Fun with Julian



From bottom to top: Julian, Shawn, Jacob, McKenzie and Ava
Mrs. Ruby's Best Beginnings Preschool

When Julian has no school he spends the day with me and my lil people. He just asked me the other day why don't I get a job and work outside of home since I do nothing here. HAHA! That statement made me laugh right out loud. So watching lil people is not work?? Hmmm.

Julian seems to think it is all play and no chore. And I guess he would be right in saying that because when he is here... I cannot harness all their energies to do preschool work, let alone projects because they are using it  in moments like these (refer to picture above). When Julian spends his days with us the children do not want to go home at the end of the day. During the day they are driving me up the wall with all their chasing, climbing, running, falling, rolling, hiding, and piling up on Julian, NON-Stop!

At first I was only to happy when nap time came around, but then when JULIAN'S home... there is no concept of NAP!!!

At the end of the day or days they may not  want to go home but I sure would love for Julian to go home... Oh Wait!! This is Julian's home *sigh* O.K. then I am painstakingly waiting for Julian to go back to school the next day or following week. Ha! What a kid, I love him dearly and so do my little friends.

He does so well with them and gives them so much attention. His exuberance for play and wonderful imagination, he will forever be their hero.

THANK YOU, Julian for making our days crazy, wild, and extremely fun! We love you and cannot wait till the next time your school is closed!!

Mrs. Ruby's Preschool

A moment to be thankful!

 I know this is the day after but I don't think giving thanks to God should be set aside for just one day out of the year.

We had dinner here at my house this year. Since 2008 we have been going to Tahoe to celebrate our Thanksgiving [because of the loss of my mother; it was a nice change], but not this year. We stayed home and had a great time of just being together.
My husband and my daughter spent time in the kitchen learning, helping and enjoying each other's cooking. I on the other hand layed on the couch with a very bad headache, lol... but I have to say; it was so nice to just snuggled up with no responsibilities and no children needing my undivided attention. It was glorious bliss.

My husband, Cynthia, Sean, Julian with my older sister and Danny's older brother and mother enjoyed the comforts of my home. I kick myself because I didn't take a group picture *ouch* so sad.
Spending time with family is always or should always be a wonderful time. But I do have to say that wasn't always the case when I was a child growing up..

So what do I have to reflect on to be thankful for??
1. My husband was home for this holiday. He was not on the road somewhere far away from his family.
2. My daughter was off from work and was able to spend time with us as well. It was good to see her happy and finding herself in the kitchen with her daddy :) *memories*
3. Danny's brother, woody and his mother came and spent time with us. I'm thankful for Danny's mother, that she is still with us celebrating these holidays with our family.
4. My home has never looked better and I'm thankful for that. With all the remodeling and painting it's no longer an embarrassment to have people over, lol...
5. My preschool is coming along and I love how it is looking. The other wonderful thing about it is, the fact, that because my business is from home it makes me accountable to keep it looking fresh and presentable at all times. AND makes everyone else in the house-hold keep it clean... I LOVE IT!!! :D
6. My older sister Rose was here with me as well. She always spends Thanksgiving and Christmas with us because we only have each other [the other three sisters being so far away in AZ]. Since my mother died we have created a bond between us and sometimes I just don't see her enough. I love my sister, she is a gem
7. I'm thankful for five families the Lord has sent my way. They have been a tremendous help to me at  getting my preschool started. I will forever be grateful to them! They have helped from small jobs to supplies to a web-site... Jesus you are so good!!
8. I'm thankful for our animals, lol. I really am, they keep my youngest busy and entertained. Living in a household with four adults, has got to be hard on him most days. We find his best moments here at home with his dogs. They are truly his best friends!
9. I'm thankful for family ties... We all work together to keep our home, to make ends meet and to take care of the littlest in the home; Julian. I really believe he makes our live continue forward and helps us keep what is important into perspective.
10. I'm thankful for 'Freedom Christian School'. It has come into our lives at just the right time. I love the staff and the child-centered teaching. It goes above and beyond with all the children supporting families and churches. The Godly instructions is absolutely amazing as well. We are blessed.

With all this said; I am truly thankful. And not only with these ten I mentioned but for many, many more moments I couldn't ever post in one day. For it would take a life time.
So today on this extremely lazy day... Beautiful I have to say, the weather is absolutely breath taking; sunny, cool fall weather *gorgeous*! I'm blessed and could never thank the giver of all these things enough. He is the giver of life and He has giving not only me but my family as well, LIFE!! Life new and life everlasting. We have purpose and we have a reason to lift our hands in thanksgiving!!

**To GOD be the glory**

One BIG heap :)

Julian was soaked from getting caught by a wave and rolled out into the water. We changed his T-shirt with an extra one I had and he still was freezing. I tried to warm him up but instead we fell in a heap. I love this kid!

Our little family; Julian, Dad and I. Went up north to Fort Bragg, CA.

