it runneth over....

my word is Beautiful

2011-01-31T17:56:00.001-06:00

The last few years it's been the "thing" to pick a word and make it your theme for the year. I'll admit I've been rather flippant about the practice. "Oh, I'd like to be peaceful this year," or perhaps "I'd like to live in abundance." This year, I really wanted to seek out what God wanted me to focus on. I set out to find some deep spiritual revelation, some truly profound word that could set the tone for for a marvelous 2011.

I have to admit, by January 23 I was losing hope. Oh, HOPE!! is that my word Lord? No, that's not it. OK back to prayer. Surely this couldn't take a whole month to find a theme for the year? God must have a really good, profound word for me. Everyone else posted their words weeks ago.

The real trouble is, I had a word. I just didn't like it. I wanted another one. The word I was given didn't seem spiritual or profound enough for me. I was given the word. Beautiful. Dictionary.com defines Beautiful like this (and I copied the whole thing so you can see just how "un-spiritual" it is)

–adjective

1 having beauty; having qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction to see, hear, think about, etc.; delighting the senses or mind: a beautiful dress; a beautiful speech.

2. excellent of its kind: a beautiful putt on the seventh hole; The chef served us a beautiful roast of beef.

3. wonderful; very pleasing or satisfying.

–noun

4. the concept of beauty (usually prec. by the ).

5. ( used with a plural verb ) beautiful things or people collectively (usually prec. by the ): the good and the beautiful.

6. the ideal of beauty (usually prec. by the ): to strive to attain the beautiful.

–interjection

7. wonderful; fantastic: You got two front-row seats? Beautiful!

8. extraordinary; incredible: used ironically: Your car broke down in the middle of the freeway? Beautiful!

Now, my husband likes to accuse me of not having any sins, but let me tell you straight up, wrestling with my own spiritual vanity is definitely a list topper. I like to think of myself as a David singing praises always, but really, inside, I know I'm more of a Jacob..wrestling with God and trying to force Him to see things my way. While I've not had issues overcoming any delusions concerning my superiority in any physical contest, I can't honestly say I haven't cast stones otherwise. Beautiful? Scmootiful. Not really a life goal of mine.

Obviously, I was a bit confused about the word choice. Why Beautiful? Why not Grace? Love? Mercy? Surly these are things I should be showing others. Determination? Perseverance? These are noteworthy goals. And then there is Peace. Forgiveness. Acceptance of the Father's will. Trust in His perfect plan for my life. That is a BEAUTIFUL thing.

Friday!!

2010-10-08T22:12:00.001-05:00

So...here we go!

1. My favorite month is January because I have less things I have to do.

2. LOVES a fresh breeze.

3. I love to sniff the Hershey's cocoa powder in the cabinet. (shhhhhhh)

4. Cake is what I like to have as a treat for breakfast.

5. The hobby I enjoy most is altering anything I can get my hands on

6. Gossip, oh my!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to BED!!, tomorrow my plans include A Mad Hatter Tea Party (pics to follow) and Sunday, I want to REST!

Thankful Thursday

2010-10-07T21:39:00.001-05:00

Today I am thankful for-

Pain. Some days, I just have to make it my friend. I have to look right in its eyes and smile, because the JOY of the Lord is my strength and pain can not defeat me.
Family. They are all crazy, but they're mine, and I fit in here.
Friends. Again, all crazy, but they make me smile.
Giant bars of chocolate. Not an extravagant gift, but I don't need extravagance. I just LOVE to know someone was thinking of me and remembered something I like.
Team Epic. We haven't even had a game and it doesn't matter. These kids are EPIC to me. I can't even begin to say how much my spirit soars to watch them support each other.

I am blessed beyond measure. I haven't figured out if the joy comes from recognizing the beauty of the little things, or if having joy brings little things to bless to me. I suppose it doesn't really matter since I intend to keep enjoying every little blessing the Father sees fit to give me.

the Village People...

2010-08-13T23:02:00.002-05:00

Quit embarrassing us already!

another one?! OK...sigh

I'm texting, I don't see you and you'll go away...

No, not THOSE village people. My village people. The Princesses K & A are performing in Aladdin Jr. the next two weekends. Really cute show. Lots of talent...and the two most beautiful princesses in the whole world! (no bias here-heehee)

The grass is always greener over the septic lines...

2010-08-05T22:33:00.000-05:00

If you don't have any experience with a septic system, this title may not make a lot of sense to you. Please stick with me. The basic function of a septic system is to safely handle the waste water leaving a building. The "lines" are the part of the system where the 'clean' (purely subjective term) water is released into the soil to evaporate. The grass in that area will undoubtedly be greener due to the constant watering received.

I'll admit I often struggle with the concept of contentment. Dictionaries will tell us contentment is the state of being content, or satisfied. One even goes so far as to say contentment is happiness with one's situation in life. I find contentment much more complex than any definition. The struggle to be happy with what my life holds and delivers to me each day is a difficult one that seems to attack me on multiple fronts and clever traps.

