Catching Up

I cannot believe how long it has been since my last post!  I ended up with a viral infection that turned into a bacterial infection...actually two bacterial infections...bronchitis and a sinus infection.  While I was still recovering, two of the children came down with a stomach bug.  When we finally got over that, another viral infection with fever, stuffy noses, and coughs made its way through the children and now Joy has managed to get it last.  The other four are working through the last of the symptoms and Joy has now just gotten over the fever.

But even in all that, God still brings beauty to us...like the simple beauty of a snowfall.  We ended up with 8 inches of snow which is totally unheard of for our area!  It was SO beautiful!  And beyond that, with all the sickness going through the house, not one of my asthmatic children had a bout with asthma this time.  God is so very good.

The beginning of December was the "Love the Church" Conference in Ridgecrest.  I was too sick to go, but my dh took my two oldest there.  They came back spiritually refreshed and looking forward to more of the same.  We are planning on attending a conference hosted by Generations with Vision in March on Family Economics.  We feel the Lord might be leading us to look at starting a business of some kind, and we feel this is the next step in that leading.  We do not know whether the Lord is leading us in this direction for the whole family, or to begin building an entrepreneurial spirit within our children, but we are excited about it nonetheless.  We do not know how God would work out all the finances, as we believe we should not go in debt to start a business, but we know if this is what He wants, He will provide. 

We feel this venture may still be a few years in the making, but He is planting seeds within out hearts and we are excited.  How wonderful it would be for the children to work alongside both their parents daily.  What better way to fulfill the commandment to teach your children when you rise up and when you lie down?  But, we know it is all in God's hands...we are waiting and on Him. 

I did not get Christmas cards out this year...just too sick to do much...so please allow me to wish you all a belated Merry Christmas and I pray you had a blessed time with your families. I look forward to catching up with you all on your blogs.  Thank you so much for your concern and prayers for me while I was away.  You ladies are really terrific!

Under the Weather

Hello dear friends...just wanted to say that I am absent because I feel like the child in this bed looks.  Whatever virus I caught...it has been a bear!  I usually don't get many viruses, but this one has taken its toll on me.  If you think of me, please say a prayer.  Praying hard that no one else in the family gets it.  I have begun a heavy regiment of herbal antibiotics and diet to help ward off germs.  Hopefully, I will be back up and able to sit at the computer a little longer  very soon.  Until then, I hope and pray you are all doing well and enjoying the season of the life which the Lord has so graciously blessed us.  Grace and peace to you!

Holiday Celebrating at Our House ~ Part One

Holiday preparations are certainly shaping up at our home.  Presents are bought and decorating almost completely done.  I have always been one to start my decorating early...I like to enjoy the white lights as long as I possibly can.  Over the years, the ways in which we have celebrated Christmas has changed pretty dramatically.  It is a pleasant thing to see the ways in which the Lord has personally led our family to worship.  I guess I have always had a problem with the commercialism tied to Christmas.  It seems this time of year things are about anything but Christ.  Even in many of our churches, we have so many activities tied to the Christmas season, that it becomes an exhausting scramble from one party, sing, cookie exchange, ornament exchange, etc. to another.  I find it ironic that our Lord chose to be born in an out of the way stable...no fanfare, no party...just a quiet stable in Bethlehem.  Is it any wonder that He says, "Be still and know that I am God."

