Field Trip - Oak View

Yesterday we joined about 75 other parents, children and toddlers to tour a Historic Site called "Oak View". We had 3 programs after everyone arrived and the children had "met" the local pet goats. "From Field to Fiber" was where the children learned how hard it was to pick and de-seed cotton, saw a cotton gin and model, and learned about the boll weevil. "Artifacts" was really fun for the children to discuss and try to figure out some "weird" artifacts (our girls had an old-fashioned pre-electricity curling iron that was heated in the fire and the boys had a "boot jack" which I had read about but never seen. "Changes Over Time" was not as hands-on as the other two programs but the children enjoyed it and learned a lot from a mural depicting all of the changes to the area over the past 400+ years. The guides in all 3 programs were absolutely some of the best and after the programs we picnicked near a duck (goose?) pond in the pecan grove and then toured the main house, plank kitchen, herb garden and carriage house on our own. Lots of fun. My 5yo dozed off on the way home so what did I do then? Let him nap a little then we went to the pool for our (probably) last splash of the summer since it closes Monday and we have plans for the weekend.

Good recipe for those "On the Go Days"

Crockpot Lasagna

1 ½ lb ground chuck
(or Italian sausage)
6 oz can tomato paste
29 oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 cup water 1 tsp minced garlic
1 small onion, chopped 16 oz cottage cheese
32 oz mozzarella, grated
1 box lasagna noodles (the flat ones work best)
Brown meat and drain. Add onions, garlic, tomato paste & sauce, spices and water then mix well. In separate bowl mix cottage cheese and mozzarella cheese.

Layer in the crockpot:
1) ¼ of meat sauce
2) Noodles, break up some to fit around the edges of crockpot
3) 1/3 cheese mixture
Do this 3 times. Make sure top layer is meat sauce. Cook on low setting for 4-4 ½ hrs.
It makes a full pot of a regular sized crockpot so if you need to freeze ½ it freezes well.

Thanks Megan and Rachel!!!

Booookkkssss!!!!

Bookahaolic that I am I just snagged four books at a great price and got to see an old friend to boot! She posted the books for sale on a homeschool loop we are both on and we met mid-way today. She teaches piano, just graduated her daughter last spring and they have a great horse boarding and training facility. And what books did I get? Some great creation books that have been on my "wish" list for quite a while - "D is for Dinosaur" (book and video tape)
"Life Before Birth"
"Dry Bones and Other Fossils"

and my favorite - "Dinosaurs by Design" !

Missionary Monday

Young and in love. With each other and with Jesus. That's how I think of our two friends in an ancient land in modern times. They are striving to reach out to old and new alike in a country that heard the gospel from St. Paul himself. And yet the country of Macedonia has forgotten what the words mean. They have so many Christian terms in their everyday lives but as our friends speak to them about the true gospel message they don't understand. They light candles and give money to "Christian Saints" without any clue as to who they were; they strive to "be good" to be sure of getting into heaven without any idea that God's Only Son has already paid that price and we could never be able to do so; they greet each other at Christmas with "Jesus is born", "truly he is born" and yet have no idea why Jesus came to earth; and so our friends do what they do best - welcome others into their home, run a type of coffee shop, and try to take every opportunity they can to share the wonder of scripture, the joy of salvation and the truth of forgiveness. Pray for Brian and Mandy (and their soon-to-be-born first child) today. And they would want us to pray for their unsaved friends and neighbors - Ivan, Slavitsa, Igor, Irena, Kosta, Kate, and many others. Praise for those who have accepted the gospel message and the beautiful baptismal services in the river. Praise for the health of the baby and the good response by the community to the coffee house (after a brief window smashing!). Praise for these young people who could be home earning lots of money and accumulating wordly wealth who have chosen instead to lay up treasures in heaven!

