*****UPDATE AT THE BOTTOM OF POST*****
I have been tagged by Halfmoon Happenings. I have to say that I am totally relieved to be tagged Tokay. I seem to have hit a blogging wall. I was blogging about milk cap rings the other day, for goodness sake!
So here goes…seven totally random things.
1. I bite my nails. I know, what a horrible habit. I have bitten my nails all my life. I can remember biting them so much as a child they would bleed and sting, and throb. Nuts Huh? I don’t bite them like that anymore, but If I don’t have my fake nails on, my nails split and I bite them. So I usually have pretty, purchased nails.
2. I don’t like water. I love coffee, coke and tea. In order to be friendly to my kidneys I only drink 2 cups of coffee, and one Coke Zero (love that stuff) a day. The rest of the day I drink tea. It is not too sweet, and I make it with decaf tea bags so my Dr. said it counts as water, whew!
3. I have Fibromyalgia. I hate Fibromyalgia. I was diagnosed a little over a year ago. I have had strange undiagnosed pain in my hips since I was 20. I have been tested for just about everything under the sun over the last decade or so and stumped all the doctors. A little over a year ago the pain suddenly went everywhere and they tested me for Fibromyalgia. Bingo.
4. I have 4 kids. I always wanted at least 6. After baby #4 and no $. DH said no more. I was very sad and mourned no more babies. Now that I look back I can see God’s hand in it. I can’t imagine having a baby or toddler with Fibromyalgia. I do still miss babies, but I am really enjoying my older kids and I wonder if I would be able to enjoy where they are in life right now If I had a baby in tow. Not to mention on the days where I’m In a lot of pain, they would have to help, a lot.
5. I hate spiders. I mean really hate. Like as in certifiable paranoia. Once I screamed and flailed and almost brought down the shower curtain because a spider was on me in the shower. DH walked in and calmly asked, “Spider?” Seriously, if we had a camera on me when I thought there was a spider on me we could win great gobs of $!
6. I met my dh when I was in 6th grade! We did not start dating for a few years but I knew him. He was an older brother of a guy in my youth group. I thought he was hot! (BTW, I was right)
7. I read, A LOT. I love to read. I love, love, love, books. I twirl my hair, just like my grandma when I read. I keep a book list and I run somewhere between 75 and 100 books a year. DH asks me to please read a few less books and do a few more loads of laundry. :o)
I will think on who I am going to tag. Later today I’ll add my tagees.
Here are the rules: Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. You need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!.
*****UPDATE*****
Because I am having decision issues today, I have decided to take the easy way out. I really want to hear 7 random things about all of you!
So if you're reading this consider yourself tagged! You're IT!
Now, leave me a comment telling me you're playing and I'll come read 7 Random things about you.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Saturday, May 5, 2007
The Invisibility Phenomenon and the Tooth Fairy.
I want to talk about those little plastic milk rings. You know the ones; those obnoxious things that insure that the lid of the milk jug will not suddenly pop off in transit and spill that precious white liquid out before it can reach the store.
I am convinced within myself that these little nuisances are invisible to the eye of anyone under 15. I don’t really know when they become visible to the eye. It is sometime between 15 and adulthood. When It happens I’ll let you know. It is as if, once removed from the milk jug, they disappear into thin air. Poof! Just like that.
Only that is not what really happens. If you are an adult you know what happens…it ends up on the floor. I think there is a progression. It comes off the jug, and the children think it goes poof, but really it falls to the counter. Sometime in the next few minutes it falls to the floor. Then it gets kicked around for a while until someone over 15 walks into the room and picks it up and throws it away.
This is the strangest phenomenon. When asked, all children in the room will deny any knowledge of said plastic ring.
