Friday Fill-Ins

This week's Friday Fill-Ins (on Friday!) Not too witty I'm afraid. I think the holidays have locked down my brain.

1. I must go to Disney World before I die.
2. You can't stop the beat. Sadie says, "T.S."
3. I wish I never had to buy laundry detergent again.
4. Robby has helped me change my life.
5. I know the song I'm singing by heart.
6. If I weren't so afraid, I would jump out of an airplane.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to El Camino with Nonnie and my family, tomorrow my plans include more Christmas with the fam and Sunday, I want to enjoy the Tirey Christmas.

Snowman Ornaments

These are the snowman ornaments. We tore up Styrofoam and put it in a clear glass ball. Then we painted on the face with dimensional paint (we used fabric paint). Finally, we hot-glued the pipe cleaner and pom poms on to make ear muffs. Sadie and I enjoyed doing it. These made great gifts for our Sunday school teachers. The kids will each take one to the Tirey cousin ornament exchange.

Homemade Gifts

This year I am proud to say that I have been able to make quite a few of our gifts. We've made snowmen ornaments, bottle cap necklaces and wine charms, and homemade marshmallows. I'm very proud of the play mats Robby and I painted, here is a picture:

They are designed so the boys can use their cars, trains and farm equipment to play. They can be rolled up for easy transport, too. If I figure out how to photograph the necklaces and ornaments without a glare, I'll post them as well.

Merry Christmas!

Friday Fill-Ins on Saturday: Holiday Song Edition

Once again, here are my Friday fill-ins on Saturday. Do you see a trend here? I kind of like going against the grain, and I really like that I finished all of my shopping yesterday.
The instructions said to fill in the lyrics either with the correct ones or with something silly.
You can go here to see where I got this. My answers are in green.

1. Said the night wind to the little lamb, "Do you hear what I hear?" (or was it see, or was it why aren't you asleep yet?)
2. The first Noel, the angel did say, was to certain poor shepherds in fields where they lay. (What is a noel? And should the shepherds have been laying--aren't they supposed to be watching? If I were laying I'd be asleep.)
3. Go tell it on the mountain, Over the hills and everywhere.
4. It came upon the midnight clear, la la la la la la. (Do the la las to the melody, please.)
5. Darling, Let your heart be light. (I've never heard this one.)
6. And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing every other spring. (or this one)
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to fish fry at Umbarger, tomorrow my plans include finishing my necklace orders, and Sunday, I want to put up mom's tree.

Tried to be witty, but my brain is finished for the day and I still have some things to do. I realize it is Saturday, but I think it'd be fun if you join in on this one. Let me know if you do. The Friday Fill-Ins page is here.

Side Note

Thanks to everyone who went to the Campbell's page and clicked to help the FFA. I'm taking the link off of the sidebar because the goal of 250,000 clicks has been reached. I think it is interesting to note the promotion was set to run through at least next spring and possibly later--they reached the 250,000 goal in just 3 months. $250,000 went to the National FFA organization. So, Thanks!

Pioneer Woman

We have water today. Robby and mom spent a good part of yesterday thawing the pipe and then replacing the heat tape and insulation around it. We managed fine without water in the house since we were able to drive out to the pig pens and get water from that faucet. It was inconvenient, but really no big deal.

Yesterday I got to wondering if I could have made it as a pioneer woman. I don't know if I can answer the question based on not having water yesterday because I did have electricity and heat all day.

I can't imagine having to take care of a household without running water or electricity. I guess in pioneer times they didn't think twice about it because they didn't know any differently. I'm thankful there were pioneer women who braved the elements, but I'm equally thankful I have all of the modern amenities I do.

Winter in the Country

It is cold here. I am not exaggerating. Right now it is 13 degrees--the high today is supposed to be in the 20s. We've done all of the precautionary things to keep our water from freezing: heater in the well house and heat tape on the pipe from the well to the pressure tank, and guess what??
No water today--hopefully the heat tape was bad and all we have to do is get the pipe thawed out and new heat tape. (I say all we have to do; mom and Robby will probably be the ones out there in the freezing weather doing it)
So, say a prayer for our water...I'll update later.

2:00 update--water is dripping from my faucet!!! We are having a heat wave, it is up to 19 degrees.

Friday Fill-ins (on Saturday)

I seem to be "a day late and a dollar short." It never crossed my mind to do this yesterday, so here are my Friday Fill-Ins on Saturday.

1. Friends make life more fun.
2. Good health; it's healthy. (I know, not so good, but this one threw me a bit)
3. I'm ready for Christmas break.
4. Fresh from the shower smelling like soap is one of my favorite perfumes or aftershaves or smells.
5. The oldest ornament I have is one from Grandma's tree. It is one of those that is a Styrofoam base with beads and sequins pinned on it.
6. Take some boys, dirt and water, mix it all together and you have one fun time.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Bonza Bottler at the McBroom's, tomorrow my plans include dinner and bowling with adults, and Sunday, I want to watch the kids in the Sunday school Christmas program.

Bell Ringer--Part 2

The other day I mentioned that last year T.S. thought he was paying to ring the bell when we put money in the Salvation Army kettle. This year he thinks we have to put money in to pay to go in the stores. We put some in on the way into WalMart the last few times we have been there. When we arrived at Hobby Lobby he asked if I was giving him more money to get in.
Hopefully if we keep explaining, the reason we put money in the kettle, it will sink in.

Happy Has a Visitor

Friday afternoon Robby called to tell me that a man who was taking his mule and gypsy wagon across the United States was in town. He went by to visit with him and learned lots of interesting things. You can go to Bernie's website to learn more about his expedition. You can see a few pictures of Happy, Palo Duro Canyon and our friend Kyle. Kyle took Bernie up in his plane Saturday.

When we pulled into church today, we saw Bernie getting his mule Polly ready to go. They had spent a few nights under Happy's water tower. On our way to Tulia, we saw them on the service road and as we were leaving Tulia, we saw them coming into town. Can you imagine only traveling around 15 miles per day?

Also--Happy seems to be the place for adventurers. A man flying his airplane (a fairly small, old one) back to Alaska ran out of gas and landed somewhere around Happy. According to those who witnessed it, he walked up to Jackie's (our local fillin' station) and filled a gas can, refueled his plane and took off.

For those of you not from here, Happy is in the Texas Panhandle about 36 miles south of Amarillo and 90 miles north of Lubbock. Come see us anytime, we're always ready for a good adventure.

Sunset

This was the sunset Saturday evening. T.S. and I took this while we were waiting for Sadie to finish showing at Claude.

Conversations at Wal Mart

I have to share this conversation that I overheard at Wal Mart last night. A young man was telling his son/sibling (not sure which) the following as they walked down the aisle I was on.

"They are supposed to ask you what kind when you order Coke. They ask me what I want to drink and I say 'Coke.' They never ask me what kind so I always end up with Coke instead of Dr. Pepper."

I really, really wanted to say, "No way, I can't imagine why they'd give you a Coke instead of a Dr. Pepper." But, I did not.

