Been a While Since I Last Blogged...

My grandmother came to visit with us during Thanksgiving week. I am happy to say it was a nice visit and all went well. We had a delicious meal and enjoyed being together as a family. All in all, it was much easier than I expected it to be. Of course, we were only cooking for 9. Later that day, some of our good friends joined us for supper. It was good to visit with them since their work schedules have kept us from our usual visiting habits.

We set up our tree Monday. It was fun and it's nice to have all of my children at that age where they actually understand the meaning of the words and directions coming out of my mouth. Noah helped with the lights and the girls joined us in putting the ornaments on. After it was completely done, I dared my girls to even look at it funny. It's one of those short trees and I have it set up on a table. I also put some of my "special" ornaments on the tree and would hate for them to break. Or it would be even worse if the kids were hurt because ornaments shattered. But it sure is pretty to look at. I remember enjoying the lights on the tree when I was kid. We always used icicles and never used tinsel garland. (I now know why we never used the garland. It's a pain.) The icicles made the lights even more sparkly and it looked cool when I took off my glasses. (Still does, actually.) I used to lay under the tree, as close as I could get and look up into it to see the lights. Without my glasses, the lights look like fuzzy globules. LOL My favorite part of Christmas was getting to be with my mother's family. There we would find order and harmony and peace. I miss that but with family growing and spreading out, it's difficult to join together. And also as we get older and find our place in the world, our dreams, goals and ideals morph and change. Sometimes those changes cause rifts that act like eggshells under our feet. Not a happy thing but better than out and out chaos. I'm hoping we'll have a lovely visit with friends and family for the holiday celebrations this year. My extended family celebrates Christmas. My core family celebrates the things we are thankful for and the blessings we feel God has given us, most of all for salvation from sin. My kids are made aware of the fact that Christmas was orginally a pagan celebration and had nothing whatsoever to do with the Messiah. They know that Santa is a fun dream. They enjoy the games of Christmas, the music, the gatherings, the presents (most of all), and the food. They have a fun time and look forward to it every year. Just because I don't agree with all the lies surrounding the holiday doesn't mean I have to deprive my children of joy or good things. Yea!

This year, I'm thankful for so many things. I'm thankful that we'll have another celebration with my grandmother (Lord willing). I'm thankful we were able to have last year's celebration with my grandfather before he passed away. I'm thankful for my family who helped me to be firmly grounded in a godly way. Even though I feel those beliefs have held me back in some ways, I also am convinced those beliefs have made me stronger in other ways. I'm thankful that my husband and I are committed to making our marriage and our family work. I'm thankful that there is music and light and art. I'm thankful for the beautiful things of nature. I'm thankful for the insight of others. I'm thankful for the new acquaitances I've made through Twitter and facebook. I'm thankful for all the old friends I've found and been able to catch up with through those social websites. I'm thankful for so many things, yes, indeed.

Just a Quick Update

I know it's been a while since my last blog post. I've been sewing like a mad fiend for an upcoming SCA event. I also started a new blog at Tumblr. As of now, I'm not switching but that could change in the future. If it does, I'll post notification here.

So, I just know what's going through your heads right now. What are you sewing? Well, in the past week I've sewn a princess dress for my youngest daughter and a tunic and vest/coat for my husband. They both came out very well and I can't wait for the event. I would like to sew my dress together but it's been pretty hectic trying to find all our gear. May not have time to sew that new dress.

This week has been History Fair week for my baby goats. They've been putting the display boards and reports together for some time but this week is crunch week...making sure everything is in order and getting ready to actually display their projects. I know! We homeschool! But in order for my kids to get some public speaking, I want them to do this. They will probably only give their presentations to family this year but I'm hoping for more support from other home school families in the area next year.

Well, back to the display boards...
Laugh a lot!

Interesting Thoughts...Well, Some Thoughts, Anyway

As I sat down to devour my 2 hamburgers and gulp my sweet tea, I felt the need to blog. There've been a lot of things going on and I would like to ponder these happenings.

The most publicized story at this point has to the Ft. Hood shooting. My own thoughts on this (gleaned from about 3 different sources and none of them mainstream media) are that this guy was simply trying to keep non-Muslims from going overseas to fight against Muslims. Sure, he may be fighting PTSD, but if you look at what happened,where it happened and the people who were killed or injured, you might come to the same or a similar conclusion. And since I believe that people like those fighting holy wars seek publicity for their acts of violence, I'm saddened by how much we help them. However, if we don't publicize these things, no one will know and no one will even think to be prepared for events such as this happening around them. A necessary evil, I suppose.

Some of the things that you may not know about (b/c of all the hype concerning Ft. Hood) are politcal actions that will affect our taxes, small businesses, insurance for workers at jobs, and I'm sure there are more. Can you believe they are considering a tax on things like hearing aids, pacemakers and other necessary medical items people need. These items already have such a high cost, to add a tax to them is preposterous. Rail against me if you wish (I'll just delete your comments if I find them rude and over the top) but I think we should legalize drugs, tax the hound out of them and require all drug dealers to have a license to distribute. Oh, so you want to import drugs to the USA? Sure, but you have to pay the appropriate exhorbitant fees.

Maine passed a law to forbid same sex marriage. I'm sorry but I believe if you've made a decision to marry someone, you should be allowed to do it, no matter race, color, creed, or lifestyle. I also can't believe some idiot JoP in some southern state (I live in a southern state, btw) refused to perform a marriage for a bi-racial couple! What in the heck is up with that? How stuck in the Civil War Era can you be? I hate to inform people like that but we are such a big country and so varied in ideas and ideals that we have co-mingled.

Speaking of co-mingled... We aren't African, Irish, German, French, Creole, etc anymore. Those terms refer to our ancestors and our heritage. Newsflash people! When you were born into this country, you were born a citizen of the United States of America and you are an American! If you went through the right channels to become an American, guess what! You left your other citizenship behind you! And you are probably happy with that choice b/c you wouldn't have gone through that process if you didn't want it to happen. If you are ashamed to be an American, go live somewhere else. No one's stopping you. It is, after all, the land of the free and the home of the brave. If you don't like the way we do things here, the same applies...just leave. Now if you're some kind of free-loader just trying to get some money you don't have to pay taxes on, recieve healthcare you're not entitled to, and make babies here so you don't have to leave, get with the program and become a citizen legally. I have no problem with my tax dollars helping fellow citizens (that are in need) get the care and help they need but I do have a problem with moochers. If you're just here to mooch and you have no intention of trying to become a citizen, get your lazy butt off our land. You don't belong here. Why don't you belong here? Because you didn't go through the process. You don't know how things work here. You didn't take the time to find out. Our country means nothing to you and therefore you can just trash it as much as you want to. So just leave.

Now if you are an American, please exercise your right to vote. That is so important, not just for electing presidents or governors but especially for the laws they want to pass. These laws affect our way of life, not the people that sit in a certain chair or a certain office. This is supposed to be a government for the people, by the people. If you are a new citizen of our country, read our Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Yeah, it might be like trying to work your way through Leviticus in the Bible but it's worth your time. You signed on to abide by the rules of our country. You ought to know the basis for our system of government. It's important so you can know what your rights are and how you can exercise those rights.

On to a new subject: labels. I absolutely despise labels. But they are, again, a necessary evil. (Seems like there are a lot of those...) If I had to choose a label for myself, it would be "strange new creature". Why? Because I am weird and unique. Ask any of my friends and they will tell you. Also, I wish for God to daily work with me to recreate me (and this is ironic considering my rant above...) to be a better person. So really those above paragraphs should just have said the highlighted bits. OK, so there's no option to highlight. Just mentally edit the "ranting" bits and you'll just about have it. All in all, I'm just really disappointed in our country as a whole. We were not made into a country so we could babysit other countries. We were not made into a country so we could host more visitors than we can afford. Our deficit is too large to be playing around with such large sums of money and the way the officials are throwing more around has me really and truly annoyed. They keep telling us to "do more with less" but honestly! Heaven forbid they do the same thing. Hmmm..there I go again. Well, I guess it's better to rant here than go postal later on in life.
Remember to breathe...

Too MUCH!

It's been almost a month since I last blogged. Too much info is floating around in my head and it's just overwhelming.

Since my last post we've:

1. started hosting Torah studies in our home on Saturday mornings.

