Saturday, March 31, 2007

Borscht and Bread

Yesterday we had Borscht and Bread for lunch. We were studying Russia. We were reading Chapter 29 (I think) in Story of the World by Susan Wise Bower. It gave us a little Russian history info. I really enjoyed it. After we were done reading this, we ate lunch. I have to say that I liked it and so did 3 out of 4 of my kiddos!



I never liked beets as a kid. In fact I don't think hate is too strong a word for my feelings for beets as a child. But this recipe called for beets, so I bought fresh beets and cooked them, and cut them up in the soup. I was forced to eat one that had accidentally gotten in my bowl. After all I was making my kids eat it, I couldn't very well say "oh, mommy does not like beets" could I? So...I ate it. Wow, here is a shocker. FRESH beets are good. I never knew. I always had canned beets. But fresh beets are quite good it turns out.

So, even Mommy learned something yesterday. Okay, more that one thing...did you know that Ivan the Terrible killed his grandson, and that was the end of that Czar's dynasty??? The things I learn homeschooling.

Friday, March 30, 2007

Friday's Favorites

In my first Friday's favorites I told you how Hershey's Chocolate bars and peanut butter are one of my all time favorites, well Hershey's has done it again...


This new candy bar is revolutionary! Peanut butter IN the Hershey's Chocolate. No more dipping, no more chocolate slivers in the peanut butter. Not only that but this bar is HUGE. This is no regular bar. This is THE candy bar. My new best friend! (Sorry Sarah)

Now for my husbands favorite. Velcro! Not regular fabric store Velcro, no he has this industrial stuff that I'm sure you could build houses with.
He has little pieces of this stuff all over the house. He has some attached to my wine rack to store and charge his phone and ear piece. He has some on the dash of his car to hold his phone. No fancy schmancy car attachments. No just give him some Velcro and he's a happy man. Know what does not make him happy? Me making fun of his Velcro habit. I laughed my head off when I saw his laptop. He has a strip of Velcro across the top of his laptop to hold his stuff; some little computer accutrements to store vital work info, and he also has his phone and ear piece securely attached to the top of his laptop. He often has sticky notes attached to his laptop.

DO you see the look on his face? He loves his Velcro, he does not like me taking photos of him while laughing at his strange love affair with Velcro...

Vacuums and Blogger Dust


A free vacuum, I mean really, what could a homeschool mom want more. (Okay other than an all expense paid trip to Fiji with dh and NO KIDS! :o)

Pop on over to 5 Minutes for Mom at http://www.5minutesformom.com/1343/dyson/ remember you'll have to cut and paste that because I am technically challenged. But it's worth it if you want a free vacuum!

To learn about this amazing vacuum that you could enter to win go to http://www.dyson.com. Again, cut and paste.

One day some wonderful blogger fairy will post and tell me about these magic tricks I need to know. Perhaps I need blogger dust...wait, no more dust till I get a new vacuum!

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Scary-me or Me?

Okay, didn't get to the shoes today...but soon...tomorrow. Definitely tomorrow.

Today is co op day. As I have stated several times, co op makes me tired. I read Another Celebrated Dancing Bear to my little kids. They liked it. It is a cute story, but really, it's the illustrations that are amazing. I could sit and look at them for hours. However, my kindergartners don't like to gaze at beautiful illustrations pondering the depth of the God given talent of the artist. They want me to turn the page and stop talking about the pictures. Sometimes I think picture books are wasted on little kids.

I am happy to say that next year's co op is looking up. When asked to teach my classes again, I agreed...with one caveat. I WILL NOT teach a first hour class. The administration will not allow me to show up in my pj's with my hair still sporting pillow dents, with my coffee IV. Because of the rigidity of the policies at my co op, I am precluding myself from first hour classes. Well, I am happy to report, I will be teaching 2nd and 3rd hour classes. OH HAPPY DAY! I don't have to be at co op until 9:30. By 9:30 I can handle life. I am me...not the scary-me who emerges from my bed. I don't know when the change happens, I think it is sometime around the second cup of coffee, but I turn from scary-me into me. I can be me by 9:30. I have learned this year that trying to be me by 8:30 is pushing it. Even one day a week.

Scary-me

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

It's Shoe Time...

