The Meaning of Life?

I’m letting myself get bummed out again. I need a kick in the bum, I suppose. Our dog dies then I find out Richmond’s way awesome coffee shop, Sacred Grounds, is closing December 1st. Starbucks just opened recently so I blaming Starbucks. Yea, they have good coffee but I preferred Sacred Grounds. Their chillers were the best, the mouth-watering menu one-of-a-kind, the ambiance cozy and classy, and the coffee, oh, the coffee. I’m sorry, but Starbucks with their anti-God cups can’t touch local coffee shop coffee. It was made with love. My faves- Café Mocha and Mocha Latte for my sweet tooth and my brew of choice was called…."The Meaning of Life." Oh, man, I’m SO BUMMED. But, perspective kicking in, I’m THANKFUL I’ve had this blessing while it lasted and I’m THANKFUL I have a coffee maker and International Foods and Coffee Mate creamers and I’m THANKFUL we still have Charlie’s Coffee Shop where they will be setting up the Christmas Train Display very soon.
I’m still going to miss Sacred Grounds and my dog, Gomer – gonna have to just be honest here. Wha – I’m such a whiner! Sorry…
Our house is still a disaster from the seasonal switchover so worked on that some. Life will be easier in the future when we have to go through this again due to getting rid of so much but it’s not easy now. I took Natalie to the orthodontist who gave her an ultra sonic toothbrush. He told her it’s not available in any other countries and I asked her if that means they were BANNED in all the other countries or just not available. My daughter putting something called "ultra sonic" into her head just doesn’t sound healthy. Will it clean better around the braces or will the combination of the braces and the weapon cause our power to go out, dry up our well, and her hair to change color? Am I exaggerating just a bit? Well, after that trip, we made another drop at Goodwill and another Wally world run even though I just bought a month's worth of groceries Friday. I crashed and burned when I got home – altostratus day – can’t function – must have happy lights. We really do need to invest in those sunshine lights throughout the house. I get that S.A.D – seasonal affective disorder, I think it is. Whatever it stands for, it IS SAD. Anyhoo, as soon as Craig came home, we set out to see our friends’ 1830s house they are restoring and getting ready to move into. Craig mentioned our friends are in their element but that is SO not him. He’d rather pay twice what a house is worth and not have to fix a thing! LOL! We ate din din, came home, here I am now before I collapse trying to make sure I don’t’ procrastinate with my blog again.
Well, that’s as deep as this post is going to get tonight.
God Bless! Hugs in Him!

Gomer is gone

I had taken the time this morning to jot down some inspirational reflections on a passage of scripture but, alas, it will have to wait. This evening, while my DH and DD were out on a date, a neighbor came to our door to inform us he saw our dog laying alongside the state route that our road comes off of. He walked me to the spot and sure enough, it was our dear, dumb Gomer. Somehow, he got out without us knowing it and anyone who knows about Basset Hounds knows you cannot train them to stay in the yard. I had to break it to the kids then Craig and Lenae when they got home. We’re all so depressed. I know he was just a dog, but he was the family pet. Thank you God for our "pretty smart for a dumb dog", Gomer.

Light at the end of the tunnel of Rubbermaid

We’re almost done however, my DH went out to the storage shed and found more containers and old forgotten bags of stuff so, instead of less in my house, I have more. I was going to go out and check for myself but he beat me to it. Am I the only one with kids who say, "yes, we got it all in" but they didn’t? Or, "Yes, we have plenty of diapers" when you’re making a grocery list, but you don’t? Or, "We’re all out of ketchup" but when you bring the groceries home, there’s 3 bottles where none had been 2 hours before? Well, for having brought in everything, my DH sure found a lot more. Thankfully, most of it is going right back out. The hardest sorting job I had was for my 2 y.o. and 4 y.o. girls. They had SO MUCH and all of it cute. Some of it, my older girls had worn but, with their help, we pruned it down to just what we needed and maybe a couple extra. I love dressing up my babydolls; what can I say?
Tonight, the older girls and I sat together in the living room and worked on a grocery shopping strategy. Each girl will be responsible for a store and it’s ad. We went through our Thanksgiving shopping list and the girls made a game of whose store had the best price for each item. Whoever "won" with the best price wrote it on their list. We will finish tomorrow and I’ll type it all up on my pooter for an early morning shopping trip Saturday. We were so tired and the girls just got slaphappy. The competition for having the best prices became ridiculous and we laughed till we cried. I thought we were just working on a much-needed system for catering (and for us) but it was a hoot!
Hopefully, the mess will be gone tomorrow and we can reward ourselves this weekend. This consumed our lives this week but most of it’s my fault for having accumulated so much without sifting through and purging each season. We have 3 boxes of just snow boots we get to bless others with not to mention a boatload of coats! I didn’t know we had all this! It will be so much easier in the future – I just wished we had taken care of this a long time ago.
Learn from me! Share your stuff and save your sanity!
Hugs!

Taming of the Shrew

Comments about the play my daughters were in – very cool:
Beth (one of the actor’s wife) brought the homeschool co-op group that she teaches, they are reading and discussing "Shrew"
I thought you all might like to read their comments.....these young folks are12-17 yrs of age.
Renee'
Here are the comments my class made about The Taming of the Shrew for Becky:
I never thought that I would like Shakespeare. When we saw the play, it came to life - it was real. It was cool. Thank you for making the play so great.
~ Zac
We went to see The Taming of the Shrew on the 17th of October. I enjoyed it thoroughly. There was so much energy. After reading the play, I was unsure of what the couple thought about the whole scene. After seeing the play, I knew exactly what everybody thought of everything. Thank you very much.
~ Zach
I loved your play (The Taming of the Shrew). It was my favorite play that I have ever seen. It was funny, romantic, and great. It’s just too awesome for words. My favorite character was Kate. She just played the part perfect. I was a little unsure about it being set in the 50’s. But it was great. It actually made me feel like I was there. Everybody was just fantastic. Oh, and I loved the dancing at the end with the disco ball!
~ Rosie
I very much enjoyed seeing The Taming of the Shrew. The cast was wonderful! Seeing it helped me understand the play much better. I was also very happy that we could come at a discount. Again I thank you for the wonderful experience. As I have been reading The Taming of the Shrew, I didn’t realize how funny it was. Biondella was one of my favorites! Keep up the great work.
~ Mahriah
We went to see The Taming of the Shrew on the 17th of October. It was the best play I have ever seen! I loved how you got such good actors. Lucentio and Grumio were the most funny. I hope everyone loved it as much as my class did. Thank you for making such a wonderful play.
~ Cassidy
Watching the play was much more vibrant than reading the book. It was a lot easier to study the play after watching it. The actors were all really good. My favorite part was the danger of the food flying around at Petruchio’s house! I enjoyed the experience a lot. Thanks.
~ Lucas
We are grateful for the performance of The Taming of the Shrew. As a class we went to a showing. It was fantastic to actually see the play. We have been studying the play and absolutely adored how enthusiastic the actors were. They looked so happy to be performing. It is great to follow the story and see it. Thanks for having a school performance. I hope to see another

performance soon. I loved how humorous the entire play was. I laughed until the tears came. It is great to see the actors taking their parts to the next level. Biondella and Grumio were always moving or doing something hilarious. Kate and Petruchio were fantastic in their conversations. Each character helped bring out the best in the play.
~ Katie
Thank you very much for the great performance of The Taming of the Shrew on the 17th of October. It was great. All the actors acted like they were having a good time. The tickets were affordable and that made it fun. The set design was well done. In a little while, we are doing a play for my family and the set gave me some ideas! Everyone working there seemed very friendly. Thank you again.
~ Caitlin
We went to see The Taming of the Shrew on the 17th of October and it was so cool! The actors were great! They did a great job performing it in the 1950’s. The set and props were awesome! My favorite character was Kate - she did a great job performing her feelings. Thanks a lot for everything!
~ Tacy
As a homeschooling parent and teacher of a Shakespeare class at our Co-op, I can’t tell you how much I appreciated the opportunity to take my kids/ students to the school performance of The Taming of the Shrew at RCT. Being exposed to theatre in general is so important for kids, but it is essential when studying Shakespeare. RCT gave my students a chance to see a wonderful, high quality Shakespearean production close to home. It was a valuable educational experience and a really fun afternoon as well! Thanks again and keep up the good work. ~ Beth

