tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107757102024-03-18T21:50:15.216-05:00Simply SandyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger342125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-32899241547472754252011-02-14T09:53:00.003-06:002011-02-14T10:31:45.864-06:0016 Wonderful Things About Becca<div style="text-align: center;">She's fearless:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70855226@N00/5445523268/" title="img093b by sandymom, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5053/5445523268_0fe2f76f1e.jpg" width="290" height="274" alt="img093b" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She's fashion forward:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70855226@N00/5444921841/" title="img096 by sandymom, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/5444921841_f2c6652a51.jpg" width="437" height="324" alt="img096" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She can do a "do":</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70855226@N00/5444921817/" title="img095 by sandymom, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5219/5444921817_f394fd806b.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="img095" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She's helpful:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70855226@N00/5444921795/" title="img094 by sandymom, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5219/5444921795_975e285367.jpg" width="323" height="500" alt="img094" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She's a good listener:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70855226@N00/5444921957/" title="img100 by sandymom, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4150/5444921957_961ecbe8ff.jpg" width="360" height="289" alt="img100" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And a good talker:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70855226@N00/5445523186/" title="img101 by sandymom, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5018/5445523186_8e1b419260.jpg" width="324" height="326" alt="img101" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She knows the value of a good nap:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70855226@N00/5445523098/" title="img097 by sandymom, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5216/5445523098_40e0d7c360.jpg" width="447" height="324" alt="img097" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She loves her brothers:</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70855226@N00/5445523240/" title="img089b by sandymom, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/5445523240_3e8ec2b9b1.jpg" width="260" height="349" alt="img089b" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She cooks:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70855226@N00/5445523222/" title="img103 by sandymom, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/5445523222_87c73e3d5c.jpg" width="456" height="322" alt="img103" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And cleans:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70855226@N00/5444921939/" title="img099 by sandymom, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5015/5444921939_859bba9fdb.jpg" width="445" height="324" alt="img099" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She's a clown:</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70855226@N00/5444921919/" title="img098 by sandymom, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/5444921919_a928984320.jpg" width="419" height="324" alt="img098" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She's always ready for a new adventure: </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70855226@N00/5444921579/" title="img088 by sandymom, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5291/5444921579_23b58179ae.jpg" width="399" height="326" alt="img088" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She loves animals- even when they don't love her back:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70855226@N00/5445522820/" title="img087 by sandymom, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/5445522820_b4e916f1a7.jpg" width="330" height="500" alt="img087" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She's a good friend:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70855226@N00/5444922001/" title="img102 by sandymom, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5300/5444922001_3ef9b4e2ba.jpg" width="391" height="299" alt="img102" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She loves God:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70855226@N00/5445522922/" title="img090 by sandymom, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5138/5445522922_b067a86d51.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="img090" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She's our princess:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70855226@N00/5444921731/" title="img092 by sandymom, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/5444921731_008d5bea4b.jpg" width="318" height="458" alt="img092" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Happy Sweet Sixteen, beautiful girl! We love you.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70855226@N00/5445608620/" title=". by sandymom, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5253/5445608620_3d2cf393d1.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="." /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-90946560382604340262010-10-11T10:42:00.008-05:002010-10-11T11:48:20.452-05:00Daybook for October 11<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 148px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2K8muqg-gKw0hmnZoOBAiFPOvoQ5HCjZreAveuF9_dHRsiPUNvT2Hoy90qSCA7IZbXs0kRJOEqobFu3JHnd0y8_tTe1QN6tKY1Cv-VNDUlise2vNnxwkeSRI9DZq4maQNmij/s400/simple-woman-daybook-small.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526814717694560770" /><b><br /></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px;line-height: 18px; "><div style="text-align: center; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Daybook for October 11, 2010:</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Outside my window... </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">a beautiful sunny fall day, even if it's on the too-warm side</span></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span">I am thankful... <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">that my parents have closed on a house right down the road! We love having them here, and they help me so much. They kids are excited that they have bought a house with a pool. The only bad thing is that they are close enough for the kids to easily get there on their own, but they have to cross a four-lane road to do it- Yikes!</span></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">I am wearing... <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">my 4-H T-shirt (because I'm leading the 4-H Club Meeting later this afternoon) and my new jeans that I got for 25¢ at a yard sale on Saturday: SCORE! I can shop every store at the mall and not find jeans that fit right, so it's a big thrill to find some in a yard sale.</span></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">In the learning room... <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> Co-op break was Friday, but the kids (supposedly) went ahead and finished their school assignments for this week. We'll see. Ben is upstairs doing his math on the computer, and Becca is supposed to be doing her math too, but is more likely on Facebook. John Mark is supposed to be doing his math but is preparing the club activity for the 4-H meeting instead.</span></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">I am remembering...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> that my sister's birthday is at the end of the month. She is finishing her medical residency this year and still remembers to send us cards for our birthdays, and I'm always late with hers. Sigh.</span></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">I am going... <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">to the AT&T store tonight to pick up my new iPhone! One of the Kindergartners spilled a cup of water inside my purse (!) and killed my old cell phone. Since our contract was up for renewal anyway, and our area FINALLY got 3G a couple of months ago, John decided we should just go ahead and get the new iPhones. Yay!</span></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span">On my mind... <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">all the things I have to do this week! The Christian school where I'm subbing is on break this week, so I have four days in which to accomplish many things: finish moving John Mark into his new room, change the family over from summer clothes to winter clothes, complete as many of my co-op lessons as possible, get Philip started on his science fair project, help John Mark move his budget over to an envelope system... </span></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span">From the kitchen... <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">leftover hamburgers and hotdogs from the cookout yesterday. Mmmmm!</span></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Around the house... <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">we hosted our small group at our house this weekend, so John cleaned up the yard and powerwashed the porches. They're nice and clean for now, but I heard him fussing at a spider who dared to spin a new web on his spotless front porch.</span></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; "></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">One of my favorite things... <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">my small town's BBQ Festival. It is one of my favorite events of the year, and this year John and I went on Thursday night... and Friday night... and Saturday! It was fabulous.</span><br /><br />From my camera... </span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Frustration!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCMmvvWg7UH6SsIRMYJY8G3HzKrHdBSjkboyCvRwhJOoe8tSTf4n9LAQzKtJGWX_V0_lfd3ueBZG0FVj21RHz3lLFJMbk9p3gKgXBq3S3J65I3lQHgFruOT2FWR7n5qh9NYfLZ/s400/Aug2010+007.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526823547997801090" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">with vocabulary...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXehImJpwV28dlFNtDC9AFej3NG5sbnrgrH_TdnhjxGnK33k0SYe_VEe0UIolh6fHbVO_wQHTNhAmUR6PlmRUKziUdgqSnzWOp2jZYIQDtv_70cXcncUq6QdDNHg1FjzY6hlI_/s400/Aug2010+009.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526824463566398146" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">and Rachma</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">ninoff...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKx6UjeYpx0JlPnschdE2A2ntIK5JdxBHIqpsUlPgKPwkYKT_sfAN5epWLVkQ3-TyFm6vvEfnMCNi_zn2lqYF44JdSdWoDleWn7e5M83Hmv7u02wLWxUJKmVWh3CAzTsWiOhP4/s400/Aug2010+006.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 374px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526825087980137298" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> and especially math!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div></span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN0djpeKcB8EITY1N7_fSrqp0ZulZxV8V5htR3m2rlYrMTv18PmvvoGd6jEYvGAURNhFbu3x6yHeZq4c22wtCiU7kGP2b6ngrxyrAntzp5dOYWQFcOhYpVaV-IPPfMhGoMy1K5/s400/Aug2010+010.jpg" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526825256105546338" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN0djpeKcB8EITY1N7_fSrqp0ZulZxV8V5htR3m2rlYrMTv18PmvvoGd6jEYvGAURNhFbu3x6yHeZq4c22wtCiU7kGP2b6ngrxyrAntzp5dOYWQFcOhYpVaV-IPPfMhGoMy1K5/s1600/Aug2010+010.jpg"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Even the cat is frustrated.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-86634121542828339572010-09-21T16:24:00.000-05:002010-09-21T16:24:53.638-05:00Sketch Tuesday: Something with Whiskers<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyb2r-XjTmA_hLOAe7ZVEebXlm_aKDQLDfyZ0wLJO9wpKdCnWPFrHCIjHbNaEQUdvQOPZnucfYUTQlKSTqOMIHDouwYLObz-DeeUImMFOuBPA3wX270hgc88U7kpHGZHOpHlI/s400/SketchTuesdayButton2.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 185px; height: 100px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519205398978510930" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The kids have been having "Art Class with GranMartha" once a week, and when I found Sketch Tuesday at <a href="http://harmonyartmom.blogspot.com/">Harmony Art Mom</a>, I knew they'd be interested! She has a new theme each week, and this week's theme was "something with whiskers". The end results were pretty tame after all the wild ideas I heard floating around this week:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YZpmdwlAWvE9pLwZERsSnZUcc1cq5pwMgGYATmsDe2uWLzKJjf97z-gzCNiM__zYequiTYFzlugbV647_AqDvK2n-8OCDoHsKtyehOBJJMLrQvaiWUtsM7B0RkGiQG_LsFbB/s400/img005.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 309px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519206104402517058" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwmkMLcy4bzq0sog-S3A2S71FsK_ARGk7b9TNhMECI-DTSrfK8aYrhDrP-XL1wpnm3dBIrawiMvKaMk-5AKTmM54rLfuLjy1GU3A3CTt8JhIp-M1SE8TX3lwdUl2GEY3nGGQd7/s400/Ben+09-20-10.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 321px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519205841309446066" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKQQSR2AekP-TGLBiUDWp3e0Vo2jYLmkFwXWzo6-1V4_Dj320tyY4XW6I8hCNTevbT1OjlUbWab1yR2wcVIZN4RN3hAeVXG4PwNp6ymPUSVeBAoyaDFUT4wgC1Z8bpJkTFO5h/s400/Philip+09-20-10.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 309px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519206236369443042" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTH2Glc9f93354Xdc0xB9PgR60Po8SnhA87QmDwzVrpJsxft3XA7eRlTSFdrikGAhaAmd7ZnSOHLvwuf5OjMUg3XqVXdSI9cnrDUYALZKTwhsIBsyg7WV1LxlLQygyqIWCeQ_/s400/img006.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 355px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519206172089902914" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-90124535690792141612010-09-20T23:23:00.001-05:002010-09-20T23:23:50.398-05:00Daybook for September 20<div><div align="center"><a href="http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396928317673344210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 148px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 210px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_leps7mnEtF8Vy0xvRgFl87mIrksCVPrGrBuS2sZ1aNiYVXkOFmiRp2rePRGqaDgGVB44pVdgW7aX858D7S5fHf8BJO9FjcgnzT_9YtomrraibqVLC-cCqiYUyjbfL7sdliiU/s400/simple-woman-daybook-small.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div><div align="center"><strong>FOR TODAY September 20...</strong> </div><div align="center"></div></div><div><div align="center"><strong>Outside my window...</strong> is a dark sultry evening. Much too hot when I'm in the mood for fall!</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am wearing...</strong> denim capris and a gray Colts tee that was rejected by one of the older kids- not "cool" enough, I suppose.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>From our studies...</strong> a biography about Harriet Tubman in literature and the Napoleonic Wars in history. And lots of math. Lots.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>From the kitchen...</strong> Blackened chicken sandwiches for dinner tonight (the smoke alarm went off because the house was full of smoke) and Tortilla Soup in the crock pot tomorrow.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am creating... </strong>I went to an all-weekend scrapbook crop this past weekend and had the most wonderful time (even though I did not win the grand prize Cricut... again. Oh well.) I even got 13 pages completed!</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am going...