One of the most fun things of the Christmas Season is watching "Christmas Vacation". I'm hearing it has been 20 years since it came out. That's impossible. I'm not much older than that.
After recovering from the shock that yes, I am much older than that...cough! cough!....In an effort to kick off our "Fun Old-Fashioned Family Christmas", we sat down and enjoyed it again.
This scene is a classic...(language warning!!)...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGxyIhsSAow
And another one.....(even worse language, I'm afraid)....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk74WprmZxY&feature=related
I don't think a week goes by that someone in our family doesn't toss out a one-liner from that movie. That, my friend, is the mark of a classic.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
'Tis the Season....
.....But you sure wouldn't know it to look at my home. We still have little wooden pumpkins and scarecrows adorning the manor. Aw, gimme a break. I've been really busy.
This week, it will change.
We did, however, have a big Thanksgiving.
We cooked two turkeys plus two turkey breasts, ham, and a bunch of deer meat. A plate of turkey and 1/2 the ham was left. We have some big eaters. Yes, we had allllll kinds of fixin's. I practically wore out my America's Test Kitchen cookbooks.
Dad and Nathan getting a turkey out of the oil-less turkey fryer...yum!:
This week, it will change.
We did, however, have a big Thanksgiving.
We cooked two turkeys plus two turkey breasts, ham, and a bunch of deer meat. A plate of turkey and 1/2 the ham was left. We have some big eaters. Yes, we had allllll kinds of fixin's. I practically wore out my America's Test Kitchen cookbooks.
Dad and Nathan getting a turkey out of the oil-less turkey fryer...yum!:
Hubby's parents were blessed ten years ago with four granddaughters in six months. My, how they have grown:
My dad, a renowned (well, in our area anyway) pianist asked the kids to play. Thing 1 played a song he composed, and here you see Thing 2 preparing to play one of her songs from lessons:
The Big Boy played "Moonlight Sonata". There sure are a lot of notes on those pages. They didn't play perfectly, but it was good enough to make Grandpa tear up a bit.
Last weekend I finally put away all the dishes. Now, we can move on to Christmas. I just have to convince myself that it's worth it this late in the season.......
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Hawaiian Sandwiches
A dear, sweet friend from church made these for us when we were moving a few years ago. My kids loved them and insist I make them on a regular basis.
Hawaiian Sandwiches
2 pkgs Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
Cut in ½, put in 9x13 pan….holds 24 rolls
Top with:
1# ham
1#shredded mozzarella cheese
Put on the roll tops.
Mix:
1 stick melted butter
1 t Worcestershire
½ t dry mustard
Pour on top
Sprinkle with poppyseed
Cover with foil
Refrigerate overnight
Bake 325 degrees 30-40 minutes until cheese melts
Great to take to friends and neighbors when a meal is needed!
Hawaiian Sandwiches
2 pkgs Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
Cut in ½, put in 9x13 pan….holds 24 rolls
Top with:
1# ham
1#shredded mozzarella cheese
Put on the roll tops.
Mix:
1 stick melted butter
1 t Worcestershire
½ t dry mustard
Pour on top
Sprinkle with poppyseed
Cover with foil
Refrigerate overnight
Bake 325 degrees 30-40 minutes until cheese melts
Great to take to friends and neighbors when a meal is needed!
Meatballs
This recipe was given to me by a good friend many years ago. It is probably my most requested recipe:
Meatballs
Frozen Italian Meatballs (from Walmart or Sam’s)
Cook a little while in crock pot until partially thawed.
Add:
2 C Ketchup
1 C Brown Sugar
2 t liquid smoke
¼ t garlic powder
Let simmer until cooked. Can stay in crock pot on low for a long time.
Extremely easy. Simply scrumptious!
Meatballs
Frozen Italian Meatballs (from Walmart or Sam’s)
Cook a little while in crock pot until partially thawed.
Add:
2 C Ketchup
1 C Brown Sugar
2 t liquid smoke
¼ t garlic powder
Let simmer until cooked. Can stay in crock pot on low for a long time.
Extremely easy. Simply scrumptious!
The Mighty Hunter
Last year during deer season, Hubby determined Thing 1 is a pretty good shot. He set a cup up about 100 yards away, and when the boy shot, they thought he had missed. It was still standing. Upon further inspection, however, they learned he had hit it so dead center it hadn't moved.
This year, he is putting the skill to good use. Earlier this year he went squirrel hunting:
Today was youth season. He spied an unsuspecting buck. He aimed. He shot. He scored!
His first buck. It's a banner day.
His celebration wish? Bob Evans. Of course.
This year, he is putting the skill to good use. Earlier this year he went squirrel hunting:
Today was youth season. He spied an unsuspecting buck. He aimed. He shot. He scored!
His first buck. It's a banner day.
His celebration wish? Bob Evans. Of course.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Speed Bumps....the Bane of My Existence
Despite my attempts to cut back, scale down, and whatever other ways you can say "have less to do", this autumn has been rather frenetic. Not the worst, but busy nonetheless. But more than busy, it has been mentally and emotionally challenging. I'm so thankful I heeded the nudge to say "no" over and over in preparation.
The sources of the challenges are, as it often is, multi-faceted. Probably the biggest adjustment is The Big Boy heading off to the University. I do not think I realized what a stabilizing force he was until he was gone. His absence has been an adjustment to everyone in the house. Although it has been difficult, I wouldn't change it. I think it has been hard, in many ways, because we are all so close. The kids are all pretty tight. When he has come home he has committed the entire weekend to the family, and has had his siblings piled on top of him until he has had to extricate himself on Sunday afternoon. Literally. The Things are so excited they barely breathe all weekend. The Big Girl and I cry when he arrives and we cry after he leaves. I'm still trying to figure that out.
We are adjusting. When I go clean downstairs and there are NO DIRTY UNDERWEAR ON THE BATHROOM FLOOR, I'm not feeling too misty-eyed. There are no tugs on my heart when I pick up the living room and note the lack of popcorn scattered on the floor. At least, not yet. But then again, I must admit I was pretty thankful for the full laundry room last time he came home. I was very glad to clean it all for him.
Another adjustment we have made is in homeschooling. I have "kicked things up" a notch. Or two. Maybe three. The bar has been raised and the Things have balked a bit at the new expectations. It has been all Clay and I can do to get them rolling again. Bless his heart, I couldn't have done it without him. I think, finally, they are getting the hang of the new schedule and adapting. As we (ahem) knew they could.
Clay has faced multiple huge challenges in his job. As with any career, there are "those" days and, well, this has been one of "those" years. The stress is wearing on him, causing us both a lot of sleepless nights and anxiety-filled days. We are thankful and blessed that he has a job to stress him out. We do understand that. It has been a rough haul, though, and I'm thinking the only ones benefitting are some obscure attorneys and the Sam Adams Brewery. Octoberfest came at a rather opportune, time, I might add.
At our new land, we installed a game camera. We piled corn on the ground so we could get pictures of the pretty deer we have spotted around the area. It was stolen. Who would do that? Meanies.
Though all of this has lent its own twist to the challenges of each day of soccer, baseball, school, work, etc., one might be surprised at the one thing that is about to send us over the edge.
Speed bumps.
We have lived in a subdivision of gravel roads for 3 1/2 years now. Coming from a rather rural area, i.e., "the country", that hasn't been a big deal. Gravel roads are a source of entertainment where we grew up. Have you ever been line birdin'? If not, some would say you haven't lived.
Recently, our subdivision had a vote and the majority went to paving the roads. We had visions of rising home values, clean cars, and less dust in our homes. It really is nice. Well, it was. Then, they put in speed bumps. And given the cash we forked over for those lovely paved roads, you can be sure it was under the assumption that they would be smooth, speed-bump free roads.
If you want to see the rebellious side of a person come out, put them in a speed bump maze. It doesn't take long for them to floor it and tear out of it, with no regard to auto damage. What are a few shocks when sanity is on the line?
Yes, we can handle stolen cameras, our chicks leaving the nest, school, jobs, and a world of hate. But speed bumps?
I'm not so sure.
The sources of the challenges are, as it often is, multi-faceted. Probably the biggest adjustment is The Big Boy heading off to the University. I do not think I realized what a stabilizing force he was until he was gone. His absence has been an adjustment to everyone in the house. Although it has been difficult, I wouldn't change it. I think it has been hard, in many ways, because we are all so close. The kids are all pretty tight. When he has come home he has committed the entire weekend to the family, and has had his siblings piled on top of him until he has had to extricate himself on Sunday afternoon. Literally. The Things are so excited they barely breathe all weekend. The Big Girl and I cry when he arrives and we cry after he leaves. I'm still trying to figure that out.
We are adjusting. When I go clean downstairs and there are NO DIRTY UNDERWEAR ON THE BATHROOM FLOOR, I'm not feeling too misty-eyed. There are no tugs on my heart when I pick up the living room and note the lack of popcorn scattered on the floor. At least, not yet. But then again, I must admit I was pretty thankful for the full laundry room last time he came home. I was very glad to clean it all for him.
Another adjustment we have made is in homeschooling. I have "kicked things up" a notch. Or two. Maybe three. The bar has been raised and the Things have balked a bit at the new expectations. It has been all Clay and I can do to get them rolling again. Bless his heart, I couldn't have done it without him. I think, finally, they are getting the hang of the new schedule and adapting. As we (ahem) knew they could.
Clay has faced multiple huge challenges in his job. As with any career, there are "those" days and, well, this has been one of "those" years. The stress is wearing on him, causing us both a lot of sleepless nights and anxiety-filled days. We are thankful and blessed that he has a job to stress him out. We do understand that. It has been a rough haul, though, and I'm thinking the only ones benefitting are some obscure attorneys and the Sam Adams Brewery. Octoberfest came at a rather opportune, time, I might add.
At our new land, we installed a game camera. We piled corn on the ground so we could get pictures of the pretty deer we have spotted around the area. It was stolen. Who would do that? Meanies.
Though all of this has lent its own twist to the challenges of each day of soccer, baseball, school, work, etc., one might be surprised at the one thing that is about to send us over the edge.
Speed bumps.
We have lived in a subdivision of gravel roads for 3 1/2 years now. Coming from a rather rural area, i.e., "the country", that hasn't been a big deal. Gravel roads are a source of entertainment where we grew up. Have you ever been line birdin'? If not, some would say you haven't lived.
Recently, our subdivision had a vote and the majority went to paving the roads. We had visions of rising home values, clean cars, and less dust in our homes. It really is nice. Well, it was. Then, they put in speed bumps. And given the cash we forked over for those lovely paved roads, you can be sure it was under the assumption that they would be smooth, speed-bump free roads.
If you want to see the rebellious side of a person come out, put them in a speed bump maze. It doesn't take long for them to floor it and tear out of it, with no regard to auto damage. What are a few shocks when sanity is on the line?
Yes, we can handle stolen cameras, our chicks leaving the nest, school, jobs, and a world of hate. But speed bumps?
I'm not so sure.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
"All I Can Say"
The David Crowder Band's new release, "Church Music" comes out today. I already have it ordered and hope to see it before the week is out.
I really enjoy their music. Today on the way to work I was listening to their song, "All I Can Say". The good thing about the trip to work is that it is about 45 minutes long, and if I get in the mood, I can sing along with music from the iPod.
So today, for nearly 45 minutes, I listened to (and sang) "All I Can Say" over and over. Read the lyrics, and maybe you'll understand why.
All I Can Say
By The David Crowder Band
Lord I'm tired
So tired from walking
And Lord I'm so alone
And Lord the dark
Is creeping in
Creeping up
To swallow me
I think I'll stop
Rest here a while
And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give
And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give
And didn't You see me cry'n?
And didn't You hear me call Your name?
Wasn't it You I gave my heart to?
I wish You'd remember
Where you sat it down
And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give
And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give
I didn't notice You were standing here
I didn't know that
That was You holding me
I didn't notice You were cry'n too
I didn't know that
That was You washing my feet
And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give
And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give
I really enjoy their music. Today on the way to work I was listening to their song, "All I Can Say". The good thing about the trip to work is that it is about 45 minutes long, and if I get in the mood, I can sing along with music from the iPod.
So today, for nearly 45 minutes, I listened to (and sang) "All I Can Say" over and over. Read the lyrics, and maybe you'll understand why.
All I Can Say
By The David Crowder Band
Lord I'm tired
So tired from walking
And Lord I'm so alone
And Lord the dark
Is creeping in
Creeping up
To swallow me
I think I'll stop
Rest here a while
And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give
And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give
And didn't You see me cry'n?
And didn't You hear me call Your name?
Wasn't it You I gave my heart to?
I wish You'd remember
Where you sat it down
And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give
And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give
I didn't notice You were standing here
I didn't know that
That was You holding me
I didn't notice You were cry'n too
I didn't know that
That was You washing my feet
And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give
And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give
Monday, September 21, 2009
He's a Tiger!
It's official. Travis is a Mizzou Tiger. He has been there a bit over a month now, and is facing his first round of tests this week.
He came home for Labor Day Weekend. He didn't even bring his laundry. He said he could do it at school. I was shocked. Then I was sad. Then I did a skip as I left the laundry room. But I still wouldn't mind if he brought it next time.
The following weekend we visited Travis. No, we aren't going to hover and make sure we see him every weekend. It was: a) Family Weekend; and b)His birthday. We dressed in gold and went to the football game. We have some die-hard fans in this family.
The Things very much enjoyed the game.
Everyone was glad to see Travis, who was the recipient of lots of hugs.
We saw him some, but when we weren't with him, we had a ball with Sister and her husband. They are The. Best. Hosts. In. The. World. So there.
Time to go home came very quickly. It was shocking, really.
Yes, that is a real shiner, not makeup. But, you should've seen the other guy. That's all I'm gonna say about that.
We are looking forward to seeing Travis in November. In the meantime...