One of those traps is the trap of comparison. Comparison is a lovely mirror trick-much like the glassy surface of a lake. It can appear so calm and perfect on the surface. Peaceful and serene, the currents of chaos hiding beneath are waiting to pull me under. She seems like a better mother than I am. They take more vacations than we do. I wish I could ___________ like they do. The list could go on forever as my mind races to find all the good I see on the outside of someone else's life missing in mine and the dissatisfaction grows in my soul.

Is everything under the surface of the lives of others better than what I have? I don't know. It could be better. It could be worse. It could just be different. The point isn't really their lives, it's my heart and thoughts. Contentment will never be found when I'm looking for perfection anywhere on Earth.

I believe we're 'wired' to know something is missing, something that would make all things perfect. There's a longing in every part of us that needs to find that missing piece. That piece that isn't found in having the "best" children. It isn't found on our next grand adventure or new home. Contentment, TRUE contentment isn't possible in this physical world.

I'm not saying there is no happiness here. There is. Indescribable joy is ours, a gift from the Father (I suspect to keep us reasonably sane). But contentment, truly being satisfied, is a condition of our souls and our souls are not physical. That hunger for more can only be satisfied by my Father God. And it's always just enough to leave me wanting more.

So how do I fight the urge to compare my life to others? How do I not get caught up in wishing I had what y neighbor has? I fight it every day. I make a conscious decision to turn my eyes away. Do I win the battle every day? I wish I could yes. I wish I could say I never looked a someone else's grass and wished mine were as green. I'm glad my Father God is faithful to forgive me when I fail.

*just so everyone knows, the only green grass in my (real) yard is over septic lines :0)

ASL perfermance at 4-H Share the Fun

2010-04-15T09:44:00.001-05:00

Princess K and her "Partners In Crime" performing at the 4-H Share the Fun competition. They placed second in their first ever public appearance as an ASL team. Proud Mama moment!!

check this blog

2010-02-15T10:47:00.002-06:00

Check out this blog for a change to win a super cute handmade purse. She has a ton of other great items in her store as well

ziggurat!!

2009-12-15T18:22:00.000-06:00

After today's study on Sumer, Princess A constructed her version of a ziggurat. Tomorrow it's on to pyramids, they we'll get to mummify something...wonder who, I mean what, we'll pick for that project.

Camp Half-blood photos

2009-07-20T19:25:00.002-05:00

Dying quite bravely...

The Princess is an archer...

Lazy Days of Summer?

2009-07-20T18:46:00.004-05:00

I have never really been sure of the origin of that phrase, but it does not fit our lives at all. So far this summer we've worked. First there was the fireworks stand. (A great lesson in patience and getting along.) 5 people in a camper for 11 days in the middle of an empty field with nothing to do is definitely character building. Learning to step outside of your anxiety to talk to strangers, having to borrow and carry on the fly to get totals for customers, and not having everyone available to "do it for you" or just some of the lessons learned by the royal offspring.

After that it was time for Princess K to head to Camp Half-blood. If you've read any of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians books, then you know what I'm talking about. Two weeks in the scorching heat learning to fence, throw javelins, march, dance, and a myriad of other Greek skills, keeps you hot and tired...but having fun :0)

Now its time for the Queen to set up the school year again (DIDN'T WE JUST FINISH?!?!?) I learned of a new system called Workboxes (see info on the book here) and we're really excited to get started. I'll have to post pictures when I get things set up.

2009-02-26T00:02:00.000-06:00

The problem with hammering a square peg into a round hole is not that the hammering is such hard work...it's that you're destroying the peg."
Author unknown

Of all the reasons I could list to explain why I home school, the quote above probably does the best job of saying it for me.There are other paths I could have chosen. There are probably easier ways to get my children "educated." Anyone who has ever home schooled knows its not the easiest job in the world. Sadly, I must admit, I've done much "hammering of square pegs." Some hammering was done in ignorance, some in frustration. Thankfully, I'm always reminded (although not always gently) that my purpose is not to drive my "square" children into round holes, but to guide them down the path God designed for them. Everything I see as a defect, He sees as potential. Everything I see as an insurmountable challenge, He sees as an opportunity to excel. What looks to lack to me is abundance to Him....and He grants me the privilege of helping to guide these wonderful gifts out of my children.

I know that as a wife, mom, teacher, cook, laundry lady, and all the other hats you wear, its easy to feel discouraged and overwhelmed. Its easy to look at those square pegs of yours and wish they would just fit right into whatever hole is the closest. On those days, I'd like to encourage you to call another mom who will lift you up with encouraging words. I'd also like to ask you to grab my hammer from my hands when you see me standing next to the wrong hole wielding it with wild eyes :)

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-11T15:01:00.002-06:00

Faith Steps...

2009-01-27T16:52:00.007-06:00

Hosted here this week.

"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."
~Martin Luther King Jr.

Being a visual learner, stepping out in faith has always been a struggle for me. Even though I know in my heart that God has always provided everything I need, my head gets scared very easy when I can't "see" where everything is going.

Homeschooling is like this for me. I have three "wild cards" so to speak. I trust that they are learning and that God is helping me in all the areas I lack. I can see progress as we go, but not being able to "see" the finished product is a bit frightening.

Questions like "what if I forget something?"or "what if they forget everything I teach them?" plague me at times. Odds are, I probably will forget something, but it will be OK. I've forgotten things I learned in school..is all hope lost? No, I go look up what I need to know.

