In case you were wondering, we did leave for our trip...and just got home! The destination? Washington, D.C. and the Cherry Blossom Festival!
If you remember from this post, being in D.C. during the Cherry Blossom Festival is something I've always wanted to do. With just a couple of weeks notice, the husband offered to take us all along on a business trip and have a little holiday. It was great! Of course, every trip has it's challenges, and this one was no different. We had little girl constipation issues, we had gaping wound in the mouth from a wisdom tooth extraction issues with the husband, boy ruined his only shoes and had to wear my much bigger spare pair. But I digress...
We've been to D.C. before, but this time we did things much differently. We took the metro (subway) everywhere which was good. We saw a ton of different things we'd never seen and a couple of favorites. We didn't see the Lincoln Memorial this time which seems like a crying shame unless you consider everything else we did see and that we've seen the L.M. a couple of times before.
But the blooms!!! Oh! They were spectacular. We actually arrived the day before peak bloom. It was just what I'd hoped it would be. They really are beautiful. We spent half of one day under plastic sheeting walking in the rain--that was not fun. We had one day of low 70's and one day near arctic temps. I felt like I was back home in Indiana! Except for rain gear, we were pretty well prepared. Here's what we saw:
The National Gallery of Art (of our Art Calendar! And of course there was the DaVinci!)
The room where Lincoln died (Ford's Theatre was closed)
Lincoln's hat, Kermit the Frog, and a few other items from the American History Museum (also closed) on display at the Air and Space Museum.
The Museum of Natural History (oy vay! A lot of "millions--and even billions--of years" gak there!)
The American Indian Museum (by far the best restaurant for healthy eating of any of the museums.)
The Spy Museum (Truly a history museum.)
The National Archives
The American Portraiture Museum (where all the presidential portraits are.)
Whew! We tried to do the Washington Monument but one couple told us that after standing in line for 2 hours, the tickets ran out before 1/4 of the line advanced! The line was really long even in the pouring rain! Fortunately, the only other place that we really dealt with lines was the National Archives where we waited 2 hours to see the Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Our time ended on Saturday with the official start of the Cherry Blossom Festival and a Kite Flying Contest and Extravaganza! I don't know that I've ever seen so many people or so many kites! It was awesome. Later in the day, we got our kites (at the Air and Space Museum of course!) and flew them. It was really fun.
We walked about 1000 miles (I'm pretty sure about that!) and my legs feel ripped. (Yeah, right!) I did have to limp home one evening after doing something funky to my knee, but the 'ole back held out pretty well.
Our drive home was not so fun. We had about a 12 hour drive and our little one was not feeling so well. She ended up throwing up just 15 minutes from home! We got home and bathed her and tucked her in and she's fit as a fiddle this morning! We all slept pretty good in our own beds--doesn't everyone? I'll post a few more details of our trip throughout the week, but now you have the highlights.
Monday, March 31, 2008
First Things First!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Scripture Memory
After my post yesterday, Beth asked about how we practice scripture memorization. It's been a while since I posted about this, so I thought I'd share what we do.
Over at Simply Charlotte Mason, is this post of the method we use. Basically, it's about daily recitation and mastery. We use a card file box and tabs for daily, odd & even dates, Mon-Fri, and dates 1-31. You start your verse off under daily, then as you begin to master it, you move it to odd and even, so you're reciting it every other day, then once a week, then once a month for retention. Sometimes this process is quick, and sometimes it takes quite a while, depending on the selection.
This works really, really well and it allows each family member their own box so that with age differences, individuals will be working on their own selections. I even have my own box! A couple of things that we also do are include poems or quotes on occasion, though the primary focus is hiding God's word in our hearts. We've included things like Patrick Henry's famous speech, the Preamble to the Constitution, 30 Days Has September! Things like that! It's really fun and easy when you come across something suddenly that you know you want to memorize!
Another thing I've learned is to write the scripture "address" on the back of the card and turn them around once we reach the once a month stage. This has been the most frustrating part for my son. He must get that from me! I'm afraid that this is a issue with a lot of folk's memorization of scripture!--remembering "where" they are found!
This year (3rd grade) I turned son's box over to him and he works on this on his own. He writes the verses out weekly for penmanship practice, and recites them daily. Sometimes he takes it to his room at night so he can do this before getting out of bed. Sometimes he does it during lesson time.
Periodically, he recites to me or his dad. He is very good with it, though he often will peek at the first word to get started. We will sometimes play a game where we'll talk about a topic and say a word which will trigger a verse. This is kind of reminiscent of breaking into song when you hear a certain phrase!
I've been amazed at what my 4yo has picked up. One day a week or so ago, she was in the room when son and I were discussing something and he mentioned a verse. She walked away and when she came back she was quoting scripture. She quoted it for the rest of the day and still remembers it! It came way easy to her. A bit scary for the 'ole brain dead Mama who has a very difficult time memorizing anything! So I'm ramping up her memorization as well!