Okay, today's the day. Really, I'm going to do it. The shoes and I are going to have a show down, and I'm going to win!

It simply must be done, they are vomiting out of their box and onto the closet floor...the closet I share with dh. Perhaps share is not quite accurate. Really, I magnaminously allow him one shelf and a small section to hang his few clothes. He does not even need a box for his shoes. He only has 3 pair! How on earth does anyone get by on 3 pair of shoes I ask you?...but, i digress.

So after school was finished yesterday, I went into the girls room UGH, clothes everywhere. I can hardly blame them for the clothes oozing out of their drawers and closet. They have SO many clothes. Again, where did it all come from? Does it multiply at night? Honestly, I know where it comes from. People give us a lot of girls clothes, I like to buy them clothes, They outgrow clothes so I buy them more. There is one crucial step in the process that is gumming up the works. The getting rid of outgrown clothes step. Why am I emotionally attached to dresses? Really, I think I am certifiable.

So last night I did it. I went through ALL their clothes. I saved maybe half of their winter stuff for next year. I got rid of stuff that they don't like but I do. This is progress for me. In years past I'd save it hoping...and it'd sit in there closet taking up space. Well no more...I have decided to much stuff is BONDAGE! I am turning over a new leaf. NO MORE UNNESSARY STUFF!

You should see the stuff I got rid of. I did not take pictures because my ego won't let me. Really, it was bad. But no more. All their winter clothes are stored away in Rubbermaid containers, and all their summer stuff is either hung up or in their drawers. If I could not fit it in their drawers, we got rid of something else.

WHEW! Okay, really, now on to the shoes. Today...shoes. Must do the shoes...my shoes and girls shoes. Interestingly, I don't have to go thorough the boys shoes, or clothes for that matter. Hummmm?

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Tuesday's Truths

For todays Tuesday's Truths we are going to join In Other Words. For more info on that click on the Internet Cafe on the right.



"Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before... either into a creature that is in harmony with God ...or into one that is in a state of war with God. Each of us at each moment is progressing to the one state or the other."
~ C.S. Lewis ~
Mere Christianity


Exodus 32 tells us about the time when the Israelites, began to worship idols because they had not seen Moses for 40 days. Really it is amazing to me that after having seen everything they had seen they so quickly stopped trusting God and made an idol.

He (Aaron) took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt."

How quickly they were willing to create their own god and attribute to this god the mighty works they had seen buy God the Father. In my Bible study last night we talked about how idol worship was probably the old standby for the Israelites after generations in Egypt. This was something they had seen done for generations one can suppose, and it was easy to fall back into when they were scared.

I have to admit that going into Bible Study last night, I thought “I don’t have trouble with idolatry; I’ve never made a Golden Calf in my life!” Boy did I have a thing or two to learn. I just as easily fall back to the familiar when I am scared. When I forget to trust God, I begin trusting others or things.

My husband or my friends become my sounding board and confidants. Instead of taking things to the Father, I take them to my husband or friends first. I seek their advice before the Fathers.

I trust my savings account, 401K, and my retirement plans to get me by, instead of the One who controls everything. I trust my husband’s ability to work to provide for us instead of the One who created his body with the ability to work. I trust my ability to plan for our future above the One who created my future.

As I read the rest of Chapter 32, I realized how very unhappy this idolatry of the Israelites made God. Many of them were killed, and God sent the rest plagues.

I am so glad that I have Jesus! I am so glad that I have the Holy Spirit to guide me. I am so glad that I have a merciful God who is slow to anger.

I think idol worship is something we all do. As a baby Christian, you start to understand that the love of money may be an idol you need to let go of. You begin working on that with Gods help. Then as you grow He begins to show you other areas of idolatry. I think as we grow as Christians we begin to let go of the things we trust more than God. It is a process, it is growth.

Just like David I pray…Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Monday, March 26, 2007

I Love Rain!

I know to some people rain is depressing. I have to admit, to many days straight of rain gets to me too. However, I love a warm spring rain. It is just so refreshing. It washes away all the dirt and grime and leaves everything so very green.

I am not the only one in my family who loves the rain. Here is my little Annika, playing in the rain. She loves that raincoat and boot set. It was a gift to her and she seldom gets to wear it. This is TX after all.