Our closests overfloweth

Well…we have worked with only breaks and the end-of-day meltdown but our house is still a wreck. We did, however, remove 2 trunkloads of excess clothing and shoes to be shared with others as they have been shared with us. I told the girls they could have a garage sale Saturday if the weather permits but after that, everything goes! Somewhere, I don’t care where. But, hopefully, to someone who needs them.
Even though we’re up to our eyeballs in sorting, I find myself in the mindset and "heartset" appropriate for Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for the abundance! We DO NOT have the finances necessary to dress our kiddos in even the cheapest clothes but, yet, God fits them in pretty snazzy attire. My spunky, funky 13 y.o. seems to have a steady flow of the necessary items for her personality. Though I have 4 girls in a row, then 4 boys, they don’t all share the same build. I thought I would be able to pass stuff on down the line but, NOOO, my oldest boy is thin, the next on husky. The oldest girl is full-figured and short like me, the next girl tall and thin. But wouldn’t you know God was all over that the whole time? Whenever we have lacked what we needed, we either prayed and waited or went out a bought the needed pair of jeans or snow boots. But you know what would show up either way? The needed pair of jeans or snow boots. And if we had not trusted God to provide and went shopping, do you know what our Abba would do? Make sure his stuff was better than our stuff.
I was going to post pics of our mess and blessings but itty bit woke up so I’ll have to do that another time. I figured I’m not the only one who’d like to see someone else’s house a wreck! LOL!
While I’m here, may I direct you to homeschoolingmommaof4’s Blog?
She’s having a 155,000 Clicks Giveaway Celebration giveaway!
Congratulations, JoAnn!
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolingmommaof4/
Well, I’ve posted 2 days in a row. Maybe I have found a time slot that works for baby and me. We’ll try again tomorrow night and see if we can’t keep the ball rolling!
God bless!

Santa - watch your mouth

Santas warned 'ho ho ho' offensive to women – see link for ridiculous details:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071115/wl_asia_afp/lifestyleaustraliachristmasoffbeat

The Seasonal Switchover – The real reason October is scary.

Every mom of many must go through the same thing I do when the weather changes from hot to cold then back to hot again. It’s been the same thing for years. It’s called…freaking out. This just takes over your house! I’m WAY behind this fall. I usually have it done by the end of October.
I know there are some noble folk out there who don’t keep anything; they just give away outgrown clothes and trust God for the next season’s replacements. We DO trust God for outfitting our crew but we also feel led to be frugal and recycle. SO, that means packing and unpacking clothes for 13 people. I pray for faith to move this mountain of clothes! Sometimes I wish we just unloaded the clothes every fall and spring but, on the other hand, I’d still have the character flaw of sentimentality to contend with. Isabelle is wearing outfits her 19 y.o. sister wore! Why did I keep those? I’m not talking about 2 or 3; I’m talking about a box-full! They’re just so adorable and the memories attached, well, I’m still learning this world is not my home. Moth and rust HAVE destroyed so I’m getting it, don’t worry.

So, anyhoo, HOW TO SURVIVE THE SEASONAL SWITCHOVER:

1. No cardboard boxes. Use Rubbermaid containers or the like. Cheap plastic cracks, especially if you have to store your stuff in an attic or outside storage shed like us and if it has other containers stacked on top of it. If you must store clothes, you can’t afford to NOT invest in appropriate containers. Examples of cardboard box storage fatalities: a.) Storage roof leaked – major mold – 5 boxes pitched b.) Cats found a way into storage, used several boxes for litterboxes, gave birth in one c.) Bees built hive in large wardrobe box – that was fun… SO, please trust me on this, NO CARDBOARD. Plastic bags rip and spill all over – don’t even think about those.
2. Pack freshly washed and dry clothes. Try to have several major laundry days prior to the switchover so you have most everything ready to pack.
3. We keep 3-4 "season neutral" outfits out at all times. These are clothes that would be comfortable to wear during that transitional weather. Something one can stay cool in if it’s warm but throw on a jacket if it gets cold. These are worn during those laundry prep days (in theory) so you don’t have to wait for the stuff to be packed to get through the wash.
4. Clear your schedule and forget about school for 2 or 3 days. Plan on breaks and rewards for getting the job done. Weather permitting, we’re going Letterboxing!
5. Bring in your containers. All of them. Just bite the bullet and line your hallways, dining room, wherever you have bare walls. We’re also bringing in the coats, the boots, mittens and scarves; there’s a ton of stuff to go through. While you’re sorting clothes, kids can be trying on coats, etc.
6. Line up the clothing containers in birth order. I start with the youngest and let the older ones take care of their own.
7. We also set up 1 or 2 folding tables in the living room to sort on. We empty all shelves and drawers and pile everything in birth order
8. Because I’m OCD about outfits being matched, kids' clothes 10 and under are put away matched and packed matched. No pants drawer and shirt drawer. We have outfits, pajamas, socks & underwear. That’s how I pack so when it’s time to unpack again, it’s ready to go on the shelf.
9. We try to keep just what will fit on the shelf or in the drawer. It’s hard when so many kind people give us some great items but I’m learning to "GROC" with more frequency. GROC is our own invention. We have a Get Rid Of Can. SO, GROC is a noun and a verb. "GROC it!" is heard a lot during the Switchover.
10. Back to switching- unpack child’s clothes, put away.
11. Sort through their to-pack pile getting rid of (GROC-ing) excess and outgrown items; pack clothes.
12. Repeat for each child.
13. Don’t forget yourself – I did this one year-extra time was needed to repeat this process for the mama.
14. DON’T CLOSE THE LIDS! I leave the containers lined up with the lids behind them for 2 or 3 days until I feel that everything needing packed has made it through the wash. You KNOW if you pack the containers too soon, clothes are going to turn up that needed packed!
15. While you're going through this process, kids can be given missions. Make a checklist or just have them report in when they don’t know what to do next. Missions can be: try on coats and hang up what fits & get rid of excess, find mittens and scarves and put in pocket (we use a door-hanging pocket shoe organizer for mittens and scarves in the winter/swimsuits in the summer), clean out from under beds to look for lost clothes and shoes – same for closets, pack sandals, try on shoes, etc.
16. Ready to close the lids? Throw in 2 or 3 dryer sheets before you do. This will keep critters out. At least mice. When my FIL purchased a camper, he was told to stash dryer sheets all over the camper when closing it up for winter to keep the mice out. It also keeps the clothes smelling fresh and clean so they can go right back on their shelves or in the drawers next season.
17. A word on promoting. Promoting is what we call it when something gets outgrown and is given to the next sibling. When it’s time to promote, the tag or other visible spot on the waistband or collar is given a slash or dot. The boys get slashes and girls get dots. When my 12 y.o. boy outgrows a shirt, a slash is added to the slash he already had and and it goes to the next boy. This way, we can keep track of what belongs to whom. Promotions tend to happen during the unpacking and I sometimes assign the "dotting" to someone or let the child dot their own clothes.

There you have it. If anyone else would like to add their recommendations for this, DO SHARE!
HTH
GOD BLESS!.

Structured Flexibility

We don't "do" Halloween but I thought this was funny:

I can’t believe I’m awake. The baby has nursed back to sleep. Isabelle has NOT awakened in a screaming fit (a regular occurrence these days), and none of the other youngins have stood by my bed and stared at me from six inches away until I wake up to tell me they’re scawad (scared). Nope, it had to be a cat. 3:15am. I’m awake because of a stupid cat meowing to get in its bathroom. We have 3 cats, Tiger, Buster, and Akala, who, if they’re not partying, are chasing each other across the hardwood floors all night SO they get put to bed for the night just like everybody else. Three different girls are responsible for each cat so I know WHO to wake up when I get woke up because THEY have forgotten. I can’t find the meowing culprit so I don’t know who to wake up. I’m pretty sure it’s Akala but I can’t find the cat. Anyhoo, I’m awake so I thought I’d stop in to say hi.