2. hosted a Redwall Feast

3. celebrated our youngest child's 5th birthday

4. started teaching piano lessons to an adult

Starting with number 1, it's interesting how the word "Torah" can create such various reactions. We are studying Torah with one person right now but we hope others will join us as we progress. This person's mother (he's in his late 40's or early 50's) had an absolute cow when he told her we were studying "Torah". I couldn't believe it! Just hearing the word "Torah" caused fear? Then I learned what the word "Torah" means, literally, teaching or instruction. It doesn't mean "law". (Power New Testament 3rd Ed. William J. Morford). Just hearing a Jewish word caused our friend's mother to think he was doing something awful and alien! I couldn't believe how she was so ready to jump on his case just because he was...wait for it...studying? I'm sorry. The man is old enough to make his own decisions. And reacting out of fear rarely accomplishes anything good.

Number 2-Our Redwall Feast took place on October 23. The kids dressed up and planned to read, recite or sing something. I cooked all day long. And we had a beautiful and fun time. Our friend mentioned above came, as well as my mom. We all enjoyed a wonderful visit and some really good food, even if I do say so myself! Rotfl! See the photos above. Noah was Zann Juskarath Taggerung from "The Taggerung", Ro was a molebabe, and Shi was Triss from the book by that name. Noah read the poem that tells about his character. Ro sang a song with me. And Shi read a riddle she learned out of a book. John read a song about brewing October Ale. Rotfl!

Number 3-For Ro's birthday, my mom and Noah were out of town helping my grandmother. But we still had some fun. The day before they left, we let Ro open her gifts. Then on her birthday I made a chocolate chip cake (dyed green) and we frosted it with cream cheese frosting (dyed purple). I let the girls put some of those pre-made candies on top. They had a blast and the cake was really cute. Tasted good, too.

Number 4-I'm really thinking I should focus more on teaching adult piano lessons. By the time you are an adult, you are taking things more seriously and you know how much work you have to put into something, even if it is just for fun. My new student is a real joy. She practices and enjoys it! Love that!

Well, better run. Still have other things to do and must also teach school today! Rock on!

Laugh a Lot!

Why Boycott?

When did boycotting become a popular hobby? We learned about boycotts that took place in history to protest the maltreatment of workers in a company. But boycotting has come a long way in the past couple of decades.
It seems to me that every time I turn around I hear about people (usually people who profess to be Christians) boycotting something because of their support of a "taboo" cause. I'm sick and tired of it. Why is it necessary to boycott a company for their support of something they believe in? Do you honestly feel that threatened? Doesn't "perfect love cast out all fear?" If you don't like what they stand for, just choose not to purchase their product. Did you know you had that option? Honestly, in my own opinion, it is a waste of time and money to boycott companies who are, like everyone else, just trying to make a living and supporting the causes they believe in. When we boycott those companies, we are making it hard for the “little people.” You know who they are. They live right next to you or just down the street from you. When you boycott a company, you are really saying, “Everyone should believe the same way I do.” Since we live in a country that allows us the freedom of religion, religious beliefs should not be a basis for boycotting a company. That doesn't make any sense! Let's look at that again. We are thankful for the freedom of religion but we want to force everyone to believe the same way we do. Yep. It still doesn't make any sense. You aren't hurting the person who owns the company. They have enough money and experience to start again. You are hurting the average, everyday Joe who is probably just barely making ends meet. Is that really the way a Christian is to behave? I thought we were to be examples to others, not dictators lording it over others. I thought the fruit of the spirit consisted of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. I think if we remembered this and truly understood what it meant, we would be very hesitant to boycott anything on the basis of belief. And just to let you know, I am a believer in Jehovah God. I will take every opportunity that I can get to go to Disney World. I will buy any car I can afford from any place that will accept my money. I will choose to buy a product that works the way it is supposed to over a product that doesn't. Why should I spend more money on a product I can ill afford just because they practice the same religious beliefs? If purchasing “holy” products from “holy” companies continues to put me deeper in debt, I'm sinning! Hello! Yep, that's right. I did say that. If I can't afford the food I need to feed my family b/c I refuse to purchase from a certain company, I'm sinning. We are called to be good stewards of what we are given. We cannot behave this way and be good stewards. I am fully convinced of that. Boycotting is a waste of time and though it may get a company's attention, it really doesn't change anything about the way the company feels in general. Wasting our time on things like this is so stupid. We could better spend our time in prayer for those in charge of the companies. I think God can accomplish more on His own. I'm tired of getting in His way. And I'm tired of seeing people stomp all over their own beliefs! Get real! Open your eyes. Don't be so afraid. Don't let fear ruin your witness or your life. Yes, we should laud the companies that stand for the things we believe in. But we should not ever stomp on someone else's beliefs! Ever! I will take a risk here and say that if we participate in these boycotts that hurt people just because they follow a different belief system, we are just as guilty as they are and we should be ashamed to call ourselves Christians after the Holy Son of God. I could say more but I'll stop for now.

My Thoughts On Wild Blue Internet Service

Wild Blue satellite internet service. Wow! That sounds so progressive doesn't it? I'm here to tell you it's NOT. My family lives in a rural area (moved here from a small city) where there is no access to cable, we have one electric company (Entergy) and you can only see fields and the occassional house as you look around you. We live 15 minutes outside town. We have a friend who lives 10 minutes outside town. This friend has cable service and therefore gets his internet through cable. His cable works as long as his electricity works. That means his internet service works the same way. He is also with a different electric company. Their electricity rarely goes out. (Now, my "bone to pick" mainly focuses on Wild Blue but Entergy doesn't have too much of my respect either, since you just have to look at a telephone pole to cause the electricity to go out.)

On to internet stuff...

Now, we have a friend who lives 15 minutes away from us and closer to the next town on the highway. They use an internet service that utilizes cell towers to bounce a signal. It works fairly well and the cost is minimal compared to what we pay for our service. You might say, with my friends' internet services, you get what you pay for.

Our family is online quite a lot. We have many friends who are only available to us online, simply because our schedules differ so much. We share lots of photos and check out lots of their photos. I access many educational sites to expand what I'm teaching my kids. (I school them at home.)

We did attempt to try another way of getting internet access but we weren't able to use the "cell tower" service because there were too many trees in the way. (And I'm sorry! I'm not cutting down a tree that's worked so hard to get to the immense height it has achieved just so I can pay some company that could care less!) And, as I stated before, the cable service doesn't extend out to our house.

Here are the facts about our Wild Blue service: ProPack-$89.95/mo will get you 17,000 MB download threshold; 5,000 MB upload threshold. (I chose this pack b/c we are online all the time.)
ValuePak-$49.95/mo will get you 7,500 MB download threshold; 2,300 MB upload threshold
SelectPak-(I dont' know the cost for this one exactly but I think it's around $59 or $69/mo) will get you 12,000 MB download threshold; 3,000 MB upload threshold

They also tell you that if you excede the thresholds their "Fair Access Policy" kicks in and slows you down to 128 kbps for downloads and 28 kbps for uploads, which of course is their way of saying "Ha! Ha! You can't work on your computer any more." Now, they tell you all this before you sign up. (To their credit and probably a great savings in their pockets)

All plans come with this "guarantee."-(In my experience)-Cloudy day? Facebook, Google, MySpace, YouTube...they all won't work. Blogger, yeah it won't work either.

Now, that's not all! They make you sign a 2 year contract. If you want out of the contract, you owe the remaining monthly payments up to the month when your contract ends TIMES $15! Can you say "racket"? Because, they sure have one here. You wanna know something else? If you call in your question to tech help, they charge you for the call! They want you to chat with them online, instead. Now this would be fine except our service is so intermittent and it takes so long for the signals to relay, that we aren't able to carry on a chat for any length of time. If you are on my facebook or myspace or google chat list and have tried chatting with me, you know what I'm talking about. We can't run any of the programs we usually run without having problems. We definitely can't use the new apps and gadgets like we should be able to. It's absolutely ridiculous!

I simply cannot believe that in order for my family to continue with the level of internet service we were used to in Texas, we have to pay almost double and our service sucks royally in comparison. In the immortal words of the 77's... "You get what you pay for. Did I pay for this?" I paid more so I could do more and I still can't do more! It's a really good thing that I don't run an in home biz that requires the use of the internet b/c I'd be out of a job! That about sums up my feelings on Wild Blue.

And a last bit of advice, if you have any other option than Wild Blue, TAKE IT! Dial up is better because at least then, you are getting what you pay for. I I'm paying for platinum and getting limestone. For my $90/mo, I should get much better service, don't you think?

Curiouser and Curiouser

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthpicturegalleries/6126909/One-thousand-ice-sculptures-melt-in-the-sun-to-highlight-global-warming.html?image=1

Check out this link.