</strong> to school tomorrow! I'm substitute teaching this fall at a nearby private school for a teacher who is going on maternity leave. She's not actually on leave yet, but I go over about once a week so that I can learn the kids' routine and they will be familiar with me by the time she delivers in a couple of weeks. My mom is helping me with my own kids, because we are continuing to homeschool them as well. Since the school only meets M-Th, we can still participate in co-op on Fridays. I am feeling a little schizophrenic this fall. </div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am reading...</strong> I recently finished "Mockingjay", the last of the Hunger Games Trilogy. It was not as good as the other two books.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am hearing...</strong> a quiet house. John Mark is still messing around in his room, and John may or may not have fallen asleep on the couch. Everyone else is out for the night. </div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>Around the house...</strong> we are in the process of moving my office into the downstairs den so that John Mark can have his own room. It's a work in progress, since I have to find places for an entire room's worth of stuff. However, I like having my desk in the den much more than I thought I would.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>One of my favorite things... </strong>a clean, organized desk. How long will it last?</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>A few plans for the rest of the week...</strong> Ladies Bible Study on Thursday, maybe lunch afterwards? Ben also goes to the orthodontist to get spacers put in to prep for braces, and then co-op on Friday.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am thankful...</strong> that this school year has worked out well so far. I stressed all last spring about co-op, about what to do with my teens, about how to pay for everything. God is good.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>From my picture journal... </strong>a recent co-op field trip to see the Nina and the Pinta</div></div><div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4RhgTf_Yom_mPA4tsHse98QtP0rB1zaufts_4XhBec4gUMvGRgDhjSYIZ8j6CeDMy8TH-Xsn473IRnzeenJxwUtEcFuXDPgI_Wc3X0-gbM6xzj_RGHJriW9h7yVCdWDg1o4Gj/s1600/Aug2010+012.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4RhgTf_Yom_mPA4tsHse98QtP0rB1zaufts_4XhBec4gUMvGRgDhjSYIZ8j6CeDMy8TH-Xsn473IRnzeenJxwUtEcFuXDPgI_Wc3X0-gbM6xzj_RGHJriW9h7yVCdWDg1o4Gj/s400/Aug2010+012.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519212975401890210" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-27744617747809762502009-11-09T08:56:00.008-06:002009-11-09T10:14:47.294-06:00Daybook for November 9<div align="center"><a href="http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396928317673344210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 148px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 210px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_leps7mnEtF8Vy0xvRgFl87mIrksCVPrGrBuS2sZ1aNiYVXkOFmiRp2rePRGqaDgGVB44pVdgW7aX858D7S5fHf8BJO9FjcgnzT_9YtomrraibqVLC-cCqiYUyjbfL7sdliiU/s400/simple-woman-daybook-small.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><strong>FOR TODAY November 9...</strong> </div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"><strong>Outside my window... </strong>Our maple trees are finally thinking about turning yellow. They're always such Johnny-come-latelies. Philip did manage to rake a large pile yesterday-- for entertainment purposes, of course! </div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am pondering...</strong> the passage of the Health Care bill by the House. I had hoped they could delay it until next year, but now it seems on its way to reality... and it scares me.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>From our studies...</strong> Philip and Ben are reading about Lewis & Clark, and there is currently jar of an unidentified red liquid on my kitchen counter that the boys tell me is for making crystals. Considering the number of times the jar has been shaken, stirred, moved and otherwise disturbed, I can't imagine <em>what</em> exactly will be coming out of that jar, but it should be interesting.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>From the kitchen...</strong> BBQ Chicken in the crockpot tonight, so something will be ready when we get back from the 4-H meeting. 4-H meetings wear me out!</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am thinking...</strong> that John and I had a great time on our bicycle ride Saturday morning! I'm pretty sure I was in college the last time I rode a bike any distance, but he started riding this summer as an alternative to his daily walks. He tried to talk me into walking with him this weekend since Becca, his regular walking partner, was gone to a youth rally, but we finally settled on biking. He let me ride his bike, which has a more comfortable seat, but I still have a sore tush today! </div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am going...</strong> to take the kids to 4-H this afternoon, and we have some exchanges to make at Kohls, since it's by the 4-H office.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am reading...</strong> Finished <em>The Last Song</em>, by Nicholas Sparks last night and rather liked it, in spite of the fact that he killed off <em>another</em> one of his characters! </div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am hoping...</strong> that the cold weather will come back. I think October and November got mixed up somehow.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am hearing...</strong> <em>What Child Is This?</em> played by Benjamin. Over and over. And over again. And then I'm sure Philip will practice <em>O Holy Night</em>. Over and over. And over again. They are practicing for the piano recital in December, and December just can't come soon enough.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>Around the house...</strong> we still have remnants of Halloween that must be put back in storage... usually this happens about the time I'm pulling out the Christmas decorations. But we hosted Care group last night, and things are reasonably clean again! </div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>One of my favorite things...</strong> A quiet house, with no one home but me. Saturday was a beautiful day, so after our bike ride, John took Nathanael fishing out at the dam. The three older kids were at the youth rally, and Ben, who is not much of an outdoorsy kind of kid, went to play at the neighbor's. I had the house all to myself for about three fabulous hours... <em>ahhhh</em>. It's a rare, wonderful thing.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>A few plans for the rest of the week...</strong> Just the normal activities this week, but then, I said that last week, forgetting that six of us had dentist appointments all Tuesday afternoon, and a Gen J meeting for the high schoolers, and a parents meeting at choir. Who knows what I'm forgetting this week? </div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am thankful for...</strong> good friends! I ran my first 5K at the end of September, and my friend Penny offered to run with me. I didn't think it would matter whether I had anyone running with me, but in the end, I was really happy to have her support and encouragement. We ran a good race together! <p></p></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402129675081706146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 252px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpaf70CvjjJwTE8A1yPd6Pgm9FetSWTvLHbno00hEZh4iIazIhN13ehNQCjmMWg2D8Ev4pCPjijAXC5YR5ogkNm-dLCta0QMBfy9spyhqYPukEzFXJH-DRN84QPxS_WaEc_aK/s400/004copy.jpg" border="0" /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:78%;">To see more Daybooks, visit <a href="http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/">The Simple Woman's Daybook.</a></span></em> </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-76586659394782114222009-11-02T09:13:00.005-06:002009-11-02T09:59:33.369-06:00Daybook for November 2<div align="center"><a href="http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396928317673344210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 148px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 210px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_leps7mnEtF8Vy0xvRgFl87mIrksCVPrGrBuS2sZ1aNiYVXkOFmiRp2rePRGqaDgGVB44pVdgW7aX858D7S5fHf8BJO9FjcgnzT_9YtomrraibqVLC-cCqiYUyjbfL7sdliiU/s400/simple-woman-daybook-small.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><strong>FOR TODAY November 2...</strong> </div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"><strong>Outside my window... </strong>Sunshine! We've had SO much rain, and many gray days lately. But today is a beautiful day. Our poor mulberry trees, which really took a beating during January's ice storm, have lost all their leaves throughout the center and on the top, but not on the sides. They look like little old bald men, trying to hang on to their last fringes of hair. </div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am thankful... </strong>for Allstate's Accident Forgiveness. I scraped our piano teacher's red Monte Carlo while I was backing out of our driveway last week. Sigh.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>From our studies...</strong> Nathanael is working in his writing book at the table next to me. He loves to write, but I have told him no more stories about Star Wars or Batman. This mom can only take so much!</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>From the kitchen...</strong> Hot oatmeal for breakfast this morning, and peach yogurt. Tonight, everyone will make their own mini-pizzas, one of the kids' favorite meals.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am wearing...</strong> Jeans, a pink top and a beige cable-knit hoodie cardigan. (Does the word "hoodie" bother anyone besides me?) </div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am thinking...</strong> about how much fun John and I had at the dance Friday night! There were lots of people there, and many came in costume. John didn't think he would enjoy it, but we both had a great time. We figured out our swing dance moves this week!</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am going...</strong> across town to Aldi's, to see if I can get some cheap groceries. May stop at the half-price consignment sale and see if anything interesting is left.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am reading...</strong> <em>The Last Song</em>, by Nicholas Sparks. I generally have a low tolerance for teenage love stories, but I do like Nicholas Sparks as long as he doesn't kill off his main characters, as he was in the habit of doing for a while.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am hoping...</strong> that the cat will remember that she really does enjoy using her litter box. She's been in rebellion lately, and it is definitely taking a toll on my patience!</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am hearing...</strong> It's fairly quiet around here... odd. The boys must be laying low after I threatened to throw every bit of Halloween candy in the trash if they didn't stop arguing about it.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>Around the house...</strong> I have some serious cleaning to do! My bathroom is beyond ick and there is lots of muddy laundry, thanks to all the rain.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>One of my favorite things...</strong> A fabulous yard sale! I stopped by one late Saturday afternoon and bought five pair of pants for $5.25... and four of them fit! Whoo-hoo!</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>A few plans for the rest of the week:</strong> Just the normal activities this week. The three oldest kids will be gone to a church youth event this coming weekend, and I have to get the planning done for next Monday's 4-H club meeting. </div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>From my Picture Journal:</strong> Halloween night. The three oldest kids went off to a youth group Halloween party, and after John took the little boys around the neighborhood, he built a fire in the chiminea and we roasted hot dogs and S'mores. It was a perfect fall evening!</div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399532302212597442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iAnTXC_dSi5GAdSGXNGDcYQCg0ErBmfL5ukYaC2Q9xdEyTT086UuwfSp3BBbvbhlFIAVH5wWJXehYoKvGETxOocGxOQ1TlBoHLtQbn3wcre7Zs9nBYDSwphJC9Alcd-fB7r4/s400/000_2255_edited-1.jpg" border="0" /> <em><span style="font-size:78%;">To see more Daybooks, visit <a href="http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/">The Simple Woman's Daybook.</a></span></em> </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-87535802272496577232009-10-26T09:31:00.012-05:002009-10-26T10:41:23.954-05:00Daybook for October 26<div align="center"><a href="http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396928317673344210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 148px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 210px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_leps7mnEtF8Vy0xvRgFl87mIrksCVPrGrBuS2sZ1aNiYVXkOFmiRp2rePRGqaDgGVB44pVdgW7aX858D7S5fHf8BJO9FjcgnzT_9YtomrraibqVLC-cCqiYUyjbfL7sdliiU/s400/simple-woman-daybook-small.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><strong>FOR TODAY October 26...</strong> </div><div align="center"><br /><strong>Outside my window... </strong>cool and partly cloudy. Yesterday was the most gorgeous fall day, though, and last night was a *perfect* night for Trunk-or-Treat and a bonfire behind the church afterwards!</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am thinking...</strong> of emails I need to send (I love email... I am so not a phone person!) and the items I need to find at the consignor's sale tonight. I usually don't have to buy the kids a lot of clothes any more, but it turns out that Nathanael only had about 3 shirts come out of the winter box of clothes. I guess that's what happens when you're child #5.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am thankful... </strong>that Upward football season is over. I can have my Saturday mornings back- yay!</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>From our studies...</strong> Catching up on Algebra and Physics; studying the "Triangle of Trade" and the African slave ships in history; making a model of some yet-to-be-determined animal habitat; and finishing up this week's lapbook on Cephalopods (did you know that's what octopuses and squid are?)</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>From the kitchen...</strong> You know, Mondays just aren't good kitchen days for me-- we're out of everything! But I hope I can manage Blackened Chicken Sandwiches for dinner tonight after Track Club <em>(or did we eat the chicken already?) </em></div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am wearing...</strong> still in my favorite pink house robe and blue terry slippers, because I'm still gathering the energy to put on my running clothes and head out the door. Not a phone person, and not a morning person either :-)</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am creating...</strong> Do you know I did not go scrapbooking on Friday?? The Hunter Duo did not get out the door until after 7PM, and I hadn't finished getting everything ready for consignment. It was a very sad thing.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am going...</strong> running, as soon as I get the kids settled into something time-consuming. The dog will be so happy- he gets all excited every time he sees me putting on my shoes, but I haven't taken him anywhere in several days.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am reading...</strong> I finished <em>Into Thin Air</em> by Jon Krakauer this weekend. It's a harrowing first-hand account of the Mt. Everest climbing disaster that killed 5 people in 1996. Compelling story-telling!</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am hoping...