A Halloween History....

Early to be talking about Halloween, you say? Well, I'm going to give you a little Buller family Halloween History. When my children were babies and toddlers I always made their costumes.

And they were cute. Darn cute! Dare I say, practically the cutest kids to don costumes. And I spent lots of time and energy on their little sweet outfits. The top two pictures are Annsley as a peapod on her first Halloween. The bottom two are Seth on his first Halloween (well, actually his second. His first was the day after he was born....but I digress.) Really, my crowning jewel was the lion costume. That was the year my kids were the lion and the lamb. (Come on everyone...."awwwwwe".) I made Peter Pan and Tinkerbell. I made a duck and a skunk. And I would proudly promenade them around our church's fall festival saying humbly, "Yes, I made it.....thanks."

And then, they got older. And I started homeschooling. And teaching. And they had opinions. They no longer wanted to match and be cute. They wanted to be batman and a princess. And I had no time to sew a costume that would cost me more to make than to buy.

So, I swung to the other extreme. "What do you want to be this year?" I would ask the week before Halloween. (All the "good" costumes were sold out by then.) "How about the batman in your dress-up box? Great!!" Let's face it. A seven year old batman doesn't hold a candle in terms of cuteness to a two year old skunk!!!

Why am I telling you all this today? We had a little extra time this afternoon and we drove past the 50% off card shop where they have tons of costumes and accessories. And we stopped. And we bought costumes....before they sold out of the good ones!! So, this year we will be proudly sporting a cheap (they even chose ones that were on sale) ninja, with sword and a Renaissance princess. And I didn't have to make them. And I no longer have to have the Halloween costume thing hanging over my head.

But, one of the best parts was that the kids were so thankful. You would have thought I had given them a solid gold sword and crown! I love it when my kids are thankful. It made me almost want to do something really nice for them.....like sew them a costume or something.

I will remember

It still hurts.

Today, I pray!

ONE MORE DAY!!!!!

Yup, it is that time of the year again!!















Talk about fall butterflies!!

Here is a confession I must make to you all. Danny has to go to second service tomorrow because he is an usher. But.....I'm going to first service.....so I can watch the game!! We don't sit together when he is ushering because he has to stay in the very back and I really don't like sitting in the way back. So, I sheepishly asked him if I could go to first service. He rolled his eyes at me and I took that as a yes! :-)

Go Hawks!

Do you know what I love?

We got our first bag of the year today....

It gave me fall butterflies in my stomach. Does anyone else get seasonal butterflies? It is a literal physical sensation I get in my tummy. The first smell of fall in the air. Football games. Leaves turning. The first snow fall. Christmas decorations (even when they are in October). The first feeling of sunshine poking through the clouds. The first little crocus poking out his head. The first time of the year I swim. These things all give me what I have termed "seasonal butterflies."
I love Spokane *so much* because of the four distinct seasons. Every season brings with it its own special joys. Sure, you gotta put up with some blah, yucky days from Feb.-April, but it just makes that sunshine all the sweeter. The other day Danny said, "We need to go live somewhere that is *this* temperature all year long." I heartily disagreed. I wouldn't trade the colors of autumn or the snowy days for all the sunshine in San Diego.

Do you get seasonal butterflies?

So, which do you like better.....the corn or the pumpkins?

First Day of School

Every Labor Day we attend a wonderful community event. The large park that is about 5 blocks from my parent's house has an outdoor symphony performance. It is one of my favorite events of the summer. There are all kinds of people there. There are "symphony people" who come early, bring their tables and wine and sit near the front. There are families galore who bring picnic blankets and cookies. There are teenagers with piercings. There are ladies in red hats playing cards around a card table. There are people that I went to high school with. It was a beautiful night last night and following a barbecue at my parent's house, we walked over to enjoy the show. We got to see good friends (good to see you, Cath) and some people we haven't seen for a long time. It was a perfect end to the summer.

And, today we start school. I'll have to wake the kids up and get started a little earlier than we have been getting around this summer. I have a little pile of new school supplies sitting at the breakfast table, which should prove to be exciting for the kids. (Yes, I'm raising a new generation of geeks who get excited by school supplies!) The assignment notebooks are ready to go. I love fall! I'll give a report on the first day of school later.

I'm a genetic oddity

I have a confession to make.....

I think God left out a few girl genes when He created me.

I hate shopping!

I went to the mall yesterday because my mom gave me a little money for some new clothes for the kids and me. Her stipulation was that I had to use it on clothes. So, I set off to the mall with high expectations. I didn't mind shopping for the kids. I'm really too cheap to pay full price for anything, but we did end up with a couple of things on sale for each of the kids.

We then went to Barnes and Noble, a family favorite place to visit. I left to kids in the children's book section and popped next door to the Nordstrom Rack. My first feeling when I walk into the Rack is a sense of being overwhelmed. I don't really know what I need. I don't know where to look. I don't feel like trying on clothes. I don't really know what is "in" these days.

So, I start tentatively looking at the hundreds of round racks (which seem to be in no particular order). I pick a couple of things up and then realize I don't really like them and put them back. I don't even make it halfway through the clothes before I give up. I go to the racks of shoes. I must go to the back of the shoe racks where they keep the *big* shoes. All the cute footed people get to shop in the bright, cheery front of the shoe section, but I head toward the dimly lit section in the back. Shoes never look quite as cute in size 9 (or 9.5) as they do in 6. I'm not bitter. I look at 2,680 single shoes and find none that I really like (and I'm *not* willing to pay $60 for a pair of shoes.) I leave Nordstrom Rack empty handed, feeling discouraged and a bit like a shopping failure. I race back to Barnes and Noble where I feel comfortable and happy. I check on the kids who are surrounded by piles of Bernstein Bear books. Go figure, they haven't read those books for years, but they are enjoying it.

I set off again for a couple other shops, certain that I can find something to spend some money on. I walk up to The Gap. I walk in, look around, don't find one thing that I think would look cute on me. I turn around and walk out. Couple other stores. Same story. I buy something at Barnes and Noble and call it good.

Side note: Who came up with the notion of selling jeans that have carefully torn and worn (and even dirty) patches on them? Doesn't anyone else find this one of the silliest fads yet?

I do like to look cute/hip. I just don't know how to do it by myself. I don't enjoy the thrill of the hunt. I need a personal shopper.

Somehow I missed the shopping gene. (And the hair styling gene, and the make-up gene.)

But, I really like football. :-)

A New Song turns 1 today!!!

Happy Blogiversary to me!!!!!

One year ago, I fearfully and shyly made my first blog entry. I didn't want to tell anyone about it. I was afraid I would fail. I wanted to have a "good blog" (whatever that means), I wanted my blog to be more like all of your blogs.

One year later, I find I don't care nearly as much. I don't care if I write every day. If I am not as spiritually deep, or funny, or creative, or brainy, or artsy or (fill in the blanks) as the rest of you, so be it. I am who I am. I think blogging helps a person become OK with this fact. It has for me. I like the relationships that develop through the blogging world. I like peeks into your inner thoughts and I like giving you peeks into mine.

Here are a few lessons I have learned over the year.....

• Blogging makes me look for the art in things. I find myself thinking I wish I could capture that beautiful sunset so I could put it on my blog.
• I have to think in order to blog. Honestly, thinking ain't one of my strong points. I prefer to make quick decisions, quick messages, quick tasks, easy reads, and fast food. :-) Blogging forces me to slow down and think.
• Honestly, I'm out of lessons and I don't have time to think about it right now. :-) But, everyone knows you can't have just two bullets. There should be at least three, right?

Thanks for reading and commenting. Blog comments make my day!

