Some of our good times this Fall

Googly eyed Des

Grandma MacLean & Gillean

Grandpa MacLean & Gillean

Gianna as a Egyptian princess

Grandma Diane & Gillean

      

Saraphena's 3rd Birthday

Kids with pumpkin

Celebrating the Sabbath

This school year as we study the Old Testament with our My Father's World curriculum, Creation to the Greeks we will be celebrating 7 biblical feasts. The first we have & are doing is the Sabbath. This has helped me as well as our children to get a glimpse of how Jews such as Jesus lived. My favorite part at our Sabbath dinner was when John placed his hands on each of our 8 children & blessed them, he prayed for each one. Then he blessed me & quoted from Proverbs 31:10, 27-30. I think this year of learning & experience is going to be one we all remember!

Our newest blessing Gillean Malcolm Maclean

Some people might wonder if having your 8th child is as special as your first or second... each child I am blessed with I'm blown away each time! I'm so grateful for another baby! More work, yes, but also more love in the house ;) I asked my kids if they liked having baby brothers & sisters and they all said yes, we want more! Even though they fight & annoy each other sometimes they still love each other! Sometimes I think about how the future will be when my children are grown and John & I have grandchildren. I believe my children will be very close & I'm sure we will have many family get togethers. And to think of all the different gifts & abilities each one can give! Ive jokingly said many times, "Hey with all the children I have, I have a pretty good chance of being taken care of when I'm old!". : )

Gillean Malcolm born July 19, 2011

My trip with Des

What an awesome time I had with my oldest daughter on her Birthday trip! I told my husband I wish we had a daughter turn 12 every year! We had a great time just the 2 of us! We talked & laughed alot. It was so relaxing. We went shopping, which was so nice because we were able to walk around the mall & actually able to look. One thing we bought was mother/daughter necklaces. :) We spend time in the hotel pool & hot tub ( i sat on the side of hot tub w/ my feet & legs in) didn't want to go into labor at that time. : )  Sitting on the tub edge with our bath robes on teaching her how to shave was better then I imagined, I'm so glad I get to be there for her & experience these new things with her. We ate out for dinner & went to see Monte Carlo at the theater. The best part was just being together & having fun! Its a time I know we will both remember & have good memories of.

The 12 year old trip

John & I have decided to make our childrens 12th birthday very special. The girls will be going out with mom for a day & night and the boys with dad. Our oldest, Destiney, is turning 12 this Friday, I get the pleasure of taking her out, just mom & daughter time. ;) We are planning on staying at a hotel, painting our nails, swimming, going to see a movie, just having a good ol time! Destiney will also get a couple special gifts from me & her dad. I also get the privilege to teach her how to shave! I think I'm as excited as her! ;) I want to make my childrens 12th B-days something they will always remember. At this age they are changing so much, to young women & men. I want my children to understand these changes that they are normal and special. Also to  let them know I'm always here to answer any questions. Its very important to me to have close relationships with each of them.

our homeschooling year...

This past homeschooling year has definitely been the best yet for us! We have used My Fathers World curriculum for our Bible, History, Geography, Art & Music. The kids & I have enjoyed it, the kids said they loved learning about the different countries & cultures. For elementary grades I do a simple report card for each child just to have on file, Destineys grade average was 93 & Johnnys was 92. For K & 1st grade I give satisfactory/unsatisfactory. But as most homeschoolers know we don't really need report cards because we each know how our children are doing since we are the ones teaching them, or should I say watching them learn. Gianna has done well this year, last year was rough so we just went over 1st grade again. I can definitely see a difference since we started last year. She enjoys being read to & has started reading more on her own. She doesn't really like math much, but we are just going at her pace. Ethan is a fast learner, he finished his math curriculum before expected. Some days he would just sit & "do math" for fun. He also likes to be read to but most of the time he wants to read to you. Im very proud of all my children, I love to see them helping one another without being asked, & loving on each other. Im so blessed to have a family that is so close & loves one another so much!

The fun of moving!

Gianna & Evangelene

Mommy & Saraphena

We just recently moved, the house is less then a mile from our previous but moving is one of the hardest jobs especially with 7 kiddos & being pregnant! I'm thankful that we are mostly unpacked and settled! I'm so glad God worked everything out His way in His timing!! I see & hear alot of people complaining about their troubles so much, I'm also guilty of that sometimes. But I try really hard to see the blessings I have rather then the hardships. Its not so easy. If we can take our focus off of ourselves & look at what others are going through we will then see how blessed & fortunate we really are! About 6 more weeks & I will be having my 8th baby! Now that is truly a blessing :) Even though I feel tired & sore I know it will soon be over & I will hold my newest little guy. :))

Loving to Learn

Today has been what I would call as good & productive. Just the fact that I'm on here writing means things are going good. ;) The kids had fun making Kai-awase shells (a matching game that originated from Japan). Then my 3 oldest & I talked about Haiku poetry and each of them wrote there own. I love learning & doing activities with my children! Yes, there are always messes to clean up after, sticky glues, paper all over the place etc. but its all so worth it! As I "teach" the children I'm really not teaching but learning myself! Homeschooling has defiantly made me smarter, I learn so much! Of course there is so much more learning to come. :)  I thought I would share the kids Haiku poetry (3 lines, 5 syllables on 1st & 3rd line 7 syllables on middle line)

                                        
                                              
                                                 Destiney, Gianna & Johnny with their Haiku poetry

Snake by Johnny, They do bite a lot
                            Some of them are poisonous
                            They have a long tongue
Green Snake by Gianna, Long tongue and no legs
                                      It will bite with its big mouth
                                      Green and little eyes
Sky by Destiney, Wide and wonderful
                            Light blue color with white clouds
                            Overhead all day




                

kids grow up fast!

Often I wonder how time seems to go by sooo quickly! It seems like yesterday, as many say, that I was a child myself. Time definitely seems to go by quicker & quicker as you get older! In this season of my life things are busy, busy, busy!! That's part of the reason time seems to go so quick.  Many times I catch myself stopping & trying to live for the moment. I love the cuddling times with my kids or funny things that seem to happen (usually around the dinner table) that sometimes drives me crazy, but of course we are making memories right?  My job or role is to be the best mom & wife I can be for my family, so that has been my goal. Sometimes I see how I'm improving on that & other times I seem to take two steps back. I'm not perfect of course & never will be but trying to do the best I can is a good goal. I'm making it an important thing in my life to make sure my kids know that I love them very much & will always be there for them.

As my oldest child Destiney is growing older I'm starting in a new "season" of pre teen hood with her. Yes it kind of scares me sometimes but as long as we keep a good relationship with each other I know it will all be OK. The teen stage  brings new challenges thats for sure!

tired today

I have been so tired today! I get a day or 2 of fatigue then thankfully i get some energy days ;) I definitely struggle more on these fatigue days, everything seems to go slower. But somehow I have to make sure I get everything that needs to be done, done. I cant let anything go in this house like laundry, cleaning, etc because unfortunately it doesn't just disappear but piles up.  For the most part everything gets done but just later in the day then it would if I wasn't so tired.

my wonderful husband

I'm so thankful to have a hardworking, loving husband! Hes a great father that loves to help and play with the kids. I don't know how i would be going on without him! He is such a blessing in my life!  I Love You John!!!

my blessing

I'm so blessed that God has blessed John & I with these 7 children!! God has a plan & purpose for each one & its awesome to see how God uses them now & in the future! They each are so different, its so neat to see the differences in them. Even though they are in the same family & have the same things going on they have different abilities & talents. God has made each one of us very unique!