Oh, to be a kid again. While I was inside paying the bills, she was outside catching raindrops in her mouth.

Just to update you on some of my recent blog entries...the shoes are definitely NOT getting done today, and those brownies were OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! :o) Although, not so good for my diet. I've had 2 already this afternoon.

A Day in the Life...And Where the Heck Did All These Shoes Come From?



This is what we look like during our homeschool. I am usually at the end of the table behind the laptop. Evelyn, and Gunnar are moaning their way through math, and Annika is doing her copywork.
I am not sure why Gunnar felt compelled to wear his motorcycle gear to do his math. Perhaps he is entertaining the fantasy that his motorbike will come to life and ride up to take him away from all this.


This is my oldest son doing his algebra. He likes to do his work in his room or in the backroom. He is not doing much schoolwork with the younger kids so this works out fine.
I am really pleased with the boys new beds. There are 2 like this in their room. They both have a bed up top and a desk on bottom. This has worked out really well, as they both have their own space.

After school, I need to go to the store...this annoying family I have likes to eat 3 or more times a day!
Then I need to change the sheets on my bed and finish up the last few loads from our camping trip. YES! I am still doing laundry from our camping trip.
Then I must do my bible study for tonight.
Then my one extra for the day is going through my shoes. I have SOOOO many shoes. It is really ridiculous. I don't wear most of them, I just can't seem to get rid of them. Well, today is the day (or maybe tomorrow :o)
I'll try to get up the nerve to post a before and after photo of my shoes. Really, it is shocking gluttony! (can you have gluttony with shoes, I don't think so, I'm not going to eat them, but there does not seem to be a better word do describe this type of shoe madness)

Friday, March 23, 2007

My List...



Okay, I am finally getting around to making my list for the Spring Reading Thing. It has been a long day. A good day, but a long one. I have quite long list. I very well may take me longer than Spring to finish this. Oh well, it is good to have goals, right? I'll add my reviews in italics next to the books as I finish them and maybe re post this post now and then.

So here are my categories…

Non Fiction, for my edification –
Sonlight catalog, (does this count :o)
Loving God with all your Mind by Elizabeth George
Magazine Article Writing by John M. Wilson
The Idiot’s Guide to Getting Published
The Idiot’s Guide to Getting Your Articles Published
I scanned the previous 3 books and returned them to the Library. None of them were earth shattering, but interesting none the the less.


Non Fiction Parenting books –
The Mission of Motherhood
The Ministry of Motherhood -
I had to take these books back to the Library so I could not READ them closely. I had to skim. These are such great books I should really buy them.
The Mom Walk all by Sally Clarkson
The Age of Opportunity by Paul David Tripp
Keeping Your Family Together When the World is Falling Apart by Kevin Leman


Fiction – Just for fun!!!
Monday Morning Faith by Lori Copeland
It didn't grab me. I have set it aside for now. Maybe I'll pick it up later. So far it has been Ho Hum.
Scoop by Rene Gutteridge -
This was a cute book. The book was dragging a bit at the end. Not earth shattering or hilariously funny. But a cute easy read.
Coral Moon by Brandilyn Collins - Very good. This booked freaked me out a bit. I had nightmares. I'm not sure if that is good or bad, but I felt like I was there!
Sweet Violet by Catherine Palmer -
Miss Invisible by Laura Jensen Walker
This was a cute book. I it was a nice change of pace. Being that I'm not a size 4 either! :o)
Black Ice by Linda Hall - This book got it's own review here.
Split Ends by Kirsten Billerbeck -
This book I really liked. I gave it it's own review here.
Daughter of Silk
Written on Silk both by Linda Chaikin
I am usually a huge fan of Linda Chaikins books but for some reason I just could not get into this series. I may try again later.


To the Kids –
Finish Peter Pan
The Secret Garden
The Tangelwood Secret (can’t remember author)
Come Look With Me, Exploring Landscape Art with Children
Come Look with Me, Enjoying Art with Children
Come Look with Me, Animals in Art all by Gladys S. Blizzard-
These are great books! I think we'll slowly go through these books through the summer. I HIGHLY recommend these books.
Dangerous Journey The Story of Pilgrim’s Progress retold by Eerdmans


Because I am computer illiterate I can not figure out how to make that photo above a link. In fact, I can't figure out how to put a link in my blog at all. I have tried using the little insert link button above but it does not work. I am hopeless. So instead of doing this Spring Reading Thing like it should be done, I'll have to improvise. Please bear with me.