• Our checker was a lovely young thing--no smile at all. She literally threw our items into the sacks as she was checking us out. Then she told us the total and crossed her arms until I handed her the check. I guess it is hard to keep the holiday spirit when you are a checker and have been listening to Christmas music and seeing decorations for two months. I won't tell you what I wanted to say to her.
• I know all of you are already planning your Valentine's decorations and are worried if you'll be able to find any. Never fear, JoAnn's already has them out--right next to the Christmas items that are already 60% off.
  I just love having to go to stores this time of year.

Winter Thoughts

While watering the animals on this lovely, cold, windy morning I had some thoughts.

• How did I forget how much I love (please note the sarcasm) being a zookeeper in winter? The chicken waterers are thawing in the bathtub as I write this.
• I never really appreciated that my dad would feed and water our pigs in the mornings in the winter. After hauling water to the pigs I see how fortunate I was.
• My "water proof" gloves are not.
• Hopefully my legs and face will thaw out by lunch.

Friday Fill-Ins

Lately I seem to not have a lot to say (shocking, I know). I found this site called Friday Fill-Ins. Each Friday a new list is posted. You can copy and paste it and fill in the blanks. I thought I'd try it out. My answers are in green.

1. Snow is fun but makes life interesting here at the zoo.

2. I'm looking forward to my family being here over the holidays.

3. My kids are the best kids ever!

4. One of my favorite old TV shows is Seinfeld (does it count as old?).

5. I'm done with most of my Christmas shopping.

6. The most enjoyable thing around the holidays is hanging out with the family and playing games.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to grocery shopping (how sad), tomorrow my plans include a lamb jackpot and Sunday, I want to finally get our Christmas tree up!

Feel free to join in, you can copy and paste from here or go to this site and get the list there.

Gift Ideas

So, it is officially December. Now the mad rush begins. Decorate the tree (and now days the whole house--even the bathroom--and yard), buy lots of presents, wrap them all, bake, make candy, run, hurry, see about checking into a home for crazy, frazzled Christmas people....

On this site, Granny Sue's News and Reviews, she offers some very simple, very thoughtful Christmas gift ideas. Check it out.

I was exaggerating (but not much) in the first paragraph. This Christmas, try to go with the flow. Don't stress about the small stuff--you can't even see the floor where our tree is supposed to go. Take time for yourself, take time for your family. Make an attempt to savor the moments and memories. Have fun! And, most of all, don't forget the real reason we have Christmas. Celebrate the birth of Jesus with everyone you come in contact with. Maybe if we all started trying to go back to the basics of the holiday we could start a national trend or something (I can dream, can't I?)

The Bell Ringer

While shopping this evening I was reminded of a time last year when T.S. and I were at Hobby Lobby. On the way in, he noticed the Salvation Army bell ringer. He was quite taken with the fact that someone actually got to stand outside and ring a bell. I told him we'd put money in on our way back to the car. All through the store he kept asking if he'd get to ring the bell. I explained that he probably would not, we were just giving money to people who needed it.

On the way out, I handed him some change and he went over and dropped his money in the kettle. Then, he just stood there looking at the man. The man said thank you and T.S. kept standing there. Finally, I told the man that T.S. was really wanting to ring the bell. The kind man let T.S. ring it and his day was made.

I wonder if he'll think he's paying to ring a bell this year.

Some Things to Ponder

I made a quick trip to Amarillo this evening BY MYSELF. I took care of some Christmas shopping and made the following observations.

• Hobby Lobby has got to be the only national chain store left in the universe that does not swipe bar codes. I think they enjoy watching people stand in long lines waiting to check out while they type in each item. I also think they like the fact that the receipt is so confusing when you are finished that you have no idea if you were charged correctly or not. And, after waiting in line for so long, you aren't about to question.
• I usually have a plan of what I will be buying when I go to a store. Tonight, lots of people were aimlessly wandering around (in my way) looking at Toys R Us--come on people, T.S. and I have spent hours pouring over sale catalogs and perusing the Internet to make our list!
• Sam's was actually not very crowded. I don't know if it was because it was later in the evening or if all of those people were a) stuck in line at Hobby Lobby or b) wandering around Toys R Us trying to decide what to get people for Christmas.

Just some thoughts--on a bright note, I'm almost finished with all of my shopping. Now if I could just get the projects I've started finished.

Free Dr. Pepper

Check this story out! Dr. Pepper is going to give everyone a free Dr. Pepper. I won't be staying up late so I can be the first to get my free Dr. Pepper. But, I think we all should go to the Dr. Pepper site and get our coupon Sunday.

Speaking of Dr. Pepper, our house is divided. Robby and Sadie are "Peppers" and T.S. and I are Coke drinkers. My whole life, Nonnie was a Coke drinker, too. She also loved a Hershey bar. She'd keep both in the fridge (she even let us put peanut butter and marshmallows on our candy bar--you should try it). Now that she is in the nursing home, she has been preferring Dr. Pepper and Butterfingers--go figure.

As a kid, I remember we were in Ruidoso one year at an art festival--we got to take the Pepsi challenge. I chose the Coke.

Robby really likes the Dublin Dr. Peppers that have real sugar in them. He also swears there are really 23 flavors like they advertise.

One other thing--shouldn't the band "Guns'N'Roses" be retired by now and possibly in a nursing home?

Spelling Help

Check this out! You can enter spelling lists and then your child can play games with the words. Just found it today, but we are going to give this a try. Maybe Sadie will WANT to study instead of HAVE to study.

Kittens

It is time for the kittens to make the next step in their lives--move outside. We really enjoy having them in the house, but know eventually we will have issues like climbing on the furniture and shedding. There is also the possibility they will realize we have a rat and gerbil in the house.

It is crazy that I would have such a difficult time sending the cats outside. It is not like we'll just throw them out and forget about them. They'll have a nice bed in the garage and we'll feed them everyday. It's just that I have invested time into them--bottle feeding, making them poop, etc. (for more on that whole adventure go here and search our blog for "kittens.") I also know that as the adopted mom I have been unable to fully prepare them to go outside--I have no idea how to teach a cat to hunt. So,in hindsight, our rat and gerbil are probably safe.

I think I'm getting a glimpse of the future and what it will be like when it is time to send the kids on to new adventures in their life. As moms are we ever prepared for this?

Biscuits

I was reading Granny Sue's News and Reviews today--I'd like to visit her. She is a story teller that lives in the Appalachians. Anyway, she gave her biscuit recipe today. I do not intend on making biscuits, the womp-um ones are just fine, thank you. And, we have the frozen ones for special occasions.

What I am getting to is that it brought back really good memories of Nonnie making biscuits. When we asked for the recipe, she would always say that it depended on how many people were eating that day. No matter how pressed for time she was, she would always let Sadie help her. I wish I had a picture of the little toddler sitting on that cabinet helping make biscuits. Nonnie would always let Sadie "make" a few of her own and bake them. Usually by the time Sadie was finished playing with the dough, they didn't rise much and turned out a little hard when cooked.