When my husband and I first got married, we always knew when we had children that there would be no Santa Claus done in our home.  Both of us had already come to that conclusion even before marriage...which is a really great thing...there wasn't even the temptation for an argument over the man in the red suit.  I remember finding out as a child that Santa did not exist.  It was actually pretty tough on me because I knew that I had actually been told a lie.  When I found out about Santa...all the other imaginary figures in my life crumpled at the same time.  The Easter bunny and the tooth fairy certainly couldn't be real either.  It made Christmas a downer for me.  Oh, I had always been told about Christ, but He didn't have the same "excitement" for a small child as the man who rode around in the sleigh with 8 reindeer (well, 9 if you count Rudolph) and gave out gifts to good little boys and girls.  I would stay up late at night looking out my window hoping to get a glimpse of Rudolph's red nose or to catch the sound of the jingle bells on the sleigh.  Then...public school came along and all these kids started talking about how Santa wasn't real, it was really just my Mom and Dad.  I was crushed.  Then, when I grew up and became a Christian, I made up my mind that my children would not hear of Santa in our home...they would only know him like they knew any other make-believe person.  Christmas would only and ever be about the birth of Christ.  And we would thank Him for any gift we ever got...He is the One after all that enables us to get or buy anything.  Have my children suffered for not believing in Santa?  Absolutely not.  They have thanked us many times for not telling them about him.  When we used to open gifts on Christmas Eve, my husband would first read the account of the birth of Christ from Luke, then we would pray and thank the Lord for the gifts He enabled us to get that year.  It was very special to see the children thankful unto God for their presents, rather than an imaginary Santa Claus.  Our children have never suffered from thinking there is no Santa.  Amazingly, the hardest opposition has been from well-meaning family and friends who felt we were "ruining" Christmas for our children because we did not tell them about Santa.  I never understood the logic that somehow Christmas was ruined because we focused more on Christ.  I think what is hardest for people is to question their traditions and to give those up...to be looked at as "those" people...you know the people you think are a little weird, but you smile at them anyway.  I thought we were radical enough with that one...but over the years the Lord has changed our view of Christmas celebrating even more...if you think we're odd for not doing Santa...stay tuned...more to follow...and to many, it makes the Santa Claus thing look pretty mild!  But oh, how it has enriched our family and how we celebrate the Savior!  Until next time...God bless!

Thankfulness

I hope and pray that all my American blogging friends had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday.  I enjoyed so much reading all your wonderful comments on my last post about teaching our children to give.  You have inspired me in many other ways to further our giving as a family.  For that, I thank you.  I also wanted to say that I am thankful for each and everyone of you who faithfully visit my blog and leave your lovely comments.  The Lord has used you all so often to encourage me in the faith and to just make me smile.  We had a lovely Thanksgiving here.  It was just our family and my dear sweet mother...but the time was lovely, quiet and refreshing...Okay, maybe not too quiet with five lively children!  We had our traditional Fowler family meal with made from scratch mashed potatoes and gravy, a 13 pound free range turkey, sweet potato souffle, corn, and whole wheat rolls.  Yum!  It was once again a great opportunity to thank the Lord for all His bountiful blessings to us.  Of course, a heart of thankfulness should never be assigned to a specific day, but rather a lifestyle.  I am so very thankful for the husband he has graced me with, the five beautiful blessings of my children that make my life more meaningful, my dear mother who constantly gives of herself over and over in our lives in too many ways to name, my friends who make life sweeter, and most importantly my Savior who made this life worth living and will make the next life perfect joy!  And once again, thank you my blogging friends!  I truly am thankful for you all!   

Teaching Our Children to Give

It seems like an odd topic, especially with the holidays right around the corner. How do we teach our children to give?  How do we instill in them what the Bible says, that it is more blessed to give than to receive?  The way most people seem to be frantically shopping for the newest and latest toy or fad that their children want, it seems like a foreign concept.  But, as Christians, it is our duty to teach Biblical principles, rather than wordly ones.  I am always amazed that people say they are worshipping the Christ-child at Christmastime, yet how many people ever give Him a gift?  How do we worship Christ and continue to amass things to ourselves?  People in stores just get more and more selfish and frustrated.  They push and shove and even fight one another to get the latest technological gadget.  How do we model a different way of giving?  First of all, I will tell you that our family does not have all the answers.  We do not have it all wrapped up.  We are simply sinners saved by grace, and nothing more.  These are some of the ways we try to teach giving to our children.  God may lead your family to approach it differently. 