Over at Callapidder Days you can check this challenge out. You'll have to cut and paste because of my lack of computer savvy. But do it, really it's worth in. http://callapidderdays.blogspot.com/2007/03/spring-reading-challenge-are-you-in.html

I will be listing my reading later today. First I must get all my children doing what they are supposed to be doing (this could take a while) then I must go find all the books I want to read this spring (that could take even longer)

SO this post is TO BE CONTINUED...

BTW, if any of you computer nerds, ah I mean whizzes, would like to help me with the link thing you're welcome to leave me a comment sharing your great knowledge on how to put a link in my post, or really where I can find out these little blogging secrets myself. Is there a secret place in the World Wide Web where these little nuggets are stored? Is there a secret handshake or password I need to know to get in. Really, I want to know! I promise if you let me in the club I won't embarrass you...much. :o)

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Some Days You're The Hook, Some Days You're The Worm!

My son took this photo while we were camping. It sums up what I feel like today. I'm the worm...and what's worse? I put myself on the hook.



I had many things I needed to do today. Much laundry to do, clothes to go through, school to accomplish, etc. But first I thought I'd bee a good wife and make dh breakfast. I made him scrambled eggs and sausage patties. I thought I'd throw my own sausage patties in the same pan, save dishes and all that. Well, that is where things went awry. I am allergic to eggs. It is not a terrible allergy, I can have some egg, just not a lot. I figured I'd just keep the sausage and the eggs separate. Turns out that is quiet a bit harder than it sounds. But, I figured it'd be okay. So I ate my sausage....

30 min later I was SICK! I will spare you all the gory details (there are many) but needless to say I will NEVER, cook, clean up, or in any way ingest eggs again.

It really sapped my strength and left me very shaky and week for the rest of the day. It is almost 5 and I am finally starting to feel normal. UGH!

Why, oh why do I do these things to myself? How many times do I have to make myself sick before I start to take this allergy seriously? I would NEVER have made anything near milk for my dd. I take her allergy very seriously, buy my own. OH no. Lets just save a dish and be sick all day.

Well, apparently I'm a slow learner! :o)

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Premonition (the Movie)




I took my friend Sarah out for a birthday dinner and movie last night. We were looking for something light and funny, however, as we read the reviews on the Plugged In website for all the comedies we were interested in, they all looked so trashy, so we chose a thriller. I usually do not watch this type of movie, but it was her birthday. She chose Premonition with Sandra Bullock. I will say that it was quite clean. HOWEVER...

SPOILER COMING UP, BE WARNED, I WILL DIVULGE THE ENDING...THERE IS NO WAY TO DISCUSS MY ISSUES WITH THIS MOVIE WITHOUT DIVULGING THE ENDING...STOP NOW IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW HOW IT ENDS...OKAY, YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!

To know what I am talking about read this brief synopsis here...

http://movies.aol.com/movie/premonition-2007/23640/synopsis

We really were not sure how this movie was going to play out, was she crazy? Does she have some mental illness causing all this? Or is it really happening? Well as the movie progresses you find out that, yes this is really happening. Through the course of trying to figure out a way to put all the days together (she is basically living the week out of order) she finds out that her husband is about to have an affair. Things have been sort of cold between them for a while, and as he has to train the new Assistant Manager at work, (a nice looking blond) he starts to have feelings for her, and on the day he dies he is on his way out of town for a business meeting where he and the Assistant Manager are planning to share a hotel room.
She learns this, and on one of the days where he is dead she asks her mom if it is murder if she lets him die. Her mom is of course confused because he is already dead. But the main character, Linda, knows now that when she wakes up tomorrow, he'll be alive and she'll have one last chance to try to save him. In the end she tries to tell him (he thinks it's just a bad dream she had), and they mend their relationship, and she makes him promise to wake her before he leaves for the trip.