I am so grateful that Sadie, Nonnie and I have that memory. Sadie still talks about making biscuits.

One More Thing...

This should have gone with last night's random thoughts post. It bothered me all day yesterday and was still on my mind this morning. You can read this article--a man stole a handful of communion wafers from the priest during a morning mass. The parishioners cornered him until police arrived. Two "older" parishioners were injured in the process. The charges against him are numerous. Here is why the story bothered me so much:

• Why are we limited to one wafer/piece of bread/cracker (whatever your church gives out) during communion?
• If a man is hungry enough to steal a handful of those little wafers (which wouldn't even come close to filling you up) then shouldn't he be allowed to have them?
• If Jesus were giving communion, don't you think He'd have said, "Here, take them all?"
• One of the many problems with the church (every church, not just one single denomination) is we have gotten too caught up in the way we do things. We've gotten into the business of why and how instead of just taking care of people and treating them with love and respect.

I think that is all for my soapbox this morning. I'll step down and go make breakfast.

Random Thoughts--some serious, some not so much

Today has been a good day. T.S. and I spent the morning at home. Any day you don't change out of your pajamas until after noon is a good one in my book. I volunteered at school, ran some errands around town then spent the rest of the afternoon at church with our after school program. Right now the rest of the family is doing something with the lambs, supper is cooking and I have a minute to share my thoughts.

• My heart is heavy today. My friend Brandon is battling cancer. He received some not so good news this week. Please pray for him, his wife Jenny and their family. On the same note, I hope that when life hands me lemons I can be as faithful and courageous as Brandon has been and continues to be.
• The cats must go outside soon--when you find one in the refrigerator, you know it is time. You should have seen me searching cabinets in the kitchen trying to find the quiet meow for help.
• Got a package in the mail today--that always makes me happy. (yes, it was something I ordered, but still, it was a package)
• I think I've gotten this resin stuff figured out--now for time to complete some necklaces and start marketing.
• Shipo is cutting the Milo, nothing cooler than a combine in the field with a sunset in the background. Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to take some photos tomorrow. The boys will be thrilled to go watch.

Thanks for letting me share my thoughts. Have a great evening/day! Remember to be thankful. Trey Morgan's post today will make you count your blessings.

Veterans' Day

Today is Veterans' Day--we'll go to school later to the Veterans' Day program. I will probably tear up...I do every year. I'd like to write something profound here, but I've realized my sister is the feature writer and I have always been the news writer (I guess Mrs. Smith really knew what she was doing in high school). As much as I would like, I seem to only be able to report the facts--nothing too fancy here. So...

If you are fortunate enough to live in this country, send your kids to school, worship where you choose, read this blog...
Thank a Vet!

The Face of the Homeless

Our youth have been traveling to Amarillo each Sunday evening to help serve the homeless. Robby drove the bus and I went as a "helper" yesterday. I really have never been face to face with someone who is homeless. There were people there from all races and ages. The hardest for me was seeing the families with fairly small children. As we served the food, I was struck by how gracious and polite most of the people were. Most of them had a fairly good attitude as well. It was very chilly and there was talk of precipitation in the forecast, but I never heard anyone complaining about their circumstance. One man asked if we had brought any clothes--they try to be really careful and only bring requested items each week so there isn't a frenzy over things that are brought. We asked what he specifically needed. He replied, "just socks."

As I stood there visiting with some of them, I felt a little guilty that I had a nice coat, gloves and most of all a warm home to return to. I also felt a huge sense of how blessed we are to have a home and all the "stuff" we do. Sometimes you have to see first hand what all you have to be thankful for.

So take some time today to count your blessings and remember those who are less fortunate than us.

Annie Get Your Gun

While spending a leisurely morning reading the paper online, I thought that this was interesting. My grandmother had been telling me for weeks that they were "sold out of guns" in Amarillo. Last night on the news they mentioned that people were not only buying guns, they were stock-piling ammunition because there was rumor that the new president would increase the tax on ammunition by as much as 1000%. So, I Googled "gun sales up." Apparently sales are up across the country. Some say because of the president-elect, some say because of the economy. This brings the idea of a "well-armed militia" to a whole new level.

I think all of the concern is a little over the top. I imagine most of the people buying guns already have a few. I've always asked my husband why we need more than one (that's a whole different post in itself.) Should we be concerned that so many people are purchasing guns? If they don't already have a gun, why do they need one? Should I drop by the gun shop when I go to town today? Maybe we should build on to the house so we can stock-pile ammunition. Have you bought your gun today?

212 Degrees

I had the opportunity today to be a part of a youth entrepreneurship fair. There were about 25 interesting ideas represented at the fair by youth in our area. The motivational speaker was very good. She spoke about our attitude and how it affects so many aspects of our lives and the lives of those around us. She gave some startling statistics, which I didn't write down. One I do remember was the average child hears "NO" or "you can't do it" around 148,000 times by the time they turn 18. (and we wonder why the world is in the shape it is in) She demonstrated how much better kids respond to positive feedback than negative.

The most important thing she spoke about was going the extra step or the extra degree. She used this video to really drive home the point.

Are you going the extra degree?

Kudos to Maci and Wesley from Happy for their outstanding job at the fair. Maci won 2nd and $750 and Wesley won 3rd and $500--all for going the extra degree. You can see more about Wesley's project and his family's business--The Happy Toymaker.

Random "Stuff" on the Internet

Important note: I do not endorse this product. I actually think "stuff" like this is bad for you.

I really don't know how I find this stuff. Actually, I do, I spend too much time on the computer. But, while reading a really good blog I noticed on the Twitter thing on the side that you could get Free KickButt Amped Energy Ballz at a site called Totally Free Crap.Com. (I know this is a G-rated blog, but this cracked me up.)

So, let's tackle this one thing at a time. If you go to the link for the energy ballz be sure and have your sound on. They promise to tone your mind and body--maybe this is the secret we've all been searching for. I don't know why it cracked my up so much, but it did. Maybe this is a sign that my mentality is sinking to the level of the 4 year old and 2 year old I spent the day with.

Now for the serious stuff. The Free "stuff" Site has some interesting things on it. I had seen where people were getting free Starbucks and Krispy Kremes for voting today. I briefly wondered how these people knew about the opportunity. Now I know. I didn't scope it out since we don't have either store in Happy. This might be a site to keep an eye on.

VOTE!

I have refrained from being political on this blog. I believe everyone is entitled to his or her own opinions and beliefs. I hope you chose to vote--if you didn't, I believe you have to keep your opinion to yourself for the next four years. I voted today and pray that the outcome of the election will be a positive one for our country. We are blessed to live in a nation that allows us to go to the polls and exercise our right to have an opinion.

Play and Feed

Who knew I would become a champion of so many causes? You'll notice a new spot to click on the right. You can go to this site and play to earn free rice for the United Nations World Hunger Program. I wouldn't necessarily call it playing so much as studying. I'm always looking for something to keep my brain working above a 4 year old level. At this site, you can study everything from vocabulary to chemistry and geography to foreign languages--all while making a difference. Does your child need to practice multiplication? Set them up here and they can help feed hungry people all over the world while they learn. It's worth a look.

