Honduras

I know that I should tell you guys all about my awesome trip to Honduras. But, I can't. I can't write these things down for the whole world to see. I know that right now, the only people that really read this blog are the people I know, but my thinking is that if you want to know about this trip, come talk to me. I'd love to tell you all about it! So instead of telling you about the trip, I'll tell you about the transition home.

If any of you have been on an over seas mission trip, you'll know how hard it is to come home. I came home completely content, until I started seeing people, tv, talking to people, and getting a glimpse at the 'American life'. I was in a constant conflict with my self. "Were people always like this? Has America always been so indulgent?" I came to realize that Americans didn't change, I did. While I'm not someone that's about to go sell everything to raise money for whatever, I am still shaken up.

When I finally got home and got settled, I wanted to go back. I wanted to go back to the smiling, friendly, spanish-speaking people of Honduras. But, I know I couldn't. Atleast until the next trip in August 2013 =]. I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things here, which breaks my heart even more. I don't want to forget and get swallowed up in the consumerism. So I constantly look at pictures, reread what I've written in my journal, and continue to write in my journal.

One of the biggest and most joyful lessons I learned while in Honduras isn't that the people live in poverty, anyone could tell you that, it's a bit more juvenile. Laughter is a universal language. While in Honduras I couldn't speak with the children very much. I could ask what their name was and if they had siblings, but once they heard that they thought I spoke the language. Oops! Anyway, what I could do is play with them and take turns teaching them English and having them teach me Spanish, and most importantly laughing. When they see me laugh, they can't help but laugh and vice-versa. Whether you speak Spanish, English, Creol, Italian, or any other language you can be certain that laughter is universal.

~ Jessica

Ooops, I did it again!!!!

I have a confession to make.  I changed around some rooms last week.....specifically the school room (gasp!!).  I know, I know, I was smack dab in the middle of a tour of that space but I just couldn't help myself!!  The force was too great and I could not ignore it any longer.  I'm sorry....well, actually, I'm not!!  I couldn't be happier with the change!  

 

 

So here ya have it.....our new school space!!!!

 

This is one of our smaller bedrooms.  It was most recently the boys room.  It's a tiny space and they were squished in here, which was crazy to me.

 

The huge desk fits in here perfectly, and it's big enough for all three or four of us to work there at the same time! I was even able to tuck a little desk into the closet, just in case we need some extra work space. 

 

 

I love the bright cheery yellow on the walls and that certainly helps to make up the fact that there is only one window in this room.  The boys already had a bulletin board up, so I was able to just transfer my things over.  I grabbed the bookcase from Joe's closet and it works perfectly there just inside the door.

 

I've been tossing around the thought of doing this for a long time. I thought it was silly for the boys to have such a small bedroom and for me to have such a large school room.  It just didn't make sense to me.  So I changed it!

 

 

 

The second small bedroom, which was supposed to be Jaysen's room but ended up just a space for stuff, is now our "library/media room"  

 

 

I love the warm brown colors in here.  The turquoise curtains go beautifully and the little chippy dresser actually has some pretty turquoise spots showing through.  This used to be Joe's dresser, now it houses movies, math manipulatives, markers and scrap paper.  Our kitty, Nelson, loves that little padded stool.....he sleeps there, alot!!

 

The closet holds science kits, binders and other supplemental supplies.

 

Our cubes or "library" fits perfectly too!  I love the open floor space, perfect for piling lots of pillows and blankets for movies or reading.  I still have a little bit or work to do decorating the spaces but that may or may not happen.  As for now, I'm done.  It's time to enjoy the space and see how it all feels.

 

So for those of you who are shaking your heads at me, I know!!  I am crazy but I can't help it....I really don't want to help it.  I absolutely ADORE creating new spaces!!  I love to take multiple spaces and re-create the same use over and over, each space offering something new and different.  A friend said that God was not going to give me a mansion in Heaven, but one small room!  I told him that that would not be Heaven, but Hell instead!!  He has created me to be creative and I doubt that He will stifle that in Heaven!!!  So there :P  take that "friend" ha ha!!

 

All kidding aside, I struggle with feeling ridiculous that I "need" to change things so much and loving it, knowing that this is how He's created me!  I am pretty sure that I am done moving rooms and furniture around....my body isn't as young as it used to be and it sure takes a toll!  But I make no promises :)

 

<3 Lorraine

 

 

 

Midweek slump

Hey gatherers!!!  How are you all doing?? 