My "TO DO" list

I know I am famous for it - my "to do" lists. I admit it. If something is not on the list and I do it, I usually add it to the list just so I can mark it off. Sick, huh? I have "daily" lists and "long-term" lists, "school" lists and "chore" lists for each child, "farm improvement lists", "hubby" lists, "wish" lists. As I began school this week I saw that I had lots and lots of things left undone on my "Summer" list. So I decided that I'm going to make an "I didn't plan it but it happened anyway" list. Things we did this summer that weren't on my lists anywhere and not only got done but were some of the best things we did! Here goes....
- Taught 8yo to make a quilt
- Helped 5yo learn to swim and 8yo learn to dive
- Watched sunflowers grow that the birds had "planted" at the base of the bird feeder
- Learned that the best watermelons are a cross between seedless and seeded
- Made and canned Pumpkin Butter
- Made several new friends and spent time with old ones
- Had lots of fun times with old friends
- Learned how to know exactly when to pick watermelons
- Learned not to plant pumpkins in May!
- Read lots of books
- Learned how to treat a dog's joint ailments and how to properly clip their nails
- Made two new "e-pen pals"
- Rejoiced with two couples over the births of babies and one couple over the adoption of one
- Cried with two friends over the loss of parents and gave out lots of hugs
- Spent extra time with hubby to help grow our marriage
- Helped MIL clean and prepare for her out-of-town company
- Given (by God) opportunities to share Christ's forgiveness and salvation with two neighbors
- Able to share lots of flowers from our garden with neighbors and friends from my 8yo's garden row and hopefully plant seeds for friendships and relationships
- Learned about using two new pieces of software
- Taught 8yo to braid hair
- Taught 5yo to make his bed (difficult because it's in a corner) and floss without help
- Canned more tomatoes than planned, more jelly than planned, ate out of the garden more than ever before
- Taught John 3:16 to my 5yo
- Helped my 8yo review her books of the Bible
- Helped my 18yo prep for college (not just pack)
- Prayed way too little
- Found out that a friend's brother was saved and rejoiced with them
- Rocked lots of babies during VBS and Sunday School (I love it!)
- Saved extra money with coupons that was then able to be given to a worthy cause
- Made a new carrying bag (denim) for 5yo to keep his Awanas stuff in
- Discovered several new recipes that didn't work out well :) !
- Discovered a couple of new recipes that we do like!
- Met a "blogger" friend in person just to discover that she is even more precious than I thought!
- Planned (most of) the major components of school
- Kept the garden and orchard alive during the absolute most unimaginable heat and drought ever seen in this area
- Spent too little time in Bible study
- Broke (with God's help) a bad habit
- Hugged and kissed my family a lot but never too much!

Quote of the Day

Night before last at dinner we were having a little wind storm and the lights were flickering. My hubby looked across the table at me and said "Oh, dim lights make me feel romantic!" Without skipping a beat my 8yo promptly replied "The only thing I like about romance is the chocolates!!" Gotta love her!!

Readin', Writin' and RAIN!!

Today we started school - 3rd grade and Kindergarten. It is so very, very strange to not have middle and/or high schoolers in the house anymore. So I'm re-adjusting to teaching only young ones and we all had fun! My daughter is using strictly Rod and Staff but we take her Science and Social Studies topics for the week and do field trips, nature walks, experiments, map work, etc. based on that for both children. Today my 5yo was mad at me when he finished "math" (number recognition and opposites) and demanded that I give him tomorrow's math, too. Then he wanted to know why we weren't doing "adding stuff together" (like big sister) so we did some basic addition, too. (Looks like another math lover, Matt!) For the 5yo I'm just using phonics workbooks I have here already, we do "finding letters" games where he finds the "letter of the day" everywhere he can including circling it on old magazine pages, he practices his letter on the wipe-off board and on paper, today he painted it with Watercolors ("W"), and he finds me three different groups of things that he has as many of as the number of the day (today he found 7 toy soldiers, 7 markers and 7 puzzle pieces).

We finally got a little rain last night after 3 weeks of temps over 100 and no rain. Today it's very hot and muggy but you can almost hear the plants breathing a sigh of relief. I'm very thankful that both our veggie garden (which is now done) and our orchard are both within easy reach of a water hose or we would have had no garden and lost all of our hard work and money in the orchard. When we started planting trees, my hubby walked off the orchard and determined its dimensions in large part by how far 2 connected water hoses would reach. Good planning by him!

Punishment??

From "Pastor Tim's CleanLaugh":
"We've come so far that community service is considered punishment."

