Fundraising for a huge field trip/mini vacation

We have decided that we cannot pass up the wonderful opportunity that the Creation Museum is offering for the 2014 year. They are offering FREE children tickets for the entire year. Due to the distance between here and there, and Travis' not being able to ride for long without breaks, and the fact that a ticket is good for two consecutive days, we have decided that we need a minimum of $215.00 per month to be able to go late August or early September.

That being said, we knew we would need to raise the money, as we don't have that left over at the end of each month for sure! We have decided that each month we will have a different charity we will donate to alongside our field trip money. We have been trying to come up with several things to do to come up with the money, and have already gotten started making some, and even opened an Etsy store. The girls are making things as well as myself. 

Although this is far from a complete list, here are some of the charities we hope to be able to help donate to while raising money for our trip: 

*Food Bank

*March of Dimes

*American Heart Association

*American Cancer Society

*Humane Society

*Gardens Club

*Literacy Council

*Susan G. Komen

*Red Cross

*Wounded Warriors program

* Hospice

*A Place for Us Ministries

*Frontline Ministries

* Samaritan's Purse

*Make a Wish Foundation

As it stands right now, each dollar raised will be split 3 ways. 1-To go back into the item that made the money to be able to do it again, 2- To help us make it to the Creation Museum, and 3-To the charity of our choice. I would be absolutely beyond thrilled if I could send each one of these charities a check for $100+ 

Depending on how well this goes, this may become an ongoing project for the girls to work on each year. If it goes as plans, it will help them with setting goals, financial planning, compassion for others, and the importance of giving. 

***SIDE NOTE*** I'm not able to get on the "real computer" much anymore as mine is in the "shop" and it's difficult to get computer time with everything they have to get done for school so it's been quite on the blog, and I'm aware of that, but (although this one is being finished via the "real computer") most of my blog time is via my cell or tablet, and it's not quite as easy (read---fast) to type a letter at a time as it is to type it out (wpm difference is drastic, lol)

 Two of the necklaces I'm making.

 My most recent bow.

 The girls' Christmas bows.

  Our family Christmas pic.

 We have also started reading our first Dear America series book, and so far love it. 

Be blessed, 

Erin

No school on birthdays

Today is Becca's 6th birthday. I have decided that we won't have school on birthdays. I really don't like that I am still sick on her birthday. The other day I made cinnamon buns, and she said she wanted some for her birthday so I guess I will go make them for her. Becca, Jon-Ira, and Melissa all having January were given gift cards to Old Navy over Christmas break. Becca and I went shopping the other night while in Anderson, and I can't wait to see her in her birthday outfit. She was already "missing being 5" last night before today even got here.  I think Travis will have to take her to Firehouse Sub's for her free birthday sub if I don't feel better soon. I am so proud of my baby girl for how far she pushes herself in her schoolwork.

This was the second time I'd made these cinnamon buns, and this time I made them in a larger skillet. I have purchased the plastic canvas for the kiddos recipe boxes, but have to go get the yarn and plastic needles so they can start putting their recipes in them. I know that THIS recipe will definitely be in mine. I don't do it exactly as listed, because I do it by hand.

It's been quiet...

I know it has been quiet on here, but trust me it hasn't been quiet at home. We chose to curriculum free life school the kiddos from Thanksgiving through New Years. That being said, the girls (hopefully) have been learning that there are reasons that go beyond because I said so to clean and organize. I do plan to continue the life schooling once we resume our curriculum. My favorite thing I plan to work on as an ongoing project that spans through the years is to have them create recipe boxes that they add to every time they help with any cooking.
I really enjoyed taking them to the dollar store to buy each others gifts, it really lit me up inside.

I look forward to a great Christmas with my family, and wish any/everbody reading this to have a very Merry Christmas too!

Thanksgiving is approaching

I found this picture that I actually thought I had already posted. This is Lydia's modeling clay version of the Spinx and pyramids in the background. 

It sure has been busy around here the past few weeks. We decided to work on getting Jon-Ira into his room (his room has been our "indoor storage room" if you will) and there were several things that were left in the living room to go through that have been ever so slowly being gone through and so we have been having to work around them to do schoolwork. My step-father broke some ribs so Travis decided we should go up there and help cut up firewood. At first it would have been way to much to bring 5 children to their house as he dealt with the hardest of the recovery stage, so since they had a little bit to last a short while and then we had a slight warm spell, we were able to wait a few weeks before going. We went and were there for a very fast 2 days. It rained the first day which made it hard to do firewood, and I forgot my wrap so I wasn't very helpful at first, but ended up being able to help some when I was able to allow my Mom to enter Grammy mode and tote and love on Melissa while walking around with the other kiddos. 

Being that this is always a tight time of year with mine and Travis' anniversary, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then New Years, and then three kiddo birthdays and then right behind them are mine and Travis'  birthdays we have been trying very hard to minimize the amount of power we are using, so instead of 74 for our A/C on warmer days we bumped it up a degree to 75, and on the cooler days we just haven't turned the heat on at all, and was just using the fireplace. Well, last night it got down in the low 20's so we turned the heat on to 55 and I woke up to it on as the fire had long been out. I am so proud of my Katie Grace and Lydia, but most especially Katie Grace. Yesterday Travis was cutting firewood and she was really busting tail bringing it down to the house and stacking it up! I just hope and pray she doesn't get sick, she wouldn't listen and put on a long sleeve shirt, she had a short sleeve shirt on under her jacket and every time she would get warm would do a few runs without her jacket, and it was quite chilly yesterday. 