1)  Giving must be taught year round.  It is not enough to give gifts to others at Christmas or birthdays...it should be a way of life for a Christian.  How much of your income goes to helping orphans, widows, the persecuted church, your home church?  These things are a way of life, not a one-time splurge when the mood hits.  Christian living is sacrificial living.  How about sponsoring a child from Compassion?  How about making bags of essentials for persecuted Christians who have lost everything for naming the name of Christ?  What about giving monthly to an organization that has blessed your family and needs the funds to further their ministries...Lamplighter, Vision Forum, etc.  A tenth of our tithe is the minimum requirement...what about giving more?  And that tenth should be before the government takes our money for taxes.  God comes first.  He should never get the leftovers.  We have chosen as a family to sponsor three children through Compassion International in Africa.  We allowed our children to choose the sponsored children.  They chose the ones who had been waiting the longest for a sponsor and who were in the AIDS infested areas of Africa.  My oldest daughter has freely given money given to her to help these children.  Showing our children what other children around the world are facing makes them understand their blessings, as well as their responsibilities to help others in the name of Christ.

2)  We give regularly to the persecuted church.  We pray for Christians being persecuted in other places because of their faith.  We receive the Voice of the Martyrs magazine and the children see what it means to name the name of Christ.  They realize how much we take for granted in this Western culture of ours.  It is a good reminder. 

3)  We limit what our children see by way of magazines and such.  We do not do TV, so they are not bombarded with the latest commercials for toys and such.  But, we cannot stop people from sending those free catalogs around this time  of year that is chocked full of toys.  So, most times before they enter the house, they are thrown away.  We choose the catalogs they view.  Right now those consist of Vision Forum, Lamplighter,  and Keepers of the Faith. 

These are just a few of the ways we try to instill giving in our children.  And we have begun to see fruit of those labors.  Another by product of this is that our children don't ask for expensive gifts and my problem is usually trying to think of something to get them because they do not ask for much.  My oldest daugther (14) has asked for a journal, books (such as Joyfully at Home) and a small purse.  My son (9) has asked for a $12 pop gun from Vision Forum, a police coloring book and he wants to learn how to play chess.  My daughter (7) wants some Betsy-Tacy books and a journal.  My son (6) wants deodorant (to be like Daddy), chapstick and a $12 pop gun.  And my youngest (4) wants a stuffed guinea pig, a drawing pad, a housecoat and a $12 pop gun!!!  She tells me she is going hunting with the boys!  What a blessing it is to get a list such as this! May we as mothers continue to teach our children that it is truly better to give then to receive.  The best way to do this is always by modeling.  May the Lord teach us to be givers...what better way to show the world the love of Christ today and everyday!

What's Been Happening in My Absence?

If case you were wondering what was going on over at our house in my blogging absence...I thought I would give you a little glimpse.  Although I have been a little silent lately, I assure you it is not because things have been uneventful.  We have been very busy with the day to day...and I thought maybe more pictures and fewer words would tell the story a little better...so what have we been doing?

Taking long walks on beautiful days....

Taking advantage of the lovely springlike weather for some fresh air and play...

Playing family games...one of our favorites...Blokus!

School continues faithfully...

Very small bits of decorating can be seen here and there...

Training children....

Music playing, singing and listening...

Colossal messes cleaned up... (and in case you are wondering...Joanna was wondering how well the bag of arrowroot powder would juggle...this picture does not do it justice...there was powder everywhere!)

Silly faces made...

More silly faces made...

Enough said about that one...

God's creation appreciated...

Smiles and love and Bible reading...and the list goes on.  Hoping your week is a great one too!  God bless!