I'm sure you know this, but I'll say it anyway--memorizing God's word heaps unimaginable blessings on you! It never returns void and it builds a Biblical foundation that nurtures principles, character, and truth. It is a primary, necessary, "can't live without it" choice. Wait no longer! If you're not having your kids (and yourself) memorizing scripture, start today!
Edited to include: I had another thought to share. We started out with a giant sized card file. My thinking was that it would be easier for son to write on. I was WRONG!! Stick with the small card file 3x5 size! You won't regret it! It's cheaper, easier to handle, and it actually has helped my son's penmanship that he has to write smaller!
Monday, March 24, 2008
A.D.: Memorizing Scripture
Yesterday we just about finished watching A.D. that we rented from ChristianCinema.com. It is such a good mini-series. I remember watching it when I was early in my teens, and wanting to see it again. They never aired it again and over the years, I always wondered why. Now I know! It's full of scripture and Biblical accounts!
We loved it when Paul met Luke, because we are particular fans of the book of Luke since listening to (and practically memorizing!) "The Luke Reports" (now called "The Life of Jesus"). I guess even fiction can propel you into God's word!
In A.D. I particularly loved one scene where Paul is teaching a crowded room and he recites I Corinthians 13. I don't know who the actor was, but it was a fabulous speaking of fabulous scripture! I was giddy with excitement and tears imagining Paul actually speaking those words of God. I decided right then and there that I Corinthians 13 will be our passage to memorize as a family when we go on our trip! I can't wait. AND since everyone else was as enthralled with the movie (uhh, I mean the "God's words" part, of course!) as I was, they can't ask me WHY we're memorizing it!
May we put them to practice always!
I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love,
I am nothing.
If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,
but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast;
it is not arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends.
As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease;
as for knowledge, it will pass away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes,
the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.
(1Co 13:1-13 ESV)
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Celebration or Worship?
A friend recently got me thinking about the difference between celebration and worship. We've become a culture that uses them interchangeably, but they are very different. Worship is God centered while celebration is "us" centered. I love a good celebration as much as anyone, but I'm beginning to see how God might love it when we worship Him according to His word, and not according to the spirit of our "celebrations".
It seems like throughout HIStory He has given us much to celebrate. But in turn, He has given us many reasons to worship Him through obedience and truth. Throughout scripture, we see example after example of the consequences of not listening to God. We see false fire brought before Him by Aaron's sons--they get zapped. We see what happens to the faithful--Moses--when he struck a rock God DIDN't tell him to strike, adding to something God had told him. After everything Moses had done, he would never enter the Promised Land because of that one act of disobedience. But "God knows our hearts", we often say. God knew Moses' heart too. I just can't help but make a connection that thinking and doing are two very different things.
It's not always about what He tells us to do, but often about what He DOESN'T tell us to do. So what does His word NOT tell us to do today, that we feel compelled to do because of tradition, and is it contrary to how He tells us to worship?
Friday, March 21, 2008
Son's Clothes
I went through my 8yo son's clothes yesterday. Man! That kid grows so fast, there is not much chance he'll ever wear anything from the year before. It's strange though, because at the end of last summer, as I put his summer things away, they were all too big and I was SURE he'd be able to wear them again. NOT! Even his waist--skinny thing--didn't help this year. His legs grew sooo long, his shorts are not fashionably long enough.
Hey! Anyone else's boys have constant growing pains in the legs? Almost every night he says they ache and asks if I would rub them above and below his knees. This seems to help. He's just growing so TALL!
Anyway, Suz! You'll be getting a pretty complete wardrobe for Z. Multiple seasons, too.
Son does have pretty good taste. I do buy his clothes, but he does have more and more input. He chooses his outfits daily and apart from not dressing appropriately for weather--which apparently is only a mother thing--he does very well.
It took him 8 years to wear through the knees of a pair of jeans. I was a little baffled at first when I realized this, but then it hit me--legos! Ever since he discovered legos, he spends much of his playtime on his knees scootin' around! For some reason, this amuses me. Probably because I love that he loves legos!
Notes to self:
- Do not spend money on pajamas that underwear boy won't wear.
- Cut off holey jeans for shorts.
- Boy does not need dress clothes.
- Basketball shorts work for play too.
- Wait to buy socks till winter.
Trip Planning
Not only is it totally fun to decide what great places we will get to go see, but the actual trip itself is an event. I remember traveling with my parents--never very far though--and car games, singing, and reading ruled. Fortunately, I've been able to instill these things in my children plus the addition of books on tape, fine dining (we take our own food), and learning. It makes me almost giddy thinking about it. We will never...repeat...NEVER watch TV on a car trip. Whoever came up with that mind numbing, brain sucking, fiend of a money making trap, should be shot! (My apologies to all those of you who don't travel so well and require this mode of dealing!)
