Dec. 30, 2007 - My Top Ten Memorable Events of 2007
My Top Ten Memorable Events of 2007
10-Watching my kid sister compete for Mrs. Missouri.
9-Converting my former office to a new schoolroom.
8-Tearing down the original residence on the property.
7-Relaxing at my brother Dave's for a wonderful family reunion.
6-Starting a Keepers of the Faith Club.
5-Attending my first Writer's Conference. What an inspiration!
4-Scaling a 30 foot rock wall one week after turning 46.
3-Spending New Year's Eve with Presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee.
2-David graduated from our Homeschool. What an accomplishment for the entire family!
1-Deciding to adopt again.
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Dec. 23, 2007 - I'll be Home for Christmas.......
Dustin is home! He's got a handsome beard and he looks wonderful. He drove 530 miles today! After a quick visit and jam session on the piano he headed out for some last minute shopping with Dad.
David is home! He and Erin have rekindled their romance and she went to church with all of us this morning. He played the guitar and sang a few songs for us before he and Erin took off to babysit Erin's nephews for the evening.
Steve O. is home! We're so thankful that Steve's tour of duty in Iraq is over. He's stationed in New York at Fort Drum and visiting for Christmas.
Calvan is on her way from Connecticut and will be here tomorrow. She's picking up Elvis (the weiner) in KC and driving up tomorrow.
Grandma Sallie & Granpa Roy have decided to hunker down and have a quiet Christmas at home since their driveway is iced over snow-drifts.
The boys are already reminiscing about past hilarious times. It's going to be a great Christmas!
We're behind on our Advent reading, Bartholomew's Passage, but we're going to catch up tonight.
Thank you Lord for our family. It's hard to believe that only 21 years ago, none of these precious children and young men were even in our lives. And now, they are grown and becoming independent. Lord, you have blessed us over and over. We do not deserve these blessings. We can't earn them. But Lord, please help us to continue to seek and follow your will each and everyday. God, you are truly GREAT!
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Jul. 17, 2007 - Fleeting Youth
Fleeting Youth
Summer is now half gone. Are you having a good one? What has been your family’s priority for the last six weeks? Do you need to make any changes for the next six?
In my home, with the temperatures rising outside, I have noticed a recent tendency in the children to choose television and video games for lack of better indoor inspiration. Time for Major Mom action. I called a family meeting and told them it was time to box up the video games, turn off the TV, and spend the rest of the summer finding completely different activities. My kids know me by now, and they already can’t believe they’ve gotten to have any video games this summer, so they didn’t take it too hard. Flash back to the first time I did this some years ago, though, and I was immensely unpopular for a time. I also told them that TV would only be used for weather and news and the occasional family movie.
As always, they look at me blankly and wonder aloud what is there to do. This is a true sign that I should have done it sooner. My dear hubby is the one that always eventually gives the dreaded video games back to them, otherwise they would have never returned. But he doesn’t fight me when I put them away. I’m sure the children will have great stories to tell their kids about Mom and Dad and the video game skirmishes.
Sometimes I give the kids ideas of what to do, and sometimes I don’t. I am amazed at the little activities that are born from boredom, but it helps to have some ideas in the hole, so here are some of mine that are mostly free activities; tried, tested, and true.
- Library (free, except for the overdue book fines)
- Camping outside in the yard. Don’t forget the s’mores.
- Indoor blanket-tent building.
- Visit elderly relatives and bring cards, crafts, and music.
- Bake Grandpa a cake.
- Catch fireflies at night and butterflies by day.
- Mending (little hands can learn on little projects).
- Picking green beans (I pay a penny a bean to keep them picked).
- Go on a river walk with the dogs. My kids make a mudslide on the bank.
- Read everyday. Books to read on their own and one for you to read aloud.
- Help out with home repair and home decorating projects.
- Write in a journal.
- Remember the kids’ devotionals and the family devotional at dinner-time.
- Take them swimming somewhere new.
- Paint new birdhouses for next spring.
- Build a fort.
- Make dinner for the family.
- Learn a new special recipe.
- Start a scrapbook.
- Build a K’nex roller coaster (or another kit you have).
- Learn to play chess.
- Paint a picture.
- Take up sketching.
- Play squish ball. A game my husband invented. It’s just like baseball but you use a squishy ball instead. It fits in the yard and you don’t need a glove.
- Lie on the trampoline at night and watch the night sky.
