Raise the Cup!

This is GREAT~!

2007-12-20T07:45:00.000-05:00

I saw this video on my super wonderful gal pal's blog, An Open Book. Julie finds the craziest stuff to blog about. Most days I don't have much to say that can be placed here in a small space, but Julie is a non-stop, never-ending source of thought, life, and laughter.

This morning I was catching up on her blog and found this hialrious video!!! I actually laughed aloud. You simply must watch it. It will only take a second, I promise.

I don't know if this will work, as I have never tried to place a video on my blog before. But this is worth the effort. I hope it works.

To watch the video, click this link.

Who'd have thunk?

2007-12-19T09:51:00.000-05:00

The busy-ness of the season has taken hold of my family, just like yours. There are so many things going on in our lives, I sometimes don't know what day it is or what time of day it is. tee hee! In the midst of all this, I decided to take a few days to surf the net and catch up on some blog reading. I found this quiz and thought it quite fun.

Your Christmas is Most Like: A Charlie Brown Christmas

Each year, you really get into the spirit of Christmas.
Which is much more important to you than nifty presents.

What Movie Is Your Christmas Most Like?

Take some time to do something fun for yourself right now. Take this little quiz...it only takes a few moments, really. Enjoy!

These are my Merry Christmas thoughts.

A Book Review: The Christmas Box

2007-12-09T23:27:00.000-05:00

Firstly, let me say WoWuh! I can't believe how my life has changed. I used to be able to come here and blog so frequently and over the last few months, I just haven't had the time. Maybe into January I will be able to dedicate more time here. As the primaries start rolling around, I will have so much to say...well I already do, but not enough time to say it. LOL! At any rate, I am still participating in Fall into Reading 2007 over at Callapidder Days. I have a few book reviews to add, but only time to post one today. So, without further ado....

The Christmas Box Collection, by Richard Paul Evans

A Review

This is a collection of three works by Richard Paul Evans that are centered around some amazing life experiences he and his wife have had the opportunity to be a part of. The opening story ("The Christmas Box") is the story of how he and his wife met Mary Anne and her influence on their lives. She offered Richard the ability to see and cherish life in a way he (and we all can) overlook. Touching and poignant, this is the story that had me wanting to read on.

The next story is that of the "Timepiece." As I begin this read, I wasn't certain I would be able to get into the plot. Yet, I found midway that I was unable to put the story to rest. I was internally urged to get to the ending. After having read the entire book, this was my least favorite of the the three stories, but that in no way implies that this story is not worth your time. This is the story of the love affair of Mary Anne. It is not to be missed or overlooked as it adds to the intensity of the setting of the third story, "The Letter."

"The Letter" is by far my favorite in this book. I was riveted. I cried, I laughed, I was angered, I was in awe, I clenched my teeth. I wanted to be a better person. This is unlike any story I have read before, because it is not a fairy tale by any stretch. I really do not want to say much about the storyline, but I will say Mary Anne was one amazing and strong woman!

Overall Rating: ****

These are my thoughts.

The Christmas Season is here...or is it?

2007-11-25T16:04:00.000-05:00

I have never shopped on Black Friday, because I have some health issues. However, I also have a tradition of switching my home from autumn to winter on that Friday and Saturday. This year as I watched the news on Thanksgiving Day night, I was astounded at how many stores were open for shopping and how many people were standing in line already to be the first in the door of certain stores in order to be eligible for the door buster sales on Black Friday.

There was a shot of a looooong table that had been set up; complete with a Thanksgiving Day feast. Everyone in line participated. How wonderful. This intrigued me, because I realized that all of these people were not celebrating Thanksgiving at all. They were more concerned with saving money for Christmas. So when did presents override the birth of Jesus?

We have a gaggle of fraggles at our house. We do have Santa, which means presents. But the emphasis in our family is on the birth of Christ. Now, I am not suggesting that each family should observe the holiday as we do. Not at all, actually. However, without Jesus' birth, there would not be a holiday season. Most people would acknowledge this fact. Christians, do as well. They profess He is the Reason for the Season. Right? Then what is the obsession with stuff? Not just any stuff mind you, but big ticket items.

A man that was interviewed came to get in line for a few of the door buster items at 2 am on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. That means that he went to bed on Tuesday night got up and made it to the store to get in line before the sun even thought of sending out its rays on Wednesday. When asked why he does this he replied that he will be saving approximately $2400! Now that is a HUGE savings. OR is it?

No doubt $2400 is a LOT of money. What was he purchasing, I am not certain. The store in which he was waiting for the Black Friday sale was a techie store, so I assume he is purchasing some big ticket gadgets. The question that flew into my brain as I listened to him was, is missing 3 days of family time worth $2400? For him , the answer is yes. For me, no.

There is nothing that is for sale that can rival time with my family. I am frugal, and anyone who has visited Journey to Simplicity knows that I have pitfalls as well as focus. Yet, when is money saved, a true savings? There is more to the simple life than saving paper printed with green ink. We make certain that we carefully purchase items for our children, so as not to have those wonderful toys find themselves broken or collecting dust 3 days after Christmas is over. The hubby and I do not exchange gifts as a rule. Although rules are made to be broken. If I find something I know he will enjoy, I would give him a gift. We do not feel obligated or guilt if one is gifted and has nothing to give in return. Gifting for Christmas between us doesn't happen often, so is not an issue. Over the years we have scaled down immensely with the littletons. As they get older they cherish the few things they do get more and the we emphasize the greatest gift of all. The more I watch the world obsess over stuff, the more I dislike the secular and commercial part of the holiday. What would retailers do if the country as a whole campaigned against Christmas displays prior to Black Friday?

Sometimes I wonder what God thinks about are American tradition of stuff giving. Does he wonder why we don't get that a gift isn't a true gift unless it is given in the appropriate spirit instead of out of obligation? Does He shake His head at our lust for the stuff in life or the fact that we are so drawn to the marketing of the retailers? I wonder.

These are my thoughts.

A Christian Sales Rep

2007-11-19T14:51:00.000-05:00

Recently I attended a home party of a type that I had not previously ever ventured to. As a norm, I do not do home parties; I don't go and I don't host. However, I accepted an invitation to this party because the I wanted to get to know the woman hosting it better. SO, I go to the party and have an excellent time. Well, that was until the sales woman kept trying to push me into a becoming a rep. I told her no at the show a few times. She asked me to take home some info and a video. I should have refused, but I took it. This was on a Friday.

I spoke with the hubby. After prayer and dsicussion we had decided that my gut instinct was right. Accepting a position such as this would detract from our family and living by God's principles. The next morning bright and early the woman called my house to see if I had watched the movie yet. It hadn't even been 24 hrs! I did not call her back over the weekend. However, I did call on MOnday and left her a detailed message pertaining to our lack of interest in her company, yet an appreciation for her taking time to share the news. I specified that I would return the info to the woman who had hosted the party. Done. Or so I thought.

Last night she called here around 9pm. We chatted for about 45 minutes or so about the company, why I didn't want to sell her product, why this wouldn't fit in with our family, our living by God's hierarchy of priorities, and being a submissive wife. Nothing I said deterred her from finding another angle. She even tried to say I was interested in having a party at my home. I kept saying no in the kindest way possible. This woman just would not take no for an answer. I did my best to remain kind and got off the phone.

I told the hubby about the call and that if I had been slightly interested, she would have squashed that interest by her lack respect for our decision. She even had the nerve to tell me that she was glad to hear that I had prayed about the issue because when we pray we are looking for more information. What? Hello? Was she listening to me in the slightest. To top it all off, she has a sickly sweet voice and a more than superficial persona. Another complete turn off. I admitted to the hubby that if she ever calls here again, I will need to be blunt and perhaps unkind. I may even need to say a thank you for the call and hang up on her. I really hate to go that route, but what other choice do I have with someone who is so disrespectful and pushy?

What I want to know is, when does a christian sales rep cross the line of the principles set up in the word? When a fellow christian says no, does the rep continue to push forward and not accept that their no means no? Should the rep disregard the customers wishes and desires for life? Does twisiting God's priorities for living lead others astray?

No more home parties for me ever!!!

Conflict

2007-11-16T07:59:00.000-05:00

We all have conflict in our lives. We may not have conflict all the time, but it is part of our lives at least from time to time. (Luke 17) Often times we look at these things merely as causing a disturbance. Yet, each and everything that God puts before us is an opportunity for growth. Thus, it is how we react to conflict that creates part of our definition.

For some reason, when we have conflict with those who are not close to our hearts, the conflict may seem unimportant. If you have a run in with a clerk, it will end with that occurrence. You may take time to replay the conflict with a friend or spouse, but it is over. However, does not hold true for those whom we may find ourselves in conflict with when they are family or close friends. Working through a disagreement with your spouse will always be more difficult to work through. The closer a person is to your heart, the more difficult conflict is.

We need to keep our minds focused on the Lord. Conflict is put into our lives for our own betterment. Each conflict is an opportunity for us to utilize all we have captured from the Word and placed in our hearts to affect transformation. The only portion of conflict that you can control is your actions and words. Those who are also involved in a given conflict are equally responsible for themselves. Be careful not to take their responsibilities on your shoulders, as this will cause another set of issues tagged with the conflict that do not belong to you.

When we give our lives over to God, it is imperative that we allow Him to us His guidelines for living in all situations, but even more so during conflict.

Every conflict will not yield you closer to God, merely by being a participant. However, you can make each one a positive simply by analyzing it afterward and recognizing those portions on which you can improve. After each occurrence you will begin to see shift (fruit). How fabulous is that?!

What I find to be the most intriguing, most frustrating, yet best training ground is the family. As I have watched friends grow, I have seen the change in how they handle conflict within their own family units and am amazed at the abundance of fruit. This always causes me to reflect about whether they recognize their own transformation. As a direct result of this, I have found that the best testimony is a life lived well; not a perfect life, but one lived in a constant forward motion to draw closer to God by allowing it to be transformed and bare fruit. Simply Amazing!

These are my thoughts.

2007 Homeschool Blog Awards

2007-11-14T15:16:00.000-05:00

So here it is. My list of nominations for the Homeschool Blog Awards 2007. Feel free to check out these super awesomeness blogs! You will not be disappointed. You can submit your own nominations to the Homeschool Blog Awards until Nov. 17th.

1. Best Homeschool Mom BlogTeam Bettendorf
4. Best Artistic Content BlogThrough the Windowpane
5. Best Crafts, Plans & Projects BlogI Have to Say...6. Best Family or Group Blog
7. Best EncouragerFor Such a Time as Now
8. ‘Live-What-You-Believe’ Homeschool BlogFor Such a Time as Now
9. Best Unschooling or Eclectic Homeschooling BlogAn Open Book
10. Best Geographical BlogPalm Tree Pundit (Hawaii)
12. Best Homemaking or Recipes BlogJourney to Simplicity
16. Funniest Homeschool BlogJeneric Jeneralities
17. Best Cyber-Buddy BloggerAn Open Book
18. Best Curriculum or Business BlogBiblical Womanhood
19. Best VarietySprittibee
20. Best Thrifty HomeschoolerJourney to Simplicity
22. Best Nitty-Gritty Homeschool BlogThe Unlikely Homesteader

These are my thoughts.

About Election Day

2007-11-11T23:46:00.000-05:00

Ok. I know Election Day has passed, but I haven't had time for this blog. My Election Day was a nightmare! Yet, I have to mention it here, because if I say it out loud, some might misinterpret my reaction as being prejudice, of which it isn't. Please remember that tonality, inflection, facial expression ,body language, etc are void from the blog community. These are essential components of correctly reading a situation, thus with their absence, it would be foolish to try to claim that the written words alone represent the entire picture. That said, here we go...

My town is comprised of a LARGE number of elderly citizens. Many of these citizens are snow birds, but this is their main residence and thus are involved in our community. While many complain about snow birds because you can't go anywhere for 8 months of the year without waiting in long lines, these people contribute to our community by way of volunteerism, as well as financially. There are many businesses that make their yearly profits by way of snow birds and tourists.

I normally vote early at the election office. However, I never made it this time and thus needed to go to my voting precinct on Election Day. Early morning was booked and so I chose mid morning thinking that those voting before work and at their lunch hour would not be at the polls. I get to the precinct to be greeted by 2 elderly gentlemen, who were in a punchy mood. After a bit of jolly banter with the men, I head into the voting room. The voting room is operated solely by retired citizens, ech doing his or her part to help in the election process. I go to the table marked with the appropriate letter for my last name, where there are 3 people in line ahead of me. Not too bad, I thought. Then the nightmare began. The election worker was holding a personal conversation with the man (who also happened to be elderly) at the front of our line, which caused her not to be very timely in getting him to the next section to vote. I didn't think much of it. Until the next woman in line (also elderly) stepped up to the table and a conversation began about a club they both belong to. After about 3-4 minutes, I looked around the woman who was directly infront of me to see if the election worker was actually checking the woman in. However, she could not have been more slow if time were standing still.

I begin to feel my blood rising and check myself. I remind myself that I will be elderly some day and the worker is just being friendly. The thought that I need to be patient and not be so rushed seeps into the old noggin. I say a little prayer and stand tight. Then I realize they are still exchanging personal banter. Ok, patience is fleeting. This is a voting center, not the town social center. Could she move a little more quickly? Why is that the retired disregard everyone's time factor, thinking only of the fact that they do not have a pressing schedule? Bad thoughts. Not edifying. Down Simba! My calmness lasts only a moment, when I hear the elction worker say, "You rmiddle name is Elzabeth, mine is too. IS there a story behind your middle name?" WHAT???? Do they do this for every voter? I realize I am going to lose it on this woman if ever I get a chance to get to the voting table before I age out. The conversation continues for another minute or so and then the election worker begins to tell the story of her name. That's it!

I step out of line and try to walk to the exit, when I spot the next elderly person whom I will encounter. A very nice lady probably in her mid 60's with her little apron on. I see her heading for me, and pray, "Please God, let me get out of here. I am not going to use edifying words or handle myself in a Godly manner. PLease let me get through the door." I walk a bit more quickly towards the exit. I have to walk through a doorway and enter a hall before I can actually exit the building. As I am walking I see that 2 lovely little retired women who have finished voting are 2 steps away from the doorway. They are shuffling along, arm in arm. NO! They block the doorway and are moving slowly. If I try to get around them I will likely knock into them. I hear my mid 60's election worker coming behind me calling, "ma'am." PLease God let these wonderful women have a few spry steps so I can get around and out of the building. PLEASE.

No such luck. ALthough they are shuffling into the doorway, the old woman I will ahve to go around has her giant wide and stiff handbag danging from the arm not clutched to her friend. It is sticking out to the side and I cannot get around. Then I hear, "Ma'am can I help you?" I turn around to meet the unavoidable cute elederly election worker. Panic is setting in. I turn again to see if I can get through the doorway yet. No. The election worker then says "Is something wrong?" She clearly has seen me get out of the check-in line. Ok, hang in there kid, you can do this. BE KIND. I say, "No." and turn to see if I am yet able to get around the elderly gal pals with the enormous bags. Not yet. My Mrs. Brady in her retirment years election worker asks the same question again. Ok I have to handle to the confrontation. God be with me...and her.

I kindly say that I came her to vote, not a social gathering. I explain briefly what has occurred. She looks at me with patronizing eyes. I am falling from grace. I then begin to say, as kindly as I ca, which wasn't much at that moment, this is a deterrent for people to come to vote. People want to walk in , vote, and leave. No one has come here to listen to what club meetings, garden society tea socials, or their namesakes, that they would like to share. Since I do not have time for this, I am leaving. "Oh no. Let's get you taken care of. Let me see what is going on," She says with more patronizing. Oh, Lord, hang in there with me. Help! I am going to blow! I tell her I have no more time for her to investigate and that there are still 2 people in line. She touchse my arm, which made me want to rip it away from her, and says, no come on back in and let's see if we can get this settled. Settled? There hasn't been an argument, what's to settle. At this I realize there is to be more confrontation. I turn to see that Ethel & Alice have made it through the doorway. I say "No thank you. I can take it up more quickly when I have more time with the election office." I smile and say thanks aturn to leave and she tries one last time to get me to stay, but this time I get away.

Ok. Is it wrong for me to be a little upset that the elderly not only complain how fast everyone is around them, yet are so disrespectful of others that they cannot accept that others have a schedule and time frame? I shouldn't be judging. I DOn't want to judge, but when I got to my car and looked at the clock only to see I was now 30 min behind schedule, I think, this is not going as planned. IS that why I am disgruntled?

No. Age makes no difference in meeting the requirements to run the polls. It was wrong for the worker to b making personal chit chat with the cvoters ahead of me. I made it out of there witout insulting her. ANd in short, I made it back just before the polls closed adn there was a whole new bunch of workers, which helped.

So tell, what do ya think> Honestly.

What Is Going On?

2007-11-03T08:52:00.000-05:00

Right now, life is uncertain for our family. Last week there was a major layoff at my husband's place of employment. God protected us from that layoff, but our future is uncertain. Dealing with this has created much to ponder with God. I do not have enough facts to know anything about the future. What we do know is that right now, my husband's department no longer exists. In meetings today he tried to get clarification on his new job description and compensation. No one had an answer. He was told business as usual, but his department is gone and so is the program, so how can he do any business? No answer to that. In addition, there is a major restructuring of salary happening. We have no info as to where we will fall, BUT those who have already been restructured have taken drastic cuts in pay. This leaves us nervous about where he will fit into the scheme of things.

All this said, he is staying for now, but looking to see what else is out there. This makes me nervous. Why? I guess because there is a lot of potential irony in the situation. About 2 years ago I found my dream house. A beautiful 1904 farm house that had been refurbished by an engineer and his wife. He restored it to it's original luster and it was gorgeous. Original wood flooring and walls. Perfect for our family. It had a gardening shed, a garage, a barn, a workhouse with a real storage cellar, pool, and 18 beautiful acres fenced and cross fenced, and a pond. The animals were to stay. This is my dream. We put our home on the market and let God take the reigns. My mother in law became ill and we found that the owners of the farm were not forth coming to us about their intentions to accept our offer. Or perhaps it was the realtor who wasn't forth coming. We were all looking forward to moving. Much of our non essential items were packed in boxes and stacked away waiting for the time for us to be able to move. No matter, God kept us here to care for my mother in law.

Now, we would choose to stay here. The cost of living is high, the taxes are sky rocketing at every turn, local government doesn't know how to run a town by what the people want, insurance is at an unbelievable level, yet we have our lives here. We have the most wonderful church family. We all have friends. Our homeschool group is as close to perfect as you can get. Leaving would be very saddening. So, the irony...when we wanted to move God kept us here. Now that we want to stay we may need to move.

I can't say how many times I have been told that God refines us by the fire of conflict. Yet, I wonder what God says when I reveal to Him that I don't want His desires for me? I don't. Now, we may not have to move, as we have no information about what the job market here holds for my husband. However, with what we do know, it doesn't look good. So I stick my heels int he dirt and cry out to the Lord...I don't want to move. I want to stay here. You pulled my dream homestead out from under my feet and now that I am settled with our current homestead you want me to consider leaving? What's that all about? What am I supposed to be learning form all this.

Then it hits me. It's not about the situation of the possible options set before us at all. What is really the focus is my action, reaction, and acceptance of His guidance as each stone is laid before us. He knows what is best for our family and what lies in our future. God, I will walk where you lead, all I ask is that you care for my heart when there are times that I am not "pleased" with what you have to give. Send the Holy Spirit to help me count it all joy. My heart is need of the Holy Spirit to not whine as the Israelites did. (I am just like the Israelites now. God has parted the waters and taken me to the other side of the sea and provided shelter and food. Yet this is not enough for me. Whine Whine WHINE!) Although I know I am immature in my attitude about it all right now, it is so awesome to be able to see how He is growing me up!

These are my thoughts.

A Little Bit of Fun

2007-11-02T21:01:00.000-05:00

Well, I think I am up and running regularly. This is great news, since we were running so slow previously, that I didn't have enough time to let a post upload. Anyhow, I thought I would share a bit of something that is fun and full of truth. She sent this to me in an email and I am posting for all to enjoy!

Once upon a time there was this girl who had four boyfriends. She loved the 4th boyfriend the most and adored him with rich robes and treated him to the finest of delicacies. She gave him nothing but the best.

