If you are in a tight situation financially.  You should check out this link.  This organization will get you materials for free.  All they ask is that you either get it back when you are done or pass it along FREE to another homeschooling family.  

I have not checked them out but it seems legit and would encourage anyone to take a look.  Be sure and check them out before sending money.  But it sure can't hurt to ask for materials!

Book Samaritan. 

This is a contest I'd love to win!!! 

Check it out at Biblical Womanhood. 

She is giving away the  Ballantyne Christian Adventure Library 

Thanks to

This 10-volume set was written in the 19th century by Robert Michael Ballantyne, who was a devout Christian of the Scottish Covenanter kind and perhaps the most influential writer of boys' literature of his generation.

Sounds like my kinda books.

I am trying to weed out 'stuff' that I don't need.  In cleaning off some bookshelves to make room for new books, I realized that I have 2 sets of encyclopedias.  No one really needs 2 sets so I put an ad in the local paper, to give them away.

I got a call from a lady who said she wanted them and would be right there. After talking to her I had a funny feeling.   About a half an hour later I got another call from her saying she is just leaving, could I give her directions?  Sure, no problem.  Again about a half an hour later she calls.  Gives me this story about sudden out of town visitors.... blah blah.  Would I happen to be going to town?  Could I drop them off at her husbands work?  It just happens to be in the same building of a second hand store. 

I figured she was taking them to resell and didn't want to tell me.  I didn't care if she wanted to resell, but I was a bit miffed that she was not being truthful.  I live too far out of town to just run in for her.  I said no I had some other calls on them (true).   She asked if I would keep them for her until her husband got home from work to stay with her visitors.  I agreed. 

Wouldn't you know 30 minutes later she shows up.  Gives me a story about her visitors wanting to take a shower and so she just ran up quickly while they were freshening up, made them lemonaide.... has to hurry.... She went on much too long.

I have absolutely no proof.  I could be totally wrong.  I think she is on drugs.  She looks just like my brother did when he was on drugs.  Very nervous, very skinny, kinda loud, talking fast.  Even my dog didn't like her.  My kids also noticed something "kinda different".  I asked her what she was going to do with the books.  She claimed she was trying to get on Who Wants to be a Millionaire.  (or something like that, I don't watch much TV).  She is going to read them and study.

I feel horrible at the fact that something of mine might be going for drug money.  I wanted to tell her never mind she couldn't have them. But how do you ask a perfect stranger if she is going to sell something for Meth?  I feel so bad for her.  Can you imagine being so desperate for money.  I am not even sure if I am right.  But I just have a gut feeling about this.  I felt so helpless as she drove away.  I wanted to grab her and help her somehow!!

I still have this bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.

When I decided to give these away I had this picture in my mind of some nice young mom coming and picking up these books for her kids.   Maybe it would even be a fellow homeschooler that I might help out.

Maybe God has a lesson in this for me. 

I just feel sick.  I HATE DRUGS.  I saw what it did to my brother. 

nsremom   is having a contest.   Go and check it out. 

Does anyone else adore Winnie the Pooh movies?   We are having a sick day here at our house.  EVERYONE is sick.  Even me.  I did read for 2 hours today but my voice has failed and I keep coughing.  Sooooo when they all begged for a movie I said "how about Winnie the Pooh?".  Bretts eyes lit up!  Even my 15 yo is watching.  Oh so fun yet relaxing and non stressfull.  There is just something very serene about a Pooh movie.  I think they are actually watching Piglets big Movie. 

We were supposed to go skiing tomorow.   

I've been blogging for about a year now and this is the first time I've been tagged.  I got two tags!! 

Two Kids Schoolhouse tagged me with a book tag. 

1) Grab the book closest to you
2) Open to page 123, go down to the fourth sentence
3) Post the text of the following 3 sentences
4) Name the author and book title
5) Tag three people to do the same

The book closest to me is......  My sons IEW notebook or a dictionary.  The dictionary wouldn't be too interesting so I'll pick my sons notebook. and.... Since it doesn't have 123 pages I'll just pick one of his paragraphs and post a paragraph.  (I hope this isn't cheating) 

The Fruit and Veggies of Labor - by Garrett

The farmer who was hopelessly stricken with west nile virus was afraid because his tremendously lazy sons might not work to provide food for his family.  He squeaked to them "sons rush to harvest the treasure in the field".  The sons desperately and greedily harvested.  They whined when they found no treasure.  They finally realized that their wrinkly ole father meant the fruit and veggies of their labor. 