I have seen this same phenomenon in play with all kinds of trash. I have conducted an experiment. I saw a piece of wadded up paper on the floor in the hallway. I did not pick it up. I did not yell at anyone else to pick it up. I did not interrogate the entire family to find out who put it there. I noted the date, and waited…and waited…and waited. 3 weeks I waited, until I could wait no more. You see, that hallway had been vacuumed 6 times during those 3 weeks. By 3 different children. And still the piece of paper remained. When questioned, not one of those 3 children remembered seeing the piece of wadded up paper. I have surmised that it is trash in general that is invisible to the eye of anyone under 15.
To further complicate my experiment, I have noticed this invisibility phenomenon also seems to relate to some non-trash items like pencils. We have homeschooled in some form or another for 10 years and I have seen this problem skyrocket. No matter how many pencil holding devices I buy or systems I put it place, pencils continue to pop up in odd places, like the floor…in the bathroom. Why? I don’t think I want to know.
I thought I had the invisibility phenomenon beat this year, at least the pencil aspect of it. I bought each child their own color pencil. Just FYI, finding 4 different color pencils was quite a trick. But I did it. And it worked…for a while.
When ever I saw a pencil on the floor I could know immediately whose it was. What a wonderful solution, until…one child ran out of his color pencil. I scoured the stores for purple pencils, they were everywhere in September, but could not be found now. So I had to add another color into the mix. Then as the year wore on, they would get other pencils, cute ones with cars or Barbie on it. But once it hit the floor, suddenly it belonged to no one; it could no longer be seen by anyone under 15.
I think the root of this problem is the Tooth Fairy…now hear me out. We teach our littlest, most impressionable of children that when they put a piece of trash (an old tooth) under a pillow, a fairy comes and takes it away for them, and even leaves them money!
I think this begins a deep seeded belief in fairies, I think…the root of this whole invisibility problem, is that my kids believe in the Trash Fairy.
Ladies and gentleman, I’m here to tell you, I did not like being the Tooth Fairy and I definitely don’t like being the Trash Fairy.
I am in search of an antidote to this Invisibility/Fairy Phenomenon. If I find it, I’ll pass it on for the good on mankind.
If you have one, please oh please tell me what it is!
I am convinced within myself that these little nuisances are invisible to the eye of anyone under 15. I don’t really know when they become visible to the eye. It is sometime between 15 and adulthood. When It happens I’ll let you know. It is as if, once removed from the milk jug, they disappear into thin air. Poof! Just like that.
Only that is not what really happens. If you are an adult you know what happens…it ends up on the floor. I think there is a progression. It comes off the jug, and the children think it goes poof, but really it falls to the counter. Sometime in the next few minutes it falls to the floor. Then it gets kicked around for a while until someone over 15 walks into the room and picks it up and throws it away.
This is the strangest phenomenon. When asked, all children in the room will deny any knowledge of said plastic ring.
I have seen this same phenomenon in play with all kinds of trash. I have conducted an experiment. I saw a piece of wadded up paper on the floor in the hallway. I did not pick it up. I did not yell at anyone else to pick it up. I did not interrogate the entire family to find out who put it there. I noted the date, and waited…and waited…and waited. 3 weeks I waited, until I could wait no more. You see, that hallway had been vacuumed 6 times during those 3 weeks. By 3 different children. And still the piece of paper remained. When questioned, not one of those 3 children remembered seeing the piece of wadded up paper. I have surmised that it is trash in general that is invisible to the eye of anyone under 15.
To further complicate my experiment, I have noticed this invisibility phenomenon also seems to relate to some non-trash items like pencils. We have homeschooled in some form or another for 10 years and I have seen this problem skyrocket. No matter how many pencil holding devices I buy or systems I put it place, pencils continue to pop up in odd places, like the floor…in the bathroom. Why? I don’t think I want to know.
I thought I had the invisibility phenomenon beat this year, at least the pencil aspect of it. I bought each child their own color pencil. Just FYI, finding 4 different color pencils was quite a trick. But I did it. And it worked…for a while.