She also loved the 3rd boyfriend very much and was always showing him off toneighboring kingdoms.However, she feared that one day he would leave her for another.

She also loved her 2nd boyfriend. He was her confidant and was always kind,considerate and patient with her. Whenever this girl faced a problem, shecould confide in him, and he would help her get through the difficult times.

The girls 1st boyfriend was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining her wealth and kingdom. However, she did not love the first boyfriend.Although he loved her deeply, she hardly took notice of him.

One day, the girl fell ill and she knew her time was short. She thought of her luxurious life and wondered, I now have four boyfriends with me, butwhen I die, I'll be all alone. Thus, she asked the 4th boyfriend, I loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company? ''No way!', replied the 4th boyfriend, and he walked away without another word. His answer cut like a sharp knife right into her heart.

The sad girl then asked the 3rd boyfriend, 'I loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company? ''No!', replied the 3rd boyfriend. 'Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to marry someone else!' Her heart sank and turned cold.

She then asked the 2nd boyfriend, 'I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company? ''I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!', replied the 2nd boyfriend. 'At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave.' His answer struck her like a bolt of lightning, and the girl was devastated.

Then a voice called out: 'I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go. 'The girl looked up, and there was her first boyfriend. He was very skinny as he suffered from malnutrition and neglect. Greatly grieved, the girl said, 'I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!

In truth, you have 4 boyfriends in your lives:Your 4th boyfriend is your body. No matter how much time and effort you lavish in making it look good, it will leave you when you die. Your 3rd boyfriend is your possessions, status and wealth. When you die, it will all go to others. Your 2nd boyfriend is your family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for you, the furthest they can stay by you is up to the grave. And your 1st boyfriend is your Soul. Often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power, and pleasures of the world. However, your Soul is the only thing that will follow you wherever you go. Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of you that will follow you to the throne of God and continue with you throughout Eternity.

These are my thoughts.

Bare with me...

2007-10-25T17:02:00.000-05:00

It has been a while since I have been able to post. While my life is busy, that is not what is preventing me from posting. My computer has been ill. I think it has come down with a terminal flu, because we have doctored it up over the last few weeks and then finally decided it needed professional care. We just got it back and this is the first I have gotten online. There is still something wrong, because it is taking forever for pages to load via the internet. So, please bare with me. I will return as soon as we get her mended. =)

Pre-Electon Set Up

2007-10-03T23:17:00.000-05:00

President Bush just vetoed H.R. 976 which has a focus on extending and revamping the CHIP medical program in the U.S. This is a fantastic set up by the liberal minded in Washington. Don't be fooled by their out spoken comments saying how millions of poor children will go uncared for, because it just isn't what they are touting.

Firstly, I believe that all children should be able to obtain quality health care in the U.S. No parent should have to balance whether or not to buy food or pay rent with seeking medical care for an ill child. However, the bill as it stands is not what you think. It is the first step towards socialized medicine. It is clear that they are increasing funding with hopes that people who currently have private insurance on their own or through an employer that would then qualify for the CHIP program would drop their private coverage in lieu of the free coverage the states would now offer. Families will be easily swayed to do so with the savings they will have by not paying for private coverage. CHIP won't just be for the low income anymore. Just another way for the liberals in Washington to convince you that they are working for your benefit and your children's' when the plan would give them more control and another step of invasion of your privacy and free rights. There are other plans that have been addressed and discussed to continue to provide medical coverage for children within families that are unable to afford medical care. However, liberals don't want you to know about those, so you won't find them in the media. Sneaky, eh?

But this isn't all this Bill was geared to do. You see it's timing is very specific. Knowing that Bush would veto the Bill gives liberals fuel for their upcoming smear campaigns. You can be sure that the upcoming liberals running for President will have ads bashing this veto claiming that conservatives don't care about our children. A polite twist of words and issues and WHAMO, they grab parents at their most vulnerable and emotional part. If you think this sounds premeditated and calculated, not to mention deceptive and devious, you just wait and see.

These are my thoughts.

Tara Road: A Review

2007-09-29T10:58:00.000-05:00

Tara Road

by Maeve Binchy

A Review

This is the story of the life of a wonderful woman from young adulthood through her middle age years. It is set in Ireland in the 80's. This is not a wonderful uplifting story in that it is realistic...full of the ups and downs of real life. Much is unexpected and you will not find everything tied up with a neat bow at the books close.

Binchy has a knack for creating and developing characters that are realistic and true. The mindset of the characters will grab hold of your inner mind and emotions and have you spouting off and feeling compassion all at the same time. Binchy even accurately develops the teens and grandmother in this novel. Quite an accomplishment for a writer to be able to accurately portray such a wide age range of characters in such depth. By books end, I wanted to invite many of the characters over for brunch.

One thing I felt was lacking (although it may not have been) was the feeling of being in Ireland. Although part of the story takes place in the U.S., I never felt as though I was in Ireland. Perhaps there isn't much difference. I wouldn't know, never having been to Dublin, Ireland. This said, it does not detract from the story. The characters pull you through with no need for setting in some ways.

This is a fabulous read! The book may seem overwhelming in length to some, but it is quite fast. There were times I could not put it down, simply because I wanted to know what came next! Always the sign of a good gripping story. This would make a fabulous read for a reading club due to the complexity and highly developed characters over many years. I highly recommend this title and look forward to trying another Binchy in the future.

Overall Rating: ****

These are my thoughts.

Pondering Always

2007-09-28T13:35:00.000-05:00

I find that my mind is always pondering something. Sometimes my brain hurts from all this pondering. However, as I talk with others, I know they are constantly pondering too. Is this a gift from God to all mankind?

Lately, I have been trying to wrap my brain around relationships. There are so many different types of relationships in our lives. Some stay; some float away. Some remain the same; others grow. Some we enjoy; others we wish we didn't have in our lives. It is amazing to me.

However one thing I found holds true in all relationships: we can only control ourselves.

When a conflict arises we can only control our own actions and speech. What the other people involved in the relationship do, is not of our concern. Here is where I get caught up. It is so difficult to not let my emotions take over and control my reactions and words.

When I have a disagreement within my family, it is the most difficult. I suppose this occurs because it is the people we are closest too and who know what we are like all the time, not just in social situations. After comes friendships, co-workers, acquaintances, and those we encounter in our daily lives (cashiers, bank tellers, agents, etc). What I want to know is, do you have to accomplish controlling yourself with those least close to you as a stepping stone to working with those closest? Perhaps it should be the other way around. Maybe we should work on our closest relationships and move down the list, because each group we get easier?

What I know is that my heart is committed to God and I want to be transformed in this way, but sometimes it is so hard. Even when in my head I screaming at myself to stop in my tracks, my mouth keeps flapping. Each day is a new opportunity for me to allow God to work through me and burn away my impurities, but some days the fire burns more than others.

These are my thoughts.

What Shall I Read? (Revised)

2007-09-24T23:58:00.000-05:00

Oh my. When I came here to post, I hadn't realized so many days had gone by since I last posted! I have been so busy with school, teaching co-op, re-vamping my Basic Menu Plan for the cooler months, running from activity to activity, preparing the house for autumn, that I guess time just slipped away. Seems that is happening more and more lately. Ah Life.

I am joining in Callapidder Days' reading challenge again. I have been so looking forward to this, that I had trouble making my final list. You see, if I could, I would be reading all the time. But then, I wouldn't have time for living, huh? In the end I limited myself to only 5 books (all fiction) this go round, because of the time of year and my heavy schedule. So without further ado....

Tara Road, by Maeve Binchy Another book that has been sitting on my shelf for ages. Found this one at the Goodwill and thought it sounded inteesing. I haven't read any Binchy, so I am in for a treat,I think.

Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery I have always wanted to read this series, yet for some reason never get around to it. This challenge will help me accomplish this goal. I hope it as good as the hype.

Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte A favorite novel, to be sure. I just felt in the mood for a re-read. Who can resist?

The Christmas Box Collection, Richard Paul Evans I always enjoy reading Christmas stories as the holiday seasons approach. While Skipping Christmas, by John Grisham is one of my favorites, I can read it in a day, so this is the one that made the list.

The Alienist, Caleb Carr This has been highly recommended to me by my closest friend, kindred spirit, and fellow genuine reader, Rhonda. It has been on my shelf for ages, so I am finally ready to dig in.

Serve God: Save the Planet, J. Matthew Sleeth, M.D. I found this book today while killing time @ the bookstore. I really liked what I read, so I bought it. I am adding this to my list for the challenge.

So what are you reading?

Remembrance

2007-09-11T13:20:00.000-05:00

Today is the anniversary of the terrorist attacks on our country. While we should not allow ourselves to live in fear of the next attack, we should remain on guard. Most importantly, we need to remember, and NEVER forget the lives that were lost that day, and the lives that are now and have been sacrificed to maintain our freedom. Please take a moment today to pray for the families of those who have sacrificed their lives, the troops who are currently serving, and their families as well.

It's almost here!

2007-09-10T22:19:00.000-05:00

Autumn is coming. While it is still reaching the 90's here in SW FL, autumn IS on its way. Not only do I love that I get to turn off the a/c and watch my electricity bill plummet, but I love so much about autumn. I love leaves, and scarecrows, the thought of preparing for family events (like vacations), baking, cooking, using my oven regularly, muffins in the morning, hot tea, closed shoes, autumn crafting...I could go on and on!

One thing I am especially excited about this year is Callapidder Days's new reading challenge; Fall Into Reading 2007. This reading challenge will be held from September 23-December 24. Anyone can participate. Not only do you get great motivation to read, but there are lots of great prizes too! Check it out for more details, and get ready to fall into reading!

Let me know if you decide to join the challenge. I would really like to know which of my fellow bloggers will be partaking of this great adventure.

These are my thoughts.

What's in a page?

2007-09-10T08:49:00.000-05:00

When Jewlsntexas was hosting Scrap Happy Mondays, I posted quite a few frugal scarpbooking ideas. This week a friend came to my home while I was working on a few pages. She started leafing through sme of the finished pages I had in a stack and then said, "You use everything for your pages." Knowing she is not scrap saavy, I thought she was talking about purchased items. I came to find she really liked that my pages were full of ticket stubs, matchbook covers, napkins, receipts, etc. I hadn't actually thought about it, but I do use those so much. Not just because it is frugal, but because it ads a personal authentic touch!

Think about it this way; you travel to Stone Mountain, Georgia. There you take dozens of pics of your family holiday. How many other people have taken pictures there? Perhaps you visit a scrapbook store to get some laser cut titles and paper about the area. How many other visiting scrappers have visited only to purchase these same embelishments? I would neture to say alot; otherwise they wouldn't be selling those items. Yes, everyone who visits will also have gotten tickets stubs to certain amusements, but not all will use them in their scrapbooks. It creates a true bonding memory of the event.

Next time you visit a museum, fieldtrip, holiday, amusement park, state park, state, country,etc, remember to save all those little tidbits and scraps to use as personal embellishments of your holiday.

These are my thoughts.

Changing, What Happens?

2007-09-07T06:45:00.000-05:00

Growing up I often heard that a leopard never changes its spots. People are who they are and nothing will cause them to change. I didn't have much understanding about God and was never introduced to the concept that God can change anyone at any time when they open their heart to them. I was raised with a suspisious eye and a synical mind. I didn't even know about my thought process, that's just the way it was. Over the years I have come to learn that people CAN and DO change. As I began on a journey to help abused children, I found hearts that wanted to change, but needed help. Once given help, they did change. Of course that was not always the case. When a person does not want to change, or feels so justified in their present behaviors and thought processes, the person remains the same.

As I have spent time in study I have learned another valuable lesson on change. When you allow God to work with you, change is inevitable. There are some areas of my life I am very stubborn about, and still have the door sealed. While I want to believe that I have given my whole heart to God, there are those parts of me in which He prods me to allow Him to work on, but I keep saying, "No Lord. I don't want to." He is patient and waiting. But those things which I have told Him to come on in and take over, boy how they have been changed.

One issue with change I had not prepared myself to deal with was how others around you deal with the change. Think about it. People (especially those that have been in your time for a lenghty period of time) may not know how to adjust to the change. Imagine that you have a friend, whom throughout your relationship has been a gossip. You have even participated in that with her. Then God begins to change you and you find that you no longer want to engage in gossip with your friend. You friend may not know how to react to that. In fact he/she may even be cranky about it; often trying to prod you into returning to the old you. This can happen with family, as well. So how should we deal with this?

One thing I know for certain, is that we are working to be transformed into the image of Christ. Christ accepts us as we are, where we are. So, it stands to reason that we might work toward having the same attitude towards others in our lives. People are who they are. We are not called to change them. We can pray for God to intervene and help someone, but we are not the ones who will do the changing. (Ironic that there is a stereotype that women consistently try to change their husbands. lol!) This has lead me to understand that accepting others where means accepting them when they are not handling a change in us well, too.

The bottom line is that we can only work on ourselves. We cannot change anyone else and they cannot change us. Our responsibility is to work on our own transformation, not others.

Funny how discussing change in ourselves in relation to others can fall back on ya, isn't it?

These are my thoughts.

Have you heard?

2007-09-06T09:59:00.000-05:00

If you follow any news at all (even if it is late night monologues) you know that Fred Thompson has officially joined the Presidential race. Of course, while I knew this was likely, there was always that air of uncertainty running through my brain. I am excited by his announcement. I don't normally get involved in elections or campaigns, however, this time around God is leading to speak up. I encourage you to do your own investigating into Fred Thompson. I have found him to stand for the type of government that I believe in. He is straight forward, but he also speaks in a way that no other candidates seems to...he thinks before he speaks. I believe that all other candidates shoot from the hip. They are so eager to say something, causing them to respond quickly to questions, that in the end much contradiction is out there as to where they stand and what they believe. However, Mr. Thompson has the wisdom and the experience not to fall into this trap.

In regards to government on a whole, Fred Thompson supports less federal government in our lives. He believes that much should be left to state and local authorities, allowing each state's people decide what it is right for them. Nationalizing every aspect of life for an entire country is a disaster waiting to happen. So many of us do not realize how many freedoms are and have been taken away from us by screaming for federal resolve on issues. I agree with his methodology. Check out this video for Fred Thompson's own words on the subject. Also, take a few minutes to view his announcement of his intention to run by clicking here.

Again, this is very unusual for me, but I am committed to helping Fred Thompson gain the Republican nomination. If you already are behind Fred Thompson, or have been inspired to do some research leading you to decide that this is the best candidate for President, won't you please help out financially. I know many of us cannot afford to contribute to anything with the present economy. You should never donate money lightly. Prayer and communication with family members should be used to make such important decisions. If you decide you can should financially support Fred, even a one time $25 donation, please click on the link below.

These are my thoughts.

Daredevil Vol. 1: Guardian Devil: A Review

2007-08-26T23:39:00.000-05:00

Daredevil Volume 1: Guardian Devil

By Kevin Smith

A Review

Well, as you probably know if you have read this blog for any length of time, I am not a comic fan. I truly do not enjoy reading comics. All those frames, and bubbles, and which picture comes next, the fighting within my brain to focus on the written story or the pictures...EEEEK! But, I have a son who is a comic fan. I love my son dearly and so, when he asks me to read a comic, I make every effort to do so. Not because I want to. Not because he wants me to. Because I want to know not only what he is reading, but be able to hold an intelligent discussion with him about a hobby that is near and dear to his heart. This has been on my list all summer. He never pushed for me to read it, but he knew it was sitting on my desk. My deadline came and went, and I missed it. However, 2 weeks later I picked it up; and I never put it down until I came to the last page.

I have never really gotten into the whole superhero thing. My superhero is Jesus. How can you top that? Yet I can see the appeal to others. I sat through the movie that went along with this character (both the original and the editors cut...I really love my son, eh?). It was just another movie in my opinion. Another superhero/vigilante with inner turmoil, out to rid the world of injustice. This particular comic puts a lot of things into a more realistic perspective for me.

Firstly, Smith does an excellent job of developing Daredevil as a real person with whom I could actually relate. I understood his turmoil (while exaggerated from what most of us live through) on a personal level. His motivation had me pulling for him. In this storyline he struggles with the true identity of an infant...Savior or Satan. His thought process, actions, reactions, and his relation to others is humanistic to a point that most readers would be able to relate on some level. I enjoyed that. Smith truly draws in the reader...even a non-comic reader.

One aspect of Daredevil's storyline that gave me a more personal feel was that Daredevil isn't saving the world. He is not faster than a speeding bullet, per Se, but he isn't global either. His focus is his own home turf; Hell's Kitchen. In his "real" life and as a masked vigilante, Daredevil is trying to provide a safe community for the residents. He is giving back to his community in a way that others cannot. This hit home for me, as I had been reading about God's plan for us to help others and not be prideful about it. We must help others to benefit them, not ourselves, ultimately to bring Glory to God.

A little religious sidebar, Daredevil is a Catholic and it is involved in his storyline quite bit. The reader does not separate the two. If you have issues with Catholicism, Christianity, or faith in general there may be points you disagree with or flat out don't want to read. But there is no heavy theology here. Just a man trying to do good in an ultimate service to God and his community.

I would recommend this comic for those who are like me, if there is a need to read a comic. If you are comic fan...well you probably have the knowledge to write a far better review than I.

Overall Rating: ****

These are my thoughts.

The Decorated Page: A Review

2007-08-26T22:55:00.000-05:00

The Decorated Page

by Gwen Diehn

A Review

As a wannabe artist and writer, and a journaler and scrapper, it is not hard to imagine that my creative side would want to flow into my writing side. I have been reading books about decorated journals and have found this one to be one worthy of purchasing.

Gwen Diehn does an exquisite job of covering many types of decorated journals for every style of person. This compilation includes an excellent list of materials, including varying types of journals and mediums, as well as where and when to use them, various techniques, layouts, and applications. Think this is all above your level of expertise? Don't. Gwen makes the decorated page an easy and inspiring way to pull all creative juices together. The pictures of finished pages, as well as the step by step guide with pictures makes each step a breeze, even for a novice.

As a scapper, I keep a small notebook handy to jot down funny happenings, sayings, and things we stumble upon to help capture memories. While reading this book, I became inspired to keep this musings in a notebook which I can incorporate sketches and tidbits of life along the way. While I will ultimately use this material in my scrapbooks, it will be a great personal memory of the journey through these events and time.

Overall Rating: *****

These are my thoughts.

Great Expectations

2007-08-25T09:38:00.000-05:00

We have been doing a lot of work getting ready for the new school year. Since we are using a new curriculum that includes all grades K-12, I have had a lot of prep work. In addition, our jock son has been moving on with his hockey lessons. This means we have been spending a lot of time at the hockey rink, which is an hour away. SOOOOO, not much time here. However, something has been weighing on my mind tremendously; great expectations.

Have you ever noticed that much stress is due to the expectations that others put out there? It can be complex, involving your job, or as simple as talking to a friend. I have found that the most stress coes from family and friends. Everyone wants a piece of you. That sounds terrible, but it isn't. These are the folks who love you and want to share time with you. That is not a bad thing. Most of my friends understand that my family comes first. Since we have a large family, and I am scatter brained, we don't have a lot of extra time for socializing. In walks guilt.

Guilt makes me feel sad that I am not there for family and friends. Guilt tells me that I am wrong in putting my family first. Guilt shouts, "You are doing it wrong!" Sometimes I hear guilt whispering that I need to shed my selfish ways. If it were just Guilt, that would be workable, but Guilt brings his family with him; Frustration, Depression, Obligation, Resentment, Envy, Pride...his family is so large, I cannot even list all of it members at the moment.

So what does all this mean? What should I do with all this that people lay upon me? For one thing, I need to take responsibility for my own feelings. If someone were to comment that they haven't heard from me in a while, Guilt may come walking along side me. But Guilt was not brought on by the other person, Guilt was brought along by my self. We often forget that how we feel is a reflection of things going on inside us. Other people may say or do things that may have the intention of pushing Guilt on us, yet it is our own selves that allow Guilt to come with us. We can say NO to Guilt. However, we need training, guidance, and wisdom from God to do so.