The other tag is from homeschooling momma of 4

I am supposed to pick 7 wierd things about myself.  Since I am always telling myself not to use negative self talk I am changing that word to unusual....  much less negative than wierd. 

I guess the first one is that I tend to talk negatively to myself..... but I bet that is not really very unusual. 
I like to wear skirts - Just because I like em, not because it is scripturally mandated.
I like to put grape jelly in my baked beans - got this from my dad.
I love staying home with my family - ok so I am guessing that so do most of you.
I like to have breakfast cereal as a bedtime snack.
I am cheap.... I think it is fun to find a great bargain at a yard sale or thrift store. 
I love making plans.. have a hard time sticking to them, but those charts and stuff are fun to create!
If I could figure out a way to teach my children completely with read alouds I would... I love reading to my children.
I'd like to figure out a way to develop my passion for reading aloud and creating notebooking/lapbooking stuff into a business.   

Oops I got carried away.... that was 9 things!

Rules:  each player of this games starts with 7 weird things about you.  People who get tagged need to write a blog of their 7 weird things as well as state this rule clearly.  In the end, you need to choose 7 people to be tagged and list their names....also, leave a comment that says "you've been tagged" in their comments and tell them to read your blog for further info..!

Now here are my taggies-- You can choose which tag you want to respond to or you can do both!  Please leave me a comment.  This was the hardest part of this tagging thing.  I don't know you all well enough to know if you'll think this is kinda fun or a pain in the neck.  So if you groan at the words "your tagged" Sorry!

Colorado Farm Girl

Happy Home

Bigredriver

Amtell 

Nsremom

loefflermom

CoCandace 

I got this in my e-mail and figured hey it makes a great blog entry.  If anyone wants to do it too feel free.  and let me know.

Unbelievable...... surely this is a joke....  right?? 

Somebody tell me this is a joke...  LOL

hire a personal shopper ... to find a church???

Hey everyone go over and visit Coloradofarmgirl.  She is my wonderful friend in real life and is starting her own blog. 

The chicken on her blog (she told me she is soon going to figure out how to get a picture of HER chickens on there)  and the name Colorado farm girl is soooooo her. 

In fact I have a story to share.   She saved me from a chicken once.  I had some chickens (sigh, yes I had chickens..... didn't last long)  I had one particular rooster that just had to go.  I mentioned it to her.  And what did my amazing friend do????  She actually came over and butchered it for me. Wrung its skinny neck.  I got to stay in the house and peek out the window occasionally as she showed my boys how to pluck etc...... whatever you do to a chicken before you cook him. 

I LOVE COLORADO FARM GIRL!!!

There is no such thing as a bad day,

when you have a doorknob on the inside of a door.

CMDR. Paul Galanti, POW 1966 to 1973

I thought some of you might be in the market for some really nice Christmas cards.  Yeah I know it is a bit early.  But these are special,  not just your average cards.  At least go and look at them.  Please. 

These are from Hope Cards.   This is not a business, it is a ministry in Bankok Thailand through YWAM  Thailand.  Our pastor's son is in Thailand currently serving with YWAM, though I don't believe he is directly involved with Hope Cards.  We had a family from our church go to Thailand last year and they got to meet some of the women who are making these cards and they are really women in need, who want to work and support thier families. 

We (my church) recently put out samples of the Christmas cards that these ladies make.  And we have thier all occasion cards available all the time.  They are VERY NICE cards. They really are. Well made. All hand cut and put together. Great designs. They come individually wrapped in clear plastic sleeves and they have all types of occasion cards available.  Soon would be the time to place an order if you wanted them for Christmas. 

I just thought some of you might be interested in supporting them.  Let me know if you do. 

Quote from thier web-site

"Our main purpose is to provide work for the poor while introducing them to Jesus, giving us opportunity to teach and disciple them. We long to see real life change, both physically and spiritually"