• May. 22, 2007
Wow, I'm stressed!

The FBI meeting was yesterday. I didn't know what to expect, I only vaguely knew the topic of the investigation-the insurance company we use is under investigation. The FBI raided the business, which belongs to a wife of a high profile gov't leader. That's how the FBI found my name and our center-we had filed 2 claims with the company so the FBI wanted to know about our experience dealing with the company. I didn't anticipate the depth of the questions I'd be asked. Some of them were like this:

Did you ever file a claim with this insurance company?

Yes, for roof damage from a hail storm.

Tell me about the damage. (I do)

Then after the storm, what did you do next?

Okay, so you called the insurance company and spoke to who?

And then how did you file the claim, do you recall the form you used? Did you fax it, mail it, or what?

And the next time you file a claim, what happened.....was the form the same as the first time?

This was five years ago, and was a simple day-to-day routine event. I had no reason at the time to believe I should try extra hard to imprint the information on my brain. I was even surprised to find out that the slow rate at which we received our insurance money could have been due to the owner using the money (in the mean time) for something else-maybe campaign funding. Sure, it took several months to get our money, but who ever has great results when working with insurance? I had no reason to suspect it wasn't an isolated case. It appears, however, that it wasn't isolated at all and several (many?) centers were in the same boat.

I don't know if we helped then at all. It's kind of strange to have him ask questions you know good and well he knows the answers to. Like, "What was Mr. _____'s first name? (the man under investigation). I kind of felt like a dork telling him those kinds of answers, but I guess that's how an investigation works.

It's very sad to me that a man who claims to be a Christian would abuse his power and do things to hurt the very ministries he claims to believe so highly in. He's a strong pro-lifer. It's left me confused. Of course, this all could be resolved with him being aquitted...why do Christians do things to put themselves in such precarious positions? Especially those under the scrutinany of the public spot light?

Well, I must admit, it was cool to  meet real, live FBI agents. They wore black suits, just like on TV :) The woman, Jan, was in a skirt, I believe and was quite feminine. They were both about my age, very professional, but friendly. It was surreal to have them flip out their FBI badges at us :) The only funny thing was that they didn't drive a slick black sedan, just a rental--a blue Dodge Pickup! Funny. I guess it's because they flew in.

So, may that be the first and last time my name is part of an investigation by the FBI! He asked me the best way to reach me--umm, please don't need to reach me! This is hard work-trying not to be nervous and recalling mundane events from 5 years ago!

Oh, and today the PRC babysitter quit. She informed me she wouldn't be there Thursday while I was working on an IRS form due a week ago. I spent 6 hours on the blasted IRS form and had to bring in help from our treasurer. I'm still not done, and now I have to track down a sitter :(

I'm thankful, though. At least I didn't have to cook dinner-we went out.

 

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• May. 14, 2007
Mother's Day Extension

I took today as an extended Mother's Day. I think I deserve it, after all, I did what my husband wanted to do for Mother's Day. He wanted to take us back to Medieval Times. While I find his enthusiasm for Mother's Day very sweet, I really only needed to experience eating soup and meat sans forks/spoons once. It's a fine show, but it's all smoke and mirrors. Well, mist and lights at least. Oh, and plastic. It's funny how every thing there that's supposed to be heavy weight metal is plastic. Oh well, the girls had an absolute blast. Girlie leaned over and said, "Is that a real princess?". I said, "No.'' and she said, "Are you sure?". I should have lied, it would have made her year.

The day before Mother's Day was better-we all went to see Narnia, the Musical at an excellent children's theatre. Oh, it was great-we were on the front row! A character or two scared BB, but she was fine once Daddy held her. She's so tiny at 28 lbs (she's 3.5), that her seat kept bouncing back up anyway, so it was good that she sat in his lap. The girls got autographs (so silly, lol) and pictures with the actors afterwards. It was a lot of fun!

So, back to today-we were so busy doing church and Medieval Times yesterday that I didn't feel all too pampered, and with four girls, I just sometimes need to feel pampered, ya know? So after getting groceries alone (that's pretty close to an hour at a top notch spa, don't ya think?), I made us all sandwhiches and took a nap! Almost two hours! No interruptions either! Land Baron didn't even bother me when the FBI agent called me.

Oh, I didn't mention in my profile that I regurlarly have FBI agents call me up to chat? I don't. I was taken aback and made myself call him back even though I was a bit nervous. He wants to meet with me next week (oh my gosh, that just made me nervous again!). It's not regarding us, it's just that I was the Director of a different PRC when we used a certain insurance company that he's investigating. He wants to know about our experience with them and our little roof damage claim. Not a big deal. I think when I'm with him, I'll see if he's got an opening for a partner--Land Baron would be a great FBI agent. Or, Land Baron could just take the animal control job that's just opened up at his Sheriff's Office.

So, I have a full cupboard (always makes me feel good), I had a nap, rubbed elbows with a law enforcement officer of the federal variety, and now I'm all tricked out with my new Satin Hands, new lipstick, and new bracelet my buddy Jennifer sent me! Land Baron is going to cook out tonight (isn't burning charcoal the most amazing smell?). I'm going to sit on the couch with my The Old Schoolhouse magazine. Ahhhh, Happy Mother's Day to me :0)

 

 

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• May. 10, 2007
Packed day

Whew, what a day! My 88 year old industrial strength little grandma had major surgery to remove about 10" of cancerous small intestine this morning. Wanting to be the supportive grandchild, I had the girls do extra work yesteday so I could be at the hospital this morning. Mom, Aunt Linda and I had lunch after finding out Grandma did great and was in recovery. We had a great chicky lunch at a favorite local haunt.

After lunch we got to see Grandma and she looked remarkable. Even the nurses were impressed. Then I rushed off to work since I was the only one with a key to the building today.