Now, that you've seen it. What do you think?

I wasn't aware that the laws of science vary so much in Germany that ice normally doesn't melt when you take it out of the freezer. And last I checked, it's not winter over there yet. Hmmm...perhaps they thought they might be doing something good. I wonder how much money they spent on that project and if the money might have been better spent in trying to feed those who are hungry right now or clothing those who have a need for clothing right now. Apparently, it was better to pay a few ice sculptors to make those little statues. Go figure...

Some Thoughts on Free Help

You guys know about welfare programs like medicaid, WIC, etc. These programs are funded with taxpayer money. You probably know that, too. What you may not realize is how the laws for these programs work in your state. Every state has different laws concerning these programs. I think, basically, these are good and that we should keep them up and running. I think each state should remain in control of their own programs to help their own people. I think giving the federal goverment control over any of these programs gives them more control over our states and over us. I think that our founding fathers are rolling over in their graves at what our country has become and what our leaders seem to be trying to accomplish. And you know what? For right now, I'm free to do that. Think, I mean. I'm free to have my own opinion and post it in this blog. They can't arrest me for putting my thoughts down on paper.

Yet.

If we let the federal government take over the public welfare programs and spread a net of universal "health" care, what exactly are we letting ourselves in for? These are my thoughts on government programs that exist to help people.

A really good friend, who I admire and love posted this on a social networking site. (And she is free to express her opinions, too. And she won't be arrested for doing so. It is truly great to live in a free country!) Here's her post: No one should die because they cannot afford health care, and no one should go broke because they get sick. If you agree, please post this as your status for the rest of the day.

This is what I posted in reply: Idealistically, this is fabulous and truly a lovely thought. But the honest truth is that so many people abuse the privelages set up by the states to help those in need. There are many more that abuse the helpful programs than those that use them in the way the programs were originally intended. I really truly wish there was a good plan for taking care of those who are truly in need. But I think this should be left up to each state to decide, not the federal government. Not attacking anyone, just stating my opinion.

She posted a reply back to me and commented on how she'd been to five states and known people who had come up against so much red tape and confusion they didn't try to get the help they needed. She expressed a wish that we could come up with a program that would work across the board, something similar to the military.

(The military does have a system that does work, even if it falls short of ideal.)

I replied with: I think the problem lies within the state legislatures and with those who abuse the privelages. The old adage that we all heard in school still applies. The good, unfortunately, suffer along with the bad. But the way it is out here, the ones who abuse the privelages know all the loopholes and teach their kids and so we have generations upon generations of folks using government programs. GA seems to have a good plan, or at least they did. Once you get on the program you have a certain amount of time (it's decent) to get a job or train for a job and get a job and you cannot have any more kids while you are on the program. I'm sure there are those who would find this restrictive and maybe even unfair. But let's face it, a lot of families get on government programs and have more kids just so they can get more money. And they never try to get off the program. These government programs were set up to help people get THROUGH a hard time, not pay them to do nothing for the rest of their lives and teach their kids to do the same. It's really sad. So many smart people with so much potential don't even try to realize that potential and use it to better their situation. And there are many programs out and about to help them achieve that. But they have to work to find them. I think if the help was at least easier to find, things might improve a little. But we have created (perhaps allowed would have been a better word here) a mindset that has been continued and indeed, encouraged, for so many years. To overcome this would take a great deal of drastic reform and it really needs to be done by each state. If people really want to get help, they find a way to get it. If nothing else, you can ask around. The government offices are always listed in the phone book and they have to answer your questions. Confusion and fear should not ever stand between you and your family's health and welfare. I do understand what you are saying. And I think that people should be willing to "work" hard to get what their family requires. If you don't work, you don't eat. If you can't find work, go visit your family and friends and do odd jobs until you can find a settled job. Just b/c you don't like the smell of the McDonald's kitchen doesn't mean you shouldn't try to get hired on, if that's the only job available. (Gosh I'm mouthy this week!) I really am not trying to offend anyone. These are just my feelings on the subject. My mom works for the state so I do have some background knowlege from that perspective. And I was also a WIC mom so I have some perspective from there as well. We qualified for WIC while we were living in TX but we only went twice. After that, I decided we could handle things on our own, even on single income. I did use WIC and was grateful for it when Noah and Shiloh were eligible. But I didn't stay on the program when I figured out we could afford to buy our own stuff! So, there is my very long-winded, short novel on my wordy opinion.

I stopped there. I'm hoping she accepts my opinion for exactly that...my opinion. Having stated the above, I should probably also state that while I was growing up my family was a prime candidate for welfare but b/c we were a farming family and owned land, we didn't qualify. Apparently, if you own land, you could sell that land. Obiviously farmers don't need land to farm. But somehow, we made it through. Well, in my opinion, it was God who got us through. But I'll tell you something. We didn't have name brand clothes unless someone handed it down to us or bought it for us for Christmas. We didn't wear the fanciest shoes money could buy. We didn't have the coolest jewelry or gadgets. We made do with what we had. I remember one Christmas, when I was probably about 8 or so, we had gone to the mall. I found this really pretty mermaid doll. I wanted it so badly. We were going to see Santa that night. I asked Santa for that doll. I had set it up in my mind that if I got that doll, then Santa must be real b/c mom and dad couldn't afford to buy that doll. How awful my mother must have felt! When Christmas came, I got a mermaid doll but it wasn't the really pretty one from the mall. It was the best my mom and dad could do for me. She tried. But Santa died for me that Christmas and I guess I've been a realist ever since. Not a pessimist! Please don't confuse the two! I still keep a light of hope in my heart. His name is Yeshua. Right underneath his light is the light of hope created by my three children and my husband. Even now, I can't always get the stuff my kids want but I do the best I can. Sometimes it means they can get exactly what they want. Sometimes, they have to wait. But I don't hide the facts about money from them. They need to know that you have to work hard to get what you want. They also need to learn the value of patience and the glory of earning something b/c you worked hard to achieve it. Giving out free money to citizens and then having them scorn you because you're too stupid to do the same thing they are doing, is this what I paid for? I DON'T THINK SO. And then having them tell you to your face that you “owe them money” and knowing they are lifetime welfare folks who are not even trying to get hired on somewhere? NOT EVEN!

The Craziness Surrounds Us...

...it wants to swallow us whole. But this time, my friends, we need to fight it. On Sept. 8, something shocking is coming to a school near you. I have some really good friends on fb who help me stay informed of these kinds of things. I'll pass on that info to you.

http://tinyurl.com/meew45/

The above is a link to an article about a homeschool family.

http://townhall.com/columnists/MichelleMalkin/2009/09/02/obamas_classroom_campaign_no_junior_lobbyist_left_behind?page=full

The above link will take you to an article at Michelle Malkin.com.

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13249171?_requestid=5883011

The above link will take you an article in the the Salt Lake Tribune.

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/09/02/whitewashing-the-obama-education-speech-guides/

The above link will take you to Michelle Malkin.com.

I hope all these links work. These are some pretty scary stories! If you take about 20 minutes to read through them (it shouldn't take more than that), you might be surprised at some of the things going on.

I posted the above links so that anyone who wants to view them could do so. It is so important that we, as parents or role models, do this so we can help our children reach their potential. Aren't they worth it? Aren't they worth it? The above articles are about 3 different things. Two of them concern Pres. Obama's broadcast to the schools. How he must hate that private schools are not funded by the state and therefore are not required to broadcast his speech. And how he must hate that home schooling is allowed. All those little "free thinkers" out there must scare the bejesus out of him. My worry stems from the fact that there are parents out there who have pulled their kids out of the school system just b/c they were oppressed (for lack of a better word) in some way, usually some petty way. I do not think this was the case with the homeschool family in the first link I posted above. Some of them didn't realize how much work homeschooling really involves. It isn't for everyone. And it takes a good deal of planning. You can't just pull your kids out of school one day and jump into it. And it can get pricey. It's not as expensive as sending your kids to private school but it's more expensive than sending them to public school. And you really have to look for the reinforcement activities if you combine different curricula. The helps are out there, though, even if you do have to dig for them. Well, I better scoot. My intent was to inform with the above links. The Salt Lake Tribune article was posted for information. Just proves we should never assume anything.

Remember to breathe.