Tag!

Two of my favorite blogs, Amanda Sanders and my sister's have started a game of tag. All you have to do is answer the following questions. The only rule is that the questions have to be answered in one word. Here is my list.
1. Where is your cell phone? counter
2. Where is your significant other? bed
3. Your hair color? natural
4. Your mother? farmer
5. Your father? heaven
6. Your favorite thing? kids
7. Your dream last night? None
8. Your dream/goal? success
9. The room you’re in? office
10. Your hobby? crafts
11. Your fear? underachieving
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Home
13. Where were you last night? home
14. What you’re not? superwoman
15. One of your wish-list items? money
16. Where you grew up? Happy
17. The last thing you did? news
18. What are you wearing? sweats
19. Your TV? OFF
20. Your pet? numerous
21. Your computer? cool
22. Your mood? mixed
23. Missing someone? Jennifer
24. Your car? dirty
25. Something you’re not wearing? contacts
26. Favorite store? NONE
27. Your summer? memorable
28. Love someone? heckyeah
29. Your favorite color? red
30. When is the last time you laughed? Today
31. Last time you cried? today

So, if you made it all the way through, you need to know that I HATE choosing favorites. I'd invite anyone that wants to participate to do so. It'd be really cool if you'd leave a comment with your address so we can check out your answers and if you'd link back to this blog from yours.
so--
TAG, YOU'RE IT!

Visit the North Pole

Okay, I'm the first to admit that it drives me nuts that Christmas decorations, etc. are in the stores and we haven't even gone trick or treating yet. I always feel like Thanksgiving is skipped over. But, I found a site today that is worth a look, even if it isn't even December yet.

You can go here and visit the North Pole. Play games, read stories, write stories,write a letter to Santa. (Santa will write you back) All kinds of stuff awaits you. There is even a quiz you can take to see where you rank on the Naughty or Nice list. What caught my eye today, though, was the "Good Deeds Calendar." You can print one out for the month of your choosing. It is pretty much what I call a chore chart. It has several things your kids probably are doing or supposed to be doing every day. The kids are to keep track of what they do and leave the calendars under the tree for Santa to see.

Brilliant!! Instead of saying--"Santa might not come if..." You can just say, "What do you think Santa will think of you good deeds calendar?" What a fun thing to do as a family as you head into this hectic time. Keep track of your good deeds--emphasize the positive.

Have fun at the North Pole!

Thoughts of Halloween

I've been thinking about where we'll take the kids trick or treating this Friday. It is an away football game so lots of people will not be home. But, I remembered that most of the homes we are expected to "haunt" will have eager candy givers just waiting for our arrival. How cool is it that my kids will trick or treat at many of the homes I did as a kid? That got me thinking of places we must stop and places that I wish we could still visit.

Here are a few places I remember going to as a child:

• Hobart and Anna Mae's--Anna Mae always had those spiced muffin/cupcakes with the ghost made out of a sucker (Tootsie Pop, I believe) and Kleenex. It was always in the middle of the muffin. I never cared much for the muffin or the sucker, but I thought the whole thing together was way cool and I had to have it.
• Grandmother Sims--she always made popcorn balls. Have you ever tried to make them?
• Burnett--she had reserve candy for her "special" friends. (Sadie was fortunate enought to get to visit her some)
• Si and Willa--Si would always make us say our name, etc. for the video camera. We really should all get together with Si to view those someday--he turns ninety soon. I imagine Aunt Louise will be there to help him this year.
• Ruth Mann--She'd always take our picture and send it to us later. I remember the year we went with the Whites and were Star Wars characters. (there's another post--costumes you remember)

We'll probably drop in on Si, Roberta, Cone, the Butlers (Sadie went in their house one year and started up the stairs), and Bob and Pat's for sure. Only in Happy does trick or treating take awhile because you are sometimes expected to go in for a short visit. Robby and I will probably score some candy, too. If you are in Happy Friday, feel free to join us.

El Camino Update

We took Nonnie to El Camino today for lunch. Right off Sadie noticed they had new menus. Nonnie laughed and said she could guess what was new. Much to our surprise cheese dips have gone up to $4.25. Nonnie never hesitated, we all got to have our own.

Virtual Pumpkin Carving

Click here to carve your own pumpkin online. It's nothing fancy, kinda fun.

Another One of Those Days

I could tell this morning that Biscuit, the cat that won't eat, was not doing well. I told the kids that he was very sick and probably would die. T.S. and Tryce colored pictures for him. Every time they'd go through the kitchen they'd announce that his "fur was still moving." At lunch we had a wonderful conversation about Biscuit going to live with Cowboy (Tryce's Dad's dog) and that Cowboy and Biscuit would have lots of fun playing. T.S. said, "Maybe he will come back to life and play with us." To which I replied, "No, we have to let him go live with God."

I hate days like this because they are days of my own making. I'm the one that agrees to feeding cottontail bunnies. I'm the one that started feeding the 4 orphan kittens. Biscuit has never been interested in eating the solid food. He politely refused to drink from the saucer. He would spit out the softened cat food when I put it in his mouth. He was content to stay on the bottle. I was determined it was time to be weaned. So now, I feel a little guilty--I could have bought more kitten milk and kept bottle feeding him. But would that have benefited him in the long run?

I realized we are all sometimes like Biscuit. Sometimes we want to be bottle-fed. We don't want to switch over to the solid food. There are several references in the New Testament that use the analogy of switching from milk to solid food and growing in our spiritual life. We don't do ourselves any favors by taking the easy way. As parents we sometimes have to watch our kids struggle as they grow and mature. No one said life or parenting was easy, even if you're a mama cat.

Sometimes I just don't like life lessons...wouldn't it be nice if they were all sunshine and roses?

An Up and Down Day

Today has definitely been a day of ups and downs:

• Biscuit (kitten) will still not eat solid food.
• T.S. had fun playing with the kittens.
• Tiger (kitten) had an accident and now seems to have some head trauma. He has improved tremendously since the incident, but I don't think we are out of the woods yet
• T.S. cried and cried about Tiger and is now elated that he is "better." I have a bad feeling about what still may happen.
• T.S. and I built a cool train track today (one of our best)
• Flu shots: T.S. cried and threw a fit before hand; his arm doesn't hurt at all now. Sadie and I were "big girls" and our arms are terribly sore.
• Some of the craft stuff I ordered is here--can hardly wait to get busy.

Overall it was a pretty good day--I think.

Memories

Today T.S. wanted a carrot to eat with his soup. When I sat down to eat I helped myself to a carrot stick and was reminded of going to El Camino in Tulia to eat when I was little. A long time ago, they would bring a relish plate to your table when they brought your chips. I remember the carrot sticks were always really good. I believe they kept them in ice water until time to serve. They were especially good in cheese dip. Nonnie would let each of us get our own cheese dip. Which is something we still do today.

