tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932939873458491162024-03-05T22:41:11.704-05:00Musings From the ShireTo bring the human race, family by family, child by child, out of the savage and inhuman desolation where HE is not,
into the light and warmth and comfort of the presence of God, is no doubt, the chief thing we have to do in the world. ~ Charlotte MasonJoy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-50699533850429555842011-05-28T15:21:00.005-04:002011-05-28T15:39:12.536-04:00Will It Stick?Yikes, I love having this blog to chronicle our lives. However, life has just been too busy for me to keep up with it. I'm in shock that's it's been over two years since I updated it. Then I look back over those two years and see all that has happened in my life. We've had two babies in those two years. The newest was born just a month ago. Our sweet little man has a serious heart defect and down syndrome. I wish I had blogged through both pregnancies and births. It would have been nice to have posts during our four week stay in NICU also. But hey, beating myself up over not blogging while taking care of our home and family, in addition to spending several hours a day with our infant in the NICU, would be ridiculous. Living life is more important than writing about it. If you only have time to do one, chose the living. <div><br /></div><div>I hope to get this going again though. I really like having this for our own personal remembrance. </div>Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-56899729834200330102009-01-27T15:07:00.004-05:002009-01-27T15:23:19.888-05:00What I Read in 20082008 is what I call "the lost year". It was the worst year of my life, yet at the same time the best year of my life. 2008 brought severe health problems for me in the form of two very hard pregnancies and even harder miscarriages, one of which almost killed me. However, it also brought the salvation of our three younger children. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD. Job 1:21b Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept advesity? Job 2:10b<br /><br />During the times that I was bedridden I slept a lot. When I was not sleeping I was reading or knitting. Here is 2008's list of books read:<br /><br />*A Way of Seeing by Edith Schaeffer<br />*Adam and His Kin by Ruth Beechick<br />*Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver<br />*Call of Duty: The Sterling Nobility of Robert E. Lee by J. Steven Wilkins<br />*Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling<br />*Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex & Brett Harris<br />*Dry Bones and Other Fossils by Gary Parker<br />*Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling by John Taylor Gatto<br />*For the Children's Sakes by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay<br />*Good Morning, Holy Spirit by Benny Hinn<br />*Great Expectations by Charles Dickens<br />*Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard<br />*Home-Making by J.R. Miller<br />*Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends by Sarah, Stephen, Grace and Harold Mally<br />*Mother by Kathleen Norris<br />*Noah's Ark, Noah's Flood by John Morris<br />*One Blood by Ken Ham, Carl Wieland and Don Batten<br />*Revolution in the Church: Challenging the Religious System With a Call for Radical Change by Michael L. Brown<br />*Silas Marner by George Eliot<br />*The City of Gold and Lead by John Christopher<br />*The Coral Island by R.M. Ballantyne<br />*The Creation by John D. Morris<br />*The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis<br />*The Mystery of the Hieroglyphs by Carol Donoughue<br />*The Pool of Fire by John Christopher<br />*The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant<br />*The Riddle of the Rosetta Stone by James Giblin<br />*The Small Woman by Alan Burgess<br />*The Sumerians by Elaine Landau<br />*The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann D. Wyss<br />*The True Story of Noah's Ark by Tom Dooley<br />*The White Mountains by John Christopher<br />*What Do Jewish People Think About Jesus? by Michael L. Brown<br />*What Really Happened to Dinosaurs? by John D. Morris<br />*When the Tripods Came by John Christopher<br />*Yellow & Pink by William SteigJoy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-81150533743879890372008-07-22T15:25:00.004-04:002008-11-13T16:02:58.682-05:00Daniel Fast, Day 9Papa and I have undertaken a 40-day Daniel fast to increase our dependence on YHWH, and to gain the health benefits. If you're unfamiliar with a Daniel fast, it involves eating only fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. No meat, dairy, refined sweeteners, yeast, etc. There is no hard and fast rule for what you eat or don't eat since it's not clearly spelled out in the Bible, but it is loosely based on the account of Daniel and his three friends asking to be excused from eating from the king of Babylon's table. They requested to be given only vegetables and water.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225923375716646802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYySMMtTbCWoCrX_I44hv4LQgF36XGN4kAfKAc8BtoayH5ZabgKPxeI3gkQp5AMUx9aEKA5idm8qmkWqYEx4VHHFVW-pHxSsPxMDxwPom9ooBGUPE-gHWS1MSfg2iByBCPZSNUpNuIKM/s320/veges+and+water.jpg" border="0" />Daniel and his friends thrived on this diet and they were able to keep themselves from eating unclean foods that would violate YHWH's laws.<br /><br />Papa is doing very well. He never feels hungry and he has already lost eight pounds. I, on the other hand, have been feeling hungry since day four. I did lose three pounds at first, but then I managed to gain two pounds back. (I must have been eating too many nuts or something.) Now I've lost another pound for a net loss of two pounds. I'm not particularly happy with the near constant feeling of hunger, but I know that feeling is a reminder for me to hunger after the things of YHWH instead of the world. And anyway, it's not like I'm genuinely starving...I did manage to gain weight eating this way.Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-85944321795518536462008-06-13T12:50:00.023-04:002008-11-13T16:03:00.797-05:00Van-cation...All I ever wanted...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWqQPcUGpeZ7fCofpkIXvU5JNbbxVG6z8JeiVNQEQ522RwbGuMymTgle6tEfDSjioEJW-wP-LXEg-c7qct9rw_LX1GxU8t6hp0vyUj47b8xlrdtutMaEgOhTihyphenhyphendsJ38wj_cfsMyBmOM/s1600-h/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+014.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211427911335346306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWqQPcUGpeZ7fCofpkIXvU5JNbbxVG6z8JeiVNQEQ522RwbGuMymTgle6tEfDSjioEJW-wP-LXEg-c7qct9rw_LX1GxU8t6hp0vyUj47b8xlrdtutMaEgOhTihyphenhyphendsJ38wj_cfsMyBmOM/s320/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+014.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>I finally have the time and energy to post our vacation pictures from Orlando. We went there in late April, but I've not had the time/strength to do much with my blog until now. I just had to title the post "Van-cation", because that's what Pippin always calls our vacations. It makes sense right? We always travel in our van, therefor, we take van-cations! </div><div></div><br /><div>This is the longest and glitziest trip we've ever taken. Most of our trips are just short 1 or 2 day adventures within a couple hours drive. All of our longer trips have involved visiting our far flung families. We always manage to get in a little site seeing on these trips, but it's really not the same as being able to go out and about on our own schedule.<br /></div><br /><div>Anyway, we stayed in a lovely suite near Disney that was bigger than my first apartment...it was bigger than my first three or four apartments now that I think about it. We had a lovely view of a lake behind the resort from our 17th floor suite.<br /></div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211412971962653314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS96xKYLdDJGubEEJQ6z26OP7nQrpTbWtVJFurvP2loyzhGKX2QOjvShtBIxpe3HuAl8ZtvtdYIU3Xb2cigp5-Z038rtfITTd8utQcBpf67zjWGeBhLv6AewxAT4yvQVlZb7UhML9Pl98/s320/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+003.jpg" border="0" />The height was dizzying, and I was perpetually afraid a good gust of wind would sweep by and take Pippin or Frodo with it. Needless to say, I strongly discouraged spending much time out on the patio.<br /><br /><p>While we were there we visited Sea World, Cocoa Beach and Aquatica. Sea World was a bit of a let down so none of us are all that interested in ever going there again. It was stupidly crowded the day we went. It was so crowded that we genuinely had trouble walking in most places, because we were shoulder to shoulder in a sea of humanity. We purposely booked the trip so we would not be there during spring break, or on a weekend. It was to no avail. We had to wait on hour for each show to start, otherwise we wouldn't have gotten any seats. This was particularly bad for the dolphin show since we had to stand in line outside of the stadium in the sun for the hour long wait. At least with the Shamu and sea lion shows we could sit in the stadiums while waiting for the shows to start. And those three shows were all we got to see of the place. Between the hour long waits, the actual show times and getting lunch, the day was done! It was just as well though, since my limited strength gave out right after the sea lion show. Then we just walked to Shamu stadium and sat down to await the show. It was neat to see all the shows. I mean, the day wasn't a total loss; we're just not willing to pay that much to go through it again.</p><p>Here are the sea lions and Shamu. </p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDeEgAGVh66O8FrNI0NzyC0-u6SfiAJJq-h6m9nOGl_E0eyuTcq3AioBEUq0BBKClXLVKU_AB-vYwS1nzaq4dU7QUc9y52zzPUpGack1h1Dh2TURpHG6fNHHXMFt3YI5DS7muGrSbL7pI/s1600-h/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+013.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211416781922179282" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDeEgAGVh66O8FrNI0NzyC0-u6SfiAJJq-h6m9nOGl_E0eyuTcq3AioBEUq0BBKClXLVKU_AB-vYwS1nzaq4dU7QUc9y52zzPUpGack1h1Dh2TURpHG6fNHHXMFt3YI5DS7muGrSbL7pI/s320/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+013.