Missionary Monday

Asia. Lots and lots of people. Most of which have never heard the name "Jesus" in any language. So that's why two of our friends have committed their lives there. They have health problems, have missed seeing their grandchildren being born or celebrating birthdays or being around to help a sister with a terminal illness. It's hard. They know they are doing what the Lord has called them to do but it's still hard. How do you reply to your 4yo grandson at the airport - "Don't go, Gramma. If you love me don't go." With tears in her eyes I saw my friend gently hug him one more time and explain that someday he would understand that she did love him dearly. And I saw the pain in her eyes and my heart ached with hers. But it also rejoices with hers when neighbors say to them "You're different. Why?" and she can share the "reason for the hope within". And when her husband risks it all to take the Word to those who have accepted The Word of Life and long for a Bible in their own tongue. What are their names? I can't tell you but I can tell you that their names are written in the Lamb's Book and underneath their names will be many other names that wouldn't be there if they didn't tear their hearts to board that plane while grandchildren and grandparents are both crying as they travel back to a dark place to bring The True Light.
Pray for them today. She has surgery in less than a week and her husband will not be with her. Another grandbaby was born early and they missed the birth. But they are growing God's kingdom and HE is keeping track of all of their sacrifices. As the husband says "Ain't GOD GOOD?"!

Parenting

It's tough. I just want to give them candy all day and let them lie around and do nothing and not have any chores. That's the easy way, the no conflict way. But I know better. I know that the earlier I train them to be responsible the easier it will (or should) be. But I don't like it. The getting tough part, I mean. Like when they were learning to ride without training wheels. I just wanted to leave them on or better yet, take them off and let ME run beside and hold them. Or best of all, just not learn to ride at all, sit in my lap all day, so they wouldn't get skinned knees. But what would that accomplish? So I hold my breath, tell them they can do it and watch them fall a few times so that they will learn that they CAN do it. Without me. And then they get older and it's even harder. Watching them make decisions that I know are hard, watching them have to work when others don't, watching them struggle because I don't step in and hold the bike for them. And sometimes the tears and heartache are hard not to show because I know they are discouraged and don't need to see my tears. So I step back, choke down the impulse to scoop them up off the bike and give them a gentle push and a "You can do it" again. It's easier to teach them to ride a bike than some of the lessons they have to learn in early adulthood. But I know they can do it - with God's hand on them as they ride and to pick them up when they fall - always - even when I am not there.

Frugal Friday

My best deals this week:
Walgreen's (of course!!): Aquafresh toothpaste 2 tubes for free after store and manufacturer's coupons; 3 boxes Kleenex $0.75 after 2 coupons; 3 Canisters Lysol Wipes Free after coupons and rebate; 4 packs (10each) Bic Pens $0.20 after coupons and sale prices
Food Lion - 3 boxes Cinn. Toast Crunch $0.75 after coupons; 2 boxes Nature Valley granola bars $0.98 after coupons (and got extra 20 boxtops for our homeschool group with these two purchases!)
My best actions:
Canned tomatoes from a neighbor's garden that they were going to not use (they were giving them away!)
Went online and had inter-library loan books sent to local branch (my local library didn't have them so instead of buying I got them through inter-library loan and by sending them only 3 miles from home cut down on gas)
On way home from library yesterday stopped by a local consignment shop and took all her old magazines and books she didn't want (to use for Kindergarten projects); several good hardback books in the bunch, too
Got clothes line poles from a neighbor for hubby to put up (we haven't had a clothes line since we moved here)
Kept the orchard alive during this record heat and drought!
What are some of your ways to save???

Japan and all over

Got one son in Japan,





One son about 1.5 hours away at college and work (this is a painting from one of the professors),

one daughter about 45 minutes away starting college,




MIL at the beach of NC,
and I'm trying to plan a trip to KY.
Lots of geography going on at our house!!

Sisters

Do you have sisters? daughters? Mother, Mother-in-law? Isn't God good to know that we women need each other?! I never had a little sister although I was blessed with an older one. But through the years it seems like the Lord has brought into my life several young ladies that are like "little sisters" to me (I'm not yet ready to admit that I am old enough to be mother to them!). One of those came to visit today and did I ever enjoy it! I got to hold her dear littlest one (3 months old), visit with her son and daughter and just "hang out" for a while on our front porch rockers, in the kitchen, lunch on the screened porch and lounging in the living room. She has such a heart for the Lord and wanting to do what He wants of her that it always encourages and challenges me to try to obey Him more, too. Her heart for her husband and his ministry is so evident it makes me want to be more of a help-meet for my dear husband who each day is sweating and trudging through construction sites and trying to keep up with irate workers and demanding customers just to provide a place where I can have friends over for lunch and let all our children play on the see-saw he built and in the rooms he built with his own hands. I get so much encouragement and challenge from her, maybe I'm the "little sister" after all! Thank you, Lord for wonderful women in my life that teach me to love You and my family more.

