What more do I need?

It is 7:30 am and I have already exercised, spent some quiet time with God, checked my e-mail and favorite blogs, worked on an assignment for my class, and caught up with the homies at Well Trained Mind board. It has been a most productive morning! I wanted to show you the chair where I spend a lot of time since acquiring my lap top. I want you to note all the essential. Cup of coffee in my Well Caffeinated Mind mug, glass of water, tube of Carmex, my lap top, warm cozy down blanket, pens and highlighters, my Bible tucked to the left of the chair, several good books I am reading, the cordless phone, and the materials for my class. If only I could find a way to bring the bathroom to me I might never have to get out of my chair. My chair is right next to our other computer and so this small little area of our decent size house it the area where Danny and I hang out in the evenings after the kids go to bed. Sometimes we are both on the computer, sometimes we are both reading, sometimes we just chat about stuff, always we have good music on in the background.

Now I can add blogging to the things I have accomplished already. Have a great productive day, everyone! Now I'm off to start the day.

Salsa Chicken

Well, Sparrow, you asked for it. You got it. Food! By the way, in case you were wondering about yesterday. I used half my alone time to read and the second half I had to go and get productive. Tell me how 2 hours can go by so quickly!

On Sunday I did some cooking. I made a huge pot of spaghetti sauce to freeze. I also made a big batch of salsa chicken to be used as fillings for enchiladas, burritos, tacos, etc... Nothing says "I love you" to my husband quite like coming home to a house that smells like Mexican food! Some women simmer potpourri...I saute onions. This is not super simple recipe, but it is very delicious! I doubled it to freeze.

Salsa Chicken (from the Chevey's cookbook)
5 tomatoes, cored and halved
1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and halved
1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 Tablespoons Fuego Spice Mix (see below)
1 3-4 lb cooked chicken, skinned and meat chopped (I roast a couple chickens the day before and freeze the extra meat for stuff)
1/4 cup cilantro

Preheat the broiler. Place the tomatoes and jalapeno cut-side down in a baking dish. Place one of the onion quarters in too. Roast the vegetables under the broiler for 8-10 minutes or until they start to blacken. Remove from the oven and cool. Transfer the vegetables and accompanying liquid to a blender and pulse until thick and chunky.

Dice the remaining onion. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Add the spice mix and saute for 3 to 4 more minutes. Add the chicken pieces, and saute until the chicken is heated through, stirring often. Add the tomato mixture to the skillet and stir. Add the cilantro. Bring the mixture to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.

Fuego Spice Mix (This also makes a great rub for meat before cooking, or seasoning for tortilla chips. This makes 1 cup and note that you only need 2 Tablespoons above. I keep the extra to use on Fajita meat)

1/4 c paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne
2 Tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons ground white pepper
2 Tablespoons black pepper
2 Tablespoons granulated garlic
2 Tablespoons chili powder
2 Tablespoons oregano

What do you do when....

you sit down to blog (because you can't rely on the superhero topic forever to keep the people happy) and you got nothing?!? Today is the Tuesday that I get a couple of hours to myself. Every Tuesday afternoon the kids each go to one of the grandparents' houses to spend some time with them. On half of the Tuesdays I have a meeting, but on the other half I have a couple of hours of "me-time."

I usually spend quite a bit of time dreaming how I can best use my precious hours. Do I want to be with people? Do I want to be alone? Do I want to be productive? Do I want to be indulgent? So far (there has only been one of them) I have gone the solitary indulgent route. I'll probably make some pop corn and lay around and read my book, but you never know. Something incredible may come up between now and then. I'll let you know.

Sleepless girl powers....activate!

At school yesterday we asked the teens what superpower they wished they had. Most wanted to fly. One wished he was batman because then he'd get the cool belt with the grappling hook. I decided I would like to be sleepless girl. I wish I had the power to never sleep and never be tired. I don't need as much sleep as most. 6-7 hours a night does me just fine and I have never been a napper! (What? nap...when there is a good book next to my bed?) I love the silent hours of the night when everyone is asleep and I have the world to myself. I can only imagine what I could get done (and read) in those coveted 7 hours that I am asleep. I know it is necessary, but I wish I didn't have to do it! Oh, imagine the books a person could read for 7 hours a day. So, what superpower would you choose?