</strong> that the box turtle on the front porch really is hibernating, as the turtle book says he should be and is not, in fact, dead.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am hearing...</strong> It's a complaining sort of morning around here: we ran out of milk, which gets everyone off on the wrong foot. At least there's Halloween candy to make up for the dairy deficit.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>Around the house...</strong> All the hunting gear from John and Philip's Youth Hunt expedition must be washed and put up again. The laundry room is much roomier, thanks to the loads of clothes and other junk taken to Consignment and Goodwill this weekend! The upstairs carpets are freshly cleaned (at least some parts), thanks to the Very Dirty Dog and the Very Bad Cat. I'll be picking up contraband candy wrappers for the next several weeks. </div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>One of my favorite things...</strong> October afternoons! I ran an errand downtown last week, and the late-afternoon sun made everything seem bathed in gold. I felt like a kid just getting out of school, with an entire day of adventure still before me... but I had to go to the grocery. Sigh.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>A few plans for the rest of the week:</strong> Must gather (and hem as necessary) four chorus uniforms before Thursday night; our wonderful friend Ross will be here to help John Mark with Physics before church on Wednesday; and on Friday night, John promised to take me dancing!</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>From my Picture Journal:</strong> Me and my Granny, this past July. Granny always mailed each grandchild a card on every holiday, but since she injured her wrist a couple of years ago, she can barely write any more. I must remember to put her Halloween card in the mail this week.</div><p><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396928061832143250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 281px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtE6eP2FiaKAw1Sxaa6b8OAjbPsLb7w_oe-bzD0y8AMQUkUI3yiFYxORlMWPviOzVgx_M636h-8quDxFvJWiKZPkMz-UoLUwWK959QZO6BwXhb9MOgjVubldRsbj8w343YIW6V/s400/000_2231.jpg" border="0" /> <em><span style="font-size:78%;">To see more Daybooks, visit <a href="http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/">The Simple Woman's Daybook.</a></span></em> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-85793779770797789462009-10-19T10:00:00.013-05:002009-10-19T13:05:24.207-05:00Daybook for October 19<strong></strong><a href="http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394326838358374354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 148px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 210px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SCa5dxxDfNnSJM3tM9llS9YfE6Z5C-6o_UjlLanG9h2P_lWpnpdpC8zstiKpNVEnvu2J0zxwm4UzVLPpQnuyTzYXCQUCd4epNfdofR6ajonlgONDVWSQYyTrmLGuKcbL9XLY/s400/simple-woman-daybook-small.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><strong>FOR TODAY October 19...</strong> <p></p></div><div align="center"><strong>Outside my window... </strong>is a beautiful, crisp sunny morning! So wonderful after all the gray, rainy days from the past two weeks</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am thinking...</strong> of a long list of to-do items: calls to make, bills to pay, 4-H Club business to handle, math to grade</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am thankful... </strong>that John has finished some major tasks at home and at church. He was almost giddy with excitement this morning!</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>From our studies...</strong> Today is the day to finish up the bulk of the science lapbook on mollusks. Ben and Philip are reading <em>The</em> <em>Witch of Blackbird Pond</em> and the high schoolers are reading <em>Till We Have Faces</em> by C.S. Lewis.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>From the kitchen...</strong> must use the porkchops in the fridge tonight. Boring, but I'm glad they're there so I don't have to make a grocery run. John Mark is restarting last night's bonfire in the garden so the boys can roast hot dogs for lunch, but I'm going to have couscous and chickpeas instead. It's definitely time for a grocery run.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am wearing...</strong> a cozy blue cotton jog suit, pulled out of the winter clothes for the first time this morning </div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am creating...</strong> it's been too long since I've created anything, but I do have scrapbooking plans for the weekend, while John and Philip go on the Youth Hunt</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am going...</strong> nowhere, until I take the kids to Track Club tonight!</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am reading...</strong> <em>Under the Tuscan Sun</em> by Frances Mayes. Her writing is lyrical, beautiful</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am hoping...</strong> that John Mark's work will give him the time off he's asked for in November. I want him to be a good employee, but at this point in his life, there are other things that should take priority.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>I am hearing...</strong> John Mark going in and out the back door. The dog's tags jingling as he investigates John Mark's comings and goings. Ben talking to himself as he works on his math program on the computer. A fairly quiet morning around here.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>Around the house...</strong> it is unusually clean, since we worked all weekend to catch up on housework and yardwork in preparation for the Youth bonfire and cookout last night. Experience tells me the clean won't last for long, no matter how much I fuss, so I'll just enjoy it while it lasts.</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>One of my favorite things...</strong> running in the fall. The cool weather is great for running, and the scenery is beautiful</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>A few plans for the rest of the week:</strong> Ballroom Dance with John and football practice for the boys on Tuesday; Co-op and Praise Team practice on Wednesday; Ladies Bible Study, piano lessons, and Children's Chorus on Thursday; a scrapbooking crop on Friday (yay!); last football game, football banquet and clothes to the big consignment sale on Saturday; JAM worship and Trunk-or-Treat on Sunday</div><div align="center">~</div><div align="center"><strong>From my Picture Journal:</strong> Philip, at the pumpkin patch last fall. Photo taken by his lovely cousin, Becky</div><p><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394338519957293698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUhy9LnxgFtnh8ivmve7wA5K6B4U0uLjAxEVl8eibLx8sY4RqWYCiYhQwtRSjiJXqPt9vIdCxoANs8Pts-k8vccvnCGWvSuR_LCtQnAMxbAnKS4LM3MbGd6mYFVfjSZca3mA3/s400/n855780400_4661057_2812.jpg" border="0" /> </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><p><em><span style="font-size:78%;">To see more Daybooks, visit <a href="http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/">The Simple Woman's Daybook.</a></span></em></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-6864185207643649652009-08-30T16:15:00.019-05:002009-08-30T21:25:27.140-05:00Happy SeptemberI've declared this Happy September Week, and this week I'll be sharing all the things that are making me happy lately. (Because isn't that a lot better than listening to all the things I want to whine about?)<br /><p><strong>Co-op Break!</strong> We're five weeks in, and our homeschool co-op has gotten off to a great start this year. The co-op is quite a bit smaller than it's been in several years, but that has turned out to be a blessing: we're all enjoying the low-key, stress-free schedule that we keep now. Even so, there has been so much craziness with all the other stuff on our calendar that I'm glad to have a week to catch up and maybe feel a little more <em>together</em> when we begin again next week.</p><p><strong>Running--</strong> who woulda thunk??<em> </em>But it's true: for the first time in my life, I have a cardio activity that I actually enjoy. A couple of years ago, it occurred to me that I ought to be able to run around the block; it seemed like one of those life skills that might come in handy at some point. Alas, I could barely run to the stop sign at the end of the street! Besides, I was miserable every time I attempted to run, so I figured I was just one of those people that was not meant to run. But back in June, I received <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Running-Mortals-Commonsense-Plan-Changing/dp/1594863253/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251668970&sr=8-1">this book</a> from my <a href="http://www.paperbackswap.com/index.php?n=7&r_by=sandymom01%40yahoo.com">paperbackswap</a> wishlist, and it was exactly what I needed. A book for <em>real</em> beginners, a book that assumed you could not run to the stop sign at the end of the street. I read it... and began to run. I run three days a week and cross-train or rest on the in-between days. I do run-walk-run intervals, and that's probably why I enjoy it so much. It makes the time go really fast, and I don't get worn out. When I first began, I had already been exercising on the elliptical machine and walking for several months, so I was ready to begin running two minutes and walking three (at that point, I actually <em>could</em> have run to the stop sign at the end of the street- but not a lot farther!) Now I'm up to running eight minutes and walking one, and I'm training to run a local 5K at the end of September. <em>I know! </em>And I'm totally sold on run-walk intervals. If you want to know more, you can read about them at <a href="http://www.jeffgalloway.com/">Jeff Galloway's </a>site.</p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Artisan-Bread-Five-Minutes-Revolutionizes/dp/0312362919/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251666980&sr=8-1#reader"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375870129008259906" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmk_HYbwj-cLo9hWnVo5bYRmR-YmRHwxcPWafNy7hvjlWhWL-ZyLz0Pu7pNigvwR49DCsa20m1CNXQPtr921BtSwQx4fX1MwGEsV01KWjxEqJ4iWUjVpRazxrFtDnx9neORaEs/s200/bread.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong>Homemade bread! </strong>This cookbook has revolutionized (and added many calories) to my life. I now make homemade bread at least 3 times a week, and you <em>know</em> how much I hate to cook! But 5-minute bread? Even I can handle that-- and boy, is it good! You can see a demonstration of just how easy it is here: <center><p></p><object height="265" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JFJZPm-_2-M&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JFJZPm-_2-M&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object></center><br />And I just discovered that they have a new cookbook coming out in October: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312545525/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p14_t1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0HV2QTYBC0JBRX5EWV3H&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846">Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients</a><em>.</em> It will definitely be on my Christmas list!<br /><br />So what are you happy about this week?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-54434972726659426282009-08-09T17:19:00.007-05:002009-08-09T23:09:56.615-05:00What I Did This SummerHellooooo! Anyone still out there? Somehow life doesn't ever seem to slow down enough to let me gently back into blog-world, and all three of my blog readers have complained about my extended blog break :-). I'm just going to have to jump back in and hope for the best! If you've wondered what's been going on, here's what we've been up to:<br /><br />The kids have been camping: church camp (John Mark, Becca and Philip), <a href="http://www.campbarnabas.org/">Camp Barnabus</a> (John Mark and Becca go with our youth group to serve special needs kids for a week each July); IT Camp, Engineering Camp and CAD Camp at the local college (John Mark); Rocket Camp (Philip); Space Camp: Mission to Mars (Ben); and finally Space Camp: Mission Specialist Training (Nathanael). I'm going to do a happy dance on the day I finally send them all off to camp <em>at the same time</em>. And then I'll probably take a nap.<br /><br />House guests! My parents came and stayed with us from the beginning of May to the end of June, although they took a couple of side trips to see Grandma Crocker, Daddy D's mother. On their "off nights" with Grandma Crocker, we were visited by old friends from Baton Rouge, Jimmy and Connie, with their four kids; and then a couple of weeks later, Brent (John's best friend from middle school through college) came to see us with his wife, Yvonne, their two girls and Yvonne's parents! We definitely had a busy house during the month of June.... and it was lots of fun!<br /><br />The Great Washington D.C. Trip, Part III: Every few years, GranMartha and Daddy D take a group of the grandkids to Washington D.C, Williamsburg, and Jamestown. This year, it was Philip and Ben's turn, along with their cousin, Savannah (fortunately for GranMartha and Daddy D, all the cousins have been born in clumps of three :-). They were gone for about a week and half, and the boys report that they had a most excellent time!<br /><br /><em>Dogs. </em>Remember Lucky, the chocolate lab? He didn't last, poor guy. He just couldn't make it as an inside dog, and our neighbor on the corner had it in for him, so our friends, Penny and Rob, graciously took him in. But Lucky was a ramblin' sort of dog, and eventually rambled off to parts unknown. Maybe he wasn't so Lucky after all. But then... then came Solomon. Solomon is the new dog in town, a very <em>large</em>, sort of smelly, but very sweet black lab who is not quite a year old. He was John's Father's Day gift, and after a few potty and chewing mishaps, Solomon seems to be settling into the family quite nicely.<br /><br />Visits with friends! Not overnight friends this time; these are local friends, and we had some wonderful get-togethers this summer with Jessica and Ross, Ashley and Steven and their girls, Ian and Lisa, Penny and Rob, <em>and</em> I had a wonderful lunch with lovely Lynn. Did I mention that we've had a really fun time with our friends this summer?<br /><br />Trip to Indianapolis: Over the 4th of July weekend, we went to Indianapolis to visit John's family. We met his nephew, Cameron, for the first time (and Cameron is 18 months old!) He's very cute. I had a fabulous time shopping the Goodwills with my sister-in-law (Indianapolis has the most fabulous Goodwill stores-- they're more like really large consignment stores, but cheaper!); John hung out with his brothers; the grandkids played with the Grandparents; and we had a super-fun pool party and cook-out with all the extended family at Aunt Gayle's.<br /><br />I turned 40 (!) and John and I had our 18th anniversary. 40 really isn't so bad; the really scary thing is that in 10 years, I'll be 50-- Ack!! Anyway, after boycotting my birthday last year (he is a birthday rebel), John was fabulous this year: he took me shopping at the outlet mall in Indiana and bought me two new dresses that I <em>love, </em>and even though we were driving back home on the day of my birthday, he made a special trip to the store for cake and ice cream when we finally got home. Good husband!!<br /><br />4-H State Communications Days Competition: I drove Philip, Ben, and Nathanael to the state competition in July so Philip and Ben could compete. They both placed second in their categories, which was fabulous, considering that they had to completely prepare on their own this time around! We also went to see Granny, Aunt Mattie, and Half-Price Books (I've raised my boys right-- they love a book store as much as I do!)