Ridiculous Rising Costs of Education

The astronomical cost of college is so out of sight that if my children don't get scholarships, they simply won't go. In my mind, it's much better to just learn a trade and go with it. We shelled out more than $500 bucks just for books for my husband to go back this semester. And don't even get me started on that! I'm sorry. When your school requires you to buy a book just because it has the school name on it, there is something extremely wrong about that!

I was pricing high school curriculum for my son and it's outrageously high. I couldn't believe how much the writers and publishers prize their work! So much so that people who subsist on a fixed income can't homeschool their kids with those "special" curricula. I'm sorry but if they were truly concerned about putting out a curriculum that would help families, they'd put one out there with the information our children need at a price anyone could afford. I mean, let's face it. Not all of us have a good handle on our finances and a good many of us have fallen on hard times with the economy the way it is. I don't want to leave my child in the hands of the state concerning their education. Truly, I live in LA, the state which vies for last place on the education rating scale with MS! Why should my children suffer through a 4th rate education, just because I can't get the well written and in depth curriculum? And I don't mean I want them to offer some cheesy credit plan. I want Christians, or at least those who profess to be Christians, to stand up and practice what they preach. Would it be so awful for them to offer those items in such a way that it covers the cost of producing it and just a small mark up for them to make some profit? Apparently it's just too much to ask. Take Rosetta Stone, for instance. I'd love to learn as many languages as I can. But the asking price of a Rosetta Stone program is over $600 for all five levels. That's ridiculous! If they'd cut that price in half, they'd still be making a really good profit. Usually eBay is the way to go when a product has a high price tag but Rosetta Stone has their product fixed in such a way that it won't work if someone other than the orignal buyer uses it, if I'm not mistaken. (I haven't researched this yet, but I plan to do so and post my findings. Please do not quote me on this!) A Beka is another company that I both love and hate. Their curriculum is fascinating. I love the books because they keep your child interested and the enrichment activities are possible to do with things you usually keep around the house. But the initial cost is so astronomical, the only alternative for me is to purchased used curriculum on eBay! That would be fine, except there are people out there who let their kids write in the workbooks. So those are hard to find in a used condition.

Getting away from specific publishers... In general, and all prices guesstimations, by the time you've purchased a student text for $24, a student workbook for $24 (that you will never use again if the student is allowed to write in it), a test and quiz book for $10, a teachers guide for $50 (because they figure you'll use that more than once), you have spent a grand total of $110 for one subject and that doesn't count shipping, which has gone up several times during the past year. And do they even consider offering free shipping? Heck, no! Sure, I could go to my local school and rent books from them in order to teach my child. But am I really saving money by doing that? And who is getting my money? Is the school system getting my money? And why should they? My child doesn't even attend the public school!

This blog post has been brewing in my mind for some time now. It just strikes me as utterly ridiculous that we pay all these exhorbitant sums to attend college and get a college degree so we can get a job that has absolutely nothing to do with said degree. My sister graduated college back in Dec. of 2007, I think. She's still working at the job she had before she finished school because she couldn't find a job using her degree! And did that degree help her in the job she's in now? Maybe, but not concerning her pay! She spent all kinds of money going to school because we're all taught now that college is the way to go so you can get a good job, get paid more, and have a good life. But then reality hits after college is over. Another relative of ours can't find a job in the computer biz! Can you believe that?? I can't! He's even in an area in which this type of expertise is highly prized. Utterly ridiculous. Honestly, I'd have to say, I'd rather apprentice my child to someone I trust for them to gain on the job training than to send them off to some college where they'll get a "dumbed-down" "education" and end up without a job after all their trouble.

Shiller Math is an awesome product and I wish more companies would take a leaf out of their book. Check them out at www.shillermath.com or call them at 888-556-6284. You can buy 2 sets that will cover your child's math education at least through 6th grade. Grand total cost was about $650 when I purchased mine back in August 2005. And if you are like me, you'll have your kids writing their work in notebooks instead of in the books themselves. This way you can use it for more than one child. Another website worth mentioning in a positive light is www.enchantedlearning.com . You can print worksheets for Pre-K all the way to 5th grade. Some of the worksheets are only accessible to members but a membership is only about $25/year. It's well worth that money for me. I haven't been able to renew this year but I'm hoping to do so in the future. You can still print any of the public accessible worksheets but they will have ads on them. You can either cut the ads off or just ignore them, like I do. The two websites I mentioned are only a couple of the good ones. It's unfortunate that you really have to dig to find them but I believe I prefer that to having them charge monthly membership fees or pay for the "privelage" of using their worksheets. Here's a cool website I found through a Yahoo search http://homeschooling.about.com/ and you can also get a few free printable worksheets here. They also offer tips and tricks for homeschooling families. This site is totally free and so are the worksheets.

I guess having said all that, I'm done...for now. Bwah ha ha ha ha!
Until next time, remember to breathe when you are laughing a lot!

What In the World?

Where did my weekend go?? Oh, yeah. Now I remember. I sacrificed my weekend for one of my children. It was worth it. It was worth it. It was worth it. I'll just keep telling myself that. I'm sure I'll believe it enough to go through with it again next year at some point. I'm still wiped out from Friday night! I sure hope tonight is a good sleep night. We have school tomorrow and I need to be awake for that. I've been known to talk in my sleep from time to time but I'm pretty sure teaching in my sleep is a bit far-fetched, even for me.

The sky is a lovely shade of dark grey-blue tonight. I'm wondering if the stars will make an appearance. The cool air of last night was so awesome! It's good to be heading into autumn. I really do think autumn is my favorite time of year. School is getting started again. The holidays are coming around again...well, the fun ones, anyway. I don't know how fun they'll be this year since we don't live in town anymore. We'll just have to see, I suppose. I'll look forward to them until such a time as I don't have to look forward anymore.

My kids played outside for most of the afternoon and, I have to say, the quiet of the house was most enjoyable. I love that quiet part of the day when the kids are still asleep or they are outside. Then I can hear myself think. It's really important for me to hear those random rumbly thoughts that roll around in my head. Some of you know what I mean. Thoughts like "boy, I wish I had some chocolate chip cookies" or "gosh! I think I'll turn the AC back on" or "shucks! I clicked the wrong icon and my player died!" Yeah, those kind of important thoughts.

Well, I better get off of here. I am going to put the wee bairns to bed and then go crash in my own bed.
Laugh a Lot!

Wiped Out!

Good afternoon! I am wishing it was evening because my daughter hosted her first slumber party last night. We were up until after 3 am and even though I'm a night owl, I am getting older. We played 4 rounds of Whoonu (a Cranium game) and then we watched The Fellowship of the Ring (extended version). We almost made it through The Two Towers as well! I'm worn out and I doubt I'll recover any time soon. But it was worth it. My daughter was sick on her actual birthday so the slumber party was a flop at that time. We had to postpone it. I'd promised her she could have a retry during the summer and the summer almost passed us up before we were able to follow through! I don't know that we'll do that often but there's a possibility of a recurrance sometime in the distant future.

We also started school on Monday of this week. So I still have some grading to do. I also need to take a look at the lesson plans for next week and make sure I have everything together. I'm not sure, but I might just find myself waking up at my desk... Well, I better run so I can get that done.

But first, let me draw your attention to the uber cool website for Spelling help. Spelling City. com is awesome for parents or teachers who wish to make spelling fun for their children/students. It seems to be helping my kids. My son made an 80 on his first test. He usually makes anywhere from the lowest D to an F. Now, if we could just bring up those history and science grades...

Laugh a Lot!

First Time For Everything

I always thought I'd never host a slumber party. We since moving home, I've changed my mind. My daughter greatly enjoys the company of other girls. We don't have many girls her age living around us. Since they are homeschooled, the list of candidates for a sleepover is kind of slim. One of the girls she enjoys visiting and playing with was in our area for the summer only. She met one girl at Vacation Bible School and I was so afraid this girl's mom wouldn't let her come because she didn't know my husband and me very well. I'm glad that wasn't the case. And then my best friend has a daughter who will come. I'm hoping it will go well. We're going to have pizza and cheesy pepper bites with cake to follow. And I think we'll watch Lord of the Rings until they all crash. We might watch something different, though. If you are reading this, please pray for me as I welcome the gaggle of gallupping girls into our home. Thanks! Remembering to breathe...

Here We Go

I'm pretty amazed at how things occur and, in my own opinion, how God works. I am most satisfied when I find I can truly be of help to someone. It was nice to be able to offer help to someone this week...and it's only Monday!