50 things....for Laney

I got this from Laney

1. My roommate and I once: put on black outfits and nylons on our heads and went spying around our apartment complex

2. Never in my life have I: Mowed a lawn

3. The one person who can drive me nuts, but then can always manage to make me smile is: Danny

4. High school was: A long time ago (20 years, to be exact!!)

5. When I'm nervous: I get cold and my teeth chatter.

6. The last time I cried was: I choked up tonight at our church service worship, but I can't remember the last good cry.

7. If I were to get married right now, my bridesmaids would be: some of the same, and some new. (How is that for a diplomatic answer? If I started naming people, I'd have a long list!)

8. Would you rather run naked through a crowded place or have someone e-mail your deepest secret to all your friends? Hmmmmm, do I know the people in the crowded place?

9. My hair is: straight and sometimes even combed

10. When I was 5:I moved to Spokane

11. Last Christmas: was our first Christmas without Danny's sister and family and it seemed so quiet.

12: When I look left: Why would I do that right now?

13. I should be: Saying goodnight to the kids.

14. When I look down I see: My laptop on my lap.

15. The craziest recent event was: the airline losing my luggage for 3 days on my trip to Rhode Island.

16. If I were a character on "Friends": I'd be Monica. I really like order and organization.

18. My favorite aunt is: I don't have a favorite, they are all wonderful.

19. I have a hard time understanding:How parking garages work-I know I parked on the yellow floor, but my car is still hidden. I don't get it!!

20. One time at a family gathering: We sang The Twelve Days of Christmas in July (It is a family tradition when we gather at Christmas, and we haven't all been together for a long time at Christmas.)

21. You know I like you if: I laugh with you

22. If I won an award, the first person I'd thank: I'd like to thank all the little people...

23. Take my advice: Alphabetize you spices!

24. My ideal breakfast is: Lunch

25. If you visit my home town: You can swim in my parent's swimming pool (one of my top favorite places in the world to be.)

26. Sometime soon I plan to visit: My cousin in Seattle

27. If you spend the night at my house: You will get to hear a crazy story from Danny and you will get to experience my nighttime kid kiss routine. (It includes a butterfly kiss, an eskimo kiss, a Mexican kiss on the cheek, a kiss blown....no French kiss, however.)

28. I'd stop my wedding if: I was throwing up.

29. The world could do without: Punk rock

30. I'd rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: Jog (sorry, Laney!)

31. The most recent thing I've bought myself is: 3 cute little serving bowls when I was in Rhode Island.

32. The most recent thing someone else bought for me is: My traveling companion to Rhode Island (and co-teacher) is legaly blind and she bought me this wonderful smelling lotion as a thanks for helping her out.

33. My favorite red head is: My friend's son, Evan....he is really one of the only red heads I can think of.

34. My favorite brunette is: My mom

35. My car must have a sign on it that reads: We don't spend a lot of money on cars.

36. The last time I was drunk: Refer to question #1. (Actually, I was more just tipsy.)

37. The animals I would like to see flying besides birds: Pigs....so I could say "When pigs fly."

38. I shouldn't have been: Wasted on a husband who doesn't like to watch football.

39. I should have: Had more children

40. Last night I: Went out to dinner as a mystery shopper.

41. There's this girl I know who: has read Gone with the Wind 26 times and thinks she knows all the quotes by heart!! :-) (PS, Patty, I knew if wasn't a direct quote from the book, but I knew it was the only way people would recognize the quote. :-))

42: I don't know: html

43. A better name for me would be: Happy (or Dopey)

44. If I ever go back to school: It would be to get my masters in Distance Education....oh wait, that is what I'm doing! :-) But, if I really had my druthers I would go back and take random art, music, history, etc...classes.

45. How many days until my birthday? I can't count that high (It is in March)....Happy birthday, Laney!

46. One dead celebrity I wish I'd met is: David Hasselhoff.....oh, did you mean physically dead, or just career dead? (Don't hassel the Hoff!!!)

47. I've lived at my current address since: Jan 2000.

48. I've been told I look like: Meryl Streep and Helen Hunt.

49. If I could have any car, it would be: Um......something with a good cup holder. Did I mention we don't spend money on cars?

50. If I got a new cat tomorrow, I would name it: Considering our last cat was named....Kitty, I might try to come up with something a bit more interesting.

Frankly, my dear, I don't give a....

How did it take 38 years for me to discover this treasure!?! I loved every minute of it from cover to cover, but I especially loved the ending. It was not what I expected, but it was perfect! I really enjoy endings that surprise you. I won't tell you what the surprise was because you all need to read the book!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the Civil War and Reconstruction from the southern viewpoint. It is one that is not often told in the politically correct world we live in today. I don't totally buy it, but it is fascinating to read this perspective. Patty gets the Gone With the Wind award, having read the book 26 times. (That is 26,000 pages! :-)) I enjoyed reading her thoughts about the book in an email.

Now, I have to watch the movie!

My house is clean....

and when I say clean....I mean *really* clean. I mean pull out the refrigerator clean. I'm talking under the oven clean. Microwave grate taken off, soaked and scrubbed clean. Fridge drawers taken out and cleaned under clean. Every drawer and closet organized clean. Pens that don't work thrown away clean. Top of the kitchen soffet cleaned. Even garbage cans scrubbed clean. Yup, it is clean!! And I feel great!!

I'm reading two books right now that I am loving. The first is (of all things) Gone With the Wind. I have never (gasp) read the book or (double gasp) seen the movie. It is a wonderful book. For some reason, I pulled it off my booklist somewhat begrudgingly, assuming it would be a bit boring. I am 553 pages into the 1037 page book and I can not put it down.

The second book, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon, is one I had never heard of before, but I am listening to it on tape. It is great novel written from the perspective of a teen boy who has Asperger's. It is great writing and a creative perspective on life. And, the kids uses lots of math examples in the book, so...how could I not like it? His chapters are not numbered 1,2,3 but rather 2,3,5,7,11 (the prime numbers.) My favorite quote has something to do with prime numbers and life.

"The rule for working out prime numbers is really simple, but no one has ever worked out a simple formula for telling you whether a very big number is a prime number or what the next one will be.... Prime numbers are what is left when you have taken all the patterns away. I think prime numbers are like life. They are very logical, but you could never work out all the rules, even if you spent all your time thinking about them."

Math geeks....you know you love them.

Tagged by Needleroozer....

Five things in my freezer:
Peaches
Raspberries (more raspberries than any freezer has a right to hold!!)
Frozen onions and jalapenos portioned out to use for Mexican rice
Fruit pops
Homemade ice cream

Five things in my closet:
Canned peaches (at least in the pantry closet)
Clean organized shelves (just did this last week)
The white shoes that I wore in my wedding (why do I keep these?)
The black shirt that is really out of style, but Danny liked when we were dating. Why? I don't know. I'm not a saver!!
Danny coats encroaching (read: taking over) my side of the closet.

Five things in my car:
Canned peaches (that I loaded home from my mother-in-law's house)
A Wind in the Door book on tape
Chapstick (or lip crack as we who are addicted like to call it!)
Yoga mat (don't ask when I last did yoga)
Emergency kit that I put together with all kinds of random supplies

Five things in my purse:
Peaches (I wish I were kidding, but I think that there are a few pieces of peel floating around)
Lip crack
Trident gum (original)
Cell phone
Sugar Free sour candy

Five things on my mind:
Yup, you guessed it!! Peaches!!
I don't have to cook dinner tonight.
I have to go to an open house tonight.
I really need to go finish cleaning the kitchen
Getting the kids packed to spend the night with Grandma.

Canned Peaches

Today after church we canned 80-ish jars of peaches. We all (Danny, his parents, Annsley and I) have weary backs and feet. Guess what we had for dinner tonight! Peaches and ice cream.

The peaches are "put up" and now I have to figure out what to do with the last box. What a great problem, eh? I think a batch of peach crisp is definitely in order. Danny wants some fruit leather, and I'm having a hard time getting excited about that. Does anyone have any great fruit leather recipes?