Most importantly, spend time with your children. They are a precious gift from God. I can remember so well when my eldest, now twenty, absolutely loved peek-a-boo. It doesn’t seem very long ago at all. This week he moves into his first off-campus apartment to continue his college this fall. In fact, my eighteen year old moves off to his first dorm room in only one more month. I thank God for the wonderful young men that my beloved sons have grown into. And I thank God for the four more beautiful children that I can still enjoy while they are in their fleeting youth.
© Sallie H., 2007. All rights reserved.
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May. 17, 2007 - A Blessing to Many
A Blessing to Many
To baby sit, paint, or just get things hummin’,
She’ll drive, ride, or fly wherever she’s summoned.
Willing to sacrifice self and all plans,
She’s a devoted follower of children and grands,
Throughout and around her hospitable home,
There are flowers in bloom wherever you roam.
Massive and delicious, her blackberries are,
No others can match, neither near or afar.
Also an artist of matchless perfection,
Each work is unique and valued for collection.
Constantly growing and trying and yearning,
She’s always another technique yet to be learning.
Her greatest gift is love, of which she has plenty.
She makes you feel special, though one of so many.
She’ll encourage and strengthen and quietly smile,
If you’re with her, the time is worthwhile.
I’ve heard others talk of a similar blessing,
But don’t you believe what they are professing.
My mom is the best, on that fact, no doubt,
Sorry, can’t spare her, she’s busy throughout.
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Apr. 25, 2007 - Git-R-Done Guy
Git-R-Done Guy
While I was away at my semi-annual quilting retreat last weekend, my husband took his home management and Daddy job very seriously. I was quite literally astonished when I got home. Here is a sampling of his accomplishments:
· Home Depot Shopping trip
· Bought fun books for the kids
· Replaced all the burnt out light bulbs in the house
· Put fresh mulch on all the landscaping outside
· Planted a flat of Wave Petunias along the side of the house
· Planted a barrel of annuals
· Installed new edging in the front bed
· Installed new edging around a tree and filled with river rocks
· Installed four chicken nest boxes in the barn
· Applied Weed & Feed to 4+ acres
· Mowed the 4+ acres
· Filled the wild-bird and hummingbird feeders
· Did the laundry
· Cleaned and vacuumed the house
· Grilled out one night
· Put fresh play sand in the sand box
· Made cheese grits and pineapple smoothies
· Took the kids to church
· Played several games of squish ball
When I returned home and found such amazing triumph, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of doubt about myself and asked, “Are you sure you guys need me around here?”
To which John roared with laughter and said “Thank God you’re home, I can’t possibly keep up this pace!”
And he's good looking too- I am one lucky lady! 0 Comments
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Apr. 6, 2007 - A Hero is Born!
A Hero is Born!
This morning I tried to do too many things at once. Picture this: Munching a bite of a breakfast bar in my mouth, climbing onto a stool to look for vinegar in a high cabinet, and talking to the children all at once, I suddenly inhaled a chunk of my breakfast bar. Yikes! I was choking! At first I ran to the bathroom, with the children following to see what was wrong. I tried to cough, I tried to breathe, I tried to scream, and I sucked for air as hard as I could, over and over. At the time, I didn't realize it, but Josh, Jessica and Hayley had frozen in horrified silence. Taylor began yelling, "What do we do, what do we do?" Suddenly he thought of David. "Daaa-viiid!,” he frantically screamed down to the basement. At this point I was terrified. I actually thought to myself that maybe I was going to die right here, and I began hitting my chest. My head was pounding and my chest felt like it was collapsing and suddenly David appeared, grabbed me around the abdomen and performed the Heimlich maneuver three times. I signaled for him to stop because I knew he had dislodged the food on the first or second try. Miraculously, I could breathe again, but it was hard at first. It took several breaths to fill my lungs completely. My whole body was trembling and my legs were weak. I collapsed on the couch and the children's faces changed to relief. A few minutes later, still shaking on the couch, David asked, "Mom, since I saved your life today, do you think you could let me off from being grounded?" It hurt, but I laughed.
For information on First Aid, CPR, and AED courses available in your community contact your local American Red Cross or click this link: http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/courses/.
You can also take online quizzes at the link above for CPR, Water Safety and Lightning Safety.
David, my hero!
Mom sure looked stupid!
I did not say, "What do we do, what do we do?"
This is what I needed the vinegar for. Didn't the children do a great job?
When Grandpa came over for computer class, he thought David should definitely be taken off restriction! He said if I don't, David will have to bargain with me first, before he saves my life the next time! Ha!
Things got back to normal and Hayley practiced for her recital.
Grandpa makes sure that Hayley and Taylor know how to use their meters for their computer and electronics class. Thanks Grandpa!
© Sallie H. 2007, All rights reserved.
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