So I'm sitting here watching the clouds roll in and rain down and roll out again and again. I am just hoping this posts. My internet has been awfully intermittent b/c of the cloud cover. I took the girls through their first day of school today. My husbands does the math with them. That helps a lot. We had a pretty productive day. When my youngest was finished and my middle child was working on her homework (Yes! You still have to do homework in homeschool.) I was busy putting the yearly special things together. I'm hunting up a few places to visit for field trips and fun projects to do throughout the year. My son starts tomorrow. We worked out a deal which will allow him to work on the farm with my dad on Mondays. Since my dad works nights (through the weekend), this is the only day Noah would be able to help him. He'll do a Tuesday thru Saturday schedule. This will be the first time we've tried it. I hope it works. I know how much he really enjoys working with my dad. Well, I'm hopeful that this year will be a fabulous year. For all those out there who school their children at home, have a great year! For all those who send your children off to school, have a great year! Shuckin's! For EVERYONE, have a great year!
Laugh a Lot!

The Dawn of Me

Well, today is my birthday. It's been interesting so far. Woke up at 6:15 am for nothing, internet was sketchy for no discerable reason, been feeling blah all day. Nothing like a good confrontation to weaken the spirit. I'm so worn out today. But I still have hope that my day will improve. I'm hoping my mom will feel better after her doc appt. I'm hoping my kids will have a fun day. I'm hoping my own spirits will improve. Not sure what to do with myself today. There are many chores I could do, of course. But who wants to do chores on a birthday? I could play Myst III: Exile but I just can't work my way thru the current puzzle!

I made baked apples with my girls today. It was fun. Now we have a nice healthy dessert to eat after lunch.

My youngest daughter has helped me make a decision, I think. She shoved all the paperwork on my desk into one huge pile while she was questing for some small object. I guess I'll be cleaning my desk today. Having made that decision, I'm pretty sure something will come up to thwart me. But I will do my best to finish the job and see what I can accomplish. Well, here goes...

Differences...Just Differences

Hello again! I recently read an article that brought some not so happy memories to mind in the light of day. Yesterday, one of my facebook friends, who was also a favorite teacher when I was in high school, posted an article. This article (you can link here http://stevenjcamp.blogspot.com/2005/11/i-love-lucy-bible-studyentertainment.html ) takes the time to tell the reader how absolutely awful it is to try to reach out to people using this new Bible study. Whether or not I agree with what is contained in this Bible study is a moot point. It doesn't matter to anyone, and shouldn't matter to anyone, whether I agree with it or not. The most my opinion should do is cause someone to check it out for themselves. But this person decides to blatantly tell people that this Bible study is "not a joke---however much [he] wish[es] it is." Right away, this statement puts me on the defensive. I don't think this is a bad thing. His adamant negative language does, in fact, drive me to read more to find out where he's coming from. Maybe, he has a point. But as I read on, I just find more and more opinionted language and not much proof of a reason to discount this Bible study. Since scripture is open to interpretation, it's difficult to use this to prove a point. Does this guy see people, actual people, being led down a path that is detrimental to them? Has this been proven? Where are his statistics?

Another phrase he uses is "dumbed down." This would not be the fault of the author of this Bible study. It would be the fault of those in charge of the education system. We have allowed our children to go to schools and participate in programs that "dumb down" everything. Heaven forbid we actually require a student to study in order to pass his or her classes! And colleges are even worse! The same profs use the same tests and just rearrange the order of the questions. My uncle teaches at a college in Texas and is constantly appalled by the lack of vocabulary and spelling knowlege contained in the minds of his students. Again, this is the fault of the school system. We ALLOW our students to behave this way. We tell them by our actions it's ok not to study. We tell them they'll pass anyway. Why the author of the above article would choose to attack a person who is trying to reach this less educated crowd in a way they would understand boggles the mind.

I mentioned in the first paragraph that I remembered some disturbing things from my past. I grew up as a child who was encouraged to read and encouraged to always do my best in school. I LOVE to read. I love to read FICTION. I admire a healthy imagination that can help take me to a place I've never even seen. I like opera and heavy metal. I like art. I grew up in an area where these are held up as "weird" things. I liked things that were different. And because of this, I was ridiculed, mocked, laughed at...sometimes viciously. I even had a teacher who thought it would be fun to mock my 1st grade attempts at art. Do any you know what that kind of behavior can do a child's self esteem? Well, guess what? It made me stronger. When I was in high school, I wore a perfectly modest outfit (that I was really proud of) to church. I was promptly told not to wear the outfit again because one man complained that it was "too revealing". Again with the "me bashing." Hmmm...a little stronger still? I have a friend who was trying to do his best to lead his family down a good path. Sadly, they no longer feel they have a place to go to in order to worship as they feel led. A person at the church they attended told them they were "going to far" when they shared their happiness in celebrating Passover. WTF? I'm sorry. Jesus celebrated Passover! What in the world were they thinking??? It is the people like the author of the above article that drive the masses away. If we don't speak to the masses in a language they will understand, how will we reach them? If a tv show can help me tell someone about my beliefs and my faith, you can believe I would use it. I'm not eloquent. I'm not an orator. I would use any help I could find to get my point across. I recently heard a sermon with my husband. Perry Noble, who pastors a church in one of the Carolinas (can't remember which), brought out this point. As you can see, I agree with him.

So, here I am with one tattoo and wanting more, enjoying an alcoholic beverage every now and again, enjoying the thought of being able to go sing karaoke again at some point, loving to dance and wearing things that some people might find "inappropriate". These are things that make up ME. These are things I enjoy! Jesus loves me where I am. He loves me just as I am. That will never change. He only wants good things for me. He wants me to have a joyful, abundant life. This is something I know in my heart of hearts. And if I'm wrong, so be it. But if I'm right... Shouldn't we be encouraging people to tell others Jesus loves them, just as they are?

A Rough Week But Good Follows

It's been one of "those" weeks for me. Thankfully there was enough good in it to choke out the bad. I won't discuss too much of the bad. It's enough for you to know it was, indeed, truly bad and it was something I could do nothing about. That it was bad, I could handle. But the fact that I could do nothing? That's tough to swallow on any given day. So, on to the good stuff...

The church we are attending had its Vacation Bible School during the last week. John and I got to help out in fun ways. He ran the computer for the powerpoint and video presentations and created a slideshow for the family night assembly. I took pictures of all that went on. The kids had a blast. Rowan went to her class on day 1 without a peep, at least to my knowlege. It's the first time she's ever done that. Then on day 2 we had a major influx of kids and she started having second thoughts. By day 3 she knew she didn't belong in that mob of kids and she cried most of the day. Close to the end of the day, I let her stay with me and she stayed with me thru the rest of the days. All in all, not too bad. Noah was too old for a class so he was a youth helper. He hopped around from music, to the kitchen, to recreation. He and the other youth helpers were very good about going where we needed them. I can honestly say that without them, we would have had an extremely rough time trying to get everything done. Shiloh had lots of fun in her class and made new friends. She tried really hard to memorize all the scriptures. She's got a few of them memorized. It makes me smile. She's such a hard worker and she wants to do well.

Well, I need to run. We are going to try to get the girls to an Arts and Music program. Here's hoping it's really great and they'll learn good stuff. Laugh a lot!

One Of Those Days

Do you ever have one of those days in which the sun shines brightly, the weather is gorgeous, you've been able to go shopping and you still feel like something just isn't right? Yeah, I bet you have. Today was one of those days for me. I've felt very angsty all day. It's got to be hormones but I just wish this stupid feeling would take a hike during the beautiful sunshine.

I got to go to Marshall's only to find the candle lanterns I had my eye on had all ready been sold. The only good deal I found that I could take advantage of was Mrs Meyers laundry detergent. Got that for $8.99 and was somewhat mollified. Bought some Jones sodas for the kids at World Market. Went to Barnes and Noble for a snack. See? Lots of nice things...but still just not quite right. I guess I'll just have t wait it out. I'm so worn out this evening that I just want to sit and enjoy some music and some peace and quiet while I force my children to enjoy what's left of the sunshine.

Yes, I did say force. I have 2 children who never have to be forced to play outside. My middle child is another matter entirely. She'd rather sit and read or play on the computer. But they've been cooped up inside a building or a car all day. Time to burn some of that pent up energy.

Well, I guess I better post this before my page decides to refresh... Remember to breathe...

Cloudy Days = Intermittent Internet

Hello, again! I'm hoping I can get thru this without an internet break down. There's a lot to talk about so here goes...

