Homeschool Smiles

We are back in school here in Lincoln Nebraska. Public School started on the 20th here, however we started school the 1st week of August. And the kids love doing their school work at home, not to mention that I love it as well. It is the most enjoyable, rewarding service that I can do for my children. I am feeling must closer to my children, not just because I choose to be a mother, but because I am also choosing to be a loving teacher. I am finally able to have more one on one time with Liahona, my middle child. I never got one on one time with her, even when she was born, and I am glad to be able to fill that hole now. She has been a really big Daddy's girl, which technically wouldn't be bad, but she would never let me help her with anything: brushing her teeth, reading her a book, sitting next to her... she always wanted her dad's help over mine. I am proud to say that within these 3weeks, she is finally coming to me when she needs help, and she will sit next to me and hold my hand. Which has brought tears to my eyes many times. So I am very thankful for the this time to be together doing school at home with the children. We have been doing lots of fun projects. The one hanging mobile is from their science lesson about Tornado, and lighting storms. Since we are living in the Midwest, I felt that it is important for them to learn about the types of weather conditions, that do and can take place here. There are weird, dry Thunderstorms here that seem to appear out of nowhere that go all through the summer. We thought they were fun at first because they were new, then after awhile the kids grew to be sacred of them, and I however grew to be annoyed by them. The lighting lights up the sky all night long, making it really hard to sleep during the night, and then amazing enough it goes away for the day, and then usually starts right back up at night again.

Last week we got a really bad thunder and lighting storm, that placed our City on a tornado watch. That was really scary, especially after just teaching to children about tornado's and telling them that Tornado's don't come into Lincoln. (This is because Lincoln sits down in a bowl, and the tornado stay up on top and just go around Lincoln.) But it was good to have explained to the children before hand what we would need to do to be safe if one did come. So we were prepared, Thankfully the storm died down, and the Tornado warning was not in effect anymore.

We sure are learning lots here, it has already been rather eventful.

Eric has started school this week, and we are glad to get this going.
Our house still has not sold, which is making things rather tight, but faith, prayers, and trust are so far holding us together in spite this confusing and frustrating time.

Other than that we are going well here in Lincoln Nebraska...(by the way I still think it's weird that I am actually here.)

Check out my Slide Show!

Fireflies and More...

Trying to saty cool here in Nebraska requires the kids to get dirty. In Oregon there was just clay, here it's real dirt, needless to say the kids rather enjoy it.

Thhe trampoline and recently new pool helps keep the kids from complaining too much about the heat. This rental house didn't do very well with keeping the cool AC within the house, so we were either outside getting wet and dirty, or downstairs in the smelly-but cool basement. This rental house also had lots of bushes and big trees meaning that throughout the day we were being eaten alive by bugs: horse flies... and others. After living in that rental home for a month and a half, we moved again.

Our new rental house was built in Jan 2007. It has that new house smell, and it's so new that the Owner has yet to seed the yard for grass to grow. The back yard is 3x's the size of our Oregon home. The kids call this the Frog home, because there is a small pond (that is drying up everyday) which is home to lots of frogs and toads. They love to go back there and catch as many as they can. We are really happy here, and it's just so nice to be able to call a new place home again. However we really miss our Oregon home, and friends and family there, but we will be back in 33months. Nebraska is a nice change, but it will never be home like our great NW!! The people are rather friendly here; I was going for a walk one day to find my husband and children at the park and 3 people stopped me to talk to me. Two were just saying Hello and telling me about the beautiful day, and Another asked if I was looking for something, and wanted to help. It was a rather different experience than compared to Oregon, I remember going for walks passing by homes and if there were people outside they would just glare as I walked past there property. People wise, we like Nebraska- Weather and landscape wise, we love the NW. Other than that we are well, and glad to be done moving about until 33months from now. Assuming we can get our Oregon House sold. Trying to pay two house payments can be a little tight, but that's part of life to test our faith I suppose.

