Below is a description of a book written by a friend of mine!
This Christmas Make Your Marriage Sparkle!
Buy- Keep Courting: 100 Ways to Keep Courting After Marriage
This Christmas - Ways to Keep Courting After Marriage for Her:
- Keep his favorite snacks on a special shelf in the refrigerator.
- Bring home three perfume samples and ask him which one he likes best.
- Order in pizza, sit next to him on the couch, and watch the game.
- Have a private barbeque outside with his favorite grilled foods. - Attend an outdoor sporting exhibition show and look through the
brochures with him.
This Christmas - Ways to Keep Courting After Marriage for Him:
- Write "I love you" on her calender on the first day of every month.
- Read a book on how to give a great massage and try some of it out on her.
- Send her a text message telling her you need her to pray for you. - Tell her about what you wanted to be when you grew up.
Let her tell you about her dreams.
- Pledge to give each of your kids one hour of time with you, the
same time each week.
1 Peter 4:8 "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."
Remember this Christmas, marriage is for better for worse for keeps.
I have a list of books I'm planning to read and thought I'd share them here. Right now I'm reading:
The Spontaneous Spread of Home-Discipleship Christianity (Reyenga)
Don't Make Me Count to Three (Plowman)
The Charlotte Mason Companion (Andreola)
The Hobbit (Tolkein)
And on the to-read list:
You Can Teach Your Child Successfully (Beechick)
The New Birth Order Book (Lehman)
From Playpen to Podium (Myers)
Speed Cleaning (Campbell)
Cheaper By the Dozen (Gilbreth)
Uncle Tom's Cabin (Stowe)
Here are some more interesting (and important) things I have learned about fiber.
Do you have to get fiber from food? Is taking a fiber supplement enough? Supplements provide only a very restricted type of fiber. Eating a diet of high-fiber foods usually incorporates various kinds of fiber, and that's healthier. Fruits, vegetables, and oats have plenty of soluble fiber. Whole grains, bran, legumes, and many fruits and vegetables are full of insoluble fiber. Both soluble and insoluble fiber add bulk and softness to the stool. Insoluble fiber remains pretty much unchanged by the time it reaches the intestines, whereas soluble fiber acquires a soft, jelly-like texture. Both make stools easier to pass.
Some fiber-depleted foods
Corn flakes, crispy rice cereal, White bread, Croissants, Cheese crackers, Fruit juice, Cakes, biscuits, sweets, Puddings, Jam
Here's some advice on incorporating more fiber in your diet:
It's best to start slowly, especially if you tend to become constipated. Introduce high-fiber foods gradually, over two to four weeks. Don't start a high-fiber diet overnight!
Eat a wide variety of plant foods (foods that come from plants, as opposed to meats or dairy products). Different fibers do different jobs in the body.
Choose foods whose fiber content has not been depleted through processing.
Read food labels to learn how much fiber is contained in the various foods you eat.
Drink plenty of water - at least eight glasses a day
Here is a summary of the actions of dietary fiber at different levels of the digestive system:
Mouth Makes work, slows ingestion, cleans teeth
Stomach Dilutes contents, distends, prolongs retention of food
Small intestine Dilutes contents, distends, slows absorption
Right colon Dilutes, distends, feeds bacteria and so acidifies contents
Left colon Nourishes the colon, speeds up passage, lowers pressures
Rectum, anus Softens and enlarges stool, prevents trauma to the body, reduces strain of defecation
Fiber, which is found in all plant-based foods, is composed of a group of compounds that makes up the framework of plants. Although fiber cannot be digested, it is an essential nutrient for good health. The health benefits of a diet rich in fiber include lower cholesterol and a reduced risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Also referred to as roughage, fiber is made up of many compounds, mostly carbohydrates. It can be found in a variety of foods, including wheat, potatoes, and certain fruits and vegetables.
A diet high in fiber may also promote weight control and reduce the risk of developing obesity; foods high in fiber are often lower in fat and fill you up faster.
How Much Fiber Is Necessary?
According to the American Dietetic Association, the daily goal for fiber intake is between 20 and 35 grams. However, the average intake in the United States is only 12 to 15 grams. In contrast, people in China consume as much as 77 grams of fiber per day. Children also need fiber, although in different amounts than adults. For children up to age 18, the recommended daily dose in grams is determined by adding five to a child's age. For example, a seven-year-old child would need 12 grams of fiber a day.
