First Day at Beaches Chapel School

Mrs. McDonald and Annie

As much as I was dragging my feet about starting school, it was a pleasant experience taking my babies to BCS!  I reflected what a gift it is to walk into your child’s class and to have a long history and love for their teachers.  I don’t ever want to forget that or take it for granted!  It’s a less stressful, less fearful time for my children.  I love it that Annie and Bonnie's teachers were former students and love the school.  Bubba and Maggie's teachers have been there for the last 20 years and consider it a privilege to educate children!  That is the gift that BCS offers families, the gift of true passion and commitment to education.   It’s a passion not just a job!  It impacts children forever to be in that familiar, loving, Christian caring atmosphere. 

Mrs. Rogers and Maggie

I remember when I attended BCS and classmates who didn’t want to be there, would tell me I would never make it in college because I always attended BCS.  I knew I would be fine.  It was a great feeling of accomplishment when I was on the Dean’s List every semester in college.  I had a private “I TOLD YOU SO” moment when I graduated with honors and was the sole recipient of the Business Scholarship Award for the entire Business School at JU!  It was an award to recognize the person who was most likely to succeed in business.  I know in my heart, had I not gone into the ministry, that I could have been highly successful in the business world.  I attribute all that to two things, being raised in a very happy home with parents who adored each other and who believed and encouraged me.  Secondly, I believe it was from going to BCS.  I had the word of God poured into me and teachers and principals who sowed into my life, loved me and prayed for me.  I learned at an early age that only in God can you find true happiness and true success. 

Mrs. Ashmore and Bubba

I’ve known many people through the years who judged wrongly about the education that is provided at BCS.  They say you need a bigger school experience or a prep school for success.  What I know from personal experience and from observation for the last 35 years is that a loving, Christian environment that creates a protected, self-confident and nurtured individual is the greatest way to achieve success. I take it quite personal when people bash the school I graduated from and the school four of my children attend.  Because of the love and encouragement from teachers to kids who may have been the  “Cast Offs” or “Less Bright” many of them have become, doctors, lawyers, judges and more.  BCS has NEVER hindered anyone educationally but quite the opposite.  People have told me that you shouldn’t shelter your kids that they need to face the real world.  I think that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.  I have no concerns that the “Real World” will find them soon enough and beat them around.  I will postpone that for as long as possible because it will surely come. Time will only tell how my kid’s will turn out but I have great confidence in my God that HE is all they need, not a big school experience or a prep school.


Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8

Ms. Greene and Bonnie

Last Day of Summer :(

Celebrating final day of summer with Food Feast!

I am still quite stunned that our much-anticipated summer is over!  We had a good one with our annual mountain trip, a couple river trips, VBS and great camps.  I really could use another week to do all those things I wanted to do.  I started off the summer with a bang, checking off my to do list of cleaning closets, dressers and more.  I slowed to a crawl and still have not sorted my kid’s schoolwork from last year and low and behold, tomorrow afternoon they will be bringing new papers home.  I guess I know what project I will do after they leave for school. I think I have most, if not all of their school supplies. Their four lists have merged in my brain and I can no longer decipher who gets what.  Bonnie tries to be helpful and swipes a bunch of designated supplies from her siblings and bedazzles and writes her name in purple on everything.  Thank the Lord, we finally found acceptable lunchboxes for Maggie and Annie (after going to three stores in the torrential downpour yesterday.) I just couldn’t make them use ones from last year that are held together with the glue gun due to KC’s altercations.  Bubs was the easiest.  I asked if he needed a new lunchbox and he said no he likes his Miami one (that is also glued together and even has some duct tape on the inside.  I guess KC decided to rip the lining to make sure food wasn’t hiding there.)

Lunchbox Central

The scariest part of tomorrow will be when Eddie figures out he isn’t also going to school.  He has been wearing his backpack all day in preparation! We ended the summer exactly how we started with a little fast food binge!  I had my favorite Mocha Frappe from Mc and the kids gorged themselves with Sonic lunch and slushies.  For dinner, we hit Burrito Gallery (hope they are able to recover from the Wog invasion!)I love the slower pace of summertime.  There is no frantic rushing the kids out the door in the morning and nights are not filled with endless homework. Stress level is low.  I know school is mandatory but I sure wish our summers could be longer.  Life has gotten so very hectic and these times with all my babies home are fleeting. I know we have more than the average amount of kids but even friends with two kids are maxed out!  I don’t know what the answer is honestly.  I wish I did.  The best thing I can do is to pray to the Lord that he gives all of us parents the wisdom to balance, strength and the patience to get back to school and into a routine. So long summer. 