I joined a cause on facebook. The title of the cause is "People Against Poor Grammar." If that's not it exactly, it's pretty close to the actual name. I'm glad this cause exists somewhere. I was beginning to think people just didn't care anymore. I was beginning to think we were headed back to the Middle Ages and people could start spelling anything in any way they chose. Have we forgotten how confusing that was?? Sometimes there was no spacing between words, which caused even more confusion. I wonder if people got paid a couple bags of gold to decipher "code" back then.

I was playing around with my media player yesterday and put together a huge ecclectic play list. Included are artists like Van Morrison, 12 Stones, Rhianna, Jacob's Trouble, Flo Rida, My Chemical Romance and sooooo many more! I added all the songs I wanted and then had the player arrange them alphabetically. Now I have a variety of artists performing a variety of songs in various locations on my playlist! LOL I know. I'm goofy. :-b

I cooked at home for just my family yesterday. It's been a long time since I have done so. I may or may not have mentioned this before, but I do not have a working stove yet. We are slowly getting the parts we need and we only need a couple of things for the breaker box. Almost there...unh....r.e.a.c.h... Anyway, I cooked on "the eye" (our little plug in double burner thingy). Every time I get it out, I say "the eye" as if I was in the movie LOTR. Makes a mediocre job more fun...
We had cheesy veggie casserole. Here's how I did it. Take your fave mac and cheese and prep according to directions. While the noodles are cooking, take your three favorite veggies and prep them in steam bags in the microwave. Next cook one strip of bacon or turkey bacon per person. You can do this in the microwave as well. When the noodles are done and all prep for mac and cheese is finished (butter, milk, sauce added in) then add the veggies one at a time and stir them in. Chop up the bacon and add that in. C'est voila! You have a one pot meal that only dirtied one pot, one spoon and one ceramic plate (cook bacon on that). Easy clean-up is a must here at our house.

I spent a considerable amount of time on blogthings yesterday. Their quizzes are so fun! I think I must have taken at least 15 over the course of the day. One might even say that I have no life to speak of. And one would be mostly right, if they didn't realize how much multi-tasking I do. I managed to get a load of clothes out on the line, cook supper, teach my son his lessons (while doing that...NO multi-tasking!), cook supper for us, talk to friends on social sites, practice piano pieces for Sunday's worship service and spend some time watching a movie and reading a book before bed. I also washed a sink full of dishes. All in all, a pretty productive day was yesterday.

I really want to get my hair colored some funky way. The only hang ups with it are the initial cost for someone to do it professionally (b/c I don't trust myself to get it right) and the ruination of my hair. I really have pretty nice hair, though it doesn't look it quite a lot of the time. I also happen to like my original hair color now, after many years in school hating the fact that I was a brunette with green eyes. I will probably do it eventually...

The school thing brought something else to mind. I used to hate my hair color and my eye color b/c I thought they were drab. Drab! Then I hit a certain point and I really took a good look at myself. Instead of looking for all the negative points, I started looking for positive ones. I starting seeing random strands of gold, silver and copper in my hair! And I also started seeing my eyes change in certain lighting and with certain colors of make-up. Wow! This could be fun, right? So then I decided being me on all points was not a bad thing at all. I started embracing my weirdness (some people might say "uniqueness" but I'm all about truth!) and trying to focus on the people who loved me for being me. Not that I turned away from those who didn't (and still don't) understand me, but I just spent less time with them. One of my friends in San Angelo told me something right before we moved from there. She said, "Don't let them stop you from being you!" She knew we were coming to my hometown and she knew my complaints from a previous stay here. I am hoping when I see her again I'll be able to tell her I'm still me. But I guess they already know that...

I found someone from my grade school days not too long ago. This was someone I worried about and prayed for anytime I thought about her. It was a relief to finally find out she was on MySpace. It was great to know she was alive and well and that we might be able to meet for a visit sometime. If there's someone you are looking for, don't give up hope. It had been at least 8 years or more since I last saw my friend. She has never met my two girls. It'll be interesting.

Well, I guess I better get started on my day. Lots to do. Remember to breathe! Laugh a lot!

Well, It's Official

It's official. You cannot procrastinate while making a mosaic. Be prepared to spend all the time you need to remove the grout on your project, whatever that project may be. My table top is ruined. Upset? Well, I suppose but I guess I've resigned myself to the fact. Moving on...to another better fated project?

I have high hopes for my garden. I've found some lovely accents in the Collections, Etc. catalog. I'm hoping to use birthday money to accessorize my yard and garden. The shade garden will have to wait until next spring but it will truly be worth waiting for. I should still be getting some dutch irises in October. Here's hoping the weather will be cooler for planting.

I could complain some more about Wild Blue but I guess I'll refrain since I went off on their internet service in my last email. It's really a shame we can't access any other form of higher speed internet at our location. We are really and truly in the middle of nowhere.

Well, I guess I'll call it quits for now in the hopes I can post this before losing internet on this fine mostly sunny day.

It's a Shame!

It's a shame that I have to go 45 minutes away from my home to get a good deal on dadgum groceries. How ridiculous! Gosh I got spoiled in the military... Well, I should specify that I got spoiled in the Air Force. I'm thinking Army folk don't have as many nice cities to live in. The only Army post I'm familiar with is Ft. Polk and it's nothing to get really excited about. Podunk town with nothing to do but go see a movie or go get drunk. When my dh finally got to an Air Force base, we went to Biloxi. Wow! What a pleasant change! Art museums, kid museum, historical sites to visit...all kinds of stuff to do and a home school organization right there on the base. In a way I miss that place but I'll just be thankful for the experience. The people who made it the best for me are gone to other places now and it just wouldn't be the same. Then we moved to San Angelo, TX and I thought we'd gone to the end of the world (and maybe taken a nose dive off the edge, at that). But in general, the people were nice, if not immediately. I mean can you blame people in the civilian world for having the luxury of being able to wait a while to determine a person's character? In the military, if you wait too long, people leave. Then you're left wondering why you waited so long. But anyway, SA had art museums and historical sites and kid activities...a really family centered town. And now we're back where I started from and I'm realizing why I wanted to leave this place in the long ago times of high school. There's stuff to do but you have to drive for an hour to get there! The only high speed internet at our house (and only at our house, mind you) costs an astronomical 89.95 just so you can have the amount of space you need to run all the new web pages using java and all the social sites. Sure, I could do without...I suppose. But once you've had it, it's hard to let go. Not to mention, I'd never be able to keep in touch with all my friends like I do now. At least our town has a library (though it's small and not really up to date...they are just now getting the bar code system going) and a couple of museums. There aren't that many activities for kids though. I just wish there was more that was closer to us. Well, I guess that's enough poor me's for today. It's a rainy day so this may post and it may not. My 89 bucks put to "good" use...

Before the Rain

Well, let's try this again! I was attempting to use my iGoogle gadget when my entire page refreshed and I lost everything. It is NOT going to be one of those days. I forbid it!

I'm trying to get some online stuff done before the rain clouds obscure the satellite signal. I like the fair to middlin' speed of the satellite internet but the inconsistency of the signal drives me nuts! It'd be really nice to live in a place where my $89 could be put to better use. Anyway, if I had to rely on the internet for a biz, I be broke by now. It only loses signal at the most inopportune times. Drives me insane! Ah, well, such is life in the black hole of the backwoods. Beautiful trees, time slows down a little, ambiance, it's all there but some of the opportunities are lost. Sad but true.

I went to visit my grandmother last week, as I stated in an earlier blog. We had a nice visit and I was able to help her get some of the harder chores finished. I'm not sure when they'll call me to go again but I have to get my housework done in preparation for it. I know they will call again sometime! While I was visiting with her, I learned how to do the fire wyrm chainmail weave. I am soooo stoked! It's a nice, heavy chain that holds it shape well and it's only 10.5" so far! I need it to be between 28 and 30 inches, I believe. Anyway, I am really excited about it and I will post pix on my chainmail site for anyone who wants to view them. You can click the link at the side of the page here and you'll go right to my chainmail site.

(Hold on a sec! Out of coffee and going for refill...)

My garden grows! It's alive! My anemones are sprouting up and I'm hoping to see the glads sending shoots up soon. My hydrangeas may not make it, though. Alas! It may just be too hot and dry. I'm hoping the rain (if it comes our way) will help matters but we'll just have to see. My butterfly and hummingbird garden is doing ok. I still need to do some work in it but it must be carefully done. There are ants involved. We bought some Arkansas river pebbles to make a walkway but we have yet to actually do it. I'm hoping we can get out there early one day and get that done. It'll probably take us about an hour or two. I'm going to let the kids make some concrete stepping stones. I thought that would be a great thing for them to add to our garden and porch. Not only does it add character but we will all have had a part in putting it together. Each person's creative stamp will be seen. Well, enough about that. I need to get started with my day. Dishes and laundry await! Schooling also awaits! See you all soon!