A couple of months ago I started using the search engine Swagbucks instead of Google every time I did a search. Every once in a while (for me, it's everyday) you get a Swagbuck or 3 or even 5 on the search results page. Then you can use the Swagbucks to get things from the Swag store. I have chosen to get $5 Amazon.com gift cards (with 45 Swagbucks). I used the first one to get a CD and think I'll save up future ones (like the one I just got today) to buy homeschool curriculum.
If you want to sign up, please use my referral code. http://swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-register&rb=285050
I'll get some more Swag bucks if you do! Thanks!
And here's a hint, download the Swagbucks search bar for the top of your computer screen. That makes it very easy to search from!
I'm backing up my blog! I've been writing for over 3 years, and don't want to lose any of these precious memories! I'm up to entry 247 of 336 and it's already taken 116 pages in Word. This will take a while!
I'm hosting a Pampered Chef catalog show right now (until Jan. 27). Do you want anything? You can order it and have it sent directly to you!
I don't like to cook (I wish I did), but I've found that having Pampered Chef tools make it more enjoyable for me. I love the garlic press (so I don't have to peel the garlic or get garlicky smelling fingers!) and the cookware and stones. We use the large round stone with handles and the double griddle every week. Need any suggestions? Just email me! I'm planning on getting a new easy clean kitchen brush and kitchen shears.
Here's what you do to place an order:
Simply go to my consultant's Web site at http://www.pamperedchef.biz/suepeters
go to the Our Products section,
select the link below the products you would like to purchase,
and enter "Gena Mayo" in the fields provided.
See which ones you've done! The starred ones I have.
Have You Ever... done the following?
1. Started your own blog **
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band **
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland **
8. Climbed a mountain **
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo **
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm **
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch**
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning **
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables **
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight **
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill **
24. Built a snow fort **
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset **
31. Hit a home run (does wiffle ball in elementary school count?)
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors **
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied **
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing **
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa **
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight **
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud **
54. Gone to a drive-in theater **
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business **
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen **
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies **
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason **
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check **
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy **
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial **
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt **
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car **
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper **
85. Read the entire Bible **
86. Visited the White House **
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox **
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous **
92. Joined a book club **
93. Lost a loved one **
94. Had a baby **
95. Seen the Alamo in person **
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a mobile phone **
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day **
Spiritual:
Read a chapter of the Bible every day.
Work on exhibiting all the Fruit of the Spirit.
Be bolder in witnessing.
Homemaking:
Organize a recipe notebook.
Make new kinds of bread (mill new grains).
Make pizza dough in breadmaker and freeze it for quick pizza nights.
Make some items with crochet.
Make a quilt/ duvet cover for my bed.
Make curtains for the kids' rooms.
Physical:
Lose 20 pounds. (I've already lost one, so 19 more to go!)
Exercise 30 minutes, 3 times a week (walk, bike or video).
Eat more fruits and vegetables.
Eat less fast food and sugar.
Parenting:
Exhibit more patience and gentleness.
Grow their character using "Wise Words for Moms" (by Ginger Plowman)
Homeschooling:
5 yo--work on reading and handwriting
3 yo--learn her letters and numbers
6 yo and 8 yo--more focused math skills
all--Nature study and drawing once a week
Personal growth:
Use people's names more.
Read certain books (will be listed at a future post).
I'm up to 15 swagbucks in 7 days! I'm looking forward to my $5 Amazon gift card when I reach 45. Please use my referral code to sign up: http://swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-register&rb=285050
Thanks!
Passionate Housewives Desperate for God by Chancy and MacDonald (If you're struggling with being a housewife, this book will encourage you!)
Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon (I love all the Mitford books.)
Shop, Save and Share and
A Tip a Day With Ellie Kay (Great money-saving ideas. The latter book is new, so it has some wonderful web links.)
The Tightwad Gazette by Dacyczyn (a classic)
The Hot Zone by Preston (A non-fiction book written as a rivoting story about the ebola virus. It's going to be frightening if this virus begins to spread.)