All good things must come to an end

OK, I'll try to make this a very long post so that awful picture doesn't pop up on your screen anymore!

This morning, amidst tears from five kids and two moms, the cousins left to go back to California for the year. (OK, in the interest of honesty, Seth didn't cry while they were leaving, but cried about his mysterious stomach ache after they left. The boy has issues with excessive displays of affection or emotion. I hereby apologize to his future wife...I tried, really I did. And then, of course, while I was typing this, he walked by and said, "I like you, Mom." Future wife....you will also have lots to thank me for. But, I digress.)

It is so hard to watch them go, but....it is better to have loved and lost...yada, yada, yada. Seriously, it was such an unexpected gift that they got to be here for the summer that we can not complain about saying goodbye. But, it still hurts!

They spent the night last night and everyone got way too little sleep, and that was OK! But, we are all paying the price this afternoon!! Anyone want a couple of cute, tired children? Cheap!!

I am almost done with my fall cleaning project!! I just have the kitchen and dining room left. Great Expectations (Dickens) is now keeping me company while I work. I love listening to books on tape while I work. I especially feel productive when I can listen to books on my reading list while I am cleaning!! I'm loving Great Expectations!! I have never read it before.

Next week will be cooking week. I'll be canning peaches and doing some other bulk cooking to get ready for the school year.

So, do you think this post is long enough to bump the bum out of view? Let's hope so!

Traveling Woes

I'm sorry, but I just can not resist posting this picture!! This is the next step in airport security. I just got back from Rhode Island and thankfully didn't have to do the strip search! :-)

I think I had this nightmare once, only I was the lady in the aisle (which I'm afraid to say may hit a little too close to home!) and everyone else was fully clothed.

Back to the Real World

Well, we had a wonderful time in Cannon Beach. I tried blogging a couple of times while we were there, and both times I crashed when I tried to upload pictures. So, I decided to wait. We had great weather. I started each morning at 6:30 with a walk to Haystack rock with my mom. Those are very special times to me. Special enough to get me up at 6:30 on my vacation!! The speaker (Dr. Hubbard) spoke on Hebrews and he was a good teacher. I would have liked a little more personal application, but it was good learning.

The play we saw this year wasn't great. That was a disappointment. Usually the plays in Cannon Beach are delightful. The actors in this two man show weren't quite funny enough to pull it off.

One highlight of the week was sharing some brie with Patty and her hubby!! (Thanks again, Patty, I could have used about three times longer to chat!!)

The kids were old enough this year to take themselves to and from the meetings this year. It was a strange feeling to give them more freedom. They would go to the rec center or take off on the beach with friends. They loved it, and I found that I missed them. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed all the reading I was able to do, but it was one of those moments where you are aware of your children growing up! The funny thing is I remember as a kid loving the extra independence we had when we were in Cannon Beach.

The children's program there is incredible. The kids come away with so many great memories.















(family walk to Haystack rock...a mile down and a mile and a half back! :-))














(The whole gang, minus Danny, the photographer)

On Wednesday I leave for Rhode Island again for another conference. 4 nights in a hotel room by myself. It sounds pretty good to me!

Ahead of the game!

Every year, late summer, when we get back from Cannon Beach, my mind shifts into high gear fall anticipation. I love summer, but I love fall too. I love the anticipation of a new school year. I love the school supply sales. (Yes, I already started buying, but that is another post.) One thing we do to get ready for the year is a MAJOR (and I mean REALLY major) house cleaning. I literally go room by room and clean everything!! Every drawer emptied and cleaned, every closet organized, every mini-blind dusted, every baseboard washed, every wall rubbed down, everything!!

A couple of days ago I got a little bee in my bonnet to clean out my "office" (read: junkroom that contains my abandoned scrapbooking supplies, homeschool materials, and anything else that has no immediate home.) This room is one that takes some considerable going through and I had the great idea, "What if I *start* with that room and get it done before I leave?" So, in a flurry of garbage bags (plural!!), wet and dry clothes, and, of course, Clorax wipes, I began. My accompaniment was The Lord of the Flies read by the author himself. He is a terrible reader. He has this disturbing little swallow. It is SO annoying. But even worse? He pauses after each chapter to add his own pompous comments about his writing. Again, another post.

Well, I finished and moved on to the school/playroom!! I enlisted the help of two willing servants. (They preferred that to math. Go figure!) They dusted the mini-blinds, baseboards, etc. Every Playmobile knight is in its place. Every lego is either vacuumed up or in its proper bin. The miscellaneous little junky toys that somehow accumulate even though we don't really ever get toys is in one of the aforementioned garbage bags.

Today, I tackled the laundry room. I even pulled out the washer and dryer to clean behind and under them. How can machines dedicated to cleaning things make such a mess? But, now, they are polished and shiny, ready to do battle with the next batch of laundry.

The week I had intended to do this was the third week of August, so I really feel like I am ahead of the game now. Somehow, once the ball gets rolling, I really enjoy the process. It feels so good to look at a room and know everything in it has been cleaned.

Now, if only it would stay this way!!

I'm gonna blog about you!

A few minutes ago Danny left the house to go pick up the cousins for an outing. He is taking his day off to take the kids to a swimming pool with a high dive (across town). After that, he is taking them on a picnic, to an old well (the civil engineer in him coming out) and to an emu farm. The kids were as excited as if they were going to Disneyland.

What a guy!! He takes *his* day off to make wonderful memories for the kids. And you wondered why I still like him so much even after 15 years?! He is a dad who never chooses to take time for himself when he could do something with the kids. He is so purposeful about how he spends his time. In the evenings, he is doing things with them from the time he gets home until the time they go to bed. During that time, they play games, practice Spanish, do science experiments, read the Bible, ride bikes, play soccer, and many other activities. Of course, he would love some down time when he gets home from work, but instead he chooses to be greeted at the door by welcoming children jumping all over him. He hugs and kisses us all and usually plays with the kids a bit before opening the mail. He knows that these days are short and he wants the kids to remember Daddy coming home as the highlight of their day. And it is!

As he was walking out the door, I said to him, "You are quite a Daddy. I'm gonna blog about you."

He smiled.

Even Barb couldn't work her magic

One of these children was not happy to be getting their picture taken. I'll let you try and figure out which child that was. We have been having Penny's portraits done by the same woman since Annsley was a baby. Barb has this amazing ability to make the kids smile and get great shots of them. We always request Barb! Barb is legendary in our family. But, Sammy was not to be consoled on this day. Even Barb couldn't make him smile. Seth did get him to stop crying when he had him on his lap. But, nary a smile was to be seen....until we got a cookie at Mrs. Fields.

We love cousins! 

This is SO my daughter!

Today we made covers for our new notebooks. The kids thought this was an extremely fun activity for some reason. I just had to post Annsley's because it is just so her. Seth is still working on his, but he had to tear one up in frustration because it didn't look good enough for him. The picture next to Spanish is the profile of a computer, in case you were wondering. They do Rosetta stone.

Our notebooks are ready to go for fall. But, they wanted to start using them now. OK, twist my arm.

I also got those really cool plastic dividers with the pockets. Well worth the extra money in cool geekiness! Very high geek factor!! The kids liked them too. :-)

18 more days

We have 18 more days until we get to go here.

My family has been going to the conference center since I was 7. Yup, for all you mathematicians that makes 31 years. It has been such a joy to add Danny and my brother's wife, Erica to this trip. It has been even more fun to add our children to the mix. They have a fantastic children's program and the kids love it (as I loved it as a child.)

One of the best things about this vacation is that there are very few choices to be made. Meals are chosen for you (and they are good.) The basic schedule is chosen for you. The biggest decisions I have to make are what books to read and which beach to choose.