When ever I saw a pencil on the floor I could know immediately whose it was. What a wonderful solution, until…one child ran out of his color pencil. I scoured the stores for purple pencils, they were everywhere in September, but could not be found now. So I had to add another color into the mix. Then as the year wore on, they would get other pencils, cute ones with cars or Barbie on it. But once it hit the floor, suddenly it belonged to no one; it could no longer be seen by anyone under 15.
I think the root of this problem is the Tooth Fairy…now hear me out. We teach our littlest, most impressionable of children that when they put a piece of trash (an old tooth) under a pillow, a fairy comes and takes it away for them, and even leaves them money!
I think this begins a deep seeded belief in fairies, I think…the root of this whole invisibility problem, is that my kids believe in the Trash Fairy.
Ladies and gentleman, I’m here to tell you, I did not like being the Tooth Fairy and I definitely don’t like being the Trash Fairy.
I am in search of an antidote to this Invisibility/Fairy Phenomenon. If I find it, I’ll pass it on for the good on mankind.
If you have one, please oh please tell me what it is!
Friday, May 4, 2007
R.I.P
No, not THAT kind of R.I.P.
Reading. In. Public.
Do you do it? Why or why not?
I have nothing fun or inspiring to say today. We had open house at our homeschool Co op last night, after a day of teaching at the co op. So I am TIRED. After full days
like that I tend to be a bit on the achy side. Thank you ever-so-much, Fibromyalgia.
So instead of my usual oh-so-inspiring comments, I bring you this Meme. I love books so this seemed like a good one. If you would like to participate go to Booking Through Thursdays. Yes I know today is Friday, but I was busy yesterday, and better late than never, right?
So here goes, YES! I absolutely Read in Public! I read in line at Wal-Mart. I read at co op between classes, I read in line at the bank; in fact I read in any line. I have even been known to read at a long red light! I try not to read at family gatherings because, well that would be rude. I try to be sensitive and not read when I should be paying attention to someone or something. I know it would be rude to read, no matter how good the book, at my Mother In Law’s birthday party, or during church, even if the guest preacher is a bit boring. Sometimes I am tempted to read when I should not. I try to be good. I just love books so very much!
Think about it, what other thing can take you, in your mind, to another reality, time or place? Or let you meet people who never existed or who are long dead? If you do those things without the benefit of a book, I think they call it a mental illness!
I think I got started having a book with me at all times when my kids were babies. I often put them down for naps at others’ houses and would sit in the room with them till they went to sleep. Sometimes I’d look up from a particularly good book and realize that my baby or toddler was fast asleep, and probably had been for some time.
Books even go before fashion for me. One of the main things I look for in a good purse is, is it big enough for my book? I will never buy a purse that a book won’t fit into. I am doomed to a life with a huge purse, but that is okay, because I love books so much, I’m willing to make the sacrifice.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Where in the world are the responsible adults?
Would you like to see yet another reason why I homeschool?
Last year we heard that one of the Algebra teachers at our local high school (the one my son would have had were he in public school) was arrested for being a notorious seriel rapist in a neighboring city.
Now this. This is my school. This is where I went to school. This is where my kids would go to school. This is not local news, no this is national. This is what my little town gets on the map for.
After you watch an 11 second creepy ad for a new television show, you can see an ever more disturbing school fight. If you can get through the first few seconds, you'll hear an interview of a "responsible adult" not taking responsibility.
But let me tell you…the fight goes on and on and on. That is one of the reason it hit national news. Where in the world were the teachers to break up such actions.
Okay, so we have some bad days around this homeschool once in awhile. But now I am feeling pretty good about my choice to continue homeschooling my highschooler.
UGH, and again, where are the parents? Where are the teachers? Is anyone responsible for our youth anymore?
Last year we heard that one of the Algebra teachers at our local high school (the one my son would have had were he in public school) was arrested for being a notorious seriel rapist in a neighboring city.
Now this. This is my school. This is where I went to school. This is where my kids would go to school. This is not local news, no this is national. This is what my little town gets on the map for.