<br /><br />The Garden.... and oh, what a garden it is this year! John had some troubles at first: the cucumbers got some kind of cucumber bug and all died; the yellow squash, zucchini, and red onions completely rebelled and did not come up; and the corn got demolished first by a wind storm and then finished off by a family of skunks. BUT... tomatoes, oh my word, you have never seen such tomatoes! Enormous tomatoes, some the size of grapefruits, and hundreds of them! And the peppers! John planted several varieties of bell peppers, pepperoncinis, banana peppers and a few other varieties as well, and they are beautiful! We've loved our pepper patch, and we've also enjoyed the sweet onions, brussels sprouts and the red cabbage. (I had no idea what I was going to do with an entire row of red cabbage, but I've got a fabulous spinach-tortellini salad that calls for red cabbage). Our garden has done well for us this year, and we have loved picking dinner right out of the back yard!<br /><br />Our poor sad vehicles... I know, this is boring. But it would've made an interesting blog post to explain the checklist procedure one must follow to get John's long-suffering mini-van started (yes, the one he took <a href="http://sandymom.blogspot.com/2007/09/two-week-recap.html">off-roading</a>); it has a push-button starter now. John is the original car hacker. As much as we would love to take advantage of Cash-for-Clunkers (clunkers are all we have around here!) we decided we were better off utilizing what we already have, so... we took the transmission <em>out</em> of the tan van and stuck it in the dying red van ($400- whoopee!) And John finally fixed the Honda so John Mark could...<br /><br />Get his learner's permit! It will be another wonderful day when he gets his license, because he'll be able to take over my job chauffeuring his sister to and from her many social engagements-- yippee!!<br /><br />School: I was so stressed out by the end of the last school year-- you should be so happy I was not blogging! I would have been all <em>"whah, whah, whah, blah, blah, whah, whah, whah...."</em> We ended the school year in a whirl of activity: Civics Club trip to the state capital to page for the Senate, a trip to the Renaissance Fair (in the rain- very <em>authentic</em>), piano recital, chorus concert, various Awana and 4-H activities, trip to the homeschool curriculum fair in Nashville... I was Worn. Out. But things finally came together for this school year, I got a good bit of my lesson planning done, and we began school this past Wednesday. I think it's going to be a good year! Co-op is a much smaller group, and it's refreshingly peaceful :-). All of our other activities seem to be coming together pretty well too, so I have a happy feeling.<br /><br />And finally, I guess I should mention one of the major things that has kept me occupied over the past several months: my weight loss journey. It's really a long story, but the nutshell version is that I began going to Weight Watchers in January and surprisingly, I liked it! I like the program, I like the meetings, and best of all: it works for me. After John saw the success I was having, he began going to a 10-week Weight Watchers at Work, so we do it together now. I've lost 65 pounds since January, and he's probably lost... 40? (I don't really keep up with his weight). We both began walking, and after school was out, I began working out at the gym (now Becca and John Mark go with me). In order to keep this to the nutshell version, I'll stop the story there, but making time to exercise and just the <em>mental</em> energy required make healthy choices has definitely cut into my blog time. But it's been a good thing, yes?<br /><br />And that's what I did this summer.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-31587089866967139082009-07-05T05:15:00.000-05:002009-07-05T05:15:01.186-05:00Whoa...<div align="center"><span style="color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Today, this chica turns <span style="color:#ff0066;"><strong>*40*</strong></span><span style="color:#3333ff;">!!</span></span></span></span></div><p><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:180;color:#ff99ff;"><em></em></span></strong></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 269px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353510838316045954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9g7nW83JT1Y7Y4MiwEvJRxk32ONQRDFcS28ORKyXOysXk5JJ2wQqYSl_fOVHTZnAo_HMOq5-nXrb96FWM39xEp_fxLgeQdfqaEcXeR-kjFE6WaDbVEMeYDVJTEbDklBchxqp/s400/Venable1636.jpg" /><em> </em><p align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#3333ff;"><em>Happy Birthday to me!</em></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-65379722301345294342009-06-24T13:13:00.007-05:002009-06-25T16:25:02.423-05:00Kentucky Summer Part II<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350588027692181746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 270px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQL8pM1A45CxG4e92vPfXbN24T_SxmLnjRmLH6uckj3ccOSLwSNk9Ap2mwIplkg49Jf905-qyJewkVGk1MQdDisn5_JBs-BQeS6idF5TVJtFEmMQKif3OkYLWGUNZXyCukLvr/s400/Venable0638.jpg" border="0" />In June of 1978, the year my parents divorced, I had my first Kentucky Summer. I suppose no one knew quite what to do with me since school was out and my mom had gone to work, so Mama Adams, my father's grandmother, took me in for a few weeks. My mom bought me new white pants, a pink blouse, and <em>Charlotte's Web</em> to read on the plane, because not only was I going on a big plane, I was going <em>all by myself! </em>It was a grand adventure for an almost-9-year-old.<br /><br />Mama Adams lived in a large white Victorian-style home on the corner of Highland Street and Lexington Avenue. The wide front porch boasted a swing and an ancient glider, from which we watched the traffic go by every evening after <em>The Dating Game (</em>Mama Adams' favorite show) was over. Mama Adams kept an immaculate yard, with roses, snapdragons and all sorts of flowers in the front, and a vegetable garden in the back. The yard had a wire fence with a gate that was perfect for swinging on- even though I wasn't supposed to do that. I had to settle for swinging <em>around</em> and <em>around</em> on the street sign pole instead. Mrs. Allington, who was even older than Mama Adams, lived across the street, and I often visited her in the afternoons. Mama Adams would send her a frozen Swanson's pot pie, and after we had chatted and watched traffic for a half hour or so, Mrs. Allington always sent me home with a bright new quarter.<br /><br />Mama Adams' home was a fabulous old house, full of nooks and crannies filled with fascinating treasures: antique wash bowls and pitchers on beautifully carved antique dressers; Tiffany-style lamps; a glass Christmas tree filled with orange and pink coral; necklaces made of buttons and intriguing beads; drawers full of old photos; silk flowers from the dime store; wooden souvenir boxes with scenes from the Natural Bridge or Shaker Village; shimmering carnival glass bowls... there was always something to investigate. In the old bookcase, I found the <em>Little House on the Prairie</em> series and <em>Baby Island, </em>and in the kitchen, Mama Adams always kept a stash of root beer, ice cream sandwiches, Vitamin C and Juicy Fruit gum.<br /><br />My favorite room was the big middle bedroom, with its high bed, polished floors, chenille bedspread, and beautiful Victorian dresser with the round mirror. I never spent much time there though, because in the corner there hung a picture of The Yellow Lady- a large oval portrait of a somber Victorian lady wearing a yellow dress. I could feel her eyes following me every time I crossed the room, so I scurried through as fast as possible whenever I needed to use the adjoining bathroom.<br /><br />I loved staying in the front bedroom the best, with its high ceilings, pink-patterned wallpaper, floor-to-ceiling windows, two double beds, and beautiful fireplace (even though the fireplaces had been boarded up years earlier and made into gas heaters). It made me feel like Scarlett O'Hara. At night, Mama Adams and I sometimes shared one of those beds, and if she wasn't too tired, she would tell me stories as we listened to the cars on the road or the crickets in the garden.<br /><br />We had a routine down: Mama Adams got up at daybreak to garden, and when I finally rolled out of bed, she cooked me eggs and bacon in her sunny kitchen. Next, we wrote letters before the mailman arrived at 9:00, and then it was time for the laundry: Mama Adams washed real clothes, and I washed all my Barbie doll clothes in the bathroom sink and hung them out to dry on the wooden clothes rack on the front porch. <em>Every day.</em> No Barbie dolls have ever had cleaner clothes than mine. When the stores finally<em> </em>opened, we walked downtown-- all of maybe three blocks away. Sometimes we went to the Bethany Bookstore where Aunt Helen had a kids' craft area in the back; sometimes we went to the dime store (a <em>real</em> dime store, with everything you could imagine, from goldfish to ladies' girdles- the small town precursor to Walmart); or sometimes we went to Kroger or to Belk's (the only real department store in town). Trips to Kroger were especially exciting because we took a taxi (!) back home with all the groceries. Once Mama Adams let me go <em>all by myself</em> to Kroger, do the shopping, and take the taxi back home! It was an exciting day.<br /><br />Even more exciting were the days when one of the aunts would come: Aunt Ruby, who refinished antiques and lived on a farm with Uncle Vernon in Lexington; Aunt Stanley and Uncle Gene, who built a cabin on the foundation of the old family farm up in the holler during their summers off from teaching; Aunt Marie and Uncle Doc, who owned a Woolworth's store in Ohio and built a beautiful home in the country which smelled like sulfur; Aunt Mattie, who owned an enormous house in Kentucky coal country <em>and</em> another vacation house on the lake in Tennessee (if we were lucky, Uncle Frank would fly in on his helicopter!); or even Uncle Johnny, who kept beautiful vegetable gardens out at the holler, delivered mail in Lexington and was always glad to see me even if he seemed a little gruff. Best of all were the days when Granny and Grandad would drive down all the way from Maryland. There was no shortage of family, and Mama Adams' house was Grand Central Station.<br /><br />That was the first of many Kentucky Summers to come. The aunts graciously passed me around from house to house, and Mama Adams was always glad when I returned. Best of all was the sense of belonging that I felt when I was in Kentucky. My immediate family back home in Alabama was often full of tension and turmoil, but my summers in Kentucky gave me roots. Mama Adams and the aunts loved me, fed me, bought me books, clothes, tennis shoes, Barbie dolls, and dime store trinkets... they made me part of the family.<br /><br />But nothing stays the same. When Granny and Grandaddy eventually moved back to Kentucky to retire, Aunt Mattie and Uncle Frank built Mama Adams a beautiful brand new home in the lot across the street, and the wonderful old house was sold. Mama Adams died in the spring of 1988, during my freshman year of college. Aunt Marie and Uncle Doc passed away too, as has my grandfather, and Aunt Ruby has Alzheimer's. John and I drive our family up to see everyone for a brief weekend each July, and sometimes my children get to swim in Aunt Mattie's pool, ride through the cow pastures in the back of Uncle Vernon's pickup truck, or pick pawpaws and cuddle Aunt Stanley's kittens out at the holler. I still love Kentucky Summers.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-7532609539748388852009-06-19T21:54:00.030-05:002009-06-19T23:30:15.179-05:00Kentucky Summer<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349240417638821250" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 263px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjma8ln8s_4LyIi3fYBW9VVvSSNHXVgAkmjTZmGh15x8DEpKF30BljYM65mWdsx5E-2JrAAzYigy8Ce-CzpvwZ5D3g2jOt7zYUkDXfk0aMpXnSmkmfswtlyMHrZbzFSCPWO-DD2/s320/Venable0558_edited-1.jpg" border="0" /> <strong>Mama Adam's Journal:</strong><br /><div><em></em></div><div><br /></div><div><em>Friday, June 1, 1979</em><br /></div><div align="left"><em>Well, another June 1st and Ruby called me this morning and said little Sandy is coming to KY tomorrow evening and she will meet her at Lexington airport.</em></div><div><em></em></div><div><em>Saturday, June 2</em></div><div><em>Little Sandy came up from Ala. to-day on the plane to Lex. I went with Ruby to the airport to get her. She seemed glad to get to Winchester.</em><br /></div><div align="left"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349247220273860914" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 233px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCP_ioDXECVG40m1ZzNJEIHvWQkhM4-8HWDKn39Cgnj7G3d3Zgkqq_Mj-Cl0k8IwaUWTNEJ-jUbnBsIiAT4kdJpwUt75j7CgdAzgRGjX_s4x4Ngn0JE7Wb_llGzE50nWdeWOi7/s320/Sandy79.jpg" border="0" /></div><div></div><div></div><div><br />Dear Daddy,</div><div align="left">I am having fun. Somtimes I get Bored, But I still have fun. </div><div align="left">The airplane was cold, But I still liked it.</div><div align="left">I like Mama Adams house. Her cookie jar is always full.</div><div align="left">Tell Bobbie Hi. I would like to see her.</div><div align="left">Please write or call soon.</div><div align="left">Love<br />Sandy<br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349252224197899458" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEaBxKwfCAMpUuCcIeyk7oy8kq3ILTCLlooSnkCduKNwf73GOwfHsP_j9D-pgR4_QuPLVD_xWFf4mLKiY-EqUKIEEIs2TRBtfGvsn5XpSWS4Jy8YtCkgWMoBY6srUHxg7ekfu/s320/Venable0552.jpg" border="0" /> </div><div align="left"><strong>Mama Adams Journal:</strong></div><div><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><em>Monday, June 4</em></div><div align="left"><em>Sandy and I went to town to-day, she shopped around and enjoyed it.</em></div><div align="left"><em>We fished us a mess of new peas out of the garden and they sure were good. </em></div><div align="left"><em>Meta and Pam took us up to put the flowers on the childrens and Papa's grave, we never stayed but a few minutes.</em></div><em></em><div><em></em><em></em></div><div><em>Tuesday, June 5</em></div><div><em>Johney went to the farm to-day and Sandy and I went to the bank and to Krogers.</em></div><div><em>Pam came by from work and got her some lettuce and onions.</em></div><div><em></em></div><div><em></em></div><div></div><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349251729901629906" style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 268px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVFJseT4r5gkeQtrV0uuZQuQxLaG9sAwCVTqEAN-ASpaMSVTWV6k_-68Gd6fKcHqAwgODQ-RGQ11vqWemeAV1jZrvYT5ZrI4RzsGr6L-T52AOuc-14tE8iN2cMjWnAsJLmhXDe/s400/Venable2542.jpg" border="0" /><br /></div><div>July 6, 1979</div>Dear Bobbie and Daddy,<br />I have been having fun. We came back from Aunt Marie's Monday. We went there after Kim and Scot's wedding.<br /><br />I hope to be home soon. I liked the cards you and Bobbie sent me. I got a bunch of birthday cards yesterday and one package. 5 cards. Only 2 for Mama Adams. I sure wish you would call again. I have to close the letter now. I have more to write before the mailman comes.<br />Love<br />Sandy<br /><em></em><br />P.S. Mama Adams won a new T.V. If you call I will tell you about it. Bye!<br /><br /><p align="center"><strong><em>To be continued...</em></strong></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-62673362265315453942009-03-19T17:19:00.021-05:002009-03-21T11:47:17.415-05:00Thursday Thirteen: Things That Make Me Happy Today<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZqoDT-5oKdDdT60sjOs5z_qo5eK1I7IkMLQT6UlMJor9LOs9Yo45lrK2TCn-e8n_WbB1d43W_NlTomC75J-64Ya_UpFI0EWSlYsyxSRsKG1cH5edcBPIhUl-7grqDrvWx-B1I/s1600-h/TT111.