This morning I got up and started the fire back up and am already in just about an hours time about out of the wood that was brought in, so I guess I need to go out and get some more to bring in. Hmmmm, maybe I should make some coffee first, so my hands can warm up when I get back in. We have decided that today is going to be the only school day this week before Thanksgiving. I have too many things that I need their assistance in, and/or need my attention to be on to make sure Thanksgiving goes at least half way smoothly. We do however plan on having school Friday and Saturday. I plan on continuing the semi laid back approach to school through the first of the year and then hit it back hard after the new year. I think after how the end of our k12 times were, and for that matter how it started, lol, they deserved not quite a "deschooling" but a relaxed transition period if you will in between the k12 and our homeschooling experience. 

The girls did help me make our menu the other day. I will post it soon, and hope to have them make either a menu or cookbook to journal this years Thanksgiving dinner. I had planned on making a thankful tree on the back of my door, but I can't seem to get my ideas to make sense on paper for the trunk of the tree, I was going to use construction paper, but then you have the limbs and I'm not really thinking that I have the time to cut out limbs out of construction paper, so I may either do just a "pile of thankful leaves" or a tree with no branches, lol. 

Helpers

I started making Becca a counting lapbook last night to help her with learning odd versus even numbers. It didn't turn out the way I first envisioned, but I like it anyways.

This morning I got Travis up and in the woods to go hunting, but couldn't get out of bed because Melissa was still nursing, so in the bed I laid.

Not long after Travis left out Lydia came in asking for help getting the computer to work. I told her I'd be in there as soon as Melissa went back to sleep and would help her after I started a pot of coffee.

I was pleasantly surprised to walk in the kitchen to the coffee pot brewing, and she was filling the grits canister.  She  then asked how to make grits, and went on to do so.

Katie Grace decided to make bacon. At first I think I hurt her feelings when I went on to tell her that the big pan goes on the big eye, but she quickly figured out I was helping her not fussing.

By the time I finished Becca's lapbook (after seeing I had a minute to add the finishing touches) breakfast was nearly done.

Lydia did finally realize the computer wasn't on is why the screen wouldn't light up and was able to start her day.

I'm thankful for... (An ongoing post for the month of November)

In the spirit of thankfulness for the month of November, here are our most thankful things...

1. Erin-I am thankful that Jesus loved me and cared enough about me to die for my sins. 
    Katie Grace- I am thankful for my Mommy
    Lydia- I am thankful for Jesus and God
    Becca- I am thankful for God.

2. Erin- I am thankful for my husband, Travis Britt. Lord knows we have our differences, but there are so many times that I couldn't be who I am to him and our children without him and the love he shows to me, and us. (Even though his show of love is wacky sometimes it's his love and its given to us, and that's all that matters.)
   Katie Grace- I am thankful for being the oldest child.
   Lydia- I am thankful for my family
   Becca- I am thankful for Jesus. 

3. Erin- I am thankful for my 5 healthy children here with me daily.
    Katie Grace- I am thankful for my family
    Lydia- I am thankful for the people around me
   Becca- I am thankful for everyone. 

4. Erin- I am thankful that we are able to homeschool, even though it's not always easy. I'm also thankful that most not so great days still beat the public school bad days.
    Katie Grace- I am thankful for my warm bed.
    Lydia- I am thankful for the trees and flowers.
    Becca- I am thankful for pencils so we can write and draw. 

5. Erin- I am thankful for memories. Memories can take you places that no form of transportation can come close to.
    Katie Grace- I am thankful for Thanksgiving.
    Lydia- I am thankful for all holidays.
    Becca- I am thankful for unicorns. 

6. Erin-I am thankful for my children wanting to learn how to cook, and being able to jump right in and help when needed. I look forward to that love of learning to grow with each season, and passing down the love of cooking and most importantly the love that goes into a recipe.
    Katie Grace- I am thankful for Jesus dying on the cross.
    Lydia- I am thankful for church, and that Jesus died on the cross for me.
    Becca- I am thankful for the trees, and flowers.    

7. Erin-I am thankful for my moms. I am thankful for my Mom Jeannie S. Chambers) that has loved me since the day I was born, and for everything she has done for me emotionally and for the things that she has taught me. I am also thankful for my "adopted mom" or "Hodges mom" Ruth Floyd). She has taken me in as one of her own, and when there are times that I "need my mom" and the 3 hours time difference is hard on me, she is there for me. She also is what I call my "spiritual mom" as she was the one that got me to going back to church when I had swayed from going. I love both of these ladies so very much, and am so happy and blessed to have each of them in my life.
  Katie Grace- I am thankful for love.

8. Erin- I am thankful for love and compassion. There are times that love and compassion are what can be the sole things that can carry you through a situation with or without words
    Katie Grace- I am thankful for my sisters.

9. Erin- I am thankful for holiday traditions, and spending time with family.
    Katie Grace- I am thankful for my brother.

10. Erin- I am thankful for James Williams, and the happiness that he has released within my sister (Susan M. Floyd). He has brought things out in her that we have been yearning for for years. I am so happy for both of them, and so thankful that she is finally at peace with allowing herself to be loved. I am sure getting older had something to do with that too,(not that you're old) but the hugs I yearned for as her big sister growing up, I finally got, and get now that she has him in her life. 
   Katie Grace- I am thankful for toys.

11. Erin- Today I am thankful for our Veterans. I am especially thankful to have had, and have some very wonderful Veterans in our family. I miss my Papa very much, and I appreciate so much the love of his country that he instilled in me. I am happy to have so many military folk that span across the Navy, and Army. 
     Katie Grace- I am thankful for the Creation.

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Jon-Ira

Jon-Ira and his Bobby the bee with his hands for wings.

Jon-Ira the "GEET-BOT"