Missionary Monday

OK, today I want to tell you about 2 people in the country of Hungary. I've never met them. So why would I want to tell you about them? Because it is amazing how God can put people together half-way around the world. It's a small world after all.......
For those who know us, you know we have "dinner" with missionaries most evenings. We post their pictures (or names on index card if no picture) on our dinner table and when we have prayer, we pray for that family. Then we might talk about what that family might be eating, what they might need, where their country is, what time it is there, etc. And then usually when I tuck the 2 youngest ones in bed later in the evening they pray again for "our missionaries". Well, about a year and a half ago when we moved to a different church we got some new pictures and one of them was for a couple that is in Hungary. It seemed like every few days the picture of Paul and Tina Brock would be chosen from our somewhat large stack of pictures. So we've prayed for them quite a few times. In the meantime, my 8yo was making a good friend in church who also homeschooled. This spring/summer we have gotten to know them better and guess what - the people in Hungary are the grandparents of my 8yo's best friend! Here we were praying for her grandparents not even knowing who they were! Isn't that neat??!! Now when we pull out a card we wonder, do we know their children/grandparents/sisters/uncles? And maybe we will meet the missionaries or their families sometime in the future because....
[And yeah, you can be mad at me for making you get that "small world" song stuck in your head !]

Faithful again!!!

Here I just blogged about how faithful God is and you have GOT to go see the sweet faces of a wonderful story of how VERY faithful HE is!! (I can't wait to kiss those cheeks and hold those sweet ones - watch out, Eileen and Ellie, we are coming to help!!)

Faithful in all things

No, not me. I'm not faithful at all and often think my name is so ironic since I have so little faith. But GOD IS FAITHFUL and once again He has shown it in such unexpected ways. We have been praying about our dd's upcoming roommate for quite a while, and I've had others doing the same, although I'll admit I haven't even been faithful to pray for that like I should have. Let's just say my first roommate experience was an "eye-opener" in ways I'd rather not had my eyes opened to, so I should have been praying much harder. So we were pleased with our dd's roommate when we got her name a few weeks ago because she seemed like a very nice young lady, and I'm sure she probably is, but my daughter doesn't know her. And she was also a little concerned about her ability to concentrate on school amidst a "chaotic" dorm setting (although I think living in a house with younger siblings while trying to do school is even more chaotic than a dorm!). Then early this week my daughter gets an email from a friend from the church we just "happened" to feel led to move to last year and whom she just "happened" to get to know and who just "happened" to be a junior at the same Christian college my daughter is attending (and whose wonderful Christian parents we have known for many years). Her roommate "happened" to decide not to return this semester and she would like our daughter to room with her. It's a one-bedroom apartment on campus, same price as the dorm but much more private with their own bathroom and kitchen. Housing has OK'd everything with no penalties or problems and at the same price as the dorm and we are just in awe of how it just "happened" - when really we know that it didn't just happen - God works out all the details. How can the same God who holds the millions of stars in His hands, twirls the earth on its axis, causes the sun to shine exactly at the right temperature, counts the sparrows that fall, How can He have the time and love to orchestrate the timing of something as small as this? And yet HE does. Unimaginable. Love greater than our hearts and minds can wrap around for sure.
Love without any end or any hesitations or any boundaries. And we (me) of little faith see once again how faithful HE is to answer all our prayers in ways above and beyond what we can ask. Amazingly Faithful.

THE most funny video!!

I got this from Angela (thanks!!!!) - if this doesn't make you laugh till you hurt nothing will!!

He that is of a merry heart has a continual feast. -- Proverbs 15:15

Devotional.....

Tonight at our Homeschool support group meeting one of the dear Moms gave a "smashing good" devotion comparing Noah and homeschoolers. I wouldn't do it justice but have asked her to write it up for our newsletter and if she does I will post it here as well. In the meantime, just chew on the words "and Noah walked with GOD" and these - "Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him." For over 100 years. Before he saw the flood he was preparing for. With lots of ridicule. Working while he witnessed to those around him. "Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him." ALL - ALL - not just part of it like I want to do... ALL.

