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We started back to school again this week! 4 Oaks Academy is now in session! It was a smooooooth transition, thank goodness. We are pretty established in our roles and routines by now, being it is our 5th year of doing it. Time FLIES when you are having fun. :)  My time hop today was of our finished classroom in our Kansas house back in the olden days. Awww! We may not have an actual CLASSROOM anymore, but we still get the job done and maybe even in a more efficient simple way too. :) Let me show you around where we do school when we are at our home base, and in the new RV too! Dale takes a strong lead with school when I am busy with doTERRA, but our favorite is all together as a family. We start the day with Bible and History, then split off for the other subjects.  We are on our 5th year of My Father's World curriculum family cycle, because we LOVE the one room schoolhouse approach to learning, instead of 8 separate subjects for 4 kids. This allows us to school 4 days and week and be done soon after lunch, most days. Leaving Friday for Family Fun Day or a field trip if we are on the road. This curriculum is SO scripture and literature rich, and I adore it! It gets us in the Word, and it gets us hiding it away in our hearts each day. Destiny is in the high school program and now works independently upstairs as of this year. We meet every Friday to discuss what she got done and test or grade her work etc. She says she misses together time, but loves that she can be independent too. She has been a little under the weather, so she is laying low while she does school today.
When we are home, our school books all live down here, under the folding table in the laundry room.  When we go back into the RV for our fall & winter run, all the books will fit nicely in these 4 cabinets. We have a LOT more curriculum to make fit this year! Thank goodness for lots of space to use in our new RV!  We have a Sophomore, 6th grader, 4th grader and 2nd grader! So exciting!  Check out these side by sides of our kids when we started homeschooling 5 years ago, and them now. They sure are growing up!         It is going to be a GREAT year with these goofballs and I am so excited! :)  Hope your school year is off to a GREAT start!
Hugs, T
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Welcome to the 7 S's of Back to School class! We will be covering the following:
?Sun's Up ?Supplements ?Stress ?Surfaces ?Skittles & Sunshine ?Study Session ?Sleep Watch here: 7 S's of Back to School from Tonya Ferguson on Vimeo.
Hugs, T
You asked and here it is! A tour of our new home sweet rolling home. We aren't done yet, still moving in a week later. MAN, it is as much work as moving houses. Oh wait, that's pretty much what we are doing. LOL!  You know, when we moved into the first RV, 3 plus years ago, from our country property in Kansas, we just guessed what we needed. When we bought our bigger black and grey RV that very summer, we were up in Washington, so it ALL got transferred over again.  That means, just now, with 2 RV's parked side by side at our home sweet hub, we are able to really gut and PURGE the extra items that are unnecessary. The next layer of simplicity is emerging, but MAN IS IT MESSY! And you have to find homes for everything AS YOU GO, because it determines where the next basket of household items lives........  We have 3 tables set up in the garage for things that do not yet have a home, or things that will be donated etc. Feels good! We actually didn't get fully moved in before our maiden voyage to a class 3 hours away. I worked a day and well into the wee hours of the next morning and still didn't finish, but I at least had us ready for the weekend.  One of the things we do, when looking at an RV, is close up the slides and make sure we can still function going down the road. A lot of the new ones, it is too tight to walk, let alone have 5 people function back there going down the road. That is because the majority of people buying these are a retired couple with no kids at home! :) It's all good, this one works great for us all closed up! Boys hung out up front, resting and reading. Girls claimed the master for their reading time.