After you watch an 11 second creepy ad for a new television show, you can see an ever more disturbing school fight. If you can get through the first few seconds, you'll hear an interview of a "responsible adult" not taking responsibility.
But let me tell you…the fight goes on and on and on. That is one of the reason it hit national news. Where in the world were the teachers to break up such actions.
Okay, so we have some bad days around this homeschool once in awhile. But now I am feeling pretty good about my choice to continue homeschooling my highschooler.
UGH, and again, where are the parents? Where are the teachers? Is anyone responsible for our youth anymore?
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
The things you learn from teens.
I have a funny story to tell you. This happened a few years ago, but something reminded me of it yesterday, and like the good blogger that I am, I thought, I must blog that!
So here’s the story. A friend of mine walked into a bar…sorry, wrong story. A friend of mine went in to a Christian book store looking for a CD for her husband. Now for you to really get the humor, you must let me describe my friend. She’s a little thing from Mississippi; accent and all. She’s cute as a bugs ear, as they say in the south.
She goes to the lady behind the counter, an older lady who owns this establishment, (it is a mom and pop shop, not one of those chains) and the lady asks my friend if she can help her find anything.
My friend replies, “yes, I’m looking for a CD for my husband, something like Devil Chasers, or Demon Catchers, Satan Searchers…something like that.” (All said in her cute lil Ol’ Miss’ippi accent)
The little old lady’s eyes bug out of her head and she replies, “Honey, this is a Christian book store, we don’t carry anything like that.” I’m certain at this point she and her little ol’ husband, who’d come on the scene, were thinking of throwing her down on the ground and saying “Devil, come OUT!” or throwing Holy Water on her or something.
But before this embarrassing event could transpire, a teen walked up (presumably the summer help) and said, “Oh, you mean Demon Hunter, it’s right over here, let me show you.”
Now, I can only presume that the cute little Ol’ couple went straight back there after my friend left, and took every one of those devil CD’s off their shelf!
Personally, I would never have found myself in this situation because I have teens. My friend’s child was only 4, she is still listening to Barney in the car. Not me, no I know all about Demon Hunter. And there are others, groups like Piller, Skillet, Kids in the Way, Roper, Switchfoot, Kutless & Hawk Nelson can often be found blaring through my car.
I made the mistake of downloading the entire Windows Media Player onto my MP3 player when I first got it. I did not realize that the boys had their music on it too. And since I’ve never taken the time to take off all my teens’ crazy music off my MP3 player I have had the opportunity to listen to some of the stuff. I must say here that some of it is downright scary (I know I really sound like the MOM) but you can’t understand what they are saying, how do I know it is Christian music? You can’t understand the words!
But… and I’ll never admit this to my kids…some of it is pretty good. Like this one, and this, and this. Try it out. Your kids will be totally impressed that you know their music.
And if you end up liking Demon Hunter, don’t go to a store to get it. Just buy it online, it’s better for everyone.
So here’s the story. A friend of mine walked into a bar…sorry, wrong story. A friend of mine went in to a Christian book store looking for a CD for her husband. Now for you to really get the humor, you must let me describe my friend. She’s a little thing from Mississippi; accent and all. She’s cute as a bugs ear, as they say in the south.
She goes to the lady behind the counter, an older lady who owns this establishment, (it is a mom and pop shop, not one of those chains) and the lady asks my friend if she can help her find anything.
My friend replies, “yes, I’m looking for a CD for my husband, something like Devil Chasers, or Demon Catchers, Satan Searchers…something like that.” (All said in her cute lil Ol’ Miss’ippi accent)
The little old lady’s eyes bug out of her head and she replies, “Honey, this is a Christian book store, we don’t carry anything like that.” I’m certain at this point she and her little ol’ husband, who’d come on the scene, were thinking of throwing her down on the ground and saying “Devil, come OUT!” or throwing Holy Water on her or something.