We have a full life. So full, I don’t get to blog like I want, as I’ve mentioned before, and I really miss it. I’m trying to figure out a time or way to make this happen and I’ve been trying to get up before Isaiah gets up for his morning nursing (this is TOO early). I was getting up at about 5:30 for the last couple of weeks but was puttering around getting dressed, etc. trying to figure out my routine then daylight savings kicked in. Well, it kicked in for everybody but Isaiah. He was getting up between 6am and 6:30am. He’s getting up between 5am and 5:30…of course. I have determined our lifestyle includes “night owl” activity whether it be school, hospitality, or, in the near future, catering, so getting up at 4 or 4:30 is asking a lot of my already worn out bod. I’ve tried getting up with him to nurse while typing but it’s such a pain with one hand, literally, and I am suppose to wear that brace while I’m on the keyboard.

That being said, it’s time for catch-up: The Tapestry of Grace curriculum is a very jam-packed course of study, for those who haven’t seen it. It was a big hairy deal for us to invest in it after 16 years of homeschooling with me writing most of our unit studies. My DH asked me before our purchase if my pride was ready to use something that I didn’t write. He knows there was a time I felt I had to be AMAZING MOM and make all these amazing things happen in our home. Well, wisdom is not attained easily and I have learned that there’s nothing amazing about getting fried and wandering aimlessly through academia and not enjoy it.

Part of my problem is all the housekeep involved with a big family. I could spend hours in the laundry room alone. If I get sidetracked by cleaning or folding, it can be afternoon when we start school! Then I have to crash and burn for an afternoon nap because a child, or cat, woke me up in the night in addition to the regular feeding of my baby boy.

I wake up, it’s time to think about dinner and, ugh, the time gets away from me.

The TOG manual warns that there’s a 4-week-fog newbies go through when first starting this overwhelming curriculum. I have a feeling ours will be a 4-month-fog. When we started, I said we’re going to take it slow and take 2 weeks to do the first week. Wouldn’t you know it took 4 weeks for us to do one? Of course, we started in the midst of the performance of Taming of the Shrew, which included helping painting sets and late nights. This week, we haven’t done much out of the curriculum, mostly math, phonics, etc. It’s so hard to not get discouraged but Craig and I have found that if it takes us 2 years to get into a routine with this, we’re not the first and there’s so much in one year, it could hardly be considered “behind.” We are definitely in the “other” category with educational style. We’re “structured unschooling” or "rigid flexibility" as my DH would call it.

Today, we’ll finally paint those salt dough maps we started 3 weeks ago. Before or after HS drama troupe? We’ll just have to wait and see.
A-HA! It IS Akala. Jillian is so dead.

Enjoy this cuteness:

Meet "EYEBROW MAN"! He's been called that and "Judah-man" a la "You da man" since he was born.

Isaiah has been dubbed "CT" because when he's not smiling, these huge eyes make him look paranoid. SO... CT - Conspiracy Theory.

Isabelle, the cyclops.

Isn't she a princess?
God Bless you on this beeyootiful Autumn day!

When I'm Broke, I'm Broke!!!

No time to blog right now - I need to run my 4 y.o. to the chiropracter. But enjoy the following while I'm gone:


A little old lady answered a knock on the door one day, only to be
confronted by a well-dressed young man carrying a vacuum cleaner.
"Good morning," said the young man. "If I could take a couple of
minutes of your time, I would like to demonstrate the very latest in
high-powered vacuum cleaners." "Go away," said the old lady. "I
haven't got any money, I'm broke!" As she proceeded to close the
door, the young man wedged his foot in the door and pushed wide open.
"Don't be too hasty," he said. "Not until you have at least seen my
demonstration." And with that, he emptied a bucket of horse manure on
to her hallway carpet. "If this vacuum cleaner does not remove all traces of this
horse
manure from your carpet, Madam, I will personally eat the remainder.
The old lady stepped back and said, "Well I hope you've got a darn
good appetite, because they cut off my electricity this morning."
What part of broke do you not understand?

Pray for Amy

Amy has been told there's nothing else they can do:

http://wilhoite.blogspot.com/2007/06/beginning-of-end.html

Lift her up in prayer.

Cliffhangers

Now where was I? Oh, yeah. The "No, I understand you're going out of town but we just can't send one of our helpers to the location that you gave me in such succinct detail it would be impossible to miss it to retrieve and hold in the office your daughter's photography record sheet until your friend comes to drop off your projects for you." And I quote, "I pledge my HEAD to clearer thinking, my HEART to greater loyalty, my HANDS to larger service, and my HEALTH to better living, for my club, my community, my country, and my world." EXCUSE ME? Am I not part of the community? Are we thinking clearly here? "Ma'am, it would be better if the record sheet and project were kept together." Yes, I understand that. That's why I called. It was left in the bag my daughter's drawing was in and she accidentally left it in there. We are leaving for a convention in Columbus, Ohio and need to leave." ""Sorry, can't help ya." Larger service? I gotta tell ya (excuse my grammar, or lack thereof), my HEALTH was compromised greatly that day as I zoomed BACK to the fairgrounds, then BACK to my friend's house to keep the form with her color prints (which got CHAMPION for her age group, BTW), then BACK home to finish loading the camper and van then zooming off ALL while trying to maintain the PROPER attitude. I know you know what I mean. Natalie already felt bad enough and I confess, I threatened to turn around and go home at one point, I was so stressed. I did apologize, however. It was, yet, another growth opportunity for mommy. Those are so fun.

I'll finish catching up later - these days, I blog while feeding baby and he is done. (I took so long to get back to this because I kept hoping for time to type w/ 2 hands. Yea, right! Forgive my procrastination and for not pledging my head to clearer thinking.

I leave you with some of those Champion photos that so desperately needed that form kept with them:













Hugs in Him!


Sorry to leave ya hanging like that. I had to stop, drop, and sleep! We were that tired.

Didja miss me?

Well, it's been quite awhile since I've been here. It's been a whirlwind of activity and I haven't had a moment to tap away. I don't know if anyone grieved my absence but I sure missed being here and hope I won't be gone that long again.

Right now, I am coming to you, LIVE, from Columbus, Ohio after wrapping up a tremendous half-week at the Christian Home Educators of Ohio convention. WOOT! What a blessed time we had. Our adventure began with elevated blood pressure and a frenzy of activity, though. Just trying to recall all that has transpired in the past weeks causes me to get confused as to where to begin. Plus, I'm so tired, I'm sure I'll come back and read this later and wonder if I was the actual author or if one of my children played a practical joke on my blog.

Anyhoo, I will probably be doing some retroactive blogging to catch up if for no other reason than to put in order the recent events that have caused my current state of volatality.

Real quick, before I crash and burn, I will bullet events I remember from the past couple of weeks:

• Work on 4-H projects
• Make cake for Civic Theater Awards
• Work on 4-H projects
• Do all laundry so we can pack for trip and kids at home have clothes to wear
• Work on 4-H projects
• Turn down "opportunity" to make Black icing wedding cake with red roses for pirate themed wedding in high humidy weather - yikes!
• Work on 4-H projects
• Discover that Creative Memories will not be represented in the homeschool convention vendor hall. Inquire to see if it's too late to get in on this.
• Work on 4-H projects
• Reconsider 4-H as a positive experience for our family
• Work on 4-H projects
• Nervously mail in check to reserve booth at convention - first- time vendors.
• Father's Day get-together at FIL's, bring home his camper to borrow for homeschool convention
• Work on 4-H projects
• Pack for trip, plan schudule and menus for both those staying and those going.
• Pack camper
• Wed- deliver 4-H projects to 4-H frenzy fairgrounds, drop off photography projects at friend and upline's and borrow product for booth
• Realize Natalie left record sheet in bag at fairgrounds
  Get Home, call fairgrounds to see if someone can retrieve and hold Record Sheet in office. Big fat no...
• AND...I'll finish the saga later. I must needs sleep.....

Those Were The Days

Another good onel:

Comments made in the year 1955:

"I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it's
going to be impossible to buy a week's groceries for $20."

"Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won't be long
before $2000 will only buy a used one."


"If cigarettes keep going up in price, I'm going to quit. A quarter a
pack is ridiculous."


"Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to
mail a letter?"


"If they raise the minimum wage to $1, nobody will be able to hire
outside help at the store."?


"When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday
cost 29 cents a gallon. Guess we'd be better off leaving the car in the
garage."