When she wakes up in Wed morning finally, (the day she knows he is going to die) he has taken the kids to school for her to let her sleep. She frantically runs out the door and calls him. They talk while she is trying to catch up with him, and he confesses that he was about to have an affair, and apologises and tells her he loves her and wants to make their marriage better, she says she knows about the other woman and forgives him, he says he's coming home. It is just at this moment that she she realizes He is at Mile Marker 220. The place the Sheriff said he died. Then suddenly a semi races over the hill, hits the car and they both go up in smoke, right in front of her.

The next seen is her waking up in a room with packed boxes, her girls come in and say that the movers are here. She gets up, smiles at them and says okay, it's time to go. As she gets up you see she is pregnant, likely from the night they reconciled. Then the movie screen goes blank, MOVIE OVER!!! WHAT???

They never really tell us if he is dead or alive. She did have a sequence right when she awoke with snapshots of her and her husbands lives together with he voice of the Priest she talked to earlier running through her mind saying you have to choose what you want, choose hope and love. Also the moving is significant because earlier in the movie she stops buy a serene neighborhood on a lake while she is trying to figure out what is going on, and a man walks up to her saying it is a great neighborhood to start over in.

So...is she starting over with her dh? Or on her own? Are we to believe that she woke up and was able to choose her dh or that her choice was going after him and getting one last chance to mend the relationship and getting one last baby, before he died?

I'll tell you, this kind of movie is not for me. First of all, I don't even like to entertain the idea that my dh might some day die. Hi is superman and will never die. I have to believe this or, well we won't go there. Next, I hate ambiguous endings! I want it all tied up in a need little bow for me, and I want the ending to be happy, darn it! If I want to be sad I'll watch the news!

So in my mind, I have decided that she walks down the stairs to find her husband talking to the movers, and they are moving alltoghtehr as a family, to start over. My friend thinks I'm delusional and he is dead, she is moving the kids out of the house to start fresh without him. To sad, I can't live with that ending.

These kinds of movies really get in my head (could you tell from the epic blog about a movie) I can't stop thinking about them. I put myself in the shoes of the characters, what would I do? It really messes with my head.

I don't think I'll watch another movie like this for a long time. I think trashy humor would have had less of an impact! :o)

Monday, March 19, 2007

Priceless!

Well, we made it back. We have spent 10 days and 9 nights living out of a camper. We have been to 5 TX State Parks and traveled over 1000 miles. Whew! I'm tired. We had a blast! The kids got to spend some great quality time with their cousins and aunts and uncles, not to mention their parents.

My little Annika told the 2 kids in the neighboring campsite about Jesus and led them to the Lord! She has done that before at other campsites. She is something; my little evangelist. Sometimes I wonder how people are going to take her. She is so forthright about what she believes. Sometimes, I have to admit, it embarrasses me. Dave and I don't walk around shouting from the rooftops and to every passing acquaintance that we are Christians and you could be too,(although, maybe we should) but my Annika does. Sometimes I feel like telling her that the world does not operate that way, people are going to get offended. Dave tells me not to squash it in her. She'll learn soon enough what the world thinks of her faith.

I'm sad to say that I think she learned a little bit about that this time. After a day or so of these two neighbor kids playing with my kids and nieces and nephews, Annika told them about Jesus and how to have him in your heart. (Thank you AWANA, she really knows just what to say!) Well, the next day those two kids wouldn't play with her or any of the other kids. I think their parents told them not to! I'm sure they thought we were some kind of weird religious nuts. It really hurt Annika, but I explained to her that if the parents are not Christians, maybe they don't want their kids to be either. She really can't understand this. It is hard to get when your 8. We will probably never see this family again, but we are praying for them.

In case you are wondering, we went to South Llano State Park first, then on to Lost Maples State Park, then to Garner State Park, and last but not least (okay, definitely least if your rating the bathroom cleanliness!) was Ink's Lake State Park. While were were staying at Inks Lake, we did a day trip out to Enchanted Rock. All I can say about that is, if I'm going to make it in Colorado this summer, I'd better start training! That climb (if you can really call it that) ate my lunch! I was getting smoked by Retirees and pregnant women!



This is my Evelyn with her cousin Kaarin, they are only 4 months apart in age. They were gleeful because they get soda. We only have soda when we are camping, so it is a big treat!


This is what my 12 year old Gunnar looked like most of the trip. If there was mud, he'd find it, and much to the dismay of my SIL, he usually took my 8 year old nephews along for the ride!


