School pics

These are pics from today. This is morning pledges. This evening Alayna drew a picture of a flag on the board and said tomorrow that would be the new flag. She is working hard on her reading and her worm gets a new bump for each new book. Libby loves math.

"I pleadge allegiance to the......desk?????

Well...this week marked a milestone for the Gardner's. Monday was our very first day of homeschooling. We are now an official homeschool family. We are finished with day three and they have all decided that this is the way to go!!! We are mostly using a CD/DVD curriculum. Dave does the supervising and tutoring for math/Algebra I prior to going to work around 12:00. I finish what needs to be done, like listening to reading or helping with the computer, and do any grading when I get home from work (very little, as the computer does most of it). I also plan for the next day. This seems to be working so far.
As I was walking out the door on Monday morning, I heard them all reciting the pledges. Instantly I had nice warm fuzzies....you know..... the picture perfect homeschool scene, with one organized, happy family all doing school together without a glitch (not reality I am sure). Then I remembered one important detail.... we didn't have our flags yet!!! I quietly tiptoed back, to peak in the schoolroom to see what they were pledging to...... It was Libby's desk!!!!!!!!! :*) Libby's desk is painted to look like a flag and that was the best available in a pinch!!!!!!!!! Creativity is the hallmark of all homeschoolers isn't it??????!!!!!!!!!!!:*) I had to laugh and it will be a scene I won't soon forget. The looks on their faces were all serious as if it was most normal to pledge to a desk!!!!!!!!!!
Dave seems to be enjoying his new role, and makes the day fun with relay races at break and cooking at lunch. I know all weeks won't be so good...and some days I will for sure threaten them with the big yellow bus, but this week has gone well, and this is one thankful mom.

(I will post pics of the temporary 'flag' and some pics of them at work, later when I am not falling asleep from benedryl.)

Libby is 10!!

Well....I haven't had time to blog because life has just been too busy, but my little Libby had a birthday since my last post!!!!! I will never forget the day we found out we were going to have a little girl, it was one of the happiest of my life. Libby was not ....well.....planned, she just sort of happened. Oh, I know I am a nurse, I should know how these things happen....but I guess I didn't :*). We found out we were pregnant and both of us really wanted a girl, but figured it would be another boy. My mom had just died two months prior, and I really wanted to name a little girl after her, as she was due on my moms birthday (today)!!!!!!

On the day of the ultrasound my stomach was in knots. The tech said....well....it looks like...... you have a little princess!!!! I felt hot, dizzy, cold, palpitations and fear all at once!!!! Yes, fear because I had no idea how to raise a princess! Boys I could do, I already had two, but a GIRL, what if she acted like me???!!!!!!!!!! What about the mood swings, what about the tears, what about the shouting and the drama? Well, Libby came along about 8 months later, all 7lbs 3oz and 20" of her. She was my smallest, but had the most dark brown hair I had ever seen on a baby!!!

We loved her from the start....she was a fun little gal, and oh so beautiful. It didn't take long to realize a girl wasn't much different from a boy. Her moods and tears were not much more frequent then the boys, the shouting never came, ....and as for the drama....wellllllll...lets just say we are surviving !!!!!! And to top it all off it was a lot of fun to dress her in frills and bows. She really wasn't a demanding baby, she smiled alot and made us love her more and more.

She had daddy's heart from the very first, I think he didn't know what hit him. He would lay with her on his chest and just look at her and smile. The boys loved her too and we all were thankful for the perfect little gift from God, Elisabeth Jane. We often said we thought my mom sent her because she knew I wanted a little girl so bad!!!

Libby has grown to be a beautiful young lady. She has a tender heart, and always tries to please others. She likes to bake and does a real good job helping me with the house. She is a little mother to Alayna and helps her out in lots of ways. I am convinced that God has big things in store for Libby. It is exciting for us to watch her grow up to be the young lady God wants her to be. She wants to be a nurse when she grows up. Whatever she will be, I will ever be proud and thankful for the beautiful gift from heaven sent my way on August 9, 1997 .

Jordan Lee Gardner is 14!!!!!!!

After I posted last, I remembered that I should have posted about Jordan's birthday.

August 2 1993 @5:32 p.m. our lives changed forever!!! A beautiful....or should I say handsome ....red head, chubby baby boy made his way into the world and our hearts. He was 8lbs, 9oz and 21 3/4" long and the most beautiful baby in the world (Susan will have a different opinion on this!!). We were young and never expected the changes that he would bring. We never expected the instant and overwhelming feelings of love that we would feel. We never expected the protective feelings we would have. We never expected the feelings of pride over each little accomplishment. We never expected the dreams for his future would be so big or the desire to see him succeed so intense. We never realized that our example and our attitudes would impact his little life forever. We never realized he would change our lives....for the better.....forever!!!!!

Yes....he did give me many sleepless nights in the beginning.....and maybe more will come.......but he gave me such a desire to be the best person I could be...because a little guy was watching my every move!!!! He gave us unconditional love in a big conditional world. He gave us a reason to go on!!! He made me proud to be his mom!!

Now he is not so little... in fact he is bigger then me, but the feelings are the same...I love him unconditionally, I am proud of his accomplishments and want to see him succeed, and more importantly I want be an example and help him make it to heaven.

When he reads this, he will be all embarrassed....but....I just want everyone to know .................this is my favorite 14 year old!!!!

Nothing to post.....

I really have nothing to post, however i am really excited because I just bought the kids their math curriculum, and it is all it promised to be. In the past, my kids have not really liked math, and I have been searching for something to motivate them to excel. A friend in Pennsylvania has used Math U See for several years and recommended it to me. I bought Jordan his, then hoped that I could find the others new on EBay. Sure enough, I found Libby and Alayna theirs, and have a watch on a set for Austin. We watched a portion of the first few lessons for Algebra, and it actually makes it easy.....and fun too!!!!!!!! Jordan is so excited, he wants to start right away. I hope he will grow to really enjoy it. It is so refreshing to see him excited about school......hope it continues.....maybe he is growing up!!!