God knows full well what is happening in our lives. Each person, event, and circumstance is placed before us as an opportunity to grow closer to Him. All we need do is call upon Him to guide us through. Seems simple, doesn't it? It could be if we didn't posess human nature. lol! It is our humanity that keeps us from falling away. Our spirit needs to be kept strong by making daily times to seek His guidance, be in His word, and asking for help from other trusted Christians. It is easy for us to walk hand in hand with Guilt at every turn of our lives. Yet, with God we can turn Guilt away.

When you are going about your week think about how expectations of others cause your inner self to feel guilty. At those moments, ask God for hep in dealing with it and to show you the words, too. Before long you will notice Guilt is not a predominant companion in your life anymore. That is something to Praise God about!

These are my thoughts.

The Giver: A Review

2007-08-21T08:08:00.000-05:00

The Giver
by: Lois Lowry

A Review

Looking for a quick read that will make you think? The Giver, by Lois Lowry is an excellent choice. I read this book in one day, but have been thinking about it for over a week. It is amazing how books can make the mind turn and ponder issues that would it normally would not.

This is a book about a boy, Joshua, who lives with his family (Mother, Father, and sister) in a society where everything is managed. Nothing is left unmanaged including food, employment, medical care, life, death, family, schooling, clothing, transportation, and holidays. Not only is life managed, but everything is the same for everyone. Mind you not everyone's job is a "respectable" one, but each stage of life is acknowledged along with everyone else who is at the same stage. Birthdays happen once a year on the same day for all children. In December every child is grouped according to the year he/she was born. If a child is born in September, they are still considered a year 1 along with children who were born just after the Birthday (who are now a year old). Each year everyone in a group is given the same gift. Once childhood is over, birthdays are not counted.

This is a perfect utopia. Or is it? Joshua is chosen for the most prestigious job when he turns 12; that of the Giver. The current Giver is quite old and it is time for him to train a replacement. The Giver and Joshua have discussions that lead Joshua down a thought provoking path.

The characters in this novella are clear and concise. The setting becomes more clearly defined as the reader continues. Each page engages the reader in thoughtful consideration of not only the story, but life as we know it. The ending left me, well, wanting more. Not a lot more; just a little. This would make an excellent read aloud with the family and a great opportunity to have in depth discussions.

Overall rating: ****

These are my thoughts.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants: A Review

2007-08-14T07:37:00.000-05:00

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

by: Ann Brashares

A Review

This is the story of 4 15-16 year old girls, who have a close bond by birth date. They met in utero, when their mother's participated in an aerobic class. Although their mother's friendship has long since dwindled, the girls have remained close friends. Summer is coming and for the first time, the girls will not be together. However, they discover that each of them (although different heights and body shapes) all look ravishing in a pair of pants that were purchased at a thrift store, and then stuffed in a corner of a closet. They decide that each will take a turn with the pants over the summer. Rules are established, such as no washing the pants and that they must include a letter with a story about what happened to them while wearing the pants. With that, the girls go about their summer. The story further unravels with the reader seeing each of the girls as the summer progresses, through trials and growth..

Each of the girls depicted in the story is unique, with an interesting home foundation, that adds to the characters' development. Some of the plot lines are so accurate, such as Bridget's constant feeding off her own daredevil searching for love attitude while at soccer camp. Another is the bratty and childish behavior that Carmen exhibits when she goes to visit her father, only to be blind sided when she gets there, with a new family and house that she has not been told about. Brashares has a knack for incorporating, believable details to build her characters. However, some of the events are so unrealistic, that I kept thinking of soap opera style TV, that has influenced today's teens. A prime example is when Lena and her sister Effie (14) stop for a connecting flight on their return from Greece, Lena decides she is going to take another flight to see her friend Bridget in Baja California. Effie is left to go the last leg of the flight on her own and tell their parents that she has flown to Baja. Hello? Firstly, my teens would not have the ability to navigate flight changes. Nor would they have the financial mean. Secondly, a minor would not likely be allowed to make these changes. Thirdly, as a parent, I would have flipped if my child had tried something like this without discussing it with me first. We are not talking 18 yr old girls here. Remember these girls are likely sophomores in high school.

Overall, the reading is light and fun. Much of the realism in the characters will bring the reader back to her teen years, filled with the impetuousness, joy, and angst of that period. Brashares has a clean writing style that allows the reader to flow from one character's story to the next, with a constant flow. This is a perfect summer read. While I enjoyed the characters and the storyline, the magic has ended with the reunion at the end of the story. I have not read the 3 successor stories, but am not compelled to either. Some stories are so original, they should be left with their one spot one shot push towards uniqueness.

These are my thoughts.

Overall rating: ***

The Scoop

2007-08-14T07:16:00.000-05:00

It has been awhile since I have been able to post. We have had a lot of family "doins" that have taken precedence over blogging. *gasp* Like sick children and visiting the ER. All is well now. I want to give a BIG THANK YOU to all who contacted me with well wishes, keep in touch emails, and those general "where are you" messages. It has truly been a blessing to have connected with so many online in such a personal way.

Battle for the Toy Box

2007-08-14T06:53:00.000-05:00

The Battle for the Toy Box Contest!I entered the Battle for the Toy Box Contest on the HSB Company Porch. I hope to win over $100 worth of, Tales of Glory, Bible-based toysfrom one2believe!!

This contest is BIG!

First because one2believe is a company that is in a battle for the toy box. Wal-Mart has decided to carry one2belive's new line of toys for a short period of time to see how well they sell (in only 425 stores) and one2believe would like to see children playing with their Tales of Glory action figures that are true role models. Second because TWO people will win over $100 worth of products! Take a look at what you could win.

Tales of Glory Nativity Figurine Set

Tales of Glory Talking David Action Figure

Tales of Glory Goliath Spirit Warrior

Tales of Glory Talking Mary Action Figure

Tales of Glory Playmat

AND
A $10 gift card to Wal-Mart!
That's right, TWO people will get to win all of that! How?
One2belive needs your help to spread the word about Tales of Glory by telling all your friends and family!

Copy and paste the below, "Battle for the Toy Box", paragraph onto your blog or website.
Go to the HomeSCHOOLBlogger Front Porch contest entry and leave a comment THERE with the URL of where you posted the Battle for the Toy Box paragraph.
That's it! Remember you need to be 18 years or older. Contest will end Aug. 17. with the winner to be announced by Aug. 20. Two winners will be randomly chosen.

Ready? Copy. Paste!

The Battle for the Toy Box Contest!I entered the Battle for the Toy Box Contest on the HSB Company Porch. I hope to win over $100 worth of, Tales of Glory, Bible-based toysfrom one2believe!!

Get ready For Harry Potter Mania!

2007-07-20T16:03:00.000-05:00

Yes, the new Harry Potter movie is a BIG hit! Yes, many fans lined up to see the film. Yes, many fans have seen the film more than once already. But that is not nearly the coup that is about to occur. Tonight there will be people all over America waiting until midnight at their local book sellers for the release of the last in Harry Potter Series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. My oldest daughter and I will be 2 of those people. We are heading out now in hopes of finding some comfy seats to sit and read the night away, waiting for the moment that we can get our copy.

While I know the book has been supposedly leaked on the internet, I have not felt compelled to search for this. I am waiting for the real thing. I will be reading the book this weekend, and am excited, to say the least, to read the closure of this story. After 9 years, I am more than ready. Let the read fest begin!!!

What to do about Daredevil?

2007-07-20T10:54:00.000-05:00

Aaack, this has to be quick! I can't spend much time here. I have a Daredevil on my back!!! My son asked me to read Daredevil: Guardian Devil while he was away. I really loathe reading comic books. I mean loathe in the most intense sense of the word. All those bubbles with incorrect word usage, incorrect spelling, umbled all over a page and so many blocks of pictures...well it leaves me spinning. I have to have this read before Tuesday....

Whatever am I to do?

T 13: Movies that I used to Love

2007-07-19T07:22:00.000-05:00

This week I watched an older movie with the family and it put me in the mind set of movies I enjoyed in the 80's. So I decided to list some of those this week. For many this will be a trip down memory lane, for others, it may be a list that turns into a wish list for the video store.

Sixteen Candles. Oh, how I loved this movie.
Benny & Joon. One of Depp's earlier works, but a clear indication of his versatility and just a simply wonderful storyline.
Lucas. Who could forget that lovable, cute kid, who was so beaten upon by his peers. We all felt like Lucas from time to time.
Wayne's World. One of the best SNL movies to hit the big screen. Game On!
The Breakfast Club. Each character represents a piece of all of us. Who knew a movie about detention could make such a lasting impact?
Splash. The thought of having something so special happen in your life and being willig to go with it. Tom Hanks, was the perfect actor for this role.
Dead Poets Society. This was an exciting movie that made a poignant statement. Carpe Diem!
Back to School. Good Ole Rodney Dangerfield allowed us to venture into our dreamworld. We all wanted a father like him in school with us!
BIG. Another Hanks movie that left us all with a warm feeling on the inside.
St. Elmo's Fire. Yet another Hughes hit, that all brat packers fell for.
While we are on the subject of brat packers, my list would be remiss without the inclusion of the Outsiders.
Risky Business. The Ultimate idea for a teenage boy, gone awry.
Pretty in Pink. Justice for everyone who was a little different and willing to maintain a higher moral ground even when it meant social exile.

Scrap Happy #13

2007-07-16T22:47:00.000-05:00

Well, it's Scrap Happy Monday again! I am a little late int he day in posting this, but better late than never. Not much puter time today.

This is another one of my frugal pages. The inspiration for the theme came from a brochure of the San Diego Zoo. When I find a brochure that I think is really neat, or has a great map inside, I grab 2 brochures for scrapping.

The title of this page is "Listen to Your Animal Instincts." This came from the top middle part of one of the brochure. Since it was the inside 2 pages, which have a fold down the center, I simple used my trimmer to make a clean cut down the center, and mounted one half on the top of each page of this double page spread. Of the 5 photos below, 2 are actual photos I took at the zoo. The other 3 are from the brochure; better than any photo I could have taken. I then used the color theme of the title letters (blue and green) to create the accents. The hexagons (although it is hard to see in this photo) are blue layered on green. The border trim on the outside 2 pictures are simply scrap strips of the same blue paper. For the journal box I I made a large rectangle of layered green, blue, and white paper. I then cut this in half using my paper trimmer and pasted one half on each page. This helped keep a consistency with the title, and really pulls the 2 pages together.

As you can tell with just a bit of paper and some free brochures, I was able to capture a memory for literally pennies. Don't forget to hop on over to the original Scrap Happy meme for some more great ideas. This week Julie has some of the most beautiful pages of her daughter, who just turned 14. So creative and elegant! They are not to be missed.

Happy Scrapping!

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

2007-07-14T10:43:00.000-05:00

Well, it is that time of year again. Ok, it may not always be the same time of year, but when it happens, most people know about it. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix opened on July 11, 2007. For those who don't know, this is the 5th movie in the series.

The Princess of Light and I were there on opening day to view this latest adaptation in the HP series. The first thing I noticed, was that HP is looking much older. I mentioned this to the Dark Knight, and he commented that people regularly comment the same about him. So, I guess I am over the fact that HP looks much more mature. One other aside about his physical appearance was his physique. HP has definitely been hitting the gym. This never comes across in the books, but I thought it a nice addition, supporting HP's growing commitment to rid the world of Voldemort, the ultimate evil.

In addition, I was not found of the portrayal of Delores Umbridge. She is supposed to be fat and toad like in appearance. Imelda Staunton did a great characterization of her, with an exception to the physical aspect. However, this casting is consistent with the movies, as they have chosen not to portray quirky physical aspects of characters such as Umbridge.

One thing I found a disappointment was the change in the appearance of Hogwarts. I am uncertain if it is even the same location, but for HP fans, this is more than noticeable. However, it is not distracting enough to pull you away from the being absorbed into the movie.

I have one issue that I cannot overlook. Dumbledore=Michael Gambon. Honestly, Gambon is a seasoned actor and should understand the importance of adhering to a literary character with such magnitude. However, he has continued to portray Dumbledore in a gruff an impersonal way. There is an arrogant machismo about Gambon's portrayal, that truly takes away from the literary character. Dumbledore is a the tops in etiquette and edification. He is nearly always in control of his emotions. Humble, wise, and with a clear ability to not react emotionally, but take time to gather all the facts, Dumbledore is to be the ultimate mentor. Gambon has not gotten this across. His stature and costume is off base as well. For goodness sake, anyone who has read any of the books understands the importance of the spectacles. Unfortunately, Richard Harris has past on to be with our Maker. I guess God had a more important job for Mr. Harris than the portrayal of Dumbledore. However, Gambon should read the books AND take careful study of Harris's portrayal of the great headmaster. Nuff said.

Now for the good stuff. As a movie, this was fun! The characters are fresh and realistic. Not often found in Hollywood writing and directing. David Yates, the director, was fantastic. I found the direction to be very true to the book. But that is where the similarities end. The movie, over all, was a light skimming of the book. Many developments in the book are touched on ever so lightly, but not enough so as to allow the intense development of the characters or the storyline. As always, much of the story is cut from the movie. All that said, the actors were superb. The special effects used in the fighting scenes was excellent. One development in the movie, that a viewer who has not read the books might not have picked up on, is the use of spells without voice. In HP 4 this plot line begins with the students being taught spell casting without the use of their words, but the control and will of their mind. A powerful tool for fighting an enemy. In the final fight scene, the members of the Order use verbiage when casting spells, as do the students, however Dumbledore and Voldemort do not. A clear sign of their advanced training. Nice touch.

All in all any HP fan might disappointed with the movie as an adapatation. Yet, viewing it as a continuation of the previous movies it is FANTASTIC! When the movies are set on their own, it is fun to watch the progress of movie making. The aging and development of the characters is unbelievable. The movies are fun to watch in succession, and we will be looking forward to adding this to our DVD collection.

On note, if your children are young, it is wise to preview these movies. There are scary images, even for young children who have been part of a read aloud with the books. While I much enjoy these movies with the elders, the littletons are never a part of the viewing. Yes, they know who HP and his friends are, but the imagery in the movies is far too intense for our littletons. Every parent should take care to preview these to determine if their littleton is prepared to view them.

AND NOW: As I know, whenever I have posted about HP, many are vehemently opposed to these stories. If you would like to discuss this, I am happy to hear any and all views. However, I request that before you post, you have done your own research. This includes reading the text for yourself, researching the validity of any and all "gossip" thrown about discussing J.K. Rowling, and that your opinions are those formed of your own study, not just a rehash of what others have said. As a christian, it is imperative for me to request this, as God's principles urge us to gather information for ourselves in order to better hone our discernment.

I am supportive of families who are opposed to these stories, families who only read the books, families who only view the movies, and those who include both. For a little background, in case you are new here, we do not encourage or support the practice of witchcraft. Witchcraft and "dark arts" are real. We are instructed to steer clear of these. However, these are fictional stories and looked on as nothing more in our family. We have discussed the Bible's direction about these issues. We have also discussed other Biblical principles that are prevalent in the stories. In addition, we have read A Christmas Carol and discussed astral projection and correlations with Biblical principles, The Narnia Chronicles and discussed dark magic, deeper magic and the correlations with Biblical principle, and the Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars, and Grimm's Fairy tales, and The Once and Future King, and....well you get the idea. So, feel free to post your comments for or against, but do it informed and respectfully.

These are my thoughts.

T 13 To Do

2007-07-12T08:34:00.000-05:00

Today is the first time I have had a chance to participate in T13 for over a month. So, that is a happy thought. =) This list is boring, but it is reality for me right now. So here goes...

Thirteen Things I Have on my TO DO List

Finish packaging last years paperwork.

Re-Vamp my office.

Work on Lesson plans & program.

Catch up on work: restructure a 1950's dress, replace sipper in a 1940's cocktail skirt, design a belt for a robe, replace zipper in 1940's dress, fix hem and create a new neckline for a 1930's evening gown, redesign a 1950's dress into a skirt, salvage a 1940's dress, redesign a 1950's dress neckline...do you see why I am drowning here?

Finish Mike Mulligan lapbook with the littletons.

Paint clay bowls.

Work out school schedule.

Finish yearbook pages.

Complete first phase of a secret drawing project.

Edit story for page set up.

Transfer picture outline to sampler cloth.

Complete 1/5 of a yarn project.

Push onward with our study of Esther.

I am self defeating myself by typing this list. It is too much for me to get done in one day. God bless me with a few hours of stand still time. lol!

Happy T13

These are my thoughts.

I am an Onion.

2007-07-11T05:18:00.000-05:00

I have been slower than normal to post my thoughts, reviews, etc on my blogs. It is not for a lack of material or thoughts. However, I have been taking time to re-evaluate and re-prioritize. That means less puter time. In my life, my husband and family always take priority. Yet, in my devotional and solo working time, I have been pondering my true purpose through God's eyes. Why am I here? What does He want of me? What is my impact on the world to be.

At this point in my journey, I am a homeschooling mom. This year I am teaching K-11th grade, so I am a busy lady. Often times stay at home moms are not respected for their service. Even more so with homeschooling moms. While these 2 titles do not completely define the person I am, they are integral parts. I take this service to the Lord very seriously. Although we have not always homeschooled, it was God who guided us to bring our children home. The benefits of this have been overwhelming and rewarding far beyond any of my pre-disposed thoughts. While this is a wonderful benefit for me, it is the back of the bus compared with the affects of this for God. I can do nothing without Him, and thus the glory for these rewards are His.

The importance of my being a parent is solely based on training my children to be in service to Him. Listen. Do you hear what His voice? That is a question that I ask of my children. The littletons do not understand this yet and the elders are coming along. I enjoy my service as a mother, so why do I wonder if the world's low view of my service is worthwhile in the big picture? Does my service make a difference here on earth? God sent me an answer through dd#1.

My eldest daughter and I were having a conversation the other day. The topic swung around to being pretty. I made an honest heartfelt comment about my physical beauty and she replied with, "God loves you as you are right now, mom. You aren't showing your self acceptance." WOW! I was blown away by this. In the big picture, working through God's word with her, she was listening AND learning. In turn, the student taught the teacher, and she provided service to me. How awesome is God? Well, He didn't stop there.

It was her turn for music in the van and she opted for one of her Superchick CDs. When one girl revolution came on, the words hit me in a way they never had before. The chorus is:

I'll be everything that I want to be

I am confidence in insecurity

I am a voice yet waiting to be heard

I'll shoot the shot, bang, that you hear round the world

I'm a one girl revolution.

I am not everything I want to be in the end, but a work in progress. Yet, in my spousal relationship, parenting, friendships, art, sewing, writing, work, etc I seize each opportunity He puts before me to grow closer to Him, thus everything I want to be.

Like everyone, I have my insecurities. I lay them at His feet and trust that He will work me through them as well. Just as with all things, I fall short (just as my dearest eldest daughter brought to my attention). Yet, I have confidence that God will replace those insecurities as I continue to grow in Him.

On a large scale, my voice is negligible. It IS waiting to be heard.

I am shooting the shot that you will hear around the world. This is in my children. With God's guidance and presence as a centerpiece in their lives, they will make a difference just as I do. Just as all mom's committed to raising Godly children will.

I am a one girl revolution for Christ!

As I allow God to peel away my layers like an onion, I am exposed. I am raw. Even though my service is small on a world wide scale, it only matters that I make a difference for Him.

These are my thoughts.

Eragon: A Review

2007-07-10T19:36:00.000-05:00

Eragon
By: Christopher Paolini

A Review

My children and I decided on this title as a family read aloud. Although we had heard many negative reviews about the movie, the premise of the actual story seemed interesting and the setting of medieval times was a positive for all. However, that is where the interest ended.

I could spend time giving a synopsis of this book, but I feel it can be easily explained by stating that this is the story of Luke Skywalker set in medieval times. The story coincides so closely with the Star Wars characters and storyline we found ourselves making comments like "Luke" or "This stinks of Obi Wan." We predicted what would happen and what would happen with the characters, simply by paralleling them with the Star Wars storyline.

This said, Paolini has the gift of written imagery. I was quite taken with his depictions of surroundings, feelings, thoughts, and tone. We did find that some of his depictions caused us to lose interest at times, because they were too detailed. However, there is no question that Paolini has been given the gift of telling a story in the written word. Another source of enjoyment, is the dialogue. The richness of the spoken word of the time period comes across clearly, and the reader has no trouble falling into the setting.

We had originally put Eldest on our reading list, but have decided against it for now. One day we may change our minds, but for now, one Paolini novel is enough.

