Decisions

We've been faced with a few challenges these past few weeks. The first major one was Justin's job. Right after we came back from vacation, he was told that he would be transferring to Palm Springs to open the big new store. This was a difficult transition for us. We have been rather spoiled having Justin work so close to home. We now see this as God making His leading more evident in our lives, although at first we were very uncertain of where His path was taking us. Please pray for Justin as he continues with his schooling, internship, work, and also his safety as he travels.
Another decision that has arisen is one that I thought we had pretty much settled. We decided to home-school Hero and leave Jericho at CCS for one more year. We have now been given the opportunity to leave both of the children at CCS for only a little bit more than it would have cost if we home-schooled Hero. While financial issues were not the main reason we were home-schooling, we are thinking of taking advantage of this opportunity. Other factors have arisen that are leading us to this decision. Please pray for us in this issue. Our decision needs to be made very soon and we are still weighing our options. We want to glorify God in all areas of our life including the way we educate our children.

Oregon Trip

Here is a recap of our trip to Oregon, along with the promised photos. We left for Oregon at 3 PM on Friday afternoon and made it to Salem before noon on Saturday. I drank a Monster coffee in the middle of the night and drove for six hours straight (not counting potty stops.) We were blessed with wonderful weather on the way up. We stayed in Salem with Justin's sister and family. The kids LOVED visiting with their cousins.

On Sunday, we went to Grandma Hilde's birthday party. All of her children were there, along with most of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It was great to see family we haven't seen in a while. We were also able to see our friends from Grace Baptist Church. I was so thankful that we were able to be up there for that weekend because it allowed me to attend the concert of a friend from my college years.

On Monday, I was able to visit with some of my college friends and their kids at Riverfront Park. It was a beautiful day and such a fun visit. The kids especially liked riding on the carousel.

Tuesday we left for Eastern Oregon. We had a nice visit in Hermiston with my Uncle Frank and Aunt Diana (and their horses.) They fed us a yummy lunch and let the kiddos each have a turn riding the horse. Of course, they spoiled us as well. We each left with a chocolate bunny!

From there it was on to La Grande to stay with my in-laws in their new home. We a great visit with them. Daddy had fun showing the kids the town where he grew up.

We left Oregon Friday afternoon and decided to take a new way home. We traveled down through Idaho, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. It was faster than driving back the way we came, but it was definitely not as nice. We ran into thunder storms in Idaho. Then we ran into snow in Utah. It was the middle of the night and I was driving. It came down so bad that I couldn't see where I was going and Justin had to pull me over to the side of the road. Justin took over driving and stayed behind a semi going about 20 mph. God was good to us. We didn't have to stop (we were afraid we would get snowed in) and we made it safely out down the mountain. the last leg of our journey was difficult due to the fact that there are not any rest stops along the 15 in Arizona and Nevada. This is not a good thing when you have four kids and one is having major gastric-intestinal problems. I won't go into details in order to spare my son embarrassment. So that was our trip, and although I miss Oregon, it sure is good to be home.

The kiddos watching a movie on the way to Oregon.

At the Carousel with Krista and Bethany

The kids with Uncle Frank and Aunt Diana

Mercy loves Grandpa

Grandma and the kiddos reading a bedtime story.

Updates

I realize that my posts have been devoid of pictures lately and I apologize. We are heading up to Oregon at the end of next week and I hope to have lots more to post then. In the mean time, if you want to see some pics of our adorable family head on over to http://www.chadmartinphotography.com/ and check out the recent sessions. Our friend, Chad, is an amazing photographer, so if you ever need pictures taken, we highly recommend him.
Okay, as far as updates go, I realize that I never mentioned how we did on the "No Spend Challenge" in February. Believe it or not, we did really well. We did have a couple lapses here and there. I spent $5 on a milk frother (which I think saved me money in the long run; I haven't been to Starbucks since!) and Justin and I both have a weakness for discounted books which cost us about $30 at the end of the month. In all we were able to save enough for two months tuition for the kiddos. It was great to pay this bill with cash on hand, even though the cost is set aside in our savings.