 

Burrito Gallery

Grill Master

My birthday dinner (grilled by Dan!)

I think I am the luckiest wife ever!  I married a man who grew up with a Dad who did most of the cooking so he thinks that is normal! (Shhhhh, don’t tell him it’s rare!)  Dan is definitely the best cook in the house.  He says it’s because I don’t focus or pay attention therefore I burn things regularly.  That’s probably the truth! 

We went to the River this weekend and he outdid himself with our meals!!  He grills almost everything!! We had delicious steak for dinner, hamburgers for lunch and perfectly cooked ribs and chicken for dinner, the next night!  I am salivating typing this at how good it was!  My kids love when he wraps the corn in tinfoil with butter inside and grills those too!  The clean up is the best part. No pots at all!  He uses all kinds of “rubs” and at times puts special wood on the coals to flavor the meat.  I am very impressed.  I get no thrill or satisfaction from cooking.  It’s a means to an end for me.  He buys special ingredients and concocts sauces and such!  I am eager to try his new creations!  Years ago, I bought him Webber’s Grill Cookbook and he made me the best birthday meal ever a couple years ago from a recipe he found. I think there would be many more happy wives if husbands would just grill more!  

Dan can feed the masses!

Zebra Obsession

College days of skiing

I would love to know why we gravitate to certain things.  I randomly bought a spring ski jacket in college that was Zebra print.  It made me so happy and I have no clue why.  I got an old recliner from my grandmother when I moved in my house after college.  I got it recovered in zebra fabric and it brought so much joy to me!! 

My bedroom wall

My mom and I painted phenomenal zebras across my whole bedroom and I still grieve that when we moved out, they got painted over. When I was the Youth Pastor at my church, students regularly gave me gifts and I can’t even tell you how many zebra themed presents I have received, mugs, pens, pads, shirts, socks, clips and more!  I really could loose complete control and go overboard.  The first time I went to Hobby Lobby, I had to leave in a hurry because I was overwhelmed with their zebra section. They had zebra chairs, frames, trunks, pots and more.  I couldn’t contain myself.  I know you think I may be exaggerating but I am truly obsessed and might have a problem.  When I go shopping all I want to buy is zebra clothing, earrings and such.  Thankfully, it comes and goes in availability through the years but right now it is hot and everywhere!  I know I will be tempted wherever I go!

Yes I wanted to buy this!

I went shopping with Bonnie for a few new clothes because she has sprouted up over the summer and she picked out a zebra shirt. I pretty much wanted to cry I was loving it so much!  Then as if God was smiling down on us, we found a gorgeous dress on the clearance rack and you guessed it, it was zebra too!  I asked her on the way home if she really liked zebra or was she just trying to make me happy (as firstborns are prone to do.)  She said that she loves zebra and that it is very in style so I felt better!!   I may need to join a zebra support group and talk with other compulsive people about why I have such an affection for that animal.  I am secretly hoping to have a zebra rug one day, for real!!

Cutest dress ever!!!

School Shopping

Annie loves her shoes so much she takes pictures!

You haven’t lived until you go shopping with all the Wogs.  It was Shoe and Sock day!  I have been recovering all day.  Annie hates girlie shoes and everyone I would try to get her to buy, she would say, “Nope, too pink!” or “Nope, too sparkly!”  Finally, I found a black pair that was sequin but not too flashy and of course they didn’t have her size! :/  Annie has loved athletic shoes and would secretly take pictures of them with my phone and even sleep with them.  She is so very unique and I so enjoy her!  Then we have Ed who runs like an Olympic champion down the isle and got punished two times for running away.  Then he starts ramming the basket into displays and I kept getting disapproving looks from passerby’s.  I wanted to beg them for help honestly!  I think they may have a tad bit more mercy if they stuck around for the madness.  He finally decides on Cars shoes and I check another Wog off my list.  Bonnie is a teenager now and isn’t interested in practical school shoes.  She picks out these fashionable, (non-durable) shoes and I went along with it because I remember being a teen!  Bubba can’t handle the drama and asked Dan to take him this weekend!  Mags got some “pretty in pink” tennis shoes, of course!

This was more work than it looks!

We moved on to socks and Annie didn’t want any pink or purple toes on hers, Bubba only wears black, Mags got pink. I didn’t ask for Ed’s opinion and Bonnie could careless!  I will sleep better tonight knowing most of the Wogs have shoes and socks for school!  Now onto the 150 items on their collective school supply list…Jesus help me, please!