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdHkj3gidHWLdCyWQxrufMZqqXND6lTPyba09Z7pMubOkrF67eQ_jzQ0Ekq1M_jLvSfMZHDpqWXhtiOLlqYZeKiccpPsA75ccj70TjhzsSzM9QKaQOEa9brfwzB0WM06nDop_rnBkMHw/s1600-h/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+027.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211417398731631058" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdHkj3gidHWLdCyWQxrufMZqqXND6lTPyba09Z7pMubOkrF67eQ_jzQ0Ekq1M_jLvSfMZHDpqWXhtiOLlqYZeKiccpPsA75ccj70TjhzsSzM9QKaQOEa9brfwzB0WM06nDop_rnBkMHw/s320/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+027.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><p>Here are Frodo and Pippin waiting for the whale show to start. </p><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglw2YOl_JHOD7zwEojxCTV8GQfg2zgdyVBv3-1YaCMhIYFZml2DODqig4InBxBsIzTm7luOILfm0FHYxrVVNZsU7Pc0RgnvbPO-_pvHr9j0te39yWg7mSHHqPJgEjjE0LcqrbyY4i6t0U/s1600-h/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+024.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211417928350664162" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglw2YOl_JHOD7zwEojxCTV8GQfg2zgdyVBv3-1YaCMhIYFZml2DODqig4InBxBsIzTm7luOILfm0FHYxrVVNZsU7Pc0RgnvbPO-_pvHr9j0te39yWg7mSHHqPJgEjjE0LcqrbyY4i6t0U/s320/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+024.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJthaPTHieXfvkFYI_IbmXeGf_PahWXnrU80zgqQYSQz8CVbk-WkYpluTx7mU9WHU8RJBhi4ioiCsvv4CL9xpH9aFJkGQThM8IEOwRLy6Kral4eUz-0e2Oifh6CGxnE9YWGQ2TkKoQX0/s1600-h/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+026.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211418309233376034" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJthaPTHieXfvkFYI_IbmXeGf_PahWXnrU80zgqQYSQz8CVbk-WkYpluTx7mU9WHU8RJBhi4ioiCsvv4CL9xpH9aFJkGQThM8IEOwRLy6Kral4eUz-0e2Oifh6CGxnE9YWGQ2TkKoQX0/s320/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+026.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /></div><div>They were sitting in the splash zone with Papa, while Mama, Eowyn and Gramma sat further up. The show was so awesome! It's amazing that people have been able to train these beautiful, majectic sea creatures to perform this way. It makes me think of Genesis 1:28, "God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." </div><div><br />They day after Sea World we went to Cocoa Beach for a lovely day. Here are Pippin and Frodo chasing waves. (Or, are the waves chasing them?)<br /></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0V5g7dBzFcF8IzAZzKvtAivHFgDQs2EhosTkKDt3KfGHYUeHJIRurp_Hq12avZwajgj4B8T6pZR-6qCrxKVLcMWdazigqEOxcOlWaTDUBX0NMbnkJSmpui2y4ajhkON65BxOGcGdvkE/s1600-h/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+035.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211421572230259650" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0V5g7dBzFcF8IzAZzKvtAivHFgDQs2EhosTkKDt3KfGHYUeHJIRurp_Hq12avZwajgj4B8T6pZR-6qCrxKVLcMWdazigqEOxcOlWaTDUBX0NMbnkJSmpui2y4ajhkON65BxOGcGdvkE/s320/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+035.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmMZDnahjChF5fAP-KaPdBtIpPTHC2h6PMmKE39q30hj4CjOkMAJXr-ohRLSJ7MEAt7NwBvtmlrWyAnGHYb8A6zSpGG_ny3-XuabMorVq1078-2CHJv_6ijA5c7oDov8WHp563ZSEpNgc/s1600-h/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+034.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211422179168084498" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmMZDnahjChF5fAP-KaPdBtIpPTHC2h6PMmKE39q30hj4CjOkMAJXr-ohRLSJ7MEAt7NwBvtmlrWyAnGHYb8A6zSpGG_ny3-XuabMorVq1078-2CHJv_6ijA5c7oDov8WHp563ZSEpNgc/s320/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+034.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><br />And here's Pippin with a dead crab he found on the beach. I guess the only thing worse than your child holding a dead crab would be your child holding a live crab!</div><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyx4-apc1g_G2zs08OYtBHKdlyuu584n1gY87n4g1d7NT7RDE4G3AtoQaUtCl1_jpgyxjmv_axFoUHXVaU7qEtTSwczujRGNSwbb_gkfWmrlR7GjEtSWQrrWYOfxGbn58HhdrJ-Y0kMAY/s1600-h/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+048.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211430811728654802" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyx4-apc1g_G2zs08OYtBHKdlyuu584n1gY87n4g1d7NT7RDE4G3AtoQaUtCl1_jpgyxjmv_axFoUHXVaU7qEtTSwczujRGNSwbb_gkfWmrlR7GjEtSWQrrWYOfxGbn58HhdrJ-Y0kMAY/s320/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+048.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjseu5O4PEp4PPe9wlmveAsbnSNZGa2FBvriNW8xupm2qHgohNqGLM9nhlJ8iXowAat8PAv_yAfnjXWRcEYvb_lHz0P6wBaIQzGz2Dj-m1Mr7YWH9hFcjzrzGvrUvznCrfq7QcCpQMtq9Q/s1600-h/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+049.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211431338560465474" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjseu5O4PEp4PPe9wlmveAsbnSNZGa2FBvriNW8xupm2qHgohNqGLM9nhlJ8iXowAat8PAv_yAfnjXWRcEYvb_lHz0P6wBaIQzGz2Dj-m1Mr7YWH9hFcjzrzGvrUvznCrfq7QcCpQMtq9Q/s320/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+049.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><br />We also spent the day of Frodo's birthday at Downtown Disney where we had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe and visited the Lego store to let Frodo pick out a Lego set of his choice for his birthday. Unfortunately we don't have any pictures of this. Nor do we have any pictures of our evening at the Arabian Night's dinner theatre. This was seriously cheesy and no one will ever go there for the food, but we loved it! You will also note an absence of pictures of Eowyn. She is notorious for not wanting her picture taken. I keep telling her that she needs to let me get pictures of her or when she's off on her own in the great, wide world I won't have anything to remind me of her. I managed to get one side view of her playing in the sand with Pippin at Cocoa Beach. </div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211432653828324770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihXVsuu-cm7dxAL16g0_6Q0ZLcoBu3voTWqqbE5SmUfsEezIRmwovjHNbGcJbuRV53JEm264fKXDaY0GEbRCXJLEaT8kOvto6X6qR1IkqsJhAd16siJmMv7EPXPW9q7_vfCt4RQMEO4oE/s320/Orlando,+FL++042208-042608+047.jpg" border="0" /> <div><br />Our favorite day was the day we spent at Aquatica, the new water park by Sea World. We lazed around on the beach, played in the wave pool, rode numerous water slides and had the funnest day ever! I think the all around favorite was a lazy river type thing called Roa's Rapids. Think lazy river only much faster.We spent hours being swept around the rapids. Again, no pictures. Bummer. I guess we were having too much fun to snap photos. We were also constantly in water with no waterproof camera. Alas, we'll always have our memories.<br /></div><br /><div></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-78438119275103605722008-06-11T08:56:00.010-04:002008-11-13T16:03:00.837-05:00Preparing for the New School YearFor some time I have not been altogether satisfied with the history portion of Ambleside Online. Don't get me wrong, what the ladies of Ambleside have done is wonderful. My problem is not with what is there, but what is not there. My issue is that Ambleside begins ancient history with the Greeks which leaves out thousands of years of ancient history. Where is creation? The world-wide flood? Egypt? The Exodus? Whare are the Babylonians, Assyrians, Medes and Persians?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSlhQUM5EZSfmZ407BwnJXsVeiIf5zbc75u5CnTm1NH570gI_S6jOSydMVGy9LLlsMrhzSu4SHmHjcTiC8cZ5w82l8J9te6gtOkmj7pEb1zbxn2gxp83gDkBdIx2f5RwOZ4HTvwMuDKw0/s1600-h/history+book.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210614630301619362" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" height="210" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSlhQUM5EZSfmZ407BwnJXsVeiIf5zbc75u5CnTm1NH570gI_S6jOSydMVGy9LLlsMrhzSu4SHmHjcTiC8cZ5w82l8J9te6gtOkmj7pEb1zbxn2gxp83gDkBdIx2f5RwOZ4HTvwMuDKw0/s320/history+book.jpg" width="134" border="0" /></a>I had been ruminating on this for awhile and began to pray that God would lead me to the right path for our children's education. Then the latest issue of "Answers" magazine arrived and in it was an advertisement for the biblically based history curriculum by Diana Waring called "Ancient Civilizations and the Bible: From Creation to Jesus Christ". Eureka! My prayers have been answered! I ordered it and waited patiently for it to arrive. When the box finally arrived on my doorstep I was giddy with excitement while opening it. Now that I have looked it over, I am very pleased with the scope of topics covered and the biblical world-view from which they are covered. This book will make an excellent spine from which to build our curriculum for the coming years.<br /><br />Mrs. Waring does an excellent job of writing in a conversational style which totally fits in with our Charlotte Mason school. My plan is to divide the book over two years. This coming year we will be cover the first six chapters, devoting six weeks to each. I will be using this as the starting point and adding other books to our readings that fall in line with our educational philosophy. Since Ambleside's coverage of this time period is nonexsitent, I will have to purchase a few books to go along with our study of ancient history. However, the following year, we will cover the last three chapters - Greece, Rome and the Life of Messiah. I will, at that time, be moving us back to many of the Ambleside books that we already own.<br /><br />Be on the lookout for our schedules and progress in the coming months.Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-46581895658520338542008-03-10T12:52:00.001-04:002008-03-10T12:52:52.925-04:00What personality type are you?