Its all going to work out because I do trust God. I step out of my fear into my faith in him. He holds my hand as I climb that staircase and I'm looking forward to seeing just what is at the top.

Manic Monday 01/26/09

2009-01-26T21:24:00.003-06:00

~What gives you hope?
*My faith. If there were no knowledge of the one true God who loves me enough to pay the price for all my sins, I don't know how I would ever make it.

~How often do you get your haircut? Describe your worst haircut.
*Not very often. My worst haircuts are when a person won't listen to me about my wacky curls and cuts all my bangs off..I usually don't even get them cut for that very reason...

~What's your most treasured piece of jewelry? Why?
* My wedding rings. Because Jeff gave them to me and they remind me how much he loves me.

homeschooling in TX...

2009-01-26T16:58:00.002-06:00

Just when you think your life can't get any closer to a stereotype, you look out your kitchen window and see how wrong you are. I'm giving them points for the safety equipment but I may deduct a few for toting the school desk outside. On second thought, it does show problem solving skills...I guess they can keep the points. :0)

The Nativity...

2008-12-25T18:02:00.000-06:00

Mary, a Wiseman, and the Angel...look a lot like Princess K, Prince E and Princess A...

Thankful Thursday-To hard to be Thankful?

2008-11-20T15:57:00.000-06:00

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever! ~ Psalm 30:11-12 (ESV)

There are days when my mourning seems too overwhelming to be thankful about anything. I'm having one of those weeks. I find though, that rather than focus on the sadness and the trials, my spirit is lifted when I focus on the things (no matter how simple) I can be thankful for. I miss my mother terribly..much more than I can possibly express to anyone who hasn't lost a parent....but sadness was never in her plans for me, as it's not in my plans for my children. So today, I'm thankful, even though it's hard.

1. I am thankful for a God who invites me to dance, and who provides the music entice me to join him.

2. I am thankful He chose to give me a mother who spent my youth encouraging me to trust Him.

3. I am thankful for Him allowing me to see my daughter overcome her fears, stand up in front of strangers and sing!

4. I am thankful He put encouraging women in my life who make me laugh when all I want to do is cry.

5. I am thankful for trial that push me closer to Him.

6. I am thankful for a husband that loves me in spite of all the "craziness" I seem to attract.

7. I am thankful for hugs from my children. I hope they never get "too big".

8. I am thankful for kitties who know just when I need a snuggle.

9. I am thankful for fuzzy socks that keep my cold toes warm.

10. I am thankful that God provides my needs, all of them, even the ones that seem "too small".

Thankful Thursday- Eternally Saved

2008-11-12T22:48:00.004-06:00

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” ~ John 3:16-17
(ESV - emphasis mine)

I can't even wrap my mind around the concept of eternal. Our minds are so conditioned to everything having and end that the idea of forever just boggles me. I do understand that if I have to be somewhere with no end, the I want it to be heaven and not hell... :) Which brings me to the next highlighted part of that text..SAVED BY HIM. Oh what a joy that puts into my soul!! What peace just washes over me. I didn't have to be good enough. I didn't have to make enough money. I didn't have to have perpetual good hair days...HE saved me! He loved me! He did what I know I could never do on my own, to provide me a future I can't even comprehend. Gotta love a God who knows what's best for me and offers it to me even before I know I need it.

Thankful Thursday- Not to Fear...

2008-11-05T22:51:00.003-06:00

“Know that the LORD, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!”
~ Psalm 100:3-4 (ESV)

I'm hearing a lot of fear lately in all my
communications with others. Fear over the economy, fear over leadership changes, fear over just about anything you can name at any given moment. We were not made to fear. We are his! We are made to praise. We are made to accept his love and gracious gifts to us. He made us, he loves us he saved us. All he asks in return is our love and adoration. Fear chokes that out of us. Fear cripples us. Fear keeps us from receiving blessings and love from him. How do I fight fear you ask? Oh that's the easy part...you just praise. Enter those gates singing a song of joy to him. Dance before his throne with thanksgiving--I promise not to watch :)

It truly does not matter what is happening in the banks of America. New presidents are of little importance. God is God. He is big. He is Good. Nothing escapes his attention. He is more than able to meet your every need and no man can stop him. So fear not! This IS the day the Lord of Lords has made and you have every reason to rejoice in it!

Thankfulness 4-5

2008-11-05T22:04:00.002-06:00

Nov 4- I'm thankful for a daughter who grows more beautiful everyday. I know that someday she will be a competent and caring mother and wife who has a heart to serve the Lord.

Nov 5- I am thankful for a daughter who brings beautiful sunshine and chaos to my life. She just shines, and its hard not to be happy when you're with her. She makes me proud with how hard she works.

Thankfulness 1-3

2008-11-05T21:58:00.001-06:00

So I was challenged to post a picture a day through all of November that shows something I'm thankful for. I'm a bit behind.
Nov 1- I'm thankful for my puppy who is always happy to see me and loves me not matter how I look :)

Nov 2-I'm thankful for the imagination of Prince E and how everything is an adventure to him. He takes pictures of toy battles with my camera to show me what I'm missing by reading a "boring ole book"

Nov 3-I'm thankful for sweet moments like this. We couldn't get them both in the picture, but the shoulder you see to his left is his Papa who also fell asleep on the way home.

