A little Q & A to start things off

So Here are a few questions that we're going to answer to start off on the right foot, or just something fun to start with.

Full Name?
R: Robert Nunez Jr. (no middle name, I know right?)
A: Alaina Michelle Nunez (maiden name, Manriquez)
Artistic Talents?
R: Art, I don't draw as much as I used to, mostly because I'm not in school anymore. I practiced drawing in my notebook during class instead of taking notes.
    Cooking and Baking, I like to get creative with what I cook/bake, even though Alaina does most of the cooking.
    Legos, I can make almost anything out of Legos if given enough to work with.
A: Music, specifically playing the piano and singing. I use to be good at drawing but I do not practice nearly as much as I should but now that the kids are doing nature journals I try to draw or paint with them. I think cooking and baking are an art and I like to experiment with ingredients (Robert inspired me) and I think overall I'm pretty good at both. I've always loved photography as well, hmm could be why I started doing freelance work. :)
Something you are good at but don't necessarily enjoy?
R: Math, I made it all the way to trigonometry by my freshman year of college. This is mainly why I chose to stay in the bachelor of arts school.
A: Cleaning the bathroom. Though I do enjoy the smell of clean. :)
Hobbies?
R: Sports (real or fantasy-I even have a fantasy Nascar team), reading, and building or constructing woodwork type stuff, I just need to get the right tools.
A: Knitting on a loom, sewing, gardening, reading, playing softball...
Ministries (Individual and Family)?
R: First being a father and husband in Christ. Letting God use me as an example to the people I come in contact with at work and in my personal life. Opening our home up to other Christian families for fellowship and encouraging them to do the same.
A: Individual, sharing what I'm learning, what God has put on my heart to encourage other mommies. Family, sharing our home and time with other families.
Hopes or possibilities of a future ministry?
R: I want to go back to school to be a teacher and teach at a private Christian school or maybe a community college. I would like to teach history focusing on world history around the times of the old testament. I've also thought about maybe becoming a pastor or just become more involved in church as a leader.
A: I've always been drawn to missionary work. I've gone to other countries and over seas and always hoped and planned to do more. Over the past few years and 3 children later I believe I am in the mission field on a day to day, 24 hour basis. When you go on a mission "trip" you are there to share God's love in hopes of winning hearts and lives for Christ. As a mom I need to always listen to God's direction, asking Him for help (constantly!) while representing Jesus and His love for all. I am tested (especially my patience) and stretched to where I have to let God take control. I just told Robert today, on a road trip the passenger gets to enjoy the scenery. They don't have to worry about the road because they are trusting that the driver knows what they're doing.
How do you want people to view you?
R: As a trustworthy and reliable man of Christ. I also want to be counted on as a problem solver.
A: As a loving wife, an attentive mother and a compassionate and reliable person (when I say I will pray for you I do it right then or else this mommy brain gets the best of me).
What is your learning style?
R: Definitely not a note taker and not by reading other peoples notes. I need to see or hear things for myself.
A: I'm a visual learner. I remember things best if I have seen them because I can usually visualize what it looked like. With music I did better learning rhythms by hearing and then trying to reproduce them.
Deal seeker, coupon user or an I need it so I buy it?
R: Deal Seeker, I will wait till it goes on sale and then I will wait for it to go on clearance. I buy Christmas decorations after Christmas for next year.
A: I used to be a major coupon user but now I'm more of a deal seeker. I see clearance items and think "I bet it will be half that next week." haha
Personal goals for the rest of the year (that would be 5 more months!)?
R: Either get a new job or advance where I am at now out of retail OR get back to school. I also want to possibly get started on remodeling the bathrooms or at least one of them.
A: I have to organize our office within the next 2 months. Within that same amount of time get my curriculum in order. So I guess that's more of the 2 month plan. Oh, continue to have the family fellowships once a month and start another mom book club.
Weird talents?
R: I have an uncanny ability to turn my brain off at any moment and just go blank, ask Alaina what that's like. I can also say the alphabet backward, DON'T ask why I taught myself to do that. BS master 3rd degree, I once made it through a semester in a language arts class that focused on the "Grapes of Wrath" without reading the book, cliff notes or watching the movie (if there is one), I got a B.
A: I can do 3-4 loops with me tongue, I use to be able to do 5. I don't know, maybe I still can.
Verses that you like and wish you could memorize?
R: John 11:25-26, 25Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
    Psalm 18:1-2, 1I love you, Lord, my strength. 2The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
    Proverbs 3:35 The wise inherit honor, but fools get only shame.
A: I can't remember them all haha. Proverbs 24:3-4 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. And, 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
Food you don't like?
R: Never tried sushi but, really, it just doesn't look appetizing to me. Anything made with tofu that should be made with meat.
A: Beef and not big on pork. Sometimes chicken grosses me at too.
Food you've never tried?
R: Sushi and other international foods that aren't popular in the U.S.
A: Sushi and shark. I'm positive many other things.
Books you are reading right now?
R: "Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters" and my Bible on my tablet. I'm waiting for a few books to come out right now in a few series I've been reading; Babylon Rising series, Mitch Rapp series, Lorien Legacies series and about five other series that I have I just haven't started yet.
A: My Bible which I just discovered was printed in La Habra. "Educating the WholeHearted Child", "The Hidden Art of Homemaking", "Honey for a Child's Heart" Charlotte Mason Homeschool series (at random), "Large Family Logistics" and "For the Children's Sake".
Character qualities you appreciate in your spouse?
R: Her honesty and compassion. God blessed me with a wonderful woman, I couldn't ask for a better wife and mother for my children.
A: He's patient, understanding, respectful (of me and my opinions) and super loving.