A Great Gift Idea

Most of you that have followed my blog, know that I have a thing for books...children's books, cookbooks, craft books...and especially spiritually edifying books.  This is one of my all-time favorite children's books!  It would make a great gift for any child on your list.  It is the story of a little boy named Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge who lives by a nursing home.  He goes and visits the patients there, but his absolute favorite person is an elderly lady who also has four names just like he does.  She is losing her memory.  Gordon doesn't understand what a memory is so he goes and asks the other friends there in the nursing home.  They give him some sweet answers, and still not fully understanding, Gordon goes and gathers precious things he owns to take to his friend to help get her memory back.  What happens next is even sweeter...but I won't give it away because I don't want to spoil the surprise.  It made me tear up a little bit myself!  So, if you have a young one on your list that you need to buy for...or you want to add to your own home library...I highly recommend this book.  I like the fact that it promotes respect for elderly people.  That it shows a precious relationship with this boy and the residents in the nursing home.  It is very well written.

I do have one disclaimer about it though.  There is a part where one older gentleman was known for telling Gordon "scary" stories.  We personally do not condone scaring children...so we just blacked out the word "scary" and it read that he told him stories.  If you want to preview it first, check it out from the library first.  I think you will like it. 

Simple Fall Pleasures

 Fall is definitely one of my favorite times of the year.  I love to see all the beautiful colors that the Lord uses to make this season special.  The leaves turning, the crispness in the air, the feeling one gets when curling up in a warm blanket and sipping on some homemade hot chocolate.  Ah, how warm and cozy it all feels.  There's nothing like getting under a homemade afghan on a cool night with little children on either side of me and reading them their favorite books. 

Here are a few glimpses of autumn inside our home.  The older I get, the more I like praticality mixed with beauty in my decorating.  Some of the items that bring me the greatest feeling of home is seeing food beautifully displayed.  It is useable and beautiful.  The top of my buffet holds three Montana hocking jars with two types of sucanat and onewith beans.  I put simple, inexpensive coffee mugs in each to scoop out the goodies inside when I need them and to look nice when I do not.

I added a simple fall garland and small gourds, pumpkins and squash I picked up from the commissary.

Here it is from a distance flanked by lamps ridiculously cheap at a store that was going out of business and an oil painting that I paid about one-fourth of the original price by getting it on craigslist! 

I like white lights at night.  They make me smile.  So, I keep up this small fir tree year round and change out the decorations for different seasons.  These were fall picks purchased at Hobby Lobby for 50% off. The things I like the most in my home are the ones I waited to purchase frugally.  Here's wishing you a beautiful fall season!  May you grow closer to Him as you appreciate more and more the beauty He has placed all around you!

Before You Vote...Remember

"When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public

 

officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to

 

choose for rulers, 'just men who will rule in the fear of God.' The

 

preservation of [our] government depends on the faithful discharge of

 

this Duty; if the citizens neglect their Duty and place unprincipled men in

 

office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for

 

the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or

 

incompetent men will be appointed to execute the Laws; the public

 

revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the

 

citizen will be violated or disregarded. If [our] government fails to secure

 

public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect

 

the Divine Commands, and elect bad men to make and administer the

 

Laws." ~ Noah Webster

What Do You Think of Age-Segregated Ministry?

Divided from NCFIC on Vimeo.

Before watching the clip, don't forget to go to my playlist and hit pause.  For anyone interested in purchasing this video.  It is now out and included in the new 2011 Vision Forum catalog.  You can access the website here.  This one is on my wish list. 

Around the Home

Things have busy around our home lately, but it always seems that way!  These pictures of the children were taken when they went for a walk with Daddy.  He blessed me with a wonderful surprise.  Just out of the blue, he told me to take the whole morning and just go and do something that I wanted to do.  I ended up running errands that I had on my list of things to do and then did some visiting of places that I had always wanted to see, but never found the right time.  It was a very enjoyable morning and one I was very greatful to have.  I missed the family though, even for that little bit of time away.  We have been busy with school.  We just finished our 55th day for this year.  It is hard to believe we are already that far along!  I now have four children schooling...Joel was added this year.  Next year, all five will be officially "in school." 