Trunk or Treat pics

2008-11-01T09:34:00.000-05:00

Princess A waits to play a game

Indiana Jones goes treasure fishing

Princess K and friend have had far too much sugar...

Halloween IS scary!!

2008-10-31T23:11:00.002-05:00

OK so you've heard all I do is eat Bon Bon's all day...here's the proof...

major cutie!!

Self-portrait?

2008-10-30T17:34:00.001-05:00

Here's what a small boy does when he takes the Queen's camera for a spin. A silly small boy that is...

Game day video

2008-10-27T13:26:00.001-05:00

This is the entire competition in super fast forward. I'll have regular pictures later.

Mall Day

2008-10-21T21:39:00.000-05:00

These are photos of RADAR at our practice run at the mall in Sherman. Princess K is the "spotter" (helper) and her job is to help the driver navigate RADAR into the warehouse to retreive parts to build an airplane. Its not really as easy as it looks....

So it's Robot time again...

2008-10-02T23:10:00.003-05:00

Cooler temperatures, dying grass, and the sound of power tools can only mean one thing--it's time to build a robot! Science has never really been my thing, but face it, robots are cool. They do what you tell them (sort of) and they don't make messes (well the people operating them do, but can we blame that on the robot?!?!) and they don't talk back (because we don't give them voices!)

The above photo is of some of our brightest students and their lovely parents at the kick-off meeting where we learned our mission. We must assemble and deliver an airplane...piece of cake! Check us out here

Friday Foto

2008-10-02T16:11:00.001-05:00

10 Blessings

2008-10-02T00:10:00.004-05:00

Many of the people in our church are emailing each other with the ten things they are thankful for each day. Here are mine for today

1. Forgiveness
2. A husband who loves me enough to provide for me
3. A son that is learning remorse for his actions
4. Girls who have more hormones than they need (its a blessing to know they are normal)
5. A dog that wears the goofy clothes I put on him
6. Kitties that like to snuggle
7. chocolate- and lots of it...
8. My back that is feeling better
9. Honesty among friends
10.Being able to give someone something they need

Its always the little things....

2008-09-03T14:36:00.004-05:00

Sometimes we spend so much time and energy preparing for the big events and the big catastrophes, we forget that its the little things that seem to pack the most punch.

Like ants. I'm not fond of them. In fact, I'm less than not fond of them. On a scale of 1-10 my fondness for ants would be somewhere around a -7. I understand they are part of the food chain and necessary. They are not, however, necessary in my home. That's where they are today. They're in the kitchen, causing me to pull everything out of cabinets. They're in the bathroom, crawling all over the toothbrushes. They're in my bedroom crawling all over my jammies and underthings. I get the kitchen thing, there is food in there. I get the bathroom, there is water in there. But my pajamas?!?!? They are clean so there's no food or water to sustain them. I'm much, much larger than an ant so don't fit them. Perhaps they're jealous because I have lots of pink ones and they don't?

I find it odd that something as small as an ant can derail my entire day. Every time I got an area discovered and sprayed, then tried to sit down to start school with the kids, someone would find another trail. They weren't here yesterday, yet today they have completely taken up the better part of my day. Its almost 3 PM and we've only managed to do reading. Oh, and had a science lesson on mass extermination with a vengeance and why the Queen shouldn't be given a can of chemicals while she's angry... Will having them count all the little dead ant bodies suffice for math today? :0)

Well, I'm off to buy new toothbrushes, more soap to rewash all my jammies and just in case, another big black can of poison...

First Day of School

2008-09-02T10:56:00.004-05:00

It's here, It's here..the first day of school. Don't they look so happy?!?! It's 10 AM and only three meltdowns so far. I must be loosing my mean streak.. LOL

Moments of Joy

2008-08-27T12:04:00.002-05:00

I don't know about you, but I often wonder if I'm doing this right. I wonder if anything I try to teach my kids is ever going to amount to anything other than "doing the time", and that's not what I want my children to take away from this schooling experience. Somehow, in the midst of the pity party I was having, my child presented me with an opportunity to see into "the future"...figuratively, of course.

I lost my mother in March. My dad, trying to be helpful, brought me all her sewing things knowing that I would want them when I was ready. Well, I wasn't ready. They have been sitting in a pile in the corner of the living room and I walk past and ignore them daily...until today. One of my girls is wanting to learn to sew and asked if she could have Gramma's machine if I wasn't going to use it. So, we got it out, cleaned it up and made sure it was working. Then she wanted to explore the boxes of treasures as well. Most of it was not worth saving because it had been in storage too long. When we got to the bottom of the box, we found patterns to make Barbie clothes. I couldn't believe my mother had kept them, but I couldn't help smiling. We sat and laughed at how funny the clothes looked (I was a 70's child..) and I told her about how I would sit and look through the scraps pile to pick the material for the clothes. What started out as getting ready for a school subject I wasn't looking forward to, quickly became a time to share old memories and make new ones.

Never underestimate the power of your influence on your child. You never know when what you may think is a small, inconsequential moment of your time will turn into a memory. A memory that brings joy, and remembrance of things you taught, to future generations. Enjoy home schooling your children, you're doing great!