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315028719460607634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 125px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZqoDT-5oKdDdT60sjOs5z_qo5eK1I7IkMLQT6UlMJor9LOs9Yo45lrK2TCn-e8n_WbB1d43W_NlTomC75J-64Ya_UpFI0EWSlYsyxSRsKG1cH5edcBPIhUl-7grqDrvWx-B1I/s400/TT111.gif" border="0" /></a> Thirteen things that are making me happy today:<br /><br />1) Sunshine- I am loving this spring weather!<br /><br />2) Feeling *good* again. Becca brought home a nasty bug from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Winterfest</span> back in February, and it went through the family, taking us all out, one by one. YUCK!! Only John Mark has seemed to escape unscathed... what's up with that? I occasionally heard him around the house muttering, "I don't want to get sick... don't want to get sick..." and one morning, he even made breakfast for all the younger brothers so they wouldn't spread germs in the kitchen. I guess his diligence paid off.<br /><br />3) April will soon be here, and that means June will soon be here, and that means no more algebra and geometry (for a few short months, anyway):<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5fyMHv4W9HAuuWWiDgqYEbfUTiD1sSyL1XWP3f37wnQsRDdtzWd9J851Yqp6AaN9DvzOXt715NJ8-usjkx42thp69T0Bzz0hw6fW6wlQ-8780PBrfrLu2gt-YLG9Ra0n1GGJI/s1600-h/000_2143.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315028521898720930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5fyMHv4W9HAuuWWiDgqYEbfUTiD1sSyL1XWP3f37wnQsRDdtzWd9J851Yqp6AaN9DvzOXt715NJ8-usjkx42thp69T0Bzz0hw6fW6wlQ-8780PBrfrLu2gt-YLG9Ra0n1GGJI/s400/000_2143.jpg" border="0" /></a> 4) Consignment Sale Season! I managed to get some stuff together to sell, but when I went to the Consignor's Sale, I didn't buy one. single. thing. (!) I figured the kids can't keep what they have clean; why do I want to buy more? Laundry has finally done me in, and besides, you really can't fault that logic, can you? I'll have to take the big kids to buy shorts eventually, but I guess I'd just as soon shop at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Walmart</span>.<br /><br />5) Look- my clean oven!! I went on a cleaning binge during the co-op break in February and cleaned the carpets, the pantry, my closet, the oven... Amazingly, the oven has stayed clean, and it makes me happy. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315027597460229682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7svZ7i6jbv4ZrTID2CBD3uq0ssQf09D_4qSpZ_r27Ofz8WPuLpjgTD_CIVHEye437_QRdGIUtsREsfntPdtSeApDG_nORwDw_mdtKCGBKHFGUVkX402Hlp854I3L6TWhoxEC5/s400/000_2134.jpg" border="0" /><br />6) A Clean Pantry! You might not think this pantry looks all that great, so you're going to have to trust me on this one. I threw out all kinds of stuff that's been taking up space (really, if it's been in there for more than a year, are we ever going to eat it? Do we really want to??) My pantry makes me smile.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315027524717085698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5nTaGPS2ZXNnIX9iq7UqwbmjSJZaVqNg090dBFx_8GgjaA_Rfpdm-cmXZD3dS4b76tcRfy5nNRUgGvJQzI-MuQ5qF1Y7s9VewIu0x5bTzjrL0_eQ0v38gaQe5SndLwhFgHiU0/s400/000_2130.jpg" border="0" />7) My pink mug. I made this at Becca's birthday party, and in hindsight, I think I would have done a better job with it if I could have *seen* what I was doing. The party room at the ceramics place had white twinkle lights that didn't provide enough light and we ended up working in semi-darkness... but the ambiance was oh-so-cool. I decided I would learn to overlook the faults of my mug and just enjoy the things I like about it. If I could only do that with the rest of my life as well...<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315027665775193538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlT6TNsHpX-DS0KzT0IGrGabJSkPhN3dUE87UZ6nKsAhqytNVW8rCI3Vp3cRbwzErXq1yMTcQ5WOcc6_y9FFJaf09PS1MtoQukC-QFcur115vtaVLmAOvN1jNumBOxR-J5sia/s400/000_2135.jpg" border="0" />8) My girl! I have four excellent boys as well, but my girl... well, today I'm just particularly crazy about her (and happily, this picture was not taken today!)<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315027093302977154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7eQt1e8XjZpbinA_gTkFvD91hodvkZE-qwfi7LPYUJBJ6eSjY43NTh9kXCxQ9c4x_JC_NLM34GOM-szWPL8SzX-IyU1TC2O8bCWEwfnzTr0mfympEna9M8Cw6MqMVWClnnJJ/s400/130.jpg" border="0" />9) But these pictures <em>were</em> taken today: Spring is coming! Our poor broken trees are beginning to bud:</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67CzIGN27t9ld86B0juydP2ME4-ZJG2peEdumQJcRcVvQ3Va5dxjeybMjHCdmeDR-ox8RmDQx88pA_baACBCBzFKjPr8sz8kF26ZhjuNmzaSizvDtYtx3cQozIbqCRxqzhIog/s1600-h/000_2141.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315027852991754098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67CzIGN27t9ld86B0juydP2ME4-ZJG2peEdumQJcRcVvQ3Va5dxjeybMjHCdmeDR-ox8RmDQx88pA_baACBCBzFKjPr8sz8kF26ZhjuNmzaSizvDtYtx3cQozIbqCRxqzhIog/s400/000_2141.jpg" border="0" /></a> 10) The Forsythia are blooming too (I love Forsythia!)<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315027355187268482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaeOFsp4i-Tesywyj4hI2lzwSQduP5j16P1sf78DohIfGr5vd7h8YCv3m44hNTL_sHzBO3EsE9QvJEBblGEXM0UmTwq-LMKrVd5zjHSqrE8v78U7Ap_gCT2yOTiOreipOZhqOY/s400/000_2129.jpg" border="0" />11) The Pink Bush is blooming: (anyone know what this is? I don't think it's an Azalea. Rhododendron, maybe?)<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315027441995629282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5R2yxoKG9s1LTxRFMNPEEnpOmt0kd_1YLh0aFFl1iIUMTAz2GkDF4d-9K_bvvULY9BmztTGly6xkpvfaxbZ85hYI1RDI6exU-yLAH-niCsgZv49gnYG9gF-q5raf6swB5dMTC/s400/000_2127.jpg" border="0" />12) Even Ugly Bush is getting in on the fun. He gets two weeks of glory each year, and this is it: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPUODBEJJLnZxWnGABvsJMbxOxDoMBNJIKsYk51wqREradj8fUtd8OaOp4TejyUew4EOwVw0zVV2pmjTn5zlRpUP2ItzEhIXOOw7KgGAO9f5WggbD0uiOOd4ke07ep8WM_SFh/s1600-h/000_2140.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315027763193248450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPUODBEJJLnZxWnGABvsJMbxOxDoMBNJIKsYk51wqREradj8fUtd8OaOp4TejyUew4EOwVw0zVV2pmjTn5zlRpUP2ItzEhIXOOw7KgGAO9f5WggbD0uiOOd4ke07ep8WM_SFh/s400/000_2140.jpg" border="0" /></a> 13) And our Hyacinths are blooming (they smell heavenly!)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSaQCCvxfpteHAm98Hoe3vEdgWwfoqZwm-aYbtK07k2uIz-eymtkXhFkMYKOdyIdENNCIM0n07yy6tJO_g6HPloeVkXMXLurAaecc96AklgTaLB1YzwBiKLKFq5JKPL0NMFPQ7/s1600-h/000_2123.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315027263904786802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSaQCCvxfpteHAm98Hoe3vEdgWwfoqZwm-aYbtK07k2uIz-eymtkXhFkMYKOdyIdENNCIM0n07yy6tJO_g6HPloeVkXMXLurAaecc96AklgTaLB1YzwBiKLKFq5JKPL0NMFPQ7/s400/000_2123.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-15617674187992033982009-02-15T18:53:00.029-06:002009-03-21T11:52:09.510-05:00"Break" WeekThis is co-op break week for us- glory, glory! It's been a *very* busy several weeks. JM, Becca and Philip have worked with the youth group several times to clean up yards, hand out food, or help in other ways after the ice storm. John has been busy cleaning tree debris in the yard, and I've been trying to get the rest of our life back into a groove, with mixed results. The February 4-H meeting, a co-op Valentine's party, a children's chorus fundraiser, and PMS added just enough extra chaos to send this mom to the edge of crazy and back again. (I knew it must be PMS when I woke up one morning unreasonably upset because I had dreamed that John brought home a second, much younger wife. Now, there have been times when I probably would have done a happy dance if John had brought home a second wife, but this was apparently NOT one of those times. John said he couldn't imagine why any man would want more than one wife- one was <em>plenty</em>, thankyouverymuch- and I'm pretty sure he also said something about a gun and a hole in his head too, but we won't go into that.) Oh February, you will soon be over! This was a particularly wild (but fun!) weekend: <div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303193439276082706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvGFvDAvtYeZMUe7EdN-tFY3EjcbR5tf8iiskVp-Srj_B2plkQCxY2nQz9R8tFyCX1QqTG-UhiuDBmBbvQ08s4kGzEiSJNh4phtDbk3hQ0Id2hGtPCwqx9lJ4ThPG2gIH05xq/s400/000_2075.jpg" border="0" /> Ben, Philip and Becca competed in the county 4-H Communications Day competition on Friday night, and John Mark was a room host. We are all so glad that is over! The storm really threw off speech preparations, so everyone was stressed out. This was Ben's very first time competing, and he did so well! I am particularly proud of him because he is my quiet child, and the one least willing to take risks. The three of them will all compete in the regional competition at the end of March.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303193510281948962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzp5iDVJgVVHHqJO3CvmvdGAnnw9ANhxS0oIwOdslOM6BfYZKSOlErsuQgBzOHEBIjfs2OF4EC-4ecmh-NmQDpPZUcpkSSJ5OkmHVJnxxIN0Oa062xlqDF53Dfk-sUu_DQxPdo/s400/000_2078.jpg" border="0" />Becca's best bud, Lauren, spent the night with us on Friday night, and on Saturday, I took the gals to a new ceramic place for Becca's 14th birthday. They painted tiles and ate cake, and were very silly!<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303193766021370914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLkVk48pZLKnoFYlGiZ_13tVacor-76a5Yrj08eHBW8ilaxspfLUflXK_WAATiHkHnbseUFNlgb_OKq_PwR41z3Uw5UubYtIk7dgqL_Lbo8MMQff_x40gs636XlDpmDwe6ePf/s400/000_2095.jpg" border="0" />Before we left yesterday afternoon, Nathanael came up to me and asked, "Mom, what's an <em>inferno</em>?"<br /><br />"It's a really large fire. Why?"<br /><br />"Because Dad's making one in the yard."<br /><br />!!!!!<br /><br />SO... John spent the afternoon <strike>playing with fire</strike> burning the tree debris in the back yard, and when he got done, my honey made me <em>chocolate-covered strawberries</em> and took me out for a late dinner at my favorite restaurant! For all the times that man drives me absolutely nuts, the times he gets it right makes up for it many, many times over. I love that man of mine! </div><div><br />Today, after teaching the middle-schoolers at church and leading CARE group, John went out to burn again, and my soot-covered husband just informed me that he still has both feet only because he was wearing steel-toed boots while cutting logs. Within seconds, the chainsaw had hit his boot, cutting all the way down to the steel. Scared us both silly, and I will be very happy when this mess is cleaned up and life returns to normal (some people in our church and community are still without power, so I really can't complain too much.)<br /><br />This week, I'm going to do some deep cleaning, catch up on laundry, get the consignment stuff ready to go to the sale in a few weeks, take Ben to the orthodontist, and maybe stress a little more about the Praise Team workshop at the end of the month. The two teens head to Winterfest in Gatlinburg next weekend, and maybe John and I will eventually get to go pick up our new chairs, which have been patiently waiting for a couple of weeks at the furniture store. And now, I must head out to pick up the teens at youth group. Have a good one!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-80810138867828993082009-02-10T21:14:00.022-06:002009-02-17T23:25:24.163-06:00And Then There Was Ice<div align="left"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301373170657749410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTMizNfSO-QTyNJLc32KoNHiX8qPXvJ73rm8TQ9WJVJ49qnClzCrMDnYi7SbROGJOHoTr-NUZOeTQFCdX-TPq96vrNRSarYcy15lji3LO43pJFL8_P_-sx34HgRRPLXoGAjNn/s400/000_2065.jpg" border="0" />So on January 25, the weatherman said we had some ice coming our way- big deal, right? John was in the middle of a huge tile project in our kitchen (remember the <a href="http://sandymom.blogspot.com/2009/01/8-quick-takes.html">broken tiles smack dab in the middle of the kitchen floor</a>?) and because these tiles were in the main thru-way from the upstairs leading to the downstairs, we had been going through the yard to the back door whenever we needed to go downstairs. That was all fine and good (in a going-to-the-outhouse kind of way) until the sleet began late Monday afternoon and it became unsafe to walk down the front steps and around to the back door. Then we all had to make flying leaps across the kitchen floor- lots of fun- but little did we know that was the least of the problems to come.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301373407201878978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLGQFCJmsUKxXGcXTEFNzNa98PVT9-jSqkt3YeFYx-stbZDJ7e87Jq08Cmz8LAcce9bEKH8To9GCliOwp2ETrwIocHHWTRGmA4UZE5xtJ8-HW4zfXy90t5Nccdme4y_xf_6mma/s400/000_2066.jpg" border="0" />On Tuesday morning, we had a bit of ice which still seemed to be no big deal, but the trees, they did not agree. Our subdivision lost power at 11:22 Tuesday morning, and the ice continued. The tree limbs grew so heavy that they began falling, and many trees split right in half. All night long and throughout the next day, we listened to the loud cracks, pops, and crashes of trees falling all around us. The kids watched out the windows, oohing and aahing over the spectacle, and also mourning their favorite climbing branches.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301373790944936514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtHxEvcwEagLpUIlXxu8N7NRIipXHFm2th8ERhZy4q5qlwpa7b9w-5IWWqRHFeU7QpMiZ2AiGXYOh-heIaGchl0etD6Yxx8I27olHLdWdMrPFgaSKuMYcVor7toBCm3G7l-Saa/s400/000_2054.jpg" border="0" />Turns out we were one of the lucky ones: we had heat from two large kerosene heaters, ample food, a gas grill, vans full of gas, a gas hot water heater, and a neighbor willing to share a line from his generator to run our refrigerators and some lights for a few hours each day. Others weren't so lucky. For several days, gas stations had no electricity to pump gas; stores had no electricity to serve customers; banks had no electricity to dispense cash; driveways, streets, and even main roads were blocked by huge limbs, trapping people in their homes and subdivisions; and to complicate matters for everyone, AT&T was completely down, which made communication next to impossible. There was a run on gas and kerosene, causing shortages across the region for several days; John eventually had to drive an hour east for kerosene. People stood in lines for hours to buy food, heating supplies, and generators because stores were allowing only 15-25 customers in at a time. The National Guard was called in, and emergency workers from across the country began arriving.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301394017157332626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TWCPr_YRujtwiEcj8KD16I0R6SZF7rSNBhFp3uBcIAfYjHo8oxYIig0t6WDNq2ypXF9dEkABwgUwwcLv-4gNlaJrM09NTknaicUmMPc9tWztjL1RBJy2uMG3UZx9fJkb4SrC/s400/000_2055.jpg" border="0" />Literally thousands of utility poles were snapped by the ice, dragging main power transmission lines into roads, ravines, rivers and lakes. Some of the emergency workers that worked Hurricane Katrina said that although home loss was much worse with Katrina due to the flooding, the damage to the power grid here was unlike anything they'd ever seen. A number of people in our region have died from carbon monoxide poisoning or hypothermia. There have been over 125 house fires, and several families have stood by helplessly and watched their houses burn because rescue workers could not reach them in time.