Prayer

My mom had shown us the Five Fingers prayer when we were younger. It helped us remember how to start, always with praise, who to lift up and ask God to help and encourage, then to pray for ourselves and always to thank Him.

http://www.noronto.ca/Noronto/Stories-Five_Finger_Prayer.html

Family Devotional

We started regularly doing family devotional time around the time Kiera turned 5. We used a Veggie Tales devotional book as our first study guide. Actually we were reading out of that more then using our Bible. I remember reading about what to do and how to get started with this necessary family fellowship and teaching time. Pretty much everything I read said to stick with the bible and only use the stories as references. Though when you have a 5, 3 and 1 year old the stories were explained with a side story. I think that was a good starting point for us. I know children can comprehend quite a bit but we didn't want them to feel discouraged by not being able to understand what we were reading. So at least the devotional books gave the children a story to think on and they were not lost (you know that blank stare!). We moved on to other devotionals that didn't have side stories but simplified bible stories with a little more detail then the last.
Just last month we started reading Proverbs chapters 1-4. Each day we read one chapter and then we would start over. I was introduced to this idea from Sally Clarkson's book The Ministry of Motherhood. We worked on verse memorization. I like how Nathan would recite Proverbs 1:8, "hear my fathers instructions, and do sake your mamas teachings." So cute! :) Kiera got it the first day. "Hear, my son, your father's instructions, and do not forsake your mother's teachings."
I also had Kiera pick out a few verses that she would like to memorize. She chose, "Wisdom shouts in the streets, she lifts her voice in the square." Proverbs 1:20 I'm pretty sure she picked that because wisdom is personified as "she". I love that!
After starting over at chapter 1 the last time we have moved on past chapter 4. We're also reading the book of Joshua. If we are at Proverbs chapter 6 we are also at Joshua chapter 6. It makes it easier for mommy and daddy to remember. Though I'm sure the kids would remember.
Oh one more thing I wanted to mention about verse memorization is you can explain the "hard" words that you're asking them to say. So that also adds to their vocabulary and gives them a chance to understand what their saying. We use the NASB version. Forsake was one of those hard words that we explained. I love how I tell them "it simply means forget" and then I get that ooohhhhh look. This also challenges us parents in our own comprehension of the Word. When questions arise and we need to explain what words mean or what is going on it helps us to remember what we've read because we don't just read it but we discuss it too.

What do you do for family devotional time?

Here it is

So I finally started a blog… Though not all posts will be by me. This will be a shared blog between Robert and myself. After all, it is titled Nunez News. Should make it more interesting!

I leave you with this…

For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.

1 Corinthians 14:33