I'm experimenting...

 

I've signed up to use the Picasa2... Googles' photo holding place.

I clicked on the above photo -- and said "BLOG THIS", and it brought me here.

Nice photo of my little cowgirl -- isn't it. Sigh... she's only 11 and she already thinks I'm an idiot. Too bad... I was hoping we'd be like the Maxwells -- whose kiddos love their parents. Or the Pearls... who kiddos adore their parents. Sigh... Won't heaven be great!! ;)

Vintage Apron Giveaway!!

Do you want a Vintage Apron? Not Quite June Cleaver is going to give one away!


If I knew how to make a link with a cute photo -- I'd do that -- but for now you'll have to just click on her blog name and look at the cute picture before you go there... don't worry -- she'll have the same cute picture there too.



But HEY - A free apron -- think of the possibiltiites. tee hee!!

CAMPING!!!

Ever get the urge to leave all civilization behind? Now you can. Ü We are selling our camper. You'll have to e-mail me for the particulars... for my dear husband (dh) is the sales man around here.


We are selling our camper. Do you want to know more? The papers say it will sleep 9. Now -- if you are like us -- then you can sleep as many as you want in there... it depends upon if you want to be comfortable or not. We have slept as many as 7 in there. We even fit our pack-n-play in there. THAT'S handy!! Very comfortable. On the front here is where you can "add a room". There is a story behing the "add a room". Poor salesman.

While we were looking at the camper -- I pulled open a drawer... inside was a black case full of something. "What's this?" He said off hand -- oh... that's the "add a room". Oh NEAT!!! Dh went on and looked at the other stuff... we noticed there was a place to attach an outdoor stove. Oh -- I think I saw a light bulb above that sales man's head. HEY -- where is he going? He went back to that drawer with the "add a room". Ta Dah... the outdoor stove... it wasn't the "add a room". Oh -- inside I felt really, really bad... outside I just stood there by my dh and watched. The sales man said, "Well -- since I said it had an "add a room"... we'll throw it in for free. Wee Hee!! How nice!! It's very convenient. We would usually throw down a bit piece of indoor/outdoor carpet and then put up the "add a room" and there you go -- you can now sleep 10 more people.. if you want. OR -- you can cook greasy bacon outside and not have to smell bacon for the next 15 days. (Or however long you are camping.) NICE!! I especially loved it with crawlers. They can only crawl so far if they are zipped in. And the mosquitoes can only fly so far if they are zipped out!!




This slide out is nice. It hold the everything including the kitchen sink. ;) LOL No really -- it does. It holds the inside stove and the kitchen sink. Very nice!! Then you can pretend you are right at home and stand there and look out the big window while you are doing dishes. Very handy. Of course that's where I did dishes -- because that's where the HOT water comes on -- nice having a water heater. Almost like home... only since we aren't showering in the sink -- it doesn't run out of hot water like at home.

BUT -- there is an outdoor shower -- if you want to shower out doors. See that box below the slide out -- that's the shower. That VERY handy if you have littles. They don't care who sees their neekid bums anyway. Well -- you can use it to rinse off sandy toes too. Or rinse of fish smelly hands. Or to flush chemicals out of ones eyes... if you need to. Very handy!





As I already mentioned -- there is a stove. Even I can light it! But if folds up nice and can be used as counter space too -- handy place to put your curling iron. If you are into curling your hair while you are camping.



See the KING SIZE bed? This is dangerous if you don't have a KING SIZE bed at home -- it makes one want to camp for a very very long time. Because when you return home to your NON KING SIZE bed -- you wonder why you don't have one of those in your house! Sigh... Now since we have a KING SIZE bed in our house -- we've decided we can finally sell the camper. No one needs to sleep in the dog house -- or the camper any more... there's room enough for all of us in a KING SIZE bed. Ü




Then after you are done camping -- it all folds up and fits nicely in your back pocket. OK maybe your garage. Or your pole barn. Where ever.

Oh -- did I point out the AC? That's a must when you are camping in the HOT IOWA SUMMER SUN... which is the most fun time to camp right? But if you are backwards... there is also a furnace... which works! LOL How do I know? Because we are a bit backwards here. Every once in a while...