Yesterday was our first day of school...

Kind of. We really did school-lite all summer and we started up with full fall force right before Labor Day. I have been back at TEC for almost 3 weeks getting set up, teachers' meetings, orientations for new families and meeting with families to write their learning plans. But, yesterday, the kids donned their new school clothes, grabbed their new lunch packs (with a little note from Mommy) and had their first TEC classes. They have wonderful teachers (OK, one of them is me) and great classes. They were glad to be back and I was so glad to actually be with the students. It was a very fun day. Of course, I'm pooped when the day is over, but it was great to be with the kids. Especially because this year I am working more with the teens than I have the last couple of years. I love teen-agers. I can really appreciate them from the safe distance of a 6 and 8 year old. Being with these kids reminds me to laugh at their idiosyncrasies. God, please give me the same grace to laugh at my own this way when the time comes.

Look, I did it!

Well, either the camera or the photographer still needs a bit of work, but I actually did it! My roses have been very happy this fall. They make me happy!

By the big red barn...

in the great green field...Tears came to my eyes as I listened to my 8 year old reading one of our old favorites to my niece. The same expressions I used to have. The same leading questions I used to ask. The same enthusiam I feigned the fourth time through the book. Wasn't it just a fraction of a second ago? I pray my niece grows up with a fraction of the love of reading that Annsley has. I know one thing. Babysitting now takes on a whole new meaning. I blog. She reads. I. love. it.

In chemistry (and our family) opposites attract

In our chemistry lesson today we learned about electrons (negative charge) and protons (positive charge) and how they attract. We made snow fall up. Well, actually we used a balloon and saw how it made paper dots fly upwards towards the balloon. As we were talking about it Seth said, "I kind of think that the negatives are boys and the positives are girls. At least that's the way it is in our family." Danny and I chuckled because he is right. The females in our family tend to be optimists and the boys tend to look at life a bit more pessimistically (some would say realistically :-)). But the best part of all. We attract!

Be Thou My Vision

This is my favorite hymn because it seems to address every area where I need work. I tend to rely on my own strength and wisdom rather than His. I thrive on man's empty praise rather than placing Him first in my heart. A while a ago A Circle of Quiet posted the lyrics to this and I discovered an unknown (to me) verse 3. I love the imagery of God being a Tower and a Shelter. I love the notion of God being my Dignity. This song is my daily prayer.

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art

Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,

Waking of sleeping, The presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;

I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;

Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;

Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;

Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;

Thou my soul's Shelter, Thou my high Tower:

Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,

Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:

Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,

High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art

.

High King of heaven, my victory won,

May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's Sun!

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall.

Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

That's what I love about Sundays....

That is the lyrics to a country music song and it has been going through my mind this afternoon. Today was a great day. Here are some reasons why I love Sundays.
1. Great church service this morning. It was vision Sunday and we both left feeling like this is the church where we should be right now. It is nice to be back on the same page with this.
2. It was a beautiful day and we did just a spot of yard work. Enough to count it, but not enough to take up too much of the day.
3. Seahawks won their football game! They tried to give it away in the second half, but I love folding laundry, tidying up the school room, making sure school stuff is in order for the week all while watching football. (For those who don't know me. I am a compulsive multi-tasker. I rarely do only one thing at a time.)
4. I finished the book I was reading. The Eyre Affair. I love that book! It was the second time through for me and it was every bit as funny. I just got another book by Jasper Fford from the library.
5. I went to yoga class and had a good workout.
6. Annsley cooks dinner (coffee cake) on Sunday nights and it was waiting for us when I got home from yoga.
7. I'm not going to print what #7 is, but suffice it to say...it included a locked door!

That's what I love about Sundays!!!

Does it get any cuter than 6 year olds playing soccer?