"Kids today are impossible. Those duck tail hair cuts make it impossible
to stay groomed. Next thing you know, boys will be wearing their hair as
long as the girls."

"I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more. Ever since they let
Clark Gable get by with saying '****' in 'Gone With The Wind,' it seems
every new movie has either "hell" or "****" in it.

"I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a
man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows
they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas ."

"Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for
$75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn't surprise me if someday
they'll be making more than the president."

"I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances would be
electric. They are even making electric typewriters now."

"It's too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married
women are having to work to make ends meet."


"It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone
to watch their kids so they can both work."


"Marriage doesn't mean a thing any more; those Hollywood stars seem to
be getting divorced at the drop of a hat."


"I'm just afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole
lot of foreign business."

"Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government takes
half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best
people to congress."


"The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I seriously
doubt they will ever catch on."


"There is no sense going to Lincoln or Omaha anymore for a weekend. It
costs nearly $15 a night to stay in a hotel."


"No one can afford to be sick any more; $35 a day in the hospital is too
rich for my blood."


"If they think I'll pay 50 cents for a hair cut, forget it."

Carpal Tunnel

Yep, I have the beginnings of Repetitive Stress Injury a.k.a. Carpal Tunnel. So, my DH has been closely watching over my shoulder to make sure I'm not making it worse by, duh, blogging. Repetitive Procrastination Disorder doesn't help with keeping my posts current. Besides the good news my chiropractor gave me about this annoying tingling, pins and needles down my arm and fingers, x-rays revealed that I don't have the curve in my neck like normal folk. So, now traction and weird exercises for that commence. I still have pregnancy rash though Isaiah is now 10-weeks old and we are looking into the possibility of Candida or some such condition. And for the first time, instead of losing weight after having a baby, I gained. I'm really not whining. I know it could be worse. I've just been amazed at how fast a body can fall apart!


I'm sure birthing 11 children has contributed to my body's ailments but spiritually, emotionally, the kiddos keep me young. It just seems like my body doesn't "fit" me. How can I play mud football when my hip hasn't recovered from playing 5 years ago? How can I crawl around on the floor with my toddlers when I might get stuck there? Well, I'll just keep looking to the Great Physician for healing and strength. Good grief - I have at least 18 more years of homeschooling! I can't get old, yet!


Okay, this time, some of Corinne's way cool photos from her Color Prints 4-H project:





Anybody can take a picture of a flower.



Remember snow?


Corinne's clone, Autumn, watering the flowers.


The viewer is mesmerized by Isabelle being mesmerized...


TOODLES!

Kersplash!

I watched Poseidon last night with the girls and couldn't help but think that I saw this week coming like a rogue wave and tried to take evasive action but you don't get enough time to turn your tub around!

We had our friends from NC in Sunday - Tuesday, Luau to have friends in to visit w/ NC friends on Monday, Craig left for Wisconsin on Tuesday, Lenae took Jillian to pottery class, I had training on Memory Manager in Muncie on Tuesday evening, Wednesday was a dentist appointment for half of us, pottery again, and yesterday, I refused to leave the house but my mom came over for half the day.

Okay, that's just logistics. We saw the wave of activity coming but did not anticipate the height or weight that was to hit. Emotions from our friends being here then leaving, I've been sick due to my diverticulosis for a couple of weeks and it's getting worse (yee haw), I have a cake to do this weekend (but that will be fun), 4-H meeting today (more minis than regular 4-H - it's nuts), and I'm suppose to have a crop today. Oh, and not to mention the personal, emotional stuff that families have that I can't mention here but I'm sure you have "stuff," too.

It doesn't end there! A grad party Sunday - should be fun, FINALLY, a new roof next week, not fun but a blessing, we have 3 birthdays in June, Father's Day, and the homeschool convention which we are camping in my FIL's camper during so it's a double whammy. Oh, and of course, 4-H fair the same week as the convention. (Does anybody else regret 4-H every year and swear it's the last year?) AND, we are schooling through the summer since we took off around birth of baby.

Whew, baby! I'm tired just thinking about it. I'm seriously considering taking out a loan to buy "disposable" clothes from the thrift store so we can just wear and toss.

Philosophy

No time to blog! House full of people in a few hours. But a friend emailed me this and it's too good to not share:

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:

1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.

2) When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.

3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.

4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.

5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food.6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.

7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.

8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.

9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.

10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap.

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:

1) Raising teenagers is like nailing Jell-O to a tree.

2) Wrinkles don't hurt.

3) Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few nuts.

4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.

5) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside.

6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy.

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD

1) Growing up is mandatory; growing old is optional.

2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.

3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're down there.

4) You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster.

5) It's frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.

6) Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician.

7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.

THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:

1) You believe in Santa Claus.

2) You don't believe in Santa Claus.3) You are Santa Claus.

4) You look like Santa Claus.

SUCCESS:

At age 4 success is . . . . not peeing in your pants.
At age 12 success is . . . having friends.
At age 16 success is . . . having a drivers license.
At age 35 success is . . . having a big mortgage.
At age 55 success is . . . having no mortgage.
At age 70 success is . . . having friends.
At age 75 success is . . . having a drivers license.
At age 80 success is . . . not peeing in your pants.

Always remember to forget the troubles that pass your way; BUT NEVER forget the blessings that come each day.
Have a wonderful day with many *smiles*

ANTICIPATION

We learned a long time ago that the waiting is just as important and enjoyable as the getting there and, in fact, adds to the gratification of whatever it is you have arrived at. Most folks understand how to relish the preparations that are involved in celebrating holidays but the F-Troop believes that any activity or event can be just as memorable by adding a little excitement to the time period preceding said event. Whether it be home improvements, a unit study, going to Home Fellowship, or waiting to see friends, getting ready is exhilarating.
At the moment, we are awaiting the arrival of our long lost friends, the Buchanans. They moved away several years ago and miss them dearly. We also miss Mick’s answering machine messages. (Examples of messages: "The Fechers…going boldly where no family has gone before…" "Fechers, Meet the Fechers…"sung to the Flintstones tune. "Here’s the story of a lovely family…" Brady Bunch, of course. And the one I have yet to forgive Mick for as he made the call 2 days after the 9-11 tragedy and used a heavy accent: "My name is Indigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." The only part I understood was the "prepare to die" part. I thought, for a split second, that terrorists were now using telemarketing techniques to freak citizens out. I was freaked out but embarrassed when I was told it was just Mick.)
Anyhoo, we have been cleaning and cooking and looking forward to their arrival. The anticipation level has been raised a couple of notches as they were supposed to come last weekend but a death at their church caused them to postpone their vacation. To add to it, we have no clue as to when they are due to arrive. For weeks, the kids, even the ones that don’t know them (a few born after thet left), have been asking "how many more days?" Today, it’s been a constant "have we heard anything?" Benjamin has prayed for the years since they left that we would get to see them. We went to visit them awhile back but that wasn’t enough; Ben has continued to pray they would come here and that Jake, his buddy, would get to stay with us.
Now that I say that, prayer can add to the expectation as answered prayer causes one to celebrate and praise God for loving us and providing for us the blessings of family, friends, and memories made with them.
Anticipating sweet fellowship (and the boys undoing all of our cleaning).

The OTHER curriculum style

When I first signed onto HomschoolBlogger, I was asked to choose my curriculum style for my profile. I chuckled at the "Other" option as I thought to myself, "What on earth could the ‘Others’ be teaching and how?" Is it like the movie, "The Others," where Nicole Kidman’s character thinks her house is haunted but finds out it’s not her house that’s haunted? Her whole world was rocked when she became aware of the shocking truth that SHE was the visiting OTHER (I usually avoid ghosty movies but I was trapped in a hospital room and this was SO interesting). Are the "other" homeschoolers under the assumption they know what they are doing but then, one day, really figure it out and have to start over?
So, I started to check classical but that wasn’t right because we throw in unit studies here and there. So, I started to check unit Studies but that’s not right either because we use text books for certain subjects. I used to think unschoolers were a bad lot because the only ones I knew or heard of were doing NOTHING to teach their children ANYTHING. I have since met others and have learned more and realize we do a bit of "delight directed studies"ourselves. So, as I pondered being identified as unschoolers, I realized that after 15 years of homeschooling, I still don’t know what the heck I’m doing! WE ARE OTHERS! We do a little bit of everything, sometimes organized, sometimes not. I read about teaching each of my children according to their learning style and am tempted to throw them on the big yellow monster! I don’t care what the experts say; there are NOT 4 basic learning styles. At our house, there are 11, not including the parents.
Is there anyone out there who can describe what the "Other" homeschool means at their house? I was recently informed that I’m considered a "veteran homeschooler" but that doesn’t mean I don’t still need encouraged. I’m still learning and am new to homeschooling my younger bunch.
Would you look at that! Another benefit of large families; you experiment on the first 3 then the rest will be geniuses. (JK, kiddos – you older ones are a pretty clever band of smarty-pants).