• Shopping in Portland on the way down
• Taco bar on Sunday night
• Seaside on Wednesday.....don't forget the bumper cars
• The Cannon Beach Carnival on Thursday afternoon
• A play at The Coaster Theater
• Hours of digging and playing (and reading) at the beach
• Morning walks with my mom to Haystack rock (a mile down and a mile and a half back) followed by a latte
• Time for serious spiritual introspection and reflection
• Walks through the town, poking into galleries and tourist shops
• Last, but certainly not least....Bruce's Candy Kitchen. The ONE thing that has not changed one bit in 31 years!
  

Yup, counting down the days. (Can I get a witness, Diane?)

Happy Anniversary to us!

There are things that I did not know fifteen years ago that I do know now!

• I didn't know that a person might floss their teeth twice in one night (let alone once) to make sure their teeth were clean.
• I didn't know that watching your husband become a father could only increase your love and respect.
• I didn't know that one person could make you laugh and cry harder than you have ever done in your life.
• I didn't know that in order to have a well-balanced meal at dinner someone has to make it...every night (go figure!)
• I didn't know what it meant to be a grown-up.
• I didn't know that laundry doesn't put itself away. (Now the kids do it. :-))
• I didn't know that watching World Cup soccer could be so exciting. I didn't know it would be almost as exciting as watching your husband coaching your 7 year old son's team.
• I didn't know that there is nothing sweeter than seeing your husband with another girl....as long as that girl is your 9 year old daughter.
• I didn't understand how differences can be such strengths
• I didn't know how prayer works in ways that nagging never can.
• I didn't know I would never have to pick up any of my husbands dirty clothes because he always puts them away.
• I didn't know he would be such a good dad.
• I didn't realize that high expectations cause a person to achieve more than they thought they could.
• I didn't know that er....um....marital relations only get better with time.
• I didn't know that we would be teaching our kids at home.
• I didn't know that we would need two computers to avoid shoving matches in the evenings...and I'm not talking about the kids.
• I didn't know he would wipe down the sink and shower just to make it easier for me to clean.
• I didn't know that we wouldn't run out of things to talk about.
• I didn't know you would still make me laugh.
• I didn't know we would both start liking country music. (I *really* didn't know that one!)

• I didn't know what a rare treasure a happy marriage is!

I love you, Danny!

Rent

A couple of nights ago I watched the movie Rent. I have never seen the musical (although I am familiar with some of the songs) or the movie. I have debated whether or not to watch this musical, because of the controversial subject matter, but I really wanted to see it because of the amazing music. I rented it (no pun intended) on a night where I had the whole house to myself.

First, let me say, that the music is so beautiful! I wept from the beauty of it. I'm a sucker for a show tunes and pop opera!

I wept through the whole thing. I wept for the consequences of sin. I wept for hopelessness. I know the people in the musical found their hope in love, but I so longed for them to find their hope in Jesus-the author of hope and love.

I don't pretend to understand street life or the struggles these people represented. I really don't think I have an easy answer to all of life's problems, but in Rent I saw a whole culture without God. And, I so wanted Him to be there.

Did I like it? Yes! It made me think and feel compassion like I haven't in a long time! The music (even for a movie version) was breathtaking. I am still processing, actually. Even though I really liked it, I just can't recommend it. There is too much that is controversial to put my stamp of approval on it. But, if you want to be moved, hopefully to compassion, get the soundtrack...or watch the movie....but consider yourself warned!

Baby dreams

Have you ever had that baby dream? The one where you find out you are pregnant, or you have a baby? I had such a vivid one last night. I was due to have a baby any minute. I kept going to the hospital, but I wasn't in any pain...and my stomach had that cute small basketball shape that the models get. (That should have been my first clue that it was a dream! I never had that "cute" look.)

I usually awake from those dreams SO disappointed to find out that it was just a dream. I would love to have a huge family!! But, this morning, I didn't have that ache. It wasn't exactly relief, but it wasn't disappointment either.

Nothing earth shattering. I just thought I'd share. And no....I'm not pregnant. I know that FOR SURE!

I just want to recommend....

A great summer read.

The Morning After...

I heard little noises at about 6:00 this morning. At about 7:00 they all emerged in parade fashion, singing, left, left, left-right-left as they marched. They had all chosen red, white and blue outfits so they could match. I couldn't resist a couple more pictures!!

Slumber Party!

Guess what is going on at our house tonight!
It is very hot here, but that didn't seem to dampen the enthusiasm of sleeping in an un-airconditioned room in the warmest part of the house! These are five very happy children, and I am relishing every moment of this summer with them. I am not known for spontaneous (or even planned, for that matter) play dates, but this summer is dedicated to the cousins. So when they asked when they could have a slumber party, I said, "How about tonight?" They accepted the offer with squeals of joy. Of course, they will wake at the crack of dawn and continue right where they left off this evening....with those giggles I hear coming from the other room. It is music to my ears!

Learning to read...

Yesterday, we went garage saling. This has been a favorite Saturday morning activity for several years that started when my mom was looking for things for the church nursery. It saw me through baby equipment and clothing, some home furnishings, kids clothes, and of course....books. The kids think it is a great treat to come along and sometimes you find that special something that makes all the junk worth while.

Yesterday, Seth found a brand new Dover wild animals coloring book for a quarter. The VERY ONE that we had been looking for at Barnes and Noble the day before. They didn't have wild animals, so we had to settle for cats. And, there it was, buried below some books on bird watching. We were all so excited! Sure, we only saved $3.75, but it was more about the thrill of the hunt, and the victory of the find.

I saw an old reading text book that took me back to my first grade year. It was the very same reading book I had used in school. (I was in the bluebird group, you know the one that they cleverly named to protect other children's self esteem, but everyone knew it was the highest group.) I showed Annsley the book and said, "These are the books they used to teach us how to read. " She looked perplexed, laughed, and said, "Who learns to read with one book? You should use thousands of books to learn to read." That's my girl! Well indoctrinated at a young age!

This strange feeling...

Yesterday, I had this strange feeling. I seem to remember it from distant times. We woke up, ate breakfast, spent an extended time reading out loud. We progressed quickly to our modified summer school schedule. The kids finished by lunch, which is the goal. And then it hit me....I have nothing hanging over my head right now. I had just turned in two assignments for my master's classes. I had finished the development of the summer school online class I'll be teaching. I didn't have to plan lessons. I had no meetings.

It is the feeling of summer! I remember this! I could get used to this!

Where I'm From poem....

I read several of these last month and I was so moved by them. I tried to write one of my own and was frustrated by my lack of memory and poetic words to describe my true feelings. So, I deleted my attempts and promptly forgot about the task. However, Diane at A Circle of Quiet reminded me, and I thought I'd give it one more shot. I think it is a valuable exercise even if my poetry skills are not what I wish they were. Hey, that is a part of Where I'm From, right? So, for better of for worse....here you go.

I am from laughter, from music, from love.

I am from the four seasons,
from the brilliant color of fall and the excitement of a new school year,
from the smell of snow at twilight, sledding down the driveway, and making snowmen in the front yard,
from endless lazy summer days, swimming and going to the lake,
from long-awaited springs bursting with new life, and the freedom of the first bike ride of the season.

I am from a huge front door with my mom waiting on the inside.
from sizzling onions and smells of food preparation,
from sounds of the piano from the living room.

I am from roses on the table and an abundance of multi-colored flowers growing in the yard.
I am from summer spent on the Oregon coast and Christmas spent singing carols and the ability to laugh when times are hard,
from Grandma Nadine, Grandma Verna, Grandpa Tick and Grandpa Herb.

I am from "work hard" and "play hard" and confidence that occasionally crosses into pride.

From “Now we’ve had our accident for the day.” and “Always do your best work.” and “Pursue Jesus with all your heart.”
I am from my Dad’s crazy mnemonic devices and memorizing the state capitals on long car rides.