It's been rainy and hazy and humid around here and let me tell ya, it's not helping my outlook!!!  Saturday night a sore throat came upon me out of nowhere!!  It hasn't progressed but it's leaving me very tired and weak and well, just kinda achey!!  Seeing that I don't really have the time to nurse a cold, I have been pushing through and not doing a bad job at it either.  But today, well, that's feeling like a different story....it's gonna be a tough one!  I'm leaning hard into Jesus, giving thanks anyway and looking for the blessings, but I'm weary.

one of the first things I saw this morning as I came downstairs....Smokie

  He's looking a bit weary too!!

 

I'm still going to push on and school the children and I will muster up some strength to shower and go to youth group later - because I love it!!!    I have the opportunity to spend time with some of the coolest kids and adults that I know - so nasty little cold is gonna have to take a backseat, cuz I'm goin!!!

 

So here's just something little for your midweek slump -if you're having a slump that is........I went to the Christian Bookstore on Friday - something that I don't get to do very often at all -and I picked up these little cuties!!

 

"Almost Amish" looks to be a very good book about slowing down and finding the blessings that come with a slower paced life - Yes Please!!!

 

"The Story" is the bible in, you guessed it, story form!!  It's condensed into 31 chapters and reads more like a story book. 

 

 I haven't had a chance to look at either book yet, well let me rephrase that.....I've been "looking" at the books since I brought them home, what I meant to say was that I haven't had the chance to READ either one of them!!  I can't wait!!

 

I hope that you have a blessed week!!!  Remember that each and every day is a gift, no matter what the wrapping looks like!!! 

 

Happy Wednesday!!

<3 Lorraine

 

Oh hey!!  What are some of your favorite reads....new or old??  Share them, please :)

 

 

 

 

School Room Tour - Part Two: Their Space

Hey welcome back to the tour!!!!  Today we're heading into kid territory!!!  Otherwise called "Their Space"!!!!!  I showed you this pic in the last post:

 

 

So let's dig in and see what's goin' on over there, shall we??

 

So, their desks came from a Habitat for Humanity - Resale store and they are actually drawing desks.....the desktop can be raised up on an agle for better drawing.  I always try to keep them in the up position with the hope that "stuff" won't accumulate on top, but it never works out!!  They also have two shelves to hold their books and pencil boxes.

 

They were both supposed to have that red basket on their desk, which holds things to do in case of extra time, extra math workbooks, flash cards, etc.  Of course, now that we are three weeks into school, if they finish an assignment early, I've been telling them to move onto something else in their schedule.  So we don't typically use the "Things to-do" baskets, but it was a good idea!!

 

They each have a square chalkboard from Five Below and I've taped a copy of their weekly schedule on to them.  Jaysen likes to draw and tapes his pictures up around his desk and Julia has a magnet board that I made years ago out of a cookie sheet, scrapbook paper and some Mod Podge.  At this point though, the board is gone because it always fell down!

 

Both desks look incredibly clean and well organized in these pictures, and let me assure you, that is not always the case!!!  See here:

 

That's real life!!  Right there for all to see!!!

 

Okay, back to the tour :)

 

So we have the desks, now onto the area in between:

 

So here we have one of the bookcases from the craig's list desk set and that sits on top of an old drop leaf table.  Behind that notice branches.....it's a large tree that I painted last year.....my plan was to make it a Missionary tree, which I sort have accomplished, just not completely the way that I'd planned.  We have pictures tacked up of our missionary friends from around the world.  My overall goal is to have the pictures in nice frames "hanging" from the branches.....maybe one day!

 

On the bookcase we have more things to keep them busy, and yes that actually translates into, more things that we don't use :/  Yeah, I have a lot of that!!  I've been slowly working on downsizing my stuff....getting rid of the items that I know we are never going to use and unmasking the ideal for what it is.......something that really can't be achieved in one certain way.  I've always tended to look at the "ideals" that the world shows and then end up frustrated that I can't achieve it in my own life.  Never realizing that the magazines are just that....magazines; staged, pretend pictures of what "could be"!  Yeah could be if no one lived there, if you were a maniac slave to your home and didn't let your children breathe in a room.  I'm kind of over that know, but still have the residue from a time long gone.  Sorry about the tangent, that's for another day and post!!