I have been working trying to organize various areas in the house that have been nagging at me.  You know about those don't you?  Places that call your name every time you look at them saying, "Organize me...throw me away...etc."  I had quite a bit of curriculum that I was no longer using and had decided I probably wouldn't use again.  I spent several hours going through it piece by piece, putting like materials together and then putting the materials I would keep in the order that they would be needed for future use.  Then I sorted through old work and kept only those things I felt were important to keep.  I took my armload of materials to a new store here in town that consigns homeschool curriculum.  Hopefully, enough of my items will sell that I can turn around and begin buying those items for next year's school.  I like to plan ahead as much as possible.  Just like stocking a pantry, it is nice to buy a workbook here and there when funds allow so that if money gets tight, school will not suffer because of it.

I love this picture of Dh with my youngest.  It is so sweet.  God continues to be so faithful and gracious to us.  I cannot thank Him enough for the blessings of family.  I truly do not deserve the blessings He has given to me.  Press those little ones close to your heart...they grow up so very fast.

Where Did We Get Our Philosophy of Education?

"The education of all children,

from the moment that they can get along without a mother's care,

shall be in state institutions at state expense."

 

~Karl Marx

 

Sounds a little bit like what our government keeps trying to do huh?

Easy Oilcloth

I got this idea from The Farm Chicks in the Kitchen book.  Our table is large and since I have a family that enjoys their food very much, I was always washing the tablecloths.  I like having color on my table, but wanted the ease of clean-up.  So,when I saw this idea in the book, I was thrilled!   I bought some oilcloth from a seller on etsy and put it on my dining room table.  The table is large, so the hardest part was turning it over and placing it face down on the oilcloth.

Once we placed the table face down, I began cutting around the shape of the table and then took the staple gun and stapled it to the underside of the table.  The great thing about this is the ease of care.  I just wipe it off and it looks great after every meal.  It gives me the color I want and it is always ready for company!  And, if I decide that I want a different color tablecloth, I can always put one over it for a different look.

This is the small children's table I have in the kitchen.  This table top had been so beat up with children's toys and markings.  I wasn't ready to refinish it since my children are very young and there is still lots of playing to do yet!  So, this was an inexpensive fix.  This is actually the first one I did, so you can see a few more wrinkles in it.  I didn't allow for as much oilcloth on the underside as I should have.  But, I still really like the color and it is so cheery to look at!  There are so many different patterns and colors of oilcloth to choose from too.  So, there is something for most people's tastes.  So, if you are thinking about a new look for a table, why not give oilcloth a try?

Wonderful Book to Read

I am reading through a wonderful book right now by John S. C. Abott entitled, "The Mother at Home."  It is a wonderful book, full of timely advice from a Biblical perspective.  Here is just one quote from the book.

"She (the mother) must learn to control herself; to subdue her own passions; she must set her children an example of meekness and of equanimity, or she must reasonably expect that all her efforts to control their passions will be ineffectual.  A child gets irritated and strikes his sister; and the mother gets irritated and whips the chid.  Now, both mother and child have been guilty of precisely the same crime.  They have both been angry, and both in anger have struck another.  And what is the effect of this sinful punishment?  It may make the child afraid to strike his sister again but will it teach that child that he has done wrong that it is wicked to be angry?  Can it have any salutary effect upon his heart?  He sees this his mother is irritated, and thus is he taught that it it proper for him to be angry...This self-control, at all times, and under all circumstances, is one of the most important and most difficult things to be acquired."

From a Child's Perspective

Joy, my oldest daughter says to my seven year old Joanna, "The Bible says in Psalms 23 that, The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want."

Joanna exclaims, "Joy, why should we not want Him?"

I am constantly amazed by how literal children are! But, you know, it really is a very good question.  Why should we not want Him?  I am reminded how often I can go about my day, checking off my to-do list and all the while forgetting to stop and meditate on the One who gives me life.  Today, let's make it a point to practice living in the presence of Christ.  For truly, that is what the being a follower of Christ is all about.