I am from baptism in the river. I am from a deep love of the Bible and what it holds for all man. I am from the battle of hymns versus choruses that often still takes place in my own heart. I am from teaching Sunday school with my mom and youth group mission trips. I am from summers working as a Bible camp counselor and work crew.
I am from forgiveness.

I'm from Washington, from comfort foods and from a little dessert after every dinner.

From summers on the farm with Grandma Verna,
from riding the combine with Grandpa Herb.
from listening to stories of childhood from Grandma Nadine,
from riding in the boat at the lake with Grandpa Tick,
from going on special dates with my dad,
from wanting to be just like my mom.

I am from Grandma Nadine’s jewelry box and the family pictures stored in her hutch, now in my living room,
from the upstairs closet at Grandma Verna’s farmhouse where there were treasures untold, but peppered with a little fear at the depth of the dark closet.

I am from comfort and blessings and riches, both earthly and spiritually.
I am from and will continue to be from deep gratitude to God for all these.

The cousins are here!!!

You may remember that Danny's sister, LaNae, and her husband and three kids moved last summer to California to attend seminary. This has been such a sad thing for our kids because they are best friends. However, they accepted a summer internship position here and arrived yesterday for an eight week stay!! The kids were counting down the days (and the minutes) until last night when they got to be together. They are staying with Danny's parents and it was so fun to all be together again last night. We are all looking forward to a summer of lots of time together. Life is good.

No more homework, no more books....

No more teacher's dirty looks. Oh, wait....I'm the teacher.

Today was our last day of classes at TEC. We still have conferences next week, but all the lesson plans are over for the year!! Woohoo!!

I told Annsley that she is now officially a 4th grader and Seth is officially a 2nd grader. They thought that was really cool. They had a year book at school this year, and the kids were so cute having people sign them. They had *me* sign their yearbooks! :-) Yesterday, they had a school variety show. Seth played the piano and Annsley and a friend did a scene from Taming of the Shrew. It was so cute. She also did a Readers Theater and played a song on the recorder with her music class. She was in her element! I just love the experiences and classes that they get at TEC. It is such a perfect fit for our family.

I don't have the total weight off my shoulders because I still have several obligations that will be following me through the summer, but at least I will have more time to do them all.

Next week our home "summer school" starts. We will be dropping a couple of subjects, reading more, and enjoying our extra two days a week.

Happy Summer, everyone (Will someone give the sun the message that school is out?)

Funny metaphors from high school essays....

You have probably seen these before. I had, but I couldn't resist posting them so you can all get a little chuckle!

Every year, English teachers from across the country can submit their collections of actual analogies and metaphors found in high school essays. These excerpts are published each year to the amusement of teachers across the country. Here are last year's winners.....

1. Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.
2. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.
3. He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.
4. She grew on him like she was a colony of E. Coli, and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.
5. She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.
6. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.
7. He was as tall as a six-foot, three-inch tree.
8. The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife's infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM machine.
9. The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't.
10. McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup.
11. From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30.
12. Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.
13. The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease.
14. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.
15. They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan's teeth.
16. John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.
17. He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant, and she was the East River.
18. Even in his last years, Granddad had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut.
19. Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do.
20. The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.
21. The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.
22. He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame, maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.
23. The ballerina rose gracefully en Pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.
24. It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools.
25. He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.

Simon says...

My thoughts, exactly! Once again, Simon says it spot on!

A Blow to my Ego!!

Let me start this story by telling you that I have a nice voice. It feels weird to just say that, but, it is true. It isn't the hippest voice you have ever heard (think Twila Paris) but one of my strengths is blending with other people. I know how to make other people sound even better. I've been doing this almost every Sunday for the last 15 years!

In church yesterday the girl (she is 30) that I sing with was telling me about this trio that she was going to do with two girls (in their young 20s) from the other worship team. It is actually a Destiny's Child song but it is gospel. Somehow the conversation turned to the fact that she hadn't asked me to sing with her and this is the conversation that followed:

Her: Well, actually...oh never mind, I don't want to say. It sounds bad.
Me: Now you have to tell me.
Her(laughing and putting her arm around me): I thought it might be better for the "young girls."

Now granted, I am no Biance, but I don't think I have ever been thrown into the "old girls" category before!! So, after I recovered from my geriatric shock, she continues,

Her: Besides, I have sung with those two before and we just blend really well.
Me: (smiling graciously, in a grandmotherly way) I understand, I have two old ladies, I mean women, that I used to sing in trios with also.

It was actually not my ego that was so much bruised, I came to terms a long time ago with the fact that ego and pride have no place in singing for the Lord, but it did make me feel very lonesome for my friends that I used to sing with in our old church!!

After a few tears to Danny, I thanked God for the reminder to be humble in doing His service, and for allowing me to feel what I'm sure that I unintentionally made others feel in the past.

I'm off to go sit in my rocker now!

Summer Reading Challenge

I have decided to join in on the summer reading challenge. If you want to join me, visit here for more info! The deadline to sign up is May 31.

Here are the challenge books I want to finish this summer. They will be joined by many more light fiction, I am sure!

5 Autobiographies from The Well Educated Mind
The Confessions by Saint Augustine
The Book of Margery Kempe.
Essays by Michel De Montaigne
The Life of Saint Teresa of Avila by Teresa of Avila
Meditations by Rene Descates

5 spiritually challenging books
The Power of a Praying Woman by Stormie Omartian
Too Busy Not to Pray
3 others to be determined

All the books that are under my bed right now
The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas
The Open Door by Mrs. J.L. Ragsdale
Condi by Antonia Felix
The Hospital by the Rinver by Dr Catherine Hamlin
A Table in the Presence by Carey Cash
1776 by David McCollough

Popping in to say hello....

There is light at the end of the tunnel! This month is still crazy, but I got some assignments turned in and I feel like I have some breathing room. My children think I have a lap-top sized growth coming out of my stomach! :-)

My American Idol thoughts. In the end, I was happy that Taylor won. I didn't ever vote for him, but after Tuesday night, I knew he deserved to win. One thing I love about AI is that it shows that America still loves nice people. The nice guy does win on this show. That makes me happy.

Speaking of nice guys, I *LOVE* that those three cowboys got to be on the show last night. I thought that those two cowboys were so sweet to have the little cowboy guy in their group. They were so supportive of him, even though he was obviously a net minus for their team. I thought it was just great that they let them come and perform in the final.

I was in hysterics over that Clay-Aiken-wanna-be-kid who was singing and then so excited to see Clay! :-)

I thought the whole finale was really well done. I loved all the singing and highlights from the show. It was much more entertaining than past years.

OK, I could always do without Prince!! What was up with that? Everyone else sort of fit into the big picture of the show. He came out of nowhere, sang, and then left. I find Prince kinda slimey.

Taking a little break....

Well, folks, it is my turn to take a little blogging break. The classes that I am taking this semester are much more work than some of my others and I need to cut back from the blog-world for a season. I'll be popping in occasionally to read yours, but I need to be spending my time elsewhere for now! But, promise you'll come back in a couple weeks??!!??

Love to all!!!

The things they miss....

Seth was reading his new devotions book and asked me, "What is a report card?" I explained it to him and told him he didn't need one since his mother already knew how he was doing in school. He said, "Well, why would I want to hide it?" I said, "Well, you might not want your mom to know if you weren't doing well in math."

He smiled at me, and said, "If I did get a report card, I'd get a good grade in math."

Will this boy really be truly adjusted if he doesn't learn how to hide his report card? How will he survive in mainstream society?

Yes, I am aware that...

I still have a blog. I just have no inspiration.

I just finished a really great book called Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks. It says on the cover, "A story of love and war." I must qualify my recommendation because it is a little heavy on both the "love" (if you know what I mean) and the war. There are very graphic scenes describing both. The scenes of war paint the horrific picture of World War I, and add to the richness of the book. However, the couple of "love" scenes I could do without! It is a haunting book that bridges the past with the present and I stayed up way too late the last couple of nights to finish it.