<table width=350 align=center border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=2><tr><td bgcolor="#EEEEEE" align=center><br /><font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif" style='color:black; font-size: 14pt;'><br /><strong>Your Personality is the Rarest (INFJ)</strong><br /></font></td></tr><br /><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><br /><center><img src="http://www.blogthingsimages.com/howrareisyourpersonalityquiz/personality.jpg" height="100" width="100"></center><br /><font color="#000000"><br />Your personality type is introspective, principled, self critical, and sensitive.<br /><br /><br /><br />Only about 2% of all people have your personality - including 3% of all women and around 1% of all men.<br /><br />You are Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging.<br /></font></td></tr></table><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.blogthings.com/howrareisyourpersonalityquiz/">How Rare Is Your Personality?</a></div>Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-4376243161997392892008-03-10T12:06:00.003-04:002008-11-13T16:03:01.223-05:00What I Read in 2007<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLkrnOw8IfLLNjfbVC-KN7JrKYLTWwDPGYgv7O5OpIhzWxV4fgNrgiVCe1VXCSE58Ta41ezYZ7OqiThwPU9DaizCtBDInZPrTlejMJn8MqtaBTQEHSHlsu4xBjSUzMnx2wyinqL8YI_A/s1600-h/bookworm2.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5176146256188315090" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLkrnOw8IfLLNjfbVC-KN7JrKYLTWwDPGYgv7O5OpIhzWxV4fgNrgiVCe1VXCSE58Ta41ezYZ7OqiThwPU9DaizCtBDInZPrTlejMJn8MqtaBTQEHSHlsu4xBjSUzMnx2wyinqL8YI_A/s320/bookworm2.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I have decided to keep a list of the books I read each year. The list for 2007 is as follows:<br /><br />• A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson<br />• A Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare<br />• Abel's Island by William Steig<br />• Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution by Natalie S. Bober<br />• All the Way Home by Mary Pride<br />• Bambi by Felix Salten<br />• Benjamin Franklin by Ingri D'Aulaire<br />• Buffalo Bill by Ingri D'Aulaire<br />• Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt by Jean Fritz<br />• Charlotte's Web by E.B. White<br />• Created to Be His Helpmeet by Debbie Pearl<br />• David Copperfield by Charles Dickens<br />• Fearfully and Wonderfully Made by Paul Brand<br />• How to Raise a Healthy Child Inspite of Your Doctor by Robert S. Mendelsohn<br />• Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott<br />• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte<br />• Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson<br />• King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard<br />• Kon-Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl<br />• Lassie, Come Home by Eric Knight<br />• Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving<br />• Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody<br />• Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder<br />• Living More with Less by Doris Janzen Longacre<br />• Madam How and Lady Why by Charles Kingsley<br />• Mattimeo by Brian Jacques<br />• Morning Star of the Reformation by Andy Thomson<br />• Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne<br />• Paddle to the Sea by Holling C. Holling<br />• Passionate Housewives Desperate for God by Jennie Chancey & Stacy McDonald<br />• Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie<br />• Physics Lab in the Home by Robert Friedhoffer<br />• Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi<br />• Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis<br />• Reclaiming Surrendered Ground by Jim Logan<br />• Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving<br />• Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe<br />• Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges<br />• Shepherding A Child's Heart by Tedd Trip<br />• Teddy's Button by Amy LeFeuvre<br />• The 21 Balloons by Pene William du Bois<br />• The Adventures of Poor Mrs. Quack by Thornton Burgess<br />• The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey<br />• The Hidden Hand by E.D.E.N. Southworth<br />• The King of the Golden River by John Ruskin<br />• The Power of Motherhood by Nancy Campbell<br />• The Railway Children by Edith Nesbitt<br />• The Relaxed Home School by Mary Hood<br />* The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis<br />• The Tanglewood's Secret by Patricia St. John<br />* The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis<br />• The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams<br />• The Way Home by Mary Pride<br />• This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald<br />• When We Were Very Young by A.A. Milne</div>Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-68801110820502351342007-11-10T14:00:00.001-05:002008-11-13T16:03:01.623-05:00Little Hobbit All-StarsOur year-round school year has finally made it full circle. Eowyn finished her school year two weeks ago, but the little hobbits and I took a couple of extra weeks to finish. Since I previously published Eowyn's all-stars, I will now publish the favorites of Frodo and Pippin. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcjCrx01KTg8xtrleMLmwZ_A3eODpck9xaNyFzG78s1GBgZutgXc87sDxKsMZn7ma9beqtr6cL4gah0edfZWtNRLv4oxcmcD7OZezRT0XZKUVMnJylZtTUp1BK0Ip964Y_dCEm0CBR2c/s1600-h/lassie.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcjCrx01KTg8xtrleMLmwZ_A3eODpck9xaNyFzG78s1GBgZutgXc87sDxKsMZn7ma9beqtr6cL4gah0edfZWtNRLv4oxcmcD7OZezRT0XZKUVMnJylZtTUp1BK0Ip964Y_dCEm0CBR2c/s320/lassie.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131295701415077234" /></a><br /><br />Frodo: <br />Bambi by Felix Salten<br />Mattimeo by Brian Jacques (not an AO book, but he loves the Redwall series)<br />Lassie, Come Home by Eric Knight<br /> <br />It's not a very long list, but then Frodo will never admit to liking any book. He was especially certain he wouldn't like Lassie due to the title being "girlie", but this turned out to be his favorite book of the year. I'm sure there were others he enjoyed, yet won't admit to. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRkzDUSiZstQDojFsbAKiupbHp60A3BU64ATllY0fX0X-z2wIBLdSm4AovmIvR_xbheaziCWPMvY4MiMN7tKktJ-gXyozeTSJEPm4mSYldw1wLYWjbBm877ZT_qVWpS_yXS4KrVJAQbk/s1600-h/james+herriot.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRkzDUSiZstQDojFsbAKiupbHp60A3BU64ATllY0fX0X-z2wIBLdSm4AovmIvR_xbheaziCWPMvY4MiMN7tKktJ-gXyozeTSJEPm4mSYldw1wLYWjbBm877ZT_qVWpS_yXS4KrVJAQbk/s320/james+herriot.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131295868918801794" /></a><br /><br />Pippin:<br />Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi (he liked this one so much we're reading it again this year)<br />Little House in the Big Woods (he especially liked the little stories about when Pa was a boy)<br />A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson<br />When We Were Very Young by A.A. Milne<br />Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne<br />The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams (he carried this book around for days after reading it)<br />Buffalo Bill by Ingri D'Aulaire<br />Aesop's Fables<br />The Burgess Bird Book by Thornton Burgess<br />James Herriot's Treasury for Children by James Herriot<br /><br />Coming to the end of our first year of AO is bittersweet. Some of these books have become like friends to us, and we're sorry to be moving on. A few were so greatly loved that they will surely make their way into the rotation of bedtime stories with Papa. I am looking forward to making new friends though. Come Monday morning I will be saying, "Welcome!" to AO2 and AO5.Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-45998790382672986842007-11-09T15:04:00.000-05:002008-11-13T16:03:03.201-05:00What's So Amazing About Grace...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBoMLG8pg1Q2-c03nYcn3Gt1fThtH7607tjfTDiGmBUFU0YHHPnltcmegxRavbX0wwbZEUuoruFSdNEKdRn0OTrZ6xkg0pCA1n1Y7wXlHVYDO9v8qgLKDzsibv9zrQVnS8kQIjUcFsro/s1600-h/May+2007+198.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBoMLG8pg1Q2-c03nYcn3Gt1fThtH7607tjfTDiGmBUFU0YHHPnltcmegxRavbX0wwbZEUuoruFSdNEKdRn0OTrZ6xkg0pCA1n1Y7wXlHVYDO9v8qgLKDzsibv9zrQVnS8kQIjUcFsro/s400/May+2007+198.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130934524730254514" /></a><br /><br />...land? Apparently not much by the look on Pippin's face.<br /><br />I guess if you really want to have a good time in Memphis you'd better hit Beale Street...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhTVRocTU8-w8z_Bh7FFvXmonL9TCgHNYVqMn3FLm1pPuj_6-1xvDyYL52dWZBEryjUionhc1wBJP-GH96eDDdIwGYVfx1dDyfh8MKhin4WjG1kDBOthEQYVVbuDLLSMdahwwhP21M6Y/s1600-h/May+2007+192.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhTVRocTU8-w8z_Bh7FFvXmonL9TCgHNYVqMn3FLm1pPuj_6-1xvDyYL52dWZBEryjUionhc1wBJP-GH96eDDdIwGYVfx1dDyfh8MKhin4WjG1kDBOthEQYVVbuDLLSMdahwwhP21M6Y/s320/May+2007+192.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130938196927292658" /></a><br /><br />...for a plate of ribs. (check out Frodo's bowl of rib bones!)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbgI8ZraE-tEAksS6hE9mkURVjrVe5pC75lHfSL3ySg8FWY8cHms_zFWPC2-qK7eLoNf6YWeEsEPjW-ME3NY2hnW98Jhfg5_UF3Uas1yNYHiezNq7UYoe3h8oSfDovuWiknhi1SOJqA4/s1600-h/May+2007+187.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbgI8ZraE-tEAksS6hE9mkURVjrVe5pC75lHfSL3ySg8FWY8cHms_zFWPC2-qK7eLoNf6YWeEsEPjW-ME3NY2hnW98Jhfg5_UF3Uas1yNYHiezNq7UYoe3h8oSfDovuWiknhi1SOJqA4/s320/May+2007+187.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130935989314102466" /></a><br />And, the always entertaining Elvis impersonator!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFthZxqYNsJwN42QmKgjTDOnysFn0lSL7fsyFkjmAQLim6zjw2SQv10nvpJUEZTvhq1wauHImgp-0e2Y3e0vzQ5uIGFHcebHpufVPKQyJ-03wrmdirDgLIUGWAuUZPBMkYvYOJoagIlMw/s1600-h/May+2007+182.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFthZxqYNsJwN42QmKgjTDOnysFn0lSL7fsyFkjmAQLim6zjw2SQv10nvpJUEZTvhq1wauHImgp-0e2Y3e0vzQ5uIGFHcebHpufVPKQyJ-03wrmdirDgLIUGWAuUZPBMkYvYOJoagIlMw/s320/May+2007+182.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130936779588084946" /></a> <br /><br />Then it's time to head back to the hotel for some real fun...the pool and hot tub.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxcllvkUUeijSX2-C57myd0ObifgPkzLEDCwqEG7mS5zE2ZzZEwwtWF1Epwxhg1te0SQxdzy5JS-A1Uplt6Br03pkNXVeRnApnxkjDNQt6VCycc5jOF1J7VGaSVQtR2YfzYGse-GXD5E/s1600-h/May+2007+268.