Just Blogging

Been a while since I last had a chance to blog here. Just finished watching disc 3 of the Robin of Sherwood series that aired on tv back in the 1980's. I'm not sure but I think it aired on public television here in the states. I only saw one episode back then but it hooked me and I couldn't believe Netflix had it! Now to see if I can locate a copy of it for sale.

Well, once again, my God has supplied all my needs. Isn't it wonderful to be able to rely on someone? As humans, we will all fail someone at some time but God never fails. I refuse to be cynical about that.

The above statement is my opinion and not meant to offend anyone. Having said that, I wonder why people do get offended at the mention of God. I realize some people serve a different god and I respect their decision, as I respect their person. I truly wish we could all get along though I know how hard that would be. But anything worth having is worth working for in my opinion. Boy! I'm sure full of opinions today.

I'm off to stay with my grandmother again this week. I'm glad she can still do many things for herself. I know it helps her to feel like she's still a person after half her heart is gone. You know what I mean? I know if I was in her position, I would never completely get over it and I would never want anyone else other than the man I have now. I wouldn't want to have to go thru all the adjustments all over again. Not saying it's not worth it! Not saying that at all! Please don't misunderstand. It's just a lot of work to have to start all that when you're middle aged or older. And I guess I'm just too serious of a person to feel as happy go lucky and carefree as some folks are blessed to be. Wish I was like that some time but then I realize it wouldn't be me at all...

If this doesn't make up a muddled and murky blog I don't know what would. I did warn you, though. It's the title of my blog so...

Well, guess I'll go for now. Laugh a lot! Remember to breathe.

Plants Planted

My bulb garden, my hydrangeas and my butterfly/hummingbird garden are all planted. The mosquitoes tried to eat us alive while we planted the last one but we got it done. All that's left is to edge and mulch and put in the pebble pathway. Yea! Short one tonight because it's so late.

Oh, NO! Not even... Time for the promised Murky Musings

First read this article... http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=125048652288&h=_KMO0&u=5tvZb&ref=nf Sort Of A God Source: www.worldmag.com
How typical! How arrogant! Who are we to decide who lives and who dies? I agree that the family of someone living in a vegetative state with no hope of improvement should be allowed to "pull the plug" as it were. But if they choose to hope, who are we to tell them they can't do that? But it sounds to me as if our President, who should care about all his people equally, only cares about his own agenda. If he was so progressive, why doesn't he really care about everyone's ideals? Nope, he's an ashamed liberal hiding under that progressive label. And so we move closer and closer to a socialist government. Some of us were alive to see how that type of goverment failed miserably and caused misery in several countries where it was attempted. Yeah, maybe it survived for a little while but on a time line those few years are such a short period it would be laughable if it wasn't so awful. Are we so blind? Have we failed so much in teaching our children? People need to open their eyes wide and, if necessary, drink the entire pot of coffee! Good grief...I never thought I'd live to see our wonderful country fall so miserably short of the goals and ideals set forth by those who formed it. Maybe I am mixed up and all this really will work out well for me. Maybe the fact that I like to be in charge of my life (miserable though I make myself sometimes) is just a daydream. Maybe I do need someone who doesn't know me at all running my life, since they would be impartial and unbiased. After all, I can be rather lazy and having someone pay for all my food and my health care, too, means I don't have to work as hard. Nah, I don't think so. Whatever happened to "anything worth doing is worth doing well?" I'm done here.

Another Day, Another Procrastination...

Well, here's hoping tomorrow will see the finishing of my mosaic table top and tray. I finally finished the grouting today but it's such a large project, I couldn't finish entirely. I sincerely hope I haven't ruined it b/c it really looks like it will be a neat item to add to my front porch. The tray looks pretty cool too. I think I'm going to go for a Mediterranean feel with the decor. I guess we'll have to see.

My husband cooked an awesome meal of beef stew tonight. I'm so thankful to him since I spent most of the sweltering afternoon outside working on the grout for the aforementioned projects. He's such a great guy! What in the world I ever did to deserve, I may never know.

Tomorrow for sure, I'm planting my bulb garden. I may also be planting the hydrangea bushes but I have to determine location before we can actually plant the things! My hummingbird and butterfly garden collection is on the way and I can't wait to see everything come together.

Well, that's all for now. I'm plum beat...or is that "plumb beat"? Whatever...I'm tired! Goodnight all. Remember to breathe. Laugh a lot!

Aarrgghh! Can I Go To Sleep Now?

I'm back from a long week of visiting and cleaning at my grandmother's. All in all, we had a good week and we accomplished quite a lot. And most of all, she wasn't lonely during this past week. I'm so drained though! I'm not sure how often I'm going to be able to do this because, emotionally, it's such a drain on me. I should be able to enjoy the time I now have with my husband, right? Not so much... I wish I felt more alive at this moment. Having said all that, it really was worth it. I love my grandma a lot and I respect her, probably more than she thinks. It pains me that she is now without her constant companion, best friend, husband...my grandpa. I know for a fact that when my turn comes, I will not ever truly "get over it" but I do know that I will continue to function until my own time comes, just like her.

While cleaning, I discovered something! You can do sideways lunges using 2-quart juice bottles. Did anyone else know that? My inner thighs are shot today because I did that a few times yesterday. I was mopping and needed to move the bottles over a patch of floor that was still wet. So I straddled the mopped bit and trasported the bottles over. What a workout! Got the floor mopped and exercised, too! LOL Anyway, moving on...

I don't know who reads my blogs but if my list is to be believed, only one person. Boy don't you just love being popular! All those adoring fans... Anyway, I found a new website I'm checking out www.connectionsacademy.com and they seem to be a home school program that follows public school curriculum. So, if you are desirous of a home school program that doesn't get all "preachy", you might want to check this out.

During my stay at grandma's, I finished a neat snake chain necklace with a vee accent and a glass pendant. I also finished a Japanese 6-n-1 choker in pink and silver aluminum. I fixed a couple of the pieces my children wore and broke and I got pretty adventurous with a couple of new weaves that are so challenging I'm still trying to work them out. I might have my husband give those a whirl! He's pretty good at new stuff. I think maybe I go too fast or something. LOL

I'll be planting my bulb garden tomorrow and my other two garden collections are on the way! I'm so excited! I can't wait to see things growing in our yard. I hope they do well. I can also finish my mosaic table and tray sometime this week.

My husband and I have made the commitment to crack down on frivolous spending and to get rid of the clutter in our home. I really want us to have a welcoming home and right now, I don't even feel welcome sometimes! We still have a few boxes to unload from our move and it's driving me nuts! And we'll still have enough home improvement projects to keep us busy for many months (and paychecks) to come. But if we want to improve our home, we need to really budget for it so we're going to give it our best shot.

Well, I guess that's all the catching up I need to do. Talk to you soon...well, "soon", relatively speaking.
Laugh a Lot!

What a week!

Yesterday we made a trip to the closest city and went shopping for some necessities. For the first time, I shopped at a Marshall's store. What a find! I can't wait to go back. I found some of those really beautiful glass candle lanterns that look Turkish or Persian or something like that. Then we went to Hancock's and I got some rings to work more chainmail. These are shiny pastel and black iridescent. Can't wait to see how they'll look! We went to Tuesday Morning and found some items for a friend's baby shower. That's another place I need to go back to. We went to Bed Bath and Beyond just to look around. They have the nicest bamboo things for the kitchen. Maybe I'll add some to my kitchen some day. The last place we went was SuperTarget. Gosh! I love that store. They have such a wide variety of things to choose from! There's something to be said for shopping in a "college town" where many international students attend. Those international students bring the flavors and tastes of their homelands over with them and share them with us. It's fantastic! Well, I'll stop now. I have school to do with the kids, clothes to wash on this gorgeous day and much more to do. Maybe I'll finish that grout work on the table top today. Laugh a Lot!

Whiney Kids and Impending Doom

How is it that my children who are well provided for, can be so whiney?? I suppose I'll try playing a game with them later. Perhaps their spirits will lift with the fun of a game. Have any of you ever heard of or played the Munchkin games? They are absolutely hilarious! Even if all you do is sit and read the cards, you still have a blast. No, my son, got the medieval one for Christmas and then the western one for his birthday. We have yet to try to play them together. Maybe we should do that today. Goodness knows we all need some kind of happy break.