So for the trip, I've got certain learning things planned. I'm hoping to memorize a large section of scripture together. Maybe a Psalm. I haven't decided that yet. I'm looking at some other special topic studies we might do while car bound also. Did I mention that we never travel at night? Our kids do SO well in the car during the day, that we just take it and enjoy it. I'm wracking my brain to remember some of our car-schooling lists I've tucked away somewhere. That's a great book, if you've never checked it out.
We will be reading the next installment of The Kingdom Series, by Chuck Black. We started it on our last trip and even the husband, who is not a reader, loved it. We committed to reading them all together as a family and 'bout the only way we can is on car trips. We're up to book 3. Hopefully, I can get them from the library. If not, I may have to beg, plead, and borrow them from EEEEMommy.
On our last trip, we tried taking our own food. Two reasons. Money and nutrition. It worked great, but like most things, wouldn't mind some improvement. I learned that whatever hotel we were in usually had a breakfast, so we won't need too much of that. I also learned that boxed organic milks are awesomely incredible. Horizon's brand do not need to be refrigerated until you're ready to drink them, so this was great. Even though they aren't cheap, you can find them on sale and still save a ton over fast food places. Plus, my children don't drink pop, so this eliminates that as an option.
One thing I tried last time that didn't work was individual snack packs for each child, each day. They complained because it wasn't the snack they wanted, or they didn't eat all of it, or one wanted more. And it made more trash. I ended up with several left over. It was a good idea, I think, just not practical for my kids. They don't snack that much normally, so it opened a can of worms that wasn't necessary.
Now they do enjoy their own individual activity bags. And *I* enjoy treating them up in this way. Whether is a new puzzle book, or coloring book, it's always fun for them to have new trip treats. I go all out in this area, since we don't really do Valentines Day or Easter baskets. It's probably more fun for me to give to them, than for them to receive, but "hey", that works for me!
Another note I made to myself last time was to pack by day, not by person. We have a tendency to move from place to place each night. This just happens to be the nature of where we usually go. Because of that, dragging 47 suitcases out each night is a hassle. If we have them packed by day, it's OH SO EASY! I've actually done this before. It's kinda weird to wrap your brain around, but it works!
Packing lists are always fun too. I must be twisted to like something like that! Definitely not something I learned from my parents. My mom just took everything she owned. My dad just took what he could grab in 60 seconds as we were loading the car. I'm fastidious about every item. It's the only time the kids have no say in what they wear! Husband too! Heehee! It's so much fun!!!!
I do love trips! It's also the only time I buy magazines over the counter. Car travel and magazines just go together. Oohhh! And catalogs! Homeschool catalogs! With BOOKS in 'em! What can I say?! Well, I've got my work cut out for me. I've got sunshine at the moment so energy levels are high. I better get busy.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
The Winter Reading Challenge Ends
My first ever reading challenge is about to come to an end so I thought I would go ahead and post my results. If you pay much attention to sidebars, you will have noticed our book lists growing! Though I didn't get everything on my list read, I did read some doozies and I even learned a few things!
I'll start at the top of my list. I did finish "King's Arrow", by Douglas Bond, but had to return "Rebel's Keep" to the library before I even got to start it. Imagine that! Hot title or something! Well, it's a great series, and though written for younger readers, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was great, too, to read books that I can recommend completely to my son.
"Seventh Day" never arrived at the library, so that'll have to wait a while. "Song of Redemption", by Lynn Austin, was really good. I've enjoyed her series on King Hezekiah. I'm always interested in good stories about Biblical characters. It always challenges me to dig into scripture to discern fact from fiction! I have not yet gotten to the third and final book, "The Strength of His Hand".
I'm almost done with Tim LaHaye's "Edge of Darkness". More of a thriller along the lines of the Left Behind series, this book (also part of a series) is very good and thought provoking, but I think my tastes are leaning away from this type of story that used to be my main reads.
"Luke's Story" is also not yet available at the library. I did pick up "Mark's Story", but have yet to start it. Of the three Francine Rivers books, I only got to finish "The Prophet"--really, really good book on the prophet Amos. Very interesting. I think my eyes were bigger than my stomach, so to speak. I just couldn't get them all read in eight weeks. Maybe by the end of Spring I will.
Okay. Readalouds. Of the Lamplighters I listed, we finished "The Lamplighter" which was very good. Probably not the best choice for an 8 year old boy--a bit too mature, and female oriented, but still appropriate. And a bit long for him. We're used to buzzing through our Lamplighters. We are now reading "Legend Led" which is, as usual, fabulous. Our Truthquest books have also been fabulous. The "Johnny Appleseed" Sowers book is one of the best biographies I've ever read. It really touched us!! Same for the Landmark "John James Audubon" book. Just excellent! We got "Away Goes Sally" done early in the challenge and you can read my review of it here.
