Randomness......

Pest or Entertainer? We don't know either. He has become Mike's arch nemesis. We originally hung the bird feeder on the tree, but that was way to easy for the squirrels to clean us out. So we got the idea to buy the standing hook, it is about 2 yards behind the tree that it looks so close to in the picture and stands about 3 yards tall, essentially it is an island with no easy access. The squirrel is so persistent that he has learned to climb the pole. So mike put WD-40 on the pole, but that only lasted a day, then he tried crisco, that lasted 2 days, then we re-applied. This is the squirrel robing us after a 3rd application. Since then Mike tried the pole at a slant, I think that made it easier to climb. Now he as moved it closer to the house near a window for a scare factor i think, they haven't been on it today so it may work? Time will tell. I have a feeling Mike vs. the squirrel is not over.


Hosea is showing promising toe dexterity. We need to put a paint brush in there and see what he can come up with? He gets bored quickly and this time he amused himself with something that also amused us.


The children were mesmerized with Shiloh's Cinderella cake. I made it the afternoon before the party, with a handful of hiccups, but eventually it looked somewhat like cinderella. The children moved the step stool in the kitchen while I was making it, and watched intently as sugar took on the form of a princess. There were lot's of oooos...... and ahhhhhhhs, and "mommy it's beautiful", it was so funny! The cake had been on the counter for a few hours and we were getting the kids ready for bed and this is where we found them hanging out waiting to be put to bed, standing on the same step stool drooling over cinderella.


Weenie Roast during Grandma's Visit.


Cheezzzeee..........


This is Hosea doing some Kung Fu moves with his "Marker Tower" his masculine tendencies are really starting to come out in his behavior, ignore me on the phone in the back ground of the video Mike called just as I started recording, and I still wanted to capture the moves, and talk to my man.

Back to work, kind-of?

Mike headed back to work friday, he was home by noon b/c everyone that he needed to "check-in" with was ordered to leave the office at noon. He went back on Monday and the guy he was suppose to "check-in" with was flying and he was told "come back tomorrow", the same exact thing happened Tuesday. Today has been his first "full day" back, but he came home to change uniforms at 9:00am and then for lunch at Noon and didn't return to base until 3:30 b/c he had to"fill out some paper work". And plans to be home at 5:00pm b/c he has a men's meeting tonight at church. So far I love his new job! :) Things are anticipated to pick up after this next weekend though, but I will enjoy him while I've got him, it's such a rare treat. We do live very close to base so we are hopeful to get to see him at lunch occasionally through a normal work week as well, but we shall see? I don't intend to get my hopes up there.

Finding the Woodsmen inside of him.

Mike has had the urge to do some yard work. He wants to plant some new trees/shrubs, but he doesn't want the existing trees to block all the sunlight and stunt their growth, as he is intending for the new ones to serve as a privacy hedge since you can probably see that our back yard neighbors window if peering right over our privacy fence.. So he's decided to do a little "spring cleaning" in the back yard.
















We bought him a chain saw shortly after this. A new toy that he is finding new ways to get to play with it, for example he saw a tree down in a vacant lot near our home and said "that would make some good fire wood", I replied "do we need fire wood?". Of course we do. He is so funny.


















As he is climbing the ladder he says, "it says not to do this but......." Naturally I took a picture. If you can't see what he is doing, there is a very long pole (extended if fullest possible length) with a very small, but sharp saw on the end, made for trimming low branches on trees and such.



















This is the final result of all his labor, I think he did a fine job!

New Tricks

This is Shiloh helping me, by pushing Hosea on the swing. We've been working on "serving joyfully" and what that means. It is funny when we have these type of lessons God allows me opportunities to lead by example when my sinful nature wants to do otherwise. It has been good for us all.

This is the day before Shiloh's 4 yr. b-day. She finally found the groove of pumping her legs on the swing to keep herself going. She looks like a pro, but this is really only the second time she has ever done it. I'm excited about this new trick, it will free up my other hand for #3 this summer. :)

Now this it funny to us, i'm not sure how comical it will be to anyone else? But i decided to post it anyway. When Hosea wakes up from nap he usually calls for us or knocks on his door to let us know he's up. But this day he was silent. We stumbled across him by accident. I believe Mike was headed into the hallway for some reason, and said "babe come see this". When we put Hosea down for nap the hallway was clear, but after nap he apparently occupied himself sending books under neath his door, he must have been at it for a while before we realized it b/c as you can see there are quite a few books there. Silly boy!

