Becoming

Recycled Valentines

2012-01-27T07:38:00.000-08:00

My best ideas are often the ones I copy from others. Here is another idea that I copied from someone else. For Valentine's Day this year we will be giving heart shaped recycled crayons. We took the old broken crayons from the crayon box and the kids had a great time picking color combinations to put into a metal heart shaped pan. We then put the crayons into the oven at 250 degrees and let them melt. After they had cooled, we popped them out and some of our results are pictured below.

Date Night In

2012-01-23T07:12:00.000-08:00

Sometimes life gets full and date nights just don't happen. Or going out for a date simply does not sound very fun, should I admit that? Seriously, sometimes it is totally worth it to go out, but other times it feels like a hassle to get all the details arranged in order to go out. Get the kids taken care of, driving someplace, spending money on a meal...

Sometimes it is much more fun to hang out at home. My recent favorite date-night-in involved stopping by one of our favorite restaurants and picking up a dessert to go. We arrived home, had a delicious meal of grilled burgers with the kids, tucked them in, C settled in with a movie and M and I snuggled in with our dessert. Simple, but so nice.

Hands On Math

2012-01-20T07:15:00.000-08:00

Here is a peek into some of the things we do for math. Worksheets and games. I love little hands at work. So sweet.

Brother Sun, Sister Moon

2012-01-18T07:12:00.000-08:00

A beautifully illustrated book of Saint Francis of Assisi's Canticle of the Creatures. We found this at the library and enjoyed it a great deal.

Birthday Gift Exchange

2012-01-17T07:12:00.000-08:00

This year we had L's first friend birthday party. It was basically a play date with cupcake decorating and a gift exchange. So easy, and the girls seemed to have a great time. When C was younger I went all out on a couple of her birthday parties. It was tons of fun, but at this time in my life, the mellower the better. So L had a low key birthday party. It was simple to put together and still lots of fun. For the activity they were able to decorate their own cupcakes. They had a great time and it sure made it easy on me.

I copied another idea from an acquaintance and it turned out to be a winner. Everyone brought a small gift, we swapped them and each girl left with a gift. It ended up being a fun way to do gifts. I may be doing this at future birthday parties.

Oh How Times Change

2012-01-13T07:14:00.000-08:00

This little thought was written back in November:

Today the boys and I were watching our morning art history video on KhanAcademy. In one part of the video the narrators were discussing the Arch of Titus and the nude and partially nude men who were marching heroically into battle. A said something along the lines of, "You know mom, I just don't think I would like marching naked into a battle. It would feel too vulnerable." Indeed.

It is interesting how battle attire has ebbed and flowed from nude to suits of armor to the gear soldiers now wear. Times do change.

Place Settings or A Productive Way To Temporarily Occupy a Preschooler While Doing School With Older Siblings

2012-01-12T07:26:00.000-08:00

Preparing to learn to set the table. First we dug out one of my favorite cook books and looked up table settings. It was good practice to see where to get information. When we need to learn something, we look it up! I also hand copied a simple sketch of an everyday place setting and a fancy place setting onto blank white printer paper. That is easier to refer to on a regular basis than the cook book.

Years ago I downloaded this set onto cardstock, laminated them and have used them to help the kids learn to set the table. It would make sense to teach them each day as we set the table, but right now we basically just set out the necessary utensils for the meal rather than setting a proper table each day. On holidays we set a nice table, but for everyday, it just does not happen. Sigh. Maybe in another season of life. For now, we are good to simply use utensils on a regular basis.

This activity is a great one for a preschooler. It briefly keeps her occupied while I do other school activities with the boys. Plus she is learning something that is worth knowing!

Nicely done! Now, where's the food?

When we are done with these, we pop them into a manila envelope and put them back on the shelf. OR on the pile. I have a pile of activities waiting to be organized. I am thinking that maybe my pile is as good as it will get and that the stuff waiting to be shelved may never be shelved.

Apple Heads, Part 3

2012-01-11T07:14:00.000-08:00

Look at that carved face, complete with apple seed eyes.

The instructions we used said to hang the apple on a string to dry, but we decided to borrow a food dryer from my parents to speed up the process a bit. Thanks mom and dad!

Don't eat the apple head! I think it looks a little scared here.

There they are, all settled in the food dryer.

And here is the final result. Yes, a little creepy, but still an interesting project. Someday we need to read this book.

Apple Heads, Part 2

2012-01-10T07:12:00.000-08:00

Yes, make sure the core is completely removed before proceeding. Good work!

No, she does not have 4 hands, this is peeling with a little help from mom. Nice photography work by the big brother here.

Dunking the cored, peeled apples in lemon juice to keep them from turning brown.

Carving faces into the apples.

Apple Heads, Part 1

2012-01-09T07:19:00.000-08:00

This is a project we did for a CC presentation last fall. Following these instructions we made apple heads. The finished product tends to look a little creepy, if you ask me, but my great-grandmother used to make apple head dolls. My parents still have some of them. And yes, those look creepy to me too, but since my great-grandma made them, I figured it would be sorta cool to make some with my kids. We didn't make actual dolls, complete with detailed clothes and accessories like my great-grandma made, but we did make some apple heads.

These are the photos we used on a display board. The three younger kids took the display board and presented it to their class. Usually CC presentations are done in the class, but this was not practical to actually do in class. It would have taken too long and been too messy. The pictures worked to help my kids remember what all the steps were so that they could explain them and they gave their classmates something to look at.

Awww, teamwork. Love it! I think I need to frame this and refer back to it when it seems like all the kids do is fight and argue. This is truly a beautiful moment. Now one is shoving or yelling. Maybe that happened right after the picture was snapped. But this moment is to be savored. They are so cute. I love those little squirts. Look at that focused concentration. Adorable.

Pampered Chef sells this great apple corer. It came in handy with this project.

Edible Chemical Elements

2012-01-08T13:51:00.000-08:00

On most Wednesdays afternoons we get together with another family and do science. We have been focusing on Chemistry and we alternate teaching. It is fantastic to have another mom to share the teaching with. I have noticed that our favorite projects tend to be edible.

Here we made a cookie model of the element Flourine. We used chocolate covered sunflower seeds to represent the protons, electrons and neutrons. The green ones represent electrons, the blue represent neutrons and the purple represent protons.

Apparently this week one edible model was not enough. We did cookies and bread. Here are 2 models of Lithium atoms using bread dough. One of the main things I learned from this project is that it can be very tricky to color bread with food coloring. I believe I added it too late, but it did make a cool marbled effect. You can see the protons and neutrons all grouped together in the center of each model and the electrons around the outside.

8 Weeks To Real Foods with Vintage Remedies

2011-12-27T13:23:00.000-08:00

Want to make some changes in your eating habits? I mean, honestly, who doesn't? A great way to establish healthier eating habits is to sign up for Vintage Remedies FREE, yeah, who does not love FREE, 8 week course. If you want to sign up, click on the Vintage Remedies link on the side of my blog, scroll over to "events" and the drop down menu should show "8 Weeks to Real Foods" click on that. The page that comes up gives some info on the course and allows you to put in your email address. That signs you up for the course. Do it! It's free and it will help you start the new year off right! Because remember the key to maintaining a healthy weight is not by lamenting what you eat around the holiday season it is establishing healthy habits all year long.

Being Read Today

2011-12-23T10:07:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the library we have these two books to read in addition to the Christmas books that we own. The Little Drummer Boy is beautifully illustrated pictures that go with the words to the song The Little Drummer Boy. A Christmas Like Helen's is a delightful story of Christmases in America in years past. The book is written by the granddaughter of Helen.

Being Read In Our Home Today

2011-12-22T12:29:00.000-08:00

A favorite of ours. This is a great story that explains the origins of Hanukkah along with a bit of early American History.

I Declare

2011-12-16T08:47:00.001-08:00

I declare today to be a day for cleaning out! And for wrapping presents. With Christmas fast approaching, it is time to go through the bedrooms and playroom* and get rid of the toys that accumulate but that aren't played with. Or are broken. Or unwanted. Or ~~that annoy me~~ that don't seem to facilitate creative play. ;)

In the past we have had each kids clean out their room prior to their birthday to Christmas. That habit was set aside as sometimes clean out times were needed even when a birthday or Christmas was not approaching. But we need a clean out day! And today is it.

Plus, when cleaning out is paired with present wrapping, the kids are much happier and motivated. They get to each take a turn at the present wrapping station that has been set up at the kitchen counter and wrap the presents they have bought or made for family members. When they aren't wrapping presents they get to go through toys and decide what to part with. So far we are making swell progress on both cleaning out and wrapping presents. The cleaning out has come along ways from this time two years ago!

*We are on a break from school. I notice that when we are in the full swing of school I call the space upstairs the schoolroom. When we are on a break I tend to call it the playroom. Occasionally I will call it the playroom/schoolroom. Just a quirky little personal observation.

The Tree or A Lesson in Acceptance

2011-12-13T13:55:00.000-08:00

Here is our tree for 2011. Yes, that is a garbage bag sitting under the tree stand. We still need a real tree skirt. I have tree skirt ideas stirring in my mind...time will tell if we actually get something. In the meantime, an old white bed sheet will likely be our fill-in for an actual skirt.

So, how do I really feel about the tree? Well, it has its own charm. It is quite kid-decorated and full of their sweet ornaments from past Christmas seasons. That is obvious, right? The bubble lights have a vintage charm, but they are unevenly spaced on our tree. And the tree seems to be an awkward height, neither sweetly petite nor gloriously tall.

Part of me dreams of a beautifully decorated tree. Don't get me wrong, there is beauty in this tree, but it is that "a tree only a mother could love" sorta beauty. The beauty of this tree is not readily apparent to most people. I still dream of someday having a tree that looks like it lept from a Pottery Barn catalog. A tree with a theme. A tree with fantastically gorgeous ornaments and garland and a star on top that isn't crooked.

But then again, when the day comes for a tree like that, I will miss the little hands that decorated this tree. I will miss their ornaments that will likely move on with each child as they grow and move on. Though, I still think I will love having a gorgeous tree. And life is meant to move on, so when the time comes for the kids to move on, that will be a good season too.

For now, this is the tree we have. I have not said things to cause the kids to suspect that my tree hopes are not fulfilled in this tree. Why be discontent and pass that on to others? Why steal their joy? Since this is the season for joy, I delight in their delight in this tree and I delight in the possibility that someday there will be a tree that makes me gasp with happiness. After all, I want them to remember me as someone who delighted with them. I hope that someday when they are grown and they walk into my house at Christmas time they will gasp with wonder that mom has such a gorgeous tree! "Who knew she had it in her?", I imagine them thinking. Because sharing delight is the real point. How fun that we can delight together over uneven bubble lights and cheesy ornaments and that we can learn together to appreciate the beauty that another eye beholds.

Books For the Season

2011-12-12T07:23:00.000-08:00

During a recent visit to the library we discovered these two books. The book We Three Kings by Gennady Spirin is the classic song, We Three Kings, written on beautifully illustrated pages. The artwork is truly stunning.
This sweet gem of a story was published in 1992. It is the story of a boy, whose family celebrates Chanukah and his friend, Elijah, who celebrates Christmas. Not only does Elijah celebrate Christmas, but he has devoted his hobby of wood carving to carving things that are from the Bible. When Elijah gives the boy an angel, the boy adores it but is concerned his parents won't want him to have it. He then learns a lesson about friendship with a person who has a different faith.

Butter!

2011-12-09T08:20:00.000-08:00

The kids have had the opportunity to make butter by shaking cream in a small jar and watching butter form. It is a fun activity and a good learning experience. But I have wanted to try it on a slightly larger scale.

Thanks to the kitchen aid, a blog that I have not been able to find again, and Mother Earth News, it was fairly easy. I froze the butter and we used it at Thanksgiving. Yum!

The butter was made and written in mid-November. I have a bit of catching up to do with my blog.

Pie and Kids

2011-12-02T08:34:00.000-08:00

For Thanksgiving we made the apple pie that I have made for years. It has evolved into an apple-marion berry pie.

Little hands helping make the pies. Now that makes me smile. The extra mess sometimes makes me forget to smile, but that is why I take pictures. The mess is forgotten in hindsight.

The mess is also forgotten when they declare, "This is the pie I made!"

Then there is this beauty of a pie that my girl with hands that are no longer so little made. Wow, it looks amazing and it tasted delicious too.

Now This Scares Me

2011-11-28T07:26:00.000-08:00

This terrifying object was found on my counter the other day. It is a cap to a permanent marker. The marker is nowhere to be found. The thought of a permanent marker on the loose is truly frightening. My only comfort is that the longer it is missing might mean that maybe it is lying someplace safe drying up.

A New Food Tradition

2011-11-25T13:46:00.001-08:00

This Thanksgiving we had a large box of pears and another of apples. I stacked a pile of them next to the pie and the kids snatched them up.

