Ice Day?

Portrait of Fun, Homeschooling

We woke up to a blustery cold ice storm! We new it was coming, but was hoping for snow instead of sleet, still the icy sleet didn't keep my four kids from bundling up like the Pillsbury Dough Boy and braving the chill.

Their friends came over and they all took turns sliding down our driveway on sleds. I heard Chris (12) gripe to his friend, "the bad thing about homeschooling is that we don't get a school day."

I became the best mom of the neighborhood when I served them all hot chocolate that was creamy (made with milk) and didn't scald their tongues! One of the neighborhood kids said it was the best hot chocolate ever. Thanks to last years Swiss Miss hot chocolate.

When their lips were blue, their noses red and finger tips numb they came in for lunch and a science lesson. We learned the difference between sleet, snow and hail! Do you know the difference? It's quite fascinating, really!

Then the little kids watched Frosty the Snowman for the second time and I baked Molasses cookies while the big kids did their math. I've never baked Molasses cookies, but had left over Molasses from our Boston unit and thought that cookies was probably the best use for the Molasses.

Later in the afternoon, the boys went outside and it started to snow instead of sleet! They played football with the neighbor kids. Here are some pics. (Will post later...Blogger's not cooperating)

I finished up my cookie baking and absentmindedly left the step stool pushed up to the counter where my pup couldn't resist snatching a cookie or two. Don't worry, I'll be feeding the possibly licked cookies to my family and not neighbors and friends! Hey, the kids like to kiss the dog on the lips, surely they won't mind eating slobbery cookies!

Such a lazy but productive day and there's still more weather reading to do. But the kids are still running through the snow and the house is so quiet. No need to disturb the order of the universe!

Christmas: Off to a Great Start

For years, decorating the Christmas tree has always stressed me out! I think it stems from memories as a child having to help my single-mom drag the real tree into the house, up the 13 stairs and hold the prickly thing while she screwed in the bolts into the tree or vice versa.

Inevitable there'd be arguing.

"You're not holding it straight!"

"Yes, I am" and I've got the scratches to prove it.

"Hold it still."

"I am! Are you almost finished?"

(And that's the rated "G" version. )

There was just something about all the work it took to set up that tree that took the fun out of. But I sure did enjoy the ornaments and dousing our Charlie Brown tree with tinsel! Nothing was more thrilling to sit back and watch the blinking lights twinkle on the ceiling. It made the effort worth it.

But years later, after I got married and had kids everytime we'd put up the real Christmas tree the stress would bubble up from within me. Me holding the tree straight, getting scratchy arms, spouting the same familiar dialogue. My attitude was rotten and so unChristmasy that putting up the tree just wasn't fun for anyone.

This year was different. It was probably the first year I didn't get stressed out putting up the tree. Mainly because I didn't put it up and relinqueshed control to my kids which for this control freak is no easy task.

Several years ago I caved in and bought an artificial tree. It was the most realistic looking tree I could afford and so far it's been a blessing. My nine year old LOVES to build things, so when he was itching to build the tree I said, "go for it."


His little brother (6) and sister (4) happily joined in, Gracie echoing my instructions "Joey in charge."

And it was a beautiful sight watching the three work. Timmy handed Joey a limb. Joey fanned it out to look like a little Christmas tree. Gracie got to put it in the trunk and then Gracie and Timmy would switch. They even left the top two layers for Chris who was busy finishing his school work.

When daddy got home, we put on the Christmas music and the kids hung the ornaments, I baked cookies and stopped occasionally to snap a few pictures of the tree process. It was a picture perfect tree raising, although I found two unopened boxes or ornaments that will have to be hung tomorrow. The weather even cooperated with the Christmas spirit by turing brutally cold and rainy. My kids are praying for snow! They may just get it.

After sampling cookies, we sat down to read a story and then took the link off the prayer chain! Our start to the Christmas season couldn't have been more perfect and peaceful. Just hope it will last!

Counting Down to Christmas

Portrait of WFMW, Christmas

My six year old has been asking me for weeks, "How many days until Christmas?" He tells me it's because when it's Christmas, it snows (though it looks like there's a good chance of snow tomorrow.)

So I decided to make this Christmas countdown chain. We've done it every year, but usually not this soon! Each night we break off a chain and you can see how many days/links until Christmas. Keep reading because there's a twist to this countdown chain.

Inside the links we put names of friends, family, and anything else we might want to pray about. Then when we break off a link, we read the name and pray for that person!

What a great way to countdown to Christmas while focusing on this season of giving!

For more great Christmas ideas go here.

Dr. Phil, I'm Totally Confused!Updated

Portrait of Homeschooling, Faith
First Post November 20, 2006

I've just read some shocking information about the soon to air Dr. Phil episode on homeschooling. Don't know if it's true, but I plan on watching for myself to see if it is! You might want to TiVo it yourself.

I wrote this earlier today and what happened tonight when I turned on the t.v? I saw Dr. Phil and Robin on the Life Today show with James and Betty Robison professing their faith in Jesus Christ.

Now I'm totally confused about the article I just read and the interview I just watched and can't reconcile the two Dr. Phil's. Now I'll really have to watch that homeschool show!!!

So what do you think is up?

UPDATED:

Did anyone see the show? I missed it because football was airing at the time Dr. Phil's show was scheduled.

Like many homeschoolers and Christians, I am also disappointed especially since I saw Dr. Phil and Robin on the James Robison show where they professed their personal relationship with Jesus. But one thing I think we're missing is that this may be one area Dr. Phil needs growth and education in and instead of bashing him (not saying that we're doing that here) we should be lifting him up in prayer.

As a homeschooler, personally I couldn't help but agree with some of the things Dr. Phil said, but that's just me and unschooling is not for me and my family. I absolutely think it was unfair that only this method of homeschooling was highlighted and that in this day and age there were still a lot of ignorant things said about homeschooling.

I'm hesitant to point the finger at Dr. Phil, and know the entire staff and producers should be held accountable for their slant of the issue just for the ratings and sensationalism.

So let's pray for Dr. Phil and his views on homeschooling. Who knows, he might turn out to be a homeschooling advocate one day!!!

This just in...Spunky Homeschool has a great overview of the show and many comments by those who saw it!

My Birth Story

Portraits of Me, Fun

My mom's been saying for years that she'll write down or record everything she can remember about her life and my grandparents. Well, for my birthday this year I asked for my story to be written. Though basically a routine birth back in the late sixties, here it is word for word, though I did have to change the spelling of quite a few words!;) By the way, I was the first born!

At approximately 11:30 A,M I received my first labor pain. In those days I was very brave on the outside, but scared to death on the inside. I handled pain with a great deal of silence.

I called your father at work and he called your grandmother Juliet. She came over immediately. She and your grandfather were very caring people. When your father came home we left for the hospital which was a half hour away.

Remembering back I was afraid I wouldn't make it. The pains were becoming more intense. In those days people were not allowed in the delivery room so your father brought a book to read. There was a delivery room and a labor room. They shaved you and gave you an enema which was the most painful thing I ever had.

Back tracking a little, while I was going to the labor room with Dr. Brander ( who I had a crush on), there were woman in labor who was screaming. There was one thing on my mind and it was get this child OUT!

After the enema they wanted you to wait for at least a few minutes before releasing. Well that was out of the question. They left me alone I couldn't take the pain so I went to the bathroom by myself. My water didn't brake so they had to brake it,which had to be done while you had a contraction OOOOH NOOOO! PAIN!

Dr Brander kept asking me if I wanted ether. I kept asking "is the pain going to be worse," he didn't answer me so for the last two minutes, I said yes. Then you were born about 7 pm. I remember every one was there to see me because it was visiting hours. The rest is history.

Thanks mom!

Releasing Your New Purity Part III

Portraits of Experiencing God, Faith

Last time I left off with an analogy of being licked by a gentle lamb or roaring lion. Which lick would mean more?

The Lion, of course seeing that it could kill you in one bite. "Our Lord will never be appreciated as a Lamb unless He's first encountered as a lion? And it's because of the Lion's perfect wrath that there's such a place as hell where sinners spend eternity in torment..."