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301393350303514418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjFrloDKao7nLBqtBtGM0msK13gHlnqQAG6Qbo_vIGh5ITvI1AZpCf-a_1rEBZn532zPau8EpV7AS66cn0cV4_VnJGTAWi6Qq93-beBd9Ih2u8lFHJN0RImeJ9FBOn_CjMpZ8l/s400/Rebecca+Winter+Storm+and+More+197.jpg" border="0" /> <p></p><p>Our family was very fortunate to regain power after only six days; hundreds in our region- and many of our friends- are still without, two weeks later. Our city looks like a hurricane has swept through! Virtually every tree in the city sustained major damage. John and the boys have been out with the chainsaw every day for the past week, and the job is still not done. Every yard has a huge pile of limbs and logs waiting to eventually be picked up, and some streets are still barely passable. What. A. Mess. But even so, we are very thankful: thankful for friends and strangers who have helped in so many different ways, thankful for workers who come from all over to serve our community, thankful that throughout this ordeal, God is in control and his mercies never fail. </p><div align="center">This is my favorite tree: November 2007<br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301374489789802690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 312px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkOoT_lfG8h_bQ1GRAA6tXpuLOBdPprnrIBNYvQawllb76uGebLKXCems-1GpBRs5hnO4-e6gCS8cuu9FxK05TnT5EaHgqmoW68eEQkqjKL7ZPWNKchFgxkPqz644kY76_Lx8X/s400/000_1335.jpg" border="0" /> This is my tree now:<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301374370786699042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoX60ARj3q3krZ0zTuOIwQiC-WBqHKuYYOlnQV0J2O3NdEO_wJEDvAP11ynw7IihJ8orr-tfWeY0X5-OTI8CCZTqqYN3UF1BDRltHUoZGKAG9bShG4WYoyf4hx7eEzdbdkPyI/s400/000_2074.jpg" border="0" /> The kids managed to have fun in spite of it all- it's been quite an adventure!<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301376669009948162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYNFllpMXsMZBRyMyGijliH4rdNULHDgKdG4ePPyJEllP2Or-hg1R-auHKIBHN9gd397rI4NYPKSdMUcv2g1rENn_Loq5lYr2VLdzOayP1ZXyyXnIpaxpWf3zmn0Zax0bbDf3/s400/Rebecca+Winter+Storm+and+More+253.jpg" border="0" /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-16424612760903895022009-01-17T21:09:00.011-06:002009-01-17T22:00:56.943-06:008 Quick Takes- <strike>We've had</strike> <em>The kids</em> have had an exciting weekend so far: birthday party sleepovers for both John Mark and Becca <em>(not at the same place!)</em> and a sleepover at <em>our</em> house with Ben's best bud, Zach. We have to keep a minimum number of kids around here, or we just don't know what to do with ourselves.<br />-John and I went to see <em>Valkyrie</em> last weekend and liked it. It helped John momentarily forget the 6 broken (and discontinued!) kitchen tiles in the middle of our floor. Ironically, every floor in our house <em>except</em> the kitchen floor was on our home upgrade list, but now... it's numero uno. Sigh.<br />-Cold, cold, cold!! I think the worst of it is over for now, but wow! Time for the down comforter. We brought our free-roamin' beagle-ish dog, Copper, into the garage the past few nights, and last night, she brought home a buddy: <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292466175398032946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYs4ye2QifBdt5Rw3QSADA3TzOZpSYPZt_uMI4i0eLY67c_7wgYpEzjQdgUzzZhwxga0Gl35bcZTVIU-0jPD_lZZKZXH3EsVJFQ7b0bmgE7LYYm6orAH_8T6KZaxoOA7M2Mkl/s400/000_2038.jpg" border="0" />-This would be the adorable chocolate lab that showed up on our doorstep yesterday and seems inclined to stay. We've called the vets, took him in to be scanned for a microchip, put up flyers, and when the Animal Shelter and the newspaper office open again on Monday, we will continue the search for his owner. In the meantime, we are all enjoying his visit because he's such a sweetheart. But I must talk to Copper about not bringing boys home.<br />-I probably won't be doing a lot of posting for the next few weeks <em>(are you surprised?) </em>because I'm really stressed out about some upcoming projects, and when I'm stressed, I just don't feel like blogging. I'd much rather lay awake at 4:00 in the morning and worry myself to death.<br />-On the bright side, co-op has begun again, and I am only teaching two classes this semester! I taught government last semester, and one of the other moms is teaching economics this semester. My high school class is always the most time-consuming in prep work, so I am really enjoying this break. Gives me lots of extra time to worry about stuff.<br />-But<em> </em>we start a new Beth Moore Bible study this week (yea!)<br />-<em>And </em>I have new curtains, pretty new curtain hardware, and *two* pretty new recliners on order (thank you, Mom and Dad!) John's parents bought us the chairs for Christmas, and I spent my consignment money from last fall on the curtains, which aren't up yet. But they will be. I have faith.<br /><br />So that's my life in a nutshell. Y'all stay warm!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-3252868969819639002009-01-01T09:12:00.025-06:002009-01-02T09:08:34.297-06:00Book Review 2008<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWlfE1arXTSfpXAyNMg_332NjgB8qb9sewtGVloXOwCFcgkWQZLfvql0sN0ZGglgIhW1mBzbZEJ8TgRm7-_vlDUQKBSv8VU7X4SQPKq2AmSc6ULpYZAQI-lzZoDNHMht9NR_v/s1600-h/bookstack+(2).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286510365795612834" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 127px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 210px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWlfE1arXTSfpXAyNMg_332NjgB8qb9sewtGVloXOwCFcgkWQZLfvql0sN0ZGglgIhW1mBzbZEJ8TgRm7-_vlDUQKBSv8VU7X4SQPKq2AmSc6ULpYZAQI-lzZoDNHMht9NR_v/s400/bookstack+(2).jpg" border="0" /></a> Here it is: the 2008 Annual Book Review! It was a busy year, and I didn't get to read as much as I have the past couple of years. It's not hard to see what my favorite genre is, and this year I jumped time periods quite a bit. I find that truly<em> historical</em> fiction (as opposed to purely fictional stories using "real" people as central characters, a la Phillipa Gregory and Conn Iggulden), helps me to get a much better sense of the time period than history books alone. Which helps me teach better... I think. Anyhoo, 2008, here we go:<br /><br />Historical Fiction = 20<br />Biography= 4<br />General Literature = 6<br />Reference = 1<br />Other Non-Fiction = 2<br />____________<br />Total= 33<br /><br /><div>*I rated the books by how much I enjoyed them- not necessarily their literary merit; 10 is highest</div><div><strong></strong></div><br /><div><strong>The Masters of Rome Series</strong> by Colleen McCullough- 8<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Caesars-Women-Colleen-Mccullough/dp/0061582425/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230747168&sr=8-1">Caesar's Women </a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Caesar-Novel-Masters-Colleen-Mccullough/dp/0380710854/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230747168&sr=8-6">Caesar: A Novel </a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/October-Horse-Novel-Caesar-Cleopatra/dp/1416566651/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230747168&sr=8-2">The October Horse: A Novel of Caesar and Cleopatra </a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Antony-Cleopatra-Novel-Masters-Rome/dp/1416552952/ref=pd_bbs_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230747168&sr=8-3">Antony and Cleopatra: A Novel </a><br />These are the last four books in McCullough's "Masters of Rome" series, and the further into the series I got, the more I enjoyed the books. Julius Caesar and his nephew Octavian made for some fascinating reading and some of the best truly historical fiction you'll find. You can read my review of the first half of the series <a href="http://sandymom.blogspot.com/2008/02/book-review-2007.html">here</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pastoral-Nevil-Shute/dp/184232277X/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230747725&sr=1-5">Pastoral</a> by Nevil Shute- 5<br />I fell in love with British author Nevil Shute's books after reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Town-Like-Alice-Nevil-Shute/dp/0749304146/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230747924&sr=1-4">A Town Like Alice</a> last year. Set during WWII on a British bomber base, <em>Pastoral</em> tells the love story of seasoned bomber pilot Peter Marshall and homesick WAAF signals officer, Gervase Robertson.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pompeii-Novel-Robert-Harris/dp/0812974611/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230748484&sr=1-1">Pompeii: A Novel </a>by Robert Harris- 8<br />I discovered Robert Harris by accident, and this was the first of his books that I'd ever read. I enjoyed it just as much the second time around! <em>Pompeii </em>tells the story of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius through the eyes of Marcus Attilius, a young engineer who is sent to uncover the mystery of the malfunctioning aqueduct in the days preceding the eruption- and finds much more than he ever bargained for. A fun read.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Life-Bees-Monk-Kidd/dp/0143114557/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230749542&sr=1-1">The Secret Life of Bees</a> by Sue Monk Kidd- 8<br />I haven't seen the movie yet, but I enjoyed the book <em>almost</em> as much as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kill-Mockingbird-Harper-Lee/dp/0060935464/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230749687&sr=1-1">To Kill a Mockingbird</a>. 'Nuff said.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Absolutely-American-Four-Years-Point/dp/1400076935/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230749759&sr=1-1">Absolutely American: Four Years at West Point </a>by David Lipsky- 5<br />I read this because... well, I'm not quite sure why I read this, but it's probably out of some combination of patriotic pride and curiosity at why any presumably normal person would want to subject themselves to the rigors of West Point. I found it eye-opening and very interesting.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eye-Needle-Ken-Follett/dp/006074815X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230750014&sr=1-1">Eye of the Needle </a>by Ken Follett- 2<br />Ken Follett seems to be hit-or-miss for me, and this one was most definitely a miss. I love a good spy thriller- especially one set during WWII- but I do not enjoy family-in-peril stories, or trashy "romance" plot lines. Double Ugh. I gave it a 2 because it had such promise at the start.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pearl-Earring-Deluxe-Tracy-Chevalier/dp/0452287022/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230753939&sr=1-1">Girl With a Pearl Earring </a>by Tracy Chevalier- 7<br />The fictional story of one of Vermeer's most famous paintings- loved it! Keep a book of Vermeer paintings nearby when you read it!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Time-Travelers-Wife-Audrey-Niffenegger/dp/015602943X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230754252&sr=1-1">The Time Traveler's Wife </a>by Audrey Niffenegger- 6<br />A sci-fi love story (although that's probably not how Oprah would describe this). I'm not usually into chick-lit but this was a pretty good vacation read.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Divers-Adventure-Americans-Everything/dp/0345482476/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230756442&sr=1-1">Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II </a>by Robert Kurson- 6<br />Real-life adventure, a WWII mystery, and a fascinating look at the world of deep sea diving- what's not to like?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Half-Blood-Prince-Book/dp/0439785960/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230754897&sr=1-1">Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince </a>by J.K. Rowling-7<br />A re-read that I should have re-read before reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Deathly-Hallows-Rowling/dp/9780747591/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230754973&sr=1-4">Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</a>, since I had a very hard time remembering what had happened. Just as good the second time around!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pillars-Earth-Deluxe-Oprahs-Book/dp/0451225244/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230755136&sr=1-1">The Pillars of the Earth </a>by Ken Follett- 9<br />After <em>Eye of the Needle</em>, I was not in a hurry to pick up another Follett novel, but I couldn't imagine why Oprah would have picked a spy thriller for her book club. So I read this, and.... <em>loved it.</em> Definitely not a spy thriller, <em>Pillars</em> is set in 12th-century England, and should probably be called "historical adventure." Could. Not. Put. It. Down.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Darcy-Presents-His-Bride/dp/1569755884/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230755622&sr=1-1">Mr. Darcy Presents His Bride: A Sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice </a>by Helen Halstead-4<br />Finally, a P&P sequel that wouldn't make Jane Austen blush, but *yawn* it's not a book that could stand on its own.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/World-Without-End-Ken-Follett/dp/045122499X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230755940&sr=1-1">World Without End </a>by Ken Follett-8<br />Set 200 years after <em>Pillars of the Earth</em>, this novel wasn't <em>quite</em> as fabulous... but almost! It's a keeper.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Five-People-You-Meet-Heaven/dp/0786868716/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230856218&sr=8-1">The Five People You Meet In Heaven </a>by Mitch Albom-5<br />A short, easy read. After a tragic death, five pivotal people from Eddie's life meet him in heaven and help him make sense of it all.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Johnstown-Flood-David-McCullough/dp/0844662925/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230856811&sr=1-1">The Johnstown Flood </a>by David McCullough-6<br />In 1889, over 2200 people perished when the dam above Johnstown, PA broke. McCullough's account of the tragedy and its causes is fascinating.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thousand-Splendid-Suns-Khaled-Hosseini/dp/159448385X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230857114&sr=1-1">A Thousand Splendid Suns </a>by Khaled Housseini-7<br />A gut-wrenching and eye-opening look at the lives of Afghan women under the Taliban. I picked this up at the library for a few minutes and fully expected to leave the book there, but once I started, I couldn't stop!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Coming-Home-Rosamunde-Pilcher/dp/0312958129/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230857325&sr=1-1">Coming Home </a>by Rosamund Pilcher-5<br />A sweeping family saga set in Britain during WWII. It was long and had the rambling feel of a soap opera, but it was a perfect book to read at the end of the day- enjoyable but easy to set aside until the next evening.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Five-Love-Languages-Heartfelt-Commitment/dp/1881273156/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230857639&sr=1-1">The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate </a>by Gary Chapman-8<br />Picks up where <em>His Needs, Her Needs</em> leaves off. We all have different ways of expressing love, but the way I express love might not be the same way my spouse expresses love. This book explores the different love languages and helps couples learn to express their love in a language that meets the needs of their spouse.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shack-William-P-Young/dp/0964729237/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230857984&sr=1-1">The Shack </a>by William P. Young-10<br />OK, it may be theologically suspect in some ways, but this book will help you see God in a whole new way. Read it! (If you're interested in exploring the theology behind <em>The Shack</em>, <a href="http://johnmarkhicks.wordpress.com/">John Mark Hicks </a>wrote a series of articles on his blog earlier this fall.