Overall Rating: ***

Scrap Happy #12

2007-07-10T15:02:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Scrap Happy Monday. I am still a bit behind, but I am getting better. lol! anyway, here is my entry for the week.

For this page, I cut the header from my son's program for a cruise. I used the extended the colors scheme to the page. The letters were cut using a Sizzix. The side border is the same paper I used to make a plain mat for the Pic of my son and the Captain. I couldn't think of anything to journal on this page, but left room incase I came up with thoughts ar a later date. =)

Check out other Scrap Happy scrappers at the original Scrap Happy. You can find 12 weeks worth of inspiration to digital and traditional scrap pages.

These are my thoughts.

FREE GAS!

2007-07-10T08:26:00.000-05:00

Price of gas got you down? Check out this contest to win free gas! It's simple, easy, and you might learn something along the way.

This is an exciting way to earn FREE GAS, because it is simple. There isn't much required, truly. Anyone can enter, as long as they are over 18. Tell your family, friends, and puter pals!What are you waiting for? Don't need free gas? Try this challenge instead.

These are my thoughts.

How to pick when the litter is filled with runts.

2007-07-05T08:20:00.000-05:00

Ya know the old thinking that no one wants the runts of the litter? Well, if you were buying a puppy and you came to a place and all of the puppy's available were runts, would you just try to pick the best of the runts or would you take time to search for the puppy you want?

Right...I might fall in love with a runt. But more often than not, when we fall in love with a runt, it is because of our emotions, not based on fact. We may not do our research on the puppy, because we have fallen in love. We get this little guy home and 2 months later find that he has all types of medical issues, that are going to require time, money, and lots of dr visits. This would be a drain on the family, as well as change how the family operates. While someone needs to care for the runt, would it not have been wiser to get more facts about the puppy before rushing into the decision to purchase it?

This is where I have been on the searching for a Presidential candidate. I have been following, as best I can, what the candidates are saying. I have been listening to how they address their audience/interviewer. I have been reading about what it is they stand for and how it might benefit our country if he/she were to be Commander in Chief. I have to admit, I really enjoyed reading about Juliani when he was mayor of NYC. I thought he had a lot of gusto to get up and take care of a lot of issues, that seemed insurmountable. He did not worry about what the media was going to think of him. He was GREAT for NYC. However I have a lot of thoughts on him not being Presidential material.

The last program I watched was the All American Presidential Forum which was a debate for Democratic candidates moderated by Tavis Smiley. I penned my thought on the candidates in this post. Of those candidates, I find some have a few Presidential qualities, however there is not one of these I would support for the lack of commitment to issues that are not self seeking, their inability to remian steadfast about issues, and their blatant idea to change the country how they see fit is right in their own eyes, instead of the eyes of the consituents who elected them. This is the tip of the iceberg. In addition, I do not believe there is any candidate that is Presidential material. Some times people have to evaluate their purpose for seeking higher office. Today's candidates are better suited to different offices of service, but not as Commander. In my opinion, our country is faced with choosing from a litter of runts.

However, instead of trying to discern which runt would be the best choice, I decided to look further. I checked other resources. I looked for other possible candidates, who had yet to throw their hats in the ring. I refused to settle for nothing less than a pure bred to head up our country. I believed that it was possible to find such a person. My search has lead me to a candidate hopeful that has the stamina to run the race, win and re-strengthen our country in a return to greatness.

That person is Fred Dalton Thomspon. Many people think Mr. Dalton is just another Hollywood persona trying to enter the political world. Many people would be wrong. Without looking into his background, this would be a logical assumption. Dig deeper. Check out his biographical info. This is a man who has a tremendous amount of experience in government. However, another facet that you should research on Mr. Dalton's vote history as a senator. This is a potential candidate who has a steadfast track record of voting for what is best for America, what strengthens America, and what is best for the American people on a whole. I could go on, but here is where I will rest for now.

Take time to study the links provided. Do research of your own. Then come back andlet me know what you think. If you agree with me to support Fred Dalton Thompson in a race for the Presidency, please say it out loud. Talk to people. Get the word out.

Have knowledge of something the Mr. Dalton has done, or has voted on in the past that might change my view. Bring it to my attention. Have another candidate possibility that you think I should research, please post it. Like a prticular candidate that is already on the bill, tell me why. Fed up with the entire election, and it hasn't even officially begun yet...say it here. Whatever your thoughts, post them here.

These are my thoughts.

Scrap Happy #11

2007-07-02T17:19:00.000-05:00

I have been missing this wonderfully fun meme! Although digital scrapping seems to be rule, I still enjoy looking for ideas and seeing what others are doing. Digital scrapping is an inspiration to traditional scrapping, and I hope vice versa. =) So without further ado....

When I had my film developed from this trip (yes, film), I found that only 1 picture was worth scrapping from our visit to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado. This was a little disheartening and I was stumped as to how I was going to accomplish keeping this memory. Then I was looking through a tourist magazine we had gotten for some background items, when I came across a full page ad for the academy with a GREAT picture of the outside of the church. The page gives a bit of info, and unfortunately no interior shots of the church (which is spectacular). However, I was able to preserve a memory that might not have been remembered without many pics. So, it's not one of my fave pages or creativity, but it is one of the most frugal.

Check out more Scrap Happy ideas over at Julie's So much to Say, So Little Time.

Gravel v Robards

2007-06-30T16:53:00.000-05:00

Jason Robards vs. Mike Gravel

Tell me, are these two look a likes or what?

Presidential Forum

2007-06-29T08:17:00.000-05:00

Last night I had the pleasure of having some time to tune in to PBS's Presidential Forum featuring the Democratic candidates. Having not seen the first 10 minutes or so, I was surprised when the camera panned the audience to find that almost everyone was of color. However, I came to learn that this was to be a panel of people of color asking questions that largely pertained to issues addressed in Tavis's book, The Covenant with Black America. Before I further comment on the program, I need to state that I have not read Tavis's book. The questions were poignant and sharp shooting, however, I found them to be very divisive to America in general. After about 20 minutes, I began wondering if this was a debate for those of color only. This morning, as I decided to come here and blog, I also determined that I need to read this book so I can better understand the purpose of such a debate. With all that said, these are my initial reactions to candidates and their responses, in no particular order.

Dennis Kucinich had some great responses. One point that hit home for me was in regards to out sourcing jobs. The truth of the matter is that we need a system set in place that rewards manufacturing in America. Many talk about child and slave labor that is inherently involved in jobs that are outsourced, yet no one seems to put 2 and 2 together...keep jobs in America and this will be a less likely occurrence. These jobs need to offer workers benefits, fair wages, and good working environments. In everyday banter, Dennis gets this.

This is the first time I have heard Biden speak, so I was eager to not only hear his responses, but also to get a feel for his presentation technique. Firstly, Biden offered an everyday Joe persona. He spoke in terms that all could understand and relate to. When discussing the current tax system he made a GREAT point that for the first time in history, wage earners are paying more taxes than investors. This never seems to come across to people. Tax cuts are great, as long as they provide relief for those who need it most. Way to go Joe! However, I was a little more than miffed, at his answer to the question of the higher unemployment rate for graduated black people than white drop outs. If memory serves, I beleive the statistic referred to males only. At any rate, Joe began his response implying that black children are behind the ball before they enter school. Huh? Is this strictly a black issue? Even if it is, why is that? Is this to say that black moms do not have the same opportunities to educate their pre-school aged children in the home? Biden then goes on to state that this is only a problem for disadvantaged families. Yes, I agree with that. Then he lost me when he stated that for pre-school education there should be more age 4 preschool programs available to all. Ok, I will not voice my opinions on the issue of the benefits of preschool here, but it occurs to me that for tax paying Americans, the better bang for the buck would be to educate the parents to better teach their children in their younger at home years. Why? Because investing in mandatory preschool educates only one child at a time per family, costing thousands for each child, where as investing to educate the parents puts the responsibility of raising the children back on the parents and tax payers only need to spend money to educate one person/couple to teach many children preparedness for school.

Not Presidential material.

John Edwards. On the outside, what's not to like about this guy? Yeah, I have heard all the reports about his contradictory life style to what he preaches, but show me a candidate that doesn't. Honestly. He speaks well, but there is an air of playing to the audience, that at times comes off unatuthentic. However, his points are fairly clear, and he is focused on a better America. When asked about the ratio of crime and punishment for whites vs. blacks, Edwards drives it home. While he touched on the black vs white issue, he spoke mainly of dealing with ALL people involved in criminal activity. Yes, justice is not blind in America, and it may not be color blind either, however there are some issues that shoudl truly be addressed. Edwards makes the point that for first time drug offenders, extensive drug treatment should be given, instead of jail time. If we are to try to reduce drug use in the country, we must address treating those who we can, and those would be the criminals invovled in the system. One thing everyone commented about is making a distinguishment between crack and powdered cocaine. What's all this about?

It's time for good ol Hillary. Ya know, I think Hillary has done some fantastic work. I also believe she speaks of some wonderful ideas. But does anyone else get the feeling she is riding on the coat tails of Bill on this election? Anyone else notice that every time she speaks she changes her point of view, sometimes ever so slightly, to fit the audience being addressed? I want to like her. I want to be able to say that a woman is before us who will make a good President. Yet, I can't. Something just seems shifty with this one. So much so that I am distracted by her actual points with thinking about other speeches she has given in which she stated contradictory points. If only she was a straight shooter.

Bill Richardson, better suited as governor than President.

The country has fallen head over heels in love with Barack Obama. He is definitely a good looking guy, with a winning personality, and a great sense of humor. He is witty, to say the least. I also enjoy the point she makes and his ideas to reviving America to the great state she once was. He has well though out answers on just about every topic. Yet, something slaps me in the face each time he speaks. He seems to be a "name thrower." You know the person who throws names about to make themsleves appear to have more clout? Obama doesn't necessarily throw names, but words and phrases to appeal to the audience of the day. Perhaps this is just good politics. Perhaps this indicative of his intelligence. Whatever it is, I would like to hear more from this Senator. Even if he doesn't win the election, we should all be watching him in the future.

Mike Gravel is a grandfatherly man who reminds me of Jason Robards. His speaking is a bit unrefined, which I tend to like. I didn't follow him on some of his points and he is not Presidential material, but I have to say, his closing remarks, were well planned, and gave me a chuckle if nothing else. "We have to have a President who has moral judgement. Most of the people on this stage do not have that moral judgement, and have proven it by what the've done." Hmmm....

These are my thoughts.

The Other Boleyn Girl

2007-06-28T07:47:00.000-05:00

The Other Boleyn Girl

By: Philippa Gregory

A Review

I have to begin this review by stating this is a book not to be missed! This is my first Gregory historical novel, yet I am certain there will be more to follow. If you do not have time to read the entire review, pick up this book on blind faith that it will truly transform the way you view historical events.

This is the story of the 3 Boleyns; Mary, Anne, and George. This is the story of a quest for power and riches that controls every aspect of life in the1500's. The story mainly follows the life and struggles of Mary, Anne's older sister, but also intertwines the rise and fall of Anne with the intricate help of Mary and their brother George.

If you are unfamiliar with the story of Anne, or this period of Henry VIII, this is the book that will inspire you to learn more. Throughout the story you learn about courtiers and their families' scheming, planning, and directions to obtain as much of the King's favor as possible. In this particular story the goal is to gain the title of Queen of England, and all the benefits that come with it.

However the focus of main story line, is Mary. It details how she was hoisted to the King's attention at a time when Katherine was at the end of her child bearing years. The reader is ensconced in the thoughts and growth of Mary as she falls in love with Henry and then out of love. Mary begins to see things in her life as they truly are and grows into her own skin and slowly allows herself to consider persuing her true desires. However, the plight of Anne becoming Queen is paramount, and Mary continues to sacrifice her own life to help Anne in anay way possible. The tie between the sisters is as strong as the rivalry.

Gregory has a flair for drawing the reader into the story. You feel as though you are a member of the court, viewing each twist and turn from a firthand view. She eloquently depicts the time period from dress to dialogue. Upon finishing the story you will find that you have a clear understanding of court life, the King, this important period of change and upheaval in history, and what was needed to climb to the top. The delicate balance of how people acted, reacted, and were played are a psychologist's dream!

There are not enough words to describe accurately my affection for this story. Very few books make it to my Best Of list, and this is one that has catapulted itself to the top. I was so intrigued with the story that I did some research afterwards. I found that the story, while fictitious, is closely tied to actual events and persons. It has also inspired me to continue my research of this time period and the wives of Henry VIII as well as the church history of the time. I am excited to read The Boleyn Inheritance, which is her newest novel.

Gregory has much information on her website to help those inspired further by her writings. Check out Henry Fitzhugh's paper discussing whether or not Mary's children were of royal descent or not. The website is filled with tidbits that are easily used as a jumping point to felve into the life and families of her stories characters.

Check your library, book store, Paper Back Swap, your local Freecycle board, Goodwill, used book store, or any means possible to get your hands on a copy of The Other Boleyn Girl.

Rating: *****!

These are my thoughts.

Spring Reading Thing Wrap Up

2007-06-25T12:42:00.000-05:00

Well, as with all good things, the Spring Reading Thing Challenge hosted by Callapidder Days, has come to an end. I am sad to see this challenge come to an end, but it inspires me to look forward to my next reading challenge.

I started this challenge with 30 books on my list. I had broken the list down into a few parts: personal reads, school year finishers with the olders, and read alouds. I further broke the list down by categories. I had wondered if I was not putting too high a goal on myself as I looked at the length of the list a few days later. But, I decided instead of altering the list, I would just dig in and see what I could accomplish.

There are 8 unfinished titles. We opted not to read Eldest, by Christopher Paolini because we did not enjoy the first book, Eragon. I will be posting a review of this book within the next day or two with further explanations for our choice.

Of my personal reads I ended up reading 2 additional books, not originally on my list; The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, by Mark Haddon and The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory. Both of these were books that I chose from reading other reviews from fellow SRT participants. These were 2 of my favorite reads. The Other Boleyn Girl is so wonderful that it is on my list of all time favorite books! I will also be posting a review for it in the next few days as well.

Although we decided to hold off on Macbeth, the youngers added books to their list and we read MANY other books that I never had the time to post on my sidebar. They have much enjoyed the challenge themselves.

I must say, my oldest is very glad to have me done with this reading challenge because he has a stack of books he would like me to read, that I had refused until I finished the challenge. I look back and wonder how I got so much reading done.

As I think about it, I rarley watch TV, and I read until late in the night when I am engrossed in a great story. Also, being away for so much time, offered me a lot of time to read, as well as a lot fo chaos and lack of being able to keep p with my blogs. LOL!

My sincerest thanks to Callapidder Days, for hosting such an extraordinary challenge! Many may not know but, I also challenged myself to visit every participant's website to read reviews at least once during the challenge. I am almos tthorugh the entire list, and have many I want to go back to, for more review reading. So a great thanks to all those who have participated and posted so many great reviews. Opinions matter, and reviews can help shape a readers wish list. I found that after reading reviews some books were crossed off my list and others were added.

Without Further Ado, let me try to answer as many of Cllapidder's wrap up wuestions as I can, that I haven't answered already.

What was the best book you read this spring? Hands downs, The Other Boleyn Girl
What book could you have done without? The Out of Sync Child; I found this to be very informative and eye opening, but I wasn't in the mood for it.
Did you try out a new author this spring? If so, which one, and will you be reading that author again? Philippa Gregory
If there were books you didn't finish, tell us why. Did you run out of time? Realize those books weren't worth it? There were 2 personal reads I didn't get to read. HP 6, I am in the middle of, and Goodnight Nobody, I just ran out of time, having added book sin the middle of the challenge.
Did you come across a book or two on other participants' lists that you're planning to add to your own to-be-read pile? Which ones? See above post
What did you learn -- about anything -- through this challenge? Maybe you learned something about yourself or your reading style, maybe you learned not to pick so many nonfiction books for a challenge, maybe you learned something from a book you read. Whatever it is, share! I love reading. I much enjoyed my children asking me about the reading challenge, what it was all about, could they participate, how long would it be lasting, how was I coming along, etc. It was fascinating to see how interested they were over the course of the challenge.
What was the best part of the Spring Reading Thing? Visiting new blogs of readers! I much enjoyed reading so many reviews. I have chosen new titles for my wish list, my To Be Checked at the Library list, and my To Be Purchased list. I also enjoyed reading futher on the blogs and getting to know a little about the participants.
Would you be interested in participating in another reading challenge this fall? ABSOLUTELY!

So what shall my next reading challenge be?????

Book Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time

2007-06-21T08:03:00.000-05:00

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
By: Mark Haddon

A Review

Haddon tells a wonderful story with this first novel. The novel revolves around the life of Christopher, an autistic child being raised by his father. The novel opens with Christopher finding the nighbors dog, murdered. He s determined to unravel the mystery of who killed the dog.

What you need to know about Christopher is that he is a mathmatical genius, but his social skills are a bit lagging. While he continues on his search to solve the mystery, Christopher uncovers a far more important and personal mystery. Throughout his journey, you experience first hand how Christopher tries to assimilate himself to different social situations by working things through in his mind. Although the sory is not warm and fuzzy, by any means, the ending certainly is one that wraps things up for the reader.

Haddon does an excellent job of allowing the reader inside the min of an autistic child. As one wanders through the story, one begins to understand the internal thought process of autism, at least on some level. In addition, it allows the reader to formulate for herself, a compassion and understanding through a living work. I personally, found this an amazing mind boggler that allowed me to have a greater respect for these precious minds.

While there are some computations that I had to re-read a few times to digest, I found myself cheering for Christopher. This is an excellent choice for a slow weekend, a day alone, or a mini vacation. However, be prepared to want to push forward without interruptions, as Christopher solves the Curious Incident of the Dog at Night Time.

Rating: ****

These are my thoughts.

Do ya Wanna Know?

2007-06-20T19:10:00.000-05:00

Wanna know where I have been? Well, you already know that things were chaotic with leaving for Orlando to our Homeschool Conference for a week. Then I came back for a few days only to head back to Orlando on my own.

I went to meet 2 friends who I haven't seen in 3 years. They were coming down for the National CASA conference and we made plans to meet up for a few days prior. This was a BLAST! You can read more about it here.

After that stress and chaos hit hard. While I was in Orlando we were dealing with one of our daughter's passports not being returned in time to travel. Each time te hubby called it was literally hours on hold waiting for a rep to discuss the situation. As of the saturday before we were to leave for the Bahamas (leaving on tuesday), our daughter's passport was still not processed or mailed. Each immigration rep told a different story and gave different info as to the status of the passport, so we never really knew the true status. So, on that saturday while I was in Orlando, the hubby called to say that it was almost certain that she would not be able to travel. We began talking about alternatives to the situation, such as leaving her with a friend, me staying behind with her while the rest of the family went ahead with the trip, all the kids and I staying behind and just the hubby going (because this was a business trip, he had to go), etc. All of these options meant losing a sizable amount of money. I got on my friend's laptop and emailed some friends asking for prayer. I asked that they pray that we could graciously accept God's plan and give us the sidom to determine how to handle the situation. Around midnight, I felt compelled to check my email. The girls and I were enjoying lots of HGTV and so I was well distracted from the situation. But the urge to check my email prevailed.

Lo and behold one of my friends had emailed me with an urgent must read email. She had told her husband about our situation. He happened to TiVo the news and saw a segment about the immigration passport problems and a solution for some travellers to certain destinations. She emailed me the info. I couldn't believe it. I went to the immigation website for the info provided and indeed it read that our daughter would be allowed to travel without her passport. However, there was some other confusing jargon there as well. So I called the hubby int he middle of the night to let him know what I had found out. The next morning (Sunday) he checked the website and had the same thoughts I did. There was no one to call at immigration, being a Sunday. I parted with my friends and headed home. I got home and still I didn't prepar for the trip not knowing who would be going. The following morning, the hubby got through to immigration and the airline and it was true; our daughter could indeed travel to the Bahamas with a special immigration form in lieu of the immigration dept not being able to get her passport to us in time. God had answered all our prayers in one swoop!

Then I had to pack like a mad woman for the whole family. Unbelievably, I was able to accomplish it all in less bags than originally thought and far enough under the weight limit that we would not have an issue with an extra charge for our luggage. Still leary of what time issues we might have getting through immigration we left for the airport early. We had no problems getting in or out of the Bahamas with our daughter. Praise God!

