Sewing, school, and some fabulous news!!

What an awesome week at our house!!

Here is a picture of the Girl Sock Monkey shirt I just added to the store...I love Sock Monkeys!!





It has been years since I have taught preschool and I forget how much I love it!! Each week we do a letter of the alphabet...we start with A and end with Z. Each day I try to plan crafts, activities, and they use their dry erase boards to write their letters. Last week our letter was "C" and Grandma Smith was so sweet and dropped a treat off everyday for the babies. Here are a couple of pictures...they loved it!!

This day she dropped of crayons and cat coloring sheets....so fun!!

THis was our favorite day....Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Candles!! Yummy....we even ate some for breakfast....

Here is some good news.....

Here is a picture of Thanksgiving 2009...the day before we found out Kayleigh had a tumor. You can see in this picture her right arm bent. This was the day she told us she could no longer move it. The day my mommy instincts told me something wasn't right. Little did we know a large tumor was growing just above her elbow, inside her bone. It was hollow and she had a large hairline fracture thru it. She is one tough little girl!! After 5 days in the hospital, 8 bone biopsies, 16 appointments with an orthopedic specialist, xrays, and physical therapy....we are proud to announce that Kayleigh is officially tumor FREE!! So thankful to close this chapter of our lives...so thankful for family, church, and friends who stood beside us, prayed for us, brought us meals, babysat, and loved on us. We have seen God at work, not only in Kayleigh, but also in our family. We are much closer, so thankful, so blessed. It is in times of trouble you find out how strong you truly are. How strong your family is...

Hope you have a blessed week,

RHonda

Happy Birthday Kayleigh!!

Happy 10th Birthday Kayleigh!!

My Sweet, funny, gentle, caring daughter turned 10 today. She has had an awesome Birthday this year. One I am sure she won't soon forget...many fun memories were made.

My husbands boss gave us tickets to the local water park, Water World, and we were able to spend an entire day with just the big girls going on some pretty amazing rides!!

Kayleigh also had the opportunity to spend a night with Daddy at the Zac Brown Band concert!! They were able to get really close seats and had an amazing time together!!

We also had a triple family party...we celebrated Willy and Kinsey turning 4 and Kayleigh turning 10 with their grandparents, aunts and uncles. We are so blessed to have such a close family.

Kayleigh has been asking for quite some time for an old-fashioned typewriter. The old kind with no plugs or wires. Grandpa and Grandma Smith were able to find one for her birthday at an estate sale and she was soooooo excited. I can hear her most nights and mornings typing away!! (she leaves little "notes" for me everywhere!!)

I am finishing up 8 etsy orders the last two days!! So thankful for the opportunity to sell what I make, to be creative, and to have alone time most evenings!! Finishing some new things for the store...will share those later this week!!

Rhonda

Our week...school, sewing, and a hospital trip!!

Fall is in the air in Colorado...puts me in the mood for school and sewing!! We have cracked open our school books, started our fun activities, and we even had to dig out our sweatshirts and pants!! Here is what our week looked like:



Kinsey had some testing at the hospital. My oldest babysat Willy...along with her good friend and while we were gone they made Kinsey a poster, made macaroni and cheese and cake, and cleaned the kitchen. I was so pleasantly surprised....I even took them to Walmart and treated them to some new nail polish!! Love that girl!!



Here are a few of our school books...going to be a tough year!! One of our favorites so far is "50 People Every Christian Should Know." Great read...fabulous lessons for the kids. The purple book is Shelby's math...taking her over an hour everyday. Good thing she enjoys math!! Our favorite silent reading books are on the left....Sonlight...LOVE Sonlight!!




Received my Christmas fabric in the mail...so excited to start making skirts, dresses, and onesies!! Love Michael Miller Fabrics!!

I found this onesie at a local thrift store for 50cents...I am going to try use this idea...so cute!!

Turkey shirts...almost ready for the store. They just need some eyes, beaks, and legs!! This is one of my favorite ideas to use up scrap fabric.

