A fabulous line...

check out this fab line for little ones...you'll love the design.

http://rebekahmerkle1.blogspot.com/2009/06/blog-post.html?showComment=1245781757308#c1774886560690855078

Happy to be Home

Little B signing Daddy
Laughing at Mommy

Clapping for himself! We are so thankful to have him back home. He is such a joy.

New Sewing Projects

A diaper bag for a friend

A purse for me :)

Our own little Washington

Tanner has been taking a writing class at our co-op. At the end of the term the children have to pick a famous American and write an essay about them. After perfecting the essay they dress accordingly and recite the essay in our "Faces of History "program. He was very nervous, but did an excellent job. Mom and Dad were very proud.

Here he is with his wife, Martha. :)

This is his good friend Ben Franklin.

Fun In The Snow

Yes, it did snow in the South! We had an offical snow day, just so my kids could say that they had snow days! Our days of fun was complete with storage container lids for sleds, socks for mittens, and three layers of pajama pants for warmth! Enjoy the pics!
Bayleigh taking a snack break!

Oh so pretty!

Catching Up

The past few months have been rather busy for the Costner Family. We have grown in number and in thankfulness!

In January little guy arrived and changed our world around. He has many medical needs and a full time nurse that accompanies him. We have been inspired by his consistent smiles and love for life and amazed at his ability to endure the worst of things. Born with his liver and intestines outside of his body, partially deaf and blind, unable to crawl or walk, on oxygen and with a trach, liquid feedings through a g-tube in his tummy, and unable to talk or cry...but little guy is full of smiles, kisses, hugs, and claps. In just a few short days of arriving he learned sign language for mommy and daddy and started to make up his own. He loves the kids and they are amazed by him. He just melted our hearts with his silent laughter and silent tears. I will never forget the first time I heard him cry, it reminded me of the day my boys were born, Chris and I both cried with joy for him. In Feb he ended up in the hospital with a blockage in his intestine. They removed a portion of it and put all of his parts back inside his body. This was rather complicated and he ended up back in the OR for another round of fixing the tummy. This time it worked, but he has had a hard time adjusting to all of this and is on a ventilator to help him breathe. This past week he has made huge progress and will be coming home soon. Here are some pics for everyone.

Spike

About a month ago we awoke to my 9 yr old crying and saying that his cockatiel Gomez was sleeping on the floor of his cage...presumably dead. He was and so we buried him with much remorse and regret. You never really appreciate your pets until they are gone, and we sure did miss Gomez's constant chatter and song.

While I was detained, Daddy took the crew on a little shopping trip to the pet store and came home with this little guy...a Chinese Water Dragon. His name is spike and he is loved by all, even mom. I love him because he is not a snake! :) Here are some pics of Spike.

Pics and Pumpkins

My camera is semi-functional now....but here are some fun pics of the kiddos.

The Sunset Quilt

This is my most recent creation for a dear friend of mine, in celebration of their new son. It is my first landscape of the local Blueridge Mts with the sun setting behind.

Contentment

For care is to the mind as a burden to the back; it loads the spirits, and, with overloading, sinks them.

Thomas Watson

Amoretti: And the moment we've all been waiting for . . .

Amoretti: And the moment we've all been waiting for . . .

Quotes and such

"A plump wife and a big barn never did any man harm." (*personal favorite*)
"Eat yourself full of what we got."
"Kissin wears out, cookin don't." (so not true)
"Make with a smile for once."
"Some folks are wonderful nice."
"Look for the Orange milk cans at the Entrance."

Taken from the Amish Homestead Cookbook

Tanner's Pen

Travel To The New World
By Tanner Costner
Oct. 2008

In 1620 the anxious pilgrims, who sought freedom, decided
to journey to the New World. They sailed on a scanty ship named
the Mayflower. During the trip, a perilous storm sprang up,
causing strong gusts of wind and whirling waves. Fearfully, the
pilgrims took shelter below the gun deck. They crowded
together as they watched the chilly seawater seep through the
cracks of the wretched ship. The drenched and freezing pilgrims
were frightened as they listened to the booming thunder. They
prayed for mercy.

Goodman John Howland, who was tired of being cooped up
below deck, foolishly progressed towards the upper deck.
Instantly, a humongous wave tossed the battered Mayflower,
sending Goodman into the freezing water. As he fell, he grabbed
onto a rough rope. He was transfixed.
Luckily, sailors observed Goodman fall overboard. The
cunning sailors, who took action, pulled him in with a huge hook.
He was thankful be safe on the boat. He thanked the gallant sailors
and slowly walked below deck. Meanwhile, the faithful pilgrims
prayed for his safety. Goodman was safe. The journey to the New
World was difficult.

Tanner's Pen, the writings of an 8 yr old boy

The English Settlement
by Tanner

In 1607, a troop of English men successfully sailed to the New World. They landed in Virginia and named it Jamestown, after their king. In Virginia, the land was a swampy wilderness. The settlers, who struggled for survival, grew weak because they did not want to work. Sadly, over half of the starving settlers died.

The settlers, who were inadequate, would not have survived without the cunning Captain John Smith. John Smith kept peace with the agreeable Indians and traded goods for food. Cleverly, John Smith devised a rule...No work, no food. He saved the settlement.

The settlers did not collect gold, but gathered useful tobacco. They grew the tobacco and sold it to England. Jamestown Virginia, the first English settlement, is still a city today.

Amoretti: And another fortnight gone!

Amoretti: And another fortnight gone!

A New Year In Classical Education

It has been quite sometime since my last post on Homeschooling, so I thought I would write a little about what we are doing for school this year. It's rather exciting, in a scary sort of way! :)

This year we are starting something new. We enrolled the kids in Classical Conversations, which is a rigorous, classical, co-op that meets one day a week. To make it more plain, it is like sending your children to a private classical academy one day a week.

The kiddos are doing enormous amounts of memorization this year and doing student presentations in front of their class every two weeks. Tanner is in an English Grammar class that is akin to taking steroids, and a writing course that is, how shall I say it, a form of sanctification for mom?! Tanner and Dawson are beefing up their math studies this year with Logos' Classical Math series and Gena is enjoying learning Phonics with the Phonics Museum. Bayleigh has mastered the art of innocent interference and seems to be just as quick to learn her states and capitals as the others.

I am always amazed at how quickly the children soak up facts and hunger for more. They are simply knowledge vacuums right now.

Nothing like a good give-a-way!

Ladies, some of you have never heard of the skirty, but it is this ingenious invention enabling little tree-climbing girls(like mine) to frolic modestly. And best of all Amoretti Designs is giving away a pair! Along with some salt! To check it out go here: http://rebekahmerkle.blogspot.com/2008/09/and-another-one.html

Enjoy,

Karla

A New Place

We are settled in now and enjoying our new home. The kids are able to run the property with the dogs, go fishing, wade in the stream, ride their bikes on the long driveway, and sit on Grandpa's swing on our front porch.

We are home.

And Chris is really enjoying moving the grass!

The Pooh Quilt

Our camera suddenly decided to stop working, so this is the only picture I have of my last quilt. This was made for a friend, at church, in celebration of her son. Several of the expectant moms are placing orders now, who knew!

Patchwork Project

I have been working on this primitive patchwork, meaning nothing is measured :) for a couple months now. This will be a shower gift for a friend of mine. (Hopefully she won't look at my blog!) Her little girl is named Tovia. I am looking for the perfect fabric to finish out the back, and added some embroidery work this week. This definitely will not be my one and only patchwork...I'm having to way much fun with it!