"I'm growing taller and taller."

Shiloh is now officially 4!! She's had a blast turning another year older.

She has been such a sweet child to have in our home, we are so thankful God has given her to us for this short time to be stewards over her. It is a blessing to watch her "in training" toward grace, and seeing evidences of fruit in her life at such a young age. This is an old video of when she was about 20 months old, it has been sweet for me to reflect on how much she has changed as she is turning in to a sweet little girl from a toddler, it's amazing! I do so cherish her!



We started out her birthday (the 25th) with her favorite breakfast "corn bread and egg cheese", a family recipe, not sure of it's origin, but glad it came to be. Then we gave her a small gift, and Mike headed outside for a secret operation of assembling a trampoline we had bought on "black friday" via Aunt Stacy. Thanks for doing all the work Aunt Stacy, you labor was not in vain. And also to Mema and Papa for transporting it across the country. Needless to say the kids love it! We don't typically give such large gifts, but since we had already purchased it we thought it would be fun to give on a special day, and Shiloh's b-day was next in line.


Then a special visitor came at noon of the same day, Grandma Kathy! It is so fun to watch the kids adore her, she is a precious grandmother and a delight to have here.


Then came Saturday for the big princess tea party. It was a hit, and a lot of fun for all involved, though I do believe in the future I hope to down size in party extravagance. I learned a bit in the preparation process, and learned of the time required for such details, and believe it should not be so. I love blessing the children in such ways, like in everything moderation is probably best.

"The well-trained mind"

I've recently dove into this book, my friend Cynthia mentioned it being an excellent home-school resource. The Author is Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer, in case you wanted that info. Any way, it has been so good for me. As I suspected, I do not have a well trained mind, in fact I am prone to mental laziness. The book didn't define that for me, but in desiring for my children to have what the book is describing, it was clear to see where I was lacking, and the Holy Spirit convicted me of such mental laziness. It has been so good to have such a conviction. Our pastor used a quote recently about conviction, I must share it.

“What is conviction of sin? It is not an oppressive spirit of uncertainty or paralyzing guilt feelings. Conviction of sin is the lance of the divine Surgeon piercing the infected soul, releasing the pressure, letting the infection pour out. Conviction of sin is a health-giving injury. Conviction of sin is the Holy Spirit being kind to us by confronting us with the light we don’t want to see and the truth we’re afraid to admit and the guilt we prefer to ignore. Conviction of sin is the severe love of God overruling our compulsive dishonesty, our willful blindness, our favorite excuses. Conviction of sin is the violent sweetness of God opposing the sins lying comfortably undisturbed in our lives. Conviction of sin is the merciful God declaring war on the false peace we settle for. Conviction of sin is our escape from malaise to joy, from attending church to worship, from faking to authenticity. Conviction of sin, with the forgiveness of Jesus over our wounds, is life.” Ray Ortlund, Jr – Commentary on Isaiah

Isn't that great!!

So back to what I was saying, I am a "hard worker" by definition. I can't think of anyone who knows me that would be even tempted to say "That Appollo Schloss, she's lazy!" B/c my physical work ethic is "well-trained" and has been for most of my life. God used my parents who are hard workers to spur this in me and other physically demanding activities such as athletics to train me. Not to mention being the wife of a military man, filling Mike's shoes in his absence however short or long is not an easy task. But I can't say so much for my mental life. B/c I'm the only one who knows of it, I'm the only one I'm accountable to. I started bad habits for this early in my life, being perceptive enough to know exactly what I needed to do just to get by in school, and other activities. Leaving this area unchallenged for much of my life. I can tell taking on the project of home-schooling is not going to allow for such sluggish mental behavior. And why should it? If I am expecting my children to perform in such a manner, why shouldn't I lead by example. So please pray for me as I am newly aware of this need for change in my life, and not exactly sure where to start implementing changes, as I see such a great need in many areas. I know God's grace is sufficient and He will supply my every need. He is so kind like that!

Picnic

Who wouldn't want to picnic on the bathroom floor, it's full of "scenery" and such. I do appreciate that the children are playing well together, but their ability to shuffle large amounts of toys/objects to an undesirable location has worn on me a bit. I wish I could push a button called "shuffle rewind" and it would all go back to "where it goes", especially for that pile of decorations that is now blocking the walkway from the sun-room to the living room.