God's wrath (Hell) is awful, unalterable and eternal. Not a fun topic, but one that needs to be explored!

I really don't like to think about Hell, but the Bible says in Mark 9:43-48 it's place of everlasting fire that "is not quenched." No one really knows if the fire is literal or figurative, but one thing is certain your soul is seperated from God forever and will live in torment.

Hell is also a place from where you can't return. I grew up believing in a place where you could make ammends for your sins after you die in a place called Purgatory. But after I read the scriptures myself, I found no mention of such a place and no need for one because Christ took on ALL of my sins at the cross.(Luke 16:19-31)

Hell is eternal. It says in 2 Thessalonians 1:9 it is an everlasting destruction.

Jonathan Edwards , a revivalist preacher in the 1700's, is best known for his sermon titled "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." This is what he had to say.

It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of Almighty God one moment; but you must suffer it to all eternity. There will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery. When you look forward, you shall see a long for ever, a boundless duration before you, which will swallow up your thoughts, and amaze your soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any mitigation, any rest at all.

You will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains. So that your punishment will indeed be infinite.

Oh, who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is! All that we can possibly say about it, gives but a very feeble, faint representation of it; it is inexpressible and inconceivable: For "who knows the power of God's anger?"

So was Jonathan Edwards' sole purpose to scare the Hell out of you!?! R.C. Sproul believes "He [Jonathan Edwards] did this not out of a sadistic delight in frightening people but out of compassion. He loved his congregation enough to warn them of the dreadful consequences of facing the wrath of God. He was not concerned with laying a guilt trip on his people but awakening them to the peril they faced if they remained unconverted."

Dwight Edwards says "All this is why we commit an unspeakably grave offense toward unbelievers when we highlight for them only the love of God and fail to warn them with tears of the horrors lying ahead if they remain unconverted."

Then he asks a question. "How do you respond to the points made in this section about Hell? Do you fully accept and believe them? Do they raise any doubts or questions in your mind?

My answer: My mind believes and accepts, but my heart cannot comprehend it.

Maybe that's why I'm guilty of not sharing my faith more. Maybe I don't really believe my God could send people to Hell. But He does.

Yet, the good news is we don't have to spend all eternity facing the wrath of God. Through accepting/believing in God's son who died on the cross taking away all our sin, we receive the New Covenant and God remembers our sin no more.

Edwards says "This forgiveness means that we can look forward with absolute assurance to an endless future spent in the place where 'there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4)

Christianity is the only religion that guarantees heaven and its unending enjyoment upfront. Ever believer is guaranteed eternity in heaven- no matter what happens after we trust Jesus for salvation."

But that's a subject for next time.

Lord, help me not sugarcoat the Gospel, but tell the whole story of your holiness and wrath and your love and forgivess. I know it is your wish that no one perish, and spending eternity with you is so easy. Amen.

If you're reading this and are not sure if you died today you'd go to heaven, pray this prayer...

Holy and loving, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Here are some resources to help you get started on your new life.
http://www.christianwomenonline.net/ready.html

http://www.allaboutgod.com/Sinners-Prayer.htm

To read previous posts in this series go here.

Contest Wrap Ups

Portrait of Contest, Books, Fun

MomTeacherFriend was the closest to this contest and won her choice of

Troubled Waters by Rene Gutteridge (Women's Fiction)

Dark Moon by ALton Gansky (Suspense)

NeXt Generation Parenting by Tricia Goyer (A fun and real look at Generation X parents)

Please email me your snail mail address and which book you want and I'll send it out to you!

Carnival Time!!!

Portrait of Carnival of Christian Writers, Writing






Go check it out here at Writer...Interrupted.

Have You Ever...

Portrait of Me, Fun, Contests

I just came up with a fun new game. I'm going to list a bunch of things I have done(or have) in my life time. If you have done them also, BOLD them, post them on your site with a link back to the original post, or send it in an email, and the leave a comment. The person with the MOST bolds wins a free book.

Born in the 60's
One younger sister
Growing up my sister was my polar opposite. Prodigal vs. Other Brother.
I was the other brother
I beat up a boy when I was in gradeschool
I lived up in N.Y.
My parents divorced when I was little
I wrote poetry in history class
I was on the volleyball team in Jr. High
I was on the softball team in Jr. High/High school
I wrote for my Highschool paper
I was the sports editor of ny Highschool paper
I tried out for cheerleading
I didn't make the cheerleading squad
I made the dance squad
I played the clarinet in gradeschool
I was nominated for homecoming Queen
I lost to my good friend
I was in my high school plays
I took dance lessons when I was 16
I totaled my mom's car while I had my learners permit
I turned 18 in college
I turned 21 in Nigeria
I studied telecommunications and journalism
I went to school out of states FAR from home
I wrote for my college Newspaper
I became News Editor
I wrote for the year book
I was the social chairman for my floor
I performed a rap song I wrote in front of the Christian group The Imperials.
I had big hair
I still do (but not as big)
I spent 6 months in Africa
Several Africans proposed marriage, I refused
I was on stage with T.L. Osborn and Benson Idahosa for their miracle crusade in Africa.
I scuba dived in Mexico
I scuba dived in Hawaii
I've been to Disney World many times
I love the ocean/beach
I can speak Italian
I spend 6 weeks in Italy
I got to meet my penpal in real life
I have four kids
I have brown hair
I have brown eyes
I have a laptop
I scrapbook
I am way behind in scrapbooking
I rode in a hot air balloon
I get motion sickness easily
I have a half sister
I have a half brother
I have lived in Ohio
I have lived in Washington State
I have lived in Idaho
I have lived in Utah
I have traveled to or through most of the US except the northern most states.
I've vacationed in Whistler, CA
I'm a horrible skier
I've vacationed in Maui
I've vacationed in Cancun
My favorite color is red
I'm reading "Watching the Tree Limbs" right now
In college I only had one roommate
We're still great friends
I'm a sucker for a good musical
and for Little House on the Praire reruns
I cried when Frosty the Snow man died when I was little
I didn't own my first car until after I graduated from college
I waited tables straight out of college
I've worked with troubled kids in a residential treatment center
I sold knives door to door
I sold books door to door
I sold stataionary door to door when I was a kid so I could get cool prizes
My husband is in sales
I hate sales!
I'm running out of interesting things, so for the sake of hoping everyone who reads this can bold this... I'm a blogger!!!

Ho Hum Holidays

Portrait of Holidays, Thanksgiving, Family, Food

Though I'm so very blessed and have many things to be thankful for, I still get down around the holidays. Who wants to cook a huge turkey with all the trimmings for two adults and four finicky kids!

I can probably count on one hand how many times we've spent Thanksgiving with family over the past 15 years. The closest relative is 12 hours by car and we stopped flying to visit family after two kids!

Years ago, when it became obvious that no one was about to reach out to us during the holidays, we decided to reach out to others. Some of our best Thanksgiving dinners were when we invited a dozen or so college student to our home. When my oldest was in first grade he had to write about Thanksgiving and he wrote "After my dad says a very loud prayer, we eat turkey and play football in the backyard with the students."

That was before the university closed down the alumni mentoring program. I have to admit, I feel a little resentful toward the church and friends when it comes time for the holidays. For the past 15 years, it's been known we have no family in town, yet no one has ever invited up to their home for the holidays. I remember one year joining together with another family and making our own Thanksgiving, and when our 80 year old neighbors are in town, we invite them over, but other than that our holidays are just us.

I don't know if holidays aren't such a big deal out here in the midwest, but growing up in a big NY Italian family, holidays were a special time for family and food. I miss the holidays of my childhood and sometimes feel my children are getting robbed of some wonderful holiday memories with extended family.

Living in the upstairs apartment of my grandparent's house in NY, I remember anxiously waiting all day for the cousins and aunts and uncles to arrive. "What time did you say there were coming," I'd ask my mom over and over again. The house was always buzzing with activity as we got ready for company. The aroma of homemade Italian bread and sauce wafted upstairs, calling us to down. My sister and I would scamper downstairs past the large table and into the kitchen where my grandmother fried meatballs. Starving, we'd snatch fried meatballs from the giant dish before all the cousins came for dinner and nibbled black olives off the antipasto tray.