Work went well and I felt like I made progress on my to-do list. I got a Strawberry Limeade in the process ;) Oh, and a Kashi Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie. Yum.

Once I got home,  I realized I'd been tensed up all day. My neck, back and temples hurt from stress. Being with the mix of personalities at the hospital was a little tense, as was waiting for a word on how major surgery goes, I guess.

A friend gave me a new camera (new to me, old to her) and it's just what I've been wanting-a digital camera that's more than a point and shoot-one I can manipulate shutter speed and all those things. I played with it this evening and I'm really looking forward to playing with it more.

Ash had a ball game tonight, a thing I always look forward to. I think her game nights are a highlight of my week. They're so much fun, even if the poor 10 yr old pitchers can't pitch so well and everyone scores b/c they were walked in! Ash got a girl out at 3rd and hit well and got to 1st, but the inning was over before she got hit home. Girlie had a game too, and while I enjoyed it, it's just not the same once you taste the big leagues! It sure is cute when they run the bases backwards, though! And what is it with home base? It's like once they get home, they aren't movin' off that plate, who cares if their teammate is about to plow into them, lol.

So, I'm typing this out for no good reason, just because I'm too tired to clean my kitchen but I have a little one falling asleep in my bed, so I have to kill some time...something I won't have much of in the next few days. We have lots of plans including some fun excursions~I'll fill you in after the weekend is over.

Nighty Night :)

 

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• May. 8, 2007
Quirky Husbands

I love my husband so much. I really think he's my hero. After he started working in law enforcement, I started have occasional bad dreams or bad thoughts about someone breaking in or some CSI kinda crime happeing to us. Even when I'm scared (of what turns out to be the cat on the front porch) and he's 30 miles away at work, I know he'll somehow save the day. However, he has his quirks that might not usher him into hero status. Here's a few:

When he leaves for work every night, as he's walking in the lawn to the car, he loudly says, "The pistol is on your side of the bed." I know he's not telling me where his gun is, he's telling the neighbors that we have a gun and that I know how to use it (not so sure about all that, but that's the message anyhow). This cracks me up. Our neighbors might very well be on the trashy side, but I think we're safe ;)

He gets angry at me for washing dishes and putting cups to dry upside down. He comes behind me and lays them all down on their side. If he does the dishes, they are stacked wildly like a house of cards and you can't get to the cups on the bottom without the whole structure crashing to the ground-but, hey, those cups don't get any funny smells from being upside down while wet. Yeah. So There.

I asked him recently about going to a conference in Kentucky this fall. I said, "We could fly out--" but was stopped by his sudden, "No."

Me:"Come on, won't you fly with me?

Him:"No."

We did this for a few cycles until I gave up. He finally said he'd just drive and leave a few days ahead of me. I scoffed at this silly idea and I must have asked him what he'd drive since he said he'd get a motorcycle for the gas effeciency. Yeah, Babe, flying's so dangerous, why don't you just take a motorcylce instead?

And, the latest-I asked him why he doesn't read my blog. He said, "Because it's yours, I guess. Why would you want me to read it, it's not mine." Maybe we need a blogging 101 class :) Or maybe that's just the best excuse he could think of in his half asleep stupor.

The best thing about this blog entry is that while I was trying to bring back to mind all those silly things he does, I kept thinking of all the great things he does. He's such a great Daddy, such a blessing as a husband. I think I'll keep him, quirks and all!

 

 

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• May. 8, 2007
Blogs...

Why do we blog? Is it just a fad? I think it is contagious, but I also think it serves a real need for us to interact with others. Our Grandparents used to sit on their front porches and visit with the neighbors, but that's rare today. Blogging is like a front porch of our hearts, don't you think?

I love it that blogs are so versitile. They can be soley for the owner or written knowing masses will be reading each entry. They can be for specific issues or for random thoughts of all kinds. When I blog, I feel I've worked something out in my brain. It feels good to "release" it onto paper (cyber paper, that is).

I wish all my friends had blogs-I love to read blogs. I can hardly resist the random blog button at the top of Homeschool blogger. It's so fun. I hit the Next Blog button on Blogger the other day and it wasn't so pretty, lol, but that's okay. Even XXX movie stars need a (moral) creative outlet, I'm sure, lol.

I guess the main reason I blog is b/c when I start babbling all these things to my sweet hubby, his eyes glaze over. For some reason, he won't even read my blog. He says I think too much (and I know he thinks I talk too much, but he won't admit that).

So, if you've considered blogging in the past, then I'd encourage you to go for it. It's such a great tool and it's fun! Hey, if a XXX starlet can blog, so can you!

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• May. 6, 2007

It's been an interesting week. I somehow got interested in my myspace page again. I updated it a bit, then went looking for long lost friends. I found some and even emailed back and forth with one. I think it's therapeutic for me, in a strange way.

I look back now at my junior high/high school years knowing all the things I did wrong with my life. My life looked fine from the distant outside, but I was a mess, spiritually speaking. I automatically associate friends from back in the day with sin from back in the day, even when they didn't have much to do with it.

So, when I see an old friend, I feel shame b/c of that association; I just assume they know all I was really up to and have branded me with a bright red A.

But you know what, I don't think that's true. I don't think very many people knew what was going on. And from what I've heard since high school, I'm thinkin' I wasn't the only one messing up! What a concept! Besides, many of those old friends are up to their ears in their own sin, I'm sure they aren't worrying about my 15 year old sin!

The pastor today talked about struggling with God like Jacob did. I've struggled with this stuff for so very long. I'm ready for God to bless me like he did Jacob (although I'd like to not walk with a limp!). The pastor went on to say he thinks Jacob was struggling with his self, with his past mistakes. He told us to move on after our struggle. To not dwell there, to not be embarrassed or ashamed, but to MOVE ON.