I IS STUPID

I just heard on the radio why I go stupid when I have a baby. I understand the prenatal problems – pregnant brain rot – but why can’t I get it together after having a baby? And why does it get worse after each child?
Well, I just heard the results of a study in some European country (I just heard this report and have already forgotten the country). It seems that love causes people to do weird things and lose concentration. Fairly intelligent people lose concentration when shown photos of loved ones.
I AM IN SO MUCH TROUBLE! An amazing husband, 11 beautiful, awesome children, throw in a wonderful church family, great extended family, and being surrounded by friends and I just don’t stand a chance of ever being intelligent again. To add to the problem, I’m a part of the scrapbooking cult so I constantly have photos of loved ones in front of me so concentration is out the window. (My DD did just point out the fact, though, that I have so many loved ones running around, my concentration is constantly being interrupted by them.)
I have also heard of another study that shows certain chemicals are released each time you have a child that make you MORE intelligent. Why does God do that? Give you the potential for genius but then causes you to love so much it hurts and you lose rational and just go half-witted.
I know it’s happening to me: Lots of things like I can’t remember what day it is day-to-day, I feel confused and in a daze, I use to know ins-and-outs of current politics but now I just tell my husband to tell me who to vote for, and, the biggest confirmation…I’m starting to like the dog.

The Dog Next Door

Our neighbors must hate us. We don’t cause trouble. We keep the lawn mowed. We’re friendly. The music isn’t loud. Okay, sometimes we crank it for housecleaning purposes, but we are decent neighbors to have. Except for our dog. As I type, the pathetic whine of our basset hound is causing an irritation that can be compared to poison sumac of the eardrum. We are trying to teach him that he cannot come in until he’s quiet. I figure if my 6-month-old babies can learn that about getting out of the playpen, that dumb dog can at least learn to shut up. I swore we’d never have an indoor dog but we have a pet that proves evolution is only a theory and COULD NOT survive entirely out-of-doors.
I had a nice day as Mondays go; 7 loads of laundry, Luau dishes almost done, working on new homeschool management software, my DH took me out to Red Lobster – a very nice day! But I had to come home to that whimpering dog and it just made me want to throw rocks at him! "Do everything without complaining…" "Give thanks in all circumstances…" I’m thankful for shrimp. I’m thankful for my Neptune washer and dryer. I’m thankful Lenae gets to go to the neighbor’s and learn how to move a swarm and I pray she continues to work with bees without becoming allergic. I’m thankful Isaiah was so happy all through dinner (and, of course, fun to show off). I’m thankful dogs don’t live forever. There – I’m back to the right Christian attitude.

Kudos to my Kiddos!

My daughters are awesome! We pulled off Memoranza and had a great time doing it. The ladies were so tickled to be treated like it was THEIR day and it was mostly due to the hard work and big hearts of my four lovely daughters. Isabelle and Autumn were with us, too, and added to the day by making appearances and being adorable. Autumn helped with the cooking, as well. You know, "can I stir?" "Can I sprinkle the nuts?" At 3, she has started learning how to cook and how to be a part of the party. All of our kids love to be in the kitchen and don’t do too bad of a job cleaning up…for kids. I better stick to how awesome they are! They are the ones that insisted on serving smoothies and NOT having little paper umbrellas in the glasses was unthinkable! We couldn’t just serve fruit in a bowl; the fruit had to be skewered and stuck in a pineapple. I enjoy doing all this stuff, too, and that’s where they learned it, but I spend much of my days taking care of a newborn and could not have pulled it off without them.

To Stress Or Not To Stress

I want to cater when I grow up. I love to cook, entertain,
organize, fellowship, and make people feel special. Our
whole family prefers to be in the kitchen and to partAY.
We delight in celebrating and the preparations that go
into the gala. We have prayed about and discussed for some
time God’s leading toward a family catering business as a
learning/growing-together/blessing-others experience with
the added benefit of extra income, but I really thought it
would be years for this to come to fruition. This past
December, after our traditional Leftovers Party (see, we
celebrate anything), my DH informed me that he has been
sensing the Lord nudging him and that we are suppose to
start into this venture sooner rather than later. So there
I was, pregnant with #11, wondering how I can keep up with
laundry much less homeschool, and we’re suppose to start a
home business?! Which is not really a home business, BTW,
because here in Indiana, a licensed caterer’s cuisine must
be prepared in an approved commercial kitchen and I can’t
stand the idea of having to leave the house to do one more
thing.
Don’t get me wrong. I WANT to cater or do something similar
someday like a scrapbook retreat center – catering AND
scrapbooking – now that’s dreaming. BUT, I have an issue,
at least one, that I thought I needed to overcome before
even thinking about a family business. I stress. I freak
out. We approach the deadline and I tend to start yelling,
barking orders, I get so overwhelmed with my to-do list, I
don’t know where to begin so I go to the laundry room and
fold then I’m up until 2am trying to get everything done.
There’s NO WAY I’m ready to cater.
So, here I am, the day before my Memoranza scrapbooking
event, not getting anything done because I "have" to nurse
this adorable baby, and the thought occurs to me that, in
the same way I could NEVER have been "ready" to be a mom
of 11 without going through the process of BECOMING, I can’t
"get ready" to do anything God wants be to do. I can be
willing, but I don’t know what it takes until I exercise
the muscles necessary to be strong for the task.
So, today I’m exercising my patience muscle. I am remembering that I don’t stop being a mommy just because scrapbookers are coming tomorrow. We started the day with
family prayer and my goal is for us to have fun getting
ready, not to have everything ready. I’m mindful that if
I don’t have everything ready by tomorrow, it’s not my
kids’ fault so I should not let loose on them. I’m also
learning to not micro-manage and to bask in my children’s
willingness to help and they’re creativity. I WANT to make
the Hawaiian Meatballs, but my girls can cook just as well
as me (in most things ;o)). I WANT to prep the Flip-Flop
Make-It & Take-Its, but Natalie enjoys doing that, is good
at it, and it’s one less thing I have to worry about. For
some reason, I feel like I should be the one to run out to
get more bananas for the Tiki Bar Smoothies, but Lenae can
drive! Perhaps I’m a little OCD. Whatever it is, I believe
God is doing His Thing in me again because I really am off
schedule on our menu flow sheet and prep countdown checklist
and would normally be having a meltdown. But, instead, I’m
feeding my sweet baby and telling you all about it. Well,
I’ve made myself accountable so I’ll let you know if I make
it through the day.
Hugs!

Mystery Vaccines?

This wouldn't have a whole lot to do with our homeschooling family except that I have 5 sons who may want to go into the military someday AND we have had issues with vaccines for some time AND we are American and care deeply about what goes on in our country and to our nation's service men and women AND I'm holding my 5-week-old son as I type one-handed, watching him smile in his sleep and praying his precious body is never violated like this. Read 'em and weep...

Click here or read below if the click has lost its click: http://www.wlwt.com/news/13271378/detail.html

Former Marine Claims Illness From Mystery Vaccine Military Source Believes Experimental Shots May Have Been Given

POSTED: 3:03 pm EDT May 7, 2007 CLERMONT COUNTY, Ohio -- Target 5 has discovered that an alarming number of U.S. troops are having severe reactions to some of the vaccines they receive in preparation for going overseas.

"This is the worst cover-up in the history of the military, said an unidentified military health officer who fears for his job.

A shot from a syringe is leaving some U.S. servicemen and women on the brink of death.