Oh these firefly pictures aren't the best, I will try to get a better one sometime to post. But In case you haven't seen one before like myself until now, this is for you. =)

Here in Lincoln Nebraska

Just a quick note to let everyone know that our 3day trip from Salem Oregon, to Lincoln Nebraska went rather well. The kids did great, amazingly enough. It was an 8 hour drive each day, however we drove 4 hours than stopped and ate lunch, strecthed our legs and then finished the 4 other hours...for 3 days.We are at our rental home which is pretty white trash, and we are currently looking for another, making that our 9th move. Our house in Salem is still on the market, in which we have decided not to buy a house in Nebraska, but just rent for the next 33months that we will be living here for.
Overall we are doing well with the move so far. As you can see on the poll, We are currently doing all of those at once which is rather stressful. Not to mention with moving to a new rental house making that our 9th move as a family, were getting a little tired of moving. However it is nice to try new things. We are still trying to get use to Nebraska's humid heat...yikes...I choose Dry heat over Humid heat any day! There are really neat fireflies that come out every night at dusk. The kids love to catch them. I have no pictures to post at this time, seeing that our computer and all our picture disks are still packed away. But we will be on that as soon as we can.So that's all for now from Lincoln Nebraska, stay tuned for more later......=)

Shrine Circus

Having fun while we still can!!! As a family we went to the Shrine Circus here in Salem Oregon. The kids thought it was really neat stuff. Eric and I got a kick here and there, but it was a little on the slower side for us adults. We brought treats with us, and the kids gobbled up the cotton candy, this being there 2nd or 3rd time having it, and they enjoyed it as much as watching the Circus. The kids got in free being 6 and under, so we thought that was a pretty good deal; buy two tickets get three in FREE.

We are moving to Lincoln Nebraska this Friday. Getting there Sunday the 11th. We are taking 3days, 8hours each, stopping at hotels with pools, until the last leg takes us to our Rental House. Our home unfortunately is back on the market, the offer we got fell through, and now we get to leave our house vacant. We are leaving our keys to very special, trusted neighbor to watch over, and take care of things for us. We were really blessed to have such great neighbors. We are going to miss them, but we could be blessed with great neighbors again. And we will know this weekend. Keep those fingers crossed for us, and keep those prayers coming our way, that this move won't be too bad as it seems.

Salem, Oregon Capitol FieldTrip

As a family this April, we finally got around to visit the Capitol Building, here in Salem. It had several nice mural paintings about the Oregon Trail on the inside walls. Which was basically all to see just walking around inside. However, if you get a tour guide, they can take you up the 130 steps, through several narrow-spiral staircases, to take you to the top of the capital building. Which we actually did as a family. Eric, Tamara and Liahona did great. Caleb and I on the other hand, were having a hard time. Caleb was afraid he was going to fall, and I was just claustrophobic, so we were pulling up the rear of the group. It was a gorgeous view over Salem, Oregon. The cherry blossom trees all in bloom, and seeing the flags of all the states together, made it a peaceful experience.

After living here in Salem for almost 3 years, we had to at least do this once, to say that we have been there and done that.!? If you have the chance to just stop in for a bit, take the tour up the stairs to the top, it's a neat experience.

Tulips, Tulips, and more Tulips

Pictures from the Tulip Festival, in Woodburn Oregon, this Spring. We took time as a family to stop and smell the flowers. And we were wanting to send some beauty your way as well.

What's New?

We are moving to Lincoln, Nebraska, June 8th. Our house is still for sale, being almost three months on the market now. We are hoping that it will sell before we move. Say a prayer for us will you? We are excited for this new change, and opportunity of growth. Eric has a job starting on the 11th of June for a hospital in Lincoln, Saint Elizabeth's Hosptial, in the burn unit. Then he will be starting graduate school there in Lincoln, August 27th, the day before his birthday. He was accepted as a student in the BryanLGH Medical Center School of Nurse Anesthesia. Lincoln will be our home for 33months, which is how long the program extends to. Hopefully we will be back to the good old NW after school is over.

Beach Bums

We were at Newport Beach April 30th. Weather was nice, in the low 60's, and yet we got burnt to the crisp, especially Caleb...poor little guy. He was so badly sunburnt that he had to do school at home for the rest of the week.
Yet we enjoyed our day at the beach, Eric practiced his golf, Caleb played soccer with his dad, Tamara played in the sand, Liahona got to fly the kites, and mom got some peace and quiet. It was a really nice day at the beach for all the Mathison's.