So, my new project is to move on. I'm not sure what that looks like, exactly, but I hope to find out as I walk it out. As if to make His point clear, God let me run into 3 old friends in the last week-isn't that strange? One was an especially close friend from high school who I've wondered about so many times. Another was girl I've not seen since 8th grade and I felt so sorry for her (she had a physical issue that really embarrassed her), but I really liked her. It was good to see her as a happy adult (looks like she's moved on!).

Any advice on exactly how to move on? What does this look like for you? I'd love to hear about it!

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• Apr. 26, 2007
My best friend

I shared about all my local buds, but I've not shared much about my sister-in-heart (except that she has lots of shoes!). We've been friends for, like, forever (12 years!), so this will be long :)

Jennifer and I went to highschool together and although we weren't best friends, we weren't enemies either. We had a class or two together and we talked in class, but nothing outside of school.

Then I grew up and got married at the ripe old age of 19. I married a good guy from Jennifer's home town (just a few minutes from my home town, where we currently live). I'd been attending college at a local junior college and had seen Jennifer there. Once I got married, LB and I only had a little stick shift car, which I was so afraid to drive. I called Jen to see if she were going to take any more classes at the main campus (45 min away) and I found out that not only was she going to be driving over there, but she also wanted to take a Fiction and Poetry class that she didn't want to take alone. I had wanted to take the class, too. The rest, as they say, is history. (I might add that I actually took the class, Jen pretended to and we both made A's).

Jennifer moved in with us when her parents took a church in CO. Ash was a toddler and she and Jennifer got very close. We all shared one bathroom, so Jen and I got close, too, lol. Not ones to get up any earlier than needed, we often ended up sharing the bathroom-I'd shower while she'd do her makeup. We didn't share the kitchen much, lol, Jen now cooks, but she didn't back then.

We've been through the jealous friend stage, at least twice. We've graduated from the same college with the same degree. We've vacationed together, played "let's imagine" together, debated theology for miles and miles (on our school drive) and she even drove while I pumped milk for  Ash on our long commute.

We had a time when I thought we might drift apart if it weren't for her affection and interest in Ash (and the other girls). I never mentioned it (at the time) and somehow soon after, our friendship grew very deep.

She's my friend I can ask about anything-especially pop culture questions and fashion advice. She doesn't laugh at my fashion naivetity (did I even get close to spelling that right?), but she laughs at my jokes. Sometimes we laugh really hard. Sometimes we just find comfort being on the phone while I boss around my kids and she watches--what else?--American Idol. We're the only ones allowed to tell each other that the other is just being hormonal, even while the tears are still wet on our cheeks.

I love my history with Jennifer. She knows me better than anyone. She knows LB, she even knew him before I did, so they have their own memories (wonderful school bus memories, lol) and mutual friends. He loves her, too, as a little sister. She knows my girls...she failed a test to be at Ash's birth (but went to a concert during Girlie's birth, I believe!).

She lives farthest away (except for Leah, who I need to write about soon, that's a cool story, too), but is very close to my heart. Awwwwhhh.

See, I'm not always spoiled, I can be really sweet! Or maybe I'm not really sweet, I might just be trying to get my birthday present sooner, lol.

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• Apr. 26, 2007
I got over it

Good news. I got out of spoiled brat-ville. I had a great second half of a birthday. The first half was just like any other day (except that I was in a bad mood). We went to church, but I was sooo tired from escaping waaaay too late in House that I was a zombie and in no mood to stay and socialize during the youth fundraiser lunch. So we went home and I went to bed. I kinda made Land Baron mad with my attitude, but it was better to sleep it off than spew it at everyone.

He went to work while I was still lying down, but while I had been asleep, he helped the girls make a great birthday party for me. After the "surprise" party (which made me feel loved again), I got ready to go see Land Baron at work. He has never invited me out there before, even when he left something at home and I offered to bring it to him, so I was honored that he thought of it.

He ordered great Italian food and it was still piping hot when I got there. We had a great time (he even arranged childcare, but I kept Baby with me). He ordered dessert, too! It was nice to just hang out with him in the relative quiet. We talked about the day (and he casually mentioned how bad he wanted to twist my head off most of the day). He gave me a sweet card about loving me even when I'm blue. It's so nice that Hallmark made a birthday card for depressed women, lol. I think LB must have special ordered it :)

On an even brighter note, a baby was saved yesterday through the PRC. It was great how God brought it together. Follow me here: a friend of a client advocate had another friend who had an abortion scheduled for tomorrow. The first friend called the client advocate (Melissa) to ask for her help. We got the girl scheduled for a sonogram the same day and although she left the clinic still undecided, by the time she got home, she'd decided to give her baby life! Sonograms are such a great tool!

Today, there could have been more lives saved. Our PRC's abstinence team went into the local highschool to present for the first time. It went very well and one girl even came into the center after the presentation for a pregnancy test. I'm so proud of our team! I went to the same highschool and back in the day I thought people who came to do presentations were very important. God let our staff be the "important" people bringing a message that may save lives-from STDs or unplanned pregnancies. I'm so proud of our team-have I said that already? Well, I've not said it enough!  Way to go Summer, Melissa, Aaron and Jennifer! 

 

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• Apr. 21, 2007
Mad musings

I probably shouldn't be blogging when I'm angry. But obviously I am. That's kind of like saying, "Well, I shouldn't really be saying this, but..." and then proceed to gossip.