Note to self: In future years set out whole fruit. What could be easier? There is no prep required, just a quick washing. And this gives a super healthy option for after dinner snacking or for filling up on healthier foods as opposed to just grabbing another slice of pie. I should have left them out today because, for me, it is always the day after that the pie really tempts me.

No Stranger To Loss

2011-11-18T14:25:00.001-08:00

I can't even recall the number of funerals I have been to in my life. Far few that many other people, but more than I could count on both hands, that is for sure. So, loss is not something new to me. Not at all. But the shock never seems to go away. For me the shock isn't always in hearing the news of the loss, but it is somewhere, lurking. The shock always finds it's way to my heart.

With my grandma, it came yesterday when I sat down at her memorial service. I looked at the program that was handed to me and there was my grandma's picture. My grandma. There she was. On the program. The shock hit me deep and hard. If you are at a memorial service and your photo is on the front of the program, there is no denying, your days are done.

As I wrote before, it was time. She was ready. There is much gratitude in her having passed away quickly, peacefully and ready. But there is part of my heart that is reaching and grasping and that can hardly fathom that her time is done. Really? Her days are up already? She has always been there. Always, for my entire life. She was reliably available. And now, she is gone.

I always knew she was faithfully praying for me, my husband, my children, my cousins, my aunts and uncles, missionaries...and now those prayers are done. Or are they fulfilled? I don't know. What I do know is that my grandma, her life, inspires me. It motivates me. I want to live my days, however many they may be, in faithfulness to God and in service to people.

My mom shared with one of my children who was especially grieved at this loss, about her last conversation with grandma. They arrived at the hospital after grandma fractured her leg. My grandma told her daughters and her daughter-in-law that she wanted to pray. My mom said that at first she thought grandma wanted one of them to pray, but grandma started to pray and her prayer was one of thanks. Thanking God for her family, for all His blessings and on and on. After that she was not able to communicate very well because of the pain and medication.

Her life was summed up in a prayer of thanks with her girls gathered around. Then at the services we heard stories and saw people that testified to a life well lived. Not a perfect life, but a faithful life. She finished well. She loved Jesus. She loved her family. She loved her church. She served, she gave and she prayed. I love her so much and I deeply, deeply miss her.

Back on the pathway of grief.

2011-11-12T09:03:00.000-08:00

This week was typical in that we went to CC and did schoolwork, I went to my book group, but then M arrived home after 2+ weeks away. It is always so good to have him back home. And this time was especially nice because Veteran's Day was this week and with great gratitude to all the bed and breakfasts who offer a free night to veterans, we enjoyed a night away. It was wonderful, absolutely wonderful. We ate fantastic food and got a jump on Christmas shopping. Yet, it was all tempered by the reality that the day before we left my grandma fell and broke her femur. On our way back home from our time away we stopped by the hospital to see my grandma.

This last summer my grandma decided she was ready to meet Jesus. She just felt ready. She had a couple things left or rather a couple unanswered prayers she hoped for before she passed away. I think those prayers have been answered in a way that leaves her content. I think she just feels done, ready to move on.

So now it looks like the end may be near for her, but then again, this process can sometimes take awhile. There is such comfort in knowing that she has a strong, stabilizing faith in God. There is a peace in that. But there is an ache, of course, in knowing that a chapter is about to close. She is my last grandparent and my memories of time with her are of simple, sweet times.

I feel like I am back in a similar place to this. It is a well-worn pathway, but still, it is never easy. Another reminder that we weren't created for death. Even in the best of circumstances, such as where my grandma has had a long full life, has a solid faith and is surrounded by her grown children, even now, there is pain and the ache of loss and impending loss.

I love this picture. And this one.

It's Elementary

2011-11-04T07:29:00.000-07:00

This web site has possibly the most fun Periodic Table ever. Did you notice I used the words fun and Periodic Chart in the same sentence? It has the Periodic Chart in pictures and it is super cool! This is a fantastic way to introduce kids to the elements. It is not intimidating and actually makes you want to keep looking at it. Then there is the Periodic Chart in words. It gives more in depth information than the picture chart and the two are designed to work together. BFF's for ever, that is what I say about the Periodic Table in pictures and the Periodic Table in words.

This link goes to a site that has a game of hangman using the elements. This is cool for kids who are somewhat familiar with the elements. My kids or I would need a periodic chart next to us for use in this game, but true science nerds, bless their hearts, would possibly not need that.

This site has an element game that helps one to match element symbols with element names. I would say it helps kids, but, ummm, for those of us adults that don't know our symbols as well, it is most helpful. And it has a nice feature that allows you to select the level you want to play at. I like that feature as it allows everyone to learn at their own level and still feel like a winner.

Then there is the Khan Academy video on Elements and Atoms. Oh, how we love Khan Academy!

Crumbling Values

2011-11-03T07:19:00.000-07:00

I try to avoid being overly materialistic. I try to practice contentment. I try to embrace the belief that my life will not be made happier because of a material possession. But it is all crumbling around me. I truly believe my life would be happier if my son owned and used a spelling machine.

For the time being, I am a human spell checker. The boy loves to write his papers for CC, but he inherited my spelling ability. Let's just say it isn't my strong point. His vocabulary far exceeds his spelling ability. This means he camps out on the floor in the office when I am on the computer or at the kitchen counter when I prepare meals, asking me how to spell various words. I love his passion for writing! I want to support him. I want to encourage his diligent hard work. But I need some help!

My plan was to buy the above pictured Spelling Corrector for a stocking stuffer for Christmas. It has games on it too, so I figured it could pass as a decent stocking stuffer. But I am not sure I can hold out that long! My belief that material possessions don't lead to happiness is seriously challenged. I really do think that $16.82 spent on this gadget on Amazon would bring my life more happiness. Well, $16.82 plus another item that costs a minimum of $8.18 so that I can get free shipping. That means I could pick some item off of my wish list and that makes me feel even happier!

By the way, I helped him to spell approximately 12 words as I wrote this post.

Cozy Autumn

2011-11-02T10:04:00.000-07:00

Fall is so cozy! I have a chicken and some potatoes in the crock pot for dinner. Now we need to get moving on school, but all I really want to do is light candles, drink tea, curl up with a book and watch the leaves fall from the trees. Oh and maybe bake something yummy, yeah, that sounds good too...

Happy October 31st

2011-10-31T19:28:00.000-07:00

Today...

We joined our CC community for our weekly gathering. Every week I am reminded of how deeply I appreciate this particular group. Today was no exception. A day of learning, sharing and connecting with friends is truly a wonderful way to spend a Monday.

I stopped by one of my favorite consignment stores. Upon browsing through the clearance rack I found an adorable exercise shirt that I had tried on about a month ago. It was now on the clearance rack for a fantastic price. Now it is sitting in my closet.

Costco was wonderfully full of samples and empty of people today. One of the ladies who was handing out samples insisted on giving my kids 2 nicely sized pizza samples. She explained that she had to give out the rest of the pizza before her shift was over and there weren't many people. Well, okay, we do like to be helpful. Grocery shopping was done in record time and the kids left the store full and happy.

We arrived home, unloaded groceries, the boys took care of the chicken chores and the kids changed into costumes. After some trunk or treating at a local church, we came home and settled in with the movie Luther. A bit of candy and a bit of time to remember and reflect on the beginning of the Reformation.

I am more afraid of my own heart than of the pope and all his cardinals.

~Martin Luther

A mighty fortress is our God,

A bulwark never failing.

Our helper He amid the flood

Of mortal ills prevailing.

For still our ancient foe

Doth seek to work us woe.

His craft and power are great,

And, armed with cruel hate,

On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,

Our striving would be losing,
Were not the right man on our side,
The man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He.
Lord Sabboth, his name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him.
His rage we can endure,
For lo, his doom is sure.
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers
Not thanks to them, abideth.
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also.
The body they may kill,
God's truth abideth still.
His kingdom is forever...

"God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars."

"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree."

"Every man must do two things alone; he must do his own believing and his own dying."

Martin Luther

Nothing Says Fall...

2011-10-28T09:07:00.000-07:00

...like soup served in a squash bowl.

My Favorite Mess

2011-10-25T08:18:00.000-07:00

I shared about one of my not-so-favorite messes in this post. But when I walk into the living room and see books scattered, it makes me smile. Maybe I smile because books are so easily picked up, but mostly I smile because it means someone or several someones were reading.

The Busy Mom's 10 Minute Guide to a Healthy Happy Family by Nancy Parlette

2011-10-20T07:14:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine regularly mentioned this book and shared how much it helped her to eat healthier. Then when I saw her last Spring, she handed me a copy. I am so happy she did! This is a great book! It is extremely readable. The book is set up into 20 lessons. Each lesson is a short chapter. You can tell the author is a busy mom because she designed the chapters so they would be easy to read in short bits. This is the type of book you can carry in your purse and read when you are waiting in line, at kids sports practices or that sort of thing. Plus as a bonus the book has a number of smoothie and juice recipes. I am a sucker for a book with recipes.

Here are some of my favorite bits from the book:

"Eat the rainbow every day." In other words eat a variety of fruits and veggies that are brightly colored. The book explains why.
Lesson 6 shares some studies in which the behavior of children was observed when they ate a poor diet and when they ate a healthy diet. Very interesting.
"Oftentimes people will eat when they are actually thirsty but don't realize it."
"I see life as a celebration, an education, and an occupation. Life is a gift from God and the most amazing part of that gift is not the beautiful world where we've been placed, and it's not even the amazing people that share the planet with us, but it is that God wants to have a personal intimate relationship with us. To fill our soul and bond with us like nothing humanly possible. THAT is worth celebrating!"
"When it comes to our emotions and food, we can forget that food is simply fuel and fall into the trap of eating for comfort. Certainly food is to be enjoyed. It is a gift that we savor and appreciate. But it is not for our emotional comfort. It's not there to dull our senses so that we don't have to feel pain."
"We all want to take good care of our children...We start with making sure they get plenty of rest, water and exercise."

Want to learn more or order the book? Click here. This is a book I highly recommend. It is extremely readable and packed full of practical information that has the potential to change lives. If you want to get on the track to a healthier lifestyle, this book is the perfect guide to help you in that.

Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead

2011-10-19T07:19:00.000-07:00

You Can Lead The Children, But You Can't Make Them

2011-10-17T07:18:00.000-07:00

The floor in front of the shelves. Believe it or not, the shelves have a place for all of these items.

The inconsistently used shelves.

It was extremely exciting when we obtained shelving to put up in our office. Visions of organization danced in my head. A cubby for soccer/tennis gear, a cubby for library books, a cubby for AWANA items, a cubby for items left at our home and waiting to be returned....oh my! It would be organized, nothing would get lost, it would be everything in its place and a place for everything! BEAUTIFUL! BLISS!

For a short time, it worked. A very short time. Now, more often than not, everything is piled on the floor in front of the shelf. Sigh. And this is where reality crashes headlong into my system of organizational bliss.

Lesson Learned:

You can lead the children to a shelf, but you can't make them consistently put their gear on it.

Goodbye Food Rut

2011-10-14T16:29:00.000-07:00

I have been in a food rut lately. My creativity and motivation have just not been there. On Wednesday we stopped by a little roadside veggie stand.

All this yumminess...loving the bounty of Autumn.

Then we stopped by another place and picked up corn on the cob. Grand total for all this, $8. Seriously. What an amazing price. And what is priceless is having my food motivation back.

Bits of Fall

2011-10-12T17:08:00.000-07:00

And yes, my kitchen window is THAT spotted and dirty. I do think the picture makes it look a bit worse. I can still see out of it, but nonetheless, it is in need of a washing.

I used to use this game in my job prior to being home with my kids. It is a great game. The cards are full of questions such as:

Tell about an incident when you overslept.
Tell about a favorite letter you received.
Name something you often did on Sundays as a child.
What is one of your goals in life?
Describe a way that credit cards have affected your life.
Tell about a historic site or famous place you have seen or would like to see.
What is a habit you picked up from a relative.

I was thrilled when I found the game at a garage sale this last Saturday for a $1! The box and board had water damage. But the cards were perfectly fine. The playing board is really not necessary to the game. It is just a way to take turns and select a category. I tossed the damaged box and board, saved the dice and game pawns for the kids to use when they make up their own games. The cards went into the container on my coffee table. If you look closely in the picture, you can see them. They are between a section with dried corn and a section with gourds.

At dinner time we have been grabbing out a couple cards and using them as conversation starters. It is great to have good dinnertime conversation. I always envisioned lively mealtime conversation, but with very young children that just isn't always realistic. Dinner time with young children can be downright exhausting, it can feel like it is more about survival than enjoyment. Now that the kids are older, it is exciting to find that fun mealtime conversations can sometimes be a reality. I had previously considered making my own conversation starter cards using some of these questions, but for now, I will rely on the garage sale find.

Advent Calendar from Land of Nod

2011-10-11T08:40:00.000-07:00

I know it is early to think too much about Christmas, but when The Land of Nod catalog arrived and this advent calendar was in it, my heart got all fluttery. How fun is this?