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rise-Rebellion-Novel-American-Revolution/dp/0345427548/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230858434&sr=1-1">Rise to Rebellion: A Novel of the American Revolution</a>-9<br />and<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Glorious-Cause-Jeff-Shaara/dp/0345427580/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230858483&sr=1-2">The Glorious Cause </a>by Jeff Shaara-8<br />A two-volume series of historical fiction following the American Revolution, Shaara brings the key players in the Revolution to life: Washington, Adams, Franklin, Lafayette, Cornwallis. I plan on having my high-schoolers read this set along with their history books so they can get to know these names as people rather than as historical trivia. A must-read for American history buffs!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/American-Spirit-Paintings-Kunstler-Architecture/dp/1558533095/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230859246&sr=1-2">The American Spirit: The Paintings of Mort Kunstler </a>by Henry Steele Commager-8<br />Pure, patriotic Americana. Love it!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Mean-Rude-But-Backstage/dp/0767917413/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230859393&sr=1-2">I Don't Mean to Be Rude, But...: Backstage Gossip from American Idol & the Secrets that Can Make You a Star </a>by Simon Cowell-3<br />Q: Is Simon Cowell as obnoxious and self-centered as he appears on <em>American Idol</em>?<br />A: YES<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/George-Washington-Spymaster-Americans-Revolutionary/dp/1426300417/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230859523&sr=1-1">George Washington, Spymaster: How the Americans Outspied the British and Won the Revolutionary War</a> by Thomas B. Allen-5<br />Intended for grades 6-8, this was an interesting look at the early spy rings that helped turn the tide of the war. A quick, easy read and a look at the Revolutionary War from a different perspective!</div><br /><strong>The Scarlet Pimpernel Series</strong> by Baroness Emmuska Orczy<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scarlet-Pimpernel-Emmuska-Orczy/dp/1403709882/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230859842&sr=1-4">The Scarlet Pimpernel</a>-8<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Elusive-Pimpernel-Scarlet/dp/0755111133/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230859932&sr=1-1">The Elusive Pimpernel</a>-8<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/League-Scarlet-Pimpernel-Baroness-Emmuska/dp/1406835870/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230859978&sr=1-1">The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel</a>-6<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/I-Will-Repay-Baroness-Orczy/dp/1605121533/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230860019&sr=1-3">I Will Repay</a>- 5<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Percy-Leads-Band-Scarlet-Pimpernel/dp/1568497377/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230860071&sr=1-1">Sir Percy Leads the Band</a>-5<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eldorado-Emmuska-Orczy-Baroness/dp/0899681956/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230860118&sr=1-1">Eldorado</a>-5<br />Set during the French Revolution, <em>The Scarlet Pimpernel</em> is the original cloak-and-dagger novel! Baroness Orczy's Very! Dramatic! early 20th-century prose takes some getting used to, but if you've got a sense of humor and love a good spy story, the Scarlet Pimpernel is your man! <em>The Scarlet Pimpernel</em> and <em>The Elusive Pimpernel</em> are the best in the series, but the others are fun too.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-32270673694947411832008-12-25T20:23:00.032-06:002008-12-25T22:19:50.186-06:00Christmas 2008Christmas day is here! Our living room has been invaded by three very large bicycles, a train set, a K'nex roller coaster, and assorted electronics, not to mention candy wrappers and toothbrushes, courtesy of GranMartha. Five kids makes for a lot of wrapping paper! John has his work cut out for him with those bikes, and I've spent the better part of my day uploading, downloading and troubleshooting all the electronic paraphernalia. But isn't this exactly what every parent hopes to see on Christmas morning?<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283921101568855490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmz0bjH4qPFMDt0jPswPUrXrAn14dJ90yipSgiV9W3QBbI1cgfJW9NW7PadwLIVujpb4uKodJuiFW2_IcOYd-j8cwNwokk5ONpF6A_XgFYcjqlbPUy-CpuhsCa3Fux3lzecob/s400/000_2026.jpg" border="0" /> Philip wasn't <em>at all</em> excited about that remote control airplane. Dad apparently knew just what to get. He knew what to get me too: a portable speaker charger for my Zune! Yea, John! If I had known how much I would enjoy my Zune, I would have asked for one long, long ago. John got a new chiminea, since he finally burnt the other to a crisp and made it collapse (the new one is cast-iron). Becca almost cried with joy over her new pink mp3 player (sorry iPod- Sansa is all the joy without the price!) and Nathanael practically fell to his knees the first time I installed the Star Wars game on his new Leapfrog Didj. May the Force be with you, my son.<br /><br />We also enjoyed some time with friends today, and last night, a fabulous Christmas Eve turkey dinner, with just our family. Christmas 2008 has been a very fun season:<br /><br /><p>We walked in the Christmas parade with John Mark's 4-H Teen club (brrrr, it was cold, but small-town parades are the best!)<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283932932020558802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 394px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0vtwdo64TjDA8P365Yl5slO9Alh9Z213YVr2evMzY4MI58Nr377LtQKCULnKbXbSQbNUu1Jchr6SoLuQSee0LP9EFMJX43PR4iUtmHplFM4XtOGbaFezrsxSSmUN3vuufSFvV/s400/000_1993b.jpg" border="0" /></p>We had a Christmas concert by the Children's Chorus and Symphony (Philip volunteered for a speaking role; you'll have to take my word that this photo is of him, since we were in the balcony):<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283926819699362642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDcjOyM_wML-I8nmw1IHlTgtrhlrfeJr75Z-ALqg_wtjfS4-zEv-6su_Ugqib_Mp8gYfH4HB1GSk8AqpEFriEnVJo3wvG4TBlShFd2_mRQmZHFyPfeHsAmMzrYzAIMA7SaDTgg/s400/000_1996.jpg" border="0" /> A nativity play at church (Look- Philip again! He's such a wallflower) Becca taught the kids the songs and led them during the play, and she did such a fabulous job! Those are some pretty bored-looking sheep, are they not? But they were <em>good</em> sheep, and that's what was important.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFfWERCTmR_WQNc9PPqu6KM8ebtC0oz6m6id-hg0y04kA9nJpR7A7OQ9z2mg0yprqUdgeIvAFaYpRP4PP9KAayhcLJWAGYyNAgFe_iBy_ZVtoGME5A5IT8QzbSE-BwZ3V_8Py/s1600-h/000_2002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283926620680251794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFfWERCTmR_WQNc9PPqu6KM8ebtC0oz6m6id-hg0y04kA9nJpR7A7OQ9z2mg0yprqUdgeIvAFaYpRP4PP9KAayhcLJWAGYyNAgFe_iBy_ZVtoGME5A5IT8QzbSE-BwZ3V_8Py/s400/000_2002.jpg" border="0" /></a> And last Thursday night, we had the Christmas piano recital and dinner. All the kids performed, and John Mark and I played a cute arrangement of "Frosty the Snowman" as a duet.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3EjSSgC68q5uzwKqSCXRRJwjJTbf7IvMUE9gejPSj4wHeXaV4dy09unXux99ZFeyPs5sVb_k74PSHZ5ICu_eLGIugdyjmXJXPyiT3jzPrdnu-SiiJsTsQY-UM8Wdn6-bkt8d/s1600-h/000_2016.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283922013140695106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3EjSSgC68q5uzwKqSCXRRJwjJTbf7IvMUE9gejPSj4wHeXaV4dy09unXux99ZFeyPs5sVb_k74PSHZ5ICu_eLGIugdyjmXJXPyiT3jzPrdnu-SiiJsTsQY-UM8Wdn6-bkt8d/s400/000_2016.jpg" border="0" /></a> I spent a good deal of time driving the older kids to all their social engagements earlier in the month, but John took some vacation over the past few days and the two of us have had some fun, impromptu shopping dates- with some great bargains to boot! And this weekend, Grandma and Grandpa will be in town for even more merriment. We hope that your season has been a merry one too. </div><div>Merry Christmas, everyone!</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-64737820194764963402008-12-23T15:32:00.024-06:002008-12-23T23:52:46.096-06:00The Christmas Meme<span style="color:#cc0000;">1. Favorite Holiday Memory -</span> Christmas Eve dinner at Gran's house, with presents and stockings afterwards. Ever practical, Gran always filled our stockings with oranges and nuts, and gave us <em>clothes</em>, but we loved it anyway :-)<br /><span style="color:#006600;">2. Favorite Holiday Song</span> - Cannot possibly choose just one: "The Christmas Song" by Nat King Cole... "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" by Bruce Springsteen... "Christmastime is Here" by Barry Manilow... this could go one for a while...<br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">3. Favorite Holiday Cartoon</span> - Rudolph. A Charlie Brown Christmas (John hates Charlie Brown). Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Clearly, I'm no good at this meme.<br /><span style="color:#006600;">4. Favorite Holiday Movie</span>- The Polar Express- love it!<br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">5. Wrapping Paper or Gift bags?</span> I like wrapping paper best, but I can use gift bags with a clear conscience.<br /><span style="color:#006600;">6. Real tree or artificial?</span> I'd love to have a real Douglas Fir, but after The Year of the Praying Mantis, we got an artificial tree.<br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">7. When do you put up the tree?</span> As soon as we can get it together after Thanksgiving.<br /><span style="color:#006600;">8. More importantly, when do you take down the tree?</span> As soon as we can get it together after Christmas<br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">9. Favorite Gift received as a child?</span> I had lots of "favorite" gifts... the art easel when I was 7, the white bicycle basket when I was 10, the Panama Jack shirt when I was 12 (except that it was yellow instead of pink). The most memorable year might be the year my parents got divorced and I got <em>everything</em> on my list, oh yes, I did! I got both Baby Beth <em>and</em> Bogart the Basset Hound. It was some year.<br /><span style="color:#006600;">10. Hardest person to buy for?</span> My stepdad. John. Men in general. If it's inexpensive, they have it already, and if it's expensive, I can't afford it either.<br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">11. Easiest person to buy for? </span>Becca! Except that I can't buy her clothes anymore (sigh).<br /><span style="color:#006600;">12. Christmas cards?</span> I try, oh I do.<br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">13. Nativity Scene?</span> Ummm.... <a href="http://sandymom.blogspot.com/2006/12/wordless-wednesday-nativity-according.html">yeah</a>.<br /><span style="color:#006600;">14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?</span> Chex Mix! Sweet Potato Casserole! Pumpkin Pie! Peppermint Bark!<br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">15. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?</span> Yes.<br /><span style="color:#006600;">16. Angel on top of the tree?</span> We used to have an angel, and I loved her, but then her lights went out and I was unable to find a replacement that didn't look like Scarlet O'Hara, and really, who wants Scarlet O'Hara on the top of their tree? I finally settled on a star, but the angel search continues.<br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">17. Open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? </span>Christmas Morning, except for when we go to Indiana, and then it's at least a two-day affair.<br /><span style="color:#006600;">18. Best part of the holidays?</span> Pretty lights. Christmas music. Kid concerts. Trips to see family. Remembering the Nativity story. I like shopping for the people I love too.<br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">19. Worst part of the holidays? </span>Getting out all the Christmas <strike>cra...</strike> decorations and putting it all back up again.<br /><span style="color:#006600;">20. Weirdest Christmas memory?</span> Everything's normal around here. <em>Really.</em><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">21. Colored lights or white? </span>Colored, but white is fine as long as there are <em>lots</em> of them.<br /><span style="color:#006600;">22. Ever been Christmas caroling?</span> But of course!<br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">23. Ever been ice skating?</span> Yes. Amazing Grace, that's me.<br /><span style="color:#006600;">24. Candy Canes or Gingerbread?</span> For eating: Gingerbread. For decorating: candy canes!<br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">25. Christmas quirk?</span> See #20. Everything's normal around here, remember?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-29589299067969027672008-12-21T19:55:00.003-06:002008-12-21T20:14:22.860-06:00A Time to Mourn and a Time to DanceIt's been a busy, bittersweet week: we helped one of our friends bury her 21-month-old son, and another friend marry off her 21-year-old daughter. Ups and downs, tears and joy, meals to share in the mourning and meals to share in the festivities. More than ever, I realize what a privilege it is to hug, to cry, to laugh and to share life with our friends.<br /><br /><blockquote><p align="center"><em>Two are better than one, because they<br />have a good return for their work:<br /> If one falls down, his friend can help him up.<br /> But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! </em></p><p align="center"><em>Ecclesiastes 4:9-10</em> </p></blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-10267068321273542782008-11-23T21:38:00.018-06:002008-11-23T22:55:05.060-06:00A Medieval Feast<div align="center">Welcome to our Medieval Feast, good noble Lords and Ladies all!<br /></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272068363086311394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 272px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzpr6zs145zcC4e7ihA2LzhabEIyAP5fYobwA_OxkEqyaWzUund9cq4UxYXKiPLQA1SfWPIPKDyK0W6XDPvrJknzNOByKqaqjfAhNSfBmcnOp7dV-pPY-ZAoZpAsTv0O3ZOuxbWw/s400/100_3689-2.jpg" border="0" />The King has decreed that all noble guests present their Coats of Arms<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272067941507036386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpBjH3fgnAXBDD98vPyU8S3BUDkj2C_e5_tqm81PvDVsWUvtRiMGrTM3j3eOHIH-iwr7GR7IRCHsHdFsVUxPnTrrk7TgHF3ooBGdsL9zNcP-EeyYr3XDbuQc9toYwy3TfEv2gCg/s400/100_3693-1.jpg" border="0" />Let the feast begin!</div><div align="center">The Procession of the "Boar's" Head <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272065560131823282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 275px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jRgwMQJ0ZnI3qJqJm4hFsxNaTsDPh0bjlPiyO791Og050gwvOzLJGUK6GwlnpEabf1D154Qm46jSQ1PXBJhuEFkKd0ositJQWhHJI39XTkI7PMuKPapN_EJOZUfmn_AJ3H4MoA/s400/000_1951c.