Lastly, I did "dig" in (pun totally intended!)to the "All New Square Foot Gardening" book again. It's really a worthy read and inspiring! I'm now putting what I've learned into practice--that is if I ever thaw out. So there you have it. Mission accomplished. I wonder if anyone ever reads everything on their list? It was just too good having all those great titles in a list to be read!
Thanks to Trish over at Joyful Heart for hosting the challenge!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Farewell to Winter
I know everyone, including me, is all excited about Spring...and everyone, including me, went on and on about the snow for some time (like all winter!) but I'm finding this very difficult transitional weather hard to deal with! Besides the fact that it is extremely wet, and incredibly dark and gloomy, the up and down temps have me feeling like I'm going bonkers. I can't seem to get anything done. I'll sit down to have a cup of tea to warm up, and I don't ever want to get up!
I called it Spring Break this week and it's over half through and I'm disappointed because it wasn't what I'd hoped. Let me just say this for all you Spring Cleaning fans, I CANNOT Spring Clean in this weather! I tried. Really I did. I just need sunshine and warmth. I actually have my heat on higher than I did all winter! It's like I'm more cold now that it's supposedly warmer. Thirty-eight degrees is NOT warmer.
And these storms are wreaking havoc with my head. Every pressure system that moves through, goes right through my head like a ton of bricks. I believe I could predict the weather better than some of our weather people.
And not to be a whiner, but I went to the Chiropractor today and he took X-Rays and MAN the curve in my back is way bad (thank you, Mother who's now in Heaven with a straight spine). Think backward "C" sitting on top of a little "c". That's depressing. So I've been icepacking it today--doesn't help with the whole "cold" thing--hoping that the whole "walking without agony" thing will stop soon (it comes and goes).
In all fairness, it hasn't been a totally hopeless week. I got to see my Dad, whom I miss terribly since he ran off and got married. I did clean out one closet in a room with no windows. I got one bookcase up--whooppeee! I filed away all the winter decor and bought vegetable seeds that it is way too late to plant so I'll probably return them--and I don't have a grow light anyway and it's DARK AND GLOOMY! Do you hear the violins?!
My children just came in the room laughing because daughter has giant legos stuffed down her pants and she's "pooping" them as they fall through her pant legs to the floor. They think this is extremely funny. Ah!
So tomorrow is another day. The first day of Spring! Here's to the first day of Spring--may it be better than the last day of Winter!
What We Saw
"St. John in Exile" was so, so good. I've always loved Dean Jones, who shares our faith in Christ, and his abilities didn't let us down in this show! He played John, of course, on the Isle of Patmos, of course, talking about writing the gospel account, and knowing Jesus. It was incredibly powerful, as he shared what it must have been like to embrace Jesus daily and watch him die. I believe it will be added to our Holy Week traditions. It was really well done.
Son was quite taken with the one-man show type of presentation, which is not very common unless you live in New York City. It confused him a bit that there weren't other actors and that "John" was talking to invisible people! heehee. What a great learning experience! When son figured out what it was, he really liked it.
The whole time we were watching, I kept thinking of all the people who I knew would enjoy it, so I think we'll have to buy it.
So, back to ChristianCinema.com . I know I've mentioned it before, but it is worth bringing up again. I found it when I was looking for Franklin Springs videos at a discount. Homeschool "people" are always talking about them, but they are expensive and not exactly topics that you would want to own and watch over and over. That being said, I found this place which rents all the great Christian videos we hear about through homeschooling. It's fabulous. It's a bit more than Blockbuster, but the content is worth it. They are also located in California which makes the mailing time for Indiana longer. Again, it's worth it. No body else rents these, that I've been able to find.
Some of the other movies we've seen and enjoyed are "Sheffey"--Excellent movie about a circuit rider, "The League of Grateful Sons", "Warriors of Honor" and "The A.D. Chronicles". There are more, but you get the picture. As we've been challenged about our movie viewing choices, we've been blessed by having these titles available. I highly recommend this company and hope you will make an effort to see "St. John in Exile"!!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up Without Guns
Any Second Amendment cases are interesting to me who grew up believing that guns were evil, instead of the people wielding them for evil intent. This was not my parents doing, for I have no recollection that guns were ever discussed in my house. This had to have been the good 'ole media/public school influence. Marrying my husband changed all that.
He grew up in the country, around guns. When he wanted to bring one in the house with MY BABY, I didn't handle it well. "Nervous" just barely covers it. Then we moved and met friends that were really in to guns--at least that was my perspective. Now there was shooting practice, talk of hunting, trading of guns...things that basically made my head feel like it might explode.
So then came the study of American History. Here was the first time I began to understand that being armed wasn't about "guns". Add that to a Little Bear Wheeler tape called "So Johnny Wants to Play with Guns!" and my ideas did a complete 180 degree turn. (I highly, HIGHLY recommend this CD!) I began to hear different stories than I'd heard before. Now I was hearing about towns where there was literally NO crime because everyone carried guns. Now, I could imagine (after 9/11) what it might be like to have to protect my family--really protect them. Our Founding Fathers knew what they were doing! It was number two on their 'list', after all.