In Which I Acknowledge That I Need to Chill Out and That I Have Nerdish Tendencies

2011-10-06T13:35:00.001-07:00

Needless to say the last two weeks have left me feeling a bit overwhelmed at moments. Homeschooling is, at times, similar to having a full time job. It takes a large amount of time and energy. Being home so much has pros and cons. Pro: I can toss laundry in the washer during the day and get that done even while I am doing school with the kids. Con: Who has time to fold the laundry when I am doing school with the kids and trying to keep up with the other things we have going on right now?

M told me last night that I needed to "just relax" when it comes to school. I told him that his telling me that does not make me feel more relaxed. Due to medical appointments last week we missed large chunks of time when we typically do school. Then on Friday when we were home, A was exhausted. He took two naps that day. That is not ordinary for that boy. He was wiped out.

This week I feel the push to make up for the time we missed last week. But, M is a little bit right. He is probably more than a little bit right, but I'm only going to concede a small amount on that. I do know that he hears me though because he has made sure he is home in time this week to take kids to soccer games and practice. A highlight of this week was 2 hours at home alone while everyone else was at soccer games. When M sees the pile of unfolded laundry on our bed, he just quietly disappears in our bedroom and folds it and puts much of it away. Awww, so sweet.

When it comes to school, we are accomplishing a good deal. I tend to see all that we potentially could be doing. I tend to feel behind if we aren't doing all the things I had hoped to do, but there is a time to let go of expectations and roll with what life tosses at you. This is one of those times.

Here are a few bits from my week:

Most of my down time has been devoted to reading this book. I am learning a great deal.

This year at Classical Conversations we are learning the states and capitals of our nation. We have been enjoying this web site with a states and capitals matching game.

Here is a states and capitals memory game.

This site has a number of different states and capitals games. Many increase in difficulty, so as you master one level, you can move to a more challenging level.

I must be a real nerd because video games are not appealing to me. At. All. But I could ~~waste~~ spend a lot of time playing the games I linked to. They are just fun and I feel like it is a legitimate use of time since they are educational. :)

Striving To Lean on the Everlasting Arms

2011-10-04T17:20:00.000-07:00

The following is the last part of an email sent out to some family and friends regarding our situation with A:

Right now the Lord has brought this to my mind, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind…” I am going to stop there rather than write out the entire book of James, but do go read it J In this time we get to stand on truth and the truth is that this did not catch God by surprise. It isn’t the news we wanted to receive, it would have been so much easier to hear that all was perfectly great, but life is about the glory of God and if God is most glorified in A’s life through this, then we pray for His strength to praise Him in it. Pray that we would count it all joy, that we would take time to cry and process and that we would keep our focus on God and His glory.

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Since sending that out, a number of people have shared encouraging words and are praying and we feel surrounded in love. Words can't capture how much that means and how that is carrying us in this time. One thing that has stood out to me is how a number of people have shared Bible passages or verses and I don't think any two people have shared the same two verses. Although maybe people have and each verse I read sounds fresh right now. What has stood out to me is how relevant God's Word is to us and how the Bible is full of comfort. There isn't just one passage that speaks to the ache in our hearts or to the disappointments in life, but rather there are numerous passages. God shows His love to us in innumerable ways. I love that.

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The books arrived! Yay! Now to dive into them. Life does not slow down for hard times. Someone gently asked me what we are going to do now that we have this information about A. I replied that we are going to keep living life and pray. And that is what I hope to do. That is a very simplified version of what I hope to do.

Living life, what I say I want to do, meets the reality of my emotions when books on seizures and epilepsy arrive and all I want is a quiet house and a chair to curl up in to read. Living life means the kids keep going, it means that they don't adapt naturally and simultaneously to every mood I have. It means that responsibilities are still there. It means the books arrived and there was still school to teach, dinner to toss in the crock pot, attitudes to attend to (both mine and the kids), laundry to swap out and so many other things that are just part of daily life.

Daily life can feel inconvenient, but it can also be a security. Normal routine can provide comfort if I slow down and savor it. Today my prayer was to not become annoyed at the things that kept me from curling up in quiet house with a stack of books. "Jesus, help me to be kind, help me to respond in gentleness because all the knowledge gained from those books is nothing without love. Help me to be loving, no matter what comes my way. It does not come naturally, but help me to reflect You."

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."

(1 Corinthians 13:1-3 ESV)

Two Days of Testing and What the Doctor Said

2011-10-03T16:09:00.000-07:00

Two consecutive days of testing came. Day one went smoothly. It was a long day, a needle was involved, which A didn’t care for, but who does? Overall he did a super job. After his testing we went out for ice cream. I chose a swanky little eatery full of local and organic goodies and he chose lavender-honey ice cream. It was very tasty. I chose cake that was a bit dry, but the company was good, so the dry cake didn't matter so much.

Day two was another long day. The test went well, as far as A doing a great job, but the results were not what we hoped. We, of course, hoped to find out everything was A-OK. But that was not the result we received. The test revealed a brain pattern that is consistent with seizures and epilepsy.

The doctor, who is very skilled at this type of thing, was not as gifted at delivering unpleasant news. He shared in an easy manner about all the tests that did come back well, but then his tone changed , he opened the exam room door became more abrupt, not rude, but rushed and uninterested in discussing details. Maybe he has been trapped in a room with distraught parents and wanted to avoid further situations? I am not sure. But I left a bit stunned.

Stunned in the sense that I had this concerning information, A seemed quite healthy and I had no idea what this would mean for our lives. I am still not sure. The doctor did recommend a book and that is on order from Amazon, along with a couple of other books. As much as I appreciate Amazon, their one day shipping actually was projected to take 5 days, what is with that? I opted for the 2 day shipping instead. It was much cheaper and the books will arrive soon enough.

For now, we chart any symptoms, strive to rest in the mercy of God and live life. Live life with the knowledge that there is the potential for some life altering symptoms to flare up. And as soon as those books arrive, I plan to dive into them. We live with the very real knowledge that life could change in an instant, but in many ways that is always the case. Life could always change in an instant, it is just that sometimes, things come my way that cause my awareness of that to increase.

M's deployment did that. It reminded me daily, sometimes hourly that life could change in a moment. Now this health issue with my sweet boy reminds me. The thought that he could have a severe seizure wakes me up in the night. What if...what if...what if...and it is all very scary at times. At other times it just seems like it can't really be true. No way, my kiddo is fine, he is running around perfectly fine, but then he has a moment when he does not feel fine and he comes by my side and tells me he feels anxious or worried or that his body does not quite feel right. And right now it is all relatively minor, but we know that could change and that minor could turn to seriously life-altering.

Hard To Wrap My Mind Around

2011-10-02T18:59:00.000-07:00

I have held off in sharing more about this. In this instance my story merges with A’s story. I want to honor him and not over share. After talking with him he said, “I don’t mind mom, go ahead and share.” I had almost hoped that he would have told me not to share, but I am blessed that he is willing to be so open. So, here is where we are at.

We had an appointment with a pediatric neurologist. After calling to ask if there had been any cancellations, we were able to get in 10 days earlier than our original appointment. That was nice. Rather than go on a rant, I'll just leave out the parts about the hassle of getting A's records transferred and simply getting an appointment in a timely manner. None of that matters at this point.

At that appointment the doctor explained migraines to us. He must have thought the incident we were describing was possibly a migraine. Then he had some concerns about blood flow and ordered some tests and told me to put A on a low dose aspirin, 81mg per day. Between that appointment, the tests and a follow up chat with the doctor five hours passed. That was a much longer day than anticipated.

We left wondering if it had actually been a stroke that A had had and scheduling two days of tests for the next week. There would be more tests on his brain and blood flow. A seemed so healthy and normal, it was hard to wrap my mind around the possible reality that something sinister could be impacting in his body.

Spa Mountain Naturals

2011-09-28T18:41:00.000-07:00

After being contacted by Spa Mountain Naturals about reviewing some of their products. I looked over the website and being intrigued by it, I said, "Yes! I'd love to review some product." I am so glad I did, because they have some great stuff! After the box arrived promptly in the mail and was opened, the delicious scent made me smile. One of my favorite things is the smell of natural beauty products. Natural products smell good, pure and clean. Mmmmmmm.

The product I was most curious about was the French Plum Oil Nectar. It sounded unique and different from other products previously used. I do use an oil at night as a moisturizer, so it was fun to try something different. This was noticeably less greasy than other oils I have used. It was light, but moisturizing and worked well even for my normal-oily skin. In fact, since the sample arrived I have used it every night. The plum scent is very mild and pleasant. And this bottle will last months, a few drops are all you need.
The other product I was curious about was the Botanical Butter. I always like to try butters and moisturizers to see how they stack up. This has a nice botanical scent. The scent reminded me a bit of wildflowers. And I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by this butter. When I opened the container my expectation was that it would be hard, but it wasn't at all. This is a wonderfully soft butter. A perfect texture, not too hard and not too soft or runny, just perfect. If you have ever tried to make your own butter, you know getting that perfect texture is certainly an art. This butter did not leave my skin greasy and it did leave my skin wonderfully moisturized. A little goes a long way and the ingredients are high quality, including many organic ingredients and fair trade Shea butter.

Another product I was sent was a bar of the Harvest Orange soap. This soap smells delicious! And I want to give the bar away! Not because it wouldn't be fun to use, but because give-aways are fun too and when you discover fun products, you want to share! So, if you are interested in receiving the bar of soap, leave a comment by midnight on Monday, October 3rd. I will draw a winner and send off the soap.

In the meantime, click on over to Spa Mountain Naturals and browse through the products. And As the One Change Per Month for October, consider exchanging a body care product for something more natural and better for you.

Not My Shade of Fuchsia

2011-09-20T13:36:00.000-07:00

What do you do with the "oh so not my shade" of fuchsia lipstick that your young son so lovingly bought as a present? Why, use it to write love notes to the hubby on the bathroom mirror, of course!

Skinny Jeans, Ideal Body Weight, Elderberry and Blindspots

2011-09-16T08:20:00.000-07:00

This blog post has the coolest idea! Turn your boot cut jeans into skinny jeans. I would never have thought of doing that. I found a pair of wider leg jeans at a thrift store. They were too short and I had been looking for a pair of super dark denim slimmer fitting jeans. I took the thrift store jeans to a lady who does sewing and alterations and for $6 she turned them into slim cut jeans that work perfectly with my boots. Love them!

This calculator is a fun way to figure out ideal body weight for height and age. I have been using it for a project that is part of my Vintage Remedies studies.

The first cold of the season has descended upon our house. Isn't it too early for that? Apparently not. We are breaking out the elderberry to help build immunity. Elderberry has become a staple in our home over the last couple years. This week we have been drinking it as a tea with a bit of honey for sweetness. Sometimes we break open capsules and add the powdered elderberry to smoothies. Delicious and so good for you!

This post on blind spots of homeschool parents is worth reading. It is always good to read the humble reflections of someone who is further down the road on a path that I am on. As a parent it is so important to allow kids to develop into the people that God designed them to be, even if it looks different than I had in mind or if it pushes my comfort zone.

What Yoga Has Taught Me About Life

2011-09-15T20:21:00.000-07:00

I adore yoga and I am not always consistent in my practice of it. There, that's my disclaimer.

Relax at the point of tension. Find peace in the chaos. Train yourself so that anxiety triggers meditation on God's truth. Relax. Even if life is tense, I can practice not being anxious. When tension happens, I can focus on truth and peace in the midst of it.
If something does not work, try a modified version. If it still does not work, try something different.
Even if you aren't disciplined in an area and you fail over and over, you can still come back to it. By coming back to it, there will be growth and more improvement than if you just gave up all together.
Stretch yourself. Little by little there will be improvement in areas.
Some areas won't improve as much as others. That's okay. Work a bit on both the areas where there is improvement and on the areas where there isn't improvement. Both are good for you in their own way.
Breathe and pray. It brings peace. But it is a discipline that takes practice.
Our body, mind and spirit are all connected and impact one another. Our thoughts impact our health, both physical and spiritual and mental.

I wrote the above back in July,but had not posted it yet. Then I read this blog post today and posted this comment on it:

Thank you for writing this. It has been good to read the perspectives of those who share faith in Jesus and who also practice yoga. For me, yoga has been a very positive part of my life. I am not consistent in my practice, but the times when I am consistent are directly benefited by more focused prayer, meditation and the discipline of being still and knowing that God is God. Yes, there are forms of yoga that are about emptying and pursuing all forms of things that are false, but God made our bodies. He made them to stretch and to pray and to meditate. We can do those things with a focus on and a heart toward God (truth) or toward any number of false things.