Seth woke up this morning with butterflies in his tummy. He was excited for his first game of the season. Danny is his coach and we have been having family soccer games all summer to get ready for this day. Well....they won....15-2. But, we all know that you don't keep score at this age (unless, of course, you are a kid or a dad...or OK, I admit it, a mom.) Seth scored 3 goals and had a great game. Danny has done a very good job with these little players and it was a great way to spend a beautiful fall afternoon.

Who knew Mrs. Fawkes was in on the whole sordid affair?

Well, I got around to some pictures today, but they weren't of my beautiful roses. They were of my beautiful children. This week we studied about King James (of the King James Bible fame) and the plot of Guy Fawkes to blow up Parliament. (Apparently King Jimmy didn't make a lot of friends.) I have always heard about Guy Fawkes day, but never really knew what it was about. People making dolls and then burning them in a bonfire. It sounds a little violent to me. But, we made our own Guy Fawkes dolls today. It was a great time and the kids loved it. We got a lot of laughs out the whole affair. Apparently, one secret fact of history was the Mrs. Fawkes was involved in the plot too. Well, at least in our house she was. :-)

It was my mom's 62nd birthday today (isn't she cute) and my dad is out of town. We made Parkin (a traditional English cake like gingerbread) to go along with our Guy Fawkes day celebration. We do know that Guy Fawkes day is on November 5th, but at our house today it was a little combo of my mom's b-day and Guy Fawkes Day! It was great fun.

Great minds think alike! But some are lazier than others.

I woke up this morning to a wonderful fall fog in the air. I love those first fall mornings. I thought to myself, I should go take a picture of this so I can post it on my blog. This is something lacking so far in my blog, I might add. (pictures, not fog) But, instead, I pulled the covers back up and grabbed the book I'm re-reading The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. Soon it burned off to be one of the most beautiful pre-fall days. I stopped by Cathy's house from Thoughts From The Deep Recesses and she had actually done what I only thought about. So, I'm linking to *her* picture of our beautiful morning fog. Tonight I almost took a picture of our beautiful rose bush....but, instead we played a family soccer game. Really, one of these days I'll get around to pictures

Student Learning Plans

One of the duties of my job includes reviewing home scoooling families' Student Learning Plans. This can be a huge pleasure to chat with great people about the cool things that they are learning. I think we should all (yup, even the grown-ups) have our own Student Learning Plan. At school our plans ask 3 questions.

1. What is your goal
2. What resources are you going to use to achieve the goal?
3. How will you evaluate whether you have reaced this goal.

So, I challenge you to come up with a learning goal for the year. What do you want to learn or do this year that you haven't done before? Here are several of my goals for the year.

1. Continue reading through the classics book list in Well Educated Mind by Susan Wise Bauer
2. Write an on-line math class (this is something I'm doing for work, but I don't yet know what I'm doing. I'm a little scared about this, but also very excited about learning something new!)
3. Draw in my art journal

What are yours?

A Spiritual Thirst

Some days I feel (albeit incorrectly) that I can make it on my own strength. And others I'm acutely aware of my need for God. Today is one of those days where my longing to commune with Him is strong. A.W. Tozer, says in his book The Pursuit of God, "

"O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both

satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I

am painfully conscious of my need for further grace.

I am ashamed of my lack of desire, O God, the Triune God,

I want to want Thee;

I long to be filled with longing;

I thirst to be made thirsty still."

Somehow just knowing that Tozer (a well-known, well respected theologian) feels ashamed of his lack of desire makes my feel better. I don't understand why God made us the way He did. We are dependent on Him even for our desire for Him, but I echo Tozer in my "thirst to be made thirsty still."

