Here we are looking at the end of January already! Time goes so quickly! We have been keeping busy with school, basketball (Chucks team) swim lessons, dr appointments and fighting off winter colds!
Well we hope to share more updates on our life the journey including the struggles and the blessings but that will be another time (keep thinking we'll have time someday!)
Tutu, Ria and I have begun a new home business adventure this month too! Its called Thrity-One and we look forward to telling you more about in as time goes one but for now if you'd like to see what its all about check out our website www.mythirtyone.com/moquak
Steve and I are very much looking forward to a weekend away this month too! YEAH! thanks to great friends for helping watch all the kids (and animals) so we can have a little time alone!
That is what we are up too.... we really hope to do more posts soon :)
Happy winter to you!
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Monday, June 7, 2010
A day of work
Here is a picture of our family in front of the My Father's World booth -- that is what we do! 
Drive the van and a trailer to different homeschool conventions, set up the booth (its like a puzzle!) share with customers, and then drive home or onto the next one!
This year Chuck assists Steve as a second cashier what a help!
One of our helpers, Kim Reiffer, getting her order before the doors open
Eugene likes showing the demo of the foreign language program Rosetta Stone
Here we were at the Naperville, IL convention.
After a long day of work it feels great to sit down and eat some food! Cracker Barrel is one of our new favorites. Thanks to many of you who bless us with home-cooked food while we are on the road it is a much appreciated treat!!!
We are happy to be home for a full week! As I am wondering why I feel so busy, I realize that we are squashing into one week all the stuff we usually do in a month! It makes for a busy season but we really enjoy it! -- well most parts of it :) As we prepare to head to Denver,CO and then Austin, TX for over 40 hr in the car the next two weeks ....the driving part we could skip!!
We appreciate prayers for safe travels and that we would be an encouragement to the many homeschoolers we come in contact with!
THANKS! the Quak Flock
Drive the van and a trailer to different homeschool conventions, set up the booth (its like a puzzle!) share with customers, and then drive home or onto the next one! 
This year Chuck assists Steve as a second cashier what a help!
One of our helpers, Kim Reiffer, getting her order before the doors open
Eugene likes showing the demo of the foreign language program Rosetta Stone
Here we were at the Naperville, IL convention.We are thankful to be a part of a company that has the mission of RAISING UP GENERATIONS OF GODLY FAMILIES WHO SEE THE WORLD THROUGH GODS EYES AND LIVE ACCORDING TO THAT KNOWLEDGE. Its a blessing being a part of something that is an encouragement to so many families and is also passionate about missions!
After a long day of work it feels great to sit down and eat some food! Cracker Barrel is one of our new favorites. Thanks to many of you who bless us with home-cooked food while we are on the road it is a much appreciated treat!!!We are happy to be home for a full week! As I am wondering why I feel so busy, I realize that we are squashing into one week all the stuff we usually do in a month! It makes for a busy season but we really enjoy it! -- well most parts of it :) As we prepare to head to Denver,CO and then Austin, TX for over 40 hr in the car the next two weeks ....the driving part we could skip!!
We appreciate prayers for safe travels and that we would be an encouragement to the many homeschoolers we come in contact with!
THANKS! the Quak Flock
Friday, May 28, 2010
Life on the road...
After 2 weeks on the road ....the van is pretty messy and kids are pretty tired!
Going from MI to WI via the U.P. where we were blessed to visit old friends, Cuthbertsons - THANKS for a fun night and a MUCH nicer "hotel"! A neat but fast trip.
Our hotel in WI was very nice and clearly also a MESS! -- I guess I should say lived in :) 
As we were trying to figure out where 2 cots and a portacrib were going to fit Tutu toured the porch and said "how about out here?" It worked great... well until it rained .... they only got a LITTLE wet!
It was very nice to have the hotel attached to the convention center so the baby could get some good naps!
After our two weeks out we returned home for 5 days. On the way back from WI we had met Gr and Gr K who picked up Chuck for a week with of fun and work! It was different not having him around for the week!
More on our adventures to come!
Grateful to have the opportunity to travel and visit new places and meet new friends!
Going from MI to WI via the U.P. where we were blessed to visit old friends, Cuthbertsons - THANKS for a fun night and a MUCH nicer "hotel"! A neat but fast trip.
Our hotel in WI was very nice and clearly also a MESS! -- I guess I should say lived in :) 
As we were trying to figure out where 2 cots and a portacrib were going to fit Tutu toured the porch and said "how about out here?" It worked great... well until it rained .... they only got a LITTLE wet!