My boy, like all boys, wants to play with toy guns constantly. He loves turning anything into a gun (vacuum tube) and he even has Airsoft guns that he shoots with his Dad. My son has had many Father/Son lessons about guns and their use and handling. He has taken a hunter safety class. He knows what they are for...and what they are NOT for. And I'm glad.
I still can't touch one without being a bit squeamish. I haven't learned to shoot yet (though I probably will), nor is hunting in my future but the thought of NOT being ALLOWED to have a gun is very disturbing. Sort of up there with not being allowed to homeschool. So I'm lifting up prayers today for the Supreme Court case in HOPE that more of our liberties will not be diminished. I thought you might want to join me.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Spring in Indiana: James Whitcomb Riley
If you ever wandered what spring is like in Indiana, then reading "The First Bluebird", by James Whitcomb Riley will nail it on the head for you! The Hoosier Poet knew the place that he wrote about, as every good poet should. Riley is our current Poem-A-Day poet and we are thoroughly enjoying his style and subject matter. It's as if he wrote these poems just for us! I can almost hear my own Grandfather's voice in the Indiana vernacular of old.
The First Bluebird
by James Whitcomb Riley
Jest rain and snow! and rain again!
Friday, March 14, 2008
Rules of Retail
My family has had a retail business for nearly 50 years. I grew up there, worked there, left there when I had children. But, there are quite a few things I picked up about retail businesses that a lot of people frequent. There are unspoken laws. A few of those laws are:
You never deny a customer access to your kleenex box.
You never deny a customer a drink of water from your cooler.
You never deny a customer the use of your phone.
You never deny a customer change for a dollar.
AND YOU NEVER PREVENT THEM FROM USING YOUR BATHROOM!So you can imagine my horror yesterday when I was shopping in a quaint little gift shop--you know the kind...where you can't imagine more than ten people go per day and you can't figure how they stay in business?--and my little one had to GO. NOW. As in RIGHT now. As in HELPPP! And the two ladies behind the counter looked me right in the eye and said, "There is a Wendy's down the street with a bathroom."
On hindsight, I wish I'd let my daughter pee in the floor of their quaint little shop. Okay. Maybe not, but I was not a happy Mama. I just don't understand how people can do that. My cousin who was with me knew there was a bathroom there. They just didn't want us to use it.
So I piled my gatherings onto a counter and taking daughter's hand, we ran for the van. And Wendy's. And the bathroom. And yes. We made it. Barely.
I did not return to the store to make my purchases. I will not be returning to that store. And the funny thing is, those ladies had to know that when they denied a little girl the use of their bathroom.
PS. Thank you, Wendy's!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
So Proud!
We are so hard on CD's and CD players! We've gone through several. We drag them around the house, from room to room till they fall apart. We decided to invest in a little disc protection and bought an IPod with a boombox dock. I told son he was not to touch it until I had a chance to teach him how to use it. HA!
My son is teaching me how to use it. He's never even seen an IPod before (sheltered?!!!) yet he has had no difficulty in the workings. I have. Lots of difficulties. Technically defunct. That's me. So is a mother to be proud her boy has the inherent ability to work an IPod? My brother is like that. Do I REALLY want my son taking after my brother? Do I have a choice? Oh help.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Welcome! It's a Bloggy Party!
It's truly a great week over at 5 Minutes for Mom where it's time for the annual Ultimate Blog Party. As a first time participant, I want to take this opportunity to thank all my bloggy readers and commenters--all five of you! Heehee! Truthfully, I've been blessed and honored that you might share a little interest in the chaos and mayhem that surround my little bitty bloggy life. (I'm really just trying to see how many times I can use the word "bloggy" in one post! :))
To introduce myself for you new visitors and friends, my name is Melissa and I'm homeschooling and taking care of my family in a very cold, not quite spring but almost, Indiana. We've been on the homeschooling journey since the first born son (now 8) was in the womb. I also have a daughter that is now 4 and loving learning. Husband was actually the catalyst for my interest in homeschooling as I was previously career driven by my family's business. Thank you, Lord, that you know better than me! We are in this for the looong haul. The big question I'm always asked? "How far will you go with THIS?" My answer: "Alllll the way!"
The Lord has blessed us as we've learned, challenged us to grow, and stumped us with some big questions but He is ever present and for this we are grateful. I've been a believer since childhood; growing up in the church and I even served on the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ a million years ago (except that I don't believe in millions of years! How 'bout "thousands!")
Our days are someone ordered--getting better all the time. I find routine is key. We always start our day with prayer and singing. We are hymn lovers at heart. Just one of the areas that the Lord has used to speak to us. We teach all kinds of subjects, with all kinds of curriculums, but with them all we focus on the Biblical Principle Approach methodology. This keeps us and all that we learn grounded in God's Word--after all, that is the one source that we can not argue with!
