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!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
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"......
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