I am leading a bookclub at school with some of my teen students. We are reading Night by Elie Wiesel. My students are such great kids, and have beautiful insights into life and the subject of the holocaust. I am looking forward to having our discussion today.

This makes me mad!

Does this infuriate anyone else? How DARE someone taunt like that? I'm not debating whether or not Moussaoui should have received the death penalty but, oh boy, does his quote make me sick.

I didn't even know anyone personally who died in the September 11 attacks, but it still feels so raw to me when I think about it. I bawled like a baby at Ground Zero. I was upset by the fact that at the Ground Zero site there was not one mention of terrorists or even *who* it was who perpetrated the heinous acts. It bothers me that a man can be so evil that not only does he have no remorse about what happened but that he flaunts it as a victory. I know it is not politically correct to call someone evil, but anyone who could willingly participate in terrorism is evil.

I do believe that Moussaoui will someday meet and answer to a holy God, and the penalty he will get at that time will be far worse than anything the American judicial system could hand out. I also know that Moussaoui is a soul that is loved by God and that God would forgive him if he asked. Perhaps that is why God is God, and I am not. I think I'd have a hard time with that one!

My American Idol thoughts

Play That Funky Music, White Boy?!?! Taylor, what *were* you thinking?

I still have only been moved to vote once this season and that was for Mandissa when she sang that song that was a testimony of her love of God. I like all the singers that are left, but they don't seem to move me to pick up the phone. I don't even really care who wins.

I love Katherine's voice, I love how Taylor feels the music, I think Chris is sexy, Paris is cute, Elliot seems like such a nice guy, but they aren't making me pick up the phone.

Maybe next week.

First Date....

Annsley received an invitation in the mail the other day for a date! At age 9!! The gentleman was very proper and asked her in a polite, formal way. When she read the invitation her eyes sparkled and danced with excitement. This event was a dinner and a dance. The event was sponsored by our church, so I felt that it was an acceptable venue for a first date. Of course, I wanted to know all kinds of information about the young man who asked her. It turns out, he is a God loving person, really loves his family, a boy of character, a hard worker, and a very fun guy. I told her I thought it would be fine if she accepted the invitation. So, she immediately called him. Normally, I would frown on Annsley calling a boy, but I made an exception in this case.

"Hello, this is Annsley."
(the other side of the phone.) "Hello"
"I'm just calling to tell you that I would be happy to accept your invitation."
(words that I couldn't hear)
"So, you'll pick me up on Thursday at 5:45?"
(insert other small talk here)

"Goodbye, Daddy. I love you too!"

I told her that she couldn't have chosen a better first date. They had a fun time doing the chicken dance, the Scottish polka, the Limbo, and many others. It is hard to imagine that someday in the not too distant future some other guy will be calling to ask her out. Let me just tell you that I won't be so easy in giving my permission!

The room where we live....

I thought I'd give you a little tour of the school room. Seth is watching the Latin DVD and doing some art at the same time. On the wall to the right is our timeline and copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution that we got while we were in Washington DC. The plastic globe ball in the background was free with our subscription of Kid's National Geographic and Seth drives me crazy bouncing it all over the room.

Note the rabbit ears. Nice TV, eh?




This is our US map that we have traced the routes of our different driving trips on (which, of course, you can't see) but we have been to 26 states altogether. The trampoline is a wonderful energy burner when the kids need a little energy burn-off! The Playmobile castle is the only toys my kids have ever really with (although you can see that there are bins of legos, blocks, etc) The picture is and has been leaning against the wall for about 6 months now. I guess I need to hang it up or move it out, eh?






Another picture of the timeline, and some posters and Seth coloring.

Behind the door on the left is our laundry room.
















The piano, the art display, the computer for the kids to do Rosetta Stone.

Behind that door is my "office." It is lined with bookshelves and I have my homeschooling/scrapbooking/junk stored in there. It is actually clean right now which is a rare shock!






Behind the couch is where we usually sit. The kids are at their desks and I sit at that brown chair in the middle (I am there right now.)

Most of the books are in the kids' rooms or in my office. The bookshelves behind my chair are our daily stuff.

Usually the kids are up and dressed by breakfast, but for some reason Annsley begged to do school in her jammies this day. So, I let her. After all, today I'm still in my exercise clothes from this morning.

Grandparent lessons....

Perhaps you remember that on Tuesday afternoons Annsley and Seth go to one of the grandparents. (Then the next week they switch.) In today's post I want to honor my parents and in-laws. When I dropped Seth off at my parents my Dad had taped a little scorecard on the door of ten Olympic events that he had set up for them to do together. They included a round of croquet, backyard golf, holding their breath in the hot tub, foos ball, etc...How many Grandpas would go to all that effort to entertain a seven year old? Seth loved it (especially because he "won" 8 of the events.) Then I went to pick up Annsley and she had her piano lesson with my mom-in-law. Next they worked on their sewing project that they have been working on together (a home made doll and accessories.)

We constantly remind our kids how blessed they are to have grandparents who not only love them and want to spend time with them, but also invest their time and energies to teach them and support them. Last Saturday morning, in the freezing rain, Seth had four grandparents standing with blankets and umbrellas to cheer him on in his soccer game. They use every opportunity to teach them about God as well.

Believe me when I tell you that I am taking notes on how to be a grandmother some day. I know that most people don't have even one set of parents who are able to do this, and it is something I never take for granted. Not even for one minute!!! Not even for one second!!!

Happy Me, too

Yah, what she said!!! (Except for the toes, the dog, and the bladder issues!)

Happy, happy spring!!

How can my little girl be 9? (Obnoxious bragging mother alert)

9 years ago today we celebrated the birth of our first child. Annsley LaNae came out and I was so thrilled to have a little girl. I wanted a girl so bad to share the kind of relationship that I have with my mom. And there she was. I realized that I have probably blogged more about Seth than I have about Annsley, so today is my tribute to her.
This is a poem I wrote one day when she was three and the sun was shining in on her blonde hair and chubby thighs. I would still say the exactly the same about her today (minus her chubby thighs!!)

You stand before me a picture of light
The sun shining on your golden hair,
reflecting the sparkles in your blue eyes.
Your smile lights up every shady spot in the room.
You in pink-there is no more innocent sight.
Purity and goodness.
You are a precious gift from God.

The word "good" is a weak word. They tell you not to use it when writing, but it describes Annsley. She is a "good" person. From the time she was a baby she was good. She was happy, loving, and obedient. She is considerate far beyond her years. She anticipates what might hurt someone's feelings and makes sure that she doesn't do that. She loves deeply. She loves life. She loves learning.

Here is a story that shows her sweet heart. When we were at the National Art Gallery I was really excited about all the wonderful paintings. Many were things that we had studied. The kids were really tired because we had been walking all day and they weren't totally in the mood for an art gallery. I was a bit frustrated because the men were acting like it was something to rush through as fast as possible and the kids were following that lead. I leaned over to Annsley and I said, "Annsley, I was really hoping that this would be something that you and I would enjoy together." She could tell that it was important to me, and from that minute on she walked hand in hand with me throughout the gallery and really participated. Once she chose to put her mind to it I think she really did enjoy it a lot, but it brought tears to my eyes to watch her choose to do something just to make me happy.

I could share story after story about her sweet nature. People who know her in real life know that I am really not exaggerating. She is the kind of child that makes a parent want to write a parenting book, but we are smart enough to know that God had a lot more to do with who she is than we do.

She has been a spiritually sensitive child since she was old enough to tote books around. Her favorite book was the Bible. She accepted Christ when she was 4 and she prayed a prayer (on her own) that she read in the back of her Bible. We never really pushed her to "accept Jesus" although we talked about Him a lot. She did that totally on her own. She still can be found pouring over her devotions and memorizing verses on her own.

Happy Birthday, sweet Annsley!