GO TIGERS!!!!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Salsa
According to this Seinfeld clip, "salsa is the number one condiment...."
If that is the case, I am on the cutting edge. I've made three batches so far this summer. I've used the same recipe for years, then tweaked it a little last time. This salsa is really yummy!
Salsa
16 C Tomatoes: Dip in hot water to blister the skin and peel it off, then cut into chunks
4 C chopped onion
2 C green pepper, chopped
Hot peppers, diced: 7 = medium; 17-20 = hot. The more seeds, the hotter ***
2 T chili powder
2 t cumin
2 1/2 C white vinegar
1 C sugar
1/2 C table salt
2 t pepper
1 t alum
1 small can tomato paste
Juice of 2 limes
2 T cilantro (dried...use more if fresh)
2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
Put in a huge pot and cook until thick, about 30 minutes or so...maybe longer.
Add a bag of frozen corn.
Take out some sauce and mix with 3/4 C cornstarch.
Stir the cornstarch mixture back in, until smooth.
Fill clean, sterile jars, and put on a lid and band.
Cold pack for 5 minutes.
***BE SURE to wear gloves when chopping the peppers....last time I wore gloves and still had burning hands. If you get the oil from the peppers on your hands, rinse with rubbing alcohol. As a last resort, use a bleach/water mixture. The idea is to cut the oil from the peppers, and regular soap and water won't do it. Yes, this is the voice of experience speaking, to be sure.
Enjoy!
##Added later##
Oh! I forgot! I also put a bag of corn in the last batch, so I added it in the recipe and here... mmmmmmm!
If that is the case, I am on the cutting edge. I've made three batches so far this summer. I've used the same recipe for years, then tweaked it a little last time. This salsa is really yummy!
Salsa
16 C Tomatoes: Dip in hot water to blister the skin and peel it off, then cut into chunks
4 C chopped onion
2 C green pepper, chopped
Hot peppers, diced: 7 = medium; 17-20 = hot. The more seeds, the hotter ***
2 T chili powder
2 t cumin
2 1/2 C white vinegar
1 C sugar
1/2 C table salt
2 t pepper
1 t alum
1 small can tomato paste
Juice of 2 limes
2 T cilantro (dried...use more if fresh)
2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
Put in a huge pot and cook until thick, about 30 minutes or so...maybe longer.
Add a bag of frozen corn.
Take out some sauce and mix with 3/4 C cornstarch.
Stir the cornstarch mixture back in, until smooth.
Fill clean, sterile jars, and put on a lid and band.
Cold pack for 5 minutes.
***BE SURE to wear gloves when chopping the peppers....last time I wore gloves and still had burning hands. If you get the oil from the peppers on your hands, rinse with rubbing alcohol. As a last resort, use a bleach/water mixture. The idea is to cut the oil from the peppers, and regular soap and water won't do it. Yes, this is the voice of experience speaking, to be sure.
Enjoy!
##Added later##
Oh! I forgot! I also put a bag of corn in the last batch, so I added it in the recipe and here... mmmmmmm!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Quick and Happy Notes
I was very happy to see Staci is blogging again. Very happy.
The Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen is a new discovery for me. Oh, yum!
I'm scrambling to get homeschool planning done. I like this time of year...it is a sort of fresh start....like New Year's Day....I can plan to my heart's content. Actually implementing it? We'll see.
Yesterday was a happy birthday. Calls from The Sweetest Nieces Ever, gifts and cards from Hubby and kids, a call from Sister, choosing my very own cake and eating lots of icing, well wishes from friends and family made for a good day. Thanks, Jesus!
These are especially cool. The best I can tell, it would require getting out my sewing machine. Gasp! Ah, well.... ht Staci
A website for Christian women. Incourage Me. Worth a look see!
The Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen is a new discovery for me. Oh, yum!
I'm scrambling to get homeschool planning done. I like this time of year...it is a sort of fresh start....like New Year's Day....I can plan to my heart's content. Actually implementing it? We'll see.
Yesterday was a happy birthday. Calls from The Sweetest Nieces Ever, gifts and cards from Hubby and kids, a call from Sister, choosing my very own cake and eating lots of icing, well wishes from friends and family made for a good day. Thanks, Jesus!
These are especially cool. The best I can tell, it would require getting out my sewing machine. Gasp! Ah, well.... ht Staci
A website for Christian women. Incourage Me. Worth a look see!
Dreamin'
In the chaos of packing for college, licensing vehicles, repairing vehicles and motorcycles, and preparing for school to start, something special happened. We finalized the purchase of a parcel of land. It is a beautiful spot, full of woods, trees, birds, poison ivy, ticks, snakes....but I digress. It really is beautiful. Our hope is that we can build there in a few years.
We have been looking at floor plans, scouring home magazines and tearing them apart to file in the "Ooooh, that's pretty! I like that!" file. I have a lot of dream homes, but a home must fit the surroundings. My dream beach home, for instance, would look silly in the mountains. Some styles I really love, but they would only fit in a metro area. So this home must fit in the woods. I'm thinking the Three Bears meets HGTV...or something like that. Thankfully, Hubby and I think alike in style and decor, and I have plenty of time to sort it out and think it through.
So, at night, God and I talk about this home. I want it to be a place where He is glorified, above all. It should be a haven, of sorts, where people always feel welcome. Then, I drift off to sleep imagining the possibilities.....
We have been looking at floor plans, scouring home magazines and tearing them apart to file in the "Ooooh, that's pretty! I like that!" file. I have a lot of dream homes, but a home must fit the surroundings. My dream beach home, for instance, would look silly in the mountains. Some styles I really love, but they would only fit in a metro area. So this home must fit in the woods. I'm thinking the Three Bears meets HGTV...or something like that. Thankfully, Hubby and I think alike in style and decor, and I have plenty of time to sort it out and think it through.
So, at night, God and I talk about this home. I want it to be a place where He is glorified, above all. It should be a haven, of sorts, where people always feel welcome. Then, I drift off to sleep imagining the possibilities.....
He's Off!
I was feeling rather overwhelmed a couple of weeks ago. There is quite a lot to do when sending a child off to college for the first time. We took Travis up to Mizzou on Sunday. The trip was eventful. Wow. Because of a closed highway (I guess I'm glad they are inspecting those bridges after all....) we had a bit of a detour in which our three-vehicle party was separated. I am, however, using the term "vehicle" a bit loosely. Trav was driving his car with Annie, Holly was driving me in mine, and Hubby was on the Harley with Thing 1. As we were about five miles from a designated meeting spot, in a downpour, we got a call from Travis saying he was already there and waiting for us. About the time I processed that information, we drove by an underpass full of motorcyclists. Apparently Hubby wasn't the only one who believed the weather forecast predicting a small chance of rain much later in the day. I spied Hubby and The Thing amidst the leather and helmets and we stopped and picked up a very wet and cold boy. Hubby took advantage of a lull in the rain and came behind us. Unfortunately, he didn't make it to the next destination, my Sister's house, before the monsoon hit. Poor guy was soaked through to the skivvies by the time we arrived. We were thankful we had Trav's ENTIRE CLOSET packed (his idea, I assure you) so Hubby could change clothes. We were also thankful Sister has a heavy-duty drier to handle the soggy mess.
The refreshed and now dry crew departed for the final destination, The Dorm. God showed us grace by allowing the rain to depart and we unloaded in dry weather. We took load after load into the room, dropping everything where we stood, anticipating we would help The Big Boy arrange it. You can imagine my amazement when he said, "Just leave it. I'll sort it out and put it away later." Dragging my jaw along with me, we exited and headed to run a couple of errands and eat. Holly had to get back for school the next day, so we made a fairly quick departure to get Hubby and Holly back on the road. The Things and I stayed another couple of days to help out and visit Sister.
The Big Boy is sharing a dorm with one of his best friends. They have done a good job of organizing their room. I think they are kind of excited about being on their own. Although I want to know how things are going and what he is experiencing, I'm refraining from calling for now. Far be it from me to be one of those hovering "helicopter parents". I did that the first 18 years. Now it's time to back off and watch from a little farther out. That is a difficult task for a control freak like me.
The refreshed and now dry crew departed for the final destination, The Dorm. God showed us grace by allowing the rain to depart and we unloaded in dry weather. We took load after load into the room, dropping everything where we stood, anticipating we would help The Big Boy arrange it. You can imagine my amazement when he said, "Just leave it. I'll sort it out and put it away later." Dragging my jaw along with me, we exited and headed to run a couple of errands and eat. Holly had to get back for school the next day, so we made a fairly quick departure to get Hubby and Holly back on the road. The Things and I stayed another couple of days to help out and visit Sister.
The Big Boy is sharing a dorm with one of his best friends. They have done a good job of organizing their room. I think they are kind of excited about being on their own. Although I want to know how things are going and what he is experiencing, I'm refraining from calling for now. Far be it from me to be one of those hovering "helicopter parents". I did that the first 18 years. Now it's time to back off and watch from a little farther out. That is a difficult task for a control freak like me.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
I read this on Between Two Worlds, and deemed it very worth sharing:
Posted by Tony Reinke.
“Sin lives in a costume; that's why it's so hard to recognize. The fact that sin looks so good is one of the things that make it so bad. In order for it to do its evil work, it must present itself as something that is anything but evil. Life in a fallen world is like attending the ultimate masquerade party. Impatient yelling wears the costume of a zeal for truth. Lust can masquerade as a love for beauty. Gossip does its evil work by living in the costume of concern and prayer. Craving for power and control wears the mask of biblical leadership. Fear of man gets dressed up as a servant heart. The pride of always being right masquerades as a love for biblical wisdom. Evil simply doesn't present itself as evil, which is part of its draw. You'll never understand sin's sleight of hand until you acknowledge that the DNA of sin is deception. Now, what this means personally is that as sinners we are all very committed and gifted self-swindlers. … We're all too skilled at looking at our own wrong and seeing good.”
—Paul David Tripp, Whiter Than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy (Crossway 2008), p. 32.
Posted by Tony Reinke.
“Sin lives in a costume; that's why it's so hard to recognize. The fact that sin looks so good is one of the things that make it so bad. In order for it to do its evil work, it must present itself as something that is anything but evil. Life in a fallen world is like attending the ultimate masquerade party. Impatient yelling wears the costume of a zeal for truth. Lust can masquerade as a love for beauty. Gossip does its evil work by living in the costume of concern and prayer. Craving for power and control wears the mask of biblical leadership. Fear of man gets dressed up as a servant heart. The pride of always being right masquerades as a love for biblical wisdom. Evil simply doesn't present itself as evil, which is part of its draw. You'll never understand sin's sleight of hand until you acknowledge that the DNA of sin is deception. Now, what this means personally is that as sinners we are all very committed and gifted self-swindlers. … We're all too skilled at looking at our own wrong and seeing good.”
—Paul David Tripp, Whiter Than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy (Crossway 2008), p. 32.
Cash for Clunkers....a Rant
The whole Cash for Clunkers is reason to shake a head in disbelief and wonder what third graders are running our country.
There is a litany of reasons I think the program is a joke. It is not the most important issue out there, nor do I think it is all that damaging. As an indicator, it is frightening, though.
1. As a stimulus, it is narrow-minded. If, indeed, stimulus was the objective, wouldn't it be more prudent to just cut our taxes? Give us the $4500 to spend freely, therefore stimulating a number of industries. Raising taxes, taking on more government control, and throwing out a goofy little program like this is insulting, not stimulating.
2. As a help to the environment, it is worthless. The benefit of getting "gas guzzlers" off the roads is so microscopic it won't matter. However, the cost of junking those cars in enormous. Perfectly usable parts are being destroyed, causing us to require so much more in resources to make new, costlier ones. It costs something to shred vehicles that are very usable and good tools for a number of purposes.
3. Dealers are being shafted. Auto dealers won't feel the effects of it for awhile, but when their "Clunkers" start being rejected, long after the deal is made, because they didn't meet some obscure requirement on page 117, paragraph zz, they will know the program isn't "all that". In addition, putting them in the car destroying business, many for the first time, is questionable. I've a feeling that destroying some of the fine vehicles they are having to trash is akin to "putting down a good dog" for many of them.
4. Helping out the lower income folks would be to allow them to PURCHASE these vehicles and use them. It would be to allow them to use the PARTS from these vehicles. This is taking away many helpful resources to folks who need the parts and vehicles to keep driving back and forth to work.
5. Hello? People? THIS is the government in the used car industry. Their 4 month plan lasted a week. THESE are the people you want to run our health care industry? Okay, I know some extremely well-spoken and intelligent folks who sell used cars. It is a generalization to categorize them all with the homemade commercial guys who yell and wear funny costumes. As in any industry, there are those who appear less intelligent (understatement?) whose image is projected on the whole industry. You need to know what you are doing to succeed in used cars. Having said that, it is clear that it doesn't take a doctorate degree to survive selling used cars. Our government, however, hasn't survived in the industry. If you argue that they are, I will answer that printing more Monopoly money to stay in the game is cheating. This is an indicator. If you don't want a minimum wage, chicken costume wearing surgeon performing your surgery in a few years, you really should be paying attention now.
Having hit a few high points, I believe I will cease this rant before I lose my breakfast. I'm going to go sit outside, read my Bible and remember Who is in control of this world, the health industry, my health, and my government. I will put my trust in the Maker of this world. I will pray for the Peace that I cannot understand and then I will get on with picklin' some peppers. Pickled peppers, now that's gotta be good for you.
There is a litany of reasons I think the program is a joke. It is not the most important issue out there, nor do I think it is all that damaging. As an indicator, it is frightening, though.
1. As a stimulus, it is narrow-minded. If, indeed, stimulus was the objective, wouldn't it be more prudent to just cut our taxes? Give us the $4500 to spend freely, therefore stimulating a number of industries. Raising taxes, taking on more government control, and throwing out a goofy little program like this is insulting, not stimulating.