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxcllvkUUeijSX2-C57myd0ObifgPkzLEDCwqEG7mS5zE2ZzZEwwtWF1Epwxhg1te0SQxdzy5JS-A1Uplt6Br03pkNXVeRnApnxkjDNQt6VCycc5jOF1J7VGaSVQtR2YfzYGse-GXD5E/s320/May+2007+268.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130938884122060034" /></a><br />But, if you're from the Shire, you'd rather see wildlife than nightlife. The world may know Memphis for Elvis, Graceland and Beale Street, but the hidden gem of the city is their pretty cool zoo. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqpJ9qdjtD1E5aSjNc6SBJD8gT5ikZguPK_74ZSaLkGxwaaJ1fv6YGU8LZnr7bKoivPInCUl1qQ-4mmV-fnAC_MLmOuEqLmgbtHjft1uveN6rNpy9ODjXqNVDRWUOA8-pGQUcJVPN0eM/s1600-h/May+2007+224.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqpJ9qdjtD1E5aSjNc6SBJD8gT5ikZguPK_74ZSaLkGxwaaJ1fv6YGU8LZnr7bKoivPInCUl1qQ-4mmV-fnAC_MLmOuEqLmgbtHjft1uveN6rNpy9ODjXqNVDRWUOA8-pGQUcJVPN0eM/s400/May+2007+224.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130941173339628850" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_QmBmfn_ImbiKPydw_1aXq9hFaE9a3l60sXo-JHF3WRnD_neT9igUwHbP9LSKdNC-mWmgF1PUCBZ3f6Mc98GxOyzcs2mM-_HUNN6838YXeQMdc6JyBvPJMcODWkxDgNiucvt_w-w-M40/s1600-h/May+2007+238.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_QmBmfn_ImbiKPydw_1aXq9hFaE9a3l60sXo-JHF3WRnD_neT9igUwHbP9LSKdNC-mWmgF1PUCBZ3f6Mc98GxOyzcs2mM-_HUNN6838YXeQMdc6JyBvPJMcODWkxDgNiucvt_w-w-M40/s400/May+2007+238.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130942530549294418" /></a>Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-7630668931932198382007-11-05T21:02:00.000-05:002008-11-13T16:03:03.446-05:00Eowyn's All-Stars<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwYfMDOMX5l_7l_-oM2yhFKReyN4FnQzgQAnsG1QiytbhjS_2spDHdBZGJ-uraAiMvm-R4V6rMB2MqgpvDy-0bOmx4V-EHzzvNguBORK91Ofwr4wpiTNxNbjcUsK7-TflTb2NfjVx7dtU/s1600-h/200px-JackLondoncallwild.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwYfMDOMX5l_7l_-oM2yhFKReyN4FnQzgQAnsG1QiytbhjS_2spDHdBZGJ-uraAiMvm-R4V6rMB2MqgpvDy-0bOmx4V-EHzzvNguBORK91Ofwr4wpiTNxNbjcUsK7-TflTb2NfjVx7dtU/s320/200px-JackLondoncallwild.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129545490088823346" /></a><br /><br />Eowyn has finished Ambleside 6 and has now moved into House of Education 7. What started out as a year of grumbling and complaining has turned into a year of joy and new discoveries. Eowyn has learned that she does like to read after all, and here is a list of her favorites from the last year:<br /><br />Story of the Greeks<br />Story of the Romans<br />Where the Red Fern Grows<br />Call of the Wild<br />White Fang<br />The Hidden Hand<br />The Bronze Bow<br /><br />She also learned that just because you don't LOVE a book doesn't mean you can't read it. There are other books from the AO6 list that she read and enjoyed, and some that she read and tolerated, and a few that she read and despised. Through it all she learned that she can accomplish more than she realized. <br /><br />Now that she has started House of Education 7 she has already found a book she loves in the first week, The Gammage Cup. I wonder what other great books she will discover this year?Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-9793170165061597602007-08-02T15:51:00.001-04:002008-11-13T16:03:03.591-05:00You're Never Too Old...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4Io3PIefiMGN-AkaTiwgDN6DS2Q1vROKxQnkkHHmxKZUGFuF_-JjoUgKX1AY4Y88ohOsvmXiYEEA6tzZfStFMyqULmTi-fesk7lC4Pi-fAfvmFeSz51BJol2VtEol6MEwYgfioV0gfI/s1600-h/Fall+2006+141.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094194190098157794" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4Io3PIefiMGN-AkaTiwgDN6DS2Q1vROKxQnkkHHmxKZUGFuF_-JjoUgKX1AY4Y88ohOsvmXiYEEA6tzZfStFMyqULmTi-fesk7lC4Pi-fAfvmFeSz51BJol2VtEol6MEwYgfioV0gfI/s320/Fall+2006+141.jpg" border="0" /></a> August is finally upon us. That can only mean one thing in the Shire...Pippin's birthday! He has made his own countdown calendar to hang on the refrigerator on which he faithfully crosses off a day each morning. Hmmm...I think there's only 23 days to go.<br /><br />You may wonder why I would put a picture of Arwen up when I'm talking about Pippin's birthday. That's because, at 17, she still gets excited about where Pippin will choose to go for his celebration. Today she nonchalantly asked Pippin if he would be choosing Chuck E. Cheese's (for the fourth year in a row). He said, "Yes." At this point there was no pretext of being cool or mature; she raised her fist in the air and shouted, "YES!"Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-70477767169062568592007-07-27T09:23:00.000-04:002008-11-13T16:03:04.765-05:00Little Hobbits' Garden<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1PWviKlsETIl4514eZXtHAWYuHA4Uw9THx7lIUnmMxCwMYq_W0N9kx-mFEQsOxCXpMxD7pVAHn8CQEbM-YCXB6AsjHjUYSUZ4wVYNqZcRC6Q9qC_ojXwAS68P_shcjRBgfb3K9DZSSJo/s1600-h/Elijah"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091875225585897634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1PWviKlsETIl4514eZXtHAWYuHA4Uw9THx7lIUnmMxCwMYq_W0N9kx-mFEQsOxCXpMxD7pVAHn8CQEbM-YCXB6AsjHjUYSUZ4wVYNqZcRC6Q9qC_ojXwAS68P_shcjRBgfb3K9DZSSJo/s320/Elijah's+Garden+005.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div></div><div><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong><em>Pippin my boy, full of joy,</em></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong><em>How does your garden grow?</em></strong></span></div><div><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong><em></em></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong><em>With basil leaves, tomatoes and beans,</em></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong><em>and marigolds all in a row.<br /></em></strong></span></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">Pippin is eager to check his garden every morning. Often times he will be out there before we've even had breakfast. And, if I'm not able to go out with him to open the gate for him, he will go into the garage and enter the garden through the doggy door. I can't believe he fits through the doggy door! I guess little hobbits can squeeze themselves into small places.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">At any rate, Pippin is very pleased with his garden. He and Frodo had been asking to make a garden for about two years, but I just never quite knew what to do about our horrible rock and clay soil until I found the book "The All New Square Foot Garden" by Mel Bartholomew. With book in hand, we went to the local home center and bought our boards, peat moss, compost, vermiculite and seeds. Voila! Instant garden, just add time...and water.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div></div><div>We have planted...<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-fi-QbpYQdHBe1t3VSfK1FPuscFssVXdA0BVDn0a95RZzV0X6mhB84v2XpOCBDsT25KKpHChAaW_EdRzwnBjHn8VKK22C3abCsmsTV8RQM5Mev2eRYkeF-mOKTrNJMZu0ue-FrWI0Sk/s1600-h/Elijah"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091871484669382690" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-fi-QbpYQdHBe1t3VSfK1FPuscFssVXdA0BVDn0a95RZzV0X6mhB84v2XpOCBDsT25KKpHChAaW_EdRzwnBjHn8VKK22C3abCsmsTV8RQM5Mev2eRYkeF-mOKTrNJMZu0ue-FrWI0Sk/s200/Elijah's+Garden+006.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9gMxFI7Abo9qSzqtiWqrggexi3wds2PJ3G6mMExohqVOpwZmoxOb0OPb5TNvfFpKIVi-Z3fto93R7ISkiG70nbPIvW7MtMpRjAOjdjZAUs2CLSwf3PgJtYEngI9oDEAFArIAbcvJVEo/s1600-h/Elijah"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091871742367420466" style="WIDTH: 205px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 151px" height="151" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9gMxFI7Abo9qSzqtiWqrggexi3wds2PJ3G6mMExohqVOpwZmoxOb0OPb5TNvfFpKIVi-Z3fto93R7ISkiG70nbPIvW7MtMpRjAOjdjZAUs2CLSwf3PgJtYEngI9oDEAFArIAbcvJVEo/s200/Elijah's+Garden+007.jpg" width="190" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVeh6rpguMfJ3Vcpsz092SuhZ6GMDs4Z5kpFVW7zEHF42g2ylXG3_YAB2k-jb75IcpEwcqu8fEyfN2bfvEYp_IVj_It_bFeSCfg3ipQ1teknTrIsGe5OzC14Q5sWqQo5yPShdg47XCfY/s1600-h/Elijah"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091872116029575234" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVeh6rpguMfJ3Vcpsz092SuhZ6GMDs4Z5kpFVW7zEHF42g2ylXG3_YAB2k-jb75IcpEwcqu8fEyfN2bfvEYp_IVj_It_bFeSCfg3ipQ1teknTrIsGe5OzC14Q5sWqQo5yPShdg47XCfY/s200/Elijah's+Garden+008.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div>zucchini, watermelon, cantaloupe,<br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8lZTOtS5rEo50xjnuFgcjOB2sHpS_Ec_utws5mipD2fR56acYFpDPUwx9BrJ-uj8oOZbzCysiQvfL2BQfjMSC3eSNytgPBHERgxN6Fs_Xq6XiR2tuidKQb2QxbgRvVzW-BUGDJ3ayZoo/s1600-h/Elijah"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXb8OQ2Jz3xaHNJPcarjBQbjwGN-ydokZggT2dGTb_hbp50_07Nz3hFEB-z-GGwd3ZHUjPjr2GbVogqttdLU3CRZKYLZH_nQEERS3vfWjKbz19eoaHrRjOXZoRpaWtPCbKn9-FVf0oByQ/s1600-h/Elijah"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091874035879956594" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXb8OQ2Jz3xaHNJPcarjBQbjwGN-ydokZggT2dGTb_hbp50_07Nz3hFEB-z-GGwd3ZHUjPjr2GbVogqttdLU3CRZKYLZH_nQEERS3vfWjKbz19eoaHrRjOXZoRpaWtPCbKn9-FVf0oByQ/s200/Elijah's+Garden+010.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii8GuZRloMbN6UgrB2q9gemFg6TK3HbE8O4ueMd5EE315zqJ3VmafRy-vB9cGy3oOG-K_VND-VWXLwOiMTJvKTUy8lDZidz51nyzsnbEsFOe0A6-ssurq6afwG2CzRmotHu_cSW1qys8c/s1600-h/Elijah"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091874400952176770" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii8GuZRloMbN6UgrB2q9gemFg6TK3HbE8O4ueMd5EE315zqJ3VmafRy-vB9cGy3oOG-K_VND-VWXLwOiMTJvKTUy8lDZidz51nyzsnbEsFOe0A6-ssurq6afwG2CzRmotHu_cSW1qys8c/s200/Elijah's+Garden+011.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8cYpUZ8GE2aWzaDYMjyfUSNyI7a7612KD67WD6GhpyLzhQk76CS9EquxsPamhyphenhyphenAFNF1ZyoRnzaXivSMUxAtcQdYBXc64BtLG3F3U5iXDVuUfHJjZkJI1zCqNoUTjf9sDIjX6ShRlo1M/s1600-h/Elijah"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091874830448906386" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8cYpUZ8GE2aWzaDYMjyfUSNyI7a7612KD67WD6GhpyLzhQk76CS9EquxsPamhyphenhyphenAFNF1ZyoRnzaXivSMUxAtcQdYBXc64BtLG3F3U5iXDVuUfHJjZkJI1zCqNoUTjf9sDIjX6ShRlo1M/s200/Elijah's+Garden+009.