In other Peter's Family news, we have decided to probably home school the kids next year. We hadn't planned on doing this for the next year, but a number of things are pointing us in this direction.
For starters, the homeschooling program that we are interested in is through the kids current school. The kids would be able to come on campus for chapel days, and attend field trips with their friends. The school takes care of the record keeping, etc.
Second, we have a desire to teach our kids skills beyond academics. With our family schedule the way it is now, we don't really have time to develop other skills that the kids want and need to learn.
Third, even though they are in a "Christian" school, they are surrounded by non-Christian kids. While this has led to many different discussions concerning language, modesty, divorce, etc; we realize that our children's corrupt little hearts may be drawn more to the ungodly example in their fellow classmates. We would rather they see the gospel lived out in our daily lives and our interaction with unbelievers.
Lastly, cost. Of course it's a factor. We have always seen our children's education as being something worth sacrificing for. We still believe that, but we truly believe that they will learn better through one on one instruction. In this case, we are exchanging monetary sacrifice for personal sacrifice. While I know this will be a challenge for me, I am excited to spend more time with my kids and guide them in their quest for knowledge.

As a final update, I cut my hair off. Most of you already knew this, but if you didn't click on the link at the top to see how it looks.

Eternal Perspectives (Randy Alcorn's blog): Caring for the environment: should Evangelical Christians be concerned?

I love it when God brings things into my life when I need it the most. After listening to John MacArthur's sermon (online) that he gave at the Shepherd's Conference, I desired more than ever to learn how to be a good steward with all that God has given to me, including the environment. This morning my Google Reader had the following article for me:
Eternal Perspectives (Randy Alcorn's blog): Caring for the environment: should Evangelical Christians be concerned?
I hope it blesses you as much as it did me!

Shepherd's Conference

Here is a photo of Justin and two of our pastors at the Shepherd's Conference. This is Justin's third year attending. I am so thankful that he has this opportunity, even if it means taking care of four kids by myself for a few days. He always comes back so energized and encouraged. Photo is courtesy of Pastor James.
(Note for my mother-in-law: He has been very thoughtful of me in all of this. He's sent me e-cards every day with instructions to find little surprises around the house. His mother taught him well!)

Modern Medicine

Let me start out by saying, I have issues with modern medicine. This is, of course, a result of things that I dealt with in my past. (Umm, how many people like to be hooked up to electrical monitors for days straight, take medication that makes their hair fall out, and travel to half a dozen doctors with no results?!) .
Add to that the info you read about here. Be sure to check out the possible side effects.
Finally, the latest news about the drug used to treat the flu. (I like the part that states, “The vaccine is known not to fully protect against infection.”) By the way, I am NOT anti-vaccinations, but I do think that one should definitely do their research before jumping on the vaccination band wagon. Find info on the various vaccines (from reliable sources) and see if their are other alternatives (e.g. homeopathic, naturopathic.)
All this to say, that when my kids get sick, I am reluctant to take them to the doctor. Every time that I have done so, I have regretted it. For example, my oldest son was sick with a fever and terrible cough. He woke up choking and gasping for breath. This was not something I had seen before in any of my kids, so I rushed him to the urgent care. They took his pulse/ox and informed me that I needed to take him to the ER immediately. Fearing for his life, I took him to the hospital in good ol’ Hemet. By the time we arrived there, his only symptoms were a fever and a rough cough. They gave him some Tylenol, and we waited for over three hours in a room with other sick people. I finally decided that the best care for my son would be at home in his own bed. If he was still sick, I would take him to his doctor in the morning (which at this point, was only a few hours away.) I informed a nurse that we were leaving so they could take his name off the waiting list. One month later, I receive a bill for $50 from the hospital. The price of Tylenol has sure gone up.
So today, I notice that my almost 8 month old has a raspy cough and a rattling in her chest when she breathes. I debate within myself for a few minutes and finally call the doctor. (I like how Kaiser lets you talk to a nurse within the hour.) The nurse informs me that I have to take her in. Today. Monday . The appointment is after 3 o’clock and the office is 45 minutes away. If I don‘t hit the traffic getting there, I am sure to hit it coming back. This better be worth it.
Two hours and one co-pay later, I have my peace-of-mind. The baby’s fine. Whatever she has is viral. So how am I supposed to feel? Relief that my daughter does not have a serious illness? Or...embarrassment for having wasted so much time, money and gas? A little of both?
I think when it all comes down to it, we have to do what we feel is best for our kids. While I do not entirely regret taking my child to the doctor, I know that next time will be different. Each of these moments, we file away in our brain, prepared for their recurrence in the future. As mothers, we get to know our children. What is normal; what is not. While we do not take the place of modern medicine, God has designed us to have integral part in the caring for our sick children. I am thankful that He has chosen me for such a position.

My Oldest

Yep, that's Hero. Climbing the palm trees with no shoes on. She is kind of a daredevil, so she surprised me today when we had the following conversation.

Hero: "When I grow up, I'm going to home school my kids."

Mommy: "Would you rather I home school you?"