2. As a help to the environment, it is worthless. The benefit of getting "gas guzzlers" off the roads is so microscopic it won't matter. However, the cost of junking those cars in enormous. Perfectly usable parts are being destroyed, causing us to require so much more in resources to make new, costlier ones. It costs something to shred vehicles that are very usable and good tools for a number of purposes.
3. Dealers are being shafted. Auto dealers won't feel the effects of it for awhile, but when their "Clunkers" start being rejected, long after the deal is made, because they didn't meet some obscure requirement on page 117, paragraph zz, they will know the program isn't "all that". In addition, putting them in the car destroying business, many for the first time, is questionable. I've a feeling that destroying some of the fine vehicles they are having to trash is akin to "putting down a good dog" for many of them.
4. Helping out the lower income folks would be to allow them to PURCHASE these vehicles and use them. It would be to allow them to use the PARTS from these vehicles. This is taking away many helpful resources to folks who need the parts and vehicles to keep driving back and forth to work.
5. Hello? People? THIS is the government in the used car industry. Their 4 month plan lasted a week. THESE are the people you want to run our health care industry? Okay, I know some extremely well-spoken and intelligent folks who sell used cars. It is a generalization to categorize them all with the homemade commercial guys who yell and wear funny costumes. As in any industry, there are those who appear less intelligent (understatement?) whose image is projected on the whole industry. You need to know what you are doing to succeed in used cars. Having said that, it is clear that it doesn't take a doctorate degree to survive selling used cars. Our government, however, hasn't survived in the industry. If you argue that they are, I will answer that printing more Monopoly money to stay in the game is cheating. This is an indicator. If you don't want a minimum wage, chicken costume wearing surgeon performing your surgery in a few years, you really should be paying attention now.
Having hit a few high points, I believe I will cease this rant before I lose my breakfast. I'm going to go sit outside, read my Bible and remember Who is in control of this world, the health industry, my health, and my government. I will put my trust in the Maker of this world. I will pray for the Peace that I cannot understand and then I will get on with picklin' some peppers. Pickled peppers, now that's gotta be good for you.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Homeschooling Changes
So, after hours and days of planning before buying last spring, here I sit. You know what I did? I changed it....a lot of it.
On a whim, I decided to purchaseTapestry of Grace Year 4. Even though it was a late night, weary, spur of the moment purchase, it was a good one. I'm a bit more settled now. I've even started using my Homeschool Tracker again this year. Now for 36 hours of uninterrupted time to finish planning and typing and printing and copying...oh, wait, that won't happen. Well, as I squeeze in an hour here and and hour there, hopefully it will get together. It is moving up on the priority list, to be sure. I have the college purchases done. I have the auto purchase done. I spent all day yesterday pulling weeds, picking produce, and watering plants (yes, then we were the happy recipients of four inches of rain last night....it always works that way!) Now if I can knock out the home interior and the processing of garden items, the homeschool planning will again be priority #1 on the to do list.
The TOG Year 4 is all recent history. I had hoped to go through most of it over the summer (when will I learn????) and start ancient history this fall, but now I will take all this year to go over history from the turn of the century to now. That is exciting to me. I looove that time in history. And, next year's core is already purchased.....so, it's not really a waste. (Whew!)
Now to figure out Homeschool Tracker....not sure about it just yet.
On a whim, I decided to purchaseTapestry of Grace Year 4. Even though it was a late night, weary, spur of the moment purchase, it was a good one. I'm a bit more settled now. I've even started using my Homeschool Tracker again this year. Now for 36 hours of uninterrupted time to finish planning and typing and printing and copying...oh, wait, that won't happen. Well, as I squeeze in an hour here and and hour there, hopefully it will get together. It is moving up on the priority list, to be sure. I have the college purchases done. I have the auto purchase done. I spent all day yesterday pulling weeds, picking produce, and watering plants (yes, then we were the happy recipients of four inches of rain last night....it always works that way!) Now if I can knock out the home interior and the processing of garden items, the homeschool planning will again be priority #1 on the to do list.
The TOG Year 4 is all recent history. I had hoped to go through most of it over the summer (when will I learn????) and start ancient history this fall, but now I will take all this year to go over history from the turn of the century to now. That is exciting to me. I looove that time in history. And, next year's core is already purchased.....so, it's not really a waste. (Whew!)
Now to figure out Homeschool Tracker....not sure about it just yet.
Long Time, No See
So, what do I say when it has been so long since we talked? How to begin to catch up?
Let's see.....
As usual, I'll start with the kids.
Travis, a.k.a., The Big Boy, will start school at Mizzou in a few weeks. He's almost ready to go, as far as I'm concerned. I've done all the dorm/school shopping I'm going to do. The rest is up to him. We have sheets, blankets, towels, shampoo, toothpaste, soap, a new Macbook Pro, an IPhone (I got one of those, too...love it), boxers from American Eagle, jeans, shirts, shorts, shoes, shower shoes, shower scrunchy, hangers, oh, and did I mention the Explorer we added to our, ahem, fleet? A really nice high mileage rig that I'm soooo thankful didn't get sent to the Clunker pile. Oh, but I'll not get on the Cash for Clunker rant...yet. Clearly that's not all, as his room is about 1/3 covered with school-bound supplies, but you get the drift. He will have to fill in the rest.
Holly will begin her Junior year in less than two weeks (sob!). She is poured into the love seat as I write this with a sprained ankle that will require therapy beginning today. She has spent her summer babysitting and hanging out with her friends. She has gone to outreach places a couple of times and loved hanging out with the kids there. We are hoping to go to the DR on a mission trip next year. She and Trav took a roadtrip recently, which was interesting when observed from the outside looking in. They were on the road by early morning every day, even on the day to come home. Not sure how that happened, because neither is an early riser when I'm with them!
Nathan and Annie went to camp this summer, have been swimming, and are looking forward to a trip to a Midwest Amusement Park in about a week. We are hoping Holly can walk well by then. They are a bit out of sorts, and if I was even slightly prepared, I would start them on school just to get them in a routine. That, however, is another story.
We are in the process of purchasing a small parcel of land near here with the hopes of building in a few years. It is all wooded, with a small pond, and when we visit there, it gives us a sense of "going home". The peaceful feelings of sitting among the trees, watching the tops sway with the wind is only disturbed by the occasional tick or snake that crawls around us. I love going there, even though each trip brings a new case of poison ivy and a tick or two. When I have time, I obsess over house plans. Unfortunately, I haven't had much time for that OCD kick lately.
Our garden has exploded. I think I've figured out the whole garden problem. We plant at the beginning of summer when it is cool, and nice, and I can't get outside enough. All the produce comes at the time when I am trying to prepare four kids for school and get ready to teach and we are trying to cram in the last of the summer activities that haven't been checked off our list yet and WHO HAS TIME TO PICK CUCUMBERS AND MAKE PICKLES????? I sit here among eight bags of peppers and cucumbers and today I will make....whatever....to preserve them to the best of my ability.
So, I had better get at it. Nathan is emerging from the shower where he has been singing "Carry On My Wayward Son" over and over and over....thank you, Rock Band. You may exit my home any time now. Maybe if I give him some jobs he'll switch to "Whistle While You Work"......
Let's see.....
As usual, I'll start with the kids.
Travis, a.k.a., The Big Boy, will start school at Mizzou in a few weeks. He's almost ready to go, as far as I'm concerned. I've done all the dorm/school shopping I'm going to do. The rest is up to him. We have sheets, blankets, towels, shampoo, toothpaste, soap, a new Macbook Pro, an IPhone (I got one of those, too...love it), boxers from American Eagle, jeans, shirts, shorts, shoes, shower shoes, shower scrunchy, hangers, oh, and did I mention the Explorer we added to our, ahem, fleet? A really nice high mileage rig that I'm soooo thankful didn't get sent to the Clunker pile. Oh, but I'll not get on the Cash for Clunker rant...yet. Clearly that's not all, as his room is about 1/3 covered with school-bound supplies, but you get the drift. He will have to fill in the rest.
Holly will begin her Junior year in less than two weeks (sob!). She is poured into the love seat as I write this with a sprained ankle that will require therapy beginning today. She has spent her summer babysitting and hanging out with her friends. She has gone to outreach places a couple of times and loved hanging out with the kids there. We are hoping to go to the DR on a mission trip next year. She and Trav took a roadtrip recently, which was interesting when observed from the outside looking in. They were on the road by early morning every day, even on the day to come home. Not sure how that happened, because neither is an early riser when I'm with them!
Nathan and Annie went to camp this summer, have been swimming, and are looking forward to a trip to a Midwest Amusement Park in about a week. We are hoping Holly can walk well by then. They are a bit out of sorts, and if I was even slightly prepared, I would start them on school just to get them in a routine. That, however, is another story.
We are in the process of purchasing a small parcel of land near here with the hopes of building in a few years. It is all wooded, with a small pond, and when we visit there, it gives us a sense of "going home". The peaceful feelings of sitting among the trees, watching the tops sway with the wind is only disturbed by the occasional tick or snake that crawls around us. I love going there, even though each trip brings a new case of poison ivy and a tick or two. When I have time, I obsess over house plans. Unfortunately, I haven't had much time for that OCD kick lately.
Our garden has exploded. I think I've figured out the whole garden problem. We plant at the beginning of summer when it is cool, and nice, and I can't get outside enough. All the produce comes at the time when I am trying to prepare four kids for school and get ready to teach and we are trying to cram in the last of the summer activities that haven't been checked off our list yet and WHO HAS TIME TO PICK CUCUMBERS AND MAKE PICKLES????? I sit here among eight bags of peppers and cucumbers and today I will make....whatever....to preserve them to the best of my ability.
So, I had better get at it. Nathan is emerging from the shower where he has been singing "Carry On My Wayward Son" over and over and over....thank you, Rock Band. You may exit my home any time now. Maybe if I give him some jobs he'll switch to "Whistle While You Work"......
Friday, June 26, 2009
The GPS is my Friend
The GPS is my neeewww friend, and I call him Chase, and I hug him and squeeze him, and when he is bad, I threaten to throw him out the window.
I've always been a map kind of gal. I like pictures, to be sure. Pictures are good.
On our recent road trip, The Big Boy and I threw caution to the wind and didn't even visit an online mapping tool before we left. We took the GPS.
Along the way, we played with the GPS, trying various accents, etc. Right after the purchase, we set her on a British lady. On this trip, however, we changed it. We really like the voice of the Aussie male. He sounds just like Chase, from House.
There were a few times when Chase made me really, really mad. I yelled at him and told him to straighten up or he is going OUT THE WINDOW!
Other times, I could have kissed him.
Then, when I knew where I was, and to where I was headed, I didn't need his sweet voice chiming over and over, "Recalculating", so I told him, "Honey, you can be quiet now...I know where I am." That sent The Big Boy over the edge, laughing at me.
So, I'm still a map kind of gal. When Chase took me all over the countryside, on county roads in counties I didn't even know existed, I'm not sure that was really the best way. Chase, however, has a new spot in my heart, and I really like him a lot and I hope we travel many miles together.
Someday, I may just introduce him to my friend, J's, GPS. Her name is Athena.
I've always been a map kind of gal. I like pictures, to be sure. Pictures are good.
On our recent road trip, The Big Boy and I threw caution to the wind and didn't even visit an online mapping tool before we left. We took the GPS.
Along the way, we played with the GPS, trying various accents, etc. Right after the purchase, we set her on a British lady. On this trip, however, we changed it. We really like the voice of the Aussie male. He sounds just like Chase, from House.
There were a few times when Chase made me really, really mad. I yelled at him and told him to straighten up or he is going OUT THE WINDOW!
Other times, I could have kissed him.
Then, when I knew where I was, and to where I was headed, I didn't need his sweet voice chiming over and over, "Recalculating", so I told him, "Honey, you can be quiet now...I know where I am." That sent The Big Boy over the edge, laughing at me.
So, I'm still a map kind of gal. When Chase took me all over the countryside, on county roads in counties I didn't even know existed, I'm not sure that was really the best way. Chase, however, has a new spot in my heart, and I really like him a lot and I hope we travel many miles together.
Someday, I may just introduce him to my friend, J's, GPS. Her name is Athena.
Feathered bangs and Beat It, Gone in a Day
I'm having a sad time. Two of my childhood icons are gone in a day.
Farrah Fawcett.
The swimsuit poster. Feathered Bangs. Charlie's Angel. Guys drooled over her and girls wanted to look like her.
Michael Jackson:
The Jackson 5. I listened to the album over and over and over when I was very small. My family was worn out on Michael before he turned 12, thanks to me. Then, high school, well, was framed largely by his music, his dance moves, and his style. He was fraught with talent and a musical genius. His later years are evidence of his search for....I don't think he ever knew what he was missing. Maybe he did. He always seemed so lost and just messed up. He made himself a bit of a freak trying to satisfy something in his soul. He remained a musical genius and an icon through it all.
Having said that.......
These two people, beautiful, talented, icons of our culture had so much that we, as a society, covet. Beauty. Perfect Pitch. Gracefulness. Ability. Money. Power. Prestige. Fans.
And now, they are gone. Now, what do they have?
Last night, I told my kids, that despite all they have had for all these years, at this point in time, what do they have? As they meet death, as they account for their lives on earth, what do they have?
Only Jesus knows for sure. Certainly some mom in the Midwest who has never been within hundreds of miles of them cannot account for the state of their soul.
What I do know, is that all that they had while on this earth is dust to them now. All the nice things they did, all the bad things they did, all their earthly possessions, and all their devoted fans are worthless.
Because, in death, we all stand before an audience of One.
He is the only fan that counts. He is, indeed, our fan. He sacrificed it all for us. He holds us accountable for every deed, every word, everything. Despite it all, our deeds and words cannot give us eternal life. It is only by His Grace. His Sacrifice. His Love.