The actual trip was ok. We are not fans of the Atlantis, but they have upgraded their outdoor swimming facilities and water slides (which were alread pretty good) and that is where we spent most of our days, despite the ugly weather.

So now, I am home and glad for it. I love to travel, but I am more of a cruiser or camper, than a resort girl. I will be able to catch up here now, and back to regualrity. I have finished some books and will start posting reviews tomorrows. One, book I am really exited about reviewing!

So seey a tomorrow!

Everyday...

2007-06-07T11:34:00.000-05:00

As many have noted, I have been away from my blog for much longer than expected. I have so many things to blog about, but I have not the time to do so. We have many personal issues that need to take priority. However, after next week, things should be much more settled and allow me the time to get back to this blog. I am excited to get back into Scrap Happy Mondays, T13, Slow Cooker Thursdays, too.

I will be back to read my favorites like So Much to Say, So Little Time, A Knight's Lady, Lessons Learned on the Farm, Wired Wisdom, My Home Sweet Home... Oh dear, I am out time. Until we read again....

Stress and what it Reveals

2007-05-27T15:36:00.000-05:00

It has often been told to me, that stress reveals the ugliness that God wants to refine in us. Aaah, the transformation to Christ's image. Nothing like heaping stress on top of stress to really reveal it all.

The campground was not great. We couldn't even be outside, between bugs and the campground itself (more in another post). At any rate we came home top find our home without water, our neighbors pool neglected by the pool company, and my internet router not working. So, I get the bright idea to come to my parents house to check their internet, thinking it might possibly be our ISP, and not our system. I unlock the door, to hear the alarm had been set. I do not know the code. This is a VERY loud alarm. I did get it turned off eventually, but the police showed up. God must have had his hand over our license plate, because while I was gone, I noticed that my tag expired!

All this to say, I will be back here ASAP! I have missed you all, and have so much to share.

Be back soon....

FYI

2007-05-21T14:08:00.000-05:00

We are heading out to our homeschool convention. Yeah! Since we will be camping, we are looking forward to tons of fun and games...oh and a little swimming too. Praying fr God to give us wisdom in picking the right curriculum, and to absorb allt hat the speakers have to offer. The campground should have internet access. But we have found that getting a signal can be VERY tricky. SO, I will try to keep up with my posting. Keep on a coming, and see what adventures we might have for you.

Please post here if there is anything exciting going on, so I can link to it quickly from the campground! Yahoo!

Submit

2007-05-18T10:43:00.000-05:00

This week during 2 of our Bible studies, 2 women/wives of our church revealed that they are struggling in their marriages. While both women discussed the issues separately, in that each one was not present at both Bible studies, the main issue was the same; submission.

We have all struggled through times of understanding and applying God's word to our lives. Often times we can offer assistance and no less than empathy, having struggled through the same issue. I vividly remember trying to over come this particular hurdle. I would throw the responsibility of my behavior onto my husband, because his words and/or actions were what "caused" me to react a certain way. If you have been married for any length of time, one thing you know, is that habits and patterns are formed, and VERY difficult to break and correct.

Working in our marital relationship, we bring in our personalities and our experience of the world. That's a lot of baggage to carry. We all have memories and "lessons learned" that have molded us into the people we are. This is a constant, regardless of whether or not we were raised in a Godly home. The reason: our walk with God is deeply intimate and personal.

None of us walk the path in exactly the same way. God uses us and grows us in different ways and at different times. We all have our own stories that emphasize this. We develop many habits and life patterns, that can become deeply seeded in our marriages over time. When these patterns are not Godly, they can be progressively detrimental.

As a christian, we are told to let our old self die, and our new self be born. (Eph 4:22-24; Rom 13:12). When we relinquish our lives to God, sometimes the words are easier said than done. How hard it is to let go of the wheel! My chest tightens just thinking about it. However, the more we study, the easier it becomes.

As a wife it can be easy to react to our husbands (who also have baggage and habits from their upbringings) when they do not do what we think is right in any given situation. Years of this behavior fertilizes resentment. Not good for a loving marriage. However, God tells us that we are not to react, but to think things through. Gather all the facts first, then make an informed reaction...a Godly one.

The word submit can cause a lot of conflict. Ephesians 5:22-23 tells us that as wives we are to be subject under our husbands. A little further on it also directs husbands to treat their wives a certain way (Eph 5:25, 28). These can be big walking orders. However, as wives, we must remember one crucial aspect.
It does not tell us that we are to submit when/if our husbands love us as the church. The command of the conduct of a wife is given regardless of the husband's walk. You see, although there are many things we might want to change about our husbands, we are responsible for oursleves. Only WE can change. We cannot change our husbands; that's God's place. We can pray, study, and allow God to work through us to make us the Godly women we are to be. When we focus on ourselves, our eyes see very differently.

For example, in the past my husband and I would get into arguments because, well, the fact of the matter is, that on any given topic, on any given day, I am right. I am always right. WOW is that a set up or what? No matter his opinion or how he presented his side, I would rebutle him. It would start out nice and calm, but then quickly ignite into a fire, because I was more concerned with having it my way, than I was with God's workings in me. I would shut God out and take the reigns. Funny, it never worked out. Then when it was all over, I would blame my husband for my upsetment and ramblings. He caused me to react that way.

HUH? Don't I have control of myself? Does my husband control my words and actions? No. Only I can do that. If we as wives put our focus on our husbands following God's principles as a stipulation for ourselves following the principles God has put in place for us, we will never accomplish those things. While this seems overwhelming and can be hard to overcome, it is essential to our walk with Christ to concentrate on our transformation, solely. Even in regards to our children, we cannot force them to live Godly lives. We can teach them God's ways and set an example for them with our own lives, but beyond that we must trust God.

When we read Ephesians 5:22-28, we must not let our focus be first on how our husband's should be acting. We must focus on our own submission. Our purpose is to serve God, first and foremost. Therefore in serving our husbands according to God's principles, our submission to our husbands is service to God that results in part of our transformation and glorifies Him. Our adherance to God's word for our lives as wives will not change our husbands, because only God can do that. However it will change our mindset, words, and actions. When we make this responsibility the central focus of our service to God, we will show our fruit. This fruit will be apparent, thus giving our families a good example. Although we may be praying for our husbands, we must remember that God is working with them in His own time frame, not ours, which may mean that we need to long suffer to see His hand in their lives. Frustrating? Difficult? Indeed!~ Hold fast to the fact that when God judges us, He is judging us on our lives alone, not our husbands' lives. Our rewards will be given as a result of our service.

You may be reading this long post thinking, ok, but when resentment has built for a long time and is thick in your heart, you cannot possibly turn it around, you are right. Only God can do that in you. We must pray sepcifically that God come in and cleanse us, as well as helping us as each situation and confrontation arises to follow His way, regardless of the negative feelings we have stored in our hearts. Continue to focus on your own personal transformation, and submission will no longer feel like a chore or obligation, but a wonderful service to glorify our Lord.

These are my thoughts.

T 13: What I Often Say

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

This week's Thursday Thirteen is a silly one. This is a list of phrases I often can be found saying. Some of these may date me; perhaps not. Anyway, knowing these, you may be able to pick me out of a crowd. =)

Been there. Done that.
I said Good day sir!
yadda yadda yadda
Git aloooong little doggy!
Shnook Haven (don't ask)
PUHlease!
Is that edifying?
What about prom?
These are the days of our lives.
Shama Lama!
Shama lama shamrock! (My son came up w/ this for St Patty's Day, because I was incensed when I could not get a shamrock shake at ANY McDonald's!)
Shama Lama Ding dong!
And my newest tag line (also thought up by my son) Razzle Dazzle!

BONUS phrases often said: My kids constantly tease me about the Seuss like words I have in my vocabulary (see 10-12). Here's a couple more my teen said should have made the list.

Beautifious
Fabuloso

Scrap Happy 4

2007-05-07T07:27:00.000-05:00

It's Scrap Happy Monday folks! This week I am presenting a page that demonstrates how I ~~sometimes~~, ok rarely pair creativity with frugality to make for an interesting photo page.

This 2 page spread is of a visit to the San Diego Zoo. The page is unfinished, but it's core is done. I used 1 brochure to title the page on the upper left hand corner. I also placed the ticket stubs on the page. Sometime later, I realized it would have been cool is I had tried shaping the into leaves, that were falling from the tree...but c'est la vie. I used another 2 brochure pages that gave a better overview than I could every write of the zoo. The grass is a strip of Creative Memories paper hand cut to give it that unique feel. Then I fashioned a tree from ripping paper. I opted have the tree top cover both pages to lend flow to the pages. The center has been left blank because I haven't decided on what picture and journaling will go there. On the right is a different brochure that has a detailed map on the inside, that rests in a paper pocket, for easy removal. Because I am the type of person who uses what she has, The lighter green is not my favorite choice for this spread, however it is what I had on hand and doesn't take away from the pages too much.

For more ideas and page layouts visit Scrap Happy at So Much to Say, So Little Time. Heads up this week. Julie has been out of the state with a whirlwind of activity, so she may not have time to post this meme until later in the day.

Happy Scrapping!

What's bothering me?

2007-05-07T07:11:00.000-05:00

Well, aside from the fact that I am having a hard time getting my puter and pda to do what I want regardless of how I manage my IS, I am so sick of politics. There is buzz about a lot, but none more so than the upcoming candidates who are pressing for their party's spot on the presidential ticket.

I am a mazed how often the majority of the talk reflects personal life. I want to hear about issues and how they have been working on them in their present positions. This is not to say that personal conduct is not indicative of one's thinking process and morals, it certainly is. But how many times do people need to know that Juliani had been married multiple times, that Mitt is a pretty boy, John Edwards has made a comfy life by looking for loopholes for zillionaires, or that Hillary's life choices have been for political gain and not for moral standing? Yes, these all say something about the character of each person. But, when are we going to get passed all this and talk about the issues?

I spend most of my puter time doing research for school, email, or blogging. I don't have a lot of time left over for searching the darkest corners of the internet for some remote blog or webpage that is offering information about each candidate's service. I rely mostly on radio, I admit. However, the time I have had to research the candidates, I keep finding the above mentioned info the most prominent and space consuming. Their actual service seems of little importance to most sources.

What has happened in our country? Why are people more interested in gossip than in finding information that gives us the best, concise, and well rounded picture of a candidate? Is it me, or is a popularity game?

These are my thoughts.

Notification

2007-05-04T07:13:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to let you all know, I will be unavailable to post over the weekend of May 4-6. I should be able to post on Monday, May 7, 2007. I have something fun in the works, so check back on or after Monday.

Thanks and have a great weekend!

The Ultimate Homeschool Expo 2007

2007-05-04T07:10:00.000-05:00

I have truly been blessed. I have been perusing The Ultimate Homeschool Expo, but found that I was unsure I could take the time or afford the money to attend this online seminar. I joined in last night and boy was I glad I did! I was able to messge directly witht eh speakers and others in attendance and I learned alot! I cannot remember the last time I attended a seminar that was as uplifting as this one!

If you are ready for rejuvenation, personal conersation with the wide range of speakers, and a friendly format that allows you to come as you are when you have time, at a LOW cost, this is the Expo for you! Cindy Rushton has put together a fantastic line up of speakers with even more fantastic topics. If you aren't familiar with Ciny Rushton or her ministry, take some time to visit her site(s). This woman, her family, and ministry are truly a blessing from God. Without getting too wordy, or seeming like a billboard here's the Ultimate Homeschool Expo's front page:

Ready for a big dose of encouragement?No time to travel?No extra money for hotels…parking…and eating out?Can’t break away from your family?
Well…we have the PERFECT solution!
Join us for our:Ultimate Homeschool Expo 2007!May 1-5, 2007 (PLUS! Preview Chats weekly leading up to the event)

Ready for a fun Virtual Seminar??? One that promises to make homeschooling easy and doable? This is your event!

Right there in the comfort of your home you can join us! We have an amazing speaker line-up! AND…if you have to miss any sessions, we are recording it for you to download by Mp3 and listen to at your convenience! Can you beat that?
No crowds!No makeup!No parking!No walking for blocks and blocks!No expensive trips or hotel stays!No babysitters!Just plan something fun for your family–maybe acozy movie day or a fun project to keep them busy–then, kick back to enjoy!

Talk about FUN! This is one that you will not want to miss!
Everything is recorded online in our Talk-a-Latte Conference Room. All you need to do is tune in. We provide the Conference Room Software free when you order your ticket. AND! We sign you up for our Membership Site–filled with articles, audios, and free ebooks to help you kick-off your best homeschool year ever!PLUS! That is not all! We have received some AMAZING gifts for you from fellow writers/speakers. Many are already loaded into our Membership Site, ready for you to dig into. Others will be given out throughout the event LIVE! It is one of the most amazing offers ever! You will definitely want to join us!
If that is not enough, we are hosting weekly Preview Chats leading up to our event. Our Preview Chats are weekly online seminars that will offer you even more information, help, and encouragement. These are FREE! They feature seminars with our wonderful speakers as a “preview.” Everyone can join us for those–of course, the audios are only available for download for those who purchase tickets to our event! These sessions are our way of including topics that we can’t squeeze into our Expo week. You will LOVE them!

PLUS! When you sign up! You get more!
Free ebooks!
Free bonus audios to help you get started on the right track!
Doorprizes–ALL WEEK!!

Membership to our Ultimate Homeschool Expo Membership Site–With Lots of Free Articles, Free Mp3 Download Audios (ready right now!), Free Printable Planning Pages, and wonderful savings from our speakers and vendors!
Some important info not included above: the cost of the Expo is $35, less than many conventions. Yes, it started a few days ago, but the info will be available indefinitely, so you can download and listen at your convenience, over and over again...no more spending extra money on those CDs! VERY IMPORTANT: Don't feel you will be left out if you cannot afford the conference at this time. Cindy has been blessed with many donations to fund a scholarship to cover the cost of this Expo. Why? Because so many women are so uplifted by this Expo, they want to share the joy, knowledge, and blessing with others. So if you have a need , email Cindy to apply for a scholarship.

This may prove to be the best and most uplifting conference you have EVER attended!
The Ultimate Homeschool Expo

T 13: Taboo Foods I Enjoy

2007-05-03T07:19:00.000-05:00

This is T13 #5 for me. Simply put, this is a list of 13 foods that are not on anyone's healthful list, but I just love 'em and therefore will eat them from time to time. We all have those foods, don't we? So without further a do...

My 13 Favorite Taboo Foods

Steak Cut French Fries. I just love these! I like them plain, with cheese melted on top, and with gravy.
Donuts. Actually, I only like cake donuts, but they are still deep fried and not good for me. This is one food I rarely eat, but every once in a while....

Fried Green Tomatoes. Ya know, when I cook these, I try to justify them in my mind by saying these are vegetables, so good for me. I must confess, I bought 3 the other day, for a lunch treat this week. Not so good for my diet. I just couldn't resist!

My Chocolate Sauce. I make this with dark chocolate, but the base is a trememndous amount of butter.

Lobster Bisque. This is my all time most favoritest soup! I never make it at home, so it is a real treat when we go somewhere that is serving it.

Alfredo. Anything with a good alfredo sauce is so delicious.

Fondue. My absolute favorite restaurant is the Melting Pot. Unfortunately for my heart, the hubby and I adore the oil cooking style, which includes a lot of tempura batter and fgrying of foods. This is served after a course of bread and cheese, and a salad course. It is followed by a chocolate course. I often wonder, with my over stuffed belly ache on the way home, how many calories and fat grams that meal actually contains.

Brownies. There are not too many cake and cookie desserts I really like, but brownies (the fudgey kind) are at the top of my list.

Ice Cream. The full fat versions. When I have the pleasure of eating ice cream, one scoop won't do. I serve myself a bowl. My favorite flavor...Starbucks Mocha Java. The only thing that makes this better, is when I top it with My Chocolate Sauce...#4.

Grilled Cheese. THE all time BEST grilled cheese ever is made with Velveeta. You know a food cannot be good for you when it is a cheese food and does not need to be stored in the fridge. Oh the chemicals. COme to think of it, I haven't had one of these in ages. Perhaps if it ever goes on sale, I might buy a brick and treat myself.

The Blooming Onion. Most fat and calories of most any food on a chain restaurant menu, but the fat, the batter, and the sauce...oh dear...Lucky for me we only visit Outback Steakhouse once a year.

New York Pizza. When the pie is delivered to your table and you can see a layer of grease on top...oh so tasty! Good thing we live in the south now.
Drover's Wings. I will eat any buffalo style wings. Living in Florida, my preference is Beef O'Brady's. However, the absolute, drop dead, best wings on the planet are served at Drover's Inn in Wellsburg, WV. These are the biggest, meatest, best fried, and best hot sauce earth has to offer. One little note about my personal issue with wings: I always asked for them cooked the same way...fried twice. These wings are so good, they are worth the road trip (at current gas prices) no matter where your starting location!

Happy T13 and Buono Appettito!

When a Teen begins his walk

2007-05-01T08:15:00.000-05:00

We all know a family who has a teen who is struggling. Some of you may even know families with teens in serious crisis; wondering how did we get here? It is all a part of growth.

In our world, we have a teen who is realizing that he truly is his own person. He sees that his wings will soon be strong enough to be on his own. However, getting to that point is a trial. God has gifted him with an intellectual and creative mind. Being in that realm of gifts in today's world is difficult. Most everything that is presented is from a liberal feel good mentality. How difficult it is to drive home the point that leading with feelings is the recipe for a life filled with struggle. Who am I to speak on this matter. My experiences are for more limiting than his. I admit, he knows far more than I ever will.

Lest I once again digress. God has given me this son to raise, train, and other wise prepare for being out on his own. It is my responsibility. Oh dear, I shouldn't have said that word. I know it is more taboo than just about any word now. Responsibilities: we all have them. In the world I have lived in, it seems more popular to shirk responsibility and then try to shift it elsewhere; a boss, a friend, a family member, a co-worker, a stranger, a neighbor. Whenever a person is faced with accepting responsibility, it is common for that person to fall back on a line like"Yes, I did that but it is because...." Shifting responsibility. I am not stranger to this. It's the latest and greatest craze.

How can we expect our children to grow up and understand responsibility when they are constantly bombarded from a young age otherwise. It's everywhere: TV, movies, music, books, magazines, ads, schools, work place. It is rampant. I wonder if this holds true in other societies today as well.

This lack of responsibility bleeds into every aspect of thinking. Satan is a smarty pants. By allowing our society to be enveloped in responsibility shirking, our teens use that same thinking to back their ideas whenever they don't get what they want...producing a temper tantrum. For example, if you do not do what your teen wants, they will turn ugly, tell you how unfair you are, how much you don't know, how life under your roof is so awful. Currently, my son has told me I am a fascist, because we control everything in his life. I then began questioning him about who chooses his books, clothes, shoes, friends, hairstyle, movies, music, etc, then answer was always him. Odd that a person living in such a fascist society has so much freedom, isn't it? But you see the point. When things aren't flying your way, you must point the finger elsewhere, as opposed to looking inside yourself.

What is important in the raising of teens is that we rely on God to guide us through parenting. Using His principles and guidelines we can overcome any obstacle that the world sets before us with our children. It may be a long and rocky walk, but the end will be paved with gold.

These are my thoughts.

Scrap Happy 3

2007-04-30T07:28:00.000-05:00

Today is Monday ladies. That means it is time to get Scrap Happy.

This is a 2 page spread that has no actual

photos on it. The entire page is constructed from items given to me, free on a cruise: coaster, ticket, pre-boarding infor, daily memos, key cards, luggage tags, original receipt with ports of call printed on it, etc. By cutting all of these items out and placing them in the spread, we can recall so many things about the ship and our vacation without using a picture. One thign we recall is the difference in cost of the cruise back then and now. I only used 4 paper corners and punched out a few swirlies to finish off the page. This took very little time and very little money, but created a LOT of memories.

Check out more Scrap Happy pages here.

These are my thoughts.