Another thing I remembered was going to eat there with Grandma and Grandad and several cousins for something. We all got to have sopapillas. We were allowed to not only have honey with them but to mix sugar with our honey. The honey came in honey bears. We started squeezing them until just a little honey was coming out, then we'd let go and the honey would go back in the bottle. We were all laughing so hard that Grandma was in tears. We recall that story often and always have a laugh. Honey doesn't come in the bears anymore, it does come in packets and is still good on sopapillas with sugar mixed in. (I tried it again this summer just to be sure).

The relish plates and honey bears are a thing of the past, but out own individual cheese dip and it being a treat to go with Nonnie to El Camino are things that haven't changed.

Campbell's Soup and FFA

You may have noticed in the side bar that you can go to the Campbell's Soup site titled "Help Grow your Soup" and click on the Red Barn to support the National FFA Organization. I'd encourage you to check the site out. Campbell's is doing some neat things in conjunction with the FFA. One thing that caught my eye is the projects to preserve old barns. There are some really neat pictures of old barns.

Speaking of FFA--Robby has almost finished buying all the pigs his kids need. The BBQ bus traveled to a Firestone opening on Saturday. After that, Firestone reserved the bus for the Tech-tu game. We are so excited, the bus is great advertisement for the Happy FFA program and all of the great people who helped fund the project. I believe Firestone is even going to make a donation to the chapter and possibly fund a scholarship. Needless to say, Robby is thrilled.

A Day in the City

I travelled to Amarillo today--by MYSELF. I enjoyed my time alone and made the following observances:

• If the economy is so bad, why are all of these people in Amarillo and in my way? Traffic was pretty heavy and all of the places that I think would be hurt in this "bad" economy seemed to be doing well--nail salons, restaurants, the mall. You had to wait in line to exit the mall area.


• Why on earth would you choose the weekend to have 1/3 of a parking lot of a shopping center resurfaced?


• Sam's apparently is in the middle of resurfacing their parking lot, too. The whole lot was available, but parts didn't have lines. You can imagine the craziness; some aisles (is that what you call them in a parking lot?) didn't have room for two cars to go by at the same time.


• Those crafty people at Hobby Lobby are scary drivers, both in the parking lot and in the store.


• I finally bought myself some boots today. I have never spent that much on something to wear in my life. They are pretty cool and should last several years. Sorry, the picture isn't that great.

I ate lunch at Great Harvest Bread Company. Yummy, homemade bread and an incredible amount of meat and cheese on the sandwich. Even bought a few loaves for the family.

Random Thoughts

Just some things that have crossed my mind lately.

• Do you think the chickens miss the eggs when I take them everyday? I wonder if they go back in their house and think, "I know I left it here, or maybe is was over there...where'd I leave it?"


• Browsing through blogs I've noticed that a lot of families have been to pumpkin patches and apple orchards. Do you think they know they can grow their own pumpkins at home in a flower bed or large pot? Should we tell them? Maybe I should just have a pumpkin patch next year.


• How much money do you think Wal Mart loses at the self-checkout line? (had a while to ponder that one in the "real person check you out line")

You'd Think I'd Know Better

If you look at my profile you'll see two things--I'm a mom, I'm a keeper of kids. I've been a mom for 8 years and have been keeping kids for 7. So, what follows should be filed either under "you'd think she'd know by now" or "people really trust her with their kids?"

It is a gorgeous day today, the rain has stopped the sun is shining, all is right with the world. I'm trying to be domestic today, so while I am hanging wash out on the line (how green of me) the boys are playing on the driveway. I finish hanging out the wash and tend to the chickens. On my way in to the house to put the eggs in the fridge, "CW, stay away from that puddle. Let's not throw rocks in it."

I come back outside--he's by the puddle again (of course). He grins and moves away. I realize the bottom of his pants are wet. "Oh no," I think, "if his pants are wet so are his shoes."

On the way in the house I ask two-year old CW a stupid question, "Why'd you get in the puddle?" To which he replies, "because..." I finish the answer for him, "Because it was there."
The pants are in the wash, hopefully the shoes will be dry by this afternoon. Sorry B, at least your son is having fun.

The Benefit's of Being a Stay-at-Home Mom (or why I hang out with preschoolers and toddlers)

I am very blessed to be able to not only stay home with my child, but to keep two others as well. On some days it is three boys (ages 4,3 and 2) and me. Why do I enjoy it?

• Easy to hold up your end of the conversation


• Very positive work place--toddlers and preschoolers aren't concerned about the economy, the election or much else besides what the next activity is and when it will be time for snacks


• Fun games like RazBilly


• Freedom to express yourself--they love my artwork


• Get to play with Play Doh, markers, paint and make collages


• Nap Time


• I get to witness lots of cool milestones


• Snacks
• Can wear your pajamas all day and no one minds.
• I always have a reason (or 3) for why the house is such a mess.
  

Controversial Doll

On the news this evening, they had a story about a controversial doll made by Fisher Price. The doll is supposed to "cuddle and coo." She says, "Mama" as well. The controversy is what she says after that. Fisher Price says she is only programmed to coo and say, "Mama."

The news station has a special loop to hear it over and over again; they even slow it down for you. Listen to the doll before reading the story. Click here to see the full story and listen to the doll.

Let me know what you think you hear.

I can't decide if the doll really says what they say it says or if I just think it does because I've heard them say what the doll supposedly says. Does that make sense?

Another Cool Site

As a mom and keeper of kids, I'm always on the lookout for craft ideas, educational tools and coloring pages. While searching for a dump truck for T.S. to color today, I came across this site:
The Best Kids Book Site. It's an " Interactive Media Channel where Books, Crafts, Pod casts, Online Video, and Web Resources" Intersect. I haven't had time to explore it fully yet, but if you go to their blogs, they have a craft of the day, coloring page of the day and even stories to listen to. The site itself has coloring pages and crafts as well. It has book recommendations and links to to other sites for nearly any subject you imagine. I think you could probably spend hours just looking around at this site. I did notice that there are lots of ads--but that's the price you pay for "free" coloring pages and crafts.

I wonder if I could get a job searching for cool sites and then telling about them???

In Search of the Perfect Pomegranate

UPDATE: I posted the wrong site, if you want to see the progress from bloom to fruit, click here.

I was very excited in the produce department the other day. Pomegranates are starting to arrive. They are an indulgence for me as they are a little pricey. From now until I get tired of eating them, I'll be on a quest to find the perfect one--juicy, sweet, but not too sweet and a little tart. It is kind of hard to get to the seeds, but the effort is worth it. The seeds are tasty and crunchy--what more could you want in a snack (and healthy, too). The other thing I like about this fruit is that no one else in my family likes them, so I don't have to share. You can click here to see pictures of pomegranates from bloom to fruit and then to the tasty seeds. It is really an interesting and pretty process.

Happy Bonza Bottler Day

Happy Bonza Bottler Day!!



Please go to the official site and check it out. They have recently updated it. Click on party pictures and see if you recognize anyone!