It was very nice to have the hotel attached to the convention center so the baby could get some good naps!After our two weeks out we returned home for 5 days. On the way back from WI we had met Gr and Gr K who picked up Chuck for a week with of fun and work! It was different not having him around for the week!
More on our adventures to come!
Grateful to have the opportunity to travel and visit new places and meet new friends!
Monday, April 12, 2010
We're Back...
From our first convention, and I found I am missing doing daily posts! I will try to get some out as often as possible during this traveling season!
Due to commitments of the upcoming Snoopy play, Chuck stayed home with the Nisbett family and had a great time in a large family. We really missed his muscles for set up and tear down!
Run down of our weekend:
WED 1 pm depart from the office van full of STUFF and kids (had Sonja with us as an additional cashier since we were down one!) PLUS the trailer loaded with books!
9:30 pm find hotel get some sleep
THURS 8 am wake up celebrate Tutu's 13th birthday then on the road again
11 am arrive in NE begin pushing in 18 carts and setting up the booth
5 pm finish up set up and join friends for a wonderful dinner and fellowship
9 pm settle 8 people into hotel room and try to go to sleep THIS is a challenge! age range 8month to 15 yr + mom and dad :)
FRIDAY 8 am grab quick breakfast and off to the convention to talk with homeschoolers
1 pm sit for a few minutes while eating lunch with a few kids, baby is doing well
6:30 pm lights turn off, shopping hours over (we needed to find a flashlight to close down!)
7 pm kids went to a wonderful homeschool families home for pizza and the adults were blessed to enjoy some time to talk over dinner.
10 pm back to hotel tuck in and zonk out quickly!
SATURDAY 7am another quick breakfast and off to day #2
9 am share talk on School AND Service which was a wonderful blessing to many even me!
11 am share talk on Occupying Toddlers and Preschoolers while teaching older ones
12 pm back to booth, baby wanting mommy, quick lunch
3:30 pm convention closes and tear down begins thanks to wonderful helpers we were done by 6:30 pm and enjoyed a Mexicans feast for dinner.
8:30 pm swimming in the pool at the hotel ~ great reward to the kids for all their hard work
10 pm hit the hay one last night at the hotel
SUNDAY 9am check out of hotel and head to church
1 pm enjoy some down time at the Kelseys home THANKS for having us over!
10 pm get the kids settled for a sleep over
MONDAY 8 am pack up and prepare to hit the road again
4:30pm back into the warehouse to unload the trailer
5:30pm HOME SWEET HOME!
a few days home and off to do it all over again :) well actually this week a the oldest 4 are staying home for dress rehersal THANKS to Gr and Gr Q for babysitting! It will be very different with no big helpers!
off to babyproof the house ~ she started CRAWLING!!! and she is FAST! better run! (We had hoped to add some pictures but the camara is not unpacked yet ~ will try to add them soon!)
Due to commitments of the upcoming Snoopy play, Chuck stayed home with the Nisbett family and had a great time in a large family. We really missed his muscles for set up and tear down!
Run down of our weekend:
WED 1 pm depart from the office van full of STUFF and kids (had Sonja with us as an additional cashier since we were down one!) PLUS the trailer loaded with books!
9:30 pm find hotel get some sleep
THURS 8 am wake up celebrate Tutu's 13th birthday then on the road again
11 am arrive in NE begin pushing in 18 carts and setting up the booth
5 pm finish up set up and join friends for a wonderful dinner and fellowship
9 pm settle 8 people into hotel room and try to go to sleep THIS is a challenge! age range 8month to 15 yr + mom and dad :)
FRIDAY 8 am grab quick breakfast and off to the convention to talk with homeschoolers
1 pm sit for a few minutes while eating lunch with a few kids, baby is doing well
6:30 pm lights turn off, shopping hours over (we needed to find a flashlight to close down!)
7 pm kids went to a wonderful homeschool families home for pizza and the adults were blessed to enjoy some time to talk over dinner.
10 pm back to hotel tuck in and zonk out quickly!
SATURDAY 7am another quick breakfast and off to day #2
9 am share talk on School AND Service which was a wonderful blessing to many even me!
11 am share talk on Occupying Toddlers and Preschoolers while teaching older ones
12 pm back to booth, baby wanting mommy, quick lunch
3:30 pm convention closes and tear down begins thanks to wonderful helpers we were done by 6:30 pm and enjoyed a Mexicans feast for dinner.