It's Official!!

The Birthday Bash will include a pony ride or two!

Yippee!! My kiddos are so excited. Well -- some of them are. One pouty little soon to be 8 year old is mad because now he won't be able to play soccer with his friends. Was soccer on the agenda? I don't remember it... Poor Baby. Sounds like an area where he could use some training. Do I stop and train --- or not?

Well -- I'd better go -- I've got some training to do. :/

INDEX CARDS -- they are a good thing...

I've found a new thing... now I want to share!!



Home school With Index Cards. This site is awesome!

First of all -- did you know you can send 3x5 cards through your printer? So COOL!!! I just learned this today - a bit late for my chore packs -- but hey -- information I can store away and use later.

But wait -- I think I'll be using it sooner than later.

I just printed off myself a set of Spelling Rules on 8 3x5 cards. I'm going to have my 11yo memorize them.

Pretty soon I'm going to print off a set of Roman Numerals on the 3x5 cards and use them as flashcards.

I followed a link, and followed a link to find this site today. So glad I did.

I hope you find something there you can use. I sure have! Won't my kiddos be happy!!

Advantages of using 3x5 cards? Cheaper than buying flashcards. Easy to store. Really easy to take school on the road. Easy to replace when the wild child chews on them.

Yippee!! I'm so excited -- I think I'll go back and look around some more! Won't you join me?

B.T.W. I'd encourage you to sign up for the newsletter. She just sent me a freebie today, ABC memory verses. For kiddos -- A memory verse for every letter of the alphabet. You know I'll be using that download. COOL! I've got some kiddos in need of memory verses.

I e-mailed Molly and said THANKS for the "stuff", mentioning that I was needing to head off to Wal-Mart for more index cards. She said that she WIPES OUT Staples supply of index cards when she shops. Ü

After a bit of hunting I found a link on her site for a Site called Home School In the Woods. They have some time line helps on this page. I'm a time liner... but I can use all the help I can get -- and here is a page that shows you how to do a time line with -- get this -- INDEX CARDS!! COOL!!

Sure hope some of this information is helpful to you! I love making new finds -- but I love sharing them even more, I think!

INAGURAL 2007 BIRTHDAY BASH

Our family is going to copy the Jeub's and have a Birthday Bash of our own.

We are going to celebrate all our children's 2007 birthdays on June 2nd. We've invited a few guests... mostly family... but some others -- this will replace our kiddos "friends" parties that they get to have every so often. Previously our rule was you get to have a friends party at age 6, 10 and 16. If this year is successfull -- we will have a BIRTHDAY BASH with friends and family every year.

I've got the plates/napkins/candles. I need to get the balloons. I need to order a cake. Since we couldn't decide on a theme..... I think they are each going to get an individual cake -- we'll cut them up and eat them... then dig into a larger BIRTHDAY BASH cake.

I got a pinata at a PARTY STORE. That's a fun place to go into normally -- unless it's graduation weekend. I put my items down on the country that I was going to purchase then asked a clerk for help with a pinata. So we went back with a long pole and found the one I wanted and came back to the counter -- which was now back clear up to the wall. She said to me, "Grab your stuff and I'll help you over here by the door." Other customers who didn't see me in line first thought they were ahead of me and they stepped out of line and followed me. The clerk said, "She can help you at that register", and pointed back to where they were standing. On lady got a little LOUD. What register WHERE?? The clerk replied, "Back where you were." Oh mercy me. She wasn't in the mood to party. I just kept grinning.

We want the entire family to come celebrate -- so we'll plan multi-age games. Got any good ideas? I think the scavenger hunt/treasure hunt idea was good, that we got to see on the Jeub's TLC special.

The pinata should be fun.

Pony rides? Hmmm... we'd have to find a pony -- anyone got one we could borrow. LOL

We'll -- I'll have to take some photos so you can see how it turned out. My poor dh is stressing out already because I think we should set up the cake and ice cream in the garage. He will probably want the garage to be spotless. LOL!! I'm so glad I got the layed back genes from my dad and mom.