Why I Love Facebook

Cara and Ed 2008

My friend Cara talked me into getting a Facebook 3 years ago.  I thought it was just for young peeps and she assured me it’s for everyone.  She sat at my counter and signed me up!!  It was really strange at first to talk to people out in the open and at first I rarely posted anything.  I just friended people and looked on their pages to see how this thing works.  I started getting the hang of it and felt really smart when I figured out how to post pictures and videos.

Social Media Diva

The person who has taught me to utilize it as a FREE marketing tool is my niece, the Social Media Diva, Alexandra Smith.  She has been so sweet to me and taught me how to tag pictures and how to tag people in my posts and more.  I also was so happy when I learned to post a link to something.  She has never acted like I was a pathetic old person trying to be cool like other people have. (Who now all have Facebooks themselves!) It has been a blessing also for business purposes.  I rented my house by Facebook, got my nephew jobs, even found the Rocky movies I could borrow, got answers to my questions (like what to do when you drop your phone in a pot of water.  Someone told me to put it in rice and it worked!) I have gotten people for our summer camps and church activities too!   The best part is it’s FREE!  Now I have a faction of people who harass me if I don’t post pictures fast enough!  It’s the greatest sharing mechanism of all time.  I keep waiting for my commission check from Facebook for all the people I have recruited for them!  Nothing yet!

Mom busted on her iPhone at a family dinner

The most surprising Facebooker is my mom.  For years she was like ABSOLUTELY NOT!  Then for some reason she snapped and said I could help her start a page.  She was hilarious too. She has a great sense of humor and would post really funny things.  Then mom got an iPhone and I am so thankful.  I totally thought it was a waste of money and told my sister Sharri who was pushing for mom to get an iPhone.  My mom has BLOWN my mind.  She not only LOVES it, she is a procifient texter and can send me pix and videos too!  It was a great blessing during a time when she got really sick and couldn’t be around all my kids.  We stayed connected through Facebook.  She got to see all my pictures and feel a part until she recovered.

It can be strange too when you get unfriended or blocked.  It kind of hurts your feeling in a weird techno way!  Some people I have felt close to, have blocked me (I am still blocked) and that was bizarre to me.  What are they doing that is so bad, that they don’t want me to know about it?  If they want privacy, then why are they even on facebook or why did they accept my request to then block me? Or do they just not want to be included in my life.  It makes you wonder.

Someone told me one time and it’s so true “There are two kinds of creepers on Facebook, those who creep and those who lie!” The fact of the matter is you can no longer disregard the power of Facebook and the impact it has on the world.  You can act like you don’t like it or use it but the result will be that you out of the loop on everything and unconnected.  They even have cell phones with a Facebook button on the outside for easier posting. Are people idiots on Facebook?  ABSOLUTELY!  Everyday I amazed at the people who cuss, who put inappropriate pictures on there and make themselves look like morons.  The best part of Facebook is the delete key.  I wish more people would use it. For me, it is the only social life I have.  For years it seems, I had lost touch with so many people I love in the blur of pregnancy and infanthood.  It’s been a gift to me to reconnect and to be involved and a part of my friends and families lives.  I don’t care about the people that make fun of me for facebooking.  I have nothing to hide and want to share my life with others.

Early Bedtime

Annie's last night in the crib in Bub's room

I have joked about how early my mom put me to bed but I honestly think it is one of the smartest things a parent can do.  For us, we live in a bunkhouse situation with 5 kids in 2 bedrooms.  We are planning on doing an addition some time soon and make two more bedrooms in the garage but for now the kids share.  I really think it’s a wonderful thing.  Obviously, when they go to camp or college they will be used to sharing a room. If you put them in their rooms an hour before they really should be sleepy, it gives them time to settle chat, read books and settle down. I bought them book lights and they play a lot with those!  Not sure how much reading they do but they do have fun with them. We play Christian radio in their rooms and my kids know all the songs on the radio and I love that! I did catch them turning on a hip-hop station once and they got in trouble for that.  A little hip-hop, now and then doesn’t bother me but not at night.  I want them falling asleep hearing about God and not bootie dancing.  

Eddie's 1st Night in the crib in Bub's room

The obvious benefit is that it gives parents a break too.  I typically do a lot of chores at night especially during the school year. Of course they squabble at times but I love to hear their conversations.  Bonnie is easy going and is a good listener and Bubs is opinionate and a talker so it works out well.  Before I had Eddie, Annie shared a room with Bubba and when she was a baby I would hear Bubba telling her all about football and his favorite players.  No wonder the girl likes sports LOL!!  Surprisingly we have very peaceful nights even though people rotate around.  All and all I just dread the day they are no longer in their beds living with me :(  I love my babies!