Happy Birthday Daddy!

This is a picture of my dad with my sister, Jessica, at her rehearsal dinner. This was in 2004 (I think!) I can't seem to keep track of the years of all these events that have been happening. That is why I have them all written down, but unfortunately I didn't put my list of birthdays and anniversaries back in the place where it belongs, so it is currently MIA. Another reason why I need to remember to take the extra thirty seconds to return items to their proper place!!!

Anyway, the whole reason for this post was to say "Happy Birthday Daddy!" and I seemed to have gotten off on a bit of a tanget. Oh, well! I guess that is classic behavior for me! :-)

Here is to my dad whom I love with my whole heart. He has been there for me through many tests and trials. Thank you dad for loving me no matter where I am at or what I am doing. Thank you for being an example of God's unconditional love. Just like God the Father, my earthly father, has honestly loved me through the good times and bad. He has never left my side even when I acted like I didn't want him to be there. I couldn't ask for a better daddy both in the heavenly realm and the earthly realm!

Thanks dad for always being there for me and my family. Your love and support are appreciated beyond what can be put into words. We are wishing you a happy birthday and look forward to celebrating with you in November when you are up for deer hunting. Maybe we could treat you to dinner, what do you think?

Field Trips Rock!!

As you can see, we have been enjoying the flexibility of homeschooling. We visited Como Zoo this fall. It was an absolutely gorgeous day! Michael and David enjoyed the animals and taking pictures with a SpongeBob disposable camera.

With our homeschool co-op from church, Glory to Him Co-op, we went to the Fall Harvest Orchard which is located five miles west of Delano. It was a windy and cool day, but the kids LOVED it! We went on an educational hayride around the farm. Then they got to touch all kinds of animals: cows, pigs, baby chicks, and goats just to name a few.

The final field trip so far this fall was a Tuesday afternoon trip to Chuck E. Cheese with a group of ladies from the Covenant Kids Ministry. We went after Homemakers one afternoon to celebrate Joshua Anthony's fifth birthday. He is in the picture with David.

It has been so neat to watch David grow up and make friends. He really loves his friends and is VERY LOYAL! I have also noticed that David has some great leadership qualities. Unfortunately, sometimes they come out as bossiness. Ed and I will need to work with David on how to be a leader without being bossy. Servant leadership is the best kind of leadership! We need to teach David how to be a leader like Jesus not only with our words but also with our actions!

All I Needed to Learn I Learned From Noah's Ark

I received this in an email from a friend of mine. I hope that you enjoy it!




The woodpecker might have to go!







Everything I need to know about life, I learned from Noah's Ark...

1. Don't miss the boat.
2. Remember that we are all in the same boat.
3. Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
4. Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
5. Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
6. Build your future on high ground.
7. For safety sake, travel in pairs.
8. Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
9. When you're stressed, float a while.
10. Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
11. No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.

Life is well here for the Gulland family. I am enjoying watching my friends' three kids. The oldest two are in school Monday through Friday while the youngest is in preschool on Tuesday and Thursday. I only watch the oldest two after school while I watch the youngest one on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. David has a lot of fun with Michael. It has been fun to watch them both grow and learn together. Have a WONDERFUL day!

Twenty Free Gifts You Can Give

With the Christmas shopping seasons fast approaching (only 76 shopping days left), I thought that people would like to read about twenty free gifts they can give. Who doesn't like FREE is what I thought!! I found this list in Ellie Kay's book A Woman's Guide to Family Finances. This was a paraphrase by Ellie Kay. She originally found it in Chuck Swindoll's book The Finishing Touch.

1. Fix broken fences by mending a quarrel.
2. Seek out a friend you haven't seen in a while or who has been forgotten.
3. Hug someone and whisper, "I love you."
4. Forgive an enemy and pray for him or her.
5. Be patient with an angry person.
6. Express gratitude to someone in your world.
7. Make a child smile.
8. Find the time to keep a promise.
9. Make or bake something for someone else --- anonymously.
10. Speak kindly to a stranger and tell them a joke.
11. Enter into another's sorrows and cut the pain in half.
12. Smile. Laugh a little. Laugh a lot.
13. Take a walk with a friend.
14. Kneel down and pat a dog.
15. Lessen your expectations of others.
16. Apologize if you were wrong.
17. Turn off the television and talk.
18. Pray for someone who helped you when you hurt.
19. Give a soft answer even though you feel strongly.
20. Encourage an older person.