Well -- I'd better go -- I've got one more invitation to send out. And some cakes to order. Woo Hoo!! The ball is rolling.

Touching Video

99 balloons... get your hankies out!

Our Additions

We are soo very excited to announce our new arrivals at our house. Let me tell you -- the kiddos were jumping for joy on Friday, May 10th, 2007! The day the kitties arrived!! Woo Hoo!!

The 7yo found them and he came running into the house yelling, "She had kittens, she had kittens, she had kittens!" (So glad she had kittens and not puppies!) ;)

Boy -- there was a mad rush outside that afternoon. We all were trying to squeeze into our little cat shed, which normally I never set foot in, because it's dirty and gross in there.


I'll tell you what -- I've been in there almost every day since then. Well - you know... I have to check up on them of course. LOL. We wouldn't want anything to happen to the kitties on our watch. Oh man alive. They are so small. The looked like little chipmunks the first day. By the time we found them, they were all clean and dry. We had happened to be gone from the house that morning -- so I don't know how old they were when we saw them... but they weren't there the day before. We saw her fat on Thursday -- so Thursday night or Friday morning sometime, was the blessed event.


Of course everyone wants to pick them up and hold them. But daddy cat is watching all this curious activity very closely. LOL We are trying to refrain from touching them until they have their eyes open. Talk about resisting temptation. They are so small and fluffy looking!! Wow - neato!! No wonder kittens are so loved. Their mews are sooo small and teeny!!

Well -- that's it -- our news. 4 kittens. We have 4 talking children -- so each one will get to name a kitty. This disappoints the 11yo -- she doesn't want any dumb names. But you know -- sometimes the dumb names are the ones that stick anyway. We named 'baby' something descriptive like "Smoky" or something... but "Baby" just stuck after we nursed her back to health a time or two. Funny how things like that happen.

So -- who wants a kitten? 8 more weeks and they will be looking for new homes! Ü

Another Round

I lost 5 pounds during biggest loser round 6, at my HearthKeepers message board. Blech... sort of a sorry loss.

I'm starting Biggest Loser Round 7 today. (BL7)

There is always a lot of excitement when we start a new round. Fresh photos. New scales... speaking of which. My new scales weigh be heavier than my old ones. Instant 5 pound weight gain. That was a little depressing... but oh well. I'm starting fresh.

I plan on sticking with 1400 calories per day. I am not just restricting calories. I'm going to shoot for lower carbs. Better carbs, when I do eat them. W.W. bread, brown whole grain rice, no white sugar, if possible. I'll try to stick to sweets on Sunday only, then just 1 serving. I'm going to keep on using my small salad plate. I have gotten Jorge Cruise's book 8 Minutes in the Morning, and it includes an eating plan where you use cards to keep track of your food. I've got my eating card system ready to go.

I still plan on exercising 5-6 days a week. Now we get bonus points for weight training. Hooray! I like that. I work out with weights 3 or more times a week. So that's good for me. I like being toned!

Water -- my down fall. I've read that if I will drink my weight in ounces of water each day -- that helps you lose more rapidly. So -- that's my goal. My minimum requirement is 100 oz. a day.

Here we go -- another 8 weeks. My goal will be to lose 16 pounds this round. No puny 5 pounds here. Although it is nice that I've lost 5 pounds and not gained it back. But I want it to be in the double digits!!! Any thing less will be disappointing!

My new team for BL7? The SOWERS. Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

We will be Sowing good habits, and reaping a harvest of weight loss at the end!

Just Because!

I love photos -- especially of the kiddos.

Just in case Grandpa and Grandma are looking at this -- I'll post a few here. Ü





Oh -- the wild child. He LOVES to be outside. He really cries -- big alligator tears, when we make him come inside. I'm sure that's a training issue... but who cares? I love it that he loves the outdoors.




Ooooww... my little princess. She's s thumb sucker you know. She didn't feel good this day. So she was lounging around. This week -- we were out at a restaurant -- and she didn't feel good. I told her she didn't have to eat. She said, "OK." Long pause... "but Mom? Can I suck my thumb?"