His Grace is Enough

2008-08-26T22:39:00.005-05:00

This story was forwarded to me not too long ago. My friend was shocked (with good reason) to read of this man's deception. The more I think about the story, the more it occurs to me that this man is just that, a man. We have all sinned and none of us is worthy of Grace on our own, yet God offers it to us so freely.

I can't presume to say why this man would choose to deceive millions the way he has. Perhaps he thought that producing a "miracle" would inspire someone else to believe. Perhaps he shamelessly had a plan to make money off the pity of others. I can't say. I do know that miracles are possible. My son is one. He was dramatically healed. I do know that not every prayer is answered with a miracle. Or is it? After 25 years of pain my mother went home to be with her savior last March. Is that a miracle? Maybe not the one I was hoping for, but the fact that God loved her so much He saved her soul so she could live with Him eternally sounds pretty miraculous to me.

I don't know what God has in store for this preacher who has so publicly fallen. I do know God loves him very much and is waiting with forgiveness and mercy and grace to wrap him in and hold him close. The same love and grace He offers to me every time I fail. He makes all things beautiful. Every sin I allow Him to cover with that unending grace turns from something ugly, to something He uses for His glory. His Grace is ENOUGH and I thank Him for that.

Abraham Lincoln

2008-07-23T21:57:00.000-05:00

I'd like to share a quote that I think kind of sums up our mission as parents..

" A child is a person who is going to carry on what you have started. He is going to sit where you are sitting, and when you are don, attend to those things whoch you think are important. You may adopt all the policies you please, but how they are carried out depnds on him. He will assume control of your cities, states and nation. He is going to move in and take over your churches, schools, universities and corporations. All your books are going to be judged, praised or condemed by him. The fate of humanity is in his hands" Abraham Lincoln

Now, obviously I don't agree with the last line since I believe all destiny is controlled by God. I do agree with the general thought behind the statement in that if we do not take careful and deliberate care to teach our children we will reap what we sow.

Proverbs 11:18 The wicked man earns deceptive wages,
but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.

Job 4: 8 As I have observed, those who plow evil
and those who sow trouble reap it.

Meet Samson

2008-07-12T22:25:00.002-05:00

This is the newest baby at our home. His name is Samson but Mommy calls him Sam

health code violation??

2008-07-12T22:09:00.002-05:00

We passed this sign at a closed gas station and we had to stop and take a picture...I'm pretty sure I wouldn't eat any BBQ smoked in a restroom regardless of the fat content...lol (just pretend you're not looking through my dirty windshield)

Happy 4th

2008-07-05T22:46:00.003-05:00

The royal offspring posed for the Queen in front of the flag...I'm not sure just where the silliness comes from...lol

Thankful Thursday

2008-04-10T20:40:00.006-05:00

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” ~ Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV-emphasis mine)

Its interesting that Thankful Thursday falls on the one month "anniversary" of my Mother's passing...even more interesting that this was the scripture chosen for today. The past month, I haven't really felt like a "chosen one". I've felt more like a "forgotten one". I know that we are not to be ruled by our feelings. I know that nothing separates me from his love. The fact is that as I focus on "me" and what I'm lacking, I forget to focus on Him. He hasn't forgotten me, I chose to look away. So as I ask for His forgiveness (again) I will also lift my praises and thanksgivings to him.

My thankful list today...
1. I am thankful he takes me back every time I come.
2. I am thankful for the family he put into my life to surround me with love.
3. I am thankful for the little things he uses to remind me of his love...a well timed card from a secret pal, small flowers that make it through the stormy night, and hugs in the grocery store from a friend I didn't expect to see.

My favorite photo

2008-04-08T20:55:00.001-05:00

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Famous

2008-04-08T20:48:00.001-05:00

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Still having fun...

2008-04-08T20:44:00.001-05:00

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coolest site!

2008-04-08T20:41:00.001-05:00

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Parental warning...

2008-04-08T17:04:00.005-05:00

The world is such a dangerous place for our children....its even scarier when its other children who are working so hard to destroy each other. 17 yo artist "Soulja Boy" is one of those kids preying on your children and taking your money in the process. Please read this blog and follow the links to read the lyrics to the song. It both alarmed and saddened me that parents are spending hard earned money to indoctrinate their precious children with such an unhealthy view of sexual relations.

Be warned....you're not going to like what you read, and should probably not let your children read it unless they are mature enough to do so. The lyrics are vulgar and offensive, as are the comments left by children defending the song.

The hard lessons....

2008-04-02T21:33:00.002-05:00

We lost tow chickens today. One of our chicks was dead when we woke up. It looked like the others smooshed it while the slept. The other disappeared shortly after breakfast. ..we suspect she became someone else's breakfast. Its a really sad thing for your kids to learn, and yet, its a valuable lesson as well. From the chicks they learned that being selfish and only caring about your own comfort hurts others around you. From the missing hen they learned that when you decide to not follow the rules, and stay inside the protection that the rules bring, you end up very sorry. The enemy is always waiting to gobble us up if we decide to step out form under the protect of the Holy Father. He doesn't tell us to listen to him because he wants to hurt us...he only wants to love and protect us. So, not fun lessons, but ones they will remember..as will the Queen who had the lovely task of disposing of the little chicky no one else was willing to touch...I did however refuse to dissect it. I'm thinking if they want to see whats inside it, they should do it themselves....eeeeewwwwww....