This is Annika lounging on a rock in the Frio river, and let me tell you, that water was COLD. Only my toes made it into the water. Why don't kids feel the cold, I ask you?


Here is my 15 year old son Bryce, riding his bike...backward. Why don't my kids do anything normally? :o)

And last but not least...

My 9 year old Evelyn cooking dinner! I am so glad my kids are getting older. They are helpful and fun to be around.

We sure had a great vacation. Now it's time for the cleanup. I wish I'd have taken a before photo of the camper. It was all nice and clean and tidy. It is sitting out in the driveway waiting for me do clean it so we can put it away. Boy is it a MESS!!! And don't even get me started on the 20 or so loads of laundry that await me downstairs. But, you know what, it was worth ever bit of hassle! When I see the smiles on my kids faces and see that we have really bonded as a family, well that, as they say is...priceless.

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

My Mini...van.

Since I started dreaming yesterday, I can’t quit…Mini Cooper, this is my mid life crisis car. I am planning on having one (the car not the crisis) I have always driven a HUGE vehicle. My first car was a 81 grey Chevy Impala, much like this one...


the next car was an 89 Pontiac Parisian very much like this...


Next was an 89 Chevy Suburban like this only all blue...


now I drive a Ford 12 passenger van.


Every car I have ever had has been huge. When I am no longer car pooling and taking several kids with me wherever I go, I’m buying something small and sporty! Don’t get me wrong, I love my van. God provided us with just what we needed just when we needed it. I do love it. But, the inner teenager in me wants something cool. All my cars have been soooo not cool. I may be big and functional on the outside, but inside I’m cute and sporty

One day, my dreams will come true...:o)


So...what was your first car? What do you drive now? What do you wish you were driving now??? :o)

Fiji



Is this not the most beautiful place you have ever seen? I am going there! Well, maybe. You see, my wonderful dh and I will be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary in about 3 years. I told him for 20 I want to go to a beach. Not just any beach will do; no, I want a beautiful, tropical paradise in a country where they don’t speak my language. Fiji, I want Fiji!!

My dh and I got married young (Well I was young; just out of high school, he was 3 years into college.) We started our family right away, so we never got a real honeymoon. Don’t get me wrong, we have gotten away now and then. We have great friends and family who watch our kids for us occasionally so we can have some alone time. But we have never had the honeymoon experience, or at least not the one that all the romantic movies I’ve ever seen, suggest every couple must have.

So, after 20 years of marriage, I want the whole honeymoon experience…tropical paradise, white sandy beaches, drinks with umbrellas in them brought to us as we lounge on a secluded beach for as long as we like, watching the crystal clear waters sparkle.



I have told dh of my fantasy; you know, the beach, umbrella dinks, people who don’t speak my language. His response? How about Miami or Corpus Christi, they qualify?!?!?!?! Very funny. I had to add that I want to cross an ocean to get there, and I don’t mean the Gulf of Mexico!

So for the next 3 years I’m saving all my pennies to go to this wonderful tropical paradise. Perhaps I need to print out this photo and pin it to my bulletin board. Maybe find a way to make it pop up on my computer every time I’m about to hit the “purchase” button. Or, put the photo in my wallet next to my cash so I’m less tempted to shell out $4 for a cup of coffee.

We’ll see if it actually happens; it is 3 years away. A lot can happen in three years, but a girl can dream, right?

Monday, March 5, 2007

STRESS!!!



I am having a little stress today...we are leaving for a 10 day camping trip early Fri am, I have classes to teach at co op on Thursday, and I have an ENORMOUS amount of stuff to do before we leave...
1. get all laundry clean so we can pack
2. pack my clothes
2.5 pack dh clothes
3. tell kids to pack
4. make sure kids did not pack only candy and a swim suit
5. grocery shop for this week
7. grocery shop for 10 day trip
8. separate out groceries into what stays in the house and what goes in the camper
9. put groceries in the camper
10. get various electronic gadgetry to keep kids entertained in the car.
11. take all library books back before we leave for trip
12. find all library books
13. call to tell everyone we usually do stuff for all week we'll be gone
14. ask neighbor to get mail
15. remember to get all sundry items into camper like; camera, battery charger, neck warmer, lap top, headphones...
16. prepare for k-2 literature class at co op on Thursday
17. Prepare for 4-6 literature class at co op on Thursday
18. Help kids get all homework done for co op on Thursday
19. remember all the stuff that should be on this list that isn't yet
20. Oh, yeah, HOMESCHOOL 4 KIDS!!!

