Life Don't Stop

For about a week prior to our move and three days after our move, our family life was chaotic to say the least. But now we are moved into our new house and we are back to our normal busy schedule. Here are a few pictures of places we've been recently...

The park along the river in our new neighborhood

To see Nana

McBee Dairy Farms (that's a cow jaw in case you were wondering)

Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge on the day, unbeknownst to us, that TN Forestry had planned to do controlled burning. An entire field was completely burned in under 10 minutes. The kids were amazed. We decided to leave before they began burning the grassy field you see on the right because we would've been enveloped by smoke.

A cabin at Standing Stone State Park. We joined friends who were staying in the nearby campground.

House For Sale

We are now moved into our new (which is old) house, and the old (which is newer) one is officially on the market. Check out the listing here and pass it along to anyone you know who is looking for a great family home in the Knoxville area.

Photos of Our New Home

We are getting all packed up and ready to move! We close on the new house on Monday and hope to be moving the following Saturday. Because this is a downsize for us, we are paring down our belongings. This has made the packing process a little more complicated because every object and piece of furniture is being scrutinized. We will be eliminating 1,000 square feet so not everything can go. I'm sure that sounds crazy for a family with 4 kids. But with homeschooling and the way we live, we think "less is more." We are a busy family, always on the go, and we enjoy outdoor activities. Our home is a place for learning, discipleship, meals, and sleeping. There's some playtime, too, but we have found that our kids are content with just a few favorite things. More stuff causes stress for them and for the Mommy and Daddy who have to clean it up. Despite my affection for farmhouses on little country roads, we are excited to be moving into an urban neighborhood close to downtown, parks, greenways, and the like. 

Front view from the street

Side entrance

Two-car detached garage (Yes, the neighbor's garage is that close!)

Kitchen

Dining area with access to back deck

Playroom

Master bedroom

Living room

Charlotte's bedroom

Upstairs hallway and stairwell

Boys' room - this is only a partial view of their massive bedroom

Lily's bedroom - only a partial view

A New Family Member

We welcomed my newest nephew on Wednesday, Sept. 4. He was born happy and healthy at 6 lbs 9 oz and 19 inches. His Mama was a whiz at labor and delivery - just 4 short hours of labor with no meds. He's a cutie, for sure!

Look at that sweet bundle!

My parents, Granddad and Grandmama, with their 10 grandchildren (ages: newborn, 10 months, 2 years, 2 years, 4 years, 6 years, 6 years, 8 years, 13 years, and 16 years)

Mom Lesson #1

Mom Lesson #1 in homeschooling: Don't underestimate what the 2-year old is learning while over-hearing lessons with the older children. Unfortunately when I caught this video, Charlotte was distracted by the others in the room. But earlier in the morning while she was playing, she was quoting this verse on her own. My jaw dropped when I overheard her and I ran to get my phone to get video. She had learned the verse when the older two were practicing the day before. A few more practices and I think she's got it!

How American Homeschoolers Measure Up

Ever wonder, or hear different opinions, about how homeschoolers stack up? Here's a nice summary of facts and stats.

We Are Moving!

Right now it all seems so sudden, but it has actually been in the works off-and-on for a year or two. In three weeks we are officially moving into a new (65 year old) house. We are super excited that we have found a house and neighborhood that fits our family perfectly and still accomplishes our downsizing goals. Do you know how difficult it is to find 5 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms with an open kitchen-dining area in 2400 square feet or less in a family-friendly neighborhood located perfectly between BJ's office on the west side of town and church on the east side of town with a level yard and with great places to bike and walk (and, if it's not too much to ask, a space for my painting studio)? Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's a one-in-a-million house. It was a real fluke that we even found the house since it was in a neighborhood we hadn't previously considered due to the prices of houses in the area. The house had only been on the market 24 hours when we viewed it. We were scheduled behind 8 other potential buyers. Turns out our offer was the third one received, which goes to show how amazingly priced the house was. So we were super surprised when our realtor called to let us know that the sellers had accepted our offer, despite the fact that even more offers continued to roll in on the second day. If everything goes according to plan (fingers crossed) then we should close on Sept. 13. We plan to list our current house for sale as soon as we get mostly moved to the new one.

For the fact that everything has fallen into place so perfectly, we can't help but believe God's hand is involved in the details. He does things so perfectly like that! I'm a little anxious about the moving process and transitioning 4 kiddos to a new house, but I'm confident God will walk us through it. If you live in the area, we'll be excited to have you come and visit once we get moved in. I hope to post more photos soon, but the one above is all I have for now.