For Thanksgiving, my grandfather's sister and her family always joined us. After stuffing ourselves the boys would play basketball out back and all the girls would sneak upstairs to watch Hans Christian Andersen and Mighty Joe Young. They were on every Thanksgiving and something I always looked forward to.

Food and family! That's what the holidays were all about for me when I was growing up. It makes me sad that my kids don't have that. It makes me sad that Thanksgiving around our house is just another day.

This year I just wasn't into the holiday spirit. No Thanksgiving decorations and I decided to order out instead. We did it once in the past and the food was excellent with plenty of leftovers. But when my husband arrived with the individual Styrofoam take out trays, I got really emotional. "We'd be better off going to the homeless shelter for dinner," I shouted as I dumped my Thanksgiving dinner onto a real plate.

I guess I had expected the same thing as last time. Large tin trays of turkey, mashed potatoes and dressing, and plenty of leftovers. As I looked at the pitiful take out tray, I wondered if our order for five would be enough to feed our family of six?Well, there was enough to feed us all, and some leftovers, though not enough for dinner.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still thankful for a lot of things...

I'm thankful I didn't have to spend the day cooking.

I'm thankful I got to spend the morning in my pajamas (Gracie's still outside playing in hers:) and didn't have to spend hours driving in the car.

I'm thankful there were no dishes to clean since we ate from Styrofoam containers. (Except me who used a real plate)

I'm thankful we actually had family out here several weeks ago and got to experience a pre-holiday gathering. (My mom's the only one who ever comes out here for just a visit. My in-laws come out whenever a baby is born and we're not planning on any more kids. Last year my aunt came out for a bowling tournament!)

Speaking of family. I'm thankful I'm not in the middle of my family's dysfunctional dramas.

I'm thankful we actually have a few leftovers for dinner, though I'm in the mood for pasta and meatballs!

I'm so thankful for my family's love and health and for freedom we have in this country.

I'm thankful for so many things, but I guess during the holidays I miss my family and the holidays of my youth, and can't understand why more people don't reach out to people like us!

So how do you spend your holidays? With extended family, or by yourself?

Celebrating Christ Through the YearThanksgiving

Portrait of Faith, Holidays, Thanksgiving

Many Pilgrims came to this new land looking for religious freedoms and after a year of hardship and many deaths, they stopped to give thanks to God for his provision and bountiful harvest. So while you’re stuffing yourself full of turkey this Thanksgiving, remember all that God has given you.

Also remember the Pilgrims who traveled to a foreign land in order to worship as they see fit. Be thankful you live in a country that gives you this religious freedom and don't forget to pray for those who are persecuted for their faith.

And because all my creativity and energy is spent homeschooling and working on my novel, here are some great posts about Thanksgiving how God works in the our lives! Something we should be truly thankful for!

http://www.5minutesformom.com/faithlifts/2006/11/22/thankful-for-my-country/


http://www.joyfulheart.com/thanksgiving/squanto.htm

http://homesteepedhope.wordpress.com/2006/11/22/thanksgiving-lore/#comment-995

Dependence Day

Wordless Wednesday

Portrait of Fun, Wordless Wednesday

Releasing Your New Purity Part II

Portrait of Expereincing God, Faith

"The love that provides us with a new purity will never astonish us unless it's seen against the bsackdrop of God's raging fury toward sin. When he's viewed almost exclusively as a God of love, we see forgiveness as just part of His job. That leaves His love with no punch for us, no fizz, no sparkle. Assumed Grace can never be transforming Grace."

Wow! Dwight Edwards puts God's love and holiness in a new light. I've been guilty of seeing God as a loving, though distant Father, probably becasue that's what I knew my earthly father to be. I've never really wanted to look at God's holiness and wrath as a part of His true character, but Edwards says, "We must be primed by the blazing holiness of God before His love and forgiveness will be genuinelly life changing."

Then he asks the hardest question of all,

"Are you willing to risk coming to God as He is and not as we would like Him to be?

My answer to this question was this...For me that would mean pleading the blood of Jesus almost every hour because I sin so much in my attitude with my kids and my husband.

What's your answer? What if you came to God as He really is wrath and holiness, love and forgiveness? Seeing God as He is instead of picking the attributes we like like side dishes on a value meal.

Here's a paraphrased analogy for you from Edwards book.

What if you were at the petting zoo and a tame little lamb came up and gave you a lick on the hand. You'd think nothing of it. But what if a ferocious lion, who'd just escaped his cage came tearing off toward you with his mouth looking for his next lunch. Your paralized with fear, and when he's breathe is upon you, he licks your cheek and stands by your side.

Which lick would mean more to you?

The sacrifice of Jesus the peaceful lamb will never be appreciated to its full extent unless at first He's seen as the roaring lion.

Party On!

Portrait of Fun, Birthday, Contests

Thanks to e-mom at Chrysalsis the party's back on, and she's got a jump on an old party game, so I say let's go for it again. This time follow e-mom's lead and number your own comments! The one who has the most comments by Sunday at noon is the winner!

I'll be giving away another book!!!

Calling All Party Poopers

Portrait of Fun, Contests, Birthdays

Okay, seems like my little birthday celebration is sizzling! Where's the noise makers, where are the parctical jokes, where are the presents. I still have two books waiting to be given away!!!! I'll give everyone one more week to get into the partying spirit.

Leave your questions for me in the comment section and if you have a brilliant idea for a contest, let me know because I have one more book to give away.

Releasing Your New Purity Part I

Portraits of Faith, Experiencing God,

Week five of Experiencing Christ Within explores the gifts of God given to us freely through Christ by faith. The first one is purity. And I can't say it any better than Dwight Edwards...

"The Christian life isn't hard; it's flat impossible. It becomes possible only when God injects His fullness into His people's hearts-which is exactly what he's done in the New Covenant...The divine cleansing that God provides in the New Covenant-a new purity for which only God can receive credit-is the starting point for living out our Christianity...So what does this new purity mean for us? Why is it so important?

Edwards goes on to explain that if we want to appreciate our desperate need for this new purity, we must see God as He really is, not how we think He is!

Pop Quiz...If you were going to describe God to someone who's never heard of Him before what would you say? Maybe words like "loving Father" or "Best Friend" might be used to describe God. Though this is absolutely true about God, it is usually not a person's first encounter with the Creator of the Universe.

In Romans, Paul describes God as being a Holy and Righteous Judge. Check it out...Romans 1:18; 2:2-5; 3:5-6,19. Go ahead. I'll wait.

Edwards say, "One of the most common of these images is that of God who's only love and kindness, a kind of deified Mister Rogers. God is love, but that isn't all God is or all He's capable of. It's a shock for many believers to discover that His most fundamental attribute is not love but holiness-a perfect holiness that is the source of His righteous wrath.

The Bible shows us in many instances that those who encounter God for the first time, never run to him for a great big hug. Instead, because of God's holiness, they fall at His feet or quake in His presence. Don't believe me? Just ask Isaiah (6:1-5), Ezekiel (1:26-28), and Daniel (10:4-9) to name a few.

Take a moment to think about how you view God and ponder these thoughts until part II.

John White says, "We Christians are idolaters...We may not carve Him [God] out of wood, but we do try to forget the uncomfortable parts of Him and shape Him in to our own personal comfort

Ouch, anyone else feel the sting of this truth in their own lives?

Lord, help us see all of you! Not just the parts that are easy to embrace, but the truth of who You are, holiness, wrath and all. For when we truly see you as You are, then the weight of Your love and son's sacrifice will have a powerful impact in our lives. Because the thought of a God who is so holy, reaching out to a sinful race and sacrificing His only son, sends a powerful message of a loving God. Thank you!

Forty-Eight

Portrait of Books, Fun, Meme

Found this reading challenge (if that's what you'd call it) on Jennifer's blog. I didn't do as well as she did, but I have a lot of the books listed on my book shelf. Surprisingly enough, most of the books I read with my kids while homeschooling.