"Why do you need a break?"you may be asking. Hmmm...four funerals (all people we knew fairly well, one a close family member) within about 2.5 months of each other will bring everyone's spirits down and raise the stress levels pretty high. It's been rough enough trying to settle into a new routine after moving here (even though we've lived here before). I'm still trying to find more homeschoolers who are close by and willing to actually do stuff together. I'm curious... Is it necessary to spend money in order to do things with friends? Last I checked, not so. Granted, the places you can go to that cost money generally give you what you pay for but there are some really neat places to visit that don't cost anything at all! The Prarie Acadian Cultural Center in Eunice, LA doesn't charge an entry fee and their exhibits are extremely interesting and informative. On the other hand, going there with a 4 yr old can be an adventure in stress. Ro did well, considering everything is hands off at the PAC Center. I'm thinking it's time to do something fun but trying to do this within our budget is becoming more and more difficult.

I think I need some music today. There is still so much to be done. Talk to you later!

Busy, Busy, Busy

Well, it's been one long day for me. Didn't really accomplish much except school with the kids. I did manage to update my Rond Alainn website. I was selling chainmail jewelry that my husband and I make but decided to simply use my site for discussion and idea sharing. If you'd like to check it out, the web address is http://www.freewebs.com/chainmailbymelody/ and you can tell by the address, it's been up a while. Freewebs (for those of you who are unfamiliar with it) has now become Webs so they've changed the web addresses for newbies. I get to keep my old one (yea!) and that's good because my biz cards all have that web address on them. I might pass out 5 or 6 biz cards in a year so you can imagine my relief that I'm still able to use those cards.

Shi just brought me a lily from outside. How sweet! We put it in a vase. It's nice to have a flower instead of many little wildflowers. I love the wildflowers but they don't last very long once you've picked them. I prefer to watch the butterflies flock to the wildflowers while they're still growing in the yard.

I don't know about other parts of the states but we are having some hot humid weather down here in the south! Whew! I stood it as long as I could before turning on the AC. We have energy effecient window units, thankfully. I've been updating all kinds of my sites today. I have a MySpace page, a Facebook page, a Twitter page and a Freewebs page. I now have this blog. I also have a Piczo page that I haven't updated in ages. It doesn't help that I haven't got many photos on this computer. Sometimes it's really hard to keep up with all these! OK...not just sometimes. It's like anything else I tackle. I usually take on more than I can handle and then get really discouraged when I can't get it all done. Does that happen to anyone else or is it just me? Ah, well, I'm probably talking to myself anyway.

See you tomorrow, self. Remember to breathe!

What a Monday!

Yea, me! I have two custom orders lined up! I make chainmail jewelry. I'm now working on one of two knight's chains. I had to order brass rings for the job but Metal Designz never fails to amaze me. I started on one of them last night and it's coming along quite nicely. I hope the knight in question likes the end result.

I also need to get outside and paint Shi's rocking chair. I have to seal Ro's rocking chair and it will be complete. Ro's is leaf green with little scrapbook paper mice scattered around. I used Mod Podge to stick them down and I'm hoping the clear glaze will keep them on there permanently. Shi's will be canary yellow and have scrapbook paper cats scattered around. Maybe I'll post pix or something.

My mosaic projects are still in the works. Still haven't been able to get into town to buy grout. May just have to bite the bullet and order some online. My tabletop is just sitting there looking forlorn, wondering why I've left it unfinished. I also have a serving tray ready to grout. We'll see how that goes.

I'm going to be working on school with the kids today. I usually know what books I'm going to purchase for the next school year by this time but I'm awfully behind. Guess I'll have to stop by CBD later and check out their homeschool supply. They really are good about offering a wide range of stuff for homeschool. I'm determinded to get both of them through their respective books by mid-July so they can have a bit of summer fun.

Well, I guess I have enough to do today without spending overmuch time here. Talk to you guys later! Laugh a Lot!

Jokes, Books and Music

Ah! I love music. I especially love new music from people who write their own stuff. Now I am not positive these guys write their own music but you should definitely check them out...Faerience. You can find them on YouTube and MySpace. They are also on Twitter. I particularly like the intricate piano melody that runs thru the entire piece. Give them a try and see what you think!

I'm reading "Night Play" by Sherrilyn Kenyon for the third time. Honestly, this book will never get old for me. I can't wait to get my hands on "Bad Moon Rising"! I'm so glad my friend in San Angelo turned me on to the Dark Hunter books. What a great way to spend a few minutes of my spare time!

Another Texas friend sent me a wonderful Boudreaux and Thibodeaux joke. "Rev. Boudreaux was the part time pastor of the local Cajun Baptist Church and Pastor Thibodeaux was the minister of the Covenant Church across the street. They were both standing by the road, pounding a sign into the ground that read: 'Da end is Near. Turn yo sef 'roun now afore it be too late!' As a car sped past them, the driver leaned out his window and yelled, 'You religious nuts!' From the curve they heard screeching tires and a big splash... Boudreaux turns to Thibodeaux and asks, 'Do ya tink maybe da sign should jussay... 'Bridge Out?'"

Well, it's time for me to get moving. I'm enjoying my second cup of Community Coffee (ah, sweet nectar of life!) and then it's off to church to support another friend of mine.

Remember to Breathe! Laugh a Lot!

It Just Keeps On

Yeah, life. It just keeps on...for a while anyway...for most of us. I was able to get some of the items I needed for my garden. I've got the basic edging and weed stop fabric. I got my tools and gloves. All I really need now are those pesky plants. Next Saturday seems so far away!

I'll be going to spend some time with my grandmother soon. I'm hoping to cheer her up and help her out with household chores, etc.

I finished all but the sealant on Ro's little rocking chair. Ro is my 4 year old. She is something else. Now I just have to finish Shi's. Shi is my 8 year old. She is telling me that my mother is back from work. The reason she's playing "informant" is because she's ready for supper. Guess I better stop my blogging for now and feed her! Blog more later!

Sweet! Loving my iGoogle!

I just love all these gadgets for iGoogle. They are so much fun when they work. I tried to get Lava Lamp to run and it never would. Playlist was pretty cool. Took it off because it automatically plays when you load your page. That's not such a great thing when the kids are still asleep! I love being able to catch a glimpse of what is in my email inbox and what my Twitter friends have to say. Too cool!

Today was also good because I was able to go shopping for a bathroom floor! Finally! Solid wood to stand on will be so nice. I can't wait to see the finished product. So even though I didn't get to work in my garden plots today, something good did happen.

I'm so excited about having a garden again. There's just something about helping (or in my case, trying to help) something grow. I eagerly await the green leaves and colorful blooms. I'm hoping I can really do this garden up well. Lots of pretty accents and classic touches could be in the future. I would so love to add this great solar light I found on Target.com. It's a gargoyle holding a glowing torch! Then there is a green lady statuette that's super fab. They would be excellent additions to my garden but for the price! Ouch! I'll be looking for them in other locations and hopefully finding a better deal somewhere else. I won't be holding my breath too long, though.

My kids have been enjoying the sun lately. They are all turning this lovely shade of golden brown from playing outside so much. Thank goodness for Avon Bug-n-Sun! At least with that stuff you get what you need for a hot, humid summer.

Well, I guess it's time to sign out. I need (yes, NEED) to watch some classic Jonny Quest with my kids before sending them off to dreamland.

I'm Back To Blogging

Well, I'm back again after...well, after a long absence. I just feel the need to be able to vent every now and then. Or I might feel disposed to sing the praises of someone or something. Hence the title of my blog.

To start, I'm feeling the after burn of emotional depletion. My grandfather passed away this past weekend. In trying to make everyone else feel better, and in trying to do as much as I could to help so my grandmother, mother, aunt and uncle wouldn't have to do extras, I completely drained myself. It didn't help that there are members in my family who don't like me in the least, don't understand me at all and could care less about trying to do either. Ah, well, such is my life. I'm sure there are many others out there who understand that. I guess now it's my turn to grieve...in the place and with those who can truly provide the type of comfort I need. I just need to be left alone. My close family knows this and they are the ones who truly matter the most to me.

On a happier note, I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of my Michigan Bulb order. There is something to be said for planting a flower garden. That in itself is a very meditative activity for me. I guess this is enough for a start. I'm hopeful that I'll be back soon to either vent or think or just yakkety yak about something. Remember to breath and laugh a lot!