8:30 pm swimming in the pool at the hotel ~ great reward to the kids for all their hard work
10 pm hit the hay one last night at the hotel
SUNDAY 9am check out of hotel and head to church
1 pm enjoy some down time at the Kelseys home THANKS for having us over!
10 pm get the kids settled for a sleep over
MONDAY 8 am pack up and prepare to hit the road again
4:30pm back into the warehouse to unload the trailer
5:30pm HOME SWEET HOME!
a few days home and off to do it all over again :) well actually this week a the oldest 4 are staying home for dress rehersal THANKS to Gr and Gr Q for babysitting! It will be very different with no big helpers!
off to babyproof the house ~ she started CRAWLING!!! and she is FAST! better run! (We had hoped to add some pictures but the camara is not unpacked yet ~ will try to add them soon!)
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Tuesday Training
Another convention season is quickly approaching so we had "training" today~ for those of you who are new here our family is on staff with a homeschool curriculum company and we are blessed to be able to travel as a family to conventions where we set up a booth, speak and share what we love about My Father's World. (you may enjoy seeing the picture on the main page if you click this link - but remember the "REST OF THE STORY!") As we are gearing up for at least 10 conventions this spring we are excited and nervous all at the same time ~ this will be our first year traveling with a baby!
We look forward to sharing some of the fun with you along the way ~ about 10,000 miles that is! Should we be in your area we'd love to stop and say hi! We will be traveling to NE, MO, GA, (2x) MI, WI, IL, CO, TX (2x), TN, And if you think of us in the next few months we'd appreciate your prayers -- for safe travels, for cooperation and for most importantly for opportunities to share God's love with others.
Onto today's lent FEAST, don't miss the challenge at the bottom!
Numbers 21:4-9
4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"
John 8:21-30
We look forward to sharing some of the fun with you along the way ~ about 10,000 miles that is! Should we be in your area we'd love to stop and say hi! We will be traveling to NE, MO, GA, (2x) MI, WI, IL, CO, TX (2x), TN, And if you think of us in the next few months we'd appreciate your prayers -- for safe travels, for cooperation and for most importantly for opportunities to share God's love with others.
Onto today's lent FEAST, don't miss the challenge at the bottom!
Numbers 21:4-9
4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"
6 Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.
8 The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.
I pray that I am able to be content with what God has for me - Jer. 29:11 kept coming to mind!John 8:21-30
21Once more Jesus said to them, "I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come."
22This made the Jews ask, "Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, 'Where I go, you cannot come'?"
23But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins."
25"Who are you?" they asked.
"Just what I have been claiming all along," Jesus replied. 26"I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world."
27They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him." 30Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.
I want to challenge you -- if you have never fasted -- considering giving something up for a week, there is a little over week left in lent. Pray about it allow God to speak to your heart! Fasting from lunches has been a very blessed time of growth for me and our family this year and we are REALLY anticipating Easter and breaking of our fast! If you started a fast but got off track you can start again its ok! Let us know so we can pray for God to work in your life too!
Blessings,
Amy and the whole Quak Flock :)
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Big Steps Little Feet
15 years ago, I joined a wonderful homeschool family in their new business venture, opening a child care center. I was 19 and still in school working on my Early Childhood Degree. Rob Young, the owner, (either in amazing confidence or complete ignorance) hired me to be the director of the whole thing! WOW what an experience that was!
Our desire was to provide the best Christian care for those who couldn't (or chose not to) be home with their children. We were entrusted to help raise these precious gifts from the Lord and what a blessing that was. I have so many fond memories of those years. And feel like I owe many parents apologies for all my parenting advice -- you shouldn't be allowed to give advice UNLESS you are a parent yourself! It doesn't matter what kind of degrees you have!!!
(Some pictures of our fun days at Big Steps....)
A few highlights from my BSLF years --
* Making sure the staffing ratios are meet -- try scheduling 20+staff and over 100 children and making it all work out!
*Making meals that are healthy, well balanced, and kid friendly x 130! (I should be better at that by now -- still not my strong suit!)
*Getting to be a kid again and PLAY, read stories, and wonderful nap time :)
*Being able to work with so many friends what a wonderful treat.
*Enjoying pajama day with all the children -- then having a cute guy come and propose to me right in the middle of our preschool! (yeah, Rob was in on that too and convinced me not to change out of my pj's- however I insisted when he pulled out a camera!!!)