Tagged by Cathy....

Hey Cath, I keep meaning to call you....:-)

5 Things

in my fridge:
1. case of Diet Coke-a sweet gift from my mother-in-law waiting for me when we got home from our trip (along with some fruit, milk and dinner) Isn't she sweet?
2. small jar of chili-garlic paste from....let's see....how many years have we lived here? 6 years ago.
3. a huge fresh box of STRAWBERRIES!!!! Nothing says "spring is finally here" like fresh strawberries. Yummy!
4. Left over fajitas. On any give week we have fajitas at least once.
5. Cream for making homemade ice cream.

in my closet:
1. that pair of jeans that Betsey gave me that I'm waiting to be small enough to wear. :-)
2. about 100 tanks for layering. God bless whoever invented that style. It really helps those of us with long waists to cope with the short shirt fad.
3. the pair of white pumps from my wedding....worn only once.
4. all of Danny's coats (this is a whole blog post in itself, but he has taken over my side of the closet with them!)
5. my fluffy white terrycloth bathrobe that I got as a high school graduation present and wore all through college (right, Becky?)

in my purse:
1. several tubes of Carmex
2. a bulletin from church last Sunday
3. my daytimer (aka: my brains)
4. flushable wipes (you never know when you may need a wipe)
5. several receipts wadded up towards the bottom wedged in next to pb gum (purse bottom gum-you know the kind that you only chew when desperate because it has been laying in the bottom of your purse and may or may not still have the wrapper in tact.)

in my car:
1. my yoga mat (even though I have only done yoga a couple times in the last few months)
2. the latest Lemony Snickett book that we are listening to on tape (we are on Carnivorous Carnival). Am I the only grown up that thinks these books are hilarious?
3. the little notebook that for some unknown reason Danny makes us record our gas purchases. Can't I just write, "WAYYYY too much!!"
4. a little emergency kit that I put together (including duct tape, fingernail clippers, needle, tampons, aspirin, scissors, etc....)
5. our lawn chairs for watching soccer games

on my TiVo???:
ummmmm.....my 18-year-old-no-cable-can't-even-barely-figure-out-the-dumb-VCR television has nothing recorded right now. If I were to record something, it would be fuzzy because I would have to unplug the rabbit ears in order to plug in the VCR (it is either one or the other, baby!)

Time to blog...

Since we have been home I feel like I have been going 100 miles per hour. I find I go through phases where I am highly productive and energetic and for some reason I am in one of those phases right now. When I get into this mode I get less sleep and have more energy. Perhaps it is motivated by the incredible amount of things I have to get done over the next couple of months. I layed out a schedule of all the things I want to get done so that I can begin checking off the boxes. But, I haven't had a lot of brain power left over to blog. Maybe one of these days I'll get inspired to post something interesting. Until then, just know that I am reading all of *your* interesting thoughts!

Whoever said, "It's great to be home?"

People always say that when they come home from vacations. I never really have that feeling. Danny loves being back to our own bed. I can sleep anywhere, so this doesn't affect me. Danny likes eating homecooked meals again. Guess who has to cook those meals? I prefer restaurants. Sure, living out of a suitcase is a bit of a pain, but who has to empty those suitcases and wash every last piece of clothing, and get it folded and put away? When we got back last night I had a bit of an overwhelmed feeling with all the things I need to get done in the next couple of weeks! I prefer worrying about decisions like whether to eat in Chinatown or Little Italy in NYC! (We chose Chinatown, by the way.)

I haven't yet had the time to tell all the the sites we saw in New York City or in Philedelphia, but that will have to be saved for another time.

Alas, I know that real life must happen in order for vacations to seem so special but, this trip was a very special one to me. The theme for this trip that kept running through my mind the whole time was "In the Presence of Greatness." Great historical leaders, great museums, great monuments, great documents of freedom, great art, great architecture, simple places where great things happened, and most of all, great country! Everywhere we went, that thought kept popping into my mind. It was such a privilege to get to share this greatness with my children at a young age, and hopefully, it will inspire them to greatness as well.

If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere...

It's up to you, New York, New York!

Thank goodness for a gorgeous day!! We drove to New York this morning and took the ferry over to the statue of liberty and then went up to the observation deck. It is such an incredibly amazing sight! It really gives you shivers seeing it up close in real life.

We will spend tomorrow doing more sight seeing/tourist stuff.

Danny reserved hotels before we left. We are not the kind of people who spend a lot of money on hotels. We view them as a place to sleep and if they are clean we are happy. However, since we have my computer every night we go to priceline.com and see if we can get a nicer hotel for the same price as the one we have reserved. So far, we have been able to upgrade almost every night and tonight takes the cake! It is a beautiful hotel with a view from our window of the Empire State Building! This was less on Priceline than the Red Roof we had originally reserved. God bless the internet! Our kids are going to become hotel snobs!

I would not have made a good Pilgrim!

Well, it was bound to happen, but today we hit miserable rain all day. We braved the Mayflower boat tour, but decided to bag Plymouth Plantation. We had been a bit undecided about whether we would go there even if the weather was nice. Although, after talking with the very knowledgeable people on the Mayflower, we were sorry that it wasn't nicer out. The Pilgrims landed at that very spot in December. I can't imagine how cold and miserable that would have been. It must have been pretty bad in England to set sail on that tiny ship with 130 other people. I think I probably would have chosen to stay.

Next we drove to Providence, Rhode Island. We drove by the capitol building, but the weather just wasn't permitting of too much walking around outside. So, after lunch, we headed on to our hotel in Connecticut. We are staying here so that we have a short drive to NYC tomorrow. Fortunately, we looked at the weather and it is supposed to be sunny and warmer! We are headed straight for the Statue of Liberty, so I really hope the weather is nice!

Today reminded me of how thankful I am for warmth. We hopped in our car, turned on the heater and warmed right up. When our nation started there were no places to go to get warm. Those early colonists battled amazing conditions and we are reaping the benefit or that!

Update from Boston...

This morning we drove down the Maine coast and saw the Atlantic Ocean. We can now say we have been in all four corners of the United States. There were some quaint villages that I'm sure would be packed at a warmer time of the year, but were pretty deserted today.

We then hopped over to Boston, parked our car at a subway station and rode to the beginning of The Freedom Trail. This is a 2 mile historic loop that weaves you through Boston and it is so interesting how the old and new building co-exist right next to each other. You will be looking up at a modern skyscraper and then walk right by the Old North Church (famous from the Paul Revere story where they hung the lanterns so Revere could send out the message, "The British are coming.")




















One of my favorite parts of The Trail are the old (REALLY old) cemeteries. I included a couple of pictures because I think they are so cool! We saw John Hancock, Samuel Adams and Paul Revere's graves.
I ate Lobster Bisque at Fanuel Hall (a famous meeting place of the Revolutionary heroes.) I was bound and determined to have lobster in some form before leaving New England. It was delicious!!! It sprinkled on us, but I was so thankful that it was warm and not freezing. I was really worried that we would freeze on today, but the temperature was great!

Now, I am sitting in front of a swimming pool in our hotel while blogging. You gotta love modern technology!! Danny is taking a nap, because he is getting a cold and needs a rest.

Hello from New Hampshire

I don't have any pictures loaded from today yet, but this morning we got an early start and drove through some quaint historical towns. Our goal was to get to New Hampshire to stay with a friend of Danny's since childhood. On our way we got to see them make maple syrup in Vermont. Danny was really hoping we would get to see them tap the trees and watch the sap flow out. We missed that by a few days but we were there just at the right time to see them take the sap, boil it, filter it, and turn it into syrup for us to taste. It was a neat little mom-and-pop operation and the owner was no nice in showing us all the steps. The maple ice cream was delicious!!