Tomorrow is my birthday, and even though I'm in my 30's, I do still manage some of that childish glee inside found only on my birthday. I've been looking forward to it with anticipation since Land Baron took off the entire day (which is actually two shifts he was giving up) for me. Then he found out last night his co-worker who would have covered the main shift he vacated decided not to come in afterall. Then he mentioned that if I'm going on to bed tonight (to get up early for Sunday School) that he might as well work over a little. He doesn't understand that I get so much comfort from knowing he's home at night and in the same bed with me. If he comes in at 2 or 3 AM, I never know he's home until I wake up in the morning (we have a huge bed) . So we had to debate why this is an issue for me. I just want to skip my birthday for now on, why get my hopes up for a great day only to be disappointed (again)? Sound like a pity party?

There's more.

Ash stalls at taking her showers. It's 10 PM and she is supposed to be showering...but she's stalling. I finally get her in the bathroom and tell Girlie Girl to go to bed as soon as her big sister is out, I'm going to go nurse Baby to sleep. She's scared to be up alone so she cuts out construction paper presents for me in my floor. Fine, she's super quiet. She hears the bathroom door open and I tell her before she bolts to get her teeth brushed and they both need to get to bed. A few minutes later, what do I hear? The piano. They are not in bed. I'm a little stuck so I just wait it out. Finally, Girlie comes to me so I think I'll have a chance to "encourage" her into bed. No. She is telling me she's sure someone is outside since she hears dogs barking and people talking. She's talking somewhat loudly and a mile a minute. I motion to her to be quiet but she's too worked up and wakes Baby up. Totally. So now it's after 11 and only one child is asleep and we're supposed to go to SS in the morning.

So, in trying to explain to my sweet husband why I really don't want him to work late, I lay out how tomorrow will go (and this was before we all stayed up too late): He'll work late, be really tired and struggling to stay awake in church/driving home. We'll either have to take 2 cars to church so he can go on to work from there or we'll have to skip the lunch. If we skip the lunch, he'll want to catch a nap before work and will sleep through his off hours of my birthday. He can't fathom how I know this...I dunno, it could be my crystal ball or that I have known him since I was 15. Eeww, that's like over half my life.

So, right now I'm exchanging my birthday party for a pity party because I'm a spoiled brat wife and my birthday really does matter to me no matter what I say when these things happen. I'm supposed to have the fruits of the Spirit but it seems mine have soured and rotted.

I don't think it helps that I've escaped all afternoon in Frank Peretti's House, which is a twisted, wicked book. I think it's messed with my mind...

It just came to me that I used to act this way (spoiled) on my birthday until a few years ago when I kind of grew up and got over myself. I find it psychologically  and spiritually interesting that I've reverted back. I'm going to go ponder this (although I suspect I know what it means), but only for a minute, I'm ahead of Land Baron in House and I want to hurry and see if they get out alive!

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• Apr. 20, 2007
Girls night out

It's way late, but after a Girl's Night I can never fall asleep. My mind is over alert from all the extra oxygen it gets from belly laughing. As I was lying next to the baby, nursing her to sleep, I thought about our group. We've been getting together about six or seven months and I think we're getting pretty comfortable with each other. Most of us get together outside of our group on a weekly basis-either we go to church together, volunteer/work together, or attend small group together, so the "history" we share is getting deeper.

Back to lying in bed, my mind spinning...I think we'd make a fun movie. We kind of have the chemistry that would make a movie that feels like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants or whatever it was called. Maybe we don't actually have that chemistry, but I think we will someday. And I sure wish I could fit into any of their pants, lol.  

I think of our backgrouds and our personalities. There's the one who could always say something "theologically appropriate" (that's what Lucy Swindoll's friends from Women of Faith say about her and it can be said of me too sometimes) and that some of us feel we can't measure up to. There's me trying to loosen up and not be so theologically appropriate all the time. One I'm trying to still figure out, but after taking a smoke break on my porch, I think she's not so much theologically appropriate, lol. There's one who's bubbly and full of joy all while laughing at her own perfectionism. And two that make me laugh and look at life with much humor. One I'm especially glad I've been able to get to know better is such a simple friend-demading so little, but delivering such freshness (yes, you Summer!).

I think our lives are a rich combination that would be a great cast for a movie-no, a book, since you get to see inside the characters' minds and know their intimate thoughts in a book. Two photographer friends trying to make their new businesses work while balancing their families. A "seasoned" homeschooler (Ha!) with too much on her plate trying too fool everyone into thinking she can do it all, a sister going through a divorce, another sister preparing to move to the African mission field, one moving into motherhood after trying to conceive after 8 years, and a cool mom seeking God about homeschooling while keeping her nose in the books for a counseling degree. And we can't forget the new mom who kind of tags along and shows up when she can-always with something funny to say.

Our group is great...and I learn something new every time (usually something to tuck away for Monday nights (Land Baron's night home ;) or something about bodily functions)! I think we need a change of scenary, though. Maybe we should go overnight somewhere and stay up really late talking and laughing. There's nothing like sharing make up and early morning hotel coffee for bonding, ya know.

I know this is long, but I just needed to process this so my mind will rest. I know I am so blessed to have so many really good friends who love the Lord. I think this group will really "be there" for each other and that's rare. 3 of our Girls are giving birth this year, and we'll all be a part (not literally I kind of hope--oh, but that would be some good bonding...), we're all hanging on tight to our friend who's divorcing. I hope this continues and we're still "being there" for each other during hot flashes (it's just around the corner, girls!).

So, thank you, Lord, for my diverse friends who seek you. Bless them as they petition you for your will in their lives, bless their walk with you, their marriages/family relationships, and the work of their hands. And thank you for putting them in my path, I need each one of them.

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• Apr. 15, 2007
I'm officially a business owner!

Okay, remember when I said I was going to start selling slings? Well, I got excited, then stalled out and didn't do anything. Meanwhile, my mom got busy sewing lots of slings while I felt guilty. Then a friend said she wanted to order one and I got motivated again. So I set up my website and have planned out the details of the business. I am planning to attend a used curriculum fair late this month and have been invited to set up a booth to sell slings! Yipee! There's another local event this summer that will have more traffic and I plan to buy booth space there, too.