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div>sweet and cinnamon basil, five kinds of tomatoes, green beans...</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>and marigolds, cucumber, dill, parsley, oregano, and cilantro. Pippin also planted one piece of our popcorn to see if it would grow. It did, and we now have a little corn stalk about 8 inches high. </div><div></div><div>Pippin is seriously looking forward to the watermelon and cantaloupe! As for the veges, he doesn't like many of the summer veges. What he's really looking forward to are the cool weather veges. He's counting the days until he can plant his carrot seeds and sugar snap peas. Frodo, for the most part, likes lettuce and carrots. We will have to plant some more lettuce next month to carry us through the fall. </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>I think it's amazing what children will do if given the opportunity to make something of their ideas. Childen shouldn't be relegated to making macaroni necklaces and other useless twaddle just because they're young. Frodo and Pippin were only 8 and 4 when they first developed the desire to plant a garden. At the ages of 10 and 6 they were able to bring their idea to fruition. We are now reaping the harvest of their notion...literally!<br /></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-33880400246324242622007-07-23T14:04:00.001-04:002008-11-13T16:03:05.920-05:00OSA National Event 2007<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoCU7iEZ1kbCyWZsXGqWAw8yOmEL33DJbOBFnvz6jk-eNLV2jOlTG7eMRGVmEzmgaHUJ6nuHwQAR3EjzZl2uYoUmsl8F6QEPm0NNN5Q2K-p9Ej21ORbSfoMH1dmdqOfVnRe4nNlK_n3lE/s1600-h/B"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5090456065312083842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoCU7iEZ1kbCyWZsXGqWAw8yOmEL33DJbOBFnvz6jk-eNLV2jOlTG7eMRGVmEzmgaHUJ6nuHwQAR3EjzZl2uYoUmsl8F6QEPm0NNN5Q2K-p9Ej21ORbSfoMH1dmdqOfVnRe4nNlK_n3lE/s200/B'ham%2520welcome.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We're home safely from the OSA National Event 2007 in Birmingham, AL. My only regret is that we weren't able to be there for the whole event. God willing we will be there for the entire week next year.</span><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Ahhh...there's nothing like standing in the hot sun proclaiming the truth of God to a God-less nation. If only we would repent of our wickedness and turn our hearts toward God, then He would hear from heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land. Without repentance our nation is headed for great disaster. It is only a matter time before the heavy hand of God's judgement falls upon us. Like the ancient Israelites, He will use our enemies to plunder and destroy us, and <em><strong>no one</strong></em> can turn back the hand of God. </span><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3v3Ul5e6MP5rSKemAurSKOus_tAAaIZzlBPYJPBLJae8zoCMBLnrJ9xSgNaP6eO45_lsby3Aqtqbj1iBC8ORvnMnZu6uaXgTfs8JU741I_cPNgVxzW-xHwb1tEdvjInWHxy0eVaNbEik/s1600-h/Birmingham+071907-072107+050.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5090460313034739602" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3v3Ul5e6MP5rSKemAurSKOus_tAAaIZzlBPYJPBLJae8zoCMBLnrJ9xSgNaP6eO45_lsby3Aqtqbj1iBC8ORvnMnZu6uaXgTfs8JU741I_cPNgVxzW-xHwb1tEdvjInWHxy0eVaNbEik/s200/Birmingham+071907-072107+050.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxEv2CrcbZG-mDm8fSHobtpmdMJ5a9yz6a0e6WcgAmuTOIzV5qOcoo4vU2Hc2SWLKm2JUcdmKJu2mBaiH4f-TdbClo3yGfBMVfoKcyDwvOboiTO35PuKdyFQ_kPiUzdYJJ1SdlBxYgBtQ/s1600-h/Birmingham+071907-072107+063.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5090460643747221410" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxEv2CrcbZG-mDm8fSHobtpmdMJ5a9yz6a0e6WcgAmuTOIzV5qOcoo4vU2Hc2SWLKm2JUcdmKJu2mBaiH4f-TdbClo3yGfBMVfoKcyDwvOboiTO35PuKdyFQ_kPiUzdYJJ1SdlBxYgBtQ/s200/Birmingham+071907-072107+063.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The Battle of Two Seeds is displayed on the streets outside the abortuary. On the left are the proud sign-wielding supporters of murder on demand. On the right is my friend Mrs. W "giving them heaven", as our pastor would say. She is surrounded by several other Christian messengers ready to deliver God's message to America. </span></p><p><br /></p><p>The ridiculous owner of this abortuary actually told me she was doing "God's work".<br /></p><p><strong>God's work?</strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5090462417568714674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnQ0zYgtT_2inlLGHaq57AUaA80CDg2ducA5UiasqBsg4bG8nJlUZgTkMO6n425r473BbTPYZD9kf2wshbtlxrargIwymJgH-fCAJuueS_waXhvX_Kh9Q1D8mrq7yLxZ_OkC2j14_41Y/s200/malachi.jpg" border="0" /><strong>I think not!</strong></p><p></p><br /><p>Aside from the important work of exposing abortion for the heinous act of violence it is, we did have the honor of hearing from two distinguished men of God speak. The first is Alabama Senator Hank Erwin. I was very impressed with his honesty and the intensity in his desire to rid his beloved state of abortion. There was no hemming and hawing like you get from most politicians who are unwilling to<em> offend</em> any one. (meaning, unwilling to lose any votes!)<em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5090463813433085922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjSvITssbVNZJ3HIM7qpj25d0pQk78OCjQ_i8Po61FAfqNphVUDcwOdbGTwNE-Qsbhh3BT_RmWn-dfzbU0iGvtzhWmU3DC38Vunxdm07Se8n5iOznmXP188Gg3maRrgiKnYndm_4axHE/s400/Hank+Erwin.jpg" border="0" /></em></p><br /><br /><p>Next, we got to hear Judge Roy Moore speak after Senator Erwin. Judge Moore is an eloquent man of principle, unwilling to compromise the name of God Almighty for the sake of political correctness. During his talk, he walked us through some American history to show us how the current liberal tide has twisted the words of our founding fathers to further their flagrantly wicked agendas. </p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5090466781255487474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGGEYJDDfaNiWz6BIBQcHOhc8ILvn2oZOtNf9FgD9ElDP80rjEB-auynWtJTFj6gu6NHzWGtcaSpy1xXBo3AXRybemXfiSaNkv9oIihMeiPodyK0V7djmIxybF3ubM2rjRjWBJV_CI1E/s200/Roy+Moore.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p>If only he would run for president. But, alas, American does not deserve a godly president. We will have to suffer under the judment of God until such a time as we as a nation repent. </p>Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-92080886460983991582007-07-18T15:44:00.001-04:002007-07-18T15:44:42.881-04:00Mom My Ride<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/HEFE3B0Rje0' name='movie'/><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/HEFE3B0Rje0'/></object></p><p>Just a little ditty to make you chuckle and smile...</p></div>Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-66170802495266923622007-07-18T15:15:00.000-04:002008-11-13T16:03:06.192-05:00Time Flies...Oh, my goodness, it's been almost two months since I last posted. Where does the time go? There have been some changes in the Shire. For one, Arwen is no longer working at her part-time job. It's a bit of a mixed blessing, but due to some of her own actions she has lost the privilege of working. It's nice not to have to run her back and forth to work anymore...very nice. It was putting about 800 miles a month on our poor mini-van that already has over 120,000 miles on it, not to mention the amount of time it took from our busy schedules to do the chauffering. The only downside is that she misses the money she was making.<br /><br /><br /><br />One of the best changes recently has been the seeds of a new Charlotte Mason home school co-op that I've planted along with four other lovely ladies. I've tried other co-ops in the past, but none of them were CM which means that although they were good for what they were, they really weren't working in harmony with what we are doing at home. This new co-op will compliment our home school and work with what we are doing, instead of just adding outside commitments that we don't really need. I've very excited about the new co-op.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6baqbxGFYut9m4kitlmNUR3L2vy07HMs_-KFkRKBaG2YXs5S3nqeruJIpgR4ienvuTWyLroDQTMr4A2KrkhaOEw9XPHUB3FzTq-_QHVYdQxobO-5R4fovgJTJeE0Eg2Ua8tvz1aFz3PU/s1600-h/The+Innocent.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088621580941763746" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 106px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 199px" height="210" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6baqbxGFYut9m4kitlmNUR3L2vy07HMs_-KFkRKBaG2YXs5S3nqeruJIpgR4ienvuTWyLroDQTMr4A2KrkhaOEw9XPHUB3FzTq-_QHVYdQxobO-5R4fovgJTJeE0Eg2Ua8tvz1aFz3PU/s200/The+Innocent.jpg" width="106" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Other than that, we're about to leave for a trip to Birmingham, AL. We're going to OSA's national event for a few days. Tomorrow night I'll get to hear Judge Roy Moore speak at a rally. I can't wait to hear what a defender of the faith has to say. Then we will be standing as the voice of the innocent during the day and attending rallies at night. It will be a long, tiring trip. It is hard to stand up for what is right when the culture you live in is against you, but I would rather stand up to scornful mortals than have to stand in the presence of Almighty God knowing that 3000 innocent children were murdered in American abortuaries each day and I did nothing to stop it.Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-62734487467780689582007-05-22T18:39:00.001-04:002007-05-22T18:39:37.152-04:00LAGQ: Pachelbel's 'Loose' Canon<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/yflWG-e38OU' name='movie'></param><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/yflWG-e38OU'></embed></object></p></div>Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-91811903261902183392007-05-15T08:54:00.000-04:002008-11-13T16:03:06.793-05:00Oma Surveys the Damage<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-ygWuws2I5xF3Uzchd6ue3MNrxOMrWXVIfswivrL00Hrf_DbJDt0Pi4AAVASprvhxkH12C-kcQHqMAG1YRQmpKdWWUoKd2Kx08BOQqsrPpBbHUlVHS-pYPHazL5hzNTOVSL1uEjWJV4/s1600-h/flooded+house.