It was a cold, windy, cloudy day, but extremely relaxing!

We drove up on Thursday and found a place to rest than made our trek on the beach the whole next day... It was a day to remember and a wonderful memories for my 8 year old son.

I wore a short skirt and flip flops and a sleeveless hoodie... needless to say a froze my tail off, lol!

Mackerricher State Beach offers a variety of habitats; beach, bluff, headland, dune, forest and wetland. We visited the tide pools that are along the shore and found all sorts of interesting critters. We tried taking many pictures to bring home rather than the critters themselves, lol.

Later we took a walk along the sandy beach and found where the Seals were sunning themselves and nurturing their new born babies... it was very fascinating! There was a kind woman with her telescope who invited Julian to watch the seals on the shore much closer. He exclaimed so many times how he felt he was right next to the seals and their babies.

 *AMAZING*

There were many birds flying low and all around over our heads. We were told more than 90 species of birds visit or live near the beach. We sat for a very long time but did not spot any whales. But we did listen to the wonderful sound of the waves coming into shore... Watching the waves crash and spray the rocks on shore was a beautiful picture I was not so lucky to capture on camera :(

but I will never forget it's sound and the wonderful relaxed state it puts me in...

*sigh*

If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea.
Even there Your hand shall lead me. And Your right hand shall hold me.
- Psalms 139:9-10

It's a very popular park/beach at least with our family and enjoy every minute we have there... in it's complete splendour! to our God be the glory... what else can I say??

I'm always thankful I have times like this to reflect on my LORD and my little family and my wonderful life...

*A moment to remember*  

Bad Weather

Bad weather always looks worse through a window. 

~Author Unknown

My son always wants to head out the sliding glass door to our backyard and play in his imaginative world, but today's a very bitter, cold, rainy day and I don't think it would be a good time to be in the yard. This 8 year old is very active and can't seem to just sit in the house and read a book, listen to stories or play with his Lego's. Why do I think he should or would?

He is determined to go into the rain like it is just another sunny day.

One thing I love about my son is his personality.

"Mom it's not cold! Please, I want to go play outside!"

As I look thru the window I can see the weather is getting bad, 

"No, Julian, I don't think it is a good idea... there is lots of mud and I bet it is extremely cold."

His insistence pays off and I quickly tell him to play for just a little bit.

As I look thru the window the sky is growing dark, the trees are swaying in the wind and the rain is hitting against our sliding glass door.

That is when I notice our neighbors windmill just over our fence... it is banging roughly against the fence and twirling at a magnitude speed...

OK, he needs to come in, I bet it is severely cold out there!

As I open the door the bitter cold wind hits my face and rain splatters on my glasses.

"Julian! You need to come in, it's absolutely freezing out here!!"

As I continue to step outside, not dressed for the weather... I realize the extreme cold. But I also notice the sound of rain, the smell of wet mud, feel the cool, chilled wind and see the beautiful gloomy clouds...

It's gorgeous out here!!

The windmill is doing its work and letting me know how windy and stormy it's becoming.

Yes, it is absolutely freezing standing out here without a coat to cover my thin blouse and short skirt. But it's beautiful... Julian is playing in the yard oblivious to the storm, lost in his own world as I watch the windmill do it's work.

I don't know how long I stood there watching this windmill, loving this time outside in the stormy rain, listening to the beautiful sounds, but by the time I headed back inside I was wet and chilled to the bone. 

I decide to get my camera to capture this windmill and...

 remember this moment.

❀Being the HIGHEST bidder...

Today at our church was the end of our Sunday School Promotion.
For the last few Sundays the Children have been earning monies every time they came to church (they earned $1.) and every time they brought a visitor (they earned $3.). It was our way to promote our S.S. Program and to bring up our attendance, of course it was fake monies... It has been exciting and lots of fun for the children and very competitive for our youth for they were earning $100. of REAL money.

But what made this a cheerful, blissful moment for me was seeing a child (mine of course) getting something he had his heart set on Sunday after Sunday after Sunday.... These toys, candies, bikes, dolls, etc.... were set out every Sunday for the children see every time they received their monies.... and they knew that the more money they had the better chance they had at getting the thing they wanted because 'being the HIGHEST bidder' was what gave you your hearts desire :D

Isn't it exciting to get something you've always wanted or something you've had your heart set on for such a long time... hoping that someone else doesn't get it before you or that it's still there the next time you come by... It was so neat today to see all these children beside themselves with reckless abandon screaming out their bids to win their prize...
there was such a buzz in the air, so much commotion it was hard to hear the children's bids!! There was such a wild frenzy the thrill was almost a feeling of hysteria!! Oh but it was such a great show of passion it was almost intoxicating!!!

"And JULIAN gets the bike for $10.00 (fake) loot dollars!!!!"
The church whoops it up with screams and roars!!!
He was the HIGHEST bidder and it was...
*A HAPPY MOMENT*