The Rules: Mark the selections you have read in bold. If you liked it, add a star (*) in front of the title, if you didn't, give it a minus (-).

Then, put the total number of books you've read in the subject line.My comments are in italics. If I couldn't really remember loving it, I didn't star it, but I starred books that are memorable in one way or another.

*Charlotte's Web by E. B. White (Read this last year with the kids)
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
*Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
*The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
*Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (This was my all time favorite as a kid, yet I haven't read it much with my own kids. I'm afraid it would give them nightmares. Though I think this book helped me stand up to the monsters in my dreams. Literally, I would be chased by a monster in my dream as a kid and then stop and turn around and say, "I'm not afraid of you. This is just a dream.")
*Love You Forever by Robert N. Munsch (This one still makes me cry)
*The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (This one makes me cry also)
*The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls (Saw the movie:)
The Mitten by Jan Brett
*Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
*The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
*Where the Sidewalk Ends: the Poems and Drawing of Shel Silverstein by Shel Silverstein
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
Oh, The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss
Strega Nona by Tomie De Paola
*Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? by Bill Martin, Jr.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (Saw the movie)
*The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (my son read this one, and we saw the movie)
*How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by John Archambault
*Little House on the Prarie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (Saw the movie)
The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne (Never made it all the way through this one)
*The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks (This is on our reading list this year, and loved the movie)
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell (We did a literature study on this last year and rented the movie)
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
The BFG by Roald Dahl
The Giver by Lois Lowry
*If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff
-James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (I remember loving this as a kid, but when I read it to my kids, there were some disturbing parts and language)
*Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien (I tried to read this numerous times. I wanted to read it. I just could never get into it. Maybe now since I've seen the movies I could?, dittoing Jennifer's sentiments.)
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by Robert C. O'Brien
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (Remember trying to get through this as a kid, never made it all the way through.)
*The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
*Corduroy by Don Freeman
Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg (Loved the movie)
Math Curse by Jon Scieszka
Matilda by Roald Dahl
Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls (Love the movie. Have the book!)
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
*Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary (Could have read this. Not sure.)
The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White (Also on our reading list)
*Are You My Mother? by Philip D. Eastman
*The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (Great book for Math lovers!)
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
The Napping House by Audrey Wood
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (On our reading list. Loved the movie)
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (Have the book, saw the movie:)
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery (Have the series, loved the movie)
Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss
Basil of Baker Street, by Eve Titus
*The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
The Cay by Theodore Taylor
Curious George by Hans Augusto Rey
Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox
Arthur series by Marc Tolon Brown (I haven't read all of them, but my fair share)
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
*Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder
*The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton (LOVE this one)
The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar
*Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (Saw the movie)
*A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater
My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
Stuart Little by E. B. White
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
The Art Lesson by Tomie De Paola
Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
Clifford, the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell
Heidi by Johanna Spyri
Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss
The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare (On our reading list)
The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
*Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert N. Munsch

I'm adding some more to the list, but not tallying them in the numbers.

*One Foot, Now the Other by Tomie DePaola
*Clown of God by Tomie DePaola
*Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
*One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey
*Sam the Minute Man by Nathanel Benchley
*George the Drummer Boy by Nathanel Benchley
*Red Fox and His Canoe by Nathanel Benchley

(I'll probably add more to the list as I remember them!)


I would love to know how some of my well-read friends fare, so if you want to take it up, please do, and let me know in the comments. And feel free to add your favorites to the end of the list.

Evolution of Gracie's Sleep Part III

Portrait of Family, Grace, Sleep, Kids

Though I managed to get Gracie back into her own bed, she still had some apprehension. I don't know how I did it, but I won the battle to keep the light off, yet she insisted the door stay open with the hall light blaring into her room. So I obliged.

Then the requests came..."Check on me two times mom. "

"Sure, thing sweetie." So after a while I'd check on her once and give her a little kiss. "One more time to go," she'd say.

Then it progressed to "Check on my three times."

"Sure." And I checked on her a couple of times and sometimes waited until she fell asleep before I checked on her for the third time.

Some nights bedtime went smoothly, other times she'd crawl out of bed several times to remind me to check on her. Then she upped the anti.

"Check on me four times."

"No, Grace. Two time."

"Okay, fine! Three times!"

My four-year-old had become a haggler. (Next time I go to a garage sale I'll have to remember to take her along.)

So, I agreed. "I'll check on you three times."

When I have the energy, going all the way upstairs to check on my sleeping beauty is fun. I love her little smile and kisses and when she says "Two more times to go." It's so precious how she longs for me.

On days when I'm too tired, I don't always check on her until after she's asleep. But even then I give her a tender kiss and tell her how much I love her.

Has she been cured of her night time wanderings? No. She still winds up in our bed even though we have the "only during a thunderstorm" rule. Usually she crawls on my full bladderI hear her come in and climb in our bed in the middle of the night, other times I secretly wish she would. Last night I woke up to start the day and there she was. Right smack in the middle of my bed. I didn't even hear her come in.

And these are the times I treasure and hold dear to my heart because one day I know she'll be too big to crawl in bed with me!

Evolution of Gracie's Sleep Part II

Portrait of Family, Grace, Sleep, Kids

I didn't notice it at first, but that's when her sleep habits began to go from good to worse. Suddenly she wanted me by her side when she went to sleep. Before the tongue biting incident, she had a routine down pat.

One book. A kiss and a hug. Music on. Lights out and blow a kiss at the door. That's it! No complaints. No requests for water and it didn't matter if my husband or I put her to bed. As long as she had her routine and her fingers to suck, she was okay.

Night after night, I sat by her side, exhausted and trying to get her to fall asleep. If Super Nanny had known what I had resorted to, she'd be pounding down my door offering intervention.

First I sat by her side night after night, wanting to comfort and nurture my little girl. Then sleep deprivation took over and I resorted to Super Nanny tactics. I moved across the room and refused to look at her when she called me. Then a wise friend told me to use the "I have to go to the bathroom and I'll be right back," tactic. I did hoping she'd fall asleep and it worked...for a while.

Then she had this sudden fear of the dark. I don't know what triggered it, but after a couple of nights I knew it was real. Each evening I had to tie her closet doors shut so that the monsters stayed in there. Yet, she wasn't appeased until the light stayed on ALL night. The only trouble with that is it took her two hours to fall asleep.

I'm not sure how long that lasted, but I got really tired checking on her every ten minutes because she was making too much noise. Though the events of those sleep deprived months have grown hazy, I know wemust have resorted to letting her sleep in our bed all night. In fact, I let her fall asleep in our bed while I typed in the dark. My goal was to get her used to the dark again. And it worked, though sometimes she still had fear of the dark and would slip into our bed at night.

What's Gracie doing now? Sleeping, thank God, but she's got a new routine! Hope this one won't last either!

Fall into Reading Update

Portrait of Books



Well, it seems like things are going slowly on the reading front! Though I did stay up until two in the morning last night and finshed My Life As a Doormat this afternoon while my babysitter did my laundry and read Pilgrims Progess to the kids. Boy, I had lofty goals this fall, but my official Fall into reading ends after Christmas, so it still may be doable!

Non-fiction:

The Mom I Want to be by Suzie Eller
Heartfelt Discipline by Clay Clarkson

Fiction:

My goal for fiction is to read what I'm hoping to write and also some of the books by the new author friends I met at ACFW.

Abduction by Wanda Dyson
Distant Echoes by Colleen Coble
Invitation to Murder by Elizabeth Bright
My Life as a Doormat by Rene Gutteridge
Watching the Tree Limbs by Mary E. DeMuth
Wishing on Dandelions by Mary E. DeMuth
The Wedding Caper by Janice A. Thompson

Bible study:

I'm currently working on this one and hope to finish it before Christmas.

Expereincing Christ Within by Dwight Edwards

Read-alouds: This will encompass different people(mom, dad, babysitter, big kids) reading aloud to different kids.