This was out longest driving day, but we did stop and peek into the New Hampshire capitol building. We happened to see the governor walking by. We had a nice home cooked meal at our friend's house and we set sail for Boston and the Freedom Trail tomorrow. I've been really looking forward to that after reading Johnny Tremain and all the books about the Revolutionary War info.

The kids do so great on the long driving days. They didn't even complain one time about the driving. We pop the Story of the World CD's in and everyone is happy. It is great because the kids beg us to put it in, we get a good history review in, and Danny gets to hear all the things we have learned about. We have been listening to vol 2-The Middle Ages and I am hoping to get through the first half of vol 3-Renaissance to Early Modern. That would catch them up to where we are in history.

It has been fun to read your comments. I think of so many of you as I am driving through your states. I really wish I could stop and meet all you East Coasters!! Donna, today I thought of you because we drove by a store called Boucherville (pronounced Boo-shay-ville.) I had to tell Danny all about you. And, friends from home, I am missing you all!

Trip update...

Tuesday, April 4-This morning Danny (bless his heart) left our hotel to stand in line for tickets to the Bureau of Engraving. He got to see the Washington Monument at sunrise, which is something the rest of us can't say. He got 9:00 AM tickets and we scurried to meet him. I can't say that I have ever seen 130 million dollars in one place before, but now I have! WOW!

On the other side of the extreme we went to the Holocaust Museum next. They have a fantastic exhibit called Daniel's story that is just perfect for children. It was so well done and Annsley and Seth really got a feel for what happened without all the images that they might not be ready for.

We went up to Arlington Cemetery to see the changing of the guard. Seth really enjoyed that. There are some amazing stats about the men who serve in that position. I'll have to dig those out sometime, but they take these amazing promised when they accept that position. It was a beautiful day and we had some good pictures of the city in the background.

The kids got a chance to swim and then we set off on to see the monuments at night. It was a beautiful night and they were absolutely gorgeous!!























This is what Seth looked like by the end of the day! (Notice the book title.)

Wednesday, April 5-We woke up very early to take Danny's parents to the airport and then we set out for PA. We stopped for an extremely cold tour of Gettysburg. We did the car tour thing and didn't get out too much. We haven't studied the Civil War yet, but we did talk about it some before our south trip last year. We did read a biography about Abraham Lincoln and the kids memorized the Gettysburg Address. (Yes, I made them stand in the freezing spot where Abe Lincoln stood and quote it!)

And what Classical Education tour would be complete without the Hershey, PA chocolate factory tour? We changed out itinerary a little. We were going to tour Amish country and Lancaster, but decided to take a shorter route to our hotel and go by Hershey. We were going to skip it, but decided to include it and it turned out to be a highlight for the kids (of course.) They put you on a little ride and you learn about how they make the chocolate and then they give you some samples. Hey folks, it can't be education all the time!! (Actually, the funny thing is that they already knew a ton about how chocolate was made from the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory class they just finished at our co-op! It was a great reinforcement of what they learned!)

Tonight we are in another hotel with a pool and internet access. We are all happy! We are having a great time, and it is so fun just to be together!

An update of the last four days (feel free to skim)

Friday March 30, 2006-WARNING-Long trip explanations!! Prepare for skimming ahead!!

The first place we started this morning was at the Library of Congress. While we were waiting for our tour, we walked next door to the Supreme Court building. I was moved to tears by the huge majestic marble columns. (Remember, I am a sentimental sucker for all things patriotic.) We went back to catch our tour of the Library of Congress. This was a spectacular building fully decorated in Italian Renaissance style. Of course, any Classical educator worth their salt gets excited about seeing one of the three surviving original full Gutenburg Bibles. I was amazed at the perfection of the type set and ink. The reading room was something we looked into from behind a closed window, but I’m pretty convinced that any book read in that room would make you smarter just by osmosis. Both Annsley and I fell in love with that room! I also enjoyed seeing some letters written by George Washington and an original manuscript of Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography since that is what I brought along to read.


Next we went to hear a lecture at the Supreme Court Building. It was interesting and we took a little tour of the place.














The highlight of the day for the boys was the Air & Space Museum. I realized that Danny and I are great complements for homeschooling because he got so excited in the hands on science part and was explaining things to the kids (and me, as well!) I get more excited about all the history/literature stuff. So, between the two of us, our poor children are constantly being subject to school.

We also took in the Botanical Gardens which were lovely.

Note to future DC travelers…SKIP THE ZOO!! To be fair, it closed earlier than we thought and so many of the animals were put away for the night. But, the joke is now that the only animals we saw were a squirrel and an emu. Part of the problem is that is was quite a distance of walking for us at the end of a day already full of walking.

Saturday, April 01, 2006
This morning started at the Washington Monument. We walked around the mall and the cherry blossoms were absolutely amazing!! No wonder they seem to make the National news every year. The weather was perfect for this day. My favorite is the Lincoln monument. (Yes, I teared up.) I had the kids quote the Gettysburg address for me. (they’ll have to do it again in Gettysburg. J) I had never seen the Korean or WW2 memorials before and I was very moved by the sculptures done of the Korean War soldiers. We haven’t studied WW2 yet and Danny gave a short history of WW2 for the kids while sitting looking over the memorial.

The one place where we have had to pay for admission so far is the National Aquarium. Don’t bother. It is very unimpressive. Neither of the kids even ranked it in the top 5 things we saw today.
Our bonus treat for the day was a tour of the White House grounds. We were disappointed because we were not able to get a White House tour before we left. However, two times a year they open up the white house grounds for tours. We got to go right up to the White House. This was an unexpected addition to our itinerary and it was in everyone’s top three favorite things of the day.

Lastly, we went back to the Air & Space Museum for the 5:00 planetarium show. This was very interesting. Then we took the subway back to the hotel and rested our oh-so-weary feet!


Sunday, April 2, 2006
This morning we started out the day at the Museum of American History. We enjoyed seeing things from the Revolutionary War time since that is what we have been studying and I really loved seeing the original Star Spangled Banner. (Yup. Teared up!) Danny enjoyed taking the kids through The Price of Freedom exhibit and explaining the different wars. Annsley and I liked the First Ladies’ gowns.

But the highlight of the day for everyone was the Museum of Natural History. If our feet would have lasted we could have spent 10 times as long there. The gems and rocks were a big hit for everyone. Seth gave us a guided tour in the animal sections. (Who knew he was actually reading all those books. I always figured he was just looking at the pictures. He knew all sorts of animal trivia.) There was also a cool exhibit on ancient peoples including a real live (dead) mummy. There were some cool little videos about Ancient Egypt. We saw some of the vases from Ancient Greece that were just like the ones we studied from Story of the World.

We ended the day at The National Archives and saw the original copy of The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution and The Bill of Rights, and one of the original copies of The Magna Carta. The kids were so excited to see John Hancock’s name. I made the kids quote the intro to the Declaration of Independence and the Preamble to the Constitution. I got a little teary just standing in the room with such greatness.

Monday-April 3 We started out the morning with a Congressional tour of the Capitol building. It was very interesting until about 3/4 of the way through our tour the lights went out in the Statuary Hall. All of a sudden they started ushering people out of the building and the men in charge didn't look like they were fooling around. I would be lieing if I said my heart wasn't beating a little faster than normal, but it was amazing how fast and efficiently they got people out of there. It turns out that it was just a power outage, but it made for an exciting morning.

This afternoon we spent way too short of a time at the National Art Museum. I had no idea the amount of famous paintings they have there. I went from room to room in awe explaining to the kids and my less than enthusiastic husband and father-in-law what I remember from Art in Story. (Thank goodness for homeschooling!) I could have spent hours there, but we had to check into our next hotel. I loved comparing the different Madonna and Child paintings. Those were my favorites, but there was art from Monet, Cezanne, Manet, Van Gogh, VanEyk, Renoir, Ruben, Rembrandt, and the list goes on and on.

I'll update again tomorrow before we leave this hotel.