I am also making the cutest skirt for a friends little girl who is turning 3. It is a new pattern...lots of gathering but so worth it!! I will post pictures when it is finished!!

Hope you are having a fabulous week!!

Rhonda

So it has been over 2 years since my last post...my sweet and amazing niece Ashley has been encouraging me to get back to blogging.  I have been thinking and praying about what I could possibly write about and it occured to me to write about my passions...Jesus, homeschooling, and sewing.  A lot has happened in over 2 years, it could take months to catch you up on it all!!  I am going to just tell you some of our highlights.  It is amazing to look back and see God's hand in our family.  He has brought us through some of the toughest trials and not only did we survive, we thrived!! 
1.  We were finally able to adopt this sweet and amazing little girl.  After 2 1/2 years of struggles, trials, and prayer, God blessed us beyond words.  It is a blessing to have her in our lives. 

"Princess Dora"

2.  We faced one of the toughest challenges as a family and as parents in December 2009.  Kayleigh had been complaining of arm pain for several weeks.  I took her to the doctor thinking she would tell her she was fine.  Little did I know they would immediately send us to the hospital...for 5 days.  Sure that she had a tumor, but uncertain of what kind the doctors put her under twice for a 3 hour MRI and for 8 bone biopsies.  Finally after 5 days of waiting and praying we heard the good news...Kayleigh has a large benign tumor in the bone of her right arm.  She has been to the specialist more than 20 times since and we are watching and measuring and encouraged that the tumor is 75% gone.  She was able to resume "normal" activity earlier this year and was thrilled to get back to normal.  I will continue to praise God for giving us all strength in this situation and praise him for healthy children!!

3.  Since the last post, we completed years 6 and 7 of homeschooling.  The kids are doing fantastic and I continue to strive to be a great teacher/leader/mentor of them all.  This year I have a 7th grader, 5th grader, and two preschoolers!!  The big girls do school about 5 hours a day and the little ones do school about 2 hours...including craft time and story time.  I love teaching, love watching their little minds grow, and love spending all the time with my children.  I don't take this responsibility lightly... 

4.  In May, Chuck and I celebrated our 14th Anniversary.  I feel so blessed and lucky.  What an amazing father/husband we have!!  He works 60 hours a week, comes home and doesn't sit on the couch watching t.v. or playing video games...he enjoys time with his kids.  Every night is filled with tractor rides, wrestling on the floor, reading, working in the shop, and talking.  Love that man!!

5.  In April I began selling some of my sewing on etsy.  Sewing for me is a great stress relief.  My husband is fabulous about giving me a couple of hours each evening to sew.  He plays with the kiddos, gives them a bath, tucks them in bed.  I am allowed time all to myself!!  Love it!!  In May I was contacted by a boutique owner in Parker asking if I would like to sell some of my things in her store.  I was thrilled!!  I am loving the two short shifts I work a month...time with adult conversation.  I love that I can help provide for the kids.  We have been able to have a night away without kids, take the kids to water world, and Daddy even took Kayleigh to a concert for her birthday.  Things we probably wouldn't have been able to do before.  I am hoping to use this blog to show what I am brainstorming and working on.  I love to sew and create!

I guess I will end with a few pictures.....of the last 2 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Many Blessings,

Rhonda

 The little ones during Karate class.

 Easter 2011

 Shelby earned her Timothy award in AWANA...we love this program!@!  She is 12 now, babysitting a little bit, loving youth group, and such a joy!!

 Kayleigh earned her Excellence award...she even did all the extra credit work!!  Our 10 year old who is artistic, beautiful, caring, and brave!!

 I love to sew for the kids...She loves to wear dresses, play, sing, dance, color and keeps us on our toes!!

The 4 girls last Sunday celebrating 3 birthdays!!  (The babies turned 4 and Kayleigh turned 10!!)  Willy is all boy, funny, adventurous, loud and loves to do school!!