Little Pilgrims's Progress by Helen Taylor
The Sign of the Beaver Unit Study by Elizabeth George Speare
Stink the Amazing Shrinking Kid
The Boxcar Children #1

To see all the participants and to visit their Fall Into Reading Challenge lists, click HERE. I'll be making the rounds and checking out all the reading lists later today. Can't wait!

Throwing in the Homeschool Towel

Portraits of Homeschooling

So I did it again! I called dear ol'hubby and begged him to send the kids to school, and I think this time I mean it. I've battled horrible attitudes for two and a half years and things have only gotten a little better.

What sparked this, you ask? My middle boy would not take his cold medicine. After spending close to $50 on "focus" vitamins and respiratory medicine in LIQUID form because he WON'T swallow pills, he flat out refuses to swallow the yucky smelling liquid. So I flat out refused him lunch until he did. The only problem is I knew he needed food because he gets really irrational when his blood sugar drops and there's no talking to the kid. So I offered to compromise. I said he could eat candy first to help the taste. NO deal. I asked him to come up with a solution. Still he wouldn't budge.

He made it through a science lesson without eating, and things were fine, until he got hungry again. He started whinning, and I offered him the medicine again. More fits of whininess and that's when I called hubby AT WORK, asking him to play principal. He couldn't tear himself away and that's when I said, "send him to public school."

Well, after that I finally allowed him to eat. I really don't think homeschooling should be a daily battle and that's what it's been for two and a half years. I've had to go to the doctor for stress related problems and as much as I would love to have the perfect homeschool (or at least a sometimes happy and peaceful homeschool where kids want to learn occassionally and are on task every once in a while and who occassionally go off on an educational tangent of further study.) But my homeschool is NOT like that and sometimes I wonder if they'd be better off in school.

They're very smart and their test score are way above average, so that's really not the problem. It's the daily grind of dealing with all the behavioral stuff!!!

So I'm seriously considering enrolling them in school next semester.

But that's what I said last year, and the year before that! Bottom line is I want what's best for EVERYONE!! Now I just need to try and get over the guilt if I do decide to enroll them in school.

What's your take on it? Has ANYONE ever been in my situation? Should I get over the guilt and just say at least I tried, or hang on a little bit longer?

UPDATE on the Cold Medicine incident: Hubby took one whiff of the nasty stuff and didn't blame our son for refusing it. Oh, well! Lost that battle and his cold seems to be getting better on his own. Thanks for everyone's wonderful comments and encouragement. We're still praying about next year!

The Evolution of Gracie's Sleep Part 1

Portrait of Family, Grace, Sleep, Kids

My children have always been great sleepers! Like their mom, most of the kids liked to sleep in until nine or so once they hit toddlerhood. Even my youngest, Grace was a great sleeper, never barging in on us in the middle of the night, until the day we thought we kicked her finger sucking habit!

I had gone out on an errand, and had called my husband and who couldn't talk at the moment because Gracie had bite her tongue. In the background I heard cries coming from my three year old. They weren't just, "I've fallen down and I kiss will make it all better" cries. They were blood curdling, full blown wails.

I tried not to worry and prayed she'd be okay! Then I arrived home and I saw the blood. All Grace wanted was for me to hold her and make it all better. So I tried, but the gash in her mouth was so big and ugly we thought she might need stitches. After several calls and differing opinions, we opted for no stitches. Eventually the motrin kicked in and she settled, but she couldn't comfort herself by sucking her fingers, and she woke up during the night several times.

That's when our sleeping beauty turned into a waking nightmare. To be continued...

Holiday Stress Weighing You Down?

Portrait of Wordless Wednesday, Stress



Check out this: Holiday cookies made easy!

Embracing My Destiny

Portrait of Faith, Writing, Family, Writing Moms
Reposted from March 7, 2006

What is my destiny?

I have always thought my destiny was to write and be published. And I still do, but I’m beginning to see that God can have more than one destiny for your life and for different seasons in your journey.

Here’s what Paula Moldenhauer has to say about Embracing the Destiny…

"So he will do for me all he has planned. He controls my destiny.” Job 23:14 (NLT)
Every woman (and man) has a destiny. As the queen, joined to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, our destiny has eternal impact.

For some of us, our destiny includes the shaping of little Princes and Princesses. Some of you have written about your experiences as Queen Mother. Often this task stretches you beyond anything else you’ve done. May I encourage you to catch a far-reaching vision for this calling?

As you love each child, the Father is pouring into her the ability to receive His love. As you pray over your child, those prayers are a fragrance reaching to heaven, calling forth heavenly assistance and blessing into his life. And every day you speak destiny into that child as you encourage his gifts, tell her of Jesus, and reveal to him his worth as God’s own prince.
It is within this destiny that generations are shaped. It is from this seed that grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be born and nurtured. The Queen Mother shapes the future of the world.

The season of Queen Mother never ends for those called to it. Though someday it will require less focus and time, it will never require less love or fewer prayers.
Embrace your destiny as Queen Mother. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and show you how to serve in this most honored position. Let Him give you rest and rejuvenation when the task seems too big.

And never, ever forget that this destiny is one of great worth to the King. This is one of His most favored positions, for He, Himself compares His love to that of a mother, promising to care for us as a mother cares for her nursing baby.

Many of you who receive this devotional have embraced a destiny as Royal Scribe. It is not an easy task, for the words of the King must be shaped according to His will and given to others in His way and time. If He has poured that passion within you, embrace it with abandon. Do not be deterred by rejection letters, harsh critiques, or naysayers. Write from your passion. Write the unique truth the Lord has given you. He has called you and chosen you for this position.

But remember, the King is charge. Be putty in His hand. Let His scepter point the way on the journey. If He asks you to refocus your attention to something He wants written, do it! If He wants to refine your character instead of sending you a paycheck, let Him! If He chooses to use a different scribe to share the message you wanted to share, rejoice that His message goes forth!
Ask the Holy Spirit to make you resilient and alive. Don’t let the struggle or the disappointments shut down your heart. Write. Feel. Live your destiny as a Royal Scribe!

Other destinies include Royal Teacher, Royal Chef, Manager of Accounts, Shepherd, Assembler, Artist, Banker, Checker . . . the list is as endless as the ways in which you serve. Serve well. Let those with whom your life intersects experience the love of Jesus.

Serve in kindness and integrity. Ask the Lord to empower you to act like royalty when the customer is a jerk, the boss is a fraud or the children whine. Let the Holy Spirit refine you and blossom you that you may make the world a better place by your contributions.

Many destinies have nothing to do with job or position. He’s asking some of you to embrace your destiny of Loving Spouse to a wounded husband or wife, while others are called to sit at the feet of the Groom and worship, taking your eyes off of your responsibilities and simply discovering His love.

Whatever your destiny, be encouraged. The Lord is in charge. He will do all He has planned for you. He controls your future."

If you were blessed by this devotion, I encourage you to sign up for Paula devotional or visit her website at http://www.soulscents.us

Thanks Paula, it was just what I needed!

Book Give-a-Ways

Portrait of Contests, Books

Okay, here's the next challenge and the next book give-a-way!

Name at least FOUR new things you see in my side bar. If you get them right, I will put your name in a drawing for the two books Jennifer didn't choose! (I know, I know I have yet to mail them out, but hey, they're free and ask Mary Haven, you eventually get your books!)

Plus Tricia Goyer's awesome and hip parenting book Generation Next Parenting is still up for grabs. All you have to do is comment and tell me why you need THAT book!

Fall Foto Fun: State Fair

Portrait of Fun, Fair, Photos, Family

Holiday Cookies Made Easier

Portrait of WFMW, Holidays, Stress, Food, Cookies

Last year when I took a plate of Christmas cookies to my daughter's preschool teacher I was surprised by her comment.

"Thank you. Not many people give homemade Christmas cookies anymore. It seems to be a lost art around."

That made me sad to hear that so many people forego this holiday tradition. Growing up my mom always filled shoeboxes of cookies for neighbors, relatives and friends. It was her gift to them. And they'd come to expect it every year and cherish their favorite cookie recipes.

I have to admit I don't bake nearly as much as she still does. One of the reasons is that it's too stressful cooking with four kids underfoot and trying to do everything else for Christmas. But if you still want to bake and give those holiday cookies without the stress, here are some great ideas that have helped me.