Every time I say "Sunday" or "Monday" or "March" or "May" or "Neptune" or "Saturn" I am saying a name that references a false god. That is where those names came from. But I still say them. And I am not worshiping some ancient god or goddess. I know that the true God created the days of the week, the months, the planets and all things. We live in a fallen world and many things are claimed and/or named falsely. But it does not change the character of God. The fact that Uranus is named after the ancient Roman god of the Heavens does not change truth. And the truth is that God created Uranus and all the other planets and all the heavenly bodies. Yes, for the time being that planet is named after a false god, but it won't always be that way. And we shouldn't shy away from studying what God has created just because someone else named it in honor of a false god.

So someone long ago discovered that God created our bodies to move in ways that facilitate focus, meditation and prayer. Then they used it to empty their minds and pursue false gods. That does not change truth and the truth is God created our bodies to move and stretch and relax. God created meditation. God created prayer. And God did a super cool thing by creating our bodies to be able to get into sync with the inner, unseen parts of ourselves through stretching. And the stretching that seems to best help with that is called yoga.

I have heard Christians say that stretching is fine, but yoga is not. The problem with that is that yoga describes a certain style of stretching that is commonly understood. Just as the names of the planets, months of the year and days of the week are named after a number of false gods, we who worship the true God overlook those names of false gods and call the days of the week and such by the commonly known names. Not because we are promoting idol worship. And it is taken for granted that calling those things by the commonly accepted names in no way means that we are all opening ourselves up to worshiping false deities.

Do people use yoga to worship and pursue false gods? Absolutely. Is is a given that everyone who practices yoga is doing that. No way. Not at all. Do people who worship other gods and I both call the planet Neptune "Neptune." Yup. Is my faith broken because of it. It isn't. Could people stumble over that. Maybe. But none of that changes truth or the character of God. God will be glorified even in a fallen world that seeks over and over to push Him out of the way. God is bigger than all of that. And God can redeem all things. Even yoga.

2011-09-13T13:32:00.000-07:00

M putting candles on our daughter's birthday cake.

Vintage Remedies

2011-09-12T07:28:00.000-07:00

Yup, I have an advertisement on my blog. See it? Right there to the right of this post. It is for Vintage Remedies. I have posted about Vintage Remedies before.

I have not previously desired to have ads on my blog. I'm not opposed to ads, I just knew that if I ever had an ad or ads on my blog, it would have to be for something I really believe in. Vintage Remedies fits the criteria. Vintage Remedies is a great company, go ahead and click on the link and browse a bit. I am an affiliate so if you buy something I get a small percent. I am enrolled in my second course through their school and have two of their books. Many of my favorite cleaning products and home health remedies are recipes from Vintage Remedies.

Oh and I have my first solicited product review coming up soon. I don't often get asked to review products on my small little blog, and the few times it has happened I opted not to do it. There there have been a couple times when I pursued opportunities to review products, but was not selected to do so. That's fine, I like my blog small and advertisers have to go with what best suits their product. But recently I was asked by a small business to review some products. I looked over the website and happily decided it was a great fit for me and this blog. I am excited to share these products and I will have a give away. It'll be fun!

Never Forget

2011-09-09T18:53:00.000-07:00

Books of the Bible Blocks

2011-09-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

These blocks are for the Sunday School class at our church. They are simple, but hopefully, they will be an effective tool for helping children to learn the books of the Bible. We now have three sets of them.

This link is a helpful resource of the categories of the books of the Bible. All of the Old Testament history books are written in the same color, all of the Old Testament prophets are written in another color and so on.

Then on the back of the blocks they are labeled according to category.

On the front side is the name of a book of the Bible. Here are some of the books that are letters in the New Testament.

These blocks were easy to make. I used generic Jenga blocks. Sharpies worked well for writing on the blocks. The blocks can be dumped out and kids can sort through them and put them in order. Or a smaller section, for example Old Testament History blocks, can be set out and mastered before moving on to another section.

Can't Stop Loving Azure Standard

2011-09-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I have done a "One Change Per Month" post (scroll down on my sidebar for more of these posts). As Fall rolls in and Summer rolls out, I find that life settles into more of a routine. My cooking and meal-planning becomes more structured and I find that my appreciation for Azure Standard is renewed. So, since Fall is on the way, and my life is heading toward more of a routine, it is a good time to start sharing changes that can be made toward living a healthier, environmentally friendly and balanced life.

Still not ordering from Azure Standard? Fall is a great time to consider placing an order. They offer healthy foods at great prices delivered to a local drop spot for pick up. Here are a few items from our most recent order-almonds, honey, potatoes, onions and a bottle of essential oil. Can you find the essential oil? It is mostly hidden in a little hand. And no, Azure does not pay me to rave about them. I just really like them and can't help sharing.

If the idea of ordering on-line from the comfort of home and then picking up an order of groceries appeals to you, consider Azure Standard. It is so nice to be able to add items to my shopping cart when I think of them, throughout the month, and then when it is time to place my order, it is easy to check out and wait for the groceries to arrive. Easy.

Real Life Math

2011-08-31T08:14:00.000-07:00

In past years I have not been very faithful in planning times to practice real life math. This year, I hope to change that. Cooking with the kids is such an easy way to do that. Especially when we double recipes. That gives great practice in doubling fractions.

A big deterrent in this, for me anyway, is that it takes so much longer. It is easier for me to tell the kids, "We need _____ amount of flour." My goal for this year is to slow down and let them do the math.

And one of the best parts about cooking in order to practice real-life math are the yummy results. In these photos, A and I were making zucchini bread sweetened with maple syrup. Yum.

"Look, Ma, There Are Seeds!"

2011-08-29T08:15:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know seedless is convenient, but every now and then buy a watermelon with seeds. Azure is a good place to find them. My kids get so excited when we get a seedy watermelon. I guess it is a novelty to them. It sorta reminds me of how I felt when seedless watermelon came out. It was a novelty, but now it is the norm.

3 Days Later

2011-08-26T08:08:00.000-07:00

We had a fun family day in the city, walking by the river, visiting the science museum, going to the ReStore, and doing some birthday shopping. It was a super day. We arrived at home in the late afternoon and 2 kids went outside to play, 1 went up to play with Legos, 1 was still at work, M changed into grubby clothes and went right to work on a project and I plopped in front of the computer.

One of my sons came into the office and said he didn't feel well. Then his words became jumbled and incoherent at times. I tried to hurry him outside to M, without acting alarmed. I didn't want to scare him, but something was clearly wrong. Things got a bit worse, we loaded everyone into the van and were off to the emergency room. It felt like the longest drive.

When we got there we explained what was going on and after a brief wait we were ushered right in to triage. We went back to our seats and in minutes we were back in talking with a nurse. A CAT scan and blood work were done and by this time my kiddo was doing better. The scan and blood work came out normal. That is a huge relief. But we still don't know what happened. There are a couple possibilities, but we still don't know.

Since that time, all has been good with our son, but I have spent days calling, waiting for returned phone calls and hanging up and crying. Crying over the process and over how long things take and the emotions of it all when your child could have something wrong. And crying over the one phone call I missed because it was early morning and I had had the phone with me nonstop until bedtime the day before and hadn't thought about getting an early morning call.

Monday we went to our chiropractor, who is a very wise and knowledgeable man. He and his wife have lost a child, so he has the compassion of a parent who has been through painful things. He is well rounded in acknowledging what medical doctors do best and in where they may be limited. I have seen him for 10+ years and he has been consistently reliable and helpful. This situation was no exception.

Meanwhile on the medical side, we had to wait 24 hours for my primary care doc to get a referral filled out for our insurance company so we can see a specialist. Then once that was turned in it was another 24+ hours before it was approved. And that was fast for our insurance! Then the specialist was called and his first opening is over a month out. So, we wait and pray for a cancelled appointment so we can get in earlier, but mostly we wait.

Thankfully our son is doing very well. Things could be so much worse, but they are what they are and what they are is hard because I want answers. I want to know what is going on in his body. I want to know what the odds are of this happening again. But I don't get to know all that right now.

This is also the week that I learned that our primary care doctor is moving and I have to find someone new and it is the week that L took scissors to a bit of her hair, and it is the week that C decided to get highlights in her hear, and it is the week that I need to finish mapping out our schedule for the coming school year and it is the week that I need to get some clothes boxed up for donation and it is the week I need to get my grocery list ready for my big monthly shopping trip next week and...

And that is life. The normal stuff carries on even in the waiting, and that normal stuff is a security in ways when something in life is amiss. These situation is a reminder that all can change in a matter of moments. In the waiting we strive to keep living, to savor life a bit more, to hug a bit tighter and to really listen and look when someone says, "Hey, mom can I show you..." Because all of this is so very precious.

What a difference 3 days can make. One day I sat in the ER cranky and can clearly recall the people who were in there waiting as well. Then three days later, with a true emergency, my thoughts were anything but cranky and my entire focus was on my boy. Nothing else mattered in those scary moments.

The Speck in My Eye

2011-08-25T09:34:00.000-07:00

Nope, this isn't a sermon, this is actually about a real speck that was in my eye. Last Monday my eye bothered me and felt like something was in it. It bothered me, but wasn't terrible and my in-laws were visiting and the day was full, it was easy to ignore it. As I went to sleep my eye felt quite irritated, but my eyelids were so heavy with sleep that I figured whatever was going on with my eye would resolve itself in the night.

In the morning my eye did feel better! It seemed that whatever was amiss with my eye had been taken care of. Or had it? As the day went on, my eye bothered me periodically until finally it just hurt. After dinner I caved in. I asked M to take me to the emergency room. I felt silly going in there, but my eye really was hurting.

The ER is a pain and I was cranky. I was annoyed at all the people in there from the guy in pajamas and cowboy boots to all the people sitting drinking soda after soda while waiting to see a doctor for some ailment. Then it struck me that I was there because of a speck in my eye and that I really shouldn't sit there judging everyone.

Finally, we were called back, the ER doc was abrupt, yet likable. He said, "Well, you have a boulder on your cornea!" Then he hollered at the nurse to bring the "eye kit", I think that is what he called it. Outside my room was a woman who had previously been screaming, she had stopped yelling and was being led around blindfolded. Maybe someone was leading her to the bathroom? Strange.

The doctor numbed my eye, told me I was his favorite patient of the evening because I wasn't screaming or threatening to kill him and because my eye would be easily fixed. Then he grabbed out a long metal pointy thing. "Tell me you are not going to use THAT thing in my eye?" He just smiled and told me to hold my eye open.

Yeah, when something is in ones eye, you have to watch as the doctor works on it. No looking away here if I wanted the "boulder" removed. And I would have to cooperate if I wanted to maintain "favorite patient status". Is there some sort of discount for that? There should be! Anyway, the doctor got right to work, my eye was thoroughly numbed so I didn't feel a thing. And this time when I got home and settled in for sleep, my eye really was completely better the next day.

I survived the emergency room and since, thus far, trips there have been very rare in our family, my assumption was that it would be a very long time before we would be back. I had no idea then that we would be back there 3 days later.

Iced Coffee

2011-08-23T15:31:00.000-07:00

Used this fantastic coffee mill to grind beans to make this yummy iced coffee. Delicious. Simply delicious.

M received the coffee mill for Christmas last year from my parents. I can't recall the last time we used the electric coffee grinder.

The iced coffee recipe is so simple to make and is simply delicious. Truly, the flavor is amazing. I actually cut the recipe down and quartered it-1/4 lb coffee beans, 2 quarts of water and it made a more manageable amount for my first try. I can see the reason for going ahead and making it with an entire pound of coffee though-it is that good!

Coffee ice cubes are the next thing to try. Although, based on the yumminess factor, I can't imagine my drink sitting around long enough for ice to melt in it. And since the coffee is already cold to begin with, unlike most iced drinks that start with hot coffee poured over ice, mine probably won't "need" ice. Still, coffee ice cubes sound like a fun thing to try.

You Know You Homeschool When...

2011-08-18T13:27:00.000-07:00

You know you homeschool when your pantry contains a pickled frog and fetal pig awaiting dissection. Gross. And why are they in the nice crystal bowl that we received as a wedding gift? I am not sure. It is where I set them when they arrived and I haven't moved them. And now, I'm used to them sitting there. I know, this is ruining any ideas about homeschool families being normal. But, really, where should one store animals awaiting dissection?

The Rules, Or a Few of Them Anyway

2011-08-16T15:26:00.000-07:00

As they push the limits, I make the rules. Some of these rules are serious, some are funny, some are seriously funny and some are seriously enforced without exception, some are enforced on occasion and some are not enforced at all, some applied to a one-time circumstance. But all of these rules came about because of a real-life situation/inspiration.