So, the answer? At this time, unless they have Jesus, they have nothing. (At this point my kids giggled and pointed out that their aunt, my sister, made a similar speech to them recently and boy, we are so much alike! That, my friends, is quite the compliment)
It is sobering.
For what am I laboring?
Unless it is for my audience of One, it is for naught.
Farrah Fawcett.
The swimsuit poster. Feathered Bangs. Charlie's Angel. Guys drooled over her and girls wanted to look like her.
Michael Jackson:
The Jackson 5. I listened to the album over and over and over when I was very small. My family was worn out on Michael before he turned 12, thanks to me. Then, high school, well, was framed largely by his music, his dance moves, and his style. He was fraught with talent and a musical genius. His later years are evidence of his search for....I don't think he ever knew what he was missing. Maybe he did. He always seemed so lost and just messed up. He made himself a bit of a freak trying to satisfy something in his soul. He remained a musical genius and an icon through it all.
Having said that.......
These two people, beautiful, talented, icons of our culture had so much that we, as a society, covet. Beauty. Perfect Pitch. Gracefulness. Ability. Money. Power. Prestige. Fans.
And now, they are gone. Now, what do they have?
Last night, I told my kids, that despite all they have had for all these years, at this point in time, what do they have? As they meet death, as they account for their lives on earth, what do they have?
Only Jesus knows for sure. Certainly some mom in the Midwest who has never been within hundreds of miles of them cannot account for the state of their soul.
What I do know, is that all that they had while on this earth is dust to them now. All the nice things they did, all the bad things they did, all their earthly possessions, and all their devoted fans are worthless.
Because, in death, we all stand before an audience of One.
He is the only fan that counts. He is, indeed, our fan. He sacrificed it all for us. He holds us accountable for every deed, every word, everything. Despite it all, our deeds and words cannot give us eternal life. It is only by His Grace. His Sacrifice. His Love.
So, the answer? At this time, unless they have Jesus, they have nothing. (At this point my kids giggled and pointed out that their aunt, my sister, made a similar speech to them recently and boy, we are so much alike! That, my friends, is quite the compliment)
It is sobering.
For what am I laboring?
Unless it is for my audience of One, it is for naught.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Laundry Room of Horrors
Have you ever pondered the effect on a laundry room when two Things go to camp? Add to that the mom and Big Boy going to a baseball tournament, not to return until a few days after the Things return. I assure you, the sight, and smell, are not for the faint of heart.
It is enough to make Jack Bauer shrink in fear.
It is enough to make Gibbs head back to Mexico.
At such a sight and smell, the smoke monster will retreat, never to be seen again.
I would post pictures, but they would have to have a disclaimer, and I am no attorney.
The Things returned on Friday. Thing 2 must have forgotten those plastic bags for wet things shoved in the bottom of her duffel. So, wet swimsuits, towels, and I don't want to know what else, were evenly distributed throughout the bag, assuring everything in there would be subject to the wet....on Friday morning. By Tuesday afternoon, when said bag was discovered by mom, it was utterly nauseating. Having not been here on the Things return to quickly open the bags and get the stuff OUT (I know my Things, after all), it sat for an extra few days.
That smell has to be the same stuff that lurked in the car after Jerry (Seinfeld) had it parked by a valet. The smell that lingered in Elaine's hair, and despite efforts to rid herself of the scent, it wouldn't go.
I have discovered that there are no methods available to man that will dissipate the scent in anything less than three long, heavy duty washings. It involves a lot of oxy cleaner, soaking, and a high-temp sanitize wash.
Only a persistent, stubborn mom could prevail in such circumstances.
The laundry room is thanking me. I think it was starting to crumble, so defeating was its contents. I'm sure it felt hopeless. There is an end in sight. The floor has been discovered again, and I'm confident that with the team of Tide, OxyClean, Downey, bleach, and a rockin' new washer and dryer, we will prevail.
It is enough to make Jack Bauer shrink in fear.
It is enough to make Gibbs head back to Mexico.
At such a sight and smell, the smoke monster will retreat, never to be seen again.
I would post pictures, but they would have to have a disclaimer, and I am no attorney.
The Things returned on Friday. Thing 2 must have forgotten those plastic bags for wet things shoved in the bottom of her duffel. So, wet swimsuits, towels, and I don't want to know what else, were evenly distributed throughout the bag, assuring everything in there would be subject to the wet....on Friday morning. By Tuesday afternoon, when said bag was discovered by mom, it was utterly nauseating. Having not been here on the Things return to quickly open the bags and get the stuff OUT (I know my Things, after all), it sat for an extra few days.
That smell has to be the same stuff that lurked in the car after Jerry (Seinfeld) had it parked by a valet. The smell that lingered in Elaine's hair, and despite efforts to rid herself of the scent, it wouldn't go.
I have discovered that there are no methods available to man that will dissipate the scent in anything less than three long, heavy duty washings. It involves a lot of oxy cleaner, soaking, and a high-temp sanitize wash.
Only a persistent, stubborn mom could prevail in such circumstances.
The laundry room is thanking me. I think it was starting to crumble, so defeating was its contents. I'm sure it felt hopeless. There is an end in sight. The floor has been discovered again, and I'm confident that with the team of Tide, OxyClean, Downey, bleach, and a rockin' new washer and dryer, we will prevail.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Summer, You Have Changed!
Every spring as the robins and martins come, the flowers bloom, and the trees and grass turn that light green that is so near and dear to my heart, I dream.
Every Easter as we dress in our summer outfits which are always light, airy, and sleeveless and FREEZE because in reality, despite the aspirations of our clothing, it is STILL WINTER, I dream.
Every May as I traverse from one year-end banquet to the next, and furiously scramble trying to get homeschool to be over BEFORE JUNE, I dream.
I dream of lazy, hazy days, lounging in the hammock, reading a really good, non-homeschool FICTION novel that takes me away.
I dream of lemonade on the front porch watching the birds fly, the kids play, and the cars go by.
I dream of lounging by the pool reading while my children joyously frolic in the water, just happy to be there and together. (Okay, maybe I don't go THAT far....)
I dream of baseball games, picnics, berry picking, flowers, farmers markets, and that sought-after commodity, TIME. Oh, time. I dream of that one a lot.
So, my summers, in my mind, are a conglomeration of blissful moments from the past summers, which dance in my head, giving a warm, fuzzy feeling to my heart.
Now, I sit, scratching my head, wondering.....why has summer changed? I feel ever so betrayed!
I admit, I have enjoyed some exciting and fun baseball games, visiting with dear baseball friends, and watching the boys play. The rest of it? Sigh. Nope, not at all.
No moments on the hammock reading even a homeschool, non-fiction book. The flowers are there, and because we are enduring the late July 100 degree weather, they are looking like late July flowers and I'm sorry, it's just not as much fun! (Maybe after the tlc I gave them this morning, they will snap out of it....) The few front porch moments I had were punctuated by the Really Cranky Neighbor cussing at his dog and screaming at people to "Slow down! You drive too fast!" (Ah, and that is fodder for another blog, to be sure..)
And worst of all, no moments by the pool. I realize there are people who are EVER SO MUCH WORSE OFF than I, and I am being a pampered, spoiled child right now, but I don't think folks realize how much those moments by the pool maintain my sanity. I don't just benefit in the summer, but all winter long. Because, you see, if I don't have moments by the pool, of what will I dream those long, gray days in March when the sun doesn't shine for a few weeks in a row? Really....I need moments by the pool. With a friend, alone with a book, I'm happy either way. I am happy by a creek, river, or lake, too. Two ingredients fit the bill: Water and sun.
So, this week? We will go to a pool. We will pick blueberries. And despite all that is not right in the world, I will make some memories that will make all the difference next winter and spring....
Every Easter as we dress in our summer outfits which are always light, airy, and sleeveless and FREEZE because in reality, despite the aspirations of our clothing, it is STILL WINTER, I dream.
Every May as I traverse from one year-end banquet to the next, and furiously scramble trying to get homeschool to be over BEFORE JUNE, I dream.
I dream of lazy, hazy days, lounging in the hammock, reading a really good, non-homeschool FICTION novel that takes me away.
I dream of lemonade on the front porch watching the birds fly, the kids play, and the cars go by.
I dream of lounging by the pool reading while my children joyously frolic in the water, just happy to be there and together. (Okay, maybe I don't go THAT far....)
I dream of baseball games, picnics, berry picking, flowers, farmers markets, and that sought-after commodity, TIME. Oh, time. I dream of that one a lot.
So, my summers, in my mind, are a conglomeration of blissful moments from the past summers, which dance in my head, giving a warm, fuzzy feeling to my heart.
Now, I sit, scratching my head, wondering.....why has summer changed? I feel ever so betrayed!
I admit, I have enjoyed some exciting and fun baseball games, visiting with dear baseball friends, and watching the boys play. The rest of it? Sigh. Nope, not at all.
No moments on the hammock reading even a homeschool, non-fiction book. The flowers are there, and because we are enduring the late July 100 degree weather, they are looking like late July flowers and I'm sorry, it's just not as much fun! (Maybe after the tlc I gave them this morning, they will snap out of it....) The few front porch moments I had were punctuated by the Really Cranky Neighbor cussing at his dog and screaming at people to "Slow down! You drive too fast!" (Ah, and that is fodder for another blog, to be sure..)
And worst of all, no moments by the pool. I realize there are people who are EVER SO MUCH WORSE OFF than I, and I am being a pampered, spoiled child right now, but I don't think folks realize how much those moments by the pool maintain my sanity. I don't just benefit in the summer, but all winter long. Because, you see, if I don't have moments by the pool, of what will I dream those long, gray days in March when the sun doesn't shine for a few weeks in a row? Really....I need moments by the pool. With a friend, alone with a book, I'm happy either way. I am happy by a creek, river, or lake, too. Two ingredients fit the bill: Water and sun.
So, this week? We will go to a pool. We will pick blueberries. And despite all that is not right in the world, I will make some memories that will make all the difference next winter and spring....
Thursday, May 14, 2009
No, Mr. President
What a powerful message by >John Piper.
No, Mr. President is his response to President Obama's statement regarding the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. It is short.....I promise you have the time.
HT to Justin.
No, Mr. President is his response to President Obama's statement regarding the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. It is short.....I promise you have the time.
HT to Justin.
Monday, May 11, 2009
That Was a Wild Ride!
Last weekend was, to say the least, a wild ride. We started with a big storm, winds a gazillion mph (I heard 80 was possible, but didn't see that here....Friends did, though). Unlike our friends, our worst damage was a hunk of siding from the construction project across the street that now resides in our front yard. I was at Walmart when it hit. Suffice it to say the water in the lot was ankle deep and I was completely drenched before I got the two carts unloaded and into the car. On to birthday prep!
With my sweet friend, D's help, we cleaned, decorated and made a cake. When everyone arrived, we went to the pottery place to paint our ceramic projects, then met the family for pizza. We came home and the girls played, then we had cake and ice cream floats...yum! I gained every bit of six pounds this weekend. It was sooo good, you see! The girls stayed up until about 5:30, but I only lasted until 1:30.
Up at seven, preparing for the day and the first pickups...we had eggs and chocolate chip pancakes. As they left, I started preparing for prom. Trav ran errands in town for me, and I gathered items needed for a dinner at a friends' house. Once he was dressed and out the door, I finished pulling weeds and changed to help at the dinner. My friend, J, served her son and seven of his friends dinner before prom. It was so lovely and she went all out. When I came home, I brought supper for my crew and got them to bed. I sat down to watch tv and fell asleep way sooner than anticipated. Hubby woke me up to go to bed, but once I got changed and washed up, I was completely awake. Trav was still out, so I grabbed my knitting to watch House and wait for him. He came in about 1 with friends in tow, so I stayed up until 3, when I finally realized they would, no matter what, outlast me.
The best thing about Mothers Day is that it was low-key. We went to church, did some quick errands then shopped and shopped for flowers. The big kids had a rehearsal for a concert. After getting home, the girls and I put out 15 pots of flowers plus some. Hubby and Nathan rode the motorcycle to visit the grandmas and take them their gifts. Trav had baseball practice, then we grilled and had the WHOLE family at home at one time for supper. Now that was a happy Mother's day. All my blessings, all together.
Today we hit the ground running again, in prep for Pop Concert and graduation. It is a beautiful day, so I'm hoping I can manage to find a way to do graduation announcements outside. If you get one with some dirt smudges, you'll know what happened.
With my sweet friend, D's help, we cleaned, decorated and made a cake. When everyone arrived, we went to the pottery place to paint our ceramic projects, then met the family for pizza. We came home and the girls played, then we had cake and ice cream floats...yum! I gained every bit of six pounds this weekend. It was sooo good, you see! The girls stayed up until about 5:30, but I only lasted until 1:30.
Up at seven, preparing for the day and the first pickups...we had eggs and chocolate chip pancakes. As they left, I started preparing for prom. Trav ran errands in town for me, and I gathered items needed for a dinner at a friends' house. Once he was dressed and out the door, I finished pulling weeds and changed to help at the dinner. My friend, J, served her son and seven of his friends dinner before prom. It was so lovely and she went all out. When I came home, I brought supper for my crew and got them to bed. I sat down to watch tv and fell asleep way sooner than anticipated. Hubby woke me up to go to bed, but once I got changed and washed up, I was completely awake. Trav was still out, so I grabbed my knitting to watch House and wait for him. He came in about 1 with friends in tow, so I stayed up until 3, when I finally realized they would, no matter what, outlast me.
The best thing about Mothers Day is that it was low-key. We went to church, did some quick errands then shopped and shopped for flowers. The big kids had a rehearsal for a concert. After getting home, the girls and I put out 15 pots of flowers plus some. Hubby and Nathan rode the motorcycle to visit the grandmas and take them their gifts. Trav had baseball practice, then we grilled and had the WHOLE family at home at one time for supper. Now that was a happy Mother's day. All my blessings, all together.