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272070608373591970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 242px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz43YvyglXpPGSteh_6CIAZj5iFjgUYs2HAtLgxQWATznU4PCrK221PWKD4tYYCHbOiwc-FkAhdj-R8iu5TBKasCt1qC0MUXmrFiTgMVdFeFUHnM_60qwrg-SkZVVHsEwDzzid-g/s320/100_3716-1.jpg" border="0" />The Cup-bearer samples the wassail for purity before serving the King<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272064010627690930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4FtPSR97_Hq10W0UB0AIi7dq-r5AppoHPuOPfhdnOQYa5CntoSX-IWLQ8tKgV1_uETmfL1MvFdJEu81J5PqoWD3Qxt3b9ib2hcGrwL6KcwmYNWcooM5EVdJ4QJornAQRcXb_Dg/s400/000_1945.jpg" border="0" />The Laverer and the Aquamanile help the King and Queen wash their hands before the feast is served<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272064947174355746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfP6VSf_oMlPLsxjh1g8229UidWs03kRDDKqlhM3A3ypJKq270FNEPL5SfywqwZiee9mzHJ203kpf0vz8l5oK0mPiEUMwgGfrt1Vv9zHhlnSOJ0jN4g8t9hECR3wG5tvvf-oXLQg/s400/000_1950.jpg" border="0" />The Pages show off the swordsmanship skills they are learning under the tutelage of their lord<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272064586178400098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxTpl19AH93eH1CExNFDnfA4698rFkDFzH5HRZKERcQvQCM26fvEfIFhZ9fFpgyPQioY0sJYtMSe4poqKwPevPifxMsIr9GnnXJY5-ebp8cDdKfTmayKzPSUT5xefUDUyC5BJkQ/s400/000_1946b.jpg" border="0" />The ladies of the kingdom dance for the court<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272070140203397714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 375px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-SK1xj7xoC8jz15MUAPd-p94FXn40JUmvzMjj-G3s_w6km9NzxZ-RcGP8CTR5BB8ON8QKZUfNJ7dF5gPhppgAb_fIT_pABfk1nZ6PQlxVvsU9qKZ8ZfnF3eiAAJ2YfQb2g_jZrQ/s400/000_1967b.jpg" border="0" />The princesses dance too...<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272066017679244802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 273px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEiOaDAw7r1rSOkT7gm-NNN7JSyHY6HDfEI1oCs82LC2lp9z-w9kuh4Ms40cWwEQL2O10MXEFQubFBYxfwuVW-mTdX66E_X1wKcihOpBs6T1vNLvMF836aePBhwc3_7HXG7nT4eg/s400/000_1968b.jpg" border="0" />The court is honored to witness the knighting of Sir Philip<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272067371526897554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9MAgeQLI9CRhQbE1fFcwgSWuo0XPLX8A1LltR_xaSAsEhFneMZ3Dz3axcFHPwTlwhIAfJ8iw_ezChd-IrwjhsUJd-PpHFJcyq1k35oSl-Vm4d4W-SZC5yhxI001EBqo5d42HAdw/s400/000_1976.jpg" border="0" />St. George takes on a two-headed dragon and saves the kingdom!<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272069535650852482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 272px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQD-z3XdfryJw4v1jTXhNfsri-TjnyCVWcEeJnw94okfGXjSyJd6Od0F9SHu4qSci5DVD2h-TRWo8LHo9-q8WyiOeg1WNwO9-QNZQZZ_irmSOSvBFSHjl6buTnkCAja5vte0ZpCQ/s400/100_3675-2.jpg" border="0" /> It was a feast to end all feasts!<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272080257551389602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 244px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2_vz8ol5v-mkOv6ggSjHAAuH7kkc-paEGpjSmNGnIOllT3_BzBd7YT1dNSdp09Bia9bQhmZlEjwlYtmJ6s1FhJtDxyfb7222tqoP9tFR9AmH0sm8Pk4QQ7RdeMIuy9s-thJC/s400/000_1957b.jpg" border="0" /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-79746652491826346602008-11-08T11:34:00.024-06:002008-11-08T21:54:09.071-06:00Another November Saturday<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHfR7Ms6Fiyk6fF8V2RyI86qGaLIPKZL24hCA9yTA52_mORJhYGglsYbdnt3nvEyi5uNsirtz0_pNemipgrgKAt6BL8xaYNKn0oYWgB1PxvuFZfAtD-W4ORrwTr5PCRoQvco1ECA/s1600-h/000_1936.jpg"></a><div>Another beautiful November day! John is out in the driveway fixing a vehicle... again. Two kids are away from home... again. But, except for the Krispy Kreme doughnut pickup and delivery earlier this morning for Children's Chorus, I have no pressing Saturday issues- hooray! Of course, I have to clean the house for CARE group, and figure out what to make for CARE group dinner tomorrow, but I've decided to procrastinate and leave those problems for tomorrow. Hooray for procrastination! <div><div><br /><div></div><div>John Mark and Becca are at a youth rally called Celebration, and John and Philip went deer hunting this morning. They saw a doe, but John has spent so much time processing John Mark's deer this past week, he is all deered out. Here are the final stages of the sausage-making production:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266344988754432834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMdm3FY1jXY9k0iScC7mGuH50lNqO-ucLUMjSGdGYoMwz_7DdO_dDOjZ-jBY-bJ5IvH8P_f53WtSoxfFJPxVsHKrflVV1ykO0LCF5vJTcotDlBfTXWhYKlf7MLfWc4foq66OLvg/s400/000_1935.jpg" border="0" /></div></div></div></div><p>I believe dad had more "help" than he wanted, and notice Nathanael's inside-out <em>and</em> backwards shirt. We're all about priorities here, and I guess right-side out clothes just isn't one of them. It's possible I told him to go put on a clean shirt and this was his idea of a "clean shirt." <em>Boys!</em> Anyway, after it was all said and done, John got 10 summer sausages out of it, plus a bunch of deer burgers, and I have no idea what he's going to do with <em>those. </em>These are the sausages before they went into the oven. After they're cooked, they really look like summer sausage, and they taste pretty good too, if you like summer sausage.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266345256045467410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS_oIdq8_NYwzyfmfRpeMfYOb9RIUv5g-7RLz8yYOJP5s0p_ua_2XMIH0ElLmfneOhmPQs_oVvpLpVZJb9BIAtTyyRXjrZ6w0092TMbadcrflNTbLdnH2_bfUmNtVWMZk_ugt6xA/s400/000_1938.jpg" border="0" /></p><p></p><p>John is quite proud of his efforts, but he says he will never do this again- way too much work! (<em>What a relief!)</em></p><p>John Mark had a great time working on the campaign in Nashville this past week. His candidate lost to a better-funded incumbent, but the kids got to stay in a very ritzy area, and that was plenty of excitement in itself. The lady whose husband invented foam pool noodles opened her very large, very plush mansion to these kids. The girls all stayed in the rooms upstairs, but the boys all brought sleeping bags and stayed in the fantasy game room downstairs <em>(it's a wonder any of them got any sleep). </em>Apparently, Carrie Underwood lives next door, and the kids got to deliver campaign literature to Carrie's butler- such excitement! The campaign was smart and offered incentives to its teen volunteers, so John Mark came home with gift certificates from Walmart and Starbucks for making the most calls in a certain period of time, etc. He was full of stories to tell when he finally got home last Tuesday night. And that's all we'll say about election night.</p><p>In other news: Nathanael has been laid out this week with a double ear infection, but after a round of amoxicillin, he's all better. Just two weeks left in co-op: woo-hoo! We are busy preparing for the medieval feast, and can I just say, that against all expectations, my 4th and 5th graders all learned their lines for their play about St. George and the Dragon, and it's going to be a riot! And finally, I have read <em>The Scarlet Pimpernel</em>, and I just want to know why teachers forced us to read <em>The Scarlet Letter</em> when we could have been reading <em>The Scarlet Pimpernel?</em> Oh, I know, <em>The Scarlet Letter</em> has lots of important themes about sin and guilt and human nature, blah, blah, blah, but <em>The Scarlet Pimpernel</em>? Cloak and dagger and romance- love it! I had the book with me when I took Nathanael to the doctor, and his doctor confessed her high school crush on the Scarlet Pimpernel- too funny!</p><p>And I guess that's all for today. I'm off to procrastinate!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-70653058311471673972008-11-01T21:09:00.011-05:002008-11-01T21:53:37.663-05:00November AgainI love November! But I think I say that every November. October is beautiful, and there are lots of fun things to do, but it's painfully busy. November is busy too, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel: co-op winter break! And I love the anticipation of the holidays. Miss Kim brought Christmas music to piano lessons this week, to prepare for the recital in December. I'll soon be hearing much more <em>Jolly Old St. Nicholas, Carol of the Bells,</em> and <em>Joy to the World </em>than any person should have to endure.<br /><br />Last night after a pumpkin-carving rush job and trick-or-treating, John built a fire in the backyard and he and the little boys roasted hot dogs. Becca and I joined them for S'mores. John Mark is working at a campaign in Nashville until Tuesday afternoon with his <a href="http://www.generationjoshua.org/dnn/">Gen J</a> civics club, and Philip left last night on a road trip with his best bud's family, so it's been pretty quiet around here today.<br /><br />Today was not November-ish weather at all, with sunny skies and a high in the mid-70's, but it was perfect for John to work on his projects outside. He's been processing deer meat for the past two days (gross!), but today he took some time to fix up a basketball goal that our neighbor gave us, and then he and a friend took it over to our church building. The co-op kids will be so excited!<br /><br />My mom and Daddy D have gone back to Florida. Sigh. Yesterday I helped her clean the duplex, and then we saw them off. I am very sad... it's like reverse empty-nest. They left us boxes of food, cleaning supplies and other miscellany that they didn't have room to lug home, so I've been trying to find places for everything. And hopefully, they will return soon. I have to admit though, that sitting out on the lanai watching the morning sun rise over the water has a certain appeal...<br /><br />We ended the day at a friend's birthday party, and now off to bed, snuggled under a warm blanket with open windows. And hooray for an extra hour tonight! I love November.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10775710.post-29907529470863289942008-10-28T13:26:00.054-05:002008-10-29T08:43:01.111-05:00And What We've Been Up To Again...<div align="center"><em>Oh, October, I love you so<br />but I will not be sorry to see you go.</em> </div><p><br />Yes, that is a very sorry attempt at poetry... moving on! Here are the mundane and exciting things which have occurred since I last left you (does that make sense? I'm too tired to make it make sense):<br /><br />--Flag Football season has ended and the Football banquet is over <em>(doing a happy dance)</em><br />--Went to the Renaissance festival at the Episcopal church downtown, followed by a lunch at El Chico's (GranMartha's treat!) and a visit to the pumpkin patch. Don't these kids look happy to be at the pumpkin patch?<br /><br /></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262288063674321042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOlCLEsWXMPY3DG-1Jtkhlgd0t8DyGHLTViwxv1DDGa2_DOzMxyRpXHuo30HVA_IHZGKUNH04H1QlNvubyoeaRYdkqew3w4XCm7laZhF8wSnQ7J_oGVsjq4Gu0xonGGZdabEX3Q/s400/000_1918.jpg" border="0" /> --Got John Mark a haircut (!) Apparently, his girl friends (as opposed to <em>girlfriends</em>) have convinced him that having short, well-groomed hair makes him look like a <em>homeschooler.</em> Imagine that.<br />--Cleaned all the upstairs carpets during co-op fall break, and spent the entire next week with icky sinus crud (are those two things related?? Maybe cleaning really does make me sick...)<br />--Sang with the praise team for the Pregnancy Crisis Center fundraiser banquet, which was a huge source of anxiety for John and which required several extra rehearsals crammed in around fall break and all these other activities<br />--Lunch with a friend, and a very satisfying trip to the consignment store: a tough brown velveteen jacket, two excellent red sweaters, a pair of black slacks, and cool black suede shoes! My joy would have been made complete if I had been able to find a new pair of jeans too.<br />--John Mark took the PSAT, as practice for the big tests coming up over the next couple of years. The public school counselor who worked with us was really nice and helpful.<br />--Got all my stuff together for <em>another</em> kids' clothing consignment sale- yea me!<br />--John Mark helped the 4-H Extension staff with "A Taste of Extension" at the local fairgrounds, and ended up doing two interviews on the radio. He was very pleased with himself. It's probably just as well I wasn't listening to the radio that day so I didn't have to worry about what might come out of his mouth during an impromptu interview (I can only imagine what might come out of <em>my </em>mouth during an impromptu interview...)<br />--Oktoberfest!! I have never seen such an odd variety of German food in my entire life, and will you look at all these people crammed into our kitchen? It was an experience, let me tell you, and John was in culinary heaven. But the best thing about Oktoberfest? John fixed all the plumbing problems in the house- hallelujah! </p><p></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262273812309082962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgykhudxp5YVmQoDrnyAjqDtTUwuU6BBH41VI__BkHUE8eEWRZGDdV_t7kSsEozOmrMPxHbVRaDm4eHD83Ts42lH-ghFQ3srthJbdcC6KEPpt16xonUM-Ej9_3oQ_lqNGaCk3KQ/s400/000_1924.jpg" border="0" /> --Our 4-H club held a food drive at Walmart on a beautiful afternoon, and people were so incredibly generous! Becca, the club <em>president</em>, did not help with the food drive because she had been horseback riding and camping with a friend all weekend, and when I asked her, "Are you coming??" she moaned, "Do I have to <em>walk</em>?" So I told her to stay home.<br />--The four younger kids and I went to a family reunion with Daddy D's family this past weekend while The Hunter Duo went on John Mark's last youth hunt (next year, he'll be too old for the youth hunt). So, I didn't have my camera for the family reunion, but The Hunter Duo captured this Kodak moment: <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262285487296916882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPil9JO1_ZR839bRixaZY8Yp299aoaSVrNpQM6T_UR97OnW6FPniU5dlRZ7vHqB1xmo90pWuNulootZxft8ebw8eCVgUXUFyAfiGx76EEiksXnH9ZPQVIGOiJt2FgsHYAI0otKUg/s400/000_1926b.jpg" border="0" /> I'm pretty sure that bad boy is on ice in my garage at the moment, but I'm not asking any questions. Later, the Hunter Duo became the Fishing Duo- what a catch!<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262274471455557106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxFU58dZjVZWrS7nUWgEwMOJA53bTEyUbUyYlFHAbm1OqnE8sq76Phjs5MqAsYw8awNliRr87i06ChDvgm-3nVELUVE9RD7Fae8nT_FwrtnZW0s0ChmvF22uV2lgB1R0OjGKwvnQ/s400/000_1927.jpg" border="0" /> --And that night, we had the annual Trunk or Treat and bonfire at our church. John volunteered to run one of the games this year, "The Eyeball Toss," which consisted of wet spaghetti "worms" and a number of very sticky and extremely icky fake eyeballs. You can see that Nathanael was very worried about this. Hey look, there's <a href="http://reidlandsteph.blogspot.com/">Stephanie</a>!<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262278404382631090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZyJ89mADt6H-4HtZM8gunztF2UJI6bAVNcRcB8oEIw4YY7VNPNLdJEfWijPQ8D7bSU0mJVUQ8dts6_Kn-Wzui3UU4bbhBwMEE3TsXVis8tVFjc4CoKNHh6AnseLOK9g_eLUldOA/s400/000_1929.jpg" border="0" /> But wait... I think I've seen her somewhere before...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdE0d509mY4-9KP-F7-gw0dmZ4rSZqH9P1X1xTKx4aHqhcoFyhR3Rs2gsRHd4tuidhHa6d7FuyxtAjCdT3n0JSPUo7Vf84SsPxCWlNMcpo9Y_SSBP65uULE9TXTAoNFru9lgAwiw/s1600-h/000_1930.jpg"></a><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262278214554034530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmcUdLoUC_Mj_6tD9FO8fP5JKrfSMFS-xE7uzNoQMa4vyLU_FS_1fcoDv7gI0Qhp1AHsSd-g_qVPgVrF_9Yn7bcV2NpE2ImzwtYd68BCVyF1oP3rPX1l7PQpyOtGHyMoPnWbFM9A/s400/000_1919b.jpg" border="0" /> Ah, yes. Oktoberfest. Everyone who is anyone is at Oktoberfest! OK, not really. Our guest list is determined by proof of some type of German descent (no matter how slight), and <strike>how much you can suck up to John</strike> how many people our house can hold. We have clearly reached maximum capacity, unless we plan this thing earlier in the year and move into the street. But we love Stephanie and let her come even if she <em>is</em> Scottish.</p><p>And that is what we've been up to again.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1