What I've Learned...so far

Before I begin, I need to add one more to our compilation:
I've learned that 'it' is going to happen, so you might as well smile and make an adventure of 'it'.

This has been a really hard list for me to come up with. I really like what everyone else had to say (all three of you). When I read them, I thought,"yeah, me too." So here's what I've got so far.

• Life is all about choices. Your choices determine what happens, from your attitude to your income--so choose wisely. Don't be afraid to admit you made the wrong choice, you can always choose again.
• Dishes, laundry and the house will wait; your kids and family will not. When I die, I want my family to say, "Boy, we sure had some fun times." Not, "We had the cleanest house in town." (not that the latter would happen.)

I was really hoping to come up with something profound. I think it all boils down to:

Life is as simple as you choose to make it. Love freely, laugh a lot and share that love and laughter with everyone around you while you can.

What You have Learned

After an overwhelming (thanks you two) response to this blog post I've finally compiled a list of the top 8 things you guys have learned so far in your life. Here they are in no particular order.

1. Nothing is too big for God.
2. You never know where life is going to take you and what you are going to find once you are there.
3. Life is never how you pictured it.
4. It's a small world.
5. Life is too short to try to please everyone.
6. Sometimes you get what you need, not what you want.
7. It's easy to hold a grudge, and a lot harder to find a way to forgive and move forward.
8. There's no place like home and no one like family.

I'm working on the list of things I've learned so far. Feel free to comment and let me know what you have learned. I hope we are all learning something every day and that we can learn from each other.

New Features

On the side bar you will notice several new features:

• Verse of the week--I'm attempting to learn a verse each week with my sister, feel free to join us.
• Click for Mammograms--Click the pink ribbon to go directly to the site to click to fund free mammograms
• Followers--click to sign up to follow this outstanding blog

Christmas Gifts

I'm always on the look out for Christmas gifts. I like to start shopping and planning early. Today while watching TV, I found the perfect gift, and it will work for EVERYONE in the whole family. It is called a Snuggie--it is a blanket that you wear. It actually looks like something I might like, but the commercial cracked me up.

• It is one size fits all--they showed it on adults and children. The kids looked like they might be missing arms, because the sleeves were so roomy and long.
• It's buy one get one free (you have to pay the additional processing fee--which is probably $19.95--I didn't catch that, the print was too small)
• Comes in 3 colors--aqua, red and blue.
• Walking around in their Snuggies, everyone looked a little like monks in a monastery . The people in the commercial even wore them to keep warm at a football game. Excellent idea, but again--monks at a football game is a little strange.
• I can see Robby and Cody now in their Snuggies. Let me know which color you want, guys.

If any of you already own a Snuggie, I hope I don't offend you. Like I said, it really looks like something I might like. Also, if you already have one let me know, I don't think anyone needs two. I'll have to get you something else for Christmas--maybe a Chia pet or the booklight that is free with the Snuggie purchase (gotta stretch those dollars).

Interesting Blogs

It is very easy to get caught up in the blogging world--sometimes I just like to roam around in it and see what I can find. This one has very interesting pictures and advertisements. It is worth a look.



On another note, apparently no one reads this but my sister which is going to make my idea of compiling a list of things we've learned so far a little difficult. So come on people, take a chance, leave a comment or drop me a line. I'm not asking for a dissertation or a novel, just a line or two. I'll even let you be anonymous when I post my list.

Mother of the Year

Just thought I'd let you know, I am definitely up for the coveted Mother of the Year Award. I know, you probably thought you had it in the bag, let me tell you about events this morning that will swing the vote for the award my way.

T.S.: Mom, when are we going to bake the Halloween cookies? (the kind with the pumpkin already on them)

Me: Let me eat breakfast first.

T.S.: No, we have to cook them now. That's what I'm having for breakfast.

They are baking as we speak. Yes, I let my child eat cookies for breakfast.
I know, you are petitioning now to have my "Mommy Button" taken away--I could hear the gasps as you read that I let my kid eat cookies for breakfast. Don't pretend--you know you've done it once or twice, too.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is breast cancer awareness month. This month your click for free mammograms counts DOUBLE. So what are you waiting for? Go Click.

What Have You Learned?

UPDATE: October 13--The last few times I have tried to go to the website mentioned in this post it has been unavailable. Sorry if I've led you on a wild goose chase!


Yesterday I ran across this website titled "Things I have learned in my life so far." You can illustrate the thing you have learned and send it to this site and they will post it. Very interesting and hard to stop looking at all of the things people have shared. (a few, but not many, were a little weird and not really for young eyes)

My favorite was, "My attitude, my choice and I'm choosing happy."

The sight got me thinking/wondering--what have I learned in my life so far? (have to check back for a future post for that nugget of wisdom)

What have you learned in your life so far? Please leave it in a comment or email me (to do that you must know me and already have my email address). I'll try to compile our own list of things we've learned.

Incomplete Thoughts

When I started this blog for myself I really thought I had lots of profound thoughts to share with everyone. It turns out I do have them (thoughts) but when I have them it is at a time and place where I can't stop and write them down or run to the computer. Later, I can't remember them. I've been thinking about why I can't remember things very well and what I can do about the problem.

• Kids seem to deplete brain cells faster than beer or wine ever could.
• I find myself starting one thing, then being interrupted for another and not going back to complete the first thing. If I can't even remember what I was doing, then how can I remember what I was thinking?
• Everything seems to be more important than what I'm thinking.

What to do about it:

• I've been checking out a website that has a word of the day--problem is, trying to fit the word into a conversation with toddler boys is impossible. When an adult is finally here, I've forgotten the word.
• The above website has word games. I play those, I think they are preserving a little bit of my brain function but definitely not improving or helping me regain any memory loss. (They always warned us that once you killed those brain cells they can't come back)
• Saw an ad for a spa treatment that is supposed to help with memory. They were running a special--I thought the price wasn't bad. Until I realized the price per night just included your room. The price of the treatments would make you want to forget, not remember.

My conclusions: I think as a mom you just have to accept the fact that the mind is one of the first things to go and it is not necessarily your fault. Any suggestions on having complete thoughts and then remembering them are greatly appreciated. Maybe we could start a support group or get our disorder labeled as an "official disability." Then we could probably apply for government assistance or something.

Even Stranger News

Read this article, then see what I thought:

• Imagine if PETA spent all of their energy and resources on something useful--they might could solve the energy crisis or end world hunger.
• Picture a dairy with cows lining up waiting to be milked--now put lactating women in the place of the cows. Not a pretty picture.
• If they were to pay women for their breast milk to make ice cream, wouldn't lots of children starve? Or worse yet--wouldn't they have to have formula (gasp)?
• Could women even produce enough milk in a timely fashion to make large amounts of ice cream?
• If milking cows is inhumane, then why is it okay to milk women?
• The whole idea is just way gross.

Feel free to leave a comment about what you think.

Strange News

While perusing the Amarillo Globe News online today, I came across these two stories that cracked me up.