Start baking now!!! Pies, cookies, sweet breads are all freeze great!! So don't be afraid to freeze them. I usually freeze holiday cookies (and cookies throughout the year) for those unexpected guests! Then I just pull them out and let them defrost!

Organize a cookie exchange!!!This is the BEST way to do the least amount of work and get the most variety of cookies. Invite your friends over to a cookie exchange party. Then have everyone bake a couple of dozen of one or two varieties of their favorite cookies. On the day of the party, break out the Christmas eggnog and coffee, scented candles and music and arrange all the cookies on the dining room table. You can even have everyone bring their favorite snack to share at the party.

Make sure everyone brings and empty container to take home cookies. Then after you visit for a while, start revolving around the table grabbing 3-4 cookies of each variety. If you brought 3 dozen cookies, you take home 3 dozen. If you brought 2 dozen, then you leave with two dozen.

Then take them home and enjoy. I usually share my goodies with teachers and friend. They don't have to know you didn't bake them all!

Cookies in a Jar!!! This has been my standard teacher's gift for the last couple of years. It is so easy to do, and everyone loves to make their own cookies without all the measuring and the mess. You can make them months ahead of time, so start saving those applesauce, mayo and tomato sauce jars now!
Here's some recipes to get you started. You may have to cut the recipes in half for smaller jars! Don't be afraid to change up the ingredients and get creative!

Next week I'm starting a new tradition! Thanksgiving cookies! I'm going to bake and deliver my cookies and breads early. Why? For one thing, the teachers won't be expecting goodies at Thanksgiving time. Plus it'll lesson the stress for me when it comes time for Christmas!

For more ideas on “Holidays made Easier," visit Eileen aka Cybercelt at CoolAdzine.

For more great Christmas idea visit Rocks in My Dryer!

Celebrating Christ Through the YearVeteran's Day

Portrait of Holidays, Veteran's Day, Faith, Celebrating Christ

I'm starting a new series today called Celebrating Christ Through the Year. I wrote this article years ago, yet never really implemented it in my own family. I hope to do so this time around. I'm starting before the New Year so we can share some of the wonderful ideas for the holidays!

Celebrating Jesus Throughout the Year
By Gina Conroy
Copyright 2000

There’s nothing like a celebration to break the monotony of the daily grind. What kid or adult doesn’t long for opening presents on Christmas morning or hunting for eggs at Easter. Sometimes the true meanings of the holidays get lost in the excitement of the celebrations. With Christmas and Easter it’s easy to find the spiritual meaning behind each holiday, but have you ever imagined you could celebrate Jesus on St. Patrick’s Day or Memorial Day? If you really try, it’s not hard to see Jesus is every holiday. Here are some suggestions to help you celebrate Jesus throughout the year.

Veteran’s Day: On this day we remember those, past and present, who made a commitment to defend and protect our country and our lives. Sometimes it's hard for kids to really grasp the meaning of this day of rememberance, but you can take the opportunity to strengthed their faith. Pray for those fighting for our country and for the families of those who have lost loved ones to war. Pray for peace and pray for leaders of our nation.

Then share with them that although they may not be able to fight for America, their can enlist in God’s Army. Make this day special by putting on the armor of God (Galatians 6:13-18). Pledge loyalty to Jesus and talk about how you can fight in His army. You can even take this time to talk about the ways the enemy likes to attack.

Be creative and role play, and Veterans Day will always be a day they remember!

Mondays Story Challenge

Portrait of Contests, Writing

Drumroll please............... Thanks to all those who participated. All FOUR of you. Come on, I have to have more readers then FOUR who are willing to stretch their writing wings. Heck, this is a writer's blog, isn't it.

Well, here's the short story!!!

Gina's heart thudded against her ribs. The noises in the dark grew louder by the second. She wiped the sweat from her brow and checked the review mirror. Suddenly she slammed on her brakes and gasped. Fear chocked the breath from her lungs. There in the road was a chicken, and she asked the chicken, "Why are you crossing the road?"

And the chicken said "Bok bok", and continued running in terror down the road.
Gina looked up and saw a gigantic dead deer, and feasting upon its entrails was the most horrifying beast she had ever seen.

It raised its heavy head for a moment and she realized it saw her. She had to turn around. She needed to run, but her legs had turned to lead, and her heart burned like acid in her chest.

Wake up! Wake up, Gina! But it was no use. The coma made it so she could not scream out. She could not open her eyes. She was trapped inside the continual nightmare.

No one was sure if she knew it, but her family was there right beside her. Her husband wasn't sure what he would do if she didn't snap out of it. She did so much for the family. She was a fun and creative mom, dedicated to homeschooling, while trying to fulfill her dream of becoming a published novelist.

If only she would wake up!

Great job everyone!

Carnival of Christian Writers Latest Information!

Portrait of Writing, Carnival of Christian Writers

How Many Days Until Christmas?

Portrait of Christmas, Waiting

It's started already! The Christmas Wreaths on lamp posts. The seasonal merchandise in stores and those darn Saturday morning cartoons toy commercials which turn even the most angelic kids into screaming Gimme Monsters.

A commercial break doesn't go by without Grace yelling from the playroom, "Mommy I want Trinity doll" or "Mommy, I want that Ariel doll with the fins that light up."

Earlier this week I tried to instill the importance of giving instead of getting to my kids. We had our Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes all packed, and I wanted to have them pray for the kids who would be receiving them.

That was the plan. Then Grace saw the dollar store pony in one of the boxes and turned into the screaming Gimme Monster. It turned into a full blown fit. I told her this poor child would only get this one box for Christmas. That didn't phase my four year old who had obviously already been brainwashed at her young life that no matter how much she had, she always needed more.

Then my older two got into an arguement, and I emotionally wigged out at my children's lack of compassion for others and each other.

My morning plan backfired and I set aside our little project, but I was determined to try again. Yesterday, I pulled the boxes back out again and Grace's attitude had turned around 100%! She had no problem giving away the pony, and I was reassured that my children did have giving hearts.

Now if I can just keep them away for those Saturday morning cartoons.

What We Learned Today

Portraits of Homeschool, Community

Community Service

God wants us to reach out to people in need:



Today we took Susan, my old college friend, her favorite meal for her 40th birthday. The boys wrote a Jesus rap and put on a show for her. Then they did some magic tricks and we ate cake and sang happy birthday.
HAPPY 40th Susan!!!!


Science
That paper and plastic float!

Today Timmy and Grace spent the afternoon in their bathing suits in the bathtubs with homemade paper boats Joey made at McDonald's happy meal boxes. Then after some errands, Grace decided to put a straw sail on a blow up boat and Timmy made a boat out of tape. He was so excited when he discover his boat made out of tape could float. Then he experimented with pieces of paper and that floated as well.

Home Economics

Cooking with kids doesn't actually mean YOU to cook with kids!

I let my babysitter make cookies with the kids today, and I got to reap the yummy benefits, though I really shouldn't have!

Procrastination and Concentration

That my oldest son can spend four hours in his room doing his school work and still not get everything done!

What I learned

That sometimes the best homeschool days are when you're not really doing school at all! And my homeschool helper/babysitter gives me a much needed break! Thanks, Leah!

Wish I could have more days like this.

Editors Speak Out

Portrait of Writing, Editors, Interviews

If you ever wanted to know what goes on inside an editors head and how you can be a better writer, then check these out. And these are two of my favorite "tell it like it is" people in the business!

Interview with Karen Ball, author and editor.

Interview with Mick Silva of Waterbrook

CWO

Portrait of CWO, Contests


"For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ,
in them that are saved, and in them that perish."
~ 2 Corinthians 2:15 ~

CWO has been a tremendous blessing to so many woman and their walk with Christ! Now they are wanting to bless us even more. Here's what they're doing.

To recognize the members of our blogroll, CWO would like to honor the women who each in their own unique ways have been a sweet savour unto God, and to other women in the blogosphere.