But before this embarrassing event could transpire, a teen walked up (presumably the summer help) and said, “Oh, you mean Demon Hunter, it’s right over here, let me show you.”
Now, I can only presume that the cute little Ol’ couple went straight back there after my friend left, and took every one of those devil CD’s off their shelf!
Personally, I would never have found myself in this situation because I have teens. My friend’s child was only 4, she is still listening to Barney in the car. Not me, no I know all about Demon Hunter. And there are others, groups like Piller, Skillet, Kids in the Way, Roper, Switchfoot, Kutless & Hawk Nelson can often be found blaring through my car.
I made the mistake of downloading the entire Windows Media Player onto my MP3 player when I first got it. I did not realize that the boys had their music on it too. And since I’ve never taken the time to take off all my teens’ crazy music off my MP3 player I have had the opportunity to listen to some of the stuff. I must say here that some of it is downright scary (I know I really sound like the MOM) but you can’t understand what they are saying, how do I know it is Christian music? You can’t understand the words!
But… and I’ll never admit this to my kids…some of it is pretty good. Like this one, and this, and this. Try it out. Your kids will be totally impressed that you know their music.
And if you end up liking Demon Hunter, don’t go to a store to get it. Just buy it online, it’s better for everyone.
Life with 12 & 15 year old boys.
They look so respectful and well behaved in that photo don't they? Hummm.
I told my boys that we are going to start writing out the Shorter Catechism for copy work this summer. So they don’t forger their cursive.
My 12yods replied, “What is the Shorter Catechism?” (I must insert here that we have talked about this before, he is a very forgetful boy. I am a good teacher and mom, I am, I am!)
I replied, “What is the Chief End of Man?” to remind him.
He said, “I don’t know, the bottom?”
My 15yods pipes up and replies “No, that is the business end”.
At that point they fell on the floor with laughter, and I left the room, hanging my head in shame.
Oh the irreverence of Teen boys!
Monday, April 30, 2007
Spring Reading Thing Update
I finished Black Ice last night. It was good. I really like Linda Hall’s stuff. It is clean & Christian, but not sappy-preachy Christian. It is a murder mystery. I like that Christian authors are writing murder mysteries. I like a good intrigue, something smart and clever, but clean!
In the secular world it is hard to find a good mystery that is not trashy, so I quit trying. You need to read Dark Water first; it is the first in the series, and then read Black Ice. I recommend them. 4 stars!
Here is the link to the original Spring Reading Thing post. I have updated it with lots of reviews. Some, like Black Ice, needed its own post.
Now, I need to go get Coral Moon to finish off my murder mystery kick!
Menu Plan Monday
Here is my menu plan for this week.
We have a really busy week ahead of us. Many end of the year events, plays, co op open house. Also we have several end-of-the-year projects that are littered all over the house, some in the kitchen. I can’t wait till these are turned in, but that is another post. Yikes!
I am trying to plan reasonable things that will actually get cooked. If it requires too much time, we’ll end up eating out!
So, here goes…
Monday – (Evelyn’s play is tonight)
Leftover lasagna and whatever other things are in the fridge
Tuesday – (We’ll be home tonight)
Tip steak on the grill, green beans and tator tots
Wednesday – (We’ll be home tonight)
Enchiladas, corn bread and salad
Thursday – (Co op open house, I have to leave at 4 so it’s…
Whatever you can find night
Friday – (we’ll be home)
Lemon Pepper Chicken on the grill
Rice and salad
Saturday – (We’ll be home)
Grill cheese & tomato soup
Sunday – (Awana Closing Program)
Pizza at the church
Go to Laura's blog and see other meal plans.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
The Perfect Mom
Of all the haunting moments of motherhood, few rank with hearing your own words come out of your daughter's mouth. ~Victoria Secunda
God intended motherhood to be a relay race. Each generation would pass the baton on to the next. ~ Mary Pride
I have not posted in a while, my Mom’s been visiting. Her visit has really got me thinking. What kind of Mom will my kids describe me as when they are adults? Will they remember all the good times or only the bad?