• If you are going to steal a beer truck, make sure it is loaded (DUH)
• Most stores have signs posted saying "No shoes, no shirt, no service." They didn't say anything about pants.

Have a great day!!

I think I was offended.

Shopping in Wal Mart the other day (I know not my favorite but they have almost everything I need and very convenient) I was searching for play money. I turned down one aisle in the toys only to be flooded with pink on all sides. I looked up and the aisle was labeled "girls' role play." Okay, I thought, this is a long row just for dress-up clothes. Well, "girls' role play" seems to encompass all of the cooking stuff, Make-it-Bake-it ovens, play appliances, cleaning supplies, etc. Not only is it all on that aisle, most of it is in a pink box. And...I didn't see anything like tools or mechanics' toys...

How crazy! I have three boys at my house that love to bake cupcakes and play restaurant in the play room. Just yesterday they were taking turns feeding a baby doll and pushing her around in the stroller. One of them even went "grocery" shopping and ask me to find a sack so he could take his groceries home and then "go to work."

I am thrilled that these boys are willing to play and take on these "roles." Thank goodness they don't know that they are supposedly for girls. No wonder our society is so messed up--we start out early telling girls and boys what their role is supposed to be instead of letting them try everything out and decide that everyone can do everything. Thankfully no one told my husband what his is--he is the best vacuum runner I have ever seen and he knows his way around the kitchen.

Have you clicked today?

Every morning I have a computer routine--check e-mail, click for free mammograms, fill out entries to win extra boxtops, read the paper. Did you know you can go to this site and make one click to help fund mammograms. Right now they have a sponsor that will donate free mammograms if they reach a certain number of clicks. I have the site bookmarked--it only takes me a few seconds (okay maybe 1 minute) to go and click.

What a great way to start the day--by feeling like one click is making a difference. So, have you clicked today?

I'm a Winner!!

I'm a winner today. I entered a contest for a book on this blog, and I actually won. I never win anything--how exciting!

I am also, according to some family members, a fount of useless knowledge. So, if you need to know something random, I am your answer. I don't think I'll charge for my services, yet. Although I did find out this weekend that you can not ask vets questions on the Internet for free--which I think is silly.

FYI--Biscuit opened his eyes today, so the kittens are between 10 and 14 days old. (see useless knowledge--but it isn't useless unless you don't use it, so HA)

Happy, Texas USA

UPDATE (10/03/08): The last few times I have tried to go to this site it was unavailable. Sorry if I led you on a wild goose chase.

Yes, there really is a Happy, Texas and yes, we're "happy in Happy" most of the time.
My friend, Rowdy, has put together a cool site with lots of info on/for/about Happy. I told him I'd plug it, so check it out:
http://happytxusa.com/default.html

On the family note, it is pig sale time again which means I'm either home by myself or a single mom a lot. We are excited this year because Sadie will be purchasing as well. T.S. did go to the sale today--we are putty in his hands sometimes. Robby is going to have a lot (60+) of pigs on feed this year, so it will be another fun, busy one.

Mama Cat

Being a mama cat is hard--who knew you had to do all of this other stuff besides just feed them. I have a whole new admiration for mama cats now. Hopefully we are doing a good enough job and our new kitties will eventually thrive. If we could only get them all to poop.

Busy day here today--nap for me all day while Robby and the kids prepped pig pens and helped mom keep the drills going. First pig sale of the year is tomorrow--Sadie is hoping to find a winner. I'm sure T.S. will be put out when he doesn't get to go with them.

The cats are crying, I guess it is time to eat again.

Some Thoughts

• Where did all of these flies come from? We have spent the day swatting flies--great entertainment for C.W. He thinks its funny one minute and feels badly for the flies the next.
• Love this "fall" weather we've been having. We've been blessed with some beautiful days this week.
• One morning this week as I walked to the pens to let the lambs out of their feeding pens, I had the privilege of witnessing a sunrise in the East and a full moon still up in the West. Way cool--I really ought to get out of bed earlier (HA).
• Where does all of this trash come from? How can a family of four end up with so much trash everyday?

Blessings

We were fortunate to get to spend time together as a family working and playing at the fair this weekend. Sadie did a fantastic job at her very first lamb show. Robby's BBQ bus is finally done and looks amazing. He had lots of support from the community--even a group came up on Saturday for the results. His kids worked well together and were willing to help with the animals even though they were only there for Ag. mechanics. It was a great weekend--it was fun to see Robby working with his students. It was neat to watch Sadie hanging out with the "big kids." T.S. had a ball roaming from the chickens to the bus and then to the lamb pen. We were glad GeGe could come watch Sadie show. Between her, Jay and CW and the Brockmans, Sadie had quite a following.

When I spoke with my sister in Magnolia (close to Houston) I was reminded how blessed we are. While we were enjoying rides at the fair, they were preparing for Hurricane Ike to blow through. They were without electricity until sometime Sunday. Thankfully it didn't take the full two weeks they were saying it would to get it back on and thankfully the Spiveys came through with no major damage. Tonight there are still millions of people without electricity and water. The damage is incredible in some areas. I am so grateful my family is okay and I'm blessed to have had a fun weekend with Robby and the kids. (you can see some of Jennifer's hurricane pics on their blog--the Spivey Story)

Lambs

Robby and Sadie washed the lambs in the rain today. (see pics at Bow Family Adventures) The basketball goal that has been laying beside our driveway for a really long time was finally put to good use as a place to tie the lamb while it was being washed. C.W. enjoyed watching the process while playing in the garage. He can even tell the lambs apart and likes them very well from a distance. The t-shirts fit and all parts seemed to be in the proper place when I checked in on the shearing. The lambs didn't seem to mind their new attire, either.

T.S. rode his bicycle in the rain and had a glorious time. Yes, it was chilly today. It was either let him do that or have him interrupt homework or probably make Robby gouge a lamb with the clippers.

Sadie and Robby will take the lambs to the fair tomorrow. (after Robby has gotten the concession stand ready, finished up everything for the ag. mechanics contest and washed and clipped a pig) The BBQ Bus is at the fair (hallelujah!!) and I am told it looks awesome. Saturday will be a long day with Ag. Mechanics judging in the morning and lamb show starting in the afternoon.

Bragging

So, you need to go to my sister's blog and see the beautiful pictures she has just put on the title spot. She is way creative with photo shop elements (I don't even know what that is) and she is an outstanding photographer. I am very proud of her.

As for what we did today, T.S. and I bought lamb tights--pretty much stretchy t-shirts for lambs. How crazy that we are buying clothes for the lambs!! On top of that we picked pink and purple, because T.S. knew that is what Sadie would want--and it was. Now I'm wondering if the lambs (they are boys) will know they are wearing girl colors. Will they be embarrassed? Will this cause gender confusion? I'm not sure how you put the t-shirt with four leg "sleeves" on the lamb. It will probably be interesting. T.S. and Sadie are very intrigued that the "shirts" also have a hole in the belly for the "boy part." I'm hoping it all lines up correctly. I know you will all be on the edge of your seat waiting for the report. Definitely more to come...