If you're interested in looking at the unfinished version of the website, it's: www.sweetpeababyslings.net

Note that the bright flower motif is fine, but not what I wanted. I used doteasy.com and they just don't have a lot of templates to choose from.

In the coming weeks I hope to add pictures of my slings. I just ordered some great fabric and can't wait to see it!

Oh, and we did join the church this morning. Next Sunday is my birthday, and Land Baron has asked off work so he can go with us to church and celebrate my great day (well, actually, we're just celebrating Earth day, lol). There's a youth fundraiser lunch we plan to attend, so maybe we can start getting to know some people.

 

 

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• Apr. 12, 2007
I'm so excited!

I wanted to post this a couple of weeks ago, but our internet at home is down and I didn't have time to blog at my office...so  here I am!

We have baseball practice in a few minutes, so I still have to keep it short-so I'll jump right in! The church we've been visiting is everything I say I want in a church. Somehow though, I've not warmed up to this congretation in the six or seven months we've been attending. No one has been overly friendly to us, but I've only been to Sunday School one time and it's hard to get to know someone if they only show up for the worship service. So out of default kind of, we've been plugging along hoping we'll start feeling like this is our church.

Two Sundays ago, the pastor's message made it clear we are on the same page in a theological area I'm concerned about it. Since this is a non-denominational church, this was important to me. I'm a tiny bit type A, so this thrills me.

More importantly, I'm getting old and now I so fully understand the reason people want their kids to be fed in church. I used to be selfish and think it was all about me :) Well, after lunch that same Sunday, I asked what the girls what they learned at church and they said, "We learned about the old covenant vs. the New Covenant." I was floored, especially when they explained how it was taught. They got it! I love it. When your kids get the Bible as part of their daily study, it's hard for them to pick up a lot in children's church. Our churches in the past have always been more of a baby sitting service with Veggie Tales and popcorn. I'm thrilled my kids are getting so much  more. I think we'll join!

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• Mar. 30, 2007
I had this deep thought...

and then when I came here to blog it, it was gone

I think I was thrown off by my friend calling to report that she bought 8 pairs of shoes in the last two days. Granted, she had a gift card for 2 and her mom bought her another...but still. That's more shoes than I've bought new since I've been married. Okay, so maybe that's a slight exaggeration-but not much of one since I get most of my "new" shoes from the said friend who has to make room for her new shoes. Go ahead my best buddy, buy all the new shoes you want !  

Ironically, my ponderings had something to do with wanting something really bad and then it not satisfying us in the way we think it will. I had two great examples, but like I said, they're no where to be found.

I know it had something to do with my desire to live simply, but when I look at my life, I am living simply. I don't have a lot of busy days on my calendar, I am not over committed. Since we stopped going to piano and let the new piano teacher come to us, I feel far more peaceful. I'm home almost all day 3-5 days a week and most days follow a similar pattern. We get our milk from a dairy, go to Wal-Mart only once or twice a week, go to church 2x a week...go visit local grandmas and great-grandmas...but that's about it. Pretty simple. Yet, I still long to live a simple life. I don't think I'd know "simple" if it bit me. It's all perspective I suspect.

This blog entry is far from enlightening and not even funny, so I might as well add a few updates. Baby Girl finally has her first tooth. When she bites down on something, or gives really hard "sugars" she uses all her might and her whole body shakes. Cracks us up! She's just turned 8 months old and has been pulling up for a few weeks. I know she'll be walking way before I want her to!

Ash and Girle are thriving in 4-H. The teacher is very committed and does a great job. She's discussing starting a 4-H choir and my girls are excited (except that Ash has no interest in wearing a clover covered skirt!).

Girlie Girl learned to read in March and is doing quite well. I got a book in the mail and she attempted to read the title: Get Out of That Pit (by Beth Moore who, by the way, will be my new best friend in heaven-just so all my current bestfriends know. Once I get tired of picking her witty brain I'll come back to y'all, don't worry!). What a memory Girlie will have when she gets older-My first attempt at reading something besides my simple school stories was reading Mom's new book about being depressed!

As for me, there's not much new except that I spent nearly 2 whole days trying to figure out how to coordinate the girls' schooling so throughout my hs journey, I won't be teaching one child the History of God's Kingdom core, another a World History Core, a 3rd Am. History and the baby PreK. I love the idea of a one room schoolhouse where they all study the same general period, but at different levels, but with the span I have, that's not realistic. Now I have the middle two merging with either the next oldest or the next youngest, repectfully, or with each other, depending on the year/subjects. I'm excited about it, but I'm not so sure how thrilled I'll be in 2010 when I'm teaching all four girls! Wow.

Oh, and we are getting our milk from a dairy a few minutes away. It's completely pure, from beautiful cow named Sarah that eats hand mixed feed and clean pasture. It tastes really good. We've made butter (we shook those jars for an hour and a half!). Girlie thinks its cured her eczema. She hasn't had any eczema since day 3 of pure milk. Interesting, but I don't know if it can happen that fast.

If I think of my great ponderings, I'll come back and post them, lol. Or if I get a few great pairs of  "new" shoes from my Arkansas friend!

 

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• Mar. 27, 2007
The Jar

You know, sometimes my life is mundane and I have no great material to use in this space...but I told this story to a friend and she said I had to blog about it-so here it is: (and a warning-there's absolutely nothing philisophical or spiritual about this blog entry!)

First, some background. A friend of mine has boys and has been known to use one of those portable urinal things (like Land Baron's late grandfather used in the last years of his life) for road trips. She's often teased me a little since we have all girls and a portable urinal would be rather useless in our car. For some reason I can't recall, we were discussing our husbands and the use of portable urinals. She said (and I promised to tell no one) that her husband had a time in his life when he was so very tired that he'd just pee in a jar by the bed during the night so that he didn't have to get up and walk to the bathroom.