The Heart of Anger by Priolo (I need to read this again!)
Homeschooling With a Meek and Quiet Spirit (one of my favorites)
The Facts on the King James Only Controversy by Ankerberg and Welton
Unveiling Islam by Caner and Caner (Excellent--everyone needs to read this one.)
Rocking the Roles: Creating a win-win marriage (A great book to learn how to have a biblical marriage.)
In addition, I read quite a bit of the Bible, but not all of it which was my goal. And I read many, many books to my kids!
I just found out about a new search engine called Swagbucks. It gives you "swagbucks" for doing searches (or using their links to online stores, referrals to friends, etc.). I'm already up to four swagbucks. When I reach 45, I'll get a $5 Amazon giftcard! There are lots of other choices, too. If you'd like to sign up, please use my referral link: http://swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-register&rb=285050
Thanks!
Check at Joyous Home (joyoushome.com) for the next 11 days to get a freebie: Twelve Days of Holiday Homemaking. Yesterday they had an Indian costume (would go great with our study right now--if I had time to make it!) and today is an apron pattern and recipe cards.
I'm back! I have about 20 blog entries that I want to make, so we'll see if the kids will cooperate so I can get them written! Doug Phillips of Vision Forum had a good article on his blog yesterday about the 5 scariest things you can do for Halloween. The main points are listed below. Please see his blog entry for October 31, 2008 for the explanations. The link is here.
1. The scariest thing you can do this Halloween is to not make light of evil.
2. The scariest thing you can do this Halloween is to not be fearful.
3. The scariest thing you can do this Halloween is to completely skip Halloween and remember Reformation Day.
4. The scariest thing you can do this Halloween is to refuse to watch or allow your children to watch any of the toxic Halloween and Horror films emerging from Hollywood.
5. The scariest thing you can do this Halloween is to get on your knees as a mother and father and pray that the Lord will send you many, many children who will fear God, not man — children who will especially shun the glorification of witchcraft, the bondage of ungodly fear, and the “cute-ification” of evil that is promoted through holidays like Halloween.
As we had our basement finished this past spring, I've been meaning to get our furnace serviced and cleaned out. The technician came this morning and reported that it is unsafe to run because we have a large crack in the heat exchanger! We had it serviced about 2 years ago, so I wasn't even planning on getting it checked for a couple more years. Thankfully, we found out now and I'm glad it's still fairly warm out. Now, we have to buy a new furnace :( .
Speaking of money, are you worried about the stock market problems and other issues in the economy? Our pastor gave a great sermon on Sunday: "What Would Jesus Say: When the Dow Drops 700 Points"Hear it here.
I've been energized by politics in the last few weeks. Why? Sarah Palin, of course. She is fascinating to me. I would NEVER have the energy to do what she does, and would NEVER want to be President. I do respect her, though. I think that it's beautiful to see her care for her baby. I remember when I was pregnant with my 2nd or 3rd child being encouraged by my doctor to undergo certain tests to check for Down's Syndrome. When I declined, he said, "I think too many people think that having a Down's child means he'll be as capable as the actor on TV." I was shocked. He was telling me that any child not as "capable" as that actor should be killed! I hope Palin will help people understand the beauty in special needs kids and perhaps abortion will decrease.
I have a couple of funny connections to the Palins. I lived in Anchorage in the late 70s; my dad worked up on the North Slope. We went to Wasilla for the State Fair! Nowadays, I have some relatives (on my husband's side) who live near there. I also have an interesting connection to the Bush family. We lived in Midland, Texas right before we moved to Alaska (there's oil there too!) and went to the same church as George W. and Laura Bush. Mrs. Bush was my VBS teacher one summer!
Well, it's nap time. More random thoughts to follow. . . .
There was an article in this past Sunday's edition of Parade Magazine (included in the Sunday newspaper). It was discussing the recent California case which said that homeschooling parents should have teaching credentials. They have an online poll which asks whether you think homeschooling parents should have teaching credentials. Please go vote! They'll include the results in a future edition. Here is the link:
I found the most interesting quote in the article to be:
“If upheld, the California ruling will send shock waves nationwide,” says Richard Kahlenberg, the author of a number of books on education. He says the case “pits those who believe parental rights are paramount against those who place a premium on well-educated citizens.”