No handstands in the kitchen.
No ha-ha-ing. We don't ha-ha people.
No using one's shirt as a napkin.
No wiping one's nose on other people's shirts. Or pants. Or socks. Or jackets. Or hair. Or pillows. Or bath towels. Or on the cat. Or on your own shirt, pants, socks, jacket, hair. Just don't.
No poking mom in the eye. That includes both eyes. I don't like it.
No sitting, standing or laying on the coffee table. It was cheap and from Ikea, it won't last forever, but I would like it to last for awhile longer.
No coloring on the couch. Just don't. It came brown for a reason and does not need a pattern. Nope, not even a custom drawn one. I don't care if the crayon is the same shade of brown as the couch. Don't draw on it.
Eat with the utensils that are provided to you. Soup is not finger food. I don't care if you like to dig for the beef chunk "buried treasure" in your soup. Use your spoon.
Do not walk into my bedroom with food on your hands and wipe your hands across my bedspread. In fact, just don't walk into my room with messy hands. Wash them first. Seriously, there is a bathroom right outside my door. Use it. If someone is in there, walk up the stairs and wash your hands there. If someone is using that, wash your hands in the kitchen sink or the laundry room sink. If those sinks are being used too, then practice patience and wait. And while you wait, don't wipe your hands on the wall.
Don't put buggers on the wall. It is just gross and unnecessary and they are as hard as cement when dry.
Dont' talk in a super mean voice to your sibling(s) the moment I walk out of the room. I can still hear you. And even if I couldn't hear you, it is still wrong.
No, you can't wear your soccer cleats to AWANA.
If you have to go potty-GO! Nothing is gained by doing the wiggle dance and squeezing yourself.

2011-08-15T10:02:00.000-07:00

Mud Room

2011-08-11T09:11:00.000-07:00

Another summer project, still unfinished, but usable even in an unfinished state. This new mud room, means my tiny, but adequate laundry room isn't cluttered with muddy clothes and various sports equipment. And as a bonus, M added an outdoor shower. It is wonderful. Thankful for a hubby who knows how to build things.

Brick Patio

2011-08-10T11:06:00.000-07:00

One of our summer projects. We are just over half-way done and are currently scouring Craigslist for more used brick. I love how it looks and that it reminds me of this.

Strawberry Ice Ice Baby

2011-08-09T08:10:00.000-07:00

4 cups fruit. We used strawberry.

2 1/2-3 1/2 cups cold water

3/4 cup honey or more or less depending on how sweet you want it

2 T lemon juice

2 T lime juice

Run all ingredients through the blender until there are no longer any chunks. You can do this in batches if it does not all fit in the blender. Pour mixture into a container that can be frozen. Freeze until mixture is firm. Usually overnight does the trick or make this in the morning and it will be a great after-dinner dessert. Scoop it up with a sturdy ice cream scoop and enjoy!

This stores well in the freezer. We made a bunch of this back in late June or early July and still have some stored in the freezer. It is a great, easy dessert.

It can be garnished with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, mint leaves or... Fruits could be mixed together or pick a fruit and add a bit of frozen juice concentrate to create a unique flavor. Oh the possibilities!

Summer Dinner

2011-08-08T10:01:00.000-07:00

The Gifts I Never Wanted

2011-08-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

M has a knack for suggesting gift items that I am not interested in having. One memorable time involves the digital camera. About seven years ago he started suggesting that I switch to a digital camera. Nope. Now way. I was not interested in digital. At all. Over the course of a year or so, he wore me down, I reluctantly agreed to give it a try and he bought me a digital camera. I love it. Absolutely love it. Why on Earth had we not made the switch sooner? Digital is amazing!

There was also the cell phone upgrade. Why would I need a cell phone with a camera and all that stuff? Texting? Honestly, I don't need to text. My phone was fine. I did not want an upgrade. He persuaded me, I upgraded and was hooked. I laugh when I recall asking why I would need a phone with a camera. Now when I consider future phone upgrades the camera quality is certainly a consideration. And texting? How would I manage life without the ability to text?

A couple of years ago, it was me bugging him to upgrade my phone to a Blackberry. He was about to deploy, a smart phone was a necessity so we could connect whenever possible. The Blackberry is wonderful and served to keep us well connected through his deployment. It still feels like my brand new phone and the romance has not even begun to fade even though my phone plan allows for another upgrade soon. We've been together for awhile now, my Blackberry and I and while the love is still there, I know we won't be together forever. There are better, sleeker phones in my future, so I will enjoy what we have now and when the time comes, I'll happily move on.

The latest gift I never wanted is a digital picture frame. No way did I want a digital frame. Why would I want another gadget? A digital frame will not go with my decor. I have to load pictures onto it. What a pain. M didn't even try to talk me into it. He just bought it for me. Oh, he was smart and he prepped me ahead of time. One day about 2 weeks before Mother's Day he informed me, "I bought you a digital frame for Mother's Day." I didn't argue. I rolled my eyes, but I didn't argue. Slowly, I am learning. It was good to have advance notice of the digital frame that would be entering my life. It allowed my eye rolling to subside and my excitement to slowly grow. It gave me time to imagine the possibility that I might actually enjoy the digital frame.

And I do. I do enjoy it. Mostly the kids enjoy it. But their enjoyment brings me enjoyment. In giving me a digital picture frame, an unexpected thing happened. M, unknowingly, released me from my guilt of not keeping up with scrapbooks. He freed me up from the pressure that I felt about all the wonderful family photos that are stored on my computer, unseen by anyone on a regular basis. Now with a simple transfer of photos from my computer to the card in the frame, hundreds of formally archived photos are now on display! The pictures are enjoyed and and memories are vividly preserved in my minds of us all and that is why they were taken, right?

The digital frame is even better than a scrapbook because there are no scrapbook pages to be possibly damaged by kids looking at them and not handling them with enough care. For our family, for right now, a digital frame, with its ongoing family slide show is a delight. Now, if only I could remember how to upload photos on the card by myself, I have more to put on there. Tonight, when M gets home maybe he can show me again how to do it. And while he shows me, I imagine there will be a flutter of adoration for this man who knows me well enough to get gifts for me that I will adore, even when I don't initially want them.

Jam: My Rediscovered Summer Hobby

2011-08-03T10:28:00.000-07:00

Here is what my freezer looks like. I love it! And I am a bit persnickety about it. My kids keep asking if they can make things with jam and for some reason I feel the need to ration it. To save it all for crisp, cold days. This week I actually let them open a large container of raspberry jam. But, that just might be it until September or October, unless I cave in and I probably will.

Blogs are great because while trying to recall when I last made freezer jam and what was made, a quick search of my blog revealed two posts on making jam. There were vague memories of jam making in my past, but they were foggy, until I searched the blog.

I last made jam in 2007 and according to my posts, it brought me as much joy then as it has this year. I was sure I had made it before, but when and the details of how eluded me. It was nice to discover that I had blogged about the process. Very helpful.

These raspberries are HUGE. I mean HUGE! The picking was super easy with such large berries. So far this season we have made jam out of strawberries, raspberries, boysenberries and cherries. My hope is to tackle peaches next and maybe some blackberries.

The cherry jam is especially thrilling because it is from our own trees. I have yet to actually get cherries from our pie cherry tree, but this harvest of sweet cherries from our own tree was the first time we got the cherries before the birds! So exciting! And all credit goes to M and the kids who noticed the ripe cherries way up in the tree then got the ladder and picked them. Oh, and we got to use the Cherry Stoner again.

Look up at the first picture. The one with the jam in the freezer. Notice in the bottom right-hand corner. Yup, the round container that has a golden, yellow something in it. That is a bit of pineapple preserves. A recipe for a salad dressing calling for pineapple preserves recently came my way. Since I was already making jam, it seemed that making pineapple preserves would not be too difficult. I searched and found this recipe, then I changed it a bit. I ran the pineapple chunks through the blender then cooked three tablespoons of pectin in the juice until it boiled for a minute or so to thicken. Then the juice and pectin was poured into a bowl of the blended pineapple and some sugar was added. It turned out very well for the salad dressing and would be a delicious ice cream topping. I had never considered making pineapple preserves before.

Here are the berries all blended up. C does not care for chunks of fruit in her jam. We ran the fruit through the blender and it made a wonderful non-chunky jam. At this point, I only make freezer jam, partly because I have not learned to can. But mostly because making freezer jam is super easy and by not cooking the berries more of the flavor and natural enzymes are preserved. The down side is that it can take up quite a bit of freezer space.

Tangled

2011-08-02T08:41:00.000-07:00

And all this time it is gum in hair that has worried me. I never considered this.

It's Not Just About the Math

2011-07-29T10:53:00.000-07:00

Whew, it has been a long 3 weeks. M has been in and out, but mostly out due to work/military related excursions. That means the full load of daily responsibilities has rested squarely on my shoulders. For the most part all has gone well, but sometimes it all feels utterly exhausting.

Between shuttling kids to various activities A had a math book from this previous school year to complete. For the last two, maybe three school years, we have stopped his math books before completing them. There came a point when the difficulty level of the lessons increased and continuing on became less and less productive. Since we use Saxon math, there is a great deal of review in each book. When we begin the new book in the Fall there is so much review that any concepts not covered the year before were retaught. It worked well to quit before the book was finished.

This year, though, math clicked for A. It ceased to be the struggle that it had previously been. There were challenges, but they were no longer insurmountable. This year we would finish the math book! He was capable of it and for the most part he was enjoying the math. This year the main struggle was with finishing math lessons with a good attitude when other activities seemed more appealing.

My goal for him to finish the math book was not entirely driven by a desire to see him learn all the concepts that Saxon 54 had to teach, it was driven equally, if not more, by a desire help him know the satisfaction of completing something in its entirety. A large part of my motivation was to help him push through the whining and complaining that can come when standing at the base of a task that looks as tall as a mountain.

This week has been the home stretch. The week of completion. He has done it. Most important of all is that he has done it with minimal complaining. This growth in his life is exciting. It is a step toward maturity. It feels huge to me and I have been so proud of him. This week consisted of late nights doing math and missing out on fun activities in order to complete math lessons.

Each day, needed reminders to myself that this was not just about the math. This was about character. As a bonus he was also learning a good deal of math. But the main lesson was to work hard without complaining or arguing. It is about living out Philippians 2:14 "Do all things jwithout grumbling or kdisputing," And that is a tough concept to remember, let alone live out in a consistent manner.

Today on the way to the 5-Day club that friends are hosting this week, we had a discussion about all this math work. At one point I said, "You know, A, this hasn't been just about the math, do you know that?" To which he replied, "Yeah Mom, I know. It is really about doing something that is hard and sticking with it even when you don't want to. Dad talks to me about that."

His response thrilled me more than any completed school book ever could. He got it! He understood something that really matters. Something that matters more than fractions! Education isn't about simply completing subjects or books.

Education is about pursuing wisdom and a knowledge of God. It is about practicing living in a way that glorifies God and honors other people. On this journey of parenting, I am so thankful for the grace of God and for M, my partner in all this. Even when physically absent, M is here through moments like today when A understood and communicated that all this math isn't really about the math. It is about character.

On My Nightstand

2011-07-25T11:27:00.000-07:00

Think it is possible for me to get through all of these this summer? I am pretty confident it won't happen. And that is okay. Little by little progress will be made. Part of the problem is that sometimes it is just so hard to sit still and read. Moving around and doing feels better right now. That is why audio books are so wonderful.

With audio books I can move around and do other things and still finish books. Like the one being currently listened to. Truly, it is such a delicious story, I can't stop myself. Since the normal routine is to listen in the bathroom while getting ready in the morning and while getting ready for bed in the evening, I am finding all sorts of excuses to hang out in that general area. My bathroom has rarely been cleaner or my closet more organized. Meanwhile the stack of books on my nightstand sits gathering dust.

Summer Grammar Lessons

2011-07-21T07:15:00.000-07:00

I have blogged about this book before. My boys think it is hilarious. So do I.
Recently we found two similar books at the library.
More grammar, more laughs. Does summer grammar get any better than this? I think not.

The Beauty of Legos

2011-07-20T14:00:00.000-07:00

Since marrying my husband and having two sons, it has been revealed to me that Lego creations are art. Lest I doubt, this definition clarifies things :

Art: 1. The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.

2. Works produced by such skill and imagination.

Yet, no definition is needed when my son brings me the above pictured creation. It is indeed art. It is a creation, using skill and imagination, of something important. My son used a medium that is familiar and enjoyable to him. He used it to express his faith in a visual way. When I saw this, Legos had never looked more beautiful to me.

Tastes Like Chicken

2011-07-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

Here is one of our roosters, after being processed. Gross. There were 3 of them that were processed. In all honesty, it is good to have those roosters gone, but my stomach still turned when M walked in the door three weeks ago with 3 packages like the one in the photo above. I put them in the freezer and waited to get over my feelings of being grossed out.

It took almost 3 weeks. Then on Sunday, a rooster was pulled out of the freezer, placed in the fridge to thaw and was on the menu for dinner Monday night.

Not super attractive, I know, but it makes me laugh. This looks like dinner as opposed to looking like something that was recently running around our backyard.

The meat was super lean and a difference between this bird and a store bought bird was visible. There was virtually no fat on this one. I cooked it slowly at 300 degrees. Low and slow is the key for cooking grass fed animals.

The kids thought the chicken was delicious. I won't argue with their assessment, but I will acknowledge that it was overcooked. And I will acknowledge that that was completely my fault.