"When the issue, I believe, of the use of the vaccine comes out, I believe it will make the Walter Reed scandal pale in comparison," said the health officer.

Lance Corporal David Fey, 20, has dialysis three days a week. His kidneys are failing, his military career is over, and he feels like his country abandoned him.

"I can't look at my old pictures. I really can't," said Fey. "I start looking at my old pictures, and I start crying."

Fey grew up amid the farm fields of Clermont County.

"I never missed a day at school," he said. "I was never sick. I was never sick." A passion for sports and a sense of patriotism prompted the Blanchester High School athlete to join the Marines the day he turned 18.

"I looked at every branch, but I wanted the Marine Corps, because the Marine Corps was the few and the proud," said Fey.

Fey said he loved every minute of boot camp and combat training at 29 Palms in California. But on Nov. 28, 2005, his life would change forever. Fey was one of a group of Marines who lined up for an undisclosed shot.

"They asked us our name. We stood on these yellow footprints, and they gave us this shot, and we got the rest of the day off," he recalled. "After that shot, I started swelling up. I gained 30 pounds of water. My eyes swelled up where I couldn't see. I started snoring. I developed a rash on my hand."

Three weeks later, Fey was back in Clermont County on his death bed at Clinton Memorial Hospital. His kidneys were failing, and his body was so swollen that it left stretch marks.

"I would pray a lot," said Fey's mother, Cindy. "I would pray a lot, 'God take him.' When I couldn't hug my son because he would scream in pain or yell at me for touching him and stuff, I used to pray to God, 'just take him tonight.'"

Cindy Fey began pouring over medical records in search of answers. She said the shot was never listed in he son's medical records. The military claimed he never received a shot.

But as Target 5 discovered, the military's story would change.

The Department of Defense stated that "all service members' vaccinations are documented in the individual's permanent medical record." But Fey's military medical records revealed no shot on that day. Another Marine in Fey's unit told Target 5 that there is no shot listed in his medical records either and also said that the people who administered the shot never told his unit what it was.

When Cindy Fey called the U.S. Marine Hospital in 29 Palms to find out what kind of vaccine her son was given, she was told that the information was confidential.

Eleven months later, her son's medical records were mysteriously changed with a handwritten notation indicating that the mystery shot was a flu vaccine.

The military official who spoke to Target 5 on the condition of anonymity said that it was not surprising that nothing appeared originally in Fey's records.

"We have a lovely term for that," he said. "We call it C.Y.A. That's unfortunately an S.O.P. in the military."

Fey is one of a growing number of U.S. servicemen and women who are getting sick after receiving vaccines. And the highly praised Department of Defense medical officer who spoke with Target 5 said that the number is up in the thousands. The symptoms range from joint aches and pains and arthritic symptoms to death.

The Department of Defense said that it encourages "healthcare workers and vaccine recipients to report adverse (reactions) events." But the military never reported Fey's reaction to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the FDA.

"I see the way the propaganda and information war is waged against America's sons and daughters and how patients are treated who claim to be injured from a vaccine," said the unidentified health officer. "That's troubling. That should trouble America." The officer said those who have claimed to have had adverse reactions to shots are treated like it is all in their heads.

Asked whether servicemen and women are receiving experimental vaccines, the officer said, "I would hope to God not. But from what I've seen, I would have to say yes."

The Department of Defense maintains that the vaccines given to U.S. troops are safe.

Meanwhile, Fey is still waiting for a kidney transplant.

"My biggest wish -- just to get up and be without pain," he said. "To get up and just be happy again."

Fey's mother has been in contact with U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in an effort to receive some answers. Target 5 contacted Brown's office and received the following statement:

"My office is in frequent communication with the Marine Corps and the family, and we've requested answers to the family's specific questions. I have also assisted Mr. Fey in receiving his VA benefits for health care, service-connected disability, and education assistance. His mother has been a strong advocate on his behalf, and I look forward to continuing working with her to resolve outstanding issues. It is imperative that everything possible is done to keep the brave men and women serving in our military safe."

What Mothers Teach

In honor of Mother’s Day, enjoy the following if you haven’t already received this as one of those fun email forwards:
My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE. "If you’re going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."
My mother taught me RELIGION. "You better pray that will come out of the carpet."
My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL. "If you don’t straighten up, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week!"
My mother taught me LOGIC. "Because I said so, that’s why."
My mother taught me MORE LOGIC. "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you’re not going to the store with me."
My mother taught me FORESIGHT. "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident."
My mother taught me IRONY. "Keep crying; and I’ll give you something to cry about."
My mother taught me about the SCIENCE OF OSMOSIS. "Shut your mouth and eat your supper."
My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM. "Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"
My mother taught me about STAMINA. "You’ll sit there until all that spinach is gone."
My mother taught me about WEATHER. "This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."
My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY. "If I told you once, I’ve told you a million times, don’t exaggerate!"
My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE. "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."
My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION. "Stop acting like your father!"
My mother taught me ENVY. "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don’t have wonderful parents like you do."
My mother taught me ANTICIPATION. "Just wait until we get home."
My mother taught me about RECEIVING. "You are going to get it when you get home!"
My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE. "If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way."
My mother taught me ESP. "Put your sweater on; don’t you think I know when you are cold?"
My mother taught me HUMOR. "When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don’t come running to me."
My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT. "If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up."
My mother taught me GENETICS. "You’re just like your father."
My mother taught me about my ROOTS. "Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"
My mother taught me WISDOM. "When you get to be my age, you’ll understand."
And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE. "One day you’ll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you."
I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother’s Day.

ONE PERSON’S JUNK IS ANOTHER PERSON’S…IT’S STILL JUNK!

When we lived in Troy, Ohio, we had a garage sale and, if memory serves me correctly, did not do as well as we hoped. When we moved from Troy to Eaton, we transported boatloads of stuff that was to be put in a garage sale someday. We had a garage sale and the only stuff that really moved was the tacky rubbish my mom contributed. When we moved from Eaton to Richmond, we brought the same stuff and then some with us to put in another garage sale which never transpired after living here for 8 years. After re-reading Don Aslett’s Clutter’s Last Stand and moving on past my Fly-Lady baby steps, I started hauling everything to Goodwill and pitching. I was groomed by a professional pack rat so this has been quite the growing experience. I love my mom but she keeps everything! She’s getting there, though. She’s been getting rid of stuff, something that’s very hard for her, and me, to do. She’s more practical – "I might need it someday." I’m just sentimental – "Lenae wore that, and that, and that…" But the one thing from Mr. Aslett’s book that won’t leave me alone is where he states the truth that we spend so much time caressing our STUFF that we don’t have time to touch the people in our lives.
That being said, my daughters decided to have a garage sale. So I said, "Go ahead, but whatever’s left goes to Goodwill. No saving for the "next garage sale." Aren’t you proud of me? For the past 2 days, we have watched people come and take some of the weirdest stuff. We’ve learned what people want:
I use to put my designer clothes in garage sales, the ones from when I was a fashion major and wore a size 7. Nobody wanted them. They want the stained, faded, missing buttons, and/or torn clothes.
The stuff my kids bought at garage sales when they were small. Corinne bought a ceramic cat for $.25 when she was younger. She sold it today for a dollar. Junk appreciates.
The art kits they received as gifts that they never used did not sell. However, the baggies of "art supplies" that Natalie made up did.
Good clean toys did not sell near as well as the ones that are missing pieces, are broken, or that grew mildew after being in a leaky storage shed.
Some knew a good deal, though. My mom brought home tons of camouflage and hunting gear from my dad’s place in Kentucky after he died last May. Several fellas showed up with a determined look and you could tell SOMEBODY told them about this here garage sale with camo for sale! They made a beeline for that stuff.
So, back to stuff. It amazes me how we can accumulate SO MUCH! And it’s embarrassing to think we brought it into our lives, embraced it, wrapped our time and energy around it and made it apart of our family. Especially when it spent most of its life in a box in storage shed waiting to be worth 50 cents and sold in a garage sale. I could have started naming everything after relatives had I not finally figured out it’s just stuff!
On a positive note, I’ve decided to grow a dendrite or two so that whenever I see a garage sale, I’m reminded of Philippians 3:7, 8 and 13b & 14 – "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ… But one thing I do know: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