#4982

2008-04-01T17:42:00.006-05:00

Reason #4982 to home school.

Cops: 3rd-graders aimed to hurt teacher

My children have never plotted to harm their teacher. The only "attack" perpetrated on myself is the dog-pile on Mommy's bed to smother her with hugs and kisses. I'm so glad I'm raising nice kids. :0)

Where's the off switch??

2008-03-31T21:52:00.003-05:00

I think one of my favorite things about homeschooling is seeing the "light come on" and watching the royal offspring get excited about learning...until around 9 PM that is. Why is it, that as my brain is beyond tired and just wants to go to bed, theirs seems to gear up with questions, ideas , inventions and a million other things? How insane does it make me look in their eyes to encourage free thought, looking up everything you want to know and solving all the world's problems with wacky inventions guaranteed to make our lives better all day long, only to beg them to be quiet and go to sleep as the sun goes down. After all, (and I quote) "IF God wanted us to go to bed at dark, why did he let us invent lights?" My answer of course, was "Lights were invented by Satan to give mom's more time everyday to work themselves into an early grave."

Some one find my Mommy owner's manual, I need to turn off the lights....

Thankful Thursday

2008-03-27T15:49:00.006-05:00

“Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King! Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre! For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.” ~ Psalm 149:2-4 (ESV -emphasis mine)

I have always loved “baby” grass. I am not quite sure at what point in my childhood I started calling it that, but the first grass of spring is my favorite. All those tiny, super bright green blades are definitely the first sign of spring for me. I am always afraid to walk on it and spoil the beauty. I want it to last forever, but it seems to only last for a few weeks before it changes- darker, wider, and stronger.

I think our lives are a lot like that baby grass. We are so fragile when we are born (and reborn). We are so fresh and new and….well, weak. Childhood goes spinning past us in a blaze of activity, fun and sometimes sorrows. We have parents and grandparents that tend to us and protect us.

As we mature and grow “wider” and hopefully stronger, we don’t need as much tender care. We still need our parents and mentors. We often need a good mowing and weeding to be honest. More than our appearance has changed. Our purpose has changed.

You see that stronger grass has a job to do. It holds the topsoil down. It feeds various animals (and bugs-icky) It seeds itself and reproduces. It gives my babies a nice soft place to land when they fall.

Weak baby grass is exciting and beautiful, but strong grass is necessary for survival. This has never been more clear to me than now, as I feel the loss of my mother. My Daddy God has blessed me with strong grass to fall into while I let Him help me heal. I'm so thankful my mother took the time to plant the seeds of faith and to tend to my "lawn" in preparation for my future. I hope I do as well a job with my kids.

Cool video

2008-01-19T21:32:00.000-06:00

Sharing some humor

2007-12-30T01:26:00.000-06:00

OK, after reading this on my friend's blog, I just had to share. While, I'm not bitter about homeschooling or the curiosity it raises, I do get a giggle at some of the responses. There are times when I'd like to give a smarty pants response too, but find myself holding my tongue. Never hurts to giggle bit though right??

The Bitter Homeschooler's Wish List
By Deborah Markus, from Secular Homeschooling Magazine, Issue #1, Fall 2007
1 Please stop asking us if it's legal. If it is — and it is — it's insulting to imply that we're criminals. And if we were criminals, would we admit it?

2 Learn what the words "socialize" and "socialization" mean, and use the one you really mean instead of mixing them up the way you do now. Socializing means hanging out with other people for fun. Socialization means having acquired the skills necessary to do so successfully and pleasantly. If you're talking to me and my kids, that means that we do in fact go outside now and then to visit the other human beings on the planet, and you can safely assume that we've got a decent grasp of both concepts.

3 Quit interrupting my kid at her dance lesson, scout meeting, choir practice, baseball game, art class, field trip, park day, music class, 4H club, or soccer lesson to ask her if as a homeschooler she ever gets to socialize.

4 Don't assume that every homeschooler you meet is homeschooling for the same reasons and in the same way as that one homeschooler you know.

5 If that homeschooler you know is actually someone you saw on TV, either on the news or on a "reality" show, the above goes double.

6 Please stop telling us horror stories about the homeschoolers you know, know of, or think you might know who ruined their lives by homeschooling. You're probably the same little bluebird of happiness whose hobby is running up to pregnant women and inducing premature labor by telling them every ghastly birth story you've ever heard. We all hate you, so please go away.

7 We don't look horrified and start quizzing your kids when we hear they're in public school. Please stop drilling our children like potential oil fields to see if we're doing what you consider an adequate job of homeschooling.

8 Stop assuming all homeschoolers are religious.

9 Stop assuming that if we're religious, we must be homeschooling for religious reasons.

10 We didn't go through all the reading, learning, thinking, weighing of options, experimenting, and worrying that goes into homeschooling just to annoy you. Really. This was a deeply personal decision, tailored to the specifics of our family. Stop taking the bare fact of our being homeschoolers as either an affront or a judgment about your own educational decisions.