Today we hit the ground running again, in prep for Pop Concert and graduation. It is a beautiful day, so I'm hoping I can manage to find a way to do graduation announcements outside. If you get one with some dirt smudges, you'll know what happened.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
A Perfect Ten
Tonight I go to bed reflecting about this same night ten years ago. (The scene fades away to the scene ten years ago....) Nathan was all of 18 months old and still hadn't slept through the night. I was very pregnant and trying to carry Nathan about while caring for Holly and Travis, who were six and eight, respectively. It was a Friday night and I had mowed, spending a lot of the time with Nathan on my lap. It was his favorite way to take a nap...on my lap on a mower or tractor. Please don't go into the safety issues. I was a pregnant woman desperate for this child to sleep. I took it how I could get it. If memory serves, I was on that mower for about three hours that day, riding in fields, up and down the road, just passing time so Nathan could sleep. I recall the Schwan's man coming and ordering a few things, while the kids played in the yard. The next thing I remember well was going to bed about 11:30 or 12, then waking up about 1:30 with Nathan crying. I tried to soothe him, walking, rocking, and laying on the sofa with him. I hadn't been up long when I felt a strong contraction.
The contractions weren't unusual, I had them with every pregnancy, and this one was no exception. As I wrestled Nathan, I noticed the contractions increasing in intensity. Finally, a bit after 2, Nathan dozed back off, and by then the contractions were coming with alarming frequency, especially given the baby wasn't due for a few weeks. The remedy that had worked the best had always been to take a shower. The warm water had always calmed me, body and spirit, enabling me to stop the contractions and get some much-needed sleep. After a few minutes in the shower, I realized they weren't going to stop. I had to get to the hospital.
My last two deliveries had gone rather quickly. Dialation from 4 cm to 10 cm had taken 15 minutes or less. Living 45 minutes from the hospital shed a new urgency on getting to the hospital. I dried off, threw on some clothes and grabbed a duffel bag. I hadn't packed for the hospital, thinking I had several weeks to come up with something. As I grabbed clothes and stuffed them into the bag, my husband, bleary eyed, asked what I was doing. When I told him I was going to the hospital, he woke up with a start. I explained the house was a mess, the other kids needed him here, and he should allow me to drive myself to the hospital. I had, after all, done it with Nathan (under somewhat different circumstances) and could do it again. Smart man that he is, he vetoed that plan in a hurry and called my dad. By that time, I was having trouble standing, the contractions were coming so fast and hard. Recognizing my typical signs of going through transition, he hurried me to the car and told me my dad was on the way, the kids were asleep and would be fine for the few minutes it would take my dad to arrive. We had to go. This baby is coming fast.
As soon as we were in motion, he called for an ambulance to meet us. We received instruction as to where to go for the rendezvous, where they hustled me into the white van and took off with my husband following. The ambulance EMT called the hospital and gave them updates while repeating to me, "Do that breathing stuff! I don't want to deliver this baby tonight! Do that breathing stuff!" By the time we reached the hospital, I could have delivered the baby many times over, but held off due to the insistence of the ambulance dude. I was checked by a nurse who promptly rolled me into the hospital to the maternity ward while barking instructions to people around and asking me questions faster than I could answer. Miss Annie was born about four minutes later at 4:03 am, with a cord around her neck and bruises everywhere. It had been a stressful delivery for her and it showed. They let me hold her, but I noticed that where my others had immediately turned a pretty pink color, her skin remained a purplish-blue. I knew something wasn't right. I looked at the nurse and said, "She is sick, isn't she?" The nurse, nodding, confirmed my suspicions and said they really needed to take her then. Little did I know it would be several days before I could hold that baby again.
Concerned about my baby, I was taken to my room, but not able to relax and rest much. Doctors came in and out, giving me updates as to her condition. My husband was gone, helping his folks put a roof on their house. It was a long day alone. Later in the evening, my husband brought the kids over and they were disappointed they couldn't see their new baby. They understood they needed to pray for her because she was really, really sick. Awhile after they left, at about 11:30, the doctor who had been by Annie's side all day came to my room. He explained that she wasn't doing well, and for her to have a chance to survive, they needed to air evac her to St. Louis, MO. They offered for a priest to come in, as she may not make it through the trip. I declined the offer, determined that losing this child wasn't an option, even though I knew it wasn't remotely in my control. I phoned my husband who headed over to the hospital to join me in what could have been the last few minutes we would spend with our child.
I was allowed to touch her one time before she left. My choice was to touch her silky black hair, because I had never had a baby with hair before. We took pictures, then as they loaded her to go, I went back to my room to pack and prepare for the journey. She left the hospital just before five, and we were out the door only minutes after. We drove while she flew to St. Louis, and I knew it would be the most exhausted I would ever be.
By Tuesday, they were giving her about a 50-50 chance. Her lungs were not developed, she had a hole in her lung, and this was just the most serious of her long list of conditions. They were going to try a procedure that they felt would make or break the situation. Either it would work and she would heal, or it wouldn't, and, well, she probably wouldn't make it. It was a terrifying 24 hours. Thankfully, the procedure was a success and she began to mend.
We spent eight days in this hospital in St. Louis in addition to the one day we spent in the hospital near our home. On Sunday, May 16, I brought home the newest little member of our family. Her first week at home included five baseball games. She has been on the go ever since.
My Annie. Ten years old. I just don't know how it happened. How very, very blessed I am.....
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Post-Shred Review
Quick observations about the 30 Day Shred include:
1. It is totally doable. I'm tired, I've got that "I just had a good workout" feeling but I'm not discouraged or frustrated.
2. It is short and thorough. The methods used combine exercises for a complete but short workout. Short and thorough. Both are good words.
3. The Things joined in and loved it. Thing 1 just commented, "I think I'm in a lot better mood now." Maybe I am, too.
4. I love Anita. Her "modifications" are part of what made it doable.
5. I don't want to do 1 1/2 shreds in one day ever again.
6. Those women are good motivators. I couldn't pay for abs and legs like that, but they sure make me want to try harder.
7. I'm kind of looking forward to tomorrow. Ack! Did I just say that????
That's all I can say for now. Piano looms on the horizon and I have to wash off all this sweat. Just after I eat a piece of bacon.
1. It is totally doable. I'm tired, I've got that "I just had a good workout" feeling but I'm not discouraged or frustrated.
2. It is short and thorough. The methods used combine exercises for a complete but short workout. Short and thorough. Both are good words.
3. The Things joined in and loved it. Thing 1 just commented, "I think I'm in a lot better mood now." Maybe I am, too.
4. I love Anita. Her "modifications" are part of what made it doable.
5. I don't want to do 1 1/2 shreds in one day ever again.
6. Those women are good motivators. I couldn't pay for abs and legs like that, but they sure make me want to try harder.
7. I'm kind of looking forward to tomorrow. Ack! Did I just say that????
That's all I can say for now. Piano looms on the horizon and I have to wash off all this sweat. Just after I eat a piece of bacon.
Just a Shreddin'
Last week, I read where Sophie and Melanie were joining Vicki in a new get fit scheme quest. They are doing Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. I read phrases saying that children commented on abs appearing where previously there were none. There were testimonies of making clothes purchases because the old ones are too big. Arms with flags were being upgraded to arms with muscle and definition. Either someone died and their testimony is coming straight from heaven, or it works. Or they lie.
On Amazon, the dvd is ranked, get this, "#1 in Movies & TV ". Apparently, there are a lot of desperate individuals out there like me. You know what they say about a sucker being born every minute. But #1? It isn't a measure of customer success in getting fit, but no matter how I cut it that #1 rating influenced me. That, and the idea of being a workout stud.
I was sold.
Said dvd arrived in glorious style in yesterday's mail. Brown cardboard being glorious and all. So, this morning is it. Day #1 in my 30 day quest to removing 25 years from this tired ol' bod. Ten minutes into it, I glanced at the clock and had to quit. I'm guessing it was subconscious, but I had started the dvd knowing in 18 minutes I had to be on a conference call from work, hoping I could squish it all in the allotted time. I'm so happy I couldn't. Allowing time (which, of course, wasn't enough) to access the email with the numbers for the conference call, I just had to stop.
Now I'm faced with a decision. Start again, doing 1 1/2 Shreds today? (Heaven forbid it! Please?) Or, start mid-way, not getting the full effect of the 20 minutes ofhell health? Or, just call it a day, and forever be 1/2 day off on my shred count.
I'm thinking if I type long enough, the decision will be made because of piano looming on the horizon. Or, I think I'll just go back, start again, and know I will be better for it.
Has "exercise video" ever been listed as a cause of death? I think not! I'll just imagine that funny guy on "Waterboy" is here cheering me on saying, "You can do it!"
On Amazon, the dvd is ranked, get this, "#1 in Movies & TV ". Apparently, there are a lot of desperate individuals out there like me. You know what they say about a sucker being born every minute. But #1? It isn't a measure of customer success in getting fit, but no matter how I cut it that #1 rating influenced me. That, and the idea of being a workout stud.
I was sold.
Said dvd arrived in glorious style in yesterday's mail. Brown cardboard being glorious and all. So, this morning is it. Day #1 in my 30 day quest to removing 25 years from this tired ol' bod. Ten minutes into it, I glanced at the clock and had to quit. I'm guessing it was subconscious, but I had started the dvd knowing in 18 minutes I had to be on a conference call from work, hoping I could squish it all in the allotted time. I'm so happy I couldn't. Allowing time (which, of course, wasn't enough) to access the email with the numbers for the conference call, I just had to stop.
Now I'm faced with a decision. Start again, doing 1 1/2 Shreds today? (Heaven forbid it! Please?) Or, start mid-way, not getting the full effect of the 20 minutes of
I'm thinking if I type long enough, the decision will be made because of piano looming on the horizon. Or, I think I'll just go back, start again, and know I will be better for it.
Has "exercise video" ever been listed as a cause of death? I think not! I'll just imagine that funny guy on "Waterboy" is here cheering me on saying, "You can do it!"
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Sermon? You Mean There is a Sermon on Sunday?
It seems I have a difficult time hearing the sermon each week. I have to miss a lot of services because I work with several children's programs. Some folks never hear a sermon and I really hate that for them. We have a great teaching pastor and it is a shame they have to catch him online, for I fear they won't. Tomorrow I get to hold babies while the Mommies and Daddies hear the teaching. The whole baby-holding thing makes me very happy.
Back to the sermons. Some weeks, I have no reason not to hear the sermon. Except things just...happen. Take last week for example. You know the two glasses of water, one cup of coffee and two glasses of oj I had before church? Who would have thought that would have all processed and I would have found myself about to float away by the time praise and worship began? So, when the children were dismissed to children's church, I slipped out to go to the restroom. Note I slipped out at a time to cause the least amount of disruption. That's how I am. Really. You'll need to know that in a moment.
So, I get done in the restroom and it is on my mind that Annie's finger that is injured is swollen and causing her significant pain. I know that buddy-taping it will help, so it occurs to me to go find a first aid kit and acquire a strip of medical tape to use on it. Said first aid kit has no tape. There are, however, a lot of antiseptic wipes and an emergency blanket for those times we'll need one in church (??). Making a mental note of where the emergency blanket is because I know it is knowledge I will need at some time, I head on to the nursery thinking I can acquire some sort of tape there. Finding masking tape, I rip off a long piece and head back to the service. I slip in the back, quietly hugging my dear friend, the bass player, who is also slipping in, and I head to our seats in the, ahem, front of the church. I get about half-way to the front and it occurs to me that Annie isn't there. That would be because I had sent her to Kids Worship to help lead praise and worship there. Making a quick right turn, I head on out the side door knowing people are shaking their head at that crazy lady with the long piece of tape flowing behind, and hoping they don't think I'm being all disruptive on purpose. I also hope the pastor doesn't hunt me down after the service.
I head to Kids Worship, where the songs are in full swing. I can't access Annie's hand, because to do so would require disrupting the song service and, of course, I can't do that. So, I sing along, digging all the cool motions until the songs are finished. Annie and I head to the hallway where I tape her fingers with the masking tape, which proves to be a pretty lame excuse for buddy tape, but is a bit helpful nonetheless.
Task completed, I briskly walk toward the sanctuary to try this whole sermon thing again when I am asked to please assist a visitor in taking their child to the nursery. Happy to help, we proceed to our two year old class, helping her sign in the child and explaining the security process, etc. We then rejoin the church service. Being as stealthy as I know how, I slip into the pew, only climbing over five or six people to get to my seat. Holly comments that it sure took a long time to go to the restroom....by the time I complete a note to her with a thorough explanation of where I have been, there is enough sermon left to leave me completely at a loss as to the point of it all. It occurs to me then, that there is some significance in that. What it is, I'm not sure.
So, I'm thinking that in a couple of weeks I'll be able to try it again. I just hope, since it will be Senior Day, I can keep from bawling the whole time. Now THAT would be distracting.
Back to the sermons. Some weeks, I have no reason not to hear the sermon. Except things just...happen. Take last week for example. You know the two glasses of water, one cup of coffee and two glasses of oj I had before church? Who would have thought that would have all processed and I would have found myself about to float away by the time praise and worship began? So, when the children were dismissed to children's church, I slipped out to go to the restroom. Note I slipped out at a time to cause the least amount of disruption. That's how I am. Really. You'll need to know that in a moment.