Every homeschooling parent I have ever met (and I've met lots!) places a "premium on well-educated citizens." It's one of the reasons they homeschool! How could this be an opposite view to believing that parental rights are paramount?
My husband and I saw the Ben Stein "Expelled" movie a couple of weekends ago. Please go see it before it leaves the theater! And if it's too late, buy the DVD when it becomes available!
I was very impressed with the quality and content of the movie. It was extremely thought-provoking and parts of it were disturbing, as well. I have found myself praying for the salvation of three of the people in the movie, in particular. It is amazing how the "other side" can't see how ridiculous their arguments are at times. They don't want to try to see another point of view for fear of how it will affect their belief system or even their whole life.
The Chicago Public School system is proposing having boarding schools. See article at http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=153598&src=1.
My first thought after reading about this was that the public schools are trying to steal kids away from parents even more than they already have. But then I remembered a couple of experiences I had when I was teaching in a public school.
About 10 years ago I was teaching choir at a junior high in Texas. It was a lower income school, and the administration gave me no support in the enormous amount of discipline problems I had. I just had to do my best to try to teach the kids something everyday.
One of the techniques we were taught to use was to call the kid's parents to enlist their help in solving a discipline issue. I was rarely able to reach the parents. Many didn't even have a phone (although they all had TV, VCRs and cable). Sometimes when I'd reach the mom or dad and explain the problem, they would start yelling at their child while I was still on the phone!
One time, my vice principal came to tell me not to call one particular father anymore because he would beat up his son every time a teacher called him. This poor child was fighting all kinds of odds. Both his older brothers were deep into gangs. This boy loved singing in choir, but even that brought ridicule from others. I'll never forget how proud he looked every time he put on his tux shirt and bowtie for a concert! His parents never came to see him, but he was always the first student to show up. Believe me, I never called his father again!
Another time I had a boy in my first class of the day who fell asleep every day. I went to talk to an administrator about it. She explained that his father was a custodian at an office building and worked nights. He made his son come with him and work with him all night long. (Maybe his father slept while the son did all the work!)
I think in these cases, these boys might have had a better chance at making it if there was some supportive boarding school for them. However, I'm not sure that the government public school system is the right vehicle for it. They are failing so miserably in all other areas that I don't think they could handle the 24/7 care any better than these failing parents could.
I came out as 68% Dixie (100% is pure Dixie) and my husband is 38% Yankee (0% is pure Yankee). As usual, he's trying to convert me! But my Texan upbringing just won't leave!
Here is my second entry to the contest (See Kris's blog). She wanted us to have our children write a "Dear Santa" letter about why their mom should win the $50 to Homeschool E Store. Here is what my 7 yo wrote:
Dear Santa,
My mom should win this contest because she is so good
Too me.
I'm entering a contest where I'm supposed to share my favorite Christmas memory. I only had to think a second before I remembered it.
I was about 8 and my sister 5 when I chose this great big yellow Woodstock stuffed animal (you remember, the bird from Peanuts--Snoopy's friend) to give to her. When opening presents, my mom gave my sister and me both a present to open at the same time. I opened mine a little and realized it was the Woodstock toy. I yelled, "Stop, this is her present!" And we switched. You probably guessed it--we both had the same present! I'm not sure why that sticks in my memory so much. Maybe, it's because it was really funny and I was so surprised. Maybe it was because it was such a happy time. We were sitting in my grandparents' living room on the floor by the Christmas tree. Whatever the reason, it's my favorite Christmas memory!
If you'd like to enter the contest, you can find information about it at the Homeschool E Store. This particular entry is for Janne's blog.
I want to HIGHLY recommend the movie "Amazing Grace" about William Wilberforce. I was very impressed with it. It is so rare to find a movie so well made that is also unashamed of the gospel and actually uses the name of Christ in a worshipful way! I decided after seeing it last night that I wanted to learn more about Wilberforce (and also about John Newton who wrote the song "Amazing Grace"). Then, today, I received an email from Christian Audio Books saying that I could get one for free--so I chose John Piper's biography of William Wilberforce. It's now on my iPod, and I can't wait to listen to it!
Below is a description of a book written by a friend of mine!