The power of accountability

I crawled to the gym this morning at 5:30, handed the desk girl my card backwards expecting her to be able to scan me in. My brain was not yet functioning. It was one of those days when I did not want to get up. My throat is starting to hurt, and quite frankly....it's my molting season "Why did I get up this morning?" you may ask. Danny and I have a deal, unless I tell him the night before that I am not going to the gym, I have to get up and put my clothes on before I decide whether to skip or not. Accountability! So, I got out of bed and put on my clothes thinking I would skip my weight training class and just ride the bike (read: pedal slowly while reading my book and counting it as exercise.) However, when I got there (late) my friend was in the class. She waved me in. It was easier to go in and join her than to explain why I didn't feel like it. Accountability! Here I am now feeling very glad that I did my workout, but I guarantee you that if it were up to me I'd still be in bed right now. Thanks, Danny and Amy. I appreciate the accountability.

Whenever people ask how can I stop (insert bad habit here) or start (insert good habit here) I always encourage them to find someone to keep them accountable. Not the "that's-OK-you'll-do-better-tomorrow" kind of accountability, but the "get-your-rear-into-aerobics-class-if-I-have-to-do-it-so-do-you!" kind of accountability.

Now....where did I hide those brownies?

Do you love what you do?

Mrs M-mv posed the question, "Do you love what you do? http://mentalmultivitamin.blogspot.com/ I reflected on what I am doing right now and smiled knowing the answer is Yes! Even when I hear my friends talking of empty houses and free time I still know I can answer, "Yes!" I love what I do at home with my kids. When everyone else was sending their kids to the bus stop we were curled up on the couch reading "Half Magic" by Edward Eager. When they begged for another chapter I didn't argue because I couldn't wait to see what happened either.

I really love my part time teaching job. http://www.tecspokane.com It keeps me very busy but I love to work with families who have just started the home school journey and families who have been doing it a lot longer than I have. We are all learning from each other. I love the grown-up-teacher part of my job that has me interacting with adults at an engaging level. I love the fun silly interaction with kids from K to grade 12. I love that my kids come and take classes from these great teachers.

Thanks for the question Mrs. M-mv! Here's to loving what you do today. If you don't, go out and find something you do love!!

A Snapshot of the Family

This is our annual Cannon Beach, Oregon trip. We love it every year.

Thanks for the plug, Diane

Of course my fear is I won't be witty enough to make anyone smile, poignant enough to make anyone cry, astute enough to make anyone think, or wise enough to make anyone leave encouraged. (Welcome to blogging, eh?) These are all feelings I have daily when I read all of your blogs!

Diane, your post reminded me of the poem we are all memorizing to start the school year. I unfortunately don't know the author and first saw it on The Well Trained Mind boards

A Student's Prayer

God the all-wise, and Creator of the human intellect,
Guide our search for truth and knowledge, all our thoughts and ways direct.
Help us build the towers of learning that would make us wise, astute,
On the rock of Holy Scripture: truth revealed and absolute.

O how vast the shores of learning - there are still uncharted seas,
And they call to bold adventure those who turn from sloth and ease.
But we need Thy hand to guide us in the studies we pursue,
And the presence of Thy Spirit to illumine all we do.

May the things we learn, so meager, never lift our hearts in pride
Till in foolish self-reliance we would wander from Thy side.
Let them only bind us closer, Lord to Thee, in whom we find,
Very fountainhead of wisdom, light and life of all mankind.

This is what I pray for my kids as I guide their education.

Molting Season?

My 8yo daughter has a very-basic-need-to-know understanding of the...how shall I say... monthly femine "issues." The other day she asked me (a little tongue-in-cheek), "Mommy, are you in your molting season?" This is what comes from letting a child read too much, I think. She knew that I knew that she knew it wasn't the correct term, but got a kick out of asking anyway. Turns out, I wasn't. Even better! :-)

Things I love

I thought I'd take today and tell you some things I love.