I've spent the last year learning about treating my family with a more natural God-prepared approach. We haven't had much success with over the counter meds, chemical cleaners, or prepared foods in keeping us healthy, so why not see if natural works better. To my utter amazement, so far it has! It's a fun, confusing, trial and error kind of thing, but we're sticking to our guns. I'll always share our successes and our failures too. I'm like that.
In the past year I've also reclaimed my Grandma's roots and begun enjoying a few of my more creative inclinations: baking bread, crocheting, playing music. I have a list that I'm working on including sewing, needlework, more music! I'm getting there. Just wish I had more time, like we all do.
We are book lovers to the MAX! Can't get enough and only settle for the best. I'm a picky Bibliophile! After all, it's either "living" or it's "dead". Case in point..."Disney" is not an author! Eeek! I frequent book sales and collect out of print books (the cheap ones!). I've got one avid reader already and another learning her phonograms! It won't be long.
The husband is my constant support and encouragement. He runs his own business, so is somewhat flexible to sign on for things like duty with the youngest when oldest has a field trip baby can't attend. He is a fabulous spiritual leader for our family and a fabulous dad to boot. Nothing about the children scares him--fearless. Well, there is that little matter about four year old girl hormones, but he's adapting! :) He does, however, think this whole "bloggy" thing is nuts. Such a man! Just can't get a clue about SOME things!
I try to blog daily, but that doesn't always happen. You know...life?! Sometimes, shamefully and with a bit of embarrassment, I'll blog 5 or 6 posts in a day--like today--but that's NOT usual! I'll blog about whatever I want to remember, share or think about. I'll share someone else's brilliance when I feel it's just too brilliant to keep to myself, and I'll even blog about the weather. Have I mentioned I don't like dark, dreary weather?! I find blogging a bit therapeutic, a bit challenging, sometimes hard as a crutch and sometimes the icing on my cake! How's that for covering my bases?!
Well...I hope you like my little home in "bloggy" land that reflects a bit of our day to day. I've enjoyed all of you that I've "met" and hope to know more of you! Feel free to comment to your hearts content--I love that!--and email me if you want to gab more. A new friend recently wrote me that sometimes emailing back and forth with a new friend that you share something in common with, is like having a cup of tea with them (right Beth?!). I really like that. So consider this your permanent invitation.
I'll leave you with one more bit of my inspiration:
Be sure to step in over at 5 Minutes for Mom and join in the party fun and meet more moms.
On Librarying
I have a lot of books. 'Bout a zillion, according to my husband and every other male that has ever entered my house.
I've been in mourning today because somehow I inadvertently missed the quarterly book sale at our library. How this could possibly happen to me at this stage in my life, is a great mystery. The fact that it has depressed me so, truly tells you I need sunshine (& warmth!) desperately. That should be coming by the end of the week--right before the snow...again.
So in reparation for missing the sale and feeling like the bottom had just dropped out of my Bibliofilic existence, I bought bookshelves. Okay, I didn't really buy them because I missed the sale. I've been planning on buying them; saving up and checking stores for a while. It just so happens that the time to buy them was now...right after I missed the sale--boohoo!
I'm rather excited about these mongo shelves because they were an incredible deal and they are TALLL to fit nicely in my new library with the 9' ceilings. They are coming in the nick of time as well. I've already lost two books to the "Piles-O-Books Monster" since beginning the move into said new library about two months ago. They are slated for delivery on Thursday, so Friday will be my day. My "get that library done or else" day.
If all goes well, my books should be in order and then I can begin the countdown to the homeschool convention. (I love a good homeschool convention, don't you?) ORRRrrrrrrr...I could just begin that now too, because I'm in that kind of mood.
Changing the Times
Easter is on the calendar for March 23 while Passover is not actually until April 20th.
I always thought Easter was supposed to be
the celebration of Passover!
I know why they (the Council of Nicea: see my previous post) established a separate date, and why they call it Easter, but were they right? I'm pretty sure that having "nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd" is not a good reason to change what God has told us to remember.
God told us through the prophet Daniel that men (because of Satan) would change the times.
He will speak words against the Most High.
He will harass the holy ones of the Most High continually.
His intention will be to change times established by law.
They will be delivered into his hand
For a time, times, and half a time. (Dan 7:25 NET)
Is it acceptable to change the date of something
that is so important, it is one of the few things that
God instructed us to remember?
Monday, March 10, 2008
Notes To Self: Time Change
Next year when it's time to "spring" ahead an hour and it's still the dead of winter...and it's still cold out...and it's still hard to move quickly because it's the dead of winter...do the following:
- Go to bed early the day before time change.
- Go to bed early the next FEW days after the time change.