I never discussed this with anyone, not even Land Baron.

So, a week or so ago, Land Baron calls me on his cell phone. He's in bed (he works nights) and I'm in the kitchen. He mumbles something that I understand to be, "I'm having trouble getting out of bed to go to the bathroom." I can't figure out exactly why he'd need to call me just to tell me this, so I'm thinking he needs me to solve his problem. So I say, "Do you want me to bring you a jar?" He says, "Sure."

So, I bring in a jar to the dark bedroom. I stand infront of him with the jar and he reaches out and touches it as if trying to figure out what it is. I see his confusion and say, "Didn't you want a jar to pee in?" I mean, what a cool wife to have handy a dirty old jar the kids trapped worms in last summer just waiting to serve him! He just looked at me with a wrinkled brow and said, "I just wanted to know if it was all clear for me to get up and go to the bathroom or do we have company?"

Oooohhhh. I just took my old jar and turned around, heading back to my dishes. Oh well, I'll have to save the day some other time!

 

 

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• Mar. 15, 2007
Just a note...

To my multitude of readers :)

The last 3 entries were not just me being way too talkative, I wanted to have the basics (okay they ended up being waaaaay more than just basics) of who we are, why & how we homeschool, and my general homeschool philosophy accessible from my sidebar of links. So I had to write them out as entries and link them. Just trying to improve the blog, girls. It might help me win 2008's Bloggie award! Ha!

They got quite lengthy-so consider it your fair warning. Oh, and I didn't send them to my mailing list so I wouldn't bug you with the long text :)

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• Mar. 15, 2007
Our Philosophy of Homeschooling

I have spent some time talking to a frustrated homeschooling mom of two young boys. She's new to homeschooling and has made it known that she needs help. You see, she, like many new homeschool moms, is tied up in traditionalism. She and her dh think they need to do it "by the (text)book". As in the public school text book. They have set up "school at home". I don't fault families for doing this, it's only natural to do what you know. But what if we what we know simply doesn't work? Sometimes we have compliant children and we don't even know school at home (not to be confused with homeschooling) is second best.

Let me illustrate: With school at home, the school day looks like this:

The children enter the school room and sit at their desks. Mom has her own desk. The pledge is said every day (after all, it's said in public school every day). A Bible story might be read, after all, it is homeschool. But then, quickly back to the public school style: A history lesson is read from a dry (and possibly biased at best, liberal at worse) history book. A fill in the blank workbook page or two follows. Now it's time for reading. Students read their passage, only an portion of the real story mind you, from a workbook. More fill in the blank questions. And so it goes with the rest of the day's studies-science, health...each subject. Mom would like to join in the kids' games in the evening but she's so bogged down in grading all those worksheets and preparing for the next day that she can't. And she resents it.

Okay, here's my totally objective, not-biased-a-bit-view of a better way to do things:

We join around the dining room table. Our school books shelf is behind me. It's filled with great chapter books, hands on math supplies, and a few workbooks. I have the day's books stacked in front of me, with a colorful pencil can beside them (do you know how many times we lose our pencils in one school day?!). Ash and Girlie Girl sit to my right and left, respectively. BB is playing around us or coloring at the other end of the table. Baby is napping or playing in "baby jail" (the Pack and Play).

We start with a Bible story, after all this is homeschool. We then discuss the lesson and pray for our school day. We used to say the pledge, but they all know it now, so we don't. We move into our math text books (see I can use a text book!). I help them get started and make sure they are progressing well. When they've done a few pages (Girlie Girl has done about 10-she loves her math books!), we read science together. We're doing Apologia's Elementary science and love its Charlotte Mason style. So we read and discuss the very fun botany lesson while the girls dictate "notes" from the reading. Girlie draws a picture about what I'm reading while Ash writes out definitions and examples she wants to remember. She likes this part and started it without my prompting. Sometimes we have easy activities to do-like see how far two different wind-dispersed seeds can go.

Two days a week we focus on our history reading. For Ash this is a lively textbook (gasp!) from the famous Landmark books. Sonlight supplements this text with many historical fiction books. Ashlyn reads hers on her own during her down time and I read the read alouds in the evenings. For Girlie, its an Usborne book on past culutures (what they ate, how they worked, where they lived...).

The other two days of the week, we focus on Language Arts. Both girls have a passage (or words for Girlie) to dictate and answer questions about, which we sometimes do orally. We also do creative writing assignments and Ash just started a research project. Somewhere in there I do a quick spelling lesson with Ash. Girlie now reads me a little story and she reviews her letter sounds and simple grammar lessons. This is all finished in about 2 hours-give or take. Whatever we do, you can bet there's a lot of discussion so I can make sure the information is in there.

I don't believe in school that makes kids sit at a desk (or table) all day filling in worksheets. I think children should be children and enjoy their play. I think they should be challenged to do big things-build big forts, enter 4-H contests, write encouraging notes to people who need a friend, drill their math facts, read chapter books (not twaddle, either--good, rich, well written, stimulating literature), and memorize scriptures.

I'm not an unschooler--we have structure. But I am relaxed (compared to the mom in the first scenario). SL is challenging and our entire family loves it. I don't think education should be boring. I think it should be enjoyable. That will teach our children to be life-long learners! That's what I want-a child who grows up not knowing everything, but who enjoys the challenge of learning something new. God may call my child to do something I could never teach her--but she'll have confidence in herself that she can learn anything she wants, and even enjoy doing it.

These are precious years I'm investing in my daughters' childhoods. I want them to be filled with memories of cozy evenings curled up on the couch reading great literature, not frustrating days of fill in the blank worksheets.