11 Please stop questioning my competency and demanding to see my credentials. I didn't have to complete a course in catering to successfully cook dinner for my family; I don't need a degree in teaching to educate my children. If spending at least twelve years in the kind of chew-it-up-and-spit-it-out educational facility we call public school left me with so little information in my memory banks that I can't teach the basics of an elementary education to my nearest and dearest, maybe there's a reason I'm so reluctant to send my child to school.

12 If my kid's only six and you ask me with a straight face how I can possibly teach him what he'd learn in school, please understand that you're calling me an idiot. Don't act shocked if I decide to respond in kind.

13 Stop assuming that because the word "home" is right there in "homeschool," we never leave the house. We're the ones who go to the amusement parks, museums, and zoos in the middle of the week and in the off-season and laugh at you because you have to go on weekends and holidays when it's crowded and icky.

14 Stop assuming that because the word "school" is right there in homeschool, we must sit around at a desk for six or eight hours every day, just like your kid does. Even if we're into the "school" side of education — and many of us prefer a more organic approach — we can burn through a lot of material a lot more efficiently, because we don't have to gear our lessons to the lowest common denominator.

15 Stop asking, "But what about the Prom?" Even if the idea that my kid might not be able to indulge in a night of over-hyped, over-priced revelry was enough to break my heart, plenty of kids who do go to school don't get to go to the Prom. For all you know, I'm one of them. I might still be bitter about it. So go be shallow somewhere else.

16 Don't ask my kid if she wouldn't rather go to school unless you don't mind if I ask your kid if he wouldn't rather stay home and get some sleep now and then.

17 Stop saying, "Oh, I could never homeschool!" Even if you think it's some kind of compliment, it sounds more like you're horrified. One of these days, I won't bother disagreeing with you any more.

18 If you can remember anything from chemistry or calculus class, you're allowed to ask how we'll teach these subjects to our kids. If you can't, thank you for the reassurance that we couldn't possibly do a worse job than your teachers did, and might even do a better one.

19 Stop asking about how hard it must be to be my child's teacher as well as her parent. I don't see much difference between bossing my kid around academically and bossing him around the way I do about everything else.

20 Stop saying that my kid is shy, outgoing, aggressive, anxious, quiet, boisterous, argumentative, pouty, fidgety, chatty, whiny, or loud because he's homeschooled. It's not fair that all the kids who go to school can be as annoying as they want to without being branded as representative of anything but childhood.

21 Quit assuming that my kid must be some kind of prodigy because she's homeschooled.

22 Quit assuming that I must be some kind of prodigy because I homeschool my kids.

23 Quit assuming that I must be some kind of saint because I homeschool my kids.

24 Stop talking about all the great childhood memories my kids won't get because they don't go to school, unless you want me to start asking about all the not-so-great childhood memories you have because you went to school.

25 Here's a thought: If you can't say something nice about homeschooling, shut up!

Thankful for Innocence

2007-11-11T16:15:00.000-06:00

In a world where kids are forced to grow up too fast and learn about the shame this life brings us, it was so sweet to catch this photo of Princess K and her friend on a recent field trip. It made my heart sing to know that my child was still innocent enough to enjoy her friendship with this little girl without fear of what others might think. In fact, it never crossed either child's mind that someone would think they were engaged in anything but true friendship. Friends are such a blessing from God and I'm thankful these two have found that friendship in each other.

Thankful Thursday

2007-10-18T16:21:00.000-05:00

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” ~ Psalm 28:7 (ESV)

Where do I have to go but to you? Who else hears me when I cry? David probably captures the despair of the human heart better than any other person out there. I find it so interesting that a man who sinned against God so many times is also referred to by God as the apple of His eye. Could it be that my heavenly Father feels the same way about me? That He would love me past my sins and failures and be my strength and my shield? That I can put the trust of my heart in Him and be helped? YES YES YES! He promised to love me just as much as David and He proves it to me daily.

Today I am thankful that no matter how far my pride takes me from His will, He's always right there waiting for me to cry out so He can come save me.

Sunday Seven 10/07/07

2007-10-07T22:18:00.000-05:00

1. No more fevers in my home this week! Although I will admit it was nice to have Prince E silent for two days, its much more "fun" for everyone when he's not sick. Now where are my ear plugs? :)

2. God's abundant grace in my shortcomings...I find that no matter how far I think I've "come", I may never actually be "there". But is OK, because He's always right here with me. This week we worked on seeing people through His eyes. Have you ever noticed that the thing that annoys you most about someone, is the thing God is trying to fix in you?? Why is that? Surely He can't possibly be saying "I" am annoying?? Yeah, I get the point God.. :)

3. Family. Not just the casual thank you for my family, but really truly thank you for the blessings and the pain they bring me. I look at how rich and wonderful my life is and I can only say WOW. Without the family God put into my life i would be a mess. Well, MORE of a mess than I am now.. :)

4. Church. I belong to a new congregation of believers now. It's a new and exciting feeling to look forward to going to the church building and seeing the other people there. Not just looking forward to the music or he teaching (those are great and I still enjoy them) but, I actually look forward to seeing the people. That's a new thing for me and I have to admit, I like it. :)