Will they remember all the nights I read to them before bed, or the nights I was too tired or too busy.
Will they remember all the kind and uplifting words, all the I Love You’s or the times when I raised my voice in anger?
Will they remember all the things I taught them? Or all the things I didn’t know?
Will they have fond memories of all the things we did together, or only remember the times I went without them?
Will they remember the times I let them make a huge mess, cooking in my kitchen, or only think on the times I said no because I didn’t want the hassle?
Will they remember the times we all played games together, or the times when they had to play by themselves.
Will they remember all the times we curled up on the couch to read a great book, or the times I made them do their math?
Will they remember all the great and deep conversations we had, or only the lectures they occasionally had to endure?
I am a parent, I am a sinner, I am human, I will not be a perfect parent. How will my children choose to remember me when they have left the nest?
I know that no one can be the perfect parent. There is this constant tug between doing what feels right and doing what is right in this fallen world we live in. The more I focus on God the more doing what is right, is easier. But I’ll never get it perfectly right this side of eternity.
Even in homeschool, I feel the tug between idealism, and reality. I want to sit and talk and read and have deep spiritual discussions with my kids, and we do that some, but there is always the tyranny of the urgent. The math MUST get done; we MUST study writing more, the SAT’s are coming! We don’t have time to sit and talk about what my 8 year old wants to be when she grows up, we have phonics to cover, and haven’t even started History yet, and I have to go get Bryce from his Algebra tutor in 30 minutes! You get the point and have probably experienced the same struggle.
I know what I want my home and homeschool to look like, I know the Ideal that is in my head, but somehow reality falls far short of that ideal.
I think having my Mom here reminded me that this is not forever, this time I have to teach and influence my children is only a season, then they are on their own and I can’t go back and do or undo anything. I can’t go back and read Peter Pan to my 30 year olds, or pull them on my lap and ask them what they want to be when they grow up.
It’s kind of like the parable of the talents. God has given me these 4 talents for a time. One day He is going to ask me what I did with them. One day I’ll be held to account.
Some day soon this portion of my job will be done and I desperately want to hear “Well done, good and faithful servant” from my Father, and “You did a good job, Mom, I love you” from my kids.
No pressure or anything!
The above photo...
Enough and Room to Spare
by Frederick Morgan
Monday, April 23, 2007
Go Buy THIS book!
So, I thought it was time to update you on the Spring Reading Thing. I am including a link to the original post here. I have updated it with reviews for some of the books.
However, THIS book needed its own post. I LOVED this book. Really, I love all the books by Kristen Billerbeck. Her books are so far away from my real world, that it is as close as I can come to taking a vacation from my personality, without someone wanting to send my to a shrink. I get to be someone entirely different when I read one of her books. Chick Lit can appear shallow on the outside, but Kristen Billerbeck's books are really are deep, okay, maybe deep is taking it too far, but they have meat, not just fluff. You get to really know & empathize with the characters.
The best thing about this book (and all her books for that matter) is that they are real, (people have issues in her books) and it is clean, but not sappy-unrealistic-clean, but best of all, this book is FUNNY. My kids kept coming into my room to see what was so funny, only to find me reading. I kept laughing out loud! People in the checkout line behind me at Wal-Mart must have thought I had a screw loose! (Yes I read in the line at Wal-Mart, it makes the line move faster, I’m convinced)
So, really, GO BUY THIS BOOK,seriously, I’m not getting any royalties for this advertisement, and I don’t even know Kristen Billerbeck IRL (proven by my referring to her by her full name). So you can trust me on this.
Need a good, clean laugh? Want to read a book and go ahhhhhhhhhh, at the end of it, instead of feeling like you need to go excise your mind of all the bad language (cursing and grammar included)? Then, really, GO BUY THIS BOOK!
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