Hero: "No, I like going to school."

Mommy: "Then why do you want to home school you're kids?"

Hero: "Because then I would have to drive them to school and I am too scared to drive."

This from the girl who has a lead foot on the 4-wheeler.

By the way, Hero made Student of the Month for January.

And You Wonder Why I'm Going Green

Check out this post here if you want to find out more about mercury in the stuff you are eating.
BTW...I just checked a package of bread I bought (I love sourdough, but I can't make the stuff) and it has corn syrup in it. This may be the motivation I need to keep making my own bread (and learn how to make sourdough!)


A friend of mine asked me to elaborate on ways that I am going green and trying to stay frugal. So, here are just a few steps we have taken so far.

1. I recently tried to wash my hair by using baking soda, and rinsing it with diluted vinegar. I lasted one month, but then my scalp got too gross. I ran out and bought some organic shampoo and conditioner. (It was on sale and I had $ on my Walgreens gift card. It was in January too.) I am determined to try this again. I have read of so many people that this worked for....maybe I just didn't give it enough time?

2. When I ran out of foundation, I ordered a free sample kit from Everyday Minerals
I don't where much make up, so this was perfect. It is fast to apply and my skin feels great till the end of the day.

3. My sister-in-law sent us a reusable grocery bag for Christmas. It is so cute and it keeps the food somewhat insulated. I leave it in the car, along with two others that we got for free, so that I can avoid more plastic bags.

4. We are in the process of buying stainless steel water bottles. We hope to get a filter on our faucet (when I can find a good deal) so that we don't have to taste the tap water (that has a chlorinated taste to it.) We buy so many water bottles, but this is costly and we are also exposing ourselves to BPA. Not too mention that we have to haul all of them to the recycling center.

5. I have switched to using a cast iron skillet. Not only do I get the benefit of extra iron in our food, I don't have to expose my family to the Teflon found in our non-stick skillets. Not to mention that cast iron retains heat so much better and can be used in the oven as well.

6. We are trying to buy more handmade goods. I have fallen in love with the Etsy site. I guess this isn't exactly green, but we are trying to support individuals as opposed to big companies. We are also hoping for better quality goods.

7. Re-using wherever possible. I used to toss plastic containers into the recycling container thinking that I was doing the best for the environment. Now I realize that I actually have some creativity in me. I have been finding interesting ways in which to reuse these container (and not just for leftovers.) On a side note, don't try pouring hot grease into a plastic container, even if you think it is cool enough. Really what was I thinking?!

8. Don't buy in the first place. The way to get around the excessive packaging problem, is to not buy in the first place. I have found that a lot of things can be made at home. Sometimes it is hard work, but I have been surprised at how easy most of this stuff can be to make. Convenience has a high cost.

Okay, so that's a few of the things we are doing as we try to be good stewards with what God has entrusted us with. I will try to keep you posted as we progress in this area.

No Spend Challenge

It is so funny, how things happen. Last month we discussed the posibility of not spending any money in February. It sounded like a fun thing to do. (Yes, I know. We are weird.) The goal is to see how much money we can save in one month. This month seemed perfect, because it is a shorter month, with no major spending holidays. (Valentine's Day will be extra creative this year!)
Well, the funny part all this is that a lot of other people had the same idea. In the blogs that I normally read I came across this post. It is encouraging to know that others are trying out the same thing! So, if you are up to it, it is not to late to join the challenge. For some, this may be a daunting task. For others, it may be a piece of cake. I'm thinking we are somewhere in the middle, but we shall see when the month is over. We're off to a good start. Two days down, only 26 more to go!

Legoland

For my birthday, we surprised the kids by taking them to Legoland. It was the perfect day to go due to the fact that it was a school day and kind of rainy. It was so nice to get away as a family and spend time together. It was also nice that I wasn't pregnant and could actually ride the rides. Legoland was perfect for Hero and Jericho as most of the rides were designed for their age group. Unfortunately, Ransom was unable to go on about 90% of the rides due to his height. He could go on some rides with an adult, but I couldn't go on with the baby so we had to do a lot of kid shuffling. We actually got in for pretty cheap. We only paid for parking and one adult ticket. Hero and Jericho are in the Brickmaster's Club. The cost of membership is less than the cost of admission. The kids get a Lego set every other month. The membership comes with a "free" ticket which can be used by an adult or child. We had a coupon from one of their magazines that gave a free child admission with a paying adult so we were set.