History Reading

Anyone who knows me knows that I am an avid book collector.  I have always had a great appreciation for books, mainly given to me by a mother who read to me almost non-stop!  So, when I became a homeschooling mom myself, it was easy to start filling the shelves with quality literature.  Unfortunately, many good history books are out of print and we have authors today who choose to rewrite history to fit into their political, spiritual and social agendas. 

A great resource for history books that we found out about years ago at a homeschool conference are the Landmark books.  There are about 200 of them, and most all of them are out of print.  We have picked up a few here and there from homeschool conferences we attended.  I have gotten some great deals on them through Ebay.  And I have also been fortunate enough to find them tucked away in obscure little used bookstores we have found while vacationing.  I never seem to take a vacation from searching for books!

I never thought we would have this many just picking up one or two here and there.  But, here they are.  I had my oldest daughter get them all out and write out the titles for me since I have been known to buy a book I already have!  We'll blame that one on getting older!  I urge you to look for these books when you are out and about.  They are written on about a fifth grade level, but hold so much information on their individual subjects that they are fit for adult reading as well.  Some of the best children's authors of the 50's were asked to author these books, so they capture the reader's attention.  My oldest son, Josiah, has really enjoyed these and has read several already.  Since they are out of print, some of them can be expensive, but at the homeschool conferences we have attended, they have ranged from about 8 to 12 dollars a book.  I have found quite a few of them much cheaper by winning auctions on Ebay or by finding them in used bookstores.  Other people have been successful getting them almost free from libraries that are discarding them!  So, when you are out and about, keep a lookout for Landmark books...and Happy Hunting!

Sisterly Love

Here are some candid shots of my oldest and youngest when we were away for a weekend on one of Daddy's retreats. 

Being an only child, I never knew the feeling of sibling love.  Now, as a Mom of five beautiful blessings, I get to watch my children and experience it vicariously through them.

Children are such a blessing.  I cannot imagine the walls of my home without their laughter, their song, their wailings, their hugs and kisses, and the preciousness of their souls we pray consistently will be reserved for Christ alone.

I thank God for giving me such blessings!

Looking Forward to Watching This Documentary

If you are interested in keeping an eye on this movie, you can access their website here.  They have the latest information about the movie and more clips that you can watch. 

Book Review

I cannot believe it has taken me this long to read this book.  To think that I am approaching my 47th birthday in January and I have never read this Christian classic.  I have made it a habit ever since having children that we have a family read aloud before bed every night after family devotionals.  This is on top of other books I read to them during school times.  We just finished this wonderful book.  If you have not already read it, I urge you to do so.  It is the heart wrenching story of the Ten Boom family, Christians caught up in the setting of WWII who take up the dangerous cause of hiding Jews from the Gestapo.  Knowing the danger they are in, they continue to make the selfless decision to hide and help God's chosen people.  It is a beautiful story of self-sacrifice.  But, it goes even farther than this.  It is the story of a family who is caught, sent to prison and then, some of them, on to an extermination camp.  It is the story of childlike simple faith in a God who works all things for our good.  God's overwhelming Hand can be seen throughout every page.  I was especially convicted by Betsie Ten Boom's thankfulness in all situations.  She is a shining example of taking from God's Hand all that He gives with gratitude.  There is even a time when she is in a camp that is riddled with disease and fleas and she even thanks God for the fleas!  We find later that even God uses the fleas for her good.  One of my favorite quotes from Betsie is,"...tell people what we have learned here.  We must tell them that there is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still.  They will listen to us, Corrie, because we have been here."  These women were heavenly minded!  It has encouraged me to be more heavenly minded as well. 

