Canadian Thanksgiving

Enjoyed Thanksgiving sooo much at our house... Just had to share a few photos from our wonderful wonderful day!!!

 

When one door closes........

It hurts!!!! But I am so thankful that we have God on our side and I know that he will show us the door HE has opened!!!  
We received news today that an opportunity we were praying about is not the opportunity God has for us!  Spending much time in prayer that God will keep us faithfully trusting in HIM  .
We know His ways are higher than ours..... So wonderful to have our kids who just trust innocently and believe God completely!

I've enjoyed recently looking at some old pictures of Karyss.. That child went through so much her first 6 years with us moving all over the earth and her having no stability... Then God brought us to this wonderful place where she met her special friend with the similar name.. Karis

Then..............

 And now........

And sweetly enough Riley has made special friends with the brothers of this special friend.....

So thankful for friends to encourage us in difficult times.....


And I am especially thankful for our children who encourage me and their friends who encourage them!!

Lord, help us to have the faith of our children!!

Here's what's baking at our house

It doesn't look or feel much like fall here in Georgia yet but our house is smelling like it.. Thanks to these yummy pumpkin muffins I made today!

And here's the recipe too!

 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
•  
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease or line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Combine 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup oats, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Whisk pumpkin puree, 1 cup brown sugar, white sugar, vegetable oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract together in a separate large bowl. Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture; mix well. Fold in raisins.
3. Beat 1/4 cup brown sugar with butter in a bowl until creamy and smooth. Whisk 2 tablespoons oats and 2 tablespoons flour, using a fork, into sugar-butter mixture until streusel topping is crumbly.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle each muffin with streusel topping.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 292 | Total Fat: 10.7g | Cholesterol: 39mg

I LOVE Family Field Trip Day!

Today we had the best time on a family Field trip to the Southern Museum in Kennesaw. Just had to share some memories here. 
We arrived and it was so beautiful even in the entry that I had to take a picture right away:

Then we started looking through the displays of various items used in Civil War Times:

"Mommy, what is that thing??" Great opportunity to teach about the Cotton Gin

Karyss Learning !!

 Our next adventure took us to learning about trains.. Starting with how the parts of a train are made:

Then it was time for some hands on fun and activities!!

It was a GREAT DAY!

Homeschooling progress......

We are making progress in our new journey of homeschooling. The kids are really getting in to the routine of it all and so am I finally.. Some days are better than others. 
They have been testing very well. Here are a couple of examples!

 A phonics test for Riley

 Riley's very first cursive writing test!

 Karyss' math test!

I am pretty proud of their work. God is teaching us all through this transition time!

I have been spending a lot of time thinking about God's sovereignty in our lives.. My verse right now that I am often thinking of is 

Isaiah 55:8-9

⁸ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

I know that God has a plan for us and I know it will be the best thing but at this time of uncertainty I need to be reminded often of HIS planning in my life.. It is crazy to me that I still doubt after all the blessings He has given our family and how much HE has done for us. I am foolish to be spending my time worrying when I should be spending time just Praising Him and thanking Him for all He has done for us!
Just my ramble for the day.. and the things God is teaching me!

 This is my boy studying a verse.. I should be doing the same much more often!

It has been such a  long time since I posted that I thought it might be nice to just post some pictures of our family so here you go!

Enjoying a meal with Nanny

The two shopaholics together!

Happy 13th Birthday Karyss!!!!!

Best Buds having Birthday supper

My GUYS!!!!! Love them!!!

My Girl is growing up much much too fast!

Lord, Direct our Paths

Wow. It has been such a long time since I have posted here and so much has been happening!
The biggest happening is that several weeks ago our precious church family had to let us know that they cannot keep us here any longer. The finances have been a struggle and we love the people here so much and appreciate all they have done to try to keep us but God is moving us on.  Now the question is where?? Which takes me back to this blog. I just need to spend some time on here journalling of sorts.. 
My biggest thing is to trust the Lord. So I am claiming 
"Trust in the Lord with ALL thine heart and lean not to thine OWN understanding. In ALL thy ways acknowledge HIM and He SHALL DIRECT THY PATHS" Proverbs 3:5-6
We are praying for him to direct our paths.

Have to add some pictures of the kids and our family soon here too.