MOPS TESTIMONY

Yesterday was the last MOPS of the year. I have come across more than one person who has been living under a rock so in case anyone here has been as well, that stands for Mothers Of Preschoolers. Anyhoo, we had a "Tea and Testimony" and I was asked to share my testimony with no restrictions as to what to testify to. I did not realize until I was finished that there were only to be 2 of us sharing so I was bewildered and honored to have been asked. I had to follow a very passionate testimony, though, that had us all in tears. I deal by cutting up ‘cuz (we’z homeschooled) I don’t like to cry so the class clown had to follow the valedictorian of testimonies. It’s hers so I can’t share for her but her story is a testament to an amazing God.
Knowing most, if not all, of the members were curious about what "caused" us to have eleven children (was I dropped on my head as a child, do I know what "causes" that?, and I homeschool??), I focused my testimony on that little subject. I borrowed some of my material from earlier blogs so forgive the repeats. Here’s basically what I shared after a few examples of God’s provision in response to prayer (shoes, new oven, clothes, etc.):
20 years ago, if you had told me I would be homeschooling and have 11 children, I would have been ROTFLMBO. Not only did I have my future planned out, I knew I was destined to be a terrible parent due to my upbringing and therefore, should not be one. I lacked faith that I had a Father in Heaven who loved me dearly and had greater things planned for me than I could have ever dreamed. Just 4 short months after my 16-year-old brother died from a gun accident, I found myself an unmarried pregnant teenager and my whole world rocked. Right away, I felt that God was trying to get my attention and, though I had been told I was stupid, immature, and irresponsible my whole life, I knew He was telling me that right at that moment in time, I was mature, responsible, and smart enough to be a mommy. I had asked Christ to be my Savior when I was 16 but I had not made Him Lord of my life until that time. I needed Him desperately then and that desperate need has never diminished.
When Craig and I first sensed the conviction that God wanted us to trust Him with planning our family, it was not a difficult decision. We believed and still do believe children are a blessing, that God will provide, and that the Creator of the Universe might know something about family planning and what we can and cannot handle. Where I have struggled with most has been in what I can handle but God has proven faithful through the years. It’s when I come to the place that I can’t do it and I have nothing left that God reminds me that’s right where He wants me and can use me. I have to daily rely on His love, strength, creativity, and be listening for His Holy Nudges in order to be able to be a mom. You don’t have to be a mom of many to be busy or to need patience or to be organized or, or, or. Many Christian folk tell they couldn’t have a bunch of kids like me, they just don’t have the patience. If I’m on the ball, I’ll ask them if they have the Holy Spirit residing in them. After the funny look they give me, they say, "Well, yea."Then I ask them what the fruit of the spirit is. They usually know right away what I’m getting at. Galatians 5:22 &23 says, "But the fruit of the Sprit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control." If we have the Holy Spirit then it is Christ who gives us the patience with everything else we need to be a mommy. I am convicted that what I am doing as a mother is supernatural and has eternal value. I am always mindful that I carry the heavy responsibility of being the example my children will see the most of so I better be walking in the spirit. Verse 25 of Gal. 5 says, "Since we live by the Sprit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." Receiving God’s spirit is a gift but keeping in step with the Spirit is a choice we must make. It’s trusting He will provide and loving in faith even when the loving is hard that has enabled me to be committed to our family and not feel discouraged when I realize I will at least be homeschooling until 2025!We are enjoying youth group as God intended and together we are learning, celebrating, struggling, ministering together and making memories that are more precious than any career or church or school or club involvement could afford. I will have a season when other activities will be available to me but I intend to be busy as a grandma someday and helping young women in the fine art of mothering. To me, there is nothing more worthwhile that I could be doing.

Better not blog tonight...

Though I have a moment with free hands and could blog, I don’t want to tempt myself to whine so I respectfully submit the following:

A MOMMY’S INCARCERATION

Remember when Hillary Clinton likened stay-at-home mothering to slavery? Well, she did, if you miss that. I’ve decided that she was right. At 3:30 this morning, I could have been asleep. Isaiah is undergoing a growth-spurt which means it’s nurse-a-thon time and after hours of the nursing, burping, changing cycle, he was finally sleeping soundly. I was SO TIRED but, even though he was snoozing, he was keeping me awake! I was held hostage. I was being restrained and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Well, except take a picture.






Hillary was right; I’m being held prisoner and there is no place I’d rather be.

Retirement - just for fun

RETARDED GRANDPARENTS (this was actually reported by a teacher)

After Christmas, a teacher asked her young pupils how they spent
their holiday away from school. One child wrote the following:
We always used to spend the holidays with Grandma and Grandpa.
They used to live in a big brick house but Grandpa got retarded and they moved to Florida.
Now they live in a tin box and have rocks painted green to look like grass.
They ride around on their bicycles and wear name tags because they
don't know who they are anymore. They go to a building called a
wrecked center, but they must have got it fixed because it is all okay now,
and they do exercises there, but they don't do them very well. There is a
swimming pool too, but in it, they all jump up and down with hats on.
At their gate, there is a doll house with a little old man
sitting in it. He watches all day so nobody can escape.
Sometimes they sneak out.
They go cruising in their golf carts! Nobody there cooks, they
just eat out. And, they eat the same thing every night --- early birds.
Some of the people can't get out past the man in the doll house.
The ones who do get out, bring food back to the wrecked center for pot luck.
My Grandma says that Grandpa worked all his life to earn his
retardment and says I should work hard so I can be retarded someday too.
When I earn my retardment, I want to be the man in the doll house. Then I will let people out so they
can visit their grandchildren.
PRICELESS

What a deal!

Okay, this could have something to do with homeschooling, I suppose, I guess I could talk to my kids about stewardship but they’re pretty smart and it would be a short class. Heck, you don’t have to be "real" smart to figure out this price is a little steep and that you can’t take it with you. Just in case you didn’t hear about it, seeing is believing:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Dodge-Charger-Charger-R-T-The-General-Lee-by-Bo-Duke-himself-John-Schneider_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6199QQihZ015QQitemZ250108256198QQrdZ1
John Schneider’s General Lee went for $9,900,500.00. But it did say low monthly payments were available. Sorry y’all missed out on this one.

The weekend was gorgeous and we enjoyed a full weekend:
On Saturday, Lenae and I went to Keepers at Home, a gathering of women to benefit from the blessings of Titus 2, Craig took Benjamin to a 4-H shoot (not to shoot 4-H members but to learn how to handle a gun), then, after a nap, a friend and her kiddos came to visit the baby. Everyone got ready for Sunday. On Sunday, we hosted a small gathering of the saints. We are members of the Home Church "cult," a movement that I’m thankful we are a part of but wishful that we had jumped on board a long time ago! The fellowship was sweet Sunday and the neighbors had to wonder what on earth was going on as there were 24 youngsters running around with ice cream cones, swinging, playing in the sandboxes, they were everywhere! And that was just 3 families including ours. And how relaxing to not have to worry about the kids our children are playing with. I know how they’re being raised and the other parents feel the same way- aaaaaaah. The moms and dads keep an eye out for safety but we don’t necessarily have to hover to monitor the conversations or be paranoid about what trouble they’ll be led into like we do in "those other" situations.
Anyhoo, we had a wonderful day but must get back to this wonderful day.
BTW, update on the play, the girls said that it did, in fact, come together and not only did the crowd not heckle, but they LIKED it!!?? Go figure.

The Play's the Thing...Just Not Sure What Thing It Is...

Our oldest 4 daughters and our 9 y.o. son, Noah, are all involved in Richmond’s Civic Theatre and, due to the "interruption" of baby, had to take a hiatus from any theater activities. It was especially hard to miss out on the current Stage 1 play (children’s theatre group) as it is a compilation of stories-turned-into-plays by area students and Corinne’s was chosen as one of the plays. It was actually a group effort with ideas thrown out by other students in the homeschool drama class but Corinne put them into story form and boy, was it a hoot. Betcha didn’t know Humpty Dumpty was pushed! Yep, a Nursery Rhyme whodunit. It was a scream. The play turned out pretty good- had me laughing.