A Time for Everything

It seems like all my posts lately have been "catching up" posts.  I seem to take longer and longer breaks between blogging.  But, for everything there is a season.  And right now, the Lord has fashioned my seasons in waiting on Him. I want to thank all of you that have been so good to check up on me, pray for me, and not forget about me during this time.  It has been so precious to read that my friends in blogland have been praying for my recovery.  Words just don't seem adequate to express how much that has truly meant to me.  I wish I could give you more of an update on my health, but it seems that little else is known.  I began getting "dizzy" probably over a year ago.  Little by little it got worse and then a few months ago I experienced a bout of something that was much like vertigo...not sure if that is what it was or not.  All I know is that I couldn't walk, or stand without running into walls.  The episode passed and I have been battling bouts of dizziness ever since.  Praise the Lord they have not been to that magnitude!  They took a CT scan of my head to rule out all kinds of horrible diseases.  It came back with nothing, of which I am thankful to God.  I have revamped my diet drastically.  That has helped a lot.  I am seeing my chiropractor, which has also helped, but the dizziness has not completely gone away.  There are days when sitting at the computer and looking at the screen makes me dizzy...therefore, fewer blogging posts.  But, truly, God has been so good to me throughout all of this.  He continues to shower upon me His grace.  He is drawing me closer to Him during this.  He reminds me of the preciousness of things taken for granted...like just walking normally.  I am learning more and more that things just don't matter in this world.  His will, His way, His ultimate purpose for my life is all that does.  I am learning to thank God in all things, even for my dizziness because it is through this that I am learning to lean on Him for the very essence of my life.  I would greatly appreciate your continued prayers and I look forward, if the Lord allows, to be back to sharing my heart and home with you all soon.

God's Provision ~ Our Vacation Part 3!

Well, it has certainly taken me enough time to post the last of our vacation installment!  But, if you have read earlier blog posts, you will understand the delay!  Our last stop was a leadership retreat with the leaders in my husband's battalion.  The idea was to break away and reunite with family after a long deployment.  It was a great time and this one was also in South Carolina at a wonderful place called "Middleton Place."  This place dates back before the American Revolution and has so much history to offer.  We actually stayed there at the inn, but there are regular tours of the grounds that go on almost daily.  So, it was a real treat to be able to walk the grounds anytime we wanted and then go back and rest our tired bones at the lovely inn.  The picture above is an example of the rooms.  They are so unique looking.  They are surrounded by windows that can be shut with wooden blinds, but can be kept open to look out on the beautiful water that runs through the property and the gorgeous sunsets in the evening.

This is another one of the rooms.  The bottom half of this building was a lounge where you could buy sandwiches and snacks and in the winter could sit by a wood burning fireplace.  Just beautiful.  The children really enjoyed coming out in the evening and watching the huge dragonflies and bats that would come out.  They also had a wide open area just to run and get all that energy out of them before bed!

I have so many pictures of this place that I could show you.  It was just breathtaking.  We ended up staying on site here all three days, only going out to get a healthy dinner at Jason's Deli.  We could have stayed much longer!

God's beautiful wildlife could be seen everywhere.  There were swans, egrets, turtles, etc.  They had a barnyard there with animals and a beautiful garden.  There were wonderful walkways between trees and azalea bushes.  It is definitely worth seeing.  We could not have afforded the Inn if it had not been paid for, but hope to at least get back to tour the grounds again.  For those of you that homeschool...it would be a great field trip!  I could go into all the history of it, but that would take far too much blogging right now!

Sunning under a tree...an alligator.  The turtles certainly do get closer than I ever would!

Look how big the trunk of this tree is!  Amazing!

This is one of the limbs that has some help from a steel pole.

There were acres and acres of grounds like this.  The children had a great time.

This is one of the beautiful historic buildings on the site.

These were called the butterfly lakes because they were divided like the two separate wings of the butterfly.

One side of the butterfly lakes.

Looking on the other side of the lakes.

This is just one of the beautiful views across the many lakes there.  We had a wonderful time and we were so thankful to the Lord for providing us with a fantastic vacation!