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5065195708097150770" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-ygWuws2I5xF3Uzchd6ue3MNrxOMrWXVIfswivrL00Hrf_DbJDt0Pi4AAVASprvhxkH12C-kcQHqMAG1YRQmpKdWWUoKd2Kx08BOQqsrPpBbHUlVHS-pYPHazL5hzNTOVSL1uEjWJV4/s320/flooded+house.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div><p><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Oma</span> Hobbit has finally gotten to see her house after the flood of last week. <strong>It's not pretty. </strong>I was hoping the step up from her garage into her house would have been enough to keep the water out of the living areas of her home, but it was not to be. The water rose even higher than that. All of her carpets and furniture are ruined. Her house is going to have to be gutted and all the flooring and drywall replaced. Everything is covered in a thick coating of oozing mud and dead worms. It's only a matter of time before the mold begins to grow. </p><br /><br /><p>A friend of mine saw my mother on Omaha's Action 3 News and sent me the link to a video clip of her being interviewed. I started crying watching my mother tell the reporter that she had lost everything, while choking back tears to speak. Who ever expects to see their mother on the news telling a reporter they've lost everything? It's surreal...for me anyway, and all too real for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Oma</span>. </p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKTgS8gzyjOCjzescuxehZxfiN4h2u3PFGf8oI82uunWwaTjqOCd1uz931OjaXWQ-cEoLowh5BBiwX-KIq7MIl7RrcFu3yFYcpZamKr-3s1ZLLNGPQTrc6s5Btyds1xUuw9YJApoWNUN0/s1600-h/madame+blueberry.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5065194599995588386" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKTgS8gzyjOCjzescuxehZxfiN4h2u3PFGf8oI82uunWwaTjqOCd1uz931OjaXWQ-cEoLowh5BBiwX-KIq7MIl7RrcFu3yFYcpZamKr-3s1ZLLNGPQTrc6s5Btyds1xUuw9YJApoWNUN0/s400/madame+blueberry.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>Alas, there is a dichotomy to the situation. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Oma</span> has always been too consumed by the pursuit of material <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">possessions</span>. I can definitely see God using this as a means to clean house - literally. Now <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Oma</span> must throw away all the <strong>things</strong> she has clung to for so long. All the things she has pursued, all the things she has cherished, hoarded, overspent on, gone in debt for, in a word - idolized, will take their ultimate place in the dump where all material possessions truly belong. I'm sorry that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Oma's</span> very house has been ruined, but I'm not so sorry that all of the 'stuff' has been put in its proper place. I only hope that she will learn from this lesson and never elevate things above their place again. </p><p>Some people might think I sound like a harsh person. I'm truly not. I would say to such a person, "You don't know <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Oma</span>." <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Oma</span> is a hoarder and compulsive shopper on a grand scale. She lives alone, since <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Opa</span> passed six years ago, in a three bedroom house that is plum full of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">crapola</span>. Every room is filled. You cannot even use the bedrooms because they are filled to the brim with boxes and bags of useless stuff. In addition to her house, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Oma</span> rents <em>two</em> storage sheds to store even more stuff, and yet, she continues to shop. It's sad. I've actually had nightmares over the years of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Oma</span> dying, and leaving me to sort through and get rid of all this baggage on my own. I have an older brother, but he has MS and in time will be of no physical use to me in this cleaning-out-the-junk endeavor. I'm not a harsh person; I want my mother to be free of the bondage she is under to material possessions. </p></div>Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-49363754123379529222007-05-12T11:27:00.000-04:002008-11-13T16:03:06.964-05:00Socialization: Homeschooling vs. Schools (outside link)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP9BEeLhhVo_m_MTbuG_JM4rh0yoHqDPIOmsx3Z5GPKf3Ojd56LB00a55Lq5uTesdmLSP4ac5ARoe9ZyUG-LjeY7ulaykW1klatqHwNFmmmyku7t4bVydRo07nfepJGs0nWd5JpTzJ1IU/s1600-h/School+room.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5063697793777570018" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP9BEeLhhVo_m_MTbuG_JM4rh0yoHqDPIOmsx3Z5GPKf3Ojd56LB00a55Lq5uTesdmLSP4ac5ARoe9ZyUG-LjeY7ulaykW1klatqHwNFmmmyku7t4bVydRo07nfepJGs0nWd5JpTzJ1IU/s400/School+room.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong>It was Theodore Roosevelt who said, "To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society." </strong><br /><br />Many <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">homeschoolers</span> share this sentiment when it comes to public schools, believing that the moral relativism, violence, peer pressure, drugs and promiscuity found inside their gates provide an inadequate setting to properly socialize their children.<br /><br />Yet 92 percent of superintendents believe that home learners are emotionally unstable, deprived of proper social development and too judgmental of the world around them, according to a California study by researcher Dr. Brian Ray .<br /><br />(click the link below to finish this fascinating article.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/144135.aspx">http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/144135.aspx</a></div>Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-26566271793555754582007-05-10T14:07:00.001-04:002008-11-13T16:03:07.415-05:00Oma Got FloodedI guess into every life a little rain must fall, or in Oma Hobbit's case a dike or three must burst and flood your entire neighborhood. My poor mother is now homeless...homeless with a house and property that have been destroyed by flood and must still be paid for and restored whilst she lives on social security and the kindness of her friends.<br /><br /><br /><div><blockquote></blockquote>Lo and behold, pretty much no one in her neighborhood had flood insurance. When Oma bought the house four years ago I suggested she get flood insurance, but she said it was too expensive for her, and besides, the city had improved the dikes after the flood of '93 and they would surely never flood again. HA!... that would be why I now see a picture of a fellow boating down the main street into Oma's neighborhood. That's correct, take a right after the second mailbox, go two blocks down and you will arrive at my mother's house. Don't forget your galoshes.</div><div></div><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062995369056178322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="251" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cmyMTzzuOZvhYaW7pWiAI1d6TDglYCB64uwx3nTEBq21wAhLrtKZxt673N17-4GJjR8tcHdxbaZaOuna56WZU6v6P4bAHRA8MrOusnQs61dP9nMUYNrDhcf1Uor1kZ5JkaGm2lWGLew/s400/Flood+1.jpg" width="390" border="0" /><br /><br />I hate that I'm so far away from Oma, too far to help. I would drive the 1200 miles up to get her, but then she wouldn't be there to get her property cleaned up. She's kinda stuck. I can't go there; she can't come here. What's a family to do? She's hoping for some government assistance, but I told her not to hold her breath. I wish we had the money to help her. Again, no breath holding. All I can do is pray for God's will to be done, and wait for the tears that I know will be coming once she can get back into the neighborhood to see her house early next week.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghzMJ-Tzn5VeCpggOk0Y3tX2MKxyapctnxkxZmYYgZYPfmvUhMX5lNpYoPRyNuwhY_W5iUjIg4NEuRHqKj6Cwiw8EbrdMV7wQsR6WB_iGABlRpIJ5PoYNhC50Huhi2DqmuiNddkpVZ884/s1600-h/flood+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5063002099269931218" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghzMJ-Tzn5VeCpggOk0Y3tX2MKxyapctnxkxZmYYgZYPfmvUhMX5lNpYoPRyNuwhY_W5iUjIg4NEuRHqKj6Cwiw8EbrdMV7wQsR6WB_iGABlRpIJ5PoYNhC50Huhi2DqmuiNddkpVZ884/s320/flood+2.jpg" border="0" /></a>In an effort to explain to the children, especially little Pippin, how serious Oma's situation is, I turned to pictures. This is the one that brought understading to Pippin. I explained to him that this is Oma's Arby's - the one we ate at the last time we went to visit her. And yes, I did copy these without permission. I'm hoping the folks at the World Herald will forgive me since this is the only way I have any pictoral insight into what's happening with my mother across the miles. <blockquote></blockquote><br /><br />I would also like to mention a hero in the whole situation; <strong>Pamida </strong>is that hero. If you don't live in a region with Pamida stores then let me tell you they are similar to Wal-Mart only smaller. Anyway, Oma's local Pamida store gave her about four changes of clothing, all the basic toiletries she needs, and some canned food. She feels very grateful and so do I. Oma had to leave home with the clothes on her back and thanks to Pamida she now has enough to get her through. If you live near a Pamida store, go there and buy something!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.pamida.com/">http://www.pamida.com/</a>Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-5977029110662114932007-05-07T13:30:00.000-04:002008-11-13T16:03:07.602-05:00Mama's Recipe Fakes: Annie's Woodstock Dressing<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmnuSpz0Pyfql0u-ktodrtZ9VaQyC9KxJcDY22OaDR_loOYqt4SLuwh7GnHDoQYCey2eaFSa3sZjO5h4ShFgLlzRa9HxK7oL7OQz6hlcL9Yv98P_Mtdy9-Hon7ChK5129Ttucw8Jte7Y/s1600-h/Woodstock+Dressing.