The bird was also small. See the small pile of meat from it? Not much there. Of course the kids had nibbled on it a little before this pictures was taken, but there just was not much meat.

Here is what our dinner ended up being. A delicious salad topped with our own, backyard raised rooster. Now that is local eating.

Would I do it again? Yes. I think the gross out factor has subsided. And it is a good thing because I have 2 more of our chickens in the freezer. Plus, it is great to know this rooster lived a thoroughly happy life, was not given any chemicals or additives. This guy was not even vaccinated, not that I am opposed to vaccines in chickens, but he just happened to not have been vaccinated.

As I write this the carcass of last night's dinner is simmering into a lovely broth on the stove-top. As I was writing this, I also burned 2 quesadillas, but that is off the subject. Even though the bird was small, it still made a decent dinner, will make a nice amount of broth and that makes raising our own birds the most cost effective way to have quality meat.

Do I now have an interest in butchering, ummm, I mean processing our own chickens? No.

Oh, and how did it taste? Well, it tasted like chicken.

Tennis Lessons

2011-07-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

Yup, that is one of my boys in the cowboy boots. I had to laugh. I didn't even notice his footwear until we were at tennis and I was watching them play.

On the last day of tennis they had a contest involving skills,manners and other tennis related things. He won first place and the biggest cookie. I think it was the goggles that snagged him the win.

Some Books to Inspire Adventure and Creativity

2011-07-11T11:07:00.000-07:00

An adventure story that is sure to capture the interest of young readers. The true, amazing and dangerous journey of Daniel Hall. My boys loved this story! As a mother I love that they don't have the option of joining a whaling ship crew at age 14. It is much nicer to read of the feats of others from the safety and comfort of our oversized reading chair.
I had never heard of Gaudi before reading this book. It is a wonderful story with beautiful illustrations. Learning how Gaudi blended nature into his creations is inspiring. This is a lovely story of a young boy who delights in nature and then uses that delight and his talent to create variety of unique works of architecture.

If you want to learn more, go to youtube.com and type in "Gaudi." There is a seven part (each part is only about 10 minutes) BBC documentary on him called, Antonio Gaudi: God's Architect. We just started watching it and have only gotten through the first 2 parts. I will give a warning that there is one scene of modern day Spain that is not for young eyes. It fits the context of what is being discussed, but just be aware of that before showing young ones.
Another wonderful adventure story, this one of young boys discovering a cave that is full of ancient art. Fantastic story and a true story. If you do plan to read this book, you may find this site helpful. I sure did. I used it to learn the pronunciation of a couple of words in the book.

If you have read this story, then your children will have an understanding of people leaving Paris during the Nazi occupation of World War II and that will be helpful historical background to this story, but not at all essential to enjoying this book . The Secret Cave shows some positive happenings that occurred in the midst of the terrors of World War II. This book only lightly mentions the war so it can be enjoyed as part of further learning about World War II or totally separate from that.

Day Hike

2011-07-08T08:15:00.000-07:00

Yes, that is a butterfly net on his head. All good hikes begin with wearing a butterfly net, don't they? We caught one butterfly with the net and it promptly flew out of the net. How does one keep the butterfly in there long enough to look at it?

The last time we did this hike, A was about 4 months old and was in a stroller. While this hike is not overly difficult, it is far easier to do with 4 walking children than with a baby in a stroller. Still, it was fun to point out the very spot where we had to do an emergency diaper and clothing change years ago.

We wrapped up the day with ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery. A had won or been given several gift cards to that and he wanted to "take the family out for ice cream." Very nice.

The Month of July

2011-07-07T10:29:00.001-07:00

July has been a good month thus far. A relaxing month. And I hope to keep it that way. June was fun and full of swimming and tennis lessons and various other activities. All great things, but things that kept us hopping from place to place and activity to activity. My June calendar was packed full of all sorts of events. And it was fun. But, it is nice to look over the pages of July in my calendar. There is a good amount of empty space on the pages and much of what is written in is flexible. It is stuff that can be done or...not done.

I, of course, have a list of projects and things that I want to get done, but it is so nice to not HAVE to be on a specified schedule. That makes it really feel like summer to me!

My "to do" list (or part of it anyway):

Finish math books with boys. They are each at a fine stopping place, but I'd like them to finish their books.
Work on reading, writing, spelling with the boys. We need to progress more in these areas and summer is a good time for practice.
Work on reading with L.
Peek though the new school books for the school year. I have two boxes of books that I need to look though.
Organize the storage cubbie that houses past school work, Sunday school papers and various projects that the kids have done over the years. It is out of control and needs to be reigned in.
Set aside items for garage sale. A friend is doing a garage sale as a fund raiser and asked if I had anything to contribute. This really motivates me to clean out-someone else is doing the work and it goes to a good cause, what is not to love about that?
Pick raspberries and make jam. I should do an entire post on my new love of freezer jam.
Write post on my love of freezer jam. :)
Organize the pantry.
Now that we have a new mud room, I need to rearrange the laundry room and move some stuff out of there and into the mud room. This is also should be another post.
Write post on the new mud room.
Read! There is a stack of wonderful books sitting on my nightstand just waiting for me to devour them.
Hang out and enjoy a slower pace.
Also, "write a post with titles from your stack of good books to read."
;)-Thanks Carole, for this suggestion!
Update homeschool info on my sidebar links.

Processed

2011-06-28T11:10:00.000-07:00

Remember our baby chicks? Well, four of them ended up being roosters. Noisy roosters. Luke, our first rooster makes enough noise all by himself. His crowing is fairly pleasant. Add to that four more crowing roosters and it transformed from pleasant to obnoxious.

We had heard rumors of a farm that processed chickens. Processed. Such a nice word for butcher. We looked up the farm online and found their processing procedure was compatible with what we were looking for. They practice sanitary, humane processing at price that seemed more than reasonable.

The farm was contacted and an appointment made. One of the roosters had found another home, but the other three were scheduled for processing. Luke would go back, happily, I believe, to being the only rooster in our flock. And the hens would be thrilled to not have five roosters trying to, as A says, "fertilize their eggs."

So today was the day that M took the roosters up and dropped them off. I admit that it makes me feel a little squeamish to think of eating our chickens. My squeamishness is a hurdle to be crossed. Honestly, those roosters were well cared for. They lived a better life and ate a better diet than the chicken I buy at the store. Still this takes local eating to a whole new place for me. This morning 3 roosters left to be processed. Later this evening they will return having been processed and ready for the freezer or the oven.

PaperBackSwap.com

2011-06-22T18:32:00.000-07:00

About a year an a half ago a friend mentioned PaperBackSwap.com to me. It is a web site where books can be swapped with other people. Let's say that you want to get rid of some books, you can go to the website, post them and when someone wants a posted book, you are contacted and can mail the book to the person requesting it. Doing this gives you credits so that you can get books from other people. The only cost involved is the postage needed to mail a book. Cool idea. So, I heard about it, thought, "How cool!" signed up and did nothing for about a year.

Then about four months ago while cleaning out I looked at a pile of books that needed to be given away or otherwise removed from our house and PaperBackSwap.com popped in my mind. This time I logged in, dusted off my account and listed my books for swapping. Right off the bat several books were requested and mailed. It was good to pass my beloved books and some not so loved books on to a new home. It felt like a bit of a leap of faith to pay postage to mail the books to an unknown person. But faith, I had and mail away, I did!

Then I waited and waited for about a month until one of my requested books became available. Finally one did. Aunt Mary's Rose was available and offered to me! Excitedly I replied that, "Yes!" I wanted it. Then more waiting until it arrived in the mail. Disappointment. The book was an unofficial unproofed copy. Lame. Lame. Lame. The cover wasn't even cardstock like a normal paperback book. Lame. My faith was a bit dampened and the book arrived in the midst of a busy time, so I just replied that the book was received and didn't comment on the lameness. I totally should have.

Then a month later another of my requested books was available to me. It arrived in pristine condition. Seriously this book was beautiful. And my faith was mostly restored. This is how I had envisioned the process working in the first place. So today as I printed off another label in order to mail another book to another unknown person my joy in the idea of swapping books was present. Not as jubilant as when I first starting mailing books. I now realize that it is a risk, the books received may not be the quality they should be, but it is a worthwhile risk for me.

Interested in PaperBackSwap.com? Let me say, you will need patience. On the list of books I have requested my place in line for books ranges from being at the top, the next time that book is available, it is mine if I want it, to being #191. And that is 191 out of 478, so not bad, right? I use this resource to request books that I'd like to have but that I am not in a hurry to get. And it makes it easier for me to get rid of some books when they are going to someone out there who wants them.

Amazing Grace, William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery by Eric Metaxas

2011-06-21T18:28:00.000-07:00

After reading Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas, I discovered that Metaxas had written another book on a person that interests me. This one on William Wilberforce. Both the life of Wilberforce and the writing of Metaxas captivated me. Here are some parts of the book that stood out to me:

After Wilberforce turned to Christ, "when both Newton and Pitt advised Wilberforce to stay where he was, in politics, and to put his newfound perspective to use in that sphere-was an historic moment. Before this time, a serious Christian would have felt theological pressure to leave "the world" and enter life of Christian service. Wilberforce's decision to remain in politics made the transfer of Christian ideas into the previously "secular" realm of society possible for generations of Christians to follow."

"Granville Sharp was one of those Christian fanatics who took the injunction to love one's neighbor literally-who loved his neighbors even when they were inconvenient African neighbors trying to reclaim their freedom."

A few days before his death John Wesley wrote an encouraging and motivating letter to Wilberforce admonishing him to persevere in the pursuit of abolition, in reference to this Metaxas wrote, "What an encouragement it must have been to read these words from the battle-scarred veteran, who had fought the good fight, and run with patience the race, and had kept the faith. Just before entering his rest, he had, as it were, extended his hand to his spiritual son and handed him the baton for this particular leg of the race contra mundum. And so William Wilberforce now ran, cheered on by a great and growing cloud of witnesses."

"There was something inescapably wild and beautiful about his mind, and it's as if he spent his whole life trying to tame it without breaking it. One might say that this was the essence of his genius and charm-that he did not break the beautiful creature that was his own mind and did not set himself to become another stereotypically dour Methodist from whom his social peers would have recoiled, as they had with all the others. In its own way, remaining thus true to himself was an act of self-discipline for which we might give Wilberforce great credit, not to say gratitude."

When Wilberforce traded his more powerful seat for a less powerful one so he could spend more time with his family, "Far from being the political cliche it is today, the idea was quite unheard of in Wilberforce's time. In fact, his public avowal about wanting more time with his children sent a powerful counterculture message to the nations about the importance of family and fatherhood, one whose effects would be felt far into the next century and on both sides of the ocean."

"...Wilberforce continued to send letters offering advice on everything that related to the great project-including a plea to Christophe to do something many might have found scandalous: he persuaded him to educate the women of Haiti too."

"Wilberforce was invited to call on the Duchess of Kent...How like Wilberforce to stoop to the floor at sixty and engage an infant, but had he known whom he entertained there on the floor...For the rosy-faced, German-speaking fourteen-month-old was none other than the future Queen Victoria...And so here, on the miniature plain of the carpet, in a prophetically fitting tableau of domestic happiness, the child who would lend the future era her name met the man who would lend it his character."

"Wilberforce swelled with gratitude and affection for them, some of whom he hadn't seen in years. "What cause it is for thankfulness," he said, "that God has always disposed people to treat me so kindly."'

On his deathbed, ill, Wilberforce said, "I in a very distressed state." To which his son replied, "Yes," Henry said, "but you have your feet on the Rock." Wilberforce responded with his last words, "I do not venture to speak so positively," he said. "But I hope I have."

Wilberforce devoted his adult life to the abolition of slavery, but also to caring for orphans, widows, the poor, preventing the ill treatment of animals and all for the glory of God and the betterment of society.

I Have a Headboard!

2011-06-13T19:52:00.000-07:00

This is an old door from our house. We salvaged it when we renovated and I had planned to turn it into a headboard. Sanding started in the middle of winter. Our shed is not heated so my sanding attempts became less and less frequent. It was just plain uncomfortable to go out there and work until my fingers froze, only to realize that there was still much more work to be done.

M, bless him, took over the project. He and a borrowed power sander-a truly fabulous tool, did the task in considerably less time.

See, sanding with a power sander really gets the job done.

And here is the finished headboard, in our room and all set up. I love it. It has been hanging up for a little while now and it still makes me smile each time I look at.

Oh and excuse the photo quality of this last picture. My good camera is in for repairs. It is trying my patience to be without it. I have been spoiled because it is hard to even recall a time in my life when a decent camera was lacking. Between my dad and M, I have always had a nice camera provided. Being without my camera reminds me to be thankful for it!

Hazelnut Chocolate Spread

2011-06-09T07:07:00.000-07:00

Okay, so when I saw this jar of Choco Dream in the health food store, I grabbed it. Pure yumminess. Then the next time I was in, there it was, Dark Choco Dream. Oh my. Seriously?! And the taste, I am swooning as I write. I hope to try the almond version at some point.