*Making wonderful friends with lots of families and watching their blessings grow up.
*Getting to send them all home every night! That was a shocker when I had my own 24/7
*Being able to have my children in the room right next to my office so I could see their first rolls, crawls and steps.
* Getting to know a blessed homeschool family who taught me that following God's call is most important -- Sorry I always gave you such a hard time about homeschooling, look where it got me! -- I have learned not to say NEVER
Yes that is me with Maggie and Gabe
I am thankful God has called me to be home, but that season was used by Him to grow me in so many ways. Thanks Rob and Annette for all your love and encouragement.
(and reminding me its been 15 years!)
FYI the name came from a song by Mary Rice Hopkins
Chorus: "I may be small but HE lives in me I've got Big Steps and Little Feet"
Our desire was to provide the best Christian care for those who couldn't (or chose not to) be home with their children. We were entrusted to help raise these precious gifts from the Lord and what a blessing that was. I have so many fond memories of those years. And feel like I owe many parents apologies for all my parenting advice -- you shouldn't be allowed to give advice UNLESS you are a parent yourself! It doesn't matter what kind of degrees you have!!!
(Some pictures of our fun days at Big Steps....)
A few highlights from my BSLF years --
* Making sure the staffing ratios are meet -- try scheduling 20+staff and over 100 children and making it all work out!
*Making meals that are healthy, well balanced, and kid friendly x 130! (I should be better at that by now -- still not my strong suit!)
*Getting to be a kid again and PLAY, read stories, and wonderful nap time :)
*Being able to work with so many friends what a wonderful treat.
*Enjoying pajama day with all the children -- then having a cute guy come and propose to me right in the middle of our preschool! (yeah, Rob was in on that too and convinced me not to change out of my pj's- however I insisted when he pulled out a camera!!!)
*Making wonderful friends with lots of families and watching their blessings grow up.
*Getting to send them all home every night! That was a shocker when I had my own 24/7
*Being able to have my children in the room right next to my office so I could see their first rolls, crawls and steps.
* Getting to know a blessed homeschool family who taught me that following God's call is most important -- Sorry I always gave you such a hard time about homeschooling, look where it got me! -- I have learned not to say NEVER
Getting to work at 8am with 2 under 2 was a challenge!
Yes that is me with Maggie and Gabe(and reminding me its been 15 years!)
May God continue to guide you as you help those little ones take
BIG STEPS with their LITTLE FEET! and HAPPY BIRTHDAY BSLF!
And best wishes to Kathy who has grown and improved it as director since I "retired" and to Jana (their oldest) as she opens her own BSLF this fall!!!BIG STEPS with their LITTLE FEET! and HAPPY BIRTHDAY BSLF!
FYI the name came from a song by Mary Rice Hopkins
Chorus: "I may be small but HE lives in me I've got Big Steps and Little Feet"
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Mom, read a book to me...
Sometimes it takes me awhile to finish things.... this post was started almost a year ago! Well I am finally sharing the STORY behind the "picture" you will understand after you read...
I love reading books to our children... and I love taking pictures of them... so when my husband called and said "Can I take some pictures of you reading to the children?" I said "sure!" then he told me that a few people would be seeing the pictures....after discovering they (the homeschool company we work with: My Father's World) wanted a picture for some ads I decided I should wash my hair! (thankfully no one can SMELL pictures :) and we rummaged through the drawers for thing that didn't "clash".
Now for those of you who know me you will find this all very funny (that is my goal to give you a giggle today!)
Ok, just so you have total perspective: my wonderful hubby called at 11am, we were having a very good school day with the 7 children (we were schooling Alex and Julia last year) plus a foster baby, our helper was over as well (thankfully she was there, although I worry she really thinks we are CRAZY now!) A family brought lunch over on Mondays, so she came with her 2 boys bringing the household total to 12!-- it was CRAZY!
As the kids finished eating, I got clothes lined up, shoved all the clutter to one side of the family room and tried to make the couch corner look as "uncluttered" as possible --sorta an oxymoron in a homeschool home!!!
OK so as the photographer arrives, we try various arrangements of people/seating/books and so on. After almost 2 hours of pretending to read, the kids were DONE (As was I!)
We all prayed ONE of those shots would be usable.
When we got home we all let out a low mumble OHHH when we heard the lighting wasn't good in any of the pictures, and we had to try again!