We'd like to recognize these women by hosting our first blog of the year awards which serves to honor women in several categories. This is your chance as bloggers to know that you're appreciated, and your chance as readers to show your appreciation by casting a vote.

Nominations will take place between now and November 20th at 11:59 pm central time, at which time, we will tally the nominations to find the three blogs in each category that have received the most nominations. Anyone is free to vote, but the awards will only be given to members of the CWO blogroll. Feel free to nominate someone in each category. You may vote for the same blog in several categories, but only one vote/category will be accepted.

The categories are as follows:

Best Friend Award
Someone that you deem as friendly--reaching out to those around her.

Most Joyful Among Us Award
Illuminates joy through her posts. Has a "glass-half-full" attitude.

Best Home Maker Award
Exhibits above average homemaking skills, with a love for the work she does in her home.

The Better Half Award
Shows a reverent respect for her husband, and delights in her marriage.

Most Humorous Award
Has a knack for wit, and the ability to find humor in her everyday life.

Best Group Blog
Has the best team of bloggers who inspire us with their words

Best Mommy Award
A mommy who joys in the job of raising little ones for the Lord.

Best Home School Award
Makes homeschooling something to be desired.

Best Scrapbooker Award
Designs and exhibits beautiful scrapbooking lo's.

Artistic Blog Skin Award
Has a blog design that stands out as unique from the rest.

And, our most favored award will be:

The Unified Heart Award
One who strives to unify the body of Christ through love, encouragement, and an always open heart. She is unto God a sweet savor of Christ.

You can find the CWO blog roll by clicking here

Please send your nominations to: editor@christianwomenonline.net

Go here for more details.

I've already started making my list of favorites! Please consider being a blessing to someone else today by voting!

Generation NeXt by Tricia Goyer

Portraits of Books, Parenting

Tricia Goyer has written more than 250 published article, hundreds of Bible study notes, two nonfiction books, four novels and one children's book. She's a Generation Xer who, along with her husband, is raising three kids. Tricia doesn't tell you how it should be done, but through the voices of other moms in our generation, she shares wisdom and encouragement for Generation X parents.

And with chapter title from the 80's like Time After Time, Hard Habit to Break, Forever Young, I'll Stand by You, White Wedding,Danger Zone,Keeping the Faith you'll not only be encourage in your parenting, but you'll be transported back in time when you didn't have kids.

Read the first chapter here. and stay Tuned for details on how you can win this book!!!

The Story Behind the Book: Q & A
With Tricia Goyer


Q: What was the impetus to write Generation NeXt Parenting?

A: It all started when I was at a parenting meeting last year. Most of the other mothers were older than me. (Sigh, I had my first son when I was 17 in 1989. Most mothers with the same age kids are ten years older.) Anyway, they were talking about "all the young mothers these days . . . they want everything for their kids and don't know when to stop." They went on and on, but I can't remember it all. I just remember thinking, That's me they're talking about, and they don't get me at all!

When I got home, I started looking up everything I could find about how different generations raise kids differently. Amazingly, I found there are many, many differences. So I talked to my agent, and mentioned I wanted to write a book specifically for Gen X parents. I wanted to talk about our unique needs--not as an expert, but as one of them. I wrote up a proposal in a few week's time. A few months later I had a contract offer. I felt God's hand all over me as I wrote (fast). And, it's a miracle, but about 14 months after I got the idea the book is on store shelves. Is that God, or what?!

Q: Why Gen X?

A: More than 44 million Generation Xers live in the United States today. This group is bound to have a strong influence, not only on society as a whole, but more specifically, on the next generation—our children. There’s no denying that the world is a vastly different place from the one we grew up in, and we are faced with a whole new set of parenting challenges our predecessors could never have fathomed. But Gen Xers have proven we have the passion and drive to excel in childrearing. This book is to help with that.

Q: How are Gen Xers different?

A: As a Gen Xer who graduated from high school in 1989, the way I parent is unique from the generations who’ve gone before me. Personally, I want to do it all—find God’s purpose in my life, impact my community, support my spouse, and provide my children every opportunity available to them. My generation is serious about parenting—just look at all we expect from our children and ourselves!

Q: If you could tell people in two sentences what this book is about, what would you say?

A: This book offers solutions to our unique questions and confirms that we can ‘parent right’—even if it looks nothing like the way our own parents did it. More importantly, this book focuses on seeking God’s Word and wisdom for answers to growing a new generation of God-seekers.

Q: Can you give me a hint of why Gen Xers raise their kids differently than their parents?

A: There are plenty of reasons Gen Xers turned out the way we did. Here are some biggies:
• More of our moms entered the workforce.
• More of our parents divorced.
• Either we were sexually promiscuous or we had friends who were.
• When it came to drugs and alcohol, it was pretty easy to get our hands on them.
• We don’t remember prayer as a part of school.
• We do remember every episode of The Cosby Show, and oftentimes we related more to that family than our own.
• We remember the first video we saw on MTV, and musicians like Bruce Springsteen, Tiffany, and Billy Idol were our, uh, idols.
Of course, I could go on, but this book wasn’t written just to reminisce about “the good ol’ days.” It’s about understanding who we are as a generation and why we became the parents we are today. More than that, it’s about taking our good qualities…and discovering how to parent better, for God’s glory.

Q: If you could pray one prayer for Gen X parents, what would it be?

A: Ephesians 1:16–21, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION
“I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people.

“I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else in the world or in the world to come. Amen.”

Visit Tricia's website, blog and Generation X blog

And now for the book give-a-way! I will be picking the most desperate parent who really NEEDS this book. So get creative, get busy and get commenting!!!

Prayer Request for Lucas

Portrait of Prayer

I got this prayer request from a relative and thought I'd pass it on to all the wonderful prayer warriors out there.

Hi, I need a little help here. Could you put one of our soccer players was hit by a car the other day while riding his bike. He went through the wind shield of the car. It was a real bad accident. He came through surgery well, but has a long road ahead of him. He has five broken vertebrae in his back and now has a rod. He will be in a full body cast for two to three months. They are not sure what type of injury his brain has received or if any of it will be permanent. His name is Lucas Rand.

Thanks for the prayers!

The ABC Car Ride Game

Portrait of WFMW , Fun

We started playing this game in the car a couple of months ago, and I don't know why we haven't played it sooner! It's a great argument and back seat bumping diffuser, and even helps the youngest ones recognize their ABC's.

Start out looking for road signs with the letter "A". You can either have each child find an "A" or have one person find the "A" then move on to the letter "B." The problem with the second way is that the older kids almost always find the letters first. Keep it up intil you get to the end of the alphabet!

Today when my youngest two started to argue over something, I just said, "Can anyone find an "A?" They immediately forgot their argument and the game kept them busy all the way to and from picking up my older boys.

Even my 9 and 12 year old got into the spirit of the game!

Try it out, it just might work for you.

For more great tips check out Rocks in My Dryer.

Blog Envy

Portrait of Letting Go, Writing, Blogging

It just doesn't matter! It just doesn't matter! It just doesn't matter!

There I feel better now that I've got my priorities straight and know that it doesn't really matter how many people read, or comment, or link to me ! What matters is that I'm true to myself and the vision God has given me!

And anyway all my creative genius is tied up in a mystery novella because I'M WRITING AGAIN!

Still it's my birthday month and all I wanted was [slap] okay, I think I'll stop now!

Confessions of a Sinner Saved by Grace

Portrait of Faith, Forgiveness, Sin

Sometimes I feel like I'm just dripping with sin and no matter how God sees me and forgives me, I will never get that unconditional forgiveness from the ones I have wronged.

Sometimes I step outside myself and see myself behaving horribly, and I don't have the power to stop it.

Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed and question my abilities as a mom, homeschooler, wife, writer and just want to quit trying.

Sometimes I'm afraid to look at myself in the mirror for fear that I'll be the same as I was yesterday.

Sometimes I feel so hypocritical as I talk the talk (very loudly I might add), yet stumble and fall on my face as I walk.

To all those I have wronged and offended in my life and for those to come, I am truly sorry.

All the time God forgives!