What I've Learned Today

• Sometimes, you have to be an adult, even when it is not fun. (That's why T.S. and I are not at El Camino celebrating Bonza Bottler right now)
• I have a friend that has been labeled as "too positive" (how lucky am I?? what a cool thing to be)
• Baseball (or whatever you choose) on a nice day with your kids is way more important than a "clean" house
• Lambs are not very intelligent
• I don't negotiate with terrorists (see bullet point 1)
• I am blessed to get to spend the day with my child (he isn't always a "terrorist") and the kids whom I think of as mine. It is great to greet Sadie when she comes in the door from school.
• Life is good!!

Happy Bonza Bottler Day!!

Happy Bonza Bottler Day!!
What, you may ask, is Bonza Bottler Day?

To put it simply, Bonza Bottler Day is when the day of the month and the number of the month are the same (today is 9/9). It is a reason to get together with friends and celebrate. Celebrate what? Whatever you want. We started celebrating last spring--it has been a fun time to get together, eat, visit and just enjoy one another's company. So, start planning your celebration for October 10 today. Then, let me know how you celebrate Bonza Bottler Day!!!http://www.bonzabottlerday.com/ (for more info)

Our celebration tonight is supper at El Camino in Tulia--yum!

Two Wolves

I received this email today and thought it was something worth posting.

One evening an old Cherokee Indian told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside all people.
He said, 'My son, the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all.
One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.'
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: 'Which wolf wins?'
The old Cherokee simply replied, 'The one you feed.'

Hooray, it's holiday time!!

I know that all of you are just as excited as me. The first Christmas catalog arrived yesterday; you know, September is when we should all be thinking of shopping for Christmas. T.S. has managed to find a $80 racetrack and a $40 remote-control plane (yippee). He has been carrying the catalog ("magazine" as he calls it) around all afternoon. "Mom, this is only 6 dollars, I'm getting it. See, Sadie, this is what I'm getting." The countdown begins...

an update: T.S. took the catalog to bed and fell asleep with it. This morning (Thursday), he met Jay at the door showing him all of the "stuff" he is "going to get." I cannot be more thrilled...

Cool Site

Check out the Merriam-Webster page. It features a dictionary (of course), word of the day and many word games. The cool thing about the word games is you can solve them online or print them out. Good for those of us who need some brain stimulation and a fun learning tool for kids.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/

Random Information

In the middle of February, I started keeping track of how many eggs we collect each day. Since then, we have collected 390 eggs (keep in mind, that is probably a little low, because I don't always remember to write it down). That is a lot of eggs! Imagine what we'll have when the 10 chicks start laying.

The Rules

We had the wonderful opportunity to travel to the lake with our church this summer. We were blessed to share a camping area with our friends the McBrooms who were also gracious enough to share their boat and jet ski as well. The first day in the boat, April sat the kids down and said she needed to go over the rules. I was all set to hear about water safety and the rules for the boat. In addition to what I expected, April shared the three rules that our friend Ronay had once jokingly come up with. They are:

1. Smile
2. Act like you want to be here
3. Speak when spoken to

To my surprise, the kids took them very seriously and when they were referred to throughout the weekend, attitudes seemed to change. That Sunday we mused that Ronay had a definite beginning for a book and we'd have to travel around "testing" the rules. We all offered to be collaborators on the project.

I've thought about them a lot.I even enacted them on some junior high girls at the Happy Days dance. (they at least started smiling) They've even come in handy a time or two with the family. If everyone would make an attempt to follow "the rules" life would be much more pleasant.

Just a thought.

Perspective

The other day I was lamenting about how this had been a crazy, hectic summer. I had a mental to-do list and nothing got checked off. Then Sadie announced, "This has been the best summer ever!!" After reconsidering and thinking about all of the things we have done this summer, I'd have to agree, it's been a pretty good one. It's all about perspective...oh, to see with child-like eyes.

Hmmmm....

Why don't they just sell a box of Lucky Charm marshmallows? That's all my kids eat anyway. and, before you judge me for getting my children sugar-laden cereal--it is made with whole grains.

Ever had a pickle-sickle? If we'd have been on the ball we could have marketed them. Saw in the back of a magazine where you can order "Bob's Pickle-sickles."

How come when we think something is a good idea, someone else has already made a million dollars off of it??

The Shack

I just finished reading The Shack by William P. Young. I decided to read the book on recommendation from my sister. When I looked it up on the web, I found out it has been somewhat controversial, which made me want to read it more. (As a teen, the preacher preached against the movie The Last Temptation of Christ--my brother and I went and saw it that afternoon.)

The book is good on many levels. First, it is a pretty good story. It makes you think about your relationship with God. I felt like it was pretty much in line with my "theological" views--which may offend some people. I think it is controversial because it makes a lot of people uncomfortable. It brings into question who God is and how He appears (or doesn't appear) to people. I believe that God can be many different things to many different people. You and I may have a different picture of who God is and that's okay. It doesn't matter what He looks like, just that we have a relationship with Him.

I also think it is good to ask questions as the search for answers can cause our faith to grow and expand. There are, however, many "theologians" out there that would like for us to believe that God is rigid and only the way they teach us that He is. That he couldn't possibly be different to different people. They'd like us to believe that Church is what is important. Perhaps we get so involved in the politics and workings of the church we actually forget the real purpose of the church.

I've rambled enough without giving away the book, I'd love to know what you think about it if you read it. I won't be offended if you have a different view than I do. Who knows, we might learn something from one another. We could at least have adult conversation about it.

Guns at School??

I don't know if you have read in the paper or heard in the news about the small school at Harrold. They have decided to allow their teachers to "pack heat." The main reason they give is that law enforcement could take 30 minutes or more to arrive in the event a problem arises.
This is off of the AP wire: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gb14TxGFjaNfNsI_oNCTYWfrXXfgD92PK10O0
This article is from the local Amarillo paper:
http://www.amarillo.com/stories/082208/new_11054142.shtml

Supposedly the board will decide which teachers are "stable" enough to be allowed to carry guns and they will only use a certain bullet that is "safer".

This bothers me for several reasons:

• Harrold has now announced to the whole world that they are a small school on a major highway with no law enforcement (I can see the crazy people plotting now)
• Do you really think a teacher won't eventually pull a gun on a misbehaving student??
• What is going to keep the students from getting the gun from the teacher--can you say mutiny?
• Guns will not prevent unstable people from trying to carry out whatever crazy plan they have on the school.
• Isn't "safe bullet" an oxymoron???

Maybe I'm a little old fashioned or short-sighted

The Way I See It

I decided in the car today that I should start jotting down my thoughts on things. Maybe it is a way of filling in the void of adult conversation during the day, mainly I think it is just a place for me to write down my thoughts. Who knows--someone might share the same thoughts or they may cause someone to stop and think and maybe define or redefine his or her view of things.

For what it is worth--we stay-at-home moms may not have a "job", but we do have intelligent thoughts in between changing diapers, laundry, and all the other things that go along with the "job" we don't have.