Dale says she drives like a DREAM! Technology has changed a lot in 11 years.  Once we pulled in and got set up, I had my first chance to take some photos of our new home! Come on in!   The living room is bright and cheery! We loved the oversized couch, the fireplace and all the cabinets for school books. The kitchen has a slide out work station, and a dishwasher that we will use to store pots, because let's be honest, I bring my own 4 dishwashers. ;) Slideshow of living room and kitchen: The bathroom is a big part of why we loved this floorplan. It isn't the normal skinny hallway style bathroom, rather runs sideways, creating a large space and a great hallway for storage! Storage is EVERYTHING! :) We even used the tip out hamper as the chip and snack bin because we ran out of room in the kitchen. Hey, whatever works!!!! Dale loved the huge shower. I have to tell you a funny story really quick: In our very cute, very little, first diesel RV, the one we moved into 3 and a half years ago, everything was small and darling. Even the shower. Dale is 6'1" and easily 225# and the first time he showered, I about died laughing. His head and shoulders were GONE, literally, his head disappeared up into the big skylight, as he barely maneuvered his arms up there to shampoo his hair. And two distinct white butt cheeks were pressed flush against the door because there was literally NO ROOM for him. Poor guy! He used bath houses a lot back then. This one is nice and spacious! I also liked that the toilet was alone in a room, because will, PU. Bathroom slideshow: The master houses a King bed, and the washer dryer (behind the double doors), our family closet and drawers for clothing. I am still needing to get a duvet cover, some pillows, couch pillows, rugs etc. but here it is for now. This coach has heated floors, neat lighting features, and more bells and whistles then we have even figured out yet. Outside, there is a huge awning that covers the entire side of the coach, making a neat place to hang out in the evenings, lights line it for ambiance. It has an alarm, keyless entry and all kinds of neat features like roll out "basement" drawers for storage, and a deep freeze under there! Our maiden voyage went off without a hitch, and we had so much fun with our friends the Ferchos, taught a class and business overview and celebrated Paxton's birthday while we were there!!!! Paxton Clay is 8! For you 4 little Ferguson's readers....do you remember this chunky monkey little miracle?! He sure is growing up!  Final summer hurrah at the lake before we start school next week...... Paxton wanted to make a birthday village. So we have a Pixton volcano, (he said Pixton sounds meaner than Paxton and volcanos are mean) Clay mountain and Ferguson's Castle with a moat around it, as well as Floss Pass.  Mena had a summer birthday too! We all got to celebrate together! There is much left to be done and I am still moving us in, several days later. Trying to be careful and simple and picky about what we bring along. I am feeling so so grateful to my Father in Heaven, for not only providing us with our dream RV, but orchestrating the details, the bargains, the fact that we were the first to go look at it (Before two others flew in on one way tickets within the next 2 days) because we "happened" to be home unexpectedly. The fact that it is a higher end model than we were even searching for, with a better floor plan and low low miles?! I mean, serious! The LORD is in the DETAILS and I LOVE it. Today, I am celebrating our new home sweet rolling home, and the whole time I am out there moving us in, I am just breathing prayers of thanksgiving for His goodness. Talk to you again soon! Time to go.... Hugs, T  We had planned to spend all of August and part of September up north in Michigan, Wisconsin etc but after we got a call from our neighbor and a friend, that we had some tree limbs and clean up was necessary after a big storm, we made the oh so sensible decision to go home instead.  It was the right one. Poor Dale had his work cut out for him. Our place was a wreck!!! There was much to be done. Including weed eating the tall tall grass by the forest. He was careful to move our car to the road before he started weed eating. Oopsie. Extra AC anyone?  Thank God for good insurance! The trampoline should be able to be salvaged as well. Woo hoo! One of the first thing Avery asks to do when we get to our Home Sweet Hub, is to BAKE. She set out with her buddy Pax, to make marbled cupcakes, so they could frost them. Her sweet Grandma, got her a new flower tip for her piping set. Sadly, our frosting was too runny for the new tips, but they still had a BALL frosting cupcakes anyhow. The Lord always has a plan, and this is why we commit our calendar to Him! He always works things out, so this unplanned trip home was about to get even sweeter....... For the past couple years, we have been keeping an eye on the RV market. We absolutely love to go look at RV's, and Dale studies floor plans and prices extensively. We love our beautiful coach, it has been such an amazing home to our family! I love all the storage and how light and cheerful it is! It tugs my heart to see her go, but, alas, we are ready to bid her adieu.   