Monday Party Game

Portrait of Fun, Contests

Okay, who wants to play! I thought it would be fun to make up a story about "ME!" I know I could really get in trouble with this, but hey, I can always DELETE your comments! [insert evil laugh HERE]

So here it goes...I'll start the story and then YOU'll continue the story in the comment section. Then at the end of the week, I'll post the entire thing! And remember this is fiction and a family friendly blog!

[swallowing hard!] Ready... here we go.

Gina's heart thudded against her ribs. The noises in the dark grew louder by the second. She wiped the sweat from her brow and checked the review mirror. Suddenly she slammed on her brakes and gasped. Fear chocked the breath from her lungs. There in the road...

Gotta Love Grace

Portrait of Grace, Fun


Just a glimpse of what I've heard from my princess this last week:

"Please or please. I'll give you twenty dollars when I grow up!"

I touched Jedi's little ballies. Eeww! Do I have to wash my hands? Eeww, Bleck! Do I have to wash my hands three times?"

After riding a real camel at a church's Family Fun Night on October 31, Grace runs up to me and says, "I touched the camel's BIG butt!"

While on a nature walk around the neighborhood, I made up a song to the tune of "who are the people in our neighborhood..." Instead I changed the words to "What are the leaves in our neighborhood?" Grace joins in with her own song and tunejumpingng over bird poop in the street..."

Grace is playing in her bed. She should be sleeping, but instead I hear this..."You're a butt head! Na na na na na na! They're coming! Attack."

And on a morsolemnem note, today the bad guys were nailing her three princess Barbie dolls to the cross. But don't despair, the Rescue Heroes came and pulled out the nails.

Have I mentioned this kid is hilarious!

And The Winner is...

Portrait of Contests, Books

Jennifer at Snapshot. It was really close between Beck and Jennifer, but Jennifer pulled it out in the end.

Your choice of books...

Troubled Waters by Rene Gutteridge (Women's fiction)

Dark Moon by Alton Gansky (suspense)

Distant Echoes by Colleen Coble (Romantic Suspense)

Send me your mailing address and I'll try to get it out on Monday!

Thanks to EVERYONE for their comments and questions!

Prodigal or the Other Brother?

Portrait of Faith, Forgiveness, Sin

Which one are you? Are you the prodigal who after demanding his inheritance from his father went out and squandered it all on "wild living." Or are you the older brother whose jealousy consumed him when the prodigal returned?

I identify more with the older brother, and ironically my sister is the prodigal. But in God's eyes we're both the same.

This is how I started this post a month or so ago, and I was going to share on how God sees our sins all the same, and welcomes everyone back into the family who repents, no matter what they have done. Though the message would have been sound, today at church the pastor took the story of the prodigal one step further and I was blessed and enlightened. This is what I got out of it…

Today at church the pastor talked about the recent fall of a prominent Christian leader and how the rest of the Christian community has a choice to welcome the prodigal back home for healing and restoration, or stand in the cross roads, judging and condemning him.

What was especially heart warming about this sermon was that my pastor spoke from “fallen” experience. Though his sins were different, his brokenness was similar. He touched on the fact though God sees sin as sin, there are those sins that truly devastate a person and leave him wallowing in the muck and mire of condemnation and despair. Though God welcomes this type of sinner back into the fold, this type of sinner really needs restoration, not condemnation.

He posed this question. What if the other brother had met the prodigal in the road before the father? Since I identify with the other brother, I can imagine what would have happened.

There would be an “I told you so”, some blaming mixed in with condemnation and the prodigal would have slumped off, defeated back to the pig pen. I’m so glad the father met him on the road first!

When my pastor was contemplating what to do with his life after his “fall” and the stepping down from his church he remembers thinking going back into the ministry wasn’t even possible. “I feel so unworthy of the ministry,” he cried out to God. God replied, “when were you EVER worthy?”

What a powerful message! It is because of God’s great mercy and grace, that we are able to serve him freely, and when we start looking to ourselves, that's when we are destined to stumble.

I really needed to hear this message. It doesn’t have to apply to just our fallen leaders, but it can apply to our everyday lives. Too often I judge and criticize my children when I should be welcoming them back from their mistakes with open arms. I expect too much and when the fail I say "I told you so." Instead of slinging muck in their face like the other brother, I need to be more like the father who rejoiced that his prodigal had come home and welcome them with open arms.

My First Delurking Question

Portrait of Fun, Me

Received my FIRST question from a lurker! Thanks Susanne for coming out!

Question: No holds barred what would be your favorite thing to do on a date with your hubby!

My Answer:

Date? What's that? Sheesh, we used to go on weekly dates way back when we had a couple of kids. Funny you should ask though, we just started "dating" again. So to answer your question, I love going to restaurants. Just to have someone else cook for me is a treat. We've tried things like bowling and playing pool, but we both tend to get competitive, so I avoid those kinds of dates. Give me a quiet dinner and a movie, or a stroll with an ice cream come and I'm happy.

Now if money and time was NO object, I'd opt for a week long vacation in Hawaii lying on the beach, scuba diving, snorkeling, seeing the sites. We did that nine years ago and it was the most relaxing "date" we've ever had.

Sorry, my answer is so boring. I just can't even remember what there is to do on a date! I'm open to suggestions. Just make it quick, I think we're going out tomorrow night!

My Birth Date

Portrait of Birthdays, Me

Since this question has come up several times already, I thought I should post on it.

I've been reluctant to post my "real" date (thus the month long celebration)because our family is slightly paranoid concerned about identity theft and we're trying to keep as much sensitive information private. My husband actually had his identity stolen once, but thankfully it was cleared up in a relatively timely manner. Though I've known friends to have their assets frozen for months and sometimes years, due to identity theft.

So in the spirit of my new mystery anthology I'm writing, I'd like to keep the date a mystery. I'll answer almost any question as truthfully and honestly as I can EXCEPT for those questions that have potential to come back and bite me in the.... well you get the idea!

BTW, thanks for ALL the comments and Beck is catching up! She now has 6 and Jennifer has 9!

Come Out, Come Out Where Ever You are!

Portrait of Fun

It's delurking day in honor of my birthday month. So don't be shy! I want to meet you! If you want, you can simply introduce yourself! Or you can ask me a question, and I'll answer them in my posts this month.

So what are you waiting for? Hit the comment button and join the party!

Book Contest Tally

Portrait of Contests, Books

Jennifer leads the pack with 9 comments!

Beck is next with 3!

Come on guys, that's not even close!

Operation Christmas Child

Portrait of Christmas, Giving



Last year we missed this and we usually do it every year. This year we have our boxes almost stuffed full, and all we need to do is make the cards and get them to the drop off center 1/2 a mile away.

The collection deadline is from November 13-20th so I think we'll make it. And it's not too late to fill your own shoe box or two. This year I got a great idea from Mary at Home-Steeped Hope. She uses plastic shoe boxes and so will we this year! This is such an awesome way to start off the Christmas season! Let me know if your family plans on participating.

Homeschool Record Keeping

Portrait of Homeschool, WFMW


This FREE program has revolutionized the way I keep homeschooling records. I can't remember if I discovered it on a WFMW, but it's well worth mentioning again.

The past couple of years, I bought those spiral notebook type daily planners that all the school teachers have. No design really fit my needs, but I used them anyway, scratching out subjects and scribbling over dates. This year I designed my own daily planner on the computer, one that would fit my needs, but then I found this.

It's a homeschool record keeping program that will work with any commando planner or unschooler. In less than an hour I walked through the set up program, and was able to add my four students and get a feel for the program.

We've been using it for two months now! I rarely preplan their lessons, but what I do is use the tracker as a record keeper of what we've studied. I especially love the reading log feature where it records all the books my kids are reading and the copy feature so I can duplicate a lesson or book to my other kids' log with just a click of a button.

I know there has to be some homeschoolers still using the archaic method of record keeping, afraid of the technology learning curve, but it wasn't that difficult and it will save me tons of time while keeping my records neat and orderly.

Give it a try! And don't forget to back up your homeschool records. A couple of weeks ago I thought I lost 55 days of record keeping! But the computer guys found it!

For more great tips check out Rocks in My Dryer.