's this week. Last week it snowed (more like sleet if you ask me) but Micah & Xavier were very impressed. Except Micah says it freezes your hands (he didn't have snow gloves on & the store was sold out). We got the boys their gloves yesterday (the last 2 pairs in the store). Plus they now have boots and Micah got a new jacket so Xavier is wearing the one his wonderful aunt lent us! So now they will be ready come next Monday when it is suppose to snow again.

Snow in October - what the heck? I want my FL or GA weather!!!

Unfortunately Xavier does not yet realize that no matter how hard he tries to go outside in a t-shirt it just is not going to cut it. So we argue all the time about him putting on a jacket. Not to mention - what do you mean I have to wear thermal underwear?

Micah on the other hand who was debating on living here when he grows up is now opting for beach weather and the south - takes after his grandparents! You should all be proud!

Baby News

Well, I went to the Dr. and he is not changing my due date but I think he is going to be keeping an eye on me none-the-less. Since he is having me come in next week (2 weeks from when I saw him last). All my tests and the ultrasound looked good. I am getting bigger, but Joel says I am not as big as I was (yet) when I had Micah or Xavier but I have a couple of months to go :-) However I weigh more now then I did when I delivered either of the boys. 129 lbs. at my last visit - ughh!! That's okay though. He is a kicking and a moving and when he gets on a roll you can see my stomach going all over the place which is funny. The boys are excited - even Micah. They both come up and put their heads on my tummy and tell me what the baby is saying and try to get him to kick them in the head, lol. Silly kids ;-)

Soccer Photo

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Update on the Boys!

Hello!! I know it has been over a month since I have posted and I will try to get better at posting on a more regular basis. It is has been hard getting to it between us having dial up and my laziness ;-) I was debating on starting an actual family newsletter but haven't decided yet if it would be a good idea or not.

Anyways, the boys have been having a blast at soccer. Their last game was this past Saturday and they won! Their final scores was 2 wins & 2 losses. Not bad at all. The nice thing about the way soccer is done here is come spring they will be on the same team again.

Micah & Xavier are in cub scouts now. Micah is a Bear & Xavier is a Wolf. They both are enjoying it and are looking forward to the Halloween Party and Cub Scout Hike. After going through their books though I figured they will earn their Wolf & Bear badge in no time since 1/2 the stuff in the books they do naturally. There are only a few things that they will really have to learn. Then they can work on the arrow points. But first we have to get the Bobcat Badge, the only thing they need to do to earn that is continue practicing the Promise & Law of the Pack the rest of the requirements they have completed.

School is going well. We are finishing up our Pilgrim/Thanksgiving studies and are still working on the colonies and colonists. We spent the last month learning about trees and they are currently making a poster about what they have learned. We have been using a lot of library books for science and history. We are moving back to the human body in science with an emphasis on nutrition & health and will focus on that for the next month. Then move on to Atoms, Molecules & Elements in December. Math & grammar are going well. Micah is whizzing through his book and will be starting on the next book in Dec. while Xavier is right on pace in his book. We are reviewing and filing in gaps in their grammar lessons right now but plan to be in the 4th grade book by January. The only thing we really need to find to complete their schooling is a good spelling program. The boys go to gym every Friday for 2 hours. They are making friends and having a blast playing pool, air hockey, indoor hockey and other games. Today we are going on a field trip to Nelson's Farm Market (provided it stops raining). They will get to tour the farm, have a hay ride and buy some fruit/veggies and next week they get to go to a Honey Farm. Which should be interesting.

For the most part school is chugging along at a good rate and we are all are enjoying it.