- Change the clocks in the cars FIRST. This will prevent being late for your own dinner because you are taking your time thinking you have all the time in the world when you don't because your clock is WRONG!
- Have a couple of frozen meals ready so that when you're too exhausted from not doing 1 & 2, you'll still have something to eat and THEN you can go to bed early!
Menu Plan Monday: March 10-17
Whew! It's Monday again. Today we are dragging our little footsies as we come careening out of changing our clocks yesterday. We could barely get up this morning. It's almost 1 o'clock and nobody is hungry. We're a mess! On a brighter note...it's currently 43 with a peep of sunshine and promises of no precipitation for at least a couple of days. Of course, we know how accurate weather "promises" can be!
On to menu planning!--I just added my new meal patterns to my menu planning form and even a few regular weekly items to the grocery list. My intent is to get this done BEFORE Mondays from now on so that if husband is doing the shopping, I can hand him the list in the morning. Having to text (Oh no! Email is NO good for Mr. Palm Pilot!) it to him is a ROYAL PAIN! I love my form! (I've also added a new section for forms in my sidebar! I'll be adding all kinds of goodies to it over time!)
So here are the specifics added to my meal patterns for this week. What's not listed are the regular, repeat items to fill in, and the vegetable and fruit selections.
Gingerbread waffles
Anchor Watch Orange French Toast
Scrambled Eggs
Johnny Cakes
Dinners:
Sesame Chicken
Stuffed Pork Roast
Fettucine Alfredo w/Prosciuto
Tacos
Colorado White Chili
Chicken Garlic Pizza
Sunday, March 09, 2008
The Things of Man
I am learning the most interesting things about Easter. For instance, did you know that for several hundred years, Easter was not even called "Easter." Prior to the fourth century, Christians observed Pascha, or Christian Passover, in the spring of the year. Adapted from Jewish Passover, Pascha was a festival of redemption. As Jews, these early followers of Jesus celebrated both their liberation from slavery in Egypt, and their new liberation from the power of death itself.
As Christianity spread throughout the Roman world, however, the celebration became more and more a distinctly Christian one. But there also developed some disagreement about when and how the holiday should be observed. One of the principle reasons for organizing the council of Nicea in 325 CE was to set a firm date for the celebration.
There was a few problems with this however. There is a historic comtempt, and blatantly un-Biblical misunderstanding in regards to the Jews which led the papacy to change, not only the Sabbath to Sunday, (Biblically it is Saturday; the seventh day of the week) but also Passover to Easter. The reason? To ensure that Easter would not be celebrated at the same time of the Jewish Passover. The council of Nicea (A. D. 325) decreed that if the Jewish Passover fell on a Sunday, then Easter was to be celebrated the following Sunday in order to have "nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd." (Constantine the Great.)
Easter, or Eostre, which was the original spelling, was actually a holiday to celebrate the return of spring and the balance between light and dark around the time of the Spring Equinox. It was named after Eostre, the pagan goddess of dawn, fertility and new beginnings (and this worship was started in Babylon, of which we are constantly warned throughout scripture!). Eostre gave a rabbit the power to lay eggs once a year, on the Spring Equinox to symbolize new beginnings. The rabbit symbolized fertility. The Christian celebration of Christ's death and resurrection did, in fact, get its name from Eostre.
Interesting. There's more, of course, which I may post on later. Right now my prayer is that the things of man will stay the things of man and not replace the things of God.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Excellent!
I've been chosen by Kathy at Restoration Place for the Excellent Blog Award. I am very, very flattered. The guidelines require passing this on to ten excellent blogs. Wow! That's a tall bill to fill. You all have such excellence about you and many of you already have this award! For now, I'll mention a few that you may want to check out.
Melissa at In the Sparrow's Nest. Her excellent nature study posts have encouraged and inspired! We also share the same name which is excellent in itself!
Crystal at Biblical Womanhood. Crystal's blog is filed under "inspirational". She has a great way of sharing the day to day and also stimulating your thought process. I've picked up several good ideas from her.
Jennifer at Scraps and Snippets is a motivator full of more of those good ideas you homeschool moms keep sharing!
Angel at For the Sake of the Call. Angel is one of my dearest friends and I am blessed. She shares her wisdom, her growing pains, and her victories so transparently that you can't help but know you've met a sister.
Renae at Life Nurturing Education. Renae is also a motivator--specifically in her use and knowledge of teaching principally and Biblically. I so appreciate her Godly wisdom and know you will too!
Netherfieldmom at Under the Grow Light. This fine woman has brought some joy to my weariness, especially with her comments! Her excellence as a side-by-side comrade shines through!
There are so many excellent blogs out there, because there are so many excellent women! I'm only listing six because of overload in my tiny brain! Consider this just my personal introduction to a few. Some of these women are old friends, while some I'm just getting to know! Either way, they've blessed me with their excellence so I pass on this award!
Friday, March 07, 2008
Piled So High, It Almost Touched the Sky!
