Just looked at the headlines and saw that Huckabee had won in Nebraska. My stomach turned, and I told Marc about the win.
After considering for a minute I said, "Worst case scenario would be Clinton and Huckabee."
And at the same time, I SWEAR, we both said, "we'd have to move to Canada".
At the same time! Is that a true picture of marriage or what!?
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Friday, February 01, 2008
Are you wearing RED?
February is Go Red for Women Month. Today is the Day to wear Red. More women die of heart related diseases every year than men.
Last year I wrote a brief article about women's heart health for Inland Hospital. I had no idea that within twelve weeks I would have my own health evaluation of heart risk. I was dumbfounded to find out that I had high cholesterol last month. It's not a huge risk, but it's high.
Please go to goredforwomen.org to support the American Heart Association month of heart health awareness. There is oodles of information and there are oodles of tools. I've signed up for lots of information, for the Choose to Move Challenge, and have the Choose to Move widget on my desktop.
I'll be updating my heart health progress here during this month.
Now, go get some red on!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Hmmh.
Today, I found that I have a 'snipping tool' on my computer.
In our house, 'snip-snip' has a very serious meaning, one that makes Marc sort of cringe.
And to think, I've got a snipping tool. Who says Vista's not great.
In our house, 'snip-snip' has a very serious meaning, one that makes Marc sort of cringe.
And to think, I've got a snipping tool. Who says Vista's not great.
Monday, January 14, 2008
from Caleb this morning
"I wish I was a cowboy. Then I wouldn't have to do school. I would just take care of my cows and ride my horse all day. ..... Oh wait. I'm allergic to horses. I guess I don't want to be a cowboy."
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
book review
Marc and I have pretty much hung our parenting hat on a book called 'Shepherding a Child's Heart' by Ted Tripp. Being avid readers we quickly learned that we could be overwhelmed by information and options in the way that we raised our kids. Through prayer and agony, discussion with parents in a similar stage, and parents that had already passed through, we made a decision. So that has been our primary reference book.
I'm not sure how I found this new book, but I am so glad that I did. "Don't Make Me Count to Three", by Ginger Plowman is AMAZING. She attributes a lot of her thinking to the book mentioned about by Ted Tripp, and is published by the same group... shepherdpress.com.
It felt like a good review of our 'primary resource' written by a mom, for a mom. She has a wonderful sense of humor and a real sense of grace. I especially love her dwelling on the Word of God as our primary tool for reaching our children's hearts.
A chapter that was particularly convicting and that we are all benefiting from was a chapter that talked about why NOT to scold our children.
Thank you Ginger, for your work and wisdom. May God bless you and your family.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Popcorn.... who knew?
We thoroughly enjoyed popcorn ball making in December. But with the new year, I wanted to find some new recipes for popcorn that didn't involve so much sugar or peanut-butter... which I love so much but will not help me achieve those New Years R's. So what to my wondering eyes did I find...
www.popcorn.org
I'm not sure which most amazes me... That this was formed by an act of our government, or by all the fun ideas.
enjoy!
www.popcorn.org
The Popcorn Board is a non-profit check-off organization funded by U.S. popcorn processors to raise awareness of popcorn as a versatile, whole-grain snackThe Popcorn Board is a national commodity promotion and research program. It was formed in April 1998 as an Act of Congress at the request of the popcorn processing industry.
We've just made the Gingerbread Popcorn Mix. Reviews are mixed. Caleb and I like it and girls don't. But we'll keep trying...
I'm not sure which most amazes me... That this was formed by an act of our government, or by all the fun ideas.
enjoy!
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Advent
Part of my Advent Discipline has included reading, reflecting on, and praying the prayers in the Book of Common Prayer. They are too amazing and wonderful. So I have copied them here.
As you read them, I challenge you to remember that these were written long ago, and are prayed by so many people. When I take time in my BCP, I always have a deep and grateful sense of the 'Great Cloud of Witnesses' both throughout eternity and in contemporary times.
I also challenge you to remember that each prayer is a companion for a full week. It is a rich and wonderful and alive tradition.
First Sunday of Advent
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of
darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of
this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit
us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come
again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the
dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
for ever. Amen.
Second Sunday of Advent
Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to
preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation:
Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our
Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Third Sunday of Advent
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come
among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins,
let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver
us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and
the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation,
that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a
mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
First Sunday after Christmas Day
Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of
your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our
hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
(I copied these from this website: http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/bcp.htm .)
As you read them, I challenge you to remember that these were written long ago, and are prayed by so many people. When I take time in my BCP, I always have a deep and grateful sense of the 'Great Cloud of Witnesses' both throughout eternity and in contemporary times.
I also challenge you to remember that each prayer is a companion for a full week. It is a rich and wonderful and alive tradition.
First Sunday of Advent
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of
darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of
this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit
us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come
again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the
dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
for ever. Amen.