So, I get done in the restroom and it is on my mind that Annie's finger that is injured is swollen and causing her significant pain. I know that buddy-taping it will help, so it occurs to me to go find a first aid kit and acquire a strip of medical tape to use on it. Said first aid kit has no tape. There are, however, a lot of antiseptic wipes and an emergency blanket for those times we'll need one in church (??). Making a mental note of where the emergency blanket is because I know it is knowledge I will need at some time, I head on to the nursery thinking I can acquire some sort of tape there. Finding masking tape, I rip off a long piece and head back to the service. I slip in the back, quietly hugging my dear friend, the bass player, who is also slipping in, and I head to our seats in the, ahem, front of the church. I get about half-way to the front and it occurs to me that Annie isn't there. That would be because I had sent her to Kids Worship to help lead praise and worship there. Making a quick right turn, I head on out the side door knowing people are shaking their head at that crazy lady with the long piece of tape flowing behind, and hoping they don't think I'm being all disruptive on purpose. I also hope the pastor doesn't hunt me down after the service.
I head to Kids Worship, where the songs are in full swing. I can't access Annie's hand, because to do so would require disrupting the song service and, of course, I can't do that. So, I sing along, digging all the cool motions until the songs are finished. Annie and I head to the hallway where I tape her fingers with the masking tape, which proves to be a pretty lame excuse for buddy tape, but is a bit helpful nonetheless.
Task completed, I briskly walk toward the sanctuary to try this whole sermon thing again when I am asked to please assist a visitor in taking their child to the nursery. Happy to help, we proceed to our two year old class, helping her sign in the child and explaining the security process, etc. We then rejoin the church service. Being as stealthy as I know how, I slip into the pew, only climbing over five or six people to get to my seat. Holly comments that it sure took a long time to go to the restroom....by the time I complete a note to her with a thorough explanation of where I have been, there is enough sermon left to leave me completely at a loss as to the point of it all. It occurs to me then, that there is some significance in that. What it is, I'm not sure.
So, I'm thinking that in a couple of weeks I'll be able to try it again. I just hope, since it will be Senior Day, I can keep from bawling the whole time. Now THAT would be distracting.
It's Settled. I'm Sure This Time. I Think.
I'm really done this time. I stuck with the plan with one variation. I am adding Tapestry of Grace 1 to the mix. It has so much to add, and of course, I really want to have all of the best. I really believe my best includes TOG. So, all that is left is organizing it, filling in literature/history books that may be missing, little things like that. I think I can relax about it until I get the oldest over the graduation hump. I really hope so.
Speaking of which, I started addressing announcements and I went through about 1/10of the pictures for all the slide shows for church, banquets, etc. Church needs 6 to 10 pictures. This child is:
a. The oldest. We all know there are waaaaay more pictures of the oldest. (Spoken like a true baby of the family.)
b. 18 and a HALF! That is not even one picture a year!
Well, it can't be done. One cannot capture the "heart" of some one's life with ten pictures. Nope. So, when I turn in, say 16 pictures (give or take), I triple-dog dare 'em to eliminate any. How could they, after all?
Speaking of which, I started addressing announcements and I went through about 1/10of the pictures for all the slide shows for church, banquets, etc. Church needs 6 to 10 pictures. This child is:
a. The oldest. We all know there are waaaaay more pictures of the oldest. (Spoken like a true baby of the family.)
b. 18 and a HALF! That is not even one picture a year!
Well, it can't be done. One cannot capture the "heart" of some one's life with ten pictures. Nope. So, when I turn in, say 16 pictures (give or take), I triple-dog dare 'em to eliminate any. How could they, after all?
I'm Ready to Play
It is a typical May in this part of the country. Either we are freezing, checking windchill, and shivering in shorts, or we are enjoying a spectacular sunny day in which the grass grows at least three inches per hour. The last couple of days have definitely fallen into the former category.
Trav has pitched two games this week, doing very well at both. The first, unfortunately, doesn't count, because the Heavens opened and a downpour to rival Noah's ensued. Thankfully, this one was much shorter than Noah's. Not so happily, we lose our 8-1 lead because we hadn't completed enough innings for it to count.
Last night he pitched a complete game (despite sprinkles and winds straight from the Arctic) and we won. It was a really good game. His batting is on, his pitching is one, his teammates are really, really on, and the stars have all aligned.
So, despite the plummeting temperatures, a good baseball game is proof that spring is here and summer is coming very soon. It always brings to mind an old favorite song. For all the baseball fans out there:
Ready To Play (Put Me In Coach) by John Foggerty
Well, beat the drum and hold the phone - the sun came out today!
We're born again, there's new grass on the field.
A-roundin' third, and headed for home, it's a brown-eyed handsome man; (ahem. In case you didn't know, that is Travis)
Anyone can understand the way I feel.
CHORUS:
Oh, put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;
Put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;
Look at me, I can be Centerfield.
Well, I spent some time in the Mudville Nine, watchin' it from the bench;
You know I took some lumps when the Mighty Casey struck out.
So Say Hey Willie, tell Ty Cobb and Joe DiMaggio;
Don't say "it ain't so", you know the time is now.
CHORUS:
Oh, put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;
Put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;
Look at me, I can be Centerfield.
Yeah! I got it, I got it!
Got a beat-up glove, a homemade bat, and brand-new pair of shoes;
You know I think it's time to give this game a ride.
Just to hit the ball and touch 'em all - a moment in the sun;
(pop) It's gone and you can tell that one goodbye!
CHORUS:
Oh, put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;
Put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;
Look at me, I can be Centerfield. (x2)
Yeah!
Trav has pitched two games this week, doing very well at both. The first, unfortunately, doesn't count, because the Heavens opened and a downpour to rival Noah's ensued. Thankfully, this one was much shorter than Noah's. Not so happily, we lose our 8-1 lead because we hadn't completed enough innings for it to count.
Last night he pitched a complete game (despite sprinkles and winds straight from the Arctic) and we won. It was a really good game. His batting is on, his pitching is one, his teammates are really, really on, and the stars have all aligned.
So, despite the plummeting temperatures, a good baseball game is proof that spring is here and summer is coming very soon. It always brings to mind an old favorite song. For all the baseball fans out there:
Ready To Play (Put Me In Coach) by John Foggerty
Well, beat the drum and hold the phone - the sun came out today!
We're born again, there's new grass on the field.
A-roundin' third, and headed for home, it's a brown-eyed handsome man; (ahem. In case you didn't know, that is Travis)
Anyone can understand the way I feel.
CHORUS:
Oh, put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;
Put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;
Look at me, I can be Centerfield.
Well, I spent some time in the Mudville Nine, watchin' it from the bench;
You know I took some lumps when the Mighty Casey struck out.
So Say Hey Willie, tell Ty Cobb and Joe DiMaggio;
Don't say "it ain't so", you know the time is now.
CHORUS:
Oh, put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;
Put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;
Look at me, I can be Centerfield.
Yeah! I got it, I got it!
Got a beat-up glove, a homemade bat, and brand-new pair of shoes;
You know I think it's time to give this game a ride.
Just to hit the ball and touch 'em all - a moment in the sun;
(pop) It's gone and you can tell that one goodbye!
CHORUS:
Oh, put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;
Put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;
Look at me, I can be Centerfield. (x2)
Yeah!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
God Knows About the Whole Time Thing
Anyone who knows me knows that if I'm waking up before 6 am consistently, something is wrong. This week, I haven't slept past about 5:30. Why? The reasons are many and varied.
First of all, my first baby is graduating in three weeks. No, I'm not all weepy and depressed and sad...actually, there are days when I'm ready for his new roommate, B, to take him and go! That isn't usually the case, you understand, but there are definitely those days. I'm learning, though, that having a senior comes with a very long "to do" list. Do you know how many people want pictures of this boy for various things? Not senior pictures, but pictures all through his life. Not that it is so terribly difficult....I just have to dig through unorganized boxes and find those perfect few....but it is a "to do". (And what about those brown recluse spiders that reside in such untouched boxes in storage? It is a risky "to do" as well!) There are announcements, parties, and we have senior recognition banquets out the wazoo.
Secondly, it is almost May. Even without a senior, May is busy, busy, busy. Every program that is coming to a delightful end has a banquet or performance to show the many accomplishments of the year. The church programs, jump rope, piano, choir, and every organization in which any of the four have remotely participated are vying for calendar dates that are already covered with baseball and volleyball games and practices.
Thirdly, I want homeschool to end. I want to be done. However, I'm struggling with finding the time to effectively launch a crusade to accelerate the process. Bless The Things hearts, if they have learned anything this year, it is working independently, and at least Math, English, Reading, and Spelling are progressing. Given that we had HOURS of history on the trip, Science is the only thing that is falling through the cracks right now.
Lastly, and although it could wait, in my OCD mind, it is the primary item on the radar right now, and that is planning for next year. WHY I can't delay this until Memorial Day, I'm not sure. It's a mental issue, to be sure. I've pondered and pondered and then, this morning, as I read online essays about various educational theories and looked at curriculum, a brand new idea occurred to me. I could do Tapestry of Grace Year 4 next year, and really hit the time from the Civil War to now thoroughly. THEN I could begin the History cycle again the following year. That would mean 80% of the books in my living room would have to be stored for a year. That would mean that instead of starting the next four-year history cycle with Nathan in 6th (already a year behind) and Annie in 5th, it would delay it another year. Do I want to do that? I don't knoooooooowwwwwww!
The one thing I know is that there is not more to do today than I can do. God has ordered my steps and purposed my day to serve Him. He knows about the whole time thing (He created it, after all) and He hasn't scheduled more in my day than is possible for me to accomplish. So, if I just stop and turn it all over to Him, He will provide the priorities and the time, and it will fall into place. And, maybe, that is why He is waking me up a little earlier. He wants me to spend time with Him to learn about His plan for my day. So pardon me, I have a Friend waiting. He may be waiting for you, too.
First of all, my first baby is graduating in three weeks. No, I'm not all weepy and depressed and sad...actually, there are days when I'm ready for his new roommate, B, to take him and go! That isn't usually the case, you understand, but there are definitely those days. I'm learning, though, that having a senior comes with a very long "to do" list. Do you know how many people want pictures of this boy for various things? Not senior pictures, but pictures all through his life. Not that it is so terribly difficult....I just have to dig through unorganized boxes and find those perfect few....but it is a "to do". (And what about those brown recluse spiders that reside in such untouched boxes in storage? It is a risky "to do" as well!) There are announcements, parties, and we have senior recognition banquets out the wazoo.
Secondly, it is almost May. Even without a senior, May is busy, busy, busy. Every program that is coming to a delightful end has a banquet or performance to show the many accomplishments of the year. The church programs, jump rope, piano, choir, and every organization in which any of the four have remotely participated are vying for calendar dates that are already covered with baseball and volleyball games and practices.
Thirdly, I want homeschool to end. I want to be done. However, I'm struggling with finding the time to effectively launch a crusade to accelerate the process. Bless The Things hearts, if they have learned anything this year, it is working independently, and at least Math, English, Reading, and Spelling are progressing. Given that we had HOURS of history on the trip, Science is the only thing that is falling through the cracks right now.
Lastly, and although it could wait, in my OCD mind, it is the primary item on the radar right now, and that is planning for next year. WHY I can't delay this until Memorial Day, I'm not sure. It's a mental issue, to be sure. I've pondered and pondered and then, this morning, as I read online essays about various educational theories and looked at curriculum, a brand new idea occurred to me. I could do Tapestry of Grace Year 4 next year, and really hit the time from the Civil War to now thoroughly. THEN I could begin the History cycle again the following year. That would mean 80% of the books in my living room would have to be stored for a year. That would mean that instead of starting the next four-year history cycle with Nathan in 6th (already a year behind) and Annie in 5th, it would delay it another year. Do I want to do that? I don't knoooooooowwwwwww!
The one thing I know is that there is not more to do today than I can do. God has ordered my steps and purposed my day to serve Him. He knows about the whole time thing (He created it, after all) and He hasn't scheduled more in my day than is possible for me to accomplish. So, if I just stop and turn it all over to Him, He will provide the priorities and the time, and it will fall into place. And, maybe, that is why He is waking me up a little earlier. He wants me to spend time with Him to learn about His plan for my day. So pardon me, I have a Friend waiting. He may be waiting for you, too.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Manhunt
On our recent trip to South Carolina, I tucked into my bag an audio book, Manhunt: The 12 Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer. I had actually purchased it for my dad for Father's Day last year for a trip he was taking. He knew the kids and I were studying the Civil War in homeschool and brought it so we could listen.
It is very long, 9 hours, to be exact. I'm glad I saved it for a long drive. We listened to about half of it going, and everyone was excited to pop it back in to hear the rest on the return trip.
It is a riveting account of the events surrounding the assassination of President Lincoln, and the events that followed. It is all very factual, and based on extensive research by the author, but presented in the fashion of the best sort of page-turner. The characters literally come to life as the author explores their motives, backgrounds, and personalities. Richard Thomas is a fabulous storyteller, so the excitement is maintained in the telling. There are a few spots that are a bit gory, so use care before listening with small children.
I highly recommend the book. It is exciting, and in the process, I learned much about an event on which I already felt relatively well-versed.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Kathy Ireland Shares Her Faith; Views on Abortion
Very well spoken, one of the best pro-life arguements I have ever heard. Take a look and listen!
Kathy Ireland on Fox's Huckabee
Kathy Ireland on Fox's Huckabee
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Done. Whew!
The quest for next year's curriculum is over. I'm not sure that I did it all the best way, but if I didn't, it wasn't because I didn't obsess over it all enough. However, I've pulled the proverbial trigger, and it is all on order, and on its way.