What has shaped my view?

Sonlight Curriculum

Educating the Wholehearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson

and Charlotte Mason Campanion by Karen Andreola

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• Mar. 15, 2007
Why and how we homeschool

 

As I see friends around me struggle with the decision to homeschool, I'm thankful that the decision came easily for Land Baron and me. I have taken that for granted until now. The earliest I can say that we were thinking of homeschooling was when Ash was a toddler. I am forever a planner, so I had written down a five year plan (okay my choatic friends, laugh away!). In this plan, I wrote out that I'd be finished with college, dh would be in college (this didn't happen way back then!) and that Ash would be in private school or homeschool. I found this five year plan a few years ago, and it was fun to see what I was thinking back then. We were dirt poor and there was no private school except for a tiny one ten minutes away (its longer there btw).

As I worked as the Director of a pregnancy resource center (not the same one I'm at now), I came in contact with quite a few homeschool families. I had probably made up my mind that we'd homeschool before we opened that center in 2001 (Ash turned 4 that year), since I bought used A Beka PreK curriculum from one of my volunteers. I don't even remember talking to Land Baron about it, although I know we must have talked about it a lot (you see, I analyze and talk to him about a whole lot of things, many of which he wishes I'd call up a girlfriend about, lol). He's so laid back and a tad overprotective, so that's probably why we were on the same page very early in our homeschooling journey.

We have always felt that in order to train our children with purity, with sound doctrine, and with high educational standards adn a love for learning, we'd need to homeschool. I'm not against the public schools, per se, I'm really just very for homeschooling! We enjoy having our children home, learning naturally as we talk throughout the day. Learning doesn't only occur when our school books are open! But learning academics isn't all there is to it, either. We want our children to enjoy being children-to play "pretend" as long as they desire. We want them to be able to indulge in learning a new skill-even if it takes up an entire afternoon (we don't want them to be limited by school bells). Land Baron works nights and since we homeschool, he can see the girls in the mornings before he goes to sleep and in the early afternoons when he wakes up. It just flows with our lifestyle and it helps our kids love to learn.

We enjoyed A Beka's PreK, but I took some time to research other curricula while using it. I learned about unit studies and whole book styles of home education and I knew that would be great for us. I had a young lady volunteering at the Center who's mom used Sonlight with her and I checked it out--and fell in love. We have bought Sonlight every year since-starting with their K. I recently bought their preK for Girlie Girl to use.  I see us using it all the way through.

I don't use all of Sonlight's materials though. When I first started out, I used their core (history, Bible, and readers), their Language Arts, and their Science. I was too afraid to veer off the SL path (who was I to make a decision on what to use, I thought), but after I gained some confidence, I dropped their science. It uses Usborn books, which are great, colorful books, but they aren't from a Christian perspective. I don't want to edit out "millions of years ago..." and other evolutionary phrases, so we now use a very inexpensive but way better, imo, Charlotte Mason style program. Its actually Apologia Elementary Science-we're doing Experiencing Creation with Botany by Jeannie Fulbright. She talks a lot about God's hand in creation and his power. We really enjoy it.

We do use SL's LA and are quite happy. It's intense and takes some patience to adapt to--but we're very excited about the changes SL just announced. They hired Dr. Ruth Beechick to advise them on revamping their program. It will now be more relaxed with more help for teachers. I can't wait!

We have used Singapore and Miquon math in the past, but Ash had trouble with its approach. She needs a program that demands mastery before moving on, so Math-U-See has been good for us this last year.

We use a hodge-podge of other little treasures, but the bulk of our stuff comes from Sonlight's catalog. We homeschool year round, in theory, but somehow end up doing lighter school (or no school) during the summer--we're so busy doing summer things, we just don't get in those extras! We do six weeks on, one week off. This kept us from burning out in the past and it's great for spring cleaning and other projects. We do school four days a week-we take Monday's off since that's Daddy's day off. We do school in the morning, sometimes going into the afternoon.

Someone recently asked me what my husband thinks about homeschooling and, specifically how he handles it when I introduce a change to our school. He's very laid back, as I've said, so he's not demanding about what I do. When I ask him, he says he trusts me to do what I need to do. I'm very thankful for that since I invest lots of time studying different methods and styles. He doesn't study-but he trusts me to make good decisions from what I learn.

So in a rather large nutshell, that's the basics of our school. There's more to my philosophy that I'll blog about later. Betcha can't wait. Kinda like Land Baron can't wait to hear me say, "There's something I want to talk to you about..."

 

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• Mar. 15, 2007
Meet the Family

Here's an updated bio of the estrogen filled clan:

Land Baron-My husband who has no estrogen of his own but constantly finds himself "slimed" with the hormone that floods our home. He loves being a dad to all girls-he eats it up, much to the surprise of everyone who hears we have no boys. He'd love to pass on the family name (I so don't get that), but he may just have to leave that up to his little brother. Land Baron worked at Boeing for about six years before he was laid off. Thanks to NAFTA, he was retrained (at no cost to us) for another career. Since he didn't especially want to be a barber or dental assistant, he chose a law enforcement degree from the small list of career paths the government offers. He's been working in this field at the county level since Christmas of 2005. He also works as a security guard for a major gas plant 2 days a week. He's a laid back nice guy who loves to dote on his girls. He's often taking them out on dates or letting them win laughter-filled wrestling matches. He gets his nickname I used here from the way he started signing his emails after we bought a whopping 19.5 acres of land (we still don't live on it, but we hope to in the next 2 years).