In case the yumminess factor was not quite high enough, here is what we did. C made peanut butter (don't forget to use peanut butter with non-hydrogenated fat) cookies. After they cooled we spread a layer of Dark Choco Dream on the cookie and sandwiched vanilla ice cream between two cookies. Hello! Amazing. Simply delicious. I suggest you try it.

Charming

2011-06-08T07:25:00.000-07:00

Mt. Vernon Chicken Coop

2011-06-02T10:23:00.000-07:00

Isn't this chicken coop cool?! It is like a giant basket.

Rooftop Garden

2011-06-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

Rooftop gardens are so great. I love looking out over a city and seeing them. Love them too and want to see more? Click here.

Unconventional Kindness

2011-06-02T07:39:00.000-07:00

Today in the grocery store I had a woman keep telling me I was pretty. She was developmentally disabled. It was awkward, but made me think that if I ever have something happen to impair me, I hope I am as kind and pleasant as that woman was. And the woman who was helping the disabled woman was clearly embarrassed or annoyed by the woman's words, which is understandable, but sad. There is no need to be embarrassed by a person seeking to reach out to other people in an amiable way. Even if it looks unconventional to the rest of us.

A New Reading Adventure

2011-06-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

I am a big fan of audio books and have shared about that in the past. A current family favorite is Hank the Cowdog. Hank=hilarious. We recently finished The Cookie Moon. I recommend it if you want to get a good proper introduction to Hank.

Hank reminds me of our dog or is it that our dog reminds me of Hank? That is probably more accurate. They have some traits in common. Both have a contempt for cats. Both are cow dogs, although our dog never spent much time with cattle. I will stop with the comparisons there since I don't want to venture into unflattering comments. But actually living with a cow dog gives me a deep appreciation of Hank.

Enough about Hank, the point of this is to share our love for talking books/audio books. More specifically to share a gratifying parent moment that occurred in our local library yesterday. C has long enjoyed listening to books and the boys often fall asleep at night after listening to a talking book. Then, of course, our family listens to books in the van and occasionally while eating meals. But yesterday L came up to me in the library and asked to check out her own audio book.

With this little request, joy filled my heart. Moments of growing up, of coming to the realization that some aspect of life can be owned by an individual are amazing to me. I love it. I love that L realizes that audio books are for her too. They aren't just an option for others, they are something that she can embrace.

I helped her with her book selection and we left the library with Little House in the Big woods on audio CD. I could not think of a better choice for ones first audio book. When we arrived at home we set up one of our portable CD players in her room. Welcome to a new adventure sweet girl.

The Cutest Ceiling Fans Ever

2011-05-19T07:37:00.000-07:00

This is the style of fan that is in the box, waiting to be hung in the boys room.
This is the style of fan that is currently in L's room.

When we first saw these fans at Home Depot I thought they were for display only. They were so small. They reminded me of the miniature tents that some sporting goods stores use for display. Since Home Depot's fan and lighting area is super crammed, my first thought was that these were clever displays. Only they weren't miniature displays.

These are actual fans, in real life size that are for sale. And they are the perfect size for two of the bedrooms in our house. A and B's room along with L's room have slanted ceilings which means that a regular size fan does not fit well in the space available. Since we moved into our house there has been a spot, wired for a ceiling fan, but without a fan hooked up, in both bedrooms. Without a fan until recently, that is.

When we saw these 24 inch fans we were so happy to find fans that would fit their rooms! And they are so cute. I smile each time I walk by and see them. Why are miniature things so cute? I don't know, but they are. Even when the miniature thing is a ceiling fan.

Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas

2011-05-17T17:16:00.000-07:00

This book was worth the 500+ pages. And that is a huge recommendation from me. These days I rarely read a book of that length. But this one was not only completed but was finished in under 6 weeks. Less than 6 weeks because it was due at the library and I didn't want to check it out again and because I had other things to read.

My book club read The Book Thief awhile back. That book opened my mind to pause and consider the impact of Hitler's regime on the German people. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas filled that openness in my mind with real historical facts and real people who lived and struggled during that dark time.

The book is well written, so readable, and packed full of history. Reading it caused my understanding of the impact of WWII to deepen and grow. And my appreciation for Dietrich Bonhoeffer has greatly increased. His faith so inspires me. Some specifics in Bonhoeffer's faith that moved me include:

he taught children's Sunday Schools and believed that if one couldn't convey Biblical truth to children then a PhD didn't matter too much.
his faith was deep enough to embolden him to make choices in serving God that to some might have seemed a contradiction, but to him were in line with putting God first in his life.
he was known for his cheerfulness, gentleness and basically for good character. Right up to the end.

This book goes on my list of favorites. It goes on my list of books that I want my kid's to read. It is that good.

To hear how author Eric Metaxas met Jesus, click here. I love stories of how Jesus brings people to himself.

Spring Homeschool Routine

2011-05-16T12:01:00.000-07:00

Now that Classical Conversations has wrapped up for this school year we have shifted into a new homeschool mode. What that means for us is that we are still doing school, but the pace and focus are different. Here is what this looks like for us right now:

C is finishing up 3 on-line courses through our local school district. She is able to work on her Algebra 1, Geometry and Driver’s Ed courses at home or occasionally at the local library. Those three classes are taking up a large majority of her time right now.

During breakfast we listen to our CC memory work from this past year.

After breakfast and clean up A and B watch a Khan Academy video. We are going through the Arithmetic course. Some of the videos are a review of what they already know, but it is good review and it is helpful for me to see how someone else teaches basic math procedures. Kahn Academy is great. And free which means it is super great.

Next we spend 30 minutes in quiet reading. I sit and read too. The theory is that children who grow up seeing their parents read tend to be readers themselves, right? I read, but often not when the kids are around, so this has been a way for them to actually see me read. Plus, it is like an appointment to read. How cool that, in this situation, being a good role model to my children feels like a reward to myself. Love that.

We use our reading time to listen to classical music as well. Last week we listened to Schubert. This week is Beethoven.

After reading we dive into math. B is finishing Saxon 3 and A Saxon 54. They boys do their math lesson the day before and then we go over it together. Any problems that they struggle with are gone over and explained until they are completed. Some days we don't get a math lesson done, but we aim to go through 5 lessons a week. Last week we completed 3 lessons. Math time takes about an hour or so.

After math we settle in with a documentary, biopics or history-based movie. So far we have watched movies on St. Patrick, Stonewall Jackson, Florence Nightengale and the history of the United States.

Then lunch.

After lunch the boys do their math lesson for the next day and then spend time playing.

For right now, that is what school looks like at Greenleaf Academy.

Goals With Room

2011-05-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

As my cousin’s baby shower approached, my collection of items to decorate with grew. Fun plates found at a going out of business sale, ribbon in the pink and brown color scheme, adorable mini cupcake papers. Items gathered little by little and added to a tote.

As the decorating items were added, my excitement grew. A baby shower. What a joyful occasion! Yet I had some anxieties as well. M was going to be out of town and that meant I needed to decorate for the shower with all 4 kids in tow. C would, without a doubt, be a fantastic help, but the younger three would be, umm, well, it was uncertain what sort of help they would be. That was my concern.

A concern that rattled around in my mind without settling on a plan of action that felt comfortable to me. Finally it occurred to me that instead of trying to figure out “what to do with them” it would be much better to explain to them how their help would be needed. It would be better to have special jobs for each one.

One of the reasons we homeschool is so we can share life with each other. While I did not desire to or feel ready to share the responsibility for preparing for a baby shower with my 3 younger children, that was the situation at hand. They were going to be there. They would be present the entire time. Both during set up and during the actual shower. It was an experience to be shared with them, ready or not.

With apprehension, I explained to the kids about the shower, that they would be there, that I would be very busy setting up and that everything needed to stay nice… There were also special tasks where their help would be needed. They loved that. They loved being needed for a grown up event.

I did need their help. And they did get rowdy at times and have to be reigned in, but they helped me, they really did. A set up all the chairs. A, B and L filled the mini cupcake holders with chocolate covered coffee beans, cookies and almonds. It really was helpful. A little more chaotic than I prefer, but it worked and we did it together.

Due to the circumstances in our life there are numerous opportunities to incorporate our kids into my activities. Homeschooling means the kids are often with me. M’s job has seasons that are busy with travel and longer hours. That means that I often get to either include kids in activities that I likely would not otherwise choose to include them in. Including by either helping them get involved or helping them learn to entertain themselves in a room apart from me while I tend to other things.

Including the kids isn’t generally smooth and easy in the moment, but by embracing the momentary challenge, we are growing. The kids are learning to be quite helpful and I am learning to better appreciate them, to better work with where they are at developmentally. To better appreciate the unique qualities each one has to offer.

Most importantly, we are learning to live authentically with one another. They are learning who I am and that I have a life that has a place for them, although sometimes that place means they quietly (or somewhat quietly) watch a movie and put themselves (and each other) to bed when I have people over downstairs.

I am learning that my personal growth and fulfillment does not have to be put off because I have children. Life does have to be adjusted , but there is room for me to be a complete person and for my kids to be complete persons. There have been seasons when life felt limited in areas, where the needs of the kids felt so consuming that pursuing my personal goals seemed out of reach. By reevaluating those goals and readjusting, better goals are being set. Goals that have room for all of us.

Baby Shower

2011-05-10T09:05:00.000-07:00

My cousin is expecting a baby girl in the near future. Here are some pics of the shower we recenlty had for her.

Chickpea Salad

2011-05-05T14:09:00.000-07:00

Part of going to CC each week involved taking lunches. The boys love PB&J and never seem to tire of it. The girls and I are another story. Salads became a favorite of ours to pack. Salads with beans instead of just lettuce were a real plus because they seem to better maintain freshness. When I came across this Chickpea Salad recipe, it seemed worth trying. I tore the recipe out of a magazine and it would be nice to credit that magazine as the inspiration of what I made, but the name of the magazine is not on the scrap of paper with the recipe. Here is my version of the salad:

about 4 cups red chickpeas. I prepare chickpeas the same way I prepare other beans.
avocado diced into small chunks
tomato chunks are optional, if used, it is suggested that they be fresh and preferably in-season
1 tsp cumin, give or take a bit
1-2 tsp Tabasco sauce
chopped cilantro
chopped chives
1/2 heaping tsp salt
3-4 T olive oil
juice of one lemon

The recipe that inspired this salad shows a photo of the salad served in lettuce leaves-yum, but we just served it out of Feistaware and it was perfectly tasty. The lettuce leaves would be a nice touch though. Or serving it with a great flatbread would be nice.

A Graphic Novel Bible

2011-05-02T07:43:00.000-07:00

We visit the local library each week. My boys are drawn to comic books and graphic novels. They love the drawings and the comic format appeals to them.

My approach to checking out library books is to pretty much let the kids check out what they want. I don't dictate it too much, although, in general we have regular conversations about what is appropriate to put into our minds and thus far they make fine decisions. The library has been a good opportunity for them to practice using discernment.

Yet, I have my own personal limits. That means they have to find someone else to read, read themselves, or just enjoy pictures in the books that are annoying to me. I don't read poorly written princess books or the like.

The graphic novels that the boys regularly pick out cause me some annoyance. Why get The Boxcar Kids graphic novel when you could read The Boxcar Kids book? But, it isn't a huge deal, it is just a matter of preference. There is nothing inherently wrong with the graphic novel version. And something in me must be changing or maybe it is a case of, "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em." Because I was the one that suggested we buy The Action Bible for A for his birthday.

Months ago a girl in B's class at CC brought The Action Bible to class and shared it for her oral presentation. After her presentation it was passed around the class. While flipping through the pages, I was drawn in. The book was so well done. The telling of Biblical stories seemed sound and the drawings were excellent. It won me over and after considering how much my boys enjoy graphic novels, we ordered The Action Bible.

A thoroughly enjoys it and my reluctant reader sits and reads this book on a regular basis. It is a joy to find something that draws a child into that wonderful world of reading. For right now The Action Bible is that something that is drawing A into reading and it is moving me to have a better appreciation for a style of book that I used to turn my nose up at.

Can You Believe She Drew This From Memory?

2011-04-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

Just one of the reasons I appreciate CC. C learned how to draw, freehand, a map of the world and label it. The map in this picture is her final test. This took her an hour to complete. I am in awe of this. Being able to draw a map isn't about impressing other people, it is about understanding this world-where things are, how countries relate to one another and the like. For example, if someone refers to Turkey as the gateway to Asia, and we are literate in Geography, we understand what that means.

The following was written 4 months ago. I should have pictures of maps that my younger children have drawn in this post, but I have yet to take those photos. If I do that in the future I will link to this post.

I was in our local grade school today. On the walls in the hallway were maps drawn by students. They had created maps of islands such as “Bookland”, “Dragonland” and “Candy Island”. On the maps were the imaginary island, water and other labeled features. They were quite well drawn and showed great creativity. I stopped to admire the maps precisely because they were so attractive. They brightened up the hallway and were something the kids could be and should be proud of.