 

In the basket are drawing books and math games.  To the right of that are Nature's Friends magazines, Birds and Blooms and a series of workbooks about the United States.  Plus a small series of children's encyclopedias. 

 

On the bottom shelf:

 

Extra Science books and math manipulatives......they actually do get used!!

 

Well that covers "Their Space", a bit of psychology on what is real versus not and a pinch of my journey to living out the "less is more" philosophy.

 

Join me again for the rest of the tour!!  We'll be covering the library (a.k.a. Ikea bookcase)  and the media center. 

 

<3 God Bless

Lorraine





 

 

 

TGIF!!!!!

Oh Happy Happy Friday Friends!!!!!

 

I just wanted to leave you with a little truth wrapped up in humor for your weekend!

 

thank you Pinterest

 and http://www.everydaypeoplecartoons.com/cartoon/523/Routine-Cartoon

 

This totally sums up who I am!!!  I am at the end of three/four weeks of this new routine and I'm definitely passed the "I Love Routine" mark, I've been hanging out quite a bit in the "Until I'm bored" mark and I definitely feel the "Until I'm Overwhelmed" mark looming ever so closely!!

 

This is a challenge for me, I know for a lot of you, this is a cake walk - but for me? Not so much.

Anyway, thanks to the strength of God, I am daily leaning into Him to keep me moving forward and He is actively participating in the battle that rages in my mind!!!  I will not ponder a negative thought for more than a minute and I'm looking forward to the day (and I pray it's soon) that the thought will be defeated before it even gets to my mind!!

 

Well, I pray that you have a blessed weekend!!! Remember that each and every day is truly a gift from God, no matter what the wrapping paper may look like!!  So do your best to accept the gift and look for ways to enjoy it!!

 

Love <3 Lorraine

School Room Tour - Part One: My Space

Let me preface this tour by telling you that we have been homeschooling for 8 years and have probably had as many "school rooms" in that time!!!  We have schooled in the living room, dining room and we have even turned our attached garage into a classroom.....we've used the family room for storage as well! Jessica has used her bedroom, Joe has only a few times during the week that he does school here at home, and that happens at the dining room table.  Other times it's on the road or with Jessica where she works.  Life shifted and so did our rooms and furniture (surprise surprise) and now we have a fully functional school room!!  Now, I have to say that I believe any space can be fully functional, you just have to be creative with what you need, how you use it and what space you have!  There is no right or wrong space....it's all what you make it!!

Let's get started. 

Won't you step into.........

This monster is my desk/office and it was a steal, along with a credenza, two bookcases and a chair for $150!!!!!  It was a craig's list find....I highly reccomend craig's list....we've gotten some amazing deals from there!!  As with anything on line, you have to be smart and safe, but we've never ran into any problems!! 

 

It has a huuuge work space!!!  I had to get up high just to try to fit it all in the same shot and still was unable!!

 

In addition to this awesome desktop, it has three drawers on the left side and two on the right, with one being a file drawer!!  My drawers are somewhat of a mess, but I tend to keep some stationary supplies in a few of them, things I don't have a place for in others, computer wires in another and of course, files in the file drawer!!!  Those files contain homeschooling ideas for history, science, math worksheets, files for Jessica's college and Honduras information and personal files as well.

 

 

What do I keep on my desk??  Well, I came across these sweet cups at Target!!  The first time it was just a drive by....they were on clearance for under $5.00.  The next time I went to Target, I knew I had to have them!!

 

 

I knew as soon as I saw them, that they'd be perfect on my desk holding paper clips, alligator clips and other small desk items!!

 

I also keep a spot for schedules and an in/out bin for turning in work.

 

And some extra supplies, just in case.......

 





 

Behind me is what I like to call.......

 

 

It's a work in progress!!  I'd like to paint some of those frames so that they pop off the wall and of course add some fun and color to the otherwise gray corner!!

I downloaded and printed the tape measure, I'm sorry that I don't remember where I found it!!  If I ever do remember, I'll be sure to give credit where credit is due!!

My son, Joe made me the Ninja Star wreath!!  The square chalkboard I picked up at FiveBelow and the crate looking box is actually a blueberry box that I found on Craig's List at DiMeo's Farms!!  I love these boxes, I have several and have found many different uses for them!!

 

This is where I keep a mix of things....both personal and school related!  We'll start with the bulletin board.  Here I keep a small mothly calendar that I printed off of the computer for free, a piece of 12 x 12 scrapbook paper covered in clear contact paper to make it a message board (which I don't really use), a list for daily chores (which I don't really use either) or things to do and any pictures or notes from my kids.