Must find a solution, is this it???




Perhaps this?



Note to self...stop blogging and get to work!

Friday, March 2, 2007

Welcome, come on in!

Hi to all of you who are joining my party. Just don't tell my kids we are having one. They are sitting around me at the kitchen table diligently (most of the time) working on their math. If they know I'm having a party on my laptop, they me be less inclined to work hard on their math.

I am glad you came to visit me on my blog. I am relatively new at this, I've only been blogging for a few weeks. I am really enjoying it. I love reading other's blogs as well. There is a whole world out there that I have been missing! Please let me know you were here. Comment, and say hi so I can drop by your blog.

Oh, please excuse my rudeness, let me introduce myself. My name is Tricia. I am the wife of Dave, my high school sweetheart. We have been married for almost 17 years. (Hard to imagine considering I'm only 29. I've been 29 for a while now, I like 29 and plan to stay here for some time.) I have 4 wonderful kids, two boys; 15 & 12, and two girls; 9 & almost 8. (She'll be 8 on the 17th, my little St. Patrick's Day baby.)

We have been homeschooling from the beginning in some form or another. I have various health/learning issues in my family. I have fibromyalgia, my 8yodd has an anaphylactic allergy to all dairy, even the tinsy tiny amount of dried milk in graham crackers is enough to send us scurrying to the ER.

My 12yods has dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. We did the 2 year dyslexia remediation program at the Scottish Rite Hospital. It was a pain, but worth it. He is much better in his reading and writing. His spelling is awful and I think it always will be, and he struggles terribly in math. It is hard for my mommy's heart to see him struggle, but I have seen the Lord do some mighty work in this young man's soul.

I have a few hobbies, I love, love, love to read. I keep a list of books I read and it is usually somewhere around 100 a year. That does not count the books I read to the kids. I learned to crochet a few years ago, and I have enjoyed working on crocheting projects. I love to give baby afghans and booties as gifts to new moms. I also like to make hats and scarves; funny considering we live in TX and one can only really use a scarf a few weeks out of the year. I am working on a big afghan for my dad right now. It is a big job and a lot of work, I hope I get it done by his birthday in May.


This is a baby afghan I am making for a friend of mine. It is pink and purple Chenille. I think it turned out well. :o)

My dh and boys love to ride motorbikes. They have been riding since they were 3 or 4. YIKES! I know. The only way the mommy in me could allow my babies to ride motorcycles, was to make sure they had the best protective gear, and not watch! Seriously, I did not go with them. Now that they are older I go and watch sometimes. Unfortunately, my 8yodd likes to ride too. Her cousins have a little bike and she likes to ride it. I am glad that by sons share a hobby with their dad. It is good for them to have something in common. Why or why couldn't it have been checkers, or bird watching? :o)


This is not actually one of my men. This is a Supercross Rider. I can't seem to find any photo's of them on my new laptop. This is, however, where they aspire to be!

As a family we love to camp. We have a small pull-behind RV that we take everywhere. It has a kitchen table that makes out into a bed for dh and I, and 4 bunks on the end for the kids. I LOVE camping this way; with my own potty and kitchen! We did a tour of Arkansas last fall, and on the 9th of this month we are taking a 2 week vacation tour of the Hill Country of South Texas. In July we are going to Colorado for 2 weeks. We never vacationed before we had an RV. IT was too hard with Annika, we had to eat out all the time and that is not safe for her. This way we take our own food or grocery shop so we cook our own food. I is also LOTS cheaper than hotels. With the size of our family, we'd have to get a suite or 2 hotel rooms. It was hard to wait while we were saving up for our little RV, but I'm so glad we did it. It has helped create so many family memories. I know my 9th grade ds will go off to college soon and I hope he will have lots of good family memories to take with him.


This is my family on a hike in the Mountains of Arkansas. Don't look to closely, we were on about day 7 of camping, and this was a long hike. We were filthy! :o)

Well, now that you know a little about me, tell me about yourself. Leave me a comment and I'll come visit you next!

Tricia

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