First, we evaluated foundational curriculum. The spine of it all, if you will. I looked at Tapestry of Grace, Sonlight, and Veritas Press. I am convinced I could not have gone wrong with any of them. They are all wonderful and thorough curriculums. We settled on Sonlight for a few reasons. First of all, unlike Veritas Press, our times/needs were in sync. We will be ready to begin world history over again, starting with the ancients. I would have been able to do that if I jumped Nathan up a year, but I wasn't sure if it would work with Annie. Tapestry allows you to do any of it any time, which is wonderful. I seriously contemplated using Tapestry. I made lists of the books used for each curriculum and compared them. I really like a lot of the features of Tapestry, and one of my best friends uses it and it works well for her. The bottom line, however, is that I'm familiar with Sonlight and how it works. I've gathered that Tapestry is a bit more work and because I don't have children widely spaced in age, I'm not sure it is necessary. So, in all, comfortable won, and I ordered Core 6 from Sonlight. Because Nathan is a quick and avid reader, I looked at "The Well-Trained Mind" by Susan Wise Bauer and compared it to Tapestry of Grace books and ordered a few more books to supplement Sonlight's books. I found some used and was able to get them for just a bit more than a song.
After several years of grammar trials, last year we tried Rod and Staff and we loved it. It is absolutely wonderful and I'll thank Staci for a very long time for recommending it to us. So, Annie will use the 5th grade one from this year, and I ordered a 6th grade grammar set for Nathan. This will be supplemented by Sonlight's LA program.
For science, I read board after board, review after review, and narrowed it down to four programs: Science 4 Kids, Rainbow Science, Apologia, and Noeo. Then, because I felt they need a really general, all encompassing program at this point, I was able to select two of those: Rainbow and Apologia. We looked at them and evaluated them. I asked Nathan what he thought and his answer was to get the one with the most experiments. Ha! I would like to finish it this year, so we ordered Apologia General Science from Sonlight. It is 7th grade, but I think it is completely doable for them.
On to math....ugh! Annie was easy...she will do what Nathan did this year, Horizons 5 via Sonlight. Done. Nathan, however, is another story. I looked and looked and AGONIZED over it. I talked Clay's ear off, poor guy, until his eyes glazed over and I think he was about to run away. Nathan is pre-algebra/algebra, depending on the program. Chalk Dust is an amazing program, but a bit pricy. Not knowing how taxes would turn out, I was not sure about the cost, and not confident I could put it together well enough from used sources. I evaluated Teaching Textbooks, which looks great, but their Algebra I was essentially the same as some of the others' PreAlgebra. That's fine as long as I know what I've got, but I'm not sure where that leaves me later on. I'd like to stick with the same curriculum for awhile to prevent concepts from slipping through the cracks. So, I ended up ordering Life of Fred Decimals and Beginning Algebra, and also Jacobs Algebra, which I was able to procure from Amazon at a fantastic used price. Jacobs is recommended for 7th grade in Veritas Press, therefore, I'm thinking I'm going to be thrilled. He wasn't too keen on having a video instructor (I've still got him thinking I can do it....yikes!) so that pretty much settled the decision.
Now, orders have been placed with Life of Fred, Amazon, Sonlight, and Rod and Staff, and I'm ready to focus on wrapping up the current year.
First, we evaluated foundational curriculum. The spine of it all, if you will. I looked at Tapestry of Grace, Sonlight, and Veritas Press. I am convinced I could not have gone wrong with any of them. They are all wonderful and thorough curriculums. We settled on Sonlight for a few reasons. First of all, unlike Veritas Press, our times/needs were in sync. We will be ready to begin world history over again, starting with the ancients. I would have been able to do that if I jumped Nathan up a year, but I wasn't sure if it would work with Annie. Tapestry allows you to do any of it any time, which is wonderful. I seriously contemplated using Tapestry. I made lists of the books used for each curriculum and compared them. I really like a lot of the features of Tapestry, and one of my best friends uses it and it works well for her. The bottom line, however, is that I'm familiar with Sonlight and how it works. I've gathered that Tapestry is a bit more work and because I don't have children widely spaced in age, I'm not sure it is necessary. So, in all, comfortable won, and I ordered Core 6 from Sonlight. Because Nathan is a quick and avid reader, I looked at "The Well-Trained Mind" by Susan Wise Bauer and compared it to Tapestry of Grace books and ordered a few more books to supplement Sonlight's books. I found some used and was able to get them for just a bit more than a song.
After several years of grammar trials, last year we tried Rod and Staff and we loved it. It is absolutely wonderful and I'll thank Staci for a very long time for recommending it to us. So, Annie will use the 5th grade one from this year, and I ordered a 6th grade grammar set for Nathan. This will be supplemented by Sonlight's LA program.
For science, I read board after board, review after review, and narrowed it down to four programs: Science 4 Kids, Rainbow Science, Apologia, and Noeo. Then, because I felt they need a really general, all encompassing program at this point, I was able to select two of those: Rainbow and Apologia. We looked at them and evaluated them. I asked Nathan what he thought and his answer was to get the one with the most experiments. Ha! I would like to finish it this year, so we ordered Apologia General Science from Sonlight. It is 7th grade, but I think it is completely doable for them.
On to math....ugh! Annie was easy...she will do what Nathan did this year, Horizons 5 via Sonlight. Done. Nathan, however, is another story. I looked and looked and AGONIZED over it. I talked Clay's ear off, poor guy, until his eyes glazed over and I think he was about to run away. Nathan is pre-algebra/algebra, depending on the program. Chalk Dust is an amazing program, but a bit pricy. Not knowing how taxes would turn out, I was not sure about the cost, and not confident I could put it together well enough from used sources. I evaluated Teaching Textbooks, which looks great, but their Algebra I was essentially the same as some of the others' PreAlgebra. That's fine as long as I know what I've got, but I'm not sure where that leaves me later on. I'd like to stick with the same curriculum for awhile to prevent concepts from slipping through the cracks. So, I ended up ordering Life of Fred Decimals and Beginning Algebra, and also Jacobs Algebra, which I was able to procure from Amazon at a fantastic used price. Jacobs is recommended for 7th grade in Veritas Press, therefore, I'm thinking I'm going to be thrilled. He wasn't too keen on having a video instructor (I've still got him thinking I can do it....yikes!) so that pretty much settled the decision.
Now, orders have been placed with Life of Fred, Amazon, Sonlight, and Rod and Staff, and I'm ready to focus on wrapping up the current year.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
What He Did, and Why He Did It
Acts 2:22-40 (New Living Translation)
22 “People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene[a] by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. 23 But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. 24 But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip. 25 King David said this about him:
‘I see that the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
26 No wonder my heart is glad,
and my tongue shouts his praises!
My body rests in hope.
27 For you will not leave my soul among the dead[b]
or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.
28 You have shown me the way of life,
and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.’[c]
29 “Dear brothers, think about this! You can be sure that the patriarch David wasn’t referring to himself, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. 30 But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his throne. 31 David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave.
32 “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. 33 Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. 34 For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said,
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
35 until I humble your enemies,
making them a footstool under your feet.”’[d]
36 “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”
37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, and to your children, and even to the Gentiles[e]—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”
Happy Easter!
22 “People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene[a] by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. 23 But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. 24 But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip. 25 King David said this about him:
‘I see that the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
26 No wonder my heart is glad,
and my tongue shouts his praises!
My body rests in hope.
27 For you will not leave my soul among the dead[b]
or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.
28 You have shown me the way of life,
and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.’[c]
29 “Dear brothers, think about this! You can be sure that the patriarch David wasn’t referring to himself, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. 30 But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his throne. 31 David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave.
32 “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. 33 Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. 34 For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said,
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
35 until I humble your enemies,
making them a footstool under your feet.”’[d]
36 “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”
37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, and to your children, and even to the Gentiles[e]—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”
Happy Easter!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Too Many Choices
We have discovered, my homeschooled two and I, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This homeschool year is almost over....just a few more weeks. Honestly, we have more than met our requirements, and we are farther than we were when we finished last year, but there are just a few more things we need to learn before the blessed summer break.
I'm in a peculiar spot now as I ponder the curriculum for next year. We are at a crossroads in several ways. We (finally) are finishing the four years of world history that we started, well, about four years ago. Now what? Start again, I'm sure....or maybe not. (probably). Nathan is ready to jump up in math. To what he is jumping, I'm not sure just yet. I think the elementary math is sufficiently ingrained and a bit of a challenge is in order. Pre-Algebra? Is he ready for Algebra? What curriculum? The questions are endless.....
Essentially, it seems in most subjects Nathan is ready to jump a year. Don't tell him that, please. I don't need an endless litany of arguments about him being in 7th grade, ready for youth group, etc. It'll be our secret...okay? Okay.
Then there is Science. I'm sure we are ready for an Apologia Science, but which one?
When I first started homeschooling, the options were very limited. As homeschooling has taken off, the number of choices has jumped exponentially. There are several really good programs out there, and though the vast array of choices is nice, it also makes it difficult. But I'm NOT complaining! I'm thrilled. As the catalogs come in, I spend time at every baseball/soccer game perusing them, reading cover to cover what each company has to offer. It becomes so exciting! (I know, only an egghead would get a kick out of such a thing....what can I say?) Planning next year is ever so much more fun than finishing this year. Now, on to those Latin reviews....
I'm in a peculiar spot now as I ponder the curriculum for next year. We are at a crossroads in several ways. We (finally) are finishing the four years of world history that we started, well, about four years ago. Now what? Start again, I'm sure....or maybe not. (probably). Nathan is ready to jump up in math. To what he is jumping, I'm not sure just yet. I think the elementary math is sufficiently ingrained and a bit of a challenge is in order. Pre-Algebra? Is he ready for Algebra? What curriculum? The questions are endless.....
Essentially, it seems in most subjects Nathan is ready to jump a year. Don't tell him that, please. I don't need an endless litany of arguments about him being in 7th grade, ready for youth group, etc. It'll be our secret...okay? Okay.
Then there is Science. I'm sure we are ready for an Apologia Science, but which one?
When I first started homeschooling, the options were very limited. As homeschooling has taken off, the number of choices has jumped exponentially. There are several really good programs out there, and though the vast array of choices is nice, it also makes it difficult. But I'm NOT complaining! I'm thrilled. As the catalogs come in, I spend time at every baseball/soccer game perusing them, reading cover to cover what each company has to offer. It becomes so exciting! (I know, only an egghead would get a kick out of such a thing....what can I say?) Planning next year is ever so much more fun than finishing this year. Now, on to those Latin reviews....
Monday, April 6, 2009
Opening Day!
It is MLB Opening Day! Yay!
There is just nothing like the perfectly groomed fields in the MLB, or the not-so-perfect little league fields, but both look better with a baseball flying around.
I even get excited about washing lots of dirt out of uniforms. The dirtier, the better, because it means he's working hard.
Go ST. LOUIS CARDINALS!
There is just nothing like the perfectly groomed fields in the MLB, or the not-so-perfect little league fields, but both look better with a baseball flying around.
I even get excited about washing lots of dirt out of uniforms. The dirtier, the better, because it means he's working hard.
Go ST. LOUIS CARDINALS!
Unredeemed
Quick! Go to Angie's blog, "Bring the Rain" and read her beautiful post. You must do so in haste! The song she has linked is only there for THREE DAYS! It will minister to you....I promise.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Decorating? Fun? Gasp!
We have, for a few months now, been in a redecorating mode. The painting is almost done, and we have been getting wall decor done. Last fall, my friends, April and Deanna of Drawn By Light Photography took amazing pictures of the kids. I'm in danger of making the place a shrine, I have so many of the pictures around now. We had one series done in black and white with just a green chair and it is The. Coolest. Picture. Ever.
You can't really tell. You just have to see it in person. Anyhoo, this is how it looks on the wall:
Honestly, though, there are pictures of the kids everywhere, and they are soooo good.
The other source for wall art in my home is my brother. He is a gifted amature (that means it isn't his real job) photographer. I have some prints coming, some I'm framing, and then there is this one that I especially love:
We had a split canvas made of this one. Isn't it beauuuuuutiful????
This decorating thing can, in fact, be fun. That was news to me. I could do it for a living! Not!
You can't really tell. You just have to see it in person. Anyhoo, this is how it looks on the wall:
Honestly, though, there are pictures of the kids everywhere, and they are soooo good.
The other source for wall art in my home is my brother. He is a gifted amature (that means it isn't his real job) photographer. I have some prints coming, some I'm framing, and then there is this one that I especially love:
We had a split canvas made of this one. Isn't it beauuuuuutiful????
This decorating thing can, in fact, be fun. That was news to me. I could do it for a living! Not!
Third Day Concert
About a week and a half ago, we, less Travis (who had to play baseball, of course), went to a Third Day concert. It was ever so much fun.
It was a very long drive, about three hours each way. It was cold standing in line, but thankfully, we didn't have to wait long. Holly and Annie kept each other warm....long enough to snap a picture.
First to open was the Australian group, Revive:
You may have heard their song, "Chorus of the Saints". They were really good, and it was interesting, because even though we weren't familiar with all the songs, we liked their style and the music enough to get one of their cd's. That may be a first for us....usually we are drawn to the music with which we are most familiar. I hope the poor guys get their van repaired soon!
Next to appear was Brandon Heath:
We are big Brandon Heath fans. He and Revive were worth the cost of the tickets and the drive. But then, the headliners came on:
It was fabulous. I loved watching my children praise God:
Fun was had by all!!!
It was a very long drive, about three hours each way. It was cold standing in line, but thankfully, we didn't have to wait long. Holly and Annie kept each other warm....long enough to snap a picture.
First to open was the Australian group, Revive:
You may have heard their song, "Chorus of the Saints". They were really good, and it was interesting, because even though we weren't familiar with all the songs, we liked their style and the music enough to get one of their cd's. That may be a first for us....usually we are drawn to the music with which we are most familiar. I hope the poor guys get their van repaired soon!
Next to appear was Brandon Heath:
We are big Brandon Heath fans. He and Revive were worth the cost of the tickets and the drive. But then, the headliners came on:
It was fabulous. I loved watching my children praise God:
Fun was had by all!!!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Blessings of a Cubbie
Overheard tonight while on of my Cubbies was asking God to bless our snack:
"God, thank you so much for this wonderful snack that I made! And thank you for all these boys and girls. You make great kids, God! God, please give each boy and girl a hamster for Christmas. Thanks, God!"