 

 

Here's a closer view of the bookcase.

 

On the top I have a sorting box that holds devotional books and notebooks - I have a lot of both!  Also on the top shelf are my Math Teacher's Guide and two of my bibles.  On the next row down I have some of my reading books, a stack of which are gifts for some friends of mine (ssshhhh), a small box of knock-off washi tape, a picture frame with scrapbook paper in it and a post it-note on it, the black metal box holds more books.  I've got some reading to do!!

 

Next row down is a basket of printed printer paper, say that five times quickly.  There's a random roll of packing tape (ya just never know) and a paper cutter.  Under that is a large grouping of colored file folders, printer and photo paper in the boxes, a desktop organizer that I made out of a cereal box and a large stack of tissue paper that I promised Julia I'd make these out of!!

 

It's cozy back here, I have a super view out of the double window next to my desk.  I can look out at the trees in my backyard and I have a super view of the rest of the room!!

 

I love watching the leaves on the birch tree dance in the breeze, listen to the roosters crowing and the birds singing.  I think it helps keep me grounded and mindful of God's gifts throughout the day.  Out the other window, to the right, I can see a windmill in the distance.  It's a very peaceful scene.

 

 

Well, that concludes this portion of our tour!!  Here's a quick peek of the other piece of my view:

 

We'll get into this side of the room in my next post - School Room Tour - Part Two:  Their Space!!

I hope you have enjoyed this portion of the tour, come back again to see the rest!!

 

<3Lorraine

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inspiration?

I was just 'inspired'. I know, I know, if you talk to my mom being 'inspired' it's nowhere out of the ordinary. But I'm not one much for inspiration. I'd rather stick with just doing it.

I don't read many blogs. I have a few that I read, a few that my friends write, but not tons. Maybe five. I was surfing the internet (when I should be working on school stuff) and I decided to look through my moms blog list. I came upon this gorgeous picture and had to read whatever was attached to it.

 

Go ahead, go read the post. Exactly 1 week and 3 days away from going to Honduras and I have to say, this was the little push I needed. I couldn't tell you the bloggers name, I could only tell you that I think she's the one who has really cute parties. I have no idea. This is my mom's thing. But today this was what I needed and today it was given to me.

behind the scenes

So as most of you (my friends, that is) know, on Thursday evening I was feeling a bit unsettled and in a strong need of change!  I was exhausted and was advised to rest and let things be!  Well I went to bed at 8:00 that night and apparently that extra rest gave me the umph that I needed to tackle the change on Friday night!!

After several partial conversations with my hubby, we busted a move around 8:00 (i think)!!  I am forever thinking about how things could be better, whether it's form or function, I can't help it, it's just in me!!!  I wasn't looking to just move furniture around the living room, I was ready to move furniture out of the living room, and the dining room AND the family room!!!

We are not finished with the spaces yet but I thought I'd give you a little glimpse behind the scenes, rather behind the cabinets.  They, too, got an overhaul!!  It's not ideal and my dishes aren't exactly what I want, but hey!!  I sure am glad that I have them!!

So here it is!!

 

This is the pantry closet that resides in the original dining room.  It's been a pantry and a china closet.....now it houses all of our baking supplies; pans, carriers, sprinkles, etc.   The large white plastic basket on the bottom holds cookie cutters and there's another on the bottom shelf that holds confectioners sugar, brown sugar and chocolate chips.  I like to keep things together whenever possible.  That way we all know where something is, there's never a question....well, until I decide to change it up again!!

 

These two are pretty self explanatory!!  One holds our matching set of dishes and mugs and yes, random bowls on top and the other is our glasses and random mugs.  I think it's time to go through and thin out this random collection of dishware!!  I would absolutely LOVE a set of nice white dishes, but that's not happenin' any time soon!!  You can still group things together and have it look decent, even if it doesn't all match.

 

We moved our pots and pans up from the space under our stove (we have a cooktop).  These deep corner cabinets are hard to use for smaller things and if you're short they're even harder!!

 

This was a random medicine and odd bowl space, sorely underused!!  Now it's home to our mixing bowls and strainers!

This is one of my favorite pieces of furniture!!!  It's been our china closet and pantry as well and it even housed our schoolbooks!!