5. Clearance sales. Probably not your average thing to be thankful for on a Sunday afternoon, but I can't help it. It puts a smile on my face to walk in and see sand box toys marked 75% off and be able to tell my kids, grab whatever you want. its the little things that make me happy...little price tags included. :)

6. Kids who want to learn things. Princess K is heading to the first competition rounds this coming weekend with the Robot team. (Link to right and story below) Its a busy time and keeps us beyond busy, but i love seeing her so excited about learning. :)

7. My Kitty. Princess Boots is not your normal kitty. She follows me and demands attention. She also puts up with my need to hug and baby talk her. It not every cat who shows up after your hysterectomy and hangs around to be your perpetual "baby". I think I need to sit in the rocker for a bit...here kitty, kitty.... :)

2007-10-04T22:33:00.000-05:00

Lets See, what am I thankful for today?

* My Savior- Who loves me and picks me back up every time I fall.

* The King- who constantly works so hard to make me smile.

* The Royal Offspring- for reminding me that sometimes we have to stop what we're doing and snuggle.

Engineering Princess....

2007-09-26T22:51:00.000-05:00

My girl loves power tools! Princess K joined a robot building team just to get her hands on some. The whole thing is very neat and teaches kids lots of things about science and technology. We even have a website with links to the main competitions site if any other homeschooling groups are interested. www.wfmars.com

isn't she so cute in those safety glasses?? She seems to have misplaced her tiara though....

Tuesday Challenge Check in 09/25/07

2007-09-25T16:25:00.000-05:00

OK I found a walking buddy and we walked 1.3 miles this morning. I intentionally ate half what I normally would, and have drank all my targeted amounts of water. I guess it will take longer to feel better than one day?? :)

Cookies and donuts and ice cream...oh my!

2007-09-23T09:13:00.000-05:00

Since taking myself off HRT a few months ago, all I do is gain weight. I'm too the point that very little I have fits. And I'm not willing to go buy more. So its time to start making some healthier changes to see if I can rev up my energy levels and get to exercising more. I joined a challenge (see the button to the right)and I'm hoping it will really encourage me to stick to healthy food and exercising. We shall see..

Pink tools??

2007-09-23T00:19:00.000-05:00

http://multi-taskingmoms.blogspot.com/2007/09/repairing-your-body-inside-and-out.html

This one is for a tool set. I like the pink of course..lol

Did someone say Pink??

2007-09-23T00:02:00.000-05:00

Want to win a pink Dyson vaccum?? check out this give away!

http://www.5minutesformom.com/2334/dyson-pink/

So we have these Guenias...

2007-09-20T13:38:00.000-05:00

We purchased some Guenias because they are suppose to be awesome at eating bugs. Right now they are in a dog crate in my kitchen because they are so small. They've proved to be quite entertaining as well as educational. For instance, the Royal Offspring are learning about survival of the fittest...

The keets are big enough to eat small grasshoppers so it has become a great game to catch little defenseless bugs and drop them into the cage. It quickly became apparent that speed was a factor in survival as the fast bird almost always ended up with the grasshopper. So yes! There is truth to the old saying the early bird gets the worm. We also determined that strength was a factor as we watched the biggest bird step on the fastest bird and take the prize.

It didn't take long before the justice loving Royal Offspring were crying foul (pun intended) and trying to come up with a plan to ensure that all the birds got a grasshopper. So, brainstorming ensued.

They came up with a theory that if they could teach the birds to eat from their hands, then they could decide who gets what grasshopper. The dilemma being that every time someone approaches the cage, the birds all run for the far corner. So they caught another bug, stuck it head through the wire and sure enough, the fastest bird came over and plucked the grasshopper from the King's hand. After a few tries, all the larger birds were coming to the side of the cage to take a grasshopper. Plan was good...or was it?

You see, the Queen, after many years experience in cleaning up more poop than she cares to remember, is the designated crate cleaner. So, now every time the Queen wishes to open the door to clean the crate or refresh their water, she is mobbed by grasshopper craving keets, who are not very happy to see her empty-handed. Apparently these birds are smart enough to learn to come to the side when a person approaches, but not smart enough to tell the difference between Royal Offspring and the Queen who does not touch grasshoppers. The Queen is working on a plan to teach the birds to recognize she is there only to shovel waste, not hand out bug treats...all suggestions welcome. :)

the "fear" collage...

2007-09-19T21:49:00.000-05:00

The assignment was to create a collage representing the emotion of fear. Princess A made a picture of a robber about to go into someone's house. I liked her use of mixed media. She has paint, construction paper, googly eyes, sticks, leaves and cardboard. Nice job Princess A!

What I learned today...

2007-09-19T15:35:00.000-05:00

My children never cease to amaze me, and oddly enough, I learn from them more often than from a book. Today, I learned its OK to see the world diffrently. So what if the assignment doesn't match the work turned in? Isn't art suppose to be an individual thing? Is it really art if you do it exactly like the book tells you to?

When I think about it, homeschooling is quite an "out of the box" way of thinking to begin with. Should I be surprised when my lovely Princess A takes an assignment and tailors it to fit how she sees the world? No, I think I shouldn't. Independant thought is one of my ultimate goals here.