Wowza!~

2007-04-30T00:35:00.000-05:00

We have had a crazy few days. I don't normally post on weekends anyway, but I hadn't been able to post on Friday either. Thursday, I wasn't feeling well, so it was a good thing I got my T13 up Wednesday night. We were also using the day to catch up on school. Thursday night we have hockey lessons. It was a loooong night. Something I might not have mentioned in the Homeschooling Geography post, is that our son with the athletic bent, is only 5. He is a sports junkie to say the least. Thank goodness he hasn't figured out that ESPN is an actual channel yet!

At any rate. He has wanted to play hockey since he was about 3 yo. Because I am such a ninny pinny and he has SID, I decided I should take him to a rink and let him try skating when he was 3. So we get him to the rink and he hates it! There is a big difference between playing hockey in your living room and getting on a slippery and cold surface, with a blade under your shoe. No biggie, we just didn't go back. However, this didn't deter the boy. He continued to pursue hockey. When 4 rolled around, he wanted to try again, and I was weird about it. Ya know, if he tries and doesn't like it again, perhaps he will never want to skate at all. By 5, the hubby was saying we should let him try learning to skate. So we finally did it. From the moment he touched the ice...meaning as soon as he stepped out he fell...he had a great big smile on his face! This is the beginning of a love story mom fears. He does 7 weeks of skating lessons, in figure skates. The coach asks us to let him try the hockey skates and see how he does. Coach is pleased and says he is ready to move up to hockey lessons.

So Thursday night we get up there. My 5 yo couldn't be more excited if we were moving to Canada! He gets to skate, on the cold ice, with a hockey stick. Life is good. Then mom spies the other students. All but 2 are about 10yo and up. My fears subside when one coach takes the 3 littletons to the side. Within about 4 minutes, the coach decides my littleton is too advanced to be with the other boys and sends him over to the bigs. This is the part where I fall to pieces. The hubby tells me to relax and let the lesson take its course. You see this is not the lesson I thought it would be. There are cones, drills (hard ones mind you), big kids (about twice his size), pucks being passed around. OY!

Here's the kicker. Even though my littleton was the smallest. Even though my littleton was the slowest (he hasn't quite got the gliding part down yet.) Even though my littleton couldn't physically do all the others could do, he was a shining star! The coach praised him a lot, but didn't show him preferential treatment because he was a littleton. He did every drill with determination. He slid head first on the ice. This is a BIG deal for a kid with SID! When he was passed the puck and had to pass it off, he did it with accuracy. (While we weren't surprised, the coach was.) Then came the big finale...a scrimmage. My littletons face couldn't be filled with anymore joy. He was the smallest, but he had the most energy and persistence. Even though the bigs were, well bigger and faster, he stayed right in there and even had the opportunity to touch the puck a few times. The best was, when another kid on his team scored, my littleton went right up to him and congratulated him. AS he came off the ice, he was all smiles.

While we play baseball, soccer, hockey, kickball, football, and the like at home, he did try soccer. We had to drag him there most days. He likes soccer, but didn't like the team aspect, we suspect because he had more skill than the other kids on his team. Not to say he is the best of the best, but this is one of his God given gifts. With hockey, he reminds us 2 days prior and 1 day prior and the day of his lesson that it's time for his lesson. Each time he has a lesson we have to stop and watch the teams at the other rink practice or play. It is a good feeling as a parent when you can watch your child enjoy something so much.

All this said, that started our whirlwind of days. Friday our homeschool group hosted a Used Curriculum sale. I was so tired I went to bed and was sleeping by 7pm and didn't wake up until 7 am the next morning! I have never slept that long since I was a young teen. Saturday was spent with the fam and Sunday was spent ripping out and replacing an outer door and frame. Oh yeah, and also I worked in there too! Lots of stuff, lots of fun, and lots of great times!

These are my thoughts.

T 13: Places I Want to Visit

2007-04-25T09:04:00.000-05:00

It is a life goal of mine to "live" in other countries; meaning an extended stay. This is a list of my top 13, in no particular order.

13 Places I Want to Visit

Virgin Islands
South of France
Switzerland
Italy
Nova Scotia
Southern Mexico
Peru
Costa Rica
British Countryside
Chile
Australia
Alaska
Scotland

These are my thoughts.

Black and Blue: A Review

2007-04-24T21:59:00.000-05:00

Black and Blue, by Anna Quindlen

A Review

If you are an Anna Quindlen fan, you most likely have already read this. If you haven't, it's a goodie. If you haven't read any Quindlen, this is as good a place to start as any.

The story line is that of a severly abused wife of a Brooklyn police detective and her journey to go into hiding with her son. Quindlen does an excellent job of making the characters real. Fran/Beth is any woman you may have known in your life. Her son is, as well. The characters she befriends when she is relocated are too. The setting is realistic, and you can truly allow yourself to identify with all the ideas, thoughts, and feelings Fran/Beth experiences. However, towards the end of the book, I found the story dragging a bit. A little too much description and mundane detail leading up to the ending. One thing you can count on, is this is not a feel good story. There are glimmers of happiness as Fran/Beth makes this transition, but it isn't a bed of roses. The last chapter is SUPERB! WARNING: Grab a box of tissues!

Overall Rating: ****

How Homeschoolers Study Geography

2007-04-24T21:09:00.000-05:00

At our house, hockey reigns supreme. Football season has its place. College Lacrosse and Pro Soccer does too. One of the littletons watches all sports. When the Olympics come around, we are glued to the TV, enjoying all the events. But, above all it's hockey! As far as actual participation, only one in our family has the talent and bent and he has chosen his path...hockey.

In case you are confused about our zest for hockey, here is a picture of our living room. Notice that we have no coffee tables, side tables, end tables, and all furniture is placed around the perimeter of the room. This is to allow maximum space for the hockey rink. We play from door to sofa. The piano bench is the penalty box. Be certain to take a close look at the goals...one side is a set of french doors, with windows flanking the sides. And yes, we play with real pucks. How we have never broken or cracked a pain of glass or the TV, is an act of God. On the other side, the goal is the love seat. Here is a picture of the fan globe that was broken by my oldest when he raised his stick to celebrate a goal. We play full contact, and it can be one on one, a solo game, or a family match up. It is played everyday. Always found in the living room are hockey sticks, helmets, and pucks. OH, one of the littletons has a puck collection. These pucks have been caught or bought at games. My office is adorned with hockey memorabilia, and thus dubbed, the hockey room. No, we are not Canadians (although one son is pushing for us to move there) we live in balmy SW Florida. But I digress.

Homeschoolers are well known for the inventive way they teach children concepts. In out home geography is not a popular subject. Come Playoffs, it's time for some geography. One wall in our dinning room has a map in the center. This map begins with the logo for each team located on its designated city. As the regular season winds down, teams that are not going to make it to the payoffs (oh poor Hurricanes. The shame!) come off the map. This continues until there are only 16 teams left. At that point we print off the rankings for each division (east and west) and post it next to the map. We look at the location of the teams (not evenly dispersed geographically). As the Playoffs begin we track mileage for teams and figure out how many total miles each team has travelled before the end of round one. To the left of the map we have a Playoff chart. One side for the 8 western teams and one side for the 8 eastern teams. These also have team logos that move as teams advance or are eliminated. Statistics and probability are lessons for that chart. We discuss likely weather conditions and compare with actual weather conditions. We investigate the difference in ice at the different forums. (Did you know that although all hockey is played in an indoor temp controlled environment, the consistency of the ice varies depending on area climate and altitude?) There is so much to learn. Every team has a hometown, with a history. Every team has a history and stats. Specific players all have history and stats, as well as geographic backgrounds. Demographics are wide and varied.

All this to say, that when it comes to teaching children, textbooks are not always the best resource. Interaction and memorable lessons have long lasting impact and allow a child to think. One more reason to homeschool!

Scrap Happy 2

2007-04-23T11:04:00.000-05:00

This is the second week for the Scrap Happy meme. I love scrapping and I have my own style. I am not sure if you can call simple and frugal a style, but I started only about 1.5 ago. My oldest is 15, so I have A LOT of photos to scrap. In order to get them into a scrap book and within my budget, my pages wreak of frugality and simplicity. I am famous for plain old square and rectangular photos, matted, with a color theme going on. For vacations and events I also collect memorablia and use it as the page embellishments.

Here you can see that I picked up the colors of yellow and blue from the flag in the top photo. I made a simple pocket for the brochure from Seaport Village. Adding a few butterflies with flight trails and a sun completed the page.

Go on over to So Much to Say So Little Time's to check out more Scrap Happy pages and check back here next monday for another frugal and simple page design.

Violation Turns to Fear

2007-04-23T06:26:00.000-05:00

It has been a crazy few days to say the least. You'll understand why I haven't been blogging in a few days as you read on.

The other night I was up late. This is pretty normal for me. Once my family has shut their eyes for a long night's rest, I get to work; accomplishing those things that are best done in peace in quiet.

Around 2:15 am, I had gone out our front door to take the garbage out. When I came in, I decided to call it quits for myself. But as I headed to bed, the littletons had already climbed in with the hubby; no room for mama. So I grabbed my book and headed to the sofa, which is positioned perpendicularly to our front door. To give you a more clear picture, our front door are french doors with bamboo roman shades. These shades provide privacy, but are also transparent enough to see light at night.

I got myself positioned and began to read. About 4 sentences in, I heard a noise outside, which I thought was raccoons. However, I noticed a light outside. I quickly noted these were not the headlights of a car coming down the street, but a light in our driveway. A moment later, it hit me that the light was the running board light of the hubby's truck. Confusion. I thought I might not have closed a door completely when I was out there earlier. But, I knew this was not the case. So I quietly got up and peeked out the curtain. There was a man in our truck!

Startled by the young male leaning into the truck I reached over and hit the outside light switches. I heard the door close and then running. I bolted to the bedroom to wake the hubby, who woke up with a jolt and ran outside as I called 911.

The dispatcher walked me through a series of questions while she contacted the local police dispatcher. When she had gotten all of the information, she asked if I wanted her to stay on the line with me until the police arrived. Bat in hand, I replied that my husband and bat were here, and that I thought we would be alright. The police arrived.

They began with questioning as they searched the immediate area. Then the TV cop stuff began. Gloves to open the vehicle, check it, dust it for fingerprints. We were asked to take inventory of what was missing. When I sat down to fill out the report, I realized our RV was unlocked and asked them to check it. Since we aren't using it, there is no electricity, and they went in with guns drawn and flashlights. Nothing. We finished up with them and went inside. 4:00 am.

Kids checked. All windows and doors checked. Every outside light on. It was time to try to return to bed. Still no room for me in the bed, I went back to the sofa; bat in hand and the phone I kept staring outside, as if the perpetrator was there watching me. 5:00 am.

The following morning, we checked things out with daylight as our guide. The hubby noticed one more thing missing. Somehow, although our house was not broken into, and I was not physically assaulted, I felt violated. I found myself looking around outside to see if someone is watching. While we don't live in the country. We don't live in the city, or tightly housed suburbia. There are only 2 other homes on our stretch of road. I feel violated.

I haven't locked a door since I left NJ, 21 years ago. We have never had trouble in our neighborhood. Nothing. Now I feel as though I am inside one of those snow shakers, with all the world watching from every angle. At night, I do not feel safe going outside alone. I constantly fell watched.

I am wondering if violation turns to fear and the mind feeds it. Last night, I checked out the front door several times. Light on, lights off. No one in the driveway. No one in the yard. The back "yard" sacred me as it is undeveloped wooded property. Could someone be in there watching. Every out of place noise is cause for alarm. I feel as though my home is now nothing more than a potential target for someone else. My husband thinks I am overreacting. I said yesterday morning, "We should call ADT and see what the cost of an alarm system is." He replied, "Now, you're just going overboard." He doesn't feel the fear from the violation that I do. What gives?

These are my thoughts

T 13: Homemaker Jobs I Hate

2007-04-19T06:37:00.000-05:00

This is my 6th posting, I think. This list really isn't about jobs I hate, although some are. This is more my least favorite jobs. I don't mind much about homemaking, but there are a few things I could do without..........

13 Homemaker Jobs I Hate

Handwashing dishes. (Why can't my family eat off barely rinsed dishes? Really, what's the big deal? lol!) Ok, this job I LOATHE. I have said for years that I would rather lick a toilet clean than wash dishes by hand.

Scrubbing baseboards. These seem to get dirty before I put the rag away.

Dusting the plant shelf. When will a contractor design a plant shel that is self dusting?

Putting laundry away. I like washing laundry, but putting it away seems so redundant for some reason.

Cleaning up vomit. Ya know, the target isn't that tiny. there really is no need for messy sickness. Get with the program. Ok little funny here...One time my oldest, when he was about 10, got sick all through a hallway in our home. Instead of cleaning it up, I did the Big Daddy and placed newspaper on top and never went to that part of the house until after the hubby returned and took care of it. Weak stomach I guess. Thanks be to the Lord above that I have a really understanding hubby.

Removing stains from carpets. I always seem to just spread them out into a thin discoloration. I can't wait til we are able to gt rid of all our carpet.

Cleaning under the bathroom sink. If you want to see what a slacker I am, just go under there. I dare you.

Cleaning off my desk. This is THE biggest hotspot in my home. I love my desk clean, but it only stays that way for 3-4 hrs.

Cleaning the sliders. The moment I finish this task, the fingerprints are fast back in the same place. My kids don't even give me time to admire the windows.

Dusting the air vents. If I have to climb on a chair to clean something, it is not on my priority list.

Wiping the toilet rim. If boys can't hit the water without splashing all about, why can't they just sit down like women? If you must be manly and stand up, please wipe the rim when you are finished. It's like a dog marking it's territory.

Scrubbing shower floors. It's awkward, uncomfortable, and just plain nasty.

Re-organizing my pantry. I do not know whay I don't like this task, because I love to prganize. Maybe it's because it is so time consuming. Or maybe, just maybe it is because the builder put wire closet shelves in there so every bottle, box, and bag tips or falls through. Aaargh!

These are my thoughts.

So I thunk and I thunk

2007-04-18T14:03:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I found out that I have been tagged by my wonderful friend over @ So Much to S ay , So Little Time. I am humbled that she reads my blog and it makes her think...albeit the thoughts are probably that I am a scatter brained mom. lol!

At any rate, I am a thinker and I find blogging helps me keep track of my thoughts. Those Potter fans reading will understand when I say that I would like to get a pensieve to help my brain function more efficiently. So, now I pass the award to blogs that make ME think.

Without a doubt, when I want to think and chuckle, I hop on over to Jeneric Jeneralities. Jen is witty and full of...uh, thoughts. She has a gaggle of kids that make an excellent source for writing material. Now, I have actually had the pleasure of having her rescue me and my children when we broke down at a campground, so I do have a little first hand knowledge of her kids and how cool they are. However, she is just such a fun person. If anyone can make you laugh and look at the comical side of life, it's Jenig. Want a small taste of her comedic side of life, check out her ad for the best dish washing helper EVER! Seriously, when you see the pics, you will stop reading this post, as if pulled by some strange force, and go out and buy one. On a more serious note, I love reading her thoughts on scripture and life. Her blog is as varied as they come. Oh and one more thing. Some time back she had a painted picture of a woman and an animal on her blog. There was quite a debate about what the animal was. People kept telling her it was a fawn, but Jenig was convinced it was a goat. So in the end, I told her that whenever I get my first goat, it will be named Jenig in her honor. =)
My second tag is for Nancy. She is, well what I consider to be a super mom. She homeschools her 3 sons, has a farm, volunteers in her co-op, hosts church at her home, is the Senior editor @ Homesteadblogger (which is a fulltime job PLUS), has 2 blogs, oh yeah,m and let's not forget about being a wife and homemaker! I first "met" Nancy when I started blogging. I clicked on her blog because I like the title, Lesson Learned on the Farm, and then I found the great author behind the blog. When Nancy took over as Senior editor, I thought how can 1 person be so well managed? A few months later I wondered why she didn't blog at Homesteadblogger. Before I knew it, whammo blammo! Nancy had a second blog going, Unlikely Homesteader. There is always something to ponder at Nancy's blogs. What kept me coming back, was when we had a major disappointment in losing a farm, how she had just the right words. The bonus with a blog friend like Nancy, she has Dreamweaver hair. Who could ask for more in a friend?
I am often found searching the net for ideas and concepts surrounding living simply. I stumbled upon this post, about living well on less. The more I looked around, the more I wanted to stay and read. Amy has 5 children under the age of 9 (which is quite the job), and yet she finds time to pen her thoughts about life, kids, and applying faith. One of the posts that hit home for me was Fight or Flight. This comes during a long process I am working through with God dealing with the issue of confrontation. If you are looking for info and inspiration to continue or start a simple life, this is the place. Lately her hubby, Greg has been posting a bit, since Amy is under the weather. I really enjoy when someone posts and I chuckle out loud. This post is one of those! I look froward to checking in on Amy and Greg regularly, and once you pop over there, I bet you will too.
When it comes to homemaking, the first place I visit is the Homemaking Homesteader, I first met Crystal when I found her blog over at Homeschoolblogger. Then she moved it over to Homesteadblogger. Not wanting to miss a beat, I kept checking both blogs to be sure I wasn't missing anything. There isn't anything homesteading that you can't find somehwere on Crystal's blog. She does recipes, sewing, menus, soap making, organization. Etc. One of the greatest ideas I ~~took~~ borrowed from her, was to make toys in groups that can be cleaned up in 10 minutes or less! Crystal has recently helped birth her first grand child, and I was in awe of it all. Oh, and don't forget to visit Crystal's website The Family Homestead and Crystal's Country Store. When I think of the Proverbs 31 woman, I think of Crystal.
Last, but never least, I want to nominate Jenclair. I found Jenclair's blog, A Garden in My Pocket through the Spring Reading Thing. I liked what she had to say, but there was something else I was sensing that kept drawing me back. I love reading her book reviews. She does not know this, but Jenclair keeps my artisitc juices flowing towards the top. She posts about poetry, which tickles my bones, because i never seem to have time to search it out on my own. Another wonderful aspect of Jenclair is her passion for quilting. Although she doesn't post regularly on the Gallery , I have found myself wandering back there to look at the photos of her work, as I would in admiring artwork. You simply have to take a moment to see Garden Girl...oh the detail! Did I mention this lady has also a third blog? Bayou Quilts, has some excellent information and photography. Jenclair shares thoughts on an abundance of thoughts. This particular post touched my mind. Enjoy this artist and all her assets.

Well that't it folks. Honestly, this list isn't long enough. I have blogs I vist that make me think about so many topics, but I can only have 5. Many of these have already been tagged as well. For example I regularly visit Godwhacker , because i find his writing so passionate and focused. Many may visit and be surprised that his postings interest me and make me think, but they do. Just a read a bit there and you will come away with a thinking headache. Then I visit blogs like Notes in the Key of Life. Cindy is on the airwaves, but delivers great info on her blog too. I remember the post that let me in on Sinbad's death....

Oh wait, I need to give the instructions to those who have been tagged. So here goes....

INSTRUCTIONS

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.

2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.

3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote.

Love-Me-Knots CONTEST!

2007-04-18T09:01:00.000-05:00

Here's a contest that could leave your little princess looking like a perfectly wrapped present. Melissa and Dawn are launching a new business, Love-Me-Knots. They make Boutique quality hair accesories! Their new website is so cute!

The contest is to name a bow. Yup, that's it. All you have to do is click on over there and come up with a creative name for the bow (which I think is adorable). You do NOT have to be a blogger to enter and win. Don't have a princess? This would make an excellent gift for any princess you know.

As if this weren't enough, they are offering a second chance to win the bow. But, I don't want to spoil the surprise. So head on over to Love-Me-Knots and enter to win, right now!

If you are interested in learning more about Melissa and Dawn, you can visit their personal blogs. Click here for Melissa. Click here for Dawn.

Garbage on the Brain

2007-04-16T08:49:00.000-05:00

The hubby and I made some work for ourselves this weekend. However, first I need to set the stage.

If you are a TV watcher, do you remember the comercial which showed a care trying to get in and out of a garage that had stuffed stacked all around it? Well, that was our garage. This, my friends, is not my hubby's fault. Yes, he takes things out and then throws them in the garage instead of putting them away, but this was not even 1/4 of what was stock piled in there. The reason for our piles is 2 fold: 1) In Flordia, you have absolutely NO storage (can be a good thing) and 2) I do not like to throw anything out.