Me-me-me-I'm an average homeschool mom. Not the denim jumper type...the minivan type, jean wearing, wannabe granola kind! I think too much, have issues I think no one else has, but I'm blessed. I work part time as a director of a pregnancy resource center and I have a BS in Family Studies. I love to read-especially Christian parenting books, homeschool books, and some fiction (Alton Gansky is a favorite). I wish I liked to sew-I do like it but I'm not good at it. I also wish I liked to garden, but really I don't. I'm terribly afraid of snakes and I never follow through with my gardens so they end up full of weeds or dying of thirst. I wear my babies, co sleep, nurse until they're old enough to ask for it verbally, and I love the idea of eating whole foods and organics (but rarely follow that lifestyle). We aren't full quiver, but do use NFP...is there anything else to say? I am surrounded by friends who do a darn good job of making me believe they like me :) I'm blessed!

Ash-just turned 10! I've been a parent for ten years! Wow. Oh yeah, this is supposed to be about her. She is a bit of a tomboy but that is wearing off. She likes what she likes and it doesn't matter what is in style. She loves homeschooling, loves her sisters, and loves to read. She's a huge fan of Little House on the Prairie, Lord of the Rings, Narnia, and anything about horses. She's been saving for a horse since she knew what one was and often has more money in her horse fund than I have in my savings account. She has a special bond with BB, who sleeps with her. I "buddy up" my children and BB is Ash's buddy. Ash is very much a firstborn-she's a second mother to her little sisters and a huge help around the house.

Girlie Girl-This is my typical girl. She likes all things pink and sparkly. She's spunky in all she does. She has a tall lean body that never stops. She is gifted with hospitality and is the first to offer any guest a drink or some food. She can really serve beautifully when she wants to. She has a fierce determination that both scares me and gives me hope that she'll persevere in whatever job the Lord calls her to. She asked Jesus into her heart last summer and I believe is trying to learn to serve him. She's bright and happy with fresh ideas and a good attitude. She loves math and likes us to read The Boxcar Children to her.

BB-Our tiny BB. She's three but wears a size 2. She is simply tiny for her age--but she's perfectly healthy. She's a cute brunette with bouncy little curls and blue eyes. She doesn't really like it when the big girls do school because it means they can't play with her! She does love to be read to and she says she wants to homeschool. BB keeps us laughing with her childish innocence and affectionate disposition. I tell her all the time that she's my favorite....three year old!

Baby Girl-I sigh big when I think of what to write. Baby Girl has been a whirlwind from the start. She arrived 10 days late (in the heat of the Texas Summer!). She is miracle baby in that she was born with her cord in a knot. God saved her from it tightening. The doctor probably pulled it tight when he delivered the placenta, or God chose to keep nutrients flowing through a knotted cord. The nurses were surprised at her healthy delivery. Our L&D nurse said she's only seen one other baby born alive with a knotted cord in her ten years of L&D. We praise the Lord for her even though the addition of another child into our lives was rough for me to adapt to. Baby Girl is active--she's crawling, pulling up, and growing like a weed. Oh, and she looks just like her sisters. They're clones, we've been told. I promise, I birthed every one of them!

We live in the same area Land Baron and I grew up in. We actually live in the same house I got to play in as a child. We moved into my grandparent's home after they moved into an assisted living facility. It's a somewhat neat, but drafty house built in the 1890s; one of the oldest houses in town. Our parents and brothers live near by (there are no sisters for me or LB, but God's given me lots of girl-friend-sisters). I work just down the street and LB works half an hour away. We've homeschooled from the start and plan to finish out that way. We love Sonlight and will probably stay with it unless an equally incredible company comes along that would allow me to combine my children into more of a one room school house affair. We are heavily involved in pro-life ministry in two counties. We are currently involved in a non-denominational church we really like but have previously only been in Southern Baptist churches.

Made it this far? You should win some loyal reader award

 

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• Mar. 15, 2007
Capture this!

One of the benefits of homeschooling is knowing your children well. I have one child who is very strong willed and can be a bit of a challenge! She is also sweet and generous...but she has her moments

It was parent's night at AWANA and I was talking to little Girlie Girl's teacher. I said, "Sometimes Girlie Girl can be a challenge, but I guess you know that by now." Susie said, "Actually, I thought she was perfect until just a few weeks ago when she colored on the table." I was stunned. Not about the table, though that troubled me, since her misbehavior usually runs in the vein of back talking, debating (me), and little (or not-so-little) while lies. I was stunned that someone would work with my child several hours a week for six months or more and say she is perfect. I mean come on, this is the same child who limped into her Sunday School class last year and told her teacher that I ran over her in the minivan! She had her teacher hook, line, and sinker--until she told her teacher I refused to take her to the doctor. The next week or so she told her Sunday School teacher that we no longer homeschool, that she and her sister now go to a new private school in town. She proceeded to tell her teacher on what street the school is located, its name and what curriculum they use. It was all fabricated-every last drop. There is no private school in our town at all.

So, back to my story. I was stunned. There was a little niggling of pride in the back of my brain, though. So when I got home I decided to praise Girlie Girl for her good report. I said, "Girlie Girl, Miss Susie said you are just about perfect in Awana." (I didn't mention the table part at this time-when we have positive reinforcement material for this child, we use it at full strength!). She matter-of-factly stated:

"She must have me mixed up with someone else."

 Ha! I love it!

BTW, anyone who knows our family knows this child has no self esteem problems. She is rather oblivious to her sins and challenges, lol.

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• Mar. 6, 2007
Changing names

I waver back and forth on how much to hide our family's identity on the net. I've decided to get our daughters' names off my blogs, so I'm making new IDs for them. Don't worry, they'll be close enough that those of you who know us will understand who I mean, but pretators or angry ex-inmates won't!

Oldest-Ash

Next oldest-Girlie Girl

3rd-BB

Baby-Baby Girl

I need to think of a good nickname for my guy...some inmates called him "Bulldog" for a while...Wonder how that name would go with my pink polka dotted theme...any suggestions?

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