Awww... good grief. Who could resist that? Normally our rule is no sucking your thumb unless you are in your bedroom. But you know -- if you are sick and you ask politely... just maybe I'll say OK! ;)




The preschooler was watching daddy clean the fish the other day. Look at that interested face. Wow! I betcha he will be doing the cleaning before long. He's a good hard worker. One of a kind... well -- actually he's a duplicate of his daddy. But our only one so far. The other unlucky ones are just lazy slugs like their mother. LOL



Who didn't fix the red - eye first? Oh -- I guess that would be me. Sorry about that!

The grappler -- he's standing here with his friend. Just a few months older. Genetics plays quite a part in their make up. Boy -- when you have short parents... it sure sucks to have tall friends. LOL This boy -- he's a good kid! My 7yo really likes him.




Then last but not least. This is the 11yo with her little sister. They had matching outfits for Easter. CUTE!! Probably the last year I can get them to do that. So I'll cherish this photo forever! Well -- that's a long, long time. I'll just cherish it for a really long time... how's that!

We get to go to a mother daughter banquet together -- I think I'll try to get them to wear them again!



THANKS for bearing with me. Photos of my kiddos -- one of my favorite things to blog about!

We had Catfish for supper

A CATFISH and several small bass. My fishermen/women brought home some dinner to fry Friday.




Dad went to Wal-Mart and brought home a fishing license... now we can FISH! Woo Hoo!! The kiddos were so excited. What fun.

Someday I'll post my mushroom/fish frying lesson.

Now that's more like it!

12:34 p.m. and it's 72° outside.

Sunshiney!

Beautiful!

Thank you Jesus!

SIGH... I've been Tagged AGAIN!?!

LOL

Seven things you don't know about me. Hmm... let's see -- didn't I just do this? Well -- apparently not. I don't see it here anywhere. Ah ha... I found it. HERE. ;) Well -- that was 4 months ago -- different blog... I could just repeat them. HA HA... but I may a faithful reader(s) that just might recognize those.

Plus -- I have to add one more. Seven things. Hmm... I'm such a blabber mouth - is there anything you don't know about me? Not a blabber mouth -- I prefer to call it "transparent". ;)

OK -- here goes.

1. I'm a counter. We have 15 stairs, but I like to count to 12 and start over. 12 is my favorite counting number. Usually my kids know how to count to 12 instead of 10. I count steps a lot. I recently discovered that my mom is a counter too.

2. I'd rather read a book in the bathtub than shave my legs in the bathtub.

3. I pour 2" of French Vanilla creamer in my coffee. That's gotta be good for me.

4. I once wore a jean skirt that snapped all the way up -- it also unsnapped all the way down... I can attest to that, because while standing and chatting with the cutest boy in the youth group, my rival... um... best friend pulled on my skirt really hard and it came all the way off. Hmmm... I can't remember if I had holes in my underwear or not -- I've blocked the sprint away from the handsome dude totally from my mind. Why was I her friend? Yeah -- I blocked that from my mind too.

5. I love playing the piano really loud and singing just as loud. I often do that to relieve stress right before dinner time. My family loves that. Well -- my 20mo wild child loves he... he dances to my singing/playing!

6. If I ever get fit, I'd love to wear dresses like they wear in Sense and Sensiblity. Somedays I'd only wear a white "shift" with an apron. That would be so free and cool... You Apron Maidens -- just keep your trap shut! Ya hear... LOL

7. I'm in charge of the Mother Daughter Dinner -- and I edited this becuase I was convicted of my own grumbling. Ü

Yeah -- transparent... that's a good word for it.

THANKS April! I sure feel better now. Sort of like a therapy session -- only free. Ü

Let's see... whom can I tag? I'll just put my blind fold on here... and point.

1. Keer
2. Dawn
3. Kirky
4. Sunny
5.Barbara
6. Wendy
7..Mandy
8. Rechelle

Off to leave a few comments. Ü

My Father's World

I'm in the process of switching.

No -- not switching my kids.

Switching curriculum.

I'm going to try My Father's World in the fall. The Creation to the Greeks unit to be exact.