Let me explain a little bit, before I get into my heavy thoughts on this weekend. I try not to collect things (except books), but when we have outgrown or no longer use something, I have the most difficult time throwing it away. I am not a Global Warming or Environmental zealot, but I do believe that we need to walk lightly on the earth. There can be no ultimate good for the earth if humans keep destroying it with waste. Humans are just too consumer driven and wasteful. Somehow this makes me think about being a good steward of our blessings. So, instead of throwing stuff away, I let it pile up in my garage for that time when we have a yard sale. Well, that time never comes because we have cruddy luck at getting people back into where we live. Now, onto the thoughts that inspired this post.

So we begin the clean out of our garage bright and early saturday morning. We make 2 piles (because everything in our garage only falls in to 2 categories): yard sale & curriculum. We know the curriculum is going back in for a sale this month, so we sweep out the garage and load those boxes back in. By now it's 1:15 pm and we are hot and sweaty!!! I look at the hubby, with the most pathetic eyes and say, "I don't want to put all that stuff back in here." Remember, it is already afternoon on a saturday with beautiful weather to be out and about. I ask him if I should try listing the stuff as a Free Recycle Yard "sale" on our local Recycling (aka Freecycle) and County Bulleting Board. He says, "Go for it!" So I rush inside and post a listing on each group, doubtful that many people would be home to read it.

I certainly was wrong! Within a half hour, people were pulling up and loading things in their vehicles. Items like bikes, power washer, books, kitchen items, clothing, lawn mower, stereo, shoes, hats, pet food, plant food, boombox, DVD/VCR player, toys, Little Tykes stuff...all things you might find at a yard sale. My neighbor (who has never heard of Recycle/Freecycle) was AMAZED~! People kept coming and taking our stuff to be used by their family or a friend. We would chat and I would ask what they are looking for, ages and sizes of kids, etc, to help them quickly navigate the huge amount of stuff. We have a good sized driveway and from the road's edge, 3/4 of the way up our driveway was packed with stuff! Yesterday, there was a bike and 3 boxes left out there. And while I was outside, the bike was picked up, leaving me with 3 boxes of stuff.

Now, my brain was turning. I was excited to be rid of the items. I could have held a yard sale and made some money. But truly, it is so much more rewarding to give the items away. People are so thankful and appreciative. Why is it that we automatically think to throw things in the trash? Why does my family have so much stuff to get rid of? Consumerism...do we get it? Knowing that those who picked up items are Recycle people, will they be more likely to recycle the items when they are finished with them?

I am not a saver by nature. I do not get overly sentimental about stuff, for the most part. I am a purger...routinely. But seeing how much stuff we accumulated and then ultimately purged, really had me thinking about what we purchase. Even if we purchase used, which is great for the environment, do we need and use all that we gather. Or is purchasing almost solely based on impulsive feelings?

All this said, I have come away with a lot of food for thought. God blesses us. We are to be good stewards of those bounties. While I think we were helping others this weekend, were we good stewards when we gathered all of the items? Isn't being a good steward more than just saving a buck? I think so. Being a good steward is about using what you have, borrowing what you may need occaisionally and loaning to others, and certainly about being more than wise about purchases...no matter how good the deal is!

These are my thoughts.

A Penny Saved...

2007-04-16T08:39:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally figured out how to link up those money saving posts that I get the most frequent emails about. You can find the links on the sidebar under A Penny Saved...

If you have any questions, ideas, or comments, please feel free to post them there. =)

How much can you save today?

These are my thoughts.

Angels & Demons, A Review

2007-04-16T04:25:00.000-05:00

Angels & Demons, by Dan Brown

A Review

A bit ago my son brought home this title for me, although I was seemingly the only person not impressed by The DaVicni Code. He encouraged me to ty this title because he really liked the story line. Well, my utter disappointment in The DaVinci Code kept it on my shelf. When the Spring Reading Thing reading challenge came around, I knew if I was going to read this, it would be now or never.

And so, I cracked open the book and read the prologue. Nope, not interested. I find Dan Brown's style uninteresting. It is like reading a script for an old radio drama. However, I pushed forward.

The main character (who's second adventure is The Davinci Code) is Robert Langdon, a Harvard professor of art history and religious symbology. He is awakened by an urgent call from a stranger regarding a strange brand that has been burned into the chest of a renowned particle physicist. After a bizarre flight, he arrives at an enormous scientific facility. The story moves forward, intorducing characters and information that seemingly only Langdon can put together, to lead to the murderer.

I continued reading, although a forced effort. The characters were not believable, nor the surroundings. Then in steps the symbology. Upon further review, I think I did not like The Davinci Code because it was so loosely done. I have only read it in this past year, and so the never ending hype had me desiring a book with so much realism tied in, that I would be astounded by the information in the story. What I came to find was sloppy research integrated into a "new" storyline. Through the reading of that title, I kept stopping and wondering why the information was so inaccurate. Was it written for an audience who had little knowledge? But I digress. I do not have any background knowledge of the Illuminati, and therefore was unable to distinguish fact from fiction. But having my prior mind set, I thought about it throughout my reading.

In the end, I have to admit, Brown had twists and turns that I did not expect. I was unable to put the book down, because I simply had to find out the ending. This was a well thought out plot with a twisting capacity to engage the reader to continue to move forward. The only disappointment with the ending, is that Brown lost me after the ultimate climax. The closing of the story was boring, to say the least.

If you like Dan Brown's style and enjoyed The Davinci Code, this is a book you will certainly want to read! However, if you did not enjoy that title, skip it. It is a rehash of the same storyline. While Brown's writing style is not my favorite, his storyline is well t hought out and I am left wondering what the pre-edited version read like.

Overall Rating: ***

It is almost over.

2007-04-13T21:37:00.000-05:00

The clock is almost at "midnight" for the Homeschool Blog Awards. Voting will close @ midnight San Francisco time. That means there is still time to vote. I am in EST, so that means about 5 voting hours left. Check out all the categories, because there are so many cool blogs that have been nominated. Although they have had some challenges recently, they girls running the Awards have done an excellent job this year despite all the obstacles.

Please take a moment to vote for my blog, Journey to Simplicity, in the Best Thrifty Homeschool category if you have not yet done so. I am humbled to be nominated with so many great blogs! Thanks to those who have voted in any of the categories.

T 13: Female Characters

2007-04-12T00:01:00.000-05:00

I really can get into a character if he/she is well written whether on screen, written word, or stage. This week I am listing female characters I truly dig from the screen (movie and tv).
13 Female Characters (in no particular order)

Donna Reed (Ok no bashing here): I loved the idea of her homemaking skills and the fact that she was dressed every day. How many times do you read that homemakers need to get out of their sweats and get dressed today? Donna knew it long ago...

Marmee and Jo March: I have to group these ladies together because, well because I want to. Marmee's devotion to helping others and raising women of character is so dear to me. Jo is what we now would call a tomboy and as she ages a women's libber. Yet, she finds what she truly loves is being home. Before I get asked, my favorite versions are the 1933, 1949, and 1994 versions, however if I had to pick my favorite Jo I prefer Kate to June and Wynona.

Marion Cunningham: Who can resist Mrs. C? She was a ditz, and I can so relate to that. She was a good mom, wife, homemaker, and boy when she knew she was in the right, look out!

Peg Bundy: Give it up to the trashiest, worst homemaker, worst mom ever to grace TV. But ya know what, we all have a little Peg inside. Do you know how many days I wish I didn't have to do anything but shop and fluff my hair and wear cheap skin tight animal print clothing? Ok, maybe not the fluffing hair part, but do nothing and still have my house looking neat and orderly (I never understood how that happened). Ah, Peg was a great character, however raunchy and inappropriate she was.

Holly Golightly: If you are a Breakfast at Tiffany's lover, you know what I am talking about here. Who can resist Audrey Hepburn's portrayal of girl just trying to get a guy? Now, if by chance you haven't seen this flick...it is a MUST!

Mary Bailey: There is just something about a girl who falls in love with the average Joe, even though some hotsy totsy guy wants her for his wife. She could have lived a life in the lap of luxury, but instead she chose a man of character and raised a family. Any woman who can turn a leak old abandoned house into a honeymoon sweet complete with a rotisserie made from an old phonograph tells me it IS a wonderful life.

Charlotte A. Cavatica: I know she isn't human, but I admire her ability to see the good in everything, beauty in all places, and say everything in a most edifying language. A difficult thing to admit, she gives of herself in a way I never could.

Olivia Walton: WoW! How she could live with her mother in law (who is a control freak), I will never know. Raising her children, cooking, gardening, making ends meet, painting, having time to be supportive of everyone, getting up at 4 am; all this and there is never one thing out of place in her home. 7 kids and I never once saw one toy! All kidding aside, I love her kindness and her efforts to get the facts first, and react later.

Lucille Ball: I Love Lucy is one of the best TV shows EVER! Lucy lives in apartment, she whines, she is influenced by the world, and everything she and her cohort, Ethel, touch is pure laughter! Can you say Veta Vita Vegamins? Despite all her antics and craziness, Desi loved her still.

Elaine Benes: This girl is quirky, arrogant, and absolutely plain. But Julia plays her as no other actress could have! Who else could pull of the Urban Sombrero? Could you recover from mistakenly sending out Christmas cards with an inappropriate photo of yourself? You gotta admit, this character is so well written and portrayed.

The Girl: This is the character portrayed by the one and only Marilyn Monroe in the movie that gave us the most remembered photo of Marily. While she is a knockout, The Girl is also cute, innocent, naive, and well meaning. Not my favorite Marilyn movie, I love the character.

Samantha Stevens: We all know her as the wonderful wife who wanted to give up witchcraft to be a normal human wife, homemaker and mother, but any chick who can wiggle her nose and accomplish her tasks is one I want to watch. Elizabeth Montgomery, well she just had the perfect nose for the job.

Kim McAfee: This is a teenage girl at her best. She is grown up and child like all at the same time. She desperately tries to keep her feet on the ground about her new found fame, but alas alack, who could not succumb to Conrad Birdie? I have seen and been in this production quite a few times, yet I have to admit no one plays Kim like Ann-Margaret.

That's it for me this week. Leave your name so I can see your T13~

Please pray.

2007-04-11T10:09:00.000-05:00

Over at the Homeschool Blog Awards, there is a message on the home page about one of the women who has given of herself to put it all together. Her name is Heather, and she has just found out that she has a brain tumor. Please pray for her, her husband Mark, and her family. Read more about what is going on @ Especially Heather.

These are my thoughts.

Look what's new for You

2007-04-11T08:33:00.000-05:00

In the past, I have used Bloglet to allow subscribers to Raise the Cup. This was wonderful, until I started experiencing problems, as well as some of my subscribers. So I discontinued the service and...ok I was too busy blogging to look into another subscriber service. Yesterday I received another request for subscription, which gave me the needed kick in the fanny to get a new subscriber service.

If you look on the sidebar, there is a new subscription area. All you need do is enter your email addy, and you will get updates every time I post something new!

So take a moment and subscribe today!

These are my thoughts.

Interest with Principles

2007-04-09T07:02:00.000-05:00

With the rally for campaign funds for the upcoming run for the Presidency, politics and money is on the front burner these days. I am surprised at the focus of the media; campaign dollars earned vs candidate character and views on the issues. This not the only area of government that $ is the focus. Check out this article written by Paul Jacob:

Could gamblers be the greediest people in the world? What about casino owners? Nah. For real greed you have to go the people who govern gambling towns.
Back in the '80s, the Stratosphere hotel and casino coveted the property of Paul and Laurel Moldon, residents of Las Vegas. But the Stratosphere business folk didn't want to pay the top dollar that the Moldon property would likely command on the market. So, after a little finagling with the city government, the Moldons found their property condemned.
And a $725,000 compensation check deposited with the clerk of the court.
But there was a catch. If the Moldons touched that money, they couldn't sue to get a better deal.
Then the casino went bust. Delays followed delays. Then, in 2004, a jury determined that the fair market value for the property was actually twice the government-determined price. The Moldons agreed to sell. The judge ordered the clerk to fork over the principal previously held for them, and all the interest accumulated over the years.
But the county, instead, kept the interest earned. For itself. County officials claimed state statute "made" them keep the money.
Yeah, I bet.
If the courts don't overrule the county, a Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial says the law should be changed. Ah, when governments get greedy, the interest in interest overides principles.

Amazing that this property was maniupulated and "frozen" in the 80's. Firstly, we see how big business with big bucks can push a government around to get what they want. If you think that was immoral, then check out the fact that the money the Statosphere paid ($725,000) was held. The Moldon's had no use of their property AND no compensation for about 20 years. When is the government more concerned with big business than with the people they have sworn to serve? When big revenue is involved.

A court finally decreed that the money paid was half of what the fair market value was. Now, for all those years, the $725,000 has been sitting in an account gaining interest. Had the money been sitting in the Molden's account, they would have gained interest for all those years. Currently, the government has taken all that interest, because "they had to." Are the constituents supposed to feel sorry for them? Are they supposed to think how awful that the laws are set up that way? Are they supposed to be understanding that the Molden's have been swindled yet once more by the government?

The article eludes to the fact that the courts will now have to decide on the constitutionality of the issue. During this time, is the local government suffering? No. It it the common citizens who find themselves in more red tape, procedure, and strong armed. We must remember that in all the legal preparation, court dates, and the upcoming prep and court dates, the Molden's will have to pay a hefty price of the money (that should have been fair from the beginning) towards legal fees. John Stossel, you are needed.

These are my thoughts.

Drama Queens

2007-04-06T21:51:00.000-05:00

In my life there are many different people from all walks of life. This creates an interesting mix of conversations and friendships. I have long distance internet friends, like Julie, Karen, and Nancy who I have come to know their families quite well; better than most of my neighbors. I have friends who I met through homeschooling such as Edie, April, and Lisa, whom I could call on whenever needed and are more than willing to share information and ideas. Of course we have church friends, like the Chris, Carmen, Larry, Tammi, Ron, Steve, Margaret, etc, who not only pray for us, but see us for who we are and are willing to help us work through God's word on an everyday application level. Then there are those friends you meet in the most unlikely places, like Judy. I met Judy when she started an internet recycling program locally. I have known Judy for 2 years now and I we have talked about kids, homeschooling, selling our homes, moving, earth friendly living, you name it! Last year she moved to upstate NY and we kept our friendship strong. Now she has moved back and we are still great friends, even though I am a slacker and haven't been able to come welcome her home properly. There are friends I have met when I attended certain club functions, like artists, photographers, etc. I also met a wonderful friend; she and her hubby came to see our home when we were selling! We found a lot of common interests and have become GREAT friends. Does this sound familiar to you? Friends from all walks of life? Each one a blessing to be sure.

However, I have been coming to grips with other types of friends. Those who either are living constant drama or only call and/or email you when they get a whiff of what might be a good juicy dramatic piece of info. These friends, I am finding don't have the time or the desire to maintain a true friendship. I am not a drama person, nor do I care about gossip. My main goal in life is to touch as many people as I can to show them Christ's workings through me. I love each of the people in my life, and their families as well. I pray for them. I do not judge when their lifestyle, choices, or decisions differ from mine. Being a good listener is something I truly desire to be. Yet, I am finding myself pulled away from those who only contact me for juicy information about myself or others. While I find I can normally tactfully decline these types of conversational lead ins, I am also discovering that I don't desire to pursue the realtionships that center around this type of drama.

So, I have been praying for God's guidance. He keeps showing me passages that are leading me away from some of these friendships. Because I truly love them, I have been determined to give those last chances that they might not be people who dwell on drama or the drama in others' lives. I have one friend who I particularly hold sentimental bonds with for a variety of reasons. We share many of the same affections and life struggles. Althought the family has moved, I have tried to maintian the friendship, knowing that they have many other new things going on in their lives. However, I have recently noticed that this friend only contacts me, if I make contact first. Although I ask questions regarding the goings on and life of the family, I rarely get a response. The typical response has to do with asking me questions that are in my opinion "nosing around for drama."

I am feeling specifically pulled to "leave this friend behind," as God keeps urging me to keep friendships with those who are uplifting and sincere. Is it Godly, to leave behind a friend? I almost feel the same pangs of grief when I think about friends who are in the Drama Queens group that I may need to walk away from. What is appropriate? Do I not answer when friends call/email? Do I send an explanation at that time, that I do not want to continue the friendship? I have never been very good at this type of confrontation. PLEASE post comments if you have insite in this are or h ave dealt with this. I would relish any advice I can get.

These are my thoughts

Riddle of the Amish Culture

2007-04-06T21:16:00.000-05:00

The Riddle of the Amish Culture, by Donald B. Kraybill

A Review

This book was recommended by a friend. I have read many titles regarding Amish culture in the past. I was a little leery when it came in from the library, as it is 424 pages. I thought to myself, "How much can I read about Amish culture?"

This was my first misconception. Kraybill does an excellent job of explaining the beginnings of Anabaptists, Mennonites, and Amish. There are great distinguishing characteristics between orders. They have some explicit backing for certain beliefs and others the average Amish would not be able to answer clearly. What intrigued me most was how the Amish really are integrated with our Modern culture. In fact, they thrive off of Moderns. This is an extensive book that covers most details that one might be curious about regarding the culture. Kraybill did not paint a lovely picture of the perfect peaceful society. He paints a fair and honest picture, detailing anomalies and contradictions within the culture.

I found this a very interesting read. While it may not be a topic for reading for everyone, if you are interested in learning more about Amish culture, this is THE book I would recommend.

Overall Rating: ****

Reality TV: When TV touches your life

2007-04-06T19:56:00.000-05:00

Last night, the hubby and I were watching our regular 11pm news on Tampa's WFLA. We were shocked into full attention to find that one of our local meterologisits, John Winters, had taken his life. I do not know how or why, and it truly makes no difference. The sadness of the news staff, the intimate and touching reporting were enough to bring the reality of such right into the hearts of the hubby and I.

It had never occurred to me, how the people who report the news each and every day, are so much a part of our lives. We do notice when a regular correspondent or anchor is filled in with another for times of vacation or on location special assignments. We have watched 3 of their staff carry, deliver, and recouperate from child birth. Every night we invite these people into our home, and thus we unknowingly become a part of their lives, and they a part of ours.

I am deeply saddened at the passing of John Winters. I am praying for his family, friends, and staff at WFLA. I pray that God will show him to His mansion and that all the hurts of his life are now healed. I am not techie enough to link the poignant footage we saw this evening regarding John's passing, but you can click the above link and it will be on the front page. My point in this posting, is to show how TV can be a part of your reality. Whomever you watch locally, they are a part of your lives. This is the essence of reality TV.

If you feel lead, please take a moment to pray for John and all those dealing with his death.

God's hand upon you, our friend. We will miss you.
John Winters
1967-2007

The Story of My Life

2007-04-06T09:05:00.000-05:00

The Story of My Life, by Helen Keller

A Review

This is the history of Helen Keller, as recounted by herself. An autobiography that is smooth and realistic. She begins with explanantions and details of what it is was like to be deaf and blind. The story continues through her College years. The reader can almost feel the frustration and determination through her words. Regardless of the situation Helen Keller shows her determination and perseverence, which truly kept bringing to mind the word, "hope."

This book also contains letters written by Helen Keller. The autobiographical portion of the book puts you in the mindset of Helen Keller, but it is the letters that bring you to her side. You can actually see her growing and learning through the progression of her personal writings.

Also included is an excerpt from Out of the Dark, also written by Helen Keller. You will see that she indeed followed a socialist thought process. If you read only one book regarding Helen Keller's life, this should be the one.

Overall Rating: ****

These are my thoughts.

13 Reasons I am already Up

2007-04-05T06:40:00.000-05:00

Ok, I really didn't want to get up early today. I do like getting up super early, because it is so quiet, but I also go to bed late, because it is so quiet. That's when I really get things done! So this morning, the hubby gets me up (per my request) @ 6 am, as we have a very busy day ahead of us. This is my 4th T13.

SO here are MY 13 REASONS I AM ALREADY AWAKE:

It takes forever to get my family ready to go anywhere.
I need to pack a significant picinic lunch for 6 people.
My 3 yo dd needs to go have her stitches removed.
We have to be at the court house by 10 am and it is far away!
I have to prepare dinner before I leave...Chicken Chili.
Everyone needs to be dressed appropriately for court.
Time is needed to blog before I get my day rolling.
We have 4H after court, so we have to gather all our bug stuff and books to pack in the van.
I sometimes move like a snail in the morning.
My kids sometimes move like snails in the morning.
Unlike most days, I need to style my hair.
I gotta make my bed...OCD tendency here.
We CANNOT be late!