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061873253015523458" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmnuSpz0Pyfql0u-ktodrtZ9VaQyC9KxJcDY22OaDR_loOYqt4SLuwh7GnHDoQYCey2eaFSa3sZjO5h4ShFgLlzRa9HxK7oL7OQz6hlcL9Yv98P_Mtdy9-Hon7ChK5129Ttucw8Jte7Y/s200/Woodstock+Dressing.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong>"The thick, full flavor of this new dressing might take you back to the “summer of love” when “three days of peace and music” in Aug. ‘69 changed our culture forever. With its smooth, luxurious texture and hearty, hip tomato & nutritional-yeast flavor, this tangy dressing with nutty characteristics (but no nuts!) is groovy on spinach salad, pasta, couscous, rice, pork chops, as an embellishment for soups or a sophisticated topper for baked potatoes. Also a delicious non-animal source of vitamin B-12. Dairy-free, No Added Sweetener, Vegan" <blockquote></blockquote></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div>I'm a big fan of Annie's Naturals salad dressings. What I'm not a fan of is the inflated price charged by my local grocers for a little 8 oz. bottle of the stuff. Can you believe at my local store an 8 oz. bottle costs $4? - That's $64 per gallon! ( Help! Methinks I've been robbed!) It's only $2.49 on the Annie's web-site. Of course, buying from the web-site will also include a shipping fee, so I just can't seem to win. My only course of action is to try to make it myself. That's just what I've done. Below is my recipe for Annie's Naturals Woodstock Dressing (my favorite for dipping raw veggies in). <blockquote></blockquote></div><div></div><div>1/3 cup warm water </div><div>3 pieces of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">sun dried</span> tomato (not oil packed)</div><div></div><div>*soak tomatoes in water until slightly softened <blockquote></blockquote></div><div></div><div>1/3 cup <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">EVOO</span></span></div><div>1/3 cup canola oil</div><div>1/4 cup apple cider vinegar</div><div>5 T. soy sauce</div><div>3 T. nutritional yeast flakes</div><div>2 T. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">tahini</span></span></div><div>3 large cloves garlic</div><div></div><div>*add all ingredients, including tomatoes and soaking water, to a blender</div><div>*blend all ingredients until tomatoes are pureed and mixture is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">emulsified</span></div><div>*refrigerate until ready to use <blockquote></blockquote></div><div></div><div>If you're not into making your own dressings, or you would like to purchase something not available locally, I would strongly recommend that you visit the Annie's Naturals web-site where you can purchase items individually or by the case. You get a discount for ordering a case.</div><div></div><div><a href="http://www.consorzio.com/">http://www.consorzio.com/</a></div><div></div><div>In addition to salad dressings, you can purchase Annie's ketchup, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">mustards</span> ( I love Annie's Organic <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Dijon</span> Mustard), marinades and flavored oils. </div>Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-24608568168701366442007-05-06T19:20:00.000-04:002008-11-13T16:03:07.780-05:00"Jack and Jill" by Louisa May Alcott<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7U1ntr24ND_az6RhCPmVCXvkLuLpwAOAGTPamQRWkBGPO-sWsBY64R2WhaP4zXYMRSAOlIGKreN4RlwvKRiWSinYnhPOM_GO4VPgfC8Xqgp9W0_E2xTPLpKY7mDDBohLyiDoa9WJMx-Q/s1600-h/Jack+and+Jill.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061592353564430450" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7U1ntr24ND_az6RhCPmVCXvkLuLpwAOAGTPamQRWkBGPO-sWsBY64R2WhaP4zXYMRSAOlIGKreN4RlwvKRiWSinYnhPOM_GO4VPgfC8Xqgp9W0_E2xTPLpKY7mDDBohLyiDoa9WJMx-Q/s320/Jack+and+Jill.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Hhmmm</span>...this is a tough book to review due to the fact that I just flat out didn't like it. I actually couldn't even finish it. I was expecting some sugary sweetness which is customary to the time period in which it was written, however this is just over the top in syrupy sentiment. I genuinely like the genteel manners and speech of this time period, which is why I was so surprised by my not liking this book. It was just page after page of creme puff cliches with a cherry on top! <blockquote></blockquote></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>In addition to the never ending cheesiness, there was the chapter in which the boys of the book decided they would be much better off if they were more like the girls. It is said in this chapter that even the mother of one of the boys (she, a highly respected character in the book) would rather have her son <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">socializing</span> with the civilized girls than roughhousing with the uncouth boys. This is a pet peeve of mine in modern society - the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">feminization</span> of boys. Boys need to be boys, and girls need to be girls, and all of us can have decent manners without compromising our God-given gender. <blockquote></blockquote></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Anyway, I was prepared to be charmed by this book, but was woefully disappointed. </div>Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-49574706094994792442007-05-04T13:00:00.000-04:002008-11-13T16:03:08.098-05:00"David Copperfield" by Charles Dickens<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvLsMu9120vCQm0YxS-saY3u4oVTUClfvjRUoMb_uliWqqKLqPRrk17FWlQrwJMS8EbJII3ZDqWeVlpwhJkj3BcIKnHJo5Iu1ETQxo05w4rGmoLwe-QhKw1qyrvnAu_vvHxKr1McNX-k/s1600-h/David+Copperfield+Panorama.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5060754379675177042" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvLsMu9120vCQm0YxS-saY3u4oVTUClfvjRUoMb_uliWqqKLqPRrk17FWlQrwJMS8EbJII3ZDqWeVlpwhJkj3BcIKnHJo5Iu1ETQxo05w4rGmoLwe-QhKw1qyrvnAu_vvHxKr1McNX-k/s400/David+Copperfield+Panorama.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />David Copperfield is considered to be the most autobiographical of all of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Dicken's</span> novels. It is by no means a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">time line</span> of his life, but there are some <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">parallels</span>. I won't get into the similarities here; that has been done by others more knowledgeable than I, and you can find their work with a quick <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">google</span> search. I do, however, want to tell you what a delightful book this is.<br /><br /><br /><br />I was charmed by David and the host of other characters created by Mr. Dickens. You get to start the book at David's birth and follow him through his life to middle age. I found myself laughing in some parts and crying in others. I was indignant with some characters and ready to throttle some; if they had been real people I would have lost my dignity and blacked their eyes. I feel compelled not to tell more of the story because I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it. So I will make this more of a recommendation than a narration.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqa37d4tjMd2OQaUhH2cVW0ZWxPzsOMlWxcTkDj2cuSyxv45rddL0O50PVF3HkHEEXY65di3e6dxmDt1gpdRwn6a1W2moVe3G9CNreMU13qmyfpv37qn-m_d6FaZNcy5PrsEpHsW1tE0/s1600-h/David+Copperfield.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061119146952659042" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqa37d4tjMd2OQaUhH2cVW0ZWxPzsOMlWxcTkDj2cuSyxv45rddL0O50PVF3HkHEEXY65di3e6dxmDt1gpdRwn6a1W2moVe3G9CNreMU13qmyfpv37qn-m_d6FaZNcy5PrsEpHsW1tE0/s320/David+Copperfield.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />There you have it...I highly recommend this book. I don't know how I managed to miss reading the classics when I was in my school years; I intend to make up for that now. I also intend that my children not miss out on the 'Great Conversation'. For now only <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Arwen</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Eowyn</span> and Frodo were old enough for it to hold their attention, but it's so good that it will be read aloud again in the Shire once Pippin is old enough. I don't want any of my children to miss this one.Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-69488691455888128832007-05-01T14:46:00.001-04:002010-07-17T16:51:26.671-04:00Who Needs Toys?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFV6SouRwfF-v2NzGRPEviFG5q2r794bX8-U_W7kjLIrNnPoX85nFYCbFOW30mV69AKC91Wf7WMdokbPj-g7lQ_T9ZGLc70lOqSBZ_k58x1iQ5P0PwlXmacGmuaDtIiYBXs_qojE4oTA/s1600-h/Ben+in+the+tree+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5059668251165495362" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFV6SouRwfF-v2NzGRPEviFG5q2r794bX8-U_W7kjLIrNnPoX85nFYCbFOW30mV69AKC91Wf7WMdokbPj-g7lQ_T9ZGLc70lOqSBZ_k58x1iQ5P0PwlXmacGmuaDtIiYBXs_qojE4oTA/s400/Ben+in+the+tree+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Several years ago, when <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Arwen</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Eowyn</span> were still small, I read an article by John <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Rosemond</span> in our local newspaper that said children should only have ten toys each. I also read somewhere recently that it is best not to give your children toys, but give them tools. I can't remember exactly where I read it; I think it was probably in an issue of "No Greater Joy" magazine. Many would balk at this notion. <em>Why, after all, how can Johnny enjoy himself and learn things without toys?