It was over the top of that basket you see, before requiring intervention. As I mentioned earlier, I've researched ideas thoroughly and laughed and cried till I'm sick with it.
Here's what doesn't work:
- Doing all the laundry in one day. This hurts my back, wears me out and depresses the tar out of me till it's completely finished. Then it usually sits for days before it's put away. Not a good plan.
- Doing one person's per day doesn't work. Too many variables--size and color of load.
- Doing what's needed and sorting into baskets by family member. They never get folded or put away with this method!
- Do one load per day to completion! That means put away too!
- I have my sorters in the laundry room and everything is brought in over the weekend and sorted.
- Each day I start a load after daughter goes to bed.
- When son goes to bed an hour later, I move it to the dryer.
- The dryer is already full from the day before. I take THAT load and fold and sort.
- I put away husbands, and my own.
- I stack each child's and the next day they are required to put it away.
By doing things this way, I finally have a sense of accomplishment with laundry! It's not perfect, but it's regular completion. No body is running out of anything (so far). I used to do about ten or so loads per week. That's more than one per day. For some reason, I'm not having that much! I think I was actually going closer to two weeks before attacking it--thus the tall pile! Oh. I also have available laundry baskets now, instead of them being full and stuffed into the laundry room. So where you see the pile above, is now two baskets--one for lights and one for darks. They are not overflowing before it's time to carry them in. Do you know how hard it was to carry THAT pile to the laundry room? Grrrrr!! My laundry room is neat and orderly and usable!
Husband said to me this very morning--and with a smile on his face, "I'm not even close to running out of laundry. I don't have to looking for socks! This is working great! Keep it up!" I was encouraged.
So this is my laundry victory! Next step? Homemade laundry soap. I have the ingredients and am waiting till I use up my current stash.
A Glimmer of Basketball Love
What Son Wants For Breakfast
So this is what met us as we came down to prepare breakfast this morning! Son had a plan--complete with sign and manners--and the only details he forgot were the milk and the spoons! It's all in the details: He's opened the jar of oatmeal, seasoning, and the brown sugar sucanat. He's chosen a large bowl for himself, and a small bowl for his sister--no bowls for the Daddy and the Mommy! Hmmm. No body misses boxed cereal in THIS house! :)
P.S. Son just informed me he "couldn't put out the milk, Mom!!"
The View From Where I Sit
This is the view from where I sit as I've determined it's time for a springy theme! Down will come the last remnants of all things wintery and up will go all things bright and cheery just as I hold out hope, this snowy day, for sunshine, flowers and outside time!!!
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Ever curious about the origins of certain things in common life? I have found it interesting just how "of the world" some of our daily life has become. Take for example the names of months and the days of the week. God warns us about Babylon throughout scripture--Babylon being the source of all things pagan.
"Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations." Rev. 17:5
| Month | Latin | Origin |
| January | Januarius | Named after the god Janus. |
| February | Februarius | Named after Februa, the purification festival. |
| March | Martius | Named after the god Mars. |
| April | Aprilis | Named either after the goddess Aphrodite or the Latin word aperire, to open. |
| May | Maius | Probably named after the goddess Maia. |
| June | Junius | Probably named after the goddess Juno. |
| July | Julius | Named after Julius Caesar in 44 B.C.E. Prior to that time its name was Quintilis from the word quintus, fifth, because it was the 5th month in the old Roman calendar. |
| August | Augustus | Named after emperor Augustus in 8 B.C.E. Prior to that time the name was Sextilis from the word sextus, sixth, because it was the 6th month in the old Roman calendar. |
| September | September | From the word septem, seven, because it was the 7th month in the old Roman calendar. |
| October | October | From the word octo, eight, because it was the 8th month in the old Roman calendar. |
| November | November | From the word novem, nine, because it was the 9th month in the old Roman calendar. |
| December | December | From the word decem, ten, because it was the 10th month in the old Roman calendar. |
Sunday: From Latin dies solis, meaning "sun's day": the name of a pagan Roman holiday.
Monday: From the Anglo-Saxon monandaeg, "the moon's day"--this second day was sacred to the goddess of the moon.
Tuesday: Named after the Norse god Tyr. The Romans named this day after their war-god Mars: dies Martis.
Wednesday: The day named to honor Wodan (Odin).
The Romans called it dies Mercurii, after their god Mercury.
Thursday: Named after the Norse god Thor. In the Norse languages this day is called Torsdag. The Romans named this day dies Jovis ("Jove's Day"), after Jove or Jupiter, their most important god.
Friday: The day in honor of the Norse goddess Frigg. To the Romans this day was sacred to the goddess Venus, and was known as dies veneris.
Saturday: This day was called dies Saturni, "Saturn's Day", by the ancient Romans in honor of Saturn. In Anglo-Saxon: sater daeg.
source: http://www.pantheon.org/miscellaneous/origin_days.html
Posts