Starting FALL of 2007, I'll have 3 scholars. Using Ambleside Online, which I still really love, I'd have 3 different schedules to work around, plus my own. LOL... My Father's World is a Charlotte Mason type Unit Study deal, that is designed for families with multiple grades. Plus they throw in a little bit of the Classical Education. Still using living books. Latin/greek. Nature Walks and notebooks. History timelines. I'm praying that it will be a perfect fit!

One thing that bothered me about Ambleside Online was that my 11yo was shuttled off into the other room to "do her reading", so she usually ended up in her bedroom -- with the door closed -- alone... which, if I were reading for school, and didn't want to be distracted, is where I would be too. But do I really want that all day long?

With My Father's World, she will still have her alone reading time, but we will have a lot more TOGETHER reading time, and TOGETHER hands on activities. I missed that with Ambleside Online. No unit study type stuff. Which -- they are proud of. They don't like hands on Unit Study Type Stuff. Ü Some people, do, some don't. I think I do. I KNOW my 11yo does. She's always creating something. Gluing, pasting, cutting, tossing, shaking, stirring, and creating...

So -- I'm selling my AO books, and looking forward to the day when -- OH -- did I mention this? My Father's World... if I want to... I can just say, "Give me 1", and they'll ship me all the books -- brand new -- already gathered -- with a teacher's manual -- to my front door. No burning the mid-night oil at e-bay, looking for obscure books, and getting out bid at the last minute. Or opening up the package and fining Robinson Crusoe in SPANISH!! :P LOL Yeah -- that's a hard one to sell too... mind you. No wonder they forgot to mention that in the description.

The Teacher's Manual -- they set up the schedule for me and 3 kids. That will be nice. I KNOW HOW To do that -- but if it's done already, then I like that.

So -- now you know how to better pray for me. I look forward to schooling a little differently next fall. Dad and Mom -- you need to come back for another 10 day visit -- school will be different next time. Home school - ya gotta love it!!

I bet you are wondering...

... how did I come up with Book #12? Well -- I read Beautiful Girlhood and forgot to blog about it! This book was written by Mabel Hale who lived in Wichita, Kansas, in the early twentieth century. Beautiful Girlhood was her most popular book, so says Amazon.com. Ü

Now THIS book -- This book I highly recommend.

I pre-read it and quickly. I devoured it!

Now I'm going over it again, more slowly, with my 11yodd. I'm so old fashioned. I agree with most things she has to say. Manners, our walk with God, our relationship with our parents. She just really nailed it on most things. But -- as with most books. Well -- all books except the Bible, there are errors. But really -- I think the errors are so small, that I think YOU should read the book for yourself and see if you can find them.

Definitely a must read. This book is a keeper. I got it through PBS for free -- one of the best finds yet! There is a revised version of this book called Beautiful Girlhood by Karen Andreola and Mabel Hale. That is NOT the one I read, but I've heard good things about that copy. I think Mrs. Andreola also wrote a study guide to go with her book. Go for it. LOL

There -- NOW my list shows 12. ;) LOL

Book # 12

This is it -- my goal busting book.

Too bad it wasn't a better book that pushed me over the edge.

So B. It, a novel by Sarah Weeks.

The inside cover states,

"Although she lives an unconventional lifestyle with her mentally disabled mother and their doting neighbor, Bernadette, Heidi has a lucky streak that has a way of pointing her in the right direction. When a mysterious word in her mother's vocabulary begins to haunt her, Heidi's thirst for the truth leads her on a cross-country journey in search of the secrets of her past.

As I was typing, I thought -- well -- what sort of review is this? I thought so little of the book that I couldn't think of anything creative of my own to tell about it?

Some books are just like that -- too fluffy. No meat. This was not a sensational book. I wouldn't recommend it.

PLUS -- it skirts around the issue that she was conceived by 2 unmarried that were mentally retarded. Why even address that issue with young people? That still boggles my mind that adults feel like they need to write children's books with things that should only be spoken of in private in them, for all the world to see.

So -- skip this book too. My pile of library books that they children get to read is getting thin. We'll have to make another trip soon. Not batting a very good average with this trip.