We have been watching for a particular RV ever since we toured the factory two summers ago, and were BLOWN AWAY by their high end finishes, attention to detail and extra steps like R19 insulation, to keep things tight. It's called Entegra, and they are amazing..... We spent the summer popping in and out of RV dealerships checking them out, drooling and dreaming! ;) The day we got home, Dale found our "THE ONE" on a used RV website. It was a higher end, gently used, Entegra Anthem. A higher end model than we had been looking at, but the price was right! Oh BOY! Could this be it?! There was only one way to find out! We had to get to Amarillo to see it in person, but we had our work cut out for us. It takes about 4-6 hours to clean our apartment and get moved in, and that is not counting all the outside work Dale had to do. It was all hands on deck, and we cranked it out in 2 days, invited my mom to come hang out with the kids, and hit the road.  A LONG boring (I am such a bad car traveler now) 6 hours later, we got to check out the coach of our dreams. We had been wishing we could get a Blue & Black Entergra with grey interior, but a lot of the RV's in our price point are beige, maroon and brown leather. (Not my favorite) When drove up, my heart was racing. When we stepped inside, the clouds parted and I heard the angels sing.....THIS WAS IT. The one we had been wanting, except a better model, and in our price point, and it only had 11,000 miles on it. It's interior, a beautiful grey and white! Pinch me, is this real!? YES it is, THANK YOU, JESUS! The seller had two other guys flying in to see it the next day and over the weekend, so we told him we would be in touch very soon. We are working on all the details now! :)  That means we have a MOTORHOME FOR SALE!!!! Would you be so kind as to pass this on to someone in the market for a new coach? I would be so grateful! :) Here is the link: https://www.rvt.com/Holiday-Rambler-Imperial-42PBQ-2005-Hutchinson-KS-ID8332053-UX286701  This beautiful coach is a total head turner! Excellent condition with cosmetic upgrades. *Great neutral color scheme, dark tile contrasts nicely with light wood work. *Recently upgraded cabinet pulls and kitchen sink and bathroom sink faucets. *Heated floors in bathroom make it toasty for those cool mornings out of the shower. *2 solid wood doors between main room and bedroom. *Attic fan to pull cool air in on nice evenings. Automatic closing fan and hatch in main bathroom and manual one in toilet room. *In house cameras and outside camera viewed from driver seat. Passenger seat has recliner for easy traveling. *Drives like a dream. *Sleeps 6, main couch has a fold out bed, dining booth converts to a bed. J lounger is a jack knife as well. *Nice sized RV fridge. *New Washer/dryer 2017. *Tons of storage in master bedroom. *Upgraded flat screen TVs with movie storage behind it in master. *Main living TV has thumping surround sound for movie night! *4 new tires in 2017. *73,000 miles on it. Asking $125,000 or best offer Check her out! :) Our former home sweet home. I will keep you posted on how it's all going! Eeek! :)
Hugs, T  I am so excited to be reviewing Pineapple Clothing Co. today! And I even have a discount code just for you!!! :) Read on.... Looking for cute yoga pants and matching sports bra for your next yoga class? Want some cute, bright, high quality yoga pants soft enough for lounge wear but cute enough to run errands? How about a matching mother daughter dress for upcoming wedding or family photos? Pineapple Clothing Co has just the thing!  From their website: Pineapple Clothing is a celebration of ladies of all ages, shapes and sizes - from the sweetest baby girl to the most poised, vibrant woman who loves style. Our passion: dressing women and girls in beautiful, quality clothing. Our mission: to provide the ultimate comfort in every piece so the wearer looks and feels radiant for any occasion. Whether it’s a night out or a family gathering, a routine work day or a vacation, a holiday party or just another day at school or the gym, we aim to give every girl and woman the chance to stand out from the crowd no matter where she goes.  The essence of our brand is feminine chic, reflected as unique prints and bold designs that make the wearer feel free, original, true to herself, uniquely polished and gorgeous - all the traits that will make her exude nothing but confidence wherever she goes. Pineapple Clothing Co works exclusively with suppliers and manufacturers in Florida and can guarantee that their clothing line is 100% made in the USA!  