Lack of Blogging

Yes, I know, it has been a while. I was keeping a running list of blog posts in my head, but the longer I put off blogging the longer the list got and the less I wanted to blog. So, I have decided to skip them all. Most of you have Facebook anyway and have already seen the Christmas and Disneyland photos. Here are some short updates of what is happening in our lives:
1. The rabbit ran away (or was eaten.)
2. Jericho made student of the month (again) for December.
3. Justin is just starting his second year of Seminary classes. Lots of reading ahead for him.
4. I just had my 30th birthday. Yes, I feel old (but at least I am not the father of a 30 year old.)
5. I have been looking for ways to live more frugally. Does this have something to do with the economy? Probably, although we have always been making small steps in this area. I think the current financial conditions are just a catalyst.
6. We have been trying to live chemical free whenever possible. This means going to all natural products whenever possible. It also has to fit in with our frugal living, so at times it can be a struggle. For the most part, I am amazed at the ways we save money by choosing natural over chemical. Usually it just means a little more work on my part. Our goal is to be good stewards with all of God's provisions, not just the monetary ones.
7. I have stopped using shampoo. (See above for reason) Yes, I still wash my hair. Just not with the chemical laden shampoo. So far I am not too satisfied with the results. Apparently your head has to go through a chemical detox when you stop using shampoo. That is where I am at right now. We'll see if this experiment works out.
8.We will be making a trip up to Oregon for Easter break. For us that is the week before Easter. (I know, weird.) If we don't get to see everyone then, don't worry, we plan on being back up there in August too. I can't believe I did not get to see that beautiful state at all last year. I am in withdrawal.

That's about it. I will post some photos of our recent outing to Legoland as soon as I can.

Smiling Mercy

Big Boy Pants

At Target today we picked up some real underwear for Ransom. My hope is that he will not want to wet his cool new pants, and will go in the potty more consistantly. Well, when we got home, I helped him put on one pair of the new undies. I then went to the kitchen to make lunch. When I called him to eat, I found that he had put on all 3 pairs of underwear!

Being a Mom Who Stays Home

I have been blessed by a number of blogs recently that focus on staying at home, making the most of my time doing so, and glorifying God in EVERYTHING that is done here. One that I have been especially impacted by is this one. I hope that it is an encouragement to you as well.

Do you see what I see?

This is a photo of the palm tree in our backyard. If you look closely, you should be able to see an owl at the top of the trunk under the dead branches.

Photo Tag

I've been tagged by my friend, Mindy. I don't usually do things like this, but I'll do it to make Mindy happy.

Here are the rules:
1. Go to your pictures file.
2. Go to the 4th file.
3. Go to the 4th picture.
4. Post it and tell the story.
5. Tag 4 more people.

I then tag 4 people:
1. Krista
2. Bethany
3. Heidi
4. Kelly

So...here it is:

Hero sitting on Daddy's lap and eating his cereal. This was in the small apartment we were living in when we first moved to Southern California. Fun times.

How I Did

Well, things did not go as well as I had hoped, because I got sick. On the few days that I was feeling "okay", I accomplished great things. I managed to get the oven and stove cleaned, the baking cupboard organized, and both of the kids' rooms cleaned and organized.
I also was able to get our Thanksgiving tree put together, with Hero's help. Hopefully I can get a photo up soon for you to see.
I discovered a new favorite cleaning product:

I used it on the stove and it worked wonderfully. The problem is that it is sometimes hard to find in stores. I got mine at the Albertson's in Sun City (when I was making my own laundry detergent.) This is after calling the company and asking them where I could get it. It was cheaper than buying it online.

The Challenge

I have been challenged this week by some recent blogs that I peruse. My goal is to make my house a haven. If I have time, I will post specifics about this endeavor at the end of this week, so you can see how I did. If you want to join the challenge click here.

When Mommy's Not Looking

This is what happens when Mommy's not looking. Normally the hutch has a wire twisted around it so it can't be opened by Ransom. I let him out to play in the backyard thinking that he wouldn't be able to harm the bunny. I had forgotten that Hero went out before school and fed her pet. She forgot to twist the wire and close the food container. Ransom decided to take it upon himself to give the bunny some more food!

African Safari '08

I didn't get a lot of pics at African Safari this year (only 3 of the same game) because I was helping with the bean bag toss. Justin had to work so the two older kids ran around on their own. My Grandma walked around with Ransom and Mercy until they got too cranky; then she took them to the nursery. The kids all seemed to have fun and we will be eating candy until Valentine's Day!

The Soldier, Superman, "Guitar" Hero, and the Lil' Pumpkin.

Not too sure about the weird costumes her siblings are wearing.

Ransom's favorite game.