There are the "biggys" like my family, my husband, my kids and God. But, I'm talking about those little things that give life that the flavor and spice.
I love (not listed in order of significance):

• a hot cup of good coffee
• a cold cup of good coffee (read: Iced Skinny Sugar Free Creme de Menthe Single Latte)
• reading a good book (or even a marginal book)
• Carmex chapstick (I'm addicted-I have heard it referred to as Lip-crack and I understand this term)
• popcorn-especially the kind with gobs of the butter substitute at movie theaters.
• Brie cheese (right, Patty?)
• reading out loud to my kids
• hot sunny days by a pool
• fresh sheets (when I remember its time to wash them)
• watching football on a Sunday afternoon (go Seahawks!)
• school supplies
• reading (did I mention that already?)
• Post-it-notes (There will be special seat in heaven for the one who invented Post-it-notes!)
• playing games
• singing around a campfire
• Diet Dr. Pepper
• logic puzzles (I know, I'm letting my inner-geek show through)
• my new laptop!!!!!
• teaching... especially my own kids, but also at the school where I teach part time (our public school's co-op for homeschool kids)
• musicals (Les Mis is my favorite)
• singing at the top of my lungs in the car (or the shower, etc...)
• crocheting, knitting, scrapbooking and quilting when I have time (read: these things rarely get done)
• school (I know, I know, I'm a geek, but I like studying and taking classes)

Well, I guess that it enough for now. I'm sure I'll think of 100 more later, but hey, that will give me something else to blog about. (Did I mention I love to read? :-))

So many books...so little time!

This is my 8 year old daughter's favorite quote. Even though she has more library books stacked on her shelf than she can read in any given one month period she never fails to bring a pile up to the counter. "Please!!!" she begs. How could I ever say, "No" to that request? More candy? No. Stay up later? No. More book? You betcha!

I came across a new (well, new to me, anyway) quote in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgrald.

"There was so much to read for one thing and so much

fine health to be pulled down out of the

young breath-giving air."

Right now I am reading The Great Gatsby again, and I, like my daughter, have more books on my nightstand than I can get through. But, I can sure have fun trying. So now I'm off to spend a long Saturday afternoon reading.

Proverbs 31 Woman??

A few weeks ago we heard a wonderful sermon on the Proverbs 31 woman. Danny leaned over part way through and whispered to me with a sweet smile, "You have almost all of those qualities." First of all, you must know that Danny is not known for his compliments. He is a very loving husband, but showing it with words doesn't come easily for him. An interesting match for someone whose love language is words of affirmation.

So, do you think that I started to glow with pleasure at my husband's words? If you are a woman reading this, you already know the answer. Nope! I immediately started thinking, "Hmmm, I wonder which areas he thinks I fall short in?" "What does he mean almost?" You probably know the drill.

Now, I'm not prideful enough to actually think I meet all (or most, for that matter) of the virtuous qualities that characterizes the Proverbs 31 woman, so I don't know why my mind went there.

I finally stopped myself and realized the astonishing fact that my husband considers me to have almost all the qualities of that amazing woman. What better compliment could I ever get? What better gift could the Lord give me than a husband who actually thinks I am like her? Thanks, Danny, for the huge compliment and I hope God continues to put those love-colored filters over your eyes.

Today my Grandma would have been 87

Today I have been thinking of a lady who was very special to me. If I can figure out how to post a picture I will do it. She was my Grandma Nadine and today was her birthday. She loved it because she thought it was special to be born on the first of the month. She thought everything was special. Like baths and the lake and telling me stories of her childhood. She loved hugely, laughed often, and lived and died with dignity and grace. Sure, near the end, she repeated her stories over and over. What I wouldn't give to hear one of them one more time today.

Why "A New Song"?

Why the name "A New Song?" It isn't the most original, but I wanted something that was meaningful to me. I love to sing and I love my Lord. The phrase "A New Song" combines those themes and is peppered throughout the Bible.

It happened in the past.

He put a new song in my mouth,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Psalm 40:2

It happens now.

Sing to the Lord a new song;

sing to the Lord, all the earth.

Sing to the Lord, praise his name;

proclaim his salvation day after day.

Psalm 96:1-2

We know it will happen in the future because of John's revelation:

And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders

fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding

golden bowls full of incense, whic are the prayers of the saints.

And they sang a new song:

"You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals,

because you were slain, abd with your blood you

purchased nem for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.."

Revelation 5:8-9