 

 

Now it's our media cabinet!!  There's plenty of space for our gaming systems (three of them, which I think is a bit much), video games, equipment and movies!!

 

 

This is another great cabinet that I picked up at a phenomenal yard sale!!  It was orignially in the girls room and held anything from craft supplies to bins of clothing and shoes!!  As of about a month ago, it was a media cabinet in our living room turned dining room!

Can you tell I love things that are multi-functional??!!

 

Now it holds our tupperware and random pantry items....these were previously housed in our big hutch, that got moved into the new dining room!! 

 

Tupperware always seems to be a problem!!  So we group like items together and stack them and I've used these smaller white plastic baskets to hold the lids....all round together, all square and all rectangular lids together!!  No guessing, no tossing them anywhere!!!  Baskets are the answer to pretty much every storage issue you have!!!  You can't ever have too many!!

 

So there ya have it!  A quick look behind the cabinets!!!  There are a few more that need attention, but that will come another day!!

 

What's in your closets???

 

<3Lorraine

Power & Presence

My two classes on campus at college consist of World Regional Geography and Intro to Sociology. As I continue to study the description of the Earth and the way humans react in social situations I'm becoming more and more aware that the world doesn't revolve around me, or any humans for that matter. We don't know everything, we're not in charge. As much as we like to think that we can effect the world and as much as we like to worry about who's "in charge" there's not really anything to worry about. God's in charge. God's the one that uses US to change the world. We can't use GOD to change the world.

The mere presence of God in creation is becoming more and more real to me. Not only his creations and his art, but also his power. If the Earth, in all it's sinfulness, can construct hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards that are powerful enough to rip whole villages out of the ground and turn beauty into a wreck, how much more powerful is God? He can turn a wreck into beauty. Not only can God take an emptiness and turn it into the beautiful Earth we have, but The Holy Spirit can take the emptiness in a heart, or the gross stuff in our lives and turn it into something that will glorify him.

- Jessica

What's in my bag? (School Edition)

Hey guys - as you may know I started college a week or two ago and thought it was a GREAT reason to buy a new bag!! Also, I had a gift card from my birthday, so I justified it. I thought I would post a little "What's in my bag?" post today! I always love to look at things like this and get good ideas about what kinds of bags hold the most, how to organize my bag, and just to be nosey! So, without further ado, here it goes!

This is the bag that I bought off of Amazon.com for my school stuff! It's made by Roxy and comes in 2 different patterns! Go see the bag here. I really like this bag and it holds everything I need really well. It has three pockets in the front and then one big pocket, tote style. You'll see all that later, though.

 

Here's a picture of the front three pockets, you can see that they're really big and deep pockets, which is nice.

 

The first picture here shows the first front pocket and then the second picture shows everything, yes it's a lot, that I keep in there. I keep some post-it-notes, tabs, binderclips & paperclips, and tons of pens. I keep so many pens with me because I color code my planner, but in actuality I only use black, blue, and sometimes purple when I'm at college. Next, you can see the middle pocket, which is slightly wider than the other two. In there I keep my glasses case & wipe, my umbrella (I do have to walk from one building to the next), tissues, white out, and more post-it-notes that don't belong in that pocket! haha My phone typically resides in this pocket as well.

 

The last pocket I keep a water bottle. The first day of college I didn't bring a water bottle and I was sorry! I like to bring this little guy from Target, I believe, it holds 10 oz. of water I think... don't quote me on that. It's the perfect amount of water and it slips right into the pocket!

 

Inside of my bag I keep all of my books plus my wallet. A lot of times I feel like the bags going to break from all of my books, but so far it hasn't. My only complaint about the bag is the fact that there isn't a base on the bottom of it. It's all cloth and therefore doesn't provide any stability for your books. Anyway, you can see in the top right picture that I have The Help (for a report), my planner, notebook, sociology book, geography book, and a folder.

 

The planner I use is also from target and it's from bluesky. Now, I haven't been able to find the planner on Target's website and when we bought it it was the only one there. This one is similar, just a different color! So, I don't know whether or not they still sell it. The planner, is a really nice list-like-format. I'm really enjoying it. I keep a notebook that I got from target in my bag as well (can you tell where we went shopping?) and a folder. My notebook has three different sections that I take notes in and in my folder I keep all of my handouts and extra blank paper.

 

Thanks for 'tuning in'! It's not too fancy but I found a system that works for me! If you have any questions let me know and I'll attempt to answer them!

 

~Jessica