Knox is with the Lord.

Tonight I really felt burdened for Knox's mom around 9:45 p.m.

I wrote out a postcard just with this verse on it.

Romans 8:26

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:
for we know not what we should pray for as we ought:
but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

It's sitting here on my desk. I just continued praying. Not knowing what to say.

Then at 10:17 p.m. it was posted that Knox was gone. We do serve a living saviour... one that prompts for prayer at just the right time, and He loves Knox and his family more than any of us can even fathom.

I pray they will feel His presence by their side even now.

Oh God -- have mercy. Comfort Knox's Dad and Mom at this very hour. Truly their darkest hour. Weeping with those who weep...

Isabella Discharged!!

DISCHARGED!!! Today is the day we have been waiting for. Words cannot express our gratitude for all your love shown through cards, phone calls, visits, gifts, food, messages, money, but most important your prayers. We will save all your messages as a reminder of how God showed himself strong this past month, and when we begin to doubt we can look back on these days and be reminded how God abundantly supplied. We will tell Isabella as she grows of all the love and prayers she had during this time of her life that she too may learn of God's grace.
You all have been such a blessing through your love and sacrifice. We wish we could repay you, but we are comforted knowing that God will reward you "hundredfold" Matt 19:29.
Really this is just the beginning as we will continue to see doctors and specialists. We know God has a special plan for Isabella, as He does for us all, and we look forward to see how He will choose to glorify His name. Thank you again.
All our love.
Luke, Angela and Isabella Rich

April 19th Luke, Angela and Isabella got to go home. Praise the Lord.

I thank you friends for praying for my friends. What an encouragement to see this answer to prayer!

2 more books

I've added 2 more books to my ALREADY DONE READ list.

Call it Courage, by Armstrong Sperry -- that's a goodie. Found it at the local library. It reminded me that I need to be careful of what I say to my kiddos. They can really take it to heart and it may affect how they think about themselves.

Then The Midwife's Apprentice, by Karen Cushman, was a different story. I was 1/2 through when I noticed the nakedness on the front cover. Good grief... this was a book I found in the children's section. I was hoping my little weren't more attentive than I was. Thankfully I pre-read new books before I hand them over to my kiddos. I wouldn't recommend this book for children. It's an adult subject... being a midwife. Why is there a children's book about this topic? Not for my kiddos. So -- I'd skip this one -- it's not necessary.

But -- I added to to my list. I was thinking of only adding my "adult" books to my list... but I learned some new things from the Call It Courage book -- it was a beneficial read -- so I guess the reading level doesn't necessarily determine whether it will get listed in my "Book I've Read" list. Just whether I've finished them or not... I'm almost to 12 -- and it's not even summer time here yet. Next year I'll have to set my goal a little higher. I'm going to be reading, reading this summer... new school books. I love pre-reading!

Pursuit of Happyness

Will Smith (in an Oscar-nominated role) and his real-life son Jaden star in this tearjerker about a struggling single parent determined to build a better life for himself and his child. Chris Gardner is smart and talented, but his dead-end salesman job barely pays the bills. When he and his 5-year-old son are evicted from their apartment, they face trying times as Chris takes on an unpaid internship at a stock brokerage firm with hopes of getting rich someday.

So says NETFLIX about the movie Pursuit of Happyness.

I previewed it tonight... I'm fairly certain I'm going to let my kiddos watch it this weekend. It's rated PG-13, and my rule is USUALLY rated G only. BUT -- this movie teaches so many life lessons -- we just could not duplicate them realistically.

BUT Man alive -- I've got a ton of questions for them after they watch this movie. They are going to think they are having homework or something. And if they EVER forget to give thanks to the mighty God we serve for all the blessings He has bestowed upon us -- I'm going to wring their scrawny little necks. ;) OK -- well -- that's a little extreme. This movie is a good one... fast forward through the scene with the scantily clad, very trim, angry wife. Silly woman...

So -- you don't need to RUN out and get this movie... but if you happen to have a chance to watch it -- I'd recommend it for the olders. I'll probably put the 5 and unders to bed.

Enjoy!