Pineapple uses only the highest-quality, luxury fabrics and raw materials to create each and every piece. We have our own strict regulations, for each fabric to comply with - the fabrics must be: eco-friendly, opaque, flattering, and cozy, featuring great colors and stable shapes. Almost all of their fabrics are washer and dryer safe!!!!  Pineapple Clothing actually makes distinct, one of a kind, fabric designs for their luxury clothing. Yup, their garments are treated as canvasses and they are printed with original patterns that you won’t find in any other clothing line. Each piece is its own work of art and speaks for itself, neat right?! The patterns are really cool. Bold. Feminine. And unique. :)
 HAPPY SHOPPING! You are going to love the way you feel! Hugs, T   June 30th, we hit a MAJOR goal of ours we have been working hard towards...... BLUE DIAMOND!!! In fact, we are the 1st doTERRA Blue Diamonds in Kansas! Cool bonus. :)  Blue Diamond is the 2nd from top rank in doTERRA, the top 2% of its leaders. I am so honored to have a team under me of educators, influencers, and hard workers with the same goals as we do. Financial freedom and opportunity to bless and give! Are you looking for health and healthy finances? Dale and I are always praying and asking the Lord to bring us new people to run this race with. Maybe it's you! The business plan in a nutshell, is love oils, love people and be generous. We teach you the rest and while you may be in the business FOR yourself, you are never in the business BY yourself. In what other business or educational institution, after 4 years of hard work, offers an you average of around a 6 figure income? Not many! If this peaks your curiosity at all, then simply contact me and we can chat some more. :) First step is getting some oils in your house! On June 30, 2018, we hit our December 2018 goal, 6 months earlier than planned, praise God! We used to say we never wanted to go past the Diamond rank, because who are we to need more income than that? We were so boxed in our limiting beliefs and small mindset! The Lord has shown us amazing things between now and then. He had Dale and I in tears at leadership 2 years ago when something a speaker said, it rocked our world and changed EVERYTHING!!!!!!!! "Many of you out there are saying, I don't ever need to go past platinum or diamond. I would never need that kind of income!" We are all nodding like yeah exactly. Then he says..... "I know that feels humble and all, right? Bur I need to ask you something, when has this EVER been about you?" Woah. Chills. "Who are you to deny 5 families life changing, Gold rank income?" We turned to each other with tears in our eyes, and it was in that moment we knew...... As far as the Father leads, we will go! I am so excited to see what is in store, and so overwhelmed at the thought of endless possibilities! What a blessing to have the Lord trust us with Blue Diamond leadership. I am in awe of His glory and the way He works things for those that love Him. When my heart fills up and overflows emotion, I get the urge to write.....so I did! This time a letter to my daddy. He was the first person I wanted to tell that we reached Blue, but as you know, he isn't here anymore. He is with his Savior in paradise as of December 2018! I sure miss him, but I know he is having so much fun, so that helps. Here is what I wrote:  Hi there Daddy, I wanted to call you so bad tonight, to tell you some good news, but alas I cannot. So I guess this note will do..... You have always been my biggest cheerleader, I appreciated that. You always showed interest, and cheered me on with encouragement and words of wisdom! When you were in your hospice bed, and I was chatting away to fill the space (I wasn't even sure you always heard me) but when I told you that night in December, that we were 75% of the way to Blue Diamond, you shakily raised your hand to me. At first, I thought you needed something, and then I realized.... You were high fiving me! In the midst of your own difficult journey between life and death, still cheering me on. Tears filled my eyes, and that is when I knew, I WOULD hit Blue Diamond in 2018, and I'd do it for you! So here we are, daddy, we DID IT!!!!!! We are Blue Diamond leaders with doTERRA. Thank you, Jesus! I love you, dad and I miss you, every single day. Xoxo Always your "punkin".....  God is so so faithful to allow us this life and I am deeply grateful. Not a day goes by that I don't breathe a prayer of thanksgiving to a Father who gave us beauty from ashes so long ago, and continues to fill our storehouses so full of blessings that we need to build new storehouses to hold it all.