We were dealing with a deadline (need it by TOMORROW) we got through dinner, dad had a meeting, but as soon as he got home we started up again, this time we knew a little more what we were looking for!
lighting SET,
book to read SET,
uncluttered area still SET!
here is the other side of the room!!! scary! (I didn't move a thing since our afternoon session so we climbed over the mountain of STUFF to get through the room!!!)
Muliple click- click- click multi burst shots were fired. There were many comments like "just look at the book" or "pretend its interesting" "just imagine the people on this page were picking their nose" "don't poke him", and on and on! Many giggles and lots of WIGGLES!
and yes some discipline was caught on camera too --here is the mom glare -- JUST DO IT SO WE CAN BE DONE!
I don't know how people WANT to do this for a job!!!
Well by 9:45 pm we had all had it and I said "if one of those doesn't work you will need some other models"! We had taken close to 1000 pictures in 4 hours!
For all of you who think the cover on a homeschool magazine is true homeschool life moment-- well there is usually more to the story than one picture!
We are very blessed to educate our children at home and I am so thankful for the precious "couch" moments we do have and grateful that the glares are able to be few and far between :)
So if you want to see the offical final shot order a catalog www.mfwbooks.com or get an issue of Focus on the Family parents magazine (spring 09 issue) or check out the back cover of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.
Here it is... (this is the unedited version -- notice the cats tail! see nothing is perfect!)
My little boys insisted they wear their "cover shirts" for many a convention this year -- very sweet! So for the kind people who thought we just happen to have this sweet picture sitting around ~ now you know the REST OF THE STORY!
Now go read a book to your kids or to yourself for real!
I love reading books to our children... and I love taking pictures of them... so when my husband called and said "Can I take some pictures of you reading to the children?" I said "sure!" then he told me that a few people would be seeing the pictures....after discovering they (the homeschool company we work with: My Father's World) wanted a picture for some ads I decided I should wash my hair! (thankfully no one can SMELL pictures :) and we rummaged through the drawers for thing that didn't "clash".
Now for those of you who know me you will find this all very funny (that is my goal to give you a giggle today!)
Ok, just so you have total perspective: my wonderful hubby called at 11am, we were having a very good school day with the 7 children (we were schooling Alex and Julia last year) plus a foster baby, our helper was over as well (thankfully she was there, although I worry she really thinks we are CRAZY now!) A family brought lunch over on Mondays, so she came with her 2 boys bringing the household total to 12!-- it was CRAZY!As the kids finished eating, I got clothes lined up, shoved all the clutter to one side of the family room and tried to make the couch corner look as "uncluttered" as possible --sorta an oxymoron in a homeschool home!!!
OK so as the photographer arrives, we try various arrangements of people/seating/books and so on. After almost 2 hours of pretending to read, the kids were DONE (As was I!)We all prayed ONE of those shots would be usable.
When we got home we all let out a low mumble OHHH when we heard the lighting wasn't good in any of the pictures, and we had to try again!
We were dealing with a deadline (need it by TOMORROW) we got through dinner, dad had a meeting, but as soon as he got home we started up again, this time we knew a little more what we were looking for!lighting SET,
book to read SET,
uncluttered area still SET!
here is the other side of the room!!! scary! (I didn't move a thing since our afternoon session so we climbed over the mountain of STUFF to get through the room!!!)
Muliple click- click- click multi burst shots were fired. There were many comments like "just look at the book" or "pretend its interesting" "just imagine the people on this page were picking their nose" "don't poke him", and on and on! Many giggles and lots of WIGGLES!and yes some discipline was caught on camera too --here is the mom glare -- JUST DO IT SO WE CAN BE DONE!
I don't know how people WANT to do this for a job!!!
Well by 9:45 pm we had all had it and I said "if one of those doesn't work you will need some other models"! We had taken close to 1000 pictures in 4 hours!
For all of you who think the cover on a homeschool magazine is true homeschool life moment-- well there is usually more to the story than one picture!We are very blessed to educate our children at home and I am so thankful for the precious "couch" moments we do have and grateful that the glares are able to be few and far between :)
So if you want to see the offical final shot order a catalog www.mfwbooks.com or get an issue of Focus on the Family parents magazine (spring 09 issue) or check out the back cover of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.
Here it is... (this is the unedited version -- notice the cats tail! see nothing is perfect!)
My little boys insisted they wear their "cover shirts" for many a convention this year -- very sweet! So for the kind people who thought we just happen to have this sweet picture sitting around ~ now you know the REST OF THE STORY!
Now go read a book to your kids or to yourself for real!
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