Most of the stories performed took us back to the days of beatniks and poetry that you’re not sure what the point of is – high schoolers being artsy fartsy. Our youngsters kept asking daddy, "What’s that? What did he say? What is he suppose to be? What did she say? Why are they doing that? What did they say?" Craig just kept saying, "I don’t know." A couple were hysterical, though. Besides the Humpty thing, the 12 Days of School was a hoot as was a music video that had me rolling.
And, by dress rehearsal, everything and everybody is suppose to be completely ready by this time, a lot of folks didn’t know their lines. I bet the director is beside herself. There were a lot of newbies, though, and they didn’t do half bad. Okay, a couple did half bad, but they’ll learn. Stage One plays have always been incredible and even the ones that didn’t look like they were going to be ready have always come together. I hope this one does. Jillian and Natalie have gone back to work with this one as the only costume and make-up people and are getting ready right now to head out for the school performances. I feel for the kids and the director as they’re sure to be heckled. (Humpty Dumpty – The Other Side of the Wall was still funny, though). A few years ago, they performed "I Never Saw Another Butterfly," a very sobering play about children in a concentration camp during the holocaust. Very well done, very sad…and students disrupted that play! Of course, that school isn’t allowed to come to school performances anymore, but it’ll be hard for high schoolers to not make fun of this one.
The hardest part of having been out of the loop for awhile is we just found out yesterday that a dear lady and friend from theater passed away. She just loved Lenae, treated her special, and was always asking her to help with costumes or make up. She and her husband are special people and our heart goes out to this dear man.
We’ll miss you, Velda.

What the little big brothers and sisters said

I said I’d share the hysterical comments some of my youngsters made when Isaiah was born and plum forgot. (Is it plum or plumb? Oh well…)
Anyhoo, here they are:

Elijah, age 7 – After welcoming his new baby brother, Eli meandered about the room (we had a homebirth) looking in the laundry and trash bags, around the bed, etc. obviously investigating with a purpose. The midwife asked what he was looking for. He answered,"Where’s the blood? I don’t see any blood." He knew blood was somehow involved.

Later, after I had cleaned up and changed, I was sitting on a chux pad on my bed to eat my well-deserved eggs benedict from Bob Evans (I was SO HUNGRY!). After I was done and got up, evidence of one of those "gushers" you get after having a baby was left on the pad. Of course, Elijah had to be in the room: "Eeeuw. Blood…..Cool."

Judah, age 5 – Coming in after his 3 older brothers were already oogling over the baby, he made his way through the crowd, got a load of the small presence before him, and said, with the "this-is-so-heavy tone, …"Wo!"

Autumn, age 3 – "Is there another baby in Mommy’s snumuck? She’s still fat."

Elijah – "He has zigzag hair."

Isabelle, age 21 months – While pointing at the baby’s ear: "Eye." We’re off to a good start.

Autumn - Before the baby was born, one of my daughters was babysitting at our house. I carried the 3-month-old, fully-dressed baby into the room where Autumn was. When she turned and saw me, her eyes got as big as saucers and she asked, "Did that come out of your snumuck?!"

Elijah – Sounding so cute….at first, "Look at his teeny toes!…….They look like worms!"

FITZILLA

I’ve noticed lots of folks give their kids nicknames for their blogs and have played with the idea but it was hard enough coming up with “real” names for everybody so I’m sticking with the names that took so much work. BUT, if I were to use nicknames, I would have one for my second child set. It’s almost a given. Fitzilla. Yep, the fitmeister.

She’s been throwing fits since before she was born and hasn’t stopped at 17 years of age. I swore when she was small that I wouldn’t let her grow up to be like “those” teenagers but, alas, what you have at 4 you get at 14 and we didn’t know about child-training until a lot of damage was done. I’m tired from the battle, tired of seeing the other children hurt and confused, and tired of “hiding” the elephant in the closet so here I am unloading on whomever.

I really don’t intend to sound hostile towards my lovely daughter, but the spiritual battle has brought our whole family to the end of our wits. I feel discouraged at the moment but know that since we have nothing left, God has us right where he wants us. My DH likens this struggle to the labor I experienced with Isaiah; it was long, it was hard, painful, excruciating, exhausting, I had nothing left. All we could do was continue praying and trust that God was in control and would bring us through. When it was time to deliver, God delivered the contraction we were waiting for to get our little man out safe and fast. That’s what we need now. Push us through, Lord, hold us up, and deliver my daughter and deliver our family! TMI to go into the history at this time… just pray for the F-Troop.

A Sappy Read

I can’t believe Isaiah is already 2 weeks old! Would you believe that little stinker already rolled over last night?? (Front to back.) Each time we add another child to our family, HA – oops…who do I think I am?? Each time GOD adds another child to our family, time goes by faster and faster. There’s a reason I have joined the scrapbooking cult – they only stay memories if you can REMEMBER them!! I like counting my blessings but lose count when they’re moving and growing at the speed of sound. These times are so precious but time goes by so quickly; it’s bittersweet. I love watching my children grow and become the unique individuals they are but I get teary-eyed as they lose their baby fat and get beautiful/handsome figures, their chubby fingers become strong hands to help haul wood or cook on their own, and I am no longer their favorite person on the planet. Heck, right now, Isabelle and Autumn crawl up on Lenae’s lap more often than mine. But that’s our family – most 19 yo young ladies are too preoccupied with themselves, boys, etc. to have time for toddlers. I don’t need to be jealous – what a blessing!

Recently, our home church ladies were sharing via email why the season of raising babies, toddlers, and youngins could be called the "Golden Years" and how to "have" joy in the midst of it all. I’m feeling sentimental so I’ll share my 2 cents that I shared with them:

It's golden because of the trail I blaze running through the house to get things done!! HA! That being said, I have a lot to say but not enough time to say it all at once.

My daughter (15 yo), Jillian, commented that I'm lucky - I get to have the little ones while having "big ones." That is such a blessing. I'm blessed by watching them grow into young ladies and, now, I have a young man (!!!!!!!) coming up who all agree that our babies and toddlers are the cutest, funniest tots on the planet (sorry folks, but facts are facts). There's not a day that goes by that we don't laugh... a lot...together because of little ones, middle size ones, and the big ones bring quite a bit of laughter, too. Yes, it can be crazy here, but the good kind. :o)

And later I added:

Wow - everybody is anxious to get in on this one! I don't have time to read the other ones right now which brings me to one thing I (selfishly) enjoy about having babies - READING! I didn't get to do that as much with Isabelle since she wasn't able to nurse well. VERY SOON, I will have an "excuse" to sit and read as many emails as it takes to nurse Isaiah or Cherish. OR I can read the Homeschool Companion cover to cover instead of bite-size pieces in the "Oval Office." OR I can read a "grown-up" B-O-O-K in less than, hmmm, 3 months. On joy - I am NOT a joyful person by nature. BUT, I am not in my old nature. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation! I need that this week as much as anybody. It's going to be hard to be joyful today. Autumn has been having nightmares every night for awhile and has added sleepwalking to her nightly routine (please pray - under spiritual attack over here). As if I'm not tired enough with being great with child, I haven't slept well in DAYS! We were awakened very early today due to a screaming, fearful fit. SO, I'm too tired to be "happy." What's to be happy about? I want to go back to bed! BUT...do I have patience? Do I have joy? The Fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE...... MANY Christian folk tell me on a regular basis that "they just don't have the patience like I do to have a lot of kids." If I'm on the ball, I tell them they're right and I don't have patience, either, but Jesus does. I'll ask them if they received the Holy Spirit, they say yes, and I say, "Well then, He gives the patience - you don't have to have it!" That tends to leave them mumbling to themselves. Me, too, for that matter. ;o) That also makes me accountable - mostly to my children. And we ARE accountable to our children. What a burden but what a privilege. Jesus gives us joy, which is not dependent on a full night's sleep, how pretty my kitchen is or is not (struggling with contentment on this end), how well-behaved my children are at the moment, or how clean the house is (or is not). Joy comes from knowing who we are in Christ and that our training, cooking, cleaning, playing, cutting and pasting have eternal value in the eyes of our Father. Now, I need to jump into the Word real quick (yes, real quick, I'm a mommy, for crying out loud) for a booster shot, myself! One more thing, I'm going to miss it when a Hello Kitty Band-Aid and a kiss have supernatural healing powers. :o) Hugs to all!