Second Sunday of Advent
Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to
preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation:
Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our
Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Third Sunday of Advent
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come
among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins,
let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver
us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and
the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation,
that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a
mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
First Sunday after Christmas Day
Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of
your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our
hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
(I copied these from this website: http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/bcp.htm .)
Marc and Dr. DoLittle
One of Anna's homeschool books right now is Dr. Dolittle.This morning as I was getting ready to start my day, Marc was reading it to her while she was eating breakfast.
I must say, you are really missing out on a rare treat to hear Marc read Dr. Dolittle out loud. This morning he was the voices of Dr. Dolittle and his sister.
What a hoot!
(And thank you, Marc, for being such an active homeschool partner.)
I must say, you are really missing out on a rare treat to hear Marc read Dr. Dolittle out loud. This morning he was the voices of Dr. Dolittle and his sister.
What a hoot!
(And thank you, Marc, for being such an active homeschool partner.)
Homeschooling Moment
One of the things that I internally battle constantly is the illusion that homeschooling should be a life of idyllic learning and family creativity and harmony. Even though I've 'lived the life' for four years now, I still expect that there will be some magical glow that surrounds our days.
But often, homeschooling is reminiscient of bringing a new baby home from the hospital, with the full expectation and adoration of new life, hand in hand with a brutal nursing schedule and diapers full of questionable material (which we celebrate each time!).
So when something happens that looks like my flawed image, it is worth celebrating and celebrating publicly.
This week I declared a reading week. I wanted to do something different since the kids are so wound up. I had nightmares of pushing through math and handwriting with wiggling, giggling kids. I also was feeling deeply unsatisfied (ashamed?) of the small amount of time that we just sit and read together, and how easily it has become to default to the television.
So this week is reading week. We will do a couple weeks worth of reading, sitting and cuddling in front of the Christmas tree.
So, of course, every good reading week starts with a trip to the Library.
Yesterday, I gave Caleb specific instruction. 'Caleb, I want you to look for three or more chapter books to bring home'. We got to the library. Caleb says to me 'Mom, I only want to get chapter books about real people, not story chapter books.' We've been reading Johnny Tremain, and Caleb has read a few biographies as part of our beginning study of US history.
'Okay Caleb'. So I show him the biography section in the Children's room and how to find who he was looking for (he had already decided on Franklin and Washington). (I should add that every trip to the library this Fall has included a brief suggestion... 'Caleb, here are the biographies'... but yesterday was the first time he 'heard' it.)
It was tremendous to hear Caleb exclaim about all the names he recognized. "Mom, look.... Mom, check this out... Mom this.... Mom that".
I figure if the ONLY thing I concretely equip Caleb with during his third grade year is a love for reading biographies, I've done enough. It took a tremendous amount of self-control to not scream for joy out loud in the library.
HOORAY Caleb!
(By the way, he came home with Three biographies: Ben Franklin, Paul Revere, and George Washington. And he was thrilled to find the one of Ben Franklin which was written by Mary Pope Osborne - author of Magic Tree House books.)
But often, homeschooling is reminiscient of bringing a new baby home from the hospital, with the full expectation and adoration of new life, hand in hand with a brutal nursing schedule and diapers full of questionable material (which we celebrate each time!).
So when something happens that looks like my flawed image, it is worth celebrating and celebrating publicly.
This week I declared a reading week. I wanted to do something different since the kids are so wound up. I had nightmares of pushing through math and handwriting with wiggling, giggling kids. I also was feeling deeply unsatisfied (ashamed?) of the small amount of time that we just sit and read together, and how easily it has become to default to the television.
So this week is reading week. We will do a couple weeks worth of reading, sitting and cuddling in front of the Christmas tree.
So, of course, every good reading week starts with a trip to the Library.
Yesterday, I gave Caleb specific instruction. 'Caleb, I want you to look for three or more chapter books to bring home'. We got to the library. Caleb says to me 'Mom, I only want to get chapter books about real people, not story chapter books.' We've been reading Johnny Tremain, and Caleb has read a few biographies as part of our beginning study of US history.
'Okay Caleb'. So I show him the biography section in the Children's room and how to find who he was looking for (he had already decided on Franklin and Washington). (I should add that every trip to the library this Fall has included a brief suggestion... 'Caleb, here are the biographies'... but yesterday was the first time he 'heard' it.)
It was tremendous to hear Caleb exclaim about all the names he recognized. "Mom, look.... Mom, check this out... Mom this.... Mom that".
I figure if the ONLY thing I concretely equip Caleb with during his third grade year is a love for reading biographies, I've done enough. It took a tremendous amount of self-control to not scream for joy out loud in the library.
HOORAY Caleb!
(By the way, he came home with Three biographies: Ben Franklin, Paul Revere, and George Washington. And he was thrilled to find the one of Ben Franklin which was written by Mary Pope Osborne - author of Magic Tree House books.)
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
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