Hallelujah! Hugs, T
We spent a blur of days between Ohio and Indiana, I cannot recall where we did what, so I am making it into one blog post, shared with you today! haha :) I find that when we go a lot of places in a few weeks time, it all starts to blend and I have to ask Dale,
Where are we now?! We had a bit of a scare when we left one RV park to move to the next. Dale went to plug us in and saw this: 
And upon further inspection, this:
YIKES!!!!!! Something was lose and it was arching at the RV park pedestal. PRAISE GOD there was NO FIRE!!! Seriously! In awe of His hand of protection over our lives.....
We got to the next park without a problem and Dale made plans to get some new parts for our rig. I guess this is common at RV parks?! Glad we haven't dealt with it before in all these years of travel.
We have been talking about Rise N Roll's donuts for over a year now, and so our first stop once we got set up at our darling country RV park, was to go get a dozen donuts. 
You haven't lived until you have eaten a soft, powdered, cinnamon caramel donut from Rise N Roll Bakery! (4 locations sell 15,000 donuts a day, most of them Cinnamon Carmel)
Oh my goodness, I haven't had anything like it! It's like a soft cake donut, with the finest powdered cinnamon sugar topping you've ever sunk your teeth into. Expert tip: Do NOT inhale or gasp as the donut nears your mouth Then, we took a little scenic drive to check out the cool farm community we were staying in. 
When we got back to our RV park for the night, we realized we had a great view!!! The Amish farmer had stopped working his fields, and had let his "horse power" out to pasture for the night, right across from our RV! We went to say hi.
Isn't he beautiful?! 
Sunday we worshiped and then rested. That reste part didn't last long though, because the kids turned play time into a family ball game, boys against girls. FUN!
Boys won by 2! We are far enough north that we have escaped the heat. The weather is perfect here for being outside!
Sunday night is usually snack supper, Dale's famous popcorn, meat and cheese, veggie tray....we had grabbed some homemade cheese and jalapeno dip from the amish store, but we were all so starving from baseball, so we ordered pizza too.
After NY pizza, all other pizza is ruined forever. Serious. But we decided we wanted to give Chicago pizza a go. 
So no offense to any Chicagoians reading this, but it wasn't our fav. SORRY!!!!
Mostly because the sauce is sweeter than we are used to, and the whole thing was just so wet! The layers are inverted: cheese, pepperoni and then sauce.
Our next RV park greeted us with the cutest sign:
Those are some good rules to live by! This wasn't as much of an RV park as it was a campground, and yes there is a difference.
The kids really wanted to swim and this one had a neat pool with slides! 
Cereal Poker Night
We had two very special celebrations while we were in Indiana! One, I will save for another post, and the other....Avery and my birthday!
She was born 08-01-08 and I was born 08-01-81, neat right!? She was my best birthday present ever. 
Dale and the kids were so sweet to let us be the Queens of the day. They made us the most beautiful lunch thanks to a farmers market stand!
We haven't had a lot of "summer staple" foods yet, so we were excited to have BLT's with homemade bread, farm fresh tomatoes, sweet corn and cantalope. We bought a peach pie for dessert but didn't eat it! TOO FULL! :) 
Avery had a few things she wanted and needed so she had some gifts to open! She opened her gifts, and then we spent the rest of the day reading and hanging at the pool.
I asked her what her favorite gifts were and she named them all. Haha, guess we did good! :) Not pictured, her grown up vitamin and flower pouch to hold them in. She has been dying to try the doTERRA daily nutrient pack swallow pills instead of the kids vitamins. 
We went out to dinner that night, one of those Amish buffets, super yummy! We had already had homemade pie from the buffet when they brought out our birthday cakes, so we are taking those to go.
I cannot believe my little Peanut is 10 years old now!
Happy, happy TENTH Birthday, to my sweet lil' Peanut and the best birthday gift EVER!
Your sweet giggle and sunshine personality fill our home with joy......I love you, Avery! 
Our time in Indiana has come to a close, time to hit the road again!
Hugs, T |
Tonya Ferguson
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