Trinity Oaks Academy - Homeschool Blogger

20-something or 40-something?

Sat, 31 Dec 2005 22:21:00 -0600

Ok, I just don't get this! I mean, I admit that I happen to have a hair color that naturally hides gray (thank God!), and for the first time in my life, I'm finally glad that I don't have that dark brown hair I always wished for when I was growing up. And I've lost a little weight, although I still have a LONG way to go. And I've been trying to branch out from my usual t-shirt and jeans wardrobe, but nothing spectacular or ultra-modern (I happen to think that a 40-something trying to look like a 20-something is a sad caricature). And my 17yo and 19yo dss COULD pass for 21 or 22, but no older than that.

Why is it, then, that THREE times in the last two months, someone has thought I was the WIFE of one of my ds instead of their mother?!

Naturally, I'm flattered, but I just don't get it! And the kicker is that when my 4yo ds was a baby, I kept getting asked whether he was my grandson!

Our "Pet" Rabbit Has Returned!

Wed, 28 Dec 2005 21:35:00 -0600

He (she?) isn't really ours--he's a wild cottontail that lives around here. We live sorta out in the country, and there are a lot of rabbits that live out here. Most of them are jackrabbits, but there are a number of cottontails, as well.

This one has been hanging out on our back porch most days, in the corner behind our Little Tykes sandbox. We don't feed him, so we have no idea why he comes around, except maybe to get out of the infernal winds we get here. He doesn't show up when it's much below freezing, though, and whenever I don't see him for a few days, I wonder whether a dog or a coyote got him.

A week or so ago, #4ds was out on the back acre chasing rabbits, and we didn't see "our" rabbit for several days afterward. I was concerned that maybe he'd scared "our" rabbit away, but lo and behold, he's back. Ds has since been told in no uncertain terms NOT to chase cottontails from now on! (Jackrabbits are fair game, though. . .)

It's possible that "our" rabbit is the same rabbit that took to hiding behind that same sandbox as a baby a while back. I decided one hot summer day to arrange the sandbox cover to give him more shade. I checked around the sandbox and didn't find him, so I figured it would be a good time to do it. Much to my surprise and chagrin, the rabbit WAS there, hiding UNDER the sandbox! Needless to say, he was frightened and ran away, and we didn't see him again (unless he's the same rabbit who has since "adopted" us).

I'd love to post a photo of him, if I could just figure out what's wrong with the digital camera. One of these days, maybe I'll catch him leaving and see where he goes at night. . .

Christmas Recovery

Mon, 26 Dec 2005 19:45:00 -0600

Well, I survived Christmas! Actually, we did better than we have in past years--almost all the Christmas shopping was done and presents wrapped by December 23. I did have to go back and get one more gift for oldest ds, as well as some more gift boxes, on Christmas Eve Day.

Next year I want to plan things better. I want to get all the gifts well ahead of time, starting in January. I've tried to do this before, but either I misplaced the gifts and didn't find them in time, or the dc found them early. I must have stayed at a Holiday Inn last night, because it hit me in the shower today that I could get a locking footlocker (dh has one I could probably use) to keep the gifts in (and little prying eyes out).

I also plan to start my baking earlier. Baking is always a big part of our holiday season, from before Thanksgiving to Three Kings' Day (aka the 12th Day of Christmas, January 6). My great-grandfather was apprenticed as a baker in Alsace-Lorraine, and after coming to America, he opened a chain of bakeries in New Jersey and New York that did a brisk limousine trade even at the height of the Depression. When I was growing up, we always had lots of European-style (more butter, less sugar) desserts at Christmastime, some of them tied to ethnic traditions of my Donauschwaben grandparents.

I always have a lengthy list of items I want to make. I actually got a fair number of them made this year, but next year I want to start earlier and spread it out in a planned fashion. I also want to get photos of dc and myself making the desserts, along with photos of the finished products. I want to make a scrapbook of these photos, with recipes and stories of the traditions behind some of them.

Decorating took a back seat this year. The dc put up the tree without any supervision (which they really don't need as long as the older ones watch the younger ones), but I didn't even get any photos this year!

We got lights around the two front windows, but not on the roof (dh wanted to cut back on that due to electricity costs). Oldest ds and I managed to make and install a half-dozen PVC-pipe candy canes (red electrical tape) along our front walk, with red/green tinsel garland and white mini-lights. Our entire street used to do this where we lived before, and people would come from miles around to see it. I was disappointed that I couldn't find any all-red garland like we used to have, though. I guess it was all gone by the time I bought the supplies. I think I spent less than $20 for the materials, though, and we'll add more next year.

I had hoped to get two Nativity sets up on display--a Playmobil one (i.e. not so fragile) on the fireplace mantel and my china one on the bookcase in my bedroom, but I ran out of time. I also have a Christmas garland for my entryway that I didn't find in time (in the attic somewhere). Hopefully, next year we can start the decorating earlier, as well as budget more for lights.

But most of all, I want to do more to recognize Jesus and His birthday. Our church isn't into Advent, but I'd like to have an Advent wreath/candles, and maybe even a menorah (IMO the Festival of Lights points to the Light of the world). I've also been wanting to make a "birthday cake" for Jesus, as well as reading the Christmas story together as a family from the book of Luke and maybe sing some Christmas carols. I need to give this area some more thought.

Welcome to our blog!

Thu, 22 Dec 2005 08:57:00 -0600

Although I'm by no means new to computing or the Internet, this blog thing is quite a new experience. I'm exploring, so please bear with me as I do so--it may not be all that interesting for a while.