</em> I've found that our children enjoy themselves much more without many toys. They're always happiest when making their own fun. <blockquote></blockquote></div><div></div><div>Here I've put a recent picture of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Frodo </span>on his homemade tree climbing thingamabob. He used a rope, a belt, a pair of gloves, and let's not forget my Crapemyrtle tree! He was so proud of himself when he got to see the idea he had formed in his head become a reality by the work of his own hands. I wish we had a more sturdy tree for him to climb on, but we just don't have any good climbing trees here at the Shire. Even without good climbing trees he and Pippin find all sorts of things to amuse themselves. It could be boxes one day, or building a fort under a very large bush in our backyard the next. All things accomplished without the aid of toys. Untold hours of enjoyment without the aid of toys. Lots of learning without the aid of toys. <blockquote></blockquote></div><div></div><div>Don't get me wrong, they do have some toys. But, unlike a lot of American children they don't have enough to supply a small orphanage. We've gotten rid of <em><strong>hundreds</strong> </em>of toys gifted by well meaning relatives, and will surely get rid of even more since they mostly collect dust while every box that passes the threshold becomes a celebrated boat, airplane or <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">rocket ship</span>. Who needs toys?</div>Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-69985072404469205392007-05-01T11:45:00.000-04:002008-11-13T16:03:08.648-05:00The ants go marching one by one...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2TcyrMuIQ_E84fLWMDXRYmbeQdBHooeYzKy7CbY2BkAvtYkygMG0Wms7U72LKexZVSmHRGNAC7P54jKxWjK1SO8yVEuWaFMLeuYfmV98qa6jhlnrN2fOImS9yAOC-sKdi-gpZWp2llGs/s1600-h/4998-28.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvx7jEYZ2KyFeFGB1rFLXw8hgiJFwRYtfZNw5KvQrSbR8uSAQad_sjgY5nXkkFdIEkwFYe2KHD9bujruuLtV3O4qsByWrFym916r1BF25WCaDFPOEbA1sIyvBp_5LTaQeiPscoQ6psmf8/s1600-h/AntsMarch.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5059623188368625698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvx7jEYZ2KyFeFGB1rFLXw8hgiJFwRYtfZNw5KvQrSbR8uSAQad_sjgY5nXkkFdIEkwFYe2KHD9bujruuLtV3O4qsByWrFym916r1BF25WCaDFPOEbA1sIyvBp_5LTaQeiPscoQ6psmf8/s320/AntsMarch.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Hurrah, hurrah, the long awaited ants have finally arrived! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Pippin</span>, who would like to be a "bug expert" when he grows up, received an Uncle Milton's Ant Farm for Christmas.</div><div></div><div></div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5nFyq4Kc9uKZbydv4YKDS_ONwHt3YcUo60Se7cGTAhy8Yz41-5XZ9D8oNfNHj655gidxl-QLI4Zu7ypRsycqSiwfIjxEkqX8_rGiSYtR82nKNkscoHGPHmC54LnIsZqMUJlqU3Vu8QiI/s1600-h/ant+farm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5059622690152419346" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5nFyq4Kc9uKZbydv4YKDS_ONwHt3YcUo60Se7cGTAhy8Yz41-5XZ9D8oNfNHj655gidxl-QLI4Zu7ypRsycqSiwfIjxEkqX8_rGiSYtR82nKNkscoHGPHmC54LnIsZqMUJlqU3Vu8QiI/s200/ant+farm.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br /><br /><div>We promptly mailed off the coupon for the ants to stock it with, and have been waiting four months for them to arrive - four long, agonizing months for the little bug expert. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Eowyn</span> came in from getting the mail today and announced, "Pippin, you got some mail!" </div><div></div><br /><div>"Who's it from?" asked <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Pippin</span>.</div><br /><div>"Uncle Milton...?" replied <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Eowyn</span>, somewhat perplexed.</div><div></div><br /><div>I was perplexed for a moment too, thinking, "We don't have an Uncle Milton..." But, then it struck me. "It's the ants!" I cried out. </div><div></div><br /><div>Pippin was beside himself with excitement. He wondered how the ants had made it through the mail in an envelope without getting crushed. I told him they were probably in a plastic tube of some kind. He couldn't wait to open the big yellow envelope and finally lay eyes on his beloved ants. Sure enough they were in a little plastic tube with instructions to place them in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to calm them down before placing them in their new home. In the refrigerator they went and the kitchen timer was set for 15 minutes. Pippin sat watching the timer the whole time, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">occasionally</span> announcing how much longer until the ants "were done". </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Finally the time was up and we carefully shook the tube of ants out into the awaiting ant farm. Now the ant farm and all its inhabitants are spending the day being carried around our home because Pippin doesn't want to part with them. They have sat on the couch to look at books, they have gone to the bathroom, they have gone to Pippin and Frodo's room to play, etc. <blockquote></blockquote></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Thank you, Uncle Milton, for pursuing your idea and bringing such joy to my little boy, and surely many others through the years. <blockquote></blockquote></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>And, yes, there really is an Uncle Milton. If you want to learn more about him click on the following link to read a brief interview he did in 2006 to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">commemorate</span> the 50<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">th</span> anniversary of Uncle Milton Ant Farms:</div><div><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11768411">http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11768411</a></div><div><br /></div><div></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSmkwCq_Jzt0YGhbcUKMyTJdatBOSOlfI2tTritycBdwAMXRSfZmrBArex7oR4aZuJicK6p8ajH2U3nD5C1ay7ZNetMMPWYkO3RQOf1vhOL4iL2QKI0svBf7l5YvDt0fJMqpx3LpIK5M/s1600-h/ant+farm.jpg"></a></div>Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-793293987345849116.post-88922198174058776592007-04-29T21:32:00.000-04:002008-11-13T16:03:08.840-05:00Two Inches of Ivory<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5mnhzPPw9RMU_a2bExTFc5YaPi6XYRL6li3i9g0osqVbB87BijE5XiVUNMRXrzvgDobkkuNn9dcZLJ2taPtR9gMZTKfEDoQwDzDRdkp1XZaF1bjSFEuy4LB_PokMIIWZKCEcF_0MaEk/s1600-h/images.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5059027476404670434" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5mnhzPPw9RMU_a2bExTFc5YaPi6XYRL6li3i9g0osqVbB87BijE5XiVUNMRXrzvgDobkkuNn9dcZLJ2taPtR9gMZTKfEDoQwDzDRdkp1XZaF1bjSFEuy4LB_PokMIIWZKCEcF_0MaEk/s200/images.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I just finished reading <em>Northanger Abbey</em> by Jane Austen. As with all of Austen's novels, I loved it. Miss Austen, to me, is the premier author of 'chick-lit'. I have a tendency to read heavy tomes full of useful information, but every now and again I need to let my brain rest by reading a novel. I try to limit my novel reading because I get too engrossed in the good ones and can't seem to put them down. This can lead to sleepless nights and/or unfinished chores - not a good example to the little hobbits! </div><div><br /></div><div>One phrase that I come across several times in reference to Miss Austen is her speaking of writing on two inches of ivory. I could never figure out what this meant, and thought perhaps it was some saying from a hundred years ago that had gone out of use. Not satisfied with this supposing, I decided to do a google search and see if I could come up with a clear answer. I was delighted to find the following write up on another site: </div><div><br /></div><div><strong>Culture Corner:Jane Austen's Laptop Word-Processor</strong> </div><div><br />On Wednesday I paid a visit to Jane Austen's house at nearby Chawton in Hampshire. Unfortunately she wasn't in but a nice lady in the front parlour selling souvenirs allowed us to look around on payment of £2 each. It was very strange looking over this modest little cottage where Miss Austen spent the last years of her short life, and where she completely revised and finally agreed to have published the most-read and best-loved novel in the English language.<br /></div><div><br />One of the many items on display that belonged to Miss Austen caused me considerable astonishment. My mother-in-law died ten years ago and among the odds and ends in her writing box, that had belonged to her grandmother, was what we, including my mother-in-law, had aways assumed to be a fan. A somewhat clumsy fan because it consists of a swatch of ten thin rectangular ivory panels held together with a single rivet. Each panel measures approximately five-inches long by two-inches wide.<br /></div><div><br />It isn't a fan, it's a late 18th-/early 19th-century word-processor. Paper was expensive, therefore those who used a good deal of it first composed their paragraphs on these wafer-thin ivory panels before making fair copies on paper. Pencil could be erased with one's fingertip, ink erased with a damp cloth. The order of paragraphs or sentences could be changed depending on which panels were exposed from the main swatch. Other advantages were portability -- it could be carried in a pocket and used on one's lap because the wafers were sufficiently rigid to make a desk unnecessary.<br /></div><div><br />The fan explains a paragraph in one of Jane Austen's letters to her sister, Cassandra, which has always puzzled me, in which she refers to `The little bit (two inches wide) of ivory on which I work ...'<br /></div><div><br />Out of curiousity I composed this entire post on the fan using a pencil. The efficiency of the device is remarkable. Each of the above paragraphs is written on an individual wafer. The post actually started with the second paragraph with the opening:<br />`An item on display in Jane Austen's house at Chawton caused me considerable astonishment ...'<br />I moved it from first to second place simply by switching the wafers around. Longer paragraphs were continued on the reverse. I've taken to carrying the `fan' with me and jotting notes on it. Although it's 200 years old, I think it'll last out my lifetime. If it inspires me to write a tenth as well as Jane Austen I shall be well pleased. -- James Follett</div>Joy2bmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982477898712512639noreply@blogger.com1