Missionary Mondays

Since we are so blessed to know so many who are willing to serve the Lord all over the globe, I want to share with you the blogs or something about some of these wonderful people. So every Monday I will (try to) post something about one or more of them. Hope you enjoy getting to see God's hand at work in so many lives in so many places in so many ways.

This week I'll start with a brand new arrival of a wonderful young lady into Uganda. It's "UG" on this map of Africa (just west of Kenya, south of Sudan). Here's a link to her BLOG. Now you can go and visit her by internet and then pray for her and the many HIV patients she is and will be dealing with as a physician assistant. Good thing she relies on the GREAT PHYSICIAN!

Shake,rattle and roll....

That's what my computer monitor is doing right now!! The excavator and loaders are going full steam clearing the rest of the farm today! Yooohoooo!!

School Prep....

We're getting ready for school and I have had a few people emailing me about curriculum choices. We've sort of "been there, done that" with a wide variety and my answer is always that dreaded one - - "It depends". New homeschooling Moms don't want that answer, they want THE answer and are always a little disgusted or at least disappointed when those of us who've been there, done that don't say "Oh, the perfect curriculum for you is ______". Sorry. But after 12 years I still don't have the perfect one for us, and wouldn't dare to presume to know the perfect one for you. It seems that the longer I homeschool the less sure I am about curriculum, but it's not why you think. It's because the longer I do this, the more I realize how very little curriculum choice plays into the overall results of homeschooling. I realize that there are just a few years to train children (yes, I meant to say train and not teach because that's the difference between parents and teachers). Teachers teach (or try to), parents train (or try to!). As homeschoolers we try to do both. Character isn't found in a curriculum. It can be reinforced with good literature, especially the Bible of course, and good biographies or even good fiction, but it has to be trained. That's why I don't focus on curriculum as much as I used to do. I know I have too much to learn about being a trainer to waste too much time on textbooks. Yeah, they're important. But my role as parent is even more important and my role as a learning, sinning, forgiven, loved child of God is the most important. Sometimes as task-oriented as I am, that's too easy to forget. I'm glad that conversations with new homeschooling Moms recently have reminded me of the real reason we homeschool. My personal goal for this school year: try to remember the most important role and everything else will fall into place. (I know it will take a lot longer than a school year, though!)

To fall or not to fall....

My tomatoes are finishing (I'll can the last batch today probably and then we will just have a few to eat fresh coming in hopefully until frost) and we are (almost) tired of watermelons and cantaloupes, with only about a dozen left in the field. My neighbor pulled the dried corn shucks to put in his chicken coop so now I need to decide - fall garden or not?? Part of me really wants to do it and plant a few rows of Asian cabbages to see if they would sell (never done that before so I'm curious) along with some collards and lettuce for us, but part of me just wants to get on with starting school back, cleaning my house (which takes a back seat to vegetables in the summertime) and not having to mess with fighting bugs and drought and weeds. My tiller has a flat tire that will need to be fixed and I will need to get D to find time in his already stressed schedule to disc. Hmmm..... I need to have it planted in the next week to get a full season so we'll see.......

What a blessing!

THIS post blessed me greatly. Especially the thought that my mother and father have both been cancer free since they left this earth and went HOME to their LORD! Isn't that a great thought?! How blessed to have Christian parents. What could be more precious?

From "Pastor Tim's Cleanlaugh" website

"Our days are happier when we give people a bit of our heart rather than a piece of our mind."

Childrens Book Report

I had borrowed a book from a friend that I finally broke down and bought myself. Yeah, for those who know me as "tightwad", it's that good. It's called "The Princess and the Kiss" and although my 8yo now says "yu - u - uck" (with tongue stuck all the way out) when the words "kiss"or "boys" come up I know it will be but a breath of time before the "yuck" turns into "ahhhh". So I really like to read this book to her while her heart is still tender. As she grows older she can begin to understand the full significance of what is only now a nice story. I really recommend this book to anyone with a daughter of any age. It's never too late or too early to let them know God's way. And everyone knows a Prince Peacock and a Prince Romance from somewhere!