Now remember, I was a casual observer. I don’t know what assignment or class these maps were a part of. I had simply popped in to the school to return some library books. The librarian has been completely gracious in allowing our family to check out books and to keep them as long as we need to or want to. This is our community school. I want to see it succeed. I care for people who work there and whose children are educated there.

As I looked at the maps my heart was, again, grateful for Classical Conversations. Here these kids were using time to create some imaginary land, but do they know the locations of real, relevant places? Could they identify real locations on a map, let alone draw a free hand map of any part of the world? I ask that because my kids are learning those things. No credit to me on that! I am completely grateful to CC for educating me on how to teach geography more effectively.

In the past we have spent regular time on geography. But after I read The Core, I felt I understood how to teach it much more effectively. Before CC, I didn’t have a clue that young children could learn to draw the world. Not trace the world, but DRAW the world. As I have watched my children and led them in this, I am in awe of how much they are comprehending geography. Basically, teaching in a classical style such as this has revealed to me how amazing God created our brains to be. As I observed those maps on the wall of the grade school I was struck by how talented those kids were and I was saddened that their efforts had not been spent on learning to draw the real world instead of an imaginary one.

What if those kids had used the time, energy and creativity to draw a map of a real location in the world? “Bookland” and “Dragonland” probably won’t matter down the road, but knowing real geography will. What if they had drawn Australia instead of an imaginary island? What if they had drawn the Hawaiian islands? They would have learned real features of a map as well as learning a bit about a real location. That would serve them far better in the years to come.

I walked away wondering if the teachers had even considered that. I wondered, because I hadn’t realized what kids were capable of until I was taught. I hadn’t imagined that five year old children could memorize vast amounts of material, somewhat irrelevant to them at age 5, but vitally important to them for down the road. And you know what? The kids I observe at CC every week love memorizing and learning that stuff! Memorizing facts and drawing the world are not boring to them, they express their creativity, have a great time doing it and gain knowledge that will serve them for a lifetime.

How Many Oranges?

2011-04-27T07:46:00.000-07:00

We recently purchased a 25 pound bag of oranges. There was a great debate as to how many oranges a 25 pound bag contained. So, we had a contest. Each of the kids gave a guess as to how many oranges the bag held. L guessed 200. B guessed 120. A guessed 50. C guessed 48. Any ideas how many oranges were in the bag?

Why Dye?

2011-04-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

Last year I decided to color eggs using natural coloring methods. It didn't work very well. My eggs did not look, at all, like the beautiful pictures of colored eggs that were shown next to the instructions on how to color eggs without using "awful commercial dyes." Commercial dyes for eggs don't concern me too much. I mean, we only dye eggs once a year and then we peel off the shell. My main motivation in coloring eggs using things like coffee and brightly colored spices was that I like those beautiful earth-toned colors. So pretty. In theory anyway. My dyed eggs looked sad instead of beautifully colored.

My decision this year, to not dye eggs, had more to do with the fact that our chickens lay nicely colored eggs and I didn't feel like bothering with dying eggs. My kids didn't mention egg dying, so we didn't do it. This year the eggs were hard boiled and then left their natural color.

Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-25T08:58:00.000-07:00

On Saturday my mom called and asked if we wanted to do an egg hunt at our house. She had eggs all ready to hide, if we wanted to do it. Great idea, thanks Mom! This was the first egg hunt we had done at our place and we discovered that we have a fantastic area for hiding and hunting eggs. I am already mulling over ideas for next year.

Salad, Smoothies and Nail Painting

2011-04-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

This last weekend one of C's friends had a birthday. The mom of the friend decided it would be fun to plan a progressive dinner and to get progressively beautiful along the way. Our house was the stop for salads (and I added the small teacup of smoothie) and nail paining. It was a fun time and such a creative way to celebrate a birthday.

We used some vintage saucers as salad plates. Each plate was different. It created a fun, eclectic place setting. C and I had lots of fun getting the table all set up.

Smoothies in teacups. I love finding non-traditional uses for things. Especially for table settings. I like things to be a little vintage, a little fancy, a little quirky, a little playful and never, ever too fussy.

Loving the Ordinary

2011-04-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one’s ‘own,’ or ‘real’ life. The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one’s real life—the life God is sending one day by day; what one calls one’s ‘real life’ is a phantom of one’s own imagination. This at least is what I see at moments of insight: but it’s hard to remember it all the time.--C. S. Lewis

The most extraordinary thing in the world is an ordinary man and an ordinary woman and their ordinary children.--G.K. Chesterton

Dear M, C,A, B and L~

These two quotes are on the side of my blog, but they have drifted down lower, so you have to scroll a ways to get to them . I wanted to put them front and center today. Sometimes I need reminders to delight in, enjoy and be contend in the ordinary everyday life we live. Really, I do love it. I don't feel that I have put my "real life" on hold in these years that I am home with our kids. This is real life. These most precious years. Yes, there are many tasks that could be considered mundane, a lot of cooking and cleaning and teaching and training little hearts and minds, but those things don't feel mundane to me. They feel like an expression of my love to you all. They feel like tangible ways I can show you how special you all are.

If I can, by the grace of God, do the daily tasks with grace, joy and kindness, then I pass a gift on to you all. The gift is that you get to observe and see that life is not about self. It is not about personal fulfillment. It is about glorifying God. It is about acknowledging, in humility, the truth that "You are not your own, [20] for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

(1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV) And you get to see that devoting life to encouraging and building up the people you love is, indeed, valuable.

This life isn't about what I can accomplish for me. It is about how God would choose to use me. Whether that be in cleaning bathrooms or in teaching a math lesson or in making a meal or changing my plans (again) because M has to work late or travel, or in studying for my classes I am taking, or connecting with a friend via phone or email or writing or... whatever a day may bring. It is in doing what the day requires and striving to do it with joy and contentment. I appreciate the opportunity to live life side by side with my loves.

I don't regret not having a career that makes me look more important in the minds of others. I don't need a paycheck or advanced degrees to feel validated or like my life is worth something. What I most want is for you to know that I am devoted to God, to M and to you kiddos. Not because I am some unfulfilled, non-person, but because I love you all. Because you are important. The terms "unfulfilled" and "non-person" probably sound strange to the ears of you kids because that just isn't the reality we live in. But someday, you may (probably will) encounter different ideas about what it means to be fulfilled and valuable. Be strong and know that people are looking for fulfillment in all sorts of ideas, but keep your focus and don't get distracted. True value and fulfillment come from God. You are valuable, it is a fact, not a feeling. Fulfillment, likewise, is something you find inside as you become more content in Christ and as you remember that this life is temporary. It is a shadow of the real life to come.

Since I live life side by side with you kids, day in and day out, there is no need to prove anything about my intelligence level or about what I am capable of. because you all watch me. You see strengths and weaknesses, every single day. And I hope that you see how much I love God and how trials and pains have deepened that love, I hope you see that because you too will (and have) face your own weaknesses, trials and pains.

I love you each, as the unique person who God made you to be. You don't need all those forms of external affirmation to make you valuable as a person. You are valuable simply because God made you and assigned worth to you. And I am happy to put aside any career tuggings and the pursuit of popularity so that I can be flexible to serve you M (that is Dad to you kids or as I sometimes call him, "my boyfriend") and you kids. Yup, I said serve. Not because I am a door mat, no-life, servant (insert gagging noises here), but because I delight to pour out love to the people in my life. It hasn't always been that way, but praise God, who helps us where we are weak.

I remember a woman, whom I admire, commenting, about a grown child, with such excitement that she got to buy her kid lunch. She was just thrilled to get to hang out and bless her kid with a free lunch. That has stuck with me because that want to emulate that. I want to, for as many years as God grants me, bless your lives and be available to you. I want you all to know that you are my priorities. Yes, sometimes I put you on hold because I am on the phone or writing or...and that is okay. Specifically for you kids. That gives you an opportunity to practice patience and to remember to not be selfish. But know that I delight to give you these years and hopefully many more.

Some years ago I remember telling you, M (do you remember? No problem if you don't. I talk a lot, you can't possibly remember it all :) that I felt like I was "wasting away, locked up in the house with babies, toddlers and a young girl who needed extra special parenting." And I added that I was sure I'd emerge someday all old and ragged and worn out. It was all very dramatic. I am sure I told you this after you returned from some business trip.

Well, I am still in the thick of parenting, but there are no more toddlers and babies and I have a little more freedom and I don't feel old or ragged. At all, except for my bum shoulder...:) Some days I feel worn out, but no more so and possibly less than I used to feel after a long day before children entered our life. But I do feel happier, overall. I do feel like I have grown in learning to be content and in learning to delight in each day. I no longer feel that intense feeling like life is passing me by and like I need to "accomplish something!" I have learned to love what am doing.

Thank you, each of you, for the joy you bring to my life. I do count it a privilege and an honor to be the wife and mom in our family. And, no, this does not mean I won't make you kids do your chores and homework and that I won't tell you the truth lovingly and to the best of my ability, even when it hurts. I will do my best to keep the standard high and to not let you get away with whining and complaining and laziness even when I don't feel like putting out the effort. It is for your own good and it is in my best interest too, to help you be people that I actually want to spend my days with. ;-)

And, M, thank you for working so hard to provide for us and for being a present husband and father, even in the midst of occasional travel and deployment. We make a good team.

I love you all!

These Rock!

2011-04-13T11:51:00.000-07:00

Rock tumbling. This is not a hobby that I would have predicted that my husband would be drawn to. But he made the request. He wanted a rock tumbler for Christmas. My dad appreciated this request and was more than happy to supply M with a nice rock tumbler. After weeks of the tumbler running, these polished rocks emerged. So cool. Love them. I have a couple that I am using as paper weights and some others set aside to put in my wooden bowl and, of course, the kids all took some.

Hoop Making!

2011-04-11T07:03:00.000-07:00

Following these directions, we made our hoops. They were super easy to make. We decided to buy 100psi 3/4 inch tubing. The instructions suggested that type for kid's hoops. Went with that for our whole family since it is easy to put a cup or two of water into the hoop, before sealing it shut, to add more weight. I added 1 cup of water in mine and it is perfect. M will probably want 2 cups of water in his. We need to go back and add that to his hoop.
We also figured that this camo wrap would add a bit of extra weight and it does. It adds the perfect amount of weight for the boy's hoops. This wrap from McNett is textured so it gives the hoop a nice "grip". This is perfect for beginners. The grippiness helps keep the hoop from being too slippery.
And it looks super cool too! The boys were very excited to have camo hoops instead of the ones seen in the stores that tend to be sparkly and in the pink and purple color spectrum. This is a hoop a young man can feel proud of. ;-) The McNett camo wrap moves a hoop from "hoops are something girls use" to looking like a piece of real man-gear. Well that and watching their dad swing his own huge hoop won them over.
To decorate the rest of the hoops we used electrical tape. The tape is very flexible and easy to use. If it gets bumps, just lift, straighten and retape. It really is that easy. How big? We measured a few inches above each person's belly button and used that for the diameter.

Okay, so why make hoops? It's fun and good exercise! And the hoops in stores are typically too small for adults. We have also found that they aren't as durable as the ones we can make.

We already had the cutter for the tubing and the camo wrap so we didn't have to buy those items. For our entire family the cost of the tubing, connectors and electrical tape was just under $36. Actually, it was $36 minus the 10% military discount at Home Depot (thank you Home Depot!). So, for that price we made 6 hoops and have enough tubing for, probably, 2 more hoops. (Mom, I know, one is for you, I haven't forgotten!) We have plenty of electrical tape left over. Since most kid hoops, that I have seen, in stores are around $6 each, making them is certainly cost effective. Plus, it is a great family project. All ages can participate at some level in both the process and in swinging those finished hoops around.

Guess What We Finally Made?

2011-04-08T07:01:00.000-07:00

Need a hint? Click here. Photos of our finished products will be coming. But, let me tell you, they are so much fun!

A Bit of Spring on My Coffee Table

2011-04-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

I try to change out the contents of my wooden bowl each season. Sometimes it happens, but often it does not happen. Typically it has some old pool balls in it, which are pretty cool, but swapping it out every so often is always nice. And when the pool balls go back in there they look even better to my eyes after having been tucked away for a bit.

Quesadilla Filling

2011-04-05T08:31:00.000-07:00

This is a favorite quesadilla filling in our house. It is another on of my imprecise recipes with some of this and some of that and no measurements.

This has pinto beans, frozen spinach, taco seasoning and sometimes shredded cheese or olives are added. Mix it all up until it is well blended. Oh, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. After the filling is mixed place a bit onto a corn tortilla, spread it evenly and top with another corn tortilla.

Bake until heated through and the corn tortilla is a bit crisped on the edges. Slice into wedges and enjoy. Serve alone or with salsa, guacamole or whatever strikes your fancy. My kids like to dip most everything, these included, in ketchup. Hey, whatever works.