Happy Thursday 13 to all!

What's your grade?

2007-04-04T14:30:00.000-05:00

Not too long ago, the hubby had told me he was doing the clicker flicker (channel surfing) when he noticed one of the shows (20/20, Dateline). He paused for a moment to hear what the topic was. A man was being interviewed and was proposing that a good portion of issues today are a result of the country straying from the basic tennants set up w/ God's Commandments. After a minute or so, the interviewer asked the man to recite the commandments, to which he stuttered, stammered, and flopped! I bet for those who watched, many were turned away, because he didn't even know what he was claiming is part of the downfall of American Society.

Today I read an article by Sharon Hughes that spoke about what people know in general about the Bible. BEFORE YOU READ THE ARTICLE ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS:

Can you recite the 10 Commandments?

Name the four Gospels.

What are the first five books of the Hebrew Bible or the Christian Old Testament.

What are the seven Sacraments of Catholicisim?

President George W. Bush spoke in his first inaugural address of the Jericho road. What Bible story was he invoking?

What or who are Sodom and Gomorrah?

Where was Jesus born?

Could you answer them? How about Half? I was completely floored by the results to some of these questions! Astounded. How can this be, when 60% of Americans say they believe in God? This reflects back on the man the hubby saw interviewed. The article briefly asks who's to blame, of which I do not know the answer. However, I loved Sharon's closing statement and would like your opinion on it; "I asked earlier in this article who is to blame for America getting an “F” in religion, but that isn’t as important as this question: who will fight and pull in the opposite direction to see America’s grade go up? You?"

So I thought about this question. Then a little more thought. My answer at the moment is that every parent can change this by teaching their children God's word at home. When their children grow up and become adult members of society, they can carry the torch to friends, family, and their own children. However, I really need to pray on this issue. It is a serious one. God's word, keep it going...pass it on!

P.S. For the record, I could not answer the 7 Sacraments (I am not now, nor ever have been Catholic). I also skipped the book of Numbers.

These are my thoughts.

Too Funny!

2007-04-04T09:15:00.000-05:00

One of those childhood funnies happened yesterday in my living room. You know; one of the those times when your child says something that just makes you chuckle.

There was a carseat laying down on the floor. My 5 yo ds laid down in the carseat and bickled himself in. Then he proceeded to tell me he was an astronaut getting ready for take-off. He stayed in the seat for a minute or two babbling to himself, commands for the special event. He turns his head towards me and says, "Hey mom, rockets needs gas, but not the gas from farting, right?" BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

Kids, ya gotta love 'em!

These are my thoughts.

It's NOT too Late!!!

2007-04-02T23:19:00.000-05:00

If you haven't entered the contest to win a Dyson Slim over at 5 Minutes for Mom it's NOT too late. Get over there right now! This contest ends at 1pm on Aril 4th, so there is peltny of time to enter your name to win. Susan and Janice did an excellent job of promoing this fabulous little wonder, but check out Dyson Slim at the official website for more info too!

I really need this vacuum, but if not me then some other deserving mom will be blessed by this fabulous winning. So, please go over and register @ 5 Mintues for Mom. All you need to do is enter your name in the Mr. Linky box and your web addy. (However having a blog is not a requirement!) Then post a promo on your blog linky to their site (spreading the word about the contest) and link to Dyson to show them how absolutely coolio they are for donating one of these beauties for a contest prize!

A little Ribbon can Cause Chaos

2007-04-02T01:07:00.000-05:00

If you are a crafter, you likely have stores of ribbon somewhere in your home. Ribbon on the spool can be difficult to store. I filled drawers with these spools, yet came up short when I was searching for a particular ribbon. Then I was shown this wonderful idea. Perhaps this too can help you tame the ribbon jungle in your home.

These are my thoughts.

An Elegant Spirit

2007-04-02T00:52:00.000-05:00

Audrey Hepburn: An Elegant Spirit, by Sean Hepburn Ferrer

A Review

There are times when I pick up a biography and begin reading only to find myself thinking that the work is more about the other people in the subjects life, than the subect himslef/herself. I was pleasantly surprised with The Elegant Spirit; as this was not the case at all. I beleive the difference here is that the author is Hepburn's oldest son, Sean, which has made all the difference.

The focus of this biography is the life of Audrey Hepburn, from birth to death, encompassing all that encompassed her life and helped to mold her into the person she was. The explanations of her childhood, family relationships, maternal roles, and life song in general were spectacular. I came away thinking I knew much about Hepburn's soul and life trials, yet not so much as to be invasive of her life.

The photos in this book are exquisite and comprehensive; some from collections, others from family. These photos helped to tell the story of Audrey's life in a way I had not seen before. Also, Sean so poignantly pens the last days of Audrey Hepburn's life that brought me to tears.

I highly recommend this title for it's touching style, engaging photos, and the ability to get to know the woman who was Audrey Hepburn.

Overall Rating: *****

These are my thoughts.

A Stitch in Time

2007-04-02T00:35:00.000-05:00

I have had a few days off from blogging due to a little stitchery. I wish I could say the stitchery was some fun project I was working on, but alas alack it is not. On Friday afternoon my 3 yo dd tripped and hit her head on the ONLY table we have in our living room. She split her head open and off to the ER we went. After several hours, plenty of tears, broken hearts, and 7 stitches, I am happy to report that the beaner is doing just fine.

What is amazing to me is that so many moms rise to the occasion when a child becomes injured. Not me. I completely freak! I am not talking about a minor cut or bruise, but one gushing blood and open wide enough for me to see all the layers of flesh. Yep, I stink at remaining calm. This does the children no good, I say. It only causes them to become over reactive themselves. So upon seeing the gash, I called the hubby. He immediately left work and came to take us to the ER.

When we arrived I had said I was going to drop them off and drive around, as I was so nervous and upset. However, as the hubby and the beaner walked down the walkway she kept gazing at me and signing and saying "Love you." I got back in the drivers seat and pulled away. Guilt set in. So I looped around the parking lot and prayed for God to give me peace and calmness. I parked and went into the waiting room. I held up fine, until they came in to administer the numbing liquid. Firstly, the nurse came in with a syringe. My eyes widened. The nurse, keenly noting my dismay, said that it was just the topical liquid that would be placed on a cotton ball. Ok, I can handle this, I thought. The beaner was placed on the bed and they shined a light that I am thinking was an offspring of the sun. The beaner didn't take to well to this blinding light in her face. But we held her steady. I was hanging in there. Prayer answered. Well, until I saw the nurse place an entire cotton ball into the wound! With tears streaming down her saddened and scared face and my stomach doing the jig, I realized I was about to burst into tears myself. I made it through this part of the procedure, then looked at the hubby and said, "I have done all I can do." I held the beaner and told her I would go to get some coloring books. This pleased her. We loved for a moment longer and then I left.

I drove to the bookstore and shuffled through an abundance of possibilities, then purchased my choices. On the way back to the hospital, the hubby called to say he was only waiting for the discharge papers. He filled me in on the bravery of the beaner and my heart was feeling laden with guilt. I pulled up to the ER only to see the hubby and the beaner waiting with smiles upon their faces. All was right with the world.

The moral of this story, I have found is that God continued to answer my prayers. I had made it through much more of the ordeal than I have ever been able to before. He also gave me the wisdom to realize when my own emotions would be detrimental to my daughter, and thus the time to depart. I praise Him for His hand in the entire ordeal and know that as each opportunity arises, He is growing me up.

Oh MY!

2007-03-30T07:13:00.000-05:00

I finished the bio of Audrey Hepburn last night. Tissues were involved. As soon as I can pry my eyelids open I will be back to review the book.

Slow Cooker Thursday

2007-03-29T08:03:00.000-05:00

Everyone love a good home cooked meal in the crock don't they? Well, here are 2 that are as simple as they come. Check out So Much to Say, So Little Time's Pot Roast and Journey to Simplicity's Baked Chicken. Get in the pot, and forget it!

These are my thoughts.

T 13: Things I am afraid of

2007-03-29T06:36:00.000-05:00

Not sure if I am ready to post this, but here goes. Thirteen Things I am Afraid Of:

The dark. ( I know this is a bit ridiculous at my age, but still I am.)
Not following God's will for my life. (I can be so stubborn at times.)
BUGS!
Having a piece of TP hanging from my pants after using a public restroom.
Speaking in public.
The upcoming presidential election.
Being without my husband.
Being strong enough to help my kids when helping them may not be appropriate.
Driving.
Being fat forever. (This may seem silly, but if you knew my medical history, you'd better understand.)
My kids. Yes I said it. You see, I have kids who like to hide around corners, behind doors, in closets, etc and jump out and scare me. YIKES!
Never living my dreams.
Lastly, and most importantly, disappointing God.

It is revealed!

2007-03-28T18:15:00.000-05:00

While over at the Happy Wonderer I saw the new cover for HP 7. So far I have only showin it to my oldest (15), but he liked it as did I.

Having just read HP4 (again) and beginning HP 5 (again) and then on to HP 6(again) [think Forrest Gump folks], I will be more than ready for the last installment. Anyone think that Neville will play a large part in this novel? Ok, if you are a fan, I would like to know how many went through a box of tissues while reading HP 6? Come on, fess up!!!

Wanna See Something Cool?

2007-03-27T21:55:00.000-05:00

This evening, I went to get our beach stuff off the laundry line. I peered across our property to the neighbors and spotted something in the lawn. I turned and looked more closely, only to decide it was a bobcat. Now we frequently have bobcats in our yard. Some big, some not so much. But what made this different, was that it was laying in the grass, just lounging around. Normally, they are travelling form one place to the next. This is the first time I have ever seen one resting out in the open. So of course I called my kids out. Then I called the neighbor across the road, who also has a son and had them run over. Next, I called the neighbor who's yard the bobcat was resting. Mind you, I am not a soft spoken woman. The cat never even twitched an ear. So, I send my daughter in to fetch the camera. I take a few shots, and find even with my zoom I am too far away. Then I decide to get brave adn walk closer, ever so quietly, to get a better shot. When I was about 30-40 ft from the bobcat, I hit the crunchy dead florida grass (the stuff most people call weeds). That's when the bobcat turned it's head. I snapped this photo, and then wondered if it was feeling threatened? Would I be able to make it back to my house before it made it to me if it charged? All of this while my family and neighbors watched...me of course. One, fat, old mama in shorts, tank top, and full apron running as fast (slow for everyone else) as my legs would carry me! LOL! The bobcat stayed. Then we saw it turn its head quickly and then to a crouch and pounce position. Then it hopped. Yes, I said hopped, like a bunny under my neighbors RV. Next thing I know, we see a bunny hopping into the woods. Perhaps the bobcat had been observing the bunny, waiting for the right moment to pounce. Perhaps, I had distracted it by going closer. Perhaps, he just was playing around. Whatever the case, it was a fun evening. It all ended with us watching him walk off into the woods behind our house. How cool is that?

Coburn says ENOUGH!

2007-03-26T08:20:00.000-05:00

The night before last I was up late and caught a rerun of John Stossel's Enough! I often like the style of Stossel's reporting, because he tells it like he sees it. He doesn't mince words. He doesn't try to appease both sides of any topic.

So this episode was dedicated to different situations regarding people who have had the guts to stand up in a society that is ever trying to appease everyone. In a society where you often can't tell the difference between liberals and conservatives, the segment pertaining to pork spending hit home for me. The focus of the segment discusses Senator Tom Coburn's fight against pork spending. There is a good summary of the segment here. But what gave me the giggles and then some serious thought was the footage from the Senate floor. They aired pieces of Coburn talking passionately, but matter of factly, about the governement being accountable to the public with a website that will detail all spending and which officials sponsor which pork earmarks. This was not the interesting part however. Then another Senator was shown (not one I am familiar with) voicing her opinions against Coburn's idea. She ranted and raved and boy was she emotional. She said something like, "I think we should look a little more closely at Senator Coburns pet projects. He rebutles with, I have never asked the Senate for any money for pet projects! Well, I had to laugh that the female Senator made the accusatory and childish remark without getting her facts first. But I also began to think about the vastly different presentations of the two Senators. Obviously, Miss Senator has asked for pet project money (I cannot recall the exorbitant amount, but she wanted the us to spend money on a sculpture park in her state). However, she had no control over her emotions and came off as a spoiled child who was caught being naughty.

The segment emphasized that most Senators donot approve of Coburn's views. (However Senator Obama has been co-writing a bill with Coburn to make the government spending accesible on the internet to the public.) What does this say about our elected officials? Does anyone following along know if their Senators are opposed to being accountable and having our tax dollars transparent to all? Additionally, if people are in the loop on this issue and they voted for a Senator who is in opposition, do they think, "Hey that's not what I voted for?"

What I am certain of is that we as citizens must keep our eyes on our elected officials. Our taxes are high, in part, because these Senators are racking up huge budget allowances for silly projects, like alien listening satellites. I don't know about you, but I don't want to pay for that! I also don't want to pay for a bridge to nowhere in Alaska, a sculpture park, or a teapot museum. Equally, I do not want my Senators (Martinez and Nelson) asking for pork money for Florida projects they hold near and dear. Why should citizens from every other state have to pay for pet projects for Florida? They shouldn't! The U.S. government spending is OUT OF CONTROL! Who will stand with Coburn and say, ENOUGH?

P.S. Thank you Senator Coburn!

These are my thoughts.

The time of Vintage

2007-03-24T09:02:00.000-05:00

If you love vintage, you know what I am talking about. Vintage is more than just retro. Perhaps you are hankering to find a military jacket, a Jackie O dress, or an eduardian skirt, you need to look into vintage clothing. Thrift stores occaisionally carry such items, but vintage shops are the real source for these items. The downside, vintage shops aren't everywhere. If you have a zeal for vintage and you live in podunk Texas, you likely won't find a vintage shop. However, you can buy online. Check out Vintage Vixen and you will find hundreds of items for every taste and time period. The quality of the clothing is excellent! Many of the items are brand new, believe it or not. This meaning, that they were purchased and never worn. (Ever thought about those items in your closet?) This site has THE coolest stuff.

So check it out and let me know what cool stuff YOU find. Just surfing the site can be tons of fun!

These are my thoughts.

13 Giggles

2007-03-22T08:19:00.000-05:00

Here is a list of 13 Things that make me laugh.

Will Ferrell

Tommy Boy

My friends

Little elderly ladies who dress the way they want and don't care what others think

Jack Black (are you getting the idea I have a low level of entertainment)

My teenage son

Watching my kids play imaginary games

Retro

Parents who have brought their young children to the library

Parents who talk about the "evils" of everyone else's children

How I dance (Elaine would win over me anyday)

My high school hair

The Hubby

Quote of the First

2007-03-21T16:15:00.000-05:00

My first quote entry into Jewlsntexas's Quirky Quotes Contest is:

The best and most beautiful things cannot be seen or even touched; they must be felt with the heart.
~Helen Keller

It's Here!

2007-03-21T07:42:00.000-05:00

YEAH! I have been waiting all week for this to begin. Just like a homeschooler to get all excited about a book list. LOL!

I have many books needing read. Well, maybe they don't need to be read, but I want to read them. I have been re-reading the HP series to refresh myself for the upcoming last book. I really enjoy a good fiction story, and often will pick up books at yard sales, thrift stores, and the library, but then they just pile up until I inspired to read them. Self help and inspirational books often make it to my bookshelf, and then sit. I have found few writers that can motivate me to read through to the last page, so we'll see how that goes. I do enjoy a well written biography, though. I am also including books I need to finish the school year. A separate section will be dedicated to books we are or will be reading aloud with the family. Happy Reading everyone!

Well here is my Spring Reading Thing List for 2007

FICTION:

Finish Harry Potter 4, J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter 5, J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter 6, J.K. Rowling
Black and Blue, Anna Quindlen
Goodnight Nobody, Jennifer Weiner
Angels & Demons, Dan Brown

NON~FICTION:

The Out of Synch Child, Carol Kranowitz
Riddles of the Amish Culture,, Donald B. Kraybill

BIOGRAPHY:

Audrey Hepbrun: An Elegant Spirit, Sean Hepburn Ferrer

SCHOOL YEAR FINISHERS:

Helen Keller, Helen Keller
Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis
MacBeth, William Shakespeare

FAMILY READ ALOUDS:

Eragon, Christopher Paolini
Eldest, Christopher Paolini
Dinosaurs Before Dark, Mary Pope Osborne
The Knight at Dawn, Mary Pope Osborne
Mummies in the Morning, Mary Pope Osborne
Pirates Past Noon, Mary Pope Osborne
Night of the Ninjas, Mary Pope Osborne
Peter Pan and Wendy, J.M. Barrie
The Lorax, Dr. Seuss
Tales from Beatrix Potter, Beatrix Potter
Coraline, Neil Gaiman
Bridge to Terabithia, Katherine Paterson

So those are my lists for the Spring. I better get off here and get reading! Don't forget to sign in with Mr. Linky at Callapidders post today.

Don't Forget

2007-03-20T12:45:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is the Day to grab your Spring Reading Thing link over at Callapidder Days. Get your lists ready and let's get reading!!!

Could it be any more clear?

2007-03-20T08:17:00.000-05:00

Last night I saw a commercial that just spelled out how we are programmed as a society.

Picture this: A business woman stepping off a curb on a busy city street. The heel breaks off one of her shoes. A song comes over (it escapes me at the moment) and a woman is singing to her while escorting her to different places like a hair salon, clothing boutique and finally a shoe store. Each place she goes to she over comes her bad day by purchasing all of these feel good items. The closing scene is her in the middle of a cross walk looking fabulous in her new duds, shoes, and with her new do, smiling and exuberant.

As if it weren't enough for the commercial to push that the cure for a bad day is pampering your self with feel good stuff, she paid for it all with a credit card!

Is it just me or does anyone else see that the message is, you aren't good enough the way you are; what you have isn't good enough; the solution to a bad day is making yourself feel good by spending; and (the piece de resistance) don't worry about being able to pay for it now, you can just charge it and pay for it later. The moral of the commercial: Going into debt for those impulse buys that make you feel good will turn your life around.

Why is it that we have allowed ourselves to succumb to this type of marketing? Are we all so desperate to feel good that we are weak enough not to see through merchandising? It has occurred to me that all advertising is about making you feel inadequate as you are and that their product will be the one thing that will change your life, or in this case, spending without regard to your finances is the answer? Is there no accountability within marketing anymore?

It seems to me that companies spend big bucks on this marketing strategy. Teams of people are paid to make you feel inferior. Ok, so the company has to market its product to the consumer. But isn't there a way to do that without making people feel that they are inferior as they are? For those in marketing, this is the bread and butter of life, but do they ever feel convicted that praying on people's weaknesses is wrong? Do company's care that some of us get it and will not use their product or their financing because of what they promote? I doubt it. The simple fact remains, that the reason they use this angle is because it works.

We have been trained to know that we are not ok with who, where, and what we are. We can be better if we purchase things and go into debt to do it. Further more we have fallen to this concept so hard, that we have been programmed to think that the label on these items is really waht makes us feel good. Surely if we have a swish or 3 stripes on the side of our sneakers, we are far superior to those who do not. If we are from a certain eschelon of income, we are better than others because we can afford more stuff. To be of certain races makes you superior and affords you the right to special treatment. All the while the goal is to make others feel inferior to you. Hidden agenda, that we all have bought into.

Want to see how true this is? Read Dr. Sesuss's The Sneetches. Take your time and pour over the words...carefully. See yourself in there? See our society? Now what will you do with this knowledge?

These are my thoughts.

Thursday Thirteen

2007-03-14T23:58:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Things I Wish I Knew

How hard motherhood would be.
Math calculations in my head.
How to surf.
A cure for Cancer.
How to build America back to the greatest nation.
How to draw Felix the Cat.
How to win the Lottery. Well, I would take how to get on and win Deal or No Deal.
How to make a bicycle seat that doesn't make your butt numb!
How to play the guitar, drums, or sax....so I could rock out.
What makes people tick.
The truth about Global warming.
How to balance a check book.
What I will look like in 3 years.