I just love my Cubbies!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
There's No Joy in Mudville
Well, the news isn't good. Travis insists he was rejected by Duke. I insist he was not accepted. I maintain there is a difference, although I'm not sure what it is.
He chose to escape and head to his favorite cousin's house to hang out and get his mind off it all. They're gonna talk baseball. I'd go there, too, if I could.
On a brighter note, it was a beauuuuuutiful day outside today! We did some school outside. After school I worked in the garden a very little bit, planting spinach, lettuce, peas and onions. Then, in a concerted effort to not come inside, I cleaned the front porch furniture.
Holly watched her cousin "kick booty" in volleyball, then she treated with Andy's. That is two nights straight she went to Andy's....hmmmm...... Annie had one of her best games ever in soccer. It was too bad she could only stay for half the game, but volleyball called. She really liked that, too. Nathan hunted worms and frogs with his buddy down the street, then they had a rather successful fishing trip. All in all, it was a pretty good day. Perhaps there is some joy in Mudville.
Now, I'm gonna snuggle up to watch the Lost episode that I think I tivo'ed last night. My hope is that my eyes can stay open that long.
Oh, on a random note: forget butterfly pictures. Annie released them today and I completely forgot to get pictures. Typical. The ones I took earlier were....bad. So, just know it was an educational, inspirational, and enjoyable experience to raise a few butterflies.
He chose to escape and head to his favorite cousin's house to hang out and get his mind off it all. They're gonna talk baseball. I'd go there, too, if I could.
On a brighter note, it was a beauuuuuutiful day outside today! We did some school outside. After school I worked in the garden a very little bit, planting spinach, lettuce, peas and onions. Then, in a concerted effort to not come inside, I cleaned the front porch furniture.
Holly watched her cousin "kick booty" in volleyball, then she treated with Andy's. That is two nights straight she went to Andy's....hmmmm...... Annie had one of her best games ever in soccer. It was too bad she could only stay for half the game, but volleyball called. She really liked that, too. Nathan hunted worms and frogs with his buddy down the street, then they had a rather successful fishing trip. All in all, it was a pretty good day. Perhaps there is some joy in Mudville.
Now, I'm gonna snuggle up to watch the Lost episode that I think I tivo'ed last night. My hope is that my eyes can stay open that long.
Oh, on a random note: forget butterfly pictures. Annie released them today and I completely forgot to get pictures. Typical. The ones I took earlier were....bad. So, just know it was an educational, inspirational, and enjoyable experience to raise a few butterflies.
Tonight is Very Important
Travis is a senior, as you know. He has applied to Mizzou and been accepted. He has also applied to Washington University, Vanderbilt, and Duke.
If anyone ever tries to minimize the importance of campus visits, don't believe a word of it! In Trav's case, it was life-changing.
First, we visited Mizzou, a place of legacy in our family, and he really, really liked it. He became excited about college. Annie pledged her loyalty immediately and refuses to ever entertain any ideas about attending elsewhere. Nathan loved it. Holly loved it.
Then, we visited St. Louis University, and the love? Not so much. Wonderful school, but just no chemistry with the family and SLU. Then, after much begging, we agreed to visit Duke. We flew to Durham and back in a day. There, Travis fell in love. His teachers have said repeatedly that they don't know what happened that day, but he returned a different person. He wanted so very much to get into Duke that he poured everything he had into doing what was necessary to give it his very best shot. He was motivated.
We didn't ever visit Vanderbilt. If he is accepted there, we will make the visit. It was difficult timing, and now it makes sense to wait. We should hear from them within a week or so.
He was wait-listed for Wash U. That's really good, because they had over 23,000 applicants for 1,400 spots and he is on the waiting list in the case they aren't filled. We did visit Wash U, and it was nice. He may be able to play baseball there.
But tonight? Tonight we find out the question we have asked since September. Is Travis accepted to Duke? I have prayed for God to guide us and open and close doors for us, making our way clear. I know He has a plan for Travis, and Trav's future is in His hands. I'm not sure how we will afford it if he goes, and I really don't know how I'll do with him so very far away. If he doesn't get accepted, he will be devastated, and I fear a loss of motivation. Either way, God knows what the answer is and will prepare us and work us through it. Please pray for His will to be clear for us tonight, and for us to trust Him, and accept His answers.
If anyone ever tries to minimize the importance of campus visits, don't believe a word of it! In Trav's case, it was life-changing.
First, we visited Mizzou, a place of legacy in our family, and he really, really liked it. He became excited about college. Annie pledged her loyalty immediately and refuses to ever entertain any ideas about attending elsewhere. Nathan loved it. Holly loved it.
Then, we visited St. Louis University, and the love? Not so much. Wonderful school, but just no chemistry with the family and SLU. Then, after much begging, we agreed to visit Duke. We flew to Durham and back in a day. There, Travis fell in love. His teachers have said repeatedly that they don't know what happened that day, but he returned a different person. He wanted so very much to get into Duke that he poured everything he had into doing what was necessary to give it his very best shot. He was motivated.
We didn't ever visit Vanderbilt. If he is accepted there, we will make the visit. It was difficult timing, and now it makes sense to wait. We should hear from them within a week or so.
He was wait-listed for Wash U. That's really good, because they had over 23,000 applicants for 1,400 spots and he is on the waiting list in the case they aren't filled. We did visit Wash U, and it was nice. He may be able to play baseball there.
But tonight? Tonight we find out the question we have asked since September. Is Travis accepted to Duke? I have prayed for God to guide us and open and close doors for us, making our way clear. I know He has a plan for Travis, and Trav's future is in His hands. I'm not sure how we will afford it if he goes, and I really don't know how I'll do with him so very far away. If he doesn't get accepted, he will be devastated, and I fear a loss of motivation. Either way, God knows what the answer is and will prepare us and work us through it. Please pray for His will to be clear for us tonight, and for us to trust Him, and accept His answers.
I Get to Stay Home Today.....Stellar!
It has been awhile. I'm trying to recall when this last happened...I'm really not sure. I'm so happy, though. I'm drinking coffee, reading my Google reader with its hundreds of articles, and I have no less than 12 tabs on this Explorer screen.
We do have to leave at some point, although I'm not sure where I will go. Annie has volleyball and soccer tonight at exactly the same time....I hate it when that happens. I was soooo hoping for rain, but the day looks to be fabulous.
It has been a wild 'n woolly week. Sunday: church, baseball, soccer, AWANA, whew!
Monday: work and baseball. Small group was cancelled. Hmmm....Monday.....
Monday was one of those days when I would make small progress and fall back in a much more significant amount....you know, I ended the day farther behind than when I started. So, when I got home to pick up a daughter who had left already and I realized I had driven at least 30 minutes extra for no apparent reason, I pulled a stubborn mule and, figuratively, sat down. I decided I was not attending Trav's first baseball game. Ok, please know there was more to it than just the frustrations of the day....but as I settled down, I knew I should go. So, I headed on down to the town on the other side of the world from here, and discovered Trav wasn't playing. I muttered more than once, "He should've just missed practice on Friday and gone to the concert with us!"....well, it may have been a bit more than a mutter....then lo and behold, they bring him in....to pitch. Ugh.
I love, love, love watching the boy play baseball....put him in, coach! In the infield, that is....NOT PITCHING! I found myself unable to take a deep breath. I quickly became very involved in a friend's request to load her new cell full of cool ringtones via bluetooth. (Yes, I have some pretty fab ringtones, if I say so myself.) We were up 9-7 when he came in.....it was tense. He allowed one unearned run until we found ourselves in the bottom of the last inning, 2 outs, runners on, (of course with the new run, it is now 9-8), and he delivers the pitch. The batter, who I know well and is one of the best players in the region, hit a screaming line drive waaaaaaaaaay out......straight to the center fielder, who caught it quite handily. Game over. My victorious, "Yes!" set my physical therapy back a few days, but it was so very worth it. I might add, in case you haven't heard, that the regional newspaper called my son's performance, "Stellar". I like that word very much.
After some Pizza Inn and "24", I was happy to put that day to rest. Then Tuesday came along.
Tuesday began with roughly 473 items on my "to do" list. Not one was checked off by the end of the day. I became frustrated with "less than stellar" customer service (don't you just love that word?), extreme rudeness displayed by a larger than normal amount of people (there are some great stories there, but unless you can see the storytelling in person, the entertainment value gets lost...sorry) and the fact that we get to shell out ANOTHER few thousand dollars for MORE braces this summer. By the later part of the day, I was lower than a snake's belly in a wagon rut. Well, not really, but it sounded good. I was ever so glad to get to the baseball game and see another "stellar" performance. Fifty mph winds across a dirt infield make for some gritty teeth, but hey, it's part of it. What isn't part of it, however, is playing two innings through torrential rains with players sliding in the mud trying to get to the ball and get the out. Considering that the conditions were a bit of an improvement to the rest of the day wasn't very comforting, so I was happy to get home, fix supper and bask in a short but very warm bath, knowing Wednesday would be much better.
And it was.
A good haircut does wonders for a lot of things, doesn't it? That and a trip to my favorite BBQ place for lunch and I was a happy camper. I taught the Wed night class of upper elementary kids...we talked about the tongue. I'm forever in need of reminders about the evils of my tongue. The number of scriptures about it astound me. There are so many places where the tongue and the heart are so closely intertwined, it is apparent that the state of the heart is instrumental in what escapes our mouths. I'm glad I was able to teach...I needed to hear it. I think maybe they did, too.
So, I have high hopes for today. Laundry (lots of wet, muddy clothes in there, you know...from that ballgame). Online work. Homeschool research. A blog post (check). LOTS of homeschool. Housework...ooohhhh, the housework. But if I'm actually home, I can get at least some of it done. Thank you, Lord!
One last thing: The Revive/Brandon Heath/ThirdDay concert Friday night was spectacular. They rocked the place! We LOVED all three performances! If you get a chance to see any of them, TAKE IT!
We do have to leave at some point, although I'm not sure where I will go. Annie has volleyball and soccer tonight at exactly the same time....I hate it when that happens. I was soooo hoping for rain, but the day looks to be fabulous.
It has been a wild 'n woolly week. Sunday: church, baseball, soccer, AWANA, whew!
Monday: work and baseball. Small group was cancelled. Hmmm....Monday.....
Monday was one of those days when I would make small progress and fall back in a much more significant amount....you know, I ended the day farther behind than when I started. So, when I got home to pick up a daughter who had left already and I realized I had driven at least 30 minutes extra for no apparent reason, I pulled a stubborn mule and, figuratively, sat down. I decided I was not attending Trav's first baseball game. Ok, please know there was more to it than just the frustrations of the day....but as I settled down, I knew I should go. So, I headed on down to the town on the other side of the world from here, and discovered Trav wasn't playing. I muttered more than once, "He should've just missed practice on Friday and gone to the concert with us!"....well, it may have been a bit more than a mutter....then lo and behold, they bring him in....to pitch. Ugh.
I love, love, love watching the boy play baseball....put him in, coach! In the infield, that is....NOT PITCHING! I found myself unable to take a deep breath. I quickly became very involved in a friend's request to load her new cell full of cool ringtones via bluetooth. (Yes, I have some pretty fab ringtones, if I say so myself.) We were up 9-7 when he came in.....it was tense. He allowed one unearned run until we found ourselves in the bottom of the last inning, 2 outs, runners on, (of course with the new run, it is now 9-8), and he delivers the pitch. The batter, who I know well and is one of the best players in the region, hit a screaming line drive waaaaaaaaaay out......straight to the center fielder, who caught it quite handily. Game over. My victorious, "Yes!" set my physical therapy back a few days, but it was so very worth it. I might add, in case you haven't heard, that the regional newspaper called my son's performance, "Stellar". I like that word very much.
After some Pizza Inn and "24", I was happy to put that day to rest. Then Tuesday came along.
Tuesday began with roughly 473 items on my "to do" list. Not one was checked off by the end of the day. I became frustrated with "less than stellar" customer service (don't you just love that word?), extreme rudeness displayed by a larger than normal amount of people (there are some great stories there, but unless you can see the storytelling in person, the entertainment value gets lost...sorry) and the fact that we get to shell out ANOTHER few thousand dollars for MORE braces this summer. By the later part of the day, I was lower than a snake's belly in a wagon rut. Well, not really, but it sounded good. I was ever so glad to get to the baseball game and see another "stellar" performance. Fifty mph winds across a dirt infield make for some gritty teeth, but hey, it's part of it. What isn't part of it, however, is playing two innings through torrential rains with players sliding in the mud trying to get to the ball and get the out. Considering that the conditions were a bit of an improvement to the rest of the day wasn't very comforting, so I was happy to get home, fix supper and bask in a short but very warm bath, knowing Wednesday would be much better.
And it was.
A good haircut does wonders for a lot of things, doesn't it? That and a trip to my favorite BBQ place for lunch and I was a happy camper. I taught the Wed night class of upper elementary kids...we talked about the tongue. I'm forever in need of reminders about the evils of my tongue. The number of scriptures about it astound me. There are so many places where the tongue and the heart are so closely intertwined, it is apparent that the state of the heart is instrumental in what escapes our mouths. I'm glad I was able to teach...I needed to hear it. I think maybe they did, too.
So, I have high hopes for today. Laundry (lots of wet, muddy clothes in there, you know...from that ballgame). Online work. Homeschool research. A blog post (check). LOTS of homeschool. Housework...ooohhhh, the housework. But if I'm actually home, I can get at least some of it done. Thank you, Lord!
One last thing: The Revive/Brandon Heath/ThirdDay concert Friday night was spectacular. They rocked the place! We LOVED all three performances! If you get a chance to see any of them, TAKE IT!
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